Wilder's Mate [Kindle Edition]

The first thing I loved about Wilder's Mate was the wonderful setting. The mix of western and steampunk is fascinating and the detailed description of all the steampunky gadgets totally drew me in. In addition to that we also have the supernatural element of vampires and bloodhounds- which add a certain edge to the story and make it stand out.

But what is this book actually about? On the one hand we have Satira the assistant of an inventor who just went missing. She has to find him ASAP or her life will be ruined. A woman would never be allowed to be an inventor without a male supervisor and without Nathaniel, her missing boss, she would be forced to give up the job she loves so much and would probably be doomed to do a more "womanly" work. She's even more desperate to find him because he's not only her boss, he's more like a father and friend to her and just imagining what might be done to him drives her crazy. Being independent and more tomcat than girl she decides to venture into the Frontier lands, a region where the strong survive and the general rules of society don't apply, to rescue Nate and bring him back home. The only thing or person that stands between her and her rescue mission is the bloodhound who will be send to investigate the disappearance. Satira is a strong woman who knows what she wants, but she also knows what her limits are. I really loved to see this strong woman who's also able to give someone else the reign. Often you only get these stubborn women who want to be strong no matter what just to be seen as independant. I hate that because a smart woman would see what her abilities are instead of just being stubborn to prove a point. I loved that Satira was exactly like that. A smart woman with a strong heart.

On the other hand we have Wilder, the oh so mysterious bloodhound. *swooooon* This is one super hot alpha male. At first he has this exciting mysterious touch. we don't know what he really is or what being a bloodhound means. We just get a little hint here and there and the allure of him practically rises exponentially. He's what we love most about our alpha heroes- strong, protective and adorable even though he has some rather rough edges. But even more he's not overbearing or suppressive. He sees in Satira what she really is- a strong woman who is capable and doesn't need pampering. Yes, he still protects her but he does it with a certain amount of respect to her abilities and doesn't throw himself in front of her when he knows she could handle something on her own. This makes him one of my favorite heroes ever. And he has a wicked little secret that makes him sooooooo more appealing. *dreamy sigh*

The plot around Nathaniel's disappearance kept me glued to the pages. Reading Wilder's Mate is like watching a adventurous western only better suitable for the girly side in me. I loved how all the plot-lines unfolded and I was surprised by more than one revelation. Another plus is how perfectly the romance fit into the story- the mix between action, romance and plot was masterly done. The only thing I regretted was that the story itself was so short. I could have kept reading and reading...

Wilder's Mate is a unique addition to the rather new steampunk genre. With the additional paranormal twist and the wonderfully realized love story it sets the standard high for other novels in this genre. Wilder's Mate is definitely another winner by Moira Rogers and I can't wait for the next book set in this fascinating world.