Prowl by Natalie Starkoss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A dying hybrid. A determined civilian. An undeniable bond.

Prowl
All I want is freedom, like the others. But I’m going to die here, trapped in another prison unless they find someone my Lion will respond to.
I’d given up hope until I scent her. Daff.
My instincts demand I claim her, but could perfection like her ever love a monster like me?

Daff
I signed a two year contract with the military, needing female civilians for an ongoing project. They won’t discuss specifics, but they’ll pay me a small fortune – enough to clear Dad’s medical bills and give us a better future.
What I find when I get there? Rescued Super Soldiers, who are just as much animal as human.
I’ve barely arrived when I find myself face to face with one, deteriorating faster than they can save him.
Prowl.
The connection. The desire. There’s no denying our bond. I’ll give my heart, my body, my soul, to save him. I’ll do everything I can to see him survive, even if it breaks me when I leave.
Because I will have to leave.
There’s no way the military will let me stay.

Lab made soldiers, she saves him, forced proximity, virgin male, You. Are. Mine. found family, secret military compound, touch her and die, Human/animal hybrids, differing anatomy, spice.

Prowl

PTSD, Pheromones, and Purring — Oh My!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋😀😍☺️

📖 Book Review: Prowl (Spliced Love, #1)

Author: Natalie Starkoss
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Genetically engineered hybrids

🦸🏼‍♀️ The Heroine: Daffodil (Daff)

Daff’s journey begins in hardship: growing up in a trailer park, juggling two jobs, and carrying the weight of her father’s medical bills. When a mysterious, high-paying opportunity arises—one that demands secrecy and complete isolation for two years—she seizes it, knowing sacrifice is her only path forward. Whisked away to a hidden tropical island accessible only by helicopter, Daff steps into a world far stranger than she imagined.

🦸🏻‍♂️ The Hero: Prowl

Prowl is no ordinary hero—he’s a lion-human hybrid, engineered in a lab and brutalized by years of confinement and experimentation. Though rescued and relocated to an island sanctuary, his scars run deep. Alongside his brother King, he struggles to heal, but trauma lingers. Nine months ago, his progress unraveled: insomnia, loss of appetite, and violent scent-triggered reactions left him spiraling. Solitude was meant to protect others, but isolation only worsened his PTSD, driving him to desperate measures to escape his flashbacks.

📚 The Plot

When Daff arrives, she learns her presence isn’t random—her unique pheromones soothe Prowl’s fractured psyche, offering him the calm he can’t find alone. Determined and compassionate, she becomes his lifeline, refusing to let him fade away. Their bond grows quickly, perhaps too quickly, but the stakes are clear: without her, Prowl may not survive.

🌟 What Worked

• A fresh spin on the hybrid trope, with a premise that feels inventive and distinct.
• Characters with intriguing dynamics, including supporting figures who add texture to the world.
• A layered subplot exploring prejudice, restrictive rules, and the hybrids’ fight for dignity—highlighted by a doctor whose bias underscores the story’s tension.

💔 What Fell Short

• The romance leans heavily into insta-love. Within a week, both characters are “all in,” which undercuts the believability of their connection—especially given Daff’s sudden immersion into a world of hybrids.
• Prowl’s trauma is compelling, but the narrative skimps on depth. His PTSD and backstory deserved richer exploration, which would have added weight to his struggles and made his healing arc more powerful.

💬 Final Thoughts

This book delivers an imaginative premise and a heroine willing to risk everything for a broken, beautiful hybrid. While the romance accelerates too quickly and the emotional layers could have been deepened, the story still offers a unique take on monster romance that fans of the genre will find intriguing. It’s a tale of survival, sacrifice, and the fragile hope that love—even rushed—can be a balm for the deepest wounds.

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