Beautiful, intelligent, and skilled at getting what she wants, Harper has set her sights on Shan, the mysterious alpha of the largest shifter pack in the world. An anthropologist by trade and a questioner by nature, she wants to find out who he is and how he’s managed to do what no other alpha has―unite the entire shifter population of Appalachia.What she finds is a man that exceeds her wildest … her wildest expectations. Handsome, brilliant, and unaccustomed to being denied, Shan is soon captivated by Harper, who is every bit as enigmatic as he is.
Shan knows there are things Harper isn’t telling him. Her life is a carefully constructed facade and for all his cunning, he can’t figure her out. As he chips away at her mask, his instincts urge him to claim her as his own.
Harper is a full-length novel, approximately 300 pages long. It is part of the Shifters of Appalachia universe. Enjoy Destined as a standalone novel series, or see the author page for a reading order.
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ABSOLUTELY RIVETING !!!
Title: Harper
Series: Destined for the Alpha
Author: Viola Rivard
Designation: Book 1 of Serial, Full-Length(280 pages), Not A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead #paranormal #romance #wolfshifters #skinwalkers
My Rating: Five Riveting Stars*****
Viola Rivard is back and better than ever – as evidenced by her latest release Harper, the first installment in her brand new Destined for the Alpha Series! I’ve been a diehard Rivard fan for years and have always loved her passionate prose. And I’m not just carelessly throwing out compliments. I like to say that books are very much like food – everyone has their preferences and Viola Rivard has always been one of my favorites. I understand- different strokes for different folks and all that, but Viola Rivard just does it for me and has since her very first book. I’ve actually read everything she’s ever published. I don’t see that changing and there’s a very good reason, actually several. Rivard is a naturally gifted storyteller, talented wordslinger, and skilled wordsmith. She excels in building unique, vividly depicted worlds with rich, detailed descriptions populated with complex but well-developed and engaging characters who literally explode from the pages, ensnare your imagination, capture your heart, and hold you prisoner from the first page to the last. And her newest series is no exception! It’s kinda hard to put into words, but I’ll try. There’s a big difference between a good book and a great book. A good book you enjoy and would recommend to a friend but a great book, well, you can’t put it down, won’t answer your phone, ignore your doorbell, and don’t want to stop to eat, sleep, or even go to the restroom without taking it with you. And when you finish, you can’t stop gushing about it to your friends and can’t wait to read the next in the series. You start frantically searching Amazon to see if the preorder is already available. Yes, folks, I’m a little obsessive about the authors and books I love. lol… And Viola Rivard definitely falls into that category. But enough of my rambling. Let’s talk a few details!
Harper is a riveting, well-crafted, fast-paced, easy-to-follow, full-length first release of Rivard’s new Destined for the Alpha Series. Although it is full-length, coming in at almost 300 pages, it is NOT a standalone but rather the first installment of a serialzed storyline and does end with a cliffhanger. I know – I want the next book now! But that’s okay, that’s part of Rivard’s charm as a writer and I’ve grown accustomed to the cliffhangers over the years. Thankfully, she always makes the wait worthwhile, which is another thing Rivard does really well. She knows how to build and layer her story to keep readers on the edge of their seats, riveted to their ereaders, and begging for more! lol… The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with dual perspectives. The dialogue is smart, snappy, articulate, natural, and flows effortlessly. Rivard is one of the few authors who can perfectly balance her story content and by that I mean, she gives a reader an ideal combination of narrative, dialogue, and internal dialogue. Without a doubt, Rivard is the queen of internal dialogue where our hero and heroine battle with that little devil on one shoulder and their know it all little angel on the other. This is one of my favorite elements of Rivard’s writing style but hands down, the component I enjoy best in every story is her large cast of quirky, complex, engaging, and always well-developed characters. Her heroes, and sometimes antiheroes, are always handsome, strong, loyal, brave, growly alpha males who make you swoon, and her heroines are no slouches either. They’re also strong, beautiful, brave, smart, independent women who are so much more than they seem and, more often than not, bring their alphas to heel. lol… As is the case with our two protagonists in this story, Alpha wolf Shan and socio-cultural anthropologist Harper Smith. We were introduced to Shan’s character in Running With Alphas, Seasons: Winter and quite honestly, I didn’t like him very much. Shame on me! You would think I’d know by now to not judge a book by its cover. There’s so much more to Shan than meets the eye, and I do mean that quite literally – but no spoilers from me! I was quickly won over by Shan’s quite reserved nature and surprising intelligence. And Harper – what do I even say about her? She’s a girl after my own heart – an intelligent, independent, free-spirited young woman with a big heart. She’s fierce but kind, brave but smart, soft but hard, loyal but honest. I LOVED Harper, even before I knew who she was. Oops-slight spoiler! lol… If you’ve read Rivard’s other series, you’re in for a real surprise but like Forrest Gump said, that’s all I gonna say about that! lol… These two are like fire and gasoline and when they meet, it’s an explosion of epic proportions. Attraction ignites! Sparks fly! Passion explodes! And more lives than their own will be changed forever, which brings me to another thing I love about this story- the large cast of supporting characters. You’ve heard the expression, it takes a village to raise a child? Well, in Rivard’s stories, it takes a village of great characters to support the hero and heroine, and she delivers with a perfect cast of quirky ensemble players. And FYI, you will be hearing a few familiar names in this story. As I said earlier, no spoilers from me but I will say this… Beautiful, independent socio-cultural anthropologist with big ideals and even bigger secrets who’s out to change the world and doesn’t need a man to do it-check! Handsome, intelligent, dedicated alpha wolf who has united packs over thousands of miles, created order and a standard set of laws for a new pack numbering now in the thousands, and initiated an unprecedented agricultural revolution among his kind, but with secrets of his own and no time for a mate-check! Danger, drama, action, suspense, and a twist you’ll never see coming-check! Heart-wrenching angst, undeniable attraction, steamy passion, dreamy romance, and a fate that won’t be denied-you bet! That and a whole lot more!
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit sex. And just a reminder, although this is a full-length novel, it’s not a standalone but rather a serialized storyline and does end with a cliffhanger. It’s not mandatory to have read the other series by Rivard before reading Harper, but it would certainly enrich your reading experience, and I’m sure it’s one decision you’ll never regret. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! I was enthralled in the first few pages, glued to my seat, white-knuckling my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the pages flew as quickly as the time! And folks, I wasn’t exaggerating about not answering the door or phone. I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the last page! OMG! I LOVED this book! Well done, Viola Rivard! Well done, indeed! Now, bring on Book 2 and please hurry! lol…