Title:  Savage Urges
Series:  The Phoenix Pack #5
Author:  Suzanne Wright
Genre:  Paranormal Romance – Shifter
Published:  May 3, 2016
Publisher:  Montlake Romance
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

She’s a lone wolf with a cause.

As a volunteer at a shelter for lone shifters—the same one that rescued her—Makenna Wray has dedicated her life to finding homes for its residents. And when she discovers that a teen in her care is related to Ryan Conner, the broody, handsome-as-sin enforcer of the Phoenix Pack, she’s eager to help connect the two. She just wasn’t prepared to feel a connection of her own.

Lone wolves are loners for a reason—and most of them bad. Or so Ryan assumes until he meets the mysterious Makenna. Quirky and sensual, she seems to enjoy riling him, especially when she refuses to discuss her past. Although there is no mating bond, he’s sure she’s the one. All he has to do is be patient and wait. But when another pack’s sinister Alpha comes sniffing around, threatening Makenna and her shelter, this enforcer is ready to let his wolf off the leash…

It’s always a special treat to return to the world of The Mercury Pack and The Phoenix Pack.  A new addition is always welcomed, but to get to visit with members of both packs… now that’s a huge treat for me.

Makenna is a lone wolf, and as such is often viewed with suspicion and mistrust.  It’s a shame that life has to be that way, but you learn to deal either with humor or anger… and Makenna takes the chatty, asking questions with humor approach to life.  She can’t change her reality so she deals with it.

She volunteers for the shelter that helped her when her mother died.  Helping other lone wolves is second nature to a woman who is strong in her own right.  When Zac is left at the shelter Makenna firmly tucks him under her wing and sets about finding a connection with a pack who would take him in.  She found someone, but goodness a man of lesser words would be impossible to find… or a sexier one for that matter.

Ryan communicates just fine with his growls and he is indeed a man of very, very few words.  He has no trust for this lone wolf who says she’s got one of his relatives at her shelter.  He knows that she is his mate, oh there might not be the mating bond feeling – yet.  But he is certain she is his.  Now all he has to do is convince this quirky, outrageous, strong and stubborn woman to lighten up and let him in.  He might be the pack Enforcer, but there is no forcing Makenna to bow down to his demands without a fight… and he got smart, used his silence and let her come to him.

While Makenna herself might not be trouble – she certainly has trouble following her in the form of another pack’s nasty Alpha who wants not only her shelter, the land but the woman as well.  She’s got a fight on her hands and a strong man at her side – and surprises of all, she’s got two packs willing to fight for her as well.  She’s not as alone anymore as she thinks.

I enjoyed Savage Urges just as much as I thought I would.  It’s always good to see old friends.  Makenna and Ryan are such a – dare I say it – cute couple in so many ways.  Come on, anyone who can translate growls and grunts is priceless to a non-conversationalist like Ryan.  *grin*  Don’t get me wrong, there are very dark moments in this one – but it is fun to see a couple just cut loose a bit and be the unexpected.  I had a fun time with this story and definitely will be back for the next one.

*I received an e-ARC of Savage Urges from the publisher, Montlake Romance and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available for the Kindle