True Nature by Jae is a supernatural lesbian romance that will immerse you in the Wrasa’s universe, where you’ll learn about shape-shifting wolves, foxes, and lions as well as their
strong passions and fears. But the book is mainly about love and how it can overcome differences.
The main characters, Rue and Kelsey, couldn’t be more different, but seeing them interact and learn about those differences to achieve a common goal is a pleasure. Rue is a woman used to
controlling everything around her, from her beloved ones to her job, so it was a matter of time until her life collapsed when her partner found other woman to love and her son, Danny, started doing exactly the opposite of what she wanted him to do. What Rue doesn’t know is that Danny’s changing mood and bad attitude is not just a phase and has nothing to do with him being a teenager but his true nature as a Wrasa.
On the other side, Kelsey is a Saru – a soldier – who can’t find her place in the world. Without a pack to call hers, she works for the seer – or Maharsi – of the Wrasa, Jorie, as her bodyguard. If being a submissive wolf has brought her nothing but troubles, the tense relationship between
Kelsey and Griffin (Jorie’s partner) just adds problems to the insecure and lost woman, whose
life has been shaped by her lack of decisions.
Everything will change for these two women when one of Jorie’s dreams brings them together.
This book is perfect if you’re looking for something deep but full of adventures, action, and
romance, because on the surface it’s a supernatural story, humans against shape-shifters
trying to survive and take care of their people, but soon the story changes and it’s all about
family, love, and belonging. Rue has lost almost everything because she can’t deal with
emotions, and whenever there is a problem related to feelings, she flees to her safe place, her
work. Danny needs her more than ever, needs his family and to feel their love for him, not only
because his First Change is near, but also because his family has disintegrated without him
knowing the real reasons. Then we have Kelsey, who not only feels guilty for what she did – or
didn’t do – to save her brother and his family; she’s in a constant conflict between what she
feels and what she thinks she has to do obeying other’s orders.
These three people need each other more than they can even imagine, but to be able to see
that, they not only will have to fight against the rules that separate them, but, because of their
differences, they’ll also have to fight against themselves, and there’s no harder fight.
Rue and Kelsey’s relationship is complex and deep. They don’t fall in love at first sight, and,
while you know they can complement each other perfectly, it’s more difficult for them to see
beyond the situation that brought them to work together. In addition to being on opposite
sides of a conflict that’s not new and won’t be resolved easily, they have their own emotional
baggage preventing them from accepting their feelings and needs.
As always, Jae is able to draw realistic characters, even when they’re not human, and that’s a
plus because every time I read one of her books, I know I will encounter a deep story, perfectly
told and with endearing characters. True Nature wasn’t an exception, of course, and I not only
enjoyed the trip with Rue and Kelsey, but now I want to know more about Griffin’s and
Shelby’s stories (Second Nature and Manhattan Moon) too.
To find out more and buy a copy (RRP $11.64) visit Ylva Publishing
By Alex, Lesbianfictionreviews.com
