In Your Eyes

Title: In Your Eyes

Author: Cardeno C.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publisher URL: www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-63216-069-0

Genre: {M/M} Paranormal Series

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx

As the son of the alpha of the Yafenack pack, Samuel Goodwin knows he’ll take over from his father one day. From an early age he dedicates himself to studying shifter law and becoming the best alpha possible. His problem—he’s not good at relating to others. Samuel meets Korban, the son of another local alpha at an interpack gathering and the older shifter immediately unsettles him. Samuel resents the feeling and tries to ignore him but can’t forget Korban’s beautiful eyes.

Years pass as Samuel and Korban grow older but they see other each infrequently. Without warning tensions escalate between their packs and Samuel’s father is forced into a deadly challenge fight. The result pits the two packs against the other, forcing Samuel to show he can lead for the first time, and throwing him and Korban together in a dangerous situation. Can they save their packs and find a way to be together?

In Your Eyes is the new release in the Mates series by Cardeno C. Please note that previous characters don’t play a role so it can be read as a standalone.

I’m a fan of the paranormal genre—shifters in particular—and have enjoyed the other books in this series. I was pleased to find another being released and the blurb caught my attention immediately. It’s told from Samuel’s point of view so we know all the pain, angst and emotions he experiences. He’s a complicated guy—dedicated and responsible but not empathetic—but I like him. The guy doesn’t even understand his own feelings and overanalyzes everything.  That’s where Korban come in. He’s an alpha too but he’s outgoing, open and affectionate and understands people. He’s the counterpart to Samuel and is his perfect mate, providing tension, love and sizzling chemistry.

There’s lots of vivid imagery in this well written and paced story and, as stated above, the personality of Samuel is well developed—Korban less so, since we never see his POV. There’s plenty of emotion and angst, and the danger and betrayal is woven throughout the last half which keeps the pages turning. There are several twists, and we even learn a little more about pack history, which I enjoyed.

My niggles: Since Korban and Samuel met as children they didn’t spend time together until older—several chapter into the story. Also, I would have liked to see some of the characters from the previous books. Yes, Zev had a phone call, but others are only mentioned.