Dating the Panther: A Shifter Dating Agency Book, Ruby Forrest

Raelyn wants to be seen, to find someone she can trust and be just as invested in the relationship as she is.  But after a horrible relationship she's afraid of being hurt again.  Blake is in the same boat with a terrible relationship in his past but instead of wanting to be seen, he does everything in his considerable power to keep his true self hidden.  Raelyn and Blake meet under unfortunate circumstances but something keeps drawing them together.  They'll need to decide if succumbing to fear is worth the heartache of missing out on a forever match.

Well.  Um...no.  The premise is one that I was absolutely looking forward to but the reality was incredibly disappointing.  With so much potential there was, unfortunately, a long way to fall.  The relationship was appalling.  Up to the 90% mark, not joking, Blake was still treating Raelyn like a living sex toy.  No denial of growing feelings or even thinking much beyond what she could do for him sexually.  The way he treated her was awful despite their agreement on starting a physical-only relationship.

When he realized his suppression of everything Raelyn is and could be was a true regret I felt hope.  Except there wasn't really any growth or confession or expression of deep feelings for her after that.  Ending with an HFN rather than an HEA was a let-down.  I really needed something deep and lasting and honest to make up for all that was Blake's arrogance, selfishness, and willful blindness.

There wasn't enough in the way of getting to know them as individuals.  There were all the basics about the past relationships that made them so wary of opening themselves as well as their current living and working situations but nothing deeper.  Overall the story was tolerable at best.  With no true evolution individually, a doormat for a female lead, a pompous jerk for a male lead, no real conflict besides their own juvenile responses, and a lackluster ending I feel dissatisfied.

I feel like there's way too much angst build up rather than getting to the point and building something that's actually worth pursuing between the characters.  I keep hoping for the magic of Matched with the Bear but am left feeling completely underwhelmed and disappointed by the lack of individual evolution, relationship depth, actual love, and enough of an ending to believe and enjoy where the couple are going.

*Pre-order for 99¢