4 Wine Glass #Review of Lover's Instinct by Katie Reus

Title:  Lover’s Instinct
Series: Moon Shifter #1.5
Author: Katie Reus/Savannah Stuart
Format: Kindle, 144 pages
Published: November 15, 2016 (KR Press, LLC)
ISBN: ASIN: B01N41FZNM
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N - FREE
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Amazon
Rating: 4 out of 5 Wine Glasses

This alpha shifter is ready to stake his claim…

Lupine shifter Nikan Lawless has it bad for Esperanze Cordona, the sweet and curvy female who only views him as a friend. Lately, however, he’s started to see sparks of interest. So when he’s assigned to act as her bodyguard during a weekend education conference, he knows it's the perfect opportunity to seduce her out of the friend zone—away from the prying eyes of their pack.

To put his plan into motion, Nikan cancels one of their hotel rooms. Is it underhanded? Yes. But he’s playing for keeps with this female. When a dangerous man from Esperanze's past shows up in need of help, Nikan must shield her from a group of rogue shifters and convince her that they're destined to be mates. Since she’s a beta and he’s an alpha she’s afraid things will never work between them. But he knows they’re meant to be together and he’ll do what it takes to make her his forever.

Linda's Thoughts:
Lover’s Instinct by Katie Reus is a light, quick novella and a great addition to her Moon Shifter series. It’s a paranormal urban fantasy romance featuring a hot powerful alpha warrior wolf and a nerdy, curvy beta she-wolf. It’s the story of two lupine shifters: Nikan Lawless and Esperanze “Essie” Cordona.

As the story opens, readers learn that Nikan and Essie are really good friends. However, Nikan wants more as he is in love with Essie, but Essie won’t allow their relationship to move from friends. When he discovers that Essie is set to attend a weekend education conference in Washington, DC, Nikan gets assigned to accompany her as her bodyguard while she is there. But, he has ulterior motives for doing so and, as part of his grand plan, has canceled one of their hotel rooms so they will be forced to stay together in the one room with one bed. Because… while they are away from their pack, he’s determined to seduce her and make her see that they are meant to be more than just friends.

What Nikan hasn’t accounted for was that one of Essie’s former professors would be in serious trouble and enlist Essie’s help. Essie is determined to help her vampire friend and the situation makes for some edge-of-your-seat suspense and action-packed thrills.

Katie’s characters are always likable and easy to relate to and Nikan and Essie are not exceptions. Even though their story is short, the characters are still fully fleshed out. They seemed to be perfect for each other – but will Essie get the courage to allow them to move from friends to lovers? AND will they even survive the serious situation Essie’s vampire friend has involved them in? You must read this tale to find out!

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Lover’s Instinct:

“For the record, I want to be anywhere you are," he murmured in her ear, so close he might as well have run his tongue along it.” 
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“I've never claimed to be civil," he said with a soft growl, flashing his canines.” 
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“If I get naked, I'm going to be on you then in you. Let me give you some foreplay, woman," he softly growled.” 

I’ve been unintentionally reading this series out-of-order. The romance is fully self-contained within this novel and I can attest that it’s a very enjoyable read as a stand alone.

Katie Reus is one of my very favorite go-to authors. I know when I pick up one of her books, that the story will be well-written, well-plotted, that I will be totally engrossed in the story and that there will be a guaranteed very satisfying HEA. If you enjoy fun paranormal urban fantasy reads featuring wolf shifters with plenty of swoony sweet nothings and sexy times, I’d highly recommend that you check out Lover’s Instinct!



Suggested Reading Order: 
Alpha Instinct, #1
Lover’s Instinct, #1.5 (novella)
Primal Possession, #2
Mating Instinct, #3
His Untamed Desire, #3.5 (novella)
Avenger’s Heat, #4
Hunter Reborn, #5
Protective Instinct, #5.5 (novella)
Dark Protector, #6
A Mate for Christmas, #6.5 (novella, final story in series)