Denying Fate

A Series of Fates #1

by C.C. Dado

Fate is a funny thing. Some try to cut its threads, while others wrap themselves in it like a blanket.

Young wolf shifter Max is cocky and crass. Unlike others his age, he has yet to discover a talent that will serve his pack. Since childhood, he’s been convinced the pack alpha is his mate, but Alpha Christian cannot envision unfiltered and directionless Max taking the place of his elegant mother at the head of the pack. As Max begins to build a life with his best friend, he also begins to see that maybe what he thought was inevitable was all in his head, and it’s time to move on.

Or are they both denying fate?

Genres: Paranormal, M M Romance, Shapeshifters, Romance, LGBT, Werewolves, M M Shapeshifters

83 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2018

About the author

I write about painfully awkward, usually embarrassing, romance because long confident gazes followed by sexy dancing NEVER happens to me.

I am a native of the Pacific Northwest, and will probably never leave. I'm like a hypochondriac sundae, with claustrophobic sprinkles, and a big cherry of anxiety on top, so I don't travel much. I read to relax my mind, so I love getting lost in someone else’s story, even if it is only for a little while.

Reviews

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

A highly likeable wolf/mates story that doesn't bring anything new to the table, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless.

Max has been pining for Christian for as long as he can remember and adamantly proclaims they’re mates. However, Christian scoffs at such because of preconceived notions of what he thinks a mate should embody. However, a mate bond is very hard to ignore no matter how much one is in denial.

Despite being young and impulsive, Max is sassy and fun, forever supported by his bff Sean and never giving up on his staunch feels for his alpha. Christian is the epitome of stoic and gruff, and when his epiphany comes, his uber protective love shines through.

Again, for lovers of werewolves and mates and the dynamic that comes with such, I don’t think many will be disappointed, though there is sadly no on page smexy. This novella delivers strongly on the possessive feels, actions, and consequences, and I was more than satisfied with the HEA it wrought.

[Sara]

4 Hearts

This was cute, short and perfectly fluffy. I love shifter books like this that focus on the couple and not all the pack politics usually involved. Also, this has fated mates and an omega so that’s always a plus too.

I will say right off the back this was told in an unusual and actually confusing way in the beginning. The story is about Max and his fated mate/Alpha Christian BUT we get the POV’s of Max and Max’s BFF Seth. I don’t know why Seth got a POV and Christian didn’t. Seth is important to Max and to the storyline but I would have rather got only Max’s POV or his and Christian’s. It was odd to have Seth start the book off, get a few pages in his POV and then just fade away. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Seth – his book is actually why I picked this one up – but I could have done without getting his POV in this book.

But anyway.

This was a fun read. I loved that Max has known since he was five that his Alpha Max is his mate but I was frustrated along with Max that Christian wouldn’t acknowledge him as such. Max is young and Max is a bit naïve about things, but Max is always honest and a comfort to those who know him. He knows that Christian is his ,so he goes about doing things to provoke Christian into admitting they are mates, even if it doesn’t always get the right reaction. It’s beyond obvious that Christian knows Max is his mate, with how he takes care of him, how he looks at him and how he’ll do everything in his power to protect Max. But Christian thinks Max needs to be more to take the place of his late mother, the omega.

Speaking of omegas. There is a bit in here about each wolf getting a talent that will serve their pack. Seth realizes his through this book, but it took a bit for everyone to realize what Max’s talent was; though Christian’s mother and the pack elders knew all along. Even Christian knew in his heart, it just took the chance of losing what he wouldn’t claim as his to take an honest look at Max.

Max and Christian have great chemistry. You feel it the moment they are on the page together and I got a kick out of how they flirt with one another. I think it was honorable and chivalrous that Christian gave a self-imposed penance to himself for how he treated Max and it was all worth it in the scene with their first kiss. That first kiss had so much meaning beyond the meeting of their mouths and it just melted me.

This was a short story that made me smile before bed. I really enjoyed Max and Christian and Seth as well. As I said before, it was Seth’s book that made me go back and read this so now I need to know all about the shenanigans Seth and Max get into so Seth can get an HEA too.

