A lonely bear shifter meets his mate. She’s running for her life and doesn’t have time for romance.Pregnant Jackie Breton just escaped from a corrupt feline pack intent on selling her half-shifter baby to the highest bidder. She’s smart, independent, and has a desperate plan to keep her baby safe: Get away from the pride as fast and far as possible.Trevor Hammond, prehistoric bear shifter, has … possible.
Trevor Hammond, prehistoric bear shifter, has been rejected by everyone in his life for… being born, basically. Well, except for the beloved aunt who raised him. He’s built a career as an independent trucker, but life would be much better with someone he can hold in his arms and claim as his own.
When Jackie meets Trevor at a truck stop, his bear demands he help her. His aunt even calls with a dire warning: Get Jackie to the magical sanctuary town in Wyoming before she’s killed.
Jackie thinks he’s sexy as hell, but too good to be true. She doesn’t trust shifters. With the feline pride hot on her trail, however, Trevor and the quirky town of Kotoyeesinay might be her only chance for survival. Even Trevor’s indomitable bear may be no match for the dangerous enemy seeking retribution.
Discover the secret world of magic and true mates in Shifter Mate Magic, the first book in USA TODAY bestselling author Carol Van Natta’s fun, action-filled, steamy-hot Ice Age Shifters® series.
The Ice Age Shifters series:
~~ Shifter Mate Magic (Book 1) *standalone
~~ Shift of Destiny (Book 2) *standalone
~~ Heart of a Dire Wolf (Book 3)
~~ Dire Wolf Wanted (Book 4)
more
5 Stars
This book is a great twist on a shifter story. Shifter Mate Magic is the first book in the Ice Age Shifters series by Carol Van Natta. This is my first book by Ms. Van Natta, and I am happy to say that it definitely won’t be the last. It is a spellbinding paranormal romance, with an insta-love, shifters, magic, witches, fairies, elves, wizards, drama, tension, and a lot of other mystical creatures….
Jackie Breton is on the run, having escaped from a very violent shifter pack- who want her back, dead or alive. They will be tracking her down and Jackie can’t afford to get caught. She has a lot to protect, not just her life, but the life of her unborn baby. You see Jackie, is pregnant. When she runs into trouble at a truck stop, a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. He leaves an impression on her, but she can’t allow herself to be drawn to him, or to ever trust him after she realises he’s a shifter. She’s had it with shifters, they only spell trouble- so she leaves him and the truck stop behind. But not long after, he once again helps her out of a difficult situation and promises to take her to a safe haven.
Trevor Hammond has worked hard to build his independent trucking business. He’s certainly one-of-a-kind… but very lonely. He has lost hope of ever finding his mate, so he’s completely unprepared when he bumps into her at a truck stop. He can tell she was in trouble and he really wanted to help- but it was also very obvious that she didn’t like or trust shifters. When trouble strikes, he leaps in to protect her- determined to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. When he receives a warning from a trusted source, he has no choice but to whisk Jackie to the safety of the sanctuary town of Kotoyeeesinay, high in the Rocky Mountains. This becomes a race against time, as danger closes in on them. Will they reach the safe haven in time? This story really held my attention from beginning to end, as I raced through the pages to discover what would happen to Jackie and Trevor.
This is a very quick and easy read. It has a fast pace and a smooth flow. I really enjoyed the authors rich, warm and romantic style. The story is emotional, and heart-warming. Her characters are wonderful, fully developed individuals who are very endearing- I quickly became invested in them and the outcome of their story, rooting for them the whole way through. This is a superb start to what is shaping up to be a brilliant series. Now I will be exploring all the other books she’s released to date…. And I can’t wait to dive into “Shift of Destiny”, the second book in the Ice Age Shifters series.
Thank you, Ms. Van Natta!
Shifter Mate Magic (Ice Age Shifters #1)
By Carol Van Natta
4 stars
I am quite new to shifter stories but I have to say this is probably one of the best that I have read. I loved the authors writing style, I found it very engaging and I was really invested in the story. I like that the story was told from dual points of view (it’s my favourite!) and because of this I felt like I really knew the characters well. They developed well over the story too. The book was on the shorter side but it had everything in it in order for me to thoroughly enjoy it.
