A modern day, shapeshifting sheriff.
He’s the sheriff of a sparsely populated county in Montana. His blood brother and childhood best friend is Chief of Police on the Blackfoot Reservation, but they no longer speak. His deputy is a southern transplant with the body of a high-priced call girl, a voice of honey and mouth of a trucker. And if that’s not enough, he’s got a secret that would stun … stun those that know him best. Other than that, it’s business as usual for Sheriff Mateo Grey.
more
Mateo is one unique character who could carry the entire book on his shoulders. Mateo’s Law by Sandra Cox would pull you in the moment you meet Mateo – the musky scented sheriff who doesn’t believe in serious relationships and enjoys a no nonsense approach toward his work. The book is written in a closely cropped style and the words just fly in the beginning; its hard to keep pace with the speed of Cox. Slowly, she settles down and starts revealing the secrets, one at a time to whet your curiosity.
“Southern flower,” the favorite refrain of Mateo reveals a lot about Blair Delaney though she has been crafted with immense power, with all the traits of a committed cop. Her passion for work and lack of interest in her long distance relationship would keep you guessing till the end. Jesse and his electrifying girlfriend add another element of mystery to Mateo’s law, as Layla Sosa appears to be smarter than deputy Delaney. The plot thickens with her arrival and takes a nasty turn. Sandra handles it superbly and veers it around to a conclusive finish.
Southerner, Blair Delaney accepts a position as Chief Deputy in Grizzly, Montana and soon becomes one of the guys, even though Sheriff Mateo Grey unleashes some lusty thoughts in the blonde’s head.
Grizzly is a close-knit town, so when one of its beloved citizens is attacked, Blair and Mateo are quick to investigate. But what they find will throw the community into panicked disbelief. Can there really be a wolfman on the loose killing livestock and threatening people’s lives?
Blair doesn’t believe in hokey stories like a wolfman or zombies, though the evidence points to wild animal attacks. Is it someone with a well-trained dog, or is this something darker- malevolent? It doesn’t matter, the town is under her protection and no one- or thing- is going to hurt the people she cares about.
Mateo senses trouble from his past may be back seeking revenge, but it’s not until Blair is targeted that he lets his inner wolf free to hunt.
There are so many great scenes in this book, but I don’t want to give it away-just hurry out and buy yourself a copy, you won’t regret it!
In Sandra Cox’s newest book, Mateo’s Law (2020), Chief Deputy Blair Delaney is an escapee from the old south life of Atlanta, GA, seeking the wide open cold spaces of wild and crazy rural Montana.
“Her first winter here, she was sure she’d freeze to death. Since then she never really warmed up till June.”
Sheriff Mateo Grey hires Delaney, calling her “…a Southern belle with a mouth of a trucker…” but finds out she’s not that at all. In fact, she’s full of energy, devoted to her job, hard working, willing to embrace the life that happens every day in this small town next door to the Rez. Together, it’s their job to maintain law and order and get along with Jesse Kipp, the Chief of Police on the Rez. Sheriff Grey finds her sexy and must fight his attraction to her free-wheeling ways while she finds him close to irresistible despite a spicy animal tang, more wolf than a human, that doesn’t really make sense. When a wolf-human pair starts attacking citizens of the town, Grey is afraid he knows what’s going on, and it’s tied to an evil force from his past that he thought he had eradicated from his life. He tries to keep Delaney out of his investigations, knowing it is much more dangerous than she imagines, but fails. He also can’t keep the old wolf who lives on his property away from undeniable scent of danger that raises his hackles all the way down his back.
Oh, did I mention shapeshifters?
I’ve read many of Sandra Cox’s books (see the list below). Her characters are always strong and confident with a bias for action and a lust for justice that will never quit. I love that. Cox has an enviable ability to put you in the story and quickly tell you just what you need to know to fall in love the characters. For example, I found myself thoroughly enjoying living in the wild, racing through the dark night, smelling the feral scents of the wild–as a wolf. Is there any way I could be a grey wolf in my next life, short of becoming a shapeshifter? Hmm…
Overall, an excellent book that you will wish was a lot longer. Highly recommended.
