Review: A Mackenzie Yuletide

Review: A Mackenzie YuletideA Mackenzie Yuletide (Mackenzies & McBrides, #11.5) by Jennifer Ashley
Published by InterMix on October 29, 2019
Genres: Historical
Pages: 125
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: For fans of the Mackenzie series, it was lovely to see all the characters that we have known and loved with the kids grown up a bit.

THE STORY: It’s the holiday season for the Mackenzie family when Ian Mackenzie is trying to track down a necklace for his wife Beth, and a ghost seems to have invaded the Mackenzie household.

OPINION: This was an enjoyable book that is really for fans of the series because there are no real explanation of the characters or their histories. That is fine for me because I love these characters and am happy to spend more time with them especially because we are introduced to the next generation of Mackenzies (who we might have seen as small children but here we get to see their personalities). There is a plot, but I didn’t particularly care about the resolution of the mystery. I just luxuriated in getting to see who these characters are now.

WORTH MENTIONING: After this novella, I’m hoping that we are going to get books about the younger Mackenzie generation.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A MACKENZIE YULETIDE is book 11.5 in the Mackenzie & McBrides series (or the Mackenzie series). It should be read after the Victorian era books in the series because its really an update about those characters.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

 

four-stars

Review: Bear Attraction

Review: Bear AttractionBear Attraction (Shifters Unbound, #6.5) by Jennifer Ashley
Series: Shifters Unbound #6.5
Published by InterMix on February 17th 2015
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 167
Goodreads
four-stars

Another Winning Shifters Novella

“She was a tall, sexy-as-hell Shifter woman who turned into a bear — not your usual girl next door.”

THE STORY: Rebecca is a bear shifter who lives in Shiftertown. Shifters are treated as second class citizens where they are collared and subjected to laws to restrict their movements and behavior. One night Rebecca is apprehended when she is taking a run and ends up going through a restricted area. She is taken into custody by Major Walker Danielson. Walker is the liaison between the Shifter Bureau (which is in charge of Shifters) and Shiftertown. Walker has grown to understand Shifters and especially Rebecca. In order to save her life, Walker has gotten the agreement that Rebecca will be released into his custody in order to help him find a missing woman who is believed to have been abducted by shifters.

OPINION: Readers join this romance already in progress. Rebecca and Walker have already met and although they had a confrontational first impression, they were also attracted to one another. Months have passed and although the two have flirted with one another, neither has made a move. The novella is about how they finally get together. This novella also solves a mystery from prior novels about the disappearance of the woman. Ashley has a complex story structure in this series. Mysteries and challenges are developed and solved over time and various novels and novellas rewarding the long time reader while keeping each book pretty self contained. Rebecca and Walker are a more straightforward couple than might have been expected and Ashley makes the decision to make the drama about the mystery rather than the romance. It is clear from almost the start that Rebecca and Walker are meant to be together and just need that final push to get them there. I like the story and the characters and was glad to see old friends again.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is a new group of shifters introduced in this novella.

FINAL DECISION: A good balance between action, story and character and romance, BEAR ATTRACTION is a fun read. Not as emotional as some of the shifter books, this one is more action adventure with a good dash of romance.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BEAR ATTRACTION is number 6.5 in the Shifters Unbound series. The story, however, builds upon previous books where Walker and Rebecca already had encountered one another. A new reader can start here and be satisfied although it is better experienced after reading the other books in the series.

STAR RATING: I give this novella 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Feral Heat

Review: Feral HeatFeral Heat (Shifters Unbound, #5.5) by Jennifer Ashley
Series: Shifters Unbound #5.5
Published by InterMix on March 18th 2014
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 153
Goodreads
four-stars

Sweet Novella in the Shifters Unbound Series

FERAL HEAT is a novella (number 5.5 in the series) in the Shifters Unbound Series. It is the story of Jace Warden (Eric’s son from MATE CLAIMED) and Dani Rowe (sister of Ellison from LONE WOLF). After an accident a year ago, Dani has been waging a war for her sanity as she has been close to going feral unable to control her wolf. Jace has traveled to the Austin Shiftertown as part of the Shifters experiments to remove the collar that controls the Shifters. The two meet and sparks are immediate.

I really liked this book. It is not for a new reader. There is too much assumed in the story, but for fans of the series, it is a perfect bridge story to the next novel. It progresses the story on the attempts to remove the collars. It also nicely finishes the story begun in Lone Wolf regarding Dani.

Some readers might object to the abbreviated story here, but as part of the entire series, it works. We already know these characters and it is nice to have their stories wrapped up.

It was also really nice to get small glimpses of many of the great characters in this series.

four-stars