tinasbooknook's review
3.0
solid 3.5; good characters, but the "deep dark secret from the past" is getting a little over the top; at times struggled a little with motivation, but plenty of times excited to find out how Amy was going to go up against the old white guy.
loverofromance's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Aimee and Mac are on opposite sides of a rivalry between the witches and the shape shifters. But there is trouble brewing in Diablo lake. Mac has spent years fighting in the army and learning as much as he can to eventually become the right leader for his pack. But then his family requests that he returns home and gets things back in order. Mac knows he will have to tread very carefully as he slowly takes over the pack. His father is lazy when it comes to being a leader and his brother is a troublemaker who with his pack of friends are causing all sorts of problems for the town and most especially the witch clan. Aimee, is strong and responsbile and she knows that certain members of the pack are causing problems and finds herself in a battle with herself. Her passion for Mac and her responsiblity to see that the leadership over the town becomes changed. But as Mac and Aimee work together to make the town more unified, Mac's family is causing unnecessary problems and Mac will be forced to make a difficult choice and only his love for Aimee will give him the strength to do what is best for all...
What a lovely story this turned out to be. Even though it starts out a bit slow at first, it quickly picks up pace and I very quickly had a hard time putting this one down. I did feel a bit confused at times with the romance itself. I felt like there was a background story with Mac and Aimee that wasn't really revealed very much, so I would have liked a bit more information included in the story. However that is my only real complaint about this story. In Protected we have a story that deals with complex pack politics but the author handled this variation so well. I did like seeing two strong characters become so unified and connected with each other. Both Aimee and Mac have alpha like personalities. But what characters they turned out to be. Mac is a wonderful leader, and even though he is torn between family and duty he knows how to act when its the right thing to do. He handles the situation very delicately and I enjoyed seeing the way he goes about it. Now Aimee, I truly liked seeing so much. She is a natural born leader but very caring and empathetic.
I love the way she treats others and makes an effort to help others even at a cost to herself. She is compassion but firm and we see what a great balance that brings out. I am eager to read book one now and see how this author builds this series, I definitely want more.
Interesting cover, I really like the shade of blue used here with the moon's brightness.
Protected is a stimulating and sexually charged romance that gives the reader pause in appreciation and delight!!
[foogallery id="25512"]
Summary
Aimee and Mac are on opposite sides of a rivalry between the witches and the shape shifters. But there is trouble brewing in Diablo lake. Mac has spent years fighting in the army and learning as much as he can to eventually become the right leader for his pack. But then his family requests that he returns home and gets things back in order. Mac knows he will have to tread very carefully as he slowly takes over the pack. His father is lazy when it comes to being a leader and his brother is a troublemaker who with his pack of friends are causing all sorts of problems for the town and most especially the witch clan. Aimee, is strong and responsbile and she knows that certain members of the pack are causing problems and finds herself in a battle with herself. Her passion for Mac and her responsiblity to see that the leadership over the town becomes changed. But as Mac and Aimee work together to make the town more unified, Mac's family is causing unnecessary problems and Mac will be forced to make a difficult choice and only his love for Aimee will give him the strength to do what is best for all...
Plot and Story Line
What a lovely story this turned out to be. Even though it starts out a bit slow at first, it quickly picks up pace and I very quickly had a hard time putting this one down. I did feel a bit confused at times with the romance itself. I felt like there was a background story with Mac and Aimee that wasn't really revealed very much, so I would have liked a bit more information included in the story. However that is my only real complaint about this story. In Protected we have a story that deals with complex pack politics but the author handled this variation so well. I did like seeing two strong characters become so unified and connected with each other. Both Aimee and Mac have alpha like personalities. But what characters they turned out to be. Mac is a wonderful leader, and even though he is torn between family and duty he knows how to act when its the right thing to do. He handles the situation very delicately and I enjoyed seeing the way he goes about it. Now Aimee, I truly liked seeing so much. She is a natural born leader but very caring and empathetic.
But Aimee's strength was deep, solid and steadfast. Not always something people understood as alpha behavior at first glance. She was a calming, soothing influence even as she knew how to enjoy the little things that made life better.
