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jeanz's review against another edition
4.0
REVIEW
As I had already read and loved a couple of novella anthologies The Big Alpha In Town and Thanks Fur Last Night Bk1 of the Fur Series by the same three authors Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden and Kate Baxter I was eagerly awaiting for more from these authors. As soon as I heard about this it went straight on my "must read" list. As I had enjoyed Thanks Fur Last Night so much I did have high expectations for this novella. Having never read anything by these authors prior to The Big Alpha In Town I have quickly became a an of their work. I am adding some of the novels by the individual authors to my WTRWL (want to read wishlist).
The cover has tones of orange and yellow on it giving it a dappled daylight feel. The two main prominent features of the cover are the large bear that appears to look in the direction of the couple getting rather close to each other. I love the title and love the ply on words. The substitution of the word for being Fur works really well and I am sure will help to make the book stand out and you'll instantly know which series it belongs to as Fur will appear in every anthology title.
The genre listings for this anthology are Paranormal, Fantasy & Romance which it perfectly and give you a general idea of what the novellas will be about. I would also add shape-shifter, bear shifter
BEARING HIS TOUCH
by
EVE LANGLAIS
The first novella is called Bearing His Touch and is written by Eve Langlais. The main character Becka has been kidnapped, though no one is looking for her as her last living relative was killed by her kidnappers. Becka is subjected to abuse everyday, forced to sleep on the floor, not permitted out where she could be seen and spoken to alone, so she is unable to ask for any outside help. When she is allowed out she has to use clothes and make up to hid and disguise her bruises and injuries. So when she gets the chance to flee when her kidnappers are attacked she takes it without thinking of what to do next. It seems two sets of people want her, her kidnappers of course want her back, then there is the group all dressed in black and bike helmets covering their identities appear to want her back too. She doesn't know where to go or what to do until she meets Stavros a bear shifter who's mate instinct kicks in the minute he sees Becka. Now all he has to do is keep her safe and convince her they are meant to be together.
I became fond of Becka and her naivete and the fact she doesn't want to put Stavros or his family in danger. However once she meets the rest of her protector, Stavros' family they will not take no for an answer and insist on protecting her. Stavros repeatedly reassures Becka that he can hold his own in a fight and he is tougher than he looks. I adored the romance between Stavros and Becka. I also loved the scenes between Becka and Poppa. I found the scenes between Stavros and his sisters amusing as they wheedle, persuade, and order him around.
I have always loved werewolf shifter stories but have now discovered other types of shifters and have to say I am becoming partial to bear shifters.
FAKE MATED TO THE WOLF
by
MILLY TAIDEN
The next novella is Fake Mated To The Wolf by Milly Taiden. In this novells we revisit the setting of Owned By The Lion In The Big Alpha In Town, and Bought By The Bear. I have grown fond of the characters in these three novella's. The main focus in this novella is Shawna who is working, in fact more or less running the Mates Fur Hire part of the larger business. Shawna is working all the hours she can to send money to pay off a family debt and then help her mother and her step brothers free. Shawna has moved into a cheaper apartment in a not so great area. There is an old homeless guy called Robbie who watches out for Shawna and also her friends when they visit by escorting them from the car park to the apartment and back. Shawna is upset at work as her immediate boss Clark is very chauvinistic and sexist. He has been putting more and more pressure on Shawna to do more work. He actually times her toilet breaks and notes down how many she has during each day. Clark loves to write Shawna up and give her warnings, then one day he finally sacks her. Shawna determinedly hides her emotions and actually feels a sense of freedom initially, then it hits her how will she send money to her mother now? In act how will she afford to pay for her apartment in the dodgy area of town.
When the Mates Fur Hire business stops getting the good matches and its success figures dramatically drop its time for Hawke to investigate. In fact he thinks it will kill two birds with one stone as he might get to see the hot woman he met at a party about a month ago. He has been pondering how to approach her, he doesn't want to come across stalkery he had felt something sort of click and he wanted to get to know her more. In fact it turns out she is his true mate but he cannot come out and say this as he realises she probably wouldn't believe him.
