Wild Cat [Mass Market Paperback]

Answering a trespassing call, Las Vegas detective Diego Escobar never thought he'd find a naked woman fifty stories up but Cassidy Warden is no ordinary woman. As a shifter, unfair laws state that Cassidy could face hard jail time or even the death penalty for the harmless act, so Deigo puts his job on the line by covering for her and now must keep a close eye on the feline beauty. Cassidy should be furious that Deigo stopped her from getting the assassin who killed her mate, then arrested her after she saved his life but instead she just wants another chance to get closer to the man who has her feeling more alive than ever. Knowing what it feels like to want revenge, Diego will help Cassidy find her killer and fight for a future he wants with the woman he'll risk everything for.

Diego is a human who has the presence of an alpha. He's intelligent, hardworking, confident, doesn't back down from a challenge and has a need to protect the people he cares about. Diego knows Cassidy can shift into a lethal snow leopard but he still wants to protect her. In Cassidy's world of dominate male shifters, Diego manages to stand out not as a weaker human but a man who can hold his own, whether against feral shifters or close minded humans. I love that Diego doesn't feel the need to prove himself physically against the shifters. He knows his strengths and won't let anyone make him question that. Plus there was no way I couldn't fall for his Latino charm.

Cassidy has a great relationship with her family and I could really feel her pain whenever she talks about the loss of her mate. She's ready to help when there's trouble and while I did like her, I had issues with her character. She's second in command of her Las Vegas Shiftertown, a community that shifters in that area must live in, but I never got the feeling that she held that kind of power. I know that being the strongest is not what makes an alpha and while she would help the women in her town one minute then go on a dangerous mission with Diego the next, I just bring myself to believe she had such high position. Like I said, I liked Cassidy but for the big deal that was made over her being second in command, I wasn't all that impressed.

There's a lot going on in Wild Cat and I thought it was too much. Besides trying to find the killer of Cassidy's mate and find out why he's now after Cassidy herself, Diego is looking to avenge his partner who was murdered. Following a lead, he and Cassidy run into some unexpected trouble that takes the story into another direction. Also, Cassidy's brother Eric has his eyes on a pretty little shifter that won't easily give in to his requests while he's trying to figure out what to do with an unwelcome visitor. This book is barely over 300 pages and I thought all these story lines were interesting but there was just too much happening at once.

Wild Cat is the first book in the Shifters Unbound series that takes place away from the Morrissey clan of the Shiftertown in Austin. I wasn't sure how I'd like it because I'm head over heals in love with the Morrissey men but even with the story overcrowding, I still enjoyed reading Wild Cat. Diego was great and though I had issues with Cassidy, she did end up winning me over in the end. Their love for one another felt genuine and when these two hit the sheets, the pages would sizzle. I look forward to seeing these two again in Mate Claimed, Eric's book and the next installment in the series.

Being human means police officer Diego shouldn't like Cassidy Warden. Something about her calls to his wild side, even as he's cuffing her wrists against that flawless back. Laws are laws and she's broken one, for a shifter that's bad news. Diego knows he needs to treat this case carefully, especially after he learns that she's being hunted by someone that seems to appear and disappear at will.
Feline shifter Cassidy hasn't trusted humans since her mate was murdered a year ago. She needs the closure of finding his killers if she is ever to stop grieving so hard. Diego, the sexy Latino cop, is slowly starting to stir her mate bond again and she is fnding herself powerless to stop it. Diego is still grieving the loss of his partner and he may need some consoling only Cassidy can do.
With their faceless enemy closing in Cassidy and Diego have little time to figure out who is after Cassidy and why. Help from friends shifter and human alike, along with some new allies, will be their only hope.

There is just something about this series that I love. There isn't an overload of action. The sex scenes are hot but not really anything out of the ordinary. The thing I love about this series is the connection I feel with the characters. The connection the characters have with each other. And the sense of family woven throughout the story. Add to that some sexy shifters and you've got a winner in my eyes.
Diego....omg you guys...give me a hot, protective cop that whispers naughty things in his native language, in my ear ANY DAY. He was strong, protective even though Cassidy can more than take care of herself and completely loyal to those around him. His past of gang involvement having shaped him into a great cop and a wonderful human being. He made me melt every time he called Cassidy "mi ja"
Cassidy was a character that was easy to get behind. She was grieving her mate and so in the beginning came off a bit standoffish. However, her mating frenzy was soon kicking into overdrive with the sexy Latino. I loved her take charge attitude even when she was showing her not often seen soft side.
Wild Cat is the third book in the Shifter Unbound series but surprisingly it found us in another shifter clan altogether. We had briefly heard of Eric (Cassidys brother and head of this clan) in the last two books but only from afar. Going into another shifter town was a good idea in my opinion. It may have changed the location a little but it gives the story line a fresh perspective. New characters. And limitless new stories to be told. Eric has a small side story in Wild Cat which will be the lead in for the next book due out in the fall. I will admit I'm bummed it's going to be that long of a wait...even knowing it really isn't long by publishing standard. What can I say, I'm greedy that way. I want more Shifter Unbound! Eric meets Iona, a collarless half shifter trying to pass as fully human. She has resisted "coming out" for fear of the restrictions placed upon shifters. The tension between these two could be cut with a knife. I really look forward to the continuation of their story.
I enjoyed the continued world building with the Fae and their different "species" and conflicts. They aren't unlike humans really in the fact that they have factions and turmoil within the social ranks. I liked the play of the light vs. the dark. I also thought that the social ladders of humans and shifters is really interesting. The shunning of the shifters makes me think of all the races/religions/cultures human groups have shunned over the years. The oppression human have placed on other humans. It makes you stop and think about how you treat others and if laws should be passed allowing people to basically push down others just because of their differences. It boils down to insecurity on behalf of those pushing others down. I applauded Diego for standing up for what he believed in even when Cassidy feared for his job and how he'd be perceived for being with a shifter romantically.
Jennifer Ashley has a total series fan in me! I love this series and I hope others will jump on my Shifter Unbound bandwagon and enjoy the ride with me! Magical, sensual, political and simply wonderful, Wild Cat has it all!

I give Wild Cat by Jennifer Ashley 5 stars!

Nikki - Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind

It was a all and out good book. I think if she keeps up with rest I will keep reading her stuff.Happy reading

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 20 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars