A Very Jaguar Christmas
Author: Terry Spear
Reviewer: B.
Rating: A-
What I’m Talking About:
Coming to terms with the death of her boyfriend when he was on a mission to rescue a young jaguar shifter was difficult for Demetria MacFarlane. Reconciling that loss with the knowledge that she’d always been in love with his best friend has been even harder. But, when she and her sexy JAG agent partner are charged with returning a “lupus garou” pup to his family, their world is turned completely upside down.
Friendship kept Everett Anderson from pursuing the sexy jaguar Guardian he’d fallen for once she started dating his best friend, and loyalty wouldn’t let him pursue her after Matt died. But, time changes and heals, and when he’s paired with Demetria to work on a mixed-team assignment, he’s determined to win her over. Of course, he never imagined they’d bond while babysitting a member of a species they didn’t believe existed, but, if it helps him win her heart, he’ll take it.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a way to write this review without a few spoilers. While the Heart of the Jaguar stories I’ve read to date tended to follow an enjoyable, yet familiar pattern—righting wrongs while finding a perfect lover and partner—A Very Jaguar Christmas tackles multiple plots, including a romance, all at once. Demetria and Everett must not only deal with a nefarious stepfather and a wayward teen, but also solve a mystery and fall in love. These are in addition to several other subplots threaded throughout the narrative. But what I was most excited about was the introduction of the wolves to the jaguars, and Ms. Spear didn’t disappoint.
As to the main pairing of A Very Jaguar Christmas, I really liked Demetria and Everett. They both have a nice balance between caring and determination, and they’re well matched in training and abilities. Their shared history makes the attraction between them seem more like a relief than forced or convenient. There is likewise an obvious mutual respect in their consideration of one another that gentles the sweeter moments of the story into something more warm than overly eager.
With so much going on in A Very Jaguar Christmas, it’s no wonder that there are also several highly memorable secondary characters throughout the narrative. In addition to the jaguars we’ve already met in previous stories, we are reintroduced to quite a few wolves from other titles in the companion series, as well. My favorite of all of these, though, is Mary Anderson, Everett’s mother. She’s loving and funny and definitely calls the shots where her children are concerned. At least, they let her think she does.
Overall, I really liked this story, and I believe it’s one of the best in the series. As a point of convergence, A Very Jaguar Christmas could easily have gotten bogged down with so many different elements represented, but it wasn’t. Rather, I think Ms. Spear brought them all together very well, giving the series an invigorated feel that I was glad to see. While it might be enjoyable enough on its own, I strongly recommend that it be read as part of the series. I’m not sure where things will go from here, but, if A Very Jaguar Christmas is any indication, I’m looking forward to it a great deal.
My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
About the Book:
There are all kinds of surprises under the mistletoe!
As a protector of all jaguar-kind, Guardian agent Demetria MacFarlane isn’t surprised to get a call near Christmas-but when she’s sent to protect a cub whose species she didn’t even know existed, her holiday season gets complicated. And it doesn’t help that her partner is a distraction of the hottest kind.
Hotshot JAG agent Everett Anderson can handle dangerous poachers and wildlife traffickers, no problem…but kids? Everett fears he’ll be stuck cub-sitting under the Christmas tree, but working with one sexy Guardian she-cat may be the best present he’s ever gotten.
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Series: Heart of the Jaguar #5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (320 pages), e-book
Book Source: NetGalley
Purchase Info:
Amazon
Reviews in the Series:
Savage Hunger by Terry Spear (Heart of the Jaguar #1)
Jaguar Fever by Terry Spear (Heart of the Jaguar #2)
Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spear (Heart of the Jaguar #3)
Jaguar Pride by Terry Spear (Heart of the Jaguar #4)