Alpha by Sara Fields

Alpha Reviews

• 
  JD

  This book has engendered more than the usual amount of Arcsplaining, defined as readers who've gotten books for free telling those who haven't how to review them.
  
  So, there's impact play and then there's "He's beating her so much and so hard, how is she not in the hospital?" And once I think that, well, funnily enough, I'm taken out of my enjoyment and can't get back in.
  
  Finally, I know this is a losing battle, but I'm going to keep trying. So, Reviewers, this is not BDSM! BDSM is a codified lifestyle practice that exists in the real world and is carried out by real people. Among its central tenets are consent, safewords, and limits. This book has none; therefore, it's not BDSM. BDSM is not a synonym for non-consent; it's not a synonym for "abusive sex;" it's not a synonym for "darkness."
  
  If you like this book or want to read it, of course, that's fine. Just please don't mistake it for what it is not. Otherwise, all you're doing is impugning a community that is already so misunderstood.
  
  ETA: To the Amazon reviewers who are so upset by the many one- and two-star ratings, 1) I strongly suggest you look at why so many people object to this book. It isn't always what you seem to think... and 2) Stop policing other people's reviews; you like this book, fine; doesn't mean that every one else has to. You stay in your lane and we'll stay in ours.
• 
  Kimberly Martin

  Lost interest
  
  The author spent like 10% of the first 30% of the book punishing a human omega who had no idea shifters were even real within 10 minutes of meeting her supposed fated mate. High levels of abuse and degradation. I had to give up at about 40%.
• 
  Charlie

  1 1/2 stars
  
  Zero plot whatsoever and WAY TOO MUCH SEX SCENES.
• 
  Cc

  DNF'd at 80% so I feel like I can honestly rate.
• 
  Mindy

  Only made it to the 50% mark. This was so incredibly disappointing and I typically really enjoy omegaverse reads.
  
  The first half of the book was pretty much just super abusive and like as far from hot as one could possibly get. And when the spanking, switching, and abuse wasn’t happening the story itself was just plain ass boring and seemed so unrealistic. This reputable scientist just accepts all that happens to her and all she’s been told without blinking an eye. Even her internal dialogue didn’t lead me to believe she was confused at all.
  
  And then I just have so many questions. Like how is she an omega but a human at the same time? And why did the alpha seem way more interested in beating the shit out of her than actually breeding her? I think he mentioned that he didn’t want to breed her while they’re traveling but he’s basically just toting her around on his back so I don’t see the justification there. Especially because one of the characters made it sound like he’s only rising from the earth in order to continue the beta lineage. So you would think he would jump right on that.
  
  I don’t know, I just know this isn’t for me. And after seeing so many bad reviews and identifying with them, I feel pretty comfortable DNF-ing this one.
• 
  Sydney M Neblett

  One with the earth
  
  The author went above and beyond with this book. She started with an air of intrigue, and then added a touch of magic, rounding it out with danger, excitement, and heat, keeping me glued to the edge of my seat until the last page. I love her new take on shifters, and the struggles that they face. As always her characters are engaging and I felt drawn to their plight. This story was on the darker edge of romance, but it was oh so good. This was a fantastic story and I can’t wait to see what she thinks up next.
• 
  Jacquelyn G

  I absolutely LOVE all of Sara Fields' work! Every story is so engaging from page one until the end!
  This book, not so much.
  I was really excited after meeting Rebecca, because I thought there was going to be some interesting history of how shifters became and the 411 on the alpha rising (past and present). But after that teaser, there was nothing.
  This book was literally 86% of Dawn getting beat. We can class it up and say it was a d/s relationship but that's a hard sell for me. There was no chemistry (other than lust) between Dawn & Kiba before he threatens her with "spankings" and "switching" (the FIRST encounter with him and prior to yesterday she was unaware of shifters so she had ZERO preparation). I am all for a little rough play with my fun times, but even the fun times were brutal. The forcing of so many orgasms she was in pain. I have a hard time being okay after someone is sobbing.
  
  As I said before, I am a fan of Sara Fields so I had an idea what to expect. This book was not a winner for me. I honestly skipped SO MUCH because there was so much "punishment" it made me uncomfortable and it took away from the story.
  
  I received this ARC for an honest review.
• 
  ⚡Emily⚡

  DNF 40%.
  
  I like smutty books but this one was just cringe. I think I'm starting to need books, even smutty ones, that actually have some back story and progression before we get to the smutty sex scenes. The first sex scene lasted forever due to the H's 'punishment' and by the end I was at 40% and she was already saying she 'couldn't possibly be falling for him, could she?'. Eye roll x10000000.
• 
  Roberta Ramirez

  Not for me
  
  It was to much sex for me. I love sex scenes in books but I also enjoy a story you know some romance and angst and character development.
• 
  LaBlue

  I was so disappointed.
  
  There was so much growth in the story that was just ignored in favor of ridiculously abusive s e x. This author has great ideas for her stories but she doesn’t always focus on those angles. She predominantly focuses on the beatings she has the MMC’s give the FMC’s. This book in particular was written mostly for the three s e x scenes in contained. Everything else is just setting. She had such an interesting plot line but then she glossed over it entirely after the 50% mark. I had so many questions by the end that I was pissed that she didn’t at least round off the story with an epilogue. But no, no epilogue anywhere insight.
  
  I don’t want to review negatively the abuse in this book. I have come to see that’s all this author writes about but I do want to note the way she always has the characters always saying how shameful it all was. I don’t see how anything done between consenting adults is shameful. You can be embarrassed maybe but if it’s shameful then I don’t want to read it. This author didn’t write anything in here that warranted shame, eye rolls, absolutely but not shame. It’s becoming a peeve of mine with this author. I’m getting real turned off on her stories because of it.
  
  This could have been a great story, had she fleshed out the universe she had written here. She didn’t though. It might have been better if she wasn’t constantly harping on the shame of it all. But she did. So while I am always attracted to this authors works I am always left disappointed. With the exception of her book “Instinct”, I keep getting left frustrated by this author. I don’t know if I’ll read anymore of her stuff. Enjoy.
• 
  Rose Howse

  Dawn, a top genetic researcher is taken and installed in a top secret government research facility to continue her work. She is kept isolated except to work with her original mentor. For centuries the shifters have hidden in plain sight but the time has come for the Alpha to rise from the earth to take his power and find his fated mate. Kiba is strong and powerful and knows as soon as he scents her that Dawn is his mate. Where Dawn is doing her work, she's discovered the wolf shifters that have been captured and were the subjects of the DNA analysis the government wants. Kiba's goal is to free his people and live their lives in secret and safety but he needs his mate as the other shifters are all infertile. Dawn has a lot to learn besides her genetic knowledge and Kiba will teach her all she needs to know, starting with her over his knees for the first spanking of her life. It's a good thing she learns to like it. Kiba is strong and firm, but his whole shifter family and the future of his species depends on him to continue their breed. This was a sexy, hot as h*ll adventure with some violence and many physical disciplines for Dawn, but It does all work out in the end when we get our much hoped for HEA
• 
  Moyae

  The title says it all. I am not a new fan of the amazing Sarah Fields and have followed her for some time now, this book is not her typical style that I've grown accustom to. The Alpha showcases a whole new style in her for me. The main characters have an amazing story line and I love the plot and how she builds on it, it certainly makes it seem like a very possible quiet as kept reality. The Alpha is a man of his word and when he makes a threat he certainly turns that threat into a very real and painful fact. I love the smutty parts of their interactions, but at times found them a bit over stretched beyond my own personal threshold of attention. In her defense she does advise of trigger warnings. I don't have any personal triggers myself, but found the severity and time span of some of the punishment sessions far beyond something a mere human to be capable to manage and still be able to function realistically. His punishments did not fit her crimes and it made me dislike The Alpha. All things considered I think that is the general idea in Fiction though. The plot kept me rooting for them and glued to their story till the end. ( Underworld has nothing on them)
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Leanne Bryson

  2 1/2 Disappointed Stars
  As a long time fan of Sarah Fields I had expectations that this book simply didn't deliver. Dawn, a human scientist, is recruited by a former mentor into a top secret government team, researching paranormal species. Though she is skeptical, she is also intrigued. When THE ALPHA, not an alpha, shows up to free his betas from the laboratory, Kiba, immediately recognizes Dawn as THE OMEGA, his mate, the mother of the next generation. Up till now, I'm good, the book is interesting and I can see the chemistry. Kiba decides Dawn needs to be punished, and here's where I have some problems. He doesn't just spank her sexy bottom, he beats on her all over her body for some time, using various implements. And these "punishments" happen repeatedly. I love the dark twisted books, I love BDSM books, I consider my tastes varied, but beating on someone over and over and over again, is not my kink. I didn't feel Kiba respected, cherished, or was compassionate toward the mate he would have for the rest of his life. Sorry, I was really disappointed.
• 
  Badh

  Shifters are starting to become more active, so the government pulls in Dr. Dawn in order to figure out why. Turns out that the alpha has risen, and he's coming to save his people and his mate.
  
  I like Dawn. I think that she is really smart and really determined. Both of these are good things for her and bad things for her. But her goal is to make life better for the people that she's involved with. I think that she is deeply compassionate and thoughtful.
  
  I think that Kiba is a good man. He just wants to make sure that all his people are safe, and he will do pretty much absolutely anything in order to make sure that happens.
  
  I would love to see more out of this world.
• 
  Karen Nastasio

  Wow this book was hot and intense and I couldn’t put it down and it left me all hot and bothered. It have very strong Dom / submissive spankings that where very close to the boarder of being cruel. Dawn is a Genetic scientist and helps out a friend and mentor and gets so much more from a alpha wolf shifter Kiba who’s there the free his betas but he’s not just any alpha he is The Alpha and when he sees Dawn who is his mate he takes little time in showing her who is the boss and very often. This book will not be for everyone and might offended some but I enjoyed it.
• 
  Maddison Hoy

  So I thought this book was going to be a good one. Started off nice and hot and then got dramatically worse.
  The insta-love? Way too much.
  Fast forwarded scenes that would have been more interesting than the wife beating.
  I get BDSM but what the alpha was doing was plain sadistic. Who needs to punish someone that often and that hard? None of that was sexy or remotely consensual. He just like to bash the shit out of her, fuck her, then tell her what a good little omega she is and she’s like “thank you sir”. What a load of shit.
  I would like my money back.
• 
  Bo0kSLoth

  ** 3.5 stars **
  I've always liked when this author writes about this type of trope. I think they are my favorites (these and the alpha- alien tropes), so I was excited to read this story. I liked the plot of a shadow branch of the government and supernaturals being held captive by them.
  My only problem was that I felt like there was just parts that were no thought out all the way. If the alpha is immortal like the betas and the omega is human, how can she help breed the next generation if she will only be able to have a few children and then die of old age? I just didn't understand it completely. Did having the omega around make all the betas fertile now?? Or were all of the omega's children going to be fertile?
  I enjoyed the book, don't get me wrong. I guess I was just confused on the picture as a whole.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Deanna

  so im not sure what happened with this story for me...I love reading Sara Fields books... it started out wonderful...and then somewhere along the line it just fell flat for me and i really don't know why... It was the same amazing writing that Sara is wonderful about doing...had amazing characters. I loved the story line... I am so for an Amazing Alpha/Omega story any day of the week...but it just didn't work for me this time. It might just be that i have a lot of crazy things going on right now and i couldn't get into if for that reason... but i am going to try reading it again in a few weeks.
• 
  Pamela

  Kiba is a lycan born of the earth to be alpha and he has risen to save his betas from captivity and find his human mate. Dawn is a researcher taken to investigate the reason the lycans are becoming aggressive. There is tons of punishments to keep Dawn in her place as the omega to Kiba. I don't mind some punishment but felt this went a little too far.
  
  I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving a review.
• 
  Shannon

  I didn't enjoy this book from Sara Fields. I skimmed most of it. Very repetitive language and scenes. I couldn't relate to the female main character at all and I felt some scenes seemed like she was being beaten rather than BDSM or power play. It's definitely not her best work.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
• 
  Karyn

  Rough Sniffer I am not
  
  The beginning of the book started off good but vastly when left. This book turn very dark when a hold chapter when into punishing a human mate after just meeting her. I really tried to finish this book but I guess I'm not into S&M punishment.
• 
  Mary

  A miss for me
  
  This book failed on too many levels. There seemed to be too little story, it was all punishment and abuse. I have read shifter books before and surprisingly I liked them, this one was not one I would recommend to anyone. The abuse went on and on the the sex picked right up after that and then it went on for a ridiculous amount of time.