Claiming His Mate (Black Hills Wolves # 5) by M. Limoges
Paranormal Romance
Released: February 6, 2o15
Decadent Publishing

Reviewed by Sheena

Favorite Quote: “I like the abs on this one.”  He gawked at the semi-naked male torso covering the matte-finished paperback he’d snatched from the shelves without looking. What. The. Fuck.  Michelle bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud…”It’s not for me, seriously it’s for my sister Kate.”  Bless his little baby heart. “Sure.”

Claiming His Mate is the fifth installment of the Black Hills Wolves series, however, it is so delightful and engaging that I never felt like I was waist deep into a series.  Though this is book # 5, each entry is written by a different author and while I usually think compilation series like this can be disjointed, this short novella (60ish pages)  hit all high notes.  Jace Matthews is the hot (and funny!) Black Hills wolf pack member who has most unexpectedly stumbled upon his one true mate.  Naturally his wolf nature is chomping at the bit (quite literally) to claim the lovely little human, Michelle Sanders- who might I add is so damn charming and prim and lovely in spirit that I wanted to nudge her into Jace’s arms from the moment she appears on the page.

New in town, skittish and a little naive, Michelle, hysterically, completely misreads Jace’s signals and believes he is gay.   And Jace-the damn imp that he is, completely takes advantage of the situation, using her misapprehension to lull her into security and spending time with him less guarded.  Jace is the perfect balance of a good romance hero.  He is sexy as sin, clever, strong and alpha enough to get the job done, if you catch my meaning (I mean he is amazing in bed. Ummkay. Yes.)

M. Limoges is a debut author and while the cover is kind of meh and forgettable, the writing really shines and I am glad to have found such a little gem.  Novellas done right are a fantastic introduction to their world for new readers and a great morsel between beloved novels.  Claiming His Mate is a steady paced story, told in third person, yet has some alternative point of view action.  I really enjoyed Michelle’s POV, damn if she didn’t make me grin a ton!  Juxtaposing Michelle’s sweet strength and awakening awareness of her draw to Jace, with his barely leashed passion and unscrupulous plots to mark Michelle once and for all.  Thank goodness for his pack mates who help keep him at bay from pulling a full frontal attack to storm Michelle’s sensible little defenses.

A stranger to the ways of pack life (snicker), Michelle misreads a certain (hilarious!) situation and when her blinders come off…let’s just say Jace left no doubt that he was batting, pitching, catching, tossing and freaking coaching for her team! Damn but the wolf and man came to play…!

Jace turned her once more, pushing her back to the wall.  The heat of his gaze roamed over her breasts, and his hips moved forward, pushing her legs further apart, while his hands held the underside of her thighs.  The head of his cock nudged at her entrance shielded by her panties…

“Come for me.”  He bit out, the lines of his face harsh with strain.  Jace pinched her clit, and she fucking exploded…shudders racked his frame.

Michelle had no idea how long they stayed joined together leaning against her shower wall while water continued to pelt the bottom of the bathtub.  And truthfully, she didn’t care.  Next month’s high-ass water bill would be a small price to pay.

The danger Michelle finds herself in when she is bullied into selling her newly inherited property, is just enough that it  balanced the romance, but none too much that the resolution seemed rushed or too big for a novella of this size’s britches.  If you enjoy watching two people fall in love- one at break neck speed, the other a steady blooming sort of affection, then this is definitely for you. Tongue in cheek and sweet.  I’d love to know how you got on with this little paranormal romance treat.

Grade: B+

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