Werewolves of Chernobyl (Ele’s Review)

Title: Werewolves of Chernobyl
Author: K.A. Merikan, L.A.Witt
Publisher: Wing & Fang Press
Release Date: May 5th 2016
Genre(s): Paranormal/ Shifters/ Werewolves/ MMM
Page Count: 213
Reviewed by: Ele
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.80 stars out of 5
Blurb:

— Being kidnapped by two werewolves is an adventure after all, right? Right?! —

Quinn

If Quinn wants to get the best photos for his travel blog, no gate is too tall, and no ‘do not enter’ sign actually means he won’t go in. What he finds in a hidden exclusion zone by Chernobyl blows his mind. Mutants? Monsters? He doesn’t know, but he is bound to find out when not one but two of them break into his hotel.
Too bad the rules and attitudes they have toward sex don’t match Quinn’s at all.

Dima

Born with a disabled hand, smaller than the other werewolves, Dima is the lowest of the low in his pack, but when he meets the loveliest human he’s ever seen, he knows his luck has changed.
The last thing he expects though is his beloved friend Nazar turning on him once Dima’s affection for Quinn deepens, and he refuses to be mounted by Nazar anymore.

Nazar

Nazar is a high ranking soldier in his pack, but in his powerful body hides a gentle soul, and all he wants is to escape the pack with Dima. But once Dima claims Quinn as his, secrets Nazar has so far kept hidden rear their ugly head.
The werewolf language doesn’t have words to describe what they crave, so Quinn might be the only one to help them solve the puzzle of the desires that go against the rules of their pack.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

Themes: shifter, werewolf, menage, knotting, urban exploration, cultural differences, disability, hierarchy, USSR, isolated from the world, society of men, PTSD, military, secret organization
Genre: M/M/M romance, suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy
Length: ~75,000 words
WARNING: This book contains steamy content and graphic violence.

“So… you’re gay werewolves?”

Werewolves of Chernobyl was quite an experience for me and I enjoyed it a lot. It also came to solidify the fact that I’m not a fan of shifters/werewolves. Because if K.A.Merikan can’t make me love it, then nobody can. That said, this is a good story, fresh, original, sexy, with an unexpected sweetness to it. I’m pretty sure that fans of shifter romance are going to LOVE this. Because:

Shifters/Werewolves+MMM+knotting+amazing setting+great epilogue.

My favorite thing in the story is the setting. There’s something horrifying and, at the same time, fascinating, about post-accident Chernobyl. It’s a dystopian/post-apocalyptic scenery, that exists in real life. I think it can provide a great setting for many stories. This book takes place in a hidden exclusion zone by Chernobyl.

I loved the complexity of the characters; the MCs are so different, but they complement each other. Quinn is a free spirit, an adventure junkie. He just can’t stay away from danger. But being kidnapped by two werewolves, is not as dangerous as one might think. Nazar is a gentle giant. He is the alpha male, because that’s what everyone is expecting from him. But he has hidden desires that he can’t admit to anyone. My personal favorite, though, was Dima. Smaller than the other werewolves and with a disability, he’s the lowest in his pack. I just wanted to hug him through the entire story.

There’ s plenty of sex and it’s pretty hot, if you like that sort of thing. Knotting freaked me the hell out! And having sex while transforming into werewolf mode, freaked me the hell out! I know, I know, that’s the whole point. And that’s why I think that shifter fans will absolutely love this. But I think I prefer it when all of them are in human form, you know?

My favorite thing about this three-way relationship was the playfulness, the tenderness and the sweetness among the characters. I didn’t expect it at all. They ‘re constantly petting, licking, or touching each other. They keep each other close. There is also humour and funny moments as well.

Keep in mind that this is not your typical MMM story, meaning that it’s not just three men trying to work things out and be together. There are cultural differrences to overcome, which can be both hilarious and challenging. Dima and Nazar live in a world where calling someone a “bitch” is a perfectly normal thing, and bottoming has everything to do with where you rank in the pack.