Surrounded By Secrets: A Steamy Paranormal Shifter Romance

Woods Family #4

by Mandy Harbin

Lillian Caldwell has eyes on the hottie with the body, Jack Woods, one of the men who bought her family land and now new boss. She has big plans for Jack, including the getting-him-horizontal variety, and she always gets what she wants.

Jack is the family hard ass who’s trying to make amends. His plans of digging into the family secret he discovered are thwarted when he’s forced to work with Lillian, his gorgeous, pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

But a night of passion will unlock the secrets surrounding them and change both their lives forever.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Novella, Erotica, Ebooks

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2013

About the author

Mandy Harbin is a USA Today Best‐selling author who loves creating stories that explore the complexities of everyday relationships...with some kissing thrown in. She also writes young adult romance as M.W. Muse because teens like kissing, too.

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The Bang Shift Series


Tender Tarts


Woods Family Series

Reviews

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Laurie Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surrounded by Secrets is the last book in the Woods family. I simply loved this book, I feel it’s the best in the series. I have never read a novella quite like this one. It almost felt as if I were reading a novel. The author added so much detail when she wrote this story. She tied up the mystery as to how the shifter family came about and she also threw in lots of humor, action, emotions and romance. There were moments where I found myself laughing and crying at the same time.

Jackson is the last of the Woods family to get mated. If you have been following this series you know these shifters cannot be around any unmated or unmarried woman because their need to mate is so great it will overtake them and in turn it won’t end well if the other mate is not willing. I wasn’t in a hurry to get to Jackson story because at times I liked him and there were times I really disliked him during the series. He is everything from pigheaded to borderline arrogant at times; more or less he is a dominating man. Believe me I was totally shocked when his story ended up being my favorite, but how could it not be with Jackson meeting his match with Lillian. Oh yeah, it was worth seeing him all tied up in knots when he would do something wrong or when he didn’t know what to do next.

Lillian is tired of the men she has been with, she wants a man to dominate her in the bed and she has her eyes on Jackson. The thing is will she want him afterward? Needless to say things are not always as they seem. I instantly took to Lillian as she is strong-willed and just wants to be loved by the right man.

Few light spoilers below.

I was totally surprised by the direction the author took with Jackson and Lillian's romance because these mates will kill each other, if one or the other is not willing. Once the mating deed is done Lillian finds herself mated to a cat shifter and has no clue what’s going to happen next. Once she finds out what really happened these two go at it like nothing I have ever read before and I don’t mean monkey sex LOL. Lillian found out real quick that being with a dominate man wasn’t all what she thought it would be. I have never in my life read so many cat names and cat catch phrases in my life, but Lillian would spout them out to Jackson like mad. Then again I sure couldn’t blame her especially after Jackson drugged her and threatened to drug her each time she got her panties in a wad. You might think this would be ridiculous to read, but it was so funny at times and at times it was really emotional. Believe me Jackson needed to make sure both of them stayed safe no matter what the cost. Let me just say it was nothing like I have ever read before and I enjoyed every minute with them battling it out with each other. I felt like Jackson finally got his karma thrown back to him and I even think he said that at one point.

At times I really felt sorry for Lillian because she felt the pull of the matting bond, but yet she just couldn’t quite find herself belonging to Jackson like her mind and body was craving, so she had a huge struggle to workout.

I also want to add I was truly surprised at who the villain turned out to be, I never once saw it coming.

I’m really sad to see the end of this series. As I read this book I could see so many different directions this author can still take with this story and I hope that maybe she will do just that one day.

I recommend this novella to those who likes a hot shifter romance. I would also recommend that you read this series in order.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Woods is the only remaining single Woods' son but not for long. His neighbor, Lillian Caldwell, is determined to get some sexual healing from this hunk by any means necessary. Lillian has no idea that Jack is a mountain lion shifter. She invites him to her home, they get drunk, and have sex. While having sex Lillian asks Jack to bite her not realizing that this means they will be mated and Jack obliges her. Lillian's character is quite a firecracker. Her lines and cat quips were laugh out loud funny. The author did a great job of displaying her character. I think she was my favorite mate of all.

If you've read the prequel ""Surrounded by Death"" you know that Jack's brother Eric was killed because he mated with a woman that was not in love with him. Knowing that background and with a gentle brief reminder from the author for those that haven't read her previous books reader's immediately perk up. Will Jack be killed or will this relationship work out for him and finally he will have a love of his own? The authors portrays Jack as having a crusty exterior but as with many prickly people he is warm and mushy on the inside.

