The Mating (Law of the Lycans #1)- Nicky Charles

Elise comes home from a run one day to find out that her father is mating her with a complete stranger in order to form an alliance between their (werewolf) packs. She is forced to uproot and join her new mate, Kane's pack. When she gets there, most are welcoming aside from one female named Marla who seems to be vying for all of Kane's attention. Elise must adjust to her new pack and assert her position as Alpha Female. At the same time, she has to navigate and try to put a stop to Marla's advances and manipulations so she can form a proper bond with her new mate and ensure the stability of the pack.

Overall Merit: This is the first time I've seen something like this done in paranormal fantasy. Charles combines paranormal romance with a crime novel, which I found fascinating. The plot isn't overly complicated, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to guess who is friend or foe. The characters were all strong and Charles created a phenomenal villain--something I haven't seen in a long while. I think that if you have the time, this book is actually worth your while. Not to mention, it's free for e-readers so even if you don't like it, no harm no foul. Score- 9

Blush Factor: There is definitely R-rated content in this book so keep the kiddies and overzealous young adults (12-15) away from this. Kane and Elise's relationship feels natural, which I really liked and I think their chemistry is great. Charles really nailed this aspect of the book. The sex scenes are there, but they're tastefully done and not excessive. Score- 10

Characters: Talk about a kick ass villain. Marla is priceless, she is manipulative and sneaky and as a reader sometimes I couldn't even tell what she was up to. Elise is a strong protagonist and I enjoyed her story and her perspective. Kane was a solid character as well in that he frustrated me sometimes in his inability to see what was right in front of his face. This was a good thing. Too many times a protagonist is designed to please the reader instead of challenging them to see a different perspective. Very solid. Score- 9

Structure: This novel was very well structured and kept me turning pages. Once I got to the end I had to flip back to earlier pages to get a full perspective of how all the parts fit together. The suspense was well crafted and Charles writes with finesse. Score- 10

Plot: There wasn't anything super innovative here, but it was the suspense that kept me reading. Charles mastered the plot twists, which made me excited even in a story that was essentially mundane. She did a lot of describing pack tradition and structure and the action was isolated mostly to the end of the novel. Nevertheless, it was a strong book overall. Score- 8

Vervain says: "In this book, being a werewolf was a hereditary thing rather than a curse forced upon an unwilling mortal."