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The Wolves of Gardwich #4
Learning to Fly
[Siren Classic ManLove: Erotic Alternative Paranormal Romance, M/M, shape-shifter, werewolves, HEA]
Luka Nykiel's life has been one hell after another. At just eighteen he's already been through more than most people do in a lifetime. Finally, free after years of abuse from a man who told Luka they were mates, the last thing he wanted was to meet his true mate.
Psychologist Adam Carter has never treated anyone before, instead preferring to teach. After hearing about Luka, Adam can't say no to returning home to help the new pack member with his problems. As a bear shifter, Adam believed he would never have a mate and was resigned to a life alone.
As if navigating their way through a new and uncertain relationship wasn't hard enough, after digging into Luka's past they embark on a journey that takes them to Poland and the children's home he had been left at as a baby. They couldn't have expected the secrets they would unwittingly uncover or the dangers they never even knew existed.
Luka Nykiel's life has been one hell after another. At just eighteen he's already been through more than most people do in a lifetime. Finally, free after years of abuse from a man who told Luka they were mates, the last thing he wanted was to meet his true mate.
Psychologist Adam Carter has never treated anyone before, instead preferring to teach. After hearing about Luka, Adam can't say no to returning home to help the new pack member with his problems. As a bear shifter, Adam believed he would never have a mate and was resigned to a life alone.
As if navigating their way through a new and uncertain relationship wasn't hard enough, after digging into Luka's past they embark on a journey that takes them to Poland and the children's home he had been left at as a baby. They couldn't have expected the secrets they would unwittingly uncover or the dangers they never even knew existed.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2014
2 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 8, 2018
Der beste Teil der Reihe <3
Dramatisch, hoffnungsvoll und actionreich.
Warum ist das der letzte Band *schnief*
Dramatisch, hoffnungsvoll und actionreich.
Warum ist das der letzte Band *schnief*
May 1, 2017
This really was quite a mess, the writing awkward (although it improved as the story progressed), the story stilted, the plot convoluted. It was standard shifter fare but the heteronormative effinate MC was too childish to work as a substitute for even a young flighty woman and it felt like pedophilia in some ways. It disturbed me. So I'm just going to include my notes here:
It's hard for me to picture a mother rejecting a 13-year-old who just changed horribly painfully in front of her. There was no religious book telling them he was an abomination and evil. He changed into what was probably an adorable puppy. Being scared, yes, maybe deciding they can't do it after all, yes, but the initial mother's instincts that haven't been circumvented by society's proscriptions (as in the case of homosexuality)? It's just hard for me to picture.
Of course he's 18 and the other wolf is 50 something. But it's all ok because they're mates. It's as if authors think anything goes as long as the two characters are mates because after all, that's fate. But it's all made up and immoral and unethical are still relevent. The young one was already acting like a little kid from the beginning even though he allegedly had been with the pack four months already. A stupid example is that he wipes his tears with the back of his hand. That's a little kid gesture. Adults use fingers or their palms or even knuckles. I'm generalizing of course but really, just the words envision a snot-nosed kid.
Lots and lots of telling.
The therapy bit is wrong on so many levels. Adam is telling Luka things, giving him answers, rather than letting him figure it out himself with Adam's guidance. Those kinds of revelations aren't generally believed by the patient/client unless the person comes up with them himself. Adam also puts words and feelings and thoughts into Luka's head:
Plus, no matter how professional Adam wants to be, the reality is that he's incapable of being truly objective so even trying is just stupid. It's setting up false expectations. There's no reason Luka can't just talk to him as his mate making use of Adam's expertise. Pretending it's anything else is just going to lead to trouble the closer they become to each other.
I really like that part of this is in Poland as that's an unusual place for any M/M book to be set let alone formulaic shifter books.
Polish sausage is very common in America. Costco, the giant warehouse corporation, serves only a handful of things at its little restaurant at its stores including pizza, salad, a couple of desserts, hot dogs, and Polish sausage. The last two are the cheapest things on the menu and are very popular. Lots of breakfast places serve it as an alternative to bacon or regular American sausage. Someone in his 50s from the more cosmopolitan California, would know what it was and would not be skeptical. He most likely would already know whether he liked it or not.
The climactic fight was decent, the resolution odd but it worked all right, the OMG he's gonna die moment was good but too short.
The age gap and the obvious youth of Luka with his childlike behavior made me really uncomfortable. But it's standard shifter fare which is now kind of making me ill thinking about. It probably doesn't help that he leaves a pedophile when he's 18 and within months finds his mate who is even older. It didn't help me that the pedophile shares the same name as a pedophile I know in real life who victimized one of my foster kids and she went back to him when she turned 18.
I need to stop now before I really am sick.
It's hard for me to picture a mother rejecting a 13-year-old who just changed horribly painfully in front of her. There was no religious book telling them he was an abomination and evil. He changed into what was probably an adorable puppy. Being scared, yes, maybe deciding they can't do it after all, yes, but the initial mother's instincts that haven't been circumvented by society's proscriptions (as in the case of homosexuality)? It's just hard for me to picture.
Of course he's 18 and the other wolf is 50 something. But it's all ok because they're mates. It's as if authors think anything goes as long as the two characters are mates because after all, that's fate. But it's all made up and immoral and unethical are still relevent. The young one was already acting like a little kid from the beginning even though he allegedly had been with the pack four months already. A stupid example is that he wipes his tears with the back of his hand. That's a little kid gesture. Adults use fingers or their palms or even knuckles. I'm generalizing of course but really, just the words envision a snot-nosed kid.
Lots and lots of telling.
The therapy bit is wrong on so many levels. Adam is telling Luka things, giving him answers, rather than letting him figure it out himself with Adam's guidance. Those kinds of revelations aren't generally believed by the patient/client unless the person comes up with them himself. Adam also puts words and feelings and thoughts into Luka's head:
"You have family that love you, who wanted you," Adam pointed out. "That has to feel good after all you've been through."No, actually. There's no "have to" when it comes to feelings, especially in regards to family for anyone. Add in a child who's been abandoned, adopted, and abandoned again and I would expect that he would actually just be confused, not feeling anything at all. Adam's a terrible therapist.
Plus, no matter how professional Adam wants to be, the reality is that he's incapable of being truly objective so even trying is just stupid. It's setting up false expectations. There's no reason Luka can't just talk to him as his mate making use of Adam's expertise. Pretending it's anything else is just going to lead to trouble the closer they become to each other.
I really like that part of this is in Poland as that's an unusual place for any M/M book to be set let alone formulaic shifter books.
Polish sausage is very common in America. Costco, the giant warehouse corporation, serves only a handful of things at its little restaurant at its stores including pizza, salad, a couple of desserts, hot dogs, and Polish sausage. The last two are the cheapest things on the menu and are very popular. Lots of breakfast places serve it as an alternative to bacon or regular American sausage. Someone in his 50s from the more cosmopolitan California, would know what it was and would not be skeptical. He most likely would already know whether he liked it or not.
The climactic fight was decent, the resolution odd but it worked all right, the OMG he's gonna die moment was good but too short.
The age gap and the obvious youth of Luka with his childlike behavior made me really uncomfortable. But it's standard shifter fare which is now kind of making me ill thinking about. It probably doesn't help that he leaves a pedophile when he's 18 and within months finds his mate who is even older. It didn't help me that the pedophile shares the same name as a pedophile I know in real life who victimized one of my foster kids and she went back to him when she turned 18.
I need to stop now before I really am sick.
October 14, 2014
This is more of a soft romantic kind. The sexual aspects are very subdued...but I have to agree with this character that is probably the best choice.
The major things I have issue with...not dealing or showing the pack that Adam is a bear shifter. And HOW do they not know after all this time?
First mention of Adam following Jackson in succession.... If he's going to be alpha then how did he get taken down in the showdown later on? Makes me qestion his ability to do the potential job later.
The major things I have issue with...not dealing or showing the pack that Adam is a bear shifter. And HOW do they not know after all this time?
First mention of Adam following Jackson in succession.... If he's going to be alpha then how did he get taken down in the showdown later on? Makes me qestion his ability to do the potential job later.
March 22, 2020
One of my favorites.
We got two broken boys, who heal each other in a HEALTHY way.
Luka sufrió por la falta de amor que se le debería haber garantizado, además de un pedófilo que lo engañó y abusó de él.
Adam es un oso de peluche que tiene una autoestima un poquito baja, una ex que lo engañó y una her,osa familia que lo adora.
Antes que nada, las warnings: contiene mención de abuso tanto físico como sexual. Por lo que si por alguna razón estas dos cosas llegaran a causarte algún tipo de daño al leer, mejor deberías pensar si realmente leerlo o no leer las escenas donde acontece.
La historia es hermosa, contiene mucho fluff, comprensión y amor. Nos narra la recuperación de Luka de su pasado, junto a su terapeuta y mate (Adam). Además de su viaje a Polonia rastreando a su familia y el significado de su abandono.
Es triste, pero muy bello como es narrado. No hay insta nada, se respeta las secuelas que pudo haber en su cuerpo y mente, la historia es un poquito lenta pero concisa.
Un gran character development, y nos encontramos con algún cameo y flashback de las otras parejas.
En definitiva, lo super recomiendo.
We got two broken boys, who heal each other in a HEALTHY way.
Luka sufrió por la falta de amor que se le debería haber garantizado, además de un pedófilo que lo engañó y abusó de él.
Adam es un oso de peluche que tiene una autoestima un poquito baja, una ex que lo engañó y una her,osa familia que lo adora.
Antes que nada, las warnings: contiene mención de abuso tanto físico como sexual. Por lo que si por alguna razón estas dos cosas llegaran a causarte algún tipo de daño al leer, mejor deberías pensar si realmente leerlo o no leer las escenas donde acontece.
La historia es hermosa, contiene mucho fluff, comprensión y amor. Nos narra la recuperación de Luka de su pasado, junto a su terapeuta y mate (Adam). Además de su viaje a Polonia rastreando a su familia y el significado de su abandono.
Es triste, pero muy bello como es narrado. No hay insta nada, se respeta las secuelas que pudo haber en su cuerpo y mente, la historia es un poquito lenta pero concisa.
Un gran character development, y nos encontramos con algún cameo y flashback de las otras parejas.
En definitiva, lo super recomiendo.
December 19, 2015
Luka and Adam’s story is very sweet and sad as well. I was expecting Luka to have a horrible past from Book 1 so I was putting off reading this one. But I’m happy I read it because it was great to see Luka find healing, real love, and get his confidence back. I’m looking forward to reading more of series, especially with the new additions to the pack. 3.5 stars
January 2, 2018
I read this as a stand alone because I don't do menage. But after finishing this I'm probably going to check out the series because I kinda liked the glimpse I got of the guys. This was really interesting and their pack was so unconventional that I loved it. Adam and Luka was sweet but didn't really do anything for me.
December 3, 2018
Just re-read this and it was the best in the series. But man, the cover is really bad.
Dec. 2018. Re-read again. The story line is good but these covers are horrible! Book 1 and 3 are the same men but Sam looks completely different. Do yourself a favor and google your own images.
Dec. 2018. Re-read again. The story line is good but these covers are horrible! Book 1 and 3 are the same men but Sam looks completely different. Do yourself a favor and google your own images.
October 6, 2014
Enjoyed this installment!
January 5, 2015
This one is my favorite so far in the series. I can't wait to find out what will happen when they return to their pack with the new members.
October 17, 2016
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews