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Becoming Daddy Wolf
Arie Pappas
I’ve worked for RGB Security as a receptionist for over two years. They all feel like a family, which is what I sorely need given that I only really have my rockstar brother otherwise.
Sure, everyone else at RGBS is a certified badass, either because they’re professionals at badassery or shifters, or both, and I’m just a puny human. Still, everyone at work is great and never treats me different, despite my lower security clearance and general non-badassery.
They’re great people, especially one of the three founders, Ren. I’ve been crushing on the alpha wolf since the first moment I met him. He’s not into me, but then something tragic happens to him while on a job, and suddenly he needs a friend.
I can be that friend, right? Even though I want him to be my Daddy and it kinda hurts to have him so close, yet so far, too?
Ren Farris
I’ve known Arie is my mate since I first saw him. I’m just too damn damaged to be any good for him, so I’ve never said anything. He has a chance of meeting someone else, and he’s younger too. I can deal with whatever, even though I’ve seen what losing a mate does to a wolf.
Then I almost lose my life on a job, and Arie is the one who takes care of me. It’s not supposed to be this way, I’m supposed to take care of him, being the alpha and his mate. But it feels so damn good, and I even start to recover, eventually.
Just as we start to figure things out, tragedy strikes again, and everything is up in the air once more. I haven’t even told him he’s my mate, yet, and now I might never get the chance to be his Daddy.
I’ve worked for RGB Security as a receptionist for over two years. They all feel like a family, which is what I sorely need given that I only really have my rockstar brother otherwise.
Sure, everyone else at RGBS is a certified badass, either because they’re professionals at badassery or shifters, or both, and I’m just a puny human. Still, everyone at work is great and never treats me different, despite my lower security clearance and general non-badassery.
They’re great people, especially one of the three founders, Ren. I’ve been crushing on the alpha wolf since the first moment I met him. He’s not into me, but then something tragic happens to him while on a job, and suddenly he needs a friend.
I can be that friend, right? Even though I want him to be my Daddy and it kinda hurts to have him so close, yet so far, too?
Ren Farris
I’ve known Arie is my mate since I first saw him. I’m just too damn damaged to be any good for him, so I’ve never said anything. He has a chance of meeting someone else, and he’s younger too. I can deal with whatever, even though I’ve seen what losing a mate does to a wolf.
Then I almost lose my life on a job, and Arie is the one who takes care of me. It’s not supposed to be this way, I’m supposed to take care of him, being the alpha and his mate. But it feels so damn good, and I even start to recover, eventually.
Just as we start to figure things out, tragedy strikes again, and everything is up in the air once more. I haven’t even told him he’s my mate, yet, and now I might never get the chance to be his Daddy.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2023
71 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Tia Fielding
68 books228 followersTia Fielding is a Finnish author who loves witty people, words, peppermint, sarcasm, autumn, and the tiny beautiful things in life.
Tia identifies as genderqueer but isn’t strict about pronouns. Why? Because luckily, in her native language there aren’t gender-specific pronouns.
These days, preferring to live in the middle of nowhere with her fur babies is as big of a part of her psyche as writing. Tia likes to recharge in nature and tends to watch where she’s going through her cell phone’s camera.
In 2013 Tia’s novel Falling Into Place was recognized by the industry’s Rainbow Awards in the Best LGBT Erotic Romance (Bobby Michaels Award) category.
In 2019, her novel Four (Love by Numbers #2) won a Rainbow Award in the Best Transgender Contemporary category.
Facebook Reader Group: facebook.com/groups/spoondrawer/
Twitter: @tiafielding
Email: tiafielding@gmail.com
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/tiafielding
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
June 13, 2023
ARC review
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I have to say, I really liked the world the author has created with this one. Of course there was a lot of character introductions, considering it's the first book in the series, but that's to be expected. I'll likely read the next book as well. The author did a good job making you interested in the side characters without completely overwhelming you with information.
As for this book specifically, I was highly intrigued by the blurb. Arie has been crushing on his boss Ren for two years. Unbeknownst to Arie, they are actually fated mates, which Ren has kept secret. I do wish we got a better explanation as to why it was kept a secret, but I thought their eventual friendship and relationship was very sweet, and the fact that Arie gave Ren a bit of a hard time over it made up for a lot of it.
The book starts with Ren having gone through something highly traumatic, and our MCs start building a closer friendship when Arie supports Ren while he works through some of his trauma. I commend the author for making this a slow process, including some rough moments and therapy. Absolutely no magic d*ck in sight, people! Speaking of d*ck, this is a slooow burn (we're talking the 90th percentile here folks). BUT, when we finally got down and dirty, it was very good. We even got some surprise knottage, which I'm always here for.
One of my favorite moments was very early on when Arie cuddles Ren while he's in wolf form (oh, he's a wolf shifter, I guess I forgot to mention that), and it was very cute. More of that in the next book, please! We got some other cute and funny moments too:
"For a few seconds I was sure he would throw the fruit at me, but instead, he turned the glare to my direction, before pointedly chomping on the banana in a way that made my c*ck want to crawl inside my body. Point taken."
"'Can I get the kisses first, and the good pain pills second?' Very, very quietly he added, 'I don't wanna miss the kisses."
"'What did Daddy just say?' he asked sharply. 'I dunno, maybe Daddy should stop talking about himself in third person and-ow!' This smack was much harder."
I enjoyed how even though Ren is the big bad wolf, as well as an alpha, it was Arie that took on the caregiving and supportive role early on in the book, even though he's *only* human. Arie and his brother had a fallout with the rest of their family, partially because of speciesism, so it was nice to see the MCs being equals. This only strengthened their eventual Daddy/boy dynamic, in my opinion. When Ren eventually assumed the Daddy role, we understood why that made sense for him, and because we've seen them being equals, the power exchange felt authentic, and like something they both wanted, not just needed. I love Daddy/boy, but if you don't, I will say it was pretty mild overall.
Unfortunately, this book did have what might be my biggest pet peeve: no character descriptions. I know Ren is 6 foot 2 inches tall, but that is sadly all we got. I like knowing what the characters look like. We got quite a thorough description of Arie's brother, Leon, so I think we should have gotten one for our MCs as well. Other than that, I was entertained throughout the book, and even though the tropes are familiar, it was done in a way I haven't read before, which was neat!
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I have to say, I really liked the world the author has created with this one. Of course there was a lot of character introductions, considering it's the first book in the series, but that's to be expected. I'll likely read the next book as well. The author did a good job making you interested in the side characters without completely overwhelming you with information.
As for this book specifically, I was highly intrigued by the blurb. Arie has been crushing on his boss Ren for two years. Unbeknownst to Arie, they are actually fated mates, which Ren has kept secret. I do wish we got a better explanation as to why it was kept a secret, but I thought their eventual friendship and relationship was very sweet, and the fact that Arie gave Ren a bit of a hard time over it made up for a lot of it.
The book starts with Ren having gone through something highly traumatic, and our MCs start building a closer friendship when Arie supports Ren while he works through some of his trauma. I commend the author for making this a slow process, including some rough moments and therapy. Absolutely no magic d*ck in sight, people! Speaking of d*ck, this is a slooow burn (we're talking the 90th percentile here folks). BUT, when we finally got down and dirty, it was very good. We even got some surprise knottage, which I'm always here for.
