When a spellbound fae scholar crashes a rogue summoning circle and ends up magically tethered to Celestial Pines’ grumpiest shifter, sparks don’t just fly…

They explode under a full moon.

Lillith Verdan was supposed to cast one simple summoning. Quiet. Contained. Curse-free. But fate—and Dominic Kane’s ill-timed swagger—had other plans. One accidental ritual detonation, one proximity curse, and now they’re stuck thirty feet from each other until further notice. He’s the town’s reluctant Warden with a lion’s temper and a reputation for running solo. She’s chaos in boots, sarcasm on legs, and the only woman who’s ever made his instincts purr.

They try to keep their distance. They fail spectacularly.

Now the woods are waking, a fae prince is sniffing around, and the bond that shouldn’t exist is starting to feel a little too real.

Because magic may have cursed them…  But falling might be the part they chose.

Titles in the Celestial Pines series include: Cub My Way ~ Mane Squeeze ~ Bear Naked Truth ~ Feline the Spark ~ 

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

Title:  Mane Squeeze
Series:  Celestial Pines #2
Author:  Kala Aster & Milly Taiden
Published:  July 3, 2025
My Rating:  5 stars

Mane Squeeze is the second title in the Celestial Pines series, and brings us Lillith’s and Dominic’s sizzling and complicated romance. When Dom accidentally crashes into Lillith’s summoning ritual, chaos and danger are the result. While Lillith only wanted answers, not actually having the fae prince appear, well, he did, and this nasty piece of work has his own agenda. Binding these two in a tethering spell that only allows them to be 30 feet apart from each other, or they feel the consequences, is just the beginning of his dangerous meddling.

Dominic is a lion shifter who, after being betrayed by his pride, is strictly a solo player; he’ll never be tied down to anyone who can destroy him again. That doesn’t mean he’s not a man who enjoys playing the field and annoying one particular fae. Lilith has escaped the intrigues, the lies, and the plans of the fae high court and found sanctuary here. She’s not about to trust anyone enough to let them in, and besides, Dom is an annoying lion who brings out the worst of her sarcasm. There’s no way they could be mates… right?

Mane Squeeze by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden is a fun, sexy, intricate shifter romance with a couple who trade banter and sarcasm while hiding a deeper connection from each other. I enjoyed watching them slowly lose the walls they hide behind as they slowly, steadily bring one nasty prince’s actions into the light and eventually defeat him. If you love a well-written, snarky, fun shifter romance, then you’re going to feel right at home with Mane Squeeze.

*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.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)