Bonds of the Maleri is an Anthology of stories which tell of each Maleri male as they set out to find their mates. Not an easy task by any means as they have to sometimes learn patience in teaching their potential mates to understand the mating bond and how serious it really is. Coltas Oldaire was living on borrowed time, when he went hunting for his mate. He met Matt, who was horrified at learning that Col could make him lose control. A control he had spent most of his life fighting to maintain after having endured so much pain and torture. But Col had no choice except to fight to help Matt earned his trust because his very life hung on the balance.

Matt's brother Eric found himself caught up in a whole new world. Seth and Greyan were finding it difficult to hold on to their emotions, unknown to Eric whose own emotions were affecting them as he was their mate. Finding himself on an alien world, Eric soon found what he was looking for most of his life. His mates didn't hesitate to show him but they had to be careful for an enemy had them in its sights.

Chasetian's mate would be someone he never thought would happen. After all, Caz was a chameleon and a thief. But Chase would have to choose between his job as chief of security and the one intended to be his mate. The relationship between these two is very explosive, both in and out of bed. With hurt feelings and betrayal, they will both learn that nothing is what it seems.

When Jace set out to teach the shy Zebian about how to run a ranch, he never expected to find himself falling for him. After all, Zebian was a Maleri, but he wasn't as confident as the others. He wasn't good around people and had to learn with Jace's help that when a Maleri bond is made, nothing can break it except death.

In the final tale of the Maleri, we meet Jor who has been in exile from the Maleri and who refuses to mate. Jor meets Dane who has endured years of pain at the loss of his Maleri mate and fought against the heated attraction to Jor. But both must learn and will learn to overcome grief and pain in order to help make one another whole again.

This anthology is a very touching and moving book of stories, one I recommend that anyone read. With its highly erotic and intriguing race of the Maleri, you will soon find yourself wanting to learn more about them and those who would become their mate.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Margo Arthur
August 11, 2008