User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This pack's got charisma!It took but a few short pages for me to become smitten all over again with the San Andreas pack. Carriger's way with dialogue makes these shifters unbearably charming; it's snappy, accessible and on the right side of slangy.
It's also funny.
This pack is, ostensibly, a pack full of misfits. Though I have to say, if this is what misfitdom looks like,
SIGN ME UP! They all have distinct personalities that sometimes clash and they have banded together in an abandoned old mansion on the outskirts of San Francisco and are slowly expanding their family while strengthening their pack. What's more, they all seem to like each other and have fun together.
In this instance, (in case the title didn't give it away) they add an Omega: Isaac. Isaac has been on the run for a long time. His reasoning for doing so is understandable. He's taken to being a bit skittish when around wolves. Once he meets Tank everything in him tells him to skedattle but he's kind of dug in at his little bar with his friends and co-workers and Tank is such a yummy man mountain. When the baddies from his past start bearing down it's harder than ever to make himself hit the road.
I ❤️ me a size difference and I really like it when the big guy is a gentle giant and Tank is. Tank is
very cognizant of his size and how intimidating it can be for others. There were so many endearing moments between he and Isaac; it's almost like they have a sixth sense about one another which worked towards convincing me their bond went beyond chemistry or kismet. Plus, Tank is adorable! When he started word vomitting about the barbecue... no way could anyone resist him.
Tank loves his pack. It's clear in his enthusiasm about them and his actions towards them. More than anything else he wants to be useful. He carries a significant amount of shame about this and persistently minimizes his worth which made me want to squeeze him even though I didn't really understand where it came from.
What I liked best about Isaac was his ability to read Tank and keeping up a fairly constant barrage of positive regard which went a long way towards showing Tank how essential he was not just to him but to his pack.
This installment ticked a lot of boxes for me: kinky, submissive big guy, big guy bottoming, possessiveness and
mineing, smaller top, did I mention it was kinky? Not super #TeamPain kinky, just D/s and some orgasm denial with a smidge of begging. It'll do in a pinch.
They are into each other and quickly get on the same page. The catchphrase 'resistance is futile' ain't just for space aliens anymore, ya hear? I like a slow burn as much as the next but sometimes... why wait? They don't. And I dug it. Muchly.
The pack dynamics are hilarious with Marvin and his throw pillows, Max with his acerbic wit and Alec with his quiet strength and compassion. Isaac's friends from the bar add to the fun as well and some new and interesting shifters were introduced that I'm hoping will continue to make appearances as the series progresses.
The Omega Objection was a sweet, sexy, low angst read that's entertaining and balances the line between romance and action well about a man who finally finds his place among a bunch of so called misfits and another man who finally understands his worth among a bunch of misfits; it was exactly what the doctor ordered. Carriger has created a world that's uniquely her own in the shifter-verse that I thoroughly enjoy visiting and can't wait to see what comes next.
A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Nope. Glad it's over, but seething at what I see as lazy writing, ABO/BDSM crap, and ridiculous cultural/species politics. I really, really liked the first one and was SO looking forward to this one. Not much of a storyline; didn't like either main character. It was more of an internal hate fest (I'm not good enough! I'm worthless! Please abuse me!) for the two protagonists and I simply got sick of it. In another week, I won't even remember this book. And that's just sad.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
Well that was fun, just like the other books in this series.
I love the world building and the dynamics of this unusual pack and I loved how Isaac's story unfolded. Tank is such a sweetheart, far more than the gentle giant impression he gives.
The Dom/sub elements were well crafted to the narrative to and I liked how intertwined both Tank's non rank and Isaac's Omega status were fitted into both the revealed plot but also the pack as a whole.
Super sweet, spicy and with all the feels, this was a fab addition to the series.
Rating: really liked it
[His dominant nature in the bedroom was styl
Rating: really liked it
Rating: 2.5/5
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel with the condition that I review it should I feel so inclined. Thoughts and opinions are my own. I would have reviewed this novel regardless of when or how I got it.
I'm generally a big fan of Carriger works, but this series has been a miss for me. That being said, the modern voice and wit Carriger uses in the San Andreas Shifters series, and in this book especially, is amazing. Also queer characters for daaaaaays! However, at the end of the day, it didn't save the book for me.
The Omega Objection needed/needs a SERIOUS developmental edit to par down extraneous characters/plot lines and develop Tank and Isaac’s characters and relationship. I kept reading until the end because I love the way Gail writes in her modern voice, and her wit had me rolling, but I was not invested in the relationship like I wanted to be.
I was invested in Isaac’s story line but not his romance with Tank. Neither Isaac nor Tank really developed much as characters by the end of the novel, and what development did occur felt rushed. The new characters that were introduced weren't fleshed out at all, which basically ruined them. All the old favorites got trotted out, but their appearances just ended up stealing the show and introducing secondary or tertiary plot lines that distracted me from the story at hand.
I feel bad tearing a Carriger book apart like this, but that’s where I’m at. I really, really wanted to like The Omega Objection; it had so much potential, and had all the right ingredients for me to love it, but in the end the mix didn't bake well and the cake was not for me. I honestly, really and truly, liked The Omega Objection better than I did The Sumage Solution, but I ended up rating it lower because of the weak characters and muddled plot.
Rating: really liked it
I was so excited to read this book at first thinking I was about to actually read a book where the black character is not the fucking alpha or dominant partner but, once again my hopes will forever be dashed. I swear on everything I can’t stand y’all straight white female writers because, Damn it’s the same shit with y’all when it comes to black male gay characters. Y’all still portraying black men as these fucking hung dominant tops who can’t be submissive or soft but, no we still have to be portrayed as these hulking beast. Plus I hate that the straight women in these comments and reviews don’t call out this racist type of portrayal of gay black men. Sincerely, a frustrated gay black reader.
Rating: really liked it
So... I DESPISE shifter books. I think they are the absolute worst & it pains me to admit this but this book was actually... fun?? Listen, I don’t know if it’s the holiday spirit & I’m just in a really good mood but i enjoyed this & was like engaged in the tale. First of all, a big positive in this book is the diversity in characters. This is one of the more diverse books I’ve read in some time & I’m trying my best to only support books that have a good amount of representation. Also, all of the characters are like... mad cute. They’re all fucked up but good for each other. An issue I had with this book though is that there are A LOT of characters that come at u all at once. It was kind of difficult to keep track of everyone. Regardless, I’m kind of in shock that I enjoyed a shifter book. Don’t get me wrong, wasn’t a perfect book by any means but eh, I enjoyed it more than I thought i would. My world view has changed & I’m struggling to follow it.
Rating: really liked it
I randomly saw this book had been added to my library and I wanted to read it because I didn't previously know that this author wrote romance and I wanted to try it out. However I found this book to just be fine and not particularly original.
One of the major issues I had with this story was the world-building. I know this is the second book in this series but Carriger just kept using terms that she never explained and based on another review I saw, this was a problem with book one as well. There are so many species and different roles in this story and that could be very interesting but instead it was just confusing because the lack of explanation. I really felt that we were thrown into the deep end as readers and expected to just figure everything out but we weren't given enough information to do that.
I thought that the romance and the characters were fine but I didn't really feel any connection between Issac and Tank. Their relationship starts with mutual attraction but it never seemed to develop beyond that and then all the sudden they love each other. This book neither goes all in on the typical "fated mates" trope nor does it use some other trope and it just leaves the relationship feeling very middling.
I've read other books like this and it seems like the unique aspect of this series was the sheer number of species but because of the previously discussed lack of explanation, it just left me feeling confused and made the story unclear and, in my opinion, overly long. This story also deals with somewhat serious issues concerning Issac's past but all the other characters are so easygoing and silly all the time that the overall tone is weird.
I think this book is fine and maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read this series in order and if you want to read this series, I would recommend reading it that way. However, I have read books like this that I think are better so this series wouldn't be my first recommendation.
Rating: really liked it
DNF. I can't finish it. Too long, too drawn out, but not really accomplishing anything. I don't feel a connection with either character individually or as a couple. There just isn't enough here for me to continue on.
Rating: really liked it
Tank has always known his place in the pack. He is to be the big scary werewolf, the muscle, the cannon fodder. That was the fate of his father and his father before him, and so it will be with Tank. He might not like it, but at least he has a purpose. When the pack’s newly created security/bodyguard service gets a job to help beef-up the security at a bar’s new shifter-themed night, Tank is the man for the job. He might not particularly want to play bouncer, but his pack needs the money so what can he do? His ability to be whatever the pack needs him to be, turns out to work in favor for once, though, when his eyes land on one of the bartenders. Scentless, and strange, and strangely attractive, Isaac is probably far out of Tank’s league. But that doesn’t stop Tank from hoping that his luck holds just a little bit longer.
I’ve been really looking forward to this second book (and third story) in this series. After reading The Sumage Solution last year, I fell completely in love with this world and was excited to see where Carriger took this pack.
Despite the fact that I enjoyed the first novel in this series, I will admit that it was a bit daunting as a jumping-off point to this world. There was a lot of backstory and world building to get thru in that book, and as a result it sometimes felt a bit confusing. That is not the case here. This story feels a lot more grounded. Yeah all the more fantastical elements with shifters of many shapes, and magic of many kinds, still exists…but a lot of it is pushed to the back so that Tank and Isaac can have center stage. It made for a much easier read, to be honest. It probably helped that this story mostly just focuses on werewolves, instead of the whole smorgasbord of magical and shifter elements. They still peep in, from time to time, but the story mostly stays with Tank and Isaac and their various interactions.
And speaking of
interactions….woooh baby. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this book had full-on BDSM themes, but there is some really freaking hot D/s elements to their sexual relationship. Tank with his need to belong to someone, and Isaac with his determination to control at least one part of his life, fit together so damn well. Neither of them was sure of what the other wanted or expected, but despite all those doubts there was this underlying
need in both of them that made every time they were on page together nearly combustible. And despite the fact that I’m not one, these days, to really enjoy a majority of the sex scenes in books, I didn’t skim a single one in this story. The sex felt absolutely necessary to who these characters were to each other and to themselves. To have missed that would have left something missing in the story for me. It never once felt like they were going to fuck because X-amount of pages had passed since the last sex scene. It felt organic and essential. Just as it should be, in my opinion.
While this was not a perfect story–the whole stalker sub-plot was rather underwhelming in the end–it was one that I had a lot of fun reading. The pages just flew by as I go deeper and deeper into the plot, and stopping was very much out of the question once things started to get going. These werewolves could have been very boring (I mean, what is this, the 800th werewolf book I’ve read?) but I loved Carriger’s various takes on the shifters and their culture. It was not exactly all new, but it was just different enough to make me always want to know just that little bit more about them.
I think that readers who enjoyed this series so far and going to end up really liking this one, and if they are anything like me, they are going to be clamoring for the next book. The pairing in that one looks to be very exciting. This book ended up being almost everything I was hoping for, and I can’t wait to see where Carriger can take these characters and this world.
4.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below. 
Rating: really liked it
[3.5 Stars] Another fun installment in the San Andreas Shifters series. I love Isaac and Tank. I think they're really sweet. On the whole, I liked reading about their developing romance more than I did Bryan and Max which is why this gets a higher rating. I also think there was less sex and less "muchness" that the first book was drenched in. I loved reading about the pack dynamics too. I'm excited for the third one since Colin, AHH.
Rating: really liked it
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I have been a fan of Gail Carriger for at least the last seven years. I fell in love with her writing and quirky humor with Soulless, the first in The Parasol Protectorate series and from there it was all history!
Her world building and character development is on point and I love that she writes diverse stories. I have read a few of her LGBTQ novels and loved how beautifully she portrays romance between people, not just romance between man and woman—-or werewolf and a soulless.
I don’t read a ton of LGBTQ romances or novels for that matter, but I love Carriger’s ability to world build and create interesting romances so when this second book in the San Andreas Shifters series came up, I was happy to review it.
So first of all, if you aren’t open minded or fans of LGBTQ romance, then you should look elsewhere. This is a gay romance novel and obviously isn’t for everyone, but as a straight married woman, I still found lots to love in this book. What sets Carriger apart from traditional writers is her ability to world build not just setting but romances and make you forget that you are reading something out of your traditional genre.
Now this book does contain some mildly graphic M/M content, but I didn’t think that it was anything that you wouldn’t get in a traditional romance novel, the only thing that’s different is the gender. So keep an open mind and I promise that you will love her characters and romances that are gay, straight, or otherwise!
The two characters in this book, Tank and Isaac, for me lacked some of the same chemistry that Max and Bryan from the first novel in this series. It wasn’t that I didn’t like them, I just didn’t connect to them in the same way as I did the other two. Their romance was still sweet, but for me it just wasn’t as intense as the first one in the series. The characters grow and develop nicely on their own but together the romance wasn’t as intense as I had hoped.
One thing that never waivers in any of her books—-the world she creates. I can easily get lost in her novels and let the world captivate me. This book is no exception. When it comes to supernatural characters, I tend to gravitate toward vampires—-werewolves aren’t usually my favorite. However, Carriger does such a great job at making them more than just hot headed beasts.
She creates this whole cult world that is seeped in werewolves and typical werewolf behavior, but yet the characters are so human and real that you almost forget that they are werewolves. I love this setting, and don’t even get me started on how much I love her humor—and of course I love the supernatural characters. I also love how fun it is seeing other favorites from previous books or series make cameos.
So for this book, I didn’t feel like it was a 3 star book because I thought the setting was so vivid and I enjoyed the characters a lot, but it wasn’t a 5 star for me either because the romance was a little off for me. So I had to go with a 4 star on this one. I am excited to read the next book in the series. If you haven’t discovered Carriger yet, I highly recommend any of her books. This series as well as some of her others, could stand alone if absolutely necessary…..but why would you want to miss all the fun cameos and nuances of reading a series?
See my full review here
Rating: really liked it
Loved the audiobook - since I love omegaverse stories (in whatever way they are written) this was a no brainer. I still think I like the prequel best but this had strong elements going for it. Continued look into the pack was nice. I really liked Isaac and his situation - Tank was ok but there were times he seemed overplayed. I so want to read Colin's story!
Rating: really liked it
Hmm... on the second go I didn't enjoy it as much. Tank was a bit too submissive for me this time around and I was a bit disappointed that nobody recognised his need for personal recognition.
Loved to see Bryan and Max again and I am looking forward to Colin's snd Judds story
