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Zen Alpha: NOT a Shifter/Mpreg Story
More than anything, struggling tech support specialist Bradley Evans wants an alpha male lover. He thinks he’s found his perfect match, but when his domineering stock broker boyfriend goes too far, Bradley wonders if his flexible, mindful neighbor might be just what he needs.
Ward Linden teaches autistic middle schoolers and is sexy and kind…but he isn’t quite the alpha Bradley’s been looking for. Do nice guys always have to finish last?
Bradley explores what it means to be alpha male in this steamy, humor-laced gay romance. Due to its sexual content, this book is for adults only.
Ward Linden teaches autistic middle schoolers and is sexy and kind…but he isn’t quite the alpha Bradley’s been looking for. Do nice guys always have to finish last?
Bradley explores what it means to be alpha male in this steamy, humor-laced gay romance. Due to its sexual content, this book is for adults only.
111 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2017
7 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Sionnach Wintergreen
28 books48 followersSionnach (pronounced shuhn ukh) Wintergreen is a trans male author of gay romance, epic fantasy, and adult fantasy. His character-driven stories usually involve misfits because he is one. Sionnach has always loved writing and animals; he was a grant writer for an animal rescue group. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his husband and six furbabies—one sweet dog and five spoiled-rotten cats. He also has a wonderful human son.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 24, 2018
Absolutely charming, and not at all what I was expecting, Sionnach Wintergreen has pleasantly surprised me with Zen Alpha. Don’t let the title fool you, there’s no shapeshifter in this one, and the focus isn’t on yoga or meditation either. Zen Alpha is a sweet story about a young man coming into his own and learning what real love is all about.
This book is centered around Bradley, a naive young man who is just beginning to understand his emotional and sexual needs. Believing he wants an “Alpha” male to fulfill him, Bradley mistakenly thinks loud, boorish, self-centered men are the way to get what he needs. Growing up with a bully for a mother, it’s no surprise that Bradley is used to being treated poorly, and associates that kind of attention with affection and love.
Sorry to say Bradley believes he’s found his dream alpha man in his boyfriend, Jackson. Jackson is gorgeous, rich, and totally built, so Bradley can deal with the fact he’s also neglectful and mean, and a very selfish lover. Add on Jackson’s criticisms and emotionally abusive taunts, well that’s just part of being with an alpha guy, right?
When Bradley meets his neighbor Ward, he’s immediately attracted, but dismisses him because of his bland appearance and mellow manner. When they start to spend some time together, Bradley gets a taste of what being with a decent, supportive guy can do for his sense of self worth, and he likes it. It takes some soul searching, and a bit of growing up, but Bradley comes to realize it’s what’s inside a person that counts.
The narrator, Hugh Bradley, is new to me. His calm and mellow tone works with Ward and Bradley’s characters, and he does a wonderful job with the judgmental, overbearing mother. I love the Texas twang he uses for her, and he adds something special to all the supporting characters.
Zen Alpha is a sweet romance with a wonderful message. I enjoyed watching Bradley grow and change over the course of the story, seeing how he figures it all out. Understanding that appearances and labels are just what’s on the outside. Ward’s message that, “‘Love means accepting someone for who they are,’” is one that Bradley can take to heart.
This book is centered around Bradley, a naive young man who is just beginning to understand his emotional and sexual needs. Believing he wants an “Alpha” male to fulfill him, Bradley mistakenly thinks loud, boorish, self-centered men are the way to get what he needs. Growing up with a bully for a mother, it’s no surprise that Bradley is used to being treated poorly, and associates that kind of attention with affection and love.
Sorry to say Bradley believes he’s found his dream alpha man in his boyfriend, Jackson. Jackson is gorgeous, rich, and totally built, so Bradley can deal with the fact he’s also neglectful and mean, and a very selfish lover. Add on Jackson’s criticisms and emotionally abusive taunts, well that’s just part of being with an alpha guy, right?
When Bradley meets his neighbor Ward, he’s immediately attracted, but dismisses him because of his bland appearance and mellow manner. When they start to spend some time together, Bradley gets a taste of what being with a decent, supportive guy can do for his sense of self worth, and he likes it. It takes some soul searching, and a bit of growing up, but Bradley comes to realize it’s what’s inside a person that counts.
The narrator, Hugh Bradley, is new to me. His calm and mellow tone works with Ward and Bradley’s characters, and he does a wonderful job with the judgmental, overbearing mother. I love the Texas twang he uses for her, and he adds something special to all the supporting characters.
Zen Alpha is a sweet romance with a wonderful message. I enjoyed watching Bradley grow and change over the course of the story, seeing how he figures it all out. Understanding that appearances and labels are just what’s on the outside. Ward’s message that, “‘Love means accepting someone for who they are,’” is one that Bradley can take to heart.
July 24, 2018
So.... this was not for me.
I can see that a lot of other people loved it, so please do not let my review stand alone if you are considering buying it, but for me it did not work at all.
And the main reason it didn't work was because I hated (and yes, I do mean hated) our main protagonist Bradley. It was my dearest wish, up until the very end, that Ward would dump his sorry ass and he would die alone. Alas, that did not happen. We got a happy end.
Bradley is a shallow, materialistic golddigger type, who is so hung up on the fact that his boyfriend needs to be rich and powerful that I could not find a single nice thing to say about him... oh, no, I lie. He is kind to cats! There. I said a nice thing. He thinks his mother is "delusional" when she thinks that they are better than others - and yet, he is exactly the same.
He could not sleep in a room, with a painting done by his lover's ex and yet I'm to believe that he will attend a gallery opening to support said ex? Yeah, I don't believe it.
We do not meet too many people in this short story, but I didn't like a single one of them. They were all caricatures. The only one with a believable behavioural pattern was the cat.
Jackson and the mother were so ridiculously over the top "evil" that the only feelings I had about them was how badly they reflected on Bradley. Because seriously, if you want me to believe someone actually love an asshole, you need to give that asshole at least one redeeming quality - other than his porsche 911. Otherwise I can only surmise that Bradley was with him for his money - in which case, I can't really blame Jackson for cheating on him...
Ward was ok, but a bit too saintly. People are not black and white. Jackson cannot be all bad and Ward be all good. Most of us are somewhere in between! That's what makes us human!
I don't even want to talk about what happened at the 90% mark, but it made the book lose another star. It was a 1.5-2 star read, but ended up as a 1 star. Because that is just not something you throw in and then resolve in 2 sentences as a plot driver.
Also, the dog show thing pissed me off to no end. It just clearly showed that Bradley the Ass Hat wasn't committed at all, until someone finally told him that yes, Ward was an alpha. Gag!
I can see that a lot of other people loved it, so please do not let my review stand alone if you are considering buying it, but for me it did not work at all.
And the main reason it didn't work was because I hated (and yes, I do mean hated) our main protagonist Bradley. It was my dearest wish, up until the very end, that Ward would dump his sorry ass and he would die alone. Alas, that did not happen. We got a happy end.
Bradley is a shallow, materialistic golddigger type, who is so hung up on the fact that his boyfriend needs to be rich and powerful that I could not find a single nice thing to say about him... oh, no, I lie. He is kind to cats! There. I said a nice thing. He thinks his mother is "delusional" when she thinks that they are better than others - and yet, he is exactly the same.
He could not sleep in a room, with a painting done by his lover's ex and yet I'm to believe that he will attend a gallery opening to support said ex? Yeah, I don't believe it.
We do not meet too many people in this short story, but I didn't like a single one of them. They were all caricatures. The only one with a believable behavioural pattern was the cat.
Jackson and the mother were so ridiculously over the top "evil" that the only feelings I had about them was how badly they reflected on Bradley. Because seriously, if you want me to believe someone actually love an asshole, you need to give that asshole at least one redeeming quality - other than his porsche 911. Otherwise I can only surmise that Bradley was with him for his money - in which case, I can't really blame Jackson for cheating on him...
Ward was ok, but a bit too saintly. People are not black and white. Jackson cannot be all bad and Ward be all good. Most of us are somewhere in between! That's what makes us human!
I don't even want to talk about what happened at the 90% mark, but it made the book lose another star. It was a 1.5-2 star read, but ended up as a 1 star. Because that is just not something you throw in and then resolve in 2 sentences as a plot driver.
Also, the dog show thing pissed me off to no end. It just clearly showed that Bradley the Ass Hat wasn't committed at all, until someone finally told him that yes, Ward was an alpha. Gag!
July 15, 2018
This was Ok. On the one hand, Bradley was super hard to like but on the other hand he was a super genuine guy, his obvious materialistic side, aside. More importantly, I am not sure the author knew who Ward was. He was this zen, live and let live, take charge, love everyone kind of guy but then at one point she has him yell at a clueless salesperson that "the goddamn shoes are too expensive" . WTH? I got whiplash. That was not zen... that was the whole alpha = asshole that Ward was so against.
After the novella was done, I was on the fence about the author and the book. I wasn't sure where I stood on the uneven characterization of both Ward and Bradley...then the page after the book ends with words from the author that says "You did it! You Finished! Did you enjoy this book?..." and I gotta say, I felt pretty damn condescended to and it colored what happy afterglow I might have had for the romance. So, I ended up not particularly loving the book and putting the author on my never again list.
Take the review with a grain of salt if the blurb calls to you.
After the novella was done, I was on the fence about the author and the book. I wasn't sure where I stood on the uneven characterization of both Ward and Bradley...then the page after the book ends with words from the author that says "You did it! You Finished! Did you enjoy this book?..." and I gotta say, I felt pretty damn condescended to and it colored what happy afterglow I might have had for the romance. So, I ended up not particularly loving the book and putting the author on my never again list.
Take the review with a grain of salt if the blurb calls to you.
April 2, 2019
Really liked this character driven short story. Bradley thinks he wants alpha Jackson until he meets Ward (animal lover, meditator, teacher to autistic kids, genuine nice guy) who makes Bradley begin to question whether the relationship he's in is what he really wants.
Ward's dreamy, smart, cute and adorable. And as a cat lover I swooned over his love for his puddy, Mijo. Bradley is unsure of himself and confused, but he's lacked supportive parental figures in his life so I'm not surprised. I have much sympathy for characters who have been unfortunate enough to be raised in this way and Wintergreen handles this well, not shying away from portraying a flawed MC and affording them room for lessons and growth. Bradley needed someone like Ward to see this and he enters Bradley's life at one of his darkest moments, which is often the time new people and events happen in our life to shake us up and help us see where we've been going wrong. Great little story. Will read more from this author.
