Shifter stories where one of the men comes from an enemy pack, and the lovers-to-be meet under questionable or stressful, or both, circumstances fascinate me. I guess it’s the tension between the men which comes from not knowing exactly whether they can trust each other. In ‘Red Moon Rising’, which is Tristan and Colby’s story, it is also the tension coming from the other men in Tristan’s pack. They have far less reason to trust Colby, since their emotions aren’t clouded by feelings, and the way Tristan deals with that is very interesting. And so very like Tristan! Add to that the continuing threat from the Wolf Council finding out about Jesse being an Argent from the “lost” royal line, and this becomes an action-packed, tense read.

Tristan is the youngest member of the pack, taken in years ago when his home life became unbearable. He has just started college, and has his whole life ahead of him (as Bryce, his main mentor puts it), when Cale’s pack kidnaps him. Colby is the only one who is willing to help, and he pays dearly for his kindness. But once they escape and make it to Tristan’s pack, nobody else is wiling to give Colby the benefit of the doubt – at least not without a lot of convincing from Tristan. As Tristan wrestles with his own emotions as well as the pack’s only gradually decreasing animosity, he realizes how much of an uphill fight he faces. At least he is an optimist and carries enough idealism for three men!

Colby may be a member of Cale’s pack, but he is not there voluntarily. Yes, he joined them willingly, but he has suffered a lot of emotional ad physical abuse, just because he has a lack of self-confidence and desperately wants to belong. He has no way out until he realizes he is the only one who can create an opportunity to free himself. My heart broke for him as he gradually adjusted to the very different way Matt Urban runs his pack, as Colby slowly understands things really are different and that he can determine his own fate.

If you like shifter stories with men who aren’t “supposed” to fall for each other yet are undeniably mates, if you want to read about enemies who need to learn how to trust not just each other but a whole pack, and if you’re looking for a somewhat tense read that is as emotional as it is hot, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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