One of my favorite moments was very early on when Arie cuddles Ren while he's in wolf form (oh, he's a wolf shifter, I guess I forgot to mention that), and it was very cute. More of that in the next book, please! We got some other cute and funny moments too:
"For a few seconds I was sure he would throw the fruit at me, but instead, he turned the glare to my direction, before pointedly chomping on the banana in a way that made my c*ck want to crawl inside my body. Point taken."
"'Can I get the kisses first, and the good pain pills second?' Very, very quietly he added, 'I don't wanna miss the kisses."
"'What did Daddy just say?' he asked sharply. 'I dunno, maybe Daddy should stop talking about himself in third person and-ow!' This smack was much harder."
I enjoyed how even though Ren is the big bad wolf, as well as an alpha, it was Arie that took on the caregiving and supportive role early on in the book, even though he's *only* human. Arie and his brother had a fallout with the rest of their family, partially because of speciesism, so it was nice to see the MCs being equals. This only strengthened their eventual Daddy/boy dynamic, in my opinion. When Ren eventually assumed the Daddy role, we understood why that made sense for him, and because we've seen them being equals, the power exchange felt authentic, and like something they both wanted, not just needed. I love Daddy/boy, but if you don't, I will say it was pretty mild overall.
Unfortunately, this book did have what might be my biggest pet peeve: no character descriptions. I know Ren is 6 foot 2 inches tall, but that is sadly all we got. I like knowing what the characters look like. We got quite a thorough description of Arie's brother, Leon, so I think we should have gotten one for our MCs as well. Other than that, I was entertained throughout the book, and even though the tropes are familiar, it was done in a way I haven't read before, which was neat!
Book safety
TW/CW
Tropes & tags
June 23, 2024
Not bad...
I grabbed this one just because it was a Daddy Alpha Wolf. I mean, come on, how could I resist?
While the way this is written is not for me, the story itself was cute.
I mean, its the start of a series I presume, as it introduces everyone in the world, but I doubt I will be going to continue.
I grabbed this one just because it was a Daddy Alpha Wolf. I mean, come on, how could I resist?
While the way this is written is not for me, the story itself was cute.
I mean, its the start of a series I presume, as it introduces everyone in the world, but I doubt I will be going to continue.
August 25, 2024
Ok hear me out.
This book is not bad at all.
It is super well written, smooth, well constructed but I think the daddy part is what “killed it”.
Until 62% of the book, it’s a “normal” shifter story, fated mates, intriguing and super interesting! I was really into it and I really felt in love with the characters, their stories, I wanted Leon to meet Bellamy SO BAD ! Ugh !
Ren and Arie were just so cute together. Arie taking care of his mate without knowing it and Ren healing at his side. It was just heartwarming!
But then the romance kicks in and the daddy kink too. I honestly felt a disconnection. The story without the daddy thing and just the whole alpha mate stuff would have been perfect in itself.
Arie looked so mature 3/4 of the book and so childish the rest. Ren was lost in his new daddy thing, which is understandable but he is supposed to know what to do with his mate as well.
I think the daddy kink was not introduced well enough before in the story, because the story was not about that at all.
The author did a really great job building up this story but I think, might have get lost with the daddy kink part. I felt confused. I wanted more alpha wolf shifter part, more fated mates, more romance, more “you’re mine”. The last part of the book was too focused on the healing part of Arie, it was dragging.
The book could have been at least 100 pages more with more explanation on how Ren mission went, because nobody knows still. More explanation on the whole fated mates, and maybe the claiming bite (that i was waiting). The bad guy was never caught, very frustrating but I kinda have my guess that it might be solve in book 2 with the stalker.
Anyway, I was really entertained and I really hope the author continues and I cannot wait for book 2 🥰.
This book is not bad at all.
It is super well written, smooth, well constructed but I think the daddy part is what “killed it”.
Until 62% of the book, it’s a “normal” shifter story, fated mates, intriguing and super interesting! I was really into it and I really felt in love with the characters, their stories, I wanted Leon to meet Bellamy SO BAD ! Ugh !
Ren and Arie were just so cute together. Arie taking care of his mate without knowing it and Ren healing at his side. It was just heartwarming!
But then the romance kicks in and the daddy kink too. I honestly felt a disconnection. The story without the daddy thing and just the whole alpha mate stuff would have been perfect in itself.
Arie looked so mature 3/4 of the book and so childish the rest. Ren was lost in his new daddy thing, which is understandable but he is supposed to know what to do with his mate as well.
I think the daddy kink was not introduced well enough before in the story, because the story was not about that at all.
The author did a really great job building up this story but I think, might have get lost with the daddy kink part. I felt confused. I wanted more alpha wolf shifter part, more fated mates, more romance, more “you’re mine”. The last part of the book was too focused on the healing part of Arie, it was dragging.
The book could have been at least 100 pages more with more explanation on how Ren mission went, because nobody knows still. More explanation on the whole fated mates, and maybe the claiming bite (that i was waiting). The bad guy was never caught, very frustrating but I kinda have my guess that it might be solve in book 2 with the stalker.
Anyway, I was really entertained and I really hope the author continues and I cannot wait for book 2 🥰.
September 9, 2024
Despite the horrible title, the book was surprisingly good
June 22, 2024
I enjoyed the first half of this book a lot, the caretaking, forced proximity and pining was nice and while Ren denying himself his fated mate felt a bit contrived it still worked for me. But unfortunately the last part of the book left me bored, and the Daddy aspect felt tacked on and undercommunicated rather than a natural development.
June 19, 2023
Becoming Daddy Wolf is the first book in the RGB Security series by Tia Fielding. This book is about Arie and Ren. Arie is a human working the front desk of RGBS. Ren is a wolf shifter and one of the 3 owners of RGBS. When Arie came to work there 2 years ago Ren recognized him as his mate but he has never said anything to Arie. Now Ren got terribly hurt on a job and Arie takes care of him......
I really liked their story. It was sweet, full of feels and well written. Can’t wait to read the next story.
I really liked their story. It was sweet, full of feels and well written. Can’t wait to read the next story.
July 6, 2024
DNF 72%. yup. the book isn’t even long.
(can’t bring myself to leave it at 2 stars. just. no.).
Lots of nondescriptive telling without showing. Pretty much everything is either told in summary, through dialogue, or off page in a “fade to black” style.
There’s a time and place for a fade to black, and that’s when (1) it’s really really obvious what’s happening (ie sex) or (2) to build suspense. But like, why do that for an MC being attacked?? The suspense is already there, so what’s the actual point of not giving any details???? and No, “not showing any blood/violence” is NOT a valid answer, because we read the other MC bite open a couple throats. the injuries/recovery are the middle third of the book and we never at any point know what exactly (or basically) happened other than “attack” “blood” “surgeries”. Was he shot? Hit with a baseball bat? Fists and kicks? Stabbed? choked with cheese and slapped with a stale pizza crust?? like not a clue even though we had to read so much about the hospitalization. Injuries and “””police/legal system””” were inconsistent too but what tf ever at this point ya know
I cannot understand other reviewers saying the PTSD/trauma was handled realistically. Wish I could read whatever book they read, because in this the only symptoms we see (and only in Ren) is a couple moments of dissociation, he didn’t want to go to his apartment initially, a few hints of temporary claustrophobia (that only activated when plot-convenient and went away when he took like two steps away from a closet), and not liking the dark. Which can be part of the symptoms but be ffr. we’re told (not shown!) that he went through something really bad (implied off page torture) but he’s not having a single major/classic symptom?
