Love Lost

Tails from the Alpha Art Gallery, Book 5

By: Cynthia St. Aubin

Narrated by: Stella Hunter

So now you're the Alpha.

For neophyte werewolf Hanna Harvey, life is a wedge of triple crème room-temperature brie. Sure, there's a crew of Furries aggressively adoring her right there in the bakery aisle and not everyone is excited about the abrupt change of command within the shifter kingdom, but what's the occasional run-in with a cat-suit wearing lady assassin when you have a pygmy goat coffee butler—with a sweater vest!

Only, the threats have become a smidge too frequent—and graphic—and Abernathy is on high alert. Which, for a six-and-a-half-foot tall werewolf, looks a lot like making end tables with the spines of your enemies. Super awkward when it comes time for entertaining—which is exactly what Hanna has in mind for Abernathy's upcoming birthday.

The party plans come to a screeching halt when ex-detective Morrison—now a cryptid conspiracy-obsessed freelance paranormal PI—insists that her life is in imminent danger (again). When a powerful enemy from Hanna's past resurfaces, she's tempted to tap into the magic of an ancient ally.

Contains mature themes.

©2024 Cynthia St. Aubin (P)2024 Tantor Media

4 stars

Love Lost isn't as strong as the previous books. However, it is still entertaining and interesting.

Nice twist!

Another enjoyable listen, superb wordplay and humor, with a nice unexpected twist at the end!

Mind blown by series shakeup

I was frustrated during the first half of this book by characters acting against type and random new world building. It felt a little like the author went to her inspiration board, wiped it clean, and started all over again. Mark Abernathy, Hannah’s mate, is a distant, pouty rain cloud, not to mention absent for 80% of the story. Meanwhile Hannah partners up with Morrison cause …reasons? There’s an insertion of the Bureau of Supernatural Police, even though it functions mostly off screen. And, Hannah’s mom shows up, but doesn’t know about supernaturals?! Hello! Before Hannah, her mom was the potential alpha-heir. I was constantly scratching my head, especially at Hannah who wasn’t asking the obvious questions.

Stick with it, dear listener, because there’s (mostly) a method to the madness. The hows, whys, and whodunnits get hella convoluted in this one, so much so that the author has villains give info dump monologues at multiple points to explain. I appreciated that and was still a bit lost. Ah well, at least the payoff in the second half was fun and twisty.

Speaking of twists, there’s the mother of all twists in the final hour. I did not see that coming! I was also so there for it. I give the author an A for originality. This book provides a self-contained story, but the end totally reconfigured the game board and reinvigorated my interest in future books.