On The Prowl by Christine Warren ~~

On The Prowl by Christine Warren IS part of her "Others" series, which is a series I've been following since way back in it's Ellora's Cave days ~ she's now going back and updating and rereleasing those EC books as MM w/ her current publisher. 

I was at first thrown by On The Prowl ~it clearly goes back in the Others timeline to during the EC books, which were like the first 6 Others books, but I don't recall this story line ~ a friend told me it was a EC redo, but I don't believe it is.  I think she took advantage of where she is currently in the MM release of her stories and added this in ~ I just want to be clear, because when I first started reading it there were a few WTF moments because of things that occured, that if it had been up to date w/ Wolf at The Door and those books wouldn't have made sense.  But if you go in knowing where it falls, it's all good! : > )

Saskia Arcos and Nicolas Preda are members of the Tiguri ~ an old prestigious line of Tiger shifters that until now has mostly avoided the US.  But the Preda and Arcos streaks have brought their buisnesses and families to NY ~ their intentions where the Coucil of Others are concerned are not clear, however it IS clear that with the arranged marriage of Saskia and Nic they plan creating the strongest streak of remaining Tiguri, and establishing their line here, in the US.

Saskia has no problem w/ an arranged marriage ~ she's been raised and bred for it, and truth to tell, she's thrilled to get Nic.  People and other Other clans just don't get that this how the Tiguri do things...but she and Nic get it, and that's all that matters.  But things are actually done a little backwards ~ the engagement is announced, and this is the first time Nic and Saskia have seen each other in years, then they go to their new home together where they will consumate their engagement ~ but they won't become 'mates' or married until Saskia is a proven breeder and shows she can successfully carry and give birth to a live child. 

Saskia is nervous but thrilled to be w/ Nic...but devastated and worried when he is called out during their engagement night and STILL hasn't returned the next morning.  She decides the only way she is going to find out anything is to take matters into her own hands and do a little digging, which is NOT the Tiguri way...

I really, really enjoyed this book ~ once Saskia found her backbone and decided she wasn't just going to lay down for Nic things got fun, funny and flew by.  She STILL wanted the arranged marriage, and she still wanted to be Tiguri, she just wanted Nic to respect her enough to share things w/ her, and to respect her opinion and advice...and the lessons she gives him getting it through his hard head is so much fun!  I loved seeing characters from many of the older stories, like Graham & Missy, Rafe, Dmitri....and visiting Vircolac.  I love this world!  And Ms. Warren always delivers on the humor and turns a cute story. 

I will say you could pick this book and read it stand alone ~ you do see characters from other books, but if you haven't read any of the others, it won't hinder this story in any way.  It is so lightly connected through characters alone you wouldn't be lost at all ~ you'll be dying to read about all those hotties by the end, though!  <BG>