The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge

 

Title: The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge

Series: The Shades of Sanctuary #3

Author: Kass O'Shire

Publisher: February 13, 2025

Pages: 454

Genre: Fantasy Romance

It only takes a taste...

Lost in strange waters after a narrow escape from captivity, Elspeth the selkie is determined to find and free her brother. When she runs into an orca-shifter who mistakes her for lunch, one drop of his blood on her pelt binds her to him... forever.

Aegir is a notoriously talented shifter, playing pirates and playboys wherever his covert operations--or many lovers--take him. But when the selkie he rescued vanishes, he's plagued by memories of her... and a letter that spells out her doom. As they come together to rescue Elspeth's brother, both must navigate their traumas, a bond neither wanted, and growing feelings for each other. Can Elspeth learn to trust someone who wears a different face every day?

I was always going to read this book. I was never not going to read this book. But the commissioned artwork for this book would have convinced me if I had not been. Aegir is a freaking babe. Full dad bod orca merman?! Hell yes. And then there's Elspeth who is also a dang babe. Aside from babedom, this book is actually kind of tragic. You have got to pay close attention to trigger warnings for this one. Elspeth's story does not start out very nice.

But this is the best kind of marriage of convenience, a surprise mate bond!!! And the way that Aegir takes his time with her after everything she's been through is so good. And the spice, of course, was tasty as hell. But my favorite part of this was seeing inside Aegir's head. His identity struggles were very relatable. Hard to read at times, but extremely relatable.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 3/5

Bonus Novella!

Title: Bargaining with the Bear

Series: The Shades of Sanctuary #0.5

Author: Kass O'Shire

Publisher: August 2, 2024

Pages: 39

Genre: Fantasy Romance

After years of using magic to suppress her pheromones around her gorgeous, grumpy, polar bear-shifter boss, Hanne finally has the chance to tell him how she feels. When Jorund is elected to the council of their tranquil town in the northern wilds, and she's promoted to his old position, it seems her years of bargaining might be over. But when she bares her soul, will he let their age gap get in the way, or will the former Head Ranger give her what every ermine-shifter wants... a good chase?

What a perfect romp. Just a sweet, little run through Sanctuary. I could absolutely read a whole book about these two.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 2/5