Ward's dreamy, smart, cute and adorable. And as a cat lover I swooned over his love for his puddy, Mijo. Bradley is unsure of himself and confused, but he's lacked supportive parental figures in his life so I'm not surprised. I have much sympathy for characters who have been unfortunate enough to be raised in this way and Wintergreen handles this well, not shying away from portraying a flawed MC and affording them room for lessons and growth. Bradley needed someone like Ward to see this and he enters Bradley's life at one of his darkest moments, which is often the time new people and events happen in our life to shake us up and help us see where we've been going wrong. Great little story. Will read more from this author.
December 12, 2017
Zen Alpha has a great flow, and is sweet, seductive and thoughtful with a touch of drama– a well written book about two men who find love while trying to find their way in life. I started reading it on a Monday, finished on a Tuesday and only because I got interrupted with much less pleasant real life. Truly, this book sucked me in.
The two main characters are very relatable and I felt attached to both of them, especially Ward. The writing is perfectly detailed in my opinion, with just enough there to give an idea of each scene but with enough space to imagine, too, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
This is one of my favorite books by Sionnach. I believe that anyone who likes male/male romance would enjoy it as I did. She proves that she can write just as well in a contemporary setting as in a fantasy one. And of course there are the great sex scenes, too, which just make it all the better.
The two main characters are very relatable and I felt attached to both of them, especially Ward. The writing is perfectly detailed in my opinion, with just enough there to give an idea of each scene but with enough space to imagine, too, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
This is one of my favorite books by Sionnach. I believe that anyone who likes male/male romance would enjoy it as I did. She proves that she can write just as well in a contemporary setting as in a fantasy one. And of course there are the great sex scenes, too, which just make it all the better.
July 23, 2018
Maybe I needed more zip and less Zen for this one?
When I first read the blurb for ‘Zen Alpha’ it struck me as being a sweet little romance story that I could enjoy on a summer afternoon, so when it crossed my radar as an audio book who was I to say no.
Bradley works as tech support and he’s sure he’s found his perfect alpha made in his current stock broker boyfriend, Jackson but when said stock broker boyfriend crosses a line Bradley decides that he needs to step back and rethink things.
Things become even more complicated when Bradley’s upstairs neighbour Ward Linden steps up offering him the help and support that he should have received from his ‘alpha’ male boyfriend…’WTF!’ what’s with the ‘alpha’ male thing Bradley…ok hang on we’ll come back to this.
Ward’s a teacher for autistic children at local middle school. He’s sweet, patient, kind and sexy as all get out but in Bradley’s eyes he’s so not an alpha male…again with the alpha male.
When circumstances put Ward and Bradley within proximity of each other on a daily basis and a friendship begins to grow blossoming into something stronger Bradley’s forced to look at his definition of what an ‘alpha male’ is and realize that sometimes even an Alpha can be Zen.
Overall, I definitely thought this one was adorable but unfortunately, I had a few niggling moments that definitely impacted on my enjoyment of the story. So, let’s have a quick chat about my niggling moments…
First off was Bradley’s obsession with the idea of an ‘Alpha male’. Seriously if you’re going to obsess about having an ‘Alpha male’ dear Bradley learn the difference between an ‘Alpha’ and an ‘A**hat’ (pardon my bluntness) but I call them as I see them and Jackson was by no means ‘Alpha’…he was however, a lying, cheating, emotionally abusive A**hat! Initially I was ok with Bradley’s misguided concept of what an ‘Alpha’ was. But for me it just felt like Bradley was a little dense when it came to realizing how ‘not Alpha’ his ex was.
Niggle number two was Bradley’s mother…I can’t even when it comes to this woman. No wonder poor Bradley’s ideals were misguided if this was the person who raised him…can we all say pretentious, self-centered, arrogant biotch…I’m going to nominate her for one of the moles in the new version of ‘whack-a-mole’ that I’m thinking about it’s called ‘whack-an-a**hat!’
Ok, now niggle number three was the disagreements that occurred between Bradley and a friend which I’m not going to say a lot about because…I’m trying to keep it spoiler free here folks. So, I’ll just say Bradley’s no better at picking friends than he was at picking boyfriends and then there were two…let’s call them miscommunications between Bradley and Ward and while in terms of the why and how’s of it I was ok with what happened it was the reaction of the injured parties that didn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying anything here other than their reactions weren’t mine so it just didn’t work for me. No right or wrong here just a case of ‘it didn’t work’.
On an individual basis one or two of these things probably wouldn’t have bothered me as much but all three combined just left me a little detached and not feeling as invested in the story as well as contributing to the fact that I just wasn’t feeling the love where Bradley was concerned and started to think that maybe he just wasn’t quite good enough for Ward.
I have to admit by this point in the story I wasn’t sure that even 3 stars was happening thing for me but thankfully things started to resonate with me a bit more and Bradley got himself some redemption. Plus there was the narrator…Hugh Bradley. This is only my second chance to listen to this narrator and as with the first book I was once again treated to a very well narrated story adding the emotion and character needed to make listening to ‘Zen Alpha’ a more enjoyable experience.
While this was not my first time listening to Hugh Bradly, it was my first time with this author, Sionnach Wintergreen and even though I didn’t connect with this story as much as I’d hoped I would. I did like the overall story idea and as I’ve said before ‘one story does not an author make’ so who knows what the future will bring for me from this author. I’m looking forward to finding out.
*************************
An Audiobook of ‘Zen Alpha was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I first read the blurb for ‘Zen Alpha’ it struck me as being a sweet little romance story that I could enjoy on a summer afternoon, so when it crossed my radar as an audio book who was I to say no.
Bradley works as tech support and he’s sure he’s found his perfect alpha made in his current stock broker boyfriend, Jackson but when said stock broker boyfriend crosses a line Bradley decides that he needs to step back and rethink things.
