Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Bitter Heat

SERIES: Heat of Love #3

AUTHOR: Leta Blake

PUBLISHER: self-published

LENGTH: 325 pages

RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2019

BLURB:

A pregnant omega trapped in a desperate situation, an unattached alpha with a lot to prove, and an unexpected fall into love that could save them both.

Kerry Monkburn is contracted to a violent alpha in prison for brutal crimes. Now pregnant with the alpha’s child, he lives high in the mountains, far above the city that once lured him in with promises of a better life. Enduring bitterness and fear, Kerry flirts with putting an end to his life of darkness, but fate intervenes.

Janus Heelies has made mistakes in the past. In an effort to redeem himself, integrity has become the watchword for his future. Training as a nurse under the only doctor willing to take him on, Janus is resolute in his intentions: he will live cleanly in the mountains and avoid all inappropriate affairs. But he doesn’t anticipate the pull that Kerry exercises on his heart and mind.

As the question of Kerry’s future health and safety comes to an explosive head, only the intervention of fate will see these desperate men through to a happy ending.

This gay romance novel by Leta Blake is the third in the Heat of Love universe which began with Slow Heat. It’s 111,000 words, with a strong happy ending and a critically-acclaimed, non-shifter Omegaverse. It features alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, mpreg, heat, and knotting. Content warning for a violent and oppressive society regarding reproductive rights.

REVIEW:

So, before we get started let me warn you this is a darker book. In the sense, that deals with a contracted alpha and Omega and the alpha is a rapist and a physical abuser. He gets off on pain. Literally. The in laws manipulate the Omega and do things they shouldn’t, so the Omega is not only raped and abused but basically has no control over his life. Or so he feels like. He has thoughts of suicide and attempts something else.

Also, I know this is the unproofed version, but I’m hoping they fix a few mistakes. The biggest being Kiwi is first referred to as a boy and is called a girl throughout half the book. Back and forth.

Kerry is literally ill. After being forced again to go to the prison of his contracted alpha during his heat, he’s beaten, abused and watched. No one really comes to his aid. His in laws want a grandbaby so bad they basically don’t care about what is happening to Kerry every time. And now Kerry is pretty sure this time it took. And he’s horrified. So horrified all he does is basically keep quiet playing with his bird or rocking in his chair, staring at the lake. 

When Janus decides it’s time for a change after almost dying again, he takes off to a boarding house in the mountains to work under a doctor there. With him being sick, he missed a lot of what he needed at schools and such, and is grateful for this doctor to let him learn. But when Janus gets there, he immediately sees Kerry and is overwhelmed by the scent of him and his look. As he starts to work, he finds out the doctor isn’t really a doctor and a lot of things are going on that Janus can’t wrap his head around. Being a city boy, he knows a lot of this stuff could be punishable but he digs in and works anyway. All while trying to get to know Kerry and his story. No one tells him much, for it’s Kerry’s story to tell, and when he does find out it breaks his heart and makes him rage. His alpha is being taken over by the omega’s scent and all he wants to do is protect and love him. Especially after all he’s endured. But Kerry is contracted and being manipulated by his in laws. Until they go too far. Kerry finally makes a stand. But when it comes time to have the baby, the in-laws are determined to take it. And Janus will not let it happen, especially since he found out after the birth that Kerry is his bondmate. But lawyers are involved and Kerry is determined not to love the baby because of the other alpha. So now they have to figure out how they are going to get around all of this.

Kerry just broke my heart. The shit that baby had to endure was unbelievable. What !are me mad about the whole thing, was he was being forced and the alpha’s father knew his son was evil. But kept his mouth shut to please his Omega. And Kerry just kept having to endure. Until Janus came along. And thank goodness for that. Yeah, Janus is changing and is determined not to cross lines like the old him, but eventually they both fall to the connection the feel. But Janus shows Kerry that all alpha’s aren’t bad. Even if he himself used to be an ass. Yes, people can change, but only when they want to. And the other alpha doesn’t. Little by little, Janus shows Kerry how good it can be. And Janus himself, is changing into a man he can be proud of. Finally putting others first and not being selfish or an asshole.

It’s a good story. Like I said, it’s a little dark but it’s good.

RATING: 

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