
Eternal Mates #4
Release Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads ~ Amazon
Synopsis
New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Paranormal Romance Author Felicity Heaton presents:
Hunted by a Jaguar (Eternal Mates Paranormal Romance Series Book 4)
A jaguar shifter with a dark secret, Kyter has spent his entire life running from his demons. When a tragedy takes him back to his pride's village, he is set on a path of vengeance that will see him collide with the terrible ghosts of his past and a beautiful vision of his future.
Iolanthe deals in finding artefacts for discerning clients, but this time her client is one of the deadliest men in Hell and her mission has the highest stakes imaginable. Failure is not an option when your life is on the line, but things take a dangerous turn when she crosses paths with a handsome and mysterious male on the hunt for the same artefact--a male who declares she is his eternal mate.
Can Iolanthe resist Kyter's wicked allure and find the artefact before he does? Can Kyter face his demons and win the heart of his fated female? Or will this deadly game of cat and mouse claim both of their lives?
I'll reserve final judgement on my absolute favorite in this series until it's complete but Hunted by a Jaguar is my favorite so far. I still adore Thorne and Sable as a couple because I love their snarky banter but the playfulness, chemistry, and depth of feeling between Kyter and Iolanthe rocketed them to the top of the list.
Kyter is seeking vengeance while Iolanthe is seeking to save her life when the happen upon one another. Watching as these two dance around one another, getting to know them each better, and seeing them get to know one another was enchanting. They both have some predisposed notions to work through but they're each strong, capable, and caring and will do what they have to do to secure the future they long for. Kyter and Iolanthe feel so deeply - it was seen in how they care about their families and in how they felt for one another. Kyter had some deep-seated issues with needing acceptance and the ways Iolanthe soothed that need was heartwarming. That Kyter could hold back his instincts to give Iolanthe was she needed was also heartening. There was also a playfulness between them -- it made me smile to see them play off one another, tease each other.
Another reason this is my favorite? The details. Heaton did an incredible job at describing the locations in which the action was set. Heculaneum, Pompeii, the Amazon rainforest -- I could picture it all as if I was there. I could feel the heat and humidity, feel the dirt and grime. Also, the way she depicted the battles made for a visceral experience. I was there in the heat of Hell, feeling the searing pain of a sword blow, and the movement of air when wings
were in motion. All this really enhanced the story.
And then there's Bleu. I was delighted to spend some time with his handsome, scowling face. His scenes made me smile, laugh, grimace, and gasp. I feel as though I got to see another side of the elf and I am desperate for him to find his happy ending.
Hunted by a Jaguar touched on many topics -- pride, acceptance, female independence, duty -- and Heaton wove them all into a riveting story. I'm sure it says something about me that my favorite stories in this series involve strong heroines and blood and guts. But whatever that says, I'm reveling in the Eternal Mates series and Kyter and Iolanthe's story in particular.