Things become even more complicated when Bradley’s upstairs neighbour Ward Linden steps up offering him the help and support that he should have received from his ‘alpha’ male boyfriend…’WTF!’ what’s with the ‘alpha’ male thing Bradley…ok hang on we’ll come back to this.
Ward’s a teacher for autistic children at local middle school. He’s sweet, patient, kind and sexy as all get out but in Bradley’s eyes he’s so not an alpha male…again with the alpha male.
When circumstances put Ward and Bradley within proximity of each other on a daily basis and a friendship begins to grow blossoming into something stronger Bradley’s forced to look at his definition of what an ‘alpha male’ is and realize that sometimes even an Alpha can be Zen.
Overall, I definitely thought this one was adorable but unfortunately, I had a few niggling moments that definitely impacted on my enjoyment of the story. So, let’s have a quick chat about my niggling moments…
First off was Bradley’s obsession with the idea of an ‘Alpha male’. Seriously if you’re going to obsess about having an ‘Alpha male’ dear Bradley learn the difference between an ‘Alpha’ and an ‘A**hat’ (pardon my bluntness) but I call them as I see them and Jackson was by no means ‘Alpha’…he was however, a lying, cheating, emotionally abusive A**hat! Initially I was ok with Bradley’s misguided concept of what an ‘Alpha’ was. But for me it just felt like Bradley was a little dense when it came to realizing how ‘not Alpha’ his ex was.
Niggle number two was Bradley’s mother…I can’t even when it comes to this woman. No wonder poor Bradley’s ideals were misguided if this was the person who raised him…can we all say pretentious, self-centered, arrogant biotch…I’m going to nominate her for one of the moles in the new version of ‘whack-a-mole’ that I’m thinking about it’s called ‘whack-an-a**hat!’
Ok, now niggle number three was the disagreements that occurred between Bradley and a friend which I’m not going to say a lot about because…I’m trying to keep it spoiler free here folks. So, I’ll just say Bradley’s no better at picking friends than he was at picking boyfriends and then there were two…let’s call them miscommunications between Bradley and Ward and while in terms of the why and how’s of it I was ok with what happened it was the reaction of the injured parties that didn’t work for me. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying anything here other than their reactions weren’t mine so it just didn’t work for me. No right or wrong here just a case of ‘it didn’t work’.
On an individual basis one or two of these things probably wouldn’t have bothered me as much but all three combined just left me a little detached and not feeling as invested in the story as well as contributing to the fact that I just wasn’t feeling the love where Bradley was concerned and started to think that maybe he just wasn’t quite good enough for Ward.
I have to admit by this point in the story I wasn’t sure that even 3 stars was happening thing for me but thankfully things started to resonate with me a bit more and Bradley got himself some redemption. Plus there was the narrator…Hugh Bradley. This is only my second chance to listen to this narrator and as with the first book I was once again treated to a very well narrated story adding the emotion and character needed to make listening to ‘Zen Alpha’ a more enjoyable experience.
While this was not my first time listening to Hugh Bradly, it was my first time with this author, Sionnach Wintergreen and even though I didn’t connect with this story as much as I’d hoped I would. I did like the overall story idea and as I’ve said before ‘one story does not an author make’ so who knows what the future will bring for me from this author. I’m looking forward to finding out.
*************************
An Audiobook of ‘Zen Alpha was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2017
A nicely-told romance which just happens to involve two guys.
I enjoyed this story and the engaging main characters. It’s a realistic romance which develops over a period of several months, told in episodic style. The relationship which Bradley escapes sounded like the sort of situation many people would recognise all too well, and his low self-esteem leaves him blind to the obvious alternative. As the storyline develops, we’re gently lead to understanding the difference between “alpha” and “dominant”.
Aside from the steamy love-making scenes, this could be a story about any combination of lovers. This happens to be about two guys who I felt deserved a chance of happiness.
I enjoyed this story and the engaging main characters. It’s a realistic romance which develops over a period of several months, told in episodic style. The relationship which Bradley escapes sounded like the sort of situation many people would recognise all too well, and his low self-esteem leaves him blind to the obvious alternative. As the storyline develops, we’re gently lead to understanding the difference between “alpha” and “dominant”.
Aside from the steamy love-making scenes, this could be a story about any combination of lovers. This happens to be about two guys who I felt deserved a chance of happiness.
December 12, 2017
This author has the ability to write quick, happy reads with a touch of humor that I really enjoy. This tale gives us another side of the quest for finding an idealized Alpha. The main character, Bradley is pretty sure that a relationship with an Alpha would make him happy - but is that reality? Think about it - could your live with an Alpha all the time - constantly??? Bradley has a change of heart when the "perfect" man might be just upstairs. Oh, and the author's usual steamy scenes are included!
December 16, 2017
MM romance just got hotter – and sweeter. I thought I’d read a few chapters before bed, but that didn't happen. I had to finish the entire story before I could go to sleep. Bradley thinks he has his perfect alpha. Then he meets nice-guy Ward. Will he realize that Ward is the man for him? I was rooting for their happy ending, but I’m not giving up any spoilers. Emotional, and super sexy, this one is a definite page-turner!
December 11, 2017
Looking for Mr. Macho!
This book is pretty good because its not your typical alpha book. It's about finding love with the opposite of what you're usually attracted to.
This book is pretty good because its not your typical alpha book. It's about finding love with the opposite of what you're usually attracted to.
