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Fated Date Agency #1
Fated Dates
Bryant had always known that Cade was straight. After years of crushing on his best friend, the bookish young omega was ready to move on. Cade would never be interested in him like that. It was time to move on - time for Bryant to get matched by the Fated Date Agency. The agency's response only showed Bryant how cruel fate could be. His sexy jock friend wasn't just a crush - he was the only one for him. But Cade was still straight. Bryant couldn't let him know that they were fated mates. And yet... he couldn't let him go.
200 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2015
95 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 7, 2015
This was so bad on so many levels. You have two friends (Cade and Bryant) sending in their information to find their "fated mate". Cade, an alpha, sends his information telling Bryant all about it. Bryant, the omega, doesn't tell Cade. Needless to say, they are matched. But Cade is straight, and Bryant knows this. They email each other as mates without using names even though Bryant has figured out that he is emailing Cade. Yeah, right... it just goes downhill from there. I won't even bother to point everything that pissed me off in this book. I would have to tell the entire story. I don't have that kind of time.
August 22, 2015
Hated this one.. Gave it 2 stars because of Bryant.. If u know u have a mate shouldn't u wait for your mate or don't give up on your mate but instead u have to f*** another person to satisfied your needs.. Omg I feel sooooo angry after reading this book.. I even create a new shelf just for this book....
August 14, 2015
What? He impregnates a man and doesn't know it.
That right there would tell you he has to go!
That right there would tell you he has to go!
dnf-or-hated
January 16, 2018DNF at 10% - No rating. The writing and story just aren't for me.
August 18, 2015
Do I get brownie points for finishing this? I feel like I deserve something. Something good. Like chocolate. Or ice cream. Oooh, alcohol! I need to drown myself in booze to get over this.
Maybe mouthwash would be better. I gotta funny taste in my mouth. This book is wrong on so many levels I can't even. I do not have the ability to even. It's stalkerish, over the top, and very rapey.
Cade is an asshole and a stalker. The woman (Bryant pretending to be a woman via email messages) he thinks he's pursuing tells him to leave her alone. He threatens her. When she doesn't respond how he wants, he threatens the dating agency that set them up. Violent threats and stalker behavior.
Bryant is pathetic and a rapist. Lying to someone about who you are and then tricking them into having sex with you (twice) is rape. Full stop.
I'm not even gonna go there about the whole mpreg bit and the fiancé who wasn't but insisted anyway. Ugh.
I am sad that I read this. I could have done something else with my time and I wasted it on this. :(
Maybe mouthwash would be better. I gotta funny taste in my mouth. This book is wrong on so many levels I can't even. I do not have the ability to even. It's stalkerish, over the top, and very rapey.
Cade is an asshole and a stalker. The woman (Bryant pretending to be a woman via email messages) he thinks he's pursuing tells him to leave her alone. He threatens her. When she doesn't respond how he wants, he threatens the dating agency that set them up. Violent threats and stalker behavior.
Bryant is pathetic and a rapist. Lying to someone about who you are and then tricking them into having sex with you (twice) is rape. Full stop.
I'm not even gonna go there about the whole mpreg bit and the fiancé who wasn't but insisted anyway. Ugh.
I am sad that I read this. I could have done something else with my time and I wasted it on this. :(
April 15, 2017
amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing
January 12, 2016
So this hard for me to say but as much as I love shifter romance books this one honestly was not for me.. A warning this is a MPEG book for those who do or do not like that in a book. Me I have no problems with MPEG just the way it was done in this book I am still unsure of how I feel about it.
Okay first of Cade and Bryant meet on fated date agency through emails so they have no idea even though they are best friends that their mates. Much less Cade thinks his mate is a female for must of this book which a lot of that made no sense to me. One would he have not scented it on Bryant when he did when they meet up in the dark?
Okay two when I read a shifter books I like the mates to be together for at least part of this book but Cade was with Tila for most of this book so there was really no time for me to see Bryant and Cade together at all.. Let me also add this Tila woman I was not a fan of at all.
I don't want to give anymore spoilers away I am just not sure how else to explain what I just really could not wrap my head around in this book without explaining some of what I was really not a fan of but there was more also that I just did not get but I will not go into.
