Judy Mays has outdone herself with this book, the third in her Heat series. I've read the first two, Perfumed Heat and In the Heat of the Night, and, in my opinion, this is by far the best one yet. This book, A Midsummer Night's Heat, is the story of Belle Gray, the youngest in Artemis Gray's first litter. She is the offspring of a werewolf and natural wolf, her mother dying when she was only eight months old after being shot by a poacher.

Belle and her siblings were taught to assume human form after their mother's death. They were raised among the humans, as no werewolf pack would accept the "abominations" that she and her brothers and sister were. The werewolves believed that if another werewolf went "feral" they should stay that way, even after their mate had died. And their children should stay in wolf form, if only to make the werewolves feel better about one of their own choosing another way to live. And pups should never assume human form and try to live among the werewolves or humans. It is "unnatural" in their opinion.

Belle's father, knowing that he and his children would never be accepted, took them away to New York City to live. There they were accepted. Belle is the accountant for her father's perfume corporation and very happy with her life. She lives how she wants and has to answer to no one.

Taking her first vacation ever on her own, she rescues a wolf after two hunters shot it. Taking him home to nurse him, she gives him her bed and goes to sleep. When she wakes up, a man is in her bed and demanding to know where he is and just who she is. The man is Alex Whitehorse, Alpha of the local pack and the ex-fiancé of her sister-in-law. Alex doesn't know of Belle's ancestry, but he knows he needs the woman who rescued him in the most elemental way.

Ms. Mays has done her research, both on wolves and on the relationships that can happen between a man and woman--and on the prejudices that can exist that have no reason, except that people cannot accept something that is not the same as they are.

This book has it all: romance, love, and prejudice. Belle is not a woman to take anything from anyone, and she has no problem protecting herself if the need arises. Alex didn't know what he was in for when he decided that Belle was the female for him.

Even if you're not a fan of paranormal, this book is enough to make any reader feel satisfied. I've gone back for seconds on more than one of Ms. Mays' novels, and this book is no exception. I'm thinking of going for thirds this time around!

Reviewed By Marissa
© February 2005