I think that there is something about a bear shifter that I just love, I love their fierce protectiveness, and they just give me the impression that when in their human form they still have this warm, cuddly personality. I think this is why I loved Trevor so much, I felt instantly drawn to him as a character. I liked Jackie too and I could feel the intense attraction that they two shared. I got a genuine feeling about the two of them.
I will absolutely be reading more by this author in the future, especially this Ice Age shifters series!
Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters Book 1 (Ice Age Shifters #1) by Carol Van Natta was a fast pace, heart pounding romance that has me reading this wonder in just a few hours.
I love shifter books, and I love when an author takes the shifter genera and makes it their own. This book was chock-full of unique goodness that made this story shine. There was a good mix of the common shifter and new, and even animals from the ice age. It add that something special making this shifter story set a new bar.
I had such a fun time reading about Jackie and Trevor, they are just perfect for one another. Told in dual POV, we get a look inside both their heads. I love it when authors do this. Having that extra perspective, heightens the story and adds a layer of depth, making the story more interactive and engaging.
What I really loved was that though our power couple had that insta-attraction, they had enough common sense to keep in mind that, the danger that Jackie was in, out weight their need to, you know, in the words of Brooklyn Nine Nine, smush. It was the perfect mix of staying on plot and adding in romance, at the proper times. Making this stressful dangerous story, sweet and giddy.
Overall, I have to say this book is probably one of the best shifter books I’ve have read so far. Everything makes sense, I loved all the characters and at no point did I want to strangle the MC.
The writing was easy to follow, the world building was richly detailed and the twist and turns makes this story a must read for any shifter lover, and even new readers to the genera. This is a high recommend from me, and I am going to be getting my hands on the other books in this series ASAP.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters Book 1
By Carol Van Natta
Rated 5 stars
I lOVED this book!!! This is my first book by this author. The beginning really drew me in! Of course I love shifter stories so that is a huge draw for me. But the beginning? That was a great start to a story! Action! Attraction! Shifting! I loved it. One of the things I love about Shifter books is it’s the animal who decides the mate..the human has to catch up and figure out how to get that mate so the animal and him will be happy. This book has exactly that!
Jackie is in a pickle! She is a pregnant, by a shifter, human. Running from her past. I can believe she rode that motorcycle!! Pregnant!! She is smart and I also love her magical talent. That map thing! So cool! Her and Trevor are so cute together. I loved how nervous he was about anything to do with Jackie. Ha ha it made me chuckle!
The town they go visit!! It’s amazing! I love this little world she built with all these paranormals! What a cool idea! I hope the future books in this series stop there alas we’ll. I would love to know more and meet more of the citizens!
I enjoyed this immensely! It’s short but that doesn’t take away anything from the story! It was perfect! Evil, Magic, shifters, adventure and mate love! This story had it all! This will go on a favorites list! I look forward to more!
Shifter Mate Magic by Carol Van Natta is book one of the Ice Age Shifters. This is my first book by this author but won’t be my last. This book grabbed me from the beginning. I really enjoy shifter books and think after this one I’ll be seeking out others. I really like Trevor and Jackie. And I love how protective he is of her. I actually really liked that she was pregnant with a shifter baby too. I found that to be interesting. I enjoyed the authors writing style and her characters and think it was a fun read. I look forward to others. 4 star rating.
Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters Book 1
By Carol Van Natta
5 Stars
Shifter Mate Magic is just what it says. A book about shifters, mates, and magic and Carol Van Natta does a fantastic job blending all three. This book takes you on a magical journey and will keep the reader immersed until the very end.
At the beginning of the book, you meet Jackie Breton and you just can’t help but empathize with her plight. Pregnant, alone and on the run, Jackie must stay one step ahead of the corrupt feline pride that wants to take her baby. Trevor Hammond hasn’t had the easiest life. Other than his doting aunt, Trevor doesn’t have any real family and longs to meet someone he can call his own. Trevor and Jackie race towards a magical town in Wyoming and with the feline pride right on their tails as they struggle to trust each other and must come to realize that love can happen at any time.
