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Pride #1

The Mane Event

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Shelly Laurenston turns up the heat with two sizzling novellas.

In "Christmas Pride":

How come all the good-looking ones are insane? That's what runs through NYPD cop Desiree "Dez" MacDermot's mind the minute she hooks up again with her childhood buddy, Mace Llewellyn. It isn't just the way he stares at her with those too-sexy gold eyes, as if he could devour her on the spot. Or the six-four, built-like-a-Navy-SEAL bod-o-death. It isn't even that he sniffs her neck and purrs, making her entire body tingle. It's more about that disconcerting, shifting-from-man-to-lion thing that unhinges her...and makes her want more.

Mace likes making Dez crazy. In fact, he likes her any way he can get her?in bed, on the desk, here, now, again. Together, they'd always been trouble, but Dez has no idea just how good trouble can feel.

In "Shaw's Tail":

Brendon Shaw, hotel owner and lion shifter, has seen better days. He's been beaten, had a gun to the back of his head, and had to be rescued by a Pack of shape-shifting wolves. He didn't think he'd survive the night, much less find the woman of his dreams. And he never thought the woman of his dreams would have a Tennessee accent and wear cowboy boots. Once he sets his sights on her, the predator in him is ready to pounce and never let go.

Ronnie Lee Reed is ready to change her life, and New York City is the place where any girl, even one who runs with a Pack, can redefine herself. First order of business: find a mate, settle down, and stop using men for sex. Even big, gorgeous, lion-shifting, oh-my-what-big-um-paws-you-have men. Then again...

392 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 25, 2007

948 people are currently reading
17645 people want to read

About the author

Shelly Laurenston

46 books7,933 followers
Originally from Long Island, New York, Shelly Laurenston has resigned herself to West Coast living which involves healthy food, mostly sunny days, and lots of guys not wearing shirts when they really should be. Shelly Laurenston is also The New York Times Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, creator of the Dragon Kin series. For more info on G.A. Aiken's dangerously and arrogantly sexy dragons, check out her website at www.gaaiken.com.

Pseudonym G.A. Aiken

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Profile Image for Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession.
1,223 reviews3,694 followers
August 11, 2024
4 Roaring Stars

*Spoilers*

 photo maine event_zps7ycef7tl.gif

The Mane Event is two stories in one so I will do two mini reviews, one for each story.

Christmas Pride

 photo macedez_zpsq9c4qg0i.jpg

“So, hoss. Have you actually told her you’re in love with her?” “She won’t let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.” “And you’re not concerned about that?” “There weren’t that many steps.”

Christmas Pride is Mace and Dez's story. Mace Llewellyn is a Lion Shifter and a Navy Seal. Desiree "Dez" MacDermot is human Cop. Mace and Dez were best friends when they were 14 years old. Then Dez and her family moved. Years later, Fresh out of the Navy, Mace decided He is going to hunt down Dez the girl he has been in love with since he was a teen and make her his! He doesn't want to be a pride breed male, he wants Just Dez. He doesn't have to look too hard, his first day home he finds her investigating the murder of one of the shifters in his pride. Mace is awesome. He is funny and sexy as hell. He knows what he wants and he goes for it. Tricky kitty that he is. Dez is just okay for me. She is very funny . Get her mad and she goes Bronx ghetto which I love because I can relate. I grew up in the ghetto of St. Louis and I go ghetto when I am mad too . Dez also drove me crazy the way she was pushing Mace away. Their story is very funny and they are hot together. The only thing I didn't like was just Dez's fear of commitment.

Few Quotes from Dez and Mace's story:

“I didn’t even do anything.” “You did ask her if she killed Petrov. I think your exact words were, ‘You whacked him, didn’t you? You sadistic bitch.’” “Sadistic heifer. And it was just a question.”


Smitty gazed at her. “You sure have some pretty eyes, darlin’.” Dez looked startled, then she beamed. “You are as bad as he is.” Mace realized in that second the two of them were having a “moment.” Well, that’s not acceptable. “Jesus, Dez. What’s that?” Dez, following where Mace pointed, turned to look behind her. While he had her temporarily distracted, he took his other hand, wrapped it around the back of Smitty’s neck, and slammed the man’s head into Dez’s desk. When she snapped back around, Mace watched her innocently, Smitty gripped his forehead, and Dez’s partner began to hysterically laugh. “What did you do?” Mace blinked. “Nothing.”


“When I get loose I’m gonna kick your gringo ass all ova this fuckin’ kitchen!”


Shaw's Tail

 photo ronnieshaw_zpsgfnc0dqn.jpg


“I’m relatively positive we’re not supposed to be doing this.” “Who says?” “The laws of nature and God.”
“Laws are made to be broken and God just wants us to be happy.” Fucking this woman would make him so damn happy. “Come on. Let’s go break some laws.”


Shaw's Tail picks up where Christmas Pride leaves off. It is Brendon Shaw and Ronnie Lee Reed's story. Shaw is a lion shifter. Ronnie Lee is a Wolf Shifter. Shaw is beat nearly to death at the end of Christmas Pride. The smith wolf pack, Mace, and dez save his life and take him to a shifter hospital. While being saved Ronnie lee Tells him that he will be ok and that he is safe. He falls for her right there. Ronnie Lee gets Lion sitting duty at the hospital while everyone else goes off for Christmas. While at the hospital Ronnie finds Some beat up humans with guns in shaw's room and she has to take him to her aunt's house to keep him safe. Shaw wants the sexy wolf shifter that stayed by his side while he healed. He wants her forever, but Ronnie so doesn't do long term, besides they are just too different. One a Lion one a wolf. I liked this story more than Christmas Pride. I love Shaw he is funny, sweet, and very hot. I like Ronnie Lee she is funny as hell, and a bit of a wild free spirit. They are flippin hilarious together and have some hot chemistry.

here are a few quotes from Shaw and Ronnie's story:

“You mean the right wolf?” She wanted to get the distinctions clear because she didn’t much like the expression on that gorgeous face. “Why limit yourself?” “Mostly because I don’t want funny-looking children.” Shaw rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you believe that breedist bullshit. Just because two different breeds mate doesn’t mean—” She had her wallet out and her pictures unfurled before he could even finish. “One summer we stayed with Sissy Mae’s cousins in North Carolina. Momma’s Smith Pack, daddy’s a black leopard. This is their daughter when shifted.” Ronnie handed Shaw the picture of her, Sissy Mae, and her cousin lounging around many years ago after the Fourth of July family hunt. Shaw jerked back. “Christ.” “Yeah. Exactly. Do you think that snaggle tooth is attractive?”



“Why? You ashamed of your new boyfriend?” “He’s not my boyfriend.” “I’m not?” Shocked, Ronnie turned to a pouting Shaw. “What?” “Oh my God! This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever tasted.” Ignoring Dez’s orgasmic reaction to their dessert, Ronnie leaned forward. “What are you talking about?” “I’m hurt. I got the marriage license for nothing.” “The marriage—Have you lost your mind?” “I already added you to my will. And, of course, our future snaggle-toothed children. All ten of them.”


Both stories are cute and funny I just wished there would have been more Paranormal world development. I just kept waiting to find out more about this shifter world but didn't feel like I got much as far as details go so it kinda made the book feel like something was missing to me. I did really enjoy this book and I will be reading the rest of the series.

http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
May 7, 2020
Note to self: stop doing this to yourself. RIGHT. NOW.

Why did I read this book? Because:

a) I am a masochist
b) I am a complete idiot
c) My last two grey cells got fried while reading Mermen
d) I am an unredeemable twit
e) My synapses are on permanent strike
f) I have finally lost it
g) I love reading Pieces of Crap (PoC™)
h) My dear friends use recommendations as a means of inflicting death by Crappy Book on me.
i) All of the above

Hint: the correct answer starts with "i"



You do not know what STUPIDITY is until you've read this book. In fact, this book is so STUPIDLY STUPID that it effectively managed to STUPIDLY shut me up. That's right, this STUPIDLY STUPID Piece of Crap (SSPoC™) is so STUPIDLY STUPID it left me STUPIDLY speechless. This must be the STUPIDEST STUPIDLY STUPID book I have read in my entire STUPIDLY STUPID life. And believe me, I have STUPIDLY read LOTS of STUPIDLY STUPID books. But this one really, REALLY takes the cake.



This ↑↑ in case you didn't quite grasp just how STUPIDLY STUPID this book is.

So what do we have here? Simplistic, boneheaded characters in a simplistic, boneheaded world (yes, I'm pretty sure there is such a thing). Think of it as a VERY cheap, VERY distasteful, VERY tacky Psy-Changeling wannabe. Without the cool Psy stuff. And the great world building. Wait. Why I am comparing this SSPoC™ with Psy-Changeling? I must be insane. Damn, this book really has affected my ability to think. All this book has in common with Psy-Changeling is the zoo setting. You know, cats lions, dogs wolves, and all that crap. And you know what? The STUPIDLY STUPID hairy Mane bunch on display here can go the STUPIDLY STUPID vicious hyena way, too. So. Much. Awesome.



You got that right, Spocky.

So. To summarize. Take nothing from Psy-Changeling, then throw in the subtle delicacy and delicate subtlety of Pack Challenge. Add a pinch of class, a touch of elegance, a hint of charm. And what do you get? A delightful little book that leaves you feeling delightfully satisfied and delightfully pleased.



And that's all you'll get from me. Because I won't waste another second of my STUPIDLY STUPID life talking about this SSPoC™. Now excuse me while I go and shoot myself in the head.



Private message to the dear friends who keep recommending I read Crappy Books: you will not succeed. YOU WILL NOT END ME.

Private message to Kate: you are evil, but I still love you. Well most of the time, anyway.

Private message to Evgeny: do not even consider making a comment about my reading choices. This is bad enough as it is.
Profile Image for Cece ❀Rants, Raves &Reviews❀.
306 reviews1,136 followers
September 17, 2025
Part 1:
Mace Llewellyn: the sexy motherfucking alpha lion *goddamnnnnn*

“So, hoss. Have you actually told her you’re in love with her?”
“She won’t let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.”
“And you’re not concerned about that?”
“There weren’t that many steps.”


description

He was charming. He was sweet. He was a sly motherfucker... who still remembers his old childhood partner in crime, Dez *swoon*

“The two of them together had always been trouble. The nuns always separating them in class, giving them detention, calling them evil incarnate and condemning them to the fiery pits of hell. Ya know…whatever.”

description

Mace is a lion shifter and navy seal *hot as fuuuuuck* and Dez is a human cop. This was an interesting dynamic as I cared more about the pack dynamics but the book focused more on Dez's

He is just a sexy cocky man with a total cat personality
“She kept turning him down. Didn’t she know? “Yes” to dinner today. “Yes” to marriage tomorrow. Dammit, he had a schedule to keep”

Dez is a dog person *god the irony i loved every moment of it* and she didn’t take any sass

“Only if you stop calling me darlin’.”
“Now where I come from that’s a term of endearment.”
“Really? Well, where I come from motherfucker is a term of endearment. Want me to start calling you that?”


Their story was funny and sexy as fuck. Their banter kept the book light hearted and had actual plot with the excellant smut

________________________
Part 2
Continues with the same world with new male: Brendon Shaw

Shaw is a lion shifter and after getting beat up goes into a loopy concussion and Ronnie the sexy wolf has to babysit his dumb ass:

“Once you get through this fever, you won’t even remember my name.”
“I’ll remember that ass, though.”
Lovely.”


description

I loved that Shaw was so funny, and sweet and again another sexy motherfucker. But what made this story better than the first was Roonie. She was such a wild spirit and they were just fucking hilarious together:

“Oh, look. The idiot of the jungle awakens.”
Brendon blinked, trying to focus on the demon woman talking to him”


Ronnie was relucant to come to turn with her feelings and have to leave her wild life behind her:

“Refusing to believe he heard her correctly, “What?”
“Europe. I’m going to Europe. See ya.”
Then the doors slammed shut in his face.”


descriptiondescription

In general I felt like the two had more chemistry that build between each other....

Plus Shaw was funny as fuck
“I’m okay,” he reassured her before he could say something stupid. Like “marry me.”

Overall I enjoyed this book as a whole, but definitely thought the second part was better. Shew and Ronnie just bad better chemistry, more plot-driven, and made me laugh more:

“Male business?”
“Yeah. Shit too stupid for a female to ever think about getting in the middle of.”
“Ahh.”
Profile Image for XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy.
1,563 reviews507 followers
June 7, 2016
The first story was good but got a bit long winded in the internalization. Dez was a strong heroine but at times it came off bitchy. Mace was a sexy lion that was all about his Dez. Aside from those minor issues, I found the story fun, funny, and sensual. The plot was ok and the writing was witty and flowed well. The second story was better, though I would like to understand how they were going to figure out the whole breeding thing. Ronnie was hilarious. Shaw was determined and focused on his little country bumpkin. Their role playing was the topping on the perfect dessert. It was interesting to read a reluctant Ronnie coming to terms with her feelings. All in all a good read. Safety: No OW/OM/Sharing for either but if I'm not wrong, both have children with OW, though it could be just Shaw. No rape. Yes to abuse (the women get into fights). Yes to pushing away.
Profile Image for Heather K (dentist in my spare time).
4,108 reviews6,671 followers
September 19, 2013
I'm giving this book 3 stars but it is barely 3 stars. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did, I think. Many of my friends rave about this book and I love a good shifter story, but this one felt a little stale to me.

I think part of my issue is that I read a LOT of paranormals. I love a great paranormal romance. However, here I felt like the plot took a backseat to the sex and I wanted more... excitement, energy, something. I found this book to be a bit boring, which was disappointing.

Overall, I found it to be enjoyable but not memorable. I wouldn't be surprised if I forgot all about it in a week.
Profile Image for Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW).
522 reviews824 followers
October 29, 2015
4 stars for Christmas Pride and a another four for Shaw's Tail !

This book?


HILARIOUS ! Will defiantly need a while to get over this read.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND for all PR fans who love their read,fun-fluffy with great secondary characters and a spoonfuls of melting hot animal sex ;)

Perfect read for the holidays right around the corner :)
Profile Image for Natalie  ~ The Biblioholic.
2,713 reviews1,419 followers
November 11, 2020
The first novella was about Mace and Dez and while I adored Mace... like seriously loved this dude... I didn't love Dez.

Christmas Pride was a hilarious story about two people who crushed hard on each other when they were kids, went off to live their lives, and reconnected 20 years later. When they meet again, no one could deny the sparks that flew, but Dez was desperate to try. She wasn't willing to feel anything and hurt Mace in many ways, but he was a determined male. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his days with her and that he just needed her to stop standing in their way. Their story was hot and hostile and I enjoyed it tremendously.

Shaw's Tail was also funny (probably more amusing than the first) and it was about Brendon Shaw and Ronnie Lee Reed. He's a lion shifter, she's a wolf shifter, and they should never happen. But they happen anyway and it was HOT!! Shaw was critically injured in the last book by some rogue lions and Ronnie was tasked with seeing him through his fever (those scenes had me rolling). He was attracted to her, she to him, and when he was healed, nothing and no one was going to stop him from finding and being with her.

I've read books under this author's pseudonym, G.A. Aiken, and loved everything I touched. After reading this, I'm a huge fan of both names and have added her to my must-read list. I'm definitely going to be making my way through her backlist!

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Profile Image for Nadia.
580 reviews201 followers
October 30, 2014
This may be the most vulgar review I've ever written.

Sometimes I can be very slow in catching up with things. In Bosnian we have an expression for people like that: water heater. Cuz you know, it takes a while for the water to heats.
Anyway, I read the blurb for The Mane Event, I got the book, I started reading it, all the while thinking it's only one book, about Mace and Dez. And then somewhere around the middle, all of a sudden, there's again Chapter 1 , new characters and I'm like wtf happened? Is something wrong with my copy? Did I accidentally opened one of those books sitting on my reader, collecting virtual dust on their virtual shelves?

As it turns out, the first book of the Pride series actually consists of two novellas. Now imagine my happines when I found out I wouldn't have to read about Mace and Dez anymore. And then imagine my embarrassment when I realized it said so all along on the blurb.

Happiness prevailed.

