Wild About You, by Kerrelyn Sparks, is the 13th book in her PNR series Love at Stake. I'm not only a fan of this series but a fan of this author as well, and while Howard has always been a lovable background character I had some reservations about him being our leading man.
Plot:
It's not every day that Elsa Bjornberg feels delicate, not when she hosts a home renovation show where she can effortlessly demolish a kitchen. But from the moment she meets Howard Barr, this bear of a man makes her feel like a woman. And the way he looks at her, as if she were a pot of honey he'd like to lick . . .
Howard is not like most men. For one thing, he's a shapeshifter. And he always thought his celebrity crush would never amount to anything more than drooling at Elsa on TV. When his meddling vampire employer gets involved, the star is suddenly within his grasp—and within a hair of her life. For an ancient curse forbids their newfound love, and Howard is suddenly torn between his desire for her and his desire to keep her alive.
A few years back I was roaming the aisles of Borders (Back when they were still around) looking for something awesome to read. I happened to bump into a novel by Sparks and thought "why not", I am so glad that I gave this series a try. It's been one of the most rewarding reading experiences in my PNR collection. Each book has some of the most diverse characters I've ever met, and vivid stories that feel realistic. The paranormal world, for me, is a fun one to get into and Sparks does a superb job selling the reality and fantasy in her works.
So here we are with Howard, the teddy bear who is head of security at Romatech Industries. I was curious how Sparks was going to work this one out but yet again she pulls out her bucket of tricks and makes it magic happen. Howard, in previous stories, was not a heart throb by any means but when she explains why and how he's transformed some in the physical appearance it works. This guy's throwing the bear claw doughnuts back like nobody's business.
Our leading girl Elas steps onto the scene with her hammer and demo crew in tow, the Mrs Fix-it gal who's also the host of a hit TV show. I liked that she wasn't a small waif of a thing with beautifully styled hair and manicured nails. She's a real gal with her own beauty and a perfect fit for Howard.
What I didn't like in this whole love story was the wham-bam romance. A lot of build up goes on throughout the story but when it comes time for the hot and heavy, Howard is impatient and almost in a hurry, like he has somewhere else to be. Slow down dude, Romatech will be fine without you for a few days buddy.
That being said, I enjoyed all the other aspects of this story. The back story of the bears to present day was fascinating, and the comedy worked in always brings a smile to my face! Plus all the build up with the Dougal bits, loved it! This is one to read for fans of the series and someone just walking in!
Getting 4 'Dougal for life' Sheep
KD
