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Once Upon a Mate
‘Boring’ is the perfect word to describe Violet’s life. She loves her job as a novelist but lovers are few and unsatisfying. All that changes when she finds a mysterious hunk in her backyard, blocking her door and saving her from strange masked men who are determined to kill her.Avery, an escaped wolf Hybrid, has found his mate but so has the enemy. The animal inside him will protect her but it also wants to conquer the desire that sparks between them. Together they must dodge capture, avoid his erotic brother, and deal with their horrific past. Being a Hybrid mate has never been more dangerous. Are these mates willing to unleash doomsday for the chance at true happiness? Erotic Romance / Fantasy / Paranormal / Science Fiction Erotica - Controversial (Contains adult content, language, and graphic sex)
- GenresParanormal Romance
173 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2010
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 8, 2011
Review by Ollie for bittenbyparanormalromance
When I first received this book I was very intrigued to read it because I have never come across a novel that has dealt with hybrids before. The whole concept is unique and refreshing to the paranormal romance/erotica genre and I couldn't wait to read it. Suffice to say there were aspects about the plot I really enjoyed. I could see the series continuing on and leading in many different possible directions with the interesting characters and their very unique abilities. However, as I continued to read the novel, I reached a point in the story where I felt the author may have missed the opportunity to delve deeper into the plot and expand on the development of the characters.
The premise of the story surrounds the existence of a secret laboratory that has been around for decades conducting experiments in the creation of hybrid humanoids who have been tortured, killed and revived over and over again to test there physical and mental abilities. Avery is a wolf hybrid who looks completely human except he has fangs, super enhanced sight, smell and hearing and can manifest claws at will. Avery along with six others managed to escape from the laboratory and fend for themselves while constantly on the run from begin caught and sent back to the lab. Each hybrid has their own unique abilities along with the capacity to communicate with each other telepathically. One thing that they discovered before their escape is that the scientists want the hybrids to reproduce however their experiments failed until they realized that each hybrid has a "mate" that they can only reproduce with. Avery is intent on finding his mate who he is somehow connected to both on a physical and psychological level (unfortunately this part is not explained in detail which I wish it had been).
Violet is a lonely novelist who hasn't had much luck with men and seems unsatisfied except for being happy to have the companionship of her dog. This comes to an abrupt end when one night Avery appears by her back door just before the "enemy" attacks her. Avery saves her and during the few days they are together Violet learns about Avery being her mate, him being a hybrid and the laboratory. Up to this point I really enjoyed the plot line and mystery, however it is here that the author missed the mark and started focusing on the sex so much so that the plot got left behind. There was so much potential for the story to completely grab hold of the reader and take them one an amazing journey instead of experiencing page after page of gratuitous and meaningless sex. The characterization of Violet in the second half of the book as a complete nymphomaniac who constantly needs to pinch her breasts which immediately sets her on fire and needs to be quenched with more sex starts to makes her appear one-dimensional. Don't get me wrong I love reading sex scenes and erotica but not to the point that it just becomes a marathon of sex, then they wake up and before eating have another marathon of sex (this did happen in the book).
Perhaps what really bothered me the most was the whole "mate" term got completely lost. Avery is an extremely good-looking wolf hybrid, thus with Violet being his "mate" one would think that a strong, emotional, monogamous relationship develops. Instead we end up seeing Avery sharing his "mate" with one of the other hybrids that he views as a brother. The reason for this is because Violet desires a threesome with his gorgeous "brother" and Avery wants to make her happy. I'm sorry, but it is that this point I feel that this throws the whole "mate" concept out the window. What ensues between the three of them is a marathon of sex which consists of masturbation, oral sex, anal sex, M/M oral sex and Avery's "mate", Violet having intercourse with his "brother". In all the books I have read where one is a "mate" to another the "mate" is never shared nor even allowed to be looked upon sexually without the male being demonstrating extreme possessiveness. That is what makes the term "mate" so sensual and desirable in a story.
Despite the flaws I am really interested in reading the next book in the series as it ended with a cliffhanger. They is so much potential in this series based on the plot, concept and characters alone. I really hope to see the author put more development into the storyline and characters then solely focusing on the sex alone. With a strong storyline (which it has if developed more) and characters (reinforcing the "mate" term and not making Violet just a nympho) I can see this series moving into some interesting storyline territory with the love and sex between Avery and Violet organically occurring alongside the story (no threesome if one is your "mate" please).
When I first received this book I was very intrigued to read it because I have never come across a novel that has dealt with hybrids before. The whole concept is unique and refreshing to the paranormal romance/erotica genre and I couldn't wait to read it. Suffice to say there were aspects about the plot I really enjoyed. I could see the series continuing on and leading in many different possible directions with the interesting characters and their very unique abilities. However, as I continued to read the novel, I reached a point in the story where I felt the author may have missed the opportunity to delve deeper into the plot and expand on the development of the characters.
The premise of the story surrounds the existence of a secret laboratory that has been around for decades conducting experiments in the creation of hybrid humanoids who have been tortured, killed and revived over and over again to test there physical and mental abilities. Avery is a wolf hybrid who looks completely human except he has fangs, super enhanced sight, smell and hearing and can manifest claws at will. Avery along with six others managed to escape from the laboratory and fend for themselves while constantly on the run from begin caught and sent back to the lab. Each hybrid has their own unique abilities along with the capacity to communicate with each other telepathically. One thing that they discovered before their escape is that the scientists want the hybrids to reproduce however their experiments failed until they realized that each hybrid has a "mate" that they can only reproduce with. Avery is intent on finding his mate who he is somehow connected to both on a physical and psychological level (unfortunately this part is not explained in detail which I wish it had been).
Violet is a lonely novelist who hasn't had much luck with men and seems unsatisfied except for being happy to have the companionship of her dog. This comes to an abrupt end when one night Avery appears by her back door just before the "enemy" attacks her. Avery saves her and during the few days they are together Violet learns about Avery being her mate, him being a hybrid and the laboratory. Up to this point I really enjoyed the plot line and mystery, however it is here that the author missed the mark and started focusing on the sex so much so that the plot got left behind. There was so much potential for the story to completely grab hold of the reader and take them one an amazing journey instead of experiencing page after page of gratuitous and meaningless sex. The characterization of Violet in the second half of the book as a complete nymphomaniac who constantly needs to pinch her breasts which immediately sets her on fire and needs to be quenched with more sex starts to makes her appear one-dimensional. Don't get me wrong I love reading sex scenes and erotica but not to the point that it just becomes a marathon of sex, then they wake up and before eating have another marathon of sex (this did happen in the book).
Perhaps what really bothered me the most was the whole "mate" term got completely lost. Avery is an extremely good-looking wolf hybrid, thus with Violet being his "mate" one would think that a strong, emotional, monogamous relationship develops. Instead we end up seeing Avery sharing his "mate" with one of the other hybrids that he views as a brother. The reason for this is because Violet desires a threesome with his gorgeous "brother" and Avery wants to make her happy. I'm sorry, but it is that this point I feel that this throws the whole "mate" concept out the window. What ensues between the three of them is a marathon of sex which consists of masturbation, oral sex, anal sex, M/M oral sex and Avery's "mate", Violet having intercourse with his "brother". In all the books I have read where one is a "mate" to another the "mate" is never shared nor even allowed to be looked upon sexually without the male being demonstrating extreme possessiveness. That is what makes the term "mate" so sensual and desirable in a story.
Despite the flaws I am really interested in reading the next book in the series as it ended with a cliffhanger. They is so much potential in this series based on the plot, concept and characters alone. I really hope to see the author put more development into the storyline and characters then solely focusing on the sex alone. With a strong storyline (which it has if developed more) and characters (reinforcing the "mate" term and not making Violet just a nympho) I can see this series moving into some interesting storyline territory with the love and sex between Avery and Violet organically occurring alongside the story (no threesome if one is your "mate" please).
June 14, 2011
"Once Upon a Mate" by Christine Kirchoff was interesting...Violet Caen is leading a good life. She's working at the profession she loves, she has a nice house, and she has her beloved canine, Trouble...what else could a girl want out of life? Why don't we throw in some shooting ninjas, thrill joy rides and some mind-blowing sex, and see how that works out?
Sound good...because this is exactly what begins happening with Violet's life...one minute she finds herself about to subject her next writing project to her publisher and the next minute, she's on someone's "hit list" because a hybrid named Avery decided that she was his perfect mate.
And, as this book goes on, Violets find herself caught in a world of excitement and ectasy...much different from her former mundane, everyday life and quite an upgrade.
Personally, I thought "Once Upon a Mate" was okay. I thought the characters chosen and the roles that they played worked really good because I think it helped set-up the formation of the book and why the characters need each other so much. Moreover, the pace of the book was pretty steady, but there were some moments such as with the fighting and shooting that I was having a difficult time keeping track of "whodunit" to who. There were also several typos and misspelled words that could have easily been corrected with spell-checked that interrupted the flow of the story.
Nevertheless, the story of Avery finding his mate in Christina came across nicely to the reader, and I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading action and fantasy mixed with erotica. And, overall, I thought the plot was good, but the actions at the end of the novel such as Violet sensing Luvenia is gone leaves unanswered questions for the reader: Violet thought, at one point during the book, that she could be pregnant. Is this implied since she is able to connect with Luvenia? Also, the newsflash about the unknown diseases? Does this get solved, and does Avery continue to feel bad about letting the other hybrids go because, at the time, he thought he was doing a good thing? Maybe these are issues that will be addressed in a follow-up. I would be interested.
I give it 3 stars.
Sound good...because this is exactly what begins happening with Violet's life...one minute she finds herself about to subject her next writing project to her publisher and the next minute, she's on someone's "hit list" because a hybrid named Avery decided that she was his perfect mate.
