• Alpha Heat

  • Heat of Love, Book 2
  • By: Leta Blake
  • Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo
  • Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (263 ratings)

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Alpha Heat  By  cover art

Alpha Heat

By: Leta Blake
Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo
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Publisher's summary

A desperate young alpha. An older alpha with a hero complex. A forbidden love that can’t be denied.

Young Xan Heelies knows he can never have what he truly wants: a passionate romance and happy ever after with another alpha. It’s not only forbidden by the prevailing faith of the land, but such acts are illegal.

Urho Chase is a middle-aged alpha with a heartbreaking past. Careful, controlled, and steadfast, his friends dub him old-fashioned and staid. When Urho discovers a dangerous side to Xan’s life that he never imagined, his world is rocked, and he’s consumed by desire. The carefully sewn seams that held him together after the loss of his omega and son come apart - and so does he.

But to love each other and make a life together, Xan and Urho risk utter ruin. With the acceptance and support of Caleb, Xan’s asexual and aromantic omega and dear friend, they must find the strength to embrace danger and build the family they deserve.

This gay-romance novel by Leta Blake is the second in the Slow Heat universe. It has a strong, happy ending and a well-crafted non-shifter omegaverse. It features alphas, betas, omegas, male pregnancy, heat, and knotting. No cheating. Content warning for brief sexual violence.

©2018 Leta Blake Books (P)2018 Leta Blake Books

What listeners say about Alpha Heat

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful omegaverse romance! Great narrator!!

Story:
I fell completely in love with Xan and Urho, who are both amazing, complex characters.
Xan is so filled with self-loathing and he has completely given up hope on ever being happy or deserving of happiness even. It was heartrending to read. I wasn’t prepared to feel such depth of emotion for a fictional character, but only a rock would fail to be moved by Xan’s troubles.

Urho was a perfect match for Xan.
I loved their connection and Urho's acceptance and understanding of who Xan truly is. The first moments where Urho gets a glimpse of Xan's true self, and his struggle to accept his own reaction to that truth were so intense! Loved that.

At first glance, Urho appears to be quite conservative and rigid in his thinking, but he bends and even breaks the rules when he needs to in order to be able to help others. He’s modest and brave and oh…be still, my beating heart! Just such a lovable, strong & silent type hero.
Xan throws Urho for a loop, because he doesn’t fit their society’s established gender roles and so Urho is required to rethink some of his long-held beliefs.

I was a bit apprehensive about how Caleb would fit in. But I needn't have worried. He's such an extraordinary individual. The bond between Xan, Urho and Caleb is not a romantic one, but it is a deeply loving one, just the same. They're a family unit. The author totally makes it work.

This book also stands out to me because of the astonishing amount of detail that went into the world-building. The author raises some fascinating points about gender identity, sexual orientation and the danger of entwining politics and religion. There’s also a great set of secondary characters that surround the MC's, friends we know already from Slow Heat as well as new characters that I hope to see again in future books

Narration:
Michael Ferraiuolo is a brilliant performer. Simple as that. How he manages to do so many different voices and match them so perfectly to the characters, I’ll never understand. I’m so glad that he did this sequel to Slow Heat as well, because it was absolutely wonderful to hear Jason and Vale’s voices again too. I must confess that I’m something of a Xan and Urho fangirl and I was so excited and curious to hear their story in audio! It was everything I hoped for and more.
I loved hearing Michael Ferraiuolo’s interpretation of their voices and interactions. The nuance and emotion which he brought to these fictional characters took the entire book to a whole new level.
And it was already pretty amazing. I’m awestruck.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite in the series so far!

4.5 Stars!

Alpha Heat is book 2 in the Slow Heat universe, it could be read/listened to as standalone, but I think you'll enjoy it even more if you read them in order.

We met Xan and Urho in Slow Heat and I loved Xan so much there that I was one of the countless readers begging Leta for a sequel with these two and she didn't disappoint with his story.

Xan is an unmanned alpha and Jason's best friend, who wants a romantic relationship with another alpha, which is forbidden in this 'verse. My heart broke at the lengths he'd gone to punish himself for his 'unnatural desires' and I was glad when Urho found out so he could actually do something about it. Xan was caring, reliable and sweet, and I hated that his own father treated him so poorly.

Urho is Vale's best friend and past lover, who'd lost his omega and child during childbirth. He was controlled and steadfast, willing to do anything to help Xan out, instead of Xan risking his own death at the hands of another alpha.

I really liked the progression of their relationship, while Urho had already experienced the love of his erosgapé (pretty much the equivalent of his soulmate), he fell for Xan and discovered a new kind of love that was perhaps not as all-encompassing, but still passionate and intense with Xan. They had amazing chemistry and were well-suited in pretty much every aspect of their lives and of course, it didn't hurt that every sex scene they had together (and even the one with Caleb) were hot, hot, HOT!

I really liked the relationship Xan had with Caleb, his Omega, even if there was nothing romantic about it. If you're wondering, this is not truly a MMM, since Caleb is asexual and aromantic, but there's a scene near the end in which the three of them are together and only Xan is with Caleb sexually, at the same time that Urho is with Xan. So, if that is what's stopping you, I promise you, it wasn't all that bad, actually, as I stated before, it was quite hot. However, if the idea of poor Caleb being subjected to a heat when it's the last thing he wants to experience puts you off, well, you could always skip that part. The book is well-worth a read even without that part.

I loved catching up with Jason and Vale and that they were such an integral part of this story. I nearly had a heart attack with all that was happening at the same time around the 80% mark, but it was all good.

I hated Monhundy and Xan's father with the fire of a thousand suns. And was quite happy with how they were dealt with. It was brilliant, actually!

I'm a bit torn with the secondary storyline with Janus, Xan's cousin, and Caleb, and while I understood that Caleb wasn't really in love with him, the way he acted made me wonder sometimes.

Michael Ferraiuolo did a fantastic job with the characters, but pretty much like in the book, Xan was definitely my favorite. There were a few parts in which his tone felt a bit monotonous, but overall, it was enjoyable listening to his voice while getting lost in this amazing story.

I can't recommend this story enough in any form. It was fantastically written and Leta did justice to Xan and Urho, Jason and Vale, and even Caleb. While long, it's engaging and intriguing. I really wouldn't mind reading more in this universe in the future, maybe something with Ray, Xan's beta brother? Anyway, just pick it up, you won't regret it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Spectacular Story, Ferraiuolo is at his best!

Alpha Heat is the second book in Leta Blake’s Heat of Love series. While this story can stand on its own, to truly understand the nuances of this society I recommend reading Slow Heat first. Also, there are a few scenes which are definite triggers for some, so make sure you check the tags before starting this book if you are sensitive.

The Heat of Love series takes place in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world where no females survived the Great Death. Through evolution, genetic manipulation, and the mystical power of Wolf God, there are three different sexes: alpha, beta, and omega. The only pairing which can result in childbirth is alpha/omega, and the foundation of this society is procreation.

The couple from Slow Heat are “erosgape”, and share a deep and passionate bond. But what about the alphas and omegas who never find their “one true mate”? What of those who don’t fit neatly into the stereotype of their gender? In Alpha Heat, Leta Blake delves into the lives of those men whose sexuality falls outside the culturally (and legally) accepted norms. Very different from the bonded couple in Slow Heat, what works for this triad could land them in jail, or worse.

Xan is “unmanned”, an alpha who wants to submit to other alphas. His urges are so strong they’ve become self-destructive and when Urho discovers what’s going on he steps up to help his friend. The intense relationship which blossoms between the two men is truly beautiful, providing some much needed healing for both of them and affecting Caleb, Xan’s best friend, positively as well.

Accepting that he is asexual, Caleb doesn’t experience sexual arousal except during his heat. He wants children and a family and he’s resigned to the reality of being bred. The relationship with Xan and Urho allows Caleb to establish some boundaries, and regain some control over his life.

I definitely recommend enjoying this story as an audiobook because Michael Ferraiuolo is at his all-time best in this one! He makes the most out of the juxtaposition of Xan’s dominant and submissive sides, emphasizes the longing of Urho’s desire to be needed, and brings out Caleb’s frustration (but also his joy) of being an omega. The emotions Ferraiuolo exposes in these characters is spectacular and I’ve truly never heard him better.

This is another marvelous episode in the Heat of Love series and thankfully there are still a host of intriguing plotlines still to explore in this world. Ms. Blake has only begun to touch on the disparity in wealth and class, the restrictive laws and rules that govern each of the sexes, and a host of other relationship pairings…. I can’t wait to see where she takes us next!

