Fearing Fate

A Series of Fates #3

by C.C. Dado

A Series of Book Three

He is a fearless protector by nature and in his heart. But nothing’s ever simple with love… or fate.

At nearly seven feet tall, Zeus’s role had always been to protect the pack—but his newest charges need him more than most. Kimber and Kron are transplants from another pack, and they have a dangerous stranger on their tails. Zeus is determined to do his duty and drive the human out of town. But when he confronts Toren, his wolf has other ideas….

Something isn’t right, but should a huge, tattooed wolf with a secret soft heart fear his fate—to love a man with secrets of his own?

Genres: M M Romance, Shapeshifters

71 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 14, 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

[BWT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fearing Fate returns readers to Easter Valley where we catch up with Max, Seth, and Christian while getting to see big, strong Zeus willing to do anything, include go against his alpha, to protect a stranger who turns out to be Zeus's mate.

Told in Zeus's third person POV, I really enjoyed getting to see Zeus find his mate. What he learns of his mate's past is very interesting, and Toren's presence brings more mystery to this series. Seriously, though, I absolutely love the humor sprinkled throughout this series - mainly from Max.

“Hmm… just going to ignore me, are you? We’ll see how well that works for you,” Max said, adjusting Kron in the pack.
Zeus grabbed a newspaper off the counter, continuing to ignore Max, and sat down at the café table next to Kimber, picking up a crayon to help her color.
“What doing, Unca-Eus?” Kimber asked, looking up, bright-eyed, from her paper.
“Uncle Zeus is hiding, sweetie,” Max answered, bringing her over a snack.
“Hide-and-seek?”
“Yes, but he’s playing hide-and-seek with his emotions. It’s the hardest of all the hide-and-seek games.”
“Oooooo,” she said, impressed.

I didn't love how the unknown villain story plot wasn't finished, but hopefully there are more books to the series coming? Because this definitely has some dangling threads that need to be tied off. So pretty please C.C. Dado, may I have some more?

3.5 Stars

Advanced Review Galley copy of Fearing Fate provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.

This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I need more of this series. It's so good. And this has some big changes.
Max is determined to find a mate for Zeus now that he and Seth are mated. It's occurred to Zeus that a lot of things have now changed. He has always been the beta, the protector, but he feels finally like he's part of a family, not just a pack. Having Christian and Max foster to little ones who lost their parents, have made a big impact, and Zeus's big soft heart is in protective mode even more. Especially when he sees someone new snooping around town. Investigating what's going on, Zeus picks up on several things. Toren was looking for the kids, but refuses to turn them in, Toren is very sick from a poison, and Zeus feels things for him he's never felt before. Enough to disobey his alpha. Twice. When the truth of some things at revealed, more and more things are coming to the surface and it's scary for Toren and Zeus. But Zeus is hoping maybe the mate bond he's feeling with keep Toren from running in fear.
Yay!!! Zeus found his mate. But not is it a complicated story. Everyone's parents are being killed, someone is being shady somewhere and no one knows where to really look for the trouble. But Zeus is determined to solve this puzzle. And at least save Toren and the babies. I love Zeus so much. He's such a giant of a man with tattoos everywhere that make him scary looking. He does his job well. But he is the biggest softie known to man. His heart is just goo. He wants to protect and love everyone and it's just adorable. I'm so glad Toren has him to help.
Toren, himself, is in a conundrum. Not knowing who or what he really is. He just knows he different and something is really wrong with him. And Zeus is exactly what he needs.
I love this series. I hope maybe there will be another book or two along the way.
ttp://lovebytesreviews.com/

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to read Zeus’s story. A huge bada** shifter who is beta to the pack and distributes the punishments along with protecting the whole pack, plus two insanely (off-the-charts) adorable small children who have Zeus wrapped around their fingers, add in a human with secrets and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen!

“Zeus adored those kids so much already. He had always been part of a pack, but Seth, Jack, Christian, Max, and now those kids made him feel like he was part of a family. That was why he had to get his town back in order. He had to keep his family safe. It’s all Zeus had ever wanted to do. He used his size to protect his pack because he cared about them.”

Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

sooo this one i think was my favorite.. i freakin loved zues... he is almost 7 feet of muscle and love.. he is sexy and funny.. and he just wants to love his mate.. plus when he meets his mate it is under bad circumstances and he isnt sure what to do .. this was a sweet short and fun read. i enjoyed this series alot.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:

3.5 stars out of 5

I was glad that Zeus finally go to show his soft side, he always has to be intimidating and protective but here he was able to let his guard down to take care of Toren. Toren is so sweet and confused, he doesn’t know why he was sent but doesn’t want the kids to get hurt and then to find that his mother had been poisoning him his whole life did nothing to help his feelings of insecurity. I didn’t quite like that Toren was never flat out told what was going on with him until he was in pain from his wolf coming forward, I think some sort of conversation should have happened,

I love that the guys from all these stories have built a family together and while some of them do have family still around this group has become their primary family, even sitting together during the pack meals. They went through quite a bit in a short period of time but it all turned out well in the end.

The cover art by Brooke Albrecht is nice and I like the visual of Zeus and the town he has sworn to protect.

[Karolina Cebula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zeus is a pack's beta, and thus its protector. So when Max and Christian adopt two orphans who are in danger, the man immediately takes the children under his protective wings. One day, when he checks the surveillance camera recording, he sees a stranger wandering the streets at night. Fearing that his appearance may have something to do with children, Zeus decides to track down the guy. However, it soon turns out that nothing is as simple and obvious as it might seem at first.

"Fearing Fate" is the third installment of "A Series of Fates" and although it focuses to some extent on Zeus and his love life, the characters of the previous volumes are also of great importance in this novella. I think that this is a big plus of this book, because we can follow the changes in the lives of the protagonists we already know quite well, and we can really feel that they and their fate are an integral part of Zeus's life. What's more, we keep up to date with their development and the changes that take place in them, which is also very interesting. No matter how we look at it, we are dealing with a series that constitutes a whole, and in this volume we see it the most clearly. Well, I always loved this way of building a series in which each volume has other main characters. It this case what divides the installments is irrelevant, as what matters is what connects them.

I admit, in my opinion "Fearing Fate" has a very interesting and mostly sweet plot. My only regret is that it hasn't been more developed, because I really liked the storyline, and I would do almost anything to be able to read this novella a little longer. There's no doubt that the story presented here has a great potential, but unfortunately it has only been exploited to some extent. Personally, I would like to learn more about Toren and I wouldn't mind if his story had been given much more space in this novella. Yes, we learn about his past and we have some information about him, but it is still not enough to be fully satisfied. I must admit that I would love to read a small sequel to this story, preferably from Toren's point of view.

In "Fearing Fate" I love the fact that the novel focuses to a large extent on the topic of the family. On the one hand, we see the relations between the pack members we already know, and who, regardless of blood ties, form one big family. Believe me, it is amazing to be able to read about their dynamics. On the other hand, however, we see how people who have no one, but who undoubtedly need someone in their lives, start to be part of this pack family. C.C. Dado shows us in quite a good way how much love our protagonists really have to offer, which is truly delightful and captivating. We knew from the very beginning of "A Series of Fates" that we have got here some exceptional characters, but it's probably only now that we can really see how truly amazing they are. And it is because this story is not focused so much on the fated mates motif, as it's center of interest are family, love and acceptance.

To sum up, "Fearing Fate" is a short novella that isn't one hundred percent satisfying, but which is undoubtedly worth reading. It is a story about loving hearts, open arms and family ready to create a home for people who need it.

_______________________________

Zeus jest betą watahy, a tym samym jej obrońcą. Kiedy więc Max i Christian adoptują dwójkę sierot, którym zagraża niebezpieczeństwo, mężczyzna od razu bierze dzieci pod swoje opiekuńcze skrzydła. Któregoś dnia, przypadkowo trafia na nagranie, na którym widać ukrywającego się pod osłoną nocy obcego. Obawiając się, że jego pojawienie się może mieć coś wspólnego z dziećmi, Zeus postanawia wytropić nieznajomego. Szybko okazuje się jednak, że nic nie jest tak oczywiste i proste jak mogłoby się początkowo wydawać.

