Customer Reviews

Steel Beauty: Halle Pumas, Book 4

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4 star:		(1)
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Belinda `Belle' Campbell has had more than her fair share of pain - both mentally and physically. She's been practically ostracized by many of the members of the Halle pride and injured severely enough to require a steel pin in her leg - which means that she can't shapeshift until they're removed. The last thing she needs is more complications but that's exactly what she gets in the form of an Alpha wolf named Rick Lowell.

Rick Lowell is the Alpha of the Red Wolf Poconos Pack. He isn't exactly having an easy go of things here lately. He's been shot, killed a rogue, found his mate, learned of her injuries, and now been told that he cannot take her home. Why? Because she's Puma and the Wolf pack has to be prepared to accept a non-Wolf Luna. He could handle all that but throw in an uppity dominant female looking to take over as Luna and things are bound to get very interesting.

Belle has no doubt that Rick is her mate but she's not a push over and he's a little too full of himself for her taste. Besides her doctors are in Halle and therefore she'll be staying put for the time being - possibly until the pin in her leg can be removed. Rick's not willing to wait that long though, once the cast comes off he wants her with him - and it will still be another six months before she'll be able to shift.

Belle's all for starting her life at Rick's side but she's not at all ready to take on Gina and her demands for full protocol. Fortunately Belle isn't afraid to fight for what's hers and if that means taking on one conniving bitch then she'll use every means at her disposal to ensure that she comes out on top. Rick is aware of just how devious Gina is and he's willing to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that Belle's transition into the pack is as smooth as possible and that she be allowed to recuperate before facing Gina and her challenge. He shouldn't have worried. Even being unable to shift, Belle is more than capable of facing down Gina and she does it with such style that you'll be left with no doubt that this `cat' is far superior to the `dog.' Belle's the perfect match for Rick, but what will happen when Gina's plans push Rick and Belle into making decisions that could have disastrous results?

Just when I thought the HALLE PUMA series couldn't get any better, it does! STEEL BEAUTY is the fourth book in this delightful series and revisiting these characters is a pleasure you won't want to pass up. This story is infused with humor, some real kick butt action, a memorable romance and proof that cats and dogs can be friends - and so much more. Belle won me over with her `in your face' attitude and the hilarious way she taunts Gina - as well as Rick. She's not a gal who's going to let anyone get away with anything and I adore that about her. Rick is exactly the sort of man Belle needs, he's just got to learn to share problems and worries - and she is chock full of ways of ensuring that he doesn't forget that she is his life partner.

If you haven't read the other titles in this series, I'd highly recommend doing so - not because it's necessary to understand this book but because they're delightfully fun. In order, they are:
THE WALLFLOWER
SWEET DREAMS
and
CAT OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

If there were a recipe for the perfect book, Dana Marie Bell would be a master chef. Steel Beauty has all the ingredients for a fun and fantastic reading experience. Start with one sexy Alpha male who is anxious to claim his mate. Add his chosen mate, who just happens to be a Puma. Into the mix add one bitch with the desire to take the mates place as pack Luna, and stir in humor, action and some very spicy bedroom action. Garnish with politics and pack protocol, and you have one fantastic book.

Steel Beauty is the fourth of Dana Marie Bell's Halle Puma stories, and it is a fun book to read. There are places where I laughed out loud. The heroine, Belinda "Belle" Campbell has to face several hardships in the beginning of this book. The steps Belle takes once she gets to the Pack lodge to take her place as Luna are hilarious. The passage at the beginning of the book, with Belle and Rick texting each other is an imaginative use of technology and a great piece of comic relief. Belle continues to handle things with grace, humor and just a little bit of underhandedness. Do Belle and Rick get their happily ever after? Will Rick ever get the air horn away from Belle? Pick up a copy of Steel Beauty to find those answers.

Dana Marie Bell writes such believable characters, and I became lost in the world of the Poconos Wolves and the Halle Pumas. I wonder if anyone else would have dared to pair an Alpha wolf and a Puma as life mates. I enjoyed the banter between Belle and Rick, and there were places she made me laugh out loud at the antics Belle got up to in order to thwart Gina over and over. I also cried at the pain and suffering she endured in order to make it to the happily ever after that she and Rick so richly deserved. I had never read the Halle Puma books before this one, but I bought the other three in the series after reading this one, because Dana Marie Bell created a world I wish I could go and visit, and I will time and again through these books.

Originally posted at [....]

Get this, read this, and have a great time reading. I couldn't stop reading it. This story has humor, irresistible main characters, enjoyable background characters and hot sex scenes. Like the earlier books in the series, it's more like a short story but it's just long enough that nothing is left incomplete. I don't think you'll get lost if you don't read the earlier stories in the series first but those stories do provide a better understanding about the heroine Belle and why she is in her current predicament. If you do get the rest of the books, I agree that they should be read in order. I wish the author would write faster as this is one addicting series. This series reminds me a lot of Shelley Laurenston's shifter books which I also love.

Belinda "Belle" Campbell is a shifter that hasn't had the best couple of months. She is wrongly accused of being in league with her old best friend to take out the new female pack alpha. Then she is severely injured helping save the life of another new pack member. Oh and to make things worse she has also found her mate. But he isn't a puma, he is a wolf, and she needs to be able to stand as his alpha. This will be hard to do with a rod in her leg and a pin in her hip, she was hit by a car after all.

When she finally gets to travel to live with her mate, Rick, she finds that there is another power hungry woman (Gina) who wants not only her man but her position in the pack. Will she be able to finish the mating with Rick in time to have others let her heal? Or is Gina beyond reason? If Gina is beyond reason what will the outcome be to both Rick and Belle?

The Halle Puma Series just keeps getting better and better. In this installment we get to see just what happens when a puma and a wolf are mated, and the chaos that will result. I think Steel Beauty is the perfect title for Belle and Rick's story. I am not sure I have laughed this long and hard about the antics of a character in a long time. When you get to the scene in the restaurant with Belle and Gina you will know what I mean. That being said if you don't pick up Steel Beauty I think you will be missing a hilarious story that also has one of the strongest woman characters you will run across.


Tanya
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I've read all the Halle Puma books and this one was no exception. Dana Marie Bell is a fantastic shifter romance novelist.

Buy this one if you are looking for a laugh out loud enjoyable read....if you insist on a great literary masterpeice- go back to school! This is pure entertainment/escapism- THANK YOU Dana Marie Bell

This book was so inexpensive at under $3.00 when I bought it my review is also based on the price of the book so please be warned.

The author writes short reads that are packed and I would label is paranormal erotica. I have to say I was not entirely taken with Richard and Belle. The fact that belle in several other books had to hide her intelligent side under a dumb blonde. I mean come on we as a society are past that. I am speaking as a blonde btw. Richard takes charge and belle allows it but argues over stupid things. The fact that she risks permenant injury and potential disability rather then using her brain to figure out a way to hold it off didn't encourage me to think she is smart she essentially played in to the dumb blonde mode with me for that.

For under $3 I am not expecting an award winner just something to keep me entertained for a short while and it did it..but barely.

Shifter romance. My favourite so far in this series and that's saying something. A romance between a Puma and a werewolf Alpha. Let the games begin! Loved this story, good characters and well written. Fantastic.

Okay, I love Belle. I hated the way she was treated in Halle and I love that she finally found a safe place to be happy and a man of her own to be happy.

Rick is cute, strong and funny and I love them as a couple.
With all that said, I have arthritis and every time Belle's pain was described, I needed a Tylenol.

But I'd do the same for my man.

I really enjoyed this book. I have been keeping up on the series and it was fun to see it branch out. I am looking forward to my next read in this series of shape changing hotties!