Alpha at Home

Brothers of the Heart #1

by D.J. Bryce

Maximus has always known two things: He was destined to be the Bravo of his Pack and he's in love with Gillian Matthews. The problem is, Gillian was raised knowing she was destined to be mated to the Alpha, who is Maximus's best friend.

Although they've kept each other at arms length, you can't escape fate. When it becomes clear that Gilly is Max's mate, and not Mateo's, they will all have to come to terms with the way this will impact, not just their lives, but the pack's future.

Alpha at Home is the first in an all new series about men who may not be brothers by blood, but are brothers of the heart. And the realization that, regardless of how the Matthews siblings have been raised, sometimes you have to follow your heart, even if it's leading you down the hardest path.

A previously published version of ASIN B072M1W2GL can be found here.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Novella, Amazon, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary, Shapeshifters

Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2017

About the author

Author DJ Bryce loves her men tall, dark, and Alpha. She can often be found relaxing with a cup of coffee, a handful of RedVines, and a good book, with her two dogs snoozing happily at her feet.
She's a lover of The Walking Dead, Romantic Comedies, and writing sexy shifters.
DJ Bryce is a pen name for USA Today Bestselling author, Bethany Lopez.

Join her newsletter - https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6196a2...

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 ☆

I really enjoyed this for a novella.

Maximus knows that Gillian is his mate but Gillian has been promised to the alpha of the pack as that is what her role within the family is to do. As the Beta Max avoids Gillian to support his best friend and alpha Matteo.

Gillian knows that Max is her mate but to stay with the pack she with Matteo has but on a show with everyone. When one night Max and Gillian are both together and it can't be ignored what they have. Chemistry and that they are meant for one another.

There is also a side plot here which I personally think could have been fleshed out a bit more but the writing is solid and enjoyable and I have the next book on my kindle.

[annob [on hiatus] · Rating 1 out of 5]

After two days of reading this book, I'm still only about 25 pages in. And the MCs went from never-kissed to doing-the-deed, to declaring-love to one another over the span of 4 of those pages . Efficient, would be one way to describe it. At this point I have to admit defeat. This story was not for me.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a novella this book captured everything you could get in a full length book.

Gillian was raised to believe she would be mated to the Alpha of their pack, Mateo. However they both know that is not the case. She has been in love with his best friend, Max, for most of their lives. They tried to stay away from each other but one touch and they can no longer stay away. But now that the truth is out there will be people, especially her parents, who won’t accept their mating.

Between pack members, her parents, and a new threat to their pack they must band together to save everything.

[Crystal Wilke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am don't read a lot of shift changing books. But I am glad I read Alpha at Home. It was short, sweet, steamy & all alpha. DJ did a good job writing this book. I am looking forward to reading more of Brother's of the Heart series.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

I loved this wolf shifter book. I will be reading more of this series. If you want, love, romance and danger this is the book for you

[D.J. Bryce]

FREE!!!

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Apple Books - https://books.apple.com/us/book/alpha...
Nook - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alph...
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/alph...
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

Universal Link - https://books2read.com/u/4AzNkp

(Not free on Audio)
Audible - https://www.audible.com/pd/B079K4BM9T...

[Krisz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good short shifter romance. I liked the pack's dynamics. Mateo was a great alpha who wanted stability and growth for the pack. Max was a loyal beta so much that he would have sacrificed his own happiness for his alpha. Fortunately a touch was enough to change everything for Max and Gilly. I liked them together as a couple.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alpha at Home

A quick read with several twists and turns, it is a good start to the Brothers of the Heart series

[Jennifer McGurk Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Brothers of the Heart series by D.J. Bryce. This is the first book I've read from this author and I'm now hooked on this series and anxious for the next book. Maximus is a wolf shifter, he's the Bravo of his pack and his lifelong friend, Mateo is the Alpha. Max has known Gillian Matthews all his life and he's been secretly in love with her for years. Gilly was raised knowing she was meant to marry an Alpha and it was the highest honor bestowed on any family. She loved Mateo like a brother but she had absolutely no sexual feelings towards him. They both realized that when they were only seventeen but they've been pretending to be mates so Gilly wouldn't be shipped off to some other pack. Gilly and her younger sister, Natasha run Howlers, the local bar that's owned by the pack. Max has always avoided touching Gilly or being alone with her because he's loyal to Mateo. Until one night when the Alpha sends Max to Gilly's apartment to ask her for a favor. As soon as Max touches Gilly's arm they both realize they are each other's mate. The passion consumes them and they are unable to think about anyone or anything else. What will Mateo do when he sees the bite on Gilly's neck ? This was a really good book and I'm loving the storyline and looking forward to Logan and Natasha's book.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a series about wolf shifters. It was a quick read but a great introduction to the characters and the world. Gillian and her siblings have been raised knowing that they are prophesied to mate with Alphas. Maximus is the Bravo of the pack but has secretly been in love with Gillian since they were kids. The Alpha of the pack, Mateo, is best friends with them both. For the good of the pack, and to keep Gillian from being sent away from the pack in search of her mate, Mateo and Gillian pretended to be mates. A simple touch between Max and Gillian ignites their passion and shows them that they are mates. But while this makes them both extremely happy, they must first face Mateo, the pack, and her parents before they can work on their future HEA. Throw in potential allies that turn into enemies, a visiting bear clan chief, and a gay brother and this series is looking very promising. I can't wait to read the next book!

[Lori R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was short & sweet and so good. Or I should say, more sexy than sweet.

Max is the Bravo of the pack. Gillian is the Alpha’s Mate. So why is the pull between Max and Gillian so strong? I didn’t want to stop turning the pages so I could find out. The author did a great job at sucking me in and making me want more.

I really enjoyed this! It left me wanting the other characters’ stories. What a great start to the series!

[Christina Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a novella, this was a pretty good book. The shifter portion of the story made the insta-love more realistic. This story definitely intrigued me and kept me reading. Max and Gillian got their HEA, but it definitely left me with questions about the new enemy and Tasha's story was set up. It was a good, quick read and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Lekeisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shifter goodness

Really enjoyed this book. This was a new author for me and she really packed a lot of story into these few pages. Great start to a new series. I was pulled right into the story and action. The ending sets up the next book in the series and I can't wait to continue with the next book.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

OOO!! I do love this story. It is a little crazy. You need to read it for yourself to see what I mean. You will love it. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.

[Aliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max and Gillian

I love a fast, sexy read about shifters and their mates. It's so satisfying to read about that pull they feel; the electricity and the sense of home when they finally find their mate. Now I want to read about each one of them finding their special one.

[Bookish_Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick, sexy alpha shifter story. Some romance and drama that gets you worked up than sends you on your way to book 2.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (4/23/2018)!💝

[Virginia Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

wrong mate

Story is amazing but ends abruptly. Has too many plots and twist but overall. very nicely written, well thought out and complex. Give it a B+.

[Chalice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The couple: Maximus and Gillian

Romance genre: shifter
Series: Brothers of the Heart
Length: 73 pages

Plot: Maximus is a loyal friend to his alpha, which makes it even worse that he's in love with his best friend's intended mate. He has to watch them together, knowing that Gillian will never be his. But it turns out that she can be and will be his because everything is not as it seems.

Commentary: This was a short book that wrapped up the story nicely. I kind of wondered about Mateo (the alpha and Gillian's pretend mate) and Gillian's brother, but then at times, I thought they were just eye-communicating about the brother's reluctance to come home when people wouldn't accept him. Or maybe Mateo could be with the sister, although the sister didn't seem into that at all. I obviously haven't read this author before because I have no idea what's going to happen.
**I just looked ahead in the series. I love it when I'm right.

Next book in the series: Right Girl, Wrong Alpha

[Miss Kitten’s Corner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is trash

DNF: 18%

I really hate to call books trash, but this was a disappointment at the highest level. I really was pushing myself to finish this since it was short.