I can handle sex in books, but when the only thing that happens in a book is characters having sex, over and over and over again, I get bored. So much sex in a book kills the joy of those two (or as many you please) characters finally getting over themselves and just getting together.
I get it, Mace's a shapeshifter (a werelion no less), he's got a supernatural peen with supernatural stamina and all that, but I swear that thing never goes down. It's hard from the first paragraph on. Once Dez and Mace started fucking, that was all they did. After like the fifth sex scene (it stands that I don't have to say that one sex scene means they have sex like five times), Mace's dick got hard again and I thought, oh god, not again! And then there was a short break in fucking, when the protagonist of the next novella was introduced, after which they went home, celebrated Christmas with their families and then proceed to have sex on the front porch, while the families are still inside. If this wasn't the end, I would've DNFed this so hard, you might've mistaken it for Mace's dick.

The next story was better, had sexy stuff in it, but the MCs still did things other than each other.

I didn't like the characters. Mace was too intense, with his roaring and growling and constantly raging erection and honestly, he was scary. I liked that Dez wouldn't give an inch and she didn't allow to be pushed around by Mace or anyone. Her fear of commitment was understandable, but wears off after her third panic attack because Mace opened his mouth about staying together. Brendon was pushy and too controlling for my tastes, while Ronnie was outright annoying. Where Dez's fear of commitment was reasonable, Ronnie's made no sense. She wanted to settle down, but anytime Bren mentioned it, she panicked. Would you make up your fucking mind already?! It didn't help that they were in love after four friggin days.
Sissy Mae needs a bitch slap, pronto, and I simply don't give a flying fuck about Smitty.

But where characterization and plot failed, humor picked up. I have to admit this book made me lol so many times, I got weird looks from everyone around me. Some of these jokes and comebacks were plain silly, I just had to laugh. Plus, there was this awesome kissing scene (which was in my opinion better than any of the sex scenes) that had me wishing for a hunk of my own, who I can kiss stupid.

These novellas are easy to read and they're funny, but they are repetitive. If you want to read them, I suggest skipping the first one and starting with the second, because it's much better. It goes without saying though, Curran is still my favorite werelion. ;)
Profile Image for Ren Puspita.
1,471 reviews1,015 followers
April 25, 2012
I love Shelly Laurenston's book :)

Her first series "Magnus Pack" get me hooked to her books, and I decided to read her "Pride" series after I finish Magnus Pack.Even the world setting in Pride and Magnus Pack series are the same, no need to read Magnus Pack first :)

The Mane Event have 2 stories, Christmas Pride and Shaw's Tail. Here the story :

Christmas Pride

The story is about Mason "Mace" Llewellyn, who just end his military career at NAVY. He met his childhood friend, Desiree "Dez" MacDermot, half Puerto Rican half Irish and a police detective. Mace decided to join NAVY because he doesn't want to be a "Breeding Male" for Llewellyn Pride that led by his older sister, Missy. Oh I forgot, Mace is lion shapeshifter, but Dez doesn't know about this, even finally she know it. Dez herself is busy, she investigate about murder case. The victim is one of Missy's Breeding Male. While investigate, Dez must accept her feeling to Mace, because Mace never give up to her, since he loves her from 22 years ago, and he don't care if Dez just a human. He want her as his mate and for eternity...

Shaw's Tail

This story followed after the ending of Christmas Pride. Brendon Shaw is one of Breeding Males of Llewellyn Pride (not like Mace that run from his responsibility, Shaw accept it). At Christmas Pride,Shaw is beaten 'til he almost death by people who kill Missy's people, but Dez save him. He have a fever and Smith Pack, a wolf shifter pack, and close alliance to Mace, take care of him, and order one of their member, Rhonda Lee to watch him. Shaw fallin in love so hard with Rhonda Lee or Ronnie, but Ronnie is a WOLF. Wolf and Feline shape shifter, like dog and cat, they always snapped each other. Worse, Shaw is Breeding Male, and he supposed not to mate to wolf. So, how Ronnie and Shaw face their problem, since there are huge difference between them?

I give 4 stars for Christmas Pride and 4 1/2 stars for Shaw's Tail . Shaw's Tail have better story from Christmas Pride, but I enjoy both story. In this book, we introduce to shifter world in Shelly Laurenston's book.. There 3 prime shifter in the world :

- Wolf Shifter :



They can shift to wolf of course. Their group called Pack and they never alone, always help each other, and protect everyone backs. Their leader call Alpha. There are Alpha Male and Alpha Female. Wolf mate for life, so they just have one mate for their entire life. Never called wolf shifter as "dog". It insulted them! And they love yoghurt.

BTW, don't mix them with werewolf, they're different!!



- Feline Shifter :



This group include Tiger, Lion, Leopard, any other feline species. For The Mane Event, there are just Lion shape shifter. They called Pride. The system in the Pride is matriarchal , so the leader of Pride is female. The Pride have Male Breeding, think sperm donor after all. Lion shapeshifter, and another feline shifter, like cat, no one mate for eternity. But there always special case like Nik Viroslav from Here Kitty, Kitty!, Mace who mated to Dez and Shaw who mated to Ronnie. Even Ronnie is a wolf, and Shaw himself already have children. They like purring, like a cat do. And their hair like mane, so it useless to shave it like Mace do, because the hair always growing fast

- Hyena Shifter :



Must be the most cruel shapeshifter. They're an archenemy of Lion Shifter and other feline shifter, but it seems wolf shifter hate them too. Their group called Clan, the system is matriarchal, like Lion Pride. They're already cruel even when they still a baby. BTW, they're look cute, but sometimes appearance can deceive us...

