Mating Balance

by Gina A. Rogers, Kyle Adams

Dear Author,
I am a shifter looking for my mate and need to satisfy the overwhelming animal urge that dwells within me.

After many years prowling the globe looking for him, I believe my search is over.
I can smell him near me, I can feel him near me but, I want to feel him inside me!

Photo Description:
A man standing alone and naked in the woods next to a tree looking into the distance. He has messy, finger-length, brown hair. His sleek, well-defined muscular body, looks quick and flexible. Tan skin, pouty lips, high cheekbones, and a straight nose. Broad bulky shoulders and a defined V leading down to close cropped crotch and thick thighs.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Short Stories, Fantasy, LGBT

68 pages, ebook

First published July 11, 2014

About the author

Gina A. Rogers is an amazon living in South Central Pennsylvania where she grew up and will never be allowed to forget she once sported a mullet. She has mild OCD issues with regards to symmetry and reading order and is obsessed with the letter V. She loves nerds and men who wield swords (pun intended), especially while wearing skirts of the tartan or even leather variety. Although she loves reading dark and tragic stories, the ones that play out in her head and find their way to paper are fun, snarky and always end happily ever after!

You can find Gina A. Rogers on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... or contact her via e-mail at garwriter@gmail.com.

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The image prompt is hot, and the story is very readable and sweet.

A cougar shifter losing his human side goes on a quest to find his soulmate. Ironically, he only finds him when he returns home.

Parts of the story felt rushed; the two MCs meet, but their first "date" and the initial getting-to-know-each-other happen off-page and are later narrated in a paragraph.

There is a twist at the end that I saw coming and that fell a little flat when it was revealed. I would have liked to see the emotional reaction to it on page vs. via summary.

For a shifter story, this was very tame; no sex until the 90 percent mark, but when it happened, it was explosive and dirty (literally, the guys went at it outside).

A short, fun addition to the LL event, with bonus points for the two rambunctious ferrets!

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soulbound enemies to lovers shifter/sprite story.

Sweet and carnal story of a cursed shifter and his quest. Just when he thinks he has the solution, there's a twist. A bit rushed with a lot of backstory exposition, but the MCs and the secondary characters (ferrets) are lovable.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, funny and free!!
I enjoy my shifter stories...it's an escape to dreamland that I look forward to.
Yet....I fear I am becoming picky with shifters and their coupling.
And though this adventure was interesting it just didn't satisfy my shifter cravings.
The 'surprise' wasn't much of a surprise and though I liked both of the boys, I just wasn't wowed by their mating.
I've never known anyone with ferrets...they sound cute but I'm still a dog girl at heart. Or kitty cats. I'll smile fondly at the ferrets from afar. :P

[Meep]

DNF at 55%

There's a cute shifter finding a quirky mate story here but it's bogged down by too many irrelevant facts.

Right at the beginning there's a huge angsty family background, far more than is needed for a short fun tale. Then there's what flooring Seth has throughout his house, what plants are in his garden...

Yet once they meet events get summarised!

The Ferrets are cute, but those 'babies' steal the show; Seth's 'fun' personality (that we're repeatedly told about) is shown through movie references and impressions, a device that invariably leaves me cold.

While I could see glimpses of a cute story I started skimming early on, the writing felt laborious and I wasn't engaged enough to continue. If the writing works for you, you'll love it!

[Macky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Surprisingly serious at the start, I was wondering where my funny Kyle had gone to for a minute, but then it hit it's stride when the two guys meet and Seth and the adorable ferrets appear. Funny (not hilarious), sweet, shifter/mate story with a touch of faerie magic. Sex appears latish on in the story but when it comes it's pretty hot! Very likeable and satisfying free short. Look forward to reading more of Kyle and Gina as a team. Thanks guys.

[Bookwatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS FREEBIE!

The book title fit perfectly with my experience reading it!. Perfect balance between dark and funny, sexy and romantic, instant-love and believable love!
This story also deserve my "pet" tag... The one I use to stories with pets that aren't just there in the scenery, but as CUTE animals and part of the plot.
Both writers are new for me, and I WILL search more of their works!
5 stars

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really nice shift story that kept me entertained, even if it was a bit predictable when it came to the twist.

