Fierce Cowboy Wolf

4.25 stars--FIERCE COWBOY WOLF is the fourth instalment in Kait Ballenger’s contemporary, adult SEVEN RANGE SHIFTERS erotic, paranormal, romance series. This is Packmaster / alpha Maverick Grey, and Sierra Cavanaugh’s story line. FIERCE COWBOY WOLF can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary. SEVEN RANGE SHIFTERS is a spin off from the author’s EXECUTION UNDERGROUND Series. Told from third person perspective including Maverick and Sierra, FIERCE COWBOY WOLF follows in the aftermath of the Elder Council rejection of Sierra Cavanaugh’s application as one of the Elite Warriors of the Seven Range Shifters. Believing the Alpha spearheaded the rejection of her application, Sierra will quickly discover that misogyny reigns, and the rejection was based upon her lack of a mate. Enter Packmaster Maverick Grey , the man/wolf Sierra has loved most of her life who offers a marriage of convenience to appease the people in charge. What ensues is the building but heart breaking relationship between Maverick and Sierra, and the potential fall-out as someone has targeted our story line couple. Packmaster Maverick Grey struggles in the face of a devastating loss, a loss he blames on himself. Believing the ‘alpha’ is unable to protect both the Pack and a family, Maverick has decided it is better to remain single then to fall in love, and lose the woman who has stolen his heart. Sierra Cavanaugh has never stopped loving our story line hero but years before, Maverick chose somebody else, forcing our heroine to walk away with a broken heart. The relationship between Sierra and Maverick is an unrequited love /marriage of convenience between two people who have loved one another from afar. Maverick is a ‘tortured hero’ who refuse to accept his own happily ever after, and in doing so, pushes our heroine out of his life. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and seductive but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word in my romance story lines. There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Wes and Naomi Calhoun (Cowboy Wolf Trouble #1), doctor Belle Beaumont, and High Commander Colt Cavanaugh (Cowboy in Wolf’s Clothing 2), rogue Grey wolf leader Jared Black, and Maeve Gray (Wicked Cowboy Wolf 3) ; former Wild Eight wolves Silas and Brent: Shifters Cheyenne, Dakota Nguyen and Blaze Carter. Blaze and Dakota’s story line is next. FIERCE COWBOY WOLF is a story of family and friendships, betrayal and vengeance; power and control; misogyny, rejection, and love. The fast paced premise is captivating ; the characters are animated, dynamic and strong; the romance struggles in the face of rejection but the sexual attraction is palpable.