What do you think?
Rate this book
Moon #1
Moonlight
Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf’s biggest challenge is keeping his kin’s true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out.
Lana Turpin doesn’t realize she’s a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she’s being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back—even though she’s never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.
It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
Lana Turpin doesn’t realize she’s a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she’s being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back—even though she’s never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.
It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls…mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her…and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2013
541 people are currently reading
3531 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Kessler
87 books2,103 followersJoin my Facebook Writer Page Here
Follow Me on BlueSky Here
Sign up for my Newsletter
Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of passionate, page-turning paranormal fiction. She's a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.
Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
She also publishes horror and thriller novels under the pseudonym, L.A. Kessler.
When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist and tarot card reader. Her first tarot deck, Practical Tarot, is being release by Beyond Words Publishing with a companion book, Practical Tarot: Learn to read tarot cards intuitively in 2025.
Follow Me on BlueSky Here
Sign up for my Newsletter
Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of passionate, page-turning paranormal fiction. She's a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.
Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
She also publishes horror and thriller novels under the pseudonym, L.A. Kessler.
When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist and tarot card reader. Her first tarot deck, Practical Tarot, is being release by Beyond Words Publishing with a companion book, Practical Tarot: Learn to read tarot cards intuitively in 2025.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
January 8, 2022
Moonlight by Lisa Kessler
1st book in the Moon series. Paranormal shifter romance.
Lana doesn’t know she’s a shifter when Adam finds her in a diner and demands to know what she’s doing there. Now she’s a mate? What is happening in this crazy world?
Cat and dog. Jaguar and wolf. A bit of humor in this world of shifters, killing predators and scientific experiments. I enjoyed Lana and Adam together. I especially liked a resolution near the end that I thought was perfect.
It is a bit of a cliffhanger on the overall series.
1st book in the Moon series. Paranormal shifter romance.
Lana doesn’t know she’s a shifter when Adam finds her in a diner and demands to know what she’s doing there. Now she’s a mate? What is happening in this crazy world?
Cat and dog. Jaguar and wolf. A bit of humor in this world of shifters, killing predators and scientific experiments. I enjoyed Lana and Adam together. I especially liked a resolution near the end that I thought was perfect.
It is a bit of a cliffhanger on the overall series.
June 22, 2017
Lana is a jaguar shifter while Adam is a wolf shifter. When Adam touches Lana, he knows she is his mate. He keeps her a secret from his father, the Alpha, and the Pack because Adam knows they would never accept Lana. They might even kill her. How can a wolf and a jaguar be mates?
Sebastian, an assassin, is sent to kidnap Lana. He is to take her to the Nero Organization. When he fails his mission, the Organization sends a second assassin, Sasha, to complete the job. How can Lana put Adam and his pack at risk? Can she escape the assassins?
I am always sceptical of shifter novels. This one meant my expectations. The main and secondary characters are like family. There are subplots that are not resolved. I am satisfied with the ending of this book. I look forward to reading other paranormal romances by Lisa Kessler. There is adult language and steamy love scenes in this novel.
Sebastian, an assassin, is sent to kidnap Lana. He is to take her to the Nero Organization. When he fails his mission, the Organization sends a second assassin, Sasha, to complete the job. How can Lana put Adam and his pack at risk? Can she escape the assassins?
I am always sceptical of shifter novels. This one meant my expectations. The main and secondary characters are like family. There are subplots that are not resolved. I am satisfied with the ending of this book. I look forward to reading other paranormal romances by Lisa Kessler. There is adult language and steamy love scenes in this novel.
April 4, 2014
I loved writing this book and this new series!
I hope you'll all enjoy the Pack as much as I do! :)
Thanks so much for reading!
Lisa
I hope you'll all enjoy the Pack as much as I do! :)
Thanks so much for reading!
Lisa
October 23, 2017
This was a terrific book, I feel I would have loved it even more had the heroine cried less.
The heroine, Lana, was abandoned when she was a child and has no idea about where she's from except that she was wrapped in a sweatshirt. I don't want to sound apathetic but I got tired of that little detail fast. She used that as her sob story the entire book and it got on my nerves, she always had tears running down her cheek, I would have expected her to be more jaded, considering she had been in foster care and had being on the run for several weeks. I expected her to be tougher.
Another issue I had was the whole race thing. Lana was a jaguar shifter and Adam, the hero, was a wolf. Apparently they have some issues with interspecies mixing, the jaguars are the wolves mortal enemy so much so that they kill Jaguars on sight without any explanation, so their relationship was filled with a lot of hiding and sneaking which of course sent Lana on her "tearing up" spree. I did understand what she was going through but she threw the word "racist" around so much it started to irk, they were the same race just not the same species. I don't know why but I had an issue with that.
Despite all that, I liked certain things about Lana. I liked that she didn't fall in love immediately, even though she thought Adam was the hottest guy she knew her brain did not immediately turn into mush.
There were so many unanswered questions especially about Lana and the organization that is chasing her, I hope it's all laid out in the next book.
The heroine, Lana, was abandoned when she was a child and has no idea about where she's from except that she was wrapped in a sweatshirt. I don't want to sound apathetic but I got tired of that little detail fast. She used that as her sob story the entire book and it got on my nerves, she always had tears running down her cheek, I would have expected her to be more jaded, considering she had been in foster care and had being on the run for several weeks. I expected her to be tougher.
Another issue I had was the whole race thing. Lana was a jaguar shifter and Adam, the hero, was a wolf. Apparently they have some issues with interspecies mixing, the jaguars are the wolves mortal enemy so much so that they kill Jaguars on sight without any explanation, so their relationship was filled with a lot of hiding and sneaking which of course sent Lana on her "tearing up" spree. I did understand what she was going through but she threw the word "racist" around so much it started to irk, they were the same race just not the same species. I don't know why but I had an issue with that.
Despite all that, I liked certain things about Lana. I liked that she didn't fall in love immediately, even though she thought Adam was the hottest guy she knew her brain did not immediately turn into mush.
There were so many unanswered questions especially about Lana and the organization that is chasing her, I hope it's all laid out in the next book.
September 3, 2017
3.5 stars. Mostly for fun factor. Okay, all for fun factor. This book was fun.
This book was a big surprise for me. It began with one of the most eye-roll inducing instaloveyist instaloves I ever read. Seriously bad stuff. The hero knew he was in love with the heroine within twenty-four hours and was just walking around in a haze of hearts with cupid's arrow sticking out of his ass. It seemed utterly ridiculous to me. Not gonna lie, I was ready to DNF. To just...walk away.
But for some unknown reason, I kept reading. Call it stubbornness but I think it was just because I was bored. But I kept going. And then somehow, the plot thickened. Shit started going down. There was the faintest likelihood of a love triangle that wasn't really a love triangle but brought out some super fun jealousy. The heroine was spunky and smart. The romance really kicked up a notch. More characters were introduced. And I found myself having a damn ball.
It was far from perfect. Actually, it had a lot of issues. Annoying ones. Too much this. Not enough that. Yet somehow it managed to be really fun and quite entertaining.
Plot: Werewolves hate Jaguars (shifters) and vice versa. Lana is a Jaguar but doesn't know it. Adam is a werewolf and does know it, and also knows Lana is a Jaguar (wolfy smelling skills). Lana is on the run from shady dudes that she believes are from a mental hospital. She went to the hospital for what she thought was a mental illness of some kind but was actually her shifting into a giant cat every full moon and blacking out. Adam finds her in a diner and walks in all "It's a full moon, why are you around a bunch of people? Don't you know you could end up eating them because you are a horrible Jaguar and are about to shift soon?" She laughs in his face. Obviously, he's off his rocker. But the danger is real, the full moon is that night. Then the shady dudes that Lana thinks are from the hospital show up except they are carrying guns are most definitely not from the hospital. Adam kicks their asses and helps Lana escape. When he touches her, he gets that special kind of tingle that means they are mates. He is upset, to say the least. Interspecies mates aren't a thing. Plus their kind hate each other. From there we have the standard "man must protect mate" thing. She is of course wildly attracted to him too, but it turns out that Jaguars don't do the "mate" thing. Interesting twist. She has to figure out she loves him on her own. BUT something both werewolves and Jaguars have in common is that neither have females born as shifters. Both werewolves and Jaguars have to bite the human females of their choice, converting them into shifters before they can start a family. Lana finds out that she is one in a million and that is why she is being hunted. There is a reason she is the way she is and she is wanted by all sorts of people.
There is an interesting look at racism throughout the book. Or specieism? Is that a thing? Adam and his pack have to take a look at the way they automatically hate every Jaguar they see. Even if the Jaguars they have dealt with are all awful, they shouldn't condemn the entire shifter species. Adam has less of an issue with this because he has the whole mate thing going for him. But he knows his pack would never accept her so he doesn't take her home to meet the family. She has no choice but to remain his dirty little secret and that doesn't bode well for their relationship. Because Lana didn't grow up with Jaguar parents telling her that werewolves are awful, she has no prejudice. She is understandably angry when Adam's pack hates her on sight when they know nothing about her. It gave the book surprising depth. And I really liked the way it was resolved in the end because it could have been done badly and instead, I found myself tearing up. Someone was probably just cutting onions near by. Whatever.
While this may just be me, I found it really really weird that a werewolf trained horses. In fact, a whole lot of werewolves. He has a ranch, he lives there. So do the horses, obviously. They shift once a month. Wouldn't there be some underlying wolfy smell that would cause unease in a horse? The smell must linger. Is this a weird thing to wonder? I don't know. But it just stuck out as strange to me throughout the entire book. Why do horses love him? And even more, why with Lana too? Would a Jaguar eat a horse on the full moon? I mean, she killed and ate a squirrel once. Are horses just too big? What if Adam was super hungry in wolf form? Wouldn't he spook the hell out of his horses? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.
The writing itself left a little to be desired. The entire thing was pretty much tell with very little show. Fortunately, that worked for me. I was exhausted and in a lot of pain (stupid knee) and I really didn't mind everything being spoon fed to me. I didn't have to work for anything and I was totally okay with that.
Adam was a chest thumper, all alpha don't-touch-her-she's-mine. It wasn't really a problem for me because I'm pretty sure that's why we read shifter romance. There is an animal in the men and it gives them a legitimate excuse to act that way without it being an issue. The fact that Lana was a Jaguar didn't really change her personality much and I kind of wish it had. I mean, werewolves have wolfy qualities. What would giant cat qualities be like? There was an interesting opportunity there to use cat vs. dog personality stuff.
One of the things that were really different about this world of shifters was that they did not have any kind of special healing powers or gift or whatever you want to call it. If they were shot, they bled and had to heal like everyone else. If they broke a bone, they had to be off their feet for a month or two (or more, if they actually listened to their damned doctor). It gave them a vulnerability that I don't think I've ever read in a shifter romance. It certainly made things interesting to know that if a shifter was hit by a truck crossing the street (which was not part of the plot, I'm just making a point) then, they would have to deal with the same ramifications and fears as everyone else. More in fact, because no shifter wants to go to a hospital. Hospitals are the fastest way for their shifter existence to be exposed.
