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Blackstone Academy #2
Ben Fortune: A Shifter Love Story
When my family finally left our little close-minded pack of assholes back in Utah to join a huge progressive pack in Northwest Louisiana, I thought I’d finally be free of the chains of judgment, scrutiny, and homophobia that had tainted my life with our old pack. I thought I was done with labels and pack drama, and I was ready to fly through my last two years of high school winning friends and influencing people with my stunning charisma—in spite of the fact that we were supposed to be lowly omega wolves.
But when the Alpha’s son rejects my beloved sister as his fated mate on our very first day at Blackstone Academy, his callousness and stupidity kick off a chain of events that embroils us both in the drama we wanted to avoid, both at school and within the pack at-large.
It also tangles me with the Alpha Heir’s best friend and beta wolf, Thad James, and I can’t seem to fight my attraction to him—not that I try very hard. He’s a stuck-up, beautiful, cocky asshole behind those sexy-as-fuck glasses, and I make it my life’s goal to knock him off his game while he fights the intense chemistry between us.
To him, there could never be anything serious between us because of who he thinks I am.
And who am I? I’m Ben Fortune, and I’m going to get what I want.
This is a New Adult, academy-based Urban Fantasy and MM Romance. While it can be read as a standalone, it is highly encouraged that you read Mave’s book (Blackstone Academy Book 1) for a better reading experience. As always, this book is intended for the 18+ crowd and contains alotta swearing and some spicy boy-on-boy action. If that all sounds like your jam, then dive in!
But when the Alpha’s son rejects my beloved sister as his fated mate on our very first day at Blackstone Academy, his callousness and stupidity kick off a chain of events that embroils us both in the drama we wanted to avoid, both at school and within the pack at-large.
It also tangles me with the Alpha Heir’s best friend and beta wolf, Thad James, and I can’t seem to fight my attraction to him—not that I try very hard. He’s a stuck-up, beautiful, cocky asshole behind those sexy-as-fuck glasses, and I make it my life’s goal to knock him off his game while he fights the intense chemistry between us.
To him, there could never be anything serious between us because of who he thinks I am.
And who am I? I’m Ben Fortune, and I’m going to get what I want.
This is a New Adult, academy-based Urban Fantasy and MM Romance. While it can be read as a standalone, it is highly encouraged that you read Mave’s book (Blackstone Academy Book 1) for a better reading experience. As always, this book is intended for the 18+ crowd and contains alotta swearing and some spicy boy-on-boy action. If that all sounds like your jam, then dive in!
318 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2021
321 people are currently reading
442 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
November 19, 2023
4.5 Stars
Ah this book was amazing. But the ending was kinda anticlimactic. The whole drama with Lena felt like it was added there to make the book longer. Other than than I enjoyed the shit out of this.
Ah this book was amazing. But the ending was kinda anticlimactic. The whole drama with Lena felt like it was added there to make the book longer. Other than than I enjoyed the shit out of this.
April 26, 2022
* I won a free copy of this audiobook via a giveaway. All opinions in this review are my own.
This book did something I wasn't expecting it to do. It interweaved Ben's story into Mave's story (Book #1) in an interesting way. In this book, we get to see what was happening with Ben while Mave was being put through the wringer in her book.
Being in Ben's head and seeing what Mave was going through put a different perspective on things in the best way. I also liked getting to know him. He was very self-assured and confident in himself. I loved how he never mistreated anyone who was "beneath" him in the pack hierarchy. The way he made Thad stew in the consequences of his own actions was glorious.
I disliked Thad for probably the first 50% or so of this novel. He was an arrogant *ss who deserved everything he got. Personally, I would have liked to see him grovel more. I did eventually warm up to him though. He become a much more down-to-earth person as the relationship with Ben progressed. Deep down, I still think Ben could have done better if I'm being brutally honest.
The ending was great but the epilogues were jarring. It gave a glimpse into Knox's story but what the author wasn't counting on is that even though he's been reformed and has "grown" I'd much rather get Harriet's story than Knox's. Fingers crossed she'll get her own book!
Onto what I loved about this book: the LGBTQ+ representation. It's great to see characters from the community who play an integral role in a plot who don't get killed, tortured, or traumatized for shock value. I loved that Ben's parent's moved heaven and earth to protect their son from the prejudice of their old pack. It's not every day that parents in books actually do some good and protect their kids (at least in the books I read 😅).
Onto what rubbed me the wrong way: The slut-shaming was still really, really, really annoying. Catching glimpses of the air-headed characters doing it to Mave from Ben's POV was still very annoying. I still think the overall story (Book #1 and #2) could have done with much less if any at all of this particular trope.
The Audio Book:
Listening to this book made me realize that I can actually like male narrated audio books as long as there isn't a female narrator in the production. Through this experience, I learned that what bothers me SO much with male narrators isn't necessarily the lack of female voices/tones it's the comparison I automatically draw when a female narrator switches the POV every other chapter. My brain gravitates to the female narrator because they usually have a bigger range of believable male and female voices than male narrators. With this narration, because there was no switch off from male to female narrator the story was much more enjoyable because I wasn't actively dreading the male narrated chapters because the voices sounded funny.
With that being said the narration was good! Though the male characters did get jumbled up a few times in my head because there was so little distinction between their voices. This audio book also didn't have any weird noises in the background.
June 2, 2022
Wolf shifter
High school drama
Shifter politics
Boyxboy
Strong characters
🔥 steam
Sexy dialogue
Enemies to lovers
The enemies banter/interactions were top notch
New “boy” in school (love that trope)
I did read book one before this to be more invested in the characters and story but I think you could read this as stand-alone or as author stated in author’s notes, read chapter three of book one before hand. It does become a little redundant to book one because it’s basically a rehashing of the same events of Mave’s story just through Ben’s POV.
I still loved Ben and “Nerd Porn” as characters enough that I was intrigued and happy to get to read their story and get to see how their romance developed.
4.5 ⭐️ This series is definitely a well written, satisfying shifter NA romance especially as it’s from a new indie author.
High school drama
Shifter politics
Boyxboy
Strong characters
🔥 steam
Sexy dialogue
Enemies to lovers
The enemies banter/interactions were top notch
New “boy” in school (love that trope)
I did read book one before this to be more invested in the characters and story but I think you could read this as stand-alone or as author stated in author’s notes, read chapter three of book one before hand. It does become a little redundant to book one because it’s basically a rehashing of the same events of Mave’s story just through Ben’s POV.
I still loved Ben and “Nerd Porn” as characters enough that I was intrigued and happy to get to read their story and get to see how their romance developed.
4.5 ⭐️ This series is definitely a well written, satisfying shifter NA romance especially as it’s from a new indie author.
May 29, 2022
3.5 stars!
