Rowan Gregor is a CIA agent who vows never to get close to another wolf after his pack is brutally murdered by hunters. Enter Elijah Kane, an efficient and shadowy omega assassin on the run from the CIA. When Rowan is tasked with hunting down Kane, he ends up at the mercy of a wolf with nothing left to lose - a wolf who is sure Rowan is his mate.
Elijah Kane is hell bent on proving he's stronger and smarter than every alpha he meets - including the alpha CIA agent sent to kill him. But Rowan lights a fire of lust that Elijah can't ignore. They share a rare connection - a mate connection - and he's not going to give up on Rowan until the man sees it too.
Trapped in a snowy wilderness and besieged by hunters, desire sizzles between Elijah and Rowan. Can they overcome their differences, and their pasts, and forge a bond to save their future?
Zoe Perdita writes (mostly) gay shifter romance because the only thing better than one hot shifter dude is two hot shifter dudes making out. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with a fluffy orange cat and a lively roommate. When she's not writing, Zoe likes to travel, read and play video games.
Zoe loves to hear from her fans so please send her an email: zoeperdita@gmail.com
What???? How can this book get good reviews? How can anyone like Kane?? He just killed two men in cold blood, one of them a good guy. Then he was about to kill a woman because he enjoyed it. He tells the other MC about how great it is to snap a persons neck, hasn't he always wanted to? The other MC stops him so instead he breaks her arms.
That scene is going too far. None of that is okay at all. This is supposed to be a shifter romance, not a dark treatise on the ugliness of a soul. (And no, it's not well enough written to be successful in that regard at all.) it's all about wanting the other man to want him back. There is nothing that would make me like this man, no horrible past, no abuse, no tortured soul.
this is porn and im embarrassed that i read it but like it was free??? and an easy read. not great, i won't be reading any others. but it was okay. very repetitive. im just a sucker for deep writing and porn doesn't have that. characters were okay. all they wanted was porn tho. it was good porn tho??? i guess from a porn point of view. i want more plot less 'i want you rn' but like this was written to be porn so ????? this is my own fault. awkward climax. lol no pun intended. um. yeah. it was p okay. for porn. sorry mom.
Okay I shouldn’t love an assassin but this one was too cute for words. He was scared and insecure when it came to trust and love. He felt love was a weakness and allowing someone to claim him was as well. That is until the grouchy and reluctant of coming out of the closet Rowan. Rowan who was secure in his masulinity but not his wolf or knowing who he was really. Which is what made the pairing of these two by Yue so precious. They were able to help each other. Rowan, the alpha, helped Elijah, the omega, see that it is okay to love and trust. That sometimes that shows more strength than to walk away. Rowan showed Elijah that he had a home and someone to trust and who would be there for him no matter what-the good the bad and the ugly-past didn’t matter for it was Elijah he loved and not his past. Elijah helped Rowan give into his wolf and learn to begin to feel comfortable and proud of that side. He also showed him that he was attracted to men and this is what would calm his wolf. Elijah showed Rowan even after a shaky start in which they both tried to kill each other that he was there for him.
These two truly do try to harm one another but their connection has them feeling the other. This bugs Rowan more than Elijah. As they are placed in dangerous territory a reliance on one another and a trust is built. Neither leaves the other to die. Neither can handle walking away and acceptance from each occurs. Rowan accepts his mate is male and that he loves him and Elijah accepts that he loves Rowan and must trust him. Together these two are precious. Even when faced with danger they fight for each other.
The intimate moments are off the charts for these two and have you root that they get out of the situation alive and together. A great shifter tale of finding and accepting who you are and who you love.
I'm giving this four stars with a caveat. For anybody that would normally take my four star review as an automatic recommendation, understand that while I remember enjoying this book, I did read it post-op while I was heavily medicated ;-P
Rowan is a CIA agent alpha wolf tasked with eliminating Elijah, an assassin omega wolf who doesn't act like an omega. Rowan is deep in the closet so there isn't the whole insta-attraction you normally read about with mates, at least not from Rowan's side, but there's no denying who they are to each other because of how the magic works.
There's a lot of cat and mouse--Rowan chasing Elijah, Elijah fighting back, both of them deciding whether or not they should just kill the other--but in the end, the mate bond trumps all.
I enjoyed the world building--the politics between shifters and humans, how it varies depending on the country or even which part of a particular country you're in. I found the explanation of the Old Ones particularly interesting, especially since the whole thing was a take on shifters I hadn't read before, and I've read A LOT of shifter books.
There wasn't a whole lot of sex--something I found surprising--but I found I didn't miss it. The story was fast-paced enough to hold my interest without it. It does end on a HFN. There's enough conclusion too be satisfied if you want to call it quits but also enough of a teaser to get you interested in the next book should you so desire, which I did.
Okay wow. So assassins and shifters and fated mates and nonstop excitement? YES PLEASE THANK YOU. I devoured this book and when it got to the end I nearly threw my kindle because I want more. Thankfully, the rest of the series exists and I'm not going to go binge it all!
re-read: this remains, quite possibly, my favorite wolf-shifter series ever.
Independent Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock. The views expressed herein are mine, and mine alone.
This was different and in a good way! I started it yesterday and finished this morning, kept me going right from the first page, and didnt let up til the ending.
Rowan is a CIA wolf sent to eliminate an assassin, Elijah, also a wolf. Rowan is an Alpha with out a pack, and Elijah is an Omega. Neither has a pack, after they both suffered a childhood tragedy, different ones, but both equally devastating to them both. I did think for a time, that they might have had something to do with each other, but that wasn't the case. I love being proved wrong, equally as much as I love being proved right!
What made this for me, was the connection, the red threads that joined Rowan and Elijah from their very first meeting. The threads grow and get stronger as time goes on, and its only a matter of time until Rowan gives up the pretense and admits what he has known all along: that he and Elijah are meant for each other. Its a twist to the usual wolf-mate thing, and I LOVED that.
Its also not a lovely fluffy romance. No Ma'am! It has sex, yes, mind blowing life altering sex, yes, but its not all wrapped up in sweetness and light. There is love, yes, but its not all hearts and roses. What it is, is a tale of totally opposites attract, and Yue (one of the wolf Gods) has sent them to each other, whether they like it or not.
Also, its not a HEA, well technically, I suppose it is, since they admit what they mean to each other, BUT the reason behind the story, the underlaying reason that Elijah became and assassin, and why Rowan was sent to kill him, THAT doesn't end, it will be carried over into book two, Omega In The Light, and I do hope I get to read it. I need to know more about Elijah's brother, Simeon, and whether Rowan and Elijah, do, get a proper Happily Ever After.
I just loved this! Elijah is an omega wolf who refuses to behave as expected, and Rowan is a deeply closeted alpha wolf. Both exist in the human world, while the reader does learn through the story about the Old One territories. Competent world-building, with weaponized wolfs bane and silver ammo used by the the hunters. Assassin Elijah is intrigued with one of the CIA team members sent to take him out. He follows Rowan and gets to know him. Elijah has such cheek...like how he decided to keep Rowan out of his way while he accomplishes his latest assassination assignment. Their HFN is perfect, and the action continues in the next book, which is Elijah's brother's story.
I found it last night and devoured in a few hours (of course I was late in the morning). I liked it a lot! it is different. Had a very interesting plot, which I found refreshing. If you like shiffters stories and wolf magic, with PLOT, this one is A MUST READ.
DNF'd at 55%. It started out somewhat promising, but then just got progressively more grating. I was simultaneously bored and irritated. Bored because things seemed to be dragging on forever, and irritated because the two MC's just couldn't seem to stop being assholes.
I'm not sure if I really liked it or not. The only real issue I had, and it's a big one to me, is that Elijah breaks Rowan's one-night-stands arms, both of them, because Rowan had sex with her. Apparently Rowan is a man-whore and sleeps with just about every woman he comes across. He keeps denying he is gay. Well I have to agree with him, he's not gay he's "bi". Someone who is gay wouldn't have the track record with women. The CIA even knows his track record with women. And that is kind of embarrassing that your employer knows you have lots of sex with lots of women. Yes I understand that Elijah recognized the fact that Rowan was his mate, but Rowan didn't know as his pack had all been killed by hunters and he had turned away from that side of his nature. He goes so far as to deny his wolf and thinks of the wolf as the alpha and himself as human. Elijah and is brother were living on the streets and taken in by their mentor who taught them how to be assassins. Anyway, that initial scene really bothered me, to the point where I couldn't really fall into the story. Also, I'm not sure what the reasoning behind Elijah taking Rowan to the place where he has to kill the bad guy, other than to use him as bait to get close to his mark to kill him. He could have gotten his mate killed & almost did. Apparently in most places, shifters are not allowed to cross into human territory and when they do, hunters are there to kill them. Even though I had issues with this one, and again in my opinion it was pretty big, I will probably read the next book as there is unfinished business in this one.
Dark and deadly. A high stakes cat and mouse game between two enemies where more then just their lives are on the line but their hearts as well. It was darker then most reads but I believe in redemption and righting the wrongs of the past.
~*~obsessed by books copy given in exchange for an honest review~*~
Alpha, Omega...fate, lust and the undeniable bonds of being each other's mate. Life really is having the last laugh as Alpha Wolf Rowan is sent to deal with the assassin Omega wolf Elijah. The reasons they are brought together are at loggerheads with the bonds between them.
The magical shifter world make this a twisting, gripping, page turning read. The characters are not stereotypical and althigh M/M is not my usual thing their attraction was animalistic and wolfy!
They both have suffered greatly in their childhoods and their tragedies although different have left them jaded and lead them down the path..to one another. Elijah was a cheeky loveable rogue wolf and I am slightly in lust with the pair of then...so strong and alpha...phew!
Can't wait to continue the fang and fur sexy hot ride in the next book!
This was a cool story to start a new series. There was always something happening, even when I wasn't sure what was happening. There was lots of action as well as a different take on how shifters interacted with humans. The reluctant lovers were well developed and strong characters.. I really appreciated the descriptions of their respective traumas, as this gave rational to their personalities. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Kane was amazing. You couldn't help but smile at him even though he was clearly crazy. I felt bad that he was pushed into this life but happy that he adjusted. Rowan was the character that I couldn't want to come into his own and it was amazing watching them fight each other as well those out to get them. The storyline and plot flowed well and the series seems to have started out good. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Better than expected Enemies to lovers... Although Elijah is cruel in the beginning, we gradually find out why. Both men come from trauma and I could see how it shaped both of them. I grew to like them and believed in the connection. Although it’s fated mates it is not instalove at all. There is a lot of action and some graphic violence but it suited the tone of the book.
4.5 stars.. I liked both these characters..their both flawed but are in desperate need of each other ... The plot was intriguing and so was this world Zoe created... She is very unique with her shifters.. And this story was no different ... I will definitely continue reading this series ...
I absolutely love books featuring wolves! Alphas, Omegas, Betas, Lycans... and the list goes on and on. But for some reason, this book brought an interesting angle that made me fall in love with the genre all over again!
Here we have the infamous Elijah Kane. Assassin of the highest and most elite order. However, he is as illusive as a ghost! Enter Rowan Gregor, a meticulous, strong and powerful, CIA agent and alpha wolf who has estranged himself from the "pack" folk for quite some time; by all accounts a lone wolf.
Rowan Gregor is hot on the trail of the elusive assassin and ends up having all his expectations dashed. There is Elijah Kane, in all his glory! An omega, small, maybe even tiny, polished and refined, suited up and elegantly moving through the crowd to his next kill like his morning coffee.
When Elijah Kane catches wind of Rowan Gregor, all his senses maneuver him to pursue the big, strapping, redheaded Alpha... after he makes his next kill that is. Rowan is taken a back by not only the omega's grace, but his scent and very presence. So much so that he is unable to anything to stop Elijah from killing not only the target he is supposed to protect by his very partner.
What happens after was quite simply amazing! The omega assassin proves to be such a strong force and breaks all stereotypes for omega wolves that Rowan has ever conceived! Elijah is not only an expert killer, his strength and determination is innate and larger than life, so much so that his Alpha even wants to submit (in essence) to his attraction to the omega in every way possible.
The twists, turns and amazing events in this story pulls you in and keeps you interested all throughout and I can't wait to move onto book two!
The new angle of omega's not being weak, but in fact stronger than we could conceive, an alpha who is everything an alpha can be, but also willing to submit in every way for the right person! The idea of what strength really is is upturned! And I loved it all!
The end of this book threw me off since I wasn't expecting it to be done yet. Usually that doesn't happen with ebooks on kindle- it says when the chapter/book is done in the progress. But kindle couldn't figure out this book and said it still had 15min of reading left when it was just the previews for other books. The ending felt abrupt to me because of that since I really wasn't thinking it was done yet!
This is a story of wolves with that type of structure that I always hate. Alphas are top of the heap, no question. Betas are middling. Then omegas, they are the lowest of the low and scorned. No less, in this world they are slaves, scapegoats, objects to use and abuse. A born omega is stuck with that lot and can only look forward to a miserable life in a pack. It can be a bit hard to blame them for wanting out of that life.
True mates in this world rather rare. They are ordained by their god and connected body and soul. There is a thread that connects them, one that is barbed wire coated in blood. Being mates you feel the other person, but they are also hurt with the other person. Each wound is reflected in the mate, and with a CIA assassin out to kill a rogue assassin, turning out to be mates is full of pain and anguish. Not to mention that they don't seem to match; an alpha and omega, a gay man and an insistently straight one, legal and illegal. But as the book continues we see more that connects the two and they start to see it too.
This is very much the start of a series with the end of this book leading right into the next. There is a completion type of feeling to the story of this pair, but not to their job. Things are stirring in this world and these mates will be at the core of it.
I can only say wow! The storyline was really engaging. And I don’t know if it’s because it’s currently the Winter Olympics and Adam Rippon is like the best thing since sliced bread but I kept seeing Adam’s face whenever Elijah Kane was in the scene. I mean, I honestly think Adam Rippon is absolutely the best person to cast if they ever make this into a movie!
Well, that or I’m just loving on Adam so much lately that any sassy, confident gay character has me thinking of Adam Rippon. Lol!!
But I digress, this was an interesting take on shifter/human relations. I like that they’re both on opposite sides - one, on the perceived good side and the other, on the perceived bad side. I love that it’s more complicated than it looks and both have compelling histories that have shaped and guided their opposing paths.
I really love it when authors get into the history of the characters and really invest time and energy in shaping the characters. The storyline is only part of the equation. The characters weigh heavily in the story as well. So I always love authors who do more than give characters a cursory history and story.
No fluffy cute puppies in this book. Both Rowan and Kane come from traumatic childhoods that made them into hard men. Kane is an assassin and unlike most books he's an unapologetic killer without a heart of gold. He is in it for the money and although most of his kills deserve it that isn't his goal. Rowan doesn't get close to people and for the most part seems pretty miserable with his life. These two don't love each other at first sight and are pulled together through a bond that neither one is thrilled about. It is a rather interesting story going down paths that most books don't take. My biggest problem is that this world lacks concrete world building for these characters to play off of. Because of that I felt the book was lacking and at time confusing.
This book is awesome! The characters are engaging and believable. An assassin and a C.I.A agent, who can't get behind that? From page one till the end the author kept me intrigued and wanting more.
The pairing of the two MC's is exciting. You know it's coming but it still grips you when it happens. Is it wrong that I love Elijah? Doesn't matter because I love him anyways.
The first handful of pages were a bit painful to get through. It was written a bit like a middle schooler wrote it. But, it picked up after that and the author found their groove. It was better than I had originally expected based on its Goodreads average rating. I wouldn't have picked it up because of that, but it was free at Amazon.
There wasn't much out of the ordinary in this story. It didn't really tug at emotions much other than injuries. I skimmed past the sex scenes as they didn't really keep my interest.
Ends in an HFN. I don't plan to read it again. Not sure if I'll continue with the series or not.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book because the characters weren’t really that likable. The plot was interesting and fast-paced, but I didn’t warm up to either Elijah or Rowan. They both had rough childhoods and a lot of emotional baggage but Elijah just came across as self-involved and cruel in some of his actions. I also think the constant fighting each other and fighting for their lives was just too much for me.