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Portland Pack Chronicles #2
Prickly By Nature
In the four months since hedgehog shifter Avery Babineaux started investigating the disappearance of a young female werewolf from the Portland Pack, he’s discovered his life’s passion. Now he’s apprenticing under established PI Corbin Reid. Avery hopes his training with Reid will help him finally bring Lacey home, but detective work isn’t without its perils, and the potential dangers strain his relationship with his new mate, Dylan.
Dylan Green would be perfectly content with his mating and his motorcycle shop if it wasn’t for his constant worry about Avery’s safety and the fact that Avery’s never home. Proud as he might be of Avery’s determination to prove his worth and fulfill his promise to Lacey’s father, Dylan can’t stand the thought of Avery being hurt. Yet what right does he have to demand Avery give up his job when it’s clear Avery’s found his true purpose? Still, Dylan wishes he could, and the appearance of a new police detective who sets his sights on Avery only adds to the tension.
Something has to give, but stubbornness runs in both their veins, and it might take a catastrophe for them to find a compromise they can live with.
Dylan Green would be perfectly content with his mating and his motorcycle shop if it wasn’t for his constant worry about Avery’s safety and the fact that Avery’s never home. Proud as he might be of Avery’s determination to prove his worth and fulfill his promise to Lacey’s father, Dylan can’t stand the thought of Avery being hurt. Yet what right does he have to demand Avery give up his job when it’s clear Avery’s found his true purpose? Still, Dylan wishes he could, and the appearance of a new police detective who sets his sights on Avery only adds to the tension.
Something has to give, but stubbornness runs in both their veins, and it might take a catastrophe for them to find a compromise they can live with.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2015
21 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Piper Vaughn
44Ìýbooks1,155ÌýfollowersPiper Vaughn is a romance author and lifelong fan of the genre. Since writing their first love story at age eleven, they’ve known writing in some form was exactly what they wanted to do. A reader to the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book.
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
Sign up for Piper's newsletter:
Piper is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago. They love putting faces and characters of every ethnicity in their stories, making their fictional worlds as colorful as the real one. Above all, Piper believes there’s no one way to have an HEA, and every person deserves to see themselves reflected on the page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
May 27, 2017
***3.5 Stars***
Reaching for the bond, Dylan made sure Avery felt what he felt, in his heart. In his soul. That this was what they were. Two halves of a whole. Two hearts beating in time.
This sequel follows Dylan and Avery as they continue to navigate their relationship. Avery is still on the hunt for the missing Lacey, but now he's also juggling his private investigator apprenticeship. And with that comes Dylan's struggle with his protective instincts, Avery's busy schedule, and his depth of his feelings for his mate.
I love the evolution of Dylan and Avery's relationship. The love, affection, and passion between them is evident on every page. Avery has come so far from the spoiled, rich kid he was...and seeing how Dylan's love and support has made him blossom was great. Especially when the two went up against Avery's cold and snobby family.
"I will be right beside you no matter what. All you have to do is remember that. He won't hurt you, because he can't. He can't hurt us." Dylan let his fingers drift from Avery's lips, over his jaw, and down his neck to rest at his mating mark.
"This says you're mine," Dylan whispered, and Avery nodded. "I'm not letting you go, not letting anyone take you from me. Ever. And I won't let anyone hurt you."
A slow smile crept across Avery's face. He slipped a hand form Dylan's grip and brought it up to cup his jaw. "Mine," he breathed, leaning in.
"I am." Dylan nodded and closed the distance between them.
While I enjoyed the romance immensely, I do feel there were too many places where other things overshadowed that (mainly filler about Avery's cases) and I found myself skimming at times.
But other than that, I gobbled up this sequel. Avery and Dylan melted my heart and my kindle! I'm here to tell you....a wolf shifter mated with a hedgehog shifter....TOTALLY WORKS!!
I know there's lots of uncertainty on whether this series will continue, but I really hope it does. I'm so interested in Jayden & Heath's story....and I REALLY, REALLY wanna know what Lucas is up to in New Orleans!
November 15, 2015
Prickly By Nature is the sequel to Prickly Business and starts some months down the road. Our boys are in love, but there is still a mystery to solve and relationship dynamics to work through.
The highlights:
*Dylan. He just pushes ALL my buttons. I just love his protective instincts, he's so dominant. He makes me gush and feel all warm and fuzzy.
*Avery. I was very excited to read a more mature Avery. In the first book, he was borderline unlikable. There was lots of growing done.
*Their relationship. I enjoyed reading about them growing together as a couple and their chemistry is off the charts.
*Romance & mystery. It was well balanced. I am not a huge fan of mysteries- they tend to lose my attention. I was worried about this going in, but I think the authors did a nice job balancing both. The mystery kept me engaged and wondering through the end.
*The gang. I love series because I am a huge nerd that loves getting to know the characters and revisiting with them. It's nice to know that there's more coming from the other characters.
I felt that this book was even better than the first one. It had a bit of everything: romance, angst, action, suspense, wrapped up nicely with an HEA for the boys. It was well rounded. 4.5 Stars.
*ARC kindly provided by the authors for an honest review.
*This review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
November 13, 2015
Full review originally posted at
The story picks up a few months after the end of Prickly Business. Avery is now an apprentice to private investigator Corbin Reid, a falcon shifter, working towards his own license. In addition to his work with Reid, he is continuing his hunt for missing pack member Lacey. All of this is taking its toll on his ability to spend time with his mate, Dylan. While Dylan is supportive of Avery, he misses his mate and the constant worry over Avery’s safety has him spending many nights tailing Avery as he works.
While the mating of Avery and Dylan was completed in the last book, the relationship was still very new. We know that they were compatible, but that the learning curve would be steep just based on their differences. One stumbling block highlighted in this story is the differences in the nature of Avery’s hedgehog and Dylan’s wolf. Avery is trying his hardest to fit in as a member of Dylan’s pack, but hedgehogs are not pack animals and there are times when Avery needs to be alone. He also doesn’t completely understand Dylan’s intense ties to the pack. There are several times this comes up in the story, one being Dylan’s insistence that he and Avery attend Avery’s brother’s wedding. Dylan would like to see Avery attempt a reconciliation with his disapproving family, holding out hope they might accept their relationship despite Avery’s warnings. When Avery grudgingly agrees to the trip, not for the sake of attending the wedding, but more as a getaway to New Orleans with Dylan and their friends, Dylan gets a front row seat to the differences between his and Avery’s families. The trip also shows just how much Avery has grown and it was wonderful seeing him stand up for himself and Dylan.
The mystery of Lacey’s disappearance continues throughout this book, with Avery not letting up even as the investigation gets more dangerous. I thought the storyline played out really well with quite a bit of tension and action. It was hard to tell who to trust and who was up to no good. It also served to introduce a new pack member, Detective Heath Ribeiro, who is assigned to head the Trafficking Task Force.
As in the first, I loved the scenes with Avery in his animal form, whether he is running with the pack or hiding away when stressed, his nature really shows through. Although the focus seems to be on Avery, Dylan is not forgotten. He is a strong loyal presence throughout the story, dealing with his best friend Lucas pulling away, his father’s continued bad behavior and his fear for Avery. His protective streak runs deep and is on full display in this book both in his human and wolf forms as is his sexy, dominant nature. The chemistry between him and Avery is even stronger in this book than it was in the first.
It was great to see how pack members Lucas, Sawyer and Kirk embrace Avery as one of their own even as they are dealing with their own issues. There are glimpses of these other wolves finding mates and dealing with heartbreak and I’m looking forward to their stories playing out in the upcoming books, especially those of Jaden, whose life changes when he meets Detective Ribeiro and Lucas, who is struggling with his own personal issues.
This was a very good follow up to the first story, wrapping up the lingering mystery and starting some new story threads. I loved how the relationship between Dylan and Avery grew and how Avery has changed from the self-absorbed brat he started out as to a compassionate man who can stand on his own, but knows he doesn’t need to. With their HEA cemented, I’m still looking forward to glimpses of them in future books.
The story picks up a few months after the end of Prickly Business. Avery is now an apprentice to private investigator Corbin Reid, a falcon shifter, working towards his own license. In addition to his work with Reid, he is continuing his hunt for missing pack member Lacey. All of this is taking its toll on his ability to spend time with his mate, Dylan. While Dylan is supportive of Avery, he misses his mate and the constant worry over Avery’s safety has him spending many nights tailing Avery as he works.
While the mating of Avery and Dylan was completed in the last book, the relationship was still very new. We know that they were compatible, but that the learning curve would be steep just based on their differences. One stumbling block highlighted in this story is the differences in the nature of Avery’s hedgehog and Dylan’s wolf. Avery is trying his hardest to fit in as a member of Dylan’s pack, but hedgehogs are not pack animals and there are times when Avery needs to be alone. He also doesn’t completely understand Dylan’s intense ties to the pack. There are several times this comes up in the story, one being Dylan’s insistence that he and Avery attend Avery’s brother’s wedding. Dylan would like to see Avery attempt a reconciliation with his disapproving family, holding out hope they might accept their relationship despite Avery’s warnings. When Avery grudgingly agrees to the trip, not for the sake of attending the wedding, but more as a getaway to New Orleans with Dylan and their friends, Dylan gets a front row seat to the differences between his and Avery’s families. The trip also shows just how much Avery has grown and it was wonderful seeing him stand up for himself and Dylan.
The mystery of Lacey’s disappearance continues throughout this book, with Avery not letting up even as the investigation gets more dangerous. I thought the storyline played out really well with quite a bit of tension and action. It was hard to tell who to trust and who was up to no good. It also served to introduce a new pack member, Detective Heath Ribeiro, who is assigned to head the Trafficking Task Force.
As in the first, I loved the scenes with Avery in his animal form, whether he is running with the pack or hiding away when stressed, his nature really shows through. Although the focus seems to be on Avery, Dylan is not forgotten. He is a strong loyal presence throughout the story, dealing with his best friend Lucas pulling away, his father’s continued bad behavior and his fear for Avery. His protective streak runs deep and is on full display in this book both in his human and wolf forms as is his sexy, dominant nature. The chemistry between him and Avery is even stronger in this book than it was in the first.
It was great to see how pack members Lucas, Sawyer and Kirk embrace Avery as one of their own even as they are dealing with their own issues. There are glimpses of these other wolves finding mates and dealing with heartbreak and I’m looking forward to their stories playing out in the upcoming books, especially those of Jaden, whose life changes when he meets Detective Ribeiro and Lucas, who is struggling with his own personal issues.
This was a very good follow up to the first story, wrapping up the lingering mystery and starting some new story threads. I loved how the relationship between Dylan and Avery grew and how Avery has changed from the self-absorbed brat he started out as to a compassionate man who can stand on his own, but knows he doesn’t need to. With their HEA cemented, I’m still looking forward to glimpses of them in future books.
January 1, 2016
Gimme gimme gimme!
*grabby hands*
Oh no, November?!?
*faints*
****
ETA:
4.0 Stars
I enjoyed revisiting with my favorite hedgehog shifter. (Okay, Avery Babineaux is the only hedgehog shifter I know of but still ... he's my fave!) I love revisiting with established couples that I like and Avery and Dylan fit that bill. I liked the give-and-take of their relationship and the love that shined through as they worked towards compromise. I also enjoyed the resolution of some of the outstanding issues (understatement) from book 1.
Bottom line: I can't wait for book 3. (There MUST be one. Please, please, please!)
*grabby hands*
Oh no, November?!?
*faints*
****
ETA:
4.0 Stars
I enjoyed revisiting with my favorite hedgehog shifter. (Okay, Avery Babineaux is the only hedgehog shifter I know of but still ... he's my fave!) I love revisiting with established couples that I like and Avery and Dylan fit that bill. I liked the give-and-take of their relationship and the love that shined through as they worked towards compromise. I also enjoyed the resolution of some of the outstanding issues (understatement) from book 1.
Bottom line: I can't wait for book 3. (There MUST be one. Please, please, please!)
December 22, 2016
Not gonna lie, I kinda had to force myself to finish this. It's not terrible. I just don't care. The plot is stagnant and not that interesting anyway. The relationship is kinda like cardboard. Reliable but bland, and every side looks the same. I'm not feeling a lot of depth from them as individuals, or as a couple.
It's the second book and I know the minimal about Dillan's family, upbringing, the Pack. I know no more than what I learned at the beginning of the first book. It feels weird. I was all excited for the New Orleans section to see how meeting Avery's family would progress the plot. Spoiler alert, it fucking did not.
I was not at all satisfied with the resolution to the huge plot that they've used to carry both books, it was like an "oh by the way." I skipped through the sex scenes. And I can't figure out how shifters function, let alone in human society. They growl and posture and threaten everyone who comes within an inch of their mate, friends included. They're kinda useless. They don't call the cops when they should, but then they do after the fact. Just in time to have a bunch of questions that they can't answer.
And fucking Avery. The most selfish, self-absorbed jackass who ever jackassed. All the nope. And it looks like Heath and Jayden's book is gonna be more of the same. No thanks.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for
It's the second book and I know the minimal about Dillan's family, upbringing, the Pack. I know no more than what I learned at the beginning of the first book. It feels weird. I was all excited for the New Orleans section to see how meeting Avery's family would progress the plot. Spoiler alert, it fucking did not.
I was not at all satisfied with the resolution to the huge plot that they've used to carry both books, it was like an "oh by the way." I skipped through the sex scenes. And I can't figure out how shifters function, let alone in human society. They growl and posture and threaten everyone who comes within an inch of their mate, friends included. They're kinda useless. They don't call the cops when they should, but then they do after the fact. Just in time to have a bunch of questions that they can't answer.
And fucking Avery. The most selfish, self-absorbed jackass who ever jackassed. All the nope. And it looks like Heath and Jayden's book is gonna be more of the same. No thanks.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for
October 8, 2020
As funny and imaginative as the first story about prickly hedgehog shifter Avery and his protective wolf shifter mate Dylan, this sequel also focuses on the unsolved mystery of the disappearance of a young female werewolf. Her having vanished still bothers Avery, and now that he has his own issues with loan sharks and petty criminals resolved and is firmly mated to Dylan, he can focus on the case. Dylan, for his part, isn’t really happy about Avery putting himself in danger, but for the sake of a peaceful relationship he tried to control his protective streak. Not very successfully…much to my amusement. The humor is as good in this second volume as in the first, the characters are even more fun since I now know them, and the mystery adds an element of suspense and danger that had me thoroughly engaged in the story.
Please find my full review of the second edition on .
Please find my full review of the second edition on .
March 10, 2018
If I were to re-evaluate my feelings on book one, I’d probably bring the overall rating down a bit, as this book felt like a 3.5 to me and felt like an improvement over the first book. Avery and Dylan have become much better at communicating their feelings and getting their heads out of their asses in this book. I also enjoyed how this book struck a really good balance between developing the romance of two people already in an established but fairly new relationship, and continuing to investigate the murder in the previous book.
If there were a sequel to this book I honestly don’t know that I’d read it. As two books, I enjoy them well enough but they’re nothing to write home about or laud the praises of from the hills, just a bit of fun.
