Kinked (Elder Races Book 6)

Love the series, really really hope there are more than 7 is series. There are a number of sentinels that are intriguing and could be featured. Also would love to read more about others, Tiogo, Ninian, Rune...

please don't stop at seven!!!

Oh My Goodness, I have never cared for Aryal, But, this is one of the best Elder Races "i've read and very much worth the wait!
Steamy-Hot-Experimental ??, Quentin and Aryal's coming together was inevitable, and explosive,!
Hold on to your seats cause you are in for the ride of your live.
I hated that it had to end.
I fell in love with these 2 people/shifters///////////////

Addiction is a disorder that plagues many humans lives around the globe. Ms.Harrison and her Elder Races Series is a new drug. One story and you are hooked for life. No joke! However, if you love action mixed in with humor and hot action. Ignore the warning and jump right in. Promise it will be worth the ride.

I've always liked Thea Harrison's stuff, especially the elder races series, but this book just didn't do it for me. I've always liked Quentin from the previous books, he's got the whole bad boy turned good (more or less). Aryal on the other hand was always a bit abrasive imo and always for what seems like no reason. I couldn't get into her character in the story. She was too petty and childish and more interested in making Quentin suffer than anything else. Quentin on the other hand, changed from the easygoing guy he was in the other books to this dark angry man who's willing to have a fistfight with a woman. (I know she's a sentinel but I couldn't get into it) How these two manage sex from anything but raging hormones I can't understand, especially since they spend so much time wanting each other dead.

I have enjoyed this author's books up until now. This latest in the Elder series felt like a short story that the author revisited and added some over the top sex scenes. The book felt choppy in the beginning but seemed to smooth out and regain focus toward the end. Unfortunately the end came and went quickly.

I know that Harrison was trying to show the reader that women can be just as strong and dominant as men but I am not a buyer of that philosophy. If the male lead didn't keep hitting the female lead first I might have we enjoyed the book a little more, personally I don't care that the both have supernatural strength. I really have liked the rest of the series and hope that this doesn't occur in future Elder books.

Some reviewers have complained about being "tricked" into reading "trash" or S&M. This book has some slightly unconventional sex, but readers need to remember that signed up for fairly explicit content, especially since this series has never been shy. With that, the author can do what she wants. No one is being tricked into reading filthy content, and the way everything was handled in this book was pretty pro-female and not offensive to the reader. The author has the liberty of creating characters the way she wants to and if that doesn't fit in the traditional box of what's right and what's dirty then read a Harlequin series and play it safe. I liked that she took things in a bold direction.

The secondary storyline in this book was particularly strong. It felt like TH is finally hitting her stride. I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled by the 2nd and 3rd books in this series, with the books about Pia and Dragos being my favorites. The balance in Kinked between romance and action is superb. The setting is very cool, since they are exploring a basically deserted magical world. The bad guy is pretty creepy, and the main characters struggle pretty hard to achieve their goals. I loved the descriptions of some areas of the world they were exploring, and I really pictured what was going on.

The about-face of Aryal and Quentin's relationship from hate to like was abrupt but well-handled by the author. It was a little bizarre to see them think about how they had lusted after each other even while they were enemies. I don't think that is usually the case with peoples' emotions and I don't really like the trope of lust masquerading as anger/violence. That being said, the author did a great job of making the conflict stem from their personalities. Both of them were so different, with Aryal being perhaps more vibrant and interesting than Quentin. Their romance felt natural and passionate with a sweet ending. I wish we had learned more about them as people. I would love to read another book about the two of them and learn more about who they are!

Read: As a part of the series or as a standalone, even though some things will be complicated. DON'T read if you can't handle some rough but respectful sex. Do read if you want something beyond normal PNR and venturing into fantasy romance with darker elements.

Some reviewers have complained about being "tricked" into reading "trash" or S&M. This book has some slightly unconventional sex, but readers need to remember that signed up for fairly explicit content, especially since this series has never been shy. With that, the author can do what she wants. No one is being tricked into reading filthy content, and the way everything was handled in this book was pretty pro-female and not offensive to the reader. The author has the liberty of creating characters the way she wants to and if that doesn't fit in the traditional box of what's right and what's dirty then read a Harlequin series and play it safe. I liked that she took things in a bold direction.

The secondary storyline in this book was particularly strong. It felt like TH is finally hitting her stride. I'll admit that I wasn't thrilled by the 2nd and 3rd books in this series, with the books about Pia and Dragos being my favorites. The balance in Kinked between romance and action is superb. The setting is very cool, since they are exploring a basically deserted magical world. The bad guy is pretty creepy, and the main characters struggle pretty hard to achieve their goals. I loved the descriptions of some areas of the world they were exploring, and I really pictured what was going on.

The about-face of Aryal and Quentin's relationship from hate to like was abrupt but well-handled by the author. It was a little bizarre to see them think about how they had lusted after each other even while they were enemies. I don't think that is usually the case with peoples' emotions and I don't really like the trope of lust masquerading as anger/violence. That being said, the author did a great job of making the conflict stem from their personalities. Both of them were so different, with Aryal being perhaps more vibrant and interesting than Quentin. Their romance felt natural and passionate with a sweet ending. I wish we had learned more about them as people. I would love to read another book about the two of them and learn more about who they are!

Read: As a part of the series or as a standalone, even though some things will be complicated. DON'T read if you can't handle some rough but respectful sex. Do read if you want something beyond normal PNR and venturing into fantasy romance with darker elements.

Kinked, Elder Races #6, by Thea Harrison
Grade: A

“Your wildness is actually one of the reasons why so many people love you in spite of the headaches you cause. Why Dragos loves you, even though I know he’s never said it. Some Wyr are more tame than others, but we all recognize something of our own wildness in you.”

Sentinels Aryal and Quentin Caeravorn have hated each other for years and that hasn’t changed now that they are both working together for the Wyr leader Dragos. Aryal knows Quentin is a criminal and Quentin can’t seem to be around Aryal without wanting to punch her in the face. These two takes things too far one day and Dragos has had enough. He sends them to Numenlaur, the elven land that had been closed off for millennia until very recently. Now in a far away land cut off from everyone they know these two are forced to work together to survive and the more they do they find that their mutual hate is turning into something neither of them ever expected.

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of the Elder Races series but haven’t been the biggest fan of some of the more recent books but Kinked is full of the magic of Dragon Bound that readers fell in love with. Aryal and Quentin are both wild, unapologetic and will fight to the death to protect those they love. They seem to miss that they are more alike than different and I think that’s why the fight so much in the beginning but that fighting soon turns into something that changes things forever.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Aryal but I was hoping that she would redeem herself in this book and she did. I love that she is such a badass and that she has a “who gives a crap what you think? Not me!” attitude and that she fights and loves with everything she has. Quentin was kind of a new character but I loved him right away. The chemistry between these two is amazing and so is watching them fit it and falling for one another. They have some of the best dialogue since Pia and Dragos in Dragon Bound: “Sex with you is on my to-do list”, “You would make a pacifistic saint homicidal” and “My interest in you is strictly pornographic” are a few of my favorites. These two had me laughing for pages and though this book has a lot of action and danger it goes back to the humor that made me fall in love with the series and characters from the beginning.

There is more going on than just Aryal and Quentin falling in love and once again Thea Harrison delivers a great combination of action, adventure and romance all wrapped up in an amazing package. i could not put this book down and that hasn’t happened with any of the Elder books in a while let alone with most of the books I’ve read lately. I would highly recommend reading the books in order or you will be very confused but the series is so good and worth reading. I have no idea where this series is going or whose book is up next but I can’t wait because I feel like this series is back on track and back to a must read as soon as it comes out list.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Aryal hates Quentin, and the feeling is mutual. Fed up with the both of them, Dragos sends them on a mission together, telling them to figure out how to work together, or they’ll be out as sentinels. So, naturally, they each decide to find a way to “accidentally” kill the other. Obviously, they’re made for each other…

Opening Sentence: Aryal floated and spun in the wild dark night.

The Review:

This series has been wildly up and down for me, with books that I adore, and then some books that are a struggle to get through. Thankfully, Aryal and Quentin’s story is one of the former. This book was so much fun, and it has me eagerly looking forward to the next.

Aryal has never liked Quentin. She is convinced he’s hiding something, and as Dragos’ best investigator, has made it her mission to figure out what Quentin has done. Unfortunately for her, Quentin is now a sentinel, meaning she has to see him every day and work with him. This is not going well, as almost every time they see each other, a fight ensues. We’re not talking about a verbal fight; we’re talking a no holds barred, knockdown, drag out fight, with each person intent on maiming the other. After one such fight, Dragos finally loses his temper. Calling Aryal and Quentin into his office, he tells them they are to travel to Numenlaur on a reconnaissance mission. They must spend at least two weeks on the mission, no more than one month. Both Quentin and Aryal see this as an excellent opportunity to rid themselves of the other person. All they have to do is make the other’s death look like an accident. Not long into their trip, they realize all is not well in Numenlaur and have to band together in order to solve the problem. Will they ever admit to the rising attraction between them? More importantly, will they both make it out alive?

I think I’m one of the few people who actually liked Aryal in previous books. Sure, she’s moody and aggressive, but I always found her a refreshing change of pace from other side characters. I really enjoyed having her as the heroine. She’s surprisingly funny, and there’s a soft side to her that other people don’t get to see. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing more of her in future Elder Races books.

I’d never really formed much of an opinion on Quentin in previous books, other than to think that if Pia liked him, he couldn’t be all bad. While definitely an alpha male, he’s not your typical alpha hero, which is nice and makes him a very good fit for Aryal. As with Aryal, he can be very harsh at first, but there are more layers to him. He cares deeply about his elven heritage, as evidenced by his reaction to seeing Numenlaur. There’s definitely more to him than meets the eye.

What I really liked about the romance here is that Aryal and Quentin’s personalities did not change as the romance progressed. They remain the same harsh people they were at the beginning of the book, but that ends up being what makes them perfect for each other. I wouldn’t have been happy with a suddenly nice and cheery Aryal, and I’m so glad that this did not happen.

As with all Elder Race novels, there is action among the romance, and that action is definitely intense here. From the moment Aryal and Quentin enter Numenlaur, you know something is wrong, and that tension just keeps building. I never wanted to put the book down, and that is always such a great feeling. Fans of the Elder Races novels will definitely not be disappointed with this one!

Notable Scene:

As Quentin watched, her gaze slid sideways toward him. The narrow-eyed glance she gave him was filled with pure evil. Then she down at Grym’s Glock, and her expression turned unhappy.

“You’re doing a really good job,” Grym told her, his voice mild and encouraging. “I know what you want to ask, so I’ll answer right now and save you the temptation. Dragos told me to shoot you if you said a word, so yes, I would do as he ordered. He didn’t say where to shoot you though.”

Aryal threw up her hands in a silent question.

Grym told her, “I’d probably tag you on your foot.”

Her mouth turned down at the corners. She shook her head and pointed to her forearm, while Quentin scratched the back of his head and stared at them. They were discussing in all seriousness which body part Grym was going to shoot?

“Okay, not your foot,” Grym amended. “I’d tag your arm. Satisfied?”

FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Kinked. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I enjoy Thea Harrison’s series, The Elder Races. Set in modern times, we are submerged into a supernatural world filled with sexy over the top alpha shifters, intelligent powerful humans, elusive vampires, snobby elves, and all manners of in between. Suspense, intrigue, humor, and plenty of sexy romance makes for a delightful series that holds you hostage to the very last page.
A smooth storyline and dynamic characters immediately drag you back into Harrison’s supernatural world as though you never left. Heavily character driven, the world building continues to expand and evolve though not as much in here as in previous installments.

Kinked takes a darker turn both in story and romance. It embodies a trope I adore – enemies to lovers. Add in a little kink and I’m yours forever. I love when two seemingly indomitable wills meet and clash. Watching the hero and heroine go from antagonists to lovers is a delicious storyline, especially when the characters are as emotionally defined and outspoken as Aryal and Quentin. Aryal can’t accept that Quentin may not be the evil person she thinks he is. She lives to defeat him. Quentin struggles with the knowledge that Aryal hates him and that she is his equal in every aspect. He cannot dominate her unless she allows it and that drives him insane. The dialogue between them is a wonderful battle of sarcasm and snark. Both uber dominant, the sexual tension between them only serves to further inflame the predators that live inside them.

I love both Aryal and Quentin. Though Aryal has always been portrayed in a less than flattering light, I’ve always appreciated her honesty. She may not be the nicest person, but she doesn’t offer you meaningless platitudes. I always found it humorous that she didn’t immediately fall in love with Pia as everyone else did. Quentin is a delicious mixture of alpha growls and dominant male. His innate powers demand he keep a tight leash on his control but being around Aryal beings his beast to the surface quicker than anyone he has very known.

Aryal and Quentin bring to mind the saying, “The lord made them and the devil matched them.” They are perfectly matched both physically and emotionally. Aryal balances and challenges Quentin in a way that no one else has ever done before. She not only accepts his dark side but understands it as she also carries it within her. Quentin offers Aryal complete loyalty and a fierce protector at her back. He too accepts her just as she is. The chemistry between them is apparent right from the start but the actual relationship is slow to evolve. Plenty of steamy scenes and delicious dialogue will keep you glued to the pages as they explore the physical nature of their attraction to one another.

A volatile subplot interacts with the storyline and offers some world building and character expansion though this storyline is resolved completely. Plenty of humor balances well with the darker nature of the protagonists. Both Aryal and Quentin have a dry wit that entertains the reader throughout. If you enjoy an action packed, suspenseful, humorous, and sizzling paranormal romance about addictive couples who literally argue their way into love, then look no further than Thea Harrison’s Elder Series and prepare for the ride of your life.

Rating: B+

When it comes to paranormal romance Thea Harrison is one of the best. Her Elder Races series is highly successful and the world building is both complex and believable. In the fifth book in the series, Kinked, readers are treated to a relationship between two very passionate characters. There is a fine line between love and hate for Aryal and Quentin and they both hit it head on. Harrison uses extreme circumstances and clever dialogue to move this story forward at a swift pace. Readers who love this series, will be very happy with the progression these characters take. New readers to the series may be a little behind, but will still enjoy this fiery relationship with all it's ups and downs.

Aryal and Quentin hate each other. They cannot stand the ground each other walks on. They fight verbally, physically, emotionally. They even go so far as to plot the murder of each other. So how can you go from total and unenviable hate to love? Thea Harrison makes it look easy in Kinked. She takes a character who has had a rather checkered past in the series and is challenged to make her likable, believable, even lovable.

Aryal is no picnic. She is abrasive, harsh and down right mean at times. She has not been the most favored character by many fans of the Elder Races series, so it was quite the task for Harrison to change minds already made up about her. She was tasked with showing Aryal's vulnerability. Showing the reasons behind her behavior beyond the fact that she is a harpy. Making her appealing to another character and to the reader enough to make her believable as a heroine and as a lover. Harrison could have compromised and 'changed' Aryal to give her that chance at love, but I'm so glad she didn't. Aryal is that same abrasive, strong willed woman we first got to know in Dragon Bound. I liked the fact that Harrison finds someone who can really stand up to Aryal in Quentin. He was the perfect compliment to her exhausting personality.

Quentin was a great hero. He had just as many flaws as Aryal, but they were different. Just as complex and annoying as she was, but not. He has secrets on top of secrets and he has something to prove. His past was nothing less than criminal and Aryal doesn't trust him. He can't even stand the sight her let alone think about loving her in the beginning. But it all starts with respect. Respect of Aryal's warrior abilities for her complete belief in her own path. Quentin can go toe to toe with this harpy and he doesn't give her any quarter. She might be a woman, but he doesn't care. She's dangerous. And so is he. What a combination!

Readers are treated to a real love/hate battle of wills and when these two finally come together it is explosive. The romance between these two is a bit different from past relationships in the series. It is edgier, grittier, darker in a sense. They are both dominate in everything they do. They want to possess each other as much as love each other and their sexual encounters prove that out. I liked the fact that Harrison ramps the tension up between these two from the beginning, so that when it does break loose it's amazing. I liked the control issues they shared and felt it was very appropriate for these two characters.

Beyond the relationship between Aryal and Quentin readers are still treated to a good story. Because of their hatred for each other Dragos believes the only way to solve their issues is to work together. He sends them on a mission into Elven lands to find out why a missing party has not returned. It turns into an adventure neither of them could have predicted. Though there is not very much new world building there is a lot of relationship building. I think Aryal and Quentin's story had to focus more on the two of them then on other things, but I would have liked to have felt like the rest of the story was just as important. As it is the other events in the book pale in comparison to the what is happening between the main characters.

Overall this is a great romance. It has an urban fantasy edge though it is strictly paranormal romance. I enjoyed the heated passion between the main characters and felt this was a good addition to the series. Harrison has been tasked with writing at least three more Elder Races books and I can't imagine they would be anything less than amazing!

~Reviewed by ANGELA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

Forced to work together, Quentin and Aryal would have to stay together despite their hate for each other. Frustrated with both of them, Dragos sends them on a mission to assess a situation in Numenlaur, the oldest Elven land. It is a dangerous mission, leaving Quentin and Aryal depending on each other. Though their feelings for each other were purely hate from the beginning, it quickly turns to lust. The sexual tension between was high but what intrigued me most was the break down of both their proverbial protective wall. Ms. Harrison did a wonderful job breaking their defenses and showing both their vulnerabilities for us to see. Humanizing these very strong and deadly characters was not an easy task I'm sure but Ms. Harrison still managed to do it well.

Aryal and Quentin actually made me laugh. Not only they got on each other's nerves, they actually tried to get at each other's throats...literally. These two, really took the love-hate relationship to a whole new level. I enjoyed their relationship for the most part. However, there were some parts I didn't quite enjoy. There were certain parts in the book that the hate between them was so strong that I almost didn't believe softer emotions were possible. There was also a hint of BDSM that I thought was out of place, and possibly this book could do without. Don't get me wrong, Aryal and Quentin were hot together, but again certain scenes didn't appeal to me.

It was such a treat to delve back into Ms. Harrison's Elder Races Series again. I have always been a fan of this world starting with Dragon Bound the first installment of this series. Which is Dragos and Pia's book. I believe he is one of the first dragon shifters' I've ever fallen for as well as the start with my love for Ms. Harrison's work.

With that said, seeing Dragos again in action and still having a strong love affair with Pia was definitely one of the highlights of this book. Seems like there are a lot going on in this world , but Dragos certainly is still in control keeping the peace within the races. Pia's true being is still a mystery to the public eye , but I feel like something is brewing and this may be a big issue in the upcoming books.

Though Kinked is not my fave of the series, it is still an enjoyable read and of course another good addition to the Elder Race series. Dragos Takes a Holiday will be releasing soon which I'm certain will be a great holiday read.

ARC provided by publisher

KINKED is the sixth full length novel in Thea Harrison's paranormal series-The Elder Races. This is Aryal (a Harpy) and Quentin's (Panther/Elven/Fae) story-both Wyr Sentinels and acidic enemies. For two years Aryal has been searching for something to use against Quentin-she knows he is dark and dangerous and it is her gut feeling that he is hiding an illegal past. Hoping to get proof, Aryal has stalked Quentin at every opportunity but on her lastest attempt, she goes too far and she and Quentin will find themselves banished from the Wyr and sent to Numenlaur-the oldest Elven land searching for signs or survivors in the now desolate Elven demesne.

As the leader of the Wyr, Dragos tires of Quentin and Aryal's animosity towards one another and gave them one opportunity to straighten up or be permanently banished from both the Sentinels and the Wyr community.

The storyline focuses on Quentin and Aryal's building relationship as they uncover what lies behind the ruined city and beautiful lands of Numenlaur. What started as bitter and abject enemies will quickly become one of friends to lovers but not before some damage is done to one another. Their relationship in the beginning can best be described as damaging and dangerous but in the end each will find their mate -but not before they encounter a strange new phenomenon that is directly linked to the Elven world and the castle where they will find themselves imprisoned and left to die.

The world building continues from the previous storylines including Lord's Fall (Elder Races #5) where the Elven Other World was decimated by its' own people. Thea brings together some of the Wyr Sentinels in secondary roles as well as Pia (Dragos' mate) having a significant impact on the life and death struggles of our leading couple.

Thea has proven that she has an amazing grasp of the fantastic as the reader is pulled into a world of her making. The descriptive nature of the Elven Other World is beautiful in comparison to the damage and death toll exacted by a cruel and power hungry being.

Kinked is a story of betrayal and loss; revenge and retribution; danger and deceit. But it is also about survival-not for the people of Numenlaur-but for two would be enemies who must join together in a fight for their lives or lose one another to an unseen enemy or themselves.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

I was apprehensive going into KINKED as I found Aryal plain mean, surly, and abrasive in the previous books of the Elder Races. At first I continued to be seriously annoyed with her as she was super stubborn and generally horrible to people but after spending time in her POV I grew to understand her better and even began to like her misanthropic ways in the end. She's incredibly tough, super snarky and also super loyal. I admired that while she does grow and change her perspective about people in KINKED she never changes who she is; a badass fighter who will have your back if she likes you that is...

Aryal's relationship with Quentin was fascinating to read as these two truly hate each other for their own prejudicial ways. I was left wondering just how exactly they were going to go from plotting each other's murder to being in love. Luckily they go through so much physically and emotionally in KINKED that by the end I adored them together. They are both incredibly flawed which makes them and their relationship more realistic and I enjoyed that Quentin also didn't change who he was either once he realized his feeling for Aryal. There is a lot of eroticism and touches of BDSM in KINKED which was fun to read and fit with Quentin and Aryal's personalities. It was also neat to see two very dominate characters fight to find a satisfying middle ground in their relationship as neither one is willing to be really submissive.

Aside from Aryal and Quentin's sexy, erotic relationship the actual plot was pretty interesting albeit kind of light since the story mostly focuses on Aryal and Quentin. There is no real forward momentum in the series story arc but I actually didn't mind since the drama between Aryal and Quentin was plenty entertaining. I also continue to absolutely adore Harrison's world building and her detailed descriptions of places.

KINKED is a deliciously erotic paranormal romance set in the absolutely stunning world of the Elder Races. I look forward to seeing what is in store next for these wonderfully rich characters in the Elder Races series.

Quintin is an interesting character with a different brand of baggage, and Aryal is actually they demesnes oldest “cougar”. Coming awake at the dawn of time allows for one to have developed their own way of doing things, and Aryal has done just that. Her relentless pursuit of Quentin’s head is marvellous, by the way she wants him dead not in her bed. Love this couple, I loved their interactions, the witty comebacks they throw at each other, the way they are physically strong enough to back the other up and not fret over who is stronger..

This book was a breath of fresh air, there is no creature in heaven or earth that can compare to a Harpy with a score to settle. I take nothing away from the strong supremely confident Quentin he is her match in every way. I wish I knew Aryal because like I heard an Elf say, “I’m girl crushing on her right now”!

Heroines should throw the first punch sometimes and they most definitely should be able to hit as hard as a guy! This book is full of an acerbic wit, punches that come out of nowhere and to heroes that are so fun to read. Brava Ms Harrison, job well done, book well written!

Now, that are shades that I like! Aryal and Quentin are both very destructive and both absolutely adoring, they have a depth, a reality, a shock of colors that are unique and completely believable, I loved them both, felt with them and I love their story. It's not romantic in the common sense - but boy, it is gripping, heartbreaking, true and full of emotions! The "background" story to their coming together is great too, if you are prone to tears, be prepared, it is hard and cruel and beautifully written.

I like all Elder Races books, I can recommend them all (so much so that I even buy them as ebooks on the store.de, the only ones I buy, because I am old-fashioned and normally only read "real" books but here I don't have a choice with the novellas), and I especially enjoyed this one, it's different and it's awesome! Thanks for selling a paperback version - and I hope to read more of Thea Harrison soon!

Kinked is the love/hate story of Aryal the harpy, and a ton of readers do not like her, but I've always loved her and was really, really looking forward to see who she would be with and how the romance would culminate. The hero was perfect and not "typical" hero material … which, of course, is what makes Quentin such a match for the harpy. I mean, how they decided who would submit? Best part! The book is awesome, the chemistry is sizzling and Thea Harrison does it yet again! We also get to see Peanut, Dragos and Pia, who are still one of my favorite couples, and I am putting Kinked (ha ha, the title makes sooo much sense now that I've read the book) in my Audible cart.

To see what Thea has to say about Kinked head over to USA Today's HEA Blog

this is an unusual romance in that the couple are always snapping at each other, dislike initially but then simple temerment. that consistency makes the book good, and even the worst fighting is somehow fun.

the leading couple are powerful shapechangers, drawn into an adventure to fight an evil villain. It is part of a series in the universe but can be read separately.

ultimately, this book was well written but forgettable. I set it down half way through, would have been fine not knowing the ending. Read the rest a month later & dim memory of the prior events did not detract.

Good romance for a lazy afternoon.