[TT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Urg…I struggled to finish this book and really am rather surprised I did. A LOT of skimming was involved. Lots of backstory before we get to the ‘good stuff’ and then after all that build up, the authors skip right over the best parts! The first meeting between the two is not a cataclysmic meeting; Troy, our shifter MC (and really, the shifter part was probably not even necessary it played such a little part in the relationship) wakes up his intended-Seth at the crack of dawn (because he couldn’t wait any longer-a cute idea and chance for humor that didn’t get taken) and the result is a slightly cranky and confused Seth. Yet later in the book, Seth reminisces about their fond first meeting and how he knew they had a connection right away. Then the authors say ‘some weeks later’ (I’m paraphrasing a bit) and we completely skip over the budding relationship which is kinda the part we want to read about! Then there is the Big Misunderstanding, and of all things Seth finds out about his heritage, his boyfriend being a shifter and the whole mate thing all at once, not from Troy, but from Seth's mother (who does not live there with him I might add), who somehow figured it all out and/or knew the pertinent details all along. SAY WHAT?!? So a completely random character that has no place in the story whatsoever suddenly pops up and has all the answers? That’s a new one by me in this genre! Plus, the author made several comments that pulled me out of the story. I knew I was in trouble when towards the beginning the author says about shifters not being immortal that its ‘not like we read in stories, this is reality’. Shifter stories are reality?!? I’m enjoying these LL books and being introduced to new authors, but I also am grateful because a free read like this tells me I may not want to be purchasing any books from this duo. I’m sorry to say it was a poor execution of the prompt, in my opinion.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was the first story of charmed and dangerous. So I kept waiting for the part that I wouldn't like (per Carey). Well that never happened. I realized that I had picked up the wrong reader, when I went to start the second story, and there wasn't one. Haha. Really enjoyed this even though I am so not a fan of enemies to lovers. Like it because they were friends before enemies.

[Crouck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the most satisfying thing is the authors made a complete story out of a simple prompt. It was well-written, and my only issue is maybe how Troy's tragic past was handled... that is a lot, a lot of tragic that wasn't really resolved.

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I don't usually read shifter stories but this one Was very nice. I would recommend it to those tired of wolf shifter and pack politics stories.

[Nikyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at The Blogger Girls.

When Troy’s dad tried getting revenge for his mom’s death, a Leshy cursed their family instead. To break the curse, Troy has to find his mate before he turns thirty so he’s spent the past years searching across the world for the one meant for him. Unfortunately, he’s had no luck and comes home to get his affairs in order. When he gets home and goes for one last run, he finally smells the scent he’s been desperately looking for. But when he tracks the delicious smell, it leads him to a place he never wanted to go again. Still, Troy’s mate is there, has been next door all along, and he’ll do anything to finally have what he’s been craving.

This was such a cute story. It’s no secret that I love shifter stories and this one was no different. I loved that Troy was so emotionally damaged when he came back home. He was resigned to his fate and had lost hope in ever finding that one person meant for him. He’s adorable and sometimes awkward but I liked that about him. Seth, on the other hand, is exuberant and, well, slightly crazy LOL. I mean, the man dances with ferrets! I found him hilarious and loved that Seth was such an odd-ball and loved that, together, they fit so well. Their teasing was just too cute! Plus, the ferrets were freaking adorable! I’ve never really liked ferrets (they smell horrible, IMO) but these were so cute!

I really enjoyed this one but I will say I was a little saddened at parts because they weren’t expanded on. For instance, the few weeks after Seth and Troy start dating is glossed over. I would have liked to see them and how they interacted and got to know each other while cleaning up Troy’s yard. There was also the scene where Seth’s mom tells him who he is and such that I REALLY would have loved to read about, especially since it would have been nice to get a different perspective on the whole Cecelia situation.

Overall, this was a good shifter story. I liked that while it dealt with mates, there wasn’t that desperation to consummate and seal the deal. It’s a cute story and while I wish it had been a bit more expanded in some areas, I still enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t a typical shifter story.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

NSFW, there will be cock :)
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!

I'm a sucker for shifters. And I'm a huge sucker for Kyle Adams's humor. I loved the quirky weird humor of Seth, it reminded me of me and my husband breaking into random made up songs and silly accents. The slight bit of angst worked and was a good little obstacle that you knew they would overcome. Hot Hot Hot sex scene near the end, well worth the wait.

The one inconsistency I noticed Troy grew up with Celia as his nearest neighbor, his mom's best friend, and she was "like an aunt." But you didn't know she had a nephew named Seth? When Seth was sad his mom said "be there in an hour." So if Seth grew up nearby, how the hell did they not meet when growing up? wasn't too big of a deal. I was concerned after their first meeting when Troy was explaining how they've now been hanging out for a few weeks. I hate when there is tell and not show, but this allowed time to go by and prevent things from feeling rushed. And then there was a very well written and thorough camping weekend that we got to witness where the relationship progressed more. So that worked for me.

