I think the final confrontation could have been more detailed, but the book was very engaging and fulfilled my age gap and “mafia men” needs. That said, the plot had no real wrap-up; the note at the end says things will continue through the Silver Oak Pack, so I’m assuming there will be more answers eventually.

Though I’m not certain I’ll read about a new pack to get the loose ends tied, I enjoyed the characters and the mob boss vibes with shifters. I’m a softy and a sucker for protective older men, so it scratched that itch very well.

I think that the author saying this can be read as a standalone is stretching it, just a bit. I’m only partway through the first Kincaid Pack novel, so I haven’t gotten to whatever happens with the witches and Rick and Quentin that gained Amato his favor, but I’m not sure I would’ve been able to follow along as well with some of the scenes if I didn’t have that minor prior knowledge of Rick’s pack and Kai. I wish this had found my eye first so I could give a better view of the “standalone” claim.

Overall, it was enjoyable, despite the plot not fully circling around with full reasonings and such. I’m not a fan of pulling plots over into other series, but I understand that they’re all interconnected, so it’s fine, yet frustrating.

I’d have rated it five stars, even without the story’s main conflict resolution, if I’d just been given more details about the final “fight” and the Seer, rather than a fade-to-black instigation and “he said you wouldn’t be here” once the mid-baddie was pinned.

(The audiobook can have all five stars for Kirt Graves’ voice.)