Chasing Fate

Copper Creek Shifters #1

by Jacki James

It’s time to put away silly ideas about whether or not you should be an Alpha and accept that it was never up to you in the first place.  You can’t protect what’s yours unless you claim it and take your rightful place.

Chase Coleman is content with the life he’s made for himself as Sheriff of a sleepy little West Texas town. He might have walked away from his role as the Alpha apparent of his home pride but he didn’t regret making the choice to live as an out gay man.

Paxton Summers could see that Chase was the Alpha of the town’s shifters whether he wanted to accept the title or not. Once he realizes that he and the sexy sheriff are fated mates, it becomes his mission to make Chase see he never had to choose between his destiny and being true to himself—because Copper Creek was exactly where he was meant to be.

Chase just needs to see that he hadn’t left his future behind at all, instead all along he’d been Chasing Fate.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Fantasy, M M Shapeshifters, M M Paranormal

197 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2019

Reviews

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sort of liked it? I mean, I finished so it wasn't terrible. The MCs were a bit one dimensional. It needs to be edited. It had a rather abrupt and unbelievable ending (an about-face that came out of nowhere). But I liked the town. I liked the family feel of it all. I liked the townspeople. The characters really needed to be fleshed out more.

I enjoyed it enough that I wouldn’t be opposed to reading the next in the series, but I won’t be impatiently waiting for it.

[Amanda Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. There was no angst between Chase and Pax and it was exactly what I was in the mood for. I can’t wait to see what Ms. James come up with for this little clan next.

[Kaity · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5-2 stars

okay i am going to have a serious slump ahead of me if i can't find a book that will keep me hooked without eye rolling or having my mind wander.

I even had the audiobook, and that isn't helping me like this story... i will say Kenneth Obi did a good job though that is where the majority of the stars for this review come, but the one thing that took me out was his interpretation of Chase's lion voice, my god wtf was that hahahahha

I am writing this early, as in i am 58% in an i am going to finish it since i bought this on audible and its short, but for some reason feels so long...

As of what i have read, this book needs some edits. We are just told about a lot of things and the characters just know who is talking to them, and by that i mean, when Paxton came in to town and Becky came to clean his bakery, she never introduced herself but Paxton knew who she was by name...

ALSO i feel like this had zero chemistry between Paxton and Chase, like we were told they were fated mates, and while i love that trope if done correctly, this unfortunately was not. I know for a fact I am not continuing and i am bummed about that.

This was just a lot of telling rather than showing, and for me that makes it very hard to connect with any character. and everything feels like its on hyper speed that it is making me roll my eyes at the cheese that is being done lol.

[Manfred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your typical shifter story, not much to complain about, not much to rave either... Average 3 stars.

[♥️Victoria ♥️ ♥️love books♥️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall book rating: 3.5 Stars
Audio book: YES
Narrator: Kenneth Obi:3.5 Stars
MC 1: Chase Coleman - Mountain Lion Shifter - Sheriff
MC 2: Paxton Summers - Human Baker

Chase Coleman is the local towns Sheriff and collector of all strays without meaning to he builds his own clan of misfits shifters. Paxton is the new baker in town and also the fated mate to the town sheriff. Things chance quite fast once these two meet for the first time and he does not only have to deal with being fated to the towns sheriff but also with a band of criminal shifters trying to take over the territory.

Even though this was not bad it feels like the same old story.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I liked this book. It was an easy read with low angst and a romance that was quick due to the whole fated mate plot. I liked the small town and the secondary characters were a lot of fun. I did think that the "turn around" at the end was unbelievable but aside from that it was entertaining.