I feel like so much was happening all at once and there were just too many characters involved. And the author said she didn't want it to be Mave's story (from book 1 which I didn't read 🤡) through Ben's POV, but it kinda was and I didn't love that. But I mean if you like OTT ridiculous highschool drama and ABO world stuff, then you'll like this 🥰
I feel like so much was happening all at once and there were just too many characters involved. And the author said she didn't want it to be Mave's story (from book 1 which I didn't read 🤡) through Ben's POV, but it kinda was and I didn't love that. But I mean if you like OTT ridiculous highschool drama and ABO world stuff, then you'll like this 🥰
January 28, 2023
3 stars
This book reminds me why I no longer read high school drama books or at least try to stay away haha it’s a lot of petty drama that’s annoying…
Lena was insane, Thad (aka Nerd Porn) was aight, Ben was cool and Mave was okay haha
This did kinda feel like there were a lot of details missing or at least skimmed over… and from reading reviews you’ll get the full picture in Maves story, but it’s not needed. You feel like thing are very surface level though. I will say I think my high school self would eat this series up.. but my almost 29 year old self says ehh🤷🏽♀️
The audiobook was pretty good kept me entertained!
This book reminds me why I no longer read high school drama books or at least try to stay away haha it’s a lot of petty drama that’s annoying…
Lena was insane, Thad (aka Nerd Porn) was aight, Ben was cool and Mave was okay haha
This did kinda feel like there were a lot of details missing or at least skimmed over… and from reading reviews you’ll get the full picture in Maves story, but it’s not needed. You feel like thing are very surface level though. I will say I think my high school self would eat this series up.. but my almost 29 year old self says ehh🤷🏽♀️
The audiobook was pretty good kept me entertained!
February 16, 2022
Ah well, a bit of a disappointment after the first book.
We go over the same ground for most of the book, that was gone over in the first book, but from Thad and Ben's POVs. It was entertaining for a while.
And actually... that part was better than the last third, which was so so SO predictable.
ANother crazy evil mean girl. This high school needs to hire a psychologist!
Thad is bisexual, so that's why the evil OW is an OW.
The ending has several epilogues that are mostly sex. The last one is a teaser for Knox's book.
There are a lot of things left hanging from the first book that are still hanging for this one too.
Like ...
Perhaps ED is saving those reveals for Knox's book. I went a pre-ordered it before reading this one, so I hope it's worth it.
safety is good
We go over the same ground for most of the book, that was gone over in the first book, but from Thad and Ben's POVs. It was entertaining for a while.
And actually... that part was better than the last third, which was so so SO predictable.
ANother crazy evil mean girl. This high school needs to hire a psychologist!
Thad is bisexual, so that's why the evil OW is an OW.
The ending has several epilogues that are mostly sex. The last one is a teaser for Knox's book.
There are a lot of things left hanging from the first book that are still hanging for this one too.
Like ...
Perhaps ED is saving those reveals for Knox's book. I went a pre-ordered it before reading this one, so I hope it's worth it.
safety is good
April 8, 2022
A good shifter book.. the moniker for the Beta wolf is Nerd porn😂
October 31, 2021
Ben Fortune
By Elizabeth Dear
This story doesn't start off where Mave Fortune ended. It starts on the very same day that the previous book about his sister did. So there is a little bit of repetition in regards to the biggest scenes and twists, but they're from Ben's POV this time.
I already knew after reading the first book, but it was awesome seeing Ben had the same kickass attitude his sister Mave had and that he would do anything and everything to protect her emotionally and physically. It was also awesome to see Ben and 'Nerd-Porn' Thad's feelings for each other (the good and the frustrating) that were hidden from us until now.
Just as in the first book I loved Ben, Mave, their amazing parents, Mave and Ben's BFF Harriet, and also grew to love Thad. He was never really a bad guy in the first book. He was just stuck in a bad situation thanks to Knox's crude, elitist, and obnoxious behavior. Though he had some elitist behavior of his own too.
Up next is Knox's book. At first thought I wasn’t sure I cared about him enough after what he did to Mave, but after reading this book I'm curious what will happen to him. Would love a book about Harriet too please! 😉
The book is in both Ben and Thad's POV. The angst level is on the low side of medium.
By Elizabeth Dear
This story doesn't start off where Mave Fortune ended. It starts on the very same day that the previous book about his sister did. So there is a little bit of repetition in regards to the biggest scenes and twists, but they're from Ben's POV this time.
I already knew after reading the first book, but it was awesome seeing Ben had the same kickass attitude his sister Mave had and that he would do anything and everything to protect her emotionally and physically. It was also awesome to see Ben and 'Nerd-Porn' Thad's feelings for each other (the good and the frustrating) that were hidden from us until now.
Just as in the first book I loved Ben, Mave, their amazing parents, Mave and Ben's BFF Harriet, and also grew to love Thad. He was never really a bad guy in the first book. He was just stuck in a bad situation thanks to Knox's crude, elitist, and obnoxious behavior. Though he had some elitist behavior of his own too.
Up next is Knox's book. At first thought I wasn’t sure I cared about him enough after what he did to Mave, but after reading this book I'm curious what will happen to him. Would love a book about Harriet too please! 😉
The book is in both Ben and Thad's POV. The angst level is on the low side of medium.
January 12, 2024
Usually not a fan of Shifter romances and especially not a fam of bullying romances in high school, but I am 2 for 2 on this series. LOVED IT!
Don't be fooled by the cheesy covers, this is a fast paced, well thought out shifter romance set in high school.
Ben is the hero this time, and he and his family have entered the Pack and High School as Omegas. He and his sister are actually Alpha's that just don't care about positions. Or, as they would say, don't give a fuck. Lots of cussing. Ben is a bad boy charmer and knows it, but he escapes being an arrogant and insufferable ass with his sense of humor, his love and loyalty to his sister, and his ability to sympathize and protect the prey folk and the real Omegas. I can't help but picture Austin Butler as Ben.
This parallels Mave Fortune in storyline, but delves a little deeper into the ties and expectations of the Pack.
Ben has his sights on Nerd Porn, their nickname for him, a friend of the Alpha's who wants him as well. It doesn't go well with their first sexual encounter.
“That’s not the real world, Ben,” he said coolly. “Yes, I have found myself to be… extremely attracted to you, and the way you carry yourself is… intriguing to me, even if it pisses me off at the same time. But when we leave this room, you’ll still be a rude, insolent omega wolf, and I’ll still be a future leader at the very top of the Pack echelon. There are… expectations.”
Nerd Porn is horrified to find out that the guy he thought was unworthy can actually kick his rear. It takes a while, with some minimal groveling, but it all works out.
The last half of the book, a battle for supremacy within the pack, and raveling the relationship was action packed and fun.It's not often when you can see exactly what the author wants you to see.
The other part I really enjoyed is how E. Dear handled the concept of real life Alpha's and bullying in high school, and how hard it is to fight back successfully in a small high school environment. I've mentioned the Steubenville football rape scandal before and how it must be for lowly students not only fight their peers as bullies, but football legacies and fans and school administrations that want to protect the bullies.
Don't be fooled by the cheesy covers, this is a fast paced, well thought out shifter romance set in high school.
