Not too bad, but there are some issues

This book was a gamble for me and I had some issues with it. The overall story is alright - somewhat predictable and short, but no more so than most m/m mpgreg shifter romances.

However, the way in which Henry's gender identity is revealed and how other characters deal with it is less than tactful and somewhat hurtful. Henry has no agency in who knows how much about him being trans or what stages of transition he has gone through. When others talk about his past he is systematically misgendered and dead-named.

There are moments where the story does right by him but, for me, those are overshadowed by the rest of it.

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Needs work

I wanted to enjoy this book; especially as it’s an interesting premise and I think having a trans lead character represented in a book is a great step forward in modern culture. However, it’s really crucial to have a good plot and to make the chemistry and interactions between characters feel authentic and real. This book just didn’t hit the mark and it felt more like the author was focused on communicating a message rather than actually making a good story. The characters don’t even know each other and all of a sudden they’re in love?! The villain was just too pantomime-like and eye roll worthy.

I’d suggest the author reads a load of books and sees what it is about them that makes them special, how they go about introducing characters, what gives depth and hooks the reader in, how you balance the plot with whatever other message you might want to communicate. Yes, love and acceptance is an important message, as is representing trans characters as a lead role. However, it would be much more powerful if the plot itself carried the story, and the character happens to be trans. That would do far more good in representing trans in an acceptant world and would open readers’ eyes and minds to a different reality.

I hate all the inflated reviews out there when readers like the fact that a minority group is represented so give a book 5 stars, as I think it’s crucial to give accurate reviews with constructive feedback. How else will readers ever find the genuinely great books if they’re all rated highly? How is that going to help support the representation of minority groups in books if any books featuring such characters are given preferential and inaccurately high ratings? Everyone should be rated in an equal way, then just happen to sing the author’s praises if they raise the profile or awareness of something close to their heart.

I’ve listened to over 1300 audiobooks from all sorts of genres (...yes I may have an unhealthily obsession with audiobooks!) Of these, I’ve enjoyed the following books which all feature m/m relationships (not an exhaustive list - just off the top of my head). None feature a trans character which is why I was hoping to find a book that did to add to the list, but perhaps the author could read/listen to them and get a bit of direction or ideas for themselves? Some of these feature werewolves, but most are just books to show how relationships can develop on page.

Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway
SPECTR series by Jordan L. Hawk
Evolved by N.R. Walker
Wolfsong by TJ Klune
Exhale by Joel Abernathy
Hidden in Darkness by Alice Winters
Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas, by Bey Deckard
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall
The Necromancer’s Dance by SJ Himes
An Alluring Indulgence series by Nicole Edwards (each book features different relationships m/f, m/m, m/m/f)
Love in Laguna series by Tara Lain
Made Marian series by Lucy Lennox
Pelican Bay series by Sloane Kennedy

Some of those are truly fantastic listens, and others are softer easy listens that are just sweet and a nice way to pass an evening. My ratings for them range from 3 stars to 5 stars.

As far as a good werewolf/shifter romance books go, Suzanne Wright’s Phoenix Pack series or Dannika Dark’s Seven series are good - both of which feature m/f relationships. Useful for seeing what formula they use though.

The narrator was decent ..though it was incredibly annoying when he said “end of chapter X” at the end of each chapter. Really not necessary as it’s pretty obvious when the next thing said is “chapter X” for the start of the next one. Seems like an editor issue maybe? Not heard it on a book before.

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