January 25, 2018
Every young man dreams of one day meeting the perfect partner. Especially Bradley Evans. He’s looking for his perfect life mate, his perfect alpha. The only problem is, he’s doesn’t know what that means. I didn’t know either. After some googling, I discovered that alpha does not mean, cruel, insensitive, narcissistic, bully; something that Bradley also discovers in this story.
Zen Alpha is a gay romance intended for adults. Sionnach Wintergreen says that she intended it to be an easy, cute read, and it is, but it also makes the reader think. In the beginning of the story, Bradley thinks he’s found his dream boyfriend, his alpha, in a jerk called Jackson. But the handsome, domineering, athletic Jackson is emotionally abusive. Sadly, young naïve Bradley accepts this as part of the package. “But that was Jackson. Always knocking him a little off balance. That was to be expected when dating an alpha, Bradley supposed.”
Abuse crosses genders. The red flags (like Jackson’s red ties) are always present, and it always produces the same results. The victim ends up feeling as ugly and insecure as Bradley. I think we can blame Bradley’s nasty mother—the old Texas lion—for some of this.
So, when Bradley’s neighbour, Ward Linden, comes looking for his balcony-hopping cat, the reader breathes a silent yes. And a louder YES when Ward’s cat, Mijo, turns out to be his mojo.
After hearing about Jackson, Ward quickly forms an impression of Bradley’s boyfriend. “I’ll check my Greek, but I don’t think alpha means asshole.” And so, we begin rooting for Ward, the animal-loving, guitar-playing, pescatarian, chef, yogi who teaches special needs kids at middle school, and knits.
Sionnach’s characters are well-fleshed, her details rich. She takes us into the bedroom and under the covers in sex scenes that include both explicit physical play-by-play, and complex emotions. Something of a sex therapist, Sionnach reveals through her characters how sex can both harm and heal, destroy and inspire.
Ward inspires Bradley with his appreciation for indigenous art, his philosophizing on the artist’s soul, his fabulous cooking, his generous spirit, his self-sacrificing nature. Ward is a man who knows what he wants: “I want to grow old with someone. I might even want kids. I want something real and lasting, and I want to be loved.”
Can Bradley cut it? Can he move past his addiction to Jackson and commit to his Zen Alpha? What will it take? Read to find out.
Zen Alpha is a gay romance intended for adults. Sionnach Wintergreen says that she intended it to be an easy, cute read, and it is, but it also makes the reader think. In the beginning of the story, Bradley thinks he’s found his dream boyfriend, his alpha, in a jerk called Jackson. But the handsome, domineering, athletic Jackson is emotionally abusive. Sadly, young naïve Bradley accepts this as part of the package. “But that was Jackson. Always knocking him a little off balance. That was to be expected when dating an alpha, Bradley supposed.”
Abuse crosses genders. The red flags (like Jackson’s red ties) are always present, and it always produces the same results. The victim ends up feeling as ugly and insecure as Bradley. I think we can blame Bradley’s nasty mother—the old Texas lion—for some of this.
So, when Bradley’s neighbour, Ward Linden, comes looking for his balcony-hopping cat, the reader breathes a silent yes. And a louder YES when Ward’s cat, Mijo, turns out to be his mojo.
After hearing about Jackson, Ward quickly forms an impression of Bradley’s boyfriend. “I’ll check my Greek, but I don’t think alpha means asshole.” And so, we begin rooting for Ward, the animal-loving, guitar-playing, pescatarian, chef, yogi who teaches special needs kids at middle school, and knits.
Sionnach’s characters are well-fleshed, her details rich. She takes us into the bedroom and under the covers in sex scenes that include both explicit physical play-by-play, and complex emotions. Something of a sex therapist, Sionnach reveals through her characters how sex can both harm and heal, destroy and inspire.
Ward inspires Bradley with his appreciation for indigenous art, his philosophizing on the artist’s soul, his fabulous cooking, his generous spirit, his self-sacrificing nature. Ward is a man who knows what he wants: “I want to grow old with someone. I might even want kids. I want something real and lasting, and I want to be loved.”
Can Bradley cut it? Can he move past his addiction to Jackson and commit to his Zen Alpha? What will it take? Read to find out.
December 15, 2017
I’d never heard the term, Zen Alpha before, but after reading the love between Bradley and Ward and comparing it to Bradley’s infatuation with Jackson, I have to concur, Ward is indeed, Zen Alpha. He is not only a better companion and lover than Jackson could ever be, he is a better man all around. He doesn’t only take, he gives in spades. I was sad when he got hurt, and was pleased to know Ward was by his side. I look forward to reading more of Ward and Bradley. Great M/M.
December 14, 2017
Aaah
Well titled.
That alone gave it one star. The writing delivered two and the whole package a solid 4.
Zen.
Well titled.
That alone gave it one star. The writing delivered two and the whole package a solid 4.
Zen.
July 23, 2018
The premise and the blurb for this book were both promising and sounded intriguing. But there was a large portion of the storyline in this book that did not work for me personally, and I did not connect with any of the characters at all. I actually think I liked Ward's cat the best out of everyone. That said, I am still sure there will be plenty of other people who will like this book. But I was sadly disappointed, and not really impressed with how this one was written and turned out.
