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Cat Escort
A night of passion with a Cat Shifter escort becomes everything for a man with poor self-esteem.
To mend his broken heart, Seth purchases a date with a Cat Shifter Escort. The sex was so amazing, it let him forget his pain. Seth never expected to see him again.
Nao couldn’t forget the client who’d cried in his arms, so destroyed from love gone wrong. He wanted nothing more than to help the beautiful, broken man.
Their night was supposed to be a onetime thing, but six months later, everything changed when they met again.
To mend his broken heart, Seth purchases a date with a Cat Shifter Escort. The sex was so amazing, it let him forget his pain. Seth never expected to see him again.
Nao couldn’t forget the client who’d cried in his arms, so destroyed from love gone wrong. He wanted nothing more than to help the beautiful, broken man.
Their night was supposed to be a onetime thing, but six months later, everything changed when they met again.
- GenresShapeshifters
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2020
6 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Melissa E. Costa
10 books39 followersMelissa writes character-driven fiction, and any genre is fair game! When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, anime and gaming. Living by the motto of trying all things twice, Melissa has jumped out of a perfectly good plane, swam with manatees, dove head first into Alice’s rabbit hole, and seduced classy ladies in 6-inch heels. A free-spirited bohemian, she currently lives in artsy St. Petersburg, Florida with her soulmate and their two, adorably needy cats.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 8, 2021
Wow. This book was really unique! I love how the author's mind works and comes up with these different kind of stories all the time.
A Cat Escort? And I mean, yeah, Nao is a cat shifter, but not the kind you'd think. He is a cat who can shift into human and not the other way around. I loved this whole setting, the cat society and their own language, that there are two different language, one for the cats and one for the werecats.
Nao and Seth's story was cute but I thought it would be so much steamier than it has. Only 1-2 sex scene and the remains of the book is only drama after drama.
Usually I hate books with too much drama in it and with generated angst between the two MCs. Every book has its own evil, but in this book, wow, Sarah and Zach are evil enough for 10 books! What they did to Seth and his self easteem was so cruel and heartbreaking to watch. I hated thow two so much!
Nao was a cutie and I loved his personality, he was the perfect cat, not one scene was off character. Nao was just like you imagine a cat would be. They were so different, like two different species, but both Nao and Seth wanted it to work between them. They had many, many bumps on the road to their HEA, but thanks to Nao who was always forgiving, they finally got what they deserved.
The story is mostly from Seth's POV and the drama around Sarah and Zach was exhausting, but Seth needed to grow as a person and leave those toxic relationships behind. Seth couldn't believe that he is worthy for love and not less then the beautiful cat escort himself. Nao told many times that he loved him, but Seth just wasn't in the right mind to believe it, and it took the whole damn book to finally open his eyes to what's in front of him.
I enjoyed reading the book, I'd be happier with more erotic scenes, but it was good either way. Recommend this book, but only if you have an open mind - sex workers, open relationships, poly relationships, having sex with a cat shifter who shifts almost enteriely into cat while having sex... :) Oh yeah, I loved those scenes. Loved when Nao shifted, especially when 100% cat. And when he talked with Bruno, haha.
A Cat Escort? And I mean, yeah, Nao is a cat shifter, but not the kind you'd think. He is a cat who can shift into human and not the other way around. I loved this whole setting, the cat society and their own language, that there are two different language, one for the cats and one for the werecats.
Nao and Seth's story was cute but I thought it would be so much steamier than it has. Only 1-2 sex scene and the remains of the book is only drama after drama.
Usually I hate books with too much drama in it and with generated angst between the two MCs. Every book has its own evil, but in this book, wow, Sarah and Zach are evil enough for 10 books! What they did to Seth and his self easteem was so cruel and heartbreaking to watch. I hated thow two so much!
Nao was a cutie and I loved his personality, he was the perfect cat, not one scene was off character. Nao was just like you imagine a cat would be. They were so different, like two different species, but both Nao and Seth wanted it to work between them. They had many, many bumps on the road to their HEA, but thanks to Nao who was always forgiving, they finally got what they deserved.
The story is mostly from Seth's POV and the drama around Sarah and Zach was exhausting, but Seth needed to grow as a person and leave those toxic relationships behind. Seth couldn't believe that he is worthy for love and not less then the beautiful cat escort himself. Nao told many times that he loved him, but Seth just wasn't in the right mind to believe it, and it took the whole damn book to finally open his eyes to what's in front of him.
I enjoyed reading the book, I'd be happier with more erotic scenes, but it was good either way. Recommend this book, but only if you have an open mind - sex workers, open relationships, poly relationships, having sex with a cat shifter who shifts almost enteriely into cat while having sex... :) Oh yeah, I loved those scenes. Loved when Nao shifted, especially when 100% cat. And when he talked with Bruno, haha.
February 20, 2020
This book was a very pleasant surprise, so very different from all the shifter books I”ve read before, almost all, with a few notable exceptions, centered around large creatures, like wolves, lions, tigers, dragons and the like. From this point of view, and not only, ”Cat Escort” was a breath of fresh air.
Let”s talk a bit about the characters. Seth is a veterinarian with low self-esteem and a broken heart, Nao is a seductive, good-looking, confident male escort. What could the two possibly have in common, other than their ”professional” relationship? And still, their relationship starts to bloom into something more, and it”s a pleasure to follow them as it unfolds.
A perfect combination of hot and sweet, this book will make you laugh, sigh and even shed a tear once in a while, one of the reasons I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Let”s talk a bit about the characters. Seth is a veterinarian with low self-esteem and a broken heart, Nao is a seductive, good-looking, confident male escort. What could the two possibly have in common, other than their ”professional” relationship? And still, their relationship starts to bloom into something more, and it”s a pleasure to follow them as it unfolds.
A perfect combination of hot and sweet, this book will make you laugh, sigh and even shed a tear once in a while, one of the reasons I wholeheartedly recommend it.
February 20, 2020
Melissa E. Costa was a totally new to me author, but ”Cat Escort” worked its charms on me from the first lines. I kept reading, curious about what comes next, and I have to say I wasn”t disappointed in the least, quite on the contrary.
It was the first domestic cat shifter book I ever read, and I was absolutely charmed by it! The world building is absolutely fascinating, I never met something like it before. There”s a lot about cat shifter habits and how they use their natural abilities to blend with the humans.
The cat/veterinarian pairing was cute, the progress of their relationship heartwarming, although at times Seth was a serious obstacle in the way of his own happiness. Warmly recommended to everyone who enjoys a sweet with heat MM romance!
It was the first domestic cat shifter book I ever read, and I was absolutely charmed by it! The world building is absolutely fascinating, I never met something like it before. There”s a lot about cat shifter habits and how they use their natural abilities to blend with the humans.
The cat/veterinarian pairing was cute, the progress of their relationship heartwarming, although at times Seth was a serious obstacle in the way of his own happiness. Warmly recommended to everyone who enjoys a sweet with heat MM romance!
February 9, 2020
This was not your every day shifter book. It read almost like a contemporary book, but the shifter happened to be a cat. It was a different take and very refreshing. The cat was Nao, and he had my heart from the very beginning. I had to warm up a bit to Seth. He has issues that he had to deal with, but he also showed lovely growth. This is very much a character driven story with some interesting twists and a few side-characters who I loved to hate. Very enjoyable and worth every second!
April 9, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. Nao was so loveable. He seemed to always see the best in everybody. Poor Seth suffered from so much self doubt, but Nao was always there to build him up. The story was so well written, it was almost like I was in the same room with them. It’s one of those books, that after I finished it, I just didn’t want to let go. I was a beta reader. As soon as it was up for pre-order, I ordered it, so I could read it again. What an amazing author!
February 20, 2020
Such a great book, I loved everything about it! The characters, plot, world building, everything worked perfectly! The writing style is alert, it draws you in and keeps you interested. I can”t wait for a sequel or another book set in the same universe! I highly recommend ”Cat Escort” and the author!
