RED WOLF is book 10 in Jennifer Ashley's Shifters
Unbound paranormal romance series. Reading WHITE
TIGER
and the later book WILD
THINGS before starting RED WOLF
will make for a richer and more enjoyable reading
experience. Several characters from previous books make
appearances in RED WOLF. Main characters Dimitri
Kashnikov and Jaycee Bordeaux first make their appearance
in WHITE
TIGER, and the fabulous haunted house in RED
WOLF was first featured in WILD
THINGS. I'm happy that
Jennifer Ashley revisited New Orleans as a setting for
this tale of freaky Fae/Shifter cult strangeness. The
spooky setting fits the unpredictability in Jaycee and
Dimitri's evolving relationship, and the odd characters
they come across on their mission.
After reading WHITE
TIGER, I loved the sexy and sweet red
wolf Shifter Dimitri but wasn't that wild about Jaycee --
the leopard Shifter he was stuck on. As I started reading
RED WOLF, Jaycee began to grow on me. It's often the case
that the female protagonists I am slowest to warm up to,
often become some of my favorite characters. Originally,
Jaycee's impulsivity, brashness, and early interactions
with Dimitri -- as well as with the heroine in WHITE
TIGER
-- were a little off-putting to me. In RED WOLF, while
she's still a take-no-prisoners, smack-talking type of
character, she has also gained some maturity and
perspective since the previous book and, for me, that
makes all the difference. Jaycee is a heroine to cheer on
as she fights tooth and claw by her mate's side.
There are so many extraordinary things that happen
throughout RED WOLF, that I felt the same kind of
exhilarating uncertainty that I do when I watch a Quentin
Tarantino film for the first time. You never know what
will happen from one moment to the next in this book -- in
a good way. When Shifter leaders Kendrick and Dylan
enlist the help of Jaycee and Dimitri to go undercover
and sniff out any rogue Shifter-Fae connections, the
couple has no idea what to expect when they land in New
Orleans. As Dimitri and Jaycee work together, with one or
two old and new friends, the danger runs high and their
unresolved relationship issues simmer in the background.
I ended up liking this romantic pairing more than I ever
thought I would, and their chemistry together is exciting
and spot on.
RED WOLF is a whirlwind of suspicion, strange characters,
and Shifter sexiness. The mystery and fast-paced action
never make the romance take a backseat, or overshadow the
relationship between Jaycee and Dimitri. Everything they
go through in RED WOLF reinforces the strong feelings
that have always been there deep down between Jaycee and
Dimitri, and makes their bond stronger. I love that the
haunted house is one of the heroes in this book. I hope
the New Orleans haunted house makes an appearance in a
future book because it is truly the coolest haunted house
you'd ever want to stay in. I eagerly await Jennifer
Ashley's next book.
A man is only as strong…
Red wolf Shifter Dimitri has fought his whole life for
respect. It is claimed that red wolves are tainted with
coyote blood and therefore not pure. He may not be skilled
at verbally defending himself, but as a bodyguard, tracker,
and champion of the fight clubs, his fists are always ready
for some rough and tumble. However, he’d prefer a roll in
the hay with the woman who’s been his oldest friend.
…as the woman who’s got his back…
A spirited leopard Shifter and a fellow tracker, Jaycee
Bordeaux has no problem forging a mate bond with Dimitri,
but soon the two are called to infiltrate a rogue group bent
on enslaving Shifters. Jaycee may have defended Dimitri from
taunts before, but they now face a more lethal danger—one
that not only threatens the future of their people, but also
their love.