Dans la gueule du loup

Big Bad Wolf #3

by Charlie Adhara, Christine Gauzy-Svahn (Translator)

L’agent Cooper Dayton s’apprête à rencontrer la famille lupine de son petit ami. Sans armes. Sur leur territoire. Et il amène son chat. Lorsque l’agent Cooper Dayton accepte d’assister aux funérailles du grand-père d’Oliver Park, il ne sait pas dans quoi il s’embarque. Il se trouve que le défunt était l’alpha de la plus puissante meute de loups-garous de la côte Est. Et sa mort est hautement suspecte. Quoi qu’il en soit, Cooper est décidé à aimer et à soutenir Park comme ce dernier l’a fait pour lui. Mais Park ne l’a pas du tout préparé à la politique et à l’étiquette des loups. Des meutes rivales ? Un plan de table bien déterminé ? Un mystérieux personnage nommé le Berger ? Le pire, c’est que Park n’a rien dit d’essentiel sur lui à sa famille, et Cooper a l’impression d’avoir deux longueurs de retard. Et Park, réticent, ne l’aide pas. Plusieurs membres de la meute sont prêts à s’ouvrir sur Park et à expliquer pourquoi Cooper n’est pas fait pour lui. Leurs histoires poussent ce dernier à se demander s’il n’est pas un frein pour son partenaire. Mais il n’a pas le temps de s’appesantir sur la question... Alors que des fléchettes de tranquillisant fatal commencent à voler, Cooper doit résoudre le mystère du décès de l’alpha et se battre pour l’homme qu’il aime – avant que quelqu’un d’autre ne meure. #Paranormal #MM #LoupGarou #Mystère #Enquête #Complot #Sexy #Humour « Ce livre est arrivé en trombe comme une bande de motards, m’a prise à la gorge et m’a entraînée jusqu’à la dernière page. J’ai tout simplement adoré l’écriture – elle est remplie d’intelligence, d’esprit et de personnages authentiques. » - Eli Easton, autrice de la série Mad Creek « Cette série est un vrai triomphe ! Une intrigue complexe, un univers bien construit, des personnages engageants et complexes et une romance très sexy ! » - Blog All about romance . « Les loups-garous vivent parmi nous en secret... Quand l’un d’entre eux interagit avec un humain, cela crée des ennuis, mais aussi une romance mémorable ! Une excellente série ! » - Beverley, lectrice Goodreads

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Paranormal, Mystery, Shapeshifters, Fantasy, LGBT

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2019

About the author

Charlie Adhara loves snarky souls with a soft spot, twisty whodunits and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary, mystery, paranormal, queer romance. Or some assortment of that. Whatever the genre, her stories feature imperfect people stumbling around, tripping over trouble and falling in love. Charlie has done a fair amount of stumbling around herself, but tends to find her way back to the northeast US.

Reviews

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!



4.5 Cooper stars

This was frustrating and fun to read. What a freaking great ride.

“Uh, this is Boogie. My cat.”
“Charming,” Camille said flatly. “As in Boogie Woogie?”
“As in ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie,’” Cooper mumbled. “Her markings kind of look like cowboy boots and she does this thing with her paws... You don’t care, never mind.”



This series ROCKS! Cooper ROCKS! The jury is still out on Park but i still love him because he loves Cooper.

I now understand why this one got mixed review. For a minute there i thought Charlie was going to go down that miscommunication route. I was about to start cutting. For some reasons i let that pass because it was not dragged out the whole book and it was somehow understandable.

The mystery part was ok, not as on the edge of your seat as the previous one but still good.

I really wanted to kill Park's family. Ugh! they made me so ragey. They are the worst people ever. And Park? Shite! i wanted to smack him hard and make him open his goddamned wolf mouth. UGH! Stubborn man, but at the same time i got him and his reasons.

The writing is stellar.I love the way Charlie writes sex scenes, my gawd! they are some of the best unique, hot sex scenes i have ever read.

Cooper and Park's relationship growth has come along away since book 1. These two were meant to be together. The pairing is so imperfectly perfect, that i get all tingly about it.



Cooper! Freaking lovable Cooper! I repeat, he is the BEST MC ever.



Boogie deserves an Oscar.

[Candy M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3.5 "weakest in the series so far, but I'm still getting Park/Cooper tattooed on my left buttcheek" stars ⭐

After months of postponing the inevitable, I'm back here to review the third installment of what is quickly becoming my favorite example of shifter literature.

Granted, the story ended up amounting to...


But I will still take 4000 extra pages of the romance alone, please and thank you.

****************************

Firstly, I’ll need to file this as yet another example of high expectations backfiring in spectacular fashion. If the previous two books hadn’t been five-star ordeals for me, chances are I would’ve enjoyed this one considerably more.

Nonetheless, that does not mean I didn’t still find several things to appreciate, so in honor of that, my take will be split into two specific sections: Yes, Please and No, Thanks —titles that are, I’m sure, pretty self-explanatory.


Without further rambling, let’s venture forward!

YES, PLEASE

— The Continous Beauty of Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park.

Aka:


These two could pour their milk before their cereal and I’d still find a way to justify the atrocity.

To start this segment off, it’s important to mention that there are protagonists I admire, others I relate to, a few select ones I truly love, and then there is Cooper Dayton, an amalgamation of all of the above. It's a beautiful sight to follow his progress and ongoing transformation throughout the series, from the begrudging and detached man he began as… to the begrudging but caring man he is now. Still extremely prickly and guarded, but what’s some charm without a little edge, amirite 😌

Indeed, there is little to praise that I haven’t already. He remains a favorite, besides a marked exception to my “dual POVs are superior” mentality, so whenever a certain werewolf family someone even glances at him wrong?


@ all the other Cooper stans reading this review (and if you aren’t one, please re-examine your life choices), we ride at dawn, lovelies. The Parks won’t even see us coming.

Yet to address the second part of this romantic equation too, let’s also look at Oliver Park, the terribly handsome but wholly misguided fool. Here, some of his issues are finally explored in-depth —an entire side of him is unraveled, featuring shadows Cooper (and the reader as an extension of him) never saw more than brief glimpses of before. The idealized illusion he previously presented wavers, and by the time it vanishes, what’s left behind is a thoroughly blemished individual. Not some perfect boyfriend to put on a pedestal, but a realistic partner, flawed and tangible.

His devotion, however, only stands out stronger afterward. Truthfully, if loving Cooper was an art form, Park would be Bob Ross-ing his way through life. This werewolf was the definition of protective, possessive, “don't even approach him or the claws come out”, yet so deeply compassionate too. He could be degrading Cooper and marking him in all of his growly Alpha glory, only to turn gentle and adoring the very next second. Even while spewing the purest filth, his passion was still peppered by the small moments, fleeting touches, and glances that spoke of a most tender affection.

Plus, did I mention he had a whole ass praise kink too? Because Cooper could be complimenting his bare ankles like a lust-ridden Victorian gentleman and Oliver would go...


An affection-starved shifter after my very own heart.


With that said, though, let’s skip directly into...

— The Relationship.

There might be trouble in paradise for our main couple, but as with all the previous books, for every two steps forwards and one backward, there’s about fifty Olympic javelin throws worth of progress made in my shipper’s heart.

