Blue Mountain

Pack Collection, Book 1

By: Cardeno C.

Narrated by: Sean Crisden

Length: 3 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

Exiled by his pack as a teen, Omega wolf Simon Moorehead learns to bury his gentle nature in the interest of survival. When a hulking, rough-faced Alpha catches Simon on pack territory, he tries to escape what he’s sure will be imminent death. But instead of killing him, the Alpha takes Simon home.

A man of action, Mitch Grant uproots his life to support his brother in leading the Blue Mountain pack. Mitch lives on the periphery, quietly protecting everyone, but always alone. A mate is a dream come true for Mitch, and he won’t let little things like Simon’s rejections, attacks, and insults get in their way. With patience, seduction, and genuine care, Mitch will ride out the storm while Simon slays his own ghosts and Mitch’s loneliness.

©2014 Cardeno C. (P)2014 Cardeno C.

Loved it, too short...

A huge C. C. fan, this story did not fail to meet my extremely high expectations assigned to this author. I so enjoyed the story of Mitch and Simon! It was a sweet little romance and I thrilled at getting to know these characters. Sean Crisden is one of my favorite narrators and as typical, he added so much in this story. My only complaint would be that the story ran to short. There was so much more that could have been covered and addressed (in my humble opinion) and it made the story seemed rushed. But perhaps that will be addressed in the (hopefully) upcoming series. Either way, loved this book and certainly recommend....

Excited about a new CC series!

*3.5 stars*

3 stars for the story and another 1/2 star for the narration, very nicely done by Sean Crisden!

I've read stories like this one before... but I keep coming back to them. You know what I mean. The big bad alpha male shifter falling for the formerly abused, more submissive mate. There is insta-love and insta-"MINE"... but I keep coming back! It is a theme that never gets old for me.

Cardeno C. does shifters often and does them well. I really like this author's HOT, uber-masculine guys that often border on romantic enough to be sappy. This story is no different. It was very sweet with some light angst and a fairly slow burn love story for a shifter book. I think that there is a lot of potential there, but there were some plot holes and details that left me wanting more.

I wanted to know a great deal more about the pack and pack structure. This felt like the intro to a longer book in a lot of ways. The way that the pack reacted in the beginning of the story to the news of a male omega in the territory was very different from how Mitch assures Simon that they will treat him. I'm curious as to what their reception of Simon will be and what challenges that would bring someone as skittish as Simon. Also, Simon hinted at a history of abuse of many kinds, and I thought that once his relationships with Mitch finally became physical, we would see some kind of trauma from that abuse peak through. It didn't happen. It was strange to me how Simon morphed from super shy/reluctant to mini porn star so quickly.

However, despite some issues, I enjoyed this novella. A great deal of that is surely from Sean Crisden's awesome audiobook narration. I loved his voice for Mitch (familiar from those used to listening to Crisden but no less sexy!), and I thought he did a great job bringing this book to life.

**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

Sean is one of my favorites, makes this book great

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I liked this book soooo much better in audio! I love Cardeno C, but Sean really brought her story to life for me.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Simon and Mitch

Which scene was your favorite?

There first real intimate time together was sweet

If you could take any character from Blue Mountain out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mitch, He learned to be so patient for love.

Promising new Shifter series from CC!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would, the combination of writing and voicing were a match made in heaven.

What did you like best about this story?

Mitch and the way you could hear his authoritative nature in his voice, but know when he was softened by his feelings for Simon.

What about Sean Crisden’s performance did you like?

Of course, I always like a Crisden performance, he's a great storyteller.

If you could take any character from Blue Mountain out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mitch, who doesn't like a strong, large and in charge Alpha male type?!

Any additional comments?

Mitch Grant exudes the scent, strength and characteristics of an Alpha; but proudly stands by his twin brother Fredericks side as his Beta. The two twin alpha wolves took control of the Blue Mountain pack from a cruel and undeserving alpha and his men. The former alpha didn’t believe Omega wolves had any worth, but the Grant brothers believe differently, which is a blessing since Mitch turns out to be mated to one.

Simon Moorehead returns home to Blue Mountain to bury his mother and say goodbye. On the run since he was twelve from wolves that were of the same belief as his father, the Omega wolf has learned how to go against the grain and buck his instincts. So when his mate finds him, Simon doesn’t make the connection or trust the much larger wolf for quite a while.

Mitch doesn’t try to hide his attraction or the pull he feels toward Simon, but he does learn quickly to control it lest he run his mate off for good. Simon is shy, scared and haunted by his past and all those memories do is fuel the fire inside of Mitch, the innate need to protect his fragile mate. Simon has to learn how to trust, how to love and to accept the instincts he has long since trained himself to rebel against in order to understand the feelings he has for Mitch.

When I first listened to this story I skimmed a bit, but by the end I knew I’d missed something so I went back and listened thoroughly and found that little morsel. The angst of the story made me rush through, but the content and character development proved to be worth it in the end. I loved how the author wove everything together and all the lives and events were connected in some way, that was genius, the thread that ran through everything is what gave the story depth.

I really enjoyed the voices that Crisden gave the characters as well. I could hear the authority in Mitch’s voice and then catch when he took on a softer tone for Simon, his emotions were always right there on the surface. Overall I really enjoyed this story. I’m excited to see what story develops in this new pack world CC has created next, and I hope she keeps Sean Crisden as the narrator, perhaps the glue holding everything together.

A must read for fans of CC’s work, Shifter stories and those hard sought Romances that are worth every drop of sweat in the end.

Just Blah

Narration was monotone much of the time and story was not very interesting, blah.

Good Start to the Series, Crisden!

Solid omegaverse story by Cardeno C. Interesting storyline and a really good start to the series. Nicely narrated by Sean Crisden.

Mitch and Simon

Simon has lived a hard life on the run for the last several years. Enduring horrors and hardships, leading up to burying his mother really spoke of his fortitude. The man has walls up a mile thick. Mitch made some real bonehead moves after finding Simon. I admired Mitch's determination to build trust and win over Simon.
Highly recommended author and series

Audiobook: great job by the narrator

wolves

Story: 7
First MC: 7
Second MC: 7
Secondary characters: 5
Mystery: 3
Sexual tension: 5
Humor: 2
Hotness: 5
Product placement: 2
Ridiculousness: 3
Annoying: 3
Audio: 8 (3h 38min)
To re-read: 5

I used to be a huge Cardeno fan, but we kind of drifted apart. I blame the family series Something in the Way He Needs; it kind of put me off.
Lo and behold a mating shifter story without the sex marathon! The story has an old fashion feel to it, something someone just started reading MM shifters should start with. My main issue is the lack of secondary characters. They exist but they don’t much screen time. It’s a short-ish story, so we don’t get explore the town. A Light reading for lazy days.
Alphas, cooking lessons, giant shifters, assholes alphas, and herb plants

Absolutely Wonderful. 👍👍👍

I am in love with this story. The story is absolutely beautiful. it just goes to show that, with hurt, betrayal, feeling less than, when you find that person, patience, loyalty and love will pervail. Mr. CC did an amazing job writing this story and these characters. Also, the narration OMGOSH, superb. Mr. Crisden did an OUTSTANDING job in bringing each character to life. I pray🙏and hope there will be more than two books in this series, and Cardeno C will bring them all to adubile. I definitely recommend this book, believe me, you will not be disappointed.🙂

A Good Mate

This was a short quick read and listen as I did both. Omega wolf Simon Moorehead has come to Blue Mountain to bury his mother he has bad memories of being in the pack. Mitch Grant uproots his life to support his brother in leading the Blue Mountain pack. Mitch lives on the periphery, quietly protecting everyone, but always alone. When some pack members come across Simon he smells his mate on them. Simon has been through a lot after being kicked out of the pack for being a male omega his mother went with him but not having a pack she died. Mitch was very patient with him but Simon wasn't weak he was a fighter, but he was tired of fighting he knows that Mitch is his mate. I liked this book a lot, but I wished it was longer. I wanted to know more about how Simon got along with the other pack members. The sex scenes in this book were ok. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading or listening to the next book in this series.

as good as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B

Cardeno C and Sean Crisden are a winning combo.

Would you listen to Blue Mountain again? Why?

I would definitely listen to this story again. It's a lovely story by a favourite author narrated by a favourite narrator. I think it's going to become my go to story when I need to cheer myself up.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blue Mountain?

There were so many memorable bits it's hard to pick just one moment.

Have you listened to any of Sean Crisden’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have a vast collection of Sean's works as I think he enhances my pleasure in the books with his style and diction. I think this one is as good as all his others.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I liked the story a lot but I didn't cry or laugh out loud but I think that is because it was not gloomy or funny. It was just a pleasant romantic story with great Characters.

fabulous book!

Any additional comments?

Simon is a rare Omega male. But when its discovered, he is banished from his pack, and spends the next 13 years fending for himself and his mother. Mitch moved to be with his brother, his twin brother, to be Alpha in the Blue Mountain Pack. Mitch is an Alpha male, but has no plans to become ALPHA of a pack. When SImon is discovered on Blue Mountain land, and injured, Mitch steps up. But Simon can only go on his past experience. Will he let Mitch be his mate, or will he run away again?

As I've said before, I love Cardeno C's work. And I will probably say it again, and again, until you get the message :-P

This is the first in a new series, about a wolf shifter pack on Blue Mountain. Cardeno C's work of the non-shifter variety works slightly differently to her shifter work. The shifters have issues, proablems, drama, denial, and all the angst that does not tend to appear in the non-shifter work.

BUT BUT and its a big but!

Most of the dram and denial comes at the beginning of the book, NOT the end. As in here. Simon is afraid, going on his past experience with Alpha shifters, and rightly so. Mitch is 6 foot 7 inches of pure muscle, he and his brother, Freddy, have a reputation, and Mitch embodies all of that reputation and more. While Simon is in denial, Mitch is not. Mitch learns he has patience, he can love and be loved, and Simon just needs time. So he gives all he can, in the hope that Simon will see sense.

I loved the house twist, I really did. And that Mitch won't allow anyone in there besides himself, and Simon, once he arrives. Freddy's wife, Donia is amazing too.

Once Simon makes up his mind to stay, all bets are off and they take their relationship to the next level. One thing I noticed though, there was no biting! Not in the mating, anyway. Made a change. In a very good way, I might add!

5 full fangs

I also had the opportunity to review this book in AUDIO form, and it was just as delicious that way, as when I read it!

Sean Crisden narrates, and in the beginning, I wasn't sure he was gonna work for me. He has a higher "reading" voice than other male narrators, and I have a hearing problem that is specific to speech tones. HOWEVER, once I found myself fully immersed in both the story AND the narration, all was good. Sean's ability to flip from Simon and Mitch's voice was clear, and even, and very obviously different. It was easy to listen to converstions with multiple speakers, and there was no confusion as to who was speaking. I will certainly listen to other work narrated by Mr Crisden.

When I began using audio books, I tried to keep to either listening to it, or reading it, but not both. Since then, I have been asked to audio reviews books I have already read and I am finding that I get different things from both reading AND listening. I'm fast changing my ways!