Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links:  Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

There is something about Isaac that draws people in and makes him particularly popular with shifters. It is the same thing that has kept Isaac on the run for years, trying to escape those that want to do him harm. Isaac is happy now in San Francisco and is making friends and a life for himself, but he also knows it is likely only a matter of time before his past catches up with him.

Tank’s pack has been hired to provide security for the club where Isaac works, and Isaac draws Tank’s attention immediately. Not only does Tank find Isaac attractive and appealing, but the fact that Isaac has no scent — something practically unheard of — raises all sorts of questions. When Isaac is threatened by a customer, Tank steps in and is determined to help look out for the man. After spending some time alone together, Tank and Isaac can’t resist the attraction between them. But Tank doesn’t feel worthy of a guy like Isaac, and Isaac knows there is no way he can have a lasting relationship given all his secrets.

Isaac can’t keep his past hidden forever, and when things start to catch up with him, it is both good and bad. Good because to Isaac’s surprise, it looks like he may have found friends and a pack that care about him and want to help him. But bad because danger is coming on many fronts and it is not certain they will all survive. Now that Tank and Isaac have found each other, they have to hope that Isaac’s past and Tank’s insecurities won’t derail what they are building between them.

The Omega Objection is the second full book in G.L. Carriger’s San Andreas Shifters series. It stands alone quite well from a plot standpoint, so I think you could pick this up not having read The Sumage Solution. What you would miss is meeting all the assorted pack members who are side characters in both books, but I think Carriger does a really nice job of reintroducing them all here.

Carriger has created a really interesting world here where shifters and mages are a known part of society and interact with humans regularly. The hallmark of this series is the very unusual San Andreas Pack, who are quite unlike most wolves. First, their alpha is a geeky marine biologist mated to a merman, and second, many of their members are gay. They are an entertaining bunch of guys, sort of a group of misfits that have somehow created a found family together. This series is full of fun, quirky humor that can be almost silly at times, and these guys fit right within that playful tone. I really enjoy the world building and I think Carriger does a nice job developing the framework for the series and giving us some really interesting characters.

I loved the relationship here between Isaac and Tank. In Tank, we get a huge, hulking wolf who is also sweet, sensitive, and somewhat insecure. It is an interesting juxtaposition that the story makes good use of, especially when he is contrasted to the smaller, but emotionally tougher, Isaac. Tank thinks of himself as a grunt, as “cannon fodder” good for nothing much other than his size. He just wants to be loved and needed and cared for, and his a submissive side is a perfect fit for Isaac’s more dominant one. Isaac not only really sees Tank and understands what he needs, he also helps Tank to recognize his own worth.

For Isaac’s part, he has had a traumatic past and doesn’t think he can ever really belong anywhere. We know early on what Isaac is on one level, but not all of what makes him special, and it adds a nice element to the world building once that is revealed. I liked seeing not only how Isaac develops a connection to Tank, but how he finds a place within the pack and realizes that he can have those relationships he has long been missing.

As I said, the humor here is kind of quirky and silly, so it may not appeal to everyone, but I find this series really enjoyable. It has some interesting world building and really entertaining characters. Carriger manages to give these guys a lot of layers and depth, while still giving the story some lightness and fun. I am really liking it and very much looking forward to the next installment.