A), Wild Embrace (Psy/Changeling Collection

Lovely stories about some of our past characters. I mostly enjoyed Dorian's story. In this book we find out how Tazia & Stefan met & got married. Then we have a past to present regarding Dorian's latency until he meets his mate Ashaya and is finally able to shift. So much feels for this part of the story, as I also must admit that out of this series, Dorian & Ashaya's story was one of my absolute favorites! Loved, loved, Felix & Dezi's story of a male submissive wolf with his dominant female soldier as his mate. This part of the story, in my opinion, was done just right and I didn't feel like Felix was submissive at all. Lol. Then finally we have Kenji and Garnet's story, bka Jem. This had a little murder mystery that the 2 worked together to solve. For those of us who have read this series, we know that something happened to the pair 7 years ago that has caused some stressful situations and the constant sarcastic battles via telecom back & forth. We do find out what the reason why Kenji did not mate with her and IMO it was not a good reason at all. I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it yet but it could've worked out for them 7 years ago. Lol. Males can be so pig-headed about certain things that you make you want to scream! All in all it was a great read. Loved it!

These short stories require a familiarity with their world to fully appreciate them. Felix was my favorite character. I love the quiet strength of a submissive. The last tale of murder and love was somewhat rushed.

I love seeing more of the world Ms. Singh has built. It is just so satisfying to see the ever expanding relationship and cast! Especially side characters we've met previously and wanted more of! Thank you Ms. Singh for doing what you do.

Cried buckets of water with Echo of Silence, laughed with Dorian, loved with Partners in Persuasion and lastly understanding the Flirtation of Fate. A great collection of novella/short stories from Nalini! As expected :)

I have read most of the psy/changeling books. Collections are nice but it sometimes feels like there could have been more to the stories. It can be hard to pull off a psy relationship with a changeling in a shorter format. They are just too different from each other. Their relationships have to develop slower because the barriers are wide.

This is a wonderful addition to the Psy Changling world each character is well formed and has a different contribution to make. Dorian's story illustrates what pack means. Garnet and Kenji finally get to be together and the mystery they have to solve is just as interesting.

I enjoyed these little stories. Since there isn't a new book of any of Nalini Singh's out right now, it was a small taste to tide me over. I'm addicted to all her series. Looking forward to the next one....they make me smile, huff a laugh or get a little misty, all good.

The first novella Echo of Silence was good I would give it 4 stars on its on. Dorian was 2 stars just because I had read it before in Dorian and Shaya book. Partners in Persuation was Okay 3 stars and Flirtation of Fate 3 stars.

Wild Embrace Anthology is overpriced for what you get. If you read the series you would have read most of these novella's within one of the books.

There are 2 stories in here that I actually enjoyed. The others are mediocre at best. I get a little tired of the "me Alpha, you Beta" dynamic of the changelings, although that's my fault since I've been inundating myself with these books as I storm through the store's paranormal romance section.

No, actually. The reason I bought this was for the story about a submissive guy and a dominant woman getting together--I thought it'd be interesting and a nice twist on the typical romance set-up, buuuuuut it ended up being exactly the same as the others. The premise was just a gimmick, and I found that disappointing.

Walker's story was also a disappointment--I love the Laurens, and I was looking forward to learning more about him, but there was nothing driving his story with Lara. It was just kind of... there.

OK, nobody is more of a fan of both of Nalini Singh's paranormal series than I am but this was a mixed bag of stories.

Let me just rate them:

"Echo of Silence" - The best of the stories in this book IMHO, a bit of action, a bit of romance, a bit of warm family thrown in with some other stuff to make you warm. I have decided that I am a sucker for these Arrow type stories. - 5 Stars

"Dorian" - Just a bit of background and romance story of Dorian, ranked this would be next to last favorite story in the book - 3 Stars, not bad just nothing much happens except a bit of sugar overload.

"Partners in Persuasion" - No doubt my LEAST favorite story, the submissive guy and the dominate female that spend all this boring time dancing around each other and the efforts to make him seem strong but sensitive (and a bit weak in spite of all the sentences devoted to saying he was not) just bored me and left me wanting this story to end quickly. - 3 Stars only because of the bar fight :)

"Flirtation of Fate" - My second favorite story and close to as good as "Echo of Silence" (and might be your favorite depending on your mood). It starts with a bit of love needing a second chance, evolves into a murder mystery romance and does an excellent job of keeping your attention. - 4.5 Stars

Bottom Line: I enjoyed it and only during "Partners in Persuasion" did I really get bored at times although Dorian read more like a good history lesson. So overall the bigger fan of the series that you are, the more enjoyment you will get out of this collection of 4 stories. The question for most folks will be are these stories good enough to plunk down over $10 for them. That will have to be up to you folks.

I was a little hesitant to read Wild Embrace when I first heard of the book. Jumping way into a well-established series doesn't always work out. However, when I saw that this was actually a collection of short stories in the Psy-Changeling series, I figured it might be a good introduction for me.

Echo of Silence        4.5 - stars
Probably my favorite of the four, I really found myself intrigued by Stefan. Not having ready any of the previous books in the series I found the whole Psy aspect very interesting. The combination of the emotionless Psy matched up with a human, both a bit broken and finding a way to heal and be together had me wishing the story was a bit longer.

Dorian        3.5 -stars
I enjoyed the progression from youth to adulthood. Despite not being able to shift, his pack was there for him the whole way. I think this was one of those special to heal you must realize your own self-importance stories, mixed in with a shifter twist. Great story.

Partners in Persuasion        4 - stars
Now this was a different one for me. Usually it's the male and the wolf that is dominant but instead, you have a female leopard as the dominant and the male is the submissive. Quite a twist for me in the PNR world. The progression between Felix and Dezi as they struggle through to their happy ending, made this my favorite of the three Changeling shorts.

Flirtation of Fate        4 - stars
Murder mystery and a paranormal romance all rolled into one. Could a PNR fan ask for anything more! I really enjoyed the play between Kenji and Garnet although I kept having this feeling I was missing out on some things between these two. Maybe they had been in previous books that I haven't read? Ignoring that tidbit, this was a good story that has a few secrets that kept me rushing through to discover them.

As I expected, a collection of short stories made for a great introduction to this world author Nalini Singh has created. I've got a good feel for the Changeling side and I really enjoy the dynamics between the packs of leopards and wolfs. However, all I got was a small taste of the Psy and I want more. Easily read as a stand-alone for a newbie to the series like me. Wild Embrace also offers an added bonus for long time fans. Great read for all PNR fans.

I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine.
Stars - 4, Flames - 3

This collection of new stories in the Psy/Changeling world gives a pleasurable added dimension to the novels in the series. We find out more about characters whose names have been mentioned previously such as Felix and Desiree, while getting more in depth background plus well known favorites who have had full novels like Dorian. Kenji and Garnet, who have been popping up throughout the series and making people yearn to know their story, finally get their say.

Echo of Silence

Tazia Nerif, a human working in the deep sea station, Alaris, owned by the Changeling BlackSea group, is very attracted to the Psy commander of the station, Stefan. He is a strong Tk(telekinetic) who ostensibly is a perfect emotionless Psy. Stefan was to be an arrow, but it seems his silence may not have been so flawless after all. Tazia has been grieving a loss while working her dream job at the station. Stefan has secrets that if known, could send him to mind-wiping rehabilitation. While working together on a special project topside, both find what was missing in their lives.

Dorian

This entry comprises several vignettes in Dorian’s life related to his inability to shift as a young boy and going through adjusting to being fully cat after his beloved Shaya gifts him with that personal miracle. Dorian has quite a learning curve to figure out how to function confortably in both forms. As always his pack, DarkRiver, has Dorian’s back but in their own tough love way of the cats. How Dorian handles his latency at different stages of his life combined with the deep and profound joy that is his after being able to shift gives deeper dimension to his story.

Partners in Persuasion

SnowDancer’s head horticulturist, Felix, has an important job leading the reforesting effort in the area of their territory devastated during the Psy/Changeling war with Pure Psy. Desi, a senior DarkRiver soldier dominant female, desires getting to know Felix and possibly have a relationship. While attracted to Desi, Felix’s status as a submissive, who has had his heart tromped on by a dominant in the past, makes a relationship between them difficult. And not only is Desi’s dominance an issue as she is a cat so they have two challenges to overcome. Submissive does not mean weak, however, Felix is a strong man who would defend his pack to the death. It’s a delicate dance for the two of them to find a way to be together without constantly worrying about each other’s sensibilities and completely different natures.

Flirtation of Fate

Kenji and Garnet, also known as “Jem,” have been flirting and fighting throughout the series. Now finally, we find out what Kenji did to break Garnet’s heart. His flamboyant rock star wild hair and good looks coupled with a player reputation hide a secret with the answer to his harsh treatment of Garnet. They are both lieutenants in charge of smaller dens in the SnowDancer territory who have to work together in solving a serious crime in Garnet’s den. Garnet had been hurt and angry for a long time, but now she begins to see as they spend time together the possibility perhaps that all is not lost.

