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Theo Bourne #1
The Hunting Moon
Theo Bourne, a powerful Phantom, has returned to Columbus to escape his past. He didn't plan on sleeping with it. But the one-night stand he had with Carlos is proving to be unforgettable in every sense of the word, mainly because Carlos is his new partner on the Preternatural Task Force. Theo wants to put as much space between him and the very evident sexual desire he has for Carlos, so that means immersing himself in their latest case -- the gruesome murder of two lycanthropes. Carlos Ramirez has been pining for Theo for a very long time and he isn't about to let him go. Theo's heart is guarded by a protective ten-foot layer of ice, though. It's going to take a lot of charm and a lot of coaxing for this werecoyote to melt the ice. Especially since it feels like every time he starts to warm up to his cold hearted partner, the case takes an unexpected and deadly turn.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2011
7 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Evelyn Shepherd
11 books22 followersSince biographies aren’t my thing, I’ll put it simply: I write. Sometimes it’s amazing. Sometimes it’s horrible. But it’s always mine.
I have three series: The Theo Bourne Series, my award winning Meteora Trilogy, and my bestselling The Last Canticle. I also have a stand alone novel and run a semi-successful fantasy writing blog. I’m currently in between projects and struggling to balance writing, a cat, and my own narcotic thoughts.
I have three series: The Theo Bourne Series, my award winning Meteora Trilogy, and my bestselling The Last Canticle. I also have a stand alone novel and run a semi-successful fantasy writing blog. I’m currently in between projects and struggling to balance writing, a cat, and my own narcotic thoughts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 30, 2011
4.5 stars
Let's see ...
(1) Characters; written in 1st person, I still get enough insight from the other MC. I love how the two guys are pretty opposite. Theo is a human with psychokinesis and bilocation abilities. He's grumpy, he doesn't do relationships, and he has baggage in the size of the world, plus dark past that still consumes him in nightmares. Carlos, Theo's new partner in Columbus Preternatural Task Force(PTF) is the alpha of werecoyote, who is more friendly and relaxed. So they compliment one another.
Even so, Carlos is also one determined man, and he breaks all the walls on Theo's heart. Carlos has a reason for it, he has been in love with Theo for a decade. Love the way Carlos pretty much "bullies" his way into Theo's life (and bed) after one night :). It's SO AMUSING reading Theo trying to push Carlos to no avail (PS: Theo's nickname for Carlos, "Mutt" is just part funny and endearing, actually)
2) Story; the book has two cases - one is the murders of werewolves (and a human) by other werewolves. This what sets Theo and Carlos in the beginning, them trying to find out who is responsible. The other is a case from Theo's past, the one that forces him back to Columbus from New York City (after his partner was viciously killed). Both are well-written and threats coming from around corners which bring to an explosive climax
3) The climax; the fights between Theo and Carlos against the murderer as well as the villain from Theo's past are just AMAZING. It's what fights should be, it's HARDCORE, and screams for some action director to directs the special effects (because I can just imagine in my head, how Theo creates all of those doppelgangers!). I can't take my eyes of my Kindle when I read that part.
In conclusion: likeable characters, enganging storyline, funny quips (mostly from Theo), tender moments (Carlos comforting Theo from his nightmares, which squeezes my heart so tightly), full-paced action, and sexy love making scenes ...
Let's see ...
(1) Characters; written in 1st person, I still get enough insight from the other MC. I love how the two guys are pretty opposite. Theo is a human with psychokinesis and bilocation abilities. He's grumpy, he doesn't do relationships, and he has baggage in the size of the world, plus dark past that still consumes him in nightmares. Carlos, Theo's new partner in Columbus Preternatural Task Force(PTF) is the alpha of werecoyote, who is more friendly and relaxed. So they compliment one another.
Even so, Carlos is also one determined man, and he breaks all the walls on Theo's heart. Carlos has a reason for it, he has been in love with Theo for a decade. Love the way Carlos pretty much "bullies" his way into Theo's life (and bed) after one night :). It's SO AMUSING reading Theo trying to push Carlos to no avail (PS: Theo's nickname for Carlos, "Mutt" is just part funny and endearing, actually)
2) Story; the book has two cases - one is the murders of werewolves (and a human) by other werewolves. This what sets Theo and Carlos in the beginning, them trying to find out who is responsible. The other is a case from Theo's past, the one that forces him back to Columbus from New York City (after his partner was viciously killed). Both are well-written and threats coming from around corners which bring to an explosive climax
3) The climax; the fights between Theo and Carlos against the murderer as well as the villain from Theo's past are just AMAZING. It's what fights should be, it's HARDCORE, and screams for some action director to directs the special effects (because I can just imagine in my head, how Theo creates all of those doppelgangers!). I can't take my eyes of my Kindle when I read that part.
In conclusion: likeable characters, enganging storyline, funny quips (mostly from Theo), tender moments (Carlos comforting Theo from his nightmares, which squeezes my heart so tightly), full-paced action, and sexy love making scenes ...
October 3, 2015
In many ways, this was awful. I struggled between wanting to stop reading and not being able to put it down it was that inconsistent. I think the best part about it is the cover. I really love that cover. The book wasn't very well written, especially in the first half where much of the text was stiff and awkward. And then there would be times when Shepherd would come up with a line or three with beautiful imagery.
The plot was fine but the execution was terrible. It was like she watched a bunch of bad police procedurals on TV and took the most common elements and threw them together: the perpetually angry police boss, the uncooperative witnesses who fit every stereotype, the sweet cop and the surly one, but then didn't put in any intelligence on the part of detectives or standard police procedure.
For example, the detectives are in their late twenties at the most and have been so for awhile. Um, no. It takes longer than that to become a detective. The chief yells at them for not accomplishing anything even though they've had the case two days. They see a car is following them and they try to get away. These are police officers and it's broad daylight! After the third body and they aren't getting anywhere, they finally think that maybe these people had something in common, maybe they should look at that. Wouldn't that be the first thing they did? It's like triangulation, the more people you have to compare, the easier to narrow it down.
I was rolling my eyes at this, very frustrated. But then the thriller aspects would come into play: the chases, the attacks, the danger and injuries and near-death kind of stuff I just eat up, and I couldn't put the book down. The action scenes were well written and exciting.
