Home

Spotless #3

by Bailey Bradford

Solomon wanted nothing more than to stay at home and raise his siblings, until he’s kidnapped and everything in his world changes.

Solomon survived being abused by his father. He took care of his many siblings during that time, and continued to do so after he’d been rescued by his half-brother Steven, and Steven’s mates, Cole and Shaun.

Now Solomon’s grown up. He’s still raising his family, and he wants to keep everyone right there, safe and with him.

Then he’s kidnapped, and he’s taken away. He’s got a secret that helps him escape his captors. That, and one of the jaguar guards who is supposed to be trying to capture him again turns out to be his mate, and the other guard is a woman who’s fed up with the cruelty of the clan who sent her after Solomon.

Azil has known only subservience all his life. The jaguar clan he’s from is warped, but he doesn’t know that. It’s just the way things are. It takes a taste of freedom, and finding a man who believes in him, to help free Azil from the chains of his past.

But someone wants to make sure neither he nor Solomon gets a happy ending.

Reader Advisory: This book contains references to past physical abuse and sexual assault.

Publisher’s Note: This book is part of the Spotless series and is best read in order. This series is linked to the Leopard’s Spots series.

Genres: Paranormal, Shapeshifters, M M Romance, Romance, Gay, M M Shapeshifters, M M Supernatural

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2014

About the author

A few things about me...

I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.

And it's really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I'll just let y'all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there's something specific you'd like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio:D

Reviews

[Kim Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.

Home is the third in Bailey Bradford’s “Spotless” series – which, unbeknownst to me, is a spinoff of the Leopard’s Spots Series. Sadly, this tidbit of information is to be found … nowhere. Had I known that it ran parallel to the Leopard’s Spots series, I’d have read Hide way back when it came out instead of waiting for more books in the series. I waited, though, because I like to have a few books to read back to back when I kick off a new series. Since I did that, I felt like I needed a refresher on who was who, which was a mild, but frequent annoyance as I read. This wasn’t as bad, though, as pitting Steven – by all accounts a cold-blooded killing machine - against Bobby in a fist fight - supposedly to blow off some steam - resulting in Steven being soundly and humiliatingly trounced. I couldn’t fathom this hard-assed, skilled hunter from Hunt not even managing to defend himself against the alpha. He might not be an alpha wolf, but he could surely have made Bobby work for his victory. I was surprisingly disappointed in this little section of the story, and promptly dismissed it from my memory until I sat down to write my review.

Naturally, before I read Home, I read the first two books, Hide and Hunt first, and Home fell right into place with the first two. Bailey’s shifter stories all offer a few key ingredients – insta-love (or at least lust), lots (and lots) of mating sex, and usually a few surprises. More than once I’ve been struck by something unexpected in her stories. Home was no exception. Initially, I was so thrown off by the choice of couple, after Hunt had left off with a pretty strong hint towards this book likely pairing Solomon with Rolly (who, if you follow either series, is Remus the Shaman’s son). I never really did warm to this couple, but those little surprising parts sucked me in, and the reappearance of Rolly in this story offered me a little hope for something interesting to come for him in the future.

Overall, it was a solid, decent enough read for me, more for the flow of the series than for the appeal of the main couple. The direction it’s going is looking to be rather intriguing and action-packed, though, and I will for sure follow the rest of the series.

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solomon is the third of the older half-leopard shifter brothers who suffered their cruel father’s torture, and this is his story. He is the one who took responsibility for all of his younger siblings and half-siblings and protected them as best he could. It is now five years after the end of book two, and even though their evil father has been killed, it seems that their trials are not over.

Solomon is responsible, has devoted his life to raising his younger siblings, and doesn’t have time for himself or finding the mate he so desperately wants. His need to keep his entire family close by is understandable, but it not only limits his own life, it also may not be the best thing for the children. Would they be better off if Solomon found out who their mothers are? Solomon is just beginning to realize he may need to start letting go a little, when disaster strikes and he is kidnapped. Not half as drugged as his kidnappers seem to think, he manages to fight them, only to find out there is a much bigger threat coming his and his family’s way. Oh, and one of his kidnappers, the only male jaguar shifter of the group, turns out to be his mate. What a mess!

