Review: 5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2012
Spirit Bear Julian DuCharme possesses legendary healing powers but unfortunately he doesn't have the power to magically convince his mate to accept his claiming.  Much to his irritation Cyn insists on dating which means he's in a constant state of sexual frustration.  As if that isn't enough there's the little issue that he isn't a U.S. citizen and Halle, Pennsylvania is starting to feel more and more like home and it's certainly Cyn's home so it's imperative that he gain citizenship.Cynthia `Cyn' Reyes is the proud owner of Living Art Tattoos and fully human.  She knows plenty of shifters and is well aware of what a claiming entails but if Julian thinks she's going to roll over, bare her neck and say "bite me baby" he better rethink that whole mating thing.  Cyn knows the devastation that her own mother experienced when her husband passed away and she's determined to never put herself through anything like that - even if she is well aware that Julian is the other half of her soul.Julian might not be enthusiastic about this whole dating thing when his inner bear is screaming for his mate but there's no denying he's enjoying coming to know Cyn on a more personal level.  He's thrilled to discover that she's a closet geek and has a wicked sense of humor.  He already knows that she's brave and will do anything for her friends.  When it becomes obvious that her business and the women who work at the tattoo parlor are the target of some deranged killer he discovers that her dedication to keeping her friends safe leads her to finally accept their mating.  Just when Julian thinks he couldn't be any more surprised by anything Cyn does he learns that their mating and her `transformation' has an unexpected result - and he couldn't be more thrilled.  If he could just get her to agree to tattoo "Property of Cyn" across his ass he'd be one happy shifter.I've adored Dana Marie Bell's Halle stories from the very beginning.  The characters are fun, imaginative, snarky and could easily pass for someone you might know - minus the fur.  With the newest release, CYNFUL, readers can revisit Halle, check in on favorite characters, chuckle at the girls' antics at the tattoo parlor and immerse themselves in the quirky romance between Cyn and Julian.  What I particularly loved about CYNFUL is how Julian's efforts to heal Chloe have lasting effects that play such a major role in this story.  It's a surprising twist but makes perfect sense especially if you've read BEAR NECESSITIES and are aware of how complicated that whole situation turned out to be.The HALLE SHIFTERS series is a continuation of the HALLE PUMAS series so be sure to check-out that series as well - especially if there's a particular couple who sparks your interest while you're reading CYNFUL.Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)