Rating: 4 stars
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Length: Novel
Cash is a dedicated Enforcer in the Silver Oak pack. After being abandoned by his parents and raised by loving grandparents, he is determined to be there for his fellow pack members and put their needs above all others. When Cash gets word that a shifter has crossed the boundary into pack territory, he is ready to usher them straight back out. Silver Oak keeps to themselves and the pack doesn’t allow non-members onto their land. But almost before he even sees the wounded eagle shifter, Cash feels a strong pull to protect the man. When Ore asks Cash for help, he can’t stop himself from wanting to look after him.
Ore has no memory of who he is or how he came to be injured and in need of help. He barely survived his journey onto pack lands and it was only through the help of the pack healer and coven leader that he is still alive — particularly as it becomes clear that Ore was magically poisoned. Alpha Liam Amato agrees to let Ore stay while he recovers, but he is clear that once Ore is better and has regained his memories, he will be asked to move on. In the meantime, he is staying with Cash, who feels too protective to leave Ore on his own or with anyone else. As the men spend more time together, they continue to be drawn to one another. However, as strongly as the men feel for each other, they know that pack laws mean that Ore will have to leave once he is healed. But the more time they spend together, the more determined Cash is that he be allowed to keep Ore in his life.
As Ore begins to remember more about his past, they realize his attack may be connected to a larger threat. Now, along with their allies, the Silver Oak pack is working to find out more and neutralize the danger where they can. And if Cash and Ore are lucky, it may lead to a chance for them to find a way to stay together after all.
Tempest is the first book in Kiki Clark’s new Silver Oak Pack series, though it does connect to some of Clark’s other books. It is set in the same work as the Kincaid Pack series, as well as the standalone story, The Mobster’s Mate, and characters from those books make appearances here as they work together to stop a threat. While I have read The Mobster’s Mate, I haven’t read the Kincaid Pack series and I had no problem following along here. (However, if you are fans of this larger Kincaid shifter universe, you are likely going to really enjoy this latest series installment.) Clark also wrote a prequel story published in the now out of print Fated Mates anthology called Inferno; if you read that and enjoyed it, you will likely enjoy this as well, but there is no need to read the prequel to understand this story.
This is sweet and sexy fated mates story featuring a big, protective panther shifter paired with a tiny eagle shifter in need of some care. The story showcases Cash’s caretaking energy nicely, and I think this book will appear to folks who like that vibe. Cash and Ore fall into their relationship fairly easily, although there is always a specter hanging over them that Ore will eventually have to leave. We are told more about Silver Oaks isolationist policies, particularly in view of the new world order coming from the recent Kincaid pack shakeups. I did wish this was explored a little more, rather than just being told to us. Since Ore’s ability to stay (and whether the guys will give into their attraction despite that) is the main conflict for most of the book, I wanted more than just being told about the rules without it being explored in much depth.
The other storyline relates to what happened to Ore and revelations that come when he regains his memories. I don’t want to get into too much here to avoid spoiling anything, but it does tie into some elements of other books in this larger world. It sounds like this series will explore it all further, so I am eager to see how this issue develops in future books.
This story does a nice job kicking off the series and introducing us to the cast of characters in Silver Oak pack. There are many intriguing characters and some hints at various pairings, and I am excited to see where things go from here. This book is a great start and I am looking forward to more.