Side Note: for those who need on page sex; there isn’t any here. But it worked for the story.

[BWT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multiple POV, short story with low steam, and not a lot of romance, particularly for a "mates" kind of story. l enjoyed the spots of humor the best.

2.5 stars rounded up

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. It was on the shorter side but written well enough that you get everything laid out consistently throughout the entire book and story. It was on the lighter side without a bunch of drama and constant pack issues. The characters were amusing and likable. I really had fun getting to know Max and his friend Seth and seeing some of the shenanigans they got into. Max is a little outrageous and outspoken, always seeming to put his foot in his mouth, which totally worked for me. Seth was basically the one who keeps him in line and down to earth.

I was a little concerned with the dynamic between Max and the actual Alpha, Christian, in this story because Max and Seth seemed to have the perfect (but non-sexual) relationship, and the Alpha Christian just kept pushing Max away no matter what Max did. But I was happy with how this book turned out in the end. Christian finally pulled his head out of his butt and figured out that Max was really, truly who he was supposed to be mated to and the fates don’t lie.

This book was cute and fun and a nice quick read. I am really looking forward to getting Seth’s book next and continuing on with this series. I do hope we also get to see more of Max in that book as well since I liked him so much and he and Seth are such close friends, and hopefully, in turn, we get to see a little more development of Max and Alpha Christian's relationship in that book, too.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yep, should have listened to the other reviews on this book. 🥺 This had so much potential but there were few moments where Max and Christian were even alone, actually only three and those times they were arguing. We as readers even got gypped with the claiming, one moment Christian was carrying up Max and the next chapter Max was feeling his claiming mark on his neck! WHAT HAPPENED IN BETWEEN, then Max was arguing with Christian not wanting to move in with him! Seriously this story frustrating for me especially the end, won’t be a series I continue with.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a few things about it that I liked, but in general the story didn’t worked that well for me.

What I did liked about it was Seth, which is interesting because he wasn’t even a main character, but there were times where he was more interesting and more important in Max’s life than the other main character. Their friendship and sacrifices they were willing to do for the other were endearing and felt more like real love, even if not the romantic type, than the love for their fated mates.

The relationship between the main characters just didn’t felt right. I couldn’t feel any emotion from them and sometimes Max’s attitude was quite frustrating and annoyingly immature. When I start reading, I felt hope, because the book start with a very difficult situation, but I felt so disappointed seeing Max’s reaction towards it, there was no emotion involved and I was really mad about it.

There was not a good chemistry between Max and Christian, they share a few moments together that were nice, but I can’t help thinking there was better chemistry between Max and Seth. It was fast paced book, with a lot of issues that didn’t allow me to love it but entertaining enough to keep my attention until the end. I do hope the next instalments are willing to give a bigger spotlight to Seth and make me believe in Max and Christian’s love.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel that two's company, three's a crowd idiom applies in this novella.

Although it seems that the story is supposed to be about Max and Christopher -- Max thinks Christopher is his mate even if the Alpha seems to reject that notion – but it also has TOO MANY of situations between Max and Seth, his best friend too. It left me wondering more than once whether this story was about Max and Seth (like friends-to-lovers trope) or Max and Christopher.

It doesn’t help that I felt Max to be very whiny – I keep picturing every word that came out of his mouth to be “wah wah wah”. The progress of Christopher welcoming this young wolf to be his mate is nowhere convincing for me.

I lost patience early on with Max and ended up skimming a lot *shrugs*



A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls



The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

2.25 stars

Denying Fate is sweet, but it never really jumps off the page, which is a shame because the story had potential. Max and Christian aren’t well-defined as characters, but Max reminds me of an overgrown puppy. His exuberance and enthusiasm for Christian are infectious, even when they lead him to make some rather questionable choices. Christian feels almost like a non-entity. He was least impressive Alpha I’ve ever found in a shifter series. Max’s best friend Seth is actually the most in depth character and he and Max together make a far more connected couple than Max and Christian. Which was altogether odd and there were times I felt like this was more Seth’s book than Max’s.

Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.

[Morgan Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just wasn’t for me. I found the low steam to be very unsatisfying and though I can appreciate that this was a lot about Max finding his own way in the world, I wanted more about his relationship with Christian and less about Max’s friendship/bakery endeavors. Another thing that I didn’t like was the lack of “wolfiness”. I didn’t feel the wolf part of Max and I wanted to.

Though I’d read a blurb for the next book in the series, it’d really have to bowl me over for me to continue with this. I was simply underwhelmed by the romance.

2.5 of 5 stars

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review available at: https://optimumm.blog/2018/10/26/revi...

Denying Fate is the first book in the A Series of Fate series by C.C. Dado. I loved this book. This is the first time that I’ve read a book by this author, and so I wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a heat level. I was slightly surprised that there were no on-page sex scenes. Content-wise this book would be acceptable for a teen to read. I happen to love to read a wide range of books with or without sexual content and watch a lot of shows and movies that are made for teens, so this was right up my alley. The book is about Max and Christian, but the book is told from the point of views of Max and his best friend, Seth. It was a little weird having the POV from Seth instead of Christian, but I liked it. I liked that Seth was Max’s protector and helped balance Max’s more flamboyant and energetic character. I also liked how Max complimented his friend with being an extrovert to Seth’s introvert and how he would interact with the customers in the front of the store which allowed Seth to hide out in the back and continue to bake all of the goods.

I loved Max. He’s had a hard eighteen years living with an abusive father who kicks him out at eighteen, but it hasn’t dampened his spirit. He’s very much the optimist. He’s sometimes a little over the top and immature, but he’s only eighteen, so that does fit with his character. He’s believed that Christian is his mate since he was little and has proposed multiple times, the first being when he was five and the last being a month before when he was seventeen. But Christian has been denying his claim because he feels that the way Max acts doesn’t fit with the image of being the mate of an alpha. It isn’t until Seth goes to see Christian and tells him to either accept Max as his mate or cut all ties so that Max can move on that they realize what Max is and what his special gift to the pack is. It’s a spoiler, so I’m not going to tell you.

Christian is the Alpha of the pack and has been since his parents were killed in an accident. He constantly finds himself exasperated by Max and compares him to his mother who was sweet and kind. It blinds him to what Max is, and so he denies that Max is his fated mate. Although he does do little things that prove that Max is his mate. When he realizes what Max is, he feels that he has to prove to his mate how much he’s appreciated before he will claim him, much to Max’s frustration. I did find Christian to be kind of abrupt when talking to Max or Seth on the phone, but he always gave Max what he wanted once they were dating. They were cute together. I liked their chemistry together.

Seth is the best friend of Max. Seth’s special gift is his ability to cook delicious things. When Max gets kicked out of his house, the alpha allows them to live over his mother’s sweet shop in town while they go to college. They quickly decide to get permission to open the shop again as a bakery called “Sweets and Meats.” But first, they have to get their degrees. Seth goes to study cooking and Max studies business. Although Max is good at accounting, it isn’t his special gift. I liked all of the cuddle time that Max gets from Seth in a purely platonic way.

I recommend this book for anybody that’s looking for a sweet short read about fated mates with low angst and drama and no on-page sex scenes.

***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read. I loved every money of this book. I could not wait to see what was going to happen next and each time I was surprised by what the alpha and his mate both accomplished. Not to mention the alpha’s Mates best friend.

Max did not have an easy life. His father is a horrible father that constantly treated him badly and has escalated into putting his hands on Max. If not for Max having a best friend that watches over him, then he may not be here now. Seth knew that Max’s father would end up taking things to far one of the times that he got upset with Max. So that is why he talked to the alpha Christian and got permission to call him if there is any problems. Unfortunately that is what ends up happening.

When Christian shows up to protect Max, Max is over the moon that he showed to protect him. He believes that Christian is finally coming around to accept the fact that they are mates. Max has been trying to get him to claim him for a very long time now but Christian is not about to do that.

Christian believes that Max is not the omega that his mother was and though he knows that Max is his mate, he will not claim him. He believes that his mate should be the mate that his mother was. Max in his opinion is the exact oposite.

Will Christian ever accept Max for who he is or will he keep denying what fate has picked out to be his perfect match?

I loved this book. Max really worked his way into my heart. He is such an optimistic person even when things have been bad for him. His love for life is motivating. I also loved that even though Max and Christian are the main characters of this book, this book was told from Max and Seth’s point of view. That is definitely different for me in my opinion. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I am excited to read Seth’s story!!

Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good start to this series. Max cracks me up so bad. He reminds me of another character I love from another series. All flair and mouth, but underneath, compassionate, loyal and loving.
When puberty hits us, we think we're in love with everyone. Max did. He even thought Seth might be his mate as well but learned they were just best friends. Of course he was little then. But even through all the crushes and maybe mates, Max knew in his heart, his true mate was Christian, the alpha. But Christian didn't feel the same. Or was denying it, until Seth stepped in in defense of Max and when Max had a date. Christian could no longer deny what was his. But trying to be a mate while going to school, starting a business and running from a father who wants to kill you has made things hard and Max is wondering if he will even get to be the Omega to his mate.
What made this book for me, was the dynamic between Seth and Max. Best friends for years, they're joined at the hip. Where Max is outgoing, Seth is shy. Where Max is flighty and spontaneous, Seth liked to think things through. But they are there for each other no matter what. Through good and bad, they stick together. Through tears and laughter no matter what. When Max lost his family, Seth became his family. Simple as that. And they are what made this book. Yeah, it was hot with the tension between Christian and Max, but, I don't know, something about Seth and Max just made it perfect.
ttp://lovebytesreviews.com/

[llv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars
I loved this short shifter story. It was really Max and Seth’s story as much as it was Max’s and Christian’s. I loved that actually. I loved all the characters in the story. The author put just enough into the world building for you to get a sense of this world but didn’t go into great exposition and detail. Frankly, I thought the story to be the perfect length and ended at just the right time. I also liked that it had a really low heat level. All of the sexy times happened off page, which didn’t bother me at all. It allowed me to focus on the story which I found to be a nice change. All in all, a wonderful story and I’m looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

[Bronwyn Heeley]

This was an odd read, like a novel on fast forward.
It read real chopping, unemotional.
At one point I thought it was out of order, I didn’t understand things happened the way they did until i realised it was almost like I got to read the start of every new part, a quick synopsis of what was happening and then onto the next without the filling that would have made it read a lot better. In the end because if this I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. I didn’t really get a true feeling of the world and certain things just didn’t have any emotions behind them becuase I wasn’t given enough to have me feel anything, for anything, which kinda sucked.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

sooo.. i am reviewing all 3 of these.. and they are really good.. this is the start of this series.. and it is like a pg version of sweetness haha. i really enjoyed watching the alpha meet his match with his mate... and i enjoyed watching max become the omega he needs to be for himself and his mate... this is def not a steamy series but it is enjoyable and sweet and short. good read.

[Chris-Wait-For-It-Awesome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abrupt ending but overall a sweet read...
Could have been better developed...

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:

Oh man is Christian stubborn and at times deliberately hurtful but he does make it up a bit by the end. I struggled to like Max throughout this whole book, I know he knew the Christian was his mate but he also didn’t treat him with respect back and felt he acted childish. I also didn’t get why it they took years to actually get to the claiming part.

I guess those were my gripes (a bit of a holdover from the last few not so good books I read) but I did enjoy the book and felt I got to know these characters better in the other books.

The cover art by Brooke Albrecht is nice, I like the visual of Max.

[Karolina Cebula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max is a crazy and lively teenage wolf shifter, who for years has been convinced that fate chose his pack's alpha to be his mate. The problem is that the man rejects this possibility, although he undoubtedly feels that this boy is more than just his young pupil. When Max's brutal father throws him out of the house, his best friend and the alpha he called come to his aid. The boys move into the alpha's house, and Max decides to use this situation to his advantage to eventually conquer his unwilling beloved's heart.

