Transcend by West Thornhill
Fillmore, Book 1
Silver Publishing
Paranormal M/M
ISBN: 9781920502041
Reviewed by Lisa

Kidnapped by his own mother at the tender age of two, Gael Astley ended up in an orphanage a few years later. Then suddenly at ten an unknown uncle came forth and claimed Gael. Life with Gerard Conti went well until the night of Gael’s fifteenth birthday. That was the beginning of hell on earth at the hands of his so called uncle Gerard where Gael was subjected to every kind of of sexual depravity known to man. Loaned out to a masochist and his henchmen one evening Gael was able to escape for the first time since Gerard took him from the orphanage.

At last fate showed a kindness to Gael by making sure that he stumbled across Rick that night. Rick is an agent of Fillmore, an above top secret paranormal operation that polices their own as well as helping unknown talents discover their true potential. It soon becomes apparent to Rick that Gael has untapped powers in telepathy and telekinesis though it will take close to two years of intensive therapy before Gael is able to shed the horrors of his past.

The team Gael joins is lead by a tiny, goth dynamo called Tink and tall, buff Adonis Jason Phillips. Gael hasn’t been told about shifters but it will need to be addressed soon because Jason is a lion shifter and Gael is his mate. Secrets have a way of biting back when least expected so the quicker Jason explains his birthright and Gael opens up about his past the faster they can begin their future, together.

This first story in the Fillmore series opens with a complex, multi-layered plotline that begins in darkness and concludes with love. Transcend opens with such tragedy for young Gael, such sorrow that his pain comes alive for readers. There are several storylines within Transcend as well as a very large cast to keep track of. Author West Thornhill manages to balance the tension, character development, and all the action to offer a satisfying escape from reality. In fact, grammatical errors are the only thing that slows down this intense story. The sexual relationship between Gael and Jason runs the gamut from missteps to serenity with lusty, loving moments along the way. The foundation for a riveting new series has begun in Transcend.