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Southwestern Shifters #1
Rescued
Book one in the Southwestern Shifters Series.When Gabriel Staley rescues a magnificent black wolf, he has no idea that destiny has just turned up the heat and brought him his mate, sexy shapeshifter Mika Blackwell.Gabriel Staley was used to being an outcast in the small town of Shasta, Texas. More concerned with rescuing stray dogs from a cruel death at the hands of the local Sheriff, Gabe focuses on making a difference and standing up for what he believes is right. Mika Blackwell, a shape shifter who was banned from his pack, is new to the outcast status, and not adjusting very well.When Gabe heads out to rescue an injured wolf, he has no idea that his life is about to be eternally altered. As Mika watches the man approach him, he feels the universe tilt and realises that, while he may have lost his pack, he's just found what every shifter longs for - his destined mate.Together, Gabriel and Mika must find their way and fight for their love—from confronting Mika's former pack leader to stopping someone who tries to kill Gabe's best friend, Todd. When Todd's attacker comes after Gabe, Mika is determined to protect his mate at all costs.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2010
130 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
About the author
Bailey Bradford
191 books552 followersA few things about me...
I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.
And it's really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I'll just let y'all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there's something specific you'd like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio:D
I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.
And it's really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I'll just let y'all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there's something specific you'd like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio:D
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
December 27, 2025
3 Stars
So, here’s the thing: every time the story started to get really good or emotionally engaging, the two MCs would start groping each other (or at the very least they’d be thinking about groping each other) and it kind of ruined any of the potential this story had to be truly awesome. Bummer! And yes, I’m legitimately complaining about the abundance of sexy times. Me! Shocking, I know! But to be clear, I had issues with the timing of the sex scenes, not the sex scenes themselves (they were smokin’ hot).
I was sufficiently fond of the main characters, Gabe and Mika, and found their story enjoyable enough, but there were certain aspects of the story that I felt were left unresolved and/or unclear.
I also had a few issues with the way events unfolded. If it wasn’t for these few plot-related hang-ups, I would have appreciated this story a hell of a lot more. I’m a sap for stories about shifters finding their destined mates, and this definitely had that, but my issues overrode my enjoyment level.
I’ll definitely explore this series further, as I want to know more about the particular shifter lore created here, and I definitely want to know more about Mika’s intolerant Alphahole, Zane.
So, here’s the thing: every time the story started to get really good or emotionally engaging, the two MCs would start groping each other (or at the very least they’d be thinking about groping each other) and it kind of ruined any of the potential this story had to be truly awesome. Bummer! And yes, I’m legitimately complaining about the abundance of sexy times. Me! Shocking, I know! But to be clear, I had issues with the timing of the sex scenes, not the sex scenes themselves (they were smokin’ hot).
I was sufficiently fond of the main characters, Gabe and Mika, and found their story enjoyable enough, but there were certain aspects of the story that I felt were left unresolved and/or unclear.
I also had a few issues with the way events unfolded. If it wasn’t for these few plot-related hang-ups, I would have appreciated this story a hell of a lot more. I’m a sap for stories about shifters finding their destined mates, and this definitely had that, but my issues overrode my enjoyment level.
I’ll definitely explore this series further, as I want to know more about the particular shifter lore created here, and I definitely want to know more about Mika’s intolerant Alphahole, Zane.
April 25, 2011
I was totally disapointed in this book. The 2 stars = 1 for idea and 1 for writing slightly better than a few other shifter writers. But only slightly. What is with these authors equating shifter finds mate with sex sex and then more sex.
Come on, we read romance books for a story, if we wanted non stop sex we'd read porn. I'm not a prude and sex has its place, but I prefer it as part of the story not as a way of padding out a story "idea" into a book.
And yeah like Ladypessi mentioned. What happened to the story line regarding Mika.
Why start a plot line if you gonna just forget about it?
Come on, we read romance books for a story, if we wanted non stop sex we'd read porn. I'm not a prude and sex has its place, but I prefer it as part of the story not as a way of padding out a story "idea" into a book.
And yeah like Ladypessi mentioned. What happened to the story line regarding Mika.
Why start a plot line if you gonna just forget about it?
April 28, 2011
It started off good and i liked all the characters but once they started having sex that is all they did, it got pretty boring IMO even skipping the repetitive sex scenes it was still boring.
Seemed like what could have been an interesting plot/story had it been developed was skimmed over so there could be massive amount of sex
Seemed like what could have been an interesting plot/story had it been developed was skimmed over so there could be massive amount of sex
July 28, 2015
3.5-4 Stars
Can't get enough of this book,although the story is a little bit plain and no twists at all but I do love the premise.
Gabe and Mika is a perfect couple.IOW,some conflicts in this book are floating around all along,so I feel like there is the dilemma about the issues that I decide to flip them off in the end.Lol.
Can't get enough of this book,although the story is a little bit plain and no twists at all but I do love the premise.
Gabe and Mika is a perfect couple.IOW,some conflicts in this book are floating around all along,so I feel like there is the dilemma about the issues that I decide to flip them off in the end.Lol.
January 10, 2015
2.5-stars
My review will probably consist of tons of complaints because really,
I had really high hopes for this one. The first couple of chapters were amazing! I just loved Gabe and the beginings of his relationship with Mika. I liked how there relationship started... It all went down hill once they started sexing, I'm so serious.
I couldn't think of a possible way to go wrong with this story... sadly my first assumption was wrong. As i mentioned before I did enjoy the characters but I feel like half way through the story they got a personality change. Mika became this closeted Alpha which I mean, just cuz you're shifter doesn't mean you have Alpha characteristics and I thought he would be the more docile of the two based upon the way their relationship started. Gabe also random turns into this flamboyant guy, not caring how people saw him and blah blah. It just seemed to be two personality changes that wasn't eased into it just changed.
I love gay sex as much as the next heterosexual woman but there was just too much sexing in this story. To the point where it made no sense! I mean at one point they're worried about their friend's life and the threat of some gay basher on the loose and all of a sudden they're sexing. I just don't think they seemed to comprehend any situation through their lust clogged brains.
After that point it just seemed like plot development became backseat to sexing, anytime, anywhere. Oh, and it wasn't even exciting sexing. The sexing was kinda boring. I stopped bothering to read it.
My review will probably consist of tons of complaints because really,
I had really high hopes for this one. The first couple of chapters were amazing! I just loved Gabe and the beginings of his relationship with Mika. I liked how there relationship started... It all went down hill once they started sexing, I'm so serious.
I couldn't think of a possible way to go wrong with this story... sadly my first assumption was wrong. As i mentioned before I did enjoy the characters but I feel like half way through the story they got a personality change. Mika became this closeted Alpha which I mean, just cuz you're shifter doesn't mean you have Alpha characteristics and I thought he would be the more docile of the two based upon the way their relationship started. Gabe also random turns into this flamboyant guy, not caring how people saw him and blah blah. It just seemed to be two personality changes that wasn't eased into it just changed.
I love gay sex as much as the next heterosexual woman but there was just too much sexing in this story. To the point where it made no sense! I mean at one point they're worried about their friend's life and the threat of some gay basher on the loose and all of a sudden they're sexing. I just don't think they seemed to comprehend any situation through their lust clogged brains.
After that point it just seemed like plot development became backseat to sexing, anytime, anywhere. Oh, and it wasn't even exciting sexing. The sexing was kinda boring. I stopped bothering to read it.
January 18, 2016
Holy hell, I finally finished! I was starting to think it would ever end.
I believe there was potential here, especially for some hurt/comfort with Mika's past, but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) all of the sex gets in the way. I get it, they're mates and they want each other - but their constant boning gets in the way of everything - to the point where it got a little ridiculous and a lot repetitive for me.
Side Note: I hate the word "prick" and it's used a lot here.
Also, it made me crazy that we never find out what happened to Mika at the beginning of the story. It's a thread that's just dropped. When he is found it's obvious he's been shot, had been held captive and was malnourished. So...who did it? How did he escape? There's just...nothing. He heals and it's never mentioned again.
Later, Gabe's friend is badly hurt and instead of following up properly he and Mika are constantly thinking about the next time they can have sex.
In the end I never got the answers or conclusions for the three big plots of the story.
All in all it made it so the story dragged on for me. At 127 pages this should not have felt as long and taken me so much time to get through. It was too much, too distracting, and it took away from my enjoyment of what could have been a really good shifter story.
I believe there was potential here, especially for some hurt/comfort with Mika's past, but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) all of the sex gets in the way. I get it, they're mates and they want each other - but their constant boning gets in the way of everything - to the point where it got a little ridiculous and a lot repetitive for me.
Side Note: I hate the word "prick" and it's used a lot here.
Also, it made me crazy that we never find out what happened to Mika at the beginning of the story. It's a thread that's just dropped. When he is found it's obvious he's been shot, had been held captive and was malnourished. So...who did it? How did he escape? There's just...nothing. He heals and it's never mentioned again.
Later, Gabe's friend is badly hurt and instead of following up properly he and Mika are constantly thinking about the next time they can have sex.
In the end I never got the answers or conclusions for the three big plots of the story.
All in all it made it so the story dragged on for me. At 127 pages this should not have felt as long and taken me so much time to get through. It was too much, too distracting, and it took away from my enjoyment of what could have been a really good shifter story.
August 22, 2010
Hmmm. The interesting (if somewhat cliched) premise is what initially drew me to try this shifter novel. Injured, sickly wolf is rescued by some kindhearted strangers. Wolf turns out to be a shape-shifter who has just found his mate. Bad guys at every turn. Potentially good stuff, right? Yeah, not so much.
What can I say? I just didn't think this was very well written. The characters are all totally one-dimensional and not very interesting. The plot is seriously cliched, painfully obvious, and seems to just flit from one thing to the next. For example, there are several different "bad guys" in the story, and each is dispatched with very little effort -- which means there's no single focus or direction to the overall plotline and pretty much nothing interesting or exciting ever happens. Finally, I just have to say that the shifter-theme seems like a total ploy - an excuse to get the two "mates" into bed ASAP. I mean, there are no real details to build this as a paranormal/shifter-themed book - the one guy just happens to be a wolf-shifter who finds his mate. Therefore they love each other and have sex on like day 1. Yawn.
Bottom Line: Don't waste your time.
What can I say? I just didn't think this was very well written. The characters are all totally one-dimensional and not very interesting. The plot is seriously cliched, painfully obvious, and seems to just flit from one thing to the next. For example, there are several different "bad guys" in the story, and each is dispatched with very little effort -- which means there's no single focus or direction to the overall plotline and pretty much nothing interesting or exciting ever happens. Finally, I just have to say that the shifter-theme seems like a total ploy - an excuse to get the two "mates" into bed ASAP. I mean, there are no real details to build this as a paranormal/shifter-themed book - the one guy just happens to be a wolf-shifter who finds his mate. Therefore they love each other and have sex on like day 1. Yawn.
Bottom Line: Don't waste your time.
July 21, 2011
‘Rescued’ is a good start to the Southwestern Shifters series. The werewolves like to be called shifters, and there are some differences to what the ‘standard’ werewolf behavior would be. There are still packs and alphas, but they can shift at any time and are sentient when in wolf form. There is also a hint at a pack structure and hierarchy above that of local alphas, making it possible for ‘bad alphas’ to be reprimanded. I liked that the mating was between a shifter and a human, it made the explanations of the rules easier, as I was ‘learning’ the details at the same time as the human mate.
Gabriel is a very strong-willed character. Standing up for himself after his parents kicked him out has taught him a thing or two. Even though his grandparents took him in, he has been on his own since they died. He is also very curious, and can be impulsive. It makes for a wonderful mix as he realizes Mika is a shifter. Dealing with their relationship is hard on him, but he is determined enough to work through the issues.
Mika is a great partner for Gabriel. He is very strong, and definitely the alpha in the relationship, but he can also be tender and always has his mate’s well being top of mind. His patience when teaching Gabriel about being mated to a shifter seems endless, and his willingness to go slow and compromise is, in large part, what convinces Gabriel that they are indeed mates. Mika is a good mix between wolf and human, even in his human form.
This book is more about the evolving relationship, both emotional and physical, between Gabriel and Mika than about some greater storyline. There is a villain and there are some obstacles, but the main focus is on the two men. If you like shifter stories, watching a relationship develop and the sex go from hot to hotter, you will probably like this book. If you have never read a shifter story before, this might be a good one to ‘test the waters’ so to speak.
Gabriel is a very strong-willed character. Standing up for himself after his parents kicked him out has taught him a thing or two. Even though his grandparents took him in, he has been on his own since they died. He is also very curious, and can be impulsive. It makes for a wonderful mix as he realizes Mika is a shifter. Dealing with their relationship is hard on him, but he is determined enough to work through the issues.
Mika is a great partner for Gabriel. He is very strong, and definitely the alpha in the relationship, but he can also be tender and always has his mate’s well being top of mind. His patience when teaching Gabriel about being mated to a shifter seems endless, and his willingness to go slow and compromise is, in large part, what convinces Gabriel that they are indeed mates. Mika is a good mix between wolf and human, even in his human form.
This book is more about the evolving relationship, both emotional and physical, between Gabriel and Mika than about some greater storyline. There is a villain and there are some obstacles, but the main focus is on the two men. If you like shifter stories, watching a relationship develop and the sex go from hot to hotter, you will probably like this book. If you have never read a shifter story before, this might be a good one to ‘test the waters’ so to speak.
May 13, 2017
Re-read 5/12/17: I still really like this shifter mate story between Gabe, a human, and Mika, a wolf shifter who has been thrown out of his pack. There might be a bit too much insta-lust for some, but it's a shifter story, after all.
April 16, 2014
Just kinda anti-climactic. *shrugs shoulders* Nothing much really happened out side of meeting and sex until the last 25% of the book. And even then, it just felt minor and was over quickly.
January 28, 2019
Even my beloved fated mate plot line couldn't save this for me. Mostly sex. An undeveloped plot.
December 23, 2016
Oh my goodness.
Can anyone point me in the direction of a well crafted M/M paranormal romance? I had such high hopes for this story.
1.) Fucking batshit insane is a ridiculous nickname for someone who is clearly homophobic and full of anger issues. Please don't ever do this again.
2.) Word repitition...lave - means to wash - but in this book, equates to running your tongue over... once we found that word, we just couldn't let it go. Sigh.
3.) When confronting the pack leader, the alpha rolls over and apologizes...really? Granted, there was minimal build up and tension - but there was some and for an issue that really could have had some bite (pardon the pun). Imagine my suprise to find out that the whole "we don't let gay people in our pack" be washed over with a simple "I'm sorry.". I..I just can't.
4.) Enough. With. The. Sex. It was hot, the first couple of times. Then it was just boring. Dear god, who has that much sex? EVER? Who has sex after seeing your friend in the hospital from a gay bashing!? Seriously? Dear lord.
5.) Get an editor. Please.
Honestly, reviews should be..."the story wasn't for me," or "perhaps the repetition of similar words should be noted", something that's constructive and polite. I can't abide by bashing of any kind because it's really hard to write a story. It really is. It's even harder to write a good one. And it takes a lot of balls to put it out into the world and let others see it. So, I do apologize if this critique is too strong, but I haven't been this badly disappointed in a book in a very long time.
Can anyone point me in the direction of a well crafted M/M paranormal romance? I had such high hopes for this story.
1.) Fucking batshit insane is a ridiculous nickname for someone who is clearly homophobic and full of anger issues. Please don't ever do this again.
2.) Word repitition...lave - means to wash - but in this book, equates to running your tongue over... once we found that word, we just couldn't let it go. Sigh.
3.) When confronting the pack leader, the alpha rolls over and apologizes...really? Granted, there was minimal build up and tension - but there was some and for an issue that really could have had some bite (pardon the pun). Imagine my suprise to find out that the whole "we don't let gay people in our pack" be washed over with a simple "I'm sorry.". I..I just can't.
4.) Enough. With. The. Sex. It was hot, the first couple of times. Then it was just boring. Dear god, who has that much sex? EVER? Who has sex after seeing your friend in the hospital from a gay bashing!? Seriously? Dear lord.
5.) Get an editor. Please.
Honestly, reviews should be..."the story wasn't for me," or "perhaps the repetition of similar words should be noted", something that's constructive and polite. I can't abide by bashing of any kind because it's really hard to write a story. It really is. It's even harder to write a good one. And it takes a lot of balls to put it out into the world and let others see it. So, I do apologize if this critique is too strong, but I haven't been this badly disappointed in a book in a very long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2015
Ok...I want to say this review is not coming from a bad place so please don't think that. I love reading anything that is horror, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. So I'm really critical of any book that is written in these genres, especially with the influx of all the bad books lately.
No matter what genre a book is; there should always be a plot. I should be able to read a book and remove all the sexy stuff and still have a decent book. This book went from one unnecessary sex scene to another. Don't get me wrong, I love the hot, steamy yumminess but if all there is bland, steamy ok-ness I get bored.
I wanted to like these guys but they seem so flat and boring. Gabriel was reduces to a pinching, giggling boy and Mika was a caveman alpha. Sigh... The secondary characters could have been interesting too but they only made a brief, cliche appearance in the book.
The plot..... so many tangents that really just didn't go anywhere. Mika's past.. there was a mentioned of the old clan; the clan made an appearance and then nothing. The random bad guy that had brief mentioned in the book or the predictable police force.
Can I mention one more time, the sex scenes? There was one point that it went one sex scene to two pages of plot to another sex scene, and then another sex scene. Come on....
All i can say there is something there if the author took time to develop the plot.
No matter what genre a book is; there should always be a plot. I should be able to read a book and remove all the sexy stuff and still have a decent book. This book went from one unnecessary sex scene to another. Don't get me wrong, I love the hot, steamy yumminess but if all there is bland, steamy ok-ness I get bored.
I wanted to like these guys but they seem so flat and boring. Gabriel was reduces to a pinching, giggling boy and Mika was a caveman alpha. Sigh... The secondary characters could have been interesting too but they only made a brief, cliche appearance in the book.
