Book Review: Bonded by Nicky Charles

Bonded
Law of the Lycans #0.5
Author: Nicky Charles
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Released: January 7th 2012
Review Source: Author
Reviews: The Mating / The Keeping / The Finding

Summary: (from goodreads) Reno’s a tough Enforcer for Lycan Link who finds himself drawn to Brandi but duty rules his life. Brandi, just on the edge of starting her career as a Disaster Control officer, falls for Reno at first sight, but are they really meant to be? Is it love or lust and does it really even matter? Enforcers and DCs don't get along...unless fate forces them to. 

Bonded precedes The Mating in the Law of the Lycans timeline.

I am a huge fan of the Lycan Law series and I love how Nicky Charles writes. However, Bonded to me felt as if it dragged on and on never getting to the point. Although, I enjoyed reading it, I would have to skip a couple of paragraphs just to get pasted the characters “thinking” I was utterly frustrated that it took all the way until the end of the book for Reno and Brandi to express their feelings toward each other. I felt it was very repetitive in the way author explained over and over again the description of a rogue. The story line was fantastic in you finally get the sense of the Lycan Law and what it stands for. Especially the description of the purists and what their position is in the story. I twist at the end with Al Zimmerman had me speechless, I would never had thought that ending but at the same time it was obvious. That’s what I love about Nicky Charles writing, it’s right in front of you but you’ll never know until it’s discovered in the story. There’s only one word I can say about Reno Smith, YUM! He’s the bad boy, rogue who’s always trying to tame his wolf and prove to everyone that he’s just a regular wolf as they are, but at the same time trying to find his place in the world. What a great character Reno is, I fell in love with him from the very start.

The story begins with Brandi in her last year at the academy studying to become a DC (Disaster Control Officer) or “Professional Liar” as others like to say when she meets Reno. Reno a professor in the same academy needs a student to help him demonstrate the self defense class in session. When Tami, Brandi’s best friend tells Reno Brandi will volunteer, he never expected to get such a reaction from his wolf for one particular girl. Especially, a DC officer. Finally out of the academy and accepted as a DC office, Brandi begins her training and later starts taking missions in which she continues to run into Reno Smith. Being an Enforcer, Reno expected to see Brandi in a couple of mission, but not on everyone. These missions that Reno and Brandi continue to see each other in are missions to stop the Purists. Purists are a group of Wolves who believe that no pack should have half breed wolves in it. Half breed wolves are the son or daughter of a wolf mother and a human father or vice-versa. Years after being a DC officer and continually seeing Reno in her mission, Brandi decides it’s time to move on to a career in a less stressful environment and so she stops running into Reno on missions. In between the transfers she decides that she will take a little vacation and return to her home pack to say hello and catch up with the other wolves. While there she’s suspicious of the way they are treating her and of the new pack leader Victor. What she doesn’t believe is what her new pack has been doing while she was gone! Suspense, lies, betrayal and doubt. Lots and lots of doubt.

In conclusion I would like to add that I could have gone without all the self loathing and self doubt of each character and in the end the story is great. I was finally able to learn the true meaning behind the Lycan Law and was able to understand it a little better. I would still recommend this book highly, like I said, I love Nicky Charles smooth writing and if you love paranormal adult romance books, then you should definitely check this one out!!