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about dealing with the past as much as accepting your open nature, this is a book about two men whose meeting makes them reconsider who they are. It's an interesting one because it's an "enemy to lovers" story - with one man not knowing he is the enemy of the other, and the other not realizing who the man he is falling for really is. And yes, that does sound complicated, but the discovery of the truth (on both sides) is also half the fun of reading this.

Troy knows he is a panther shifter, the last of his line, and his anger about the Leshy (a woodland sprite) who killed off his entire family, then cursed him, is palpable. He is about to go feral when he discovers his mate and has no idea who the man really is.

Seth has recently moved into a cabin in the woods and loves discovering he has Troy as his very hot neighbor. Seth is very connected to the Earth, animals , and plants alike, but his family neglected to inform him about his true nature. I am sort of glad they did, because I suspect the story would have gone very differently if Seth had known who he is from the start.

If you like stories about destined mates who each have a secret, if you enjoy reading about men whose deepest truths" change as they learn about the other, and if you're looking for an entertaining read without too much angst and drama, then you will probably like this free novella.

[Kristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and unique, this shifter story put a different spin on having to claim a mate.

While I found the story to be predictable, the writing was well done and the characters were distinct. I especially enjoyed Seth who was just plain silly. There were some very well done tender moments between the two MCs, but I was disappointed with the conflict resolution - this tragic event in Troy`s life was never really dealt with and the ramifications of it just seem so large to not have a resolution of some sort.

That aside, I still enjoyed reading this story, thought it has great world building, and would recommend it.

My thanks to the authors for their time and participation in the loves landscapes event.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

a pretty solid 3.5 stars
Troy's father was cursed by a Leshey (nature spirit) after his wife was killed and he destroyed the home of the Leshey that was her best friend. As a result Troy must find his mate or risk going feral - which happened to both his brothers who are dead. After searching for five years he returns home, to give up and take his own life before the curse can. However, he discovers his mate quite by accident. Seth has moved into the area, with his two pet ferrets. The pair get to know each other quite slowly - there is no insta love, oh look were mates thing in this - but when they do get together it's not all roses. I enjoyed this one

[Furio · Rating 1 out of 5]

As it is often the case, in this short M/M shifter romance a good basic idea and two potentially interesting characters/lovers are wasted by hurry.
A lot of the story, not only past events, is told and not shown and what is shown only deals cursorily with the potentially interesting conflicts and personality traits.
It reads like an unfinished draft: should the author decide to write the actual story, it might be nice.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice story, unfortunately not more for me (and I love Kyle Adam's stories before and was looking forward to this one). But as said several times already, some of the major story events I would have liked to read about happened off page. Then I found Seth just too silly. I don't know, I think appreciation and joy of live can be demonstrated also very differently than in acting silly (but that's obviously just me, a rather reserved person).

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story has the angst and anguish of everything you hold dear being lost to you. Troy has lost his entire family and feels he must do something drastic to protect others from himself. But then there is the scent of Seth. They move slowly but ever closer until one last piece of a puzzle is revealed. Both men are left hurting. It it a testament to love that fear and hate can be overcome.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked the concept, and I liked that even though their was a mate/soulmate bond things were taken slowly, the ending felt rushed. There was just something missing. However, Seth was sweet and funny and I loved the ferrets.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5, but not quite enough for me to round it up.

Something about this made it very difficult for me to get into, and I felt the ending was quite abrupt. That being said, I love my some animals, and I thought the two musketeers (my nickname for them) were adorable and made me smile.

[Enjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Rob Coltons's Timberpack Chronicles, I have suddenly developed an interest in mm shifters. This was a nice addition. Recommendations?

[Jenni Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Cute and funny and I liked it.

Plus ferrets!

[DC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book far more than I expected. I read a lot of the reviews beforehand and it almost tainted my perspective. The beginning was a bit dark but I think necessary to set the stage for what’s to come. Troy was absolutely adorable when he found Seth, his mate, but had to keep himself under control and wait for an appropriate time to claim him. Seth’s personality is gregarious and full of life’s joys; almost a complete opposite of Troy. But they are the perfect balance for one another. Seth’s two ferrets, Kashmir and Silver, were cute little interlopers in the story but really add nothing to the plot. The big reveal from Seth’s mother was, to me, not the least bit surprising. If you paid close attention to the details at the beginning, you could see this coming a mile away. This was a nicely written and edited story which I found flowed at a reasonably good pace.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little novella that didn't have total insta-love. The main characters did take some time to get to know each other before falling into bed together which was a welcome change from the normal romance outline. The only part I wished was different was that the miscommunication between the characters wasn't really resolved and that one was way more forgiving in a matter of minutes then he should have been. A nice story for a rainy day.

[Nix Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our MC is a cougar shifter who lost his whole family due to an incident with another supernatural and he himself is hours away from succumbing to the curse that killed half his family. His only hope is to find his mate and he spent the last five years desperately searching, but has now given up.

[UltraMeital · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and very enjoyable read! Loved this one! Both main characters were interesting and so different yet so very alike in nature. the build up of the relationship was great especially since it had both the instant primal mating concept we are used to with animalistic characters (in this case shifters) yet as they took their time getting to know one another, they truly built a relationship before fully accepting their bond.

Both Troy and Seth are in sort of the same place in life. They both want to find their mate. For Troy it's a matter of life and death as his family have been cursed years before and only if he found a mate (and soon!) can he save himself from losing himself to his couger side. Seth is living sort of happily with his two ferrets, yet inside something is missing. With his inner strangeness he have never found a man who can actually understand and accept him for who he really is and he yearns for that very man.

When Troy knocks on Seth's door at 5 a.m. one morning it's the beginning of their Happily Ever After even if Troy was unsure of himself and Seth was pissed off by the WAY too early intrusion. I loved reading about their time together, how they connected, how much they felt for one another even if they were both surprised by the intensity of the feelings (coming quite so soon), enjoyed seeing how much they completed one another even if there was a pretty predictable twist near the end that made sense in a very natural and balanced way.

This short story is a part of "Love's Landscapes", it's a project formed in the "M/M Romance" Group here in Goodreads. I"m not really sure how this works, I think people post some photos and then other people choose a photo and attach a "letter" to it with a concept of a short story they are interested in. Then M/M Romance authors who also partake in the group write as per the request. It's a really cool idea! I love it! It's also great since it's short and it's free. So yeah, I should check more out only there are SO many I'm not sure where to really start!

More Reviews HERE

[S.M. Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina A. Rogers & Kyle Adams – Mating Balance (Review)

Finished: 250714

5 Twinkling Stars.



My Prompt! My Prompt!

First of all, thank you to these two authors for not only participating in the MM Romance Group’s event but also for offering to write a story and actually doing it.

This was freaking brilliant. I’ve been looking forward to reading this ever since Gina and Kyle claimed it. Then I wanted it even more when Kyle tempted us all with the cover.

At 73 pages, it was a quick and very easy read. I found the book cleanly written, the characters were totally freaking lovable (not to mention HOT!!!) and the humour, what flipping good humour. Put that in a great big bowl, mix it all up together and you have:



The only thing I was a little pouty about was when the story jumped forward a couple of weeks. I would have personally liked to have seen Troy and Seth getting to know each other better. I would have loved even more comfortable humour and totally light hearted moments, but hey-ho maybe I’m just being greedy.

Yup, totally greedy :D

One very, very happy prompter!

[Anthea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a slightly different take on your usual shifter tale as it involves a shifter and a woodland sprite. Troy has a sad family history and knows that as the last of his line, he must find his mate to break the curse. He's been travelling for 5 years in search of his other half but it is only when he gives up hope and returns home that he can sense the proximity of the man he was seeking. It's obvious from quite early on, the direction the story is going to head but this doesn't make it any less interesting. The author sets the scene very well and I can really imagine where the men live but we get rather bogged down by minute details about things like garden layouts and the contents of the house. It seemed to take a while to get to the actual meeting of the couple and when we do, the finer details disappear and we keep jumping ahead so there's little on the development of the friendship. I would have liked a bit more about their emotions and feelings for each other to get a grip on their developing relationship. That aside, it was a great story though I think i'd've run for the hills if the first time I saw Seth, he was dancing round his garden like a maniac, doing Smeagol impressions and being chased by his ferrets LOL

[Jeanne 'Divinae' · Rating 3 out of 5]

Troy is at his ends wits. Because of a curse, he is nearing the age where he will end up going feral if he doesn’t find his mate. Just as he is making his last run(he was going to kill himself), a smell overcame him. The scent of his mate. But instead of just running all gun-ho and jump his mate, he decides it is best to let his mate come to him. So he decides to court him instead. But even as things start to come around and looking great, something happens that could tear them apart. They need to overcome the past to make a future.

I just wasn’t into this writing style. I was expecting to really love this story. It is right up my alley, but the writing style took away a lot of it. But still, overall, it was a good story that ended well.