On the Prowl by Christine Warren (The Others #13)
Paranormal Romance
April 24, 2012
Reviewed by Mandi
On the Prowl is the first I’ve ever read of Christine Warren. I believe this is her thirteenth “Others” book but after doing some investigating and talking to people who are familiar with her books, this one is more of a stand alone. It introduces us to the world of The Tiguri, or tiger shifters. What initially drew me to this book is an arranged marriage. I love it when the hero and heroine are forced to marry early in a book. I can usually find this trope in historicals, but I was happy to see it in a paranormal romance.
Saskia and Nicolas come from traditional, old Tiguri families and it is very normal for the parents to arrange marriages to continue their clans. The tiger shifters have a low birth rate, and have grown somewhat sparse in recent years. Much depends on this marriage, not only for future children but the Tigers have decided to move into New York city, an area where other shifters have power. They are not necessarily welcome, although no one is outright hostile to them.
While Saskia and Nicholas knew each other when they were younger, they have not seen each other for many years. But they are thrown together after their engagement party. I really liked that these two aren’t really opposed to the marriage. They understand their customs and what is at stake and are willing to give it a go. What Saskia underestimates is just how alpha her new fiancé is.
Nicholas is over the top, borderline ass, extremely protective male. And I just ate it all up. I seriously couldn’t get enough of him. I’m sure he will turn some of you off. I mean – he really is an ass. And while Saskia definitely had her moments of giving it back to him, which made me cheer, she also understands her role of being the wife to this kind of male. She didn’t let him walk all over her, but she didn’t feel like she had to fight for complete independence either. Taking into consideration all of their traditions, their relationship made sense to me. Their engagement doesn’t become an official marriage until she is pregnant. There is a lot of “the female belongs pregnant in the kitchen” kind of deal in this book. Again, probably not for everyone. But I found it to be a very fun book.
Somehow, the press of their bodies together had transformed her from the cool, elegant stranger he’d become engaged to into a fierce, demanding tigress in heat.
Thank God and everything holy.
He sank back into their kiss, reveling in the way her body surrounded him, arms and legs clasping him close. He couldn’t wait to feel her sex clasping him, too. He wanted to sink his aching erection deep into the hot cavern at her center and feel them jointed together in one sweating, straining body of lust. He wanted to match their stripes until there was no way to tell where he ended and she began.
He wanted her like his next breath.
Did I mention this book is a little over the top? I can’t leave out an example of how Saskia gives it back to Nicholas after he acts like an ass-wipe:
“I. Cannot. Believe. You!”
Jerking back, Nic stared at his mate, his eyebrows drawing together as he realized she might not be in complete agreement with him after all. In fact, judging by the look on her face, it occurred to him she might be about to take his gesture of goodwill and shove it up part of his anatomy he really preferred to keep to himself.
“You arrogant, selfish, egotistical, medieval, despotic, swollen-headed, dumb, idiot penis owner!” Leaping off her stool, Saskia clenched her hands into fists and drew them up in front of her torso as if she had already half-decided to take a swing at him.
A lot of times, their arguments end up naked in the bedroom, which for some reason I approved of.
Besides working out the kinks to their marriage, there is also an attack on the head of the shifter council, in which Nicholas gets framed for. This set-up was a little weak for me, but it did integrate well within the romance.
This book was a really fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. If you like super alpha males, and lusty bedroom scenes, I think you will enjoy this one.
Rating: B
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Nice review Mandi. Hee-“idiot penis owner”
LOL..I like that line
I like super alpha males AND lusty bedroom scenes… SOLD!
It’s a good combo ;)
nr 13? Huh, that is quite a few for me to catch up on
yeah – but I think they can be read out of order
I used to read this series and I liked them. I enjoyed that it’s wasn’t just shifters. “Others” encompasses everything not human. I’m not sure how many I’ve missed, but I’m thinking at least 3. I’m intrigued by the arranged marriage thing too and by your comment about lusty bedroom scenes, I gather they had no problem with the arrangement. ;) Sounds really good!
oooh…I didn’t know you read this series :) We’ll have to talk
This series has been on my TBR for years now, and I really will read it someday. About this book: I really cannot stand the type of male you described, he has to learn that his mate can handle things herself too. And every argument ends in the bedroom, meaning they have sex she agrees? Hate that.
Yes..LOL. Which is why I mentioned it, because it’s def not for everyone. :) I couldn’t read every book like this…but I did like how this one was done
I’m listening to the audiobooks in this series and I’m totally frustrated!! There was an hour of time where there is no audio but the worst part is that the last 3 and a half minutes of the book are also silent so I don’t even know how it ends. The same thing happened with the previous book but the ending was obvious. 