The book starts off with the characters Bradley and Jackson. Bradley seems to think that all he wants and deserves in life is an "Alpha Man". Which would be fine, I mean I'm ok with a more dominating type personality, different people have different preferences. But what he actually gets from Jackson is a "man" who is a complete and total jerk, someone who is verbally abusive constantly putting him down and treating him horribly, calling him names and demeaning him about the way he looks and acts. "But it’s ok, because he’s an alpha male, and that’s just how they act" *rolls eyes* like that statement excuses his actions. That is the theme we get between these two characters for the majority of the book and their interactions together. Ultimately, they don’t even end up together and I thought that was the saving grace for this book.
When Bradley’s apartment floods he meets his neighbor Ward and basically moves in with him the same day, without them knowing anything about each other. Ward is a laid back, vegan, yoga loving, chill guy who is the opposite of what Bradley "thinks" he is looking for. There’s a lot of back and forth between these two, waffling on if they actually want to be together and whether Ward is “alpha” enough for Bradley. There's also quite a bit of ex-drama on both sides that comes into play adding more to the story. There’s not a whole lot of angst going on but lack of communication between the characters was a big part of the drama besides their ex-bf's issues.
P.S. There is a huge event that happens at the end of the book that I think was completely unnecessary to the storyline and I don’t think it needed to be thrown in at all. I believe there are better ways this book could have been concluded.
Audio – I liked the narration done by Hugh Bradley when it came to his voices for the characters. I think he did a decent job with this book and what he was given to narrate. Although there was a tunnel like sound during parts of the narration, which may or may not be an editing issue? But I would be fine listening to more of his narrated books in the future.
The book starts off with the characters Bradley and Jackson. Bradley seems to think that all he wants and deserves in life is an "Alpha Man". Which would be fine, I mean I'm ok with a more dominating type personality, different people have different preferences. But what he actually gets from Jackson is a "man" who is a complete and total jerk, someone who is verbally abusive constantly putting him down and treating him horribly, calling him names and demeaning him about the way he looks and acts. "But it’s ok, because he’s an alpha male, and that’s just how they act" *rolls eyes* like that statement excuses his actions. That is the theme we get between these two characters for the majority of the book and their interactions together. Ultimately, they don’t even end up together and I thought that was the saving grace for this book.
When Bradley’s apartment floods he meets his neighbor Ward and basically moves in with him the same day, without them knowing anything about each other. Ward is a laid back, vegan, yoga loving, chill guy who is the opposite of what Bradley "thinks" he is looking for. There’s a lot of back and forth between these two, waffling on if they actually want to be together and whether Ward is “alpha” enough for Bradley. There's also quite a bit of ex-drama on both sides that comes into play adding more to the story. There’s not a whole lot of angst going on but lack of communication between the characters was a big part of the drama besides their ex-bf's issues.
P.S. There is a huge event that happens at the end of the book that I think was completely unnecessary to the storyline and I don’t think it needed to be thrown in at all. I believe there are better ways this book could have been concluded.
Audio – I liked the narration done by Hugh Bradley when it came to his voices for the characters. I think he did a decent job with this book and what he was given to narrate. Although there was a tunnel like sound during parts of the narration, which may or may not be an editing issue? But I would be fine listening to more of his narrated books in the future.
July 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written and engaging--a real page-turner. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down; I read it straight through from start to finish, in one go, because I wanted to find out what would happen to Bradley and his new love, Ward.
Sionnach takes a sensitive approach to her characters, which makes them quite fascinating to read about because she's able to discuss aspects of their personalities with profound insight and intelligence, and this adds considerable dimension to her storytelling. It takes a great deal of skill to capture this quality in prose; only a writer who's finely attuned to the emotional resonance of others could write with such authority and believability on such matters.
I enjoyed watching the romance unfold; there were several moments of sweetness in Bradley and Ward's relationship, and that formed a marked contrast to Bradley's previous, unhealthy relationship. I thought it was great how he was able to get over his primal wound and discover that he was worthy of a healthy kind of love.
I'll confess that I'm not typically a romance reader but if I read more romance novels written like this--with pithiness, intelligence, and a sensitive beauty to them--I might be inclined to read more of them. The sex scenes were well-written too. The tail end of the story also touched upon current events and provided a rather fitting ending to the book. There's a lot more to this story than first meets the eye.
Sionnach takes a sensitive approach to her characters, which makes them quite fascinating to read about because she's able to discuss aspects of their personalities with profound insight and intelligence, and this adds considerable dimension to her storytelling. It takes a great deal of skill to capture this quality in prose; only a writer who's finely attuned to the emotional resonance of others could write with such authority and believability on such matters.
I enjoyed watching the romance unfold; there were several moments of sweetness in Bradley and Ward's relationship, and that formed a marked contrast to Bradley's previous, unhealthy relationship. I thought it was great how he was able to get over his primal wound and discover that he was worthy of a healthy kind of love.
I'll confess that I'm not typically a romance reader but if I read more romance novels written like this--with pithiness, intelligence, and a sensitive beauty to them--I might be inclined to read more of them. The sex scenes were well-written too. The tail end of the story also touched upon current events and provided a rather fitting ending to the book. There's a lot more to this story than first meets the eye.
July 13, 2018
This is the first book from Sionnach Wintergreen and I was impressed by the characters, especially Ward.
All Bradley wants is an Alpha to love him and take care of him, and he thinks he finds his perfect alpha in Jackson. And while I enjoyed getting to know Bradley and Ward, Ms. Wintergreen also writes believable villains as well. Jackson is a horrible, emotional manipulative alpha who treats Bradley horribly. You can see the abuse and the control Jackson has over Bradley because when Bradley meets Ward and Ward explains that alphas, true alphas, are nothing like Jackson, he thinks his relationship with Jackson is perfect. As Bradley truly realizes that the image of a perfect alpha in his head needs to be changed, he realizes that Ward might not be his perfect ideation and his vision of what is perfect needs to change. And Bradley's mother is a...well, bitch. I couldn't stand her and in the end, I'm happy that Bradley realized what he needed in life.
