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Well - this is the final book of the series - maybe? I have mixed feelings. This plot line was far more interesting and engaging, but the ending was again abrupt. The book had about 30 additional pages over the previous ones and the added details helped, but the characters were again partially developed. My biggest challenge with the whole series is that it 'feels' like the author did not do their due diligence when researching various kinks or aspects. I won't lay each glitch out, but it did detract from the overall flow. Every time they threw something in that rang false, I cringed. Now keep in mind - I am not some type of expert but have had the pleasure of reading authors who do their research and are very believable. The farther I read, the more irritating the author's irregularities with their world-building were. The inconsistencies add up. This book could have been a full meal but fell short. I really want to assign a 2/5 for the poor research and world-building, but I will stick with a 3/5.
 
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DragonJude | Jul 16, 2023 |
#5 Wolf Lust is another strange one. A real slow burn - no flash love story. They fall into being a couple and then realize they are in love - one of them might be aromantic - maybe? Again there is little about the Outcast Pack aside from River and Kyle's wedding. It is a bit longer, but still not really developed and again the plot is basically the couple's story.
 
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DragonJude | Jul 16, 2023 |
#3 Wolf Soul (I am not sure where or how the author picked names) was better than the first two. Still not a full meal, but the characters were developed a bit more, the plot line a bit tighter (still rushed) and some resolution was offered other than the two main characters are now a couple. There were still questions left unanswered and an abrupt end to this installment.
 
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DragonJude | Jul 15, 2023 |
Well - #2 has the same issues as #1. Again the premisses looked really good (someone has some great ideas) , but again the story is charged through leaving the plot line loose and feeling like so much was missed. The characters were really underdeveloped in this one, and again the ending just left me - hanging with a ton of questions. This almost feels like an old-time serial installment story with no mini-resolutions. Again the featured couple is together - sort of - but even that is - - - - shakey? 2.5/5 Now I am stuck reading the rest because - darn-it! - I want some resolution here!
 
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DragonJude | Jul 15, 2023 |
Dove into this with anticipation as I really liked the 'blurb.' The page count let me know this would be more of a 'snack' than a meal, but that is okay - a good snack is worth at least a 3 and this was looking really good, right up until it ended without any resolution other than Con and Zack got together.
What the heck??!! Not good, but I am headed for #2 as I hope this was like a 'tease' and there are more answers in #2. Characters are/were being developed, but they too were left hanging. The story is a bit quick and loose on details, but that is to be expected with the length. The context and world-building were good, but that ending just killed it. 2.5/5 overall
 
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DragonJude | 1 weitere Rezension | Jul 15, 2023 |
I'm not normally a fan of historical but there was enough steampunk thrown into this story to give it a good feel. The social commentary was refreshing as it was not just about love without barriers. Both main characters and Margaret were immensely likable and interesting to read. The two fathers, if you can call them that, got their just desserts. I am going to believe that Eulalia remained where she was last seen, bravo. Highly recommended.
 
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Connorz | 1 weitere Rezension | Jan 4, 2023 |
The Witch’s Familiar is the first book in the ‘Familiar Mates’ series. This stars Jude Sullivan, a witch, and Rob aka ‘Mack’ Mackenzie, mechanic and bear shifter. This is told in third person from both Jude and Mack’s pov.



First the cover. I think the cover models are a pretty good representation of the characters. Jude maybe could be a little softer looking since he’s from the city and more GQ, but the cover isn’t that far off.

The blurb does a decent job of describing the plot. There are some parts of the book where I wonder why the author wrote the story that way. Was it just to create a conflict that the Coven sends Jude alone to Mercy to find out what’s killing the cows? Ordinarily an organization trains newbies and has them work with a mentor to help them with assignments. So, the first questions are, ‘Why did the Coven send Jude in with no mentor? Did they want him to fail?’ One of the witches said if they knew what Jude had to battle, they wouldn’t have sent him, but I don’t believe that. I also didn’t like that the author created many questions about the Coven and about the witches in charge of Jude’s case, but didn’t give adequate answers to what the Coven was, and why did the male witch have a bitter smell according to Mack? I’m sure the author set up the questions to be answered in the following books, but I don’t think the method worked well. Each of the following books involves other characters, not Jude and Mack. So, Jude and Mack end up raising questions, but end up NOT getting answers to their questions. This story ends up feeling like a cliff-hanger because it leaves Jude and Mack hanging without answers. I don’t like cliff-hangers. It doesn’t compel me to read any of the future stories because the series doesn’t continue with the current couple finding out answers to their questions. I’m guessing each future book raises questions the other couples find out, but then aren’t answered fully before going on to the next book and next couple. Each story will then end in a sort of unanswered cliff-hanger about the Coven and witches that none of the couples will receive complete answers to. Even though I thought the author did an interesting job with the plot in terms of what was killing the cows and how Mack and Jude go about working together to solve the mystery and how they start to discover their powers after they are bonded, I doubt I’ll read the following books, unless they are free, because of the way the author raises Coven and witch questions, but doesn’t answer them for each couple.

One thing I didn’t like about the style of writing, was there was too much repetition. Repetition about having Jude’s magic stripped and about Jude thinking he couldn’t wait to get back to the city. There wasn’t a reason to have Jude monologue about those two topics for at least half of the book. As for the monologue, there was a lot of it at the beginning of the book.

Jude was an electro mage that the Coven didn’t know what to do with. He’s super powerful and can short out electricity in a city which the Coven was tired of covering up. Jude was impulsive and liked to figure out ways to get around the rules. It’s possible the Coven set Jude up in order for him to join the Coven so they could keep an eye on him. He was too much of a loose cannon. Shipping him off to Mercy, a small town with wide open spaces around him, was safer than a city. Jude ends up liking the openness where he can just let go with his electricity. I didn’t like the way Jude jumped to conclusions that Mack was the cow killer just because he was a bear. I think the author made Jude act like that because the author wished to create conflict between Jude and Mack. But all it showed, was that Jude wasn’t smart and he wasn’t a nice person. Another inconsistency the author made, was Mack’s personality. When he was in the bar seeing Jude for the first time to talk with him, Mack’s character came across as insecure, not talkative, possibly shy, and that men never preferred him, they liked Mack’s friend more. But suddenly after Jude attacked him, the next day Mack’s personality made a 180 degree turn. Even his physical description seemed different. He was this big, broody, tough bear now with a bad temper. Massive personality change that I remembered throughout the whole book. So, there are some odd behaviors and personality shifts happening with both characters that I didn’t like. Jude and Mack eventually work out their differences. However, another thing I didn’t care for was they weren’t going to live with each other it seemed. Jude would be away most of the time on Coven assignments and just return to Mercy in between. And that suited Mack fine. Which again brought up more questions. If they are bonded, and bonding enhances both of their abilities as demonstrated in the story, then how does it help Jude if his familiar is not with him when he does his assignments? There are some odd holes in this plot the author doesn’t explain.

I thought the plot for The Witch’s Familiar was interesting. Where it fell short was the inconsistencies with Jude and Mack’s personalities, with creating questions about the Coven and the witches, but not giving this book pair answers to their questions, but then continuing the series with other couples. It makes this book feel like a cliff-hanger for me. Because of these reasons, I give this book, 3 Stars. The holes in this story didn’t feel necessarily unplanned, but planned, but not planned out well. If the rest of the series is written this way, I don’t see myself reading the following books.


 
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Penumbra1 | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Oct 11, 2022 |
3.5 stars
Just the kind of mate story I was looking for - two people drawn together by fate and working to catch a killer. It is a little on the insta-lurve end of the pool, but it oddly felt right for this particular story.

Not a bad read, though it could have done with another round of edits to catch misspellings and double words.
 
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fuzzipueo | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Apr 24, 2022 |
This story feels so ... unfinished. The relationship issue gets resolved, though not in any way that satisfied me. It feels like there was more that should have been explored with the relationship and issues between mates than was actually explored by the author and I felt like we are missing critical pieces of information. Frustrating.

