A.L.F.A. Mates

Review written by Marie for Ever After Book Reviews! This book is a collection of the first two books in this series. I will review them each separately. Book #1 – Elemental Mating Okay, I must be honest here. I just couldn’t find myself connecting with this story. It wasn’t anything against the author’s ability to write, or the plot itself… it was the characters. The storyline itself is entertaining. It’s got a great flow and the whole virus discovery/mystery break-in plot is quite creative. But Melinda, the heroine, is too much for me. She comes across as cold and bitchy, and I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between her and Parish. He came off as a wimpy, submissive hero, too, and that is a buzz kill for me in a shifter romance. Unfortunately, their character flaws were more than enough to ruin the story for me. Rating: 2.5 Stars Book #2 – Mating Needs I’ll admit, after reading the first book in this series, I was extremely skeptical of the second. However, I will say that Mating Needs was much better than Elemental Mating. The characters in this story are better suited for one another. Amie, a mob princess and Frank, a cougar-shifter, just fit together so much better. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was not a huge fan of Amie’s, but the whole “Italian Mafia” things made her sassy attitude and no-nonsense personality a little more believable. I enjoyed the story of this book a lot more too. Amie is caught up in family drama, and when she chooses to testify against her family in court, she is put in protective custody with a blast from her past – none other than the father of her child, Frank. Their chemistry is far more intense, and their storyline is fun, steamy, and a little more heart-felt. This second story breathed life back in to this series, and because of it, I’d be more than willing to give the third book a try. Rating: 4 Stars ***I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***