All Bradley wants is an Alpha to love him and take care of him, and he thinks he finds his perfect alpha in Jackson. And while I enjoyed getting to know Bradley and Ward, Ms. Wintergreen also writes believable villains as well. Jackson is a horrible, emotional manipulative alpha who treats Bradley horribly. You can see the abuse and the control Jackson has over Bradley because when Bradley meets Ward and Ward explains that alphas, true alphas, are nothing like Jackson, he thinks his relationship with Jackson is perfect. As Bradley truly realizes that the image of a perfect alpha in his head needs to be changed, he realizes that Ward might not be his perfect ideation and his vision of what is perfect needs to change. And Bradley's mother is a...well, bitch. I couldn't stand her and in the end, I'm happy that Bradley realized what he needed in life.
July 20, 2018
*Audiobook
Zen Alpha is perfectly titled. Ward is about as zen as it gets. The story starts off a bit slow as Ward and Bradley meet and get to know each other, but it does pick up and even those slower parts of the story are interesting. Bradley is something of a contradiction - high-strung and quick to lose his cool in most things, but timid and submissive in relationships. Ward is calm and easy-going, even when he's taking charge, so these two make for quite the pair when they do finally admit their attraction. And once they do come together, it is nothing short of scorching hot. There is some angst and Bradley gets a much needed eye-opener by way of tragedy, but there is also humor and sweetness between this sexy duo. Hugh Bradley does a wonderful job with the narration, making this one an entertaining and enjoyable listen.
Zen Alpha is perfectly titled. Ward is about as zen as it gets. The story starts off a bit slow as Ward and Bradley meet and get to know each other, but it does pick up and even those slower parts of the story are interesting. Bradley is something of a contradiction - high-strung and quick to lose his cool in most things, but timid and submissive in relationships. Ward is calm and easy-going, even when he's taking charge, so these two make for quite the pair when they do finally admit their attraction. And once they do come together, it is nothing short of scorching hot. There is some angst and Bradley gets a much needed eye-opener by way of tragedy, but there is also humor and sweetness between this sexy duo. Hugh Bradley does a wonderful job with the narration, making this one an entertaining and enjoyable listen.
July 17, 2018
Finding true love
This was a cute story of romance and finding love in unexpected ways. I enjoyed reading it. I hated the mother of the MC.
This was a cute story of romance and finding love in unexpected ways. I enjoyed reading it. I hated the mother of the MC.
August 30, 2023
This is a DNF for me. I'd made it 50% through and was going to try to finish, but the writing isn't good, and the MC isn't either. I deserve to read good books, so this one is going to be removed from my reader and I won't be reading other books by this author. Reading this story physically hurt. I recommend reading reviews before starting a book. This was one of those times I skipped doing that because I liked the cover. Big mistake.
There's too much telling, monologue, with head-hopping, and sometimes omniscient observations. It has a mother who is written as the female b***h, the MC is just like his mother except we're supposed to sympathize with him. Sex scenes had strange descriptions, like 'effervescent cum,' and a tongue that could reach the prostate. Also no condom which was so wrong considering Bradley's ex was cheating on him with multiple partners.
If you want a more thorough review, read these, they say everything I would have repeated.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I give Zen Alpha 1 Star and won't be reading any more of this author's stories.
There's too much telling, monologue, with head-hopping, and sometimes omniscient observations. It has a mother who is written as the female b***h, the MC is just like his mother except we're supposed to sympathize with him. Sex scenes had strange descriptions, like 'effervescent cum,' and a tongue that could reach the prostate. Also no condom which was so wrong considering Bradley's ex was cheating on him with multiple partners.
If you want a more thorough review, read these, they say everything I would have repeated.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I give Zen Alpha 1 Star and won't be reading any more of this author's stories.
July 15, 2018
Bradley was too insecure and needy. Ward was nice but pulled a douch move on Bradley. DNF at that point. Nice relationship development. Really bad sex.
July 21, 2022
I tried hard to like this but just couldn’t. Bradley Evans’ overbearing bigoted mother has brainwashed him into thinking nice guys finish last and that he should “only date winners”. Bradley seems to interpret this as a signal to only date rich guys who treat him badly. When his sweet neighbour, Ward Linden, comes to his assistance, Bradley reluctantly starts to dismantle his warped view of men. I didn’t mind the premise but the execution was pretty heavy handed with caricatures instead of characters: Ward was a vegan, yoga-loving saint, Bradley’s mother and ex-boyfriend were nastiness personified, and Bradley was too deluded to be real. I get that if you’re gaslighted enough, you start distrusting your own judgement, but that wasn’t explored in any meaningful way and the steamy sex scenes chewed up valuable plot real estate in an already short story (112 pp). Audio narrator Hugh Bradley spoke with a childlike cadence that I really didn’t enjoy either.
July 22, 2018
Sometimes what you really need and want in life is in the least expected package. That's what Bradley Evans discovered in Zen Alpha by Sionnach Wintergreen. This is an audiobook, so this review is going to be broken down into different sections.