[Nanna Mørk-Sander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of your standard fated mate shifter story with insta-love, but cute and well-written.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like an alpha etc story to fill my day lol. This was a good one. I really enjoyed it. I wish there was a little more to the fight at the end, but then again, it was awesome to see the alpha seriously kick ass.
Groomed from a tiny cub to takeover as alpha, Chase was ready, but he wanted to go to college first. He really felt like the classes he would take would help him further in bettering the pride and himself. But his father had other plans. Planning to marry him off and forming an alliance was not in Chase's plans. Especially since he is very much gay and has no plans to marry a woman. He is also waiting for his fated mate and refuses to marry outside of that. He's asked to leave and Chase goes, going to college as he intended and starting a new life in Copper Creek as the sheriff. Little does he know, that he's already forming his own 'pride’, 'pack’ or in this case, a cabal. He's built a house for it with land, and has already starting forming it with his best friend and beta. And now with the new arrival of a baker, Chase has just met his mate, Paxton. It's an instant thing between them and Chase couldn't be happier. But trouble is lurking and it wants Paxton as well as Copper Creek. Now Chase has to decide if it's finally time to step into the role of alpha as everyone has been waiting on, or possibly lose everything he's just gotten.
I love Paxton. Oh my goodness. He is this itty bitty little thing with an attitude and sass to match. He's just perfect for Chase, because he will keep that shifter alpha on his toes lol. Paxton though he'd have a lot of work to open this bakery, but he never expected what all he would get when he moved to Copper Creek. And he's just a perfect fit to the rag tag group of shifters. Even though he's human. Everyone there is eclectic and that is Paxton. He pushes Chase to be what Chase is meant to be. He's Chase's support and partner and makes him want to better in every way.
And it's not just Paxton that makes it so diverse. Everyone is pretty much a different shifter, but they all bring something different to the table as well. Each has a specialness to them. Dimas has quickly become one of my favorites and I see something brewing between him and someone else. At least I think so.
But Chase is definitely the glue. He rallies people to be their best. He's fierce and strong. Resonating with so much power. He keeps everyone together and keeps them safe. He's a good man and a good alpha.
This has been a good start to this series. I really enjoyed it. I'm anxious to see what's going to happen next. While one threat has been taken care of, more are quickly coming and it will be good to see this cabal thrive.

http://lovebytesreviews.com

[Rachwithheadinabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5* of shifter magic

Yea so happy a brand new shifter series, by an author I really enjoy reading.
We have humans, shifters of all types, a bad guy who is just a bully trying to take what isn't his, instalust, and fated mates.
Pax has brought a bakery in the shifter friendly town of Copper Creek and on his first day there meets the gorgeous sheriff Chase, Chase is a mountain lion shifter who's cat is sure that Pax although human is his mate. The pair have such chemistry that they hit it off straight away, and Pax convinces Chase that it is time to make his clan official with the shifter council.
I am really looking forward to seeing how the author will expand the clan and take the series forward, we already have had a hint of an upcoming threat, so am excited to know what happens next.

[Elithanathile]

Torn on the rating ... ranges from 2.50 to 2.75 stars ... potentially rounding up to 3 stars [in terms of the GR star rating]!! There are reasons why the rating is as low as it is but also why I insist on rounding UP instead of down!! I'll list those reasons shortly [this week]!! In the meantime, I'm not posting stars until I am sure!!

[cmbookdiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read quite a few shifter stories,this one is by far the best of them. Love the cover.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, light, low angst fated mates story. Nothing really stands out as being special or novel, but it’s a good way to spend an hour or two.

[Karolina Cebula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review in English and Polish || Recenzja po angielsku i polsku

Chase is a small-town Sheriff and a great candidate to be Alpha of his own clan – just and reasonable. Unfortunately, while the mountain lion shifter feels perfectly fine in his role as an officer of the law, he doesn't want to become the Alpha, which is the result of his rather difficult relationships with his parents and archaic views of other leaders of the largest lion prides. The source of the problem is the fact that Chase is gay and doesn't even have the slightest intention of marrying a woman. Anyway, he plans to wait as long as he needs for his fated mate.
His patience is rewarded when a new bakery owner, Paxton, comes to town. Every cell in Chase's body tells him that this ordinary, but charming human is the one that fate has chosen for him. But fate has a lot more planed for the shifter, and Paxton is going to make sure that Chase finally opens up to his destiny.

"Chasing Fate" is the first novel in a new series about shifter, titled "Copper Creek Shifters". Taking into account what we get in this first volume, we can be sure that the series will be interesting and really pleasant to read. The first part looks very good and I admit that it is the essence of what I love in novels like this one. Let's start with the motif of fated mates. As much as I love this subject with all my heart, I always criticize the fact that without getting to know each other better, the lovers fall in love very fast. However, in this case the author has managed to avoid all my doubts in a perfect way. And that's because one of her main characters is not afraid to ask questions, some of which, as a reader wanting to understand the novel, I would also ask. The examples of some of these questions concern the problem of free will and possibility of saying "no", the certainty whether two people are really perfect for each other and meet the conditions necessary to fall in love. I admit, while I write all this it sounds rather complex, but when you read the novel everything is going to be clear and sensible.

In my opinion another great advantage of the novel is Chase. And it doesn't really matter that I have a weakness for characters who are law enforcement officers, because what is the most important in this case is Chase himself and his approach to his work. I'm not hiding the fact that I was growing up watching "Walker, Texas Ranger", so obviously all my police work ideals came from this TV show. So it is not surprising that I fell in love with our small-town Sheriff, who feels a vocation to do this kind of work, who is righteous, just and always ready to help. Moreover, it is equally compelling that we are dealing with a tough, strong and courageous Alpha, who, despite these typically male features, is also extremely gentle, affectionate, loving, ready to sacrifice himself. And as if we have not fallen head over heels in love with Chase yet, the author adds a pinch of innocence to the creation of this character, because this man is like a child who believes in fairy tales, and for years he's been patiently waiting for his fated mate, though many considered it to be a fairy tale. So is it even possible not to love him?

Another phenomenal move was to introduce an alphamate position to the hierarchy of shifter cabals as an opposition to omegas who are subjected to alphas. I want to point out straightaway that for me in this case a gender is not important at all, because I'm a great advocate of relationships built on equal rules and rights. I must admit that it makes my blood boil whenever I see or hear about one of the lovers being subject to the other because of their position in bed, gender or work. And I'm talking about everyday life, not about sexual games or kinks. Therefore, as I liked "Chasing Fate" from the very beginning, I completely fell head over heels in love with this book when Jacki James introduced the concept of alphamate into his novel. Naturally, the fact that in the universe of "Copper Creek Shifters" there are both omegas and the alternative to them is what speaks in favor of this story, because it influences the way the characters are created and clearly shows who they really are.

In "Chasing Fate" I also liked the way the author presented the subject of a family. She has combined two types with it – the one in which members are linked by blood, genetics, birth, and the one that is formed by a group of friends, good colleagues, people consciously chosen. In this context, the author has shown that while the ties of blood fail, true friendship can face all challenges. In the end, the family based on genetic compatibility is something simply given to us and is not synonymous with love, while we choose our friends and they choose us. It is also very important that in the topic of the family Jacki James put a lot of emphasis on broadly understood concept of acceptance. For she showed it not only in the context of sexual orientation, but also of race, one's choices and following the chosen path in life. In short, she managed to present everything that is most important, and in addition she did it in a way that shows that being rejected by the biological family is not the end of the world, but the possibility to find a new, better one.

With all this in mind, with a clear conscience I can assure you that "Chasing Fate" is a novel worth recommending and worth reading. This book offers us an interesting, simple and positive story, lovable characters, as well as well-presented motifs related to both the world of shapeshifters and ordinary everyday life. I really love this novel and I'm sure you will like it too.

_________________________________

Chase jest Szeryfem małego miasteczka i świetnym materiałem na rozsądnego, sprawiedliwego Alfę własnego klanu. Niestety, o ile zmiennokształtny lew górski czuje się doskonale w roli stróża prawa, o tyle nie chce zostać Alfą, co jest wynikiem jego raczej trudnych relacji z rodzicami oraz archaicznych poglądów innych liderów największych klanów. Źródłem problemu jest fakt, iż Chase jest gejem i nie ma najmniejszego nawet zamiary żenić się z kobietą. Zresztą, planuje czekać ile tylko będzie trzeba na przeznaczonego sobie przez los partnera.
Jego cierpliwość zostaje nagrodzona, kiedy w miasteczku pojawia się nowy właściciel piekarni, Paxton. Każda komórka ciała Chase’a krzyczy, że to właśnie ten zwykły, ale jakże czarujący człowiek jest tym, którego wybrał dla niego los. On ma jednak względem niego o wiele więcej planów, a Paxton zadba, aby Chase w końcu otworzył się na swoje przeznaczenie.

„Chasing Fate” otwiera nową serię powieści o zmiennokształtnych zatytułowaną „Copper Creek Shifters” i biorąc pod uwagę to, co dostajemy w pierwszym tomie, możemy liczyć na to, że będzie ona interesująca i naprawdę przyjemna w odbiorze. Pierwsza część prezentuje się bardzo dobrze i przyznaję, że jest esencją tego, co uwielbiam w powieściach takich jak ta. Zacznijmy od motywu przeznaczonych sobie przez los partnerów. O ile uwielbiam ten temat całym sercem, o tyle zawsze kręcę nosem na fakt zbyt szybkiej miłości bez poznania się lepiej kochanków. Autorce udało się ominąć wszelkie moje wątpliwości w doskonały sposób. A to dlatego, że jeden z jej głównych bohaterów nie boi się zadawać pytań, z których część jako czytelnik pragnący zrozumieć powieść stawiałabym również ja sama. Przykładem jest chociażby problem wolnej woli i ewentualnego powiedzenia „nie” oraz pewności, co do odpowiedniego dopasowania dwójki ludzi, spełnienia warunków niezbędnych do pojawienia się uczucia. Przyznaję, kiedy to piszę, brzmi to zawile, ale kiedy sięgniecie po powieść, wszystko okaże się jasne i sensowne.

Kolejnym strzałem w dziesiątkę w moim odczuciu jest Chase. Fakt, że mam słabość do postaci będących stróżami prawa to jedno. Tym co jednak w tym przypadku jest najważniejsze jest sam Chase i jego podejście do pracy. Nie ukrywam, że wychowałam się na „Strażniku Teksasu”, więc wszelkie ideały dotyczące pracy policji zostały mi zakorzenione właśnie przez ten serial. Nie może więc dziwić fakt, że zakochałam się w tym małomiasteczkowym Szeryfie, który czuje powołanie do swojej pracy, jest prawy, sprawiedliwy i zawsze gotowy do pomocy. Mało tego, równie zniewalające jest to, że mamy do czynienia z twardym, silnym i odważnym Alfą, który mimo tych typowo samczych cech jest także niezwykle łagodny, czuły, kochający, gotowy do poświęceń. I jakbyśmy jeszcze nie stracili głowy dla Chase’a, autorka dodaje do jego kreacji szczyptę niewinności, ponieważ mężczyzna jest niczym dziecko wierzące w baśnie i przez lata czekał wytrwale na przeznaczonego sobie partnera, chociaż wielu uważało to za bajania. I jak go nie kochać?

Równie fenomenalnym posunięciem było wprowadzenie do hierarchii klanów/kabał stanowiska alphamate (możemy przetłumaczyć to po prostu jako „partner alfy”), jako opozycję dla podporządkowanego alfie omegi. Od razu zaznaczę, że w tym wypadku płeć nie gra dla mnie roli, ponieważ jestem wielką zwolenniczką związków na równych zasadach i prawach. Przyznaję więc, że krew mnie zalewa, kiedy słyszę lub widzę, jak jeden z partnerów jest podległy drugiemu ze względu na jego pozycję w łóżku, płeć, czy też wykonywaną pracę. I mówię tu o życiu codziennym, nie o seksualnych zabawach czy bzikach. Dlatego też o ile „Chasing Fate” spodobało mi się już od samego początku, o tyle w momencie, kiedy Jacki James wprowadziła do swojej powieści pojęcie alphamate, całkowicie straciłam głowę dla tej książki głowę. Naturalnie fakt, że w uniwersum „Copper Creek Shifters” istnieją zarówno omegi, jak i alternatywa dla nich jest tym, co najbardziej przemawia na korzyść tej historii, albowiem wpływa na sposób kreacji bohaterów oraz wiele o nich mówi.

W „Chasing Fate” niesamowicie spodobało mi się również to, w jaki sposób autorka przedstawiła temat rodziny. Zestawiła bowiem ze sobą jej dwa typy – tę, którą łączą więzy krwi, genetyka, urodzenie oraz tę, którą tworzą przyjaciele, dobrzy znajomi, osoby wybrane świadomie. W tym właśnie kontekście autorka pokazała, że o ile więzy krwi zawodzą, o tyle prawdziwa przyjaźń potrafi sprostać wszelkim wyzwaniom. W końcu rodzina w pojęciu genetycznej zgodności jest nam narzucana odgórnie i nie jest jednoznaczna z miłością, zaś przyjaciół wybieramy sami i oni wybierają nas. Bardzo istotne jest również to, że Jacki James w temacie rodziny położyła duży nacisk na szeroko pojętą akceptację. Albowiem odniosła ją nie tylko do orientacji seksualnej, ale także do dokonywanych wyborów, podążania wybraną przez siebie ścieżką życiową oraz rasy. Krótko mówiąc, udało jej się przedstawić wszystko, co najważniejsze, a dodatkowo zrobiła to w sposób, który pokazuje, że odrzucenie przez biologiczną rodzinę nie jest końcem świata, ale możliwością zalezienia nowej, lepszej.

Mając wszystko to na uwadze, z czystym sumieniem mogę zapewnić, że „Chasing Fate” jest powieścią godną polecenia i wartą zainteresowania. Książka ta ma nam do zaoferowania zarówno ciekawą, prostą i pozytywną historię, jak i łatwych do pokochania bohaterów, a także dobrze przedstawione motywy związane zarówno ze światem zmiennokształtnych, jak i zwyczajnym życiem codziennym. Ja pokochałam tę powieść i jestem pewna, że Wy również ją polubicie.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so so so racist. Do not read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but wasn't in-love with the story. Everything happened WAY to fast. There was no development or build-up to anything. This was definitely an insta-love component to it, which I'm not typically a fan of and the big fight scene was anticlimantic. Would I read the other books? Yes, I was interested enough to read the next book.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Paxton is human and has just broken up with his live in boyfriend as well as co-owner of a restaurant. After selling off his half of everything, he purchases a bakery in a little nowhere town that he is drawn to for some unknown reason. When he gets to town, he meets the hunky sheriff Chase who is a mountain lion shifter and all Alpha. Paxton can tell right off that he is that Alpha of this little town of shifters, even though Chase refuses to step up and be what they need. Anyway, Paxton and Chase hit it off as only fated mates do. Both find out what it means to be fated mates as a human and shifter paring from different sources and I liked that we find out that information from more then one place. I also like that Chases mountain lion is kind of an entity of his own with his own name. As Chase and Paxton are working on the attraction to each other, Chase finally decides to step up and be the alpha of the mix of shifters in the town he loves, there is trouble brewing on the horizon. A wolf shifter biker gang has decided they want the town for their own and their Alpha is going to be Alpha of the town and he wants Paxton. My only issue with the book is that after the big battle, both Paxton and Chase are wounded. Paxton has a bleeding head wound and Chase has a torn up bloody shoulder wound, I would have liked to have seen them clean and care for each other’s wounds. But we get Chase throwing Paxton over his shoulder and off to bed we go for some hot post battle sex. I enjoyed the secondary characters and can’t wait to read their stories. Plus there is a bad guy/guys looming in the background that I want to find out what they are up to and why.

ARC provided by LesCourt Services in exchange for an honest review.

[G. R. M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another random read unfortunately, with:
- Typos and omissions throughout the book.
- Lack of imagination (Delphia for a seer? Seriously?)
- Off-topic ramblings and lack of character development.
- Unsuccessful evenness of the storyline (flatness and lack of twists).
- The clichéd personalities of the characters and the intrigue.
- Boring and amateurish narration with lackluster dialogues.
- Banal cover and can-do-better plot.
- DISAPPOINTING ENDING

1 * star for a boring, common read.

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the lion shifter, but spent a lot of time on infodumps in the form of convenient stories told by well-meaning strangers.

[Chancey "Does not give out 5's like candy" Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating (All ratings use a Scale of 1-5) = 3 Stars as an overall rating, but 4 stars if rated just as brain candy.

Blurb = 4
My Genre Scale = 5
Odds if not your genre = 3

Development of: =
*World = 3.5
*Plot = 3.5
*Characters = 3.5

What stood out = Squirrel shifter
Mood Type / Appeal to those looking for = Nice easy read. Fated mates. Interesting premise.
Warnings = None
HFN/HEA = Definitely

Series Notes = 1st
*Reading on? Not sure
*Reading back to back? N/A
*Can be easily read without the previous? N/A

Rating Notes = (SubPlots, thoughts, etc... ) Flowed well, kept interest, and had some fresh aspects

Since my mother had a major stroke (while we were in the starting stages of moving from GA to SC) , I really haven't been able to find the time or energy to review. I've also been doing a lot of rereading. I'm going to try and get back into the "swing" of things. Just maybe not at my usual pace
**************
Below is my philosophy on reviewing!
***************
1. I try to take into account and note common pet peeves often bemoaned by others.
2. "Brain candy' does not necessarily carry a negative connotation. (What is brain candy? Publishing industry 's version of pop music - Typically: formulaic, from a prolific author published often and quickly (like monthly), things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc..)  It has its uses: to pass time whet tired, on the beach, etc...  The problem comes  when "brain candy" is unexpected or even disguised.
3. Blurb rating purpose:
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read it; I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when reviewing:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages; but the total number of books is usually much higher. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2021) was a 3.64 average for 1527 books. Which considering, one should be better at picking out books the more one reads, I feel is an accurate average. I have over 795 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackie James is a new to me author, but I’ve listened to a lot of Kenneth Obi’s books and I also am usually fond of shifter stories so I was interested in checking out this book. It was a fairly short listen and I think my review will kind of be short, too, but I am glad I got a chance to check out this book.

What I like about shifter stories is that the author can build up their world the way they want, and I always find the variations interesting. In the Copper Creek Shifters series, I believe the story takes place in the not too distant future, but one of the characters discusses the troubles his gay grandfathers had adopting his dad. It seems in this future there isn’t too much discrimination for being gay. And over the time that has taken place, the shifter community decided to reveal itself to the human world, and now the two groups live side by side, peacefully; for the most part.

Well, Chase’s father (the alpha of their mountain lion shifter pride) did have an issue with Chase being gay, and when Chase refused to skip college and marry an omega female, he was kicked out. Chase believed there was a “fated mate” out in the world for him and there was no hesitation for him in leaving. After going to school he ends up in a town filled with all different types of shifters. Chase is joined by his cousin who is also a mountain lion shifter, two wolf shifters, and a female squirrel shifter. The town also seems to be filled with different types of shifters. They all seem to want Chase to claim them as a cabal but there are worries that it will cause more trouble than good. Because a human anti-shifter group is gaining power, and there are also other packs/cabals who won’t take kindly to a new leader in the area.

I definitely can say I enjoyed the listen, it was a pretty straight forward love story, without much in the way of angst for the two characters, but I didn’t feel the full development of their characters. I couldn’t always get a good feeling for who they were besides this fated love between them. I really like the set up of the world and what is happening around them. I am sure there will be more conflicts for the newly formed cabal to come and I look forward to listening to/reading more about the other characters in this series. I would recommend checking this book out, and I thought the narration by Kenneth Obi was spot on.

[Resch Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great world-building but the romance has something to be desired. I loved the world that Jacki James sets up in this novel. She captures that wholesome, small-town charm effortlessly. The plot had enough allure and mystery to capture my interests. But the romance was a whole lot of insta-love.

So Pax and Chase as individual characters are adorable. I loved the incorporation of Chase's lion and the balance between his human half and his mountain lion half. Pax was a sweet heart just looking for a fresh start. And while I understand the whole fated mates thing, they are destined for each other, etc. I couldn't get behind the insta-love factor. The entire story takes place in about a week, the second time they meet - they kiss. Like hello virtual stranger I am attracted to, give me a kiss. And every sex scene felt so rushed. In fact, the entire romance felt rushed, almost like it got swept away in the plot.

The plot was action-packed, I loved the tension surround Copper Creek from all sides. Chase needs to step up and claim his rightful spot as alpha. Another alpha shifter and his gang of misfits is threatening him and those he loves. The Council is bias about letting Chase be an alpha because of his sexual-orientation. Not to mention a group who is trying to start a war between humans and shifters. Needless to say, there is no shortage of drama in the story.

I just wish it all didn't feel so rushed. Some more communication between Pax and Chase would have been nice. I would have liked to see Pax develop a deeper relationship with those in cabal. I would have also loved to learn more details about cabal members. Most importantly, I would have liked to have seen Pax establish his own identity in town other than the alphamate.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty typical shifter story but it kept me up past my bedtime reading. Chase left home when his parents tried to force him to mate with a woman so he leaves his pack, goes to college and gets a job as a Sheriff in a small town. Meanwhile pastry chef Paxton broke up with his business partner, sold everything and moves to a small town to run a bakery. This is a world where shifters are "out" and when Chase meets him he knows he's his mate and Paxton knows about mates and to be honest, comes around to it pretty fast, like within 24 hours.

Of course Chase has been dragging his feet on declaring a pack because he doesn't think he'd be a good alpha (despite being born and everyone treating him that way) and there is the bad motorcycle gang trying to take over and a found-family theme.

I liked all the characters and I'm always a sucker for foundlings who are kicked out of their families finding acceptance and family with others. And Paxton was a spicy little thing who didn't take shit and told Chase to get his head out of his ass. This is a mixed bag of shifters and the whole town is maybe a bit too perfect. I did think Paxton takes to the mates idea pretty quick given he's human, but ...

The one thing I didn't really connect with was after kicking Chase out of the pack, his father shows up once Chase files for pack status and is all "I wanted you to find your own way" and makes it sound like he was doing Chase a favour by banishing him. It seemed out of character for a guy who told Chase to get married and keep guys on the side or get out and never speak to me again. So I was kind of thrown off by his conciliatory behaviour.

So not overly original but if you are in the mood for some fated-mates insta-lovey goodness it worked for me.

[Marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could’ve been a good read. I finished it, but I was really hoping for something more.

- Fated mates? Fantastic.
- Small town livin’? Great, give me more. I actually liked the town this was set in.
- Found family? Love it.

Potential was there, but it seriously flopped. What was that ending? I legit laughed out loud and had to complain to my partner about how this ended so abruptly. You don’t end books like this. You want a cliffhanger? Great, set it up and make me yearn for the next book. What was this?!

And guess what, the next book is about a character that we got maybe 3 lines from in the first book. I have no interest in this guy yet. I wanna know about the twins, the primary beta, the spy… Damn, I’ll even take a story about the squirrel. Why? Because we had more interaction with these characters than the one that’s coming up next. Will I read the next one? Sorry, no.

Jacki James did such a fabulous job with her Blue Collar Daddies and all the River Gorge books. Some are better than others and fall into a different trope/theme (Daddy/boy/Dom/sub), I will admit, but they’re more fleshed out and the characters aren’t so one-dimensional. If I may be so bold as to say I believe this may have been a book that was from earlier writing days and didn’t quite know where her niche was yet, not quite hitting her stride. If this was pushed to a different editor, we could have gotten a different book altogether.

Still, credit where credit is due, kudos on trying something different (I haven’t read any of her other Copper Creek books, so this was my first/last). Writing books is hard work and I will always grant one star toward just writing a book and putting yourself out there.

[Julianne Macneil · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the start to a new series and i loved it. Chase was an alpha who was a mountain lion and when he wouldn't agree to an arranged marriage and not go to college, his father exiled him from his pride. Chase moved on and became the sheriff in a small town. Chase, along with his cousin, took in twin wolf shifters and a squirrel. Together they all became a family of sorts and everyone in the town was waiting for Chase to accept the role of alpha and form their own clan. When Paxton comes to town to reopen the bakery, he is surprised to find how welcoming the town is to him. Pax is a human and when he met Chase, they had an instant attraction to each other. Chase was surprised to find his lion going crazy when he met Pax and Chase knew he was his fated mate. Pax and Chase had to figure out how they were going to be together and how it worked with the fated mate bond. Things were going well between them until a biker gang of shifters started causing trouble. Pax also wanted Chase to accept the role of alpha and register their clan where everyone was welcome, regardless of what kind of shifter they were. I really enjoyed this book. I love how open they all were and accepting of each other. I think Chase was born to be the alpha and i love how he wanted to help everyone. Well done.

