"The Perfect Luna" is a Werewolf novel written by Marissa Gilbert wherein we're introduced to Riannon, a renowned Luna who discovers that her chosen Alpha, Brayden, found his fated mate, who also happened to be her assassin. Eventually, the Moon Goddess presented her with a second chance at life, as well as her true destined mate.
This enthralling novel, consisting of 85 chapters, has amassed a stunning 3.5M reads and 460.6K followers.
Get immersed in Riannon's uplifting journey in "The Perfect Luna."
The plot in "The Perfect Luna" begins with an absolute bombshell: Riannon's husband, Alpha Brayden, arrives at the pack house with a petite girl called Roxanne. Riannon was shocked beyond belief, but the worst part came when he revealed that this woman was his true fated mate, meaning that Ria would be out of the picture for him and, also, that she would consequently lose her Luna status.
But Riannon's struggles won't end there. As it turns out, Roxanne wants Ria out of the map. As the new Luna, she orders her assassination, which unfortunately comes to fruition. You'd think this is the end of Ria's journey, but the Moon Goddess had other plans for her. Ria was allowed to go back, traveling back one year into the past to tie loose ends and right some wrongs.
Foreseeing all the tragic events that would unfold, but with the inability to access her inner wolf and shift, she seeks support from her friend Maya. Likewise, she gets into contact with the Lycan King himself, Alpha Gideon, in order to keep Alpha Brayden at bay and protect the pack. In turn, she would gain enough visibility to forge an alliance with other Alphas.
The Lycan King, during this time, was looking for her fated mate, but he would've never guessed it'd be Ria herself!
Riannon (or, as she's often called, simply "Ria") is a stunning Luna with incredibly good looks but an even greater personality and character. She's known for her self-abasement and devotion to her pack. Likewise, she's praised for her strength and charisma, but she's also acknowledged for holding unpopular opinions about male leadership and female empowerment (unpopular at least by Werewolf's standards).
Throughout the novel, she would have to face various setbacks, including her own death and unable to shift (an even more troubling predicament in the context of the Werewolf realm).
Alpha Gideon is literally one of the most powerful people in the world, the feared Lycan King, ranked above all other Alphas in existence. His power is only matched by his handsomeness and pride. While his dedication is admirable, he's also full of vices and often gets on the wrong side of people.
That said, once you look past all his glaring personality quirks, you'll find that Gideon still retains an ounce of "humanity" and virtue. Likewise, despite his status and background, he's empathic towards Riannon and sympathizes somewhat with her complaints about overt misogyny in the Alpha Council.
Brayden was Riannon's husband for over six years as her chosen mate. Despite his role in the overarching plot, he's not a bad guy but is deeply conflicted and blinded by his inner wolf. He's also a victim of the Werewolf's deterministic mating system, albeit it must be admitted that he didn't handle the situation with his chosen mate all that well.
Another aspect worth mentioning about Brayden is that he's extremely easy to manipulate, particularly by Roxanne, arguably the true antagonist in this story.
Roxanne (or "Roxy") is a very attractive woman with the appearance of the typical "damsel in distress." However, behind her "cute" appeal, you'll find an overwhelmingly crafty and deceitful wench, with evident selfish motivations and psychopathic behavior. She's wholly bent on having her way, even if it means literally taking someone else's life in the process
Alpha Gideon got into a heated conversation with Ria after asking for his help in taking the Silver River Pack back from his traitor husband. She then proceeded to scold him for placing a heavy burden on women in the Alpha Council and favoring men, but, despite this impasse, Gideon was left quite intrigued and ended up wanting to know more about her.
Ria had a brief exchange with Brayden in which he insisted that he still loved her but had to please his wolf and also help Roxy, who she thought was in a dire situation. He then proposed a day off with him after the ball was over, to which she hesitantly agreed.
Jealousy struck Brayden when he saw Ria in a beautiful dress meeting the Lycan King and Beta Ash. He had already found Roxy but feared losing Ria nonetheless, especially since she was ultimately responsible for holding the pack together. They had a brief but tense exchange, after which Ash appeared behind her to request a dance.
The theme in "The Perfect Luna" centers around second chances and how precious they are, as well as the problem of not being able to foresee the consequences of our actions. Riannon was able to experience first-hand the outcomes of trying to force a situation that can't be remedied, but, in her specific case, she was able to revisit the past to try to change her future. Nevertheless, this also spawned further difficulties, for no choice is devoid of problems.
Additionally, topics such as gender equality and female empowerment are exalted and, at times, become the central point of contention in key scenes and dialogues throughout the novel.
Marissa Gilbert is the author of "The Perfect Luna," though this is not the only work she has produced. Among some of her most renowned novels, we could mention "The Alpha God's Luna," "The Divine Wolves: Danielle's Story," "His Shadow Luna," and "The Luna Trials." As can be discerned from the titles we just mentioned, Marissa has an affinity for Werewolf stories and demonstrates ample knowledge of the genre. Notwithstanding, she also loves to tell tales of strong female leads.
Marissa's writing style is very relatable and is characterized by long expositions about the characters' motivations behind each action they take. She also has recourse to exhaustive descriptions, allowing readers to paint a mental canvas depicting the characters and their surroundings.
The novel is told entirely by a third party aware of everything that unfolds, both outside and inside the characters' minds. The narrator figure, in that sense, is omniscient, what some would call a "God-like narrator."
"The Perfect Luna" is the perfect novel for the perfect Werewolf novel fan. There's a lot to praise about this novel, from its characters and their impeccable development to its superb pacing and lore. Not only that, but its theme and premise are highly enticing and, to an extent, fresh and original, straying from the usual tropes that are so typical of the genre and which have already been exploited to the point of exhaustion.
If you crave a Werewolf novel told from a refreshing perspective, you can't go wrong with "The Perfect Luna"!
The novel "The Perfect Luna" is part of a trilogy named "The Divine Wolves Trilogy," which also includes "The Luna Trials," and "The Alpha God's Luna."
Her wolf's name is Onyx, a passionate and intelligent creature.
"The Perfect Luna" is only suitable for people 18 years old or above due to the graphic scenes contained therein, especially those of a sexual nature.
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