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12.14.2012

Perfect Mate

Perfect Mate by Mina Carter


"Monsters do exist...and they're the good guys."


Samhain Publishing (2012)

What you'll find: werewolves, vampires, and zombies. Practically the holy trinity of paranormal romance these days, but one must admit it's a potent combination when crafted by the hands of a skilled writer.

Mina Carter, for instance, is a shining star that helps guide paranormal beings out of the treacherous void of melodrama, poet shirts, and misplaced sparkles. She brings things firmly into the here and now with this book about military experiments gone wrong, wisecracking werewolves toting assault weaponry, and tough-chick heroines that like to do a bit of asskicking of their own, thank you very much.

Perfect Mate is the first book of Carter's "Mate" series and introduces a world where the US military has secretely been experimenting on soldiers in order to create elite fighters that can take a lickin' while ripping your head off with a smile. In short, the government is creating a covert force of werewolves, vampires, and—you guessed it—zombies.

One such experiment is Captain Jack Harper, a superior fighter and alpha of his lycanthropic squad. Jack has gone out of his way to make him and his men seem like obedient, mindless soldiers--all the while planning their escape.

Lillian Rosewood strives to be a competent hospital manager, but truthfully she feels like something is missing from her life. She longs for adventure and excitement—not  expecting to actually find it when Jack Harper's fatally wounded body comes through her door. Suddenly she must come to terms with supernatural beings, military assassins, and an inexplicable attraction to a perfect stranger that may actually be her perfect mate.

This is a wonderful addition to the scores of werewolf romances out in the world. From cover to cover, it's a non-stop joy ride of vivid imagery and tangible action. Rarely have I read a book where the character's personalities so easily crawled out of the pages and it my mind. Perfect Mate is remarkable in that aspect, and it made all the difference in my reading experience.

What's particularly refreshing about this book is the break it provides from the softer side of paranormal romance. Sometimes, you really want a little edge with your fangs and claws—and  not just the quasi-BDSM bedroom games that pop up in most paranormal romances today. I mean, blood and guts and bullets flying. And for that, there's nothing like a pack of military elite soldiers who just also happen to be angry werewolves. Throw in a cool-as-bloody-ice vampire assassin and some fresh-from-the-lab zombies, and you've got yourself a party.

Perfect Mate is a vividly engaging story that won't disappoint. It's sexy as hell, incredibly well-written, hilariously funny at times... and it has an exceptionally hot guy on the cover. Needless to say, I loved it. You better believe I'll be racing to get my hands on the next book, Blood Mate, which is currently a work-in-progress.

You can read other reviews at: The Romanceaholic / Long and Short Reviews / Not Now... Mommy's Reading

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