„Fearing Fate” jest trzecią odsłoną serii „A Series of Fates” i chociaż w pewnym stopniu skupia się na Zeusie i jego życiu uczuciowym, to jednak ogromne znaczenie zajmują w tej noweli także bohaterowie poprzednich tomów. Uważam, że jest to dużym plusem tej książki, ponieważ możemy dzięki temu śledzić zmiany zachodzące w życiu znanych nam już doskonale postaci oraz w pełni odczuwamy to, że zarówno oni, jak i ich los stanowią nieodłączną część życia Zeusa. Co więcej, śledzimy na bieżąco ich ewolucję i zmiany, jakie w nich zachodzą, co również jest rzeczą bardzo interesującą. Jakby na to nie spojrzeć, mamy do czynienia z serią, która stanowi pewną całość i w tym tomie najmocniej możemy to odczuć. Zresztą, nie od dziś uwielbiam właśnie taki sposób budowania serii, w których każdy tom ma innych głównych bohaterów. Nieistotne jest wtedy bowiem to, co dzieli poszczególne tomy, ale liczy się to, co je łączy.

Uważam, że „Fearing Fate” może pochwalić się bardzo interesującą i w dużej mierze słodką fabułą. Żałuję tylko, że nie została ona trochę bardziej rozwinięta, ponieważ jej zarys naprawdę mi się spodobał i wiele bym dała, aby móc czytać tę nowelkę chociaż trochę dłużej. Przedstawiona tu historia niezaprzeczalnie posiada duży potencjał, który niestety został wykorzystany tylko do pewnego stopnia. Osobiście chciałabym dowiedzieć się więcej o Torenie i nie miałabym nic przeciwko, gdyby w tej nowelce poświęcono mu zdecydowanie więcej miejsca. Poznajemy bowiem jego historię i poniekąd także jego samego, ale to wciąż za mało abyśmy mogli być w pełni usatysfakcjonowani. Przyznaję więc, że bardzo bym chciała, aby pojawił się jeszcze jakiś niewielki sequel do tej historii, najlepiej z perspektywy właśnie Torena.

W „Fearing Fate” bardzo spodobało mi się to, że powieść w dużym stopniu skupiała się na temacie rodziny. Z jednej strony, obserwujemy bowiem relacje między znanymi nam już członkami watahy, którzy niezależnie od więzów krwi tworzą jedną, wielką rodzinę i wspaniale było móc przyglądać się ich dynamice. Z drugiej zaś strony, widzimy jak budowany jest dom dla osób, które go nie posiadają, ale bezsprzecznie potrzebują. C.C. Dado w całkiem niezły sposób pokazuje nam jak wiele miłości tak naprawdę wciąż mają do zaoferowania innym nasi bohaterowie, co jest prawdziwie urocze i zniewalające. O tym, że mamy do czynienia z wyjątkową paczką wiedzieliśmy już od samego początku „A Series of Fates”, ale tak naprawdę dopiero teraz widzimy jak bardzo są oni wspaniali. Ta historia nie skupia się bowiem tak bardzo na wybranych przez los partnerach. W jej centrum jest rodzina, miłość i akceptacja.

Podsumowując, „Fearing Fate” jest maleństwem, które nie satysfakcjonuje nas w stu procentach, ale które niewątpliwie warto przeczytać. Jest to krótka historia o wielkich sercach, szeroko rozpostartych ramionach i rodzinie gotowej stworzyć dom osobom, które tego właśnie potrzebują.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review available at: https://optimumm.blog/2018/12/15/revi...

Fearing Fate is the third book in the A Series of Fate series by C.C. Dado. I really like this series. I like that each book is about a different member of the pack finding their fated mate but that you get to see how the other mates are doing also, and there is a secondary story arc that ties all of the books together. I liked this book just as much as the previous two. It was just as fun to read although it was a little bit shorter than the other two books.

I have been waiting for Zeus’s book since the first book. He’s put up with a lot from both Max and Seth, especially when Seth made him believe that Max was a special type of Omega who could get pregnant and that he was expecting. It was a lie, but it was a really good lie that poor Zeus believed completely, and Max milked it for all it was worth before finally having to confess that he wasn’t pregnant.
So when Max tells him that they are going to be fostering two kids from another pack, who thinks that their parents may have been killed and is having issues of their own, Zeus makes a vow to do everything in his power to keep the pack safe. It is after all his job as the alpha’s second and enforcer. So when he catches sight of a stranger on the security cameras around town, he’s determined to find him and kick him out of town. He didn’t expect that the stranger would be his mate. Or that his mate was sent to different towns to locate two missing kids.

