| Title | : | Keeper (The Lost Pack, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 239 |
| Publication | : | First published November 16, 2019 |
Forced to babysit some spoiled and disgraced omega actor, Cole is not a happy alpha. He’s determined to send Josh packing, whatever it takes. But first impressions aren’t everything.
All Josh has to do is keep his head down and survive his month of ‘volunteering.' Easier said than done when the alpha he’s staying with is treating him like some sort of Cinderella. There’s something different about Cole and his friends. They’re no book club. Of that, he’s certain. But when a fight with Cole reveals a secret Josh never meant to tell, he learns there’s more to the alpha than his gruff exterior.
When Cole gets a glimpse behind the mask that Josh wears, he sees a very different side to the omega than the picture painted by the media. But that world of lies and manipulation is all Josh knows. As he's pulled back in by the scheming of his ruthless agent, Cole's protective instincts kick in. Can he convince Josh that there’s more to life than his next role?
Keeper is a somewhat slow-burn shifter romance, featuring mpreg, an overprotective alpha, some difficult, angsty themes, and scenes not suitable for readers under the age of eighteen.
Keeper (The Lost Pack, #2) Reviews
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Again a light and fun read, not much angst, the drama provided is solved more or less immediately if you don`t expect a lot of world building or thought through storyline, this can be read comfortably in an afternoon, nothing to rave about, but from my side not many complaints either - fun while it lasted! 3.5 stars
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Mmmm meh. Fue muy normalito aunque me entretuvo desde el minuto cero🤭
Cole y Josh me gustaron como personajes, su "amor" espontáneo y su relación es lo que no me convenció del todo. Siento que todo fue muy deprisa con respecto a su enamoramiento que no me lo terminé de creer.
Tengo mucha curiosidad por cómo será la historia de Thorn. -
Story: 8
Writing: 8
First MC: 9
Second MC: 8
Secondary characters: 6
Mystery: 4
Sexual tension: 5
Humor: 3
Hotness: 5
Product placement: 1
Ridiculousness: 4
Annoying: 3
Audio: 10 (6h 45min)
To re-read: 7 -
A
Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Keeper is a sequel to Defender, the first book in the Lost Pack series, but you can easily jump right on in to this story with no trouble. In the first book, we were introduced to the idea of packs, what they are and what they were, how they shaped shifter culture, and how they’re seen by modern shifters. But since Josh isn’t aware of it and isn’t bothered by it, it’s easy enough for the reader to get along without knowing everything.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety
here. -
Rating: 4 stars
This series continues to grow on me. I liked both of the MCs. I really liked that the romance was allowed to build up slowly and there wasn’t insta-love and sex within the first few pages of the book. I also like that while similar to other books in the same genre, it does bring something new to the table. I liked that we got to see both Josh and Cole grow throughout the story. All in all, a really good addition to the series and I am looking forward to the next one. -
So, whoops, I started this book without ever reading the first book in the series. I felt a little lost at first - so many people all at once! - but quickly settled in, so I would say that this could stand fairly well on its own.
Cole, the Protector of his pack, has been assigned babysitting duty - to watch over an omega actor sent to clean up his act and get his career back on track. What Cole doesn't expect to find, is that Josh is much more than the Hollywood gossip says, and that he could play a valuable part to his pack.
I really enjoyed the premise of a pack of shifters - something that people don't trust, and all these different roles that the people play within that pack. For Cole, he is the protector - and he has guilt over what he feels is failing his job. Josh is a Keeper, an anchor, to help keep the alphas all calm and working together. I also enjoyed that this wasn't quick instalove - no, these two have to fight for it, to get together and be happy.
There is a bit of bad communication - or, no communication, since Cole feels like he's doing the right thing by not telling Josh what's going on, and that always bugs me but overall I really loved their relationship and the pace of their romance.
Great new series from this author, looking forward to the next one!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. -
Solid 4. I really enjoyed this one. On to #3.
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WARM FUZZIES
Book #2 gave me the warm fuzzies. Cole is an Alpha, former Military and very lost to his nightmares. Josh is an Omega, an Actor who needs a place to hide out. Cole is a little put out about having to babysit a celebrity. This is a TERRIFIC story of understanding, patience and deep love. This pack is very unique. Each character a different shifter form. And babies!! This story was a side, nod to foster care. Of course Josh's experience was filled with problems and heartache. But pack like a family gives you all the things you never dreamed possible. I loved these characters, CLAIRE CULLEN always delivers a spectacular page turner. Can't Wait to see who is next in this INCREDIBLE series. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS INCREDIBLE SERIES!!!!!! -
Book 2 of series
So glad this series was recommended. Now that the pack has officially formed, they need an Omega Keeper or Anchor to smooth out the alpha members. Omega actor Josh comes to the pack to get away from some bad publicity. Cole takes Josh in and the two quickly face off. But that doesn't stop sparks from flying.
KU, book in series, paranormal, shifter, horse, hedgehog, more, actor, horse trainer -
A great next installment to the series. I really like the strong omegas in this series. Josh was an interesting dynamic for the pack and I’m happy to see how him and Cole made each other stronger characters by the end of the book.
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3 stars
Same thoughts as the first book, just not connected with the characters. It could be because of the POV. I’m used to first person -
3,5 stars!
It was sweet to see Cole find happiness but it was also wonderful to see Josh meet someone who cared about who he was and not just what he had to offer them. It was great to see more pack dynamics and I can’t wait to see more of what lies ahead with threats to the pack coming from all sides. I enjoyed this one! -
This is a wonderful addition to The Lost Pack series and I love everything about it. Keeper is well written, emotional, sweet, the babies are adorable, the world building is excellent, I love all of the amazing characters and the ending is perfect. The best part of this story for me is how the pack members all work together so well even as they recognize that having so many alphas in close quarters can be difficult at times. The loving, caring and supportive atmosphere is a bit overwhelming for Josh but he also wants so badly to be a part of it. Cole and Josh have an interesting start to their relationship but they cannot deny the strong connection between them. They have to deal with Josh's evil manager and the continued threat to the whole pack from the military as they try to deal with their deepening feelings for each other. I love seeing how the characters from the previous story are doing and I can't wait to read the next book in this exciting series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book. -
Love
I loved this story. I feel like I want to go back and read the first book, but I want to read the next book. This can be read as a stand-alone though. The author does a great job of catching you up to who everyone is. This one is about getting through hurt, healing while finding your home. Loved the journey they went on, love the pack solidarity the most. Loved how each person has a place and they all work together without ever speaking. I loved how they weren’t perfect but still worked together. The writing was great the smexy was yum and the side characters rock. -
As in the previous book we have an Omega with serious emotional problems that makes him despise himself. Our Alpha is willing to help but when there are external forces that can alter the peace of the pack, everyone together begins to work so that little by little they can bring Josh into the family and feel part of it.
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Good
Poor Josh, everyone has let him down, and now he's trying to do penance, which is where Cole comes in. I think Cole was a bit of a jerk sometimes, but not too bad overall. -
I loved Josh and Cole’s book. This is a well written series and it’s gonna take forever to get to the next book, but I’m definitely ready for it.
Highly recommended, happy reading! -
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Why read romance? Obviously, there’s a universal appeal to watching two people fall in love. The story is as old as they come, but it’s new again with each new couple.
All right then, why read an Omegaverse romance in particular? There’s the satisfaction of the romance itself, of course. But for me, the real appeal is seeing what the author makes of the Alpha/Omega dynamic In their version of this universe. If the book would be almost exactly the same if it was about contemporary men and women rather than Alphas and Omegas, then it may be a perfectly lovely story, but the author has missed an opportunity.
Claire Cullen has not missed that opportunity with Keeper, the second volume in her Lost Pack series. In the first volume she established that a group of shifters can be forged into a pack when they are under stress, and striving to perform a desperately difficult task together. The current culture views packs as uncivilized vestiges of a more barbaric time, discourages their formation, and distrusts their members. What’s more, when packs contain a lot of Alphas, those Alphas tend to rub each other the wrong way, bicker and argue a lot, and sometimes escalate into actual fighting. Each member of a pack has a role such as Leader, Defender, or Protector; the presence in the pack of certain nurturing and socially aware Omegas, called Keepers, can mellow these problems out.
This background raises the stakes for Josh and Cole’s romance. Their journey from mutual dislike to a growing attraction is complicated by the needs of Cole’s Keeper-less pack – might Josh fulfill this role? With what consequences to his career and ambitions? Cole’s Protector role makes him inclined to be overprotective; will he go past caretaking all the way to stalking? The love story is enriched by the particulars of shifter culture in this specific Omegaverse. I read this in one gulp and I’m already thirsty for the next.
For the record, I received a free ARC of this book. -
Tickets Please!
This book was such a roller-coaster. Ultimately, Cole and Josh made an excellent couple, but it was like pulling teeth to get there. Both of the MCs were so damn persnickety!
I’m not usually a huge fan of the slow burn book. I like my action fast and hot, but I didn’t mind it all that much with Keeper. Mainly due to Josh. He was the onion of this book: he had so many layers and I was more and more fascinated with each one that was peeled back. He was such a sympathetic character, I couldn’t help but feel for him and anticipate his HEA. Cole was also an intriguing character. Broody and touchy all wrapped in a sexy package. This group of Alphas are carrying around so much guilt over their last mission that it’s eating them alive. I’m glad that they are finally getting some absolution.
Cole doesn’t want to look past Josh’s playboy actor exterior and Josh doesn’t want to see Cole as anything other than an Alpha to be handled and distanced. They circle each other so much. Once Josh lets a terrible secret slip and Cole starts to see him as something other than what he thought, we finally start to see a nebulous friendship start to form. It’s so fragile and put to the test almost immediately. I struggled with these two. I just wanted to lock them in a room and make them hash it out! As their story progresses and more layers are revealed, we are left with two very broken men just trying to hold onto something good. They start to trust one another and their pieces of themselves that have been broken slowly start mending. I was so very happy with how Keeper ended. Cole and Josh turned out to be two of my favorite characters. -
Same pack (being in a pack is a no-no in this fully shifter world), different member.
