Cover Image: The Big Alpha in Town

The Big Alpha in Town

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Another great compilation from some of my favourite PNR authors. Great to have a bit of everything in the one book. Humour and sexy times galore.

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What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

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The Big Alpha in Town has three full stories by authors Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden, and Kate Baxter. I am going to focus this review on the story I loved the most, but they are all great stories. I just loved this one more because for me was the first time I have ever met a werewolf/wood nymph combo.
The three stories in this anthology are
Bearing His Name by Eve Langlais
Owned by the Lion by Milly Taiden
And my favorite No Need Fur Love by Kate Baxter.
No Need Fur Love has the characters, Mia, a wood nymph and Own a werewolf. Each needs something from the other. Mia needs Owen to get her pregnant to get her dad off her back. Wood Nymphs get status when they give birth. She picks Owen because he seems like he will work.
Owen agrees because he can sense Mia is his mate. He wants to bond with her. But when he finds out the truth will he want to keep her.
I found both characters had flaws but that is what made me love them even more.
The Big Alpha in Town has three great stories in it. I loved how creative and captivating the stories are. I would love to read another anthology with these authors in it. I liked how the stories had a similar theme and it made sense they were all in the same anthology.

Five Shooting Stars

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Bearing His Name
Ark told his cousin Stavros he needed him to find a woman for him. The woman was supposedly pregnant by him. Ark slid over a sealed plastic bag to his cousin. Ark wasn’t to worried as he didn’t believe the note and his cousin would take care of it when he was ready. Than he said he got a card in the mail saying: Congratulations Asshole. Its a boy. The woman you never called back. Stavros said a DNA test will give them their answer. If it was his than ark will do the right thing or Stavros will kick shoot him. Than his cousin said he wasn’t the only one who got a card and put seven other cards on the table. Stavros said he thinks the person wants to see if any of the boys crack than the blackmail will begin. His cousin was a cop. Ark’s family are bear shifters. Jade had sent the cards trying to find the one her sister rudy had sex with at a Halloween masked party one time and got pregnant by. Jade told ruby she’d never be alone. Jade would always be there for Ruby and her son. Ark found out Jade was his mate and Ark didn’t mock the mating instinct. But what if he was ruby’s baby's’ daddy?
Owned By the Lion
Keir meets his mate and finds he has known her family for years as his mate was his bestfriends sister. He used to be basically a manwhore and his reputation had preceded him. Ally initially wants nothing to do with Keir. Keir is a lion shifter. Keir wants to prove to Ally- his mate he can be trusted. But it seems every ten seconds a woman from his past goes to Ally. Ally is trying to get the money to get everything her mom needs for her cancer treatments and the trial experiment. She signs up with Mates For Hire.com to make some money, She has signed up to be a mate for two weeks. Mates For Hire matches Keir and Ally. Someone is stalking Ruby and jade and that puts than in danger. This can’t be allowed both women have to be protected.
No Need Fur Love
Mia Oliver is a wood nymph and she needs a child npw. Her father told her if she doesn’t find a mate and produce a heir., he will find a mate for her. Nia has to produce an heir in order to be a member of the ruling nymphs. So Mia goes to the closest bar to find someone to impregnate her. Than she see Owen Courtney and decides he’s the one. She doesn’t want a mate she just wants a child. Owen knows Mia is his mate. Owen is second in his wolf pack. Mia’s father is on the brink of going to war with the werewolves. He plans on attacking on the next full moon. Mia tells her father she is pregnant with their heir and he says she’ll never help rule the nymphs. Owen and Mia must divert a war to be happy together.
I enjoyed all three stories. I laughed at times while reading this book. There was different things I liked about each story. I really liked the plots and pace of all three. All three stories were short but I didn’t think they lacked anything. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of these stories and I recommend them

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Though there were three books jn this i really only like the first one. The other two were more like fluff and didn't hold my interest.

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This is a great group of Shifter stories for everyone, a bit of different shifters. We have Bearing His Name when a Bear Shifter gets a human woman pregnant all of the single Bear shifters try to figure out who the daddy is but when Ark meets Jade the sister of the pregnant Ruby he knows he has found his mate. Problem is convincing her he isn’t the baby daddy.
Owned by the Lion, when Ally signs up for a Shifter dating site to get money for her moms cancer treatment she gets paired with Keir a womanizer Lion Shifter that has had so many women they can’t go on a date without seeing one. No Need for Love, Mia is a wood nymph who needs to get pregnant to earn her place in charge of her group but when she meets Owen a werewolf she finds out they are mates. Mia can’t get tied to ant man or she will lose her independence but her father has decided to war with the werewolves. Who will Mia side with her father or her mate.

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This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading other books by these great authors.

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If your looking for a light hearted read....this one is for you. The authors write sweet romance with a little bit of edge and a lot of quirky humor. Sexy shifters, romance, and humor....you can't go wrong.

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As a huge shifter fan these were three good stories and while I like some a little more than the others all three were good likable reads. They were well written with great characters I really liked these and would recommend them they are full of action and romance and will have you hooked

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Bearing His Name by Eve Langlais

A truly cute story about a pregnant sister with a very protective older sister trying to find Mr. Daddy. At first I was a little thrown off by how the men of Ark's Greek bear family treated relationships with woman but then again they treated food the same. All in all it was a fun read with the true daddy adding a fun twist to the story.

Owned by the Lion by Milly Taiden

Ally is one feisty woman with too much financial responsibility due to medical bills. The way she goes about getting the money is pure genius from her friends. Keir is finally getting his just due for all the women he has slept with because his mate won't give him the time of day due to his reputation and all the annoying woman. It was quite a fun experience watching him try to get out from underneath all the women to show Ally how much she meant to him. In the end this story was delightful and definitely entertaining.

No Need Fur Love by Kate Baxter

Owen is just a wolf who wants a mate. It's not asking too much is it. Unfortunately he has his hands full when he discovers his one night stand is his mate and she wants nothing to do with him.

There is a very distinct storyline to this story and how everything is resolved is dramatic. The most interesting part of this story is that the woman is the one who does the one night stand and how Owen goes about finding her was brilliant.

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Overall rating 4.25 stars!

BEARING HIS NAME by Eve Langlais
This novella had everything mentioned above, but unsurprisingly Eve still managed to add in different elements to make this one feel unique. I LOVED the two MCs, Ark and Jade. Ark begins the story as your typical cocky playboy, but once he meets his mate Jade, he is able to show his softer and funnier side without losing his confidence or sensuality. Jade isn't fooled by Ark's smooth words or persistant advances and definitely makes Ark work for her affection, which I always enjoy. The danger that seemed to shadow both Jade and her sister added in some angst and extra possessiveness from Ark (which Jade secretly appreciated). Ark's giant family also provided for some hilarious interactions between them (really great quotes)! Overall, I really enjoyed this short, sexy, and sweet novella. 4.25 stars

OWNED BY THE LION by Milly Taiden
Hmm. I liked some parts of this story--possessive alpha, stubborn heroine, real characters and storyline (mostly concerning Ally's mom)--but there were even more things I didn't like. The timeline of the story in the beginning was a tad confusing--at first it appeared that Keir and Ally had known each other for some months, and even though Keir knew Ally was his mate, he continued to sleep around and go out with other women because he wasn't ready to settle down. Later on we learn that this isn't the case, but by then I was already turned off by that plot point. I also didn't like that there was no actual shifting going on! This is a SHIFTER romance, but we didn't get to see any of it. Besides some minor hiccups though, I did enjoy this one. I liked seeing a softer and more vulnerable side to Keir, especially after realizing Ally was his mate and he (for once) didn't have a woman falling all over him. HE had to pursue HER and convince her to give him a chance, and I love the playboy conversion trope. Overall, 3.5 stars

NO NEED FUR LOVE by Kate Baxter
I have to say... I think this is my favorite shifter romance so far!!! The story, the angst, the steaminess, the genuine connection and affection that eventually develops between Mia and Owen--I loved it all. I loved how Mia was the one intending to use Owen simply for her own gain as a one night stand, and I loved how caring, sensitive, considerate and just AMAZING Owen was. He was a typical possessive wolf but also genuinely cared about Mia and her needs, and I LOVED HIM. Their story was so much sexy fun, an absolutely incredible read, 5 stars!

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There is not a single bad thing i can say about these authors. ABSOLUTELY love these books. Completely swoon worthy and well written. Fast paced, easy read with just the right enough drama to keep it interesting.

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Each of the 3 stories were fun and entertaining shifter romances, but the emotion and connection was lacking a bit for me. I still was entertained with each story though. Each story was a 3 star for me. This is $9.99 on Amazon, and honestly, I think that price is too high. Each one of these stories is like a short story, so I'd say each is worth $.99, so I'd expect to pay about $2.99. That's just my opinion.

The first story is Bearing His Name by Eve Langlais. This one was about bear shifter, Ark, and Jade. Jade's sister got pregnant because she slept with some random guy, and doesn't know who it is. Jade sends a whole pack of shifters a letter stating they are the dad; in hopes that one of the men will come forward as the baby daddy. Ark is one of those men. Ark was so drunk, he doesn't recall if he slept with Jade's sister that night, but he decides to investigate further. He meets Jade, and knows right away that she's his mate, but what if the sister's baby is his? Right off the bat, I was grossed out that these people have sex with random people. Jade's sister leaves a lot to be desired, she seems a bit of an airhead. Ark also acts like a caveman in actions and his thoughts, and Jade is a bit of a shrew, so it was tough to care what happens to either one of them. That being said, the story is entertaining and fun, and I did enjoy the romance element.

