The Mane Event

Pride Series #1

De: Shelly Laurenston

Narrado por: Charlotte Kane

Shelly Laurenston turns up the heat with two sizzling novellas.

Christmas Pride: How come all the good-looking ones are insane? That's what runs through NYPD cop Desiree "Dez" MacDermot's mind the minute she hooks up again with her childhood buddy, Mace Llewellyn. It isn't just the way he stares at her with those too-sexy gold eyes, as if he could devour her on the spot. Or the six-four, built-like-a-Navy-SEAL bod-o-death. It isn't even that he sniffs her neck and purrs, making her entire body tingle. It's more about that disconcerting, shifting-from-man-to-lion thing that unhinges her...and makes her want more. Mace likes making Dez crazy. In fact, he likes her any way he can get her...in bed, on the desk, here, now, again. Together, they'd always been trouble, but Dez has no idea just how good trouble can feel.

Shaw's Tail: Brendon Shaw, hotel owner and lion shifter, has seen better days. He's been beaten, had a gun to the back of his head, and had to be rescued by a Pack of shape-shifting wolves. He didn't think he'd survive the night, much less find the woman of his dreams. And he never thought the woman of his dreams would have a Tennessee accent and wear cowboy boots. Once he sets his sights on her, the predator in him is ready to pounce and never let go. Ronnie Lee Reed is ready to change her life, and New York City is the place where any girl, even one who runs with a Pack, can redefine herself. First order of business: Find a mate, settle down, and stop using men for sex. Even big, gorgeous, lion-shifting, oh-my-what-big-um-paws-you-have men. Then again...

©2007 Shelly Laurenston (P)2013 Tantor

Very good beginning to the series

Christmas Pride by Shelly Laurenston

4 stars

This was a pretty good story. I’ve read some stories by Shelly Laurenston but never tried this series before. I like it so far.

Dez grew up in the Bronx and because a police detective. She’s tough and doesn’t take any crap and loves her job. Unfortunately she has issues with men not being able to accept her or her job. She tends to avoid dating and when she meets back up with Mace again (after not seeing each other since they were 14 years old) she tries to keep her distance from him, thinking he only wants one thing.

Mace is a Lion shifter. He was a runt when he was younger and still loved Dez, the girl who always accepted him as he was. He was in the Navy for years but as soon as he gets out of the service he looks Dez up. He’s determined to get in to her life and make her part of his in a very permanent way. Unfortunately this is difficult since she won’t give him a chance and is constantly pushing him away.

There is a plot line that brings Dez in to the shifter world to an extent, when a Pride male is killed and she’s investigating it. It makes things interesting and brings things out pretty quickly. When things become too hard to explain, Mace ends up having to entrust her with his secret faster than planned to, knowing that if he lied to her he’d end up paying for it in the end. I was happy with how well she handled the shifter issue. TBH, she had more problems with Mace trying to get seriously involved with her than she did with him being a shifter…an interesting problem to have…

I liked Mace and Dez’s story and liked seeing them together. I will admit that Dez being determined that Mace was only looking for sex (without any actual knowledge to back it up) and always pushing him away was a bit annoying a times (and funny at others). It did become gratifying thought, to see Dez gradually slack up on her defenses and letting Mace in little by little, even while she’s still protesting. I really liked Maces’ relationship with his Wolf pack buddies and there were some interesting secondary characters that look like they will be fun to see more of in future stories.

Overall this was a pretty good story and was an enjoyable read.

Shaw's Tail

4-4.5 stars

This was a very good story as well. I liked Ronnie Lee and Brendon as a couple. The story wasn't action packed but it was a fun but sexy story that I really enjoyed.

Ronnie Lee Reed is a wolf shifter. She's always been a wild child (she has trouble with schedules and restrictions) and hates being tied down. She's just moved to town with her pack and has decided it's time to straighten out her life. She gets off track when she gets involved with a lion shifter in trouble.

Brendon Shaw is a lion shifter (we meet him briefly in the previous story). I like Brendon a lot. He's a good guy and surprisingly fun and is able to be sneaky when needed. He gets himself in a jam that Ronnie's pack helps him out of. Ronnie gets volunteered to stay with Brendon while he has a fever and when he gets a whiff of Ronnie he wants her immediately. Since he's sick he doesn't get very far and once he's recovered she's gone. He didn't even get her name but he's determined to find her and she ends up closer than he imagined.

Regardless of Ronnie's decision to settle down, she's not real anxious to do it with Brendon and makes things difficult for him as he tries to woo her. It's not that she doesn't like him because she does (a lot), but he's a different breed (apparently this can cause issues for the children) and regardless of her feeling she should settle down, she's afraid of being trapped. Brendon realizes her reluctance and is rather sneaky in getting her to stick around long enough to realize he's her one (like he's already realized she's his one). I really liked seeing their interactions, sometime they were very humorous (parts had me laughing) and there were parts that were sweet as we see the emotions growing.

Overall this was a sweet, humorous and sexy story that I really enjoyed. The characters were great and I look forward to seeing more of the secondary characters get their own books. I'll definitely be continuing the series. I'd recommend this book. :D

Gotta love those alphas!

The world of shifters in New York City is very believable. And the narrator does a pretty good job, too! I only gave her a 4 because her range of male voices is too small, but not for trying. First time, I read these -- now I'm listening to them. I definitely recommend the series. Great fun!

Very good book!

I decided to try this series because the narrator also narrated a couple of the Bewitched and Bewildered books which is my absolute favorite series. I have to say this writer is very similar and I am very happy with this book! The narrator still didn’t disappoint and I can’t wait to listen to the next book in this series!

My favorite Christmas listen and read.

This is a must read every Christmas. I laugh just as hard as the first time. Such a great series

I am reading the complete Pride series in preparation of the Honey Badger series releasing later this month. I have lost count of how many times I have read this book. It is just as entertaining. I still laugh so hard I cry.

Between myself, my husband and the middle child this book has been read more than 20 times. This week the husband and I listened to the audiobook. We laughed louder and harder than ever before. Can't wait to listen to the rest.

Rip roaring fun

This was my first Shelly Laurenston book. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last. Her quirky characters, her kick ass female leads, her storylines were all great fun. definitely will be reading the other books in this series.

Funny and interesting start to this series

There are two stories in this book and both are connected. The first book is about Mason and Dez. I love her dogs and how they were afraid of Mason. The second book is about Brandon and Ronnie I enjoyed the interaction between all of the different shape shifters. The stories were entertaining and amusing.

Laurenston and Charlotte Kane are a perfect match!

Charlotte Kane does an amazing job as narrator! I wish she would narrate for all Laurenston's books, not to mention more books in general!

Fun

This was fun to listen to. Be prepared to laugh out loud throughout it. it definitely keeps you interested.

This narrator is great!

I loved this narrator! She sounds the same as when she read the Sookie Stackhouse books and I don't understand why some reviews say it's been sped up. It sounds great to me. This is the first book by Laurenston that I've read and I enjoyed it very much. I liked the characters and the sarcastic wit. I've already downloaded the next in the series.

Lots of pride and pack members...lots of sequels!

Worth the $4.95 price for the starter of the series, but not a credit. This series will go on and on there are so many characters. If you like ALOT of hot, steamy animal sex(which I do on occasion), you will like the stories of these 2 couples. I would go on with the series but I have so much in my wish list right now I have to save these for sales. The stories, yes there are 2, are funny and sexy with charming males, I wish they were all like them. A fun listen if you need a break from something intense. I really enjoyed the narration, it is told from both perspectives and different than I've listened to before. Oh, and I will never look at a lead pipe again without blushing...hehe!