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The characters as usual are well drawn.- Shifter's Lady by Alyssa DaygObviously from a long and complex story about Atlantis. Good characters and nice plot well paced a definite winner.- A Jaguar's Kiss by Lora LeighA story from her breeds series and well done. - Mad Dog Love by Angela KnightSi Fi well written. Enough background worked into the story so that it isn't confusing. Some of the series seem to drag but this moves nicely. Decent plot although somewhat predictable. Nicely drawn characters and good plot.- Sea Crossing by Virginia Kantra Touching love story of a human teacher who falls in love with a selkie. But the plot has a major flaw: Why do the Selkies urgently need a teacher.Overall very good to excellent reads.
2/5 stars[SHIFTER'S LADY] by Alyssa Day, Following characters from Day's Atlantis series this short story focuses on the romance between Marie, an Atlantean, and Ethan, a jaguar shifter. 5/5 stars[A JAGUAR'S KISS] by Lora Leigh, A Breeds series short story this one is about a human female who wants to become a teacher at a school where Breed children will be learning. [MAD DOG LOVE] by Angela Knight, Set in a futuristic world (that somewhat reminded me a little bit of Firefly with nanotechnology) where Freeworlders can be taken as slaves and manipulated by the nanotech these futuristic peoples rely on for healing and communications. 3/5 stars[SEA CROSSING] by Virginia Kantra, This prelude to Kantra's Children of the Sea series serves as a simple, very romantic introduction to the Selkies and their realm.
I have to say I was quite surprised by this one it was well plotted for the short format and while there was definitely some steamy sex there was good story too. Bringing together some of the hottest names in paranormal romances that feature shapeshifters, Shifter, delivers four tales of men who are a little beastly and definitely 100% male. When outsiders threaten the jaguar pride and Marie, Ethan will have to prove himself as an alpha and protector. 5/5 starsOverall this anthology was definitely geared more toward readers looking for some spice and eroticism rather than truly romantic stories. Getting this job means she will have to deal with being protected by the sexy, Cajun accented jaguar Breed, Saban.
I think since I haven't read this series it contributed to me not liking the story much because I was very lost on the Atlantean side of things. As far as the shapeshifters go, they were all decent representations of the genre and seem to be good examples of each writer's work. Rance Conlan, called "Mad Dog" by his owner, has little hope for escape and freedom until an icy, aristocratic woman comes in search of a werewolf guardian. When Emma March sets sail for Canada after being ruined by a man who would make her his mistress the last thing she expects is for her ship to go down or to be rescued by a mysterious seal only to wake in a strange castle. When the tension between them turns unbearable things get more than a little complicated.
I know lots of fans of this series but if this is any indication of how much their plots focus on sex and erotica it's just not for me, sorry guys. Having read the first in this series and enjoyed it I can safely say you don't need one to understand the other and this was the most romantic of the four, loved it. If you're curious about any of these authors--as I was when I bought this anthology--I think this would be a good place to sample their writing styles and the realms they work in.
Incidentally, while Saban likes to cherish his mate, Natalie likes to challenge hers. Because of this, her brother finds her a protector - and he just happens to be the Alpha of the local were-panther pride and irresistible in Marie's eyes. Though she knows without a doubt that just one kiss from her jaguar will change her life forever, Natalie is ill prepared for the feelings that come forth - feelings of arousal and love she has spent months trying to ignore. Emma March is a worthy heroine to his hero for sheer guts alone. And it starts with just one kiss.
His feelings for her have nothing to do with his wanting her to accept himself and his people. The fact that her bodyguard sets her body aflame and her mind reeling makes her nuts, but it is his kiss that she craves. Sensing that he needs her, she will not be deterred and thus is allowed to cross through a portal in order to get to the other side where her brother awaits her arrival. Her love for Ethan is evident in every encounter and I couldn't help laughing more than once at her emotional ties to rain. Shifter's Lady Marie, the First Maiden of the Nereids, is traveling to visit her brother. Leigh more than proves to Natalie that Saban is the perfect mate and breed for her. She wants nothing more than to educate the breed children she has been trusted to teach.
She needs someone powerful enough to help her accomplish this undertaking. He doesn't take into consideration that his new master could in fact be a new mistress thus provoking hidden instincts that he isn't ready to face. Emma has been rescued by an enigmatic man that makes her yearn for the baser needs that she has in her body - needs that she doesn't want to acknowledge but finds herself exploring. Someone strong and loyal. Jaguar breed Saban Broussard is sin personified with a Cajun accent and a penchant for whispering sweet nothings in the ear of his beloved. ***Natalie S.***
Mad Dog Love Rance Conlon, also known as "Mad Dog" has been enslaved by a traitor. She has come into her inheritance and has been able to change her internal nanobots which hide her from the enemies wishing to control her. His yearning for freedom is unwavering and I found myself more than once torn between wanting him to be set free and wanting him to be tied to Zarifa for a lifetime. And what is his, he keeps. Ethan has become uneasy friends with the Atlantean who has made his home upon Ethan's land. Sea Crossing Griff is a selkie. His passion for his mate has no boundaries, even when he is being tested.
I found Griff to be blatantly sexy but somewhat shy. She doesn't want nor does she need her assigned protector. But when it all comes down to emotions and love, Griff knows that he will follow his lover wherever she wants to go. She is courageous and I don't blame Griff one bit for his feelings for her. She is on a mission - a mission that could very well cause her death. Though she is told to return to Atlantis for her safety, Marie refuses. Each and every novella in this anthology captured my attention and held me spellbound in a world full of paranormal hotties and the women who loved them. Lora Leigh's, A JAGUAR'S KISS, is absolutely outstanding.
Ethan is pack Alpha and one of the toughest male characters I have read about in a long time. Thank goodness I don't have to pick a favorite from this four novella anthology because I would be hard pressed to do so. Now he must convince his independent mate that life in his arms doesn't mean giving up her stability. Ms. Tested by those who should be loyal, Ethan knows one thing - Marie is his.
Natalie Ricci has just been through a messy divorce in which her very existence and emotional independence were tested. Angela Knight's, MAD DOG LOVE, grabbed me from the start with Rance pacing the cage like the wolf he is. Someone just like the slave known as "Mad Dog". Given the task of finding a teacher for the young children of his island home, he doesn't hesitate in his mission. Her character is strong and determined as well as gentle and kind. Informed of the fact that he is being put back on the slave block, Rance can only hope that his new master will not watch him vigilantly so that he can make his escape. Or so he tells himself over and over. Stealthy, steadfast and loyal, he has been given the mission to protect the new teacher hired by the pride leader to instruct the breed children of Sanctuary.
Their reunion is short lived, however, when Marie's brother is asked by the Atlantean god's high priest to help with the search for Justice. While Marie is accustomed to being a cherished member of Atlantis, she is no wilting flower. His tongue is swollen and his senses are on alert. Saban is nothing if not thorough and so relishes the task set before him. The nanobots inside of his body have been reprogrammed so that escape is not a possibility. It means a lifetime of being loved and cherished.
As a huge fan of Lora Leigh's Breeds, I placed this amazing author on my auto-buy list years ago - and I'm happy to say this novella is more than worthy to stand beside the other books from this series. Alyssa Day's contribution to the anthology - SHIFTER'S LADY, takes readers back to the world she introduced with her Warriors of Poseidon series. Know that each and every story will capture your attention, engage your mind, make your palms sweat and your cheeks blush. His emotions are tested when panthers from his pride are found murdered with no leads or witnesses as to who would commit such a brutal act. Doing her best to be brave, she thinks of others safety before her own and finds herself drowning. Since the man has mated one of the women of Ethan's pride, decides to play nice. She fails to take into consideration that in gaining a slave she may also gain a lover she will not wish to lose - that is, if they are able to stay alive long enough. Fiercely independent but secretly needy, she wants Saban to want her because of love, not need her because of genetics.
Queen Zarifa Lorezo is on the run. I found his protection of Zarifa loyal and unfaltering, even when he discovers that the woman he thinks she is turns out to be an allusion. Since this investigation is taking up all of his time, Ethan is able to forget his failures. I really enjoyed how she makes her selkies realistic and how she portrays the dynamics of the selkie hierarchy. When one of her students matures in ways unheard of by Emma, her life on the island changes in an instant and the end result might not be what she or Griff is expecting.
Rance despairs of ever being free and so spends his time being as obstinate and vicious as possible. SEA CROSSING by Virginia Kantra took me to a world I seldom read about but think I may have to investigate further. Loyal to a dead mate even though he didn't care for her, Ethan continually surprised me. Or so she thought. Emma March has lost her job and her family with just one mistake of the heart. Trusting a man when she shouldn't have, she finds herself at the mercy of the sea when the ship she is traveling on slowly begins to sink. A Jaguar's Kiss by Lora Leigh Saban Broussard is a Cajun breed enforcer with the DNA of a black jaguar.
