His to Lead

Wasteland Temptations #4

by E.V. Olsen

New Day. Fragile Bonds. Lurking Danger.

I've been a lone wolf in this broken world for four years, never expecting companionship.

Until one fateful night with Cal exposes our secret desires, forging an unexpected bond despite our age difference.

But the lingering pain of how he ran away afterwards continues to haunt me, even after he returned and expressed his love for me.

So I keep him at arm's length, placing our fragile relationship at risk out of fear of being hurt again.

When old friends arrive unannounced, their presence breathes new life into our home. Laughter returns after far too long, easing the tension between Cal and I.

Just as happiness finds us again, it's ripped away–a sadistic gang invades our haven, threatening our unconventional family and forcing us into a brutal fight for survival.

I'm ready to sacrifice everything to protect the man who owns my heart, the one who gave me purpose in this shattered world.

Cal is my light amidst the darkness, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe.

For him, I'm finally ready to let go of the ghosts of my past and step forward into an uncertain future, together.


A steamy short MM angsty romance, featuring an Over The Top protective alpha hero and an age-gap romance.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, BDSM, Novella, LGBT, Dystopia, Audiobook

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2024

About the author

I'm a romance author who loves Over The Top alpha males who are possessive and ​completely obsessed with their person or mate. Nothing will get in their way from claiming what's theirs. I enjoy writing darker type romances whether in the contemporary world, PNR worlds, or even post-apocalyptic worlds.

Reviews

[Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed to make sure no one could harm him.

Been doing it for years. Keeping him safe. It gives some meaning to my bleak, shitty existence.

All of the stories in this series are quick reads with heavy steam (diff kinks) and decent character backstories. Post apocalyptic setting, avoiding bad guys, searching for resources, all while learning to love. Nothing spectacular, but fun nevertheless.

Post-apocalypse
Gay romance
80% sex
Age gap
HFN

I curl my arms tighter around Cal, who’s fast asleep, then kiss his forehead. “Love you, Cal. With everything I am.”

Book 1: Mine to Claim- Rex & Devon w/Rex’s pov
Book 2: Mine to Protect- Rex & Devon w/Devon’s pov
Book 3: His to Break- Cal & Mac w/Cal’s pov
Book 4: His to Lead - Cal & Mac/Rex & Devon

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐

That's it?
That's all we get?



🟣 Mac's POV
🟡 Not as developed as I'd liked
🔵 Rex and Devon are back, found family for all
🟢 Subplot not making any sense
🌶️ Not as spicy as I'd liked either, a lot of smut and it's hot, but where are we going with this? There had to be something more between Cal and Mac, this wasn't satisfying; t/b

I expected for this installment to be sooo spicy. Cal's book held a lot of promise, it was angsty and Cal and Mac were about to start living together after Cal avoided Mac and Mac got out of line the last time they had sex, so now that Cal is back and Mac really cares for and wants the guy - now that big relationship development was about to happen. Right?

Damn, I was so excited for this one!

Needless to say that relationship development lacked, Cal and Mac definitely needed a lot more than they got. Their connection wasn't as solid and special as in the previous book. Before all this, Mac and Cal were two interesting characters with a complex relationship, but in this book they lost their appeal.

The emphasis should be on them alone, the depth was missing, at the end of the book I'm right back where I was when I started reading it - nothing is resolved. Their relationship can't be dealt with so fast with some action thrown in, some Christmas decorations and a quick engagement, it just can't.

Rex and Devon are back - and again, it's starting to get spicy with Cal and Mac looking at them while they fuck, but that was it, they were in the corner watching and it doesn't progress to them maybe all being in the same room and having sex, looking at each other - you're damn right I expected that!

The author can give us a collar and a vibrator plug in the middle of an apocalypse, but can't do sex in the same room?

You know, since humans are scarce and Devon and Cal are waiting to be fucked all the freaking time?

A lot of parts of the story were underdeveloped and even though it was short, it didn't offer as much as the previous installments. An opportunity missed, because Cal and Mac had a lot of potential.

[Megan [Cottage Vibes] · Rating 2 out of 5]

MM Erotica
Age Gap
2.5 Stars ⭐️


This was my least favorite book of the series and I struggled to read it even though it was only 66 pages! While I enjoyed having Rex and Devon there from the first two books, I felt like their presence affected Cal and Mac’s relationship growth. The sex wasn’t even all that hot to me and I fell asleep at one point 😂😂 It’s a miracle I finished this tbh.

However, I was excited to see this author is releasing a 5 part dark romance mm hockey series.

[Head in a book · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great addition to the previous 3. Devon and Rex joining Cal & Mac (not like that 😉) was perfect, Devon the possessive little demon that he is brought a lot of fun to this one. I loved Cal & Mac finding their way together. I'm excited for Colt's story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[bookishninaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Want all 4 books in 1 and i would rate it 3 happy stars because i enjoy this weird universe and whatever ass was in this it got me hooked!!

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mac & Cal
Rating: 3.5 ⭐

- Age Gap
- MM Dark Romance
- OTT Alpha
- Found Family

This is the fourth installment in this series and you need to read the prior books to follow the storyline, since this is not a standalone. In this one we get Mac's POV after Cal returns to the house after running away from him and their intense interaction. Mac holds back on his desires now when it comes to Cal because he doesn't want to push again and chance him leaving again. Cal is frustrated at Mac for treating him differently than before and isn't sure if he is still wanted. Mac's old military friend Rex shows up with his boyfriend Devon, characters from the first two books. The new additions bring tension in the house because of Mac and Rex's prior arrangement and their boyfriends are not happy. I loved getting to see Devon go all assassin twink again, which made me so happy. Rex and Devon also help Mac and Cal work out their relationship problem, allowing them to be fully intimate again without fear. You get to see Devon and Cal become friends, which is scarce in the wastelands. The author also gives us more information on the pandemic and how quickly it effected the world.

Just as everyone is getting acquainted and the house becomes lively again, the Jackals come into town and a fight ensues. One of the Jackals sees Mac's tattoo during this invasion and they just up and leave, which baffles the group. They leave some parting words for our four men, which has them confused and trying to unravel the mystery of it. Looks like the next set of books will be about the Jackals and Colt, the third soldier of the friend group with Rex and Mac.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Verse: No
HEA: HFN

[Lady Macbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I liked this: Mac and Cal are living together but Mac is blaming himself about Cal running away last time they had sex.
On day, Rex and Devon show up at their door (after Rex has been very sick and almost died at the end of Mine To Protect) and ask to spend the winter with them.
Cal and Devon, very close in age, after an initial distrust, form a very tight friendship, while Rex helps Cal and Mac to understand what happened to them during that session of intense sex.

This was a strange found family story and I liked it. But less than 70 pages are absolutely not enough for it to be satisfying. Let's hope next book will be longer.

[sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually most of the series wasn’t bad and it was pretty entertaining! I hope there’s more books part of this series in the future. I’ll be waiting…

[Erica Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s making more sense, things are starting to be revealed and are adding up. It’s actually starting to pick up and getting more interesting!!

[A. gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

they found their forever family 🥹

[Elz ࣪ ִֶָ☾. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part 4 of the post-apocalyptic shameless smut and its my favourite in the series so far, they are like a wierd little fucked up gay family now :,)

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 🌟
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Mac & Cal, and Rex & Devon

Two couples - not poly.
I enjoyed this one way more than book 3. There was actually quite a bit of plot in this one.
Truthfully, I think this series had a ton of potential to be 5 star or favorites, but they suffer from being so short. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the characters a lot (especially Devon) and how they interacted with one another. The setting, the action, the steam, the romance - all great. I just wish they were longer, and we got to see more of their situation and survival.

I'm also intrigued with the guys in the masks so I'm really looking forward to more.

[Miasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I lied before, this one is my absolute favorite out of the four!

1. Devon does NOT play about Rex 😂 the way he went for Mac every time in the beginning made me cackle
2. Mack & Cal are absolute delicious…Cal’s kink are soooo delicious I had to listen to the audio twice; back to back listen

Cal & Mack are definitely perfect for each other. They are what each other needs.

I read this one as an audiobook and Aiden Snow 😮‍💨 he has always been in my top 5 and he still doesn’t disappoint. His deep voice is everything. Gah I will probably relisten to the whole series again back to back to back.

[Kaez]

i’ve loved listening to this series! the narrators have done such an amazing job bringing these characters to life! i’ve had such a great time! i highly recommend listening to these

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOPEFUL & HEART-WARMING

This is definitely the most "feel good" of the series, where old friends reunite, friendships are formed, and ultimately, new families are found. I'd missed Mac and Cal; I reread the 3rd instalment as a refresher before I decided to claim an ARC of this. It was so nice to see them again and witness (this time from Mac's POV) how against all odds they finally get their much-deserved happiness (well, I believe it's more of a HFN, but it's fluffy enough to have HEA vibes). I'm happy that Cal is more certain of what he wants here, and Mac himself has affirmed more than ever just how much his Little Fawn means to him. I liked their sweeter, more intimate relationship (although I felt that Cal's post-sex episodes were oddly over complicated, making it out to be a complex or something, when all he was really uncertain and conflicted about before was Mac returning his feelings and desires for deeper emotional intimacy). Also, it didn't surprise me that much that Cal turned out to be a power bottom when he finally decided what he wanted, but what did surprise me is how Mac so easily decided to be a service top (upon Rex's advice – which I also thought was a bit strange; I mean, shouldn't Mac know Cal best, more than anyone? Why would Rex who just arrived know better about Cal?). Mac was leading just fine previously (he was doing a stellar job of it for many years even), and it would have been weird to let Cal lead before when he was so unsure of himself and what he wanted, yet here, their new dynamic was made out to be something that has always been and that Mac only failed to see, so that confused me a little. (Also, why did Mac make it seem like he was short on bullets in the 3rd book, when it's revealed here that he has always had a stash ergo plenty of bullets to spare?)

I will admit that even in the earlier books, I did not enjoy Rex and Devon as much. Devon was likeable enough in the 1st book, considering his circumstances, but by the 2nd book, he seemed to go out of his way to be prickly just for prickliness' sake even when it wasn't called for or wouldn't really accomplish anything, which is probably why I found his relationship with Rex rather stressful to follow (Mac calling him "Satan's spawn" was so spot on, it always made me laugh). Mac and Cal's love story was more romantic and believable to me, since it was built upon a more solid foundation and maybe because they're more compatible and feel more genuinely in love (I dunno, I also think Mac is more badass than Rex; having a soft spot for someone doesn't make anyone less of a tough guy, in my opinion—maybe it's the very thing that makes him so badass to me, actually). And though their world in general still feels like a half-formed image with lots of missing puzzle pieces, I enjoyed this all the same because of them.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

old post reposted

I haven't posted much in a while, because I've been reading a lot of serials, collections, and episodes (and a lot of taboo stuff that I enjoyed, but didn't want to necessarily share).
But this series? It was odd at first, but also pretty damn good.

This series is called Wasteland Temptations by E.V. Olsen.

Imagine if the universe didn't bounce back from COVID, if people died and kept dying. If the world literally shut down. The electricity stopped working (no one there to pay for it, run it, ect). Not many people alive. At. All. There are people who lived but let their psychopathic ways thrive, and they spend their times looting and killing; there are people who "lived" but have a brain-like virus that turned them to cannibals (kinda zombie like creatures, but they're not 'dead'). The few people alive either live the nomad life, going from one village/town/city to the next, pillaging to survive OR they hunker down in one village/town/city and live off the land.

