Claiming Ana

Triple Star Ranch #1

by Brynna Curry

Small-town veterinarian Anastasia Brannon has always hidden her magic for fear of ridicule. A red-hot encounter with the new PI in town makes their attraction impossible to deny. Throwing caution to the wind, she indulges her desires but keeps her secrets close.

A man with a shady past and secrets of his own, Howl Raven uses his feral talents and tracking skills to make a living, doing his best to lay low and hide the curse that haunts him every month. So far, so good…until an uncontrollable shift outside the full moon leaves him the victim of a werewolf hunter.

When she finds the enigmatic investigator wounded in the woods near her cabin during a storm, Ana provides medical care on instinct. She may be the only one who can banish the wolf from Howl’s blood, but at what cost?

Author's Note: This book is a previously released prequel which has been extensively revised to include bonus content and a preview of Tempting Taylor. While it does have a fast HEA for Howl and Ana, the arcing storyline of Sam Murphy’s murder is left unresolved to be continued in the remaining books.

Coming Soon

Claiming Ana (Prequel)
Tempting Taylor (Cade and Taylor's story)
Captivating Caitlyn (Drew's story)
Saving Sarah (Jace's story)

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Novella, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Bethany Cagle, who writes as Brynna Curry, was born south of the Mason-Dixon Line in a small Alabama town. Growing up, books fueled her dreams and imagination, ultimately became her sanctuary during the hardest times in her life. After living all over the southern states, she finally landed back in north Alabama where she met her husband, Jackie. She spent a wonderful twenty-two years with her hero, raising their three children.

Now widowed, she spends her free time writing. Her furry minions, Jace, Styxx and Asheron, are always willing to keep her company while she works. She insists love is the truest magic and with it every day is an adventure.

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Lyrical Press for my honest review.

Claiming Ana is a super short read. Maybe too short.
Ana is a gypsy, full of magic, who is hiding it from all her friends in her small town.
Howl is living under a curse as a werewolf and a PI. He has been hired by some friends of Ana's to find the reason for the murder of their father. The two meet and for Howl it is a instant connection and knowledge that Ana is his mate.
That's fine, I usually love the instant connection of our paranormal were creatures. All the "claiming" and "mine" talk really gets me going :) Unfortunately there wasn't much of that.
The background story of the murder investigation was ignored after they met and new drama was brought into the story in the way of Howl's werewolf hunting enemy. That is also fine, but maybe in a longer book where we could actually get more background and everything wasn't brushed over. This is a common irk of mine when ready short stories. I end up wanting more info and feel unsatisfied with what I get. It is I imagine very hard to balance everything right in a short book, so I apologise to all authors who write them as I probably complain about them a bit. The relationship between Ana and Howl was okay, but I also felt the erotic scenes where not what I expected.
So all in all, this was a bit of a rushed story, that needed more info to fill the gaps to satisfy me.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of this book but the execution was a bit off. It started out feeling like a cowboy/rancher romantic suspense. I was really into that angle and then it took a sudden shift into paranormal. It just felt like the author changed direction mid stream. I expect the rest of the series will pick up the romantic suspense, as that situation was never resolved.

I really liked the characters and their whole dynamic. It was refreshing having characters not keep major stuff secret. Howl really is yummy in all his Alpha-ness. I also loved the whole gypsy magic thing Ana has going on. It would have been a more interesting read if we had more of them and their backgrounds. I wanted to hear more about the curse and Howl's upbringing. I mean they had to have a clue what would happen, after all they named him Howl. I am also unclear about what happened at the end with Ana and the healing.

I loved that it was a mixed narrative allowing us insight into both characters. Getting both POV is crucial to understanding where they are coming from. It was always clear whose thoughts we were getting and I never once felt it bounced to much. Very smooth transitions from one to the other.

The steam is yummy, but I wanted more!! I am all about the smexy stuff!!! I also felt the "I love yous" way to quick, after all it was only days. I like that sort of thing to build, I get the whole mate thing, but the connection does not equal instant love. If the book had been a touch longer I would have believed it more. I definitely got liking and plenty of lusting, just not quite love.

Overall though I am hooked on a series. This is more of a prequel of things to come. We meet the brothers who own the ranch, all three yummy and single!! I am looking forward to their stories and getting more into the mystery. I can see serious book crush material in Jace!!

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claiming Ana was a quick, entertaining read with likable characters and an intriguing setting. Ana and Howl's relationship developed really quickly, but with the paranormal "mate" bonding aspect of it it's almost to be expected, and it didn't bother me as it might have otherwise.

Since Ana is a veterinarian, animals play a big part in the novella. I especially enjoyed Circe the mama cat and Taffy the golden retriever, and watching them interact with each other and especially with Howl was fun. When he tells the dog she's not his "kind of girl", it really made me smile.

The story is very fast-paced; not only do our characters progress quickly in their relationship, but the drama that enfolds them moves along at a fast clip. We no sooner met Howl but his life's in danger; a few short chapters later Ana's life is threatened as well. Not a dull moment here!

The book as a whole, though, often felt rushed. It is the first in a series of three, so hopefully some of the plot elements that didn't get a full treatment here will be more fully developed later. (Perfect example--the case that brings Howl to town, investigating the murder of the father of Ana's high school boyfriend and the mystery of why he took so much money out of his ranch before his death, is left hanging. It seems to get lost in the more immediate drama--understandably--of Howl being chased by an angry man with silver bullets in his gun. Still, though, I'd like to see what is going on there.)

A larger word count could have given this story more body and made it ultimately more satisfying. As it is, we're left with some vague information about curses and the bonds between characters that I'd like to have seen explored more fully. Even Ana's powers could have been explained in greater detail. What is here is definitely enough to arouse interest in the next two books, though--and it can be read in an afternoon.

Rating: C+, 3 1/2 stars

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this story by accident. Since I'm open to new authors of romance and/or fantasy, I decided to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed.

I'm going to give a warning right now. I give a spoiler about the ending, so if you haven't read the story, stop now. Even more so because this story is only about 73 or 74 pages.

In this story, there is magic, werewolves, silver bullets and a hunter who's only target is human prey. It was really cool. I liked the characters, the writing, the plot.

If I have an issue with this book it's the conclusion. I'm chalking it up to me, because I know sometimes I can be a little slow on understanding the knots and twists. With that being said, my confusion is thus: The hero has to find his own way of breaking the curse. His family was cursed to begin with because an ancestor raped and murdered the witch who cast the curse. At the end of this book, the hero attacks his cousin, tearing into him viciously. Also turning him into a werewolf. I'm not connecting the dots. A rapis tmurderer is cursed. The descendant has to find his own way of breaking the curse. By mauling his cousin? I'm puzzled. My own thought on a logical explanation is that the hero attacked his cousin because his cousin was planning to rape the heroine. Perhaps? Either way, I can live with my confusion. I got a happy ending. The couple survived, the hero was no longer a werewolf and the evil cousin went straight to hell. ;)

I will definitely be looking up more of this author's books. Magic and fantasy combined with romance is a winner with me and I'm interested to read more.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claiming Ana is the story of a veterinarian/gypsy and a cursed werewolf shifter. This book is very short-novella length. I loved the characters. Ana was a no nonsense kinda girl that knew what she wanted, and she wanted Howl Raven. Howl is a private investigator working on a case in Ana's hometown. When he spots Ana their chemistry leaps off the page and there's no keeping them apart. I really loves that all of the characters except one were good, down to earth folks. The author made you feel like you were sitting around having coffee with them. It's obvious that she really put a lot of thought into these characters. The storyline moved along quickly and the steamy love scenes were hot, hot, hot. I really liked the fact that both characters had a genuine connection and refused to play games. They shared their deepest secrets without fear and each one risked their life to keep the other safe. There tense moments of suspense and intrigue woven throughout. This was a great quick read.

Reviewed by Michelle for Cocktails and Books

[Donna McBroom-Theriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paranormal is not my one of usual genres to review. In fact, it is actually listed as one I do not review, but that doesn’t mean that every now and then I don’t enjoy one.

Having said that, I really enjoyed this book. It was short, sweet, and full of steamy thoughts and action. What’s not to love? An exceptionally good-looking guy rolls into town, sparks fly from the moment you lay eyes on each other, throw in a little mental telepathy, and let’s say the rest is history.

Sometimes you want a meandering story, and other times, a story that grabs you by the throat and has you running to catch up with the characters. This was one of those stories.

The cover doesn’t do much to draw the reader in, but somehow it is appropriate. It is a fast read, a get in there and get out kind of read. It is well-written and I enjoyed it. I am going to give CLAIMING ANA five stars. For those of you who enjoy paranormal and are looking for a fast read, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. For more: www.mylifeonestoryatatime.com

[Pearls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raised amongst mortals, Ana has inherited her Gypsy magic. Now a veterinarian, she is surprised to learn that her grandmother's tales of werewolves and curses are true. There's a mystery surrounding the Triple Star Ranch, and the sheriff/rancher has brought in help for the investigation. Howl Raven comes with his own mystery, though. Howl finds his mate in Ana, and his reason to fight against his family's curse. Some of this was a bit confusing as the reader learns at the same pace as Ana, but makes sense by the second half of the story. The passion between the two is hot! Wouldn't have minded a few more scenes with the two. But the storyline ended where it needed to, so I hope they get some scenes in future books. Good job by the author sticking to the plot and not throwing in sex for no other reason than necessary. Overall, sets up the back story for the Triple Star Ranch series and introduces the main character while providing a Love at First sight story.

[Alvania Scarborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, shifter, suspense. Three of my favorite elements that wrap together for a very enjoyable read. It is difficult to have solid world building in a short novella, but Ms. Curry manages to do so. Add that to a romance that is both sweet and steamy, as well as a very lyrical turn of phrase at times, and you have a book that is a swift, fun read. I will definitely be seeking out the rest of the books in the series.

[Melissa Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well rounded and great read.

[Ashley Carr, LSoR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and I will be reading more of her work. The storyline is intriguing and captivating. There was a lack of character development, it felt like this was book 3 or 4 of the series instead of book 1. Ana is a gypsy with inherit magic and she also is a veterinarian. There is a mysterious death on the ranch where she works and her 3 friends own. Howl is a PI and hired by the one owner of the ranch who also happens to be the sheriff. Howl comes into town shrouded in his own mystery. He is cursed and once a month he’s dangerous to anyone who he is near. When Ana and Howl meet there is an instant attraction and they throw caution to the wind and act on their attraction. When a storm blows through secrets are revealed, will Ana be able to break Howl’s curse? Hopefully the questions we are left with will get answered in subsequent books in the series. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series!

[Claire Ingram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This easy to read paranormal romance had a great concept and great characters. The prologue is confusing with so many names but it helps Set up the story nicely and by the end of chapter 1 I knew who everyone was and each character had a distinct personality. It’s told in 3rd person limited and I loved when it was told from Howls POV.
My issue was that it was far too mushy and a lot of the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The sex scenes I felt detracted from the story (yes I mean detracted) as I was quite enjoying all the scenes except these ones.
Overall the story and the series has great potential that it just isn’t quite living up to yet.

[mangan killarney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the narration of Teddy Hoffman

Ana is a girl that knew what she wanted, and she wanted Howl Raven. Howl is a private investigator working on a case in Ana's hometown. The chemistry between this is off the charts Ana.

Ana is a gypsy, full of magic, who is hiding it from all her friends in her small town, and now a veterinarian
Howl is living under a curse as a werewolf .

[Jillian (NetGalley Addict) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lyrical Press provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review.
2.5 stars

This is a really quick read, Ana is a gypsy veterinarian and Howl is a PI werewolf in town on a case the two of them feel an instant lust connection. An unexpected shift and a deranged hunters bullet land Howl on Anas land, their attraction blazes out of control, and now they have to figure out how to break his curse and save Howl from the hunter. I really liked how open Howl and Ana were with each other, they didn't keep secrets or hold anything back once they found out what each of them was they let it all out there and didn't hide anything. The sex between the two of them was seriously hot and the deep emotional connection they shared made it even better. I am not big on books where people who have known each other for a day all the sudden are in love, no matter how short it is I still can't get on board with it. There were still a lot of loose ends with some of the other characters in the novella, the whole reason why Howl was in the town to begin with was never mentioned again. I'm assuming since this is part of a series we'll find out in the other ones what is going on, it'll be interesting to see what the author is going to do with the brothers that Ana is friends with. If you like a fast hot read with characters who fall in love quick, this is a good novella to check out.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

This was not great. It started out well enough by introducing several interesting characters that then play essentially no role in the book at all. (I assume they are only there because they'll have their own future books.) The love is instant, the plot is thin and the ending anti-climactic. Basically, had the author taken the time to develop this into a full-length novel (where she could have fleshed characters, plot, and the world out) it could have been pretty good. But she didn't. Instead, it's barely 75 pages and the reader feels all that it lacks.

On a side note, I really wish American authors would get on board with the fact that Gypsy is considered a slur and an insult and shouldn't be used casually. I realize that that message hasn't been as widely heard on this side of the Atlantic and it has developed a different meaning that many are reluctant to give up. But many who can claim the heritage have been fairly vocal that they wish it not to be used.

The narrator did a pretty good job, outside of the occasional tendency to get a little overly dramatic.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chemistry between Ana and Howl was scorching, but I didn’t feel like their romance conveyed enough passion or emotion to the reader. I would have liked the author to continue her writing style from the first half and maybe even make the book a little longer so I would have more time to become invested in the story.

Full review here.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave it a chance and the story failed. There is not enough information to push the story along. The author missed most of the key elements that go into telling a story. I feel I wasted time and lucky not that much money on a book that went nowhere.

Not worth the read, Anyone that reads this comment should think twice before reading this story.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book. Curry threw in a few curve balls that were interesting and different. Only three stars because I thought the relationship was a bit, ok very, fast paced and the focus shifted from the beginning it seemed.

[Emily Ever · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah, this was not worth the time it took to read it.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan, poorly written, and very little story development.

[Victoria (nocturnalintimacy) · Rating 1 out of 5]

The hell?