The world building in Pride series is fantastic, and Shelly Laurenston describe each shifter with their animal personalities and ability.
The story more contemporary and thriller suspense than paranormal, because there no magic involved or people that want to conquer world :P
It's so simple,just how two people, man and woman try to accept each other, with the woman so stubborn and the man relentless. Add humor to them and you get a good read until the end :)

The next story is about Bobby Rae Smith, or Smitty. A friend of Mace, and Alpha Male of Smith Pack. Can't wait to read about this womanizer after all ;)
Profile Image for Aly is so frigging bored.
1,701 reviews266 followers
December 28, 2018
2nd read: March 2014
Buddy read with Jo


1st Read: November 2012
SL writes the best books that have humor! I swear she is amazing! I don.t even get annoyed by the swearing(as i usually am with other stories). This woman is a goddess!

Buddy read with Maru

quotes:
“So, hoss. Have you actually told her you’re in love with her?”

“She won’t let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.”

“And you’re not concerned about that?”

“There weren’t that many steps.”
..........
“Brendon Shaw, you do not know how to share.”

Brendon looked up from the glass of cold milk he’d just dunked his Oreo cookie into. “Hello? Male lion. Duh.”
...............
20 reviews
April 4, 2012
I know I see other people's reviews all the time saying they expected to like a book based on its reviews, then were horribly disappointed. But honestly, that hardly ever happens to me. I can usually get a pretty good idea before I pick a book up. But this one? Wow. I wasn't just thinking "oh maybe I'll check it out and see". I thought I'd really enjoy it. So very wrong. The writing is pure formula - including the supposedly hot sex. Internal dialog of the main characters are absurdly simple-minded, and the interactions are not even remotely emotionally believable. You can sort of hear the author thinking "OK, this is going to be a scene with an argument", rather than the conflict flowing naturally out of what leads into it. Then it gets resolved the same way. And the world building just kind of lies around like a cold fish. Who cares? It's also rare that I put a book down without finishing, but with over 100 better choices on my to-be-read list, it's so time to move on. Maybe her dragons will be better - sure hope so.

Profile Image for Chan.
793 reviews51 followers
April 12, 2021
I’m still a newbie to the shifter world and have been slowly easing my way in. IMO, this is a good starter book for those interested in breaching paranormal romance.

This is two books in one (Dez and Mace; Ronnie ad Brendon). Both stories are meant to be taken in a lighthearted way, although Dez and Mace’s story has an interesting suspense element. They were funny, but when I began the book, I felt like I was starting in the middle of something. Like this was part of a bigger series, but it is labeled as book 1.

I enjoyed both stories and the paranormal aspect. For hardcore shifter readers, this would not be a good book for you, as the paranormal portion of the stories do not make many appearances. They are talked about throughout the book, but there aren’t many shifting sections.
Profile Image for Milla .
648 reviews403 followers
Read
September 1, 2021
I am the DNF queen.

Honestly I had an inkling that I wasn't going to like this book even before I started. But I had originally seen book 4 in this series and was interested in reading that but thought, hey y'know what, let's do something novel and crazy and start at the beginning!

Stupid.

This book... It feels like an even worse version of Suzanne Wright's millions of shifters series. I don't care which books came first because this one stands as bad on it's own regardless.

Let me try to actually put into words what was wrong here for me.

Y'know those books where the author doesn't know how to create tension, or even write high emotions, so they just end up having all the characters shouting all the time? That's what happened here from the first page. Everything seemed so frantic and urgent no matter the setting or subject matter. Where's the nice pacing and calm story telling? I felt like I was being shouted at at x3 speed lmao.

And that's not to say all books need to be calmly told, not at all. The best reads are the ones that grip you and have you feeling all sorts of intense emotions as the characters go through them. However! There need to be peaks and valley's people. If you keep a book at a 10 the entire time, it's exhausting. The pacing was a mess, people's reactions to both big and little things were so frantic and over-blown I could only read a few pages at a time before I got exhausted.

And the switching POV's, good lord. I love a dual POV, I really do, but do I need them to switch at minimum 10 times per chapter? No ma'am.

I am tired.

Profile Image for Mariana.
109 reviews34 followers
October 31, 2013
I wish shifters existed. I really really want a were-lion for myself.

description

Mace & Dez
description

“Didn’t she know? “Yes” to dinner today. “Yes” to marriage tomorrow. Dammit, he had a schedule to keep.“


“So, hoss. Have you actually told her you’re in love with her?”

“She won’t let me. When I tried, she threw me down a flight of stairs.”



Brendon & Ronnie
description

“Oh, look. The idiot of the jungle awakens.”

“Jealousy over some big, dumb bear flew out the window as he stared at Ronnie. “You…you were banned from Norway? The country?”

This book is full of crazy.

description

But it's the best possible crazy there is! :D

description

I don't even know what to say. I had so much fun and laughed like crazy all the time. Looking forward to the next books in this series!!!
Profile Image for *The Angry Reader*.
1,521 reviews341 followers
March 10, 2018
Sassy, class and totally bad-assy. I loved this dang book. Rhonda Lee, a commitment-phobe She-Wolf from the dirty south, meets gorgeous Brendon Shaw - Lion rich boy.

It was a little sex-heavy. But otherwise total perfection. No slut-shaming. No virgins. No dewy-Eyed ingenues. And I got to meet the characters sprinkled throughout the wonderful badger book. Loving me some Shelly Laurenston.