I can’t even give kudos for actually having therapy be part of recovery because while I understand that being off page (so that readers don’t (even subconsciously) take anything as real advice for real problems), he had 1 appointment and got back form that smiling and almost like normal. Ummmm has author ever been to therapy?? like for trauma?? The first appointment is especially difficult and exhausting—you have to talk through the list of reasons why you’re even in therapy, level of detail for each reason depends on the therapist and how long your list is. It’s incredibly draining emotionally and physically. You’re not going back to work directly after, grinning and bringing people snacks 🙄 particularly when up til that point the character has mostly been hiding in his office after showing up hours late to work and doing 4 days a week
OKAY. SO. THE BIG PROBLEM. the REASON for the attack is actually the stupidest motivation I’ve ever read. in my whole life. and I used to teach middle school and gotta say, some of those kids did not care about writing but came up with better ideas than this one. The book was “meh” until that part but. MC was beaten(I guess??????) because he didn’t give a new guy at work FREE PASTRIES or GREET him by name AND got take-out from a pizza place that DOESNT DO TAKEOUT. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. WAS THIS ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY THAT ONE PERSON I WORK WITH BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE SAID THE STUPIDEST THINGS IVE EVER HEARD YET HERE WE ARE. actually don’t tell me even if it is you because I genuinely will quit my job so I can be free.
It is literally difficult to type, BUT.even if I set aside that there is supposedly a pizza place that does not allow for customers to order pizza and pick it up to take home with them unless they’re related to a celebrity (🙄😒🤨🤨🤦♀️🤬🤷♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️), the motivation for the attack apparently is “we’re 3 tough humans in a world of shapeshifters (that are in some cases legally allowed to kill humans????) and we’re going to attack/kind of kill this guy who is mildly stuck-up and standoffish to a friend of ours during the 90 seconds they see each other at work 4 days a week”
implying offhand one time that the attackers might also have been homophobic makes it worse. Because actually, making the motivation homophobia would have made actual sense? (and like fucking hell, now I’m suggesting MORE homophobia???)
Or, how about they wanted to hold him ransom bc they know his brother is rich, but got carried away with roughing him up???
They didn’t even bring him to a second location!!!!! that’s bad guy 101, actually no it’s a prerequisite to even apply to get into the 101 class. How are you attacking a guy 10 feet from a busy restaurant. They don’t have to know he has a shifter mate—who is legally allowed to murder them in certain scenarios—in order to not be the dumbest fucking people.
Also bugged me that every side character did the stereotypical fanfic thing of being overly invested in the MCs’ relationship the whole time. Including random coworkers telling one of the MCs what his kink was before he even knew 😒🤨 the daddy thing didn’t even make sense here, he was just passive and submissive (personality, I’m not saying you can’t be little spoon and dominant at the same time) and had like no authority even at their workplace. idk maybe the final quarter of the book has a massive 180 in the characterizations (I guess I wouldn’t be surprised) but it sure as fuck wouldn’t be earned or worth it.
Plus this had the “tiny woman character makes even the biggest guys scared when they fight because she’s SO strong teeheehee feminism” trope like give me a break. feminism has never meant that the most feminine woman (because more small=more feminine offc) physically defeating big beefy dudes. even Gretchen Weiners knows that’s not in the rules of feminism.
yeah, I should have DNF’d sooner. I thought it was short enough and not-bad enough to just finish it but.fuckdamn once I read the stupidest part every other stupid annoying thing got worse. gave me a headache from rolling my eyes so much
(can’t bring myself to leave it at 2 stars. just. no.).
Lots of nondescriptive telling without showing. Pretty much everything is either told in summary, through dialogue, or off page in a “fade to black” style.
There’s a time and place for a fade to black, and that’s when (1) it’s really really obvious what’s happening (ie sex) or (2) to build suspense. But like, why do that for an MC being attacked?? The suspense is already there, so what’s the actual point of not giving any details???? and No, “not showing any blood/violence” is NOT a valid answer, because we read the other MC bite open a couple throats. the injuries/recovery are the middle third of the book and we never at any point know what exactly (or basically) happened other than “attack” “blood” “surgeries”. Was he shot? Hit with a baseball bat? Fists and kicks? Stabbed? choked with cheese and slapped with a stale pizza crust?? like not a clue even though we had to read so much about the hospitalization. Injuries and “””police/legal system””” were inconsistent too but what tf ever at this point ya know
I cannot understand other reviewers saying the PTSD/trauma was handled realistically. Wish I could read whatever book they read, because in this the only symptoms we see (and only in Ren) is a couple moments of dissociation, he didn’t want to go to his apartment initially, a few hints of temporary claustrophobia (that only activated when plot-convenient and went away when he took like two steps away from a closet), and not liking the dark. Which can be part of the symptoms but be ffr. we’re told (not shown!) that he went through something really bad (implied off page torture) but he’s not having a single major/classic symptom?
I can’t even give kudos for actually having therapy be part of recovery because while I understand that being off page (so that readers don’t (even subconsciously) take anything as real advice for real problems), he had 1 appointment and got back form that smiling and almost like normal. Ummmm has author ever been to therapy?? like for trauma?? The first appointment is especially difficult and exhausting—you have to talk through the list of reasons why you’re even in therapy, level of detail for each reason depends on the therapist and how long your list is. It’s incredibly draining emotionally and physically. You’re not going back to work directly after, grinning and bringing people snacks 🙄 particularly when up til that point the character has mostly been hiding in his office after showing up hours late to work and doing 4 days a week
OKAY. SO. THE BIG PROBLEM. the REASON for the attack is actually the stupidest motivation I’ve ever read. in my whole life. and I used to teach middle school and gotta say, some of those kids did not care about writing but came up with better ideas than this one. The book was “meh” until that part but. MC was beaten(I guess??????) because he didn’t give a new guy at work FREE PASTRIES or GREET him by name AND got take-out from a pizza place that DOESNT DO TAKEOUT. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. WAS THIS ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY THAT ONE PERSON I WORK WITH BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE SAID THE STUPIDEST THINGS IVE EVER HEARD YET HERE WE ARE. actually don’t tell me even if it is you because I genuinely will quit my job so I can be free.
It is literally difficult to type, BUT.even if I set aside that there is supposedly a pizza place that does not allow for customers to order pizza and pick it up to take home with them unless they’re related to a celebrity (🙄😒🤨🤨🤦♀️🤬🤷♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️), the motivation for the attack apparently is “we’re 3 tough humans in a world of shapeshifters (that are in some cases legally allowed to kill humans????) and we’re going to attack/kind of kill this guy who is mildly stuck-up and standoffish to a friend of ours during the 90 seconds they see each other at work 4 days a week”
implying offhand one time that the attackers might also have been homophobic makes it worse. Because actually, making the motivation homophobia would have made actual sense? (and like fucking hell, now I’m suggesting MORE homophobia???)
Or, how about they wanted to hold him ransom bc they know his brother is rich, but got carried away with roughing him up???
They didn’t even bring him to a second location!!!!! that’s bad guy 101, actually no it’s a prerequisite to even apply to get into the 101 class. How are you attacking a guy 10 feet from a busy restaurant. They don’t have to know he has a shifter mate—who is legally allowed to murder them in certain scenarios—in order to not be the dumbest fucking people.
Also bugged me that every side character did the stereotypical fanfic thing of being overly invested in the MCs’ relationship the whole time. Including random coworkers telling one of the MCs what his kink was before he even knew 😒🤨 the daddy thing didn’t even make sense here, he was just passive and submissive (personality, I’m not saying you can’t be little spoon and dominant at the same time) and had like no authority even at their workplace. idk maybe the final quarter of the book has a massive 180 in the characterizations (I guess I wouldn’t be surprised) but it sure as fuck wouldn’t be earned or worth it.
Plus this had the “tiny woman character makes even the biggest guys scared when they fight because she’s SO strong teeheehee feminism” trope like give me a break. feminism has never meant that the most feminine woman (because more small=more feminine offc) physically defeating big beefy dudes. even Gretchen Weiners knows that’s not in the rules of feminism.
yeah, I should have DNF’d sooner. I thought it was short enough and not-bad enough to just finish it but.fuckdamn once I read the stupidest part every other stupid annoying thing got worse. gave me a headache from rolling my eyes so much
June 18, 2023
Low angst
Human/Shifter mates
Daddy Dom
Boss/Assistant
Forced Proximity
Dual First Person POV
CWs: trauma, off page torture, off page physical assault, violence, murder
I love mental health and also BDSM so I'm always looking for positive, well done books with these themes. They're hard to come by so I went into this with low expectations. That made the first half of the book absolutely blew me away. Trauma is portrayed realistically but with grace. There's care taken with the character and his mental health; there's also care taken with the actual diagnosis meaning the author didn't use cookie cutter character behavior to demonstrate PTSD. The second half was a struggle for me but in the end I still liked both characters and plan on continuing the series. The Daddy is correctly portrayed as a caregiver (hallelujah) and no corporal punishment is used/experienced by survivors of abuse. The book, as a whole, is one I would recommend.
Longer Explanation:
Ren is suffering from trauma experienced while on a job and the way it's handled is lovely. He has triggers, he has anxiety, he can't function typically, and he needs therapy. It was so wonderful to see a character deal with the consequences of his abuse in such a realistic manner. No healing through sex or love, no outta sight outta mind triggers, no flippancy. And no pressure from Arie. Instead, Arie is supportive and does not take advantage of Ren while Ren is vulnerable. Arie cares for Ren, he establishes a routine with Ren, and he simply exists with Ren during the times Ren needs that quiet love so many do when overwhelmed. The way the trauma was presented - as realistic yet light- felt very genuine in a "basic trauma 101" way. I loved it. This is a personal matter for me so I appreciated the realness of it. The first half of the book was 5 stars for me.
The second half, though, didn't work for me. It's Arie's turn to experience trauma but instead of the realistic approach taken with Ren, the trauma that should have been demonstrated is kind of just... dismissed so we can have the Daddy/boy dynamic established. What should have been a triggering event for Ren and an establishing event for Arie was just *something that happened* to bring the mates together. So no mental health concerns with this event. Then the Daddy/boy bit just happens out of nowhere. Sure, each guy is interested in it and WE know that but they don't know that. So, Arie just calls Ren Daddy and then BOOM D/s dynamic is there. What?
Huge positive - the author understands the difference between Daddy Dom and Daddy kink. Ren is absolutely a Daddy Dom. He is sweet and considerate, a caretaker by nature. A giant heck yes to the author for this.
Huge negative - *I'm hoping others will not check out while reading the way I did by knowing this before reading*
- The communication was not there. This turns out to be a plot point but it's a huge nope for me and I almost DNF because of what happened. And the first annoyance of mine (punishment without discussion or warning) was never resolved so I'm still pretty upset if I'm being honest. Ren is a BDSM newbie but Arie is not new to this!!! Just because he is a sub does not mean he does not have the ability to communicate with his partner. Ren should have learned he was making errors from his partner, not an outsider. This established a power imbalance for me that I struggled to let go of even after finishing the book.
- Arie is deemed a brat by Ren when he gets frustrated because his needs aren't being met. Not only was Arie sweet as could be until this bratty behavior began, but the behavior is in response to Ren's behavior so I found this to be superficial at best.
So, yeah, the BDSM was fine (really well done compared to most other books out there) but the whole "Ren failed at communicating with Arie because he's new to this" thing didn't work for me because 1) the Internet exists and Ren used it. Ren researched this D/s dynamic enough to know some more specific behaviors like punishment but didn't read anything about communication and establishing boundaries? No way. And 2) Arie should have said something instead of having his frustration used as a prop to bring in "cute" yet out of character bratty behavior.
However, both guys were really nice which is always a plus for me. They treated each other well and behaved like adults, plus the side characters seemed interesting and were intermingled enough that I didn't lose the plot. So when I consider the story as a whole--- I am interested in continuing the series and I genuinely liked the guys so I think 3.5/4 is appropriate.
Human/Shifter mates
Daddy Dom
Boss/Assistant
Forced Proximity
Dual First Person POV
CWs: trauma, off page torture, off page physical assault, violence, murder
I love mental health and also BDSM so I'm always looking for positive, well done books with these themes. They're hard to come by so I went into this with low expectations. That made the first half of the book absolutely blew me away. Trauma is portrayed realistically but with grace. There's care taken with the character and his mental health; there's also care taken with the actual diagnosis meaning the author didn't use cookie cutter character behavior to demonstrate PTSD. The second half was a struggle for me but in the end I still liked both characters and plan on continuing the series. The Daddy is correctly portrayed as a caregiver (hallelujah) and no corporal punishment is used/experienced by survivors of abuse. The book, as a whole, is one I would recommend.
Longer Explanation:
Ren is suffering from trauma experienced while on a job and the way it's handled is lovely. He has triggers, he has anxiety, he can't function typically, and he needs therapy. It was so wonderful to see a character deal with the consequences of his abuse in such a realistic manner. No healing through sex or love, no outta sight outta mind triggers, no flippancy. And no pressure from Arie. Instead, Arie is supportive and does not take advantage of Ren while Ren is vulnerable. Arie cares for Ren, he establishes a routine with Ren, and he simply exists with Ren during the times Ren needs that quiet love so many do when overwhelmed. The way the trauma was presented - as realistic yet light- felt very genuine in a "basic trauma 101" way. I loved it. This is a personal matter for me so I appreciated the realness of it. The first half of the book was 5 stars for me.
The second half, though, didn't work for me. It's Arie's turn to experience trauma but instead of the realistic approach taken with Ren, the trauma that should have been demonstrated is kind of just... dismissed so we can have the Daddy/boy dynamic established. What should have been a triggering event for Ren and an establishing event for Arie was just *something that happened* to bring the mates together. So no mental health concerns with this event. Then the Daddy/boy bit just happens out of nowhere. Sure, each guy is interested in it and WE know that but they don't know that. So, Arie just calls Ren Daddy and then BOOM D/s dynamic is there. What?
Huge positive - the author understands the difference between Daddy Dom and Daddy kink. Ren is absolutely a Daddy Dom. He is sweet and considerate, a caretaker by nature. A giant heck yes to the author for this.
Huge negative - *I'm hoping others will not check out while reading the way I did by knowing this before reading*
- The communication was not there. This turns out to be a plot point but it's a huge nope for me and I almost DNF because of what happened. And the first annoyance of mine (punishment without discussion or warning) was never resolved so I'm still pretty upset if I'm being honest. Ren is a BDSM newbie but Arie is not new to this!!! Just because he is a sub does not mean he does not have the ability to communicate with his partner. Ren should have learned he was making errors from his partner, not an outsider. This established a power imbalance for me that I struggled to let go of even after finishing the book.
- Arie is deemed a brat by Ren when he gets frustrated because his needs aren't being met. Not only was Arie sweet as could be until this bratty behavior began, but the behavior is in response to Ren's behavior so I found this to be superficial at best.
So, yeah, the BDSM was fine (really well done compared to most other books out there) but the whole "Ren failed at communicating with Arie because he's new to this" thing didn't work for me because 1) the Internet exists and Ren used it. Ren researched this D/s dynamic enough to know some more specific behaviors like punishment but didn't read anything about communication and establishing boundaries? No way. And 2) Arie should have said something instead of having his frustration used as a prop to bring in "cute" yet out of character bratty behavior.
However, both guys were really nice which is always a plus for me. They treated each other well and behaved like adults, plus the side characters seemed interesting and were intermingled enough that I didn't lose the plot. So when I consider the story as a whole--- I am interested in continuing the series and I genuinely liked the guys so I think 3.5/4 is appropriate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2023
This is the first book in a new series, that feels like a blend of Charlie Cochet’s Four Kings and THIRDS with a side of rock and roll bands. It has a great found family feel, hurt/comfort feels, lots of great group camaraderie and interactions, very very light Daddy kink, and sets up a lot of potential couples for future books!
Arie is the front desk manager at RGB Security. And for the last two years, he’s had a major crush on Ren, a wolf shifter who is also one of the co-owners. I adore Arie and how sweet he is, how great he is with his coworkers. I also love that he stands up for himself through this book, he’s not a pushover.
Ren comes back from a mission gone wrong and struggles to get back to daily life. He also knows that Arie is his mate, but has never acted on it. But these two find a way, while also discovering some shared kinks along the way. Fans of hurt/comfort and slow burn will love these two together. Arie knows just what Ren needs, and the two have a lovely slow burn as Ren heals from his mission.
I also enjoyed the more we got to know about Arie’s brother, Leon, and I cannot wait for his story with Bellamy. And there are so many other characters that I want to know more about! There was a LOT of info at the beginning, and a LOT of new character names all at once, so hopefully there will be a bit of a refresh for the next book b/c there's no way I'm gonna remember everyone!
One thing that I will say, the Daddy kink was super light - and a bit uneven for me? They barely get into settling into things when there is a punishment, and that felt so out of nowhere, especially when Ren doesn’t know what he’s doing at first and later admits as much. And I wish we had gotten a bit more of them at the end, like things don’t get explicit and physical until like the 85% mark and again at 97%, and the epilogue doesn’t feel fully resolved. It just kinda ends.
I assume this will pick up with the next book in the series, which I imagine will be Leon’s story. I definitely want to read more with this group of shifters and humans!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Arie is the front desk manager at RGB Security. And for the last two years, he’s had a major crush on Ren, a wolf shifter who is also one of the co-owners. I adore Arie and how sweet he is, how great he is with his coworkers. I also love that he stands up for himself through this book, he’s not a pushover.
Ren comes back from a mission gone wrong and struggles to get back to daily life. He also knows that Arie is his mate, but has never acted on it. But these two find a way, while also discovering some shared kinks along the way. Fans of hurt/comfort and slow burn will love these two together. Arie knows just what Ren needs, and the two have a lovely slow burn as Ren heals from his mission.
I also enjoyed the more we got to know about Arie’s brother, Leon, and I cannot wait for his story with Bellamy. And there are so many other characters that I want to know more about! There was a LOT of info at the beginning, and a LOT of new character names all at once, so hopefully there will be a bit of a refresh for the next book b/c there's no way I'm gonna remember everyone!
One thing that I will say, the Daddy kink was super light - and a bit uneven for me? They barely get into settling into things when there is a punishment, and that felt so out of nowhere, especially when Ren doesn’t know what he’s doing at first and later admits as much. And I wish we had gotten a bit more of them at the end, like things don’t get explicit and physical until like the 85% mark and again at 97%, and the epilogue doesn’t feel fully resolved. It just kinda ends.
I assume this will pick up with the next book in the series, which I imagine will be Leon’s story. I definitely want to read more with this group of shifters and humans!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2024
One of the books I got free in a sale. This is a world where shifters are known and the two main characters work for a private security company. The shifter is one that goes on missions, the human is the one who works in the company helping things run.
I had fun with this one! I really enjoyed the world itself (and discussion about how laws/people's opinions change when shifters are widely known), the group of people we're introduced to (though after we got introduced to about ten people in the first chapter, I definitely got some of them mixed up) and the romance itself was really sweet. I like how the two of them get together and while they're mates, they still have things to communicate about and to adjust to. Their banter was amusing too. The relationship conflict felt a little bit rushed and forced at times, but I really appreciated how it was dealt with (the fact that one of the characters acknowledged that the other hitting a trigger of theirs (that this character didn't know about) wasn't anyone's fault was something I was really pleased to see). I enjoyed the recovery of Ren throughout the novel, it was good to see the 'more powerful' character being the one who gets hurt and then needs time to recover.
That said, I did have some issues with this book. Like I said the conflict felt a little weirdly paced at times, both the relationship conflict and the plot conflict, and sometimes it felt like things got introduced only when they needed for the conflict to start, rather than any kind of foreshadowing. Also there was one scene where Arie dug his nails into Ren's hand/arm out of anger and drew blood and it was treated as a big joke. I hated this, it gave vibes of 'woman hurts man out of anger but it's funny because she could never really hurt him!'. Arie being the physically weaker character did not mean that I wanted to see him hurt Ren and it be treated as a joke (one person even says 'that's hot' and I really didn't like that either).
I may or may not check out the rest of the series but I am happy to have read this.
3.5 stars!
I had fun with this one! I really enjoyed the world itself (and discussion about how laws/people's opinions change when shifters are widely known), the group of people we're introduced to (though after we got introduced to about ten people in the first chapter, I definitely got some of them mixed up) and the romance itself was really sweet. I like how the two of them get together and while they're mates, they still have things to communicate about and to adjust to. Their banter was amusing too. The relationship conflict felt a little bit rushed and forced at times, but I really appreciated how it was dealt with (the fact that one of the characters acknowledged that the other hitting a trigger of theirs (that this character didn't know about) wasn't anyone's fault was something I was really pleased to see). I enjoyed the recovery of Ren throughout the novel, it was good to see the 'more powerful' character being the one who gets hurt and then needs time to recover.
That said, I did have some issues with this book. Like I said the conflict felt a little weirdly paced at times, both the relationship conflict and the plot conflict, and sometimes it felt like things got introduced only when they needed for the conflict to start, rather than any kind of foreshadowing. Also there was one scene where Arie dug his nails into Ren's hand/arm out of anger and drew blood and it was treated as a big joke. I hated this, it gave vibes of 'woman hurts man out of anger but it's funny because she could never really hurt him!'. Arie being the physically weaker character did not mean that I wanted to see him hurt Ren and it be treated as a joke (one person even says 'that's hot' and I really didn't like that either).
I may or may not check out the rest of the series but I am happy to have read this.
3.5 stars!
June 15, 2023
BECOMING DADDY WOLF is the first book in the RGB Security series and I honestly cannot wait for this series to continue.
We start off with Ren, a wolf shifter and one of the partners of said security firm being tortured and the person he was trying to save dying. He comes back from this with severe PTSD (no surprise). Arie is 'just' a human and is the receptionist for the security firm. He has had a crush on Ren for the past two years but never acted on it. Everyone else is aware of his crush but says nothing. Ren knows Arie is his fated mate but doesn't act on it. You can see where this is going, right?!