Story - 3.5 stars
I liked the story, but it was short and I think that there were times that the story was rushed or not completely developed. I wanted there to be more, but not more of Bradley and his back and forth. Honestly, I wanted to slap him a time or two. And his ex-boyfriend, I understand why he was needed in the story, however, there was one part that I thought could be removed. That's just me though. But Ward...I loved him and his patience. I think he was more developed than Bradley and quite honestly, he made the story. I'll give the story 3.5 stars.
Narration - 3
This one was hard for me. The beginning sounded like it was recorded in the bathroom using a cell phone. It made some parts hard to understand. After a while, the recording either got better or I got used to the quality and I could understand everything that was said. The reason that I didn't rate this lower is that Hugh Bradley did bring the characters to life and you were able to differentiate between the characters. Narration gets 3 stars.
Overall - 3.5 stars
I'm going to give this whole audiobook 3.5 stars. The story was enjoyable, but rushed. The narration had some issues, but once you got passed those, it worked for the story. It's a short listen for anyone that wants a quick read or something that can be listened to in one or two sittings.
Story - 3.5 stars
I liked the story, but it was short and I think that there were times that the story was rushed or not completely developed. I wanted there to be more, but not more of Bradley and his back and forth. Honestly, I wanted to slap him a time or two. And his ex-boyfriend, I understand why he was needed in the story, however, there was one part that I thought could be removed. That's just me though. But Ward...I loved him and his patience. I think he was more developed than Bradley and quite honestly, he made the story. I'll give the story 3.5 stars.
Narration - 3
This one was hard for me. The beginning sounded like it was recorded in the bathroom using a cell phone. It made some parts hard to understand. After a while, the recording either got better or I got used to the quality and I could understand everything that was said. The reason that I didn't rate this lower is that Hugh Bradley did bring the characters to life and you were able to differentiate between the characters. Narration gets 3 stars.
Overall - 3.5 stars
I'm going to give this whole audiobook 3.5 stars. The story was enjoyable, but rushed. The narration had some issues, but once you got passed those, it worked for the story. It's a short listen for anyone that wants a quick read or something that can be listened to in one or two sittings.
May 21, 2018
Bradley has a boyfriend and a mother who always put him down. His neighbor is nice but Bradley doesn't feel he has the qualities necessary for a good boyfriend. He has to decide: nice or hot?
At the end are a couple developments that seem designed merely to inject drama in an otherwise easygoing story.
Typos: misplaced question mark (I'm not doing anything?), sentence fragment (We're done! He screamed), split subject and verb (he felt as content as Mijo, sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace, looked), cue for queue (call in the cue), comma for period ("Ward Linden," he could barely get out the name).
At the end are a couple developments that seem designed merely to inject drama in an otherwise easygoing story.
Typos: misplaced question mark (I'm not doing anything?), sentence fragment (We're done! He screamed), split subject and verb (he felt as content as Mijo, sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace, looked), cue for queue (call in the cue), comma for period ("Ward Linden," he could barely get out the name).
July 25, 2018
Hmmmm. Not at all what I was expecting....
Bradley, who’s convinced he wants an ‘alpha’ in his life, discovers that his born-to-be-mild neighbor Ward is everything he needs.
It’s a very sweet romance, but neither Ward nor Bradley are particularly engaging. And... you never know why Bradley is so convinced that he’ll be happier with an ‘alpha’....since he apparently believes that means he’ll get treated like s**t. And you never really learn much at all about Ward....yes, he’s really a great guy, but nothing about how his feelings for Bradley develop and change.
But I did learn a new word: scoliosexual. So there’s that.
Bradley, who’s convinced he wants an ‘alpha’ in his life, discovers that his born-to-be-mild neighbor Ward is everything he needs.
It’s a very sweet romance, but neither Ward nor Bradley are particularly engaging. And... you never know why Bradley is so convinced that he’ll be happier with an ‘alpha’....since he apparently believes that means he’ll get treated like s**t. And you never really learn much at all about Ward....yes, he’s really a great guy, but nothing about how his feelings for Bradley develop and change.
But I did learn a new word: scoliosexual. So there’s that.
May 2, 2019
Meh. I get that novellas are those books that are hard to get right. There's not many pages so that makes character development and situational development hard for most authors and I feel like this story line was just RUSHED.
Bradley was a bit on the weak side and I say this because he let Jackson emotionally abuse him and was tempted to take him back...all because he had a strong personality? Then he falls for his neighbor a bit too quickly and the drama happened, very little was mentioned about recovery and now both of them have broken their lease an moved in together in less than a year.
Bradley was a bit on the weak side and I say this because he let Jackson emotionally abuse him and was tempted to take him back...all because he had a strong personality? Then he falls for his neighbor a bit too quickly and the drama happened, very little was mentioned about recovery and now both of them have broken their lease an moved in together in less than a year.
September 11, 2018
I wasn’t a fan of Bradley. Although, I did enjoy
That was awesome and long over due.
That was awesome and long over due.
December 30, 2018
Loved Ward. Not so much Bradley. Multiple times I was begging Ward to run for the hills.
Not that Bradley was a bad guy. I just felt like Ward deserved better.
Not that Bradley was a bad guy. I just felt like Ward deserved better.
added-it
July 18, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/18/2022)! 🎁
August 5, 2022
Zen Alpha
Great story, interesting approach to the main character dynamics. Definitely worth an afternoon read. Sionnach holds your attention without drowning you.
Great story, interesting approach to the main character dynamics. Definitely worth an afternoon read. Sionnach holds your attention without drowning you.
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