Thanks to his brother's mate, Ariel, he has a tranquilizer and is able to knock Lillian out when she learns that she is now a shifter and tries to attack him. That was a surprise and I expelled a huge breath of relief. I didn't want to lose another sexy Woods brother. Jack, like his brother, has SKILLS between the sheets. He and Lillian are unable to stay away from each other.

Lillian's father is at home on a return visit and has apparently attacked Mikaela, the mate of another Woods' brother. Jack and the family believe Lillian used him and they set out to track Lillian and get Mikaela back. I was so upset that Jack couldn't see through this plot. I was even more confused because earlier Jack and Lillian were able to read each other's minds. Wouldn't Jack have read her mind if she were going to kidnap Lillian or use him?

This story seemed to be a little disjointed and contradictory. There were also editing errors that required me to reread several sentences because names had been exchanged, words left out, and the flow of the story was kept being interrupted by contradictory details. These didn't keep me from finishing the book or enjoying the story. They were minor irritations and well worth it to see the Woods' brothers discover their heritage and the last brother overcome his problems with self-esteem to seize true love at last.

At last it appears that I have reached the end of the Woods' family series and all the brothers have been mated. Trust me you will want to read them all and you will want to keep them near you just in case you need a quick pick me up. Mandy Harbin is an author to watch she just keeps getting better.

Reviewed by Michelle for Cocktails and Books

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, once again we have a hero named “Jack” -- and as mentioned in a previous review of mine, I really think that name is being overused. But I digress -- Surrounded By Secrets should not be viewed fully as a stand-alone book. While you don’t necessarily NEED to know what happened in the previous 3 books, I think it would definitely help the reader understand the characters much more deeply. Especially if only to understand what Jack is trying to make amends for.

That being said, this book is an easy read with some pretty hot sex scenes. Of course, no one expects a blazing hot, one night stand to turn out the way this one does, but then again, I imagine half of the readers wouldn’t mind one way or the other, as we crave this sort of paranormal happening. It’s why we continue to read this genre, its growth ongoing.

It’s a short, quick read that most will enjoy. While there are some surprises, most plot devices are well-known to the reader and they can guess what will happen next. So I give it a three out of five flowers. I liked it, though I really wish I had read the first 3 books first. I believe that would have helped build my appreciation for the books.

If you are planning on reading this, and haven’t yet read the others, they aren’t long and are, therefore, relatively inexpensive -- so buy or borrow her other three books first. You’ll be better for it.

--------------------------------

I write book reviews for UrbanGirlReader.com with some other awesome chicks. For more reviews, check out our site!

[Alwaysreadingbooks - Reading Drinking and Relaxing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book in the series. It wrapped everything up and it answered questions that have always been in the other books.

[Laura Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great end to the series.

I really loved this series. This was the concluding book. Let’s be honest, we’ve detested Jake for a while now but he was so broken when he thought Lily betrayed him. Lots of humour which had me giggling.

[Sandy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5stars.....REVIEW: SURROUNDED BY SECRETS is the fourth storyline in Mandy Harbin’s Woods Family series focusing on a family of mountain lion shape-shifters and their need to mate. When unmated and single females enter the property, the male shifter only knows one thing-mate.


Jack Woods is the most ‘unstable and aggressive’ of the Woods brothers and with that comes the guilt and shame of previous transgression against his brother’s mates. When he willingly volunteered for the research program everyone was unclear as to how successful the treatment would be for Jack. Keeping his distance from his family was the only option with which Jack felt most comfortable, but when the family bought the neighboring land, the owner’s daughter came along with the package-she was going to be working side by side with Jack and his brothers. To Jack’s amazement and astonishment, the feisty female was more than willing to fall into bed.-but Jack’s lion side decided Lillian was its mate.

The storyline follows the aftermath of Jack’s mating with Lillian. We watch as a flurry of mixed emotions throws the couple into situations and accusations that cannot be easily taken back when spoken in anger. Pain at what he had done shamed Jack but his lion knew that Lillian was his mate. Convincing Lillian was another matter.

There is more to this storyline than the sex and mating of mountain lion shifters. Mandy Harbin finally reveals the story behind the Woods family heritage and what the future hold in store for the next generation. I enjoyed this particular storyline because it had more depth and background history. The family patriarch had been closed mouthed for too long and in Surrounded by Secrets-the secret to the Woods family shifting will finally be revealed.

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one thing that remains constant with this series is that you love it – or you don’t like it at all. With the secrecy surrounding the Woods brothers and their issues with behaviour when claiming a mate, there are several pieces of the story that are unsettling. In this, fourth and final book in the series, as all the brothers are mated, we focus on Jack and his story.