All in all, this was a really fun read. It wasn't earth shattering or probably even award winning, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and do plan on continuing with the series. The next book is about Adam's twin brother and I just know who his mate is going to be and I can't way to see how it plays out.
This book was a big surprise for me. It began with one of the most eye-roll inducing instaloveyist instaloves I ever read. Seriously bad stuff. The hero knew he was in love with the heroine within twenty-four hours and was just walking around in a haze of hearts with cupid's arrow sticking out of his ass. It seemed utterly ridiculous to me. Not gonna lie, I was ready to DNF. To just...walk away.
But for some unknown reason, I kept reading. Call it stubbornness but I think it was just because I was bored. But I kept going. And then somehow, the plot thickened. Shit started going down. There was the faintest likelihood of a love triangle that wasn't really a love triangle but brought out some super fun jealousy. The heroine was spunky and smart. The romance really kicked up a notch. More characters were introduced. And I found myself having a damn ball.
It was far from perfect. Actually, it had a lot of issues. Annoying ones. Too much this. Not enough that. Yet somehow it managed to be really fun and quite entertaining.
Plot: Werewolves hate Jaguars (shifters) and vice versa. Lana is a Jaguar but doesn't know it. Adam is a werewolf and does know it, and also knows Lana is a Jaguar (wolfy smelling skills). Lana is on the run from shady dudes that she believes are from a mental hospital. She went to the hospital for what she thought was a mental illness of some kind but was actually her shifting into a giant cat every full moon and blacking out. Adam finds her in a diner and walks in all "It's a full moon, why are you around a bunch of people? Don't you know you could end up eating them because you are a horrible Jaguar and are about to shift soon?" She laughs in his face. Obviously, he's off his rocker. But the danger is real, the full moon is that night. Then the shady dudes that Lana thinks are from the hospital show up except they are carrying guns are most definitely not from the hospital. Adam kicks their asses and helps Lana escape. When he touches her, he gets that special kind of tingle that means they are mates. He is upset, to say the least. Interspecies mates aren't a thing. Plus their kind hate each other. From there we have the standard "man must protect mate" thing. She is of course wildly attracted to him too, but it turns out that Jaguars don't do the "mate" thing. Interesting twist. She has to figure out she loves him on her own. BUT something both werewolves and Jaguars have in common is that neither have females born as shifters. Both werewolves and Jaguars have to bite the human females of their choice, converting them into shifters before they can start a family. Lana finds out that she is one in a million and that is why she is being hunted. There is a reason she is the way she is and she is wanted by all sorts of people.
There is an interesting look at racism throughout the book. Or specieism? Is that a thing? Adam and his pack have to take a look at the way they automatically hate every Jaguar they see. Even if the Jaguars they have dealt with are all awful, they shouldn't condemn the entire shifter species. Adam has less of an issue with this because he has the whole mate thing going for him. But he knows his pack would never accept her so he doesn't take her home to meet the family. She has no choice but to remain his dirty little secret and that doesn't bode well for their relationship. Because Lana didn't grow up with Jaguar parents telling her that werewolves are awful, she has no prejudice. She is understandably angry when Adam's pack hates her on sight when they know nothing about her. It gave the book surprising depth. And I really liked the way it was resolved in the end because it could have been done badly and instead, I found myself tearing up. Someone was probably just cutting onions near by. Whatever.
While this may just be me, I found it really really weird that a werewolf trained horses. In fact, a whole lot of werewolves. He has a ranch, he lives there. So do the horses, obviously. They shift once a month. Wouldn't there be some underlying wolfy smell that would cause unease in a horse? The smell must linger. Is this a weird thing to wonder? I don't know. But it just stuck out as strange to me throughout the entire book. Why do horses love him? And even more, why with Lana too? Would a Jaguar eat a horse on the full moon? I mean, she killed and ate a squirrel once. Are horses just too big? What if Adam was super hungry in wolf form? Wouldn't he spook the hell out of his horses? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.
The writing itself left a little to be desired. The entire thing was pretty much tell with very little show. Fortunately, that worked for me. I was exhausted and in a lot of pain (stupid knee) and I really didn't mind everything being spoon fed to me. I didn't have to work for anything and I was totally okay with that.
Adam was a chest thumper, all alpha don't-touch-her-she's-mine. It wasn't really a problem for me because I'm pretty sure that's why we read shifter romance. There is an animal in the men and it gives them a legitimate excuse to act that way without it being an issue. The fact that Lana was a Jaguar didn't really change her personality much and I kind of wish it had. I mean, werewolves have wolfy qualities. What would giant cat qualities be like? There was an interesting opportunity there to use cat vs. dog personality stuff.
One of the things that were really different about this world of shifters was that they did not have any kind of special healing powers or gift or whatever you want to call it. If they were shot, they bled and had to heal like everyone else. If they broke a bone, they had to be off their feet for a month or two (or more, if they actually listened to their damned doctor). It gave them a vulnerability that I don't think I've ever read in a shifter romance. It certainly made things interesting to know that if a shifter was hit by a truck crossing the street (which was not part of the plot, I'm just making a point) then, they would have to deal with the same ramifications and fears as everyone else. More in fact, because no shifter wants to go to a hospital. Hospitals are the fastest way for their shifter existence to be exposed.
All in all, this was a really fun read. It wasn't earth shattering or probably even award winning, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and do plan on continuing with the series. The next book is about Adam's twin brother and I just know who his mate is going to be and I can't way to see how it plays out.
August 12, 2013
First off I want to tell everyone who thinks they are going to point their fingers in my direction and go "HAHAHA YOU love hot shifter reads!!" Ya ya ya ya, I think I can no longer fall back on the "I have Harlequin PTSD" excuse anymore. Writers like Lisa Kessler have driven the flashbacks far back into a cobweb infested corner of my demented mind. I loved this book. I read three books of a paranormal- nature last week, one was my #TEAMVAMPIRE review book, this one and probably should have read Moonlight last because it ruined me for the other shifter book I read.
How do I love it? Well let me count the ways, or at least give you some examples..
Lana
Though written in a somewhat formulaic paranormal romance style of an alpha female meets alpha male and butts heads until she realizes she needs him to rescue her... Lana still ends up making the story fresh for me. There is no hint of a churned out story, Lisa Kessler has a gift.
Lana is wonderful! She has survived after being a foster kid and never fitting in, and as she has gotten older she starts to have black outs once a month during the new moon. Why do I like this about her? Well I like how she deals with it, proactively! Sure it gets her hunted, when truthfully it is her who could be hunting them *wink* but this, this is one of the reasons I adore Lana. She is one HELL of go getter!
Adam
I read this almost straight through. I fell asleep after swearing at Lisa telling her she kept me up till 6 AM and woke up to finish it only go and get all fangirl on her cute ass! She really outdid herself! Thanks for giving me a great read, I have to agree with Froggarita, this may be going on my favorite reads for Urban Parnormal Romance/Shifter/HOT/reads of the year!
But between the hot yummy shifting goodness? I think this is a wonderful message of how differences do not have to be what keeps us apart. Just because one group "kills" your kind, doesn't mean all are the same... right? *wink* again .. good job...
5 - double paw prints, my friend! In honor of Lana! (cuz she's my fav)
How do I love it? Well let me count the ways, or at least give you some examples..
Lana
Though written in a somewhat formulaic paranormal romance style of an alpha female meets alpha male and butts heads until she realizes she needs him to rescue her... Lana still ends up making the story fresh for me. There is no hint of a churned out story, Lisa Kessler has a gift.
Lana is wonderful! She has survived after being a foster kid and never fitting in, and as she has gotten older she starts to have black outs once a month during the new moon. Why do I like this about her? Well I like how she deals with it, proactively! Sure it gets her hunted, when truthfully it is her who could be hunting them *wink* but this, this is one of the reasons I adore Lana. She is one HELL of go getter!
Adam
Adam is actually a blend of the myriad of alpha male characters you find in paranormal romances. He is a brooding, indecisive individual who always wants to save the day and the woman he is with. Driven by the rules of the pack and his immediate attraction to Lana, which is beyond his control, his personality sometimes seems to go on Swing Ride for a bit. Made me wonder if he would ever get off! There were times I wanted to choke him!
But I was going to tell you what I love about him... I love the way he loves her. So passionately with every ounce of his being. I love how he loves his family, though will walk away from her for the woman he is meant to spend his life with, despite their differences.
What makes this completely different than most cookie cutter paranormal romances is Lisa Kessler switches back and forth from Lana and Adam's point of view. Each chapter is labeled with whose name (turn) it is and we see each of their inner struggles from their voice, not from the outside of what is going on around them. Lana's struggle to let her guard down, let Adam in and allow herself to be loved. Adam's struggle, as I mentioned, to be part of the pack or to embrace his destiny with Lana and her Jaguar shifter and to let Lana be her own woman, along with many others. It was very refreshing and very well done.
I have read a lot of books with shifters, I don't live on a hill looking down at all the urban fantasy books with my high literature and (shoving my zombie books under the couch) umm nose in the air, I swear! *snickering* Seriously! But I am not a paranormal romance reader unless it really has a good hook. Yep, I think I am taking Lisa on my next fishing trip, we will clean up and I will have a freezer full! She had me (excuse the cliche) hook line and ......... totally hot yummy werewolf ...sinker! Though I gotta admit, I liked the villains! Gotta love me the bad boys and girls, no matter how horrible they are to the team! Of course, who led those guys wrong? Just how bad were they? Could it be those who are chasing Lana? Oh heck.. wait... is that a spoiler? CRAP! HAH!
I read this almost straight through. I fell asleep after swearing at Lisa telling her she kept me up till 6 AM and woke up to finish it only go and get all fangirl on her cute ass! She really outdid herself! Thanks for giving me a great read, I have to agree with Froggarita, this may be going on my favorite reads for Urban Parnormal Romance/Shifter/HOT/reads of the year!
But between the hot yummy shifting goodness? I think this is a wonderful message of how differences do not have to be what keeps us apart. Just because one group "kills" your kind, doesn't mean all are the same... right? *wink* again .. good job...
5 - double paw prints, my friend! In honor of Lana! (cuz she's my fav)
December 3, 2013
My Adam -
Offffftttt....
Enemies to lovers story with a paranormal slant.
Mystery, Sex, Drama, Action, Death, Life.
It was well worth a read, i would recommend & read more by this author.
Offffftttt....
Enemies to lovers story with a paranormal slant.
Mystery, Sex, Drama, Action, Death, Life.
It was well worth a read, i would recommend & read more by this author.
July 4, 2013
When Mrs. Kessler announced her book blog tour for Moonlight, I immediately volunteered to host an interview and do a review for the novel before its release on July 15th. Why? Because after having read and reviewed her first two vampire novels in the Night Series, I knew that her werewolf-epic would be nothing short of incredible...and I was correct. I am not a big fan of werewolves, as I love vampires, but this novel isn't just about a wolf...it is about being human.
I opened the .PDF file immediately upon receiving it and was immediately introduced to the two main characters, the elusive and beautiful Lana, who blacks out every time there is a new moon and has no memory of the night, and Adam, the handsome and sexy horse-trainer who turns into a werewolf every time there is a full moon.
Immediately, I liked Lana, recognizing her as a tough-spirited girl unlike what used to be the "norm" for the typical female lead in a romance novel. And I am not a typical romance reader, but Adam certainly sounded as sexy as Mrs. Kessler tried to make him!
Lana was abandoned at birth and moved around as a ward of the state until she was eighteen, when she then put herself through college and became a freelance writer...the best occupation for someone on the run. When she turned eighteen is when the blackouts started, you see, and that was when she went to a hospital and had a CAT scan done on her brain. After she left the hospital (because she didn't want to be put in a psych facility to see if she had schizophrenia), someone sent people after her--men in grey jumpsuits who all had strange lion-heads with an "N" on the foreheads tattooed on their inner wrists. It was clear that they wanted her.
She evaded them and came to Reno, where she had the fortune/misfortune of running into Adam in a diner, after he tells her he "smelled her scent from outside". Wow...what a way to win a woman over, huh? When he tells her she is a jaguar, she laughs and doesn't believe him. When he is about to say more, the diner doors burst open and the men in the grey suits are back for Lana again and this time there is nowhere to run.
Adam leaps (literally) to her rescue, seeing that whoever these men are, Lana does not want to go with them. Why is he protecting the very thing he wished to kill upon smelling her distinctive jaguar scent? That's a reason he refuses to let himself think about at the moment. it is the night of the new moon, and Adam leaves Lana to her own devices but takes a photo of her in jaguar form, for proof that this strange, naive and enticing girl really does shape-shift into a jaguar on the nights of the full moon.
But learning her true identity isn't Lana's biggest problem. She now has the unwanted protection of a werewolf--as Adam claims himself to be--and one of his Pack members, Gabe, is left dead practically at their feet, killed by another jaguar. She now has to find out who she is and quick: the Nero Organization is still looking for her, and now one of her own kind is out killing members of Adam's Pack...and she doesn't want to see Adam hurt.
Adam has his own problems without having to deal with jaguar assassins, too. His father, Pack Alpha Malcolm, is pressuring him to find his mate so that he can one day lead the Pack, as is his rightful duty as Malcolm's first-born son. But what can Dam do when he finds his mate in Lana--a jaguar, the werewolves' longest and most ruthless enemies?
Trying to work out the age-old feud of cat and dog, Adam and Lana must escape persecution from Nero and the Pack, all while keeping Lana safe, trying to find her birth parents and avoiding Sebastian--the sexy jaguar who is originally assigned to capture Lana but becomes much more than an assassin.
What I really liked about this novel was the underlying theme of bigotry and stereotyping. The Pack thinks all jaguars are evil killers, so Adam can't bring his mate home to meet them. The jaguars think all wolves are weak creatures therefore they are worth nothing but contempt. It takes the reader to new thought levels, about the racial issues of the 60's (when it was illegal for an African-American to marry a Caucasian) and the LGBTQA issues that are happening right now in America.
As for the romance, it was a bit steamier than Mrs. Kessler's previous novels but it was not the dominating factor in the story. In fact, neither was the theme of the hunt for Lana. The true emotion that this story focused on was not lust or fear, but love. It was about loving your mate, loving your family and loving yourself and learning to accept yourself as you are, because when you do, others will start to accept you, too.
The characters were amazingly well-written, from the leads to the supporting, everyone from the assassins to the members of Adam's Pack were well-rounded, fully-developed people. You felt like they were real as you read about each of them in turn. Read this novel as soon as it is released, because I can guarantee you you will be taken on a page-turning ride of your life into Mrs. Kessler's mind.
Amazing! 5/5
I opened the .PDF file immediately upon receiving it and was immediately introduced to the two main characters, the elusive and beautiful Lana, who blacks out every time there is a new moon and has no memory of the night, and Adam, the handsome and sexy horse-trainer who turns into a werewolf every time there is a full moon.
Immediately, I liked Lana, recognizing her as a tough-spirited girl unlike what used to be the "norm" for the typical female lead in a romance novel. And I am not a typical romance reader, but Adam certainly sounded as sexy as Mrs. Kessler tried to make him!
Lana was abandoned at birth and moved around as a ward of the state until she was eighteen, when she then put herself through college and became a freelance writer...the best occupation for someone on the run. When she turned eighteen is when the blackouts started, you see, and that was when she went to a hospital and had a CAT scan done on her brain. After she left the hospital (because she didn't want to be put in a psych facility to see if she had schizophrenia), someone sent people after her--men in grey jumpsuits who all had strange lion-heads with an "N" on the foreheads tattooed on their inner wrists. It was clear that they wanted her.
She evaded them and came to Reno, where she had the fortune/misfortune of running into Adam in a diner, after he tells her he "smelled her scent from outside". Wow...what a way to win a woman over, huh? When he tells her she is a jaguar, she laughs and doesn't believe him. When he is about to say more, the diner doors burst open and the men in the grey suits are back for Lana again and this time there is nowhere to run.
Adam leaps (literally) to her rescue, seeing that whoever these men are, Lana does not want to go with them. Why is he protecting the very thing he wished to kill upon smelling her distinctive jaguar scent? That's a reason he refuses to let himself think about at the moment. it is the night of the new moon, and Adam leaves Lana to her own devices but takes a photo of her in jaguar form, for proof that this strange, naive and enticing girl really does shape-shift into a jaguar on the nights of the full moon.
But learning her true identity isn't Lana's biggest problem. She now has the unwanted protection of a werewolf--as Adam claims himself to be--and one of his Pack members, Gabe, is left dead practically at their feet, killed by another jaguar. She now has to find out who she is and quick: the Nero Organization is still looking for her, and now one of her own kind is out killing members of Adam's Pack...and she doesn't want to see Adam hurt.
Adam has his own problems without having to deal with jaguar assassins, too. His father, Pack Alpha Malcolm, is pressuring him to find his mate so that he can one day lead the Pack, as is his rightful duty as Malcolm's first-born son. But what can Dam do when he finds his mate in Lana--a jaguar, the werewolves' longest and most ruthless enemies?
Trying to work out the age-old feud of cat and dog, Adam and Lana must escape persecution from Nero and the Pack, all while keeping Lana safe, trying to find her birth parents and avoiding Sebastian--the sexy jaguar who is originally assigned to capture Lana but becomes much more than an assassin.
What I really liked about this novel was the underlying theme of bigotry and stereotyping. The Pack thinks all jaguars are evil killers, so Adam can't bring his mate home to meet them. The jaguars think all wolves are weak creatures therefore they are worth nothing but contempt. It takes the reader to new thought levels, about the racial issues of the 60's (when it was illegal for an African-American to marry a Caucasian) and the LGBTQA issues that are happening right now in America.
As for the romance, it was a bit steamier than Mrs. Kessler's previous novels but it was not the dominating factor in the story. In fact, neither was the theme of the hunt for Lana. The true emotion that this story focused on was not lust or fear, but love. It was about loving your mate, loving your family and loving yourself and learning to accept yourself as you are, because when you do, others will start to accept you, too.
The characters were amazingly well-written, from the leads to the supporting, everyone from the assassins to the members of Adam's Pack were well-rounded, fully-developed people. You felt like they were real as you read about each of them in turn. Read this novel as soon as it is released, because I can guarantee you you will be taken on a page-turning ride of your life into Mrs. Kessler's mind.
Amazing! 5/5
July 12, 2013
PNR fans hang onto something because werewolf shifter Adam Sloan will sweep you off your feet.
I am very hard on PNR. There seems to be too much plot recycling. Same story, different names. On the surface this is a formula shifter PNR troupe, but Lisa developed some world building elements that created a new and interesting dynamic between wolf shifters and their enemies the jaguar shifters. Every time I thought we were heading into shifter PNR cliché territory, the story would take a little unexpected turn or our hero would just be so damn charming I would forget. Kessler has a way of writing characters you will care about, even the bad guys. One of my favorite in this story is Sebastian, a jaguar shifter who will need a lot of redeeming, but I find that trait sexy. Add to this the fact that I adore forbidden love stories and she had me hooked.
There was a moment when I thought I would have to go all *Bunny Foo Foo on the heroine because she was pulling the “I’ll sneak away without telling my mate even though it will devastate me, but it is for his protection..”, but she was saved from a bopping because she didn’t get to do it, and I was impressed with Adam’s reaction when he found out she was going to do this. He was mad, as he should be, and didn’t welcome her with open arms. Kudos to Lisa Kessler for not letting the heroine off easy. That saved Lana a bopping on the head from me .
We meet many characters in this series debut and are given hints of future stories that need to be told. If you are looking for a fast read, because you won’t want to put it down till you know what happens next, and one that satisfies that PNR itch then give this one a try.
*Bunny Foo Foo is when a character acts in a way that makes me want to scoop them up and bop them on the head.
4 Sheep
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2013/07/bo...
I am very hard on PNR. There seems to be too much plot recycling. Same story, different names. On the surface this is a formula shifter PNR troupe, but Lisa developed some world building elements that created a new and interesting dynamic between wolf shifters and their enemies the jaguar shifters. Every time I thought we were heading into shifter PNR cliché territory, the story would take a little unexpected turn or our hero would just be so damn charming I would forget. Kessler has a way of writing characters you will care about, even the bad guys. One of my favorite in this story is Sebastian, a jaguar shifter who will need a lot of redeeming, but I find that trait sexy. Add to this the fact that I adore forbidden love stories and she had me hooked.
There was a moment when I thought I would have to go all *Bunny Foo Foo on the heroine because she was pulling the “I’ll sneak away without telling my mate even though it will devastate me, but it is for his protection..”, but she was saved from a bopping because she didn’t get to do it, and I was impressed with Adam’s reaction when he found out she was going to do this. He was mad, as he should be, and didn’t welcome her with open arms. Kudos to Lisa Kessler for not letting the heroine off easy. That saved Lana a bopping on the head from me .
We meet many characters in this series debut and are given hints of future stories that need to be told. If you are looking for a fast read, because you won’t want to put it down till you know what happens next, and one that satisfies that PNR itch then give this one a try.
*Bunny Foo Foo is when a character acts in a way that makes me want to scoop them up and bop them on the head.
4 Sheep
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2013/07/bo...
August 4, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Moonlight by Lisa Kessler
Book One of the Moon series
Publisher: Entangled
Publication Date: July 15, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC sent by the publisher
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf's biggest challenge is keeping his kin's true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out.
Lana Turpin doesn't realize she's a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she's being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back--even though she's never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.
It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls...mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her...and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
What I Liked:
I really enjoyed this book! I chose to read this book when I did because I had been (and still am!) under the pressure of reading a ton of July/August/September Young Adult releases that I requested a long time ago. This book already came out, but it's a respite from all those YA books that I've been reading. I love throwing an adult book in the midst of YA books, just so I get my dose of steamy every now and then!
So I really didn't know what to expect from Moonlight - because I wasn't necessarily reading it because I was dying to read it. But I was happily surprised when I started reading and was completely sucked into the story. The plot, the characters, the romance... everything was so intriguing!
The plot was filled with action! Usually, with adult romance books, it's all about the romance. While the romance played a huge part in the book, the plot clearly dominated. Basically, Lana is on the run from a medical institution, but she has no idea why they want her. She finds out via Adam, a man she runs into at a restaurant, that she is a were-jaguar, and he is a werewolf. What follows after is Adam protecting Lana from two jaguars intent on bringing Lana in to the institution (Nero, I believe). Of course, there are twists and turns along the way, and the action almost never stops!
Lana and Adam both have a voice in this novel - they switch off about every chapter (in terms of the perspective of the novel). I feel like this is excellent in terms of showing the character development for both characters. With Lana, you see exactly what she is thinking, and exactly what she thinks of Adam. With Adam, you see what he is thinking and what he thinks of Lana. The character development progressed nicely, and I loved reading how each protagonist grew, page after page.
The romance is both sweet and terrifying. Lana is afraid of being with Adam, because she knows that werewolves instinctively hate jaguars, especially when the two jaguars hunting Lana are killing and injuring werewolves. But Lana and Adam quickly fall in love, and they can't part ways. Adam keeps something from Lana that is crucial to werewolves, and that should be impossible for jaguars. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Lana and Adam!They really made sparks fly. No love triangle - just Adam acting like a jealous boyfriend whenever a male is around Lana.
This story ends very, very well! Adam and Lana get their happy ending, and then some. Aren does not get such a happy ending, and we will see him featured in the next book. Nevertheless, Moonlight was very satisfying! I'm so happy to have had the chance to read it.
What I Did Not Like:
I guess I'm still confused about how Lana is a jaguar (since women aren't born jaguars). I mean, I know the author went into an explanation about experiments, but it didn't seem good enough, you know? And at the very end, when Lana and Adam... well, I'm not going to give anything away, but the very end - it just doesn't really make sense to me?
And I wish things with Sasha, a killer jaguar, and Sebastian, another killer jaguar, and Aren, Adam's twin brother, made sense. I can see where things are going for each of them, but in the story, I was confused towards the end, with their respective roles in the book.
So basically, I wanted to know more about the experiments and why Lana is the way she is, and more about her parents, and her life. None of this is really explained, but perhaps in later books, they will be explained.
Would I Recommend It:
I most certainly would! I'm not sure what I was expecting with this one, but I'm glad I asked for a review copy, because I really enjoyed it! I'll definitely be hanging on to read the next book in the series! I know a lot of people are turned off by the idea of werewolf books these days (I'm one of them!), but trust me - this book is not what you might think!
Rating:
4 stars. This yummy adult read will go by quickly and is sure to keep you invested even past the end!
Moonlight by Lisa Kessler
Book One of the Moon series
Publisher: Entangled
Publication Date: July 15, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC sent by the publisher
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf's biggest challenge is keeping his kin's true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out.
Lana Turpin doesn't realize she's a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she's being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back--even though she's never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.
It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls...mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her...and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.
What I Liked:
I really enjoyed this book! I chose to read this book when I did because I had been (and still am!) under the pressure of reading a ton of July/August/September Young Adult releases that I requested a long time ago. This book already came out, but it's a respite from all those YA books that I've been reading. I love throwing an adult book in the midst of YA books, just so I get my dose of steamy every now and then!
So I really didn't know what to expect from Moonlight - because I wasn't necessarily reading it because I was dying to read it. But I was happily surprised when I started reading and was completely sucked into the story. The plot, the characters, the romance... everything was so intriguing!
The plot was filled with action! Usually, with adult romance books, it's all about the romance. While the romance played a huge part in the book, the plot clearly dominated. Basically, Lana is on the run from a medical institution, but she has no idea why they want her. She finds out via Adam, a man she runs into at a restaurant, that she is a were-jaguar, and he is a werewolf. What follows after is Adam protecting Lana from two jaguars intent on bringing Lana in to the institution (Nero, I believe). Of course, there are twists and turns along the way, and the action almost never stops!
Lana and Adam both have a voice in this novel - they switch off about every chapter (in terms of the perspective of the novel). I feel like this is excellent in terms of showing the character development for both characters. With Lana, you see exactly what she is thinking, and exactly what she thinks of Adam. With Adam, you see what he is thinking and what he thinks of Lana. The character development progressed nicely, and I loved reading how each protagonist grew, page after page.
The romance is both sweet and terrifying. Lana is afraid of being with Adam, because she knows that werewolves instinctively hate jaguars, especially when the two jaguars hunting Lana are killing and injuring werewolves. But Lana and Adam quickly fall in love, and they can't part ways. Adam keeps something from Lana that is crucial to werewolves, and that should be impossible for jaguars. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Lana and Adam!They really made sparks fly. No love triangle - just Adam acting like a jealous boyfriend whenever a male is around Lana.
This story ends very, very well! Adam and Lana get their happy ending, and then some. Aren does not get such a happy ending, and we will see him featured in the next book. Nevertheless, Moonlight was very satisfying! I'm so happy to have had the chance to read it.
What I Did Not Like:
I guess I'm still confused about how Lana is a jaguar (since women aren't born jaguars). I mean, I know the author went into an explanation about experiments, but it didn't seem good enough, you know? And at the very end, when Lana and Adam... well, I'm not going to give anything away, but the very end - it just doesn't really make sense to me?
And I wish things with Sasha, a killer jaguar, and Sebastian, another killer jaguar, and Aren, Adam's twin brother, made sense. I can see where things are going for each of them, but in the story, I was confused towards the end, with their respective roles in the book.
So basically, I wanted to know more about the experiments and why Lana is the way she is, and more about her parents, and her life. None of this is really explained, but perhaps in later books, they will be explained.
Would I Recommend It:
I most certainly would! I'm not sure what I was expecting with this one, but I'm glad I asked for a review copy, because I really enjoyed it! I'll definitely be hanging on to read the next book in the series! I know a lot of people are turned off by the idea of werewolf books these days (I'm one of them!), but trust me - this book is not what you might think!
Rating:
4 stars. This yummy adult read will go by quickly and is sure to keep you invested even past the end!
July 14, 2013
Check out this review and others at
www.Twinsietalk.blogspot.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
@Twinsietalk
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
Ok so i kinda fell in love with this author's OTHER paranormal series but I think my love has reached new heights.
OMG if you love Paranormal then this is a CHA-CHING Jackpot!!! I started this book and had trouble putting it down and got a bit grumpy when the children wanted to be fed....really people it was that great.
One of the things i enjoyed was the pacing. Lisa can slow it down to helpo you understand what is up and teach you about the world Or ram it up so you are like "WAIT FOR ADAM TO COME" and you have the butterflies in your tummy.
So this is a shifter series an the wolves and jaguars kinnnnda hate each other. The jags keep coming and killing the local humans so Adam and his pack patrol and take out any threats to the local peps. Well Adam gets a little sniffy of a jag and goes to take care of the problem when he meets Lana....BOOM DONE DEAL SHE IS HIS MATE!!!! Oh guess what people, She is a jag but doesnt know she 'is a shift *sniff sniff* sad story line there.......
The story goes along with them trying to figure out who in the hell they can be together all the while his pack hates Jags so they will hate her. She has a government agency looking for her bacause she is a special jag AND then there is Sebastian and Sasha......they are a whole bunch of trouble or are they???? I have my thoughts as to them both but dont want to spoiler any part of this novel. please know the action is thrilling, the plot is solid and the sex is HAWT....perfect novel in my book!!
www.Twinsietalk.blogspot.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
@Twinsietalk
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
Ok so i kinda fell in love with this author's OTHER paranormal series but I think my love has reached new heights.
OMG if you love Paranormal then this is a CHA-CHING Jackpot!!! I started this book and had trouble putting it down and got a bit grumpy when the children wanted to be fed....really people it was that great.
One of the things i enjoyed was the pacing. Lisa can slow it down to helpo you understand what is up and teach you about the world Or ram it up so you are like "WAIT FOR ADAM TO COME" and you have the butterflies in your tummy.
So this is a shifter series an the wolves and jaguars kinnnnda hate each other. The jags keep coming and killing the local humans so Adam and his pack patrol and take out any threats to the local peps. Well Adam gets a little sniffy of a jag and goes to take care of the problem when he meets Lana....BOOM DONE DEAL SHE IS HIS MATE!!!! Oh guess what people, She is a jag but doesnt know she 'is a shift *sniff sniff* sad story line there.......
The story goes along with them trying to figure out who in the hell they can be together all the while his pack hates Jags so they will hate her. She has a government agency looking for her bacause she is a special jag AND then there is Sebastian and Sasha......they are a whole bunch of trouble or are they???? I have my thoughts as to them both but dont want to spoiler any part of this novel. please know the action is thrilling, the plot is solid and the sex is HAWT....perfect novel in my book!!
freebie-to-read
June 16, 2017
July 17, 2013
Pack your bags for Reno!
Polar opposites, shapeshifting jaguars and wolves are mortal enemies by nature in Kessler's new Moon series. When werewolf rancher, Adam Sloan, sniffs out a jaguar at the local diner the last thing he anticipates is that she has no clue what she is. Then fate does one bigger and he discovers that she's his mate. On the run from a mysterious group of mercenaries Lana finds both protection and answers to her strange new moon blackouts in Adam. But growing up in the foster system hasn't made Lana trustful of strangers and Adam can't tell her why he can't seem to let her leave Reno.
If his pack finds out Adam is harboring one of the enemy the consequences are dire. Can he protect her from the dangerous organization bent on returning her to a place she knows she has never been while keeping his pack from killing her? Will Adam's pack make an exception if they discover that Lana's his mate or will they think she's the one behind the trouble brewing in Reno?
I'll just say it... the shapeshifter genre has gotten a little stagnant. The same concepts over and over and over. But having read and been really impressed with Kessler's take on vampires in her Night series I knew she was going to be bringing something cool to the table with shapeshifters and boy did she deliver. Werewolves and jaguars are pretty much polar opposites as I mentioned in my blurbing. They shift at different moon phases and while the former lives in packs, the latter are loners. It makes for a cool dynamic and opens up a whole lot of possibilities. The one thing they do have in common is something I have been dying to see a writer do... twins! They're always born in pairs and only males are born shapeshifters, females have to be turned. Without spoiling anything that is where it gets reallllly interesting with Lana.
Kessler has a great talent for building worlds worthy of urban fantasy for her paranormal romances and this one really shines. But it's her ability to set up a truly tense plot where the hero and heroine have the potential to be torn apart by elements beyond the usual tropes common in the romance genre that keeps it exciting and in MOONLIGHT she really delivers. There's so much keeping Adam and Lana apart that their HEA will be deliciously hard won and rewarding.
Secondary characters play a significant role in this series and were actually one of my favorite parts of MOONLIGHT. I'm really hoping she gets the longevity of the series so I can see my favorite character get his own book. (Yep, that's my subtle way of saying you better buy this one!) I'm actually not a fan of fated mates or first person alternating chapter narratives between the hero and heroine so the fact that I still loved this one says a lot about the story's quality.
Definitely one for fans of PNR that crosses into a more urban fantasy level of action and adventure. The romance is turbulent and there are some big surprises, one that had my jaw on the floor. A must read if you enjoy Sherrilyn Kenyon, Larissa Ione, or Kresley Cole.
Notes: ARC received via publisher.
Polar opposites, shapeshifting jaguars and wolves are mortal enemies by nature in Kessler's new Moon series. When werewolf rancher, Adam Sloan, sniffs out a jaguar at the local diner the last thing he anticipates is that she has no clue what she is. Then fate does one bigger and he discovers that she's his mate. On the run from a mysterious group of mercenaries Lana finds both protection and answers to her strange new moon blackouts in Adam. But growing up in the foster system hasn't made Lana trustful of strangers and Adam can't tell her why he can't seem to let her leave Reno.
If his pack finds out Adam is harboring one of the enemy the consequences are dire. Can he protect her from the dangerous organization bent on returning her to a place she knows she has never been while keeping his pack from killing her? Will Adam's pack make an exception if they discover that Lana's his mate or will they think she's the one behind the trouble brewing in Reno?
I'll just say it... the shapeshifter genre has gotten a little stagnant. The same concepts over and over and over. But having read and been really impressed with Kessler's take on vampires in her Night series I knew she was going to be bringing something cool to the table with shapeshifters and boy did she deliver. Werewolves and jaguars are pretty much polar opposites as I mentioned in my blurbing. They shift at different moon phases and while the former lives in packs, the latter are loners. It makes for a cool dynamic and opens up a whole lot of possibilities. The one thing they do have in common is something I have been dying to see a writer do... twins! They're always born in pairs and only males are born shapeshifters, females have to be turned. Without spoiling anything that is where it gets reallllly interesting with Lana.
Kessler has a great talent for building worlds worthy of urban fantasy for her paranormal romances and this one really shines. But it's her ability to set up a truly tense plot where the hero and heroine have the potential to be torn apart by elements beyond the usual tropes common in the romance genre that keeps it exciting and in MOONLIGHT she really delivers. There's so much keeping Adam and Lana apart that their HEA will be deliciously hard won and rewarding.
Secondary characters play a significant role in this series and were actually one of my favorite parts of MOONLIGHT. I'm really hoping she gets the longevity of the series so I can see my favorite character get his own book. (Yep, that's my subtle way of saying you better buy this one!) I'm actually not a fan of fated mates or first person alternating chapter narratives between the hero and heroine so the fact that I still loved this one says a lot about the story's quality.
Definitely one for fans of PNR that crosses into a more urban fantasy level of action and adventure. The romance is turbulent and there are some big surprises, one that had my jaw on the floor. A must read if you enjoy Sherrilyn Kenyon, Larissa Ione, or Kresley Cole.
Notes: ARC received via publisher.
June 29, 2013
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Initial Reaction:
An absolutely intriguing and unique story about shapeshifters.
My Thoughts:
I loved Lisa Kessler's Night series so I jumped at the opportunity to review Moonlight.
Moonlight was a very refreshing story about shapeshifters. The world that Kessler created was unlike any other that I have read, and I have read A LOT of paranormal romances. This story kept my attention from beginning to end because the story line, the plot, and the characters drew me into it from the very first page.
The story opens with Lana Turpin going into a local restaurant in Reno, Nevada to grab a bite to eat. Lana knows that there is a nefarious group of people looking to take her captive so she is wary and on the run. Little does she know that her presence alone creates wariness in another. Adam Sloan approaches Lana at the restaurant and demands to know why she is out on the new moon. Lana knows that "something" happens to her on the new moon but she doesn't know how he knows "something" happens to her. Their tête-à-tête is abruptly interrupted when the men chasing Lana find her in the restaurant. Feeling boxed in by them and Adam, Lana looks for a way to flee but is surprised to discover Adam defending her from the men. That one interaction creates an irrevocable bond between Lana and Adam and thrusts them into a journey and a battle that neither of them are prepared for. Along the way they discover passion and love but also discover crucial secrets about Lana that change the course of both of their futures forever.
Moonlight was a fast paced paranormal romance thriller that was full of unexpected twists and turns. The story contained a blurring of black and white that I absolutely loved: mating with the enemy; an enemy who becomes a frenemy; and a testing of clear cut loyalty. I will not provide any details about any of these things because you will just have to read it for yourself to read the details unfold. But trust me when I say that Moonlight was expertly written and positively engaging. I really look forward to seeing what happens next in the series. The end of the book was definitely a twist that I hadn't expected but boy will it make for some amazing story lines later :).
Moonlight was another amazing story created from the brilliant imagination of Lisa Kessler.
VERY GOOD: The characteristics of a heart book include: a great story; I loved the characters; and there was an interesting plot and unique story elements; there may have been a few odd things kept the story from being amazing. I would read it again and I would recommend it to a friend.This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Initial Reaction:
An absolutely intriguing and unique story about shapeshifters.
My Thoughts:
I loved Lisa Kessler's Night series so I jumped at the opportunity to review Moonlight.
Moonlight was a very refreshing story about shapeshifters. The world that Kessler created was unlike any other that I have read, and I have read A LOT of paranormal romances. This story kept my attention from beginning to end because the story line, the plot, and the characters drew me into it from the very first page.
The story opens with Lana Turpin going into a local restaurant in Reno, Nevada to grab a bite to eat. Lana knows that there is a nefarious group of people looking to take her captive so she is wary and on the run. Little does she know that her presence alone creates wariness in another. Adam Sloan approaches Lana at the restaurant and demands to know why she is out on the new moon. Lana knows that "something" happens to her on the new moon but she doesn't know how he knows "something" happens to her. Their tête-à-tête is abruptly interrupted when the men chasing Lana find her in the restaurant. Feeling boxed in by them and Adam, Lana looks for a way to flee but is surprised to discover Adam defending her from the men. That one interaction creates an irrevocable bond between Lana and Adam and thrusts them into a journey and a battle that neither of them are prepared for. Along the way they discover passion and love but also discover crucial secrets about Lana that change the course of both of their futures forever.
Moonlight was a fast paced paranormal romance thriller that was full of unexpected twists and turns. The story contained a blurring of black and white that I absolutely loved: mating with the enemy; an enemy who becomes a frenemy; and a testing of clear cut loyalty. I will not provide any details about any of these things because you will just have to read it for yourself to read the details unfold. But trust me when I say that Moonlight was expertly written and positively engaging. I really look forward to seeing what happens next in the series. The end of the book was definitely a twist that I hadn't expected but boy will it make for some amazing story lines later :).
Moonlight was another amazing story created from the brilliant imagination of Lisa Kessler.
July 15, 2013
4.5 stars!
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
Oh.My.God! This just proves how much I missed my werewolves! Moonlight was perfect in every way and I can't believe I went in thinking it would be some average take-my-mood-off-contemporary read, but it actually ended up putting me in a paranormal zone and I loved every minute of it. Moonlight was a complete package, it had a great story, intriguing characters, well developed background and most importantly, a very heartfelt and fluttering romance. Ah, I get so excited and happy just thinking about it! Why isn't the next book out yet?
Told from dual perspective, Moonlight follows the story of a werewolf, Adam and a Jaguar shifter, Lana. Being in foster homes throughout her life, Lana is unaware of her shifter abilities and every full moon night, she blacks out and doesn't remember her Jaguar memories. One of those nights while at a restaurant, she meets Adam and little did she knew that he was hunting a Jaguar who's been disturbing peace in his territory and he might have found it. I absolutely loved the backstory on werewolves and Jaguar; they are enemies, there is no if or but inbetween. While one is a protector, other is an assassin. If any of them gets in a fight, there is only one winner. Gah! Loved the polar opposite nature! And that's exactly what made Lana and Adam's story so special and distinct. Adam knew the minute he met Lana that she was his mate, but he feelings were conflicted because he knew that his pack would never accept her. He had to pick: Lana or his family, and the decision was not easy. At times, I felt like Adam was a coward, he kept Lana as his dirty little secret and never introduced her to his family, I hurt for her, but in the end when everything came together, I couldn't be more happier with his early decisions. Believe it or not, they did made sense.
In addition to the Adam and Lana, we were introduced to so many secondary characters, most of them were the pack members and my adrenaline was high just by reading about them. I loved every single one of these sexy wolves and I desperately want a separate story for each of them. Please... Although my favorite is Garreth, the mysterious one that no one can figure out. I bet he has to good story.
Moonlight is a complete story along with a cute epilogue at the end, which is always an added bonus for my reading pleasure. I strongly recommend fans of urban fantasy especially those of love werewolves to add this book to your reading list. It is a Must Read!
A Copy was provided by Entangled Publishing for review. (Thank You!!!)
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
Oh.My.God! This just proves how much I missed my werewolves! Moonlight was perfect in every way and I can't believe I went in thinking it would be some average take-my-mood-off-contemporary read, but it actually ended up putting me in a paranormal zone and I loved every minute of it. Moonlight was a complete package, it had a great story, intriguing characters, well developed background and most importantly, a very heartfelt and fluttering romance. Ah, I get so excited and happy just thinking about it! Why isn't the next book out yet?
Told from dual perspective, Moonlight follows the story of a werewolf, Adam and a Jaguar shifter, Lana. Being in foster homes throughout her life, Lana is unaware of her shifter abilities and every full moon night, she blacks out and doesn't remember her Jaguar memories. One of those nights while at a restaurant, she meets Adam and little did she knew that he was hunting a Jaguar who's been disturbing peace in his territory and he might have found it. I absolutely loved the backstory on werewolves and Jaguar; they are enemies, there is no if or but inbetween. While one is a protector, other is an assassin. If any of them gets in a fight, there is only one winner. Gah! Loved the polar opposite nature! And that's exactly what made Lana and Adam's story so special and distinct. Adam knew the minute he met Lana that she was his mate, but he feelings were conflicted because he knew that his pack would never accept her. He had to pick: Lana or his family, and the decision was not easy. At times, I felt like Adam was a coward, he kept Lana as his dirty little secret and never introduced her to his family, I hurt for her, but in the end when everything came together, I couldn't be more happier with his early decisions. Believe it or not, they did made sense.
In addition to the Adam and Lana, we were introduced to so many secondary characters, most of them were the pack members and my adrenaline was high just by reading about them. I loved every single one of these sexy wolves and I desperately want a separate story for each of them. Please... Although my favorite is Garreth, the mysterious one that no one can figure out. I bet he has to good story.
Moonlight is a complete story along with a cute epilogue at the end, which is always an added bonus for my reading pleasure. I strongly recommend fans of urban fantasy especially those of love werewolves to add this book to your reading list. It is a Must Read!
A Copy was provided by Entangled Publishing for review. (Thank You!!!)
September 27, 2020
3.5 stars - When werewolf Adam scents a jaguar in the diner in his home town he's ready to 'take her out' to protect his pack from the enemy, but when he touches Lana everything changes - and when she discovers the reason for her monthly blackouts, Lana trades one set of problems for another: Shapecshifting cat instead of insane person - good - but being sought by another murderous jaguar - not so good.
I really liked the idea of the alternating POVs for the hero and the heroine, but the actual execution interfered with my enjoyment of the story. The problem was that switching with each chapter was jarring to me and pulled me out of the flow of the story - it doesn't help that even though I've learned to tolerate it in my UF reading, I am not a huge fan of first person POV in the first place - and I don't tend to like it in my romances.
