Emmitt’s Treasure by Melissa Haag

Pages: 320

Series: Judgement of the Six Companion Series, Book 2

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifter, Supernatural

Publication date: May 24, 2016

Blank

After six years away from his pack, Emmitt realizes he doesn’t know what he wants from life. His parents want him to lead, the Elders expect him to further integrate his people into human society. Yet these responsibilities weigh on him and make him reluctant to take on the leadership awaiting him.

Finding his mate changes everything. Michelle’s shy and beautiful… and on the run. Helping and protecting her just might be the very thing Emmitt needs to learn that responsibility isn’t always a burden.

Blank

Around midnight, she woke with a gasp. I stayed on the couch, listening. After a moment I heard her get out of bed. She closed every window in her room then went to her brothers’ room and did the same. It wasn’t cool enough outside to warrant closing the windows. That meant she was afraid.
When she stepped out into the hall, she froze.
“Bad dream,” she said quietly.
I sat up and motioned for her to join me. She quietly crossed the room and sat beside me, leaning against my side. I wrapped my arm around her and held her close as she trembled.
“Go to sleep,” I said softly.
She exhaled slowly and laid her head on my shoulder. It was the best feeling on Earth. Not just her physical contact, but her trust. Something had frightened her, but she was willing to sleep if I held her.
The trembling eased, and I kissed the top of her head. Within minutes, she slept. I held her a while before easing us onto the couch. It wasn’t meant for sleeping, let alone sleeping two. The narrow cushions meant some creative cuddling. Not that I minded. I just hoped Michelle wouldn’t either when she woke. With Michelle as my blanket, I closed my eyes.
Emmitt’s Treasure, Chapter 14

Blank

As always I adored reading the story from a second perspective. Getting into Emmitt’s head gives the reader a second take on the events that happen, full of new scenes or takes on the same ones. No two people experience the same event the same way, so getting to see it in different ways helps clarify the situation. Besides, I adore reading about Emmitt’s protective side.

It was hard (and frustrating) for him to try to provide Michelle with a safe place to live when she wouldn’t open up to him. He was doing everything in his power to make her feel safe and like she belonged with him. Yet because she had so many secrets and worries – not that he knew about them for the longest time – his attempts to make her comfortable didn’t hit the way he hoped they would.

I know how frustrating it can be when the communication just isn’t there. It’s hard to get someone to trust you when they’re so scared of everything. Yet Emmitt never gave up. He continued to try his hardest to get Michelle to trust him, and I’m so glad it worked out for him. Not only because of the mate bond that the two have, but because they both clearly make each other better. And that’s truly what a good relationship is – two people making each other better and happier.

Blank

*Spoilers ahead*

How can you not feel awful for Emmitt in this story? He tries his hardest to make Michelle happy and safe, to make her feel like she’s found a place to belong. And yet it keeps biting him in the ass.

When he realized that Michelle was uncomfortable and scared even though she was hiding with Emmitt at his place, he tried showing her that there was nothing to fear because he – as a werewolf – would be able to fend off anyone that tried to attack him. How was he supposed to know that it was a shapeshifter and his cronies that Michelle had run away from? His intention was to give her comfort, but it royally backfired on him.

Heck, when he takes Michelle to meet her lawyer and get things figured out after her stepfather’s death, Emmitt truly feels like he’s failed her. She’s finally begun to trust him and yet his insatiable hunger (we’ve all been there, am I right?) leads him to running out for maybe five minutes. That alone was enough for Frank (disgusting being, by the way) to attack and kidnap her. He’d finally found the one and he almost lost her forever.

Thankfully Michelle understands her own stupidity at opening the door for him without checking the peephole in the hotel room door and doesn’t blame Emmitt for the incident. I’m thankful that Michelle is smart enough to know that she can’t place the blame solely on Emmitt’s shoulders about her kidnapping.

Blank

“To me, safe doesn’t mean I’ll never get hurt. It means you’ll be there to help pick me back up when I do…”
Chapter 18, Michelle

Blank

I’m glad that they finally figured out things between the two of them and were able to find some semblance of normalcy. Sure Emmitt wanted to jump straight to the “mate” part of their relationship, but he didn’t push too hard. He accepted that Michelle needed to take things slowly. Truly, this is the kind of respect and commitment than any relationship needs – the knowledge that both parties need to be comfortable with a situation before things continue or get more intense.

Blank

Other reviews in this series: