REVIEW; THE PACK by Jason Starr

 

This was a very compelling read. I breezed through it in a few days  and enjoyed every minute of it! I've really made an effort to read more male centered fiction this year its a refreshing change of narration , especially in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal field. This book focuses on Simon Burns a recently ddownsized employee of an ad agency. At his wife Alison's suggestion he becomes a house husband taking care of their son Jeremy.

Things go quickly from bad to worse as their son goes through nanny withdrawal and Alison begins to feel resentment. After a journey to an out of the way park Simon connects with three other dads :Michael, Charlie and Ramon. They are all extremely comfortable in their parenting roles and Jeremy quickly bonds with their children.

There is an eeriness to the three men's relationship. Michael who subtly controls the other two men with his soft spoken statements/demands. Soon Simon finds himself at a men's night with the group at Michael's family brewery. Simon is given a "special brew" and wakes up naked and ddisoriented. His senses are screaming information at him and he has an overwhelming desire for meat.

Once he arrives home he also finds himself fascinated with his wife. The touch of her skin ,her smell, soon a marriage lacking in intimacy is flooded with passion. The changes continue and when Simon confronts Michael the group deny any knowledge of Simon's changes.

Michael however has made a mistake with a young woman he has been dating: Olivia. In a fit of passion he bites her setting off a series of events that lead to a climactic ending. I really liked the New York setting of the story and the characters. The story has a slow build up but its very engaging and you want to see the culmination of the plot. There were a lot of things left on explained about certain aspects of the Pact's future but overall its a complete story.