Retrograde by Bailey Bradford

Retrograde by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s no secret that I love the Southwestern Shifters series and loved that I got to gorge myself on the series in August. So you won’t be shocked to learn that I was beyond thrilled when I found out about Retrograde’s release and I nearly went through the roof when I discovered that Bradford had written it as another chapter in Marcus and Nathan’s life. I love all of the couples in the series and each has a special place in my heart, but with all the Nathan has dealt with as Marcus was under attack from more than one quarter, it felt right for them to get another installment in the series and Bradford managed to make me love this couple even more than I already did.

Because of assassination attempts and challenges for Marcus’s position, Nathan has been on edge for a while and having to kill another individual (even one who was bad) in order to save Marcus’s life makes that edge even finer. It’s not that Nathan regrets saving Marcus’s life or even that he killed to do so, but rather that he was forced to take another’s life. Having been raised by a human, Nathan still finds the easy acceptance of violence among shifters too much to bear at times. Sensing that his mate needs to get away and realizing that they need a chance to reinforce their bond before an upcoming conference of the Alpha Anaxes, Marcus makes arrangements for a short getaway for just the two of them. Having the chance to let their wolves run free in a safe environment that’s not fenced in, to spend time alone with just the two of them, and to connect sexually on a more primal level does wonders for both men. Yet even on vacation they can’t seem to get away from the needs of other wolves when they discover a wild pack of young shifters who know nothing about the shifter society. Thank goodness Marcus and Nathan know of a wolf who loves to take in strays – Gabe. But when demands of Marcus’s position require that they return to the compound, they are once again faced with treachery when another plot to take out an AA is discovered. For once, Marcus wasn’t the target but because it was being attempted in his home it affected him no less. Thankfully Marcus has a pack filled with loyal and intelligent shifters who were able to help thwart yet another assassination attempt and strengthen ties with other honorable AAs.

Retrograde was another excellent addition to the Southwestern Shifters series. I loved watching Nathan and Marcus get back to nature so to speak and embrace their wolf so fully. It was obvious it did them good mentally, but it also made for some smoking hot sex scenes. They were lucky they didn’t start a forest fire with as hot as they got. I liked that Bradford made another AA the target in this novel and that for once Marcus didn’t have the bullseye on his back. I found his handling of the territory situation to be very telling of the kind of man Marcus is – a good man who only wants what’s best for all shifters. I loved meeting Lexxie and hope to see more of her in the future and learning more about her heritage. That Bradford foreshadowed the changes that are coming for Marcus and his pack made me so freaking happy because that means more books are in the future. But the end. Oh my word was the end sweet. I mean… We’ve got puppies!

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Retrograde (Southwestern Shifters #11) by Bailey Bradford blog post on Crystal’s Many Reviewers.


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Revenge by Bailey Bradford

Revenge by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


While Revenge was supposed to be about Ryder and Maarten’s mating, it seems to be an equal split with an unexpected and cowardly attack on Marcus and the shifters’ headquarters in New Mexico. But this isn’t a complaint because I found the way in which the two storylines were woven together to be exactly what was needed for many reasons. With the influence and support that Marcus provided to resolve the European Alpha Anax conflict in Revolution it was only natural that he take steps necessary to teach Ryder how to act as an Alpha Anax so that he’s prepared to take over in South America when the time comes for him to issue a challenge to the current Alpha Anax. The attacks on Marcus and the compound provides a perfect “on-the-job” training opportunity for Ryder to see how dangerous the Alpha Anax position can be and the chance to see how he responds under pressure – especially when his mate is at risk.

I must say that I absolutely loved the way in which Ryder and Maarten discovered they were mates. As one of the shifters who was turned against his will, Ryder has VERY limited knowledge of the shifter culture. So when he finds himself wanting to rip out the throat of a guard he has nothing against, he’s appalled by his response. Fortunately Sissy was there at the time (loved the pegging conversation by the way) and was able to prevent Ryder from doing something he would regret and guide him toward his mate, even if Ryder didn’t realize that was what was happening. While Ryder might not understand the significance of being mates, he has no problem responding to the sexual attraction between him and Maarten and wastes no time getting down to business. Yowser! Unfortunately the attacks against Marcus begin almost immediately thereafter, the first being the brutal murder and mutilation of a pack member. Because of what was going on, Ryder and Maarten didn’t have the luxury of getting to know one another slowly after their mating, but this doesn’t keep Ryder from reacting strongly (<=understatement) when his mate is injured. As the attacks ramp up, Marcus proves why he is the North American Alpha Anax and Ryder shows that he is indeed qualified to serve as the South American Alpha Anax.

While this is not the first book in the series with elements of action, suspense, and violence, Revenge certainly seems to outdo its predecessors in these areas. I was quite surprised when the identity of the attacker was discovered and considering all of the damage and destruction he wreaked on the pack, his death was over far too quick for my liking. Oh yes, Revenge made me quite bloodthirsty in that aspect because that coward deserved to be drawn and quartered – literally. The burden of the loss clearly weighed on Marcus’s heart and Nathan’s support as his mate was invaluable to Marcus (and the series). I thoroughly enjoyed Revenge and cannot wait to see what Bradford has in store for the Southwestern Shifters in Reluctance.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Revenge blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Revolution by Bailey Bradford

Revolution by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In Revolution we learn the fate of Adam’s best friend Jameson and his mate Luuk. This proved to be quite the interesting read as the author had to balance out the depressing and harrowing effects of three years spent on the run after a cowardly ousting with the love between Jameson and Luuk, with the joy of Jameson’s eventual reunion with Adam, and with Luuk’s hope that he finally had allies and could successfully retake his position as the European Alpha Anax. That’s a lot to juggle, yet Bradford does an impressive job of pulling it off and adding some seriously hot shifter sex to the mix.

Having first learned of Jameson in Resilience, I was excited to read his and Luuk’s story. Admittedly I wasn’t prepared for just how hard their lives have been since Luuk’s half-brother attempted to murder them three years ago. The author does a great job of communicating Jameson’s depression, anger, hopelessness, and love that I felt it all. And my heart broke for him when he was forced to let his wolf take control after yet another assassination attempt. It’s also what made the following scene at the church so emotionally distressing – to think you have finally found sanctuary and then worry that it’s not as safe as it appears certainly wreaked havoc on my nerves on Jameson’s behalf. So I was probably as relieved as Jameson and Luuk were when days later they found themselves safely ensconced with supporters and help on the way. Understandably, there is quite a bit of tension in this installment but it’s done well and without being dragged out unnecessarily. And the challenge scene at the end … oh my, good stuff.

While the focus of Revolution is on the relationship between Jameson and Luuk and all that they endure, the book actually made me fall in love with Marcus even more. His actions in the book show just how committed he is to the success of all shifters and not just those in his North American packs. It is true that part of his excuse for getting involved was through Gabe’s relationship with Todd (Adam’s mate), but this was merely what brought the situation to his attention. What I find exciting is that Marcus’s concern doesn’t end with the reinstatement of the proper Alpha Anax in Europe. Nope, he’s also looking at the brutality being inflicted by the Alpha Anax of South America and this paves the way for even more stories in the Southwestern Shifters series. As I am thoroughly enjoying the series, this makes me quite happy as I am not looking for it to end anytime soon. Needless to say I am quite excited that Revenge is already loaded on my Kindle and I can’t wait to read Ryder’s story.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Revolution blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Resilience by Bailey Bradford

Resilience by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Unlike the previous books in the Southwestern Shifters series, Resilience does not pick up where Rendered left off and continue the series’ storyline. Instead it goes back to before Gabe met Mika in the first book of the series, Rescued, and we meet the Todd that was physically and mentally abused by his parents despite being an adult and bullied by his boss – the town sheriff that Gabe was trying to keep from killing strays by rescuing them. As painful as it was to see what Todd endured, it helped put some of his behaviors in perspective. There’s enough history provided that you understand why Gabe was so important to Todd, why Mika’s sudden appearance in Gabe’s life unsettled Todd, and why he had such a hard time interacting with Adam when the new vet moved to town and set up shop. While the timeline of Resilience overlaps with all of the previous books, its focus is on Todd, Adam, and their relationship so it’s not a replay of the other books.

The history that Bradford crafted for Todd is heartbreaking. I hated seeing the little bits and pieces that played out in the book because it was awful knowing that the abuse he was subjected to growing up was even worse. I was surprised to learn that Todd hadn’t confided in Gabe as to his own homosexuality and it wasn’t until Adam moved to town that Gabe finally broached the subject. Although we aren’t provided as much of Adam’s background as we are Todd’s, it becomes obvious rather quickly that Adam has his own baggage. Although Adam moved to Shasta with the intention of becoming a bit of a spinster (for lack of a better term), he finds himself attracted to Todd almost immediately. There are times when each man’s apprehension and caution are amusing, but I was relieved when Adam became aware of Todd’s inexperience and exercised patience and understanding as he helped Todd find his way. The attraction between the two men is almost immediate but because of their respective pasts and the (seemingly) bigoted nature of Shasta, they are very slow to act upon it and attempt to go the friend route first. But when they do finally get together, they are scorching hot and their subsequent couplings are increasingly so as the book progresses.

There is a TON of stuff that occurs in this book that I simply can’t discuss because of spoiler issues, but I will say that the action is far more intense than I expected for Todd and Adam’s book. I was glad to see that Todd’s father and boss both got what they deserved and it’s a shame that Todd’s mother didn’t as well. I loved seeing the town rally behind Todd and Adam and it was as heartwarming to see as watching Todd and Adam fall in love. It’s not often that I comment on a book’s cover, but I must say that I was surprised by the cover for Resilience as both Todd and Adam are human. It’s not until almost 80% into the book before the wolf on the cover is explained and I must admit that it was AWESOME! I really didn’t see that coming, but I shouldn’t have doubted Bradford. Resilience was an excellent addition to the Southwestern Shifters series and I’m looking forward to reading Reverence next.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Resilience blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Reverence by Bailey Bradford

Reverence by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reverence returns fans to the ongoing series storyline that was last visited at the end of Rendered. Up to bat is Harley, the human that Joshua Dobson kidnapped and terrorized back when he was trying to get Alex off of his trail. Not surprisingly Harley trusts no shifters and cannot leave Marcus’s territory fast enough when finally given the okay to return home, no matter how strong of a pull he was feeling from the unconscious and injured shifter he discovered in the infirmary. Because he doesn’t trust shifters, he refuses to tell Nathan and Marcus what Joshua did to him except to confirm that he was not raped. But as Harley sorts through his memories we learn that although he might not have been penetrated by Joshua or any of his men, he was violated. In an effort to “escape” his memories and nightmares, Harley begins clubbing, drinking, getting high, and hooking up with random strangers. It is during one of his clubbing nights that he encounters Val.

Unbeknownst to Harley, Val is a shifter. He’s another of Joshua’s victims and he’s been sent by Marcus and Nathan to insure Harley’s safety – with strict instructions NOT to mess with him. Due to the injuries he sustained when Joshua hit him with the Hummer, Val doesn’t ping Harley’s shifter-radar but he does set off Harley’s gaydar and Val is firmly in his sights for the night. While I didn’t like that Val was injured, I had to agree with both men that having Val’s wolf-side suppressed was probably the best thing that could have happened once they realized they were mates. After what Harley endured at Joshua’s hands, there was no way he would have accepted an aggressive shifter for a partner let alone as a mate. And while they didn’t wait long before getting sexual – and good grief was the alley scene HOT (only in books is making out in an alley sexy) – they did take it slow (by shifter standards) and got to know and trust one another better before they fully consummated their relationship. I enjoyed watching them connect emotionally and building the level of trust needed for a non-shifter relationship. It also made for some hot foreplay and sex scenes.

In addition to having Reverence pick the series thread back up, I liked how Bradford dropped in references from Resilience so that fans can identify where the books’ timelines overlapped. I really liked the introduction of Harley’s brother and am excited to find out where that storyline will take series as well because something is seriously brewing there. Reverence is another great addition to the Southwestern Shifters series and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Harley and Val heal mentally and physically so that they could start their lives post-Joshua Dobson anew … with each other. I am looking forward to reading Revolution so that I can find out what happened to Adam’s friend Jameson as well as catching up with Adam and Todd.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Reverence blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Rendered by Bailey Bradford

Rendered by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Hallelujah! Joshua Dobson is finally made to answer for his sins and we learn in Rendered that he has committed far more than anyone realized. After failing his Alpha Anax so completely, Alex set off at the end of Reckless to track down Joshua Dobson and make him pay for Marcus’s abduction and torture. Rendered picks up with Alex finding Joshua’s trail after several false starts and having to call in for backup once he realized he was too outnumbered to take on Dobson and his pack. His decision to call in turns out to be quite fortuitous as he not only learns that Marcus had full faith in his abilities (after all, it was only Alex claiming he failed in his duties), but it also keeps him from unknowingly violating one of Marcus’s edicts – no harm is to come to Sean Dobson. And it’s when Alex encounters Sean that things get REALLY interesting.

