Denying Fate

Denying Fate is the first book in the A Series of Fate series by C.C. Dado. I loved this book. This is the first time that I’ve read a book by this author, and so I wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a heat level. I was slightly surprised that there were no on-page sex scenes. Content-wise this book would be acceptable for a teen to read. I happen to love to read a wide range of books with or without sexual content and watch a lot of shows and movies that are made for teens, so this was right up my alley. The book is about Max and Christian, but the book is told from the point of views of Max and his best friend, Seth. It was a little weird having the POV from Seth instead of Christian, but I liked it. I liked that Seth was Max’s protector and helped balance Max’s more flamboyant and energetic character. I also liked how Max complimented his friend with being an extrovert to Seth’s introvert and how he would interact with the customers in the front of the store which allowed Seth to hide out in the back and continue to bake all of the goods.

I loved Max. He’s had a hard eighteen years living with an abusive father who kicks him out at eighteen, but it hasn’t dampened his spirit. He’s very much the optimist. He’s sometimes a little over the top and immature, but he’s only eighteen, so that does fit with his character. He’s believed that Christian is his mate since he was little and has proposed multiple times, the first being when he was five and the last being a month before when he was seventeen. But Christian has been denying his claim because he feels that the way Max acts doesn’t fit with the image of being the mate of an alpha. It isn’t until Seth goes to see Christian and tells him to either accept Max as his mate or cut all ties so that Max can move on that they realize what Max is and what his special gift to the pack is. It’s a spoiler, so I’m not going to tell you.

Christian is the Alpha of the pack and has been since his parents were killed in an accident. He constantly finds himself exasperated by Max and compares him to his mother who was sweet and kind. It blinds him to what Max is, and so he denies that Max is his fated mate. Although he does do little things that prove that Max is his mate. When he realizes what Max is, he feels that he has to prove to his mate how much he’s appreciated before he will claim him, much to Max’s frustration. I did find Christian to be kind of abrupt when talking to Max or Seth on the phone, but he always gave Max what he wanted once they were dating. They were cute together. I liked their chemistry together.

Seth is the best friend of Max. Seth’s special gift is his ability to cook delicious things. When Max gets kicked out of his house, the alpha allows them to live over his mother’s sweet shop in town while they go to college. They quickly decide to get permission to open the shop again as a bakery called “Sweets and Meats.” But first, they have to get their degrees. Seth goes to study cooking and Max studies business. Although Max is good at accounting, it isn’t his special gift. I liked all of the cuddle time that Max gets from Seth in a purely platonic way.

I recommend this book for anybody that’s looking for a sweet short read about fated mates with low angst and drama and no on-page sex scenes.

This book was good. It was on the shorter side but written well enough that you get everything laid out consistently throughout the entire book and story. It was on the lighter side without a bunch of drama and constant pack issues. The characters were amusing and likable. I really had fun getting to know Max and his friend Seth and seeing some of the shenanigans they got into. Max is a little outrageous and outspoken, always seeming to put his foot in his mouth, which totally worked for me. Seth was basically the one who keeps him in line and down to earth.

I was a little concerned with the dynamic between Max and the actual Alpha, Christian, in this story because Max and Seth seemed to have the perfect (but non-sexual) relationship, and the Alpha Christian just kept pushing Max away no matter what Max did. But I was happy with how this book turned out in the end. Christian finally pulled his head out of his butt and figured out that Max was really, truly who he was supposed to be mated to and the fates don’t lie.

This book was cute and fun and a nice quick read. I am really looking forward to getting Seth’s book next and continuing on with this series. I do hope we also get to see more of Max in that book as well since I liked him so much and he and Seth are such close friends, and hopefully, in turn, we get to see a little more development of Max and Alpha Christian's relationship in that book, too.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

“This was part of becoming an adult in the pack. The young were raised knowing that they would find their natural gift and develop it, turning it into their life path.”

C.C. Dado is a new author, to me, and the blurb for this first novella in a new series captured my attention. I’m always interested in new takes on shifter lore and unique worldbuilding so the idea of a shifter having his or her own special “gift” intrigued me. I had a pretty strong feeling that Max was going to check all of my boxes in terms of adorability and I was so right.

Christian is the alpha of their pack and has been ever since his parents were killed in an accident a few years before. Max has known that Christian is his mate ever since Max was young but for some reason Christian won’t acknowledge it and claim him. Seth is Max’s best friend and has helped Max to stay one step ahead of his a**hole of a father. It isn’t until Seth confronts the alpha (well, as much confrontation as a young, small wolf can do) that Seth realizes what Max’s gift is and that the alpha knows it.

It was truly exciting watching Christian and Max begin a relationship after Christian’s conversation with Seth. It was a little disconcerting to see both Seth and Max cram a two-year degree into a year of classes in their speed course toward starting their own business. They had decided with Seth’s gift of food they would reopen Christian’s mother’s candy shop but also carry baked goods. Seth would handle the food and Max would take care of the books. Now, Max is very good at accounting, but it isn’t his gift and I’m not sharing what his gift is as I think it’s a spoiler.

I liked this story but I didn’t love it as I hoped I would. I would have liked it to be longer as I truly feel as if I wasn’t able to make an emotional connection with any of the characters. Even though I was a little disappointed, that will not prevent me from reading the next installment, and hoping the author takes it a little further.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

Denying Fate is a cute, witty shifter story.
Max is sure he is Christian (the Alpha's) true mate, though Christian fights him at every turn. Max's dad is abusive to him and at 18 kicks him out of the house. Seth max's friend calls the Alpha who comes to the rescue. He sets Max and Seth up in an apartment over the candy shop that use to belong to his mom and tells them to go to college, the pack funds will take care of them and when they open a business they can pay back into community funds.

Max is a funny character. He is sure Christian is his and does everything in his power to win him over.
Seth is sweet and adorable and I cannot wait for his story. I loved the friendship between the two.
The story is written in Max and Seth's view. I wish it had been Cristian and Max so we knew a little more about the alpha even though there is back-story.
The setting is lovely and I like the price of the mates series and cannot wait for more.

If you like short and sweet romance with no on-page sex, Light and fluffy stories, true mates, bakers, businessmen, Alpha's and new adult romance you will enjoy this.