I am very conflicted about thus book.

This is a very funny book. I really liked the silly illustrations.

However, I'm not a big fan of the message. Cheetah is undeniably a big jerk who thinks he is better then everyone else. The cats trick him so they can win the race, feel bad about it, and then feed in to Cheetah's delusion of how amazing he is by telling him he won instead.

This is a story about friendship, but it is not a very good model of friendship. It's about arrogance, lying, and tricking "friends" to get what you want.

Fun illustrations, but a horrible message.

WOW, having finished reading 'To Catch a Cheetah' I wasn't surprised at how quickly I devoured this book. Catherine quickly reeled me into the story, with the suspense of not knowing what was going to happen, to the steamy scenes, to the action near the end. I felt relieved & sad when I got to the end of the book.

Thank you Catherine for another WICKED read!!

Another well done story from the Love Is An Open Road event from the M/M Romance group, this rather long novella pairs a freedom-loving Ostrich shifter with a Cheetah shifter who lives in a mixed cat pride with his foster father (a lion), a panther and a Red Persian cat.

With lots of snarky banter, the relationship between Djimon (birdy) and Kei (kitty-cat) starts off with a chase, a run, and then domestic sexual bliss (bc mating compulsion means sex, sex, sex, mate, mate, mate), and ends on a surprising note.

The author didn't fail to include some important points, mainly their lack of honest communication and the problems that causes, and their failure to tell each other how they feel until they both need that wake-up call. Seems like birds aren't all that much smarter than cats.

It was super fun to read, even though there were a couple of things that niggled at me, specifically when it came to Kei, who often comes across as a spoiled brat, but who then redeemed himself in the end. And I'd like to read the story about Alan and Thony, please. Make that happen, Liza Kay!

If you like snarky banter, a nicely formed supporting cast, and shifters to boot, this is worth checking out. And FREE, in case you missed that. :)

I am done! Done, done, done with this novel. I am hugely disappointed with Hoover.

THIS IS NOT OK!

I hate when authors use other people's illness to build up their main character. It's wrong on so many levels, it's completely disrespectful and insulting. Hoover inadvertently says it's ok to lie to people if they are sick, it's ok to treat them differently because of it. It's ok to set them apart. That has another name, too..

Let's talk about Maggie, Ridge's sweet girlfriend who is sick with a terminal illness. Came to the point where she got so sick and had to be taken in to hospital, where Sydney finds out about her. I FLIPPED OUT!

So this is the reason why Ridge is so hell bent on staying with Maggie, she's sick. And we are supposed to say what? Awww Ridge you're a guy and a half! Living with the woman you are falling in love with and lusting over, but not being honest to the sick girl because of your guilt trip. Well here's a news flash: Maggie is a person, Maggie is not pathetic because she's sick, Maggie deserves the same consideration you give to the other cheating bastards in this story. She is used as a backdrop to highlight Ridge's maturity, her illness a cliché tearjerker that is supposed to enhance the angst in this novel. Low blow.

Ridge is placed up on a pedestal because of his choice of not leaving a sick girlfriend behind, no matter how he truly feels about her, because he RESPECTS Maggie.

If he really respected Maggie, and her illness he would have been honest, and given her the benefit of a doubt that she can think for herself. What do you think Maggie's choice would be? Would she like to be in a relationship with a dishonest cheating asshole, that is only staying in a relationship with her because he feels guilty, and he believes that's what's expected of him? Or do you think that she deserves enough RESPECT to make her own choices in her life, and to maybe find somebody that's not lying to her face because of imagined obligations? Here's a quote:

She sighs and turns her head, looking straight up to the ceiling. “I’m fine. It was just an insulin issue.” She turns back to face me. “You can’t baby me every time this happens, Ridge.”

My jaw clenches at “baby me.” “I’m not babying you, Maggie. I’m loving you. I’m taking care of you. There’s a difference.” - oh really? What about all the touching, all the kissing, all the messaging with Sydney? All the lyric writing, and singing?

Loving you? Taking care of you? UP YOURS RIDGE!

Just how do you think that poor Maggie would feel if she knew the truth? Would it make her happy to know her boyfriend thinks she's so pathetic because she's sick, she doesn't deserve to be treated equally? That all of his lies, and taking care of her comes out of his inability to deal with HIMSELF in this situation, to know he's not moving on with his life because he couldn't live with himself if he did. And finally after knowing all that, realizing that no matter what he says, this is not even remotely about her, it's all about him. Wow what a man, what a keeper, what a fucking hero.

Ridge knew he was attracted to Sydney when he moved her in. If he wanted to do the right thing, he would have helped her find a place to stay. Sydney knew she had the hots for Ridge, and after she found out he had a girlfriend, she should have done the respectable thing and pissed off. Ridge and Sydney are Tori and Hunter. Double standards? Hell yes, and I HATE DOUBLE STANDARDS! And the rest? What kind of message is Hoover trying to send? 

They knew what they were doing. Ridge is a cheating, pitiful asshole, and Sydney a self-absorbed hypocrite. I had enough of this shit.