Mating Instinct by Katie Reus is a addictive book. This is my 3rd book from Katie Reus and I absolutely love Moon Shifter series. As a steamy shifter book reader, this book is a must.

This book is perfect for a shifter romance fan. This book got high sexual tension, second chance love, plenty of spicy scenes, action packed, trauma, suspense, angst and heart breaking moments. The spiciness of this book is intense. The storyline is addicting and the characters development are great. There's also triggered contain such as Kat's abuse and her trauma from her attack.

I'll be looking forward to Katie Reus and the next book of the series which I hope will be Erin and Noah.

I am totally enjoying this Moon Shifter series and it makes it even better by being written by Katie Reus. The author was exceptional with this book. The storyline is addicting, and the characters are great. I can say yet again Katie Reus has written an addicting book. Katie Reus began the story with an appearance of conspiracy and then connected a touch of magic. While circumnavigating it with danger, elation, and heat. That kept me glued to the pages of the book with bated breath until the last page. As always, her characters are captivating, and I felt drawn to their circumstances. This story was on the darker margin of romance. But it is so worth it. This was a fantastic story and I can’t wait to see what she thinks up next.

Jayce and Kat finally get their love story. This follows the events of the prior story. Kat is still recovering from her kidnapping and being turned into a shifter. Jayce's mating drive is keeping him close to Kat even though she is refusing to spend time with him. Will they finally overcome their past to make a happy relationship?

Jayce gets the chance to develop a lot of personality in this story. He starts out as a sketch of a man who stops the bad guys, but he ends up a caring mate and member of the Armstrong pack. I really liked how Jayce developed. Kat is so tortured through the course of this story. I you are triggered by abuse stories; this might not be a good story for you. Kat has a lot of development throughout the story. She goes from broken and tormented to confident. There are some good side stories that set up future books.

My one big issue with the story was the pacing. I do think everything the author included was necessary, but it was just a really slow read. It was a shame since the story was really good and added to the series.

This is a contemporary shifter romance. You really need to read this series in order because each book is interconnected. I will read more from this author in the future.

I am going to thank a lonnng driving day for being able to finish this book in a little over a day. I was also very invested in these characters and couldn't wait to see how everything was going to play out. For someone who has a hard time with angst, I really have been enjoying second chance romances. This one did not disappoint. Sometimes when reading these I want to reach through the book and shake the characters and tell them to communicate and their problems would be solved, but no! We get to enjoy their torment and eventually their HEA.

Jayce and Kay dated about a year ago and Kat was invested. She was human at the time, and Jayce had let her know that the chances of her surviving the change were less than 1%. He failed to mention that they were 100% if he chose her as his bondmate which of course he didn't. What he also failed to tell her was that he only didn't want to do this because he was scared of how much his enemies would use her against him. See Jayce is the enforcer for the council for all of North America and due to his work, he has pissed off a lot of people. She ran away and hadn't heard from him for a while until recently when her world was once again rocked by his presence. She is on the other side of a kidnapping with a rescue that went wrong and now she is a newly minted shifter learning all of what that entails. She isn't ready to acknowledge that she never got over Jayce. She isn't ready to acknowledge how broken she is from what happened to her. But what if they just focused on the fact that they are attracted to each other and left the feelings to the wayside. Especially since as far as she knows, he doesn't want to have a future with him. But would she if he asked her to?

Jayce on the other hand has finally recognized that Kat is his forever mate. The one and only for him. He can't let her walk away from him again. Even if all he gets from her is her anger at least she is in his life. But things change when he starts to open up to her a little more than before. He tells her more about his past. He tells her things he hasn't told anyone. And now he thinks they might have a chance. She has slowly but surely brought her walls down for him too and of course they have some steamy reminders of how good they are together. Maybe he just needs to fully commit and she will too? But what if she isn't as invested as he is because he is allll in. He wants to be her bondmate. He wants the world to know she is his and he is hers. What does she want? And how can he convince her?

Ugh I once again LOVE these characters and being back in this world. I loved the dual POVs. I loved the past angst that neither of them could forget. I loved Kat finally acknowledging her abuse to her person and then realizing he is her person AGAIN. I am looking forward to the next book which will be Erin and Noah who have been circling each other this whole book, and what do you know but Jayce is a side match maker?? He is sending them on a mission together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Mating Instinct - Katie Reus
Trope/Genre - supernatural, Romance, second chance, grumpy
Trigger warnings ⚠️ - language, (war/light) gore

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A suspenseful telling of a human turned shifter as she learns to navigate the new life she has to set forward. Kat was put through an accident and in order to not perish she had to turn. It doesn't help when the guy she had fallen for and pushed her away shows up once again. But to try and win her back. It's a difficult time for her with not only all the new changes but now someone she once loved trying to gain it all back.