The first two books cover Rex and Devon ("Mine to Claim" and "Mine to Protect", respective POVs). And the second two books cover Mac and Cal ("His to Break" and "His to Lead", respective POVs). All four books are less than 75 pages and take no time at all to read. They're all very dark romances (spice wise, age-gap wise, and universe wise (it is a post-apocolyic world)), so mind the trigger below.

We're still waiting on at least two more books to finish out the series, as well as answer some questions from the fourth one.

Not going to lie, this book/series kept popping up as a targetted add, and I kept ignoring it until I figured the book-gods must be telling me something. ;)

Going to go see what other gems E.V. has for me to read (while ignoring the goals I had for this week).

Trigger Warnings: dubcon, sub-drop, violence, murder, talks of suicide, cannibalism, and more

#minetoclaim #minetoprotect #histobreak #histolead #evolsen #wastelandtemptations #wastelandtemptationsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Jammie Bebout · Rating 5 out of 5]

His To Lead is the fourth and final audiobook in E.V. Olsen’s Wasteland Temptation series, and I am very sad to see this series end. All four books in the series are novella length, so the audiobooks are short—typically around an hour and a half each. But let me tell you, this author can pack a whole lot of yummy MM goodness into that short timeframe. When I first started this series, I honestly wasn’t expecting such short stories to have a big impact on me. But, boy, was I ever wrong! E.V. Olsen’s writing is absolutely chocked full of passion, angst, romance, and just really genuine human connection and emotion. I very quickly became invested in this series and in these wonderful characters. And with each book building on the last, by the time you get to this fourth audiobook, you are well and truly hooked. Even though it’s technically two books per couple, the characters are interrelated in the same overall story. This audiobook is the second part of Mac and Cal’s story and is told from Mac’s POV. These two are still struggling with communication, and Mac is terrified of Cal running away again and of subsequently getting his heart broken.

When Rex and his boyfriend, Devon, come to stay with them, it adds a whole new dynamic—one that’s not all good, at least in the beginning. Devon is still very possessive of Rex and jealous of Rex’s past with Mac. And, as usual, he communicates best with his fists and huge amounts of sass. I absolutely adore that feral little brat! While there are lots of growing pains, by the end, they’re one big, happy family—one that consists of two sexy, OTT alpha daddies and two gorgeous, snarky brats. Best kind of family, in my opinion! The solo narration is provided by Aiden Snow, who embodies the character of Mac perfectly. He’s delivering ALL the protective and possessive daddy vibes! He also does an excellent job of voicing the other three characters with a uniqueness that makes it immediately clear which character is speaking and ultimately makes the listener forget it’s the same actor voicing all four characters. I truly can’t recommend this audiobook series highly enough. Loved, loved, loved it!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The protector and Protected aspect and the pain Mac feels when he knows his mistake led his fawn almost to starve out of distrust, he really is a wild animal that spooked away for awhile but came back to where he knew was safe."


That was the last line of my review for the previous book in this series "His to Break". I went back and read my review before jumping into "His to Lead" because I knew I'd enjoyed it but wasn't sure of details I'd mentioned. This is an extra spicy, short, age gap, M/M Romance. It takes place after a large part of the population has been wiped out and what remains are struggling against nature, scavenging raiders and social isolation.

We come back to Mac and Cal (Fawn) in a relationship, even if they haven't fully accepted that fact yet. The introduction to Rex and Devin was nice and they were interesting role models for our original pair. The actual BDSM knowledge that Rex shares is good and interestingly paired against the near feral way both subs behave in the beginning. I think this is an exaggeration of the safety that subs can be seeking out in their Dominant made more intense by the post apocalyptic setting. I was happy to see them grow to be more friendly though and almost shed a tear when Rex and Mac shared why they wanted they younger men to bond. My only complaint last time was how short the story was but after reading "His to Lead" I've decided it's just that the books are very quick paced. I finished His to Lead in about 2 hours. Perfect for a quick reading sprint or read together for a longer reading session. I'm planning on returning to books 1 & 2 in the Wasteland Temptations series by E.V Olsen.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[LC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the world-building

I liked this book more than the 3rd book (His to Break). In that book, Cal appeared more immature and emotionally stunted. In this book, we "see" him overcome his insecurities and begin to build a relationship with Mac. I say "see" because it doesn't actually happen on-screen. One moment Cal is pulling away and the next he's all in.