Stranded on an island, unknown by the inhabitants, and without any family around her, she has made the best of her situation. Failures that come to haunt him once his inability to resist Marie's charms become common knowledge. Answerable only to the prince of the selkies, Griff tries his best to persuade the woman to want to stay on the island. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and grinning when his panther side comes to the forefront and demands Marie. The conglomeration of authors is the perfect recipe for this enticing and well written anthology.
It has the good fortune to have the foundation of a world clearly already well-formed in the author's head; this shows in the lack of a struggle to establish a setting.A schoolteacher chosen to work with Breeds children, Natalie is assigned a bodyguard for her protection in the unusual life. Empress Zafira Lorezo purchases a cybernetically-designed werewolf slave, Rance Conlan, to protect her from her viciously manipulative fiance, unaware that Conlan is in league with the man she plans to meet to secure justice for her empire.This is an absolutely fantastic read, especially given the novella length. Altogether, though, it was enjoyable, and I plan to read more of this intriguing series.3.5/5Shifter's LadyAlyssa DayA lovely, romantic tale of an Atlantian, Nereid priestess and the responsible leader of a pack of panthers, Shifter's Lady is a gem. I sincerely hope that Ms.
A grade-A read from an excellent author.4.5/5Sea CrossingVirginia KantraEmma March had the opportunity for a new life as a schoolteacher, across the Atlantic and far from the cruelty of a man who nearly ruined her career. Knight is kind enough to continue writing in this world she has created, and I hope to see more of these characters, as well as the others she began; the setting is one of the best that I've seen. This is one of my favorite novellas, and well worth the cost of the book alone.5/5A Jaguar's KissLora LeighThough I have not read any of Lora Leigh's other "Breeds" books, A Jaguar's Kiss was an enjoyable, stand-alone novella filled with hot romance. Mad DogAngela KnightAngela Knight spins a complicated web of political intrigue and sizzling romance in this short tale. What she does not immediately learn is that her rescuers are Selkies -- seal shapeshifters.I enjoyed the twist on the usual shapeshifter mythos, and the characters were enjoyable. The heroine's scheming ex-husband is also a bit grating; one wonders why there would not have been more involvement by authorities, as he very nearly is stalking her.
The characters work together just perfectly, and the lush, Cypress setting of Florida is a lovely addition.Marie is visiting her brother in when she finds herself lusting for the handsome, outspoken Alpha, Ethan. Ever the leader, Ethan is tracking down a killer of his fellow (non-shape-shifting) panthers, at the same time having sworn to protect Marie; the two tasks cross paths, and before he knows it, the Alpha is entrenched in a heated pack rivalry.I enjoyed this story quite a bit, and again, hope to read more of the series that spawned it.
Also refreshing is the "historical" bent of the novella, set during the old transatlantic sea voyages. I adored the characters, her universe-creation, and the story itself.
However, when her ship for the trans-oceanic crossing sunk, she was rescued under mysterious circumstances by a magnetically attractive man, Griff, and taken to Sanctuary, his island home. Unbeknownst to her -- at least initially -- Saban is her Breed-mate, and despite their differences, they must eventually come together.I liked the story overall -- it sizzles, and I enjoyed the characters apart from one another.
On the other hand, they didn't quite click for me; the resolution of their differences seemed a bit contrived and unsatisfying. Once there, she finds a passel of children needing a schoolteacher, and Griff ready to love her.
I would be happy to read more by this tasteful, excellent author, and certainly plan to in the future.4.5/5
And I truly felt for Saban; the Jaguar tried so hard to court Natalie, easing her into what he's feeling, all the while trying to protect a very stubborn woman. With a twist in the plot near the end, Knight brings another great story to a close with a happy ending.~ A Jaguar's Kiss by Lora Leigh ~Natalie Ricci is a human no-nonsense woman who stands up for herself and fights for what she wants. Griff, a quiet, handsome, caring man, pushes past her moral to capture her heart. She's not at all like she's portrayed to be in video clips he's seen. A prideful man, he'll do anything to put a stop to it.
He is to be her bodyguard, close to her at all times. Okay, so it's part of the series, and I got the feeling that I should have known the characters. The collar that the slaver, Casus, had put around his neck has reprogrammed his nanobot system, and is now able to inflict pain on Rance whenever he sees fit. He loves her, and that should be enough. Removed from her teaching post, she left, deciding to board a ship to Canada and in lieu of payment, she is to go into service. During the crossing, the storm sinks the ship and Emma comes close to drowning after falling overboard.Surprised she isn't dead, she's even more surprised to awaken in a soft bed, completely nude, on a remote but populated island. Lady Marie, First Maiden of the Nereids in Atlantis, travels through a portal to this world to visit her brother Bastien and his lady, Kat.
He recognized her instantly as his mate and tries desperately to court her like a human male would.But her ex-husband doesn't like the idea. Love scenes are hot as well, LOL. He feels the danger, even if she doesn't believe that Mike would truly hurt her. He plans to kidnap her with the help of the Council doctors, scientists who are looking to capture a member of a mated pair to study and dissect them, for mated pairs age considerably slowly, and the Council wants the secret.**I liked Natalie right away. She's never left Atlantis in 4 centuries, and the promise of her first vacation is exciting to her.While Marie has had lovers, nothing has prepared her for Ethan. Convinced she'd been controlled, he's vowed to keep her alive until she can turn the reins over to her brother.**No matter if Knight is writing a novel or novella, she certainly knows how to grap and hold a reader's attention. Zarifa.Rance discovers who Zarifa really is and isn't happy, but she intrigues him. And while Mike, Natalie's ex-husband, tries to prove that she's being held against her will, Saban is trying to convince her to stay away from him.
A divorced, no-nonsense teacher who fights back and stands up for herself. For with his first glimpse of her, of her smile, the bottom dropped out of his world, and he wants her all to himself.While Ethan has promised to protect Marie through the danger surrounding his territory and the animals in it, they grow closer and closer. Slipping away from Saban for one final confrontation with Mike, she realizes too late that Saban was right and fears she'll never be able to explain or apologize. I liked how Ethan tried to rein in his feelings, to be the perfect gentleman for Marie. He wants a woman who he can control, to see to his every whim, and he wants Natalie to be that woman, no matter what she wants.
Four awesome novellas from awesome authors.~ Mad Dog Love by Angela Knight ~Princess Zarifa Lorezo is on the run, afraid for her life, afraid and knowing that her fiance and her uncle would do anything to keep her in their grasp, to rule the empire she will inherit. She doesn't see herself as worthy now that she's been used. She was convinced that he loved her, that he would marry her. Griff convinces her she doesn't not need to make her way to Canada, when she can do what she loves to do right there, on the island.
She desperately wanted the teaching position to the Breeds in Buffalo Gap, but what she wasn't counting on was this fierce wanting she feels for Saban Broussard.Saban Broussard, of the Breed Enforcer and a Jaguar, has wanted Natalie since before he approached her to relay the good news. But he's holding a secret from her. Alas, it wasn't what he had in mind. Lora Leigh knows how to write gripping characters, awesome love scenes and action scenes, all the while focusing on the characters, their feelings.
That inner fight with himself drew Marie to him even more. It was great to watch Emma fight an inner struggle until she can no longer fight it. However, she's wrong. The hero and heroine seem real enough for the reader to wish this was happening in real life. Excellent.~ Sea Crossing by Virginia Kantra ~Emma March was betrayed and hurt.
Casus has found a potential `buyer'. The plot was good, action scenes superb, fighting well done. Meanwhile, Saban feels betrayed, believing that Natalie wants to return to Mike after she continuously defended him. The entire romance was perfect. But will Emma understand their world.She does, and falls in love with the patient, caring Griff. In disguise, she's looking for a bodyguard to keep her alive so that she can bring very important information to her half-brother, the rightful ruler of the Empire.Enter Rance "Mad Dog" Conlan, a Freeworlds werewolf, has been betrayed, the traitor seeing fit that he become a slave.
they all are.They are Selkie, people who can shape-shift into seals. The island is shared by them all, and the little ones need a teacher. But other than that, I enjoyed it. I thought Emma was sweet and strong, a woman who tries to do the right thing, even after being led astray. Marie has never met a male who wants her so desperately as Ethan does.**At the beginning of the story, it seemed to me like I was missing something.
Quickly, Zarifa and Rance learn to trust each other, despite the shaky circumstances. But Griff teaches her that it doesn't matter; to the Selkie, what happened to her is not her fault, and they don't believe in the same morals as her. I have a feeling I'll be picking up more Lora Leigh really, really soon.~ Shifter's Lady by Alyssa Day ~Ethan, alpha male of the were-panthers is having trouble; seems someone is killing the endangered panthers in his territory. Irresistible, startingly so, he sends her senses swimming, and he is more than happy to use it as his advantage. While fighting with her morals, her heart still heavy after being used, Griff shows her what it means to love.
Griff, to me, was a man any woman would want in a husband; patient, kind, caring, handsome.
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