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Southwestern Shifters #11
Retrograde
Letting go of the past to embrace the future…
Things are changing for Marcus and Nathan, in more ways than one. Nathan is still trying to deal with the action he took in order to save Marcus’ life. It isn’t easy to do, and sometimes he fears he’ll give in to all the doubts and fears plaguing him.
What they need is some time alone, without guards shadowing their every move, no one to interrupt. Because soon, they’ll be busier than ever.
A short vacation before the annual gathering of Alpha Anaxes at the compound, that’s what they decide to do. But their vacation isn’t so private when they discover a wild pack of young shifters barely surviving.
Changes are coming.
A strange young shifter with abilities neither Marcus nor Nathan have ever seen before. Alpha Anaxes and attitudes. An intruder in their midst. And with the help of Shania, the pack doctor, the most important event of Marcus and Nathan’s shared life is about to happen.
Changes are coming, and they’re coming fast.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of fisting.
General Release Date: 3rd November 2015
Things are changing for Marcus and Nathan, in more ways than one. Nathan is still trying to deal with the action he took in order to save Marcus’ life. It isn’t easy to do, and sometimes he fears he’ll give in to all the doubts and fears plaguing him.
What they need is some time alone, without guards shadowing their every move, no one to interrupt. Because soon, they’ll be busier than ever.
A short vacation before the annual gathering of Alpha Anaxes at the compound, that’s what they decide to do. But their vacation isn’t so private when they discover a wild pack of young shifters barely surviving.
Changes are coming.
A strange young shifter with abilities neither Marcus nor Nathan have ever seen before. Alpha Anaxes and attitudes. An intruder in their midst. And with the help of Shania, the pack doctor, the most important event of Marcus and Nathan’s shared life is about to happen.
Changes are coming, and they’re coming fast.
Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of fisting.
General Release Date: 3rd November 2015
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
7 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Bailey Bradford
191 books552 followersA 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 25, 2015
This eleventh, and according to the author penultimate book of the ‘Southwestern Shifter’ series, is all kinds of unexpected, exciting, and making me sadder than ever that this series is supposed to come to an end. On one hand, considering all the action and everything that happens in this book, it’s hard to believe that the author will manage to tie up all the loose ends in just one more book. On the other hand, a few of the plans Nathan and Marcus are beginning to make would mean that this stage of their lives will come to an end, and something else is about to begin. It’s been a tough few years, what with all the fights, assassination attempts, and other threats Marcus’s pack has weathered. All of that comes to a head during the Alpha Anax conference, and the latest violence is the catalyst for Nathan and Marcus to decide that enough is enough.
I loved that Nathan and Marcus are featured as the main couple again in this book. It makes sense since the story may have started with Gabe and Mika, then Adam and Todd pairing up, but the story arc kicked into high gear with book three, when Marcus and Nathan found out they are mates. So now they are the couple who get to decide what’s next for the shifters of their pack, and to some degree to all of the North American packs, since Marcus is their Alpha Anax, the alpha of all the alphas. Marcus’s idea and Nathan’s resulting plan are brilliant, and I can’t wait to see them pull it off in the next volume. The fact that they decide to have children via a surrogate, the pack doctor Shania, is not just great fun and very exciting, but also focuses them more on the future than they have ever been before.
The totally unexpected and very exciting appearance of an unknown pack of shifters, all abandoned children, including their seventeen-year-old alpha, Milo, is another fascinating development. One of them has some very special abilities, and I suspect he will have a major role to play in the next book. I certainly hope so!
If you like series with an overall story arc that successful spans the entire series, if you want to know more about a couple struggling to do the right thing not for their relationship but for all the people/shifters they are responsible for, and if you’re looking for a read that is action-packed, suspenseful, revealing, and very imaginative, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. Make sure you read this series in order – it’s not just difficult to understand what’s going on if you don’t know the background, it’s also well worth reading all of the stories. Their interesting, star hot couples with tough obstacles to overcome, and are set in a fascinating and pretty unique paranormal world.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
I loved that Nathan and Marcus are featured as the main couple again in this book. It makes sense since the story may have started with Gabe and Mika, then Adam and Todd pairing up, but the story arc kicked into high gear with book three, when Marcus and Nathan found out they are mates. So now they are the couple who get to decide what’s next for the shifters of their pack, and to some degree to all of the North American packs, since Marcus is their Alpha Anax, the alpha of all the alphas. Marcus’s idea and Nathan’s resulting plan are brilliant, and I can’t wait to see them pull it off in the next volume. The fact that they decide to have children via a surrogate, the pack doctor Shania, is not just great fun and very exciting, but also focuses them more on the future than they have ever been before.
The totally unexpected and very exciting appearance of an unknown pack of shifters, all abandoned children, including their seventeen-year-old alpha, Milo, is another fascinating development. One of them has some very special abilities, and I suspect he will have a major role to play in the next book. I certainly hope so!
If you like series with an overall story arc that successful spans the entire series, if you want to know more about a couple struggling to do the right thing not for their relationship but for all the people/shifters they are responsible for, and if you’re looking for a read that is action-packed, suspenseful, revealing, and very imaginative, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. Make sure you read this series in order – it’s not just difficult to understand what’s going on if you don’t know the background, it’s also well worth reading all of the stories. Their interesting, star hot couples with tough obstacles to overcome, and are set in a fascinating and pretty unique paranormal world.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 14, 2015
Fair amount of action and some new surprises.. plus BABIES! But that's at the end. The author tells us this is the next to LAST book of the series and I have to say I am DISAPPOINTED that the main focus was Marcus and Nathan.. again...
I think I'd have to go back and look at all the other books in line but I think this is the THIRD book where they are the main go to guys in the story. I guess I can see that Marcus needs that release of pressure by letting Nathan take the lead in bedroom activities but the original appeal I had for their setup as since passed (with the smaller one being in charge and the bigger doing the receiving the majority of the time).
There's been some interesting additions and some new changes coming up.. to be expanded on in the last book?..and perhaps a little more delving into what Asher can and cannot do is what I'm hoping for.
I still continue to stand by my favorite book of this series being Relentless with Aiden and Zane's coming together..
3.5
I think I'd have to go back and look at all the other books in line but I think this is the THIRD book where they are the main go to guys in the story. I guess I can see that Marcus needs that release of pressure by letting Nathan take the lead in bedroom activities but the original appeal I had for their setup as since passed (with the smaller one being in charge and the bigger doing the receiving the majority of the time).
There's been some interesting additions and some new changes coming up.. to be expanded on in the last book?..and perhaps a little more delving into what Asher can and cannot do is what I'm hoping for.
I still continue to stand by my favorite book of this series being Relentless with Aiden and Zane's coming together..
3.5
December 16, 2019
I hope there is more to this series!
I really enjoyed this book (and the whole series!). I wonder if there will be more written in the future?
I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
I really enjoyed this book (and the whole series!). I wonder if there will be more written in the future?
I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed.
November 21, 2017
**4.5 STARS**
December 8, 2015
It’s no secret that I love the Southwestern Shifters series and loved that I got to gorge myself on the series in August. So you won’t be shocked to learn that I was beyond thrilled when I found out about Retrograde’s release and I nearly went through the roof when I discovered that Bradford had written it as another chapter in Marcus and Nathan’s life. I love all of the couples in the series and each has a special place in my heart, but with all the Nathan has dealt with as Marcus was under attack from more than one quarter, it felt right for them to get another installment in the series and Bradford managed to make me love this couple even more than I already did.
Because of assassination attempts and challenges for Marcus’s position, Nathan has been on edge for a while and having to kill another individual (even one who was bad) in order to save Marcus’s life makes that edge even finer. It’s not that Nathan regrets saving Marcus’s life or even that he killed to do so, but rather that he was forced to take another’s life. Having been raised by a human, Nathan still finds the easy acceptance of violence among shifters too much to bear at times. Sensing that his mate needs to get away and realizing that they need a chance to reinforce their bond before an upcoming conference of the Alpha Anaxes, Marcus makes arrangements for a short getaway for just the two of them. Having the chance to let their wolves run free in a safe environment that’s not fenced in, to spend time alone with just the two of them, and to connect sexually on a more primal level does wonders for both men. Yet even on vacation they can’t seem to get away from the needs of other wolves when they discover a wild pack of young shifters who know nothing about the shifter society. Thank goodness Marcus and Nathan know of a wolf who loves to take in strays – Gabe. But when demands of Marcus’s position require that they return to the compound, they are once again faced with treachery when another plot to take out an AA is discovered. For once, Marcus wasn’t the target but because it was being attempted in his home it affected him no less. Thankfully Marcus has a pack filled with loyal and intelligent shifters who were able to help thwart yet another assassination attempt and strengthen ties with other honorable AAs.
Retrograde was another excellent addition to the Southwestern Shifters series. I loved watching Nathan and Marcus get back to nature so to speak and embrace their wolf so fully. It was obvious it did them good mentally, but it also made for some smoking hot sex scenes. They were lucky they didn’t start a forest fire with as hot as they got. I liked that Bradford made another AA the target in this novel and that for once Marcus didn’t have the bullseye on his back. I found his handling of the territory situation to be very telling of the kind of man Marcus is – a good man who only wants what’s best for all shifters. I loved meeting Lexxie and hope to see more of her in the future and learning more about her heritage. That Bradford foreshadowed the changes that are coming for Marcus and his pack made me so freaking happy because that means more books are in the future. But the end. Oh my word was the end sweet. I mean… We’ve got puppies!
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
Because of assassination attempts and challenges for Marcus’s position, Nathan has been on edge for a while and having to kill another individual (even one who was bad) in order to save Marcus’s life makes that edge even finer. It’s not that Nathan regrets saving Marcus’s life or even that he killed to do so, but rather that he was forced to take another’s life. Having been raised by a human, Nathan still finds the easy acceptance of violence among shifters too much to bear at times. Sensing that his mate needs to get away and realizing that they need a chance to reinforce their bond before an upcoming conference of the Alpha Anaxes, Marcus makes arrangements for a short getaway for just the two of them. Having the chance to let their wolves run free in a safe environment that’s not fenced in, to spend time alone with just the two of them, and to connect sexually on a more primal level does wonders for both men. Yet even on vacation they can’t seem to get away from the needs of other wolves when they discover a wild pack of young shifters who know nothing about the shifter society. Thank goodness Marcus and Nathan know of a wolf who loves to take in strays – Gabe. But when demands of Marcus’s position require that they return to the compound, they are once again faced with treachery when another plot to take out an AA is discovered. For once, Marcus wasn’t the target but because it was being attempted in his home it affected him no less. Thankfully Marcus has a pack filled with loyal and intelligent shifters who were able to help thwart yet another assassination attempt and strengthen ties with other honorable AAs.
Retrograde was another excellent addition to the Southwestern Shifters series. I loved watching Nathan and Marcus get back to nature so to speak and embrace their wolf so fully. It was obvious it did them good mentally, but it also made for some smoking hot sex scenes. They were lucky they didn’t start a forest fire with as hot as they got. I liked that Bradford made another AA the target in this novel and that for once Marcus didn’t have the bullseye on his back. I found his handling of the territory situation to be very telling of the kind of man Marcus is – a good man who only wants what’s best for all shifters. I loved meeting Lexxie and hope to see more of her in the future and learning more about her heritage. That Bradford foreshadowed the changes that are coming for Marcus and his pack made me so freaking happy because that means more books are in the future. But the end. Oh my word was the end sweet. I mean… We’ve got puppies!
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
November 28, 2015
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews
Marcus and Nathan have been through quite a bit in the last few years and the strain of keeping everything together is starting to show. Taking a small vacation and some time out for themselves is just what they need before jumping right back into the swing of things with a meeting of the Alpha Anaxes from around the world. Things are never so easy, however, and a run in with a young, scared shifter brings unexpected changes to the pack on the heels of the changes to Marcus and Nathan’s family.
I’m not ashamed to admit that this series is like a drug to me; I’ve read every story and enjoyed them all, some more than others, so a new book is usually a cause for some joy. This latest installment features Marcus and Nathan but also brings back some familiar faces from the earliest books: Gabe and Mike, Aiden and Zane, and Todd and Adam all make an appearance and I was really happy to see them. There are others from more recent books, as well, but the first couples will always remain my favorites.
Marcus and Nathan have been through some really tough situations over the last several books but it was nice to see the characters continuing to change and evolve, both in their relationship with each other and with the leadership of their pack. There was a good pacing to the book but instead of one main storyline, there were three different things going on: Marcus and Nathan’s plans for their family, the shifter children, and the meeting of the Alpha Anaxes, all of which were brought together with the overlying problem of what to do with the pack. Nothing was simple and I did enjoy seeing different facets of what Marcus and Nathan deal with but I kind of miss having one main problem through the story like in earlier installments instead of flipping between issues. Also, Marcus and Nathan have featured in more books than any other characters and it would be nice to have a book without them playing such a forward role in the future. That being said, I still really liked this book and the ending makes me wonder if this is it for the series (though I really hope it isn’t) because it ended on such a great note. If you like shifter stories, you might want to check this series out; the characters and problems are diverse and entertaining but you really need to start at the beginning to get the most out of it since each book builds on the one before it.
Marcus and Nathan have been through quite a bit in the last few years and the strain of keeping everything together is starting to show. Taking a small vacation and some time out for themselves is just what they need before jumping right back into the swing of things with a meeting of the Alpha Anaxes from around the world. Things are never so easy, however, and a run in with a young, scared shifter brings unexpected changes to the pack on the heels of the changes to Marcus and Nathan’s family.
I’m not ashamed to admit that this series is like a drug to me; I’ve read every story and enjoyed them all, some more than others, so a new book is usually a cause for some joy. This latest installment features Marcus and Nathan but also brings back some familiar faces from the earliest books: Gabe and Mike, Aiden and Zane, and Todd and Adam all make an appearance and I was really happy to see them. There are others from more recent books, as well, but the first couples will always remain my favorites.
Marcus and Nathan have been through some really tough situations over the last several books but it was nice to see the characters continuing to change and evolve, both in their relationship with each other and with the leadership of their pack. There was a good pacing to the book but instead of one main storyline, there were three different things going on: Marcus and Nathan’s plans for their family, the shifter children, and the meeting of the Alpha Anaxes, all of which were brought together with the overlying problem of what to do with the pack. Nothing was simple and I did enjoy seeing different facets of what Marcus and Nathan deal with but I kind of miss having one main problem through the story like in earlier installments instead of flipping between issues. Also, Marcus and Nathan have featured in more books than any other characters and it would be nice to have a book without them playing such a forward role in the future. That being said, I still really liked this book and the ending makes me wonder if this is it for the series (though I really hope it isn’t) because it ended on such a great note. If you like shifter stories, you might want to check this series out; the characters and problems are diverse and entertaining but you really need to start at the beginning to get the most out of it since each book builds on the one before it.
October 10, 2015
3.5 stars
I've enjoyed this series and think it's had a pretty good run with only 1 more book to go. You could tell this book was starting to wrap things up because every single couple from the series made an appearance of some sort. I love Nathan and Marcus (I think their book is my favorite of the series) so it makes me happy when they get a more prominent role in the storyline. Nathan with his gorgeous long red hair and Marcus, looking like a fallen angel with his golden curls and sculpted muscles - what's not to like? Their mating bond just keeps getting stronger and they still have so much passion for each other. I get that. But there were so many sex scenes - basically anytime they found themselves with a moment alone - that I was getting bored (well, except for the fisting scene because that just had my backside clenching in terror). I wanted to read more about the pack of young shifters and to understand how Asher's special ability worked. Or about the other Alpha Anaxes who were at the compound for the annual gathering. Or even some more detailed updates on the other couples in the series. This was a slower paced story compared to the others but what little action there was seemed to be interrupted by Nathan and Marcus having sex at any given moment. But I think the epilogue set things up for a very sweet and happy ending to the series .
Random comment: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall Marcus or Nathan ever using the word y'all. I remember it in the very first book with Gabe, Mika, Todd and Adam saying it, but not since then. It was used like 33 times here and drove me a little nuts because it seemed so out of character for Marcus and Nathan. ;)
I've enjoyed this series and think it's had a pretty good run with only 1 more book to go. You could tell this book was starting to wrap things up because every single couple from the series made an appearance of some sort. I love Nathan and Marcus (I think their book is my favorite of the series) so it makes me happy when they get a more prominent role in the storyline. Nathan with his gorgeous long red hair and Marcus, looking like a fallen angel with his golden curls and sculpted muscles - what's not to like? Their mating bond just keeps getting stronger and they still have so much passion for each other. I get that. But there were so many sex scenes - basically anytime they found themselves with a moment alone - that I was getting bored (well, except for the fisting scene because that just had my backside clenching in terror). I wanted to read more about the pack of young shifters and to understand how Asher's special ability worked. Or about the other Alpha Anaxes who were at the compound for the annual gathering. Or even some more detailed updates on the other couples in the series. This was a slower paced story compared to the others but what little action there was seemed to be interrupted by Nathan and Marcus having sex at any given moment. But I think the epilogue set things up for a very sweet and happy ending to the series .
Random comment: Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall Marcus or Nathan ever using the word y'all. I remember it in the very first book with Gabe, Mika, Todd and Adam saying it, but not since then. It was used like 33 times here and drove me a little nuts because it seemed so out of character for Marcus and Nathan. ;)
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November 22, 2015First, you must absolutely be a fan of the series for this book to appeal. The characters in this are all well-developed in previous books and this builds upon those stories.
We join Marcus and Nathan happily having tons of hot sex (which they proceed to do many times throughout this book.) They are stressed by many things: Nathan wants children, there is an upcoming Alpha Annex meeting, there continues to be stress about security at the compound, the pack is outgrowing their current environs, there is a new group of shifters who have special talents but have a lot of baggage, too.
Most of the story revolves around tying up the loose ends that these various stressors instigate. (I understand this is the penultimate book in the series, and by the end I could see where the story arc was headed and it looks like the last book is going to be amazing!)
Nathan and Marcus are the main focus but we do get to see lots of the other mates from earlier stories as well. The new shifters who get introduced are exciting and I can’t wait to see just what Asher gets up to in the next book. I’m hoping for a spin-off series … but I’m getting ahead of myself.
This book was a lot of fun. Lots of hot sex. Several snarky Gabe moments, a little bit of drama and loads of tension. But… by the end we are definitely left on a ray of hope and with several new “pack members” to contend with.
I think this book ranks among my top three favorite in the series and I highly recommend it.
We join Marcus and Nathan happily having tons of hot sex (which they proceed to do many times throughout this book.) They are stressed by many things: Nathan wants children, there is an upcoming Alpha Annex meeting, there continues to be stress about security at the compound, the pack is outgrowing their current environs, there is a new group of shifters who have special talents but have a lot of baggage, too.
Most of the story revolves around tying up the loose ends that these various stressors instigate. (I understand this is the penultimate book in the series, and by the end I could see where the story arc was headed and it looks like the last book is going to be amazing!)
Nathan and Marcus are the main focus but we do get to see lots of the other mates from earlier stories as well. The new shifters who get introduced are exciting and I can’t wait to see just what Asher gets up to in the next book. I’m hoping for a spin-off series … but I’m getting ahead of myself.
This book was a lot of fun. Lots of hot sex. Several snarky Gabe moments, a little bit of drama and loads of tension. But… by the end we are definitely left on a ray of hope and with several new “pack members” to contend with.
I think this book ranks among my top three favorite in the series and I highly recommend it.
December 30, 2015
Things are changing and they’re coming fast, what Marcus and Nathan needs is some time alone to decide what to do but their private vacation is interrupted when they discover a pack of young shifters barely surviving in this gripping paranormal romance. There was no way that I could stop reading this story once I began because the story is chock full of emotional turmoil, excitement and passion all involving one of my favorite couples, Marcus and Nathan, and I have to tell you I can’t wait to find out what happens next with all those changes and of course that important event will be the most exciting for them in the years to come.
See my full review at:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
See my full review at:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
January 24, 2016
3.5. Probably would have been a 4 but I felt there was too much sex in it (sorry). Apart from that a good addition to a series that is coming to an end. Liked the introduction of the young shifter pack and Gabe making an appearance again with his spatula.
If your a fan of the series then I recommend.
If your a fan of the series then I recommend.
October 17, 2015
3.75 stars
November 6, 2015
Excellent
These books are so incredibly hot. Whew. Plus it was so awesome to have another story about Nathan and Marcus. I loved it.
These books are so incredibly hot. Whew. Plus it was so awesome to have another story about Nathan and Marcus. I loved it.
March 29, 2016
Really enjoyed this one.
August 28, 2016
This is apparently the penultimate book in the series, and I am very happy there is still one book left, because after book eleven, there are so many questions still unanswered.
December 15, 2016
nice ending ... but not really more than ok
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews