Review: Better than average shifter story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 29, 2011
Raphael is a the local Sheriff and estranged member  of his wolf pack. His family has all but disowned him when they discoverd he was gay. The Alpha followed suit and now Raphael is one step from rogue. But he has a use as the Sheriff, so he's tolerated and even accepted by many in the pack. River is the new Alpha of the pack and openly gay.That part of the story is a bit weak. A pack's Alpha and Beta reject one man's gay son, while elevating the status of the other.From their first meeting the sparks fly between the two, but Raphael is wary and keeps secrets. He's also a hot-head who doesn't want to be River's Beta, though everyone seems to think he already is. There also is jealousy and pack politics that keep the two men at odds and stressed. Another wolf, Frank, wants to be the Beta and suddenly Raphael is shot and rival packs threaten war.This isn't the norm of shifter and "mate" books. In fact the idea of them being mates is barely discussed. These are men who know how to fight and can put the pack first. Neither man goes all weak or sappy when the other is in peril. In fact when Raphael is kidnapped, River of course goes to his rescue, but he also uses the incident to further his pack objectives. I'm not sure that love is even mentioned by either man. The sex is very hot and the connection feels real, but neither man has an ounce of romance. To be honest it was refreshing from the usual gushing and "ista-matic" matings.A few plot holes though do give me pause. When Raphael is kidnapped, we aren't told how, why, or by whom. We go from a sex scene to River getting a call from the kidnappers, the kidnappers are disapatched, and they never talk about what happened. Also how Raphael kept his secret is glossed over. I get the sense we missed alot of important conversations that set forth their relationship.But over all a good book.