Sean is Joshua Dobson little brother. He’s the young man who risked and received several beatings for helping Marcus while he was being held by Joshua. He’s also Alex’s mate. And didn’t that just tick Alex off. But when Marcus and his mate Nathan stand up for Sean and make Alex realize how foolish and disrespectful he is being by refusing his mate, he begins to reconsider his personal ban on all things Dobson. But because both men were victimized by Joshua and Sean is still healing from his brother’s attempt to kill him, Alex takes a few days to actually get to know his mate and build a bond that becomes vital to their healing – both of their healing. While Joshua Dobson is not an honorable man, he had every intention of fulfilling the last promise he made to his brother – if he survived the last punishment, Joshua would come a collect him because as far as he was concerned, Sean belonged to him.

There were several things I really liked about Rendered. Obviously I really, Really, REALLY liked that Joshua was brought to justice (you’ll have to read the book to find out what his punishment was). This of course was tied with the emotional healing that Alex and Sean begin to undergo once they accept one another’s mating mark. With both men being victims of the same abuser, they had an insight into the other’s emotional pain that few others did. But rather than dwelling on their shared pain, they chose to move forward together. Alex and Sean are not only good for one another, their mate bond leads to some seriously hot sex scenes throughout the book. My only complaint about Rendered is that we didn’t get to find out what nicknames Gabe gave Alex and Sean. Hopefully that tidbit will be revealed in Resilience.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check the #ShiftWithMe: Rendered blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Relentless by Bailey Bradford

Relentless by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It’s been right at a year since I read book one in the series, Rescued, so I was excited to sink my teeth into Relentless. If only everyone else had been excited for me and left me the heck alone while I read, I would have been a much happier camper today. Do you know how irritating it is to get interrupted while reading the sex scenes? A Bailey Bradford hot as heck sex scene? Repeatedly? Let’s just say that I felt Zane’s pain when Aiden made him wait … or when Gabe interrupted them … lol.

Although I didn’t immediately remember Zane from the first book, Bradford uses a mandatory meeting of the alphas as a way of making sure a new reader (or a forgetful one) has all the pertinent info as to who Zane is and the part he played in Mika’s ejection from the Gila pack. But that info is rendered almost meaningless when Zane finds out who his mate is and it’s not good considering all that Zane has done as the Gila Alpha; which causes him to leave the meeting before his mate can recover from his shock. Oh yes. Zane’s mate is male. Even better, Aiden is the #2 among all the alphas – the Dux Ducis – second only to the Alpha Anax, who is his twin brother. It turns out that finding his mate is only the beginning of Zane’s troubles when he learns on his way home that there are three wolves set to challenge him for the position of Alpha. When they decide to ambush him, he fights for the sake of his pack even as he questions his suitability to remain Alpha. Once Zane secures his place as Alpha, he immediately appoints the new Alpha and sets out make amends for the wrongs he did as leader of the Gila pack. Just as Zane turns up at Mika and Gabe’s front door, Aiden is on his way to Gila to find out why he was mated with a man whom everyone believed to be a heterosexual bigot. I know, right?!?!? Aiden is relieved to learn of his mate’s location before getting all the way to Gila – that is, until he meets Gabe. Good grief, you gotta love Gabe and his refusal to give respect before it’s earned. The beauty of Gabe being human means the Alpha vibe is ineffective on him and that makes for a boatload of humorous scenes throughout the book. And Gabe’s spatula-wielding antics go a long way in evening out the mood of the book as Zane’s secrets are revealed – at times, even to himself.

One of the many things I enjoyed about this book was that Bradford gave fans of the series the chance to catch up with Mika and Gabe while they got to watch Aiden show Zane of his intent to keep his mate no matter what. As a large part of the book takes place at Mika and Gabe’s house, we are not only treated to the scorching hot sex scenes between the newly mated Aiden and Zane, but we also get to share in Mika and Gabe’s moments of intimacy as well. Because Zane has a lot of healing to do from the ambush, Aiden takes the opportunity to get to know his mate and to help him overcome not only his physical injuries, but his emotional ones as well. Despite what appears to be a heavy focus on romance, sex, and relationship development, Bradford has no problem writing action scenes that will leave you wondering if all of the good guys are going to make it or not. I enjoyed the heck out of Relentless and look forward to reading the next book in the Southwestern Shifters series soon.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Relentless blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers


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Reckless by Bailey Bradford

Reckless by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reckless picks up six months after Relentless and we learn that Marcus has been missing the entire time. The book opens amidst Marcus’s clinging to his fragile sanity as he fears that he won’t survive much longer as it appears that his captors have abandoned him, leaving him chained with no access to food and water. Within a few pages we meet Nathan and while it’s clear that he is a shifter, his response to Marcus’s suffering is at first bewildering as I wanted him to rush in a yank Marcus out of his prison immediately. Not one to leave her readers hanging for long, Bradford reveals why Nathan is both drawn to Marcus and wanting to flee at the same time and I soon found myself feeling almost as badly for Nathan as I did for Marcus. But that’s only the beginning of Reckless and the action and romance that follows kept me flipping pages until I could no longer hold my eyes open and returning to my Kindle as soon as possible the next day.

While I am relieved that Bradford chose not to detail the six months’ worth of suffering Marcus endured, his physical state, memories, and nightmares made it apparent that his kidnappers took great pleasure in abusing him. Despite his fear of other shifters, Nathan is unable to abandon Marcus and waits until he has no choice but to enter the camp and attempt to rescue Marcus. Because Nathan has had no interactions with other shifters since he was a young child, he does not understand why he is drawn to Marcus and compelled to help him regardless of his fears. Marcus on the other hand immediately recognizes that Nathan is his mate but is too ashamed of his physical appearance and emotional trauma to let Nathan know what is going on. Fortunately this is not enough of a deterrent to keep him from accepting Nathan’s help to escape his captors. But their trek to freedom is not an easy one as Marcus’s physical condition slows them down enough that his captors are able to plan an ambush. And Marcus finds himself in the position of having to soothe his mate when Nathan’s wolf instincts kick in as he protects his mate.

One of the things I enjoyed about Reckless is that because Nathan had no experience with shifters and because of Marcus’s own post-abduction issues, the men had to take time to get to know one another. Any attraction either felt was ignored for their own reasons and this gave them a little bit of time to form an emotional bond first. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for mating instincts taking over and causing a rush to mate. But given the abuse that Marcus suffered, the slow approach felt right in their case. It goes without saying that when the two men were finally ready to mate, it was hot. I also liked how much Nathan and Marcus were able to help the other heal. And while Marcus’s initial meeting with Nathan’s surrogate father did not start off on the right foot, I was glad to see that they were able to set it aside for Nathan’s sake. Equally enjoyable was getting to catch up with characters from the previous books, even if Aiden and Marcus’s reunion caused me to get a bit teary-eyed. As the party responsible for Marcus’s abduction has not been caught yet, I cannot wait to read Rendered to find out what happens next.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the #ShiftWithMe: Reckless blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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Review of Rescued by Bailey Bradford

Rescued by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I've read a string of contemporary romances in the past week, so Rescued came up in my reading queue at the perfect time; that it is an M/M book just made its timing that much more perfect. This is the first book in the Southwestern Shifters series and it’s an excellent start for the series. Ms. Bradford introduces us to Gabe and Mika, giving them a story that has just a little suspense, a lot of romance, and unbelievable amounts of sexy fun times.

Gabe is an animal lover and has gone to great lengths to save strays from the abusive actions of the local sheriff. This is how he comes to meet Mika - well, Mika as a wolf. Gabe gets a call for a wolf rescue and races to the animal's side in an effort to beat the Sheriff there. Fortunately for Mika, he does. Gabe has a strong reaction to the wolf that he finds very unsettling – and no, we're not talking about a sexual reaction you perv – rather, he gets possessive of the wolf and is distraught when the wolf takes off in the middle of the night. But Mika is drawn to Gabe, so he shows up on Gabe's doorstep the next morning and is forced to tell Gabe about what he is far sooner than he planned, but luckily Gabe's attraction makes him more open-minded to Mika's explanation and the two agree to see what happens. And let me just say that what happens is HOT!!! Mating pheromones and testosterone are a lovely combination for an M/M shifter book.

Ms. Bradford is off to a great start in her Southwestern Shifters series with Rescued. Mika and Gabe are a sexy couple that made for a very entertaining read as they deal with crazy authority figures, rescuing strays, and their developing relationship. I look forward to reading more by this author and the next book in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Rescued Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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