Big Bad Bite (Big Bad Bite #1) by Jessie Lane
Paranormal Romance
January 28, 2013
Self Published

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “The next person who tells me to hurry up before I finish my cup of coffee gets a bullet in the ass.”

Police officer Jenna O’Connor has spent her whole life hiding from what her mother called the Others – supernatural beings. Repeatedly told they would kill her because of her hybrid status, she has spent her life staying under the radar, letting no one but her family into her life. No more though. In an attempt to live her own life, she moves to Wilmington, NC and lands her dream job on the SWAT team. She never expects her cover to be blown the first day when she meets Adam McPhee. She instantly knows he’s not human, like her, but figures she can handle anything he throws her way.

Adam McPhee, the smoking hot Alpha of the NC pack, is more wolf than human and now has his sights set on the sexy little SWAT agent who stepped between him and his prey. He knows Jenna isn’t human but can’t figure out exactly what she is and his curiosity to find out more about her, could get them both killed if he isn’t careful.

When a group of violent shifters who are part of an elitist pact that views humans as cattle, storm the town, threatening humans and Others alike, Jenna finds herself knee deep in a world her mama told her to always avoid. As Jenna tries to find her footing, learning new and unbelievable things about herself and the Others, she begins to wonder if her mama wasn’t right.

Fans of Shelly Laurenston’s Pride series will enjoy this. Similar in makeup, Lane has created a world where supes are a normal part of society and plenty of humor, snark, and action play alongside crazy, engaging characters. Heavily character driven, the story is told mainly from our heroine’s POV, Jenna O’Connor, though we have enough dialogue from other characters to get a healthy mixture of multiple POVs. I enjoyed the crisp, fast paced writing style that flows smoothly through the story. Within the pages, humor, action, suspense, and romance all mix together for a laugh out loud story that keeps you hooked to the very end. It’s not completely lighthearted though. Some intriguing subplots balance well against the humorous situations to reveal a serious side to the story.

Lane’s world building is a solid though we only learn what directly affects Jenna. I do love Lane’s unique view on how shifters came to be in existence. Magic aside, she digs deep into the evolutionary chain and gives us a fantastical but almost believable tale that starts with the dinosaurs. *g* T Rex shifters. RAWR!!!!

Jenna is a refreshing protagonist. She is a kick ass heroine with a smart mouth and the skills to back it up. Not to say she comes across as butch or bitchy, she is as girly as the rest of us, but she is an engaging and funny blend of femininity and “take no crap” warrior.

“What?”

Alex answered her. “You do know that it’s disturbing that you know all that, right? We thought you were some go hard, take no prisoners, don’t-look-at-me-or-I’ll-bust-a-cap-in-your-ass warrior.”

She balled her hands up by her hips and barked in annoyance. “Well, I wasn’t raised on G.I. Joes you know! Mama raised me on princesses and fairy tales, and I just happened to like the swords more than the shoes in the stories. Okay?”

Though kept in the dark for most of her life about her past, the Others and their politics, she jumps head first when a plot is revealed that affects shifters and humans alike. She makes plenty of mistakes and wrong decisions yet doesn’t get emotionally mired down by them. She learns from them and moves on. When pressed to make a very, very important decision affecting her future, I liked that she stood her ground even when battered and insulted on all sides. She wouldn’t let her mind be swayed just because of the good of the pack. She’s loyal and dedicated but not a martyr.

Adam. Nom Nom Adam. An alpha of the first degree. He’s large, in charge, and takes protectiveness to a whole new level. When he meets Jenna, his wolf batters at the tenuous hold Adam has on it, desperate to get to her. To claim her. To make her his in all ways possible. This causes problems for Adam and between Adam and Jenna. Even while being over bearing as only a true alpha can be, he does his best to keep his courtship easy and safe for Jenna. He wants to court his way into her life and bed and I have to admire the restraint he places on his nature in order to achieve that.

Due to this, the romance progresses a slow steady pace. The chemistry between them is apparent from their first meeting, but chemistry isn’t enough for Jenna to throw away all her past lessons for a quick roll in the hay. Especially since everything indicates this will be anything but a one night or even two night stand. The banter between them is hilarious and I like that they both take the time to get to know one another; even if Adam does constantly push the envelope. I do like humorous romances between two strong protagonists. One thing I didn’t like is everyone knows she was raised ignorant of the Others ways, yet they treated her as if she should know everything being thrown at her. They get mad at her for not knowing things but don’t always offer up information until past the time she needed to know.

The secondary characters are just as vivacious and compelling as our protagonists. Adding depth and dimension to the storyline, each holds enough personality for them to have their own stories. Jenna’s uncle provides her with a much needed male father figure while her mother takes mama bear syndrome to a whole new level. We meet two tigers whose slutty antics and snobby attitudes will have you howling. And we can’t forget their grandmother…You will all die when you meet their grandmother. Her new best friend Kent has some secrets hiding behind his cavalier attitude and I look forward to learning his back story.

The conflict is an interesting premise but unfortunately stays deep in the background, overshadowed by Jenna’s introduction to the Other way of life and her romance with Adam. We only get glimpses of what the villains are up to and no resolution. I can only hope that since this was essentially a ‘meet and greet’ set up book, the next one will focus equally on the H/H and the continuing conflict. All in all, Big Bad Bite is steady and action packed with plenty of twists and turns that delighted me. I enjoyed the light and dark aspect that is brought into play-they blend well together. I enjoyed Big Bad Bite and look forward to reading the next installment-Walk On The Striped Side-which releases in 2014. Jessie Lane is definitely an author to watch for those who love zany, adventures, romantic PNR.

Overall Rating: B

Recent Reviews:
Happily Ever After Reads – B+
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