I also liked how Zeus had a magical touch with the 6-month-old baby boy they are fostering. He could instantly make the baby stop crying and get him to sleep. It was also great to see a different side of Max from the hyper upbeat character that we have seen in the last two books. He’s out of his element with baby Kron and doesn’t understand why his natural calming ability as an omega isn’t working on the baby. Without Zeus, Max probably would have had a nervous breakdown.

I liked Toren. There is a lot of mystery around him and what he is, but he has a heart of gold and is a good fit for Zeus. All he could think about was saving his family farm which is why he’s looking for the kids for the guy who gave him the list. Once he sees the kids in person, he knows that he can’t contact the guy because he knows that he’s going to hurt them. So when Zeus finds him, he’s more than willing to give him any info and help that he needs.

I really liked this book, and I can’t wait for the next book to come out to find out what is going to happen to the pack next.

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

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good series. Each book has its own aspect of intigue to it but I have to honest when I say that when I got towards the end of this book, I was a little disappointed. I will explain why in a minute. I love that C.C. Dado keeps all the charcters from the previous books front in center in each book. C.C. Also makes sure to show where their lives are heading as well as the main characters of each book. So that makes each book even more interesting. I was a little disappointed because I felt that this book did not have the true aspect of danger to it the others had. There was a lead up to itbit then bam....nothing. So that was disappointing.

Zeus is the pack beta. He takes his job of protecting the pack and his alpha seriously. Now there is fixing big to be two new members of the pack. These two members are very important because Zues’ Alpha and mate Max are adopting two children from a another pack. These kids parents passed away and Max and Christian have decided to take them in and raise him as there own. So here two are very important.

Besides being Christian’s children, there is questions surrounding the death of their parents. So there is a fear that if they was murdered, then the murder will come after the children as well. So Zues is on full out protection mode.

When Zeus stumbles across a stranger lurking around in town, he knows that something is off. When he tracks the stranger down, and is even more thrown by the fact that he believes he has found his mate.

When Toren is made to track down the two kiddos of Christian’s he knows after seeing them at a distance that he cannot tell whoever it is that is looking for them, where they are. When he meets Zeus for the first time he feels a peace that he has never felt before.

After Zeus and Toren get to know one another better, Zeus discovers a secret about Toren that not even Toren knew. How is Toren going to handle the secret when it is revealed? Are Toren and Zeus truly fated mates?

This was a good read. I really like this series. I look forward to more of these men in the next book when it comes out.!

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

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad we got Zeus’ story! After meeting and seeing him in the first two books I have been patiently waiting for this one, especially after everything he had to deal and put up with from Max and Seth and all their shenanigans in the first two books (those two boys are hilarious together!) However, this book gives us all kinds of new questions surrounding the mystery of the kids and the stranger. But, no cliff-hanger, thank god. We get a complete ending, but still I am left wondering if there will be another book, or if that is really the end.

Zeus… He is the protector, no question about it. He is huge and strong and doesn't let any feelings stand in the way of protecting his Alpha and pack... Usually... But when the stranger shows up he just can’t seem to get him out of his mind and is completely drawn to him. The reasoning becomes apparent once Zeus gets a closer look and scent of the strange man, Toren.

Poor Toren has been through so much. Even after finishing this book I am still angry about how his mother handled everything. I mean what the heck... I don't want to give it away, but damn she was messed up to do what she did. I am so glad he met Zeus when he did, so Zeus could help him through everything and learn to be open and accepting of what he was deep down. He was a great addition to the pack and this series of books.

Although I am afraid this series is done since we didn't get introduced to another set of leads who might be up next, I really hope that it isn't... I wouldn't mind reading a few more books structured around this town and these characters, even if we were just to get some more stories surrounding the men we’ve previously met. These books are all super cute.

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

[Nat Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet paranormal romance that delivers a wonderful HEA and warm feelings. Toren gave my heart a squeeze, and I just wanted to comfort the guy. And Zeus was solid and kind and dedicated, all my favorite things!

Zeus has watched his closest family and friends all find mates. He’s big and strong and the beta of the pack and seems fine to just protect everyone. Then a stranger shows up and his instincts kick in.

Zeus is wonderful. It’s nice to see him fleshed out in this story, especially after how he reacted to the pregnancy lie in book 2. He’s a well-developed character that fans of paranormal romance will adore. He’s a huge and kind man, that soothes babies and fosters orphaned dogs. He looks out for his people and puts up with his friends. Toren, even though his back is to the wall, still wants to do the right thing. These two are perfect for each other.

The mystery with Toren and being a shifter was great, and I wanted to sink into it. It’s a shame this is a novella because I feel there were a lot of ‘missing’ scenes and moments that could be fleshed out. I really wanted to be there when Toren shifted for the first time (!!!) and see them work through that. And the story suffered from a bit of repetition and I couldn’t help but wonder why Zeus didn’t just confront Toren the minute he found him instead of drawing out the stalking-plot that seemed unnecessary.

But even with these slight flaws I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the humor, the world, and the romance. There’re enough loose threads to suggest a sequel (like who is looking for the kids!) so I’ll be keeping my eyes open for those.

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.

[JenCW · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars!

Max has been playfully plotting to get Zeus a mate. I was happy to see that his mate was someone no one expected. When Max and Christian adopt two children, they are unnerved to hear of someone new in town lurking in the shadows; Zeus goes to investigate and finds more than he expected. Toren has just lost his parents and is under a threat to lose what he has left, but he's also sick.

Zeus really is the gentle giant that Max calls him. While his position as requires him to handle threats to the pack, he is pure protector and utterly loyal. While he doesn't understand his draw to Toren at first, it becomes more obvious that there is a lot more going on than meets the eye. I think that Toren took the news well and his hesitation to accept these new revelations were fairly normal. I would have liked a bit more closure about the mystery man threatening Toren, but maybe we'll see that in a future book.

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

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I am so happy big softy Zeus got his happily ever after! I appreciated that we saw gentleness along with the hardness in Zeus in the previous two books of this series. With him being the beta and basically the enforcer, it would have been easy for the author to keep his personality more in line with that. I liked that he had a softer side and I think his mate Toren really needed that side of Zeus to come to terms with everything new that was happening to him.

Toren was so vulnerable and sweet and seeing him become a part of the pack was nice. Everything really came together for all of the couples in this book. We got to see Jack and Seth and Max and Christian together, and all of them being a family unit with Zeus and Toren.

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

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearing Fate is Book three of the Fates series. You probably could read as a stand alone as each book features different couples but I do suggest you read in order for best enjoyment. These books are so fun It’s not a hardship.
Zeus is over seven feet tall, shaved bald, tattooed up and dark. He is one scary wolf to the eye which is good for an enforcer.
Max and Christian adopt two babies from another pack after their parents died. A stranger shows up a few days later surprising Zeus in more ways than one. He finds himself wanting to protect him even though his Alpha’s orders are to get rid of the threat to the pack and kids.
This is a quick read and so engaging you will want to read in one sitting. There are a couple of twists, we meet a new character that I hope gets a story, and Zeus gets his happy ending. There are lots of feels, cute kids, funny dog, humor, tension, and an all over sweet paranormal romance.

[Anabela.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle giant Zeus is my favorite. I can't get over how cute he must look with baby Kron in his arms!

Zeus has witnessed  his friends find their fated mates and I was so happy when the finally found his,too. Sweet, shy Toren also  brings an intriguing mystery to unravel,but he obviously fits just right  into the folds of the crazy,chaotic family of shifters.

I loved the amazingly funny installments in the A Series Of Fate by C.C. Dado. All the characters are cute and it was an entertaining experience to read about their sweet love stories . All of them recommended!

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearing Fate is the third book in C.C Dado's Series, A Series of Fates. It is funny and sweet and a wonderful addition to this fun series. I love the characters in the series and am so glad I got Zeus's story. He is such a large but sweet guy and Toren seems to be a great mate for him. I also enjoyed the babies in the story. Very satisfying read.

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

[CB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun, sweet, sexy series with 3 books out. The MC's, their universe and stories all intertwine which make the shorter stories great for a weekend read. Had me LOL, especially the 2nd book.

[Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

[Morgan Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series!

This was my favorite book of the three in this series. It’s plot was less meandering and since all the world building had already occurred it felt more like a story should be with more showing and less telling.

The romance was super cute and at the same time touching and full of warmth and humor.

I really enjoyed this and I think you can definitely read this on it’s own – no need to read the others necessarily.

Highly recommended for fans of shifter romance.

4.5 of 5 stars