Gage Matthews is a self-proclaimed lone wolf, traveling the country and living life on his own terms. He carries the burden of a dark past and many secrets, trying hard to never look back. He prides himself on being free, until he’s not. Running through the dessert in his fur brings his life to a crashing halt when he finds himself picked up by a group of humans. Broken, beaten, starving, he prays for a quick and easy passing, rejoicing when the angel of death descends upon him. But she’s no angel...
Clara Collier travels the world rescuing animals and the occasional shifter. Feeling restless and stagnant in her life, she heads into a new assignment that changes her world forever when she comes face to face with a caged red wolf. He’s not just any wolf, he’s her one true mate, and he’s dying. Clara must work tirelessly to save him only to learn he has no intentions of taking a mate.
Rejection, secrets, PTSD, and stubborn pride are only a few obstacles Clara and Gage must fight to overcome. But what happens when the past catches up to him? Will Gage stay and face his own personal demons? Or will he run?
Julie Trettel is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Paranormal Romance. She comes from a long line of story tellers. Writing has always been a stress reliever and escape for her to manage the crazy demands of juggling time and schedules between work and an active family of six. In her “free time,” she enjoys traveling, reading, outdoor activities, and spending time with family and friends.
I get that it's fiction, but this author keeps having her characters forgive transgressions almost immediately and it's just not good writing. In this particular book, Gage's mother cheats on his dad for years, contributes to the death of his brother and blames Gage for it. Since this caused him to disappear from his family for over a decade, it makes no sense that he's just like over it so quickly. Seriously. She shows up, offers some explanation that doesn't really add up and he's laughing and cool with her. I get people like their HEA, but come on. Make it make sense.
The story was pretty good but what I did not fuck with was the fact the author made Gage forgive his mother for cheating on his dad for YEARS that then inevitably caused his older brothers death and that the fact his father then decided to forgive his CHEATING WIFE and RECONCILE AND ACT LIKE she just caused the death of one of their children and caused one of them to run away from home for TEN YEARS like bffrrrrrrrr
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
*NO MAJOR SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
I enjoyed this book more than the first, probably because i had no prior expectations and went into this 'blind'. I really enjoyed the storyline, even if once again, it felt fast, then slow, then rushed. I am getting a bit tired of the author having a really banging ending but not following through with outcome. :/ its very unsatisfying. I also wished Gage and Clara had more time to work through their trauma, especially gage. One moment he is making a breakthrough with trauma then the next its like its no big deal. :/
I did like Clara, she was both introverted AND strong willed and loud when needed. The perfect combo, honestly. I like that she was also willing to compromise and comfort her mate when he needed. I had not heard much about her in the prior books so it was refreshing to get a new character in a way.
My heart went out to gage entirely...so, so much. That man had been THROUGH it, you guys. I just wanted to cuddle and coddle him up and never let him go. He is so strong and I think it would of also been amazing IF he had to be an alpha. But i do have a problem with how quickly another conflict was resolved. Surely that deserved more angst and more tension, not just within 5 minutes its all done. **sighs**
Either way, this is an enjoyable listen and I really liked Clara and Gage's story. That being said, I think I am getting wolf/author fatigue, so I will not be continuing the series for now. I may pick it up later though.
I enjoyed this book better than some of the others because they met in a different situation to the rest as most of the books are very similar. This lead female character was a vet & animal activist who meets her one true mate under horrific circumstances.
My biggest pet peeve from this book is that he ran away at 16 after his mother was cheating on his father with his uncle and planned to kill him to become alpha. His brother died saving his father & his father killed his uncle then his mom blamed him for their deaths. He ran away from home at 16 after that. But when he goes home with his mate and his parents find out that he’s alive and show up, confusing him as to how his father could still be with her. Plot hole they don’t really make this better their excuse was she was under cover to find the people trying to overthrow his dad. Okay but he knew his mom was cheating with his uncle since he was 13! So for 3 years she was under cover? That makes no sense no way an alpha would let his wife sleep with his brother for 3 years! So stupid 🤦♀️
Besides that the rest of the book was fine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am enjoying this spin off series to the Westin pack series so much,the Colliers are just as enchanting. This is Clara Collier's romance and she meets her One True Mate in an unexpected place. Clara devotes her life to rescuing animals from some awful situations,she has saved shifters too and her current assignment was one of the worst case of animal cruelty and neglect that she had seen in a long time. It was in the depths of these terrible conditions that she meets her one true mate. Gage was a lone wolf after leaving his pack at the age of 16 when a tragedy had him running...Gage and been captured by bad people who stole exotic animals to sell and he had been caged,beaten and starved he was on the brink of death...His captors knew he was a shifter and so he was a precious commodity.But they had tortured him and he had resigned himself to die when he sees an Angel who saves him. Clara was always seen as the sensible sister she was an introvert and never did anything random,but when she is drawn to one of the many cages filled with animals and shifters...the dying wolf inside the cage is immediately recognised by her wolf as her One True Mate. Their relationship is not an easy one as Gage has trust issues and always wants to run...but Clara is patient and she teaches Gage what it is to be a part of a pack you can trust and what it means to love and be loved. There are so many ups and downs and Gage has a past that catches up to him and all the while Clara is by his side. I love the Collier family and their bonds with eachother it makes me wish shifters were real and I could be a part of their family lol. This is a great story and I adored the characters and their love story. It captivated me from the start...Narrated once more by Carly Robins and Joe Hempel who read this book perfectly. I LOved it. 5 Stars. wonderful.
El libro que menos me ha gustado de Julie, una decepción tristemente. Podía haber dicho que estaba bien hasta que pasó el capitulo que todo lo arruinó y estuve a punto de dejar el libro allí. Si Gage tenía problemas con sus padres y más con su madre que lo habían dicho anteriormente una y otra vez, por esta mujer ser una zorra, una cosa super rara entre compañeros, así sea elegidos, pero bueno. Lo dejo pasar, pero después de haberle sido infiel a su padre y haberlo traicionado con el hermano, me vas a decir que en un solo capuitulo todo se soluciona? que rayos leí? como una mujer como esta diciendo una excusa que no me pareció plausible, para nada va a ser perdonada así como así y toda la muerte del hermano de Gage se quedó impune, porque esta mujer tuvo toda la culpa de aquel desastre la verdad y vienen y me dicen que está viva y el padre de Gage la perdonó y Gage mismo en solo unas lineas la perdona como si nada hubiera pasado y se van tranquilamente a comer en familia como si nada. Una cosa tan copmplicada como el pasado de Gage no me lo puede poner así bonito de la nada, fue una cosa muy fuerte para él que estaba incluso traumatizado y al final es como si lo que escribió antes no hubiese pasado.
Definitivamente una decepción y he leído muchisimos de sus libros y este no da la talla.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So far I'm really enjoying discovering the Collier sisters. I have jumped from the Westin Pack series to the Collier pack and although the world is the same and the stories somewhat interconnected, I really enjoyed how the author manages to keep them separate and original. Althought there are some repetitions, it doesn't feel like reading the same book 7 time which is sometimes the case in those overarching series
I have enjoyed the down-to-earth, reasonable Clara and her dedication. She's strong and quiet (ish 😂), resilient but still caring and in need of affection. As for Gage, well his stubbornness had not chance against hers!
The conflict in his pack and the reason for his departure were glossed over a bit too quickly for my liking. I'm still a bit confused about what actually happened. Otherwise, I really liked this book! On to the next !
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator are doing as great a job as they've done in the previous books.
Summary Rating 3.5⭐ Spice 1.5🌶️ (the whole series is pretty light on spice although the level is rising compared to Westin and the previous books- overall it's more sweet than steam but I am enjoying it nonetheless) Narration 4⭐
Gage Matthews left his pack and has been alone since he was 16 after witnessing a life altering event. He can't even fathom the idea of, or wants a mate. But God has a different fate for him, he sends him an angel in his most desperate hour of need. Gage finds himself trying to run from his gift from above, but the mating bond just won't let him and he finds himself drawn to his angel. Will he go back on his word to always be alone, will he learn to trust again?
Clara Collier has always been the introvert of the Collier siblings, always quiet and reserved. She is a Vet and the only time she is vocal and passionate is when she goes on a mission to rescue and treat animals and shifters for a secret society sworn to protect them. On one of these missions she is drawn to a dying shifter and realizes he is what she has been waiting for all her life and she has sworn to not go through the deep heartache her sister Lizzy went through after finding her mate....She will do all in her power to persuade Gage that they belong together and teach him to trust again...Will she succeed in the most important mission of her life?
What a fan-freaking-tastic page-turner this is! “RUN FREE” is the 2nd book in the Collier Pack that had me glued to my seat right from the start! Contemporary romance with suspense that tugs on emotions from laughing to some tears! So, IMHO, this is another 6 star must read that can stand-alone but is connected to the phenomenal books in the Westin Pack series! These PNR shifter books don’t have to be read in order, but I'm glad that I did, due to the relatable, entertaining, recurring characters, plus new additions that blend in seamlessly :D ... Also, I can always count on unique plots & amazing attention to detail by Ms. Trettel, and I know will help keep readers engaged & turning pages like crazy, just like I did! I highly recommend this and any of her books to adult fans of fiction! Now back to waiting for her next new novel! :o lol
At 16, Gage Matthews, overheard a plot to assassinate his father, the pack alpha, the coup is thwarted but feeling responsible for an unexpected death, Gage ran away. After years of living as a lone wolf, Gage is caught and tortured by shifter traffickers. When the beatings and torture stops, Gage and the other captives are dying of thirst and starvation.
Of all the rescue missions Clara Collier’s been on this one is the worst, common and exotic shifters and animals, thinking they’d finally completed all the surgeries and examinations, Clara’s surprised to find 29more and then learns there’s yet one more she’s overlooked. Finding the last shifter, Clara’s wolf howls at her first glance of her one true mate! He seems to only have seconds to live. Rating: 4.25stars
It's a good shifter romance, better than the first in the series, I think, because I just like slow burn romances a whole lot more and this one was slower than the first. It lagged a little in the latter half, and I felt like there was a "thing" from the first book repeating itself in this one. I can't go into it with more detail without spoiling the plot. I mean, it was the same thing, executed a little differently, but when there was already the rejected mate trope being repeated here (although executed way differently) I felt it was too much to copy another thing as well. I still enjoyed the book though and I'm going to continue on with the series. Her writing flows well and all the characters have interesting backstories, which makes me want to know more.
Run Free is another example of why author Julie Trettel is the QUEEN of Shifter books! Her character and story building skills are top notch and second to none. I loved this novel so much because of one broken male shifter, Gage Matthews. He pulled me into his tormented life and just found a special place in my heart. All the cruelty he had experienced had me wanting to mend his soul, but thankfully Clara Collier walked into his life. Her loving and gentle nature made her perfect for him. Their journey was such a heartfelt and beautiful one to follow. I'm ready for book 3 now!!!!
We are moving along through the Collier family. Now it’s Clara’s turn. She’s always been the introverted and shy one among the sisters but we get to see who she really is within the first few pages of this book. She’s smart, assertive and has made it her life’s work to help both animals and shifters. It’s during this time she meets and saves her one true mate, Gage. This is a fantastic story that of course had a couple fighting the bond along with many other interesting tidbits and some action. A great second book in this series.
I really enjoyed Clara’s story, and we find out a little more about the Verndari. It’s lovely to see the Collier girls finding their true mates, but it was nice to meet an outsider in Gage. Great story, plot, characters, loved the new aspects of the characters lives, and the new twists surrounding the pack families. Sweet moments, nice love scenes, lots of angst but I’d highly recommend this series.
XXX! ADULT CONTENT, READER DISCRETION ADVISED. Animal and human abuse and torture are a major part of this story. Mental health issues such as PTSD are touched on as well. How would you feel to find the love of your life locked in a cage after being tortured? All in all I think Gage and Clara adapted unnaturally well after all the trauma. Only part of story I really disliked was Gage’s parents reunion story.
This one grabbed me from the first sentence. Only a couple of errors I noticed which made it a nice smooth read. A good albeit sad story this time with a happy ending. One thing left unresolved about the zoo I would have liked to have seen, perhaps it will show up down the series somewhere, somehow. As usual, once I start a Julie Trettel book, I'm hard pressed to put it down.
For some reason I am not enjoying this series as much as the Westin series. The audiobooks are shorter maybe that is the reason, just feels a little rushed and lacking detail and strong storyline. I do like how this series keeps tying back to the Westin series and I still hear and have contact with the character from that series.
The love story of Gage and Clara. Gage has been capture. He is in a cage and about to die then Clara save him. She is his true mate. They return to the Collier Park and Gage learn about a threat against the Collier Park alpha. Can they save Thomas? Great story.
I'm a huge fan of shifter romance and I absolutely loved this book. The storyline was arresting , I didn't put it down till 3am when i finished lol The characters are drawn to each other and their chemistry is off the charts! This is an exceptional shifter romance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I couldn't put it down! So much is going on in this story it is amazing. Angst, excitement, intrigue, and major plot twists, which I presume will be explained in future books. Lovin it!
I think this was one of my favorites so far but then again I've loved them all for their own reasons....lol... but seriously gage and Clara are so cute together and all the different things they've had to overcome so far... decimate recommend
Clara and Gage bring a very interesting difference to the Pack books so far. I enjoyed how love prevails but it’s never easy. Each story fits together so nicely and keeps me ready for more of the details in the next book.
Wonderful characters but it was the story line that cought me ...I loved how the hero was the venerable one and that Clara was strong but still venerable with her family
I like getting to know the new characters in Julie Trettels books. I like to see what’s going on with the characters from previous books I’ve read. Ms Trettel can weave a good story. She does need to have a better beta reading team to help find errors though .
This is a great follow-up on book 1 in this series. Added a few new characters that blended well into the original cast of characters. I liked the drama in the story and it held my interest throughout, never stalling out.
This one is so good the parts on the job were heartbreaking and lovely all the same. I loved reading about people that take care and help animals. I’m so glad they found each other and seem a perfect match.
Clara has such a good heart. Caring for the animals and shifters. Gage will learn to be good with her. They are fun together. Thomas is pretty stupid to do what he did. Alphas are not the sharpest people! Lol just glad Gage lived.
This was a good book. Gage had an interesting background and we get to learn more about Clara’s job. It was nice when they returned to the Collier territory and we get to meet up with the characters from there.
Julie how do you keep doing this? Such an emotional roller coaster. Now I. Just sitting here wondering what books Clara likes to read. Such an amazing story that ties in so well with the others,
A sadly emotional but beautiful romance. Clara and Gage meet in the most heartbreaking way, they have many hurdles to overcome but their bond seems to get them through everything. I enjoyed this story.