Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Lion’s Tail
SERIES: The Pride (Book 2)
AUTHOR: Jordan L Hawk
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 242 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2024
BLURB:
Sam Cunningham just wants a quiet life with his lover, the cheetah-shifter Alistair Gatti. But that hope is dashed when a member of Mickey Sullivan’s gang dies inside the Gatti family’s speakeasy.
Sullivan wants Sam to work for him, deciphering long-forgotten hexes as part of his illegal hexworks operation. At the same time, a corrupt prohibition agent demands Sam and Alistair investigate the gang member’s murder. Caught between gangster and agent, they must walk a fine line just to stay alive.
Because the sinister forces behind the killing are still out there, and now they have Sam in their sights…
REVIEW:
If you have any interest in the 1920’s, gangsters, fierce feline familiars, hexes, witches, magic or adventure of any kind, you will find something for you in this series and in this book. It is not necessary to be a fan of historical fiction or the 1920’s to enjoy the books, and in fact you will find that they are far from historically accurate (unless real 1920’s gangsters kept witches on staff and did a brisk trade in hexes or had henchmen who could shift into animals).
This book is filled with the author’s trademark vivid characters and interesting details that make it a fast and fulfilling read. The relationships, both primary and secondary, have depth and all of the characters, even the ones who didn’t live very long, have a life that drives the story forward and keeps readers on the edge of their seat.
There is a sense of foreboding and inevitability hanging over the characters that builds to a shocking and brilliant climax that leaves the reader floundering for solid ground, before it all comes together in a ‘yes of course’ moment. Yet again, the author masterfully plays with readers’ hearts, tweaking the heartstrings before bringing together the many strands to make a convincing and satisfying whole.
The story is about gangsters, and if you are someone who likes to see the bad guy always get their comeuppance then maybe you’ll be left feeling slightly cheated, because that doesn’t necessarily happen. However, remember, this is a series and some of the baddies will be needed for future reader torture and the right bad guy meets his end, so be satisfied with that.
In amongst all the sharp suits, sharp claws and sharp shooting, there are tales of love from family ties to friendships, to a golden love affair that, whilst not always easy, is incredibly satisfying, as Sam and Alistair stumble and misstep their way toward their own kind of happy ever after. At least they finally have a happy for now.
I can’t recommend this book enough, or any of the books written by this author. I have yet to read a bad one and have no fear that I ever will.
RATING: 
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