It's a double serving of creatures with werewolves and demons and twice the danger!Diagnosis: Wolf by Poppy Dennison
Andrew Hughes is struggling to meet the bills after his brother stole everything from him. Fortunately, he's a nurse and an opportunity for a high paying job just opened up. Not sure what he's getting himself into, but desperate enough not to care, he shows up to take care of a very sick and special patient. The patient, Caleb DiMartino, is a shifter who is immediately attracted to Andrew. Can they find out what's wrong with Caleb in time to save his life?
Andrew and Caleb made a cute couple as Andrew tries to cope with the thought of having a werewolf for a boyfriend. In addition to trying to save Caleb's life, they spend some time getting to know each other. Andrew is a pretty good guy who seems to get taken advantage of too frequently, especially by his brother. It was nice to see Caleb yearning to take care of him. There were some family issues with pack politics coming into play. They were somewhat interesting until the mystery was solved. At that point, there was just a bit too much going on that wasn't explained well enough to make sense. However, there was a really sweet epilogue bringing everything to closure.
Landslide by Mary Calmes
Frank Corrigan has been working as a courier for the demon, Cael Berith, for three years. Frank has significant self-esteem issues, and he doesn't believe that he is Cael's mate. When Frank's sister is in need of some help, he is desperate enough to ask for Cael's help. This is the chance Cael has been waiting for so that he can prove to Frank that they are mates, and Cael will never leave Frank.
Frank was an awesome character. He was mentally strong although a bit insecure due to his concern about his weight. Cael was sexy, confident, and very much in control of everything around him except for Frank. The romance between the two of them was a bit frustrating. It didn't make sense that it would take 3 years for Cael to push the issue with Frank. Their declarations of love and overall discussions also became a bit repetitive.
The world building was great in this story and very well fleshed out. Unfortunately, while short stories are normally a huge win for me, there was just too much going on in this one. On top of the new world and a budding romance, there was also an issue with his sister, a murder, and a competitive "friend". The shifter politics were also a bit confusing. However, this would be a great start to a series in this world.
The stories are not related and can be read independently. Neither of them are really very scary or gory. If you enjoy suspenseful paranormal stories with low angst, then this might be the book for you.
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews. Copy provided by author in return for an honest review.
