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Lost Moon: Unravelling Monsters Universe #1
A Wolf in the Garden
Ellie never expected to see him again.
Two years after the Unravelling revealed monsters and their hidden realm to the world, garden designer Ellie Harding seems to have her life together, living out her cottagecore dreams on the picturesque island of Motuwai, New Zealand.
What she never expected was for Van Livingston, the wealthy American she grew up with every summer, to walk back into her life nine years after a tragic event destroyed their romantic relationship. What’s more, it turns out Van is a wolf — a hybrid werewolf/wolf-shifter, to be exact — with two wolves and two wolf forms. He’s just as handsome as ever, and without the glamour, his gold eyes and towering height have her feeling hot and bothered all over again.
Van was her first love, and she could never blame him for how things ended… but that doesn’t mean Ellie’s ready to take him back. She has her own problems to sort out, including a secret that’s been eating away at her.
Van’s wolves know that she’s his mate.
He wasn’t supposed to find Ellie yet. After breaking away from his father’s pack, Van’s plan involved settling into his newly-purchased vineyard on the island of Motuwai. Only then did he plan on tracking Ellie down — to apologise, to grovel, and to beg for her forgiveness.
But the moment he scents her in the unlikeliest of places, he’s done for. His wolves won’t let it go — Ellie is his fated mate — and this time around, he’s not going to ruin things.
However, Ellie isn’t quite the same woman he used to know, and something sinister has been lurking in the shadows. Van’s alpha instincts drive him to protect her, but will it be enough to keep the danger at bay?
A Wolf in the Garden is a first-person, dual POV novel, and the first in the Unravelling Monsters universe. It is a monster romance that features a female lead of mixed New Zealand European and Māori descent who is not afraid to love her man in both his human and his werewolf form. There is a HEA. CWs coming soon.
Two years after the Unravelling revealed monsters and their hidden realm to the world, garden designer Ellie Harding seems to have her life together, living out her cottagecore dreams on the picturesque island of Motuwai, New Zealand.
What she never expected was for Van Livingston, the wealthy American she grew up with every summer, to walk back into her life nine years after a tragic event destroyed their romantic relationship. What’s more, it turns out Van is a wolf — a hybrid werewolf/wolf-shifter, to be exact — with two wolves and two wolf forms. He’s just as handsome as ever, and without the glamour, his gold eyes and towering height have her feeling hot and bothered all over again.
Van was her first love, and she could never blame him for how things ended… but that doesn’t mean Ellie’s ready to take him back. She has her own problems to sort out, including a secret that’s been eating away at her.
Van’s wolves know that she’s his mate.
He wasn’t supposed to find Ellie yet. After breaking away from his father’s pack, Van’s plan involved settling into his newly-purchased vineyard on the island of Motuwai. Only then did he plan on tracking Ellie down — to apologise, to grovel, and to beg for her forgiveness.
But the moment he scents her in the unlikeliest of places, he’s done for. His wolves won’t let it go — Ellie is his fated mate — and this time around, he’s not going to ruin things.
However, Ellie isn’t quite the same woman he used to know, and something sinister has been lurking in the shadows. Van’s alpha instincts drive him to protect her, but will it be enough to keep the danger at bay?
A Wolf in the Garden is a first-person, dual POV novel, and the first in the Unravelling Monsters universe. It is a monster romance that features a female lead of mixed New Zealand European and Māori descent who is not afraid to love her man in both his human and his werewolf form. There is a HEA. CWs coming soon.
532 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2023
1042 people are currently reading
4918 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
January 1, 2025
Pros: Sweet, smutty, silly, and fun
Cons: This book is so over-bloated with nothingness and repeated concepts and conversations that it’s soooo much longer than it should be. 500+ pages is actually diabolically insane here.
This could have been a great time at *maximum* 2/3 the length, but as it is this fun romp becomes a repetitive slog at times. Low 3.
Cons: This book is so over-bloated with nothingness and repeated concepts and conversations that it’s soooo much longer than it should be. 500+ pages is actually diabolically insane here.
This could have been a great time at *maximum* 2/3 the length, but as it is this fun romp becomes a repetitive slog at times. Low 3.
November 21, 2023
A Wolf in the Garden is a charming and quaint romance featuring second chance, fated mates, and lots of sweet and steamy moments. The story follows Ellie, a garden and landscape designer who has been building her business and life on a small New Zealand island while hiding a secret from everyone, and Van, Ellie's ex-boyfriend who recently moved to the island to open up a vineyard. When the two meet again for the first time in nine years, Van makes it clear to Ellie that he is determined to get her forgiveness and make her fall back in love with him. However, when Ellie's secret catches up to both of them, they are forced to confront what tore them apart 9 years ago and if they are strong enough now to stay together.
I will accept zero criticisms of A Wolf in the Garden! It might seriously be one of my favorite romances I've read this year. I absolutely loved every minute of reading it, there was not a single moment where I was not fully engaged and in love with Van and Ellie. The writing, romance, plot, and characters all came together to paint such a beautiful picture of the small New Zealand island, the cozy vibes were immaculate. I loved how Ellie and Van were so enamored with each other and how that bled into the story and their growth. I also enjoyed the Māori culture that was embedded in the story and Ellie's life, it was so interesting to learn about the culture and language and it invested me in her character even more. I also have to mention the abundance of steamy scenes, because there were so many and they were all so spicy. Allegra Hall blew me away with this amazing monster romance, I cannot believe this was her debut book. I can't wait to read more from this series!
~Many thanks to Allegra Hall for an ARC of the book in return for an honest review.
I will accept zero criticisms of A Wolf in the Garden! It might seriously be one of my favorite romances I've read this year. I absolutely loved every minute of reading it, there was not a single moment where I was not fully engaged and in love with Van and Ellie. The writing, romance, plot, and characters all came together to paint such a beautiful picture of the small New Zealand island, the cozy vibes were immaculate. I loved how Ellie and Van were so enamored with each other and how that bled into the story and their growth. I also enjoyed the Māori culture that was embedded in the story and Ellie's life, it was so interesting to learn about the culture and language and it invested me in her character even more. I also have to mention the abundance of steamy scenes, because there were so many and they were all so spicy. Allegra Hall blew me away with this amazing monster romance, I cannot believe this was her debut book. I can't wait to read more from this series!
~Many thanks to Allegra Hall for an ARC of the book in return for an honest review.
December 5, 2023
A Wolf in the Garden is a heartwarming and charming read. It’s written in New Zealand English which is what the author speaks and to me it added a personal touch.
Summary: Ellie is a gardner/landscaper living on a small island who carries a secret. One day she meets the new owner of the new vineyard who happens to be Van(her ex boyfriend) who is a wolf. He wants her and will do everything and anything it takes to win back her heart.
Ellie is an extremely likeable heroine. She’s practical, sweet, down to earth, kind and any other nice adjective you can think of lol. She is forgiving of Van despite that he hurt her many years ago.
Due to her mysterious heritage she battles identity issues and how it connects with her culture.
Van our sexy wolf MMC is protective and caring. He is not afraid to express his emotions and be vulnerable. He feels a lot of guilt for having to leave Ellie and promises he will never do it again. He is here to stay. He’s family oriented, super sweet and wants to take care of Ellie. He treats her like a queen and I adored their sweet moments.
Side note-Whenever his inner wolves were chanting I couldn’t help but giggle they were so funny 🤭
I loved them as a couple they really compliment each other 🥹 the chemistry is so well written and the SMUT..oh my gawwddd it was good. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall 🤭 the growls and filthy talk he was doing had me about to faint it was so hot 🔥
Tropes
🌸second chance romance
🌸fated mates 💗
🌸touch her and die 🔪
Things I Loved
💛Māori representation
💛Fast burn romance- I believe they get together at 18% mark in book. It was a nice change because normally you don’t get to see the couple together for majority of the book.
💛COMMUNICATION-when they’re back together they communicate feelings and work through problems. It’s no lies or toxicity.
💛I loved how they discussed grief(both lost someone they loved) and how the MMC went to therapy to address his issues.
💛wolf mating marks/knotting
The only thing that bothered me was how quickly Van was forgiven. Technically it wasn’t his fault he had to leave her but still…I wanted her to put up more of a fight and I needed some MAJOR groveling.
Also the length of the book could have been shorter. The plot started to drag and honestly I got tired of them being happy and having sex all the time. And trust me that says a lot!! I put the H in ho 🤭 I will never ever ever complain about too much sex in a book but this was too much.
Spice rating
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I’m still thinking about that scene when he shifted during sex 🫠🥵🔥
Overall, I would recommend if you want a fast burn and low angst read. The smut was spicy but there are also a ton of sweet moments shared between them. I would definitely read other books by this author in the future 🥰❤️
Summary: Ellie is a gardner/landscaper living on a small island who carries a secret. One day she meets the new owner of the new vineyard who happens to be Van(her ex boyfriend) who is a wolf. He wants her and will do everything and anything it takes to win back her heart.
Ellie is an extremely likeable heroine. She’s practical, sweet, down to earth, kind and any other nice adjective you can think of lol. She is forgiving of Van despite that he hurt her many years ago.
