Sentinels: Alpha Rising-Doranna Durgin

Sentinels: Alpha Rising

Doranna Durgin

Harlequin Nocturne, Feb 1 2015, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009381

Several intruders attack Lannie Stewart on his land near Descanso, New Mexico.  One stabs him, but that just infuriates the alpha wolf who retaliates.  Realizing they lost, the adversaries flee.  Though his inner wolf demands pursue and assault, Lannie knows there is time to learn who these thugs are and why the confrontation.

Immediately after the altercation, Lannie abducts twenty-four year old Holly Faulkes from her family who concealed her nature from the Sentinels and their enemy the Atrum Core.  She makes it clear she wants to return home, but her two “babysitters” ignore her command as Lannie is in charge.  He wants to protect Holly by bringing her into the pack with his influential song, but to Lannie’s chagrin she refuses to accept what she is.  Attracted to each other though neither embraces their feelings, they fall in love while an unknown new foe plots against the Sentinels, and the Atrum Core lurks nearby.

The relationship between the leads brings freshness to the seventh Sentinels romantic fantasy (see Lynx Destiny and Kodiak Chained) as both are spirited, strong and stubborn.  The electrifying storyline lacks any closure to any of the complex subplots; thus making this novel feel like a set-up drama to what looks like an awesome climax.

Harriet Klausner