Shelter for a Shifter

Folk Haven #4

by Lauren Connolly

All Ame asks for is the right spell, a full moon, and a cooperative cat. She does not ask for a naked werewolf.

Ame Shelly has been searching through grimoires for years, hoping to find a way to save her cat companion. A feline she’s ninety-six percent sure is a man stuck in the wrong form. When Ame and her sister start their own magical library in the small town of Folk Haven, the witch finally discovers an incantation that could free her friend. At least, she thinks Bee the cat is her friend. He hasn’t run away from her since the night she discovered him injured in the woods. Plus, Bee doesn’t growl at her the way he does with everyone else …

Bee wants revenge.

Bee is not a cat, his name is not Bee, and he is not happy.

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

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2022

About the author

Lauren Connolly is an award-winning author of contemporary and magical romance stories. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with stories written by the authors she loves.

Reviews

[buket · Rating 5 out of 5]

reading favorite books of my friends💫

RLbooks has been recommending me this series so long and i’m glad i finally read it!!😍

IMAGINE;;
you’re traveling with your sister and find some stray cat on the forest 🐈‍⬛ his energy feels different than a human and you take him home with you 🏡 you try for three years to break his curse because you’re sure he’s a cursed man 🫢 and when you finally break the curse…your sweet cat turns into a handsome man and he kisses you🤭💋 because he’s been in love with you and you’re his mate💅🏻 you’re a witch and he’s a werewolf btw🧙‍♀️🐺

“What can I have of you, little witch? I have no pride at your feet. Give me anything. Any part of you that could be mine.”

we love an obsessed man😌🥰

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy audio release day :)
-------------------
Read this because of @RLbooks

This was really cute, I even got a little emotional.

Main girl is Bi
Harassment
Parents abusing their kids (not on page)

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up, as I’ve continued this series, I go back and reread this since I loved it so much. Any time these two are mentioned in other books, I get so happy so this deserves 5 stars for how much joy it continues to bring me.

Thank you to Elizabeth for reviewing this and bringing it on my radar, I had a blast reading it. Amethyst (h) and Jack (H) were wonderful characters and I loved them. Ame is a witch who senses desire and has a lot of fear regarding how her power is perceived. On a roadtrip with her older sister, Ame senses something and when she stops, she finds an injured cat who she's convinced is actually a magical being trapped in a spell. Her devotion to finding a solution, without confirmation that she's right, and her adorable relationship with her cat that she names Bee was heartwarming. Of course, she's right and when she breaks the spell, she gets a devoted, possessive, protective werewolf shifter, Jack. The two of them work on getting Jack settled back as a human, there are plans to get revenge, and there's a backdrop of a lovely supernatural town. Written in first person, multi-POV (mainly the h and H but 2 side character POVs also). No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (no history given on H other than he'd been celibate before the spell and h does recollect her last sexual experience briefly, which was another woman).

Did I already mention Jack was devoted? I did, but it bears repeating, because anything his "little witch" needed, he wanted it done and anyone that he thought might hurt her (even emotionally), he wanted them gone. Of course, it's not super easy to start their human/human relationship, because Ame is convinced the desire she senses from him are mixed up with him no longer being a cat and she's also sure that he's going back to his old life. But fear not, because Jack's pretty dedicated to making sure she knows he's sticking around. It takes time for them to get frisky but they definitely do and it's not casual for either of them.

Jack's also dedicated to the formation of the revenge plan he has going, because the spell he was under was a result of a major betrayal. Both Ame and Jack have some family hang-ups and complicated backstories. They supported each other once each of them shared with the other so beautifully. Jack's not as alone as he thinks, besides Ame. Which is also true for the revenge plan and unexpected allies.

Which leads in nicely to, there are a lot of side characters in this book, some who clearly had prior books and some who likely will have future books. It still read well as a standalone, but this town is bursting with magical beings. Some of them bring a bit of drama and others are a bit mysterious.

The final showdown isn't rushed and I thought was well done. I did wish there was a bit more after the conflict was resolved. We do see Jack and Ame happy and with family and potential friends, but the epilogue is from a side character's POV and clearly a lead-in to that story, rather than an extension of Jack and Ame. I will beat my extended epilogue desire drum forever. But I do feel confident in their HEA because you literally couldn't feel any other way reading their romance. I have to check out which of the others in this series catch my eye too.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars. This was truly delightful. It was a great story with a fun world and side characters.

My only thing is the author had her male main character behave threateningly towards the heroine as a way to show her the world isn’t safe. And that’s just toxic. No one needs their loved and trusted ones to act untrustworthy as a way to “prep you for the evil of the world”. If you act badly, YOU are the problem.

But it went by really quickly.

Otherwise, this was delightful. There’s some fated mates, some mystery and adventure, spicy times, and character growth.

[Bluestockings Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite character traits is persistent ingenuity. Most of the time, characters are trapped in whatever fate the author puts them in, and they don't try too hard to find solutions until the very end. (Authors don't want them to, but I digress.)

So I'm always thrilled to see intelligent characters who don't give up. Like Doctor Strange's quest to heal his hand, or defeat Thanos. Or Ellie from Lothaire, who just kept pivoting to escape by any means necessary.

... Or Ame (aka 'little witch') from Shelter for a Shifter who tried for three years to free a man trapped in a cat's body. Not only that, but she did safety checks first!

The story was pretty simple, she was fatalistic about their relationship for too long IMO, and the ending got a bit saccharine. But her and Jack were just so damn likeable.

And anytime I find a MMC who reminds me of Wolf from The 10th Kingdom, I will ALWAYS crush.




other notes:
● Audiobook free on Hoopla; book free on KU
● Overall the audio was great; Alexander Cendese really got into it.
● Whether this qualifies as "fated mates" was ambiguous, so I'm not tagging it.
● Sex notes: No virgins. Slowish burn. The steam was very mid. No condoms, no pregnancy. (She has a magic bc tattoo.)
● I loved when she had a Revenge Plan, and he thought it was hot.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consent is fucking sexy!! Ame is a dream and Jack is a puppy.

[Stormthief · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I got an ARC copy because The Folk Haven series (really everything she writes) makes me extremely happy. I've yet to read something Lauren Connolly has written that hasn't hit the mark.

Did I blow off studying for my two tests tomorrow and an assignment worth 20% to binge this book in one evening? Absolutely, Yes I DID.

Do I regret it? No, not one iota of regret in my body currently. Tomorrow maybe.(but likely not)

Because it was so FREAKING good. Like Everything Lauren writes it's got great plot, fantastic love interests and interesting lore that's both relevant to the plot but also draws from previous books(yet is explained enough that it can be read as a standalone imo). I absolutely love a strong lead and thought Ame was a badass, witty and sassy while still being thoughtful and kind.
Bee is hilarious, I actually laughed out loud many times. Because Sharp wit is the best.

I Don't want to spoil but Jacks full possessiveness was chef's kiss*perfection and the end left me howling. No pun intended.
Do I need her next book to be out asap? Yes. I don't want to wait. Instead I'll just reread this series and hope the next one is out soon.

[girlwithhearteyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Nawwwww!! The FMC is a witch who rescues a cat that is not actually a cat. This was so cuddly and wholesome, even though he was basically obsessed with her and she was surprisingly bloodthirsty.

Mildly dark themes (there are curses and evil people to vanquish), but a mostly fun and sweet story with good emotional beats. I had a great time reading this.

I really liked all the side characters too, so will be checking out the other books in this series!

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute. A simple, straight forward read. The smut was nice - it was cute.

