Review: HOWL FOR IT by Shelly Laurenston & Cynthia Eden https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-azm
Mass Market Paperback Release: January 30, 2018
Publication Date: August 28, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars

I’m so glad they are re-releasing this book. I read it in 2012, and this reminded me how much I liked it. Shelly Laurenston’s “Like a Wolf with A Bone” is such a fun story about Eggie and Darla. The scene and personalities are set right from the beginning, taking me along for the sexy and romantic ride. If you’ve read the Pride series, this is a fun story about the infamous Eggie. If you haven’t read the series, it’s a perfect novella to get you hooked. The humor made me giggle, the romance made me swoon, and the drama made me excited. I love her shifter books! Cynthia Eden’s “Wed or Dead” Is more dramatic. This short story is about Kayla and Gage, human and shifter, trying to find common ground through their burning lust. A Suspenseful drama full of hot sex. It’s a hard segue from the first novella to the second, but I was able to shift gears. I enjoyed them both!

*Review copy provided by Kensington in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle http://amzn.to/2DcW73i | Mass Market Paperback http://amzn.to/2mFn9ZP


Also check out Favorite Quotes on this blog post:
https://readinginpajamas.com/2016/02/16/blogger-quote-challenge-day-2-of-3/


PRIDE SERIES BY SHELLY LAURENSTON ~ READING ORDER

AMAZON SERIES LINK: http://amzn.to/1OeHhWG
✦#1: The Mane Event ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/18WMFO8
✦#2: The Beast in Him ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/1DSdjUF
✦#3: The Mane Attraction ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/Hj63L1
✦#4: The Mane Squeeze ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/17mOAvf
✦#5: Beast Behaving Badly ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/16Bfsc9
✦#6: Big Bad Beast ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/18WPxKU
✦#7: Bear Meets Girl ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/1ap7q3M
✦Howl for It ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/1PsCVlE
✦#8: Wolf With Benefits ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/15dbXIw
✦#9: Bite Me ➢ KINDLE http://amzn.to/1c7xWQ8 | REVIEW 5 Stars: http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-17f

4- "Going somewhere..?" Stars!

~~Review for Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden only.~~

I am a huge fan of Eden’s pnr writing so it was a no-brainer to request this little collection. And although Gage and Kayla’s story was quick in its telling it was an extremely enjoyable read.

"It’s too late to run… I’d just follow you."

A shifter marrying a hunter is not what one generally expects seeing as they generally fall on opposite sides of the fence when the chips are down. Kayla has been tasked with getting close to Gage in order to penetrate his pack and take it down, but little does she realize as she walks down the aisle, that Gage knows exactly who she is and what she is after.

A hunter and a wolf didn’t have a shot at forever…

Double crosses, twists and turns, plenty of action of the sexy and non-sexy variety, this was a novella length story that packed a decent punch.

"I’m not letting you go."

I actually think the premise of the hunters and what occurred in this book would have been a great start to a series, I don’t think the author has written any more involving these characters though. But one can hope for the future.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between
LIKE A WOLF WITH A BONE by Shelly Laurenston 4 stars

I’m a fan of Ms. Laurenston’s Pride series, so getting to see Eggie and Darla’s romance, which is a prequel of sorts to the Pride romances, was great. Alot of familiar characters, but I do think you could read this without reading the other books. It is filled with Ms. Laurenston’s trademark humor, romance and action. These are predators at their core, and I loved that hard edge mixed with the wicked smart humor. If you’re a longtime fan, getting to see the earlier generation of Smiths is worth the price of this book alone.


WED OR DEAD by Cynthia Eden 3.5 stars

Gage and Kayla’s romance was different. There’s an interesting amount of story to tell within the framework of a novella, and for the most part, I think Ms. Eden is successful. I did enjoy the action and the chemistry between Gage and Kayla is good. I do think it was pushing things to have sex at certain times, considering the danger, but while it stretched the bounds of believability, I still enjoyed myself.


The Bottom Line
I enjoyed this. It’s a two-fer that I can get behind. I can always recommend Ms. Laurenston and while I wasn’t that familiar with Ms. Eden, I enjoyed her story and I wouldn’t mind reading more from her. I would recommend this book to those who love their shifter romances.