Hawke gets his first "date" by hiring Shawna to be his "fake date" or a business party. We catch up with some characters from the other installments in this series, Keir, Xander, Josie, Ally and the two tough females at the head of the families and business, Bess and Julia. When Hawke learns of her mother and step brothers he vows to help her free them.
This one is a great catch up with some of the fantastic characters from the previous novellas as well as introducing some new characters such as Henry and Robbie. I loved the way when Robbie thinks Hawke is the source and cause of Shawna's upset he stands up to a bigger fitter man. When danger strikes Robbie shows how much he cares for Shawna and is ready to literally lay down his life or her if needed. This novella felt like visiting old friends, I truly adore the setting of this novella and the previous ones in The Big Alpha In Town and Thanks Fur Last Night.
THE WITCH, THE WEREWOLF AND THE WAITRESS
by
KATE BAXTER
The final installment in this anthology is called The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress by Kate Baxter. The central male character is Colin Courtney who is a werewolf shifter and is fairly new to the area. He has rather reluctantly moved to this little place that feels like it is in the middle of nowhere. Colin, along with the rest of his pack were not impressed with their Alpha, Liam. Colin is peeved, its okay or Liam, he has his mate. Colin feels its highly unlikely he will ever find a mate here in nothing town in the middle of nowhere. That is until he is on his way to a job interview and calls in the sourdough and sets eyes of the waitress there. Ellie is the waitress working at the Sourdough, shes worked there for a couple of years now and knows all the locals and their requirements and foibles. So when Colin takes the first cinnamon roll and actually dares to eat it, Ellie loses the plot shouting and scowling. Her boss and owner of the Sourdough tells her to calm down and apologise. After Colin leaves he tells Ellie's she needs to take a few days off work. Ellie is truly fed up o living in this area but is unable to leave as she was cursed by a witch to stay within certain borders she has enchanted.
Colin isn't bothered in the least about the hostility Ellie gives him because when he looks at her he just knows. . . .knows she is his mate. So Colin thinks things are looking up. A mate, and the possibility of his dream job. However things go rapidly downhill when the job is offered to him on the condition that his Alpha, Liam is okay with the arrangement. As for Ellie when he learns of her curse he vows to help her break it despite the fact if they break it she will be free and can travel wherever she wishes. Colin wants her to become his mate and live in Stanley with him and his pack. Despite the dangers of literally dying of a broken heart if when freed Ellie takes off and leaves him behind. There is also the chance that when all the boundary enchantments are broken Ellie will lose her immortality and die. Both Ellie and Colin face tough decisions. They discuss, argue and contemplate their options before finally coming to a mutual decision.
I would love to revisit this book setting that Kate Baxter has created, perhaps learning more about Liam, the Alpha or the pack, or maybe following another shifter finding his/her mate.
ANTHOLOGY AS A WHOLE
So as a whole the Anthology of novella's was a great read for me, a real winner. I will definitely be looking for more like this. This anthology featured three similar stories in that they have the true mate theme running through them, as well as the romancing of a possible reluctant mate.
I was immediately pulled in and hooked to Bearing His Touch by Eve Langlais, the whole abuse/violence aspect of the book is done well. I loved the idea of the protector, Stavros and the closeness of his bear clan family. I think I'd say this had less detailed intimate scenes which I enjoyed.
I adored revisiting the same "world/setting" in Fake Mated To The Werewolf so fell straight back into that world very easily. This book was a bit more steamy than the other novella/anthologies I have read by Milly Taiden but the intimate scenes were well within the plot of the book and not just or the sake of them. The one thing that irritated me was the name of the central male character Hawke Hawke! Apart from that I loved every part especially the fact Clark got his comeuppance!
I admit that it took me a little while longer to fall into the setting and plot of The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress. Though once I persevered I did enjoy it.
I loved the epilogues at the end of the first novella's, Bearing His Touch and Mates Fur Hire they answered the "I wonder how this/that worked out" scenarios you have after the initial story. The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress did not have an epilogue which was a tad disappointing though I guess Kate Baxter was leaving the "what happened after" to the readers imagination.
So when can I expect the next novella anthology please? These anthologies are the perfect length to read one a night, though I couldn't resist reading it in just two halves. I honestly didn't want to put it down.
As I had already read and loved a couple of novella anthologies The Big Alpha In Town and Thanks Fur Last Night Bk1 of the Fur Series by the same three authors Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden and Kate Baxter I was eagerly awaiting for more from these authors. As soon as I heard about this it went straight on my "must read" list. As I had enjoyed Thanks Fur Last Night so much I did have high expectations for this novella. Having never read anything by these authors prior to The Big Alpha In Town I have quickly became a an of their work. I am adding some of the novels by the individual authors to my WTRWL (want to read wishlist).
The cover has tones of orange and yellow on it giving it a dappled daylight feel. The two main prominent features of the cover are the large bear that appears to look in the direction of the couple getting rather close to each other. I love the title and love the ply on words. The substitution of the word for being Fur works really well and I am sure will help to make the book stand out and you'll instantly know which series it belongs to as Fur will appear in every anthology title.
The genre listings for this anthology are Paranormal, Fantasy & Romance which it perfectly and give you a general idea of what the novellas will be about. I would also add shape-shifter, bear shifter
BEARING HIS TOUCH
by
EVE LANGLAIS
The first novella is called Bearing His Touch and is written by Eve Langlais. The main character Becka has been kidnapped, though no one is looking for her as her last living relative was killed by her kidnappers. Becka is subjected to abuse everyday, forced to sleep on the floor, not permitted out where she could be seen and spoken to alone, so she is unable to ask for any outside help. When she is allowed out she has to use clothes and make up to hid and disguise her bruises and injuries. So when she gets the chance to flee when her kidnappers are attacked she takes it without thinking of what to do next. It seems two sets of people want her, her kidnappers of course want her back, then there is the group all dressed in black and bike helmets covering their identities appear to want her back too. She doesn't know where to go or what to do until she meets Stavros a bear shifter who's mate instinct kicks in the minute he sees Becka. Now all he has to do is keep her safe and convince her they are meant to be together.
I became fond of Becka and her naivete and the fact she doesn't want to put Stavros or his family in danger. However once she meets the rest of her protector, Stavros' family they will not take no for an answer and insist on protecting her. Stavros repeatedly reassures Becka that he can hold his own in a fight and he is tougher than he looks. I adored the romance between Stavros and Becka. I also loved the scenes between Becka and Poppa. I found the scenes between Stavros and his sisters amusing as they wheedle, persuade, and order him around.
I have always loved werewolf shifter stories but have now discovered other types of shifters and have to say I am becoming partial to bear shifters.
FAKE MATED TO THE WOLF
by
MILLY TAIDEN
The next novella is Fake Mated To The Wolf by Milly Taiden. In this novells we revisit the setting of Owned By The Lion In The Big Alpha In Town, and Bought By The Bear. I have grown fond of the characters in these three novella's. The main focus in this novella is Shawna who is working, in fact more or less running the Mates Fur Hire part of the larger business. Shawna is working all the hours she can to send money to pay off a family debt and then help her mother and her step brothers free. Shawna has moved into a cheaper apartment in a not so great area. There is an old homeless guy called Robbie who watches out for Shawna and also her friends when they visit by escorting them from the car park to the apartment and back. Shawna is upset at work as her immediate boss Clark is very chauvinistic and sexist. He has been putting more and more pressure on Shawna to do more work. He actually times her toilet breaks and notes down how many she has during each day. Clark loves to write Shawna up and give her warnings, then one day he finally sacks her. Shawna determinedly hides her emotions and actually feels a sense of freedom initially, then it hits her how will she send money to her mother now? In act how will she afford to pay for her apartment in the dodgy area of town.
When the Mates Fur Hire business stops getting the good matches and its success figures dramatically drop its time for Hawke to investigate. In fact he thinks it will kill two birds with one stone as he might get to see the hot woman he met at a party about a month ago. He has been pondering how to approach her, he doesn't want to come across stalkery he had felt something sort of click and he wanted to get to know her more. In fact it turns out she is his true mate but he cannot come out and say this as he realises she probably wouldn't believe him.
Hawke gets his first "date" by hiring Shawna to be his "fake date" or a business party. We catch up with some characters from the other installments in this series, Keir, Xander, Josie, Ally and the two tough females at the head of the families and business, Bess and Julia. When Hawke learns of her mother and step brothers he vows to help her free them.
This one is a great catch up with some of the fantastic characters from the previous novellas as well as introducing some new characters such as Henry and Robbie. I loved the way when Robbie thinks Hawke is the source and cause of Shawna's upset he stands up to a bigger fitter man. When danger strikes Robbie shows how much he cares for Shawna and is ready to literally lay down his life or her if needed. This novella felt like visiting old friends, I truly adore the setting of this novella and the previous ones in The Big Alpha In Town and Thanks Fur Last Night.
THE WITCH, THE WEREWOLF AND THE WAITRESS
by
KATE BAXTER
The final installment in this anthology is called The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress by Kate Baxter. The central male character is Colin Courtney who is a werewolf shifter and is fairly new to the area. He has rather reluctantly moved to this little place that feels like it is in the middle of nowhere. Colin, along with the rest of his pack were not impressed with their Alpha, Liam. Colin is peeved, its okay or Liam, he has his mate. Colin feels its highly unlikely he will ever find a mate here in nothing town in the middle of nowhere. That is until he is on his way to a job interview and calls in the sourdough and sets eyes of the waitress there. Ellie is the waitress working at the Sourdough, shes worked there for a couple of years now and knows all the locals and their requirements and foibles. So when Colin takes the first cinnamon roll and actually dares to eat it, Ellie loses the plot shouting and scowling. Her boss and owner of the Sourdough tells her to calm down and apologise. After Colin leaves he tells Ellie's she needs to take a few days off work. Ellie is truly fed up o living in this area but is unable to leave as she was cursed by a witch to stay within certain borders she has enchanted.
Colin isn't bothered in the least about the hostility Ellie gives him because when he looks at her he just knows. . . .knows she is his mate. So Colin thinks things are looking up. A mate, and the possibility of his dream job. However things go rapidly downhill when the job is offered to him on the condition that his Alpha, Liam is okay with the arrangement. As for Ellie when he learns of her curse he vows to help her break it despite the fact if they break it she will be free and can travel wherever she wishes. Colin wants her to become his mate and live in Stanley with him and his pack. Despite the dangers of literally dying of a broken heart if when freed Ellie takes off and leaves him behind. There is also the chance that when all the boundary enchantments are broken Ellie will lose her immortality and die. Both Ellie and Colin face tough decisions. They discuss, argue and contemplate their options before finally coming to a mutual decision.
I would love to revisit this book setting that Kate Baxter has created, perhaps learning more about Liam, the Alpha or the pack, or maybe following another shifter finding his/her mate.
ANTHOLOGY AS A WHOLE
So as a whole the Anthology of novella's was a great read for me, a real winner. I will definitely be looking for more like this. This anthology featured three similar stories in that they have the true mate theme running through them, as well as the romancing of a possible reluctant mate.
I was immediately pulled in and hooked to Bearing His Touch by Eve Langlais, the whole abuse/violence aspect of the book is done well. I loved the idea of the protector, Stavros and the closeness of his bear clan family. I think I'd say this had less detailed intimate scenes which I enjoyed.
I adored revisiting the same "world/setting" in Fake Mated To The Werewolf so fell straight back into that world very easily. This book was a bit more steamy than the other novella/anthologies I have read by Milly Taiden but the intimate scenes were well within the plot of the book and not just or the sake of them. The one thing that irritated me was the name of the central male character Hawke Hawke! Apart from that I loved every part especially the fact Clark got his comeuppance!
I admit that it took me a little while longer to fall into the setting and plot of The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress. Though once I persevered I did enjoy it.
I loved the epilogues at the end of the first novella's, Bearing His Touch and Mates Fur Hire they answered the "I wonder how this/that worked out" scenarios you have after the initial story. The Witch, The Werewolf And The Waitress did not have an epilogue which was a tad disappointing though I guess Kate Baxter was leaving the "what happened after" to the readers imagination.