I love the way she treats others and makes an effort to help others even at a cost to herself. She is compassion but firm and we see what a great balance that brings out. I am eager to read book one now and see how this author builds this series, I definitely want more.
The Cover
Interesting cover, I really like the shade of blue used here with the moon's brightness.
Overall View
Protected is a stimulating and sexually charged romance that gives the reader pause in appreciation and delight!!
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="25512"]
glyneth's review
4.0
Four stars mainly because I really like the heroine, Aimee. Her wonderful oddball-ness and sense of humor was the main thing that kept me reading. Soft doesn’t mean weak!
jeanz's review
5.0
REVIEW
After reading Moonstruck and falling in love with Diablo Lake, its magic and secret supernatural population I was really eager to read more as soon as I could. I adored the characters, their interactions with their families and each other in Moonstruck. I read the blurb for this book and I was really raring to go with reading, to learn more about the Pembry wolves. I was also curious to see how a possible relationship between witch, Aimee Benton and dominant wolf Macrae Pembry would work out. My thoughts were along the lines of would the wolf men, Jace Dooley and Macrae Pembry and their differences come between the true deep friendship between Aimee Benton and Katie Faith Dooley?
I became totally immersed in the Diablo Lake magic before I'd finished reading the first page of Protected. The book picks up three weeks after the wedding of witch, Katie Faith Grady and prime wolf Jace Dooley. The alterations to the Dooley home of Jace and Katie are well underway and it seems both patrons, Jace & Katie have slipped into their new roles quite seamlessly and are coping with the added workload fairly easily too. The garden of the property has flourished since Katie moved in and it has abundant display of beautiful smelling roses.
Aimee is all worked up, she has discovered something about an ex-boyfriend and the only person she feels she can turn to with the revelation is best friend Katie Faith. Katie is naturally shocked but reassures her friend that she is not the person with the problem, it is her ex-boyfriend of three years Bob that has the issues and needs to deal with them. Katie advises Aimee to just forget about it all.
The two girls soon turn their attention to the fit looking werewolves working on the house. Aimee can certainly understand her friends attraction to werewolves.
The cover of Moonstruck had a purple hue to it, this book has a blue hue. The scene on Protected's cover could be straight from a certain section of the book when a certain couple are kissing under the moonlight. I would say the couple is Aimee and Macrae the two most central characters within Protected. Katie actually teases Aimee, saying that Macrae is "eyeing her up", though Aimee laughs and brushes off the comment she has to admit to herself and then later to best friend Katie that she finds Macrae rather swoon worthy herself!
The genre of Protected is classified as Romance, Sci-Fi Fantasy by Netgalley and I totally agree with this. I will add that yes there are some steamy scenes with quite explicit language but to me it works well as it is part of a larger plot/storyline not just for the sake of a steamy scene.
So after being "rescued" by Macrae from being skittled over by two fighting werewolves (Dooley vs Pembry) and then "bumping" into Macrae a few other times they end up organising a date. Naturally gossips that they are Aimee and Katie come up with the idea of meeting up making it, Aimee, Macrae, Katie and Jace going out for the meal! These girls are as close as sisters really, and throughout the book Katie Faith proves to be a real support and defender of Aimee. Jace also views Aimee as family and is always on hand to "sort out" anyone bothering her, but Aimee is a strong witch, who both can and prefers to defend herself. There's rumours, malicious gossip, rival pack tensions as well as internal Pembry wolf pack tensions galore in this book. If you thought Moonstruck was packed full of action . . ..well Protected has all that and even more.
Katie Faith & Jace Dooley still feature quite highly in my list of favourite characters in this series. We also learn just how stern Miz Rose can be when a couple of werewolves that should know better break the code, one of the simplest but most important rules for all those that live in Diablo Lake. I'm trying to hint and skirt around revealing anything as I of course do not want to spoil your own reading experience of this brilliant book.
I cannot say I like Scarlett Pembry but at one or two points in Protected you do feel empathy towards her, as Aimee does too. The way Scarlett keeps on going at Katie Faith and her reputation is weird. . . and is becoming stranger and more mystifying as the Diablo Lake Series progresses. Scarlett really seems to have a vendetta against Katie . . . .and she continually rakes over old Diablo Lake history bringing up Josiah Dooley . . . and hinting at "bad things" as well as snarking and being nasty towards Jace Dooley too. Hopefully we will learn exactly what Scarlett's problem is somewhere in the future of the Diablo Lake series.
