ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE is Book three in Celia Kyle's "Grayslake" series. ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE is my favorite book in this series so far. Keen Abrams proves to be the most cuddly and sexy brother in his werebear family. Keen might be a bear shifter and Trista Scott might be part hyena shifter, but I love the feeling in this book that it's them against the world. A lot of the conflict in ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE centers around Trista having Hyena shifter blood in her, thus associating her with one of the most hated groups in the shifter world. The unfairness of that is gigantic on so many levels.

I like Trista because I like strong female characters and she is incredibly resilient. She's had to deal with so much in her life -- the murder of her mother; running from various groups, including her hyena relations, that want her dead; and the general disgust and prejudice from other shifters who just don't like hyenas. In spite of all that, she doesn't come across as a bitter woman and I found her very easy to like. She is slow, at first, to embrace the connection she feels with Keen. Being forced to lead a somewhat nomadic lifestyle and having to constantly fight for things makes her reluctant to lean on someone and rely on them for help. The chemistry between them is fantastic. However, it's more than just a sexual compatibility. They are able to find in each other the love and acceptance that they have trouble finding anywhere else. So, in addition to the smoking hot scenes between them, there are just as many sweet and tender moments in ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE.

There are many sources of conflict in ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE, but I think they all really worked in the story without cluttering it up or taking anything away from the romance. The enemies seem to come from within and from outside. Most of Trista's enemies spring from the sins of her half-brother and biological father. Keen is in the perfect time in his life to be able to relate on some level to Trista's feeling of isolation. He grew up in a large family and community, but as the youngest brother, he felt marginalized to a certain extent. The friction has only increased between his brothers and himself now that he's older. His sense of identity in his clan is thrown into question. I loved how he and Trista stuck together and bonded over these conflicts. This has definitely been my favorite book and couple in this series so far.

ROARING UP THE WRONG TREE is a super sexy romance full of raw emotion and complex characters. I look forward to the next exciting installment in this Grayslake series!

Book Summary

What should Trista do when faced with a hunky werebear who can’t decide if he wants to kill her or screw her?

Half-hyena, Trista has spent years rotating between Grayslake, Redby, and Boyne Falls. When the Grayslake Itan—the local clan’s werebear leader—orders a purge of all hyenas, she finds herself fighting to hold onto the hand-to-mouth life she’s created. Her carefully built existence is threatened further when a gorgeous werebear strides into her life and demands not just her heart, but her very soul. She’ll think about it, but not until her shift ends at seven.

Keen seems like a happy-go-lucky, sex-and-sin werebear, but that’s nowhere near the truth. In reality, his inner- animal wants to go on a bloody rampage and kill half of Grayslake—just because it can. After that, it wants to claim the seductive, curvaceous half-hyena female Keen can’t get out of his head. The animal doesn’t care that most bears wouldn’t mind a little hyena tartare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nope, it peers at her through Keen’s human eyes and has one thought: mate.

When push comes to shove, Keen has to decide if he would rather have the family he was born with, or Trista—the woman who makes him realize that true happiness comes in a lush, hyena-shaped package.