debbiereadsbook

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book. This is book two in the Tribal Spirits series, but you don't need to have read book one: Forged Alliances, for this one to make sense. It would HELP, but not totally necessary. Finn is beta to the Red Rock pack, but is restless since his Alpha, Sierra, mated Dax, Alpha of the Silver Springs pack. The Tribe are in town to bles their union, and Navi takes advantage of Finn's local knowledge to crack a drug smuggling ring. The more they work together, the more the attraction builds, and soon neither can deny it. When Finn's past comes crashing down around him and clashes with Navi's mission, will she let him have the revenge he so desperately needs? Will Finn be able to walk away from Navi, when her mission is done, now she holds his heart?? I LOVED book one, loved it, and looked forward to reading this one. But while still a very VERY good read, it doesn't quite hit *THAT* spot that Forged Alliances does. And *insert wailing* I don't know why! And ya'll know how much the drives me nuts! Finn and Navi had that one night together, after Dax gets his pack back, and it plays on both their minds. They are both profoundly affected by that night and the passion they shared simmers along for the first half of the book. They fight it, oh BOY do they fight it, but it really is inevitable, working in close quarters, that they will give in. It is just a matter of when. Finn is dealing with some emotional baggage, after his parents death when he was a child and the restless feeling he has been carrying for the last month. Navi too, but hers is different. Being raised as Tribe from a very young age, she had no childhood, she has no attachments save the other Tribe members. She cannot have a mate, since she has to leave all the time. Yes, she has a powerful panther spirit within her, and she can control water, but once, just once, she wants someone who sees Navi the WOMAN, rather than Navi of The Tribe. And by god, does Finn SEE Navi the woman! Loved that, while it broke her to ask the words of Finn, she does. The next book is laid out very nicely, thank you, and I suspect that might be more of an emotionally difficult read, given what Raven goes through here, and with the hints to her past. A really good read, just not as good as book one, so... 4 solid stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**