What do you think?
Rate this book
The Omegaverse Case Files #1
Hammer & Gavel
Hot Fuzz meets shifters, meets buddy cop romance in this sexy, high-stakes M/M omegaverse detective novel.
Detective Constable Oliver Reed enjoys two things in life; tea with biscuits and catching bad guys. For twenty nine years he has walked the tight rope between alpha and omega, but that rope is about to snap, when one chilly January afternoon he crosses paths with the devastatingly handsome alpha, Detective Sergeant Lucas White. Tensions skyrocket as the two are forced to work together to take down an omega sex-trafficking ring that is rapidly drowning the sleepy towns of West Newton & High Enfield. However, when the case starts getting out of hand, so too does their desire for one another.
This is a shifter/omegaverse story, set in an alternative version of England where humans are also wolves, men can get pregnant and everyone has a secondary sex. Your mother will probably judge you for reading this, but who cares? Contains M/M, smut, mpreg, alternative human biology, shifting, Brit-cop humour, sarcasm, a traumatised protagonist, child abuse (implied but never described), and, most importantly, copious amounts of tea drinking. If you're a fan of this genre, you'll know what to expect. Mature audiences only (18+).
Part of a series, but each book follows a different pairing. Book two coming soon!
Detective Constable Oliver Reed enjoys two things in life; tea with biscuits and catching bad guys. For twenty nine years he has walked the tight rope between alpha and omega, but that rope is about to snap, when one chilly January afternoon he crosses paths with the devastatingly handsome alpha, Detective Sergeant Lucas White. Tensions skyrocket as the two are forced to work together to take down an omega sex-trafficking ring that is rapidly drowning the sleepy towns of West Newton & High Enfield. However, when the case starts getting out of hand, so too does their desire for one another.
This is a shifter/omegaverse story, set in an alternative version of England where humans are also wolves, men can get pregnant and everyone has a secondary sex. Your mother will probably judge you for reading this, but who cares? Contains M/M, smut, mpreg, alternative human biology, shifting, Brit-cop humour, sarcasm, a traumatised protagonist, child abuse (implied but never described), and, most importantly, copious amounts of tea drinking. If you're a fan of this genre, you'll know what to expect. Mature audiences only (18+).
Part of a series, but each book follows a different pairing. Book two coming soon!
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2024
331 people are currently reading
2235 people want to read
About the author
C.T. Whistle
3 books211 followersC.T. Whistle is a UK indie author, who is currently running on hopes, dreams and very little sleep. When she isn't typing up a storm and ruining her characters lives, she aspires to take a nap but fails miserably at every turn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 443 reviews
December 27, 2025
The book started out fairly strong, but about halfway through it lost me. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing, and the writing often felt stilted and oddly flat.
When the one man tells the other that he loves him, I couldn’t have told you why. The relationship building was so odd in this story. I also really wish the wolf shifting aspect had been developed better.
That’s the frustrating part, there was potential here. I couldn’t help comparing it to much stronger character-leaning stories like Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara or the Valor and Doyle series by Nicky James.
Tropes/themes:
ABO dynamics
Instinctive bonding
Mpreg
Bi/gay
Power imbalance
Identity vs biology
Societal hierarchy
British humor
Cute ending
When the one man tells the other that he loves him, I couldn’t have told you why. The relationship building was so odd in this story. I also really wish the wolf shifting aspect had been developed better.
That’s the frustrating part, there was potential here. I couldn’t help comparing it to much stronger character-leaning stories like Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara or the Valor and Doyle series by Nicky James.
Tropes/themes:
ABO dynamics
Instinctive bonding
Mpreg
Bi/gay
Power imbalance
Identity vs biology
Societal hierarchy
British humor
Cute ending
October 2, 2025
Oh God... sobs... my heart... sobs.
...
Oh dear, tissues... sniff.
So many fat tears.
Oh dear.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in.
I had hoped so much for this ending, but I didn't believe it would actually happen.
Oh, this book is great. I didn't know I really needed it in my life, as I'm always so hesitant with Omegaverse. But it was absolutely perfect. Amazingly well written with a perfectly balanced plot and balance to the development of the relationship between Oliver and Lucas.
The two of them as a couple and how they engage with each other, how much Oliver has to struggle with himself to allow the relationship to happen. It's truly phenomenal. There is a tiny little breakup, just to warn you, but it's short and basically necessary in a way. Otherwise, the relationship develops so harmoniously with the characters' development that it's a real pleasure to read.
But the plot, my goodness. There is so much in it, and so much pain and gruesomeness. Please be aware of the triggers. Even if it is not shown directly on the page, the abused children and everything else related to the case being investigated here are really brutal to read about.
The same goes for Oliver's past and his asshole ex-boyfriend.
“Yes, but you need more than bread and butter to survive, Oliver. Have you finished that list?”
Glancing down at the paper in front of him, Oliver hummed and tapped the pencil against the kitchen table. “Yep. That should be all,” he said, handing Lucas the paper.
“It only says chocolate digestives.”
“Mhm,” Oliver replied, turning back to his toast.
“Reed, are you seriously a functioning adult?”
Oliver glanced up, giving the alpha a quizzical look. “Yeah. I own a dishwasher and everything.” 🤭🤭🤭
“Nose wrinkles when you concentrate. Stamp your foot when you’re angry. Freckles… Fucking freckles.” Then the alpha’s tongue swiped across his skin, and Oliver could feel his self control slipping away. “I want to devour you,” Lucas said. The words felt bottomless. “Consume you. Mine.” 🫠🐾🫠
He needed an anchor. Someone to hold his injured heart and battered body with all the tenderness he struggled to find in himself. He needed someone who would love him just the way he was. He needed his mate. His alpha. He needed Lucas. ♥️♥️♥️
...
Oh dear, tissues... sniff.
So many fat tears.
Oh dear.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in.
I had hoped so much for this ending, but I didn't believe it would actually happen.
Oh, this book is great. I didn't know I really needed it in my life, as I'm always so hesitant with Omegaverse. But it was absolutely perfect. Amazingly well written with a perfectly balanced plot and balance to the development of the relationship between Oliver and Lucas.
The two of them as a couple and how they engage with each other, how much Oliver has to struggle with himself to allow the relationship to happen. It's truly phenomenal. There is a tiny little breakup, just to warn you, but it's short and basically necessary in a way. Otherwise, the relationship develops so harmoniously with the characters' development that it's a real pleasure to read.
But the plot, my goodness. There is so much in it, and so much pain and gruesomeness. Please be aware of the triggers. Even if it is not shown directly on the page, the abused children and everything else related to the case being investigated here are really brutal to read about.
The same goes for Oliver's past and his asshole ex-boyfriend.
“Yes, but you need more than bread and butter to survive, Oliver. Have you finished that list?”
Glancing down at the paper in front of him, Oliver hummed and tapped the pencil against the kitchen table. “Yep. That should be all,” he said, handing Lucas the paper.
“It only says chocolate digestives.”
“Mhm,” Oliver replied, turning back to his toast.
“Reed, are you seriously a functioning adult?”
Oliver glanced up, giving the alpha a quizzical look. “Yeah. I own a dishwasher and everything.” 🤭🤭🤭
“Nose wrinkles when you concentrate. Stamp your foot when you’re angry. Freckles… Fucking freckles.” Then the alpha’s tongue swiped across his skin, and Oliver could feel his self control slipping away. “I want to devour you,” Lucas said. The words felt bottomless. “Consume you. Mine.” 🫠🐾🫠
He needed an anchor. Someone to hold his injured heart and battered body with all the tenderness he struggled to find in himself. He needed someone who would love him just the way he was. He needed his mate. His alpha. He needed Lucas. ♥️♥️♥️
January 28, 2025
So our current timeline might be a depressing hellscape of pain and suffering, but at least we get to see omegaverse transition into published media which is HILARIOUS to me, so we have to take our wins where we can.
Oliver Reed, a countryside detective in the child protection unit, gets bought into an investigation by the Metro police, headed by Lucas White, when it's discovered that there is a child sex trafficking operation happening on their doorstep.
This story started life as an original piece of work on AO3 and is deeply omegaverse. I'm talking the works; A/B/O dynamics, heats, ruts, knots, slick, mpreg....if this was someone's first exposure to this world I can imagine it would be A LOT (the things that come out of fan culture are truly just so fascinating lol).
I found that at times this was a lot of telling instead of showing. Like in one instance during a confrontation early on in the story White literally says “Reed, for once in your life, will you do as I ask?". Which seemed like such a super random thing to say to someone you have known for like three days? Like I can see that the intention of the author is to emphasise that Reeds character is stubborn, obstinent and doesn't take shit, but it seemed like such a out of pocket thing for White to say in given that the context is that this is someone who is not much more than a stranger to you at that point.
Also, weird thing to find myself fixated on, but I'm not sure if the author really considered the logistics of being a big 6"5 dude and how they fit in cars? lol maybe it bothered me so much cause I'm also tall and have found myself sandwiched into some uncomfortable fucking positions so am very aware of the reality. Initially it started off a lot of crossed legs in the passenger seat with an ankle on the knee, which I gave the benefit of the doubt to cause maybe they're big cars. But I call bullshit on a unit of a dude this size being able to fit in the passenger footwell of a citeron c2 and then eating someone out. That just seemed so insanely implausible it kind of spoiled the spice for me lol.
I'm honestly pretty middle of the road on this. There was a lot of potential here but the writing often didn't quite click for me, something about it at times just came off stilted, forced and kind of flat. The sort of spice intensity I'm normally used to with books that incorporate knotting just wasn't really there for me? (Matehub: Legends you just set the bar too high). But this is a debut and I always am pleased to see someone giving a crack at writing something that's out of the box and kind of bonkers. Let's the freak flags fly and all that.
This cover is amazing though. I love the design of it and it's probably my favourite part of the whole package. I know this is meant to be a series but I feel like White and Reeds story is pretty tidily concluded so we'll see how it goes.
CW: implied child abuse and child sex trafficking, grooming, drug use, on page mpreg but no birthing scenes and the MC deals with some past trauma relating to a miscarriages and domestic violence
Oliver Reed, a countryside detective in the child protection unit, gets bought into an investigation by the Metro police, headed by Lucas White, when it's discovered that there is a child sex trafficking operation happening on their doorstep.