There is a whole load of caregiving in this book - usually by Arie to Ren as he tries to help him recover from his torture. I'm being honest here... the Daddy side? Yeah, that didn't really work for me here. It was more about Ren and his wolf admitting and being with Arie. You can be dominant in a relationship without having a Daddy. Those parts seemed almost awkward to read about, not quite fitting in as nicely with the rest of the story.
But that was my biggest niggle. The rest of the book, I absolutely loved. I adore all the different characters and can think of at least half a dozen more I want stories for.
A great start to a series that I look forward to reading more from. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 15, 2023
We start off with Ren, a wolf shifter and one of the partners of said security firm being tortured and the person he was trying to save dying. He comes back from this with severe PTSD (no surprise). Arie is 'just' a human and is the receptionist for the security firm. He has had a crush on Ren for the past two years but never acted on it. Everyone else is aware of his crush but says nothing. Ren knows Arie is his fated mate but doesn't act on it. You can see where this is going, right?!
There is a whole load of caregiving in this book - usually by Arie to Ren as he tries to help him recover from his torture. I'm being honest here... the Daddy side? Yeah, that didn't really work for me here. It was more about Ren and his wolf admitting and being with Arie. You can be dominant in a relationship without having a Daddy. Those parts seemed almost awkward to read about, not quite fitting in as nicely with the rest of the story.
But that was my biggest niggle. The rest of the book, I absolutely loved. I adore all the different characters and can think of at least half a dozen more I want stories for.
A great start to a series that I look forward to reading more from. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 15, 2023
June 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this new shifter series by Tia Fielding. There are several aspects to it - boss/employee, shifters, fated mates, hurt/comfort - all of which make up a story full of emotion, a slow building relationship between alpha, Ren, and human, Arie, and as well as dealing with mental health/PTSD.
Arie has crushed on Ren since he started as receptionist/all round assistant at RGB Security but he is under the impression that Ren isn't interested however, that couldn't be further from the truth. Ren has been keeping a rather large secret from Arie but there is a major incident on his last job and Arie is the one he turns to when he offers support. It's a slow process as Arie gives him space to recover and process, while both men also grow physically and emotionally closer.
Arie is so great in how he takes charge of Ren's care, showing everyone how important he is to him, and the whole team is behind him in wanting to get Ren better. Ren is happy to be under Arie's care but also feels inadequate as he's the alpha and should be taking care of Arie. The bond that grows between them strengthens and becomes an important factor as Ren isn't the only one who gets into trouble. I also found the daddy aspect interesting as Ren wasn't aware of that or how to be one for Arie which made for an fun conversation with his friend.
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series. The other members of the team are very entertaining and have a lot to offer.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Arie has crushed on Ren since he started as receptionist/all round assistant at RGB Security but he is under the impression that Ren isn't interested however, that couldn't be further from the truth. Ren has been keeping a rather large secret from Arie but there is a major incident on his last job and Arie is the one he turns to when he offers support. It's a slow process as Arie gives him space to recover and process, while both men also grow physically and emotionally closer.
Arie is so great in how he takes charge of Ren's care, showing everyone how important he is to him, and the whole team is behind him in wanting to get Ren better. Ren is happy to be under Arie's care but also feels inadequate as he's the alpha and should be taking care of Arie. The bond that grows between them strengthens and becomes an important factor as Ren isn't the only one who gets into trouble. I also found the daddy aspect interesting as Ren wasn't aware of that or how to be one for Arie which made for an fun conversation with his friend.
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series. The other members of the team are very entertaining and have a lot to offer.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
June 15, 2023
This was super sweet
I really loved this. I am a big fan of good representation for PTSD and honestly whilst this wasn’t always perfect I think it did really well at showing how someone with PTSD struggles. Obviously, Ren having a mate changed things a little as did being a shifter, but the genuine struggle he had, the vulnerability, dissociation, difficulty regulating his moods was all done with the level of respect I really want to see when a character has PTSD. It wasn’t just a label to throw around. Okay, now that I’m done my little rant on that I can get to the sweetness that was seen and Arie together. They were so, so cute together and whilst I kind of wanted to shake past Ren for his decision making I actually really liked that they had so much time to get to know each other without that external pressure of being mates (or at least Arie did). I really enjoyed the pacing and whilst the action at the end wasn’t necessary per se, I think it did a really good bit of world building as it gave a great insight into how society worked with shifters (given much of the book takes place within Arie and Ren’s social bubble that was really helpful for world building as a whole). I’m really looking forward to what comes next!
I really loved this. I am a big fan of good representation for PTSD and honestly whilst this wasn’t always perfect I think it did really well at showing how someone with PTSD struggles. Obviously, Ren having a mate changed things a little as did being a shifter, but the genuine struggle he had, the vulnerability, dissociation, difficulty regulating his moods was all done with the level of respect I really want to see when a character has PTSD. It wasn’t just a label to throw around. Okay, now that I’m done my little rant on that I can get to the sweetness that was seen and Arie together. They were so, so cute together and whilst I kind of wanted to shake past Ren for his decision making I actually really liked that they had so much time to get to know each other without that external pressure of being mates (or at least Arie did). I really enjoyed the pacing and whilst the action at the end wasn’t necessary per se, I think it did a really good bit of world building as it gave a great insight into how society worked with shifters (given much of the book takes place within Arie and Ren’s social bubble that was really helpful for world building as a whole). I’m really looking forward to what comes next!
June 16, 2023
New to me author so didn't know what to expect, so was in for a very nice surprise. I really enjoyed it. It had snarky comments, humor, healing, sweet & tender moments, and steam.
The book grabbed me from the start since the action and suspense starts right away. And Ren is now suffering the consequences. I loved that there was no miracle cure or a quick s€x fix. Ren's healing took time, suffered set backs, and needed therapy. His alpha status did not exclude him from being traumatized (no on page or detailed retelling of trauma). He was vulnerable and needed help. The author did a great job of not writing this as a showing weakness or brushed it aside just because Ren was an alpha. Arie was more than willing to help Ren. He provided comfort/tenderness but he also stood his ground when necessary. He was feisty and stood/spoke up when necessary. The relationship slowly developed from friendship to Daddy/boy (slow burn) but was sizzling hot when they got together.
The secondary characters were fully developed and intriguing enough to pull you in and want their story. The world building was also great, humans and supernaturals living together, but it's not all perfect and harmony. I definitely want to read more from this series, RGB Security.
The book grabbed me from the start since the action and suspense starts right away. And Ren is now suffering the consequences. I loved that there was no miracle cure or a quick s€x fix. Ren's healing took time, suffered set backs, and needed therapy. His alpha status did not exclude him from being traumatized (no on page or detailed retelling of trauma). He was vulnerable and needed help. The author did a great job of not writing this as a showing weakness or brushed it aside just because Ren was an alpha. Arie was more than willing to help Ren. He provided comfort/tenderness but he also stood his ground when necessary. He was feisty and stood/spoke up when necessary. The relationship slowly developed from friendship to Daddy/boy (slow burn) but was sizzling hot when they got together.
The secondary characters were fully developed and intriguing enough to pull you in and want their story. The world building was also great, humans and supernaturals living together, but it's not all perfect and harmony. I definitely want to read more from this series, RGB Security.
June 19, 2023
This is the first book I've read by Tia Fielding, but it won't be the last. I was really intrigued by the blurb and the story delivered exactly what it said. Ren, an Alpha wolf shifter, is part of a special ops type of organization and seriously injured on his last job - both physically and mentally. Arie, a human, works as the receptionist for the outfit and has been crushing on Ren for the past two years. He is completely unaware that he is actually Ren's mate - although Ren thinks that he is far to "damaged" for someone as special as Arie. It takes some open communication, a fair bit of sass, mutual longing and real work before these two find their HEA, but I completely enjoyed the journey to that point. It's definitely a slow burn, but it made sense within the context of the story. The author didn't rush things just for the sake of adding in smexy times. The world building and secondary characters was sufficient enough to add depth to the story - although it would have been nice to have a bit more details on our MC's appearances (ie. hair/eye color, etc) Overall this was a great start to what appears to be a new series and I'm excited to see where the author takes us from here. I'll definitely be reading the next book!
June 17, 2023
What is your favorite type of shifter? I’m here for the wolves and the dragons. I’m also a HUGE fan of Daddy stories. SO….Becoming Daddy Wolf? Kryptonite.
Ren is a forty ish alpha wolf shifter. He and 2 other friends are the owners of RGBS a security firm. In other words? Bada$$ While on a mission he is caught and tortured within an inch of his life. And while shifters heal faster than humans, his injuries are so extensive they still take some time. Add in the mental anguish and his recovery is a hard battle.
Arie is a human. He is a receptionist at RGBS. And, he is about the only one who doesn’t know that he is the mate to his crush, Ren. When Ren comes back from his mission Arie steps in to help him heal. But, when Arie is the one needing the help and healing Ren steps up in a big way. His Daddy comes out and both his Daddy side and his wolf want to claim and take care of Arie forever.
I loved both of these men. Tia Fielding is a new to me author but I am so glad I found her. This story is a fantastic read. Her writing style is easy, fluid, and engaging right from the start.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Ren is a forty ish alpha wolf shifter. He and 2 other friends are the owners of RGBS a security firm. In other words? Bada$$ While on a mission he is caught and tortured within an inch of his life. And while shifters heal faster than humans, his injuries are so extensive they still take some time. Add in the mental anguish and his recovery is a hard battle.
Arie is a human. He is a receptionist at RGBS. And, he is about the only one who doesn’t know that he is the mate to his crush, Ren. When Ren comes back from his mission Arie steps in to help him heal. But, when Arie is the one needing the help and healing Ren steps up in a big way. His Daddy comes out and both his Daddy side and his wolf want to claim and take care of Arie forever.
I loved both of these men. Tia Fielding is a new to me author but I am so glad I found her. This story is a fantastic read. Her writing style is easy, fluid, and engaging right from the start.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
June 13, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for rating.
I enjoyed reading this book, even though at times not a lot happened. E.g. a month passed with Ren staying with Arie and no mention on how they adjusted. Also the opening scene where Ren is hurt is not fully explained, ditto a later situation when one of them is hurt, where although the plot explained what the motivation was, seemed trivial for the level of violence.
I like the relationship that is established with Arie's brother Leon, it was a close, relaxed communication between them.
In all, looked forward to reading this book, and enjoyed the characters and the environment that is built up around them, even if at times it feels like more a journal of events than a directed plot for a story. But expect there'll be more to follow as a series so that isn't a bad thing.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
I enjoyed reading this book, even though at times not a lot happened. E.g. a month passed with Ren staying with Arie and no mention on how they adjusted. Also the opening scene where Ren is hurt is not fully explained, ditto a later situation when one of them is hurt, where although the plot explained what the motivation was, seemed trivial for the level of violence.
I like the relationship that is established with Arie's brother Leon, it was a close, relaxed communication between them.
In all, looked forward to reading this book, and enjoyed the characters and the environment that is built up around them, even if at times it feels like more a journal of events than a directed plot for a story. But expect there'll be more to follow as a series so that isn't a bad thing.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
June 22, 2024
I’m generally not a fan of the daddy trope, but the plot for this one compelled me to read it. In this mm shifter romance, human Arie has been working as the receptionist at RGB Security for more than two years. And for the entirety of his time at the office, he’s had a hopeless crush on one of his hot bosses, Ren. For his part, Ren, a wolf shifter, has done his best to act disinterested in Arie, despite his wolf recognizing Arie as his mate from the start.
When Ren returns injured from an overseas mission, he turns to Arie for comfort and support. As he’s healing, a whole series of events unfold leading to Arie learning about his status as Ren’s mate.
While I haven’t read a lot of shifter romance, I enjoyed this story a lot. The spice level is much lower than I anticipated given the undeniable chemistry and connection between Ren and Arie, but I still enjoyed it. I hope the author writes more in this world.
When Ren returns injured from an overseas mission, he turns to Arie for comfort and support. As he’s healing, a whole series of events unfold leading to Arie learning about his status as Ren’s mate.
While I haven’t read a lot of shifter romance, I enjoyed this story a lot. The spice level is much lower than I anticipated given the undeniable chemistry and connection between Ren and Arie, but I still enjoyed it. I hope the author writes more in this world.
June 20, 2023
Strength is not about age. Arie, enjoys his job as receptionist at RGB Security. He enjoys his found family and gets to crush on his amazing boss, Ren Alpha wolf shifter. Ren, almost loses his life on a mission that goes sideways resulting in his violent torture. Recovery is slow due to the extensive injuries and resulting PTSD. Arie steps up to take care of him. Great opportunity, but stressful. Ren, knows Arie is his mate, but thinks Arie could do better so he keeps his distance. Then after his accident and Arie stepping up to care for him, complications upon complications! Can these guys catch a break? Good story. Author does an excellent job laying out circumstances, consequences and recovery processes. This story grabs you and squeezes you and takes it's time letting you go. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 13, 2023
I enjoyed this, but for me personally it was a little too much of a slow burn!
I really enjoy the passion of mates but this was the other side, it was much sweeter and had far more relationship build up, even though it is daddy!
Ren and Arie have a tough ol' time in this book, there was a lot going on and a lot of side characters that i did find in hard to keep track of who was who and what their role was. This is my first book by the author so they might be in previous books however I don't feel it massive made a different to my reading experience!
Ren and Arie were cute, I definitely enjoyed their story but it maybe just wasn't for me. 3.5 stars
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review
I really enjoy the passion of mates but this was the other side, it was much sweeter and had far more relationship build up, even though it is daddy!
Ren and Arie have a tough ol' time in this book, there was a lot going on and a lot of side characters that i did find in hard to keep track of who was who and what their role was. This is my first book by the author so they might be in previous books however I don't feel it massive made a different to my reading experience!
Ren and Arie were cute, I definitely enjoyed their story but it maybe just wasn't for me. 3.5 stars
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review
June 18, 2023
Absolutely fantastic!
I loved this book! The story of Ren and Arie is filled with love, danger and a bit of sass and is an absolute pleasure to read. Ren is an alpha wolf shifter and Arie is a human. They work together and Ren knows Arie is his mate but doesn’t tell him. When Ren is injured during a job, Arie steps in to take care of him. I love the way Arie dotes on Ren and cares for him as he heals. The tables will turn and Ren will be the one doing the caring when Arie is injured and it’s just as sweet how devoted he is. The truth will come out and while Arie will be mad about time wasted, he will take to being Ren’s mate and the two will get their happily ever after!
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
I loved this book! The story of Ren and Arie is filled with love, danger and a bit of sass and is an absolute pleasure to read. Ren is an alpha wolf shifter and Arie is a human. They work together and Ren knows Arie is his mate but doesn’t tell him. When Ren is injured during a job, Arie steps in to take care of him. I love the way Arie dotes on Ren and cares for him as he heals. The tables will turn and Ren will be the one doing the caring when Arie is injured and it’s just as sweet how devoted he is. The truth will come out and while Arie will be mad about time wasted, he will take to being Ren’s mate and the two will get their happily ever after!
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
June 20, 2023
Arie is the receptionist for RBGS, a security firm of humans and shifters. Ren is one of the partners, a wolf shifter, and unbeknownst to Arie, his mate. Arie has been in love with Ren for two years, but Ren doesn’t feel he’s good enough for Arie, so has said nothing. When Ren is injured in the line of duty and suffering from PTSD, Arie takes him under his wing to help him heal. Just when Ren is about to spring the mate thing on Arie, fate intervenes and everything is chaos. Over time, life sorts itself out, including a resolution of the future of the mate relationship.
Two bonded characters determined to care for each other, wolf and tiger shifters, a court case, a rock star, blooming relationships, and an eventual HEA make for an interesting and whimsical tale.
Two bonded characters determined to care for each other, wolf and tiger shifters, a court case, a rock star, blooming relationships, and an eventual HEA make for an interesting and whimsical tale.
June 20, 2023
Ren is an alpha wolf and one of the RBGS security. A job gone south has left him a bit broken and he needs to heal. He has known that Arie, who is human, is his mate but does not feel like he can go for him given his need to recover. Arie is a caretaker who steps up to help Ren in his recovery. Arie also has a crush on Ren so helping him is no hardship but really a labor of love. When Arie needs the favor returned, Ren steps up and finally steps into the protector role he wants to have in Arie's life. Theirs is not a fast courtship, rather a slow burn but over time Ren truly embraces becoming the daddy wolf that Arie needs in his life.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 22, 2023
**First Time Reader**
I really enjoyed this. Ren and Arie was wonderful. It was definitely a slow burn romance but you don't really notice or even care because the story itself is so good. I also like how this paranormal world is "somewhat" accepting of shifters and they don't have to hide themselves. Still prejudices unfortunately, but shifters are able to live amongst the humans. No chapters, 2 POV which is great, some humor, not even that angsty...somewhat of an office romance which is one of my fav tropes...like I mentioned earlier, slow burn...with a good dose of sexual tension that detonates towards the end. A lovely HEA for the MCs. I'm glad this is a series because I'm so hooked I gotta see what's coming next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this. Ren and Arie was wonderful. It was definitely a slow burn romance but you don't really notice or even care because the story itself is so good. I also like how this paranormal world is "somewhat" accepting of shifters and they don't have to hide themselves. Still prejudices unfortunately, but shifters are able to live amongst the humans. No chapters, 2 POV which is great, some humor, not even that angsty...somewhat of an office romance which is one of my fav tropes...like I mentioned earlier, slow burn...with a good dose of sexual tension that detonates towards the end. A lovely HEA for the MCs. I'm glad this is a series because I'm so hooked I gotta see what's coming next.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
July 3, 2023
The book was well-written and had genuine emotion and connection. The characters were well-developed, likable, and relatable. The MC’s had amazing chemistry. Arie was a human and crushing on one of his bosses, Ren, who was keeping the secret that they were fated mates. It took them several years for one of them to make the first move, but when they did, their relationship went from friends to forever very quickly. You could see the attraction is very mutual and I loved the dual POV so you could tell how they were both falling for each other and that it was more than just physical. Being this was my first time reading a book from this author, I am looking forward to reading other works available.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 25, 2024
3.5/5 - I wanted to enjoy this and mostly did for the first half or so of the book, but it had a few different aspects that just didn’t click for me. The pace of the book seemed a bit rushed in places and some bits were glossed over that could have done with a bit more detail. I knew there was going to be a Daddy aspect from the title and blurb but it was almost like the author forgot for a main chunk of the book and then tried to cram it into the end so it didn’t seem natural by that stage. The actual plot and characters I liked, it was just the execution that left me feeling something was missing. I’d still read more in this series, as it was a quick easy read and I think the series has potential.
June 25, 2024
Eu gostei bastante até uns 80% quando começa todo o lance de "Daddy" mas também não é culpa do livro, tá no nome eu que não percebi pra onde ia levar. Porém não é nada exagerado eu que não curto isso de tratar o parceiro como filho (sim, o livro mesmo não tolera isso e meio que muda no fim, mas eu não gosto) e não me incomodou total. E eu não me incomodo com chamar o outro de Daddy, mas isso ser toda uma dinâmica não me agrada. Mas se curtir acho que é um bom livro. Eu gosto dos personagens, eu gosto que o Ren busca terapia (!!!!). O livro é bem centrado na recuperação mental do Ren e depois na física do Arie. Acho que podia ser um pouco mais aprofundado nos temas, mas é um livro curto e rápido de ler. No fim, é um livro ok.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
4.5 stars
Oh such a great story. I’ve read it a couple of times now and enjoyed it every time. Ren has gone through all horrific experience and when he makes it home he just needs his mate. Even though Arie is unaware he is Ren’s mate, he has been in love with him for years and immediately opens his home and heart to Ren. This is definitely a slow burn story but worth it. You get to see these two connect and really bond and fall in love. Crazy things happen but they keep growing stronger. I definitely need more stories in this world!
The slight half a star take away is because there is a lot of background story with side characters that don’t get resolved but are made a part of this story. It bothers me only a little bit who still almost 5 stars.
Oh such a great story. I’ve read it a couple of times now and enjoyed it every time. Ren has gone through all horrific experience and when he makes it home he just needs his mate. Even though Arie is unaware he is Ren’s mate, he has been in love with him for years and immediately opens his home and heart to Ren. This is definitely a slow burn story but worth it. You get to see these two connect and really bond and fall in love. Crazy things happen but they keep growing stronger. I definitely need more stories in this world!
The slight half a star take away is because there is a lot of background story with side characters that don’t get resolved but are made a part of this story. It bothers me only a little bit who still almost 5 stars.
June 19, 2023
Holding back
This was a definite slow burn story with a double side of hurt/comfort, one mental and the other mostly physical. I felt like the book started rather abruptly in the middle of things and would have preferred the prologue back up two years to show Ren and Arie’s actual beginnings. I liked the initial twist of Arie being the strong one and supporting Ren before roles flipped. I’m not sure I see the daddy dynamic with these two, other than superficially, but they did make a good couple once Ren stopped being stoic. I also enjoyed meeting the whole ensemble of characters surrounding RGBS and see the potential for more stories with these guys.
3 1/2 stars
This was a definite slow burn story with a double side of hurt/comfort, one mental and the other mostly physical. I felt like the book started rather abruptly in the middle of things and would have preferred the prologue back up two years to show Ren and Arie’s actual beginnings. I liked the initial twist of Arie being the strong one and supporting Ren before roles flipped. I’m not sure I see the daddy dynamic with these two, other than superficially, but they did make a good couple once Ren stopped being stoic. I also enjoyed meeting the whole ensemble of characters surrounding RGBS and see the potential for more stories with these guys.
3 1/2 stars
June 20, 2023
So many favorite tropes in this one with two wonderful characters in Arie and Ren to enact them. We get fated mates, boss/employee, and a really strong hurt comfort plot as Arie helps Ren with his recovery. That recovery brings them closer but there is nothing about the story that implies love heals all wounds. The recovery is slow and painful and requires more people than just Ren and Arie. I was intrigued watching an alpha shifter deal with having to ask for help and learn to accept it. There is plenty of action outside the romance as well and the two plots blend together well. Very much looking forward to more in this series.
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