Type: Paranormal Romance, Shifters
Publisher: Self-Published, ebook/Paperback, 447 pages
Purchase:
Amazon
The year is 1983. Christian is 22 years old when he leaves his home in Denmark to spend a year in Florida with a very wealthy family and go to med-school. A joyful night out with friends is shattered by an encounter with a savage predator that changes his life forever. Soon he faces challenges he had never expected. A supernatural gift he has no idea how to embrace. A haunting family in the house next door. A spirit-filled girl who seems to carry all the answers. An ancient secret hidden in the swamps of Florida. One life never the same. One love that becomes an obsession. Two destinies that will be forever entangled.
Savage is a paranormal romance with some language, violence, and sexual situations recommended for ages sixteen and up. It is the first book in a family saga that covers three decades of the character's lives. The sequel is expected in September 2012.
Heat: 2 out of 5
Rating: 3 out of 5
I always enjoy finding something a little different and
Savage definitely qualifies as one of the more unique books I've read this year. The writing was very interesting for me since I've never read a book
told completely from the male point of view. Not only that but it was told by the main character as he looked back on his life in the 80s as a 20-something medical exchange student. Different, right?
Christian's life his first few months was filled with danger, near death experiences, falling in love for the first time and discovering a world he never knew existed. It's
a bit angsty from time to time but an intriguing journey of self discovery that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. The romance is light and the sex scenes very, very mild.
I did have a couple problems while I was reading. I really didn't care for how animals were regarded throughout. There's a lot of hunting for sport and little respect which I found difficult to read. The secondary characters tripped me up a bit as well. I really liked the "crazy" women who lived next door that played the part of free spirits but were much more than what they appeared. I would have loved more of them in the story. Christian's host family and friends though were another thing altogether. I
just didn't find them likable and didn't relate to them at all. They're cold and volatile. Narrow minded and just off putting. Christian's struggles between the two worlds was interesting though.
In the end though I did enjoy the story and exploring a different style of writing. The story moves along quickly and really felt like it was being told by an exchange student.
Savage left off on a pretty good cliffhanger that will have me reaching for book two. This wasn't your typical romance with a tidy happily ever after ending and I'm honestly really curious how things are going to turn out for Christian.
[A copy of Savage was provided in exchange for an honest review.]
Check out the excerpt & giveaway after the jump!