What do you think?
Rate this book
Mismatched Mates #1
The Alpha's Warlock: Alternate Cover Edition
Cursed, mated, and in for the fight of their lives…
Warlock Nate Hawthorne just wants a cup of coffee. Is that too much to ask? Apparently. Because instead of precious caffeine, all he gets is cursed by a pack of werewolves who want to use him for his magic. Now the only way to fix the damage is a mate bond to a grumpy and oh-so-sexy alpha in the rival pack, who happens to hate him. This is so not how he wanted to start his day.
Ian Armitage never intended to take Nate as his mate. The Hawthorne family can’t be trusted. Ian knows that better than anyone. The fact that he’s lusted after the way-too-gorgeous man for years? Totally irrelevant. Ian’s just doing what is necessary to protect his pack. This whole mating arrangement has nothing to do with love and never will. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
Nate and Ian will have to work together if they have any hope of staving off the pack’s enemies and averting disaster. That’s assuming they can stop arguing (and keep their hands off each other) long enough to save the day…
The Alpha’s Warlock is an explicit M/M paranormal romance featuring a snarky warlock, a brooding alpha werewolf, knotting, enchanted socks (long story), and a guaranteed happily ever after. This series does not contain mpreg.
This is an alternate cover paperback edition, not a new/different entry in the Mismatched Mates series.
Warlock Nate Hawthorne just wants a cup of coffee. Is that too much to ask? Apparently. Because instead of precious caffeine, all he gets is cursed by a pack of werewolves who want to use him for his magic. Now the only way to fix the damage is a mate bond to a grumpy and oh-so-sexy alpha in the rival pack, who happens to hate him. This is so not how he wanted to start his day.
Ian Armitage never intended to take Nate as his mate. The Hawthorne family can’t be trusted. Ian knows that better than anyone. The fact that he’s lusted after the way-too-gorgeous man for years? Totally irrelevant. Ian’s just doing what is necessary to protect his pack. This whole mating arrangement has nothing to do with love and never will. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
Nate and Ian will have to work together if they have any hope of staving off the pack’s enemies and averting disaster. That’s assuming they can stop arguing (and keep their hands off each other) long enough to save the day…
The Alpha’s Warlock is an explicit M/M paranormal romance featuring a snarky warlock, a brooding alpha werewolf, knotting, enchanted socks (long story), and a guaranteed happily ever after. This series does not contain mpreg.
This is an alternate cover paperback edition, not a new/different entry in the Mismatched Mates series.
185 pages, Paperback
First published March 20, 2020
1247 people are currently reading
4046 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Grayson
43 books1,400 followersEliot's a lifelong Southern California girl, right down to the flip-flops and backyard garden. When she's not writing her next book, you can find her reading, drinking tea, or (more likely) catering to the demands of her kids and ancient, cranky cat.
Steamy books with delicious tension, heart-wrenching pining, and a hefty dose of action and adventure have always been her jam as a reader. Guess what she writes?
You can catch up with her on Facebook in her reader group, Eliot Grayson's Escape from Reality, or sign up for her newsletter at eliotgrayson.com.
Steamy books with delicious tension, heart-wrenching pining, and a hefty dose of action and adventure have always been her jam as a reader. Guess what she writes?
You can catch up with her on Facebook in her reader group, Eliot Grayson's Escape from Reality, or sign up for her newsletter at eliotgrayson.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,065 reviews
June 19, 2021
⭐3.4 “why did this werewolf romance manage to make me cry though” stars⭐
Talk about the unexpected. I went into this thinking I’d be walking into a fluffy, lighthearted book. The kind that warms the heart, if you will.
Well…
I wept, my hair started greying, my life expectancy was reduced. I still (mostly) enjoyed it though.
*******************************
Now, to be completely transparent, I'll admit that the misconception was completely my fault! I just read a few reviews for the series from other GR pals, said fuck it, and jumped right in.
Serves me right.
Since this was a shorter book (less than two hundred pages), however, let's jump into things right away…
HIGHLIGHTS
— The MC Nate.
Pitiful Nate. Snarky Nate. Lonely and secretly riddled by self-loathing Nate. Talk about a versatile guy!
(And yes, I’m aware of how ironic the last phrase is, considering he's the most bottom to ever bottom)
This entire book was narrated by him, and luckily for us, I might add. Because let me tell you, this guy was a whole comedian. There was no end to the ridiculous shit he'd spew and I was living for his brand of idiocy.
Yet, in a true display of emotional multitasking, I would then scroll down some paragraphs and holy bejeezus, this dude had some TRAUMA. Of the lifelong “how come you’re not in therapy little buddy” variety.
Nate after cracking his 80th joke of the day.
Still adored him though. I usually miss getting the scoop from the other half of a couple, but Nate was hilarious enough to compensate. As for Ian, the werewolf MC… well, he was there! He had a hugedick heart, so we can consider his assignment fulfilled.
(Even if it would get a C+ at most)
But moving on…
— The Smut (and the cute moments in-between)
Would I have been happier with more detailed sex scenes? Absolutely —this is a werewolf romance, after all, and I have my mind always firmly in the gutter. But the few moments we did get were fairly hot, and included such classics as claws, fangs, and knotting. It was everything I wanted and predicted from a steamy werewolf story. So, naturally, I can't complain too much in that department.
What was a surprise, however, were those few endearing moments also peppered in. Even outside the realm of all of the delicious possessiveness and jealousy that came from matehood, there was also tenderness to be had as well. Mine, mine, mine… but in a gentle way.
When these two weren’t arguing or failing to communicate (more on that later), they were hella cute.
Me reading about how Ian was brewing coffee for Nate after bedroom acrobatics. You could say domesticity is my kink 🥴
Keeping it rolling…
— ANGST (yes, this is a positive)
I was tearing up. Multiple times. Putting to use several tissues. Seating down, in bed, standing up. My entire house witnessed the emotional fallout.
So if anyone were to ask me to meet up after this...
In the meantime, feel free to join me for a "bawling your eyes out" sesh. Think of it as a party, but instead of music we are all depressed.
Now, for the juicier part…
THE ISSUES (I personally had with the book)
— A Tedious Thing Called plot.
I was not here for it. The first 60% of the story mostly took place inside a werewolf compound, with Nate and Ian both learning to navigate their arranged mating. It was cute, yet just the right amount of angsty. It was hot and filled with tension. It was, to put it simply, enjoyable.
What followed it? Not so much. Suddenly the book was jumping the shark and we were dumped right into a battle of "epic proportions" (with lame and lamer as the villains), had about 4 chapters without the MCs interacting in any romantic fashion, and were asked to care about all of the 70+ characters being introduced left and right.
Spoilers: I didn't.
instead, as someone who tends to only care about the main couple and considers everything else a hurdle to jump, my patience was wearing thinner and thinner.
And finally, the fatal plague I cannot escape. An eternal monster that haunts my nightmares, sucks the joy out of my bones, and leaves me in a state of numbed oblivion…
— MISCOMMUNICATION.
And so we meet again, old rival.
At this point, I should probably disclose that this is my number one pet peeve. If 99% of the character’s issues can be solved by opening their lips and learning to utilize a trivial thing called speech, then my need for slapping rises to a higher altitude than any likability the protagonists might have. In other words, the story becomes the Mount Everest of whack.
The two MCs, as entertaining as they were together (and by entertaining I mean hot), ended up becoming dumbasses first and foremost. The kind that, for all intents and purposes, left me wondering if they were common sense challenged by any chance.
(Which is a real ailment, and a terminal one at that)
So in conclusion…
👆 Nate and Ian every time they flapped their goddamned mouths 👆
**************************
With that being said...
Even despitethe bane of my existence aka miscommunication these small niggles, I still had a good time for the majority of the story (hence the 3+ stars, which is a very positive rating from me). Just wished the latter half had been ✨left in the drafts✨
I do, nonetheless, look forward to continuing the series, since Ian's brother (Hot Alpha Man #2, as I like to call him) seemed pretty dope. Besides, his mate is going to be a necromancer, so need I say more?
If no creepy zombies happen in the sequel, color me severely disappointed.
**********************
Last but never least...
Keywords to figure out whether this story is for you:
Werewolfsmut romance.
Enemies-to-lovers. But make it all a misunderstanding. MCs that both speak the English language yet still cannot communicate. Clawing, biting, knotting —all the shifter hits are here. Size difference (Nate: a twig. Ian: the hulk but make him a sexy redhead). Strict bedroom roles. Possessiveness. Surprise angst. One (1) evil and abusive warlock father. Pesky things such as "plot" and "setting up sequels". And finally, when all is said and done, a bit of a lukewarm HEA that still serves its purposes nonetheless.
But in all honesty and beyond the few issues I had… this book?
*********************
Mismatched Mates by Eliot Grayson
Alpha's Warlock — 3.4 ⭐
Captive Mate — TBR.
A very Armitage Christmas (short story) — TBR.
First Blood (novella) — TBR.
The Alpha Experiment — TBR.
Lost and Bound — TBR.
Talk about the unexpected. I went into this thinking I’d be walking into a fluffy, lighthearted book. The kind that warms the heart, if you will.
Well…
I wept, my hair started greying, my life expectancy was reduced. I still (mostly) enjoyed it though.
*******************************
Now, to be completely transparent, I'll admit that the misconception was completely my fault! I just read a few reviews for the series from other GR pals, said fuck it, and jumped right in.
Serves me right.
Since this was a shorter book (less than two hundred pages), however, let's jump into things right away…
HIGHLIGHTS
— The MC Nate.
