| Title | : | An Assassin's Touch (Lost Shifters #9) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1554878020 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781554878024 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 127 |
| Publication | : | First published February 14, 2011 |
Nobody realizes better than Shane that he has no real future. As a Leopard, he’s destined to live alone and be reviled by his fellow feline shifters. Instead of letting that hurt him, Shane just throws himself into his work as the coalition’s top assassin. A job that his breeding makes him perfect for. He tells himself that he doesn’t need anyone else-that he’s fine living a solitary life. Then one, brief encounter with a bratty, Panther shifter named, Trevor, changed everything. Now all Shane can think about is the Panther and how to get the man back in his bed. The only problem is Trevor hasn’t given Shane so much as a second glance since their one time together. A situation that frustrates and intrigues Shane even more.
Trevor has always enjoyed playing the field. With so many sexy temptations at his disposal he doesn’t see why he should have to settle for the same warm body in his bed night after night. So, while the sex with Shane had been great, Trevor is determined to put the encounter behind him. A task that’s not as easy as it would seem. Not when every night he continues to dream of the Leopard, or how whenever they’re in the same room, Trevor can’t stop himself from wanting to reach out and caress the Leopard. But, Trevor knows that there can never be anything between them so he resolves to put his desires behind him.
Then Shane needs help on one of his assignments and he turns to Trevor. The mission proves more dangerous than either one of them realizes and they soon find themselves fighting for their lives. Will they be able to learn to trust each other in time to save themselves, or will their past doubts destroy them?
An Assassin's Touch (Lost Shifters #9) Reviews
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Leopard shifter, Shane & and panther shifter, Trevor
In this book cobra shifters are introduced and Shane is trying to discover and kill the worst of them. At the same time, he cannot forget slutty Trevor and the time they spent together during Christmas.
This is the story of one the most lovable couples in the series. Psychotic assassin Shane and playful, incapable of commitment Trevor. They will both change in the next books.
Yes people can change, when they fall in love. -
My favorite in the series so far. Five stars even with the huge at the end
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Ah, Shane, my favorite sociopath and assassin. I don't know what it is about him that appeals to me, well other than he has a wickedly dry, sarcastic sense of humor. No matter how many times I hear everyone in the coalition talk about how psycho leopards are and they're only good for killing, I can't help but feel that maybe growing up with Owen and Andrew affected Shane enough that he can have more than the lonely existence everyone seems to have slated him for. 'An Assassin's Touch' is book nine in the 'Lost Shifters' series and I would recommend reading these in order as there is too much backstory for them to be stand alones, in my opinion.
Shane has been after a cobra shifter for several months now, and he's getting pretty angry that he keeps failing in his attempts. It doesn't help that the other snake shifter breeds are helping and they continue to attack Shane in his quest. No, the only thing that matters to Shane is that he keeps failing. His foster father taught him early on that leopards do not form attachments to others, they are incapable of love, and are only good for killing. He trained Shane to be the best killer he could be and when he failed in a task there were severe punishments. The problem is that Shane does feel emotions. When feline shifters turn away from him as if he's the bogeyman it hurts his feelings. He has nightmares every night where he hears the screams of the dying. None of this makes any difference though, because Shane knows all leopards are crazy, so he must be too. If only he could get the one encounter he shared with Trevor out of his mind.
Trevor is a panther shifter and he's been very happy just playing around; he never sleeps with the same guy twice. So why can't he get Shane and their one encounter out of his mind? Even worse, he's very much afraid that if he succumbs, he'll lose his heart and since leopards don't form attachments, Trevor will be left with a broken heart. Doesn't keep him from wanting Shane, and when Shane stakes a claim, it's all Trevor can do not to jump him. But when another panther warns Trevor away from Shane, stating he doesn't want Trevor and his slutty behavior to mess with the rehabilitation they did on Shane, Trevor is shoved right back down to feeling like a worthless piece of crap. None of that matters though when Shane declares Trevor, "mine", in front of the coalition.
