When a one-night stand feels like so much more…
Mountain lion shifter Laura Vidal has been given two choices: leave the territory to find a mate, or become a guardian of the pride. Unwilling to leave the only home she’s ever known, Laura chooses the rigorous and bruising guardian training. Honestly, she’s glad for the training because it keeps her too busy to see Dristan, the guy who rocked her world during an amazing one-night stand.
Dristan Rhees can’t forget the girl who stole his heart after a single night of unbridled passion, despite the fact that she now won’t give him the time of day. But when vampires invade their territory, he and Laura are forced to work together. In order to defend their pride, they must confront the desire that still threatens to consume them.
I couldn't put it down!
I FLEW through this book. Liza's writing flows so smoothly, the editing is meticulous and the suspense was sprinkled in juuuuuuuust the right places to keep me eagerly turning the pages.
Oh, and smoking HOTNESS was sprinkled in just the right places too ;)
While I wasn't sure how the element of vampires would mesh with this story as the synopsis outlined, it was a unique and interesting spin on vamps that I haven't read before.
In a lot of ways, Laura was the hero and the heroine of this story. No shrinking violets here! She had enough self-doubt to make her relatable, but she persevered in a major kick-butt way.
Don't get me wrong, Dristan was no pushover. In spite of surrounding circumstances, he knew what he wanted, and that was Laura. He battled his own self-doubt, but he didn't stop until he got what he wanted.
I met a lot of engaging characters in this book and hope they each get their own stories in this series. I even got a few good chuckles, and I love Liza's sense of humor and how she wove it into this book.
I can't wait to read Rafe's story in book 2, and holy cow, the tension in that one is going to be outstanding, I just know it because the heroine is SO not who I thought it would be!!!
BIG FAN of Liza Street!!!
Laura splashed cold water on her face in the bathroom at Hart’s, not caring about her make-up. She’d acted like a total douche-canoe, and worse, Dristan had called her out on it.
She wanted to hide in this bathroom for ages, and not go back out and see Dristan or Fraze. But that was the coward’s way.
After drying her face, she went back to the bar and sat at Fraze’s side. He didn’t say anything, just passed her a fresh beer.
“I think I need something stronger,” she said. Her face felt hot with a blush, and she was grateful for her olive complexion because the blush wouldn’t be as visible.
“Whiskey sour for the lady,” Fraze said, flagging the bartender.
Laura put her head in her hands as she replayed her interaction with Dristan and the other woman. “That was—”
“Awful,” Fraze finished. “Laura Elizabeth Vidal, what is going on?”
“Frasier Matthew Rhees, why don’t you tell me?”
“Is the other woman okay,” Fraze asked, “or did you fillet her in the bathroom with your claws?”
“She’s fine. My lion was out of control, though,” she admitted. “I totally lost my mind at the sight of him with someone else. I think I need to go back to the lodge and go for a run.”
Her whiskey arrived, and Frasier nudged it toward her. “You can’t go yet.”
She nudged the drink back. “Sorry. I just…I shouldn’t be here right now. I’m not fit for company.”
“You’re leaving me now? Rafe’s not even here yet.”
“Give him my apologies…and my drink. I know you prefer that fruity shit.”
“What the heart wants, babe.”
“The heart wants to not be called ‘babe,’ babe.”
“Touché. What are you going to do, really?” he asked. “About Dristan?”
She resisted the urge to throw the relationship questions back at him—Fraze had been holding himself back from women since his first and only serious girlfriend had broken up with him. It had been a few years ago, and he hadn’t actively pursued anyone since. He wasn’t ready, it seemed.
“I don’t know about Dristan.”
