I Found My Rhino
by Erin Hayes
Rating: 4 stars
Blurb:
Last night was great. Mind-blowing, even.One minute, I’m at a bar trying to locate Ernest Shepherd, a rhino shifter. The next, I’m going home with a gorgeous bartender named Ryan for a night that I’ll never forget.
What I didn’t realize is that Ryan is Ernest’s grandson. He’s a rhino shifter, too. And he may just be the rhino I’m looking for to fill a vacancy at the zoo.
When we started our professional relationship with unsanctioned benefits (my boss would kill me if she knew), I didn’t think I’d fall for Ryan. Or that it could all come crashing down in a life or death situation that will change us forever.
My Review:
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
I Found my Rhino was such a fun read. The concept was so fun and original, it’s about an agency names Shifters Unlimited and they place shifters in zoos. I never have read about anything remotely similar and it was just as fun to read about as it sounds. I Found My Rhino is a short and steamy read while also addressing the topic of shifters in zoos. I really enjoyed reading it and easily breezed through the book and I can only hope the author decides to make this series and writes more books in this world.
Shifters Unlimited is hired to find a rhino shifter for a zoo and female main character Leslie has gotten the job to contact this Rhino. She is visiting a bar where the rhino should work, but instead of finding the rhino she was looking for she finds another rhino, his grandson. She just doesn’t realize this yet and has a hot one night stand with him. Things turn a bit awkward when she has to visit the grandfather of her hot date from the night before the next day and try and convince him to become the rhino this zoo needs.
I like how we get a bit of insight into how Shifter Unlimited works, recruiting shifters and then having them spending the days at the zoo and getting a good paycheck. It might be a tad unbelievable, but I didn’t really care as I thought it was a fun and original set-up. We read about Ryan’s first day at the zoo and how Leslie helps him. As it’s a short read and there is a bit of a time skip forward and we don’t get to know all the details of what shifters can do here, but overall the author managed to get a good feel for the world and the shifters and I liked reading this book.
The romance is hot and steamy. The book literally starts with Leslie getting drunk and then having hot sex with the bartender. I wasn’t really sold with the first chapter as it’s hard to care about the characters having sex when you don’t even know them, but after that it only got better and by the end of the book I liked these two and their romance. It is a short novella so that means things do move quickly, but I did feel there was still enough depth to feel their romance and I liked the epilogue.
Leslie has had a difficult break-up and is a bit broken after that, her believe in love and relationships is a bit shattered and she is sure a one night stand or a sex only relationship is all she can handle at this time. Ryan has a busy work schedule and doesn’t think he wants anything more, until he does. We got to know enough of the characters to get a feel for them even with such a short read. I liked how Leslie was not only dedicated to her work, but also to the well being of the animals and shifters. Ryan his relationship with his grandpa was awesome to read about and I really liked the close bond between him and how he was willing to take this job to get more money for the bar and his grandpa’s treatments. And then there is the scene at the zoo later on where both characters really show their personalities.
To summarize: this was such a fun read! Short, steamy and with an unique and fun concept of shifters being hired for zoos. I keep being impressed at how well this author writes short stories and manages to give us a feel for the characters, their romance and the world in so little time and makes sure no part of it feels rushed. I wasn’t quite sure about the start of the book, but after that it got only better and better and by the end I just wanted more. All in al a great read and I hope the author decides to write more about Shifters Unlimited.
Links:
– Goodreads
– Amazon
It’s only 0.99$ on amazon right now!
Actually that is neat because its different both because he’s a rhino shifter and the day work at the zoo. I’ve read a couple shifter books involving the zoo and its usually sad stuff where the shifter was abused and forced to stay in their shifter form working the zoo. This is much better.
Because of Eve Langlais and Charlie Richards, I’ve read books with many shifter types. 🙂
Sophia Rose recently posted…Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
That were two of the things I enjoyed about this book. I am glad this one was mostly positive and it was such an original twist on the shifter genre.
I plan to pick up Eve Langais her books eventually as I like the sound of all the different shifter types she writes about.
Wow shifters in zoos! That sounds totally interesting. I’ve never read a rhino shifter story before. Glad you liked it! ~Aleen
Lampshade Reader recently posted…ARC Review: Accidentally On Purpose by Jill Shalvis
It was such an interesting set-up and I really enjoyed this one.
Lola recently posted…Review: I Found My Rhino by Erin Hayes
Ok, that sounds fun not only because it’s the first rhino shifter I’ve seen in a book but also shifters in zoo’s. That’s really different and sounds fun.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Favorite Picture of the Week
It’s the first rhino shifter I’ve seen in a book as well and the zoo plot line was unique too. It was such a fun read, I hope there will be more books in this series.
Lola recently posted…Review: I Found My Rhino by Erin Hayes
Well that’s new to me a Rhino Shifter. Never heard or read about one of those. Thanks for the review.
Angela @ Angel’s Guilty Pleasures recently posted…Guest Post: Ceri Grenelle (To Mate a Soldier)
I think this is the first Rhino shifter I’ve seen or read about too :).
This sounds so great. You know how much I love shifters. As a volunteer at my local zoo (one of the best in the US), I love the idea. I just checked. It’s only $0.99 here in the US. I’m going to grab this one. 🙂
Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…A Promise of Fire Audiobooks by Amanda Bouchet (REVIEW)
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this one! The zoo aspect was interesting and very well done. And it was fun to read about a rhino shifter. I hope the author decides to make this a series.
*sticks fingers in ears and sings loudly* I’m not going to get this one… I’m not going to get this one – even if it sounds REALLY good…
sjhigbee recently posted…While the Morning Stars Sing
I just heard someone else so it was only 0.99$ ;). And it is a relatively short read.
I MUST not get any more books! Really…
sjhigbee recently posted…While the Morning Stars Sing
I know the feeling, although I always end up with more books anyway.
Lola recently posted…Review: Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings by Lydia Sherrer
Shifters in the zoo, curious element but from your review it was tasteful and not like a menagerie or degrading.
Braine recently posted…Loved It: Undead and Done by MaryJanice Davidson
Yes I thought it was very well done and it tackles the zoo in a positive light. It’s more like a job where they get paid well. The shifter mostly described the work as pretty boring.
Ohhhhhhh. At first I was so confused, like, “They put shifters in the zoo? But they’re people! That’s terrible!” but then I kept reading your review and finally understood that it’s a job for the shifter and they get paid. That’s a cool idea. And I imagine they probably get to leave the zoo when it closes? I guess shifters could make for interesting zoo animals since they could entertain the people better lol.
I agree it’s hard to care when characters have sex right at the start of the book, but sometimes it’s necessary if that’s how they meet or where the story happens to start. Glad you enjoyed the book in the end 🙂
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Book Recs: 10 Lesser-Known Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books with Disabled Characters
Yes it’s a job indeed and they get paid well for it. The rhino shifter mostly thought it was very boring. And yes they get to leave the zoo when it closes and then have to be back the next day before it opens. It was an interesting set-up.
The sex scene start was necessary for the plot, so I didn’t mind too much.