The Wolf and the Necromancer: A Sapphic Paranormal Romance

by Lucille Yates

While trying to keep her pack from tearing itself apart she found someone who makes her whole.

With the pack on the verge of war and its leadership in question, Tessa didn’t consider the necromancer she hired as anything other than a solution to the pack’s problem. So why can’t she stop looking at her or refuse the help she’s offered?

Penelope shouldn’t have agreed to help Tessa, but she couldn’t turn down the money or the look in her eyes. Now she’s caught in the beginning of a war. So why did she offer to stick around and help? It might be her big heart or the way her pulse races when Tessa looks at her.

With the clock ticking, can Tessa and Penelope pull themselves away from each other long enough to find the answer to the pack’s problems? And will bringing the pack together rip them apart?

The Wolf and the Necromancer is a standalone sapphic paranormal romance novella. This is the extended version of the novella which appeared in the anthology “Alpha Shifters Furever.”

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Lucille Yates writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy stories. They feature strong women, complicated men, and sizzling chemistry.

Lucille enjoys writing the stories that are constantly playing like a movie in her head. She is excited that others will now enjoy them as much as she does.

When she is not writing, she is reading, playing with her six-year-old son, watching videos, or playing games. She lives outside of Savannah, GA with her husband, son, and four cats.

Website:
www.lucilleyateswrites.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lucil...

Reviews

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read of this author's work.
The Alpha of Defolf Pack dies suddenly with no named heir. With trouble brewing, wolf shifter Tessa Curran has to find out what her father intended and needs a witch to help her connect with his spirit - which brother should be Alpha?
But there is a major hurdle, no witch will aid her - banned from involvement with the Currans and the family cursed because of harm done many years ago to a witch by Tessa's father. She is pointed in the direction of Penelope for possible help and oddly enough knows her already as the happy flirty barista in her favorite cafe. Penelope is a necromancer and decides to take on the challenge (despite the ban) for a price since her mother has huge, mounting medical bills. Of course the sly sparks between Penelope and Tessa only add to their working relationship.
Yates does a fine job with the storyline and supporting characters. Blake portrays as a psychotic bully and an Alpha pretender. I liked the magic, bits of dark humor and angst, eventual hot and heavy sessions and mate recognition. Minor editing needed but that did not impede my overall enjoyment of the storyline. The end is just and the HEA as should be in this paranormal romance.
I'd check any future sapphic romance books by Yates if/when they become available .

I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. My review is unbiased and voluntary.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of the Defolf Pack series and the main character Tessa Curran, an alpha wolf shifter and oldest child of the recently deceased alpha of their pack. She has three younger brothers, Flynn has left the pack and works in a hospital a couple of hours away, the next brother Blake would be an absolute disaster as the new alpha, and the youngest Lucas would rather Tessa became alpha. Her father had a horrible reputation as an alpha and ruled his people by fear, much like Blake is already trying to do. He also failed to name his successor before his sudden death! All Tessa can do according to the rules of the elders is get a witch seer to tell the pack who should be ruling the pack, but she has already been refused by twelve witches due to her father’s reputation. Something he did in the past has left the witches under the instruction of the Witches Council not to do anything for him or anyone of his pack! The thirteenth witch she is sent to is not a seer, but actually a necromancer named Penelope, who owns a small coffee shop. Her kind of magic is not exactly liked by the Witch Council and she ignores their rules and regulations due to needing to pay for her mother’s hospital bills. She can make five grand by going with Tessa to the pack lands and asking the dead alpha who should be alpha next.

If Tessa can’t get an answer sorted out soon, there will be a war within the pack as different sides fight for control. Flynn isn’t interested in anything to do with the pack, but Tessa doesn’t want Blake to take over. As the eldest child she should have been made alpha automatically, but as a female, the old rules don’t allow it unless she is mated! Shame she only likes women. She can’t help looking at Penelope, but isn’t even thinking that she could be anything more than a solution to her current alpha question. As she tries to get a solution sorted, her younger brother Blake is scheming behind her back and tries to put a few hurdles in her way. If Blake takes over, she will have no choice but to leave the pack! Her best friend Veronica left the pack and moved away, but refuses to tell her why she won’t even visit, and just as you think an explanation is coming at the end, it doesn’t! Lots of action, both with danger coming from Blake and those under his control, willing or otherwise, and from a touch of romance and misunderstandings. Quick read with lots going on and a few twists along the way and some fun necromancer magic beign used! I look forward to reading more from this author who is new to me. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wolf and the Necromancer is a spicy, sapphic, shifter romance novella featuring Tessa and Penelope. Tessa's father, leader of the pack, just passed and a new leader has yet to be named. While usually this role would go to the eldest, patriarchal rules say that Tessa is not allowed to assume this role without being mated. In order to avoid war between her siblings and their followers, Tessa seeks a psychic to speak with her father's spirit and have him name the next leader. In her attempts to find a find someone willing to help, Tessa is led to Penelope. She isn't a psychic, but she is a necromancer.

This was a fun and easy read. I enjoyed the characters and their relationship development. The author left me wanting to know more about the Curran siblings (Tessa, Flynn, Blake and Lucas), Penelope and her challenges with the Witch's Council, and the mysterious Veronica and what drove her away. I'm hoping there are more stories forthcoming from the Defolf Pack series.

[Shula McCann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up from 1/2 stars.

This was a short story, more novella length than book length. I’ve been looking for more werewolf sapphic stories, but this one was only so-so an I probably won’t read it again. It’s about Tessa the oldest child of the dead alpha. Her father wasn’t a good father, and it doesn’t seem like he was a good alpha either, but because he died without naming an heir there’s a potential war that could break out between the four siblings. Tessa needs a witch to contact her father so he can name the next alpha. Enter Penelope a necromancer who needs money to help pay for her mother’s hospital bills.

The story is quite predictable, and the sex seems to happen out of nowhere. As a couple Tessa and Penelope move very quickly (although some of that’s story based), but it doesn’t seem seem like there were very few doubts along the way.

Overall this story didn’t really work for me, but I’m sure there are other people who will enjoy it.

[Deirdre Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Tessa and Penelope went through a lot in this story, but I enjoyed the adventure and the tense moments. This one was a page-turner, and I loved the ending. I hope there will be more stories to follow the other characters in this book, as they were just as entertaining, Especially her brother Flynn and her friend Veronica. I loved this story; the author did a great job!

[CelticMoonGoddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read of supernatural shifter and magical mate that overcome prejudice in pack from dual sides of female and same sex romance.
Adult read for the sex scenes, but otherwise a straight forward good overcomes evil and old fashion traditions. Easy to read and quick short book with nice characters and storyline.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read. I think it took me a total of two hours from start to finish. This is a great book if you need something light that you can pick up and put down often. Simple storyline that was predictable. Overall a love story and I liked the varieties of shifter animals.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

super cute sapphic shifter romance

This was so cute and had some of the best accidental come on lines! It was a quick fun read. It had some spicy scenes the at were tastefully done. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

[Trevor T. O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and a great book