Salad on the Side Real Werewolves Don't Eat Meat Book #1
Paranormal Romance, Werewolves/Shifters, Gay Romance
Vegan Wolf Productions
May 12, 2022
Kindle
259
Amazon
Since moving to Boston, Kyle Slidell has met only a few of his neighbors, including Tobias Rogan. Kyle is very interested in Tobias, and is ecstatic to learn that Tobias wants him, too.
But his neighbors have a secret: They're a werewolf pack, and Tobias is their Alpha. When one of the wolves attacks Kyle, he learns the truth in a hurry--and in the most painful way. Now he's a werewolf too, and as a vegan is at war with his wolf aspect, who craves meat.
With Tobias's help and love, Kyle must adjust to his new life. But can he protect the pack and his lover from a werewolf seeking revenge against Tobias?
Review by Xanthe
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
This one is a weird review to write as, while the premise is intriguing – a vegan werewolf – I didn’t really get into the story until after half way through. There was nothing about the characters that drew me in but then things actually start to develop with the relationship and more drama with the plot comes in.
Kyle and Tobias are friendly neighbors but it’s only when Tobias invites Kyle over that anything really starts between them. However, there’s a lot of half-finished conversations, input from neighbors and pack members that is either unwanted, unnecessary or trying to cause trouble. Unfortunately for Kyle, that’s brewing from the start as he gets attacked one night and turned against his will. Tensions continue to brew and Tobias’s Alpha leadership is put to the test. Meanwhile, their relationship seems slow to develop even though it’s actually only over a few of days. Pack matters continue to interrupt and the werewolf community’s views how Alphas are impacted by having any feelings or relationship with another but especially seen as weak when it’s MM. This was different for me as pretty much every other shifter story has matings making every person involved stronger individually and for their pack.
The second half of the story really gets moving in both the plot and the relationship. It gets really interesting between Kyle and Tobias as a connection develops that is stronger than expected and Kyle may have only just been turned but his awareness and knowledge of the wolves gets really good. I could feel their chemistry after a while but wasn’t necessarily on board with their emotions at the same rate they were. I did find it most entertaining when Kyle is most in need of food when as a wolf or just after shifting but refuses to eat meat so his pack mates have to find him protein with tofu, soy beans etc and none of them are happy about it, thinking how stubborn he is. I enjoyed the drama between Tobias’s pack and the City Pack. There’s an especially intense scene that brings his connection to his wolf and to his pack to the fore. It’s a great scene that has character and pack development as well as villains that you both feel for and despise.
The pack mates are a confounding bunch. At first, they all seem ok, if a bit standoffish, and then it gets quite tense amongst them all, adding to the drama of the story and what goes on within the pack. There’s a lot of talking that goes on, constantly having meetings seemingly at any time of the day or night. The alpha’s word is law but others are clearly disgruntled for most of the book.
Overall, it’s a little bit of hit and miss book for me. I was definitely more invested with the second half and how the everything developed. The first dragged a bit for me whilst everything was established and we are introduced to the characters. I can see Kyle becoming a force to be reckoned with as the series progresses and am interested to see how that impacts their pack and their relationship with others.