Hard Mated- Jennifer Ashley

Book Name: Hard Mated

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Series: Shifters Unbound # 3.5

Release Date: 08/20/12

Main Characters: Spike (Eron) and Myka

Category: M/F

Author's Website: http://www.jennifersromances.com/

Heat Level: Smoldering


Blurb:Unbound series. Spike, a wildcat Shifter and the champion fighter of Shiftertown, is stunned when Myka, the best friend of a dying human woman, announces that Spike has fathered a cub. What's more, the mother is giving the boy to Spike to protect and raise. Myka, who'd been raised by an abusive stepfather, is not sure that a wild fighter named Spike is the best man to bring up the cute little jaguar cub. She goes to Shiftertown to check out Spike, and finds that the man behind the name is a lonely Shifter who's lost most of his family and is a fierce caretaker to those he has left.

Review: Spike, the Dumb ass fighter, as most see him in Shiftertown, is stuck between his new Shiftertown leader, Liam, and his old one.  After Liam beat his former leader, Spike became one of his trackers. Trackers do all the dirty work for the leader and town. They have many jobs, protection for the shifters and they also get information when needed about outsiders. Spike seemed fine with his position until one day after a fight, at the fight club, he was introduced to his 4 year old cub. He had no idea that a one night stand 5 years ago had blessed him with this gift from the now dying mother. Most of Spike's family was killed and all he has left is his grandmother. After learning of his cub and bringing him home to raise, Spike starting thinking more about his position in Shiftertown and how low he was in the hierarchy.
Myka's best friend, Jillian, is dying of cancer and needs her to find her son’s father before it's too late. Myka was abused by her stepfather after her mother died and she doesn't trust men, so she was not comfortable with Spike raising Jordan on his own. Myka goes to Shiftertown to check on the boy but once there she realizes that Spike will do anything to protect his cub, even kill. She comes to learn the real Spike, whose name is Eron, is very loving and over protective of what he considers his. This was a wonderful novella, Spike is a tattooed, shaved head, bad ass, but underneath all that is the most loving and lonely guy you could ever meet.
My Rating: 5