You know how the saying goes, after all…


And in case anyone asks me for “actual sources for the quote”, it says right there on the picture!

I genuinely doubt I will ever get tired of the sheer strength of their love, one that never stumbles no matter how much this particular plot or certain questionable behaviors (*cough* Park’s, for once *cough*) might get on my nerves. Furthermore, It continues to amaze me the way they cherish the simplest acts of domesticity —displaying the sort of wonder that transforms something as inconsequential as sharing a sock drawer into a life-altering event.

Whether it’s via banter, nonchalant gestures of affection, and even in the unexpectedly tender moments in the middle of some sexual roleplay (call me basic, but the smut tho 🥴), their emotional connection is the one beacon that never stops shining.

Instead of taking my word for it, though, allow me to leave some examples of their lovable dynamic below:

“I’ll walk to town and bring help,” Park said. “It shouldn’t be farther than ten miles. I might even get a couple bars of service closer than that.”
Cooper blinked rapidly and dropped his hand. “You’ll—While I do what, pray tell? Sit around here awaiting your return and composing a ballad on your bravery?”
“I mean, whatever strums your mandolin.” Park waggled his eyebrows.

🥰 The casual banter after a near-death experience 🥰

And then, since one lighthearted quote is clearly not enough...

“Don’t back down,” Park had told him once. After nothing but sex, food and sleep, it was of those rare times Park seemed genuinely relaxed to be talking about wolf things. Eager, even. “If you feel them trying to dominate or intimidate you, the best reaction is no reaction. Let’s practice.”
He’d crawled over Cooper’s splayed body, chest out, chin up, suddenly seeming twice his normal size. “Roar,” he’d said, entirely seriously.
Cooper couldn’t help it. He’d just surged up and kissed him.
“That is not how I want you disarming threatening wolves,” Park had said sternly.
“Oh, well, guess I need more practice then.”

Have you seen a more sickeningly endearing pair in a shifter romance before?


Truly nauseating 🤢🤮


Moving on…

— A Side Character For The Ages.

This wouldn't be a worthy review if I didn't mention the best fictional cat to ever meow. The feline legend, the purring icon, the hairball-spitting seductress herself...

“Boogie maneuvered herself over so that her spine lined up between Helena’s legs and her fat white belly was decadently on display. Absolute Jezebel.”

Boogie The Cat, everyone.

While this tale was clearly not my favorite of the lot, the Boogie content was at an all-time high, so for that alone I must express my most sincere gratitude. As always, her interactions with Cooper had me smiling, aw-ing, and wishing I didn’t live with someone who carried the biological proof that natural selection is a thing —aka a cat allergy.

“She squinted at him now through the bars before looking away, as if the very sight of him disgusted her. In other words, the traveling hadn’t seemed to affect her usual personality.”

😽 The heartfelt relationship with her owner 😽


The kind of human/animal bond even Park himself should be envious of, if you ask me.

You can just feel the fondness between her and Coop, and it’s guaranteed to bring a little tear to the eye of even the most cold-hearted individuals —whether that’s from being emotionally moved or because you too might have an undisclosed allergy. In the meantime, just know that the Oscar for Best Supporting Role goes to Boogie 🏆


But regardless, since not everything is perfect and paradise is a human construct, let’s now proceed to…

The Twilight NO, THANKS Zone.

Starting with...

— The (mostly uninteresting) Side Plots.

Or, more aptly put:


As far as filler books go, the storyline in this one was really out here breaking records.

While the mysteries aren't exactly why I keep coming back to the series, I'd say this one did include some compelling elements. Without going into too much detail, the plot here delved into werewolf politics and gave a more ample understanding of their biology, pack dynamics, and how Oliver and his insufferable family fit into the equation. It was still nowhere near Agatha Christie’s levels of engaging, and the twists were of the “I didn't even need my glasses to see those bad boys coming” variety...

But , and there's a clear emphasis on that single word, what muddled its impact for me wasn’t the predictability. It was, instead, the fact that I felt completely detached from any other characters besides our main leads. While I couldn't be more invested in Park and Cooper if I tried, everyone else was on thin fucking ice —such a superfluous layer that they might as well have been drowning, honestly.

Therefore, even if the mystery did provide details needed to further flesh out the world as a whole, I couldn't really muster half a shit when I was too busy wishing every other breathing being in the story would shut their trap and disappear.

So in conclusion...

Anyone besides Cooper, Park or their cat: h-

Me:


I don’t wanna see it, I don’t wanna perceive it.


Going forward, in case anyone thought I was exaggerating my hatred for the rest of the cast…

— Meet The Rest of The Parks (and yes, they suck)


My reaction to 99.9% of them. The 0.1% exempted, I should clarify, is Oliver himself.

Without brushing up on your sleuthing abilities, you can probably already guess Park's family wasn't precisely beloved by me. For the most part, I found them unlikable, infuriating, meddling, and overall conceited in that upturned nose while sucking on a lemon way some rich people can be. What’s more, If the Parks had lived through the french revolution, I would bet good money they’d be the first ones sent to the guillotine.

Add to that vapid sob stories that were constantly thrown my way, and my reaction throughout those portions of the book was the physical embodiment of the 🙄🙄 emoji. Rather than lamenting over their misfortunes, I just found myself cackling with a distinctive "eat the rich" sentiment.


What I heard anytime one of those werewolf gentrifiers jerks started yapping.

To which my response, without fail, was:


The lupine equivalents of Jeff Bezos get no sympathy points from me, nossir 😪😴


And at last, a final comeback from the hottest inferno…

— Miscommunication.


We keep crossing paths, old foe.

This franchise has been one of the few examples of stories where its presence used to make sense, given the emotional baggage both Cooper and Park have and how that plays into any possible misunderstandings —or at least that was the case before. I still love the hell out of them both and I'm fully behind their ship train, don’t get it twisted, but the heights their mutual dumbassery reached here were a real test to my endurance.

Nearing the last stretch of the story in particular, not only were old misconceptions still alive and kicking, but new ones kept popping up too, much to my chagrin. So in spite of me continuing to wax poetic, sonnets, and High School Musicals about our main couple, by the very last page all I kept repeating was...


*Heartfelt whisper* these idiots. Extremely lovable ones 🥰 but idiots all the same 😔

****************************

Finally, to round things up, let’s take one last detour for my Closing Thoughts:

I have noticed others commenting on how this tale was their least favorite one of the bunch, and I have to join the chorus of voices and agree. The infuriating extended family, the levels of disrespect Cooper faced, the miscommunication —as much as my love for the series and romance remains unwavering, the issues were still hard to overlook.

Yet with all of that being said, @ Charlie Adhara…


Even if this wasn’t my favorite Park/Cooper outing, the franchise could still run for thirty more books and I wouldn’t be mad. So please, dear author, do rock on! 🤩

****************************

Big Bad Wolf series by Charlie Adhara

The Wolf at the Door— 4.5 ⭐
The Wolf at Bay— 5 ⭐
Thrown to the Wolves — 3.5 ⭐
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing— TBR.
Cry Wolf— TBR.

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was wonderful. I liked the story, the mystery wasn't as strong as in the previous books, but still pretty good. I liked learning more about Park and his family. Finally.