This book was my least favorite of the 5 (including the prequel) that I have read. While it did manage to enlighten readers about the “secret” that isolated the family it didn’t feel dramatic enough to me to warrant the isolation, even with the suspension of disbelief required to read a shifter romance. And while the sex scenes were scorching, there was a basic level of unsettled that rolled off Lillian in waves, her refusal to capitulate to the very alpha dominant Jack almost left a taste of “forced” over the scenes to me, which was never really reconciled with Lillian’s attitude or approach. It wasn’t a typical route to a happily ever after that was more common to the other books, and outing a ‘villain’ in an unexpected twist only seemed to leave more questions unanswered.

Fans of the other books will most certainly be fans of this volume, and as a series it does open up some hitherto unseen options for a shifter romance series. Mandy Harbin is a storyteller to watch, and I am curious to see what other tales she will spin.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for The Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Rute Sobreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENGLISH
Overall opinion: It was a nice ending to the brothers’ story, and we find some surprises along the way.
Cover: OK
Edit: No so great, seams that it was not revised.
Target audience: +18
Writing: Ok, It was not great, I found several typos, and errors, but not so many that would kept me from reading all the books.
Steaminess: Hot
Page turner: Yes.
Plot: A fantasy world. There is a family of mountain lion shape shifters, with 5 sons. The last single brother, Jack, finally finds a woman to challenge him. Along the way there are some family secrets to be unburied.
Characters: Lillian has her own daddy issues but she definitely knows how to get what she wants, when she wants. Jack keeps surprising.
Series: Yes (5 out of 5)
Recommend: Yes
Rating: 4 OK

Reviews:
Surrounded by Death (Woods Family, #0.5) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Surrounded by Woods (Woods Family, #1) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Surrounded by Pleasure (Woods Family, #2) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Surrounded by Temptation (Woods Family, #3) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Surrounded by Secrets (Woods Family, #4) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[CoffeeTimeRomance andMore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lillian wants a dominate man in the bedroom. She thinks Jack fits the bill.

Jackson is the last man in the Woods family to be mated. Jackson has his hands full with Lillian. It seems that Jackson gets what he deserves with Lillian.

Lillian Caldwell only has eyes for Jack Woods; the man with the hot body. Jack had a hand in buying her family’s land, so she got a job with Jack, and set out to seduce him. Jack, a pain in ass, is always making amends. One night of passion between these two unlocks a secret that will change both of their lives forever.

The sex scenes between Jackson and Lillian are very hot and steamy. Jackson and Lillian are a true example of what can go wrong if there is too much chemistry between two people. The struggle that Lillian goes through is very realistic. It is a lot of hard work to make a relationship work in the best of times; things just compound when one of the parties is having problems. To best understand this book, you need to read it as part of the series and not as a standalone. Overall I liked the story and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Melissa
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: "Lillian Caldwell has eyes on the hottie with the body, Jack Woods, one of the men who bought her family land and now new boss. She has big plans for Jack, including the getting-him-horizontal variety, and she always gets what she wants.

Jack is the family hard ass who’s trying to make amends. His plans of digging into the family secret he discovered are thwarted when he’s forced to work with Lillian, his gorgeous, pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

But a night of passion will unlock the secrets surrounding them and change both their lives forever."

My Review: Poor Jack just can't keep himself out of trouble. I never really liked him in the previous books but I have definitely come to appreciate him in this one. Lillian however I fell instantly in love with, I love her style, I love her spunk, I love her comebacks (especially the one featuring Sylvester, I really did spit my drink out that time), I could really go on and on. Not only did I love the characters but the plotline really developed fully in this book and it was a great conclusion to the series (that is if it the last book, one never knows these days).

[JAX R.V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply enjoyed reading this book.

[BBMoreB ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended!

I enjoyed the entire Woods family series by Mandy Harbin. It was amazing to read through the entire series in sequence but, each story can be read as a standalone. During each of the previous stories Jack’s character grew darker until I feared he would never survive to achieve his HEA. The world the author built for her characters is supported by vivid descriptions, realistic dialog, and of course sexy alpha men.

Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge by Book Monster Promotions for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one, I mean you see Jack through all of the books, and you sorta realize that whoever is perfect for him won't be some shrinking violet....in walks Lillian and oh man does she keep Jack on his toes. There story could've ended a lot earlier but that would've ended the story badly. I love the way the author worked everything out in the story so at the end your only left with happiness and a few things that could lead to a final wrap up story novella length if the author wanted to come back and do that later on. Overall very pleased with this read and purchase

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have read all books in this series. you want to read them in order…They are all quick reads but different than other shifter stories.from book 1 i was interested in learning more about the family and waiting for next book to come out .

[D Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

short review to come....

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

No y quite as good as the others in the series. Full review to come

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way better than the others. Loved Lillian and Jacks chemistry.