Rites of Mating is book 5 of the Kegin series and the first of the series I've had the pleasure of reading. It won't be the last.

Rites of Mating follows the journey into adulthood of the twins Prince Joseph, the heir apparent, and his sister Princess Jenneane and their search for their mates.

The young marriageable royals, forced by custom to parade before marital hopefuls at yet another Ball, Princess Jenneane decides to take matters into her own hands. After being making her formal presentation at the ball, she retreats to her rooms to change costume and come back to the ball incognito in search of a handsome and honorable young Captain Tirin, who has caught her eye as being much more interested in her as a person than in her as her royal Highness. When she is set upon by a drunken royal, Tirin comes to her aid, not immediately recognizing her as the Princess. When Tirin realizes who she is, she has to dissuade him from killing the royal when his Kegin male hormones kick in. In their short flight from the scene, Jenneane demonstrates she is not the typical Kegin shrinking Miss, but a product of her independent mother's Earth attitudes.

Tirin, attempting to her keep her honour unbesmirched, even in the face of her willingness, unknowingly impresses her father as he waits hidden in the darkness in her rooms. Will she be able to convince her father it was she and not Tirin who instigated things? Or will the King demand Tirin's head? And if Tirin is successful in claiming her as his mate, will he able to curb the wild earth ways she has learned from her mother?

Prince Joseph knows who he wants as his mate, all he has to do is convince her, quite a turnaround from the rest of the female population all vying for his favours' and the chance at becoming the bride of the Heir Apparent.

Berel is a women grown and a fully qualified healer in her own right. She has been in love with Joseph for as long as she can remember, but has resigned herself to the knowledge that as a commoner she can never hold the throne by his side. When she comes of age, Prince Joseph claims her as his mate, and after sharing an intimate night is surprised when she refuses his offer of marriage.

Invoking a long lost law he claims her by Trial Moon in the hope he can persuade her to accept his proposal. Berel refuses to explain to him her recalcitrance, even though she shows every indication of knowing she is his mate. What is it that would cause her to deny her love for him? What would make her so afraid to be his wife? What will happen if they create a child? How will Joseph be able to persuade her that he wants her to the exclusion of everything else?

This is a wonderful novel. I now have to go and get the rest of the series just to satisfy my curiosity about this interesting world with its earth influences and its erotic native customs. A sexy novel filled with court intrigue as well as the erotic pursuit of their fated mates.

Synopsis
Twenty-one years ago, Jole and Susan had a set of twins. A year into maturity, the race is on. Keen nobles will go to almost any lengths to be the chosen mates of the re-bred royals. All either of them wants is to find a mate who will see him/her as a person and not a re-bred. Finding that is only half the fun.