But Cooper was the absolute highlight of this story for me. I feel he has grown so much since Book 1. I loved how honest, open and confident he was, while still being as funny and adorable as always. His relationship with Park is really beautiful in this one. I love how close and strong they've become, though all the credit goes to Cooper.

************
Re-read via audio 3/2020
Re-read via audio 7/2023

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This book did my squishy marshmallow heart GOOD and quickly became my favorite of the series so far . 🤞 I do so hope there is more to come from Cooper and Park. I'll beg if need be.

"You've seen the worst of me. You are the best of me. I won't ever risk losing that again."

Thrown to the Wolves finds Cooper and Park at Park's family compound for his grandfather's memorial along with Cooper's cat, Boogie, who comes in handy a time or two. From the very beginning Adhara sets a metronome-like pace with unexpected things happening and odd people emerging, all of which leaves the reader wondering if all of this is going to be important later and/or how it's all going to tie together. Cooper is mostly recovered from his leg injury and Park is as doting as ever. It's adorable.

Park is still harboring some secrets, mostly of the omission variety but many of the burning questions I had about him and his origins were answered. Park's family are quite the interesting bunch. I'll say no more but several of them kept me on my toes collecting all those dropped breadcrumbs.

Even better, Cooper is back to his entertaining self, in his own special droll way. I hadn't realized how much I missed that guy in The Wolf at Bay. He's happy and it shows and that made me happy.

However, Rome wasn't built in a day and they are by no means perfect in the communication department but they are both trying and get points for that. They implicitly trust each other and the love they share is the force that drives them both to strive for something bigger and stronger, something unique unto them.

One person can't love you enough to make up for all the people who don't, but Cooper wasn't trying for all the people. Just the one. Just for right now.

Their sex lives continue to surprise and delight me. This role playing thing they've got going... 🙌🤪👍🤯💪 ASDFGHJKLOIUYTREW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Sex Gods,

Hi there! YUGE fan of your work.

Please if you could find it in your heart to continue to inspire Charlie Adhara with a certain hunky werewolf and his slightly neurotic but totally lovable human, I'd be SUPER grateful were there to be more of their particular brand of reindeer games in my future. Perhaps something of the mating variety that included some biting? 😘

Good talk.

🍆🍑,

Me

My only quibble is the mystery wasn't as engrossing as previous one, but I quickly forgot all about that when the twist at the end came. Did not see that coming. At all. But I dug it. And I want to see how it plays out in the next book. 🙏🙏

Fans of this series should be happy with this installment and if you've not started the series, it's not a standalone so skedattle on back to The Wolf at the Door and get to work!



An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨6-star, 6-feral rat quality read.✨
🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀

This series is a grower! It just keeps getting better and better, and something about the writing style just hooks into my lil brain and refuses to let go, it's just SO ENJOYABLE? I can see how this is a highlight in the series to be honest.




I will say, I have mentioned this in other reviews, when a MC/man done goofed up, that I generally WANT and EXPECT that he WALK THROUGH GLASS/CRAWL ON HOT COAL/BEG AND GROVEL FOR FORGIVENESS UNTIL HIS VOICEBOX CAVES IN FROM OVERUSE... to make it up to the baby angel character who they done wrong....


From the beginning of this book, I was SO IRRITATED WITH PARK AND SO QUICK TO TALK SHIT ABOUT HIM🤬🤬🤬. Like, what the fuck are you doing bro? Keeping secrets from my baby boy Cooper? Dropping Cooper into the most fucked family situation and not even sticking up for him? WHAT LIES ARE YOU TELLING!? WHY IS COOPER DOUBTING HIMSELF!? Why are you not showing him true yourself?? HOW DARE YOU, YOU WANK STAIN, WHAT IS GOING ON YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING IDI-

/Park shows a singular glimpse of remorse.

My dumb ass:


✨Instantly forgiven because it's park🥹✨


And to be fair, Park starts to apologise, Cooper cuts him off and is all "no no you don't need to apologise to me"



I WAS LIKE, IS COOPER ABOUT TO DEPRIVE ME OF MY CRAWLING THROUGH GLASS MOMENT?????
No, thank god. Park pretty much says STFU, IMMA TELL YOU HOW I FEEL AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY SQUEEEEE-ING MY ASS OFF.


This instalment could not have gone any better?? I think they only thing I would have enjoyed more, would be more of Raymond??? He's interesting and fun.
I love Park and Cooper, I love their dynamic, their sexy role play, when they communicate and open up to each other.
The side characters, the flow of the plot, the mystery, the way Coopers brain works UGH.
FUCK.
IT'S JUST PERFECT OKAY?!
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THE ENGLISH RIGHT BUT ✨GOOD BOOK IS GOOD✨
✨MUCH JOY PROVIDED✨
✨HAPPINESS GUARANTEED✨


How to talk to your werewolf boyfriend.
Your werewolf lover and you.
Werewolf Soup for the soul.

THIS SERIES IS WEREWOLF SOUP FOR YOUR SOUL.

[Jilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may think you've had an awkward or horrible family gathering in your life. Maybe a racist grandparent embarrassed you, or your mother got drunk on Christmas and decided to tell you that you've always been a disappointment to her, or * your teenage step-mother decided to punch your mother in the face on Fourth of July*. BUT, those are nothing compared to the horrible meeting of family in this book. This is Meet The Parents if Robert Dinero had been a werewolf who decided to tear Ben Stiller apart with his bare teeth - and the rest of the family wanted to help.

* yes, this did happen to me. Isn't life funny?


Is he coming on to Greg? That's awkward. But, yeah, of course there is the awkward sexual innuendo at the Thanksgiving table.

Our inter-species couple have gone from meeting the human guy's family to meeting the werewolf guy's family. The werewolf family that has no idea that their golden boy/prodigal son is dating a human. And, they hate humans. And, the human is a cop for a group that is known for their crimes against werewolves. And just to rub salt in the wound, the human brought his cat along for the trip.
Yes, it went as well as you might expect.



It was brutal and I was pissed off at the werewolf, Oliver, for most of the book. The human, Cooper, was completely unprepared for everything that happened.



But, the good news is that Cooper was a lot funnier in this book than he had been in the past. It must be all of the crap and pain he went through. His reaction when Oliver's grandmother tries to take him out for a "friendly" walk and talk about her opinion of his relationship with her grandson:

"I suppose you know why I've asked you out here."

"Um, to tell me my engagement to your nephew, Mr Darcy, is impossible?"

O.M.G. she did NOT try to Lady Catherine de Bourgh him!
(she totally did)


This is one smart author. You want immediate fandom? You Catherine de Bourgh us! It totally worked. I'm in.

There were many murder attempts and some murders in this book. And, I have to say, our little human has had the crap beat out of him more than that poor hitchhiking robot. I just don't know how much more he can take. Let's hope that our beloved author decides to cut this guy a break in the next book and let someone else get hurt for a change.



PS. Oh, you didn't get my reference before?


We're number one!!

PPS. But really, we did the world a favor. It's just a matter of time until the robots rise up and kill us all. We need to get at least one good beat-down in before that happens. Then, we can all die happily. You're welcome world.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ☆

Oliver Park truly has the ability to make me upset at him...but not stay upset for a long time smh. honestly, i do believe he shouldn't have kept Cooper in the dark but i also understood he had good intentions with wanting to protect him, as well as he, himself, not wanting to be part of that world anymore, even tho it all backfired in the end anyways. however, the main star of this book for me was Cooper. although Park caught my attention ever since his first appearance, i also liked Cooper, but i didn't really love him until book two and i personally think he keeps getting better and better with each book. i felt so much for him here bc, let's be real, Park's family was shitty af. i wanted to grab Cooper and get him out of there bc he deserved better than being surrounded by judgmental assholes (within reason bc of the whole humans vs wolves thing so i get being territorial and all, but they didn't need to be assholes. they really didn't.) but i adore him for being strong and having to endure all the shit that came his way. as always, the relationship between Cooper and Park is the strong aspect for me in this series and, yes, they've had lots of miscommunications, arguments, Park should have groveled but, at the end of the day, these two dorks still own my heart. 🥰🥰


✧ Park making me feel things

❝ Honestly? Yes," Cooper said, frustrated. "Your grandfather is dead. Your family is under attack. I've been attacked. Maybe twice. I want to know that means something to you."
"Of course it means something," Park said, quiet, cold and deadly. "You think I don't want to find whoever did this to you right now and rip them apart? It's taking everything I have to not completely lose myself right now. Every basic instinct inside me is screaming to shift, hunt and destroy the threat. ❞

✧ I JUST WANNA PROTECT COOPER DURING THIS SCENE 🥺🥺

❝ Cooper laughed, disbelieving. "Have you met me? I don't like to talk about anything, Oliver, but I do it for you. You think it's fun for me to tell you about my dead mother and my childhood bullies and my psychopath partner? It's not. Do you think it makes me feel good when you see me vomiting because I ate too much too fast for my fucked-up gut or when you come back to the apartment and I haven't dressed or showered or moved because my anxiety is spinning out? It doesn't. It's painful, it's humiliating, it's fucking hell. But I work on it anyways because I thought that's what people do when they're in love and want a—a serious life together." His voice was getting louder, echoing around the high ceilings. They'd be overheard for sure. He didn't care anymore. "I thought we were more than just a good time, sex and laughs. ❞

when you think about it, Cooper honestly had such amazing development from the first book up to this point. he's sacrificed so much, opened up so much, wanted to be better—all bc of his love for Park and how he wanted their relationship to work. 🥺

✧ PARK TAKING COOPER'S SIDE OVER EVERYONE ELSE

❝ Park came to stand by Cooper. "I believe him."
"Ollie," Marcus said with disbelief. "No."
"Cooper has never lied to me. I trust him."
"Against your own family? Your blood?"
"Against anyone."
Marcus's face twisted and he snorted, his usually pleasant voice mocking. "So what, you follow him now? Is he your human alpha?"
"Yes," Park said simply. "He is. ❞

yk what. Marcus can fuck off. i really thought he'd be the decent one in the family but ofc, just like Jefferson, you can never trust the "good" ones. 🙄

✧ Cooper accepting of Park's wolf form and not disgusted or scared

❝ There. You should be fine. It's hard to tell like this, but I don't think you'll even need stitches."
Park blinked at him. His fur looked...soft. Luxurious, even. Interestingly, the dark brown faded to a silvery white on his belly, legs, throat, and in two little spots behind his ears. Cooper wanted to reach out and stroke him. Hold him. But didn't want to do anything that could be interpreted as treating him like an animal. So Cooper held his front paw instead and squeezed. Park looked down at where they touched.
"I should check on Eli," Cooper said finally. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for exactly. Park obviously wasn't going to say anything. Not like this. Cooper wasn't sure why he wasn't shifting back, but it probably had something to do with pain or adrenaline or, hell, maybe just being naked in a pretty frigid warehouse.
Cooper started to pull away. Oliver's other front paw crossed his body with some effort to come down on his hand, and he blinked up at him. ❞

✧ Park telling Cooper he already has a pack, aka Cooper, and calling him his home 🥺

❝ Hey, I was making a serious overture of affection here. Do you mind?"
"Cooper," Park said, still laughing. "I don't need to rejoin them to be part of a pack. I'm already part of a pack."
"What...?"
"Yours, you dope."
Cooper blinked at him. "Mine? You're—What?"
Park tilted his head and a slight crease of worry appeared between his eyes. "As long as you still want me. ❞

❝ Okay. And without making fun of me, what does it mean as far as our relationship goes?"
"For you? It means nothing more than what we've been building together for a while. You are my partner. My love. My family."
"And for you?" he asked, his voice gruff.
"With you I'm finally home." Park said it as if it was that simple. Maybe for once it could be. Hadn't they had enough complicated in their lives? ❞

AS IF THEY COULDN'T GET ANY CUTER, THEY HAD TO HIT ME WITH THAT HUH 😭😭

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Park’s family irritated me more the second time around. Impressed at how both Park and Cooper are so richly developed as characters. Each book builds off the next in what feels like a natural relationship progression.

******
Original review:

We get to meet Park’s family, and what a family it is. Park kinda pissed me off throughout this story, the push and pull he did with Cooper was so damn annoying!! Plus how he keeps the truth from his family and that puts poor Cooper in the WORST position. Once I got to the end, I completely understood why Park acted that way, but grrrr, it was frustrating.

As always their banter was hilarious.

“What am I supposed to be doing on this hike? Trying to start a…a…”
“Investigation?” Park suggested.
“Threesome?” Cooper finished.
Park choked. “Okay. We’re obviously not a couple that should be trying to finish each other’s sentences.”

The intimacy is just as good as in the other books, but it felt like the only time they’re 100% vulnerable is when they are naked and that’s a little sad. Luckily, things come around at the end of this book.

This third book is a turning point in their relationship, it’s the opening up of all those closed doors and covered secrets. Cooper holds his own with Park’s family. This tiny little human male standing up to them was so badass. I absolutely LOVED that Cooper’s AQ is so high.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

It’s been too long since I last read The Wolf at Bay, but time and distance have not dampened my love for Oliver Park and this latest entry, though extremely quite vexing, just reaffirmed his status in my top favorites once again.

So, a lot of werewolf dynamics are finally revealed, as well as Park’s past that is both surprising and sobering, obviously shaping the man he is now. Cooper finds himself smack dab in the middle of crazy shifter politics, shady rivalries, and a less than welcoming family that only wants the best for Park, and Cooper sure ain’t it.

Amongst the consistent super swoony love story that doles out its yumminess oh so slowly, Adhara continues to impress with the stellar mysterious going-ons threatening the very existence of werewolves that is hanging on a precipice of discovery. This kept me anxious and guessing til literally the bloody end, and I was held rapt.

Overall, this is top notch romantic suspense with a hell yeah paranormal bent to it. It’s smart, it’s sexy, it’s compelling. Oh and there’s alpha werewolf Oliver Park. Have I mentioned him before?? Gorgeous, beautiful inside and out, a man who is as solid and strong as he is vulnerable. Mmmm hmmmm. Cooper is understandably caught, and so am I.

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You are my partner. My love. My family."

I'm still completely and utterly wolfed!!!

