Catch and Release by B.A. Tortuga ~ Audio Review

B.A. Tortuga - Catch and Release Audio Cover d7wheTitle: Catch and Release

Series: The Release 03

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Narrator: Lou Lambert

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 16 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th April 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Dakota Landry just got out of prison after 12 years. If anyone can understand how that feels, it’s his new friend, Sage, who is determined to help him get used to life on the outside – and be-lieves Dakota didn’t commit the crime he was in for.

Jayden Wilson is a former prosecutor who agrees to look into the case at the request of Sage’s lover, Adam. He sets out to prove Dakota is just another “innocent” ex-con, but once they meet, Jayden is more and more convinced Dakota just didn’t do what everyone thinks he did.

Trouble follows Dakota, and nothing is easy as he struggles to figure out how to live, now that he has choices. And Jayden isn’t sure how Dakota, or any lover for that matter, fits into his life. Their path from friendship to romance is a slow one, but Dakota begins to believe he deserves a chance at life, and Jayden falls a little more for Dakota every day. Now they just need to tell each other how they feel.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Catch and Release is the third book in BA Tortuga’s The Release series. This book can work as a standalone book, but since the main characters of the two previous books feature so heavily, I would recommend avoiding this.

I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy! Overall, The Release has also been a fantastic series which has the overarching theme of emotional and physical healing and making a family with the friends you find who support you unconditionally.

The narration for this book was done by Lou Lambert. After the unfounded trepidation I felt when I realised that the same narrator was not performing the whole series, I was ok to find that the third and final book had a different narrator again. I figure that these men were chosen because they suit the main characters of each book. After all, this isn’t exactly a cookie cutter group of people who happen to become friends, they are all different in personality and intensity, which is what makes me love the series. I hadn’t heart anything by Lou Lambert before listening to Catch and Release, but as I just said, his voice suited both main characters. He nailed the tone that conveyed their hope and their hopelessness, sometimes all within the same scene.

Catch and Release is the story of Dakota Landry and Jayden Wilson. Dakota has just served 12 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, too bad his own family did nothing to help him, like providing a lawyer. At the time he had been a lonely, gay, chubby college student who was found guilty of raping a girl at a party he had made a brief appearance at after she named him as her rapist. Getting out of jail, Dakota doesn’t have much hope. In many ways he is a lot like Sage from book 1, although Sage was guilty of being a druggie, both men went into jail as boys and went through their twenties in jail, often used by more tougher, violent men in the jail. And it is Sage that took it upon himself to take Dakota under his wing, with a lot of reservations from his husband. Dakota finds it difficult to realise that there is someone in his corner. It is through Sage that he meets lawyer Jayden Wilson.

Jayden used to be a prosecuting attorney, but the stress and danger of dealing with such horrible cases led Jayden to have a go a property law. However, his past caught up with him and he currently has a guy acting as security – Adam (Sage’s husband) who was in the army, was a cop and now a security specialist. Adam explains about his concerns of Sage befriending a convicted rapist who, on the surface had an open and shut case. With the danger over, Jayden feels the itch to have a look into things and quite suddenly things aren’t as clear as it had been assumed.

Dakota is so beaten down, he finds it nearly impossible to believe in the hope that Jayden is offering. However, as the men get to know each other more the connection between them grows into something more.

I’m finding it difficult to find a book in this series that I liked more than the others. It is impossible. Unlike many series that have a lot of similarities between characters and storylines, this series gives readers three very different stories with six very different characters, all of whom have been deeply affecting by an event in their lives before we meet them.

Catch and Release is an excellent story for those that like a little bit of crime, Law and Order style, with their romance.

The Articles of Release by B.A. Tortuga by Audio Review

B.A. Tortuga - The Articles of Release Audio Cover 473hagTitle: The Articles of Release

Series: The Release 02

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 16 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (11th December 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Just released from the military, wounded warrior Eric Tremaine is trying to put his life back to-gether like the doctors reassembled his shattered leg. He’s a man with no home, since his Loui-siana family rejected him, so Eric winds up in Texas with his old Army buddy, Adam Winchester, and his lover, Sage.

When Eric decides to stop sitting on his ass feeling sorry for himself, he is introduced to trainer Troy Daniels, who lost both his legs in a teenage accident. Troy knows what it’s like to feel as if your body is your enemy. While Eric and Troy have a bumpy start, they soon find enough com-mon ground to make a friendship, if not more. But taking it to the next level means finding out what they have to offer each other, and the world, before they can trust that the love they find together won’t cause more pain than pleasure.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Articles of Release is the second book in BA Tortuga’s The Release series. I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!

The Articles of Release picks up with the same themes of healing and moving on, like The Terms of Release (book 1), and even if there is a little cowboy influence this is a book with completely different emotions and struggles. It would work as a standalone book, but I feel that some readers that love details would be intrigued by Sage and Adam if they hadn’t read their story already because these guys are really well developed by now.

Robert Nieman was the narrator of this book. I was a little bit concerned because I had loved the narration by Slate Anders. Yet, I am familiar with Nieman’s work and have enjoyed many of the audios he has narrated for Dreamspinner authors, so I didn’t really think about it too much. The choice in narrator was perfect. Nieman’s performance and voice suited the two main characters, as he conveyed their thoughts, words and emotions. The narration ensured that I was fully and emotionally invested in the story and wanting the MCs to get their HEA.

As for the actual story, the characters are two men who have been through their own different versions of hell, at different times in their lives. Eric Tremaine is an army veteran who has been discharged from service after sustaining horrific and painful injuries to his legs. His parents and the rest of his family don’t talk to him because he is gay, so life is lonely until he joins up with his old army buddy, Adam and Adam’s husband Sage (from book 1). This is how Eric ends up meeting Troy.

Troy works at gym as a physical therapist and has been helping Sage, who has needed surgery on both his knees. He then started working out with Adam and the three are now friends. So much so that Sage wanted Troy to meet Adam’s friend, Eric, who was also in need of intense physical therapy so that he could get learn to live with the pain that his injuries left him in. Troy is different though because he has been through the agony before. He was a teenager when an accident on the family ranch meant that he lost both his legs. Troy is now a daredevil, ready for the next adrenaline rush and won’t let anything to stop him, not even his prosthetic limbs. The only problem he seems to have is that his parents are worry wards, but his family are wonderful and supportive, the complete opposite to Eric.

However, the road is very bumpy for these guys. Eric is only at the start of his journey and so he is ready to fight everyone around him. Which just shows how great the people he has chosen to be around are. Troy also has a few lessons to learn when it comes to love and making something permanent in his life, particularly when he needs to support the man he is falling for as he heals. Troy also needs to learn that it’s not just about him and his life when it comes to love as well and that his potentially dangerous antics are difficult for someone to sit back and watch.

I adored this story. There is physical and mental healing, there are great friends and some great family too. These guys don’t fall into love or into bed quickly, they take their time trying to get their complicated lives to slowly fit together.

Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen ~ Audiobook

Title: Signs of Life

Series: Resilient Love 02

Author: Melanie Hansen

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 8 hrs 22 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (21st March 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Successful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all – a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leaves Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain. He’s able to piece his life back together, but instead of embracing it, he merely exists, using isolation and punishing physical exertion to keep the world at bay.

High school teacher Kai Daniels has a heart for at-risk kids – he was one himself, and a teenage brush with the law and some troubled years behind bars left him scarred inside and out. With courage, hard work, and the support of friends, he’s built a fulfilling life that leaves no time for a relationship.

An intense encounter with Kai at a gay club ignites a spark in Jeremy that he thought was extinguished forever, but he’s unwilling to destroy the fragile peace he’s managed to create, and he leaves Kai humiliated and disappointed. Things should have ended there, but a bizarre occurrence brings the two together in a way neither of them expected.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible AU | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Signs of Life is book 2 in Melanie Hansen’s Resilient Love series. I hadn’t been sure what to expect. I had read book 1, about 2 years ago, and from reading my review of that I loved it, though I had trouble remembering all of the plot. Regardless, I went into the audio of book 2 with an open mind and hoping that I didn’t need to do a proper re-read of book 2. While I’m sure it would be best to read the books in order, I find that Signs of Life also works perfectly well as a standalone book. However, be warned, it’s probably best to have some tissues handy for this one.

The story follows Jeremy Speer, a lawyer with a tragic past after the death of his family, and passionate school teacher who works with troubled kids, Kai Daniels.

Jeremy has a lot of baggage and emotion to work through before even thinking about a relationship beyond sex. After their first encounter, work brings the two men back together and Kai is not a very happy man about seeing the man he thought as an asshole. For Jeremy, the fact that he barely knows Kai, especially since their first encounter is in a dark, dingy gay club, he has to open himself up before completely fucking up any chance he could have with Kai.

The plot line itself is fairly simple and I’ve tried to keep this review spoiler free, which is the reason why it is so short. For me though, this book was all about the emotion – the loneliness, hurt and grief which has the opportunity to transform into acceptance, love and hope.

I’ve not heard a lot of books narrated by Robert Nieman, and while he is not among my absolute favorite narrators, I nonetheless enjoyed listening to his narration.

Moment of Silence by Karen Stivali ~ Audiobook

Karen Stivali - Moment in Silence Cover AudioTitle: Moment of Silence

Series: Moments In Time 04

Author: Karen Stivali

Genre: Contemporary 

Narrator: Robert Neiman

Length: 8 hrs 4 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (31st August 2016)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Heart

Narration: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Heart

Blurb: Growing up, Jason Stern led a charmed life complete with devoted sisters, a father who was one of Brooklyn’s most respected rabbis, and a mother who made the world’s best babka. He headed to NYU ready for anything – except falling for the wrong guy, coming out, and getting disowned by his once-loving family. In spite of that, Jason managed to graduate with honors. He’s got friends who treat him like family, and he’s proudly running the largest LGBTQ teen shelter in Manhattan. Life is good, but he’s still falling for the wrong men.

When charming, sexy Quinn Fitzpatrick begins work at the shelter, Jason falls hard and fast. Quinn is tall, blond, funny – damn near perfect. Only if Quinn’s gay, even he doesn’t seem to know it. If he does, he’s not telling anyone. And he’s about one ceremony away from becoming a Catholic priest.

Long hours of work turn to long nights of talking and laughter, and Jason dares to hope this time he’s falling for the right guy. But Quinn’s got a past to deal with and major decisions to make about his future. When Quinn leaves for a silent retreat, Jason knows the silence may change everything.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK

Reviewer: Gigi

Review: Oh my god Quinn!!!! I knew Collin’s brother was going to be a fire cracker! It’s always the priests!!! Or in this case almost priests….

At the end of book 3 we see Quinn offering an olive branch to Collin, and a cracking of Quinn’s carefully constructed shell. Years of cruel psychological abuse by his mother led Quinn straight to the brotherhood, in hopes of escaping her crushing demands. His guilt over his brothers treatment, his questioning of his own identity, all lead to Quinn taking a break from the order before he makes the priesthood official. Can his desire to live out his faith combine with his desire for Jason? 

And poor Jason, once bitten twice shy knows better than to encourage a relationship with a closeted gay man. But sometimes desire outweighs common sense, the heart and the libido gets what it wants!!!

All along as their friendship grows into a sexual relationship I was so worried for Jason. To overcome what is ingrained in us from childhood is so taught, I really wondered how Quinn could walk away from something not only forced upon him, but his true passion and life’s work in the ministry. Faith and family are two huge weights… and it will take a strong man to lift him up from that. 

The sexual tension is hot! There was one line in particular from Quinn…I was thinking, gay priest…soft sensual slow sexual discovery right….no! This hot hunk of brotherhood tells Jason he not only imagines sex with him, but he imagines man handling him him down underneath him and having a hard rough fuck with Jason. Dominant, hot and heavy! 

Narration is good, nice timing, consistent with earlier books. 

Moment of Clarity by Karen Stivali ~ Audiobook

Karen Stivali - Moment of Clarity Cover AudioTitle: Moment of Clarity

Series: Moments In Time 03

Author: Karen Stivali

Genre: Contemporary

Narrator: Robert Neiman

Length: 3 hrs 53 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (22nd August 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Narration: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Spending the summer together on Fire Island brought Collin and Tanner closer than ever, but back in their conservative college town, challenges confront them at every turn.

As they search for their new normal in their old environment, Collin’s brother Sean surprises them with help when they need it most. But when word about their relationship gets out, trouble erupts with friends and family. When Collin’s relationship with Tanner becomes an issue in his brother’s custody battle and Tanner struggles with his feelings for a heartbroken Wendy, Collin wonders if everyone he cares about would be better off without him in the picture.

In order to save them both, Tanner must make it clear to Collin that their love for each other is all that matters.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK

Reviewer: Gigi

Review: Back from a roller coaster of self-discovery, trust and sexual exploration on Fire Island, Collin and Tanner come back to the reality of a town that has plenty of narrow minded people ready to tear them down and apart. 

Just when they’re ready to fall back into a routine of living together on college campus, they discover that they’ll soon be homeless for a while unless they can find a friend or in this case family to take them in for a while. I’m totally loving Collin’s brother but so distraught at what he’s forced to do. The stress of house hopping, school and work start to build up on Collin and his jealousy over Wendy doesn’t help things. He makes a bad move, and it could lead to the end of their relationship. 

Can this couple get over distance, family drama, and the burdens of daily life? The biggest relationship hurdle here is insecurity brought on by homophobia in family and community members…but the beauty is we often are pleasantly surprised by the people in our life that we least expect support from. 

The intimacy grows between Collin and Tanner and trust allows them to further explore their sexual tastes and deepen the bond. Until of course Collin believes he can push Tanner into someone else’s arms! Lots of drama!

Narration is consistent with the first two books. Sometimes characters blend, but the pace, rhythm and tone are all pleasing. This book puts Collin and Tanner through plenty of hoops, but the ending is great, and has plenty of happiness and big surprises leading to book 4! 

In The Middle of Somewhere by Roan Parrish ~ Audiobook

Roan Parrish - In the Middle of Somewhere Cover AudioTitle: In the Middle of Somewhere

Series:  Middle of Somewhere 01

Author: Roan Parrish

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 13 hrs, 31 minutes

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (25th March 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4.5 Hearts

Blurb: Daniel Mulligan is tough, snarky, and tattooed, hiding his self-consciousness behind sarcasm. Daniel has never fit in – not at home in Philadelphia with his auto mechanic father and brothers, and not at school where his Ivy League classmates looked down on him. Now, Daniel’s relieved to have a job at a small college in Holiday, Northern Michigan, but he’s a city boy through and through, and it’s clear that this small town is one more place he won’t fit in.

Rex Vale clings to routine to keep loneliness at bay: honing his muscular body, perfecting his recipes, and making custom furniture. Rex has lived in Holiday for years, but his shyness and imposing size have kept him from connecting with people.

When the two men meet, their chemistry is explosive, but Rex fears Daniel will be another in a long line of people to leave him, and Daniel has learned that letting anyone in can be a fatal weakness. Just as they begin to break down the walls keeping them apart, Daniel is called home to Philadelphia, where he discovers a secret that changes the way he understands everything.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: This is the first time that I’ve experienced Roan Parrish’s writing – in audio or in text, starting the Middle of Somewhere series was really a big step for me. However, I have to say that the blurb took me in – I’m a sucker for the secret tough guy who is also the black sheep of the family. And that is exactly the type of story you are getting here, so if you’re like me and that’s your thing, I say give it a whirl and you will probably be pleasantly surprised. 

The story follows Daniel. He is the black sheep of his family. He has been ridiculed by his brothers and father since he was a child – since the untimely death of his mother. At one point as a child his one haven was his big brother Colin but he even lost that – it’s a story line that I loved in the book and was so happy that it was picked up further in the sequel.

Daniel just never fit in, especially once he came out as a teen to his super-macho father and brothers and even more so when he decided that he wanted to go to school instead of becoming a mechanic. It seemed his decision was simple when he decided to pack up his life in Philly so that he could move to the remote town of Holiday to become a college professor. I really connected with Daniel’s woes over his career purely because it was so realistic and I am in the exact same position he is in the book in my real life. Honestly, I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry.

In Holiday, Daniel meets Rex. Rex is a gentle giant who is painfully introverted. It was the introverted part of his character which I found I was able to come completely connect with. The fact that I connected with both MCs, which of course cannot always happen, was what kept me going with the audio. It was just so easy to get into, though there were times I thought that the pace needed to speed up a bit, but it was nothing that overly bothered me at the time.

Even the narration by Robert Nieman was a first time for me. I have quickly come to have my list of my favorite narrators and Robert Nieman has definitely made the list. He pulls off Daniel’s narration wonderfully (the books was basically all in Daniel’s POV). He pumps the words with emotion, even to the point that I may have shed a tear or two.

Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali ~ Audiobook

Karen Stivali - Moment of Impact Cover AudioTitle: Moment of Impact

Series: Moments In Time 01

Author: Karen Stivali

Genre: Contemporary, Coming Out, College Love, Sexual self discovery

Narrator: Robert Neiman

Length: 3 hrs 41 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (25th May 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Narration: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.

Product Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Moment-of-Impact-Audiobook/B01G3XVHWC

Reviewer: Gigi

Review: This book, in fact this series fits perfectly into the hearts and minds of those just truly discovering who they are, sexually, and in relation to the people and world around them. The story is set in the latter years of college, a point where we truly have grown up and the real world barges into our lives. Forced to admit what is true to them despite of their family and friend situations, Collin and Tanner find each other. Collin is totally repressed, from a oddly strict Catholic background and is nearly virginal, and Tanner coming from a more liberal background, finds the balls to make his move on his roommate and crush and is helpful enough to educate him.

Of course there is going to be trouble when a deeply closeted lover can’t openly declare his affections for his more liberal and less fearful partner. Hearts will be bruised, and new relationships may not have the bonds to last that kind of stress. What can convince Connor to come out to his family and show Tanner he really cares? That I’ll let you discover. 

The sexual content is actually very intense though consisting of masturbation, frotting, and other sensual contact of heavy petting. It’s actually refreshing and steamy! 

The narration is very good in the sense that Neiman’s voice is at that perfect range for a college age young man, the differences in characters can sometimes be difficult, and rhythm according to sentence structure and punctuation sometimes gets off beat. Maybe there was a missing comma here and there! 

You must read/listen to this series in order. Overall a sweet and times heartbreaking love story. I cried, I panted, I shouted for love and justice! I grabbed the next book immediately! 

Moment of Truth by Karen Stivali ~ Audiobook

Karen Stivali - Moment of Truth Cover AudioTitle: Moment of Truth

Series: Moments In Time Book 02

Author: Karen Stivali

Genre: Contemporary, Coming Out, College Love

Narrator: Robert Neiman

Length: 3 hrs 47 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (7th November 2016)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Narration: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Collin expected to spend another summer fixing cars and working at the college pizzeria. Instead, he’s living in a beach house on Fire Island, waiting tables at a hip seaside restaurant and for the first time since he and Tanner got together, they can publicly be known as boyfriends. Being “out” takes some getting used to, but with the help of new and old friends, Collin is happier than he ever imagined. And more in love. But newfound freedom brings unexpected challenges, and when friends get flirty, old insecurities arise. Moments of doubt and jealousy threaten their happiness, and Collin and Tanner must confront the truth or risk losing it all.

Product Link: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/Moment-of-Truth-Audiobook/B01I5HTINY

Reviewer: Gigi

Review: We get to go along with Collin and Tanner on their next adventure as lovers to Fire Island! I’ve had a few friends work there time to time, and it’s as steamy and magical as the story tells. This time our newly minted couple get to face the same hurdles many new relationships do, insecurity, jealousy and miscommunication…add to that Collin’s familial problems, and another upheaval within his family and you have big trouble. Will other lovers shed new light on this relationship, is it doomed, is inexperience going to trip them up? So many worries, and yes, once again you’ll get your heart stomped on a bit. 

My favorite part about this book was the depiction of our banks island life. I could feel the storms, the magic, the sound of the waves and nearly smell the salt air and see the crabs scrambling into the night. That part was very lovely. 

The sexual heat was ramped up a bit as Collin and Tanner’s relationship grew, so did their sexual explorations and tension that other sexual prospects added. They did graduate from a twin bed in a cell sized dorm to a third level bedroom with a king sized bed overlooking the ocean, so you could imagine the kind of heat that would inspire! 

The narration is very good in the sense that Neiman’s voice is at that perfect range for a college age young man, the differences in characters can sometimes be difficult, and rhythm according to sentence structure and punctuation sometimes gets off beat. Maybe there was a missing comma here and there! His voice was very passionate throughout.

I shouted, screamed in my head at the stupid mistakes insecure people make, and fretted over each and every couple in this story. You must read/listen to this series in order. Their relationship truly builds upon book 1, and keeps flowing right into book three, I started it immediately! 

Little Wolf by R. Cooper ~ Audiobook

R. Cooper - Little Wolf COverTitle: Little Wolf

Series:  Being(s) in Love 04

Author: R Cooper

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Paranormal

Length: 18 hrs, 54 mins

Publisher: Dreampsinner Press LLC (2nd May 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5 Hearts

Blurb: On the run from his old-blood werewolf family, Tim Dirus finds himself in Wolf’s Paw, one of the last surviving refuges from the days when werewolves were hunted by humans and one of the last places Tim wants to be. Kept away from other wolves by his uncle, Tim knows almost nothing about his own kind except that alpha werewolves only want to control and dominate a scrawny wolf like him.

