Audiobook Review: Bitter Heat (Heat of Love #3) by Leta Blake

A pregnant omega trapped in a desperate situation, an unattached alpha with a lot to prove, and an unexpected fall into love that could save them both.

Kerry Monkburn is contracted to a violent alpha in prison for brutal crimes. Now pregnant with the alpha’s child, he lives high in the mountains, far above the city that once lured him in with promises of a better life. Enduring bitterness and fear, Kerry flirts with putting an end to his life of darkness, but fate intervenes.

Janus Heelies has made mistakes in the past. In an effort to redeem himself, integrity has become the watchword for his future. Training as a nurse under the only doctor willing to take him on, Janus is resolute in his intentions: he will live cleanly in the mountains and avoid all inappropriate affairs. But he doesn’t anticipate the pull that Kerry exercises on his heart and mind.

As the question of Kerry’s future health and safety comes to an explosive head, only the intervention of fate will see these desperate men through to a happy ending.


SRAL ABO binge continues! Full force!

I've literally devoured this series and bought the audio books to listen along while reading them from my personal stash. Why? Michael Ferriauolo is a narration genius. He's just so good *cough*try the audio Caged series by Bey Deckard*cough* But I digress.

I'm a fan of Leta Blake's Heat of Love series (yes, you must read in order). The lengths are on the long size with each main book at 100+K a piece, but I tell you I breezed through with minimal skipping. Don't let the size intimidate you. I have loved each main romantic couple (or throuple) in their own way. Book #3- Bitter Heat was no different.

First off, the pairing? Didn't see that a mile a way. Two damaged souls finding love? Who doesn't enjoy that trope?! Triggers: suicidal ideation, attempted abortion, rape/non-con, domestic violence

We have Kerry Monkburn, the omega with a disability and a violent, abusive contracted alpha, our resident villain from books #1-2 (Wilbet Monhundy) and Janus Heelies, the asshole spoiled alpha from book #2, Alpha Heat, who is recovering from his illness and trying to reform from his philandering ways.

Bitter Heat literally starts with a violent bang as we're thrust into the aftermath of Kerry having to spend his heat in prison with Wilbet. (ugh, just typing Wilbet's name make me mad). And we get to see his bleak view of the world. His has no rights since he signed them away once he contracted (married) his alpha, Wilbet. And since Wilbet in in jail, Wilbet's evil parents control Kerry since he's consider basically property. Imagine how horrible it is to have your in-laws control you and your body?

Kerry ends up being knocked up and he returns to his poor mountain hometown to try to spend his pregnancy is sort of peace. Janus Heelies ends up in the mountain boarding house (ran by Kerry's family) to train to become a nurse. He's on his road to redemption and what he didn't expect is to be snagged by the taciturn Kerry.

Kerry is ornery and stubborn and is damaged on the outside and much as the inside. Janus sees something in him and though Kerry fights him, he's still fascinated with him. There's intrigue, more mentions of violence as the most of it happens off page, hurt/comfort, recovery and love. There's a bit of humor too with Kerry's mountain folk (think hillbilly).

What I enjoy about Blake's world as though it's in the future and women have died out, technology advances are slow. I'd like to think it's the result of missing women and creativity was slower. Because I questioned throughout the series, how humans were able to create alpha, beta and omegas but we're just getting to the creation of photographs and only using landline phones.

The narrator is a delight to listen too. His voices are great. He emotes like a dream and I was never bored. He really adds to the reading experience. I loved his mountain people voices and Monte Monhundy, the most. Sometimes Janus and Kerry's voices got hard to differentiate but since I read along, it wasn't bad.

And Caleb and Yosef make an appearance. It was like a mini reunion.

There is angst but there is definitely a happy ending that I guessed, but not with the unexpected twist.

I highly recommend this series as it's creative and delight to read each main character. And I see there's #3.5 (Winter's Heart) offered for free, featuring Heat of Love offspring. I dunno if I'm ready to jump into the future with them.

But I definitely will have a hard time letting the characters go.

Recommended for ABO enthusiasts who like good plots, don't mind angst and enjoy characters that leave an impression.




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