Shannon C.’s review of Cat’s Eyes by Lynne Connolly
Paranormal erotic romance eBook published by Loose-ID Oct 2007
One of the perks to being a reviewer on a site like this, as opposed to my own piddly little blog, is that I get exposed to new-to-me authors that I might not have tried before. Lynne Connolly was one of the discoveries I made when I signed on as a reviewer and Sybil sent me some of her upcoming releases. I am so glad I know who she is now, because I have become a squeeing, obsessive fangirl.
I read Cat’s Eyes in preparation for Topaz Delirium , which also features members of Department 57. Department 57 is that ubiquitous paranormal agency that protects people–in this case, other supernatural creatures from human terrorists who know who they are and want them stopped. Silje, our heroine and a cat shape-shifter, is literally starting a new life, leaving her native Norway and moving to New York where she takes a job working for the department. They’ve got a lead on the fact that there’s a really nasty addictive inhibitory drug being distributed out of a strip club. While she’s casing the joint, she meets Ari and Devante, two male strippers who seem to be very much into each other and who are also shape-shifters. Both men are drawn to Silje, and soon they find that they must all join forces against a common enemy.
I’ve said before, several times, that I usually prefer a meatier story, even in ebook, because that way I get invested in the characters and get to know them well. Most of the time either the world-building or the characterization gets seriously skimped in an ebook, but this time, that did not happen. Connolly handles everything with a deft touch, and even in the limited space she manages to flesh out all three of our protagonists into individual, distinct characters. I think she should be commended for that, because in my experience, very few authors can pull that off well.
And, oh, what characters they are. I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is about Lynne Connolly’s heroes that make them work for me, but they do. Devante and Ari were both smokin’ sexy, and the sexual tension between the two of them and Silje was intense. I also really liked Silje. I really liked that she was in charge of her unit of Department 57 workers, and I thought that she had the common sense to carry it off. Her past was intriguing, but refreshingly not full of angst, and I got the sense that she really did need Devante and Ari in her life.
The plot also moved along at a brisk pace, keeping me reading from beginning to end without pause. The villains were actually pretty smart, too, which added to the suspense, and I really liked the resolution of the three fated mates idea there at the end.
I’ve only got a minor quibble, which isn’t really major enough to bring down the grade too much. I would have liked a bit more M/M interaction between Devante and Ari. (This from a self-professed non-enjoyer of M/M romances… You can stop gasping in shock now!) I felt like the M/M stuff was mostly glossed over and not written with the same intensity as the rest of the sexual encounters, which made me a little sad because those boys really did have chemistry.
Other than that, solid world-building, likeable characters, and all within a short span of time makes this highly recommended.
Grade: A-
New city, new job, new life: Silje Nordstrom, a Norwegian cat shape-shifter, is starting over. Except that she’s still working for Department 57, the covert government agency for Talents — just in New York, with a new identity. And she’s still alone, still too sexually inhibited to find the mate she needs. That is, until she meets sexy Brazilian shape-shifters Devante and Aristides.
Sent to a male strip club on an operation to find the dealer for a dangerous new designer drug, Silje is transfixed by two Brazilian strippers. They’re so into each other there doesn’t seem to be room for anyone else. But things aren’t always as they seem.
When booked for a private dance, Devante shows Silje a hot Brazilian samba in the bedroom. And once he’s got her where he wants her, he brings in his lover Ari. Together, the men show Silje exactly what she’s been missing.
But they still have to find the source of the drugs, and the Talent’s enemy, the terrorist organization the PHR is involved. If they don’t close this outlet down, New York will be flooded with a dangerous, addictive drug, designed for Talents, but affecting everyone. If Silje’s not careful, her new beaus could end up on the body count.
Read an excerpt.
