Waking Up: The Omega of His Dreams, Kiki Burrelli

I love alpha men who find real strength in love and support and freedom for their omegas and omegas that have personality, wants, and desires of their own outside of mating and procreation. These men both have what I'm looking for in a perfect pairing. Will is playful, creative, and determined. Henry is gentle, understands true strength, and protective without smothering. Together they make such a great pair.

Will is engaged to a high-powered alpha that is more old school in terms of superiority of alphas and might makes right. Henry is employed by the building's owner where Will lives. With a meet-cute in an elevator and a tense first encounter the sparks fly and their draw to one another is unmistakable. They both try to deny what they're feeling but are helpless to ignore it for too long especially when Henry subtly shows his interest in a rather insightful way. He listens and remembers. Will can't help but give in to Henry's gentle strength because it calls to his soul. Through craziness, drama, corporate maneuverings, and supportive side characters Will and Henry find their hard-won HEA.

The side characters are what round out this story and make it feel so much more full of life and complete.  Hazel, the outrageous twin to Henry who has such a strong sense of self that she makes no excuses for how she wants to live her life.  She is powerful and empowered and with the love and support of her family her craziness is tolerated and even celebrated, albeit behind their hands and under their breaths.  Her antics win Will's admiration and friendship and continue to endear her to her brother and parents.  Henry and Hazel's parents, David and Hank, are charming and so sweet to one another.  They show Will another way to be a partnership, a true mating.  They show him love and acceptance from the beginning despite what they can see as significant barriers to his and Henry's relationship.  With their love and support they've created a safe haven for their children and anyone they bring home.  They're warmth and contentment where Will has none of that.  I also love that David knew Will's birth mother and could give him greater insight into where he came from and what his father was like before the loss of his true mate.  His father was annoying in the beginning but with his grief and regret over the situation he put his son in I forgave him rather quickly.

Waking Up is a sweet story full of strong characters, a solid pairing, tenderness, passion, and triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds.  Such a good read.