Rating: 4 stars
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Length: Novel


Chase Grant has dreamed of having a family and finding an omega to love. As an alpha, Chase knows his role is to get a good job and provide for his family, though he really would prefer to be the one raising the children. However, his hopes are dashed when he is diagnosed as infertile. Now that Chase can’t provide children, no omega would possibly be interested him and he has no hope of a family. Not to mention finding a job as an unmated alpha is next to impossible as alphas providing for families get priority. Now, five years since his diagnosis, Chase is lonely and depressed, his only happiness coming from his job working at an animal shelter.

Maxwell Moore is an omega and the CEO of his family’s company. It is unusual for an omega to remain unmarried for as long as Max, but he has no interest in marrying and definitely not in having children. Max loves working and he has no desire to be relegated to the role of child rearing that is expected of all omegas. When his family threatens to use an archaic law to force him into marriage, however, Max figures he is better off controlling his own destiny by finding his own husband. A man like Chase who can’t give him kids seems just perfect.

Chase is initially shocked by Max’s offer of marriage, but he is so despondent with his life he figures he has nothing to lose. While things start out as a marriage of convenience, the men soon grow to really like one another and care for each other. In fact, it seems they may be able to turn it into a real romantic relationship between them. But when Max and Chase get some shocking news, it could end up bringing them closer together… or tearing them apart.

Those of you who read my reviews regularly know that one thing I absolutely love is creativity in world building. I get so excited when an author can provide a unique spin on a common theme, and Denning does a wonderful job of that here. While this book has many of the usual omegaverse elements, the big change is that the roles of alpha and omega are different than other stories I’ve read. While the alphas are still the providers and omegas the child rearers, the omegas are considered the most desirable and most powerful. In most omegaverse books, the alphas are dominant, choosing their mates and often controlling the lives of their omega partners. In this case, the omega has all the power; as the ones who control the breeding, they choose their partners and alphas must work hard to be seen as a desirable mate. It is such a nice twist and it adds a new dynamic to the story that is really creative and enhanced the world building for me.

The story also plays nicely with the “gender” roles, as Chase loves children, wants a family, and would be happiest staying home and raising the kids. Yet his role as alpha is to find a well-paying job to support his family. Max, on the other hand, loves working and is quite successful. He is avoiding marriage because the last thing he wants is to have to leave his job and raise a family, something that is expected of all omegas. So there is a nice element here of two men who are restricted by society’s exceptions, but who each want something more for themselves.

These two elements set up the story nicely to really showcase Max and Chase. They are both such interesting characters and nicely developed. I enjoyed watching their relationship progress from awkward strangers to men who really loved and cared for one another. There is also a really lovely sweetness to this story, even with all the heat. They are both such kind, caring, loving men and it shows in their interactions with each other and with others. So I finished this one with a nice, warm fuzzy feeling that I really enjoyed.

Best Laid Plans is the first book in a new series by Denning and I think she is off to a great start here. I am really looking forward to exploring new stories set in this world.