There was LOTS of angst so if you don't like that stuff, stay away. If that's up your alley, like it is for me, it's deliciously well done with foreshadowing, mystery, variety and tantalizing bits as the story progresses. It goes on and on and you'll probably want to throw Theo across the room a few times.
Carlos is wonderful--eventually. But at first he's like a stalker and he exhibited serious sexual harassment. There was definitely some dubious consent stuff going on. If it wasn't a romance I would worry that he was a bad guy at first.
Some parts were quite funny. Theo's yelling when he was discomfited was pretty hilarious to me.
But then there was more bad stuff:
The people were all caricatures: the uncooperative black woman, the annoying reporter, the jealous ex who wouldn't let go, the kind welcoming huge Latino family of his partner... the list goes on.
They worked every single day, all day long, through the weekend, on a high profile case without any help at all and then they got yelled at for taking too long and for being in late to work the next morning after working most of the night.
And the women, sheesh. This was one of the most sexist books I've read in awhile and it was written by a woman. But I knew that from the writing even though I didn't know who the author was when I started reading. As it progressed I wondered about the gender of author but I just knew. The reason? The protagonist read like a woman. In fact, the book felt like it had originally been written about a heterosexual couple and then just pronouns and gender specifics changed. Theo is supposed to be really tall but then he keeps looking up at people. Oh, once a definitely macho officer wears his hair in a french braid. I kid you not.
Here's a sample sentence:
"I turned on my heels and walked away."
That just doesn't sound like something a man would say. Maybe you don't agree, but it stopped me short.
But it also felt like the author had preconceived notions about gay men. The protagonist called other men bitches even though he was supposedly fairly macho. He thought crappy and unnecessary things about women every once in awhile, like when he saw a "very obese woman" at a bus stop wearing a very short skirt and not keeping her legs together. He commented how gross it was. There was absolutely no reason for this to be in the story.
There were no women speaking characters who were good except periphery family or old friends that spoke for a couple sentences, and Theo's aunt who had powers but in a huge fight where everyone was dying, only handed a character a gun. She was completely useless and weak. In one scene, one officer was badly injured and of course it was a woman, and that was the only female law enforcement officer in the book. Seriously.
But then she was really good with multiculturalism. Characters were from all sorts of cultures and one of the two main characters was Latino, although all of the ethnic names were obvious and trite. (Yes, every Hispanic family has a "Carlos" of course.)
The sex scenes were fine if improbable and UNSAFE. That makes me VERY angry, especially since HIV/AIDS is mentioned once in the book! One time they have sex both of them achieve orgasm four times. These are men! One time after working all night they got home at 4 AM, so tired they could barely stand. Remember, they get yelled at if they're late and they never get enough sleep. They take a shower and end up have sex and coming three times each. Really? I find it hard to believe these men would have that much desire when they were that exhausted let alone enough stamina. It wasn't like it was the first time they had sex.
I should give the author some leeway because she's obviously really young. How do I know? Because an aunt who's 52 acts like a traditional grandmother; a man in his 30's has crows' feet. A man in his 40's has skin like old leather. I felt like I should be applying to nursing homes and I'm 45.
So you can see why I was continually rolling my eyes, wanting to stop reading, and rating this a 1.5. But then an action scene would happen and it would be a 4.5, or an angst scene at around a 3 or 3.5.
So I don't really know what to rate the book. I'm going to give it a 2.5 rounded down because of the sexism and unsafe sex. But I probably will read the sequel. Yes, I'm inconsistent, too.
The plot was fine but the execution was terrible. It was like she watched a bunch of bad police procedurals on TV and took the most common elements and threw them together: the perpetually angry police boss, the uncooperative witnesses who fit every stereotype, the sweet cop and the surly one, but then didn't put in any intelligence on the part of detectives or standard police procedure.
For example, the detectives are in their late twenties at the most and have been so for awhile. Um, no. It takes longer than that to become a detective. The chief yells at them for not accomplishing anything even though they've had the case two days. They see a car is following them and they try to get away. These are police officers and it's broad daylight! After the third body and they aren't getting anywhere, they finally think that maybe these people had something in common, maybe they should look at that. Wouldn't that be the first thing they did? It's like triangulation, the more people you have to compare, the easier to narrow it down.
I was rolling my eyes at this, very frustrated. But then the thriller aspects would come into play: the chases, the attacks, the danger and injuries and near-death kind of stuff I just eat up, and I couldn't put the book down. The action scenes were well written and exciting.
There was LOTS of angst so if you don't like that stuff, stay away. If that's up your alley, like it is for me, it's deliciously well done with foreshadowing, mystery, variety and tantalizing bits as the story progresses. It goes on and on and you'll probably want to throw Theo across the room a few times.
Carlos is wonderful--eventually. But at first he's like a stalker and he exhibited serious sexual harassment. There was definitely some dubious consent stuff going on. If it wasn't a romance I would worry that he was a bad guy at first.
Some parts were quite funny. Theo's yelling when he was discomfited was pretty hilarious to me.
But then there was more bad stuff:
The people were all caricatures: the uncooperative black woman, the annoying reporter, the jealous ex who wouldn't let go, the kind welcoming huge Latino family of his partner... the list goes on.
They worked every single day, all day long, through the weekend, on a high profile case without any help at all and then they got yelled at for taking too long and for being in late to work the next morning after working most of the night.
And the women, sheesh. This was one of the most sexist books I've read in awhile and it was written by a woman. But I knew that from the writing even though I didn't know who the author was when I started reading. As it progressed I wondered about the gender of author but I just knew. The reason? The protagonist read like a woman. In fact, the book felt like it had originally been written about a heterosexual couple and then just pronouns and gender specifics changed. Theo is supposed to be really tall but then he keeps looking up at people. Oh, once a definitely macho officer wears his hair in a french braid. I kid you not.
Here's a sample sentence:
"I turned on my heels and walked away."
That just doesn't sound like something a man would say. Maybe you don't agree, but it stopped me short.
But it also felt like the author had preconceived notions about gay men. The protagonist called other men bitches even though he was supposedly fairly macho. He thought crappy and unnecessary things about women every once in awhile, like when he saw a "very obese woman" at a bus stop wearing a very short skirt and not keeping her legs together. He commented how gross it was. There was absolutely no reason for this to be in the story.
There were no women speaking characters who were good except periphery family or old friends that spoke for a couple sentences, and Theo's aunt who had powers but in a huge fight where everyone was dying, only handed a character a gun. She was completely useless and weak. In one scene, one officer was badly injured and of course it was a woman, and that was the only female law enforcement officer in the book. Seriously.
But then she was really good with multiculturalism. Characters were from all sorts of cultures and one of the two main characters was Latino, although all of the ethnic names were obvious and trite. (Yes, every Hispanic family has a "Carlos" of course.)
The sex scenes were fine if improbable and UNSAFE. That makes me VERY angry, especially since HIV/AIDS is mentioned once in the book! One time they have sex both of them achieve orgasm four times. These are men! One time after working all night they got home at 4 AM, so tired they could barely stand. Remember, they get yelled at if they're late and they never get enough sleep. They take a shower and end up have sex and coming three times each. Really? I find it hard to believe these men would have that much desire when they were that exhausted let alone enough stamina. It wasn't like it was the first time they had sex.
I should give the author some leeway because she's obviously really young. How do I know? Because an aunt who's 52 acts like a traditional grandmother; a man in his 30's has crows' feet. A man in his 40's has skin like old leather. I felt like I should be applying to nursing homes and I'm 45.
So you can see why I was continually rolling my eyes, wanting to stop reading, and rating this a 1.5. But then an action scene would happen and it would be a 4.5, or an angst scene at around a 3 or 3.5.
So I don't really know what to rate the book. I'm going to give it a 2.5 rounded down because of the sexism and unsafe sex. But I probably will read the sequel. Yes, I'm inconsistent, too.
January 30, 2012
4.5 stars
If you are looking for a coherent and in depth review go check out Ami's.
This was a thrill and a great paranormal romance, packed with non stop action all the way. I absolutely loved Theo, he was fantastic along with his idiosyncrasies which were huge, believe me, lol! Poor put upon Carlos cops it all, Theo's an annoying little shit who keeps pushing with his aggressive attitude. He did everything possible to alienate Carlos who was smart enough to integrate himself into Theo's life and heart. Theo reminded me of an angry kitten, deep down he was afraid of opening up and being hurt again.
He had me in stitches with his antics, I freely admit I had a huge soft spot for him. My favorite character warts and all and under that prickly exterior he was adorable. You see I was only supposed to have a quick peek then got sucked in and couldn't put it down. I had one small problem though Theo had scars tons of them and Carlos had none, tragic and so unfair, I will eventually get over it, maybe. Hugely enjoyable and blast of a story, loved it.
If you are looking for a coherent and in depth review go check out Ami's.
This was a thrill and a great paranormal romance, packed with non stop action all the way. I absolutely loved Theo, he was fantastic along with his idiosyncrasies which were huge, believe me, lol! Poor put upon Carlos cops it all, Theo's an annoying little shit who keeps pushing with his aggressive attitude. He did everything possible to alienate Carlos who was smart enough to integrate himself into Theo's life and heart. Theo reminded me of an angry kitten, deep down he was afraid of opening up and being hurt again.
He had me in stitches with his antics, I freely admit I had a huge soft spot for him. My favorite character warts and all and under that prickly exterior he was adorable. You see I was only supposed to have a quick peek then got sucked in and couldn't put it down. I had one small problem though Theo had scars tons of them and Carlos had none, tragic and so unfair, I will eventually get over it, maybe. Hugely enjoyable and blast of a story, loved it.
July 19, 2012
When you decide to make your m/m urban fantasy a police proceedural you cannot solve the crime/s by having a minor character turn up and tell the MCs exactly what the solution is, after zie has investigated it off the page and unrelated to the MCs. That's called cheating. Well, correction, clearly you can do it, but you shouldn't.
When a story fails to grab me I get picky and annoying. So when you do this, I start to notice the exact same description for a hairstyle used twice:
“He tilted his head to the side, a few strands of hair falling across his face. He had pulled it back today in a neat braid, giving the illusion of short hair” (loc. 1436).
“He had swept his hair back into a French braid that gave the illusion of short hair” (loc. 2594).
Editors are supposed to save authors from this. Even a beta should have caught it.
It's lucky I like my fantasy fiction sex fairly rapey, or I would have issues with some of the sex.
"Back the fuck off!" . . . I knew he wouldn't . . . I beat harder against his chest, slamming my fists into his hard pecs. It was like punching a mountain . . . My punches went ignored, and eventually, I quieted my hands . . . Once I stopped fighting, letting my mouth open to him, Carlos grabbed my hips and hoisted me up . . . If I really wanted him to quit I knew he would.
But it's so spellbinding and addictive, isn't it? That fantasy that we/the MC are/is so desireable and addictive that we/the MC can flail and scream "Stop!" and they won't, because we/the MC are/is so damn irresistable.
2.5 stars for me, but I liked the MCs together enough that I will check out book two.
When a story fails to grab me I get picky and annoying. So when you do this, I start to notice the exact same description for a hairstyle used twice:
“He tilted his head to the side, a few strands of hair falling across his face. He had pulled it back today in a neat braid, giving the illusion of short hair” (loc. 1436).
“He had swept his hair back into a French braid that gave the illusion of short hair” (loc. 2594).
Editors are supposed to save authors from this. Even a beta should have caught it.
It's lucky I like my fantasy fiction sex fairly rapey, or I would have issues with some of the sex.
"Back the fuck off!" . . . I knew he wouldn't . . . I beat harder against his chest, slamming my fists into his hard pecs. It was like punching a mountain . . . My punches went ignored, and eventually, I quieted my hands . . . Once I stopped fighting, letting my mouth open to him, Carlos grabbed my hips and hoisted me up . . . If I really wanted him to quit I knew he would.
But it's so spellbinding and addictive, isn't it? That fantasy that we/the MC are/is so desireable and addictive that we/the MC can flail and scream "Stop!" and they won't, because we/the MC are/is so damn irresistable.
2.5 stars for me, but I liked the MCs together enough that I will check out book two.
July 15, 2011
It was mostly good, a few things don't make sense to me though and a few scenes were slow so that's why 4 stars and not five.
I don't get why some scenes Theo is so powerful and others he is so weak. He is emotionally broken the whole book but he is supposed to be this all powerful phantom and some scenes he is and others it is like he isn't. Like how he uses his telekinetic powers for pointless stuff but then when it would be helpful it is like he doesn't have the ability anymore. I didn't get that
also the mystery was enjoyable but
Also the whole Abe and Carlos thing seems like it was just there to cause jealousy and never expanded on or resolved and then the Lloyd Theo thing at the end didn't really make sense why that was there? is there going to be another book? if there is I hope it has a different narrator, as much as i liked this book i don't think i can handle a whole new book from Theo's POV
I don't get why some scenes Theo is so powerful and others he is so weak. He is emotionally broken the whole book but he is supposed to be this all powerful phantom and some scenes he is and others it is like he isn't. Like how he uses his telekinetic powers for pointless stuff but then when it would be helpful it is like he doesn't have the ability anymore. I didn't get that
also the mystery was enjoyable but
Also the whole Abe and Carlos thing seems like it was just there to cause jealousy and never expanded on or resolved and then the Lloyd Theo thing at the end didn't really make sense why that was there? is there going to be another book? if there is I hope it has a different narrator, as much as i liked this book i don't think i can handle a whole new book from Theo's POV
July 27, 2011
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
The cover draws you in, doesn't it? Personally, I thought it was wonderful and one of the best I've seen lately. It really represents the paranormal side of this book, a part that shouldn't be missed.
Theo is a detective in a paranormal unit who has certain powers of his own. While running from his past, he stumbles onto a new partner, new case, and eventually collides head on with all the problems he had been running from. But things wouldn't be half as interesting without his new partner/one nightstand who has been pining for Theo since they were at school together.
That said, THE HUNTING MOON is packed with action and while the two have enough contact and sex to satisfy the readers, the romance part kept juggling on wobbling feet. For me, it was a solid three star rating all things considering, but still, the book is written really well and the explicit violence made me stick with it. Not a lot of books in this genre manage that and in the end I decided on giving it four stars.
Both characters are interesting and unique in their own way. The differences between them as well as the particulars about the paranormal types are thoroughly explained without overwhelming the reader. Fight scenes are some of the better ones I've read about and the characters were colorful enough to connect the events into a solid whole.
My main issue with the story was the chemistry between the characters. I just didn't feel it. Carlos kept trying too much and Theo kept rebuffing him. That would have worked for the beginning, but instead of just pulling me into the story, the conflict stayed almost to the end. It made the book drag at times and only the case pulled it back on track.
Another issue was the way the two main characters worked as detectives. Their questioning technique left me frustrated at times and frankly, I wasn't all that surprised it took them so long to find the bad guy. For those of you who pay attention to detail – there were a few instances where injuries were forgotten in the next paragraph, but that is the editing issue and not the author's fault.
In the end I do hope the author sets another story in this world and gives us more than a taste of the shifter world. I recommend this book to those who like their stories packed with action, but not really to those who like it sweet and cuddly.
The cover draws you in, doesn't it? Personally, I thought it was wonderful and one of the best I've seen lately. It really represents the paranormal side of this book, a part that shouldn't be missed.
Theo is a detective in a paranormal unit who has certain powers of his own. While running from his past, he stumbles onto a new partner, new case, and eventually collides head on with all the problems he had been running from. But things wouldn't be half as interesting without his new partner/one nightstand who has been pining for Theo since they were at school together.
That said, THE HUNTING MOON is packed with action and while the two have enough contact and sex to satisfy the readers, the romance part kept juggling on wobbling feet. For me, it was a solid three star rating all things considering, but still, the book is written really well and the explicit violence made me stick with it. Not a lot of books in this genre manage that and in the end I decided on giving it four stars.
Both characters are interesting and unique in their own way. The differences between them as well as the particulars about the paranormal types are thoroughly explained without overwhelming the reader. Fight scenes are some of the better ones I've read about and the characters were colorful enough to connect the events into a solid whole.
My main issue with the story was the chemistry between the characters. I just didn't feel it. Carlos kept trying too much and Theo kept rebuffing him. That would have worked for the beginning, but instead of just pulling me into the story, the conflict stayed almost to the end. It made the book drag at times and only the case pulled it back on track.
Another issue was the way the two main characters worked as detectives. Their questioning technique left me frustrated at times and frankly, I wasn't all that surprised it took them so long to find the bad guy. For those of you who pay attention to detail – there were a few instances where injuries were forgotten in the next paragraph, but that is the editing issue and not the author's fault.
In the end I do hope the author sets another story in this world and gives us more than a taste of the shifter world. I recommend this book to those who like their stories packed with action, but not really to those who like it sweet and cuddly.
January 26, 2013
No, just no. This was... I have no words to describe how disappointed I am by this book. I wouldn't even give it 1 star. Instead take all 5 for myself as consolation for having finished this.
I had held such hopes for te story based on the interesting cover and summary.
The last quarter of the book was just so plainly ridiculous... that I just let the words roll over me. Bad. Just utterly bad.
I had held such hopes for te story based on the interesting cover and summary.
The last quarter of the book was just so plainly ridiculous... that I just let the words roll over me. Bad. Just utterly bad.
March 24, 2017
It was a great read. I really like paranormal romance with cops as main characters.
Here, we read the story through Theo's eyes and the book is worth reading just for him. He's exactly what I like in a character. His past is so dark and he's broken in many ways, but still, he shows a lot of strength, with his powers but not only.
As for Carlos, it's another story. I liked him but you can't do more sappy. It was too much and was out of place in this story. Because between Theo's nightmares and the killings that the two MC are investigating, we can say that the writing is brutal. The author doesn't hide any details from you. It's not for sensitive souls. And Theo's nightmares are really disturbing.
About the plot, I was a little disappointed. I guessed the whole story @ 65%, and the investigation wasn't really convincing. It was messy and I kept telling myself that since we were in Theo'mind why wouldn't he see the obvious?
But I still enjoyed the story thanks to Theo.
PS: the cover fits the book perfectly!
Here, we read the story through Theo's eyes and the book is worth reading just for him. He's exactly what I like in a character. His past is so dark and he's broken in many ways, but still, he shows a lot of strength, with his powers but not only.
As for Carlos, it's another story. I liked him but you can't do more sappy. It was too much and was out of place in this story. Because between Theo's nightmares and the killings that the two MC are investigating, we can say that the writing is brutal. The author doesn't hide any details from you. It's not for sensitive souls. And Theo's nightmares are really disturbing.
About the plot, I was a little disappointed. I guessed the whole story @ 65%, and the investigation wasn't really convincing. It was messy and I kept telling myself that since we were in Theo'mind why wouldn't he see the obvious?
But I still enjoyed the story thanks to Theo.
PS: the cover fits the book perfectly!
June 29, 2013
A pretty good paranormal read it got a tiny bit slow just before the big climax at the end but overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I loved Theo and Carlos, two MC’s that are total opposites but prove that opposites attract. I thought they worked well together and even though they immediately jumped into having sex their relationship is not an insta-love. Carlos has loved Theo for years but Theo doesn’t remember Carlos at all so Carlos spends most of the book wooing Theo which turns out to be a very difficult thing to do when you have someone rebuffing you at every turn. Theo is such a serious and troubled character and Carlos is such a laid back easy going guy he’s a great balance for Theo. The dialogue between them had me laughing at times Theo could sure pull of the snark and attitude he definitely was my favourite. They were sexy and sweet together but don’t get me wrong this is not a funny, sweet book sexy yes but the rest is dark and action packed.
I was taken aback at the beginning most shifter books are about werewolves, big, strong fierce animals but in this one Carlos is a werecoyote. I have coyotes running around my property all the time and none of them make me think big, strong and fierce but they are beautiful and that’s how I thought of Carlos. The mystery was well done and kept me engaged, I did suspect who the culprit was early on but it in no way ruined my enjoyment of reading the book.
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series and I do recommend this book to lovers of the Paranormal and very sexy guys.
August 1, 2011
There were bits and pieces of Theo's past I would have added, maybe some off-hand internal comments. When it's revealed that Carlos has met Theo before, it seems like it'll be a huge revelation when Theo finally realizes it, too, and it was kind of a let-down. But, over all, I loved it! It's hard to write an angry narrator and still make him or her sympathetic, and I think Shepherd nailed it with Theo. I loved the comments and analogies and interations between the different preternatural groups. I wish there had been more, but I know that Theo was trying to ignore most of it. I cannot wait for book 2!!!!
September 5, 2011
Good but inconsistent paranormal m/m romantic suspense about two cops, a powerful psychic and a werecoyote, on the Columbus Preternatural Task Force. As the werecoyote pursues the mutual attraction that the psychic denies, they're also trying to solve a string of murders and capture a deranged stalker from the psychic's past. Several things kept me from rating this book higher: an ongoing issue with word usage and substitution ("saddled" instead of "sidled" being the most memorable) and inconsistencies in the psychic's powers (if he could lock and unlock doors with his mind, why couldn't he get out of handcuffs?).
May 28, 2012
All in all this was not a bad story.
But I was taken aback by the verbal aggressivity of the characters in this book - especially Theo.
They constantly were yelling,cursing,growling,snarling,screaming,barking,snapping,hissing......and so on!
I couldn`t stand it anymore.
But I was taken aback by the verbal aggressivity of the characters in this book - especially Theo.
They constantly were yelling,cursing,growling,snarling,screaming,barking,snapping,hissing......and so on!
I couldn`t stand it anymore.
July 3, 2011
The story and characters had potential. The dialogue between the main characters, Theo and Carlos, in the second chapter was entertaining and even made me laugh more than once. I enjoyed the book in the beginning but...
Theo (from whose POV the story is told) sees most things negatively. His view of people, places, and things was harsh and, at times, prejudiced, in stark contrast to Carlos'. How long will he hold on to the bitterness and not see the positives and how extremely fortunate he was? He has considerably more than most and he was supposed to have been a "strong" character as well. It continued long enough that it began feeling artificial and contrived (just to sustain having the requisite "conflict"). The nightmares too got tiresome and, eventually, the story itself. Why was he (Theo) so guilt-stricken? He seems unable to grasp the irrationality - which did not make sense and did not fit the other aspects of the character. (The elements of the nightmares were very obvious, in the context of his past experience. They were definitely rooted in conscious memory.)
Theo (from whose POV the story is told) sees most things negatively. His view of people, places, and things was harsh and, at times, prejudiced, in stark contrast to Carlos'. How long will he hold on to the bitterness and not see the positives and how extremely fortunate he was? He has considerably more than most and he was supposed to have been a "strong" character as well. It continued long enough that it began feeling artificial and contrived (just to sustain having the requisite "conflict"). The nightmares too got tiresome and, eventually, the story itself. Why was he (Theo) so guilt-stricken? He seems unable to grasp the irrationality - which did not make sense and did not fit the other aspects of the character. (The elements of the nightmares were very obvious, in the context of his past experience. They were definitely rooted in conscious memory.)
August 21, 2011
If I could have rated this story higher than a 5 you fawking bet I would have. It's a complete ten for me which I guess would be equivalent to a 5 right? :scratching my head: Whatever.
I can tell you this though, it was action packed to the max. From beginning to end it's amusing, mind altering, glued to your seat interesting. There's never a dull moment and I could literally 'feel' the sex scenes it. I got butterflies when reading them. That's a bonus for me when reading the book. The characters are extremely enjoyable to read about and the banter will have you in stitches or busting a nut laughing. Hell I finished it in one sitting. Couldn't put it down.
Def a two thumbs up for me and a must read if you haven't.
I can tell you this though, it was action packed to the max. From beginning to end it's amusing, mind altering, glued to your seat interesting. There's never a dull moment and I could literally 'feel' the sex scenes it. I got butterflies when reading them. That's a bonus for me when reading the book. The characters are extremely enjoyable to read about and the banter will have you in stitches or busting a nut laughing. Hell I finished it in one sitting. Couldn't put it down.
Def a two thumbs up for me and a must read if you haven't.
August 26, 2011
4 - 4.5 stars. Really, really good read! I loved the whole shifter and Phantom alternate world. I thought Theo was such a kick ass character! The plot kept me glued to the kindle and the sexxin' was pretty hot. My only niggle But maybe that's just me. *shrugs*
All in all, great story and recommended! Will be looking forward to more from this author.
All in all, great story and recommended! Will be looking forward to more from this author.
December 21, 2012
4.5 stars
April 28, 2019
So, I am not big on reviews but this one I had to because... WHAT A WASTE!
There were seriously good ideas behind this book but the realization is bad... or awful, I don't even know.
I won't be listing all the points that were seriously wrong because some reviews already do that very well but I have to tell what defintely left me the "that was bad" taste afterwards : the use (or misuse?) of the special abilities. Seriously, I was left thinking that the aunt with all her books flying around her was more impressive than the guy using the same power to fight people, how is that even possible? The guy is basically a telekinesic and all he does during a fight is "push energy" to the one is facing? Nope, not gonna do it.
And what about the guy can fly but prefers to just jump off a car going awfully fast (did I read 100mph?) on the highway? And just coming out with a bad ankle, obviously *rolls eyes*
A waste I tell you... But 2 stars (or 1.5) because the ideas!
There were seriously good ideas behind this book but the realization is bad... or awful, I don't even know.
I won't be listing all the points that were seriously wrong because some reviews already do that very well but I have to tell what defintely left me the "that was bad" taste afterwards : the use (or misuse?) of the special abilities. Seriously, I was left thinking that the aunt with all her books flying around her was more impressive than the guy using the same power to fight people, how is that even possible? The guy is basically a telekinesic and all he does during a fight is "push energy" to the one is facing? Nope, not gonna do it.
And what about the guy can fly but prefers to just jump off a car going awfully fast (did I read 100mph?) on the highway? And just coming out with a bad ankle, obviously *rolls eyes*
A waste I tell you... But 2 stars (or 1.5) because the ideas!
dnf
September 24, 2022Kindle-Sort-ReRead
Maybe it gets better but quitting early, I just don't like the pov character Theo's attitude. The detectives seem too bratty. The book starts with sex, I found the relationship (?) distracted me from whatever they were supposed to be investigating. No seems to mean yes. Carlos is creepily persistent.
Maybe it gets better but quitting early, I just don't like the pov character Theo's attitude. The detectives seem too bratty. The book starts with sex, I found the relationship (?) distracted me from whatever they were supposed to be investigating. No seems to mean yes. Carlos is creepily persistent.
July 26, 2013
4 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Theo Bourne has moved back to Columbus. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to do but staying in NY wasn’t an option. Theo has run out of place to which to run away. He has a fantastic one night stand with a very sexy werecoyote he meets at a night club the night before he’s supposed to report to his new job on Columbus’ Preternatural Task Force. When he goes into work the next morning he meets his new partner, Carlos Ramirez, the werecoyote with whom he had a fantastic one night stand then ran out on while he was sleeping. Awkward! They don’t really have much time to bicker as they have a murder to solve. The body of a were was found with it’s throat torn out. They don’t know much. It was a were killed by a were and the body was dumped. It’s not long til they have a second victim. Then a third. Amidst what appears to be the work of a serial killer Carlos refuses to allow Theo to put space between them. Every night he angles his way into Theo’s home then his bed. They don’t have sex, but Carlos is there for the nightmares. Theo really hates that he is beginning to appreciate that.
Theo goes home to find his apartment completely destroyed. There is a picture and note from the perpetrator, Jason Devereaux. Jason is the serial killer who brutally murdered several girls in NY as well as Theo’s partner, Charlie. Theo now finds himself living with Carlos. Theo also finds himself falling in love with Carlos despite the fact it’s the absolute last thing he wants in his life. He’s stunned when he learns they have actually known each other for years and Carlos has held a torch all this time. They find themselves investigating the murders as well as the reappearance of Jason Devereaux. With tips from a somewhat unwelcome, for Theo at least, source he and Carlos are able to home in on the real crime. Then friends and family begin to disappear. Theo and Carlos find themselves in the basement of their prime suspect. Then things take a turn for the worse.
Theo is an ass. One of the more realistic and believable asses I’ve encountered in a book in a long time. He doesn’t actually like people. They are rather inconvenient when he’s trying to do something for the greater good. He’s been wounded. Really wounded. It’s just a lot easier to not allow anything or anyone into his world, so it can’t hurt him or leave him. Of course Carlos is totally NOT on board with that. Theo’s inability to control any of the situation with Carlos is kind of hilarious. There is a part of Theo that doesn’t actually want to control it, but he’s just so damn scared of being hurt. His fear is manifest as aggression. It was refreshingly believable.
I liked the world building. I guess I’d call it subtle. It’s essentially modern society with some paranormal or preternatural spice thrown on top, like mango with Tajin. I can never decide if I prefer a full blown abstract society to an enhanced reality. I guess I like ‘em both. Having said that there was some stuff I didn’t love. The torch Carlos carried seemed a bit over the top. Waiting your whole adult life and eschewing other relationships for a guy who barely noticed you in high school seems kind of unrealistic. I guess it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book. Thankfully it didn’t seem to suffer from any kind of first-in-a-series kind of syndrome. It was just a good solid read.
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Theo Bourne has moved back to Columbus. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to do but staying in NY wasn’t an option. Theo has run out of place to which to run away. He has a fantastic one night stand with a very sexy werecoyote he meets at a night club the night before he’s supposed to report to his new job on Columbus’ Preternatural Task Force. When he goes into work the next morning he meets his new partner, Carlos Ramirez, the werecoyote with whom he had a fantastic one night stand then ran out on while he was sleeping. Awkward! They don’t really have much time to bicker as they have a murder to solve. The body of a were was found with it’s throat torn out. They don’t know much. It was a were killed by a were and the body was dumped. It’s not long til they have a second victim. Then a third. Amidst what appears to be the work of a serial killer Carlos refuses to allow Theo to put space between them. Every night he angles his way into Theo’s home then his bed. They don’t have sex, but Carlos is there for the nightmares. Theo really hates that he is beginning to appreciate that.
Theo goes home to find his apartment completely destroyed. There is a picture and note from the perpetrator, Jason Devereaux. Jason is the serial killer who brutally murdered several girls in NY as well as Theo’s partner, Charlie. Theo now finds himself living with Carlos. Theo also finds himself falling in love with Carlos despite the fact it’s the absolute last thing he wants in his life. He’s stunned when he learns they have actually known each other for years and Carlos has held a torch all this time. They find themselves investigating the murders as well as the reappearance of Jason Devereaux. With tips from a somewhat unwelcome, for Theo at least, source he and Carlos are able to home in on the real crime. Then friends and family begin to disappear. Theo and Carlos find themselves in the basement of their prime suspect. Then things take a turn for the worse.
Theo is an ass. One of the more realistic and believable asses I’ve encountered in a book in a long time. He doesn’t actually like people. They are rather inconvenient when he’s trying to do something for the greater good. He’s been wounded. Really wounded. It’s just a lot easier to not allow anything or anyone into his world, so it can’t hurt him or leave him. Of course Carlos is totally NOT on board with that. Theo’s inability to control any of the situation with Carlos is kind of hilarious. There is a part of Theo that doesn’t actually want to control it, but he’s just so damn scared of being hurt. His fear is manifest as aggression. It was refreshingly believable.
I liked the world building. I guess I’d call it subtle. It’s essentially modern society with some paranormal or preternatural spice thrown on top, like mango with Tajin. I can never decide if I prefer a full blown abstract society to an enhanced reality. I guess I like ‘em both. Having said that there was some stuff I didn’t love. The torch Carlos carried seemed a bit over the top. Waiting your whole adult life and eschewing other relationships for a guy who barely noticed you in high school seems kind of unrealistic. I guess it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book. Thankfully it didn’t seem to suffer from any kind of first-in-a-series kind of syndrome. It was just a good solid read.
July 25, 2014
read 57% of this book before i put it down i and felt like i was forcing myself to read it that far.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO READ SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE THIS THEN READ;
PSYCOP SERIES - Jordan Castillo Price
Sanguis Noctis - Robin Saxon & Alex Kidwell
MIA case files - KC Burn
In the Shadow of the Wolf - R.J. Scott
if you just like cop stuff
Life lessons - Kaje Haper
LA series - P.A. Brown
Cut & Run - Abigail Roux
i have a lot of suggestions so if you want an more message me
things i liked about this book
that is was a shifter / supernatural gay investigation book
the fact that Theo slept with his new partner the night before staring new job
speaking in Spanish
things i did not like / found unbelievable
ok i know its stupid but i found it really strange how in 2 consecutive days they were having dinner with each others families. at the dinner with Theo's auntie Theo was told to 'take smaller bites' and then the next night one of the parents says to a niece or nephew to take smaller bite (in a slightly different way granted) but it didn't read as real it felt like the writer was shoving something that happened during their family meals down our throats.
i actually found this through out were the author didn't take individual dialects into account. especially that there was no difference between the Spanish speaking family and American one.
that they used to know and not know each other as children . random!
the point where i stopped reading was after a suspect that Theo already knew of had broken out of prison (without Theo having a phone call of any sort for a heads up) was killing people for 3WEEKS!!! in a manner that Theo should have recognized at least in his mind! who then escapes for no real reason other than the author waning another 100 pages to work with.
everywhere is labels!!! doesn't discribe the type of jeans (low rise/bootcut ect) just the label!
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO READ SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE THIS THEN READ;
PSYCOP SERIES - Jordan Castillo Price
Sanguis Noctis - Robin Saxon & Alex Kidwell
MIA case files - KC Burn
In the Shadow of the Wolf - R.J. Scott
if you just like cop stuff
Life lessons - Kaje Haper
LA series - P.A. Brown
Cut & Run - Abigail Roux
i have a lot of suggestions so if you want an more message me
things i liked about this book
that is was a shifter / supernatural gay investigation book
the fact that Theo slept with his new partner the night before staring new job
speaking in Spanish
things i did not like / found unbelievable
ok i know its stupid but i found it really strange how in 2 consecutive days they were having dinner with each others families. at the dinner with Theo's auntie Theo was told to 'take smaller bites' and then the next night one of the parents says to a niece or nephew to take smaller bite (in a slightly different way granted) but it didn't read as real it felt like the writer was shoving something that happened during their family meals down our throats.
i actually found this through out were the author didn't take individual dialects into account. especially that there was no difference between the Spanish speaking family and American one.
that they used to know and not know each other as children . random!
the point where i stopped reading was after a suspect that Theo already knew of had broken out of prison (without Theo having a phone call of any sort for a heads up) was killing people for 3WEEKS!!! in a manner that Theo should have recognized at least in his mind! who then escapes for no real reason other than the author waning another 100 pages to work with.
everywhere is labels!!! doesn't discribe the type of jeans (low rise/bootcut ect) just the label!
May 29, 2017
I won this book online, and while I had read some of the authors short stories online, I was wondering if she could pull off a full length novel.
She did. Brilliantly.
I loved reading this novel full of romance, mystery and intrigue. She managed to pull so many genres into one book and use them all alongside each other successfully.
There are two major plots going on, which I love:
1. The murders. There are dead bodies popping up, and as a detective, Theo must go and find the killer with his partner Carlos.
2. Theo's past and the man hunting him down.
The main characters:
Theo- He's a detective that doesn't keep his heart on his sleeve. He has had a bad relationship in the past, so he decides to have one night stands with men only.
Carlos- A very successfully written Spanish character. His use of Spanish is brilliant and he's a very kind and loving character. We do see flares of anger from him, but he's very controlled. He pushes for a relationship with Theo.
At first I thought such a limit on characters was a bad idea, but it actually turned out to be one of the best choices this author could make.
I love how we get to see Theo evolve from a slightly heartless man to showing how much he cares for others.
She did. Brilliantly.
I loved reading this novel full of romance, mystery and intrigue. She managed to pull so many genres into one book and use them all alongside each other successfully.
There are two major plots going on, which I love:
1. The murders. There are dead bodies popping up, and as a detective, Theo must go and find the killer with his partner Carlos.
2. Theo's past and the man hunting him down.
The main characters:
Theo- He's a detective that doesn't keep his heart on his sleeve. He has had a bad relationship in the past, so he decides to have one night stands with men only.
Carlos- A very successfully written Spanish character. His use of Spanish is brilliant and he's a very kind and loving character. We do see flares of anger from him, but he's very controlled. He pushes for a relationship with Theo.
At first I thought such a limit on characters was a bad idea, but it actually turned out to be one of the best choices this author could make.
I love how we get to see Theo evolve from a slightly heartless man to showing how much he cares for others.
July 12, 2013
3.5 stars - A good, solid action-packed read. Loved Theo and Carlos; their relationship's not an easy one but truly heartfelt and sexy as hell. My one pet peeve was the oftentimes incorrectly written Spanish lines within the story. I can't begin to express how annoyed I get when Spanish is included in a story and it's obviously translated online, the author having no clue of how wrong/off these translations can be. I grind my teeth, strongly wishing these segments had been reviewed by someone who knew the language or were just freaking left out of the story. Seriously, just because someone's Hispanic doesn't mean they have to speak Spanish every other second; it doesn't have to be included to make the heritage authentic. Anyway, aside from that minor aggravation, I truly enjoyed the story and am really looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
March 19, 2017
I feel like the blurb on the back should include something along the lines of: "And the winner for the character who ends up in the hospital the most times over the course of a single book goes to...!" Seriously, there was so much damage to Theo in this it was kind of ridiculous. In all honesty though, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Based on the beginning I found myself with a mixed opinion but as it progressed, the story won me over and I really got into it. I enjoyed the mix of paranormal and mystery and while it would've been nice to have gotten a bit more info on any other types of paranormals in the book, I think what I got was still good and enough to understand the world. I'm still not entirely certain where Lloyd fits into things but I'm happy with the book overall and will eventually look into a sequel.
January 31, 2012
I read this back in July while sick with strep(I love text to speech programs)and remembered that it was good, but that's all I remembered. After reading again this evening I recalled why I liked it:
Striking cover! I have a folder on my desktop with a handful of favorite covers in it and this is one.
I love the powers Theo possessed, though the way they were handled in the story had a few inconsistencies.
Carlos's pleasant steamrolling of Theo was a joy to watch. That type of courtship tickles the hell outta me.
The interactions between the two were fun. But convos between them and Chief seemed canned at times, like something from a 70s 0r 80s TV cop drama.
Overall I enjoyed it. It was a nice spin on the genre.
Striking cover! I have a folder on my desktop with a handful of favorite covers in it and this is one.
I love the powers Theo possessed, though the way they were handled in the story had a few inconsistencies.
Carlos's pleasant steamrolling of Theo was a joy to watch. That type of courtship tickles the hell outta me.
The interactions between the two were fun. But convos between them and Chief seemed canned at times, like something from a 70s 0r 80s TV cop drama.
Overall I enjoyed it. It was a nice spin on the genre.
December 30, 2016
Wow, what a great book!! A quirky, snarky and exciting story! Like a really strong gust of wind that got me totally unaware and knocked me over. This was really really good! Captivating from the start, with the right amount of angst and dark streaks mixed with a very sweet couple - kind of an addictive combination.
Really looking forward to the rest of this series.
And to think I stumbled upon it by accident - there was this little free short from the publisher One Bad Day: A Theo Bourne Story I found for a challenge - read it and... here I am!
Really looking forward to the rest of this series.
And to think I stumbled upon it by accident - there was this little free short from the publisher One Bad Day: A Theo Bourne Story I found for a challenge - read it and... here I am!
July 10, 2011
I have to admit, that somehow I couldn't accept this story as it was.
I liked how Carlos and Theo relationship developed true whole story, but while this plot developed the mystery around the murders developed annoyingly. Carlos as a character was really bad detective and he only cared how to get Theo into serious relationship with him. While Theo was drawn like some superhuman and all action developed around him. Those two worked really bad as a team and I really didn't like this part of the story.
I liked how Carlos and Theo relationship developed true whole story, but while this plot developed the mystery around the murders developed annoyingly. Carlos as a character was really bad detective and he only cared how to get Theo into serious relationship with him. While Theo was drawn like some superhuman and all action developed around him. Those two worked really bad as a team and I really didn't like this part of the story.
January 22, 2012
3.5 stars
When Theo and Carlos are investigating the case - the story is good. When Theo uses his powers - it's awesome. When Theo and Carlos are together - not so much. I hate adults behaving like surly teenagers and they did. For all his power, Theo needs some serious therapy and if Carlos used another "Mi Corazón" I would have screamed. Not bad by any stretch of imagination, but not exceptional, especially since the powers weren't consistent.
And, yes, the cover is gorgeous.
When Theo and Carlos are investigating the case - the story is good. When Theo uses his powers - it's awesome. When Theo and Carlos are together - not so much. I hate adults behaving like surly teenagers and they did. For all his power, Theo needs some serious therapy and if Carlos used another "Mi Corazón" I would have screamed. Not bad by any stretch of imagination, but not exceptional, especially since the powers weren't consistent.
And, yes, the cover is gorgeous.
July 5, 2016
This was okay. A little too violent for my tastes (and I don't like werewolves or were-anything): a lot of blood and gore and fighting in this. The thing that really got me though was the dubcon: how the Love Interest had decided upon the MC in high school (as his forever love or whatever) and when they meet back up, he proceeds to ignore everyone one of the MC's statements of lack of consent. No means no, ugh. (There's a "Oh, I know he's stop if I really meant it" handwave, but NO.)
Read
April 11, 2012Stopped reading because the way the two detectives (Theo and Carlos) investigated the murders started to bug me too much. Sometimes it even felt like they were just going through the motions, playing at being detectives. The annoyance level overwhelmed the enjoyment I was getting from reading the book. I didn't rate because I only read 40% of it.
June 17, 2014
?
good in the first two chapters.
one way pleasure (sex) between the main characters.
Alpha Carlos is way too weak (oblivious, cool) for an Alpha.
He should the one who protects Theo, but instead Carlos is always busy or incapacitate when his mate needs help, even if Theo can take care of himself.
In fact there nothing alpha wolf about Carlos
good in the first two chapters.
one way pleasure (sex) between the main characters.
Alpha Carlos is way too weak (oblivious, cool) for an Alpha.
He should the one who protects Theo, but instead Carlos is always busy or incapacitate when his mate needs help, even if Theo can take care of himself.
In fact there nothing alpha wolf about Carlos
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