Tara's Reviews > With Caution

I wanted to love this book so much more than I did. The parts that were good were really good, and the stuff that was bad was really bad. For me, it was an average book.

We first meet Jake and Remi in the last book. Remi is mortally injured when Jake finds him, recognizing him immediately as his mate, Jake turns Remi into a werewolf to save his life. Now Remi has to adjust to not only the knowledge that werewolves exist, but that he is one, so Jake decides to wait to tell him he is also Jake's mate, especially since Remi is not gay and seemed to be slightly homophobic. That all happened in the last book. In this book Remi is confused by his continued attraction to Jake, especially since he believes that Jake is straight. Remi also is dealing with the constant threat of his father. His father wants Remi to toe the line or else he will take it out on Remi's little brother. He also discovers he has a special place in the werewolf world and him being Jake's mate, puts Jake in a special situation as well. Meanwhile they are trying find something that will get his father out of all their lives before he really hurts someone.

Whew! Right? There is a lot of stuff. I think just in general the way the story unfolded was awkward. Remi comes to terms with everything very quickly once it is revealed. And Jake almost doesn't react at all, except in fear for Remi. (view spoiler)[He's a werewolf with a male mate that he wants to submit to and very organically starts calling his mate sir and they start on a lite D/s relationship. No big deal, right? Then he's an Omega which in turn makes Jake an alpha, so that means they have to split off and start their own pack. Eventually they will have to move away, and Chay, his best friend all his life is in a different pack. Jake will need to uproot everyone that is in his pack and move them at some point, including the guy with 9 children. Oh and by the way Remi can heal people too, just by touching them. (hide spoiler)] There is a big reveal about Remi's past that sort of gets glossed over. (view spoiler)[ I mean he finds out he had a male lover before, that his feelings for Jake aren't just because he's a werewolf, but because he has always been gay or at least bisexual because he has been repressing the memory of his dead best friend and lover because his father killed him. And all we get is that information, no angst or confusion, just fear for his brother. Which is founded but only half of what you expect. (hide spoiler)] And the sex while hot, tends to fall in awkward places and interrupt the pace of the book. So much so that when they start having it, I started to groan because I was so into the story. There was also the introduction of a new character towards the end that felt awkward, like he was being introduced so he could have a book someday. There is another relationship that is set up, and it seems weird because it reads so similar to Remi and Jake's story. (view spoiler)[ Sterling and Rhys were an interesting dynamic. Since Rhys is 26 and has found his mate who is still in his early teens. He is there just to look out for him, until Sterling is old enough to be in a relationship. But he is found, by Rhys, mortally wounded and is turned by him. It seems very convenient. That aside, I'd be curious about the logistics of their relationship. I mean. Do they still hook up with other people since they can't be together yet? And why are Remi & Sterling, made, not born wolves in possession of such rare talents? (Sterling , has 3 forms, like Keaton.)

The introduction of Bambi at the end of the story was really awkward. Zack dies and his brother shows up and takes his place. It was clear to me that the idea is for Bambi to have a book. Of course it is also clear that Matt will also have a book. I see that Rhys & Sterling have several short story stories free on the author's website, and I have to wonder if they will ever get their own book. (hide spoiler)]

All in all, I think this book suffered from it's placement in my reading list as well. I just came off some great books and this one just didn't quite measure up. So overall I'd say good, but not great. I'll still keep reading though.