"But when the realities of Camille's new life as an omega clash with the fantasy of a perfect pack, will fears of getting burned again keep them apart?"
Alright... it's time for me to put Emily on a pedestal again. And it'll more than likely happen again when Part Two comes out, so just go ahead and prepare for that now. Honestly, you should just expect it whenever I do a review for her books because I have yet to read a single one that I haven't adored. I was so lucky to get the chance to ARC read this one!
Feeling the Heat: Part One is a why choose, later-in-life MMMF omegaverse romance with a plus sized reluctant omega FMC and a pack of green flag MCs that are obsessed with her-and each other. There is no choosing between romance interests-while Feeling the Heat: Part One ends on a cliffhanger, they all get their HEA together by the end of the duet. (These are the words from Emily herself, and that cliffhanger y'all.... I'M DYING FOR MORE)
I was a bit nervous going into this because I've only read one omegaverse series before this, and I still didn't fully understand how things work with that. But leave it to Emily to reassure all of us who are new to this that we will be learning right alongside Camille, because Camille doesn't know she's an omega for most of her life. So she get's to learn about how it all works, and so do we. (Even down to a SUPER CUTE scene of her and Jackson shopping for nest making supplies. Brace yourself, you're going to swoon.)
Camille just wants to go out for her birthday and have some fun. She wants to forget about the fact that she's going into perimenopause for a night, and have some girl time with her best friend. But she can't even have that, because "God, what is it with me and making a fool of myself on special occasions? You'd think after all these years, I'd be more prepared for disaster." And tonight's disaster? Her first heat cycle. Not perimenopause. And that's when everything hits the fan after getting rushed to her first clinic visit.
Camille meets her clinic doctor for the night, Ambrose. A handsome alpha, a bit older than her, who smells delectable to her - and is borderline making her lose her mind. She's borderline making him lose his mind too. To top it off? "Hugs - Take as needed for anxiety (heat-related or generalized)" HE WRITES HER A PRESCRIPTION FOR HUGS. And Ambrose noticed something about her while they were together, something very important, that he needs to run by his pack because it could change everything...
Camille gets taken into the area of the clinic where she will be staying for the duration of her heat, and she has to answer some questionnaires to make sure her stay will be... pleasurable and comfortable. After all that's said and done, here he comes... Jackson. Muscular, tall, confident, with a gorgeous smile and brilliant brown eyes. The beta from Ambrose's pack, which Camille doesn't know about yet. "Who needs an alpha when you've got a beta like me? (There's that golden retriever confidence that we know and love from him.) But Jackson pieces some things together and he's having a field day with Camille. Their chemistry is undeniable and she is insatiable. But he can't keep up with her... and she calls out for Ambrose.
So let's introduce River. River is the final member of the pack. He's tattooed, gorgeous, anxious, and also an alpha. Oh, let's not forget... he's Ambrose's mate. But he also has a crush on Jackson that he's swallowed down for years since they've been friends forever. He gives Ambrose the all clear to go help Jackson with Camille... so everyone has been with Camille except River. But oh does he want to be with her... "I could be soft for you too, angel, if things were different."
Camille makes it through her heat, and the pack decides to court her when Ambrose tells them his little secret. And then River ends up having a revelation when he meets her. He already knows her, and this won't be smooth sailing. They find a way to try, but then something happens. And that's how we end up with a cliffhanger. I don't want to tell y'all too much, just enough to entice you. If you read Part One, you will want to and need to read Part Two. I am currently salivating while waiting for Part Two.
This book had me wanting to stay curled up in my little nest of a bed and not move until I was done reading it. And I absolutely have things highlighted that my husband will be getting shown as helpful hints.
As usual with my reviews, here are a few spoiler-free quotes that I enjoyed from the book to lure you in...
-"You're not a freak. Every body is different and being a statistical outlier doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you."
-"Trusting others and handing away control has never gone well for me. There's something about this man that makes me want to believe him, but my guard is too well constructed to fully rely on his word."
-"It's hard to see how lonely you are if that's been your normal state for years."