FERAL HEAT is Book 5.5 IN Jennifer Ashley's excellent Shifters Unbound series. Even though this is not the first book in this paranormal series, I believe that this is still a story which can be enjoyed by somebody who is new to the series. However, all books in this Shifters Unbound series are fabulous and worth spending the time to read. It's always great to revisit favorite characters like Ellison and Tiger. Plus, reading the previous stories give you more insight into the characters.

Like with other books in this series, there is a strong sense of community and family in FERAL HEAT. I love how just about everybody in the shifter community looks out for each other, regardless of what type of shifter.

Jace Warden, a feline shifter, travels from his Las Vegas Shiftertown to the Deni Rowe's Austin Shiftertown to help with the problem of Shifter Collars. This is something he does at great risk to himself, but it something that he believes is important and would benefit every Shifter. The Shifters struggle against persecution by humans parallels the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The Shifters do so well at using their intelligence to circumvent the unfair restrictions, like the Collars, that are placed upon them by humans. There didn't seem to be one clear villain in FERAL HEAT, unlike previous stories, but rather an ever present threat from humans.

Jace and Deni have an intimate encounter very soon after meeting. In spite of getting so close, so quickly, the passion and emotions that develop between them never feel forced. I love that sexuality or nudity is nothing to be ashamed of in the Shifter community. There are some very steamy scenes between Jace and Deni in FERAL HEAT, but the sex never eclipses the great characters and intriguing story. Deni Rowe is another one of the many strong female characters created by author Jennifer Ashley. Jace and her family all support her as she tries to overcome how she's been affected by her motorcycle crash in her past.

This Shifters Unbound series just keeps getting better and I can't wait for the next one! I look forward to seeing how things play out after some of the events that happen in FERAL HEAT. I am a huge Jennifer Ashley fan and enjoy her paranormal and historical romance, as well as her erotica. This is a superb, well-written paranormal series for anybody looking for a new series to get into. These books are all substance, and no filler.

Book Summary

From the author of Lone Wolf comes a paranormal romance about two lovers torn between ecstasy and savagery…

Jace Warden is sent to the Shiftertown in Austin to find a way to free all Shifters from their Collars. But pulling off the Collars can cause Shifters to go mad or kill them outright.

In Austin, Jace meets Deni Rowe, a wolf Shifter with troubles of her own—she was deliberately run down in the road, and while her body has healed, she still has episodes of total memory loss during which she retreats into her pure animal self.

Jace has never met anyone like Deni. Courageous and beautiful, she volunteers to help him test the Collar removal. And as Deni and Jace work together, they feel the mate bond begin. But can Jace help Deni believe she can heal enough to be anyone’s true mate?

This sixteen chapter novella includes a preview of the upcoming Shifters Unbound novel Wild Wolf.