ARC Review: IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES by Paige Tyler

In the Company of Wolves
by Paige Tyler
SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team series, Book #3

ABOUT THE BOOK:

He opened his mouth to order her to drop the MP5 she had aimed at him, but nothing would come out. It was like she’d robbed him of the ability to speak. Shooting her wasn’t an option, though. And the idea of arresting her didn’t make him feel any better.

There's a new gang of criminals in town who are organized and ruthless in the extreme. When Eric Becker, along with the rest of the Dallas SWAT team, ends up in the middle of a shootout, he immediately senses werewolves-a lot of them. Turns out, the new bad guys are a pack of wolf shifters.

In a spray of gunfire, Becker comes face-to-face with the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen. Becker does the logical thing. He hides her and leaves the scene with the rest of his team.

Jayna Winston has no idea why that SWAT guy helped her, but she's glad he did. Ever since she and her pack mates got mixed up with those Eastern European mobsters, everything had pretty much fallen apart.

So what's a street-savvy thief like Jayna going to do with a hot alpha-male wolf who's a police officer?

After a truly fantastic start to the book, this story dropped off a bit for me. I really enjoyed HOW the characters are introduced and I thought there was lots of potential for this story, but it just didn't deliver the punch I expected.

Becker is a member of the Dallas PD's SWAT team - Special Wolf Alpha Team. He is still considered young and a recent addition to the group. Jayna is a runaway who grows up in the streets. All of her life, she thought she was a beta wolf. She joins a pack which turns out to be lead by someone who is not leader-worthy. Jayna gets caught in a warehouse robbery where Becker finds her and strangely helps her hide from the police so that she can make a get away. He takes this risk because he feels something for her upon first sight. One of the central themes of the SWAT books is the notion of "The One" - a mate out there in the universe waiting to be found at which time, the wolf is virtually powerless. Yet, even with The One Myth, it's a little strange to me that Becker loses all sense of his moral compass and will do anything to protect a stranger. Usually, when I read paranormal books, I'm much more forgiving of eye-rolling plot points. It's paranormal...you have to suspend some reality.

However, I just didn't get Becker and Jayna as a couple. I think part of it is how the story unfolds. When Becker goes undercover in order to protect Jayna, the story skips from scene to scene and the story is narrated instead of lived. We only get to see the after effect of some of Becker's activities. I felt a loss of continuity and it failed to give me depth to Becker and Jayna's relationship.

I really like Paige Tyler's books for high entertainment value. She writes fun paranormal stories. Although Jayna is very sympathetic and I like her, I just didn't really respond well to Jayna and Becker as an couple. I didn't feel that they got inside my head and heart.

ARC Review: WAKING HEARTS by Elizabeth Hunter

Waking Hearts
by Elizabeth Hunter
Book 3 in the Cambio Springs series

ABOUT THE BOOK:
When everything you’ve longed for is standing right in front of you, would you find the courage to chase it when you’ve given up on dreams?

Fox shifter Alison Smith gave up on happy endings when her ex-husband walked out, but that didn’t mean she was allowed to give up on happiness. With four growing kids, Allie is determined to look on the bright side and carry on, even when life seems to keep kicking the girl who’s fallen down. 

Four kids, two jobs, and a pile of debt left over from her ex seem overwhelming most days. Luckily, Allie has the best friends a girl could ask for. Especially a certain quiet bear who’s always been her rock.

Patient. Oliver Campbell knows what it means to be patient. But twenty years of wanting one unavailable woman may have pushed him to the edge. With Allie working every night at his bar, their friendship has begun to fracture.

Then old ghosts offer one more kick to the little family that’s already down, and patience is a virtue Ollie can no longer afford. Allie’s ex-husband may be gone, but his actions are haunting his family. With danger licking the borders of Cambio Springs, the bear and the fox will have to work together. And twenty years of unspoken truths may finally come to light.

I’ve said before that Elizabeth Hunter is a master storyteller.  She knows how to roll out a story, how to connect the dots.  Here she is also a master weaver, interconnecting the relationships in Cambio Springs.  There is definitely a family flair.  Not surprising, considering that Cambio Springs is one of the few retreats where shifters can openly be themselves.  The town consists of clans of differing shifters keeping the town’s secret. Lives are laced together - like the story of Oliver Campbell and Alison Smith.  

Oliver and Allison have known each other since they were kids. He is a bear shifter and she is a fox.  He has admired her from afar but has been too shy to show his interest.  She has always considered him her best friend, but never really thought of him as anything more until recently.  After her marriage falls apart, and her husband abandons her with four children, Alison struggles to make it work.  Of course, Ollie is there for her, but this time he finally lets her know how he feels.  It’s such a lovely destined-to-be-together story.  It feels especially so because these are two genuinely nice characters.  There is still drama and lots and lots of heat (afterall, she is a fox and they need a lot of touch), but neither character needs redemption, has a personality flaw, or is broken.  They both are good, kind characters that deserve each other, and it works.  Best line: "Respect the lingerie, bear."

I also enjoyed the family dynamics.  Alison has four children that contribute another level of cuteness as well as family drama.  We run the gamut with a bit of teenage angst thrown in with youthful temper tantrums. With large clans, there is an extensive extended family, all of whom have opinions and advice for Ollie and Alison. However, they also provide love and support as needed. This is what community is all about. 

But this is not merely the story of family of shifters, there is a menace behind the scenes. Alison’s family is being targeted and it is somehow connected to her ex-husband.  There are more and more people with eyes on this community.  As the mystery unravels, it feeds into the greater concern about the economic growth of the town driven by the new incoming hotel and spa.  Will the clans be able to keep the secret of the shifters with the influx of outside visitors? Will their sanctuary be destroyed? Because it is so easy to care about these characters, their stress is my stress. 

I love the ease in which I can connect to the characters. I find this story emotionally satisfying.  I have already read it twice.  Enough said. 

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

ARC Review: Wicked Edge by Rebecca Zanetti

Wicked Edge 

by Rebecca Zanetti

Book 2 in the Realm Enforcers series

About the Book: 

Daire Dunne is more than ready to take a quick break from his duties as a Coven Nine Enforcer. When he spots a sexy blonde across a Titan’s of Fire party, it’s not long before she’s on the back of his Harley on the fast track to his apartment. Unfortunately, one overheated kiss in, the woman drugs Daire and steals valuable files that can’t fall into enemy hands. The second he comes to, the hunt is on...

Now that Cee Cee has the information to take down an enemy that destroyed her family, she can implement her perfect plan for revenge. Nothing will stop her, not even a shockingly sexy enforcer barging into her life. Not even the spectacular, fire-branding sex engulfing them. But if Daire ever figures out who her family really is, all bets are off...

One of my favorite storylines is when an attractive, petite woman is underestimated and shocks the people around her with her smarts and kick-ass skills.  Yea, I get a lot of satisfaction in that.  

Cee Cee has tricked Enforcer Daire Dunn out of information.  With her delicate, feminine looks, she catches his attention and drugs him for the data.  She wants to find the people who are mining planekite, the mineral from which lethal weapons are being made.  Daire catches up with her and manages to insinuate himself into her plans.  Also, he proves that the spark between them originally is not manipulated but real. 

I really like Daire Dunn’s character.  He is a bit of a curmudgeon that needs to be coaxed into love. I enjoy his reluctance and ultimately, his surrender.    I also like that Cee Cee is an enigma throughout the book.  First, she is a spy seducing Daire out of information, then another layer comes off when she reveals what she is. Finally, there is another little revelation when she discloses who she is. 

This book is filled with action and adventure including a visit to the northern tundra and a gruesome attack from polar bears.  It is a race to get information and stop the planekite exportation. If the planekite continues to be mined the paranormal creatures with be in peril.  The villain has a personal vendetta against Cee Cee that gives him extra motivation to bring her to heel. There are a lot of details and cross over information from the Dark Protectors story.  Having not read that series, there are times where the story gets a little confusing without that connection.  I’d still say this is a standalone book, but I think it would be measurably more satisfying if I had read the previous series. 

IN A NUTSHELL: 

This particular book has even less to do with the MC world than the previous one.  It’s not so much an MC book as it is a PNR with characters riding motorcycles.  But still, it is a adventurous read. 

ARC Review: PIA DOES HOLLYWOOD by Thea Harrsion

Pia Does Hollywood 

by Thea Harrison

Elder Races, Book 8.6

ABOUT THE BOOK:

After making a diplomatic pact with humankind and the other leaders of the Elder Races, Pia Cuelebre, mate to Dragos Cuelebre, Lord of the Wyr, reluctantly heads to Hollywood to spend a week with the Light Fae Queen, Tatiana, before the busy Masque season hits New York in December.

Dragos has never let the lack of an invitation stop him from doing anything he wanted. Unwilling to let his mate make the trip without him, he travels to southern California in secret to be with her.

But when an ancient enemy launches a shattering assault against the Light Fae, Dragos and Pia must intercede. The destruction threatens to spread and strike a mortal blow against all of the magically gifted, both human and Elder Race alike.

Working with the Light Fae to neutralize the danger, Dragos and Pia find their deepest vulnerabilities challenged and their most closely held secrets threatened with exposure.

Dragos is not having a good time.  In the last few books, he has had to deal with a dangerous head injury, ensuing memory loss, murder in his DC home, growing alienation with humans, and tension within the Elder Races community.  This story has its own set of peril, violence, and political intrigue.  The brightest spots come from Pia and Liam.  

It’s a gift to get this much storyline from characters introduced in the beginning of a series. It speaks to the popularity of Pia and Dragos’ story (or how much the author loves these two).  I love revisiting this duo and am enjoying the direction Thea Harrison is taking Liam’s character.  However, what strikes me the most is the intimacy (not just the sexual ones) between the couple.  They are embedded in each other.  Their interactions are soul deep with intense longing when apart.  It’s because we have these added novellas that we get to experience this depth.  

Adding Liam and Stinkpot to the mix, makes for a very tight knit family.  Ms. Harrison hints at what is sure to be an interesting direction for the foursome.  How will the newest addition be the same or different from Liam? What will the relationship be between the two siblings? We expect intrigue and suspense from the Elder Races series, but through the Cuelebres we also get to experience challenging family dynamics as well.  

IN A NUTSHELL: This is what makes the Elder Races series so great – fantastic writing, intriguing story lines, and multi-faceted storytelling. 

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and this is not a paid review. 

Review: SHADOWS STRIKE by Dianne Duvall

SHADOWS STRIKE
by Dianne Duvall
Book 6, Immortal Guardian series

ABOUT THE BOOK:
U.S. law enforcement agent Heather Lane can read minds. But not the future. The dream of battle and blood that recurs every night must be a fluke, some obscure terror from her own mind. What its significance might be, she can’t guess: an attack from seven psychotic vampires at once, only separated from nightmare by an eighth very different immortal. A handsome, brave man fighting at her side, a man she misses when she wakes.

Then the dream comes true. Heather is flung into a war between predators and protectors of humanity, the man from her dreams beside her again. Except now that she’s awake, she isn’t sure she can trust Ethan, or the shadow organization he represents. The U.S. military doesn’t trust either of them. But against an onslaught of evil like the one that’s coming, it will take everything they have just to survive..

It's been a while since i've read a book in this series, so it took me a little while to get reacquainted with all the characters.  Therefore, I cannot recommend this book as a standalone, but as the "next book in the series" - it's good to be back in the world of the Immortal Guardians.   

Ethan and Heather are the featured couple in this edition.  I find their love story a bit more interesting than the last few heroes/heroines.  She is the daughter of a high ranking General who assists law enforcement with her special abilities, which puts her in the crosshairs of Ethan, an Immortal Guardian.  The Guardians are still fighting those who would exploit their abilities, their age-old enemies - the vampires, and now one of The Others who want to see Armageddon unleashed.  It is a fast-paced, action packed book.  

I want to give this a higher rating but the whole story is already very familiar.  I don't mind the continuation of past storylines, but other elements are repetitive - the assault on yet another lab/prison, the fight with the vampires, the ability to shift from place to place.  It is nice to be able to visit with past characters, however, I would've liked to see some new and fresh - perhaps explore the alien angle more. 

So, I recommend this read as a part of my endorsement for the overall series. But next book, I hope I get something a little more unique and boundary-busting. 

Blog Tour, Excerpt, Giveaway, and Exclusive Character Interview: DIRE AGENT N6: DYLAN

Agent N6: Dylan
(The D.I.R.E. Agency Series, Bk #6)
by Joni Hahn

Blurb:
Agent N6: Dylan McCall

Credentials:
Third generation Marine
Mongolian prison survivor

Enhancement:
Nanorobotics

Third generation Marine Dylan McCall has only one goal in mind: revenge. Armed with a new, scientific enhancement, he won’t rest until he destroys Cyrus Matheson’s plans.

Geneticist Teague Hamilton wants nothing more than a healthy baby of her own. Raised in a girls’ home, she knows Cyrus’s genetic engineering technology is her only chance at gaining the family she wants.

