Shifters in the Night

Mystic Bayou #7

by Molly Harper

A chance meeting leads to a wild ride in this irresistible romance by Audie Award-nominated author Molly Harper!

Lia Doe came to Mystic Bayou for one simple to get her job done. Namely, to build a housing complex for all the new residents flocking to town since word of its supernatural population got out. But from the moment Lia arrives, it’s clear that nothing about the job is going to be simple.

First, there’s the mysterious guy she meets in the middle of the night while they’re both cavorting in their alternate forms. Spending time with shape-shifters is nothing new to Lia, but there’s something special about Jon Carmody…and the magical pull she feels whenever he’s near. There’s also a sense of homecoming and belonging in Mystic Bayou that makes her want to stick around – despite the dangers brewing from mysterious forces.

Will Lia complete her project with her heart unscathed, or will her life shift forever?

Based on an Audible Original Audiobook

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Paranormal, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Magic

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2021

About the author

Molly Harper is the author of more than 40 romance titles including the Half-Moon Hollow series, the Mystic Bayou, the Starfall Point series, and her first murder mystery, A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR. She lives in Michigan with her family. For more information, go to www.mollyharper.com.

Reviews

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meeting naked!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💙💚🖤
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😚😌😉

The heroine: Lia Doe - She is a deer shifter (hind) and has come to Mystic Bayou to work on the new housing development. When she first gets to town she goes for a run in the forest in her Doe for and ends up in front of John’s place where he sees her shift into a beautiful naked woman at which time she punches him in the face.

The Hero: Jon Carmody - he is a Selkie shifter (half man half seal) brother to Will, the new town doctor. He has been kind of a hermit until Will moved to town. He used to have the same groceries delivered every week and rarely left his place in the bayou.

The Story: Both Lia and Jon are attracted to each other from the start. Though like I said, Jon has been a bit of a hermit until recently and has no game with the ladies. He also has some hang ups about his scars from a tragic tussle with a Kraken. Lia keeps thinking about Jon, but doesn’t know what she wants and is entrenched in her job where she basically moves from town to town working on different construction projects.

Like the rest of this series, this was told in dual narration and narrated by Jonathon Davis and Amanda Ronconi. I loved their narration and both of their abilities to do a bunch of different voices and accents. However, I did not like Jonathon’s voice for Jon. He sounds like a old man and a redneck which wasn’t at all romantic or Heroic. His voice for Zed has a cajun accent and sort of red-neck-y as well. But is is tempered by the fact that it is a booming voice and the bear shifter is just redneck enough to be adorable, not dumb sounding. I just didn’t like this voice.

I have to say, though I am still loving this series and I am gaga about this town and all of its inhabitants, I wasn’t as invested in the lives of Lia and Jon. Maybe because they were both kind of tame shifters (deer and seal) amidst all the others where the participants had cool powers and were things like phoenix shifters, fae, bear shifters, alligator shifters, dragon shifters. Though the book was still good, it wasn’t one of my favorites of the series.

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[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly Harper writes, Amanda Ronconi narrates. They are a good team.
To be honest, when I first discovered Molly Harper years ago in the Jane Jameson series, she blew me away. Loved them.
She's just as good today but her books are essentially the same today as they were back then. I still read them and enjoy them. Her characters are charming, her stories are entertaining. They just haven't really changed.
So 3 Stars but I could easily see someone who is new to Molly Harper rating this 5 Stars.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great instalment to the series...

How would you go meeting your future 'one' starkers? Sure, you don't know they are your future 'one' but, seriously, how would you go meeting anyone for the first time starkers? I don't think I'm cut out to be a shifter, because the possibility of anyone (besides Hubby) seeing me starkers, is horrifying. Luckily, I think I'm safe. 😉

In Shifters in the Night, I couldn't help contemplating how many times you could be caught out naked when shifting, especially when Lia gets caught in the buff. The situation was awkward, funny, and definitely something to remember.

I love this series. Between the author and the narrators, each instalment of the Mystic Bayou series is something I look forward to. The characters are original, the storyline captivating, and the humour always has me chuckling out loud.

If you haven't tried this series and you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend giving it a try.

[aarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Folklore

Molly Harper excels at writing found families in small towns, even if the small town has shapeshifters and witches. I really liked how Lia, accustomed to city life and conveniences, immediately felt at home in Mystic Bayou. There's a significant subplot re: Lia being threatened by her boss; it was a relief when her new friends provided support and safety without hesitation. This is very much a cozy small-town romance (caveat: very white and very straight) with PNR elements. The variety in magic types is fun; I'd love to read more books featuring selkies (Jon) and deer shifters (Lia).

The romance was okay -- I liked Lia and Jon as individuals, but the relationship was a bit insta-lovey and they didn't spend that much time together. TBH a lot of their relationship in the beginning was feeling jealous over another potential love interest/"competitor." It turned out okay, but I wanted them to spend more time in each other's physical presence. Read via audio (narrated by Amanda Ronconi and Jonathan Davis).

Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook from the publisher (Audible) in exchange for an honest review.

[denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

~1.5⭐️~
"Hall" called. They want "Mark" back

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Introduction
What a book this turned out to be! There is something so magical about entering the world of the Mystic Bayou and this charming quaint town and its colorful personality. And if you can get these books in audiobook then you definitely MUST! They are so endearing and just supernatural FUN! They definitely have their sexy moments too but there is something about the way that Molly Harper writes a romance. If you love paranormal with a twist of rom com, then these books should be in your queue to read. Shifters in the Night was a delectable read though. I enjoyed the dynamic so much and we have a bit of a mystery as well. 45

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Jon Carmody
Jon is a rugged small town man that lives in being outside and most especially living in the water. As a selkie, its part of him. He is quiet and reserved but he comes alive when he meets Lia. But he is not part of her "class" and doesn't feel like he could be worthy of her.

The Heroine: Lia Doe
Lia has come to Mystic Bayou for a contructional job her boss is organizing for the town. But the moment she arrives, she senses that something is more to this town. She is a doe, a female deer shifter and also can see aura's of others and can sense their emotions. Her parents taught her to fight for what she believed in and fight for what she wanted and the moment she meets Jon she knows what they have is something real and worth the fight...

Summary
Lia Doe has come to Mystic Bayou to complete a job. She is a workaholic, and as such hasn't had time to make many friends over the years. She is a loner and prefer it that way. She is determined and a hard worker and lives for her career until she comes to Mystic Bayou. Her boss has other plans for the town, but as she meets the other members of the town and its colorful diverse people she realizes that this town is magical due to the people that inhabit it and she finds a second home among them. But what she never expected was to be drawn to the quiet selkie whom she feels a strong bond to. Jon doesn't know what he needs to do about Lia. He wants to explore what they have, but he knows that she is a women of class and so far above him, but then he is reminded if he knows there is something unique between them, he would be a fool not to fight for her. But will Lia and Jon be able to find common ground despite their vast differences?

My Outlook
This book was such so powerful! I absolutely adored it so much. These books are just my catnip if I am looking for some powerful paranormal rom com's. There is something about Molly Harper's writing style that just ends up working out for me so well and the way that I was able to connect to these characters was so fun. And I mean the hero is a SELKIE (really he is a merman haha and it was sexy as sin) Their first meet cute was just adorbs though, normally I wouldn't go for it, but Molly Harper writes it in such a way that really worked. I was endeared by both characters. This is done in duo POV so we get to see both of their perspectives. I also loved the way that they just find the common ground that they need to make it work.

Overall View
I found Shifters in the Night to be a super read that will inspire and make you thirsty for some Mystic Bayou magic! Its a delectable and unique rom com that will curl your toes and deliver in a solid read!

Rating Evaluation:
Plot: 4/5
World Building: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 4/5
Steam: 3.5/5
Heart & Feels: 3.5/5
Ending: 5/5
Overall View: 4/5

[Amy (and her hounds) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the end of a light, enjoyable series. Part romance, part cozy mystery, each book built on the last to form a satisfying whole. And the two narrators are fab!

[Katie Reus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one, no surprise!

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked how Lia and Jon met, how he was so awed by her that he had to ask if she was real. From there things were great with them. Odd meetings, others in town talking Jon up to Lia, the only bad part both were to shy to actually act on the attraction. When they finally talked about it I was cheering them on, relationship wise, it was smooth sailing for the.

Lia's job seemed like it was starting to go downhill and working in Mystic Bayou showed her how much. I really liked that the town seemed like home and how welcoming the people were. She finally had friends and a place to fit in. She needed the support when towards the end things went a bit bonkers. Lia didn't let anything stop her from what she needed to and took care of business.

I really loved how then the town did what they could to give her a reason to stick around and help them while she was helping herself and of course Jon will be right there by her side.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐

[Ascher Alchier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the entire series!

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shame really...
Le sigh... SPOILERS AHEAD

Can we talk about the relationship? This couple had two chance meetings and a kiss and then our hero John was hopelessly in love. Did I mention that neither chance encounter was overly deep and not like 48 hours of togetherness.More like 2 hours top. He tells her he’s going to get up the courage to call and ask on date (she gives him her card), he never calls and no date, yet this guy is inwardly professing his love for the heroine. I’m sorry, I can’t. There was really no need for it yet again.

Yes, I love a man to go all alpha possessive (without the creep factor). But to accomplish that, there isn’t a need for a love declaration. Honestly it’s sexier when the hero doesn’t until that moment long in the distance. It’s a lot more sexy and romantic that way.

Then two chance meetings where they don’t even speak and then a third encounter where they do, he admits it out loud. She doesn’t. She says she could see herself falling in love. That’s a more reasonable reaction considering how little time they spent together on page and off of it.

Then there are the plot holes.

Early on, the hero says he finds the heroine funny. But honestly she had said not done anything funny up to that point or after. It was our hero who made quips. Thus we are told she’s funny, but not once was she shown to be. And not things I didn’t find funny, but no actual attempts at being funny. It just struck me as the heroine also thought she herself was funny. A huge miss.

Their first chance meeting at the pie shop she mentions the menu that only offers pie and nothing else. Their next talking meeting at pie shop, she wonders why there is no menu and he says they don’t have one.

There is another plot hole, I’m forgetting at the moment but I’ll edit and add when I remember.

Worse yet, the guy narrator who has done a fantastic job at giving each male character a distinctive voice he’s carried through the series makes our hero, John, sound like a bumbling backwaters idiot which makes said hero come off more unappealing. Though again I give him credit as our female narrator as fantastic as she is makes each female lead in each book sound the same even when in a series which throws you off if you’re binge listening as prior characters who show up now have a different voice.

So yeah, the saving grace of the book is the charming town, former characters making an appearance and the slight mystery with heroine’s job as the love piece was dumb.

The only reason I continue with this series is it’s a free listen with audible and I keep hoping the next will be better.

[BrandyD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent story from Mystic Bayou! Can’t wait for the next installment.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shifters in the Night
3 Stars

Lia Doe is a hind shifter working for the construction company that has come to Mystic Bayou to provide housing for the influx of new residents. She soon comes face-to-face with reclusive selkie shifter, Jon Carmody, and the two are drawn to each other immediately. Now if only they can overcome the obstacles of their innate shyness and the threat posed by an outsider to get their happily ever after...

It is always a delight to return to the charming town of Mystic Bayou with its welcoming yet quirky denizens. That said, Jon and Lia's romance is rather lackluster.

To begin with, much was made of Jon's physical scars and solitary existence in the previous installments, yet these are barely touched upon in this book. Thus, the potential for a dark and broody hero remains unfulfilled and all that remains is a rather grumpy and self-effacing hero.

Lia is a sweet heroine and one cannot help but appreciate the manner in which she handles herself in a tight spot. Nevertheless, she and Jon have very little chemistry and their interactions are quite tepid.

There is also very little plot to speak of aside from the romance. There are hints at a nefarious scheme involving Lia's job, which fizzles completely, and the suspense ultimately coalesces around a stalker storyline. This is decidedly underdeveloped and more or less materializes in the last couple of chapters.

One final note concerning the cover - why does it depict an African American model when the heroine is as Caucasian as they come? This is very misleading as I was expecting a more diverse romance.

Overall, not one of the better books in the series, but the introduction of Eva Boudreaux is compelling, and I look forward to her story next.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars 🌟

I so love the world of Mystic Bayou. When I saw this as a new release I didn't even hesitate before adding it to my TBR list. This is another book that is being released in audio first, so I very eagerly hit the play button.

I realized that I have gotten used to the narrators - Jonathan Davis and Amanda Ronconi - as the voices of the series. Jonathan has a very distinctive voice (especially for certain characters like Mayor Jed) that immediately can settle the reader (and by reader, I mean me) into the story and very easily bring the world of Mystic Bayou to life.

For this installment, we get to meet Lia Doe (a deer shifter) and Jon Carmody (he's a selkie who has the only boat repair shop in town). This is another couple that we get to follow from their first meeting, thru all the shenanigans that tend to happen in this quirky town, to the final resolution. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE this series - but intrinsically deep- this is not. This is a VERY fun and easy read/listen that is almost always hilarious with completely over the top characters that somehow just WORKS. Brilliantly.

And this was another success. Now that the world has been built and we have our core group of characters, the recent releases have been additions to the Mystic Bayou clan - people coming to the Bayou as the town keeps growing and growing. There is always some sort of drama (though there were no murders this time) and we always have a few minutes of "Uh oh" suspense, but then the story arc is completed with a HEA and you are left feeling happy and content.

Reading what I just wrote does not give it justice. I'm not describing it correctly. I just know that I am always SO excited to start a new book and so completely satisfied once I finish it. Honestly, could you ask for more in a series?

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was ... not bad. Lordt, I'm just throwing faint praise all over the place here but Mystic Bayou has, I think, jumped it's Shark Shifter (oh, for a Shark Shifter) - this is #5 in the series and ..okay. 3.5 stars. I read a couple of the early ones but they're all pretty formulaic. Since it's Molly Harper I can't really give it less than 3.5 stars because she is an excellent writer - but this one is kinda... well, there are prey shifters, which always gives me pause. I mean, Equal Shifter Rights and all but I prefer my shifters All Predator, with some higher up on the chain than others. The idea of a rabbit shifter just confuses me.
But this one is intriguing, I admit, with the heroine a hind, who's special shifter skill is being able to read people, thus making her an excellent negotiator. The romantic conflict is rational enough, with confusion that isn't out of left field (she reads something that would suggest her romantic interest is interested in someone else, but forgets that she (the hind) is also in the room... ... well, human or hind, we've all been there.

But no more Crazed Lunatic Surprises, please! Even Zeb is done with it. Done!

[Lorrie (Clockworkbookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[ML Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are fun and easy to read. Kind of want to spend a week in mystic bayou

[Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one was cute

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you thought the action was over and it was safe to relax in Mystic Bayou someone else sets out to harm the locals and transplants. Great characters, fantastic wit and wonderful plot. Definitely an entertaining listen as this entire series is available via audiobook!

[Heather R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute but no new ground here and nothing particularly special to set it apart. It’s the last book in the series, and I guess I just expected a little more oomph.

[Laura..devouring books like crumpets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really Loved this one!!!!!

Aww it was so sweet!!!

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lia Doe is skilled at negotiation and represents her boss’s construction company while they build a new apartment complex in Mystic Bayou. She’s not used to small town, but loves the people and the fact that she doesn’t have to hide her shifter nature. When she accidentally swims into Jon Carmody’s backyard, she punches him; however, soon after, each is drawn to the other.

Jon has been a solitary selkie for most of his life, but now that his brother Will is back in town, Jon’s learning to venture out and meet new people. After meeting Lia, he is determined to court her. However, he’s unsure of himself and his place in her world, so he’s taking it slowly.

Shifters in the Night is another delightful tale from Ms. Harper’s Mystic Bayou series. Now that humans know about the magick, the town is seeing an influx of new residents and tourists. New Ground Construction comes rolling in to develop the first needed housing project, and Lia realizes she’s found a connection to a place, something she didn’t have growing up. I liked seeing Lia’s joy in meeting new friends and watching her question all she’s known. Of course, her decision to potentially leave New Ground is being made easier as her boss seems to unravel over not being allowed to turn Main Street into a mall.

Jon is not used to being around so many others, and I love how awkward and cute his and Lia’s interactions are at first. They run into one another around town and engage in flirty banter and laughs. However, their individual nervousness leads to assumptions, specifically that the other is attracted to/interested in someone else. This gets overplayed, and I felt that more time was spent on each fretting over the other liking someone else than actually spending quality time together. Yet, somehow they know they love the other, and we get our HEA!

Narration: As with previous books in the series, the story is shared in a dual narrative, with Amanda Ronconi (AR) reading the parts told from Lia’s POV and Jonathan Davis (JD) the parts shared from Jon’s POV. Overall, both do a good job, and at this point, I find that I enjoy both equally. JD continues to expand his range for his male voices, giving each a unique and identifiable sound. AR’s voice for Lia is slightly different than the other female characters, but the range of difference isn’t tremendous. While I still feel the two narrators have narrative styles and voices that are a bit on the opposite ends of the spectrum, it works.

In the end, I enjoyed Shifters in the Night. While I found the mystery completely predictable (maybe I’ve read too many Molly Harper books? IMPOSSIBLE!), I still enjoyed the story and look forward to returning to Mystic Bayou.

My Ratings:
Story: B
Narration: B+

[Ashlee Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely adorable🥹

i have been dying to get to Jons book since i read about him in Wills book… so this did not disappoint🥰

Lia Doe is a deer shifter who moves to Mystic Bayou to help build houses for the population increase… and ends up skinny dipping in the water behind Jons house unintentionally👀 Lia gets adopted by Zed and the friend group quickly which leads to her spending more time around Jon😛

Jon is basically a hermit selkie who immediately falls head over heels for Lia and struggles to show her how much he cares about her while trying to win her heart before big time businessman Alex Lancaster can😭🫶🏼

Lia and Jon are such cuties, i just wish the book was a little longer and went a little further in depth with their relationship🥲 we get to see the surface level… but the book mainly focused on Lia and her job conflicts (which is totally fine since it was a fun little mystery, i just like more romance in these books)✨

cute book, definitely recommend 💕

~

✨✨✨✨/ 4 stars
🌶️/ 1 spicy pep

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shifters in the Night
Mystic Bayou, Book 5

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: AudiblePlus
Dates Read: 6/25/21 - 6/28//21
Stars: 3.5 Stars

The Characters:

Lia Doe:
Jon Carmody:


The Story:

Another home run for Mystic Bayou. Lia is super cute and I love Jon’s reactions to her. They are going to be a great couple. I love the way the town is growing and changing. I kinda hope this series never ends.

The Random Thoughts:


Challenges:

Year of Smut 2021 - A book published in your birth month

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, mysterious and romance make this book another winning hit by Molly Harper.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story = 4 stars
Performance = 4 stars

Shifters in the Night was another great instalment in the Mystic Bayou series. I've really enjoyed listening to the 7 audios so far ( 2 instalments are novellas/short listens) - it has been a great series to binge listen to, and now I'm disappointed that I've caught up for now, really hope there is more to come.

[Chantelle Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2 🌟 (Audible Plus Catalog)

Awww. Jon gets his happily ever after!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment.

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Mystic Bayou, and this book is just so Mystic Bayou. Seriously, this is the best book in the series. Zed is his adorable teddy bear self, Jillian and Bael's baby daughter bursts into flames when she's upset, and when the whole gang gets together it's absolute chaos. Still, the regular characters and continuing plot lines don't overwhelm the main story, about reclusive mechanic Jon Carmody, and his developing relationship with construction manager Lia Doe. They're awesome, and their insecurities are very realistic but still completely adorable. Plus, there's intrigue with Lia's boss, and other goings on in Mystic Bayou.

Re-read, re-review 2023

One of the best Mystic Bayou books. Reclusive selkie boat mechanic Jon Carmody finds love with Lia Doe, a deer shifter and manager of one of the town's new construction projects. They're adorable, even when they think that each other might be better off with "love interests" they have more in common with than Jon and Lia's "opposites attract" relationship. Poor Alex Lancaster can't catch a break (or find a love interest), so I'm glad that he (and Eva) get their own book later. This book has one of the best endings in all of book-dom where Lia argues with and ultimately rejects the magic spell that she has been dosed with against her will. She simply refuses to accept it, since she didn't agree to the spell in the first place. Lia is just awesome, and her reaction elevates the whole "take them out to the rift to die" plot present in so many of the Mystic Bayou books. It's great.