I think that had Moonlight been written in third person POV with the reactions of Lana and Adam a little more integrated during the love scenes, this would have probably won another star for me because there were some things that I really liked about this story. I am a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and Adam's finding a mate that his pack 'will never accept' is a great obstacle to their HEA, especially when it estranges Adam from his twin. And I really liked the secondary characters in the story - the other jaguars were really interesting and even before the teaser for the next book I 'knew' who the next pairing was going to be.
So issues aside, I still enjoyed this story, though I think that it probably will have a greater appeal for UFers who like some romance with their action (since UF and first person tend to go hand in hand.)
I really liked the idea of the alternating POVs for the hero and the heroine, but the actual execution interfered with my enjoyment of the story. The problem was that switching with each chapter was jarring to me and pulled me out of the flow of the story - it doesn't help that even though I've learned to tolerate it in my UF reading, I am not a huge fan of first person POV in the first place - and I don't tend to like it in my romances.
I think that had Moonlight been written in third person POV with the reactions of Lana and Adam a little more integrated during the love scenes, this would have probably won another star for me because there were some things that I really liked about this story. I am a fan of the enemies to lovers trope and Adam's finding a mate that his pack 'will never accept' is a great obstacle to their HEA, especially when it estranges Adam from his twin. And I really liked the secondary characters in the story - the other jaguars were really interesting and even before the teaser for the next book I 'knew' who the next pairing was going to be.
So issues aside, I still enjoyed this story, though I think that it probably will have a greater appeal for UFers who like some romance with their action (since UF and first person tend to go hand in hand.)
June 29, 2013
Solid first book of a series. This book alternates between the perspectives of the main female (Lana) and male (Adam) characters. The balance of that alternation is well done.
The immediate story is of the development of a relationship between the main characters. The book starts with a not so friendly meeting of Lana and Adam but soon evolves into a strong mutual attraction. Jaguars and wolves are nemeses which adds the element of conflict to this book as Lana is a jaguar and Adam is a wolf. A significant difference -- at least to me-- is the fact that the supernatural beings aren't as indestructible as they are in other series I've read. I really like that because it adds more of a sense of danger because they could die. The larger over arching story for the series is about the Nero organization which the jaguars appear to work for. Other supporting characters include Adam's pack members which includes his twin Aren and some jaguars, Sebastian and Sasha. I really liked Aren's character and hope the next book is about him and Sasha.
The immediate story is of the development of a relationship between the main characters. The book starts with a not so friendly meeting of Lana and Adam but soon evolves into a strong mutual attraction. Jaguars and wolves are nemeses which adds the element of conflict to this book as Lana is a jaguar and Adam is a wolf. A significant difference -- at least to me-- is the fact that the supernatural beings aren't as indestructible as they are in other series I've read. I really like that because it adds more of a sense of danger because they could die. The larger over arching story for the series is about the Nero organization which the jaguars appear to work for. Other supporting characters include Adam's pack members which includes his twin Aren and some jaguars, Sebastian and Sasha. I really liked Aren's character and hope the next book is about him and Sasha.
July 12, 2013
I was lucky to get an early copy of Moonlight. It was the first Lisa Kessler novel that I'd read, and I was hooked on the story and the characters by the first few pages! I adored Adam and Lana and am so excited to see where the series goes from here. Whether it's Nightwalkers or Shifters, Lisa Kessler is a must read in paranormal romance!
February 11, 2015
A somewhat predictable opposites attract fated mate shifter story, but still a super fun, and pretty steamy read. :-)
February 18, 2018
This is terrific! Loved the premise and loved the characters! Add in some awesome shifters and I'm super happy! I listened to this in audio, and the listening experience was great! Loved the male and female dual narration! Excited to listen to the next books in the series! Love Lisa Kessler's books! Really looking forward to reading more in this series, and more from Lisa Kessler! In Moonlight, Lana has some people after her and at first she isn't sure why. When she runs into Adam, things become clear when he tells her she's a shifter as well. There's a problem though, she's a jaguar shifter and Adam is a wolf shifter, and wolf shifters and jaguar shifters don't really get along. When Adam recognizes Lana as his mate, he knows his pack won't be too accepting of Lana. Loved that scenario! Love the element of danger and suspense with the people after Lana, and there's a bit of mystery surrounding a secret organization. The romance is sweet and sexy, and Lana and Adam are too cute! I also loved the side characters, and am looking forward to their stories! Definitely looking forward to the audio!
July 3, 2017
I'll start by saying I'm not a huge fan of first person in novels, and Moonlight is alternating first person- each chapter starts with a change between the heroine and hero's POV. That being said, the book was well written and took a very unique view of the shifter mythos. For that reason I give it a 4, I applaud the originality.
However, this is a series, and a lot of questions were left unanswered- not a cliffhanger -per se- but enough that it left me unsatisfied with the conclusion. (Although it did have an HEA)
A Good read, and if you like first person you will probably like the book.
However, this is a series, and a lot of questions were left unanswered- not a cliffhanger -per se- but enough that it left me unsatisfied with the conclusion. (Although it did have an HEA)
A Good read, and if you like first person you will probably like the book.
July 6, 2017
When a book can bring forth my emotions by making me laugh or cry out loud, I know the author has achieved success and was able to draw me into the book and become a part of it and attached to the characters. I felt it all with this book. It definitely hit the mark and I highly recommend it for a heart tugging paranormal romance! Book gifted to me.
July 23, 2013
WOW !!!!!!! My favourite Genre :-) Great Start to a series. (well i’m hoping its a series …. hint ) lol
Adam is an alpha in waiting, his dad is the alpha at the moment, and Adam loves to play the field. He avoids commitment and loves the ladies, he has no intention of settling down and producing the next alpha. Well not yet anyway. He is the older brother in a set of twins. In fact ALL the wolves in this story are born male, and in sets of twins. Females are usually bitten and converted. An offspring can only be made that way, so no unplanned pregnancies.
Lana doesn’t have a past, but she knows someone is following her, and wants her back. She has spent a lot of time running and hiding from someone. We will find out more along the way, but she does wonder if she is going crazy.
When Adam firsts meets Lana he is there to kill her !! He is a wolf, and she is a jaguar. The two groups hate each other with a fierce passion, with orders to kill each other on sight. But when Adam goes to grab Lana out of her chair, he is stunned by the electric shock that pulses through his body. NO WAY HIS MATE !!! They don’t mix, so how the heck can they be mates ? But Wolves mate for life, Jag’s don’t, so Lana doesn’t feel the intense pull between them, but she does feel something for the good looking, if not arrogant stranger. And what is more ….. Lana has NO idea she can transform with the changing of the moon’s cycle. She just remembers waking up in strange places, usually naked, and remembering strange dreams.
So within hours Adam is fighting his intense desires to marry and mate this female, along with head shouting out for caution, this could be a trick from the jag’s, he needs to keep his distance, but that is easier said than done. Lana feels the need to be with Adam, but she knows someone is after her, so it would be wiser to leave this little town, and get back on the road, but her body is refusing to move.
Adam stuns Lana with the news that she can shift into another being when the moon’s cycle changes, at first Lana thinks he is crazy, but with a few choice sentences, and actions (like scaling a rather large rock formation), Lana begins to believe him, in fact this is where they share their first kiss. But someone is watching, Adam can sense it, then smells the scent of a male jaguar. He goes into Hunter mode. But what he finds, upsets him greatly.
And Lana …. well, she is really special. And she has a lot of different people chasing her. She assumes she was abandoned, but after a lot of digging through her past, she finds out, that maybe her parents did love her, and that they might not have willingly given her up. Oh and Adam has a love rival, and boy does Adam have issues with the Jag in question.
The story is a fast paced action story, with lots of characters, and an incredible amount of plot. Adam has to fight his feelings for his mate, and hide her from is friends and family. He knows they would kill her on sight. I love the differences that this author has brought to this story. It tells of an almost insurmountable number of reason why they shouldn’t be together, but through all the obstacles, they are destined to be together. I also liked how it set up the next book (hooray, it will become a series). We meet a varied cast in this book, and I am hoping all of his pack get a story. We deal with death, we deal with the facts that love didn’t nearly conquer all, but we also find out that families are a really big deal in the shifter world.
But as I read through the book, lines became blurry, friends had issues with each other, there was mistrust, and enemies started to help you. It kept me on my toes, I wondered who I trust in that situation.
Adam is an alpha in waiting, his dad is the alpha at the moment, and Adam loves to play the field. He avoids commitment and loves the ladies, he has no intention of settling down and producing the next alpha. Well not yet anyway. He is the older brother in a set of twins. In fact ALL the wolves in this story are born male, and in sets of twins. Females are usually bitten and converted. An offspring can only be made that way, so no unplanned pregnancies.
Lana doesn’t have a past, but she knows someone is following her, and wants her back. She has spent a lot of time running and hiding from someone. We will find out more along the way, but she does wonder if she is going crazy.
When Adam firsts meets Lana he is there to kill her !! He is a wolf, and she is a jaguar. The two groups hate each other with a fierce passion, with orders to kill each other on sight. But when Adam goes to grab Lana out of her chair, he is stunned by the electric shock that pulses through his body. NO WAY HIS MATE !!! They don’t mix, so how the heck can they be mates ? But Wolves mate for life, Jag’s don’t, so Lana doesn’t feel the intense pull between them, but she does feel something for the good looking, if not arrogant stranger. And what is more ….. Lana has NO idea she can transform with the changing of the moon’s cycle. She just remembers waking up in strange places, usually naked, and remembering strange dreams.
So within hours Adam is fighting his intense desires to marry and mate this female, along with head shouting out for caution, this could be a trick from the jag’s, he needs to keep his distance, but that is easier said than done. Lana feels the need to be with Adam, but she knows someone is after her, so it would be wiser to leave this little town, and get back on the road, but her body is refusing to move.
Adam stuns Lana with the news that she can shift into another being when the moon’s cycle changes, at first Lana thinks he is crazy, but with a few choice sentences, and actions (like scaling a rather large rock formation), Lana begins to believe him, in fact this is where they share their first kiss. But someone is watching, Adam can sense it, then smells the scent of a male jaguar. He goes into Hunter mode. But what he finds, upsets him greatly.
And Lana …. well, she is really special. And she has a lot of different people chasing her. She assumes she was abandoned, but after a lot of digging through her past, she finds out, that maybe her parents did love her, and that they might not have willingly given her up. Oh and Adam has a love rival, and boy does Adam have issues with the Jag in question.
The story is a fast paced action story, with lots of characters, and an incredible amount of plot. Adam has to fight his feelings for his mate, and hide her from is friends and family. He knows they would kill her on sight. I love the differences that this author has brought to this story. It tells of an almost insurmountable number of reason why they shouldn’t be together, but through all the obstacles, they are destined to be together. I also liked how it set up the next book (hooray, it will become a series). We meet a varied cast in this book, and I am hoping all of his pack get a story. We deal with death, we deal with the facts that love didn’t nearly conquer all, but we also find out that families are a really big deal in the shifter world.
But as I read through the book, lines became blurry, friends had issues with each other, there was mistrust, and enemies started to help you. It kept me on my toes, I wondered who I trust in that situation.
July 14, 2013
This was a very well done start to a new series that I hope continues for quite a few books. I enjoyed the main pair but the questions surrounding Nero and exactly what Sebastian's end game might be had me wanting more.
Lana hasn't had the best of lives but recently when she thought it couldn't get any worse she gets a huge wakeup call in the form of a hard-headed man. She's been tossed from foster home to foster home and since she hit 18 she's been dealing with once monthly (at the new moon) memory lapses that have ended up with her having blood on her hands (squirrel) with no recollection of what she had been up to the night before. This has made her doubt everything and yearn for some sense of family or belonging but due to being chased by some unknown people with tattoos on their arms of a lion's head she just can't rest or stay put for any amount of time. She makes due with freelance writing jobs and a strong sense of self but craves companionship and love. I liked how strong she is and how real it felt when she did struggle with her emerging feelings for our hero but also got frustrated with some of the stupid, reckless things she does to find out the truth.
Adam isn't expecting to find his mate in the shape of a woman who happens to be a species his Pack would never accept. When he meets Lana he is bowled over by her lack of knowledge about what she is and also by his primal reaction to her. He knows this can never work but also knows that he cannot step aside and let her go. He works with her to find out the truth about what she is and why the Nero group is hunting her but as he does so he realizes he will have to make a choice - stay with his Pack and let her go …. or stay with her and leave his Pack. He's got such a strong sense of self but when he finds his true partner he really struggles with what is the right thing to do. I liked that nothing was easy for him but he still wanted to do the right thing even as it caused him pain. He really is an honest man and to see him struggle with what was right for him versus what would work for the Pack he's been groomed to rule was painful at times. I felt for him as he had to work on his relationship with Lana while at the same time keeping something that should be a cause for rejoicing so quiet and hidden from his family and friends. I appreciated that he realized how much keeping her a dirty secret hurt her on a fundamental level and even when he said some really horrible things to her I never lost faith in his realizing they weren't warranted.
Both of the main pair have major issues to work through and while they both make mistakes they were understandable. I especially enjoyed the side-characters and hope you will as well. I know I can't wait to see more of this series and will be keeping a close eye out for more.
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Lana hasn't had the best of lives but recently when she thought it couldn't get any worse she gets a huge wakeup call in the form of a hard-headed man. She's been tossed from foster home to foster home and since she hit 18 she's been dealing with once monthly (at the new moon) memory lapses that have ended up with her having blood on her hands (squirrel) with no recollection of what she had been up to the night before. This has made her doubt everything and yearn for some sense of family or belonging but due to being chased by some unknown people with tattoos on their arms of a lion's head she just can't rest or stay put for any amount of time. She makes due with freelance writing jobs and a strong sense of self but craves companionship and love. I liked how strong she is and how real it felt when she did struggle with her emerging feelings for our hero but also got frustrated with some of the stupid, reckless things she does to find out the truth.
Adam isn't expecting to find his mate in the shape of a woman who happens to be a species his Pack would never accept. When he meets Lana he is bowled over by her lack of knowledge about what she is and also by his primal reaction to her. He knows this can never work but also knows that he cannot step aside and let her go. He works with her to find out the truth about what she is and why the Nero group is hunting her but as he does so he realizes he will have to make a choice - stay with his Pack and let her go …. or stay with her and leave his Pack. He's got such a strong sense of self but when he finds his true partner he really struggles with what is the right thing to do. I liked that nothing was easy for him but he still wanted to do the right thing even as it caused him pain. He really is an honest man and to see him struggle with what was right for him versus what would work for the Pack he's been groomed to rule was painful at times. I felt for him as he had to work on his relationship with Lana while at the same time keeping something that should be a cause for rejoicing so quiet and hidden from his family and friends. I appreciated that he realized how much keeping her a dirty secret hurt her on a fundamental level and even when he said some really horrible things to her I never lost faith in his realizing they weren't warranted.
Both of the main pair have major issues to work through and while they both make mistakes they were understandable. I especially enjoyed the side-characters and hope you will as well. I know I can't wait to see more of this series and will be keeping a close eye out for more.
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
July 14, 2013
Adam is a ladies man, never once believing the stories his Pack elders shared about finding their mates. As the heir Alpha, his duty is to his family, his pack and the safety of the two. It is with this in mind that he enters the diner to eliminate the threat to his pack. But what he finds is an attractive, young woman who has no idea what she is. And when he lays his hands on her, he finds she is much more than that.
Although Lana doesn't know she's a jaguar shifter, she does know that she is being hunted and she doesn't want to be captured. Running from state to state, she is but a lonely soul trying to survive and make sense of why she is being pursued by these men. Looking at the man sitting across from her at the diner, she can't help but feel attracted to him. Little does she know that he will become so much more to her than the man who can helps her figure out why she blackouts every new moon.
The story as a whole flows seamlessly from the romance to the mystery behind Lena's power as a born-female jaguar. Lisa does a great job of drawing the reader into the story by making us connect to Lana through her past. I wanted to know more about her history and like her, I yearned for her to finally find a place where she belonged. She was a strong-willed woman, with a real vulnerability that made her easy to relate to. And while Adam first came across as a badass, it was his acceptance of his mate that endeared him to me in the end. Once he made up his mind about it, he didn't relent and it made for some great reading.
At first, it was a little hard for me to believe this pairing. Adam was the quintessential player and Lana was a loner. But slowly but surely I came to see them in a different light. Each longing for the same things but for different reasons, but in the end it was their trust in each other and the connection that was developed throughout the story that convinced me that they belonged to each other.
I appreciated the way the author went about presenting the facts behind Lana's conception, why she was being pursued and the final confrontation. It kept me guessing what would happen next, who was on Lana's side and how it would all be resolved.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters that were introduced, especially Sebastian. Now that's a character that left me intrigued to know more about him. Adam's brother, Aren, also caught my eye and I can't wait to read more about him too.
In Moonlight, the first book in the Moon series, Lisa Kessler brings about a romantic story of trust and loyalty. Brimming with sizzling-hot chemistry and twists and turns, Moonlight is an awesome start to a new series.
I received this title from the publisher through Manic Readers in exchange of my honest opinion.
Although Lana doesn't know she's a jaguar shifter, she does know that she is being hunted and she doesn't want to be captured. Running from state to state, she is but a lonely soul trying to survive and make sense of why she is being pursued by these men. Looking at the man sitting across from her at the diner, she can't help but feel attracted to him. Little does she know that he will become so much more to her than the man who can helps her figure out why she blackouts every new moon.
The story as a whole flows seamlessly from the romance to the mystery behind Lena's power as a born-female jaguar. Lisa does a great job of drawing the reader into the story by making us connect to Lana through her past. I wanted to know more about her history and like her, I yearned for her to finally find a place where she belonged. She was a strong-willed woman, with a real vulnerability that made her easy to relate to. And while Adam first came across as a badass, it was his acceptance of his mate that endeared him to me in the end. Once he made up his mind about it, he didn't relent and it made for some great reading.
At first, it was a little hard for me to believe this pairing. Adam was the quintessential player and Lana was a loner. But slowly but surely I came to see them in a different light. Each longing for the same things but for different reasons, but in the end it was their trust in each other and the connection that was developed throughout the story that convinced me that they belonged to each other.
I appreciated the way the author went about presenting the facts behind Lana's conception, why she was being pursued and the final confrontation. It kept me guessing what would happen next, who was on Lana's side and how it would all be resolved.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters that were introduced, especially Sebastian. Now that's a character that left me intrigued to know more about him. Adam's brother, Aren, also caught my eye and I can't wait to read more about him too.
In Moonlight, the first book in the Moon series, Lisa Kessler brings about a romantic story of trust and loyalty. Brimming with sizzling-hot chemistry and twists and turns, Moonlight is an awesome start to a new series.
I received this title from the publisher through Manic Readers in exchange of my honest opinion.
November 7, 2014
What can I say? A new(to me) shifter series by Lisa Kessler, that I just discovered? Or I should say, was recommended to my by the author. Yes, I was intrigued enough to put down the rest of the books that I am supposed to be reviewing to read it. And oh my goodness, it was worth every minute!
Lana is on her own, and on the run from a strange group of uniformed men that have been chasing her. She has no idea why. While eating at a cafe, a man walks in, and sits at her table, wanting to know what her deal is? She is clueless, but before she can do anything, the uniformed men come in, and end up fighting the man for her. They get away, and the man, Adam, runs her out into the desert. All she knows is that it’s the new moon, knows she is going to be blacking out soon, and has no idea why. Adam seems to know everything she needs to know, and she is pretty astounded to find out she’s a jaguar shifter. Adam is a werewolf on the hunt for a jaguar that’s been killing humans, so when he meets Lana, and realizes that she is his mate, it pretty much throws him for a loop.
This was one of those books that when I finished, I wanted to immediately find the next in the series, and read it. Not that it was a cliffhanger, it wasn’t, but because I really want to know what happens next. The characters of Lana and Adam were interesting to me, not only because they were such good main characters, but the fact that they are supposed to be mortal enemies, and with the mate thing kicking in, it changes everything in Adam’s life. As the eldest son of the alpha of his pack, it just won’t do for him to mate a jaguar. Talk about being between a rock, and a hard place!
There’s a lot more to the premise. A secret agency intent on abducting Lana, more then one assassin on the prowl, deaths, shootings, this book has all that. It also has a pretty wonderful romance between a twosome that should never have even met, much less get together. The premise drew me in, but the good writing kept me reading pretty much non-stop. Ms. Kessler built a world of two different kinds of shifters- the differences of the two species, and also what happens when nature isn’t exactly followed the way it should be.
No cliffhanger is a really good thing in a series book, as I am sure most readers would agree on. However, there are some things left to find out, wonder about, and I am more then willing to dive back in as soon as I can, to find where the rest of the series leads. I guess I should also mention that it is an adult read, and recommend it to all paranormal romance fans that enjoy a thriller as part of their read.(PureTextuality.com)
Lana is on her own, and on the run from a strange group of uniformed men that have been chasing her. She has no idea why. While eating at a cafe, a man walks in, and sits at her table, wanting to know what her deal is? She is clueless, but before she can do anything, the uniformed men come in, and end up fighting the man for her. They get away, and the man, Adam, runs her out into the desert. All she knows is that it’s the new moon, knows she is going to be blacking out soon, and has no idea why. Adam seems to know everything she needs to know, and she is pretty astounded to find out she’s a jaguar shifter. Adam is a werewolf on the hunt for a jaguar that’s been killing humans, so when he meets Lana, and realizes that she is his mate, it pretty much throws him for a loop.
This was one of those books that when I finished, I wanted to immediately find the next in the series, and read it. Not that it was a cliffhanger, it wasn’t, but because I really want to know what happens next. The characters of Lana and Adam were interesting to me, not only because they were such good main characters, but the fact that they are supposed to be mortal enemies, and with the mate thing kicking in, it changes everything in Adam’s life. As the eldest son of the alpha of his pack, it just won’t do for him to mate a jaguar. Talk about being between a rock, and a hard place!
There’s a lot more to the premise. A secret agency intent on abducting Lana, more then one assassin on the prowl, deaths, shootings, this book has all that. It also has a pretty wonderful romance between a twosome that should never have even met, much less get together. The premise drew me in, but the good writing kept me reading pretty much non-stop. Ms. Kessler built a world of two different kinds of shifters- the differences of the two species, and also what happens when nature isn’t exactly followed the way it should be.
No cliffhanger is a really good thing in a series book, as I am sure most readers would agree on. However, there are some things left to find out, wonder about, and I am more then willing to dive back in as soon as I can, to find where the rest of the series leads. I guess I should also mention that it is an adult read, and recommend it to all paranormal romance fans that enjoy a thriller as part of their read.(PureTextuality.com)
July 28, 2013
For those of you who are into a good paranormal read you MUST get this book! I was enthralled!
A true horse person would so understand this.
“He shook his head and we hit the arena. Every gait felt smooth. We were so closely in sync that I could cue each gait with a minor shifting of my weight. The wind blew against my face, lifting his mane so it brushed against my hands where I held the reins. So simple. Horse and rider. Why couldn’t life be like that? I took a deep breath and let Bruce have more rein. He didn’t increase his speed at first, waiting for my command. I grinned and leaned forward closer to his neck. “Go for it, big guy.” His body lunged forward, his hooves pounding the earth, faster and faster until the scenery around the arena blurred. I lost track of how many laps we did like that before I settled back into the saddle. Bruce’s gait slowed gradually until his gallop was a leisurely lope. The sound of his hooves beat out a perfect three pattern. And the calm that settled over me was intoxicating. I eased back on the reins, and his gait slowed to a jog and finally he just walked. I loosened the reins more, letting his head drop down as he cooled his muscles.”
This book is about Lana & Adam A wolf & a jaguar. It is so compelling & exciting. The suspense in this story is gripping! The romance in this story is exotic.
“Maybe my instincts weren’t as far off as I worried they might be. She was still a jaguar, but everything about her spoke to me. The way her large, almond eyes stared up at me with her full lips parted enough for me to catch the spicy scent of her mouth, and how her black hair felt like strands of silk sliding through my fingers made it impossible for me to think clearly. She was curvy and soft, and I wanted to explore every inch of her body and know every part of her soul.”
There are so many excerpts in this book I would like to share. I don’t want to give a spoiler, so I will just have to tell you how fantastic this book is! You wont want to put it down. Meeting all the characters in here. Lana , Adam , Aren , Sebastian, Sasha, Luke, And Jason just to name a few. I was also excited to meet Malcom & Madeleine. Can not wait for Hunters Moon to come out to continue with this saga!!!
For those of you who are into a good paranormal read you MUST get this book! I was enthralled!
Lisa Kessler has done it again! Rush to get your copy NOW!
A true horse person would so understand this.
“He shook his head and we hit the arena. Every gait felt smooth. We were so closely in sync that I could cue each gait with a minor shifting of my weight. The wind blew against my face, lifting his mane so it brushed against my hands where I held the reins. So simple. Horse and rider. Why couldn’t life be like that? I took a deep breath and let Bruce have more rein. He didn’t increase his speed at first, waiting for my command. I grinned and leaned forward closer to his neck. “Go for it, big guy.” His body lunged forward, his hooves pounding the earth, faster and faster until the scenery around the arena blurred. I lost track of how many laps we did like that before I settled back into the saddle. Bruce’s gait slowed gradually until his gallop was a leisurely lope. The sound of his hooves beat out a perfect three pattern. And the calm that settled over me was intoxicating. I eased back on the reins, and his gait slowed to a jog and finally he just walked. I loosened the reins more, letting his head drop down as he cooled his muscles.”
This book is about Lana & Adam A wolf & a jaguar. It is so compelling & exciting. The suspense in this story is gripping! The romance in this story is exotic.
“Maybe my instincts weren’t as far off as I worried they might be. She was still a jaguar, but everything about her spoke to me. The way her large, almond eyes stared up at me with her full lips parted enough for me to catch the spicy scent of her mouth, and how her black hair felt like strands of silk sliding through my fingers made it impossible for me to think clearly. She was curvy and soft, and I wanted to explore every inch of her body and know every part of her soul.”
There are so many excerpts in this book I would like to share. I don’t want to give a spoiler, so I will just have to tell you how fantastic this book is! You wont want to put it down. Meeting all the characters in here. Lana , Adam , Aren , Sebastian, Sasha, Luke, And Jason just to name a few. I was also excited to meet Malcom & Madeleine. Can not wait for Hunters Moon to come out to continue with this saga!!!
For those of you who are into a good paranormal read you MUST get this book! I was enthralled!
Lisa Kessler has done it again! Rush to get your copy NOW!
March 15, 2017
Insta-love. Insta-fucking-love. God, I hate it. There's no sexually attraction, there's no tension, there's no anticipation....there's just freaking love from page freaking ten (+-) and out. Adam Sloan loved Lana Turpin after a day had gone by. I mean, come on?! It actually makes me pissed. I so need to talk about something else Let's talk about the story instead.
As far as the story goes, it does have potential. The Nero Organization was a interesting take on the plot, though we didn't get to know all that much, nor did we get to see where it was. Lisa Kessler left Lana's backstory hanging with . I also have figured who's the next couple to be, it was obvious. Not interested though. Hell I'm not even interested in continuing with the series, in the fear of that damn insta-love.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Adam Sloan.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Uncertain at this point, probably not.
Would I recommend this book/series? - If you like insta-love, sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars.
My nerves were wrapped so tight I could explode at any second. Some jaguar reciting poetry was not helping. “Just tell me which way to go, Shakespeare.”
As far as the story goes, it does have potential. The Nero Organization was a interesting take on the plot, though we didn't get to know all that much, nor did we get to see where it was. Lisa Kessler left Lana's backstory hanging with . I also have figured who's the next couple to be, it was obvious. Not interested though. Hell I'm not even interested in continuing with the series, in the fear of that damn insta-love.
“If I were trying to sweep you off your feet, you'd be swept. Period.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Adam Sloan.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Uncertain at this point, probably not.
Would I recommend this book/series? - If you like insta-love, sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars.
July 15, 2013
Posted on What I'm Reading
I finished Lisa Kessler's newest book and start to a new series, Moonlight. Yes, this is a werewolf book with some jaguars. I have notice a trend of these kinds of books, but I actually really liked this book. Let me share my thoughts:
First off, the story might feel a little slow at first, but you need to keep in mind this is the start of a new series. It is very important to keep in mind, because Ms. Kessler is building the story. Plus, it's kind of important to know why certain people are getting chased and murder.
So, we have Adam Sloan who happens to be a werewolf and he's wonder why there's a jaguar in his territory. Once he stumbles upon Lana Turpin, Adam's life gets turn upside down (that's putting it mildly). Anyways, he sees something special between him and Lana, but can't face the facts that he found his mate.Yep jaguar and wolf, it's bound to get complicated. If that wasn't enough, Lana has Nero Organization chasing after, which endangers Adam's pack.
Once the story is establish, it's pretty action pack. We have a mysterious group that seems pretty evil. Then you have a complicated relationship with jaguar and wolf possibly getting together. I mean how do tell your family, "Hey I found my mate, by the way she's a jaguar." Yep, not going to go over to well. So, if you are looking for a new shifter book with wolves and jaguars with evil mystery group, you might want to give Moonlight a try. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Copy provided by publisher
I finished Lisa Kessler's newest book and start to a new series, Moonlight. Yes, this is a werewolf book with some jaguars. I have notice a trend of these kinds of books, but I actually really liked this book. Let me share my thoughts:
First off, the story might feel a little slow at first, but you need to keep in mind this is the start of a new series. It is very important to keep in mind, because Ms. Kessler is building the story. Plus, it's kind of important to know why certain people are getting chased and murder.
So, we have Adam Sloan who happens to be a werewolf and he's wonder why there's a jaguar in his territory. Once he stumbles upon Lana Turpin, Adam's life gets turn upside down (that's putting it mildly). Anyways, he sees something special between him and Lana, but can't face the facts that he found his mate.Yep jaguar and wolf, it's bound to get complicated. If that wasn't enough, Lana has Nero Organization chasing after, which endangers Adam's pack.
Once the story is establish, it's pretty action pack. We have a mysterious group that seems pretty evil. Then you have a complicated relationship with jaguar and wolf possibly getting together. I mean how do tell your family, "Hey I found my mate, by the way she's a jaguar." Yep, not going to go over to well. So, if you are looking for a new shifter book with wolves and jaguars with evil mystery group, you might want to give Moonlight a try. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Copy provided by publisher
July 16, 2013
“Here Kitty, Kitty,” says the Big Hunky Wolf.
What happens when big dogs (werewolves) and big kitties (jaguars) come out to play? Well, let me tell you Lisa Kessler knows. She’s woven a magical tale that grips the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until you’re done.
Adam and Lena find themselves in a journey that the fates couldn’t have even thought of. Who would think that two different breeds of shifters, natural enemies would find true love at first touch?
Lena’s journey through life has been a tortuous trip. Never knowing the power of a true family, always being on the run, she just doesn’t know what to do when a total stranger walks into her life and tells her she’s a shifter.
Adam, bless his heart, son of the Alpha knows the ins and outs of family, duty, loyalty, and responsibility to the pack. How is he going to get his pack family to accept his mate, the love of his life, who just happens to be a jaguar?
Their journey together brings them up against a powerful organization that wants Lena for her natural jaguar abilities and a brood cat. While Adam is trying to figure out ways to make everything alright, the story twists and turns. It presents the characters in such a way that the readers just naturally develop a caring relationship with them. You really want them to find a way to make it work. You really want Lena to find out about her own past to help bridge the way to the future.
I cried, I cheered, I sat for way too long in one chair because I could not put this book down. Each chapter was begging me to continue on, and I gave in and kept going. I just can’t wait to see what happens next and who this Sebastian really is…
What happens when big dogs (werewolves) and big kitties (jaguars) come out to play? Well, let me tell you Lisa Kessler knows. She’s woven a magical tale that grips the reader from the first page and doesn’t let go until you’re done.
Adam and Lena find themselves in a journey that the fates couldn’t have even thought of. Who would think that two different breeds of shifters, natural enemies would find true love at first touch?
Lena’s journey through life has been a tortuous trip. Never knowing the power of a true family, always being on the run, she just doesn’t know what to do when a total stranger walks into her life and tells her she’s a shifter.
Adam, bless his heart, son of the Alpha knows the ins and outs of family, duty, loyalty, and responsibility to the pack. How is he going to get his pack family to accept his mate, the love of his life, who just happens to be a jaguar?
Their journey together brings them up against a powerful organization that wants Lena for her natural jaguar abilities and a brood cat. While Adam is trying to figure out ways to make everything alright, the story twists and turns. It presents the characters in such a way that the readers just naturally develop a caring relationship with them. You really want them to find a way to make it work. You really want Lena to find out about her own past to help bridge the way to the future.
I cried, I cheered, I sat for way too long in one chair because I could not put this book down. Each chapter was begging me to continue on, and I gave in and kept going. I just can’t wait to see what happens next and who this Sebastian really is…
Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews