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Shifters Unbound #3
Wild Cat
When Diego Escobar assists in what should be a simple taskof arresting a trespasser, he comes face-to-face with his first Shifter-thebeautiful Cassidy Warden, sister of the Shiftertown leader. Assigned to watchover her, Diego learns more about the lonely, wild Cassidy than it's safe toknow.Diego might be human, but he's virile and darkly handsome, and stirs Cassidy'smating desire, which she thought dead forever. Once the fires begin, nothingand no one can put them out.
©2012 Jennifer Ashley ; (P)2013 Tantor
©2012 Jennifer Ashley ; (P)2013 Tantor
10 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2012
322 people are currently reading
3052 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Ashley
210 books7,330 followersNY Times Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance, historical mysteries, and urban fantasy as Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner.
Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.
Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
March 11, 2015
3,75 Stars - Romantic, hot and captivating as always in Shiftertown
As I said in a previous review of a novel in this Shifter Unbound series, am I all the time looking forward to know much more about the opportunity for all the different kind of shifters to become free. A Freedom from a nasty and very hard discrimination, reservats similar settlements, collars and a lot of unjust laws and rules. Everything decided by the "ordinary" people. Some small steps toward this change is also made in this book.
This time we are in Shiftertown in Las Vegas and the story is about Cassidy Warden, a shifter, Feline Snow Leopard, and a human police detective Diego Escobar. They meet when he has to arrest her high up in a skyscraper when Cassidy gets chased by the man she believes killed her husband a year earlier. The two see something they like and the love-carousel and the adventure starts....
Like so many times before, I wonder why I let a good book by a writer I feel so good about lying unread for so long. Back in a Shiftertown and I got it again; an alpha man meets an alpha woman and there is more action than words (the great love declarations will have to wait), it's hot and so cute. I fell for another PNR love-tale - this time between a cuddly tough blond cat and a serious Hispanic police. ...and I loved them.
This novel a enjoyable mix of a lovely romance, steamy heat meetings, suspense, some small side stories (which surely continue in some future book) and many wonderful characters, a lot of cuddly furry shifters and this fantastic paranormal fictional world. Substances that love between two people from completely different cultures and contexts, social injustice, gang violence, women's oppression and discrimination against particular ethnic groups. All told in an entertaining way.
I Like - entertaining and very loving!
As I said in a previous review of a novel in this Shifter Unbound series, am I all the time looking forward to know much more about the opportunity for all the different kind of shifters to become free. A Freedom from a nasty and very hard discrimination, reservats similar settlements, collars and a lot of unjust laws and rules. Everything decided by the "ordinary" people. Some small steps toward this change is also made in this book.
This time we are in Shiftertown in Las Vegas and the story is about Cassidy Warden, a shifter, Feline Snow Leopard, and a human police detective Diego Escobar. They meet when he has to arrest her high up in a skyscraper when Cassidy gets chased by the man she believes killed her husband a year earlier. The two see something they like and the love-carousel and the adventure starts....
Like so many times before, I wonder why I let a good book by a writer I feel so good about lying unread for so long. Back in a Shiftertown and I got it again; an alpha man meets an alpha woman and there is more action than words (the great love declarations will have to wait), it's hot and so cute. I fell for another PNR love-tale - this time between a cuddly tough blond cat and a serious Hispanic police. ...and I loved them.
"What was the other one you used? Me ha?
"Mi ja. Short for mi hija. It's what you say to someone you care about."
She smiled. "When you say that you sound...I don't know...affectionate."
"Maybe I like cats," Diego said.
Cassidy rested her hand on his chest, and her smile widened. "Meow.”
This novel a enjoyable mix of a lovely romance, steamy heat meetings, suspense, some small side stories (which surely continue in some future book) and many wonderful characters, a lot of cuddly furry shifters and this fantastic paranormal fictional world. Substances that love between two people from completely different cultures and contexts, social injustice, gang violence, women's oppression and discrimination against particular ethnic groups. All told in an entertaining way.
I Like - entertaining and very loving!
January 13, 2016
Another great read from Jennifer Ashley. This book is the third story in the Shifters Unbound series. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I was surprised to see that instead of going back to Shifter Town in Austin, Texas; we were introduced to a new Shifter Town in Las Vegas. We did meet the Alpha of Vegas's clan in the last book; but we hadn't met any of the other shifters. In this installment, we are introduced to the Alpha's sister, Cassidy. She is quite a dominant shifter as well, and she lost her mate the year before and now wants vengeance on the ones who murdered him.
Diego is a cop, and he is human. Normally I am not big on human heroes in a shifter book; but I will admit that in Wild Cat....it worked. Diego was bad ass enough to pull off being a strong candidate for Cassidy's new mate. The two of them just worked together, and I loved the sparks that flew when they were in the same vicinity of each other! Cassidy and Diego were both grieving a person they had loved, and ended up learning from each other how to move on. With Diego; he had lost his partner on the force, and of course, Diego also had vengeance to dish out.
All in all, a great read; and a ton of wonderful and likeable characters in this Shifter Town too. As the series continues, I am hopeful that we will get to follow both Vegas and Austin's Shifter Towns.
I can't wait to see what is in store for my sexy shifters next! Bring it on Ms. Ashley!!!
Diego is a cop, and he is human. Normally I am not big on human heroes in a shifter book; but I will admit that in Wild Cat....it worked. Diego was bad ass enough to pull off being a strong candidate for Cassidy's new mate. The two of them just worked together, and I loved the sparks that flew when they were in the same vicinity of each other! Cassidy and Diego were both grieving a person they had loved, and ended up learning from each other how to move on. With Diego; he had lost his partner on the force, and of course, Diego also had vengeance to dish out.
All in all, a great read; and a ton of wonderful and likeable characters in this Shifter Town too. As the series continues, I am hopeful that we will get to follow both Vegas and Austin's Shifter Towns.
I can't wait to see what is in store for my sexy shifters next! Bring it on Ms. Ashley!!!
April 13, 2013
This is about Cassidy a female Shifter that is seeking justice for the murder of her mate. Cassidy needs to perform rituals at the anniversary of his death and ends up trying to perform them at an abandon construction site. While in process of this ritual someone tries to shoot Cassidy and the police officers that were already on the scene. Diego a Las Vegas detective, he answers a call to investigate because he happened to be in the area. If you have read the previous books in the series you already know Shifters while known to society are treated as second class citizens and are not allowed the freedoms that humans are.
Diego ends up arresting Cassidy and taking her to the police station, he doesn’t agree she should be punished for trespassing and ends up helping her get probation only. Part of the probation agreement is she has to stay in Shiftertown and Diego is responsible for making sure she stays there (if he were checking up on me I would stay there...hehehe) So we have a female feline shifter and a hot Latino police detective, OH MY MY!!
I will admit when I started this book i was worried how a human male would stack against male shifters. After all, they are bigger, stronger and way more badass alpha! What I liked about Diego was he could indeed stand up to the male shifters and he didn’t have while did they he earned their respect as well.
One problem I had in this story was following along with the fae part of it, it got a little complicated for me and I had to read some passages twice to understand. I considered this a minor issue for me and didn’t detract from me enjoying the story to much. There were a couple of sub plots going on in this book, the dark fae trying to get home, and an uncollared half shifter half human trying to live her life as a human undetected by the government. I am pretty sure both of these subplots are a setup for upcoming story.
I enjoyed watching Cassidy and Diego struggle to overcome the hurdles to be together and finding love. I loved Cassidy as a feline shifter and Diego as the Latino cop with a past of his own to work through and a family that loves him.
Overall i enjoyed this book quite a bit and look forward to the next book in the series.
April 4, 2018
Review posted on Got Fiction?
I just posted a review for Bodyguard which you can read HERE, which is Shifters Unbound 2.5. If any of you have read it, you know it takes place in the Austin Shiftertown, and has a full cast of familiar characters. But Wild Cat is full of all new characters, which frankly caught me off guard, but within just a few paragraphs I was so excited and caught up in the story, I forgot I was miffed.
This story takes place in Las Vegas (my hometown!), and what’s really great about that, is that it isn’t the Strip, or the hotels, or the glitz and glamour of Vegas, it’s the real neighborhoods, the outlying desert, and the (fictional) Shiftertown.
We meet up with Deigo, a cop, as he battles his fear of heights while walking across the skeletal framework of an unfinished high rise. He wasn’t part of Shifter Division, but he was closest when the call came in. Turns out their Shifter trespasser wasn’t the bad guy. The bad guy tranq’d the cops and the Shifter was next on his hit list. When Diego ducked a tranquilizer dart, the walkway dropped from beneath him. Surprisingly, the Shifter trespasser saved him. And you know what? Diego arrested her anyway.
Cassidy was trying to perform a ritual at the abandoned construction site to say goodbye to her dead mate. Part of that ritual was that she needed to be where he died. Her mate had been killed there the year before, and Cassidy is next on the hunter’s list. The villain is so much more complex than your typical black and white bad guy. He’s sort of in a gray area and Ms. Ashley uses that gray area to its fullest potential. She makes you question whether he really is an evil person, or if he’s just desperate. Which brings us to the fae. In fact, the fae are poking their noses into Shifter business yet again, and gaining a bigger part in this series.
Jennifer Ashley writes some of the best heroes. This book only cements my belief in that. Diego Escobar is more than just a generic Alpha male in a paranormal romance. Not only is he human, he’s able to hold his own with other Alpha Shifters, to think around the normal solutions to find a new one, and he doesn’t come off like a jerk at all. So many paranormal authors tend to think Alpha male = stubborn jerk. Ms. Ashley is able to craft an alpha hero who can hold his own without losing his personality or his compassion. Her characters are so multi-dimensional you feel angry at the injustice of the way the Shifters are treated.
I liked how his fear of heights wasn’t miraculously overcome once his woman was in danger. It was so much more realistic this way. And I loved their relationship, watching it grow, watching them both overcome their prejudices about the other. I think that’s one of my favorite aspects in this series- the shifters are second-class citizens. How many paranormals have the super rich, everything is taken care of Shifters? Money is never an issue, and they rule their little area, whether the humans know about them or not. Here the Shifters aren’t even allowed new cell phones or cable TV. Everything they are given is incredibly out of date technology. Some shops don’t welcome them, others do. The world-building is easy to fall into and very believable.
This is a new series with a fantastic cast, anyone who likes Shifters, romance, and magic should go pick up every book in this series.
***ARC courtesy of the author
I just posted a review for Bodyguard which you can read HERE, which is Shifters Unbound 2.5. If any of you have read it, you know it takes place in the Austin Shiftertown, and has a full cast of familiar characters. But Wild Cat is full of all new characters, which frankly caught me off guard, but within just a few paragraphs I was so excited and caught up in the story, I forgot I was miffed.
This story takes place in Las Vegas (my hometown!), and what’s really great about that, is that it isn’t the Strip, or the hotels, or the glitz and glamour of Vegas, it’s the real neighborhoods, the outlying desert, and the (fictional) Shiftertown.
We meet up with Deigo, a cop, as he battles his fear of heights while walking across the skeletal framework of an unfinished high rise. He wasn’t part of Shifter Division, but he was closest when the call came in. Turns out their Shifter trespasser wasn’t the bad guy. The bad guy tranq’d the cops and the Shifter was next on his hit list. When Diego ducked a tranquilizer dart, the walkway dropped from beneath him. Surprisingly, the Shifter trespasser saved him. And you know what? Diego arrested her anyway.
Cassidy was trying to perform a ritual at the abandoned construction site to say goodbye to her dead mate. Part of that ritual was that she needed to be where he died. Her mate had been killed there the year before, and Cassidy is next on the hunter’s list. The villain is so much more complex than your typical black and white bad guy. He’s sort of in a gray area and Ms. Ashley uses that gray area to its fullest potential. She makes you question whether he really is an evil person, or if he’s just desperate. Which brings us to the fae. In fact, the fae are poking their noses into Shifter business yet again, and gaining a bigger part in this series.