And, as this book goes on, Violets find herself caught in a world of excitement and ectasy...much different from her former mundane, everyday life and quite an upgrade.
Personally, I thought "Once Upon a Mate" was okay. I thought the characters chosen and the roles that they played worked really good because I think it helped set-up the formation of the book and why the characters need each other so much. Moreover, the pace of the book was pretty steady, but there were some moments such as with the fighting and shooting that I was having a difficult time keeping track of "whodunit" to who. There were also several typos and misspelled words that could have easily been corrected with spell-checked that interrupted the flow of the story.
Nevertheless, the story of Avery finding his mate in Christina came across nicely to the reader, and I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy reading action and fantasy mixed with erotica. And, overall, I thought the plot was good, but the actions at the end of the novel such as Violet sensing Luvenia is gone leaves unanswered questions for the reader: Violet thought, at one point during the book, that she could be pregnant. Is this implied since she is able to connect with Luvenia? Also, the newsflash about the unknown diseases? Does this get solved, and does Avery continue to feel bad about letting the other hybrids go because, at the time, he thought he was doing a good thing? Maybe these are issues that will be addressed in a follow-up. I would be interested.
I give it 3 stars.
May 11, 2012
nce Upon a Mate is a new book.
Violet’s life was quiet and lonely, she is an author who lives through her imagination and her love for her dog named Trouble. She was raised by her affluent parents in Reading, PA, but her relationship with her family has always been thorny. Lonely, books, writing and a lovable dog were her life until Avery came crashing in.
Avery was raised as a lab experiment. He is a genetically created wolf – human cross breed. Escaping his torturous imprisonment with his “family” (other genetic creations in the lab), Avery begins his search for his true mate. The hyhbrid discovered that the lab is attempting to create children from them to experiment on but they only have one true match, their mate. He is drawn to Violet and is sure she is his true mate, he wants to save her before the lab gets a hold of her. But when Avery attempts to get closer to Violet, she is attacked by “ninjas” (the labs soldiers). Their goal is to capture Violet, Avery’s mate, and continue their genetic experiments by producing a child.
Once Upon A Mate is a highly EROTIC tale (with a capital E) of lab created hybrid – humanoids. They struggle against all odds to find love, including escape, heart breaking betrayal and acceptance for what they are. It is extremely descriptive and gives you a very thorough feel for the characters and their journey through this story. Original plot and HOT, HOT, HOT, check out Once Upon A Mate.
Violet’s life was quiet and lonely, she is an author who lives through her imagination and her love for her dog named Trouble. She was raised by her affluent parents in Reading, PA, but her relationship with her family has always been thorny. Lonely, books, writing and a lovable dog were her life until Avery came crashing in.
Avery was raised as a lab experiment. He is a genetically created wolf – human cross breed. Escaping his torturous imprisonment with his “family” (other genetic creations in the lab), Avery begins his search for his true mate. The hyhbrid discovered that the lab is attempting to create children from them to experiment on but they only have one true match, their mate. He is drawn to Violet and is sure she is his true mate, he wants to save her before the lab gets a hold of her. But when Avery attempts to get closer to Violet, she is attacked by “ninjas” (the labs soldiers). Their goal is to capture Violet, Avery’s mate, and continue their genetic experiments by producing a child.
Once Upon A Mate is a highly EROTIC tale (with a capital E) of lab created hybrid – humanoids. They struggle against all odds to find love, including escape, heart breaking betrayal and acceptance for what they are. It is extremely descriptive and gives you a very thorough feel for the characters and their journey through this story. Original plot and HOT, HOT, HOT, check out Once Upon A Mate.
September 12, 2011
What makes this a good read are the characters, humor, and the hot, steamy scenes. Violet is witty, full of attitude, and flawed. She has a habit of whining but the author balanced this perfectly by making it a character flaw that helps you relate rather than be annoyed. She does have a tendency of coming off as the stereo typical hussy but you can’t help but root for her because she is the average woman with insecurities, fears, and dreams. Avery is every woman’s and some men’s dream come true, tall, dark, handsome, alpha, and yet oddly enough shy. The combination is captivating and lovable. Despite his past and the things he has done/gone through, he comes across as rather innocent which is adorable. The chemistry between the two is hot and explosive making you fan yourself as your body heat rises.
The plot is steady, action packed, and pretty good but it did leave me feeling that there was too much set up for the next book and not enough in this one. In my opinion the storyline lacked dimension, there were details that should have been addressed more and weren’t but the book does end with a cliffhanger so this may be to build us up for the next book. It worked because I want to know the answers to my questions and can’t wait to see what more this author has in store for us.
The plot is steady, action packed, and pretty good but it did leave me feeling that there was too much set up for the next book and not enough in this one. In my opinion the storyline lacked dimension, there were details that should have been addressed more and weren’t but the book does end with a cliffhanger so this may be to build us up for the next book. It worked because I want to know the answers to my questions and can’t wait to see what more this author has in store for us.
February 14, 2016
Bad grammer, weak plot and annoying characters. I couldn't even finish it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews