Title: Blade’s Distraction
Series: Paranormal Wars: Juarez, #1
Author: Shea Balik
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novella (124 pages)
Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc (September 27th 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Blurb: Forest Bradford is a coyote shifter who has always fought against his parents’ need to control him.
So when he met his mate, Blade Castillo, a black panther and an elite soldier in the Alliance Army, he refused to let the man order him around. He’s disconcerted when he has to face his own needs when it comes to his mate, but he fights the urge to submit even though it’s what he and his coyote want.
Blade’s need to keep Forest safe was confusing him. As the second to his team leader, Blade has usually looked out for the others, but with Forest it was much more than that, it was nearly an obsession.
When Forest was almost killed by the traitor they were hunting, Blade was forced to face that Forest had become a distraction that Blade couldn’t ignore.
Note: This book is written in one point of view.
ISBN: 978-1-63258-344-4
Purchase Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/blades-distraction
Reviewer: Leigh
Review: This book is part of a series and should be read in order. Also is a spin-off from the Stone Haven series.
Forest has an issue with people trying to control him. When he learns Blade, a very dominant panther is his mate Forest attempts to run. Only to be chased down by Blade. Blade on the other hand is confused as to why he needs and wants Forest so much and Forest refuses to reveal that they are mates. When Forest is nearly killed by the criminal they are hunting, Blade decides it’s time to train Forest like a true member of the team.
During training Blade doesn’t give Forest praise, only criticism. In Forest’s eyes, this makes him believe he is never good enough for Blade, not realizing Blade keeps pushing because he cares. Blade has never allowed himself to be close to people, even his teams who are his best friends are kept on the outside to a degree. His parents did a real number on him as a kid, and his friends are only here because they have been since preschool. So there is a rocky road for the two of them in their mating.
I liked Forest. He was snarky and funny. But also, he was impulsive. He would do and say things sometimes without fully thinking it through, which got his butt in trouble. Blade had to learn to be open emotionally for Forest in order for the mating to work and be happy. In between, the hot sex the two needed to learn how to actually be a mated pair and be what the other needed.
The story was well written and moved fast. The MCs are likable and the sex is hot. I enjoy the world the author has created. It has unique elements in the paranormal genre. Also, each book has its own mating, but they all fit into a larger scale storyline that is very interesting. I can’t wait to read the next book.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *