A delightful if predictable entry in the author’s new omegaverse offerings. This is a stand-alone forbidden romance featuring young stepbrothers (one graduating high school, one a few years older who did not attend college but works full-time) who turn out to be (yesss!) fated mates. I love fated mates!
It does start slow, and while I enjoyed it throughout, I was able to put it down a few times in the first half to read other things. However, it picked up through the middle and end, and I was enchanted by joyful omega Jordy and his obsession with, loyalty to, and love for his stepbrother, brooding alpha Kieran. Turns out Kieran was also holding a bit of a torch, but never once ever thought or expected anything to happen, due to his supposed unworthiness as a tattoo artist without a college degree and the slightly forbidden element of their legal relationship as stepbrothers.
Silly boy!
Jordy sees his chance when Kieran stumbles home wasted one night after a party mumbling about how much he wants Jordy but must resist him.
Resist no more! Jordy grabs that alpha by the horn, ha ha, and ignites a fire Kieran is hard-pressed to later deny. It evolves into clandestine encounters and burgeoning emotions and a wildfire secret affair for the two of them, including lovely intimacy and stolen moments away from home and town during the summer before Jordy’s first year of college.
Kieran continues to feel reluctant about “seducing” his stepbrother, and fearful that they can’t have a future, but Jordy knows something Kieran doesn’t seem to be aware of. Because Kieren can scent Jordy through Jordy’s pheromone blockers, and the only person who should be able to do that is…yep. You guessed it! His mate.
The explosions of passion, the special tattoo (awwwww!) the possessive-obsessiveness of the mate pull, the eventual claiming bite…ah, I drank it all up and asked for more.
Jordy does have type 1 diabetes and manages it well, and I had some smiles at his dad monitoring his blood sugar here and there. It comes into play as part of the finale. Jordy and Kieran both still live with their parents, who are lovely and add a nice complication to the mix--Jordy's dad married Kieran's mom. Kieran and his mom have a rough past of abuse with Kieran's late father, which adds internal conflict for Kieran.
There is OM drama with a sleazy acquaintance of Jordy’s, and that all comes to a head after Jordy must participate in a bachelor auction he agreed to before he and Kieran ever got together (ha ha ha oh poor Kieran, I was in stitches!). It leads to some violence and injuries, mind the CWs.
But these two are meant to be and are so sweet together. I wound up loving their romance a lot! I hope the author continues with more omegaverse stories. And their romantasies too! Equally delightful.
The only thing that bugged me was Jordy being a virgin and Kieran…not, though, thank goodness, absolutely no previous partners are mentioned or shown on page for him. Still…he’s living with his actual mate…wish he hadn’t been able to be with anyone either. But at least previous partners aren't dwelled on at all in the story, they're so unimportant.
HEA, fated mates, high school and slightly older stepbrothers, virgin omega seduces reluctant alpha. NO others in the timeline of the book, safe for me. OM drama and attempted SA, uninvited, leading to violence but happy outcome for our couple. Includes adorable epilogue. Recommended!
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.