Blood of the Whirlwind The Shifter Chronicles Book #16
Gay, Paranormal, Werewolves, Shifters
Indpendent
Feb 13, 2024
Kindle
256
Amazon
The bull shifter, Ryan, and his human mate, Caleb, have made a good life together. Alongside Caleb’s mother, Mandy, they run an animal rehabilitation center on their ranch. Ryan has become the honorary uncle to two young bull shifters, and Caleb is proud at how well his mate has acclimated to the human world. For Ryan, he’s found the family and the peace he’s long craved, and he’s determined to keep it by whatever means necessary.
But their quiet lives are disrupted when Caleb’s aunt—Chief Hera of the US Agency—visits. And she brings a dire warning: the Knights of the Dawn want Ryan’s blood.
After losing someone precious to them during a skirmish with the knights, Caleb spirals into grief, and Ryan must work through his guilt and sorrow to care for his mate. A task made easier when Hera stays with her nephews, sharing their heartache.
After they retreat to Haven, Montana, they begin the long process of healing. Unfortunately, Haven is in a state of unrest, and they are sucked into shifter politics that threaten the safety of the community as a whole. Meanwhile, the knights still need Ryan’s blood, and he can’t hide forever.
Note to readers: Caleb and Ryan first show up in Love is a Whirlwind. While many of these books can be read alone, for full enjoyment please read previous books in the series, as this one does have many cameos and character resolutions.
Review By : MARYANN
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
All seems to be well after the kidnapping of Ryan. The non-profit ranch owned by Mandy O’Connell and her son Caleb has been peaceful. The ranch is a safe place for farm and ranch animals that have been: abused, neglected and need rehabilitation. Most of all it’s a place of safety and love where all animals and shifters can be free. Lorie is the full-time vet, a shifter with her sons William and Branden. Caleb’s mate Ryan was known as Whirlwind and on the bull riding circuit but Caleb saved him. Now Ryan can shift and still live free and he’s slowly adapting to human’s way of life.
Sister of Mandy, Aunt Louise aka Chief Hera of the US Branch of Agency has come to the ranch on important business. It seems the trouble has not ended. Arcas and the Knights of Dawn are still seeking the special blood from a shifter. Louise had to come and provided protection for her family. They are offered options: they can leave the ranch and still be protected or stay. If they choose to stay Louise will provide protection for them. Needless to say it creates mixed feelings, especially when Ryan agrees to make himself bait. Caleb is not happy at all and it causes an argument between him and Ryan. Ryan is loyal to this new found family and has to do what he can to protect them all. Shifters were a great benefit when they aided in the fight against the Knights of Dawn.
Since Mandy, Caleb and Lorie all agree to stay. Ryan will stand with them and fight. Louise sends protection to the farm in the way of Persephones, Lila, Luke and Anubis. They each tell what their gift is and the one that upsets Caleb and Mandy the most is Anubis’ ability to spirits. As Caleb and Mandy did not believe in ghost or spirits it’s disturbing to think someone could talk to Mandy’s husband and father of Caleb.
As everyone is on edge at the farm, they still try to proceed as normal. But danger and tragedy come to the farm. As Caleb and Ryan try to put it all behind them, their grief is a heavy burden to deal with. There’s no other choice but to leave the farm with Louise. They find themselves in the isolated community of Haven. They will be housed at the Healing Minds, Bodies and Soul Counseling Center, where they meet with Josh and his mate Xavier. Ryan still remembers Xavier and it’s tense at first.
Is this the right move for Ryan and Caleb? The town of Haven has it’s own issues with discrimination and there are those that aren’t afraid to hold back their vile opinions. What’s in store for: Ryan, Caleb, Lorie and her sons? Is there not a place where they all can find peace?
MD Grimm has continued to create another exciting, fast paced tale for the “Shifter Chronicles.” “Blood of the Whirlwind” is the story of Ryan and Caleb and their continuing relationship. I will admit I haven’t read the chronicles before this one but MD Grimm made it easy to follow. The author does very well in laying out the story of the Agency and it’s place in the world of shifters and their fight against Arcas and the Knights of Dawn. Arcas’ goal is to create a world of wolf shifters only, that would make them the supreme beings. Eventually all humans would be eradicated.
The author presents various emotions from: heart breaking sadness to love and understanding between humans and shifters. But there’s also the dark side of hate, discrimination and homophobia.
Ryan and Caleb make a great effort to not let their love shatter. Mandy and Caleb are a great support system for Ryan. As Ryan never knew what a family was and never had a real mother. Ryan still has to deal with his feelings of being around humans and shifters and his temper always seems to get the best of him. But he makes great effort to eventually befriend others.
There are a host of characters to meet in this series: Sheriff Jack Ulger, founded Haven, partner Travis, Josh and Xavier, Mac, Odin, Poe and Nordic and Raphael and Ahmes, Dr. Matteo Ricci and Merlin. If any of them peak your curiosity you can find their story and others in “The Shifter Chronicles.”
I recommend “Blood of the Whirlwind” especially for those who really like shifter tales.