Paranormal/Futuristic
The Pride Series - The Mane Squeeze
By Noelle
Oct 1, 2009 - 10:37:27 AM

Gwen O’Neill was no stranger to fights. Growing up in Philly, as the hybrid daughter of the head of the O’Neill Pride, Gwen was used to having to defend herself. She was also used to keeping her mother Roxy out of trouble. Attending a wedding in New Jersey, she was in the process of breaking up a cat fight instigated by her mother when she met the man of her dreams-Lachlan MacRyie. Handsome, sweet, and one big teddy bear, Lock was way too nice for a girl like Gwen, but she just couldn’t seem to get him out of her system!

As a grizzly shifter, Lock MacRyie was used to a healthy dose of fear from other shifters. When he met Gwen, that response came in handy, since she was in the middle of one heck of a fight, but she was the one person who wasn’t afraid of him. After the wedding, Lock couldn’t stop thinking about her. However, the next time he saw her, he saved her again, and ended up falling head over heels for her-literally. Would Lock be able to protect Gwen from the danger following her, and from her own stubbornness?

With a lively cast of supporting characters, including several returning from Ms. Laurenston’s previous works in the Pride Series, THE MANE SQUEEZE had me giggling several times at the antics and dialogue. I especially liked Blayne’s character, because she was just the right foil for Gwen’s seriousness. The love scenes between Lock and Gwen more than lived up to my expectations for Ms. Laurenston, and were very steamy. They also contained just the right amount of humor, making them even more enjoyable to read. While this book could be read as a stand alone and be very entertaining, it is much better if it is read in the context of the series, just to keep track of the characters. Excellent job!