Tiny Navajo Reads ARCs: The Enforcer Enigma

The Enforcer Enigma (San Andreas Shifters #3) by G.L. Carriger

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*Published August 1, 2020*

I received this ARC from the author. This in no way affects my thoughts on the book or the following review.

I was excited to see where the San Andreas Shifters would be going after the last book, and when I heard that it was going to be about Judd, the oldest werewolf in the pack, like Pre-Saturation old, then I was even more excited. This isn’t quite that story…

A werewolf without rank or hope and an enforcer who has lived too long go up against the selkie mob.

Charming urban fantasy from New York Times bestselling comedy author Gail Carriger.

ENFORCER

Judd has wandered from pack to pack his whole life, searching for wolves who will accept him for who he is and who he loves. Now he believes that he’s finally found the right pack and the right man.

NERD

Rejected by his family for being gay and geeky, Colin has never fit in with werewolves, yet now he is one. He doesn’t know how to react when Judd starts courting him. He’s even more lost when a famous singer, the selkie mob, and the feds also start chasing him.

Can Judd protect Colin and still prove his love? Can Colin figure out why enemy shifters are invading his favorite cafe? And what’s with all the gold sparkle? Find out in The Enforcer Enigma.

Delicate Sensibilities?

This paranormal romance contains M/M sexy times, horrible puns regarding country music, and men who wear suits without shirts underneath. If you get offended easily, then you probably will. The San Andreas Shifter stories include blue language, dirty deeds, and outright admiration for the San Francisco Bay Area. Not for the faint of heart (or mouth or tongue).

Overall, this was a cute story. I loved learning a bit more about Colin, I liked learning more about Judd, I liked that there are so many different types of shifters, and we meet a new one who is an adorable. I like that G.L. Carriger does try to touch of different types of backgrounds to make their characters seem more real. This particular story though seems to have fallen a bit short of expectations in some areas.

While this story is called The Enforcer Enigma, it isn’t truly centered on Judd, who is one of the enforcers for the pack. This story is focused on Colin and how he is trying to come to terms not only with his un-werewolf-like appearance and habits, but trying to come to terms with his sexuality as well. And I have no issues with the story being about Colin, if we had Colin on the cover. We also seem to have a disconnect between the story of Colin and Judd, and the selkie mob trying to find something from a friend of Colin’s. And then there is Colin and Kevin’s mom, who is a Alpha and a country music star. If that isn’t narcissism right there, I have no idea what is.

My biggest issue with this book is how everything in this world is handled. Now, I’m not saying that all urban/modern fantasy has to screech to the high heavens of the dangers and issues that our own modern world is experiencing. But if you are talking about Black men, about gay men, and what it means to be Black and to be gay, then things that have developed in our own modern world should be touched on in this wonderful fantasy world. They don’t have to be spelled out that what’s going on in our world will necessarily affect the San Andreas world, but some form of it should be mentioned.

This is probably all that I can speak on the matter of how Black-ness and gay-ness is talked about in this book as I am neither Black nor am I gay. If you want to talk more about how topics like this should be talked about, then you might want follow someone who is Black or who is gay, or who is both, and see what they think of the story in this book.

I love G.L. Carriger’s writing, I love their humour, and I love the sweet spin their books carry. And I don’t to diminish the wonderful aspects this book has, especially when we find out about Trick and the wonderful character and friend that he is for Colin. I also love the love the pack has for Alec and the love that Alec has for Colin. He truly wants to make this a place and a family where people like Colin can flourish and be proud of who they are. And you can see that in the way that Alec treats and acts around Colin and Trick, and around everyone else in their pack. That is actually one of the best parts of this book and this series, is how much Alec loves his pack and just how much his pack loves him back for giving them a safe place to be themselves. This is the beauty of found family stories, and G.L. Carriger is excellent at writing these stories!

Overall, an enjoyable book, especially if all you’re seeking is some escapism! What do you enjoy is your books? What do you turn to when you want to remove yourself from the world for a while? Comment below and let me know!