July 21, 2011
I
Think a vampire-hunting bloodhound is dangerous? Try threatening his woman.

Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America’s frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication—keeping his hands off the man’s pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira’s only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn’t going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel’s life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn’t worth saving. Besides, if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they’re fighting to save.

Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.


Title: WILDER’S MATE
Author: Moira Rogers
Series: Bloodhounds, book 1
Genre: I'm not even going to try :)
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, March 8
Format: eBook
Source: received a copy for review from the author

First line:
Satira would have been on a horse and halfway into the sunset by now if the lift from the laboratory hadn’t broken.

Memorable Scenes:
- Wilder's grand entrance scene > way to make a first impression and meet, I might even say exceed, the expectations...
- Wilder and Satira's first love scene > wow...Scorching hot!


Nathaniel, Satira’s mentor and the man who raised her, is missing and vampires are trying to get their hands on a new weapons technology he's invented. Satira teams up with Wilder, a bloodhound with no filter and a dirty mouth and mind to find Nathaniel before the vampires execute their evil plans.

I have to be honest and say that when I read the blurb and an excerpt for WILDER'S MATE I didn't get the urge to stalk Moira Rogers for a review copy of it because I've learned that steampunk-ish books are more miss than hit with me, even from favorite authors whose voices I love. So I just went "nah, let's skip this one and wait patiently for the next Southern Arcana book.

Then a certain author came over for a visit and of course we started talking books and this one came up and she highly recommended it to me. I think she saw my lingering reluctance because then she brought out the big guns and mentioned Wilder being a dirty (talking) hero who doesn't have a filter at all...
People who know me will have probably guessed that after this I harassed her into getting Moira Rogers to send me a review copy of this book and the rest is history.
Why did you have to go and do that Alisha Rai? Why? You’ve seen my bookcases…don’t I have enough to read already? Huh, huh?

It's hard for me to describe why I love Moira Rogers' writing. It's probably the co-writing thing and I must say WILDER'S MATE is the funniest and hottest Moira Rogers book I've read to-date and now I’m craving more.

From the start the characters cracked me up with their dry wit and the banter between them. But it wasn't just the humor. The world building and plot was done very subtly and in a way that enticed you to want to know more. I even liked the steampunk-ish elements but that's probably because they weren't overtly present and were just supporting the PNR vibe the book had.

Next to Satira and Wilder there was a supporting cast that was at least as intriguing and impressive as the primary characters. Ophelia, Archer and Hunter come to mind. At first I didn't get Archer's motivation for his actions and couldn't decide if he was one of the good or bad guys...in the end I've decided to place him with the good guys, but still have my doubts about him.
I also loved Hunter and hope he’ll get his own book in the future as he was an even more intriguing character to me than Archer was. (Reviewer’s note from Pearl: I found out after writing this review that the next book in this series is Hunter’s…YAY!)

A few chapters in I was starting to get curious about the Guild and the Bloodhounds... Back-story, why, how etc. and I hoped there would be more explanations about them. There were but some things stayed unclear to me and I loved the romance, plot and action/fight scenes more than the steampunk-ish elements. The things that remained unclear, I’m sure they’ll be explained more in the upcoming books in the series and I was happy the authors took this route as I wasn’t bombarded with the world building and/or info dumps.

Whether you like paranormal romance, steampunk romance, futuristic, historical or western-ish romance, you’ll like WILDER’S MATE. If you like all of the above AND a dirty talking alpha hero who has no filter whatsoever, you’ll love WILDER’S MATE. I’m happy Alisha Rai talked me into trying this book because I have discovered another series by Moira Rogers that I’ll want to read as soon as the books are available.

Favorite Quotes:
“If you brought me with you intending to have a warm body during the new moon, I’m not unwilling.”
Wilder’s jaw clenched. She didn’t think much of him, if she thought he’d plan to take that sort of liberty without asking. “Takes a damn sight more than ‘not unwilling’ to heat my blood, girl.” He grinned because he knew it would fluster her. “I like my women enthusiastic.”
Color rose in her cheeks, but her eyes glinted with stubborn challenge. “It’s a wonder you find any, unless you take care not to speak to them first.”

