Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh

NSingh-Wild Invitation

NSingh-Wild InvitationWild Invitation is the perfect example of why I read Nalini Singh. With only four short stories, Singh is able to make me lose touch with reality and completely immerse myself in her Psy-Changling world. These four stories are placed in between the full length novels and give us a deeper look into pack life. You should read all the Psy-Changling books first but they are not required to enjoy Wild Invitation. Trust me, you want to pick Singh’s latest masterpiece up…you won’t regret it!

In Beat of Temptation , innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond? (first published in An Enchanted Season)

In Stroke of Enticement , a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true. (first published in The Magical Christmas Cat)

Plus 2 NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED NOVELLAS

In Declaration of Courtship , Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”

In Texture of Intimacy , SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.

Beat of Temptation is a prequel to Singh’s Psy-Changeling novels. It features Tamsyn and Nate, the DarkRiver healer and senior sentinel. If you’ve read the novels you know how much they love each other. If you ever wondered if their mating was as intense as all the other matings you’ve read about…well Singh answers that question quite nicely. Tamsyn is one of my favorite characters and I was thrilled to see how she handled such a dominant mate like Nate. Plus we got to see what makes Tamsyn tick and I loved every second of it.

Stroke of Enticement comes between Caressed by Ice (#3) and Mine to Possess (#4). This is a story of two characters we’ve never heard of before, Annie and Zach. Annie is a teacher for a school that has a lot of changeling students and Zach is a soldier in DarkRiver. From the minute the two meet it’s nothing but sparks. Annie isn’t sure if she trusts Zach even though she is very attracted to him and Zach knows he wants Annie, scars (physical and emotional) and all. Stroke of Enticement is less than a 100 pages but Singh does a wonderful job of creating characters that are both believable and likable. And the romantic tension between the two? Hot! Stroke of Enticement is a great addition to the Psy-Changling world.

Declaration of Courtship is placed between Play of Passion (#9) and Kiss of Snow (#10) and it’s our first novella set in the SnowDancer Pack. We are re-introduced to two characters who have only been briefly mentioned in past novels, Cooper and Grace. Cooper is a very dominant wolf, a SnowDancer lieutenant. Grace is a submissive wolf who is not at all sure about the wolf who decides he wants her. This is the first chance we get to see how SnowDancer is put together and how the wolves interact with others besides those in the upper echelons of the hierarchy. Honestly, I loved everything about Declaration of Courtship. Grace is so easy to relate to and Cooper bumped his way up into my top ten list of favorite changelings. Their chemistry was scorching and Singh does a wonderful job of making their concerns over the relationship believable. And the resolution of those concerns had me smiling.

Texture of Intimacy comes after Kiss of Snow (#10) and before Tangle of Need (#11). This novella takes us into the lives of Lara and Walker. I was so excited to see these two characters because, though they mated in Kiss of Snow, I wanted a story completely about them. Texture of Intimacy was everything I could want! Singh lets us take a peek at the family dynamics of the Lauren Family and I loved everything about them. And the insecurities Lara and Walker have about their relationship and how they interact with each other and the rest of their family…it was all amazing. Texture of Intimacy is my favorite novella in Wild Invitation.

If you love the Psy-Changeling world you need to pick Wild Invitation up. If you don’t know what the Psy-Changeling series is you need to pick Wild Invitation up. It’s the perfect introduction to such a wonderful and complex world. I love anthologies and this one was no different. Honestly, I loved everything about these stories and I have no complaints. Nalini Singh did a fantastic job (as usual) bringing more depth to such an amazing world.

Psy-Changeling Novels

#1 Slave to Sensation #7 Blaze of Memory
#2 Visions of Heat #8 Bonds of Justice
#3 Caressed by Ice #9 Play of Passion
#3.5 Wild Invitation (anthology) #10 Kiss of Snow
#4 Mine to Possess #11 Tangle of Need
#5 Hostage to Pleasure #12 Heart of Obsidian (June 4th)
#6 Branded by Fire

 

About Courtney 33 Articles
I teach Special Education and have three demented dogs. Between my students all day and my dogs all night my stress relief is reading. It is the only thing that keeps me from going crazy. Or should I say from going crazier? I read anything but I prefer fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk. I also love urban fantasy and historical romances. If it has dragons and magic, vampires and werewolves, crazy machines and corsets or aliens and spaceships then I’m happy. Mix in a Scotland laird or two every once in a while and I’m ecstatic!