Mother Load

Shaken #4

by K.G. MacGregor

An earthquake didn’t break them. Old demons only tested and deepened their commitment. Even a toddler couldn’t tear them apart. Now Anna and Lily Kaklis have decided on a new adding to their family.

As usual, the timing couldn’t be better. Lily’s only involved in the most important case of her career, and Anna struggles every day to keep her auto empire intact. It’ll be easy to fit in trips to the fertility clinic, right?

What Anna knows is she’s no longer afraid of parenting and little Andy, Lily’s nephew, deserves siblings. But when Lily’s pregnancy faces complications, it’s all new territory for all three of them, testing their understanding of love in brand new ways.

In this fourth book of the award-winning Shaken Series, Lambda Literary Award winner KG MacGregor continues the compelling tale of two women who discover that real love has no limitations.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian Romance, Queer, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2010

About the author

A former teacher and market research consultant, KG MacGregor holds a PhD in journalism and mass communication. Infatuation with Xena: Warrior Princess fanfiction prompted her to try her own hand at storytelling in 2002. In 2005, she signed with Bella Books, which published the Goldie Award finalist Just This Once. Her sixth Bella novel, Out of Love, won the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women's Romance, and the 2008 Goldie Award in Lesbian Romance. In 2009, she picked up Goldies for Without Warning (Contemporary Romance) and Secrets So Deep (Romantic Suspense).

Other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Royal Academy of Bards, the Alice B. Readers Appreciation Medal, and several Readers Choice Awards. An avid supporter of queer literature, KG currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Lambda Literary Foundation.

KG MacGregor divides her time between her homes in Miami and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. When she isn't writing, she's either on a hiking trail, a golf course, or if she's really lucky, a cruise ship.

Reviews

[Lex Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series! This was so damn good and every book is better than the last. I’m honestly kicking myself for letting these books sit in my library for so long. This is the finale book of the original series –there is now a book 5 after a decade has past- so I’m not just evaluating this book but the original series as a whole. I’ve really gave this a lot of thought, but I can honestly say that this is the best WLW romance series –about the same main characters- that I have ever read. I’m not talking about mystery series, crime-thrillers like Dark Peak (Cari Hunter), action-suspense like Province Town (Radclyffe), or even the number or wonderful fantasy and paranormal series out there. But what I mean is when it comes down to just romance, that stars the same two main characters in every book –not an ensemble cast-, there is no other series that can really come close to this one. I never get bored once reading about the same main characters and their lives and I only wanted more. MacGregor never let this series get stale and it’s shocking to me how each book is just better than the one before it. Add in the fact that this series is over a decade old and really doesn’t show its age. This is just a classic WLW romance series at its best.

[Rain G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series keeps ‘shaking’ my inner feelings.

There’s not much time for romance in this book, but there is still an intense, strong and wonderful connection between the MCs.

I do love to read about credible stories in real life.

I love to see how people build family.
Building family is about love, caring, connection, communication, intimacy.
It’s about laughing together and getting over hard and painful times together too, and it’s about changing our priorities, often forgetting ourselves in pursuit of the well-being of our love ones.


I consider McGregor a wonderful writer. She was able to catch all those feelings and circumstances in this 4th book of the series
4.5*

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect ending to a wonderful series. Story of Anna and Lily; who met in a dire circumstance, became lovers and eventual partners with a family of their own. Getting to the destination wasn’t an easy ride as both Anna & Lily faced obstacles, misgivings but they came up tops when issues are dealt together.

[Heinerway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic worth re-reading.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alrighty, four books down and now ready for the newly released #5! It was really easy to read this series and loved following the lives of Anna and Lily. I sometimes struggle and get bored following the same characters, but I’m also a sucker for a continuous HEA! I’ll admit I googled the Routan to make sure it was as hideous a car as Anna made it out to be. :)

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series was wonderful. This book ended it perfectly. It made me laugh, cry and remember my childhood memories.

[Em Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this family so much

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one a lot.

7/21/14 - rereading.Still like this one loads.

The first in the series will always be my favorite but I like this one a lot, too.

[Ali Philanderer]

i want to read it

[Dide · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I must warn anyone reading the shaken series to not read all the books on one shot. You can feel burned out and not appreciate enough the beauty of the relationships being described. The writer is a wonderful writer whose relationship description of Anna and Lily is just enviable. She shows the trials and also the judicious sacrifices to make it work something terribly tough to do in real life but something her books makes you believe if they can do it you can as well.

[mariel R.a · Rating 3 out of 5]

ultimo libreo de la saga shaken.... no esta entre mis favoritos pero dentro de todo me gusto... parece mas una novela tipo corin tallado o delia fiallo.. sobre todo los ultimos capitulos... si bien adore toda la evolucion del romance entre Anna y Lily... aqui como que no convence mucho...K.G.MACGREGOR... deberia sacar un 5to libro de la familia Kaklis... con 1 adolescentes y 2 pre adolescentes... eso si seria divertido de leer.. ademas que lo deja en el aire con los demas mienbros del klan... en fin pudo a ver tenido un mejor cierre...

[Kathleen Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book in all its excitement and tenderness. KG MacGregor delivers (unintentional pun) yet another wonderful chapter in the lives of Anna and Lily, complete with love, laughter, and heart warming/wrenching moments. The depth she brings to these characters, including secondary characters like Kim and Hal, is amazing. I certainly hope she revisits Anna and Lily for years to come.

[Princessccamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I had left the shaken series dusting on my shelf for so long. I loved the story, how the author could create such wonderful dialogues in realistic settings, the daily struggles and doubts, the characters psychology. I still don’t believe their kind of love exists, but I’ve enjoyed the ride into romantic dreamland.

[TEENA Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read all four of the Shaken series one right after the other. KG is an incredible author. Leaves me wanting for more. My only regret is I miss the characters. 🥲 looking for another of her great stories to read. 💕

[wren4777 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, a pretty decent time. Was really nice to read about an established couple adding to their family, which isn't something that comes up in these books very often.

[Alena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weakest book in the series in my opinion. Based on a short story she had previously, years ago, posted online. I had hoped there were significant changes to the plot, but there weren't.

It was updated with a plot line that Anna's businesses suffer in the financial crisis, this part was good to read. Well, everything was reading smoothly but some stuff just annoyed me and other things could bee seen coming from a mile away.

Is it just lesfic or other romancy/light novels as well that tend to give children names with 'meaning'? Maybe I know weird people, but I don't know many people in real life who name their children after someone.

Nice read on the commute, but felt rather repetitive.

[Margaret L. Hedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series.

I just finished all four books in the Shaken series. I loved them all. Very down to earth look at how two mature women in a committed relationship handle life's trials and triumphs. Loved all four books.

[Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the my favorite F/F Series.

[Ari Peabody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever

[Mariah Lebron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series was awesome.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

verry good to read...wonderfull end of the storie. Thank you K.G. for given me several hours of reading plesure

[Maite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this serie very much, re-reading again!!