2017 = 2 stars
2021 = 3 stars / review written
I read both the original and the expanded version. Surprisingly, I liked the shorter original better. It kept my interest, avoided the boring parts, and finished quickly with a nice bow.
Marissa is a shifter who can't shift into her wolf form. After being abused and kicked out of her old pack, she has lived alone for ten years. Her sister, now part of a new pack, invites Marissa to her wedding. There, Marissa meets Gage, the alpha, and they end up mating. However, trouble arises with Brandon, a member of her old pack, who, for reasons only his crazy self understands, now wants Marissa back.
☹️ I didn't how the longer version made it clear that Marissa was very sexually active during the ten years she lived alone. The book opens with her having a one-night stand, and there are multiple references to her many lovers and how experienced she is.
In contrast, Marissa is the opposite in the shorter version. During a sex scene with Gage, she says she learned a few things from books, which I prefer.
🔻 More bad language.
🔻In my opinion, the added chapters weren't really necessary. One extra chapter to wrap things up would have been enough. I ended up skimming them because they focused on Marissa meeting the pack, her insecurities, the wolf council handling Brandon, and her moving in with the pack. There were also more interactions, mostly sexual, between the MCs.
🔻Gage was a bit too perfect. The longer version made it even more obvious. He came across as a "white knight," which I didn't find very relatable. It was repeated several times how he would do anything to protect his mate and the pack. He could use a flaw or two to make him feel more real. It's hard to connect with someone who seems perfect.
I gave the short version 3 stars. The longer one would get 2 stars. While I liked the extra details and the corrected errors, it made the story slow and dull.