Sexy bad boy shapeshifter Michael O’Dare grew up on the streets. When government soldiers finally captured and imprisoned him, he became a lab rat and a collared slave, never again allowed to be human. His escape allowed him to return to human form, and head for freedom in the Western Territories.
Robert Hamilton-Scott had lived by the code “you’re careful, or you’re caught” for too long to take chances now. The one risk he takes in his carefully controlled life is offering temporary shelter to shifters on the run like Michael.
Robert knows it’s definitely not safe to want the sexy renegade he’s giving sanctuary to – passion is dangerous for a shapeshifter. As the soldiers close in he must choose between the careful life he’s built or life on the run with the man who has captured his heart.
Michael is brought to Hamilton Croft, Robert’s home and refuge, by freedom fighters after having escaped from labs that had been experimenting on him for a year. Robert is immediately drawn to Michael, but knows that what he wants and what he should take are two different things.
When Michael becomes conscious he is immediately attracted to Robert as well. Michael knows that he shouldn’t be longing for the other shifter’s touch – he doesn’t feel that he’s good enough for Robert. But Robert makes him feel comfort and though Michael has never known a true home, or anything but survival of the fittest, he longs for something…someone and he sees Robert as that someone. Though the two men give in to their attraction there are soldiers out looking for shapeshifters and if they are caught and taken to the labs the two men would probably not survive. Instead of accepting their fate they fight for their freedom.
This book had a new twist on shifters for me. The idea that the shapeshifters were created in a lab was a new one for me, I think. It seems that even though the shifters were scientifically produced the shapeshifting gene could be passed through birth so there were quite a few shifters around. Another new idea for me was that the shapeshifters could shift into many different animals. It’s described as:
Shifters didn’t morph their bodies. Their human form simply dematerialized, while their consciousness entered the body of the animal they chose to call.
It was an interesting concept to think that the shifters could shift into a lynx, a wolf, a dove, a falcon, a tiger. At one point Robert even wondered if he could shift into an elephant but he’d never tried before.
Despite the interesting premise of the book, however, parts of it didn’t really work for me. I liked the paranormal aspects of the book but the romance/relationship between the two men, which is what the book is mostly centered around, was rushed, imho. They had known each other a day, maybe 2 when they finally fully consummated their relationship. Within a couple of days Robert was thinking he was in love. It was too insta-love for my liking.
Robert was a “centered” shifter. It was kind of a religion but helped the shifters to not get addicted to the shifting. They controlled themselves instead of the animals controlling them. I could get into that. But Robert was afraid if he gave into one desire, Michael and sex, that he would give in to all desires – shifting included. But after Robert and Michael have sex, and fall for each other, Robert gains immeasurable strength and seems to become someone he’s never been before. He suddenly knows that he must help the shifter resistance. I guess it seemed too easy to me – shy and timid turns into outgoing and bold.
Then there’s Michael’s character. He’s played as a gangster baby – one that was born into and runs with a pack – but yet besides having shifting issues due to his lab time he seems as gentle as a lamb. I kept expecting there to be more fall out to the lab time but it just never happened. IDK the two characters just seemed off to me. Maybe it was just too much fantasy for me.
In the end I was torn about this one. How do I rate it? I really liked the paranormal aspects but the relationship didn’t work for me. So I’ll say it was a good but not great read.
Rating: 3 out of 5
I've never read anything by this author. I think TA Chase did the created shifter story on his blog and then published it. I'm sure they were created but I could be wrong, maybe just experimented on.
Isn't there a het series of created shifters? Erotica? God, brainstall. Again, maybe just captured in labs not created. I can't remember I only read one book out of sequence.
I'll likely pass on this one for now.
I couldn't remember if I'd read one or not so that's why I added, I think. lol I was having a brainstall as well. 🙂
The created AND experimented on shifter theme is HUGE through all of the numerous Lora Leigh shifter books. And there are a lot. Going back to her Ellora's Cave days…
OMG of COURSE it is! What the hell was I thinking…or not! lol Thank you Chris.
LOL! Welcome. I kept thinking as I read your review, "Hmm. Sounds kinda like 'Lora Leigh does m/m'."
That is an interesting premise for shifting, too bad other elements of the story didn't work out.
The thing with the Breed books, IIRC, they don't shift, do they?
Chris – Seriously – how could I forget?
Ames – Oh you're right! They can't shift – they just have all of the qualities. Yeah, that's why I didn't think of them. lol Ok, maybe not but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. 🙂
Sounds like a fascinating twist on the shifter phenomenon. Sounds like there are other characteristics to this book that would make it a great read.
Yeah yeah Lora Leigh that's who I was thinking and right, they didn't shift. TA Chase's did but I don't remember if they were created or just experimented upon.