What a totally funny, enjoyable, and adventurous read this turned out to be. Using the (supposedly) age-old enmity between werewolves and vampires as the core issue, Stormy Glenn takes one of each and mates them – to hilarious effect. Different from many stories where one or the other partner has to submit for the relationship to work, in this incarnation of things both of them actually end up submitting part of the time. Or being in charge. It’s not very clear, really – and I think that is a significant part of the charm of this book.
Rowan, the werewolf, must be one of the funniest, brattiest characters ever. Of course, he doesn’t see himself like that, and the interesting thing is that he is also courageous, fierce, and very strong. A few hidden abilities and talents also come in handy, and he managed to surprise and delight me with his shenanigans throughout the book. Far from submissive, he is prepared to present a certain “image” to keep up appearances for the sake of his vampire mate – or, well, he gives it his best try. The fact is that he doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body, so those attempts never last very long.
Luca may be a powerful vampire and the leader of a tribe of vampires, he may also have certain ideas about how his mate should behave, but once he finds Rowan, all of them fly out of the window. Luckily he is ready to compromise, but still, it takes a little time to figure it all out and the situations he has to deal with in the meantime, seen from his perspective, were hilarious. Punishing tribe members who hurt Rowan by letting them live (to face his wrath every single day of their lives) was one example that just turned the idea of “traditionally accepted leadership-by-intimidation skill”s totally on its head.
If you’re looking for a serious treatise of vampire/werewolf relationships or a “traditional” D/s relationship with paranormal overtones, this is not your book. If you’re looking to have some fun with a story that is more likely to make you laugh than bite your fingernails from the suspense, this may be exactly what you’re looking for. I really enjoyed the light-hearted approach with all the banter and the interplay between the main characters, and can recommend it to anyone with a sense of humor and a love of the paranormal.