CIA agent Jack Calloway is having a bad day. Captured by a Russian spy, he's thrown into a cage - and comes face to face with a white tiger. Realising he's about to end up as the tiger's chew toy, Jack tries to escape.

Pasha is a tiger shifter from the wilds of the former Soviet Union. He's been kept prisoner for a long time, though his captors don't know he can become a man. Rather than eat Jack, the CIA agent intrigues him and the two strike up an unlikely, tentative relationship as they figure out the best way to break free.

Chew Toy is a fun short story full of light-hearted banter. I loved Jack's character, especially his thoughts when he realises Pasha is a shifter, and their dialogue really made me grin. Pasha is curious about the world yet passive while he's a prisoner, just like a tiger in a zoo. It takes Jack's initiative to free them, and then Pasha is the one to take charge in the bedroom. The length of this story doesn't give much space for back-stories on these two men, which is a shame - it's more a snapshot scene than a fully plotted story. Regardless of this, it's a great short read for a lunch break!

Reviewed by: Maija