A Griffin for Christmas

Shifters for Christmas #1

by Zoe Chant

A curvy animal rescue worker who hates the holiday season...
A hot shifter cop who never takes a day off...
Together, can they overcome the danger that threatens their merry Christmas?

Emilia Lopez has hated the holiday season ever since she got her heart broken on Christmas Eve. Now, she relies only on herself as she cares for the rescue dogs she’s taken in. There’s no room in her busy life for anyone else – until the hottest guy she’s ever seen crashes through her shed roof in the middle of a snowstorm.

As an agent of the elite Shifter Patrol Corps, griffin shifter Rowan Stanton doesn’t take days off. How can he, when there are shifter criminals to bring to justice? But in hot pursuit of his latest foe, a raging snowstorm and an unfortunate encounter with a roof send him tumbling into the arms of the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen... who just happens to be his fated mate.

Sizzling attraction flares into white-hot romance – but with a dangerous criminal closing in, how can Rowan protect the stubbornly independent Emilia? He might have destroyed her shed, but can he break down the walls she’s built around her heart?

Combining romance, action, and plenty of Christmas cheer, A Griffin for Christmas will delight fans of TS Joyce, Terry Bolryder, and Harmony Raines. No cliffhangers! Pick up this steamy, interracial paranormal romance today!

Genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Christmas, Shapeshifters, Paranormal, Holiday, Fantasy

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2018

About the author

Zoe Chant loves writing paranormal romance. Over a cup of tea (or something stronger) she whips up sexy tales of hunky heroes and adventurous heroines to tantalize and satisfy her readers. Sizzling hot romance, no cliffhangers!

While series should ideally be read in order, all of Zoe’s books are standalones and can be read in any order. This includes books within series.

To get a free book for subscribing to her mailing list, please follow this link: https://www.zoechant.com/join-my-mail...

Zoe's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/32545...

Reviews

[Kirsten Ensman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to be skilleted

My favorite line is prepare to be skilled! Too funny, why on earth would anyone go into a fight with beasts armed with only a cast iron skillet? I loved Max he was such a great dog. Too funny how many animals she had and why on earth do you keep rabbits in a house and not a barn is beyond me. After leaving all of those dogs alone in the house and never letting the out to go potty. I'm thinking that house smells really bad. Yeah I know it's a technical non fact in a book but it came to my mind. I enjoyed the story. Love the presence of all the fun shifters who finally came to the rescue. I would have loved for them to have shown up sooner because who doesn't want to see a harpey, pegasus and the others surprise the bad guys. Well I thought that would have made the book more fun is all. Looking forward to reading more about them maybe? Definitely worth reading. A little fun and adventure and scarey fight and of course some love thrown in to make a good read.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was so much fun. There’s nothing in the least realistic about this story, but I think in a lot of ways that’s what made my enjoyment of it. I’ve read more than enough fantasy, so I can get on board with fated mates. I love romantic suspense. And while there isn’t a lot of suspense in this book, there’s an element of danger that gives the romance a bit of an edge. Normally, heroines who throw their mere mortal selves into danger leave me foaming at the mouth, but Emilia is pretty smart and careful about the chances she takes. I wasn’t getting “too stupid to live” vibes off of her. Rowan on the other hand comes surprisingly close to that description. And I do have to agree with another reviewer who pointed out just how bad at their jobs the evil henchmen were. I think I may be falling in love with this world, and I’m looking forward to reading more in it.

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

When griffin shifter cop Rowan Stanton tries to fly in a storm, he gets downed by the wind, and ends up in the shed of animal rescuer Emilia Lopez. Sparks fly between the two of them, but can their burgeoning relationship survive when she finds out he can change into a mythological creature?

Like most of Zoe Chant's books, this is a fun romantic suspense with supernatural elements. The 'fated mates' trope makes their instalove actually make sense, and I like how Emilia uses her dogs' responses to Rowan as a judge of his character. The romance plot line and the suspense plot line are fairly well balanced (even though the bad guy has suspiciously incompetent henchmen). This is a fun holiday read.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christmas

Love this author. This is a quick read that has a sweet story. Looking forward to the next in the series.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 Unicorns - I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I received a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I buy all of Zoe Chant’s books because I love her HEAs and her style of writing! Of course, I bought this one too!

The cover is sweet and sexy all at once!

I’m wondering if this will be another series, but it isn’t marked as one yet. This is for adults only due to the steamy content.

Zoe Chant always does an amazing job finding a mix that has the perfect combination of action, mystery, and romance with her shifter books. Her variety of shifters makes everything even more awesome!

In this book, we have a griffin who finds his mate when he crashes into her shed. He is a special cop, and she rescues animals. They are a match made in shifter heaven. They have an unplanned adventure that makes for an awesome read. I can’t wait to meet more of his team in the future or at least I hope we will!

I highly recommend any of Zoe’s books to any shifter fans who loves mates and HEA books!

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed!

I'm a fan of Zoe Chant, yet I only made it halfway through this book. Some of you do this, I'm sure, I'm a person who yells TV and books when they piss me off! Well, I yelled at this book too many times and gave up. I dislike inconsistency, and there's quite a bit here. How can you have a huge wing span yet take off from the floor of a forest with close trees and foliage? Now, I've sprained my ankle several times, quite badly. Yes, it swelled immediately, and took an air cast, ice, crutches, pain meds, and WEEKS to heal. Yet I'm supposed to ignore the severe sprain that she gets up and walks on the next day?

I'll stop here. You got the idea, right? Maybe you'll enjoy it more. I hope so.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, shifter romance read! Right away, I liked the unexpected circumstances that brought Rowan and Emilia together at just the right time. Though both are dedicated to their jobs, the instant attraction can’t be dissuaded and soon the two find themselves conflicted.

Rowan is adamant about recapturing an escaped criminal. As much as he rejoices in finding his fated mate he doesn’t know how to tell her about himself and his world or if his life would put her in danger. Emilia is not feeling the Christmas spirit and wants nothing to do with love so she can focus on finding animals a loving forever home. But she can’t deny how much Rowan seemingly fits in her life.

These were not the best criminals as I’m pretty sure a few Criminal 101 rules were broken in a ridiculous but amusing way. But I liked how level-headed and helpful Emilia was when danger came calling and the suspense still made the story enjoyable.

I loved that Emilia rescues all kinds of animals and that her home is filled with them (goals!). It was so cute how taken with Rowan her fur babies were. I loved Rowan’s backstory of what led him to become a Shifter Patrol Corps member. It rounded out his character and made me love him even more. And I really loved the scenes where Rowan and Emilia were getting to know each other, especially since Rowan doesn’t know much about human customs like Christmas.

Short and enjoyable, A Griffin for Christmas left me wanting more (in a good way), so I can’t wait to read the rest of this series and more of Zoe Chant’s backlisted titles.

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, danger and Christmas

I loved Rowan and Emilia’s fates mates romantic suspense tale. It is was a wonderful mix of sweet, steamy, suspenseful, and real life issues. Emilia is a human who lives in a small town. She fosters abused and neglected animals and she has a multitude of dogs, cats, bunnies and even a pony as a pet. Rowan is a griffin shifter and works for the elite Shifter Patrol Corps. He sets out to Emilia’s town on Christmas Eve to follow up on a sighting of an escaped dangerous bear shifter. Neither Rowan nor Emilia are fans of Christmas. They meet when a winter storm causes Rowan to crash into Emilia’s shed. The instant they touch, Rowan recognizes Emilia as his fated mate but to get to their HEA, Emilia will have to learn about the shifter world and fated mates while trying to stay safe from dangerous shifters. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters, and an engaging storyline with sweet moments, steamy scenes, chuckles, supportive friends, messy families, painful pasts, and all the forever love.

[Bronwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2.5 Stars for this one I think.
I received an ARC and voluntarily leave my honest review.
This one was ok but had a few minor issues that were a bit distracting!!! Like the h having a badly swollen ankle, who then, 5 mins later rushes off to rescue the H from his own silly decisions.
Not sure if this one is going to be the start of a new series (Shifter Patrol Corps) as their were quite a few other characters mentioned.
I thought the bad guys were caught really easily but he was portrayed as a big bad mastermind villian, it just seemed a little inconsistent at times.
Emilia was likable with all her rescue animals and it was nice to see that Rowan fit easily into her life.
Insta-love as to be expected from these authors and the h accepts the knowledge of shifters with ease due to the mate bond.
Overall just an ok read, not to sure I would continue with these characters if it turns into a series.

[Booklover Judy Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Paranormal #Shifter #Holiday #CurvyGirl #FatedMates

This short and fun holiday read can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in third person from a dual POV.

Emilia Lopez is a woman who takes in strays. She has dogs, cats, rabbits, and a pony to name just a few. It is no surprise that when she finds a hot cop (who turns out to be a griffin shifter) after he crashes through the roof of her shed, that she takes to him as well. I loved Emilia's big heart and the instant attraction she and Rowan share as fated mates. Rowan is a little impulsive and a lot protective. I loved how he and Emilia bond so quickly. I loved how finding his fated mate reorganized his priorities immediately.

Hot times, a little danger, and a lot of interesting side characters made this just the fun read I needed. It was easy to pick up and read in an evening and it met a reading challenge goal for me.

[Holly Fincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love between a Griffin and a woman....happiness

Emilia is a woman who lives alone and takes care of rescue animals. She also keeps six dogs, three cats, rabbits and a pony. By inheriting some land from her grandmother, Emilia is able to foster animals until she can find good homes for them. Rowan, a griffin shifter, is a member if the shifter police. He comes to town because a felon he had put away had escaped and was rumored to be in the little town Emilia lives in. When they met, Rowan having crashed through her shed roof, Rowan knew she was his mate. With the help if his boss, Emilia, and other members of the shifter police, the criminal and his crew were caught and locked up. Rowan and Emilia are so much in love and happy. Rowan has finally found out what having a real home means. Awesome beginning to this series.

[Terry Sasada · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful Christmas shifter story. Rowan is a unique shifter, a Griffin, and his job is to police shifters that brake their laws, the worst of the worst. Now he is on the hunt for an escaped shifer that is bad news Deciding he can not wait out a winter storm he takes off and falls into the shed of Emilia. An animal lover that rescues strays. She lives in the country and not a fan of Christmas due to a bad brake up. But maybe this Christmas will change all that. seeing that she just found a gorgeous man in her shed. Rowan has found his true mate, not great timing with the bad guys coming, but he will protect his mate. Lots of love and amazing animals and shifter action. Great combination for a great story.

[Gwen S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emilia, Rowan, and the Rescues Fugitive Tryst! 4.35***** Spoiler Alert!

Rowan, Griffin shifter/SPatrol cop, out searching for an escaped prisoner/ bear shifter Watts, crashed into Emilia Lopez's, his human fated mate's, barn during a snow storm. Of course, she and her rescue dog Max saved him not once but twice, sealing their HEA.

Interesting but predictable plot, with loveable characters including Max the dog, and the younger Freddy. The theme of love conquering all flowed through this novel, and it explained how the abilities of shifters can be extended or infused into their human mates, making increased longevity a possibility in achieving a HEA. A quick, wintry read!

01/09/22- 01/10/22 COVID-19.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I really do enjoy the thought of a good holiday romance, I found myself left wanting. (And not from the spice level, which was perfectly fine.) Maybe it's because it's such a short read that held things back. I definitely enjoyed Emilia and I enjoyed Rowan. The "bad guys" were fine too. But there seemed to be missing a spark. I think it's because of the holiday setting that I was just missing something. Christmas romances need more romance or potential heartbreak - more tugging on the heartstrings. Yes, there's the little bit about the Christmas wish, but I think it would have meant more if we were pulled into how Christmas used to be for Emilia. There was no real investment for us, the readers. So in the end, I'm just left with "It was fine."

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story with some Christmas and some action!

There were a few typos at the very beginning that had me worried, but those were the only ones I saw. Rowan is a griffin shifter went to find an escaped bear shifter prisoner. Emilia runs and animal rescue, when this guy falls through her shed's roof! So of course she rescues him! This is not a long story. It moves quickly. The tone is magical, the storyline is character oriented with some action and some steamy scenes and warm characters who are fun to meet. I am wondering if this will turn into a new series, with some of Rowan's coworkers finding their mates. We met a lot of them at the end.

[Busybeth76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystic of Griffins

Such a sweet, rewarding story fated mates finding each other and saving each other. Rowan, a surly, isolated, somewhat impetuous Griffin shifter crash lands into big hearted, self sufficient, loving Emilia's life while on his latest mission to capture an escaped vicious convict bear shifter. Their adventures through falling in love, saving rescued domestic critters and fighting off renegade convicts is fast moving, quick paced and rewarding. Great fun, intriguing plot twists and excellent characters in a homey, heartwarming Christmas tale perfect for the holiday season.

[Susan Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story about Griffin shifter and his mate

Rowan is a griffin shifter who is serves in the Shifter Patrol Corps. His assignment is to find the bear shifter criminal who escaped. He was flying to his assignment in a snowstorm when he fell into Emilia's shed. Emilia runs a pet shelter.

Through this trouble Rowan is kidnapped by criminals. Can Emilia save him?

The characters are relatable, funny, and unique. The plot is that a woman has enough courage to save another.

