Title: The Mountain Man’s Mate
Series: Wolves of Stone Ridge 20
Author: Charlie Richards
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novella (125pgs)
Publisher: eXtasy Books (1st September 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2½ – 3 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Out of the Cage: When taking on a wild animal, prepare to be bit.
Persecution from Jason Truollo’s immediate family becomes too much—his stepfather’s backhand to the jaw is the final straw—and he heads toward the only family who had understood when he came out, his Uncle Raul Braga. When he gets there, he’s shocked when not only does his uncle welcome him with open arms, but he finds his uncle in a committed relationship…with a man. Not only that, but many of Uncle Raul’s friends are gay, too.
Finally, Jason feels like he’s found a place he fits in. Even better, he meets a man who pushes all his buttons, Michel McDover, but surely, the sexy rugged mountain man can’t possibly be gay. Except he is, and he makes his interest in Jason plain. Deciding learning the joys of sex from an older man is perfect; Jason begins a torrid fling with Michel. A surprise encounter with some strangers in the woods makes Jason realize he may have far more to learn than he ever thought possible. For the hope of love and acceptance, is he willing to keep an open mind?
Purchase Link: http://www.extasybooks.com/the-mountain-mans-mate/
Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Jason leaves home and sets off for his uncles when his stepfather goes too far and hits him, he has put up with verbal abuse, but the violence is too much. When Jason arrives at his uncle Raul’s he is pleased when Raul welcomes him with open arms and discovers that Raul has a male partner and that most of his friends are gay, it makes him feel safe. Michel is living up in the mountains putting distance between himself and the town. While visiting his packmate Raul, he discovers his mate. And as he gets to know Jason, disaster strikes and Michel has a lot of explaining to do.
This is a good addition to the Wolves of Stone Ridge series, but was a bit of a letdown, as well. Michel has been around for a long time and is happy to have found his mate, but his mate Jason is a lot younger than him and he isn’t sure how Jason will react to being his mate. Jason is hoping to be welcomed by his uncle Raul (Choosing His Christmas Miracle) but fears rejection, but meeting his uncle and his friends eases him and he jumps at the chance of a date with the sexy mountain man. Just as things seem to get interesting between them, strange visitors drag Jason into a world Michel hasn’t had a chance to inform him about. Just as Jason seems to have wrapped his head around it all a misunderstanding happens that nearly drives them apart.
While I did enjoy this story I found it to be a little strained, as though everything that could happen has happened and it was a strain to come up with something new. Jason’s predicament with his stepfather seemed a convenient excuse for Jason to visit his uncle; I mean suddenly after years of knowing that Jason is gay his stepfather starts to verbally abuse him and then hits him. It was pushing the boundaries of reality a bit. When I first started reading the story I thought Jason must be around eighteen but he was twenty-two, but really came off as younger. Another thing that was a bit unbelievable was when Michel was thinking about how he had removed himself from the human society, so he can reappear in the future with a new name. Living a long time can cause problems and the only hope is that he will be forgotten. But, ten years really isn’t that long and unless all the town members have really bad memories then someone would recognize him.
But, saying all that, I have a soft spot for Charlie Richards wolves. Jason and Michel are one hot couple, and while they have misunderstandings and a bit of danger, it is a nice little story for them. The conclusion to the mad scientist plot was a fizzle, which really surprised me, after all the effort that has gone into that storyline both with Wolves of Stone Ridge and Kontra’s Menagerie; I was expecting something a lot more explosive. I still enjoyed this story though but not as much as I have the previous books.
I recommend this to those who love shifters, hot sex, and new characters, a touch of shock and danger, misunderstandings, hot making up and a very happy ending.