Readers of this series will be very happy to have these new stories in the Psy/Changeling world that enhance and enrich the overall continuing series. It is pleasurable to spend time with these characters when they can attend to the everyday challenges of life and not only be occupied with the war and strife that has pervaded their world. As always in Nalini Singh’s stories, love will find a way.

Echo of Silence

Stefan! This is Stefan's story. He lives deep beneath the ocean surface on Alaris. He's as close to being an Arrow as you can be without being one. What kept him from being an Arrow is why he lives out of site from the rest of the Psy world. There only humans and changelings down on Alaris. His telekinetic power a measure of safety for the crew. But what is he hiding? I've wanted to know for a while. He shows up from time to time with some of my favorite psy, Judd and the Arrows. Now I know what's up with Stefan and I totally loved it.

This one is a short sexy story of how two people are drawn to each other even when they are sure they aren't right for each other. Tazia, a human, is living her dream job at the price of her families approval. Stefan is scarred. Both are drawn to each other. As they are put in a position to help others, they learn about each other and the feelings that have been developing for months leak out. Both are healed from their past. Both are the other's strength. It was wonderful.

Dorian

Warning: Spoilers for Hostage to Pleasure.

I admit to being surprised a novella about Dorian was tucked in this book. We have his story in Hostage to Pleasure but I'm so glad this little gem is there.

It's not a repeat of anything we know but a few glimpses of things that are only hinted at. We see Dorian as a young child dealing with the pain of not being able to shift. We see Dorian as a teen determined to be the best. We see Dorian after his initial shift on the camping trip. And we see Dorian as his alpha and the other Sentinels challenge him to finally release all of his leopard.

It was pure joy to read.

Partners in Persuasion

This is Desiree's story. A strong solider who still needs to call her mom to let her know she's safely home from a night shift, I was excited to see who this dominate cat would fall for. And I was surprised.

Felix is the horticultural expert in SnowDancer and a submissive. Of course, he does a good job of getting things organized for a major re-planting that needs to take place. Nothing gets between him and his seedlings. I really like him and, frankly, I was happy to see a submissive male and a dominate female tangle. It's not a common pairing and I really enjoyed that. A bad experience with a dominate female in the past has Felix resisting Desiree and this story just got a whole lot more interesting.

There's all the fun that you expect in a story from this series with a novella length that can be enjoyed in an hour. I just can't get enough of this world or these characters. I want every little pairing there is to have. I want every story there is to be told.

Sexy with a twist of different that makes this one a pleasure to read.

Flirtation of Fate

I've met Kenji and Garnet before and everyone wondered what was up with those two. They certainly seemed like they should be together but she's mad and he's teasing. So I was curious to read this one.

It's clear there is chemistry between these two as well as some strong feelings. While Garnet didn't know, I saw enough of Kenji to figure out his issue early on and while I got why he pushed her away, I was sure she would still want him. Of course I was right. It just took some forced time around each other and a joint focus that had the feeling from the past well in play to get them both to decide it was time to let the truth out. I enjoyed both the little mystery they solved together and the second chance at love between them.

I adore this world and these little stories that add so much to the world itself. I would love to live in this world, in one of these packs where people take care of their own and problems get worked out. It's a happy place for me to be.

Of course I loved all of these stories and am so glad to have read them.. If you love this world as much as I do, then make sure you have this one to add to your collection. If you haven't discovered just how wonderful this series is, then here's an excuse to start. This book can be read out of order but it will only have you wanting more.

I’m such a fan of the Psy-Changeling series. This anthology gives us a peek into the lives of (mostly) secondary characters whose stories have been waiting to be told.

"Echo of Silence" – This story takes place early in the series timeline, after the second book, Visions of Heat, but if you’re worried about jumping that far back in the series, don’t. This story stands up completely on its own, and it may be my absolute favorite novella in the series. It harkens back to those early stories where the Psy are still holding tightly to Silence. And though our hero’s Silence is fractured, it’s a secret that could cost him his life.

Stefan nearly joined the Arrow squad, but his psychological childhood trauma kept him out. Now, the powerful Tk works aboard an underwater station and does his best to maintain control at all times. That’s where he met Tazia, the human engineer who he feels inexplicably pulled to. Tazia is nursing a broken heart, after she was rejected by her family. But these two forge a connection against the odds, while working together on a mission of mercy.

It’s so easy to move too quickly in a novella, but this love story never felt rushed. I believed in a genuine connection forming between these two, and I loved watching them both awaken to romantic feelings for the first time in their lives. This book would be worth buying for this story alone!

"Dorian" takes place over the course of several years and wraps up in the aftermath of Hostage to Pleasure. It’s basically a series of glimpses into Dorian’s life as he struggles with his inability to shift and he experiences the joy of changing into his leopard. Fans of this character will really enjoy this one. I did. It even made me a little misty.

"Partners in Persuasion" delves into the dynamics of a dominant and submissive changeling pair. In this case, it’s the female leopard, Dezi, who is dominant. Felix, a submissive wolf, has been burned before with this kind of relationship, and he has no desire to repeat the experience. But the attraction between him and Dezi is too powerful to resist. The story follows their dance as they try to navigate through the minefields of their very different natures. This one got off to a slow start for me, but it had some good sexual tension and a solid hero. I ultimately enjoyed it.

"Flirtation of Fate" is Garnet (Jem) and Kenji’s second chance at love story. These two were ready to make a go of things eight years ago when he not only bailed on her, but started going through women like it was going out of style. Now they’re thrown together, trying to solve a murder in her territory and all of the old feelings are back. But Garnet doesn’t know the real reason Kenji all those years ago, and this time, she won’t give up until she learns the truth.

I was kind of meh on this story. Maybe it was because I felt like the why of Kenji’s betrayal was super-obvious from the beginning, and I figured out the murder early on too. The romance was ok. But for me, this didn’t hold a candle to the first story of the bunch.

Overall, though, this collection is absolutely worth reading! Would totally recommend.

Rating: B/B+

I've a very special place in my book crazy heart for the Psy/Changeling world and I just want to live there! These stories set in this world are imaginative, well crafted, detailed and fuelled by intense passion. So the idea of four short stories expanding this world was for me a no brainier and I knew I'd have to read them.
Echo of Silence
The first story is the one I'd really looked forward to as it pairs Stefan, a Psy with Tazia, a human and I've often felt the human element sadly lacking in the universe this author writes about. Happily it gives readers a tiny peek into the world of a deep sea station with all three races working together . However the majority of the story is topside and mostly told from Tazia's viewpoint. Although I enjoyed this story for me it lacked a little passion.
Dorian
Now I know that the story involving Dorian will have many a reader jumping for joy. He was introduced at the start of this series as a latent leopard which clearly was a painful existence. Yet here we learn of his strength, his tenacity and most of all just how important those pack bonds really are.
Partners in Persuasion
The third story slightly reminded me of a previous pairing with a wolf and a leopard changeling. The author explored the unusual dynamics of a dominant and a submissive as they decide just how far they can go when it comes to skin privileges . In many respects this was a role reversal story but it brought hope and we all need that.
Flirtation of Fate
Finally the story that made this truly feel like a Psy/Changeling book! Not just a romance but a mystery to solve. This couple have been a tease on the periphery as this series has advanced but oh was it worth waiting for . Set against a backdrop of murder the couple who constantly play games have to pull together but as equal as they are its Garnet who is in charge and not the irascible but loveable Kenji.
I feel this is more aimed at those who are fans and already follow the series. Whilst it could be read by newcomers the subtle nuances might be lost and apart from the final story it wasn't typical to what I've come to expect from this hugely talented author. Yet as something to keep her hungry readers going whilst waiting for the next full length book it certainly plugs a gap.
I was gifted a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I loved all four novellas in this book. Wild Embrace is a wonderful treat to pass the time; before the next release in the Psy-Changeling series.

Echo of Silence - Rated 4 Stars

This one occurs after Visions of Heat. It pairs Stefan a Psy and Tazia a human. Silence hasn’t fallen yet, so for a Psy to feel is a death sentence.

This little novella gives us a peek into Alaris the deep sea station where all three races work together, but most of the story is topside. I liked that we got to see a Human/Psy paring. We haven’t had much of the human element in the series.

I found Echo of Silence to be a sweet read.

Dorian - 5 Stars

This one spans a number of years in Dorian’s life. We get to see him as a cub, as a teenager, and as an adult. Plus we are treated to teenage Lucas and the other Sentinels, who aren’t Sentinels yet. In this one we learn about his strength, his tenacity and most of all how important pack bonds really are.

The cat comes out to play.

Partners in Persuasion - 4 Stars

This one begins at the end of Tangle of Need. We get to see the pairing of a wolf and leopard changeling. The author explores the dynamics of a dominant and submissive mating together. The mixing of shifters is still new in the world and their are issues to over come add in a dominant and submissive pairing and you have a whole another thing to work through.

Drezi and Felix where sweet together as they try to work out how they can be together. I enjoyed this little novella.

Flirtation of Fate - 5 Stars

This one takes place near the end of Heart of Obsidian. Kenji and Garnet have been teasing us throughout the series. It’s a second chance romance along with a mystery to solve. He craves her and she craves him, but the past is hard to get over. These two constantly play games, but now they have to work together to solve the murder and in doing so maybe find that second chance at love.