If there were a sequel to this book I honestly don’t know that I’d read it. As two books, I enjoy them well enough but they’re nothing to write home about or laud the praises of from the hills, just a bit of fun.
November 26, 2015
I love reading continuation story about this two shifters cute prickly hedgehog Avery and his mate Dylan, a strong possessive wolf. They got hotter and the sex is getting better, and of course knotting is the best course meal. Although sometimes it's getting me on my nerves when these two being stubborn fighting coz of their pride, I still loved them, can't blame them of their gorgeous faces on the cover.
no-thanks_for-reasons
March 18, 2017Hedgehog shifters? Yes, because nothing says sexy like hedgehog. I'll pass, thanks.
November 15, 2015
4.5 Stars for this paranormal M/M shifter romance. It's the second book in a series and should probably be read in order.
Dylan and Avery have been together for a few months. Avery has moved into Dylan's home and they are building a life together, but it's not easy. Avery is working long hours in his training as a private investigator. He comes home late and doesn't see Dylan a lot. Dylan's very protective, and often shadows Avery when he's out on a case--it's caused friction in the past, but I think Avery is appreciating it more now. It's almost a comfort. Well, it can be.
Avery's still working on a side case, finding a trafficked shifter girl from Dylan's pack, Lacey. It's hard work as the main players in the case keep turning up dead. Plus, there's issue with Avery's family not liking Dylan--out of prejudice. Avery's "invited" home for his brother's wedding, and it's not a pretty scene, but I loved their growing bond, and the real maturity Avery displayed in such a rough environment.
This book is not about the romance. There are a few sexytimes, which are nice and sexy, but that's not the focus. Dylan and Avery have to build their relationship, which struggles due to conflicting schedules. Avery's obsession with finding Lacey definitely puts him in trouble with his mate, and Dylan's as understanding a wolf as one will find. There were times both Dylan and I wanted to shake Avery, not because he was deliberately mean or obtuse, but because he sacrificed so much of himself and the fruit of his labor was...nothing. The end of the book wraps so quickly, with a break in the case that leads to a seriously dramatic rescue. I felt like that was really well done, with all the proper foreshadowing in place. I loved how the resolution left us in little doubt that Avery and Dylan were going to make it in the long-term. There are some other sub-plots out there that concern secondary characters from this book finding their mates, so I expect to read more about those as the series progresses.
Dylan and Avery have been together for a few months. Avery has moved into Dylan's home and they are building a life together, but it's not easy. Avery is working long hours in his training as a private investigator. He comes home late and doesn't see Dylan a lot. Dylan's very protective, and often shadows Avery when he's out on a case--it's caused friction in the past, but I think Avery is appreciating it more now. It's almost a comfort. Well, it can be.
Avery's still working on a side case, finding a trafficked shifter girl from Dylan's pack, Lacey. It's hard work as the main players in the case keep turning up dead. Plus, there's issue with Avery's family not liking Dylan--out of prejudice. Avery's "invited" home for his brother's wedding, and it's not a pretty scene, but I loved their growing bond, and the real maturity Avery displayed in such a rough environment.
This book is not about the romance. There are a few sexytimes, which are nice and sexy, but that's not the focus. Dylan and Avery have to build their relationship, which struggles due to conflicting schedules. Avery's obsession with finding Lacey definitely puts him in trouble with his mate, and Dylan's as understanding a wolf as one will find. There were times both Dylan and I wanted to shake Avery, not because he was deliberately mean or obtuse, but because he sacrificed so much of himself and the fruit of his labor was...nothing. The end of the book wraps so quickly, with a break in the case that leads to a seriously dramatic rescue. I felt like that was really well done, with all the proper foreshadowing in place. I loved how the resolution left us in little doubt that Avery and Dylan were going to make it in the long-term. There are some other sub-plots out there that concern secondary characters from this book finding their mates, so I expect to read more about those as the series progresses.
November 20, 2015
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
Life is moving on for Dylan and Avery the newly mated Wolf and Hedgehog.
Avery is more than a little obsessed with finding missing wolf Lacey and bringing her home. He is learning the skills needed to become a Private Investigator under the watchful eye of Corbin Reid. Nothing else seems to matter to Avery until he has found Lacey and Dylan is feeling lonely and a bit put out, this is not how a newly mated pair should be living.
When they are together everything works fine but when they are apart Dylan worries, paces, gets angry and can’t settle. He has taken to following Avery around when he is out gathering evidence, a fact that Avery is aware of and doesn’t seem to mind too much, but you don’t get the feeling that this new relationship is going smoothly. Avery knows in the back of his mind that he should be paying more attention to his mate but he is flighty and easily distracted and although he means to face his problems he often just forgets. Being friends with Mr Otis has made this very personal for Avery.
After a lull in the middle of the story the excitement picks up. They are closer to solving the mystery of the disappearing girls with the help of a new man on the Police task force but when Avery gets hurt things finally come to head for him and Dylan. There needs to be compromise but feelings are hurt and things are said in the heat of the moment.
This was a good follow on to Prickly Business and we should have guessed from the way their relationship began that Dylan and Avery would not have it easy. There is an introduction to Jayden’s story in the book which hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for, in fact we are teased with quite a few possibilities to come!
Life is moving on for Dylan and Avery the newly mated Wolf and Hedgehog.
Avery is more than a little obsessed with finding missing wolf Lacey and bringing her home. He is learning the skills needed to become a Private Investigator under the watchful eye of Corbin Reid. Nothing else seems to matter to Avery until he has found Lacey and Dylan is feeling lonely and a bit put out, this is not how a newly mated pair should be living.
When they are together everything works fine but when they are apart Dylan worries, paces, gets angry and can’t settle. He has taken to following Avery around when he is out gathering evidence, a fact that Avery is aware of and doesn’t seem to mind too much, but you don’t get the feeling that this new relationship is going smoothly. Avery knows in the back of his mind that he should be paying more attention to his mate but he is flighty and easily distracted and although he means to face his problems he often just forgets. Being friends with Mr Otis has made this very personal for Avery.
After a lull in the middle of the story the excitement picks up. They are closer to solving the mystery of the disappearing girls with the help of a new man on the Police task force but when Avery gets hurt things finally come to head for him and Dylan. There needs to be compromise but feelings are hurt and things are said in the heat of the moment.
This was a good follow on to Prickly Business and we should have guessed from the way their relationship began that Dylan and Avery would not have it easy. There is an introduction to Jayden’s story in the book which hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for, in fact we are teased with quite a few possibilities to come!
October 31, 2017
4.3 Stars
HA! I knew I'd love this one, and I did, for some of the same reasons as I loved the first one...and for plenty of others. First off, the sex is always smoking hot (KNOTTING!); secondly, their animal characteristics coming through in their human personalities.
But what I adored about this one was how much work they both put into their relationship. They initially fought the mating bond (first book) and never really got the time to know each other well after hooking up. So, this book was more about that. About learning how to be a couple. How to work through their problems, how to talk to each other, how to respect the other's boundaries, needs and wants while still being true to themselves. Sure, there were miscommunication issues, and more than one occassion of them being stubborn asses...but gawd, I loved how they kept trying.
And I loved how Avery fought for his job, to not be coddled and over-protected. Sometimes that bit him in the ass as well, but he got to do it, on his terms, and learn from it. For a boy that had always been handed everything, spoiled and kinda lazy...wow, lots changed with that character development.
Finally, I didn't mention it in the last review, but OMG how much do I love Iggy Toma's drawl? When I look at the cover, Avery sounds exactly like that in my head, so damn good job, son! (He was also amazing as the side characters as well; he made them all sound distinctive and original.)
Man, what I wouldn't give for another one in this series. There seems to be two already set up and all we need are the details, the story for what happens with Luke and his mystery suitor in NOLA, and for Jaden/Keith. Eagerly hoping for more...
HA! I knew I'd love this one, and I did, for some of the same reasons as I loved the first one...and for plenty of others. First off, the sex is always smoking hot (KNOTTING!); secondly, their animal characteristics coming through in their human personalities.
But what I adored about this one was how much work they both put into their relationship. They initially fought the mating bond (first book) and never really got the time to know each other well after hooking up. So, this book was more about that. About learning how to be a couple. How to work through their problems, how to talk to each other, how to respect the other's boundaries, needs and wants while still being true to themselves. Sure, there were miscommunication issues, and more than one occassion of them being stubborn asses...but gawd, I loved how they kept trying.
And I loved how Avery fought for his job, to not be coddled and over-protected. Sometimes that bit him in the ass as well, but he got to do it, on his terms, and learn from it. For a boy that had always been handed everything, spoiled and kinda lazy...wow, lots changed with that character development.
Finally, I didn't mention it in the last review, but OMG how much do I love Iggy Toma's drawl? When I look at the cover, Avery sounds exactly like that in my head, so damn good job, son! (He was also amazing as the side characters as well; he made them all sound distinctive and original.)
Man, what I wouldn't give for another one in this series. There seems to be two already set up and all we need are the details, the story for what happens with Luke and his mystery suitor in NOLA, and for Jaden/Keith. Eagerly hoping for more...
January 2, 2018
First read Nov 2015
second read Jan 2018
rating and comments stand
Fun sequel for Avery the hedgie shifter and his mate. Concentrating on Avery's new job as a trainee PI and his continued attempt to find the missing wolf shifter girl. The ending was a little weak - leaving unanswered questions about who is behind the human trafficking ring. Also leaves the issue of Jaden and the new police officer's mating bond and whether Dylan's friend Louis will return from Louisiana with his new mate.
second read Jan 2018
rating and comments stand
Fun sequel for Avery the hedgie shifter and his mate. Concentrating on Avery's new job as a trainee PI and his continued attempt to find the missing wolf shifter girl. The ending was a little weak - leaving unanswered questions about who is behind the human trafficking ring. Also leaves the issue of Jaden and the new police officer's mating bond and whether Dylan's friend Louis will return from Louisiana with his new mate.
December 10, 2015
Review @
Pickly by Nature is the second book in the Portland Pack Chronicles series by Piper Vaughn and Kenzie Cade. As I already mentioned in the review of the first book, Prickly Business, I love that this series is not the typical Piper’s work. I’m not very familiar with Kenzie writing yet, but I don’t miss a story by Piper and the mystery is a new theme and so welcomed.
We meet Dylan and Avery again months after the ending of Prickly Business, that left a lot unexplored. Avery is more frustrated than ever in his researches about the human trafficing people who took away the young Lacey. He has joined a PI, Reid, to learn the job and get his investigator’s license. His relationship with Dylan is solid because they are mates but these struggles are hard to take to both for them and it’s pulling down their life together.
I couldn’t have enough of the MCs, I laugh a lot at Dylan protectiveness, almost scary but considering the mating bond it can be overcome. Avery is the same adorable guy, loyal and strong in his researches, he is frustrated because he’s pretty much going nowhere.
What I particularly like in this series is the great cast of characters, the books are not focused only on our MC’s couple but there are a lot of friends and family around them, interesting and with great personalities, for what I saw so far. I like the choice of the kind of shifters with Sven being a reindeer, Reid a hawk and of course Avery himself a hedgehog.
There is a lot of potential for the next coming books. A lot of characters need to have their own stories. The next book will be about Jayden and his mate (I can’t tell you who he is but I can’t wait to read their story).
About the writing, I’m always dubious and curious about co authored stories, but these two girls work amazing together, even knowing which character each of them wrote, it was impossible to see a difference (in the writing style) in the POVs. They were really well done.
As I said I loved this book, but there were a couple of things I want to talk a little. First of all I felt too much angst through all the story and it brought me down and didn’t let me fully enjoy it. Then I don’t like more than two (the MCs� ones) POVs. I would have preferred to not have a third one, maybe it could have been told in a different way, maybe not. My “issue� was that Prickly Business was a great surprise, probably a little too much to be overcome. This time I already know where this second installment would have gone and that the mystery would have been solved exactly how I was hoping. That’s why I wasn’t able to give Prickly by Nature more than 4 stars, cause it was really good, I’m not saying the contrary, but being a series, and most of all both books have the same couple, it was inevitable that I would make a comparison.
I want to highly recommend the whole series.
The cover art by Reese Dante is clearly well done and fitting. The only remark I want to make is that I would have preferred something not so similar to the cover of Prickly Business.
Pickly by Nature is the second book in the Portland Pack Chronicles series by Piper Vaughn and Kenzie Cade. As I already mentioned in the review of the first book, Prickly Business, I love that this series is not the typical Piper’s work. I’m not very familiar with Kenzie writing yet, but I don’t miss a story by Piper and the mystery is a new theme and so welcomed.
We meet Dylan and Avery again months after the ending of Prickly Business, that left a lot unexplored. Avery is more frustrated than ever in his researches about the human trafficing people who took away the young Lacey. He has joined a PI, Reid, to learn the job and get his investigator’s license. His relationship with Dylan is solid because they are mates but these struggles are hard to take to both for them and it’s pulling down their life together.
I couldn’t have enough of the MCs, I laugh a lot at Dylan protectiveness, almost scary but considering the mating bond it can be overcome. Avery is the same adorable guy, loyal and strong in his researches, he is frustrated because he’s pretty much going nowhere.
What I particularly like in this series is the great cast of characters, the books are not focused only on our MC’s couple but there are a lot of friends and family around them, interesting and with great personalities, for what I saw so far. I like the choice of the kind of shifters with Sven being a reindeer, Reid a hawk and of course Avery himself a hedgehog.
There is a lot of potential for the next coming books. A lot of characters need to have their own stories. The next book will be about Jayden and his mate (I can’t tell you who he is but I can’t wait to read their story).
About the writing, I’m always dubious and curious about co authored stories, but these two girls work amazing together, even knowing which character each of them wrote, it was impossible to see a difference (in the writing style) in the POVs. They were really well done.
As I said I loved this book, but there were a couple of things I want to talk a little. First of all I felt too much angst through all the story and it brought me down and didn’t let me fully enjoy it. Then I don’t like more than two (the MCs� ones) POVs. I would have preferred to not have a third one, maybe it could have been told in a different way, maybe not. My “issue� was that Prickly Business was a great surprise, probably a little too much to be overcome. This time I already know where this second installment would have gone and that the mystery would have been solved exactly how I was hoping. That’s why I wasn’t able to give Prickly by Nature more than 4 stars, cause it was really good, I’m not saying the contrary, but being a series, and most of all both books have the same couple, it was inevitable that I would make a comparison.
I want to highly recommend the whole series.
The cover art by Reese Dante is clearly well done and fitting. The only remark I want to make is that I would have preferred something not so similar to the cover of Prickly Business.
December 27, 2015
I'll admit I struggled to get into this book. Maybe that's because of the holidays or general end of the year blehness but it was hard. Avery really annoyed me. I don't know how much of his behavior was because he's a hedgehog shifter, and how much is because his insecurity, or how much is him just being a jerk. But I thought he treated Dylan pretty badly, or was just very short with him for no reason. But also, Dylan has his own set of issues. His "protectiveness" is really overbearing and suffocating to Avery, which I completely get. I do like seeing them work through what being in a relationship means for them, so all of the above is just growing pains. I am glad the mystery gets wrapped up a bit, I still feel unsure about somethings, so I'm not sure if it's a thread left hanging or if I just missed something. Very intrigued by the set ups for Lucas and Avery's BFF's separate stories. I thought I knew who Lucas would be paired with but now I'm not sure. I really think I need to read this one again when I can give it my full focus and not be picking it up and putting it down a lot.
November 22, 2015
I'm reading this now. one irritating note. having lived in pdx, nobody in Portland calls the max, MAX. like, you don't say, I'm going to take MAX. you say, I'm going to take the max. it's not a horse, it's a train. like you take THE subway, not take subway.
ok, I just finished. issues as follows
1. Sven, you are too stupid for words
2. Avery, borderline too stupid for words
3. Dylan, please smack Avery.
4. I really want to read about Lucas because I'm done with stupid Avery and Sven.
ok, I just finished. issues as follows
1. Sven, you are too stupid for words
2. Avery, borderline too stupid for words
3. Dylan, please smack Avery.
4. I really want to read about Lucas because I'm done with stupid Avery and Sven.
August 3, 2021
Good conclusion for Avery and Dylan. Nice progression to their relationship and wrapping up some things from the first book. I'd like Lucas's story and Jaden & Heath's now please!
June 8, 2021
Prickly By Nature
By Piper Vaughn
I liked this book about the same as the first one. Avery has matured considerably and learned to stand up to his family. Dylan is just as protective and loving as the end of the first book. Most of all I love that they actually work hard to make their relationship successful.
Finally finding Lacey was a bit anticlimactic in how it happened. There were too many questions left unanswered.
I've always disliked Sven for some reason. I hate Warren and Law. I love Jaden and hope he and his mate work things out in the future. I kinda feel indifferent about Luc. But in the end Dylan and Avery are what was most important here.
The book was in both Avery and Dylan's POV.
By Piper Vaughn
I liked this book about the same as the first one. Avery has matured considerably and learned to stand up to his family. Dylan is just as protective and loving as the end of the first book. Most of all I love that they actually work hard to make their relationship successful.
Finally finding Lacey was a bit anticlimactic in how it happened. There were too many questions left unanswered.
I've always disliked Sven for some reason. I hate Warren and Law. I love Jaden and hope he and his mate work things out in the future. I kinda feel indifferent about Luc. But in the end Dylan and Avery are what was most important here.
The book was in both Avery and Dylan's POV.
December 22, 2018
3.5 stars
This was better than the first one. The relationship development was nice and wholesome, as was the setup for future books.
This was better than the first one. The relationship development was nice and wholesome, as was the setup for future books.
November 19, 2015
4 Heart Review by Vicki
Back to the world of hedgehog and wolf shifters we go! I loved the first story in this series and I’ve really been looking forward to this one.
This book picks up not too long after Prickly Business took place, and follows the same two characters. Avery the hedgehog shifter, and his mated man, Dylan the wolf shifter. In the first book the two had issues bonding and cementing their fated mating. Neither wanted a mate, much less one of a different species. It took some time and drama to get them together. The plot other than the romance that ran through that book was Avery’s hunt for missing wolf shifter Lacey. Lacey had been kidnapped and sold in a human trafficking ring, and Avery, friends with Lacey’s father, was determined to find Lacey. The book ended with him on the track, but not having found Lacey.
In Prickly By Nature, we find Avery and Dylan together, but still on slightly shaky ground, neither having said those three big words to the other. They are living together but not as settled as they could be. Their romance gets pretty rough over this book, as Avery continues to hunt for the missing Lacey. Avery is now apprenticed to Reid, a local Private Investigator, and bird shifter. Avery has decided he wants to be a PI, not just to find Lacey but as a new career. This causes major disruption in the lives of Dylan and Avery, as Avery is not always in the safest places, and he won’t let Dylan help him, or drop this new life plan.
I liked this book, but it wasn’t quite as good as the first one was for me. I think Avery and Dylan spent a little too much time apart, and the story got bogged down in the hunt for the bad guys. I liked that as a background to their story, but it almost overwhelmed this book a bit. It was still good, I love Avery and Dylan, but I wanted them to spend a little more time on page together. There are a few sex scenes, but several fade to black scenes, that I wanted to see. I love the two of them together! I will say they pay a visit to Avery’s family in Louisiana that I thought was good, it showed why Avery is so�. distrusting of family situations, and why he has a hard time understanding Dylan’s need for his pack. I liked the additional characters, we get a new one in a sexy cop that could lead to some nice drama involving Jayden, Avery’s best friend. I’m hoping we’ll see how that plays out in another book. I liked Dylan’s crew as well, something is going on with one of them I also hope is leading us to another book.
Piper and Kenzie are a good team, the writing is very good in this book. The characters are great, I love the creativity of pairing together a wolf and a hedgehog. The mystery that runs through it was good, but like I said, overwhelmed the story a bit. Well, maybe not the hunt for Lacey storyline, but Avery’s other cases with Reid. Maybe that’s what bothered me, now that I think about it. That’s what distracted me as we followed Avery around. Anyway, it was still a great book!
If you read the first one and liked it, you need to read this one. If you haven’t read the first one, you need to before reading this one. It is not a stand alone story. If you are a fan of shifters, this is a very unique pairing, and well worth reading. Great writing, great characters, good plot, and a great ending!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Back to the world of hedgehog and wolf shifters we go! I loved the first story in this series and I’ve really been looking forward to this one.
This book picks up not too long after Prickly Business took place, and follows the same two characters. Avery the hedgehog shifter, and his mated man, Dylan the wolf shifter. In the first book the two had issues bonding and cementing their fated mating. Neither wanted a mate, much less one of a different species. It took some time and drama to get them together. The plot other than the romance that ran through that book was Avery’s hunt for missing wolf shifter Lacey. Lacey had been kidnapped and sold in a human trafficking ring, and Avery, friends with Lacey’s father, was determined to find Lacey. The book ended with him on the track, but not having found Lacey.
In Prickly By Nature, we find Avery and Dylan together, but still on slightly shaky ground, neither having said those three big words to the other. They are living together but not as settled as they could be. Their romance gets pretty rough over this book, as Avery continues to hunt for the missing Lacey. Avery is now apprenticed to Reid, a local Private Investigator, and bird shifter. Avery has decided he wants to be a PI, not just to find Lacey but as a new career. This causes major disruption in the lives of Dylan and Avery, as Avery is not always in the safest places, and he won’t let Dylan help him, or drop this new life plan.
I liked this book, but it wasn’t quite as good as the first one was for me. I think Avery and Dylan spent a little too much time apart, and the story got bogged down in the hunt for the bad guys. I liked that as a background to their story, but it almost overwhelmed this book a bit. It was still good, I love Avery and Dylan, but I wanted them to spend a little more time on page together. There are a few sex scenes, but several fade to black scenes, that I wanted to see. I love the two of them together! I will say they pay a visit to Avery’s family in Louisiana that I thought was good, it showed why Avery is so�. distrusting of family situations, and why he has a hard time understanding Dylan’s need for his pack. I liked the additional characters, we get a new one in a sexy cop that could lead to some nice drama involving Jayden, Avery’s best friend. I’m hoping we’ll see how that plays out in another book. I liked Dylan’s crew as well, something is going on with one of them I also hope is leading us to another book.
Piper and Kenzie are a good team, the writing is very good in this book. The characters are great, I love the creativity of pairing together a wolf and a hedgehog. The mystery that runs through it was good, but like I said, overwhelmed the story a bit. Well, maybe not the hunt for Lacey storyline, but Avery’s other cases with Reid. Maybe that’s what bothered me, now that I think about it. That’s what distracted me as we followed Avery around. Anyway, it was still a great book!
If you read the first one and liked it, you need to read this one. If you haven’t read the first one, you need to before reading this one. It is not a stand alone story. If you are a fan of shifters, this is a very unique pairing, and well worth reading. Great writing, great characters, good plot, and a great ending!
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
November 19, 2015
y Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment of this book which is always a worry when it comes to a second book featuring the same couple. Sometimes it's hard to maintain that same quality of story line into the second and subsequent books. For this series that was especially true just because the conflict between the two MC's was their inherent differences that kept them apart. But the authors used those differences brilliantly in this book to maintain the same style of conflict without compromising the quality and depth of commitment between these two characters. That isn't an easy balance to maintain...at all.
In this book, Dylan and Avery are making their relationship work...for the most part. Dylan still has issues with wanting to protect Avery from everything, while Avery still has issues wanting to handle everything for himself. What makes this work for them is Dylan's very real commitment to making them work...and I'll admit this relationship is a bit one-sided in that willingness to compromise. I loved Dylan for that. He compromises with Avery to keep Avery happy. Although Avery makes compromises, too, a lot of his compromises are less thought out than Dylan's. Dylan makes a concerted effort day in and day out to curb his protective, alpha tendencies with Avery. Once again, I loved Dylan and his ability to see what his mate needs. He is so much why this relationship works for me as a reader. I love seeing his level of commitment.
And although Avery is just as in love with Dylan as Dylan is with him, he just isn't used to thinking about someone else. As a hedgehog shifter, Avery is used to tackling everything himself. That group (pack) mentality that Dylan automatically has doesn't come into play for Avery. As a result, a lot of the time he doesn't realize just how much his actions are hurting Dylan until after the fact and then he feels awful. Avery approaches their relationship differently and while it isn't wrong, it makes things feel like Dylan is getting the short end of the relationship a lot of the time.
I like watching the constant push and pull between the two of them while they try to figure out how to make this all work. Let's face it, who would consider a mating between a wolf and a hedgehog? They are wildly different and that makes their approaches to life wildly different. I thoroughly enjoy the way the authors have done that with their characters. It makes for a really interesting dichotomy.
There a lot of side stories happening in the background of this book. Some of them are resolved, but several of them are not. All of them were really interesting and I'm so hoping that means we have several more books coming from this series. There are so many really interesting characters in this pack and I need all of Dylan and Avery's friends to find their HEA's too. From Lucas and the mystery happening in his life to Jaden's really messed up mate. I'm ready for another book announcement for this series. I just hope it comes really quickly. (And I don't think I could ever get tired of Avery/Dylan stories, and with the set up of Avery's PI business, they could continue on for a lot of books.)
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment of this book which is always a worry when it comes to a second book featuring the same couple. Sometimes it's hard to maintain that same quality of story line into the second and subsequent books. For this series that was especially true just because the conflict between the two MC's was their inherent differences that kept them apart. But the authors used those differences brilliantly in this book to maintain the same style of conflict without compromising the quality and depth of commitment between these two characters. That isn't an easy balance to maintain...at all.
In this book, Dylan and Avery are making their relationship work...for the most part. Dylan still has issues with wanting to protect Avery from everything, while Avery still has issues wanting to handle everything for himself. What makes this work for them is Dylan's very real commitment to making them work...and I'll admit this relationship is a bit one-sided in that willingness to compromise. I loved Dylan for that. He compromises with Avery to keep Avery happy. Although Avery makes compromises, too, a lot of his compromises are less thought out than Dylan's. Dylan makes a concerted effort day in and day out to curb his protective, alpha tendencies with Avery. Once again, I loved Dylan and his ability to see what his mate needs. He is so much why this relationship works for me as a reader. I love seeing his level of commitment.
And although Avery is just as in love with Dylan as Dylan is with him, he just isn't used to thinking about someone else. As a hedgehog shifter, Avery is used to tackling everything himself. That group (pack) mentality that Dylan automatically has doesn't come into play for Avery. As a result, a lot of the time he doesn't realize just how much his actions are hurting Dylan until after the fact and then he feels awful. Avery approaches their relationship differently and while it isn't wrong, it makes things feel like Dylan is getting the short end of the relationship a lot of the time.
I like watching the constant push and pull between the two of them while they try to figure out how to make this all work. Let's face it, who would consider a mating between a wolf and a hedgehog? They are wildly different and that makes their approaches to life wildly different. I thoroughly enjoy the way the authors have done that with their characters. It makes for a really interesting dichotomy.
There a lot of side stories happening in the background of this book. Some of them are resolved, but several of them are not. All of them were really interesting and I'm so hoping that means we have several more books coming from this series. There are so many really interesting characters in this pack and I need all of Dylan and Avery's friends to find their HEA's too. From Lucas and the mystery happening in his life to Jaden's really messed up mate. I'm ready for another book announcement for this series. I just hope it comes really quickly. (And I don't think I could ever get tired of Avery/Dylan stories, and with the set up of Avery's PI business, they could continue on for a lot of books.)
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
September 18, 2016
I really liked the relationship development in this.
Whereas in Prickly Business Avery and Dylan didn't communicate well at all (and that might be the understatement of the year), they definitely put forth more effort in this installment. Which went a long way to mollifying my ire over the last one.
The mystery is well balanced with the romance, and character growth and introduction makes this seem like a series that could really get some legs.
The narration by Iggy Toma is wonderful! Iggy has a terrific way with character voices, tone and intonation that makes listening a pleasure.
This has a good blend of romance, mystery, suspense, some light angst and action, and, of course, good sexy times makes Prickly By Nature an entertaining listen.
Recommended.
Audio copy of provided by in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at .
November 22, 2015
We met Dylan and Avery in book one, they’d finally admitted they were mates and are willing to make a go of it. Meanwhile, Avery is hot on the case of a missing wolf shifter and it’s turning into a career. Dylan supports Avery, but hates the time he’s away from home and the danger he’s in.
Meanwhile, people involved in the shifter case keep ending up dead and this makes Dylan all the more worried. But� the tension from the case and the unexpected reception they receive at Avery’s brother’s wedding, force them both to finally admit their love for one another.
So� on the one hand, things between them are getting better and better, but all the more dangerous, nonetheless.
**
I loved this sequel! It surpassed my enjoyment of book one by a factor of 10!
The wolves and other shifters are real people, not stuck in pack hierarchy, but everyday joes who can shift into animals.
As an Oregonian, I loved all the references to places around PDX. Beaverton, the Pearl, Forest Park, NE Portland, etc� loved it!
I loved the intimacy and chemistry between Dylan and Avery. Man, oh man! The sex was smokin�! The increased feels between the two undoubtedly helped but the on page action was seriously hawt, too!
The secondary characters are well developed and add to the story (Lucas and Miss Georgie are fab!). This is an amazing writing team and I hope we see more from them on other projects as well.
All in all I loved this and highly recommend it to fans of book one and shifter fans.
Meanwhile, people involved in the shifter case keep ending up dead and this makes Dylan all the more worried. But� the tension from the case and the unexpected reception they receive at Avery’s brother’s wedding, force them both to finally admit their love for one another.
So� on the one hand, things between them are getting better and better, but all the more dangerous, nonetheless.
**
I loved this sequel! It surpassed my enjoyment of book one by a factor of 10!
The wolves and other shifters are real people, not stuck in pack hierarchy, but everyday joes who can shift into animals.
As an Oregonian, I loved all the references to places around PDX. Beaverton, the Pearl, Forest Park, NE Portland, etc� loved it!
I loved the intimacy and chemistry between Dylan and Avery. Man, oh man! The sex was smokin�! The increased feels between the two undoubtedly helped but the on page action was seriously hawt, too!
The secondary characters are well developed and add to the story (Lucas and Miss Georgie are fab!). This is an amazing writing team and I hope we see more from them on other projects as well.
All in all I loved this and highly recommend it to fans of book one and shifter fans.
June 10, 2016
Puas dan lega melihat ending-nya. What a great ride. Begitu padat isinya ketimbang shifter romance lain yg kubaca. Aku suka melihat bagaimana Avery dan Dylan membangun relationship mereka, bagaimana keduanya belajar utk berkompromi, Dylan yg overprotektif (sifat natural wolf shifter) dan Avery yg gerah dgn posesifnya Dylan, kisah cinta mereka lebih dari sekedar bonding dan mating lantas HEA ikat pake pita merah.
Akhirnya masuk buku 2 ini the bad guys ketangkap semua, dan akhirnya Avery bisa berkompromi dgn fakta bahwa dia lebih cocok sebagai detektif di belakang meja yg membongkar kejahatan di dunia maya, daripada terjun ke lapangan. Avery adalah tipe yg more brainy than brawny.
Memang wajar dan dapat dipahami kalo Avery sulit utk menerima fakta tsb pada awalnya secara dia begitu terobsesi utk membuktikan dirinya bahwa dia sebagai hedgehog shifter tak selemah seperti yg dianggap para shifter lainnya yg jauh lebih besar dan ganas darinya. Tapi kadang mengakui kelemahan diri, meminta dan menerima pertolongan tidaklah memalukan. Avery mungkin tak punya kekuatan fisik sehebat shifter lainnya, tapi dia punya skill dan kecerdasan yg dapat dimanfaatkannya utk membongkar kejahatan di dunia maya.
Anyway, aku berharap setidaknya ada 2 buku sekuel utk kisah Heath x Jaden dan Lucas dgn pasangannya (blm jelas manusia atau werewolf atau shifter lainnya) dalam waktu dekat.
Akhirnya masuk buku 2 ini the bad guys ketangkap semua, dan akhirnya Avery bisa berkompromi dgn fakta bahwa dia lebih cocok sebagai detektif di belakang meja yg membongkar kejahatan di dunia maya, daripada terjun ke lapangan. Avery adalah tipe yg more brainy than brawny.
Memang wajar dan dapat dipahami kalo Avery sulit utk menerima fakta tsb pada awalnya secara dia begitu terobsesi utk membuktikan dirinya bahwa dia sebagai hedgehog shifter tak selemah seperti yg dianggap para shifter lainnya yg jauh lebih besar dan ganas darinya. Tapi kadang mengakui kelemahan diri, meminta dan menerima pertolongan tidaklah memalukan. Avery mungkin tak punya kekuatan fisik sehebat shifter lainnya, tapi dia punya skill dan kecerdasan yg dapat dimanfaatkannya utk membongkar kejahatan di dunia maya.
Anyway, aku berharap setidaknya ada 2 buku sekuel utk kisah Heath x Jaden dan Lucas dgn pasangannya (blm jelas manusia atau werewolf atau shifter lainnya) dalam waktu dekat.
November 3, 2016
***
Prickly by Nature is the sequel to Prickly Business, and we once again meet up with wolf Dylan and hedgehog Avery. Avery is still his prickly self and still looking into the disappearance of Lacey, meanwhile Dylan is trying to stay connected with his often busy mate.
There are some great shifted form scenes, too often shifter novels never have the humans shift. It was adorable to see Dylan interacting with shifted Avery. We also have a great battle scene that kept me on the edge of my chair. Interspersed were Dylan and Avery trying to navigate their new mating.
Avery can be a bit of a jerk, and Dylan overprotective (though Avery does seem to need protection often). I was glad to see the happy bits of their relationship though.
We get many story lines tied up, though there are new ones introduced. I am hoping we get to see Jaden and his mate’s story as well as Lucas and his.
All in all, a very pleasurable story!
Narration Review:
I really liked how Iggy Toma did Avery’s accent, it was full of the Southerness it needed while still being haughty. I found the pacing good and the emotion evident. I really enjoyed listening to it
Prickly by Nature is the sequel to Prickly Business, and we once again meet up with wolf Dylan and hedgehog Avery. Avery is still his prickly self and still looking into the disappearance of Lacey, meanwhile Dylan is trying to stay connected with his often busy mate.
There are some great shifted form scenes, too often shifter novels never have the humans shift. It was adorable to see Dylan interacting with shifted Avery. We also have a great battle scene that kept me on the edge of my chair. Interspersed were Dylan and Avery trying to navigate their new mating.
Avery can be a bit of a jerk, and Dylan overprotective (though Avery does seem to need protection often). I was glad to see the happy bits of their relationship though.
We get many story lines tied up, though there are new ones introduced. I am hoping we get to see Jaden and his mate’s story as well as Lucas and his.
All in all, a very pleasurable story!
Narration Review:
I really liked how Iggy Toma did Avery’s accent, it was full of the Southerness it needed while still being haughty. I found the pacing good and the emotion evident. I really enjoyed listening to it
December 12, 2015
I really liked this book. Avery is still sassy and spunky and Dylan is still the protective, hunky, motorcycle-loving mate of his. Opposites really do attract. Life is never dull for this couple.
In this second book of the series, this pair has turned domestic. In the first book, Avery was portrayed as a guy who loves shoes and has a huge collection as well as a very expensive wardrobe and is the "southern belle". Dylan is the Macho Man. In this second book, Avery is now a detective-in-training and is out in dangerous situations coming home with black eyes while Dylan is home cooking dinner and waiting on Avery to get home. Life takes a turn after mating.
The plot line is really good. It moves at a good pace, not rushed. I appreciate that.
I love that the author brought some of the minor characters from the first book into this one.
I highly recommend this book. If you like a m/m book with mystery and suspense and inter-shifter relationships and a vacation trip to New Orleans then this book is for you. I highly recommend you read the first book in the series first though.
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
In this second book of the series, this pair has turned domestic. In the first book, Avery was portrayed as a guy who loves shoes and has a huge collection as well as a very expensive wardrobe and is the "southern belle". Dylan is the Macho Man. In this second book, Avery is now a detective-in-training and is out in dangerous situations coming home with black eyes while Dylan is home cooking dinner and waiting on Avery to get home. Life takes a turn after mating.
The plot line is really good. It moves at a good pace, not rushed. I appreciate that.
I love that the author brought some of the minor characters from the first book into this one.
I highly recommend this book. If you like a m/m book with mystery and suspense and inter-shifter relationships and a vacation trip to New Orleans then this book is for you. I highly recommend you read the first book in the series first though.
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
November 17, 2015
Great sequel!
What a great continuation of Avery and Dylan's story. Full of mystery, action and angst, Avery is learning the PI business. He's so caught up in it, he's been neglecting his mate and Dylan is feeling left alone. Both of them need to work through their feelings, and with a tragedy looming ahead of them, they must work together and be together to come out on the other side. Brilliant story...just perfect!!
What a great continuation of Avery and Dylan's story. Full of mystery, action and angst, Avery is learning the PI business. He's so caught up in it, he's been neglecting his mate and Dylan is feeling left alone. Both of them need to work through their feelings, and with a tragedy looming ahead of them, they must work together and be together to come out on the other side. Brilliant story...just perfect!!
November 18, 2015
I loved Avery and Dylan. Dylan's little freak out when they were in the grocery store was funny, and Avery's responding one after they got home was, too. Can't wait to see what Piper and Kenzie give us next!
November 11, 2016
I thought I had already read this book. It’s in my ebook library. I’ve read the first book in the series. I assumed I had consumed the second one as soon as I purchased it. And yet, somehow I managed not to. I didn’t catch on until about two hours into the audio, when I was trying to figure out WHY DON’T I REMEMBER ANY OF THIS?! And you know what? I’m thrilled that I got to experience this book for the first time in audio. Thanks, past me, for being a ball dropper because this audiobook is a treat.
It’s extremely gratifying to see Avery’s development in Prickly By Nature. We saw a bit of his personal growth trajectory in book one, but this is where we really see him start to come into his own as a person who actually spends his emotional resources on other people outside of himself and his immediate circle. He struggles a bit with balance, but it’s nice to see him pour himself out for the greater good. Avery is desperate to bring Lacey home; he’s working to exhaustion, dedicating himself to long hours of searching on top of his training, and committing himself to a new career just to find her. For someone who starts the series as shallow, self-centered, and thoughtless, Avery’s come a long way.
Dylan is learning to let Avery have his own life and semi-dangerous career, and he’s…mostly…successful at it. I would have liked him to succeed a little more at the whole Avery’s-his-own-person thing, but I was happy with their relationship by the end of the book, and I really, really like them together. So, that’s pretty much a win.
And can we also talk about how much I LOVE that Avery’s a hedgehog shifter? BECAUSE I LOVE THAT. I love hedgehogs, and clearly these authors do too, because the descriptions of hedgehog Avery are so adorable I can hardly stand it. I had to watch about a hundred hedgehog videos on YouTube when I finished this book just to continue the squee. So much squee.
The only thing I felt was a bit lacking was the sense of how dire Lacey’s situation is as a victim of human trafficking. She’s described as missing, lost, abducted, held against her will, etc., but I’m not sure the word rape was used a single time in the entire book. And let’s be clear, she is a victim of horrible rape. I felt like the sheer awfulness of her entire captivity was downplayed just by the simple fact that no one ever laid that fact out. Which made Lacey less of a character and more a plot point that was about advancing Avery’s character through his feelings and investment in her case and the furthering of his relationship with Dylan. It’s kind of a tough corner to write from, since Avery’s never actually met her, and to this point, she hasn’t appeared on the page. And I’m definitely not saying I wanted more details on her captivity, because I did NOT; the level of vagueness on that front was just fine with me. I really just needed someone to acknowledge that this girl was trapped in hell, not stuck at some sucky sleep away camp; and as tired as Avery was, Lacey was likely living with daily rape and terror if she wasn’t dead already. And while I agree that Avery needed to be better at pacing himself, when it came to arguing about staying on vacation when he finally had a potential lead, I got a bit frustrated. Four days may not have made a difference to Avery, but they would absolutely have made a difference to Lacey. The fact that no one seemed to realize this (including Avery) was kind of crazy-making and a little unbelievable. There was a bit of a recovery on this front toward the end, when the physical and emotional consequences of the whole situation got some page time, but it takes most of the book to get there.
NOW! Let’s talk about Iggy Toma. IGGY. TOMA. He’s one of my top five narrators. I wish he had more books to his credit, because I could listen to him read all the things. ALL. THE. THINGS. He’s great at character voices; he’s got spot on intonation and delivery; and for Avery, he does an extremely passable aristocratic southern accent (as far as this non-southerner is concerned). He struggles a bit with a brief foray into a creole accent, but honestly, EVERYONE who doesn’t naturally come by the creole has a rough time with it. He does well enough, and there’s not much of it on the page, so I had no problem. This book is great on it own, but even if we were discussing some kind of dry as dust technical manual, Iggy Toma’d be worth the price of admission.
Prickly By Nature takes the time to tie off nearly all of the loose ends for the series. I wanted a bit more detail on secondary character Lucas and the bow his arc gets wrapped in, but overall, the book ends satisfactorily. As far as I know this is the last book in the series, and if that’s the case, I’m sad because I love these characters, but I don’t feel like I was left hanging. If you read and liked Prickly Business, Prickly By Nature on audio is a wonderful way to finish the series. And if you’ve already read the series, the audiobooks are a fantastic way to experience it fresh. The narration is fantastic and the characters are worth revisiting.
Reviewed by Cassie for
It’s extremely gratifying to see Avery’s development in Prickly By Nature. We saw a bit of his personal growth trajectory in book one, but this is where we really see him start to come into his own as a person who actually spends his emotional resources on other people outside of himself and his immediate circle. He struggles a bit with balance, but it’s nice to see him pour himself out for the greater good. Avery is desperate to bring Lacey home; he’s working to exhaustion, dedicating himself to long hours of searching on top of his training, and committing himself to a new career just to find her. For someone who starts the series as shallow, self-centered, and thoughtless, Avery’s come a long way.
Dylan is learning to let Avery have his own life and semi-dangerous career, and he’s…mostly…successful at it. I would have liked him to succeed a little more at the whole Avery’s-his-own-person thing, but I was happy with their relationship by the end of the book, and I really, really like them together. So, that’s pretty much a win.
And can we also talk about how much I LOVE that Avery’s a hedgehog shifter? BECAUSE I LOVE THAT. I love hedgehogs, and clearly these authors do too, because the descriptions of hedgehog Avery are so adorable I can hardly stand it. I had to watch about a hundred hedgehog videos on YouTube when I finished this book just to continue the squee. So much squee.
The only thing I felt was a bit lacking was the sense of how dire Lacey’s situation is as a victim of human trafficking. She’s described as missing, lost, abducted, held against her will, etc., but I’m not sure the word rape was used a single time in the entire book. And let’s be clear, she is a victim of horrible rape. I felt like the sheer awfulness of her entire captivity was downplayed just by the simple fact that no one ever laid that fact out. Which made Lacey less of a character and more a plot point that was about advancing Avery’s character through his feelings and investment in her case and the furthering of his relationship with Dylan. It’s kind of a tough corner to write from, since Avery’s never actually met her, and to this point, she hasn’t appeared on the page. And I’m definitely not saying I wanted more details on her captivity, because I did NOT; the level of vagueness on that front was just fine with me. I really just needed someone to acknowledge that this girl was trapped in hell, not stuck at some sucky sleep away camp; and as tired as Avery was, Lacey was likely living with daily rape and terror if she wasn’t dead already. And while I agree that Avery needed to be better at pacing himself, when it came to arguing about staying on vacation when he finally had a potential lead, I got a bit frustrated. Four days may not have made a difference to Avery, but they would absolutely have made a difference to Lacey. The fact that no one seemed to realize this (including Avery) was kind of crazy-making and a little unbelievable. There was a bit of a recovery on this front toward the end, when the physical and emotional consequences of the whole situation got some page time, but it takes most of the book to get there.
NOW! Let’s talk about Iggy Toma. IGGY. TOMA. He’s one of my top five narrators. I wish he had more books to his credit, because I could listen to him read all the things. ALL. THE. THINGS. He’s great at character voices; he’s got spot on intonation and delivery; and for Avery, he does an extremely passable aristocratic southern accent (as far as this non-southerner is concerned). He struggles a bit with a brief foray into a creole accent, but honestly, EVERYONE who doesn’t naturally come by the creole has a rough time with it. He does well enough, and there’s not much of it on the page, so I had no problem. This book is great on it own, but even if we were discussing some kind of dry as dust technical manual, Iggy Toma’d be worth the price of admission.
Prickly By Nature takes the time to tie off nearly all of the loose ends for the series. I wanted a bit more detail on secondary character Lucas and the bow his arc gets wrapped in, but overall, the book ends satisfactorily. As far as I know this is the last book in the series, and if that’s the case, I’m sad because I love these characters, but I don’t feel like I was left hanging. If you read and liked Prickly Business, Prickly By Nature on audio is a wonderful way to finish the series. And if you’ve already read the series, the audiobooks are a fantastic way to experience it fresh. The narration is fantastic and the characters are worth revisiting.
Reviewed by Cassie for
August 11, 2015
So cute. Was really pulling for them.
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