Blurb:

Shapeshifter Dakota thinks he’s the only one of his kind in the whole world. Then he meets Jax and the sparks ~ and fur ~ flies. Convinced now that there must be more like them, Dakota and Jax seek out other shapeshifters and bring them all to the Shifting Sands ranch, where they can be free to be themselves. Where the restraints of cities and people can’t hold them back.

But what if not all shifters are content to just subsist side by side with humans? What if there are predators out there from time long past who consider themselves to be the top of the food chain? There may be forces at work looking to take the Shifting Sands ranch out of the picture. Can Dakota and Jax save themselves and the world from the predators? Or have they bitten off more than they can chew?

Shifting Sands includes two bonus stories in the same universe, The Sound of Home, and Mother Blue’s Bar and Grill. Get all three of these great stories in one volume!

Review:

Lions, Tigers, and Bears ~ oh my. In “Shifting Sands,” Kelly creates a world of incredible imagination in which shape shifters of your wildest dreams lurk. Think of the most outrageous animal a person could become and then read this book; Kelly will likely exceed your expectations. Lions, tigers and bears are just the tip of the shape shifter iceberg in this interesting, humorous, and engaging story. Be sure to put aside the technical questions while reading this, it’s a fun trip down the rabbit hole.

Dakota is a bear with an appetite. He’s headed off to a ski lodge for a vacation that involves hot drinks, hot men and no snow. While he’s there he meets Jax, a wolf with an attitude. From the first encounter, Jax and Dakota heat both themselves and the pages with undeniable chemistry and attraction. Not quite polar opposites in terms of personality, they seamlessly connect without questioning how and why it happened. During their last night together, drunk and emotional, Jax and Dakota both shape shift to reveal their animal forms. Recognizing kindred souls, they decide this is more than a weeklong fling.

Armed with their newfound relationship, the duo decides to buy an isolated ranch in Wyoming, but upon arrival, they find they have underestimated the amount of work to be done. Ever resourceful, Dakota rationalizes that if he and Jax can shift, others must be able to as well and perhaps feel just as lonely and isolated. Thus begins a somewhat screwball journey to enlarge their pack with lost and lonely shape shifters of any and every kind. The ensemble cast grows to include wolves, bears, eagles, dragons, tigers, lions, panthers, and even perhaps a rhino. However, no makeshift family is complete without an archenemy in the form of predators, led by the ultimate predator himself, a shape shifting T-Rex named Cain.

Although the premise is comical with outrageous shifters, Kelly has masterfully kept the story from being an utter farce with skillful writing and creative and likable characters with enough tension to keep the reader’s interest without tripping over that slippery slope of ridiculous. Dakota and Jax are well drawn with their complimentary personalities and alternating alpha tendencies. Dakota especially, relying on his easygoing demeanor, truly runs the pack with his skillful handling of Jax’s more uptight and anxious personality. While Jax is the acknowledged alpha male of the pack, he often reveals a soft heart beneath the prickly attitude. The supporting characters are given just enough life to add depth to the pack dynamic without taking the attention and focus away from the main characters.

The arch enemy pack, the Ultimate Predators, led by the scene stealing Cain, was a good foil to the natural good deeds of the Shifting Sands Ranch group. Cain comes across as a little too evil and a little too stereotypical but he certainly grabs the attention of any scene. There are some inconsistencies within the pack, such as Cain’s disdain for technology, yet he uses it in various ways to track people, and the tale of Cain’s past was over the top for me and slid away from the strength of Kelly’s writing. However, it does set up the sequel nicely and the clash between packs kept the gore to a minimum.

This was a very enjoyable, funny, and well-written story filled with an ensemble of quirky characters following their equally humorous and prickly leaders. Kelly’s imagination is wonderful and her writing is deft enough to keep the story within the bounds of a great read, while navigating the potential outrageous moments. There were some missteps, but they don’t detract from the story at all. If you’re uncertain if you’ll like the story, read the prologue. It’s truly one of the best scenes of the book. Overall, Kelly has delivered a fun, creative and imaginative world with engaging characters that will have you laughing and waiting for the next outrageous shifter to show up.