Mate Bond (Shifters Unbound #7) by Jennifer Ashley-Review and Giveaway

MATE BOND (Shifters Unbound #7) by Jennifer Ashley-Review and Giveaway

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Mate Bond
Shifters Unbound #7
by Jennifer Ashley
Genre: adult, paranormal, romance
Release Date: April 7, 2015

Mate Bond

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 7, 2015

To cement the leadership of his North Carolina Shiftertown, Bowman O’Donnell agreed to a “mating of convenience.” Two powerful wolf shifters, he and Kenzie keep the pack in order and are adored by all. Bowman would do anything to protect Kenzie, for in each other’s arms they’ve found far more than friendship. But as strong as their attachment is, they still haven’t formed the elusive mate bond—the almost magical joining of true mates.

Now with a monster ravaging the countryside and threatening the Shiftertown community, some in the pack fear that a pair without a true mate bond isn’t strong enough to lead. Bowman and Kenzie will have to rely on their instinctive trust in one another to save their Shifters—and the ensuing battle will either destroy them or give them the chance to seize the love they’ve always craved.

••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: MATE BOND is the seventh full length installment in Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound paranormal romance series. Jennifer Ashley’s shifters are persecuted and discriminated against by the humans but the humans have help in their attempts to bring the shifters under control using collars and segregated towns. This is shifter wolf alpha of the North Carolina Shiftertown Bowman O’Donnell, and his alpha mate Kenzie O’Donnell.

SOME BACKGROUND: Thousands of years in the past ,the Fae created the shifters-a cross between beast and man-and in the ensuing time the Fae lost control and power over the creatures they created. There is a war encroaching-one that will see humans side with the Fae in a battle for dominance, and their first line of defense was to collar and corral the shifters.

Approximately twenty years ago shifters were exposed to the human population. Out of fear, discrimination and specieism, the shifters were collared, in the belief that it would control aggression, then they were forced into segregated communities known as Shiftertowns. There are several Shiftertowns located throughout the world where shifters live in a relative but strained peace amongst their own kind.

Told from third person point of view, MATE BOND follows the search for a monster; a hybrid shifter whose genetic makeup is completely wrong ; a beast of unknown origins who attacked a bar full of shifters with the intent to hurt and kill. Because the beast was found and eventually destroyed on the North Carolina Shiftertown territory, Bowman sets into motion a plan to hunt the person(s) responsible for the abomination but finds himself in a dilemma when more than one supernatural power is discovered in the search.

Bowman O’Donnell is a mated, alpha male but he and his mate Kenzie, as well as most of the North Carolina pack, believe there is no mate-bond holding the couple together. With each sexual encounter, loving touch and even the birth of their son, Kenzie and Bowman hope for the elusive mate-bond to take hold. Kenzie and Bowman’s relationship is highly sexual as are most shifter couples but in this, the lack of a permanent bond ensures that someone else may be their true bonded match. Kenzie and Bowman’s mate-bond plays a major factor in the storyline development.

MATE BOND has an ensemble cast of supernatural and magical characters including shifters, Fae, hybrids, humans and a previously unknown paranormal being. The colorful and complex supporting cast of characters incorporates many of the previous storyline shifters as well as a couple from the Vegas Shiftertown Pack who are called in to help with identifying the beast’s connection to the Fae. We are introduced to Kenzie and Bowman’s twelve year old son Ryan who will one day take over the leadership of the North Carolina Pack; Police Officer Gil whose true identity and purpose is questionable; as well as Kenzie’s Uncle Cristian whose dislike of Bowman is well known by all.

MATE BOND continues to build on the Shifter’s connection to the Fae. There are moments of betrayal and heartbreak; family and love; discrimination and mistrust. Jennifer Ashley seamlessly blends the supernatural with the human world in a series where suspicion and prejudice are at the heart of the series. The shifters are discriminated against for their differences and the fear of the unknown.

MATE BOND is an entertaining and engaging storyline; an enjoyable and thrilling read with imaginative characters and a dramatic theme. The Shifters Unbound series is passionate, sensual, intense and romantic-an intriguing series that is a must read every time.

Reading Order
.5. Shifter Made
1. Pride Mates
2. Primal Bonds
2.5 Body Guard
3. Wild Cat
3.5 Hard Mated
4. Mate Claimed
4.5 Lone Wolf
5. Tiger Magic
5.5 Feral Heat
6. Wild Wolf
6.5 Bear Attraction
7. Mate Bond

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Giveaway

The Reading Cafe and Jennifer’s publisher are offering a paper copy of MATE BOND to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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8. Giveaway is open to US only

9. Giveaway runs from April 6-10, 2015 2015

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The Untamed Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley – a Review

The Untamed Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley – a Review

 

The Untamed Mackenzie
Links to order The Untamed Mackenzie:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
To redeem her family’s disgraced name, Lady Louisa Scranton has decided to acquire a proper husband. He needs to be a man of fortune and highly respectable in order to restore both her family’s lost wealth and reputation. She enters the Marriage Mart with all flags flying, determined to find the right bachelor.

But Louisa’s hopes are dashed when the Bishop of Hargate drops dead at her feet—and she is shockingly accused of murder! Soon, Louisa’s so-called friends begin shunning her, because the company of a suspected killer is never desirable in polite society.

The problem comes to the ears of Detective Inspector Lloyd Fellows, by-blow of the decadent Scottish Mackenzie family and an inspector for Scotland Yard. He has shared two passionate kisses with Lady Louisa–and vows to clear her name. For not only does he know she’s innocent, he recognizes he’s falling for the lovely lady.

Fellows is Louisa’s only hope of restoring her family’s honor—and it is he alone who intrigues Louisa in a way that may be even more scandalous than murder

 

Review:
The Untamed Mackenzie is a novella (book 5.5) in Jennifer Ashley’s Highland Pleasures series based on the fabulous Mackenzie men.  Lloyd Fellows is a half brother to the Mackenzies, as his late father the Old Duke refused to acknowledge him. Lloyd is now a successful Inspector, and despite his uncomfortable feelings, he finds himself constantly being pulled into the Mackenzie family gatherings, as his half brothers and their wives consider him family, It was at one of these events that Lloyd met Isabella’s sister, Louisa, and he immediately found himself attracted to her.  But despite his adopted family’s open arms, he does not feel he is worthy of Louisa, being the illegitimate son of the old Duke.

Louisa, who is looking for a rich husband, finds herself in a predicament.  While trying to force her to accept his proposal of marriage, the Bishop of Hargate drops dead at her feet.  He was poisoned, and since Louisa was the only one in the room with him at the time, she is now the main suspect in a murder investigation. 

The Mackenzies use their power to ensure that Lloyd is put on the case to help save Louisa and find the real murderer.  Lloyd comes to the residence where the body lays, and when he sees Louisa, his heart begins to race, as he has not forgotten how he feels about her.  Knowing that he cannot act on his feelings, especially being the lead investigator where she is the main suspect, Lloyd acts distant.  But as the investigation moves along at a slow pace, both Lloyd and Louisa find themselves unable to control their feelings for each other.  They share a few very passionate kisses, only able to break away at the last minute. 

The investigation becomes very difficult, as Lloyd will do anything to save Louisa, even if it means costing him his job.  With the help of some of the Mackenzie’s; Lloyd and Louisa work together to set a trap for the real killer.

Jennifer Ashley does a wonderful job building this romance of a couple that are so different from each other, but yet fall in love.  This romance was built slowly, and done so well.  The Untamed Mackenzie was a wonderful romance, excellent suspense and murder investigation, but the best part of the book besides the great couple, was being able to see all of the Mackenzies throughout the book.  I really enjoyed this novella, which is a perfect lead in to the next full book, which belongs to Daniel, and will be released in October.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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