How to Walk Like a Man

Howl at the Moon, Book 2

By: Eli Easton

Narrated by: Matthew Shaw

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Deputy Roman Charsguard survived Afghanistan where he lost his best friend - his K-9 handler James. Roman was a military dog until two years ago when he developed the ability to shift into a human. It's not easy to learn how to be a man. He found a place to live in Mad Creek, a haven for the secret world of dog shifters. Finding a reason to live has been harder. That is, until a certain human walks into the Mad Creek Sheriff's office and starts making trouble.

Matt Barclay has the worst luck. First he was shot in a SWAT drug raid, then he was sent as DEA investigator to Mad Creek, a little town in the California Mountains. Matt's job is to keep a lookout for illegal drug farms, but nobody in the town wants him there. And then there's Roman, Matt's erstwhile baby-sitter. He's the hottest guy Matt's ever seen, even if he is a bit peculiar. If this job doesn't kill Matt, sexual frustration just might.

The town is counting on Roman to prevent Matt from learning about dog shifters, Matt's counting on Roman to be his work partner and tell him the truth, and Roman's trying to navigate love, sex, and a whole lot of messy human emotions. Who knew it was so complicated to walk like a man?

©2015 Jane Jensen Holmes (P)2016 Jane Jensen Holmes

All Kinds of Standing Up

This story is so heart warming. I love the depth to both MC's. I really love how we see the Roman's develop as a man. He is such a strong and loyal man. I love the fact that he gets to find love. We also see Matt finally learns to stand on his own two feet like a man as well. It was a great action placed story.

B rating...

My Review:
Overall: 4.0
Performance: 4.25
Story: 3.75

This series is cute and quirky and just so much fun. These aren't books with lots of angst, although there is a low level of both a bit of emotions and suspense to them. It's nothing too horribly deep. These books are meant to be for pure entertainment and going into reading them with that knowledge is the key to enjoying them...because there are a few scenes that push the levels of believability...but they are books about shifters...that's kind-of, sort-of to be expected from the trope.

I looked forward to Roman's story from the very start of book #1 in this series. Roman was a K9 dog in Afghanistan when his master/partner was killed and he was wounded. The trauma of that quickened him and he became a man. He hasn't been human all that long and doesn't quite have the hang of how everything works. In this book, he discovers his sexuality...and that's something new for him, creating some really humorous scenes between him and his boss, Lance, who is really uncomfortable having to explain all this to him.

Roman's love interest is Matt, a DEA agent in Mad Creek monitoring drug activity in the surrounding mountains around this quirky little small town. Roman is assigned to Matt to keep an eye on him and keep him from discovering the town's secret....that it's full of dog shifters. A lot of the newly quickened haven't exactly gotten the hang of acting completely human yet.

Overall I enjoyed this book. Matthew Shaw did an amazing job with his narration. Roman is stiff, a bit awkward, and has a very military bearing. M. Shaw did his inflections so perfectly, but still managed to bring out the humor of his interactions with Lance about erections and gay sex. It was pure fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both this book and the first. Now, I'm ready to tackle the third in the series.

Wonderful story, nicely read.

This is the second book in this series, but can be read on its own.

I just love this m/m romance series about dog-shifters with a twist. This one is about Roman, who served as an explosive - sniffing dog in Afghanistan and is a deputy sheriff partnered with a DEA agent looking for illegal pot growers in the forests of California.

The reading is easy to listen to and understated. I very much enjoyed it.

Delightfully Entertaining!

If you could sum up How to Walk Like a Man in three words, what would they be?

Just wholesome fun

Any additional comments?

Wonderful second story from Madd Creek. I had to listen a second time as soon as I finished, just to catch any delights I might have missed on the first listen. Something I almost never do! Snuggle up for a cuddle :)

Delightful

I really enjoyed the humor of Roman learning to "walk like a man." The character development is also very good.

Loved it!

I loved Matt and Roman’s story. This audio was humorous, heartfelt, fun loving and sexy. I could really feel Roman’s pain at the loss of his handler. Matt was so sweet and gentle. I just loved these two! Matthew Shaw is doing a great job narrating this series!

such a great sequel!

Such an amazing sequel!

We met Roman (and fell head over heels in love with him!) in book one. He’s a newly quickened German Shepherd who lost his master, James, in the war in Afghanistan.

He’s adapting, slowly, to life on two legs with the help of Lance and Tim and of course, Lily.

