Heat of Love, #1

MM ROMANCE (PNR)

A lustful young alpha meets his match in an older omega with a past.

Professor Vale Aman has crafted a good life for himself. An unbonded omega in his mid-thirties, he's long since given up hope that he'll meet a compatible alpha, let alone his destined mate. He's fulfilled by his career, his poetry, his cat, and his friends.

When Jason Sabel, a much younger alpha, imprints on Vale in a shocking and public way, longings are ignited that can't be ignored. Fighting their strong sexual urges, Jason and Vale must agree to contract with each other before they can consummate their passion.

But for Vale, being with Jason means giving up his independence and placing his future in the hands of an untested alpha--as well as facing the scars of his own tumultuous past. He isn't sure it's worth it. But Jason isn't giving up his destined mate without a fight.

This is a stand alone gay romance novel, 118,000 words, with a strong HFN ending, as well as a well-crafted, non-shifter omegaverse, with alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, heat, and knotting. Content warning for pregnancy loss and aftermath.

“But horrible things happen alongside wonderful things all the time. And if you let the horrible things detract from the wonder of the good things, you’ll never really feel true happiness.”

Not what I expected at all. Seriously good. I feared the long page count for a romance would be a bad thing - instead it wasn't enough. I’m not into this Omega sort of stuff at all, but the high ratings lulled me in and I gave it a shot.

It’s the future, the world has been changed, and only men remain when “humanity” was rebuilt. There are shifter genes but they can’t shift. Strange, right? Everyone has a soul mate, most don’t find them. The alpha class is sent to one school, the omegas to another. Seriously, it’s awesome. The world-building structure is odd but unique.

Characters - major love, esp. Jason. A future where humanity is reborn w/all males but not advanced tech. Beautiful fates. Wolf gene splices but no shifting. It's fascinating and the characters and family dynamics = raw. I started the book with Xan right after this one, he has what one may associate almost with a transgenderism in our world-building.

Sometimes a little overdone on the bedroom stuff, but most of it felt real and intense. Jason wasn't the only dreamboat here with his youth and dedicated, but also the older and reserve Vale. The supporting friends on both teams rocked, as did the strange dynamics with Jason's fated-to-be-mated parents who had reproductive struggles showing a government controlled class where things go horribly wrong.

Loved every minute of it, and anticipate many future re-reads. Again, not my usual type of book, but sometimes I'm delightfully surprised.

Book Quotes

“I want you. Just the way you are. That’s all that matters to me. I don’t want your lands or your house or to force you to give me children. I want you on your knees begging for me to take you. The rest of this contract can go to hell.”