Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Slow Birth
SERIES: Heat of Love
AUTHOR: Leta Blake
NARRATOR: Michael Ferraiuolo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 5 hours and 14 minutes
RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2020
BLURB:
Jason and Vale are back in this side story set in the Heat of Love universe!
A romantic getaway turns dramatic when an unexpected heat descends on Vale, leaving Jason with no choice but to act. The resulting pregnancy is dangerous for Vale and terrifying for Jason, but with the help of friends and family, they choose to embrace their uncertain future. Together they find all the love, joy, and heat they need to guide them through!
While this story follows the characters from Slow Heat, it will be most enjoyable if listened to directly after Alpha Heat, as it takes place contemporaneously with that book.
This is a gay romance novella by Leta Blake, consisting of 50,000 words of bonus material with a strong happy ending for the characters of Jason and Vale from Slow Heat. This bonus story is set in a critically acclaimed, non-shifter omegaverse, with alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, heat, and knotting.
REVIEW:
Note: This book takes place after Slow Heat and concurrently with Alpha Heat, so it has major spoilers for both of those books.
Alpha Jason and his erosgape Omega Vale go to visit Vale’ parents cabin in the mountains for what they think will be a farewell visit. Jason’s parents have had the previously rustic cabin redone and it’s quite lovely. Vale was prepared to let it go, but it’s turned out quite nicely and Jason is more than willing to keep the place if that’s what Vale wants. But as they are settling in for the evening in anticipation of returning to the city the next day, they become trapped in the cabin. Vale then goes into an unexpected and unplanned heat. Without supplied to see them through and no way to get any or any help, well it there is nothing for Jason to do but take care of Vale.
When Vale discovers that against all odds he is pregnant, he and Jason are at odds at how to proceed. Of course they get a LOT of advice from friends and family. But Jason is terrified of losing Vale and since the risk is not small, he’s beside himself with worry and guilt. Vale for his part, insists that he can do this and since this is his one and only chance, he is determined to go through with it. Urho, his doctor friend, confirms that is seems possible that since Vale has been with Jason, his condition seems to have improved to the point that a viable pregnancy is possible.
But as the winter flu epidemic gets worse, Jason and Vale are in need of a place to go to escape the possible infection. Xan has offered his home on the coast and Vale, Jason and Urho take him up on it. This solves more than one problem 😉 But of course as Vale gets closer to delivering, there are other pressing matters and other patients to be seen to as well.
So I absolutely love this series. This is the first audiobook series I listened to with Michael Ferraiuolo as the narrator and I was blown away. He gave such poignancy to each character in this series, that I can’t help but be drawn into each story. Jason and Vale’s story began with the first book of this series, Slow Heat, and their story is peripheral to the main story of Alpha Heat, but they are still major characters. This lovely novella gives us more detail of their story that takes place mostly off page in Alpha Heat. I loved Vale’s exasperation with Jason’s parents 🙂 I’m sure like any expectant parent, it’s nice to have help, but too much help during a sensitive time can just be a huge pain. Jason’s fear is palpable in this story. He cannot lose Vale or he will lose himself. His anger at his parents and his friends for not helping him convince Vale that this is a bad idea what totally believable. But when he comes around, as usual, he will do literally anything to make Vale happy and keep him safe. What a beautiful story and another fantastic job of narrating by Mr. Ferraiuolo. Highly recommended.
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