Vampire with Benefits: Supernatural Selection Book 2, E.J. Russell

The mates Casimir Moreau and Rusty Johnson expected were nothing like what Fate intended so as she worked her magic around their partners in Single White Incubus, she wove another thread around Cas and Rusty.  As they conspire a temporary solution to their individual problems they discover that there's more to life than meeting and shunning expectations.  But when outside sources seek to destroy them independently, they'll have to work together to ensure they have a future to work toward.

Cas seemed more like a petulant child most of the time, but the way he was written was actually endearing rather than annoying.  It was clear that his biggest regret before we met him was his initial choice to Turn and he then spent the rest of his life...death?...letting the powers-that-be of his displeasure through pranks and acting out.  But it's his rivalry that really led him to Supernatural Selection and, ultimately, to Rusty.  So rather than be disappointed in his childishness, I can't help but feel sympathetic toward him.  And watching him come to terms with his mistakes and his growing, changing feelings for Rusty warms me all over.

Poor Rusty gets the short end of the stick all the time.  When he thinks he'll finally be on even ground with someone even that is taken away.  His innate sense of caring and compassion opens him to all the goodness Cas hides beneath his bravado and devil-may-care attitude and it's that that I totally fall in love with.  Rusty is my favorite here because he's such a good man who tries to do what's right and gets shut down all the time.  While his indecision and hesitation aren't my favorite, his determination and earnestness keep me grounded in who he really is and could be.

Both men change for the better throughout this story and I really enjoyed watching them open up to one another.  The lead-up to the end keeps me on the edge of my seat with all the things that could go wrong and how many times they'll have to repeat the scenario before they get it right.  But what could have been a 4.5 stars goes down to just 4 when we don't get to see Cas rediscover what he feels for Rusty.  We see where they meet up again, but aside from having insight through Rusty's part, we're left with Cas' thoughts and feelings which felt inadequate for their reunion.  It was believable, if you can call fantasy and supernatural believable, but just didn't make my heart soar...I was left feeling rather flat and that's not how I wanted to end.  The overall story was good, however, and I'm so very in for Demon on the Down-low (expected to come out February 2019).

*$3.99 on Amazon!