Hunger by Eve Langlais, Kate Douglas and AC Arthur
Series: Fearless Passions, #3
Paranormal Romance
Released: May 16, 2017
St. Martin’s Griffin

Reviewed by Sheena

Favorite Quote:

I’ve been a fan more or less of anthologies for sometime now.  I’ve come across some fantastic unknown authors stumbling my way through one anthology or another.  Sometimes it really pays off (I’m looking at you Chantal Fernando) and other times…well they are just a collection of: meh- as is the case with Hunger.

The premise got my attention.  Paranormal romance (shifters! yum!) and their fated mates.  Hunger is compiled of three stories, The Alpha’s Mate, by Eve Langlais, Dangerous Passions, by Kate Douglas and Bound to the Wolf by A.C Arthur.  Each story is pretty substantial, it took me a few days to get through the biggie, clocking in a 544 pages.  I discovered quickly that these were not merely novellas slapped together and packaged as one longish book- but rather Hunger is a hefty collection of three full stories.

Sadly, I didn’t much enjoy any of it.

The Alpha’s Mate

Fabian is pack alpha and talks to his wolf too damn much.  So much so that I got annoyed with the beast and wished he’d go chew on some raw meat and stuff it already.  Under normal circumstances, I find it cute and endearing when the man talks to his wolf and vice versa- however, this was just over kill and compromised the cuteness I usually find with this plot device.  When Fabian wasn’t dialogue-ing with his beast every other page, the insufferable “Vixen/Viviane” the heroine who he rescues from a bizarre kidnapping attempt, only to discover she has amnesia and no clue as to who she is.  There is a too-late in the game plot twist toward the end (I hate unnecessary, plot drama at the very end of a book, why inject turmoil with only a handful of pages to rectify things? Why?), however, things are right as rain by the end of the story- naturally.  Most of The Alpha’s Mate is surrounding Fabian and Vixen’s  getting to know one another, denying their passions and finally succumbing to their chemistry.

As her orgasm rushed over her in pleasurable waves, she couldn’t help but shout, “I love you!”
“Of course you do,” he grunted as he kept plunging his cock deep within.
She grabbed him by the hair and, human or not, growled against his lips, “Don’t you want to say something, too?” “You are mine, vixen. Forever.” And as he came, the heat of his seed bathing her womb, he howled it for the world to hear. “I love you!”

Aside from finally tumbling into bed- nothing much happened with these two that I care to spoil.  The epilogue features one of my fav HEA tropes so there’s that. *shrugs*

Dangerous Passions

Finding and keeping love in a werewolf pack is the theme of the second story, Dangerous Passions.  Perhaps the most developed of the three novels, Dangerous Passions.  Darnell and Evan (pack lieutenant)  and secondary couple, Chleo and Traker (pack Alpha) are featured in this story, a light romantic tale with a large cast of characters.  I don’t mind stories with a lot of characters, especially if they are interesting and make their own little mark in some way.   I especially enjoy meeting all of the colorful characters who make up pack life.  I love how they look after one another and love on each other,  right or wrong.  Darnell and Evan were my favorite couple. They were so playful and cute in their push-pull relationship.  Just the right balance of push to make the pulling all the more worthwhile. Darnell was my favorite heroine across all three stories.  She was so down to earth and her point of view felt so comfortable and genuine. Evan wasn’t half bad either. Tattooed, leanly muscled and a gentleman to boot!

And Evan? Well, Evan looked as if he’d finally found his slice of heaven in a cute little Hollywood makeup artist who seemed awfully comfortable—not only with Evan but also with the folks who’d shown up to greet her. She already knew most of them, and there wasn’t a shy bone in her body, as far as he could tell. But the best part? Evan. Evan had a blissed-out expression on his face, sitting beside Darnell, his beer untouched, his smile unwavering.

Chleo and Traker were mostly- just ok.  There were a few times he went all alpha on her that I totally got into.  But there was something missing from the pair.

“I don’t think I can be afraid of you. Even when you pull your alpha stuff.” She shrugged. “I want to be with you. I guess…” She let out a long sigh. “I guess I want to know what it is that makes the women here so happy with their men. I don’t know what that’s like, and you…” This was so awkward, she almost laughed. “You know a lot more about pleasing a woman than I do about being pleased, if that makes sense.”

“Perfectly.” He walked over to the front door, checked to make sure it was locked, and turned off the lights downstairs.

I suppose they felt a little too perfunctory for me. Much of that may be due to her back story, however, their romance felt stilted in light of the easy to love Darnell and Evan.

Bound to the Wolf

There is no tap-dancing around this one.  Bound to the Wold, made me want to bolt.  Marena is an attorney on the run and who better to find her than, Phelan, a sexy werewolf who likes to administer a little pain with his passion.

It was corny.  I like a little BD with my SM and even I could not take them seriously.  I suspect I missed most of the plot with my incessant eye-rolling and what in the world I was reading, however, I stuck with it and in the end, I probably should have put this down while I was still on my Darnell/Evan high from the previous novel and had long forgotten the annoying, nitwitty vibes I got from the couple in the first novel.

There is some lackluster danger but for the most part, just Marena and Phelan and a big misunderstanding that left her pleading, him obstinate and me still eye-rolling.  Spoiler Alert- they worked it out- but still- corny.  Some people like corny, overwrought plots. Heck, I  like them- but only when there is a clever angle, the writing is captivating and the whole thing goes full cracky-town  You can’t half ass it- that is the secret.

1/3 Aren’t the best odds, but if you happen across this anthology, check out book two, Dangerous Passions, for all your romance feels.

Grade: C-

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