Wake Me Up Inside

Title: Wake Me Up Inside

Author: Cardeno C.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publisher URL: www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-61372-711-9

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary Paranormal Series

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx

Zev Hassick is the strongest wolf in generations. He’s all Alpha and born to be the next pack leader. That means his parents are pushing him to find the right female to take as his mate—but Zev is gay and his childhood human friend, Jonah, is his mate. He wants Jonah by his side always but Jonah has dreams of his own. It means keeping their secret—even from his mate because they have to spend years apart when Jonah leaves town to attend medical school. It’s physically difficult for them both and by the time Jonah’s residency is near the end, they’re both suffering from illness. Claiming Jonah and being together is Zev and Jonah’s destiny, but they’ll have to fight against generations of pack tradition first.

Wake Me Up Inside is the first release in A Mates series by Cardeno C. Be aware that the entire story is told in Zev’s viewpoint, so Jonah and his feelings are a bit of a mystery. The other thing—while the story is contemporary in nature, there are big flashback scenes from when Zev and Jonah were young but extending throughout their lives together. The switching back and forth gets a little confusing at times but it still works. It also gives the reader a good feel for Zev’s emotions—what he’s going through being separated from his mate for so long.

I like Zev and Jonah. Zev’s personality is better developed but they’re both interesting guys and they’ve been together as friends since early childhood. It’s a nice touch I thoroughly enjoyed.  That they spend so much of the story apart got a bit wearying and caused years of angst. So many problems could have been eliminated by an honest conversation. There’s so much angst and conflict within Zev and Jonah’s relationship that there really isn’t a villain. It’s the situation instead that’s the problem instead of an individual. The secondary characters are numerous, including shifter Ethan and vampire Miguel, who are introduced near the end. Watch for their important role in Jonah’s life. They will be featured in the next book, Until Forever Comes.