Force of Temptation (Mercury Pack, #2)

by Suzanne Wright

Harley Vincent is resigned to life in the human world. Sure, being a margay shifter is half her nature, but life among humans gives her the freedom to roam and do as she pleases. That is, until anti-shifter extremists target her, putting her life in immediate danger.

When an old acquaintance and onetime fling, Jesse Dalton, shows up to offer the protection of his pack, Harley hesitates. She may have feelings for Jesse that go beyond their one-night stand, but life among shifters means giving over her independence to the needs of pack. Plus Mercury Pack has its own threat to face: a rich half-shifter is determined to claim their territory at any cost.

Jesse, who lost his true mate as a child, has wanted Harley since their night together, and he’s not letting her go again. They may not be destined for each other, but he knows she belongs to him and with his pack. Even if he can convince her to join him now, can he convince her to stay?

• ISBN10: 1503940489
• ISBN13: 9781503940482
• Publish Date: 13 December 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Montlake Romance
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[Melanie]

My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

First, I will say that though this is book two of the Mercury Pack series, I think it is best when read as part of the Phoenix Pack series. They changed the series name based on the focus of the different group, but you don’t know the other characters. You could probably read this as a standalone, if you’re okay with not knowing the characters as well. There is a full story here.

This story follows Jesse Dalton, an enforcer for the Mercury Pack. Harley Vincent is now in danger from shifter extremist (Harley is a margay, a type of cat shifter). She has been living out in the human world and likes it that way. She has freedom to roam. He does convince her to come back to the pack to keep her safe.

The pack is having it’s own issues. There is a guy who bought land next to theirs and he wants to put up a resort on that land. He keeps trying to buy the land from the shifters. The potential buyer isn’t above using shady tactics to get Mercury Pack to sell.

Jesse lost his fated mate when he was still a child. He’s had a thing for Harley for a while, though he did play the field some too. One of those girls is convinced that she will be a better mate for Jesse than a cat shifter. There is a ton of drama around this part of the story. Not to mention the angst about Harley not being the fated mate. It made me really not enjoy this romance.

Overall, I still enjoyed the story, but I wish there was more about pack issues than all the angst and drama surrounding Jesse. I liked both Jesse and Harley, but I didn’t enjoy their romance. One thing that never bothered me with previous books, but really did with this one, the language. I’ve never had an issue with the language in this book (everyone gives new meaning to ‘cursing like a sailor’), but it got a little old. I don’t know if the other angst and drama got me a bit down, so it brought out the other flaw in my mind more, or what.

Narration
I continue to love Jill Redfield’s narration of this series. She has no problem with the constantly growing cast. She has to voice not just Mercury Pack, but also Phoenix Pack characters, as they both show up in the other’s series (another reason, this should just be one series in my mind).

**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Eve1972]

I REALLY wanted like this one more than I did. I've been struggling to finish it for a few days now. Unfortunately, it pretty much bored me to tears.

I liked both Jesse and Harley for the most part, but never really felt a connection between them, and I found Harley a little too alpha bitch at times. I also didn't love the fact that Jesse knew he wanted to mate her for three years and kept tabs on her etc, but continued to sleep around with OW. I am generally more picky about that type of thing in paranormal books. At least Harley had been getting herself some as well (Although Jesse apparently chased off her men. So I guess what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander?) On top of that, I HATED 95% of the pack in this one. They were horrible, and judgy, and rude, and unwelcoming.



I also had a problem with them not being true mates. Sure Jesse's is dead and died when they were kids, so it's not like Harley was second best BUT Harley's true mate is still out there somewhere. What is she runs across him one day? How is her imprinting on Jesse fair to her TRUE mate? It's NOT in my opinion, and honestly one of the reasons I just never felt a connection with these two.

In any case, I think this was more an "ME" issue than a book issue. I love this author's books usually, and my issues aside it was a well-written book with a very low angst and easy peasy relationship between the hero/heroine.So don't let my review deter you from giving this one a go.