Title: Saved
Series: Breaking Free #1
Author: A.M. Arthur
Publisher: Briggs-King Books
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 67,000 words
Genre: Romance, non-shifter Omegaverse, alternate universe, mpreg
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis:
He didn’t want an alpha to save him, but fate had other ideas…
Braun Etting was raised to know his place as an omega by his alpha father’s cruel words and fast fists, and he expects nothing but violence from the alpha who may one day mate him. His older brother Kell mated a cruel alpha who abuses him daily, and Braun is terrified of that seemingly inevitable future. When Braun’s father dies in a car crash, leaving Braun an orphan, he’s sent to a halfway house for omegas. But on his fourth night there, he witnesses a horrifying crime that sends him fleeing to the streets alone—and edging into his first heat.
Tarek Bloom is settled in his workaholic, single lifestyle, even if it is somewhat embarrassing to be a twenty-eight year-old unmated alpha. He enjoys his job as a constable, helping people and solving problems, so he isn’t prepared for his life to flip upside-down when he walks into his beta friend Dex’s apartment to help with “a problem.”
The problem turns out to be an unmated, nearly in-heat omega orphan who Dex and his husband rescued off the street last night. The even bigger problem is that Tarek feels the mating bond for this terrified omega immediately—and he’s pretty sure the omega feels it, too. But Braun hates alphas as a general rule, and no way is he giving in to the bond. All mating leads to is violence and suffering, so no thank you. But Tarek’s gentle kindness slips under Braun’s emotional shields, and Braun begins to want. To dream. All Braun has ever known is violent alphas, but Tarek is determined to make Braun trust him—and to trust in the idea of their happily ever after.
NOTE: This is a non-shifter Omegaverse story with alpha/omega/beta dynamics, heats, knotting, and mpreg. In this world, omegas are second-class citizens with few civil rights and almost no protections under the law. Trigger warnings for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. 67,000 words.
Excerpt:
“Would you be able to describe exactly what you saw that night in detail?” Tarek pulled a notepad and pen out of his front pocket.
Braun’s entire body went rigid. “Why? Who are you really?”
“I really am Tarek Bloom.” For a moment, he actually seemed contrite. “What I didn’t tell you is that I’m also a constable.”
“Shit.” Braun bolted out of his chair and toward the front door, fork still in his hand.
In a flurry of movement, Tarek was in front of him, blocking his path to the door, and Braun lashed out with the fork. Dex grabbed his wrist and plucked the fork out of his hand, but that didn’t stop Braun from swinging. He punched Tarek in the chest. Twice. Panic settled in, overriding his common sense, and he tried to push past the brick wall of a man.
“Let me go! I won’t go back, I won’t!”
Arms wrapped around his torso from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. Serge’s comforting scent settled his racing mind a bit, but it was Tarek’s hand on the back of his neck that settled Braun completely.
“Calm down, firecracker,” Tarek said. His deep voice soothed Braun’s frazzled nerves, and his touch sent his pulse racing with delight. “You’re still safe, I promise. No one here wants to hurt you.”
“Why do you care?” Braun snarled. “I’m just some useless omega you’ve known for twenty minutes.”
“You’re far from useless, little one.”
Tarek’s other hand rose, nearing Braun’s face. Braun snapped at his fingers. “I’m only a womb to you.”
“Far from it, my firecracker.” The hand on his neck squeezed. “Far from it.”
The grounding touch made Braun want to roll over and show his belly, but he was done being passed around. Done letting other people control his life. He didn’t want to feel this mating bond to Tarek, but he also couldn’t turn it off. Even with the heat block, Tarek was under his skin, doing funny things to his insides.
Angry and confused, Braun dared look an alpha in the eye.
Review:
Saved: An Omegaverse Story by A.M. Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Saved: An Omegaverse Story (Breaking Free #1)(ARC) was graciously provided to me by IndiGo Marketing & Design for an honest review.
“The Magic and Love of a Unicorn..”
I absolutely loved a new book that I just read. Love, love, loved it.. It intrigued me, it broke my heart, it comforted me, it shattered me, it took my breath away, it had me giggling, it gave me hope. It’s an absolutely incredible story about self-preservation, compassion, kindness, sacrifice, dedication, trust, and strong unwavering love. It had me on a wave of emotions, that, despite their existence, I did not want the book to end.
Saved: An Omegaverse Story, by A.M. Arthur, was quite possibly the best book, from this incredibly unique world, that I have ever read. I believe it’s also one of the best introductory books, to this different way of thinking, as it explains things clearly and completely. It has been placed on my list of Top Reads for 2017. With its uniquely developed world, to its realistic characters and their bone-chilling angst, this book has it all.
Saved: An Omegaverse Story, is a book set sometime in the future in a world with similar, yet very different ways of life that always have my head spinning with interest with all of the fascinating aspects found within that world. I have always absolutely a-dored books from the Omegaverse, and, have consistently placed them at the top of my “Run-to-read” list of books. In this particular book, it has its characters living during a time when the growing pains of society are raw, challenging, and different. Its two main characters, Braun Etting and Tarek Bloom are two of such individuals who have broken the mold of norm, and, strive towards following their hearts in order to do what is right regardless of the consequences. Consequences that will force society to open their eyes to a different, and tremendously more humane, way of living.
In addition to this book being a very interesting read, it was also a very difficult one to read as well. But, not one that should be avoided, or, afraid to be read. It’s story about a society squeaking its way through growing pains, while attempting to accept drastic changes which are clearly and desperately needed. With those changes, came initial pain. Pain, that, even a day later has me shivering with emotions as a result of reading about the travesties much of the characters had to endure. Even through this torrential downpour of suffering, a ray of light begins to shine for many…and this light has a name. And, its name is Braun. Braun is a young orphaned omega, who carries with him such an inner strength that is awe inspiring. This ray of light has his own additional source of strength. And, Braun’s own warm, comforting, protective, devotional ray of light has a name too..and his name is..Tarek. When these two wonderful young men come together, they begin to do such good things and begin to change society so that every single individual is treated equally, regardless of birth.
As I read through an almost consistent river of tears, I found myself sitting on the edge-of-my-seat, as the suspenseful, yet smooth, read was enough to cause a lapse of time with a blatant dismissal of doing anything else. Because..*pfft* yeah, priorities… Even though there may have been a need to take another quick run through the editing process, that so very much did not make too much of a difference to this reader, because the storyline and the plot were actually amazing.
There were many secondary characters, who were also written with such realism that they could all stand on their own sufficiently. I loved and cried for them. I needed to reach out and squeeze them tightly, as they tried to make their way through life. I wept for them as I sent out rays of hope and love and peace for others, who deserve it just as much. I welcomed newcomers as I let out a teary-eyed breath of relief as well. And..I will also add…SQUEEE! I also found myself eagerly trying to predict which yummy character would make an entrance into a particular moment throughout the book. Giddiness would not be an adequate word to be used for these moments.
Saved: An Omegaverse Story, is one of those books that the second I came across it with it’s enticing cover and intriguing blurb, I needed to request this new book. Just like I need to read the next book of this series, Breaking Free. Seen, is a much-anticipated book for me which contains one of the wonderful characters from Saved. I have no doubt that every single book from this series, *cough* many more please *cough*, will be reads which will stay with me for a long, long time.
*star rating: 4.5 stars*
Purchase at Amazon
Meet the Author:
A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories. A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, SMP Swerve, and Briggs-King Books.
When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | eMail | A.M.’s Pot O Gold | Newsletter
Giveaway:
