This is my first time reading this author, and I hadn't read the first book about Malcolm and his mate, Larissa, but it in no way took away from the story. I will say that there is talk about the betrayal that happened in book one, but it doesn't interfere with the story of book 2, which focuses on Anders and his mate, Etta.

I was entralled by the two main characters in this story. Anders, a newly appointed guardian in his pack...military trained and focused on helping the pack trust in him, as the betrayal in book one had to do with the past guardian for the pack. He didn't want a mate, didn't require one, but he finds his perfect match in the newcomer Etta.

Their story was packed with intense challenges, and for Etta, it was about learning who she was. Margo Bond Collins gave you the sweet, slow-paced love story of two mates finding their way to happily ever after.

I'm eager for the next book in the series, where I hope we get more insight into the challenges the pack will face in taking down the new threat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kobo for this opportunity to read Anders ARC.

This was a pretty enjoyable shifter story. Etta and Anders, while mates, came from such vastly different backgrounds with experiences that were polar opposites. As the story unfolded from each perspective, it made the struggles Etta has faced so heartrending. From her parents being ripped away to her life being built on lies, she is lost but doesn't realize it at first. The town made her instinct wake up yet her re-introduction to being a wolf was harsh. The author at one points compares her to a spy which is true, her interviews far from standard and her observations different. While, all that is unfolding nearly unbeknownst to her, we are pulled along to witness her struggles and her denials even in the face of overwhelming evidence. From their differences, a relationship builds offering her stable ground and him the mate he claimed not to need. We were observing to this journey from pain on both parts to a perfect pairing. Speaking of perfect pairing, Larissa and Malcolm were lock step perfect for each other, in synch in so many ways. I found that comparison of the two couples a bit jarring and further proof of how much Etta had been robbed of. You truly wanted to cheer for her as she struggled to both accept the new normal and remember the very old. Anders was exactly the type of mate she needed, grounded and solid and willing to offer her stable ground.
It was a good book with so exciting challenges going on while love stood front and center and not just the love between a wolf and his mate. The story of pack life told both by the pack and by the notes Etta was unwittingly taking was key to the book and the series. Overall, I enjoyed it and suspect the characters in the story will be pack as there are more pack members in need of a story too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kobo Originals for the opportunity to read this ARC

This book is fantastic! The premise is disturbing and engaging. I found myself invested in the characters and wanting them to get a HEA ending.

The author has created a unique shifter story that kept this reader completely engrossed in her novel. Fans of the genre will love this book. The author's shifter book are among my favorites and are on my must read list.