Review: BREAKING TRADITIONS by Madilynn Dale

Graphic Image designed by Sandra Lopez

Natalie is a college freshman with dreams of operating her own bakery one day despite her parent's wishes. Her parents follow the old ways, a shifter society going back generations, and would prefer her paired up with her charming ex Theo. They appreciate her help with their bakery but wish to see her seek the life of a pampered stay at home mom whose primary focus is on raising babies. They don't take into consideration her feelings.

Natalie's world is flipped upside down after she meets Alex, a mage with a unique ability. Her wolf calls to him, but can she break tradition and allow herself to love him despite societal expectations?

Alex is a mage living in an unimaginable world. Growing up in a non-traditional family, he is more optimistic and open-hearted. He meets Natalie and falls head over heels, but does she feel the same? He feels an unusual bond with her, but gravity seems to be against them. Is she hiding something? Why does she push him away?

Can the two break tradition and have the love of their lifetimes? 



 Excerpt:
 

As if he feels my eyes on him, he turns around, and we make eye contact. My mouth drops open a bit as I am met with striking lime green eyes. The man they belong to is muscular with a dark head of hair and a bit of beard. He is sexy as hell, and his riveting stare makes my insides melt. 

I continue to watch him as he turns back to his group and begins to speak. They all glance in my direction and smile, making me blush. He then turns from the group to move across the room toward me. His steps are fluid as he moves, and he navigates around the crazy crowd of partygoers. As he nears, a smile breaks out across his face that seems to brighten the whole room. His effect on me is strange, but I am enjoying the attention. 

Stopping in front of me, he gets a sheepish look on his face. "Hi, I am Alexander, but you can call me Alex."

I smile and place a somewhat confident look on my face. My inner girl is doing a happy dance that this hotty is talking to me. "Hi, Alex, I'm Natalie. 

"It is nice to meet you. Are you here alone?" He says with a small frown taking the place of his smile.

"Well, yes, I guess I am. I was supposed to meet my roommate here, but I haven't seen her yet. She isn't responding to any of my texts."

"Well, that's not cool. Do you want to look for her? I can help you."

"No, that's okay. If she is here, she might be caught up in something I do not want to walk in on. She doesn't seem like the person to just ditch me."

"Oh, so you haven't known her long then?" He asks, leaning against the wall seeming to relax into the conversation more.

"No, we met early this week. I am a freshman at the Academy. Are you a student there as well?"

"Oh, a freshman. Do you like it thus far? Yes, I am a junior there as well. I am majoring in Business Administration. What is your major?"

"Oh, that is awesome. I am studying the same subject. I do like it so far. Having a small campus makes it easier to find classes."

"I can agree with that. If the campus were any bigger, I probably would not have chosen to attend it. Do you want another drink? I am feeling thirsty." He says, pointing to my cup, which is now empty.

"Oh, I didn't even realize I drank it all. Sure, that would be nice." I look at my cup again and then offer it to him.

Taking the cup, he says, "Okay, I am going to step over here and fill it up. You can watch me if you would like. I promise not to mess with it or anything. I have sisters, and I would hate for someone to do that to them."

"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that. I am not much of a party goer usually. Thank you for being honest."

I watch as he moves back toward the kitchen. He seems like a nice guy so far, and I get this strange yet comforting vibe from him. Not having much experience in the dating department, I can't decide if that is normal or not. 

After a few minutes, he returns with drinks in hand. 

"Thanks," I say, reaching for my cup. 

"You are most certainly welcome." He smiles. "So, what type of magical abilities do you have? Is that too forward of a question?"

I laugh then sip my beer. "No, that question is fine. I am a wolf shifter, so I have your typical heightened senses and strength. What about you? I can't sense that you are a shifter."

He laughs, breaking out into that gorgeous smile again. "You are right. I am not a shifter but a mage. I have some unique abilities that classify me as an Animagus but nothing over the top."

"Oh? What can you turn into?" I ask with my eyebrows raised in curiosity. 

"Well, that is a secret, if I tell you I might have to kill you." 

I laugh at his awkward attempt at flirting. 

"Really, though, I can turn into a snowy owl. It is something my grandfather taught me how to do when I was younger."

"That is interesting. Is it similar to how shifters change forms?" 

"Hmm, I don't think so. Does it hurt when you turn into a wolf?" 

"It did for the first few times I did it, but after that, I blocked it out. Does it hurt for you?" I shift my weight as I stand and lean into the wall beside us. 

"No, but it takes a lot of focus and concentration at first. I have to clear my mind to allow myself to change. If I lose focus, it just stops."

"So, you get stuck in half shift then?" 

"No, unfortunately. My body just stays torqued into odd angles without animal features. It is not comfortable when that happens. The idea of being able to shift and have my wings partially would be awesome, but for some reason, an Animagus is unable to do that."

"Well, that sucks. I guess that is one of the things that sets us shifters apart from an Animagus. We can partially shift, see." 

I lift my left arm and hold my cup with my right. I call out to my inner wolf, and within seconds my hand is covered in fur, and my fingers have elongated into claws.

 

My review: Natalie was venturing out into college. Being born with shifter abilities, she was allowed to transform into a wolf. She comes from a wolf pack, which traditions on finding a mate. Wolves were stringent on sticking with their own species and were bred to mate for life. She thought her last boyfriend, a fellow shifter, would be it, but he was too controlling.

At a party, Natalie meets Alex, a mage with the ability to turn into an owl. The two are instantly captivated by each other and feel an attraction. But should they date? Not many mages were known to date shifters.

Natalie was tired about hearing of her family traditions, especially about the female shifter’s role in being family oriented (no job, her place was in the home.) How archaic. This was the new age and female were supposed to be independent.

Story had an easy narrative that carries wells throughout the book. At times, however, it had a daunting pace with its superfluous and repetitive details.

Alex and Natalie have such a connection that they are able to communicate telepathically. They begin to fall for each other and are constantly worried how her parents will react to their union.

A jealous ex, a strict family, and society’s expectations are all obstacles keeping the lovers apart. Will they overcome the barriers and break traditions?

A classic Romeo and Juliet story. A lovely romantic entanglement between two species.

A nice read!

My rating: 4 stars