Owned by the Lion by Milly Taiden, is about manwhore lion shifter, Keir, and Ally. Keir knows Ally is his mate, but she doesn't want anything to do with him because he's slept with so many woman. It really was ridiculous how all these women would just pop out of the woodwork that have slept with Kier. It was gross, and I really wished Ally would've held off more with Keir, or make him at least be more contrite about all the women he's been with. Him being friends with many of his past women doesn't endear him to me at all. There are some sweet moments, and I did like the characters. This story was interesting enough to keep me reading.

No Need Fur Love by Kate Baxter is about wood nymph, Mia, and wolf shifter, Owen. Mia wants to get knocked up because her father said she can have a position of power if she has an heir, so Mia is looking for a one-night stand to knock her up. Mia ends up meeting Owen, but Owen proves to be more than a one-night stand. I liked Owen. He's a sweetie. I don't like Mia. She sucks. First off, the whole trying to get some random guy to knock you up is just gross, and then she mentioned that she was going to use magic to persuade some guy to have sex with her. That doesn't feel like consent to me, so right off the bat, I was thinking eww. Then she lies to Owen, and treats him like crud. How about standing up to your father, or leaving if he's not willing to give you respect. Having a baby you don't want just to gain power is a stupid thing to do. Owen saved this whole story for me, and I did like how the story plays out.

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This was awful and I couldn't get through it all. It was just too cheesy for me. The plot was lacking and there was no character development in the ones I attempted.

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I love me a good shifter story. And this book had 3 of them! I just love the whole thought of one mate and they have to do anything to get to be with their mate. Once they find their mate, that's it. Period. Their life isn't complete until they get their mate. And oh boy if you try to do something to them, you're in for a fight.

Normally I'm not a fantasy/sci fi (or whatever you want to call it) reader but shifters and vampires seem to be my exception. There's just something about these alphas and when they meet their mate. If you like a semi insta-love story, go for a shifter! And these ones were perfect!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest
If you want action, adventure, romance, and much more, you definitely need to buy this bundle.
Each story is captivating + full of surprises
I totally recommend this collection!

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Book two of the collaboration that brings us not just one series but three.

Bearing His Name: by Eve Langlais
Ark received a letter stating that he was going to be a Dad, but six of his male family members also received those letters. Ark knows for sure he's going to get to the bottom of this weather he's the Daddy or not. Jade though it was a good idea to send those letters for her about ready to pop sister, thinking not only should the father know but he should also support the baby too. Jade wasn't expecting Ark, and she sure wasn't expecting the strong attraction to the guy who could have knocked up her sister. But Jade's sister has an ex-boyfriend who will stop at nothing to get her back and Ark and his huge family will stop at nothing to protect these women.

This was a fun one, I think I enjoyed this one more than the first book. Langais definitely writes some spitfire woman and men who know how to play with fire.


Owned by the Lion: by Milly Taiden

One look was all it took for Keir to realize that his best friend's little sister was his mate. Somehow the family managed to keep them from meeting until recently but know that he knows Keir is working hard to be worthy of her. When his father's health starts to deteriorate he's gives into his father's wishes of mating now all he has to do do is convince Ally that she's his true mate. Ally needed the money and matefinder.com was the best bet to get that money quickly. Luckily Ally and Kier were put together and that works to Keir favor for slowly introducing Ally into his life and his love.

This was a great romance and steamy. Keir is hot and such a good son. Once again I think I liked this one more than the first.


No Need Fur Love: by Kate Baxter

Owen followed his Alpha to the tiny and isolated town of Stanley with no objection, it was after all for the safety of the pack but the downside to all that was the lack of woman. Owen was ready to settle down all he need was to find his true mate. Mia just needed a willing man to knock her up to secure her birthright, which shouldn't be hard considering the seductive nature dyrads have over humans. What she finds instead is Owen, she takes a chance knowing her seductive ability doesn't work on shifters but he seems willing enough. Owen knew right away what she was, his mate, he also knew that she was a wood nymph, but Mia's end game was a mystery and even after she left before he woke up he knew he wasn't going to let her go that easily, but convincing her she's his mate is only the tip of the iceberg compared to her psychotic father.

Once again I did prefer this one to the first book. The overall story just seemed like it had more substance to it, I like this plot line more than the first I like the character better too.


Overall, a pleasurable collection of stories. I look forward to the next book. Each author has something different about their style and as individual stories they each bring something to the book that makes it enjoyable throughout.

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THE BIG ALPHA IN TOWN is an enjoyable collection of different kind of shapeshifters with stories by Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden, and Kate Baxter. Readers who want stories about some of the supporting characters in this anthology should also check out THANKS FUR LAST NIGHT -- also by the same authors. Each story strikes a different tone -- from slightly screwball comedy to ominous and spooky -- but all sexy.

"Bearing His Love" by Eve Langlais takes a turn I never would have expected. The opening of this story, with mysterious letters and a hint of blackmail, had me gearing up for a romance with a tangled and dark twist. However, Eve Langlais delivers a story with just as many laughs as there are thrills. The male characters in "Bearing His Love" are the only shifters, and their oversized personalities match their larger-than-life animal alter egos. Greek bear shifter Ark Matis is gobsmacked when, instead of some scheming woman with designs on his fortune, he finds prickly Jade Cadeux and wants to devour her. The quick-witted banter between Jade and Ark make this story so entertaining. The secondary characters make this story shine without distracting from the main couple. As this is a new-to-me author, I look forward to reading more shifter love stories by Eve Langlais in the future.

In "Owned by the Lion", Milly Taiden gives paranormal romance a conventional tale of girl meets lion. Ally and Keir know the same people and have been on the periphery until they finally get up close and personal in this story. Keir does a hard sell in a totally subtle and seductive way that eventually wins him the woman of his dreams. It's a classic story of an earnest, hard-working woman charmed by the suave playboy/boy-next-door hero. I like how captivated Keir is by Ally and how he works hard to woo her. Friends and family offer support in this story and play cupid. As with the story by Eve Langlais, the hero in this story is a shifter but the heroine is human.

Out of all the stories in this anthology, I was most looking forward to "No Need Fur Love" by Kate Baxter, because I'm a huge fan of her "Last True Vampire" series. This is a lust-to-love story with a spooky edge and fairy tale vibe. When a wood nymph and a werewolf lock lips and discover they are fated mates, complicated doesn't begin to cover it. Mia thought having Owen knock her up would solve a few of her problems, but it just added new ones. Papa wood nymph makes a perfect and completely sinister villain and potential father-in-law for Owen. Betrayal and loyalty are crucial to this battle of good versus evil, and a happy ending winning out. The chemistry between this couple rocks, and the haunted woodland atmosphere will give you chills.

THE BIG ALPHA IN TOWN is a fun, furry, and fabulous collection of alpha heroes of all stripes and heroines who can go toe-to-toe with their hulking heroes. These stories will give you a sample of paranormal yummy -- beastly brawls, fated love, and a story you can sink your teeth into. I look forward to reading more shifter romances by these authors.

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I read the first anthology by these three ladies and loved it, so I couldn’t wait to read The Big Alpha in Town and visit the characters again! And the stories were even better than before and I definitely loved this anthology more. The Big Alpha in Town was absolutely fantastic and I hope we get a third collection from Ms. Langlais, Taiden, and Baxter!

We started once again with Eve Langlais and her “Bearing His Name.” It was full of humor, fun, and silliness. I loved Ark’s playfulness and his unapologetic, amusing arrogance and Jade’s feisty fierceness. They made a great couple and I loved them and their story. I can’t wait for more to come!

Next up is Milly Taiden’s “Owned By the Lion” and let me tell you, I was so excited for this one! I couldn’t wait for Keir to get on the mate wagon — I just knew that he and Ally would end up being mates and I was really looking forward to seeing how it would all play out. It was entertaining and sweet and gave me all the feels. I just loved this novella and I hope Shawna is next!

Finally, we have Kate Baxter’s “No Need Fur Love” and it was even more intriguing and exciting than the first novella of hers. This is only my second time reading Ms. Baxter, but she is always introducing me to new concepts and paranormal characters that I know about, but have always had more of a supporting role than a main one. “No Need Fur Love" just got better and better the more I read on and I enjoyed it so much — I really need to make it a priority to pick this author up again!

The Big Alpha in Town was so much fun to read! It made me laugh and sometimes made me shake my head or roll my eyes more in indulgence than in frustration. It tugged on my heart at times and warmed and melted it at others. I had the best time reading it and I’ll definitely be hoping and on the lookout for another anthology!

~ A Hopeless Romantic’s Booklandia, 5 Stars

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The three stories fit well in this anthology. The main problem is that none of them were incredibly good. I am unfamiliar with these authors and these universes, but it was still relatively easy to follow along. They were easy to read and fun, but not the best books ever.

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