The odd thing about Scarlett is that when she finds out about a possible union between Katie Faith's best friend Aimee and her son Macrae she is all for it. The immediate reason for her favourable attitude towards Aimee seems to be that it would mean the "Pembry pack" would then have their own witch like she see's Katie Faith being to the Dooley pack.
I'm looking forward to learning what her actual problem is and why she is so anxious to do as much damage to Jace and Katie Dooley as possible.
Macrae is the opposite of his parents, in fact he ends up having to make some difficult choices in how to deal with certain members of his family. I personally think Macrae is similar in character, personality and ways to Jace Dooley. I reckon if Jace and Macrae were in charge of their respective packs there would be much less drama and upset in Diablo Lake. The "cats" in Diablo Lake have a brief part to play in a "clean up" operation that has Miz Rose taking charge. I'm hoping we get to discover more about the cat shifters later in this series. Though what we do know is that they aren't as close, and in and out of each others homes like the werewolf packs are.
The "shining star" of Protected has to be Aimee Benton, who is a nurturing green witch. Aimee is the person who goes around Diablo Lake calling in on the older generation offering herbal and magic infused tinctures and balms to soothe their ailments. Aimee does this without anything in return really, she does it because she can and wishes too. I thought the way she wormed her way into Jeph Pembry's home and heart was particularly amusing, she kind of managed to turn around her good deeds, giving the impression Jeph was doing her a favour eating the extra bun, or the extra broth or pie she left for him. Even the matriarchal Rebecca Pembry is won over by the caring Aimee. Rebecca gives both the permission and strength to Macrae to pursue Aimee no matter what as well as being the wise voice he needs to hear when the time comes he has to become patron. Rebecca informs her grandson Macrae that Aimee Benton will make a worthy patron and be a great asset to the Pembry pack.
Protected is more centred on the Pembry wolves, though we have already met Macrae's immediate family of parents Dwayne and Scarlett, and obnoxious spolit brother Darrell. We also read about Mac Pembry's true family support network from grandmother Rebecca, to his Uncle Bern and his wife and the cousins that always have his back Huston and Everett. We also learn a little more about Mac's other brothers Billy and youngest Samuel. It was an important moment in the book when Samuel chose to speak up and warn Macrae and Aimee about a plan that current Mayor Dwayne has to discredit opponent Aimee in the run up to the Mayoral elections. I'm looking forward to seeing and reading about the aftermath of the incidents at the end of Protected. How will Scarlett react now she is no longer the patron? Will the Pembry pack finally settle under the watchful eye and fair hand of Mac Pembry.
I have to add just a few more things....Firstly, I truly adored the part in the book where it is revealed Macrae got his name from. Secondly, I could seriously visualise the incident in the supermarket where Nadine Grady hears Pembry Wolves slandering her daughters name ans she picks up a can of peaches and hits the wolf. . . . well you'll find out when you read the book yourselves. Finally, I was also immensely entertained by what I call the Katie/Aimee "isms" such as "Softy Softerson", "maggot eating shit lord"and "Cheaty McCheaterson". The other nick names I found really appropriate during Protected, were for the opposing packs in town were the "Droolworthy Dooleys" and the "Poison Pembrys". Though after the ending of Protected maybe it should be "Droolworthy Dooleys" and "Pulseracing Pembry's".
I could really go on and on about this book, in fact this series so far! The books fit together well, especially as there is only a three week time frame gap between the end of Moonstruck and the beginning of Protected.
The initial words floating around my head as I finished reading Protected but also fit well for Moonstruck were, Enthralling, Captivating, Emotional, and Heart Warming. The Diablo Lake series has family and community at the very heart of the plots and has some relate-able situations even though it is classified as fantasy. All I can really sum up with is Wow! another fantastic book n the Diablo Lake Series! and that I am so eagerly awaiting the next book in the series I hope it's not long until its available to read.
Wow another fantastic book n the Diablo Lake Series!
After reading Moonstruck and falling in love with Diablo Lake, its magic and secret supernatural population I was really eager to read more as soon as I could. I adored the characters, their interactions with their families and each other in Moonstruck. I read the blurb for this book and I was really raring to go with reading, to learn more about the Pembry wolves. I was also curious to see how a possible relationship between witch, Aimee Benton and dominant wolf Macrae Pembry would work out. My thoughts were along the lines of would the wolf men, Jace Dooley and Macrae Pembry and their differences come between the true deep friendship between Aimee Benton and Katie Faith Dooley?
I became totally immersed in the Diablo Lake magic before I'd finished reading the first page of Protected. The book picks up three weeks after the wedding of witch, Katie Faith Grady and prime wolf Jace Dooley. The alterations to the Dooley home of Jace and Katie are well underway and it seems both patrons, Jace & Katie have slipped into their new roles quite seamlessly and are coping with the added workload fairly easily too. The garden of the property has flourished since Katie moved in and it has abundant display of beautiful smelling roses.
Aimee is all worked up, she has discovered something about an ex-boyfriend and the only person she feels she can turn to with the revelation is best friend Katie Faith. Katie is naturally shocked but reassures her friend that she is not the person with the problem, it is her ex-boyfriend of three years Bob that has the issues and needs to deal with them. Katie advises Aimee to just forget about it all.
The two girls soon turn their attention to the fit looking werewolves working on the house. Aimee can certainly understand her friends attraction to werewolves.
The cover of Moonstruck had a purple hue to it, this book has a blue hue. The scene on Protected's cover could be straight from a certain section of the book when a certain couple are kissing under the moonlight. I would say the couple is Aimee and Macrae the two most central characters within Protected. Katie actually teases Aimee, saying that Macrae is "eyeing her up", though Aimee laughs and brushes off the comment she has to admit to herself and then later to best friend Katie that she finds Macrae rather swoon worthy herself!
The genre of Protected is classified as Romance, Sci-Fi Fantasy by Netgalley and I totally agree with this. I will add that yes there are some steamy scenes with quite explicit language but to me it works well as it is part of a larger plot/storyline not just for the sake of a steamy scene.
So after being "rescued" by Macrae from being skittled over by two fighting werewolves (Dooley vs Pembry) and then "bumping" into Macrae a few other times they end up organising a date. Naturally gossips that they are Aimee and Katie come up with the idea of meeting up making it, Aimee, Macrae, Katie and Jace going out for the meal! These girls are as close as sisters really, and throughout the book Katie Faith proves to be a real support and defender of Aimee. Jace also views Aimee as family and is always on hand to "sort out" anyone bothering her, but Aimee is a strong witch, who both can and prefers to defend herself. There's rumours, malicious gossip, rival pack tensions as well as internal Pembry wolf pack tensions galore in this book. If you thought Moonstruck was packed full of action . . ..well Protected has all that and even more.
Katie Faith & Jace Dooley still feature quite highly in my list of favourite characters in this series. We also learn just how stern Miz Rose can be when a couple of werewolves that should know better break the code, one of the simplest but most important rules for all those that live in Diablo Lake. I'm trying to hint and skirt around revealing anything as I of course do not want to spoil your own reading experience of this brilliant book.
I cannot say I like Scarlett Pembry but at one or two points in Protected you do feel empathy towards her, as Aimee does too. The way Scarlett keeps on going at Katie Faith and her reputation is weird. . . and is becoming stranger and more mystifying as the Diablo Lake Series progresses. Scarlett really seems to have a vendetta against Katie . . . .and she continually rakes over old Diablo Lake history bringing up Josiah Dooley . . . and hinting at "bad things" as well as snarking and being nasty towards Jace Dooley too. Hopefully we will learn exactly what Scarlett's problem is somewhere in the future of the Diablo Lake series.
The odd thing about Scarlett is that when she finds out about a possible union between Katie Faith's best friend Aimee and her son Macrae she is all for it. The immediate reason for her favourable attitude towards Aimee seems to be that it would mean the "Pembry pack" would then have their own witch like she see's Katie Faith being to the Dooley pack.
