Review: Mate Claimed by Jennifer Ashley

Title: Mate Claimed*
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Shifters Unbound #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Format:  Paperback & E-book
Date/Year:  October 2012
Reviewed by: ElaineReads

*This book was provided to reviewer by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Summary from the publisher:

Collared and controlled, Shifters are outcast from humanity, forced to live in Shiftertowns. But waiting within are passions that no Collar can contain…

As a wildcat Shifter and leader of his Shiftertown, Eric Warden knows his own kind. When he sees Iona Duncan, he realizes that although she appears human she is a half-Shifter wildcat living without a Collar—and that if she doesn’t acknowledge her true nature and her mating hunger, it may kill her…

Iona finds the mysterious and powerful Eric alluring, even though she has vowed never to reveal her Shifter side, lest her mother pay the price for hiding her all these years. But her mating hunger is rising, and with Eric so close, she may not be able to resist…and her desire may lead to the very doom they are fighting to deny…

My Musings:

Eric, who shifts into a snow leopard, is the leader of the Las Vegas Shiftertown.  As such, he is responsible for a community of cat shifters, bear shifters, and soon to move in, wolf shifters.  Eric was introduced in previous books and comes across as the strong, silent type.  He does not have to prove he is dominant with violence.  His presence alone ensures that everyone follows his orders.

Everyone that is but Iona. 

Iona is a half shifter - half human living in Las Vegas.  No one outside of her immediate family knows she is anything but full human.  In this world, being a shifter means you are a second class citizen and are forced to wear a pain inflicting collar and live in Shiftertowns.  Is it any wonder she has concealed her shifter side all these years?

Eric accidentally discovers Iona’s secret and knows for her own safety she must move to Shiftertown and join their society.  Of course, safety is not the only reason Eric wants Iona to embrace her shifter half.  He really likes the way she smells!

Add to the romance that is developing between Eric and Iona, a dominance challenge from the leader of the wolves that are moving into Eric’s Shiftertown.  Graham makes Eric look easy going he is so aggressive. (I cannot wait for his book!)

Although this is book four in the series, it is actually the seventh to be published.  There are three novellas which fall between main books.  Being the compulsive person I am about series, I had to read the first six books before I could read this one for review. I am so glad I did.  I cannot imagine anyone being able to follow the complex storyline without the background of the previous books.  Many of the characters from the previous books show up in this one and their roles are not always minor.  Because of that, I not only recommend this book, I recommend the entire series.

I cannot wait for the next book to be published.  It is titled Tiger Magic and scheduled for release in June of 2013.  And yes, we got to meet the tiger in this book.  All I can say is “lions and tigers and bears, oh my” and don’t forget the wolves are coming to town as well :)

Ratings:

Overall: 4.5
Sensuality level: 3.5 (No toys or kink, although there is a reference to a scene where they are in shifter form.)
For a complete understanding and definition of the ratings at Seductive Musings, click here

Other Reviews:

• Smexy Books (C+)
• Fiction Vixen (B+)
• Goodreads (avg rating as of 10/4/2012 = 4.35 stars)

 
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