[Claudia Lezár · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-
Away-book like
‘Jesse's Smile' or ‚Joey’ from Angelique Jurd,
‘Save the at he kids' series from EM Leya,
‘Love’s Tethered Heart’ from C.L. Etta or
'Liberty' from Seth King),
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often reread and is a
WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises
(like most of Andrew Grey’s books)
it's like an A

3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few
times a year (most romances where you can
enjoy for relaxing and during waiting times in
hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+

3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader,
maybe 2-3 times a year. It’s like a B

2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-
reader (i wouldn't recommend it heartily, but
it was ok). It's like a C-, D

1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too
many mistakes, not nice plot, illogical, so an
absolut NO-GO). It's like failure in the whole
line, dismissed, repeat the class

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing really new or earth shattering, nor was it filled with angst but something about this story got me from the start and I couldn't seem to put the book down! I can't wait to start Foxy Mates!!!

I read Copper Creek Beyond the Realm: Remember a while ago not realizing it was connected to this series. I really wish I had known so I could have read the books in this series first. It never felt like a stand alone, I got the feeling I missed something and now I know what. I may have to do a re-read of Copper Creek when I've finished with the others in this bunch.

TAGS
-- Shifter/assortment g-human fated mate -- some sweet moments -- some excitement-- some drama -- good secondary characters -- family not by blood -- loved the MCs... Paxton & Chase -- quick easy read -- can't wait to start the next book

[Dixiecowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful fated-mates with a bit of mystery, action and creating a found family. I so enjoyed the story-line of this story, it just captured my attention from page one and i happily read it all in one sitting. The MC's are both really great guys and their group is filled with wonderful characters. The writing flowed and i found it easy to read and follow. I enjoyed the various types of shifters working together. Made it fun and interesting world-building. The story is satisfying in the growth of the clan and the mating of Chase and Paxton

Chase and Paxton's connection is wonderful and creative. I liked that both men were strong and each brought important skills and traits to this partnership. I am looking forward to lots of wonderful stories in this new Copper Creek Shifters series. Awesome start to a new series!!

I was gifted this book from the LesCourt Author Services and i freely give my honest opinion and review.

[Phoenix13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Great start to new series!

I am already a fan of this author but I really love this shifter debut!
It features one of my favorite scenarios, a strong, good-hearted alpha, who is head of a clan of found family-he just didn’t quite realize it here! I was glad to see that Paxton coming into his life helped him realize what what important.
I really loved Paxton and Chase together also, great chemistry and complement each other well. They are great characters individually too, nicely developed. The story flowed well, interesting setting, great secondary characters that I’m looking forward to seeing more of, and not only the clan/family premise I love but a bit of action. Plus a hint of more to come. I’m excited to see what happens as the clan/pack faces future challenges, and hopefully grows even more in members and mate matches too.
All in all I definitely recommend this and I’ll be eagerly awaiting what comes next in Copper Creek!

[Xanthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great new shifter series from Jacki James. I loved the Group of shifters that have randomly come together in Copper Creek and look forward to hearing their stories in the future.
Paxton is a lovable character and so accepting and caring towards those around him. He's a perfect fit for Chase and their connection and attraction jumps off of the page. Chase's strong persona easily draws you in and you can understand how others are drawn to and trust in him.
There are established and new friendships being built and I'm excited to see how the group moves forward and to see what happens with the result of the plot in this book. The story line, romance and characters all keep you engaged with the book and entertained throughout.
I definitely recommend and will be looking out for book #2, wondering what couple will be having their story told.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[DoaJaneoDoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

*It’s time to put away silly ideas about whether or not you should be an Alpha and accept that it was never up to you in the first place.  You can’t protect what’s yours unless you claim it and take your rightful place. *

Chase Coleman is content with the life he’s made for himself as Sheriff of a sleepy little West Texas town. He might have walked away from his role as the Alpha apparent of his home pride but he didn’t regret making the choice to live as an out gay man.

Paxton Summers could see that Chase was the Alpha of the town’s shifters whether he wanted to accept the title or not. Once he realizes that he and the sexy sheriff are fated mates, it becomes his mission to make Chase see he never had to choose between his destiny and being true to himself—because Copper Creek was exactly where he was meant to be.

Chase just needs to see that he hadn’t left his future behind at all, instead all along he’d been Chasing Fate.