Jamie and Jeremy <3333333333333333333. Their love makes my heart flutter forever! Forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What truly appealed to me about this book (aside from, well, everything) was the significant focus on Jaime coming to terms with herself, her position in the supernatural community, and her own powers. I believe anyone who spends a considerable amount of time around Elena, Paige, Savannah, and even Cassandra would have concerns about their usefulness and what they can truly contribute to any sort of investigation. It's wonderful to see Jaime realizing that what she does is simply different, yet no less powerful or relevant in its own way than anyone else's.
I was also extremely interested in Jaime and Jeremy working to figure out how their relationship would function within their individual lives, especially Jeremy's. I love that Jaime truly accepts that he is the Alpha and that for many things, the Pack will always come first. It doesn't bother her (if anything, it bothers Jeremy). I really enjoyed observing the way being the Alpha of the Pack has influenced Jeremy's life and his decision to engage in a serious relationship, as well as the way he resents always being protected.
I keep returning to the concept of supernatural evolution because it's the overarching theme that really stands out to me on this reread. The series begins with a tight focus on Werewolves and then expands outward so significantly. As the series evolves, so do the races within it, and I'm truly fascinated by the ideas that were first introduced in Stolen and are still relevant. Not only do we see this explicitly in this book with the magical evolution of humans, but it's also present more subtly when it comes to cultural evolution. Before Jeremy was Alpha, the Pack was dominated by males. They even stole babies from mothers! And the men were discouraged from forming lasting relationships. All of that changed with Elena (and Clay), allowing werewolves to evolve as a full-blooded species and also enabling the other male werewolves to examine their lives and choices. We saw it in Broken with Nick questioning what he's doing with his life, and we see it here with Jeremy, allowing himself to have a real spouse and partner. I am endlessly fascinated by this, and I would love to read something like the Werewolf Legacy that details the history of the Pack for the next three to four generations.
ANYWAY. Besides all that profound stuff, can we discuss that sex scene because I need a moment.
Reread October 2019
That balcony scene, isn't it amazing? This reread has been a truly enriching experience. It has allowed me to delve deeper into the characters and their relationships, as well as to appreciate the overarching themes of the series even more. The evolution of the supernatural world and the characters within it is a captivating aspect that keeps drawing me back. I can't wait to see what further developments and revelations await in future installments.