Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Robbie has lived a sheltered life. As a rare male weresnake, he is considered less than the females, and Robbie was not been allowed to leave the family compound in five years. He is homeschooled and every activity and every meal is arranged for him. When the duty of who he is and what he must do becomes overwhelming, Robbie runs.
Robbie runs right into the center of San Francisco Pride and catches the eye of Theo, a technomage. Theo is only interested in a hookup, but everything about Robbie calls out to Theo and before Theo even knows what he’s saying, he’s inviting Robbie to spend the week with him. Theo shows Robbie an entire world that he has been missing, both in the bedroom and out, and Robbie has no interest in returning to his family. But the family knows where he is and it’s only a matter of time before Robbie is once again under the control of the women of his clan, unless Theo comes to his rescue.
A book with a snake shifter is something not often seen and I was intrigued by the description. We meet Robbie as he is turning 18, and his duty to his clan is being called upon. Robbie doesn’t want to stay, but has a difficult time leaving and it slowly comes out as to why that is. Robbie has not been allowed to leave the clan compound in five years and his life is carefully structured and monitored. There is role reversal here as the women are the strongest in the clan, but also there are barely any men. That still does not make it any easier to see the treatment that Robbie has suffered through from his mother and aunt. Still, Robbie manages to leave and runs almost straight into the arms of Theo.
Theo is a technomage and his skills allow him to manipulate all forms of technology. He works as a DJ because he enjoys it and his clients have become his friends, not because he needs the money. He likes his life and enjoys hookups and a relationship is not something he is looking for. But he didn’t know someone like Robbie existed.
Part of the book is Robbie being on the run and experiencing all the things he has been sheltered from, including most kinds of food and movies and contemporary music and really everything. Theo does not take advantage of Robbie at all and once Theo learns a little more about Robbie, he wants to protect him. The other part of the book is the clan finding Robbie (you know they are going to) and seeing exactly what the intention was for Robbie and why he never tried to leave.
With a shifter book, of course I am always looking for the characters to actually shift and here Robbie shifted once early on and that was about all we got to see. We also don’t get to see much of the abilities Robbie would have from being a snake and that part was lacking for me. Robbie and Theo are sweet together and Theo’s mage abilities, even if somewhat far fetched at times, kept me interested. I also enjoyed the dual POV and I would certainly look for what would come next in their world.
A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