Near the end of book one, Roman saves a DEA agent (who reminds him of James) from drug dealers. That DEA agent is Matt Barclay. Matt got injured in that drug raid, and is still recovering and though he’s grateful to the man who risked his life for him that day, but perplexed by his actions, as well.

When he meets Roman again at a joint DEA/Mad Creek task force meeting, he realizes that Roman is a unique guy. He’s at once innocent and sweet, but with a will of steel and a heart as big as the sky.

Lance tasks Roman with keeping Matt occupied and out of town so as not to give away the secrets of the quickened. Roman diligently drags Matt all over the mountains both in search of the drug dealers who might be praying on the town and because he’s fascinated with him.

It doesn’t take long before Roman’s affections turn from friend to more and he struggles with understanding these new emotions and desires. Luckily *smirk, he has Lance to go to when he’s got questions.

When Roman gets shot and Matt is faced with some questionable actions from both Roman and the rest of the town, will Roman have to give up his new love? Or will Matt be able to accept Roman for who he really is?

**

OMG this was even better than book one and I absolutely LOVED book one. I’ve already rhapsodized on how amazing I think the “quickened” concept is in my review of How to Howl at the Moon .

Roman grabbed me by the heartstrings in book one and he continues to tug at them throughout this entire story.

Gawd. When Roman “tells” the story of James and his training days and the day he turned into a man I was seriously sobbing. It’s such a touching story and so obviously in tune with that relationship between man and dog. There’s no question that the love Roman had for James was deep and abiding and Roman’s pain and loss is so deep and heartbreaking.

The parts where Roman is discovering his sexuality had me howling with laughter. Lance and Tim’s “help” is hysterical.

The slowly developing relationship between Matt and Roman is so sweet, my only regret is that we didn’t get to see them as a couple for more than a few pages. I loved how easy going Matt was and how tender and gentle he was when he figured out Roman was a virgin.

The rest of the townspeople continue to entertain me endlessly with their “dogisms” and the drinking of broth instead of coffee was another inspired detail.

Watching Lance nearly screw up everything with his overprotectiveness also made me laugh out loud. In the movie theatre:

Then, Beaufort compounded the weirdness. Because, you know, this wasn't already strange enough. He stood up, faced the people sitting behind them, and loudly said. "We're just going to quietly enjoy the films.Quietly. Without comments, talking, or noises of any kind." Then he sat back down.

So funny! I must have underlined a dozen passages that cracked me up.

I can’t express just how entertaining this book is. The dogisms are hysterical, Roman is an absolute sweetheart and the love story is so very sweet.

I can’t recommend this and the entire series enough.


Audio

Matthew Shaw did the first book in the series and he did another amazing job. He does well with some of the “accents” and he really does a great job of giving Roman this sort of halting, reserved but deep tone. I loved the emotions in this audiobook and I know this will be one of the ones I listen to over and over!

6 of 5 stars

A Most Original Refreshing Storyline

A very original sci-fi storyline that kept me engrossed in Where and what adventure the next "Howl" book would take me on. I thoroughly enjoy the town characters too.

One of the best shifter stories ever written!

If you could sum up How to Walk Like a Man in three words, what would they be?

humorous, romantic, exciting

What did you like best about this story?

Roman the shape shifting German Shepherd learning to be a man and Matt the DEA agent learning to love him in all his forms.

Which character – as performed by Matthew Shaw – was your favorite?

Just as in the first book my favorite character is Roman. He is voiced with military authority and his demeanor mirrors both his deputy sheriff persona and his German Shepherd personality.

Who was the most memorable character of How to Walk Like a Man and why?

The most memorable character from both the first book and the second one is Tim, the fully human partner of the town's dog shifting sheriff. Tim is sweet, funny, and is called upon to explain so many things to the newly quickened (dogs who have only recently become shifters), including human behaviors and sexuality.

Any additional comments?

This is one of the most unique series I've ever read. I am looking forward to the third book of the series very much. As the town unites to rid their area of illegal drug producers we get to see the personalities of the dogs, most of whom were pampered pets, become fierce when they need to be in order to save their town.

Addictive

Fantastic book, addictive series. It's hard to sum up what I love about this series. I got sucked into the first one and bought the second one immediately. Then I had to get the third and fourth before I could even finish the second one.

Poor Roman. I love dogs, I love shifters, and I love stories about cute couples. This was perfect. Still, poor Roman. He's adorable. Easton knows dog breeds.

The writing, pacing, and imagination were all excellent. The narration and production quality were top-notch. I would write more, but I have to listen to the next book NOW. All in one sitting. No sleep.