Rating: 3.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
It’s the story of the year. Young, beautiful, wealthy, omega Shay Trudeaux is the only witness and prime suspect in the murder of his parents. Rather than take the time to mourn, Shay is hosting a party at which some lucky alpha will be chosen to be his mate and inherit his father’s share of Trudeaux Luxury Liners and all that comes with it: the house, the place in high society, the wealth, and the power. But all Alfie wants is a story. As a gossip columnist, he’s used to seeing the worst in people, and he fully intends to sneak into the party and get a good look at the man who most likely murdered his parents so his secret alpha lover could move in and take over.
The fates, though, seem to have other ideas as, with one look, Alfie finds himself lost in Shay’s eyes as their wolves call to one another. Shay is Alfie’s fated mate, and Alfie is now no longer on the side of things shilling gossip and stories … he’s the prince charming called upon to rescue the fair maiden. Shay is grieving, starving himself slowly of food, comfort, and anything that he feels he no longer deserves. The “black sludge” that fills his thoughts is drowning him and he sees no way out until Alfie, whose touch promises the comfort and protection he dearly needs.
However, it seems as though Alfie’s going to be the one in need of protection, as someone is determined to get Shay — and his fortune — for themselves. The men face murder attempts, a police investigation that seems dead set on continuing to blame Shay, and even Alfie’s own doubts. Fate may have brought them together, but Alfie and Shay are going to have to fight, tooth and claw, if they have any hopes of creating a life for themselves, let alone a marriage.
In Fate of the Moon, fated mates aren’t a thing made of magic and plot contrivance, but instead a byprodct of genetic synchronicity. Neither Shay nor Alfie fall in love at first sight, for all that their hormones are suddenly in overdrive and their wolf-selves are drawn to one another. Instead of romance and flowers, Alfie and Shay are fighting the downsides of this mating, such as the need to bond and the inability to be parted for long periods of time, and learning mental exercises meant to keep one another out of the heads of their mate. Shay doesn’t like Alfie, doesn’t want him, or anyone, suddenly moving into his house as his alpha, and Alfie didn’t even want marriage … but here he is, owning the house, the shares in the company, even the cars in the garage all because he’s an alpha to Shay’s omega.
This society is heavy on the gender roles — gender being alpha, beta, and omega — with strong sexual dimorphism with both male and female alphas being tall, aggressive, and physically imposing, as well as being stoic, controlling, and with societal expectations of them as protectors, CEOs, and politicians. Omegas, on the other hand, are petite, sweet, obedient, and emotionally fragile. They are husbands, wives, and parents, given separate schooling and segregated in public so that they’re not traumatized by the big, strong alphas trying to take advantage of them. It’s not a fair world, or for Shay, a pleasant one. Why can’t he be the one to take over his father’s company? To own his own house? Why does he need an alpha for all of that?
Shay was raised by his father to be clever and curious. For all that he was forced to leave school when he presented as an omega — schooling being seen as too demanding and absolutely unnecessary for an omega — his father had him home schooled. He was taught about the business, about politics and future plans with the full expectation that, should he wish it, he could have a say in the company. Shay loved his father, and his loss (especially as he was the one to find the torn apart bodies of his parents) has all but destroyed him. Omega or not, the shock, the horror, and then the accusations of his own part in their murder have left him broken.
Alfie wasn’t looking for anything more than to live his life, write his book, and maybe, eventually, find someone he loved and settle down to marry. He hadn’t expected to have marriage forced on him, the responsibility of not just an omega mate whose whole life has fallen apart and who now needs Alfie to put it together, but to have to be responsible for a company? For a staff and a house and the reputation of the Trudeaux family? None of this is what he asked for. He doesn’t know Shay, doesn’t know if he even likes the man, let alone if he’s ready to settle down and have kids with him!
This is, strangely, a slow burn and fated mates book all in one. The fated mating takes place fairly quickly, but the author uses this as a giant boulder to throw into the pool of their lives to make ripples. It’s slow work as the two men get to know one another, and even learn to trust one another. Because they’re strangers, even midway through the book. They are bonded, but neither one of them was given a choice in the matter; even when they do make that choice, it’s with the awareness that — in any other circumstance — they might never have even met.
There’s a lot good in this book, such as Alfie, the big strong alpha, all but crawling into the lap of the omega, needing to be comforted and sheltered. The two of them have to learn to work together as parents and have conversations about what they want and what they don’t. They talk about children, as well as their future lives, and it was refreshing to see multiple characters suggest to Shay that he seek professional help for his understandable depression.
All in all, this was a pleasant story, very well written with tight pacing and strong character work. If you’re looking for a shifter romance for the spring, and don’t mind some weighty topics such as grief, depression, and the murder mystery in the background, this one is well worth the read.