Due to her mysterious heritage she battles identity issues and how it connects with her culture.
Van our sexy wolf MMC is protective and caring. He is not afraid to express his emotions and be vulnerable. He feels a lot of guilt for having to leave Ellie and promises he will never do it again. He is here to stay. He’s family oriented, super sweet and wants to take care of Ellie. He treats her like a queen and I adored their sweet moments.
Side note-Whenever his inner wolves were chanting I couldn’t help but giggle they were so funny 🤭
I loved them as a couple they really compliment each other 🥹 the chemistry is so well written and the SMUT..oh my gawwddd it was good. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall 🤭 the growls and filthy talk he was doing had me about to faint it was so hot 🔥
Tropes
🌸second chance romance
🌸fated mates 💗
🌸touch her and die 🔪
Things I Loved
💛Māori representation
💛Fast burn romance- I believe they get together at 18% mark in book. It was a nice change because normally you don’t get to see the couple together for majority of the book.
💛COMMUNICATION-when they’re back together they communicate feelings and work through problems. It’s no lies or toxicity.
💛I loved how they discussed grief(both lost someone they loved) and how the MMC went to therapy to address his issues.
💛wolf mating marks/knotting
The only thing that bothered me was how quickly Van was forgiven. Technically it wasn’t his fault he had to leave her but still…I wanted her to put up more of a fight and I needed some MAJOR groveling.
Also the length of the book could have been shorter. The plot started to drag and honestly I got tired of them being happy and having sex all the time. And trust me that says a lot!! I put the H in ho 🤭 I will never ever ever complain about too much sex in a book but this was too much.
Spice rating
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I’m still thinking about that scene when he shifted during sex 🫠🥵🔥
Overall, I would recommend if you want a fast burn and low angst read. The smut was spicy but there are also a ton of sweet moments shared between them. I would definitely read other books by this author in the future 🥰❤️
December 2, 2023
The plot had potential but it got really draggy making it really boring. The book doesn’t need to be this long. I’m 33% and they are already together this is where I’m DNFing it. Like I got bored there’s nothing to look forward to it’s just them being cute together. Nothing wrong with that just not something I enjoy if it’s draggy and there’s literally nothing else to look forward to.
November 29, 2023
A Wolf in the Garden was the perfect monster romance. It had all the things I wanted and loved when it comes to a second chance romance. I'm not quite a fan of second chance romances, but Allegra Hall did an excellent job with Ellie and Van's love story 😭
This book was full of heartbreaks and new beginnings. I'm in love with how Allegra executed the sad and happy parts so beautifully. The amount of times I bawled and gushed over these characters is unbelievable.The worldbuilding and characters (which I'm excited to get to know more in upcoming books!) were so well done. I am truly excited and hyped for the next book!
This book was full of heartbreaks and new beginnings. I'm in love with how Allegra executed the sad and happy parts so beautifully. The amount of times I bawled and gushed over these characters is unbelievable.The worldbuilding and characters (which I'm excited to get to know more in upcoming books!) were so well done. I am truly excited and hyped for the next book!
December 5, 2023
I hate to be the first one here who gives this book 1star rating but I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE IT...
I was hoping for cute second chance paranormal romance... But it was not it... This book is really unnecessarily long - 454 pages in my ebook version and near page 100 they're already back together, so what's the point of another 354 pages? In this case? NONE...
I don't mind smutty books but scenes in this one felt sooooooo repetitive... So they were either fuc***g or crying... SOMETIMES BOTH at the same time...
I really wanted to like it :(
I was hoping for cute second chance paranormal romance... But it was not it... This book is really unnecessarily long - 454 pages in my ebook version and near page 100 they're already back together, so what's the point of another 354 pages? In this case? NONE...
I don't mind smutty books but scenes in this one felt sooooooo repetitive... So they were either fuc***g or crying... SOMETIMES BOTH at the same time...
I really wanted to like it :(
March 23, 2024
es increíble como este libro podría haber sido 250 pagina más corto y no cambiaba NADA, la hicieron re larga hermanos a un punto ya estaba podrida de todas las veces que cojian PUEDEN PARAR UN POCO BASSTAAAAA
pero bueno fueron cutes y me gustaron
pero bueno fueron cutes y me gustaron
January 16, 2024
NGL, I skimmed the last 40% of this book and it probably contained less than 10% relevant plot.
This was my second read of the year where the book suffered from what seems like a huge lack of editing. Second chance romance and they are back together within the first quarter of the book? Where is the groveling???
The book started out well, but 20% in, not only is the main couple together, but the danger the FMC was in is seemingly completely fixed and I’m left wondering what the fuck I’m supposed to look forward to. I read this on my kindle and seeing I had almost 5 hours left in the book at that point pissed me off to no end. There was absolutely no reason this book should have been as long as it was. I get that the author is trying to build this world up for a series, but a lot of this could have been broken down into novellas to expand. It felt info-dumpy and really did a huge disservice to the book. I felt myself not caring about the characters at all (and I really liked them!) and just wanting this shit to be over.
With an excess of lore established in this book (and hopefully out of the way for the most part), I will try to read the next book in this series. Hopefully she can focus more on the characters and their story instead of bogging her readers down.
Side note, they fuck…. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. There IS such a thing as too much sex. The fact that this bitch didn’t get a UTI? I’m shocked. Magic pussy indeed.
This was my second read of the year where the book suffered from what seems like a huge lack of editing. Second chance romance and they are back together within the first quarter of the book? Where is the groveling???
The book started out well, but 20% in, not only is the main couple together, but the danger the FMC was in is seemingly completely fixed and I’m left wondering what the fuck I’m supposed to look forward to. I read this on my kindle and seeing I had almost 5 hours left in the book at that point pissed me off to no end. There was absolutely no reason this book should have been as long as it was. I get that the author is trying to build this world up for a series, but a lot of this could have been broken down into novellas to expand. It felt info-dumpy and really did a huge disservice to the book. I felt myself not caring about the characters at all (and I really liked them!) and just wanting this shit to be over.
With an excess of lore established in this book (and hopefully out of the way for the most part), I will try to read the next book in this series. Hopefully she can focus more on the characters and their story instead of bogging her readers down.
Side note, they fuck…. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. There IS such a thing as too much sex. The fact that this bitch didn’t get a UTI? I’m shocked. Magic pussy indeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
August 19, 2024DNF at 35%.
This could have been a great book but I hated that he knew they were mates but still slept with a bunch of women cause he was "trying to forget her".
She wasn't celibate either but she has the excuse of not knowing they were mates and he left her without a word for 9 years.
The story could have been great but this has devolved into sex all the time while he has kept the mate thing a secret from her because it's "too soon" to ask her to be mated. 🙄
It's disappointing and not my jam. I hate when partners get physically intimate while still keeping secrets. And she has no problem with him jumping back into her bed after the years apart.
This could have been a great book but I hated that he knew they were mates but still slept with a bunch of women cause he was "trying to forget her".
She wasn't celibate either but she has the excuse of not knowing they were mates and he left her without a word for 9 years.
The story could have been great but this has devolved into sex all the time while he has kept the mate thing a secret from her because it's "too soon" to ask her to be mated. 🙄
It's disappointing and not my jam. I hate when partners get physically intimate while still keeping secrets. And she has no problem with him jumping back into her bed after the years apart.
April 16, 2024
DNF at 76% but I read 400 pages of them calling each other baby and hearing incessantly about his dick so I’m counting it.
I know there’s an audience for this book out there, clearly people love it. I however was bored any annoyed. This book could stand to have AT MINIMUM 150 pages edited out. Even when the stakes started to feel like they were ramping up they’d fall flat. At its best I’d call this a cozy PNR/Monster erotica but really it was just a lot of knotting.
I know there’s an audience for this book out there, clearly people love it. I however was bored any annoyed. This book could stand to have AT MINIMUM 150 pages edited out. Even when the stakes started to feel like they were ramping up they’d fall flat. At its best I’d call this a cozy PNR/Monster erotica but really it was just a lot of knotting.
September 29, 2024
4.75⭐ / 4🌶️
— vibezz
🌕 fated mates
🍄 second chance
🌕 hurt/comfort
🍄 maori representation
🌕 communication is top tier
mini blurb — ✍🏻
It's been two years now that supernatural creatures live freely amidst the humans after the Unraveling.
Van is back in NZ and he hope to built a life here for his new pack and make amends with his lost love, Ellie. She's now a successful outdoor designer, trying to take a step and forget the past that still hurt her, but Van is willing to do anything to have a second chance with her.
//
THIS FUCKING BOOK
"oh let's read a cute whimsical shifter rom com, the cover is so cute I bet it's a fluffy romance!"
I'm a fucking joke, prepare to be emotionally wrecked six ways to sunday and say thank you Allegra after it.
This book will break your heart and put it back together, will make you swoon, will make you cry ugly and will make you blush, DO NOT LET BE FOOLED IT'S FILTHY 😏
The plot was something amazing, I love how it got the actual setting and the 'supernatural' aspect added into it, how the topic of 'magic' beings and the politics and the problems, big or smalls, was addressed, the repercussion of living in this world of both humans and non humans.
And with this one also the Maori rep.
I love the colture, I myself, am a bit of a fan of rugby and got close to this by the sport, and reading all about it in this book by chance I might add, since I barely informed myself before starting it, was a pleasant surprise. I really hope to read more about this culture in the future.
Also the communication here ✨🤌 it was to die for.
Obviously throughout the book are being addressed different topic and problem the more the plot goes and even between the MCs there's lots and lots of talks of their story before, what came, and what is expected in the future. In this way they're both very mature and understanding of their relationship and their feelings.
Ngl I am a bit skeptical of the novella that's to come [[book:Howl|212123834]] that would be Van's parents story, sort of a prequel of this book. Van's relationship with his family, his father it's a little complicated, expectantly so when you get to understand a little about shifter and pack mentality for their species, it's still hard tho to see them like this, a bittersweet pill you have to swallow 🥹
On this note I really hope we get to know more about Ellie's ancestors 👀 that was a really interesting plot and I'm a bit disappointed it was "resolved" that way, but I'm guessing (and hoping) we'll get to know more in the upcoming books for this series 🤞
— vibezz
🌕 fated mates
🍄 second chance
🌕 hurt/comfort
🍄 maori representation
🌕 communication is top tier
mini blurb — ✍🏻
It's been two years now that supernatural creatures live freely amidst the humans after the Unraveling.
Van is back in NZ and he hope to built a life here for his new pack and make amends with his lost love, Ellie. She's now a successful outdoor designer, trying to take a step and forget the past that still hurt her, but Van is willing to do anything to have a second chance with her.
//
THIS FUCKING BOOK
"oh let's read a cute whimsical shifter rom com, the cover is so cute I bet it's a fluffy romance!"
I'm a fucking joke, prepare to be emotionally wrecked six ways to sunday and say thank you Allegra after it.
This book will break your heart and put it back together, will make you swoon, will make you cry ugly and will make you blush, DO NOT LET BE FOOLED IT'S FILTHY 😏
The plot was something amazing, I love how it got the actual setting and the 'supernatural' aspect added into it, how the topic of 'magic' beings and the politics and the problems, big or smalls, was addressed, the repercussion of living in this world of both humans and non humans.
And with this one also the Maori rep.
I love the colture, I myself, am a bit of a fan of rugby and got close to this by the sport, and reading all about it in this book by chance I might add, since I barely informed myself before starting it, was a pleasant surprise. I really hope to read more about this culture in the future.
Also the communication here ✨🤌 it was to die for.
Obviously throughout the book are being addressed different topic and problem the more the plot goes and even between the MCs there's lots and lots of talks of their story before, what came, and what is expected in the future. In this way they're both very mature and understanding of their relationship and their feelings.
Ngl I am a bit skeptical of the novella that's to come [[book:Howl|212123834]] that would be Van's parents story, sort of a prequel of this book. Van's relationship with his family, his father it's a little complicated, expectantly so when you get to understand a little about shifter and pack mentality for their species, it's still hard tho to see them like this, a bittersweet pill you have to swallow 🥹
On this note I really hope we get to know more about Ellie's ancestors 👀 that was a really interesting plot and I'm a bit disappointed it was "resolved" that way, but I'm guessing (and hoping) we'll get to know more in the upcoming books for this series 🤞
December 13, 2023
So my problem with this book was the fact that they have all of this history together but we actually don’t get to see any of the history together and so it’s supposed to be this whole emotional aspect that is to the story and we never really get it
We don’t fully understand the backstory and why he was horrible. We get that his sister died and drowned or whatever but we also don’t get any actual flashbacks or stories about it. It’s just kind of said in passing
He keeps talking about how he was planning on groveling, and he never hast to. He doesn’t even really say I’m sorry and she just jumps right from oh I never thought I’d see you again too. I need to have sex with you in two days.
He gives her some weird note that is kind of a half of an apology. I’m sorry that you got hurt, but I had to do what I had to do type of thing. It’s shitty and stupid.
There’s a magic system that’s not super explained there’s a lot of moving parts that are moving off screen and so you don’t really understand why we’re talking about it if we’re never really gonna see it
And top it all off. It’s 400 pages why
??
A lot of people were saying it was cute and I think the reason is because it’s very low and the drama is not between the two main characters but again because we don’t have any emotional balance put in it just feels like this really big fluffy book for no reason
It just wasn’t my jam
We don’t fully understand the backstory and why he was horrible. We get that his sister died and drowned or whatever but we also don’t get any actual flashbacks or stories about it. It’s just kind of said in passing
He keeps talking about how he was planning on groveling, and he never hast to. He doesn’t even really say I’m sorry and she just jumps right from oh I never thought I’d see you again too. I need to have sex with you in two days.
He gives her some weird note that is kind of a half of an apology. I’m sorry that you got hurt, but I had to do what I had to do type of thing. It’s shitty and stupid.
There’s a magic system that’s not super explained there’s a lot of moving parts that are moving off screen and so you don’t really understand why we’re talking about it if we’re never really gonna see it
And top it all off. It’s 400 pages why
??
A lot of people were saying it was cute and I think the reason is because it’s very low and the drama is not between the two main characters but again because we don’t have any emotional balance put in it just feels like this really big fluffy book for no reason
It just wasn’t my jam
December 3, 2023
I’m giving this a low 3. Book was way too long for no fucking reason. When I see second chance romance I’m reading for the angst, the grovel. This had nothing- Ellie was way too understanding why he left. The lore was too convoluted and confusing, did Van really need to be 2 types of wolf? Shifter AND werewolf?? The plot went absolutely nowhere, there was no resolution about the fae and kidnappings. Spicy scenes were repetitive and abundant. I like my spicy scenes as much as the next girl but when they’re 2x per chapter, exactly the same and the plot is stagnant, you gotta give it a rest. There were pages of pointless conversations and random newspaper articles and at one point a whole chapter that was a fake Facebook community chat?? Book was subtly setting up a series but I’m not going to continue.
November 13, 2023
Second chance is one of my least favorite tropes, but the premise of this book sounded too good to pass, and when Allegra announced the ARCs I knew I had to read it. I'm so glad I gave it a chance because it's probably one of the best books I've read in 2023.
My favorite part was definitely the inclusion of Māori culture and language! It truly made the story unique.
I loved every single character in this story (which is rare for me) and I'm so excited to read the rest of the series!
When I hit the 30% mark I had already cried multiples times, then I got to the 50% mark and everything was suspiciously fine and cute, and I was like "no, everything is going a little too well", and then BOOM: PAIN, that made me cry till the very last page.
I fell like I'm always crying with this book lol (it's a good thing, don't worry).
Representation: mixed New Zealand European and Māori female main character, American male main character.
Content Warnings: abandonment, sexual content, off-page death of a child that occurred years ago, drowning, grief, loss of a sibling, loss of a child, symptoms of PTSD, brief mention of a side character's previous abusive relationship, mind control, attempted kidnapping, a shifted wolf attacking a shifted being and on-page death of this creature while in shifted animal form, blood, discussion of shifted wolves and werewolves hunting animals for food (not shown, but actions, sounds, and taste briefly described by characters), dysfunctional family dynamics, violence between shifted wolves, abuse of magic powers to exert will over others, struggles with identity, reference to situational depression (in the past), recreational use of alcohol, reference to binge drinking as a coping mechanism (in the past), secondary characters with children or babies, and non-humans being othered and experiencing microaggressions, racism.
My favorite part was definitely the inclusion of Māori culture and language! It truly made the story unique.
I loved every single character in this story (which is rare for me) and I'm so excited to read the rest of the series!
When I hit the 30% mark I had already cried multiples times, then I got to the 50% mark and everything was suspiciously fine and cute, and I was like "no, everything is going a little too well", and then BOOM: PAIN, that made me cry till the very last page.
I fell like I'm always crying with this book lol (it's a good thing, don't worry).
Representation: mixed New Zealand European and Māori female main character, American male main character.
Content Warnings: abandonment, sexual content, off-page death of a child that occurred years ago, drowning, grief, loss of a sibling, loss of a child, symptoms of PTSD, brief mention of a side character's previous abusive relationship, mind control, attempted kidnapping, a shifted wolf attacking a shifted being and on-page death of this creature while in shifted animal form, blood, discussion of shifted wolves and werewolves hunting animals for food (not shown, but actions, sounds, and taste briefly described by characters), dysfunctional family dynamics, violence between shifted wolves, abuse of magic powers to exert will over others, struggles with identity, reference to situational depression (in the past), recreational use of alcohol, reference to binge drinking as a coping mechanism (in the past), secondary characters with children or babies, and non-humans being othered and experiencing microaggressions, racism.
November 8, 2023
This book is truly one of my favorites that I've ever read. This book taught me a lot of things about Māori culture and New Zealand in general that I, an American, had no clue about... so not only was it a pleasure to read but I actually learned some things! The characters are fantastic. Ellie is such a strong and smart FMC, and Van is a kind and supportive MMC. Their love is so electric, and yet also sweet and tender. The secondary characters are really great too, you get a real sense of who they are - they're not just flat or pointless. There are fantasy and monster elements, but even if those aren't your usual subgenres, I would recommend this one to anyone who loves reading spicy romance books.