Azil is from a Mexican jaguar shifter clan whose matriarch has some really warped ideas about women’s and men’s roles in life. As a male, Azil’s purpose in life is to service the women of the clan, except they think him too ugly, so he ends up with the guards. He has never really thought about men being equal to women, has always kept his head down, but when he meets Solomon and feel inexplicably attracted to the man, he begins to change. It is a huge adjustment for him, and will take a while, but his first steps into freedom, into learning how much fun teasing Solomon can be, and finding out how a real family shares things, are wonderful to watch.

If you liked the first two books in this series and want to find out more about the half-breed shifters and their abilities, if the idea of two lost men finding each other and learning about love catches your interest, and if you’re looking for an emotional read that is as suspenseful as it is hot, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Totally Bound Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Love Bytes Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 star review by Roberta

I read the first two books in this series and I vaguely remember Solomon’s character at the end of Steven’s book, Hunt. I was kind of excited to see what his book was like, what his life had turned into. I’m really glad that I did.

Solomon is the half brother of Steven and Adal from the books Hunt and Hide in the Spotless series, he’s always taken care of the younger children of a deranged father who raped and murdered many women in an effort to see what kind of half breed children he could have. Solomon is half leopard and half jaguar. Solomon has always taken care of his half and full blooded siblings. Solomon has always had to be strong and he continues to do so. Solomon is having a bit of a crisis of faith. Keeping the kids safe has always been his main goal in life and he’s wondering if he’s done a disservice to them by keeping them from the wolf pack that he lives with as well as not finding out about the mother’s of the other kids. Solomon is this really great guy. He loves his siblings so much. He wants his family to stay together so much. He’d be so lost without them. He even loves his big brothers, Steven and Adal. Solomon is lonely in the respect that he’s still a virgin and yet, he really wants to have sex. Of course, he wants to have sex with someone else and the most important part, with his mate. He really wants that closeness that comes with having a mate.

Azil is from a jaguar pack that resides in Mexico. In his pack, the females hold all of the power and the males are pretty much kept as slaves. There to do the heavy lifting and for sexual games. The males aren’t taught anything that would make their lives better or useful. They are there to just serve and that’s what Azil’s life is like. The worst part is he’s made to feel ugly and unwanted. He’s got red hair and freckles and that’s not attractive enough yet to be used as a sex toy. Azil doesn’t know any other life other than the one he has and he knows better than to question any females as it will lead to beatings. Azil has no real feelings about men as sexual beings as it prohibited in his pack. They are all about keeping the pack growing and never allowing the men to lead. Azil doesn’t really understand what is happening to him when he sees Solomon for the first time. Why he’s aroused and why he wants to do nothing but spend time with him. He’s confused, but he just knows that he should be around him. Azil is this really sweet, naïve guy who is doing the best he can in the life that he’s been given. I like that he’s got this really good heart and I hate how he’s been made to feel as he’s less than.

The intimate scenes in this book were really good. I loved how these two guys who are virgins get together and how they don’t necessarily fumble their way through being intimate together, but I like how Solomon won’t have “real sex” with Azil until there is a bed and lube, so that he doesn’t hurt Azil. I love how Solomon sticks to who he is by never doing anything that would hurt someone, especially his mate. These two young men together are so sweet and tender and loving with each other. I loved watching them go from just horny young mates into these two horny, family men who are mates. Their love and love making grew as their bond deepened and it is really beautiful to watch.

I really loved getting a chance to see Steven, Cole, Shaun, Remus, Cliff, Bobby, Dorsal and Adal again. I feel like it was going home week and I got to see how these guys whom I really liked and see how their relationships have evolved. How they’ve grown up to be even better men than when I last saw them. They still kept to their original characters and yet, they all grew up to become even more exceptional men.

