Detective Ryan Kennedy is on sick leave, pretending to be a casualty of the Detroit Flu, while trying to find where the virus is hidden and remove the guilty party from the streets. He's convinced the werewolf pack is responsible, but he cannot tell his superiors, as they don't know he's a bear shifter, let alone that it's shifter politics. The daughter of the wolves' alpha, Francesca - Frankie - Wolf also wants to put an end to the artificially induced illness, and when she and Ryan meet, they agree that uniting their efforts might be more productive. But the wolves musn't know of Frankie's involvement, and Ryan is not thrilled at having to follow her lead.

I knew that Ryan's story would be terrific, because he's such an intriguing character, and I can only say that I am thrilled at how TAMING HER MATE turned out. Each book of the amazing Grizzlies Gone Wild works as a standalone paranormal romance, but it's the story arc of the Detroit Flu that had captured my imagination from the beginning. With every installment, I feel like I'm coming home, even if it's dangerous. How can one describe adequately those two admirably crafted characters; how does one convey the excitement at watching such an intricate story unfold? Very poorly, I'm afraid, as it becomes more challenging to explain how Kathy Lyons distances herself from more traditional shifter romances. The exceptional story arc functions in each book as the foundation for a unique romance, reaching far beyond the typical "meet-mate-HEA" of the genre.

Ryan is my favorite kind of hero: a beta male who is protective and powerful. He is torn between wanting to do his job, but hampered by circumstances out of his control, and his attraction to a woman who is theoretically the enemy. Frankie is a stupendous heroine, with strong pack loyalties but not blind to her family's failings; she is as far from a damsel in distress as you could ever come across; she is not perfect, but she is fabulous. Amidst the crisis, the romance slowly blooms between our protagonists, who have meaningful conversations. And isn't it wonderful to behold a couple consumed with lust, uncertain of their future, and still cool-headed enough to remember their priorities. I very much appreciated that rarity of villains with such multifaceted personae. TAMING HER MATE is a gripping suspense that also happens to be a lovely paranormal romance, another instalment in a series that becomes more impressive with each book. I don't know what Kathy Lyons has in store for us next, but I know it will be amazing!