[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]

Hugh is a Premier lion shifter and leader of the Berk pride, and he's been around for over a century. As a Premier ages, the only way to contain his power is to have a Siphon whose role is to take some of the power that he has built up to ensure the pressure doesn't overwhelm and kill him. When Hugh's Siphon does something unthinkable that puts him, Hugh, and the entire pride in danger, Hugh is forced to learn more about the Siphon, the role of the Siphon in the pride, and about himself.

I don't know that I've ever read lion shifters before. And while to some extent, shifters are shifters, there are some unique aspects to these particular individuals in the world that Cardeno C. has created. I definitely felt for Johnnie and everything that he's been through. The life of a Siphon is definitely one with challenges that many in the pride notice or consider. And while Hugh begins to understand, it's still not very easy for him to grasp the enormity of what Johnnie's life has been like. Hugh's approach to Johnnie changes, but I can't help wondering how things will go for them going forward. Can Hugh really change his entire nature for Johnnie's happiness? ( )

My enthusiasm for this book began when I read the blurb. It caught my attention with its concept that paranormal power gets strong enough in some shifters to basically kill them unless they find a way to get rid of it, like an overflow, or in this case, a Siphon. That idea opens up a whole bag of potential issues, and it’s exactly these problems that get addressed in one of the most creative and imaginative stories I am aware of in this genre. It’s got great characters with emotional and other issues, an intriguing story idea, and a plot that kept up the tension from beginning to end.

Hugh is a Premier lion shifter, and very much in charge. He leads the pride, solved their problems, and has hardly any time to himself. When “the Siphon” who doesn’t even have a name, just a function, Hugh sees it as an attack on him and the pride, and an inconvenience rather than the cry for help it is. Hugh knows he has to solve the problem, and even though he has not a single clue in the beginning, he is a fast learner and willing to make changes.

Johnnie is a very special shifter as well. As a Siphon, one of the very rare lion shifters born with the ability to take a Premier’s excess power, he has always been treated differently. Because his ability is so rare, he was protected – meaning totally isolated from everyone else in his birth pride. Nobody even sees him as a person, and that doesn’t change when his pride merges with Hugh’s. His attempted suicide is, for him, the only way out, but it also has consequences he never took into account. He learns as much as Hugh once they begin communicating, and I loved watching him gain that understanding.

The relationship that develops between the two men is fascinating. Both know they are meant to serve, yet they do so in a very different way. Their interdependence and what it means to them may not be clear to them until they start communicating and thinking things through, but it is the basis for some enlightenment that feels cross-cultural. What seemed obvious to me from the start is not clear to them at all, and the explanation about their shifter nature getting in the way was very interesting.

If you like shifters and exploring the world they live in, if lions are your thing, and if you’re looking for a story that shows deep understanding of shifter/human nature, stars two amazing characters, and makes for a wonderful, if very unusual love story, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. It’s definitely going on my “to reread” shelf.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

This was my first time with lion shifters and the whole idea of a premier and siphon. Hugh is a huge alpha, 7 feet tall, 300 pounds. His whole presence is very large also. Johnnie is sweet, sensitive and ignored. I really felt bad for him. For many shifter stories everyone seems like family. To me, this book felt more like a king and his kingdom.

Those who love shifters and the author's other works will probably love this one too. It has a beast of an alpha and a virgin in the shadows who has always loved him. There's lots of sex and figuring out ones place in life. It has the whole animal world way of doing things, survival of the fittest and all, but it also has the human side of things including emotions.

I like this author, but this story was not for me. ( )