This short story about an alley cat shifter and the hot firefighter he falls for is not just hilariously funny, it is also hot, and it carries a heartwarming message about true love overcoming all kinds of obstacles. The way the book is written in alternating points of view between Dustin and Tigs, each providing a piece of the story in form of a "blog", ensures the style is informal. It made me feel more as if these characters were talking to me than that I was reading a book. I really liked that!

Dustin is a firefighter who has begun to consider other options in life—he has been extinguishing fires and saving people for a while and now, in his midthirties, he is beginning to wonder what else may be out there. He has some plans, but Fate has other ideas. And for once I liked what she had in store. But there is more to Dustin than meets the eye. Yes, he is hot and physically very attractive. But he is also kind, supportive, and has a big heart. I loved him from the start.

Tigs is hilarious. He is a cat shifter, of alley cat status, and doesn’t think very highly of himself. Which is too bad, because he really is an amazing guy. It all gradually emerges as the story develops, and all I can say is don’t be fooled by his "scruffy" exterior. Dustin was able to look beyond it, and so was I. The way Tigs introduces himself sets the tone perfectly:

"My name is Tigs, and I’m a cat shifter. Don’t get smart, it’s not short for Tigger or anything stupid like that. I don’t fucking bounce or lisp my words, and I’m a gray tabby. I usually work construction and home renovation, me and my crew. We’re all shifters of one type or another, but we get along most of the time."

If you like your paranormal tales with a healthy dose of snark and humor, if "rags to riches" is a story line you favor, and if you're looking for a read that is as funny as it is hot while still managing to touch your heart, then you will probably like this short story. ( )

Tigs is a gray tabby shifter who works construction with his shifter friends, specializing in home renovations. Dustin is a fire fighter who has just come back from bereavement after losing his lover Casey. He misses Casey dearly and knows that he must go on but just doesn’t have the heart yet.

Tigs is cleaning up after a long day on the job site when he smells smoke. Considering that if he stays in his human form he will be burned, he transforms into his cat and leaps out the window into a tree. Dustin’s first night back on the job has him working a fire along with his crew. He finds a stray cat stuck in a tree that he decides to take home since no one claims him. Dustin finds himself telling this cat all his feelings and what he wants to eventually do with his life. Tigs is in lust or he keeps telling himself that because the feelings that Dustin is bringing out are foreign to him. Later that night Dustin passes out and wakes up to a beautiful man and he can’t help but wonder if it is a dream. What follows is even better than a dream for not just Dustin but for Tigs as well.
Flash Point by Lena Austin was a hilarious story of a stray tabby with major attitude. Either you like him or hate him, it doesn’t matter much. The story is written in first person but has both points of view since Lena writes their stories as a diary. Dustin, the easier going of the two, is actually the strongest emotionally. Tigs just needs that extra help to find what he has been looking for all along in Dustin. At first glance these two don’t seem to fit but the personalities fit to perfection.

Bitten by Books for AReCafe ( )

Dates from a re-read. ( )