This fifth volume of the series doesn’t just have external battles, with the storyline continuing from the previous books, it adds a stronger than usual internal one as well. Fighting the past and the prejudice and incorrect conclusions that come from it isn’t easy. For Micah, who is suddenly confronted with several truths about himself he doesn’t want to accept, it is almost fatal.

Micah is not easy to like. He has a horrible past, which explains a lot of his behaviors, but it doesn’t excuse (in my eyes) some of what he does. Nor why he clings to his old mis-beliefs for as long as he manages. He ends up treating Sasha like crap. Yes, I also felt sorry for Micah, but, come on, he could have pulled his head out of his behind a little faster. All the more credit to Jan Irving, who managed to keep me angry at the guy and sorry for him at the same time.

Sasha is an amazing guy. He is so used to being hassled and verbally abused (as well as occasionally beaten up) that he doesn’t really expect anything else. Yes, he hopes for it, but, like so many in his situation, he doesn’t really believe it can happen. Sasha deserves every scrap of happiness he can get! Being one of the few humans in a town that seems to be overrun by werewolves also opens up a whole new world to him, but, with his trademark equanimity, he takes it all in stride.

Micah and Sasha seem like such a mismatched couple on the outside, but when I started to get to know them better as the story evolved, I got to see how perfect they really are for each other. I loved how Micah suddenly has someone to protect and how that teaches him a thing or two about being a partner. Sasha’s support changes from self-denying to loving, and that was a joy to watch. If you like shifter stories that focus on internal battles and the psychology of being different, if hot man-on-shifter action that gets a little wild here and there doesn’t bother you, and if you like this series, you will love this book.


NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

This series is such a guilty pleasure for me. :) ( )