April 4, 2020
This was actually my first cat shifter book – and while I’ve read other shifter books before, I am a cat person after all – so I was eager to dive in. There were some things I liked and other things that didn’t appeal as much. For instance, it was nice to read about a relationship that wasn’t all about the sex or instalove; in fact, I can imagine this kind of relationship taking place much the same way even if Nao hadn’t been a cat, so the realism was good to see. On the other hand, I wish there had been a bit more excitement; I caught myself being impatient in some places for something to happen other than one character angsting about the other or thinking about side-characters that weren’t likeable or interesting enough for me to want to read about that much. Also, given the blurb, I thought the book would start with Nao and Seth’s first meeting, but it actually takes place a year or so afterwards, and it would’ve been nice to see that initial encounter first-hand rather than simply have the characters constantly refer back to it in past tense. Overall, I enjoyed the read, but it didn’t really do anything for me emotionally.
February 9, 2020
2.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This was a complete WTF read for me. I’ve read and usually enjoyed just about every type of shifter romance imaginable. But honestly, this story of a veterinarian who falls hard for a cat shifter left my head spinning - and it left me feeling more than a little bit squeamish. I’ve got a feeling that this book will elicit a huge range of responses from readers but I didn’t personally enjoy it.
When this story talks about cat shifters, it really means cats. We’re not talking Nalini Singh’s snow leopards or LKH’s lions and tigers - we’re talking domestic cats. I’m not sure why this weirds me out but I think it’s because Neo isn’t a traditional shifter - he’s a cat who can appear mostly human - and the cat stuff feels overly sexualised. I might be on my own here but inviting a guy back to your apartment for sex - where he talks to your pet cat, eats mouse and then shifts into a cat and curls up on your lap? It’s too much cat for me. And honestly, any heat building between Neo and Seth is ruined with the three page description of human Seth attempting to use the pool size litter box in Neo’s family cattery. I couldn’t do it. I could not wrap my head around the world building in this book.
Beyond the whole premise, I didn’t get on well with the writing style and I hated the adolescent drama between Seth and his ex partners. Seth is supposed to be a well educated professional in his thirties. His relationship with his exes makes him seem about twelve and his crazy insecurities do not make for a desirable partner.
Anyways. This book wasn’t for me. I’d encourage other readers to download samples and decide for themselves.
This was a complete WTF read for me. I’ve read and usually enjoyed just about every type of shifter romance imaginable. But honestly, this story of a veterinarian who falls hard for a cat shifter left my head spinning - and it left me feeling more than a little bit squeamish. I’ve got a feeling that this book will elicit a huge range of responses from readers but I didn’t personally enjoy it.
When this story talks about cat shifters, it really means cats. We’re not talking Nalini Singh’s snow leopards or LKH’s lions and tigers - we’re talking domestic cats. I’m not sure why this weirds me out but I think it’s because Neo isn’t a traditional shifter - he’s a cat who can appear mostly human - and the cat stuff feels overly sexualised. I might be on my own here but inviting a guy back to your apartment for sex - where he talks to your pet cat, eats mouse and then shifts into a cat and curls up on your lap? It’s too much cat for me. And honestly, any heat building between Neo and Seth is ruined with the three page description of human Seth attempting to use the pool size litter box in Neo’s family cattery. I couldn’t do it. I could not wrap my head around the world building in this book.
Beyond the whole premise, I didn’t get on well with the writing style and I hated the adolescent drama between Seth and his ex partners. Seth is supposed to be a well educated professional in his thirties. His relationship with his exes makes him seem about twelve and his crazy insecurities do not make for a desirable partner.
Anyways. This book wasn’t for me. I’d encourage other readers to download samples and decide for themselves.
November 21, 2020
Catty
Great read but I was so sick of Seth and his up and down emotional roller coaster and self hatred. I understand about him not having great self-esteem due to his prior relationship but he just couldn’t get himself together until almost the end of the book. Nao was just as bad with enabling Seth until he realized that he wasn’t responsible for Seth’s happiness. I’m glad that Seth finally got his act together even though it took a tragedy for him to realize that his worth. Otherwise this book was pretty good. I kind of wish that Papa had found out and gotten a hold of Zach for what he did. I also hope Sarah meet Karma on a dark rainy night in a dark alley when Karma is feeling out of sorts and looking for a little payback.
Great read but I was so sick of Seth and his up and down emotional roller coaster and self hatred. I understand about him not having great self-esteem due to his prior relationship but he just couldn’t get himself together until almost the end of the book. Nao was just as bad with enabling Seth until he realized that he wasn’t responsible for Seth’s happiness. I’m glad that Seth finally got his act together even though it took a tragedy for him to realize that his worth. Otherwise this book was pretty good. I kind of wish that Papa had found out and gotten a hold of Zach for what he did. I also hope Sarah meet Karma on a dark rainy night in a dark alley when Karma is feeling out of sorts and looking for a little payback.
February 7, 2020
Well, what do I say? This is not usual the type of book I read but it intrigued me. This story had me baffled one minute, then enjoying it immensely the next, then groaning and muttering “What the fuck Seth??” Overall I did really enjoy it, not too keen on the ending actually, but it was so well written I could forgive the author. I don’t think it’s converted me into shape-shifter books, or anything like that, but I’m glad I read it and will happily recommend it.
February 8, 2020
I was utterly charmed by Nao. He's both cute and independent. Seth was frustrating at times, but not without his charms either :)
February 22, 2020
This was a bizarre little story and not your typical shifter romance. This was my first book by this author and I’m willing to read more by her. Nao captured my heart from the very beginning, he also is a cat shifter. And I mean domestic cat. Seth hires Nao to keep him company figuring he would never see him again. I really enjoyed the veterinarian/cat aspect of this book. Can their relationship develop into anything other than a “professional” one?
March 18, 2020
The premise, objectively, sounded odd, but there's cats so I was sold. It sounds like the premise of a comedy, but the book was angstier than expected, which I liked a lot. I kind of wish there'd been a bit more of "hashing out the past", but it was overall a very good book, with a very well done worldbuilding job and well rounded characters. Do recommend!
September 13, 2021
So sweet! Really unique and had everything, sexy, sweet, and so much love
October 8, 2021
I chose this book after seeing the author post on Facebook (see? It sometimes works!) I’m a sucker for a shifter book which thinks outside the box, and I love cats, so a domestic cat shifter book was hard to pass by.
And it’s a bit like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’re going to get. The cover, cute as it is, does not hint at the dark themes held inside. Self-hatred, poor attitudes towards sex workers, the mistreatment of animals are all themes within the books and for some, these might be disturbing. In a way, I wish the cover hadn’t been so cute and jolly as it doesn’t represent the story at all, even though the characters are well-represented in looks.
Did I enjoy it? Yes and no. I loved Nao, who genuinely loved his work as an escort, and the sensitive way he tries to balance that with a serious relationship. He seemed to get a rough ride, especially from his love interest, Seth, whom I couldn’t warm to. Nao was warm and loving, with a huge amount of empathy, as well as being sultry and alluring. His character was excellent and very believable, even when he was a cat.
Seth has deep-seated issues of self-loathing, and I know that doesn’t make for an easy person to live with at times, but he came across as whiny and manipulative, attempting to force Nao to give up a job he loved if he wanted to be with Seth. That smacked of emotional blackmail to me, and he didn’t seem willing to compromise. His toxic relationship with Sarah and Zach, with whom he had been in a polyam relationship before they decided to be a couple, was truly strange. They were portrayed as hideous, behaving in the most awful way and yet he consistently decided to listen to them instead of Nao. Sarah even “hired” Nao for the night, and there were constant references to him being a prostitute.
In the end, Seth had a stark choice; accept Nao as the person he fell in love with, or make him feel wretched about his profession and unworthy unless he gave it all up. There seemed to be no room for any kind of compromise and in the end, I just didn’t like him. I thought Nao was treated better by Sir Gary, if I’m honest.
All these elements served to leave a bitter taste on the palate, which was a shame. The writing was great, the pacing good and the plot a compelling one, but in the end it didn’t work for me. It wouldn’t stop me reading another book by this author though, and I’ll keep an eye out for what else she has to offer.
And it’s a bit like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates. You don’t know what you’re going to get. The cover, cute as it is, does not hint at the dark themes held inside. Self-hatred, poor attitudes towards sex workers, the mistreatment of animals are all themes within the books and for some, these might be disturbing. In a way, I wish the cover hadn’t been so cute and jolly as it doesn’t represent the story at all, even though the characters are well-represented in looks.
