Release Blitz + Giveaway: Hearts of Destiny (Chevalier #4) by Kay Doherty

Today's release blitz for the latest from the Chevalier series, Hearts of Destiny (Chevalier #4)! Join author Kay Doherty and IndiGo Marketing in celebrating the new paranormal release and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit!

Title: Hearts of Destiny

Series: Chevalier, Book Four

Author: Kay Doherty

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: March 30, 2020

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 40700

Genre: Paranormal, LGBTQIA+, MM romance, gay, pack dynamics, feud, wolf shifters, dragon shifters, multispecies shifters, bonded mates

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Synopsis

Ean and Matthias have known they’re mates for a while, but Matthias has been unwilling to claim Ean. He believes his past and age-old secrets are too big for Ean to overcome, so instead keeps Ean away by irritating him.

Depressed and no longer able to be near the dragon-shifter, Ean leaves the pack house and, after a night of heavy drinking, makes a life-changing decision that pushes Matthias into action.

As the blood moon draws nearer, the Chevalier Pack is called before a tribunal of paranormal leaders to assess the Alpha’s rumored mysterious abilities. Matthias decides to share his secrets with a little help from Colby. And to top everything off, they face another attack by the McBane Pack, which the Chevalier decide will be the last.

Excerpt

Hearts of Destiny
Kay Doherty © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Prologue
Duray Horde Vault

After adjusting the stack of scrolls tucked beneath his arm, Matthias opened the door to the vaults and headed down the stairs. He had no idea what was contained in the newest additions to the horde library, but Sadie had insisted he take them, look through them, and archive them appropriately. The sheer number of scrolls he was carrying guaranteed weeks of sequestered reading, and he was looking forward to it. Matthias often disappeared for days within the vault stacks, and no one cared. He was moody and antisocial at the best of times and preferred his own company to that of other dragons.

At the back of the library, he dropped the scrolls unceremoniously on top of the desk he’d claimed as his, decades ago. Since no one came down to the vaults, no one had challenged his claim. As far as the horde was concerned, the vaults were Matthias’s domain. The soft thump of little feet echoed in the cavernous space, dulled slightly by the papers and leather-bound tomes that filled the shelving. Matthias knew who those steps belonged to, and his disposition lightened a bit. Sadie’s son had a thirst for knowledge that Matthias admired, even if it did mean his quiet sanctuary was invaded on a regular basis by the child.

“Hi, Matthias.”

“What are you doing down here, Luca?”

The fledgling hefted a book that was nearly a third his size, and Matthias recognized it as an old human-written story about a witch. He wasn’t sure it was an appropriate choice for a fledgling of just eight years to read, but he’d learned early on that Luca was not an ordinary little dragon. There was something special about him: something that reminded Matthias of the child he’d raised centuries before.

“Nothing in that book is factual,” Matthias told the boy.

“That’s good, because the witch ate the kids.” Luca winced before turning around and disappearing into the shelving.

“Don’t make me come behind you and straighten up,” Matthias ordered, his voice carrying through the room despite him not raising it the slightest bit.

Twenty entirely-too-quiet minutes passed before Matthias rose from his chair to go check on Luca. He found the book the boy had brought back exactly where it should be, but Luca wasn’t there. Returning to the main aisle, Matthias glanced down each row as he passed until he finally found Luca sitting on the floor with his back against the stone wall with a book opened across his little legs.

“This isn’t a row you’re allowed to be in,” Matthias said, shocking the little boy who was clearly immersed in what he was reading.

Matthias squatted in front of him, closed the book, and willed the panic he felt explode in his chest to not show on his face as he pulled the book from Luca’s grasp. He stood and placed the tome well above the boy’s head. Luca was entirely too curious for his own good.

“But I liked that story,” Luca complained. “It had a dragon married to a wolf, and I didn’t know that could happen, and I want to see what happens next.”

Matthias swallowed thickly. Luca thought he was reading a fictional story, but Matthias knew all too well that the Chevalier family had been real, and he’d be damned if he put the idea of interspecies matings into the head of the horde matriarch’s son. Pushing the memory of his own interspecies mating to the back of his mind—because what did it matter anymore?—he looked down at the fledgling.

He steered the boy into a more appropriate area of the vaults to be explored and then returned to the tome he’d confiscated. Pulling it off the shelf, Matthias thumbed through page after page of his own historical account of the Chevalier, removed the most informative and thereby damaging chapters, and then replaced it on the shelf. Luca was only going to get older, taller, and more curious with age. Matthias wouldn’t risk him finding the book again.

Later that night, after darkness had fallen and the compound had grown silent with slumber, Matthias burned one of the last firsthand accounts of the Chevalier—his own. Why he’d thought it was a good idea to put that horror down on paper, he’d never understand. Youthful folly. All that was left to do was locate and obtain Alietta’s journal, the final remaining written history of the family and subsequent events Matthias had yet to destroy. For now, he was content knowing the only memory of the Chevalier that existed in the Duray Horde was now locked safely away inside his head; a place no amount of childhood curiosity could penetrate.

Purchase

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Meet the Author

Kay Doherty is an omnisexual/polysexual who lives in Colorado with her poly-family, Mike, Keri, and Tigz. Her house is overrun with cats and dogs. Family is important to her so there are daily texts, frequent visits to her parents, and constant banter with her brothers. She happily suffers a severe addiction to coffee and Mexican food. She loves to read and write and can easily become consumed by it for hours, much to the dismay of Mike and Keri (Tigz is an enabler). On occasion she can be convinced to venture out into the world of the living despite being annoyed by the sun shining in her face.

Website |Twitter | Pinterest

Giveaway

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Tag Team Review: 9 Willow Street by Nell Iris

Heartbroken after the death of his beloved Nana, Hannes, the family outsider, finally allows himself to grieve. The legal battle over Nana’s quirky old house -- the only place he’s ever felt accepted and loved -- is over, and he moves in and finds a sense of peace.

 ... And a rabbit.

An adorable bunny with a huge personality moves in, too, and refuses to leave. Hannes instantly falls in love with the sweet animal who helps heal his heart. But one morning, Hannes’ view of the world changes when the rabbit transforms into a man. A man named Mattis.

After the initial shock, Hannes and Mattis discover a connection between them that runs deeper than it seems. Will their newfound feelings survive unraveling secrets and meddling families, and grow into something real? Something deep and everlasting?

Averaged!

Tag Team Bunny Love with R *A Reader Obsessed* and Ann!

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

Literally, the blurb says it all. Hannes is grieving his great grandmother, and when he finally moves into the house she left him, he slowly heals with the companionship of a wayward rabbit.

Though Hannes knows his little friend is very very special, he never imagines just how much.

Cue the most adorable rabbit antics ever that turn into equally adorable MC characteristics once Mattis shifts back into his human form. As Hannes gets over his shock, how he and Mattis overcome some obstacles was really satisfying.

Obviously, this was very sweet with a good dash of hurt comfort and made all the more interesting being my first rabbit shifter story. Beware frustrating family dynamics that’s negated by some nice smexy, plenty of cuddles, and two charming MC’s you’ll have no trouble rooting for.

This warmed my cold heart and was a delightful short story win!


Ann - 3.5 Hearts

This little gem of a story is literally stuffed full of fluffy love. So. Much. Fluff.

Poor Hannes is been put through the wringer by his honestly terrible family while he’s grieving the death of his great grandma. He and his Nana were extremely close, she was the only one who truly understood Hannes as he was growing up and her quirky house at 9 Willow Street is his sanctuary. He inherited the beloved home and was soooo relieved when the legalities were finally worked through after his family contested Nana's will. The house is his and his alone and his goal now is to get the home and gardens back to his Nana's standards and to get on with his life.

He gets a surprise visitor in the form of a friendly bunny floof as he’s getting settled and the two of them get into a comfy routine of snuggling and sprucing up the house. He doesn’t know where the bun came from, but Hannes knows that the little dude is something special right when he needs some unconditional cuddles.

It would be too easy for them to live this happy little existence for too long and pretty quickly Hannes is introduced to the world of shifters and his fuzzy little friend is also an adorable man named Mattis who coincidentally has a semi-shitty family too.

The two were a match in both personality and circumstance. They both needed support and were the kind of guys who are meant to have soulmates. The world of shifters and Hannes’ beloved Nana's history evolve in the story and all the *things* get explained in a way that makes sense for a shifter story in general and for Hannes and Mattis in particular. Their needs, strengths and weaknesses complement each other just right and Hannes and Mattis are truly soulmates.

I mentioned this story is chock full of fluff and it well and truly is. 9 Willow Street has a high sugar content and when you are in the mood for the sweetness, this story should be your go to.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: Bitten By Fate (Regent's Park Pack #6) by Annabelle Jacobs

Daryl plays with fire and gets burned by fate…

Former Primrose Pack member Jason Black happily accepted his role as beta in the new Regent’s Hill pack, knowing that merging the two was the best decision for everyone involved. Daryl Easton is loyal and honest but wary of change. The joining of the two packs wasn’t his preferred outcome, and he’s struggling to see all the newcomers as pack, including those now working alongside him.

When the alpha council proposes a two-week pack-building course to help improve troubled relationships, Jason and Daryl are sent along as backup. It soon becomes clear that the unit members and their betas won’t be the only ones taking part in tasks—Daryl and Jason will have challenges of their own to complete.

With the full moon adding to the rising tension, emotions are volatile, and tempers flare among the unit members. Jason and Daryl become closer than either of them expected, but with such opposing views on relationships, a messy outcome seems inevitable unless Daryl can let go of the past.

Bitten By Fate is the conclusion to the RPP series and a fitting one with the pack finally becoming whole again after all the upheaval of incorporating the Primrose pack.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the pack building exercises and seeing how they let old grievances go to once again become a fully integrated pack under Cam. Ms. Jacobs did a great job of involving some of the previous and beloved characters. Alec is and always will be my favorite and I loved his part in this story with his ubiquitous grumpiness. 😍

Daryl and Jason are the focus of this installment and they too are bridging the divide between the packs in a sense with Jason being a former beta of the Primrose pack and Daryl having been a trusted beta in Cam's pack for a while now.

They having seemingly been singled out by the Alpha Council to engage in a series of trust exercises which appear rather more a thinly disguised matchmaking agenda than pack building but it did build the tension between them.

I liked them both individually, but I never really invested in them as a couple and I thought the push/pull was overlong, though I did understand Daryl's perspective for the most part.

Nevertheless, if you're a fan of the series then Bitten By Fate is a worthwhile read.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: Stealing His Heart (Connoll Pack #1) by Bru Baker

Help author Bru Baker celebrate the release of her newest Dreamspun Beyond title, Stealing His Heart (Connoll Pack #1). Find out more about this paranormal romance and read an excerpt below!

See our 4 ❤️ review HERE!

Thanks for joining me on Boy Meets Boy as I wrap up my blog tour for Stealing His Heart. I’m hard at work on book two, which will be about Joss, a selkie we meet in book one who has a good heart but finds it hard to trust other people. That wariness can lead him into some bad situations, which is where he ends up in Stealing His Heart.

Stealing His Heart

     Danny was going to need a shower before the day was out. Each pawn shop he’d visited was dirtier than the last, and he still had five on his list. No one would admit to buying a couple dozen iPads and laptops recently, and none of the stores had them out on display either.
     Where else would a sixteen-year-old take twenty thousand dollars’ worth of electronics to unload them? He certainly wouldn’t need them all for himself. Was he selling them to people on the street? Had someone pressured him to take them?
     Joss was a good kid. He’d been Danny’s first case, a scared preteen selkie who’d gotten himself kicked out of every foster home he’d been placed in. When Danny met him, he’d been living in a group home, stealing sea salt from upscale groceries and spending so much time in the shared showers that the caretakers started putting limits on his shower time.
     Danny had gotten him a membership to a Y that had a saltwater pool. Joss had stopped skipping classes and started doing well in school. He even volunteered as a swim instructor now, and he mentored younger kids at the foundation’s day center.
Joss had been the only person aside from foundation staff and Sloane who knew about the gifts. And even the staff hadn’t known where he was keeping them. But Joss had helped him carry boxes a few weeks ago. He’d been in Danny’s apartment and knew exactly where they’d been stored.
     The day of the burglary, Danny had dismissed Joss’s scent because he’d been there recently, but after thinking about it, he’d realized the scent had been fresh. Joss smelled like salt and sunshine. It always made Danny smile, but when he’d stood in his living room and realized the scent trail was too fresh to have been made weeks ago, it made him gag.
     He didn’t want to believe Joss would do that. Joss knew better than anyone how much those gifts would mean to the other kids. But he hadn’t come by the day center since the burglary. Danny called the Y and found out he’d been ditching swim lessons too.
     It was so unlike him. Danny was kicking himself for not paying more attention to Joss. He hadn’t been himself lately, but Danny chalked that up to regular teenage angst. He hadn’t checked up on him, and he should have. Now it was too late. Joss was back to skipping school, and his grades were tanking. Most kids his age were hitting the books and looking at colleges, and Joss was out there doing God only knew what.
     Danny had to figure this out before Joss got himself arrested or kicked out of school. But to do that he had to find Joss, and he was coming up blank. He’d been missing from the group home for more than a week.
     Joss was in trouble, and Danny didn’t know how to help him. But he did know that the first step was tracking down the stolen electronics. They were his only tie to Joss, and he wasn’t going to give up just because the pawn shops made him uncomfortable.

Dreamspinner Press, release date March 5, 2019

Blurb:
Stealing His Heart
A Camp H.O.W.L. Novel
Connoll Pack series 1

Love sneaks in like a thief in the night.

Danny’s parents raised him to believe his wolf was a curse. He’s part of the wealthy and powerful Connoll Pack, but only nominally. He abandoned that world to volunteer with supernatural kids, and he isn’t looking for a mate….

Max is a shifter who is also a detective. He’s working a case that could make or break his career. Danny’s caught up in the case he’s on, and he’s also irresistible. They’re a bad match—Max, an Alpha having trouble with his new powers and Danny, who trusts Alphas as far as he could throw one. But they can’t get enough of each other, and they might bond before they even see it coming.

They could be amazing together, but they have to get past a few obstacles—especially since someone close to Danny might be involved in the thefts Max is investigating.

Buy links:
Amazon
Dreamspinner Press
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Google Play

Bio and social media:

Bru Baker writes sophisticated gay romantic fiction with strong characters, real-world problems, and plenty of humor.

Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now balances her time between writing and working at a Midwestern library in the reference department. Whether it’s creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.

Visit Bru online at www.bru-baker.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

Review: Bitten by the Alpha (Regent's Park Pack #4) by Annabelle Jacobs

Gareth’s heart is set on Cam, but Cam’s heart broke a long time ago.

As alpha of the Regent’s Park Pack, Cam’s focus is always centred on its members—his personal life pushed aside after the death of his wife. Now that his pack has merged with the Primrose Hill shifters, he can't afford any distractions.

Gareth’s been in love with his alpha for years, but his position as beta complicates matters. Added to the fact Cam still mourns his late wife, Gareth knows his feelings will never be reciprocated, so he buries them deep.

With the two packs already struggling to unite under one alpha, they get a surprise addition—one who causes more tension within the ranks. Under such strain, long-kept secrets are forced into the open. Gareth and Cam must deal with the aftermath, while also keeping the pack’s best interests at heart.

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I don't know how to rate this thing.

It's not dissimilar to its predecessors in the basic formula: one of the men is more into the other initially, they spend more time together which leads to pining and bing, bang, boom we're at mine-ing, marking, scenting with a final destination of bonded mates who constantly crave each other.

This formula has worked for me in the previous two books, so I'm stumped as to what the deal was here. Maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace for it. It did take me a long time to get through it for various reasons and that sometimes stymies my connection to the story.

Damned if I know.

What I do know is NO systems were a-go while reading Cam and Gareth's story of everlasting lurve. Not my head or my squishy marshmallow heart or even my loins. Nothing. I felt like an automaton and I truly am baffled as to why.

I like Cam. Gareth seems like a decent fellow. They're hot for each other. There's not a lot of push pull between them. Cam has zero angst about finding himself attracted to a man. They're refreshingly honest with each other about their feels. All things I'm ordinarily happy about.

Without doubt the sub-plot I found boring and though I'm not displeased with the outcome I still found myself having to hit the suspend disbelief button.

What I definitely liked was Rachel and the fact that Cam's connection to his deceased wife wasn't minimized. I thought Jacobs handled the issue with respect rather than dismissing it as no match for his bond to Gareth. I hate when previous relationships are downplayed in favor of the current one.

Regardless of my lackluster response to this installment I still love the Regent's Park Pack and this world that Jacobs has created so I'm going to write this off as a fluke and look forward to the next one.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest of the review.

Review: Hiding in Plain Sight (Camp H.O.W.L. #3) by Bru Baker

Happily ever after is right under their noses.

Harris has been keeping a big secret for years—his unrequited mate bond with his best friend, Jackson. He’s convinced himself that having Jackson in his life is enough. That, and his work at Camp H.O.W.L., keeps him going.

Things get complicated when Jackson applies for a high-ranking Tribunal job in New York City—far from Camp H.O.W.L. The position requires he relinquish all Pack bonds… and that’s when his wolf decides to choose a mate. Suddenly Jackson sees his best friend in a sizzling new light.

Their chemistry is through the roof, but they're setting themselves up for broken hearts—and broken bonds—if Jackson can't figure out a way to balance his career and the love that’s just been waiting for him to take notice.

From my review of Under a Blue Moon: “I am really hoping there is another book because there are strong hints throughout with Harris and Jackson that need to be explored long after that flirting at the hospital. I mean, right? There’s more???? Please?”

*fist pump*

I have been waiting for Harris to get his mate and this book did not disappoint. We’ve met both Harris and Jackson from previous books in this series. Harris was Tate’s friend and fellow counselor at Camp Howl in the first book and we meet Jackson in book two as Drew’s stepbrother. What we also learn about Jackson and Harris in book two is there is way more than bro feeling’s between them. Harris acknowledges the crush he has on Jackson and Jackson just doesn’t know Harris is more than his best friend yet. It will take a literally getting some sense knocked into Jackson for him to figure it all out but it’s worth it.

His mate had been hiding in plain sight for all of their adult lives…

I love romances where our couple has known one another and been friends for years. There is a different intimacy of between friends that lends to a romance and Harris and Jackson’s history give this romance a bittersweet feels all while including some angst and serious UST.

As in the previous books, we get dual POV’s with this one and it’s always something I am thankful for. We already know that Harris knows Jackson is his mate and that he will stay in the friend zone forever if it means keeping Jackson around. What was great was to learn this isn’t all one sided and Jackson has been crushing on his best friend for years too, he just hasn’t felt the mating call, or at least he never checked the caller ID for identification. Even in Drew’s book, Harris and Jackson couldn’t stop being affections and flirty with one another…

Besides, someday his stepbrother Jackson was going to get his head out of his ass and realize he had feelings for Harris, […]

Oh, this book. There is a decent amount of angst happening with both Harris and Jackson. I can’t begin to tell you how much I hurt for Harris when we would deny himself everything he wanted as a man and wolf with Jackson. That sort of unrequited love kills me and yet I eat it with a spoon. When Jackson finally gets that Harris is his mate, a whole new level of angst arrives and these two just made me want to lock them in a room until they figure it out. Talk about self-control and denial, these two have it in spades and all that UST they were building was blinding. I was sitting on my hands waiting for them to give in and yet I was scared for both of them being hurt by doing so.

You see, Jackson is on a career path of moving up the ranks from a district enforcer to tribunal enforcer that will lead to him following in his father’s footsteps to be the second of a pack. It’s all he’s ever wanted but the pull of a mate is more than he bargained for and with that mate being Harris, Jackson becomes one hell of a mess. He can’t work, people around him notice his mood swings and it hurt to read how much his wolf was pining and crying for Harris. But, I do get why he hesitated for so long, why he denied what fate had determined with Harris. Following your heart and not your head isn’t always easy but it could leave you to everything you’ve always wanted.

“Everybody knows you two are one smoldering look away from boning. The UST was actually painful while he was here a few weeks ago.”

Harris just about broke my heart at least a dozen times reading this. You can feel how much he wants Jackson as his mate but the self-denial was intense as self-flagellation. When Jackson offers Harris a “deal”…ugh. I know Harris will always take what he can when it comes to Jackson, but I was worried for them both. I am just happy they decided to give it a shot and even though Harris acted hastily before Jackson had a chance to tell him what’s up, it gave us some great scenes with them.

I loved getting bits of Tate and Adrian again and of course being set in Camp H.O.W.L and Jackson being brothers with Drew, we get more of Drew and Nick. While Jordan didn’t sit well with me in Drew’s book, he grew on me here and I hope he will finally settle down. Also, the introduction of new supernatural beings to this world was welcomed and I am curious if the author will continue on with that storyline?

I loved every bit of this book. Of course being a hopeless romantic the romance comes first but I loved how Harris and Jackson are friends and lovers. How they can talk about what they want even if they dance around the issue at first and what their first argument was about. I love that these men understand how important career is to both of them but how they can’t deny the mating bond that is happening.

Looking back, it was kind of an odd thing to love about a friend. Maybe he’d known Harris was his mate all along, but his brain hadn’t been ready to process it.

I’m sad that this is the last in the Camp H.O.W.L series but it’s ending on a positive note. I like where the book left Harris and Jackson; what they are both doing with their mate and their careers. The authors note at the end made me excited and I can’t wait for the new series and more shifters!

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Circle of Darkness (Genesis Circle #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker & Nicholas Bella

There isn’t a monster D’Angelo Kumar can’t destroy or a crisis he can’t manage until he meets Angel Bai. The insane attraction he feels toward the sexy waiter is unwelcome because D’Angelo doesn’t have room in his life for relationships. A solitary path is the only option for a man like him, but fighting his growing feelings for Angel may be the first battle he can’t win.

Angel’s abilities extend beyond memorizing the menu at D’Angelo’s favorite Italian restaurant, but he knows better than to trust anyone with his secret. When a vision reveals that D’Angelo’s life is in danger, he will risk everything to save him. The only thing scarier than monsters and demons to Angel is never knowing D’Angelo’s touch.

To say the demon hunter is reluctant to form a partnership with the psychic is putting it mildly, but D’Angelo needs every advantage he can get when the world’s very existence is threatened. As darkness looms nearer, D’Angelo and Angel’s unexplainable connection grows stronger. For a chance at happiness, the two men will need to call upon unlikely allies for an epic showdown between good and evil.

Sexy, witty, and action-packed, Circle of Darkness is the first book in the Genesis Circle paranormal romance series by Nicholas Bella and Aimee Nicole Walker. This book contains sexually explicit material and is intended for adults 18 and older.

Reviewer: NeRdyWYRM

Mixed Bag

I'm not sure where to really start here. Many of you might know that I really like new twists on religious angles and mythology. I love a little of that in my paranormals. I enjoy the imagination and creativity that can shine through when an author manages to come up with a unique spin on that kind of thing. This book has that in spades.

Is it believable? ... meh. Sort of. Is it fun and interesting? Yes. Was it unique enough to probably have me rating this book higher than the masses would? Yep. Why do I say that? Well, because there were definitely things about it that I didn't like and I can't help but think those things probably should have weighed more in the balance of things, but ... I'm a sucker—A SUCKER—for fun twists on religious themes. Don't stone me.

So what didn't I like? D'Angelo was an absolute ass, and while it did get noticeably better, as in, he wasn't actively being an ass after a while, I don't think I saw a personality transplant mentioned in there anywhere. And that's what it would have taken to fix that guy. I mean seriously, he treated his soulmate like "the little woman" for Christ's sake. Yeah, I blasphemed. And?

Cast out warriors, tattooed with Jesus' blood, still fighting the good fight. All that I can get behind except for the apparent power differential. Fighting the everyday baddies was fine. They were good with that, powerful enough for that, but throw a demon in the picture and it was like swatting flies. You'd think that would be the one subsection of badness they'd have cornered the market on, what with the content of the tattoos and all.

Also, I had some unanswered questions about what it meant for the 'mate' in the equation. Things were hinted at but not clarified. Are these guys longer-lived? Do they have regular human lifespans? Do the 'mates' take on some of their partners powers? Since they're not in the loop with the illustrious school that cornered the market on the Jesus mojo, does that mean that D'Angelo and Christian's mates—who don't exist according to the Institutes doctrines and yet of course they do—are unprotected from the evils they're now exposed to through their warrior mates?

Too many questions to make it more than a 3.5 heart (3 GR stars) read. It was entertaining. I liked the 'treasure hunting', the occultism, the religious twists, the MCs were [mostly] okay, I believed the romance for the most part, I liked the secondary characters—I want more of the demon knight—and it left me intrigued enough to read the next ones. I guess that's almost a glowing recommendation as long as you keep the niggles in mind.

There could have been a little more balance in the character- and relationship development and the dialogues were sometimes a little frenetic, sometimes a little immature, but I think it fit the character(s) where they were in life at the time. I dunno [shrugs]. It's worth reading and I liked it overall, but don't be surprised if there are things that take it down a notch or two as you're reading.

I am looking forward to more, so that says something. Maybe that I'm a big, gullible, sucker ... maybe that there's something substantially worth it prowling in the wings waiting for its moment in the series. Maybe you should see for yourself.


More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.
Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.
An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.

Review: Bitten by Desire (Regent's Park Pack, #3) by Annabelle Jacobs

Two lovers from rival packs. Have they come together only to be forced apart?

Alec Knight, a beta in the Regent’s Park pack, guards his heart carefully. Ghosts from his past keep him alone and angry, any hope of a relationship impossible while guilt from the pack wars still haunts him. With the anniversary drawing near, Alec needs a distraction.

As a lowly member of the Primrose Hill pack, Mark Appleton isn’t used to having his alpha’s attention. Lately he’s had more than his fair share, and not for the right reasons. Despite growing suspicions that all is not well, Mark tries hard to do better, but constant criticism leaves him desperate for a stress outlet.

Sex is a good way for shifters to let off steam, and while their packs attack each other with accusations and lies, Alec and Mark work out their frustrations in bed. Pillow talk and shared secrets lead to a closeness neither was expecting, but when pack relations reach an all-time low, any future for them seems out of the question.

If they want to be together, they’ll have to go against their alphas’ wishes—except Alec won’t and Mark can’t.

I’m going to reiterate again because I’m a nag that way that this series should be read in order. I skipped the first one and have pretty much caught up on Nathan and Jared but they feature heavily in this story, so again, don’t be like me.

Annabelle Jacobs delivers a strong, plot-driven story in Bitten By Desire. I can attest that this one is a bit of a rollercoaster ride. I really don’t want to spoil the story so I’m going to shut up about it. But it's SO GOOD!!!

A really weird thing is happening to me with these characters, though. I usually am sorta in Mehsville about at least a few of the characters, but not this series! Nope. In this series I really like all the characters even the villainous ones that you’re not supposed to like play their roles to the hilt! I found myself smiling and getting a little verklempt at some of the scenes between these people at time and other times I found myself getting 16 different kinds of ragey at the bad dudes.

The pack dynamics are the best! The way the betas are portrayed, the way they feel about their unit members, the way they try to put them at ease when they sense their anxiety...

And Cam! He's a particularly spectacular alpha. Fair, honest and trustworthy; he's good people I tell ya. I have some serious heart eyes happening for him.

Alec is portrayed as being cold but I disagree. I think he’s efficient and no nonsense, though he’s not particularly interested in any romantic entanglements so maybe that’s where the “coldness” lies? He’s a fantastic beta. He’s loyal, steadfast and would lay down his life for the good of the pack every day of the week and twice on Sundays, so that makes him pretty amazeballs in my book.

Mark seems to agree with me on the amazeballsness. He’s keen on the older R-pack beta and would like nothing more than to climb him like a tree. The fly in the ointment is that his alpha, Newell <---douchecanoe, has a grudge the size of Texas against Cam. He's jelly if you ask me, but anywhatevers.

With a whole lot of animosity betwixt the two packs it’s not a great idea for Alec and Mark to be engaging in the boom boom, but what fun would that be? A lil danger fucking never hurt anyone, ammiright?

This is the first shifter/shifter pairing so they’re a bit rough with some biting, rimming, marking territory a.k.a. cum play and manhandling, but honestly… I can’t even believe I’m about to say this, but the sex was…

I thought Tim and Seb were hotter. Maybe I was disappointed by the lack of hate sex? There was heat, it just didn’t change my life. However, as we all know I'm a filthy perv and hotness is totally subjective anyway so read it and decide for yourself.

Bottom line, I was waaaayyyyy more captivated by the story arc and their relaysh. Alec and Mark’s connection and eventual bond was in the spotlight and it gave me #feelings. It builds over the narrative from stress relief to more frequent "scenting" to possessive and growly to bonded mates. I loved that there were no games and no back and forth. They're both shifters and realize what's happening and at some point realize that they don't mind that they're headed to Lovesville and just let it happen. It made my heart happy.

I’ve no idea if this is the end. I hope not but I didn’t get a sense of who might be the next coupling and I don’t really know what to do with that other than shamelessly deploy some pathetic eyes…

…in the hopes that the Regent’s Park Pack will return. Because I want to know what happens next.

Recommend to shifter romance fans and those who like action in their stories.

An ARC was provided.

Tag Team Review: The Alpha King by Victoria Sue

The Kingdom of Askara has been torn apart by conflict for centuries, where humans exist as subservient beings to their werewolf masters. Legend says it will only be able to heal itself when an Alpha King and a pure omega are mated and crowned together, but a pure omega hasn’t been born in over a thousand years.
Luca is an Alpha-heir eagerly awaiting the choosing ceremony on his twenty-fifth birthday and the gifts granted by whichever omega he mates. His small pack is destitute due to the decisions of its ruling council, but being only an Alpha-heir, he has no authority to challenge them. Not until now—this moment he has waited a long time for.
Kit grew up as a street-rat, an unlicensed human who would never be more than a slave for whichever master owns him. Then one day he came across a young Alpha-heir, attacked and dying of poison, and found out their fates were suddenly entwined.
Luca needs to take over his pack and save his people. He cannot afford to be distracted. But when he meets Kit, he develops abilities indicating he is not just a pack Alpha, but the King his world has needed for a thousand years.
Is Kit really the cause of Luca’s newfound power, the true mate he needs? How is it possible when the young man isn’t even a werewolf, and as merely a human, a mating is not only forbidden, but for Kit, a sentence of death?

Jenni Lea 

Look out world, JL’s got her hands on some mpreg!

Oh, how I do love me some mpreg!  It is my number one most favorite guilty pleasure.  And when it’s mixed with Alpha/omega dynamics?  Well, that just makes me want to roll around on my bed and kick my heels up into the air.  I am actually giddy that I get to feed my addiction with all the cracky goodness that it provides.  I don’t know if I can explain what it is about this sub-genre that gets me all in a lather but I’ll give it my best shot.

You see, for an A/o mpreg book to be truly delicious it has to be written a certain way.  You have to have a strong, almost overbearing Alpha; one that will protect his omega.  He has to be a leader and have a strong personality.  This can vary a little, maybe he has a chip on his shoulder or starts off being a bit of an asshole.  Maybe he’s a bit of a player or maybe he’s the strong, silent type.  But one thing he definitely needs to be is big, as in tall, muscular and a bit intimidating.  The omega needs to be smaller but only in size.  Omegas can vary too.  They can be bratty or mild mannered, possibly super smart or even the life of the party.  But they are never weak.  No pushovers allowed!  The omega is there to temper the Alpha’s overbearing personality and bring out his gentle side.  And when they get together is where the magic happens.   The sex is usually rough with a lot of grabbing and biting and an overwhelming need to Claim His Mate.  There’s so much passion and need and it usually burns my screen it’s so hot!

And this book had it in spades.

Luca is an Alpha-heir who’s finally come of age and can choose the omega who will be his mate.  On Choosing Day he’s offered a wide variety of omegas to pick from but he can't help but feel disinterest.  While all werewolves are bisexual for the most part, Luca prefers men and there are only two being offered and he’s sure they’ll be snatched up by the other Alpha-heirs before it’s his turn.  But none of this matters when he looks into the eyes of a lowly human servant boy who is about to be punished for not being strong enough to do an impossible task.

This was a great story, well above par for the mpreg genre.  All of the characters were engaging and I was so invested in what was happening that I couldn’t put the book down.  The world building, though there were a few inconsistencies, was fascinating.  I couldn’t tell if this was an AU or if it was earth set thousands of years into the future.  Some passages in the story alluded to a future earth but there were two suns so I’m not really sure.  That didn’t stop my enjoyment though.  My belief was already suspended (hello… mpreg) so it didn’t take much for me to accept everything and skip merrily along through the story.

My only snag was the angst.  I’m a Big Ole Chicken (bawk bawk) when it comes to relationship angst.  I avoid books with the Big Misunderstanding caused by a Lack of Communication trope.  It causes my stomach to knot up and I just wanna shout “Talk your shit out you morons!”.  I had to drag my best pal Red into a buddy read so she could hold my hand through it.  Seriously, I’m surprised I don’t break out in hives when I come across angst like that.  But here, I can kind of understand why Luca did the things he did.  He hasn’t had a positive role model in his life.  His father is dead.  When he was alive he let Luca’s raging bitch of a mother walk all over him.  His brother betrayed him and now he’s become the first Alpha king in over a thousand years. He’s afraid he won’t be able to live up to the role he’s been thrust into and doesn’t have anyone he can seek out for advice. He has no clue what he’s doing so he makes mistakes – a lot of mistakes.  Boy, does he make a shit ton of mistakes!  He jumps to conclusions about Kit and nearly leads their relationship into disaster.  Thank goodness for Kit, who now has a newly stitched pocket waiting for him.  I adored Kit.  His life has been absolute crap up until he meets Luca.  He’s so strong!  I would have cracked under all the pressure of everything that he’s been through.  He’s vibrant and charming and has a great sense of humor.  Once Luca got over his idiocy they were perfect for each other.  They’re both great individually but together they can rule the world, quite literally.

Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of this story.  It was a fast-paced adventure full of intrigue and red herrings that kept me guessing until the very end.  The ending was a bit rushed though.  I wish that it could have been expanded upon a little more.  The climax of the story was a bit anticlimactic.  It felt like a big part of it was skipped over and I needed to see what happened in more detail.  I want to know more about this world and the lives of the people in it.  Thankfully the author is planning a second book so hopefully I will get the answers I’m looking for.  I recommend this to all those who love mpreg and are looking for a story with more meat to it.  It was so much more than merely an mpreg story so if the blurb has caught your interest and mpreg doesn’t squick you out I say give it a chance.  Who knows, you may end up becoming just as addicted as I am.

Sara

In a new order where wolves rule and humans are categorized into groups, we enter the world of Askara…

With the prologue, we meet werewolf Luca Hightower as he is wounded after being attacked and poisoned via revenge by his twin brother Kieran. Luca fears he is dying until he hears a voice, a voice belonging to a young human boy who appears to have knowledge of who Luca is and who he will become. The young boy with the lightest blue eyes Luca had ever seen, prophesizes Luca’s rise to be the Alpha King.  Unfortunately, the boy is taken away and though Luca is saved, he has no idea who they boy is but he will never forget being saved and the blue eyes of the boy who saved him.

From the prologue we move forward seven years to Luca’s 25^th birthday and the ceremony which will allow him to pick an Omega so that he can come into his Alpha powers and lead his pack. But fate has a way of stepping in and when Luca comes to the rescue of a human slave who is about to be whipped, things get way interesting.

True mates were so rare they were merely whispered about.

I have to tell you, I truly adore the fated mate trope and this one made me all sorts of gooey. Not only is Luca destined to be the Alpha King but his destiny comes wrapped around a True Omega and no one ever said an Omega had to be a wolf or female now, did they?

Goodness. I have a whole list of reasons as to why I adored Kit but each of them could be a spoiler so I will try to slow my roll and just say he is adorable AF but he does have a few issues. His gift of foresight is amazing and how he instantly changes all that Luca is as an Alpha to an Alpha King was great to read but these two, they have some issues they need to deal with.

Luca. My mate. The Alpha King destined to heal a fractured Askara, and me, Kit, a guttersnipe bastard orphan destined to help him.

This book, it comes with angst and I am a self-proclaimed angst whore. I love the hell out of it and this book delivered. Sure, some of the angst could have been avoided but when you really look at Kit and Luca, they are babies in this new world of Alpha King and True Omega and any newlywed couple is bound to have communication problems.

Luca, I swear a few times I wanted to throw my Nook at you but you are the best at getting forgiveness and you really do love and adore your mate. Kit, you are not without fault in the angst that was created because all you had to do was ask. And yet again, the way you and Luca make up is so very worth it.

“You are my life. Every second of every day I thank the fates for being poisoned.”

So while we have the fated mate romance with knotting and yes, mpreg, we also get this wonderful world building of the story that I fell hard for. When something is introduced, I need to know all about it and the author does a fantastic job of building a world where wolves rule and humans are slaves all while giving us a detailed history on it so that it’s easily understood. The rift between human and wolf was one of importance to the story and how both sides would accept the mating of the Alpha King with the True Omega. There was a lot of knowledge being shared and yet it was never an info dump nor too complex to go over my head. Not only do we get the wolf/human dynamic but we have this history, an almost mythology of the Alpha King and True Omega that leaves so much to be learned. It was helpful to have Gabriel along to aid Kit and Luca in what their mating would lead to and I really wish they would have used him much earlier when they had questions but once again, all of this was new to them.

Luca’s sisters were remarkable when we meet them and all they do for the couple. I could have dealt without Luca’s mom as she is awful but I like how she was dealt with. Those Luca holds close and whom he trusts gave a richness to the story all while fueling my desire for more stories with other couples that we meet along the way and one I just need desperately *cough* Sam *cough* Asher.

…he is the hope for all humans. If Kit can stand by your side then it gives us all hope that one day there will be a chance of equality for everyone.

This story moved at a fast pace and I swear I read it just as fast. Once things started to get going, I couldn’t stop reading and where I usually take notes, I just read until the end. That end? It felt a little rushed to me and I wondered if I was missing pages because I needed more. Is that me being greedy for all that the author gave me? Possibly and yet the epilogue was so stupidly sweet, it pacified me for the moment. But I am not done with this world and I hope the author isn’t either. I need to see what Luca and Kit were preparing for at the end and I really wonder if Kit’s vision of the Black and White pups weren’t something entirely different. Cause, you know?

At the end of it all, this was truly romantic in only the way a true mate story can be. It had everything I love in a shifter story and then some. The history and mythology was magnificent, the romance angsty and swoony and the story, beautifully told.

Now… I just need more. 

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