Review: Sweet Yet Sexy Paranormal Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 2, 2013
Ainsley McLeon comes from a wealthy family but is accustomed to heartache after the supposed murder of her parents and her current flight to save her life as her uncle's dirty deeds have put her in jeopardy and made her question he brother's loyalty too.  Driving down a desolate road in a barely working pick-up in a blizzard leads her even further into danger as a tiger causes her to crash and introduces her to a community full of intriguing individuals who she quickly thinks of as family as the rally around her to keep her safe.  That's not to say that Ainsley is defenseless, far from it.  She's outspoken and her commanding demeanor wins over gruff bar owner Luc and earns her a waitressing job and a place to stay that's safe and warm with him cooking her all sorts of delectable dishes.  Ainsley doesn't like handouts so she makes it her mission to wipe away the darkness and grief she sees surrounding Luc.  Before she knows it she's fallen in love with him wholeheartedly.  Even knowing what kind of creature he is doesn't turn her off, it's a turn on in fact as they start a relationship that they agree is just temporary.  An event late in the story causes the annoying Big Misunderstanding that pulls them apart but ultimately makes them realize how important they are to one another in a quickly concluded HEA.Luc is thought of by everyone in town as a gruff old bear which is a very accurate description early on.  He's still dealing with the grief of losing his wife, son, and entire family in a flood and doesn't want to enter that darkness ever again so he keeps himself closed off.  The moment Ainsley enters his bar he's completely overwhelmed as she easily wins over everyone including him.  His protective instincts kick in as the emotional barriers he's worked hard to enact quickly crumble through her smiles and take no prisoners attitude.  Luc's an immensely likable character who's strong, loyal, and caring even if his past does make him act irrational late in the story.  He does numerous sweet things for her that completely belie what everyone thinks of him and I found myself completely smitten with him.  Seeing him emerge from his emotional darkness brought a smile to my face and the connection between him and Ainsley made for a fun journey full of witty banter and sexual tension that led to some heavy sexual interludes.The town Ainsley's come to is full of shifters who have slight differences that set them apart from the usual shifters.  Their emotions are intense but get stronger closer to the full moon.  Warmth makes those who are bear shifters have difficulty staying awake so they keep their homes cold.  Once they find their mates feelings of jealousy become more intense which can lead to bloody fights.  Ainsley easily accepts the members of this community as they are since they've opened their hearts and homes to her making her feel like a member of their family.  Along with a delightful main couple came a slew of memorable secondary characters that I'd love to see more of.  Ian especially has me intrigued as grief drove him to lose himself in his tiger form.  Meeting Ainsley on that deserted road was the catalyst for him to find his humanity as the latter part of the story dealt with his recovery and I long to see him get his well-deserved HEA.  This was a fast-paced story that was sweet yet sexy and though some events were glossed over I still found this story immensely satisfying.  Here's hoping Ms. Havens revisits this world soon!