What do you think?
Rate this book
Tate Pack #4
Unassumed
Howell Lourge Marshall wasn't afraid of anything. He wasn't afraid of having a mate, he wasn't afraid of having kids and he especially wasn't afraid of falling in love. He just chose not to have those things.
Michael Prosace has already lost his pack and most of his family because he chose to live his life as a proud, though deaf, gay man who is also transgender. He is almost completely satisfied with his life, so when he finally meets his mate Howell, he just knows that his life was finally going to be complete.
But Howell is from the Tate pack and trouble seems to follow these shape-shifting cowboys around. Before Howell and Michael will be able to explore their deep feelings for each other and a connection that goes back further than they expected, the two men will have to deal with danger, bigotry, murder, and six unexpected additions to their very unconventional family.
Michael Prosace has already lost his pack and most of his family because he chose to live his life as a proud, though deaf, gay man who is also transgender. He is almost completely satisfied with his life, so when he finally meets his mate Howell, he just knows that his life was finally going to be complete.
But Howell is from the Tate pack and trouble seems to follow these shape-shifting cowboys around. Before Howell and Michael will be able to explore their deep feelings for each other and a connection that goes back further than they expected, the two men will have to deal with danger, bigotry, murder, and six unexpected additions to their very unconventional family.
159 pages, ebook
First published February 6, 2012
7 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Vicktor Alexander
55 books341 followersVicktor Alexander “Vic” wrote his first story at the age of 10 about his youngest sister and her destruction of the world…with her breath. Much to his youngest sister’s dismay the story was a hit and became the first story of a series all dealing with the planets that were destroyed by his siblings and their strange quirks and body odors. Vic now enjoys writing about shifters, humanoids, cowboys, firemen, rent boys, fairies, elves, dancers, doctors, Doms, Subs, and anything else that catches his fancy, all sexy men falling in love with each other and having lots of naughty, dirty, man-on-man sex. Author of the best-selling series, The Tate Pack, Vic is a huge fan of the “happily-ever-after” ending. But while his characters all ride off into the proverbial sunset, all sexually satisfied and in love, they all bear the scars of fighting for that love, just like in real life. Out and proud, Vic does not believe that love only comes in one form, one race, one gender and that not only is gender fluid, by sexuality as well. Vic loves to make people laugh and when he’s not writing, or rather, procrastinating in writing, he’s reading, playing the Sims 3, hanging out with his very supportive adopted family, talking to his adopted daughter, whom he affectionately calls "Chipmunk", seeking the man or men who can handle his crazy, stressful, soap opera-esque life and being distracted from his writing by drooling over pictures of John Barrowman, Scott Hoying, Charlie David and Shemar Moore.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 23, 2019
So, about 30% into reading this I had to switch to the audio because 1) all the editing errors were annoying me and since authors tend to run their books through an additional edit before recording and I knew I wouldn't "hear" all the mistakes (necessarily) with extraneous commas and weirdly placed semi-colons...2) Sean Crisden makes everything better. Seriously, I didn't even mind (much) all the replacements used instead of proper names. (Other man, bigger man, smaller shifter, etc. instead of just saying Howell or Michael was getting monotonous in print.)
That said, it wasn't a bad story per se. I did get frustrated with the overuse of "transgender" when that's not at all what Michael called himself (usually). He is gender-fluid; some days he feels more masculine, others he wants to be pretty. He likes his cock and balls and doesn't want to get rid of them, but had implants to give himself more curves and a softer look. There's a passage about society wanting to fit people into boxes and how it upset Michael, and yet it kept happening...
The "finding each other again after moving away as a child" aspect was a bit far-fetched, especially running into someone so randomly in Las Vegas, but it fit the plot...and help cement the couple as destined mates a little more solidly.
I did think it was a bit of a "cheat" to have Michael, who is deaf, suddenly able to "hear" Howell after they bonded. I would have liked there to be more ASL (which Howell knew as a child given Michael was his best friend back then, but "forgot"). It was a quick "fix" to communicate that way and I wasn't fond of it.
I believe I might have enjoyed this more had I read the previous books in the series, so I'm putting it on the re-read shelf. (Which of course actually means "re-listen to.")
That said, it wasn't a bad story per se. I did get frustrated with the overuse of "transgender" when that's not at all what Michael called himself (usually). He is gender-fluid; some days he feels more masculine, others he wants to be pretty. He likes his cock and balls and doesn't want to get rid of them, but had implants to give himself more curves and a softer look. There's a passage about society wanting to fit people into boxes and how it upset Michael, and yet it kept happening...