Carol Van Natta brings to life not only the wonderful characters in this book but allows the reader to fall into this magical world and all it holds. With the engaging storyline, the edge of your seat action and suspense I found myself quickly devouring this book. Ms. Van Natta has a unique view of the shifter world from most paranormal books and took me on a roller coaster ride with this book. Jackie and Trevor were believable characters because Ms. Van Natta allows the reader to not only see their good sides but also their faults. I loved how the romance part of the story was there but not at the forefront of the entire book. This book had it all and I look forward to more books in this series by Ms. Van Netta.
A lonely over the road trucker and a woman terrified of who is chasing not far behind her have a memorable encounter at a truck stop in Wyoming introducing a new and exciting paranormal world. I was right in this story and engaged with the main characters from the moment I encountered them on the page and I stayed hooked through this quick and easy, yet exciting and spicy read to the finish.
Jackie Breton is on the run for her life. The last few months of her life have been a nightmare that few would believe- not that any of her life has been easy growing up the bi-racial child in a small southern community who condemned her mother for marrying her father for the different color of their skin. She shakes loose of that town and uses her work as an accountant to save for the time she can move her mother to live with her far from there until she makes the mistake of trusting and thinking she was in love with the wrong man who wasn’t even human. Then, an encounter with a gentle bear shifter who rescues her from trouble at a truck stop asking nothing in return other than to get her to safety shows her that she’s been carrying around her own prejudices against all shifters because of the ones who mistreated and abused her and one left her pregnant with his child before leaving her with worse of his kind.
Trevor has always been alone save for the aunt who took him in when his parents didn’t even want him because his bear side was nothing like any bear they had ever seen. Most shifters fear him and think there is something wrong about him so they keep their distance. He just wants to belong- and have a mate and family of his own. He knows Jackie is his true mate, but he knows she hates his kind and wouldn’t believe him about the mate thing so he puts aside his own hopes and wants to do whatever it takes to make sure she is safe even if that means she leaves him.
This book really wasn’t that long and yet it was developed so well. The world of shifters, fae, magical humans, vampires and more is introduced, a few possible series-long conflicts are begun, and the main characters are given a deep background and an opportunity for personal growth and healing as well as spicy hot romance while racing for safety together. The book felt complete and wrapped up the central issues, but also left me eager to dive in for more from the series.
All in all, this was a good one and I can heartily recommend it to those who enjoy fated mates spicy shifter stories set in a world of many paranormal types.
Down on her luck, running for her life and that of her unborn baby! Lied to, betrayed, sold, imprisoned, pregnant , hungry, and having to pee every other minute, what’s a girl to do? Work smarter not harder, she had schemed and planned, to get escape and she wasn’t giving up yet! In walks this handsome, adorable bear shifter! Did she mention she hated shifters? Could he, would he? She needs help and he is just the man or bear to do it!
I recently started the sci-fi series by author Carol Van Natta and the series totally grabbed my attention. So when I heard she was writing a new Paranormal Romance series I jumped on the chance to read an advance readers copy of the book. This book was so good! I had a lot of fun reading it and I am already looking forward to the rest of this series!
Shifter Mate Magic is one of the best shifter books I read on a long time. It has a rich world filled with magic that we’re slowly getting intruded to, smart and capable characters that aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it, an unique take on shifters and magic and a great and believable romance.
This book follows the story of Jackie and Trevor. Told in dual point of view we get both their sides of the story. Jackie is running from a corrupt shifter pack who wants to sell her unborn baby to the highest bidder. She has nowhere to go and her plan is to keep running as fast and far as she can and hope the shifter tribunal might be able to help her. Then she meets Trevor and despite their instant attraction Jackie knows she doesn’t have time for romance and continues on her journey, but when she lands in a pickle later on she has no one to ask for help, but him.
