Ruby O’Shea gives the orders in her pack. And when a rival alpha propositions her with a marriage of convenience at the cost of her power, she rejects him. Happily ever after might not be in her cards, but she refuses to give up her power, her pack, and everything else she’s worked for. Unfortunately, the other alpha doesn’t take rejection well and prepares to destroy Ruby and her pack.

Carter Chase knows Ruby is his mate, and he’d do anything for her. Except she’s practically allergic to asking for help of any kind. Ruby willingly submits in his bedroom, but in public, she pretends there’s nothing between them. Carter’s lion is ready to tear the city apart to prove their devotion, but when Ruby thinks he interferes with the rival wolf pack, she walks away for good.

Ruby knows she’s meant to be with Carter. She aches for him. But she’s worked her entire life to be alpha, and she won’t give that up. Even for true love. Can she relinquish enough control, and trust him enough, to cut to the chase and find their happily ever after?

Sexy shifters and their feisty mates who aren’t shy about loving each other – so, this is an adult, 18+ reader tale.

Titles in The City Shifters – The Pride series include –  Thrill of the Chase – Chasing Trouble – Storm Chaser – Cut To The Chase – Chasing The Dream – A Chase Christmas – A Valentine’s Chase – A Mother’s Pride

Title:  Cut To The Chase
Series:  City Shifters, The Pride #4
Author:  Layla Nash
Published:  October 21, 2015
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Cut to the Chase is one of those stories where you’ll discover so much more about some previously secondary characters than you ever thought possible usually with eye-opening surprises along the way.  Carter is definitely that person, Ruby to a lesser degree.  They’ve both been somewhat involved in previous stories but now they’ll shine in their own unconventional romance that despite all odds actually works for these mates.

We all know that still waters run deep and Carter is the perfect example of what you see on the surface is far from what you’ll discover in private.  The somewhat quiet one, the steady one, the peacekeeper most of the time.  Yet he’s been in love with Ruby for a long time now and given that she’s his stubborn mate he’s in it for the long haul.  With the recent developments of the turned down mating/joining packs proposal from the other wolf pack in town, and the escalating troubles because of that refusal, Carter knows it’s time to step forward and claim his mate.  Getting the independent, strong-willed, completely stubborn Ruby to acknowledge the connection between them isn’t going to be easy.  But Carter has his ways, and he’ll slowly show Ruby just how well they could work together, in all areas of their lives.

Ruby is co-Alpha with her brother, and she is convinced that to show weakness by becoming romantically involved with anyone, including the man she knows is her mate, would weaken her in the eyes of her pack and the rival one as well.  She’s wrong, but Ruby rarely does things halfway or backs down from a decision.  Ruby is tough, stubborn, strong and perfectly capable of handling life on her own – but she’s discovering that Carter brings out a softer side, a side that would step back and let him have control for a bit and that not only fascinates but terrifies her as well.  She’s going to fight this thing between them tooth and nail but she’s beginning to understand that to be strong doesn’t always mean to stand alone – and having this man at her back could be the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

I enjoyed Cut to the Chase very much.  It moves the story threads woven throughout this series a bit forward, gives us the chance to catch up with other characters, and shows that Ruby and Carter really do work well together since the air around them sizzles whenever they’re together.  Carter may be seen as the quiet one but he’s got a taste for a bit of kink and as Ruby slowly lets go of her ironclad grasp on control she’ll discover that to give way to Carter in some things could be exactly what she wants and needs.  I liked them as a couple, and it’s true that opposites really do attract as this wolf and this lion make a remarkable couple.

If you love a Paranormal Romance or Shifter Romance that is intriguing in the plot with likable characters, a bit of sexy steam with a little kink involved and a world that is fascinating in both story and characters then you’ll want to pick up Cut to the Chase and follow this series from the start.

At the time of this original review, I had read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription – it is no longer available through KU.

Available for the Kindle

*While going through a clearing out moment on Shifter Haven I came across several (embarrassingly several) reviews that had been written yet never published – all I can think of is that I hit the save draft instead of schedule draft buttons – I dunno what happened, but these stories were read, enjoyed and deserve their moment in the reviewed sun and put onto the authors’ pages. **very hard eye roll at self**