Tiger’s Last Chance

(Stranger Creatures book 3)

By Christina Lynn Lambert

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-68361-431-9

ASIN: B088P6MYDB

Cover Art by Fantasia Frog Designs

Genre: Paranormal Romance, romantic suspense

While working a case, Sean Whitman is tortured for information, drugged, and bitten against his will by a shape shifter. The fallout leaves him jobless, friendless, and dumped by his girlfriend. Needing a fresh start, he leaves town and opens a private investigation business. Learning to live life sober isn’t easy, but he makes it to the two-year mark.

When Detective Nikki Jackson with the Great Oaks, Virginia Police Department calls him, accusing him of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, Sean can’t help but like the sound of her voice, despite her ridiculous accusations. He’s shocked when she calls him back with an apology then asks for his help as a consultant on a case. On the phone, her sweet, slightly Southern voice captivates him. In person, she’s unlike any other woman he’s encountered, and nearly impossible to resist. But could the sexy detective ever want a man like him?

After Nikki’s last dating disaster, the mountain lion shifter has sworn off men. Then she meets Sean, and with every second she spends around the tall, dark-eyed man, her resolve crumbles. But for some reason, despite the undeniable attraction between them, Sean seems determined to push her away.

An investigation into missing refugees leaves Nikki with more questions than answers. Her refusal to let the matter drop leads her to the discovery of a radical political group’s horrifying plot for dominance. Traitors are embedded within the very organizations meant to keep shifters safe. As the list of people she can trust dwindles, Nikki calls on Sean to help her unravel a web of deceit.

As Nikki and Sean fight for survival, his fear of losing her could become a reality. Will he get one last chance to show her he loves her?

Let’s hear from the author….

Do you have a favorite type of hero or heroine to write?

My favorite kind of characters to create are ones who, despite imperfections, fears, doubts, and past mistakes, manage to find the strength to continue on in the face of difficulty.

Do you have a routine you follow when you’re working on a book? A certain time of day when you write, or a snack you keep nearby?

I normally write when my children are in school during the day. I have a new obsession with Body Armour water in watermelon flavor so I always keep some next to me. I made some beaded bracelets to fidget with so I won’t be tempted to look at my phone and fall down a rabbit hole of unnecessary social media browsing. Chocolate milkshakes and honey barbecue chips help me when I’m up late and trying to work on a scene or chapter that’s giving me trouble.

When you’re writing, do you prefer silence or background noise?

 I like music or TV on in the background, something that can slide to the back of my mind and keep me company in a chill kind of way.

Writers Block. Is it a problem and if so, what do you do to break through and start writing again?

Writers Block is definitely an annoying problem for me. Sometimes I just don’t know what comes next in the story. I can’t seem to ever plot a book out entirely beforehand. That’s just not how my mind works. Usually, when I’m stuck, I step away from that story and work on a different one, or write a poem or two. Sometimes I procrastinate by doing house work or going for a walk because I don’t want to go back to the computer or notebook and be stuck again. I think writer’s block is my brain’s way of telling me I have other things to learn and consider before the story is ready to resume. 

As a writer, I’m sure you also love reading. Do you have a favorite book and what do you love about it?

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is one of my favorite books. I read it for the first time in seventh grade and was intrigued by the fact that the characters weren’t from nice, upper middle income homes with perfect lives and that they dealt with more than just how to find a date for the dance or how to deal with the mean girl in class who always ended up being pretty decent. The characters in The Outsiders were teenagers dealing with being poor, being judged by their financial circumstances, and having to live through some difficult and traumatizing life situations. But the beautiful thing about this story is that it showed the characters being capable of such kindness, compassion, and understanding despite their younger age and difficult lives. This story showed me that stereotyping people because of their economic circumstances was foolish because we’re all capable of being decent, smart, empathic human beings regardless of our bank accounts or past circumstances.

At what age did you know you wanted to be a writer, and how long did it take for you to realize that dream?

I was 36 when I decided I wanted to write a book. I got started a little late, but I think it’s good to try different careers and hobbies throughout life. Aside from a creative short story writing elective I took in college, I had no real fiction writing experience. I read books on writing and also read a ton of books in the genres in which I wanted to write. It took me a couple years to finish my first book and have it accepted by a publisher. I’m still learning more about writing (and marketing) as I go.

Movies. Books. Which do you prefer and what genre/trope do you lean toward the most when wanting to escape for a bit?

Books are nice escape for me. Science fiction, horror, fantasy, and romance are my favorite genres. I prefer books that end with the characters finding their way out of whatever bad situation they were in. A good, hopeful ending brings me such peace.

EXCERPT

For the briefest moment, Nikki felt the depth to which Sean might be capable of pushing her. His kiss was crushing and brutal. His tongue pushed past her lips and his grip in her hair tightened. If desire were a vine, it would have wrapped itself around her veins and encased her heart. The heat between them flooded her. There was a sweetness, too, in his kiss, and the sweetness made her burn hotter.

A polite cough from inside the waiting car put a quick end to things. Sean pulled away and met her gaze. No words, but she got the message. She wasn’t alone. Comfort and friendship; he’d probably meant the kiss to comfort her and had gotten carried away in the heat of the moment. He’d carried her away with him, and she wanted to take him so much further into the unknown.

With each second, each step towards the waiting car, she tried to find reasons and more reasons to ignore her growing attraction to Sean. The number one reason to forget about the kiss they’d shared—relationships were trouble. She had plenty of other amazing things in her life, including her career, her volunteer work, and her band, even though the band rarely played anywhere because the members had trouble aligning their schedules. She didn’t need a man. Besides, he was probably still messed up over Sydney. Also, he was a regular. Or mostly regular. Not to mention he lived over a thousand miles away in Texas. She should tell him the kiss was a mistake. One look at him and she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. The kiss they shared had been anything but a mistake.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A few years ago, I read my first romance novel and I was hooked, so much so that I decided to give the idea of writing a story a chance. Love, courage, hope, and second chances are a few of my favorite themes. My stories include a fair amount of sarcasm, suspense, steam, and violence. When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time outside and finding ways to avoid cooking. I live in beautiful Virginia with my husband, two daughters, and a sweet, hairy monster of a dog.