Crazy For Books

** spoiler alert ** NetGalley free read

Now I gave this book five stars and I rarely ever give out a five star review. I did because Blayne was a hoot. I laughed so hard at times I couldn't see straight or breath. I loved Bo as well. The first time he saw her, he gave her a look that sent her running away. Ten years later that same look is just as frightening, but in a different way. I am a true believer of things happening for a reason and Bo thinks several times that it was for the best that she ran away the first time. He was 19 and would have been so addicted to her, he would have never focused on his hockey career. Now that he's more established, he can cut his concentration a bit more.

I loved all of Bo's lists and schedule. Getting involved with Blayne means all of that is out of the window. I also loved Blayne using her personality and amping it up a bit in order to drive DeeAnn crazy. I love how Bo was a 'Bear' in a China shop when he wanted something. He was direct in every aspect of his life, to hilarious conclusions. I loved how Blayne turned all the Bears in Ursus County into her biggest fans, since they are supposed to hate wolfdogs.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Niles Van Holtz goes to speak with Blayne's father after she'd been kidnapped, gotten away, but hurt, and is now in Ursus County and wouldn't leave:

"Look, why don't I make this easy for you and me?" 

"Blayne likes to feel we have a rough-and-tumble acrimonious relationship, and I let her. Because in a bizarre, Blayne-like way, it makes her feel more normal when, in all fact, my girl's weird. I know she's weird. Her friends know she's weird. And we all accept it because she's weird, but she's also amazing. And I want my weird but amazing girl safe. So this is what you're going to do. You're going to track down the f**ckers who grabbed her and you're going to do what the Group does best, which is wipe their full-human assess from the planet. You're going to do this in a timely manner and then, when its safe, I'll go with you and bring my girl back. And, even after staying with those goddamn bears in Ursus County--who, by the way hate wolves and are terrified of wolfdogs--my girl better be as annoyingly perky and helpful as she was when she was grabbed, or I'll raise Van Holtz territory to the ground from here to the West Coast, leaving nothing but craters the size of the Atlantic Ocean when I'm done." 

Or when Ezra comes to Ursus County to get Blayne and walks up on Bo naked butting Blayne's books on her as she's about to go for a run. Her father sees that she's been marked and tells her that her kids will be freaks.

She marches to the door and yelled "And our children will not be freaks!" 

"Except their mother already is," her father yelled back. 

When Bo's mane starts to grow when he's upset that Blayne is hugging one of her male friends.

"Oh,no," her father said, next to him with a level of sarcasm even Bo was finding hard to take. "Your kids won't be freaks at all." "I love your daughter, sir," Bo said low for Mr. Thorpe's benefit only. "But don't think for a second I won't snap your neck like a twig if you get on my my nerves." The wolf looked up at him, brows raised, and Bo added, "No, really." Laughing, the wolf walked away from him. 

I loved the interactions with all the character and when Blayne was hyper and a bit wacky causing havoc to Bo's well structured world. She wants to be friends with everyone even if they don't want to be friends with her. She's willing to force the issue.

But also, the fighting scenes were well written. I love that Ezra had Blayne trained like she was in the Core by different people, so she would always be able to take care of herself. The only people who know this are her father and her best friend Gwen, until the night of the attempted kidnapping. Bo is so anxious to try to get to her, that he's shocked and thrown from the vehicle when he views what Blayne can do with a knife and how fast and precise she moves.

They hide it from the Bears of Ursus as well as others because her type is considered unpredictable at the best of times. She has always been afraid what people woud do if they knew she was well trained. But Lock and Ric as well as DeeAnn, who thinks she's as annoying as a teacup poodle, are thrown when they view her in action. Blayne's father knows she can take care of herself, so his responses to her perceived danger very muted.

The only thing I didn't like about the book, which I can only assume is because I hadn't read the first 4 in the series, was some of the characters came and disappeared quickly. But I obviously didn't take anything off of this for that because I loved it so much. I also have Wolf With Benefits, which I can't wait to read as well.