Title: Shadows in the Night
Series: A Leap of Faith Novel, Book #1
Author: M.A. Church
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novel (200pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (12th July 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ – 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: When Chip Riley’s beloved granny passes away, she leaves him all her money, her land, and a house that needs some tender love and care. She never mentioned the legacy comes with a Native American shifter who intends to claim Chip as his mate.
Jason Sky has lived since buffalo roamed the land. When his totem spirit, a black cougar, saves a little girl, he doesn’t realize that generations later, her grandson will become his mate, leaving him to take on a modern man with modern ideas. But that’s the least of his problems.
Garon, another shifter with a long-held hatred for Jason, plots to kidnap Chip and lure Jason to his death. Soon Chip finds himself in an untenable position between a rock and a hard place. A leap of faith may be the only way to save himself and the man he’s learned to love.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3990
Review: Chip has always been close to his granny. When she passes away, he is distraught and is surprised when she leaves him everything. He is even more surprised to discover the legacy that comes with the property and a Native American shifter who intends to make Chip his mate. Jason has watched over Chip’s family for a couple of generations and used to play, in his cougar form, with Chip when he was a child. Now it is time for Chip to come home and be claimed. But, Chip has no idea about shifters and doesn’t take the news too well. Add in a jealous, insane shifter bent on revenge and Jason has his hands full trying to keep his mate and keeping him safe.
This is a great shifter story that takes in the Native American spirit Totems and sentinel spirit animals. Chip is a great character who is a very modern man. He might like working with his hands and the outdoors, but he also loves romantic gestures. Chip has some brilliant reactions to the events going on around him and he has no intention of just lying down and rolling over when Jason tells him about shifters…. No, he plans to run as fast and far as he can. Jason has been around for a very long time and has some matter-of-fact attitudes when it comes to mates. He soon learns that his mate is no pushover and isn’t going to accept his word as law.
I really enjoyed this story and thoroughly enjoyed the background for the shifters. I liked how the shifters were portrayed as two separate spirits sharing one body and that the animal side was just as sentient as the human side. I also loved that the animal spirit could communicate with the human side and am sarcastic when needed. The relationship between Chip and Jason was really good at the beginning, with Jason wooing Chip. It wasn’t insta-mating or having to mate straight away because of a bond. If circumstances had allowed they would have taken more time. Jason could be a bit overbearing at times in his worry and attitude, but Chip could be near hysterical and stubborn, so they make an interesting read.
The storyline was quite good with an unexpected enemy emerging from Jason’s past and Chip’s reaction to everything that was thrown his way. Jason and Chip are hot together, but they have some mountains to climb to get on the same footing when it comes to the progress of their relationship. The shifter aspect was wonderful and I really hope to see more of these Native American shifters in the future.
I recommend this if you love Native American Legends, shifters, enemies from the far past, lurking danger, some angst, hot sex, great characters and a wonderful ending.