Did I enjoy it? Yes and no. I loved Nao, who genuinely loved his work as an escort, and the sensitive way he tries to balance that with a serious relationship. He seemed to get a rough ride, especially from his love interest, Seth, whom I couldn’t warm to. Nao was warm and loving, with a huge amount of empathy, as well as being sultry and alluring. His character was excellent and very believable, even when he was a cat.
Seth has deep-seated issues of self-loathing, and I know that doesn’t make for an easy person to live with at times, but he came across as whiny and manipulative, attempting to force Nao to give up a job he loved if he wanted to be with Seth. That smacked of emotional blackmail to me, and he didn’t seem willing to compromise. His toxic relationship with Sarah and Zach, with whom he had been in a polyam relationship before they decided to be a couple, was truly strange. They were portrayed as hideous, behaving in the most awful way and yet he consistently decided to listen to them instead of Nao. Sarah even “hired” Nao for the night, and there were constant references to him being a prostitute.
In the end, Seth had a stark choice; accept Nao as the person he fell in love with, or make him feel wretched about his profession and unworthy unless he gave it all up. There seemed to be no room for any kind of compromise and in the end, I just didn’t like him. I thought Nao was treated better by Sir Gary, if I’m honest.
All these elements served to leave a bitter taste on the palate, which was a shame. The writing was great, the pacing good and the plot a compelling one, but in the end it didn’t work for me. It wouldn’t stop me reading another book by this author though, and I’ll keep an eye out for what else she has to offer.
May 4, 2020
Reviewed by Cindy
I really love shifter stories and I was hoping for big things from this one.
Seth is a man who’s been treated badly by love and has pretty much given up on finding anyone to heal his broken heart.
Nao is a sweet kitty who is just doing his best to make it in the human world and he sees so much that is amazing in Seth.
I wanted to love this story. The author created an interesting world that’s quite different from the usual shifter norm. Nao is sweet and cute and I liked him a lot.
Seth however, I just couldn’t connect with. He’s kinda whiny and really stupid when it comes to his relationship with his exes and for most of the story, I just wanted to smack some sense into him.
Speaking of the exes, let me tell you, they are not nice people in the least and it was one of the reasons I had such a hard time with Seth’s wishy-washy attitude.
Nao’s friend Papa was interesting and Papa’s henchmen were so cat-like in their behavior that I couldn’t help the whole “cats are jerks” line from running through my mind.
The book got better near the end. I found the life in Nao’s home interesting and when Seth finally smartened up I liked him better. I had a hard time getting that far though because if it would have been a paper book, I probably would have thrown it across the room a time or two.
But like I said, the world the author created was interesting and to be honest, I would have like to have seen it explored a little more from Nao’s point of view. The bigotry he faced on a daily basis made his kind heart and good attitude even more amazing.
The writing is good from a technical standpoint and the story moves at a good pace. If you have more patience than me with men acting like big babies, you will probably like this story.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I really love shifter stories and I was hoping for big things from this one.
Seth is a man who’s been treated badly by love and has pretty much given up on finding anyone to heal his broken heart.
Nao is a sweet kitty who is just doing his best to make it in the human world and he sees so much that is amazing in Seth.
I wanted to love this story. The author created an interesting world that’s quite different from the usual shifter norm. Nao is sweet and cute and I liked him a lot.
Seth however, I just couldn’t connect with. He’s kinda whiny and really stupid when it comes to his relationship with his exes and for most of the story, I just wanted to smack some sense into him.
Speaking of the exes, let me tell you, they are not nice people in the least and it was one of the reasons I had such a hard time with Seth’s wishy-washy attitude.
Nao’s friend Papa was interesting and Papa’s henchmen were so cat-like in their behavior that I couldn’t help the whole “cats are jerks” line from running through my mind.
The book got better near the end. I found the life in Nao’s home interesting and when Seth finally smartened up I liked him better. I had a hard time getting that far though because if it would have been a paper book, I probably would have thrown it across the room a time or two.
But like I said, the world the author created was interesting and to be honest, I would have like to have seen it explored a little more from Nao’s point of view. The bigotry he faced on a daily basis made his kind heart and good attitude even more amazing.
The writing is good from a technical standpoint and the story moves at a good pace. If you have more patience than me with men acting like big babies, you will probably like this story.
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
September 27, 2022
I tried to like it. I read it till the end. Just so much negativity.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews