Reviewed by: Sue Eaton
TITLE: String Him Up in Lights
SERIES: Wingspan Book 6
AUTHOR: April Kelley
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 197 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 7, 2022
BLURB:
When he meets his mate the last thing, he expects is to become a dirty little secret.
Paul Havilar doesn’t have an issue with vampires. When his overbearing mother demands he roughs some up, he’s disgusted but doesn’t see a way out from under his mother’s control. Meeting his mate outside the dime store wasn’t in the cards, but he must find a way to protect the pretty vampire, even if it means becoming the family’s next target.
Freddie Bronstad is desperate to belong somewhere. It’s difficult finding a place in a clan that would rather see him escorted to the town line than give him a job, and his mate seems to be worse than all the other dragon shifters in Wingspan. As much as Freddie needs to, he can’t seem to resist the sensual pull of his dragon shifter.
While staying away may keep Freddie a secret a bit longer, Paul can’t ignore the passion that ignites whenever they’re together. Under the gun with Paul’s family, Freddie’s desperate for his mate’s love.
REVIEW:
This was such an interesting book. You first meet the Havilar family in Mercury on Fire, Wingspan Book 5; they are the quintessential troublemakers causing havoc with the rescued vampires and stirring up unrest and hatred in their quest to take over the town.
It is rare for an author to give the other side of the troublemakers story but this book is just that and I realised that things aren’t as black and white as I thought when I read book 5. This book focuses on Paul Havilar and his motivation for the things he has done and endured at the hands of his family.
Freddy Bronstad also had an abusive family that he escaped from; he was one of the kidnapped vampires who ended up in Wingspan, he isn’t sure if he will stay especially as the harassment of vampires in the town is escalating.
Against these dysfunctional family backdrops Paul and Freddy meet and realise they are mates; this is normally a cause for celebration but Paul fearing what his family might do if they discover he has mated a vampire wants to keep it secret. Freddy feels the pull to his mate but doesn’t know if he can mate someone who hurts people.
The author very cleverly explores the motivation behind why Paul Havilar does the things he does, the physical and verbal abuse he suffers from his family, who expect him to toe the family line and steal, fight, hurt people on command. Paul doesn’t want to do all the things the family makes him do, but he can’t see a way out and he knows if he does go against the family he will need to run. Meeting his mate gives him the motivation he needs to break free from his family, he walks a fine line to keep Freddy a secret and safe.
Freddy’s family is rich and whilst did not physically abuse him, they emotionally abused him, trying to force him to conform to their idea of perfection, including trying to arrange a marriage for him. He has so much of his life controlled, told what to do, how to act, what to wear. Then after escaping and forging a life of his own, he ends up kidnapped and once again, someone else is controlling his life. After his rescue Freddy is determined to get back on his feet, find a job and somewhere to live. Freddy may be smaller but he is not willing to settle for a mate that might be abusive, he is willing to get to know Paul and find out more about him and why he hurt the Sheriffs mate.
I loved both Paul and Freddy they have both endured so much but are fighters and at their core are good people. Life has dealt them both difficult starts, breaking away from their abusive families and finding the family they both need in each other. Realising that what they have endured in the past has made them stronger and more resilient and that they are prepared to fight for their future together.
RATING: 
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