Also, the story itself, about shifters who are potentially killing witches, is left dangling in the wind and it just left this unsatisfied feeling at the end of the story (presumably, The Siren's Familiar will finish off the investigation [it's out in April]). Argh.
 
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fuzzipueo | Apr 24, 2022 |
Look, I realize these are romance primarily, but if you're going to have an overarching plot between books, you actually need to develop it beyond the "bad guy shows up and gets knocked out" and that's all we hear about him (he showed up in an earlier book - [b:The Witch's Familiar|50626832|The Witch's Familiar (Familiar Mates #1)|T.J. Nichols|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579713813l/50626832._SY75_.jpg|67695887] as part of the council overseeing Jude Sullivan's test).

If you want to see how this is done right, read some [a:Suzanne Brockmann|32638|Suzanne Brockmann|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235377378p2/32638.jpg] or [a:Elizabeth Peters|16549|Elizabeth Peters|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1232144920p2/16549.jpg] ...
 
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fuzzipueo | Apr 24, 2022 |
I wasn't sure I wanted to read anything about “cow mutilating” or any other animal mutilating.... but what the heck? It’s Halloween season and maybe the cows were lucky enough to escape. The cows weren't the only ones with problems...our two main characters were destined to be together as mates...but someone in the “Destiny Office” must have been on vacation.... because they hated each other. One of them was in danger of losing his magical powers because...ready for this??? He uses his electrical abilities...his magical power... to rig a jackpot win in Vegas. That brings him to the Coven's chopping block???? Who’s going to take care of the cow slaughtering, cow chewing monster??? Coven 1, Cows 0. While the monster was devouring cows it should have put the editor and proofreader on the menu also. Oh wait...maybe it did and that was why the book was filled with miss-constructed sentences and misspelled words. I hate to see authors work hard on a book and have the people that should be looking out for their interest let them down like this. I gave the book 3 stars for the authors hard work and it wasn’t a totally bad idea. Oh yeah...the cows are safe now.
 
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Carol420 | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Oct 17, 2021 |
I was super taken with this concept as soon as I started reading: a world where a scientific accident caused the world of human mythology to collapse and all of the mythic creatures to appear on Earth--and suddenly more real than humans are ready for. Figuring out how these new inhabitants of the planet fit into the cultural landscape and overall ecosystem has been a challenge. And, as we all know, humans are quite often not a very empathetic, sympathetic, or inclusive species. When dragon shifter Edra finds himself working as a mytho liaison officer with Jordan, a mytho sympathizer who is struggling to move up in the department, it's not just the worlds of the humans and the mythos that collide. The two have an immediate connection that they try to deny in the name of getting their work done...but neither humans nor mythos can keep things bottled up for long...
 
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crtsjffrsn | 1 weitere Rezension | Aug 27, 2021 |
This is another solid tale in the his series.
There is no need to read book one first as this stands quite nicely on its own. Excellent interpretation of vampires, I really liked that aspect of this story and the world-building flows on well from the previous story.
Despite the 20 years cold case murder this didn't have the same sense of 'other' as the first, maybe because we know from the outset that the murderer is one of Sage's extended family. In fact I had it narrowed down to 2 shifters straight away, and one of those was too obvious.
Engaging and well matched MCs.
I wold recommend this series.
 
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Lillian_Francis | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Jul 26, 2021 |
Fun and fast moving. Fated mates with just enough push and pull against the bond to believe that the romance is more than just destiny.
A fish out of water vibe for Jude as he navigates his first investigation and being in the country (poor city boy).
Great banter and chemistry.
Solid plot. (And I don't trust that male witch at the Coven).
Thoroughly enjoyable.
 
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Lillian_Francis | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Jul 26, 2021 |
I would probably have enjoyed this more if I had read the first book in this series. This is book two and you don't really get to see the two main characters start their relationship, the two of them are dealing with the problems in their relationship, most of which is to do with their issues. Edra is a dragon shifter and is trying to keep the peace between the Mythos community and the Human community while also trying to deal with his attraction to Jordan, a human cop who is addicted to a mythos drug.
Issues have to be dealt with, along with the theft of Dragon Eggs that have ended up with forest fires and Mermaids who are the chief suspects. Jason also has to deal with the prejudice against the mythos and his own sexuality. It's interesting and while I wouldn't hunt up the series, I would read them if I cam across them.½
 
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wyvernfriend | Apr 27, 2021 |
This review is about the story within called ASHES AND SMOKE: KNIGHTS OF ST. LAZARUS by Rebecca Royce, and Heather Long.

Such a great treat. My only quibble is it ended far too quick! I can only hope they plan on expanding this universe into a new series. Nika is a Phoenix. Nope she's not from Arizona, but flares into flames and rises from rebirth once more from those same fires. She and her love James, and fellow Knights were orphaned and now fight to help save people from demons. Things are suddenly changing as what they'd long believed dusty old prophecies, might be more than just the myths they'd thought. Who will come out victorious and what do these prophecies entail? Take a peek into this interesting universe and help with rebuilding from the horrible Australian Bush fires. These authors never disappoint, and when these two fierce women join forces magic happens!
 
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txbritgal | Apr 6, 2021 |
*Disclaimer: A copy of Lust and Other Drugs was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.

I always find T.J. Nichols’ worlds to be fascinating and full of detail, and this one is no exception. The paranormal world has collapsed into ours, and along the way, much of what makes the races what they are has been lost. Werewolves are stuck half-shifted, the vampires have lost their beauty, and the knight has lost his sword. The struggle to adapt on both sides is complicated, and full of the racial tensions still seen in the modern world.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters and their flaws. In addition to the physical attraction, I really feel the mutual recognition they feel as they get to know each other and do their best to do what is right within the limitations of the world they live in and the jobs they hold. They both know how to play the politics game, even if they risk a lot along the way. The gender expression struggles of the MC add depth to his character. The wrap-up of the primary plot did feel like it had a skip in it, as if once the truth had been revealed there was no need to get into the details. It was a tiny bit of a let-down, but then the story did conclude with a great peek into the growing personal relationship.

On a personal note, I would have preferred the collapse was not blamed on the Hadron Collider, as anti-scientific sentiment is already far too prevelent in the world and arguably a major source of emerging and reemerging crises. This is a minor piece of the plot, and could have easily been swapped for a magical accident… or a made-up foreign government’s project… perhaps a cult’s ritual… or heck, maybe no known cause at all.
 
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Stephan24 | 1 weitere Rezension | Apr 6, 2021 |
This is another solid tale in the his series.
There is no need to read book one first as this stands quite nicely on its own. Excellent interpretation of vampires, I really liked that aspect of this story and the world-building flows on well from the previous story.
Despite the 20 years cold case murder this didn't have the same sense of 'other' as the first, maybe because we know from the outset that the murderer is one of Sage's extended family. In fact I had it narrowed down to 2 shifters straight away, and one of those was too obvious.
Engaging and well matched MCs.
I wold recommend this series.
 
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Lillian_Francis | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Feb 24, 2021 |
Fun and fast moving. Fated mates with just enough push and pull against the bond to believe that the romance is more than just destiny.
A fish out of water vibe for Jude as he navigates his first investigation and being in the country (poor city boy).
Great banter and chemistry.
Solid plot. (And I don't trust that male witch at the Coven).
Thoroughly enjoyable.
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Lillian_Francis | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Feb 24, 2021 |
I really like the premise of a paranormal investigator and a lot of different supernatural beings with a "coven" as the supervising body. It is also interesting that the human population isn't aware of any supernatural powers and the need to keep this population hidden. Lots of potential for suspenseful stories in the series. The romance felt a bit lukewarm, the couple just didn't seem to fit well. Maybe there will be some follow-up and further development in the next installments.
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Marliese | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Aug 8, 2020 |
I wasn't sure what this book was about when I got the ARC. Honestly, I was originally drawn to it by the cover. I like really colorful covers with great graphic design. For certain, this time I could absolutely judge a book by its cover! I really enjoyed A Summer of Smoke and Sin by T.J. Nichols.

Nathanial Bayard is a detective tasked with chasing down a serial killer. For some reason, all of his cases seem to fall apart before he's able to obtain a conviction and he's beyond frustrated. When it comes to a serial killer who is not only violent and demeaning...but brazen - Nathanial is more motivated than ever to get the job done.

In the society that Nichols has created, male marriage has just been made legal. The issue is that it still has some negative connotations attached to it for some families. I really liked the world the author built up. I enjoyed the way the societal changes were still new and it was obviously unsettling for some of the characters.

Nathaniel is caught in a terrible bind. If the serial killer slips through his fingers he will lose his job. If he loses his position in law enforcement he'll have no choice but to join the church as his father wishes.

Nathanial is a beautifully complex character. He's troubled by so many things. His own sexuality has him fearing for the safety of his soul. He's never even kissed another man, but he knows that is what he wants. There's also an underlying tension between Nathanial and his father... circumstances being what they are... Nathanial needs to protect his beloved sister by not garnering his father's anger.

And then there's Jericho. Jericho runs a club for gentleman who enjoy the company of other gentlemen. Jericho was once a military man but was he was discharged for behavior unbecoming. His father disowned him and he completely lost touch with his family before settling back on something he knew... a club for men like himself.

He's a flamboyant character in his society. He dresses inappropriately, accepts his sexuality... and he is the host to a demon that allows him special powers. The demon has helped to propel Jericho through life, assisting with avoidance of difficult situations and keeping him right where he wants to be in Society.

Jericho pays a high price for the skills of the demon within him. One morning, he wakes up with a beautiful, young lover in his bed... deceased. This is what brings about the meeting of Nathanial and Jericho.

There are several things about this book that I really enjoyed. As I wrote before, the societal structure was particularly interesting to me. The author did a great job of describing this world so that I could be fully immersed in it while I was reading.

The characters were all great. My favorite character was Nathanial. He was sweet and caring, fully committed to finding the killer. I loved the relationship that he had with his sister, Margaret. Margaret had fought her way free from the confines imposed upon her because she was born a woman... and she is Nathanial's fiercest supporter. She's the only one who cares about her brother's well-being to the point that she will speak frankly to him and fight for him.

The verdict is that I really enjoyed this novel. I know that I haven't gone into a lot of detail in this review but I don't want to spoil the intricacies of the plot for anyone who might read it. The mystery is solid and engaging, the characters are endearing and interesting.

If I have any criticism at all, it's that the ending of the book felt a little abrupt. The pacing in the novel was great but then the last 30 or so pages of the book felt a little rushed.

All in all, a great read!
 
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KinzieThings | 1 weitere Rezension | Jun 16, 2020 |
‘Elf on the Beach’ is a great title, and I think this story’s idea of every elf taking a gap year in the human world is fascinating. Roone has a whole year to travel, do anything he wants, “fully funded” as he puts it, before he has to decide whether he is going to join the “family business” back in the North Pole, or whether he wants to become human permanently. It is a tremendous opportunity, but Roone is having real trouble making the decision.

Roone has traveled the world and spends his final weeks in sunny Australia. He loves the sunshine and the ocean, and he is determined to learn how to surf. Kyle is his teacher, and it quickly becomes clear that Roone’s interest isn’t one-sided. Yet Kyle resists getting closer, and that makes Roone curious. Kyle has lived through many disappointments in his life and has not only lost all belief in magic, but also any trust in his fellow human beings. His emotional walls are strong, and he fights very hard to keep them unbroken despite Roone’s attempts to get closer.

In the end, it comes down to a decision both men have to make. Roone has to decide between going back and having snow, ice, and magic around him all year on one hand, or becoming human so he can have all the sunshine he’d ever want but losing all his magic, just living with its memory, on the other. Kyle has to decide whether he can let magic back in his life, making himself vulnerable to being hurt, or whether to reinforce his protective walls and become immune to emotion and all its temptation. Not an easy decision for either man, but the final solution is absolutely perfect.

If you like stories with a touch of real Christmas magic, if two men who desperately need each other but take their time admitting it are your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as fantastical as it is sweet, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
 
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SerenaYates | Oct 14, 2017 |
As a collection of stories, I think the 2015 Advent Calendar was one of the best of its kind. I have been following these since 2009, but the number of stories I totally adored has never been this high. And even though I had my ten favorites (see individual titles for my reviews and ratings), I really liked the vast majority of the remainder as well. Each story had something to contribute, and that included (as it does every year) stories of winter traditions other than Christian. I had a ball reading these and already look forward to the 2016 collection.


NOTE: The stories in this collection were provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of reviews on Rainbow Book Reviews.
 
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SerenaYates | Oct 14, 2017 |
Animals have been used in battles for as long as humans have been fighting wars - at least as far as I understand. Beyond transportation, be it warhorses, camels, or elephants, there are sniffer dogs for bomb detection, and even dolphins and sea lions have not escaped this sad fate. But in ‘A Wolf’s Resistance’, the author has taken it a step further and presents the idea of werewolves carrying messages across enemy lines in World War Two. What better way to hide your spies than to let them cross the border in wolf form, as part of a natural pack, then return to human shape to pass on the information once they are safe back in Allied territory? I am sure that if werewolves were real, that is exactly what would have happened!

In this story, Renny is a werewolf, or loup-garou, working for the Résistance in France of 1944.He has been caught by French collaborators and branded as a traitor, but managed to escape. He is at the end of his tether, wounded and ready to give up when he finds a blacksmith’s small farm at the edge of a small town. Best of all are the chickens the man raises, they are just what he needs as he is starving. But the blacksmith is vigilant and Renny is too exhausted to run when the blacksmith shoots him.

Marc cannot believe his eyes when the wolf he tried to scare away turns out to be a human. A very attractive man, no less, and one who needs his help if he is to survive the hated collaborators who are hunting him. Marc is not normally a risk-taker, but there is something about Renny that makes him reconsider. To Marc, fooling them and helping Renny feels as though he can finally do his part in winning the war.

Marc’s disgust with the soldiers when they return to search his home in more detail is palpable. The ease with which they eat his food and try to terrorize him is depicted really well. And Marc’s quiet resistance and determination through it all are admirable. But all Renny and Marc have is a couple of days and one night together, before a more thorough search is sure to reveal Renny.

If you like unusual stories about werewolves in a historical setting, if brutally realistic stories that look as if a happy ending is impossible are your thing, and if you’re interested in a read that is realistically depressing until it snatches happiness from the jaws of almost certain defeat, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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SerenaYates | 1 weitere Rezension | Oct 14, 2017 |
4.5 stars

I put off reading this story, as the description intimated it might be rather dark. I have studied Vichy France and suspected this might not be a pleasant tale. While it certainly was not a light, sweet romantic story, and it might be a bit too dark for some romance readers, it was absolutely perfect for me. In part, I think I related to it because it seems to me to present a good, realistic flavor of how difficult it was to be a gay man before the sexual and cultural revolution of the last forty years.

The writing gripped me from the beginning, with initial scene of a resistance fighter (and wolf shifter) on the run from German-aligned French "soldiers" (Milice militia-like policemen, I assume). The author's slight tweaks on typical shifter paradigms, including significant but not complete healing from injuries, also signified this would not be a typical shifter tale. The strength of the work, however, had little to do with the paranormal aspects, but the struggles of two injured men trying to survive in an extremely hostile world, and both doing at least a bit of their part towards a better future.

The romantic connection might be considered rather flat compared to many entries in this genre, but to me the whole story was a slow, steady, and very palpable building of an intimate connection, even if it was deeply internalized and not apparent to others (or even themselves). Actually, this slow, internal build seemed to ring very true for those who had to live in environments that require an extremely closeted life.

(additional comments and full review on blog)
 
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LocoLibros | 1 weitere Rezension | Jul 22, 2016 |