Review/Excerpt ~ Lion Hearted by Sommer Marsden

Title: Lion Hearted

Author: Sommer Marsden

Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance

Pages: 167

Source: Author in exchange for honest review

Author Website: http://sommermarsden.blogspot.com/

Buy Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK

 Blurb:

 Tryg Avondale is the muscle for his pride, and when he’s called upon to hunt down two missing teens, he sees the job for what it is – a chance to give his pride a break from him and his “nature”. Tryg is a gay lion and it’s not something his “family” seems to embrace.

He takes with him Luke Dorchester – an empath and the perfect travel companion. Luke can feel and soothe every emotion that coils deep inside Tryg, and the sex between them is the hottest Tryg has ever known. Tryg has no intention of letting his emotions go any further when it comes to this brand new man. But he also has zero intention of letting him go. What follows is a road trip from campground to campground, hot nights in hotel rooms and close encounters spent together as they follow the scent of the two abducted shifters. A scent that takes them to Divination Falls, a haven for shifters and associated magical folk; a place where an old evil will surface and Tryg will learn just how far his love for lion-hearted Luke must take him.

EXCERPT copyright 2012:

It was a 30-minute trip and Tryg could feel Luke studying him. He sipped coffee out of the travel mug, wished he’d eaten breakfast, caught diner scents on the wind, and promised himself they’d eat breakfast before leaving for real. Finally, he couldn’t pretend not to notice any more.

‘What is it?’

Luke reached out to touch his cheek. He’d shaved before leaving the house, but he heard the rough stubble move restlessly under Luke’s touch.

‘I thought you’d have more hair.’

Tryg snorted. ‘Did you now? Why is that?’

‘You’re a lion.’

‘So you expected wild, waving puffs of hair? A mane, perhaps?’ He grinned so hard it hurt his face. It made him nervous, feeling happy.

‘Perhaps,’ Luke said. He turned away, and Tryg caught the scent of heightened blood. Luke was blushing, he was embarrassed.

Now he felt like a shit. Tryg caught his hand up and squeezed. ‘Hey, no big deal. You don’t know what you’re dealing with until you’re dealing with it, right? You probably hear a lot of rumours about my kind.’

‘Yeah, some.’ Luke’s fingers twisted around Tryg’s and he squeezed.

‘Like we live in animal form almost all the time.’

‘Mostly.’

38

‘False. Usually, we only shift when we need to or really want to for some reason. We are very much men and women who happen to have the ability to shift to animal form.’

‘What animal is the most prevalent?’

Tryg felt Luke relax. His body went loose, his breathing evened out. He felt better; the kid wasn’t tense any more. He turned the Thunderbird with his left hand as he continued to squeeze Luke’s hand with the right. ‘No single animal wins that race. There are lions and tigers and bears …’ He smiled.

‘Oh my!’ Luke whispered.

‘Exactly. There are wolves, of course. There are bird shifters and reptile shifters and –’

‘I heard some shifters can just shift – into anything,’ Luke said.

‘True. Their DNA is more fluid, more forgiving than most of ours. Most of us have a single animal we can transform into. That animal is part of our DNA. It’s like looking like your mom but having your dad’s double joints. We’re human but we can shift into a lion. So – the ones who can just shift, they’re considered rare and special. Their DNA kind of takes orders, if you will.’

‘Like “hey, body, today I’ll be an alligator”?’ Luke chuckled.

‘Right.’ Tryg turned on to the lake road. ‘But me, I’m just a man. I tend to like my meat a bit more raw, I don’t really like wearing clothes if it’s not a must.’ He winked. Parking by the lake, he put the car in park and cut the engine. ‘I like to fuck my guy from behind more often than not.’

He smelled the blood in Luke’s cheek again. He was blushing once more. But this time it was a good blush, and it made Tryg laugh even as he climbed out of the car to try and catch the scent of the missing girl. For this he’d have to shift.

‘You gonna turn away?’ he asked, unbuttoning his jeans.

‘Do you want me to?’ Luke asked.

Tryg realised the offer was sincere and snorted. What planet had this guy come from? Most non-shifters he fucked were all about seeing it happen. It was a time to gawk and observe. So they could report back to their friends later about what it was like. A freak show.

‘I – hadn’t thought about it,’ Tryg said. It was a lie.

Luke reached in the back seat and shoved his hand into his duffle. When he pulled out a bandanna, Tryg blinked. ‘Here. You can blindfold me if you like. I don’t think you’re a freak. I don’t want to stare at you and see the sideshow. I just want to be here with you.’

Tryg swallowed hard. Something akin to anger washed over him. A knee-jerk reaction that this kid had him pegged so well. ‘It’s fine,’ he growled.

Luke didn’t touch him, but his voice went lower. ‘I mean it, Tryg. I can feel that frustrated rage and hurt inside you. I’d eat this bandanna before I’d make you feel that way because of something I did.’

Tryg turned away from the open car door. His eyes stung and his throat was tight. Goddamn it. This was not a good time to feel all Dr Phil. ‘It’s fine. Do what you want,’ he said. He tried to keep his voice neutral. He failed.

Then he dropped his jeans, shucked his shirt, and let himself shift the same way some people let themselves take a deep breath when they were about to undertake something difficult. The world muffled and he was all intention and purpose. His nose picked up a mélange of scents. He had to find the scent of his own kind and then follow it.

About Sommer:

Sommer Marsden’s been called “…one of the top storytellers in the erotica genre” (Violet Blue), “Unapologetic” (Alison Tyler), “…the whirling dervish of erotica” (Craig J. Sorensen), and "Erotica royalty..." (Lucy Felthouse).

Her erotic novels include Boys Next Door, Restless Spirit, Big Bad, Wanderlust and Learning to Drown. Sommer currently writes erotica and erotic romance for HarperCollins (Mischief Books), Xcite Books, eXcessica, Ellora's Cave, Pretty Things Press, and Resplendence Publishing. The wine-swigging, dachshund-owning, wannabe runner author writes work that runs the gamut from bondage to zombies to humor.

Sommer's short works can be found in well over one hundred (and counting) erotic anthologies. Her short stories have also been included numerous adult and romance magazines--both in print and online. Visit sommermarsden.blogspot.com to see what’s up and drop her a line.

Another first for me by Sommer Marsden (yes, I’ve had many first experiences with her works) and loved each and every one of them! This one is no different. The way it is a first for me is because it’s my first M/M paranormal read, ever! Oh my what a read it is! Hot, sweaty, sexy, exciting, thrilling and emotional all in one. A definite MUST read for those that enjoy M/M paranormal erotic romance.

Tryg is one hard core mo fo. He takes no bull and gives even better than what’s given him, ouch! He is strong, handsome, brave and loving. It’s just all hidden from others because of the wall he has built around himself. He has an important role in his pride, one that’s to be respected. But his pride does nothing but judge his ways and make him feel like an outcast. He’s developed a very short fused temper and hardly has any patience for a mouthy… anyone! This changes for the better the day Luke places a hand on him while Tryg is about to give a nice beat down to some fools. He feels an instant calm, so peaceful and a bit strange to him. When he looks into looks eyes he feels something else, something that causes him to do a variety of unusual not Tryg like things, only when it concerns Luke though and Tryg not sure if he likes it all or not. He does know that he wants Luke to stay by his side, for as long as he’ll be there.

I loved the characters, paranormal elements and all of the vivid details within. Then there’s the instant attraction, no make that love at first sight and it’s one that touches the heart deep, as deep as soul mates should. I loved how intense and sexual their relationship is and cannot wait for the rest of the trilogy to come out and see where Sommer takes us next!

Overall Rating: 

Sex Rating: