Sandy M’s review of Jaguar Fever (Jaguar Series, Book 2) by Terry Spear
Paranormal Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 6 Aug 13
Terry Spear is one of my favorite authors when it comes to shapeshifters. Her werewolves have a definite spot on my keeper shelf. This is my first time reading her jaguars. While I like this book, I think it’s going to be difficult to eclipse her wolves.
To be honest, I’m not sure why this book doesn’t rate up there with Ms. Spear’s wolves. Every one of those I absolutely love, no question. Plus, I’m a cat person, so this book/series should be right up my alley. What I think the stumbling block for me is the hero, Wade. Not that he’s not a hero to love. He’s the typical shifter alpha, protective, sexy and handsome. Now, don’t go all feminist on me here. What doesn’t sit right with me about Wade is how he’s too lax in letting Maya get away too often because she’s not ready to commit. Yes, it’s gentlemanly of him to stand back while she ruminates over things, but Maya ruminates a lot. She’s cautious and hesitant, but when the chips are down she doesn’t pussyfoot around.
So maybe my problem is with Maya. She’s her own woman, even though she’s been sheltered most of her life in the Amazon jungle away from humans and those of her kind. She’s curious about other cats, and when she’s checking out a local shifter club, that’s where she runs into Wade after his mission in the Amazon months before when they originally met. She’s attracted to Wade from the beginning, and that only grows as they pursue men who hunt big cats for sport. Even after their sizzling lovemaking, Maya holds back, issues about her parents’ union upper most in her mind. She actually draws her indecision out much too long for me. And that Wade doesn’t move into alpha mode sooner also put a damper on things for me.
Wade’s brother David is a great secondary character, a great foil for Wade, always teasing him but knowing to stay the distance away from Maya lest Wade’s beast takes a few swipes at him. There is a recurring character from the wolf shifter books, a zookeeper who takes in wounded animals, only to mysteriously lose them. Even when he comes close to learning the shifters’ secret, Ms. Spear cuts him off at the knees and keeps him in the dark. It will be interesting to see what she does with him in future books. The storyline itself is a good one, just not as good as others before it. That being said, there are some action-packed scenes late in the book when our characters meet the bad guys and put them in their place.
So while I have a few issues with this story, it’s still Terry Spear’s shifters, with most of the signature highlights her readers expect. Maybe I’m a wolf girl. But I’ll wait for the next book in this series before I make up my mind.
Grade: B-
Summary:
She’s being pursued by everyone, in more ways than one.
Even in an exotic world of humans, jaguars, and tantalizing creatures who shift between the two, Maya Anderson stands out from the crowd. Interest from human suitors is bad enough, but when male shifters give chase, the real trouble starts.
Who’s the hunter and who’s the prey?
Investigating the black marketing trade of exotic animals keeps Wade Patterson more than busy. When he and Maya both get entangled in a steamy jungle mission, it becomes impossible to tell who is being hunted or who the hunters are. Wade is desperate to survive this deadly game of cat and mouse. But it’s Maya’s piercing eyes that keep him awake at night.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
