Review: The Awakening: Aidan

Reviewed by Shelly

I started this one completely based on a recommendation. I’m happy to say that I’m going to be taking those recommendations from now on because this is a really good story, so much so that I’m hoping there’s a series coming because the premise is a good one (shameless plea #1).

Niles has built an entire world around shifters and their mates that resembles nothing (in a good way) that I’ve read in the past. This is story of meeting the one that’s your eternal love, not just in this life, but in the afterlife too.

Aidan is in a pickle because his fellow shifter and friend, Liam, is in serious trouble and the only one who can help is Jaylin Avgar. Half shifter Jaylin is one of the few psychiatrists who not only knows what ails Liam, she also knows what needs to be done - this calls for a house call. Once she arrives at the cabin to see about Liam she meets Aidan O’Connell and the sparks fly. Oh boy, do they ever! Aidan knows of the stories that tell what will happen once he meets his mate, but he’s not prepared for the roadblocks that Jaylin puts up about why she doesn’t want him. The fun’s about to start, so buckle up.

Aidan is the shiznit – plain and simple. He was cool, calm and collected and let me put this out there – he played nice with the imaginary retinas, which is all good. His likability was high considering he’s a guy with a not so great past, but he’s worked hard to make a change, and I appreciated him that much more for it. The relationships that he had with his fellow shifters spoke highly of the person that he is but it was the relationship that he wanted to have with Jaylin that made me just heads over heels for him. Aidan knew what he wanted and his willingness to go the extra mile to make her want the same thing was admirable, because there were a couple times when smacking Jaylin on the back of the head seemed appropriate.

Jaylin’s character was well written; she had a complexity and vulnerability that I could empathize with… up to a point. She’s stubborn as heck and is convinced that she knows what’s best, and although that’s admirable (kinda sorta) her unwillingness to allow Aidan to make his own choices got to me a little bit. Thank goodness that Aidan had the patience of Job to try and try and try some more with her.

Once this story takes off, it doesn’t take long before I realize that is not about this short life that we live but about whom you’re going to spend your eternity with. Because the world that Niles builds is focused more on the eternity that a bonded couple will share and the negative effects that can occur if the human female chooses not to bond. I’m completely fascinated to find out what happens to Liam – that’s a shameless plea (#2) for a sequel.

If you enjoy a different way of looking at forever love and wouldn’t mind a little smut with the tale – then I’d recommend that you pick up Aidan’s story.

Happy reading folks!

Rating: B+

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Awakened: Aidan

by Abby Niles

Release Date: April 21, 2013 

Publisher: Entangled