Cougar Bait by Evangeline Anderson is a quirky, unique paranormal romance that will have all 40 year old women wishing they had the ability to be a 'Juvie'! This series is different from so many other shifter romances. The shifters themselves are different and unique animals, the way they mate is different, and they way it all happens is strange and wonderful.
Samantha (Best name ever!) is a trauma surgeon whose sister recently went through the rejuvenation and found her mate. While Samantha is thrilled for her sister, Sadie, she is skeptical and frankly, not interested in the whole scene! After saving the life of the cougar who was nearly killed by Sadie's mate, Mathis, Samantha is ready to hop on a plane and be free of the weirdness that is "Cougarville". I loved that Samantha was such an accomplished doctor in her field. She has lived a happy and brilliant life in her 40 years. She isn't really interested in the whole husband/kids thing. So often in romance books you get heroines who are just waiting to find Mr. Perfect and have a few kids. There isn't anything wrong with that, but as a woman who is nearing 40 and doesn't have kids, is so refreshing to read about a character who made the same choices in life I did regarding kids.
Liam Keller, the cougar shifter Samantha saved, senses the shifter gene in Samantha and knows that her trip to Vegas could be dangerous. Liam was a bit of the bad guy in the previous book, so it was great to see him in a different light. I like Liam. He is very alpha and very sexy. Swoon! Once he sets his sights on Sam, GAH. This book brings some serious HEAT (I mean, lots of oral. Like, a LOT). These two kind of broke my heart because they just couldn't communicate well enough to get on the same page! I wanted to knock their heads together!
The 'bad guys' in this book are the hyenas. I couldn't stop picturing the hyenas from The Lion King. Even in my head, I heard them speaking like those hyenas. But, it does sort of open the door for the 'conflict' in future books and its kind of intriguing!
If you like surprising shifter stories with more mature characters, Cougar Bait is a book you need on your TBR right now. You will go through it faster than a tube of wrinkle cream! This series has become one I find myself looking forward to because its so easy to get lost in!
- POV: 3rd (limited)
- Tears: no
- Trope: shifters
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: stand alone within an interconnected series
- Cliffhanger: not for Liam and Samantha but the door is open for book 3, Cooper's book
- HEA: For Sam and Liam, yes!
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, Legal Wolf's Mate by Eve Langlais, Her Wish by Sophie Morgan ...then you will probably like Cougar Bait!
See full review on The Book Disciple