His Taken Omega (Mountain Shifters #11) by L.C. Davis

RELEASE BLITZ

 

Title: His Taken Omega (Mountain Shifters #11) 

Author: L.C. Davis 
Publisher: Self-Published 
Cover Artist: Wolf Conan
Release Date: December 3, 2017 
 Length: 70 000 words/260 pages 
Genre/s: M/M shifter Mpreg romance 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

His Taken Omega is a standalone story within the Mountain Shifter universe.

Blurb

Nicholas wants nothing to do with omegas, and Avery has already signed a contract binding him to another Alpha. Fate has other plans for them both. 

As the omega spokesman for the infamous Futurus Initiative, Avery Callahan is a controversial figure who’s used to being envied, occasionally despised and always the center of attention. His kidnapping at the hands of the twisted omega at the helm of the radical anti-Futurus group known as Epsilon shook his perfect world to the core, and Avery’s abnormally conventional parents no longer know what to do with him. In a last-ditch effort to save their son’s reputation—and his engagement to a prestigious politician—the Callahans send him to the small, idyllic pack of Southbend for some much-needed rest and recovery. 

When Avery arrives in Southbend, he finds the Meyer household anything but welcoming and he immediately clashes with the rakishly reluctant head of the household. Nicholas might be a brilliant lawyer with good looks and charm in abundance, but he makes no secret of the fact that Avery is persona non-grata in his pack. How is Avery supposed to heal his own wounds when an Alpha who looks at every omega with disdain makes him question everything, including his participation in the breeding program he’s devoted his life to promoting?

~

Nicholas has it all on the surface—rising-star status as an attorney with his own practice, a sizable inheritance and the option of going home with any omega he chooses at the end of the night—but beneath the mask of his status, he hides a secret that makes him feel unworthy of the title of Alpha. Past abuse has left him with a deep-seated revulsion towards omegas, the very class of shifter he’s supposed to crave. He uses work and meaningless flings with other Alphas and betas to distract himself from the family life he doesn’t believe he deserves, but in the wake of his estranged father’s death, Nicholas is called home to take on a role he never wanted. 

Forced to give up his high-profile career and take the reins of his family’s pack, Nicholas finds himself wholly unprepared to fill the shoes of the man he hated. Because fate isn’t cruel enough, the Spirits choose this moment to send him his destined mate—a charming yet infuriatingly stubborn omega he can never love or even claim. At least, that’s what he thinks until he realizes that the very traits that repel him from other omegas draw him to Avery in a way he finds as bewildering as it is intoxicating.

Excerpt

“You look especially nice tonight,” Hayley said in a tone that was half-accusatory and half-amused as she leaned in Nicholas’s doorway. 

The Alpha scowled. He wasn’t thrilled about the fact that his baby sister was about to be surrounded by single Alphas, most of whom he had already deemed too old for her, especially since his attention during the party would be divided between Avery and his new alliance. His father would have put his foot down about such an appearance until Hayley was old enough to take a mate, at the very least. Her wellbeing was one of the few subjects on which the late Alpha and his son had ever agreed, but their mother had other ideas. Sometimes Nicholas thought she’d be happy to send Hayley away immediately, as long as the marriage proved beneficial to the family. 

“Doesn’t that dress come with a shawl?” 

“It’s eighty degrees outside and there is nothing wrong with my dress,” she said flatly. 
“Who are you trying to impress with your hair slicked back like that, Avery or the other Alphas?” 

“You should know the answer to that,” he muttered, closing the door behind him as he left the room. “I expect you to be on good behavior tonight.” 

“Someone has to be. Let’s just hope Myron doesn’t go overboard on the wine again.”

Nicholas sighed. “If it’s not him, it’ll be mom. Let me worry about them, you just have fun.” He frowned. “Actually, I take that back… who are you going with again?” 

“My friend, Shaina,” she said with a sigh, letting him lead her downstairs by the arm.

“You say that like it’s supposed to comfort me. She’s still an Alpha, last I checked.” 

“If only everyone else knew the great, unflappable Nicholas Meyer frets endlessly over his little sister,” she teased. “You might seem almost human.” 

“Can’t have that now, can we?” 

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs as Hayley gathered the hem of her gown so she wouldn’t trip, and when he looked up, the sight of Avery waiting by the door nearly tripped him. The omega was dressed in an elegant white suit, his dark curls falling freely over the fine silk. He looked the way Nicholas had always imagined an angel might, even if he turned into a devil the moment he opened his mouth. 

Hayley leaned in and whispered, “Pick your jaw up off the floor and escort your date, big brother.” 

Nicholas cleared his throat of the cluster of frogs that seemed to have lodged in it and walked over to Avery. “You look…” Was there a word for it? Certainly not one that would allow him to keep his facade of apathy intact. He settled for, “nice.” 

“Careful, I might get a superiority complex. As an omega, I’m already prone to those,” Avery said in that dry tone that was so much sweeter than any other omega’s attempt at being sultry. 

Nicholas had hoped that by being cold towards his guest, he would be able to overcome his innate attraction to him, but he was starting to fear he was just developing a thing for snark.  

 

Buy Links ~ Available on KU

Amazon US Series Link

Amazon UK Series Link

Goodreads Series Link

 

About the Author

L.C. Davis is an MM romance author with a passion for LGBT representation.

His series include The Mountain Shifters, Queer Magick and Kingdom of Night.

Blog/Website

 

Giveaway

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RELEASE BLITZ SCHEDULE

 

December 3

The Way She Reads

Diverse Reader

Bayou Book Junkie

Tangents and Tissues

Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

Gay Book Reviews

December 4

Love Unchained Book Reviews

Lily G Blunt

December 5

Noteworthy Book Reviews

MM Good Book Reviews

Beautiful Book Corner

 

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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

How to Howl at the Moon by Eli Easton - Audio Review

Howl at the Moon #1

Unabridged Audio

Narrator: Matthew Shaw

Length: 5 hrs, 52mins

Publisher: Pinkerton Road

Audible link: US | UK

Blurb

Sheriff Lance Beaufort is not going to let trouble into his town, no sir. Tucked away in the California mountains, Mad Creek has secrets to keep, like the fact that half the town consists of "quickened" - dogs who have gained the ability to become human. Descended on both sides from Border Collies, Lance is as alert a guardian as they come.

Tim Weston is looking for a safe haven. After learning that his boss patented all of Tim's work on vegetable hybrids in his own name, Tim quit his old job. A client offers him use of her cabin in Mad Creek, and Tim sees a chance for a new start. But the shy gardener has a way of fumbling and sounding like a liar around strangers, particularly gorgeous alpha men like Sheriff Beaufort.

Lance's hackles are definitely raised by the lanky young stranger. He's concerned about marijuana growers moving into Mad Creek, and he's not satisfied with the boy's story. Lance decides a bit of undercover work is called for. When Tim hits a beautiful black collie with his car and adopts the dog, its love at first sight for both Tim and Lance's inner dog. Pretending to be a pet is about to get Sheriff Beaufort in very hot water.

My thoughts

How to Howl at the Moon was quite a little story. In fact it was a delightful combination of sweet, angsty, thrilling, and sexy. What’s not to love about a story set in an world (or, in this case, town) were many are ‘quickened’ dogs, meaning that they have the ability to become human while still being able to shift back to their dog form, and never completely losing their dog’s sensibilities.

When the story starts Sheriff Lance Beaufort is as far removed from his inner dog (a black Border Collie, how wonderfully appropriate for me) as he can get. Taking his duties of keeping his town safe and the quickened’s secret well buried very seriously, he hasn’t shifted to his dog form in ages, rejecting the playfulness for what he perceives to be the necessity to be human and on guard all the time.

Tim Weston needs a fresh start in a safe environment. Having been let down by people who should have loved and protected him and those who would take advantage of his trusting nature, he decides to keep his cards close to his chest, in the process, inevitably, triggering Lance’s mistrust towards him.

In order to discover exactly what is going on with Tim, Lance decides to introduce his inner dog into Tim’s life. And this may well be one of the cutest things I’ve ever read. Chance, the dog, is so adorable, especially compared to the stand-offish Lance. And Tim’s instant love for the creature he thinks he’s harmed is deeply touching. Of course, things get complicated for Lance when his two natures find themselves on opposite sites. The human Lance may still have suspicions about what exactly Tim is up to, Chance his dog has been won over by Tim’s joyous love and sharing nature. 

Throw in a meddling mother, territorial drug dealers, a former military shifter, and a secret that can’t be let out into the open, and you’re in for a story that will charm you while it also keeps you on the edge of your seat. Combined with a fabulous and very easy-on-the-ear narrator, all of the above made How to Howl at the Moon a very enjoyable second venture into the world of audio books.

Bitten By Design (Regent's Park Pack #2) by Annabelle Jacobs - Review Tour

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 80,000 words

Regent's Park Pack Series

Bitten By Mistake (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

When the last thing you want, is everything you need….

Seb Calloway isn’t interested in shifters. After his best friend bonded with one, he avoids getting involved with them—no matter how hot they are—to prevent the same thing from happening to him. Why take the risk for a few hours of fun?

Tim Walters is the pack doctor. Considered to be mild-mannered and non-threatening by pack standards, he prides himself on being able to stay calm and maintain his control at all times. Desperate for a bond of his own, he knows his interest in Seb is an exercise in futility, but he can’t seem to help himself.

When news emerges that threatens Seb’s safety, he and Tim need to fake a relationship to keep Seb safe. Despite Seb’s refusal to be anything other than friends with benefits, what starts out as pretend, quickly becomes more—for Tim at least. If Tim doesn't want to end up heartbroken, he needs to prove to Seb that loving a shifter doesn’t mean losing himself.

March 30 - The Novel Approach, Gay Book Reviews, Mikku-chan, Dirty Books Obsession
March 31 - Love Bytes
April 7 - Diverse Reader, Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
April 10 - Love Bite & Silk Ties, The Way She Reads, My Fiction Nook, MM Good Book Reviews
April 12 - V's Reads, Making It Happen
April 14 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews
April 19 - Lily G Blunt, Bella's Blog, Bayou Book Junkie, Book Lovers 4Ever, PNR Book Lover Reviews

Review

“Even mild-mannered shifters could pull off the smug-arsehole look.”

Not too long ago I read Bitten by Mistake, the first book in the Regent Park Pack series, and, as I say in that review, after I finished the story I was hooked; if not to shifter stories in general than at the very least to the world created by Annabelle Jacobs. So when I saw that Bitten by Design was available I jumped on the book immediately.

I’m so delighted to be able to say this book was everything I hoped it would be. Tim and Seb are wonderful characters, even if they did break my heart once or twice over the course of their story. Just like its prequel, Bitten by Design is a charming, at times funny, touching, extremely hot, and exhilarating story. There’s never any doubt that these two men like each other and find each other very attractive. The problem is that while Seb doesn’t believe in bonding as the basis for a relationship and Tim knows that his feelings for Seb are far too deep for a casual affair.

It broke my heart to see Tim do what he needed to do to keep Seb safe, in the full knowledge that he might end up breaking his own heart in the process. As for Seb, I’m not usually fond of storylines in which there’s an obvious and undeniable attraction between two characters but one of them throws up roadblocks for some, often arbitrary to my eyes, reason. Seb fights the attraction between him and Tim tooth and nail, but his reason for doing so made sense. I completely understand why he resisted the possibility that any connection between him and Tim might be ‘only’ the result of Tim biting him and an, in Seb’s eyes, artificial bond forming.

“I don’t want to have some magical shifter bollocks decide who I fall in love with. (…) I like you Tim, I really do. But the thought of having my free will stripped away like that terrifies me. I’m sorry.”

It was wonderful to once again connect with the members of the ‘arrogant, arsehole shifter brigade’, as Seb and his friend Jared refer to them. I loved the perfectly struck balance between action, hot sex, humorous moments, and tenderness. Sure, I had one or two moments where I wanted to slap Seb around the head, but even that worked wonderfully well. The only warning I have when it comes to reading this book is that you want to set an afternoon aside for it; if you’re anything like me you’ll read it from start to finish in one sitting.

While it is probably possible to read and enjoy this story without Bitten by Mistake first, I would advise against that course of action. Not only does this story build on what has happened before, you would also be depriving yourself of a truly wonderful story.

And I do wonder if I once again spied, with my little eye, the set up for the next Regent Park Pack story. Alex and Mark’s should make for a very interesting tale. Js.

Author Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They're usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Twitter | Website | Facebook

Email – ajacobsfiction@gmail.com 

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SLOAN'S PROTECTOR

TITLE: SLOAN'S PROTECTOR
AUTHOR: OLIVIA BLACK

Pages: 78

Date: 06/05/2014

Grade: 4-

Details: no. 9 Silver Bullet
            Received from Siren Publishing
            Through Love Romances and More

                        Through Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle  

The blurb:

“Tucker Gage doesn’t spend all his time at the Silver Bullet or with his pack. In his free time, he volunteers at Village de l’Espoir, also known as Village of Hope in downtown New Orleans. His passion is to protect and rescue animals in need. His path crosses with his mate, Sloan McKenzie, when the man needs a guard dog to protect him from his ex-boyfriend turned stalker. Tucker will do anything for his mate, even if that means hiding who he really is by staying in wolf form.

Sloan McKenzie has locked himself away, avoiding his ex-boyfriend and the outside world. The man won’t leave him alone—he shows up to Sloan’s house almost every night and calls nonstop. With his behavior escalating, Sloan’s brother, Matthew, takes him to, Village de l’Espoir, to get a dog for extra protection.

What will happen when Sloan finds out that Tucker isn’t just his guard dog, but a shifter?”

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My thoughts:

This is the ninth book in the ‘Silver Bullet’ series. I didn’t read any of the previous titles and while it is quite possible I would have enjoyed this book more if I had, I can’t say I was conscious of missing vital prior knowledge.

Tucker Gage is a shifter who works as a volunteer in an animal rescue centre. When in wolf form he is able to calm and reassure the dogs they have to retrieve from often abysmal places.

Sloan McKenzie is a virtual recluse ever since his former boyfriend turned stalker and started threatening him. To stop his big brother Matthew from worrying about him Sloan agrees to get a dog to protect and guard him.

When Sloan arrives at the rescue centre to pick his dog, Tucker happens to be in wolf form. Recognizing his mate immediately and determined to protect him Tucker allows himself to be adopted without revealing he’s a shifter rather than a dog.

Sloan feels a connection with his ‘dog’. But will this connection be strong enough when he finds out that not only is Tucker a shifter, he is also his mate? And will Tucker be enough to keep Sloan save from his ex-boyfriend?

I liked this book. It was an easy read with likeable characters. But the real attraction for me was the love for animals in this story. I loved the animal rescue centre and the care they took with the animals they saved. And the whole idea of using shifters to reassure the frightened animals made me wish all rescue centres would have shifters at their disposal.

If I’m perfectly honest I have to admit that Sloan was a bit wishy-washy as a character. He didn’t appear to have much of a back-bone and was overly desperate to be loved. Having said that, he was also rather sweet and adorable and very easy to sympathise with.

I loved Tucker, both as a wolf and as a man. His very strong protective streak was very attractive and I liked that he was allowed his fair share of insecurities.

We get a very nice glance at this world where humans and shifters live more or less in harmony and I’m very tempted to go back and read the earlier books just to find out more. The same is true for the ‘Silver Bullet’ pack, I saw enough of them to make me curious about them and their individual stories. One thing is for sure, I’ll be keeping an eye out for future books in this series. I don’t think one outing with this particular pack was enough for me.

This is a sweet book. Not very deep and maybe everything comes together a bit too easily, but it was a charming story with characters I adored and it was a pure joy to read. Because there are times when all I want is an uncomplicated and non-taxing hour or two with nice characters and a charming story.