EBookObsessed
Written on Oct 15, 2020
While I wouldn’t call this a stand alone, you could read this story without having read the rest of the series. The story itself runs separate to the rest of the series. Knowing most of the other characters referenced or talked to in this story always gives you a deeper connection with the story, but Touch of Evil gives us a new story ARC featuring Bren and Emme. Bren has been one of my favorite secondary characters of this series. And while we know that he has a wry sense of humor, he also has all levels of trust and commitment issues, even in making friends and joining the wolf pack. So far we haven’t really got in depth as to what about his parents and his childhood created these issues. For quite some time, Bren was considered a Lone Wolf in the pack’s territory and was only tolerated because he was a friend of Celia’s. Bren has since been convinced to join the pack but he mostly stays on the fringes and while he helps out when needed, he shuns getting too involved with the pack or making friends with the other wolves. We really don’t get any more in depth into Bren’s issues in this story, but I would hope we will finally find out what traumatized him so much that he shuns all close ties except with Celia and his BFF Danny.
In Touch of Evil, the rest of the pack is busy dealing with all the paranormal insanity currently taking place around Lake Tahoe, so Bren is nominated to take over investing a murder in Town and taps the local (non-pack) shifters in Town to help him. Emme had come to visit him at the bar where he works after her date turned into a total loss. It is Emme who can feel an evil presence which is following her and which is all over the murder scene so she sticks around to help Bren investigate.
Emme has always been attracted to Bren but after he turned her down flat several years ago, she moved on to dating Liam, who was a member of the wolf pack and friend of all her sister’s boyfriends. But unlike her sister’s boyfriends, Liam knew Emme wasn’t his mate, which eventually leads to more insecurity for Emme, when Liam eventually find his mate and dumps Emme.
Emme has telekinetic powers plus the power to heal. Being telekinetic should have made Emme badass but unless one of her sisters is in grave danger, Emme doesn’t use her telekinetic powers offensively. So far in the series, Emme just seems to be there to heal Celia, who, unlike the wolves, can’t heal quickly from all the injuries she receives.
I must confess the Emme hasn’t been my favorite character in this series. Celia is the protector. Taran is the foul-mouthed fighter. Shanna is always upbeat, Dude. They are all very vibrant characters that catch your attention and are ready to kick ass in a supernatural fight. In contract, Emme is very sedate and her sedate nature doesn’t come off as calming, it just comes off as apathetic. Now, she wants to pursue a relationship with Bren even though he has told her that he is not interested and thinks of her as a kid sister. They do eventually sleep together and while he keeps giving off that dominant wolf, my woman growl, Bren is staunch in his I don’t do relationships stance. This leaves Emme used and abandoned yet again, and while you might say she just accepts this with stoic grace, it comes off more like pathetic. I wanted to see her get mad at Bren’s treatment, not accept it quietly. Since this is the first book which focuses on getting to know Emme better, I am hoping that Emme will finally blossom into a more interesting character in the series.
Received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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