Jennifer Ashley writes some of the best heroes. This book only cements my belief in that. Diego Escobar is more than just a generic Alpha male in a paranormal romance. Not only is he human, he’s able to hold his own with other Alpha Shifters, to think around the normal solutions to find a new one, and he doesn’t come off like a jerk at all. So many paranormal authors tend to think Alpha male = stubborn jerk. Ms. Ashley is able to craft an alpha hero who can hold his own without losing his personality or his compassion. Her characters are so multi-dimensional you feel angry at the injustice of the way the Shifters are treated.
I liked how his fear of heights wasn’t miraculously overcome once his woman was in danger. It was so much more realistic this way. And I loved their relationship, watching it grow, watching them both overcome their prejudices about the other. I think that’s one of my favorite aspects in this series- the shifters are second-class citizens. How many paranormals have the super rich, everything is taken care of Shifters? Money is never an issue, and they rule their little area, whether the humans know about them or not. Here the Shifters aren’t even allowed new cell phones or cable TV. Everything they are given is incredibly out of date technology. Some shops don’t welcome them, others do. The world-building is easy to fall into and very believable.
This is a new series with a fantastic cast, anyone who likes Shifters, romance, and magic should go pick up every book in this series.
***ARC courtesy of the author
August 2, 2016
This is a great book. From the shifter town in Austin, we transport to the shifter town in Las Vegas. In this town the leader is Eric, a snow leopard we met briefly in Primal Bonds.
A number of different stories are mingled wonderfully.
Let's see:
1. The main story is about Cassidy and Diego. Cassidy is Eric's sister who lost her mate a year ago. Diego is a police detective. Cassidy is trying to come in terms with the recent death of her mate and falling in love with Diego at the same time.
2. The second story is the revenge of Diego for the death of his partner and the suicide mission in Mexico which covers a great deal of the book.
3. There is also Reid and Paigi's story, a dark fae and a bear shifter.
4. Moreover, we read about the return of Reid in fae land and an epic battle between dark fae, high fae, humans and shifter. Marvelous scenes!
5. Finally, there is the beginning of Eric and Iona's story which will bloom in the next book. It appears to be hot hot hot...
The book is full of personal achievements, battles, magic and great love.
A number of different stories are mingled wonderfully.
Let's see:
1. The main story is about Cassidy and Diego. Cassidy is Eric's sister who lost her mate a year ago. Diego is a police detective. Cassidy is trying to come in terms with the recent death of her mate and falling in love with Diego at the same time.
2. The second story is the revenge of Diego for the death of his partner and the suicide mission in Mexico which covers a great deal of the book.
3. There is also Reid and Paigi's story, a dark fae and a bear shifter.
4. Moreover, we read about the return of Reid in fae land and an epic battle between dark fae, high fae, humans and shifter. Marvelous scenes!
5. Finally, there is the beginning of Eric and Iona's story which will bloom in the next book. It appears to be hot hot hot...
The book is full of personal achievements, battles, magic and great love.
May 15, 2020
Wild Cat is book three in the Shifters Unbound series by Jennifer Ashley and Narrated by Cris Dukehart.
We move away from the Auston Shiftertown and are introduced to the Las Vegas Shiftertown.
Cassidy is second in command and dominate. Her mate was killed a year ago and she wants to find his killer. Diego Escobar is a cop, protective, and loyal. His attraction to Cassidy is instant and his feelings are quick.
Moving to a new town slowed things down in the story. We meet all these new characters and learn the hierarchy all over again, but moving to a new town opens doors and broadens the world.
Cassidy is fearless, just how I like my heroines. The loss of her mate isn’t as devastating as we have heard it is for shifters when they lose their mate. It makes you wonder if she had the mate bond with her mate.
The attraction between Cassidy and Diego is quick. I had trouble with the author describing their attraction. The things we might think in our heads, but not do at the time. The romance felt a little rushed.
Wild Cat has a lot going on in it and it’s a bit much. Eric is dealing with an unwelcome visitor into his shiftertown and he’s got his eye on a pretty shifter that won’t give into his requests. Cassidy is trying to find her mate’s killer and why he's now after Cassidy herself and Diego is looking to avenge his partner who was murdered. All these story lines were interesting, but there was just a lot happening at once.
Narration: Cris Dukehart is doing a wonderful job with her narration. The accents are well done and the dominant males don’t sound too gruff. The women are have the sweet voices, but show their shifter side when need be.
Rated: 3 Stars
We move away from the Auston Shiftertown and are introduced to the Las Vegas Shiftertown.
Cassidy is second in command and dominate. Her mate was killed a year ago and she wants to find his killer. Diego Escobar is a cop, protective, and loyal. His attraction to Cassidy is instant and his feelings are quick.
Moving to a new town slowed things down in the story. We meet all these new characters and learn the hierarchy all over again, but moving to a new town opens doors and broadens the world.
Cassidy is fearless, just how I like my heroines. The loss of her mate isn’t as devastating as we have heard it is for shifters when they lose their mate. It makes you wonder if she had the mate bond with her mate.
The attraction between Cassidy and Diego is quick. I had trouble with the author describing their attraction. The things we might think in our heads, but not do at the time. The romance felt a little rushed.
Wild Cat has a lot going on in it and it’s a bit much. Eric is dealing with an unwelcome visitor into his shiftertown and he’s got his eye on a pretty shifter that won’t give into his requests. Cassidy is trying to find her mate’s killer and why he's now after Cassidy herself and Diego is looking to avenge his partner who was murdered. All these story lines were interesting, but there was just a lot happening at once.
Narration: Cris Dukehart is doing a wonderful job with her narration. The accents are well done and the dominant males don’t sound too gruff. The women are have the sweet voices, but show their shifter side when need be.
Rated: 3 Stars
Read
November 2, 2011Book 3 of Shifters Unbound. (Diego and Cassidy.)
