Sarah McCarty: THE SHADOW WRANGLERS

Author: Sarah McCarty

Series: THE SHADOW WRANGLERS
Plot Type: SMR

Ratings: V5; S5; H2

Publisher and Titles: Berkley Sensation:

      Caleb (2009)

      Jared (2010)

      Jace (2011)

      Slade (2011)

     This blog entry was revised and updated on 1/19/12 to include a review of the fourth book in the series: Slade. That review follows this summary of the series so far:

     This is an erotica series that tells the soul-mate stories of four Texan brothers—modern-day cowboy vampires. Centuries ago, when the eldest, Caleb, was on the point of dying, he was turned into a vampire. Because he couldn't bear to leave his brothers behind, he turned them too: Jared, Jace, and Slade. Now the men live on a ranch (the Circle J) and have formed alliances with two werewolf packs. In each book, a brother meets and mates with his one and only love. The villains of the series are members of the Sanctuary, a fanatical group of vampires who believe that they should be the sole rulers of all vampires and werewolves. The Sanctuary routinely kidnaps female vamps and female werewolves and tries to impregnate them in an attempt to gain control over future generations.

     In book 1, Caleb is forced to turn Allie into a vampire after they are attacked by rogue werewolves. Unfortunately, Allie cannot consume blood from anyone but her mate—and that, of course, turns out to be Caleb. Since female vampires are rare, Allie is an object of interest for the Sanctuary. The plot revolves around the progression of the romance and the blood problem, with interruptions for some Sanctuary trickery.

     Book 2 begins with Jared's discovery of a young vampire female in the wilderness between the Circle J and the Sanctuary.  As the romance between Jared and Raisa develops, he discovers that she has some deep secrets that may put herself—and his family—in danger.  Once again, the Sanctuary is at the root of their problems, and once again, Raisa can only tolerate her mate's blood.

     In book 3, Jace must rescue his werewolf mate (Miri) and their baby (Faith) from Sanctuary imprisonment. Being a vampire, Jace has a hard time getting the local werewolves to accept his mating with one of their pack members.

     In book 4, Slade, the science/technology-obsessed brother, meets his match in the brilliant and feisty Jane Frederickson, who is a genetic researcher at a laboratory with Sanctuary connections (but she knows nothing about vampires or werewolves). Just as the Sanctuary goons are about to grab Jane up and carry her away, Slade sweeps in to rescue/kidnap her. After a few battles with Sanctuary vamps and werewolves, Jane is convinced that supernatural beings do exist and that some of them are better—a lot better—than others (Slade, in particular). Slade and his family want Jane on their side so that she can find a cure for the terminal illness that has struck Joseph, Caleb and Allison's infant son—the first known child to be born a vampire. Naturally enough, Jane doesn't take well to being kidnapped, although she is sympathetic to their reasons for needing her expertise.  After continually refusing to accept the fact that she is Slade's mate, Jane has a moment of epiphany when Slade lays down his life for her and nearly dies. At that point, she does a complete turn around on the whole mating-forever idea, guaranteeing an HEA for the happy couple. 

     In general, the stories focus on the ups and downs of the various romances, with more downs than ups most of the time. The plots serve primarily as breaks in the romantic cycle, and the characters are fairly shallow: handsome, chest-thumping alpha males and smart, sassy (but sexually submissive) females—all rather interchangeable. In general, most of the arguments and disagreements between each pair of mates is solved—if only temporarily—with a thorough sexual workout. All of the main characters have loads of emotional problems that they must work through (sometimes at tedious length). Lots of trust issues and self-esteem qualms: Does he/she love me for myself or is it just because of the blood match-up? Every other scene is a bedroom (or kitchen, or living room, or cave) sex scene, so if you like that type of paranormal fiction, you'll enjoy this series.