Big Bone Lick Pack

by Cherie Noel

Welcome to the Big Bone Lick A more friendly and hospitable group of werewolves you'll never meet! Visit with; 'Devil Dog & Bad Wolf', a 'Big Bad Bear' and enjoy some 'Shifty Fox Shenanigans'. Watch yourself, 'round the state park, 'cause we had a grizzly on the loose, just a bit ago. Our brave men and woman of the Boone County Sheriff's Department have everything under control. (Except maybe their own love lives!) But if find yourself needing a doctor, head on down to Rabbit Hash clinic, or St. Elizabeth's Hospital is just up the road a piece. We hope you enjoy your stay.

Genres: Anthologies, M M Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal, Romance, M M Paranormal

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 23, 2014

About the author

I’ve been in love with words since before I drew breath, and I don’t see that ever changing. I write stories. Sometimes I write music with them, sometimes they’re poems, and lately, to my great delight, M/M erotic romance.
Yum.
Smexy man to the second…or third power…now that’s the kinda math I can get behind!!
The hair curls or frizzes as it will, the eyes are green and tend to look in two different directions—no, really—and the rest is subject to change. You know the guy who didn’t know if he was a butterfly dreaming he was a man or a man dreaming he was a butterfly? Yeah, that’s me, but substitute drag queen for butterfly and wacky, wild ex-Army chick for man.

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, so super delicious short wolf shifter story from the Goddess Kendall McKenna. Short, a touch of angst, hot sex, thank you ma'am! But this is actually a collection of 3 short stories of 3 different species of shifters set in the same small state park in Kentucky. Unfortunately, Ms. McKenna's story, Devil Dog, Bad Wolf, didn't compel me enough to want to read the other 2 stories by the other authors. The draw here for me was Kendall McKenna. LOVE HER!

You will have to look at other reviews for the other 2 stories, but thumbs up on Devil Dog, Bad Wolf!

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read 7/3/2014
Re-read 5/02/2016 still cute. I loved how each author was able to make each story meld with others.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who wouldn't read a book titled 'Big Bone Lick Pack'? In this instance, for me, it was the title of the book and the fact that one of the anthology stories was written by Kendall McKenna, a beloved author of mine, that drew me to this book like white on rice. This anthology book was co-authored by Jambrea Jo Jones and Cherie Noel, and since I wasn't familiar with their work I was excited to give it a try. Not to mention, I am a crazy fan of shifters, so this was a total win-win. I also loved how all three authors came together and wrote the epilogue showcasing each of their couples. A fabulous way to end the book!


Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall Mckenna
Seth is in Kentucky on leave as an active duty Marine as his latest tour has concluded. He's happy to be home and out of the theater, glad to be seeing green again instead of miles of brown and sand. He's not happy to be camping at Big Bone Lick park to disprove his brother's belief in werewolves. Seth is loving being out in the middle of nowhere, after he got around the rangers, as it's quiet and peaceful, with no people around and no cell coverage. Now he'll just stay two nights to prove to Chad that werewolves don't exist and then Seth will decide what to do with the rest of his life as his enlistment is coming to a close. Unfortunately for Seth, a grizzly decides he's too irresistible to be left alone and mauls him half to death. Fortunately for Seth, Asa the alpha of the Big Bone Lick pack is nearby, helps to run off the bear, and gets medical assistance for Seth.

What begins next is Seth's long-term recovery offered in Asa's parents' guest home, and the burgeoning friendship and attraction between Seth and Asa. Asa has never believed in fated mates but he can't explain the reaction his wolf gives every time he's near Seth. As time goes on and Seth realizes that he has memories of a big gray wolf saving him from the grizzly, it becomes easier for him to admit that werewolves do exist and that Asa is one. Now Asa just has to figure out how to convince Seth to stay in Rabbit Hash with him.

This was a wonderful story and I absolutely loved Seth and Asa! I fell in love with Rabbit Hash and St. Elizabeth, also, and I'm looking forward to more.

Big, Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones
Oh…the grizzly that attacked Seth is a werebear named Dov, and he's in pain and confused. So confused. Poor, poor Dov he can't remember what he is supposed to be doing or where his parents are and why his head hurts so badly. Kane is the beta for the Big Bone Lick pack and Asa sends him out with some rangers to look for the bear that attacked Seth. They don't have grizzlies in Kentucky, just black bears, and there aren't too many of those around the park, so Asa wants Kane to figure out what's going on. What Kane finds is a confused bear…his mate.

Dov was on his motorcycle heading to visit his parents when he had an accident that knocked his head around in his helmet. Kane gets him to shift, they go back to his house, and some very hot mating to cement their bond. After, though, Kane needs to investigate the accident and see if it's connected to someone in Dov's life who may want him out of the way. Hmm. Along with this issue is the whole "my fated mate is here and I'm happy but I need to wrap my brain around this and you're still basically a stranger".

I really liked Dov and Kane. Dov was the epitome of a big, bad, and gentle giant of a werebear and Kane was so cute as he stressed a little about how this whole mating thing was going to work. Super fun!

Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel
Oh, I'm so glad that this story focused on Simon, the nurse whom I met in Seth's story, as I thought he was sweet and very, very kind. Turns out he's also a little quirky, has only lived in St. Elizabeth for three months, had a pretty rough childhood, is gentle and sometimes high strung, and can't say no when people ask him for favors. I fell in love immediately! *grins* Well, immediately after he got startled, leaped up, spilled coffee and inadvertently grabbed Dr. Josiah Swift's crotch. Yep, it really was as funny as it sounds. *snort*

Josiah is a wolf and a member of the pack although he's been gone a while with his schooling and has only recently elevated himself from omega status. Josiah has been ignoring his responsibilities to the pack and is about one step away from going Lone, which the pack members who care about him are not going to let happen. Josiah is also delightfully adorable in an awkward and shy way. He recognizes Simon as his mate immediately, and also smells something not so human about Simon, but he isn't sure what it is. Simon was raised in foster care in England and it appears he doesn't know he's a shifter either as there are kinds who don't shift until they mate. Huh.

Oh, Josiah and Simon were freaking adorable and I so enjoyed their story. They were super hot and very, very sweet together.

NOTE: This book was provided by MLR Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Tori Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall McKenna

Kendall is the Queen of bad-ass Marine stories, and this one is no exception! Marine Seth Price is out adventuring on his own, looking for werewolves one night. He finds a werewolf and soooo much more than he bargained for…. The details Kendall includes make it very clear she knows what she is talking about. The phrases and words, weapons and equipment used by Seth show her obsession to detail. Plus she writes an awesome story! Lots of action and drama, details of the location, the smells and sights, totally puts you in the scene.

Then there is the romance part of this story… These two men are so perfect for one another, fated or not, they are meant to be together. Both strong, beautiful men, in the prime of their lives. Bad-ass Marine, Alpha werewolf, how could it be better? Asa is so sweet and gentle with Seth when he needs to be, Seth is so stoic and strong. A true Marine. Their families, the pack, the whole town is there to help and support. We just get to sit back and enjoy! And watch the sparks fly. Then there is the sex. Not a lot of it, but holy smokes! It is hot and wonderful. Two big, hot men, this is exactly why I read m/m. Wow. Loved it!

Big Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones

Kendall’s story sets the stage and gets us going, Jambrea’s picks up and carries it along. It takes place simultaneously, but features Kane, who is Asa’s Beta wolf, and Dov, a very confused bear shifter. Dov has gotten whacked on the head and caused some trouble in the neighborhood. Kane is sent on a mission in the woods to find the renegade bear, and finds waaaay more than he bargains for! Then the fun begins.

Dov is a big bear steamroller, just flattening Kane out. I generally like stories between bears of the non shifter kind, paired with non bears, and we get that here as well. Although in this case, Dov the bear of a man is a bear shifter! He’s obviously a big strong, hairy man, Kane is smaller and slim, both are hot and sexy. Dov has sex on the brain, Kane barely manages to keep a grip on him, and slow Dov down. This story moves very fast, insta-love, insta-sex, insta-family, it’s a fun, enjoyable story, but very much sex oriented. Not a bad thing, just no build up, no suspense, just bam! Hot sexy times! I wish there had been a bit more about how Dov’s accident occured, the mystery was dropped pretty quickly.

Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel

It took me a minute to remember who Simon was…. He and Josiah are the stars of this part of the book. We met Simon way back in Asa and Seth’s story. Josiah pops out of nowhere like a breath of fresh air. Simon is a bit wacky, moving from England, and bringing some issues with him. We don’t get a lot about what has happened to him, he has some drama in his past but it’s not clear what. Josiah is a local boy, but very disconnected from the pack. Again, it’s not as clear why as it could have been. But the two of them have some indecent contact in the hospial, then take us on a wild ride!

Picnic sex, cheese danish and beer…. Cherie writes a very descriptive story, I wanted tomatoes after reading this one! Also a walk in the arboretum. She gives us several side characters that I loved, Rae the Beta Bitch was fantastic. It’s a sweet story, with a really hot sex scene at the end. Brought a tear to my eye as well.

There is a great little epilogue at the end tying all of the stories together and wrapping them up in a neat little bow. We see mated pairs and meet parents, apologies are given and accepted, and they all live happily ever after!

I’ve read books by Kendall McKenna before, she’s definitely the strongest writer of this anthology. If you have read and liked her other books, you’ll like her contribution to this one. Both Jambrea Jo Jones, and Cherie Noel were new to me. I can’t compare their stories here to others they have written. I enjoyed both of their stories very much. I loved Cherie’s descriptions and quirky characters. Jambrea’s was the lightest of the three, very fun and hot. What I like about anthologies is being introduced to new authors, I’ll watch for books from both Jambrea and Cherie in the future. And of course more werewolf Marines from Kendall!

A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. The original review posted at www.sidlove.com!

[MostlyDelores · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off: this was my every-tenth-book-is-free from All Romance eBooks, thank Jeebus, because I’d be ticked if I had spent actual money.

Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall McKenna—3 stars. I like McKenna’s military stories, but this one was just meh. It starts with bang: werewolf alpha and (human) marine fight off a grizzly attack, but then it falls flat.

The Big Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones—1.5 stars, if that. Hey this bear is also a “bear”? Get it? And, wow, no editing at all.

Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel—1.5 stars. Woof. Some enjoyably bad metaphors and hugely run-on sentences, a character who is “British” because he says “mate” and “wanker”, and another one who is “Latina” because she says “papi”.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance

First of all I just have to say, I know this is a real place and all, but using it for the locale, not to mention the title of this book is just bloody brilliant! I giggle every time I read it. It’s just so fitting for a MM book. :D Now it’s time for shifters, shifters, and more shifters…

Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall McKenna ★★★★

While I did enjoy this book and Ms. McKenna’s writing is wonderful as always, I did have a few minor issues with it overall. Short stories are so incredibly difficult to write and all in all this one is pretty dang good. Great kick off action and a wonderfully sweet couple to fall in love with.

Seth is on leave after two tours as a Marine. On a dare from his brother Chris Seth is on his way from Miami to Kentucky to prove that werewolves don’t exist. Chris may believe the mythical beasts do exist but Seth is pretty damn sure they don’t. Two nights camping out in Big Bone Lick Park should be plenty to prove there’s nothing greater out there. As a Marine sneaking past the rangers on duty to find some open space and peace and quite by himself really wasn’t that difficult. Seth has the bare bones of what he needs to stay out by himself. Enough to get along just fine by himself…that is unless one is being attacked by a bear.

Asa has the night off and a quite night of running free by himself in the park sounds like a brilliant plan. The rest of the pack is of course only a howl away and as the alpha they all would respond if he needed them. Not expecting to run into anything at all out in the woods when he scents the smell of a lone man on the wind Asa’s intrigued. Scenting a rampaging bear bearing down on the stranger is something Asa can’t help but jump into the fray. Neither his wolf side or his human side can let this one go. As a part of the Sherriff department his job is to protect the visitors to the park and as a wolf, well there’s just something about this guy.

Ok I loved how this story started! Crazy intense and very real. I liked that Seth really did end up seriously injured and the balance of bear on man was realistically portrayed. I grew up in the great outdoors. You don’t escape a rampaging bear unscathed no matter who you are or who you have fighting on your side. Of course having one sexy grumbly wolf on your side sure does help.

These two were really sweet together and balanced each other well. I giggled watching Asa hint around at the things he wanted while trying to feel out Seth’s plans for the future. And there first kiss…awwwww beyond adorable and ever so sweet. I actually really liked the way the pack was structured here. They were mixed in well with society but still had a pack hierarchy outside of that as well. Besides both Seth and Asa’s extended families were just so cute.

And that leads me to the slight bone of contention I had with this story. For a man who doesn’t believe in werewolves to start this story Seth accepted the whole thing rather easily. I mean Asa never ever really says it out loud before Seth is behind it with no hesitation. Same thing with Seth’s mother, Ms. McKenna hints at Karen understanding things she shouldn’t know anything about (like Asa’s parents had explained it all), but yet we’re never really sure what she knows or doesn’t know. I just felt like a few things here were dangling. Though I do think that the bear question will be answered in the next story…at least that’s my guess.

Altogether pretty good for a short, but I would have liked to have seen a few more things fleshed out and given a teensy bit more time. I didn’t completely buy Seth’s reactions to the whole werewolf thing and how it played out, but I’m most definitely behind the results and Seth and Asa as a couple. Ms. McKenna’s lovely writing does not disappoint yet again.

The Big Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones ★★★½

So I actually enjoyed Ms. Jones tone very much. I had never read anything by her before and was pleasantly surprised reading this story. That being said there were a few things that threw me off about this story and left me wanting a bit more. The ending in particular I felt was a bit rushed…or maybe abrupt is a little more accurate. Things were flowing along and then all of a sudden it was just over. On the flip side, I did get the explanations I wanted about our dangling bear from the first story. :D

Kane is the beta to his pack, and while his alpha is looking after Seth in hospital it’s Kane’s duty, both as beta and deputy, to try to figure out what was up with the crazed grizzly. Sure it could just be a random bear, but Asa thought the attack was a little too deliberate for it not to be a shifter. When Kane comes across a wrecked motorcycle not too far from the scene of the attack his thoughts that the bear might be a shifter gained some ground. With the severe amount of damage to the bike and the clothes lying around the probability of a shifter with a head injury were mighty high.

Dov’s head hurts. He’s not quite sure whether he’s human, bear, where he is or what he’s supposed to be doing. After protecting his space from the human he’d smelt Dov has been trying to relax. Now something wonderful is in his nostrils, the man coming towards him smells fantastic and he knows he’s found his mate. Bear form or human he’s going to find a way to claim what’s his.

Again I very much enjoyed the way this story started. It fit very nicely with the first short of the novel. I liked seeing things from Dov’s side, especially as we really got an idea for how confused his head injury had left him after the accident. And that initial introduction had me grinning maniacally at the image of Dov in his bear for pinning Kane down and stripping him the only way he knew how. *giggle*

My biggest problem with this particular story though came in the descriptions of the characters. So Dov is described as this big bear of a man, cool, but then we find out he’s 40 and Kane is 23. Now I don’t have a problem with the age difference at all. But, the way both characters reacted to things and each other felt like they were the polar opposite ages. Dov’s this sexed up bundle of energy that can’t wait to tumble Kane into bed. His energy just feels like a kids’. That absolute conviction that nothing can harm you and that you’re invincible tends to be a youthful ambition. Kane on the other hand is much more careful and thoughtful. He seems wise beyond his 23 years. His patience and deliberate planning balanced out Dov’s impetuousness nicely, but as I said really did make me feel like I had the ages backwards.

In the end though I think the biggest thing I felt was missing from this story was the chance for Kane and Dov to meet Seth and Asa. Dov needs the chance to make amends and frankly Kane doesn’t even know his alpha is mated as well. Now granted this story takes place over a much shorter period of time than Ms. McKenna’s story does. Also there was a bit of a dangling storyline as we’re not really sure how Dov’s accident occurred after all the hints of foul play.

Altogether I liked the writing style and the characters (even if they were in the wrong heads) but I would have liked to have seen a little tighter story all told. I will look into something more from this author though. I think there’s a lot of potential here.

Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel ★★★

Soooo both these boys are what I call in my head, “vibrating with energy.” The sheer amount of twitchiness made me think they were going to come apart at the seams, but it was too adorable at the same time. Again I enjoyed Ms. Noel’s writing style and all three contributors to this book I felt are definitely worth another look. There were things I liked about this one and again a few things I didn’t. Overall though a solid conclusion for this little spot in the world.

Simon is still relatively new in town after moving over from Britain. He’s settling into his job as a nurse at the hospital and and may be developing quite the friendship with Rae, though Ryan he could do without. Of course the drool worthy Dr. Swift is such wonderful eye candy around the hospital. Still Simon is happy with his life and likes his patients for the most part. Now if only everyone and their mother would stop sniffing him.

Josiah Swift may have returned home to his hometown to work at the hospital in the psych ward, but it’s still not a hundred percent comfortable. He was never very happy within the pack as the omega and left to get away from it all. Since he’s been back he still hasn’t been involved at all in pack business and plans to put it off as long as possible. That all changes the minute the adorable nurse stumbles into a comedy of errors that end pretty much in Josiah’s lap. One sniff was all he needed, he knows what he’s found and he’ll do anything to keep it.

So things I liked…I think Josiah and Simon are just too cute together. The bumbling over eagerness on both their parts was just too cute for words. I can just see them bouncing down the sidewalk, most especially Simon. I loved the fact that Simon had no clue he was a shifter and his nighttime escapades made me grin. That first date was wonderfully sweet and romantic and ended wonderfully. I liked the chemistry between these two a lot.

That being said I struggled to understand large parts of this story, mostly because I didn’t feel things were really explained all that well. First of all Josiah, to me, in no way comes across as a psychologist. He doesn’t have the confidence and calm demeanor one would expect in that sort of profession most of the time. As a regular doctor I could have bought in, but as someone who understands what goes on in the human psyche I struggled.

Also, there were a lot of unanswered questions and dangling ideas in this story for me. Like what exactly does being the omega entail? There were a few references to it maybe not being such a bad thing, that there might be benefits to it, but yet we never really get any sort of explanation. There are a lot of hints and itty bitty pieces of information dropped about Simon’s past which were wonderfully tantalizing. Yet, I never got a clear picture of what happened to him and the girl he mentions. I’m still very confused about her and what she meant to Simon. Which lead to a lot of confusion over his reactions to Ryan, and Ryan’s reactions to him. I almost felt like the author was trying to set up a ménage here and instead am left worrying about Ryan not just enjoying Simon and Josaih.

The fox thing was cute and very fitting for Simon and his worry about being eaten did make me laugh. I liked the characters here more than anything else and kept feeling like this story needed more time to really develop and explain how all the pieces fit together. I will look for something else from this author and I have to admit, I hope she gives Ryan his own story. I hate to think of him dangling out there in denial land. :D


All in all I enjoyed this book and the epilogue wrapped up a lot of things nicely. There are still things I’m curious about within the world, but I still walked away from it all satisfied. It’s hard to make a short story work and together these three authors gave a lovely collection for us to enjoy. I think all three have wonderful qualities as authors and will continue to look for books from them all.

[Josephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devil Dog & Bad Wolf - Kendall McKenna: ★★★

The Big Bad Bear - Jambrea Jo Jones: ★★★

Shifty Fox Shenanigans - Cherie Noel: ★★

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Story #1: Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall McKenna

The book started out on a high note with this story. There was action and drama and I got my hospital scene-big and wonderful and long. The sexual tension was hot and it was so cool that the alpha bottomed sometimes.

I would have liked that we'd seen them discover why the bear did what it did instead of just being told, but that came later so I guess it was done that way for a reason. I just would like to have at least had the Sheriff get a phone call where we only heard his end of it. I felt like that was a crucial piece that was missing. I also hate we missed the first time they had sex. I would have preferred to see that rather than the explicit dream.

Still, first story 4.5 stars


Story #2: The Big Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones

This story was pretty funny, and I loved that the responsible one was 23 and the playful guy was the 40 year old even though I hated the age difference. It was amusing that the older one that was so randy he didn't care about anything else. I wish they'd made the head injury stay. I don't like it when they have someone shift over and over to heal with no consequences like fatigue. It feels like cheating. And it robbed me of his OMG-he's-gonna-die moments.

I liked that the bear shifter was affected by the full moon too. The ending was totally annoying. There wasn't a lot of plot other than that. There was the promise of something sinister and exciting and then nothing? Ridiculous. It was like it was put in there just to make me keep reading not to enhance the story.

Both of these stories had the exciting part in the beginning but this second one just kept getting less and less thrilling.

(BTW, how do you lay your head on the chest of someone sitting up? This happens frequently in books and I don't get it.)

Second story, 3 stars


Story #3: Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel

My feelings about this story were all over the place. From the start, there were a number of things I didn't like. I felt the author was trying to hard to make the language pretty but it became convoluted and flowery. There were just too many and too complicated metaphors and similes.

Air leaked out of Josiah’s lungs exactly as it had with his father. Wheezing a little, his knees turned to gelatin thirty minutes shy of becoming a proper dessert, Josiah collapsed onto the corner of the growing bench behind him.

Other things I didn't like were that the kitchen table was "his mother's" and the guy he did't like was really short. The latter was kind of a theme here as all of the MCs were tall. It's okay for women to be short, just not the men. (Also included was the short feisty homemaker female trope.)

But there were good things, too. For once there were positively portrayed (and human!) foster parents which is so rare that when I see foster parents on TV, I feel like the plot is over for me because they definitely did the deed. The MCs were sweet, too, and I adored the fox. I just wish that they'd expanded on his personality such as his wearing mascara and eyeliner. I felt like we were supposed to think he was a twink, but then nothing backed it up.

I did like that the second in charge of the pack was female and she was very powerful yet still very kind There wasn't anything explained about what being an omega was, though. Josiah thought it was a bad thing but the mom said it was an honor. Why? He didn't show any special powers.

The story was sweet, though, and enjoyable until I realized that there was no theme, no conflict, nothing remotely plot-like, just two guys going on their first date then mating. But it was still very sweet.

(BTW, Gotye isn't a band, it's a man. My sister met him and talked with him at a house party for a while--apparently celebrities are not as aloof in Melbourne--and said he was really sweet.)

Third story, 3.75

Epilogue:

One word: Unbearable.

Epilogue, 1 star

Well I'm not going to give much weight to the epilogue, though. So overall 3.5 stars. I'll round up because it was a little better than most of the shifter fare out there.

[Meg Kinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book and if there is more from Big Bone Lick Pack, I wouldn't mind reading it.

Kendall McKenna: 4.5 stars - This was the favorite for me for the antho. I really liked Asa and Seth. I liked the depth of the characters and the building of the relationship. I loved that Asa was an alpha, but wasn't an in your face jerk alpha that liked to play with the wee peons of the other people. I like that he looked at Seth as an equal, someone who he could be beside and not always be in front of. I loved seeing their relationship build, even though Seth was hurt and that's a main reason why there was slowness. (And phew, military dude! *fans self*)

Jambrea Jo Jones: 4 stars - Very good story. I liked Dov and Kane, but I would have liked more. More into Kane's and Dov's lives and I would have loved to know exactly what happened when Dov got into the wreck. I assume it was an accident from the little snippet about the guy he didn't know on the job site being an inspector, but the cause never really came to light. Unless I totally missed it, and then yeah, totally my fault. I didn't feel as strong of a connection between Dov and Kane as I did in the previous book with Asa and Seth, but overall a very good story.

Cherie Noel: 3 stars - I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others. There was never a very good explanation for why Josiah hated being the Omega so much. There was a very slight reference to a scar, a bite from a wolf when he was four, but that's really all. Why was he so down? Why did he want to go Lone so bad? The dynamics for THIS particular pack in THIS book weren't really brought to light. I also didn't really get the relationship between Simon and Josiah. They didn't seem real compatible to me, but that's just me. I didn't get the deep connection between the two of them. Also, what happened with Mona? There was never an answer to that. This book just left things way more open ended than I like and am wondering if there would be a part 2 to this one.

All three books peaked my interest and kept reading on. I enjoyed it all and I liked the up front m/m relationships. Too many books highlight the fact that you need to hide it away, from a pack, a family member, a job, etc. at some point in the book. All open relationships and I LOVED that. Keep up the good writing ladies! :)

[Ro Dubose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil Dog and Bad Wolf by Kendall McKenna - 4.5 Nymphs

Thinking about his future career opportunities, Marine Seth Price was not prepared for the event that almost cancelled his life. Seth is attacked by a bear while camping and saved by a big grey wolf. On the other hand, according to official reports, Seth was rescued by Boone County Sheriff’s Department patrol sergeant Asa Wilde. Being a human, Seth did not believe werewolves really existed, so did he dream the wolf chased off the bear or was it a memory?



The Big Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones - 4.5 Nymphs

Deputy in the Boone County Sheriff’s office, Kane Farkas is not happy to be working on his day off. Nevertheless, there is a rogue bear roaming around in the state park. Kane tracks the bear that significantly injured Seth. He immediately realized Dov Barrett is a bear shifter, suffering from a major headache, along with being clueless as to how he came to be in his wretched condition.




Shifty Fox Shennigans by Cherie Noel - 5 Nymphs

Nurse Simon Vacchio is having a dreadful day. First Simon is asked to work a double shift, then upon leaving Seth’s hospital room, Simon is sniffed as well as given strange looks. Simon is perplexed by the weird stares directed his way. Could it be the British smell differently than Yanks? Even Simon’s secret crush, Dr. Josiah Swift gave him a sniff before dazzling Simon with a big smile.


Big Bone Lick Pack is a marvelously entertaining blend of stories by three amazing authors. The setting is a State Park in Kentucky. The residents are werewolves mated to non-wolf species. The engaging plot features the alpha, one of his betas plus an omega. What I found extremely enjoyable is that the characters are compassionate, intelligent as well as hilarious. The in-depth intimacy demonstrated by the mated couples is scorching.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book. The stories were nothing earth-shattering but they were definitely sweet love stories.

I loved this book because I live in Union Kentucky at the Big Bone Lick (yep a real place) exit. I put my boat in at their marina every summer. All three authors did a fabulous job of presenting my little area of the world. The park, Rabbit Hash (yes this is a real city and yes they elect animals to be their mayor - have for years). The Florence Mall, Flipdaddy's (which only opened about a year and half ago), Spring Grove cemetary (have family there), St. Elizabeths Hosp. (girlfriend is a nurse there - though that was the only mistake its actually in Florence not Union); and two of my neighbors work for the Boone County Sherrif's office.

To say you it just made me so happy to read about these places would be an understatement. Of course, it does make me wonder what is wandering around my woods ;)

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

The Big Bone Lick Pack anthology by Kendall McKenna, Jambrea Jo Jones, and Cherie Noel brings us three shifter stories each taking place around Big Bone Lick State Park and centering around the members of the local wolf pack. Unlike most anthologies, the stories are linked by more than just a theme. Instead, they feature a shared world and characters that appear in each other’s stories. It is an unusual set up, and one that I really liked as it not only makes for a cohesive anthology, but also allows us to see the various characters interact and plot elements cross from one story to another.

Read Jay's review in its entirety here.

[Ivka_s_knihou · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have no idea how to rate this book. i absolutely loved "Devil Dog & Bad Wolf". the story gripped me from the start and it was so sweet and nice and romantic and fantastic, it deserves 5 stars.

then i started "Big Bad Bear" and was completely annoyed within 20% of the book by Dov. i didn't feel his connection with Kane. but i KNOW perfectly clear he wanted to f*cked him as soon as possible. thank you very much but i need to feel some connection before sex. so i didn't finish the story.

i skipped to "Shifty Fox Shenanigans". i liked Simon enough. but i felt disconnected to Josiah. i was just so disappointed, i didn't finish it as well. sorry.

but the first one was sooo perfect. i love Mrs. McKenna's work.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. Nothing different was introduced. Fated mates. Shifter community with the werewolf alpha as the sheriff. The first story was very Kendall McKenna with the marine and the werewolf alpha. The human reveal was nicely done and for those who always point out that the human's behavior isn't believable in shifter romances don't have to worry. The second story is a werebear and werewolf. Very light on the angst. There was the introduction of foul play that sorta of stuck with me even when it was taken off the table. It made the ending seem abrupt. The third story...not sure what to say. Very long over descriptive sentences. Too many times I had to retread something to find out what in the world was being described. It's a pity because I was looking forward to the fox story.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the stories spring one from another, each writer picks up the thread and different characters that were on the scene of the accident. Overall, this was a very light-hearted novel, with some very amusing moments interwoven in story lines where each main character finding their “mate”. These were fairly generic paranormals, so if you go into this trilogy thinking you are going to see new ground being broken in the shifter genre, you will be disappointed. However, there truly were some notable moments in each story worth mentioning.


See the entire review at The Novel Approach: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were 3 stories in this antho and I enjoyed them all to varying degrees. They were short, sweet (read: not angsty) and easy to read! Each story on its on is short, but they are connected-- each one has a character that's appeared in at least one of the other stories.

KM's story: 4.5 stars

JJJ: 4stars

CN: 3 stars-- I didn't feel like the characters were consistent in this one and it dragged a little for me.

CN or JJJ were new authors to me, I'll be sure to check out their other works. Overall, a nice way to spend a few hours. =D

Edited: 1/26. Needed to sleep on it a bit.

[Elayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed all three stories in this book. I enjoyed all the POV changes. The easy acceptance within the pack of different species, the sense of family and camaraderie..heartwarming. The place names are so funny it's hard to believe they are real. Who on earth would have a Dog as Mayor? I don't think I had a favourite exactly. All the couples were HOT. But I did love Rae, that woman is scary. Lol.

[Cadiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

These three interconnected short stories are okay but McKenna manages, as always, to be just that little bit better than the rest.
There's nothing wrong with any of the romances but I'm not a big fan of the insta love when first seeing your mate type thing, at least McKenna's pair have a bit of relationship development.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ndulgent Bloggers · Rating 3 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW: http://guiltyindulgencebookclub.blogs...

[DoaJaneoDoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

total 3.5 stars
First two stories are good but third had some unfinished explanations imo. overall enjoyment was 4 if I turn off question

[Dani Elle Maas · Rating 4 out of 5]

liked these three stories
all in a different way but well lets face it kendall mckenna is a must read and as she contributed to this ......:)

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want More

[jules0623 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Stephanie Murillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. Love how all three authors worked with each other to bring all the characters together, and yet, each story was separate and wonderful.

[Adrianamae · Rating 1 out of 5]

The one point is for Mckenna's story.

[Myca · Rating 3 out of 5]

4* to the first
3* to the second
2* to the third