DESTINY'S PREROGATIVE—THE LOVERS

Author: Karen Marie Nutt ISBN: 9781934678622 4/2008 PARANORMAL Publisher: TEASE

When Dr. Shay McCormick died, there was no white light, no loved one to comfort her. There was a half-man, half-jaguar there to greet her. He's a decedent of the nagual, a spirit guide. It isn't her time and he leads her to safety. Shay wants proof shapeshifters exist. Her curiosity leads her into a world of danger and to Gabriel Cruzado. Fate threw them together, but despite their differences, they work together, eliminating a threat to their future. Destined to be lovers long before he touched her soul and she saved his life.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Karen Michelle Nutt sets her paranormal romance, DESTINY'S PREROGATIVE—THE LOVERS, in the Los Angeles area of California where the wealthy Cruzado brothers (a family of werejaguars)—Demetrius (lawyer), Lucas (surfer), and Gabriel (artist)—live, and Dr. Shay McCormick (veterinarian) runs the Feline Wildlife Preserve to which the Cruzados donate a good portion of their wealth. Shay recently had a near death experience during which a shape shifting man/jaguar (or nagual) helped her return from the astral plane to her body in the hospital. Now back at work, Shay suddenly becomes interested in shape shifters and after venturing to a website about the subject, she receives two strange phone calls—the first from a man who sounds threatening in his accusations about her interest, and the second from her benefactor, Demetrius Cruzado, who claims to have an injured jaguar at his house. He does, but it's not what she thinks. Shay is taken to the Cruzado mansion and thrown into a locked basement room with Gabriel. And he's naked. And he must mate soon or...

Nutt creates compelling characters on the horns of a dilemma:The Cruzados can't lose Gabriel to the wild side just because he doesn't mate; Shay is intrigued by the man and his story, but is she willing to mate with him for life based upon a single night locked up together? The story is also complicated by the fact that Gabriel did have a woman just about to mate with him who has suddenly changed her mind. Will she change it again? And to throw a monkey wrench into the works, somebody hates the shape shifting "were" community enough that they are kidnapping wereteens and turning them against each other, making them fight to the death while being videotaped to create panic amongst the non-weres about the beasts these people can become. Can Demetrius save Gabriel, the were community and find the killer, all at the same time? Nutt brings together all of the loose ends nicely and even explains how shape shifters can return from their animal form to human beings wearing Armani suits.

DESTINY'S PREROGATIVE—THE LOVERS is an interesting take on the world of shape shifting and could be enhanced with even more description and a longer, more twisted plotline. Readers who like to read about the beast within will enjoy the chance to delve into this habitat.

Susan Barton