This review was originally posted on Ruby's Reads. 
 What with book twelve in the Psy-Changeling series being marketed as so epic that they can't even give us a real description (read: NAMES), I was sorely in need of something to take the edge off. What better than a nice little collection of novellas? As a Nalini Singh fan, I'd already read the second novella, so I was super excited about the first story and the last two. As it turned out, I probably enjoyed Stroke of Enticement and Declaration of Courtship the most, even if one of these was a reread. But, really, I enjoyed all of them because I like the way that each story gives us a little more insight on the nature of the mating bond, which is a big part of the series' world-building. 
 Beat of Temptation, as the blurb tells us, is Nathan and Tamsin's story. It takes us into the past, before the events of Slave to Sensation. This is fun because it allows us a peek at Lucas before he became the DarkRiver alpha. It also explores what happens when the mating bond ignites between a grown man and a teenage girl. Don't worry, though. By the time the story begins, Tamsin is an adult, and frustrated that Nathan is still making all the decisions about their relationship. Namely, that she's not ready to be intimate with him (when she totally is). It's a light, sweet story, but not my favorite. 
 Stroke of Enticement was a better read. The hero is one of Nalini Singh's signature alpha Changelings and the heroine is a-gasp!-human. We don't meet too many of those in this series. I loved this one because I adore it when Nalini writes children into her stories. I can just picture their little faces in the scenes she writes. Stroke packs a fair amount into its small package. None of the stories in this collection satisfied me the way a Psy-Changeling novel does, but this one came the closest. 
 Declaration of Courtship stood out because of its exploration of the submissive wolf. Though submissive wolves are occasionally mentioned in the Psy-Changeling books, this is the first time we've had one as a main character and narrator. In a way, Declaration was the most important book in this collection. If Nalini was going to create dominant heroes, it was inevitable that the dominant/submissive pairing would come up. And if you don't know that dominant heroes are wasted on submissive heroes, well, email me and we can talk about it. However, just because the heroine in this story is a submissive does not mean she is weak-willed. In fact, I think the fact that she has to struggle against her submissive nature in order to stand up to the hero (and figure out how to be in a relationship with him without losing herself) makes her incredibly strong. 
 Texture of Intimacy was my least favorite story in this collection, and here's why: I didn't particularly enjoy Walker and Lara's story in Kiss of Snow. I was very much: "Get back to Hawke and Sienna!" And I was completely irritated by the fact that there wasn't a single ounce of them in this story. Sure, there's a reference or two, but we never get to see them together. Call me a bitter grudge-holder, but if they were going to take up so much of Hawke and Sienna's story, shouldn't they return the favor? Okay, you caught me. I wanted this to be Kiss of Snow: The Extended Epilogue and it wasn't. Completely my own fault, but there you have it. 
 Down and dirty rundown: 
 Beat of Temptation: 3 Matryoshkas: I would have coffee with this novella. 
 Stroke of Enticement: 4 Matryoshkas: I would make dinner for this novella. 
 Declaration of Courtship: 4 Matryoshkas: I would make dinner for this novella. 
 Texture of Intimacy: 2 1/2 Matryoshkas: I would glance at this novella through a store window.