Review – ‘Lion and the Doe’ by Kristen Strassel

Blurb 

She’s not ready to let fate decide her mate…
For centuries, weredeer in the Colorado Mountains have met their fated partner during The Mate. They shift the autumn they’re ready to produce offspring, and spend the rest of their lives with their mate, for better or worse. 
But Daphne wants to be able to choose her own fate. In a town overrun by hunters and woods full of predators, it’s dangerous enough to be a weredeer. Yet, living in an arranged marriage seems even riskier.
His instinct is to kill her, but he let himself get too close…
Mountain Lions toy with their prey before killing it. Deer are their main target, and Woodland Park is ripe with choices during The Mate. Leo never expects his prey to shift to a beautiful human girl when he captures her, especially not one he’s had his eye on for a while. He can’t bring himself to hurt her, instead, he drives her wild with pleasure. But he knows he’s not her mate.
When the lions of the mountain learn that Leo is falling for a doe, he’s forced to reveal his true nature to Daphne. Now that she knows she’s fallen for a predator, can she force herself to leave him, or will she listen to her heart and stay with Leo?

Review 

Daphne is 18 years old and she just shifted into a deer for the first time in her life. Now she’s stuck in this form until she finds her soul mate. This means she must take place in a time-honored ritual, The Mate, on Halloween night. She’s scared but her family doesn’t give her much advice on what to expect. There are hunters prowling through the woods and she has an equal chance of getting killed instead of finding a buck to fall in love with. When she meets Leo, Daphne shifts back to human. He takes her to his cabin and, thinking he’s her mate, she willingly goes with him.

Then the mind games begin.

Leo refuses to answer her questions (about what kind of shifter he is) and he demands she answer all of his questions. He refuses to let her touch him when he seduces her (he physically pins her down) and he allows his friends to berate and threaten her. Daphne can’t go home to her family without having a mate and preferably being pregnant, so she stays with him and becomes depressed.

Daphne is a weak person and Leo is manipulative. She’s toy to him (he even admitted he messed with her head because that’s what cats do to their prey) but they’re both obsessed with the other.

The book is written in first POV from only Daphne’s perspective. I liked the author’s voice and writing style. I really felt bad for Daphne and wished she would've wised up. I enjoyed the premise for this book but I just couldn’t connect with the H/h.

3 Stars

Disclaimer – I downloaded this book free on Amazon and volunteered to review it. I am not compensated in any way, shape or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.