Really 4.5 Stars

reviewed at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/a-nix-pn-erotic-romance-revie...

Coyote shifter Sera is a submissive female of a dying breed. This means that every male Coyote thinks it is their God given right to impregnate her in the interest of continuing their species. Sera is so submissive that she can’t seem to say no to anyone slightly Dominant to her and it left her in an incredibly unhappy marriage. When her husband finds she is taking contraceptive pills, he beats her badly, sending her running to the sanctuary offered by her much tougher friends.

Amongst those friends is wolf-shifter Julio, a Dominant who makes both woman and Coyote want to howl with pleasure. Julio has his own nightmares to deal with but he never shy’s away from hers. He seems to treat her with kid gloves but when her husband finds out where she is and starts to stalk her, he decides to take her on the road whilst they neutralise the threat. Sera is a woman he shouldn’t want to mix with but he can’t help but be attracted to all aspects of the fiery little Coyote. Surely being in such close contact will only amp up the sexual tension between them?

Whilst on the road, they take the opportunity to visit the more rural packs, making sure that they are getting everything they need. It is whilst visiting these packs that Sera starts to realise that maybe she brings more to a situation than being a “Coyote slut”. There are those that don’t look down on her for what she is, there are those that appreciate her heart and strength. As the relationship between her and Julio starts to heat up, the bonds between them start to strengthen. But there are those that would happily see the two of them apart, shifters that think such an inter-species union is wrong on many levels. Will our couple be able to survive the actions of some of the more dangerous opponents to their relationship?

First off, I will state that this is not a standalone. You need to read the others in the series to be able to know the characters back story. I will go further and say that you should reread the others before beginning this one to refresh your knowledge of them too. That being said it is worth doing both of these things because this is a really hot little book.

The sexual tension between Sera and Julio is obvious from the start of the book. They both feel it, but they won’t openly admit it to each other. Once they hit the road, I knew they didn’t have a hope in hell of keeping their hands off each other. Once they give in, the action is blooming hot and heavy. Turns out Sera’s submissive nature extends to the bedroom and she is willing to try almost anything in her quest for pleasure. Julio is a very Alpha male; he is more than willing to keep up with Sera in the bedroom. This leaves us with some incredibly smoking scenes. Seriously. Like need a fan installing in my underwear hot.

I loved both of the characters, but I have to say I loved Sera more. Julio was hot as hell, protective, lovely and sexy, but I expected that. Sera was a complete surprise. She had been basically been broken by a situation that was out of her control. She couldn’t help being a female coyote, a submissive or not maternal, yet she was punished for being all of the above. In the case of the latter, physically punished as her delightful husband beat the ever loving crap out of her for it. Once she gets on the road she discovers so much about herself. She discovers there is no shame in being a submissive, that with the right Dominant she can flourish and be an active part of a relationship, there to buffer out Dominant urges and be a support mechanism for a worthy man. She also discovers that she is a good person, no matter what her lineage. All of this is in no small part down to Julio and the confidence that he instils in her. I loved them together.

Overall, this is a fabulous addition to the series. With a submissive, kinky coyote and a lovely Alpha, there is fire-works, heat and even a gun-toting bad guy. I highly recommend it. ( )

My favorite so far out of the Southern Arcana series. ( )