Genre: Paranormal, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Lucy
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About The Book
The night before Kyle Slidell and his mate Tobias Rogan are scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania for the regional gathering of Alphas, a member of Boston North Pack is assaulted by humans who claim they were hired by a shifter. The same night, Melia, the wolf who changed Kyle, returns to Boston. The pack suspects Melia of arranging the attack, but Kyle believes someone else is behind it. He just doesn’t know who.
The following day, when Kyle and Tobias arrive at the gathering, Kyle finds his answer. Saul Hughes, another Alpha, holds a long-standing grudge against Tobias, claiming that Tobias is too weak to rule a pack. Especially now that Tobias has a male mate. Saul makes it clear that he wants control of Boston North, but no one suspects how far he’ll go to get it–until tragedy strikes.
This book was originally published in 2012 by MLR Press. This edition has been revised and updated from the original, and also includes the Christmas-themed short story “Tofurkey and Yams,”: originally published in 2011.
The Review
Straight away, I much prefer this book to the first in the series, Salad on the Side. I’d definitely recommend reading the series in order as plot points and returning characters make it very helpful to know what came previously.
The drama starts within the first couple of pages and keeps up all the way through the book as Kyle and his Alpha mate, Tobias, deal with former pack mates, attend a day’s long meet up for all alphas from the north-eastern US, have an enemy return and a new one come into the story. Alongside all of that, Kyle is still learning and adapting to being a werewolf and happy being with his new mate.
The plot brings a lot of different elements to the story. The return of Katrine and Melia has tensions rising quickly and staying throughout as motives are unknown with constant guessing as to what end result they are hoping for.
When it comes to the big meet, it’s mixed feelings as the couple are to announce their mating and have the Boston North Pack officially recognized as a pack. They’re aware, though, that many still view gay werewolves as weaker so that may impact how the pack is viewed. That turns out to be the least of their worries, though, with one particular alpha having an extreme reaction and it’s then a domino effect to what then happens over the next day or two.
One big event specifically has a massive impact on everyone involved. Strong emotions have Kyle and Tobias both coming closer together as well as pulling apart. It’s a struggle for them at times, both needing to take a step back at least once and each needing to be reminded that the other is there for them, and loving them, forever.
We only get Kyle’s POV in this series and so feel everything he does as we go through some emotional scenes, a couple with the content warnings found below. The way he has adapted to being a shifter is huge, considering not all aspects of his wolf react to others and alphas the way that is expected. It leaves you wondering what is different about him. I would be very interested to read Tobias’s POV with the events that happen in this book, the responsibilities that he has as alpha of his pack, and his new relationship with Kyle.
Overall, I found this to be a great shifter story to read with a lot of different aspects coming together to build up the atmosphere and emotion that is experienced. With everything that happens and what is left unfinished, I’m interested to see what comes next for Kyle, Tobias and their pack.
Four stars.
CW – depression, death of secondary characters on page.
The Reviewer
Hello all, my name is Xanthe and I am excited to be a reviewer for the PRG.
I read a lot, every night for at least 4-5 hours and I love to get lost in the world that an author has created. The best ones leave you wanting more and at a loss for words to describe just how good it is but I’ll try my best.
I live in a small town in South West England, just me and my dog Bonnie. I work part time in administration and really enjoy my job and the people I work with which I am very aware is not always the case!
I’ll read pretty much any sub genre within the mm genre. Since discovering it a few years ago, I rarely read anything else. One thing I won’t touch is horror, a definite no no for me!
Never ask me what my favourite anything is as I’ll have to give you a list of about ten or twenty things. How am I able to pick one food, book or film out of so many that I love?!
