There is something about shifters that makes them incredibly sexy, and the image of the male lion with the full mane is a symbol of power and courage.
Lions are considered to be the most sociable of the big cats, and that was a good fit for the lion shifter community I wanted to create. Female lions are the hunters, and in my shifter world, the female lion shifters are just as fierce. Since lions usually live in prides, I used those as family units for the shifters.
In the Family Pride series, the hero Mac MacKinnon becomes the pride leader, and he learns a lot of valuable lessons from the family matriarch, Lena. She had to fight to keep the pride together for her son (Mac’s father) to inherit, and she’s able to provide important guidance.
The heroine, Zora Mason is a human woman who falls in love with Mac, and through her eyes the reader is introduced to the lion shifter community. As I created the culture of the lion shifter world, I added several traditions and rituals.
One ritual in particular leads to a very sexy scene in book 1, Family Pride: Love and Challenges. Sorry, I’m not going to give away any spoilers! In book 2, Family Pride: Blood Fever, family history leads Mac to face the biggest challenge of his life. Though he wants to live a normal life with Zora, he has to come to terms with the fact he’ll always live in two worlds. 
Shifters are popular romantic heroes because of the balance between the man and the wild, untamed beast within. When I created the shifter world, I wanted to put them in everyday human situations, but with a twist.
Though Mac is an entrepreneur with real-world challenges, he also has another side that is influenced by his inner lion.
He’s loyal and extremely protective–as any lion would be when it comes to looking after the pride. But at the same time, he has to deal with real-world issues, like running his coffee bar and managing family drama.
Perhaps that’s part of the appeal of shifters. On the surface they’re regular guys, but underneath there’s an element of danger and excitement because you never know what will happen when their inner animal is set free. It’s what attracted me to create this lion shifter world and why readers love sexy shifter heroes.
Click on the links below to check out my novels, Family Pride: Love and Challenges and Family Pride: Blood Fever, books 1 and 2 in the series (affiliate links).
Family Pride: Love and Challenges on Amazon.com
Family Pride: Blood Fever on Amazon.com