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A review by lisaluvsliterature
A Rebel Without Claws by Juliette Cross
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So I had only read this author’s contemporary romance stories in the SmartyPants Romance books up until now. I loved both of those, and actually had purchased the first book in her series after I met her at one of the first few Book Bonanza conventions. But hadn’t read it yet or the second one that I got as a free ebook. The publisher reached out and asked if I wanted to read an advanced copy of the first book in a spinoff series, and I jumped on the chance!
I really enjoyed all the mythology or world building in this story. And based on that, I do know I’d like to go back and read the first series. There were a lot of fun characters, and I love that we have werewolves, vampires, witches/warlocks, and humans that don’t know about them too. It’s also set in one of my favorite places, New Orleans!
There was more than just the paranormal aspect to the story though. There was a lot of dealing with past trauma and getting therapy and just working on being a good person. I liked the way Celine’s family was overprotective of course, as werewolves, but they could also tell she knew what she was doing, and that Ronan was really a good guy under his bad guy exterior. Now I’ve not really enjoyed a lot of boxer/MMA fighter books, just a few, so that aspect, the cage fighting, was not my favorite part of the book. But again I liked the way the author made it more than just fighting, it was Ronan’s dream. And I liked the way the author had Celine have the misgivings that I think anyone would watching someone they loved in a fight, but then the way she realized it was Ronan’s dream and that she wasn’t being fair to him was great. Another aspect I liked was how when Ronan realized Celine was a distraction for him in the ring when the others did the trash talking about her, yeah, he took a minute to be quiet, but he talked about it with his therapist, and also realized it wasn’t her fault or his fault. And I was so glad it never really crossed his mind that he would have to break up with her because of that issue. That has always been a cop out for adding drama in other stories IMO.
A great start to a new series, and I look forward to both going back and reading the earlier series, as well as reading on for more characters in this series getting their own HEAs!
I really enjoyed all the mythology or world building in this story. And based on that, I do know I’d like to go back and read the first series. There were a lot of fun characters, and I love that we have werewolves, vampires, witches/warlocks, and humans that don’t know about them too. It’s also set in one of my favorite places, New Orleans!
There was more than just the paranormal aspect to the story though. There was a lot of dealing with past trauma and getting therapy and just working on being a good person. I liked the way Celine’s family was overprotective of course, as werewolves, but they could also tell she knew what she was doing, and that Ronan was really a good guy under his bad guy exterior. Now I’ve not really enjoyed a lot of boxer/MMA fighter books, just a few, so that aspect, the cage fighting, was not my favorite part of the book. But again I liked the way the author made it more than just fighting, it was Ronan’s dream. And I liked the way the author had Celine have the misgivings that I think anyone would watching someone they loved in a fight, but then the way she realized it was Ronan’s dream and that she wasn’t being fair to him was great. Another aspect I liked was how when Ronan realized Celine was a distraction for him in the ring when the others did the trash talking about her, yeah, he took a minute to be quiet, but he talked about it with his therapist, and also realized it wasn’t her fault or his fault. And I was so glad it never really crossed his mind that he would have to break up with her because of that issue. That has always been a cop out for adding drama in other stories IMO.
A great start to a new series, and I look forward to both going back and reading the earlier series, as well as reading on for more characters in this series getting their own HEAs!