Review: ‘Badger to the Bone’ by Shelly Laurenston
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Badger to the Bone
by Shelly LaurenstonSeries: Honey Badger Chronicles #3
Published by Kensington Books on July 31, 2022
SubGenres: Paranormal Romance
Format: eBook
Pages: 458
Source: Library - Libby
Audience: 18+/Adult
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She’s the woman he’s been hired to kidnap. But ZeZé Vargas has other ideas . . . like getting them both out of this nightmare alive. Just one problem. She’s crazy. Certifiably. Because while he’s plotting their escape, the petite Asian beauty is plotting something much more deadly . . . Max “Kill It Again” MacKilligan has no idea what one of her own is doing with all these criminal humans until she realizes that Zé has no idea who or what he is. Or exactly how much power he truly has. But Max is more than happy to bring this handsome jaguar shifter into her world and show him everything he’s been missing out on. A move that might be the dumbest thing she’s ever done once she realizes how far her enemies will go to wipe her out. Too bad for them Zé is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her alive . . . and honey badgers are just so damn hard to kill!
Badger to the Bone is the third book in Shelly Laurenston’s Honey Badger Chronicles. So far, I’m enjoying this series for its humor, which is a welcome relief right now. I need something that makes me laugh, and this series delivers.
Unfortunately, this book didn’t grip me like the previous two. My main issue is that the shifting POVs and frequent storyline jumps made it hard to follow. I was overwhelmed by the perspectives, especially when side characters took focus from the main ones. This confusion may stem from references to Shelly’s other series, which I haven’t read. I’ll need to fix that by reading them soon.
In addition to the confusing perspectives, another major drawback is the underdeveloped romance between Max and Ze. Because their relationship takes a backseat to other plotlines, I couldn’t connect with either character. This lack of focus on their romance made it less engaging and ultimately disappointing. More page time for their relationship would have created a stronger connection and a more convincing romance.
Despite these issues, there were still aspects I appreciated. I liked Max and how the story showed why others feared her. She is one of the formidable MacMilligan sisters, though not as scary as Charlie. I also enjoyed the sisters’ protective dynamic, especially with Stevie, and their comical bickering. They definitely make the book enjoyable, even though they definitely need to work on some things together.
The funniest part is Ze not knowing he’s a shifter and doubting Max, even as he ends up on top of the cabinet without clothes half the time. I still wish their connection had been stronger, as mentioned before.
Despite my low rating of 2.5 stars, I still plan to read the rest of the series. The introduction of new honey badger shifters adds interest. They all play basketball with Max and have roles in the story, which makes me look forward to reading their books.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. Just because I gave this book a low rating doesn’t mean other readers won’t enjoy it. The humor and unique shifter world that Shelly Laurenston created for this series is worth exploring, which is why I’ll still recommend it to readers who love reading Paranormal Romance.
What to Expect:
✔️Paranormal Romance
✔️Shifters/Honey Badgers
✔️Fated Mates
✔️Grumpy/Sunshine (The FMC is the Grumpy One)
✔️Kickbutt Heroine
✔️Found Family
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