November 28, 2023
Normally I don’t enjoy second chance romances very much but this one was done so well I didn’t even think about the fact that it was a second chance romance.
It was cozy, it was cute, the spice was hot and there’s definitely a bad thing happening in the background with our FMC but it still felt very low stakes.
My favorite part in particular was the inclusion of Māori culture. I myself, am not Māori but seeing a culture so underrepresented in novels, in a romance book?? It put a huge smile on my face while also learning things I didn’t know about said culture.
Highly highly recommend especially if you’re looking to ease yourself into the Monster Romance genre, I think this would be an amazing choice.
Thank you Allegra for the ARC. Was truly an honor reading it!
dnf
February 19, 2024Jan 2024
This book was full of sex… we went 137 pages in the middle with zero plot advance. Had to DNF.
- Main notes/tropes: second chance, wolf shifter
- Lightheartedness: medium, not quite as light as a romcom, but not serious either
- Steam: I’m at the 33% mark and there’s been 3/4 scenes already, so this is plentiful
- Turning point: there kinda wasn’t one. She had already forgiven him over the years, she was only slightly worried about her heart being broken again. It was basically insta-love, but second chance insta-love. Also he said he never stopped loving her. So overall… pretty unsatisfying turning point.
- Show/tell: show of current relationship, little tell except their past relationship of course
- Did I laugh? Once or twice
- Did I cry? Nope
- Feels: ✅ angst/longing at the beginning before the turn
- 15%/page 95 oof. That was a fucking rough breakup… I like that it actually wasn’t his fault breaking her heart all those years ago because his father had (magically) commanded him as Alpha to break up with her, and he couldn’t go against those orders unless he left their family pack. I was really hoping it wouldn’t be a reason I would hate him for it DNF over. His letter was very sincere and a good apology, though he didn’t explain it all. I especially liked how the things he wrote and crossed out were included in the letter.
- 21%/page 126 whew, that was a steamy shower scene. As if she couldn’t just shower by herself lol.. of course the only solution was to have them both shower naked together. Quite early on in the book, too, which I kinda don’t love… now there’s no more tension anymore. And his long tongue lol.
- 28%/page 158 hahah she fell asleep without peeing and reminded herself to get some cranberry juice. Never seen UTIs referenced before. Wow they’ve had sex three times already… I wonder how many times it’s going to be in this book. That was one of the complaints I read in reviews… there was TOO much sex and it all seemed the same. I so like so far that they’re both definitely wanting to get back together and are expressing it out loud, not just having sex
- 32%/page 188 man there is a lot of sex in this book. And yet he hasn’t explained why he stayed away for 9 years???
- 33%/page 193 hahahah I love that she calls the time without him her “ho phase” and he admits he had one too, but doesn’t want to hear about it. No slut shaming here!! Okay but now they’ve said their “I love yous” and we’re only a third way through the book? Good lord, people were not kidding about the pacing.
- Forgot to say I LOVE how bilingualism is handled in this book. It’s so natural here, like the author wrote it as if it were her own conversations, not like a lot of authors do where they over explain or just make it weird/awkward or just drop a random word or two here and there. Like you can truly tell the author grew up in a bilingual household.
- 37%/page 212 good god they’re having sex again???? This is like scene #5? 6? and we’re only a third of the way through??? Omg I can’t believe I’m actually thinking of DNFing over too much sex lol. Omg I actually went back and counted and we’re on sex scene #7.5 (I’m counting a nude photo session scene that was only a few pages as 0.5 lol). Jfc. I love reading smut and intimacy but this is A LOT.
- 46%/p260 sex WHILE he shifted to his werewolf form. Wow lol. Good god where is the PLOT in this book?
- 49%/p278 more sex… but like it’s the same scene over and over. Can we get some variety here? We didn’t even go 20 pages since the last one. And it’s always pretty vanilla sex… one of them goes down on the other, or they just have PIV sex. Nothing dirtier than that.
- 50%/p283 hahah she howled back at him, that is sooo adorably sweet.
- 55%/p312 good lord I think we’ve gone like 200 pages without ANY PLOT ADVANCING. Like the last thing was that witch putting safety spells on Ellie and her home? (Okay I checked and it was 137 pages but felt like 200). Honestly at this point I feel like I’ve gotten everything I want out of this relationship lol. Like we got her moving in together, a million sex scenes, the talk of marriage and kids… the only thing that I want to see that I haven’t is the claim bite.
- OMG I went to read reviews to see if the second half would be better and a review said that the fae plot with kidnappings doesn’t get resolved???????? Are you KIDDING me.
- Okay I went and read the claim bite and now I’m DNFing. It was nice and they get to sense each other’s feelings now, but yeah I’m done here. Pretty sad this turned out this way, I didn’t expect I would DNF this book at all. Oh well.
This book was full of sex… we went 137 pages in the middle with zero plot advance. Had to DNF.
- Main notes/tropes: second chance, wolf shifter
- Lightheartedness: medium, not quite as light as a romcom, but not serious either
- Steam: I’m at the 33% mark and there’s been 3/4 scenes already, so this is plentiful
- Turning point: there kinda wasn’t one. She had already forgiven him over the years, she was only slightly worried about her heart being broken again. It was basically insta-love, but second chance insta-love. Also he said he never stopped loving her. So overall… pretty unsatisfying turning point.
- Show/tell: show of current relationship, little tell except their past relationship of course
- Did I laugh? Once or twice
- Did I cry? Nope
- Feels: ✅ angst/longing at the beginning before the turn
- 15%/page 95 oof. That was a fucking rough breakup… I like that it actually wasn’t his fault breaking her heart all those years ago because his father had (magically) commanded him as Alpha to break up with her, and he couldn’t go against those orders unless he left their family pack. I was really hoping it wouldn’t be a reason I would hate him for it DNF over. His letter was very sincere and a good apology, though he didn’t explain it all. I especially liked how the things he wrote and crossed out were included in the letter.
- 21%/page 126 whew, that was a steamy shower scene. As if she couldn’t just shower by herself lol.. of course the only solution was to have them both shower naked together. Quite early on in the book, too, which I kinda don’t love… now there’s no more tension anymore. And his long tongue lol.
- 28%/page 158 hahah she fell asleep without peeing and reminded herself to get some cranberry juice. Never seen UTIs referenced before. Wow they’ve had sex three times already… I wonder how many times it’s going to be in this book. That was one of the complaints I read in reviews… there was TOO much sex and it all seemed the same. I so like so far that they’re both definitely wanting to get back together and are expressing it out loud, not just having sex
- 32%/page 188 man there is a lot of sex in this book. And yet he hasn’t explained why he stayed away for 9 years???
- 33%/page 193 hahahah I love that she calls the time without him her “ho phase” and he admits he had one too, but doesn’t want to hear about it. No slut shaming here!! Okay but now they’ve said their “I love yous” and we’re only a third way through the book? Good lord, people were not kidding about the pacing.
- Forgot to say I LOVE how bilingualism is handled in this book. It’s so natural here, like the author wrote it as if it were her own conversations, not like a lot of authors do where they over explain or just make it weird/awkward or just drop a random word or two here and there. Like you can truly tell the author grew up in a bilingual household.
- 37%/page 212 good god they’re having sex again???? This is like scene #5? 6? and we’re only a third of the way through??? Omg I can’t believe I’m actually thinking of DNFing over too much sex lol. Omg I actually went back and counted and we’re on sex scene #7.5 (I’m counting a nude photo session scene that was only a few pages as 0.5 lol). Jfc. I love reading smut and intimacy but this is A LOT.
- 46%/p260 sex WHILE he shifted to his werewolf form. Wow lol. Good god where is the PLOT in this book?
- 49%/p278 more sex… but like it’s the same scene over and over. Can we get some variety here? We didn’t even go 20 pages since the last one. And it’s always pretty vanilla sex… one of them goes down on the other, or they just have PIV sex. Nothing dirtier than that.
- 50%/p283 hahah she howled back at him, that is sooo adorably sweet.
- 55%/p312 good lord I think we’ve gone like 200 pages without ANY PLOT ADVANCING. Like the last thing was that witch putting safety spells on Ellie and her home? (Okay I checked and it was 137 pages but felt like 200). Honestly at this point I feel like I’ve gotten everything I want out of this relationship lol. Like we got her moving in together, a million sex scenes, the talk of marriage and kids… the only thing that I want to see that I haven’t is the claim bite.
- OMG I went to read reviews to see if the second half would be better and a review said that the fae plot with kidnappings doesn’t get resolved???????? Are you KIDDING me.
- Okay I went and read the claim bite and now I’m DNFing. It was nice and they get to sense each other’s feelings now, but yeah I’m done here. Pretty sad this turned out this way, I didn’t expect I would DNF this book at all. Oh well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2024
I was honored to receive an eARC for A Wolf In The Garden by Allegra Hall. This review is honest and freely given.
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
3/5🌶️
The Quick and Dirty: A lovely debut PNR novel full of monsters, self acceptance, heritage and magic. Definitely recommend to people who enjoy emotions and beauty with their monster smut.
Tropes & Themes: second chance romance, forced proximity, fated mates, a MMC who is both a werewolf and a wolf shifter, paranormal Earth and supernatural beings, cottage core New Zealand, Māori representation, knotting, monster peen, fast-burn romance, magic and danger, grief, and more.
Spoiler Free Summary:
Ellie’s life is finally amazing: she moved to an island, has her dream job of designing gardens, built her own little cottage core oasis complete with a tiny house, and has a small but great group of elderly friends. But she’s been keeping a secret. The Unravelling happened two years ago. The worldwide glamor that hid supernatural beings shattered, quite literally unveiling the paranormal to humankind. Overnight, neighbors became Orcs, dragons, vampires, and more. And for those two years, Ellie has been hiding her newly pointed ears.
Evander’s life is a mess: he just moved back to New Zealand after buying a winery in desperate need of renovation, split from his natal wolf pack, and has been missing Ellie for nine long years. He keeps saying he’ll find her and beg for another chance, just once he gets everything under control. His wolves demand they find their mate - now - but the decision is taken from them when Ellie serendipitously falls right back into their lives.
Now Evander will do anything he can to keep Ellie safe, if only they understood the threat against her.
Thoughts:
- The setting for this book is so very enchanting. I love the way the author describes Motuwai Island and its native flora and fauna. The details regarding Ellie’s gardens and the overall landscape are very beautiful.
- The overall concept of the Unravelling is really cool. I really like the idea that there were people in the world that donned their human glamour knowingly, while others had no idea that a paranormal being was hiding in their DNA. Imagine waking up one day to realize you’ve secretly been a witch the whole time.
- I’ve never read another PNR where the MMC is half werewolf, half wolf shifter, having two different shifted forms. I thought this was a unique detail to have in the story. I do wish there would have been more involvement of the two wolves’ internal thoughts, but I really loved the concept. I also loved the way the author dealt with Van’s relationship with his father.
- Ellie and Van’s journey is definitely one of self acceptance and forgiveness. A large portion of this book is spent on Ellie trying to marry her human heritage with her paranormal heritage. I think this is a reflection of the struggles that mixed-heritage humans face, in real life. This is something I think a lot of readers will relate to. Likewise, Van has some identity issues himself, namely with being a “mixed breed,” as well as an Alpha trying to juggle the needs of all his people.
- Ellie and Van’s relationship develops very very quickly. This is partly because of their history, partly because they are fated mates. So, if you like books where the MCs are romantically together for the majority of the book, this is definitely for you! There is also more smut than most PRN books I’ve read. The “monster” smut portions (in which she has sex with Van in his werewolf form) were very well done though.
- My feelings forward this book are overall very positive. I think the author did an amazing job for a debut novel and I am honored that I was able to learn just a little more about New Zealand and Māori culture. You can feel the author’s love on page. I have a feeling that PNR lovers are going to really love this story.
- While I did enjoy this book, there were some things that stood out to me. The overall pacing of this book was a little wobbly. I think this comes down two to main things. First, the dialogue. There is a lot of dialogue in this book. The MCs discuss their relationship, their emotions, the past, their regrets, and their struggles, repetitively without resolution. I think this might be a symptom of the fast-burn reconciliation (back together by 20%). If they hadn’t jumped into their relationship so quickly, some of these repetitive conversations could have taken place prior, and then there wouldn’t have been the constant insecurities leading to the same conversations over and over. The dialogue issues might also be a symptom of the exceedingly emotional feel of this book. I adore books that delve into emotions and the inner workings of people’s minds, and I especially love when the MMC isn’t afraid to show emotion. I think my issue with the way emotions were handled here, is that the author /shows/ the emotions (crying, shaking, screaming) AND /tells/ the emotions (lengthy descriptions of how the characters feel from their own mouths). But more than the double dose of emotions, is the fact that those conversations and emotions never get proper closure, which is why they keep getting brought up. Sex ends up being the solution for a lot of the MCs issues and feelings - and it leaves the characters in closure limbo. Hence why everything keeps getting repeated and brought up and rehashed. On that note, I also don’t feel that anyone got closure of any kind for the death of Van’s little sister. If anything, it feels like everyone is more upset about it in the end than they were in the beginning.
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
3/5🌶️
The Quick and Dirty: A lovely debut PNR novel full of monsters, self acceptance, heritage and magic. Definitely recommend to people who enjoy emotions and beauty with their monster smut.
Tropes & Themes: second chance romance, forced proximity, fated mates, a MMC who is both a werewolf and a wolf shifter, paranormal Earth and supernatural beings, cottage core New Zealand, Māori representation, knotting, monster peen, fast-burn romance, magic and danger, grief, and more.
Spoiler Free Summary:
Ellie’s life is finally amazing: she moved to an island, has her dream job of designing gardens, built her own little cottage core oasis complete with a tiny house, and has a small but great group of elderly friends. But she’s been keeping a secret. The Unravelling happened two years ago. The worldwide glamor that hid supernatural beings shattered, quite literally unveiling the paranormal to humankind. Overnight, neighbors became Orcs, dragons, vampires, and more. And for those two years, Ellie has been hiding her newly pointed ears.
Evander’s life is a mess: he just moved back to New Zealand after buying a winery in desperate need of renovation, split from his natal wolf pack, and has been missing Ellie for nine long years. He keeps saying he’ll find her and beg for another chance, just once he gets everything under control. His wolves demand they find their mate - now - but the decision is taken from them when Ellie serendipitously falls right back into their lives.
Now Evander will do anything he can to keep Ellie safe, if only they understood the threat against her.
Thoughts:
- The setting for this book is so very enchanting. I love the way the author describes Motuwai Island and its native flora and fauna. The details regarding Ellie’s gardens and the overall landscape are very beautiful.
- The overall concept of the Unravelling is really cool. I really like the idea that there were people in the world that donned their human glamour knowingly, while others had no idea that a paranormal being was hiding in their DNA. Imagine waking up one day to realize you’ve secretly been a witch the whole time.
- I’ve never read another PNR where the MMC is half werewolf, half wolf shifter, having two different shifted forms. I thought this was a unique detail to have in the story. I do wish there would have been more involvement of the two wolves’ internal thoughts, but I really loved the concept. I also loved the way the author dealt with Van’s relationship with his father.
- Ellie and Van’s journey is definitely one of self acceptance and forgiveness. A large portion of this book is spent on Ellie trying to marry her human heritage with her paranormal heritage. I think this is a reflection of the struggles that mixed-heritage humans face, in real life. This is something I think a lot of readers will relate to. Likewise, Van has some identity issues himself, namely with being a “mixed breed,” as well as an Alpha trying to juggle the needs of all his people.
- Ellie and Van’s relationship develops very very quickly. This is partly because of their history, partly because they are fated mates. So, if you like books where the MCs are romantically together for the majority of the book, this is definitely for you! There is also more smut than most PRN books I’ve read. The “monster” smut portions (in which she has sex with Van in his werewolf form) were very well done though.
- My feelings forward this book are overall very positive. I think the author did an amazing job for a debut novel and I am honored that I was able to learn just a little more about New Zealand and Māori culture. You can feel the author’s love on page. I have a feeling that PNR lovers are going to really love this story.
- While I did enjoy this book, there were some things that stood out to me. The overall pacing of this book was a little wobbly. I think this comes down two to main things. First, the dialogue. There is a lot of dialogue in this book. The MCs discuss their relationship, their emotions, the past, their regrets, and their struggles, repetitively without resolution. I think this might be a symptom of the fast-burn reconciliation (back together by 20%). If they hadn’t jumped into their relationship so quickly, some of these repetitive conversations could have taken place prior, and then there wouldn’t have been the constant insecurities leading to the same conversations over and over. The dialogue issues might also be a symptom of the exceedingly emotional feel of this book. I adore books that delve into emotions and the inner workings of people’s minds, and I especially love when the MMC isn’t afraid to show emotion. I think my issue with the way emotions were handled here, is that the author /shows/ the emotions (crying, shaking, screaming) AND /tells/ the emotions (lengthy descriptions of how the characters feel from their own mouths). But more than the double dose of emotions, is the fact that those conversations and emotions never get proper closure, which is why they keep getting brought up. Sex ends up being the solution for a lot of the MCs issues and feelings - and it leaves the characters in closure limbo. Hence why everything keeps getting repeated and brought up and rehashed. On that note, I also don’t feel that anyone got closure of any kind for the death of Van’s little sister. If anything, it feels like everyone is more upset about it in the end than they were in the beginning.
