The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard
Series Title: Paranormal Princes
Book #: 1
Author: Charlie Cochet
Audio Release Date: 12.26.19
Narrator: Greg Boudreaux
Length: 3 hours and 18 minutes
Publisher: Audible/Coffee and Chaos Productions LLC
Genre: Paranormal Shifters
Blurb
Prince Owin
Being a fierce predator—not at all adorable, despite my graceful stature—the last thing I needed was a bodyguard. Especially a wolf shifter, whose presence alone was an insult to my princely principles. As Prince of the Ocelot Shifters, I prided myself on my infallible feline instincts, uncompromisable dignity, and flawless fashion sense. If having a canine follow me around at all times wasn’t bad enough, I now faced the most important moment of my entire life. The time had come to prove I was worthy of my crown. If only I could find a way to get rid of the pesky bodyguard.
Grimmwolf
When the King of All Shifters asked me to guard Prince Owin, I admit I had no idea what to expect. Cat shifters tend to be a little intense, not to mention kinda cranky. Owin was no exception, though he seemed crankier than most. Being his bodyguard was proving to be one of the greatest challenges of my life—but not nearly as great as convincing him there was something special between us. When Owin is faced with a perilous quest to prove his worth, I was determined to keep him safe, even if the same couldn’t be said of my heart.
Excerpt
“What the—” Grimm dropped the orb, and we both jumped back. To my utter disbelief, it spread upward and sideways until it was roughly the size of a large doorway, a forest appearing inside. “Hmm. What do you know? A portal that will take us where we want to go.”
How cross would the king be with me if I accidentally pushed Grimm off a cliff? Or left him with the Cù Sìth? Not like he didn’t have plenty of wolf shifters. What was one less in the grand scheme of things?
Grimm narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re not leaving me behind.”
How did he do that? “Are you sure you’re not a seer wolf?”
Grimm didn’t look impressed. “You’re right. I’m a seer. My curse is that I’m limited to visions of you being a jerk.”
I opened my mouth to respond, then thought better of it. “Can we just go?”
“As you wish, Your Highness.” He bowed and motioned for me to go ahead. Clearly, he thought I was an idiot.
“What if it’s a trap and I step through and burst into flames? You go first.”
“Your generosity knows no bounds, my liege. Fine. I’ll go first, but if I meet my demise, my blood is on your hands.”
I shrugged. “I’ll get over it.”
“So mean.” He shook his head at me and stepped through. On the other side, he turned and held his arms out. “See? All good. Wait….” He gasped and clutched at his chest. “What’s happening to me? It burns!”
“Grimm?” My heart lurched in my chest, and I stepped up to the portal.
“I can’t,” he gasped, falling to his knees. “I can’t….”
“Can’t what!” Oh my Goddess, oh my Goddess. I never expected him to actually burst into flames! I flailed around feeling utterly helpless. “What do I do? Is it flames? Are you bursting into flames?” I frantically looked around. “I don’t see a fire extinguisher!” Not that I knew how to use one. I’d just have to toss it at him and hope he could do it himself.
“I can’t….” He gasped for breath. “I can’t… believe you fell for that,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m going to kill you!” I darted into the portal, ignoring his laughter as he took off, his long legs putting him out of my reach in a heartbeat. “I hate you!”
“Admit it! You were worried about me,” he called out from across the field.
“Worried you’d die and I wouldn’t be able to pry the magic purse off your cold, dead, dog-smelling corpse!”
“It’s a satchel!”
Carra's Review
No matter how you slice it, and I’m sure much to Owin’s consternation, Owin really is adorable. Yes, he’s snooty and acts as though everyone should just give him whatever he asks for because he’s a prince. But the way he acts and talks and just everything about him screams adorable, even when he’s acting like an entitled brat.
Grimm on the other hand is as normal as they come, laid-back, and understands the way the world works. He finds Owin’s antics just as amusing as I did and even calls him adorable right to his face—which of course Owin soundly disputes. Owin, after all, is a fierce feline and deserves respect, right? Bless his little kitty heart.
This novella not only had me smiling as I listened to it, but at times had me literally laughing out loud (I may have even giggle-snorted a time or two). For all of Owin’s arrogance, he’s still a great character—especially once Grimm’s personality starts to really rub off on him. Grimm plays a key role in the growth of Owin’s character, and the two of them do fit together like a lock and key.
The quest on which Owin is sent serves as the backdrop to his development into a more understanding, even-keeled, unselfish person, and while the setup and journey may seem a tad formulaic and symbolic, Owin’s realization at the end still was satisfying to me as a reader.
4.5 stars for The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard, and the nice bit of steam does make this a story for readers/listeners 18+. As for the narration, Greg Boudreaux nails it, and I think for me it was his presentation of Owin that made me like his character as much as I did. 5 stars for the narration!
About the Author
Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
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