This story started life as an original piece of work on AO3 and is deeply omegaverse. I'm talking the works; A/B/O dynamics, heats, ruts, knots, slick, mpreg....if this was someone's first exposure to this world I can imagine it would be A LOT (the things that come out of fan culture are truly just so fascinating lol).
I found that at times this was a lot of telling instead of showing. Like in one instance during a confrontation early on in the story White literally says “Reed, for once in your life, will you do as I ask?". Which seemed like such a super random thing to say to someone you have known for like three days? Like I can see that the intention of the author is to emphasise that Reeds character is stubborn, obstinent and doesn't take shit, but it seemed like such a out of pocket thing for White to say in given that the context is that this is someone who is not much more than a stranger to you at that point.
Also, weird thing to find myself fixated on, but I'm not sure if the author really considered the logistics of being a big 6"5 dude and how they fit in cars? lol maybe it bothered me so much cause I'm also tall and have found myself sandwiched into some uncomfortable fucking positions so am very aware of the reality. Initially it started off a lot of crossed legs in the passenger seat with an ankle on the knee, which I gave the benefit of the doubt to cause maybe they're big cars. But I call bullshit on a unit of a dude this size being able to fit in the passenger footwell of a citeron c2 and then eating someone out. That just seemed so insanely implausible it kind of spoiled the spice for me lol.
I'm honestly pretty middle of the road on this. There was a lot of potential here but the writing often didn't quite click for me, something about it at times just came off stilted, forced and kind of flat. The sort of spice intensity I'm normally used to with books that incorporate knotting just wasn't really there for me? (Matehub: Legends you just set the bar too high). But this is a debut and I always am pleased to see someone giving a crack at writing something that's out of the box and kind of bonkers. Let's the freak flags fly and all that.
This cover is amazing though. I love the design of it and it's probably my favourite part of the whole package. I know this is meant to be a series but I feel like White and Reeds story is pretty tidily concluded so we'll see how it goes.
CW: implied child abuse and child sex trafficking, grooming, drug use, on page mpreg but no birthing scenes and the MC deals with some past trauma relating to a miscarriages and domestic violence
January 9, 2025
Fun and different take on omegaverse and it's a debut!
“I will love you,” he whispered, pushing his face into Oliver’s neck. “God, I will cherish you, if you’ll let me.”
Sigma/alpha pairing, and the sigma has a cute little knot!
“Is this your little knot, Reed?” Lucas said, circling his thumb and forefinger around the base of his shaft.
“Y-Yes,” Oliver moaned, face burning with equal parts embarrassment and desire.
Lucas grinned against his cheek. “It’s adorable.”
Two detectives are investigating an omega sex-trafficking ring, they do get a little frisky quickly and I was wondering how the next 400 pages were going to play out, but it played out nicely.
A couple obvious editing issues in the first chapter or two, but it smoothed out. The sigma secondary sex was interesting, he has some omega-like traits and some alpha-like traits. Sigmas are looked down on, considered inferior and unstable.
Wolf-shifters without any wolf drama, they shift and run whenever they want, and there's a fun chase scene in the woods.
I'd recommend for anyone interested in a new omegaverse spin, detectives (moderate investigative plot), it's on the cuter/lighter side despite having series topics. Lots of tea and biscuits.
Also, lots of scruffing!
Will add more later.
“Is that the dish with offal? Because don’t forget I’m English born and bred. My palate doesn’t extend much beyond beige.” 🤣
Tags: Omegaverse, detective/detective pairing, wolf-shifters, AU England, mpreg (no birth scene), sarcasm, Brit-cop humor, copious amounts of tea, omega sex-trafficking ring, colleagues, alpha/sigma pairing, child abuse (implied but never described), past trauma, investigative, top knot, grey eyes, sparring, small knot (sigma), insta-attraction, height difference (5'9 & 6'5), feeling unworthy, scruffing - back of neck grabbing, washcloth, surprise heat, giant stuffed koala, sweet twin brother, asshole ex
“I will love you,” he whispered, pushing his face into Oliver’s neck. “God, I will cherish you, if you’ll let me.”
Sigma/alpha pairing, and the sigma has a cute little knot!
“Is this your little knot, Reed?” Lucas said, circling his thumb and forefinger around the base of his shaft.
“Y-Yes,” Oliver moaned, face burning with equal parts embarrassment and desire.
Lucas grinned against his cheek. “It’s adorable.”
Two detectives are investigating an omega sex-trafficking ring, they do get a little frisky quickly and I was wondering how the next 400 pages were going to play out, but it played out nicely.
A couple obvious editing issues in the first chapter or two, but it smoothed out. The sigma secondary sex was interesting, he has some omega-like traits and some alpha-like traits. Sigmas are looked down on, considered inferior and unstable.
Wolf-shifters without any wolf drama, they shift and run whenever they want, and there's a fun chase scene in the woods.
I'd recommend for anyone interested in a new omegaverse spin, detectives (moderate investigative plot), it's on the cuter/lighter side despite having series topics. Lots of tea and biscuits.
Also, lots of scruffing!
Will add more later.
“Is that the dish with offal? Because don’t forget I’m English born and bred. My palate doesn’t extend much beyond beige.” 🤣
Tags: Omegaverse, detective/detective pairing, wolf-shifters, AU England, mpreg (no birth scene), sarcasm, Brit-cop humor, copious amounts of tea, omega sex-trafficking ring, colleagues, alpha/sigma pairing, child abuse (implied but never described), past trauma, investigative, top knot, grey eyes, sparring, small knot (sigma), insta-attraction, height difference (5'9 & 6'5), feeling unworthy, scruffing - back of neck grabbing, washcloth, surprise heat, giant stuffed koala, sweet twin brother, asshole ex
Want to Read
October 15, 2025Also dropping this because I'm straight up bored. 🤷🏻🤷🏻🤷🏻
I've read fucking slappinnnnnnnnnnnng good ABO manga's and some fucking great cop/invetsgator books lately (Helloooooooooooo, Seongjae and Malcom, Doyle and Larkin, Park and Cooper) and these two MC's just like.... don't even enter on my scale enough to try and be interested.
The writing was fine.
The lore was good enough and explained.
No wheel was reinvented but it had good bones.
I'm just finding by 20%, the grumpy character has had a personality transplant into "i really care about you" for no real reason, and they already kissed and I can't understand why.
I've read fucking slappinnnnnnnnnnnng good ABO manga's and some fucking great cop/invetsgator books lately (Helloooooooooooo, Seongjae and Malcom, Doyle and Larkin, Park and Cooper) and these two MC's just like.... don't even enter on my scale enough to try and be interested.
The writing was fine.
The lore was good enough and explained.
No wheel was reinvented but it had good bones.
I'm just finding by 20%, the grumpy character has had a personality transplant into "i really care about you" for no real reason, and they already kissed and I can't understand why.
November 2, 2025
4.25**** stars
I enjoyed this a whole lot. The mystery part was honestly a bit messy and a bit weak overall if you ask me but the omegaverse romance hit well for me.
And as always when it’s displayed on page I LOOOOVED seeing the characters interact with each other as wolves. It’s always just the fucking cutest!!
*************
Omegaverse Case Files
Book 1 - Hammer & Gavel - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Night Call - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - tbd
I enjoyed this a whole lot. The mystery part was honestly a bit messy and a bit weak overall if you ask me but the omegaverse romance hit well for me.
“Why do you smell like a fucking fever-dream?” Lucas growled low in his belly.
And as always when it’s displayed on page I LOOOOVED seeing the characters interact with each other as wolves. It’s always just the fucking cutest!!
*************
Omegaverse Case Files
Book 1 - Hammer & Gavel - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - Night Call - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - tbd
November 10, 2025
Wow. What a beautiful, intense book. The writing was compelling, the storyline fast-paced, the romance awesome.
The author was able to convince me that Oliver and Lucas not only were mates but fell in love. Their chemistry was believable, their push and pull felt genuine.
I loved the storyline, even if it was gruesome at times. Thankfully for me at least the story's horrific background was left off page. The additional existence of "sigma's" in a omegawerse-world (with all the implied complications) was refreshing.
I adored that throughout the story people shifted into their wolf form, it's not often that authors write wolf shifter romances with parts of the story written from the wolf's pov (I only recall the Green Creek series and the Anton & Leander series, both favourites in the mm wolf shifter genre for me).
And the epilogue.. an epilogue making me tear up is very rare. This one gave me what I silently had hoped for, deep down, but already had dismissed as not possible anymore.
The book wasn't perfect. It needed better editing, there were grammar errors, and Oliver often described his appearance as if he was watching himself in that specific moment, it didn't make sense with the story being told in single pov (Oliver).
Nevertheless, I loved this story. Highly recommended.
But please e aware of content warnings and trigger warnings.
Thanks lovely Drusilla for the rec ♥️
The author was able to convince me that Oliver and Lucas not only were mates but fell in love. Their chemistry was believable, their push and pull felt genuine.
I loved the storyline, even if it was gruesome at times. Thankfully for me at least the story's horrific background was left off page. The additional existence of "sigma's" in a omegawerse-world (with all the implied complications) was refreshing.
I adored that throughout the story people shifted into their wolf form, it's not often that authors write wolf shifter romances with parts of the story written from the wolf's pov (I only recall the Green Creek series and the Anton & Leander series, both favourites in the mm wolf shifter genre for me).
And the epilogue.. an epilogue making me tear up is very rare. This one gave me what I silently had hoped for, deep down, but already had dismissed as not possible anymore.
The book wasn't perfect. It needed better editing, there were grammar errors, and Oliver often described his appearance as if he was watching himself in that specific moment, it didn't make sense with the story being told in single pov (Oliver).
Nevertheless, I loved this story. Highly recommended.
But please e aware of content warnings and trigger warnings.
Thanks lovely Drusilla for the rec ♥️
October 27, 2025
This book had an identity crisis. Check out my reading progress rundown to see where it turned for me. It’s where I start yelling at the characters. Mainly narrator MC Ollie. I considered DNF-ing but ultimately was too invested and kept going.
It started out strong! I loved the unique “sigma” addition to omegaverse, and wow did I *LOVE* the mates element/attraction/feral connection. And these folks shift into wolves, and did it a LOT in the book, which was so much fun.
MC Oliver “Ollie” started out as this strong, appealing narrator who gave no shits and took no crap from anyone. He’s a sigma, a unique sort of alpha-omega new thing with traits of both, can go into heat and get pregnant, though pregnancy is rare, and also has the aura and attitude of an alpha. He owned his place as a detective for child protection, got things done, stood up for himself and for kids…loved it.
MC Lucas is the alpha sergeant from London/the Met who’s come to town with fellow officers to take part in taking down the child sex trafficking ring thought to be operating in Ollie’s small town area. These upstart snobs are taking over Ollie's territory, and Ollie was not pleased! 😁
Their awareness of each other could not be denied, and the circling, the chemistry, the growing connection was 🔥🔥🔥. I was massively enjoying myself! Ollie even opens up to Lucas about the horrific thing that happened to him 6 years ago with an ex, a cheating situation that hospitalized and nearly killed him. And seeing Lucas go absolutely feral when Ollie was in danger…! 😍 (Though the aftermath didn’t look great on Ollie….that was the start of his devolution…)
Then Ollie’s utterly wretched piece of 💩 ex showed up, and Ollie got a personality transplant. He became this stammering, conflict-avoiding shell of himself, and it was so WEIRD. I got that he’d been through it, but, his entire character seemed different, weak, prevaricating, hiding the truth, in ways that didn’t fit his original development, and I got frustrated. He endangered a child by hiding things for personal reasons, and it felt so wrong. And unprofessional. His character felt infantilized? Something like that. It was Off.
I still got all kinds of great things in the read…mating, MATING BITES!!! Loved! Conflict, tension, romantic drama. And I enjoyed Ollie’s brother and his husband and Ollie’s pack connection with them. Matteus oversteps a time or two, but then stepped up when needed most, when certain revelations should damn well have come from Ollie. And Matty’s husband, Julian, was terrific too.
So I enjoyed the first half, and then certain omegaverse elements of the second half, but by the end it felt like Ollie was this sort of shell of who he’d started out as, and I just didn’t get it. He became more like a cliché of a "weak woman" character than who he was at first? Like, he was trying to be “strong,” but it was to protect himself, and was to the detriment of many others, and it didn’t seem organic or admirable. He lost me.
The entire child trafficking ring plot kind of went on in the background, coming forward every so often, and I didn’t feel they were focused enough on investigating/being professional, given how important it was. Something felt out of balance, like it was fighting itself, even though it gets tied up in the end.
There was also a weird inconsistency...Ollie was so traumatized by his past w the ex that he's reluctant about getting involved with Lucas. Yes, we learn he had a hookup-y Thing for a while with another officer, Harry, and Harry is the one who stopped it bc he wanted to be w someone he could have a family with? That doesn't sound like Ollie had trouble getting involved after the ex. And yet he does. ??? It didn't make sense, and since Harry caused no conflict and wasn't important, apart from one meh moment in a pub just to bring it up again, why bother with it?
The end was heartwarmingly lovely though!
Overall, though, I had a good time.
HEA, omegaverse, alpha-sigma pairing, police detectives working together. Mpreg. OM drama up the wazoo from Oliver’s excrutiatingly obviously villainous ex. Not invited by either MC, and created some stellar heightened reaction moments between them. Totally safe for me though, no OM action. There is a secondary character who created a moment of worry for me at one point, but, he was friend-zoned and I think is one MC in the next book. Recommended, but, man, please get this author a developmental editor. There were also SO many errors, another proofread would have not gone amiss.
Also, I love this author’s pen name!
It started out strong! I loved the unique “sigma” addition to omegaverse, and wow did I *LOVE* the mates element/attraction/feral connection. And these folks shift into wolves, and did it a LOT in the book, which was so much fun.
MC Oliver “Ollie” started out as this strong, appealing narrator who gave no shits and took no crap from anyone. He’s a sigma, a unique sort of alpha-omega new thing with traits of both, can go into heat and get pregnant, though pregnancy is rare, and also has the aura and attitude of an alpha. He owned his place as a detective for child protection, got things done, stood up for himself and for kids…loved it.
MC Lucas is the alpha sergeant from London/the Met who’s come to town with fellow officers to take part in taking down the child sex trafficking ring thought to be operating in Ollie’s small town area. These upstart snobs are taking over Ollie's territory, and Ollie was not pleased! 😁
Their awareness of each other could not be denied, and the circling, the chemistry, the growing connection was 🔥🔥🔥. I was massively enjoying myself! Ollie even opens up to Lucas about the horrific thing that happened to him 6 years ago with an ex, a cheating situation that hospitalized and nearly killed him. And seeing Lucas go absolutely feral when Ollie was in danger…! 😍 (Though the aftermath didn’t look great on Ollie….that was the start of his devolution…)
Then Ollie’s utterly wretched piece of 💩 ex showed up, and Ollie got a personality transplant. He became this stammering, conflict-avoiding shell of himself, and it was so WEIRD. I got that he’d been through it, but, his entire character seemed different, weak, prevaricating, hiding the truth, in ways that didn’t fit his original development, and I got frustrated. He endangered a child by hiding things for personal reasons, and it felt so wrong. And unprofessional. His character felt infantilized? Something like that. It was Off.
I still got all kinds of great things in the read…mating, MATING BITES!!! Loved! Conflict, tension, romantic drama. And I enjoyed Ollie’s brother and his husband and Ollie’s pack connection with them. Matteus oversteps a time or two, but then stepped up when needed most, when certain revelations should damn well have come from Ollie. And Matty’s husband, Julian, was terrific too.
So I enjoyed the first half, and then certain omegaverse elements of the second half, but by the end it felt like Ollie was this sort of shell of who he’d started out as, and I just didn’t get it. He became more like a cliché of a "weak woman" character than who he was at first? Like, he was trying to be “strong,” but it was to protect himself, and was to the detriment of many others, and it didn’t seem organic or admirable. He lost me.
The entire child trafficking ring plot kind of went on in the background, coming forward every so often, and I didn’t feel they were focused enough on investigating/being professional, given how important it was. Something felt out of balance, like it was fighting itself, even though it gets tied up in the end.
There was also a weird inconsistency...Ollie was so traumatized by his past w the ex that he's reluctant about getting involved with Lucas. Yes, we learn he had a hookup-y Thing for a while with another officer, Harry, and Harry is the one who stopped it bc he wanted to be w someone he could have a family with? That doesn't sound like Ollie had trouble getting involved after the ex. And yet he does. ??? It didn't make sense, and since Harry caused no conflict and wasn't important, apart from one meh moment in a pub just to bring it up again, why bother with it?
The end was heartwarmingly lovely though!
Overall, though, I had a good time.
HEA, omegaverse, alpha-sigma pairing, police detectives working together. Mpreg. OM drama up the wazoo from Oliver’s excrutiatingly obviously villainous ex. Not invited by either MC, and created some stellar heightened reaction moments between them. Totally safe for me though, no OM action. There is a secondary character who created a moment of worry for me at one point, but, he was friend-zoned and I think is one MC in the next book. Recommended, but, man, please get this author a developmental editor. There were also SO many errors, another proofread would have not gone amiss.
Also, I love this author’s pen name!
August 22, 2025
Re-read August 2025
Still a solid 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Something I noticed this time around though? This is definitely (and if you SQUINT) insta-love or at least insta-attraction? I don’t know, but they’re relationship progressed very rapidly in the beginning which I usually do not like, but this book is still soooo good!
——————————————————
I could write a long winded review about how much I loved this book and how it’ll probably be a top 3 read for this year (despite it only being January).
You can also just pick it up and love it for yourself.
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 1 extra for making me teary eyed at the end ⭐️
March 19, 2026
4.5 🌟
🎧 Why was this so good? 🎧
So, this was my very first ever M/M and omegaverse book. I was very intrigued to say the least! 👀
It did take me a minute to get into it, but boy.... was I pleasantly surprised!
The humor was amazing, the British setting was top-notch, de spice was spicing and the fact they were police officers made it *chef's kiss* 👌🏻
The narrator was amazing!!! Jeez 👏🏼👏🏼
I always a bit skeptical when it's a solo narrator, but he did an outstanding job! I really enjoyed listening to his voice and his intonation and accent were to die for 😅
Thank you Netgalley and RBMEDIA for this ARC!!! ❤️
🎧 Why was this so good? 🎧
So, this was my very first ever M/M and omegaverse book. I was very intrigued to say the least! 👀
It did take me a minute to get into it, but boy.... was I pleasantly surprised!
The humor was amazing, the British setting was top-notch, de spice was spicing and the fact they were police officers made it *chef's kiss* 👌🏻
The narrator was amazing!!! Jeez 👏🏼👏🏼
I always a bit skeptical when it's a solo narrator, but he did an outstanding job! I really enjoyed listening to his voice and his intonation and accent were to die for 😅
Thank you Netgalley and RBMEDIA for this ARC!!! ❤️
March 8, 2026
I can already tell this will end up being one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. I went in not knowing exactly what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t such a whimsical, thoughtfully crafted story that works both as a romance and as an investigation.
The book leans into a procedural framework, but the romance clearly takes center stage. Whistle balances the lighter, cozy tone of Oliver and Lucas’s relationship with heavier themes in a way that feels respectful and intentional. The banter between them is top tier, and both characters are incredibly easy to root for.
What really stood out to me is how grounded the relationship feels, even within an Omegaverse setting. There’s something refreshingly realistic about the way they navigate each other and their circumstances, which gives the story a warmth that’s hard to fake.
I went in expecting the usual high heat trademarks of the subgenre, but instead found a surprisingly sweet and cozy story. Despite the heavier subject matter, it leaves you with that comforting, hopeful feeling. I highly recommend it.
The book leans into a procedural framework, but the romance clearly takes center stage. Whistle balances the lighter, cozy tone of Oliver and Lucas’s relationship with heavier themes in a way that feels respectful and intentional. The banter between them is top tier, and both characters are incredibly easy to root for.