The "finding each other again after moving away as a child" aspect was a bit far-fetched, especially running into someone so randomly in Las Vegas, but it fit the plot...and help cement the couple as destined mates a little more solidly.
I did think it was a bit of a "cheat" to have Michael, who is deaf, suddenly able to "hear" Howell after they bonded. I would have liked there to be more ASL (which Howell knew as a child given Michael was his best friend back then, but "forgot"). It was a quick "fix" to communicate that way and I wasn't fond of it.
I believe I might have enjoyed this more had I read the previous books in the series, so I'm putting it on the re-read shelf. (Which of course actually means "re-listen to.")
February 8, 2012
I like the overall story between Howell and Michael -- the family histories coming back to haunt them -- and I love the message of acceptance and love above all else, but I do have some issues with it. Some plot, some execution.
I feel like I know Michael fairly well because his gender identity, and his history because of it, is discussed in several places. (Though there is a mention of his performance anxiety toward the end that seemed completely out of the blue. Was that mentioned in the Christmas story and I forgot?)
But Howell? I don't feel like I know him much at all. When they went to the opera (toward the end of the story) and Howell was thinking that he wanted to show there was more between them than sex, that's when it dawned on me that I didn't feel like I knew Howell, and it did feel a lot like "just sex." I trust (a la suspension of disbelief) there's more behind it than that, but I didn't feel it enough.
We know Howell wasn't looking for a mate or a family, and then bada-boom-bada-bing he's marking his mate with no dissenting thoughts on the matter. Maybe that's not fair of me, because we've seen how the mate principle works in this universe in the first two stories, but I think that lack of internal dissection is part of why I wasn't sold on it. I think that's also why I felt the initial sex/marking scene was too drawn out. Mentally I wasn't on the same "you're mine" wavelength yet, and instead of enjoying it as that, I wanted to get on to the rest of the story of family issues instead of reading the sex. (I really wanted to get more into the story, though. That sucked me in.)
We also know his past through flashes of memory. But the man he is today is practically defined by his mate and his acceptance of his mate. Not that those are bad things in the slightest, but just not enough for me. I know little else of him. This is spoiler-ish, so it's going behind the cut.
And there are a few editing mistakes that caught my attention--wrong names, missing words, etc.
Overall, I'm giving it 3 stars. For as much criticising as I did above, I really did enjoy reading the story. It's not my favorite in the series though. Thus far, I still prefer Ton & Tommy's story, Inconceivable.
I think I'm going to re-read the Christmas story since they overlap some, just to be sure I didn't miss something I'm complaining about.
I feel like I know Michael fairly well because his gender identity, and his history because of it, is discussed in several places. (Though there is a mention of his performance anxiety toward the end that seemed completely out of the blue. Was that mentioned in the Christmas story and I forgot?)
But Howell? I don't feel like I know him much at all. When they went to the opera (toward the end of the story) and Howell was thinking that he wanted to show there was more between them than sex, that's when it dawned on me that I didn't feel like I knew Howell, and it did feel a lot like "just sex." I trust (a la suspension of disbelief) there's more behind it than that, but I didn't feel it enough.
We know Howell wasn't looking for a mate or a family, and then bada-boom-bada-bing he's marking his mate with no dissenting thoughts on the matter. Maybe that's not fair of me, because we've seen how the mate principle works in this universe in the first two stories, but I think that lack of internal dissection is part of why I wasn't sold on it. I think that's also why I felt the initial sex/marking scene was too drawn out. Mentally I wasn't on the same "you're mine" wavelength yet, and instead of enjoying it as that, I wanted to get on to the rest of the story of family issues instead of reading the sex. (I really wanted to get more into the story, though. That sucked me in.)
We also know his past through flashes of memory. But the man he is today is practically defined by his mate and his acceptance of his mate. Not that those are bad things in the slightest, but just not enough for me. I know little else of him. This is spoiler-ish, so it's going behind the cut.
And there are a few editing mistakes that caught my attention--wrong names, missing words, etc.
Overall, I'm giving it 3 stars. For as much criticising as I did above, I really did enjoy reading the story. It's not my favorite in the series though. Thus far, I still prefer Ton & Tommy's story, Inconceivable.
I think I'm going to re-read the Christmas story since they overlap some, just to be sure I didn't miss something I'm complaining about.