This one is a bit wolfier than the previous books -well, no wonder with Oliver's werewolf-y family giving this larger-than-life vibe - ...

... but the character- aaaand relationship-development is all I could have wished for. Okay, after some serious consideration of booty-smacking Oliver (code word for kicking him in the a.. umm, backside) for clamming up like an oyster and being secretive about his past all over again, mind you. Although, in the end it all made sense to me. Cooper was his trademark brave, snarky, hilarious self...

Pack wars, lone wolves with mysterious grudges and hostile takeovers... oh my.
And Park had the audacity to tease him for comparing it to the movies. He'd arrived in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and woken up from an unexpected intermission in The Godfather.

... and yet I wanted to hug him something fierce. I loved that he - both of them, actually - showed their vulnerable side here. Their love. Their determination to make this relationship work, no matter what.

Oh, and I was so groping in the dark in terms of the perp, it's not even funny. I should definitely work on my detective skills...

I don't need to tell you that this was my favorite in this series, do I? Yeah well, I just did and am I content now? Nope, I. WANT. MORE. Please tell me there is more???!!! *whines*

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars!!* - adored, can't review alone since I went right to the 4th and 5th book... amazing series

[Reem · Rating 4 out of 5]

DAYUM, THAT ‘yes, he’s my alpha’ SCENE WAS BADASS!
First can I just say how much I appreciate that this had a single first person narrative? it made me like the books more! that type is a favorite because it gets me more intrigued and absorbed.

Thoroughly enjoyed this lovely couple’s relationship development, I can’t wait to see what’s next. Their flirting will forever be my favorite and THE BANTER GUH so good, this is one of my favorite parts😂 fyi, I loved the ex and want more of him please.

“Is this why you want to go traipsing around the forest at the crack of dawn? You want to quiz Eli? Watch us interact?”
Cooper shook his head. “Why would I want that? What am I supposed to be doing on this hike? Trying to start a...a...”
“Investigation?” Park suggested.
“Threesome?” Cooper finished.
Park choked. “Okay. We’re obviously not a couple that should be trying to finish each other’s sentences.”

PS. any sterek fans?
PPS. this series is on Audible plus!

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread September 2022
The character and relationship development are HUGE here.
What a cracker of a series!


Original review
Absolutely loved it.

All the mystery surrounding Park and who he is has finally been lifted. I kind of expected something big and Charlie Adhara certainly delivered!

After Park got introduced to Cooper's family in book 2, this time Cooper's meeting Park's family.
Who are - of course - all werewolves - while Cooper - clearly - is not.
Which is way more of an issue than Cooper might have anticipated.

The thing is - he doesn't anticipate anything because Park hasn't told him anything.
No, he leaves Cooper hanging big time.
And he tries to keep his secrets where they've been all along - in a deep, dark closet.

No wonder, Cooper is hurt and confused. No wonder he feels a bit rejected.
But I have to give it to him - he reacts way more positive than I would have! After all the communication problems between these two guys, Cooper actually tries really hard to be open and talk, while Park closes down as soon as a topic comes up he doesn't want to discuss.

The reason: Park is petrified to lose Cooper once he finds out about his past. It never occurs to him that shutting Cooper out is way more hurtful!

If you think this all sounds like a huge angst-fest. It is not.
There is hurt and anger and frustration.
But underlying it all is the solid love Park and Cooper have for each other. And it really never wavers. I liked that a lot. They are facing serious issues here, and things could have easily got totally out of hand, but their feelings are solid, and they find their way back to that every single time throughout all these trials and tribulations.

Not sure the mystery is as good as in the previous books, but that didn't bother me that much, tbh.
This is a great finale to a wonderful series.
And ... if - for any reason - there should be any more books about these two, I will certainly be there!

Highly recommended.

[Fabi NEEDS Email Notifications · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

My favorite of the series! Hands-down best.

The thriller, the crime mystery, the creepy factor - all of it perfect.

The PNR aspect was more present in this one than the previous ones. Cooper and Oliver still don't know each other all that well, even after they've been through so much together. There is so much to learn about the other.

Oliver's grandfather, alpha leader of the Park pack is dead. Oliver and Cooper head to the family home for the funeral. It should have been a quick trip there and back. But things start to go wrong even before they arrive. With a power vacuum in the pack, a killer on the loose and a party of squirrely scientists nosing around in the woods, it soon turns into a complicated situation for our BSI agents. It doesn't help that Oliver is acting strange.

I pretty much kept a low level of anger against Oliver during the whole story. I felt bad for Cooper. He had to navigate a minefield. But finally, Oliver admitted "You’ve seen the worst of me. You are the best of me."

I really loved it! 😍

[Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 S T A R S

Hi, my name is Hayley and I am absolute T R A S H for this series.

It's my guiltiest pleasure, except I don't even feel guilty about it. This series isn’t perfect, but I love it so much that I will forever be rereading. It’s my M/M happy place.

I’ve been around the M/M genre and I have never "ran" into a character quite like Coop. Adhara has done something really unique in her creation of him. He is neurotic AF and his head space can be real uncomfortable to be in, but sweet Jesus he is so hilarious. His outlook on the world is so prickly and sardonic, I love it so much. But the best, best part about his characterization is how far he has come since book 1. Is he still neurotic? Um, yes. Is he still awkward and prickly as all get out? Definitely yes. But has he matured and grown? Y E S.

Yay, Cooper! Proud of you , BB!

Next is Park. Park has always been a bit of a mystery and so I loved being able to take a deeper dive into his character. While he doesn’t quiet steal the show like Cooper does, his calm personality and lighthearted jabs are an awesome balance to Cooper’s *whispers* crazy. He's like... a safe space.

I just love them both so much.

I think the best part about this installment of the series was the relationship and emotional development. You can see the characters working hard for their relationship, to better themselves and to strengthen their foundation and bond. Honestly, this was everything I wanted when it comes to their relationship and the feels. Cooper and Park aren't perfect and their relationship isn't either, and I love how Adhara showed what it's like to love someone, flaws and all. It was funny and sexy and at some points sad. I really felt for Cooper and Park. I was happy with them, sad with them, I laughed at their jokes and swooned over their banter. God, I laughed so much. Plus, there was one “moment” that I have been waiting for since book 1 and it finally happened! So, success.

Another thing that is so unique about this series is the sex scenes. I don’t know how Adhara does it, but they are always fresh, sexy and sometimes hilarious. On top of all those great things, they sometimes hold major emotional development which I feel like is really, really hard to pull off without being extremely cheesy. These scenes are so clearly written for these two characters only and would never work with anyone else. I love them and I love the casual exploration of kink, it's so fun and hilarious and real.

Now for the negative… While the romantic development and characterization were AMAZE in this one, the mystery definitely fell a little flat for me. It wasn’t bad, I just didn’t think it was as interesting or well developed as the first two books. Also, there was the plot hole of all the werewolves not being able to smell that Park’s mom was in the house, in the barn, etc. That makes no sense. We have seen how strong the werewolves sense of smell is so this seems to be a ball that was dropped.

But I’m still trash for this book and can never get enough of Cooper and Park. I am U P S E T to see that Adhara will be taking a break from them. Things are getting so good! Whhhyyyyyyyy *sobs*

"Being open isn't easy for either of us. Shit, maybe not for anyone. But I work on it because, to me, you're worth it. And you know what, Oliver? I'm worth it, too. So pull your shit together so we can get on with being mates and in love and all that trash."

P R E A C H

Buddy read with my wolfpack: Moony and Ele. Thanks for EEEEEKKKKKKing with me!

[Moony Eliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two strongest elements of this book — and really, this series — are hilarity and sexiness. And squeeee, this volume brought both of those in a DELIGHTFUL package.

Cooper and Park just continue to wiggle deeper into my heart, and we got a much more profound view of Park this time. Not just his backstory (though that too), but personality, strengths and weaknesses, motivation, etc. Cooper's character was still strong (and freaking hilarious omg), and his interactions with his cat Boogie absolutely stole the show.

Except for the sex… that stole it more. I've said this before in my previous reviews from this series, but Adhara has a really creative talent for writing sexy times. They remind me of NOTHING else I've read, and that is saying so much when it often feels like there isn't anything new under the sun from that perspective. She makes things work that, if I were to try to describe them to you, you'd think would be epic fails. But they aren't — in the context of these two guys, they're perfect. And totally in character. The scenes are unique, hella sexy, never repetitive, and many times actually move the story forward.

The relationship development between Cooper and Park in this book was 5 stars for me, the strongest it's been. I loved the depth and evolution of that element. The relationship itself isn't perfect, and it's approached from a surprisingly healthy perspective — a lot of psychologically intelligent narrative that is rare to see in romance novels.

The weak part of this book was the mystery. It felt like a whole lot was bitten off and then not really fully developed. The reveal at the end seemed told to me, rather than coming together in an "aha" kind of feel.

But still highly recommend. I loved it and am currently planning to reread the series before book 4 comes out. Which can't be too soon for me.

Howl at my buddy readers, Hayley and Ele! You two made the fun funner. xx

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5***** stars
audio: 3.5 stars


Well this was a wild ride. And you think you’re only meeting the in-laws. *lmaoooo

“I don’t know anything! Because you never bothered to tell me anything.”

Yes Coop, tell him! God, Park keeping so many truths about himself and his family to himself was driving me nuts!!


But also so possessive! *lmaooo

He pulled Cooper back into a hug and began to insistently rub his face all over Cooper’s head. “[…] what the hell are you doing?” Cooper muttered.

“I hate that his scent is all over you.” […] “I want you to smell like us again.”

AND YESSSS, FINALLY WE AND COOP HAVE SEEN PARK IN HIS WOLF FORM. *loooooove


To end this review I’m adding one more quote to amuse myself (shortened):

“Most wolves’ fur is the same color as their hair, right?” Cooper said finally.
Park’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah?”
“So how come yours had so much white in it?” Park’s thumb abruptly stopped moving and he looked curiously embarrassed.
“Oliver?”
“It’s not a big deal.” He cleared his throat. “I just, uh, started noticing some gray a couple of years ago.” Park glanced at Cooper, who was just staring at him blankly, then looked away, face starting to flush. “Just a few hairs here and there. Then some more. I’ve been plucking them, but obviously the fur is different.”

After a long, quiet moment, Cooper rolled away so that his back was flat on the bed and they were no longer touching. “Will the lies never end?”

Definitely an intriguing ending. On to the next one!

*************
Big Bad Wolf Series

Book 1 - The Wolf at the Door - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - The Wolf at Bay - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Thrown to the Wolves - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - Cry Wolf - 4.0 stars

[Meags · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Called back to his small hometown in the Canadian wilds, after the sudden death of his werewolf family’s alpha patriarch, Oliver Park asks human lover Cooper Dayton to come home with him for the funeral. Tragedy aside, this family gathering is one Park wishes he could avoid, having spent years separated from his family/pack due to longstanding grievances. Having Cooper by his side seems like a necessity for his mental health and well-being, but Cooper quickly comes to realise that Park has been keeping a hell of a lot more from him than their strong partnership (both in work and love) would have foreseen, making this trip to meet the family both awkward, challenging and unexpectedly deadly.

This story held me captivated, not just with the delicious relationship development (which was WOW!), but also with the mystery portion of the story, as Cooper and Park scrambled to unveil local pack deceptions and the apparent murder of Park’s grandfather, all while working through some seriously exigent relationship problems, which keep popping up due to Park’s well-meaning but frustrating-as-all-heck nature to keep secrets and withhold pertinent information from Cooper.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this one when it started, but I quickly grew to love it, particularly enjoying the new setting, the mystery arc, the werewolf politics, and most definitely loving the way Cooper and Park’s relationship developed in a whole new and layered way, however angsty at times, making them all the stronger and more romantic for it when all was said and done.

Of the first three books in the series, this was my personal favourite, hands down. I hardcore love these two now, with them easily climbing their way onto my coveted favourite M/M couples list. It helps that I adore both characters as individuals first, appreciating their flaws just as much as their strengths. But together these two are something else! Their relationship and the progression it’s taken across the series (so far) is EXACTLY what I look for in my romance reading. They’re the kind of book couple I could happily and greedily read about forever, and I have no doubt this is the type of series I’ll revisit over and over across the years.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! <3

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG...hell must have frozen over because I fell a little bit in love with Cooper in this book. Who would have thought!!!

He is so far from the judgemental and whiny/petty person in the first book and he also seems to have found his "profiler" qualities back. Let's face it, he didn't have any in book 1.

I definitely loved this third installment and I was glued to my seat from beginning to end.

Can't wait to see what's gonna happen next. These two are fastly climbing the ranks of my "favorite mm couples" list.

Also, I love this author's writing style ;) Gonna keep my eye out for more of Charlie's work.

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“With you I’m finally home.”

Isn’t this one of the most beautiful declarations of love you’ve ever read? 🫠🫠🫠

And it sets the tone for the entire book. While I admittedly felt the urge to strangle Oliver at one some point or another (because really - you can take the big-dangerous-silent-broody-wolf thing too far…), Cooper is… well. Perfect boyfriend material.

What I really love about them, is the fact that neither of them questions their love for each other. There might be miscommunication, even if it was well meant. But neither Oliver nor Cooper doubt their love, and loyally stand up for each other, no matter the circumstances.

As for the murder mystery: it’s always the nice one, right? I for one didn’t see it coming, but as I said: the main focus for me was the relationship, and the character development.

I’m really happy the series is fully published, because I need to dive right in again 💕

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

❪ 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 | 𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 | 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 ❫
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𝟓/𝟓 ★ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

i'll never not get butterflies in my stomach bc of these two🦋💓 & i'll never get over how Cooper reacts to seeing Ollie in fur, his reaction is the best, so utterly respectful & considerate & loving😭😭💘💘💘💘

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
❪ 𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 | 𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 | 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 ❫
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𝟓/𝟓 ★ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

binging this series (again) is giving me life🐾
i so wish to own it in paperback as well to add to my hoard like a proud dragon😭🤲📚🐉

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
❪ 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 | 𝐟𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 | 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 ❫
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 𝟒.𝟕/𝟓 ★ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

i think i might be almost as in love with Park as Cooper is💘💘 also Park needs to be protected at all cost🥺 & yes ikr he's a big bad alpha wolf but whatever, i said what i said😤😭🥰

bc Park is ✨perfect✨ period. see evidence: he's the most loyal. took Cooper's side over anyone & everyone else. boldly defied his family bc of Cooper. Cooper is his pack. his home. 😭💘💘💘

further evidence - Park scent marking Cooper killed me:

❝ 𝑯𝒆 (𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌) 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒃 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅. 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌’𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌.
  “𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈?” 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅.
  “𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒓𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕,” 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒘. “𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.” 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔. “𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏.” ❞

💘💘💘💘

my love for Cooper might be just as strong as for Park tbh bc he cares so deeply for Park & is always trying his best to be there for him even tho he also carries a lot of baggages & opening up isn't the easiest for him but he tries! he tries for Park🥺🥺💘💘💘 he's also a badass who didn't let all the other big bad wolves intimidate him & scare him away from Park! aaand speaking of wolves, the way he respects Park in his wolf form!!!! aaaa 💘 i was so happy to finally see Park in his fur c,:

i must also add i really love how each book takes place in a different scenery; book#1 in the woods🌲, book#2 in a small fishing town🎣, book#3 at a snowy cliffside🌨🗻

in a brief summary:
𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: i was scared where it was going - specifically scared for Park & what it'd do to his ex pack/family.. but overall it was interesting with little twists & turns.
𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: both MCs character developed a lot, both individually & as a couple, i really loved seeing their journey so far & i'm still giddy to see how their relationship will develop to a possible new level & become more solid!


➥ ᴍᴍ
➥ ᴛʜɪʀᴅ-ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ, sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴘᴏᴠ
❆  ᴜʀʙᴀɴ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ/ᴘɴʀ
𓃦 ᴡᴇʀᴇᴡᴏʟғ sʜɪғᴛᴇʀ × ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ
❆  ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ/ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
𓃦 sᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟ ᴀɢᴇɴᴛs - ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀs
❆  ʀɪᴄʜ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ
𓃦 ʜғɴ (ᴛʜᴇ sᴇʀɪᴇs ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡs ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ)
➽ ᴛᴡ: ᴋɪᴅɴᴀᴘᴘɪɴɢ . ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ . sᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢs . ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ . ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ . ɪɴᴊᴜʀʏ/ɪɴᴊᴜʀʏ ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟ . ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴏғ ᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴛ . ɢʀɪᴇғ

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

The best, yet!

When I read book 1, I was a bit underwhelmed. Cooper was an asshole and Park was too perfect. In book 2, we finally saw Cooper be vulnerable and I warmed to him quite a bit, and now we FINALLY get to see Oliver Park be someone other than the perfect wolf he wants so hard for Cooper to see him as. We get to see just how uncertain he is and how much he doesn't want to be who he was groomed to be.

There were plenty of twists and turns in this story to keep me interested and invested and Cooper just keeps getting more and more likable and real, and Oliver, too, really. I think Oliver and Cooper have both turned a corner and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars.
I fear my expectations were too high starting this series.
I had enjoyed book 1 and 2, loved Cooper and Oliver, their character development, and how their relationship evolved.
This installment mostly felt messy, though.
I loved Cooper and Park being close and talking to each other, but the (chaotic) murder-plot gave them next to no space to talk. Oliver was closed off for most of the book. Cooper showed awesome character development, but the relationship development was condensed to a few intense speeches, that I obviously craved and loved but overall I had hoped for more together time between Oliver and Cooper.
Hopefully I'll get that in the next book.

[Milla · Rating 2 out of 5]

ummmm...... this book was.... choices were made. And I hate to rate a book in this series so low but jesus christ, I really wasn't expecting this.

After two books that barely counted as PNR imo, I was super excited to spend time with Park's family and to finally get paranormal in my romance.



But very quickly I realized I wasn't in for a regular good time of pack dynamics, wolf on wolf violence, mating nonsense and all the good stuff that makes PNR's. For one, Oliver was stupidly back to being super closed off and secretive. I thought we had figured out his big secret in the last book, but apparently I'm a dope because suppressing his need to shift wasn't anything in comparison to what was actually going on.

We get to Park's family home and from the first minute people started looking at my sweet boy Cooper (aka Dean Winchester) funny my hackles were raised, pun intended.




I wanted to throw that boy over my shoulder and run the fuck outta there. Because lord knows Oliver wasn't going to do it. We'd barely started the story and I was already pissed knowing that Oliver was keeping BIG things quiet and, again pun intended, throwing Cooper to the wolves with all that he didn't know.

The main theme of this book: secrets, secrets, and stupid fuckin secrets. And along with those secrets, Oliver even used sex to keep Cooper from asking too many questions or feeling the distance between them.




Words cannot describe how much I hated Oliver in this book. I officially relinquish my title as president and treasurer of the Oliver Park fanclub.

"It has not been easy for me, but I gave you all my soft spots and you gave me the same perfect, phony fucking mask you give everyone else."
"I just didn't want you to get hurt."
"Then stop hurting me!" Cooper yelled.

What I wanted more than anything was for Cooper to stand up for himself like this but then... leave. Give Oliver some consequences for his shitty fuckin behaviour.



But y'know what we got instead? Cooper doing all the emotional labour to basically forgive Oliver before he even admitted that he'd done anything wrong.
No groveling.
No "here's where I fucked up and for these reasons and here's how I'll change."

Just Cooper bending to make Oliver happy no matter what. He treats Cooper (indirectly) like shit and Oliver has zero repercussions for the way he's acted. In fact, they end the book in a better place than where they started, which is how books should go, but not when only one person puts any effort into the relationship!!!! Lmao I'm so mad.



So by the end of the book everyone's happy but because I got no grovel I'm still fuming. And now I don't wanna continue with the series whomp whomp.

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

*whimpers*

*Oliver-style*

Can I haff some moar plz?

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD! GUARANTEED HAPPINESS RIGHT HERE. I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT THESE TWO! Park is once again melting my heart. I just want to squeeze his paw and stroke those sneaky white patches of fur. I loved him and Cooper in this book. All their cute-as-shit interactions. So much more wolfy-ness. Family drama. Bit of mystery. ALPHA QUOTIENTS.

Super keen for book 4 🐺😍

But what happened to Raymond?? Did he re-appear and I missed it when I was swooning over Park getting all tail-waggy over the territory thing??

I’ve been buddy reading this series with Anita and her review is amazing, check it out here.

This is the second book in a week I’ve read set in Nova Scotia, clearly a sign I must visit because it sounds BEAUTIFUL.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

STOP PLAYING WITH MY EMOTIONS LIKE THAT JESUS CHRIST this was a ROLLERCOASTER.

A sentence that seems to about sum it up is Cooper telling Park: ‘I don’t know anything. Because you never bothered to tell me anything.’
Oh boy, how right you are my poor baby Cooper. I genuinely COULDN’T with Park for most of the book because seriously, how could he not tell Cooper, like, ANYTHING AT ALL?! I was fuming on his behalf, he just stumbled into all this mess, no one explained anything, everyone mistrusted him, Park was leaving him utterly alone, lying to him and keeping all these SECRETS. But then Park did something half regretful or cute or hot or protective and all my irritation flew right out the window and I was like I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU CAN DO NO WRONG. I’m telling you, fucking rollercoaster.
Apropos unconditional love, can we talk about Cooper and his incredible growth and character development?! He was absolutely amazing in this book: vulnerable and certain and resilient and strong and soft and COMMUNICATIVE (not like a certain someone else). I legit squeal-screamed when he finally told Park off, telling him about the difficulties he faced with letting himself be vulnerable and open and how he expected the same from ‘perfect Park’, or else. YES COOPER, YOU GO GIRL!
The end was also wholesome as fuck, I can’t get enough of these two I love them so damn much. The ‚With you I’m finally home‘?! Gaaah 🥹

Apart from their relationship(drama) I really enjoyed the peak behind the werewolf-curtain so to speak and finally learning more about wolf culture, politics, etiquette, traditions and the Park-pack in general. I also couldn’t guess who was behind the murders, so that was cool!

I think this is my fave so far and everyone who told me that the series just gets better and better was absolutely right! 4,5⭐️

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this series so much! Similar to my review for the last book, I feel the mystery part of the book and the romance part are so well balanced. A series that only follows one couple can be pretty hit or miss but it has been so well done in this series. You really see Cooper & Oliver slowly grow in their relationship throughout the series. Park always says exactly the right thing at the right time😍. The last paragraph had me majorly swooning. Excited to read the next!

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boogie finally gets some page time! Yay! And even a heroic moment! You go, Boogie! (But seriously, why does Cooper have this cat? He does not give her nearly enough attention. 😠) I liked Eli too. He makes quite the entrance. 🤭 I think he should adopt Boogie and they should go have adventures together.

Everything else... let's start with the "mystery" since that's less complicated. I figured that whatever was going on, Stuart, Marcus and Daisy were all involved somehow. I did think that it was Daisy orchestrating everything behind the scenes, but she just ended up being a dupe in Marcus's schemes, and Marcus was just capitalizing on Stuart's scheming to work that into his own shenanigans. So that was a good twist. But I'm baffled at the point of Raymond's character coming along with that one ominous line never to be seen or heard from again. Pretty convenient for the plot, there, author. And I did have to roll my eyes at the drawing room reveal scene straight out of an Agatha Christie novel, and the entire pack literally standing by Cooper. I wonder if this scene was highlighted in the outline as "Big Dramatic Moment!" or something. It felt rather forced and quite a bit unearned, though I suppose they were siding more with Oliver than with Cooper, but it wasn't written in a way to give that impression. At least it wasn't a magical bandaid that made everything okay between Cooper and the family, so that was nice. Although, I have to say, though I do not agree with Marcus's methods at all, I do agree with his assessment of the situation, and I'm glad that Cooper's realized that the limited scope of the BSI is problematic at best.

As far as the pack politics, I do like how the author is handling all that stuff. It's different enough from the usual that it feels fresh, but it's still pack politics. I'm still finding myself not giving much of a crap. And I wonder if the elitist and privileged life of the Park family has finally highlighted the reason why I find this stuff so underwhelming. It's pretty much the same plotline as the domineering dad forcing his son to go into the family business and continue to grow the empire and all that nonsense. I just don't care. It's so far out of my own experiences that I can't relate to it in the slightest.

Then there's the romance. Park doing the Incredibly Stupid Thing was finally put into perspective and ironed out fairly well and it's almost understandable. Except for one thing. Like, bro, tell Cooper that your family doesn't know he's human. Don't let him walk into that blindly. Jeez Louise. I'm still irked over that and I'm not convinced these guys are anywhere close to having a strong enough relationship to be talking about moving in together, and possibly even joining the Park pack some day. On the one hand, the author can't exactly have all these important relationship developments happen between books. On the other hand, they've been together for MONTHS and still are working this stuff out? Cooper might be a mess but at least he talks to Park. And I really have a hard time buying Cooper as an alpha anything when he's constantly letting things like this slide.

Oh, and AQ? 🙄 I think my eyes rolled into the back of my head once I worked that one out. Besides which, being incapable of feeling all the pack mojo that the wolves feel doesn't exactly make Cooper better at being a leader. It just makes him incapable of feeling all the pack mojo. Though I do like that "alpha" doesn't automatically mean who's the toughest/best fighter/most intimidating.

Oh, and one last thing: Helena going on about the women who were basically used for breeding stock to make more werewolf children without their knowledge or consent, then being accused of ignorance when said children shifted for the first time and those women naturally freaked the hell out...Um, yeah, what other reaction exactly were you expecting in this scenario? Keep people ignorant, then they're going to react with ignorance, and it really grates me that the blame is never once set on the werewolf men who did this to those women. Nope, it's all just "those evil humans trying to kill us" and not "maybe we should have been more forthcoming before the truth inevitably made itself known." Because that could have been prevented if those men had either told their partners the truth at any point in the intervening YEARS or absconded with the children before their first shift happened. Or, you know, just not sleeping with human women. It's not like the female wolves are incapable of reproducing, so this is a problem that doesn't need to exist and it's solely the fault of the wolves. 🤬🙄

So there is stuff that I like, and Adhara's writing is very easy to read, but I'm finding myself having diminishing returns with this series. I think I'll step back and give myself some time before deciding to continue or not. The fact that most of my friends seemed to have issues with some development in the last book doesn't exactly inspire me to go forward either, but we'll see.

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

At one point of this story, Cooper Dayton told his werewolf lover, Oliver Park, that ...

“Maybe that’s the problem. Honestly, I haven’t understood seventy percent of the things that have happened since I got here. I’m so far out of my depth, I don’t know what’s right anymore.”

And THAT is my biggest problem with this book.

Park takes Cooper to meet his family, although it is not for a joyful reunion like when Cooper took Park home to meet his father and brother in the previous book. This time Park takes Cooper because Park's grandfather, the ALPHA, has passed away. But before they get there, Park and Cooper got into accident -- and that is only the beginning. Because apparently, as Cooper realizes, he is into a new territory, where he doesn't know ANYTHING, since Park is adamant of keeping things mum.

Secrets. Pack Politics. MINIMUM COMMUNICATION.

MY GOD!! I want to tear my hairs out!!! Maybe it's okay for book #1 and book #2 ... I assume because they both still trying to find balance of their relationship. But this is book THREE, people, and all of these secrets that Park keeps from Cooper just grates on my nerves. He doesn't tell Cooper ANYTHING. I think that's a jackass move on Park's part, especially since this is no ordinary "family dinner". This is a WEREWOLF pack, with different culture altogether.

Yeah, yeah, later on Park explains his reasons, that he's ashamed about his past, that he doesn't want Cooper to think differently about him. BOO HOO. It's NOT an appealing kind of plot trope for me. Because as a reader, I'm seriously frustrated with Cooper being kept in the dark. Especially since the book is written solely from Cooper's perspective. There's no insights into Park's mind.

It doesn't help that there's "barely" an investigation towards the death of Park's grandfather. AGAIN, because apparently, "that's not how the pack are dealing with it".

Cooper confronts Park later on and he gets to understand more about Park and Park's hesitancy to explain things about his werewolf's life. However, for me, it's too little too late.

There's a couple of development on both personal and professional aspect of Cooper and Park's life. Enough to give me hope that the next book will be better.

BUT, if only judging on this one book. NOPE, I'm NOT at all amused.





The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.