Karen Kelley, The Jaguar Prince

The Jaguar Prince

Karen Kelley

Kensington Brava, Apr 1 2010, $14.00

ISBN: 9780758238368

Callie Jordan was a newborn left at an orphanage by someone who failed to stick around to see if she was okay. She grew up depending on no one but herself. Thus working at a zoo is perfect for her.

New Symtaria Prince Rogar seeks his people's colonists and their mixed-species offspring. His goal is to bring everyone back to New Symtaria where he can insure their safety from a murderous alien. When he first sees Callie at the zoo, she cannot believe a streaker would come here to compare his parts to that of the well endowed chimps. Later he arrives at her apartment still in his birthday suit as a man and as a jaguar. He explains her heritage to her; as she considers the first hanging hunk wanting her is a head-case. While someone wants them dead neither the royal purebred shapeshifter or the orphan hybrid expected the attraction between them.

This is an amusing romantic fantasy starring two likable lead characters. The underlying premise is mindful in some ways of Witch Mountain although Karen Kelley's plot is meant for adults. Although the villain seems feeble, sub-genre fans will enjoy the jocular frolic of ET falling in love with the perfect commoner, a zookeeper used to animal behavior.

Harriet Klausner