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Control
Vy Aleknos is the leader of a hawk shifter flock. Openly gay since he was a teen, Vy is proud and self-assured on the outside, while secretly worrying he’ll be forced to spend his life alone because two males can’t be mates. When bear shifter Robert Cimino appears in Vy’s small town, Vy realizes his concerns were unfounded — he has a male mate, and a sexy, dominant one to boot.
Robert is a bear shifter who refuses to shift. Immediately attracted to Vy, he deviates from his normal pattern and seeks more than a one off with the powerful, bristly hawk. But Robert’s affections are rooted in his human form, and when Vy discovers Robert doesn't recognize him as his mate, he pulls away. If Robert wants to stay with Vy, he must convince a man deeply ruled by his animal instincts to give their relationship as humans a chance.
Robert is a bear shifter who refuses to shift. Immediately attracted to Vy, he deviates from his normal pattern and seeks more than a one off with the powerful, bristly hawk. But Robert’s affections are rooted in his human form, and when Vy discovers Robert doesn't recognize him as his mate, he pulls away. If Robert wants to stay with Vy, he must convince a man deeply ruled by his animal instincts to give their relationship as humans a chance.
220 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2014
29 people are currently reading
1002 people want to read
About the author
Mary Calmes
125 books5,015 followersMary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a six-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
September 9, 2016
4.5 stars
I haven't read many shifter books. They don't appeal to me in theory. But this is Cardeno C. and Mary Calmes, so I was willing to put my baggage aside.
And I'm so glad I did!
This book was funny, just angsty enough to be interesting, totally absorbing, and sweet as hell.
Vy is a hawk shifter, the kuar (leader) of his ket (clan or tribe). The ket lives in a sleepy American town with a wolf shifter pack residing nearby. Vy is 28 and still a little hung up on the power that comes with being a leader. He worries that if he isn't in charge all the time, if he shows even a hint of compassion, his ket will think less of him.
Everything changes when Vy smells his mate. Vy is gay and is initially worried his mate is a woman, so he's more than a little surprised (and thrilled!) to see the tall, hulking Robert, a bear shifter, out in the street.
Robert is a dream: strong but gentle, firm but kind. He puts up with all of Vy's cheekiness and brattiness, and has an infinite amount of patience for Vy's preening and little hissy fits.
Vy starts pushing Robert away because even though Robert likes Vy and is attracted to him, he doesn't recognize Vy as his mate. Vy is counting on destiny; Robert wants a choice. Plus, Robert doesn't shift to his animal form, ever, and that's a problem for Vy who can't imagine being tied just to his human side.
What I really enjoyed about the shifter theme here is that the culture of the hawk ket came alive without getting bogged down by heavy backstory (this is how you show not tell!).
Vy and the other hawk shifters, including Vy's best friend Lou (who's a petite woman with balls of steel; I loved seeing a strong woman character here!) and the other ket members, are all a tiny bit high-strung; they're watchful and careful and weary of strangers, exactly how I'd imagine hawks to be.
The relationship between Vy and Robert is at once tender and smoldering. Vy loves how strong and possessive and almost feral Robert can get in bed, and so do I! The lovin' here was damn good, especially at the end, with the biting and the...(go read it for yourself if you want the nasty details).
We get to meet Vy's amazing dad, Robert's hippy parents who mean well, the alpha of the wolf pack, and one asshole who really deserved to be thrown out a window. I want to visit Vy's cottage and eat vegan fakon with Robert.
I was smiling so hard at the end, I may have split a lip. This is just a happy book, with well-rounded secondary characters, some action, lots of snarky dialogue that had me laughing aloud, one uppity, slightly insecure hawk, and one hot hunk of a grizzly bear.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I haven't read many shifter books. They don't appeal to me in theory. But this is Cardeno C. and Mary Calmes, so I was willing to put my baggage aside.
And I'm so glad I did!
This book was funny, just angsty enough to be interesting, totally absorbing, and sweet as hell.
Vy is a hawk shifter, the kuar (leader) of his ket (clan or tribe). The ket lives in a sleepy American town with a wolf shifter pack residing nearby. Vy is 28 and still a little hung up on the power that comes with being a leader. He worries that if he isn't in charge all the time, if he shows even a hint of compassion, his ket will think less of him.
Everything changes when Vy smells his mate. Vy is gay and is initially worried his mate is a woman, so he's more than a little surprised (and thrilled!) to see the tall, hulking Robert, a bear shifter, out in the street.
Robert is a dream: strong but gentle, firm but kind. He puts up with all of Vy's cheekiness and brattiness, and has an infinite amount of patience for Vy's preening and little hissy fits.
Vy starts pushing Robert away because even though Robert likes Vy and is attracted to him, he doesn't recognize Vy as his mate. Vy is counting on destiny; Robert wants a choice. Plus, Robert doesn't shift to his animal form, ever, and that's a problem for Vy who can't imagine being tied just to his human side.
What I really enjoyed about the shifter theme here is that the culture of the hawk ket came alive without getting bogged down by heavy backstory (this is how you show not tell!).
Vy and the other hawk shifters, including Vy's best friend Lou (who's a petite woman with balls of steel; I loved seeing a strong woman character here!) and the other ket members, are all a tiny bit high-strung; they're watchful and careful and weary of strangers, exactly how I'd imagine hawks to be.
The relationship between Vy and Robert is at once tender and smoldering. Vy loves how strong and possessive and almost feral Robert can get in bed, and so do I! The lovin' here was damn good, especially at the end, with the biting and the...(go read it for yourself if you want the nasty details).
We get to meet Vy's amazing dad, Robert's hippy parents who mean well, the alpha of the wolf pack, and one asshole who really deserved to be thrown out a window. I want to visit Vy's cottage and eat vegan fakon with Robert.
I was smiling so hard at the end, I may have split a lip. This is just a happy book, with well-rounded secondary characters, some action, lots of snarky dialogue that had me laughing aloud, one uppity, slightly insecure hawk, and one hot hunk of a grizzly bear.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
October 28, 2019
I loved the audio even more than reading it myself. Listened to it twice now. Damn this was HOT and so well done !! 10/17/19 11/25/16
Original review 8/4/16
This was another great read, recommended to me by Susan....thanks again sweetie ;)
I love shifters and I really enjoyed this one, because I haven't read a book about bird shifters before.
Vy is a hawk shifter, he is also the Kuar (leader) of his ket (pack) and he doesn't let anybody forget this little fact. He was a bratty little asshole and I could actually hear him screeching in my mind...lol. He really wanted people to respect him, but he went about it in the wrong way...
One day when he's at a hardware store, he smells his mate. Which freaks him way the hell out. Because he's gay, he never thought he would get a mate and now he's worried that his mate might be a girl...Imagine his surprise when he comes face to face with his mate. A very big, very strong male bear shifter. Of course, there is instant attraction and the hawk inside him is very pleased with having found their mate.
Robert is a bear shifter, but he doesn't shift...ever. He has seen what a bear shifter in its animal form can do and he does everything he can to keep control over his bear, never giving him the chance to break free. A bear can and will be brutal when he needs to be and this is not what Robert wants for himself. Being raised by hippie parents he has learned to meditate and he even does yoga to keep his bear at bay.
When Robert lays eyes on Vy, he is also immediately attracted to the man. He finds the screechy little bird adorable... Pretty soon the two of them get hot and heavy ;)
But there are always complications. The members of the Ket fear Robert and don't trust him...he is a ferocious bear after all...
When Vy finds out that Robert doesn't even recognize him when he is in his hawk form, his heart is broken. Robert doesn't see him as his mate...so how can they be together.
Robert, on the other hand, doesn't believe in destiny and mates. He wants someone to love him for who he is...not because of fate and pheromones.
How will these two make it work...
