Breakable Faith: A Winter Romance

Vale Valley, Book 8

By: Michael Mandrake

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

One night equals a test of faith for Father Lance....

Trouble always finds Mateo, and he’s succumbed to it several times with or without help. However, after running with the wrong kinds of people, he’s decided to turn a new leaf. His attention to detail lands him a job as a tattoo artist, making people’s dreams come true through body art. With this steady gig and his grandmother’s support, Mateo is convinced he can live mostly anxiety free.

Father Lance has always suppressed his needs to care for others. The older alpha is Vale’s most handsome and available bachelor, but Lance has no interest in hooking up. Instead, he puts all his energies into his church. Although loneliness is a constant partner, Lance refuses to let it stand in the way of his goal. 

One wintery night, Lance spots a man in need of assistance and immediately calls for help. Despite Lance’s instincts crying out to the victim, he ignores those desires. 

As he's being rushed to the emergency room, Mateo feels his destined mate near. Once he recovers, he’s determined to find his forever partner to build the relationship that will stabilize the young omega’s life. 

Warning: Includes violence and a near-death experience. This story is set in an omegaverse with the possibility of male pregnancy.

Breakable Faith is the eighth book in a multi-author series about Vale Valley, a small town open to everyone in need of love and a home. This story features a tattooed omega that has the hots for the priest. Naughtiness and general unholy thoughts are the running theme in this book. Be prepared to clutch your rosary and have a fan nearby.

©2018 Michael Mandrake (P)2020 Michael Mandrake

A sweet opposites attract Holiday romance!

This was such a sweet age gap winter romance!
Mateo and Father Lance are opposites in every way. But they support and bring out the best in eachother.

This was a steamy opposites attract romance with a naughty tattooed omega and one sexy priest.

I absolutely adore the Vale Valley series and this one didn't dissapoint in the least.

Nick J. Russo's audio delivery and narration was beyond flawless and absolutely amazing.

Priest and Bad Boy

This was a great story. I love all the books in the vale valley series, but this one holds a special place. It's nice to see a story revolving around a priest finding love.

Breakable Faith:A Winter Romance Vale Valley

Omg this audio book was absolutely positively amazing. I would highly recommend this audio book.

good story,listened twice in 2 days

This was a good story,but could have been a bit longer as it felt a little rushed.

really enjoyed!

I really liked this book. It was a super sweet read. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. They made me happy and I just wanted to have a sit in town and watch the story play out. Nick did a great job with the telling of the story. I really hope we get more books like this.

A priest and his omega

Mateo is an omega who got mixed up with the wrong people. He’s trying to get his life together when he is attacked. The person who saves him is his destined mate. Father Lance is an alpha who never found his mate. He gave his life to the church. One night he saves a man from being killed. Little does he know it’s his mate. Mateo grandmother convinced Mateo to come to church with her and he sees Lance and knows he’s his mate. One thing that bothers me is the way Mateo pursues Lance. Lance tells him time and time again he wants to take things slow. That he’s trying to work everything out. No sex before marriage. He wants to talk to his superiors about everything. But Mateo keeps pushing and pushing. On top of everything Lance is a virgin. This one was ok for me. I just wish Mateo would have taken a step back and looked at things from Lances’s perspective. Nick Russo did a good job with the narration.

Unexpected love in Vale Valley

Breakable Faith: A Winter Romance is book 8 in the Vale Valley multi-author series. I really enjoyed this story about Father Lance and Mateo. Mateo is so excited to find his fated mate, his alpha just happens to be a priest. This doesn't deter Mateo in doing everything he can to have the man fate made just for him. Though everyone seems happy for Father Lance finding his omega, he's been celibate for so long and isn't sure how to proceed. Mateo had no problem helping his alpha out in that area. I loved how they took care of their pasts so they could find their future happiness together. This isn't your typical romance but I wouldn't mind more of it.
Narrator Nick J. Russo does a fabulous job.

Awesome Book

I feel so guilty! I was given this audio book as a gift. The book was so good I feel I need to pay for it! This is my first book from this author but it will not be my last! I’m going to buy and start with the first book of the series! I almost never listen to a book before I read it. The words helps me to form a visual of the characters. I normally don’t want the voice to do that but this audiobook narrator was on point with keeping me engaged with the story that I truly enjoyed the book without forming visuals of the characters. I will buy the books and read them as well! Great job Author & Narrator!!

Love visiting Vale Valley

Once again the magic of Vale Valley has a winner. Nick Russo brings the characters of Mateo and Lance to life. A sweet love story!

Short and sweet holiday romance

Looking for a low angst holiday listen then this book is for you. Mateo and Father Lance are perfect opposites made for each other. This was a steamy short fated mates book, made even better by Nick J Russo's narration.

Really enjoyed

I really enjoyed listening to this story, as they have to deal with a wolf shifter and faith when starting their relationship.
Nick did a brilliant job with the narrating.

Vale Valley Virgin

I’ve listened to Michael Mandrake audios before and wasn’t sure what to expect with this story. There was a bit of violence, but there was also some tenderness. And plenty of naughtiness.

Father Lance is a priest in a world where priests can have sex – but only after marriage. This is a relatively new development, but his dedication to his flock is solid. He’ll do anything for them – including rescuing a young omega who is near death. Mateo has made some questionable decisions in the past that are coming back to haunt him. But when he scents his true mate, he’s willing to turn away from his past forever.

Now, if he can just convince the virgin priest they’re meant to be together.

I liked that the older Alpha was the inexperienced one in the story. And how they just couldn’t resist each other. And those adventures in the church? Pretty hot.

The story was narrated by Nick J. Russo – a narrator who always gives a solid performance and he delivered with this book. And no worries if this is your first trip to Vale Valley – you’ll fit right in.

Don't forget to live

I enjoyed this story of an alpha priest discovering the young man he saved after a knife attack is his omega mate. Father Lance is devoted to his faith and his congregation, and he intends to ignore his fated mate. Why? He feels he is too old for the younger man, he believes he has nothing to offer, he needs to look after his flock, and he was once hurt when a younger lover abandoned him. However, the omega, Matteo, believes in fated mates and he pursues Lance with a somewhat selfish aggression. Lance wants to go slow, but Matteo pushes and flirts until Lance gives in, risking his position in the church. I found Matteo a little aggravating with his selfishness. Fortunately everything works out in the end. The characters were a bit odd in that the omega seemed more like an alpha, and the alpha seemed more timid and like an omega. That threw me a bit. The romance is hot and sweet, although there is a bit of angst due to Lance trying to follow the dictates of the church and Matteo throwing all caution to the wind. Father Lance is very devoted to helping others, but he forgets to take care of himself and to live his own life. The side characters were all great, especially the older lady (I assume a witch) who wards the church and looks out for Lance.


The narration is great. Nick Russo's voice is perfect for these characters and really brought the story to life.


I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Great performance and good story

Nick J. Russo is one of my favorite narrative performers and he made this book for me. He captured Mateo's self-centered approach to getting what he wanted without making me hate him (which would have been quite easy) as well as Lance's confusion about his feelings and his actions. So let's say I liked Mateo ok but loved Lance. It was unexpected that this was an Alpha/Omega story and I really liked that. It brought a whole different aspect to the usual priest romance. The violence and suspense was well handled and made perfect sense in light of Mateo's background.

Entertaining

First off, Nick J. Russo cannot produce a badly narrated story if he tried. He brings such animation and feeling to each character he portrays. It was no different in this book. I absolutely love is narration style.

This is the first book I’ve listened to (or even read) in this series and also by this author. I think part of the reason I liked the story as much as I did was because of the narration. I’m honestly unsure if I could’ve finished it otherwise. I can’t pinpoint what it was that caused me to say that, exactly...meaning I am unable to put it into words. Maybe it just didn’t speak to me. The writing was fine, the flow was fine, and some of the characters had more depth than others. I cannot say that any of it was bad or poorly done, because that would not be true.

It was interesting to see the alpha/omega dynamic in this story. I’ve read books in the omegaverse, but hadn’t seen much that portrayed the typical dynamics as this one had. I had only heard about it. I found it interesting that the omega was so aggressive in this story. It made me chuckle, for some reason.

All in all, this was entertaining and wonderfully narrated. For those reasons, I would recommend it. Books can be so subjective, so this may very well tickle your fancies more than mine.

Great

I always love a Vale Valley story, and this audiobook does not disappoint.
This was a very entertaining story.
I really enjoyed this audiobook.

Another favorite in this wonderful series

I have been following this series reading every book, but I was yet to try the audio version. As a huge fan of Mr Russo as narrator, I decided to start with this amazing book by Mr Mandrake. With a topic a little angsty for me, But the author made a very conflicted love story. Lance and Matteo are the perfect opposites and just for that are perfect for each other. Mr Russo made a wonderful job with the characters, maintaining the intensity of their relationship, showing us their emotions and the differences in their personalities always in a smooth voice, as always showing us how good is as narrator. An outstanding performance.

Love Vale Valley

Wow! Such a poignant story! Father Lance & Matteo were so good together, and I adore the side characters! This caught me right from the jump with the hard scene & more than made up for it with the resolution! Amazing tale well spun
As for narration - Nick Russo, at his best. He brings these characters to life so vividly, and with such passion! Fantastic job, as always!

Wonderful book from a great series

Wonderful book, from a great series

I love the Vale Valley books and first read this book back December 2018.

Loved the characters, the town, the whole ambience of the world of shifters.

Michael wrote a wonderful book with drama, violence, true mates and more.

Nick Russo did a wonderful job narrating this book, well worth the read/listen.

Breakable Faith: A Winter Romance
Vale Valley, Book 8
By: Michael Mandrake
Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
Series: Vale Valley, Season 1, Book 8
Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

❤❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚📚 Story
Read at 1.20 speed on Audible

Keep the Faith and Just Love

Breakable Faith is the eighth book in the Vale Valley Season One series. Although it is part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone – in fact I highly recommend reading this book by itself even though I’ve been reading this series in order. The quality of Vale Valley books varies depending on the author, and Michael Mandrake is one of the better writers in my opinion.

Mateo is an omega who’s been through some difficult situations. His grandmother decides that living in the city is no longer the best option and moves herself and Mateo to Vale Valley – but even this move can’t get rid of some the dangers from Mateo’s past. Lance is an alpha and a priest who prioritizes his faith and community above all else. A chance meeting with Mateo completely changes Lance’s priorities, but change can be difficult for everyone. Yet no matter how difficult the changes are or how dangerous the enemies from the past may be, the love these two men have for each other is strong and powerful.

I really liked this book. The only reason I’m deducting one star is because there were some parts of the plot that I wished were more developed; however, the book had a nice flow overall. Michael Mandrake crafted two very different characters with believable strengths and flaws. Mateo is young and has his faults – he’s a bit self-centered with a quick temper and impulsiveness, but he’s also a man who feels deeply and places his faith in love. Lance is a dedicated priest who has strong convictions, but he has a hard time with change and placing his personal life first. These faults cause some conflict in their relationship, but with the support of their friends and family and the deep love they have for each other, no conflict can derail their relationship. I also found it really interesting to see how the religious aspects of the plot fit in with the romance. I am not a religious person, but I thought the way Michael Mandrake incorporated religion was respectful and interesting and helped to explain some of the viewpoints and behaviors of the characters.

The audiobook was narrated by Nick J. Russo who did a fantastic job. Nick not only voiced all the characters perfectly, but also gave a wonderful performance. The audio performance had just the right amount of energy to make the book engaging without it being over the top. The audiobook production was also well done which made for a wonderful listening experience.