August 26, 2025
I wanted a light read after HoFaS, and sadly, this was not it. I was super excited for this, as the cover is beautiful, and I saw some cool art, but I was kind of let down. It was quite a struggle to get through this book, it was a massive book. Although it was a whopping 500+ pages, it still felt rushed in some parts. But it was also dragging on forever, the story is interesting, but damn it took long to wrap up. There are a shit ton of spicy scenes in this book, but they were not well written in my opinion. I did not really care about the characters, I did not hate them, but they were annoying from time to time. I felt I would have liked this book a lot more if it were 200 pages shorter. The part I did like in this book was the setting at the winery in New Zealand. I haven't read a lot about Māori culture, and I found it interesting to learn a bit about it. I also liked that the MMC had a soft side and was okay to show this. It was not the worst book I read, but you can notice that this is a debut.
January 9, 2024
.5 Stars:
This is a stand-alone novel with dual POV. It is worth noting that unless you are familiar with the Māori culture - you will likely have to flip to the glossary A TON to understand some of the dialog.
I was so disappointed with this read. It started off really good - but by page 150ish, I was confident the book was not for me due to pacing as the couple are already together, past tension forgiven, and sexy times a-happening. (I felt like the editor should have nip/tucked the length of this book- but *shrug* I'm not an editor, just a reader.) From there I did a speed reading - and I wish I would have just stopped when I realized the book wasn't paced in a manner I would enjoy. The book had some really great ideas and I was interested in the setting which takes place in New Zealand and centers heavily around the Māori culture. I was interested in the world changing after the Unravelling and learning about all the different species and such. The idea of prejudice with non-humans was interesting. The 2nd chance love story was interesting. The fated mates, the magic, the family tension - all interesting plot points. However - when you mix it all together - it was too much! There was too much discussed and it completely watered down the story and had me feeling majorly over-whelmed. What does this story want to be, because it feels like unfocused mania! I also felt like at times I was reading a text-book, and was so bored it was like watching paint dry. I kept asking "When is something interesting going to happen."
Van and Ellie were ok characters for the most part - but their constant mushy discussions with crying started driving me bananas. I don't need every conversation they've had within a 3 month span fully narrated for me. You don't have to examine every single facet of a couples encounters - you can give us building blocks that we can then sus out details with. (ex: After their first date, you don't have to fully detail the 2nd date for me .... just tell me they went to dinner FFS!) This book also did what I really hate with spicy books - and it over spiced. I anticipate it would be on par with the reaction I'd have if I went to gently salt my fries, but the top comes off and salt drowns my delicious potato snack. There are only so many times I want to hear about being knotted - and twice is enough! Because at that point, I GET IT!!! HE'S HUGE - IT'S AMAZING ... MESSAGE FRICKEN RECEIVED!!!!! (The word Knot is mentioned 117 times!)
Also - for a ~500 page book - the conflict and ending pissed me off tremendously which is why this book gets a .5 stars. You are telling me that I read probably over 200 pages of sex scenes, but you wrap up the conflict in a few short scenes? Where is the tension?! Where is the adventure? This book should have been about 300 pages shorter, less spice, less mushy long dialogs, a more focused plot, and more action. I can't recommend this, and I won't read more by the author unfortunately until I forget about this experience. I will say I give major props for inclusion about a culture that many probably don't know a lot about - though I did get frustrated with how often I didn't understand what was being said - I respect that because it's growth for me IRL. It was interesting being immersed into a culture I'm not familiar with - I guess I just wish it would have been the prime "world-building" focus instead of it being lost among all the other ideas that were happening. I will end my rant here!
This is a stand-alone novel with dual POV. It is worth noting that unless you are familiar with the Māori culture - you will likely have to flip to the glossary A TON to understand some of the dialog.
I was so disappointed with this read. It started off really good - but by page 150ish, I was confident the book was not for me due to pacing as the couple are already together, past tension forgiven, and sexy times a-happening. (I felt like the editor should have nip/tucked the length of this book- but *shrug* I'm not an editor, just a reader.) From there I did a speed reading - and I wish I would have just stopped when I realized the book wasn't paced in a manner I would enjoy. The book had some really great ideas and I was interested in the setting which takes place in New Zealand and centers heavily around the Māori culture. I was interested in the world changing after the Unravelling and learning about all the different species and such. The idea of prejudice with non-humans was interesting. The 2nd chance love story was interesting. The fated mates, the magic, the family tension - all interesting plot points. However - when you mix it all together - it was too much! There was too much discussed and it completely watered down the story and had me feeling majorly over-whelmed. What does this story want to be, because it feels like unfocused mania! I also felt like at times I was reading a text-book, and was so bored it was like watching paint dry. I kept asking "When is something interesting going to happen."
Van and Ellie were ok characters for the most part - but their constant mushy discussions with crying started driving me bananas. I don't need every conversation they've had within a 3 month span fully narrated for me. You don't have to examine every single facet of a couples encounters - you can give us building blocks that we can then sus out details with. (ex: After their first date, you don't have to fully detail the 2nd date for me .... just tell me they went to dinner FFS!) This book also did what I really hate with spicy books - and it over spiced. I anticipate it would be on par with the reaction I'd have if I went to gently salt my fries, but the top comes off and salt drowns my delicious potato snack. There are only so many times I want to hear about being knotted - and twice is enough! Because at that point, I GET IT!!! HE'S HUGE - IT'S AMAZING ... MESSAGE FRICKEN RECEIVED!!!!! (The word Knot is mentioned 117 times!)
Also - for a ~500 page book - the conflict and ending pissed me off tremendously which is why this book gets a .5 stars. You are telling me that I read probably over 200 pages of sex scenes, but you wrap up the conflict in a few short scenes? Where is the tension?! Where is the adventure? This book should have been about 300 pages shorter, less spice, less mushy long dialogs, a more focused plot, and more action. I can't recommend this, and I won't read more by the author unfortunately until I forget about this experience. I will say I give major props for inclusion about a culture that many probably don't know a lot about - though I did get frustrated with how often I didn't understand what was being said - I respect that because it's growth for me IRL. It was interesting being immersed into a culture I'm not familiar with - I guess I just wish it would have been the prime "world-building" focus instead of it being lost among all the other ideas that were happening. I will end my rant here!
November 12, 2023
4.5/5
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for my honest feedback.
I devoured this book! I will always love and appreciate books in non-American settings and New Zealand (Aotearoa) was this story's perfect, beautiful backdrop. The characters had such amazing chemistry and the world-building felt so seamless.
I love Van and Ellie, but I was expecting Ellie to push back on Van a little bit more regarding their history. I felt she forgave him really quickly and I wanted to see them *struggle*. Give me that angst.
This book is thiccc and so good and I'm excited to see what else Allegra Hall creates!
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for my honest feedback.
I devoured this book! I will always love and appreciate books in non-American settings and New Zealand (Aotearoa) was this story's perfect, beautiful backdrop. The characters had such amazing chemistry and the world-building felt so seamless.
I love Van and Ellie, but I was expecting Ellie to push back on Van a little bit more regarding their history. I felt she forgave him really quickly and I wanted to see them *struggle*. Give me that angst.
This book is thiccc and so good and I'm excited to see what else Allegra Hall creates!
November 14, 2023
‘A Wolf in the Garden’
RELEASE DATE: 30th November 2023
━━━━ † ━━━━
⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot: 📚📚📚📚
🔥 slow burn: 🔥🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬🍬🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸
🍆 peen uniqueness: 🍆🍆
👤 POV: 1st person POV — Duel POV
━━━━ † ━━━━
I just wanted to start off this review by saying I think this might be my favourite read of the year…and now I’m sitting here all sad with the knowledge that I won’t ever be able to read this for the first time again.
Allegra Hall has created a simply beautiful, warm and comforting world that wraps you up in some cozy, cottagecore hugs while also managing to make you cry with heartbreakingly honesty and hot with spice that is both tender and downright filthy — in the BEST way!
Ellie and Evander (Van) have touched me as a couple in a way that only a few book couples ever have and their relationship: filled with innocence, tenderness, primal yearning, hot passion and SO much love — it really leaves your heart feeling full and warm in your chest. Their relationship is the core focus of this book, but the side characters are also equally as entertaining and bring humour, sadness and complexity that just further captivates you into a world that’s so rich and vibrant.
I’m a sucker for a good wolf shifter/werewolf romance and I was NOT disappointed with those elements in ‘A Wolf in the Garden’. Hall has created an intricate and evolving lore to the classic knowledge of werewolves that is both refreshing and familiar at the same time and that only added a level of intrigue that left me seeking MORE — genuinely curious about this universe and wondering what more can be explored in (hopefully) future stories in this series!
Seeing as though one of the main elements to this story that got me excited to read it in the first place was the spice, I can’t leave a review and NOT talk about it…because it was GOOD! Like, REALLY GOOD…Panty-dripping good!
Mixing in soft, tender moments of reconciliation and love with moments fuelled by pure primal drive and animalistic urges was perfection (and I want to give Hall a VERY special thank you for some good ‘ole foreskin appreciation! It’s rare for it to be touched on and Ellie’s genuine love of it was so refreshing! So thank you!!). Knotting is a VERY big part of this story as well, another personal love of mine, and it was delicious to actually have it written in a way that locks the characters together for extended periods of time — which results in such tender moments and cuddles enough to rot your teeth…but also make you cry with some of the raw human emotion that is laid bare.
Another HUGE part of this book that left me feeling so happy was the appreciation and expression of Māori culture both in language, and cultural history and traditions. It was handled with such care and respect that you could really tell how honestly proud Hall was in being able to write this story and sharing Māori culture with a wider audience.
There are very few trigger warnings in this book, but there are two main ones that are quite significant to the story and carry throughout — making them fairly unavoidable, so please read said trigger warnings before reading.
━━━━ † ━━━━
⚔️TRIGGER LIST⚔️
— Mentions of the death of a child
— Mentions of drowning
— Spice involving MMC in his “beast” werewolf form
— Alluding to sex as teenagers (both FMC and MMC were of legal age)
— Depictions of blood
— Attempted kidnapping/abduction
— Mind manipulation
— Knotting
━━━━ † ━━━━
I would have to say that this book was simply beautiful — and probably my favourite read of the year. I actually found it hard to put this book down! I would HIGHLY recommend it to EVERYBODY and probably won’t stop recommending it!
‘A Wolf in the Garden’ is a beautifully honest story of second chances, heartbreak, fated love, self-acceptance, steamy DELICIOUS spice and warm, cozy cottagecore vibes mixed with an ever unravelling plot that keeps the reader completely invested! 5 stars!!!
━━━━ † ━━━━
❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️
RELEASE DATE: 30th November 2023
━━━━ † ━━━━
⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot: 📚📚📚📚
🔥 slow burn: 🔥🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬🍬🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸
🍆 peen uniqueness: 🍆🍆
👤 POV: 1st person POV — Duel POV
━━━━ † ━━━━
I just wanted to start off this review by saying I think this might be my favourite read of the year…and now I’m sitting here all sad with the knowledge that I won’t ever be able to read this for the first time again.
Allegra Hall has created a simply beautiful, warm and comforting world that wraps you up in some cozy, cottagecore hugs while also managing to make you cry with heartbreakingly honesty and hot with spice that is both tender and downright filthy — in the BEST way!
Ellie and Evander (Van) have touched me as a couple in a way that only a few book couples ever have and their relationship: filled with innocence, tenderness, primal yearning, hot passion and SO much love — it really leaves your heart feeling full and warm in your chest. Their relationship is the core focus of this book, but the side characters are also equally as entertaining and bring humour, sadness and complexity that just further captivates you into a world that’s so rich and vibrant.
I’m a sucker for a good wolf shifter/werewolf romance and I was NOT disappointed with those elements in ‘A Wolf in the Garden’. Hall has created an intricate and evolving lore to the classic knowledge of werewolves that is both refreshing and familiar at the same time and that only added a level of intrigue that left me seeking MORE — genuinely curious about this universe and wondering what more can be explored in (hopefully) future stories in this series!
Seeing as though one of the main elements to this story that got me excited to read it in the first place was the spice, I can’t leave a review and NOT talk about it…because it was GOOD! Like, REALLY GOOD…Panty-dripping good!
Mixing in soft, tender moments of reconciliation and love with moments fuelled by pure primal drive and animalistic urges was perfection (and I want to give Hall a VERY special thank you for some good ‘ole foreskin appreciation! It’s rare for it to be touched on and Ellie’s genuine love of it was so refreshing! So thank you!!). Knotting is a VERY big part of this story as well, another personal love of mine, and it was delicious to actually have it written in a way that locks the characters together for extended periods of time — which results in such tender moments and cuddles enough to rot your teeth…but also make you cry with some of the raw human emotion that is laid bare.
Another HUGE part of this book that left me feeling so happy was the appreciation and expression of Māori culture both in language, and cultural history and traditions. It was handled with such care and respect that you could really tell how honestly proud Hall was in being able to write this story and sharing Māori culture with a wider audience.
There are very few trigger warnings in this book, but there are two main ones that are quite significant to the story and carry throughout — making them fairly unavoidable, so please read said trigger warnings before reading.
━━━━ † ━━━━
⚔️TRIGGER LIST⚔️
— Mentions of the death of a child
— Mentions of drowning
— Spice involving MMC in his “beast” werewolf form
— Alluding to sex as teenagers (both FMC and MMC were of legal age)
— Depictions of blood
— Attempted kidnapping/abduction
— Mind manipulation
— Knotting
━━━━ † ━━━━
I would have to say that this book was simply beautiful — and probably my favourite read of the year. I actually found it hard to put this book down! I would HIGHLY recommend it to EVERYBODY and probably won’t stop recommending it!
‘A Wolf in the Garden’ is a beautifully honest story of second chances, heartbreak, fated love, self-acceptance, steamy DELICIOUS spice and warm, cozy cottagecore vibes mixed with an ever unravelling plot that keeps the reader completely invested! 5 stars!!!
━━━━ † ━━━━
❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️
June 3, 2024
AMAZING. OUTSTANDING. DIDNT WANT IT TO END.
This deserves a better review, I will try and update soon!
This deserves a better review, I will try and update soon!
January 12, 2025
This book needs a strict editor.
We really do not need 15 sex scenes. It calls itself a second chance romance, but the forgiveness starts at 15% and it's just sex scenes and them being happy for the rest of the book.
Any conflict is resolved within mere pages. It's so bloated, 500 pages of this. I skimmed whenever they started to have sex AGAIN.
Totally not recommended. It's recycled scenes, endless conversation and a waste of time
We really do not need 15 sex scenes. It calls itself a second chance romance, but the forgiveness starts at 15% and it's just sex scenes and them being happy for the rest of the book.
Any conflict is resolved within mere pages. It's so bloated, 500 pages of this. I skimmed whenever they started to have sex AGAIN.
Totally not recommended. It's recycled scenes, endless conversation and a waste of time
Read
March 13, 2024Things I loved:
- The detail given about Māori culture. I'm Australian and it's so rare to find books set here and even rarer still to find them set in New Zealand so I really loved all the beautiful details about the land, animals and Māori traditions.
- The idea that the veil between two worlds falls and now humans and non humans live together
- This authors writing style flowed really nicely for me and I liked her characters, they were sensible and straight forward which I appreciated
Things I didn't love:
- The couple are back together as if nothing happened 9 years ago by 20% into the book
- I can't believe I'm saying this but there was just too much sex. I love smut, I really really do but I don't need every chapter to have them going at it.
- The drama which I thought would be a huge part of this book was so easily fixed early on
Sadly I DNFd this book :(
I skimmed from about 30% to 50% and it was mostly sex, them crying about how sad they were about the last 9 years (we got no flash backs either) and them working on the landscaping job at the winery. I admit, at the best of times second chance books bore me but this was sold in to be a different take on that and yeah, it really wasn't, not when they are a happy couple from 20% with no tension or grovel.
I hope the next book set in this world has some more tension and relationship building.
- The detail given about Māori culture. I'm Australian and it's so rare to find books set here and even rarer still to find them set in New Zealand so I really loved all the beautiful details about the land, animals and Māori traditions.
- The idea that the veil between two worlds falls and now humans and non humans live together
- This authors writing style flowed really nicely for me and I liked her characters, they were sensible and straight forward which I appreciated
Things I didn't love:
- The couple are back together as if nothing happened 9 years ago by 20% into the book
- I can't believe I'm saying this but there was just too much sex. I love smut, I really really do but I don't need every chapter to have them going at it.
- The drama which I thought would be a huge part of this book was so easily fixed early on
Sadly I DNFd this book :(
I skimmed from about 30% to 50% and it was mostly sex, them crying about how sad they were about the last 9 years (we got no flash backs either) and them working on the landscaping job at the winery. I admit, at the best of times second chance books bore me but this was sold in to be a different take on that and yeah, it really wasn't, not when they are a happy couple from 20% with no tension or grovel.
I hope the next book set in this world has some more tension and relationship building.
January 23, 2024
Read for the Popsugar 2024 prompt #43 - A Second-Chance Romance
2.5 rounded down
First, let’s start with the good that cover is gorgeous. The book starts out strong and the characters seem like lovely people. The knowledge sharing on New Zealand culture was enlightening.
That’s the good.
The bad however really drug down the book for me and that’s the length. This book could use at least a 200 pg chop it’s tedious and boring for a really large part and felt highly overwritten. The plot (which there is very little of) just goes nowhere. Additional, the main characters both male and female are very weepy. “Tears” is used 96 times and “cry” 62, like please I know it’s great to have emotions but this is too much, especially when it’s not adding much and by the end I want to yell like a frustrated parent in a grocery store with a kid melting down “STOP CRYING”.
I feel disappointed in this one since it started off strong but then seemed to just never end. This was a new to me author, and I would read her again, but I do think she needs an editor to chop down major filler.
2.5 rounded down
First, let’s start with the good that cover is gorgeous. The book starts out strong and the characters seem like lovely people. The knowledge sharing on New Zealand culture was enlightening.
That’s the good.
The bad however really drug down the book for me and that’s the length. This book could use at least a 200 pg chop it’s tedious and boring for a really large part and felt highly overwritten. The plot (which there is very little of) just goes nowhere. Additional, the main characters both male and female are very weepy. “Tears” is used 96 times and “cry” 62, like please I know it’s great to have emotions but this is too much, especially when it’s not adding much and by the end I want to yell like a frustrated parent in a grocery store with a kid melting down “STOP CRYING”.
