I Kissed a Dog by Carol Van Atta Series: Werewolves of the West #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Published by: Charles River Press on October 20, 2012
Format: eBook
Pages: 446
Source: Author
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Chloe Carpenter isn't like other women. She can communicate with animals. A gift she unwrapped following one of her frequent dances with death.
In her otherwise wacky life, she's finally found a semblance of sanity working at the Plum Beach Wildlife Park, where her unique talents can make life or death differences for the animals in her care. That semblance is shattered when a new veterinarian roars into the park in his spiffed up sports car and sets his golden gaze on her. If she had her way, he'd roar right back out.
Problem: He's her new coworker and he's saved her life twice - in the past twenty-four hours.
Zane Marshall, Enforcer for the Pacific Pack of purebred werewolves, has a job to do - figure out who or what is mutilating the young men of Plum Beach.
With orders to find the woman who talks to animals, he accepts a position working alongside the fiery Chloe Carpenter, a female who ignites his interest far more than he ever expected. Remarkably, she's the one elusive female with potential to bring meaning and passion to his empty existence.
Problem: She despises him.
Together, they're forced to unravel a mystery of supernatural proportions, a murderous mystery with eternal implications for everyone. In the process, they discover opposites really do attract.
Major Problem: Zane is pledged to another woman, and she'll do anything to keep him from Chloe.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Werewolves, vampires and villains…oh my! Love the fresh take the author brings to the werewolf myth…a definite must read for lovers of the furry and fanged!
When I first read the title of this book I thought it was going to be one of those humorous paranormal romance books, but to my surprise it was so much more! Chloe Carpenter has always been a bit accident prone and had her fair share of near death experiences, one in particular has left her with the ability to communicate with animals. Working at a wildlife park, she uses her unusual abilities to help and nurture the park’s animals. When a new veterinarian joins the staff at the Plum Beach Wildlife Park, Chloe senses there’s something different about the handsome Zane Marshall and vows to keep her distance, if he’d only stop saving her from eminent danger! Chloe soon discovers Zane’s secret and is thrown into a supernatural world she never expected, working side by side with a sexy werewolf and trying to solve the mystery between the town’s recent string of murders…all in a day’s work, right?
I was quickly drawn to Chloe’s character, I especially enjoyed her awesome ability to communicate with animals. Aside from her ability, Chloe is just an ordinary young woman living a normal life up until she meets Zane. I like that she’s independent and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, especially when it comes to the hero. She can be a bit stubborn and snarky but you’d probably react the same way if you realized werewolves and vampires were lurking in your town killing people!
I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of virgins in paranormal romance, but Chloe’s way of thinking doesn’t make that a big factor, although there were times where I wanted to slap her for teasing Zane with her hot and cold demeanor! The sexual tension between her and Zane is great and keeps you on edge. I love that she grows throughout the book and proves she’s a smart and strong heroine. Any girl that’s willing to battle werewolves to save her man is a winner in my book. Zane is an interesting and charming hero, it’s hard for me to not love a sexy werewolf! There’s a bit of mystery to him and I found myself wanting to know more about his character as the story progressed. He has a few alpha moments where his concern for Chloe turns him into a caveman, but she quickly puts a stop to that. The addition of a second love interest for Chloe comes in the form of vampire Valamir and was the icing of the cake for me! The man oozes sex appeal and danger and left me wanting…
I KISSED A DOG is a thrilling story with plenty of suspense and fresh world building. Hats off to Ms. Van Atta for creating a supernatural world where my two fave paranormals (werewolves and vampires) co-exist and are not the sworn enemies that we often see in this genre. And let’s not forget the buffet of villains to choose from…just when you think you’ve figured things out there’s a new twist that takes the story in another direction. With an array of supernatural alpha men, mutant werewolves, non-stop action and a spicy love-triangle, I KISSED A DOG is a captivating series debut.
Lori, thank you for the stellar review. You have a way with words! I’m honored that you enjoyed I Kissed a Dog. When a reviewer loves reading what I loved writing … well, can you say “happy dance”? Actually, I’m home with the stomach flu (TMI) so no dancing in the literal sense. Only in my mind. But that’s good enough!
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OMG the title definitely caught my eye!! I Kissed a Dog? That’s and awesome name for a book! LOL
I love humorous books. I might check this one out (:
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