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Hurt/Comfort Non-Shifter A/B/O Mpreg

Michael Ferraiuolo does a fantastic job with the narration. He brings out each character's stubbornness, desire, strength, and comfort so well and really brings each character to life. His character voices are pretty easy to follow (though I personally wish Xan and Caleb had less of a similar tone), and ultimately made my listening experience a real joy.

Alpha Heat is a non-shifter A/B/O romance told in a dual third-person POV featuring a lot of hurt/comfort, plenty of sexy scenes (no cheating), some knotting, and male pregnancy, with a hard-won happy ending all wonderfully narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo.

It's, at times, a hard read with what Xan, Urho, and Caleb go through, but the ending makes it all totally worth it.

I'm going to be honest. I thought I'd read/listened to Slow Heat but it turned out I haven't. And while I would caution against doing the same, I did manage to work through most of my questions about what was going on except for one. Seriously, though, I need to get to the first book so I can find out why everything is 'Wolf' this and that but no one shifts. Regardless, my ignorance of the initial world-building did not diminish my enjoyment.

But, maybe don't make my mistake, and start with book one.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

lovely and perfect

I struggle with finding time to read so I was thrilled when this book came out on audio. I can't tell you how amazing this book is. I'm not the hugest fan of mpreg, but I really enjoyed Slow Heat (after friends recommended it) and I eagerly awaited the sequel.

It surpassed the first book by a wide margin, which is saying something.

I loved everything about it: gender politics, societal issues, a flu epidemic, and HOT sex—this book is my jam.

On top of all that, MAKING the book, is Michael's wonderful narration. I love his voice.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sooo Good!!!!!

Leta Blake Never Lets me down!! This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time but it was so so good! And sweet and endearing and stressful and just wow!!!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing narration!

This is one of my favorite books, so I was excited to “read” it again. And lucky for me - Michael Ferraiuolo absolutely nailed the narration! The voices were perfect and everything. I’ve only listened to one other series narrated by Michael, so I definitely plan to check out more of Michael’s narrations.

As for the story - this is my favorite omegaverse series. Leta’s world is brutally real and her characters flawed and navigating a lot of challenges. There are quite a few parallels between what happens in the book and what happens in the real world. This book also has an incredibly well written polyamorous relationship with one man who is asexual. I’ve re-read these books multiple times and will for sure listen to this again at some point.

I highly recommend this audiobook!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent!

Loved it! I could not stop listening. I would love a third book carrying on the story line.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting story

Interesting story tho at times a bit predictable...
Good book, and with very enjoyable narrator.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I wish I could give this 10 stars.

I fell in love with Leta Blake's writing and Michael Ferraiuolo's voice when I listened to Slow Heat, the first book in the Heat of Love series. I loved that audiobook so much that I wouldn't read Alpha Heat when it came out even though I had a copy of it. I just had to hold out and see if Leta would have Michael do the audiobook. I am so glad that she was able to and that Michael was once again the one to read it for us.

I really don't have to words to express how much I loved this book. I didn't think I could love it any more than Slow Heat but it is at least equal to and maybe just a smidge better. I really think to get the full effect of Alpha Heat you need to read Slow Heat first. Trust me, it won't be any hardship at all to do so.

The blurb for the book is really good and accurate so I won't rehash it here. Just like Slow Heat, Alpha Heat had me captivated from the very start. It's 15:33 hours long and I listened to it in one day. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to get around to listening to it (I've had it since October 23rd) but I really was waiting for the perfect time to start it – a day when I didn't expect any interruptions – and that didn't happen until today.

This story was so intense in places that I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I don't feel like I can give any details without using spoilers – something I try very hard not to do in reviews. I'll just say that there is a lot more to the story than just Xan, Caleb and Urho, although they are the principle characters.

I want to shout READ/LISTEN TO THIS BOOK!! I know some people don't like MPREG stories but if you ever were tempted to try one this series would be a great place to start. Right along with Slow Heat, Alpha Heat is one of the best books I've listened to this year. I hope there are more stories coming in this series and that they will also get Michael Ferraiuolo's superb treatment if they make it to audio.

A copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

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