3.5 of 5 scoopers
Untamed by Sara Humphreys
Sourcebooks (Nov. 6, 2012)
Mass Market: $6.99; ebook: $6.99
ISBN: 9781402258497
Excerpt
Favorite Lines: “You can’t make me fall in love with you and expect to get away with it.” (p. 301, e-galley)
The Amoveo are an ancient race who’ve lived secretly among humans for thousands of years. They are beautiful and incredibly strong but their race is extremely fragile–each has until the age of 30 to find their soul mate, before their bodies start to die a slow, painful death.
Layla Nickelsen has spent her life running from a mate she didn’t choose, until William Fleury finally confronts her. Normally stoic and unemotional, William finds himself befuddled by Layla: his growing feelings for her and his driving need to protect her. And Layla has to admit that William might be everything she’s always wanted after all…
Have you started reading Sara Humphreys’ Amoveo series yet? I did a while back and I don’t regret it either. It’s a predestined mate, shifter style romance series that sometimes is just what I want. Untamed is book three in the series. I think it can be read as a stand alone.
Imagine shifters living in the same world as you and I. As with most cultures/peoples there are those who are content with intermingling with others and those against it. This internal “purest” battle makes a ginormous jump from secretive to in-your-face by the end of the story, but that really doesn’t help the characters of Untamed. It does tell us the direction the series will be going in the future.
Characters: The heroine Layla was introduced in book two, but the reader really gets to know her in Untamed when she returns to her roots in rural Maryland. It’s clear from the beginning that Layla is half Amoveo, but if you’ve read previous books you know half-Amoveos are thought to be scarce. There are secrets and people in Maryland who I expect to make appearances in future books. The hero, William, has always come across as a stuck up lawyer. He has reason to be aloof, but his interactions with his would-be-mate just might turn him into the sexy man-next-door. It was nice to see him let loose a little. Layla’s brother and a girl from Layla’s past are secondary characters to watch.
The Chase: Right away we are taken into a shared dream between William and Layla. That chase doesn’t stop until the book is over. The story keeps moving forward as William tries to prove himself to his mate. He worked hard to show he was worthy of her and she worked just as hard to maintain her independence by refusing to mate with him. It was nice to see the “duh” moment Layla has toward the end of the story when she is forced to face the facts.
What else?: I’m not sure how I feel about the secondary character plot line. The reason behind the issue seemed silly and unbelievable. It pulled me out of the romance as I wondered if I was really supposed to care. Also the villain aspect of the story was slow to evolve which made the story seem uneven. The first half of the book was relationship based. The second half of the book involved other characters and added danger. The danger never felt daunting. I never wondered when the “bad” was going to happen or worried about a formidable villain. I’ve come to expect more threats in my paranormal romance so the lack was glaringly obvious to me.
Did I like it?: Yep. I didn’t love it, nor will I re-read it though. Untamed feels like a stepping stone book to me. Yes, each book in the series is about a different couple and we get a complete romance between Layla and William. However, this book is important to the big story arc which connects all of the books in the Amoveo series. Pivotal Amoveo events occur, but not until the story is almost over. I didn’t get really interested until the action picked up.
Scooper Speaks 