Title: Broken in Silence
Series: Demons and Wolves: Book One
Author: Katze Snow
Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited
Length: 223 Pages
Category: Paranormal, Fantasy
At a Glance: Broken in Silence plumbs the darkest depths to bring you the beginning of a gripping saga that I am convinced cannot end well and yet—and yet—Tannerian is a clever wolf and has managed to survive when others have not.
Reviewed By: Sammy
Blurb: Tannerian Wulfric is a leader—a strong alpha who bows to no-one, especially those who try to undermine his authority.
When an opportunity arises, he grabs it with both hands and lets nothing get in his way. Trouble is, his brother has been caught in the crossfire of glorious retribution, and Tanner is in need of assistance.
For many years, Alex Jonas has lived his life in peace. But when fate lands him in the hands of his ex-lover and alpha, he finds himself in the centre of a feud he never knew existed, and must immerse himself in ways he had never imagined. One chance encounter, one night, and everything comes crashing down around him. Alex must fight for his life while Tanner fights for one thing and one thing only—vengeance, which has never tasted sweeter.
Can Tanner avenge his family’s death without spilling more blood? Or will his inner demon tear apart everything he has worked for, and lose the man who owns his heart?
Warning: Contains strong language, violence, and graphic, erotic scenes. This is NOT a romance. It’s hot, it’s sticky, and all kinds of messed up.
Review: Tannerian Wulfric lived through the murder of his little sister and parents at the hands of a demon named Elijah Whitehall. To say this demon was evil is to understate the malicious glee he took in not only murdering those Tannerian loved but also planting a piece of himself in the wolf shifter that was hell-bent on seeking revenge. Tannerian was consumed by the demon inside him, and any attempt to shut down the entity’s influence on his psyche was a lesson in futility. As the centuries went by, Tannerian, who began his career alongside his twin brother, Tobias, working for Halo—the governing body that sought to prevent shifters from harming humans—slowly morphed into a hardened, unforgiving man. When he could no longer abide the edict that set the shifter community below the human one, he rebelled and led a revolt against the government, establishing himself as the leader of the underground known as Meadowswin. Now long estranged from his twin, Tannerian seeks his revenge quietly and slowly, using any means possible to get closer to the demon that ruined his life.
Ten years before, Tannerian had found a young Alex Jones on the street, bloodied and bruised. As was his policy, Tannerian tended to take what he wanted and he definitely wanted Alex. But after just a short time, Tannerian cut his lover loose, and Alex, hurt and confused, left to rebuild his life. Now he owns a tea shop and has been reunited with his mother as well as his younger sister. Between trying to make ends meet and seeking treatment for his sister, the fire mage has little time for anything else—particularly Tannerian Wulfric, who is a dark reminder of a past Alex would like to forget. However, Tannerian holds the lease to Alex’s shop and when Tannerian calls in a favor, Alex can do little but obey. Now Alex must infiltrate Tobias’s world and get himself invited to the ball where the demon Elijah Whitehall is to attend. If all goes to plan, Tannerian will swoop in and have his revenge. At least, that is the idea—reality is not always the same thing.
I am sure I won’t be the first or last to stay emphatically that this is not a romance. In fact, if you can make it through this novel without hating Tannerian Wulfric, then the author has done her job and succeeded in making a rather dark and nasty wolf someone who you want to know more about. I can assure you that while there is no romance between Alex and Tannerian, there is definitely a fount of lust that borders almost on loathing. Yet, there is also an indefinable pull, an attraction that has deeper roots than sex, and it’s this connection that both men fight against. This novel is not for the faint of heart or someone looking for a sweet romance that wraps up nicely. It ends in a cliffhanger and keeps your head spinning through the entire story. There is a whole world-building situation that starts in this novel, only to be continued in subsequent installments, which is actually a really smart move on the author’s part. You see there is a great deal of backstory to unearth for many of the main characters, and to do so all at once would have made for a rather dull novel.
What I can tell you is that while Tannerian seems to be a single layered character bent on revenge, he is much more. There is a thread of humanity still left in this man, and every once in a while you see it heave its way to the surface, only to be quickly subdued by the mental anguish and doubt the demon inside Tannerian inflicts on him. A love for Alex is the real source for this tiny bit of softness and when the fire mage is threatened late in the novel, we see Tannerian at his most vulnerable. And there is the bit of romance that keeps the reader going, that makes you want to pick up the second installment and continue learning about this dark and gritty world where life is harsh and compassion is rare. In the meanwhile, you will need to keep your wits about you as you read for there are many bits and pieces of Tannerian’s history that are slowly given out.By the novel’s end, you have a better sense of who this man is and what drives him to do the seemingly heartless things he does. You find yourself longing for just a glimpse of the love you know Tannerian and Alex have for each other—despite the anger, blood and pain that surrounds both of them most of the time.
Broken in Silence plumbs the darkest depths to bring you the beginning of a gripping saga that I am convinced cannot end well and yet—and yet—Tannerian is a clever wolf and has managed to survive when others have not. Love may, in the end, be the very thing that conquers the darkness inside Tannerian, but it is a love that will be paid for in blood and sacrifice.
You can buy Broken in Silence here:
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