The audiobook was the worst. It's terrible when you can hear the cars coming and going in the background of the audiobook. It's a disappointment when you can hear FREAKING MUSIC BEING PLAYED IN THE BACKGROUND. It's sad when the narrator is really bad at narrating. -_-

If I would have tried to read the book without the audiobook, I probably wouldn't have bothered reading this at all.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND AT ALL.

[Janna ♥ I'm A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

***This and other reviews can be found at www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com ***

*ARC*

When a novella is done right it will pack a punch and not leave you feeling unfulfilled. As I have stated before paranormal romance is my absolute favorite genre and Alpha At Home was a great start to a new series that I am already wanting the next book right now. You can’t help you fall in love with or in this instance who your mate is, even if it means possibly hurting one of your best friends in the process.

Alpha At Home was a great start and set up the series, we meet characters that you have a feeling we will get more and more of, you find true love between mates, some nasty ignorant parents, a bit of action and at least for me some plotting out of who I think will mate with whom. Max and Gilly were characters that you easily can love and connect with and you could feel how happy some were for them even when others weren’t.

If you are a fan of paranormal romance like I am then you will really enjoy Alpha At Home as much as I did and trust me novella or not it will have you wishing for a wolf of your own.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, cute read. It’s a short book so not a lot of character development or story depth but it’s an entertaining read and I’m definitely reading the rest of the series.

[Joy Ki`Ili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bravo is better

Being from a dysfunctional family our heroine struggles with the fact she's not her best friends mate. So when the mating bug hits she has a moment of panic. Good thing her best friend and her mate are closer than brothers, because the fallout could have been difficult. But all is not well, there is a threat to the pack and her sister is threatened and the pack protects it's own.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an introduction to these brothers of the heart this is a great start. Although we only get enough of these two to know that we like them and we can connect with them it's enough to know the fun will be in continuing with the books in the series. Each book is a standalone however since there are carryover characters we get a chance to get to know them better through the other books as well.

Great story and characters you can't help but love and a story that leaves you wanting more.

[Kali McQuillen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 This very short novella kept my interest in what was happening and had me wondering how everyone was going to take the news. Gilliam's parents need a swift kick in the pants, they're horrible!!

I would have loved to see more character development and more background of the story. All in all, a quick enjoyable read.

[Laurel Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alpha at home book 1

Max and Gilly are about the cutest couple imagineable and the fact that Mateo was just using the situation to prevent a lot of girls from knocking down his door is so wrong. He did confess they were not mates and I think everyone was happy for the couple.This was an easy and quick read and kept my attention for the entire book. More please.

[Jane Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short...

Short & sweet start to a new series! I am waiting for the next book...so many stories were set up for the characters in this story, plus the ending will leave you wondering what is going to happen next.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely and twisted

Gilly, Max, and Mateo definitely had a very twisted and different in the pack. I thought the progression of their love story was very lovely and perfect.

[Debra Johnson]

Prch Amz May 6, 2020

[Meagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and sweet. That's the impression I was left with after reading this book. The story is nice and I enjoyed the characters, but I wanted more. The characters are developed to a point, but there isn't much to them. We only get a surface impression of them. What was presented was relatable and a good way to introduce them, however, I'd have liked more depth.

Gilly is a strong woman who has a mind of her own and she is willing to live a life her parents have set out for her just to keep the peace. It wasn't until Max, the beta o the pack, takes a risk and they learn they are destined to be mated, that Gilly stands up to her parents. It felt like she needed a push to move forward in her life. Now that I'm writing this, I think all of the characters were in a sort of limbo until their mating gets a ball rolling that none of them can control.

​There are many hints about other characters' futures provided that point to additional books. The implications of those hints are interesting and I look forward to reading what is to become of Mateo, as well as Gilly's sister who is in the hands of an alpha male no one expected. The possible HEA's are intriguing, but again, I was hoping for more depth/development.