What really stood out to me is how grounded the relationship feels, even within an Omegaverse setting. There’s something refreshingly realistic about the way they navigate each other and their circumstances, which gives the story a warmth that’s hard to fake.
I went in expecting the usual high heat trademarks of the subgenre, but instead found a surprisingly sweet and cozy story. Despite the heavier subject matter, it leaves you with that comforting, hopeful feeling. I highly recommend it.
July 29, 2025
Flawless
A fantastic story for fans of Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara or Valor and Doyle by Nicky James! So much fun (with just a dash of serious crime) & the perfect amount of spice mixed in.
A fantastic story for fans of Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara or Valor and Doyle by Nicky James! So much fun (with just a dash of serious crime) & the perfect amount of spice mixed in.
April 1, 2026
4.5⭐️ It was not in my bingo card to have an omegaverse make me cry, but here we are.
I’m a big fan of detective-duo romances, and while omegaverse isn’t really my thing, the cover is amazing—and since the audiobook was free on Hoopla, I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did, because it completely exceeded my expectations.
Great suspense plot, heavy on the romance. The instalove made sense since this is a world with mates—but there was still a lot of push/pull and angst accepting their bond. And I really enjoyed all the emotions that came with it.
This was actually fairly similar to Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series, so if you like that one, this is a safe bet if you’re not deterred by heat cycles, knotting, and MPreg. I’ve also realized I like omegaverse better when they’re actual wolf shifters like this. It makes more sense to my brain.
This is a standalone and wraps up nicely with a tear-jerking, sweet ending.
I’m a big fan of detective-duo romances, and while omegaverse isn’t really my thing, the cover is amazing—and since the audiobook was free on Hoopla, I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did, because it completely exceeded my expectations.
Great suspense plot, heavy on the romance. The instalove made sense since this is a world with mates—but there was still a lot of push/pull and angst accepting their bond. And I really enjoyed all the emotions that came with it.
This was actually fairly similar to Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series, so if you like that one, this is a safe bet if you’re not deterred by heat cycles, knotting, and MPreg. I’ve also realized I like omegaverse better when they’re actual wolf shifters like this. It makes more sense to my brain.
This is a standalone and wraps up nicely with a tear-jerking, sweet ending.
April 7, 2025
Never heard of a Sigma in my life but I would like more of these funky dudes please and thank you. This was a lot of fun even if the crime we are solving is taking down a child sex trafficking ring (love me some light reading) and I always enjoy getting to see different take on omegaverse and this was definitely one of the better ones I’ve come across. That being said we did have the unfortunate mix of instalove, miscommunication, aggressively independent main character, and whomp whomp the ex lover turns out to be the evil villain which is a bold combo to take on and somehow not make me angry at something. Patrick honestly felt like a mustache twirling villain and was evil for kicks and that is honestly my only complaint besides Lucas and Oliver speedrunning their relationship but I assume based on some context clues that’s kind of the norm for these shifters so you know what fair enough go get married you crazy kids. Considering this is a debut the author certainly came out swinging and somehow managed to not strike out despite the metric fuck ton they decided to tackle in this bad boy so you bet I am absolutely seated for what they put out next 👌
December 29, 2025
A solid omegaverse that was also romantic suspense! The dynamic between these two was so cute and I loved how the one hero was able to finally overcome his past trauma and face that head-on so he could be happy with someone who truly and wholly loved him. I did want more of the suspense plot to play out throughout the whole book instead of mostly in the beginning and the end, but other than that, I really enjoyed this! The writing was so beautiful and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
November 16, 2025
Picked this up because I love omegaverse settings, and the high rating made me curious. The idea of a sigma detective and a big-city alpha working together sounded fun. But in the end, I didn’t connect with the story :/
Thank for small mercies, at least the writing is clean. That’s already more than I can say for a lot of books in this genre. The world-building also shows effort.
Now, the not-so-good: I never felt close to the MC, Oliver. He has a sad past and a tough job, but I didn’t feel it. I was told he was hurt, told he was strong, but I didn’t see it in a way that made me care. Lucas, the love interest, is the classic perfect alpha: tall, rich, kind, great at cooking, great at everything. In the end, he didn’t feel like a character, more like a checklist of “dream alpha” traits.
The romance was slow, but not in a sweet way. It starts almost instantly: Lucas wants Oliver on day one. After that it’s just the same loop: Oliver feels “not good enough”, Lucas growls “but you’re perfect”, Oliver says “no”, they kiss, someone interrupts, repeat. It isn’t slow-burn; it’s a stuck record. The crime plot was there, but it never felt urgent. It was more like background noise to the romance, and even that didn’t keep me hooked.
Also, the writing is too dense: Pages of metaphors and jokes, but little moves forward.
I stopped reading around the middle. Too much filler, not enough thriller. If you like endless banter and instant lust that keeps resetting, you may enjoy it. I just got bored.
Thank for small mercies, at least the writing is clean. That’s already more than I can say for a lot of books in this genre. The world-building also shows effort.
Now, the not-so-good: I never felt close to the MC, Oliver. He has a sad past and a tough job, but I didn’t feel it. I was told he was hurt, told he was strong, but I didn’t see it in a way that made me care. Lucas, the love interest, is the classic perfect alpha: tall, rich, kind, great at cooking, great at everything. In the end, he didn’t feel like a character, more like a checklist of “dream alpha” traits.
The romance was slow, but not in a sweet way. It starts almost instantly: Lucas wants Oliver on day one. After that it’s just the same loop: Oliver feels “not good enough”, Lucas growls “but you’re perfect”, Oliver says “no”, they kiss, someone interrupts, repeat. It isn’t slow-burn; it’s a stuck record. The crime plot was there, but it never felt urgent. It was more like background noise to the romance, and even that didn’t keep me hooked.
Also, the writing is too dense: Pages of metaphors and jokes, but little moves forward.
I stopped reading around the middle. Too much filler, not enough thriller. If you like endless banter and instant lust that keeps resetting, you may enjoy it. I just got bored.
March 13, 2026
Audiobook Re-Read: Still love this book!
ALL OF THE GODDAMN FUCKING STARS! This book. THIS BOOK! One of my top reads of the year, definitely my new favorite omegaverse book. Gods damn this book was SO GOOD. I started it late last night and fell asleep after maybe 30 pages.. but then did nothing at all today but read.
Oliver and Lucas are such beautifully complex and layer characters, and their relationship was the same. And I loved that the shifters spent time actually shifted, those were some of my favorite moments in this book.
I loved the side character too! Nancy was so funny, and Matteus was my favorite. Him and his hormones and his baking for Oliver. And his mate, Julian and how he looked after Oliver like he was his own brother. Ugh all of it.
This book had the perfect balance of romance and mystery. Sometimes a book is too much romance, and the mystery gets left behind.. or there’s too much mystery but not much in the way of romance. This book has the perfect balance and that made me so happy!
Idk how to end reviews.. but.. read this!
ALL OF THE GODDAMN FUCKING STARS! This book. THIS BOOK! One of my top reads of the year, definitely my new favorite omegaverse book. Gods damn this book was SO GOOD. I started it late last night and fell asleep after maybe 30 pages.. but then did nothing at all today but read.
Oliver and Lucas are such beautifully complex and layer characters, and their relationship was the same. And I loved that the shifters spent time actually shifted, those were some of my favorite moments in this book.
I loved the side character too! Nancy was so funny, and Matteus was my favorite. Him and his hormones and his baking for Oliver. And his mate, Julian and how he looked after Oliver like he was his own brother. Ugh all of it.
This book had the perfect balance of romance and mystery. Sometimes a book is too much romance, and the mystery gets left behind.. or there’s too much mystery but not much in the way of romance. This book has the perfect balance and that made me so happy!
Idk how to end reviews.. but.. read this!
March 9, 2026
Looking for your next obsession? Hammer & Gavel is a total standout that balances crime in the omegaverse with tension, and genuine heart.
Read this if you love: Morally gray leads, forced proximity, and courtroom chaos that keeps you guessing.
The plot flows effortlessly, with pacing that had me sprinting toward the finish line. I truly couldn't put it down! I especially loved the character growth; even when they make questionable choices, they feel grounded and relatable in a way that keeps you rooting for them.
Bonus points for the audiobook: Derek Duvall’s performance adds a brilliant layer to the paranormal elements and gritty crime intensity. His voice work for the more morally gray moments is absolute perfection. By the last page, I was left with a massive book hangover! It’s a smart, addictive story that stays with you long after it’s over. Highly recommended.
Read this if you love: Morally gray leads, forced proximity, and courtroom chaos that keeps you guessing.
The plot flows effortlessly, with pacing that had me sprinting toward the finish line. I truly couldn't put it down! I especially loved the character growth; even when they make questionable choices, they feel grounded and relatable in a way that keeps you rooting for them.
Bonus points for the audiobook: Derek Duvall’s performance adds a brilliant layer to the paranormal elements and gritty crime intensity. His voice work for the more morally gray moments is absolute perfection. By the last page, I was left with a massive book hangover! It’s a smart, addictive story that stays with you long after it’s over. Highly recommended.
December 3, 2025
This started off so strong but then just became long and pretty boring. I wanted more of the case and less of the mating. I thought there would be a balance between the two but there wasn’t.
April 24, 2026
4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one honestly caught me off guard in the best way. MM wolf shifter, Omegaverse, Detectives ,with actual british humor, SAY LESS. 👏👏 and then it leveled up with proper plotting, emotional depth, and genuinely solid writing.
As someone who usually side-eyes UK-set "contemporary" romance (because yeah… the cringe risk is real), this worked. It balances that grounded, recognisable British setting with wolf shifter worldbuilding in a way that feels natural rather than gimmicky. It’s warm, immersive, and surprisingly easy to sink into.
And the wolf aspect is just there apart of the society, and I loved how we got to spend a decent amount of time actually in wolf forms or shifting back and forth , it wasn't just used as a tool to have "mates" they actually get wolfy.
The sigma angle was also new and fresh for me , and I enjoyed how the difference was explained through variations in temperament, but also physically....and his baby knot 🪢🤭🤭🤭🤭🤣🤣
What really sold it for me though? The characters actually feel like adults. Oliver and Lucas have jobs, baggage, responsibilities, and their relationship builds around that rather than ignoring it. Their dynamic on the job vs. off the clock is so satisfying to watch evolve. You get tension, banter, slow emotional shifts… and when they finally let themselves go there, it feels earned.
Also, this isn’t your typical omegaverse read. If you usually come for the spice, you might be surprised( but it's still there dont worry) . It leans much more into romance + crime/thriller vibes, with a genuinely gripping case running alongside the relationship. The investigation adds real weight, especially with some heavy subject matter woven in (definitely check content warnings).
Pacing-wise,it’s fast and bingeable, but somehow still feels calm and easy to read? Like you’re flying through it, but not stressed while doing so.
By the end, I was completely invested ,not just in Oliver and Lucas, but in the wider cast too. You can tell seeds are being planted for future books, and I’m already on board.
Tropes & vibes:
MM alpha/sigma omegaverse
Police procedural meets romance
Partners to lovers
Workplace tension 👀
Grumpy x snarky
Trauma + healing
Found family
Mates
Slow-burn emotional payoff
Hurt/comfort
“We shouldn’t… but we will” energy
Dark case alongside romance plot
Overall it's genuinely refreshing take on omegaverse with heart, substance, and just the right amount of bite. Absolute binge-read. Already reaching for book two.
✨️Highlights ✨️
“Rescuing friends first. Post- rutt fuckery later,”
“Reed, I never. Ever. Want you to find yourself alone with that man. Do I make myself clear?”
“I just… I want you to know, Reed, that even if we never conceive a biological child, I would still choose you. Every time.”
“I will love you. If you’ll let me.”
And Oliver wanted to see him, too. Wanted to see the man that had quite literally fucked the knot right out of him.
“I will love you,” he whispered, pushing his face into Oliver’s neck. “God, I will cherish you, if you’ll let me.”
“Reed,” Lucas said, the tips of their noses touching. “Did someone tell you you’re unworthy, or hurt you in some way?”
“Is this your little knot, Reed?” Lucas said, circling his thumb and forefinger around the base of his shaft. “Y- Yes,” Oliver moaned, face burning with equal parts embarrassment and desire. Lucas grinned against his cheek. “It’s adorable.”
“I- It’s not— it’s not like yours, Lucas,” he whispered, words catching in his throat as the alpha stroked a thumb along the base of his cock. “Reed, nothing is like mine.”
“Can I touch you, Reed?” He said, teasing a finger under the elastic. “I want to hear that dirty mouth as you lose yourself.”
“I have a really shitty attitude.” The alpha dropped his head. “I like your shitty attitude.”
However, the police officer in him commanded, take your fucking hands off the sergeant you filthy pervert. Straight to horny jail for you.
This one honestly caught me off guard in the best way. MM wolf shifter, Omegaverse, Detectives ,with actual british humor, SAY LESS. 👏👏 and then it leveled up with proper plotting, emotional depth, and genuinely solid writing.
As someone who usually side-eyes UK-set "contemporary" romance (because yeah… the cringe risk is real), this worked. It balances that grounded, recognisable British setting with wolf shifter worldbuilding in a way that feels natural rather than gimmicky. It’s warm, immersive, and surprisingly easy to sink into.
And the wolf aspect is just there apart of the society, and I loved how we got to spend a decent amount of time actually in wolf forms or shifting back and forth , it wasn't just used as a tool to have "mates" they actually get wolfy.
The sigma angle was also new and fresh for me , and I enjoyed how the difference was explained through variations in temperament, but also physically....and his baby knot 🪢🤭🤭🤭🤭🤣🤣
What really sold it for me though? The characters actually feel like adults. Oliver and Lucas have jobs, baggage, responsibilities, and their relationship builds around that rather than ignoring it. Their dynamic on the job vs. off the clock is so satisfying to watch evolve. You get tension, banter, slow emotional shifts… and when they finally let themselves go there, it feels earned.
Also, this isn’t your typical omegaverse read. If you usually come for the spice, you might be surprised( but it's still there dont worry) . It leans much more into romance + crime/thriller vibes, with a genuinely gripping case running alongside the relationship. The investigation adds real weight, especially with some heavy subject matter woven in (definitely check content warnings).
Pacing-wise,it’s fast and bingeable, but somehow still feels calm and easy to read? Like you’re flying through it, but not stressed while doing so.
By the end, I was completely invested ,not just in Oliver and Lucas, but in the wider cast too. You can tell seeds are being planted for future books, and I’m already on board.
Tropes & vibes:
MM alpha/sigma omegaverse
Police procedural meets romance
Partners to lovers
Workplace tension 👀
Grumpy x snarky
Trauma + healing
Found family
Mates
Slow-burn emotional payoff
Hurt/comfort
“We shouldn’t… but we will” energy
Dark case alongside romance plot
Overall it's genuinely refreshing take on omegaverse with heart, substance, and just the right amount of bite. Absolute binge-read. Already reaching for book two.
✨️Highlights ✨️
“Rescuing friends first. Post- rutt fuckery later,”
“Reed, I never. Ever. Want you to find yourself alone with that man. Do I make myself clear?”
“I just… I want you to know, Reed, that even if we never conceive a biological child, I would still choose you. Every time.”
“I will love you. If you’ll let me.”
And Oliver wanted to see him, too. Wanted to see the man that had quite literally fucked the knot right out of him.
“I will love you,” he whispered, pushing his face into Oliver’s neck. “God, I will cherish you, if you’ll let me.”
“Reed,” Lucas said, the tips of their noses touching. “Did someone tell you you’re unworthy, or hurt you in some way?”
“Is this your little knot, Reed?” Lucas said, circling his thumb and forefinger around the base of his shaft. “Y- Yes,” Oliver moaned, face burning with equal parts embarrassment and desire. Lucas grinned against his cheek. “It’s adorable.”
“I- It’s not— it’s not like yours, Lucas,” he whispered, words catching in his throat as the alpha stroked a thumb along the base of his cock. “Reed, nothing is like mine.”
“Can I touch you, Reed?” He said, teasing a finger under the elastic. “I want to hear that dirty mouth as you lose yourself.”
“I have a really shitty attitude.” The alpha dropped his head. “I like your shitty attitude.”
However, the police officer in him commanded, take your fucking hands off the sergeant you filthy pervert. Straight to horny jail for you.
April 11, 2026
I am completely and utterly smitten with this series. I bought the audiobook based on a friend’s recommendation. Everything about this book and the narration is perfection. It’s this cozy, snarky, and sexy British procedural with the most amazing characters. Lucas and Oliver are everything I love in a character, and this beautiful story is everything I love about reading. This book was written with technical precision. The plot, the pacing, the mystery, and character arcs are a work of art. And this story hits you so hard in the feels. It grabs your heart and doesn’t let go. I am so excited to see where the rest of the books take me.
August 14, 2025
THIS BOOK WAS SO. GOOD. A friend of mine DMd me out of the blue to say that she'd found an omegaverse shifter cop book and DID I WANT TO READ IT? And, honestly, people will bring book recs to me with some regularity, but something about that combination - I NEEDED TO READ IT IMMEDIATELY. I've been in my detective thriller era for a bit... I just finished reading MateHub for a third time... I've been wishing I could find something along the same lines as the Big Bad Wolf series... BAM! Hammer & Gavel was everything I wanted and more. An exciting police procedural plot, relatively simple omegaverse dynamics, AMAZING banter, and simply wonderful characters. I had the BEST time reading this one, and the entire group of people I read it with loved it too - we ALL binged it. Definitely one to blow up your TBR for!
I LOVE OLIVER AND LUCAS SO MUCH! Oliver is a little prickly thanks to some awful things in his past and his designation as a sigma, something I haven't encountered in omegaverse before (it's kind of in-between an alpha and an omega). He literally runs into Lucas when they are thrown together on a case, and their chemistry (and compatibility) is palpable. There are some pretty funny reluctant mate vibes that I WAS HERE FOR, but there's also quite a bit of lead-up to Lucas and Oliver finally getting together, which I appreciated. Lucas is literal book husband material - he is GONE for Oliver from the very beginning and willing to do whatever it takes to be with him. This kind of opposites attract relationship is my FAVORITE - huge, utterly devoted alpha guy falling for the temperamental chaos monster. Despite all that, these guys really are cute together. Their banter is hilarious, I LOVE the scenes where they are playing together shifted (like puppies!), and OMG, possessive/protective Lucas made me MELT.
If you are looking for a fast, fun read to break you out of a slump, keep you entertained, or to make you forget about all the other books you are SUPPOSED to be reading - this is IT. I'm SO thrilled I took the chance, and I'm over here rearranging my TBR RIGHT NOW so I can read the second book. Another new favorite here my friends!
I LOVE OLIVER AND LUCAS SO MUCH! Oliver is a little prickly thanks to some awful things in his past and his designation as a sigma, something I haven't encountered in omegaverse before (it's kind of in-between an alpha and an omega). He literally runs into Lucas when they are thrown together on a case, and their chemistry (and compatibility) is palpable. There are some pretty funny reluctant mate vibes that I WAS HERE FOR, but there's also quite a bit of lead-up to Lucas and Oliver finally getting together, which I appreciated. Lucas is literal book husband material - he is GONE for Oliver from the very beginning and willing to do whatever it takes to be with him. This kind of opposites attract relationship is my FAVORITE - huge, utterly devoted alpha guy falling for the temperamental chaos monster. Despite all that, these guys really are cute together. Their banter is hilarious, I LOVE the scenes where they are playing together shifted (like puppies!), and OMG, possessive/protective Lucas made me MELT.
If you are looking for a fast, fun read to break you out of a slump, keep you entertained, or to make you forget about all the other books you are SUPPOSED to be reading - this is IT. I'm SO thrilled I took the chance, and I'm over here rearranging my TBR RIGHT NOW so I can read the second book. Another new favorite here my friends!
February 8, 2025
I envy those who have not read this book...because I want to read it for the first time again.
I was smiling like an idiot throughout the book and even got teary eyed in some parts. I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
I was smiling like an idiot throughout the book and even got teary eyed in some parts. I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
![Profile Image for ˗ˏˋ⟡ ݁₊ [sophie] ෆ ꒱ྀ.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1768515559i%2F120802966._UX200_CR0%2C11%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 26, 2026
sobbing my eyes out apparently
April 4, 2026
Solid 4⭐️
This was the first omegaverse book I picked up with the actual intention of reading it as omegaverse and not just as a romance where some alpha/omega dynamic is hanging around in the background for decoration, and I had a genuinely wonderful time with it. With that said, I am still very much a novice in this corner of the genre.
What really worked for me is that the omegaverse framework actually felt like a framework. It shaped the world, the social tensions, the vulnerabilities, the expectations, the power dynamics, and the way people interacted with each other. The sigma element especially was the part that really got me, because it shifted the social map in a way that made everything feel less formulaic and much more alive. It gave the hierarchy more texture and made all the little details around roles, attraction, and social behaviour way more interesting to follow.
I also really appreciated that there was an actual plot underneath the romance. The CPS angle, the abuse, the violence around vulnerable people, all of that gave the story weight and made it feel grounded in something larger than the relationship alone. I liked Olli a lot. His backstory worked for me, I loved how good he was with kids, and I thought that whole part of the book was handled with a lot of care. That was one of the strongest aspects for me.
I also genuinely liked Lucas, but Olli and Lucas as a couple took a little longer to fully click for me. I did get there, but I wanted a bit more spark on the way. More teasing, more push and pull, more tension, more giddiness. Things became soft fairly quickly, and while that gave the relationship a lot of warmth, I personally would have loved a little more bite before the tenderness settled in. I think the cover also set me up for something grittier and sharper in tone, almost a little politically charged, and the actual story moves into something much softer and more emotional pretty early on.
Lucas also felt slightly overshadowed at times, mostly because Olli’s storyline carried so much narrative weight. I kept thinking a Lucas POV would have helped a lot there. I really started buying into them once the emotional support and tenderness between them became more visible, though, and from that point on their bond was honestly very lovely to watch develop.
Where the book lost me a little was in the balance. The pacing felt uneven. Some parts dragged, and then the ending moved faster than I wanted it to. I also think the plot and the character work did not always hold hands quite as neatly as they could have. The investigative side sometimes faded so far into the background that it only really reappeared when the story needed it again, and I do think that part could have been stronger with a firmer grip throughout.
That said, there was still a lot here that absolutely worked for me. I loved the found family/pack elements, I loved the twin bond, I really liked Julian, and I liked the colleagues too. So even when I felt the balance wobble a bit, there was always enough here to keep me invested.
Overall, this was the first time omegaverse really clicked for me as something that can add actual shape and substance to a story, and that alone made this a very satisfying read.
This was the first omegaverse book I picked up with the actual intention of reading it as omegaverse and not just as a romance where some alpha/omega dynamic is hanging around in the background for decoration, and I had a genuinely wonderful time with it. With that said, I am still very much a novice in this corner of the genre.
What really worked for me is that the omegaverse framework actually felt like a framework. It shaped the world, the social tensions, the vulnerabilities, the expectations, the power dynamics, and the way people interacted with each other. The sigma element especially was the part that really got me, because it shifted the social map in a way that made everything feel less formulaic and much more alive. It gave the hierarchy more texture and made all the little details around roles, attraction, and social behaviour way more interesting to follow.
I also really appreciated that there was an actual plot underneath the romance. The CPS angle, the abuse, the violence around vulnerable people, all of that gave the story weight and made it feel grounded in something larger than the relationship alone. I liked Olli a lot. His backstory worked for me, I loved how good he was with kids, and I thought that whole part of the book was handled with a lot of care. That was one of the strongest aspects for me.
I also genuinely liked Lucas, but Olli and Lucas as a couple took a little longer to fully click for me. I did get there, but I wanted a bit more spark on the way. More teasing, more push and pull, more tension, more giddiness. Things became soft fairly quickly, and while that gave the relationship a lot of warmth, I personally would have loved a little more bite before the tenderness settled in. I think the cover also set me up for something grittier and sharper in tone, almost a little politically charged, and the actual story moves into something much softer and more emotional pretty early on.
Lucas also felt slightly overshadowed at times, mostly because Olli’s storyline carried so much narrative weight. I kept thinking a Lucas POV would have helped a lot there. I really started buying into them once the emotional support and tenderness between them became more visible, though, and from that point on their bond was honestly very lovely to watch develop.
Where the book lost me a little was in the balance. The pacing felt uneven. Some parts dragged, and then the ending moved faster than I wanted it to. I also think the plot and the character work did not always hold hands quite as neatly as they could have. The investigative side sometimes faded so far into the background that it only really reappeared when the story needed it again, and I do think that part could have been stronger with a firmer grip throughout.
That said, there was still a lot here that absolutely worked for me. I loved the found family/pack elements, I loved the twin bond, I really liked Julian, and I liked the colleagues too. So even when I felt the balance wobble a bit, there was always enough here to keep me invested.
Overall, this was the first time omegaverse really clicked for me as something that can add actual shape and substance to a story, and that alone made this a very satisfying read.
May 25, 2025
This was FANTASTIC — and not just for a debut either.
WHAT I LIKED
- Different take on omegaverse. There are some secondary sex additions which are not only well explored but seamlessly woven into the plot and characters’ backstories. Beyond that, you get your standard omegaverse-shifter tropes: scenting, marking, mating, bonding etc, all of which I enjoyed immensely.
- Push and pull. I wasn’t feeling it first between the MCs — things were moving a little too fast — but as soon as they started trying to stay away from each other, things got hotttttt
- Plot. It’s good but this is more about omegaverse dynamics than anything else.
- Writing style. Could’ve used a little tightening up — especially in the first 1/3 — but it was very good for a debut.
WHAT I DISLIKED
- POV switches + typos. I had to dock half a star for this. There were a few instances where the author switched POVs mid-scene. It was so subtle they may not even have realised. The restaurant scene immediately comes to mind but there were one or two others as well. There were also several typos but they didn’t ruin my reading experience so no points docked there.
Expect
- Possessive MCs🥵
- Shifter omegaverse
- Scenting
- Marking
- Mating
- Bonding
- Mpreg
- Age gap
- Forced proximity
- Trauma from past abuse
WHAT I LIKED
- Different take on omegaverse. There are some secondary sex additions which are not only well explored but seamlessly woven into the plot and characters’ backstories. Beyond that, you get your standard omegaverse-shifter tropes: scenting, marking, mating, bonding etc, all of which I enjoyed immensely.
- Push and pull. I wasn’t feeling it first between the MCs — things were moving a little too fast — but as soon as they started trying to stay away from each other, things got hotttttt
- Plot. It’s good but this is more about omegaverse dynamics than anything else.
- Writing style. Could’ve used a little tightening up — especially in the first 1/3 — but it was very good for a debut.
WHAT I DISLIKED
- POV switches + typos. I had to dock half a star for this. There were a few instances where the author switched POVs mid-scene. It was so subtle they may not even have realised. The restaurant scene immediately comes to mind but there were one or two others as well. There were also several typos but they didn’t ruin my reading experience so no points docked there.
Expect
- Possessive MCs🥵
- Shifter omegaverse
- Scenting
- Marking
- Mating
- Bonding
- Mpreg
- Age gap
- Forced proximity
- Trauma from past abuse
April 1, 2026
Is this the first book where I WANTED a man to get pregnant? Yes it is!!!
A standoffish child protection officer sigma not realising he’s going into heat because he’s been so messed up by his last relationship and the new alpha detective who he’s forced to work with.
As a new concept to me this one was kinda grumpy x grumpy and when those two started to bicker I laughed my ass off! They were hilarious together and I loved every second of them flirting.
Oliver stress eating his way through life and Lucas taking good care of him (in every way possible) was only made perfect by the absolute best pack dynamics with Oliver’s twin brother.
Earning a closed off, hurt in the past MCs trust is my favourite kind of romance!
The case in this was really gripping and definitely not a light one, so please be aware of this.
A standoffish child protection officer sigma not realising he’s going into heat because he’s been so messed up by his last relationship and the new alpha detective who he’s forced to work with.
As a new concept to me this one was kinda grumpy x grumpy and when those two started to bicker I laughed my ass off! They were hilarious together and I loved every second of them flirting.
Oliver stress eating his way through life and Lucas taking good care of him (in every way possible) was only made perfect by the absolute best pack dynamics with Oliver’s twin brother.
Earning a closed off, hurt in the past MCs trust is my favourite kind of romance!
The case in this was really gripping and definitely not a light one, so please be aware of this.
March 13, 2026
One Star, DNF at 50%
Here's the thing. The premise was fine. The characters were (largely) fine—a little annoying, but fine. The omegaverse mpreg shifter thing? Also fine. Even the smut was fine.
And yet I couldn't finish it.
Sometimes it comes down to the little things. Here's the thing about little things: they add up.
I am convinced that this book was only edited for spelling/grammar, leaving tons of little impossibilities, mostly spatial but also logical, completely unchecked. And it got to a point where I couldn't enjoy the (lack of) plot because little stupid things kept distracting me from the narrative. Things that a developmental editor/copyeditor SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT.
I started noticing the little things from very early on.
In Chapter 1, when Oliver meets Lucas for the first time, they sort of bump into each other. Ollie is looking at his phone and not paying attention to where he's going, but he isn't running or anything, and yet he bumps into Lucas, who also isn't running or anything, and he "Reeled backwards, dropped the phone and landed flat on his arse."
At first I thought, hmm. Maybe the editor missed this. But it kept happening. Oliver simply "falls" for no reasons whatsoever. That is to say, the reasons he keeps falling is so that Lucas can pick him up or some bullshit like that. But why is this grown adult just falling? When was the last time YOU fell? Why can't he have been running? Why is this man so unbalanced?
On another scene, he "gets up quickly" and some how "sends the pizzas flying halfway across the garden." And it wasn't a metaphor. They were sitting in the backyard and he stood up in a rush, and the pizzas went flying across the garden. How? Why? That's not how standing up works. Why are these impossible things just happening? Dude, I'm reading a werewolf shifter romance with mpreg, I KNOW I can suspend my disbelief enough for that. But these little details? These repeated physical impossibilities? Lucas being six foot five somehow managing to have sex with Ollie in the passenger seat of a Citroen c2? They signal a lack of internal logic that a developmental editor should have questioned.
Different but not unrelated, sometimes no time passes between things that require time. As in, Matteus asks Oliver if he needs more suppressants, and tells him that he'll "ask Julian to fill his prescription" so he can have his pills, and the conversation continues with two or three lines each, which are interrupted by "Julian arriving with the pills." You can't tell me this was OK'd by an copyeditor. Why are we not catching these very basic mistakes before publishing?
Then, there's all the side characters with no agency that are there just to advance the plot and are in fact treated like NPCs in a videogame. Ollie is at a pub with his friends and goes to the bathroom, he smells the scent of an omega in heat inside, and there are "three large alphas" standing outside the door. Doing what? Nothing. They're just standing there. Like NPCs. When Ollie goes past them into the bathroom, it turns out the little omega inside is in heat, and he's afraid of the three alphas outside. But the alphas weren't doing anything. They were literally just standing there. Ollie ushers the omega out the back door of the bathroom (a pub with a back door to the bathroom? Really?) and THEN the alphas come in looking for the omega, as though they'd JUST been activated. Why didn't they come in before? What were they doing just standing there? Where was the danger?
These same three alphas are later used in another scene. And I don't mean another three alpha NPCs, they are the same as before because they recognize each other. But this time, Ollie is the one in heat, and the 3 NPC alphas act as though they're about to attack him and Lucas, but then Ollie falls into the pond (yes, he falls again) and when he resurfaces 3 seconds later, the alphas are gone. Why? I DON'T KNOW. Like I said, they were just NPCs that Whistle needed to use for five seconds, and then she just sent them off. No confrontation. No fight. No agency.
Flat, one-dimensional characters who exist only as plot devices are exactly what developmental editing is meant to fix.
Then there's the gratuitous use of compliments that Lucas keeps throwing Ollie for no reason whatsoever. Another example of Ollie having all manners of performative traits (we're constantly told he's the best) while the author completely fails to provide any evidence to support it.
In chapter 5, Lucas tells Ollie "In the three days that I've known you, I don't think I've ever laughed so much." And as soon as I read that, something felt wrong, because Lucas hadn't really laughed at anything Oliver said or did before this extraordinary declaration. So, I went and checked, and in the previous 4 chapters, Lucas laughed once.
In a similar sense, in Chapter 4, Lucas tells Ollie "You are exceptional at what you do." And again, it felt like a lie because they had known each other for 3 hours, during which Ollie spoke to ONE child, and yes, he was nice to that child, but was there any merit in that? I didn't think so. So why is Lucas telling him he's exceptional? It's just one of many, many, many undeserved, baseless declarations that an editor SHOULD have caught. It's poor editing, and it made the romance between them very hard to believe.
And while we're on the subject. Oliver is NOT exceptional at what he does. In fact, he's horrendously unprofessional. EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK is horrendously unprofessional, but ESPECIALLY Oliver. He's clearly close to being in heat, and forgive me for nitpicking but in this world where the secondary sex is of so much importance to the functionality of society, why is he taking suppressants instead of taking time off? If they're so "spread thin at work" then why is he getting off early on Wednesdays? Why is he going for a run in the middle of a work day?
I know I said the characters were fine, but something definitely went wrong with Oliver's character building. He's supposed to be a sigma, half-alpha, half-omega. That's cool, but he's also everything in the personality spectrum. Sometimes he's abrasive, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's clever, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's caring, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's focused, sometimes he's just falling over for no reason. And if you tell me it's because he's "in heat" and he can't "focus when he's around Lucas" then why is he allowed to interview four-year-olds who were clearly SA'd? Where is the logic in all this?
I know characters need flaws, but Oliver appears to have all the flaws possible and yet none at all, because EVERYONE keeps telling me he's probably the best, most professional, most caring, most sensitive, most qualified member of the police force, with no evidence to show for. In fact, the evidence is the exact opposite because Oliver acts like a child most of the time. Everyone in this book, that's Ollie's brother, his brother in law, his co-workers, even Lucas, are basically just a lame iteration of a Greek Chorus raining praises on Oliver and vouching for his qualities, but Ollie keeps failing spectacularly at living up to those praises.
The constant word-of-mouth praise is not merely unsupported--it's actively contradicted by everything Ollie says or does.
And since we're here, let's give Lucas a once over. Talk about a flat character. He's big, he's muscular, he's tattooed, he's half-Brazilian. I get it, the man is sexy. But he is also rich, thoughtful, loyal, protective... Perfect. Ish. I mean, we're told he's perfect, but that's just another case of unsupported performative traits. He's actually incredibly unprofessional (kissing his partner ON DUTY because he cried?) he thinks with his dick (again, why is this dude allowed anywhere near other people?) and he's bad in bed. Like, really, he lasted like 10 seconds in bed (A COPYEDITOR SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING HERE, I MEAN FOR REAL!)
So I'm nitpicking. I'm allowed. I'm mad at this book.
But the thing that really bothered me was "the case" they're working on. Because it's a pedophile sex ring that requires the Metropolitan Police to form an actual task force to tackle. And these fuckers are going "on a pub crawl" the night before the raid.
And look, I understand what C.T. Whistle was trying to do. They wanted to write a shifter romance with real stakes That's good! That's the reason I wanted to read this in the first place. I could have had my pick of gay Omegaverse books, TRUST ME. But I was intrigued by the implication of actual police work behind it. The sex ring thing? Vile. Perfect for what C.T. Whistle was going for. But the execution wasn't there.
In their first outing together to interview a 12-year-old victim, Oliver and Lucas ask her 3 questions, she points them in the direction of the "phone she conveniently stole" from one of the men who was grooming her, and then they leave. Do they ask this girl more questions? No. Do they take her statement? Lucas "takes notes while building a Lego ferrari." Are you telling me these are police officers? The interview is completely buried under the sweet yet lustful moment where Lucas helps Oliver reach up to some fucking shelf or something as he looks for the phone and there's an entire page describing what Lucas's cock felt like through Oliver's pants. Meanwhile, the SA victim reappears and "interrupts them." Give me a fucking break.
Later, they interview a four-year-old victim. Four years old this boy was, and while the descriptions of what happened to him were thankfully minimal, they were also unquestionable. The boy was SA'd and Ollie leaves the interview thinking about himself. As in "maybe I shouldn't have asked him anything" and wallowing about his ex-boyfriend (and I know he's going to be the big bad boss of this book, but at this point in the narrative, he's just the dick ex-boyfriend) instead of thinking about, oh, I don't know--THE WELL-BEING OF A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD AND VICTIM OF SA.
It feels disrespectful to make use of something so egregious and then completely forget about it in favor of "the romance."
So, this is the big, unforgivable thing. The romance clearly takes precedence over the plot, and that's fine if your characters are wrestlers in a paranormal romance (Read Lily Mayne's Goliaths of Wrestling) or if your characters are pornstars (Read Marie Reynard's MateHub: Legend.) No, really. READ THAT.
It is not okay if your characters are detectives tackling a pedophile sex ring. Or you know, if you do wanna write that, then for fuck's sake don't forget about the victims in favor of having your "detective" main characters go for a romantic Italian dinner at a fancy restaurant. It just feels so wrong knowing that Ollie, a social worker who is "exceptional at what he does" is constantly lusting after his partner while in the middle of an interview with a victim of SA. That these fuckers are going on dates while a child goes missing. That they are effectively doing zero police work because Oliver is in heat.
So, yes. There are a lot of little things that added up to a point where it was hard to keep invested in the narrative, but in the end, it just felt like this book needed a shit ton of editing that simply wasn't there.
I abandoned this book not even remotely curious as to what happens next. The plot about the ex-boyfriend wasn't even remotely developed and yet I am sure it's going to be one major disappointment.
Also (someone who has finished this book please confirm this) I'm sure Ollie falls on his arse again for absolutely no good reason whatsoever.
Here's the thing. The premise was fine. The characters were (largely) fine—a little annoying, but fine. The omegaverse mpreg shifter thing? Also fine. Even the smut was fine.
And yet I couldn't finish it.
Sometimes it comes down to the little things. Here's the thing about little things: they add up.
I am convinced that this book was only edited for spelling/grammar, leaving tons of little impossibilities, mostly spatial but also logical, completely unchecked. And it got to a point where I couldn't enjoy the (lack of) plot because little stupid things kept distracting me from the narrative. Things that a developmental editor/copyeditor SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT.
I started noticing the little things from very early on.
In Chapter 1, when Oliver meets Lucas for the first time, they sort of bump into each other. Ollie is looking at his phone and not paying attention to where he's going, but he isn't running or anything, and yet he bumps into Lucas, who also isn't running or anything, and he "Reeled backwards, dropped the phone and landed flat on his arse."
At first I thought, hmm. Maybe the editor missed this. But it kept happening. Oliver simply "falls" for no reasons whatsoever. That is to say, the reasons he keeps falling is so that Lucas can pick him up or some bullshit like that. But why is this grown adult just falling? When was the last time YOU fell? Why can't he have been running? Why is this man so unbalanced?
On another scene, he "gets up quickly" and some how "sends the pizzas flying halfway across the garden." And it wasn't a metaphor. They were sitting in the backyard and he stood up in a rush, and the pizzas went flying across the garden. How? Why? That's not how standing up works. Why are these impossible things just happening? Dude, I'm reading a werewolf shifter romance with mpreg, I KNOW I can suspend my disbelief enough for that. But these little details? These repeated physical impossibilities? Lucas being six foot five somehow managing to have sex with Ollie in the passenger seat of a Citroen c2? They signal a lack of internal logic that a developmental editor should have questioned.
Different but not unrelated, sometimes no time passes between things that require time. As in, Matteus asks Oliver if he needs more suppressants, and tells him that he'll "ask Julian to fill his prescription" so he can have his pills, and the conversation continues with two or three lines each, which are interrupted by "Julian arriving with the pills." You can't tell me this was OK'd by an copyeditor. Why are we not catching these very basic mistakes before publishing?
Then, there's all the side characters with no agency that are there just to advance the plot and are in fact treated like NPCs in a videogame. Ollie is at a pub with his friends and goes to the bathroom, he smells the scent of an omega in heat inside, and there are "three large alphas" standing outside the door. Doing what? Nothing. They're just standing there. Like NPCs. When Ollie goes past them into the bathroom, it turns out the little omega inside is in heat, and he's afraid of the three alphas outside. But the alphas weren't doing anything. They were literally just standing there. Ollie ushers the omega out the back door of the bathroom (a pub with a back door to the bathroom? Really?) and THEN the alphas come in looking for the omega, as though they'd JUST been activated. Why didn't they come in before? What were they doing just standing there? Where was the danger?
These same three alphas are later used in another scene. And I don't mean another three alpha NPCs, they are the same as before because they recognize each other. But this time, Ollie is the one in heat, and the 3 NPC alphas act as though they're about to attack him and Lucas, but then Ollie falls into the pond (yes, he falls again) and when he resurfaces 3 seconds later, the alphas are gone. Why? I DON'T KNOW. Like I said, they were just NPCs that Whistle needed to use for five seconds, and then she just sent them off. No confrontation. No fight. No agency.
Flat, one-dimensional characters who exist only as plot devices are exactly what developmental editing is meant to fix.
Then there's the gratuitous use of compliments that Lucas keeps throwing Ollie for no reason whatsoever. Another example of Ollie having all manners of performative traits (we're constantly told he's the best) while the author completely fails to provide any evidence to support it.
In chapter 5, Lucas tells Ollie "In the three days that I've known you, I don't think I've ever laughed so much." And as soon as I read that, something felt wrong, because Lucas hadn't really laughed at anything Oliver said or did before this extraordinary declaration. So, I went and checked, and in the previous 4 chapters, Lucas laughed once.
In a similar sense, in Chapter 4, Lucas tells Ollie "You are exceptional at what you do." And again, it felt like a lie because they had known each other for 3 hours, during which Ollie spoke to ONE child, and yes, he was nice to that child, but was there any merit in that? I didn't think so. So why is Lucas telling him he's exceptional? It's just one of many, many, many undeserved, baseless declarations that an editor SHOULD have caught. It's poor editing, and it made the romance between them very hard to believe.
And while we're on the subject. Oliver is NOT exceptional at what he does. In fact, he's horrendously unprofessional. EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK is horrendously unprofessional, but ESPECIALLY Oliver. He's clearly close to being in heat, and forgive me for nitpicking but in this world where the secondary sex is of so much importance to the functionality of society, why is he taking suppressants instead of taking time off? If they're so "spread thin at work" then why is he getting off early on Wednesdays? Why is he going for a run in the middle of a work day?
I know I said the characters were fine, but something definitely went wrong with Oliver's character building. He's supposed to be a sigma, half-alpha, half-omega. That's cool, but he's also everything in the personality spectrum. Sometimes he's abrasive, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's clever, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's caring, sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's focused, sometimes he's just falling over for no reason. And if you tell me it's because he's "in heat" and he can't "focus when he's around Lucas" then why is he allowed to interview four-year-olds who were clearly SA'd? Where is the logic in all this?
I know characters need flaws, but Oliver appears to have all the flaws possible and yet none at all, because EVERYONE keeps telling me he's probably the best, most professional, most caring, most sensitive, most qualified member of the police force, with no evidence to show for. In fact, the evidence is the exact opposite because Oliver acts like a child most of the time. Everyone in this book, that's Ollie's brother, his brother in law, his co-workers, even Lucas, are basically just a lame iteration of a Greek Chorus raining praises on Oliver and vouching for his qualities, but Ollie keeps failing spectacularly at living up to those praises.
The constant word-of-mouth praise is not merely unsupported--it's actively contradicted by everything Ollie says or does.
And since we're here, let's give Lucas a once over. Talk about a flat character. He's big, he's muscular, he's tattooed, he's half-Brazilian. I get it, the man is sexy. But he is also rich, thoughtful, loyal, protective... Perfect. Ish. I mean, we're told he's perfect, but that's just another case of unsupported performative traits. He's actually incredibly unprofessional (kissing his partner ON DUTY because he cried?) he thinks with his dick (again, why is this dude allowed anywhere near other people?) and he's bad in bed. Like, really, he lasted like 10 seconds in bed (A COPYEDITOR SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING HERE, I MEAN FOR REAL!)
So I'm nitpicking. I'm allowed. I'm mad at this book.
But the thing that really bothered me was "the case" they're working on. Because it's a pedophile sex ring that requires the Metropolitan Police to form an actual task force to tackle. And these fuckers are going "on a pub crawl" the night before the raid.
And look, I understand what C.T. Whistle was trying to do. They wanted to write a shifter romance with real stakes That's good! That's the reason I wanted to read this in the first place. I could have had my pick of gay Omegaverse books, TRUST ME. But I was intrigued by the implication of actual police work behind it. The sex ring thing? Vile. Perfect for what C.T. Whistle was going for. But the execution wasn't there.
In their first outing together to interview a 12-year-old victim, Oliver and Lucas ask her 3 questions, she points them in the direction of the "phone she conveniently stole" from one of the men who was grooming her, and then they leave. Do they ask this girl more questions? No. Do they take her statement? Lucas "takes notes while building a Lego ferrari." Are you telling me these are police officers? The interview is completely buried under the sweet yet lustful moment where Lucas helps Oliver reach up to some fucking shelf or something as he looks for the phone and there's an entire page describing what Lucas's cock felt like through Oliver's pants. Meanwhile, the SA victim reappears and "interrupts them." Give me a fucking break.
Later, they interview a four-year-old victim. Four years old this boy was, and while the descriptions of what happened to him were thankfully minimal, they were also unquestionable. The boy was SA'd and Ollie leaves the interview thinking about himself. As in "maybe I shouldn't have asked him anything" and wallowing about his ex-boyfriend (and I know he's going to be the big bad boss of this book, but at this point in the narrative, he's just the dick ex-boyfriend) instead of thinking about, oh, I don't know--THE WELL-BEING OF A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD AND VICTIM OF SA.
It feels disrespectful to make use of something so egregious and then completely forget about it in favor of "the romance."
So, this is the big, unforgivable thing. The romance clearly takes precedence over the plot, and that's fine if your characters are wrestlers in a paranormal romance (Read Lily Mayne's Goliaths of Wrestling) or if your characters are pornstars (Read Marie Reynard's MateHub: Legend.) No, really. READ THAT.
It is not okay if your characters are detectives tackling a pedophile sex ring. Or you know, if you do wanna write that, then for fuck's sake don't forget about the victims in favor of having your "detective" main characters go for a romantic Italian dinner at a fancy restaurant. It just feels so wrong knowing that Ollie, a social worker who is "exceptional at what he does" is constantly lusting after his partner while in the middle of an interview with a victim of SA. That these fuckers are going on dates while a child goes missing. That they are effectively doing zero police work because Oliver is in heat.
So, yes. There are a lot of little things that added up to a point where it was hard to keep invested in the narrative, but in the end, it just felt like this book needed a shit ton of editing that simply wasn't there.
I abandoned this book not even remotely curious as to what happens next. The plot about the ex-boyfriend wasn't even remotely developed and yet I am sure it's going to be one major disappointment.
Also (someone who has finished this book please confirm this) I'm sure Ollie falls on his arse again for absolutely no good reason whatsoever.
March 13, 2026
Oliver and Lucas cross paths due to the nature of their work. Oliver is a Detective Constable and Lucas is a Detective Sergeant. While Oliver has been walking the line between omega and alpha for his entire life as a sigma, that becomes innumerably harder when Lucas' presence (he's a big brooding alpha) in his life becomes a common thing. They have to work together on a sex trafficking ring case that is quickly spiraling out of control, much like their cool around each other.
OH MY GOD. When I saw this was like a Law and Order: SVU vibe with omegaverse and M/M? I have never jumped on a book as quickly. It's some of my absolute favorite things. This is also the first omegaverse I've read with the sigma designation, which has been very interesting to me (considering I have read a LOT of omegaverse). I also LOVED that we got to see them shift into their wolf forms, because that doesn't always happen with omegaverse books.
It is so incredibly well done as a suspenseful novel, but also as an omegaverse romance (and the spice is truly phenomenal) The romance is the main focus, but the underlying investigation is done so incredibly well and they are blended together so incredibly well. As someone who works in criminal justice, I loved how accurate this book felt as well. I cannot say enough good things.
OH MY GOD. When I saw this was like a Law and Order: SVU vibe with omegaverse and M/M? I have never jumped on a book as quickly. It's some of my absolute favorite things. This is also the first omegaverse I've read with the sigma designation, which has been very interesting to me (considering I have read a LOT of omegaverse). I also LOVED that we got to see them shift into their wolf forms, because that doesn't always happen with omegaverse books.
It is so incredibly well done as a suspenseful novel, but also as an omegaverse romance (and the spice is truly phenomenal) The romance is the main focus, but the underlying investigation is done so incredibly well and they are blended together so incredibly well. As someone who works in criminal justice, I loved how accurate this book felt as well. I cannot say enough good things.
October 6, 2025
All the stars!! 🌟 Love love!!
Wow, I can’t believe this was a debut!! It was soo good. I was grinning, chortling, mad on behalf of the mc’s, sad, frowning, anxious a bit but overall enjoyed the ever loving stuffing out of this book!!
The epilogue!! Omg tears of joy. I wanted to keep reading but theres no more of Lucas and Oliver. Thank goodness i can jump straight to the next book and hopefully they will pop in to say hi.
Wow, I can’t believe this was a debut!! It was soo good. I was grinning, chortling, mad on behalf of the mc’s, sad, frowning, anxious a bit but overall enjoyed the ever loving stuffing out of this book!!
The epilogue!! Omg tears of joy. I wanted to keep reading but theres no more of Lucas and Oliver. Thank goodness i can jump straight to the next book and hopefully they will pop in to say hi.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 443 reviews