3.5 Stars

Author Sydney Blackburn is a first time read for me, and I must say I enjoyed many aspects of the novel Cabaret Rollo Rouge, particularly the fresh look at bisexual and gay wolves. It’s their sexuality that labels a wolf “rouge” and subsequently “curses” them to both a packless and mateless life. Or so they have always been informed. For Garnet it means being pseudo alpha to a small gang of misfit wolf performers that make up their cabaret act. Having just purchased their own building on the outskirts of town, life is good for this group, even though the spectre of Garnet’s past hangs over them as an ever-present threat.

For some reason, the mate of Garnet’s oldest sister has an intense dislike for him—one that has bordered on near-death encounters and left Garnet both fearful of and angry with his brother–in-law, Holt. When Holt’s son is discovered with his childhood buddy in a seemingly compromising position, Holt’s anger drives the boy straight into his uncle’s arms, where he remains with the blessing of his mother, unbeknownst to his father. If all that isn’t exciting enough for Garnet, a drifter arrives in town to challenge Garnet for the position of alpha over his ragtag pack.

Carn himself is also rouge and was thrown out by his father at the age of fifteen. After a brief stint with a gang and a few months in prison, Carn got his GED and began work as a mechanic. However, the restless and lonely life without a pack has eaten at Carn more steadily over time, and he figures if he can take control of Garnet’s group, his life will at least be less solitary. When the two men meet, more than fur flies, and long-held beliefs are shattered. Now Carn and Garnet must decide who will be alpha and how they fit into each other’s lives, if at all.

While I loved this idea of “rouge” wolves, that plus a few other plot vehicles were never as fully developed as I might have wanted. Instead, much like the unreasonable anger (read: murderous intent) that Holt had for Garnet, we heard much about it but there was never really enough back-story given to understand it. I think my one complaint with this story, overall, was the shallow feel the history of these wolves had. I really liked Garnet and Carn together; their attraction developed beyond the fierce feelings produced by the mating call to one of easy camaraderie laced with flirty behavior and a dose of good old lust. The side characters surrounding them all had great potential as well, but again we danced around them, barely learning who they were in terms of their place in the troupe and never what life events actually brought them to the cabaret.

In essence, Cabaret Rollo Rouge was built on an interesting premise but had too little depth to really make it soar. The relationships between various characters really stood out and were a major strength of the novel, but the limited view into their current and past lives made them feel more shallow and incomplete. I think this author has great potential to become an incredible writer, primarily because this book reveals the depth of imagination and some definite finesse in crafting an interesting tale. I will be sure to check out other works by this author in the future.

Reviewed by Sammy

*ARC from NetGalley for Honest Review*
I Give this book a 2 1/2 star rating
Would I read more from this author? Less than Likely

I love LGBT books, especially paranormal but this was too busy for my taste. There’s so much going on and so many characters I have to remember that it took the enjoyment from reading it.

3.5 stars- This unique plot and shifter world is worth rounding up

I enjoy shifter books because the stories and worlds are often so creative. That’s precisely what drew me to Cabaret Rollo Rouge. I really liked the premise of the book exploring the world of Rouge Wolves; it’s unique even within the shifter genre, which earned immediate bonus points from me and ensured I'll tune in for any future books.

The main characters were interesting with a complex background that shaped the plot and conflicts. I liked that Carn was an alpha while Garnet acted as a pseudo-alpha. That bit of imbalance to their initial meeting as well as many of their personality traits made for an opposites attract romantic angle I really enjoyed, especially when the relationship progressed in some unexpected ways. As common with many shifter novels, the romance develops very quickly, but I appreciated there were other aspects leading up to and after Carn and Garnet got together that furthered their relationship. However, I did miss out on some of that chemistry growing between the men because their connection relied so heavily on the men being “true mates”.

I’m not positive if this is to be the first of a new series, but the large amount of details regarding secondary characters and the world suggests it’s at least a possibility. There is a lot of world building and character descriptions included in Cabaret Rollo Rouge, which was great for creating an interesting story, but these details ultimately slowed the pace and allowed my interest to waver. Similarly, the introduction of multiple secondary characters and their interactions and roles with the cabaret took focus and time away from developing Carn and Garnet even though I really liked the various characters. While some plot points in Cabaret Rollo Rouge were rather predictable, there were other developments I hadn’t seen coming which made for an interesting story and set up some continuing story arcs and characters I hope to see explored in future books. If you like shifter books but want something unique within that genre, Cabaret Rollo Rouge is definitely worth the read.

Loved this read. Wolfs are my thing.
It wasn't a heavy world shaking story but it was different, friendly, funny and the main 'wolfs' honest and endearing.

Garnet is an outcast. Thrown out of his pack by his brother in law. He is a rouge, a mistake and will never have a true mate. But he is now leader of a pack containing all rouges.
Carn is an born alpha looking for a pack to make his own...

When their paths crossed it's undeniable... they are true mates... only... Garnet is leader of his pack and Carn a born alpha...

A wonderful untraditional pack and leader all with very inventing personalities.

It's really a very nice read, the way of writing was very consuming. The plot was good and original, the solution satisfying. The story is nice developed also with the family matters and other wonderful and funny pack members, I loved Garnet and Carn together.
A sweet consuming read.