Broken Memories

In the Shadow of the Wolf #2

by R.J. Scott, Diane Adams

Sam Harrison remembers nothing of his former life. All he knows is that he has nightmares that won't leave him alone and an irrational fear of shifting from human to wolf.

Doug McKenna has little respect for any wolf that isn’t strong. That Sam was near broken is something he can't at first reconcile. Still, Sam needs looking after and Doug thinks he is the one that should be doing the looking.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Werewolves, Mystery, Contemporary

ebook

First published November 25, 2011

About the author

RJ Scott writes heartwarming, passionate MM/gay romance stories where every man finds his happily ever after. When not writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, spending time with her family, following Formula 1 (Forza Ferrari!), and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Email her here: rj@rjscott.co.uk

Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook - Also, Never miss a release

Reviews

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 1 out of 5]

As you may or may not know, I have more than a few pet peeves when it comes to writing. One of the big ones is when authors don't pay the fuck attention to what they're writing. Even worse is when they're not paying attention and then don't catch some glaring continuity errors in a simple read-through. No editors catch this shit, either, apparently. Because, let me tell you, these characters? I have no clue how old they are. The authors tell us how old the characters are, several times, but I still have no clue.

Let's see if you can figure it out:

From Shattered Secrets:

On page 50, Jamie tells Rob, "My friend Doug? He's twenty, just like me..." "...but by wolf tradition, he's been a man since he was fourteen."

So according to that passage, Jamie and Doug are both twenty, and Doug first shifted when he was fourteen.

Later on, they rescue a wolf named Sam and, according to information they find on him, he's "Sam Harrison, aged 23."

But then, on page 166, Rob says to Jamie, "You're only a year older than Sam is."

So now we have no idea if Jamie is twenty or twenty-four. Which then confuses us regarding Rob's age because the synopsis says he's thirty, but he mentions that he's ten years older than Jamie. It's also confusing in terms of Jamie's development because, while he's written as a late bloomer in terms of wolf maturation, shifts happen "as late as twenty-one".

And this is just in book one. Things get even more confusing in book two.

From Broken Memories:

Page 18 - "Considered an adult by other wolves since he was thirteen, at twenty-three, Doug was well-versed in..."

So now, not only has Doug's first shift been dropped back a year, he's aged three years in the week or so between books.

Page 34 - "'Sam Harrison. Approximate age of twenty-six...'"

Page 48: "'Twenty-three.' Sam looked surprised by his own swift reply. 'I'm twenty-three.'"

Page 50 - "Doug was even younger than Sam..."

I don't ask for a whole lot in shifter fiction. Seriously. Is it too much to ask that the authors keep track of their own characters?

To top it all off, this one was even worse than the first in terms of romance, quite simply due to the fact that there isn't any.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute absolute absolute total and utter crap.

Why on earth do the authors think it is a good idea to bully the abused victim of torture and rape into healing and having sex again???

Seriously, WTF?

Doug is angry at Sam for not healing, he is angry at him for behaving so scared. He tells him it is all bullshit and then they have sex. Euuh… what? Did I miss the part where Sam has been kidnapped, tortured and raped and has no memory of who he is?

Just so you guys know, Doug is an asshole! A total and complete asshole. And I wanted to kill him. Slowly.

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure of how to rate this book. While still enjoyable in its own right, Broken Memories suffers a bit of what a lot of middle books in trilogies experience. While the first book is generally written to capture the reader's attention, the second book is a bit slower because of the build-up towards the final confrontation which will be happening in the third book. So yes, Broken Memories was not as good as the first book, but I appreciated it because of the world-building it had.

In my review for Shattered Secrets , I pointed out some questions I had in terms of the difference between imprinting and mating, as well the process of breaking. Both questions were definitely answered, although not directly (similar to another info dump). I like that. It makes the dialogue flow a lot better and we don't have to read about awkward clarifications. And this time, there wasn't as much info dump, save for the one moment where Sam explains about his past. It wasn't as hard to grasp, though, unlike in Shattered Secrets where the first few chapters were devoted to dialogue and the exchange of information.

Anyway, in the same vein where the first book shined in romance and suffered a bit from world-building, Broken Memories had good world-building (for me) and suffered in the romance aspect. The chemistry between Doug and Sam wasn't as realized as the one between Jamie and Rob. Don't get me wrong - I like the characters and Doug's version of "tough love" but something just didn't click for me. However, I did enjoy the subtle hints towards Joe and Nick's imminent romance and I'm definitely looking forward to their book! March is so far away...

I noticed a bit of errors. In the second chapter, there was once instant where Doug became Sam for about a sentence. Closer proofreading would've fixed that as well as the other typos throughout the book. Also, a continuity error. If I remember correctly, Doug tells Sam that he shouldn't shift until they get the blood tests, and yet after the first time they have sex, Doug tells Sam that it's okay to shift because he's there. Just pointing that out because it jumped out at me while I was reading.

But yeah, other than that I enjoyed this one. But let me just say that Nick and Joe are totally my favorite couple, even if their book isn't out yet. Heh.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Truthfully, my first reaction after I finished was ... "WHERE IS THE LOOOOOOVE?!"

Truth be told, I don't remember anything from book #1 (yes, my memory is THAT bad), so I judge this story solely as it is, an independent one. I can grasp that Sam has been experienced torture that breaks his mind and Doug (is he Jamie's best friend, remind me again??) is determined that Jamie and Rob are doing nothing helpful by cuddling Sam. Sam needs to shift to heal and what has Sam done so far, is seen by Doug as weakness. I know that Doug is acting Alpha in that sense, and MAYBE that kind of force is what Sam needs ... unfortunately, I'm not feeling any sympathetic towards Doug's action. I find him arrogant and quick to judge Sam's situation when he has NO IDEA about what Sam had been through.

So yeah, I don't feel any chemistry between the two. It's difficult for me to grasp the idea of the epilogue, that six months later, everything is happy dory and they're in love. Really?? Where is the evidence of that? Especially since those "six months" happened in the background, not being told. So, no, I don't buy it.

AAAND, I'm still not into the imprinting thing as well. I guess this is one series that I'm not going to continue reading. Sorry ....

[MsMiz (Tina) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 - How am I the first one to rate this book? I liked the progression of the story in the over arching story to these particular wolves. There are bad people doing bad things to wolves. We get a look to the bigger picture and I look forward to seeing where Diane and RJ take this.

As it relates to Sam and Doug - great pairing. While there was inner turmoil for both of them, Sam because he felt he was broken and Doug feeling like he was an Alpha that did not need any one, the two of them came together first in a relationship out of necessity and then one of love.

I felt this book smoothed out some of the rough edges of the first book. It was again, too short and to me could have used a bit more 'meat', but was still a solid story that I would recommend to others who enjoy shifter stories.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series and the direction it took. Love poor damaged Sam who not only has the physical and psychological scars from his captivity, but the drugs in his system are wreaking havoc. He has difficulty shifting, both due to the drugs, as well as the psychological fear of not being able change back.

Big bad alpha Doug is drawn to help Sam even though he is troubled by the outward appearance of Sam's weakness at being captured, etc. He struggles with this, but comes to learn differently as he gets to know Sam and his need to help Sam heal takes over.

There is a much bigger issue going on regarding the captured wolves, and most of the story involves trying to uncover the truth. Sam and Doug work well together and make a great couple. I'm looking foward to the next book and seeing where this is going next.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like it as much as the first one. I loved the plot progression, Doug and Sam as individual characters and their personal growth. However, I didn't vibe with them as much as a couple, mainly because it is That Type of enemies to lovers that goes from hate to lust to "I love you" in a blink without much emotional progression to make it make sense. They make sense together in the end, but the road wasn't one I liked traveling through.

[Georgiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***

There was a few things that confused me while reading this book, and several times I had to re-read parts just to make sure I wasn't missing something.

I really did like the idea of the story. Poor Sam is a wolf shifter who has “selective” amnesia. He doesn't remember much about his past, but does have flashbacks about the place he was just rescued from. Doug is also a wolf shifter and takes it upon himself to help Sam not only remember what has happened, but heal physically.

Never do they fully explain why Sam and Doug didn't like each other. Doug, being an Alpha decides to force Sam (Beta Wolf) to heal faster by shifting into his wolf form. Even though Doug was a little pushy I think being an Alpha and younger than 23 years old, maybe he's 20 years old, explains how he treats Sam.

The sex is hot between the two, but other then that I really didn't feel much of a connection between them. I loved how they both didn't “love” each other and was hoping they would stay that way. That maybe they would just have great sex and grow to respect and understand each other. When they finally say “I Love You” I was disappointed. Maybe if the chemistry was stronger I could have felt it, but it just wasn't there for me.

Plot: 3.5
Chemistry: 3.0
Pacing: 3.5
Ending: 3.5
Character Development: 3.0

I received this book for an honest review. This book was read and reviewed by Arlyna for Alpha Book Club.

[Fehu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read the first book in this series and I'm sure there was a reason why I bought this one, sadly I cannot remember it after reading this book, hopefully it was one of the discount buys at Fictionwise. You can tell I was dissapointed with the book, right?
Sam was rescued in the last book and he would be the key for solving a crime of shifter kidnapping and selling, that the paranormal police investigates. Sadly Sam seems to have lost his memories after the ordeal he has been through and cannot help. Doug is an Alpha and part of the paranormal poliece force. He dislikes weak wolves and is instantly at odds with Sam and despises the attention and the coddling the young werewolf gets from Dougs friends.
How they get together, well I'm still confused at the love statement in the end. Don't you like to read and six month later they lived happyly ever after. I didn't feel the love between the two, but it might have something to do with how fast this story unfolded. A bit to fast paced for my taste, the character development and the relationship suffered from the fast pace quite a bit. As it was I didn't really end up liking Doug or understood why he was suddenly in love with Sam or why Sam would have him, after the way Doug treated him.

[Arch Bala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam Harrison almost didn’t make it if not for the help of Jamie (from the first book) and was left near “broken.” He doesn’t remember anything from his former life and only has nightmares that gave him trauma in shifting from human to wolf.

This is what Doug McKenna does not understand. He’s always been an Alpha and has little respect for the weak ones. With Sam near broken and helpless, he find himself looking out for the other guy and realized that he’s exactly what the guy really needs.

Okay, so I loved Doug from the first book but I didn’t get his sudden change of attitude. Yes, he was very parental over Jamie when the latter was still rooming with him but I thought he’s a chill and fun shifter. It’s like a new Doug altogether in this book. Of course, there was a “reason” behind this but it felt off if you’re going to compare the Doug from book 1 and this book.

As a whole though, I thought the story was solid and has continuity. I wished there’s more information about Sam and it’d been more fun if there’s more blood bath in here. Nonetheless, this was a great second book and I couldn’t wait to read the next book!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

[Sadonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really 3.5 stars. I'm a science and medicine geek, so this one got me going in a different way than the first book. Sam and Doug are so different and with Sam's memory loss and emotional and physical injuries, I was wondering where this story of the two of them was going. Luckily Doug is a stand-up guy in this one and his support of Sam is really endearing. I am used to Diane giving us shorter stories and building the series, so I hope that the next one is coming soon! I can't wait to see what happens next and how Sam and Doug and Jamie will manage to get in trouble as they keep exploring the mystery of who is trying to control the wolves.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good paranormal m/m romance about the wolf shifter rescued at the end of the last book, who's terrified of shifting and can't remember much from before his rescue. I don't think this book was long enough for the amount of story being told. At times, things seemed to jump ahead inexplicably, as if parts were missing.

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reluctant Alpha

I will admit that at first I was annoyed at Doug's demeanor towards Sam. Why couldn't he understand why Sam was so scared and reluctant to stay as a wolf and heal?
Soon, as he warmed toward Sam and got to know the reasons Sam was as he was, I warmed toward Doug.
They connect on a deeper level than Doug ever had with anyone else before.
As their relationship grew, the feelings got deeper. Things started coming to light and the protective instincts Doug finally admitted he had toward Sam and others became to feel right.
In this story there is fear, betrayal, lust, love, caring and acceptance. A great second part to the trilogy. Hot sexy times are expertly written and appreciated.
A great read. A MUST read in my opinion.
Now onto the next book in this series!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a terrific story. It is the 2nd in the series and took a good story and made it great. The two main characters, Sam and Doug, were secondary characters in the first book and the by end of this one they were my favorites.

The mystery/conspiracy we were introduced to in the first story, deepens here as Sam struggles to heal and regain his memories. Doug is a strong wolf who is both initially drawn and repelled by Sam. Doug does not understand why Sam's inner wolf is not stronger yet Doug feels the need to protect. I like the way their relationship develops which is very realistic and perfectly in line with their backgrounds. Again, a great take on shifters here that I had not seen before.

When I finished this, I immediately wanted the next book so I will have to toddle over to the authors site to see what is in store for us in this series. But they have me hooked, I am invested in this series and the characters and look forward to whatever is coming...

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
An enjoyable story overall, but not as great as Shattered Memories.
I found Doug's struggle in understanding what Sam was going through well placed since he was described as a strong wolf from the first book, even going through the change early. Unfortunately that made him come over as a bit uncaring at first.
Also, I'm hoping that the whole imprinting thing will be clarified some more in the following books. As it is I didn't quite grasp the concept of how exactly it works. It is mentioned as being done both as a "mate thing", but also in a completely nonsexual way where weaker wolves imprint with stronger wolves, or even children imprinting with parents. That makes me wonder how it works and what that connection than entails. And also if it can be severed when it's not needed any longer.
I do enjoy the overall story arc and with the new twist at the end of this book I can honestly say I'll be looking forward to the next installment in the series.

[Don Bradshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book much more than the first one. The healing process for Sam took a strong man like Doug to deal with. Doug is definitely an alpha male though having a pack mellowed him. I enjoyed the spin that Ms Adams and Ms Scott added to the story with the new drug for breaking the shifters. It made the story seem more real for me. Sam and Doug moved a little to quickly from new friends to lovers but there are only so many pages. I also couldn't connect with either Sam or Doug. They lacked the spark that most of Ms Adam's and Scott's characters usually have. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story line wraps up in the final book. Reading the three books one right after the other would probably be more fulfilling than reading each book separately as they come out.

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed incomplete and spotty. I liked the concept. Sam tugged at my heart strings. His struggle to remember and to overcome the physical and emotional aspects of his kidnapping felt very real.

My problem was that there were gaps in the story. There was no love. We know nothing of Doug. We are told he is an Alpha in need of his own Pack, but why is this? The reason is never revealed. This needs to be rewritten and expanded. This story, in fact this series, has so much promise that it is a shame not to make it better. What is there is good, it is just not sufficient for a complete story.

[Jaime]

In Progress
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*RC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book in this series by RJ Scott and Diane Adams, I can't wait for book 3.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

nearly as good as the first one

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ummm... just a quick thought. WTH happened? I am referring to the first "sex" scene. I thought Doug had decided to imprint on Sam like Nick had on Mark, to help him heal, and the next thing I know they are going at it like bunnies... or maybe horny hounds, wolves, whatever! *headdesk* I will admit that this issue is still bothering me, and of course, there is the whole... how old is everyone issue. Which surprisingly isn't that bothersome for me... just a tad bit annoying! ;p

But, other than these two issues, I really enjoyed the story. It read well and I didn't feel the need to jump over onto YouTube to check out a song that was mentioned or something like that. (Yes, I find myself doing this with far more frequency than I would like!) I was prepared for Doug to be all "alpha" on Sam and I was extremely curious to learn about Sam's past... I liked the little kink that was thrown in and that Doug's softer side came through when it was really needed... just the thought of a "puppy pile" with kitten's included just tickled my funny bone! ;D

Now, I guess I am moving on to see how Nick will get his man... and can I say that I liked the lead into the next book with the way the whole mystery thing is moving in still yet another direction!

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to Shattered Secrets is as breathtaking as the first volume, maybe even more because we are given more details about the huge conspiracy against wolves that began with a mystery in book one. The second story focuses on one of the rescued victims, almost-broken wolf Sam, and the "super alpha" wolf, Doug. A romance strewn with some real obstacles, the two characters took a while to figure out what was clear to me form the beginning: they are uniquely suited for each other both in and out of the bedroom.

Sam is a victim in more than one respect. Not just was he a prisoner of the people who are breaking wolves so they can sell them as salves (see book one), he has also lost his memories. And to top it all off, he doesn’t want to shift, the one thing that could help him heal. I loved that, for a wolf who was supposed to be submissive, he stood up for himself really well – he is very strong at his core, which is a good thing considering what he has been through already and is going through in this book. As he slowly uncovers the truth, the picture that emerges is even more horrifying than what happened in the fist book. Way to keep up the suspense!

Doug is pure alpha. The explanation given, that he shifted early, makes him more interesting as a character, but so does his struggle with understanding someone like Sam, who seems to have lost the will to fight. Well, it isn’t really a struggle at first, Doug only has thinly veiled contempt for Sam. But as he gets to know him, that changes, and a fascinating battle follows; it is between traditions that are said to no longer exist (packs are seen as "outdated" in this world) and the fact that werewolf nature will not be denied, no matter how civilized their human halves may have become.

I loved how Sam and Doug struggled with their natures, discovered their attraction for each other, and began to put one and one together to get three. There is real synergy between these two and once they do sort themselves out and cooperate – watch out bad guys! If you want to know what happens to the characters after book 1, if you like conspiracies and rooting for the guys who uncover them, and if you enjoy heroes who have a somewhat rocky relationship initially, you will probably like this book.




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

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

EEK! So I was excited about starting this, since we got introduced to Sam in the first book. Poor Sam :( I could not imagine. Then to not remember anything :( Jamie and Rob coddled him, well Jamie did. I actually liked Doug's approach to Sam. He was not the kind of guy/wolf who took any shit. It was nice. I also really liked how they didn't hide things from the police, they were smart! Ummm...was Sam raped? If so, how was he okay with having sex so soon after? I wish we got more of what happened in captivity, or at least his time with Jamie. I get why Doug wanted to help Sam, but what I didn't get was why love? Doug said himself that it wasn't always sexual. Did Sam ever contact his family and let him know he's okay?

Overall, good sequel and I am moving on to the 3rd and final installment.

[Ayanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMFG. ABSOLUTELY CHILLING. The concept behind this book, that is. Okay, I kind of disliked the occasional idiocy of the characters, but the idea of the breaking thing takes on full flesh in this book. And Corbin. Poor Corbin. *sobs. And those other wolves in the cages.

I didn't like the ending. The non-ending. Okay, it was an ending, but the closet romantic in me is rebelling at the thought of the indefinite hfn with no real sure prospects for the future. Still, it gave me chills and is thought-provoking, so I maintain the 4-star rating.

Argh. Between this and all the other stuff I've been reading and w/e, I really need something light and fluffy-ish...

[blub · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning I was completely fixated on why and how Joe's wife died. I was quite glad to see that an explanation was given readers weren't left in the lurch about it. I was actually looking forward to reading a story focused more on Doug and was hoping Sam would turn out to be his mate. I was a bit disappointed though that it was stated by both, Doug and Sam, that they felt no love for each other at all even when Doug imprinted Sam. Then the authors try to rectify it by hinting that Sam and Doug do love each other but they just don't realize it. Then at the end they're in a loving relationship. I was expecting them to be a little more loving like Jamie and Rob.

[Cee Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, I AM on vacation and I really needed to get my read on, forgive me. LOL. I loved the concept of book one, and was so looking forward to this book. Disappointed much. I don't do 2 stars, and it hurt me to the core to rate this potentially good book so low, but I mean, come on!!!! Too much was going on at once and then at times I got so confused I had to re-read paragraphs to get the hang of it. Usually it takes me 5 to 7 hours to read a full length novel... it took me close to 15 cus I kept putting it down. The next book I am looking forward to and I hope Nick and Joe get better ratings!

[Sarabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. The plot development is a little murky. My biggest problem that continues to happen through all the books is the authors tendency to tell, not show. The characters tend to go from hating each other, or not trusting each other, and not liking each other, to instantly falling in love. Why? What happened to change it? Still, that aside, I find the criminal and plot development interesting, and I like the stories enough to keep reading everything I bump into by the author...so that must mean something, right?

[Tj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really did enjoy the story. The two MC's for most of the book didn't pretend to feel certain ways or tell each other they had any more emotion in what they did than what they had. It wasn't insta-love though it was quick. I would have rated higher but the ending was a bit confusing. They went to this is just sex to love. When and how and did they even let the other know? Yeah, that could have been clearer.

[Susan65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great shifter story, not all lovey dovey at all...which I liked a lot. The idea of wolves being broken and turned into commom household pets is cruel and heartless. But seriously, humans always try to eliminate what they fear.
Doug is a hard assed, alpha who struggled with what he considered to be weakness from Sam...UNTIL he realized what he endured. By the end, Sam was more then he appeared and Doug was an easier manwolf to love.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the series and another that bucks the trend of even-numbered sequels suck! Loved the way secondary characters from the 1st book got to tell their part of the story and make us love them, as well as the guys we originally loved popping up so we know they are getting on OK. Nice gritty story-line with sizzling moments thrown in for light relief. And THAT'S all your getting, or it'll be a spoiler but if you like shifter books, go buy.