Altered Heart by Kate Steele

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Kate Steele is specialized in Alpha male werewolves dealing with Omega puppy. In this new book Mick is a special agent of the Werewolf interstate security agency; he is asked to intervene in a very delicate situation, an Alpha male pack leader who has gone over the legal limit: he killed a newly made werewolf, a barely seventeen guy, and now he has another boy in his clutches. Rio was a runaway boy and an hustler; eighteen years old, small and cute he is totally unable to oppose to the big werewolf and there is also another problem: he was turned, but the psycho Alpha male interrupted his first changing, causing him a lot of pain and to fear his new wolf side.

Remove from the story the pervert is not a big deal for Mick, but dealing with the newborn werewolf is not so simple. There are a lot of issue that are against an involvement with Rio: first Mick is way older than the kid, 47 years to 18 years,  and second the kid is passed through a lot of very bad experience, always connected to sexuality, and so Mick is not so sure that it's a good thing for Rio to be mated with an Alpha male werewolf. "Imposing" a sexual relationship to a traumatized boy is the last thing Mick desires. But let the boy go and find a more suitable companion is not an option for the wolf inside Mick.

The story deals mostly with Mick and Rio's relationship, and even if starts with a quite angst prologue (a underage gay hustler), it's not angst at all. True Rio has a bit of problem regarding sex and his sexuality, but he manages them pretty well and they are soon overcome. Also the age issue is not so emphasized, since both Mick than Rio, as werewolves, have another concept of aging: Mick at 47 years old is not a man in his middle age, but it's still a quite young wolf. Actually he is older than Rio's father, who is 39 years old, but this fact is not at all highlighted, and James, Rio's father, in comparison to Mick, has the role of the "old man", save an unpredictable turn of event at the end of the story (I really would like for Kate Steele to write also James' story).

There is a lot of sex, but it's easy and funny, like often is in Kate Steele's works. This is a pretty "classic" werewolf story, with the strong Alpha and the cute Omega, and there aren't switch on the classical path: never once Rio doubts what is his role in the relationship, and never once Mick falters in his firm belief that he need to dominate but also to direct Rio on the right path.

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Amazon: Altered Heart

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Comments

[suki1979.livejournal.com]

Altered Heart is one of my fav books ever. I would recommend the 'Male of the Species' series too, the second in the series is called 'Transcending Darkness' and avaliable on Kindle now (not in paperback yet). I'm 1/4 way through it and love it, there will be a third one too. Kate Steele rocks.

I'd also recommend J. L. Langley with/without series too. Without Reservations, With Caution (better than the 1st) there will be With Abandon and Without Fear to come soon too. They focus on same group of people all the way through but focus on different couples within that group. Brilliant!

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I read all J.L. Langley's books, and I think Male of the Species by Kate Steele was the first Gay Paranormal Shapeshifter I read.

[suki1979.livejournal.com]

Without Resevations was my first gay interest shapeshifter book and now I am an addict! Really looking forward to the Rhys/Sterling one.
I believe there's to be a 3rd book coming out in the Male of the Species series soon. I'd love to hear more about the Nick/Eric relationship as I love the titbits we get in the 1st 2 of the series.

I also love gay vampire stories too and think the Jourdan Lane Soul Mate series is a great read.