Review: Very Disappointed - Spoilers Ahead
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 03 4, 2014
I saw this new release and since I thoroughly enjoyed Rise of the Changlings Series, which I had just read, I thought ok - New book in a series, sure, I'll bite.  Unfortunately Alpha's Caress [Predatory Hunters 1] doesn't measure up.  It's an extremely short story of 79 pages.This story is set in the future but I never saw any instances of future inventions.  The police detail and how they handled the crime Sari witnessed is all what law enforcement of our day would do.  The fancy hotel was exactly like now, even the room details.  Max taking Sari from Orlando to Yosemite was done with a car rental and it was a long drive with a few stops for gas.  Yes Max's home was solar but it could have been something from our time.  So I had a hard time believing this was a story set in the future.What makes or breaks a story for me is how deep the characters are drawn.  In this story the focus is on Max and Sari.  Max is the alpha of a large territory yet his followers are only a handful of panthers.  Enough to fit around the dining room table.  Other than Max's business interests and a few interactions with his people, we know little about him.  Whenever there's a chance for him to open up to Sari he doesn't.  We don't know if he had siblings, his parents, if he's been alpha a long time, or even his age.  Even if this is a short story, Max should be better drawn.Then there's Sari.  He's undergone some trauma, is thrust into a few situations he can't handle. . . But the way he's characterized is just as bad as Max.  As I'm sitting here thinking and writing, due to Sari I just lowered the rating to 2 stars instead of 3.  I hate to do that with a starting book in a series. . . But it's deserved.  Sari never comes to grip with his pregnancy, which in his case is understandable.  But to be rescued from a kidnapping and instead of thanking Max and breaking down emotionally due to fright or relief. .. He punches max.  'You knocked me up.'  Gee, how thankful is that?Despite the question, 'Does he have any siblings?' No, we don't hear about Sari's background, parents, or if he has siblings.  We don't know where he came from.  If he was so rare I'd think Max and his group would be questioning him so they could bring his family to safety.  But no, Sari's characterization is as shallow as Max's.  The only difference is Sari is annoying as all get out.  He is very self centered, focusing on his needs, his wants, his concerns although towards the end of the story that slowly changed.  Not enough to endear him.  He acted quite childish, not like a grown man.And I kept getting a feeling that Sari had his own 'powers' to make things grow.  Yet this was never explained.I didn't appreciate that the two 'evil' men in this story have names very similar.  Rupert is the gangster in Orlando Sari is running from.  He also has a past history with the panthers.  Regis is another alpha in the Yosemite area, knows about Sari and kidnaps him.  Rupert and Regis.  Very similar and unusual names for two equally dark bad guys.  Although I'm not interested in any other books in this series. . . At this time. . . I know if I was reading more I'd get both of them confused.  Easy to do.After the kidnapping it's all about sex.  I would have liked some conclusion on if Domingo survived.  What Max did to Regis in retaliation for the kidnapping.  Instead it's about sex.Ok now for details.  I caught a sentence during Max and Sari's sex that was exactly what Rick and Dorian said in the Rise of the Changlings Series.  "I'm glad. . . "  "Glad you approve."  Yup, carbon copy.  How sad is that, cut and paste?  I realize most skip the extended sex scenes but that phrase stood out so starkly.  Unbelievable.Sari and Max tell each other of their love.  At this time Sari is finally accepting his pregnancy yet his actions show nothing of his love.  Just the opposite.  Max is gone so much on business and the story's too short to really show his love towards Sari.  He doesn't even open up talking about his past and is still hiding things from Sari.I'd have liked seeing more furry moments. . . Shifters get furry.  Make time for it!Overall this story didn't work for me.  The characters are too shallow, the world building isn't believable, and due to the page length, not enough details in the plot are revealed. -- Dan's Wife