Review: Stray by Lee Colgin
SYNOPSIS:
Leonas is a cranky panther shifter set in his ways. He handles security for an exclusive brothel and takes the safety of the staff at The Twig and Berries seriously, to the extent of sacrificing his personal life in favor of work.
When the young vampire messenger Jeno shows up with heart eyes and disturbing news, Leonas is taken aback. Who is this curious youth and why is he hitting on Leonas of all people? More importantly, when is he leaving? Because Leonas has no time for romance.
Though Jeno is running from a dark past, he can’t help but to stop in his tracks for Leonas. The grumpy cat shifter might be prickly on the outside, but inside? Well, Leonas is prickly there too. He needs someone like Jeno to escape the lonely trap of his own making.
Will Jeno escape the snare of Hungary’s notorious opium slingers? Can Leonas break the chains of his past? Together, they stand a chance, but suffering alone is all they’ve ever known.
REVIEW:
Another delightful installment to an enchanting series. I love how unique the storylines are in these paranormal romances and this one was no different. Grumpy-sunshine trope wrapped up in a baby vamp and spicy kitty….I was here for it!
Lee Colgin has a recipe to her romances for this series and there is typically some external danger. Which is true in this story but what took me by surprise in this book is the character growth and hidden depth. Jeno may be a ray of sunshine but he is carrying grief and regret from his time as a human. So he works through a lot of these more remorse feelings and learns to forgive himself. Then there is Leonas, who is in denial about how truly lonely he is. I love the solace these two find in each other, there were just as many tender, heartfelt moments as there were sizzling ones.
The romance is delightful balanced with the hidden danger pushing into Pest. I think my favorite part of this story was the expansion of paranormal beings. From the previous books in the series we know shifters, incubuses, vampires, and fae exist but there is apparently so much more lurking around in the shadows. I won’t spoil anything but I think the arc tied in with Jeno’s journey to self-forgiveness wonderfully. This book was the perfect escapism read I was looking for.
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