Pitiful Nate. Snarky Nate. Lonely and secretly riddled by self-loathing Nate. Talk about a versatile guy!
(And yes, I’m aware of how ironic the last phrase is, considering he's the most bottom to ever bottom)
This entire book was narrated by him, and luckily for us, I might add. Because let me tell you, this guy was a whole comedian. There was no end to the ridiculous shit he'd spew and I was living for his brand of idiocy.
Yet, in a true display of emotional multitasking, I would then scroll down some paragraphs and holy bejeezus, this dude had some TRAUMA. Of the lifelong “how come you’re not in therapy little buddy” variety.
Nate after cracking his 80th joke of the day.
Still adored him though. I usually miss getting the scoop from the other half of a couple, but Nate was hilarious enough to compensate. As for Ian, the werewolf MC… well, he was there! He had a huge
(Even if it would get a C+ at most)
But moving on…
— The Smut (and the cute moments in-between)
Would I have been happier with more detailed sex scenes? Absolutely —this is a werewolf romance, after all, and I have my mind always firmly in the gutter. But the few moments we did get were fairly hot, and included such classics as claws, fangs, and knotting. It was everything I wanted and predicted from a steamy werewolf story. So, naturally, I can't complain too much in that department.
What was a surprise, however, were those few endearing moments also peppered in. Even outside the realm of all of the delicious possessiveness and jealousy that came from matehood, there was also tenderness to be had as well. Mine, mine, mine… but in a gentle way.
When these two weren’t arguing or failing to communicate (more on that later), they were hella cute.
Me reading about how Ian was brewing coffee for Nate after bedroom acrobatics. You could say domesticity is my kink 🥴
Keeping it rolling…
— ANGST (yes, this is a positive)
I was tearing up. Multiple times. Putting to use several tissues. Seating down, in bed, standing up. My entire house witnessed the emotional fallout.
So if anyone were to ask me to meet up after this...
In the meantime, feel free to join me for a "bawling your eyes out" sesh. Think of it as a party, but instead of music we are all depressed.
Now, for the juicier part…
THE ISSUES (I personally had with the book)
— A Tedious Thing Called plot.
I was not here for it. The first 60% of the story mostly took place inside a werewolf compound, with Nate and Ian both learning to navigate their arranged mating. It was cute, yet just the right amount of angsty. It was hot and filled with tension. It was, to put it simply, enjoyable.
What followed it? Not so much. Suddenly the book was jumping the shark and we were dumped right into a battle of "epic proportions" (with lame and lamer as the villains), had about 4 chapters without the MCs interacting in any romantic fashion, and were asked to care about all of the 70+ characters being introduced left and right.
Spoilers: I didn't.
instead, as someone who tends to only care about the main couple and considers everything else a hurdle to jump, my patience was wearing thinner and thinner.
And finally, the fatal plague I cannot escape. An eternal monster that haunts my nightmares, sucks the joy out of my bones, and leaves me in a state of numbed oblivion…
— MISCOMMUNICATION.
And so we meet again, old rival.
At this point, I should probably disclose that this is my number one pet peeve. If 99% of the character’s issues can be solved by opening their lips and learning to utilize a trivial thing called speech, then my need for slapping rises to a higher altitude than any likability the protagonists might have. In other words, the story becomes the Mount Everest of whack.
The two MCs, as entertaining as they were together (and by entertaining I mean hot), ended up becoming dumbasses first and foremost. The kind that, for all intents and purposes, left me wondering if they were common sense challenged by any chance.
(Which is a real ailment, and a terminal one at that)
So in conclusion…
👆 Nate and Ian every time they flapped their goddamned mouths 👆
**************************
With that being said...
Even despite
I do, nonetheless, look forward to continuing the series, since Ian's brother (Hot Alpha Man #2, as I like to call him) seemed pretty dope. Besides, his mate is going to be a necromancer, so need I say more?
If no creepy zombies happen in the sequel, color me severely disappointed.
**********************
Last but never least...
Keywords to figure out whether this story is for you:
Werewolf
But in all honesty and beyond the few issues I had… this book?
*********************
Mismatched Mates by Eliot Grayson
Alpha's Warlock — 3.4 ⭐
Captive Mate — TBR.
A very Armitage Christmas (short story) — TBR.
First Blood (novella) — TBR.
The Alpha Experiment — TBR.
Lost and Bound — TBR.
October 28, 2020
Has anyone ever read a book that has A LOT of issues, doesn’t entirely make sense, and does not have the best dialogue but for some reason you just cant stop reading & are thoroughly entertained??? Well... that was me & this book.
I honestly don’t know what it is about this book but it was kind of fun?? I mean there’s a moment in this book when everything gets a bit confusing & rushed like the plot line, relationships, & dynamics between characters but again, I had fun?? Both characters are messed up in their own ways & don’t easily trust. It was fun to see them slowly break down barriers and get to know each other and eventually care for one another. There’s also quite a bit of action in this book and it made the journey even more fun.
Although, I will say a major thing that bothered me with this book is that there are little to no character descriptions. I’m assuming the main character is on the cover, but unless I skipped that section, I have no idea what he looks like.
But anyway, I just might come back for the sequel. This book left a lot of questions unanswered that I would like to know the answers to. Idk idk we’ll see.
I honestly don’t know what it is about this book but it was kind of fun?? I mean there’s a moment in this book when everything gets a bit confusing & rushed like the plot line, relationships, & dynamics between characters but again, I had fun?? Both characters are messed up in their own ways & don’t easily trust. It was fun to see them slowly break down barriers and get to know each other and eventually care for one another. There’s also quite a bit of action in this book and it made the journey even more fun.
Although, I will say a major thing that bothered me with this book is that there are little to no character descriptions. I’m assuming the main character is on the cover, but unless I skipped that section, I have no idea what he looks like.
But anyway, I just might come back for the sequel. This book left a lot of questions unanswered that I would like to know the answers to. Idk idk we’ll see.
February 24, 2021
Me, after reading the blurb for the book: "Knotting"? Like macramé or something? Well, I like arts and crafts. I just hope that they don't mean sailors knots or something like that because that is boring. Oh, free on KU? *click*
Me, after reading the "knotting" scene: What. The. Actual. Fuck? Also:
ok, so the year at home has made me a little dramatic.
Once I got over all of that, I really liked the book. There was more angst than I would usually like, but I liked the main characters enough to cancel that out. It was one of those forced mate bonds type of things between a warlock and an alpha werewolf. And this warlock is so freaking snarky that I just had to love him.
Now I am looking forward to the next book because I'm hooked on the world. You might say that it's got me all tied up in knots. Huh? huh?
(Sorry about that.)
Me, after reading the "knotting" scene: What. The. Actual. Fuck? Also:
ok, so the year at home has made me a little dramatic.
Once I got over all of that, I really liked the book. There was more angst than I would usually like, but I liked the main characters enough to cancel that out. It was one of those forced mate bonds type of things between a warlock and an alpha werewolf. And this warlock is so freaking snarky that I just had to love him.
Now I am looking forward to the next book because I'm hooked on the world. You might say that it's got me all tied up in knots. Huh? huh?
(Sorry about that.)
February 27, 2024
The writing was not amazing and the world building fell a little short in my opinion. I also really wish we got to learn more about Charlie and Dor. This book definitely has its down points. So why the five star rating? Well, I did really like Nate who is the main character so that helped. And I liked how his relationship with Ian was built up. But the real reason is that I just had a lot of fun reading this book! I’m not even sure why, I just, really, really enjoyed it despite its flaws. I don’t think there was ever a slow moment in the plot. I thought about giving it four stars but in the end I really just couldn’t.
June 15, 2020
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Has Potential*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This book isn't bad per se, it has a lot of potential, however it lack something quite important: chemistry. The story centers around Warlock Nate Hawthorne (26?) and the pack leader's second in command of the Armitage pack Ian Armitage (27), one of the most feared werewolves in northern California. Nate shows up in Ian's territory weak and dying, in the need of a mate as Armitage pack's enemies' shaman has put Nate in a curse. And the one who to be Nate's mate is Ian, the one who hates him. Can they overcome their differences and work together to survive?
Overall, the plot was alright, the characters were... alright, there was nothing special about either character. Ian seems angry and has blind loyalty, and Nate was uncertain and lacked confidence, and what I'm guessing was supposed to be sassiness was more annoyingness. Ian and Nate together had no chemistry, the sex wasn't all that hot as it seems like they weren't into it. I felt no development between them, nor the characters as individuals.
Then there was the side character that we didn't get to know at all. We only got shallow moments with them. So there was no pack bondings. And it bothered me a bit with how Nate found Ian all brawn no brains. I need my men powerful and alpha males, so this put me off a bit. So to complete the summary, the book lacked emotions between the characters, I think. But it was still a read that wasn't bad. It wasn't a waste of time as it did have quite potential. Reminded me a bit of The Necromancer's Dance by SJ Himes but far from it's level.
Other Characters:
→ Matthew ‘Matt’ Armitage (31), the alpha of the Armitage pack.
→ Sam Kimball, the pack leader of Kimball pack, who's pack kidnapped and cursed Nate to steal/use/control his power.
→ Jonathan Hawthorne, Nate's dead father (died two years ago) who had been a magical consultant to the Armitage pack.
→ Charlie Fenwick (very old), a vampire who used to know Nate's father. Doran ‘Dor’, his tracker, a strange bodyguard no one could properly identify.
→ Jared, Nate's dead ex-lover and Ian's best friend and cousin.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance (M/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Doran ‘Dor’, I think.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Umm, good question.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 ‘‘meh’’ stars.