So when can I expect the next novella anthology please? These anthologies are the perfect length to read one a night, though I couldn't resist reading it in just two halves. I honestly didn't want to put it down.
thebookdisciple's review against another edition
4.0
In the Mood Fur Love combines 3 amazing authors and my favorite trope: fated mates! Woohoo!!! Bearing His Touch brings all the campiness that Langlais is known for, plus the hijinks of bear shifters! There is even a bit of suspense! Overall, perfect for a quick binge.
Fake Mated to the Wolf by Milly Taiden was not my favorite because there were a lot of misunderstandings; that is my least favorite plot device. But, I liked Hawke and Shawna so in the end, it was a 3 star read!
Finally, The Witch, the Werewolf, and the Waitress by Kate Baxter was a bit heavier than the other two. Baxter's book didn't have an undercurrent of humor or levity which isn't a bad thing, but you have to be in the mood for a story like this. Ellie's story is sad and her loneliness is palpable! It was a sweet story though and I enjoyed it!
So, if you like fated mates, quick and easy reads, and a promise of an HEA, In the Mood Fur Love is a perfect pick to curl up with!
Fake Mated to the Wolf by Milly Taiden was not my favorite because there were a lot of misunderstandings; that is my least favorite plot device. But, I liked Hawke and Shawna so in the end, it was a 3 star read!
Finally, The Witch, the Werewolf, and the Waitress by Kate Baxter was a bit heavier than the other two. Baxter's book didn't have an undercurrent of humor or levity which isn't a bad thing, but you have to be in the mood for a story like this. Ellie's story is sad and her loneliness is palpable! It was a sweet story though and I enjoyed it!
So, if you like fated mates, quick and easy reads, and a promise of an HEA, In the Mood Fur Love is a perfect pick to curl up with!
nikkisbooknook's review against another edition
5.0
Bearing His Touch by Eve Langlais
Becka is in a whole heap of trouble. She was kidnapped by a seriously deluded guy, I mean c'mon he thinks he's a vampire! She has no clue why he thinks her blood is amazing and will give him superpowers! When she manages to escape she manages to find safety in the arms of Stavros.
Stavros may have been canned from the police force, who knew they took a dim vision on appropriating pot?!?! But he is still a good guy, with strong protective instincts. He knows Becka is in dire straits and he wants to be the one to save her. After all she is his mate..he just needs to explain about being a bear!
Hilariously funny when Stavros' crazy clan come clomping into his apartment! I enjoyed unravelling Becka's back story and why the rich dude was obsessed with her.
Fake Mated to the Wolf by Milly Taiden
Mates fur Hire have gone from strength to strength. But the guy in charge is a misogynistic, sexist, weasel. When his so called assistant (i.e She actually does all the work!) finally quits, the CEO becomes aware of the departments problems. He has been trying to track down his elusive mate from months, trying not to come on too strong an frighten her off. But now the ball is in his court and he is determined that he'll turn this "fake" mating into a real life HEA!
Hilariously funny, I loved catching up with these characters from the early books.
The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress by Kate Baxter
Lowman, Idaho; middle of nowhere and the town that Ellie has been trapped in after a jealous rival cursed her to never leave the town limits. Now centuries later, she has reinvented herself so often that she just wants to be left alone.
Colin wants to be a Sentry and take care of his pack. He did not factor in on meeting his mate or her being so mysterious. But if they work together they may just free Ellie from her prison.
Fab story and intriguing characters.
Becka is in a whole heap of trouble. She was kidnapped by a seriously deluded guy, I mean c'mon he thinks he's a vampire! She has no clue why he thinks her blood is amazing and will give him superpowers! When she manages to escape she manages to find safety in the arms of Stavros.
Stavros may have been canned from the police force, who knew they took a dim vision on appropriating pot?!?! But he is still a good guy, with strong protective instincts. He knows Becka is in dire straits and he wants to be the one to save her. After all she is his mate..he just needs to explain about being a bear!
Hilariously funny when Stavros' crazy clan come clomping into his apartment! I enjoyed unravelling Becka's back story and why the rich dude was obsessed with her.