Oh how I loved this book. Shane and Trevor are my favorites and, I'm sorry Andrew, you've been replaced in my affections. In fact, Shane and Trevor are being added to my list of favorite couples. And, in the spirit of the author, I am going to jump immediately into the next book and write my review. It's the only time in this series that the author wrote back-to-back books because she loved the characters so much, so I will follow that tradition.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on
Rainbow Book Reviews -
4.5 Stars
Holy hotness ... Shane is one sexy, smexy assassin. *fans self*
Shane is a leopard shifter and a little nuts (but in a good way ... sorta). He's reviled by many of the other feline shifters in Mitchell's coalition. Believing he's destined to live alone, Shane throws himself into his work as the coalition's bad-ass assassin. And, whoa baby, is he good at what he does! Then, a one-off in the pantry with the bratty Panther shifter, Trevor, puts Shane's world on edge. Suddenly, he can't get Trevor out of his mind. Determined to get Trevor back into his bed, Shane goes after what he wants. Yowza!
Trevor has always played the field. He has never slept with a man more than once and doesn't plan on starting now ... but, then again, who could ever plan for a leopard shifter. As his attraction to Shane continues to grow, so does his feelings. Shane and Trevor will have to overcome the judgements and prejudices of others to win their HEA.
I really liked this book. Noah remains my favorite character but I LOVED Shane and Trevor'sstorystories best. Which brings me to my caution: this one ends with a wallop of a cliff-hanger which isn't resolved until the next book (
Shane's Fury). My heart went out to Shane and the loneliness he battled for being (and being perceived) as different. Although he is much more comfortable with violence than most, I thought Hecht did a wonderful job of crafting his character - making him crazy enough to do what he does and do it so well, but not totally PSYCHO. Close, but not totally.
Bottom-line: a sizzling tale about a my fave couple of the series. -
While my favorite shifter is still Noah (he's so adorable, I can't help wanting to squish him), safely to say that "An Assassin's Touch" is probably the best yet, in terms of characters building and plot than the whole stories of Lost Shifters.
For the first time, both the guys Shane and Trevor get fair share of page time. In the previous books, usually, I feel like I know ONE of the guys better than the others. But here, I get both stories from Shane and Trevor's past, and it's equally satisfying.
Here, we have this cold psycho Leopard assassin in Shane, who is actually have a soft side inside ... most notably when he asks Trevor about what makes Trevor sad and touches his tears, that is just a WINNING scene right there. Then, we have this slutty sexy Panther in Trevor, who is looking for love in all the wrong places because of his past, who finds himself falling for Shane and understands him like no one else in the Coalition. I feel my heart expands when I read how Trevor defends Shane from all the accussations about his psychopathic behavior.
It makes for such A PERFECT love story, let me tell you. On how two people who seems to be so opposite but at the very core is the same, looking for that love, finding each other, and it feels so right, even when everybody else are trying to tell them that it's wrong.
I'm so happy to know that they will get more story time in the next book, because their characters are both so powerful, I expect more of them. Even if I have to endure the frickin' cliffhanger (darn it!)
BY the way, THIS cover, THE BEST COVER from all Lost Shifter's book so far. -
This was my favorite in the Lost Shifters series by far. I love Shane and Trevor as a couple. I wanted to scream when the book ended with a huge cliffhanger and if it weren't for reading this below that was on the last page I would be infuriated right now.
Author's Note
Now that you've read An Assassin's Touch I can finally let you in on the exciting news. For the first time ever in the Lost Shifter Series, the same couple is getting back-to-back books. I fell so in love with Shane and Trevor that I wanted to give them some more page time. So their story will continue in the next book which will be out soon at eXtasy Books.
Yay! More Shane and Trevor!!! -
Excellent, bravo, superb! Can't wait for the next one.
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In this book, we read more about Shane, the Leopard who has become the Coalition's top assassin. He's the top assassin not only because he's the best at what he does, but also because he enjoys it. Raised to be a killer, Shane also has genetics in his corner. Leopards are known to be unfeeling, brutal and deadly. Shane was raised with his two friends Andrew (Mitchell's brother who was trained to be a thief) and Owen (a Tiger shifter and Seth's brother who is a genius and the brain behind their ops team). Between the three of them, they were a perfect criminal team until they were rescued and brought to the coalition.
Trevor is a panther shifter who is one of the coalition soldier. He was part of the motley crew that was rescued from slavery to include Noah (Mitchell's brother and former street hustler), Riley (a rare Eagle shifter), and Ranger (the rogue wolf and alpha leader of their "pack").
So okay, this book hit on some of the usual patterns of the previous books:
1. Shifters hook up for a one-time only night of fun
2. Shifters each like the other but can't be the one to "open up" and show their emotions first
3. Shifter one feels he's not good enough for Shifter 2 because of ABC, while Shifter 2 feels he can't commit to another Shifter because of XYZ
4. Shifters final say Fuck it, and realize they are mates
Don't be mad about the spoiler because let's keep it real - we already know that they're going to be mates. Only every single book in this series ended with the two MCs becoming mates so don't send me hate messages.
So why 4 stars if this book is so formulaic? Shane, Shane, Shane...Shane the badass, cold-hearted, skilled as hell assassin that can take down a nest of cobras by himself. Shane the Shifter that all the other Coalition Shifters fear and can part a crowd like the Red Sea every time he walks in a room. Shane, the tough as nails Shifter who gives a rat's ass what everyone else thinks of him. Shane, the Shifter that looks like an angel but can make Ravens piss their pants. Oh - did I mention Shane? Yeah - he's what's up. Shane is by far my favorite character in this book. Trevor was pretty okay too, but he's not my favorite bottom. Together though, they were a great couple.
Also, Stephani Hecht ended this book in an interesting way and explained by saying that she loves Shane and Trevor and wanted more of them. I couldn't agree more. -
I so loved this one too.
It was just so sweet, and so heart wrenching. I felt like crying a lot of times, when others treated Shane like he wasn't a real person, just a freaky psychopath assassin.
It hurts me to think that everytime he has to go and do a job, he's slowly torturing himself, and how after his hard work to keep the coalition safe, everyone treats him like he's a freak, and how it really hurts Shane to not be trusted, to be feared and even despised.
Shane is really fantastic, caring guy. He's a bit odd, but he's just so endearing. It doesn't matter how odd he is, if you can look beyond the odd behaviour and comments, you can see he's a great guy, who has feelings.
Trevor was just so sweet and sexy and just so wonderful. He and Shane are perfect for each other. Their insecurities and painful pasts just make them more adorable.
I love them!!
I find it kind of amusing, how they all just suddenly fall in love, without really knowing each other. But I always tell myself, that there's at least one person there for us all, and in Stephani Hecht's books, they just find their "THE ONE" and fall in love just like that. ^^
The way this book ended... I could have killed something or someone. I feel like screaming and pulling my hair. The ending was just so ...!! It was the most evil cliffhanger I've ever read, when I don't have the next book ready. My heart's still beating loudly in my chest.
I think that this book was the best one so far, and I can't wait for the next one to appear!
I loved this book so much!! -
The beginning was interesting. Unfortunately, it was more about sex and lust than plot/world-building and finding the bad guy.
The bad guy isn't even found at the end and you need to read the next book. So if you want to enjoy it, buy this one and
Shane's Fury at the same time.
There was too much characters and couples, it was hard to follow. So I don't recommend you to read this as a stand alone. You should read from the beginning of the series.
Anyway. Don't have a lot to say, it was just badly executed I think. It could have been so much better, it was promising. I was hugely disappointed. -
Too short to reach full potential and it ends on a cliff hanger. I liked the idea of Shane and Trevor. Shane the cold and misunderstood assassin. Trevor the flirty and sexually loose coalition soldier. Shane is a leopard and can't love. He says so on several occasions, then while having sex for the second time with Trevor he desides that yes he can love. This relationship on fast forward I attribute to this being a short story and the story ending on a cliff hanger. I wasn't invested enough in the characters to go out and get the next book.
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Stephani Hecht is a terrible writer. I don't feel like pulling any punches here, because to do otherwise would be a disservice to my fellow readers. These books are awful, but have their own compelling pull. I wanted to carry on to see what happened next, even though the writing was making me insane, the characters were all the same, and the sex was becoming incredibly redundant. It wasn't until I got to the third book based on Shane (seriously, again?), that I finally hit a wall and couldn't read any more. It was (sorta) fun while it lasted.
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4.5 stars
WOW!! Read the first paragraph of the blurb and you'll know whether you'll like it or not. I broke my rule of not reading a shifter book, but the moment I read the title I was sold. Besides, they didn't shift at all.
It was an enjoyable read, very like Black Dagger Brotherhood (alpha males, leaving their scent all over their mates... you know, the usual). I'm glad Stephanie decided to write a sequel. -
Really good story. I've been waiting to read Shane's story. He seems so cold but you just know that some where in there is a good guy. Trevor is a bit...flighty but just needs so badly to be loved. I thought it might be a little more difficult for the two to get together but just loved the chemistry between the two. I am off to read the second part to their story:)
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Another great book, I look forward to the next part of Shane and Trevors story.
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This review is for all of the Lost Shifters, Wayne County Wolves, and Assassin's Loyalty books since they are all interconnected and I read them back-to-back pretty much nonstop over a 10 day period. If I have anything to say about a particular book I'll add it under this bulk review. First, I'd like to mention these are more like novellas than books but they have the same underlying theme and pretty much continue where the last left off but with a different couple.
Everything starts out with the Lost Shifters. To summarize there was a war between the feline shifters and the raven shifters. 20 years or so before the first book there was an all out slaughter in which hundreds of feline homes were attacked and burned down all of the occupants believed to be killed. Turns out that the babies and toddlers that were assumed lost were not. They were hidden within the human foster care system for the most part. I won't say how because that'd be a big spoiler. In addition to foster care some kids were sold into slavery and that's where the whole assassin thing comes in. A couple of the main characters marry into the wolf pack so that's where those books come in as well.
Pros: Since the books are so short there are no long drawn out boring details or general angst. There's usually only one sex scene although it's normally long as hell. Which makes the fact some people shelved these as erotica confusing. I liked the world building and even though there were times I think a little more info might have been nice it never detracted from the story or left me confused. Most of the relationships were a sort of love at first sight thing. Or maybe lust or obsession? Despite this the shifters all seem adamant that's not a thing that happens. There wasn't one character I didn't like. My favorite character was Shane and he must have been the author's as well since he got a few extra books and a side series Shane's Chronicles. There's no big end battle or anything but the last book Baily's 9th Life does pretty much tie things up nicely. I think if I'd been reading the series when they were released I'd be a bit miffed because that book didn't come out until a few years later if you weren't reading the assassins books. Also, these books all have some really funny moments and/or dialog.
Cons: The last several books didn't appear to have been edited at all. If if wasn't for the fact that I was so invested in the overall story arc I would have quit reading them. Things like sent instead of scent and too instead of to they instead of them and random wrong words completely. There were also a couple of times that things were said/thought almost verbatim in different parts of a book as if the author forgot she'd already put that info in there already. At the start of the series, they state that all feline shifters are bisexual but at some point the author must have forgotten that detail because suddenly there are gay shifters and homophobia and all this hate. Which brings me to my next con, the themes of the different books started to repeat. Suddenly all these shifters had been thrown out of their previous pack or coalition or human home for being gay. And throughout this huge series of books there was only one straight couple. Like not even a straight friend or whatever. Even the females were all lesbians. It was just kinda unrealistic especially with the whole gay hate thing going on. Usually there's at least a few couples or friends or something on the periphery in gay romances especially in a world this huge. Which brings me to my final con, I had a hard time remembering who was who and what there story was after awhile especially if they weren't mentioned much in previous books. I wish there had been some sort of glossary to review.
Despite the cons, I would still recommend these books. All-in-all I really enjoyed them and was dreading the end although the editing in the last few books really had me also looking forward to the end if I'm being honest. -
Ok, straight off. This got 4 stars only because I just adore Shane!
If you don't like him there is a huge probability you don't agree with me.
The story as such is not going to render more than a 3 star rating. Tops. But Shane.... well, he makes it all worth the read! -
3.5 stars
Shane is all kinds of sexy assassin and Trevor is the sweet hearted slut. Sane is know to be cold as ice with no love for anyone. Trevor never takes the same man to bed twice. Together they find the missing pieces of themselves. -
Oh, Dear, I read this because of a friend, and despite the times I thought I was really going to hell for reading something like that (my first time in the bl area!), I was hooked from the start. ((Also, Shaun <3))
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Me gustan los personajes aparentemente inofensivos que resultan ser un arma viviente. Shane es perfecto como asesino (no diré psicópata porque uno de esos no se enamora ni tiene amigos reales y este leopardo de rostro angelical se puede convertir en una máquina de matar por la gente que ama).
Este es de mis favoritos de la saga.
No puedo decir mucho, es lectura homoerótica ligera, pero tiene su encanto. -
Wtf?
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God I LOVE this book!!! Shane…mmmmm be still my heart! I’ve read this book a few different times now and it’s never enough. Trevor is such a sweetheart and all, but Shane is perfection in one big crazy psycho package. LOVE HIM!
Trevor’s life up till now hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses. Raised in foster care with a horrendous foster father he was on the street young struggling to get by any way he could. Forced to rely on his body to get him by, at least until Ranger found him, Trevor’s never been all that concerned with being committed to one person. After Ranger found him and added him to his rag tag group his loyalties shifted and included every one of those other lost shifters. Though a panther shifter himself, having not been raised around other shifters none of them knew to expect the shit storm their lives were to become after being kidnapped. Now, after being rescued by the feline coalition Trevor’s finally found a place he’s welcome and is valued for the contributions he makes as a fighter on the coalitions forces. Of course his obsession with one scary leopard shifter might prove a bit of a distraction.
Shane, is psychotic, some might even say bat shit crazy, though they’ll all admit it isn’t really his fault. I mean, after all he is a leopard. Leopard shifters have always been vicious and isolationist to the extreme. Of course being raised by a psychopath who wanted nothing more than an emotionless assassin didn’t help matters either. After he and his foster brothers were rescued from Edwards clutches everyone realized Shane was too far-gone to save completely. But he’s now completely devoted to Michael, the head of the coalition, and a weapon he might be, but at least he’s on the coalitions side. And that means one evil nasty Cobra shifter to track down and finish. Now if only he can get the silly panther out of his head. Maybe all he needs is to sleep with Trevor one more time.
*le sigh* My bad boy fetish is at it again. Gimmee more Shane any day! He’s just so broken, broken in all the right places. And so sexily growly over Trevor! Mine indeed. The life that Shane’s lived and everyone’s natural prejudice against him is just so unfair. Underneath all that death and destruction is such a sweet caring heart that just wants to be loved. Anyone that says leopards can’t love is just plain an idiot! That’s all Shane’s ever been searching for. So what if he wants to show it by leaving a dismembered head on your bedside table as a present…it was a bad guy, honest!
Trevor couldn’t be any sweeter! And he has to be to be able to put up with Mr. Show No Emotion over there. Of course Trevor’s the only one who can see right through it all. He knows exactly how deep Shane’s buried those wants and dreams and has no problems reaching in and pulling them all back up. He has no reason to ever fear the leopard despite what all the other shifters say. He’ll always be the one person Shane will trust no matter what. Besides, scary crazy is HOT, right?!?!
These two are my absolute favorite couple in Ms. Hecht’s world! I could re-read this book a hundred times and it wouldn’t be enough. I love the fact that Trevor gets all turned on watching Shane move in the deadly dance he knows so well. I adore that Trevor can be the safe haven Shane deserves more than any other. While all the other side characters that make their appearances in this book are great, and I like seeing all my favorites again, all I really need is Shane and Trevor. Of course the cliffhanger ending to this book makes me want to go re-read it’s sequel again too. Anyone with half a brain though knows that Shane will always get his man (and I do mean that in both ways ;) ). Death to all evil snake shifters, and the most painful death imaginable to Mr. Evil Cobra-face!
If you’re a fan of shifter series…don’t read this book first!!! But read all the other books in the series quickly so you can get to this one! It’s amazing! -
2014 Re-read:
Oh yeah. This is still great, certain issues notwithstanding.
Editing and grammar are… ahem. (“Ode’ de Trevor”? Really?) I am almost getting used to that by now but even the smaller issues (such as comma use) tend to break me out of my immersion, so I keep thinking how nice it could be if these things were cleaned up.
However, none of that matters as much as the good stuff. I don’t care if the emotions build too fast or the editing’s off. This story of two lost souls complementing each other is as wonderful as it was the first two time I read it.
While one could argue that Shane is a complete stereotype, Trevor actually shows some depth and in his case the “slutty” behaviour that the author likes to put on her younger characters works with his history and present.
Together the two guys make for a touching combination.
Everyone else, of course, gets to be jerkish – but this series has never tried to make everyone get along perfectly, so it’s not actually a break from the established characterizations.
Another thing I really like is that the sex here isn’t included for the sake of it – but brimming with emotional meaning and even development.
The only real blip for me in this one occurred when one of them had an offhand thought that suggested a lot more interaction and maybe knowledge of each other than they’d actually had at that point. Alas, I can’t find it again now. Doesn’t matter in the greater scheme of things but something like that irritates me more than editing problems, since it confuses my perception of the story continuity.
What saddens me is that I know the second part of the story will fall flat in comparison.
2011 Review: -
I'm giving this a 4.5 stars.
The story is about Shane, who is a pyshco leopard shifter, and Trevor a panther. Shane has it rough because it has been imprinted in his gene to be a crazy, pyscho, killing machine because that is what he was breed to be. Shane thought that he will be forever alone because there is no one crazy enough to be with a lost case like him so he gave up on having a committed relationship, that is until he meet Trevor. Trevor has a rule that he does not have sex with the same guy twice and he plan to keep it that way however after a hot night with the leopard he can't stop thinking about him and how right it was to be with him but thinking that because he is a leopard and they are known to not have any feeling much least love so he decided to avoid him at all coast or risk having his heart broken. Will Shane decided to forgot all that is said about him and go to Trevor or will Trevor be the first to open the leopard heart and tame him as his own.
I was not disappointed when I read this book and I have to say that this is my all time favorite book of this series. I love Shane and his twisted sense of humor and his blunt personalty because it just made him so lovable. My heart broke that he is not the unfeeling leopard that everyone said he is and he does feel hurt when people walk away from and make way from and give him fear or disgusted stare that make me want to say that you are no different then the rest of us because you are just being prejudice. I also love Trevor because even though he want to walk away from Shane he can't help but to fall because he see under all the amour is a lonely being that just need someone to love him and that someone is him.
This is my all time favorite couple because they balance each other so well, its like they were made for each other. The only reason that this didn't get a 5 stars because it was left with a cliffhanger, and I hate cliffhanger because sometime it leads to something better then the first or worse and I hope it will be good. -
It was an ok book.
The installment can be read as a standalone but the numerous remarks to other members make it hard to understand their relationship if you haven't gone through the whole series. -
I was eagerly looking forward to Shane's story because I'm a sucker for the damaged anti-hero type. Shane is working as an assassin and has been tracking a cobra shifter for some time who is killing shifter and humans. Ever since their Christmas liaison in the pantry, Trevor has been playing it cool with Shane and avoiding him, but is still obsessed and it seems Shane is the same. Several people warn Trevor off, either telling him Shane is too crazy, or that he's going to hurt Shane because he's just a slut. (my heart broke a tad there) However Shane is not staying away from him and despite everyone else being freaked that Shane is a killer, it makes Trevor hot and he sees only Shane's good side, which he manages to keep hidden. He's still badly damaged from his upbringing. So Shane is captured by the cobra and .... Okay, I believe there was a strangled cry, because it was either that or a strangled author and I don't want to spend time in a US prison. So I must wait to see the real end of their story. I just adored that Trevor could see the real Shane and thought he was funny, even though Shane's sense of humour is sadly missing, Trevor didn't care and Shane didn't care that Trevor had been promiscuous. So I just love these two and must wait, not so patiently, for the next book. *frowny face*
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This was an excellent addition to the Lost Shifters series. My heart went out to Shane for how much he secretly suffered as a result of the other shifters' negative preconceived opinions of him simply because he was a leopard. They saw him as nothing but a cold, emotionless psychotic killer who was incapable of having a normal relationship. I was so happy that Trevor did not share those opinions or listen when they warned him away from Shane. It made me want to stand up and cheer when he passionately defended Shane to everyone too. Neither one of them ever expected to find love because they thought they weren't good enough, but together they were perfect. They truly belonged together. And even though snakes ALWAYS give me the heebie-jeebies, the portion of the storyline with the cobra and rattler shifters had me fascinated nonetheless. I am so excited that Shane and Trevor's story will be continued in the next book (especially considering the cliffhanger!) and I'm hoping to hear a little more about Riley and Colin too.
