4.5 out of 5 stars
E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 129 pages. Published July 25th 2020
Blurb:
Introducing a new series, Werewolves of Boston, set in the same universe as The Beacon Hill Sorcerer!
Rael Morrow is a human-werewolf hybrid, and he’s about to be kicked out of his pack. Unable to transform, Rael is left with few options. He can accept the Alpha’s ruling and be banished, pulling his mother with him—or agree to a courtship with Jameson Mercer, heir presumptive of their Boston Southside Pack and the object of Rael’s longtime unrequited crush.
If he mates with Jameson, he can remain in the pack, and he and his mother won’t have to suffer the indignity of being forced to uproot their whole lives.
Rael reluctantly agrees to the plan. He’s been in love with Jameson since he was a kid, and there’s no way Jameson cares about him in the same way. Rael is afraid he’s setting himself up for a lifetime of misery.
But then begins a seduction that breaks down every preconceived notion that Rael had about Jameson, and he dares to hope.
Of course, things are never that easy. Jameson is the perfect alpha, and Rael’s human heritage hides a secret that threatens his life. The Southside Pack is primed to fracture as power dynamics shift. And Rael is forced to reconcile who he always thought he was with who he could become.
WOLFSBANE is a 37,000 word novella set in the Infinite Arcana, an expanded universe shared with The Beacon Hill Sorcerer, but can be read as a standalone.
Likes:
- Excited for the new series.
- Love the way werewolves work.
- Rael and Jameson, together and separately.
- The discoveries Rael goes through.
- Good plot.
- Kept me hooked.
- Angel cameo.
Dislikes:
- Too short!
- Alpha Mercer, his wife, and her family.
- The way the pack treated Rael.
I put this on my kindle, then forgot that it was a novella. So I was honestly disappointed that it was so short. I loved the Beacon Hill series, and was thrilled to learn there would be an extended universe.
I could have easily read much more of Rael and Jameson, but at the same time, the story was complete. Rael and Jameson have great chemistry, and it doesn’t take long for them to realize they fit well together. The initial setup felt similar to a marriage of convenience. I was worried at first because of how big a crush Rael had on Jameson, and was glad to learn that Jameson liked Rael as well.
Werewolves were never a big part of the Beacon Hill series, so it was interesting to see how they functioned in this world. The Mercer pack is still clinging to the old ways, which include dividing people into a caste system of alpha, beta, and omega. There is a difference between someone who’s born an alpha, and the Alpha of the pack. Alpha Mercer is determined that his successor be born an alpha, which is why Jameson is next in line.
I liked what Rael was going through, and all the discoveries he made during the story. He had great support from his mom and his boss. It was too bad most of the pack had turned their back on him by the time the story starts. But Rael ended up with Angel Salvatore in his corner, which was awesome.
The non-romantic plot was good, with danger and bad guys and surprises. It was well balanced with the romance and kept me hooked. Even though the novella doesn’t cover a large time frame, Rael and Jameson have plenty of opportunities to bond and grow closer, which is always the most important thing to me in a romance. I especially loved that Rael respected the work Jameson did. I sincerely hope they form their own pack, and am definitely looking forward to the books to come.
Be sure to check out my reviews of the The Beacon Hill Sorcerer Series – The Necromancer’s Dance (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #1), The Necromancer’s Dilemma (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #2), The Necromancer’s Reckoning (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3), A History of Trouble (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #3.5), Mastering the Flames (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer #4)
Love is Love Reviews 