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Magical Men #1
Keeping Dallas
Book one in the Magical Men Series
Sometimes secrets have to be exposed in order to capture something worth keeping.
Torn between two alphas, Dallas has to decide if he is willing to give up his position in the pack to keep his human master happy. Born a submissive wolf shifter, Dallas has dreamt of finding the perfect mate. Unfortunately, none of the other shifters attract him as much as his sexy Laurence.
Laurence is riddled with guilt over the secrets he keeps from his beautiful sub. He wants Dallas for a long time to come, but he’s nervous about exposing his inner abilities to a man who he loves but might not be able to trust.
Two men with secrets have to learn to give a little in order to keep the one they love.
Sometimes secrets have to be exposed in order to capture something worth keeping.
Torn between two alphas, Dallas has to decide if he is willing to give up his position in the pack to keep his human master happy. Born a submissive wolf shifter, Dallas has dreamt of finding the perfect mate. Unfortunately, none of the other shifters attract him as much as his sexy Laurence.
Laurence is riddled with guilt over the secrets he keeps from his beautiful sub. He wants Dallas for a long time to come, but he’s nervous about exposing his inner abilities to a man who he loves but might not be able to trust.
Two men with secrets have to learn to give a little in order to keep the one they love.
65 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2012
29 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Amber Kell
175 books1,282 followersAmber Kell has made a career out of daydreaming. It has been a lifelong habit she practices diligently as shown by her complete lack of focus on anything not related to her fantasy world building.
When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life he told her to go have fun.
During those seconds she isn't writing she remembers she has children who humor her with games of 'what if' and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.
Despite her husband's insistence she doesn't drink enough to be a true literary genius she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.
She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres..
She also writes under the name Mikela Q. Chase
When she told her husband what she wanted to do with her life he told her to go have fun.
During those seconds she isn't writing she remembers she has children who humor her with games of 'what if' and let her drag them to foreign lands to gather inspiration. Her youngest confided in her that he wants to write because he longs for a website and an author name—two things apparently necessary to be a proper writer.
Despite her husband's insistence she doesn't drink enough to be a true literary genius she continues to spin stories of people falling happily in love and staying that way.
She is thwarted during the day by a traffic jam of cats on the stairway and a puppy who insists on walks, but she bravely perseveres..
She also writes under the name Mikela Q. Chase
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 21, 2012
it was ok,,
It started out pretty good, but towards the end everything was rushed to just end it. I don't know if she is on a word count limit or starts them and gets back to them later and just writes up the endings.
In this one she writes up the witch queen Mary as this really powerful witch who has gone power crazy and he (Lawrence) will need back up etc etc.. and the ending or "show down" with her was one of the most anticlimactic ones I've read.
I didn't care for Lawrence couple of times.
It started out pretty good, but towards the end everything was rushed to just end it. I don't know if she is on a word count limit or starts them and gets back to them later and just writes up the endings.
In this one she writes up the witch queen Mary as this really powerful witch who has gone power crazy and he (Lawrence) will need back up etc etc.. and the ending or "show down" with her was one of the most anticlimactic ones I've read.
I didn't care for Lawrence couple of times.
March 15, 2019
3~3.5/5
I like it, but the resolution was a tad anticlimactic imo.
I like it, but the resolution was a tad anticlimactic imo.
December 23, 2012
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
KEEPING DALLAS was one of those relaxing stories where you know what to expect but still want to get to know the new world and hang out with the associated characters. As such, it more than did the job.
Dallas is a submissive wolf who has found himself a perfect Dom as far as he's concerned. Unfortunately, Laurence is not a wolf and Dallas' Alpha as well as his pack do have issues with that.
Both Dallas as well as Laurence are keeping secrets from each other, despite the great chemistry they have and how much they enjoy each other. It's difficult to expose themselves when they actually care and can't be sure of the other's reaction. Of course there is also the fact that Dallas can't share his secrets with a simple but very dominant human.
As it always happens, their secrets come to light, bad guys swim out to the surface and our heroes save the day, but they do bond in the process, as it should be.
My favorite part of this story was the beginning. I loved the sparks between the main characters as well as the reluctance to expose themselves. It created that dose of mystery as well as anticipation that just makes the book so much better for me. The characters were the perfect dominant and submissive and I really expected the great story telling to continue. But the plot focused on the bad guys and suddenly everything rushed to the end. The magic was gone where it mattered the most and the book turned into a typical shifter/magic story about mates, bonding and quick disposal of the threat.
