Pride Mates

"No Shifters Allowed!" - That's exactly what fascinated me in this book, this racist mentality both in law and society in general. Legally shifters aren't able to get high paid jobs or buy luxury items. Proprietors are allowed to ban shifters from their premises and racism against them is tolerated because they're "animals".

They're an oppressed people forced to wear collars that suppress their more aggressive animal personality traits and when they think about or are about to act out violence, are shocked by debilitating pain. Humans can hurt them but they can't defend themselves. It's disgusting. I abhor that kind of behaviour.

But then you read to the closing pages and you begin to understand why most shifters accepted the collars in show more the first place, after their existence was discovered 20 years ago. They were truly animals: killing cubs because they wanted to f*** their mother, murdering their rivals for food, territory or just because they felt threatened. Now, they're forced to live in communities (by law and for protection), their fertility rate has gone up (though their birth rate is still fairly low), they co-operate with one another and their race is no longer on the brink of extinction, after previously being hunted down "like the animals they are".

The cultural differences between the human and shifter communities are highlighted by Kim's and Liam's growing relationship. There was much they became confused over or misunderstood about each other's races. I enjoyed seeing those differences but the physical ones made me laugh. Kim asked Liam if he had a belly button, of course he had one but then Glory mentioned extra-large condoms... and then we found out why - 11 inches! OMFG!

Erm... What was I going to say next? Oh, yes... yes, Yes, YES!

Sorry.

I wasn't particularly fond of the main couple. Okay, I really like Liam. Physically speaking, yum! Personality, a very kind and charming man. It was Kim, I think. She was... I don't know, she wasn't a horrible person but I doubt we'd be good friends, more like acquaintances. I'm not sure about the chemistry between them, sometimes it was great and others, not so much.

The secondary characters were brilliant. Connor is sooooo cute! I just wanted to reassure him by squeezing the air out of his lungs with plenty of hugs and protect him from anyone who wanted to cause him harm, though I wasn't sure if I wanted to mother him or.... you know. ;)

Glory - major Buffy flashback. They may not be the same person but they both shove their sexuality in people's faces and say whatever comes to mind, no matter who it hurts. And that's where their similarities end, despite my worry that she'd become the predictable villain, betraying her neighbours, alpha & lover. I never believed Glory hurt people just to hurt them, she didn't "glory" in it. It felt more like a defence to keep everyone except Dylan at arm's length.

Liam's father, Dylan, that poor man. He'd lost his mate, his son, and his daughter-in-law. He was about to lose his alpha position in his community, was guilt-ridden over his affair with Glory and the way he treated her, and he was constantly goaded and humiliated by Fergas, the top Alpha, and was being pressured into challenging him to ensure the safety of his community. He had a big secret and it was so sad when it was revealed. Liam was crushed but he handled it with grace and respect. Thankfully, their father-son relationship managed to survive.

So to sum up: great world-building and secondary characters. Clichéd writing, in places, got in the way of my enjoyment. The plot was interesting and tied into the world building and character development perfectly. I was completely surprised by the big reveal. Liam was one tough cookie to overcome his instincts and return to his former life.

I will definitely be reading the the sequel [b:Primal Bonds|8112340|Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound, #2)|Jennifer Ashley|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1282180001s/8112340.jpg|12907462] for the stoically quiet and tortured story of Sean (Liam's brother) although I'm not a fan of the fae but his woman's only half-fae, hopefully that'll make a difference. show less

I really didn't think I would like this book, I hated Charlotte's Web, don't go for animals in books...ha!

This story held me spellbound, I enjoyed learning about these mystical people who live in our day and age. It took me away from my everyday troubles, and I enjoyed the mystery she spun into the romance. It was also a very sexy book. I do recommend it if you like sex in your novels or if you like fantasy.

This was I'm sorry to say my first Jennifer Ashley read, but it will not be my last. I really enjoyed the paranormal romance. Jennifer does a wonderful job of incorporating quite a bit of realism into a fantasy story. In this book, people know that shifters exist and they are treated accordingly. They are segregated and treated like second class citizens . She does a great job of showing the division between 'humans'. It made the story and the characters really come to life. The ending wrapped up a little neater than I'd like, but it in no way dampens the story. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to release.

Read: October 2014
Rating: 5/5 stars
The couple: Liam & Kim

This is the first novel in the 'Shifters Unbound' paranormal romance series. I am quite picky over my paranormal romance and there are a lot of tropes in the genre that can put me off a series - for example very possessive, borderline misogynist male protagonists seem to be particularly prevalent in PNR.

However Pride Mates - and the entire series that I have read up to this point - have been brilliant. The series is set in a world that acknowledges the existence of shape-shifters and treats them like second-class citizens. They are segregated and forced to live in separate areas from the humans; usually in towns that appear to be almost shanty-towns from the outside. They are show more refused access to any modern technology, internet access, even newer models of cars in an effort to keep them firmly in their place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. The Fae are also mentioned in the series and it is their magic that makes 'shock' collars for the shifters which every shifter has to wear to curb any violent instincts.

Pride Mates introduces us to Liam who is a feline shifter living in shifter-town. His love interest is Kim, an attorney who has been given the task of defending a shifter who is accused of murder.
Liam and Kim are a good match for each other and there is a lot of chemistry between them from the start. The plot wasn't all about Liam and Kim's romance, there is also a decent sub-plot about the murder and the wider social implications for Kim who has to deal with the stigma of associating with a shifter.

Pride Mates is a good set up for the series and introduces a lot of the secondary characters who will go on to feature as the main characters in their own book, as each book in the series features a different couple.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance or urban fantasy. show less

I love everything paranormal; always considered myself a vampire girl until I started reading the Anita Blake books and totally fell for her gorgeous kitties. That being said, I was really excited when I found this book. This is the first book I've read by Jennifer Ashley and I liked it so much that I plan to pick up her other books.Pride Mates was a great beginning in a series I'm really looking forward to diving into. 20 years ago, a Shifter made their existence known to the world without thinking of the consequences to his people. The Shifters were forced to wear collars to keep their nature in check and to restrict violent behavior. Jennifer Ashley has created a very interesting world and it makes you wonder. Would this happen if show more people were to find out that there are Shifters living among us? Kim is a smart, sassy, tiny (which I LOVED since I'm a whopping 5" nothing)DA who takes on a murder case and ends up getting sucked into the Shifter world. The world wants to make an example of her client. Kim feels that he is innocent and will do anything to prove that. The government has painted a picture of these creatures showing that they are deadly and not to be trusted. The Shifters are contained in certain areas and aren't allowed high paying jobs or access to things like digital cable, internet, newer vehicles; things we take for granted. Kim had never met a Shifter even though the human race had known about them for 20 years. That is until she walked into Liam's bar. Ah, Liam. Boy is he gorgeous and charming and smart. Due to segregation, she is as foreign to him as he is to her. He knows very little about human nature but finds himself drawn to a human for the first time in his 100 years of life. He finds that not only does he find her incredibly sexually attractive, he is also fascinated with her spirit and determination. Immediately there was chemistry between the two of them.I loved, loved, loved this book and read it in one sitting. I'm paying the price for it today since I has up til after 1:00 AM last night but it was worth it. It ranks right up there with Rachel Vincent's Shifters series and that's saying something cause it's one of my favorites. I highly recommend this book to anyone into paranormal romance, Shifters, and/or urban fantasy. You won't be disappointed.I just have one question, where can I get one of those collars? It's bad ass and I want one! show less

I have been putting off reading this book, and really I don't know why. I love anything Shifter related and this was no exception.
I was really hooked by the first line of the book " A girl walks into a bar... No. A human girl walks into a Shifter Bar..."
Kim is a lawyer that was given the case of a Shifter accused of killing a human girl he was dating. She goes into Shiftertown, which is what they call where all collared shifters live. She is determined that Brian, the shifter in question is innocent and is out to find as much information as she can to prove that. She meets with Liam, whom she has an instant attraction to. Liam and his brother Sean, take Kim to see Sandra; Brian's mother. Kim gets the feeling that Brian's mother is show more content to let Brian go down for this crime, whether or not he did commit it.
You can tell from the get go that Liam is in lust with Kim and while Kim feels it, she is afraid of what it really means for her, Shifters and humans do not mix without there being backlash on one or both ends. Human women who take up with shifters are labeled as Shifter-Whores. Kim is drawn into the shifter world and begins to fall in love with Liam and vice versa.
The story is an amazing one, and the reasoning behind the Shifters being collared is silly, but it works wonderfully in this book. The last few chapters had me mad as all get out, and then I was jumping for joy with the rest of the characters in the end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and find out more about the Shifters.
The character development was well written and while I was anxious to know everything, most things were explained easily and clearly. I fell in love with Liam, Kim, Conner and Sean. Dylan wasn't my favorite character till late on in the book, but I grew to love him too. show less

I have been putting off reading this book, and really I don't know why. I love anything Shifter related and this was no exception.
I was really hooked by the first line of the book " A girl walks into a bar... No. A human girl walks into a Shifter Bar..."
Kim is a lawyer that was given the case of a Shifter accused of killing a human girl he was dating. She goes into Shiftertown, which is what they call where all collared shifters live. She is determined that Brian, the shifter in question is innocent and is out to find as much information as she can to prove that. She meets with Liam, whom she has an instant attraction to. Liam and his brother Sean, take Kim to see Sandra; Brian's mother. Kim gets the feeling that Brian's mother is show more content to let Brian go down for this crime, whether or not he did commit it.
You can tell from the get go that Liam is in lust with Kim and while Kim feels it, she is afraid of what it really means for her, Shifters and humans do not mix without there being backlash on one or both ends. Human women who take up with shifters are labeled as Shifter-Whores. Kim is drawn into the shifter world and begins to fall in love with Liam and vice versa.
The story is an amazing one, and the reasoning behind the Shifters being collared is silly, but it works wonderfully in this book. The last few chapters had me mad as all get out, and then I was jumping for joy with the rest of the characters in the end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and find out more about the Shifters.
The character development was well written and while I was anxious to know everything, most things were explained easily and clearly. I fell in love with Liam, Kim, Conner and Sean. Dylan wasn't my favorite character till late on in the book, but I grew to love him too. show less