Author Shelly Laurenston
Format e-book
Print Length 391 pages
Publisher Brava
Published September 25, 2005
One of the hottest new voices in paranormal romance, Shelly Laurenston knows how to do it all, delivering tales that are wickedly funny, action-packed, and scorch-your-fingers sexy. With The Mane Event, she proves just how delicious love can be once you unleash your inner beast...
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...
My Opinion
The Mane Event is the first book in a new shifter series. The great thing about this one is that it is two books in one. Which means of course two reviews for the price of one!
Christmas PrideMace is a shifter- a lion shifter. His pride (Llewellyn Pride) is ruled by his older sister. In this series the males are used as breeding tools, literally they are sold out of their pride for purposes of breeding. Mace didn’t want to be used by his sisters so instead he enlisted into the Navy. His ten years are up and when he comes home he finds a beautiful detective (Dez) waiting in his sister’s study. He is instantly attracted to her, which makes sense she has haunted his dreams for the last ten years. Too bad she is investigating a murder.
Mace and Dex grew up together- that is until she moved away. While she was attracted to him growing up she was warned away by his sisters. She moved on, got married, got divorced and got promoted to detective. Nothing in the world would make her happier than to arrest Mace’s sister. Mace is an added complication that she does not need.
Dez is a strong independent woman. She pushes Mace away but at the same time there maybe something here. Mace for his part knows what he wants. He is not afraid to fight for it. She is all that he has ever wanted.
Shaw’s TailAt the end of Christmas Pride Dez accidently rescues Brendon Shaw, another lion shifter. He happens to be a breeding male for the Llewellyn Pride. He has mated twice with one of Mace’s sisters and has created two beautiful children. Of course, he did have an ironclad contract so that Mace’s older sister did not cheat him of his time with his children. Ronnie Lee is watching over Shaw while he is in the hospital. It is only right no one wants to be alone for the holidays and everyone else in the Pride has family in town. Ronnie Lee is part of the Smith Pack (wolves) their alpha is Mace’s bestie. While in the hospital Shaw catches a healing fever, this tends to make a person very ummm…friendly. He tries to get friendly with Ronnie Lee but she is having none of that. Then two guys show up to hurt him. Ronnie Lee helps him escape to her aunt’s house. Shaw in the mist of the healing fever is well amusing as all get out.
Ronnie Lee is hilarious and her reactions to Shaw will keep you laughing through-out the book. I did get a little annoyed with them always referring to someone as Hoss. I didn’t get it, I mean they are from Tennessee. But having lived in south Georgia my whole life, Hoss is not a term of endearment that we use.
Overall The Mane Event was an enjoyable read. There were a lot of “alone time” or “adult time” with the main characters. It could get to be too much, just start skipping pages.
My Rating 3 out of 5 stars
Favorite Quote “Oh, look. The idiot of the jungle awakens.”
Other People
Smitty- Mace’s best friend, Alpha of the Smith Pack
Sissy Mae- Smitty’s sister, Ronnie Lee’s bestie
Marissa- Shaw’s twin sister
Missy- Mace’s older sister