I really had fun reading this one. It was different, funny and hot. Sure Vy was an asshole in the beginning, but I couldn't help but like him.. I AM THE KUAR !!! Robert was awesome and sweet and I loved how he got the screechy little bird weak in the knees :)
Original review 8/4/16
This was another great read, recommended to me by Susan....thanks again sweetie ;)
I love shifters and I really enjoyed this one, because I haven't read a book about bird shifters before.
Vy is a hawk shifter, he is also the Kuar (leader) of his ket (pack) and he doesn't let anybody forget this little fact. He was a bratty little asshole and I could actually hear him screeching in my mind...lol. He really wanted people to respect him, but he went about it in the wrong way...
One day when he's at a hardware store, he smells his mate. Which freaks him way the hell out. Because he's gay, he never thought he would get a mate and now he's worried that his mate might be a girl...Imagine his surprise when he comes face to face with his mate. A very big, very strong male bear shifter. Of course, there is instant attraction and the hawk inside him is very pleased with having found their mate.
Robert is a bear shifter, but he doesn't shift...ever. He has seen what a bear shifter in its animal form can do and he does everything he can to keep control over his bear, never giving him the chance to break free. A bear can and will be brutal when he needs to be and this is not what Robert wants for himself. Being raised by hippie parents he has learned to meditate and he even does yoga to keep his bear at bay.
When Robert lays eyes on Vy, he is also immediately attracted to the man. He finds the screechy little bird adorable... Pretty soon the two of them get hot and heavy ;)
But there are always complications. The members of the Ket fear Robert and don't trust him...he is a ferocious bear after all...
When Vy finds out that Robert doesn't even recognize him when he is in his hawk form, his heart is broken. Robert doesn't see him as his mate...so how can they be together.
Robert, on the other hand, doesn't believe in destiny and mates. He wants someone to love him for who he is...not because of fate and pheromones.
How will these two make it work...
I really had fun reading this one. It was different, funny and hot. Sure Vy was an asshole in the beginning, but I couldn't help but like him.. I AM THE KUAR !!! Robert was awesome and sweet and I loved how he got the screechy little bird weak in the knees :)
August 6, 2016
I took a Valium and feel a million times less crabby. I'm at 75% now and am particularly enjoying the bear/hawk sex!
Review: There was a lot I liked about this book (rough, hot sex. Sweet emotions) and a lot I didn't (Vy's abrasive personality and tendency to jump to conclusions) so all in all, I give this one 3 stars.
April 19, 2014
Look, everyone has an off day. Mary Calmes has given me some of the greatest m/m reading experiences of my life; there is literally no other author I love more for floofy soppy height-imbalanced possessive love stories.¹ So I'm not going to rip apart this book. (I am still going to wonder why she named her MC after mineral water, but what the hell, why not.)
I would like to point you to this lovely review, or this more measured one.
I would also like to suggest you don't judge Mary by this story. Buy another Calmes. A better one.
Again
Frog
Mine
Timing
What Can Be
Tooth & Nail
Literally any other book.
That is all.
¹ you know who hasn't? Cardeno C. I blame C. For this whole clusterfuck. (no, not really. But I'm serious about the clusterfuck part.)
I would like to point you to this lovely review, or this more measured one.
I would also like to suggest you don't judge Mary by this story. Buy another Calmes. A better one.
Again
Frog
Mine
Timing
What Can Be
Tooth & Nail
Literally any other book.
That is all.
¹ you know who hasn't? Cardeno C. I blame C. For this whole clusterfuck. (no, not really. But I'm serious about the clusterfuck part.)
April 20, 2014
So I started writing my review about halfway in and it was going to be long and detailed about my woes but by the time I finished the book I had to scrap the whole thing. Why? Because by the end... I liked the book.
It was definitely different from what I'm used to reading, at least from Mary Calmes. I did not like Vy AT ALL for the first half but by the end he had grown on me.
So, I'll leave it at that and give it 3.25 stars.
August 5, 2018
I honestly don't know how to rate this book. I stayed annoyed with one or both the mc's for 85% of the book. I never really warmed up to either very much both for different reasons.
Robert is a bear who doesn't shift. Due to a trauma in his childhood, he believes his animal is dangerous. Because of this, he doesn't recognize Vy as his mate. This hurts Vy. But Robert wants Vy to love the man and doesn't believe in being thrown together because of fate. And while I understand that he wanted the man to be loved for who he was, all of it just annoyed the fuck out of me. When I read a fated mate story, I want the characters to believe that a mate is a gift to be cherished....not denied. A mate should complete the other person and make them better which was really never the case here. So hence, the being annoyed part. He did take good care of Vy which is what he needed and I liked that about him. He always saw to Vy's needs first.
But Vy annoyed me too. He came across as an arrogant, egotistical ass for most of the book. It was no wonder his flock seemed afraid of him. I had no problem with him wanting to submit to Robert but I hate how he acted like it was something to be ashamed of because he was the "all powerful great leader". I did come to like him the last 15% once they were mated.
Which brings me to another annoyance I had...the ket (or Vy's flock as it was called). The only way they would accept Robert (because he was a "dangerous bear shifter" was if Vy controlled him and apparently this meant "topping" Robert in bed. Say what now? They were literally awful to Robert at first until he proclaimed he was the bottom and the word spread. And that sends what kind of message? I don't know...it just all rubbed me the wrong way.
So as you can tell this whole book annoyed me...I love both of these authors a lot but this just didn't work well for me.
Robert is a bear who doesn't shift. Due to a trauma in his childhood, he believes his animal is dangerous. Because of this, he doesn't recognize Vy as his mate. This hurts Vy. But Robert wants Vy to love the man and doesn't believe in being thrown together because of fate. And while I understand that he wanted the man to be loved for who he was, all of it just annoyed the fuck out of me. When I read a fated mate story, I want the characters to believe that a mate is a gift to be cherished....not denied. A mate should complete the other person and make them better which was really never the case here. So hence, the being annoyed part. He did take good care of Vy which is what he needed and I liked that about him. He always saw to Vy's needs first.
But Vy annoyed me too. He came across as an arrogant, egotistical ass for most of the book. It was no wonder his flock seemed afraid of him. I had no problem with him wanting to submit to Robert but I hate how he acted like it was something to be ashamed of because he was the "all powerful great leader". I did come to like him the last 15% once they were mated.
Which brings me to another annoyance I had...the ket (or Vy's flock as it was called). The only way they would accept Robert (because he was a "dangerous bear shifter" was if Vy controlled him and apparently this meant "topping" Robert in bed. Say what now? They were literally awful to Robert at first until he proclaimed he was the bottom and the word spread. And that sends what kind of message? I don't know...it just all rubbed me the wrong way.
So as you can tell this whole book annoyed me...I love both of these authors a lot but this just didn't work well for me.
September 15, 2014
Update 5/16/14: When rating this book originally, I decided that since I didn't hate this book with the same passion as that shit pile Floodgates (which I gave 2 stars to) I should give it 3 stars. But, no, I really didn't like Control either, so, fuck it, 2.5 stars for you Mr. MC who I can't be arsed to remember!
Well, the good news is this is considerably better than Floodgates. But, honestly, would that be so hard?
The even better news is that there is no douchebag ex-boyfriend. There is no 200 page discussion on said douchebag ex-boyfriend.
And I just realized there is no 18-25 page discussion on how absolutely, positively wonderful the smaller of the 2 MCs is (Vy). Actually, he's kind of a melodramatic douche.
And only once in the book did Vy express that men rarely came on to him - cause, you know, he's super PLAIN. (No, you're not, jackass.)
There were four eyebrow waggles (I almost missed them in Floodgates) and there are no pea coats - but there is a lined barn coat & a fully lined denim jacket. Why do we need to know that these items are lined?
Also, the cop in this is a supporting character.
Oh, and there were several plot threads that seemed to go nowhere. Hello? What happened with the wolves? That event took place off-page, which is annoying, but you don't find what actually happen with the wolves until maybe at 70%?