Please don't get me wrong though I liked were the author was going with this shifter series and the Fated Date Agency theme so I want to continue on with this series but for me honestly I am sad to say this book was just not for me...
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
Okay first of Cade and Bryant meet on fated date agency through emails so they have no idea even though they are best friends that their mates. Much less Cade thinks his mate is a female for must of this book which a lot of that made no sense to me. One would he have not scented it on Bryant when he did when they meet up in the dark?
Okay two when I read a shifter books I like the mates to be together for at least part of this book but Cade was with Tila for most of this book so there was really no time for me to see Bryant and Cade together at all.. Let me also add this Tila woman I was not a fan of at all.
I don't want to give anymore spoilers away I am just not sure how else to explain what I just really could not wrap my head around in this book without explaining some of what I was really not a fan of but there was more also that I just did not get but I will not go into.
Please don't get me wrong though I liked were the author was going with this shifter series and the Fated Date Agency theme so I want to continue on with this series but for me honestly I am sad to say this book was just not for me...
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
June 23, 2015
Well written MM story
Omegas Lie 5 Stars
Best friend but maybe more
Bryant and Cade have been friends since they were little. Even though there paths have at times diverged from each other. Both have separately decided to write to the Fated Dates service to try and find there fated mate. Only problem is that Bryant didn’t know Cade had written to them and when he tell him about the Omega he’s been writing to Bryant goes white. But Cade doesn’t notice. This is a well written installment that is very entertaining to read.
Omega’s Struggle 5 Stars
So close and yet so far
In this installment Bryant is avoiding Cade more and more. Cade is about to give up on his Omega. Will the two ever get together or are they fated for doom from the start? Cade starts talking about dating this girl he met but still want his Omega. Bryant just want one night to remember. Well written and very entertaining to read.
Omega's Confession 5 Stars
Sometimes the truth does set you free
Life without ones fated mate can be very lonely and depressing. Especially if you believe he’s moved on with his life and forgotten all about you. Will Cade and Bryant ever be friends again or more? Or has Cade forgotten all about his Omega and about to marry a female? Some twists in the last installment to the series. Interesting and well written story that was a tear jerker to read as well as very entertaining.
Omegas Lie 5 Stars
Best friend but maybe more
Bryant and Cade have been friends since they were little. Even though there paths have at times diverged from each other. Both have separately decided to write to the Fated Dates service to try and find there fated mate. Only problem is that Bryant didn’t know Cade had written to them and when he tell him about the Omega he’s been writing to Bryant goes white. But Cade doesn’t notice. This is a well written installment that is very entertaining to read.
Omega’s Struggle 5 Stars
So close and yet so far
In this installment Bryant is avoiding Cade more and more. Cade is about to give up on his Omega. Will the two ever get together or are they fated for doom from the start? Cade starts talking about dating this girl he met but still want his Omega. Bryant just want one night to remember. Well written and very entertaining to read.
Omega's Confession 5 Stars
Sometimes the truth does set you free
Life without ones fated mate can be very lonely and depressing. Especially if you believe he’s moved on with his life and forgotten all about you. Will Cade and Bryant ever be friends again or more? Or has Cade forgotten all about his Omega and about to marry a female? Some twists in the last installment to the series. Interesting and well written story that was a tear jerker to read as well as very entertaining.
December 8, 2015
1.25 Stars rounded up only because I finished it.
I can't even go into what was wrong with this, there's just too much.
I can't even go into what was wrong with this, there's just too much.
August 9, 2015
Ugh. There is so much wrong with this book. The writing is immature and under developed but the angst was well done. The plot is unbelievable, and no.. The mpreg shifter part isn't what I'm referencing. The characters aren't bad. The resolution is cheap. Just no, all across the board.
October 30, 2015
I actually really liked this book, looking forward to reading the next story.
February 25, 2017
Review soon
March 1, 2021
This book is complicated as sh*t with an asshole and fucking coward character like Cade. It left very bad taste in my mouth and now I'm craving for something fluffy and sappy romance, total opposite of this, ugh, book.
Sudah punya firasat buruk tentang buku ini dan voila, ternyata benar. Bryant seorang gay yang jatuh cinta dengan sahabatnya yang straight, Cade yang selalu melakukan hook-up dengan para wanita. Bryant suggest ke Cade untuk cari pasangan di dating agency, ringkas cerita ternyata Bryant dan Cade adalah fated mates tp Bryant disguise himself sebagai perempuan dengan nama Omega.
Cade selalu ingin bertemu dengan Omega tp Bryant selalu menolak pada akhirnya mereka setuju bertemu dan melakukan hook-up tanpa Cade ketahui bahwa Omega adalah Bryant. Omega memperlakukan Cade kadang-kadang tarik ulur membuat Cade berpikir dua kali untuk serius dengan Omega. Setelah akhirnya Cade dan Omega melakukan hook-up yang ke dua kalinya, akhirnya Bryant memutuskan kontak dengan Cade dan pergi tanpa bilang sejujurnya ke Cade.
Pada saat Bryant itu sengsara, Cade malah senang-senang. Setelah ditinggal Omega, Cade punya pacar, seorang perempuan yang sebelumnya memang sudah dekat dengan Cade tp hanya sebatas teman saja tp setelah ditinggal Omega, Cade akhirnya luluh juga dengan kegigihan perempuan tersebut mengejar-ngejar dia tanpa ampun. Mereka sudah 6 bulan pacaran dan tentunya pasti having sex juga meskipun pikiran Cade masih tertuju kepada Omega.
Salah satu teman si perempuan itu suggest ke Cade, bahwa pacarnya ingin hadiah di anivnya mereka dan si teman bilang supaya beli cincin sebagai promise ring bukan cincin pertunangan dengan bodohnya Cade setuju beli cincin dan kasih ke pacarnya itu tp pacarnya menganggap bahwa itu cincin pertunangan walaupun Cade bilang bahwa itu bukan.
Karena si pacar tidak mau kehilangan Cade dan tetap menganggap bahwa itu cincin pertunangan yang membuat si pacar memutuskan untuk mempersiapkan pernikahan dengan menyewa gedung dalam jangka waktu 3 bulan ke depan dan bodohnya lagi, Cade setuju-setujua aja meskipun pada awalnya menolak.
Pada saat tahu kalau Omega itu adalah Bryant dan dia lagi hamil anaknya Cade, si Cade tidak langsung memutuskan pacarnya itu tp masih melanjutkan rencana pernikahannya itu. Pada saat acara pernikahan berlangsung, ketika tukar janji setia di situlah Cade baru menolak dab memutuskan memilih bersama Bryant.
Yang paling ku benci adalah sikapnya Cade, fucking coward! Udah tahu punya perasaan ke Omega tp pada saat hubungan mereka buyar, Cade bukan memperjuangkan tp pasrah dan cari pelarian. Sebenarnya Cade sudah ingin memutuskan pacarnya tsb tapi Cade tidak mau balik seperti dia yang dulu yang selalu melakukan hook-up tanpa makna jadinya dia tetap stick with his gf walaupun hidup merana kaya apaaan tahu. Yang paling parah sih pada saat pacarnya itu melampaui batas dengan menyewa gedung pernikahan dan nyebar undangan tanpa Cade ketahui dan Cade setuju-setujua aja, ckckck.
Sudah punya firasat buruk tentang buku ini dan voila, ternyata benar. Bryant seorang gay yang jatuh cinta dengan sahabatnya yang straight, Cade yang selalu melakukan hook-up dengan para wanita. Bryant suggest ke Cade untuk cari pasangan di dating agency, ringkas cerita ternyata Bryant dan Cade adalah fated mates tp Bryant disguise himself sebagai perempuan dengan nama Omega.
Cade selalu ingin bertemu dengan Omega tp Bryant selalu menolak pada akhirnya mereka setuju bertemu dan melakukan hook-up tanpa Cade ketahui bahwa Omega adalah Bryant. Omega memperlakukan Cade kadang-kadang tarik ulur membuat Cade berpikir dua kali untuk serius dengan Omega. Setelah akhirnya Cade dan Omega melakukan hook-up yang ke dua kalinya, akhirnya Bryant memutuskan kontak dengan Cade dan pergi tanpa bilang sejujurnya ke Cade.
Pada saat Bryant itu sengsara, Cade malah senang-senang. Setelah ditinggal Omega, Cade punya pacar, seorang perempuan yang sebelumnya memang sudah dekat dengan Cade tp hanya sebatas teman saja tp setelah ditinggal Omega, Cade akhirnya luluh juga dengan kegigihan perempuan tersebut mengejar-ngejar dia tanpa ampun. Mereka sudah 6 bulan pacaran dan tentunya pasti having sex juga meskipun pikiran Cade masih tertuju kepada Omega.
Salah satu teman si perempuan itu suggest ke Cade, bahwa pacarnya ingin hadiah di anivnya mereka dan si teman bilang supaya beli cincin sebagai promise ring bukan cincin pertunangan dengan bodohnya Cade setuju beli cincin dan kasih ke pacarnya itu tp pacarnya menganggap bahwa itu cincin pertunangan walaupun Cade bilang bahwa itu bukan.
Karena si pacar tidak mau kehilangan Cade dan tetap menganggap bahwa itu cincin pertunangan yang membuat si pacar memutuskan untuk mempersiapkan pernikahan dengan menyewa gedung dalam jangka waktu 3 bulan ke depan dan bodohnya lagi, Cade setuju-setujua aja meskipun pada awalnya menolak.
Pada saat tahu kalau Omega itu adalah Bryant dan dia lagi hamil anaknya Cade, si Cade tidak langsung memutuskan pacarnya itu tp masih melanjutkan rencana pernikahannya itu. Pada saat acara pernikahan berlangsung, ketika tukar janji setia di situlah Cade baru menolak dab memutuskan memilih bersama Bryant.
Yang paling ku benci adalah sikapnya Cade, fucking coward! Udah tahu punya perasaan ke Omega tp pada saat hubungan mereka buyar, Cade bukan memperjuangkan tp pasrah dan cari pelarian. Sebenarnya Cade sudah ingin memutuskan pacarnya tsb tapi Cade tidak mau balik seperti dia yang dulu yang selalu melakukan hook-up tanpa makna jadinya dia tetap stick with his gf walaupun hidup merana kaya apaaan tahu. Yang paling parah sih pada saat pacarnya itu melampaui batas dengan menyewa gedung pernikahan dan nyebar undangan tanpa Cade ketahui dan Cade setuju-setujua aja, ckckck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2021
Not for me
While this is a good premise, it fell a little short. I honestly never understood Bryant's logic about coming clean. Seems a lot of tears could have been avoided. Then you add in Cade's choices concerning Tila. What good came from any of that? It's also no fun for me as reader when one of the reasons the main characters aren't together is because the other one is either sleeping around or in a relationship with someone else. I did originally read this as part of the bundle but this was the only book I could get through.
While this is a good premise, it fell a little short. I honestly never understood Bryant's logic about coming clean. Seems a lot of tears could have been avoided. Then you add in Cade's choices concerning Tila. What good came from any of that? It's also no fun for me as reader when one of the reasons the main characters aren't together is because the other one is either sleeping around or in a relationship with someone else. I did originally read this as part of the bundle but this was the only book I could get through.
May 7, 2023
Esta historia fue muy buen y con mucho, mucho drama hasta el final. Pero el final WTF ¿qué diantres fue eso? El final fue lo más ¿inesperado? ¿raro? que he leído. Sinceramente raro se queda corto para lo extraño que fue, más porque bueno no fue, o sea, el libro tampoco fue una espectacularidad, pero el final arruinó todo el drama que el libro había gestado a lo largo de las páginas.
No obstante, si quieren drama y les gusta el trope friends to lovers
No obstante, si quieren drama y les gusta el trope friends to lovers
June 20, 2023
Fated mates
What a convenient way to find your fated mate! Wish we had that in real life. Bryant frustrated me to no end. If he was prepared to give up Cade anyway, why not just come clean and what’s the worst that could happen? He’s already ready to walk away. I was frustrated but I kept on turning the pages so it’s a 4 star read. I’ll continue with the series because the concept is quite interesting.
What a convenient way to find your fated mate! Wish we had that in real life. Bryant frustrated me to no end. If he was prepared to give up Cade anyway, why not just come clean and what’s the worst that could happen? He’s already ready to walk away. I was frustrated but I kept on turning the pages so it’s a 4 star read. I’ll continue with the series because the concept is quite interesting.
