TANGLE OF NEED - Nalini Singh
A Psy-Changeling Novel , Book 11
Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 978-0-425-24756-3
June 2012
Futuristic Paranormal Romance

The Sierra Nevada Mountains, California - 2081

From the moment Riaz Delgado returned to the SnowDancer Den, there's been friction between him and Adria Morgan.  He isn't sure why the female senior soldier's so antagonistic toward him until one day that fury explodes into passion.  And while Riaz feels that same driving need, he's also torn apart by feelings of betrayal.  He found the woman who is supposed to be his mate, Lisette, but she is married and deeply in love with someone else.  His wolf wants Lisette, but Riaz can't deny that his body burns for Adria, and that battle causes him to lash out at Adria.

Adria recently ended a long-term relationship with a man who couldn't handle her being the more dominant one in the relationship; she's not real thrilled with the feelings she has for Riaz. When he makes his feelings for her clear, she's hurt, and her pride won't allow her to give him another chance.  Thrown together because of the preparations for the Alpha Hawke's mating ceremony with Sienna, and because of their general duties within the pack, they eventually come to an uneasy truce.  A truce that becomes much more personal when they finally give in to the attraction between them. 

Yet, in the midst of their celebrations and everyday lives, a war is brewing.  The Pure Psy may not have been as damaged in the last battle as had been believed, and the PsyNet itself is breaking apart. 

The latest novel in the Psy-Changeling world, TANGLE OF NEED is not the book you want to start with.  There may not have been much between Riaz and Adria in previous books, but their relationship is only one thread of this novel.  Many of the couples from the previous stories are included in this one, most notably those with a connection to the SnowDancer Pack.  After the last battle with the Pure Psy, Sienna is worried that the Pack will be wary of her now that they know the true extent of her abilities, plus she is now mated to their Alpha.  The healers are trying to find a way to revive Alice Eldridge, the scientist now in a coma after a century old cryogenic sleep.  The Psy Council is breaking apart, and there are few members making discreet power plays, while two Arrows try to hold things together, not knowing whom to trust.  There is a lot going on in this novel, and if you haven't read the books in order, it may be difficult to follow along.

The relationship between Riaz and Adria is the central thread, and it is not an easy romance.  Both are wounded; Riaz by the knowledge that his mate can never be his, and Adria by the break-up of a promising relationship that slowly eroded her sense of self.  They start out hostile and antagonistic towards one another, slowly moving on to wary coworkers, then comfort and respect until finally it's something more.  A passionate romance, mixed with the suspense of a changing world and including a chance to catch up with favorite characters, TANGLE OF NEED is a book you won't want to miss.

Jennifer Bishop