Brief Encounters

Title: What
Author: Missy Welsh
Length: 19,000 words (70 pdf pages)
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: m/m paranormal (shifters)
Rating: C+

Blurb:

Sam’s life completely changes when Jeremy, his sexy and muscular boss at a tattoo parlor, finally reveals the secret he’s been keeping from Sam since the day they met: they’re mates, and not only is Jeremy a panther, but so is Sam. With rules to follow so they can be together, Sam has to step up and be the patient lover his formerly straight mate needs him to be while learning about his new self as a shapeshifting panther.

Review:

This story was originally offered as a 13 page freebie at the m/m Goodreads group, so this is the expanded version for those who may have read the original. The story jumps right in, with Sam fearing his bosses wrath after a fight broke out in the tattoo shop where Sam has been working for 9 months and crushing on his straight boss. Sam has a bad stutter and has been teased in part for that, along with being small and gay. Finally Jeremy seems ready to let Sam in on a little secret. He is a were-panther, and so is Sam, and they are mates, despite Jeremy being gay.It seems the fight broke out because Sam is near to turning and the other panthers sense that and are nosing around him, forcing Jeremy to make his move and make Sam his.

There isn’t a lot of angst or conflict in this story. Yes, Jeremy is straight until he meets Sam, but he is quick to get past that and embrace his inner gay-boy. Even Sam’s not that worried that Jeremy will change his mind, and accepts the fact that he’s a panther with nary a blink. There does come the time Sam has to top Jeremy to make it official which adds a good dose of comedic anxiety, as Sam fears his first time ever will be less than successful and he has to get past Jeremy’s nerves. However, it’s very much a sweet story about two guys just being rather delighted in the fact that they’ve found someone they love, gender issues aside. Jeremy even took the efforts to get his pack to accept gay couples so that he and Sam could remain.

So when you are in the mood for sweet, with a nerdy shy guy who gathers some confidence and a little bit of growly alpha maleness when discovering his inner kitty, it’s a great choice. It will leave you with a smile and there are a few humorous moments as when Sam’s not freaking out and stuttering, he’s got a cheeky sense of humour and his fascination with being a panther and the fun that can come with it comes through well. It may not be for everyone, and definitely not if you are in he mood for angst or drama, but sometimes a nice light read hits the spot and this fits the bill.