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Hard Mated (Shifters Unbound) [Kindle Edition]

Jennifer Ashley
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (165 customer reviews)

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Book Description

A USA Today Bestselling book!

Spike, a wildcat Shifter and the champion fighter of Shiftertown, is stunned when Myka, the best friend of a dying human woman, announces that Spike has fathered a cub. What's more, the mother is giving the boy to Spike to protect and raise.

Myka, who'd been raised by an abusive stepfather, is not sure that a wild fighter named Spike is the best man to bring up the cute little jaguar cub. She goes to Shiftertown to check out Spike, and finds that the man behind the name is a lonely Shifter who's lost most of his family and is a fierce caretaker to those he has left.

Spike is torn between the cub and his duties as tracker to the Shiftertown leader, and begs Myka, the only person who understands, to help him. He starts to like the sassy Myka, a horse trainer who's not afraid of working with animals, even if they're wildcats who turn into humans.

When Spike's job puts his cub and Myka in danger, Spike is forced to choose between those to whom he's pledged his loyalty and his need to protect the woman and cub he's come to love.

Book 3.5 of Shifters Unbound (Austin Shifters)
43,000 words, seventeen chapters.


Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Welcome back to the world of Shifters Unbound. Revisit the Austin Shiftertown and characters introduced in Pride Mates, Primal Bonds, and Bodyguard, and learn more about Spike, the tracker who is the champion fighter in the Shifter fight clubs. 

More about the world of Shifters, including book blurbs, excerpts, what's coming next, and a "Human's Guide to Shifters" can be found at jennifersromances.com--choose "Shifters Unbound" from the right-hand menu.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Ashley has written more than 45 published novels and a dozen novellas in romance, urban fantasy, and mystery under the names Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner. Her books have been nominated for and have won Romance Writers of America's RITA (given for the best romance novels and novellas of the year), several RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice awards (including Best Urban Fantasy, Best Historical Mystery, and Career Achievement in Historical Romance), and Prism awards for her paranormal romances. Jennifer's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have earned starred reviews in Booklist. More about the Shifters Unbound series can be found at jennifersromances.com

Product Details

  • File Size: 249 KB
  • Print Length: 266 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: JA / AG Publishing (August 19, 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B008ZXE8N4
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,177 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

Great characters, great story! Vdt  |  28 reviewers made a similar statement
For a short novel I felt the story was told well and the character development was good. KristyA  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A lot of heart and heat packed into this short story! August 25, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read Jennifer Ashley's short story Hard Mated the day it came out. I really adore her Shifter's Unbound series and this was a delicious treat to help tide me over until the next full length novel Mate Claimed comes out October 2nd. *happy dance*

In Jennifer's Shifter's Unbound world building the shifters have "come out" to the humans and live separated from the population in special enclaves, or reservations. They are forced to wear collars that are meant to keep their violence in check. The hero of Hard Mated is Spike (side note, lol I LOVE that name, I'm a Buffy and Spike fan) ok, back on track... Spike is a jaguar shifter and the holds the title of Tracker for the Austin Pack. He likes to blow off steam by fighting in the Shifter Fight Club. After a successful bout with a bear shifter a human woman brings him a water bottle and introduces herself. He thinks she's very brave and attractive and is stunned when Myka asks him to come to the hospital with her because a woman he'd had a one night stand with five years ago wants to see him. The woman, Jillian, is dying from cancer but she wanted him to know they had a child. Spike is in shock. He's dealing with the grief from the knowledge that the beautiful, vibrant woman he'd known is at death's door and the joy that he has a cub. I loved his reaction to his son Jordan. He's awed and humbled that the beautiful little child is his to care for. Now he has something is his life besides his work. He takes Jordan to Shiftertown to his home with his grandmother.

Myka is dealing with the loss of her friend Jillian and wants to honor her wishes by letting Jordan go off with his father. But she has concerns. I liked Myka! She is a survivor. She was beaten by her stepfather as a child and has worked hard to overcome her past. She is self employed and does what she loves, training horses. I liked her courage and big heart :) So she goes to Shiftertown to check up on Spike and Jordan. It's a good thing she did, Spike was going to call her and ask for her help. He even says please! He's in a bind. His Alpha, Liam, has asked him to investigate a threat to their pack, but for the first time in his life his he has another priority, his cub. *sigh* A hot guy caring for a child is extremely attractive.

The chemistry between Myka and Spike feels very real. But what got to me even more was all the heart with the heat. There is a LOT of emotion packed into this short story. I nearly cried a few times... Spike is a survivor like Myka. They both have overcome painful pasts. It broke my heart that Spike felt, rightly so, that most people just viewed him as a weapon and a thug, they don't see his heart and the caretaker underneath the fighting exterior. I was swept up into his and Myka's adventures as their relationship develops and the threat to his pack is uncovered. I know you will fall in love with him and Myka just like I did.

If you have missed the Shifter's Unbound series I feel like this $0.99 novella would be a good introduction to the series and then you will be addicted too :p I'm a book pimp <g> and I'm proud to recommend Hard Mated.

(((hugs))) Kat

The Queen of Tarts

originally posted on my site www dot the book tart dot com
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read...Love Spike!!! August 21, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jennifer Ashley is one of my favorite authors and Shifters Unbound is one of my favorite series from her. I forgot how much I love this series until I started reading Hard Mated. Sexy Tattooed Spike *sigh* Liam *sigh* Sean *sigh* Ronan *sigh* I love Spike and Myka together!! I really enjoyed this book and I loved the story line!! So good. I got to catch up with all my favorite characters again and can't wait for Eric's book next. Such a great read and I hope that Jennifer continues with this series after Eric's book because I don't want to see it end yet!!! Hard Mated is definitely going in my keeper pile to be reread. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. :) Spike <3
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Spike is by far my favorite Shifter and I really thought I'd love his short novel, Hard Mated, but in comparison to Ronan's novella, Bodyguard, and the rest of the Shifters Unbound series it just wasn't as good. That being said, I really liked Hard Mated, I just didn't love it and can't for the life of me figure out why.

I fell even harder for the lonely and incredibly intelligent Spike and though I really wanted to hate Myka for taking my man, I actually liked her. The book had lots of action, some laugh-out-loud funny moments involving a very rambunctious cub, a little smexy time as well as another Shifter issue which came to light and just might be a concern for future books. So what was my issue? Maybe it's just that sooo much stuff happened in this book very quickly and I think it needed more time to develop. Spike and Myka came together much easier than I would have expected given the circumstances that pushed them together. Had Hard Mated been a full length novel, had more time for Spike and Myka's relationship to develop, and been edited a bit better I think it would've been fan-frakkin-tastic.

I want to thank Jennifer Ashley for taking time out of her incredibly busy schedule to self-pub a short novel about the seriously hot, tattooed feline Shifter that I've been lusting after since he walked onto the page in Pride Mates. I knew there was more to Spike than what everyone saw and I'm glad that she took the time to share him with us. Looks like all my Twitter and Facebook stalking umm harassing umm I mean following paid off.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Hot, Rough Living Shifters
This is a great series. I normally get them at my public library through the interlibrary loan system. However, they were unable to get this book, so I purchased it here. Read more
Published 9 days ago by george alonzo
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow Great Read
Such a beautiful story,so well put together. The characters are like real people in everyday life except they have special powers that normal people don't have. Read more
Published 13 days ago by LINDA A BASS
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
I love to read books on Imortals will continue to buy all that I can as they are written. Good story
Published 13 days ago by Sandi DeL Rosso
4.0 out of 5 stars A good addition to the story
I liked the further development of the shifter's world with a strong man and a no-nonsense woman. There is good character development and a decent story to go along with it. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Ladyetrek
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard Mated (Shifters Unbound)
Talk about wanting to be mated to someone, wow!! I love Jennifers books, they are so action packed and passionate.
Published 16 days ago by SpanishLady
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard Mated
Another great Shifters Unbound book. Spike has been fighting in the illegal fights for awhile. Now he has reasons to fight for something totally different. Read more
Published 17 days ago by eva aldridge
3.0 out of 5 stars so so
It's okay i guess. I would stick to her other stories. However, the steaming parts are good. give it a try i you want
Published 18 days ago by A.J. Thacker
5.0 out of 5 stars great author
OMG.... loved this book couldn't wait to get the next one. If you like paranormal romance and good writing pick up this series
Published 18 days ago by christi cino
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the shifter town series
Each book stands alone. One thing I do enjoy is that each book has characters that are in every book. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Unknown
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard Mated
I am SO glad I picked up Jennifer Ashley's first Shifter book. They are very entertaining and each complete enough to stand alone. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Deborah
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More About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical and paranormal romance as Jennifer Ashley; paranormal romance and urban fantasy as Allyson James; and mysteries as Ashley Gardner. Jennifer's novels have won RWA's RITA and RT Reviewer's Choice awards among others.

For information on all her novels visit www.jennifersromances.com. Also see http://www.gardnermysteries.com (Ashley Gardner) and http://www.allysonjames.com (Allyson James) for her other works.

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