Bea Reviews Shifting Hearts by Dominique Eastwick

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Series: Wiccan Haus #1
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 31, 2015
Challenges: What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon*  | ARe* | Kobo*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:

The last of his kind…

Rekkus is the last of the great Black Tiger weres, and he’s happy to stay that way. Working as security for the Wiccan Haus, a magical spa for inner healing, he has enough danger to keep him busy. Unfortunately, the Fates are not content with him being comfortable.

Alone and discouraged…

Dana has walked away from everything—her fiancé, family, job, and apartment. A stay at the Wiccan Haus may be the only way she can move on. But what she finds isn’t what she expects, nor is it what she thought she’d been seeking.

If they can open themselves up they might discover that being together can be better than being alone and learn that passion can burn in those who least expect it.

Meet the unusual residents of the Wiccan Haus.

The staff can get a little hairy, and not all of the guests eat what’s served in the dining hall. But the Rowan siblings do what they can to make the resort a place of healing and peace, using all of their years of practice. At the Haus, where humans and paranormals reside side by side, everyone in need of the services are welcome. If some happen to fall in love then all the better.

Welcome to the Wiccan Haus.

Bea's Thoughts:

I love getting in at the start of a new series. Technically it isn't a new series; it started at the now defunct Musa Publishing and moved to Decadent Publishing where it's been revived and new stories added. This is the first book, for both lines. The basic concept of the series appeals to me: a magical resort where both humans and paranormals come to play or rest and just happen to find romance. Humans don't know about paranormals but there are some exceptions.

Rekus (it's a Welsh name) is the head of security at Rekus house and fiercely loyal to the siblings who own and run it. He's taken by surprise when a human visitor, Dana, is his mate. Oh yes, we have destined mates and insta-lust and insta-love. BUT! Eastwick gives the destined mates a twist, one that made it more palatable for me: Each partner has to willing and knowingly bond with the other. So, Rekus bonds with Dana before she bonds with him. She could have walked away and left him for someone else. The downside is he still would have been bonded to her. But, not too bad for the whole destined mates nonsense. You can see I'm not a fan of the concept but I think I'll be able to tolerate it in this world.
Dana was engaged, but called it off at the last minute. Instead of being on her honeymoon, she's at this island spa with a friend. Given that she had literally just broken up with her fiance, I wasn't too thrilled at how quickly she fell into having sex, and then a relationship, with Rekus, but you know, that whole fated mates thing.

You're probably wondering, "Bea, did you even like this story?" I did, I really did. I'm just laying out some of the problems I had with it and with the series. So, what did I like?

Rekus is one of those rough around the edges guys but when he likes you, he'll do anything for you. He's loyal as heck and can be tender. I loved how he handled Dana's financial problems - quietly, tactfully, no fuss, just a man helping out the woman he loves. He's disciplined yet passionate, rough yet sweet, and willing to give his life to protect his woman and the owners of the resort who are his friends and his employers.

Dana is quiet at first, uncertain of what she's doing or where she's going, and gobsmacked by her reaction of Rekus. It's not long before she's jumping his bones and whew, are they hot together! She handled herself pretty well when she found out that Rekus was a weretiger, witches are real, and magic is very real. Which is not to say that she accepted it right away but she came around readily enough. She was someone I could see myself hanging out with her, I liked her.

"Shifting Hearts" was passionate, sweet, a little mysterious, and I like the setup of the series. Since Rekus is the head of security, I'm sure he'll pop up in other books in the series. And maybe someday there will be cubs?