I received a free Audible code for A.J. Merlin‘s Reckless through FreeAudibleCodes. And, honestly, I probably owe the author an apology because I received the code when I was doing a ton of diamond paintings. But then I got accepted into graduate school and all of those opportunities evaporated. So, this book has been waiting in the wings for a while. But I’ve started walking now, which means time to listen again.

Maned wolf shifter Alek Sawyer is a pro at landing on her feet. From being dropped into foster care as a child, to tripping over her hopeless romantic tendencies as a teenager, she’s an omega with no need of an alpha or a pack. With a curvy figure and a mean right hook, she’s also not the omega that most alphas expect her to be.

But Hades, Roman, and Wilder aren’t ‘most alphas.’ When Alek is unexpectedly and irrevocably drawn to the exhibitionist panther, the quiet but firm coyote, and the secretive dire wolf, she can’t help but be reminded of the fairy tale romance she’s always wanted. But when things start heating up, she starts to realize her day dreams are drifting to some darker corners than she remembers. Corners with collars and cuffs and a strong dominating presence.

But her new romance isn’t all kinky games and bdsm parties. Her new alphas come with secrets of their own and lead lives that Alek has never considered for herself. At the end of the day, will their sudden and powerful connection be enough to keep them together?

Or will their pasts, or Alek’s own skeletons, force them apart?

This is a great big “Meh” for me. And I cannot tell you how disappointed I am about that. Because the book has all of the elements to be a winner, but it just never quite manages it. It has the ingredients for interesting characters, but they remain shallow cardboard cutouts (the men especially). It has a lead-up for a strong romance, but the characters basically only come together for sex, so even that never appears. It has the structure for an interesting plot, but it never quite develops. The writing is mechanically fine, but never memorable. Same for the narration. Nothing is wrong with it (other than the alphas not sounding particularly alpha-like), but nothing stands out. The book almost says something noteworthy by being such a clear analogy with alpha/omega standing in for men/women in a patriarchal society, and how women are treated. But pulls back before actually saying it, such that it ends up just feeling like a cheap plot device rather than a meaningful comparison. There are so many almosts here. But ultimately that’s all.

Other Reviews:

Reckless by A.J. Merlin – Book review