March 21, 2022
3.5 stars.
This book was pretty good - but there were parts that were more irritating than anything else. The heroine was mated, and was widowed a year before meeting the hero. The heroine claimed to have loved her first mate but tbh, I didn’t feel her love for her first mate at all. In some ways, it made the love story between the H&h easier to believe. I think that if the heroine had been overly sad about her dead mate, then I wouldn’t have understood her desire to move on with the hero. However, her mate had been an idiot, so it made her new relationship seem stronger and better overall. I liked the story otherwise, it was pretty packed with action and introduced some interesting new characters.
Safe; heroine widowed, hero experienced, no om/ow, no scenes with om/ow, no cheating.
This book was pretty good - but there were parts that were more irritating than anything else. The heroine was mated, and was widowed a year before meeting the hero. The heroine claimed to have loved her first mate but tbh, I didn’t feel her love for her first mate at all. In some ways, it made the love story between the H&h easier to believe. I think that if the heroine had been overly sad about her dead mate, then I wouldn’t have understood her desire to move on with the hero. However, her mate had been an idiot, so it made her new relationship seem stronger and better overall. I liked the story otherwise, it was pretty packed with action and introduced some interesting new characters.
Safe; heroine widowed, hero experienced, no om/ow, no scenes with om/ow, no cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2021
I absolutely loved this couple. They are both grieving and looking for revenge when they find each other and it was awesome. I love how smart the hero is, how to the point he can be and how everything played out.
It was nice seeing that we are going to follow the lives of two different clans.
It was nice seeing that we are going to follow the lives of two different clans.
February 20, 2015
Answering a call for backup in an abandoned Vegas high rise,Vice Detective Diego Escobar arrests the feline shifter female Cassidy Warden even after she saves him from a plummeting death, but Diego does manage to keep her from being caged and left to the dubious mercy of the officers in the Shifter Division who have little love for 'the animals' they police. Instead Diego, wrangles her two weeks of probation by agreeing to be responsible for Cassidy now the trick will be keeping his behavior professional around the alluring female shifter.
Exploring another corner of Jennifer Ashley's Shifters Unbound universe, Wild Cat is set in a Las Vegas Shiftertown (instead of the Austin one of the previous books) and introduces a whole new interesting cast of characters and this time Ashley pairs a human hero with a shifter heroine.
I loved the hero, Vegas Vice detective Diego Escobar and the way that he interacted with Cassidy and her shifter family. He was every bit as alpha and as slinkily sensuous as any of Ashley's other shifter males. I especially liked the way that his background, catholic Latino with strong family ties raised in a gang infested neighbor, gives him the experience to draw on when dealing with the shifters in dominance games and allows him to honor their rituals as well. Cassidy is good as well as the female who can't believe she having feelings again so soon after having lost her mate - and that she's having them for a human. I also really liked the new characters in Cassidy's town, her cat-shifter alpha brother and nephew, and her bear shifting neighbors.
Probably my biggest nit with the story was that, while I did like some of the other subplots – a dark elf trying to get back home and an uncollared half shifter/human female determined to stay in the closet - I didn't really need them to be resolved here. The main story line could have wrapped after chapter 27 (85%) at which point the background conflicts for Diego and Cassidy are pretty much finished and I'd have been happy. But the Wild Cat just keeps going and going... to add a bit more setup for the next book about Cassidy's brother Eric and also continuing on with a hasty side trip to tie off the dark elf subplot.
Even so, I still liked Wild Cat – though not quite as much as the previous book Primal Bounds or the recent novella Bodyguard – and the teaser at the end has me looking forward to Ashley's next shifter novel, Mate Claimed.
Exploring another corner of Jennifer Ashley's Shifters Unbound universe, Wild Cat is set in a Las Vegas Shiftertown (instead of the Austin one of the previous books) and introduces a whole new interesting cast of characters and this time Ashley pairs a human hero with a shifter heroine.
I loved the hero, Vegas Vice detective Diego Escobar and the way that he interacted with Cassidy and her shifter family. He was every bit as alpha and as slinkily sensuous as any of Ashley's other shifter males. I especially liked the way that his background, catholic Latino with strong family ties raised in a gang infested neighbor, gives him the experience to draw on when dealing with the shifters in dominance games and allows him to honor their rituals as well. Cassidy is good as well as the female who can't believe she having feelings again so soon after having lost her mate - and that she's having them for a human. I also really liked the new characters in Cassidy's town, her cat-shifter alpha brother and nephew, and her bear shifting neighbors.
Probably my biggest nit with the story was that, while I did like some of the other subplots – a dark elf trying to get back home and an uncollared half shifter/human female determined to stay in the closet - I didn't really need them to be resolved here. The main story line could have wrapped after chapter 27 (85%) at which point the background conflicts for Diego and Cassidy are pretty much finished and I'd have been happy. But the Wild Cat just keeps going and going... to add a bit more setup for the next book about Cassidy's brother Eric and also continuing on with a hasty side trip to tie off the dark elf subplot.
Even so, I still liked Wild Cat – though not quite as much as the previous book Primal Bounds or the recent novella Bodyguard – and the teaser at the end has me looking forward to Ashley's next shifter novel, Mate Claimed.
February 21, 2012
3-1/2 stars. A fairly solid addition to the series. I liked the hero Diego and how he was dominate enough to give the dominate shifters problems. This is especially important since he was hooking up with an alpha female. The heat level between them was pretty nice. The thing that held the story back from being rated higher for me is that the plot seemed to wander. It just wasn't as tightly plotted as others in the series. It was nice to see a story take place in a different shifter town. I'm looking forward to Eric's story and I assume that either Shane or Jace with have a story too.
March 12, 2012
This was so disappointing. I'm not sure if the PNR-mhe mood hit me again or not, but here are somet hings I had issues with:
1. Even though in the last quarter of the book that changed, most of the times everyone kept talking about how much better than humans Shifters were. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of humanity, and observing yourself and other people does that to a person, but there is something to be said about how absolute the things the people here said were.
