Ivy Lane came to Hollow Oak with nothing but a guitar, a broken magical contract, and one rule: absolutely no dating shifters.  Especially not six-foot-plus panther shifters with bedroom eyes, pack issues, and a protective streak wide enough to qualify as a forest fire.

Too bad Dorian Vale didn’t get the memo.  He offered backup vocals and cinnamon rolls. Then warded her stage. Then casually offered to risk supernatural litigation just to keep her voice safe.

Which would’ve been fine—if her fae instincts didn’t keep purring whenever he entered the room.  Now the town’s planning a festival, her ex-warlock is back with paperwork from hell, and Dorian keeps looking at her like she’s already his.

If he says the word “mate,” she’s either going to bolt…Or beg him to mark her on the microphone.

She chose him with a song.  He answered with his teeth.

Titles in the Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak series (connection to Hollow Oak Mates series) include:  Fetch Me a Mate ~ Panthering After You ~ License to Howl (12/4) ~ Ain’t Lion, I Love You (12/11) ~

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

Title:  Panthering After You
Series:  Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak #2
Author:  Kala Aster and Milly Taiden
Published:  October 30, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Panthering After You is the second title in the Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak, a connection/spin-off of the Hollow Oak Mates series.  You may find some familiar faces in Lily and Dorian’s romance, and if you haven’t yet read the stories in the Hollow Oak Mates series, I’d highly recommend it.  You don’t “have” to have read that series to enjoy this one, but if you love Shifter Romance… then you’ll want to check it out.

Lily stepped through the veil surrounding Hollow Oak with caution.  She’s learned the hard way to second-guess everything, even a welcome to an obvious paranormal sanctuary.  She’s a talented fae musician on the run from a man who controls her in every way possible… or he did until she ran, hoping to put enough distance between them that his influence would fade.  The town’s music festival drew her in, friendly faces welcomed her, and for the moment, she felt as safe as she realistically could while constantly scanning the faces of those around her.  She never expected a man like Dorian, a man who saw her without judgment.  A man who would step in to protect her… in a way that broke the trust they were building, because protection without choice is still just a different cage.

Panthering After You is such a good story, with life lessons that hit home quite easily.  In so many ways, whether intentionally or because I simply saw a connection, it reminded me of a popular artist’s struggle.  I don’t need to drop names; if you know, then you’ll know, or you won’t, it doesn’t affect the story in any way, just that I saw a parallel to a real-life situation.  Which kind of gave me a secret smile throughout.

Lily and Dorian’s romance is full of magic, danger, and… choices.  Choices given and choices taken away through well-meaning assumptions, a difference Dorian learned the hard way.  I loved the way the residents of Hollow Oak surrounded Lily with good intentions and brought her into the fold without hesitation.  She and Dorian fit so well together; each learned a different viewpoint about trusting, and it shows.  Their story is well-written, engaging, emotional, passionate, and such an enjoyable experience.  If that sounds like your kind of Shifter Romance, then you’d love Panthering After You.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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