Asheville Arcana #1, Dreamspun Beyond #1
by
Size: 4.20 x 7.00 in
Pages: 220
Pages: 168
Alpha werewolf Eli Hammond returns from a fishing trip to discover a nasty surprise—five members of his pack murdered and the rest missing. He needs help locating and rescuing his pack mates, but the supernatural council in Asheville, North Carolina, turns him away.
Except for one man.
As they work together, Eli is stunned—and not especially thrilled—to discover half-elf Arden Gilmarin is his destined mate. But as Arden and his friends struggle to help Eli in his quest, Eli surrenders to the demands of his body—and his heart. They’ll need to bond together, because the forces opposing them are stronger and more sinister than anyone predicted. The evil has its sights set on Arden, and if Eli wants to save his mate and the people he is entrusted with protecting, he’s in for the fight of his life.
- 3 To Be Read lists
- 4 Read lists
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Editors:
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 3
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Tropes: Alpha Character, Biological Urge to Mate, Fated Mates / Soul Mates
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Same Universe / Various Characters
When I see Book 1 in a title, it makes me think that Book 2 will pick up where the first book left off. As far as I can tell, this is not the case with the Dreamspun Beyond series. Books 2-5, according to their blurbs, are about people who don’t appear in this book, plus none are written by Ari McKay. I want a second Asheville Arcana book that continues the demon story presented here, and includes Whimsy finding his mate, with a side helping of Arden and Eli, Julian, and the werewolves of Asheville. Ari McKay, can you help me out with that?
Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this book, and I’m happy I read it. The whole fated mate trope was tempered bit by Eli’s reluctance and Arden’s initial ignorance, which made the story rise above the usual insta-love and added some “will they or won’t they” tension. (Although, really, we all know they will.) I liked the tertiary characters, especially Arden’s parents, and the world-building, while not too different from our own, was done well. It was well written and the copy editing was nearly flawless.
But I was left wanting more, without any promise of a true sequel, thus my four-star rating. I can recommend this book, but only with the caveat that it’s a stand-alone—at least for now. (Hint, hint!)
Update: As Kira so kindly pointed out in her Comment, there is another Asheville Arcana book, Forged in Fire (Dreamspun Beyond Book 19). I really enjoyed it!