2. I don't think it's necessary to point out that there was nothing sexual about siblings hugging eachother while in the nude. I know that after Forbidden everyone is more aware, but still. By pointing out that there is nothing sexual you make it look as if there was a need to assume eben das. See, it annoys me so much, I'm switching languages all the time.
3. The relationship left me cold. I didn't feel emotionally involved with the protagonists, and neither did I feel why they had a connection. Actually the two beta-romances are the only reason why I'm giving this book *some* stars.
4. I'm not sure if the book was so boring at times that I skipped pages, and can't recall now, but I don't recall getting an explanation as to how the two protagonists will be with eachother. They mated, but he's human. I suppose there was an explanation for that in the first novel - which I haven't read. Help?
5. Somehow nothing seemed to have worked out for me. Seriously, I don't know why. I'm scratching my head right now (well no, right now I'm writing but just before I started writing I did scratch my head) because I really expected to like this novel and thought about how I should probably buy some of Jennifer Ashley's other books. But this one here felt much more like her Immortal-novel than like Bodyguard or Primal Bonds (two of Ashley's books that I enjoyed very much)
There were good parts, though, and I shouldn't forget them. The thing is that the negative parts seemed larger and more important, and somehow I'm really disappointed. ;( Anyway, the good:
1. Cassidy had lost her mate just last year, and she struggled with guilt and other things. Even though I didn't like that she just slept with Diego anyway, I liked that she didn't compare the two guys with eachother and thought about how her connection to Diego was so much stronger or more profound than her connection with Donnovan.
2. The Beta Romances. Romance? I can't say much about it, and I actually had some problems with how Eric dealt with things, but at the same time I really liked it. That I did have issues with Eric makes me thing that the book was actually better than I am now making it, and that I'm just.. I don't know, PMSing or something like that.
3. , not just as a villain, but also as a guy. Same goes for Enrique. Ashley gave her evil guys some personality, something more complex than a flimsy motivation. Liiike! (On the downside, I liked several of her protagonists more when I couldn't see inside their heads. *cough* Iona *cough*)
Hmmmmmmm... As I've said, maybe I'm in one of my moods again, where I'm still addicted to PNR novels but can't seem to enjoy any of them. I just can't believe how little I liked this novel, especially in comparison.. Argh. Maybe I'm making Primal Bonds to be better than it was, maybe I'm still high from reading Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, maybe, maybe, maybe.
Despite her gread worldbuilding I actually enjoyed Bodyguards, a novella, much more than Wild Cat. Hmph. :(
1. Even though in the last quarter of the book that changed, most of the times everyone kept talking about how much better than humans Shifters were. I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of humanity, and observing yourself and other people does that to a person, but there is something to be said about how absolute the things the people here said were.
2. I don't think it's necessary to point out that there was nothing sexual about siblings hugging eachother while in the nude. I know that after Forbidden everyone is more aware, but still. By pointing out that there is nothing sexual you make it look as if there was a need to assume eben das. See, it annoys me so much, I'm switching languages all the time.
3. The relationship left me cold. I didn't feel emotionally involved with the protagonists, and neither did I feel why they had a connection. Actually the two beta-romances are the only reason why I'm giving this book *some* stars.
4. I'm not sure if the book was so boring at times that I skipped pages, and can't recall now, but I don't recall getting an explanation as to how the two protagonists will be with eachother. They mated, but he's human. I suppose there was an explanation for that in the first novel - which I haven't read. Help?
5. Somehow nothing seemed to have worked out for me. Seriously, I don't know why. I'm scratching my head right now (well no, right now I'm writing but just before I started writing I did scratch my head) because I really expected to like this novel and thought about how I should probably buy some of Jennifer Ashley's other books. But this one here felt much more like her Immortal-novel than like Bodyguard or Primal Bonds (two of Ashley's books that I enjoyed very much)
There were good parts, though, and I shouldn't forget them. The thing is that the negative parts seemed larger and more important, and somehow I'm really disappointed. ;( Anyway, the good:
1. Cassidy had lost her mate just last year, and she struggled with guilt and other things. Even though I didn't like that she just slept with Diego anyway, I liked that she didn't compare the two guys with eachother and thought about how her connection to Diego was so much stronger or more profound than her connection with Donnovan.
2. The Beta Romances. Romance? I can't say much about it, and I actually had some problems with how Eric dealt with things, but at the same time I really liked it. That I did have issues with Eric makes me thing that the book was actually better than I am now making it, and that I'm just.. I don't know, PMSing or something like that.
3. , not just as a villain, but also as a guy. Same goes for Enrique. Ashley gave her evil guys some personality, something more complex than a flimsy motivation. Liiike! (On the downside, I liked several of her protagonists more when I couldn't see inside their heads. *cough* Iona *cough*)
Hmmmmmmm... As I've said, maybe I'm in one of my moods again, where I'm still addicted to PNR novels but can't seem to enjoy any of them. I just can't believe how little I liked this novel, especially in comparison.. Argh. Maybe I'm making Primal Bonds to be better than it was, maybe I'm still high from reading Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, maybe, maybe, maybe.
Despite her gread worldbuilding I actually enjoyed Bodyguards, a novella, much more than Wild Cat. Hmph. :(
March 3, 2016
Diego Garcia is a Las Vegas cop with a huge issue. He is afraid of heights, so it is just his luck to be dangling off the edge of an abandoned high-rise chasing ghost....or so he thought until he is rescued by the blond and beautiful shifter Cassidy. Cassidy was just minding her own business working on trying to get over losing her mate when a crazy man takes a shot at her. After everything is said and done, Diego arrests Cassidy for trespassing. He also ends up having to look after her for her probation sentence. Cassidy on her part isn't as mad about it as she should be. After all Diego is a human, admitted a fine one with those Latin dark eyes and hair. But a woman shifter should have some pride right...not fall for chocolate eyes and sweet kisses...right???
What I love about this series is the each book continues to get better and you never know what kinks JA is going to throw in to keep the shifters one step ahead of the humans that think they have contained. Diego had recently lost a partner so I thought him and Cassidy were a good fit to heal one another. Cassidy brother, Eric, will get his story next. Him and Iona almost threatened to take over the story. You combine kissing and dark chocolate and man I am there! I also thought Reid's storyline was a good one. I was surprised at the amount of story that was packed into the pages and how neatly it all wrapped up. I am also glad that we got to hear from out brethren down in Texas....those cagey Shifters...you never know where they are going to pop up.
What I love about this series is the each book continues to get better and you never know what kinks JA is going to throw in to keep the shifters one step ahead of the humans that think they have contained. Diego had recently lost a partner so I thought him and Cassidy were a good fit to heal one another. Cassidy brother, Eric, will get his story next. Him and Iona almost threatened to take over the story. You combine kissing and dark chocolate and man I am there! I also thought Reid's storyline was a good one. I was surprised at the amount of story that was packed into the pages and how neatly it all wrapped up. I am also glad that we got to hear from out brethren down in Texas....those cagey Shifters...you never know where they are going to pop up.
December 1, 2015
Best one yet!
Wasn't thrilled with the first two, but this one hit the mark! Cassidy was a great strong lead heroine! I really liked her. Diego I liked too. He was a tad strong minded, but Cassidy was just as strong. I like when the main couple is on even footing.
The plot was interesting. Lessons were learned abour loyality, friendship, family, love, and forgiveness.
The sex was hot and the characters had great interaction.
Good read! Tad pricey though. I borrowed the book from my friend Karen.
Wasn't thrilled with the first two, but this one hit the mark! Cassidy was a great strong lead heroine! I really liked her. Diego I liked too. He was a tad strong minded, but Cassidy was just as strong. I like when the main couple is on even footing.
The plot was interesting. Lessons were learned abour loyality, friendship, family, love, and forgiveness.
The sex was hot and the characters had great interaction.
Good read! Tad pricey though. I borrowed the book from my friend Karen.
July 9, 2013
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I really enjoyed this story with Cassidy and the human Diego. The fae character Reid was a good tie in to the Texas shiftertown group.
I really enjoyed this story with Cassidy and the human Diego. The fae character Reid was a good tie in to the Texas shiftertown group.
September 30, 2017
**3.5 stars**
I really like this one. I really liked having the hero being the human with the heroine being the shifter for once. I loved how close he was with his brother - this relationship was my favorite of the book - and I loved how he stood up to the shifters. I have a problem in this series that everybody seems able to look eye to eye to dominant shifters but here I believe it. I mean, Diego was a cop and used to deal with all sorts of dangers. I'm sure he couldn't be intimidated easily.
If there was a weakness in the book, it was the premise. I found it unbelievable that Cassidy was hot for Diego's bod just a year (the description is wrong) later after her mate died - it just seemed too soon and shifters live such long lives that for them a year is like a few months. I also found it unbelievable that they would forgive the fae at the end for what he did. And that whole premise in Mexico was unbelievable too! American policemen cannot go and arrest people in Mexico without telling the Mexican authorities!
Oh and the Spanish used in the book was horrendous too. M'hija means "mi hija" as in "my daughter" so you can imagine my HORROR at having Diego calling Cassidy that in moments of passion. EWWW!!! The author was definitely misinformed as to what that phrase meant.
Thankfully, there are no Irish people in this book so no accents for the narrator to mangle. When she doesn't have to do any accents, her narration is good!
I'll keep reading the next few books but I'm still not completely sold out in the series. I thought this was going somewhere - that the author had a plan for the shifters - but she seems to be moving Shiftertown to Shiftertown to find new couples, not having an overall plan. I guess we'll see.
I really like this one. I really liked having the hero being the human with the heroine being the shifter for once. I loved how close he was with his brother - this relationship was my favorite of the book - and I loved how he stood up to the shifters. I have a problem in this series that everybody seems able to look eye to eye to dominant shifters but here I believe it. I mean, Diego was a cop and used to deal with all sorts of dangers. I'm sure he couldn't be intimidated easily.
If there was a weakness in the book, it was the premise. I found it unbelievable that Cassidy was hot for Diego's bod just a year (the description is wrong) later after her mate died - it just seemed too soon and shifters live such long lives that for them a year is like a few months. I also found it unbelievable that they would forgive the fae at the end for what he did. And that whole premise in Mexico was unbelievable too! American policemen cannot go and arrest people in Mexico without telling the Mexican authorities!
Oh and the Spanish used in the book was horrendous too. M'hija means "mi hija" as in "my daughter" so you can imagine my HORROR at having Diego calling Cassidy that in moments of passion. EWWW!!! The author was definitely misinformed as to what that phrase meant.
Thankfully, there are no Irish people in this book so no accents for the narrator to mangle. When she doesn't have to do any accents, her narration is good!
I'll keep reading the next few books but I'm still not completely sold out in the series. I thought this was going somewhere - that the author had a plan for the shifters - but she seems to be moving Shiftertown to Shiftertown to find new couples, not having an overall plan. I guess we'll see.
October 19, 2020
Loved this, Diego was brilliant.... and his and Cass's relationship was heartwarming.....
I loved and was interested in all side characters introduced as they played a big part in the story
I loved and was interested in all side characters introduced as they played a big part in the story
September 18, 2012
Too many good reviews to add anything new....let me just say I loved it. It was flamin' hot, sexy and wicked. Diego (latino lover extraordinaire) is TO...DIE...FOR. When he calls her little names in Spanish, you just melt. I love that there was never any hesitation on his part to continue to want her - none of that "breaking up for her own good" crap. He made a choice and he committed. I also liked that his big fear (spoiler so I won't mention it) was NOT magically overcome. Fears are real and sometimes too big to push aside and I think Ashley worked that angle nicely.
Cassidy was a heroine you couldn't help but admire. She's the alpha female and she kicks ass. She's also a widow and still grieving a husband taken too soon. I wasn't sure how I would feel about her falling for Diego but how could you not? The man is swoon-worthy! Although she did try the "breaking up for your own good" bit, I totally get why she did it and I can even stick up for her on this one. I hope they CAN make it work with no repercussions.
One side note: ERIC AND IONA. Holy moly. That's all I can say.
4.75 stars, only because I think one major plot point was not worked out to my satisfaction.
Cassidy was a heroine you couldn't help but admire. She's the alpha female and she kicks ass. She's also a widow and still grieving a husband taken too soon. I wasn't sure how I would feel about her falling for Diego but how could you not? The man is swoon-worthy! Although she did try the "breaking up for your own good" bit, I totally get why she did it and I can even stick up for her on this one. I hope they CAN make it work with no repercussions.
One side note: ERIC AND IONA. Holy moly. That's all I can say.
4.75 stars, only because I think one major plot point was not worked out to my satisfaction.
April 5, 2012
2 stars, barely.
What the hell happened? This isn't what I've come to expect from this author at all. Excruciatingly slow and boring at times, just begging me to DNF. I was ready for the book to end halfway through.
I didn't buy the romance. The writing concerning Diego was stilted. I couldn't care less about him. Eric and Iona's chocolate scene held more passion and intrigue than Diego and Cassidy's. Reid and Peigi's as well as Xavier and Lyndsay's pairing also drew more interest from me than this book's main couple.
Wild Cat seemed drawn out to fill pages. The plot was contingent on compassion and forgiveness towards those that kill the ones you love which wasn't written in a way I could accept and believe. I'd need to feel more than a little pity to let a murderer who'd likely kill again, go free. They got seriously lucky on that score.
I'm hoping Eric and Iona's story in Mate Claimed will be more enjoyable.
What the hell happened? This isn't what I've come to expect from this author at all. Excruciatingly slow and boring at times, just begging me to DNF. I was ready for the book to end halfway through.
I didn't buy the romance. The writing concerning Diego was stilted. I couldn't care less about him. Eric and Iona's chocolate scene held more passion and intrigue than Diego and Cassidy's. Reid and Peigi's as well as Xavier and Lyndsay's pairing also drew more interest from me than this book's main couple.
Wild Cat seemed drawn out to fill pages. The plot was contingent on compassion and forgiveness towards those that kill the ones you love which wasn't written in a way I could accept and believe. I'd need to feel more than a little pity to let a murderer who'd likely kill again, go free. They got seriously lucky on that score.
I'm hoping Eric and Iona's story in Mate Claimed will be more enjoyable.
November 13, 2013
Just a quickie. I've been totally pulled into this series and I have no regrets. This is the third in the series and deals with Diego Escobar (a human police officer) and Cassidy Wardon (sister to Eric Wardon, the leader of the Las Vegas shiftertown, who we met in the previous book). Cassidy and Diego meet when Diego is called to the scene of a trespassing in an abandoned construction site. She saves his life even as she's the one being hunted. The rest of the story is poignant and sexy, but is also a little bit more scattered than the other books in this series.
Romances are set up for several characters and the action bounces from one thread to another. Ultimately it's a great read, but I worried at first that Diego and Cassidy would end up thin since so much time was spent with others. They weren't, but it took a bit for me to relax into the more fluid character threads.
I've already read the next one and bought the one after that. Not a cry for help, just pointing out that it can be a bit addictive. Especially if you're a shifter babe like me. :)
Romances are set up for several characters and the action bounces from one thread to another. Ultimately it's a great read, but I worried at first that Diego and Cassidy would end up thin since so much time was spent with others. They weren't, but it took a bit for me to relax into the more fluid character threads.
I've already read the next one and bought the one after that. Not a cry for help, just pointing out that it can be a bit addictive. Especially if you're a shifter babe like me. :)
January 3, 2012
3.5 stars. Solid shifter romance by a very prolific author. Great beginning to the story. I'm afraid of heights too and the scene where Diego has to climb around that tall building had me biting my nails. There were a couple of subplots competing with the main story of Cassidy and Diego but I don't mind because I've followed the series from the beginning and I'm interested in everything that goes on in this world. The romance is OK. Nothing earth shattering but still entertaining. Will definitely continue with these books.
February 27, 2019
DNF at 41%.
The Spanish is poorly researched and I'm grossed out by Diego calling Cassidy "mija". Due to poor research, I'm sure. While it is a term of endearment, it isn't to be used between lovers. This is a term used by someone that considers themselves a parental figure to the person they are calling by that name. So basically he keeps calling her "my daughter" and I'm not here for that. It's okay if that's your kink, but it's not mine.
The Spanish is poorly researched and I'm grossed out by Diego calling Cassidy "mija". Due to poor research, I'm sure. While it is a term of endearment, it isn't to be used between lovers. This is a term used by someone that considers themselves a parental figure to the person they are calling by that name. So basically he keeps calling her "my daughter" and I'm not here for that. It's okay if that's your kink, but it's not mine.
March 27, 2023
… what can I say? This poor book, despite it having the MMC be human and the worst cringey-est hispanic representation in the world, was still enjoyable!
But for real chilaquiles MULTIPLE times?? Wild. Chilaquiles for DINENR? Dumb, please. Him calling her MIJA??? was WIIIILLDD! No ma’am. Please keep the representation to yourself if it’s gonna be half assed.
But for real chilaquiles MULTIPLE times?? Wild. Chilaquiles for DINENR? Dumb, please. Him calling her MIJA??? was WIIIILLDD! No ma’am. Please keep the representation to yourself if it’s gonna be half assed.
September 18, 2012
I adore this series! I downloaded this book from Amazon at 6am the day it came out so I'd be able to start it during my lunch break. It's so hard to wait for a good book but the wait was worth it. Can I have Diego? Pretty please? Can't wait now for Iona and Eric!
August 8, 2013
Just as exciting as the first two with the MC being a Cat Shifter and the mate a human male...nice twist and worth the read. This series gets better with each book...you really need to give it a try!
October 4, 2013
love this series.
June 29, 2017
Wild Cat is the first book featuring the Las Vegas Shiftertown. Cassidy is second in command which makes her pretty dominant. Her mate was killed and Cassidy is out to find the killers. In tracking them down, she gets caught on a construction site way up in the middle of an unfinished building. Diego Escobar must deal with his fears to capture her. Cassidy saves his life, yet he still arrests her. Diego has feelings right away about this snow leopard and he wants to protect her from whatever might happen if she goes to jail. He does some finagling and Cassidy becomes his responsibility.
I really liked Cassidy. She was dominant and fearless, just the way I like my heroines. I am surprised that she is not more devastated by her mate's murder. I understand her wanting to get revenge, but from what I've read so far, some shifters actually become so depressed they become almost comatose. Cassidy on the other hand is ready to crack some heads. The attraction to Diego was kind of unexpected for me too. I just thought she would be more hung up on her mate, I didn't think a romance would blossom so quick. It made me wonder if Cassidy and her dead mate had the mate bond with each other.
Diego coming into Shiftertown with his feelings for Cassidy and as a cop had Eric worried, but Diego proves himself to be trustworthy. He is dominant enough to not be intimidated by the alpha's in the Shiftertown.
A lot of different scenarios are playing out in this book. I think they helped fill the book out and set us up for books to come. I felt kind of off kilter being in a whole new Shiftertown with all new characters. I had to learn the hierarchy all over again. That made this book go a little slower for me while I got my brain straight on who was who.
I was a bit unsure of how I felt about Cassidy getting into another relationship so soon after her mate's death, but it works and I guess that is what matters. She is happy and that is the way their town needs her, so she can help the other women of their crowded Shiftertown. Overall, I will say it was a really good book for the series and being in a different Shiftertown opens the doors for the author to tell even more stories. That I have to have, because I'm loving this series and don't want it to end too soon.
I'm really enjoying Cris Dukehart's narration of the series. She does really well with accents and doesn't make the dominant males sound too gruff. I think she is a good fit for Shifters Unbound.
The Series
This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
I really liked Cassidy. She was dominant and fearless, just the way I like my heroines. I am surprised that she is not more devastated by her mate's murder. I understand her wanting to get revenge, but from what I've read so far, some shifters actually become so depressed they become almost comatose. Cassidy on the other hand is ready to crack some heads. The attraction to Diego was kind of unexpected for me too. I just thought she would be more hung up on her mate, I didn't think a romance would blossom so quick. It made me wonder if Cassidy and her dead mate had the mate bond with each other.
Diego coming into Shiftertown with his feelings for Cassidy and as a cop had Eric worried, but Diego proves himself to be trustworthy. He is dominant enough to not be intimidated by the alpha's in the Shiftertown.
A lot of different scenarios are playing out in this book. I think they helped fill the book out and set us up for books to come. I felt kind of off kilter being in a whole new Shiftertown with all new characters. I had to learn the hierarchy all over again. That made this book go a little slower for me while I got my brain straight on who was who.
I was a bit unsure of how I felt about Cassidy getting into another relationship so soon after her mate's death, but it works and I guess that is what matters. She is happy and that is the way their town needs her, so she can help the other women of their crowded Shiftertown. Overall, I will say it was a really good book for the series and being in a different Shiftertown opens the doors for the author to tell even more stories. That I have to have, because I'm loving this series and don't want it to end too soon.
I'm really enjoying Cris Dukehart's narration of the series. She does really well with accents and doesn't make the dominant males sound too gruff. I think she is a good fit for Shifters Unbound.
The Series
July 16, 2018
Diego and Cassidy
Human cop plus Shifter wildcat ignites into a fiery conflagration. Diego Escobar, a tough Las Vegas detective meets his match with Cassandra Warden, younger sister and second in command to the enigmatic Eric Warden.
Since I've been reading this series totally out of order, I already knew all of the major players and what they are like further along in the series. Even with that foreknowledge this was an enjoyable read.
I don't need to read anyone else's Shifter stories as long as Jennifer Ashley keeps churning them out. I am fully invested in the world of Shifters Unbound!
Human cop plus Shifter wildcat ignites into a fiery conflagration. Diego Escobar, a tough Las Vegas detective meets his match with Cassandra Warden, younger sister and second in command to the enigmatic Eric Warden.
Since I've been reading this series totally out of order, I already knew all of the major players and what they are like further along in the series. Even with that foreknowledge this was an enjoyable read.
I don't need to read anyone else's Shifter stories as long as Jennifer Ashley keeps churning them out. I am fully invested in the world of Shifters Unbound!
December 21, 2017
I love reading Shifter books, so this series has definitely been fun to read. I've read them all out of order, but I've been able to follow all the characters and the storylines easily enough. Police detective Diego Escobar is possibly my favourite Alpha of this series - even though he's human. He is nowhere near as strong as all the shifters and fae in the storyline, but he never shys away from a fight and protecting Cassidy. Even though Cassidy is still grieving from the murder of her mate, she cannot resist Diego (cause he's SO hot and refuses to ignore what is between them).
April 9, 2018
3.5 stars...at times.
Cassidy & Diego were a couple that complemented each other. But this was one busy, overwritten book. As far as I'm concerned I could have done without all that odd fairy stuff. It strikes me illogical in fact nobody knows about fairies but they know there are shifters. Oh and if I knew there were a mass of shifters living done the street I'd learn everything about them. The ignorance of the humans is ridiculous. I did like the primary couple a great deal but gosh there were some serious flaws in logic going on.
Cassidy & Diego were a couple that complemented each other. But this was one busy, overwritten book. As far as I'm concerned I could have done without all that odd fairy stuff. It strikes me illogical in fact nobody knows about fairies but they know there are shifters. Oh and if I knew there were a mass of shifters living done the street I'd learn everything about them. The ignorance of the humans is ridiculous. I did like the primary couple a great deal but gosh there were some serious flaws in logic going on.
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