Blurb:
An Omegaverse Story
He didn’t want an alpha to save him, but fate had other ideas…
Braun Etting was raised to know his place as an omega by his alpha father’s cruel words and fast fists, and he expects nothing but violence from the alpha who may one day mate him. His older brother Kell mated a cruel alpha who abuses him daily, and Braun is terrified of that seemingly inevitable future. When Braun’s father dies in a car crash, leaving Braun an orphan, he’s sent to a halfway house for omegas. But on his fourth night there, he witnesses a horrifying crime that sends him fleeing to the streets alone—and edging into his first heat.
Tarek Bloom is settled in his workaholic, single lifestyle, even if it is somewhat embarrassing to be a twenty-eight year-old unmated alpha. He enjoys his job as a constable, helping people and solving problems, so he isn’t prepared for his life to flip upside-down when he walks into his beta friend Dex’s apartment to help with “a problem.”
The problem turns out to be an unmated, nearly in-heat omega orphan who Dex and his husband rescued off the street last night. The even bigger problem is that Tarek feels the mating bond for this terrified omega immediately—and he’s pretty sure the omega feels it, too. But Braun hates alphas as a general rule, and no way is he giving in to the bond. All mating leads to is violence and suffering, so no thank you. But Tarek’s gentle kindness slips under Braun’s emotional shields, and Braun begins to want. To dream. All Braun has ever known is violent alphas, but Tarek is determined to make Braun trust him—and to trust in the idea of their happily ever after.
NOTE: This is a non-shifter Omegaverse story with alpha/omega/beta dynamics, heats, knotting, and mpreg. In this world, omegas are second-class citizens with few civil rights and almost no protections under the law. Trigger warnings for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
Where To Buy:
Amazon
Review:
This was such an amazing story. I’m so glad I waited until the sequel was out to read this one because I desperately need to read it right now. The emotions in this story came through so clearly. You could feel all of the hurt, desolation, hope, and love as you read. The story kept me engaged right from the first sentence and held my attention until the very end.
Braun hurt my heart. He was so broken down and systematically abused he lost almost all hope for his future. I loved seeing him slowly come out of his shell as he found safety. His friendship with Sergent and Dex had Braun blossoming beautifully even if he still had to endure injustices solely for being an omega. He had a caring heart and wanted to help other omegas; especially his brother. I admire his strength throughout the story. He is someone worth looking up to.
Tarek had a heart of gold and was far more outspoken against social injustice towards omega than most in his position. He fell hard for Braun and took such amazing care of him. I loved seeing home gentle he was with Braun at first and how slowly he gained Braun’s trust. He continued to prove himself over and over throughout the story. Even if he had a few set backs along the way. Tarek would do anything for Braun and I enjoyed how he showed his affection in many ways.
The world Ms. Arthurt created is fascinating. The politics mirrored much of what’s going on today and I liked seeing her take on it. The way omegas are treated and the overall view of being less than hurt to see. But it was also really well done in the story. You could tell serious thought was put into how people are treated, laws of behavior, and how far those laws stretch. There’s much going on in the world built here and I’m hoping more aspects of it are explored in the next book in the series.
Tarek and Braun are wonderful together. They take their time and truly build a relationship. I love them together and am so glad they go slowly so they can have a solid foundation for their mating and bonding. They go through some crazy things and major obstacles over the course of the book. They touch so many lives and try to encourage social change for omega rights. They also work hard to get Braun’s brother out of his horrible situation. The ending is a solid happy for now and many of the overall story arcs are still left open. I’m eager to read the sequel to find out what happens next.
Stars:
Four and a half
About A.M.:
No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships and “bromance” (and “The Young Riders”) with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.
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Molly Lolly 