Ben is the hero this time, and he and his family have entered the Pack and High School as Omegas. He and his sister are actually Alpha's that just don't care about positions. Or, as they would say, don't give a fuck. Lots of cussing. Ben is a bad boy charmer and knows it, but he escapes being an arrogant and insufferable ass with his sense of humor, his love and loyalty to his sister, and his ability to sympathize and protect the prey folk and the real Omegas. I can't help but picture Austin Butler as Ben.
This parallels Mave Fortune in storyline, but delves a little deeper into the ties and expectations of the Pack.
Ben has his sights on Nerd Porn, their nickname for him, a friend of the Alpha's who wants him as well. It doesn't go well with their first sexual encounter.
“That’s not the real world, Ben,” he said coolly. “Yes, I have found myself to be… extremely attracted to you, and the way you carry yourself is… intriguing to me, even if it pisses me off at the same time. But when we leave this room, you’ll still be a rude, insolent omega wolf, and I’ll still be a future leader at the very top of the Pack echelon. There are… expectations.”
Nerd Porn is horrified to find out that the guy he thought was unworthy can actually kick his rear. It takes a while, with some minimal groveling, but it all works out.
The last half of the book, a battle for supremacy within the pack, and raveling the relationship was action packed and fun.It's not often when you can see exactly what the author wants you to see.
The other part I really enjoyed is how E. Dear handled the concept of real life Alpha's and bullying in high school, and how hard it is to fight back successfully in a small high school environment. I've mentioned the Steubenville football rape scandal before and how it must be for lowly students not only fight their peers as bullies, but football legacies and fans and school administrations that want to protect the bullies.
April 29, 2024
So I've rated this a three but there's a valid reason behind why this didn't pack the punch of its predecessor for me. So because Ben and Thad's story takes place on the same timeline as Mave and Blake's I felt like I was reading the same story only from an alternative perspective all over again. This means I always knew what was around the corner and though there were distinct differences it still had too many similarities to feel in any way fresh.
I still highly rate this author and adore her writing and maybe if I hadn't read this back to back but with a gap between, enough for it to feel somewhat distant and fade somewhat in my memory then I might have appreciated this more. I still enjoyed this and it was well written and I will be finishing the series as I want to experience Knox's redemption story.
So this is Thad and Bens's story it's a M/M shifter romance and this takes us through the same timeline as the first book just telling a different couple's story. I liked it but unfortunately didn't love it but I do love Ben as he's quite the character.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
May 28, 2024
Audio Review
The audio makes the story better.
This is the best shifter book I've ever read. It checked every single one of my boxes. Enemies to Lovers, snark (the nicknames in particular were my favorite. Calling Thad Nerd Porn made me giggle every time), mild angst, great world building, and amazing side characters.
I really appreciated the Authors Note regarding the underage sex scenes. I try to avoid them personally, but do understand when they have to happen for timeline sake.
It's book 2 but I think it stands alone fine. There's enough information from the first book given that I didn't feel like I was missing something.
I'm so happy I gave this book a chance. I loved every word. Ben and Thad's story is one I'll be revisiting time and time again.
I do occasionally read MF romance, but don't think I'll read Knox' story when it releases. I love a redemption story usually. In this case I think I'll skip. I don't want to forgive even a fictional character for rejecting their fated mate.
The audio makes the story better.
This is the best shifter book I've ever read. It checked every single one of my boxes. Enemies to Lovers, snark (the nicknames in particular were my favorite. Calling Thad Nerd Porn made me giggle every time), mild angst, great world building, and amazing side characters.
I really appreciated the Authors Note regarding the underage sex scenes. I try to avoid them personally, but do understand when they have to happen for timeline sake.
It's book 2 but I think it stands alone fine. There's enough information from the first book given that I didn't feel like I was missing something.
I'm so happy I gave this book a chance. I loved every word. Ben and Thad's story is one I'll be revisiting time and time again.
I do occasionally read MF romance, but don't think I'll read Knox' story when it releases. I love a redemption story usually. In this case I think I'll skip. I don't want to forgive even a fictional character for rejecting their fated mate.
February 5, 2023
I don’t typically read M/M romance outside of RH, but I really enjoyed the first in this series and I loved Ben’s character and his chemistry with Thad. I’m glad I gave this one a try! It does heavily overlap with events in the first book, but the author really made an effort to create some fresh content and not just repeat scenes over and over which I heavily appreciated.
I’m giving this 4*s because even though it’s overlapped content, I actually think the writing was a lot better in this story than the first one AND my main gripes with the first book were much less present in this one (almost non existent). I think the author shows a lot of growth between book 1 and 2 in their style and I appreciated that a lot.
The drama is also a lot more tolerable in this story and less dramatic (the absence of the evil girl squad in Ben’s POV of events is the main difference). I just really liked Ben and Thad and their relationship dynamic. The push/pull was very well done.
I’m giving this 4*s because even though it’s overlapped content, I actually think the writing was a lot better in this story than the first one AND my main gripes with the first book were much less present in this one (almost non existent). I think the author shows a lot of growth between book 1 and 2 in their style and I appreciated that a lot.
The drama is also a lot more tolerable in this story and less dramatic (the absence of the evil girl squad in Ben’s POV of events is the main difference). I just really liked Ben and Thad and their relationship dynamic. The push/pull was very well done.
December 28, 2022
I really enjoyed this book—more than I thought I would. I didn’t read the first book, so I was worried I would be lost, but I caught on quickly. This is a great enemies-to-lovers romance, with shifters, pack drama, and found family vibes. The spice was excellent and the world building was fantastic.
If you love shifter romances, I highly recommend this book! ❤️❤️❤️
If you love shifter romances, I highly recommend this book! ❤️❤️❤️
August 1, 2024
I love Ben Fortune! Great MM NA chosen mate shifter story full of great angst and a fabulous resolution. The writing is very Gen Z but very tight!
October 21, 2021
Ben Fortune... holy hotness. The tension sizzles right off the page. I mean, you felt it in Mave Fortune, but the spicy scenes between Blake and Mave made everything else just pale in comparison.
"Straight people were gross sometimes." For freaking real😂
Ben's book is Mave's story from her brother's point of view. You see it all play out will a little less focus on her problems and more focus on what Ben and Thad were getting up to behind the scenes. Even with the timeline lining up, it feels like an entirely different book with little head nods to Mave Fortune.
MM. High heat. Seggsy Tension. OW drama that is so ridiculous you'll laugh because absolutely nothing happens with her. She's just crazy🙄
"This was a hate f***, not a declaration of love. Pretty sure."
Oh Ben😅 Thad is so over the top into you its laughable that the mistaken label would ever keep them apart. And the spicy scenes?🥵 *CHEF'S KISS*
Overall character highlights:
💫Ben is an adoring boyfriend and brother. With so much BDE it oozes off page.
💫Thad has been an enigma and this book really revealed that gooey center we were all hoping he had😉
💫Lena deserves the ditch in sure she'll end up in.
💫Mave is just as strong and adoring of her brother as he is of her.
💫Blake is a true MVP.
💫Knox has more than earned his redemption with me and I am beyond ready for him to be lovestruck on ONE😅
"I'll... need the house."🤤🤤🤤
I will end this with three words: Daddy Nerd Porn🥵😈
"Straight people were gross sometimes." For freaking real😂
Ben's book is Mave's story from her brother's point of view. You see it all play out will a little less focus on her problems and more focus on what Ben and Thad were getting up to behind the scenes. Even with the timeline lining up, it feels like an entirely different book with little head nods to Mave Fortune.
MM. High heat. Seggsy Tension. OW drama that is so ridiculous you'll laugh because absolutely nothing happens with her. She's just crazy🙄
"This was a hate f***, not a declaration of love. Pretty sure."
Oh Ben😅 Thad is so over the top into you its laughable that the mistaken label would ever keep them apart. And the spicy scenes?🥵 *CHEF'S KISS*
Overall character highlights:
💫Ben is an adoring boyfriend and brother. With so much BDE it oozes off page.
💫Thad has been an enigma and this book really revealed that gooey center we were all hoping he had😉
💫Lena deserves the ditch in sure she'll end up in.
💫Mave is just as strong and adoring of her brother as he is of her.
💫Blake is a true MVP.
💫Knox has more than earned his redemption with me and I am beyond ready for him to be lovestruck on ONE😅
"I'll... need the house."🤤🤤🤤
I will end this with three words: Daddy Nerd Porn🥵😈
November 11, 2021
4,5 stars - did I say I will not read this book immediately after Mave‘s book? yes. Did I read it in one sitting the next day? Also yes.
As I expected there were a lot of repetitive parts from Maves book but it were a lot less than I thought there would be and the new scenes did definitely made up for that. Ben and Thad are just so cute together I liked the build up of there relationship and I also appreciated the new action loaded scenes that were not mentioned in the first book about Mave. I still loved Mave in this book but also Ben is just an awesome character I had a lot of fun reading this book but I definitely skip-read over the parts that were identical to the first book.
As I expected there were a lot of repetitive parts from Maves book but it were a lot less than I thought there would be and the new scenes did definitely made up for that. Ben and Thad are just so cute together I liked the build up of there relationship and I also appreciated the new action loaded scenes that were not mentioned in the first book about Mave. I still loved Mave in this book but also Ben is just an awesome character I had a lot of fun reading this book but I definitely skip-read over the parts that were identical to the first book.
November 5, 2021
My First MM Romance
This was my first ever MM romance and I loved it. I fell in love with Ben in Mave's book. He had me laughing out loud many times and his bond with his family, especially Mave, was enviable and a joy to read. I felt the same as I read this book. This author is so talented at writing funny, likeable characters. Both books had great pacing and were satisfying. I can't wait to read Knox's story.
This was my first ever MM romance and I loved it. I fell in love with Ben in Mave's book. He had me laughing out loud many times and his bond with his family, especially Mave, was enviable and a joy to read. I felt the same as I read this book. This author is so talented at writing funny, likeable characters. Both books had great pacing and were satisfying. I can't wait to read Knox's story.
July 3, 2023
I really liked Ben and Thad's story but I wish most of the book wasn't scenes I had just read/experienced in Mave's book. Would have been a much higher rating if it was more of it's own book.
April 19, 2024
One of my favorite book of this year! It had everything I love; it was spicy, it had a great love story, it had action and it had wolf shifters. What more can you ask for ? The chemistry the author creates between the MC and his love interest is just amazing and it kept me hooked to this story for the whole book.
October 22, 2021
Ben Fortune is the second book in this series. If you have not read the first one Mave Fortune, a Rejected Mates Story, you are missing out. I don't think its mandatory to read it first to be able to enjoy the second book, but you would enjoy it more if you do (in my humble opinion). The first book is where you fall in love with Mave's brother Ben. Ben is hilarious, hot, witty, and loyal. He is the type of character that you want to be around all the time in your personal life.
The book is a M/M and this is my first one of those. I wasn't sure what to anticipate. But this author did not disappoint. The steamy scenes were hot!
The book is about Ben and Thad, which was a behind the scenes story that started in Mave, the first book. The book has just the right amount of angst with a HEA of course!
Elizabeth Dear has a way of writing that is captivating. Her books are written in such a way that you can literally play the scenes out in your mind when you are reading them. She doesn't write books that you skip ahead, or get bored. You want to read every scene and line because of the story line, humor, steam, etc. Her books engage the readers from the beginning to the end.
I can't wait for book 3!! (And hopefully, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and so forth).
The book is a M/M and this is my first one of those. I wasn't sure what to anticipate. But this author did not disappoint. The steamy scenes were hot!
The book is about Ben and Thad, which was a behind the scenes story that started in Mave, the first book. The book has just the right amount of angst with a HEA of course!
Elizabeth Dear has a way of writing that is captivating. Her books are written in such a way that you can literally play the scenes out in your mind when you are reading them. She doesn't write books that you skip ahead, or get bored. You want to read every scene and line because of the story line, humor, steam, etc. Her books engage the readers from the beginning to the end.
I can't wait for book 3!! (And hopefully, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and so forth).
October 21, 2021
M / M love stories are usually not my first choice, but since "Mave Fortune" I have been waiting longingly for Ben`s and Thad`s story. And I was not disappointed. She is great!
I liked the author's foreword.
You can read "Ben Fortune" as a stand-alone. However, you will have more reading pleasure - with all the storylines - if you start with "Mave Fortune". For me, both stories belong together as there are many parallels.
The leaps in time at the end of the book are also great.
I don't want to reveal the plot itself. But I can promise every reader that they will enjoy it a lot.
Ben and Thad are so rightly for each other! Different in character and yet so suitable for each other. The other side players are great too and the support of the whole "family" was nice.
This book series is an emotional roller coaster for me. First I am sitting on hot coals because of Ben and Thad`s book ... has now been redeemed ... and now my dilemma starts all over again ... IceMan is next!
I liked the author's foreword.
You can read "Ben Fortune" as a stand-alone. However, you will have more reading pleasure - with all the storylines - if you start with "Mave Fortune". For me, both stories belong together as there are many parallels.
The leaps in time at the end of the book are also great.
I don't want to reveal the plot itself. But I can promise every reader that they will enjoy it a lot.
Ben and Thad are so rightly for each other! Different in character and yet so suitable for each other. The other side players are great too and the support of the whole "family" was nice.
This book series is an emotional roller coaster for me. First I am sitting on hot coals because of Ben and Thad`s book ... has now been redeemed ... and now my dilemma starts all over again ... IceMan is next!
May 9, 2022
Second read, first listen:
I still love these guys and now that i finally am able to hear them on audio it's even better!!! These narrators are total voice actors and they immerse you into it!!
I will say that at times i forgot it was set in high school because Thad's voice was so deep but it didn't detract from the story at all because his voice was sexy as hell.
___________________________________
I absolutely loved Ben and Thad's story!!! The sexual tension, the banter, and the progression of their love story! This will definitely be a re-read for me!! Not to mention the sexy scenes 😍😍😍 I'm here for it!!
I still love these guys and now that i finally am able to hear them on audio it's even better!!! These narrators are total voice actors and they immerse you into it!!
I will say that at times i forgot it was set in high school because Thad's voice was so deep but it didn't detract from the story at all because his voice was sexy as hell.
___________________________________
I absolutely loved Ben and Thad's story!!! The sexual tension, the banter, and the progression of their love story! This will definitely be a re-read for me!! Not to mention the sexy scenes 😍😍😍 I'm here for it!!
October 20, 2021
For only the second ever book written by this author, she has once again knocked it out of the park. I was looking forward to Ben's book and wasn't disappointed. I loved everything about it. Ben and nerd porn are everything! Seeing things from Ben's side of things from the first book and beyond that was amazing! Definitely an one sitting read for me. Can't wait for Knox's book!!
March 11, 2022
Ben is perfect and NO ONE is good enough for him.
I like Thad though.
I like Thad though.
April 12, 2022
Complicated
I had some significant issue reviewing this book.
Likes:
The plot was interesting and the characters well developed with attention to detail.
The main relationship was between partners who had a lot more equality than most sports.
Dislikes
** mild spoilers**
Ben intentionally manipulates thad into being vulnerable in an intimate situation so that he can hurt him by being violent. Ben rationalizes his behavior because Thad has conformed to inappropriate oppressive cultural pack norms to perpetrate social oppression and emotional abuse on Ben’s sister as well as refusing to accept Ben as a romantic partner without Ben having high social status. The implication is that because Thad was lacking the understanding that everyone deserves to be treated with respect regardless of social status, that means Thad was “asking for it.” I have major problems with that theme because it implies that it is morally OK to rape someone or be violent with them during a sexual encounter without their consent because you disagree with their worldview. No one is ever “asking for it.“ Ben never apologizes for his deceit or physical abuse. It’s almost bad enough that it needs a trigger warning.
Ben has anger management problems he needs to grow out of. He creates consent issues that he needs to apologize for and he may need therapy to understand that he raped Thad by forcing intimate violence on him.
Next, without any prior past experience or behavior by Thad demonstrating that he prefers aggressive romance, Ben demands that Thad likes it and Thad verbally consents before Ben hurts him in a way he did not consent to.
Problem 1
Thad is bi. He’s been around Knox enough to know Knox prefers to be very Dominant with female partners. Knox is an Alpha and Thad handles the fallout of his relationships constantly. Thad, with his specific preferences, could easily witness Knox’s interactions by mistake because Knox not discreet. Thad, as a self aware Beta, would know whether he found Knox’s dominant approach to be interesting without actually being attracted to Knox before he ever meets Ben. Thad suddenly deciding he likes being dominated by Ben because he’s never thought about an Alpha a potential imaginary partner in an intimate situation is just unbelievable after his duties cleaning up after Knox (who submits all his partners).
Problem 2
Thad has been culturally conditioned to acquiesce physically, verbally, and with a submissive attitude to whatever an Alpha wolf wants which is why he acquiesces to Knox’s inappropriate behavior and Knox’s abuse of Mave. This means the power differential between Ben and Thad is such that there is a very real possibility Thad can’t say no or indicate disagreement by his attitude. Ben doesn’t see the power difference because he refuses to acknowledge it formally according to pack tradition, but it doesn’t mean Ben didn’t use his very real pool of greater power to sexually abuse Thad. Thad is conditioned by those same formal pack traditions to acquiesce & obey his superiors in power without recourse to a separate code of justice that applies to everyone equally. Thad’s lifetime of conditioning doesn’t disappear, it morphs.
The Louisiana pack shares some cultural norms with evangelical churches that are very conservative & ignore what Scripture says in the original language to pursue their authoritarian cultural norms, specifically with regard to what is acceptable behavior for the oppressed gender. Those with less power or serve those with greater power and do so with a smiling face and subservient, gentle words even when those with more power abuse them, order them about on a whim, perpetrate injustice, and victim-blame them for their own emotional, physical, financial, and sexual abuse. The only difference that I can see of the cultural norms up of the Louisiana pack are that these expectations apply according to a hierarchy of aggression instead of gender.
Recognizing the same power plays, it’s clear that Thad never gets de-conditioned, he just can’t say no to Ben, who sets Thad’s new boundaries for acceptable behavior: Everyone close to Ben should receive respect because Ben is an Alpha who likes them. Ben never sees it because Thad is now obeying him on the abusive end on the conditioning stick.
After revealing their higher status, no one treats Thad with the respect they wanted him to treat them with pre-revelation. It’s pretty hypocritical.
Thad bribes Harriet & Mave to be nice to him because his change of behavior and apology isn’t sufficient. He obeys Mave to avoid the financial exploitation of her taking away Ben’s birthday gift. Thad submits to the shame of Blake’s sexual innuendo that Blake might potentially dominate him also when Thad didn’t express interest. Thad submits to the sexual disrespect of being treated like a sexual servant for Ben when Mave or Blake hit him on the butt. Shaming, intimidating, & threatening Thad is not ok. It makes them just like the elites. Minus 2 stars
I had some significant issue reviewing this book.
Likes:
The plot was interesting and the characters well developed with attention to detail.
The main relationship was between partners who had a lot more equality than most sports.
Dislikes
** mild spoilers**
Ben intentionally manipulates thad into being vulnerable in an intimate situation so that he can hurt him by being violent. Ben rationalizes his behavior because Thad has conformed to inappropriate oppressive cultural pack norms to perpetrate social oppression and emotional abuse on Ben’s sister as well as refusing to accept Ben as a romantic partner without Ben having high social status. The implication is that because Thad was lacking the understanding that everyone deserves to be treated with respect regardless of social status, that means Thad was “asking for it.” I have major problems with that theme because it implies that it is morally OK to rape someone or be violent with them during a sexual encounter without their consent because you disagree with their worldview. No one is ever “asking for it.“ Ben never apologizes for his deceit or physical abuse. It’s almost bad enough that it needs a trigger warning.
Ben has anger management problems he needs to grow out of. He creates consent issues that he needs to apologize for and he may need therapy to understand that he raped Thad by forcing intimate violence on him.
Next, without any prior past experience or behavior by Thad demonstrating that he prefers aggressive romance, Ben demands that Thad likes it and Thad verbally consents before Ben hurts him in a way he did not consent to.
Problem 1
Thad is bi. He’s been around Knox enough to know Knox prefers to be very Dominant with female partners. Knox is an Alpha and Thad handles the fallout of his relationships constantly. Thad, with his specific preferences, could easily witness Knox’s interactions by mistake because Knox not discreet. Thad, as a self aware Beta, would know whether he found Knox’s dominant approach to be interesting without actually being attracted to Knox before he ever meets Ben. Thad suddenly deciding he likes being dominated by Ben because he’s never thought about an Alpha a potential imaginary partner in an intimate situation is just unbelievable after his duties cleaning up after Knox (who submits all his partners).
Problem 2
Thad has been culturally conditioned to acquiesce physically, verbally, and with a submissive attitude to whatever an Alpha wolf wants which is why he acquiesces to Knox’s inappropriate behavior and Knox’s abuse of Mave. This means the power differential between Ben and Thad is such that there is a very real possibility Thad can’t say no or indicate disagreement by his attitude. Ben doesn’t see the power difference because he refuses to acknowledge it formally according to pack tradition, but it doesn’t mean Ben didn’t use his very real pool of greater power to sexually abuse Thad. Thad is conditioned by those same formal pack traditions to acquiesce & obey his superiors in power without recourse to a separate code of justice that applies to everyone equally. Thad’s lifetime of conditioning doesn’t disappear, it morphs.
The Louisiana pack shares some cultural norms with evangelical churches that are very conservative & ignore what Scripture says in the original language to pursue their authoritarian cultural norms, specifically with regard to what is acceptable behavior for the oppressed gender. Those with less power or serve those with greater power and do so with a smiling face and subservient, gentle words even when those with more power abuse them, order them about on a whim, perpetrate injustice, and victim-blame them for their own emotional, physical, financial, and sexual abuse. The only difference that I can see of the cultural norms up of the Louisiana pack are that these expectations apply according to a hierarchy of aggression instead of gender.
Recognizing the same power plays, it’s clear that Thad never gets de-conditioned, he just can’t say no to Ben, who sets Thad’s new boundaries for acceptable behavior: Everyone close to Ben should receive respect because Ben is an Alpha who likes them. Ben never sees it because Thad is now obeying him on the abusive end on the conditioning stick.
After revealing their higher status, no one treats Thad with the respect they wanted him to treat them with pre-revelation. It’s pretty hypocritical.
Thad bribes Harriet & Mave to be nice to him because his change of behavior and apology isn’t sufficient. He obeys Mave to avoid the financial exploitation of her taking away Ben’s birthday gift. Thad submits to the shame of Blake’s sexual innuendo that Blake might potentially dominate him also when Thad didn’t express interest. Thad submits to the sexual disrespect of being treated like a sexual servant for Ben when Mave or Blake hit him on the butt. Shaming, intimidating, & threatening Thad is not ok. It makes them just like the elites. Minus 2 stars
February 9, 2025
Re-Listening (3 years later)
So I was recently trying to find a book to revisit in an audio format by looking over my shelf - the Five-Stars book to be exact and I came across a rejected mate story of all things. Now that was a blast from the past and not unwelcome. But considering the preference that was obviously well in progress at that time (judging by the original review below) I decided to instead turn to Ben instead of Mave.
It was kind of fun at times. But I still stand by everything I said in the OG review, which is a bit of a shame. I think I found moments where I actually enjoyed the sheer teenage drama of two alphas masquerading as omegas confronting the (in some way) progressive but also super traditional pack in the future alpha and current jerk and his two minions. There's a certain pettiness we all (most of us) enjoy, that I try not to give into 😅 when watching the most popular shifter get rejected repeatedly and put into place by the girl he insulted and underestimated. That moment of triumph not many bullied kids (people) experience by revealing they're better than the jerks.
It did make romance kind of precarious because both love interests (for both books) were the de facto antagonists and the book was only digging deeper into the issue as every encounter deepened the negative feelings between them and when you don't want the MC to get into the relationship with the love interest... in a romance book... something is wrong, to say the least. This isn't even enemies to lovers, I feel like, just another example of "he may have behaved like a jerk but Trauma so all can be forgiven". Or, in this case, because of peer pressure? Society? His parents certainly don't believe you shop for a spouse instead of falling in love. It did provide some opportunities for growth. I feel like most romances go for circumstances rather than character. X is perfect for Y, now they just have to realize that and figure out how to be together. The End. But Thad being a snob provides a rudimentary version of character development and he has to change before he can find his HEA.
I was just as bothered by Lena this time around. I liked what we saw of her at the beginning, she was the goal-oriented, level-headed, smart and ambitious girl in a bunch of cheerleader-types. It was great. I think good characters are a sign of a well-rounded book and Lena quickly became the worst of them all - I was constantly annoyed by her behaviour aaaand by Thad not standing up to her demands, which made me respect him even less. For someone who proclaims to be the badassest Beta, he sure could use some spine in him. Not to mention her behaviour was so... stalker, obsessive no-is-not-an-answer birch - I think there's this layer of "protection" because she's a woman, I think we're not as quick to judge as if this was a guy harassing a girl even thought the situation should be just as creepy.
The aforementioned encounters did get pretty repetitive: Knox was a jerk, Mave stood up to him, and both parties were super angry, rinse and repeat with minor variations.
The posturing was kinda hilarious but really fit into the whole trying hard to impress vibe. Characters always posing in their own scenes like they're doing a photoshoot and someone is going to whip up a fan to provide the dramatic wind in their hair. He's not wearing sweatpants, they're Designer sweatpants 😂 he says in the middle of a crisis. People can say someone is so hot they could rock a potato sack, when you try the character to say it about themselves, that just makes them conceited. There was this almost fourth-wall feeling to the narration because of it, like they're waiting for applause or a gasp or wolf whistles once the scene was set and we could be in awe of the Fortune twins. Look at me and my too-small shirt stretching across my pecs? *flex, flex* And Ben having a sex playlist in his car? And supplies? I am both impressed and... scandalized 😂.
I think reading this without reading Mave's story first is also hurting my impressions. Don't get me wrong, I adore the fact we are not regaled with the same scenes from her book but it means I am missing some crucial facts as well as emotions.
---
While this book was more my target reading at the moment, I am actually happy it brought me to the first book with Mave and her badass ways. Unfortunately, the high from having a strong female lead I could respect could not longer mask the underlying... complications of this series.
And while I enjoyed reading it, I can't help noticing all the things that make this more of a three-star reading.
The main problem being that this whole book (and series) seems to thrive on this unhealthy cycle of rage and soothe. Sure, the whole fiction is basically based on the fact you have to make your reader feel negative emotions just to make him feel happy but this was a particularly... frustrating and pretty angsty version. I am not fond of angst. Or drama. And here, someone was way too often saying or doing stupid stuff and then we could watch Ben or Mave or sometimes Blake or Harriet (or really, others) kick-ass of their enemies - again and then it happened again and yeah, then it was HEA. Watching Mave win was good because so many books disappointed me but here, it was not only repetitive but... meh.
Lena was the second and more pressing issue. She was supposed to be a calm and collected character and - spoiler, I mean it, she is not. She is the antagonist and her descent into madness... it felt undignified especially because it already happened with Nikita and treating Mave well but then making these two girls into some power/men-hungry itches... I had hoped for more. But then, her treatment of any female beside Mave and Harriet is pretty... disappointing, though I guess it was still better here than in Mave's book.
The last issue was more general and straddling the line of awkward and effective. Making a cool scene - as in making your characters and the scene look cool (we're talking Avengers assembling in the middle of that bridge, the music playing and the camera rotating around them) is tough. Super tough. And the author have gone... bit much? Some of it was (as other review pointed out) this insistent need to repeat car brands. Mave and Ben don't have a car, they have Tesla, bunny shifter has a convertible, Nerdy has Mercedes, Blake has BMW... and see! see?! I rarely care about cars and here I can actually recite them off the top of my head. The same with songs. More generally, it's the descriptions. You always know what someones is wearing (and I just don't care) including how hot /cool / unemotional/ sexy / graceful / etc. someone looks.
"I had my large body draped across the back seat of Harriet’s tiny car while I lazily watched the sparse patches of clouds float along over our heads." (who refers to their own body as large or say they were draped over something?)
It's like the author is trying to image this on the big screen though it's not unusual.
Overall, it's a fairly good book but unless you thrive on this kind of conflict, it might not be the one for you.
So I was recently trying to find a book to revisit in an audio format by looking over my shelf - the Five-Stars book to be exact and I came across a rejected mate story of all things. Now that was a blast from the past and not unwelcome. But considering the preference that was obviously well in progress at that time (judging by the original review below) I decided to instead turn to Ben instead of Mave.
It was kind of fun at times. But I still stand by everything I said in the OG review, which is a bit of a shame. I think I found moments where I actually enjoyed the sheer teenage drama of two alphas masquerading as omegas confronting the (in some way) progressive but also super traditional pack in the future alpha and current jerk and his two minions. There's a certain pettiness we all (most of us) enjoy, that I try not to give into 😅 when watching the most popular shifter get rejected repeatedly and put into place by the girl he insulted and underestimated. That moment of triumph not many bullied kids (people) experience by revealing they're better than the jerks.
It did make romance kind of precarious because both love interests (for both books) were the de facto antagonists and the book was only digging deeper into the issue as every encounter deepened the negative feelings between them and when you don't want the MC to get into the relationship with the love interest... in a romance book... something is wrong, to say the least. This isn't even enemies to lovers, I feel like, just another example of "he may have behaved like a jerk but Trauma so all can be forgiven". Or, in this case, because of peer pressure? Society? His parents certainly don't believe you shop for a spouse instead of falling in love. It did provide some opportunities for growth. I feel like most romances go for circumstances rather than character. X is perfect for Y, now they just have to realize that and figure out how to be together. The End. But Thad being a snob provides a rudimentary version of character development and he has to change before he can find his HEA.
I was just as bothered by Lena this time around. I liked what we saw of her at the beginning, she was the goal-oriented, level-headed, smart and ambitious girl in a bunch of cheerleader-types. It was great. I think good characters are a sign of a well-rounded book and Lena quickly became the worst of them all - I was constantly annoyed by her behaviour aaaand by Thad not standing up to her demands, which made me respect him even less. For someone who proclaims to be the badassest Beta, he sure could use some spine in him. Not to mention her behaviour was so... stalker, obsessive no-is-not-an-answer birch - I think there's this layer of "protection" because she's a woman, I think we're not as quick to judge as if this was a guy harassing a girl even thought the situation should be just as creepy.
The aforementioned encounters did get pretty repetitive: Knox was a jerk, Mave stood up to him, and both parties were super angry, rinse and repeat with minor variations.
The posturing was kinda hilarious but really fit into the whole trying hard to impress vibe. Characters always posing in their own scenes like they're doing a photoshoot and someone is going to whip up a fan to provide the dramatic wind in their hair. He's not wearing sweatpants, they're Designer sweatpants 😂 he says in the middle of a crisis. People can say someone is so hot they could rock a potato sack, when you try the character to say it about themselves, that just makes them conceited. There was this almost fourth-wall feeling to the narration because of it, like they're waiting for applause or a gasp or wolf whistles once the scene was set and we could be in awe of the Fortune twins. Look at me and my too-small shirt stretching across my pecs? *flex, flex* And Ben having a sex playlist in his car? And supplies? I am both impressed and... scandalized 😂.
I think reading this without reading Mave's story first is also hurting my impressions. Don't get me wrong, I adore the fact we are not regaled with the same scenes from her book but it means I am missing some crucial facts as well as emotions.
---
While this book was more my target reading at the moment, I am actually happy it brought me to the first book with Mave and her badass ways. Unfortunately, the high from having a strong female lead I could respect could not longer mask the underlying... complications of this series.
And while I enjoyed reading it, I can't help noticing all the things that make this more of a three-star reading.
The main problem being that this whole book (and series) seems to thrive on this unhealthy cycle of rage and soothe. Sure, the whole fiction is basically based on the fact you have to make your reader feel negative emotions just to make him feel happy but this was a particularly... frustrating and pretty angsty version. I am not fond of angst. Or drama. And here, someone was way too often saying or doing stupid stuff and then we could watch Ben or Mave or sometimes Blake or Harriet (or really, others) kick-ass of their enemies - again and then it happened again and yeah, then it was HEA. Watching Mave win was good because so many books disappointed me but here, it was not only repetitive but... meh.
Lena was the second and more pressing issue. She was supposed to be a calm and collected character and - spoiler, I mean it, she is not. She is the antagonist and her descent into madness... it felt undignified especially because it already happened with Nikita and treating Mave well but then making these two girls into some power/men-hungry itches... I had hoped for more. But then, her treatment of any female beside Mave and Harriet is pretty... disappointing, though I guess it was still better here than in Mave's book.
The last issue was more general and straddling the line of awkward and effective. Making a cool scene - as in making your characters and the scene look cool (we're talking Avengers assembling in the middle of that bridge, the music playing and the camera rotating around them) is tough. Super tough. And the author have gone... bit much? Some of it was (as other review pointed out) this insistent need to repeat car brands. Mave and Ben don't have a car, they have Tesla, bunny shifter has a convertible, Nerdy has Mercedes, Blake has BMW... and see! see?! I rarely care about cars and here I can actually recite them off the top of my head. The same with songs. More generally, it's the descriptions. You always know what someones is wearing (and I just don't care) including how hot /cool / unemotional/ sexy / graceful / etc. someone looks.
"I had my large body draped across the back seat of Harriet’s tiny car while I lazily watched the sparse patches of clouds float along over our heads." (who refers to their own body as large or say they were draped over something?)
It's like the author is trying to image this on the big screen though it's not unusual.
Overall, it's a fairly good book but unless you thrive on this kind of conflict, it might not be the one for you.
September 18, 2025
The Fortunes left their family pack to protect their children since they were close-minded and didn't see Mave (female) as an equal, and wouldn't accept Ben's sexuality. They joined a large progressive pack and, with no desire to be involved in pack politics, thought they could live a happy, calm life. But that's not what happened. Drama found the Fortune siblings on their first day when the Alpha heir rejected Mave. Ben and Mave find themselves in the middle of major school drama with the Alpha heir and pack politics. This puts Ben squarely at odds with the Alpha Heir’s best friend and beta, Thad James. Ridiculously handsome and rule-abiding Thad and fun-loving, mischievous Ben clash in every way. They are also intensely attracted to one another, and it's just a matter of time before one of them caves to their chemistry.
This is a retelling of Mave's book from Ben and Thad's POV, so the basic story is already known. It's not quite as good as Mave's book; however, it's still interesting since their roles are different and they are distracted by one another. I love Ben. His love and loyalty for Mave are only matched by hers for him. The two seem more like twins than regular siblings. I love his charisma and goofiness. His smartass ways amused me, and I loved how he seemed to get the better of Thad time and time again. Having said that, I don't think the author did him justice. He didn't shine as much as I expected from Mave's book. Ben is a character who should always steal the spotlight, and I think he could have been "more" in his own book. Thad needed a "Ben" to enter his life to keep him from becoming so straightlaced that he forgot how to smile. He lived small, always doing what was expected, never stepping out of the Alpha shadow. Ben made him come alive. I would have been happier with their relationship if Thad had caved before he knew Ben was an Alpha. It tarnished their relationship because he didn't accept him fully as an Omega, since it showed he valued position over the person. But it was fun to see Thad face the consequences of his perfect life partner and step out of his comfort zone for Ben.
This is a retelling of Mave's book from Ben and Thad's POV, so the basic story is already known. It's not quite as good as Mave's book; however, it's still interesting since their roles are different and they are distracted by one another. I love Ben. His love and loyalty for Mave are only matched by hers for him. The two seem more like twins than regular siblings. I love his charisma and goofiness. His smartass ways amused me, and I loved how he seemed to get the better of Thad time and time again. Having said that, I don't think the author did him justice. He didn't shine as much as I expected from Mave's book. Ben is a character who should always steal the spotlight, and I think he could have been "more" in his own book. Thad needed a "Ben" to enter his life to keep him from becoming so straightlaced that he forgot how to smile. He lived small, always doing what was expected, never stepping out of the Alpha shadow. Ben made him come alive. I would have been happier with their relationship if Thad had caved before he knew Ben was an Alpha. It tarnished their relationship because he didn't accept him fully as an Omega, since it showed he valued position over the person. But it was fun to see Thad face the consequences of his perfect life partner and step out of his comfort zone for Ben.
April 22, 2022
Solid 3.5 stars
It was decent, I enjoyed it.
I read the first book, Mave Fortune, a long time ago and fairly liked, it and this one was the same.
Because it starts where the other book started, just from Mave's brother, Ben's POV. It did in fact get very repetitive, but the author did what she could. It just felt like the whole story of Ben and Thad was revolving around Mave's struggles, which was kinda boring.
Besides that, I feel like the romance, tension and angst could have been more. I didn't loove either character or their romance. I was a little let down by their chemistry.
Also the smut scenes were lower than I expected (I'm fairly sure I remember more spice in Mave Fortune), but the author does explain it's because Ben is underage (17) for a good part of the book so I get it.
Lastly, I think a reason I didn't enjoy it more, and this is a me problem, is because its set in high school... It feels weird reading about lOvE and sex in high schoolers, and for that reason I didn't get into it that much.
Overall decent, might read the last book, Knox eventually. :)
Ps. Ben's Car Sex Playlist (in the book preface), is top quality. 🤌🏻
It was decent, I enjoyed it.
I read the first book, Mave Fortune, a long time ago and fairly liked, it and this one was the same.
Because it starts where the other book started, just from Mave's brother, Ben's POV. It did in fact get very repetitive, but the author did what she could. It just felt like the whole story of Ben and Thad was revolving around Mave's struggles, which was kinda boring.
Besides that, I feel like the romance, tension and angst could have been more. I didn't loove either character or their romance. I was a little let down by their chemistry.
Also the smut scenes were lower than I expected (I'm fairly sure I remember more spice in Mave Fortune), but the author does explain it's because Ben is underage (17) for a good part of the book so I get it.
Lastly, I think a reason I didn't enjoy it more, and this is a me problem, is because its set in high school... It feels weird reading about lOvE and sex in high schoolers, and for that reason I didn't get into it that much.
Overall decent, might read the last book, Knox eventually. :)
Ps. Ben's Car Sex Playlist (in the book preface), is top quality. 🤌🏻
April 2, 2022
Same rating I gave to to book 1.
It was very strange to go through the same book again but from a different POV.
In this one we see Ben’s POV to Mave’s fated mate situation and then we also see his own problems when it comes to Thad and their relationship. We saw a lot of this stuff happen during Mave’s book like when she catches them kissing in the hallway at the party but we didn’t know how they got into that situation, but now we know.
We also see Thad’s POV and see his confusing feelings for Ben. Although we have already seen some of these scenes from Masons POV in book 1 it was nice to see Thads view on things because he seemed to be always so put together but obviously isn’t.
A surprising chapter from Jack Fortunes POV which I wasn’t expecting but we needed that for the rest of the story.
I liked how the last 1/3 of the book was a bit more insight into what happened after Mave’s book ended but before her epilogue.
We also see a set up for Knox’s book which I’m kind of intrigued about because that one seems to take place over a decade after everything went down in these first 2 books. I’m wondering if Knox’s dad will make a reappearance or if he is just forgotten. And I wonder if we will see what Mave, Blake, Ben and Thad are upto as well as they are away in California at the end of this book (before epilogue 2).
A great book but again it was weird re-reading the same event just from a different POV so I couldn’t give it 5 stars because I feel like I wanted to skip a lot when we had the same lines from the first book.
It was very strange to go through the same book again but from a different POV.
In this one we see Ben’s POV to Mave’s fated mate situation and then we also see his own problems when it comes to Thad and their relationship. We saw a lot of this stuff happen during Mave’s book like when she catches them kissing in the hallway at the party but we didn’t know how they got into that situation, but now we know.
We also see Thad’s POV and see his confusing feelings for Ben. Although we have already seen some of these scenes from Masons POV in book 1 it was nice to see Thads view on things because he seemed to be always so put together but obviously isn’t.
A surprising chapter from Jack Fortunes POV which I wasn’t expecting but we needed that for the rest of the story.
I liked how the last 1/3 of the book was a bit more insight into what happened after Mave’s book ended but before her epilogue.
We also see a set up for Knox’s book which I’m kind of intrigued about because that one seems to take place over a decade after everything went down in these first 2 books. I’m wondering if Knox’s dad will make a reappearance or if he is just forgotten. And I wonder if we will see what Mave, Blake, Ben and Thad are upto as well as they are away in California at the end of this book (before epilogue 2).
A great book but again it was weird re-reading the same event just from a different POV so I couldn’t give it 5 stars because I feel like I wanted to skip a lot when we had the same lines from the first book.
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