Profile Image for Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog).
1,746 reviews564 followers
November 16, 2016
This has two novellas in it:

Christmas Pride - 5 Stars

I loved this both characters made me laugh out loud, and it made a pleasent change for the male to be crazy in love with the female first. As with all her books, this has Shelly Laurenston's psychotic and slightly violent sense of humour, which I love. There were also plenty of hot scenes that makes you wih you could get a hot Lion shifter of your own! : D

Shaw's Tail - 5 Stars

Another great story, I love watching an alpha male go all crazy about his female!
Profile Image for Jammin Jenny.
1,534 reviews218 followers
April 22, 2020
I really enjoyed this paranormal shifter erotica romance book. I found the characters really funny, and endearing, so I look forward to reading more in this series. I like the shifters too because there were lion shifters and wolf shifters which was pretty cool to have a variety.
Profile Image for Angela (Angel's Book Nook).
1,672 reviews972 followers
May 5, 2020
- 4 Mane Event Stars -

The Mane Event is book one in the Pride series by Shelly Laurenston. I love Ms. Laurenston’s work. She has a way with writing fabulously fun characters and the humor is over the top. What I like best is that the shifters and world are very different from a lot of the shifter books I’ve picked up and read, in that they seam more like animals, but without losing their humanity. In The Mane Event we get two story’s in this book Christmas Pride and Shaw’s Tail .

Christmas Pride

The first story is Christmas Pride about Mace Llewllyn who is a lion shifter and former Navy SEALs and Desireee “Dez” MacDermont who is an NYPD cop from the Bronx. During a murder investigation Dez runs back into her former best friend Mace.

The author has created an interesting world with Prides, Packs and more. Many things are like the wild animal world, but in a different way. Mace wants nothing to do with Pride life and everything to do with his dream girl. I loved this story. Mace is sexy as hell and Dez is no pushover. She takes everything in stride and the banter between all the characters is fantastically great. The couples are older and have life experiences, which I enjoy.

Shaw’s Tail

In the second story, Shaw’s Tail , we have Brendon Shaw another lion male, but he has been a breeding male and Ronnie Lee Reed a wolf shifter and wild child with severe commitment phobia’s. Brendon goes looking for his brother and ended up getting beat up, when Dez and the wolves come to the rescue he is caught by a sent he can't let go.

Brendon is a sexy lion with a face that makes women swoon. Once he gets a whiff of Ronnie he has no plans on letting her get away. As for Ronnie well she can’t seam to keep her mind off a silly male lion and may have just found the one thing she did not expect. I enjoyed this story. Like before we get a great cast of character, older couple, and a verity of shifters. The banter between everyone is great along with the friendships being built.

If you have not picked up a Shelly Laurenston’s book. I highly recommend you do. She is one of my go to authors and I love reading her books over and over again.

Audio May 2018: I had fun and enjoyed The Mane Event, but had I listen to this first book; before reading, I may not have continued on with the series. Why? I had forgot how much foul language, dirty talk, and how quick these two stories are. I wish they where longer to give the couples in these two stories more time with each other. This reminds me though that the stories after this first book are different. They have more depth and development. I'm glad that the books after this one focus on just one main couple and they have more time together.

Narration: My main issue was with the male voices that narrator Charlotte Kane does. They just didn't feel male enough for my liking, but the longer I listen the more I got use to it. I'm still a fan of the Pride series and will be continue with the audio books for my re-read/listen for the first time. If you don't care for dirty talk, snarky characters, and strong language then this series may not be for you, but Ms. Laurenston has a way of making all of this work in a fun and humors way.

Audio May 2020: A little better this time. The voices on the males didn't bother me. I'm glad that after this one each book focuses on one main couple. Fun series!

angelsgp-seethisreview-blure
Profile Image for Pepito .
644 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2011
Book 1
4 Stars

Wow, I still can't believe how good this book was, not paranormal romance but more erotica, but still I really liked it because the paranormal aspect was incredibly well developed. This story had an amazing plot and a great enemy, which I never realized who it was until the end. We get to know some amazing characters with great personalities, so be ready because once you read the first book you WILL need to read the rest.

In this story we get to read about Desiree MacDermot and Mace Llewellyn. Des is a Bronx girl who had the biggest crush on the weirdest cute boy on her biology class as a teenager. 20 years later she gets to see him again, but boy was Mace different. He no longer was weird (in a sweet way) and skinny but the boy she had loved as her best friend became one of the sexiest things she had ever seen in her life. As a police officer, after a very bad divorce, Des was pretty sure her love life was kinda over. Well, Mace didn't have the same way of seeing things.
Mace, son of one of the richest family in the city decided that kind of life wasn't for him and decided to join the army becoming SEAL. Once he comes back to the city, he has no intention of coming back to the family business but to claim his mate, this cute little girl who was his best friend as a kid. But now she wasn't young anymore, she was everything he wanted and he was going to get her no matter what. Oh, I forgot a very important detail, Des's family was not only one of the most important families in the city but the most important in the Lion Pride as well. You guys will get to read about some very interesting fights between Lions, Hyenas and wolves.

I just wanna say that apart for the ACRO series I haven't read a series worth to recommend in this genre. I'm glad I found another one.


Book 2
5 Stars

OMG, this story was even better than the first, who would have thought that was possible? I didn't, that's for sure. I really didn't like this genre much until today. I though the only good series in it was ACRO, but I am damn happy to prove myself wrong. I am never ashame to admit when I am wrong, so this is one of those times, I was totally wrong and this genre is so worth it,LOL.