This one was another wonderful addition to read.

I've come late to this series so I've decided to read through the novels and novellas and shorts chronologically. Therefore, I'll be taking this anthology a bit at a time and sharing mini-reviews on each story separately.

Echo of Silence #2.5
Tazia, a human, is the engineer for a deep-sea research station. She gave up everything for the chance to follow her dreams and her career. But at the bottom of the sea, her loneliness changes first to curiosity and then interest for the icy telekinetic/telepathic Psy male who commands the station and might not be as cold as she was led to believe.

Stefan and Tazia's story was poignant and I enjoyed their tentative courtship while working together and then serving together on a mission that allows them to grow closer. They connected and worked to understand and appreciate each other. The pair were so good for each other and I loved the whole story.

Dorian #5.1
Segments from Dorian the Dark River Pack Enforcer's life as a child, teen, and adult learning to accept his differences as a latent shifter, going beyond acceptance to being one of the strongest pack members, and then learning all over again after receiving the gift of his leopard half freed to shift.

This series of vignettes about Dorian definitely need to be read after Hostage to Pleasure to be fully appreciated. I loved getting the story of his early years and a bit of an extension on what comes after the events of Hostage to Pleasure.

Partners in Persuasion #11.5
Felix, the lead horticulturist and member of the SnowDancer pack is a submissive and had a hurtful moment in his past at the hands of a dominant female. So when dominant Dark River pack soldier, Desiree, takes an interest in him, theirs is not an easy path to acceptance and love.

I enjoy how the author takes the time throughout this series to assign significance to pack order and not just for the alphas and dominants, but what it is like for submissives and that submissive isn't a synonym for weak. This was a thoughtful and intriguing story of a male submissive wolf and female dominant cat. Respectful, heartwarming, and passionate.

Flirtation of Fate #12.1
Kenji and Garnet's second chance was an engaging romance and mystery all in one. Kenji had his reasons for breaking it off and it made some sense particularly when he was young and reeling from the bad news, but it was frustrating that he made the decision for both of them by breaking everything off. Love their playful flirty moments.

So, this was a fabulous set of four novellas that were well developed and added another wonderful layer to the PsyChangling series. All were strong stories that I was glad to get. I like how they slip seamlessly into the series though perhaps the first one could be read whenever. Definitely recommend not skipping the chance at these.

I love the way Nalini Singh gives fans a chance to see the romances that don't get to play out in the full length novels. The Psy-Changeling world is such a huge one that it would be impossible for everyone to get their own book so these additional novellas are a great way to revisit old favourites or just add extra depth and background. She is one of the few authors who never fails to make me connect with her characters, whether she's writing short stories, novellas or full length books she never lets me down and I always know I'm in for a treat when I pick up something with her name on it.

Wild Embrace contains four brand new novellas that have never been published anywhere else. These stories are set at different points throughout the Psy-Changeling series (I'll point out where they fit in as I talk about each individual novella) and although they aren't essential reading because you won't miss any major plot points if you skip them I'd still highly recommend picking up this anthology because they're all great.

Echo of Silence:
This novella is set just after Visions of Heat and gives us the chance to spend time on the deep-sea station Alaris with human engineer Tazia and telekinetic Psy Stefan. I can't be the only fan who has been desperate to get to know the Stefan, I mean he was the one who wrote the Psy guide to sex that all the other Psy guys have been adding to throughout the series, so of course I wanted to know more about him! Although it isn't a secret that Stefan's Silence is defective he still has to be incredibly careful not to show his emotions in case he ends up getting his mind wiped by the Psy Council. The only reason he's been left alone this long is because he has such a rare and useful ability but that won't save him if they find out just how "broken" he is. Just because he's good at hiding his emotions doesn't stop him feeling them though and I absolutely loved the slow build relationship that develops between him and Tazia.

Tazia was a great character and I loved seeing how strong she was to fight against her culture to follow her dreams of becoming an engineer. It wasn't easy for her to go against her family's wishes and it was for her to be estranged from the people she loved but it was nice to see how Stefan was so caring towards her when she needed him to be. They're also facing a bigger struggle than most of the other couples in the series because Stefan has to work so hard to hide their relationship on the Psy-net. They are taking a huge risk to be together but it more than pays off for them in the long run.

Dorian:
I loved Dorian's story, it's the shortest one in the anthology and unlike the others it's not a romance but it was great to get further insight into his character's background. This story takes place over a number of years and finishes just after events in Visions of Heat. As a leopard Changeling without the ability to actually change shape Dorian has never had it easy and this story is all about him learning to come to terms with his situation.

Dorian had to learn to find other ways to communicate with his other side and he had to learn other ways to play and work alongside the rest of his pack. It was obvious in his book (Hostage to Pleasure) that he was well respected by Lucas and his packmates but this is more about him dealing with his personal demons. This story does contain a few spoilers for his storyline so if you've not read his book yet I'd recommend holding off on this one. Having said that if you already know what happens to him later on you're going to absolutely love the last scene in this story. It totally melted my heart and I love Dorian more than ever now.

Partners in Persuasion:
This novella begins towards the end of Tangle of Need and features submissive wolf Felix and dominant leopard Dezi. Felix has been hurt before by a dominant wolf so he's afraid of getting burnt a second time but Dezi knows what she wants and she has the patience to win Felix around. It's not always easy to sell me on a dominant female / submissive male pairing, too often dominant is actually code for "arrogant and bitchy" when it comes to women while submissive men are just too easy for them to walk all over and that never sits well with me. I trust Nalini though and she didn't steer me wrong here.

Dezi is strong and she's definitely the dominant partner in this pairing but she's not pushy or arrogant and she's very careful not to push Felix beyond his boundaries. Felix may be submissive but that doesn't make him weak and he's willing to stand his ground when he needs to so I have no fears that Dezi could take advantage of him. I think they're actually both incredibly strong characters and I enjoyed seeing them work around the challenges that come as part of being not just a dominant/submissive pairing but also from being from both SnowDancer and DarkRiver packs. I love the way the two packs are becoming more and more entwined as the series progresses!

Flirtation of Fate:
I think a lot of fans have been waiting for Kenji and Garnet's story for a long time now, Flirtation of Fate takes place towards the end of Heart of Obsidian and gives Kenji a second chance to make things right with Garnet after he rejected her previously. I've loved the banter between these two for a long time now and I've been wondering if they were ever going to act on it but I didn't realise quite how much Kenji had hurt Garnet by walking away from her before. I was irritated with him when I found out his reasons, I thought their age was a pretty poor excuse for leaving when he knew exactly what she was to him but he's so lovable that I ended up forgiving him just like Garnet did.

This story takes place away from the SnowDancer den at the territory Kenji look after and there is a bit of mystery going on in the background after one of their packmates is murdered. I have to admit I'd figured out the killer fairly early on but that didn't stop me enjoying seeing Kenji and Garnet working together to try and put it all together. I would have loved this story to be a bit longer so we could have spent more time with them as a couple but I still really loved their flirtatious banter and think they're a fab couple.

Source: Received from Gollancz in exchange for an honest review

Wild Embrace (Psy-Changeling #2.5, 5.1, 11.5, 12.1) by Nalini Singh Is a collection of 4 Paranormal Short Romance stories from the Psy-Changeling series.
bookshelves: nalini-singh
Read from December 21 to 28, 2016
#1. Echo of Silence = 5 stars
This was my favorite of the four. It's about Tazia (human woman) and Stefan (a Psy). They both work on the deep-sea station Alaris. Brilliantly written with perfect flow. Stefan has been mentioned in a few of the other books in this series, and we really get to know both him and Tazia in this story.
#2. Dorian = 3.5 stars
This one gives us glimpses of Dorian’s life from childhood all way through to the present day. I liked it a lot, but it didn't wow me.
#3. Partners in Persuasion = 4 stars
Dezi (dominant Feline Soldier) and Felix (submissive Wolf). This was my 2nd favorite of the shorts in this book. Dezi and Felix have to overcome a lot of obstacles for this relationship to work. Not only are they 2 different types of shifters, but with Felix being a submissive male wolf, Dezi has to be careful not to scare him away. It also gives more light on what it means to be submissive.
I don't truly understand Felix using his past relationship with a dominant female for not wanting his partner to be a dominate. There are also a couple of places where the story drags a little bit.
#4. Flirtation of Fate = 3.5 stars
Garnet and Kenji (both are Dominant Wolf Changelings)
I liked this one, but it seemed very rushed to me. They are both involved in an investigation at the Den Garnet is in charge of for the SnowDancer Pack.
All and all, I enjoyed it very much.
Wild Embrace (Psy/Changeling Collection, A)

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

This is a collection of four Psy-Changeling short stories that take place throughout the story arc of the series. I’ll go into detail on each story below.

3-Star-rating

Echo of Silence

Tazia left home against her family’s wishes to be an engineer on the deep sea station, Alaris. It’s been years since she’s talked to her family. She’d had hope that they would contact her after she sent letters and money to them, but they never did, making it clear they want nothing to do with her. But yet every month she looks forward to the mail drop in the hopes that something from them will finally arrive. That is until her Psy commander, Stefan, bursts her bubble about waiting for a package that will never arrive, taking all hope from her.

Every person that works at Alaris is required to take a month off on the surface every 4-5 months for their psychological welfare. It’s a time that Tazia always dreads as she doesn’t have family to go see like the others do. It’s that time again. But this time Stefan is along for the ride. He’s headed to a town that has been devastated by a major earthquake. He’s going to use his TK abilities to help search for survivors and help them clean-up. And, he offers to take Tazia with him, which she gladly accepts!

It’s a mission of a lifetime, but one that brings about unpleasant memories for both of them. But the experience brings the two of them closer than they’ve ever been and even threatens any semblance of silence that Stefan has left.

I’ll be honest I really wasn’t expecting to like this one. The Psy relationships tend to bore me. But this one wasn’t too bad. I found the story engaging. It helped that Stefan wasn’t as Silent as he appeared to be on the outside. And once off on their own he was quick to break through his shields and discover what the world and Tazia had to offer.

I found Tazia and Stefan’s relationship to be rather rushed at the end of this story. One statement from Stefan and suddenly they are in a mad dash to be together forever. Overall, it was still a decent story.

3-Star-rating

Dorian

This is a closer look at Dorian, who was a latent changeling, never being able to shift into his leopard form until his mate performed some therapy on him that cured him! You can read more about him in Hostage to Pleasure.

This was a really short story, but was very sweet. It had snippets of Dorian’s life from a kid, to a teen, and then to adulthood when he finally was able to shift. I felt for him when he was younger and couldn’t call his cat, being teased for it, and even being beat up from the inside from his frustrated leopard that couldn’t get out. But nothing compares to how things changed for him once he was able to shift. I loved how his pack reacted all coming together to play with him! I really enjoyed this story and wished it was longer, to be honest!

4 star

Partners in Persuasion

Felix is a submissive wolf changeling and one of the dominant leopard changelings, Dezi, has made her interest clear. Felix can’t deny the attraction, but he’s been burned by a dominant in the past and is scared to get hurt again. He’s ready to settle down and start a family, and he doesn’t think he could ever have anything serious with a dominant. Despite both he and Dezi knowing it will never work, they just can’t seem to stay away from one another.

I love the changeling/changeling relationships! There is really no surprise there. Although I was a little concerned, I wouldn’t like a submissive male … I do like the cocky confident guys afterall! But I did end up really enjoying Felix.

Singh always does such a good job of showing us the changelings, human and animal so well blended that I don’t normally give much thought to their animal part of themselves. But this story really made us look at it. Felix was ready to throw caution to the wind, but his wolf was scared. Both Felix and Dezi had to work to alleviate his fears. And it was great once his wolf realized he was safe.

This short story really read like a full-length novel and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this couple.

5-star

Flirtation of Fate

Kenji and Garnet were great friends growing up. As they got older, attraction simmered. That is until Garnet’s 21st birthday when Kenji stood her up. She has no idea why the usually kind-hearted wolf would hurt her so badly, but she’s never forgiven him. It’s been seven ears, each now in charge of their own SnowDancer territory. But now Kenji has come to her territory on business. But shortly after his arrival a murder takes place in the pack and they must figure out what happened or an innocent man could lose his life to pack law.

Kenji and Garnet work together through the investigation and both realize that their relationship isn’t as dead as they’d both like to believe. But Kenji is still holding on to a secret and refuses to get close. But Garnet vows she will know the truth about that horrible night before he leaves her den.

Ah!! Nalini Singh, you slay me! A second chance romance AND a changeling/changeling romance at that! I’m such a sucker for both that it’s no surprise I gave this story five stars!

I loved Kenji and Garnet. Kenji was such a sweet guy and so obviously in love with the girl he never thought he could have. I figured out his big secret early on. It’s the only thing that made sense. The only conceivable reason I could come up with that he would leave Garnet so devastated. But knowing the why of it all did not make the ride to the big reveal any less enjoyable. I was hoping for one last surprise at the end of the book, but it didn’t come. Maybe in the future?? One can hope anyway.

This was another short story that read like a full-length novel that I just wanted more of!

Overall Thoughts:

I’m not usually a fan of short stories, but this was a great collection of them and a nice treat for my changeling loving heart. There really isn’t anything I would change about this collection. I even loved the order the stories were presented to us. It starts out good, but gets better with each tale, ending on an amazing note. If you are a fan of the Psy-Changeling series, this is a book you won’t want to miss!

I really hope that Singh has more for us planned in the future!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

I love everything that Nalini Singh writes! Her novellas are like a full book to me. I get all the feelings and connection that i would get from a full size book.

Echo of Silence - I loved Tazia and Stefan. I loved the time they spent together helping the village after the mud slide. It was so sad when we learned Stefan's past. How his family died in a rock slide when he was 3 or 4 and he kept trying to teleport to them but they had died :( I'm glad he brought Tazia back to her family. This story also made me excited to read about the water changelings in the next story arc!

Dorian - i didn't think i needed more from Dorian's story, but i was so wrong! I loved being in his life again. I loved seeing him when he was young. I liked how strong he was and his interactions with Lucas, Mercy and Vaughn when they were all young. I also liked the scene when Clay first became apart of their pack. I also loved when Dorian was finally able to change and he told Lucas then the rest of the pack. It was very touching! I'm so glad she added his story <3

Partners in Persuasion - i loved hearing about a dominant female and a submissive male and i also loved that it was a leopard and wolf pairing! I hope we get more of those in the next arc. I loved how Felix courted Dezi and i loved when they were in a bar fight and Felix didn't feel emasculated because she was more dominant and could handle herself. He let her fight and he had her back. Loved it!

Flirtation of Fate - I've been wondering about Kenji and Garnet since Hawke's book! I'm so glad to finally get their story! I loved the mystery even though it was kinda sad. I liked how it showed that all changelings weren't good, even in the Snowdancer pack. And i'm so glad that Kenji finally told Garnet why he broke her heart so long ago. There connection was amazing and i'm so glad they came together.

This was a get novella. I can't wait for the second story arc to start!

Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh is book 15.5 of her fantastic Psy/Changeling series. Wild Embrace is a collection of 4 new novellas. Those of you who have followed my reviews, know that I am a huge fan of Nalini Singh, and this series is my all time favorite. It is always wonderful to review a psy/changeling story, but what I find amazing is how much I also enjoy every single short story or novella that Nalini gives during the course of every year. They are so much fun.

To do a review on novellas is difficult, so I will try to give you my thoughts, as the descriptions are above.

Echo of Silence: This was a very sweet story featuring a Psy and human, taking place in the earlier days. Tazia is our human heroine, who is an engineer at a deep sea station, and Stefan is our Psy hero. Tazia has been away from home for a long time, having left her family to do what she enjoys. But she still yearns to hear from them. Stefan senses Tazia’s emotions, everytime the mail comes and nothing is for her. Being a Psy, with silence, he does not truly understand those emotional feelings of Tazia. With the station having a month long break, Stefan is on his way to help an area hit by an earthquake. Since she is alone, he tells Tazia to come and help with the search and rescue, What follows is a nice slow build romance between two people totally different. As Tazia watches Stefan push himself over and beyond to savee, she realizes that he does have some emotions. They will both fall in love, as she is the perfect mate to bring Stefan out of silence and he will help bring her back to her long lost family. Very nicely written.

Dorian: I loved this one, even if it was the shortest of the four. Dorian has always been one of our favorites, and it was so great to see his story when he was a child who could not shift to his wolf form. In his book, Hostage to Pleasure, we see him finally find his mate, and his wolf. But Nalini has given us a wonderful look at the hours after he finally shifts for the first time, and we spend this time with his pack as they all join in the fun with Dorian. This was such a wonderful and fun story. Thank you, Nalini.

Partners in Persuasion: Desiree (Dezi) is the dominant femal e leopard from Dark River. She is attracted to Felix, who is submissive wolf from SnowDancer. Felix has had a bad relationship with another dominant female, and refuses to allow himself to act on Dezi’s advances. Dezi does her best to try to not intimidate Felix, and perhaps just be friends, though that is difficult for her, since she wants so much more. It is a slow build relationship, with two people whom we can to adore, and wanted them together. Another story that Nalini writes so well, allowing us to see Felix begin to fall for Dezi, and learn to build his confidence and trust. Nicely done.

Flirtation of Fate: It was great to see Kenji and Garnet’s (Jem) story. Garnet’s heart was broken 7 years ago by Kenji, who in those days was known for being a fun loving womanizer. But we see early on that he loves Garnet, and deep down, he is hiding a secret to the truth from years before. Both Kenji and Garnet are leaders of their pack within SnowDancer.

This is a slow build romance, but the main part of this story is a murder investigation that Garnet is in charge of. Kenji will join her to help resolved this difficult and puzzling case. It was a very nice mystery, which had us stumped almost to the end. I loved seeing both Kenji and Garnet eventually find their way to each other, especially when Kenji finally reveals the truth. Another great story in this anthology.

Wiid Embrace was a wonderful enjoyable anthology that held my attention throughout. I am not usually an anthology fan, but I loved every moment of this book. Once again, if you have not read this fantastic series, you are missing a gem. You need to go back and start with Slave to Sensation and see for yourself why Nalini Singh and her Psy/Changeling series are my all time favorites.
Reviewed by Barb

“Echo of Silence”
In the heart of the deep-sea station Alaris, a chance encounter with her Psy station commander has human engineer Tazia looking at the telekinetic Stefan in a whole new way. Psy are Silent. Emotionless. And Tazia’s sure her inexplicable attraction to Stefan will come to nothing… Until an unexpected trip lets her see the man beneath the calm façade.

“Echo of Silence” is sweet as can be. It’s a romance of discovery and joy and I absolutely adored it. Tazia is a brilliant engineer who is estranged from her family because she chose her dream job over marrying and living in the village she grew up in. I loved the attention and importance given to Tazia’s culture; it’s not something we see too often in romance. Stefan is also alone in the world. He’s Psy, but not the perfect vision of a Silent Psy. He comes alive with Tazia, and watching them come into their own and find happiness over the course of the story was simply beautiful. It’s not a simple matter of falling in love for them. Cultural mores and the threat of discovery over Stefan breaking Silence aren’t obstacles that are easy to overcome. You’ll be cheering them on, however, because the risk is worth it when you have two such smart, generous, endearing characters to root for.

“Dorian”
Dorian captured my heart from the very first in Slave to Sensation and he remains my favorite of the Psy-Changeling characters to this day. It’s no surprise, then, that “Dorian” made me melt. The story is a series of vignettes following Dorian from childhood – where he struggled with his inability to shift and the pain it caused him and his leopard – through adulthood and the events of his book, Hostage to Pleasure. This story is truly a treat for anyone who loves Dorian. It gives extra insight not only into his character, but into the bonds between pack members. “Dorian” is sweet, heartwarming, and definitely makes me go all squishy just thinking about it.

“Partners in Persuasion”
Submissive wolf Felix has been hurt before by a dominant female and he’s not about to risk his heart again on any dominant, even one as beautiful as Dezi. Yet there’s something about the leopard changeling Felix can’t seem to ignore and it’s not long before he begins to wonder if he can trust her enough to try a relationship. But it’s not only their human hearts Dezi and Felix will have to convince if they want to take things to their next level; the animals that are every bit as much of their nature may break them apart before they have a chance to discover all they could have together.

It’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite story in this anthology, but “Partners in Persuasion” may just be mine. A female dominant/male submissive pairing like Dezi and Felix have never taken center stage in the series and I loved this change. Dezi is strong, confident, and sexy, but she’s always tangled with other dominants. She’s attracted to Felix, but the quiet horticulturalist is incredibly wary. He’s smart and strong in his own right, but his submissive nature means that both he and Dezi have to be extremely careful when courting. The attraction between them is palpable and they are both such rich, interesting characters that it’s impossible not to root for them. But it isn’t easy for them to navigate the delicate balance between persuasion and unwitting coercion, and the struggles they faced made “Partners in Persuasion” one heck of a compelling read. Every obstacle they faced, every setback only made the story feel more real and I honestly could have read an entire book about Dezi and Felix. The way they are completely gone over one another, how Dezi appreciates Felix’s strength and nurturing and he sees the woman who should be treasured not just the fearsome leopard in her, just grabbed my heart. Theirs isn’t just a story of passion and love (though there’s plenty of that), but of trust earned and taking care of those you want to call your own. I loved everything about “Partners in Persuasion” and I hope to see Dezi and Felix as a couple pop up in future Psy-Changeling books.

“Flirtation of Fate”
On the night of her twenty-first birthday, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. The two are now lieutenants and their flirtation/bickering is well known throughout the SnowDancer pack. Yet Kenji won’t ever let Garnet see that the two of them are meant to be, for he has a secret that means he will never ask her to give him a second chance. Then the two of them team up to investigate a packmate’s murder, and close quarters make it nearly impossible for Kenji to keep his feelings hidden from the too-perceptive wolf he’s always loved.

Sparks fly right, left, and center in “Flirtation of Fate.” Garnet and Kenji have great chemistry and the wealth of emotion between them had the pages of their story flying by. Kenji has loved Garnet for years, but he hides his feelings for her under the guise of teasing and flirtation. He wants her to be free, but he can’t bear to let her go, and though I won’t spoil his reasons why, I think his secret will be clear to readers from the start. Kenji has made mistakes with Garnet, but those mistakes were made with a good heart. Garnet, in turn, carries a wealth of hurt from his rejection of her all those years ago, but now that they’re forced to work together, she’s starting to see that Kenji’s attitude is hiding something. I loved watching Garnet go after him and was rooting for them to break down each other’s walls and grab the happiness that’s long overdue. A mystery involving a packmate’s murder adds another dimension to the story though, like Kenji’s secret, it seemed fairly clear how things were going to play out. Still, Kenji and Garnet made me smile and I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two dance.

Wild Embrace is a must read for any Psy-Changeling fan. Each of the four stories are so different, yet all feature strong, memorable characters who will grab your heart and not let go. Nalini Singh is a master of worldbuilding, but she’s also phenomenal at creating interesting, unique characters. “Echo of Silence,” “Dorian,” “Partners in Persuasion,” and “Flirtation of Fate” are all character-focused stories and the timelines are spread out through the course of the Psy-Changeling series. I loved getting to know more about relatively minor (with the exception of Dorian) players in the Psy-Changeling series and each of these stories makes the series as a whole feel richer. Wild Embrace is unique, gripping, and as wonderfully entertaining as I’ve come to expect any Nalini Singh story to be.

Kimberly
Review courtesy of Wit and Sin

Nalini Singh is one of my very favorite authors. Her Guild Hunter series is my absolute favorites (tied with J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, of course). The Psy/Changeling books are always difficult for me to get into because there are so many technical details that my brain just can’t process and enjoy the book at the same time.

However, I never have that issue with the novellas, which is why I pounce on them! You don’t have to be vested in the series to read them. Ms. Singh can make magic in any number of words or pages, no matter how vast or compact. And she has me thoroughly enchanted with these four gems taken from the Psy/Changeling world . . .

ECHO OF SILENCE
Wow! This story was absolutely beautiful. It’s one of the best love stories I’ve ever read and I need more of Tazia and Stefan’s story!

I loved everything about this novella. I loved that Tazia respected her beliefs and values and stayed true to them. My heart broke for her that she chose to follow her dreams instead of being the dutiful daughter and following her father’s plans for her life. Stefan is an emotionless telekinetic psy, but found himself drawn to Tazia the instant they met a year earlier. A forbidden love with deadly consequences. Is it worth the risk?

Love, love, LOVED it!

DORIAN
This story follows one of the DarkRiver sentinels, Dorian. When he was born, he was diagnosed as a latent, which means he is unable to shift into his changeling form. Every chapter is a snippet from Dorian’s life as he deals with his latency. Even though he couldn’t shift, his pack mates never treated him as less than. He’s always been a valued member of the pack. Dorian gets a happily ever after in more ways than one.

PARTNERS IN PERSUASION
This is another beautiful love story that will tug hard on those heartstrings! Dezi is a dominant leopard soldier that falls hard for the submissive wolf Felix. Unfortunately, there are a lot of rules regarding unmatched pairings in the changeling world. Being a dominant, Dezi has to be careful not to use her dominance against less powerful changelings, including a certain sexy wolf who’s captured Dezi’s attention.

Felix had his heart broken by a dominant wolf in the past and has no plans to do that again. However, he can’t help the attraction he has to Dezi. His wolf, on the other hand senses the dominant predator in Dezi and is fearful. There’s no way a dominant and a submissive would work. Could they?

Oh my goodness!!!! I absolutely LOVED Felix and Dezi’s story! I think Ms. Singh handled this perfectly! In most romance stories, paranormal and otherwise, the dominant character is usually the male. But when those roles are reversed? I don’t think I’ve ever read one, until now. I loved every word of the story and love, love LOVED the way it was told. I love how Dezi recognized the imbalance and did everything she could to make sure Felix was treated as a strong male and an equal mate. “Submissive doesn’t mean weak.” It was amazing! Did I mentioned I loved it? The only thing bad about this story is that it ended too soon! LOVED IT!

FLIRTATION OF FATE
I was happy with the first three stories but Kenji made me mad right off the bat! To just disregard Garnet and become a notorious ladies’ man. I wanted to claw his face off! There’s also a mystery that quickly unfolds and had me dying for answers! During the mystery, Kenji and Garnet’s feelings reignite and sparks quickly fly. Kenji reveals a secret to Garnet that’s held him back from claiming her as his. Yes, it was noble, but he still made me mad with all his catting around. Jerk! I hope she makes him grovel…A LOT!

The entire book is awesome and there’s a story in here for everyone! First loves, second chances and life-changing circumstances are just some of the awesomeness in each and every novella! You don’t have to follow the series to enjoy or relate to the stories. You’ll fit right in! I HIGHLY recommend this and every book by Nalini Singh!

***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***

Nalini Singh is one of the few authors I’ve read who’s capable of writing so much in so little. Despite the novella length of each of the stories in Wild Embrace, they are all packed with heart and emotion. I seriously loved reading Wild Embrace – it’s only made me even more immersed and in love with the Psy-Changeling world. If you’re a fan of the series, you don’t want to miss out on these four stories!

Echo of Silence: If you’ve missed the old Psy-Changeling romance where the two characters are different species, like I’ll admit I have, then you HAVE to read Echo of Silence. The heroine, Tazia, is human, an engineer who’s captivated by her Psy station commander. As a Psy, Stefan is quiet and in control of all emotions. This novella is set before the Psy broke Silence, so it’s forbidden for Stefan to fall for Tazia, but when they start to work together in close proximity, you can feel the developing emotions between them. This story warmed my heart and is definitely my favorite in Wild Embrace.

Dorian: This is the shortest of the novellas, and not a romance, but I loved it anyway. We’re back with Dorian, getting snippets of his past and present, back from when he was struggling with his latent Changeling to now in his utter happiness and contentment with his mate and adopted children. We also see much of Dorian’s friends, including all the sentinels and Lucas. It was great to dive back into DarkRiver, because I’ve definitely missed them.

Partners in Persuasion: I loved the idea of this novella, with a romance between a SnowDancer male submissive and a DarkRiver female dominant. And obviously, Nalini Singh doesn’t disappoint – I was fascinated with this Changeling pairing role-reversal. Felix and Dezi’s romance is seriously the sweetest! It grew at a slow, genuine pace and put a smile on my face.

Flirtation of Fate: Kenji and Garnet is the main reason why I was most excited to read Wild Embrace, because throughout the series we’ve seen the chemistry between these two as they go head-to-head and we don’t know why they aren’t already together. Well, now we finally find out the reason and I’ll admit, Kenji’s reason for pushing Garnet away was a little disappointing. I didn’t feel like it warranted him breaking her heart and staying away for years. But other than that, it was wonderful to see these two, who have always been meant for each other, finally get together.

Is it too soon to already want more Psy-Changeling? I seriously can’t get enough of this series, and Wild Embrace has only just barely whetted my appetite for more. While this book isn’t necessary to keep up with the series, it’s still an incredible, entertaining read that gives you an even more in-depth glance at the Psy-Changeling world. I wouldn’t say you need to be all caught up to read this either – whether you’ve read all fifteen books out so far, or just one, Wild Embrace has all the PNR goodness that Nalini Singh is so good at delivering.

When it comes to urban fantasy/paranormal romance it simply doesn't get better than Nalini Singh. There's just something magical about her writing and the amazing worlds she creates. And the characters, they're incredibly well fleshed out and fully three-dimensional, from the smallest role to the largest. The Psy-Changling world in particular has one heck of a large cast of characters and not a single one fades to the background. It's incredibly impressive. What's even more impressive is how rich of a story she can tell in just short novella formats, which leads me to this book. WILD EMBRACE both impressed and enthralled me from the very first page. Simply put, if you're a fan of the series you cannot miss this book. It checks in with characters both new and old, ones that have been mentioned but no really focus previously now shine.

Echo of Silence brings us to the illusive but fascinating Stefan that had been mentioned in several books previously. I was really happy to see the story behind his reclusive-ness, and loved every minute of it. It's incredibly sweet and the following tradition/forging new paths aspect were particularly enjoyable. A very heart-warming novella.

I absolutely loved Dorian's story. While it's the shortest novella, it covers the most amount of time, packing in an incredible amount of emotion in such a small package. With him being a non-shifter for so long yet still having his shifter side trapped inside, there was a whole heck of a lot going on with him. While he may have had a full book previously, I felt this novella really brought out his character and I'm so glad I was able to read it.

Partners in Persuasion was simply a lot of fun. It involves a dominant female chasing after a submissive male. There's a whole lot of a cat and mouse going on and nothing goes smoothly at all. I really enjoyed watching this duo learn to make their very, very different natures to find romance.

Finally Flirtation in Fate is a pair of reunited lovers that included all that yummy tension you'd expect in this kind of story. Garnet wants nothing to do with Kenji and he's dead set on changing her mind. Definitely a lot of fun to watch that "dance."

Trust me, if you enjoy the Psy-Changling world, you're in for a treat. Run, do not walk to your nearest bookstore and snatch this one up.

The “alpha author of paranormal romance”* presents a stunningly sensual collection of four all-new Psy-Changeling novellas, in which taboos are broken, boundaries are crossed, and instincts prove irresistible...

Echo of Silence
In a deep-sea station, Tazia Nerif has found her life’s work as an engineer, keeping things running smoothly. But she wants nothing more than to break down the barrier of silence between her and her telekinetic Psy station commander...

Dorian
A changeling who can never shift lives a life of quiet frustration—until he learns how to let his leopard come out and play...

Partners in Persuasion
Still raw from being burned by a dominant female, wolf changeling Felix will never again risk being a plaything. But for dominant leopard Dezi, he’s the most fascinating man she’s ever met. She just has to convince this gun-shy wolf that he can trust the dangerous cat who wants to take a slow, sexy bite out of him…

Flirtation of Fate
Seven years ago, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. Now the wolf packmates have to investigate the shocking murder of one of their own. And the more Kenji sees of the woman Garnet has become, the deeper he begins to fall once more. But even his primal instincts are no match for the dark secret he carries.

My Review:
I really loved Wild Embrace, Nalini gave us so much with the anthology of novellas. They were short but they gave us so much. From the alluring men who loved their women, women who took control, and passion that defines the reason why the Psy series makes up some of our all time favorite cast of characters.

I highly recommend if you're a Singh fan. If you haven't read Singh's Psy-Changeling series yet take advantage of it because you are totally missing out!

Reviewed By:
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews

Rating:
5 Stars

Disclaimer:
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

Source:
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley Publishing.

Note:
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! I love hearing from followers!
Thank you!

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5
As always Nalini writes stories that I don’t ever want to end. Then you had in the talented voice goddess Angela Dawe and I am Psy-Changeling heaven. It is no wonder that this is one of my most favorite series ever.
I loved these stories.
In Echo of Silence we get to follow Tazia and Stephan’s journey of falling in love during a trying time of the Psy race. Silence hasn’t fallen yet, but Tazia and Stephan can’t stop fate.

Dorian oh my goodness!!! Dorina’s story made me tear up more than once. Dorina has always been one of my favorite changeling characters so getting his back story made me and extremely happy girl.

Partners in Persuasion was such a cute story. I really enjoyed listening to Dezi and Feliz’s story. It was great to watch this couple struggle with wanting to be together and not knowing how to make it happen.
Flirtation of Fate I enjoyed Kenji and Garnet’s story. We have seen these two throughout the whole series so it was great to finally get to know them better. I enjoyed watching them work together to solve a murder.
Love this series. I can’t wait to see what Nalini has in store for us next!! And of course I will continue to listen to this series as long as Ms. Dawe is the narrator!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Wild Embrace is another "feeling" packed, heart sqeezing, beautifully written collection of short stories set in the Psy-Changeling World.
Here, Nalini gives to her fans 3 completely new stories and some scraps of scenes about Dorian. I simply LOVED Dezi and Felix' story (Partners in Persuasion). Female dominant changeling and submissive male changeling has never been tried before by Nalini and she hendled the pair masterfully. I also found very interesting the story about Stefan (Psy) and Tazi (human) -Echo of Silence- that has definitely more weight if we look at the future of the series. In fact it is strictly linked to Allegiance of Honor and gives an ulterior insight in what happens there. Dorian's, as I said, were just brief glimpses -cute ones, ok- on his life since childhood. However, nothing more than that.
Lastly, Kenji' story. Well, darn. I must admit I was expecting something more from his story. You know, with all that hair color and flair he is quite a unique character but this story (the longest in the book) didn't satisfy completely my need to know him. With this I am not saying that Nalini Singh didn't write beautiful, lovable and intense characters and stories...because, as usual, she did. I am just hoping for something more in the fututre ;)

''''' Echo of Silence
''''' Dorian
''''' Partners in Persuasion
''''' Flirtation of Fate

Believe it or not, Wild Embrace is my first Nalini Singh novel. I have several of her books and have been wanting to read her work for a long time, but I'm ashamed to say, I just haven't carved out the time until now, despite all the wonderful things I"ve heard about her writing. Needless to say, everything I've heard and read are true. She is truly an awesome author.

Wild Embrace includes 4 novellas and is part of her Psy-Changeling Series. The paranormal characters that are featured in this intriguing and exiting paranormal romance were both creative and captivating. I wasn't sure I would be able to catch on, since I've not read any of the series prior to this book, but I was so very pleasantly surprised that I totally enjoyed it and didn't feel like I was missing anything at all. Granted, I am sure I would have enjoyed it all the more had I read the books prior to this in her series, but alas, I did not and I am still so very glad I decided to read this one.

Nalini Singh has created a world of shifters, psychics, and humans that is unique, enjoyable, and somewhere you can get lost in. Fans of Singh, I'm sure, will devour this book, and fans of paranormal romance in general, will most certainly love it. Definitely add this to your to be read list. Now that I have my toes wet, I can't wait to dive into more from this author.

Four fantastic new short stories that take place in the Psy-Changeling world by the fantastic Nalini Singh.
Echo of Silence – The gives us a look at the workings of an undersea station and a really sweet and endearing love story between a Psy tk and a human engineer that culminates amidst the tragedy of an earthquake.
Dorian – Dorian has long been one of my favorite characters and while we know what happened to him this story fills out how he felt dealing with it all.
Partners in Persuasion – Several Psy-Changeling stories have dealt with the problems of dominant / submissive personalities and each is as different as the characters themselves. In this story we have a submissive male who has been burnt by love with a dominant female and it has affected his relationships to this point. But now there is a dominant cat that has his wolf sitting up and howling. Can he put his heart on the line one more time?
Flirtation of Fate – My favorite of the four as we have watched the flirtation and give and take between Kenji and Garnet through several books. In this story we find out why things are the way they are between them and see if they can resolve their issues all while solving a locked door murder mystery.
This book is a prime example of why Nalini Singh is an auto-buy author for me.

"Wild Embrace" is a collection of four novellas that take place in another world where there are Psy, changelings, and humans. I have never been exposed to this universe before, so it was a little hard to read and understand at first, but once I finished the first novella, the rest made a lot more sense. The first and last in the book ended up being my favorites (Echo of Silence and Flirtation of Fate). The romance is built nicely and they are complete stories/just the right length! If you like Spock and romance, the first is perfect- the Psy Stefan has been trained to suppress emotions and reminded me of the Vulkans... The other two novellas were a little too short to have the same nice build and complete story. Singh has created some well developed characters with just the right touch of paranormal/sci-fi aspects. I think it ends up working nicely even as a stand alone, but now I am very curious to read others in the series! Please note that I received an uncorrected advance copy through goodreads giveaways.

Well, hell. I told myself I'd savor this collection of Psy-Changeling shorts—maybe drag out the reading of them to make the experience that much sweeter.

I tried. I did. It was just so hard, given the way these characters captured my heart...and the entirety of my attention.

Echo of Silence
I really, truly LOVE stories that feature a Psy, their silent exterior and their battle with their newly-emerging emotions. This story was wonderful. Despite the short form, it didn't ever feel rushed—the relationship between Stefan and Tazia a well-paced and sweetly emotional one. I felt Echo of Silence deep in my heart, and loved seeing the complicated-yet-easy development of a forbidden-but-undeniable relationship. ~ 4.5 stars

Dorian
Although the shortest of the four, there's no doubt I would purchase this anthology for this story alone. Deeply emotional, Dorian was exactly what I felt was missing from Hostage to Pleasure--Dorian’s original book. It covers a large span of time, and showcases exactly why Dorian was—IS—my favorite sentinel. Simply amazing, and wholly rewarding for a loyal Psy-Changeling reader. ~ 5 stars

Partners in Persuasion
The role reversal... I really wasn’t sure how I'd react to this one—male submissive, female dominant—given the unusual nature of it, but Ms. Singh used this mating to highlight her amazing skill. Felix—I adored him. He wasn't weak despite his submissive nature, in the same way Dezi wasn't too brash or tough. They complemented and understood each other, and this story proved how inclusive, unique and forward this series is. It easily brought a smile to my face. A very, very big one. ~ 5 stars

Flirtation of Fate
Oh, how I've been waiting to get to know the story behind Kenji and Jem's sarcastic flirtations. And that bruise... This novella was part suspense, part romance, and all excellence. While I quickly figured out the mystery, seeing this couple finally face-off was intensely rewarding. I do perhaps wish it could have been a touch more focused on Kenji and Garnet, and a little longer—despite already being the longest story in this anthology—but regardless, I loved each word, each glimpse at a new side of the SnowDancer pack, and each insight into two dominant, complicated and lovable lieutenants. ~ 4 stars

Overall, Wild Embrace is yet another heart-pounding, page-turning, unputdownable (no matter how well-intentioned your plans may be...) installment in this amazing series. Ms. Singh has added another deep, thoughtful and unique layer to her already exceptional, complicated world, and I will be waiting with high hopes and bated breath to see what comes next. ~ Beth, 5 stars

Let my start off by saying that Wild Embrace by Nalini Singh earned five full stars and then some. If I didn’t already love Nalini’s books, this one would have hooked me in to the series. I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did, given that it is a collection of shorts and I tend to prefer full length works, but Wild Embrace packs a punch. I assumed I’d love Dorian’s story because I was already so invested in his character but I loved Tazia’s story so freaking much, and Kenji and Garnet, just WOW. I don’t even really know how to describe Wild Embrace other than to say that it is a collection of freaking awesomeness that you won’t be able to put down. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours it was that good. I feel like I’m going in to psy-changeling withdrawls already having finished both Wild Embrace and Allegiance of Honor. I’m tempted to re-read the series from the very beginning as I eagerly await the next installment.

A short easy read that often follows the problems of grouped novellas in that a few of the reads are far superior to the others. Wild Embrace is a series of four stories within Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling series. At this point, it is necessary to read the previous works to understand what is going on. Ms. Singh's work is richly drawn and full of backstory and it would be hard to be dropped into the world without a larger understanding.

The first of the four stories "Echo of Silence" introduces a character only mentioned in previous novellas. Stefan is a Psy telekinetic who falls in love with a shy engineer, Tazia Nerif in a underwater station. This was one my favorites in the novella. Both characters are richly drawn, with Tazia especially having a complicated backstory that adds depth to the character and the story. Each character acts in understandable ways and fall in love gently as they get to know each other. It was a sweet story and made me smile throughout.

The second novella, Dorian, was my least favorite. It is the backstory of the hero in "Hostage to Pleasure". It tells how Dorian, a latent changeling grew up to be a sentinel. To me, the story didn't add new information to the character and was just a retread of things we already knew.

The third story, "Partners in Persuasion" tells of the courting of Desiree, a female soldier for Dark River and Felix, Dark River's gardener. Desiree is the dominant in the relationship and has to make an effort to court a skittish submissive Felix. Felix, though attracted to Desiree understands that his submissive nature could be pulverized under Desiree and is unsure whether or not their physical compatibility could lead to a long term relationship. One thing I really appreciated about this novella was the talking. They had concerns but they talked through them and attempted to alleviate misunderstandings. They work through their problems in a very adult way that makes it easy to see how this relationship could work long term.

The last novella, "Flirtation of Fate" is the star of the book. It is long awaited backstory of Kenji and Garnet, Snow Dancer lieutenants who have been fighting for most of the series. Kenji and Garnet grew up together and developed feelings for each other, however on Garnet's 21st birthday, Kenji stood Garnet up, and changed their relationship for good. When the story begins, Garnet is dealing with a mysterious locked door murder in her territory and Kenji comes over to help. Of course, throughout the solving of the mystery, secrets come out about why Kenji stood Garnet up so long ago. In modern parlance, Kenji is a borderline TSTL hero. He keeps a secret to "protect" Garnet and even though the secret is semi-understandable, it is still frustrating. However the mystery of the murdered pack member and Kenji and Garnet and enjoyable leads.

A solid B story. It won't be one I re-read over and over again but it was an enjoyable couple of hours.

Reviewer received copy of book via Netgalley.

Wild Embrace is a new book in the Psy series and contains 4 novellas to get us though until the next Psy book.

I liked the stories. Brings the Psy and changlings back for me in a way that makes me miss this series. Nalini has created such an awesome new world that I would love to have been apart of if real.

The only downfall to this book is that if you read this and haven't ever read the series, you maybe confused as to what is going on and who the secondary character are.

I can't wait for more!

Reviewed by Shay from Mommys a Book Whore

Sent from my iPhone

Echo of Silence
I was super excited about this story because I have always been curious about Stefan, the fractured arrow working in the deep sea. Tazia was a perfect fit for Stefan, and Nalini did a great job at drawing the reader into a connection with Tazia's character. Tazia is estranged from her family, and I got caught up in the strife she felt over being an independent woman and being a dutiful daughter in her culture. We also learned why Stefan's silence has never been perfect, and why he was hidden away in the deep sea. I loved this couple so much that I really wish they would have had an entire book. I liked Tazia's family and would have loved to know more about them, and I would like to see how Stefan and Tazia are operating now that Silence has fallen.

Dorian
Dorian has always been one of my favorite characters, but I was just lamenting as I read Allegiance of Honor that I wish I could have remembered more of his story. I was actually planning a re-read for later this year. But this short story was a great refresher and let us spend some time with Dorian as a child, a sentinel and a mate. As a latent, Dorian was unable to shift into his leopard form. We saw a glimpse into how he coped with that as a child, and how he worked harder than everyone else and earned his sentinel spot. My favorite part of the story was after Dorian had shifted for the first time and told Lucas and the rest of his team... happy tears for sure.

Partners in Persuasion / Flirtation of Fate
Both of these stories focused on leopards and wolves that I do not recall from earlier books. They may have had cameos in the series, but my memory isn't that great. Felix is the first submissive male wolf that we have had as a hero, and it was interesting to see him paired with a dominant female leopard as a mate. I liked how gentle Dezi was with Felix, and it was interesting to see the tables turned and the female have to do the courting. Kenji and Garnet were both dominant wolves, and they have something like a second chance romance happening. The tables were turned in their situation as well, as the main inhibitor in their early relationship involved Kenji. Without giving the plot away, the situation between Kenji and Garnet is more often reversed in romance novels. While I was not as invested in these last two stories, I did enjoy the unique posturing.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Berkley via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wild Embrace was my first introduction to Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. I now question myself as to why I haven't read this series before. If you are a paranormal romance fan, you will love this series.
Wild Embrace is a compilation of 4 different novellas. Each one is a different lead and or couple. Each one a complete story with no cliffhangers.
The writing is fantastic! The flow of the stories was seamless.
I very much enjoyed this compilation.
Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon an Alpha.

I always look forward to diving back into the Psy-Changeling world and Wild Embrace didn't disappoint. I liked getting a closer look at the workings of this world and the daily life of the characters. I loved finally getting Stefan's backstory and it was equally wonderful to read Felix and Dezi's and Jem en Kenji's stories. I have to admit that I hadn't expected to like Dorian's short story, but it was very nice to get more details about his reaction on what happened after the epilogue of 'Hostage to Pleasure' and how he learned to cope with it. (I'm trying to avoid spoilers.) I also appreciated the glimse we got of Clay's first meeting with the pack. All this makes 'Wild Embrace' a must-read for fans of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

genre paranormal romance
setting future, alternate world
format 4 short stories, sequel (not standalone)

The first story is quite good (4 star) but a real tear jerker. It can be read in isolation. The storyline and characters are refreshingly new and unique. Basically, two hurt people find solace in friendship, which turns to love. Very nice world building.

The 2nd story is total junk (1 star) and not a romance. It starts by setting the stage for conflict, but that is resolved between one sentence and the next, leaving the bulk of the text a rambling happy but very boring rendition of who does what, following a lot of characters that maybe I would care about if I had read more of the prior books.

The 3rd story is a swing and a miss for me (2 stars). It is hard to write romance with a submissive man and dominant woman. This story does as good as I have ever seen. The flaws are instead on the plot, which just fizzles out into boredom. Again, there were far too many references to prior books that I had not read and prior book characters that I do not care about.

The 4th story is actively annoying (1 star). The leading guy cannot pursue the leading due to a mysterios secret flaw. The problem was that he worried about this flaw on nearly every page without telling us, the reader, what he was worrying about. This was very obnoxios, much like having a group of thugs play keep away with your car keys. So, way too much angst. The resolution was an equally annoying one minute discussion that made all of the angst seem stupid. A good analogy would be a child telling mom how he got hurt, and her kissing the boo boo to make it better. There is also a murder mystery, which focuses far too much on an icky & explicit crime scene investigation.

If there was one anthology that I could take with me to a desert island, it would be this one. All four books have very different vibe to each other which is I guess is what makes it a great anthology, you get all different types of tropes. All the couples and their stories are uniquely suited to them as characters. Gah I loved it. Also the cover, I want that hair color that Kenji has, alas I’m not confident enough. This is going to be as spoiler free as I can make it because seriously you need to read it.

Echo of Silence:

Rating ~ 5 stars.

One word: Adorable.

It’s set around the time period of the second book in the series all before the fall of silence, where it’s hard to be open as a Psy showing emotions let alone being in a relationship with a human which shows how difficult (an understatement) it was for Psys to live under that regime and now they are free.

We have been hearing about Stephen, Tk based at Alaris deep-sea station for a couple of years now. Most recently in the last book, Allegiance of honour where he find out that he had a link to a human. Stephen hadn’t completed his training as an Arrow when he was deemed unfit for active duty but this ofcourse doesn’t stop him or the other Arrows of thinking him as a part of the Arrows. Tazia Nerif is an engineer at the Alaris station. Tazia career choice made it things every difficult between her family and now she prefers the months spend with the friends she’s made at the station instead. Tazia and Stephen’s love is very sweet and understanding. It’s quite chaste compared to other stories because of Stephen being a high level telepath and Tazia’s culture but it didn’t make the story less interesting or the romance, less entertaining. They were wonderful together.

Dorian

Rating ~ 5 stars

One word: Sorrow&Joy (shhh it’s a word)

This was such a treat, we get to see some stages of Dorian’s life and I might have sniffled here and there. It was just wonderful to see more of how he become the man he is and how is latency affected him in his younger years. I just loved the interactions between Dorian and the pack, how much they loved and cared for him. We get to see the sorrow and the hurt he felt at being latent, to trying to become the overachiver everyone said he was and finally him being happy with his leopard. His journey was told was told in a few chapters but the effect it had was profound.

Partners in Persuasion

Rating ~ 5 stars

One word: Sweet!

Next up is Desiree ‘Dezi’ and Felix’s story. Not only is it a Leopard (Dezi) and Wolf (Felix) pairing but it’s also male submissive with a female dominant. I just don’t know how Nalini Singh does it but I end up loving all different pairings with different amounts of power and hierarchy. Felix, the horticultural expert of the SnowDancer pack has been hurt before in a relationship so isn’t up to anything with another dominant but Dezi, the leopard solider tempts him greatly. I don’t even know how to explain it but Dezi and Felix made such a great couple, he is proud and in awe of her. While she can’t help but fall for his endearing shyness and the gentleness displays. They were so cute and they made so happy, to be fair I was smiling the whole way through the book apart from where Dorian made me sad.

Flirtation of Fate

Rating ~ 4 stars

One word: Intriguing.

This one I have been waiting for years now, ever since we saw them bickering over a com. Garnet ‘Jem’ to other people and Kenji Tanaka have been in my mind for quite some times. I was ecstatic to learn that they would be getting their own story. This has more romantic suspense vibe as Garnet and Kenji both try to solve a murder of on of their own in Garnet’s den. Quite a bit part of the novella is spend finding the killer of Russ. Random fact: I learned beginner’s Japanese this summer at my uni, this made me ridiculously happy to see some words in the book but I digress. Garnet and Kenji were very close once, then Kenji broke Garnet’s heart leading to seven years of bickering and longing. Now that they have to spend some time together, it brings out old memories and feelings that were never forgotten.

Garnet was great, she’s a kickass take no prisoner kind of gal that would also like to have a mate and family and I thought that was great. I loved how she went around teasing Kenji when she realises how much she effects him.I was like at times to Kenji ‘dude just tell her’ but it was understandable why Kenji behaved the way he did. Because at the end of day he loved Garnet no matter what happened. He wanted the best for her, which he thought was never going to him. It’s a teeny bit angsty, as second chance romance can be.

Overall

I really enjoyed this book. This is such a great anthology, and it gives newer reader a chance to sample all different kinds of relationships and pairing the series has to offer. And gives the series followers stories of some of the couples they have been waiting for. The writing of the book as always with Nalini Singh flowed and made the characters and the story richer. This was a such a great year for the Psy-changeling not only did we get 5 stories (1 in Allegiance of Honour and 4 in Wild Embrace), we also got to see almost everyone that we have loved and seen in the series. I can’t wait till the next one!!

Nalini Singh writes amazing stories and this collection of novellas was delightful and filled with so many great themes of love, understanding, and forgiveness. The world she has created is magical but at the same time filled with all the problems we have hear: fear, racism, discrimination, and war...it how the characters come together to deal with these problems that make this book and this series so beautiful.

~ arc kindly provided by author and her lovely assistant ~

These stories made me laugh and cry, smile and sigh - as all of Nalini's books do.

I had previously met or read about the main characters in other stories, so it was definitely great to catch a glimpse of them in their own stories. And although Dorian had his own book, this follow-up story was so very poignant.

The stories can be read as stand-alones; be prepared though, you'll want to know more about this phenomenal world filled with beauty and heartache and love that Nalini has created.

I love all things Psy-Changeling!!! Singh is such an incredible writer and the world she has created in this series is absolutely phenomenal. I love every book she writes that introduces new characters to the series. It just simply enriches this already wonderful series.

THIS BOOK ROCKS!!! I love them all but this one just touched me!!! Dorian's story made me tear up on my train commute and I didn't care who noticed. Keep them coming Nalini , I can never get enough, I want to read them over and over again!!!!

Loved every minute of this book and have read some of the novellas several times. Totally captivated with the strength of a male submissive and the power dynamic in Grace and Felix's story. The world building remains top rate.

It was a good collection of novellas to tide us over until Silver's story. Like that it's side characters. Her writing is the same as ever, and she went for a non gender role pairing this time - good attempt.

I love these little anthologies that let me see the stories of some of the side characters, or the main characters of other books whose scenes were cut from the original. I just love this Psy-Changeling world.

I started this book at 3am and was 70%finished by 8am when I had to put it aside to get ready for my flight! Singh does an amazing job of providing depth to her characters and storylines that are believable and entertaining.

The book was great different stories and kept me interested the entire time. Love a book that grabs your attention and keeps it to the end

The more books I read by Nalini the more I want to read