Reviewed by Susan65
Title: Slow Heat
Author: Leta Blake
Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo
Series: Heat of Love #1
Heroes: Vale & Jason
Genre: M/M Paranormal
Length: 14 hours and 7 minutes
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: May 7, 2018
Available at: Amazon & Audible
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: A lustful young alpha meets his match in an older omega with a past.
Professor Vale Aman has crafted a good life for himself. An unbonded omega in his mid-30s, he’s long since given up hope that he’ll meet a compatible alpha, let alone his destined mate. He’s fulfilled by his career, his poetry, his cat, and his friends.
When Jason Sabel, a much younger alpha, imprints on Vale in a shocking and public way, longings are ignited that can’t be ignored. Fighting their strong sexual urges, Jason and Vale must agree to contract with each other before they can consummate their passion.
But for Vale, being with Jason means giving up his independence and placing his future in the hands of an untested alpha – as well as facing the scars of his own tumultuous past. He isn’t sure it’s worth it. But Jason isn’t giving up his destined mate without a fight.
This is a stand-alone gay romance novel, 118,000 words, with a strong HFN ending, as well as a well-crafted, non-shifter omegaverse, with alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, heat, and knotting. Content warning for pregnancy loss and aftermath.
Review:
I really like the non-shifter Alpha and Omega stories, and this one was the very best I’d ever had the pleasure to listen to. This is the perfect story paired up with the perfect narrator, Michael Ferraiuolo. Michael’s performance was simply amazing. He totally grabbed onto the essence of the alpha-omega dynamics and easily portrayed that relationship in such a way that I could not put it down. This audio is over fourteen hours long and I knocked it out within two days. I just could not wait to see how the many different and intense moments would be concluded. There was also a very nice and subtle set up for the next book.
**
Vale is a 35 year old professor at a school for young alphas. Jason is a 19 year old student at the school who did not expect to imprint on the his omega so publically and then find that he had to convince everyone, from his best friend, to his parents, and to his omega, that this was meant to be. That he was mature enough, and he was more than willing to do what it took to care for his omega, and he didn’t care what anyone thought of the age difference. Vale, is shocked. He thought his time had passed. He never expected to find his alpha since he was advanced age for childbirth, and he especially didn’t expect to be paired with a “baby alpha”. This entire summary sounds interesting, but not groundbreaking….but, it is written and performed so freaking well that no review will ever do it justice. The narrator took an incredible story and performed it to perfection. I was completely blown away.
**
This is not a fast read, at all. And it takes the better part of the entire story for their relationship to be on the same footing. However, this has nothing to do with a lack of or miscommunications, but with the completeness in which the story is written. The characters are so well fleshed out that you feel as if you know them personally. The secondary characters, especially Xan, Jason’s best friend, Jason’s parents, and Vale’s long time lover and their friends, are incredibly integral to the plot that you cannot just eliminate their contribution to the story, or how important their involvement is with the satisfactory conclusion of multiple storylines…and including the next book.
**
I ached for both Xan and Urho, and am so pleased that they are the main couple in the next book. I am beyond excited to see how that dynamic plays out as they both broke my heart in this book, most especially Xan. Highly recommended for alpha-omega mpreg lover…and maybe those who just want to wet their toes in this trope.
**
Overall Impression: It was amazing!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
The Blogger Girls 
I bought this and listened to it between my Thursday flight home and yesterday. I thought it was absolutely fantastic!! I’m loving that narrator and I’m going to look for more books by him.
This my second audio by this narrator, and my second 5 star review. I love this guy!