The plot..... so many tangents that really just didn't go anywhere. Mika's past.. there was a mentioned of the old clan; the clan made an appearance and then nothing. The random bad guy that had brief mentioned in the book or the predictable police force.
Can I mention one more time, the sex scenes? There was one point that it went one sex scene to two pages of plot to another sex scene, and then another sex scene. Come on....
All i can say there is something there if the author took time to develop the plot.
June 2, 2013
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.0
This is a story about Gabriel and Mika. Gabriel is a small-town boy who designs websites by day; he also runs a shelter for abused dogs. Mika is a wolf shape-shifter who was banished from (and almost killed by) his pack for being gay. Gabriel is his mate. The two have some challenges: 1) Gabriel must come to terms with the existence of shape-shifters and accept that he's mated to one; 2) Mika has to get closure with his pack; and 3) Gabriel and Mika must deal with the evil sheriff and other bigoted towns folk.
This one was okay. There was too much sex. I like my smut as much as the next girl and BB can write some pretty steamy scenes but these two couldn't keep their hands off each other for more than an hour. After a while, that gets dry as toast. Also, I think that BB's stories would benefit from a little angst between the MCs.
The shape-shifter thing was alright but been there, done that. Also, what are the details about the shape-shifter way of life? That was never fleshed out. Are they immortal? Do they have a longer life span than humans? And, what was up with the process to convert a human to a shape-shifter? Ewwww.
Bottom line: an alright shape-shifter m/m novel; too heavy on the sex and a tad too sweet for me; on the other hand, the price was right ($0.99 on Amazon).
This is a story about Gabriel and Mika. Gabriel is a small-town boy who designs websites by day; he also runs a shelter for abused dogs. Mika is a wolf shape-shifter who was banished from (and almost killed by) his pack for being gay. Gabriel is his mate. The two have some challenges: 1) Gabriel must come to terms with the existence of shape-shifters and accept that he's mated to one; 2) Mika has to get closure with his pack; and 3) Gabriel and Mika must deal with the evil sheriff and other bigoted towns folk.
This one was okay. There was too much sex. I like my smut as much as the next girl and BB can write some pretty steamy scenes but these two couldn't keep their hands off each other for more than an hour. After a while, that gets dry as toast. Also, I think that BB's stories would benefit from a little angst between the MCs.
The shape-shifter thing was alright but been there, done that. Also, what are the details about the shape-shifter way of life? That was never fleshed out. Are they immortal? Do they have a longer life span than humans? And, what was up with the process to convert a human to a shape-shifter? Ewwww.
Bottom line: an alright shape-shifter m/m novel; too heavy on the sex and a tad too sweet for me; on the other hand, the price was right ($0.99 on Amazon).
October 4, 2010
3 1/2 but I bumped it to 4 Stars - I’m a total shifter-lover and this was a great read.
The characters were rich and flawed and delightful together, and I always enjoy a shifter/non-shifter mating relationship. I also liked how the author threw out some of the pre-conceptions of the werewolf myths - made it more interesting, and the mind-connecting really helped me connect to Gabriel and Mika.
Never thought I’d say this, but there was a “lot” of sex in this book considering its length - not that that’s totally a bad thing, just a little redundant at times. On to the next in the series. :)
The characters were rich and flawed and delightful together, and I always enjoy a shifter/non-shifter mating relationship. I also liked how the author threw out some of the pre-conceptions of the werewolf myths - made it more interesting, and the mind-connecting really helped me connect to Gabriel and Mika.
Never thought I’d say this, but there was a “lot” of sex in this book considering its length - not that that’s totally a bad thing, just a little redundant at times. On to the next in the series. :)
March 21, 2015
I love a good shifter story.
I love hot steamy smut fests.
But can you have too much...
apparently you can!
Complete PWP. I just wasn't expecting it.
Sooo, be warned...grab a pack of smokes if you light up after orgasms.
Cuz, you'll be chain smoking your way through this hot little number ;)
I love hot steamy smut fests.
But can you have too much...
apparently you can!
Complete PWP. I just wasn't expecting it.
Sooo, be warned...grab a pack of smokes if you light up after orgasms.
Cuz, you'll be chain smoking your way through this hot little number ;)
March 15, 2010
Badly executed. No one was properly physically described. I'd find myself reading a scene and wondered where in the heck this came from or why it was happening or what the heck were they referring to. It did make me appreciate those authors who manage to artfully work in details so that I won’t find myself somewhere wondering how the heck I got there. I would look back to see if I happened to doze off during something pivotal, but I couldn't find anything. I couldn't finish it.
June 28, 2018
Not my favorite from miss Bailey.
The writing lacked realism. They were constantly calling each other "mate" and it didn't seem authentic. I wanted more details about Mika, as his pack is only briefly mentioned and we meet the alpha for like a minute. What did he do before showing up near Gabe's place? Did he have a job.
Also, the sex...now I like sex scenes don't get me wrong. But there were too many and I started getting desensitized to them. Sometimes, less is more.
The writing lacked realism. They were constantly calling each other "mate" and it didn't seem authentic. I wanted more details about Mika, as his pack is only briefly mentioned and we meet the alpha for like a minute. What did he do before showing up near Gabe's place? Did he have a job.
Also, the sex...now I like sex scenes don't get me wrong. But there were too many and I started getting desensitized to them. Sometimes, less is more.
April 19, 2015
I didn't know it was possible, but I think this book had so much sex (in the broadest sense of the word) that I actually became desensitized to it. The book was cute, but by the end, I was so damn tired of the constant tongue-twisting of Mika or Gabe's pretty prick plumping up, perking up, and pulsing with release.
Want to read
January 30, 2015FREE on Amazon!
http://www.amazon.com/Rescued-Southwe...
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August 7, 2019
If I could give this 3.5 stars I would. The main plot was very interesting and very engaging, the destined mates part was explained beautifully and the shifter lore was different from what I'm used to BUT the main characters had sex in the most inopportune times and I think at least half the book was about them doing it. It felt like they were in some aphrodisiac drug or something because they were horny like all the time. If these scenes had been better placed perhaps it wouldn't have bothered me as much.
April 27, 2013
Huh. This is really… Okay. Story time.
When I read this first three years ago I disliked it. I may not have outright hated it but the only character I liked was Mika. Gabe I just despised. The writing looked bad to me and I felt the mate connection robbed the story of its potential.
I did later read the next two books in the series and progressively loved those more and more. So, basically, this first one and the bad impression it left with me is responsible for waiting this long to get back to the series.
And now? I really liked it. Yeah, I stand by a lot of what I said about Gabe, but it’s not as extreme as I saw it then. Plus I have read so many books in the mean time with this kind of premise and so much worse writing that, honestly, this one looks great by comparison. (That’s a pretty sad thing to say.)
I gather this is one of the first books the author published; it shows in the somewhat clumsy writing. But already we have all the trademarks (if watered down). The horrible, traumatic things done to side characters and to the protagonists in their back stories. The tone is still more amused than angsty, though.
I do wish the viewpoints shifts were marked. It’s always confusing when they occur in the middle of a scene. This is acerbated when the author accidentally uses “mate” during Gabe’s POV while he doesn’t know about that yet and for a moment I thought it switched again. Yeah, viewpoints are not always smooth here.
Back to my biggest upset the first time around.
Gabe is a violent, pugnacious man, ready to vent his frustrations on anyone near. Sadly, it’s going to be Mika from here on out. I know this keeps up during the next few books, heh. This time around I can also see the affection underneath it, though.
Plus I believe last time I fell victim to my unmet expectations. I thought Gabe would be a gentle soul, so when he turned out to be anything but, I suppose I held it against him. Odd how much of a difference such a tiny thing can make. I wonder if I do this to a lot of books; it seems extremely unfair.
For comparison, here’s some of what I wrote about Gabe in 2010: “He is also a bit of a bully; extremely confrontational, to the point of provoking bad reactions in the most undiplomatic fashion, yet always posing as the one who is attacked by mean-minded people. And he freaking keeps hitting his boyfriend. Hitting and pinching painfully for no other reason than petty aggression.”
From my current point of view, I overshot with that. Although I still dislike the violence and think Gabe’s generally not a fair-minded guy.
Anyway, something that’s still ludicrous? How all these grown gay men keep blushing whenever there’s nudity or reference to sex in company or any physical effects are visible. Except for Mika, whee.
Speaking of, I’m not happy with all the car sex. That’s just way too dangerous to even contemplate.
Yeah, this story is oversexed, definitely that, maybe it’s that shifter mating thing, who knows. Because the protagonists can’t seem to focus on anything else for more than a few minutes.
Two things save the book. One, the sex scenes are pretty intense, even if not always realistic. Two, there are genuine emotions between the protagonists and those don’t just pop into existence out of nowhere, despite the undeniable pull.
So. Second reading? A welcome surprise.
And blah, I'm solidly stuck between 3 and 4 stars.
When I read this first three years ago I disliked it. I may not have outright hated it but the only character I liked was Mika. Gabe I just despised. The writing looked bad to me and I felt the mate connection robbed the story of its potential.
I did later read the next two books in the series and progressively loved those more and more. So, basically, this first one and the bad impression it left with me is responsible for waiting this long to get back to the series.
And now? I really liked it. Yeah, I stand by a lot of what I said about Gabe, but it’s not as extreme as I saw it then. Plus I have read so many books in the mean time with this kind of premise and so much worse writing that, honestly, this one looks great by comparison. (That’s a pretty sad thing to say.)
I gather this is one of the first books the author published; it shows in the somewhat clumsy writing. But already we have all the trademarks (if watered down). The horrible, traumatic things done to side characters and to the protagonists in their back stories. The tone is still more amused than angsty, though.
I do wish the viewpoints shifts were marked. It’s always confusing when they occur in the middle of a scene. This is acerbated when the author accidentally uses “mate” during Gabe’s POV while he doesn’t know about that yet and for a moment I thought it switched again. Yeah, viewpoints are not always smooth here.
Back to my biggest upset the first time around.
Gabe is a violent, pugnacious man, ready to vent his frustrations on anyone near. Sadly, it’s going to be Mika from here on out. I know this keeps up during the next few books, heh. This time around I can also see the affection underneath it, though.
Plus I believe last time I fell victim to my unmet expectations. I thought Gabe would be a gentle soul, so when he turned out to be anything but, I suppose I held it against him. Odd how much of a difference such a tiny thing can make. I wonder if I do this to a lot of books; it seems extremely unfair.
For comparison, here’s some of what I wrote about Gabe in 2010: “He is also a bit of a bully; extremely confrontational, to the point of provoking bad reactions in the most undiplomatic fashion, yet always posing as the one who is attacked by mean-minded people. And he freaking keeps hitting his boyfriend. Hitting and pinching painfully for no other reason than petty aggression.”
From my current point of view, I overshot with that. Although I still dislike the violence and think Gabe’s generally not a fair-minded guy.
Anyway, something that’s still ludicrous? How all these grown gay men keep blushing whenever there’s nudity or reference to sex in company or any physical effects are visible. Except for Mika, whee.
Speaking of, I’m not happy with all the car sex. That’s just way too dangerous to even contemplate.
Yeah, this story is oversexed, definitely that, maybe it’s that shifter mating thing, who knows. Because the protagonists can’t seem to focus on anything else for more than a few minutes.
Two things save the book. One, the sex scenes are pretty intense, even if not always realistic. Two, there are genuine emotions between the protagonists and those don’t just pop into existence out of nowhere, despite the undeniable pull.
So. Second reading? A welcome surprise.
And blah, I'm solidly stuck between 3 and 4 stars.
December 1, 2010
This book was really nice and I enjoyed reading it. There were few things though that annoyed me.
Firstly, this story was all about sex. Oh, sure, it had a real plot, but everything happened before, between and after sex.
Sure, I understand after reading so many books where mates are always hungy for each other that they need to be together, but in this book, it was way over the top. Enough is enough.
This book had so much potential to be really good. If Bailey had concentrated more to the plot she could have created a really exiting story.
I was a bit let down when she didn't tell us who had hurt Mika, I mean that time when Gabe found him, someone had shot Mika and abused him. Why she didn't go down that road? She had to go back to Mika's old pack and all, but she just let that thing go. It wasn't even mentioned later in the book, and it ticked me off 'cause I wanted to know what had happened.
There were so many directions she could have taken this story, but no. She couldn't let go of their sex life, which was exiting, but it got old really fast.
The plot was slow to take over, hell, anything actually interesting, not concerning the sex, came after the book was halfway over.
It was a good read, but I hope that Relentless (sequel to this book) has more plot to it.
If you don't mind really hot sex over and over and over again, please read this! :D
Firstly, this story was all about sex. Oh, sure, it had a real plot, but everything happened before, between and after sex.
Sure, I understand after reading so many books where mates are always hungy for each other that they need to be together, but in this book, it was way over the top. Enough is enough.
This book had so much potential to be really good. If Bailey had concentrated more to the plot she could have created a really exiting story.
I was a bit let down when she didn't tell us who had hurt Mika, I mean that time when Gabe found him, someone had shot Mika and abused him. Why she didn't go down that road? She had to go back to Mika's old pack and all, but she just let that thing go. It wasn't even mentioned later in the book, and it ticked me off 'cause I wanted to know what had happened.
There were so many directions she could have taken this story, but no. She couldn't let go of their sex life, which was exiting, but it got old really fast.
The plot was slow to take over, hell, anything actually interesting, not concerning the sex, came after the book was halfway over.
It was a good read, but I hope that Relentless (sequel to this book) has more plot to it.
If you don't mind really hot sex over and over and over again, please read this! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2012
This book was a whirlwind of stuff! It coulda been so much more. Gabe & Mika are mates and that's that...no angst. I found myself looking for more mentions of Adam, Todd & even douchy sheriff Kaughman. I've heard the series gets better with the next book, so I think maybe I'll try one more before righting it off completely.
August 18, 2012
Even though I know most shifter/mate books normally have an insta love type theme, this one just did not work for me. While I could have gotten beyond Gabe's easy acceptance of Mika being a wolf and them being mates with really no questions asked, I found what little story there was seemed to be just thrown it to break up the endless sex scenes.
August 31, 2013
I was a little disappointed by this book. When I got to the end, I was still wondering about things that had happened, and wanted to know where my answers were. I will read the next one and see if anything pops up in that one.
There was a huge amount of sex in this book, so if that is not to your taste, I suggest you give it a miss.
There was a huge amount of sex in this book, so if that is not to your taste, I suggest you give it a miss.
December 4, 2010
Wow. Sean Michael has just been beat in the sex to plot ratio race. This is a light, at times; comedic, shifter read with low angst. Suspension of belief is needed, otherwise there may be some eye-roll moments.
June 5, 2025
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
~
Rescued (Southwestern Shifters, 01)
by Bailey Bradford
★★★★☆
273 Pages
1st person, present tense, dual character POV
Themes: MM, urban fantasy, contemporary, fated mates, small town, outcast, found family, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, pack politics
Triggers: violence, homophobia, slurs, discrimination; mentions of past off-page parental abuse, religious extremism, parental neglect, cruelty to animals, euthanasia of animals
~
Rescued is the first novel in the Southwestern Shifter series, and – personally, to me – it's a book of two halves. One half focuses entirely on the rescue of Mika and the relationship between Mika and Gabe; the second half where minor mentions of the plot start taking off, with hints of pack politics, an attack on a friend and a HEA for the couple.
However, I do have some issues with the execution:
1) first off, there's a list of triggers, which I really appreciate. HOWEVER, there is a note that says “for a full list of trigger warnings please see the author's website”. Only, I clicked through and couldn't find anything about triggers on the website, not even the ones included in the book.
2) there is NO mention of who was responsible for the state Mika was in when Gabe first found him in wolf form. Other than his initial injuries, it's never mentioned again. I felt like this a huge aspect of the plot, but it was never addressed, which was annoying.
3) there is an excess of sex that just doesn't appeal to me. I ended up skimming the sex scenes by the 45% mark, because it felt like there was more sex than plot at times.
Now that I've said that, let me get into the good stuff.
I really enjoyed the plot of the book. I thought the concept of Gabe being an animal rescuer, finding an injured wolf, was a great concept for the start of a shifter book. It meant that Gabe's quick acceptance of Mika being a shifter made more sense, especially since he was able to draw his own conclusions before Mike spelled it out for him.
The entire town of Shasta being homophobic, prejudiced and corrupt was intriguing. That left a lot of room for not only the police but even the locals to be questionable characters, with danger always around the corner. When things began falling apart and the action kicked off in the second half, it made sense that no one really knew who to look at or blame, because it could literally have been anyone.
Honestly, I'm not usually fond of 1st person present tense POV, but Bradford did a great job of drawing me in. I barely even noticed the POV, because it suited the story and the characters so well.
As for the cast of characters, I really liked everyone pretty much equally. Gabe was interesting, though he seemed to have two sides to his personality: one was tender and caring, the other was flirty and a bit dominating. Mika was surprisingly vulnerable and apprehensive. The secondary characters of Todd and Adam were a great addition. Adam was a vet, super useful in terms of the plot, but he also had a steady personality, very capable and supportive. Todd was a deputy sheriff and very vulnerable, with a dark past and a boss who was dirty. The only other character with a secondary focus is Zane, who is the main character of the next book in the series. He's the alpha of Mika's home pack and a seriously intriguing characters. I look forward to reading his story in the next book.
~
Negatives? A few, but nothing outlandish that ruined the book.
I did notice a few editing issues, which will no doubt be fixed before publication. I don't normally let them influence my rating, when I'm reading an ARC. There were a few actions that were a little off, like where it appeared someone had moved or done something only for it to not be the case later, or movement between locations didn't read clearly. Later, Gabe got an emergency call about a stray, but instead of going there, he stops to have a pretty intense and lengthy discussion with Mike. It didn't really add up. There was also one scene around 80% where an entire scene cut-off mid-sentence and led immediately into a repeat of the scene.
The sex scenes were the only other problem. At one point, it began to feel like there was a 70-30% split, with the 70% being sex. For me, it really risked spoiling what was an otherwise brilliant story. Maybe if the number of sex scenes had been cut in half, it would have worked much better, keeping them for important or pivotal moments.
They're just small, niggly things that stuck with me and made me have to re-read a sentence or two a few times.
~
In the end, Rescued was a tale of two halves: one half romance, the other action.
Bradford is a great writer and that shows in this book. There's epic series potential, as well as great writing, which is very evocative and incredibly well paced. I really wanted to give this story a 5* rating, but there was a huge excess of sex that just kept taking me out of the story.
I'm really looking forward to Zane's story and seeing how the series progresses.
~
Rescued (Southwestern Shifters, 01)
by Bailey Bradford
★★★★☆
273 Pages
1st person, present tense, dual character POV
Themes: MM, urban fantasy, contemporary, fated mates, small town, outcast, found family, hurt/comfort, opposites attract, pack politics
Triggers: violence, homophobia, slurs, discrimination; mentions of past off-page parental abuse, religious extremism, parental neglect, cruelty to animals, euthanasia of animals
~
Rescued is the first novel in the Southwestern Shifter series, and – personally, to me – it's a book of two halves. One half focuses entirely on the rescue of Mika and the relationship between Mika and Gabe; the second half where minor mentions of the plot start taking off, with hints of pack politics, an attack on a friend and a HEA for the couple.
However, I do have some issues with the execution:
1) first off, there's a list of triggers, which I really appreciate. HOWEVER, there is a note that says “for a full list of trigger warnings please see the author's website”. Only, I clicked through and couldn't find anything about triggers on the website, not even the ones included in the book.
2) there is NO mention of who was responsible for the state Mika was in when Gabe first found him in wolf form. Other than his initial injuries, it's never mentioned again. I felt like this a huge aspect of the plot, but it was never addressed, which was annoying.
3) there is an excess of sex that just doesn't appeal to me. I ended up skimming the sex scenes by the 45% mark, because it felt like there was more sex than plot at times.
Now that I've said that, let me get into the good stuff.
I really enjoyed the plot of the book. I thought the concept of Gabe being an animal rescuer, finding an injured wolf, was a great concept for the start of a shifter book. It meant that Gabe's quick acceptance of Mika being a shifter made more sense, especially since he was able to draw his own conclusions before Mike spelled it out for him.
The entire town of Shasta being homophobic, prejudiced and corrupt was intriguing. That left a lot of room for not only the police but even the locals to be questionable characters, with danger always around the corner. When things began falling apart and the action kicked off in the second half, it made sense that no one really knew who to look at or blame, because it could literally have been anyone.
Honestly, I'm not usually fond of 1st person present tense POV, but Bradford did a great job of drawing me in. I barely even noticed the POV, because it suited the story and the characters so well.
As for the cast of characters, I really liked everyone pretty much equally. Gabe was interesting, though he seemed to have two sides to his personality: one was tender and caring, the other was flirty and a bit dominating. Mika was surprisingly vulnerable and apprehensive. The secondary characters of Todd and Adam were a great addition. Adam was a vet, super useful in terms of the plot, but he also had a steady personality, very capable and supportive. Todd was a deputy sheriff and very vulnerable, with a dark past and a boss who was dirty. The only other character with a secondary focus is Zane, who is the main character of the next book in the series. He's the alpha of Mika's home pack and a seriously intriguing characters. I look forward to reading his story in the next book.
~
Negatives? A few, but nothing outlandish that ruined the book.
I did notice a few editing issues, which will no doubt be fixed before publication. I don't normally let them influence my rating, when I'm reading an ARC. There were a few actions that were a little off, like where it appeared someone had moved or done something only for it to not be the case later, or movement between locations didn't read clearly. Later, Gabe got an emergency call about a stray, but instead of going there, he stops to have a pretty intense and lengthy discussion with Mike. It didn't really add up. There was also one scene around 80% where an entire scene cut-off mid-sentence and led immediately into a repeat of the scene.
The sex scenes were the only other problem. At one point, it began to feel like there was a 70-30% split, with the 70% being sex. For me, it really risked spoiling what was an otherwise brilliant story. Maybe if the number of sex scenes had been cut in half, it would have worked much better, keeping them for important or pivotal moments.
They're just small, niggly things that stuck with me and made me have to re-read a sentence or two a few times.
~
In the end, Rescued was a tale of two halves: one half romance, the other action.
Bradford is a great writer and that shows in this book. There's epic series potential, as well as great writing, which is very evocative and incredibly well paced. I really wanted to give this story a 5* rating, but there was a huge excess of sex that just kept taking me out of the story.
I'm really looking forward to Zane's story and seeing how the series progresses.
May 30, 2025
Years ago I was an avid reader of Bailey Bradford's and own every single one of her books. It saddened me greatly when she gave up writing several years ago. That's why I was so excited when I heard she was doing an expanded and revised version of the first in her original shifter series from years ago.
First off, let me say that a lot of the reason that I gave it such low stars in my review is because of things that I personally don't like in my reading tastes. I think what's happened is that in the years since I've read her books my taste has changed considerably in what I enjoy reading. I still love MM paranormal stories, I just prefer them with a lot more story than sex scenes now. Don't get me wrong, I love hot, steamy, explicit sex scenes in my books, but nowadays three or four at the most are my limit. After that I'm fine with it fading to black once they hit the bed and getting on with the actual story.
Because this was a revised, and expanded version of the original book, I hoped that she had taken into account all the one and two star reviews from years ago with all the complaints about the CONSTANT sex scenes in the original book, and had taken the time to develop more of the actual storyline that was missing in the original version instead of the sex scenes. Unfortunately, that did not happen, which was a total shame because there was so much of the story that could have been expanded on to make it a richer and more entertaining book.
I would say 80% of the book was sex and what was left of it was story, and that's being generous. As I said, I truly thought that she would be expanding on the story and getting more in-depth into the backstories and lives of the characters to make them less one-dimensional. Much to my dismay, I didn't really notice any more character development or storyline then in the original version. There were so many scenes started with the potential for us to get to know the characters better, but each and every one quickly morphed into yet another sex scene between Gabe and Micah. By the 5th or 6th sex scene that went on for several pages, I was just scrolling ahead to get back to the few pages in between of a little plot development before the next sex scene started. I am not exaggerating. There were so many missed opportunities to expand more on these characters and answer questions that were left hanging but instead were quickly taken over by more sex scenes.
The other major issue I had was because of my personal preference of reading in either third person, as the original series was written, or first person, past tense. Bailey has decided to redo this book in first person, present tense. It is clearly stated in the synopsis of the story that she has changed it to that format, so there shouldn't have been any real surprises for me. I guess I had just forgotten how much I truly HATE first person, present tense. For those of you that don't know the difference, first person present tense reads:
" I finish feeding the last dog in the kennels, crouching to let my fingers comb through JoJo's course, speckled fur. The blue heeler stiffens for a moment, his muscles tense under my touch, before he leans into my hand."
First person, past tense:
I finished feeding the last dog in the kennels, then crouched down to comb my fingers through JoJo's course, speckled fur. The blue heeler stiffened for a moment, his muscles tensing under my touch, before he leaned into my hand.
For me personally, reading in first person, present tense just pulls me out of the story. I feel like I'm being told the story instead of feeling it. It comes across as very cold and impersonal to me. But as I said, that is my personal preference and I know many people that enjoy reading that style of writing.
I even went back to the original version of the story and did a quick scan of it to see if there were any major differences between the two. Other than the third person versus the first person, present tense storytelling, I honestly couldn't see anywhere that she expanded and revised in any way that made this any better of a story than the original. There seemed to be just as many sex scenes and not any more character development, or extended plot, that I noticed between the two.
I was given an ARC (advanced reader copy) to read and leave an honest review on this book. This was a tough review for me to write because I really don't want to discourage the author in any way from getting back to writing again. It just seems that my taste in writing styles has changed enough that if she continues revising the books in the series in the same way she did this one, it's just not my cup of tea anymore. But if you found the synopsis interesting enough that you might want to take a chance on this author, go ahead, you might enjoy it.
First off, let me say that a lot of the reason that I gave it such low stars in my review is because of things that I personally don't like in my reading tastes. I think what's happened is that in the years since I've read her books my taste has changed considerably in what I enjoy reading. I still love MM paranormal stories, I just prefer them with a lot more story than sex scenes now. Don't get me wrong, I love hot, steamy, explicit sex scenes in my books, but nowadays three or four at the most are my limit. After that I'm fine with it fading to black once they hit the bed and getting on with the actual story.
Because this was a revised, and expanded version of the original book, I hoped that she had taken into account all the one and two star reviews from years ago with all the complaints about the CONSTANT sex scenes in the original book, and had taken the time to develop more of the actual storyline that was missing in the original version instead of the sex scenes. Unfortunately, that did not happen, which was a total shame because there was so much of the story that could have been expanded on to make it a richer and more entertaining book.
I would say 80% of the book was sex and what was left of it was story, and that's being generous. As I said, I truly thought that she would be expanding on the story and getting more in-depth into the backstories and lives of the characters to make them less one-dimensional. Much to my dismay, I didn't really notice any more character development or storyline then in the original version. There were so many scenes started with the potential for us to get to know the characters better, but each and every one quickly morphed into yet another sex scene between Gabe and Micah. By the 5th or 6th sex scene that went on for several pages, I was just scrolling ahead to get back to the few pages in between of a little plot development before the next sex scene started. I am not exaggerating. There were so many missed opportunities to expand more on these characters and answer questions that were left hanging but instead were quickly taken over by more sex scenes.
The other major issue I had was because of my personal preference of reading in either third person, as the original series was written, or first person, past tense. Bailey has decided to redo this book in first person, present tense. It is clearly stated in the synopsis of the story that she has changed it to that format, so there shouldn't have been any real surprises for me. I guess I had just forgotten how much I truly HATE first person, present tense. For those of you that don't know the difference, first person present tense reads:
" I finish feeding the last dog in the kennels, crouching to let my fingers comb through JoJo's course, speckled fur. The blue heeler stiffens for a moment, his muscles tense under my touch, before he leans into my hand."
First person, past tense:
I finished feeding the last dog in the kennels, then crouched down to comb my fingers through JoJo's course, speckled fur. The blue heeler stiffened for a moment, his muscles tensing under my touch, before he leaned into my hand.
For me personally, reading in first person, present tense just pulls me out of the story. I feel like I'm being told the story instead of feeling it. It comes across as very cold and impersonal to me. But as I said, that is my personal preference and I know many people that enjoy reading that style of writing.
I even went back to the original version of the story and did a quick scan of it to see if there were any major differences between the two. Other than the third person versus the first person, present tense storytelling, I honestly couldn't see anywhere that she expanded and revised in any way that made this any better of a story than the original. There seemed to be just as many sex scenes and not any more character development, or extended plot, that I noticed between the two.
I was given an ARC (advanced reader copy) to read and leave an honest review on this book. This was a tough review for me to write because I really don't want to discourage the author in any way from getting back to writing again. It just seems that my taste in writing styles has changed enough that if she continues revising the books in the series in the same way she did this one, it's just not my cup of tea anymore. But if you found the synopsis interesting enough that you might want to take a chance on this author, go ahead, you might enjoy it.
Read
May 31, 2025Haven't read this new edition and probably never will. While checking the blurb to see if there was anything said about significant changes, this caught my attention. "This expanded edition of Rescued has been revised in first-person, present tense for a richer, more immersive experience." I do not read present tense. Don't care how 'immersive' it's supposed to be. I grew up reading third person, past tense. I am okay with first person but present tense...just NOPE. I have tried it several times and I just can't.
That probably means I will miss some new scenes or info, but I'll have to live with that. If all the rest get updated in the same way, it won't really matter since I won't be reading those either.
That probably means I will miss some new scenes or info, but I'll have to live with that. If all the rest get updated in the same way, it won't really matter since I won't be reading those either.
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