Aaand, there were at least 2 or 3 episodes where Vy drifted off into exposition or some kind of flashback, when whoever he's talking to in the present sits there counting their toe hairs until they finally yell him into attention. Dude needs to take some ginko baloboa.
I did like the conflict between the two characters: Vy is the kuar (leader) of his ket (pack) and as a gay man worries about maintaining “control” and proving his leadership abilities to his pack. Robert (the bear shifter) chooses never to shift (always remains in “control”) because he's scared of hurting people. He's a loner who moves from place to place. Vy has only ever topped in relationships because he must always be the alpha, but he longs to give in and submit. Robert is a total top and he wants to do nothing more than cuddle his "little bird" and fuck him into submission. Vy believes fated mates & destiny are everything and Robert believes that a man is what he makes of himself in spite of his destiny.
All this is great, I just wasn't fond of Vy's reaction to it all. When he discovers that Robert has gooey feelings for him, but doesn't recognize him as a mate, he freaks the fuck out and runs away. Then he acts like a super dick, gets into fights & gets shit-faced. He refuses to talk to Robert or listen to anything he has to say. Then when he finally does start talking to him again, he will not allow Robert to FINISH A FUCKING SENTENCE. This is typical Mary Calmes, the MC decides that he's not wanted & so just carries on, smiling bravely, refusing to listen to anyone around him. Dude, that's not brave, that's being an asshat.
I also felt Cardeno C & Mary Calmes lacked cohesion as joint authors. It was jarring to switch back & forth between the two narrators (Vy is clearly penned by Calmes & Robert by Cardeno C). For me it was a similar feeling to watching Tom Cruise in a movie; I can never forget that he's Tom Cruise playing a character instead of getting lost in the idea that's he's -- I don't know -- an astrophysicist late for a date with a beautiful garbage collector. I wanted to relax into a combination of these two authors -- and I honestly thought that would blend well, they each write such sweet reads -- instead it just felt jumpy & lacked consistency.
What saved this book for me is Robert. He's such a sweetie and I loved how he wanted to take care of Vy. He wanted to be Vy's home & comfort. He also wants to fuck his brains out which is always enjoyable to read. I loved when he was explaining to Vy why exactly he thought two people choosing each other because they liked each other was more important than fate or destiny. It took Vy awhile, but when he finally accepts Robert as is they are so sweet together. I could really see Robert as the Mama Bear who calms Vy & literally smooths his feathers. The ending, also, is pure sugar sweet, just like I like it.
I think I'd actually like this book better the second time around, when I'm less busy picking it apart.
What can I say, I'm an asshole & Mary Calmes is just so much fun & easy to snark over.
July 30, 2015
3.5 stars
Well that was awkward.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just not made out for audiobooks. Or maybe, more specifically, I’m not made out for erotic audiobooks.
To start, this audiobook experience was only my 2nd. My first, I quite enjoyed. It was more of a romantic suspense/mystery. This one, well, it’s Cardeno C and Mary Calmes. And all the sweet & smut that I enjoy from them in ebook didn’t work for me on audio. It was just…squeeeeeeky…to listen to the sex scenes and the endearments. I felt…uncomfortable.
The narrator, Greg Tremblay, wasn’t awful. But for me, it just felt like I was sitting in a local neighborhood one-man theater production…and I had a hard time enjoying the experience. (I see now the benefit of Amazon Whispersync and being able to switch back and forth from Kindle to Audible for books…)
Now, the story itself, I actually enjoyed. I don’t read many shifter books, but I’m starting to open up to them more and more. The couple in this story spent the majority of the time in their human form and I almost forgot I was reading about shifters. This shifter-lite version worked for a novice like me!
Ky (hawk shifter) and Robert (bear shifter) made for a fun opposites attract couple and I liked the bit of power play between them emotionally…and also the power play between their animal sides. I think if I had read this book rather than listened to it, I would have like Ky a lot better. The drawback to listening was that the voice the narrator used for Ky felt super whiney and I lost my patience at time.
What is true for both these authors is that they can write some good-time-smexy and there were scenes that were hot hot hot! And also some very endearing bits as well. I’d expect no less from this combo.
All in all, this was a great story from my go-to authors for great stories. Probably would have been 4+ stars for the ebook. But I’m going 3.5 to include the mediocre audio experience.
October 4, 2018
I AM THE KUAR!
Basically this boils down to a typical Cardeno C "I want to take care of you!" hero (Robert) and a not-so-typical Calmes "I've got baggage and drama" character ("Vy").
Personally, Vy was pretty hard for me to like for more than half the book. Vy is so screechy (get it - he's a hawk!) with his key phrase so constant that I have actually suffered a kind of PTSD where I literally cannot see this title, or read someone's review, without screeching out loud (no matter where I am) "I AM THE KUAR!" It actually makes for some pretty funny public situations to be honest.
I found the story to be okay, once I was finally able to get into it, but it wasn't on my auto-rotation of re-reads. However, when I found out Greg Tremblay was featured on the audio book I decided I had to give this another go, mainly because of Tremblay's fantastic job making me love Rhys Ford's "Cole McGinnis" series, which I had a hard time relating to in print form.
And guess what, folks? Greg Tremblay does it again!
I still didn't like Vy until towards the end, but I loved Robert so, so much it made it all worth it!
5 stars for Greg's narration!
ETA 6/10/2015 - The story, after multiple listens, has some pretty deep nuances that keep coming up with each re-listen...so I'm bumping my original rating of 2.5 stars for the story to 3.5 stars! So, with the narration staying at 5 stars it now averages out to 4 stars!
HE IS THE KUAR!
Updated for audio book 12/30/2014, 06/10/2015, 03/01/2016
Read July 09, 2014 -
Had a hard time with this - almost DNF.
Basically this boils down to a typical Cardeno C "I want to take care of you!" hero (Robert) and a not-so-typical Calmes "I've got baggage and drama" character ("Vy").
Personally, Vy was pretty hard for me to like for more than half the book. Vy is so screechy (get it - he's a hawk!) with his key phrase so constant that I have actually suffered a kind of PTSD where I literally cannot see this title, or read someone's review, without screeching out loud (no matter where I am) "I AM THE KUAR!" It actually makes for some pretty funny public situations to be honest.
I found the story to be okay, once I was finally able to get into it, but it wasn't on my auto-rotation of re-reads. However, when I found out Greg Tremblay was featured on the audio book I decided I had to give this another go, mainly because of Tremblay's fantastic job making me love Rhys Ford's "Cole McGinnis" series, which I had a hard time relating to in print form.
And guess what, folks? Greg Tremblay does it again!
I still didn't like Vy until towards the end, but I loved Robert so, so much it made it all worth it!
5 stars for Greg's narration!
ETA 6/10/2015 - The story, after multiple listens, has some pretty deep nuances that keep coming up with each re-listen...so I'm bumping my original rating of 2.5 stars for the story to 3.5 stars! So, with the narration staying at 5 stars it now averages out to 4 stars!
HE IS THE KUAR!
Updated for audio book 12/30/2014, 06/10/2015, 03/01/2016
Read July 09, 2014 -
Had a hard time with this - almost DNF.
October 25, 2015
Aww...that was just so cute. Bonus it totally broke me from my inability to read since returning from GRL. Woot! I feel like myself again. Leave it to Mary to do it. It was a toss up, I knew it was going to be her or Sterek and I'm saving Sterek for tomorrow. Oh, but back to the book.
I loved this take on shifters. I loved that they were mates but not the same species. I also totally was into one being all mate, mate, mate and the other, being friends, boyfriends, relationship. It was quite a neat twist on the norm. It felt so good.
It read different than I am used to, kinda a bit done in memories and flashbacks and at first I felt like I missed something and then I was given it but again, it was odd. Once I got the flow I was really into it.
I find it interesting to read books by two authors and I wonder how they do it and make it work. I could totally pick out the differences but never in a way that interrupted the flow of the book. Awesome. I don't know how they do it.
So, very enjoyable and Hell Yeah! for being over my weird ass reading slump.
I loved this take on shifters. I loved that they were mates but not the same species. I also totally was into one being all mate, mate, mate and the other, being friends, boyfriends, relationship. It was quite a neat twist on the norm. It felt so good.
It read different than I am used to, kinda a bit done in memories and flashbacks and at first I felt like I missed something and then I was given it but again, it was odd. Once I got the flow I was really into it.
I find it interesting to read books by two authors and I wonder how they do it and make it work. I could totally pick out the differences but never in a way that interrupted the flow of the book. Awesome. I don't know how they do it.
So, very enjoyable and Hell Yeah! for being over my weird ass reading slump.
May 27, 2017
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Might contain spoilers*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Vytautas “Vy” Aleknos (28), the leader of a hawk shifter flock/the kuar of the Elk River hawk kettle and Robert Kenneth Cimino (35), a bear shifter who never shifts, are mates. As in soulmates/fated mates. However, as a shifter who never shifts, his animalistic instincts aren't there, which means, Robert doesn't know that Vy is his mate. Vy, who says he's a hawk before man, think this is heartbreaking because he will not settle with a man who only thinks him a man and a lover, he want his mate. So how will Robert prove he wants to be with Vy without having to shift?
“You don’t get it, ’cause you don’t feel the pull, but all I want is to surrender, right? I just want you to pick me up and take me home and feed me and hold me and fuck me for days and days.”
His moan was low and needy. “Then let me. Vy, you—”
“But see,” I began, stepping back, “I want more than you can give, because I want my mate too. So we can be friends, but that’s it. Do you have any interest in that at all?”
Vy starts out as a 'cold, braggy, stubborn, wants everyone to understand that he's the kuar' guy, but slowly becomes the man he is deep down as time is spent with his mate, Robert. Though Vy's the strongest hawk in his ket, he doesn't seem like the most dominant one.
“Need you so much.”
Me? I craved the power that came with possessing, capturing, and owning. My bird, though? He needed to be taken and controlled and adored. We were, in every way, a perfect match.
Robert is a sweet, kind, gentle man who fears his bear side. He is also controlling in bed, loving and caring, though people believe he is a 'bigass scary bear', but he is really not; he just looks like it. Vy and Robert together is adorable as one makes the other better and visa versa. And they are just what each one of them needs to devolve and to become who they are meant to be. They are, after all, true mates.
“He’s not mine, Dad. He has no idea what being a mate means.”
“Neither do you,” he said pointedly, holding me out so he could see my face. “You have never been a mate, my son.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Simply because your hawk recognizes his mate doesn’t mean you know how to be a good mate. Perhaps patience is the first thing this man is supposed to teach you.”
I hadn’t actually considered that. “But he can’t ever love me like I need.”
Overall, the story was alright. I wanted to slap Vy in the beginning, but he gets better, so the urge goes away. As far as the love story goes, there's that damn insta-love. I mean, it's like “we're mates, we now love each other” kind of thing... which is not my kind of thing. Man, I really wish I loved insta-love... Oh and that pissing 'moment'/scene was, uh, a little weird, but cute?....
“I will go anywhere with you, do whatever you want. For heaven’s sake, Vy, just let me sit with you and hold your hand. Who is taking care of you?”
“Nobody takes care of me.”
He groaned and wrapped his corded arms around me, clutching me to his big, hard chest. “I’m begging you to let me. Please.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance (M/M)
Series: - Standalone
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Robert Cimino.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5 stars.
April 13, 2017
I think this is going to be my snarkiest review ever.
I want to preface this first with the fact that I overall liked this book. When I think about it, it has everything I could want in a shifter romance. It's got angsty desire and doubt, uncontrollable mate urges and bonding, and over the top love sprinkled with some fluff and very hot claiming sex.
But....the main character Vy was ridiculous. He had some valid concerns and complaints and there were several times my heart went out to him. However that really didn't negate his tendency to go drama queen.
The redeeming gem of this story is Robert. He is absolutely one of the best gentle giants ever. A freakin saint is what he was because every crazy quirk and tantrum Vy threw only further endeared him to Robert.
So the overall theme of this is control. The need to be in it, to have it, to exert this over every aspect of one's life. This was a constant struggle for both MC's. Of course they ultimately learn from each other when that very control is warranted and when it's ok to let go. Cardeno and Calmes are go-to authors for fluff and there were many, many parts that I enjoyed (please see first paragraph) - just be forewarned of eye roll inducing moments of cray cray.
Robert 4 stars + Vy 2 stars = 3 stars
April 18, 2014
Well, well, well...a hawk and a grizzly bear shifter book. Not your normal combo for a shifter romance but I've got to say this worked really well and its all down to the chemistry of not only Vy and Robert, the hawk and the grizzly in question, but also the chemistry between two of my fave authors...Cardeno C and Mary Calmes. You've rocked it guys! Told from each of the characters points of view, I think you can see glimpses of both their distinctive styles of writing but at the same time it just melds into one easy, enjoyable, sexy, engaging, paranormal read and I smiled, sighed and 'Grrr'ed' in all the right places, all the way through it.
Vy is a pretty complex character. He's Kuar (leader) of his Kettle (clan) or Ket (as its known) of Hawks but he hasn't had an easy ride getting there. He's openly gay but not all of his Ket accepted that and when he came out at fifteen a faction of his family, lead by his grandmother, plotted to have him mutilated and removed so that he could never take his place as their next leader. Luckily his loving mum and well respected father, who was the Kuar at that time, fully supported him and the plot failed, but it left him with the feeling that he had to constantly prove his worth to the other hawks and this shows in his somewhat aloof demeanour and slightly proud and prickly character. Small, blonde and slight, Vy might look delicate but he's hell of a lot stronger than he looks and doesn't take any crap from anyone. He has to show his strength and power but secretly he just wants to submit to his mate, someone he knows is out there. Trouble is he's also worried sick it might turn out to be a woman...until the day he walks into his local hardware store, smells a delicious aroma, follows its scent and finds a towering, broad shouldered, gorgeous hunk of manhood. His mate....Robert Cimino!
The " fated to be mated" concept is the main thread of the story, but this time C & M have mixed it up a bit! So... Vy the hawk recognises Robert the Grizzly as his mate just by smell alone before he even sets eyes on him...BUT...apart from finding the 'Little Bird' really attractive, Robert is totally oblivious to the whole pheromones/fate/mate thing, all he knows when they first meet is that the determined, snippy, uptight, sexy, skinny little blonde bird shifter with the golden eyes, in front of him is giving off some "come and get me" vibes and just thinking they're going to have a bit of fun, he takes advantage of that in an "Oh My!", sizzling back alley love scene, that starts the ball rolling and sets up the story very nicely. A nice slant on the usual insta love between mates theme.
Robert is a completely different kettle of fish! He's big, strong,protective and a gentle giant type of guy. He's a loner, travels around and, big surprise, he NEVER shifts. In his past he's been a love em and leave em type of lover, but not in the sense that he's a player, he's just had his odd lovers and moved on. So his reaction to Vy is surprising, especially to himself. He's drawn to the little guy, but for him its more of an attraction that grows stronger, the more he's around his hawk lover. Being a bear shifter who never shifts (for reasons we get to know as the story progresses) means that Robert's animal instincts are hidden deep inside him, so really its only Robert the man who is reacting to Vy, and its this that Vy can't accept. He wants to be mated in the true sense of the word but of course this isn't happening. In true m/m romance style this means that things don't run smoothly for them but thankfully the angst never swamps the story. I found it just nicely paced, woven in amongst the rest of the threads running alongside it.
"Well, from what you're telling me, you could get stuck with someone you don't want, or find attractive, or don't even really like very much, just because of some instinct or urge."
The love scenes are awesomely hot, steamy and sexy but there's also some lovely moments of true romance mixed in there too and that lifts them up a notch. Both Cardeno and Mary are great at writing passionate sex scenes that showcase the tension and fantastic chemistry between their MC's and this partnership is no exception. Vy and Robert are meant to be together but its watching them both come to that realisation, each in their own way, mate bond or not, that's so lovely to watch.
"How about we get a good night's sleep, and then I'll make you breakfast, and we can see if you're willing to give a chance to a man who wants to be with you because of who you are—not because of fate, not because of destiny, but because you're special." I swallowed down the thickness in my throat. "Please let me show you what its like to be cherished! Vy. I promise you won't regret it."
Obviously its not all about Vy and Robert...there's other threads and characters interwoven with the main story. There's a subplot about a bit of trouble between Vy's Ket and a pack of neighbouring wolf shifters, that hints at a possible follow up if CC and Mary carry this on as a series, and I really hope they do. Then there's the supporting characters who are key to, and hold their own in the story, especially Vy's second in command, Louisa "Lou" Maberti, who works for the sheriffs department. Tough, feisty and pretty kick ass, she's a really positive woman character and very likeable. Lou's firefighter husband Carlos played another solid role and finally Vy's dad... Jecis Aleknos. A strong leader and parent who loves and supports his gay son unconditionally, and in his role as councillor to Vy, who is now his Kuar, Vy's voice of reason when it was really needed! These guys really stood out for me and added to my total enjoyment of the book by embodying the word 'supporting.'
As you can guess Its another one that goes onto my 'I loved it' shelf and another one that makes me thank the day I discovered m/m! This is one obsession I love to feed... so an appealing, engaging, feel good, nice and spicy shifter book that uses a familiar topic yet still manages to be innovative is just what the doctor ordered! Smiles all round.
Follow link~ http://bit.ly/1jc5CNX
Vy is a pretty complex character. He's Kuar (leader) of his Kettle (clan) or Ket (as its known) of Hawks but he hasn't had an easy ride getting there. He's openly gay but not all of his Ket accepted that and when he came out at fifteen a faction of his family, lead by his grandmother, plotted to have him mutilated and removed so that he could never take his place as their next leader. Luckily his loving mum and well respected father, who was the Kuar at that time, fully supported him and the plot failed, but it left him with the feeling that he had to constantly prove his worth to the other hawks and this shows in his somewhat aloof demeanour and slightly proud and prickly character. Small, blonde and slight, Vy might look delicate but he's hell of a lot stronger than he looks and doesn't take any crap from anyone. He has to show his strength and power but secretly he just wants to submit to his mate, someone he knows is out there. Trouble is he's also worried sick it might turn out to be a woman...until the day he walks into his local hardware store, smells a delicious aroma, follows its scent and finds a towering, broad shouldered, gorgeous hunk of manhood. His mate....Robert Cimino!
The " fated to be mated" concept is the main thread of the story, but this time C & M have mixed it up a bit! So... Vy the hawk recognises Robert the Grizzly as his mate just by smell alone before he even sets eyes on him...BUT...apart from finding the 'Little Bird' really attractive, Robert is totally oblivious to the whole pheromones/fate/mate thing, all he knows when they first meet is that the determined, snippy, uptight, sexy, skinny little blonde bird shifter with the golden eyes, in front of him is giving off some "come and get me" vibes and just thinking they're going to have a bit of fun, he takes advantage of that in an "Oh My!", sizzling back alley love scene, that starts the ball rolling and sets up the story very nicely. A nice slant on the usual insta love between mates theme.
Robert is a completely different kettle of fish! He's big, strong,protective and a gentle giant type of guy. He's a loner, travels around and, big surprise, he NEVER shifts. In his past he's been a love em and leave em type of lover, but not in the sense that he's a player, he's just had his odd lovers and moved on. So his reaction to Vy is surprising, especially to himself. He's drawn to the little guy, but for him its more of an attraction that grows stronger, the more he's around his hawk lover. Being a bear shifter who never shifts (for reasons we get to know as the story progresses) means that Robert's animal instincts are hidden deep inside him, so really its only Robert the man who is reacting to Vy, and its this that Vy can't accept. He wants to be mated in the true sense of the word but of course this isn't happening. In true m/m romance style this means that things don't run smoothly for them but thankfully the angst never swamps the story. I found it just nicely paced, woven in amongst the rest of the threads running alongside it.
"Well, from what you're telling me, you could get stuck with someone you don't want, or find attractive, or don't even really like very much, just because of some instinct or urge."
The love scenes are awesomely hot, steamy and sexy but there's also some lovely moments of true romance mixed in there too and that lifts them up a notch. Both Cardeno and Mary are great at writing passionate sex scenes that showcase the tension and fantastic chemistry between their MC's and this partnership is no exception. Vy and Robert are meant to be together but its watching them both come to that realisation, each in their own way, mate bond or not, that's so lovely to watch.
"How about we get a good night's sleep, and then I'll make you breakfast, and we can see if you're willing to give a chance to a man who wants to be with you because of who you are—not because of fate, not because of destiny, but because you're special." I swallowed down the thickness in my throat. "Please let me show you what its like to be cherished! Vy. I promise you won't regret it."
Obviously its not all about Vy and Robert...there's other threads and characters interwoven with the main story. There's a subplot about a bit of trouble between Vy's Ket and a pack of neighbouring wolf shifters, that hints at a possible follow up if CC and Mary carry this on as a series, and I really hope they do. Then there's the supporting characters who are key to, and hold their own in the story, especially Vy's second in command, Louisa "Lou" Maberti, who works for the sheriffs department. Tough, feisty and pretty kick ass, she's a really positive woman character and very likeable. Lou's firefighter husband Carlos played another solid role and finally Vy's dad... Jecis Aleknos. A strong leader and parent who loves and supports his gay son unconditionally, and in his role as councillor to Vy, who is now his Kuar, Vy's voice of reason when it was really needed! These guys really stood out for me and added to my total enjoyment of the book by embodying the word 'supporting.'
As you can guess Its another one that goes onto my 'I loved it' shelf and another one that makes me thank the day I discovered m/m! This is one obsession I love to feed... so an appealing, engaging, feel good, nice and spicy shifter book that uses a familiar topic yet still manages to be innovative is just what the doctor ordered! Smiles all round.
Follow link~ http://bit.ly/1jc5CNX
March 27, 2018
Greg really makes this book come alive with his amazing narration. I've listened to this audio so many times I can quote entire parts...
-----------------
Original review:
4.5 stars
I love shifter books. There is something about the ‘MINE’ that I really really like. I think it is the fact that both MC’s know they belong together no matter what. It diminishes the stupid fights and excludes things like cheating. Because both can’t stand to be interested in anyone else but each other.
It’s not all rainbows and flowers, but there is a certainty in these relationships I like. And I do like me some possessive behavior in my books. Yes to the HOT shifter sex and to the claimings!
Vy is a hawk shifter and the Kuar, the leader of his Ket. He starts out pretty obnoxious and mentions he is the Kuar every other sentence. But…. he just needed a bear to set him straight.
Aaaaaand.. there is Robert, Vy’s mate. And a shifter, a bear shifter. One who doesn’t actually shift because he is afraid to hurt people.
Vy knows Robert is his mate the minute he smells him, but Robert ‘just’ feels an attraction. He cannot feel the mate bond as long as he doesn’t shift. Vy is heartbroken when Robert doesn’t recognize Vy in hawk form.
But Robert pursues him no matter what, because the man wants him just as bad as the animal does.
These men were perfect for each other. Robert with his gentle ways and Vy with his energy and stubbornness. I loved how the mate bond was questioned in this story. Robert felt as if Vy just liked him because of the mate bond and Vy felt Robert just liked his human side.
This book gave me lots of happy feels. And don’t forget the sex scenes. These two were on fire!
If you like shifter books, this is definitely a good one. And you should so choose the audio book. Greg Tremblay rocks!
-----------------
Original review:
4.5 stars
I love shifter books. There is something about the ‘MINE’ that I really really like. I think it is the fact that both MC’s know they belong together no matter what. It diminishes the stupid fights and excludes things like cheating. Because both can’t stand to be interested in anyone else but each other.
It’s not all rainbows and flowers, but there is a certainty in these relationships I like. And I do like me some possessive behavior in my books. Yes to the HOT shifter sex and to the claimings!
Vy is a hawk shifter and the Kuar, the leader of his Ket. He starts out pretty obnoxious and mentions he is the Kuar every other sentence. But…. he just needed a bear to set him straight.
Aaaaaand.. there is Robert, Vy’s mate. And a shifter, a bear shifter. One who doesn’t actually shift because he is afraid to hurt people.
Vy knows Robert is his mate the minute he smells him, but Robert ‘just’ feels an attraction. He cannot feel the mate bond as long as he doesn’t shift. Vy is heartbroken when Robert doesn’t recognize Vy in hawk form.
But Robert pursues him no matter what, because the man wants him just as bad as the animal does.
These men were perfect for each other. Robert with his gentle ways and Vy with his energy and stubbornness. I loved how the mate bond was questioned in this story. Robert felt as if Vy just liked him because of the mate bond and Vy felt Robert just liked his human side.
This book gave me lots of happy feels. And don’t forget the sex scenes. These two were on fire!
If you like shifter books, this is definitely a good one. And you should so choose the audio book. Greg Tremblay rocks!
December 29, 2016
Re-read Dec 28-29
4.5 Amazing Stars
Mary Calmes and Cardeno C. make a wicked writing team. The heat and steam coming off these pages was so strong and intense I was panting, deep breathing and fanning myself a lot!!!
I have to admit that at first I thought Vy was a bit of a jerk. He's a hawk shifter and the leader of his flock. He keeps rubbing this in Robert's face; almost like he's insecure or needs some sort of validation. Robert, on the other hand, refuses to shift to his bear form and tries to remain calm at all times. Vy doesn't understand this and it creates some tension between the two. I found this part a little tedious...and a little too long.
The chemistry these guys have is awesome and Robert is such a dirty talker. He likes to take care of Vy in all ways, including his desire to be dominated in bed. So hot!
They each have to exert enormous amounts of control but in 2 very different ways. Can these fated mates find a way to make it work? Oh hell yes they can...hang on to your briefs and panties boys and girls.
4.5 Amazing Stars
Mary Calmes and Cardeno C. make a wicked writing team. The heat and steam coming off these pages was so strong and intense I was panting, deep breathing and fanning myself a lot!!!
I have to admit that at first I thought Vy was a bit of a jerk. He's a hawk shifter and the leader of his flock. He keeps rubbing this in Robert's face; almost like he's insecure or needs some sort of validation. Robert, on the other hand, refuses to shift to his bear form and tries to remain calm at all times. Vy doesn't understand this and it creates some tension between the two. I found this part a little tedious...and a little too long.
The chemistry these guys have is awesome and Robert is such a dirty talker. He likes to take care of Vy in all ways, including his desire to be dominated in bed. So hot!
They each have to exert enormous amounts of control but in 2 very different ways. Can these fated mates find a way to make it work? Oh hell yes they can...hang on to your briefs and panties boys and girls.
April 17, 2014
This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site.
As an openly gay hawk shifter and the proud leader of his ket, Vy has an image to uphold. He needs to be strong for his ket and gain their respect for his authority. When he finally finds his mate, he’s ecstatic and overjoyed until he realizes that Robert doesn’t acknowledge him as his mate because of the way Robert refuses to shift, hindering his ability to see who Vy really is to him. Crushed that he can’t experience the true affects of a mating, Vy tries to push Robert away but Robert won’t be dismissed so quickly. Robert’s finally found a guy he’s willing to settle down with and he’s not giving up no matter what mate craziness Vy is talking. All Robert has to do is show Vy they could love each other as men and have a great life together with or without being mates.
There’s a reason I love reading shifter stories and this is a prime example of that. With mates, there’s always that possessiveness, that jealousy that one or both characters have that make the story so much more interesting for me. In this book, both Vy and Robert have those traits and have no issues with showing their ownership over the other when they want to and I LOVED that! Vy is a prickly, proud, stubborn little hawk. He’s arrogant at times, squeaky at others but he’s also vulnerable. He just wants to be loved and finally have someone who will take care of him. Robert is the opposite of Vy; he’s a gentle, charming bear who embraces being calm, collective and in control. He’s warm and friendly but he also has a temper that can get out of control if he’s not careful. More than anything, though, he tries to make everyone feel comfortable. I loved that Vy had so much of his hawk in him but I also felt sad that Robert was so traumatized by his bear side and I’m glad that, eventually, they both came to a compromise and worked through both their issues and fears.
While I really enjoyed the story, I did have a few niggles. My main issue was that the POV shifts from Vy to Robert (or vice versa) felt choppy. Most of the time, the shifts skipped to another scene instead of continuing where it was at from the other character’s perspective. I found I was a little disappointed in that because I would have liked to experience the rest of certain scenes from the other’s POV instead of being told about it days later. One scene that comes to find is when Vy meets Robert’s parents; we see Vy freaking out that the parents are coming over and then the POV shifts to days later so we never actually got to see their first meeting. Another scene that comes to mind is after a big showdown and experiencing how the wolf alpha reacts to that. Beyond that, the beginning was a little rough for me because there were a few mini flashbacks (meaning the flashback was only from a few days ago) that I felt would have flowed better if they weren’t actually told as flashbacks but instead continued on from the scene they were originally attached to. I’m not quite sure if that makes sense but I think those that read the book will understand what I’m talking about lol.
In the end, though, I really liked this one. Once I got passed the first 20% or so, I really got sucked into the book. I loved the contrasts between Vy and Robert with their personalities and their appearances and I loved that, while they had their difficulties, they got through them and worked out whatever their issues were (after a few life-threatening situations, of course). It was easy for me to tell the differences in the authors writing but I still felt like they merged well. I’m hoping that Mary and Cardeno will consider writing more books together especially if it means writing a sequel for Control because I can think of a few people within the book that need their stories told ;)
As an openly gay hawk shifter and the proud leader of his ket, Vy has an image to uphold. He needs to be strong for his ket and gain their respect for his authority. When he finally finds his mate, he’s ecstatic and overjoyed until he realizes that Robert doesn’t acknowledge him as his mate because of the way Robert refuses to shift, hindering his ability to see who Vy really is to him. Crushed that he can’t experience the true affects of a mating, Vy tries to push Robert away but Robert won’t be dismissed so quickly. Robert’s finally found a guy he’s willing to settle down with and he’s not giving up no matter what mate craziness Vy is talking. All Robert has to do is show Vy they could love each other as men and have a great life together with or without being mates.
There’s a reason I love reading shifter stories and this is a prime example of that. With mates, there’s always that possessiveness, that jealousy that one or both characters have that make the story so much more interesting for me. In this book, both Vy and Robert have those traits and have no issues with showing their ownership over the other when they want to and I LOVED that! Vy is a prickly, proud, stubborn little hawk. He’s arrogant at times, squeaky at others but he’s also vulnerable. He just wants to be loved and finally have someone who will take care of him. Robert is the opposite of Vy; he’s a gentle, charming bear who embraces being calm, collective and in control. He’s warm and friendly but he also has a temper that can get out of control if he’s not careful. More than anything, though, he tries to make everyone feel comfortable. I loved that Vy had so much of his hawk in him but I also felt sad that Robert was so traumatized by his bear side and I’m glad that, eventually, they both came to a compromise and worked through both their issues and fears.
While I really enjoyed the story, I did have a few niggles. My main issue was that the POV shifts from Vy to Robert (or vice versa) felt choppy. Most of the time, the shifts skipped to another scene instead of continuing where it was at from the other character’s perspective. I found I was a little disappointed in that because I would have liked to experience the rest of certain scenes from the other’s POV instead of being told about it days later. One scene that comes to find is when Vy meets Robert’s parents; we see Vy freaking out that the parents are coming over and then the POV shifts to days later so we never actually got to see their first meeting. Another scene that comes to mind is after a big showdown and experiencing how the wolf alpha reacts to that. Beyond that, the beginning was a little rough for me because there were a few mini flashbacks (meaning the flashback was only from a few days ago) that I felt would have flowed better if they weren’t actually told as flashbacks but instead continued on from the scene they were originally attached to. I’m not quite sure if that makes sense but I think those that read the book will understand what I’m talking about lol.
In the end, though, I really liked this one. Once I got passed the first 20% or so, I really got sucked into the book. I loved the contrasts between Vy and Robert with their personalities and their appearances and I loved that, while they had their difficulties, they got through them and worked out whatever their issues were (after a few life-threatening situations, of course). It was easy for me to tell the differences in the authors writing but I still felt like they merged well. I’m hoping that Mary and Cardeno will consider writing more books together especially if it means writing a sequel for Control because I can think of a few people within the book that need their stories told ;)
April 19, 2014
5 Star Shifter Story!
This is a story I had to love, first of all it is written by two authors i love, Cardeno C and Mary Calmes. Now throw in a shifter story as well, and i am one happy reader! In this story we have Vy, a hawk shifter and leader of his flock. And we have Robert, a bear shifter, who is not part of any group. He comes into town for work, doing water surveys, and is immediately attracted to Vy. Vy immediately knows Robert is is mate, the one he is destined to be with. The difference in this story is that since Robert doesn’t shift, he doesn’t feel that instinctual pull to Vy. He is attracted to him as a human, not with his animal part.
I have read stories where shifter characters could not shift for some reason, something emotional or physical prevented them from shifting. This is the first story i have read that a character refused to shift for some reason. This is the main issue between Vy and Robert, Vy’s animal knows Robert is his mate. Robert on the other hand, spends a great deal of time and energy fighting his animal side and wants to only live and feel as a human.
I like the differences between Vy and Robert, they compliment each other and the dynamic between them is entertaining. Vy is emotional, impulsive and headstrong. Robert, is the gentle giant, calming and more steady. The chemistry and heat between them was good and the sex scenes were steamy.
This was not the most thrilling, exciting shifter story I have ever read. But, it moved nicely along and I found myself i pulled into it. The writing was good, the story flowed nicely and it tugged at my heartstrings. I fell a little bit in love with both of these characters and that is really what is most important to me.
This is a story I had to love, first of all it is written by two authors i love, Cardeno C and Mary Calmes. Now throw in a shifter story as well, and i am one happy reader! In this story we have Vy, a hawk shifter and leader of his flock. And we have Robert, a bear shifter, who is not part of any group. He comes into town for work, doing water surveys, and is immediately attracted to Vy. Vy immediately knows Robert is is mate, the one he is destined to be with. The difference in this story is that since Robert doesn’t shift, he doesn’t feel that instinctual pull to Vy. He is attracted to him as a human, not with his animal part.
I have read stories where shifter characters could not shift for some reason, something emotional or physical prevented them from shifting. This is the first story i have read that a character refused to shift for some reason. This is the main issue between Vy and Robert, Vy’s animal knows Robert is his mate. Robert on the other hand, spends a great deal of time and energy fighting his animal side and wants to only live and feel as a human.
I like the differences between Vy and Robert, they compliment each other and the dynamic between them is entertaining. Vy is emotional, impulsive and headstrong. Robert, is the gentle giant, calming and more steady. The chemistry and heat between them was good and the sex scenes were steamy.
This was not the most thrilling, exciting shifter story I have ever read. But, it moved nicely along and I found myself i pulled into it. The writing was good, the story flowed nicely and it tugged at my heartstrings. I fell a little bit in love with both of these characters and that is really what is most important to me.
April 25, 2014
It was just okay. My least favorite Mary Calmes (tied with, or possibly worse than, Again).
Yes, Vy was annoying, no doubt. But Robert was worse--Hamleting around all wishy-washy, at least Vy was decisive.
Yes, Vy was annoying, no doubt. But Robert was worse--Hamleting around all wishy-washy, at least Vy was decisive.
June 10, 2019
Thanks to my GR friend “R” for the loan.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I liked it but it felt really disjointed. Lots of telling not showing. Seems like it needed more substance and the scenes filled out. And why they chose to write Vy as a leader who made ridiculous assumptions and flew off the handle yet is supposedly a great leader is beyond me.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I liked it but it felt really disjointed. Lots of telling not showing. Seems like it needed more substance and the scenes filled out. And why they chose to write Vy as a leader who made ridiculous assumptions and flew off the handle yet is supposedly a great leader is beyond me.
Want to read
December 9, 2017Today only (12/9/17) buy Control for $0.99 and get Floodgates for free! (Both books together = $0.99!)
https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/boo...
https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/boo...
Want to read
September 7, 2014#TeamMaryCalmes
*slurps*
*slurps*
February 13, 2018
I LOVE THIS BOOK AND IT SO WORKED FOR ME!
I was a bit surprised too as at first I was hating Vy for throwing around his power all the time, "I AM THE KUAR!" and Robert for his lack of desire to pursue anything with Vy despite the fact that Vy so clearly wanted him.
Despite a rocky start, Cardeno C has proven to me yet again that if she is involved in a shifter book, I should just trust her on the journey. Vy and Robert were so lovable and so well suited towards each other! Now unfortunately there were masses of communication not happening and assumptions being made, but I enjoyed the two men working through that, Vy realizing that he could be happy in a "human relationship" and Robert realizing that he could shift and be ok. That whole him needing to shift situation was so eyerollingly obvious from a mile away, but I also loved the whole thing so I'm not complaining!
I also liked how because of Robert's whole situation (not wanting to shift / literally being terrified of shifting, yet having a true mate) there was a whole other aspect of shifterdom that could be explored.
If you like shifter and true mate stuff and don't mind it being two different species, go read it!
I was a bit surprised too as at first I was hating Vy for throwing around his power all the time, "I AM THE KUAR!" and Robert for his lack of desire to pursue anything with Vy despite the fact that Vy so clearly wanted him.
Despite a rocky start, Cardeno C has proven to me yet again that if she is involved in a shifter book, I should just trust her on the journey. Vy and Robert were so lovable and so well suited towards each other! Now unfortunately there were masses of communication not happening and assumptions being made, but I enjoyed the two men working through that, Vy realizing that he could be happy in a "human relationship" and Robert realizing that he could shift and be ok. That whole him needing to shift situation was so eyerollingly obvious from a mile away, but I also loved the whole thing so I'm not complaining!
I also liked how because of Robert's whole situation (not wanting to shift / literally being terrified of shifting, yet having a true mate) there was a whole other aspect of shifterdom that could be explored.
If you like shifter and true mate stuff and don't mind it being two different species, go read it!
December 5, 2019
Can’t stand this anymore. Robert’s chapters are OK(ish), but Vy is like a bad toothache, driving me insane and tempting me to throw my iPad against the wall. I think I am done with MCs books 😞
April 20, 2014
Ok, I admit that I had some issues with the way this was written. I didn't much like Vy at first, and the story telling style kinda bugged me at times. Mainly in Vy's POV, when the story would jump a bit, and then backtrack while Vy stood there thinking about all that had happened. What, Lou or whoever he was with at the time just stood there for ten minutes while Vy woolgathered with a blank look on his face?
But once I got to know Vy, I came to understand a bit about why he was the way he was, and he did change for the better. Now Robert, Robert I just adored. He was a big burly alpha male, a bear shifter (who never shifts) but he was also the sweetest, most caring, mama bear alpha male I think I have ever seen.