September 17, 2024
Well, I'm very conflicted about this book. I love the author's style, so I thought this one was a sure thing. But the relationship between Ian and Nate is so full of hate, lies and miscommunication .... this was extremely draining to read.
My heartbeat ticked up as the familiar rage Ian always seemed to inspire really got going.
“Fuck you, asshole.”
He laughed, but it didn't sound all that friendly.
“Other way around, you lying prick.” 😩
A small, pathetic voice in the back of my mind wailed that maybe he could've stuck around long enough to make sure I was okay. I squelched it. Fuck that. I was a grown man, and I didn't need my mate to hold my hand, or stroke my hair, or whatever. 😢
Not such a big problem in principle, but I think it lacks balance. I was waiting the whole time for the moment when there would be a real conversation between them to get all the bad stuff out of the way ... in vain.
So what I miss is love and romance in this story.
The plot is wonderful, even a little annoying, but overall full of action and breathtaking.
The sex scenes were good, knots and all, yummy.
But here, too, the connection was a bit lacking. Sure, it's not there at the beginning, but I was hoping that it would go more in that direction:
He pressed his mouth to my shoulder. I froze. What the fuck. He did it again, brushing his lips over the soft curve between my neck and shoulder, nuzzling under my ear, and then kissing me again on the tip of my earlobe. My heart had settled down a little from its frantic rhythm, but it picked right back up again.
For a second, I started to panic. I didn't have the fucking manual for this. What did a guy do when his hostile asshole werewolf mate started to, like, be nice to him? Sweet, even? 🫠
Sadly, no.
So, disappointing, a bit. I think I love and hate this book equally .... sorry. 🥴🤷🏼♀️
My heartbeat ticked up as the familiar rage Ian always seemed to inspire really got going.
“Fuck you, asshole.”
He laughed, but it didn't sound all that friendly.
“Other way around, you lying prick.” 😩
A small, pathetic voice in the back of my mind wailed that maybe he could've stuck around long enough to make sure I was okay. I squelched it. Fuck that. I was a grown man, and I didn't need my mate to hold my hand, or stroke my hair, or whatever. 😢
Not such a big problem in principle, but I think it lacks balance. I was waiting the whole time for the moment when there would be a real conversation between them to get all the bad stuff out of the way ... in vain.
So what I miss is love and romance in this story.
The plot is wonderful, even a little annoying, but overall full of action and breathtaking.
The sex scenes were good, knots and all, yummy.
But here, too, the connection was a bit lacking. Sure, it's not there at the beginning, but I was hoping that it would go more in that direction:
He pressed his mouth to my shoulder. I froze. What the fuck. He did it again, brushing his lips over the soft curve between my neck and shoulder, nuzzling under my ear, and then kissing me again on the tip of my earlobe. My heart had settled down a little from its frantic rhythm, but it picked right back up again.
For a second, I started to panic. I didn't have the fucking manual for this. What did a guy do when his hostile asshole werewolf mate started to, like, be nice to him? Sweet, even? 🫠
Sadly, no.
So, disappointing, a bit. I think I love and hate this book equally .... sorry. 🥴🤷🏼♀️
March 28, 2023
4.25**** stars
First, thank you so much Iz for recommending this when I was in need of a fun story with enough steam to keep me entertained.
And great entertainment it was!! I went for the audio and Chris Chambers did a fantastic job. I look forward to the rest of the series already.
Because this term is used way too loosely anyway I would refer to this story as an enemies-to-lovers. After escaping a kidnap, warlock Nate is found half dead in the woods by his (dead) ex-boyfriend's cousin and werewolf Ian, who supposedly hates him and also blames him for the death of said cousin. To save Nate from imminent death he needs to be mated and the honor of doing so goes to reluctant Ian. They are not quite off on the right foot.
Their journey and banter and whole story was equally entertaining as it was sweet and exciting. With a lot of plot twists and secrets revealed and I was hooked from the first minute to the last. I can def recommend.
*this audio was free with my audible subscription
*************
Mismatched Mates Series:
Book 1 - The Alpha’s Warlock - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Captive Mate - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - The Alpha Experiment - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Lost and Bound - audio tbr
Book 5 - Lost Touch
Book 6 - The Alpha Contract
Book 7 - The Alpha’s Gamble
It’s best to read this series in order.
First, thank you so much Iz for recommending this when I was in need of a fun story with enough steam to keep me entertained.
And great entertainment it was!! I went for the audio and Chris Chambers did a fantastic job. I look forward to the rest of the series already.
Because this term is used way too loosely anyway I would refer to this story as an enemies-to-lovers. After escaping a kidnap, warlock Nate is found half dead in the woods by his (dead) ex-boyfriend's cousin and werewolf Ian, who supposedly hates him and also blames him for the death of said cousin. To save Nate from imminent death he needs to be mated and the honor of doing so goes to reluctant Ian. They are not quite off on the right foot.
Their journey and banter and whole story was equally entertaining as it was sweet and exciting. With a lot of plot twists and secrets revealed and I was hooked from the first minute to the last. I can def recommend.
*this audio was free with my audible subscription
*************
Mismatched Mates Series:
Book 1 - The Alpha’s Warlock - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Captive Mate - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - The Alpha Experiment - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Lost and Bound - audio tbr
Book 5 - Lost Touch
Book 6 - The Alpha Contract
Book 7 - The Alpha’s Gamble
It’s best to read this series in order.
May 20, 2023
4/5 ⭐ ❝Give me coffee or give me death❞ ☕
What an amazing surprise! ❥ Just as the nicest warm cup of large black coffee, as Nate would say! I have to be thanked to Kati―Goodreads friend, here―for sharing her review of this book, that single action opened a door and let me in into a magical universe which holds tons of posibilities in order to expand itself by the skilful hands of Eliot Grayson―terrific novel this author gifted us 🎁―Obviously, I'm aware of the next instalments, so I have no doubts about them being read by me in some near future 📚🌹
Before starting this analysis, I want to stand out above the rest of the elements the great main character who Eliot Grayson has built here, brick by brick, the author has consolidated an amusing protagonist around whom the plot is developed, despite of some problems about its running through this book.
Hence, after taking into consideration the pros and cons, I decided to rate this with four stars 🌟, because of I enjoyed it enough to catch my interest about the future of the whole cast of characters who took part of this story.
◾ The Alpha's Warlock is the first instalment of ❛Mismatched Mates❜ series. This title matchs like the ring on one's finger, as the saying goes 💍 It is due not simply for being different species who mated to each other, they also are perfect example of opposites strongly attracted. In this context, Nate is a warlock who is cursed by The Kimballs, a pack of werewolves whose members are in feud against Armitage pack 🐺 Ian and Matthew are the two alpha brothers who rule this pack, being Ian the younger, but definitely not little, Matthew's brother, who is the current leader of the Armitage pack. Nate strongly believes that Ian―the pack leader's second in command―hates him from the depth of his heart, but he is so wrong 💔 It's patently obvious that Ian had a crush on him, but the wolf consider that his feelings were not reciprocate because of Nate was hooking up with Jared, another deceased werewolf who was Ian's bestfriend and cousin 😮💨
Tons of info about which you have to mull over, my bad!
Resuming the cursing topic, Nate was cursed by Kimball's shaman, so he needs to be urgently mated with Ian―pretends to be shocked 😲―to survive the evil ritual 😈 This worrying outcome is due to Matthew's rejection to bond with our dear warlock, appealing to his duties as pack leader. This is how these two stubborn dudes have to deal with a sudden bond, tons of refrained feelings and misunderstandings while they fight a war against The Kimballs.
