How to Walk Like a Man (Howl at the Moon #2) by Eli Easton - Audio Book Review

Audio book

Narrator: Matthew Shaw

Duration: 7 hrs 53 mins

Blurb

Deputy Roman Charsguard survived Afghanistan where he lost his best friend—his K-9 handler James. Roman was a military dog until two years ago when he developed the ability to shift into a human. It’s not easy to learn how to be a man. He found a place to live in Mad Creek, a haven for the secret world of dog shifters. Finding a reason to live has been harder. That is, until a certain human walks into the Mad Creek Sheriff’s office and starts making trouble.

Matt Barclay has the worst luck. First he was shot in a SWAT drug raid, then he was sent as DEA investigator to Mad Creek, a little town in the California mountains. Matt’s job is to keep a lookout for illegal drug farms, but nobody in the town wants him there. And then there’s Roman, Matt’s erstwhile baby-sitter. He’s the hottest guy Matt’s ever seen, even if he is a bit peculiar. If the town doesn’t kill him, sexual frustration just might.

The town is counting on Roman to prevent Matt from learning about dog shifters, Matt’s counting on Roman to be his work partner and tell him the truth, and Roman’s trying to navigate love, sex, and a whole lot of messy human emotions. Who knew it was so complicated to walk like a man?

Review

Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed How to Walk Like a Man probably even more than I did How to Howl at the Moon. And that’s saying something since I loved the first book in this series.

On some levels this story mirrors what happened in the previous title. This too is the story of a dog shifter (quickened) falling for a human having to compromise between his feelings and the necessity to keep his true nature hidden. If that was hard for Lance in the first book, it is even more difficult for Roman in this one since he’s only been human for two years and is still coming to terms with what it actually means and entails to be a man. And yet, nothing about this story felt like a repeat because Roman and Matt where and sounded nothing like Lance and Tim.

I loved how Roman’s story allowed the reader to learn more about the quickened universe. There’s a very clear difference between Lance and others who have been quickened since birth and Roman who has only recently evolved to his human form. Roman’s voice was so perfectly presented. He sounded the way I imagine my dog might sound if she could talk. The innocence with which he sees the world is charming. His open eyed wonder at all his new abilities (hands really are the best thing ever) and discoveries had me both laughing and sighing out loud. Roman pulled me through every emotion known to man and made it an enthralling journey.

Not that there’s anything wrong with Matt. Not at all. He was charming, patient, and an absolute pleasure to spent time with. But he wasn’t Roman. He was perfect for Roman, but he wasn’t him.

For me Roman is this book. Not there isn’t a whole lot more to enjoy, there is. We get to meet up with Lance and Tim again, as well as other members of the pack we first saw in How to Howl at the Moon. The drug wars are still going on and putting our friends in Mad Creek at risk. And the secret of the quickened still needs to be kept under wraps. Like its predecessor, this book has laugh out loud humour, heart stopping suspense, tender moments, hot sexy times, and overall wonderful storytelling. Combined with the smooth narration I can honestly say it was almost eight hours of listening bliss.

But it was Roman who lifted this book from ‘great read’ to ‘oh be still my beating heart fabulous’.

Related review: How to Howl at the Moon