Hope(less) by Melissa Haag
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hope(less) is a paranormal clean romance and book #1 in the Judgement Of The Six series. The book opens with sixteen year old Gabby Winters using her extra sensory vision. Able to see coloured life sparks around her, she also has an uncomfortable pull on men which gives her lots of unwanted attention.

In a park Gabby meets an older man who reveals himself as a werewolf and explains that she is special and can help his species. Sam befriends Gabby and later offers her a home when she needs to leave her foster parents. This opening was the weakest part of the book for me; it felt if Sam was grooming Gabby, it could have gone either way; dark, brooding and bad, or the opposite.

Over the next couple of years Sam teaches Gabby about werewolves and their culture. Once she hits eighteen, Sam reveals his secret hope that Gabby will become a mate for a werewolf, integrating fully in their community. Angry and with a need to fulfil her own plans, Gabby agrees to meet the males; she’s adamant she won’t feel any connection.

Leaving the parade Gabby can’t believe that the dirtiest most unkempt example of the species, left guarding the door, is the one who ignites her link. Twenty-five year old Clay can’t believe it either. He wasn’t looking for a mate, but he can’t deny the pull of desire. Yet Gabby is filled with fear and a desire to run.

Clay must find a way to make Gabby his. He sees how determined she is and ends up following her to college, becomes her unwelcome pet dog, her friend and finally her protector.

After six months the situation reaches a crisis point for both Clay and Gabby. After a shaky start I really enjoyed this book. Clay’s refusal to speak to Gabby made him an interesting character and the author used his actions in place of dialogue. My faith in the werewolf clan which I’d lost with Sam was renewed by Clay’s devotion and loyalty to Gabby. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.

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Book Description

Gabby’s brain is like a human fish finder. It comes in handy when she wants to avoid people. Mostly men. They seem to like her a bit too much. It’s lonely being different, but she’s adapted to it. Really. She just wishes she knew why she is different, though.

In her search for answers, she discovers a hidden community of werewolves. She immerses herself in their culture, learning about their world until she meets Clay.

He’s unkempt, prone to mood swings, intense without saying a word, and he thinks Gabby is his.It’s going to take every trick she knows to convince Clay to go away, and every bit of willpower not to fall for him when she discovers the man beneath the rough exterior.

Judgement has begun…

About the author

Melissa Haag lives in Wisconsin with her husband and three children.  An avid reader she spent many hours curled in a comfortable chair flipping pages in her teens. She began writing a few years ago when some ideas just refused to be ignored any longer.

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