A Rebel Without Claws (Southern Charm 1) by Juliette Cross-dual review

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After yet another bar fight and arrest, bad boy Ronan Reed leaves Texas to live with his Uncle Shane, alpha of the Blood Moon pack. Since werewolf cage fighting isn’t illegal in Louisiana, Ronan makes big plans to lead his own team in the ring. But when he sets eyes on sweet Celine Cruz, his whole world stops and she becomes a tantalizing distraction he doesn’t need.

As an Aura witch, Celine always wants to help heal the broken. She knows all too well what it’s like to battle anxiety, and so she’s dedicated her life to helping those in need. But the second she meets Ronan, she knows she’s in trouble. He’s everything her close knit family would hate: a werewolf with a hot temper and a sinful grin to match, who runs with a dangerous crowd. So why can’t she stay away?

Ronan thinks she’s a good girl. Little does he know, all Celine wants is to do wicked things with the bad boy werewolf, who revels in breaking all her rules. But as their forbidden romance becomes too tempting to resist, Ronan notices that the wolves are circling…and they’re coming after his mate.

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Sandy’s Review:

Barb’s Review:
A Rebel Without Claws by Juliette Cross is the first book in her new Southern Charm series. This series is a spinoff with the new generation of the Stay a Spell characters that we have come to love, returning to New Orleans.  We meet Ronan Reed, our hero, who left his home in Texas to live with his Uncle Shane, alpha of the Blood Moon pack. Ronan makes plans to set up his own werewolf underground cage fighting team, which is legal in New Orleans.      

Ronan quickly meets Celine Cruz, an Aura witch, whom he immediately knew she was his fated mate. He is warned by friends to stay away from her, because of her scary family, such as father, brother, uncles.   

Celine is the daughter of Evie and Mateo (Stay a Spell), and it was fun seeing both of them, playing a part in Celine’s life.  Celine is a child therapist who does art therapy for supernatural kids, as she always wants to help others.  Celine also finds herself very attracted to Ronan, and in a short time the chemistry between escalates.  Celine learns from Ronan that he has not shifted in wolf form since he was 12-year-old, due to the death of his mother.  He ends up going to a therapist, that will help him deal with his past traumas, as well as being able to eventually release his wolf.

I really loved how Ronan and Celine fell in love, especially being fated mates. They made such a great couple, with both always there for each other, as well as being supportive.  I got a kick out of Ronan’s experience his first Savoie family dinner. It was great to see many of our favorite characters from Stay a Spell.  It was nice seeing Mateo and Evie (Celine’s parents), and loved when Evie would always keep him in his place. During the werewolf cage fighting, things became intense, and when Celine was in danger, Ronan’s wolf finally came out to save her.

A Rebel Without Claws was a wonderful start to this new series, in the same world as Stay a Spell; with witches, werewolves and vampires.  I really loved Ronan and Celine together, as they were the perfect fated mates. If you were a fan of Stay a Spell, you really need to read this new Southern Charm series.

Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance–brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Juliette is a multi-published author, including her Nightwing series with Kensington Publishing and The Vessel Trilogy with Samhain Publishing.

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