Thank you NetGalley eARC. I can already tell you I love everythigng this author writes and this was the same! Loved it. Love it all.

ARC received for review

I've read several books in this series and have enjoyed them. This one was no exception. Phoenix doesn't want a mate and rejects Ashley. He keeps getting draw back to her and finally decides to stay He has his work cut out for him in getting back into Ashley's good graces and finally as his mate.

This was a bit hard to review. I didn't love the story, but I also didn't really dislike it either. I felt like so much more could have been written to make it a good story. In my opinion, the main male character, Phoenix, did not grovel enough and it was hard to see the female main character, Ashley, essentially accept him without making him actually work for her forgiveness. Phoenix rejects Ashley due to her age (there is an age gap - he is 40 and she just turned 18) and while that is understandable, he did not have to reject the way that he did. He threatened to kill her family and it seemed like the only thing that Ashley was worried about was whether or not he disliked her due to her weight.

I will say that any rejection from a mate is brutal and this was one of them. I didn't know what to expect but his reasoning was enough for me to forgive him. I liked how everything in the story unraveled and came together. I enioved reading it. It's sad for just a moment and then the warmth of instant mate connection is there. It was a quick and spicy read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one I requested on a whim. I knew of the author from previous books on my TBR, but this was my first time picking one up and I was pleasantly surprised. While the plot of the book isn't necessarily anything special (I mean - can you do anything super special with rejected mates?), this book did have other tropes that I love: like an age gap. There was enough push and pull between the characters to keep me reading and overall it was a decent read for me. I'll definitely be checking out other books by this author in the future!

Loved this book! The characters were well developed and the story flowed really well. I thought Phoenix's reasoning around rejecting Ashley made a lot of sense though he obviously could have explained that to her in the beginning (although that would have completely negated the need to write the book!). Another solid read by Sam Crescent!

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This was a quick read that kept my attention throughout the whole story. I really felt for Ashley, getting rejected the second she discovered her mate. And really thought she should have made Phoenix grovel a bit more after all those years thinking horrible things about herself.

Then again I would have made my own life in an undisclosed location to not have to see him again, so I think I hold grudges a lot more than most do lol.

I'm glad I got the chance to read this story.

This book is a feel-good shifter romance. If you are looking for something more than that, this is not it.
The story starts off running with the much older alpha, Phoenix, fated-mating a freshly-turned teen wolf, Ashley.
Ashley doesn't even get to process what is happening before she is shut down, threatened, and rejected by Phoenix. Years later, Phoenix decides he misses her and needs her back. Cue romance.
My main problem with this book was the lazy way social topics were addressed. The main girl developed an eating disorder because she misconstrued what mate-guy was saying when he was rejecting her. Ok, sure, I can see that coming from a teen girl. But then the main guy wags his finger at her when he finds out and her eating disorder is magically fixed. Main guy has a problem with the large age gap. Yes. Rightfully so. 40 verse 18 is a legit concern for grooming. But five years later its like whateves? He abandons that moral because 23 is so much more mature and he just really needs to get some. And she just forgives him because "he's really a good guy".
I wish that the author had stuck to one topic because it would have had a better potential. I don't think all was lost. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for short shifter romance where you know the drama is surface level and you will get a happy ending.

Pretty standard churned out paranormal romance. Don't go into this expecting a riveting plot. Also don't go into it expecting decent sexy bits. There are a few scenes, but they suck.

In beginning I had an instant hate for Phoenix for how he treated Ashley, as we read and find out why he made those choices I still didn’t love him. It was a cute story, and getting to see them coming together and working together was very adorable!
My only issue is I don’t think Phoenix groveled enough. The ways he “fixed” it all seemed very forced, he used his title to manipulate the situation to force her to do what he wanted. I just with he did things for her, and focused on fixing his mistakes privately since he was making her handle everything alone.

Another great shifter story from Sam Crescent, with familiar tropes and Sam's own twist. Pack outsider Ashley finally finds her mate shortly after her first shift....only turns out her made is none other than the pseudo rogue alpha who was one a nomad but no the reluctant leader/protector of her pack. Her joy at finding her partner is quickly dashed as the older and infinitely more surly Phoenix rejects her in the most brutal of ways- making very clear that he has no intentions of claiming or even acknowledging her as his. A few years later, the dejected Ashley has kept her rejection secret, silently hiding away from her back whenever the nomadic alpha makes his trips to down. Trips that have somehow become more recent. As if that isn't hard enough, she keeps bumping into her failed mate- and despite his rejection he's protective and demanding and bossy AF. Turns out the mercurial alpha is having a hard time keeping his little mate at arms length- even though he once thought he never wanted one, nor did he think his lifestyle was conducive to a happy mating. Now he's back more permanently with the pack. Cue all the tension!

Fans of Sam will find this on par with her other stories- though I keep having to remind myself that she's 3rd person POV, which has become increasingly not my preferred narrative approach. But the connection is here, the story is fast paced, the banter great. I wish we had a bit more MEAT given the opportunity presented for a more emotional story line with the rejection, but this story moves at hyperspeed. Good steam and fun though.

Cruel Mate is a good book by Sam Crescent. Not as good as some of the others in the series but just as exciting. Fantastic writing.

I just love Sam Crescent stories, like they always are quick, simple reads, but that isn't bad that is good, because very often i read this books in one sitting,

Well honestly this evolved so much better then expected. The impact of being rejected was hard and I felt it, I appreciated his reasoning and his efforts to win her back. This was sweet, sexy, and I truly enjoyed it. Another successful read from this author.

When Ashley turned 18, she experienced the best night of her life -- not only had she graduated from high school but she had turned into her wolf for the first time. Many of her pack members, and even her parents, also found their mates right after their turn, and Ashley was hoping for the same thing. Her parents always told her how amazing being with your mate could be and that being rejected is practically unheard of. But when Ashley discovers her mate is the pack's nomad biker alpha, Phoenix, she learns not all mates are amazing when he rejects her, speaking harsh words Ashley has always thought of herself but never said out loud to anyone.

Five years have passed since that night and Ashley has avoided Phoenix like he has the plague whenever he returns to their small town. She's changed jobs, gone camping or hiking in the woods, and avoided the pack whenever she catches word that he's back.

But Phoenix regrets his rejection of Ashley, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to win her back and make her his.

***************

Written in third-person POV, "Cruel Mate" follows Ashley and Phoenix as they navigate a tumultuous fated romance and struggle to repair the bond that had been ripped apart five years ago. Phoenix said harsh things when he rejected Ashley all those years ago and it has replayed in her mind ever since. Those words hurt her and caused her to spiral onto a path of harsh diets that leave her, and her wolf, physically fatigued, and I don't blame her for struggling to forgive and be around Phoenix.

We learn about Phoenix's past quite a bit and it's easy to understand why he would have rejected her all those years ago, which is why I understand Ashley forgiving him in the end but still struggling with him being around early in the book. He had never grown up in a pack, having grown up in the human foster system until he transitioned and survived on his own. He didn't understand his transition for the longest time and he struggled with the idea of being Ashley's fated mate, especially given the age gap between them (22 years), and having never really had a place to call home. But we also learn a lot about Ashley's mindset and what she felt growing up and being "bigger" than the other girls -- she's curvy so she's always had a bit more to her than the other wolves and she struggled with learning to accept that (she frequently did crash diets when she was a teen).

The conflict of the book -- and Ashley's initial reluctance to forgive Phoenix -- play directly on each other's fears and conflict with how they grew up. And it made it a lot better to read than some other fated mate werewolf books since Ashley didn't forgive him until close to the end and she continually struggled with the mindset that he could still leave her at any point in time to go back onto the road with his motorcycle. But the repetitive nature of the same inner monologue grew tiring. Phoenix would say he wouldn't leave her and loved how she looked and she would still worry that he would leave her and thought she was disgusting. It was...tiring to read sometimes.

The romance was...fine. They didn't have much in common really, but we don't completely learn about hobbies or dreams from the characters. Their sexual attraction to each other kept the book moving and their intimate scenes were good, though there were more in a short time than I would have particularly liked. But they worked out and had their happily ever after. And we did see the small fallout of the rest of the pack learning about Ashley and Phoenix's past and mating, so that was at least a little interesting -- though it was over as fast as it came.

This is an okay book to read once, and readers who enjoy second-chance romances or fated mate werewolf shifter books may enjoy this at least once. I would have rated this book higher if the conflict wasn't so repetitive and the characterization was a bit more fleshed out than them just being fated and sexually attracted to each other.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Absolutely loved this story! I really enjoyed how strong the heroine was, her character felt genuine and I enjoyed watching her hold her own against the grumpy alpha. This book had that perfect balance of growly alpha with a big dash of regret/grovel. Definitely recommend

This was a quick read but even so, the author was able to create a fun and solid story.

Ashley is eighteen and has just "turned" for the first time when she and her friends are out celebrating, she starts to feel almost sick. The reason for her feeling "off" shows up soon in the form of her "mate" who also happens to be the pack alpha. He's forty and a nomad so he feels like their's isn't a good match and promptly rejects her after kissing her. After Phoenix rejects her, Ashley is lost, heartbroken and embarrassed. No one is rejected by their true mate so the only reason she can come up with is that Phoenix must not be attracted to her because of her weight. She starts practically starving herself and does everything she can to avoid seeing Phoenix.

Several years later, Phoenix and Ashley are thrown back together and he decides that denying his and Ashley's connection is not only hurting him but appears to be damaging her as well. At this point, he has to find a way to work his way back into her heart and get her to trust him again.

It's a sweet, spicy story and I read it in one sitting. Sometimes, I just need a fun little read and this fit the bill.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read a copy of this book!

First, I am super picky about rejection stories because oftentimes what the man did is bad enough, in my opinion, for the other person to never consider dating/being with them again. Here, the author combined miscommunication with rejection in a way that caused emotional damage but didn’t make for an irreparable break in the relationship. The pacing was great, the build-up to reconciliation was better than I’ve seen in so many stories, AND it ended up being a really sweet romance (with plenty of spice).

what can i say. all books from Sam Crescent are the best. they make you swoon in some sort of way. these men are there for you and never leave your side. you are hooked.

This book was a 2-star for me. The best day of Ashley's life quickly turns into the worst when she meets her mate, only to be cruelly rejected. Phoenix has issues with Ashley's age and his lifestyle doesn't support having a mate. He quickly comes to regret this decision and 5 years later returns to town to try and make it right.

Unfortunately, I just found this story a bit flat. Ashley's insecurities are not really explained WHY they are so intense and there isn't much growth in overcoming these. Things moved quickly and it had potential I wish it would have been longer and had been more in-depth on how they make up.

Troupes: small town, enemies to lovers, fated mate, age gap
Spice: 2.5/5
Plot 2.5/5
Pace 3/5
Character Personality 2.5/5
Character Growth 3/5
Writing Style 3/5
World Building 4/5 (modern PNR not a lot of world building was needed)