Initially, I wasn't a fan of Mac's "voice". His inner monolog seemed choppy and stilted. I think the author was going for a "brute" and "older" vibe but it didn't read well. A for effort trying to make the characters sound different though. However, by the end of the book, I think the author realized the error in their ways and it flowed a lot better.

Though a quick read, it packed a lot of story into it. Being that it's a novella it lacked specifics/lengthy details that you typically see in novels and was straight to the point.

I enjoyed seeing Devon and Rex in this one. I LOVE Devon. He cracks me up. He reacted exactly how I expected him to upon meeting Mac.

As with the other books, the spice was spicyy 🌶🌶🌶🌶 I enjoyed the light voyeurism. It would have been sooo hot had there been some group play. Maybe not any sharing, but like, both couples in the same room watching each other. Yess. Would have enjoyed that.

I think what would have benefitted this book the most is if it was told through dual POV. Devon and Cal build a fun and quirky friendship that is told through Mac's POV when it really should have been told through Cal's.

Ends with an HFN. Another group of people arise during a conflict and I just can't imagine they don't have their own story in this post-apocalyptic world. Plus, we still don't know what happened to Colt.

[Raven9308 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the fourth and final book in this dystopian MM romance novella series and I thought it was as good as book 1 that had been my favorite of the bunch. I liked listening to the POV of the big bear of a man who had more trauma than others. We get some insight on what happened before with Rex and Mac and their other group members so it makes more sense. We also get a twist in Cal's sister and how she lost her life, which I didnt see coming. Opened your eyes to the cruelness of this new world they had to navigate and survive.

We some interesting dynamics in this one too, with the two couples and their own kinks haha. I won't give things away but it was adorable and sexy and I wanted more haha. Seeing the smaller guys bond was great and see Mac had to get with the demon that is Devon was hilarious haha. They are making their own family, with people you can trust in such a harsh environment. We get some action in this one too, make this novella go by way to quickly haha. I do wish we could get some of the others in the OG group so we got to see more from this world but I understand the story felt pretty finished as well.

Steam was fantastic, plot was engaging, and narration was great. Again loved that the author picked different male narrators for each of the novellas, since each was a different POV/character. It helped with building this world and the connections between all the characters. Enjoyed it, this was probably the highest rated for me out of the 4 novellas/short stories!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect follow up to His to Break, finishing the story of Cal and Mac. Cal is back to stay with Mac, wanting more than Mac can give right now as he cannot forgive himself for the reason Cal left and the length of time he was gone. As they work to get back to what they had, an old friend and his companion arrives, adding a new element to their relationship. When scavengers again descend on the town, Cal gets a chance to protect Mac, the scavengers are gone, and Cal and Mac are joined by Rex and Devon to create a new found family to face this challenging world together.

These are really intense, complex, interesting characters, functioning in a world totally changed from what was before. Survival is a struggle, and Mac and Cal were the only two inhabitants left in the town, Cal alone but watched over by Mac from a distance. Both crave an emotional and physical connection to end the loneliness of their solitary lives, but accepting a new reality is difficult and must be worked for by both parties. The arrival of Rex and Devon adds another dimension and dynamic to the relationship between the two and the four.

The story is told from Mac’s POV. Steamy times, outside threats, age differences, returning friends, challenges from natural forces, and a need to protect each other make for an unusual but compelling survival tale and an interesting read. 4.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kellie Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPECTACULAR!!!

*ALC Review*

I absolutely love this book from start to finish. I deserve this book yesterday and I’m extremely sad that this beautiful series has ended. EV you truly impress the heck out of me and I cannot wait to read and listen to all of your books.

I just wanna applaud you, Aiden Snow for doing a spectacular job narrating this audiobook. You have a phenomenal range to the point where I totally forgot that you were just narrating everybody. I’m a massive fan of yours. Aiden and I cannot wait to get my hands on more audiobooks narrated by you.

This beautiful audiobook made me hot and bothered, made me swoon, took a piece of my heart, made me giddy, and so many other feelings. As I was listening and reading this audiobook, all I could think of was how sad I am for this spectacular series to end. I really wanted more to this series, but the series will always have a special place in my heart and it answered a whole lot of questions that I had from the very beginning.

If you absolutely love, love love a book about friendships and finding that one person that completes you, this book is for you. Seriously people you need to get this entire series because it has so much intrigue, OTT Alpha males who will do absolutely anything for their man, so much spice and suspense that you will buy the books quickly. Thank you thank you so much EV beautiful that will always have a special place in my heart.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 is here y'all. I've been waiting for this. We had our time with Rex and Devon, then book 3 with Cal and Mac. I loved seeing them come together and form their own little survival family. This novella is as short as the others, but this one felt so much better. I thought the second was my favorite, then I read the third, and now that I've read the fourth, i'm torn.

All four books happen in the same timeline and in sequence with each other. This book immediately follows the end of book two AND the end of book three (2&3 happening concurrently). This book begins with the fallout of the third book (when Cal comes back) and then Rex and Devon appear after the issues that take place in book two.

This one has more action than the others in terms of actual survival and violence, so mind that if it is sensitive for you.

I am always surprised by how much plot and world building E.V. Olsen is able to squeeze into 40-60 page novellas. They are able to create a functioning world while pandering to the smut that we need. I am feral for everything they write at this point and am looking forward to the Jackles/Colt and the other series that is coming out.

I received a complementary copy of this book, but this is my honest and voluntary opinion!🖤

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending

In the previous book Mac and Cal have an intense session that has Cal running and floundering.
Mac has no idea how to fix it so he just distanced himself.
Now he's terrified that Cal will actually leave no matter how many assurances to the contrary.
Mac's friend Rex and his boy Devon show up and there's an altercation before things are smoothed out.
Initially there's animosity between Cal and Devon but thankfully they quickly become friends because those two at opposite ends would be catastrophic.
Mac also has some resentment towards Rex, feelings of abandonment after he and their other friend left him behind.
Fortunately for Mac, Rex also educated him on how to proceed with his lifestyle with Cal and basically smacks him upside the head for being so obtuse.
There's lots of steamy moments between both couples and also some very heated scenes played out while being watched.
I loved that they decided to stay together and become a family.
The ending had some interaction with the Jackals and a sighting of Mac's tattoo has them backing off.
I can't wait for the spin off series.

[Fanykuroi (Sapphire Book Lover9095) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not crying, you’re crying!

I can’t believe is the end and ugh I want more!!!! I was not prepared for how much I would come to love this series, specially Devon and Cal. Those two stole the show for me in this book! And don’t get me started on how we can see this time around —on Mac’s pov— how their relationship FINALLY progresses into such a masterpiece I’m all fluffy inside. Aiden did brilliantly bring him Mac to life in such a way that I’m obsessed now.

I love the way EV closed the chapter on a lot of important settings of this series, yet left the door open for more (yes Joker, I’m looking at you (IYKYK)), so I can only hope this is not the last time we see of these four chaotic devils

What to expect in this book?
-MxM Dystopian apocalyptic Romance
-Age Gap
-Virgin MC
-OTT Protective/Possessive MMC
-Light BDSM
-Slight Power Exchange (in the bedroom)
-Devon and Cal being chaotic menaces (and we love them for that)
-Feisty defiant Brat (we love him)
-Praise kink
-HFN

Overview:
Overall: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Smut: 10/5
The feels it made me feel: infinite/5

I received and ALC and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Linda V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:

Story - ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice - 🌶🌶🌶
Narration - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

His to Lead is the 4th novella in the Wasteland Temptations series and Mac's POV. Mac and Cal are living together, but Mac still blames himself for Cal running away. He's also afraid Cal will run again, so he hides his true feelings to avoid being hurt. When Mac's army buddy Rex (and his boy toy Devon) show up, tensions rise until boundaries are set (watch yes, share no). This MM dystopian series keeps getting better because we learn more about the characters and all their emotional baggage. And chapter 4...so spicy.

The solo narration from Aiden Snow was exactly as you would imagine...perfection. Nobody compares (in my book) to Mr. Snow's uber-protective alpha voice, but we also get his performance of all the characters in this story. So so good. 5/5 stars!

[Kyla Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasteland Temptations Series for me it's a favourite... maybe I'm biased because I love the author, I have all her books in ebook and audiobooks :-P, so maybe it's just me!
What I loved about the books - the audiobooks! Each book has a different narrator because each book it's from another character's POV.. the world, the characters, how each one is crazy and possessive in his own way, how it's difficult for each one of them to express or even realise their feelings... short stories with a lot of spice and HEA.
What I didn't like - too short but I think this is an E.V. Olsen thing, she always writes her books making you wish for more...
So, in spite of all the other comments below, I definitely recommend this series, it's exactly what the doctor recommended: OTT alpha males, a lot of sex, apocalyptic world, found family.

[Marty Hamrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment has a bit more plot than the previous installments which was great. But it also has enough erotic content to be really steamy and satisfying, compared to the previous installments. I love that we circle back to Rex and Devon and enjoyed seeing them job Mac and Cal and the group becoming their own little family group. There is drama and some action in this one, and I personally can hardly wait to read the Jackals and Colt's stories later this year. Overall I still wish this series was more detailed and in-depth and there was significantly more world building because it's really quite interesting, but it IS growing and I like that.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved His to Lead by EV Osen. It's the fourth book in the Wasteland Temptations series. These books are not standalone and need to be read in order. I loved the continuation of Cal and Mac's story. Mac's friend, Rex, shows up with his boyfriend, Devon, at just the right time to help Cal and Mac with some of the issues they are struggling with in their relationship. I loved how Devon and Cal connected as instant best buddies and how they surprise decorated the house and I loved the present Cal got Mac. I loved that Cal felt like he had a family again. I'm hoping he gets to keep it. I look forward to reading about the jackals and Colt, Rex and Mac's other friend from the military.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Moni · Rating 4 out of 5]

His to Break and His to Lead need to be reviewed as one continuous story as they belong to one couple, young Cal and army veteran Mac, living in the same small town while human predators roam around. Who knew erotica could be so hot in this post-apocalyptic world? This book (His the Lead) is from Mac's POV.
Mac, an army veteran, has been watching over young Cal for years after everyone leaves their town. There is an intensity to the older guy that equal measure excites and frightens Cal. The two share an incredibly intense night that intimidates Cal with its power. He runs away from Mac, only to return out of desperation even though his feelings for the older man didn't change. Mac, once again, takes care of him (even though he is obviously holding a part of himself back) until unexpected visitors turn up at their door. Having Rex and his boyfriend back in their life rattles their world in the best possible way. And while things between Cal and Rex’s young boyfriend, Devon, become brotherly, a new threat nearly takes away all their happiness when brutal visitors descend on their quiet town. The third and fourth installments of this series have more BDSM plays and some voyeurism, while still giving cozy vibes in the last chapter.
BDSM with Restrains, Toys and Impact Play
Voyeurism
Hurt/Comfort
Apocalyptic Setting
Possessiveness
Age Gap
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