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Urban Arcana #3
Motor City Wolf
Less than a year ago, Fianna Meadows was a pampered noble in the Faerie court. Then she was exiled, turned mortal and forced to work for a living-in a werewolf bar in Detroit, no less! Still, Fianna has to admit her new life isn't so bad…particularly when it comes to Greg Novak, the bar's sexy owner. For Greg, keeping his hands off Fianna has been a challenge. But his sense of honor won't let him get involved with a woman put in his care, even if Fianna is eager to explore her new feelings of lust. Resisting the temptation to claim her gets even harder when Greg's grandfather, the region's Alpha, orders him to marry and Fianna agrees to pretend to be his chosen mate. Fighting his attraction to Fianna isn't Greg's only problem. Someone is killing werewolves and attacking other paranormal beings in Detroit. He vows to do whatever it takes protect both his pack and Fianna-even if that means giving her up…64,000 words
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 29, 2011
5 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Spencer Pape
84 books252 followersCindy Spencer Pape has been, among other things, a banker, a teacher, and an elected politician, though she swears she got better. She volunteers in environmental education, when she can fit it in around writing. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two teenage sons, a dog, a lizard, and various other small creatures, all of which are easier to clean up after than the three male humans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 12, 2012
Fianna Meadows has gone from being a pampered noble in the Faerie court to a human barmaid. While it is completely different Fianna is adjusting to her new life well, and frankly is happy she still has a life. The fact that she is working with Greg Novak doesn’t hurt things as the attraction between the two of them is palpable. Unfortunately Greg won’t act on it as she is in his care and this would go against his ethics.
Things change though when Greg’s grandfather, the Alpha for the entire region, shows up. Suddenly Greg needs a chosen mate (aka fiancée) and Fianna seems to not only be the woman that is handy but the only woman that would fit the job.
But will the two even have the time to see if this attraction could turn into something lasting? Suddenly someone is attacking werewolves and other paranormal beings in Detroit. One of Greg’s pack seems to be missing. And the bar that Greg owns (and Fianna works at) is set on fire. Greg vows to do whatever is necessary to protect both his pack and Fianna.
Motor City Wolf is the latest offering in the Motor City Series by Cindy Spencer Pape and is fantastic. I love how Ms. Paper is able to keep the story lines fresh and at the same time let us see a little bit about past characters we have come to love. The emotions from Greg and FIanna were intriguing and the passion smoking hot. I couldn’t put down Motor City Wolf once I started reading it (much to my chagrin as it left me with three hours of sleep for work). I look forward to the next offering in the Motor City Series.
Reviewed by Tanya for Joyfully Reviewed
Things change though when Greg’s grandfather, the Alpha for the entire region, shows up. Suddenly Greg needs a chosen mate (aka fiancée) and Fianna seems to not only be the woman that is handy but the only woman that would fit the job.
But will the two even have the time to see if this attraction could turn into something lasting? Suddenly someone is attacking werewolves and other paranormal beings in Detroit. One of Greg’s pack seems to be missing. And the bar that Greg owns (and Fianna works at) is set on fire. Greg vows to do whatever is necessary to protect both his pack and Fianna.
Motor City Wolf is the latest offering in the Motor City Series by Cindy Spencer Pape and is fantastic. I love how Ms. Paper is able to keep the story lines fresh and at the same time let us see a little bit about past characters we have come to love. The emotions from Greg and FIanna were intriguing and the passion smoking hot. I couldn’t put down Motor City Wolf once I started reading it (much to my chagrin as it left me with three hours of sleep for work). I look forward to the next offering in the Motor City Series.
Reviewed by Tanya for Joyfully Reviewed
September 4, 2016
If I had to choose between reading this again, or a ham sandwich.
Where did the quality from the first two books go? I'm so disappointed, and it seems that werewolves are starting to be so overused. It just doesn't live up to other werewolf fiction in the genre, and seemed that there was to much predictability in the plot.
I only recommend that you read if you are extremly bored.
Cheers Pretties!
Where did the quality from the first two books go? I'm so disappointed, and it seems that werewolves are starting to be so overused. It just doesn't live up to other werewolf fiction in the genre, and seemed that there was to much predictability in the plot.
I only recommend that you read if you are extremly bored.
Cheers Pretties!
February 21, 2016
The main couples from books 1 and 2 (Ric/Megan and Aidan/Elise) appear here. Fianna was punished in the previous book by making her become human and live as one. She works for Greg. Greg has the hots for her and she for him.
Fianna is almost 100 years old who has had one sexual experience. Of course the one time was horrible and the person not nice. As a consequence, she hasn't been interested in sex once. Enter Greg. I think you can guess what happens next. Predictable, but works.
The mystery/underlying events from previous books carry over into this one with some resolution.
Fianna is almost 100 years old who has had one sexual experience. Of course the one time was horrible and the person not nice. As a consequence, she hasn't been interested in sex once. Enter Greg. I think you can guess what happens next. Predictable, but works.
The mystery/underlying events from previous books carry over into this one with some resolution.
September 5, 2011
~* 3.5 Stars *~
New to the Series
Alpha wolf and bar owner Greg Novak has a problem. A few of them, actually. Someone is killing werewolves in the city, there's a new drug on the streets that's highly addictive to his kind, and his bar has been vandalized, his small pack put in danger. If that isn't enough to keep him occupied, his grandfather, the Prime alpha of the region, wants Greg to settle down, mate, and reproduce as soon as possible, and he intends to force the issue if necessary.
Greg doesn't want to settle down, and the only female he has any interest in lately is Fianna Meadows, a former Fae princess who has been stripped of her abilities and made human, exiled from Underhill, and sentenced to work as a waitress in his bar as punishment for a crime her family committed against the Seelie Court. It goes against his code of honor to give in to his attraction for someone he's supposed to be protecting, but Fee is a tantalizing morsel, and when vandals lock them together in the bar's storeroom basement, her need and his instincts collide with the draw of the full moon, creating an unavoidable conflagration of desire.
Pride, possession, and the urge to protect what he yearns to make his catapult Greg and Fee into the fire, burning away restraint and caution like so much kindling. When the mystery attacker focuses his deadly intent on Fee, Greg realizes that under his protection or not, Fee is his, and he'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from him, be they demon...or wolf.
I still don't much enjoy starting an established series anywhere but at the beginning, but Pape's Motor City Wolf wasn't too hard to slip into. Yes, it's quickly obvious that this isn't a series debut, and there seemed to be well-established series history, backstory, and character definition that I had to scramble to catch up on, but Pape offered enough exposition to get the big picture of the world and mythos fleshed out relatively quickly.
I had a harder time with the characters and with the external plot conflict. I've mentioned in previous reviews that a trend I've noticed in some long-running paranormal romance series has begun to bother me, a trend in which the male and female romantic leads in a book are actually introduced to the reader and to each other in books prior to the one in which they attain their HEA. This book offers an excellent example of one of the drawbacks of that trend.
It's quite obvious that Greg and Fee were characters who have been previously introduced in the series, and their attraction for each other seemed to already be established. If I'd been around since the first book, that may not have been a problem for me, but as this is my first experience with the series, I felt I missed much of the character development and a significant amount of the initial relationship development. While I liked Greg and Fee together, I felt very much like I only read half of their romance story arc, and that was a big problem that got compounded into a worse problem when they got horizontal and groiny so early in the story - a pet peeve of mine in romance books.
The external plot conflict of the demon Nightshade also seemed truncated, like that had been trickling through the previous books, and to a lesser degree, the issues with the assassin Beowulf. Overall, I liked what I read, but it definitely felt like I stepped into the theater well into the feature presentation.
Ignoring that for a minute, there were aspects of the plot I really enjoyed, and I think Pape did a nice job with the horror of the crimes against other werewolves. It wasn't belabored, but it was poignant and painful, and gave emotional impact to that plot thread. I had a good time with the characters, too, and especially enjoyed the surprise I got when I realized that Fee wasn't just a timid damsel in distress. She had moments of insecurity that felt pretty darn organic to her situation, but they were tempered by a steely determination in important places. I loved how she dealt with Greg's grandparents. And I enjoyed secondary character and Greg's cousin Lana, as well as a few other secondary and ancillary characters.
Not everything about the big reveal at the end and the final conflict with the Big Bad was successful for me. I was a little perplexed by the inconsistency in some described werewolf traits. I would've thought, if human ovulation was something easily detected, that the chemical drug smell on several wolves in close quarters would have been just as easily ascertained, but that didn't seem to be the case. A convenience that bothered me. I also thought the fight scene could have been more expansively described and some developments less abrupt.
I can only guess that some crucial aspects of this story would have been more appealing to me had I started the series from the beginning, but I still enjoyed most of what I read. I may not feel compelled to rush back to the beginning and find out what I missed, but now that I've visited with the Detroit werewolves this once, I'd be interested in returning to their city. Not in the winter, though. I'm a Florida girl - I've heard Detroit winters are brutal.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
New to the Series
Alpha wolf and bar owner Greg Novak has a problem. A few of them, actually. Someone is killing werewolves in the city, there's a new drug on the streets that's highly addictive to his kind, and his bar has been vandalized, his small pack put in danger. If that isn't enough to keep him occupied, his grandfather, the Prime alpha of the region, wants Greg to settle down, mate, and reproduce as soon as possible, and he intends to force the issue if necessary.
Greg doesn't want to settle down, and the only female he has any interest in lately is Fianna Meadows, a former Fae princess who has been stripped of her abilities and made human, exiled from Underhill, and sentenced to work as a waitress in his bar as punishment for a crime her family committed against the Seelie Court. It goes against his code of honor to give in to his attraction for someone he's supposed to be protecting, but Fee is a tantalizing morsel, and when vandals lock them together in the bar's storeroom basement, her need and his instincts collide with the draw of the full moon, creating an unavoidable conflagration of desire.
Pride, possession, and the urge to protect what he yearns to make his catapult Greg and Fee into the fire, burning away restraint and caution like so much kindling. When the mystery attacker focuses his deadly intent on Fee, Greg realizes that under his protection or not, Fee is his, and he'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from him, be they demon...or wolf.
I still don't much enjoy starting an established series anywhere but at the beginning, but Pape's Motor City Wolf wasn't too hard to slip into. Yes, it's quickly obvious that this isn't a series debut, and there seemed to be well-established series history, backstory, and character definition that I had to scramble to catch up on, but Pape offered enough exposition to get the big picture of the world and mythos fleshed out relatively quickly.
I had a harder time with the characters and with the external plot conflict. I've mentioned in previous reviews that a trend I've noticed in some long-running paranormal romance series has begun to bother me, a trend in which the male and female romantic leads in a book are actually introduced to the reader and to each other in books prior to the one in which they attain their HEA. This book offers an excellent example of one of the drawbacks of that trend.
It's quite obvious that Greg and Fee were characters who have been previously introduced in the series, and their attraction for each other seemed to already be established. If I'd been around since the first book, that may not have been a problem for me, but as this is my first experience with the series, I felt I missed much of the character development and a significant amount of the initial relationship development. While I liked Greg and Fee together, I felt very much like I only read half of their romance story arc, and that was a big problem that got compounded into a worse problem when they got horizontal and groiny so early in the story - a pet peeve of mine in romance books.
The external plot conflict of the demon Nightshade also seemed truncated, like that had been trickling through the previous books, and to a lesser degree, the issues with the assassin Beowulf. Overall, I liked what I read, but it definitely felt like I stepped into the theater well into the feature presentation.
Ignoring that for a minute, there were aspects of the plot I really enjoyed, and I think Pape did a nice job with the horror of the crimes against other werewolves. It wasn't belabored, but it was poignant and painful, and gave emotional impact to that plot thread. I had a good time with the characters, too, and especially enjoyed the surprise I got when I realized that Fee wasn't just a timid damsel in distress. She had moments of insecurity that felt pretty darn organic to her situation, but they were tempered by a steely determination in important places. I loved how she dealt with Greg's grandparents. And I enjoyed secondary character and Greg's cousin Lana, as well as a few other secondary and ancillary characters.
Not everything about the big reveal at the end and the final conflict with the Big Bad was successful for me. I was a little perplexed by the inconsistency in some described werewolf traits. I would've thought, if human ovulation was something easily detected, that the chemical drug smell on several wolves in close quarters would have been just as easily ascertained, but that didn't seem to be the case. A convenience that bothered me. I also thought the fight scene could have been more expansively described and some developments less abrupt.
I can only guess that some crucial aspects of this story would have been more appealing to me had I started the series from the beginning, but I still enjoyed most of what I read. I may not feel compelled to rush back to the beginning and find out what I missed, but now that I've visited with the Detroit werewolves this once, I'd be interested in returning to their city. Not in the winter, though. I'm a Florida girl - I've heard Detroit winters are brutal.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
September 10, 2011
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
This is the third installment in the Urban Arcana series. Admittedly, I haven't read the two books that came before this one and maybe if I had my review would be different. Although, it's predecessors did center around Fae and Witches which don't appeal to me nearly as much as werewolves. This novel was an okay read but I won't be exploring this series any further.
Before writing my review I read a few of the ones that came before mine to get a feel for what I missed by skipping over the first two books. Apparently many of the characters are present throughout this series and I missed out on quite a bit of their background stories. That being said, a good author should refresh their readers' minds in every new installment and help to bring cheaters like myself somewhat up to speed. From what I was able to piece together, I believe that Cindy Spencer Pape did a good job of accomplishing this. Overall, I think I had a pretty good feel for the characters but it's hard to know for sure without actually reading the whole Urban Arcana series.
I found that the multitude of supernaturals made this book somewhat convoluted. There's werewolves, wizards, demons and fae. I found it difficult to keep track of who was what and also of what the various races distinguishing traits were. This novel isn't very long and as a result, packs way too much information in too few pages. There's also two main plotlines in this story. Fee and Greg's evolving romantic relationship and a serial killer who's offing werewolves. I think Cindy tried to throw some action into a book that was meant to be primarily a Paranormal Romance. As a result, I found that the main couple's love story was rushed and because of this I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I liked Fee and Greg as characters but when their story jumps from them tentatively considering dating each other to being married and having twins it was a tough pill to swallow. I think that if Pape would have focused on just the love story this book would have been a more enjoyable read.
Another thing that irked me was how the term Underhill is used. It's basically the land of the Fae but it was turned into an expression and I'm not sure what the author's goal was in doing this. For me it was more of an annoyance than anything and I viewed it as a repeated grammatical error. This little detail probably won't bug most readers but it definitely rubbed me the wrong way.
I'd advise anyone interested in reading this book to start from the beginning of this series. Hopefully in doing so this will transform into a more enjoyable read but for me it's too little too late. Motor City Werewolf has some good qualities but most of them were lost on me. I guess that's what I get for being sucked in by a werewolf read without thoroughly researching it beforehand.
This is the third installment in the Urban Arcana series. Admittedly, I haven't read the two books that came before this one and maybe if I had my review would be different. Although, it's predecessors did center around Fae and Witches which don't appeal to me nearly as much as werewolves. This novel was an okay read but I won't be exploring this series any further.
Before writing my review I read a few of the ones that came before mine to get a feel for what I missed by skipping over the first two books. Apparently many of the characters are present throughout this series and I missed out on quite a bit of their background stories. That being said, a good author should refresh their readers' minds in every new installment and help to bring cheaters like myself somewhat up to speed. From what I was able to piece together, I believe that Cindy Spencer Pape did a good job of accomplishing this. Overall, I think I had a pretty good feel for the characters but it's hard to know for sure without actually reading the whole Urban Arcana series.
I found that the multitude of supernaturals made this book somewhat convoluted. There's werewolves, wizards, demons and fae. I found it difficult to keep track of who was what and also of what the various races distinguishing traits were. This novel isn't very long and as a result, packs way too much information in too few pages. There's also two main plotlines in this story. Fee and Greg's evolving romantic relationship and a serial killer who's offing werewolves. I think Cindy tried to throw some action into a book that was meant to be primarily a Paranormal Romance. As a result, I found that the main couple's love story was rushed and because of this I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I liked Fee and Greg as characters but when their story jumps from them tentatively considering dating each other to being married and having twins it was a tough pill to swallow. I think that if Pape would have focused on just the love story this book would have been a more enjoyable read.
Another thing that irked me was how the term Underhill is used. It's basically the land of the Fae but it was turned into an expression and I'm not sure what the author's goal was in doing this. For me it was more of an annoyance than anything and I viewed it as a repeated grammatical error. This little detail probably won't bug most readers but it definitely rubbed me the wrong way.
I'd advise anyone interested in reading this book to start from the beginning of this series. Hopefully in doing so this will transform into a more enjoyable read but for me it's too little too late. Motor City Werewolf has some good qualities but most of them were lost on me. I guess that's what I get for being sucked in by a werewolf read without thoroughly researching it beforehand.
April 29, 2018
I listened to the audio version. All I have to say is.
it's MEHGAN NOT MEEEEEEGAN
besides the reader getting the names wrong that made my skin crawl each time, I liked the story.
it's MEHGAN NOT MEEEEEEGAN
besides the reader getting the names wrong that made my skin crawl each time, I liked the story.
November 8, 2018
More like 2.5 stars
June 8, 2020
This was a fun, interesting story. I just wish they did a better job with editing for continuity and grammar.
September 3, 2011
You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
This was the first book I’d read by Cindy Spencer Pape, but as soon as I finished it I went online and purchased the first two books in her Urban Arcana series. Motor City Wolf is a short read (only about 64,000 words), but it’s action packed, and the romance skillfully developed. I read it while reading several other books for review, and once I started it I couldn’t put it down. Ms. Pape writes in several genres, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Detroit is one of my favorite settings for paranormal romance, and Ms. Pape does the Motor City right in her Urban Arcana series. Motor City Wolf is the third book in the series, but I had no problems entering her world and meeting characters new to me but familiar to fans of the series. Fianna Meadows is an exiled Fae who’s been turned mortal and forced to work at manual labor as punishment for her involvement in a Fae racial purity movement. She’s working as a waitress at werewolf Greg Novak’s bar, but from the first she is a much more sympathetic character than one would think. It’s made clear that her role in the racial purity movement stemmed from misplaced family loyalty rather than any belief in the movement’s principles. Greg is attracted to Fianna and is impressed with her strength of character, but he’s reluctant to act upon that attraction since he’s her supervisor. When Greg’s grandfather, the Prime Alpha Werewolf, demands that Greg marry by the end of the year, Greg seizes the moment and declares his intention to marry the now-human fae. But when werewolves start dying in mysterious attacks, Greg and Fianna must face the threat together while dealing with opposition to their upcoming marriage.
There are many things to like about this novel, but the strength of the characters is what really sold me on it. You really like Fianna. She made some bad decisions in the past by trusting the wrong people, but her regret over those decisions is palpable. She’s vulnerable without being weak, and it’s entertaining to see how she’s adapted to living as a human. By learning her own strength, she becomes all the more attractive to Greg, which in turn makes the hero all the more appealing to us. Greg has befriended Fianna while fighting his feelings for her, because he believes that it would be inappropriate for him to act on those feelings since she has no choice about being his employee. It would be so easy for the book to get bogged down in Greg’s fighting this attraction, but Pape has written Greg as a reasonable, mature adult male, and quite frankly it was a relief to see the two characters interact without big misunderstandings. Despite the sparks that fly when they first meet, their relationship develops over time, and it’s a pleasure to read.
The book is action-packed as well, and I enjoyed how the mystery behind the violence facing the werewolves is resolved. When I went back and caught up on the first two books in the series, I realized that even though the story arc is completed within the book, it also fits well within the overarching arc of the series. My only complaint is that I was able to identify the villain fairly early on. I was also bothered by the overly sexualized and negative portrayal of Sofia Bartok, something aggravated when compared with Fianna’s innocence, fair skin and blue eyes, but this is a minor complaint.
It was a pleasure to read this paranormal romance by Ms. Pape, and I can’t wait to read more of her books. My only regret is that it was so short, but fortunately I can look forward to future books in the series.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
Rating: 4 out of 5
This was the first book I’d read by Cindy Spencer Pape, but as soon as I finished it I went online and purchased the first two books in her Urban Arcana series. Motor City Wolf is a short read (only about 64,000 words), but it’s action packed, and the romance skillfully developed. I read it while reading several other books for review, and once I started it I couldn’t put it down. Ms. Pape writes in several genres, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Detroit is one of my favorite settings for paranormal romance, and Ms. Pape does the Motor City right in her Urban Arcana series. Motor City Wolf is the third book in the series, but I had no problems entering her world and meeting characters new to me but familiar to fans of the series. Fianna Meadows is an exiled Fae who’s been turned mortal and forced to work at manual labor as punishment for her involvement in a Fae racial purity movement. She’s working as a waitress at werewolf Greg Novak’s bar, but from the first she is a much more sympathetic character than one would think. It’s made clear that her role in the racial purity movement stemmed from misplaced family loyalty rather than any belief in the movement’s principles. Greg is attracted to Fianna and is impressed with her strength of character, but he’s reluctant to act upon that attraction since he’s her supervisor. When Greg’s grandfather, the Prime Alpha Werewolf, demands that Greg marry by the end of the year, Greg seizes the moment and declares his intention to marry the now-human fae. But when werewolves start dying in mysterious attacks, Greg and Fianna must face the threat together while dealing with opposition to their upcoming marriage.
There are many things to like about this novel, but the strength of the characters is what really sold me on it. You really like Fianna. She made some bad decisions in the past by trusting the wrong people, but her regret over those decisions is palpable. She’s vulnerable without being weak, and it’s entertaining to see how she’s adapted to living as a human. By learning her own strength, she becomes all the more attractive to Greg, which in turn makes the hero all the more appealing to us. Greg has befriended Fianna while fighting his feelings for her, because he believes that it would be inappropriate for him to act on those feelings since she has no choice about being his employee. It would be so easy for the book to get bogged down in Greg’s fighting this attraction, but Pape has written Greg as a reasonable, mature adult male, and quite frankly it was a relief to see the two characters interact without big misunderstandings. Despite the sparks that fly when they first meet, their relationship develops over time, and it’s a pleasure to read.
The book is action-packed as well, and I enjoyed how the mystery behind the violence facing the werewolves is resolved. When I went back and caught up on the first two books in the series, I realized that even though the story arc is completed within the book, it also fits well within the overarching arc of the series. My only complaint is that I was able to identify the villain fairly early on. I was also bothered by the overly sexualized and negative portrayal of Sofia Bartok, something aggravated when compared with Fianna’s innocence, fair skin and blue eyes, but this is a minor complaint.
It was a pleasure to read this paranormal romance by Ms. Pape, and I can’t wait to read more of her books. My only regret is that it was so short, but fortunately I can look forward to future books in the series.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 4, 2011
Werewolves in Detroit. Who would ever have thought? Robots maybe, but not werewolves. However, in Cindy Spencer Pape's third book of the Urban Arcana, the idea more than works, it downright kicks ass and takes names.
The werewolf in Motor City Wolf is Greg Novak. Greg owns a bar in Detroit and is assisted by his brother George. The wolves are not the only paranormals operating in the Detroit area. There are also fae of various kinds and human magic practitioners, otherwise known as witches.
There are also those less kindly disposed toward humans and human-like creatures. Everyone calls them demons.
The fae had their own internal struggles, a kind of racial purity movement. At first it seemed like an internal fae struggle between those who favored pure fae heritage and those who had interbred with humans. It turned out that the movement may have been fomented by outside agitators from the demons.
Fianna of the Meadows was supposed to be brainwashed by her family to believe in the purity movement. But when that movement started killing people, she turned herself in. She was still punished, but instead of a death sentence, her fae powers were suppressed and she was forced to live as one of the humans her family had so despised. The intent was for her to learn humility. She was given a job that definitely has its humble moments: she was sentenced to be a barmaid at Greg Novak's werewolf bar in Detroit!
Fianna Meadows learned how to wait tables, pull drinks, make change, dodge rowdy drunks, and fend off the pinching hands and grabby paws of the bar patrons. She learned how to do real work instead of taking short cuts through magic. And she learned how to make her own decisions instead of relying on the men in her family to tell her what she was supposed to believe, because that was what got her into trouble in the first place.
But being human had some interesting side effects for Fianna. Human sense are less effective in a lot of ways than fae senses. On the other hand, human emotions are a whole lot more volatile than anything Fianna ever experienced as a fae. They're embarrassing and confusing. Especially the feelings she has for the werewolf Greg Novak. And the ones he seems to have for her, but won't act on.
Then the demon conspiracy against the Detroit paranormal community turns its attention to the werewolves, and Greg's bar becomes one of its targets. When Greg's need to protect Fianna as a member of his "pack" expands out of control, he realizes that she means more to him than he had ever planned on.
The Urban Arcana is an ongoing series, and Motor City Wolf is definitely part of that series. I read all three books, Motor City Fae, Motor City Witch and Motor City Wolf in one grand, glorious reading binge over the weekend, and I absolutely loved the series. I can see who I think the next book will be about, and I wish it were out now.
Considered as part of the ongoing story, this book was tremendous fun. Greg and Fianna are interesting people. They've both been damaged, and in the same way, so they understand each other. Greg is someone who has learned to be strong in the broken places, and knows that everyone needs a second chance. That is part of why he is willing to give Fianna a job as part of her punishment at the beginning of the story. And Greg is an alpha because it is necessary to the story, but manages to not be a jerk or worse about it. That's an interesting combination and not easy to pull off. Fianna's redemption was also well done. The person she was in Motor City Fae I wouldn't have given the time of day to. She changes in a way that works.
The Urban Arcana definitely puts Detroit on the Urban Fantasy map. And the next book in the series will be Motor City Mage in March 2012. I hope it's not the last.
Escape Rating: A+ Keeps you awake until the very last page--no matter how late (or early) it is!
The werewolf in Motor City Wolf is Greg Novak. Greg owns a bar in Detroit and is assisted by his brother George. The wolves are not the only paranormals operating in the Detroit area. There are also fae of various kinds and human magic practitioners, otherwise known as witches.
There are also those less kindly disposed toward humans and human-like creatures. Everyone calls them demons.
The fae had their own internal struggles, a kind of racial purity movement. At first it seemed like an internal fae struggle between those who favored pure fae heritage and those who had interbred with humans. It turned out that the movement may have been fomented by outside agitators from the demons.
Fianna of the Meadows was supposed to be brainwashed by her family to believe in the purity movement. But when that movement started killing people, she turned herself in. She was still punished, but instead of a death sentence, her fae powers were suppressed and she was forced to live as one of the humans her family had so despised. The intent was for her to learn humility. She was given a job that definitely has its humble moments: she was sentenced to be a barmaid at Greg Novak's werewolf bar in Detroit!
Fianna Meadows learned how to wait tables, pull drinks, make change, dodge rowdy drunks, and fend off the pinching hands and grabby paws of the bar patrons. She learned how to do real work instead of taking short cuts through magic. And she learned how to make her own decisions instead of relying on the men in her family to tell her what she was supposed to believe, because that was what got her into trouble in the first place.
But being human had some interesting side effects for Fianna. Human sense are less effective in a lot of ways than fae senses. On the other hand, human emotions are a whole lot more volatile than anything Fianna ever experienced as a fae. They're embarrassing and confusing. Especially the feelings she has for the werewolf Greg Novak. And the ones he seems to have for her, but won't act on.
Then the demon conspiracy against the Detroit paranormal community turns its attention to the werewolves, and Greg's bar becomes one of its targets. When Greg's need to protect Fianna as a member of his "pack" expands out of control, he realizes that she means more to him than he had ever planned on.
The Urban Arcana is an ongoing series, and Motor City Wolf is definitely part of that series. I read all three books, Motor City Fae, Motor City Witch and Motor City Wolf in one grand, glorious reading binge over the weekend, and I absolutely loved the series. I can see who I think the next book will be about, and I wish it were out now.
Considered as part of the ongoing story, this book was tremendous fun. Greg and Fianna are interesting people. They've both been damaged, and in the same way, so they understand each other. Greg is someone who has learned to be strong in the broken places, and knows that everyone needs a second chance. That is part of why he is willing to give Fianna a job as part of her punishment at the beginning of the story. And Greg is an alpha because it is necessary to the story, but manages to not be a jerk or worse about it. That's an interesting combination and not easy to pull off. Fianna's redemption was also well done. The person she was in Motor City Fae I wouldn't have given the time of day to. She changes in a way that works.
The Urban Arcana definitely puts Detroit on the Urban Fantasy map. And the next book in the series will be Motor City Mage in March 2012. I hope it's not the last.
Escape Rating: A+ Keeps you awake until the very last page--no matter how late (or early) it is!
September 13, 2011
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...
Suspicion and betrayal are crouched to spring upon Greg and Fianna; two secondary characters who were previously involved in the exciting action in the past two books in the Urban Arcana series. In this latest adventure, the talented Ms. Spencer Pape has thrust them into the limelight to take center stage as a mystery finally gets solved. I’ve eagerly looked forward to finding out how the author would get Greg and Fianna together. The wait was worth it.
Greg and Fianna are about to get their story book ending amidst chaos and surprises as the author wove another intricate, detailed and emotionally charged tale. I was shocked as to who one of the villains turned out to be and I felt great sadness at the loss of what I thought was a great character with HEA potential.
This book has a greater impact for readers who have followed this awesome series but by no means would a first time reader get lost. In fact, they’d have the benefit of the conclusion of the drama and the revelation of all the players. So as a standalone, it will feel complete. For those of us who have read the first two books, the disclosures will have more of a shock and awe effect. In either event, Motor City Wolf is guaranteed entertainment.
Fianna as a character has had the most growth of all the personalities in the series. She initially started out as a villainess, but in time readers discovered she was a victim; a tragic figure caught in a power mad dysfunctional family and expendable. How this woman takes the punishment and not only thrives but earns the respect of her peers in amazing scenes that tested her mettle truly made Fianna a memorable person and a real heroine. I like her as a person and definitely as a mate to Greg.
Waters run deep with the hero, Greg. Of all the people that have come and gone in this series, he has the most to lose and he does. The author wrote so many intense scenes surrounding him or the ones he loved that I reached for tissues several times. He was a man who knew he had a destiny but he didn’t want it. Not really. But fate and Ms. Spencer Pape knew he was the alpha for the job and when push came to bite, Greg didn’t let his pack nor readers down.
There are a couple of conflicts going on. The most adorable one and my favorite is the conundrum of Greg’s attraction to Fianna and his attempt at resisting it. It was totally fun when he capitulated and it made for some steamy reading. The other darker conflict is external. Greg has to face the ultimate betrayal, the loss of someone he grudgingly admits to loving and respecting, and his becoming what he never wanted to be. The big climax and action-filled showdown was tightly written with active voice all the way. It kept me riveted and hanging in suspense and I couldn’t flip those pages fast enough.
It was great seeing all of my favorite characters from the previous books and in Motor City Wolf, they had effective supporting secondary roles that kept the story interesting and the plot moving in a natural progression. I enjoy that sense of community and Ms. Spencer Pape balanced it well.
Motor City Wolf delights and astounds. It has everything I enjoy in a romance book. It has a strong emotional hook, a sweeping and powerful romance that overcomes their initial hesitance, shocking villains, and a love that stands against the worst magic and evil beings can throw at them. I can’t imagine what Ms. Spencer Pape has next up her sleeve but I can’t wait to find out. I’m completely captivated by this world she’s built and the characters she’s populated it with. What a great imagination!
Suspicion and betrayal are crouched to spring upon Greg and Fianna; two secondary characters who were previously involved in the exciting action in the past two books in the Urban Arcana series. In this latest adventure, the talented Ms. Spencer Pape has thrust them into the limelight to take center stage as a mystery finally gets solved. I’ve eagerly looked forward to finding out how the author would get Greg and Fianna together. The wait was worth it.
Greg and Fianna are about to get their story book ending amidst chaos and surprises as the author wove another intricate, detailed and emotionally charged tale. I was shocked as to who one of the villains turned out to be and I felt great sadness at the loss of what I thought was a great character with HEA potential.
This book has a greater impact for readers who have followed this awesome series but by no means would a first time reader get lost. In fact, they’d have the benefit of the conclusion of the drama and the revelation of all the players. So as a standalone, it will feel complete. For those of us who have read the first two books, the disclosures will have more of a shock and awe effect. In either event, Motor City Wolf is guaranteed entertainment.
Fianna as a character has had the most growth of all the personalities in the series. She initially started out as a villainess, but in time readers discovered she was a victim; a tragic figure caught in a power mad dysfunctional family and expendable. How this woman takes the punishment and not only thrives but earns the respect of her peers in amazing scenes that tested her mettle truly made Fianna a memorable person and a real heroine. I like her as a person and definitely as a mate to Greg.
Waters run deep with the hero, Greg. Of all the people that have come and gone in this series, he has the most to lose and he does. The author wrote so many intense scenes surrounding him or the ones he loved that I reached for tissues several times. He was a man who knew he had a destiny but he didn’t want it. Not really. But fate and Ms. Spencer Pape knew he was the alpha for the job and when push came to bite, Greg didn’t let his pack nor readers down.
There are a couple of conflicts going on. The most adorable one and my favorite is the conundrum of Greg’s attraction to Fianna and his attempt at resisting it. It was totally fun when he capitulated and it made for some steamy reading. The other darker conflict is external. Greg has to face the ultimate betrayal, the loss of someone he grudgingly admits to loving and respecting, and his becoming what he never wanted to be. The big climax and action-filled showdown was tightly written with active voice all the way. It kept me riveted and hanging in suspense and I couldn’t flip those pages fast enough.
It was great seeing all of my favorite characters from the previous books and in Motor City Wolf, they had effective supporting secondary roles that kept the story interesting and the plot moving in a natural progression. I enjoy that sense of community and Ms. Spencer Pape balanced it well.
Motor City Wolf delights and astounds. It has everything I enjoy in a romance book. It has a strong emotional hook, a sweeping and powerful romance that overcomes their initial hesitance, shocking villains, and a love that stands against the worst magic and evil beings can throw at them. I can’t imagine what Ms. Spencer Pape has next up her sleeve but I can’t wait to find out. I’m completely captivated by this world she’s built and the characters she’s populated it with. What a great imagination!
August 31, 2011
This one is my fave of all the Urban Arcana books, but ONLY because by this point I knew all the characters so it was easier to “see” them in my head and know their previous stories. It was like settling down with old friends, having those moments where characters from other books appear and you think, “Oh, it’s so-and-so, cool!”
Fianna had been a bit naughty in a previous book, and even though she had to do what she did, of course it made me dislike her just a bit. After all, she’d caused a lot of trouble for the main characters, and I’d become attached to them, so anyone hurting them or making trouble got my back up. I wondered, when I saw Fianna was the heroine in the book I affectionately refer to as Wolf, whether Ms Spencer Pape could make me like her.
Well, she did. It’s amazing what a bit of backstory does, isn’t it? You get information on the character and begin to understand why she acts as she does, that she’s only human (or not LOL), and makes mistakes just like anyone else. I found myself liking her more and more as the book progressed, and by the halfway point I rooted for her just like I would any other heroine. She’s vulnerable, and I liked that—so different from the persona she projected before. Getting to know someone really does have its benefits!
Greg was someone I really did want to know more about in the previous books, so I was delighted when he was the male star of the show. He’s a wolf shifter (yummorama!), so he’s alpha, all manly and whatnot, yet he has a heart of gold. He tries to deny his feelings for Fianna are growing, and, perverse as it may sound, I enjoyed watching him struggle!
Best Bits: “I love this song. It always makes me want to jump his bones, and he knows it, the bastard.”
“…I’m going to rip their tails off with my teeth,”
He shuddered at the memories of being beaten and berated by the old man…
Just for this one night, she could let herself enjoy being held.
Preferably with the high heels still on.
“Don’t piss in my car, furball.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, still holding that one hand, a lifeline, though he couldn’t have said whether hers or his.
…the sparkling light reminding her of Faerie rather than the smoke-clouded sunshine of autumn in Detroit.
“You were supposed to eat the damn chocolates, bitch.”
…it wasn’t all that difficult to aim and pull the trigger, though.
Verdict: Another fabulous book in the Urban Arcana series, Motor City Wolf brings everyone together again for a tale that will have you on the edge of your seat at times. Well written, with great humour, some tense scenes, and the wonderment of liking a character you never thought you would, it’s well worth being on your bookshelf. I’ve heard tell there will be another book in this series. I can only hope it involves one of the other characters I’ve grown curious about from the other three. Jase. If it is, I’ll be one happy reader!
Fianna had been a bit naughty in a previous book, and even though she had to do what she did, of course it made me dislike her just a bit. After all, she’d caused a lot of trouble for the main characters, and I’d become attached to them, so anyone hurting them or making trouble got my back up. I wondered, when I saw Fianna was the heroine in the book I affectionately refer to as Wolf, whether Ms Spencer Pape could make me like her.
Well, she did. It’s amazing what a bit of backstory does, isn’t it? You get information on the character and begin to understand why she acts as she does, that she’s only human (or not LOL), and makes mistakes just like anyone else. I found myself liking her more and more as the book progressed, and by the halfway point I rooted for her just like I would any other heroine. She’s vulnerable, and I liked that—so different from the persona she projected before. Getting to know someone really does have its benefits!
Greg was someone I really did want to know more about in the previous books, so I was delighted when he was the male star of the show. He’s a wolf shifter (yummorama!), so he’s alpha, all manly and whatnot, yet he has a heart of gold. He tries to deny his feelings for Fianna are growing, and, perverse as it may sound, I enjoyed watching him struggle!
Best Bits: “I love this song. It always makes me want to jump his bones, and he knows it, the bastard.”
“…I’m going to rip their tails off with my teeth,”
He shuddered at the memories of being beaten and berated by the old man…
Just for this one night, she could let herself enjoy being held.
Preferably with the high heels still on.
“Don’t piss in my car, furball.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, still holding that one hand, a lifeline, though he couldn’t have said whether hers or his.
…the sparkling light reminding her of Faerie rather than the smoke-clouded sunshine of autumn in Detroit.
“You were supposed to eat the damn chocolates, bitch.”
…it wasn’t all that difficult to aim and pull the trigger, though.
Verdict: Another fabulous book in the Urban Arcana series, Motor City Wolf brings everyone together again for a tale that will have you on the edge of your seat at times. Well written, with great humour, some tense scenes, and the wonderment of liking a character you never thought you would, it’s well worth being on your bookshelf. I’ve heard tell there will be another book in this series. I can only hope it involves one of the other characters I’ve grown curious about from the other three. Jase. If it is, I’ll be one happy reader!
September 8, 2011
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/09/07/...
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
This was my first read by Pape, and I am definitely going to go back and read the other books in this series, I really enjoyed this book!
Fianna has been banned from the Seelie court and stripped of her powers, forced to live on Earth and work in a werewolf bar. Although it’s a completely different experience for her, it isn’t exactly hard for her to work with Greg day in and day out. She is attracted to him and when he tells his grandfather he is going to take her as his mate, she is excited, but worried its all a rouse.
Greg wants nothing more than to have Fianna in his bed, but he also won’t date employees, until things heat up between them and he can’t resist her anymore. Then, once someone starts killing weres and attacking his bar, Greg is having a doubly hard time controlling everything around him, especially his attraction for her. When things go from bad to worse and Greg almost loses her, he realizes just how important she is in his life.
Even though this was my first Pape read, and this book is the third in her Urban Arcana series, I never felt lost of confused in the story. Pape did a good job of explaining the previous books without losing the momentum of this particular story.
I really enjoyed Greg and Fianna, they were both real characters and I was able to fall in love with them and their story quickly. Even though Fianna lived a life of wanting for nothing, she was still tortured and hurt by her family. But despite that, she had a huge heart and a loyalty about her that was endearing and sweet. I was cheering for her from the first page. I also liked how clueless she was at times, having been sheltered her whole life. She was a very pure and innocent character and I loved that about her.
Greg was great as well. He was loyal and protective and alpha to the core. He fought for his family, stood up to his grandfather and was desperate to protect Fianna at all costs. I will say that I was a little surprised that he didn’t catch onto who was trying to kill Fianna, but Pape did a wonderful job of leaving so many trails that even I didn’t catch on very quickly. But still, I expected a little more from Mr. Alpha.
All in all I really enjoyed my first Pape read. The world building was fun and easy to follow, especially for someone coming in at the middle of the series. The characters were all well done and easy to root for. I can’t wait to go back and re-read the first few books in the series, as well as the books to come!
I give Motor City Wolf a B.
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
This was my first read by Pape, and I am definitely going to go back and read the other books in this series, I really enjoyed this book!
Fianna has been banned from the Seelie court and stripped of her powers, forced to live on Earth and work in a werewolf bar. Although it’s a completely different experience for her, it isn’t exactly hard for her to work with Greg day in and day out. She is attracted to him and when he tells his grandfather he is going to take her as his mate, she is excited, but worried its all a rouse.
Greg wants nothing more than to have Fianna in his bed, but he also won’t date employees, until things heat up between them and he can’t resist her anymore. Then, once someone starts killing weres and attacking his bar, Greg is having a doubly hard time controlling everything around him, especially his attraction for her. When things go from bad to worse and Greg almost loses her, he realizes just how important she is in his life.
Even though this was my first Pape read, and this book is the third in her Urban Arcana series, I never felt lost of confused in the story. Pape did a good job of explaining the previous books without losing the momentum of this particular story.
I really enjoyed Greg and Fianna, they were both real characters and I was able to fall in love with them and their story quickly. Even though Fianna lived a life of wanting for nothing, she was still tortured and hurt by her family. But despite that, she had a huge heart and a loyalty about her that was endearing and sweet. I was cheering for her from the first page. I also liked how clueless she was at times, having been sheltered her whole life. She was a very pure and innocent character and I loved that about her.
Greg was great as well. He was loyal and protective and alpha to the core. He fought for his family, stood up to his grandfather and was desperate to protect Fianna at all costs. I will say that I was a little surprised that he didn’t catch onto who was trying to kill Fianna, but Pape did a wonderful job of leaving so many trails that even I didn’t catch on very quickly. But still, I expected a little more from Mr. Alpha.
All in all I really enjoyed my first Pape read. The world building was fun and easy to follow, especially for someone coming in at the middle of the series. The characters were all well done and easy to root for. I can’t wait to go back and re-read the first few books in the series, as well as the books to come!
I give Motor City Wolf a B.
February 20, 2015
I thought Motor City Wolf was pretty good but since I really liked the first two books in the series book 3 had a hard act to follow. Mostly there were just a bunch of little nits that the kept Motor City Wolf from living up to it's predecessors and those nits are more of the after-the-story-is-over kind, because I enjoyed the Motor City Wolf while I was reading it and it was a nice change of pace to read a shifter romance in which the pairing wasn't a done deal from the start due to a irresistible destined mate bond jump-starting the attraction.
My nits: The steamy stuff starts early, but the tension building in the relationship between bar owner alpha shifter Greg and now human former fae Fianna, happened before the beginning of the story - I would have liked to have 'seen' that tension build and not just 'heard' about it. Once the pair gives into their attraction, the aftermath of the 'full moon night' coupling, combines with an edict by Greg's alpha Grandfather that it's time for Greg to do his duty and take a mate, and quickly Greg and Fianna find themselves on the way to the altar for reasons that don't have much to do with romance. It bugged me a bit that especially Fianna just goes along blithely with whatever comes along and the 'I love you' (and 'I loved you all along ' but I didn't know it) comes way late in the game in an offhand way instead of in a more well timed passion filled declaration.
This also didn't keep me from enjoying the story while I was reading it, but afterwards the background story, with the infamous werewolf assassin and an entity that supposedly ties in to the big supernatural conspiracy that runs through the series, just didn't hold together on its own. When we finally find out the reason behind the attacks, and the identity of the notorious werewolf assassin Beowulf, all the pieces don't quite fit together and its pretty clear that they are there just to carry the starring pair down the road to to their Happily Ever After.
Nits aside, I need to remember that these are light, sexy reads and with that in mind I still really like the setup for the Urban Arcana series and the romances between Fae, Witches and Shifters living around a portal to the Fae lands which happens to be situated in Detroit. And it was fun to see pretty much all of the old characters put in an appearance here. I also liked seeing sorcerer Des play a role in the story and watching the sparks fly between him and Greg's cousin Lana - considering Des' issue with shifters that should be a pretty interesting future pairing.
My nits: The steamy stuff starts early, but the tension building in the relationship between bar owner alpha shifter Greg and now human former fae Fianna, happened before the beginning of the story - I would have liked to have 'seen' that tension build and not just 'heard' about it. Once the pair gives into their attraction, the aftermath of the 'full moon night' coupling, combines with an edict by Greg's alpha Grandfather that it's time for Greg to do his duty and take a mate, and quickly Greg and Fianna find themselves on the way to the altar for reasons that don't have much to do with romance. It bugged me a bit that especially Fianna just goes along blithely with whatever comes along and the 'I love you' (and 'I loved you all along ' but I didn't know it) comes way late in the game in an offhand way instead of in a more well timed passion filled declaration.
This also didn't keep me from enjoying the story while I was reading it, but afterwards the background story, with the infamous werewolf assassin and an entity that supposedly ties in to the big supernatural conspiracy that runs through the series, just didn't hold together on its own. When we finally find out the reason behind the attacks, and the identity of the notorious werewolf assassin Beowulf, all the pieces don't quite fit together and its pretty clear that they are there just to carry the starring pair down the road to to their Happily Ever After.
Nits aside, I need to remember that these are light, sexy reads and with that in mind I still really like the setup for the Urban Arcana series and the romances between Fae, Witches and Shifters living around a portal to the Fae lands which happens to be situated in Detroit. And it was fun to see pretty much all of the old characters put in an appearance here. I also liked seeing sorcerer Des play a role in the story and watching the sparks fly between him and Greg's cousin Lana - considering Des' issue with shifters that should be a pretty interesting future pairing.
August 30, 2011
Fianna spent the first century of her life as a Fae, but thanks to a punishment from her queen, she is now forced to live as a human. Her world has been turned upside down, but things aren't all bad. She is now working for Greg, an alpha werewolf who makes her feel things she has never felt before.
Greg is crazy about Fee, but he is afraid to make a move. He doesn't want to take advantage of her -- as an employee or as someone new to the emotions of humanity. But circumstances conspire to have the two of them locked in together in the basement of Greg's club... on the night of the full moon. They finally act on the attraction that has been building between them. And once the dam breaks, there is no going back.
In the meantime, someone is stalking and killing werewolves in the city. Greg's bar has been targeted twice, and others have fared even worse than he has. Add to that, the Alpha Prime, Greg's grandfather, is forcing him to mate... and there is a whole lot resting on his shoulders. In a moment of desperation, Greg claims Fee as his mate, leaving her to wonder if their engagement is real or just a ruse to pacify the Prime.
This is the third story in the Urban Arcana series. There is obviously a lot of backstory and a lot of characters, explained in occasional spurts of information dumps. I don't think I absorbed it all, but it was one of those cases where it mostly just made me want to read the earlier installments. The main story was understandable and enjoyable without the benefit of the previous books. But I'll bet it was awesome for those already up to speed on the history.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Greg and Fee. It was very sexy! Add to that, plenty of great secondary characters and action mixed with pack intrigue and danger... and I was firmly engrossed in the story. My only complaint was the reveal on who was try to kill Fee. It felt abrupt and out of left field, with a character I barely knew in the context of this book. The larger conspiracy ended up making more sense but I could tell that the identity of her would-be assassin was supposed to have more emotional resonance for me than it did. Maybe it would have if I had read the earlier books.
There's a good set-up on a future story featuring Greg's cousin, Lana. And I liked this one enough that I feel pretty sure I'll give that one a try too. 4 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
Greg is crazy about Fee, but he is afraid to make a move. He doesn't want to take advantage of her -- as an employee or as someone new to the emotions of humanity. But circumstances conspire to have the two of them locked in together in the basement of Greg's club... on the night of the full moon. They finally act on the attraction that has been building between them. And once the dam breaks, there is no going back.
In the meantime, someone is stalking and killing werewolves in the city. Greg's bar has been targeted twice, and others have fared even worse than he has. Add to that, the Alpha Prime, Greg's grandfather, is forcing him to mate... and there is a whole lot resting on his shoulders. In a moment of desperation, Greg claims Fee as his mate, leaving her to wonder if their engagement is real or just a ruse to pacify the Prime.
This is the third story in the Urban Arcana series. There is obviously a lot of backstory and a lot of characters, explained in occasional spurts of information dumps. I don't think I absorbed it all, but it was one of those cases where it mostly just made me want to read the earlier installments. The main story was understandable and enjoyable without the benefit of the previous books. But I'll bet it was awesome for those already up to speed on the history.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Greg and Fee. It was very sexy! Add to that, plenty of great secondary characters and action mixed with pack intrigue and danger... and I was firmly engrossed in the story. My only complaint was the reveal on who was try to kill Fee. It felt abrupt and out of left field, with a character I barely knew in the context of this book. The larger conspiracy ended up making more sense but I could tell that the identity of her would-be assassin was supposed to have more emotional resonance for me than it did. Maybe it would have if I had read the earlier books.
There's a good set-up on a future story featuring Greg's cousin, Lana. And I liked this one enough that I feel pretty sure I'll give that one a try too. 4 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
September 20, 2011
I received this novel from Net Galley. This did not change my review in any way.
Motor City Wolf is the third book in the Urban Arcana series by Cindy Spencer Pape. I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I have not read the first two books in the series, so it was a little strange at first. I could tell that I was missing some back story, and the main characters already seemed to know each other pretty well also. Because of this a first time reader of the series, such as myself, might find themselves missing the characters “get to know one another” period. It seems that the two main characters, Greg and Fianna, jump pretty quickly into a relationship. Of course, if I’d read the previous two books, I might not have felt this way, and it did not take away from the overall enjoyability of the story. I do not feel that it was necessary to have read the previous books to understand everything, though it would have added even more to the story if those books had been read already.
I really liked the character of Fianna. Previously, Fianna had been a noble in the Faerie queen’s court, but after being naive and following along with her uncle and cousin in a scheme against the queen she has been punished. Now, Fianna is a mortal, forced to work for a living in Greg’s bar. Greg is an Alpha werewolf, and its obvious from the start that there is a lot of chemistry between Greg and Fianna. After getting locked into the bar’s storage room during a full moon, the two become even “closer.” I loved all the other supporting characters as well. Lana, Greg’s werewolf cousin, adds a lot of humor and sass to the story and I would love to read her book!
This series reminds me a lot of Christine Warren’s Others series. Fans of Warren would more than likely find themselves fans of this series as well. There are shapeshifters, fae people, witches, mages, demons and other paranormal creatures. The romance is steamy, and it is full of action as well. Overall, I found this to be a solid story, and I would be interested in checking out the previous two novels as well.
Motor City Wolf is the third book in the Urban Arcana series by Cindy Spencer Pape. I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I have not read the first two books in the series, so it was a little strange at first. I could tell that I was missing some back story, and the main characters already seemed to know each other pretty well also. Because of this a first time reader of the series, such as myself, might find themselves missing the characters “get to know one another” period. It seems that the two main characters, Greg and Fianna, jump pretty quickly into a relationship. Of course, if I’d read the previous two books, I might not have felt this way, and it did not take away from the overall enjoyability of the story. I do not feel that it was necessary to have read the previous books to understand everything, though it would have added even more to the story if those books had been read already.
I really liked the character of Fianna. Previously, Fianna had been a noble in the Faerie queen’s court, but after being naive and following along with her uncle and cousin in a scheme against the queen she has been punished. Now, Fianna is a mortal, forced to work for a living in Greg’s bar. Greg is an Alpha werewolf, and its obvious from the start that there is a lot of chemistry between Greg and Fianna. After getting locked into the bar’s storage room during a full moon, the two become even “closer.” I loved all the other supporting characters as well. Lana, Greg’s werewolf cousin, adds a lot of humor and sass to the story and I would love to read her book!
This series reminds me a lot of Christine Warren’s Others series. Fans of Warren would more than likely find themselves fans of this series as well. There are shapeshifters, fae people, witches, mages, demons and other paranormal creatures. The romance is steamy, and it is full of action as well. Overall, I found this to be a solid story, and I would be interested in checking out the previous two novels as well.
February 9, 2012
Previously posted at Paperback Dolls.com
Greg Novak is the Pack Alpha in Detroit and heir to the pack council leader. Fianna Meadows is an exile from the Seelie Court and Greg’s responsibility. Someone is murdering werewolves in the Detroit area and the Novaks are next on the list.
Greg, his brother George, and his cousin Lana had formed their own pack upon reaching adulthood. They inherited a bar in Detroit, The New Moon, and have been quietly running their business while trying to stay out of werewolf politics. Fianna Meadows has been exiled from the Seelie Court after inadvertently taking part in a revolt against the Seelie queen. Stripped of her fairy powers, Fianna is sentenced to work and live as a human under Greg’s care. The last thing that Greg expected was to become attracted to Fianna and he is awash with guilt for having feelings for someone entrusted to his care. As the days pass and the attacks become personal, Greg and Fianna can no longer deny the passion between them.
If you love Alphas who are tall, dark and protective – then you will love Greg Novak. His shaggy bad boy rock star looks are at odds with his paternalistic code of honor for his friends and family. Fianna Meadows may be over 100 years old but she is completely out of her comfort zone in the human world and it is fun to watch her struggle with even the most mundane of tasks. Fianna’s blasse acceptance of sex as a natural part of life are a perfect match for Greg’s libido. Smexy shifter sex galore.
There are a few twists and turns as the mystery unfolds. But overall, the story is not subtle. Be ready for a few startling scenes towards the end of the book. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Motor City Wolf is a perfect choice for all those readers who love strong Alpha males and hot smexy love scenes.
Greg Novak is the Pack Alpha in Detroit and heir to the pack council leader. Fianna Meadows is an exile from the Seelie Court and Greg’s responsibility. Someone is murdering werewolves in the Detroit area and the Novaks are next on the list.
Greg, his brother George, and his cousin Lana had formed their own pack upon reaching adulthood. They inherited a bar in Detroit, The New Moon, and have been quietly running their business while trying to stay out of werewolf politics. Fianna Meadows has been exiled from the Seelie Court after inadvertently taking part in a revolt against the Seelie queen. Stripped of her fairy powers, Fianna is sentenced to work and live as a human under Greg’s care. The last thing that Greg expected was to become attracted to Fianna and he is awash with guilt for having feelings for someone entrusted to his care. As the days pass and the attacks become personal, Greg and Fianna can no longer deny the passion between them.
If you love Alphas who are tall, dark and protective – then you will love Greg Novak. His shaggy bad boy rock star looks are at odds with his paternalistic code of honor for his friends and family. Fianna Meadows may be over 100 years old but she is completely out of her comfort zone in the human world and it is fun to watch her struggle with even the most mundane of tasks. Fianna’s blasse acceptance of sex as a natural part of life are a perfect match for Greg’s libido. Smexy shifter sex galore.
There are a few twists and turns as the mystery unfolds. But overall, the story is not subtle. Be ready for a few startling scenes towards the end of the book. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Motor City Wolf is a perfect choice for all those readers who love strong Alpha males and hot smexy love scenes.
August 21, 2011
In the interest of full disclosure I should probably mention that I'm really loving this series. And in the interest of even further disclosure I should probably mention that while I read book 1, I somehow didn't read book 2 before reading this book. I know! I'm lame sometimes. But in my defense Cindy Spencer Pape totally made it work. Yes, I might know a few important plot points from book 2 that I would have enjoyed unraveling as I read the book, but I never felt lost or overwhelmed or consumed by the desire to throw myself off a cliff because I didn't know what was going on. Not wanting to throwing myself off a cliff while reading is important to me in the grand scheme of things. So, thank you, Cindy Spencer Pape. I appreciate that you made this book accessible to those of us who read your books out of order.
Things I liked - Fee. She was the epitome of an ice queen in book 1, so liking her in this book as soon as I did took me by surprise. And I did like her. From the beginning. She's come a long way from cold, inhibited fae that unwittingly helped her Uncle plot murder. She's a little clueless (especially about emotions and dealing with the physical passion between her and Greg) but she's willing to jump in when she's needed and do what needs to be done. Speaking of Greg... I liked him, too. He's all growly and Alpha and he knows he should control himself around Fee, yet he can't! I love it when the big guys are brought down by instinct.
The secondary characters are fantastic, the villains are villainous, the sex is steamy. In other words, this book hit the spot for me. More, please.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Things I liked - Fee. She was the epitome of an ice queen in book 1, so liking her in this book as soon as I did took me by surprise. And I did like her. From the beginning. She's come a long way from cold, inhibited fae that unwittingly helped her Uncle plot murder. She's a little clueless (especially about emotions and dealing with the physical passion between her and Greg) but she's willing to jump in when she's needed and do what needs to be done. Speaking of Greg... I liked him, too. He's all growly and Alpha and he knows he should control himself around Fee, yet he can't! I love it when the big guys are brought down by instinct.
The secondary characters are fantastic, the villains are villainous, the sex is steamy. In other words, this book hit the spot for me. More, please.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
December 14, 2011
cindy spencer series book "motor city wolf" is one of beat skipping book, i almost skip my heart beat in the story,
story revolving around Fianna Meadow and and Greg Novek you can see there appearance in motor city previous series, the best part in Cindy Spencer writing which i love the most is that the previous characters of the books or the up coming books characters all get involve it in the series book.
which is good its like they r close knitted, its not like other serious write that if one couple got there book there role is over or minimize so much that reader almost think they are useless.
in this book of Cindy, the hot hero Greg is one of a shape shifter how fall in love for an elf girl Fia how is under his protection while she pass her time of her punishment, mean while is the city other activities are going and also greg got the pressure from his pack to get mated and take the seat of leader... in all this mess his attraction to fia he is gaining day after day, and don't understand to name that attraction he have towards her.
on other side Fianna how belong to male dominating family and used by her cruel relative for wrong cause, is spending her time under the wing of Greg is attracted towards him from the start but not known what its feel like to have emotions in her.
so the flowing love story with action & thrill in it is one must read story.....
when you start reading this series you feel all is related to each other which is the best part in this series......
story revolving around Fianna Meadow and and Greg Novek you can see there appearance in motor city previous series, the best part in Cindy Spencer writing which i love the most is that the previous characters of the books or the up coming books characters all get involve it in the series book.
which is good its like they r close knitted, its not like other serious write that if one couple got there book there role is over or minimize so much that reader almost think they are useless.
in this book of Cindy, the hot hero Greg is one of a shape shifter how fall in love for an elf girl Fia how is under his protection while she pass her time of her punishment, mean while is the city other activities are going and also greg got the pressure from his pack to get mated and take the seat of leader... in all this mess his attraction to fia he is gaining day after day, and don't understand to name that attraction he have towards her.
on other side Fianna how belong to male dominating family and used by her cruel relative for wrong cause, is spending her time under the wing of Greg is attracted towards him from the start but not known what its feel like to have emotions in her.
so the flowing love story with action & thrill in it is one must read story.....
when you start reading this series you feel all is related to each other which is the best part in this series......
October 3, 2014
Check out my other listens at Eargasms Audiobook Reviews
I have been eagerly awaiting this story!!! I just knew Fi and Greg would be a smexy pair!! This series really is very entertaining, and the intrigue gets deeper with each new book.
I was so happy to see Fianna grow since the first book. You really get more of her back story here and understand a bit more why she helped her family. She had a major turn in the last book and this takes her even further. She has really developed into a character who is easy to love.
Greg is a yummy growly Alpha wolf!! He is seriously delicious! When he decides to make his move with Fi, he is sure and swift. I love the way he stands by his woman.
The steam is wickedly delicious as always! Plenty of variety, loads of foreplay and hot as Hades!! This series really knows how to get a gal's engine revved!
The story this time was a touch predictable, but no less enjoyable. The pace was terrific, steady action throughout. It was a quick read that I did not want to end. Great mixed narrative, you get both leads character's POV and that makes a world of difference. This style is a favorite of mine, it makes the story so much more fulfilling.
The narrator, Julie Francis, dos a fantastic job with all the voices. She has a real flare for subtle changes in tone that make all her characterizations distinct. Her sensual tone really helps build the steamy scenes.
Can't wait for the next book! I am sure Lana and Des are going to get it on!!
I have been eagerly awaiting this story!!! I just knew Fi and Greg would be a smexy pair!! This series really is very entertaining, and the intrigue gets deeper with each new book.
I was so happy to see Fianna grow since the first book. You really get more of her back story here and understand a bit more why she helped her family. She had a major turn in the last book and this takes her even further. She has really developed into a character who is easy to love.
Greg is a yummy growly Alpha wolf!! He is seriously delicious! When he decides to make his move with Fi, he is sure and swift. I love the way he stands by his woman.
The steam is wickedly delicious as always! Plenty of variety, loads of foreplay and hot as Hades!! This series really knows how to get a gal's engine revved!
The story this time was a touch predictable, but no less enjoyable. The pace was terrific, steady action throughout. It was a quick read that I did not want to end. Great mixed narrative, you get both leads character's POV and that makes a world of difference. This style is a favorite of mine, it makes the story so much more fulfilling.
The narrator, Julie Francis, dos a fantastic job with all the voices. She has a real flare for subtle changes in tone that make all her characterizations distinct. Her sensual tone really helps build the steamy scenes.
Can't wait for the next book! I am sure Lana and Des are going to get it on!!
September 2, 2011
Favorite Line: “I love my wife with all my heart.” (p. 174, egalley)
Motor City Wolf is the third book in Cindy Spencer Pape’s Urban Arcana miniseries. I did not read the first two books and by page 10 was feeling extremely disoriented. I was missing a huge chunk of information. Eventually I caught up enough to understand, but the damage was done and I never completely relaxed enough to love the story. I think I’d feel different had I read the previous book.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Motor City Wolf was watching the heroine redeem herself. I knew she had to become a worthy heroine to make up for past mistakes, but I wasn’t expecting to like her as much as I did. She really got her hero. She understood who he was better than his family. Fee was just an exceptional heroine.
Now to be brutally honest. Not much stands out about the story. Sure, there are a few nice action scenes, but the story didn’t mark me in any way. I didn’t cry at the loss of characters. I didn’t feel anything for any of the characters other than admiration at how far Fee had come since she was first introduced in another book. There’s one squicky discovery that I still grimace over, but otherwise I don’t see the story sticking to me as a “Go back and revisit that book” thought.
Scooper Speaks
Motor City Wolf is the third book in Cindy Spencer Pape’s Urban Arcana miniseries. I did not read the first two books and by page 10 was feeling extremely disoriented. I was missing a huge chunk of information. Eventually I caught up enough to understand, but the damage was done and I never completely relaxed enough to love the story. I think I’d feel different had I read the previous book.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Motor City Wolf was watching the heroine redeem herself. I knew she had to become a worthy heroine to make up for past mistakes, but I wasn’t expecting to like her as much as I did. She really got her hero. She understood who he was better than his family. Fee was just an exceptional heroine.
Now to be brutally honest. Not much stands out about the story. Sure, there are a few nice action scenes, but the story didn’t mark me in any way. I didn’t cry at the loss of characters. I didn’t feel anything for any of the characters other than admiration at how far Fee had come since she was first introduced in another book. There’s one squicky discovery that I still grimace over, but otherwise I don’t see the story sticking to me as a “Go back and revisit that book” thought.
Scooper Speaks
August 31, 2011
I didn't realize this was part of a series when I requested it on NetGalley, but once I got into the story and realized it was, I didn't care. Things, events and people were explained enough that I got the basic background, especially as Fee and Greg have a bit of a history from the previous book.
It was cute and short and I do like these shifter mating books. I doubt I'll ever get tired of them. Not sure if I'll read the rest of the series, but I'll definitely keep the author on my list of people to watch in case she comes up with something like this book again.
It was cute and short and I do like these shifter mating books. I doubt I'll ever get tired of them. Not sure if I'll read the rest of the series, but I'll definitely keep the author on my list of people to watch in case she comes up with something like this book again.
October 19, 2011
By the end of the story, the good guys triumph and the bad guys are at least temporarily vanquished, but while there is an HEA for Fianna and Greg, there are enough loose threads for me to look forward to the next volume in this series. And meantime, I definitely will go back and read the first two books. Ms. Pape definitely has a talent for writing exciting stories that include romance as well as mystery.
October 2, 2013
I didn't realize this was the third book in the series when I started it, So that was kind of a bummer. But I have to say, once I figured out what was going on a little bit, I really enjoyed the story quite a bit. Not sure if I will go back and read one and two (or listen to them), but I would definitely read on in the series.
September 5, 2011
To be honest, I'm not really sure why this book didn't "do it" for me. It just didn't. I think it may have read a bit more like a first novel than it should have. I'll probably still read the next in the series.
October 9, 2011
I haven't read the first two in the series but I enjoyed this read. This story flowed well for me and knowing there was backstory didn't hinder me with this read. Can't wait to pick up the first two in the series and catch up.
January 17, 2014
After the first title in the series, I skimmed the blurbs for the remaining three titles. the idea that one of them featured Fianna as the female protagonist surprised me, and I didn't think I'd like it. However, Ms. Pape convinced me; this was just as good as the others in the series.
May 15, 2022
Great
Enjoyed finding out more about the main characters and the moral of the story. Past characters developed within this book and it was easy see future books being set up. I did skim the sex scenes as they don't add to the storyline for me .
Enjoyed finding out more about the main characters and the moral of the story. Past characters developed within this book and it was easy see future books being set up. I did skim the sex scenes as they don't add to the storyline for me .
November 26, 2023
Lupines, fae, expectations, demon-made designer drugs, a legendary werewolf assassin… stir well and serve raw. *happy sigh*
October 7, 2011
Urban Arcana
Motor City Fae
Motor City Witch
Motor City Wolf
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