“Mateo’s Law” is an exciting paranormal, western romance that I read in two sittings. It is set in a small town in Montana, where Blair moved to join the force as a deputy. She is in a long-distance relationship but is attracted to the sheriff, Mateo. When something attacks a town resident, they investigate it together, but Blair is unaware of Mateo’s secret of being a shapeshifter. I love it when Mateo is in his alternative form, and I felt his freedom. The scenery is lush and the town a place I’d want to call home. Blair and Mateo have great chemistry, conversations, and working relationship. I was definitely rooting for Blair and Mateo and hope more stories are coming with these characters. If you love a paranormal page-turning romance, you won’t want to miss this!
What a fun read. Mateo is a shapeshifting sheriff in small town Grizzly, Montana, and few, if any, residents know his secret. His chief deputy, Blair, is a transplant from Atlanta, and when a black wolf begins killing animals and slashing people, the two of them are on the case. Sardonic banter and aggravating behavior scarcely mask the sexual tension flying between them.
Mateo is a competent, dark, mysterious, and hunky guy, but Blair was my favorite character, her snappy sarcasm and self-deprecating humor right up my alley. She’s also tough, comfortable with her identity, and undaunted when it comes to doing the right thing. She doesn’t know Mateo’s secret, which generates some entertaining situations.
Secondary characters are well done, particularly the wolves and Mateo’s estranged friend, Jesse. Other characters and the setting serve to round out the story without going into a great deal of backstory or detail. The plot isn’t complicated, but it’s a great backdrop for a lot of fast-paced action that showcases Mateo’s and Blair’s relationship. No dull moments in this book. I recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary westerns with a paranormal flair, and great characters with lots of personality who generate sparks.
Grizzly, Montana… Big Sky Country – A wide-open, laid back, beautiful small town where nobody locks their doors. A far cry from what Chief Deputy Blair Delaney is used to back in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Even the crime sprees are different. Murders in Atlanta? Yes. Caused by wolves? What’s that you say? This is a new twist for the Chief Deputy and she’s not really sure how to go about handling it… but that certainly doesn’t stop her as she forges ahead into this new territory of crime solving.
Her partner, Sheriff Mateo Gray takes it all in stride. And why wouldn’t he? Wide-open spaces and wolves are a part of his everyday life. Blair just doesn’t realize how much… or why. What she does know, is that her long-distance relationship is most likely not going to survive, and she finds herself becoming more and more attracted to the Sheriff every day. Something else she doesn’t realize about the Sheriff… that the attraction is mutual.
Author Sandra Cox has a way of making you feel the words. The emotional connection and chemistry between Mateo and Blair is undeniable. But the Sheriff has a secret. A secret that may become compromised while he and Blair try to bring an end to the devastation that someone… or something is causing in their small town. A secret he can’t share even with Blair, because if he becomes more than her boss… more than her friend… it changes everything. And it’s a change that they can’t come back from if it goes bad.
I’m not a big believer in giving away all the best plot points of a book during a review. You really should discover the best parts of any novel as you read and engage in the story. That being said, I’ve read a few of this author’s books, and this is another five-star effort written by a five-star storyteller. I mainly read mysteries and action-adventure stories, but the quality of her storytelling has made me (gladly!) stretch out of my genre comfort zone. When I see a book authored by Sandra Cox, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s a western, western-romance, has a bit of the paranormal within the pages, or not, Sandra Cox makes the time spent between those pages well worth the journey.
Highly recommended!
Mateo Grey hasn’t been able to date anyone serious since his last relationship ended. Is it because he yearns for his Chief Deputy Blair Delaney or because his evil ex-girlfriend is up to no good? Strange attacks happening around the town of Grizzly, Montana keep Mateo busy, as his thoughts and desires keep him distracted. Sexy delicious mystery that I very much enjoyed reading. Colorful characters, witty dialogue and a slow burn romance that will keep you swiping to the end. I’ll read everything Ms. Cox writes!