Play of Passion by Nalini Singh (Psy/Changeling #9)
November 2, 2010
Paranormal Romance
Paperback, 352 Pages
Berkley

Reviewed by Mandi

Favorite Quote: She’d just taken off her turtleneck and dumped it on the rest of the pile when Drew’s head snapped up out of the water. Their eyes met and it felt as if the universe itself was holding its breath.

Andrew Kincaid is a tracker for the SnowDancer pack. He is a very dominant wolf shifter, but doesn’t necessarily have a place in the pack hierarchy. Although he is the pack’s best tracker, he portrays more of a fun, flirty, easy going attitude – which allows people to approach him and he gathers much intel through these means. He is not a lieutenant, yet he reports directly to their alpha. So his status is a little ambiguous.

Indigo Rivers on the other hand knows her place in the Snowdancer Pack. She is a lieutenant, two behind their alpha Hawke. She is a very dominate female, and when Andrew starts making advances, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. She always expected to be mated to a more dominant male than herself. Andrew is younger, his exuberance and questionable dominance confuses her wolf. Although the shifters share skin privileges, something shifters need and thrive on, Andrew takes it a step too far. Hurt and stubborn, Indigo tells him to back off. But Andrew knows all sorts of games to play, and he decides to bring out his charm – and no one has ever been able to resist it. When the shifter Riaz comes back to town, with eyes for Indigo, she becomes even more confused, and Andrew becomes even more determined to win her over.

Meanwhile, the war with the Psy is taking a new turn. The council that has been so strong in the past is rife with internal conflict. Husband and wife team Shoshanna and Henry Scott have gone off on their own and have plans to start deliberately taking out the key players in both the SnowDancer and DarkRiver packs. When wind of this gets to Hawke, Lucas and their pack members, they start to prepare for war.

Play of Passion takes us back to the shifters – and oh does Nalini Singh know how to write such hot shifters. We get two wolves as the hero/heroine for the first time, and it is fun to dive into SnowDancer. This time we get two very dominant, very stubborn wolves, which means the sexual tension in this book is off the charts. Indigo comes from a family with a submissive mother and dominant father – who deeply love each other. She wants that love for herself – but her sister is more dominant than her mate, and she sees the struggle they have gone through – and the hurt her sister goes through when her mate doesn’t appreciate her dominance. So Indigo is terrified of mating with a less dominant wolf. But Andrew is smart – and she knows it. It is a very attractive trait. The battle that erupts between them is good stuff. It is very much a back and forth stubborn game that eventually pays off.

The majority of this book is all about their relationship. We get romance scenes galore and Nalini Singh delivers with passion, romance, angst and all out very steamy scenes. I love the dynamics each character has with his or her wolf also. She blends the human and wolf together so well, and plays upon their emotions where even if they are in human form, their wolf is always peeking out – always right under the surface.

With Hawke and Sienna’s book out next summer, she gives us just a peek at their “relationship” or lack thereof in this book. They both know where they are headed, but they both are terrified to even think about that part. We see a little more glimpse into Hawke – although Sienna remains much of a mystery. Their book is one of my most anticipated reads for 2011.

Like I said, this book is very character driven. This new war Shoshanna and Henry are creating is planned out, but not much comes of it. I keep expecting something awful to happen – something big and explosive. But I am still waiting. For as evil as the Psy are suppose to be, at least for their feelings against the shifters, I want more. I want some action – some angst. There are lots of plans, but it is time they are carried out.

Overall, I really enjoyed the relationship in this one. You can’t ask for more sexual tension, and as the title states, passion. Andrew and Indigo butt heads, and are stubborn wolves, but once they start to play, the smexy times begin.

Play of Passion is another solid addition to one of my favorite series. I leave you with two bonus quotes, because it was impossible to just pick one favorite.

Instead, that wolf had looked out of her eyes with pure challenge a moment ago. Catch me, it had said, catch me and maybe I’ll be yours.

“Drew,” she whispered, nipping at his ear, “I’m not fragile.”

Wolf-copper eyes met hers, nothing of humanity in them. “No, you’re mine.”

Rating: 4/5

Recent Reviews:
That’s What I’m Talking About – 4.5/5
Katidom – A
Goodreads

Go HERE for series listing. I recommend you read them in order.

Author’s Website.