to touch you (Mates 4) by Cardeno C. at The Romance Authors
Genre | Gay / Paranormal / Shifters / Vampires / Erotic Romance |
Reviewed by | Christy Duke on 05-May-2017 |
Genre | Gay / Paranormal / Shifters / Vampires / Erotic Romance |
Reviewed by | Christy Duke on 05-May-2017 |
“His name is Salvatore Rossi. He’s a vampire. And he’s my true mate.”
By not relying on anyone except himself, Salvatore Rossi escaped a dead-end existence and reached the height of corporate success. But just when he has everything he always wanted, fate throws Salvatore a challenge he can’t solve alone and a young wolf shifter comes to his rescue.
Since childhood, Yoram Smith’s family was certain he would grow to become Alpha and save their beloved pack from its slow demise. When the time comes for a new leader, Yoram is forced to juggle his duty to care for a splintering pack with his duty to care for an absent mate, and his own strength suffers.
Being turned into a vampire didn’t alter Salvatore’s life philosophy: if you don’t rely on anyone, nobody can let you down. But when the boy who saved his life becomes a man who needs his help, the icy vampire must find his humanity.
It is very good to be back in the world of 'Mates' by Cardeno C. It feels like forever since I devoured the third installment and, of course, the blurb had me at "hello", so to speak. This is such a fascinating world the author has created with a unique perspective on shifter and vampire lore. I do recommend these books be read in order as there is a lot of information, not to mention each of these stories subtly intertwine with each other.
Salvatore Rossi didn't impress me very much on the first meeting. He is the epitome of a wealthy, successful businessman who will do whatever it takes to get his way. Miguel refuses to do business with him and tells him to stay out of the town, but a plea from Yoram (Yorry), his and Ethan's nephew, has Miguel recommending that Salvatore see his doctor when he gets home. One thing after another has Salvatore determinedly returning to this small podunk town to find Miguel and see how he knew. In one meeting, everything Sal ever thought he knew about the world is changed, and it’s not too much longer, and so is he. Sal didn't impress me much the second meeting either, as he told a fourteen-year-old Yorry, in a harsh and implacable tone, that he would never want him, and for Yorry to return to his dusty forest and the rest of the dogs. (I was suitably furious!)
"They didn’t know that despite acting like he was healthy and strong, Yoram’s soul was in turmoil. An Alpha had to focus on his pack and have the power to defend them from outsiders and sometimes from themselves. Too much of Yoram’s focus and strength went to keeping himself sane and upright."
I fell in love with Yorry from the moment I met him. He's warm, caring, generous, and a very strong wolf. He has the same disease that Ethan has where his body makes too much blood, so part of Miguel and Ethan's visits include bloodletting, allowing Yorry to shift and have a life. Unfortunately, Yorry and Sal have a symbiotic relationship, exactly as Miguel and Ethan do, so as the years progress, Yorry's body starts making more and more blood, while Sal finds he can't quench his hunger. How is Yorry going to help his mate when the man wants nothing from him?
"If his childhood had taught him one thing, it was that the only person he could truly count on was himself. Anything else was dangerous. For that reason, Salvatore never wanted to be reliant on anyone, especially when he didn’t know what that reliance would cost him."
When disaster strikes Yorry's pack, he becomes alpha, although he has no idea how he's going to manage as he continues to weaken without his true mate by his side. Thank goodness for his cousin, Toby, Ethan, Miguel, Zev, and Jonah, or Yorry and Sal's stubbornness would have certainly seen both of their deaths. Oh, it wasn't easy going, not at all. For a smart man, Sal doesn't understand emotions and he really needs everything explained in black and white. This caused some frustration on his end because he felt as if he couldn't understand the "language".
I was a wee bit concerned that this book might be too similar to Ethan and Miguel's story, but there was no reason for me to worry. Yorry and Sal are a force unto themselves and the Fates certainly knew what they were doing pairing them together. It may have taken twenty years from the first time they met but, in the end, a more perfect mating couldn't have occurred. Loved this book and it just reaffirms my belief that Cardeno C. is intensely talented.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the author for the purpose of a review.
Format | ebook and print |
Length | Novel, 260 pages/66181 words |
Heat Level | |
Publication Date | 04-May-2017 |
Price | $4.99 ebook, $13.99 paperback |
Buy Link | https://www.amazon.com/Touch-You-Vampire-Shifter-Collection-ebook/dp/B072KY67NL |