Maya and Wade met in the amazon before and left a strong impression on each other. Fortunately for Wade, Maya isn't married with Connor as he first thought, she is his twin sister! Less than favorable circumstances will bring them together once more as they fight a bunch of hunters trying to capture jaguars (the cats, not the shifters) to sell them in the States for illegal hunts. Who would've thought murder and romance can share the spotlight?
Jaguar Fever is the second book in the Heart of the Jaguar series, and despite not having read the first book (something I usually never do!) I didn't have a hard time getting into this world. I figure that first book was about Wade helping Maya, Connor & Kat in the amazon, and without really sharing the particulars, Spear provided enough back story to make my experience comfortable.
At first I wasn't really comfortable with Spear's writing. I couldn't quite put my fingers on the problem but something felt off, slightly awkward, but as I got used to it, I started enjoying the story. Terry did a really good job creating an inviting world with some nice touches. In her world, there are two kinds of jaguars shifters, the wild ones whom return to the wild nature regularly and the city cats who never set paw out of the city. I thought it was an interesting personal touch. Furthermore, I truly appreciated the author's dedication to the protection of this endangered specie. Using her novels to raise awareness is a smart move and it did not impair the reader's experience in any way.
One thing bothered me though, and it's not that significant but I have to mention it. Everyone and their mother seems to have a twin in this series. What's up with that? Maya and Connor are twins, so are Wade and David & Kat (Connor's wife) is expecting twins. There are two other pairs of siblings as well (Maya's cousins and the Bettinger brothers) and it wasn't explicitly mentioned that they are twins also, but it wouldn't surprise me. I don't know where this twin fixation is coming from but I thought it was just too much. Twins aren't uncommon, but c'mon there isn't a pair at every street corner either!
Now about the characters themselves, it wasn't love at first sight, but they did grow on me as I discovered them. I particularly liked David despite his having a secondary role, and if I decide to keep on reading this series (haven't made up my mind yet) I would definitely love to see more of him. Surprisingly, Wade & Maya's romance didn't blow me away. It was ok, but I wasn't hooked onto their every moves. Maybe there was something missing chemistry-wise? I don't know.
My favorite part was definitely the plot. I liked how action-packed this novel was and it's what kept me turning the pages at a steady pace. The exotic Belize set-up set my imagination free and I could almost feel the hot humid air. The character's determination to protect their non-shifting pairs was commendable and I truly enjoyed how the author handled that situation.
Jaguar Fever isn't perfect, but I'm sure the shifter lovers out there will find something they like in this series. Jaguars aren't that popular in paranormal romance and it's always fun to discover new species!
Thanks so much, Tynga!! Great review, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I have a lot of fun researching the different locales, and next, I'm currently working on Jaguar Pride, book 4, set in Costa Rica, another setting where jaguars still exist. Book 3 was also set in Belize--this one David's story.
ReplyDeleteAbout twins, real jaguar females, which they're based on, give birth to up to four cubs, and most commonly to two--that means most would have twins. I just was reading about a cougar that had twins. She was shot and killed, but the Oregon Zoo took her cubs in. In one of the pictures I've had of jaguar cubs, it shows two, some 3 and 4. None with a lone cub, though it could happen. :)
The same with my wolf shifter stories. Every once in a while, I'll have a single wolf, no siblings, but most wolves have between 4-6. I usually have fewer, just because it's difficult for readers to keep track of all the siblings. In the Highland wolf series, the MacNeills do include 4 brothers, in the Silver Wolf pack--3 and their cousins, 3. :) Though I've had a single wolf on occasion, that would really be rare with wolves, if ever. :) So the reason for the twins is not based on human experience, but their jaguar/wolf halves. :)
Thanks again! Loved the review!
Thanks for the explanation Terry :)
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