This one was better than the last few books I've read from Amber Kell, and if you are a fan, I would say go for it. It's a series that has potential. But if it's your first try, I would suggest Supernatural Mates. I loved the first book in that series.
KEEPING DALLAS was one of those relaxing stories where you know what to expect but still want to get to know the new world and hang out with the associated characters. As such, it more than did the job.
Dallas is a submissive wolf who has found himself a perfect Dom as far as he's concerned. Unfortunately, Laurence is not a wolf and Dallas' Alpha as well as his pack do have issues with that.
Both Dallas as well as Laurence are keeping secrets from each other, despite the great chemistry they have and how much they enjoy each other. It's difficult to expose themselves when they actually care and can't be sure of the other's reaction. Of course there is also the fact that Dallas can't share his secrets with a simple but very dominant human.
As it always happens, their secrets come to light, bad guys swim out to the surface and our heroes save the day, but they do bond in the process, as it should be.
My favorite part of this story was the beginning. I loved the sparks between the main characters as well as the reluctance to expose themselves. It created that dose of mystery as well as anticipation that just makes the book so much better for me. The characters were the perfect dominant and submissive and I really expected the great story telling to continue. But the plot focused on the bad guys and suddenly everything rushed to the end. The magic was gone where it mattered the most and the book turned into a typical shifter/magic story about mates, bonding and quick disposal of the threat.
This one was better than the last few books I've read from Amber Kell, and if you are a fan, I would say go for it. It's a series that has potential. But if it's your first try, I would suggest Supernatural Mates. I loved the first book in that series.
December 16, 2012
They were not clothed, clothed, not clothed, clothed... constantly within a scene. The sorcerer didn't know the other guy was a wolf... but he referred to him as one... but he didn't know again. No plot to speak of. Not any time spent fleshing out the scenes. All for $6. BIG SIGH.
Want to read
September 29, 2012Really, I'm trying to get my Crack Attack book fix anywhere.
December 14, 2012
This was a cute short story. Dallas is a werewolf, but he has a submissive quality and seeks out a human Dom to fulfill his submissive tendencies. In love with his human master, Dallas is afraid that he could never tell his lover that he is a shifter without endangering the pack or endangering his lover. Dallas also has a strong relationship with his Alpha, but when his Alpha pack leader, bumps heads with his Alpha lover, who will come out on top? Dallas fears that his human lover cannot stand against his strong Alpha, but Laurence has secrets of his own.
December 26, 2014
This is a short story, not a book. It is also extremely badly written. Besides have no developed characters, a plot that made no sense, and very little explanation of the who, what, where and why of the story, it was also riddled with inconsistencies. For example, Lawrence says his brother is not a sorcerer. But, later the book refers to both of them as sorcerers. The love story is a gay Dom/sub couple and even the sex was badly written.
Nothing is believable. Nothing is developed. And the main character is unlikeable. Don't waste your time.
Nothing is believable. Nothing is developed. And the main character is unlikeable. Don't waste your time.
May 21, 2017
Rating: 2 stars
I liked the story, what there was of it. I'm rating it low due to length. This was way too short. Really there wasn't much to it. Add to that, at least 20% of the book was an excerpt from another story and I was not a happy camper. Really, it isn't worth the money I paid for it.
Edit: Since the price was reduced, I am revising my rating to 3 stars. I think that what there was of the story was good. It had good bones as they say. I just wanted more meat to the story.. Both Laurence and Dallas were likeable MCs. There was BDSM, but it wasn't too over the top. I can't go into details without spoilers, but there were parts to the ending that bothered me. I do think that now that the story is priced at 99 cents, it might by worth your while if you want a light read.
I liked the story, what there was of it. I'm rating it low due to length. This was way too short. Really there wasn't much to it. Add to that, at least 20% of the book was an excerpt from another story and I was not a happy camper. Really, it isn't worth the money I paid for it.
Edit: Since the price was reduced, I am revising my rating to 3 stars. I think that what there was of the story was good. It had good bones as they say. I just wanted more meat to the story.. Both Laurence and Dallas were likeable MCs. There was BDSM, but it wasn't too over the top. I can't go into details without spoilers, but there were parts to the ending that bothered me. I do think that now that the story is priced at 99 cents, it might by worth your while if you want a light read.
August 27, 2017
Sweet shifter read
Dallas is a submissive wolf who has found his match in strong dominant partner and both are hiding their true natures, great heat level and danger level!
Dallas is a submissive wolf who has found his match in strong dominant partner and both are hiding their true natures, great heat level and danger level!
December 16, 2024
I love the characters
in this book and all of the others I own. I can only hope that there are more to come and soon! It’s really hard to wait. 🥰
in this book and all of the others I own. I can only hope that there are more to come and soon! It’s really hard to wait. 🥰
October 27, 2012
The concept for this book is really quite fascinating: you have a submissive werewolf who wants to bond with a human, said human is clearly a dominant but has his own secrets. This really is a situation of each man guarding their own secrets and having to learn to trust the other a little.
Dallas is really cute. He does his best to obey two masters, his alpha and his lover, and he is very torn. The two men can't agree on anything and poor Dallas is aught in the middle. I really felt for him.
Laurence - I am sorry, but I hate him. He tried to be nice, and I have no doubts he loves Dallas deeply, but his behavior once Dallas admits he is a werewolf beggared belief. First of all, he knew Dallas is a shifter because he thinks of him as "his wolf" and "werekin" in two separate places before the "big reveal" from Dallas. Why then does he suddenly act as if he didn't know? And then he has the gall to punish Dallas for keeping secrets while he never told him his own? I am sorry, but people who think they are above their own rules just don't cut it with me.
If you like shifter stories with a bit of a twist, if you enjoy reading about two men battling out the way they will live together, and if you have a soft spot for submissives who juggle their lives with and admirable ability to keep the peace, you may like this book.
Dallas is really cute. He does his best to obey two masters, his alpha and his lover, and he is very torn. The two men can't agree on anything and poor Dallas is aught in the middle. I really felt for him.
Laurence - I am sorry, but I hate him. He tried to be nice, and I have no doubts he loves Dallas deeply, but his behavior once Dallas admits he is a werewolf beggared belief. First of all, he knew Dallas is a shifter because he thinks of him as "his wolf" and "werekin" in two separate places before the "big reveal" from Dallas. Why then does he suddenly act as if he didn't know? And then he has the gall to punish Dallas for keeping secrets while he never told him his own? I am sorry, but people who think they are above their own rules just don't cut it with me.
If you like shifter stories with a bit of a twist, if you enjoy reading about two men battling out the way they will live together, and if you have a soft spot for submissives who juggle their lives with and admirable ability to keep the peace, you may like this book.
March 20, 2013
While obviously everyone has their own preferences I don't quite understand the negative reviews.
Yes, the author goofed up on the werekin references when Laurence had no way of knowing that yet, but I regard that as nothing more than typos. A little confusing but certainly not worse than the atrocious copy-editing issues I've found in books by other authors.
To me, this was a sweet story, quite solid in the context of the author's other works, and it completely satisfied me. As usual it works as the first of a series (pretty much what you'd expect from the Queen of First Volumes), so maybe we'll even get to know more in that regard down the line. In my opinion, though, this story stands by itself.
The fact that the action and intrigue elements of the plot were neither intricate nor drawn out is once more a mark of this author's style - and one which I find particularly refreshing. She never draws anything out for the sake of it, neither a sex scene nor a climactic destruction of an adversary. I love that! XD No boredom, even if the cost is an abbreviated story at times.
So, yeah. This one? Did not make me giddy but I definitely enjoyed it.
Yes, the author goofed up on the werekin references when Laurence had no way of knowing that yet, but I regard that as nothing more than typos. A little confusing but certainly not worse than the atrocious copy-editing issues I've found in books by other authors.
To me, this was a sweet story, quite solid in the context of the author's other works, and it completely satisfied me. As usual it works as the first of a series (pretty much what you'd expect from the Queen of First Volumes), so maybe we'll even get to know more in that regard down the line. In my opinion, though, this story stands by itself.
The fact that the action and intrigue elements of the plot were neither intricate nor drawn out is once more a mark of this author's style - and one which I find particularly refreshing. She never draws anything out for the sake of it, neither a sex scene nor a climactic destruction of an adversary. I love that! XD No boredom, even if the cost is an abbreviated story at times.
So, yeah. This one? Did not make me giddy but I definitely enjoyed it.
October 18, 2012
It started out well but somewhere a long the line I started to really dislike Laurence. The I started getting annoyed with the storyline. Also I don't know if it was me or not (I was getting sleepy when reading the book) but I felt the book was a bit inconsistent and didn't flow right. From the way it was written it appeared Laurence knew Dallas was werekin but at the same time he wasn't even aware Dallas was anything but human.
Here's a couple of example from the book:
The ending was anticlimactic. I was expecting a big showdown but got a mediocre one.
Here's a couple of example from the book:
The ending was anticlimactic. I was expecting a big showdown but got a mediocre one.
March 14, 2015
Sometimes what you want and why you want it, is not as simple as a walk in the park. There have been times in my life that I have needed and desired what is hard to explain. It can make you feel like keeping secrets is the only way to live your life satisfied and happy. Selfish…perhaps. Dallas is a wolf shifter, he is young, and he is also submissive. Not something easy to deal with; when you are a shifter. All these secrets have made him weary that the two polar opposites of his life will one day collide. The only truth he is willing to admit to is that He needs and desires Laurence. Dallas is not the only one keeping secrets. Laurence is powerful, charismatic and Dominant. Dallas means more to him than even he realizes. These two men dance and prance around each other to busy managing their individual secrets to see any viable way out. When the time to fight for their love is forced onto them will their strengths and weaknesses create magic or will it end in a ripple of regret.
January 19, 2015
Inconsistent editing hurt an otherwise enjoyable story. I liked the world building (GIVE ME ALL THE FANTASTICALS ALL THE TIME PEOPLE), but... It annoyed me. Because I actually liked everything else up until a little twist at the end. At least not for me. I am frustrated because there was a LOT of thwarted potential in this story. A LOT.
November 30, 2012
The wacky plot in this was so contrived and solved at the end I was shaking my head. Basically a wolf submissive doesn't want his human master to know. But the human is really a wizard and he doesn't want his (he thinks) human sub to know. When it all finally comes out, seems some witch is out to get the wizard for imprisoning her grandson (he's a judge) and there is some woman after the alpha who tries to kill the wolf, for no apparent reason and when it's revealed she's suddenly no longer a bitch but ready to marry the lesbian witch right there as she just tried to kill the kid 10 min. ago. It was a hot mess.
February 26, 2013
I only made it about 65% of the way through this one. It was an interesting idea, but I just didn't like it. The characters weren't compelling enough to hold my interest and I felt like I was missing some of the backstory of the different supernatural and/or magical creatures, thus didn't understand various interactions or histories.
October 5, 2014
Loved Dallas and Laurence...and Nate and Rolf and the story! What I did not love was the small things that were missed along the way...they did not however make the story less enjoyable...but one can hope that the future holds a more consistent story telling for this author! Ms. Kell is usually my "go to" author when I am not sure what I want to read next! She never disappoints...
January 19, 2016
First of all, I am not really a fan of novellas. I like seeing an author flesh out the characters and story. I like the m/m and the shifter aspect, and the D/S relationship. But throwing in sorcerers, witches and vampires was just too over the top for me. I really liked the book until the other stuff was thrown in. Just not my cuppa.
October 17, 2012
This is a fine, short romance between an omega wolf Dallas and a sorcerer Laurence. The main storyline is enjoyable. I liked Dallas, who is a submissive wolf shifter. His and Laurence's relationship was warm and sweet. This side story with the witch Mila wasn't good.
February 28, 2017
What happened?
Normally I read a story by this writer and I get fuzzy feelings. Now I just read on because I hoped it would get better.
It never did. It's a shame because the concept is really interesting.
Normally I read a story by this writer and I get fuzzy feelings. Now I just read on because I hoped it would get better.
It never did. It's a shame because the concept is really interesting.
December 28, 2012
Some mistakes in the editing were the wrong name has been used or were wolf and werewolf are used instead of sub makes it a bit confusing to read as it misleads u to the knowledge of the characters but otherwise found it to b a good read.
March 24, 2016
3.5
the story wasn't bad but it felt like there were missing parts.It jumped from one thing to another so you don't know what happened in between. I would have liked to know how they met and more of Laurence and Dallas story
the story wasn't bad but it felt like there were missing parts.It jumped from one thing to another so you don't know what happened in between. I would have liked to know how they met and more of Laurence and Dallas story
October 15, 2012
3.5 stars
October 23, 2012
I've been waiting for this!! :)
Worth the wait :)
Worth the wait :)
October 18, 2012
Oh no! She's starting a new series without making sequels for the others? I am about to cry waiting for Convincing Arthur and Zheng's story.
July 10, 2014
It was a good read. i just wish there was more drama and action.
November 2, 2012
So-so read for me from this author. It seems to me that her newer stories are just rushed and get shorter and shorter.
April 18, 2013
Short but sweet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews