Review: Book Review: From Author Unpublished
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 18, 2014
I received this book as part of the Fated Mates Box Set directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.This book was short, but very well written. The narrative was clear and fluid in a way that made me forget I was reading. There were very few errors (with the exception of two missed words I found), and coming from a background of reading a ton of Indie-books in the past two years, it was nice to see something put together so well.The characterization of the main character, Chloe, is what stands out to me the most in this book. She had a very clear voice that seemed to soak effortlessly into the narrative in way that made it engaging. Though she often doubted herself, and sometimes made quick judgments, I didn’t feel these negative aspects of her personality were annoying or overblown as with some books (where flaws like this are used to instigate drama), instead, I found her flaws endearing. I truly liked her as a character, and she felt very real to me.On the flip side of that coin however, though I enjoyed all of the characters (even the naughty ones), I will say that there was a decided lack of depth to some of the lesser characters, and even Chloe’s mate, Jackson. This story was very much Chloe’s story in that aspect. She hogged the scene in a very personal way throughout the book, and the other characters, while pleasant, didn’t stand out nearly as well for me as she did.Now, this was the second book in the series, and honestly, I wish I’d read the first book. This story took place after-the-fact of where most Shifter Romances begin… boy meets girl, they battle, fall in love, and live happily ever after. This story began after the happily ever after, when Chloe discovers that happily ever after isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. In that respect, I think it was a very intriguing tale for me, and though it wasn’t the first book in the series, it did stand alone quite well, and had it been the first book, I still would have liked it. I only wish I’d read the first book because I have a feeling I would have gotten more depth out of the characters in the previous book than I did in this second one.Another aspect I should mention, is the sex. There’s a lot of it… practically (or maybe even actually) every chapter. That’s not a problem for me, but having come into the relationship so late between Chloe and Jackson, I don’t think I got the full effect of their emotional bond. For me the sex came across as skippable… just so-so. Like I said, I think if I’d read the first book I may have felt a better connection with the couple as far as the romance goes and Jackson’s characterization. On it’s own, I don’t believe this book had enough of a substantial romantic connection to make the sex interesting. It almost felt as if it’d been scattered in to fill space—though I will say that the author did a good job of making the sex scenes not wasteful. They did help to sort of shore-up Chloe’s self-doubt and calm her down when she was particularly volatile. There did seem to be some sort of purpose to the scenes is what I’m trying to say, but I have a hard time believing in them in an emotional context.This story also had an interesting (and possibly the most captivating part of this book) thriller/mystery aspect. There were murders and kidnappings going on in the shifter community that lead to some really great tense moments throughout the story. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, and I’m quite pleased with the way the situation resolved itself.Overall? I really enjoyed the book. I think if I’d read the first book in the series first (rather than jumping in with the second book out of the Fated Mates Box Set, I would have enjoyed the story more than I did, but even on it’s own, it was a well written and engaging story. I’d certainly read it again, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal shifter romances with a side of thriller to them.