Erryn reviews Family Ties (The Family Novak Book 1) by Susi Hawke. The book was published September 24, 2019 and is 153 pages. The audiobook was published January 2, 2020. It is narrated by Kirt Graves and is 4 hrs and 24 mins length. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
In a world where the rules are gray, and the Don’s word is a law unto itself, only one thing is sacred: family.
River Erikson is a man on the run. After scenting his true mate, he’s done everything in his power to escape. Just because he was born an omega doesn’t mean he needs to answer fate’s call and drop to his knees for some alpha. Especially not a smug mafioso who thinks way too much of himself.
Luckily, his job at STAHP – the vicious vigilante organization that works to police shifters when law enforcement can’t – keeps him busy enough that he can try to forget how his traitorous body reacts whenever a certain muscled Russian is around.
Vasily Novak is stunned when he scents his mate, but powerless to chase him when he flees. How can he? His focus is entirely centered on the precocious five-year-old he recently learned was his child. All he can do is trust the fates to bring his mate back when the time is right. Vasily is confident that River will be his eventually. He just needs to be patient.
When Vasily’s son is taken, River comes to help retrieve the boy who melted his heart the first time Petey called him “pretty kitty”. As the pair leave a bloody trail through the city on their search, will the fates give them a second chance at finding a forever in each other?
This is the first book in a new mpreg mafia series. Get ready for a world ruled by the Don’s iron fist, unique interrogation tactics, and a family that stands together, no matter what. At its heart, you’ll still find all the fluffy mpreg feels and crazy antics you’d look for from Susi Hawke and Crista Crown. This is a Team A.L.P.H.A. and Alphabits spin-off series.
Warning: You can expect to find naughty, knotty scenes of steamy passion, along with a lot of potty-mouth language and more violence than you’re used to from us.
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My review:
I’m not a huge mafia fan and some books go too far but this is not one of those books. In the last Alphabits book, Petey was rescued by River and his group. The little boy fell in love with River’s kitty shape shifter and a bond was formed. Later it was determined that Vasily Novak was Petey’s biological father. Petey was placed in Vasily’s care and everyone moved on.
Well, everyone except River. He’d scented Vasily and realized the mafia Don was his true mate. He’s spent months on the run, so to speak, taking plenty of jobs that keep him out of town and away from Vasily. In a moment of weakness, River returns to town to see his brother and this time Vasily scents him as well. From that moment on, the men are fated.
One problem – River values his independence. He’s worked hard to earn a place on the team and doesn’t want his omega status to hold him back. He’s watched all the omegas he knows meet their mates and become fathers. River has no interest in settling down, nesting, and bearing children. Vasily wants River to be happy and so is willing to have a discussion about what their relationship will be. Then Petey gets kidnapped and all bets are off.
I liked that Vasily respected River’s value as more than just his omega. The men were able to have an open and honest discussion. Then things went sideways and everything changed. I don’t want to give away too much, but part of me was surprised the twist the story took and part of me saw it coming. I loved the ending, though, so everything worked out.
Kirt Graves narrates this series and I adore him. He’s consistent with Vasily’s accent and does a great job with little Petey. This is the beginning of a new series and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
My rating:
9/10 Pots of Gold (90% Recommended) – Compares to 4.5/5 Stars
Susi Hawke
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I’m a total fan of M/PREG Paranormal Romances, first and foremost as a reader. I’m excited to share my own omegaverse(s) with you. What’s not to love about adorable Omegas and the Alpha men who love them? If I’m not writing about men sporting baby bumps, I’m definitely reading about them!
I’m a native of Las Vegas, NV, so I’m pre-wired to love everything weird ~ although I don’t find any kind of love to be weird. I’m a cis woman who’s been happily married to the same lovable lug for 18 years. We have a 16yr old son, well, at least I think we do? Either that, or we have a ghost that eats all our food and uses up all wifi playing xbox while screaming into a headset.
As a new author, it’s been amazing to find the amount of support that I’ve been given from readers and my fellow authors. Feel free to message me, I love to chat with fellow readers. Am I a reader? Heck yeah! In fact, I’m never certain that I can completely trust an author who isn’t a fellow bibliophile.
Crista Crown
Crista Crown grew up in the middle of the woods in a log cabin her father built. She’s always found animals to be better company than humans, and finds that shifters combine the best of both worlds! She writes MM and mpreg romance and loves every minute of it.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 