Eggie is not well liked, even by his kin. But he does what is necessary and doesn’t suffer for it. Then he meets Darla Mae. And things change, but is it for the better?
I adored Like a Wolf with a Bone by Shelly Laurenston. And I thoroughly enjoyed Eggie. He didn’t say much but when he did it mattered. I loved that he was determined to protect Darla Mae at all costs. I also enjoyed the fact that Darla Mae understood the male who had her heart. This world Ms. Laurenston has created is great and I enjoy returning to it. I also enjoyed seeing Eggie and Darla Mae find their forever after.
Kayla isn’t quite sure how she came to be married to Gage. He is the enemy right? But what if he isn’t? Can Kayla do the right thing? In Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden we find out.
Kayla is a hunter and Gage is her prey…or is he? I enjoyed finding out in this quick tale by Ms. Eden. Gage and Kayla are on opposite sides but their hearts are pulling them together. Can they learn to trust in each other? I enjoyed the journey Ms. Eden took us on as Gage and Kayla learned there is more going on than first meets the eye. This story is a well written and enjoyable read.

I have no idea how I missed reading Howl For It seeing as how it has a Pride Story by Shelly Laurenston and a Cynthia Eden story. I hoarded Shelly Laurenston books, doling them out to myself one by one as the cure all for book hangovers. It just about broke my heart when I read the last of my stash knowing I’d have to wait for the next one to publish. When this came up on Netgalley as a re-release I jumped on it, then figured out I had it on Kobo the whole time. If I used memes in my reviews, I’d now post one of someone kicking themself because that’s where I’m at now. I mean, I had Eggie’s story the whole time and didn’t read it.


Like A Wolf With A Bone by Shelly Laurenston
I loved this story!  it was smoking hot and it the heroine is a baker who specializes in pies. I love pie, in fact, I had to go buy one after reading this. But what really nailed it for me was that it was about Eggie Smith. I’ve always liked Eggie way more than I liked his daughter. He’s scary, mean, and hilarious and I’m thrilled he got his own little story. Not only was Eggie everything I wanted him to be, he found the sweetest mate in Darla. She was funny, kind and just perfect for him. It takes a whole lot of sweet to put up with the scariest Smith of them all and she was definitely up for the task.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Eggie, Darla and both their crazy families. With lots of hilariously funny, albeit bloody, action and of course the aforementioned sexy times Ms. Laurenston once again brought me to my paranormal happy place.

Rating: 5 Eggie is the Man...well, Wolf Stars
 

Wed Or Dead by Cynthia Eden
This had everything I should like in a paranormal romance: an alpha hero, a kickass heroine who can take care of business, plus loads of action. Unfortunately, I liked the main characters individually but  I didn’t connect to them at all as a couple. By starting the book as they were getting married we weren’t along for the ride as they met and fell in love even if she wasn’t who she said she was. Not being there for that made her wedding night actions hard to swallow along with his actions after. What threw me for even more of a loop was when these two would start banging like bunnies at the absolute stupidest times, like in a holding cell.

I liked the book, I liked the characters, and I thought the plot line was interesting but the book was too short to really flesh out the details to make it believable. I may look into the full novels in the series though, since I enjoyed the premise of the book and the characters.

Rating: 3 Holding Cells Aren’t Ever Romantic Stars

If you love shapeshifter romance then I'm pretty sure that you've already heard of these two authors. This time it's all about the Wolves though and even though there's suspense within these two stories for this reader it's all about the romance!
Like A Wolf With a Bone by Shelly Laurenston
As you would expect from this author it's an hilarious look at the dynamics within her Pack world. The uber scary Eggie is reluctantly on leave when he comes to the rescue of Darla Mae. I honestly didn't mind that the plot surrounding Darla Mae felt weak as I found immense joy in the burgeoning relationship between Eggie and Darla Mae. Plus their families are just so crazy that you never know what they will do next but with Eggie growling and Darla Mae strutting her stuff this story certainly entertained me.
Wed Or Dead by Cynthia Eden
This felt very passionate right from the start with an undercover Hunter marrying the Alpha Wolf ! Yep it's a conundrum right from the start but it's pretty obvious that Gage knows what he wants , so will he put his Pack first or his new wife Kayla? Supporting characters didn't really work for this reader but the overall idea funnily enough did with betrayals, lies and a very hot Wolf !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I really enjoyed these short but awesome stories! I picked it up because I am a huge fan of Shelly Laurenston’s shifter books but both stories were great!

In Like a wolf with a Bone we finally get to see how the most feared and infamous killer from the Smith Pack, Eggie Smith, got his Happily Ever After. Like all of her shifter books, this is a whole lot a fun to read! Fast, funny and sexy with a whole lot of heart!

Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden was a bit harder to get into, and I think it’s because it just stared so fast paced it was hard to connect with the characters right away and it was also being thrown into a completely new world. I’ve never read Cynthia Eden before so maybe this connects to another series of hers and that’s why I found it hard to keep up. But after the first couple chapters I really enjoyed the story. It was fast paced and sexy!

Winning stories. Great humor. I didn't want to out them down. Now I need to buy all of their books.

I had the pleasure of reading Howl For It. I enjoyed reading two very different but highly entertaining shifter books. I would highly recommend this book both of the stories are well written and the story lines will take you on a roller coaster of fun!

Like A Wolf With A Bone is centered around the Darla Lewis and Egbert Ray Smith or Eggie for short. You couldn't have picked a more opposite couple to throw at us but they do say opposites attract.
Darla is the youngest sister in the Lewis family, after being forced home for a "visit" she is faced with the constant arguing between her sisters and their mates plus being attacked for an unknown reason by full blooded humans. Talk about action packed right away, no slow starting with this story. Eggie who happen to be lurking outside her family home while waiting for his brothers to finish up their business, swooped in to save Darla from her attackers.
While Darla is the nonviolent type who prefers killing her enemies with kindness rather than bloodshed, Eggie is a straight killing machine. He too has been forced to take "leave" from the military, after he started making his fellow Marines nervous. Everything about Darla calls to Eggie and after the attack, he finds himself unable to let her go. Eggie might be the "scary" looking one but it's Darla and her snippy attitude that's actually calling the shots. I love the banter these two have between them, you get hints of both sides of their crazy families and it makes the story feel more real. The story will take you farther into their world as you discover why someone wanted to kill Darla and the true meaning of opposites attract.

Wed or Dead is another shifter book and that right there is were the similarities end. This particular story focuses on Hunters and Shifters, one meeting was all it took to have their worlds collide.
Kayla Kincaid is a hunter sent out on a mission to kill the local alpha Gage and the next thing you know wedding bells are going off. The story starts off with a bang, you don't know much about the two main characters but as the story itself develops you find out betrayal is closer than you think. Kayla was told to get close to her target by any means necessary but marriage wasn't part of the plan.
Gage knew what Kayla was hiding but it didn't matter he wanted her and had no intention of giving up what he wanted. He would use her for his own means but that didn't mean she was just a plaything for him, she was his pure and simple even before the marriage. She was his new vice, the top of his list and he would protect her from everything and anything. Yet waking up and finding your new bride with silver knife pressed to your chest wasn't what you'd call normal. She isn't able to complete her mission, Gage wasn't the monster she thought, her emotions got in the way and forced her to think with her heart instead of just being a good solider who follows orders.
The story takes off from there, sides are drawn, the past is revealed, and new bonds are formed. Sometimes the true monsters are in your own backyard. I greatly enjoyed exploring with Kayla and Gage as they battled through the lies, betrayal, and their own demons as the story unfolds in front of you.

I really enjoyed this anthology with the two stories inside, I loved going back into time with the pride pack with Eggie! what a hoot, I loved it all and how we sore old characters but they were young, what a hoot!

the other story by Cynthia was good, I am not familiar with her work as well as Shelly. I enjoyed it though and would look in to more from her.

These two books are linked only by the common theme of shifters. You don't need to worry about remembering characters from the first story to enjoy the 2nd!

Like A Wolf With A Bone by Shelly Laurenston

OMG It's a flashback to the 70's! I was only a baby during the time that this book was set and it was a hoot! Darla is in your face, don't give a damn feminist with a knack for baking (so un-PC!!!)Eggie is like a trap, coiled and ready to spring but Darla just loves to poke. All her sisters have hooked up with Eggie's brothers but she doesn't want a mate, no sirree!!!

Pity fate is fickle and has decided to throw these two together! I did feel sorry for Darla and Eggie cos their brothers and sisters are...an acquired taste to say the least. I really hated them for the way they treated Darla and Eggie.

Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden

A shifter wedding with a difference. The groom is a shifter and the bride is a hunter...although neither of them wants to admit it, their is more to this wedding than similar plans to catch the other!

Very dark and dangerous feel. Lots of betrayal, mistrust, lies and lost families. I'd definitely read more in this series!!!

Got this for Shelly Laurenston's story 'Howl for it' and I loved it! It was fun to get Eggie's & Darla's thoughts when they first met, before they had Dee Ann. Hope we get more stories from Shelly soon!

Howl For it comprises of two of my favorite authors, Cynthia Eden and Shelly Laurenston. You know when you decide to read a book written by either of this author that you are in store for hours of entertainment. I am happy to say that Howl For It never failed to entertain.
But a fair warning this book was originally released on August 28, 2012, by Bravo.

Book #1: Like A Wolf With A Bone by Shelly Laurenston. If you read the Pride Series than you may know Dee-Ann. Well, this story is about her parents and how they met. Along with a great story, Shelly Laurenston put her brand of mixing romance with humor. This story was a pleasure and you got to visit with the Lewis and Smith.

Book #2: Wed or Dead was written by Cynthia Eden. This too is a shifter romance. But where Shelly Laurenston entertained us with humor and romance. Cynthia Eden provided us readers with intrigue. It started off with Kayla who only lot in life is to kill paranormal creatures that prey on humans. With her next target being Gage…An alpha of the Vegas pack. The only way she can take him out was by marrying him and then on their wedding night take him out. Or so she thought! She finds out that Gage has a say on the matter.

Both of these stories, though different brought the same reaction…of pure satisfaction of having the pleasure of reading two relaxing stories of humor and intrigue.

Howl for It a solid paranormal romance that all romance fans will enjoy.

This book was up on netgalley and as we all know, I love both of these authors, so I snatched it up! But it looks like maybe a reissue? I read this back in 2012 it looks like, so here's my original review from back when this blog was Demon Lover's Books & More. Also, I reread it, and to be honest, I'd probably bump my rating up to a 5 star. I really enjoyed this.

Like a Wolf with a Bone by Shelly Laurenston- 4 stars

This was Eggie and Darla Mae’s story and I loved it. I’m not sure what I expected from Eggie, but I really enjoyed it. This story was a bit sweeter than Laurenston’s usual Pride books (no complaints here!) and her trademark sense of humor was present throughout.

Eggie accidentally kidnaps Darla Mae after saving her from humans trying to kill her. She’s a bit of a free spirit, or well, a hippie (hey, it’s the 70s after all!). He’s a very serious marine on forced leave. He unnerves people with his very direct stare and his eyes that always look wolf, even when he isn’t. They don’t seem like the ideal couple, but oh they truly are great together.

Their families cause more trouble than anything, but at the end, they all stick together and come through as only family can. Especially in a scene where they are racing their frenemies in a “friendly wager” but it turns sour quickly as some humans barge in with automatic rifles. We get to see some other characters from the series, but y’know, over 30 years earlier. It was pretty cool.

I loved this one. It was so fun and sweet and really enjoyable. My absolute favorite part, though, was the epilogue. If you’ve read Big Bad Beast, you’ll know exactly where it falls in the plot. Dee Ann, Eggie’s little sugarbug, has a bit in there that you’ll love.

This fits in really well with the series, but I don’t think it’s a great stand-alone. Other than that, I really got a kick out of Eggie Ray and Darla Mae.

Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden- 4.5 stars

Kayla is dragging her feet to the altar, literally. Sexy Gage, always with the ready smile and hot kiss is waiting for her, but she has to force herself to marry him. Why is that, hmm?

I’ll tell ya-he’s a werewolf, and she knows it. He’s also her mark. She’s supposed to get close enough to kill. But she can’t. In Kayla’s world, werewolves are monsters, and she’s a good guy, keeping the humans safe from the monsters that roam the nights. It’s very black and white.

Gage knows Kayla is a hunter, but he humors her and never lets on. Kayla is also his mate, and now that he has her, he isn’t letting her go. But their honeymoon is crashed by hunters who take Kayla too. Did her own people turn on her? Now Gage has to save them from her own people, and in the meantime he has to convince Kayla that the world she grew up in isn’t black and white at all. There’s a big fat grey area and they both exist inside it.

It was refreshing to see a heroine who hated the hero come to grips fairly quickly with the fact that maybe he’s not all that bad. And what’s even worse, is that maybe she’s the bad guy.

Set in the Night Watch world, but not part of the series, this novella has everything, danger, intrigue, suspense and love. But watch out, sometimes the bad guys aren’t so bad, and the good guys might just be the monsters hiding under your bed.

***ARC courtesy of Kensington Publishing

I read this book in one day and throughly enjoyed it. This is a well written paranormal romance book. These are great authors and I definitely recommend this book.

This is a re-release of this anthology, so if you have read them before, it is the same. It has two stories in it by Shelly Laurenston and Cynthia Eden. If you haven't read their books before, I highly recommend them as they are great!

Book 1 is Like A Wolf With A Bone by Shelly Laurenston. This book is a part her Pride series and it's about Dee-Ann's parents. We have seen in her in multiple books in this series along with one with her HEA. Eggie Ray Smith is a military man who falls for the giggly Darla Mae Lewis. So we get to see how her parents fell in love and mated. He always fascinated me when people talked about him in the books and this story definitely explains why he is the way he is but also how much Darla and Dee-Ann mean to him. I loved this glimpse into their background and the fact that it shows Eggie is more than just a blood thirsty shifter!

Book 2 is 'Wed or Dead' by Cynthia Eden. This one covers Gage and Kayla. They are getting married and haven't shared their secrets with each other. Little do they know, they each know the other's secrets and married each other anyway. I really enjoyed this one! Gage is definitely an Alpha and itn't afraid to do what is necessary in order to protect not only his pack but his mate. Kayla, well let's just say she has some issues. But she also doesn't have the the true story or even realize that there are things that have been manipulated in her life to force her into the position that she is in. Once they both decide to work together and have each other's back? Loved it!

All in all, both books were great. I like how they show us portions of stories that many of us have wondered about before. Definitely worth it to me!

LIKE A WOLF WITH A BONE by @Shelley
Egbert Ray ( Eggie ) is a deadly wolf shifter. His brothers have married or mated to the Lewis sisters. Everyone is scared of Eggie and try to stay clear of him. He's in a special unit in the marines with other shifters. Darla Mae is the first person not afraid of Eggie. She is attacked on her own territory and Eggie takes her back to his territory. But he never expects to fall for the pacifist wolf shifter. Someone still wants Darla dead but they'll have to go through Eggie first.
From what I understand this takes place in the '70s. Sometimes the dialogue didn't sound natural but there was plenty of action, fighting, and sex, with a little humor thrown in.
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WED OR DEAD by @CynthiaEden 5 stars
Kayla is a hunter who takes down wolves and other paranormal creatures who kill humans. Gage is the Alpha of the Vegas pack and is Kayla's next mission. She must get as close as possible to him and then kill him with a silver knife. What better way than to marry him. Gage knows her plans but they can't help but fall for each other. From the first time Gage got a whiff of Kayla, he knew she was his. They are captured and Kayla finds out some disturbing truths about the hunters leader.
Loved this story. Exciting, sexy, bloody, and a little suspenseful.
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* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *

Shelley Laurenston does not write fast enough for me! Loved this book and can't wait for the next one.

Bravo. Shelly Laurenston has done it again. Great story. Strong female character is one my favourite things about her books. This book was entertaining from the first page. I am never disappointed with Shelly Laurenstons books. This is my first Reading Cyntia Eden book and I was happily surprised how much I enjoyed it. I am a very picky reader but I would read another of her books.

I have enjoyed all of Shelly Laurenston’s books and Eggie and Darla’s story does not disappoint. I enjoyed wasting Eggie and Darla’s relationship grow and how Darla saw more than most people did in Eggie. What and enjoyable read.

This was my first Cynthia Eden book and was quite enjoyable. Gage and Kayla’s story kept you on your toes.