Title: Pressure Points
Series: Pisgah Mountain Wolves 02
Author: Silvia Violet
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Novel (196 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-62798-566-6
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (19th March 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: It’s hard enough being an inn manager, serving at everyone’s beck and call, making sure all the guests are happy and the employees are paid on time. Add to that being a werewolf, a recovering alcoholic, and a pack leader. Add to that a brother who is trying to tear the pack apart and a dark past he can’t escape. Needless to say, Carl is under a lot of stress. Not helping: Justin, the inn’s human massage therapist—who Carl is trying not to fall for—has offered Carl a massage to “lower his stress levels.” As his boss, Carl can’t tell Justin his hands might lower stress levels, but they would raise something else.
Despite Carl trying to put him off, Justin won’t give in. Carl’s friends won’t leave him alone, and the divisions in the pack are near exploding. And it’s tourist season. The last thing Carl needs are wolf wars in the lobby. Like it or not, Carl is going to have to rely on Justin and the wolves who love him to teach him how to let go and get through everything without falling apart.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4771
Review: This story is part of a series and while this story can be read as a standalone, it is best read after Denying Yourself. Carl is juggling managing the inn, leading a pack, dealing with his brother’s animosity, dealing with the pressure is beginning to get to him, and finding himself attracted to a human is the last thing he expected. Justin is laid back and he can do wonders for stress with his massages but trying to convince Carl to let go isn’t easy. When Carl begins to let Justin in Justin does his best to prove he can handle the wolf but unless Carl can relax his responsibilities and accept the support that is offered, it just might drive them apart.
This is a great story that follows on from Denying Yourself really well, this time we join Carl as he juggles with the stresses of handling everything himself and the emotional turmoil of dealing with his brother Egan. Carl really does take his positions seriously, as inn manager and pack leader he believes the success or failure is firmly on his shoulders and as his relationship with his brother deteriorates, further he takes that failure to heart. Carl fights his attraction to Justin for two reasons, one because he is human, and two because Justin is only with them for a few months but Carl doesn’t take into account what Justin wants until he can no longer resist the teasing looks and words.
I really enjoyed this story, which shows us the pressure that a born leader is under, we learn a great deal about Carl and his background so we understand the dynamics between the brothers. Justin’s appearance in Carl’s life comes at a time when he really needs it, even if Carl doesn’t realize it at the time, Justin is the easy-going relaxing presence that Carl really needs. Their relationship is hot, very growly and just a touch rough, but it isn’t a sure thing as Carl needs to learn to balance his life. While I would love to tell you more about Justin we just don’t get to know him that well, other than he is a vegetarian, easy-going and a great massage therapist we just don’t learn that much about him… oh other than he loves rough outdoor sex.
This story is really well written with the conflict and tension leaping off the page, I actually felt my own neck and shoulders tightening up as Carl dealt with the mounting pressure. As you can guess, the story is all from Carl’s point of view and while I loved, being able to sink into his life it would have been nice to also see it from Justin’s eyes. While there isn’t the angst and heartbreak that Denying Yourself has there is a lot of anguish, anger and feelings of inadequacy which all comes to a head and has Carl fighting the seductive appeal of drinking his woes into oblivion. I actually found that scene to be one of the best I have ever read, the temptation to sink into the bottom of the bottle, the shame and disgust of nearly giving in and the relief of having friends who care even when you try to drive them away. I can’t wait for Egan and Alex’s story because that pairing has history and pain that will make for an excellent story.
I recommend this to those who love a different kind of shifter story, hot sex and romance, admitting you need support, sharing responsibilities, grabbing hold of love and a great ending.