This time we get Colt and he's paired up with a Hollywood actor (we really don't get much on his career, although he seems more like a prostitute thanks to his shady agent) who's on a much needed break from a scandalous tryst that's been killing him on social media.
We get the same characters (which is nice - I always like a little follow up and seeing how prior characters are doing), but a completely different story (actor v. agent). But we do get the same almost insta-love with the omega needing to feel like part of the pack. We also get the same mystery with the military wanting the pack (they were aggressive, but thank goodness for Josh's good acting skills) and the tidbits of the hush hush/saving the world backstory.
Again, there's really nothing new or epic here, but it was a super quick (I think it only took me maybe 2 hrs to finish while I was waiting for laundry) and entertaining read. I'll try book 3, now. -
Claire Cullen, despite being a good writer, is either incapable or unwilling to write truly escapist stories. Since there are no content warnings in the book itself, or the summary, I will lay them out there.
Content warnings: Non consensual sex, non con drugging, forced sex work, forced sex work for a minor, exploration, (many) threats of sexual violence.
As much as I enjoy reading about each of their characters, this series isn't a fun Omegaverse steamy romance, not even a fun nonsteamy romance. It's covered in dark and heavy content that a lot of people would not want to engage with in their escapist fiction. Which in itself doesn't make the book bad, however the lack of warning with just how graphic it is made it a sad and disappointing.
By the end, I just wanted to be done with this.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's a just this book though, as the third book has very explicit scenes of domestic violence. I would stay away if you are sensitive to any of these topics. -
4.5
Oh this was fantastic.
So much better than the first one, and even more angsty. I absolutely loved it!! Cole and Josh were wonderful protagonists, fleshed-out and complex and flawed, but still 100% lovable. I loved their slow-burn relationship, how they went from constant bickering to grudging respect to, finally, love, and they had a TON of chemistry.
I think Josh was my favourite, although he runs hot and cold for most of the book. Understandably though, because he's put through a lot of horrific stuff, and thankfully after the initial mistrust Cole gets very adept at reading him and giving him the respect, safety and comfort he deserved.
I loved seeing a bit more of the pack, especially Oliver, and the dynamics between them all were even more complex and interesting to witness. I'm so so curious to read about Thorn now! -
Great follow up book
I read a lot and some books seem to follow a formula. This one kept surprising me—in a good way. The main character, Josh, is something of a puzzle—he is an actor that is dodging fallout for making a sex tape but something is off. Cole realizes that things aren’t what they seem and starts to see Josh in another light. The pack needs Josh but Josh has been used by too many people and doesn’t trust that the pack really want him instead of what he can do for them. There is some reference to Josh being drugged and taken advantage of. The pack we met in the first book is there, the characters are three-dimensional, and there is plenty of drama. Mpreg -
Keeper is the second book in the Lost Pack series by Claire Cullen. It's a slow burning sweet romance with shifters and an mpreg. There are angsty scenes, drama to overcome, bad guys to defeat... but there are also sweet moments to make the reader smile, funny moments to draw out a laugh, and sexy moments too.
Josh and Cole are interesting characters that both have things to personally overcome and who build a sweet and strong relationship together. The rest of the pack is fun and entertaining. I loved this book and can5 wait for more from this series to come. -
It’s a keeper alright!
I knew I was going to love Cole’s book. I just wanted him to have his happy ever after. After he was rid of his pre-conceived notions about Josh, he was the perfect Alpha and Protector for Josh, and the pack. The relationship was really cathartic for both parties, healing them both. I felt for Josh’s character, he’s been through a lot and just held it all in. I am a glutton when it comes to this author. I reread book one and this one in one sitting, so you know it’s good! -
Keeper!
Total Rating: 3.7 Stars out of 5
Rating Review Rollout:
(1) Blurb vs Story matchup: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(2) Character Development: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(3) Danger/Drama/Thrills/Chills: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(4) Editing/Proofreading: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(5) Entertainment Value: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(6) Feeling the Words: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(7) Flow of the Story: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(8) Keeps my Attention: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(9) MC Appeal: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(10) MC Backstory: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(11) MC Chemistry: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(12) MC Love Connection: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(13) Plot Worthiness: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(14) Sexy Sex Scenes: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(15) Wrap Up of Loose Ends: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟 -
*WARNING* story contains explicit m/m adult content
Cole has a different "stress" point of the tragedy that the guys went through when in the military. I like that they all went through the same event, but it looks like it's different causes that has each character feeling guilty, aside from the obvious. Now, I'm extremely curious to know how the other characters view the incident as their fault. This story is a romance, but these to characters seem to need each other, it's a beautiful thing. Great series!
