Line: Twilight Series: None Book Length: Plus Novel Book Type: eBook Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing ISBN: 9781419924392 MSRP/List Price: $13.98 Our Cover Price: $6.99 Available in Print: No

Madeline's Mates up By: Evangeline Anderson (Read Excerpt) E-mail this product to a friend   Madeline Grant leads a lonely existence. Growing up an orphan, she’s never felt she belonged anywhere or to anyone. But all that is about to change.   One snowy night, a huge man with piercing blue eyes comes into the ER where Maddy works. He takes one look at her and tells her she’s about to go into heat. Maddy thinks he’s crazy—until his strange predictions begin to come true. But inviting the man, Jake, into her life, throws her world into a whirlwind of confusion. As if the news that she’s a shapeshifter isn’t enough, she also has to breed with her own kind—which means that no matter how much she desires Jake, he’s forbidden to have her.   Enter Jake’s best friend, Will—a shifter of the same breed as Maddy. He wants her at once but her heart is already taken. Thrown into the dark and dangerous world of shifter taboos, Maddy must decide whether to follow her head or her heart as she tries to survive the Christmas heat. Quantity:

Product Rating: (3.00)   # of Ratings: 21   (Only registered customers can rate) (Only registered customers can rate) 1 - Not recommended 2 - Could be better 3 - Enjoyable 4 - Recommended reading 5 - Must Read! 0% 50% 100% Sort: New to Old RE-SORT COMMENTS: Helpful to Less Helpful Less Helpful to Helpful New to Old Old to New High to Low Rating Low to High Rating Showing comments 1-10 of 12 (Next 10) HERE to see all comments 1. Night Owl Romance www.NightOwlRomance.com on 4/22/2010, said: 3.5 / 5 - As per Evangeline Anderson's usual style, this story was hot, hot, hot -- with a healthy dash of drama, suspense, and angsty relationship tension thrown in for good measure. I definitely enjoyed this foray into the shapeshifter world, and I'd be interested in seeing more stories alone these lines. However, I thought that Anderson is too good a writer to use the usual trite lead-ins. The going into heat, the having the heat be far, far advanced, the potential death for lack of mating... I just thought it was a bit overdone, and i felt a bit like being bashed the head with a sledgehammer of "there must be drama!". Personally, I would have thought that just the shock of finding herself a shapeshifter, and maybe being attracted to an undesirable suitor would have been enough to work with because there's plenty of drama right there -- but no, must needs throw in potential death and tests and cranky elders and the heat that cannot be resisted. In short, to a certain extent, I felt like Anderson took the easy way -- which was to work with the sexual tension and the resulting drama instead of developing the story and having a deeper source of tension such as her adapting to a shapeshifter clan or just being attracted to a wolf without having the heat be an issue or something like that. I'm still going to pick up Anderson's books because she's a good writer and good for a hot read, but I'm hoping to see more story-telling in her books to come.   (2 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not) 2. A on 2/12/2010, said: WARNING – SPOILERS Bravo! A fascinating, sexy read, “Madeline’s Mates” showcases Anderson’s imaginative world-building and scorching erotica. This is exactly the sort of erotic romance I love reading, great balance of storytelling and smut. The brutal “war” of higher intellect versus animal drive raging within Madeline intrigued me. Anderson’s descriptions of M’s experiences became so “real” to me I felt genuine compassion for her sufferings. As the story progressed, however, I became annoyed with the “heat” plot device being used to justify every sexual encounter M has, particularly when Will and M consummate their relationship. It would have been nice contrast if one of M’s mates first made love to her as an act of love and not to satisfy biological drive. Much as I admired Jake, I viewed Will as a more compatible match (in personality and in sexual chemistry) to Madeline than Jake, so Madeline’s stubborn “holding on” to Jake lacked credibility for me. Will’s selfless loyalty and sacrifice despite Madeline’s rejection became a bit much, crossing the line from “Sir Galahad” to “doormat.” The ambivalent “welcome” the Lynx tribe gives Madeline contradicted itself at times. It interested me, but I wish Anderson had better developed and followed the “rules” for the book’s mythos. The “rules” appeared to change in order to conform to storyline requirements. I would have enjoyed knowing more about the shifter tribes – the good as well as the bad. Some scenes portraying Jake and/or Will’s viewpoint would have benefitted the story. (NOTE: the lack of either hero’s viewpoint may account for readers alleging “disconnectedness” from the characters.) A minor distraction – word repetition and overuse. I’m estimating the words “taboo” and “gorgeous” appear on every other page in the narrative. I loved that Anderson portrayed the main characters as very different personalities and that she wasn’t afraid to depict the complexities of a ménage romantic relationship. Some ménage romances depict a couple taking on a third partner more for casual entertainment/sexual variety than due to sincere romantic attachment. Using another human being as a live sex toy is neither sexy nor romantic IMHO. This is a very good novel, not a great novel, but a very good, entertaining read that held my interest and instilled my psyche with genuine “warm fuzzies” at the end. I’d read more novel-length work from Anderson in the future. I am a paying customer, not a reviewer furnished with a complimentary copy.   (2 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not) 3. Colis on 2/5/2010, said: I've read several books by Ms. Anderson and this was the worse. I agree with the readers who said the situations seemed contrived. I agree that the usual intense connections between the characters did not exist. The story was incredibly convoluted and not in a good way. I finished it because I generally finish all romances I start. I'll buy another book by Ms. Anderson because I've read her before. But if this was my first novel by her, I'd never give her a second chance. A real dud of a book. Don't waste your money and, more importantly, your time.   (0 people found this comment helpful, 2 did not) 4. C. on 1/27/2010, said: Great story and wow, those men!!!! However, the sex scenes were so predictable.. looking for originality. The girl started out with such a strong personality, but as the story went on she lost some of that strength and I found myself becoming disinterested and somewhat tired of her resigned attitude. If it hadn't been for the story line itself, I may not have finished it.   (3 people found this comment helpful, 0 did not) 5. Lauren on 12/28/2009, said: wow! i was seriously debating getting this one based on the so so reviews at the bottom of this page. i have no idea what they were talking about. i LOVED this book. it was sweet, hot, interesting, no slow bits, fine editing, great ending, great characters. the story was well fleshed out. just the best book i have read in a while (and i get 2-3 a week!). get this book if you want the best book you have read in a long time. i can't wait to reread it! -a very very happy reader now :-D   (2 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not) 6. Faith on 12/16/2009, said: As usual Evangeline Anderson sucks you into a sweet gentle story, waits until you are really emotionally invested in the characters then proceeds to tap dance on your heart until the very last page of Madeline's Mates. Maddy has some real self esteem issues caused by a series of highly insensitive men who are hardly mentioned but that really didn’t stop me wanting to slap them around with a frozen fish. Despite a lifetime of emotional blows Maddy has a backbone of steel. Amazingly resilient she radiates a willingness to fight for those she cares about even against seemingly insurmountable odds. Jake is an alpha male who has learnt the hard way to control some of his more feral instincts leaving only the loving and highly protective nature to shine through. His willingness to sacrifice himself to protect Maddy will make your heart ache. Will’s plight though will crush your heart. Imagine finding the perfect mate only to find out that because you got held up you lost her to your best friend. That’s right where Will is. His willingness to fight for Maddy and Jake to be together even though it is quite obviously breaking him up inside makes him, in my opinion anyhow, the stand out hero in this book. The sex, whether driven by Maddy’s heat or love is fiery leaving you breathless at the emotions displayed as Maddy awakens. While I’d really like another book or two in a series set on the world of Madeline's Mates I suspect the secondary cast of total ass hats will make it a difficult thing for Ms. Anderson to do but it wouldn’t be the first time she’s pulled one out of the hat and surprised me. With yet another totally enthralling book in Madeline's Mates I can’t wait to see what Ms. Anderson comes up with next. Megan at Veiled Secret Reviews   (3 people found this comment helpful, 2 did not) 7. K on 12/6/2009, said: Once again Evangeline Anderson is burning up the pages with hot sexy scenes that had my computer scorched. I love a great paranormal. Add a menage and I'm in heaven. Ms. Anderson is always one of my must buy authors and I'm never disappointed.   (4 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not) 8. Trioka on 12/6/2009, said: With Madeline’s Mate, Evangeline Anderson once again pens a scorching ménage story that left this reader breathless.   (3 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not) 9. Jan on 12/6/2009, said: What’s better than one hot shapeshifter? Two, of course and that’s what you get in Evangeline Anderson’s latest novel, Madeline’s Mates. Madeline Grant is lonely—she’s recently broken up with her fiancé and has no family to spend the Christmas holidays with. Luckily for her, she’s about to find out there’s more to her than meets the eye. Working late at the ER, she meets a huge man with wild black hair and blue eyes. (I kept picturing him as looking like Hugh Jackman for some reason.) Anyway, he tells Maddy she’s going into heat and she has to get serviced by a shifter of her own kind soon. Maddy feels an instant attraction for him but the problem is, he’s not her kind of shifter. His best friend, Will, however, is. The book gets juicier and hotter from there. Lots of forbidden sex, angst, and plot twists had me on the edge of my seat. I kept wondering which guy Maddy would choose—Jake or Will. I’m not going to spoil the ending by giving it away, though. You’ll have to read it yourself to find out. Hot, hot, hot—I recommend Madeline’s Mates to anyone who wants to read a delicious shapeshifter ménage a trois. Yum!   (3 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not) 10. Peggy on 12/6/2009, said: If you enjoy shape shifters and/or menage books you will love this one. Awesome read!   (2 people found this comment helpful, 1 did not) Showing comments 1-10 of 12 (Next 10) HERE to see all comments

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