She was feverish. Wild. Pleasure twisted inside her, dug into her and tossed her about until she found herself clutching at the iron headboard so she wouldn’t fly away.

He put his tongue on her first, licking the delicate ridge of her collarbone. Tasting her skin. She didn’t fight her shiver or her quiet moan. Let him have no doubts about her willingness or the way her body sang when he touched her.

It was his voice that did it, the low endearment, hoarse and hungry. He wanted her— needed her—and the empty, lonely place inside her vanished. Tension snapped, and every muscle in her body tensed at the same time before pure, clean relief flooded her, riding a wave of tempestuous pleasure.


6 comments:

Blodeuedd said...

Thank you for this lovely honest review :)

Nah, it feels weird saying it here. But at least you have seen it around a positive review now

Alisha Rai said...

I knew you'd love it. Muhahahha! =)

Erika @ badass book reviews said...

Mmm Dirty Talker you say? Might have to bump this one up the list!

Buriedbybooks said...

"Genre: I'm not even going to try"

LOL Isn't that the truth? This one isn't easy to pin down to any one genre.

I liked it, too. Great review.

Aurian said...

Steampunk is certainly not my thing, and westers are low on my list as well. Nice review though Pearl.
When are we getting treated to a blog about your visit to New York and the conference?

Pearl said...

@ Aurian > Uhm...not anytime soon, I'm afraid...
Have too much reviews to catch up on first and the coming 2-3 months are filled with requests and ARCs so focusing on that part of my blogging first. And that's without taking into consideration my jobhunt and how much time I'll have left if/when I find a job again... Sorry!

Nice to meet you!

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Pearl
Netherlands
39, married to my real life romance hero, addicted to TV shows, reading romance novels and Twitter. I'm a chronic (e)book hoarder and my absolute favorite genres within romance fiction are contemporary romance and romantic suspense, but I don't shy away from historical, paranormal or erotic romance either. Even the occasional (urban) fantasy romance, futuristic and sci fi romance may make it to my Mount TBR. This is my corner of the world wide web where I let you know what books I'm hoarding, reading and reviewing.
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On My TBR Shelf

  • Unforgivable - Laura Griffin
  • Snapped - Laura Griffin
  • Darkness at Dawn - Elizabeth Jennings
  • Sizzle and Burn - Alexis Grant
  • No Mercy - Lori Armstrong
  • Animal Magnetism - Jill Shalvis
  • Crazy for Love - Victoria Dahl
  • Kink - Saskia Walker/Sasha White
  • So Sensitive - Anne Rainey
  • Dark Taste of Rapture - Gena Showalter
  • The Darkest Secret - Gena Showalter
  • Vampire in Atlantis - Alyssa Day
  • Vampire Dragon - Annette Blair
  • Captive Spirit - Anna Windsor
  • Chosen by Blood - Virna DePaul
  • Rebel - Zoe Archer
  • Stranger - Zoe Archer
  • A Taste of Desire - Beverley Kendall
  • Mistress by Midnight - Maggie Robinson
  • To Desire a Devil - Elizabeth Hoyt
  • To Tame a Dangerous Lord - Nicole Jordan

Digital TBR Next

  • Driven - Jayne Rylon (reread)
  • Shifting Gears - Jayne Rylon
  • Beg Me - Shiloh Walker
  • Tempt Me - Shiloh Walker
  • Jazz Baby - Lorelie Brown
  • Playboy Prankster - Pamela Britton
  • Just Like That - Erin Nicholas
  • Sweet Inspiration - Penny Watson
  • Breathe - Donna Alward
  • My Gigolo - Molly Burkhart
  • Scent of Persuason - Nikki Duncan

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