◾ Mainly, this read holds three key elements that deserve to be highlighted and recognized as three positives:
► Firstly, our proudly coffeholic warlock, Nate Hawthrorne. Having to think that this Odisea started because he only wanted a cup of coffee is remarkable. Withdrawal symptoms given as a result of undercaffeinated were the last straw after being kidnapped and cursed. I adored Nate’s personality and sense of humor along this journey, plainly and simply. He is a pretty addictive character―the same as a good coffee―and a reader easily can empathize with him, considering that reading what is into his mind it’s quite funny 🥳 He interacts with the rest of the characters using an ironic and mocking dialogue. Some examples:
↬ ❝Ian grabbed a cart and followed me in. Okay, so he could be moderately useful. Maybe ❛dominant mate❜ meant he drove anything with wheels, including grocery carts❞ 🛒
↬ Ian stopped abruptly just inside the door, staring at me ❝Take a picture, it'll last longer❞ I said [...] He huffled ❝Pretty sure I'll have all the opportunities I need to look at you, now that we're mated for life❞ ❥
This is a quite personal use of language which hides his melancholic side, so it could be said that for Nate his bright personality hides his messed self-confidence:
↬ ❝Ian hadn't wanted anything to do with me, and neither did that asshole shaman, really. I was a means to an end. No one though I was good for anything except to be a pawn❞ ♟️
Nate describes himself as: ❛a flamboyantly gay warlock with a criminal father❜ and werewolves judge him by this biological imperative due to his father, an unloyal warlock who always sold himself to the highest bidder. Misconceptions chase him, but he covers his negative side with sense of humor. Even more, when his thoughts are related with Ian ❥ who is a brutish alpha but an adorable ❛wolfie❜ at the same time 🌓
↬ ❝Ian's idea of ❛food [...]❜ was [...] a loaf of whole-wheat bread with all the gross seeds in it. Without butter [...] seriously, weren't alpha[s] instintively driven to provide, [...]?❞ 🍞
► Secondly, Charlie and Dor, the amazing duo you didn't know you needed 👑 Charlie is an old vampire―with a cherubish stylish―who is bodyguarded by Dor, a hulking wizard―with ninja vibes in author's eyes, but he reminds me more of Neo from The Matrix film, due to the robes and this kind of badass stuff―who also makes delicious coffees ☕ They're also involved in the problem with The Kimball's pack. Funny moments are guaranteed thanks to them, such as my current quote: ❝Aww,❞ Charlie cooed, ❝Twue wuv❞ 💗; in which the old vampire mocked Ian because of showing tenderness to his new mate. Plus, the Lassie nickname who this dude gave to the werewolve, it made my day at the moment I read it:
↬ ❝A cocktail lounge? [...] Kind of cliché, isn't? You know. The red velvet, the vampire thing...❞ Charlie straightened [...] ❝We're in Lancaster, obviously, and good taste is cliché for a reason, Lassie. Now what would you drink? And would you prefer a glass or a bowl on the floor?❞
Our poor Ian ended buried in a sunken hole after this statement, that resounding slap in the face was heard from Madrid! 😎
► And thirdly, I would like to stress the world building 🌹🐉 We've not read all its potential here, but there are clues about how this universe could be developed in the next instalments ♥ But for the moment we only know about the public knowledge about magical creatures, who coexist with humans within this world. It was brief, but the appearence of a gnome buying clothes at the supermarket because his cousin was getting married the following day was hilarious, even more because an human shop-assistent, who was still a college-aged, had to bear the trading to his disgrace 🤡
◾ Why have I not given my five stars ❓ What detriments this read is its short lenght, despite of being unfair because the book was written that way, that's the reality, but another true fact its that the shorter the book is the worst pacing 💀 Being accurated, I would say that events started to feel rushed at 57.92 % and this percent runs into the first appearence of the main villain of this book―I don't want to spoil anything this time, so I'm goint to keep silence about the identity of this character―; event that is solved quickly and then we move on to the next issue, The Kimballs, whose first battle was also done at light speed 💡 Obviously, this is my personal opinion, not an universal truth, but I felt that the author lost several amount of time establishing the bonding between the MCs―sex scenes are crammed at the beggining of the story, with only one exception―; but I'm not going to complain about the quality of its writing: if you're into ❛knotting❜ involved in sex stuff, take a seat and enjoy yourself with a popcorn bucket 🍿 Friend, this is your lucky day!
What an amazing surprise! ❥ Just as the nicest warm cup of large black coffee, as Nate would say! I have to be thanked to Kati―Goodreads friend, here―for sharing her review of this book, that single action opened a door and let me in into a magical universe which holds tons of posibilities in order to expand itself by the skilful hands of Eliot Grayson―terrific novel this author gifted us 🎁―Obviously, I'm aware of the next instalments, so I have no doubts about them being read by me in some near future 📚🌹
Before starting this analysis, I want to stand out above the rest of the elements the great main character who Eliot Grayson has built here, brick by brick, the author has consolidated an amusing protagonist around whom the plot is developed, despite of some problems about its running through this book.
Hence, after taking into consideration the pros and cons, I decided to rate this with four stars 🌟, because of I enjoyed it enough to catch my interest about the future of the whole cast of characters who took part of this story.
◾ The Alpha's Warlock is the first instalment of ❛Mismatched Mates❜ series. This title matchs like the ring on one's finger, as the saying goes 💍 It is due not simply for being different species who mated to each other, they also are perfect example of opposites strongly attracted. In this context, Nate is a warlock who is cursed by The Kimballs, a pack of werewolves whose members are in feud against Armitage pack 🐺 Ian and Matthew are the two alpha brothers who rule this pack, being Ian the younger, but definitely not little, Matthew's brother, who is the current leader of the Armitage pack. Nate strongly believes that Ian―the pack leader's second in command―hates him from the depth of his heart, but he is so wrong 💔 It's patently obvious that Ian had a crush on him, but the wolf consider that his feelings were not reciprocate because of Nate was hooking up with Jared, another deceased werewolf who was Ian's bestfriend and cousin 😮💨
Tons of info about which you have to mull over, my bad!
Resuming the cursing topic, Nate was cursed by Kimball's shaman, so he needs to be urgently mated with Ian―pretends to be shocked 😲―to survive the evil ritual 😈 This worrying outcome is due to Matthew's rejection to bond with our dear warlock, appealing to his duties as pack leader. This is how these two stubborn dudes have to deal with a sudden bond, tons of refrained feelings and misunderstandings while they fight a war against The Kimballs.
◾ Mainly, this read holds three key elements that deserve to be highlighted and recognized as three positives:
► Firstly, our proudly coffeholic warlock, Nate Hawthrorne. Having to think that this Odisea started because he only wanted a cup of coffee is remarkable. Withdrawal symptoms given as a result of undercaffeinated were the last straw after being kidnapped and cursed. I adored Nate’s personality and sense of humor along this journey, plainly and simply. He is a pretty addictive character―the same as a good coffee―and a reader easily can empathize with him, considering that reading what is into his mind it’s quite funny 🥳 He interacts with the rest of the characters using an ironic and mocking dialogue. Some examples:
↬ ❝Ian grabbed a cart and followed me in. Okay, so he could be moderately useful. Maybe ❛dominant mate❜ meant he drove anything with wheels, including grocery carts❞ 🛒
↬ Ian stopped abruptly just inside the door, staring at me ❝Take a picture, it'll last longer❞ I said [...] He huffled ❝Pretty sure I'll have all the opportunities I need to look at you, now that we're mated for life❞ ❥
This is a quite personal use of language which hides his melancholic side, so it could be said that for Nate his bright personality hides his messed self-confidence:
↬ ❝Ian hadn't wanted anything to do with me, and neither did that asshole shaman, really. I was a means to an end. No one though I was good for anything except to be a pawn❞ ♟️
Nate describes himself as: ❛a flamboyantly gay warlock with a criminal father❜ and werewolves judge him by this biological imperative due to his father, an unloyal warlock who always sold himself to the highest bidder. Misconceptions chase him, but he covers his negative side with sense of humor. Even more, when his thoughts are related with Ian ❥ who is a brutish alpha but an adorable ❛wolfie❜ at the same time 🌓
↬ ❝Ian's idea of ❛food [...]❜ was [...] a loaf of whole-wheat bread with all the gross seeds in it. Without butter [...] seriously, weren't alpha[s] instintively driven to provide, [...]?❞ 🍞
► Secondly, Charlie and Dor, the amazing duo you didn't know you needed 👑 Charlie is an old vampire―with a cherubish stylish―who is bodyguarded by Dor, a hulking wizard―with ninja vibes in author's eyes, but he reminds me more of Neo from The Matrix film, due to the robes and this kind of badass stuff―who also makes delicious coffees ☕ They're also involved in the problem with The Kimball's pack. Funny moments are guaranteed thanks to them, such as my current quote: ❝Aww,❞ Charlie cooed, ❝Twue wuv❞ 💗; in which the old vampire mocked Ian because of showing tenderness to his new mate. Plus, the Lassie nickname who this dude gave to the werewolve, it made my day at the moment I read it:
↬ ❝A cocktail lounge? [...] Kind of cliché, isn't? You know. The red velvet, the vampire thing...❞ Charlie straightened [...] ❝We're in Lancaster, obviously, and good taste is cliché for a reason, Lassie. Now what would you drink? And would you prefer a glass or a bowl on the floor?❞
Our poor Ian ended buried in a sunken hole after this statement, that resounding slap in the face was heard from Madrid! 😎
► And thirdly, I would like to stress the world building 🌹🐉 We've not read all its potential here, but there are clues about how this universe could be developed in the next instalments ♥ But for the moment we only know about the public knowledge about magical creatures, who coexist with humans within this world. It was brief, but the appearence of a gnome buying clothes at the supermarket because his cousin was getting married the following day was hilarious, even more because an human shop-assistent, who was still a college-aged, had to bear the trading to his disgrace 🤡
◾ Why have I not given my five stars ❓ What detriments this read is its short lenght, despite of being unfair because the book was written that way, that's the reality, but another true fact its that the shorter the book is the worst pacing 💀 Being accurated, I would say that events started to feel rushed at 57.92 % and this percent runs into the first appearence of the main villain of this book―I don't want to spoil anything this time, so I'm goint to keep silence about the identity of this character―; event that is solved quickly and then we move on to the next issue, The Kimballs, whose first battle was also done at light speed 💡 Obviously, this is my personal opinion, not an universal truth, but I felt that the author lost several amount of time establishing the bonding between the MCs―sex scenes are crammed at the beggining of the story, with only one exception―; but I'm not going to complain about the quality of its writing: if you're into ❛knotting❜ involved in sex stuff, take a seat and enjoy yourself with a popcorn bucket 🍿 Friend, this is your lucky day!
September 3, 2023
After a rocky start, I had a lot of fun with the first shifter romance I’ve read in ages!
I’ve stayed stayed away from shifter romances for a while now, but on my endless quest for audios I can listen to (esp ones that come free with my audible subscription), I kept stumbling upon this series and finally decided to give it a go.
Mostly because it was for free, if I’m completely honest.
Imagine my surprise when, after a bit of a boring start, it actually became quite… good?
It begins with Nate (who’s pov we get through the entire book), a warlock, who flees into werewolf territory after escaping from some other werewolves who kidnapped him with the intention on forcing a bond on him to control his magic.
He begs Matt, the alpha of the pack he sought refuge with, to give him another mate because if not, Nate is bound to die.
Enter Ian, Matt’s brother, who does the job, but isn’t overly happy about it.
So they bicker, and they fight, and it all seems a bit bland up to the point where they need to join forces to find out what the big evil plan behind everything is.
For a first book in a series, it’s quite good. I especially loved two of the side characters (I have to check if there’s a book about them out there…) and the plot/action kept me invested. It’s not Shakespeare, and Nate and Ian aren’t Romeo and Juliet, but that wasn’t what I was here for anyway.
The narrator, Chris Chambers, was ok - not overwhelmingly good, but after speeding it up a bit, I began enjoying his narration, especially as he managed to give his characters distinctive voices.
3.5 stars, rounded up because it made me eager to read more of what’s going on in this world.
So thank you Kati for making me pick it up, I think I’ll have fun with this series 😊
I’ve stayed stayed away from shifter romances for a while now, but on my endless quest for audios I can listen to (esp ones that come free with my audible subscription), I kept stumbling upon this series and finally decided to give it a go.
Mostly because it was for free, if I’m completely honest.
Imagine my surprise when, after a bit of a boring start, it actually became quite… good?
It begins with Nate (who’s pov we get through the entire book), a warlock, who flees into werewolf territory after escaping from some other werewolves who kidnapped him with the intention on forcing a bond on him to control his magic.
He begs Matt, the alpha of the pack he sought refuge with, to give him another mate because if not, Nate is bound to die.
Enter Ian, Matt’s brother, who does the job, but isn’t overly happy about it.
So they bicker, and they fight, and it all seems a bit bland up to the point where they need to join forces to find out what the big evil plan behind everything is.
For a first book in a series, it’s quite good. I especially loved two of the side characters (I have to check if there’s a book about them out there…) and the plot/action kept me invested. It’s not Shakespeare, and Nate and Ian aren’t Romeo and Juliet, but that wasn’t what I was here for anyway.
The narrator, Chris Chambers, was ok - not overwhelmingly good, but after speeding it up a bit, I began enjoying his narration, especially as he managed to give his characters distinctive voices.
3.5 stars, rounded up because it made me eager to read more of what’s going on in this world.
So thank you Kati for making me pick it up, I think I’ll have fun with this series 😊
May 25, 2020
I found Nate's dialog very entertaining and think this book has a good balance of humor, action, sex, and serious emotional issues. I would have liked a bit more world-building, but that's mostly greediness on my part because I wanted the story to go on longer. What is Dor? How is he connected to Charlie? What about the MESCALINE COYOTE DEMON CULT?! You don't just throw that shit on the table and walk away, dammit author. PLUS the next book is not available yet? But I need to know!
#madatyou
#madatyou
October 11, 2021
I’ve never had this happen before but the kindle app couldn’t calculate my reading speed until 70% - I literally had to take breaks every 5 mins and it’s taken me 3 days to get through. This was so not my cup of tea 😬!!!
I think this was doomed from the start as I prefer slow burns - I want a helluva lot more relationship development before the actual hanky panky. I have no idea how old they were supposed to be but both the MC’s annoyed me. Their lack of communication skills was annoying AF 🤨.
I found the world-building sadly lacking. I honestly thought I was reading a spin off when I started this. And why were the Kimball and Armitage packs rivals anyway? Where were the rest of the werewolves?
The ending was OTT, rushed and some of it didn’t make sense to me.
I only persevered with this because I wanted to read the second book but at this point, I don’t think I’ll be continuing on. Apologies to my friends who liked this and found it a fun series. I think the fact that I’m no spring chicken did not help matters! 🤷🏻♀️
I think this was doomed from the start as I prefer slow burns - I want a helluva lot more relationship development before the actual hanky panky. I have no idea how old they were supposed to be but both the MC’s annoyed me. Their lack of communication skills was annoying AF 🤨.
I found the world-building sadly lacking. I honestly thought I was reading a spin off when I started this. And why were the Kimball and Armitage packs rivals anyway? Where were the rest of the werewolves?
The ending was OTT, rushed and some of it didn’t make sense to me.
I only persevered with this because I wanted to read the second book but at this point, I don’t think I’ll be continuing on. Apologies to my friends who liked this and found it a fun series. I think the fact that I’m no spring chicken did not help matters! 🤷🏻♀️
did-not-finish
March 12, 2022 dnf @ 35%
I wanna say: fuck this main character in 10 different languages.
I wanna say: fuck this main character in 10 different languages.
April 11, 2020
2.5 stars
I mostly felt “meh” when I put my ereader down. Weak world building, barely likable main characters, missing pack dynamics (wait, what pack?), lack of physical descriptions, adolescent behavior and dialogue. I’ll stop here. Not my kind of PNR story.
I mostly felt “meh” when I put my ereader down. Weak world building, barely likable main characters, missing pack dynamics (wait, what pack?), lack of physical descriptions, adolescent behavior and dialogue. I’ll stop here. Not my kind of PNR story.
August 7, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Stars. Might come back and round up?
So to recap, in case you missed my update for this book:
Me to Starla after finishing the Alessandra Hazard Wrong Alpha books: "These were super hot and it turns out I am kind of into a/b/o books. What else ya got?"
Starla: "The Eliot Grayson Mismatched Mates series is kind of like a combination of Neve Wilder and Alessandra Hazard. They..."
Me: (rudely interrupting her) "Say no more."
And readers. She was right! That's a good way to describe this book.
✅ Funny and snarky but not TOO snarky. Nate was a HOOT. 😂
"I was like a bad supernatural country song, all wanting to be loved and sad that my werewolf ran away. Or something."
✅ Some OTT mixed with some tiny, tender moments! 🥰
✅ Growly, alpha, possessive swooniness. Sign me UP. 😍🔥😍
✅ Not an abundance of steam but what was there was HOT. There was a good amount. I just wanted more. And more details. I'm GREEDY. 🤤
✅ A couple to ROOT for. They couldn't communicate to save their lives but heck if I didn't love them anyways. 🙃
✅ Long term pining and heart eyes. So much heart eyes. Unrealized heart eyes, one-sided heart eyes, clueless heart eyes. 😍
✅ Two idiots in love. 👬
⚠️ The world building didn't make a lot of sense to me. Some parts were kind of vague. Then again, knowing me, I'd be complaining if it was too detailed. 🤣🤷🏻♀️
⚠️ It felt a little too action packed towards the end.
Ian scowled at me, the force of it blunted a little by the way his hand was curled protectively around my hip. “You really think that ‘You’re an asshole, and I don’t like you, and you’re an idiot, Ian, and I’m going to steal your favorite socks and whack you with magic so hard you pass out and hit your head, so make me some coffee’ would work on someone else? Really?”
“But that’s not —” I bit my lip, and he raised one eyebrow pointedly. “That’s not — okay, that’s kind of what happened, but it’s not — all right. Yes. That’s kind of what happened.”
So to recap, in case you missed my update for this book:
Me to Starla after finishing the Alessandra Hazard Wrong Alpha books: "These were super hot and it turns out I am kind of into a/b/o books. What else ya got?"
Starla: "The Eliot Grayson Mismatched Mates series is kind of like a combination of Neve Wilder and Alessandra Hazard. They..."
Me: (rudely interrupting her) "Say no more."
And readers. She was right! That's a good way to describe this book.
✅ Funny and snarky but not TOO snarky. Nate was a HOOT. 😂
"I was like a bad supernatural country song, all wanting to be loved and sad that my werewolf ran away. Or something."
✅ Some OTT mixed with some tiny, tender moments! 🥰
✅ Growly, alpha, possessive swooniness. Sign me UP. 😍🔥😍
✅ Not an abundance of steam but what was there was HOT. There was a good amount. I just wanted more. And more details. I'm GREEDY. 🤤
✅ A couple to ROOT for. They couldn't communicate to save their lives but heck if I didn't love them anyways. 🙃
✅ Long term pining and heart eyes. So much heart eyes. Unrealized heart eyes, one-sided heart eyes, clueless heart eyes. 😍
✅ Two idiots in love. 👬
⚠️ The world building didn't make a lot of sense to me. Some parts were kind of vague. Then again, knowing me, I'd be complaining if it was too detailed. 🤣🤷🏻♀️
⚠️ It felt a little too action packed towards the end.
Ian scowled at me, the force of it blunted a little by the way his hand was curled protectively around my hip. “You really think that ‘You’re an asshole, and I don’t like you, and you’re an idiot, Ian, and I’m going to steal your favorite socks and whack you with magic so hard you pass out and hit your head, so make me some coffee’ would work on someone else? Really?”
“But that’s not —” I bit my lip, and he raised one eyebrow pointedly. “That’s not — okay, that’s kind of what happened, but it’s not — all right. Yes. That’s kind of what happened.”
March 23, 2020
4.5 Stars
Reviewing as I read-
Liking this so far.
Paranormal with an urban fantasy vibe.
There's also knotting....and even more knotting. Yeah, baby...
While the book is sexy when Ian and Nate get it on, the ratio of story to sex is really good - I got plot, world building, and character development.
This is a kind of enemies to lovers stories. Really it's a 'duh, why didn't I get that you felt that way' to lovers/mates story. It provides strong chemistry.
Ian is big, in all areas, strong, an Alpha wolf in his own right. He's also the Armitage pack enforcer. He's 2IC to his brother Matthew, acts before he thinks, and drives a muscle car like a crazy mofo. He is also a good guy underneath his intensity. He has a sense of humour but he keeps it locked down. The pack is not well off and life hasn't been a bed of roses. The Kimball pack is not an easy neighbour and the Armitage pack can't afford a mage or warlock to help with wards.
Nate is the son of a human mother, who isn't on the scene, and an arsehole warlock father who has historically liked to manipulate others for his magic services and use his own son as a personal magic battery. His family is one of dysfunction. He may be insecure but he doesn't back down with his words and his thoughts. He made me laugh because he's as sharp as a tack and he can be petty - magicking Ian's favourite socks, you have to read it.
I'm so happy to have found Eliot Grayson, so far they've delivered the goods every book I've read of theirs. There's total entertainment in every one of their stories. This is the first in the Mismatched Mates series, nice way to kick it off. I guessed one of the MCs for the next book but the other was not what I was expecting. Waiting excitedly for book #2 - taps foot anxiously - Captive Mate.
September 6, 2020
3,5
This one surprised me.
I expected magic, growly shifters and pack politics.
And while I got all that, there is also the humorous, delightfully sarcastic and self-deprecating tone of the story-telling. It was funny. Although present for most of the book, it doesn’t overwhelm and made me chuckle (and even laugh out loud) quite a few times.
And mostly - amidst the humour there were enough of serious feels to keep me going!
The idea of a ‘forced mating’ is always tempting, and I love when two guys who can’t stand each other are thrown together by circumstance. The enemies-to-lovers vibe is pronounced here and very well done.
Nate, an untrained warlock with considerable powers, is a highly likeable guy who hasn’t experienced much, if any, love in his life or anyone cherishing him for himself. He’s virtually starved for it, but with his self-worth blown to smithereens, he’s long given up hope to be worthy of any affections.
It is obvious to us that grumpy Ian has fancied Nate for many years – the author makes sure we know even if we don’t get his POV – but wouldn’t trust himas far as he could throw him.
Hmm, I think I need to rephrase that because Ian is such abear wolf of a man with so much strength, he could throw much lighter, wiry Nate quite far.
Ian doesn’t trust Nate. Full stop. And pack loyalty comes first for him. Which is the crux of the problem between the two men and the aspect I liked most here. Both men need to learn how to trust the other which isn’t easy which all the stuff that’s going on.
And there is a LOT going on action-wise, particularly in the second half of the book. So much happens in a very short time, and maybe this could have been more streamlined.
What this book lacks though is detailed world-building. Lots of things simply ‘are’ or are explained very quickly when I would have liked to know more. The whole issue with Nate’s magic draining and being drained, for example, needed further exploration from my POV.
Still, I enjoyed this one and look forward to book 2.
This one surprised me.
I expected magic, growly shifters and pack politics.
And while I got all that, there is also the humorous, delightfully sarcastic and self-deprecating tone of the story-telling. It was funny. Although present for most of the book, it doesn’t overwhelm and made me chuckle (and even laugh out loud) quite a few times.
And mostly - amidst the humour there were enough of serious feels to keep me going!
The idea of a ‘forced mating’ is always tempting, and I love when two guys who can’t stand each other are thrown together by circumstance. The enemies-to-lovers vibe is pronounced here and very well done.
Nate, an untrained warlock with considerable powers, is a highly likeable guy who hasn’t experienced much, if any, love in his life or anyone cherishing him for himself. He’s virtually starved for it, but with his self-worth blown to smithereens, he’s long given up hope to be worthy of any affections.
It is obvious to us that grumpy Ian has fancied Nate for many years – the author makes sure we know even if we don’t get his POV – but wouldn’t trust him
Hmm, I think I need to rephrase that because Ian is such a
Ian doesn’t trust Nate. Full stop. And pack loyalty comes first for him. Which is the crux of the problem between the two men and the aspect I liked most here. Both men need to learn how to trust the other which isn’t easy which all the stuff that’s going on.
And there is a LOT going on action-wise, particularly in the second half of the book. So much happens in a very short time, and maybe this could have been more streamlined.
What this book lacks though is detailed world-building. Lots of things simply ‘are’ or are explained very quickly when I would have liked to know more. The whole issue with Nate’s magic draining and being drained, for example, needed further exploration from my POV.
Still, I enjoyed this one and look forward to book 2.
![Profile Image for Megan [At The Cottage].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1634561405i%2F25103878._UY200_CR50%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 14, 2023
MM Romance
Reread-September 11-12 2023
Audiobook-Chris Chambers: 5 Stars ⭐️
I loved most of this series when I read it but OMFG Chris Chambers’ voice is pure sex and I’m even more obsessed with this series now. I NEED more. I wonder 🤔 Will Chris make me like the books in this series I had issues with or found boring to read? Don’t be surprised if I start listening to “Lost Touch”, “The Alpha’s Experiment” or “The Alpha’s Contract” after rating those books quite low. Also, I want to listen to every mm romance Chris narrates. Who would have thought I’d be wanting more of this author when the first time I heard him I thought he was too breathy. I’m such a clown 🤡😂
Original Review Below
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MM Romance
Paranormal Enemies To Lovers
3.5 Stars Rounded Up
It’s ridiculous it took me two days to read a 148 page book when I can usually read one in an hour or so. It’s also ridiculous that every time I went to pick this book back up I fell asleep which is why it took me so long to finish it. Despite the bouts of narcolepsy 😴 I experienced reading it, I really liked this book and will continue on with the series.
I’m the worst at trying to explain paranormal, fantasy plots but the gist is Ian and Nate are forced to mate to save Nate’s life. They have never gotten along and drive each other crazy. Their mate bond actually helps with the issues going on in this book because it makes them both stronger. The entire book is in Nate’s POV and while I prefer dual, Nate was self deprecating enough for me to fall in love with him and his sarcasm. Anytime I see the name ‘Ian’ in something paranormal, I think of Damon from The Vampire Diaries so that’s what I pictured the entire time I read this even though Ian is a werewolf shifter. 😂
Reread-September 11-12 2023
Audiobook-Chris Chambers: 5 Stars ⭐️
I loved most of this series when I read it but OMFG Chris Chambers’ voice is pure sex and I’m even more obsessed with this series now. I NEED more. I wonder 🤔 Will Chris make me like the books in this series I had issues with or found boring to read? Don’t be surprised if I start listening to “Lost Touch”, “The Alpha’s Experiment” or “The Alpha’s Contract” after rating those books quite low. Also, I want to listen to every mm romance Chris narrates. Who would have thought I’d be wanting more of this author when the first time I heard him I thought he was too breathy. I’m such a clown 🤡😂
Original Review Below
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MM Romance
Paranormal Enemies To Lovers
3.5 Stars Rounded Up
It’s ridiculous it took me two days to read a 148 page book when I can usually read one in an hour or so. It’s also ridiculous that every time I went to pick this book back up I fell asleep which is why it took me so long to finish it. Despite the bouts of narcolepsy 😴 I experienced reading it, I really liked this book and will continue on with the series.
I’m the worst at trying to explain paranormal, fantasy plots but the gist is Ian and Nate are forced to mate to save Nate’s life. They have never gotten along and drive each other crazy. Their mate bond actually helps with the issues going on in this book because it makes them both stronger. The entire book is in Nate’s POV and while I prefer dual, Nate was self deprecating enough for me to fall in love with him and his sarcasm. Anytime I see the name ‘Ian’ in something paranormal, I think of Damon from The Vampire Diaries so that’s what I pictured the entire time I read this even though Ian is a werewolf shifter. 😂
March 30, 2020
4.5 Stars. Snarky. Playful. Hot.
March 29, 2020
Format: Kindle Edition
If I were to make a list of the 10 Best Stories to Read while practicing Social Distancing during a Quarantine , The Alpha's Warlock would be on that list.
Book is snarky , with lots of tongue in cheek banter; hilariously funny inner thoughts and one liners . The plotline and narrative is fast paced with non-stop action and adventure.
Main and secondary characters are quirky ,colorful, intriguing and OTT. Nate and Ian, the heroes, enemies to lovers relationship dynamics is irrational, intense, at times frustrating YET is always fun , playful and addictive.
And did I mention, their chemistry is lava hot , and their intimate times are sexually explicit, hot AF?
Simply put, this is an escape from reality, for a while, fun and entertaining story; I enjoyed reading.
#BooksILove #ReadOn2020 #KU #TheAlphasWarlock #EliotGrayson #GRR #Amazon #Kindle
March 29, 2020
Format: Kindle Edition
If I were to make a list of the 10 Best Stories to Read while practicing Social Distancing during a Quarantine , The Alpha's Warlock would be on that list.
Book is snarky , with lots of tongue in cheek banter; hilariously funny inner thoughts and one liners . The plotline and narrative is fast paced with non-stop action and adventure.
Main and secondary characters are quirky ,colorful, intriguing and OTT. Nate and Ian, the heroes, enemies to lovers relationship dynamics is irrational, intense, at times frustrating YET is always fun , playful and addictive.
And did I mention, their chemistry is lava hot , and their intimate times are sexually explicit, hot AF?
Simply put, this is an escape from reality, for a while, fun and entertaining story; I enjoyed reading.
#BooksILove #ReadOn2020 #KU #TheAlphasWarlock #EliotGrayson #GRR #Amazon #Kindle
September 6, 2020
An interesting twist on the usual paranormal romance
I enjoyed this book but it felt a bit frantic at times, like the plot elements never really got a chance to bed in before it was off again.
Nate and Ian were an interesting pairing though as I do love a good frenemies to lovers story.
I'd have liked just a little more set up I think before the book went off in another direction with yet more character introduction.
But I do like Eliot's writing style in the main and you get a good romp through the supernatural world with this one.
I'm intrigued by the sneak peeking book two as well.
I enjoyed this book but it felt a bit frantic at times, like the plot elements never really got a chance to bed in before it was off again.
Nate and Ian were an interesting pairing though as I do love a good frenemies to lovers story.
I'd have liked just a little more set up I think before the book went off in another direction with yet more character introduction.
But I do like Eliot's writing style in the main and you get a good romp through the supernatural world with this one.
I'm intrigued by the sneak peeking book two as well.
August 17, 2021
4 "Hate sex is the best sex".💥
Yeah, I know everyone keeps saying that but I never understood it. I mean, we have some good hate to love romances but none of them made me acknowledge it. This book on the other hand is the epitome of hate sex scenes, or maybe hate sex/ hate to love combined with a werewolf and warlock has enough superpowers to topple my belief system.😺😺
If we go, plot-wise, and I acknowledge that I am not much of a shifter romance reader, but I still think there is nothing new with pack wars, lots of paranormal creatures with their inhumane power, necromancy, forced bonding and knotting etc.
"Always look on the bright side of life, right? Monty Python. I could focus on Monty Python".
But, what I found refreshingly new is the always snarky, sometimes sassy and bitchy when caffeine-deprived MC, Nate Hawthorne. I mean, why didn't anyone ever tell me that warlocks are so much fun, otherwise, I would have picked this series a long, long time back? In the book, we get only Nate's POV and his inner monologues make me cackle, even amidst the pack war.
I rolled over, doing my best impression of a needy, grabby octopus. Would it be easier to keep him in bed if I had eight limbs and those cool little suction things?
There was a lot of posturing and, action and steamy sex. But, I think the balance between plot, action and smut was good, not that I would have complained about some more sex scenes.🙈🙈
And, the audiobook narration by Chris Chambers is quite addictive so, I am directly diving into book 2.😇😇
Yeah, I know everyone keeps saying that but I never understood it. I mean, we have some good hate to love romances but none of them made me acknowledge it. This book on the other hand is the epitome of hate sex scenes, or maybe hate sex/ hate to love combined with a werewolf and warlock has enough superpowers to topple my belief system.😺😺
If we go, plot-wise, and I acknowledge that I am not much of a shifter romance reader, but I still think there is nothing new with pack wars, lots of paranormal creatures with their inhumane power, necromancy, forced bonding and knotting etc.
"Always look on the bright side of life, right? Monty Python. I could focus on Monty Python".
But, what I found refreshingly new is the always snarky, sometimes sassy and bitchy when caffeine-deprived MC, Nate Hawthorne. I mean, why didn't anyone ever tell me that warlocks are so much fun, otherwise, I would have picked this series a long, long time back? In the book, we get only Nate's POV and his inner monologues make me cackle, even amidst the pack war.
I rolled over, doing my best impression of a needy, grabby octopus. Would it be easier to keep him in bed if I had eight limbs and those cool little suction things?
There was a lot of posturing and, action and steamy sex. But, I think the balance between plot, action and smut was good, not that I would have complained about some more sex scenes.🙈🙈
And, the audiobook narration by Chris Chambers is quite addictive so, I am directly diving into book 2.😇😇
August 23, 2022
Between 2/3 stars. Weak world-building, but I'm willing to give this series a chance.
April 30, 2020
Well, this sure starts off with a bang.
Sucked right into the story
kidnapped
drugged
struggling to safety
The story is told from a first person P.O.V. The narrator, Nate Hawthorn, is a treat. A snarky warlock hiding his hurt insides from the world.
We get an enemies-to-lovers trope here. This had to be my favorite take on it!
Assumptions and misunderstanding leading to a mutual dislike of one another.
It's incredibly well done, the animosity.
Their fights are intense.
They hurt one another [emotionally].
Nate pulled at my heart strings. He's so incredibly hurt and all alone. Used and discarded. Never loved or cherished. Nothing does me in like a vulnerable MC.
Ian Armitage... well, mixed feelings. I didn't feel like I got to know him that well, mostly because the only perspective that's here is Nate's.
Ian is an Alpha, second in command of the Armitage pack, feared amongst other werewolves. He's strong, impulsive, horrible at communicating, aggressive, protective, loyal... pretty much what is expected of an Alpha werewolf.
I enjoyed the new take on the entire 'mine', 'mated-bond' thing. This was a slow-burn in that sense. Not insta-love, but a sort of acknowledgement of the bond while still holding on to some semblance of free will. It was so much more satisfying to see the mate-bond in this manner.
I also really enjoyed the balanced aspect of their relationship. Neither dominating the other, but on a sort of even playing field of a kind.
The reason this isn't a 5 star rating is because I felt a bit unsatisfied. I wanted more. This is one of those stories that could have been longer, should have been longer. There are so many things that I would have loved to know more about in the sense of world-building, pack dynamic, Ian's perspective, Ian and Nate's relationship moving forward. I would have loved more interactions as well... it's a small group of characters that are involved in the scenes and it didn't quite give me a sense of the story as a whole.
I'll say this, I am only judging this harshly because it's that good. The better a story is the more apparent it is the elements that would take it to another level.
I really enjoyed this but I wanted more. There aren't many MM shifter stories out there that rival this one and this certainly goes into the list of favorites amongst this genre, but give me more Eliot Grayson! Please!! I felt like I skimmed the surface of something wonderful. Sigh.
Definitely highly recommend, and I will be continuing with this series and checking out more of this authors work!
Sucked right into the story
kidnapped
drugged
struggling to safety
The story is told from a first person P.O.V. The narrator, Nate Hawthorn, is a treat. A snarky warlock hiding his hurt insides from the world.
We get an enemies-to-lovers trope here. This had to be my favorite take on it!
Assumptions and misunderstanding leading to a mutual dislike of one another.
It's incredibly well done, the animosity.
Their fights are intense.
They hurt one another [emotionally].
Nate pulled at my heart strings. He's so incredibly hurt and all alone. Used and discarded. Never loved or cherished. Nothing does me in like a vulnerable MC.
Ian Armitage... well, mixed feelings. I didn't feel like I got to know him that well, mostly because the only perspective that's here is Nate's.
Ian is an Alpha, second in command of the Armitage pack, feared amongst other werewolves. He's strong, impulsive, horrible at communicating, aggressive, protective, loyal... pretty much what is expected of an Alpha werewolf.
I enjoyed the new take on the entire 'mine', 'mated-bond' thing. This was a slow-burn in that sense. Not insta-love, but a sort of acknowledgement of the bond while still holding on to some semblance of free will. It was so much more satisfying to see the mate-bond in this manner.
I also really enjoyed the balanced aspect of their relationship. Neither dominating the other, but on a sort of even playing field of a kind.
The reason this isn't a 5 star rating is because I felt a bit unsatisfied. I wanted more. This is one of those stories that could have been longer, should have been longer. There are so many things that I would have loved to know more about in the sense of world-building, pack dynamic, Ian's perspective, Ian and Nate's relationship moving forward. I would have loved more interactions as well... it's a small group of characters that are involved in the scenes and it didn't quite give me a sense of the story as a whole.
I'll say this, I am only judging this harshly because it's that good. The better a story is the more apparent it is the elements that would take it to another level.
I really enjoyed this but I wanted more. There aren't many MM shifter stories out there that rival this one and this certainly goes into the list of favorites amongst this genre, but give me more Eliot Grayson! Please!! I felt like I skimmed the surface of something wonderful. Sigh.
Definitely highly recommend, and I will be continuing with this series and checking out more of this authors work!
July 10, 2022
2-2.5 stars
Synopsis had promise, but the execution left a lot to be desired… it wasn’t done as well as I wished..
I wanted to DNF it multiple times, but I didn’t have another book to read.. 🤦🏽♀️ so pushed through it…
If Ian or Nate communicated correctly then there wouldn’t be annoying insecurities from Nate, and Ian’s pouting…idk they were both kinda annoying i didn’t connect with any, and I zoned out a good chunk of the audiobook… 😬
Synopsis had promise, but the execution left a lot to be desired… it wasn’t done as well as I wished..
I wanted to DNF it multiple times, but I didn’t have another book to read.. 🤦🏽♀️ so pushed through it…
If Ian or Nate communicated correctly then there wouldn’t be annoying insecurities from Nate, and Ian’s pouting…idk they were both kinda annoying i didn’t connect with any, and I zoned out a good chunk of the audiobook… 😬
August 5, 2025
⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️
TROPES:
⏾ Wolf shifter vs warlock
⏾ Mate me or I die
⏾ Forced proximity
⏾ Only one bed
⏾ Arguing as foreplay
⏾ Idiots in love
~ possible spoilers ~
These two were so painfully stubborn, but I still love them. A ‘forced’ mate bond, hate (but not really) to love, two dummies who really need to learn to talk instead of fighting.
This is one of those books I really wish there was a dual POV, because I would’ve loved to see Ian’s longing, his pining.
They’re just two prickly boys who don’t know how to express their feelings. Loved seeing them get closer and care for each other.
What I love about shifter romances the most? The growling. So hot. And Ian is definitely more of a growler than a talker.
Lots of action and tense moments and a fun romance, even though it did lack some depth overall. Still, a very fun read and I’m glad I decided to reread this paranormal series.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence
- Death
- Torture
- Kidnapping
- Mentions of past emotional & physical abuse
- Top/bottom
- Rimming
- Knotting
- Coming hands-free
Because if my life depended on Ian being willing to bond with me, I might as well lie down in a grave right now and call it a day.
TROPES:
⏾ Wolf shifter vs warlock
⏾ Mate me or I die
⏾ Forced proximity
⏾ Only one bed
⏾ Arguing as foreplay
⏾ Idiots in love
~ possible spoilers ~
These two were so painfully stubborn, but I still love them. A ‘forced’ mate bond, hate (but not really) to love, two dummies who really need to learn to talk instead of fighting.
What did a guy do when his hostile asshole werewolf mate started to, like, be nice to him? Sweet, even?
This is one of those books I really wish there was a dual POV, because I would’ve loved to see Ian’s longing, his pining.
They’re just two prickly boys who don’t know how to express their feelings. Loved seeing them get closer and care for each other.
Ian didn't hold me down, didn't back off, just sucked like he was starving for it, licking and—oh fuck, he was growling, the sound vibrating through my overstimulated dick and down into my balls, and lower.
What I love about shifter romances the most? The growling. So hot. And Ian is definitely more of a growler than a talker.
Lots of action and tense moments and a fun romance, even though it did lack some depth overall. Still, a very fun read and I’m glad I decided to reread this paranormal series.
He was my alpha, and I wasn’t letting him go.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence
- Death
- Torture
- Kidnapping
- Mentions of past emotional & physical abuse
- Top/bottom
- Rimming
- Knotting
- Coming hands-free
January 30, 2025
Meh. That didn’t really work for me 🤷♀️
The world building was non-existent, so much so that I checked multiple times if I accidentally started with book 2, but nope. Or did I miss a prequel series somehow?
Then I hated one of the MCs, Nate, he was just so annoying, ungrateful and whiney and stayed that way throughout the whole book. I really don’t understand why Ian loved him - for years! Like, seriously why? What for? What attracted him from day one even though he thought Nate was working with his evil father and was fucking Ian’s cousin while simultaneously being an asshole to Ian. So why?? We’re literally never told.
I did like Ian in general though, and Charlie and Dor.
Tbh I only picked up this audiobook because it was free and narrated by Chris Chambers. I don’t know what it is about him, but his melodic voice just always manages to calm me down and put me to sleep. And I mean that as a compliment!
So yeah, I was entertained enough to finish but my overall feeling of ‚meh‘ persisted. 2,5⭐️
The world building was non-existent, so much so that I checked multiple times if I accidentally started with book 2, but nope. Or did I miss a prequel series somehow?
Then I hated one of the MCs, Nate, he was just so annoying, ungrateful and whiney and stayed that way throughout the whole book. I really don’t understand why Ian loved him - for years! Like, seriously why? What for? What attracted him from day one even though he thought Nate was working with his evil father and was fucking Ian’s cousin while simultaneously being an asshole to Ian. So why?? We’re literally never told.
I did like Ian in general though, and Charlie and Dor.
Tbh I only picked up this audiobook because it was free and narrated by Chris Chambers. I don’t know what it is about him, but his melodic voice just always manages to calm me down and put me to sleep. And I mean that as a compliment!
So yeah, I was entertained enough to finish but my overall feeling of ‚meh‘ persisted. 2,5⭐️
December 12, 2025
Third read: i'm just here for a good time
Second read: i can't get away from this book
First read: The part of me that spent the most anxious years of my life reading nothing but Sterek fan fiction needs this to be so much more.
This had a bunch of stuff I love:
-Shifters and warlocks
-mating bonds
-enemies to lovers
-but one of them is secretly in love with the other
-miscommunication
-oblivious idiots
-knots 🥴
The stuff I didn’t love:
-only one POV
-mating bond but not the fun kind TW:
-underdeveloped magic system
-underdeveloped secondary characters
-just too short
Those are the things that wouldn’t taken it from a fun romp into shifter romance I read to pass the time to a book I would want to revisit and peer pressure my friends into reading.
Second read: i can't get away from this book
First read: The part of me that spent the most anxious years of my life reading nothing but Sterek fan fiction needs this to be so much more.
This had a bunch of stuff I love:
-Shifters and warlocks
-mating bonds
-enemies to lovers
-but one of them is secretly in love with the other
-miscommunication
-oblivious idiots
-knots 🥴
The stuff I didn’t love:
-only one POV
-mating bond but not the fun kind TW:
-underdeveloped magic system
-underdeveloped secondary characters
-just too short
Those are the things that wouldn’t taken it from a fun romp into shifter romance I read to pass the time to a book I would want to revisit and peer pressure my friends into reading.
April 9, 2023
This was so much fun! I can’t wait for the rest of this series!
October 5, 2021
4 Stars
Review:
When the story started and almost immediately jumped into, "Alphas have huge dicks!" and, "I'm gonna have to be fucked and knotted to save my life!" I became skeptical about this book and how much I would enjoy it. But then I started getting to know the characters, their relationship grew, there was a lot of great angst and emotion, and I ended up really liking it!
I really felt for Nate because of his past abuse and how he felt so lonely and unloved and useless to everyone but still had this inner strength and feistiness, and for both of them because of how they had feelings for each other but didn't think the other felt the same. The author did a great job with their individual emotional struggles, which then created relationship struggles, which then created more individual emotional struggles. It was perfectly balanced on that line of being just dramatic enough to make me feel, but not so dramatic that it felt unbelievable.
The romance was cute with a lot of fun bickering but also sweetness, and of course the aforementioned emotion, and I liked it. There were a few sex scenes, but not so many as to overpower the story.
There was also a non-romance plot, involving supernatural beings and a rival werewolf pack, and I enjoyed that too. It added some action to the book.
I was intrigued by Charlie and Dor, even though they were side characters. Charlie was a strange, powerful, scary, sociopathic vampire in a small, cute package, and Dor was so big and magically powerful but always so quiet, calm, and collected. What a strange, interesting pair! (Just looked at the author's upcoming books and found out they'll be getting their own book, so I'm excited for that now!)
The audiobook narration by Chris Chambers was a bit too dramatic for my personal taste. This was my first book narrated by him, so I don't know if that's always his style, or if it was a choice for this book to portray Nate's attitude. He was good at sexy and emotional dialogue though. Those in particular sounded natural and were voice acted really well. And character voices sounded different enough to tell them apart. Definitely not bad narration, just not entirely to my preferences.
Overall, I liked Nate and Ian, their emotional struggles, their supernatural battles, and their cute romance!
Trigger/Content Warnings: Graphic description of vomiting.
*Even though each book in this series focuses on different characters, I recommend reading at least the first two in order, or you might be lost in regards to some plot elements and character/relationship backgrounds.*
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2020 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes series with different main characters in each book, m/m paranormal romance with a bit of drama and angsty emotion, some sexy times, some action, magic, and shifters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
When the story started and almost immediately jumped into, "Alphas have huge dicks!" and, "I'm gonna have to be fucked and knotted to save my life!" I became skeptical about this book and how much I would enjoy it. But then I started getting to know the characters, their relationship grew, there was a lot of great angst and emotion, and I ended up really liking it!
I really felt for Nate because of his past abuse and how he felt so lonely and unloved and useless to everyone but still had this inner strength and feistiness, and for both of them because of how they had feelings for each other but didn't think the other felt the same. The author did a great job with their individual emotional struggles, which then created relationship struggles, which then created more individual emotional struggles. It was perfectly balanced on that line of being just dramatic enough to make me feel, but not so dramatic that it felt unbelievable.
The romance was cute with a lot of fun bickering but also sweetness, and of course the aforementioned emotion, and I liked it. There were a few sex scenes, but not so many as to overpower the story.
There was also a non-romance plot, involving supernatural beings and a rival werewolf pack, and I enjoyed that too. It added some action to the book.
I was intrigued by Charlie and Dor, even though they were side characters. Charlie was a strange, powerful, scary, sociopathic vampire in a small, cute package, and Dor was so big and magically powerful but always so quiet, calm, and collected. What a strange, interesting pair! (Just looked at the author's upcoming books and found out they'll be getting their own book, so I'm excited for that now!)
The audiobook narration by Chris Chambers was a bit too dramatic for my personal taste. This was my first book narrated by him, so I don't know if that's always his style, or if it was a choice for this book to portray Nate's attitude. He was good at sexy and emotional dialogue though. Those in particular sounded natural and were voice acted really well. And character voices sounded different enough to tell them apart. Definitely not bad narration, just not entirely to my preferences.
Overall, I liked Nate and Ian, their emotional struggles, their supernatural battles, and their cute romance!
Trigger/Content Warnings: Graphic description of vomiting.
*Even though each book in this series focuses on different characters, I recommend reading at least the first two in order, or you might be lost in regards to some plot elements and character/relationship backgrounds.*
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2020 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes series with different main characters in each book, m/m paranormal romance with a bit of drama and angsty emotion, some sexy times, some action, magic, and shifters.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
March 8, 2023
Re-read 3/7/23 -- I still love these two and how wrong they've seen the other one. Yeah, I'm due for a re-read of the whole series....
Original review: Sooooo good! I love that this starts out going 80 mph from the first page, throwing us into the story and the world immediately. Nate is such a mess but so prickly to defend his new independence. The relationship is such a massive cluster from long before we arrived in the spectator section. It's amazing to watch it morph into something completely unexpected. More please!!!
Original review: Sooooo good! I love that this starts out going 80 mph from the first page, throwing us into the story and the world immediately. Nate is such a mess but so prickly to defend his new independence. The relationship is such a massive cluster from long before we arrived in the spectator section. It's amazing to watch it morph into something completely unexpected. More please!!!
November 29, 2020
This was the first book I've read by this author and I have to say it was entertaining from the first page until the last. Nat and Ian were both in denial about their feelings and both hard headed as hell!! In the next book I'm hoping to hear how these two are getting along and I hope that Nat gets the training he wants to give him much needed confidence and control in his magic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,065 reviews