Review: Should not be listed as Romance, but perhaps YA or NA
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 05 31, 2014
I've been reading romance novels for nearly 30 years. I'm 43. I've read a LOT of them. One thing they almost all have in common is... Romance.While this was a very good story, I would not classify it as romance. There is budding interest, but I expect more than a kiss or two and a grope that leads to nowhere. Longing looks at hot bodies also don't qualify, in my mind, as romance.Now, you label this an YA or NA, where there is expected to be little to no actual romantic development? I'm all over it. The story itself was great. The characters were great. I liked them all, except the ones I wasn't supposed to like. And had I gone into it with the expectation of budding romance but not a full-on love story, this would probably be a four-star review.I just don't think there were enough traditional 'romance' markers in this book to correctly label it as such, and I was incredibly disappointed when I reached the 94% mark thinking FINALLY they were going to do something about their attraction... and then the book ended. It was tied up nicely and leaves lots of room for following books, but it ended with little more than a cuddle and a kiss. NOT the way I expect a 'romance novel' to end.All that being said, if you like just a touch of romance and lots of adventure, then you're golden. But if you're looking forward to hot shifter romance, I wouldn't recommend it. I guess it depends on what you're looking for.