Review: Cry Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

Posted March 8, 2009 by Holly in Reviews | 6 Comments

Genres: Paranormal Romance

He is tired of fighting. She has nowhere to run.

Red Rock Pass, Book 1

Keith Winston is tired of fighting. The war between werewolves and wizards rages on in Europe, but he’s come home to Red Rock, Montana in hopes of finding a bit of peace. Instead he finds more strife as he struggles against the pack’s dictates that he resume his place as the alpha’s right-hand man.

When he rescues a new wolf on the run, he knows his instant attraction to her could cause trouble. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself embroiled in another battle that goes against all his instincts—and his heart.

Abigail Adler learned about the existence of werewolves only when she became one. With her life threatened by a corrupt alpha, she flees to the only sanctuary she knows: Red Rock. While she’s grateful for the pack’s protection, she chafes under its unbreakable rules of conduct—except when it comes to submitting to the passion Keith stirs in her.

Then her tormentor kidnaps her sister in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. To save her, Abby and Keith must be willing to do the very thing that could get them all killed—break all of the rules.

Cry Sanctuary is the first book in Moira Rogers’ new Red Rock Pass series. She has a prequel to the series available for free on her website, and I think it should be read before starting this series. I didn’t know about it ahead of time and felt like I was missing something several times while reading.

I’d forgotten how much I enjoy shifter stories. There’s something really sexy about alpha-male wolves, I think. Hmm. I can’t believe I just said that. Anyway, moving on…

I really liked both Keith and Abby. They’re instantly attracted to each other and Abby needs Keith’s strength to help her adjust to being a werewolf. But instead of forcing her into mating with him, Keith backs off so Abby can make an informed choice about who she wants to guide her. I really liked that despite his need to dominate he was backed off.

Both of them were dealing with baggage: Abby because she was changed without consent and Keith because the woman he’d guided in the past had been murdered and he blamed himself. I like that they were able to help each other deal, though I do think Keith took his guilt a little too far.

I was disappointed in the lack of backstory for Abby. We know she was just recently turned into a werewolf against her will and she has a brother and a sister, but otherwise her background is pretty much a mystery. We weren’t told how she was changed, or what she did prior to becoming a werewolf. I haven’t read the free story on Rogers’ website yet, but I wonder if some of these issues will be cleared up there?

I thought the relationship between Keith and Abby progressed pretty fast, but I was able to let that go for the most part since this is a paranormal and some leniency is required.

I also felt like I was missing other pieces of information. Things that were alluded to but not fully explained. I think many of these things will be cleared up by reading Becoming, though. For example, the alphas of Keith’s pack are talked about quite a bit, and several things are hinted at that happened in their past, but they aren’t fully explained here. Since Becoming is their story, I understand now why that is. At the time I found it frustrating, though.

Overall this was a well written story. I really enjoyed the characters and look forward to the next book in the series.

4 out of 5

The series:
Becoming
Cry Sanctuary
Sanctuary Lost (Coming June, 2009)
Sanctuary’s Price (Coming Fall 2009)

This book is available from Samhain Publishing. You can buy it here.


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6 responses to “Review: Cry Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

  1. Thanks, Holly! I’ll check out the prequel online. It sounds interesting.

    However, while I like extras and prequels, I get a little bugged when they are necessary to the book. Especially, when its the first book in the series. I think the better serve the series when they’re used as a standalone that’s a “taste” or teaser for a series. I hate feeling I’m missing out, which is why I’m so compulsive about reading series in the first place.

  2. I’m glad you liked it! Is that the end of what I recommended? Those three books? I can’t remember.

    So, at the end of the day, can I be trusted with recommendations? And if so, are you interested in reading a unique contemporary romance?

  3. Kris and Orannia,
    You’ll have to let me know if you try it.

    Renee,
    I am also bothered when a prequel is necessary. The thing is, I tend to be an overly anal reader, so it’s possible the things that bothered me wouldn’t have bothered the average reader.

    Also, I think it helps that the prequel is free. Makes it a bit easier to stomach, no? lol

    Angie,
    I think there was one other that you recommended that I couldn’t get into. But 3 out of 4 ain’t bad, so I’d say yes, you can be trusted. Recommend away.

  4. Rowena

    Interesting, interesting…alpha male wolves, eh? I’m putting this series on my WHEN I START READING PARANORMALS AGAIN list. Thanks for the revievws sweets!

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