Little Mate by Elena M. Reyes

Little Mate by Elena M. Reyes is the prequel to Little Lies and I would not recommend reading it as a standalone. It should be read after in order to appreciate the sequence of events from the main book. The author has crafted an interesting story of fated love, second chance romance, loss and betrayal, as well as revenge that spans over a century. This book provides further context to Gabriella and Theodore's story, specifically on how their romance initially began. I remember reading bits and pieces of it in the main story when Gabriella had flashbacks or dreams of her past life. I was completely captivated by Theodore's everlasting love for Gabriella and how devoted he was to bring her back. It was love at first sight for the both of them.

"Just like I'll devour you, I'll never leave your side. You'll own me as irrecoverably as I'll own you."

Theodore himself was mysterious, ruthless, and foreboding but when it comes to his fated mate, he is passionate, gentle, and loving. The Gabriella in Little Mate is quite different from her counterpart in the sequel because in addition to being a powerful witch with a close connection to death, she is confident, knows exactly what she wants, and righteous. After the murder of her parents, Gabriella and her siblings are on the run but fate has other plans for her. At the same time, Theo was leaving a bloody path of destruction in search for her. I was highly anticipating for the moment they finally meet each other and it certainly did not disappoint.

"To the world, I'm a monster, but for her, I'll be gentle. Be the man she needs."

In the end, I enjoyed Little Mate and thought it was an excellent prequel to Gabriella and Theo's love story because it provided some much needed context and background to their incredibly sexy and dark romance. Nonetheless, I would have liked if it was interspersed or part of my initial experience when I was reading Little Lies. Since Gabriella was an unreliable narrator because of her reincarnation and memory loss, we had no idea what was going to happen next. However, this was also what made the first book so interesting because the entire plot was a bit of a mystery and we are given part of the puzzle to unravel. Fans of Elena M. Reyes won't be disappointed in her paranormal twist in the dark romance genre and those who love the fated mates trope will also enjoy this book.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