[Elisabete · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of the Folk Haven books and I think this is my favorite one so far. Amethyst (Ame) and her "cat" Bee were introduced in a previous book when she and her older sister, both witches, settled in town with the intention of opening an accessible library for all mythics. Ame believed that her cat was not actually a cat but rather a man trapped in a cat's body. The reason she's sure of this is that Ame's witchy power is that she can sense others' strongest desires/wishes and can influence them against their will. Her power also works on animals and as soon as she found him injured in a forest, she could tell that Bee's thoughts were far more complex than a normal animal's. Bee is a strong, determined, and kind woman, so for three years, she's been searching her sister's rare grimoires for a way to reverse the spell or curse that binds him. Finally, as the story opens, she finds the right spell and under a full moon, releases the werewolf, Jack, who was bound by an evil sorcerer who was stealing his magic.

Lauren Connolly specializes in wonderful cinnamon roll heroes who would do anything for their heroines. Jack is a bit of a departure in that he's a somewhat growly, very possessive werewolf. However, from the minute he is released from the spell, he recognizes his "little witch" as his mate, adores her, and would do anything for her. He's got a few obstacles to overcome though. First, he's determined to get revenge on the werewolves who betrayed him and most importantly, on the sorcerer who bound him. Second, Ame is convinced that he could never love her because she considers her magic to be scary and repelling, so Jack has to prove to her that she's worthy of love and that she's all he wants. There were bumps in the road for these two and fun appearances by other mythics that we've met before but I felt like this book works well as a standalone also and is a perfect read for a witchy autumn. I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon } · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️’s Needs editing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Main criticism is there was too much filler, too much random, unnecessary information.

I love have details, world building, and character interaction, but this had those extended sentences that describe each step, each action. It takes up too much room, and slows the pace down.
There’s also not enough building with the mains relationship, it needed more interactions (not sex), more romance between them, help us continue to believe in them…

Otherwise, this was awesome!
Some great funny moments, endearing characters, and readable dialogue that flows naturally.
The end scene needed a lot more work, but was still mostly satisfying.

I would just seriously love to edit this, cut through all the filler, and mark those scenes that need to be shown, not just told.

I will definitely be checking out another book or two.

I recommend this to those who enjoy a good paranormal, with romance (not simply a romance, with paranormal).

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little shifter romance. It's a stand alone but apart of a series so you can just read it without having to check out the other books if you want.

The story is about a witch who finds an injured cat. Her magic uses desire and manipulates emotions so when she tries to calm the animal she realizes the animal isn't totally an animal. She spends three years trying to break the curse on him because she believes him to be a man trapped in a cat body. When the spell is broken she finds out that the man is actually a werewolf shifter and he's pretty damn attached to her. The romance is a main plot point but also there's a fun lil revenge plot, familial plotlines and more. It definitely feels a tad insta lovey but that's ok I enjoyed it.

What to expect
✅ Protective MMC
✅ He likes to cuddle
✅ She's super powerful but doesn't choose to use her magic as much
✅ He can smell really well...
✅ Mate bond

Overall
Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🌶️🌶️
Audio 🚫 read on KU not available on audio yet

[Kelspar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounding up

Easily the best book in the series so far. I was getting a little burnt out on these but this is the one I really wanted to read so I held on. And I am glad that I did. While all the books in this series have been pretty fun and light, I thought this one actually had some depth. The characters were interesting and while there wasn't much angst between them, their relationship was very believable. Overall, I just thought this book was much more well rounded than the others and the pacing was better. Felt more like an actual book and not just like a short story/ quick read churned out for KU.

I will say, even when I'm left feeling lukewarm about the books, I do really like the characters. Idk, I want to read all their stories. I thought this would be the last book I read but know I have to know Anthony and Broderick's story! Sev too! I was kinda hoping he'd end up with Mor!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, easy read. I read this first in the series (won’t be reading more) and definitely didn’t know some background characters but it was fine. The title is a bit cheesy for my taste - so cheesy I almost didn’t want to log it in my goodreads account 😂 good world building, great main characters. Not sure how you say “Ame” - ‘aeh-muh’ like amethyst or ‘aim’ ? Didn’t like the nickname choice and kept stumbling over her name.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great word building and I got lost in the story which I love! There was a lot of repetitive information and talk of "the dark one" that had me skimming. Reading a story of a witch that finds a cat who is really a man was fun! Her struggle with the relationship was annoying but Jack saved the story. Thank you to the author for this ARC and I'm more than happy to leave a review

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay let me be frank, I absolutely hate the cover of this book (and the rest of the series). And try as I do, I really don’t want to judge books by their covers but but after being disappointed one too many times by KU books with bad covers, I really did judge this one. Thank god the author is doing a great job with her social media marketing, because without it I would have never picked this up.

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so much. Plot was interesting and not easily predictable. Smut was good (low key wish there was more but what was there was good) Loved the fmc view on right and wrong change throughout the book. Finally a good human(this case witch)/monster(wolf) book were she isn't some damsel that needs saving. Almost cried while reading her thoughts on people leaving her, "Once he gets to know me better, he’ll leave." 🥲 The way Jack earns her trust that he won't leave and her fears aren't solved in one chapter was a big plus. The writting was great and overall good book.

[Maria Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a light and fun read, it was exactly what you'd expect from a book like this.
Very cute relationship (love a MMC with a touch of self loathing). Great side characters and the town construction was actually really interesting.
Overall I had a blast

[Noe · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Lilouae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice characters, nice plot, well written and fun!

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe 4.75, but overall really enjoyed! Curious about others in the series

[Kriti Bhareja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book..
Mates.. wolf shifter.. funny fmc..
Can read again if no other option!

[Milou · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars ⭐️

Yes, I’m binging the fuck out of these books. Are they good-good? No. Do I love them anyway? Yes.

[Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute, the main female character’s obliviousness about the guy’s attention got a little annoying at times but overall i liked it. cute, fluffy and ridiculous✨

[wenis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was what I needed just like pure protective possession.

[Book_obsessed_4816 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ngl this is the first fantasy book I've ever read so I don't know much about this sort of stuff, but regardless I fucking LOVE this book and I am happy to say that it made me want to read more of these tips of book, soo thank you so much Lauren for writing this book, you are amazing💫🖤🌹

[Jess Cater · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved this book! First book I read from this author and was happily surprised :) I’m going to have to binge the whole series now ahha

[Abigael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a silly little fantasy romance. A super quick read. I didn't hate it but the plot wasn't very deep. I guess there can't be too much world building when the series takes place in a small town.

Ame and her sister Mor are witches, travelling and collecting grimoires and books when they find Bee, a black cat, injured. Ame is pretty sure that Bee is actually a human man who has been cursed. He hangs out for like 3 years with her as a cat before she finds a spell that transforms him back into a man.

He's actually a werewolf named Jack who was kidnapped by a sorcerer. The whole plot was kind of silly. Also Ame is thirsting over a librarian she slept with in the past as well as the town's veterinarian.

They pull off an operation to go enact revenge on the sorcerer. Ame of course has this plan organized into folders and documents?

The plot twists were sort of predictable and it follows the same plot a lot of fantasy romances do. FMC ends up being super powerful and saves the day.

[C.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

(actually 3.5 stars)

This was the best one in the series yet. It was so layered and interesting and had genuine twists to it. I literally laughed aloud when I got to who Jack's dad is.

My one complaint is that we didn't get to see the bunny get un-cursed. I really want to know who she is and whose mate she is because of COURSE she's gonna be someone's.

Jack and Ame were by and far my favorite couple so far. They're so supportive and rounded, both having their own faults and worries and things they need to work on.

I'm genuinely extremely interested by the epilogue and not only the potential of Anthony having a mate, but of what his power is in general. His draw to magic and fear of his ability seems so interesting and I hope so much he gets a book.

I really hope this isn't it for Folk Haven, there's still so many things that need telling and explaining. I'm going to hold out hope for a book five announcement, and wait excitedly to read every word.