This was a great continuation of the Spotless series and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. I’m hoping that it will be Rolly’s book. He’s got some stuff going on in his life and I’m intrigued. I know that Bailey’s got a couple of books coming out over the next couple of months and it’s not the Spotless series, however, I do hope that she comes back to this series. I really am invested in these characters and I want to see what happens next!

A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!

[Hc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really WANT to give a 4 star but... there are a few things that hold me back.

Making the decision to .. oh wait for the spoiler tag
Making the decision to first of all to give a major hit like Remus the all powerful (he feels like it dont he?) to get shot and 'die' and then Sully gets almost dead, and Rolly is brought forth by the Fates to help save the day.. I DO NOT agree with the approach. Its too.... nice... to... easy. Build the suspense and take the story where no one would think and then have it all miraculously be fixed.

Up until the spoiler events I would say everything was moving in a fairly fast and action sort of way. While the two of them are both inexperienced they have no trouble figuring things out and make the best of the limited time periods available.

As stated, only a few things held back a 4 for me.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Home takes place a couple of years after Hunt, aligning with events in the third box set in the Leopard Spots series. Solomon, one of the newly-discovered siblings of Steven and Adal, has been a father for his younger brothers and sisters, raising them within Bobby’s wolf pack, though not truly daring to become a part of it. Solomon is kidnapped and finds love with one of his kidnappers, though this is not a forced proximity story. Azil, the mate in question, has been put down his entire life and treated like he’s worthless. In a way, he is as much a prisoner as Solomon. Azil has trouble standing up for himself and shaking of years of indoctrination, but is a genuine sweetheart. Azil’s pack brings a new threat to Solomon’s doorstep, scarier and more powerful than anything he and the other shifters have ever faced before.

[PAMELA L MOORE · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great Book

I really like think. I just don’t understand why The Family hates these Siblings. They are innocent. But been put through so much because their only crime is that the live and breathe. But it’s a great book.

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solomon just wants to keep his family safe, then he’s kidnapped and his whole world is changed, he meets his mate Azil, but someone doesn’t want them to have their happy ending in this thrilling m/m shifter romance.

This fast paced and smooth flowing plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats with suspense, excitement and passion. Bailey Bradford brings the story to life with well written scenes and details that inspires vivid images and captures the imagination while the fascinating world and strong captivating characters draw the reader deeper into the story and ensure that the reader can’t put the book down.

Solomon and Azil’s attraction to each other brings joy during a terrifying situation and their desire burns hot with frequent scorching sex scenes. The reader can’t help but get caught up in their romance as their happiness vibrates from every page even as they are facing horrible challenges, this couple just exudes lots of intense desire and happiness that grabs the reader and pulls them in and Solomon and Azil both capture the heart with their emotionally gripping pasts.

Spine tingling tension and excitement builds as the danger escalates as a powerful enemy tries to destroy the security and happiness that Solomon and his family have found among their new pack. Not only do we hear from the characters from the previous books but we are introduced to new ones as well and I was completely spellbound by this story from the very beginning and there is never a dull moment – needless to say I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Ro Dubose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solomon and his siblings have been welcomed into the Texas wolf pack, but Solomon is still wary. It is not until Solomon meets his destined mate Azil that he begins to understand the true meaning of family.

Home is the third book in the Spotless series. The Spotless series is a spinoff of the Leopard’s Spots series. Home features kidnapping, dark magic, sensual mating scenes and family unity. In this episode, Solomon, like the rest of his siblings, was fathered by a snow leopard that bred with a variety of other cat breeds. Solomon, along with his brother Steven, who is mated to two wolves decided to move the family to wolf alpha Bobby Baker’s San Antonio pack. Although the wolves accepted having the mixed breed cats as a part of the pack, Solomon tried to isolate his family.

Solomon feared that one day his siblings would want to move out and live independently. By his own choice, Solomon did not have any friends; he never expected to ever have a mate, so loneliness is a big concern for Solomon.

Azil, like the rest of the males, is a slave ruled by the females in the jaguar clan; his only purpose in life is to provide offspring as well as perform hard labor. Azil’s bulky size granted him a guard duty position, but his services were more related to those of a pack mule. Azil was not allowed to think for himself.

Bailey Bradford has created another fascinating as well as enjoyable installment to the series. The cast of characters are a wonderful blend of two series. I suggest reading Leopard's Spots series first. Bobby’s story can be found in Sullivan.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ~ Maybe he wasn’t the best parent for the younger kids. Maybe they needed someone with more sense and the ability to see and think better than he did. Someone not scarred by the past, someone who didn’t want to cling so tightly to his family that he was possibly suffocating them.

My heart broke at the end of the previous book when Steven and his mates discovered Solomon and all of Steven's other half-siblings. Solomon, especially, broke my heart at how abused he'd been, but how he always cared for the younger children. In fact, it's now five years later, and Solomon is still afraid to possibly lose any member of his family, which is why he holds on so tight.

None of that matters, though, when Solomon is kidnapped by members of the Vento jaguar clan, whose queen, Wyanem, is Solomon's aunt and the one who sold his mother to Bashuan. Now that Wyanem has discovered Solomon, she wants him and all of his siblings destroyed. Unfortunately for her, Solomon has a pretty fierce wolf pack at his back, and he's now found his mate, Azil. Solomon isn't letting anything happen to either himself, his family, or his mate.

What a wonderful addition to the series. I really liked the way they defeated evil, and the way the Fates helped. I'm very intrigued by where the author is going to go on Erdwin's and Rolly's storyline, as it will be the first paranormal transgender trope I have read. Solomon and Azil were a good couple together, and I had fun with their love story.

Thank you, Bailey ~ you always make it interesting!

[Susan Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading Home by Bailey Bradford I thought I was burned out on shifter stories, but this book proved me wrong. Part of what made it so enjoyable was the fact that the two main characters are not werewolves, but cat shifters, which appeals to my ailurophile side. Solomon and Azil are both very damaged, but in different ways. Solomon was abused as a child (not depicted on page) and Azil was raised in a society that devalued men. When these two come together as mates, they transcend their pasts and help save Solomon’s siblings and even some of the senior werewolves with whose pack Solomon lives. While not a true stand-alone novel, being part of the Spotless series and referencing characters from the prior two novels with little backstory, it can nonetheless be appreciated on its own, as most of the action does not rely on the prior books. Anyone following the series will want to read this, as major changes occur to several characters in addition to Solomon and Azil.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 Stars

What did I like?
This was an emotionally charged story. There was a lot of back and forth, It was nice that they were reconnecting with their past, both family and pack. I love the way Cliff and Rhea take to each other and I'm looking forward to Rolly and (I believe) Edwin's story. While a lot of the story was about Solomon and his family, I'm also glad that Azil was also able to lay his past to rest.

What did I not like?
This was a hard subject. Both mates were abused in their own way and came with their own set of issues. Also it saddens me that both sides of his family ended up being evil.

Recommendation: While I had not read the previous books in this series, it wasn't an issue. This was a great read and I'm looking forward to where the series goes from here.

[Debfirpo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was giving this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was the first book by the Author that's I've read. I'm coming in on book 3 of a series. I had no trouble reading this book. This is a shifter love story at it's finest. I really loved Solomon and Azil. This story has it all, hot sex, excitement, hope, lots of love of family, I even had a tear or two.. All in all it was a great read! I will be going back to read books 1and 2, just because I really enjoyed Bailey Bradford's writing.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bailey fans won't be disappointed. This latest installment of the Spotless series brings in familiar characters on the peripherals, Bobby & Sully, Remus & co. but this is Solomon's love story. It has all the sexploits you'd expect for a BB book. I got a little lost/confused during the epic battle with the bad-guys, as the "fates" intervened, and I'd forgotten about them, to be honest. It's up to the usual well rounded HEA standard Bailey tale, with likeable characters and a slightly predictable plot. It's an entertaining read.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Julie scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home (Spotless Book 3)

I Loved it it was a great book I'm glad to see another book in this series I can't wait to read more I hope it's soon...

[Gerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy shifters

these books are so much fun to read. lots of wild and passionately shifter sex (biting, scratching) and always an HEA.