REVIEW: Cute But Prickly: A short sweet shifter romance (Shifter Bites) by Zoe Chant

JayneB Reviews / Book ReviewsContemporary / fated mates / grison / hedgehog / mothers and daughters / novella / Paranormal / POC / shapeshifters / Valentine's Day5 Comments

Too prickly to love?

After getting her heart broken, hedgehog shifter Hester just wants to get away from romance for the Valentine’s Day weekend. Instead she ends up snowbound in a gorgeous mountain lodge with the most amazing man she’s ever met.

He’s sexy. He’s sweet. He’s funny. He turns into a grison, the most adorable ferret-like animal she’s ever seen.

And he’s her fated mate.

Too bad Hester’s not ready to open herself to love again.

But Mauro is determined to heal her broken heart. Will one romantic, snowbound weekend be enough for this prickly little hedgehog to accept the love of a man and his weasel?

Dear Ms. Chant, 

I know it’s long past Valentine’s Day but I live in the Northern Hemisphere and it’s darn hot outside right now. I needed some cold and mental images of snow, darn it! This is an adorable little bit of happiness that warmed my heart even as I daydreamed about snuggling under a blanket. Plus I learned about a new animal. Cool.  

It’s been a while since I read either a shifter romance or a fated mate story but Hester and Mauro are so sweet and lovely together that I didn’t mind the insta-luve. Unexpectedly finding not only another shifter but one who gives her mental zings, almost throws Hester for a loop.

His eyes were green-shot hazel, bright and vivid as sunlight-dappled shade in a summer forest. And there was something in his gaze that seemed to reach into her heart, right to the wounded core of her, as if his strong, capable hands wanted to cup around her bitter, defensive little hedgehog soul: cradle it, and protect it, and tell it that everything would be all right. 
Also, she wanted to plaster herself all over his chest like one of those spa mud masks.

Then Mauro shows her how much fun it is to freely shift outside without worrying about either hiding her clothes or that some kind and well meaning person might discover her and take her to a rescue. He’s also kind, hardworking, and he desperately wants to impress her mother. 

I had to laugh when Mauro tells Hester that he survived “the shovel” talk with Hester’s mom, Peony. You know, the one where the parent tells the suitor that no one will find his body if he hurts her daughter. But I loved the relationship between Hester and mom Peony who manages just the right balance of protection for her beloved daughter with freedom for Hester and Mauro to spend time together and enjoy the Valentine’s Day suite. Go, mom!

The epilogue ties things up (hey, shifters, fated mates and an epilogue all working for me in one novella!) plus Hester’s idea for their future is one I didn’t see coming and thoroughly approve of. Shifters need space, too. B

~Jayne

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Jayne

Another long time reader who read romance novels in her teens, then took a long break before started back again about 25 years ago. She enjoys historical romance/fiction best, likes contemporaries, action- adventure and mysteries, will read suspense if there's no TSTL characters and is currently reading more fantasy and SciFi.

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