"Denying Fate" is the first volume of a small series of paranormal romances concerning shifters entitled "A Series of Fates" written by C.C. Dado. Although the very beginning of this volume has a rather dramatic vibe, as we read this story we quite quickly notice the undeniable comedy side of the novella. Humor is one of the most characteristic features of "Denying Fate", and at the same time is one of the greatest advantages of this book. It is not without significance that the main character, though his situation was difficult as he grew up in a dysfunctional family, didn't let this toxic atmosphere break him. He not only can laugh, but above all he lives his life to the fullest and he's the main source of humor that we find in the novella. In the case of this volume, by focusing on showing the brighter, positive side of human nature, C.C. Dado makes this story unique and different than so many others.

Another great advantage of "Denying Fate" are the characters. On the one hand, they are quite ordinary, yet they very quickly show the readers that they have in them something that makes them unique, one of a kind. What's more, each character has much more to offer than it might seem. Let's look at Max. The family in which he grew up was far from perfect, which would undoubtedly in many cases be used by other authors to build the drama and show this character as a survivor. However, C.C. Dado puts an emphasis on something completely different. Max is the one who didn't break, who didn't stop dreaming and didn't close himself to love. He is a crazy, strong and lively guy with whom we immediately fall in love. The creation of other characters looks similar, as in one way or another it also differs from the pattern, thanks to which the novella gains a lot.

The story presented in "Denying Fate" is built in the same way as the characters. On the one hand, we have here a simple, humorous romance with a bit of a dramatic vibe, which is extremely interesting and lovely. But when we look at it more closely, we see everything that has been hidden somewhere between the lines. In this novella, one small but meaningful sentence is enough to make us start seeing some events and characters in a completely different way. I think that this is a great advantage, because to some extent the story we read takes place on two planes, one of which touches the topic of the characters' emotions and psyche. However, it is so subtly presented that the reader doesn't feel the weight of serious and often dramatic subjects, such as parents' death or attempt to match their perfection.

In conclusion, "Denying Fate" is a really good and interesting beginning of a nice series in which humor combines with the elements of the drama in perfect proportions. We read this novella quickly, with real pleasure and we really want more. I recommend it!

___________________________

Max jest szalonym i pełnym życia nastoletnim zmiennokształtnym wilkiem, który od lat jest święcie przekonany, że los wybrał na jego partnera alfę ich watahy. Problem w tym, że mężczyzna odrzuca taką możliwość, chociaż niewątpliwie także on czuje, że chłopak jest dla niego kimś więcej, niż tylko młodym podopiecznym. Kiedy Max zostaje wyrzucony z domu przez brutalnego ojca, z pomocą przychodzą mu najlepszy przyjaciel oraz wezwany przez niego alfa. Chłopcy wprowadzają się do domu swojego przywódcy, co Max postanawia wykorzystać, aby w końcu zdobyć opornego ukochanego.

„Denying Fate” jest pierwszym tomem niewielkiej serii romansów paranormalnych o zmiennokształtnych zatytułowanej „A Serie of Fates” autorstwa C.C. Dado. Chociaż sam początek tego tomu jest raczej zabarwiony dramatem, to jednak w miarę lektury całkiem szybko zauważamy niezaprzeczalnie komediową stronę noweli. To właśnie humor stanowi jedną z najbardziej charakterystycznych cech „Denying Fate”, a zarazem jest jedną z największych zalet tej książki. Nie bez znaczenia jest bowiem to, że główny bohater choć wychowywał się w trudnych, dysfunkcyjnych warunkach, nie uległ atmosferze panującej w domu i nie tylko potrafi się śmiać, ale przede wszystkim czerpiąc z życia pełnymi garściami jest głównym źródłem humoru, który znajdujemy w noweli. W przypadku tego tomu, stawiając na ukazanie jaśniejszej, pozytywnej strony ludzkiej natury, C.C. Dado czyni tę historię wyjątkową i wyróżniającą się spośród innych.

Kolejną wyjątkową zaletą „Denying Fate” są bohaterowie. Z jednej strony są dosyć zwyczajni, a jednak bardzo szybko pokazują czytelnikom, że mają w sobie coś, co czyni ich unikalnymi, jedynymi w swoim rodzaju. Co więcej, każda z postaci ma nam do zaoferowania o wiele więcej, niż mogłoby się wydawać. Spójrzmy chociażby na Max. Dom, w którym dorastał daleki był od perfekcji, co bez wątpienia w wielu przypadkach zostałoby wykorzystane przez innych autorów do budowania dramatu oraz ukazania bohatera jako tego, który przeżył. C.C. Dado kładzie jednak nacisk na coś zupełnie innego. Max jest bowiem tym, który nie dał się złamać, który nie przestał marzyć i nie zamknął się na miłość. Jest szalonym, silnym i pełnym życia chłopakiem, którego od razu kochamy. Podobnie wygląda to z innymi postaciami, których budowa również w taki, czy inny sposób odbiega od szablonu, dzięki czemu nowela wiele zyskuje.

Na podobnej zasadzie co bohaterowie, budowana jest także przedstawiona w „Denying Fate” historia. Z jednej strony mamy tu bowiem prosty, pełen humoru, ale i miejscami zabarwiony dramatem romans, który już sam w sobie jest niezwykle interesujący i uroczy. Kiedy jednak przyjrzymy mu się dokładniej, dostrzeżemy wszystko to, co zostało niejako ukryte między wierszami. W tej noweli wystarczy jedno niewielkie, ale głębokie zdanie, abyśmy zaczęli zupełnie inaczej postrzegać niektóre wydarzenia oraz bohaterów. Uważam, że jest to ogromną zaletą, ponieważ historia, którą czytamy rozgrywa się w pewnym stopniu na dwóch płaszczyznach, z czego jedna dotyka uczuć bohaterów oraz wnika w ich psychikę. Jest to jednak tak subtelnie przedstawione, że czytelnik nie czuje ciężaru, jaki niosą ze sobą tematy poważne i często dramatyczne, jak chociażby śmierć rodziców, czy dorównanie ich ideałowi.

Podsumowując, „Denying Fate” jest naprawdę dobrym i interesującym początkiem przyjemnej serii, w której humor łączy się z elementami dramatu w idealnych proporcjach. Tę nowelę czyta się szybko, z prawdziwą przyjemnością i naprawdę ma się ochotę na więcej. Polecam!

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

C.C. Dado is a new author, to me, and the blurb for this first novella in a new series captured my attention. I’m always interested in new takes on shifter lore and unique worldbuilding so the idea of a shifter having his or her own special “gift” intrigued me. I had a pretty strong feeling that Max was going to check all of my boxes in terms of adorability and I was so right.

Christian is the alpha of their pack and has been ever since his parents were killed in an accident a few years before. Max has known that Christian is his mate ever since Max was young but for some reason Christian won’t acknowledge it and claim him. Seth is Max’s best friend and has helped Max to stay one step ahead of his a**hole of a father. It isn’t until Seth confronts the alpha (well, as much confrontation as a young, small wolf can do) that Seth realizes what Max’s gift is and that the alpha knows it.

Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews

[Loïc · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first in a series of werewolves that I rather liked. I had a great time reading alongside the main characters Max, Christian and Seth, but I must admit that I finished the Book slightly frustrated. Why ? Quite simply, because this book had a lot of potential and I found it unfortunate that the author was limited to the format of the short story. I would have loved to have more pages to better relate to the characters and enter much more into the universe. Everything is extremely cute, the characters touching and endearing and in addition to the mate in denial, the author has added small parallel stories. Everything is well written and interesting, but unfortunately, we are still in the overview while there was material to go into details. That did not stop me from enjoying the story. I have also been sufficiently attached to the characters and the universe to really want to discover soon the story of Seth and I hope in the future other characters of the pack.

On the other hand, a small thing that troubled me slightly is the addition of a few chapters from Seth’s point of view. While he is an important character in the story, Denying Fate is centered on the romance between Max and Christian and I would have found it more interesting to have the vision of Christian rather than the one of Seth, even if it allows the story to move forward and to connect with him.

All in all, I recommend this little short story to all lovers of werewolf history or fantasy little romances who would like a quick read between two more consistent titles.

This review is also availbable on the website www.sureletagere.com

[Teal Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denying Fate by C.C Dado is the first book in the Series of Fates series. It is a short novella It's short and cute story with humor and a little young adult angst.

The story is written from multiple POV. Max and Christian are mentioned as main characters in the blurb but we also get POV of Set, which actually confused me at first. After getting over my initial confusion of seeing Seth's POV, I liked the fact that we saw the additional character's impressions. We do not get Christian's POV which would have been cool to hear, though.

Now for the characters...
Max is a young 18 year old and I think that his youth shines through in this story. He has heart eyes for The pack Alpha and he definitely goes for what he wants. There are a couple funny parts that reminded me of my much younger self trying to prove my love was true and not just another teenage crush. He was actually pretty adorable inmy opinion. Maybe it was just me,but I did some stupid stuff as a teenager/young adult.

Christian is the Alpha of the pack and doesnt this Max is the right fit for an Alpha Mate. He is kinda blind to the truth and I kind of wanted to smack sense into him.

Seth is a good character, and cares about his best friend. I would love to see more of his story. I really liked him and his protection and pride in his best friend.

I liked this story. I kind of wish it was a bit longer. It was funny, entertaining and a good start to a cute series. Do not expect much steam from this one though. I will definitely read the other books.

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.

[Xanthe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first experience with this author and I'd be interested in reading more of this series, though I found this book to be a little hit and miss.
The basis of the story and the relationship between Max and Alpha Christian is intriguing.
All wolves have a gift and Max is yet to discover his. His main focus at the moment is getting the Alpha to notice him and the mate pull that Max is certain of. The Alpha is very reticent about Max. He's always watching over the younger man but cannot see the two of them having a future.
To me, the story had a lot of promise but didn't quite fulfill on it's potential. There were, for me, some really good parts that, if fleshed out a little would have massively boosted my interest and involvement with the characters. Less is not always more.
One thing that confused me was that the POVs used in the book are Max and Max's best friend Seth, we don't actually read from Christian. Seth does play a big role for Max, has been supportive and important to Max, but having his POV didn't quite make sense to me.
The connection between Max and Christian is clear to see from the outside but there wasn't a lot of interaction between them making it hard to feel connected to, and involved with, the characters.
The setting itself is well described and a place I would definitely love to live in, sounding quaint and appealing.
I would ask people to give this book a go as overall, I enjoyed the story, but I'm hoping that book two goes a little deeper with action, conversation and emotions.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review

[JenCW · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

This story is a little odd in that you get the viewpoints of Max, one of the main characters, and Seth, his best friend, but not Max's mate, Christian. While I saw the value in this setup, I felt like I was missing the pieces that would have helped make this story flow better for me.

I liked Max, but I had a hard time with Christian, whose dismissal of Max, repeatedly, was hard to see. While it was clear that Christian did care about Max, I just didn't really understand him. At the same time, I loved how Seth stood up for Max, and while Seth's actions led Christian to accepting Max, it still felt off. I was happy to see Max questioning it at every turn for a while as well.

There were a few things that didn't make sense to me and the time jumps towards the end just made it hard to see Max and Christian forming their bond. One thing that bothered me was that Christian's parents had been such a wonderful Alpha and Omega, but how could they have not seen what their Beta was like? I think the time jumps would have worked better for me had the story been fleshed out a bit more or had we gotten Christian's viewpoint as well.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Denying Fate is a cute, witty shifter story.
Max is sure he is Christian (the Alpha's) true mate, though Christian fights him at every turn. Max's dad is abusive to him and at 18 kicks him out of the house. Seth max's friend calls the Alpha who comes to the rescue. He sets Max and Seth up in an apartment over the candy shop that use to belong to his mom and tells them to go to college, the pack funds will take care of them and when they open a business they can pay back into community funds.

Max is a funny character. He is sure Christian is his and does everything in his power to win him over.
Seth is sweet and adorable and I cannot wait for his story. I loved the friendship between the two.
The story is written in Max and Seth's view. I wish it had been Cristian and Max so we knew a little more about the alpha even though there is back-story.
The setting is lovely and I like the price of the mates series and cannot wait for more.

If you like short and sweet romance with no on-page sex, Light and fluffy stories, true mates, bakers, businessmen, Alpha's and new adult romance you will enjoy this.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-ey1

From that review: I must admit I really enjoyed the way this story started out.  The potential for humor, the real exuberance the flashes through the character of Max that I had really seen before in a young were just captivated me.  A young shifter so sure he knew that the Alpha was his mate that he calls him nicknames in a car after being rescued!  Irrepressible!  A total but he's my boyfriend...sort of thing when no one else believes him.  He's young effervescent, and you get it.  Plus he has Seth his best friend as a support and listening block.

From the way it started out, I was sure  I was in for a real special story.  But unfortunately the author either just couldn't  or wouldn't sustain this or the other plot (not the one that had anything to do with the bonding) so overtook the character of Max that it dimmed what made him so original.  He become another sweet young were but without the sparkle that had me anticipating this story.  That was gone."

For all our reviews, check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...

[Nat Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max knows that Christian is his destined mate, which is a big thing, to find your mate. But Christian denies him. Max shines with a very large personality, and he’s a man who goes after what he wants, damn the consequences. He isn’t some ‘fall by the wayside and wait for the world to hand him what he wants’ sad little waif. Oh no, he works for his desires, and I appreciated that about him.

To me, Christian wasn’t as fleshed out as Max and his best friend Seth, and felt distant. I didn’t quite warm to him like I did the others. But Christian totally pulls through once he’s accepted his place in the world, as Max’s mate.

We don’t get to see the claiming, and even if the sex was fade to black (no sex in these stories, and I’m totally fine with that) I would have liked to see them commit to each other with the claim scene. That’s one of those sweet/dynamic/important scenes I like to have fleshed out in a story.

Note: These are not steamy, and it fits the sweet, innocent nature of the series. These stories are ‘finding mates’ stories and have to do more with love and connection than passion and sex.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet and easy read! This book is short, very short, and while it was not super heavy on the details, I still really enjoyed it. We meet Seth and then Max and I had to go back and reread the blurb to see if they were the leads of this book; they’re not. Instead, we get Seth's POV as Max's best friend and it helped to add an interesting aspect to the story.

Max was strong in his chasing after Alpha Christian and I appreciated his tenacity. Because of the book being short we did not get a lot of details of the two of them really coming together and building a relationship. I would have loved to read more of the two of them!

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was...okay. It had some cute elements but honestly it was a disjointed reading experience. There were time jumps to make the plot happen more quickly and the development of the relationship was especially choppy. I also found it odd that POV characters were Max, MC, and Seth, Max’s best friend, rather than Max and Christian, the love interest. I’m hoping Seth’s book will be a better, smoother reading experience...

Content Notes:

🐾 abusive father
🐾 thrown out of home
🐾 violence
🐾 death of parents in past
🐾 dog attacking/biting
🐾 fatmisia
🐾 vomiting
🐾 allusion to masturbation
🐾 casual ableism
🐾 death, murder
🐾 sexual content, inexplicit

[Violet Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in The A Series of Fates Series. A short book the writing did need some help. The transitions could’ve been better. I found the story and characters likeable. Max and Christian are the MC’s of this book. It’s too bad when a secondary character is the strongest part of the story and that is how it felt. It can be okay to add another POV than the main characters, however you should include both of the main characters not just one. And make the transitions form one POV to another clearer on who’s POV it is. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Anabela.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Denying Fate Christian does his best to resist the pull towards his fated mate Max,who in turn tries everything in his power to make the stern alpha complete their bond.

Despite the fact that the omega has some moments of sadness because of his mate's rejection, I couldn't stop but find Max hilarious. He's shameless in his pursuit, totally a drama quinn, an all around sassy,irreverent trouble maker.

So,the book is short and cute,with little to no flames,but there's so much banter,friendship and love. Reading it was a treat and I couldn't put it down.