This story is about Ronnie Lee Reed and Brendon Shaw. Bren was a Lion shifter who got rescued by the wolf pack in the first story. I must admit I thought I would not care for his story at all but this author makes me wanna keep reading and reading. I have become greedy,LOL.
Ronnie is Sissy Mae Smith's best friend, so in this story we get to know the wolf pack much better, which was great because they are really interesting to get to know. This story was so funny I just had to stop reading because I was almost crying for laughing so hard so many times, one right after the next. Seriously this author has one of the best sense of humor I had the privilege to read and I really recommend her. Ronnie and Sissy are crazy, but the type of to-laugh-non-stop crazy. I loved them both. This 2 friends had an amazing life and in this story we get to read a lot about this 2. Also Ronnie and Bren made an amazing couple. They were so perfect for each other.

Sigh, I just loved this story. Can't wait to read the next.
Profile Image for Leila.
411 reviews80 followers
April 19, 2019
3-3.5 roaring stars

The Mane Event is two novellas that introduce us to the animal shifter world that SL has created with lions, wolves, hyenas, cheetahs, bears and many more from the animal kingdom.

I never thought that I’d use the words ‘humorous’ and ‘paranormal romance’ together in the same sentence, but here I am, doing just that! Both these novella’s were hilarious, light hearted and sexy. If you are expecting the drama of Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling Series then you can just move right along.

I loved that SL didn’t take herself too seriously and created some strong and snarky characters. The witty banter was so great!

I wish that there had been more times where the MCs actually shifted into their animal forms. I did love all the purring, roaring, marking and biting.

In Christmas Pride Mace is one swoon-worthy alpha male lion. Dez is a kick-ass human cop who can definitely take care of herself. There was a plenty of humour, laugh-out-loud moments and hot scenes to keep you warm at night. ;)

In Shaw’s Tale we have another alpha male lion, Brendan, who was rescued by a wolf pack and Ronnie, a beta she-wolf, who stayed by his side while he healed. Again, both strong characters that continue to try and gain the upper hand in the relationship. I love that these female characters can take care of themselves and then some.

I’m not generally a fan of novellas, but I was highly entertained and amused by both of these. I will definitely see where SL takes us through the Pride Series.
Profile Image for Luana ☆.
726 reviews157 followers
November 28, 2021
This was my first book from this author and I loved her writing style. It was great. What I found super weird was the fact that this book is about 2 couples. The first half about one and the second half about another. I thought at first that my book was at fault but no, it was just weird to find another story in the same story.

Ps: this author knows how to write hot scenes. Like suuuuuuper hot scenes.
Profile Image for Melisa Ramonda.
Author 21 books378 followers
January 22, 2015
Terminé la primera historia y no lo voy a continuar. Me enfada mucho. Había leído otro libro sobre shifters dragones de esta autora (el primero de la serie dragonkin o algo así) y no me gustó un choto, básicamente por lo mismo que no me gusta esto. Cuando vi las excelentes calificaciones que tenía esta serie pensé que sería distinto (por eso de que a veces los autores usan seudónimos cuando quieren incursionar en otros géneros y no saben si serán bien recibidos por los fans si usan su nombre "famoso") y me sentí muy tirada para abajo.

ADVERTENCIA: ESTE REVIEW CONTIENE SPOILERS. Y lenguaje poco digno de una dama.

Razones técnicas para el puntaje:

-Trama: Empiezan investigando un asesinato y enseguida se olvidan, porque tienen que follar.
-Romance: No hay. Sólo unas increíbles ganas de follar mal identificadas como "amor".
-Universo: No hay ninguna explicación acerca de lo que son los shifters, ni mágica ni científica (no pido veracidad médica, sólo pido lo mínimo con qué alimentar a la credibilidad y la imaginación, no creo que sea tan difícil, aunque me digas que existen por magia), por lo que podríamos sustituir la palabra "león" por alien, dinosaurio o motocicleta y eso no alteraría en nada ni a los personajes ni a nada de lo que pasa.
-Ipso facto: no hay construcción ni desarrollo del universo.
-Personajes: son como te los presentan en sus primeras escenas y no cambian, ni para bien ni para mal.
-Diálogos: entre lo infantil y lo absurdo, porque no me creo que una pareja enamorada hable así.

Razones personales que me mosquean mucho:
-Por ahí dice que hay humor. Yo no me reí, no me hace gracia un tipo que cuando le decís "no" se mete en tu casa y te persigue hasta que le digas que sí, sobre todo si lo que quiere es "tu permiso" para follar.
-Todos son SEALs o Marines. ¿Por qué todos tienen que ser SEALs o Marines? En serio, en el 90% de las novelas de este corte (romántica de shifters) los shifters siempre son o de la marina o del ejército y son todos unos súper machotes, porque se ve que no hay nada más badass que los Navy SEALs. ¿Alguien escuchó hablar hacer fierros en un gimnasio, como excusa/alternativa para tener un fisicazo? No, qué va.
-Todos los shifters actúan a la qué me importa. No parece preocuparle a nadie el que puedan ser descubiertos por los humanos en un momento de debilidad o de descontrol. Y me refiero al momentazo épico en que Mace le ruge violentamente en la cara al grupo que cantaba villancicos en la puerta de la casa de Dez.
-Dez (la prota), está relativamente bien. Tiene una piscina en las partes íntimas como cualquier mujer normal xD
-En la escena que debió ser súper especial porque él le mostraba a Dez su naturaleza de león y eso debería haber despertado incertidumbres, preocupaciones y quizá hasta miedo en la muchacha (además de que la descripción fue muy floja), ella lo acepta como si fuera lo más normal del mundo y decide que tienen que seguir con lo que estaban haciendo, o sea, follar. Nunca se cuestiona nada acerca de él o su familia, o de lo que es realmente ser un shifter, nada. Vamos, como si él le hubiera mostrado que podía doblarse el pulgar para atrás y nada más.
-Mace es un pelotudo. Nada más que añadir. Que sea un gato y los gatos tengan su temperamento no quiere decir que él tenga que ser un pelotudo, a menos que eso lo haya sacado de los SEALs. El modelo de hombre "no acepto un no por respuesta" y "me quedo hasta que digas lo que quiero escuchar" no es sexy: es hartante. Insisto, que sea rico y esté como un tren no es justificativo para perdonarle a ningún tío el comportamiento cavernícola, me empieza a mosquear cada vez más este tipo de "concesiones" que se hacen en la literatura romántica.
-Hacen una breve (mínima, totalmente olvidable) mención a que los leones descienden de un clan druídico. Y eso es todo. Si fueran lobos, lo entendería... pero, ¿leones?
-El final es apresurado, como si la autora de repente se hubiera acordado que tenía que resolver algo que quedó colgado de las primeras páginas. O el editor le dijo "che, te olvidaste de que habían matado a tal, ¿qué pasó con eso?" PLOTHOLES, PLOTHOLES EVERYWHERE.

En fin, voy a saltar al 5to o 9no libro de esta serie para ver si con el tiempo mejora, pero si no me engancha en las primeras 50 páginas o no demuestra evolución, a la mierda.

Perdonen el lenguaje, es que me enoja mucho cuando veo la leyenda "NYT Best-seller" encima de algo como esto.

CONSEJO: Romance paranormal con buena trama (y buen romance, sin exceso de sexo sin sentido)? Elijan cualquiera de Ilona Andrews o Patricia Briggs. Seriously.
Profile Image for Sandra.
4,121 reviews13 followers
September 3, 2013
Christmas Pride - 2.5 stars The reason I chose to read this was because I had just finished Go Fetch!, Book 2 in the Magnus Pack series that takes place in the same world, and I wanted to keep going but felt like mixing it up. Reading them back to back I noticed a trend in Ms. Laurenston's writing. The first third of the book is set up, character development, a lot of fun banter and sexual tension. Good stuff. The last two thirds (minus a chapter or two)... are sex. Sex on the bed. Sex on the stairs. Oral sex. Sex in the Dining room. Go get coffee. Oral sex again. Fingering. More sex. Sex again. Coffee. More sex. You get the idea, anything can get tedious after a while. I love erotica but I want my sex evenly dispersed throughout the book. I did notice this in Go Fetch! but it wasn't as excessive. So, point being, after non-stop sex for a week we get a 20 minute climax of all the 'mystery' plot that was brought up way back at the beginning. Then I only have one chapter of wrap up left but I had to force myself to finish because unfortunately, I was kind of over it at that point. I'll take a break before Shaw's Tail and hopefully won't have the same problem.

Also, secondary complaint; I don't like that the wolf pack is great but the Lion's and Hyena's are horrible. Yes, in nature, the female's run the Pride and the male's just come by to impregnate them, but the males will also attack the babies sometimes, so not everything has to be accurate. I'm sure wolf packs do some shitty things too. So anyway I wish they would make the lion females and hyenas a little more human instead of psychotic raging bitches.

Oh, speaking of psychotic raging bitches, I thought of a third pet peeve. What the fuck was with Dez's sisters. I know they were going for that whole 'families fight' thing, but if that were my family I wouldn't want to fucking hang out with them either. The secondary female characters in this book were horrid!

Shaw's Tail
Profile Image for ᴥ Irena ᴥ.
1,654 reviews242 followers
November 29, 2018
Two stories in one. You'll like The Mane Event if you don't take anything seriously and you don't expect too much. Well, unless you expect lots of sex or characters who can't control themselves around the person they're interested in. Then, you won't be disappointed. And considering how everyone behaves here, I got exactly what I expected. Nothing more, nothing less, so you could say I wasn't disappointed.

Christmas Pride
As with the first story I've read from this series (Like a Wolf With a Bone from Howl for It), the suspense part is only there in the background.
Shaw's Tale
Well, there's a first for everything. Ronnie is one of those female characters who hits first, then talks, but I loved her. The first thing she does when feverish (from an attack) Shaw starts acting all crazy in the hospital is she hits him with her book.

Both stories are entertaining. I liked the rest of the cast too, so I won't mind reading about them.
Profile Image for Vered.
125 reviews19 followers
April 10, 2010
3 good stars, not the I don’t know how to rate it 3 stars. Because it was a fun book. Funny, sexy fluff with lots and lots of fun sex and lovable characters. Books of this genre are in danger of trying too much. Consequently lose the genuineness that is so important in order to enjoy the book without it giving you heartburn. To me, Shelly Laurenston found the right amount and I was left feeling quite delighted.

Profile Image for Tessa.
513 reviews41 followers
April 30, 2017
Alright, I have this as a box set. I just hate using box sets in GR unless it's a serial.

I've been wanting to read this for a while. It's one that keeps being mentioned with other PNR books I like. I'm glad I got it. Very old school feel and was a bunch of fun love. Mase is an utter brat. :) Dez is a good, strong heroine. Honestly, it was cute and fun, exactly what I was hoping for.

Only complaint is the "mystery". *sighs* It just wasn't done well. I knew who did it as soon as the person was mentioned. However, I didn't choose this for the mystery. I chose it for the PNR fun.

4 light hearted stars
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