Fake Mated to the Wolf by Milly Taiden
Mates fur Hire have gone from strength to strength. But the guy in charge is a misogynistic, sexist, weasel. When his so called assistant (i.e She actually does all the work!) finally quits, the CEO becomes aware of the departments problems. He has been trying to track down his elusive mate from months, trying not to come on too strong an frighten her off. But now the ball is in his court and he is determined that he'll turn this "fake" mating into a real life HEA!
Hilariously funny, I loved catching up with these characters from the early books.
The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress by Kate Baxter
Lowman, Idaho; middle of nowhere and the town that Ellie has been trapped in after a jealous rival cursed her to never leave the town limits. Now centuries later, she has reinvented herself so often that she just wants to be left alone.
Colin wants to be a Sentry and take care of his pack. He did not factor in on meeting his mate or her being so mysterious. But if they work together they may just free Ellie from her prison.
Fab story and intriguing characters.
dgrachel's review against another edition
1.0
Ugh. When will I learn to stop clicking the read it now button on NetGalley? I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
A caveat: I struggle with short stories, as a general rule, and I’ve only read two novels featuring shifters that I liked, neither of which were written by the authors included in this collection. If you are someone who loves paranormal /shifter romances and short stories, by all means, give this a shot. It’s not my cup of tea and I only forced my way through it because it was an ARC, I felt obligated, and kept hoping that “the next story” would be better. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
I felt the first story was just poorly written. It felt juvenile and clunky. The writing style did not work for me at all. The second story was better written, and I liked it right up until the end. The sex scene at the end was just raunchy, not sexy, and filled with terminology I hate reading in romance novels. The third story was kind of the middle - the writing style wasn’t as bad as the first, but didn’t work for me either. The sex scenes weren’t as bad as the second, but the author also used terms that I don’t appreciate. So, as a whole, this collection just did not work for me and I can’t remember the last time I was this glad to be done with a book and moving onto something, anything else.
A caveat: I struggle with short stories, as a general rule, and I’ve only read two novels featuring shifters that I liked, neither of which were written by the authors included in this collection. If you are someone who loves paranormal /shifter romances and short stories, by all means, give this a shot. It’s not my cup of tea and I only forced my way through it because it was an ARC, I felt obligated, and kept hoping that “the next story” would be better. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
I felt the first story was just poorly written. It felt juvenile and clunky. The writing style did not work for me at all. The second story was better written, and I liked it right up until the end. The sex scene at the end was just raunchy, not sexy, and filled with terminology I hate reading in romance novels. The third story was kind of the middle - the writing style wasn’t as bad as the first, but didn’t work for me either. The sex scenes weren’t as bad as the second, but the author also used terms that I don’t appreciate. So, as a whole, this collection just did not work for me and I can’t remember the last time I was this glad to be done with a book and moving onto something, anything else.
fernbell's review against another edition
5.0
I have read some of the rest of the sets by these authors and have loved them all. They do follow so that they introduce the next character but you do not have read the previous books to enjoy these. These are hot, sexy reads with humor thrown in. I was only going to read a couple pages then couldn't put it down. I have recommended these books to friends and family and hope there is more coming.
aquavenatus's review
4.0
This book is a treat for fans of both the authors and of the paranormal romance genre. Anyone interested in shifter romances must check out these latest novellas! Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden and Kate Baxter treat their fans with their latest romantic tales.
"Bearing His Touch" by Eve Langlais begins with Becka, a woman held captive by a madman and his posse. She has no idea what is happening to her or why, and the readers won't either...not until the very end. The story starts off with a brutal action sequence and a mystery that remains part of the subplot until the end. Eve Langlais keeps up with the pace of her story using both action and humor. Everything gets resolved by the story's resolution making "Bearing His Touch" a worthy read.
"Fake Mated to the Wolf" by Milly Taiden focuses on the online dating site, "Mates Fur Hire," and how running an online dating website is not as easy as it looks. Readers are introduced to Shawna Goode who has been abused by her jealous supervisor, Clark Benoit. Fired from her job and forced to work several jobs to help her family, Shawna does not even realize that she's captured the attention of Hawke Hawke, the CEO of the company. "Fake Mated to the Wolf" is a bit more cliche and is one of Milly Taiden's weaker ones, but it's still enjoyable and entertaining.
"The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress" by Kate Baxter is about what it states in the title. Ellie is a woman cursed with immortality and confinement in Lowman, Idaho. She spends her time working at the local diner and concealing herself from everyone else. That is, until Colin, a member of a werewolf pack, appears. Colin knows what it's like to be inflicted with a curse, so he decides to assist his mate (unknown to Ellie) with breaking hers. The story contains all of the elements found in a quest and magic tale, with an ambivalent twist near the story's end that makes you recall everything about fairy tales. "The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress" is a charming shifter/fairy tale.
"In the Mood Fur Love" is a great compilation of novellas for all readers of the genre and for fans of the three authors. Fans of the authors will love it; and, readers of the genre, like myself, will find the tales to be captivating and adoring. This set of stories is worth reading!
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
"Bearing His Touch" by Eve Langlais begins with Becka, a woman held captive by a madman and his posse. She has no idea what is happening to her or why, and the readers won't either...not until the very end. The story starts off with a brutal action sequence and a mystery that remains part of the subplot until the end. Eve Langlais keeps up with the pace of her story using both action and humor. Everything gets resolved by the story's resolution making "Bearing His Touch" a worthy read.
"Fake Mated to the Wolf" by Milly Taiden focuses on the online dating site, "Mates Fur Hire," and how running an online dating website is not as easy as it looks. Readers are introduced to Shawna Goode who has been abused by her jealous supervisor, Clark Benoit. Fired from her job and forced to work several jobs to help her family, Shawna does not even realize that she's captured the attention of Hawke Hawke, the CEO of the company. "Fake Mated to the Wolf" is a bit more cliche and is one of Milly Taiden's weaker ones, but it's still enjoyable and entertaining.
"The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress" by Kate Baxter is about what it states in the title. Ellie is a woman cursed with immortality and confinement in Lowman, Idaho. She spends her time working at the local diner and concealing herself from everyone else. That is, until Colin, a member of a werewolf pack, appears. Colin knows what it's like to be inflicted with a curse, so he decides to assist his mate (unknown to Ellie) with breaking hers. The story contains all of the elements found in a quest and magic tale, with an ambivalent twist near the story's end that makes you recall everything about fairy tales. "The Witch, The Werewolf and The Waitress" is a charming shifter/fairy tale.
"In the Mood Fur Love" is a great compilation of novellas for all readers of the genre and for fans of the three authors. Fans of the authors will love it; and, readers of the genre, like myself, will find the tales to be captivating and adoring. This set of stories is worth reading!
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
chymerra's review
4.0
I know that I have mentioned in another review that I don’t like reviewing anthologies. Doesn’t mean that I like reading them. I find reviewing anthologies difficult. Depending on how long the stories are in the book, my review could go on forever. So, this review is going to be short and sweet.
Bearing His Touch
While I enjoyed this book, it did rub me the wrong way in certain parts. I didn’t like that it took so long for Becka to tell Stavros why she had been kidnapped and beaten. That frustrated me. But, that was the only thing that annoyed me about the book. Everything else I loved. Stavros was such a goof. I had a laugh over the pot brownies incident. I liked how everything was wrapped up. I did like the twist with Becka’s Poppa. Didn’t see that coming.
Fake Mated to the Wolf
I enjoyed reading this story. I did have an issue with Hawke not knowing what went on in his company. Including what was happening to his mate. I kinda went “Ummmm, ok” when I read that part. But, after that was resolved, I loved the story. I wanted to know more about Robbie and I hope that he is featured in more books. He deserves his happy ending. I did think that Shawna was kind of a jerk to Hawke for 90% of the book. I mean, she knew about how they found their mate. But, she still thought Hawke was two-timing his mate with her? Hello, use your brains girlfriend. I liked the HEA that the author gave to everyone at the end of the story.
The Witch, The Werewolf, and The Waitress
This was my favorite story. Ellie and Colin were such jerks to each other when they first met. I enjoyed watching them fight over that cinnamon roll. Gave me a fit of the giggles. I did feel bad for Ellie. I couldn’t imagine being cursed how she was. Talk about being restricted and lonely. I thought the whole quest to set Ellie free of her curse was great. Including the ending. I will never look at timber wolves, cougars, elk, and coyotes the same again. Shudder. Again, loved the HEA for Colin and Ellie.
There is Instalove in this book but, and I stress this, it worked. Werewolves and werebears are able to find their mates by smelling them. So, I didn’t mind the Instalove at all. Because it fits in with the lore.
The sex in all three stories were hot. I had to fan myself after a couple of scenes because they were that good. If I had to pick the hottest couple, it would be Colin and Ellie. Talk about some steamy sex scenes.
I am not putting up a like/dislike section to this review. If I did that, it would go on forever.
I gave In the Mood Fur Love a 4-star rating. If you like shifter romances with steamy sex scenes, this is the book for you. I will give a trigger warning for Bearing His Touch and Fake Mated to the Wolf. Bearing His Touch has a pretty graphic beginning scene where Becka is being beaten. Fake Mated to the Wolf has a sexist boss and a scene where Shawna is being held hostage in her bedroom by some not so nice guys. Other than that, this book was a great read.
I gave In the Mood Fur Love an Adult rating. There is graphic sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread In the Mood Fur Love. I would also recommend it to family and friends with a warning about possible triggers.
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review In the Mood Fur Love.
All opinions stated in this review of In the Mood Fur Love are mine.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
Bearing His Touch
While I enjoyed this book, it did rub me the wrong way in certain parts. I didn’t like that it took so long for Becka to tell Stavros why she had been kidnapped and beaten. That frustrated me. But, that was the only thing that annoyed me about the book. Everything else I loved. Stavros was such a goof. I had a laugh over the pot brownies incident. I liked how everything was wrapped up. I did like the twist with Becka’s Poppa. Didn’t see that coming.
Fake Mated to the Wolf
I enjoyed reading this story. I did have an issue with Hawke not knowing what went on in his company. Including what was happening to his mate. I kinda went “Ummmm, ok” when I read that part. But, after that was resolved, I loved the story. I wanted to know more about Robbie and I hope that he is featured in more books. He deserves his happy ending. I did think that Shawna was kind of a jerk to Hawke for 90% of the book. I mean, she knew about how they found their mate. But, she still thought Hawke was two-timing his mate with her? Hello, use your brains girlfriend. I liked the HEA that the author gave to everyone at the end of the story.
The Witch, The Werewolf, and The Waitress
This was my favorite story. Ellie and Colin were such jerks to each other when they first met. I enjoyed watching them fight over that cinnamon roll. Gave me a fit of the giggles. I did feel bad for Ellie. I couldn’t imagine being cursed how she was. Talk about being restricted and lonely. I thought the whole quest to set Ellie free of her curse was great. Including the ending. I will never look at timber wolves, cougars, elk, and coyotes the same again. Shudder. Again, loved the HEA for Colin and Ellie.
There is Instalove in this book but, and I stress this, it worked. Werewolves and werebears are able to find their mates by smelling them. So, I didn’t mind the Instalove at all. Because it fits in with the lore.
The sex in all three stories were hot. I had to fan myself after a couple of scenes because they were that good. If I had to pick the hottest couple, it would be Colin and Ellie. Talk about some steamy sex scenes.
I am not putting up a like/dislike section to this review. If I did that, it would go on forever.
I gave In the Mood Fur Love a 4-star rating. If you like shifter romances with steamy sex scenes, this is the book for you. I will give a trigger warning for Bearing His Touch and Fake Mated to the Wolf. Bearing His Touch has a pretty graphic beginning scene where Becka is being beaten. Fake Mated to the Wolf has a sexist boss and a scene where Shawna is being held hostage in her bedroom by some not so nice guys. Other than that, this book was a great read.
I gave In the Mood Fur Love an Adult rating. There is graphic sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread In the Mood Fur Love. I would also recommend it to family and friends with a warning about possible triggers.
I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review In the Mood Fur Love.
All opinions stated in this review of In the Mood Fur Love are mine.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
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