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Action packed and kept me up at night to read. One of the best books I have read on Netgalley and hope others have a chance to read.

Kat and Jayce finally get their story. Jayce has done everything he can to keep Kat safe and it still didn’t work. He is done waiting and watching her. Jayce is determined to get her to see reason with her safety but to also let him back into her life. Kat loved Jayce with everything she had and it wasn’t enough for him. Now that Jayce is back, and determined to teach her the ways of shifter wolves, she is starting to feel like her old self but better. Will they be able to figure out how to proceed in their relationship while brining down the people who almost killed her? I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

I absolutely loved this story! Katie Reus has so many different worlds she writes about and I want to spend time playing in all of them.

Jayce is the shifter enforcer of North America. Many respect and fear him, but he met his match in a human named Kat who caught his heart. Some misunderstandings and him letting her go tore them apart, but during the last book Kat almost died and was turned into a shifter to save her life. Now Jayce finds he can't stay away and will do anything to protect Kat from those still trying to hurt her, though she is reluctant to give him a second chance.

I thought the action in this book was so much more well balanced than the previous one. It constantly kept me wanting to read. I really felt for Kat and she went through so much trauma and I am glad Jayce supported her and wanted her to feel back in control again. Jayce was very much a huge protector for Kat and you could see how he struggled with trying to fight his mating instinct. It was really satisfying as a reader when he finally realized there was no way he was letting Kat go again. I wish he would have talked about his feelings a bit more with Kat, but that isn't very much like Jayce. It made for some very satisfying tension/grovel though. I think this couple is very well matched and one of my favorites.

I would absolutely recommend this book and the series.

I was instantly in love with this story and it held my attention until the very end. The action is constant, intriguing and written in such a descriptive way that I was able to envision what was taking place. I loved Kat and Jayce and how they found their forever even though danger is ever present. This is a wonderful story that is definitely worth reading and I can’t wait to read the next one in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

I'm pretty sure I read this book before it was re-released, but I didn't remember enough to skip it.

I love a good grovel after some trashy behavior from a main character. I think Jayce accomplished that here. Its not your typical waxing poetic or flowers. Its being supportive and making Kat capable and confident again. He could have been a bit more transparent, but I didn't find it unacceptable.

Kat was obviously stubborn. She has a good reason to be and she is dealing with a TON of trauma. I like that her re-warming to Jayce was a bit gradual. She didn't desperately grab on or push away furiously. She acknowledged he was building her up even when she didn't like it.

Looking forward to another book.

BOOK: THE MATING INSTINCT
AUTHOR: KATIE REUS
PUB DATE: 12 DEC 2023
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The reason I requested this book was because of the second chance trope and it was well done. I liked the dynamics of Kat and Jayce's relationship and their chemistry. Kat's a newly changed wolf, and I loved seeing her discover herself and getting used to her new life. Jayce was an okay character too,a little too domineering for me, but perfect otherwise.
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This book has a bit of suspense in it with Jayce as an enforcer and the continuation of past crimes started in other books of the series. I liked it, it was okay. Perfect for a book with romance as its main theme. The side characters already had their own stories and others will have theirs.
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This book was really good and I enjoyed. A kind of book in a series that makes you want to read the others too
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I am such a sucker for these type of paranormal romances. Especially when you have a human turned shifter who was in love with a shifter prior to being turned……sign me up for the chaos!!
Yes there is tons of drama and miscommunication but I mean HELLO it’s basically a soap opera in book form. If you’re not yelling at the characters is the author even doing it right?

I received this digital ARC from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Kat had left him once before and it almost killed him, but Jayce is the shifter enforcer for North America and has made too many enemies in his long life. If he made her his mate, it would put a big target on her back. But now another shifter had to change her to save her life and the hate group that tried to kill her once before is still after her. He's determined to protect her even if being around him is the last thing she wants. And this time he can't let her go...
This book is told in alternating perspectives so you can see the story from both sides. I can see why Kat left him when she started falling for him and he wouldn't commit, but I could also understand from his side that he didn't want her in danger. She's learning her new shifter abilities which is interesting and funny in parts and I'm hooked on the continuing story throughout the series of the hate groups against the shifters. I can't wait to read the next one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katie Reus has the ability to gives readers what they want to read. This story is a second chance romance that will come at readers fast and let's admit it a little naught too. I am not always a fan of Supernatural stories and yet somehow Katie Reus always pulls me into her world, and I am unable to walk away from the strong women and alpha men.

If readers love Shifter stories with the right number of sexy times to story you will enjoy this series. Yes, I started with book 3. Which it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Mating Instinct.

First time publisher was 2013.

Joyce and Kat's story exceeds all hopes. This suspenseful romance will grab you from the beginning. I'm already invested in all the characters from reading the previous books. So getting their individual stories gets me excited and happily going without sleep to finish. There is a lot of action, tension, and emotions in this book. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy of the 2nd edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I mostly had a good time reading Mating Instinct. I had the general same pros and cons as the first two books in the series. I'm continuing to struggle with a lot of the gendered language and gender essentialism that pops up in these books, so I think this is where I'll bow out of reading the rest of the series. I think there are some interesting characters and storylines, but I want to quit while I'm ahead. I give this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Mating Instinct by Katie Reus.
Moon Shifter Series.
She left because he couldn’t love her the way she needed…
Human Kat Saburova had her heart broken by the Shifter Council’s ruthless enforcer. So she left and never looked back. A year later, an attack that nearly kills her brings him back into her orbit—but she wants nothing to do with him. Now he’ll do anything to save her…
Shifter Jayce Kazan has made countless enemies, but for a short time he found peace with a sweet, funny human. Though it tore his heart out, he let her go for her own good. But someone tried to kill her and inadvertently turned her into a shifter. And now that she’s in danger, he’ll cross every line to save her. Even if that means saving her from herself. As he fights for a second chance, the extremists who almost killed her once are looking to finish the job.
I really enjoyed this book. I do love this author. I love this series. I did like Jayce and Kat. I'm looking forward to the next book. 5*.

Mating Instinct is the next re-released Moon Shifter by Katie Reus. This is Jayce and Kat’s story. Much has happened since these two met. For one Kat almost died but was saved by another shifter. It has caused some big, big changes in her and her life. Jayce feared his job as an enforcer would put her in danger so he broke things off between them. Still she is in as much danger now. He is still in love with her so breaking her heart did little to help earlier. This is the second chance story of Jayce’s which he has to work at to earn Kat’s trust and love.

A story of danger, action, and romance this has one main plot looking to be finished while another is ramping up. Then I have some questions concerning Kat’s dad. Perhaps he will be more involved in the future than it looks now. As for the Armstrong ranch pack all were part of this story. Still if you are just starting the Moon Shifters with this book, you won’t have any problem. It will serve to make you want the others such as Connor’s backstory so be prepared to go back and catch up with the pack.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mating Instinct is an intriguing second-chance romance that follows exes Jayce and Kat who broke up over a year ago. Her heart shattered when Jayce dumped her, Kat wants nothing to do with Jayce. She doesn’t know he only broke up with her to protect her. But after a traumatic kidnapping that nearly took her life, Kat has become a shifter herself, and her life is being threatened again. Jayce, a shifter Enforcer, is determined to protect her from those targeting her, and hopefully, win back her heart.

Kat is a strong, sympathetic character who is coping with difficult trauma while navigating her new supernatural reality. She is a great match for Jayce, and I love that she never backs down and constantly fights for herself. Jayce is a classic alpha hero - bossy, growly, and fiercely loyal. I love how he's so feared by everyone, but he's a super softie with her. I loved watching their bond rebuild amidst all the drama and danger. Their chemistry is fantastic, and the romantic tension simmers from their very first meeting.

The plot is really good, too, and it kept me turning pages with its fast-paced action, suspenseful investigation, and looming threats in a world where supernaturals and humans reluctantly coexist. It’s an intriguing paranormal romance and one that readers who enjoy second chances, miscommunication, fated mates, and more will enjoy.

Kat was a human and left her boyfriend, an enforcer for the shifter counsel, after he lied to her. She helped her best friend at her bookstore and a ski instructor. Then she's kidnapped and beaten an inch of her life and another shifter turns her to save her life. Now her ex is in town but she wants nothing to do with him.
Jayce is the North American enforcer and a wolf shifter. He deals with problems that come up in shifter life. He has made many enemies and was afraid to make Kat a target. She is his mate and he wants her more than anything.
Kat is being trained but Jayce doesn't want any man but him to train her. They are investigating the radical group that is against shifters and they are the ones that had Kat kidnapped. Kat will do anything to get revenge on the group and comes up with an idea. Make herself bait.
I loved this story. Action. Sex. Shifters. Jayce is protective and sort of scary. Kat is loyal and jumps right in to being a shifter. I think Jayce was great and he and Kat make an excellent couple.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed through Netgalley *

Miscommunication seems to be the theme of this series. A lot of time is wasted between the main characters by not actually talking to each other about what they feel. Jayce and Kat are no different. Kat had a huge amount of inner strength that she will definitely need.