Kidnapped by My Mate Novel by Annie Whipple Review

Genre: Werewolf Romance

Total length: 61

Writer: Annie Whipple

Update status: Completed

Synopsis: Belle is skeptical of anything having to do with shapeshifters and werewolves, let alone concepts such as fated mates, mate markings, and moon goddesses. It was after her trip to Paris that things started to get "weird" for her. Her life will never be the same upon meeting Alpha Grayson, who "kidnaps" her and helps uncover the truth about the werewolf realm and her own self.

Author Introduction | Annie Whipple

Annie Whipple, the author of "Kidnapped by My Mate," is a prolific writer known for books such as "His Lost Queen" (the sequel to the novel under review) and "The Alpha's Doe."

Theme: Mate? What Is That?

Belle embarks on a less-than-memorable trip in search of her own happiness and stability.

Up to that point, she was wholly unaware of the existence of paranormal beings like shifters. Nevertheless, life-changing events can take place in the most unforeseen circumstances. In Belle's situation, she would have never guessed she would encounter her "mate" on an airplane, much less of the werewolf kind.

Readers will also be invited to explore the dialectic between what Freud calls the id and the super-ego. In this novel, Belle instinctively feels an urge she fails to grasp fully and gets intimidated by it. She does everything in her power to keep this urge at bay, moved primarily by societal pressure and general disdain towards anything mildly associated with werewolves.

That last statement reveals the importance of ridding ourselves of prejudices if we want to find true love and happiness in our current milieu.

Characters: The Kidnapper and the Kidnapped

The protagonists in this novel are actually mentioned in its "alternative" title: Beautiful Belle and Alpha Grayson.

Belle

Belle is far from being a happy woman. She has the looks but lacks the "luck," so to speak. She's tired of feeling alone and abandoned, so she goes to Paris to reunite with her negligent mother. At that point, it was her only option out of solitude, but "fate" had other plans for her.

Alpha Grayson

Grayson is the stereotypical Alpha wolf. Being the leader of the pack, he's prone to show some muscle time and again. Likewise, feeding into the stereotype, he can be quite aggressive, possessive, and overprotective, especially if the person in "need of protection" is his "fated mate."

Point of View: Let the Mates Speak

"Kidnapped by My Mate" is told from the standpoint of the characters (Belle especially). We only see events through their eyes, so the scope is naturally more limited.

Plot in Kidnapped by My Mate

Belle was about to take an 11-hour flight to Paris. She had received an invitation from her mother and new father-in-law to spend Christmas there in the hopes of "mending the fence" somewhat, an invitation she accepted, albeit reluctantly. She still resented the fact that her mother had not so much as called her for a good five years, but she reckoned her mother was the only person who could keep her company during the season.

She was assigned a seat next to a perverted guy who would not stop staring at her boobs. Extremely disgusted by this sight, she tried to divert the old man's attention by thoroughly searching her luggage compartment when, out of the blue, she felt a pair of strange hands reaching for her waist.

The Marking

Belle figured at first that those hands belonged to the same guy who was ogling at her just a moment ago, but, to her surprise, they were Alpha Grayson's. She turned around, only to be met by some of the most captivating eyes she had ever seen.

Belle was suddenly overcome with awe as Grayson began kissing her neck, and she readily gave in to this "young man's" sexual advances. At the same time, she felt extremely taken aback by the Alpha's odd behavior. Within this short span, the man proclaimed Belle as his "mate," said their "bond" was very strong, and insisted that he would not allow her to reject him.

For a brief moment, a tinge of reason came to Belle's mind, and she displayed outrage at the words that this young man was uttering so boldly. However, this moment of lucidity was over the second the plane went into turbulence. Her fear of dying prompted her to swiftly seek Grayson's protection. He held her tight and told her that everything would be fine. This comforted Belle to such an extent that she'd "fall asleep."

Next thing, she wakes up in Grayson's lap. As it turns out, she was not exactly "sleeping," and she instinctively knew that something had transpired between her and Grayson during this entire episode that would change her life forever. Belle had been marked by a being she originally thought didn't exist, and before she knew it, she was held hostage in the Alpha's residence. Surprisingly, Belle likened this place to a sanctuary of sorts, a refuge from the mystery that awaited her outside.

Plot Twists Ahead

Belle's love for Grayson would grow stronger with each passing day, and she'd learn some surprising truths about him that we chose not to disclose for the purposes of this no-spoiler review.

Hottest Chapters That Will Keep You Captivated

Chapters 2 and 3 are possibly the most gripping in the whole novel. Surely, there were still some notable moments midway, but these two chapters set the pacing for what would await us throughout the rest of the narrative.

Writing Style in Kidnapped by My Mate

The writing in "Kidnapped by My Mate" is both personable and relatable. The author doesn't waste any ink on superfluous descriptors or flowery metaphors, making for an easy read.

Kidnapped by My Mate Verdict

In our estimation, "Kidnapped by My Mate" remains a compelling and intriguing tale that invites us to think beyond our preconceptions or predispositions. The writing is top-notch and glows in its bluntness and elegant simplicity.

The main characters are also very well-crafted and developed. Belle is the epitome of a modern young girl harboring a fair share of insecurities and fears, and many female readers will undoubtedly feel identified with her as they flip the pages. For his part, Grayson possesses a lot of depth hidden beneath his outwardly Alpha persona.

All in all, while "Kidnapped by My Mate" does have its share of issues, it definitely deserves our praise and recommendations!

FAQs

Q: Is Belle (the female lead in "Kidnapped by My Mate") a werewolf?

A: Belle is initially presented as a human who falls in love with a werewolf.

Q: Is "Kidnapped by My Mate" related to Elle Adams' "Kidnapped by My Fated Mate"?

A: While the titles are very similar, the two novels have nothing to do with each other.