Moira Marsh just wanted to digitize some dusty records, not get yeeted into a magical town with a possessed book, a bloodline full of secrets, and a grumpy panther shifter claiming she’s his fated mate.

Lucien Vale was supposed to be a mild-mannered bookstore owner. He’s also the town’s supernatural enforcer, emotionally repressed cat dad, and apparently the only thing keeping Moira’s runaway magic from cracking the fabric of reality.

Now the grimoire won’t shut up, ancient evil’s knocking at the veil, and Moira might be the only one who can stop it—if she doesn’t set something on fire first.

No pressure.

Titles in the Hollow Oak Mates series include: Love at First Roar ~ Mate Night Snack ~ Claws for Celebration ~ Unbearable Attraction ~ Whisker Me Away ~ The Right to Bear Claws ~ Furever Bound ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Claws for Celebration
Series:  Hollow Oak Mates #3
Author:  Kala Aster & Milly Taiden
Published:  August 7, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Claws for Celebration is the third title in the Hollow Oak Mates series, bringing us Moria’s and Lucien’s sizzling and complex romance.  Moria is a researcher/archivist who has made the trip from her big city life to this tiny, mountain town, where she believes there are old records to be brought into the digital age, but also connect to her family’s history.  She has no idea that she’s stepping into a magical realm or that she’s about to not only meet her fated mate, but help save a paranormal community.

Lucien is a soft-spoken bookstore owner and an enforcer for this small, magical town.  He knows immediately that Moria is his mate, yet she has so much to discover about her heritage, the connections she has to Hollow Oak, and the fact that this human is a panther shifter’s mate.  He tries to take their growing relationship slowly, but once again, evil is threatening his hometown, and the way to fight against it lies within their mate bond.

Frankly, the Hollow Oak Mates series just keeps getting better with every new book.  Kala Aster and Milly Taiden are a fantastic writing team.  I enjoyed every aspect of Claws for Celebration, from the easy, slowly intensifying beginning right through to the extremely satisfying final showdown with an evil being that deserved the fate it was dealt.  We’ll run into familiar faces from the earlier books in the series, face down an ancient evil, and watch as Moira and Lucien grow beyond their simple fated mate destiny.  I loved being back in this world, and if you love a well-written, engaging, passionate, humorous shifter/paranormal romance with just enough danger to keep you on edge, then you’re going to love Claws for Celebration by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden.

*sigh-I wasn’t going to nitpick because that cover is gorgeous, but Lucien’s panther is midnight black, and I wish the cover had reflected that… just my opinion*

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you love this author’s work, be sure to visit our Kala Aster page or our Milly Taiden page for reviews of other series, or just to discover series you might have missed.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)