I liked reading about Jackie and Trevor, both are smart and capable characters. I also liked how different they were and similar too in other aspects. They clicked immediately and I liked seeing them interact with each other. They have an instant attraction, but also much more. They acre about each other and work well together. I also appreciated that getting to safety took priority over exploring the romantic tension between them when the danger increased. While at the same time the romance did got furthered a long a bit as they got to know each other a bit while trying to reach safety. I also thought it was interetsing Trevor was a trucker as I don’t think I’ve read of anyone with that job before and it was fun how his job played a role in the story as well. There are some great scenes with the two of them and I really liked how much they cared about each other.
The romance between the two of them develops pretty fast, but it didn’t feel rushed to me. They just fit together really well and they spend a lot of time together in a few days where they got to know each other. They also stood by the other through some tough times and I think that helped grow their romance pretty quickly. They also have the mate bond, but only Trevor feels that at first and it doens’t get solidified until they actually mate. I really felt their romance and thought they were great together. They really cared about the other, quickly opened up and were honest with each other and I just enjoyed reading about them a lot. I am hoping we’ll be seeing more of them in later books.
The world building was well done. It’s clear the author knows how her world works really well, but we don’t get all that information at once. It was nicely done how we got pieces so you weren’t overwhelmed with all the information and only got the parts relevant for this story. Although I wouldn’t have minded even more world building, but that’s because I am really intrigued by all the paranormal creatures we meet.
I liked the unique twist on shifters in how they had magic to shift and some had some free magic to use for other things. I also liked Jackie’s magic and the things like the maps she created, it was original and very handy. And the whole ice age shifter thing was great too. I liked how it was unique to have some shifters shift into ice age creatures instead of modern age ones and a hint later in the book hints that there is some relevance of this as well. Later in the story you realize there is so much more to this world and while we get introduced to a bunch of creatures, it never gets overwhelming. I can’t wait to read more of this world and the characters in it.
To summarize: I had so much fun reading this book and really enjoyed the story of Jackie and Trevor. It’s one of the best shifter stories I read in a long time and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I really like Carol Van Natta’s writing style and the story and characters grabbed my attention from the start. I liked Jackie and Trevor both as individuals and as a couple. I liked how both were smart and capable and I liked how the romance took a bit of a backseat when the danger grew. The author gave an unique twist on shifter stories with the addition of ice age shifters and how the magic works, which was great! And it seems there is a lot more to this world still to find out. I can’t wait for the next book in this series! I would recommend this one to everyone who likes a good paranormal romance book with an unique twist!
Woman who are mate material, able to attract shifters and bear them children are sold to the highest bidder in order to take their child at birth to sell. There is a certain hidden magical town with extraordinary beings where sanctuary can be obtained…..The town of Kotoyeesinay in Wyoming.
Jackie is a human with certain witchy powers running from an evil alpha who has his sites on taking her unborn child. Her experience with shifters has been very bad so far and this makes her very weary of any, even one that is being very strangely opposite to any shifters she has ever come across.
Trevor is a very different kind of bear shifter, even he doesn’t understand why he is so different and why his parents turned their backs on him. Now however he is only worried about one thing, the very pregnant girl he has to protect above all, his mate. Will she accept this knowing how she feels about shifters?
I give Shifter Mate Magic: Ice Age Shifters Book 1 by Carol Van Natta, 5 stars.
Jackie is running for her life from a pack of absolutely crazy cat shifters. She will not live like that anymore, nor will she risk the baby inside her falling into the wrong hands. So she does the only thing she can think of — she runs. On her journey to get as far away as possible, a chance meeting has her running into Trevor. Literally. Her first impression is how sexy he is. But the safety of herself and her child are more important than her raging hormones. She thinks that all it is. Little does she know just how good this man really is.
Trevor is used to a lonely life. He is the only one of his kind and has always been treated as unwanted and different. But this women brings out all of the best in him. His bear inside him screams to keep her near and protect her. Will he be able to? When they get to safety, what then?
This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. It is not as huge book, but just perfect to tell the story of these wonderful characters and introduce us to a new world and series. The love story of two lost individuals has been done before, but I love the way it was done in this book. And the story surrounding them is written perfectly. I could not put the book down and felt like these were my friends and family. I hope to see more of them in the future and maybe get to know more of the other characters better as well.
If you are a fan of paranormal romance, this book is for you.