Review – Motor City Mage by Cindy Spencer Pape

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley

As a cop who keeps paranormals in line, Des has a hard time trusting them. So why does he want the beautiful werewolf Lana more than his next breath? She’s mouthy, flamboyant and distractingly sexy—not the type of woman for a reserved mage like him. Lana admires Des, but she can’t be with someone who won’t take her seriously, no matter how much she’d love to rip off his dress shirt.

When a dangerous new drug shows up in Detroit, Des must locate the source, and Lana is determined to help. But their plan goes awry, trapping them in a demon dimension. To return home, Lana and Des must flee through a series of unpredictable alternate realities, fighting enemies while trying to shut down the drug trade. But if they’re going to survive, they’ll have to rely on each other, even though getting closer will add fuel to a fire that’s already burning out of control…
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I came late to the Motor City series, but after the last book, Motor City Wolf, I feel in love with Pape and the series overall. When this book became available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Des loves his job, but sometimes the older mages he works for are a stuffy bunch. They don’t like him making friends with the other supernatural forces in Detroit, despite the fact that those people are some of his best friends. But when he tries to find out the details surrounding the new drug in town, he will have to rely on Lana to help him get to the bottom of it.

Lana is one of the few werewolves without a mate, and despite her attraction to Des, she knows nothing came happen between them. When they get stuck in a demon dimension together, they will have to trust one another completely in order to get home and shut down the drug dealers once and for all. But along the way Lana and Des begin to fall for one another. With everything turned upside down in their world, will they be able to survive new dimensions and a relationship?

I’m fairly positive that this series is over now, and I have to say I’m a little sad about it. While everything was wrapped up nicely, I would love to see more of these ongoing characters. After the last book, I fell in love with Lana. She was such an endearing woman, strong and sure of herself and yet she was viewed as weak because of her female status in the pack. She had a kind heart and was an all around great supporting character. In this, she rocked my world. She was strong and sure and also soft and feminine. I loved her from the moment she first stepped onto the page. And every time she didn’t let Des get away with his BS, I cheered her on.

I felt bad for Des, his job was his life and he felt so torn between the old ways and progressive “newer” ways of doing things. He loves his sister and extended supernatural family, and although the mage council tried to get him to have nothing to do with his extended family, he desperately wanted to be a part of their lives. He didn’t roll over, and yet he struggled with his duty and faith. I loved that he was both a strong protector of Lana, but also knew when to step back and let her fight her own fights.

Their romance was sweet and sexy, especially as they traveled through the other dimensions. I loved their impromptu demon ceremony, especially since it meant so much to both of them. I enjoyed the fact that they didn’t have any huge misunderstandings or miscommunication. Although they both were afraid to be the first to admit their feelings, they didn’t dance around anything for any longer than they had to. Their relationship was straight forward, no hassle and so wonderful to watch unfold.

All in all I really liked the fourth (and I think final) book in the Urban Arcana series. The characters and overall plot arc was wrapped up well and everyone is off to life their happily-ever-afters. Lana and Des were a wonderful couple to follow, and I enjoyed every moment of their time together. I will definitely look into more paranormal romance from Pape, and hope she comes back to revisit these characters in the future.
I give Motor City Mage a B+

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