Animal Passions by Elizabeth Coldwell

Elizabeth Coldwell - Animal Passions CoverTitle: Animal Passions

Series: Lionhearts #6

Author: Elizabeth Coldwell

Genre: Gay Erotic Romance, Paranormal 

Length: Novella (152 Pages)

Publisher: Pride Publishing (July 5, 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Blurb: He’s destined to meet his mate on a killer vacation.

Horror author Mason Wells is having a midlife crisis. He’s burned out as a writer and he keeps falling for guys who are way too young for him. So when his agent, Nora, arranges a birthday getaway for him and a few close friends in the Spanish Sierra Nevada, it seems like just the break he needs – until Nora is found drowned in the hotel swimming pool. It seems like someone has a hit list of victims, and Mason’s on it. Can the hotel’s gorgeous owner, Xavi, step in and keep Mason safe?

Lion shifter Xavi Bianco loves the peace and solitude of his boutique hotel in the mountains. It’s a shame the place still holds the memory of his ex, Ramón. When the group of brash Americans arrive for a vacation, he doesn’t expect to find himself falling for one of them. But everything tells him Mason Wells is his destined mate, bizarre as it may be, and when Mason’s friends fall victim to a series of horrific attacks, Xavi knows he must do everything to protect Mason, even if it means risking his own life…

ISBN: 978-1-78651-426-4

Product Link: https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/animal-passions

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: You never really see to many lion shifters these days, so the idea of this series was really good. I though the main characters and Nora were pretty well developed, although the secondary characters left a bit to be desired. I also love a good paranormal romance story that has murder, kidnapping and so forth. It makes it quite interesting than the normal romance one sometimes gets these days. 

Mason is a sexy man who just happens to write some pretty good horror stories. He is getting tired of the same routine though and needs a long rest. So when his editor comes up with a trip for them all, he is somewhat excited and somewhat leery. Here he is going to a beautiful country with a wonderful sight. The best sight for him though is the owner of the hotel. 

Xavi is a lion shifter who loves his home and his hotel. He is not a fan of visitors from other countries though. However it would seem that his mate just happens to be the author he is putting up. To his surprise his mate is also human. What would seem like a good plan to romance his mate has turned into danger. It begins with murder and then leads to having his mate kidnapped.

Now I love a good murder mystery added into a romance story, but this one fell flat. I knew who the murderer was before I even made it half way into the story. Also it starts off totally rocking, but then it seemed like the author just rushed the rest of the story. Most of the secondary characters were a bit dull and did nothing for the story at all. Then there was Mason and Xavi, their relationship seemed dull, forced and did not flow like it should.

Also the fact that Xavi was a lion shifter but he did not act like one at all. There was no strength behind him and he seemed more omega then anything. I had hoped for a good, fierce lion shifter who saves his mate, what I got was a dud it would seem. 

Now this story had great potential but the follow thru felt off. The mystery would have been better if there had been more to it. The romance and mating was off as well. The whole story just came off wrong. I am sorry but this one was definitely not for me.