September 13, 2014
I enjoyed this book, love the series, and can't wait for the next installment. I do agree with some of the notes made in the other reviews, the battle scene and death scene were anticlimactic. The bad alpha was built up to be this source of evil power and he fell quickly and quietly in a battle that neither main character played a starring role in. We don't know how Howell and Michael left the Marshall pack and returned, how long they stayed, how they worked together to ensure the other pack would be cared for as they returned to the Tate family. Some missed opportunities. But there were several wonderful moments in the book.
The moment with Mariah telling Howell that her mommy said she would recognize Howell by his hair was special and the scenes at the end of the book with the children were precious and a delightful way to end the story.
The moment with Mariah telling Howell that her mommy said she would recognize Howell by his hair was special and the scenes at the end of the book with the children were precious and a delightful way to end the story.
February 15, 2012
I read this before reading any of the other Tate pack series - a little confusing out of sequence, but I enjoyed it so much that I bought 1 & 2 and hurriedly read them.
There are a few editing errors, which normally annoy me, but I really liked the writing style and characters so managed to ignore the errors. Michael and Howell are lovely characters - I think this was the first book I've read with a deaf main character and it was beautifully done. They make for a very sexy couple.
There's also a good plot with Michael's father causing trouble. Katharina (Michael's sister) makes for a wonderful protector - she came with Michael after his pack threw him out for being deaf, gay and transgender.
Loved it and I'm looking forward to the next book...
There are a few editing errors, which normally annoy me, but I really liked the writing style and characters so managed to ignore the errors. Michael and Howell are lovely characters - I think this was the first book I've read with a deaf main character and it was beautifully done. They make for a very sexy couple.
There's also a good plot with Michael's father causing trouble. Katharina (Michael's sister) makes for a wonderful protector - she came with Michael after his pack threw him out for being deaf, gay and transgender.
Loved it and I'm looking forward to the next book...
June 23, 2012
I didn't finish reading this book. About halfway through I just got annoyed and bored by the book. I didn't like Howell. He seemed so arrogant and crude. Arrogant can be good sometimes but I just didn't see anything redeeming quality or any reason for it. Michael I sort of liked, but not enough to endure reading the rest of the book. Everything happened too quickly. I'm not talking about the insta-love mating bit. I mean the plot. It jumps around a lot, skipping forward past a whole night. Then jumping back without making everything clear. I got confused at the time frame of everything. There was also the outside plots with the MCs family. I don't know maybe it wasn't really confusing and I just wasn't paying attention. Maybe a bit of both.
February 6, 2012
Another perfect story by Vicktor Alexander just when you thought it couldn't possibly get better he proves you wrong! This was a awesome addition to and already amazing series
The characters are unforgettable they draw you in and you just can't help but want everything to be perfect for them and get mad when it doesn't happen right away that's just how awesome this author is a drawing you Into his stories. The plot is great! the Sex is Wow( has to fan herself) and ending leaves you happy with a sense of peace that you can come back and visit but your not always gonna wonder what happened! All in all this book has become my favorite of the Tate pack series truly can't wait for more
The characters are unforgettable they draw you in and you just can't help but want everything to be perfect for them and get mad when it doesn't happen right away that's just how awesome this author is a drawing you Into his stories. The plot is great! the Sex is Wow( has to fan herself) and ending leaves you happy with a sense of peace that you can come back and visit but your not always gonna wonder what happened! All in all this book has become my favorite of the Tate pack series truly can't wait for more
February 9, 2012
I was so happy to read Howl and Michael's story. It was very sexy and loving and a lot darker(dealing with pedophilia, abuse, rape, kidnapping, racism and transphobia) than some of Mr. Alexander's other Tate Pack books. I am looking forward to reading any other books by this author.
This is my favorite book of the series so far.
This is my favorite book of the series so far.
February 10, 2012
I have read all of the Tate Pack books. The first, Unthinkable, was light fun and overall nothing to deep or profound emotionally but good nonetheless more on the airy side with a touch oh ‘oh shit this cannot be happening’. The second book, Inconceivable, held more emotionally following a cross dresser. The fourth, A Very Tate Christmas, gives us a glimpse into other couples and their issues coming up in the series an unconventional way of doing things but if you know Victor than you know that it’s very conventional for him.
Unassumed follows the struggles of Howell Lourge Marshal and Michael Prosace an interracial couple dealing with the hardships of being gay, transgender, deaf, and others trying to kill them.
When I first heard about this book I was excited. Elated. Couldn’t wait to read it.
Reading through Unnassumed I became more and more disappointed.
This book I found myself at a loss.
Howell in the beginning is dead set against having a mate (you also see this in other Tate Pack books) so of course you wonder. Why? The why of it all is he is afraid of what will happen to his mate if whoever is trying to kill them all finds out about his mating back home in Georgia. When he was a little he, his cousin and sister were sent away for their own protection completely cut off from their home in Georgia. Howell wishing to protect what is his I understand even applaud BUT the way things play out...
Michael is a transgender female of sorts. He identifies with neither female nor male but is happy being an enigma. Michael’s emotional state and chaos in the book is well thought out and profound very solid work on Michael’s state of mind and his insight into things. Michael is also the only known deaf wolf shifter.
When they meet Howell is instantaneously all over Michael. Literally.
When the mating is over and done with Howell finds out that his farther, the Alpha of his home pack, is dead. How? Through an overly convenient mating link that allows Alpha’s and their mates to communicate telepathically, a brand new Alpha and his deaf mate. Convenient? Yes. I was looking forward to finding out how the couple would work through Michael being deaf and Howell doing his best to understand but alas this was not to be.
Upon finding out about his father’s deaf Michael’s older sister Katharina appears to tell the newly mated men that her and Michael’s father is on his way and they have to leave now. Convenient again? Yes. This prevents Howell from truly letting his anger and rage free. After all the safety of his mate and his mate’s sister comes before everything else. His rage later at a diner could be a build up from his father’s passing and his finding out that his missing cousin and sister is now dead. However; the longevity of his rage is unrealistic as is how quickly he seems to pull it back from one roll around in his truck with Michael.
Reading through the rest (which I will not touch base on but once again more convenient happenings arise) to the end my jaw dropped and one eyebrow went up. I was floored. Once again overly convenient things have happened.
Michael was feeling neglected by Howell because Howell is busy preparing his pack , as the new Alpha, for war with Michael’s father’s pack, the evil bad doer in this book.
So what happens? Instead of Michael confronting Howell about, Howell’s Gran takes care of everything. Conflict once again averted. Convenient? Yes.
The two go on a lovely date.
Arriving home from their lovely date a war between the packs has erupted. Gran knew about this and arranged for them to be gone so that at least one survivor from each pack would be left. Overly convenient? Why yes it is.
Then to top everything off the reader is not granted the satisfaction of Howell killing Michael’s father instead his Gran, Katharina, and Katharina’s mate Lucy (yes a woman) do the job.
Then wait for it... Howell shifts back announcing all he wishes is peace between packs. The new alpha (packs in this series are different than others, the dominating pack does not absorb the losing pack into itself instead a Beta steps up to take the deceased Alpha’s position) accepts Howell’s offer clasping hands.
It’s over. The fight is done. Well that was anticlimactic wasn’t it?
After finishing the book and I sat on for a day or two, I’ve come to the conclusion that Unassumed and Unthinkable run parallel to one another in many ways. Albeit in slightly different order but overall very similar in plot with a hint of Inconceivable.
Nothing overly new is injected into this book.
I can honestly say it pains me to write this review seeing as how the author is a personal friend of mine. I suppose everyone has that one friend who is “hard to please” and comes across a “bitch” while reviewing and I suppose that friend is me. I shall be ready with fire resistant clothing for when all of you Victor Alexander fans flame me for my review.
With Affection and Sorrow,
Lor
Unassumed follows the struggles of Howell Lourge Marshal and Michael Prosace an interracial couple dealing with the hardships of being gay, transgender, deaf, and others trying to kill them.
When I first heard about this book I was excited. Elated. Couldn’t wait to read it.
Reading through Unnassumed I became more and more disappointed.
This book I found myself at a loss.
Howell in the beginning is dead set against having a mate (you also see this in other Tate Pack books) so of course you wonder. Why? The why of it all is he is afraid of what will happen to his mate if whoever is trying to kill them all finds out about his mating back home in Georgia. When he was a little he, his cousin and sister were sent away for their own protection completely cut off from their home in Georgia. Howell wishing to protect what is his I understand even applaud BUT the way things play out...
Michael is a transgender female of sorts. He identifies with neither female nor male but is happy being an enigma. Michael’s emotional state and chaos in the book is well thought out and profound very solid work on Michael’s state of mind and his insight into things. Michael is also the only known deaf wolf shifter.
When they meet Howell is instantaneously all over Michael. Literally.
When the mating is over and done with Howell finds out that his farther, the Alpha of his home pack, is dead. How? Through an overly convenient mating link that allows Alpha’s and their mates to communicate telepathically, a brand new Alpha and his deaf mate. Convenient? Yes. I was looking forward to finding out how the couple would work through Michael being deaf and Howell doing his best to understand but alas this was not to be.
Upon finding out about his father’s deaf Michael’s older sister Katharina appears to tell the newly mated men that her and Michael’s father is on his way and they have to leave now. Convenient again? Yes. This prevents Howell from truly letting his anger and rage free. After all the safety of his mate and his mate’s sister comes before everything else. His rage later at a diner could be a build up from his father’s passing and his finding out that his missing cousin and sister is now dead. However; the longevity of his rage is unrealistic as is how quickly he seems to pull it back from one roll around in his truck with Michael.
Reading through the rest (which I will not touch base on but once again more convenient happenings arise) to the end my jaw dropped and one eyebrow went up. I was floored. Once again overly convenient things have happened.
Michael was feeling neglected by Howell because Howell is busy preparing his pack , as the new Alpha, for war with Michael’s father’s pack, the evil bad doer in this book.
So what happens? Instead of Michael confronting Howell about, Howell’s Gran takes care of everything. Conflict once again averted. Convenient? Yes.
The two go on a lovely date.
Arriving home from their lovely date a war between the packs has erupted. Gran knew about this and arranged for them to be gone so that at least one survivor from each pack would be left. Overly convenient? Why yes it is.
Then to top everything off the reader is not granted the satisfaction of Howell killing Michael’s father instead his Gran, Katharina, and Katharina’s mate Lucy (yes a woman) do the job.
Then wait for it... Howell shifts back announcing all he wishes is peace between packs. The new alpha (packs in this series are different than others, the dominating pack does not absorb the losing pack into itself instead a Beta steps up to take the deceased Alpha’s position) accepts Howell’s offer clasping hands.
It’s over. The fight is done. Well that was anticlimactic wasn’t it?
After finishing the book and I sat on for a day or two, I’ve come to the conclusion that Unassumed and Unthinkable run parallel to one another in many ways. Albeit in slightly different order but overall very similar in plot with a hint of Inconceivable.
Nothing overly new is injected into this book.
I can honestly say it pains me to write this review seeing as how the author is a personal friend of mine. I suppose everyone has that one friend who is “hard to please” and comes across a “bitch” while reviewing and I suppose that friend is me. I shall be ready with fire resistant clothing for when all of you Victor Alexander fans flame me for my review.
With Affection and Sorrow,
Lor
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2012
I loved it! I mean I love all of Vic's books. I really enjoyed this one I couldn't really keep away from it. As with all his books I've read so far. He's my top most reread author I've got on my to read list.
I liked how the struggle was over come and enjoyed the fact that Elves where a small part in this book. I really like seeing how the characters evolve over the story. It was really a two in one love match (Michael & Howell, Luci & Kat although you don't get the whole how and when and where of their story it's not told lol.)
I liked how the struggle was over come and enjoyed the fact that Elves where a small part in this book. I really like seeing how the characters evolve over the story. It was really a two in one love match (Michael & Howell, Luci & Kat although you don't get the whole how and when and where of their story it's not told lol.)
September 6, 2015
Ok, yes there are some issues in the book but this is a rating based on what I thought of the book. I really liked it. All of it. Michael being gender fluid add a dynamic to the story I've never received before. Michael was a wonderful character. Howell is how I wish more men in the world are. It didn't matter the body Michael was wrapped up in, Howell accepted him for him and loved him. I admit the ending was a bit too easy but it was a fun and uplifting story.
February 4, 2015
My favourite of the series, I really enjoy the banter between the two main characters and the behaviour of a secondary character. An enjoyable ride from start to finish. I did find the spelling mistakes a tad irritating, otherwise I would have given the book a higher rating.
February 8, 2012
My favorite of the series :)
March 13, 2012
Loved it can't wait for more
February 29, 2012
Love this series!! What happened to the Valentines story Vicktor?? Gimme......
August 12, 2012
This was a good addition to the series. I liked how the author incorporated racial and gender issues into the story. 4.5
February 8, 2012
Love, love, love this series. Can't wait for more.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews