Ms Wright knows how to infuse her books with action, romance, humor and conflict. In a paranormal romance, if you don't have all of those, the book will seem flat. And this was the least flat of the Phoenix Pack Series so far. Shaya and Nick have major issues to overcome, but they fight their battles in a way that brings them together. This book brings the human extremists to the forefront, where they've only been mentioned in the previous books. They are done in such a way that I can see these bigots just as well as I can see any in our world. Ms Wright shows them for what they are, people with self hate that feel they have a right to put that hate onto someone else. They blame others for their own problems and issues, trying to relieve the hate they have for themselves. There are other problems that Nick and Shaya have to overcome, but this is their biggest obstacle, because it involves so many others. I'd recommend this book to any PNR fan, and though it could be read as a stand alone, I'd recommend reading the other two books first. This book is different from the first two in the series because it's essentially about an arranged marriage between two people who have never met. In the other books the characters have built a relationship before they realize they're true mates. The background for this book is established in Wicked Cravings. Nick and Shaya see each other during a wedding and suddenly know they're true mates. Despite the fact that this is the only true mate either of them will ever have and their best shot at having children, Nick ignores her. He shows up at her den for business and tries to control her life from arm's length. Shaya has no idea why he would fail to claim her without any explanation. In Wicked Cravings she says "I'm not saying I love him or anything. I don't even know him. But when your own mate doesn't want you or even acknowledge you...that's pain". Eventually, the pressure and pain of being rejected are too much and at the end of Wicked Cravings Shaya leaves the den to live among humans.In this book we find out that since his job was more important to him than having a mate and he had health issues, Nick decided to never approach Shaya while at the same time being unable to keep from trying to control her life. As long as he could see her occasionally, he was good to keep the status quo. Nick is a very cold person and is unable to establish relationships with anyone, including his close family. This is not a deep secret and his family accepts it. Nick doesn't see Shaya as an actual person and calls her "something" right through the ending of this book. It never occurred to him when they found each other to discuss the issues he considered important enough to drastically affect her ability to live a normal life and is surprised to find she doesn't instantly trust him or that she would feel put down or humiliated by his rejection of the most important bond shifters can experience. At the beginning of Carnal Secrets Nick finds out Shaya has gone in hiding and realizes he's is no longer in control of the situation. Instinct pushes him to find his mate is to protect her and exert control. He shows up at Shaya's house to claim her while still never having talked to her before and only knowing the most superficial of details (she likes stilettos). Shaya, on her part, basically seems to have a list of qualities she wants in a mate and is checking off boxes as the book progresses until she decides he's good enough to mate with. Eventually Nick and Shaya talk and it turns out he never bothered to look into her personal history at all. If he had, he would have realized that the problems he foresaw didn't apply to her. In fact, his actions fed into her worst fears based on her past.The character Derren is pretty annoying and tells Shaya off for not immediately accepting Nick and trusting everything he says. He also holds her responsible for not acting on information Nick withheld from her. I've read reviews that found Shaya very irritating and she wouldn't be my BFF, but trust is a difficult issue. Since Nick has already acted in a way that is completely against shifter culture, it would be ridiculous for her to suddenly trust that he's done an about face and is going to act normally.It's pretty obvious that neither character sees the other as a person, but as a faceless mate. As this is an arranged marriage driven by instinct, that's not very surprising. There is some talk of love at the end, but it's pretty unconvincing. So after all this, why did I like the book? I guess I found it interesting. I liked the side characters (other than Derren) and the subplot with the human extremists. I've known happy arranged marriages so I didn't really have a problem with this plot. I'm sure it was intended as a love story, but that's not how it came across to me.The next book, which is about Roni and Marcus, is coming out in April 2015.
What do You think about Nick Axton (2000)?
I think Shaya and Nick were my favorite of all the wolves :-). I loved their story!
—Tania
I have really loved this series and want more will have to find another new one now
—onyinye
I need the next one soon! Truly love this series!
—Raven