Tim isn’t in Wolf’s Paw an hour before he draws the attention of Sheriff Nathaniel Neri, the alpha-est alpha in a town full of alphas. Powerful, intimidating, and the most beautiful wolf Tim has ever seen, Nathaniel makes Tim feel safe for reasons Tim doesn’t understand. For five years he’s lived on the run, in fear of his family and other wolves. Everything about Wolf’s Paw is contrary to what he thought he knew, and he is terrified. Fearing his mate will run, Sheriff Nathaniel must calm his little wolf and show him he’s more than a match for this big, bad alpha.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: Upfront I’m going to say that Little Wolf is a very long audio and you will need the patience to listen. This is book 4 in R Cooper’s series, but the books work as standalone stories too. I have only heard/read the previous book in the series, A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate, which despite it being predicated on mates who met in high school and a massive miscommunication, I found quite enjoyable.

The story is about Tim Dirus, who is on the run but was able to settle in Wolf’s Paw for a spell (not literally, well, maybe). Tim is the titular Little Wolf. He also happens to be half human and is hiding a massive secret from his mate and his new friends in Wolf’s Paw. Then there is the town’s sexy sheriff Nathaniel Neri. He instantly knows that Tim is his mate, but is forced to wait for his wary mate, who does not know much about being shifter, while Tim learns about were (though some would say he is quite unwilling).

I know that there will be a lot of people like me – they don’t mind a book which is based off of miscommunication and a rebellious runaway who refuses to get close to anyone, let alone the man that he doesn’t realize is his mate. However, at the same time, like me, there will be plenty of people that find that the plot drags along fairly slowly. It annoyed me to the point I sped up the audio because I couldn’t handle the thought of not finishing. Luckily I did a lot of listening while doing edits on my thesis so things weren’t so bad.

However, there is something I know will annoy a lot of fans of the shifter theme – that’s when one of the main characters sort of/maybe cheats on his mate (even if in this case Nathaniel basically pushed Tim to be with the other wolf if only for experience or to understand his feelings). Tim’s thoughts tend to go around in a lot of circles, which is a major reason why the story seems to drag so long.

But all in all, I have to say I still did enjoy the book. It does have all the elements of enjoyable romance. Not only that, Nathaniel and Tim work well together. I love a good paranormal/shifter romance and this certainly delivers, if only the plot and character development is slow. The other saving grace for the book is Robert Nieman’s wonderful narration.

A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate by R. Cooper ~ Audiobook

R. Cooper - A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate Cover AudioTitle: A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate

Series:  Being(s) in Love 3

Author: R. Cooper

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Length: 7 hrs, 43 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: Zeki Janowitz has returned to his hometown of Wolf’s Paw to start his wizarding career. Unfortunately, Wolf’s Paw, a werewolf refuge, follows centuries of tradition and shuns human magic and a very human Zeki. He knows he’s in for a struggle, but a part of him has always belonged in the mountain town, or rather belonged to Theo Greenleaf. Years away at school haven’t lessened Zeki’s crush on the quiet werewolf. When town gossip informs him Theo still suffers from his mate’s rejection and does not date, it does little to ease Zeki’s embarrassing feelings. He decides now’s the time to get the man he’s always wanted.

Werewolves usually don’t recover from losing their mates, and Theo barely pulled through by focusing on his love of baking. It’s a daily struggle, and Zeki’s return to Wolf’s Paw shatters his peace. Theo doesn’t know what to think when Zeki attempts to woo him, talking about his wizarding business and settling in town for good. It’s like Zeki doesn’t have a clue how his words years before left Theo a shell of a werewolf.

Beginners in love, Theo and Zeki must seduce each other with a bit of heavenly baking and magic.

Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK

Reviewer: Prime

Review: If you like paranormal romances – and I know that most of us that do will devour just about anything with wolves and mates as long as there is a sign for a HEA and a lot of loving – then this is one of those impulse reads (audios) that are just wonderful to come across. Yes, it is part of a series, but you needn’t have read the previous books, these works as a standalone. However, with hints of the next book in the series I’m seriously looking forward to the next installment.

A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate is aptly named because the MCs are so inexperienced when it comes to love they really are beginners. Their mating bond kicked in too early in life that they never were able to start anything – what with teenage hormones and emotions in the way. Zeki and Theo are strong characters and that is why life happened the way it did for both of them. Zeki may be a human in a world where shifters are superior, but he is also a wizard and therefore capable of channeling magic, even though that is also seen as second best in a world where men can change into animals.

The only thing that really bugged me about this book is that the pack treat Zeki shitty to begin with when what happened between him and Theo was a misunderstanding between two teenagers still in high school. Yes, Theo has suffered but he is stronger as a result but the main theme in this book is that we always see things differently as children as we do when we’re adults.

As for the narration, really well done and on point, I’ve heard Robert Nieman in the past but I don’t think I’ve ever been as fully on board with his narration as I was during this book.