I'm looking forward to learning what her actual problem is and why she is so anxious to do as much damage to Jace and Katie Dooley as possible.
Macrae is the opposite of his parents, in fact he ends up having to make some difficult choices in how to deal with certain members of his family. I personally think Macrae is similar in character, personality and ways to Jace Dooley. I reckon if Jace and Macrae were in charge of their respective packs there would be much less drama and upset in Diablo Lake. The "cats" in Diablo Lake have a brief part to play in a "clean up" operation that has Miz Rose taking charge. I'm hoping we get to discover more about the cat shifters later in this series. Though what we do know is that they aren't as close, and in and out of each others homes like the werewolf packs are.
The "shining star" of Protected has to be Aimee Benton, who is a nurturing green witch. Aimee is the person who goes around Diablo Lake calling in on the older generation offering herbal and magic infused tinctures and balms to soothe their ailments. Aimee does this without anything in return really, she does it because she can and wishes too. I thought the way she wormed her way into Jeph Pembry's home and heart was particularly amusing, she kind of managed to turn around her good deeds, giving the impression Jeph was doing her a favour eating the extra bun, or the extra broth or pie she left for him. Even the matriarchal Rebecca Pembry is won over by the caring Aimee. Rebecca gives both the permission and strength to Macrae to pursue Aimee no matter what as well as being the wise voice he needs to hear when the time comes he has to become patron. Rebecca informs her grandson Macrae that Aimee Benton will make a worthy patron and be a great asset to the Pembry pack.
Protected is more centred on the Pembry wolves, though we have already met Macrae's immediate family of parents Dwayne and Scarlett, and obnoxious spolit brother Darrell. We also read about Mac Pembry's true family support network from grandmother Rebecca, to his Uncle Bern and his wife and the cousins that always have his back Huston and Everett. We also learn a little more about Mac's other brothers Billy and youngest Samuel. It was an important moment in the book when Samuel chose to speak up and warn Macrae and Aimee about a plan that current Mayor Dwayne has to discredit opponent Aimee in the run up to the Mayoral elections. I'm looking forward to seeing and reading about the aftermath of the incidents at the end of Protected. How will Scarlett react now she is no longer the patron? Will the Pembry pack finally settle under the watchful eye and fair hand of Mac Pembry.
I have to add just a few more things....Firstly, I truly adored the part in the book where it is revealed Macrae got his name from. Secondly, I could seriously visualise the incident in the supermarket where Nadine Grady hears Pembry Wolves slandering her daughters name ans she picks up a can of peaches and hits the wolf. . . . well you'll find out when you read the book yourselves. Finally, I was also immensely entertained by what I call the Katie/Aimee "isms" such as "Softy Softerson", "maggot eating shit lord"and "Cheaty McCheaterson". The other nick names I found really appropriate during Protected, were for the opposing packs in town were the "Droolworthy Dooleys" and the "Poison Pembrys". Though after the ending of Protected maybe it should be "Droolworthy Dooleys" and "Pulseracing Pembry's".
I could really go on and on about this book, in fact this series so far! The books fit together well, especially as there is only a three week time frame gap between the end of Moonstruck and the beginning of Protected.
The initial words floating around my head as I finished reading Protected but also fit well for Moonstruck were, Enthralling, Captivating, Emotional, and Heart Warming. The Diablo Lake series has family and community at the very heart of the plots and has some relate-able situations even though it is classified as fantasy. All I can really sum up with is Wow! another fantastic book n the Diablo Lake Series! and that I am so eagerly awaiting the next book in the series I hope it's not long until its available to read.
Wow another fantastic book n the Diablo Lake Series!
prgchrqltma's review
4.0
Another good Dane book. Family relationships, female friendships, steamy sex, paranormal and life in a small southern town.
thrushwing's review
4.0
The plot was pretty bland. I didn't really care for the most part and it was mainly gossip. I did like the small town southern atmosphere but what really kept me reading was the heroine. I love how weird she was and what she was like with her best friend.
chaosqueen's review
5.0
Ughh this series is so fucking good. I am absolutely jonesing for book 3.
EDIT: I swear, this series doesn't get old for me. Which makes me so happy.
EDIT: I swear, this series doesn't get old for me. Which makes me so happy.
anacoqui's review
4.0
Fantastic caretaking-alpha that is all softness for the heroine
The magic of a supernatural town is decaying because of strife between factions of wolves, cats & witches. New leaders emerge but not everyone is ready to accept change. Great mutually caretaking Empath/warrior pair. Great female friendship
The magic of a supernatural town is decaying because of strife between factions of wolves, cats & witches. New leaders emerge but not everyone is ready to accept change. Great mutually caretaking Empath/warrior pair. Great female friendship
melinda's review
5.0
Lauren Dane is one of those prolific writers that I feel like I can name a trope and she has a series or book that contains exactly what a reader may be looking for. Rock Stars? The Hurley Boys! Motorcycles? Ink & Chrome! Small Town? Petal! Menage? Err…there are a few lol. Super strong heroine – take your pick!
Diablo Lake is a magical town, one that has different packs of werewolves living there and witches as well. The magic makes the town incredibly special, therefore the witches are the heart of the town but can be easily overlooked with the powerful and loud wolves of the town at each other’s throats so often. The Pembry and Dooley packs are still clashing which is causing more and more chaos throughout the town. Mac Pembry is ready to take over his pack but is trying to bide his time to conduct a relatively peaceful takeover…which is pretty much impossible in his family. Meanwhile, Aimee Benton, a quietly powerful witch is getting pushed to the point of no return over all of anger in her town and is ready to do something about but wasn’t prepared for Mac at all.
This follow up to Moonstruck was just as good as the first one was for me! I’ve been so ready for great paranormal books again and I loved the first one so much that I was pretty much stalking to see when this one was coming out. Megan Erickson had a great werewolf book recently as well with Daring Fate and with the addition of these two I’m really hoping to see even more.
I really like the connecting threads from the previous book that I assume is going to pull through to the next as well with all of the drama within the town. That goes beyond just the two wolf packs and includes the witches and the various families in the town. That’s the beauty of small town romances – they can be so much more involved than you even realize at first. On top of that, the romance was kind of quiet and intense at the same time. Because of the drama of the town and families I think if there was too much drama between Aimee and Mac it would have been too much for me, but the way it was done gave me the perfect amount. But they still brought the heat of their chemistry to the page and made me believe their romance immediately.
I really can’t wait for the next installment of this. I feel like it’s Dane at her best, and paranormal right there too.
Diablo Lake is a magical town, one that has different packs of werewolves living there and witches as well. The magic makes the town incredibly special, therefore the witches are the heart of the town but can be easily overlooked with the powerful and loud wolves of the town at each other’s throats so often. The Pembry and Dooley packs are still clashing which is causing more and more chaos throughout the town. Mac Pembry is ready to take over his pack but is trying to bide his time to conduct a relatively peaceful takeover…which is pretty much impossible in his family. Meanwhile, Aimee Benton, a quietly powerful witch is getting pushed to the point of no return over all of anger in her town and is ready to do something about but wasn’t prepared for Mac at all.
This follow up to Moonstruck was just as good as the first one was for me! I’ve been so ready for great paranormal books again and I loved the first one so much that I was pretty much stalking to see when this one was coming out. Megan Erickson had a great werewolf book recently as well with Daring Fate and with the addition of these two I’m really hoping to see even more.
I really like the connecting threads from the previous book that I assume is going to pull through to the next as well with all of the drama within the town. That goes beyond just the two wolf packs and includes the witches and the various families in the town. That’s the beauty of small town romances – they can be so much more involved than you even realize at first. On top of that, the romance was kind of quiet and intense at the same time. Because of the drama of the town and families I think if there was too much drama between Aimee and Mac it would have been too much for me, but the way it was done gave me the perfect amount. But they still brought the heat of their chemistry to the page and made me believe their romance immediately.
I really can’t wait for the next installment of this. I feel like it’s Dane at her best, and paranormal right there too.
tiggerreads's review
5.0
4 1/2 out of 5
I really love this series. It's paranormal, but light-hearted. Very fun.
I really love this series. It's paranormal, but light-hearted. Very fun.
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