Category: Shifters, Weres

On Tour with Parker Williams’ Protector of the Alpha (Shifting Needs #1) (contest)

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 Protector of the Alpha: Shifting Needs Book 1
Author Name: Parker Williams

Author Bio:

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that comes with melding lives together.
Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to retire and try new things. He enjoys his new life as a stay-at-home author and also working on Pride-Promotions, an LGBT author promotion service.

Publisher: Self-publishedProtector400x600
Cover Artist: Laura Harner

Sales LInks:   All Romance   Smashwords    Amazon

Protector of the Alpha Blurb(s):

Adopted at an early age by a wealthy family, Jake Davis’s life appears easy. Even in college, he is blessed with good grades and an apparently clear path to a pro football career. Good thing his best friend keeps hanging around to keep his head from getting too swollen.

Zakiya Incekara has always been…odd. Being fluent in six languages and having a flair for international cooking should open the world to him, but those skills leave him isolated.

When Jake sees Zak for the first time, with water beading down his slender form, something inside him shifts, and it hungers for Zak. To have him. To claim him. And Jake knows that whatever it is, it won’t be denied.

Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, New Adult, Paranormal

Protector of the Alpha Excerpt:

Jake’s hand was rough, his skin dry. Zak loved how his fingers gripped tightly, but not so much that it hurt. Jake said nothing as they walked along the streets of the campus. There were few people around, but Zak did not care if everyone was watching them. He was confused as to his attraction to Jake, but it was something he could not deny.

The soft jazz music poured from the door of the pub when Jake pulled it open. Jake’s hand on his lower back urged him inside. Zak sniffed appreciatively at the scent of Cajun spices, no doubt from the blackened catfish special. His stomach protested, and he heard Jake snicker, but he could not seem to raise the ire he should. Jake escorted him to a booth and allowed Zak to sit back against the brushed leather.

“Two dinner specials coming up,” Jake said brightly.

Zak gazed at Jake’s hulking form as it moved away, marveling at the sinewy grace as he dodged patrons and servers. It was odd. He had never met anyone like Jake. He doubted there was anyone like Jake. He felt comfortable in his presence. Jake’s size did not intimidate him. In fact, that made him all the sexier. But his eyes were what made Zak melt into a puddle of goo. The way they twinkled in the dimmest of light. When Jake so much as glanced at him, Zak felt he was the sole thing Jake saw.

Jake turned from the bar, and Zak watched as the bright smile turn into a sneer. He dropped the tray, the catfish crashing to the floor, before he stalked to where Zak sat. Jake grabbed a man, probably about forty, by his throat and pushed him against the wall.

“You don’t so much as breathe near him,” Jake snarled.

The man looked cool as he smiled and croaked out. “You are everything I had heard you would be, and more, my lord.”

Pages: 237 pages

 Book Tour:  November 11, 2014

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A MelanieM Review: Off Course (Coyote’s Call #1) by Bailey Bradford

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Gideon’s worst night ever starts out with a bang that will change his whole life.

GOff Course coverideon Wells is bad luck.  That’s what he’s been told.  It’s the reason he was tossed out of his clan, and its the reason he has ended up stranded on this  road to nowhere in a Texas desert as the temperatures climb above 100 degrees.  From a birth rate that is in a spiral downward for bear shifters, to Gideon’s homosexuality, Gideon has borne the brunt of suspicions and anger from other bear shifters until he was ostracized, thrown out with no where to go.  Then his  dump of a car catches fire and he finds himself surrounded by scorpions..and  Gideon starts to believe what he’s been told.  But first he has to find a way to survive.

Coyote shifter Miller Hudson clan has disbanded.  Over the years fewer and fewer of them  retained the ability to shift until the present when they are shifters in name only.  True there is a legend that says an Alpha coyote shifter,  along with  a bear shifter mate, with be the savior of the now-defunct coyote den and bring them all back to the glory they once were.  But who believes in prophesies anymore?  Certainly not Miller.

Until he finds Gideon half dead along a deserted road near  town.   Suddenly everything changes for Miller and for Gideon.  But first Miller has to save him.

Off Course is the first in Bailey Bradford’s new series, Coyote’s Call, and it’s a great start to a promising new series.  I liked the premise and setting immediately.  The idea of a desert works beautifully when a mystical prophesy or folklore element is present.  Add to that the use of coyote shifters in a natural setting and the layers forming feel fantastical and real.

Although its Gideon we meet first, I am going to temporarily push him to the back.  The coyote clan that Bradford has created for this story is a marvel, complete with Native American overtones.  Something is happening to all the shifters world wide, dropping birthrates just the first indication.  With the coyote shifters the damage is manifested in the loss of their ability to shift into a coyote form.  That hole in who they are has brought about the dissolution of the clan, another key component of the basic coyote nature.   From Miller Hudson to his mother and other coyote shifters we see a close-knit group of people trying to hang on.  Miller is especially strong.  In fact it’s his strength of personality and outlook that takes charge of this story and Gideon in ways you are going to love.   I love all the dimension and depth to this group of people.  From their artwork to their philosophies, they are a fascinating clan and a perfect one to build a series around.

Then Bailey Bradford brings in Gideon Wells, the opposite of Miller and his people in every way, including pack/clan structure and society.  I felt that the rigid bear clan structure was less effective than the one created for the coyotes but we also get a reduced feel for them as not a lot of information about their background is  present so perhaps that’s coming.  But in Gideon Wells,  Bradford has a winning character, one I just adored from the moment we meet him.  Gideon is bearlike in every way, big and tall without being imposing, a little soft about the tummy, his is a personality gentle, hurting, and endearing.  He lacks self confidence and is clearly in need of love and a home.  And of course, his senses are muted so he has no idea who is a shifter and who is human, another fun element to explore.  This is a savory romance, hot and sexy, gentle and sweet.  I need more of these two shifters.

With a first novel in a series, the author has to lay the ground for the other stories to come and, again, Bradford does that successfully here.  There are a number of characters introduced who need their mates and HEA.  And the major threads of shifter species decline and the Coyote Clan are fascinating, so I can’t wait to read the next story to see how the author develops her series theme as well as character growth that I see coming.

If you love romance, especially one  with a supernatural shifter element, pick up Off Course by Bailey Bradford.  I throughly enjoyed it and think you will too.

Cover Artist:  Posh Gosh.  I liked this cover but didn’t love it.  Its dark, instead of the heat and lightness of the desert.  Plus where is the coyote or  bear elements?  So much to work with and yet that seems to be another “wolf shifter” cover.  A missed opportunity that the next cover will pick up on.

Sales Links:   Totally Bound      All Romance eBook (ARe)             amazon        Off Course

Book Details:

ebook, 164 pages
Expected publication: November 21st 2014 by Totally Bound (first published October 24th 2014)
ISBN139781784302924
edition languageEnglish
url https://www.totallybound.com
seriesCoyote’s Call #1

A PaulB Review: His Sleeping Beau (Wickedly Ever After #2) by Jess Buffett

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

His Sleeping BeauWhen Zanth’s car refuses to start on his twenty-fifth birthday, he didn’t realize that his whole world is about to be turned upside down. He will learn that the life he has lead up until that point has been carefully crafted to protect him from an evil he knows nothing about. With the assistance of his Guardian Liam, Zanth learns of his true nature and must return to his ancestral home in order to face his destiny of the leader of his people.

“His Sleeping Beau” by Jess Buffett is a gay retelling of the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.” Stephan is the leader of the Ignis Tribe of Mages. At the naming ceremony for his new born son, Aurelius, Stephan’s brother Malcolm shows up and curses the child. By the end of the child’s twenty-fifth birthday, he will prick himself on a sharp point and fall into a death-like sleep.

Flash forward twenty five years. Zanth Aurelius is having a really bad birthday. First, his car won’t start when he finishes his day teaching school. Then a stranger appears as he exits his shower. As Zanth is getting ready to defend himself against this stranger, said stranger says Zanth’s life is in danger and he needs to come with him in order to be safe.
The stranger is Liam, who is a Guardian and Changling who has been assigned to protect Zanth from birth. Hearing windows breaking downstairs, Liam protects Zanth, whom he recognizes as his mate, from the invading force while preparing him for a hasty retreat.

At a safe house, Liam explains to Zanth what is happening to his life. Liam describes the curse that was brought upon Zanth at the naming ceremony and the steps his family took to protect him. One thing that they had done was tell Zanth his birthday was three days before it really was. This was done to provide his protectors time to get Zanth to the tribe in time to claim his role as the new leader of the tribe. While at the safe house, Liam mates with Zanth but they do not complete the bond. They also are visited by the Guardian Elders, whom have an interest in Zanth claiming his rightful spot as the ruler of his people.
On the way to their village, the pair is attacked by a group of sorcerers which include Zanth’s ex-boyfriend. The ex has been working with Zanth’s uncle who is trying to make sure that his curse is carried out. With the assistance of the Elders, the pair manages to break free of this attack and continue on their way to the home village. As they rest at a motel that night, Zanth decides to complete the mating bond.

Once at the village, they find what amounts to a civil war going on. Several of the mages and guardians have sided with Malcolm trying to establish a new order. As the fight rages on, Malcolm takes Zanth prisoner and injects him with a poison that causes him to fall into a deep sleep. Liam takes on Malcolm, killing him in the process. Zanth recovers from the poisoning due to the love and mating bond he has with Liam.

The relationship between Liam and Zanth comes along quickly as most fated mate relationships go. Liam realizes Zanth is his mate when he is in danger. Zanth, who has not grown up in the world of fated mates, feels some type of pull towards Liam is resistant at first. Zanth accepts his feelings and the bond between the two after Liam defends Zanth from the various threats to his well being.

The author brings elements of the paranormal world not usually associated with your typical fairy tale. Adding shifters to the classic tale brings a new unexpected twist to the usual story. I also enjoyed the fact it diverged from the classic tale in that the villain takes a more active role in carrying out the curse.

This is the second book of the Wickedly Ever After series by JK Publishing. Each story is self contained. (The first book retells the story of Robin Hood from a female Robin’s perspective.)

The cover art is by the author and does well in depicting the heroes of the story. It shows Zanth in the foreground with Liam watching over him in the background. Well done cover.

Sales Links: JK Publishing         All Romance eBooks (ARe)      Amazon         His Sleeping Beau

Book Details:
Ebook:
Published: August 26, 2014
Edition: English
Series: Wickely Ever After

Series:
Robin and Her Merry Men (Wickedly Ever After #1) by Willow Brooks (m/f and m/f/m)
His Sleeping Beau (Wickedly Ever After #2) by Jess Buffett (m/m)

A MelanieM Review: Midsummer Law (Midsummer #3) by Megan Derr

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

midsummerlaw400Kirby Hindon is Sheriff in MIdsummer, a magical, supernatural town.  On the easiest day, the job carries with it a almost constant list of surprises and supernatural  happenings that most Sheriffs never have to deal with.  But one of the toughest parts of his job is notifying the next of kin when someone is killed.  That’s the Kirby is facing now. Hobgoblin Kerry Greyling is dead and Kirby needs to contact his brother as next of kin.  The biggest surprise appears when Kerry’s brother, Merry, shows up to collect his belongings.

Merry is Kerry’s twin brother but they were alike only in appearance.  Where Kerry was dark, Merry is light as well as powerful.  In fact, Merry shimmers from head to toe.  He is a well respected and sought after clothing designer whose clothes are just as unique as Merry.  What happens when a lonely Sheriff  who also happens to be a witch meets up with an equally lonely hobgoblin?  Anything is possible in the town of Midsummer.

Midsummer Law picks up after the events of Midsummer Curse.  All the towns people are dealing with the aftermath of Ferdy the gremlin’s curse and the death of Kerry Greyling, Ferdy’s ex and all round rotter.  It’s been left to witch and town Sheriff Kirby Hindon to notify the closest kin of the deceased and depose of the body and personal belongings.  But what happens next is as unexpected to those involved as it is just what they need.

I love the town of Midsummer that Megan Derr has created.  A place where all the paranormal and supernatural belong, its both a haven and locus for events and relationships of all types.  We’ve had werewolves and kind of weres, weres and gremlins, vampires and vampire hunters and now a witch in search of love in the most unlikely of places.  Kirby Hindon has always existed on the secondary layer of the other stories as a character.  He arrives to haul off the culprit or at the ending of a nasty culmination of events.  Now he’s at the front of his own story and we get a better look at a lonely man with never enough time to practice his magic.

Merry Greyling, twin brother to the nasty Kerry Greyling, is a lovely delight of a character.  A sought after clothes designer, he wears what he makes, along with artfully applied makeup in unusual color combinations.  He’s powerful, quixotic, and lonely.  Hmmmm, where can a partner be found for him?  Derr brings these two together over the death of Merry’s brother and let the rest of the journey to love fall gently into place.

I say gently because there is no drama to be found here, that occurred in the previous story.  This is just two beings trying to work out a long distance relationship and it contain the commonplace errors and miscommunications  one would expect of such an attempt.  It gradually works itself out along the way as Derr starts to fold in the characters for the next short story in the series, Midsummer Baker.

This is a very quick read with none of the depth of the first  two stories.  There is no mystery involved, just two beings in search of love.  I did love the surprise that was Merry and wish we had much more of him and Kirby’s relationship.  We get a few answers to some left over questions but that’s it.  I missed the variety of characters and the layers to the plot that the other stories had, although the romance is a lovely one.   There were also one or two editing issues.  A moment where Kirby looks at Kirby (it should have been Kelly), easy enough to catch and fix but wasn’t.

Midsummer is a town guaranteed to pull you into its stories and relationships.  There is so much to discover here and so many more beings to meet.  I hope Megan Derr continues to develop stories in this series.  I can’t wait for more to come.

Cover art by Megan Derr.   She does a terrific job in branding the series and yet makes each design relevant to the story within.

Sales Links:     Less Than Three Press            All Romance eBook (ARe)        Amazon            Midsummer Law

Book Details:

ebook, 46 pages
Published July 2010 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781936202294
edition languageEnglish
seriesMidsummer #3

Midsummer Series in order they were written and should be read (available in print, ebook and audio):

Midsummer Moon
Midsummer Curse
Midsummer Law
Midsummer Baker
Midsummer Days (Print collection of all stories)

A MelanieM Review: Midsummer Curse (Midsummer #2) by Megan Derr

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Midsummer Curse coverBrayton’s a lone wolf.  He’s also a “jack of all trades”, roaming the country fixing  problems for the supernaturals who call on him.  A call from a friend sends Brayton to supernatural town of Midsummer’s Night where a curse on the town’s gremlin threatens all things mechanical and worse in Midsummer’s Night. It should be a easy job, find the person responsible, have them break the curse and the gremlin and the town’s problem is fixed.  But nothing is ever so simple in Midsummer’s Night.

Ferdinand (Ferdy to friends), the town’s adorable gremlin, is miserable. His passion and nature is to fix and tinker  with all manner of things mechanical.  But someone or something has put a curse on him and now everything he touches falls to pieces…coffee pots, cars, clocks…everything.  His only hope lies in the gorgeous werewolf who has just arrived in town to fix his problem.  Ferdy has just broken up with his boyfriend and doesn’t want another.  So why can’t he get Brayton out of his head and heart?

Brayton’s stymied.  Everyone seems to love Ferdy and no one can figure out why he’s been cursed.  Something peculiar is going on and Brayton is determined to get to the meaning of it all.  But all he can think of is Ferdy, how the endearing pint sized gremlin smells and giggles.  What is happening to them both? Only time and a keen nose will sniff out the cause of their problems and much, much more.

Who knew gremlins could be so endearing?  Obviously Megan Derr, because with Ferdy she has created a pint-sized character full of vulnerability, sweetness, and a innate need to tinker with everything that has gears and mechanical moving parts.  With Ferdy and the reader its love at first sight.  For others it might take a sniff or  two before a powerful connection is made.  That’s where the other wonderful character of Brayton comes in.  Brayton is the odd were known as a lone wolf.  He wanders without a pack on business brought to him by word of mouth (or whatever parts necessary).  Brayton is snarky, self assured, and powerful in his own right.  Ferdy’s  total opposite or is he?  That’s one of the real delights of this story.

The chief plot of Midsummer Curse is a mystery.  Who and why cursed Ferdy so that everything mechanical he touches falls immediately to pieces?  As he is the town’s chief mechanic and handyman, this poses a huge problem for all.  That is hurts Ferdy horribly only gradually comes out as well. There are other small plot threads woven through this story that are equally enjoyable and twisty.  I love it when that happens.

Midsummer Curse may just be my favorite of the series.  A romantic duo of werewolf and gremlin?  Be still my heart and let my feet find a path to Midsummer’s Night and more stories to come.

Cover art by Megan Derr.  Love the car, now where’s my wolf?

Sales Links:    Less Than Three Press          All Romance eBooks    Amazon    Midsummer Curse

Book Details:

ebook, 57 pages, also available in audio
Published January 2010 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781936202157
edition languageEnglish
seriesMidsummer #2

Midsummer Series in order they were written and should be read (available in print, ebook and audio):

  • Midsummer Moon
  • Midsummer Curse
  • Midsummer Law
  • Midsummer Baker
  • Midsummer Days (Print collection of all stories)

Midsummer MoonMidsummer Curse covermidsummerlaw400midsummerbaker400

A MelanieM Review: Lukos Heat (Heart of Fire #1) by Megan Derr

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

Lukos Heat coverDragon Najlah is on the hunt with his fellow shifters in the Royal Shifter Corp.  His quarry? The court assassin who just tried to kill the King and his brother in the process. So far the mage has eluded them, but now Najlah and his battle brothers have chased the betrayer to the snowy Shide Mountains where few would dare venture, including themselves.  The cold is beyond frigid and the peaks fearsome in their height and ruggedness.  The Shide territory controlled by the Lukos,  the wild wolf shifters.  And it is the Lukos who meet them as they enter the range on their hunt.  The feral wolves hate interlopers but agree to help in the search for the mage, if for no other reason than to get the hunters out of their territory.

Barkus, the head of the Lukos pack that intercepts the King’s Shifters is amazed to see a dragon among them.  Dragons are so rare in the Shide that they are assumed to be folklore, beings used to scare small kits.  But there roaring and unhappy in the cold, appears Najlah and Barkus is intrigued.  Najlah returns his interest but first the race is on to find the mage and navigate the treacherous conditions they find themselves in.   When a fight turns deadly, Najlah and Barkus must use every advantage they have to survive, including one that just might bind them together forever.

Lukos Heat is another intriguing start to a new series by Megan Derr.  Heart of Fire’s first story, Lukos Heat introduces us to the Kingdom of Restuel, its Rulers, and the non humans among them.  At the top of the group are the Dragons, not dragon shifters but dragons who can assume a somewhat human form but remain always dragons in mindset and action.  Derr starts laying out her universe and beings almost immediately.

There are 3 types of dragons.  Najlah is a hornless black scale, the most fearsome warriors.  His brother Fayth?  Huge, horned and a protector who just happened to have married a human who is royalty.  And then there are the Bitches, the awe-inspiring female dragons who live in the caves, have the young and are basically the rulers in dragon society. Najlah’s home is inside a volcano where the fires sooth and refresh him.  I expect more dragon natural history to appear along with more stories.  What Derr gives us is fascinating while provoking more questions.

By royal marriage and agreements set between their rulers, dragons have come to live in Restuel, along with bird and cat shifters.  The wolves?  They are a feral group that lives apart in the Shide territories, content to remain aloof and isolated by choice and geographical and meteorological  conditions.  But a war is brewing and the attempt on the King’s life is just the start of the attacks.  Who is behind it and how will they stop it?  More questions pop up then are answered here.

This short story is all about the hunt for the poisoner and the meeting between wolf and dragon.  Each is a fierce warrior, courageous, loyal, and impulsive in their actions.  Both Najlah and Barkus recognize like souls immediately and how they pull together is the charm of this story.  I love the descriptions that let us know that Najlah retains his poisonous claws, scales and even fangs in his human like form, fangs so long that he is unable to talk but communicates through growls and hisses.   Barkus is as entertaining as he is savage and able.  The two make an aggressively attractive pair. I can’t wait to see where Derr takes them and this series.

I recommend this story and will be waiting along with the rest of you to see what happens next to our dangerous duo and the Kingdom of Restuel.  I can imagine the battles and snark now, and that’s just the courtship between wolf and dragon!  Whatever it turns out to be, I am sure it will be entertaining,  inventive and a must  story for all lovers of dragons and fantasy!

Cover art by Julie Wright.  Love that cover, works perfectly for Najlah.

Sales Links:   Less Than Three Press (preorder)

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: October 22nd 2014 by Less Than Three Press LLC
(first published May 17th 2013)
original title”Lukos Heat” published in Dracones
ISBN139781620044438
edition languageEnglish
series:  Heart of Fire

A MelanieM Review: Midsummer’s Moon (Midsummer #1) by Megan Derr

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Midsummer MoonHomeless, lonely, and starving, werewolf Lowell has heard of a town and doctor that can cure his lycanthropy.  Lowell can remember little of his upbringing outside of foster homes and abandonment.  All he knows is that being a werewolf brings nothing but pain to himself and to others.  And he wants to be free of his curse.

Lowell is hitchhiking to the  small town of Midsummer’s Night where he thinks the doctor and cure might be residing.  But when a kindly stranger picks Lowell up in the middle of a storm, Lowell gets far more than just a ride to Midsummer’s Night, he finds a wild town made up of supernatural beings who enjoy who and what they are, beings who are ready to accept Lowell into their midst if only he can begin to accept himself and his past.

I love it when a short story feels so much bigger in scope than it is in length.  In Midsummer’s Moon Megan Derr invents a town full of wildly imaginative supernatural beings, each more over the top than the other.  From a doctor with secrets to a vampire with a love for baking cookies and colorful clothing, this is a town that the reader and Lowell need to get familiar with.

Ah, Lowell.  What a sad, little were he starts out being.  Bereft of past, he lacks even the basics to get by in the present, and he hopes to change his future in Midsummer’s Moon.  He does but not in the way he expects.  Derr gives us a character that experiences growth and maturity while outlining the basis for future  stories from this intriguing little town.

As always, Derr brings a few new twists and turns to familiar werewolf lore and introduces us to new supernatural beings and their society that are sure to pop up as the series continues.  Megan Derr is a must read for me and this new series is no exception.  It’s lively, twisty, and fun.  Pick it up and begin your introduction to Midsummer’s Moon, a town you will want to visit again and again.

Cover art: Unsure.  Dark  but works for the story.

Sales Links:    Less Than Three Press             Amazon        Midsummer’s Moon

 

Book Details:

ebook, 63 pages
Published January 2010 by Less Than Three Press
ISBN139781936202119
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.lessthanthreepress.com/ebooks/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=187
seriesMidsummer #1

 

Books in the Midsummer series will have audio books out shortly:

Midsummer’s Moon
Midsummer Curse (Midsummer, #2)
Midsummer Law (Midsummer, #3)
Midsummer Baker
Midsummer Days: Tales of Midsummer’s Night

 

A MelanieM Review: The Last Wolf (Sapphire Ranch Wolves #1) by Sue Brown

The Last Wolf 400x600Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Professor Joseph Lowther Jr. returned home to the Sapphire Ranch when his father became gravely ill. His dad is now hospitalized and its up to Joe Jr. to run the ranch he left years ago.

When Joe hears a commotion out near the barn, he shoots a wolf he thinks is attacking their sheep.  But to his astonishment the wounded wolf turns into a young man, a wolf shifter in need of help and refuge.

Callum Pope just might be the last of his pack.  On the run from hunters who specialize in hunting, killing, and the destruction of all shifter wolf packs, he was on the run until he landed on the Sapphire Ranch and was shot.  That may have been the best thing to ever happen to Callum.  Joe offers him safety, friendship, and perhaps even sanctuary from those hunting him.

For Joe, his view of the universe has been shattered.  But in its place just might be something he never expected….a strong connection to Callum Pope, a bond that grows deeper by the day.  Now all Joe has to do is keep Callum alive long enough to figure out what it all means to himself and to Callum.

When a story manages to combine author Sue Brown and wolf shifters, I know I am in for a treat.  That the story is the first in a new series just makes this all the sweeter.  The Last Wolf by Sue Brown sets the stage for the series and the stories to come.  In that respect,  it tended to try to do too much in this first novel.  But the sweetness of Callum, the likability of Joe Lowther and his father, and  the undeniable terror of hunters bent on exterminating an entire race combine to make this story one to read.

I loved the premise of the series.  Its heartrending in its small details, and shocking in scope.  Hunters out to exterminate an entire race of beings on a world wide scale. That the hunters target all ages and genders, from babies to the infirm just intensifies our fear and horror.  They are killing machines who seem unstoppable.  When you put that type of villain up against a vulnerable young main character who has already lost so much, then your empathy is easily engaged and your connection to this shifter and Joe snaps into place.

The relationships make this story shine.  From the father/son bond between Joe Jr. and Joe Sr., this is a family you adore immediately.  Then there is the growing bond between Joe Jr. and Callum, which is swift but understandable given the circumstances.  I loved that one too.  As the story continues, more people and different types of bonds and deep relationships come into play.  Brown is also setting up some of the potential couples for the stories to come.  One is particular has me “growling” in anticipation.  The author has always been able to make her people and their relationships believable (even if one is a supernatural being), and she continues that  here.

There are some shaky moments in the narrative where the author clearly is trying to get in all the elements she needs for the rest of the series, even if they are only hints and glimpses of things to come.  So at times it can feel rushed or scattered.  But the story and characters are strong enough to pull you into their journey to safety, sanctuary, and love.

What makes a pack?  I think Sue Brown is delivering that answer in her Sapphire Ranch series.  It has a wonderful concept, terrific characters, evil hunters, and the type of elements that  will keep the reader returning to see what the author has in store for us next.  While the ending is not exactly a cliffhanger, Sue Brown leaves us with enough questions that the next installment will be eagerly awaited.   What is in store for the Lowthers, Callum Pope and the Sapphire Ranch?  I have no idea but  can’t wait to find out.

If you love shifters, add this to your TBR list today.  If you adore Sue Brown, this story and series are probably already there.  Now the anticipation begins for the next story.  I will be waiting to see where Sue Brown takes her characters next.  I hope you will be along for that journey!

Cover art by Meredith Russell.  Love that cover.  Great job.

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Book Details:

162 pages
Published September 5th 2014 by Love Lane Books Limited (first published September 4th 2014)
edition languageEnglish
seriesSapphire Ranch Wolves #1