I feel disappointed in this one since it started off strong but then seemed to just never end. This was a new to me author, and I would read her again, but I do think she needs an editor to chop down major filler.
Want to read
April 13, 2024April 13, 2024
Note to self: too much sex apparently. They get back together at the beginning of the book and the rest is just sex and smut. They weren’t celibate while separated - something about a ho phase for both of them.
Note to self: too much sex apparently. They get back together at the beginning of the book and the rest is just sex and smut. They weren’t celibate while separated - something about a ho phase for both of them.
December 1, 2023
Ellie is getting ready to show off her garden to the public when the love of her life, the boy who said some incredibly hurtful things after the loss of his sister and left her for years shows back up and surprise he’s a wolf. Well wolf shifter AND werewolf to be more precise. You see there was an Unraveling a few years ago which revealed many humans to not be humans at all. Millions of people woke up one morning with green skin, tusks, wings, etc. and in Ellie’s case she now has the pointed ears of the fae which she’s been hiding ever since. Having always thought she was human, it has been quite the shock to her system. She hasn’t really taken the time to accept this part of herself nor does she know any fae locally so she has no one to talk about it with and that has led to some inner conflict about that part of herself that she works on through the book.
Van left Ellie on orders from his Alpha father after his youngest sister died from drowning. But now he’s back with plans to open a vineyard and he’s hoping that the local popular gardener will be open to helping him create the space he’s dreaming of. But he doesn’t expect it to be Ellie, the love of his life, his fated mate. He has so many regrets mixed with grief and he’s bound and determined to make it up to Ellie. He would literally do anything for her and it’s so easy to see and feel that utter devotion while reading.
There’s a lot of past grief, hurt, and emotions these two have to overcome and then there’s forgiveness which is a whole other thing. But there’s also this richness to the story with the gorgeous New Zealand setting mixed with Māori culture that created something so unique, special, cozy, and heartwarming. These two have excellent communication and it was honestly one of my favorite things about this book. And I know you wanna know about the spice. Well I’m happy to report that this book is packed with it. These two have a lot of lost time to make up for and they definitely are on a mission. So yeah they are going at it like bunnies….eh Van wouldn’t like that comparison lol so let’s say “like horny wolves” instead.
I’m absolutely floored that this is a debut. It’s so complex and so well written. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough and I am head over heels in love with Allegra and her storytelling. I am beyond excited to see what the future will bring when it comes to her future books. I demand a certain dragon shifter and orc get their own romances.
What to expect:
-Māori rep
-second chance
-grieving, past loss, and healing
-sex in werewolf form
-MMC is both a werewolf & and wolf shifter
-cozy and romantic
-lots and lots of knotting
-mates
-beautiful island of Motuwai, New Zealand
-suspense & magic
-gardening
5⭐️ 4🔥
Van left Ellie on orders from his Alpha father after his youngest sister died from drowning. But now he’s back with plans to open a vineyard and he’s hoping that the local popular gardener will be open to helping him create the space he’s dreaming of. But he doesn’t expect it to be Ellie, the love of his life, his fated mate. He has so many regrets mixed with grief and he’s bound and determined to make it up to Ellie. He would literally do anything for her and it’s so easy to see and feel that utter devotion while reading.
There’s a lot of past grief, hurt, and emotions these two have to overcome and then there’s forgiveness which is a whole other thing. But there’s also this richness to the story with the gorgeous New Zealand setting mixed with Māori culture that created something so unique, special, cozy, and heartwarming. These two have excellent communication and it was honestly one of my favorite things about this book. And I know you wanna know about the spice. Well I’m happy to report that this book is packed with it. These two have a lot of lost time to make up for and they definitely are on a mission. So yeah they are going at it like bunnies….eh Van wouldn’t like that comparison lol so let’s say “like horny wolves” instead.
I’m absolutely floored that this is a debut. It’s so complex and so well written. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough and I am head over heels in love with Allegra and her storytelling. I am beyond excited to see what the future will bring when it comes to her future books. I demand a certain dragon shifter and orc get their own romances.
What to expect:
-Māori rep
-second chance
-grieving, past loss, and healing
-sex in werewolf form
-MMC is both a werewolf & and wolf shifter
-cozy and romantic
-lots and lots of knotting
-mates
-beautiful island of Motuwai, New Zealand
-suspense & magic
-gardening
5⭐️ 4🔥
November 17, 2023
Firstly, I feel so lucky to have so many new authors trust me with their debut novels..and I’m even luckier that I just so happen to love them all!
That being said, A Wolf in the Garden is everything I love in monster romance…a unique universe with the perfect amount of easy to follow world building, substantial character development, a sweeping romance, both tender moments and smokin hot steamy times, and intriguing side characters. I was absolutely invested in Evander and Ellie’s love story!
Their story takes place in New Zealand, where Ellie is from and Evander vacationed every summer growing up with his family. Ellie is of Māori decent —which is personally my first time reading anything with this specific representation, and I really loved how it shaped the entire story!
So these two were each other’s first love nine years ago, but something happens that changes everything between them..and Evander and his family never return to their summer home in New Zealand. Fast forward to present day, Ellie is now an established garden designer. As luck would have it, there’s a new billionaire from America in town who recently purchased a vineyard in need of quite a bit of work, and so he is referred to meet with this brilliant garden designer.
After all those years, they finally set eyes on each other again and it’s like the world stops. They quickly realize that their feelings are still just as strong as ever. But something major happened since they parted nine years ago..something called the unravelling—a day when the veil was lifted and humans suddenly learned that monsters existed among them. Ellie is now coming to terms with the fact that Evander was never really human at all. In fact, he is actually half wolf shifter and half werewolf. He isn’t the only one with a secret, though. Ellie also has a little secret of her own.
These two were made for each other, and they are both willing to put in the work to make it work this time around—it’s second chance perfection! I can’t recommend this enough! Not just as a monster romance, but as a romance period. Also, I can’t wait to see who will get a book next!
*I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, A Wolf in the Garden is everything I love in monster romance…a unique universe with the perfect amount of easy to follow world building, substantial character development, a sweeping romance, both tender moments and smokin hot steamy times, and intriguing side characters. I was absolutely invested in Evander and Ellie’s love story!
Their story takes place in New Zealand, where Ellie is from and Evander vacationed every summer growing up with his family. Ellie is of Māori decent —which is personally my first time reading anything with this specific representation, and I really loved how it shaped the entire story!
So these two were each other’s first love nine years ago, but something happens that changes everything between them..and Evander and his family never return to their summer home in New Zealand. Fast forward to present day, Ellie is now an established garden designer. As luck would have it, there’s a new billionaire from America in town who recently purchased a vineyard in need of quite a bit of work, and so he is referred to meet with this brilliant garden designer.
After all those years, they finally set eyes on each other again and it’s like the world stops. They quickly realize that their feelings are still just as strong as ever. But something major happened since they parted nine years ago..something called the unravelling—a day when the veil was lifted and humans suddenly learned that monsters existed among them. Ellie is now coming to terms with the fact that Evander was never really human at all. In fact, he is actually half wolf shifter and half werewolf. He isn’t the only one with a secret, though. Ellie also has a little secret of her own.
These two were made for each other, and they are both willing to put in the work to make it work this time around—it’s second chance perfection! I can’t recommend this enough! Not just as a monster romance, but as a romance period. Also, I can’t wait to see who will get a book next!
*I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2024
I had this book on my TBR for a long time, and I don’t know why I waited so long to read it. This story is simply wonderful. From the world-building to the characters, it’s perfect. It took me a while to read because I didn’t want the story to end. I wanted to have that daily piece of Allegra’s world when I came home. The love between Ellie and Van is simply beautiful. This is a second chance story that captures your heart. This book had me crying, it tugged at my heart with these two characters, the culture, their love, the fantasy world—I have no words to describe how beautiful this book was.
I learned a lot about Māori culture, which is something I don’t usually get from other stories. The descriptions of the landscapes were so vivid I could picture everything, every little detail. The chemistry between the two characters was so lovely—after so many years, their love was still there. Van is attentive and so loving towards Ellie, protecting her from everything. The spice 🥵 and all the knotting and werewolf stuff—I always enjoy a good shifter and werewolf book.
Van’s parents, despite everything Weston did—I already want to read their story and dive into this new world. I know Allegra is creating more of this wonderful world, and I can’t wait to read everything about Lost Moon and New Zealand.
I learned a lot about Māori culture, which is something I don’t usually get from other stories. The descriptions of the landscapes were so vivid I could picture everything, every little detail. The chemistry between the two characters was so lovely—after so many years, their love was still there. Van is attentive and so loving towards Ellie, protecting her from everything. The spice 🥵 and all the knotting and werewolf stuff—I always enjoy a good shifter and werewolf book.
Van’s parents, despite everything Weston did—I already want to read their story and dive into this new world. I know Allegra is creating more of this wonderful world, and I can’t wait to read everything about Lost Moon and New Zealand.
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