Dylan can’t get enough of D.I.R.E.’s confident, sexy-as-hell geneticist, even though his gut tells him she’s hiding something. He won’t rest until he tames her and brings her deception to light.

When Cyrus draws Teague out of D.I.R.E.’s protective custody and takes her to the past, she uncovers lies that prove she’s never controlled her own destiny, while Dylan travels back in time to save her before it's too late.

Can Dylan rescue Teague in time, or will he lose the woman he loves forever?

Available for purchase at 

            

Special Character 

We are so pleased to be able to welcome the main character of DIRE AGENT N6: DYLAN, Dylan McCall to join us for a quick chat about his new book.  

Sunny: What is your current state of mind?  

Dylan: Confusion.  I had my focus where it needed to be – on Cyrus. Then, Teague had to come along and completely captivate me.  What’s worse is that I know she’s hiding something. I keep telling myself not to get distracted by her, but certain parts of my anatomy won’t listen.

Sunny: Which living person do you most despise?  

Dylan: Without a doubt, Cyrus Matheson. He’s screwed with my life for the last time.  I won’t rest until I destroy him and his plans.

Sunny: What is your greatest regret?  

Dylan: That I allowed Cyrus to kidnap me in Afghanistan. I’ll never be that weak and unprepared again. Never.

Sunny: What is your most marked characteristic? 

Dylan: I’m fearless.  When I walk up on a barroom brawl, I jump right in. I love the rush of adrenalin that comes with spontaneity.  Bring it on.

Sunny: What is the quality you most like in a man?  

Dylan: Honor and bravery.  I’m a third generation Marine.  I was raised to fight for freedom.  That’s why I’m stoked to be a part of D.I.R.E. I work with men I admire.

Sunny: What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 

Dylan: Watching someone I love suffer with no way to help.  God help me if anyone tries to harm Teague.  

Sunny: What do you consider your greatest achievement?  

Dylan: Easy. Earning that spot with D.I.R.E. I’m one of six – six men in the world on the agency’s team of super agents.  Not too shabby.  My doubting family can’t argue with that.

Sunny: How would you like to die?  

Dylan: Without a doubt, killing Cyrus and destroying his plans. 

Sunny: What is your greatest fear? 

Dylan: That Cyrus will kidnap Teague and I’ll never see her again. 

Sunny: What is your motto? 

Dylan: Kick ass first. Ask questions later.

Thank you, Dylan for dropping by and giving insight into your character. 

“I need to take your temperature, McCall.” 
Pulling a plastic thermometer from a package, she slipped it under his tongue without meeting his eyes. As a matter of fact, she hadn’t looked at him at all since she walked into the room. 
She took his hand in hers and wrapped a blood pressure monitor around his wrist. Her flesh felt like soft butter against his skin, her nearness throwing his healthy libido into acceleration mode. Watching the machine monitor his pulse and blood pressure, she kept her face averted, while he sat with the damned thermometer under his tongue. 
Why was she giving him the cold shoulder? He’d rescued her from Cyrus’s clones and had carried her – carried her – across crushed glass so she wouldn’t cut her feet. 
He wouldn’t think about how her fingers in his hair sent goose bumps across his nape. 
Taking the thermometer from his mouth, she looked at it before showing it to him, her gaze back on the monitor.
“Ninety-eight point four,” she said. 
Squinting, he studied her stoic profile. She had the smallest nose he’d ever seen on a woman. 
“Yeah, so?”
The monitor powered down before she turned the display toward him. His vitals were perfect. 
“I know you don’t trust me, McCall. I don’t want you accusing me of falsifying your test results.” 
Walking back to the computer, she entered the information, her fingers flying over the keys. That rounded backside of hers was damned near mouthwatering. How could a doctor who sat in a lab all day have an ass that pert?
“I have every right to be suspicious,” he said. “Wouldn’t you feel that way, under the circumstances?”
“What I would feel is irrelevant, Agent McCall.” Opening a cabinet above her head, she pulled down some medical supplies.
He hated logical women. They made too much sense. The erratic, fly-off-the-handle type he could handle. He could dismantle their arguments with little effort. With smart women, he had to work at it.
Walking over to the bed, she tore open a package and set a vial beside his hip. “Lay back.” 
He refused to move until she looked at him. “No.”
Her gaze met his, disbelief lining her silver eyes. She stood less than a foot away, her mouth parted in surprise. Her top lip curved like the back end of a bow, her bottom lip plump and juicy.  
“Do you want these tests, McCall? Or, would you rather have someone else do them?” 
The smell of peppermint on her breath drew him closer. “Why have you been avoiding eye contact? Do you have something to hide?”
Her brows furrowed, her gaze dropping to his bare chest before looking back at the package in her hand.
“See what I mean?” he said.
Glancing up, she said, “What do you want from me?” She leaned in even closer, their noses nearly touching. “Is that better?”
His body stirred in his shorts, his lungs stuffed with down feathers. Behind those glasses blazed eyes like quicksilver, luminous and filled with ire. 
Gripping the edge of the bed, he itched to grab her around that narrow waist and pull her between his legs. Something told him Dr. Teague Hamilton wouldn’t disappoint in the bedroom. 
Damn, he should not feel aroused around this woman. Yet, for some stupid reason, her evasion freaking turned him on. 
“You need to work on your bedside manner, Doctor.” He flashed her a cocky grin.
A slow smile blossomed on her face, a pink blush coloring her cheeks. “Would you just shut it and lay back?”
“I rest my case.” He lay back on the bed and propped his arms behind his head. His Johnson sat at semi-erect attention, hoping she’d pay it a little notice.
Of course, she looked anywhere but there.
“I need an arm – unless you want me to take it straight from your jugular.” She cocked a dark, arched eyebrow.
“All of my blood flow is in my shorts at the moment. Any chance you want to help me divert it?”
The ire in her eyes turned to silver fire, her voice going husky. “Sounds… tempting, but I wouldn’t want you to lower your standards for a criminal.” 
“I’m into bad girls… just FYI.” 
“And, I’m into bad boys. Too bad you’re one of the good guys.” 

The D.I.R.E. Agency Series

Series is also available in audio books!!

By day, Joni Hahn keeps her secret decoder ring hidden while she works as a mild-mannered contemporary romance author. She believes the world can never have too many superheroes, and anxiously waits for the call when one will need help saving the world… or getting into his costume. Joni was born with a hopelessly tender heart and believes there is nothing on earth more exhilarating than falling in love. A native Texan, she thinks cowboys are the epitome of masculinity, and that country music is the other soul music.

Joni is a member of the Romance Writers of America and its Published Authors Network. She is a member of several RWA sub-chapters and has served in several board positions with the San Antonio Romance Authors. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, going to movies and concerts and spending time with family and friends.

Books 1 through 6 in Joni's sci fi romantic suspense series, The D.I.R.E. Agency, are available now.   Look for the epic Book 7, Agent U7: Keegan in late 2015!

You can find her at 

            

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ARC Review: RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright

Rage/Killian

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From New York Times Bestsellers, Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright, the heat of the bayou is back with Rage/Killian in an all-new dual 'tail'. Enter the Wildlands, where a new, volatile danger threatens the sizzling hot Pantera.

Authors Ivy and Wright could give lessons on how to write a satisfying novella.  These are short stories that do not read like short stories, but for the fact that they are, well, short. The narratives are involved and captivating with an emotionally satisfying pay off. They contribute well to the on-going story of the Pantera.  

In Rage, this Hunter is assigned to find and bring back an outcast from the pack. Rage the resident lover boy.  He adores women and they love him back.  Lucie grew up on the fringes of Pantera society, an outlier who was outcast for breaking the rules for outlaw hacking, a “Computer geek who has a reputation for being a psycho bitch.” Now the Pantera need her back for her hacking expertise.  

This is my favorite kind of couple.  A male who knows how to woo a woman and who is unexpectedly brought down by that special woman.  For Lucie, it is a dream-come-true. This is the male she has had a crush on since she was a girl.  She has been misunderstood for most of her life and she didn’t expect this to happen.  Starting as an opposites attract and morphing into a ying and yang story, I like the complimentary nature of our couple. They have a common purpose to bring down the perpetrators who are experimenting on the Pantera and humans.  It is an exciting story with action, suspense, and a lot of sexual chemistry.  

Killian

Killian is a human who has unknowingly been used as a guinea pig.  A special ops warrior seeking help for his PTSD, he is funneled into a program in which he is injected with Pantera DNA.  He is the manifestation of the Pantera’s greatest fear, the super soldier. 

Rosalie lost her mate during an attempt to escape from the clutches of Locke’s lab. She is angry, bitter, and hurting.  The last thing she expected is to feel an attraction for this human.  

