The incredibly strong emotions throughout this whole story kept me from wanting to put the book down. The author did a magnificent job of making the emotions--from anger to depression to lust--leap off the page with the characters. The story went from being sweet and innocent... to desperate and angry...The other component of the book that was written exceptionally well was the relationships. In a short amount of time, I could feel how important the friendship between Kai and Abel's parents was and how upset Abel's parents were to lose their friends. There is a fierce and protective relationship between Kai and Kelly, and a fun and honest relationship between Abel and his brothers. Abel also has a dynamic relationship with his parents. And, of course, the relationship between Abel and Kai that spans the entire spectrum of emotions. This was a very fulfilling story that contained love, heartache, bitterness, hatred, revenge, humor, and forgiveness.

I hadn't read anything by C. in the past, and after reading this book, I have no idea why! ...C. did an amazing job of making me believe in the relationship and love between Reg and Jeremy. I adored both Reg and Jeremy. I loved that they were both so different, and yet complimented each other perfectly. Reg was this laid back and easy going guy who let everything slide off his back. Jeremy was a hot head that let life get to him, and was easily angered and quick to yell. ...The dynamic between them was so much fun to read! I also love the way their romance developed at a snail's pace throughout the book. I loved the way Reg proved that he could be the best friend and asset that Jeremy needed to keep a level head. I also adored the way that they built their friendship on games, beer, and pizza. It was genuine and real and I believed in it with everything. ...Their relationship felt real and honest and although I wasn't sure how it would all work out, I ended up absolutely loving every step of their journey...I adored Jeremy and Reg both, and thought their romance was absolutely perfect.

I like reading a story of any genre that reaches outside the box of what is normal, and this story is a breath of fresh air to the usual paranormal/shifter reader. ... As well as being a sweet, creative love story, Cardeno C. brings a little humor and mystery to this story. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading the next book in the Mates series in the future.

I don't even have to tell you that the writing was brilliant, but I will anyway because I want you to understand why this book impressed me so. ... Asher and Daniel are like night and day, but the author managed to bring them together in a believable way and made it look effortless. Only the author's ability to understand the intricacies of people's personalities and how they can relate to each other can bring this about. ... The connection between these two is not something I could easily imagine, but Cardeno C presented it in a manner that captivated my attention and after reading these guys' journey I wouldn't have it any other way. This is not the common boy meets boy, boys get to know each other until they fall in love and have their HEA. Nope. This story flows along in quite the opposite direction. ...From their first meeting through the development of the relationship Cardeno C managed to keep me engaged with entertaining and meaningful dialog, emotions galore and fantastic man-on-man sex. The interaction between them ranged from the meaningful to the flirtatious and the emotions extracted from them were just as varied. But what I appreciated the most was the sense of realness I got from their journey. Although their chemistry was hot and their connection was developing with every moment they spent together both Asher and Daniel had to make an effort to make it work. And it is here that the characters' development…

This may have been a short story, but the intricate plot line and incredible characters made it seem longer. ... Shiloh, like many young adults, didn't fit but instead of the typical plot of showing that the world would be different without him there, it took a completely different twist that the reader would never expect. The relationship between Shiloh and Travis was inspiring as it unfolded in the most unexpected way. Anything more would ruin the surprise and I for one loved this story, having already read it many times!