As We AreRating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novella


Cade doesn’t want a soul mate.  He knows he’s trouble, and handful, and after having watched what his older brother went through with his own soul mate, Cade thinks the whole thing is better avoided.  He has fun with the guys he hooks up with and is happy to continue to keep going on as he has.

Dennis is blind and takes his independence very seriously.  His relationships in the past have been frustrating, and he doesn’t want the hassle of a soul mate either.  He’s heard everyone say it’s different when you meet the one meant for you, but Dennis just doesn’t buy into it.  But when he meets Cade at a party he’s throwing for the eclipse, he knows there’s something special about the man.  Their sense of humor matches, and the attraction between them is intense.  Pulled together and clicking on multiple levels, they fall into bed together.  And that is when the soul mark appears.

Since neither man thinks the other wants a soul mate, they both try to get out of it gracefully and give each other an out.  But when Cade’s family arrives in the aftermath of the party and figures out what’s going on, they conspire to get both Cade and Dennis to realize the gift they’ve been given in each other.

Another strong installment in the Soulmarked series.  I’m a sucker for fated mates and I love the twist that Okati has put on this world.  With human’s having mates, we are in a world we completely recognize but with this whole added layer.  And she continues to expand on the concept, letting us see that every marking is as different as the pair who are fated for each other.

Cade has played a prominent secondary role in two of the previous books, so we’ve gotten to know him a little.  We’ve seen his devil may care attitude, but we also know that he’s fiercely loyal and protective of his brothers.  I love his layers, and I love that we got to see them expanded upon in this book.  Cade could have easily been a two dimensional character, but the author shows us his depth.  He’s got a snarky sense of humor and often makes a joke or says something untoward when he should be serious.  I really liked that he was very much aware of his own faults, and even though some of them he didn’t want to change, he knows himself very well and shows himself to us.  He’s really a well-rounded character, and I enjoyed getting to know him better.

I loved Dennis from the moment he was introduced.  This guy has had to learn to stand on his own two feet because of his blindness, and he is fiercely independent.  What I also enjoyed here too, is that he’s not afraid to ask for help.  Too often, we see a character like Dennis getting in his own way.  But Dennis is smarter than that.  He does what he can on his own, but if it’s something that he can’t handle, he will get the assistance he needs.  This made me incredibly happy and made me love him even more.  Dennis’s sense of self was so well developed he was really just a treat.

These two guys have such a similar sense of humor that it was easy to see how they were drawn to each other.  They also have the same view when it comes to soul mates.  The plot here gets a little predictable, but that wasn’t a bad thing.  You knew that they were going to have trouble when the mark appeared.  A lack of communication was going to get in their way, each trying to do what they think the other wants.  But what I really liked here is that Okati didn’t drag it on too long.  She got these guys together in a funny way very quickly so that they could have the conversation they needed.  Yes, it’s instalove.  In fact, the entire plot of the book basically takes place in one night.  But that’s the point of the soul mark, and how it all works.  So you just have to jump in and take it for what it is.  Which is easy to do with the world that Okati has created.

I’m really enjoying this series, and As We Are is no exception.  Start at the beginning of the series, as I don’t really think these should be read as stand-alone books.  While the plot is pretty much contained within each book, there are some larger threads that really make more sense when the books are read in order.  But if fated mates turn your crank, then you’re definitely want to give this book, and the series, a read.

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