Chris, by Becca Fanning (MC Bear Mates VI)

I usually don’t read books in the MC genre, but I read a sample of Chris and I was hooked from the beginning.  I had also read the first book in this series.

Most shifters spend decades, even centuries looking for their fated mates, but Chris and his mate knew each other from the moment 15 year old Ava reached maturity.  Unfortunately Chris is in his 80’s and he faces waiting years for Ava to grow up.  Even worse, Ava is the daughter of the club president and daddy is very protective of his little girl.

Over the years Ava has become impatient and bitter waiting for her life to begin.  Her parents are strict and she’s stuck in the clubhouse working on the family businesses and waiting on Chris.  At 25, she’s still considered a baby in shifter terms and won’t reach maturity until 40.

This story premise is unusual and it really caught my interest.  I read the book in one evening and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Ava go from hopeless and helpless to strong once some hope appears.  The author allows Ava to mature on her own and not just because she has her mate.  This makes her a much stronger character in the story.

True North #1: Birthright, by Kit Fawkes

Birthright is the prequel the the new True North series by Kit Fawkes.  The story is intriguing with lots of promise for further developments.

North Campbell was raised by her father in an isolated cabin after civilization collapsed shortly after she was born.  Or at least that’s what she thought until the day he suddenly passes out and she bravely takes him towards the unknown city in hope of finding help. However, as she approaches the city she sees no signs of the destruction and dangers her father told her about.

Unfortunately her father can’t be saved and after he dies she learns that everything she’s been told by her father was a lie.  Within 24 hours, she’s approached by two groups with different stories about her and she has to try to sift through the various stories while she grieves for her father/kidnaper and tries to figure out who and what to believe.

Although the prequel is tame, the story will be a reverse harem with North and her six bodyguards and potential mates.  So far she’s attracted to all of them and the future is full of potential.