[Novella Review] Homecoming By Cecilia Robert & Dark Matter Coffee A Love Supreme

Title: Homecoming
Series: Cloaked Devices 0.5
Author: Cecilia Robert
Publisher: Cecilia Robert
Publication date: October 25th 2013
Page Count: 132 pages
Age Rating: Adult (explicit sexual scenes)
How I got my hot little hands on it: Received a free ARC to review

Five years ago, twenty-three-year-old panther shifter Sera Czedar left her home and her newly mated groom in a humiliating position after a mating ceremony gone wrong. She built a new life for herself in Varselles, the City of Outcasts where shifters exiled from their clans in the Seven Kingdoms can go for sanctuary.

Five years ago, panther shifter Levian Grayson was abandoned on the bonding bed by his bride, Sera. After years of tracking her, he arrives in Varselles, intent on staking his claim on her once and for all, even if it means hauling her over his shoulder just to make sure that happens.

Sera has always known her homecoming would eventually catch up with her one day. The one thing she can’t bear to do is hurt Levian, which will happen as soon as he finds out the reason she left him. Is she ready to take that path? Most of all, will Levian still want her when the truth comes out?

My Review

Homecoming is a steampunk/shifter fantasy short story following panther shifter Levian Grayson as he tracks down his errant mate to bring her home and Sera Czedar, the errant mate with a secret to hide.

I’ve never read a book by Cecilia Robert before and now I feel like I’ve been missing out. This short story is so well written and packed with emotion and rich descriptions that I couldn’t put it down. I was so engrossed in the unfolding story I spent an entire afternoon and read it from beginning to end with no pauses. The characters are fantastically rendered and it was just so easy to empathize with them that I actually found my eyes tearing up in some places.

I adored all the characters in this short story, but none more than Levian. He’s so loving and sweet, but yet powerful and dominant. *swoon*. The all-encompassing, all-consuming, and unconditional way he loves Sera was just heartwarming. Sera was a really relatable heroine who isn’t perfect and has made some big mistakes, but she’s never given up and she’s thrived in the face of the obstacles thrown at her. The only character I wasn’t too fond of was Tegue, Levian’s twin brother, whom I felt was a giant man-boy and was let off the hook for his irresponsible actions again and again, but he was still loyal (in his own way) and seemed willing to make changes.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. If you love paranormal romance, shifter stories, or steampunk fantasy I recommend picking it up. I am dying to get my hands on the series this book is setting up.

In light of the unbreakable love between Sera and Levian, how can I recommend anything but A Love Supreme by Dark Matter Coffee. Some things just go together, like Sera and Levian or (in the case of this medium blend coffee) hints of chocolate and peanut butter. This coffee boasts flavor highlights of cocoa, peanut butter, and walnut, which give it a rich and smooth nuttiness that really tastes great with a dash or two of creamer.