Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.

I had always taken for granted the lovely warmth of the sun. If I got out of here alive, I would relish it. I could see it now, a spot in the woods, away from these people where I could sit in patches of sun that shone through the leaves of the trees. I could have a cabin maybe, hidden where no one could ever reach me.

I don’t like judging a book by it’s cover, but I did with this one, which is why I didn’t see the emotional impact coming. This book is heartbreaking and wonderful. I was recommended the book when I asked for ‘shifters + fated mates’, which is exactly what I got. I was very pleasantly surprised by the depth it had, and I feel a little bad about not thinking it would be anything more than surface level entertainment, to be honest. That’s on me.

Both MCs have had rough lives, one more so than the other, and hearing about it broke my heart a little. Seeing Ember go from broken down and thinking his life was about to be over, to trusting Coal and realizing there are good and kind people in the world, was lovely. It’s a quick-ish read with lovely wolf shifters, fated mates, and a bit more tear-jerking power than most shifter books I’ve personally read, as well as a suspense element.

“My name is Coal and I told you I wouldn’t hurt you. I would never hurt you. I’ll kill anyone who touches you.” And there it was again, the almost sweet declaration that swiftly turned possessive and violent. The cliche alpha.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Fated mates
Wolf shifter
Paranormal
Size difference
Hurt/comfort
a/b/o
Single dad (actually big brother)
Knotting
Scenting

⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Graphic violence
Explicit sexual content
Captive
Homelessness
Mentions of past trauma
Hints at child abuse
Mentions of past sex work
Child kidnapping (not detailed)
Malnourished MC

⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: Briefly, but nothing happens
Third-act breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Paranormal romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles

“Did they even feed you at all?” I asked quietly. Ember’s lip trembled until he bit down to stop it. “Sometimes,” he finally said.

Apparently, being locked in a cell with no autonomy whatsoever did something to a person’s confidence. Who would have thought.