SUMMER SHIFTER OBSESSION (anthology)

Title:  SUMMER SHIFTER OBSESSION

Author:  multi (see below)

Publish Date:   06.10.2016

Publisher:  Aurora Woodlove

Category /Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Aurora Woodlove (in exchange for an honest review)

Goodreads link: Summer Shifter Obsession

Date completed: 06.26.2016

 

Description from the publisher:

This summer’s scorching-hot collection is full of Alpha shifters who are determined to either get their fated mates or escape their destiny.

A wicked fox, a bad boy werewolf, a handsome leopard, five burly bears and three mighty dragons have only one thing in common: they need to find their mate, whether they want it or not.

Even if it’s hot, even if it’s hard, destiny always finds a way to bite these powerful shifters in the behind!

To enjoy this panty-melting boxed set properly, make sure you stock up on cold drinks, feed your air-con and sit in a comfy armchair.

10 stories – 9 standalones and 1 story that contains a cliffhanger
Featuring:
Bear in Sight - Terra Wolf
Bearly Hunted– Cara Wylde
Leopard Print Love – JM Klaire
One Night With A Bear – Kit Fawkes
Art of Cunning – Steffanie Holmes - contains a cliffhanger
Furever Mated – Meredith Clarke
Seduced by the Dragon – Jacqueline Sweet
Taken by the Werewolf (werewolf biker) – Emma Alisyn
Claimed by the Dragons – Cara Wylde
Janet and the Bear – Aurora Woodlove

It contains explicit language and sizzling hot scenes that might set your Kindle on fire. Intended for readers 18+.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I read all ten in the anthology – and loved every single one of them!  These are short stories and novellas (from 30-160 pages for each story)

 

Though some are part of series, they each do stand alone and only one left you in a cliffhanger (but you are warned before you begin and you could skip that one).

 

Leopard Print Love – JM Klaire
Series: N/A

This is a stand-alone, contemporary, paranormal romance novella.

At the beginning of this story, Callie comes across as a bitch. Is she really one or just having an exceptionally bad day? Well, she’s taking a trip on a plane. She’s dealing with the TSA (personally, my least favorite part of traveling), rude fellow travelers, scheduling errors, and a surprise puddle-jumper… and it’s about to get worse.

Since I speak fluent snark and sarcasm with a touch of bitch, I fell in love with Callie right from the beginning, but more so with Wade (though I had to cringe every time I read the name, since it’s the same as the ex-husband LOL). Then it was all about Wade and his unflagging dedication to Callie.

 

           Oh, and the epilogue is the absolute best in adorable.

This is the first story I have read from J.M. Klaire. I hope it’s not my last!

 

Bearly Hunted– Cara Wylde

Series:  Fairy Tales with a Shift

 

This is a stand-alone paranormal short-story in the Fairy Tales with a Shift series.  This one is a retelling of Snow-White and the Seven Dwarves, except that the huntsman is a bear-shifter and the dwarves are his bear cub shifting nephews.

 

What a fun, naughty, steamy twist on a classic story.  This is definitely not suitable for Disney!

 

I would love to read more of the stories in this series and explore the other books offered by Cara Wylde.

 

Claimed by the Dragons – Cara Wylde

Series:  N/A, but related to the Sold to the Alpha (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014...) and The Hidden Alpha (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B...) series.

 

In this world concept, as part of the contract between the shifters and the humans, some girls are sent to special boarding schools where they are taught to be brides to the alphas who buy them.  Most of the girls are orphans and this is a better chance at a good life than they could otherwise expect.  Delyse’s has been promised to the gold dragon, Eric Drekinn, purchased by his Beta, Viggo.

 

An impressive and engaging story.  Torn between two loves.  Torn between obligation and passion.  Delyse is determined to do what is right, never dreaming that sometimes you will be allowed to have your cake and eat it too!

 

There was enough mention of Delyse’s friends and their mates to whet my appetite.  I want to read more about the girls at the Alma Venus School! 

 

 Janet and the Bear – Aurora Woodlove

Series:  Shifting Impulse #3

 

This is the third book in the Shifting Impulse Series.  Each does stand alone, but I recommend reading them all.

 

Adam and Ryan’s bartender, Janet, knows all about shifters.  She’s dated one before and now she’d rather be alone than subject herself to another alpha jerk.  She knows the kind of man she wants and she’s willing to wait to get him.  Sound familiar?  If you’ve ever loved and lost, you’ve probably had those same thoughts. 

 

I loved how strong Janet is.  There is no naiveté in her, though she’s fast friends with Celine who is the epitome of naive.  Both Janet and Sean think they are going to have a no-strings fun weekend fling.  I loved how wrong they both were and watching as they came to realize just what fate had in store for them.

 

I have been lucky enough to read all three books in this series and they just keep getting better.  I look forward to whatever Aurora Woodlove might next share with us!

 

Art of Cunning – Steffanie Holmes - contains a cliffhanger

Series:  Crookshollow Foxes #1

 

This is the first book in the Art of Cunning series.  They will need to be read in the order of release.

 

In Crookshollow, England, there are people who are more than human hidden among the neighbors.  One of those neighbors is a reclusive world-renowned artist and a fox shifter…

 

I was captivated from the first page.  Alex is a curator at the local art museum with an a**hole for a boss.  That alone is enough to cause immediate empathy.  While my bosses are generally nice, we all know people who aren’t so nice.  The artist, Ryan Raynard is hot and haughty.  What a combination!  I loved their building, budding relationship.  The intrigue is also building when Alex is attacked.  Who is trying to hurt her and why?!

 

Steffanie Holmes provides a quick paced, yet fully-developed short story that is just the first part in a series.  There is a cliff-hanger, but it is worth the read, and the other portions are already available, so you don’t need to wait to continue reading.

 

Bear in Sight - Terra Wolf

            Series:  Hunter’s Manor #1

This is the first book in the Hunter’s Manor series.  They will need to be read in order.

I love the history of the clans.  It had been decades since one of the clans had a seer (psychic).  Her grandmother, also a seer, had seen Piper’s fated mate.  She saw his green eyes and shaggy hair, but forgot to mention that he was a bear-shifter!  Noah knows that seers used to be included in the clans, but that’s ancient history.  All he knows is that his bear is intent upon protecting the girl they found on the side of the road after she wrecked her car in a storm.

I want to know if Piper’s grandmother had had a bear lover as well…

Though the writing needs some smoothing out, I love the story and hope that I will be invited to continue reading and reviewing this series.

Furever Mated – Meredith Clarke

            Series:  N/A

This is a stand-alone romance novella.

The story of how shifters came to be is quickly, but completely shared as we meet Kurt, the alpha of the Charlestown Clan.  It is a story that many would believe of our government and the lies and secrets that they keep.  Add in a little Fantasy Island-type resort vacation and we’re ready for the meet-cute.

I loved that we meet Kurt and Scarlett separately and get to know a little about them and their friends before they find one another.  In fact, they do not encounter one another until about half way through the book.  Though they have a fiery beginning, I loved that they then slowed down and really got to know one another.  When another clan lands on the island get-away, the real sparks begin to be thrown.

 The HEA is intense and, ultimately, immensely heart-warming.

One Night with a Bear – Kit Fawkes

Series:  Emerald City Shifters #4 

This is the fourth book in the Emerald City Shifters series, but each story stands alone.  I’m certain of this, because I have not read any of the others and had no feeling of having missed anything (though I can guess that one of the stories is about Cody’s nephew, Kade, and his mate).  

I am head over heels in love with Cody.  He is hot, rugged, protective, passionate, and alpha.  He is the whole damn package with a brownie on top!   

I may be in love with Cody, but I am most like Jade.  She is practical, though maybe a touch pessimistic when it comes to believing she can have the best that life may offer.  Well, normally she is practical.  One night of passion, a one-night stand before a four-month trip for an archeological dig is her one fling of daring,… and the results come back positive.  Then it’s up to Cody to show her just how positive the outcome has been! 

Together, they are just perfect for one another… and baby makes three! 

I would love to read more from this talented author. 

Seduced by the Dragon – Jacqueline Sweet

Series:  N/A

This is a stand-alone short, erotic story. 

Wow! Was that ever hawt!!  Hawt, but not just mommy porn.   

I’d love to see the story developed into a series.  There are some open possibilities as Rowan’s relationship, friendships, and powers could be developed. 

If this is the normal spice level for Jacqueline Sweet, I definitely want to read more!

Taken by the Werewolf – Emma Alisyn

Series:  Alpha Werewolf Mates #2 

This is the second book in the Alpha Werewolf Mates series.  Though it does stand alone, I could tell there was a bigger story to be read – and I want it! 

I have always been a goody-goody.  Rules and laws are meant to be followed, right?  So how could I possibly love a drug dealer?  Well, because Hayley’s not a user and she’s doing only what she can to survive.  When her pack ignores her situation and even her family has turned her back on her, she is stuck with selling drugs to addicts or becoming a hooker.  She took the choice she felt did the least harm, since she wasn’t turning them into users, merely feeding their addictions so that she could have a home and food. 

Cam is the Beta of the Dalig Hund pack and should be enforcing the laws, but this is just a little too personal when the person being harmed is his sister.  I love how protective he is of his family, even if his sister is a loser in my opinion.  Even more, I loved that he could reign in his wolf and his usual boorish attitude (the result of privilege and presumed/reinforced entitlement).  Instead, once he listened to Hayley, he took the time to woo her a bit. 

There is no denying the mating compulsion, even for a nose-blind runt like Hayley.  

The story is sexy.  I loved how Emma Alisyn was able to make Hayley and Cam as sweet and seductive as a gentle rain, but also as hard and passionate as a F4 hurricane.

 

 

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