Fox Mate

The Madison Wolves #3

by Robin Roseau

Fox Mate is the 3rd of the Madison Wolves novels, telling the continued story of the feisty were-fox, Michaela, and her alpha-werewolf lover, Lara.

Michaela Redfur has been accepted into the wolf pack as their fox, and a wedding with Lara, the alpha, is in the planning. But being accepted into a close-knit clan is not simply a formality. There are rites of initiation and you know you are truly accepted when the dark and ugly is accepted along with the good.

In Fox Mate Michaela, the lone and orphaned fox, finds out how acceptance works - wolf-style: some rough play, lots of love especially when a pack- member is in need of help.

Michaela struggles to hold things together and find peace in time to save the wedding.

This is a novel of 110,000 words. The novel deals with traumatic issues from Michaela's past and contains some graphic violence and scenes that may be disturbing to sensitive readers.

Genres: Lesbian, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, LGBT, Shapeshifters

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2013

About the author

A writer by avocation, Robin has a renaissance interest in many areas. A bit of a gypsy, Robin has called a few places home and has traveled widely. A love of the outdoors, animals in general and experimenting with world cuisines, Robin and partner share their home with a menagerie of pets and guests, although sometimes it is difficult to discern who is whom.

Reviews

[Fae · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you really want to read this because of the previous two books then go to kindle unlimited free trial. If you want to continue to read the entire series but don't have kindle unlimited free trial, it still better to buy kindle unlimited to read this whole series for free with $9.99 per month. But I totally wouldn't recommend book 3.

For the life of me, I couldn't fathom why anyone would give this a five stars. Unless you are into domestic abuse, idiot main character with a sadist two-faces lover who keep breaking promise one after another but still receive forgiveness in the end. At this point, I am 100% sure Michaela is a masochist- yay, a twist.

This is like reading fifty shade of grey with no consensual torture. At least in FSG, the main character had some prior knowledge of what will happen to her (but I still couldn't finish it).
But this book? Michaela had no idea about the wolf tradition at all. She got abuse and they kept her in secret, they tortured and humiliated her without her consent to the point of bringing her at the edge of insanity or almost kill her. That just royally fuck up.

Does anyone even remember that she is a fox, not a wolf? Shouldn't this tradition apply to Lara and not Michaela? OTL

The first book is okay, good actually. Second one is downgrade a bit but still readable. The third one is just hard to read to the point that I feel cheat. Admittedly, this one is the worst in the entire series or so I heard.

Michaela said she can't marry Lara anymore, but that's not because she hates Lara for being such a liar/control freak with humongous ego. Her reason was "I can't marry you. I'm crazy." Yeah, she forgot to add that she is crazy because of her so-called friends in the pack. What fucked up the most...she forgave them and still marry Lara.

Yes, this book labeled violent. I'm completely fine with violent. But I'm not fine with domestic abuse with unrealistic love and inconsiderate lover. The main character is a broken, pathetic fox who yearn for love, so she let herself at the mercy of her friends and lover. Feisty fox? Not anymore, not in this third book, she acted like a feisty fox but she is not. She is subdued, shattered, and now, her decision at the end only make me mad.

And why is she apologizes to the one that hurt her anyway? Why is she keeps saying that her friends are not at fault? If someone ever do this to me, forget about forgive, I'll pack my stuffs and run away, never to come back.

The part about Michaela being a wolf assassin doesn't impress me nor do I feel good about it. It's like a random extra story that made up on the spot out of nowhere. The author basically tortured the main character then giving her an incredible secret to have point with the readers. But all of that fail, why? Because no matter how impressive Michaela seemed to be, Lara will surpass her (as stated in the book). Lara's logic is "If a fox can do it, so can I."

Despite all her past, I don't get why in the beginning of book 1, Michaela was so easily caught by Lara. It like the past doesn't matter at all. If reader compare this with book 1, it's inconsistent.

All I want is for Michaela to learn not to forgive. Like stay away from her friends for a while, make them beg for forgiveness. Hell, just break up with Lara and return to her original life seems like a better ending for me.

EXTRA

Lara: "You are safe with me, I will keep you safe, you are safe here Michaela."

- Wedding day---

Lara: "I'm sorry Michaela, I forgot about the tradition, I didn't know my packmates are torture you."

Lara: "I'm sorry Michaela, I have an urge to put you in a cage because my packmates are driving you crazy."

*crack*

Lara: "I'm sorry Michaela, I broke several of your ribs in my moment of fury."

Michaela: It's okay Lara, I forgive you, I love you. Can we still marry?

Me: ...

-Wedding time, Michaela looks at herself in the mirror---

Michaela: "Lara, it's beautiful. You bought me the dress I wanted."

Lara: "No, I bought you the dress I wanted."

Me: zzzZZ


Everything is about Lara, for Lara, follow Lara's wish...and Michaela sacrificed everything (emotional to physical), all Lara needs to do is pay for everything with her enormous fortune.
I would totally dumb my fiancee/fiance if this really happen to me in real life. Just that lone sentence is enough to make me call off the wedding. Don't forget the part where Lara ordered Michaela's food in restaurant in the second book, doesn't matter if Michaela likes the food or not. Lara tries to order the right food yes, but really? Shouldn't she let Michaela decide? The sad part is, Michaela likes it when Lara ordered food for her. Any self-respect person would order their own food, or the couple order each other's food back and forth.

Obviously Michaela is not allowed to do things that Lara allowed to do for her. Michaela is still the one who get permission from Lara, not the other way around. Even when they got married, their relationship is still one-side. I read many werewolves/shapeshifters book, there are many concepts about Sub/Dom relationship, but the couples in those books don't restrict their partner from certain rights that should be acceptable in any healthy loving relationship.

The author tried to make Michaela into a smart, cunning, witty fox. However, she is not smart enough to realize her current relationship as unbalance. Or more like she realized it but still accepted it, and that's even more stupid. Ignorant is bliss, not when you are smart but still choose to be ignorant.

Even Michaela herself pointed out those problems in her internal/external dialogues, but she accepted them in the end anyway. Her reason is "because I love Lara." Nuh uh, stupid fox.

I'm pretty sure there are a lot more for me to rants, but I skipped so much in the book that I'm not sure which part is which part. As for those who purchased this entire series because of the first book and couldn't see this coming, here's a cookie for you. Cookie for me as well.

[Jem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has garnered some pretty strongly-worded negative reviews here and elsewhere. The problem with these reviews is you can't read them without spoilers. Hopefully, this will help potential readers decide whether to buy it or not, without any unnecessary reveals.

If you haven't read the first and second books, go get them. They are excellently plotted and written. The following review will contain spoilers from the first two books.

In the third book, Michaela (the fox) and Lara (the Alpha wolf) are now in a stable relationship and are engaged. The whole book covers the wedding preparations, the bridal shower and the wedding itself. From this alone you can infer that there is a lull in the proceedings. Its not exactly dull, because the traditional wolf bridal shower is anything but. Think of this book as Michaela's initiation into wolf life and traditions...complete with a 'hazing' ceremony. But with so little happening, the three major proceedings are stretched out to fill the book.

Coming from the excellent books 1 & 2, this will be a letdown if you are expecting the same level of tension and excitement. If you are willing to temper your expectations, and accept at face value the direction the author takes Michaela's development, then you will be rewarded towards the end of the book, when Michaela finally reveals her true past--it is awesome.

As to the graphic scenes of violence? Nothing too harsh, I can assure you there are worse out there. Werewolves are by their very nature violent, and killing is a way of life for them. I admire the author's depiction of these were-folks' animal side, their pack mentality, their need to dominate, their willingness to submit, their choice to kill. Its part of their world, and part of the author's worldbuilding. However, there is some misplaced violence, which I will comment on later under the spoilery part of my review.

I only gave the book 3 stars because of many problems that I had with various aspects of the book--lots of filler, inconsistencies, illogical choices, and cursory and unrealistic treatment of PTSD.

So, to buy or not to buy? This is sort of like a crossroads book. If you are undecided, you may want to wait for the 4th book, and see if the reviews are positive. If you can't wait, tone down your expectations, and enjoy the long, bumpy ride with little scenery, until you get to the destination. And let's keep our fingers crossed that the next adventure will be filled with more excitement.


Now on to the spoilery part of my review. As I mentioned earlier, I have issues with certain aspects of the book.

The main problem with the third book is that nothing much happens. There is no conflict anymore (no more rival gangs, Michaela and Lara firmly in love and fully accepted into the tribe). So the author fills up the entire book with three major events -- the wedding preparations, the bridal shower, and the wedding itself. Everything just takes too long. I found myself skipping pages so I could get on with the story...

1. The Kidnapping and subsequent Torture Session (aka wolf's bridal shower)

I didn't actually hate this at first, not all of it anyway. The author managed to convince me of the necessity of going through this. I chose to think of it as a wolf version of a bridal shower that but is more along the lines of a frat hazing ritual. What I didn't like was how drawn out it was. Just too many pages devoted to it and the endless negotiating that it got boring. Towards the end, when it got too extreme to be just a 'tradition' anymore, it was just stupid and unbelievable. Hanging Michaela upside down until she pukes? Did the author watch 'zero dark thirty'? Its for enemy combatants not for the alpha's wife! And almost wringing the Michaela's neck in the process? Everyone knows Michaela is a fragile fox, and real friends would not play around with her life, especially since she is the mate of the alpha, and a most possessive one at that.

2) Lara forgot about this tradition and still allowed it knowing how violent it will be.

I bought that at first. But now that i've had time to think about it, there's no way Lara, who is obsessively possessive of Michaela (I just love the way Lara says 'Mine!') and wouldn't stand having a hair of her hurt, would ever have forgotten that ritual, nor would she allow it at all, knowing Michaela's fragile and how violent that ritual could be. At the very least, she would have insisted that the 'torture' be harmless.

3) The Total Recall

For me, the most interesting part in the entire book happens near the end--in the scant few pages where Michaela recalls her past. It was so damned awesome...but the way it was presented to us (everything out of her mouth in one fell swoop) was not very well played out.

Imho, all these details could have been more effectively revealed little by little by the author over one or a few books...or at least over carefully selected incidents that trigger Michaela's repressed memories. Even the way the trigger works seemed weird. I would have expected restraints like net capture, tying of hands/feet, blindfolds, gagging, ear and nipple piercing, tattooing, etc. to be major triggers of her being caged or caught but apparently they are not. She wasn't even traumatized by the whole incident after it was over--being calm and composed enough to lecture her captors. Her 'going crazy' episode would have been more realistic if it happened during the torture itself.

I know that author used the torture session to trigger Michaela's memories but the way I understand how it works is...a major traumatic event may be unconsciously suppressed by our brain...but a whole series of unrelated events over a decade apart? What Michaela went through was not one single event...so many things happened over so many years. One at 6 yrs old, 2nd event at 12 years old, third event at 19 yrs old, and everything else that happened until she helped the girl who was raped. All of them suppressed? Selective memory retention can be this 'selective' ??? And one single trigger causes her to remember every single thing! I'm no psychiatrist, but it doesn't sound logical at all. I read another book on this ('The Room at the Top of the Stairs' by Allison Holt) and it was so well presented. And no, the patient was not 'cured' in a single afternoon.

4) The Rematch (aka Kidnapping/Torture part 2 for the wolf's first wedding anniversary celebration)

Michaela's acceptance doesn't make any sense. Unless Michaela is now not only a total submissive to Lara, but also enjoys the whole BDSM spectrum of activities--and from other people too. I didn't buy that. Michaela hated the 1st torture session, the cheating, the taking of her house, freedom, etc. but she stills agrees because she 'didn't suffer enough' the first time? Is the author is trying to up the bdsm ante? I'm not sure, but it is very unerotic.



Final thoughts:

The whole third book was obviously rushed out without any deep plotting or advanced planning and no editing. It reads and feels like free online fiction.

[MEC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Michaela and crew are back - but this book really seemed to come out of left field both in plot and character development. There were elements I liked, such as the whole knife business, but it was completely unexpected, with no hints or foreshadowing in the previous novels. If you were going to skip one of the series, this is the one to do it. Between the angst and the power plays in the bride ransoming plot, I really did not like this installment.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING?

This book will make you cry. So have tissues handy. I'm serious. I cried several times, my thoughts were how can the world be so cruel. But we all know it can.

Wolves have some strange traditions. Lara asks Michaela to marry. Then, the respective maids of honour kidnaps the bride's to be and then proceeds to ransom them back. Told you, very strange..

What they didn't realise was the after affects. Michaela has many repressed memories. Unfortunately the kidnapping brings them all to the surface. Now I'm not going to explain them here. If you choose to read you'll understand why. As I previously mentioned, tissues are compulsory.

With that. All I will say is Enjoy! I'm off to wash my face.

[Fernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox Mate began the day after it ended Fox Play...Michaela and Lara are engaged...this fact give the opportunity to the author to relate in a deep way the mentality, customs and traditions of the pack, and this same fact let us readers know more and more about Lara background, skeletons buried deeply into the closet and ghosts.

There are parts in this book that are deeply sad, strong and also violent but I have felt more connected to Michaela then ever thanks to them.

This book can change from comedy to tragedy in a second and a thing that don't cease to amaze me is not only that, like always with Mrs Roseau's books, I couldn't stop reading them till the very end but also that the story keep my mind occupied well after have reached the ending.

I am a fan of Robin Roseau work, I love the way she have with words, I love how much she can capture my attention after only one tiny, little sentence and I definitely love the stories that she tell.

Fox Mate is an incredible and unexpected journey that have make me laugh, cry, smile, worry...I have circumnavigated all the emotional world during this journey and at the end i have find myself wanting more...so be carful because for me the Madison series is extremely addictive!!!

this is a message expressly for the author: Mrs Roseau please share with us readers also "Fox Rematch", thank you.

P.S.: I personally have seen it coming, well not the particular tradition that Mrs Roseau have introduced, but the fact that her wolves are violent, and that their way to be true to their-self have a lot to do with violence, that don't make me sick or shock me at all...but maybe is better if I explain a little bit what I want from a paranormal book.

When I read a book that is a paranormal I am always very disappoint when the authors treat their non-human creatures as merely human, for me a "were" have to have a big connection with her-his animal instincts...If I read a book that open for me a world that is ruled by supernatural creatures I expect to read about things that have nothing to do with the human society...

I know that some people prefer the more lovely-dovely books also in the paranormal genre but there are a lot of books that offer that kind of setting and if an author make sure to point out that the book contain "graphic violence and scenes that may be disturbing to sensitive readers", please people make sure to be ready to read a book that contain this kind of things before purchased it.

[Wawv · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the two first books but this one is really sick.

The protagonist gets tortured by her "friends" and all they say is that it was fun and that she needed to prove herself.
At the end of the day of torture she felt loved ??? I mean seriously what the fuck, they tortured you, stole your house, you end owing them favores and you feel loved !

I don't know what the author smoked while writing this book but it really ruined a serie that I liked.

[Kageashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't classify The Madison Wolves series as deep literature. The novels are more akin to a delicious dessert than a filling meal. These books are the light bits that are good to fill the soul with a little extra light every now and again. And that is how much of Fox Mate goes along - it lifts the heart with the charming and touching pieces, and provides a fantastic retreat from reality. Personally, I think of The Madison Wolves series as my own little addiction.

Fox Mate maintains much of what I love about the previous books, though it seemingly is light in actual content for much of the early book. When the conflict arises, it is astounding how quickly things escalate and how both painful and funny the initial conflict can be. That initial conflict, though, opens the gates on Michaela's backstory - the years and experiences she had both during the eight years she was on the run following her first "fox hunt" and events previous to that tragic story. It is an amazingly powerful piece and shows how PTSD can affect even the strongest-seeming individuals.

Perhaps less light-hearted than some of the other texts in the series, "Fox Mate" manages to couple lighthearted action and interactions with the darker side of the psyche.

[Doke · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is both disgusting and poorly written. I mostly liked the first two books in this series, but this one ruined them. It rewrites the protagonist's back story, in ways that cause major events of the first two books to no longer make sense. Much of this book centers around her being kidnapped, imprisoned, extorted, and tortured, nearly to death, by her "friends". It only ends when she agrees to give her house to one of the wolves. This is supposedly some sort of werewolf pre-wedding tradition. Her responses to this are wildly inconsistent with her character's backstory. She forgives them hours of confinement, humiliation, and mutilation. This not friendship or love, it is sadism and Stockholm syndrome. For the reader, it's a sickening perversion of the character we met in the first book.

[Jonathon Lapak · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reviewing after reading the first three - the first two are OK, with the third the series becomes very unpleasant, inconsistent with the first two, and wanders into confusing a BDSM relationship with emotional abuse. Not recommended.

[Bib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressive! The author tied up a few loose ends in the first two books. I can't wait to read the fourth book.

[Katelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abuse masked as love is still abuse, not a way to advance a plot.

[RexxyRobin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why? Why? Why? Why?!?!?!
Why would someone write this?
I started reading this series because it was on a list of lesbian books with shapeshifters other than werewolfs and I already wasn't pleased with the first two books.
The abundance of abuse, Micheala constantly ignoring her own needs for Lara, repetetive writing and waaaaay too much wolf for my taste, but I kept reading since there are some interesting points to the story and whily I was very annoyed, I was also curious.
But this book really went too far.
The entire "we are having a traditional wedding and you don't get a say in it" thing already had me screaming in frustration, but when it came to the "bachelorette party", I was sobbing in despair.
Micheala should have dumped Lara a hundred times already, but when the girls came to take her THIS was the ultimate limit!
Oh it's part of your traditions? Well I guess that makes it totally okay (sarcasm)
Afterwards, if I were in Michaela's place I would have murdered the entire pack.
Having a family or marrying the person you love, can't possibly be worth this.

I feel like the author is a sick fascist who want's people to submit to the norm, to traditions, to society without any regard for their personal feelings. No otherness allowed!!

Other people may have an easier time reading this and just feeling annoyed with Michaela never drawing any consequences from how the others tread her, but for me this series reminds me way too much of the physical, emotional and sexual abuse I experienced from my father.
No thanks! I'm out.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting continuation

Personally I believe that this story is probably only worth 2.5 stars out of 5. But I’ll go for 3 instead of 2 just to the fact that Robin Roseau can write.

My reasons for the weak rating are this-

1. Convoluted back story creep. Michaela Redfur’s back story just rapidly became more and more convoluted and ‘epic’. When I say epic, I mean in a sort of Mary Sue way. It’s a bit off putting when suddenly a character who before had weaknesses and was learning to overcome them the way they did in the previous books, suddenly stands up and says bee tee double you, I can do all these things and I’m a straight up killer who takes down my greatest fear on the regular.

2. The wolves bridal tradition of kidnapping and ransom is incredibly stupid, traumatising and overblown. It reads like a saw movie. ‘We need to be sure that as the alphas mate you can be tortured without breaking until it’s convenient for you’. A lot of the ‘wolf’ culture of these books seems similar to that, and to be honest, the fox’s statement from the first books is completely true. Wolves are bullies.

Anyways. Overall it’s an ok book.

[Nyki Mancera · Rating 4 out of 5]

don’t know what to make of it…

Ok. Let me say that first. This latest book I read took me to a place I was not prepared. I was not prepared for ransoming and kidnapping the brides. I’m still not sure I truly understand it. I am also I understood the mental breakdown. So much silver…. I am also not sure I understand a rematch. Did I enjoy reading them, you bet.

Michaela is stronger than the Alpha of the pack and certainly more clever and more intelligent it seems. When you read her backstory it mimics what I say all the time…”there is a different between receiving an education and being educated.” Clearly, that is Michaela.

Michaela is a far cry from the first introduction of us meeting her with the wolves at her door. I mean wow! Who knew? She scares me more than a dozen wolves out together.

I can’t wait to read the next book in line. I can’t seem to get enough of these two. I’m in love with them being so deeply in love. I still laugh to myself the first trick Michaela pulled with the wolves with Elisabeth! It’s so Michaela with her antics.

[LilRip · Rating 1 out of 5]

loved the first two. HATED this one

Spoilers. As mentioned, I absolutely hated this book and began to seriously dislike Lara and Elisabeth, especially Lara. She’s dishonest, manipulative and just a bully overall. She doesn’t have to frequently go out of her way to humiliate Michaela just to assert her dominance. The phone/laptop thing was way out of line, and they brushed it off like “oops, my bad” and then went on like it was no big deal. And don’t get me started on the pre-wedding ritual. Nobody that knows Michaela’s past thought to take a second and say “hmm…maybe kidnapping and torturing the person with extreme PTSD might not be the best thing to do.” I was excited when I first started this series and realized there were over a dozen books, but if they’re going to continue along these lines then I guess it’s time to find a new series. I’ve read dozens of shifter series and most of them find a way for the Alpha to be the Alpha without resorting to cruelty to their mate.

[Anna Switzer · Rating 1 out of 5]

So the first chapter in the book starts by talking about other were creatures, vampires, demons, human magic wielded, and other creatures of myth. She stated she didn't know if they were real or just myth and legends. The last line in the chapter says "I have since learned more" I basically waited the entire book for an appearance or mention of any of these creatures. Instead I was rewarded with zero plot and a pointless book. I can summarize the story of what happened in the book in about two sentences. The first chapter was extremely misleading and would have been a great intro into other myths and legends. I have no idea what the author hoped to accomplish with this book, but this will be last of the books I read in this series.

[Robin Thaxton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have greatly enjoyed these books

After the first one I will admit I was hesitant because I rarely read books with no smut, but the story is so good that I couldn’t put it down. I have enjoyed watching as the author improves her writing style through out these books. I do have one suggestion that I think is more bad habit than a knock on the writing itself. I suggest after putting in quotation marks to define who is talking a lot more. This could even be what the person talking is doing or who they are looking at just something because I often get confused about who is talking. Maybe also try not to make a new paragraph if someone who was already talking starts a new sentence as well and instead add a descriptor between what you are wanting to convey. But incredible world building and story telling and that would be the only problem I have with this book is that I often get confused by the dialogue.

[charles clayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

TINGLY
ANOTHER EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER! 💥😍

[VENDETTA L. BLACK · Rating 5 out of 5]

A backstory

Very much a fun read. I especially love the back story. The wedding vows were beau and so was the wedding.

[Lisa Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man this series is good I am trying to read it slowly on my amazon kindle app. Lol. I have been reading any book of robin roseaus books I get my hands on took me a day or 2 left off book 5. Chapter 2 if I'm right. So I'm reading another series that cought my eye and tomorrow I restar t reading book 5 I wonder if there would be more ....... hahah I like the playfullness that happens sometimes.
Lara drives me crzy I love book series. I love brook and her dad the alpha is cool can't wait
for more yours truly a new fan

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bitter sweet

I love this story, the characters and I wanted to love this installment. It wasn't love, but I couldn't put it down either. I feel like many who read the book will feel similar. You want to love the book but you feel guilty about it due to the "bride ransom" bit. Maybe it is just me. How could you not read this one though, why stop here? On to the next.

[Scott Stillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paranormal Romance. This is book 3 of the The Madison Wolves series.

My man card feels a little shredded but I think these are my little addiction. They are well written and very fun to read: Engagement, wedding, traditions, and emotional stuff.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional trip

The emotional trip was crazy. Truly entertaining and sad, I almost cried when Michaela was like that. And Lara couldn't reach her.

I need more Vivian. But I enjoy Lara and Michaela.