Sandy M’s review of Savage by L.A. Day
Erotic sci-fi romance novella released by Ellora’s Cave 7 Nov 07
I had high hopes for this book. It started out quite well in the first chapter, a good storyline and interesting characters, some great flashbacks to fill in the characters’ history. It was when I was just a little way into chapter two that it all fell apart for me.
Savage is definitely an alpha male, a shapeshifter who’s ashamed of his feral half, especially because he scared Alaya on their wedding night when his passion for her forced his shifting. And because he’s also a sensitive man and he loves his young wife, he stays away for three years, giving her time to grow up. He’s decided to finally go to her again when he learns her home has been attacked, so he rushes to her without thought or rest after a month-long mission. So far, so good.
To his relief Savage finds Alaya alive and unharmed, something not afforded the other people held hostage by Alegra pirates. This is where the story goes downhill. It’s the sex scenes. Savage decides he has to have his wife now while hostages are being tortured and raped. He’s waited three years, but he can’t restrain himself for a couple more days. And the descriptions of those scenes left me rolling my eyes with the silliness they invoked and the dialogue was inane. There was a couple of good spots, but that’s not saying much when ninety-eight percent of the chapter is one long sexfest. And the way Savage initiated Alaya into sex was a little callous to me.
The rest of the book that had nothing to do with sex was good, which wasn’t much because of the length of the story, but what there was of it I liked. There was a twist or two that worked very well, but even those were overshadowed by more alpha lovin’ that just didn’t cut it.
I thought this book was right up my alley because of the shapeshifting. Little did I know that there just wasn’t a whole lot of shifting going on.
Grade: D-
Blurb:
Savage, a bounty hunter and half-Rabian shifter, needs a woman. He needs his wife, Alaya.
He’d left her alone on their wedding night three years ago after she’d screamed in fear when he’d become highly aroused and started to shapeshift. Now it is time to face his demons — to consummate his marriage or end it.
Fate steps in, sending them headlong into danger. Seeing her again ignites his desire, and jealousy arouses his dominant nature. Using her passions against her, he persuades her to submit to him for all to hear. But even if Alaya can adapt to his feral lust, unseen danger lurks, waiting to rip them apart again.
Read an excerpt.
