Moon-Touched

Title: Moon-Touched
Author: Vivien Dean
Cover Art: Trace Edward Zaber
Publisher: Amber Quill Press
Buy Link: Buy Link Moon-Touched
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, Werewolf
Length: Extended Novella 39,000 words
Rating: 4.25 out of 5 rating stars

A Guest Review by Raine

Summary Review: The honest realism of dealing with a parent with Alzheimer’s integrates surprisingly well with the werewolf motif in this unusual and thoughtful romance.

Blurb: Thomas Durling escaped his small-town upbringing for over ten years, until a single phone call draws him back. Told his mother has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, Thomas returns to the small northern Michigan town he once called home to find a mute stranger named Andre taking care of her in his stead. On the surface, Andre seems harmless enough, but Thomas has enough problems trying to deal with his mother’s illness. He doesn’t need a gorgeous young man to distract him, especially in a town that already drove him away once with its homophobia.

But Andre Nezat has nowhere else to go. A wolf without a pack, he’s been on the run since witnessing his father’s murder, always looking over his shoulder, never looking ahead. Taking care of Thomas’s mother has given him a welcome sanctuary, as well as a place he can call home for a couple months. He wants to stay, but more importantly, he wants to help, even if Thomas isn’t ready to accept that they can actually be friends…

Review:

I found this thoughtful story to be an out of the ordinary addition to my ever expanding werewolf library. This combination of two carefully imagined characters, albeit human or werewolf, dealing with the problems of every day life was worked with quiet skill. It is a very closely focused piece of writing, I felt I got to know Thomas and Andre very well, they are both unusual and serious personalities.

The werewolf elements in the book were for the most part a fairly traditional interpretation. However Andre as a physically and emotionally damaged lone wolf had a vulnerable strength that was appealing. His inability to speak in either of his forms added real pathos to his character. While his gentle domestic care of Thomas’ mother was a lovely touch.

The emotional tone of the book is particularly well balanced. Thomas is having to face up to the gradual day to day loss of his previously strong mother. His return to the family home and the mix of good and bad memories with guilt, anxiety, suspicion and a realistic selfishness added depth to his personality. Matched against this understandably pensive and nervous atmosphere is the slow growing new relationship which provides warm intensity and intimacy. The often hesitant but powerful physical scenes between Andre and Thomas concentrate very movingly on touch as the main faculty of perception. Their gradual explorations of each other especially when outside either under the sun or the moon were very effective.

Another interesting theme was the concept of home. Thomas is having to come to terms with revisiting that difficult place – obviously symbolized by his mother -called home. That his home is now in a state of change for the worse, is contrasted to the idea that this same place is one of refuge and growing comfort for Andre.

Andre’s reactions to his fear of being found were believable enough to provide some tension in the story and the sudden action scene worked well. However the conclusion felt rather rushed, Thomas’ solutions to the problems facing them seemed a little underdeveloped. Even allowing for the difficult reality of their changing situation I really needed more time to enjoy some comforting resolution.

Recommended

Postscript– Vivien has just let me know that she is writing a sequel to this book which will obviously move things on from the HFN in Moon-Touched, I’m really looking forward to it.