I saw Alpha Ruined by Liliana Carlisle on booktok and knew I needed to check it out. A stalker that fills your fridge because you’ve got nothing to eat in the house? That’s amore. Now, this is the second book in the Alpha Stalker series, and I was worried I wouldn’t like it after disliking the first book. Thankfully, this book really delivered where the first failed. There was romance and build-up and it was simply a good, solid read!
After the events of the first book in the series happen, the world wonders what really happened and Bree, a reporter, is no different. She manages to snag an interview with the psychiatrist in charge and decides to go visit the town in person. Now, this is almost exactly the same premise as the first book I disliked. So what changed? Well, Bree isn’t going into a maximum security detention center full of alphas as an unmated omega. She’s simply going to visit a town. There isn’t anything idiotic about this, or Bree.
Cole, an alpha in the area, scents her and realizes she’s his scent mate. He’s unhinged, of course, but makes an effort to romance her. He takes her to dinner. He talks with her. They are able to form a connection instead of him simply taking ownership of her, kidnapping her, and forcing her to accept him based off scent match alone. This is what I needed and didn’t get in the first book. There is an attempt at courting. He, despite stalking her and some slight somnophilia, makes an effort to get her to like him instead of simply relying on the scent match. And Bree, meanwhile, pushes back and has a backbone.
If you’re looking for dark omegaverse romance where scent matches don’t automatically equal ownership and rights, I think you’ll enjoy Alpha Ruined by Liliana Carlisle. Alpha Cole is dark and messed up, but he tries to take care of Bree and show that he is right for her. Omega Bree has a backbone and speaks up for herself, refusing to give in without a fight. The characters make sense individually, and together to make a lovely romance.