Reason that I liked this book is the plot of saving another despite your fear. I highly recommend this book and series.

bookwormsuzy

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since a bad break up, Emilia hasn't had the Christmas spirit. Being a shifter, Rowan has never celebrated the human holidays. He's there for a job, but fate has other plans. Will Rowan find the criminal he is after? Will Emilia find her Christmas spirit?

Loved these two characters. I loved how soft Emilia was and that even though she didn't have much, she was willing to do what she could to help others. I loved watching Rowan soften little by little and how he was determined to do what he cold to protect others that needed protection. Great read!

[BreRile · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you improve a Christmas romance series? With mythic shifters of course!! Rowan is a griffin who (literally) crashes into Emilia’s life while chasing a shifter criminal. Emilia is a bit of a Scrooge after being dumped during the Christmas holiday but some instinct urges her to trust Rowan even with all the oddities and unanswered questions. Thanks to the mate bond they weather a snow storm, attempted kidnapping and showdown with a shifter criminal gang. Plenty of action, heat and sexy time make this a great start to the series.

[Sandra Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute shifter romance

This is a cute shifter romance, with a likable couple. They fell in instalove, as is typical in shifter romances, and there are some steamy (but not really explicit) scenes. I did like that it featured a Griffin shifter, since mythical shifters are my favorite to read about. I also liked that the h was into animal rescue, and that her animals were included in the story.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and average read. There were some issues I had with the writing, like the switch from third to first POV. I also wished for a bit more backstory on Emilia's past. Still, she was easy to like, what with how nice she was to others and her love for animals. Rowan was okay. I liked that he was a griffin. He was good with the animals, too. Overall, I liked this, but it's not one I'll probably remember too much about.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas surprise!

What a great story about Emilia who has given up Christmas. Who needs the joy of Christmas when you have a broken heart? Rowan is a griffin shifter and a cop, who just happens to crash land into her shed. Why you ask ? Come read this heart warming story about finding love and maybe a few villains to arrest.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this story without pressure from anyone to do so.

[Shan ~A~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself being in the middle between liking and not knowing how I feel about this story. One is for sure, I think it could use a bit of editing.

I think the minor things, like editing mistakes, took me out of the story. Also, I wanted Rowan to be a bit more alpha, and he wasn't. Hell, Emilia seemed to have more of a backbone than he did. Although she wasn't much smarter in her decision making.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written story that I could not put down once I started it so a very late night. found myself laughing what a way to meet then I found myself going stay safe. This is human Emilia Lopez and an agent of the elite Shifter Patrol Corps, griffin shifter Rowan Stanton's story there is suspense, drama, danger, an group of villains, a town that acts like family,and romance. I read a copy through KU and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review.

[Magdalaena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

I’m sort Zoe but they all seem the same. Boy meets girl, or vice versa. They have sex. Danger looms. He tells her he is a shifter. They have more sex. Danger attacks, main hero almost dies, girl gets entangled into fight but is unharmed, mate bond works, agents arrive at last minute. Everything is nice and more sex follows. Sorry but it’s the third book in this series and they are all the same (albeit I read in reverse order). Disappointed.

[Deborah Countryman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Griffin for Christmas

Emilia Lopez did not celebrate Christmas for the last two years, due her cheating boyfriend. Two days before this christmas, a crash was heard from outside. Emilia found a man moaning, in pain. Rowan had fell from the sky during storm. Rowan if a Griffin shifter and belongs to the shifter patrol corp. His job was to protect humans, shifter and home from criminals. This is their story Rowan and Emilia!

[Dawn Siemer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet romance with a little action

Rowan is a Shifter Patrol Agent after a criminal. Emelia fosters animals, but when the criminals Rowan is after turn the tables on him, Emelia is surprisingly capable.

Rowan's job performance is pretty cringeworthy. Blame it on the mating hormones.

The characters are sympathetic, but not particularly well-realized. It is a short novella and takes place almost entirely in two days.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Rowan and Emilia's story . Rowan is chasing criminal when he finds himself falling from the sky and into someone he thought he would never find . Emilia is not a fan of Christmas at all but gives all her love and attention to her rescued dogs . This is a fast paced funny read that will leave you wanting it to never end ! There is also danger and drama and those dogs ?? LOVED IT !

[Gloria Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Christmas story

I really enjoyed reading this book about a griffin shifter and a lady who loves rescuing animals. Emilia turns out to be the perfect mate for Rowan, even though he must catch a criminal shifter, which puts Emilia in danger, too. Plenty of action and a fun HEA. Zoe Chant, you remain an awesome author, girl.

[Hsu Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
It was a great book!
Rowan is an agent of the elite shifter patrol corps.
He is in his most important mission.
He is trying to woo his mate Emilia.
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!