Devon’s review of Walk on the Wild Side by Christine Warren
Paranormal Romance released by St. Martin’s 3 Jun 08

Christine Warren has become an auto-buy for me. I know when I read one of her books I will get an entertaining story anchored by a solid romance. Warren has a tight, crisp writing style, light and amusing without resorting to labored, wacky hijinks. The fifth installment in “The Others” series is another good read. Set in a US where the paranormal beings have recently revealed their existence to the humans who live alongside them, WWotWS shifts the action from New York City to Las Vegas. We are also introduced to a new group, the Red Rock Pride of Leos, or lion shifters.

At 24, Kitty Sugarman has just learned that she is not quite human. The Tennessee gal heads to Vegas to meet the father she never knew, as well as learn how to control her feline side. Max, the baas (second in command) of the Red Rock Pride is sent to meet Kitty and bring her to her father. They are immediately attracted to each other. But there are several obstacles in the way: he’s a rich city boy to her small town style, Kitty’s not at all sure how much she wants to get involved and somebody seems to be trying to kill her.

This was a engaging read that kept my interest throughout. Kitty is another lively heroine (Warren is good at these). Unfortunately, she had some strong TSTL tendencies. Why would you go dashing out into an unfamiliar desert landscape, where gunshots have been heard, just to prove you don’t have to listen to the hero? Her pride seems a bit silly at times, but I liked her otherwise. The hero was attractive, and not as domineering as Kitty made him out to be. Max mostly seemed concerned about the very real threats to her safety. They had nice chemistry, and made me believe in their romance despite the speedy time frame.

The secondary characters were vivid: Kitty’s ailing father, his awful ex-wife and kids, even the female Leo Kitty hits it off with. It seemed as if the differences between Kitty and Max, and her feeling that he was out of her league, was going to be a bigger issue than it ended up being. I would have liked to know how the Leos were impacted by the Unveiling of the Others. I couldn’t even tell if they were “out” or still hiding their identities. The Unveiling played a large part in the other books. This book had no connection to the previous ones, apart from mentioning the Unveiling.

On the other hand, readers jumping in now will have no problem following the storyline. Although I do recommend the prior books, I didn’t mind the change in direction. And though I had some quibbles, I still enjoyed the book and polished it off in a matter of hours. If you are looking for a light paranormal read to relax with a for a few hours, Walk on the Wild Side is a good choice. I plan to continue following this series.

Grade: B

From the Back Cover:

Kitty Sugarman is a lot tougher than her name implies. Still, she’s content with how her small- town life keeps her removed from all the changes happening in the world—like the Unveiling of the Others. That is, until a near-tragedy strikes and Kitty discovers she has abilities . . .thanks to a father she never knew was alive. He also happens to be a were-lion and leader of one of the most powerful Prides out West.

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

When Kitty heads to Vegas to find out more about her father, it’s his sexy, seductive second-in-command or baas of the Pride, Marcus Stewart, who commands her attention. Now that she has tempted Marcus’s hunger for a mate, Kitty finds herself stuck in a vicious struggle for her father’s fortune, while deadly unrest stirs within the pride. Kitty’s rivals won’t rest until she’s gone for good, but Marcus will fight until his last breath to save her…even if it means going against the pride.

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Other books in the series: