Title: Aaron’s Awakening
Series: Shifters’ Haven 04
Author: Lavinia Lewis
Genre: Shifter, Inter-species mating
Length: Novel (110pgs)
Publisher: Total E-Bound (17th October 2011)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Werewolf Aaron Drake is delighted to learn he is finally moving to Texas with his father and father’s mate. Aaron is even more excited to meet his mate – Panther shifter Cary – on the very first day in his new home. But Aaron’s happiness is short lived when, upon their first meeting, Cary runs away from him, distraught.
When Panther shifter Cary Lewis discovers Aaron Drake is his mate, he is absolutely terrified. Mate. The word fills him with dread. Cary Spent two years being abused by his mate Gill and the last six months trying to get over his death. The last thing he needs or wants is another mate, especially one who appears to be as aggressive and dominant as Gill had been. But the mating bond is hard to resist and so is Aaron Drake. Just when Cary begins to come to terms with their union a representative from the supernatural council shows up, and Cary learns that cross species mating is strictly forbidden.
Forced to hide their relationship from the council or face dire consequences their bond is further tested when they discover gay shifters in the area are being targeted and killed by a group of local thugs. Are there too many problems for two such young men to overcome or is their blossoming relationship worth taking a chance on?
Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=1394
Review: Aaron is excited to be moving to the ranch and hopefully becoming his own man. That is if his dad can stop treating him like a child. Then he meets his mate, Cary, and it doesn’t faze him in the least that he’s a were-panther. But what does concern him is discovering that Cary had another mate and how that mate treated him. Cary is at a loss, how can he have another mate and why does the new mate have to be an Alpha, just when he thinks that he might be able to handle things he finds out his mating is forbidden and he is attacked by homophobic humans.
I thought this story-line had a lot going for it and was written quite well. Cary is still recovering mentally from his last mate and feels guilty that he isn’t more affected by the other mate’s death. he can’t believe how naive he was when he works out that he was lied to. Aaron tries his best to give Cary the time that he needs and to do his best for him. They are both thrown when they discover what could happen to them if they mate and with the help of Kelan, Stefan and Gregory, the panther from the supernatural council, they try to discover a way to mate.
I enjoyed this story as there was a lot of conflicting emotions for Cary and Aaron, they had a lot thrown at them in a short space of time that they had to work through, and I thought Aaron made a fantastic rescuer for Cary when he was in trouble and a great mate with his understanding and support. I also thought that Cary was extremely brave to be able to accept that Aaron would not hurt him on purpose and was willing to give him the opportunity to prove himself; when it would have been so easy for him to deny his cat and to hide behind old hurts.
I will recommend this to those who love shifter stories, conflict, hot sex, inter-species mating and a good story-line.