April 5, 2021
Cade and Bryant were friends since grade school but Bryant had feelings for him. Cade went on the fated dates app to find his mate they did but all they did was email. Cade said they had to meet, Bryant kept the lights off but then he got pregnant. Bryant left school to stay away from Cade. With a little help he finally figured out that they were aces. Things did work out great. Great book!
December 22, 2018
Eh
Some aspects were good. The characters were okay. Didn’t like the pregnancy thing, though it was creative. Not going to continue the series.
Some aspects were good. The characters were okay. Didn’t like the pregnancy thing, though it was creative. Not going to continue the series.
April 6, 2021
Alpha/Omega romance between best friends. An average read .
July 19, 2021
Cute
Nothing in this book indicates werewolf. Not a shift, fang, or growl. Care was missing his Alpha backbone and Bryant is a predator. Still worth a read
Nothing in this book indicates werewolf. Not a shift, fang, or growl. Care was missing his Alpha backbone and Bryant is a predator. Still worth a read
October 24, 2021
Rehash
This was a great re-read. As I'm reading this I realized I read it already, but I'm happy I did, now on to the rest of the series.
This was a great re-read. As I'm reading this I realized I read it already, but I'm happy I did, now on to the rest of the series.
April 23, 2025
There was a lot of drama in this story where the main character never believed his straight crush would fall for him. He faked himself as a woman and things just got worse.
August 26, 2015
Great Love Story
When I first started seeing books about Omega pregnancies I thought they would be too far out to be any good but decided to give them a try. Boy, was I wrong. They've been some of the greatest love stories I've read. I read alot of books and don't always have time to write a review on each one but I just had to the time for this one.
Cade and Bryant have been best friends since they were young boys. Even now, in college, they play basketball everyday for a few hours. They tell each other everything but what Bryant can't tell Cade is that he's had a crush on him for a long time. Cade is an Alpha and thinks Bryant is probably one too even though he is small in stature. Cade is tall, extremely built and good looking. He never lacks for female attention but he's getting tired of all the bed hopping and short term relationships. Bryant suggests Cade try the Fated Date agency. Cade gives it a shot even though he doesn't really believe in a fated mate, it's not a common occurrence anymore. The Agency does find his mate and they email each other. His fated mate is Bryant. Bryant is afraid to tell Cade because Cade is not into men. He fears losing Cade if he finds out. It starts to get tricky when Cade asks for a picture. Bryant doesn't know what to do so he sends a fake one. Cade expects to feel something when he sees but he doesn't, still he feels like the girl he's been emailing is his Fated Mate. He asks to meet her. Now Bryant is really in trouble, he shouldn't have let this go so far. He tries to tell Cade that this is mistake and that "she" doesn't feel anything but Cade is persistent. Bryant figures out a way to meet Cade without Cade knowing it's him. Cade would never think that his Fated Mate could be a male so he misses the signs that it's Bryant. Bryant can't deceive his best friend anymore and it's tearing him apart that Cade hasn't figured it out. He decides to stop emailing him as fated mate and avoids him as his best friend. Cade, not sure how to find "her" decides to date a girl, Tila, who's been chasing him. He figures that since he can't have his mate this is better than being alone. Bryant decides if he could have just one night with Cade he could carry the memory and possibly be happy with that. He tells Cade that they can be together for one night on "her" terms. Cade goes to the hotel specified and keeps the lights off. After the sun sets he hears "her" in the room. "She" handcuffs him to the bed and they have their one night. Cade can't understand why "she" keeps insisting they can't be together. With mate gone he decides to Tila. Bryant can't handle this so he drops out of school. He sends a short email to Cade and doesn't tell him where he's going. Tila pushes her way into Cade's life completely. He tries to be good boyfriend and on the surface he us but deep down he doesn't want her romantically, he wants his mate. On there six month anniversary, Tila's girlfriend reminds Cade of this fact and gives him advice to give Tila a promise ring to show that he'll be sticking around. Before she even opens the box she says that she'll marry him. He tells that it's not an engagement ring but she doesn't care and tells everyone that they are getting married. When Bryant finds this out, it rips him up especially since he's pregnant.
Here's where I stop the recap. It's an HEA story so you know things work out but the way there is heart wrenching. I cried along with Bryant. You really get to know and can't help but feel everything with him.
When I first started seeing books about Omega pregnancies I thought they would be too far out to be any good but decided to give them a try. Boy, was I wrong. They've been some of the greatest love stories I've read. I read alot of books and don't always have time to write a review on each one but I just had to the time for this one.
Cade and Bryant have been best friends since they were young boys. Even now, in college, they play basketball everyday for a few hours. They tell each other everything but what Bryant can't tell Cade is that he's had a crush on him for a long time. Cade is an Alpha and thinks Bryant is probably one too even though he is small in stature. Cade is tall, extremely built and good looking. He never lacks for female attention but he's getting tired of all the bed hopping and short term relationships. Bryant suggests Cade try the Fated Date agency. Cade gives it a shot even though he doesn't really believe in a fated mate, it's not a common occurrence anymore. The Agency does find his mate and they email each other. His fated mate is Bryant. Bryant is afraid to tell Cade because Cade is not into men. He fears losing Cade if he finds out. It starts to get tricky when Cade asks for a picture. Bryant doesn't know what to do so he sends a fake one. Cade expects to feel something when he sees but he doesn't, still he feels like the girl he's been emailing is his Fated Mate. He asks to meet her. Now Bryant is really in trouble, he shouldn't have let this go so far. He tries to tell Cade that this is mistake and that "she" doesn't feel anything but Cade is persistent. Bryant figures out a way to meet Cade without Cade knowing it's him. Cade would never think that his Fated Mate could be a male so he misses the signs that it's Bryant. Bryant can't deceive his best friend anymore and it's tearing him apart that Cade hasn't figured it out. He decides to stop emailing him as fated mate and avoids him as his best friend. Cade, not sure how to find "her" decides to date a girl, Tila, who's been chasing him. He figures that since he can't have his mate this is better than being alone. Bryant decides if he could have just one night with Cade he could carry the memory and possibly be happy with that. He tells Cade that they can be together for one night on "her" terms. Cade goes to the hotel specified and keeps the lights off. After the sun sets he hears "her" in the room. "She" handcuffs him to the bed and they have their one night. Cade can't understand why "she" keeps insisting they can't be together. With mate gone he decides to Tila. Bryant can't handle this so he drops out of school. He sends a short email to Cade and doesn't tell him where he's going. Tila pushes her way into Cade's life completely. He tries to be good boyfriend and on the surface he us but deep down he doesn't want her romantically, he wants his mate. On there six month anniversary, Tila's girlfriend reminds Cade of this fact and gives him advice to give Tila a promise ring to show that he'll be sticking around. Before she even opens the box she says that she'll marry him. He tells that it's not an engagement ring but she doesn't care and tells everyone that they are getting married. When Bryant finds this out, it rips him up especially since he's pregnant.
Here's where I stop the recap. It's an HEA story so you know things work out but the way there is heart wrenching. I cried along with Bryant. You really get to know and can't help but feel everything with him.
January 5, 2016
Okay, I can deal with mpreg. I knew it was when I selected it, and there have been several books that I have thoroughly enjoyed that are mpreg. Unfortunately, that was the least questionable aspect of the entirety of this travesty of a book.
Cade is a narcissistic alpha consumed with finding the right girl, getting laid, and settling down despite being just twenty years old. Bryant is the stereotypical shy omega who is in love with his very straight best friend. Both young men send in their information to find their "fated mate" from the Fated Date service that only matches Alphas and Omegas, and they are sent each other's email information, but nothing further about their match. Cade doesn't know that Bryant sent in his information, and apparently he actually thinks Bryant is an alpha - have I mentioned they've been friends since they were five? Seriously? He doesn't recognize that his best friend is NOT an alpha after fifteen years of knowing him and despite recognizing how petite and androgynous his best friend is?? Anyway, since the agency doesn't specify whether your mate is male or female, Cade flips over his assumed fated female, not realizing that it's actually his very male best friend and begins an email exchange with his "girl."
Bryant figures things out in relatively short order and attempts to put a stop to the email exchanges, knowing that Cade will never accept a male mate. Cade goes seriously stalker (narcissistic alpha again) and demands responses, visits, and "speaks" quite condescendingly in his emails to his supposed perfect match. So now Bryant gives in, meets up with Cade at a hotel, ties him up and has his way with the alpha in total darkness, then Cade's "Omega" simply disappears as his best friend does, too. Bryant drops out of school, goes home, and removes himself from Cade's life until Cade tracks him down based on a statement made by Bryant's former roommate at school. Really? Cade just lets his best friend walk away without attempting to contact him other than via email? No stopping by the house that is just half an hour away from their college?
Then, after Cade discovers that he's Bryant's mate and that the omega is pregnant, Cade allows himself to remain pressured into an engagement with the girlfriend he bought a promise ring for and simply goes along with it without standing up in any form or fashion for himself? Tug him by the nose and lead him on, girlfriend Tila. You've got a winner - NOT. Then we get to the wedding scene, which is quite predictable, followed by a birth and then an alarmingly non-confrontational/non-emotional with the jilted bride. No animosity after being left at the alter? None? Right. Good grief.
Flat world-building and no appreciable character development combined with such a bizarre ending left me feeling that I'd completely wasted my time. There is simply no way for me to rate this higher than a single star. I was very disappointed.
Cade is a narcissistic alpha consumed with finding the right girl, getting laid, and settling down despite being just twenty years old. Bryant is the stereotypical shy omega who is in love with his very straight best friend. Both young men send in their information to find their "fated mate" from the Fated Date service that only matches Alphas and Omegas, and they are sent each other's email information, but nothing further about their match. Cade doesn't know that Bryant sent in his information, and apparently he actually thinks Bryant is an alpha - have I mentioned they've been friends since they were five? Seriously? He doesn't recognize that his best friend is NOT an alpha after fifteen years of knowing him and despite recognizing how petite and androgynous his best friend is?? Anyway, since the agency doesn't specify whether your mate is male or female, Cade flips over his assumed fated female, not realizing that it's actually his very male best friend and begins an email exchange with his "girl."
Bryant figures things out in relatively short order and attempts to put a stop to the email exchanges, knowing that Cade will never accept a male mate. Cade goes seriously stalker (narcissistic alpha again) and demands responses, visits, and "speaks" quite condescendingly in his emails to his supposed perfect match. So now Bryant gives in, meets up with Cade at a hotel, ties him up and has his way with the alpha in total darkness, then Cade's "Omega" simply disappears as his best friend does, too. Bryant drops out of school, goes home, and removes himself from Cade's life until Cade tracks him down based on a statement made by Bryant's former roommate at school. Really? Cade just lets his best friend walk away without attempting to contact him other than via email? No stopping by the house that is just half an hour away from their college?
Then, after Cade discovers that he's Bryant's mate and that the omega is pregnant, Cade allows himself to remain pressured into an engagement with the girlfriend he bought a promise ring for and simply goes along with it without standing up in any form or fashion for himself? Tug him by the nose and lead him on, girlfriend Tila. You've got a winner - NOT. Then we get to the wedding scene, which is quite predictable, followed by a birth and then an alarmingly non-confrontational/non-emotional with the jilted bride. No animosity after being left at the alter? None? Right. Good grief.
Flat world-building and no appreciable character development combined with such a bizarre ending left me feeling that I'd completely wasted my time. There is simply no way for me to rate this higher than a single star. I was very disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2016
Review
3.5 Not sure stars
Poetic Licence is the ability for a writer to write something to achieve a desired effect. As a reader, I love to escape be it a powerful moving romance, a fantasy stretching the imagination to see what might be, or maybe an interesting paranormal story of what if’s.
Fated Dates is book one of a series where Shifters find their mates through an Agency. In book one we have Bryant, a college age gay shifter who hasn’t come out of the closet. We also have Cade, Bryant’s best friend shifter who happens to be straight. In an attempt to find their fated mates, both shifters request the help of the Fated Date Agency. Bryant finds out that he is an Omega (in most cases a female equivalent to an Alpha. Cade is sent the contact information of his Fated Omega and sends her an e-mail. An e-mail received by Bryant. Confused Bryant responses pretending that he is a girl Omega. The deception begins.
I can only say that the characters in this book are young, stupid, and Werewolf, which must justify their actions, because they do some pretty insane things. I didn’t love this story, I did however like it and found it entertaining even if it was a little unsettling. Who knew the werewolf and the seahorse had something in common.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club
March 27, 2017
The rating is for all three parts but this review is for Omega's lie. Cade is a player with no clue that his best friend is in love with him. I liked that he's so positive about Bryant. He's sure that he's an Alpha. No second guessing. Bryant's lack of confidence has him painting himself into a very small corner. Bryant just keeps trying to fix the gigantic spiderweb of lies by creating more of them. He struggles with wanting to give Cade what he wants and his complete assumption that he will never be it. Bryant starts to slowly sever his ties and destroys his own hope of happiness. Bryant pushes Cade away and toward what he assumes will make him happy. Bryant has made a huge mess of his life. His deceptions and lies have come with big consequences. I was disappointed at how weak Cade was. He totally let a woman he only care about as a friend bully him into life altering circumstances over and over again. It made me sad that even when faced with the truth he continued on the path someone else had set out for him. Someone he didn't love, doing something he absolutely didn't believe in. What kind of alpha is that? I have to say that I loved Bryant's mom and his roommate for trying to make things right. The ending with the ex is a bit strange and I could've done without it. I enjoyed the series overall and will be looking for more from this author.
Adult read
Adult read
August 26, 2015
For most of the book I quite enjoyed it, but the ending felt rushed, as though the author suddenly realised that their word limit was up and they had more story to tell. Cade and Bryant have been best friends for forever, but when they contact the Fated Date agency, Bryant realises that he has been mated with his best friend and Cade is straight and expecting a cute omega female as his mate for life, Bryant resolves that Cade must never know the truth. But lies and deceit take their toll on their friendship and on Bryant's health. Once Cade did realise the truth there were a lot of explanations I would have liked included in the story, and the final scene was far too contrived, but for most of the time I enjoyed the book.
not sure if I will seek out the next in the series or not.
not sure if I will seek out the next in the series or not.
September 12, 2015
Conflict from Stupidity
Basically a throw back to '70's Harlequin romances. The primary obstacles to HEA are bonehead misunderstandings and two main characters who couldn't assert themselves out of a wet paper bag. The other woman was a cartoon cutout and, even then, I actually liked her more than either of the MC's because she had some initiative, misguided though it was. The shifter culture was non contributory to the story or the character's behavior. Obviously brought in to provide some basis for Mpreg but not an actual integral part. The sex scenes were pedestrian but not cringe worthy so that's a plus. Writing mechanics were good and that's a big plus.
Disappointing. There are already 5 books in this series and I would have loved to at least like it.
Basically a throw back to '70's Harlequin romances. The primary obstacles to HEA are bonehead misunderstandings and two main characters who couldn't assert themselves out of a wet paper bag. The other woman was a cartoon cutout and, even then, I actually liked her more than either of the MC's because she had some initiative, misguided though it was. The shifter culture was non contributory to the story or the character's behavior. Obviously brought in to provide some basis for Mpreg but not an actual integral part. The sex scenes were pedestrian but not cringe worthy so that's a plus. Writing mechanics were good and that's a big plus.
Disappointing. There are already 5 books in this series and I would have loved to at least like it.
June 22, 2016
1.5
WTH? This plot had more holes that a mesh screen! Seriously, I spent the whole book being confused about how it was still holding together at all. It was also repetitive, self absorbed, and the writing had a painfully naive quality to it. I didn't like either of the characters. Being on the receiving end of anal sex was explicitly equated to being a woman. The happy ending was forced and unbelievable. The characters blithely broke the one rule of being a shift the reader was told about (more than once) and it was originally published in three parts, which makes no conceivable sense at all. Thank goodness I had a compilation.
WTH? This plot had more holes that a mesh screen! Seriously, I spent the whole book being confused about how it was still holding together at all. It was also repetitive, self absorbed, and the writing had a painfully naive quality to it. I didn't like either of the characters. Being on the receiving end of anal sex was explicitly equated to being a woman. The happy ending was forced and unbelievable. The characters blithely broke the one rule of being a shift the reader was told about (more than once) and it was originally published in three parts, which makes no conceivable sense at all. Thank goodness I had a compilation.
May 21, 2016
I loved the tantalizing way these two went back and forth trying to bridge a gap based on misunderstandings and gender. I love a good gay-for-you story and this one was a little different. My frustration grew along with Cade and Bryant's as they longed for each other but couldn't find their way. I thought the way that things were worked out was a little dramatic but I was cheering of course. I definitely want to read more in this series.
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