He helps her overcome her grief and move on.  She helps him transition to his new life. It’s a simple story, but one really well told.  

IN A NUTSHELL:

Rage/Killian are two infinitely readable short narratives that advance the bigger story arc. There is an on-going threat to the Pantera.  Neither humans or Pantera are safe.  What is next?  

ARC REVIEW: "Wicked Ride" by Rebecca Zanetti

Wicked Ride

by Rebecca Zanetti

Realm Enforcers #1

Alexandra Monzelle is a hard-fighting, heat-packing Seattle vice cop, and she’s not much interested in being protected. Her short skirt and sex-kitten heels are tools to lure her suspects into talking about the deadly new drug hitting the streets. She can take care of herself and then some. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to get that through to Kellach Dunne.

Kellach is a fresh import from Dublin, and he’s landed at the heart of a vicious motorcycle club that deals in guns, narcotics, and mayhem. He’s all male, all rough power—and all interference in her damn investigation. Maybe he’s one of the good guys. Maybe not. Lex knows an affair with an immortal like him would risk everything. No matter how delicious he looks.

Raise your hand if you are excited for the first book in Rebecca Zanetti's Realm Enforcers series. If your not, you should be.  Wicked Ride is a highly entertaining start to an action adventure story.

Things I Really Like: 

I really like these characters.   I'm a sucker for strong, kick-ass female characters and Alexandra (Lex) Monzelle fits the bill.  She is a fearless detective with the Seattle Police Department with a sense of purpose.  As a teenager, she discovers that her father is a major drug dealer and that casts her future in stone.  She lives her life to atone for his crimes by taking drugs off the street.  Her sense of fairness and willingness to be vulnerable, especially around those she loves, highlight her strengths. 

Kellach Gideon Dunne (awesome name, by the way) is an Irish Enforcer of the Coven 9, the ruling cody of witches.  He is a dedicated soldier on the hunt for the makers of Apollo, a deadly drug that can destroy both humans and witches. Kell epitomizes the alpha male - protective, loyal, determined and over-bearing.  His immortality gives him years of experience and perspective, yet he is completely blindsided by his attraction to Lex.  

I enjoy the motley crew of characters - the witches, shifters, vampires and demons. Everything you can want in a paranormal adventure.  Each character clearly has a story of their own to tell.  

This is a fast paced story.  It reminds me when of years ago when the television show, ER, first debuted.  It was one of the first shows to use hand-held cameras.  The frenetic pace and multi-story lines made the show a little chaotic, and I loved it.  I feel the same thrill reading this story.  A lot happens between these pages and there is not one moment to rest. 

Not so Much: 

Kell's  protectiveness of Lex is overwhelming for her and for us.  And yet, she kinda deserves it.  Despite that fact that she continually states that she is a cop and therefore, can protect herself, she keeps getting in over her head.  For being a smart cookie, she is a little slow to accept that immortals have a little advantage over humans, namely they are difficult to kill.  

As I mentioned earlier, a lot happens in this first book.  We are introduced to a bevy of characters with previously determined storylines. For example, what is the story behind Dage and his wife? Also, what really happened between Simone and Nicholaj?   It makes me feel like I am missing something.  Is the author planning a prequel?  I'd be the first to support that motion!

Also note that despite the fact that our hero and other supporting characters ride motorcycles and are a part of a motor cycle club, this is not a motorcycle story. 

IN A NUTSHELL:

Rebecca Zanetti is right on target with this paranormal romance.  It's full of adventure, action, intrigue, and a sweet, hot romance.  I cannot wait until the next installment. 

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner - only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances.

ARC REVIEW: "Michel/Striker" by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright

Michel/Striker

by Alexandra Ivy and Laura Wright

Book #16 in the Bayou Heat series

MICHEL
Michel doesn’t trust Dr. Chelsea Young. Why should he? She willingly worked as a researcher for the humans who were using Pantera as lab animals. Unfortunately, his suspicions haven’t kept his cat from becoming obsessed with the need to possess the beautiful female.

Chelsea is determined to atone for her youthful mistakes. Even if that means working with the aggravating Michel who refuses to believe she now wants to help the Pantera. Together they must overcome their mutual animosity to track down her former boss, Stanton Locke, before he can commit the ultimate betrayal.


STRIKER
Dark, damaged and definitely gorgeous, Striker is all about the mission. And when the mission’s over? The Hunter is out of there. That is, until one of Locke’s lab rats is forced on him—a beautiful, pained female who needs sex to survive.

The lovely Twelve was abducted and taken to the labs several years ago. Used for breeding, she was given drugs that make her irresistible to males. It was a hellish, lonely life. But she’s free now, and determined to discover the truth about her past. If only the road to that truth didn’t involve the heartless male she can’t stop herself from wanting.

Another fantastic addition to the Bayou Heat series, the team of Ivy and Wright gives the readers a two scorching stories of redemption and risk. 

Alexandra Ivy’s Michel is more a traditional shifter story. Dr. Chelsea Young has been given a second chance.  After being the protégé of Locke, she helps the Pantera track him down.  She is partnered with the shifter she is least likes, Michel. Unfortunately for them, at least at the start, they are fated as mates.  It’s not quite insta-love because they have had to overcome a mountain of mistrust, but they still manage to overcome that hurdle and finally give in to their destiny. 

Laura Wright gives us a very erotic contribution to Bayou Heat with Striker. Sex is an essential element to the story.  The narrative begins with Striker sexing Twelve to consciousness (that’s right, not sex until oblivion.) Sex is the prescription to all the drugs pumped into Twelve while she is held prisoner by Locke. It is only time when she can find lucidity. 

Striker is assigned the “task” of helping Twelve work through the drugs coursing through her system. She can only do this through intercourse. He is the perfect person for this job as he already avoids attachment and intimacy.  Because of a past betrayal, he will not allow himself to get attached to any female.  However, Twelve is no ordinary female.  

The author uses an unusual narrative device to gain our attention. She takes us into the head of Twelve during her delusionary episodes. It is both disorienting and fascinating.  I first noticed this approach in her Wicked Ink series and found it disconcerting at that time.  The point of view is not defined and the voice is difficult to distinguish.  However, this makes the reader pay more attention to try and discern what is developing.  

IN A NUTSHELL:

This series is like chocolate truffles, small morsels of creamy, rich, goodness. It’s just enough to get you to the next fix.

ARC REVIEW: "Protective Instinct" by Katie Reus

PROTECTIVE INSTINCT

BY KATIE REUS

MOON SHIFTER, BOOK 5.5 

A woman worth fighting for… 

Wolf shifter Teresa is blown away by her packmate Ryan’s honesty about his past and his rare empathic powers. She wants him in her bed—and her life. The only problem: Ryan insists they wait, because the last thing he wants is to recreate the hellish family he grew up in. Frustrated, Teresa jumps at the chance to assist a packmate off the ranch—far away from Ryan. 


On the way, their vehicle is run off the road—and it wasn’t an accident. Ryan rushes to Teresa’s side, determined to protect her. But there’s a dangerous enemy lurking in the shadows, and if Ryan doesn’t break out of his old thinking and put his faith in his and Teresa’s love—and their ability to overcome obstacles together—it will be too late. 

This series makes me happy.  I can't tell you exactly what makes me feel this way, but I really enjoy these books. I rarely like jumping into the middle of a series, especially this far in, but after reading book 5, Hunter Reborn, I was hooked.

I am picky about PNR (paranormal romance), particular those featuring shifters, but these characters represent a good balance of human emotions and animal instincts. Additionally, I thought I would be irritated because there are so many unfamiliar characters, but it was easy to jump into the narrative. Moving deeper into this series, this novella highlights the members of the pack without unnecessarily complicating the story. 

This particular story is good.  My favorite part?  I really like the character of Theresa.  I remember her and Ryan from the previous book.  She is strong and independent. She has loved Ryan for awhile, but she was no weak-willed patsy.  I like, that if necessary, she could walk away from Ryan to give him space to make up his mind.  She doesn't have to nag; she doesn't cling.  Instead, she takes a break and embarks on an errand for the pack. Unfortunately, she gets caught up in a revenge plot by a female vampire that puts her in jeopardy.  

I like how the story starts right off the bat by jumping right into the relationship.  One might wonder, where do we go from here? But there is plenty of story to tell. The one thing that I struggled with is Ryan’s emotional hang-up about his mom and how he was raised. I understand his fear, but Theresa gives him no evidence that she is like his mother in any way.  His fear is unfounded and just a wee bit frustrating.  

IN A NUTSHELL:
If you are interested in shifter stories, you cannot miss this series!

Thank you to Katie Reus for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.