True Mates series Review & Giveaway

 Forgiving Thayne

True Mates book #2

 JR Loveless

PNR/Shifter Romance

Novel (290 pages)

Dreamspinner Press (October 1^st 2014)

 4 **** Star review

Nicholas Cartwright has done everything in his power to forget that night six months ago in Senaka, when his true mate rejected him, leaving him shattered and disillusioned. Burying himself in his work, he pushes himself to the point of exhaustion while finding the touch of another unbearable. Suddenly his mate needs his help, and he may be asking for more than Nicholas can find it in himself to give.

Thayne Whitedove has always been a wanderer, spending his days on the road and his nights wrapped in the arms of whatever random hookup he meets, until a fateful mistake sends him rushing for the comforts of home. To his utter dismay, the only way to correct his error in judgment is to accept the one thing he’s never wanted… his mate. Thayne must decide whether to keep running or to stay and fight for Nick’s forgiveness.

Available now from Dreamspinner Press!

Thayne Whitedove is a loner, he doesn’t rely on anyone but himself and pushes away anyone that threatens to get close. When he was a boy, he and his best friend and fellow shifter Dakota, found Dakota’s father dead by a self inflicted gunshot wound after the man’s mate had die. Thayne and Dakota swore an oath that day to never succumb to the mate bond, to never let themselves be that vulnerable because of their love and loyalty to another. So Thayne has spent his entire adult life hopping from one bed to another in a quest to quench the thirst the loneliness leaves in its wake. He’s brash, standoffish and contemptuous at best with just about everyone.

When Nicholas Cartwright steam rolled his way into Thayne’s life all those months ago, Thayne rejected him, rejected their bond and did what he does best, he ran. When Thayne’s past and poor choices come back to haunt him, he has no choice but to accept help from the one person he hurt more than anyone, Nick.

Nick is everything that Thayne is not, everything about them is a contrast of colors and personalities. Thayne is big and broad with long, dark hair and equally dark eyes that match his almost black personality. Nick is lithe and lean with dark blonde hair and mesmerizing green eyes. He’s smart, successful and committed to everyone in his life. He was the protector of his best friend Seth, Thayne’s brother Kasey’s husband, for many years. All Nick has ever wanted in his life was to find his mate, settle down and live their lives together, happy. Fate has a sick and twisted sense of humour sometimes, especially when deciding that Nick and Thayne were mates.

If these two can stop fighting and learn to actually communicate with each other, they just might make a deadly duo. But all they can manage to do is let their emotions get the best of them, fight like cats and dogs and continually deny the pull and the attraction to one another. Nick is an open book, he doesn’t hide his feelings from Thayne. But Thayne is so dead set against fulfilling his mate bond, so scared of a memory and an ages old promise that he very well might let his bad attitude cost him the love of his mate. That is if the worst mistake he ever made doesn’t kill them first.

I have waited for this story for over a year, and for the most part it was well worth the wait. The push and pull between Thayne and Nick was nerve wracking at best. I loved that Thayne didn’t fall over and submit, that he and Nick had to fight for their love story, for their happy ever after. But there comes a point where enough is enough, and Loveless crossed that line about mid way through this story. Were I not a fan of this author, these characters and this story, I would have thrown this book against the wall a couple times. I’m glad I stuck it out in the end, because the reward was worth it. But the constant lack of communication between these two did cause me to rate under 5 stars, because it was a strain on the overall content of the story.

If you can deal with the two steps forward, three steps back and almost teenage angst undertones in this story, then it’s a pretty good read. It’s very much an unlikely love story between two strong, stubborn and sexy alpha males that have to learn the beauty of compromise if they are going to stay together.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

I love to write, read and watch anything to do with m/m romance as long as it has a happy ending! I work a full time job and write as much as I can in my spare time. And I've had three books accepted, two are out now and one is due in September along with a short story!

Follow JR Loveless online. 

And now for the book that started it all.... 

 Chasing Seth

True Mates book #1

 JR Loveless

PNR/Shifter Romance

Novel (audio book 7 hours and 10 minutes)

Dreamspinner Press (September 30th 2011)

 4 **** Star Audio review

Veterinarian Seth Davies comes to Senaka, Wyoming, looking for peace and anonymity, trying to escape his past. He’s always been a target for trouble and pain, and Seth has had more than his share of both. Kasey Whitedove takes one look at Seth and assumes the worst. No white man could love animals the way the mostly Cheyenne population expects, and Kasey makes Seth’s first days in Senaka more than unpleasant.

Then an accident puts Kasey in the uncomfortable position of eating crow—and helplessly desiring Seth—despite the danger of Kasey’s life as a werewolf and Seth’s stressful secrets. Chasing Seth down and keeping him safe from his past has just become Kasey's most important job.

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Seth Davies has been trying to escape his past for years. A born wolf, his parents raised him to think they were the last of their kind. A created wolf found him after his parents death and convinced Seth that they were mates, then abused him for months before his best friend Nick rescued him. He spent years moving from town to town until he settled in the small town of Senaka, Wyoming as the new Vet. Seth hopes to find a fresh start in Senaka, to leave behind the shadows of his past. Did I mention he is a magnet for trouble?

Kasey Whitedove is the sheriff in Senaka. He is a born wolf as well, the son of the alpha that has been bread to be the future alpha. The Cheyenne wolves believe they are the only true wolves, that any other wolves are created. Created wolves are volatile and dangerous. When Kasey’s horse has trouble in her labor he is less than pleased to learn the new vet is a white man. Even after Seth saves both momma and baby, Kasey is still down right hateful to him. But Seth has gotten under his skin and soon Kasey is forced to redefine his beliefs.

An accident reveals that these two unlikely wolves are, in fact, mates. Both fight it at the start and in a lovely little twist, its Seth that fights against the bond the hardest. Seth doesn’t trust anyone but Nick, especially not another wolf after what the last one did to him. I also liked the fact that even after Kasey claimed Seth and the bond was in place, Seth still fought it. Kasey is one hundred percent dominate alpha male, and Seth is submissive by nature, but they both want an equal partner. The beauty of this book was watching them find that balance. Learning to trust one another and embrace the bond.

I was completely engrossed in this story line from the start. It was a little bit cheesy and slightly predictable, but there was something about the ornery sheriff that always had to be in control and the fragile Vet that just wanted to be loved, but was too standoffish to let anyone get that close. It was a dichotomy of give and take for them to make it work. Once they find that balance so they can be together they still have to deal with Kasey’s pack. Thinking they are the only pack of born wolves, they assume Seth is a created, not good. All the while there is a shadow looming in the background as Seth’s past comes back to haunt him.

Narration is key with audio books and that is why I marked this one down a notch. If I had read this one, it might have gotten 5 stars, but Jeff Gelder’s mediocre vocals were a little off putting. His changes in nuance and inflection from one character to the next is barely distinguishable, bordering on monotone. The actual story kept me intrigued though which should be a testament to Loveless’s prowess.

This is a must read for fans of a strong, dominant alpha male romance. There is an added element of surprise, and enough sexy to keep your blood pumping. I’m happy to learn that this is the first book in a series. The title for the sequel tells us that it will center around Nick and Thayne. Nick is Seth’s best friend and possibly the future alpha of his pack, and Thayne is Kasey’s younger brother. It promises to be a very juicy sequel!

* I have a gorgeous Chasing Seth Keychain and charm for one lucky winner, along with some random swag including bookmarks and such from various other authors* US ONLY shipping *

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