A Sexy Stranger, A Protective Brother, and One Very Bad Secret
Alright my fellow spicy book dragons and shifter lovers, we've officially reached the halfway point of C.J. Primer's Six-Pack series! After getting Gray and Fallon's story followed by Theo and Brooke, it's finally time for Theo's little sister Quinn to find her Alpha. And who does she choose? One of her brother's friends. This is going to go well...
Alpha Jax was another fun addition to the series, but what really made this one entertaining for me was the secrecy. Quinn and Jax spend so much time trying to hide what's happening between them that you're basically waiting for the bomb to explode. And trust me, eventually it does.
Meet the Couple
Quinn (FMC): Theo's younger sister and one of my favorite combinations of nerdy and fierce. Quinn is smart, outgoing, confident, and incredibly talented with technology, but she also wants to prove herself as a fighter. After allowing her controlling ex-boyfriend to influence some major decisions in her life, Quinn is finally ready to start making choices for herself.
Jax (MMC): The future Alpha of the Westfield Pack and one of the men responsible for running the Security Squad. Jax is friendly, easygoing, caring, cocky, and definitely a player. He's also fiercely protective and possessive when it comes to the people he cares about. He has three younger sisters, and all four siblings have names beginning with J, which I found absolutely adorable.
When Your One-Night Stand Is Your Brother's Friend
Quinn's life needs a serious reset. Her controlling boyfriend Clay convinced her not to join the Security Squad because he didn't want a long-distance relationship, even though she would only be about twenty minutes away. Then she comes home early one day and catches him cheating with her friend.
Yeah... Bye, Clay.
After some time moping, Quinn's coworker finally convinces her to go out with the very wise advice: "The best way to get over someone is to get under someone."
And that's exactly what Quinn does. She meets a sexy stranger, they agree to one night with no strings attached, and they go their separate ways. Simple, right? Not exactly. Quinn soon arrives at the Security Squad complex to begin reserve recruit training and join the IT division. Theo introduces his little sister to everyone, and suddenly Quinn and Jax are staring at each other in horror.
Her "sexy stranger" is Jax. His "mystery girl" is Theo's little sister.
Even better, Jax has already promised Theo that he won't touch Quinn. Oops.
Secret Relationships and Terrible Decisions
This is where the book really started getting fun for me.
Neither Quinn nor Jax can stop thinking about their night together, but they're both terrible at communicating how they actually feel. Their relationship becomes very hot and cold. Jax says the wrong things and makes Quinn think she meant nothing to him, while Quinn knows exactly how to push his buttons. Eventually, neither one can take it anymore. They start sneaking around.
And my fellow spicy book dragons, these two are not particularly good at being sneaky. One of my favorite moments happens when Logan accidentally finds Quinn and Jax together while looking for her because Theo wants to know where she is. Quinn thinks Logan was watching them, and his horrified response absolutely killed me:
"No, I wasn't watching, you sick fuck!"
Followed shortly by:
"Jesus, Quinn, you're like a sister to me. What kind of perv do you think I am?"
I was dying. Their entire conversation was hilarious, and Logan's complete horror made the scene even better.
Jax Isn't Just the Cocky Player
Underneath all the secrecy and spice, I really enjoyed seeing Jax's softer side.
There are some genuinely adorable moments between these two, especially when Jax finds Quinn stargazing and simply lies down beside her. Quinn attending Sunday dinner with his family was another favorite because we get to see Jax outside his role as future Alpha and Security Squad leader.
Then there's his protective side. This book definitely delivers some serious touch her and die energy, especially when Quinn finds herself dealing with men who don't understand the meaning of the word no. Those moments show exactly how quickly Jax's easygoing personality can disappear when someone threatens the woman he cares about.
When the Secret Finally Explodes
Of course, there is one massive problem hanging over their entire relationship.
Theo.
Jax wants to tell him. Quinn absolutely does not. Their disagreement eventually becomes serious enough that they end things, but neither of them handles the breakup particularly well.
Eventually, Jax decides he's done hiding how he feels and goes to Quinn's room to tell her everything. There's just one little problem. Quinn isn't alone. Theo hears the confession.
And... Well... Let's just say Theo doesn't take the news particularly well.
The confrontation is dramatic, chaotic, and exactly the explosion I'd been waiting for since the beginning of the book.
Meanwhile, Alpha Douche Is Still Douche-ing
The romance might reach its HEA, but remember, the Six-Pack series has a larger storyline running through every book.
And our lovely Alpha Douche Xavier and his Shadow Pack are still causing problems. We get more developments involving the Denver Pack, more movement from the Shadow Pack, and more hints that something much bigger is coming.
I really like how C.J. Primer handles this part of the series. You get the satisfaction of seeing each couple reach their HEA without completely wrapping up the overarching conflict. It keeps giving you a reason to immediately pick up the next book.
The Verdict
Highly Recommended For: Fans of wolf shifters, secret relationships, brother's friend romances, protective Alpha heroes, one-night-stand-to-lovers, witty banter, and interconnected paranormal romance series.
Alpha Jax was another great addition to the Six-Pack series.
Quinn and Jax were funny, frustrating, ridiculously attracted to each other, and incredibly entertaining to follow. I especially loved watching Quinn reclaim some of the independence she'd given up during her previous relationship while working toward her goals with the Security Squad.
Jax also surprised me. He starts as the cocky player with a mystery girl he can't stop thinking about, but watching his feelings become something much deeper made me really enjoy his character.
Between their secret romance, Logan's hilarious reactions, Theo going into protective big-brother mode, the sweet moments between Quinn and Jax, plenty of spice, and the growing threat from the Shadow Pack, this one kept me entertained from beginning to end.
And now that the situation with Denver and the Shadow Pack is getting even juicier. I'm ready for Alpha Brock.
Happy reading, and remember my fellow spicy book dragons, before starting a book please check the tropes, and always check for trigger warnings. Nobody likes an unfinished book because the tropes aren't your cup of tea or having a bad reading experience because of unexpected trigger warnings.
