Title: Pyro’s Accidental Shooting
Series: Hounds of the Hunt: Book Two
Author: Toni Griffin
Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Length: 340 Pages
Category: Paranormal
At a Glance: I love the complexity and depth that the author brings to her world and this story, but the ending felt a bit rushed and wasn’t as satisfying as I’d have liked.
Reviewed By: Jenn
Blurb: Winter in Melbourne makes the hunt for supernatural beings gone bad harder than usual during the cold foggy nights. A chill has settled deep in Pyro’s bones. One he can’t shake loose. More than anything, Pyro wishes for a heart mate of his own to come home to after the long nights of a hunt, one who understands him and his desires, who can hold him together when he needs to let go.
Life has always been planned out for Callum. His family of cops expected him to be a cop, so that’s what he became. But Callum isn’t so sure about being a detective for the Melbourne police. Not many people understand the demands of being a cop, and it’s been the downfall of more than one of his relationships. Why should his chance of loving someone get sidelined for a job he isn’t even sure he wants?
One fateful encounter on a fog-shrouded night changes both their worlds forever. Now Pyro just has to convince his heart mate they belong together while Callum tries to come to terms with a world he never knew existed and does his best to make up for accidentally shooting the unusual and intriguing hellhound.
Review: I love the complexity and depth that the author brings to her world and this story. Pyro and his brother hell hounds are on earth, and in Australia specifically, to help keep the balance and stop supernaturals from preying on humans. More than just one job is shown in this story, allowing us to get deep into their world, and yet none of this feels tacked on or unnecessary. I feel that it allowed the slow build-up of the relationship, giving a strong and realistic take on romance.
I loved Pyro’s character, his strength and thoughtfulness mixed with his kinks that he accepted freely were wonderful to see. In contrast, Callum was tougher and his indecisiveness made it harder to identify with him, but the moments of vulnerability we saw as he questioned his career and interacted with his parents eased the path. I wasn’t as fond of his interactions with his siblings, as mostly he seemed to just ignore them or avoid them. Whilst one of his brothers did seem overly nosy, I felt that it was from a place of love and that Callum’s disregard and resentment was over the top, but as an only child perhaps I’m not the best person to judge how sibling dynamics work.
I wasn’t sure about this mix as lovers but as the story developed, I warmed up to them and enjoyed watching them overcome the obstacles thrown in their path. The chemistry and sex scenes were page burning; really, sex seemed to be the one area where the two clicked. Their relationship, otherwise, was a lot slower to build than I would have expected, and added a level of realism rarely seen in romance books. I also liked how Callum took learning about the supernatural into his job as a cop, and saw connections that could otherwise have been missed or not seen until soon enough.
The ending felt a bit rushed and wasn’t as satisfying as I’d have liked, as the hell hound case isn’t truly closed even after Pyro and Callum get their happily ever after. I would also have liked to see more of Pyro’s brothers and their personalities, as in many ways they almost seem an afterthought in this book. Since they are meant to work as a team, we didn’t get to see that team in action and interacting. Usually books like this would leave me wanting to see all the brothers finding their soul mates, or Cor Coeunts. I didn’t feel a connection to them and so don’t mind if there is another in the series or not.
You can buy Pyro’s Accidental Shooting here:
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