Vy also made some dumb choices, from running from Robert when he realized Robert didn't see him as his mate (although I did get the hurt he felt, I would have liked for him to talk to Robert about it, instead of just assume he was just a fuck to Robert), and him running off to fight a bunch of wolves without his own people, considering they were all AT HIS HOUSE. Oh, and the way he just assumed Robert would be leaving, just because that's what he always did.
This was missing some of Calmes's trademarks, there was no small, perfect, everyone loves him man, and the big alpha was more teddy bear than gruff grizzly, but I liked it. And I usually find Cardeno a bit too sweet for me, but for some reason, I have liked all her shifter stories so far, this one included. But in the end, I really enjoyed the story. It kept me involved from beginning to end, read it all in one sitting.
But once I got to know Vy, I came to understand a bit about why he was the way he was, and he did change for the better. Now Robert, Robert I just adored. He was a big burly alpha male, a bear shifter (who never shifts) but he was also the sweetest, most caring, mama bear alpha male I think I have ever seen.
Vy also made some dumb choices, from running from Robert when he realized Robert didn't see him as his mate (although I did get the hurt he felt, I would have liked for him to talk to Robert about it, instead of just assume he was just a fuck to Robert), and him running off to fight a bunch of wolves without his own people, considering they were all AT HIS HOUSE. Oh, and the way he just assumed Robert would be leaving, just because that's what he always did.
This was missing some of Calmes's trademarks, there was no small, perfect, everyone loves him man, and the big alpha was more teddy bear than gruff grizzly, but I liked it. And I usually find Cardeno a bit too sweet for me, but for some reason, I have liked all her shifter stories so far, this one included. But in the end, I really enjoyed the story. It kept me involved from beginning to end, read it all in one sitting.
April 3, 2014
My first foray into shifter books in a long time. I really liked the two main characters. They complimented each other rather well, even though their personalities were so different. And I liked how the authors addressed fate versus choice when discussing the relationship.
Thanks, CC, for offering me a copy, and thanks to you both for writing this. I thought it was awesome!
Full review on Booklikes and my blog.
Thanks, CC, for offering me a copy, and thanks to you both for writing this. I thought it was awesome!
Full review on Booklikes and my blog.
May 12, 2015
Just discovered Greg Tremblay did this audio, PEOPLE!!
Review and rating to come..
- Mary Calmes, Cardeno C. and Shifters.... *panting*
August 4, 2016
*** Oh, my, this is so special ! *** These authors are dynamic together !
Vytautas Aleknos is the openly gay, powerful Kuar of the Elk River Hawk Kettle. He's 5'9", blonde, golden/green eyes, a carpenter
and a strong leader. He smells his mate, no doubt, then sees him. Robert is a tall, muscled, 6'4", 210 lbs.
botanist, who takes Vy and kisses him. After the mind blowing kiss, he asks Vy to dinner, takes him home and cares for him. Robert knew he wanted Vy, but not because of the "mate" , but because he simply likes the man. Robert was adopted by humans and doesn't shift into his Grizzly. He tells Vy the reason. They get closer, work out issues,
and their sexy times are wonderful. Love the big man/smaller man,
plus they are deeply passionate and just amazing. There is trouble with the neighboring wolves, various events take place, and when Vy is threatened, Robert's bear comes to the rescue, and then - - his bear says "mate" ! Beautiful characters here and an interesting, very different, M/M shifter story. It's delightful, entertaining, and fun to read stand alone book.
I think the story is completely captivating.
I highly recommend this to anyone, shifter lovers, especially. ENJOY !
======================
Vytautas Aleknos is the openly gay, powerful Kuar of the Elk River Hawk Kettle. He's 5'9", blonde, golden/green eyes, a carpenter
and a strong leader. He smells his mate, no doubt, then sees him. Robert is a tall, muscled, 6'4", 210 lbs.
botanist, who takes Vy and kisses him. After the mind blowing kiss, he asks Vy to dinner, takes him home and cares for him. Robert knew he wanted Vy, but not because of the "mate" , but because he simply likes the man. Robert was adopted by humans and doesn't shift into his Grizzly. He tells Vy the reason. They get closer, work out issues,
and their sexy times are wonderful. Love the big man/smaller man,
plus they are deeply passionate and just amazing. There is trouble with the neighboring wolves, various events take place, and when Vy is threatened, Robert's bear comes to the rescue, and then - - his bear says "mate" ! Beautiful characters here and an interesting, very different, M/M shifter story. It's delightful, entertaining, and fun to read stand alone book.
I think the story is completely captivating.
I highly recommend this to anyone, shifter lovers, especially. ENJOY !
======================
April 21, 2014
4.5, This was a different twist with these authors. It was a new shifter series with a Bear and a Hawk. You can see parts of both authors in this book. These are two of my favorite M/M authors.
This book was about Vy who is head Hawk of this "flock" who finds his mate, but his mate is a bear, Robert. They develop an immediate attraction, except for that Robert, never shifts. Robert definitely is attracted to the man, not the hawk in Vy, but Vy has trouble dealing with the "mate" part or lack of "mate" part. Vy, also has to deal with the fact he is a bear and a predator and not a similar species. He questions how it will work and the story takes you through their journey to discover love and not just attraction for being "mates". They go through their struggles and how to live and trust together.
The only thing that got on my nerves was the change in POV, but that is my issue, not the authors. I hope they continue on and maybe make it a series. It was interesting for the whole Hawk, Bear love affair. If you like these authors, you will like this book.
This book was about Vy who is head Hawk of this "flock" who finds his mate, but his mate is a bear, Robert. They develop an immediate attraction, except for that Robert, never shifts. Robert definitely is attracted to the man, not the hawk in Vy, but Vy has trouble dealing with the "mate" part or lack of "mate" part. Vy, also has to deal with the fact he is a bear and a predator and not a similar species. He questions how it will work and the story takes you through their journey to discover love and not just attraction for being "mates". They go through their struggles and how to live and trust together.
The only thing that got on my nerves was the change in POV, but that is my issue, not the authors. I hope they continue on and maybe make it a series. It was interesting for the whole Hawk, Bear love affair. If you like these authors, you will like this book.
June 3, 2019
DECEMBER 2014: I already read the book and my review of the story is posted with the Kindle version.
The narration was quite good and, even though he was a bit over-dramatic at times, Mr. Tremblay made the story come alive. I liked this audio version better than the book.
RELISTEN JANUARY 2017: After listening to hundreds of audiobooks and narrators over the years, it really was a different experience this time. While Trembly is a basically a good narrator, I found his Robert to be nearly intolerable on top of Cardeno C's sappy interpretation of the character. Robert's inner narrative was monotone and Tremblay slipped into this stuttery, breathy dialogue that was untenable. And the abundant sex scenes are far too sappy and melodramatic. Give me a Sam & Jory or a Miro & Ian sex scene any day. I won't be reading anymore of Cardeno C's books, even when collaborating with a favorite author. Not my cuppa.
The narration was quite good and, even though he was a bit over-dramatic at times, Mr. Tremblay made the story come alive. I liked this audio version better than the book.
RELISTEN JANUARY 2017: After listening to hundreds of audiobooks and narrators over the years, it really was a different experience this time. While Trembly is a basically a good narrator, I found his Robert to be nearly intolerable on top of Cardeno C's sappy interpretation of the character. Robert's inner narrative was monotone and Tremblay slipped into this stuttery, breathy dialogue that was untenable. And the abundant sex scenes are far too sappy and melodramatic. Give me a Sam & Jory or a Miro & Ian sex scene any day. I won't be reading anymore of Cardeno C's books, even when collaborating with a favorite author. Not my cuppa.
January 18, 2015
Fun, quirky and utterly adorable. The "Robert will *have* to shift to protect Vy" part was a bit predictable, but I really didn't care.
Definitely a must-read, as all of Cardeno's and Mary's books seem to be for me. : )
Definitely a must-read, as all of Cardeno's and Mary's books seem to be for me. : )
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