Magic Slays: Kate Daniels, Book 5 [Mass Market Paperback]

I am sure it is the combination of the male/female duo writing couple that make this series of books so good. The fifth book in the Kate Daniels series is once again funny, exciting and a page turner. Kate and Curran succeed in making the pages bristle with electricity. I love the devil may care attitude the main character has, the "yeh I have a big mouth, so what are you gonna do about it?" lifestyle. The complicated rules and regulations of the various shifter breeds amongst the pack and the way Kate always attracts the most trouble with the least possible effort. I hope there will be more books in this series. I highly recommend the author.Magic Slays: Kate Daniels, Book 5

Don't get me wrong, I do like the Mercy Thompson series, but her last outing disappointed, as the book was basically about her wedding and honeymoon....but there was hardly any romance whatsoever. This book had all I expect from Kate Daniels and a ...romantic Curran.

The blurb itself is as follows: Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, but she's still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be-now that the Order is disparaging her good name. Plus, many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate's mate.

So when Atlanta's premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. But it turns out that this is not an isolated incident. Kate needs to get to the bottom of it-and fast, or the city and everyone dear to her may pay the ultimate price...

The blurb is actually a bit misleading, as that's not all that happens in the tale, oh no, there's so much more. Yes there is danger, as always, but not from the usual sources, and what we see is the loyalty of Kate's friends, both from her days before and now that she is Pack. We catch up with Andrea, who has reappeared, but we don't get to find out exactly what went on when she disappeared, and whilst there are hints about her and Raphael and how he is dealing/not with their break-up, hopefully we'll find out more in the next book.

We also find out more about Kate's ancestry, which for me came as a total surprise, and we learn more about the Boudas and see more of them in this tale, but what made it for me, is that Kate at the start of the book was wondering why Curran was with her: she knew that she loved him and had told him so outright, she knew that he was protective of her, but he hadn't ever said the words, so when she finds out more about her mother's powers of persuasion, her witch skills and her evil father, she begins to question Curran's motives for choosing her as his Mate, without letting on. Not that she wallowed in despair, no that wouldn't be Kate, and nor did she have the time to, but the doubt was there and I loved the way in which Curran unknowingly eradicated it for once and for all.

It came across in the romantic dinner that he arranged for them (I thought this was to make up for when he never turned up for Kate's meal in the previous book, but he just needed time out with her before what could have been their final disastrous battle), laying out the dress that he'd urged her to buy, dressing up for her and cooking for her. Not that they ate the meal whilst it was hot, and not that the dressy clothes stayed on for long. It came across also in the way that he discussed his fears for her and why he did not want her to take the action that she needed to in order to save someone very dear to her, yet he promised to be there for her, to support her and her decision, despite his fears of losing her. At the end, before the battle, in case he did not make it, he told her of the plans he had for her safety and I think that that's when it hit home for Kate. I also loved how he was prepared to walk away from the Pack for their happiness, but only if that was what Kate needed, and told her about how he had started to make plans for that possible eventuality. His love was also apparent in the way in which he watched over her after she was out for the count for three days until she woke up to safety in his arms. Not only did he declare his love then in words, but his actions and his behaviour, so un-Alpha in certain ways, spoke volumes. It was about romantic love, enduring love, and not the hot, heavy, descriptive sex I expect to see in paranormal novels, but it hit the spot entirely and beautifully.

The romantic aspect of this tale made it for me, it's the best Kate Daniels book so far - it had everything that Mercy's wedding didn't. For me, it's move over Mercy, there's a new Alpha female on the scene.

I would definitely read the previous books before this to get up to speed. Great books, highly recommended - easy to read, exciting & gripping, with enjoyable characters.