Truth or Wolf

Wolf Brothers #1

by Anne Marsh

Welcome to Moonlight Valley, Tennessee… the secret paranormal sibling of Penny Reid’s Green Valley and a small town where bearded werewolves outnumber the unsuspecting human inhabitants.

Twin brothers Atticus and Ford Boone may share the same face and the same supernatural secret, but where Atticus is charismatic and charming, Ford is grumpy and reserved… and that’s before he shifts into his wolf. When hardworking citizen scientist Alice Aymes reluctantly returns to Green Valley to restart her stalled life, she’s sure she knows what to expect. She’ll save up the money she needs to escape to Nashville while nursing her secret infatuation with the ever-popular Atticus Boone—and fighting with her high school nemesis, his twin brother. Alice hates Ford, and he’s always hated her right back. But after a case of mistaken identity has Alice kissing the wrong twin, she does what any good scientist does and analyzes the facts.

Fact #1: It’s time to revisit her unrequited crush on Atticus. Who needs a white-knight fantasy man when there’s a rock-solid, beaded lumberjack in your personal space?

Fact #2: Stimuli and sensory input ahoy! Growing up, Alice saw Ford as the grumpiest, sternest guy in town. They fought for years. Apparently that now sends her amygdalae into sensual overdrive.

Fact #3: The more bearded the wolf, the more protective and possessive.

As Alice finds herself irresistibly drawn to the man she loves to hate, the question lingers: How much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk in the face of newfound desires and supernatural secrets?

‘Truth or Wolf’, a Penny Reid Universe Reimagining, is a full-length paranormal romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Wolf Brothers series, Smartypants Romance Out of this World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Contemporary Romance

436 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2024

About the author

Anne Marsh is a sucker for a grumpy hero who falls hard, a sunshine heroine who won't back down, and small towns where everyone knows your business (but shows up with casseroles anyway).

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with 30+ romance novels, Anne writes contemporary and paranormal stories full of banter, steam, heroines navigating real challenges (chronic illness, anxiety, all the messy parts of being human), and happily-ever-afters you can believe in.

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Talia Hibbert, and Olivia Dade.

Anne lives in rural North Carolina with rescue cats who barely tolerate her and neighbors who are real-life heroes—fixing cars, hauling mulch, pulling you out of ditches without even being asked. Her books are love letters to small-town kindness and big-hearted romance.

COMING SOON: Hot for Preacher (Harlequin Afterglow) - February 24, 2026
Grumpy preacher. Sunshine country singer living with rheumatoid arthritis. Second chances. Small-town meddling. So. Much. Heat.

Newsletter: https://anne-marsh.com/newsletter/ (join for bonus scenes, early covers, and book news)

FOLLOW ANNE:
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TikTok: Coming soon!

Reviews

[Penny Reid]

I am so incredibly excited to welcome Anne Marsh to the Smartypants Romance family! Anne will be kicking off a new Out of this World series called the Wolf Brothers! These books are based on the Winston Brothers, but have paranormal elements…(ahem, SHIFTERS!) and I can't WAIT for you to read them! Truth or Wolf is coming May 16th to Kindle Unlimited!

As a reminder the ‘Out of this World’ imprint stories feature a strong connection to the Pennyverse but really explode out of the box. Non-contemporary titles that could be retellings or reimaginings of some of your favorite stories and characters. They aren’t canon or contemporary romance. Think historical, paranormal, and fantasy genres to name a few. We’re SO excited to bring these alternate realities to life!

★★⁣⁣Reserve your copy TODAY!★★⁣⁣
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/48eZi8b
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CVKK533G
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CVKK533G
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CVKK533G
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/3OEsDC7
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/trut...
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/yc7nwnbh
Google Play: http://tinyurl.com/3vjmd5ye

This title will release wide on all retailers excluding Amazon on May 14th, 2024. It will be removed from those retailers and be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited on May 16th, 2024. So if you’re a non-Amazon reader, be sure to reserve your copy in advance!

★ ★ BLURB ★ ★
Welcome to Moonlight Valley, Tennessee… the secret paranormal sibling of Penny Reid’s Green Valley and a small town where bearded werewolves outnumber the unsuspecting human inhabitants.

Twin brothers Atticus and Ford Boone may share the same face and the same supernatural secret, but where Atticus is charismatic and charming, Ford is grumpy and reserved… and that’s before he shifts into his wolf. When hardworking citizen scientist Alice Aymes reluctantly returns to Green Valley to restart her stalled life, she’s sure she knows what to expect. She’ll save up the money she needs to escape to Nashville while nursing her secret infatuation with with the ever-popular Atticus Boone—and fighting with her high school nemesis, his twin brother. Alice hates Ford, and he’s always hated her right back. But after a case of mistaken identity has Alice kissing the wrong twin, she does what any good scientist does and analyzes the facts.

Fact #1: It’s time to revisit her unrequited crush on Atticus. Who needs a white-knight fantasy man when there’s a rock-solid, beaded lumberjack in your personal space?

Fact #2: Stimuli and sensory input ahoy! Growing up, Alice saw Ford as the grumpiest, sternest guy in town. They fought for years. Apparently that now sends her amygdalae into sensual overdrive.

Fact #3: The more bearded the wolf, the more protective and possessive.

As Alice finds herself irresistibly drawn to the man she loves to hate, the question lingers: How much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk in the face of newfound desires and supernatural secrets?

‘Truth or Wolf’, a Penny Reid Universe Reimagining, is a full-length paranormal romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Wolf Brothers series, Smartypants Romance Out of this World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

2024 LAUNCH BLOGGER REVIEW SIGN-UP: https://forms.gle/jT2sQDBSK9dZqnRn7

[Amanda (Romance Reviewed) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(ARC Review) Unable to give a solid star rating because I think my issues are just MY issues, not the books?

I love the Winston Brothers with all my heart and I am also a long time enthusiast of shifter and paranormal romances in general so when I saw the latest “Out of this World” offering from Smartpants was a shifter retelling of my favorite series, I was so excited!

Truth or Wolf is, somewhat obviously, a take on Truth or Beard, featuring Alice Aymes (Jessica James) and Ford Boone (Duane Winston) and the rest of the Boone clan. It’s a somewhat faithful adaptation including the same twin mix up, mistaken identity, heroine who as a strong goal of leaving town, hero with strong roots in town, a motorcycle club causing problems, etc with some liberties taken that I won’t get into for spoiler reasons.

The author’s tone was somewhat similar to Penny Reid's, and to be honest, I found that a little distracting. For me, I’d rather have a brand new voice telling this story rather than just mimicking the original author’s voice (but with werewolves!). I can definitely see some readers enjoying this though!

I think perhaps retellings aren’t for me - this is obviously no fault of the authors. But while I thought it would be fun or maybe campy, it felt like when they make your favorite book into a movie and make a lot of changes. I spent so much time trying to figure out who the characters were in parallel to their original counterparts and noticing changes that I just felt like I couldn’t get into the story or stop nitpicking - again, this is a me problem!

I think there’s definitely an audience for this, but unfortunately I don’t think it’s me. Truly, if you are a casual Winston fan who loves shifters I think you could really enjoy it!

[Smartypants Romance]

'Truth or Wolf' by Anne Marsh is finally LIVE and available in #KindleUnlimited. Don't wait, go forth and dive into this paranormal Winston Brothers reimagining now! The audiobook is also available on Audible and narrated by Joy Nash and Chris Brinkley.

★★⁣⁣READ IN KU NOW★★⁣⁣
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/48eZi8b
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CVKK533G
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CVKK533G
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CVKK533G
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/.../Truth-or-...

★★ BLURB ★★
Welcome to Moonlight Valley, Tennessee… the secret paranormal sibling of Penny Reid’s Green Valley and a small town where bearded werewolves outnumber the unsuspecting human inhabitants.

Twin brothers Atticus and Ford Boone may share the same face and the same supernatural secret, but where Atticus is charismatic and charming, Ford is grumpy and reserved… and that’s before he shifts into his wolf. When hardworking citizen scientist Alice Aymes reluctantly returns to Green Valley to restart her stalled life, she’s sure she knows what to expect. She’ll save up the money she needs to escape to Nashville while nursing her secret infatuation with with the ever-popular Atticus Boone—and fighting with her high school nemesis, his twin brother. Alice hates Ford, and he’s always hated her right back. But after a case of mistaken identity has Alice kissing the wrong twin, she does what any good scientist does and analyzes the facts.

Fact #1: It’s time to revisit her unrequited crush on Atticus. Who needs a white-knight fantasy man when there’s a rock-solid, beaded lumberjack in your personal space?

Fact #2: Stimuli and sensory input ahoy! Growing up, Alice saw Ford as the grumpiest, sternest guy in town. They fought for years. Apparently that now sends her amygdalae into sensual overdrive.

Fact #3: The more bearded the wolf, the more protective and possessive.

As Alice finds herself irresistibly drawn to the man she loves to hate, the question lingers: How much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk in the face of newfound desires and supernatural secrets?

‘Truth or Wolf’, a Penny Reid Universe Reimagining, is a full-length paranormal romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Wolf Brothers series, Smartypants Romance Out of this World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

[Cokiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you mixed the Winston Brothers with the supernatural?! A reimaginig if you will.

Alice has loved Atticus Boone pretty much forever. Definitely not his identical twin brother Ford, who isn't as sweet or as charming as Atticus. It's always been Atticus.

But when Alice runs into Ford after coming back to Moonlight Valley (I loved the name), she still wants Atticus. Right?

I enjoyed this so much. I loved the Winston Brothers, and I love a good Werewolf story. The Boone Brothers were just as loveable and slightly quirky.

Alice has big dreams. Ones that will take her out of Moonlight Valley. And besides, are they real? Just a short time thing?

I loved the added character. I don't wanna spoil it, but Ford should have listened to that voice a lot more!

Can't wait to read the next book!

[Izzie d · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one.
This author is new to me.
This book is part of the smartypants series which are books based on the Penny Reid Winston brother series.
This is basically Duane and Jessica's book but shifter style, it was a clever twist. There was a really good extra twist.

HEA.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Truth or Beard, so I was very interested in a retelling but with werewolves. The basic plot is nearly identical except with different names and jobs and the fact that there are shifters. Because I've read the original story I understood better what was going on, but I think newbies to the Winston world might find things rushed. Also the world building around the supernatural aspects of the story was very lacking and we don't really get a fully resolved HEA because the whole shifter thing between them was not figured out. I'll still read the next retelling in the series to see how things go.

[Marci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know. Maybe fanfic, even the works approved by the author of the source material, isn’t for me. Not even my favorite narrator duo of Joy Nash and Chris Brinkley could save this for me.

This book was so close to the original in some parts yet tried to be original in other parts, but it seemed to rely on people having read the original book for it all to make sense. Like, Alice’s family relationships was off and didn’t quite come across as a close relationship like Truth or Beard showed Jess with her parents. I got the impression for a good portion of the book that Alice’s parents were MIA and Alice just fended for herself during the school year, was basically homeless and had no money. Then we learn her parents are just busy entrepreneurs. What?! Why is Alice written as essentially destitute! Maybe I misunderstood what I was hearing, but it didn’t make a whole lot of sense and I even went back and got the book and I still feel all of that is so choppy. Also, how is Aunt Sally a werecat and Alice’s mom isn’t if they were still sisters in this book? None of that was explained.

Also, removing Alice from living full time in the area, only visiting in the summer, makes the childhood bond not as big of a tether, although I suppose people have been known to form strong bonds with others over summer camp so maybe my point is moot.

What in the name of moonshine was all of that weirdness with the owning a business, And a pet emporium!? It was really quite odd to me honestly. or her parents being in pursuit of money and building an empire? It was so confusing.

Lastly, I needed to not only understand if werewolves and werecats could be together or even reproduce, I needed them to actually have a conversation about what that meant since Alice just found out she was a shifter! This is another example of relying too much on the source material and ending things on a HEA, this is supposed to be a shifter book and we don’t know a whole heck of a lot of that world here, I need world building to understand if this is really a HEA or not! Are there other werecats in Moonlight Cove? It just sort of ended.

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I didn’t read the synopsis close enough because I didn’t realize this was going to be a kind of paranormal/werewolf Winston Brothers series retelling! And let me tell you that I am HERE for this! I loved this book so much! It’s been a while since I read through the whole Winston Brothers series, and so it was fun kind of rereading the whole Truth or Beard story but told with werewolves, and the Iron Wolves instead of the Iron Wraiths. It was fun realizing which characters would fill in for the characters for the other story. And funnily enough, they even mentioned Green Valley in this new Moonlight Valley, Tennessee world.

So our heroine in this boo, Alice Aymes, (Jessica James anyone?) only reminds me a little of the character she is a retelling of. Alice is so much more awkward to me, but that’s not bad, I enjoyed it for sure! And the back stories and families of all the characters aren’t exactly the same, but each have their own similarities that it is recognizable if you’ve read the original series. However even with those same parts, there are changes to the story and so many things I look forward to seeing how they will change if we get more books in this series!

Next we have Ford Boone, twin brother to Atticus Boone who Alice has always had a crush on. However Ford has always had a bit of a crush on Alice, and is the perfect example of that old adage (which I know that it is no longer considered PC) that boys pick on the girls they like. Turns out that when he comes to Alice’s rescue, she thinks it is Atticus and ends up kissing him. Then she finds out it isn’t him, at the same time she finds out he is a werewolf when his brother shifts from wolf to human basically right in front of her!

Now she’s in on a secret that of course can’t be spread around. Because even though there is the Iron Wolves, it isn’t a commonly known to everyone fact that there are really werewolves. Atticus and Ford also have the same amount of brothers and sisters as the original series. My favorite Cletus reimagining is Ranger, and he also enjoys talking about his sausage and sharing it with others. IYKYK.

As I mentioned the story basically follows the original series book but with its own paranormal aspects and differently imagined situations that would come along with those differences. I loved how the author used a quote from a paranormal/werewolf romance at the beginning of each chapter, including Twilight and even my favorite author Maggie Stiefvater! I am going to keep gushing and hoping that this book gets enough love that the author will write the next reimagined book in the series, just as I continue to hope for more of the historical romance reimagining by Lainey Hatcher of the Knitting in the City series by Penny Reid.

The new saying may no longer be “Get thee a Winston stat”, but “Get thee a Boone (Wolf brother), stat!”

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.

This is a slow burn paranormal reimagining of Penny Reid’s Winston Brother’s series, fans of the original series will see the similarities between Green Valley and Moonlight Valley. Instead of Winston’s we have Boone’s a family of werewolf shifting brothers who run an animal rescue business and each resemble one of the Winston. Ford Boone is a partner in the family business and he has been in love with Alice Aymes since they were teenagers. She on the other hand thinks she is in love with his identical twin. Ford and Alice have always fought when she came to visit her Aunt Sally. Now that they are both adults and she has returned to town to deal with her Aunt’s estate their enemies to lovers dynamic picks up where they left off as teens. Alice realizes that she has always been attracted to Ford, and he admits his feelings for her.

As Ford and Alice agree to pursue a relationship of sorts with each other, they both have to deal with some unexpected emotions about relationships. They are both planners, and they both have some hang-ups when it comes to commitments. Alice has big plans for her life and they don't have her staying in Moonlight Valley forever. Ford knows that Alices is his one and only, but he knows that she is going to leave and break his heart one day, so he doesn't go all in on the relationship. He also has some dealings with some unsavory characters that he is trying to protect her and his brothers from. I loved the interactions and conversations they had. They had good banter and this was really funny at times.

Overall I think this was a fun reimagining and I enjoyed the paranormal twist. I do think it was a tad on the long side in my opinion.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that versions of the Winston boys transported to a paranormal wolfy setting would do it for me? Given that I adore me some wolfies, I probably SHOULD have known this, but my enjoyment of Ford and Alice's romance was still a fun kick in the pants. Which might say something about my lack of self-awareness OR it might just be that I didn't know what I wanted until it hit me in the brain. (Spoiler: I'm going with the second option.)

So. Ford and Alice. He's a lot less charming than his twin and he's had a little something simmering for Alice for a LOOOONNNNG time. On Alice's end, Atticus (the charming twin) is easy to like and just...easy. Like, he's more fantasy than reality. She likes him because it's uncomplicated. Whereas Ford is Complicated (yes, with a capital C). Whenever they spend time near one another they fight. As it turns out, the fighting is like foreplay and Alice grows to enjoy their verbal spats once that's pointed out to her.

Besides the Ford and Alice romance, we have brothers who are wolves, a town that has a lot hiding under the surface (which is to say more than just the Boone wolves are in residence), familial bonds, secrets, a realignment of goals, some unscrupulous characters, and some sneaky happenings going on behind the scenes by the connivingest of the Boone brothers.

Yep, I didn't know I wanted small town wolfies with strong family bonds when I picked this book up, but BOY did they hit the spot.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Jess Reads2Much · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute start to what I suspect will be a popular series. I'm loving the resurrence of paranormal books in the romance world and a Werewolf Winston brother series was more than a welcome surprise. I liked that it stayed true to the story with just enough differences to keep me on my toes. I hope wlthey make this an audiobook because I love the Greenvalley series narrators so much

[Cheyyleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my absolute love of Duane Winston is why I almost give this book a 2.5.spoilers.




I think people who come upon this series without reading the Winston brothers first will absolutely love it because obviously if you like shifters and amazing brother dynamic and romance this is for you. Just as the original (minus shifters) was amazing for me. (It should be noted that I usually only read fantasy and paranormal And the Winston brothers series was an exception for me) It also doesn't help that this is the adaption of my favorite Winston brother that I have read several times.


But there is one thing I need to say that really dragged this book down for me. I couldn't stand Alice. I did not find Jessica in the original books to be so shallow and empty. Alice comes off just not likeable and flip floppy the whole time. This is something I missed the entire book. I think the author did an awesome job capturing Ford/Duane in this and adding the werewolf as his inner thoughts was great, but Alice was not Jessica, and I missed her throughout the story.


Honestly again, I think anyone who comes upon this without reading Penny Reid first will love it. If they have though be prepared to be compared to Penny Reid which I wouldnt want to be!

[Booked on Lattes · Rating 4 out of 5]

POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

As a big Winston Brother’s fan, finding out that a retelling of the series is happening, and then finding out it is a shifter retelling, really had me freaking out! I absolutely loved matching up the character and places from the original series, and it even made me want to do *another* re-read of Truth or Beard.

It is a little light on the paranormal side, which is perfect for someone like me who is just coming back to those kind of books. I am here for how obsessed Ford was with Alice, and how things start out with a mistaken identity (one of my favorites).

This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series matches up with each brother!

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts especially at the start of the story were witty and hilariously funny, but in places it felt like the author tried too hard to combine the Winston Brothers story with wolf shifters and the paranormal world. Found the ending was a bit abrupt. I loved the quotes that headed each chapter from favourite paranormal authors, and especially a couple of references in the text to Ilona Andrews characters and situations. I am still laughing about a kitten named Caldenia and hero Ford trying to come up with a way to win his lady love Alice back and considering a message in carnations (another Ilona Andrews reference?) as one possibility that was difficult since Moonlight Valley did not have a flower shop. Final Rating 3.5 Stars

[Cassandra Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This is the paranormal retelling of Truth and Beard (by Penny Reid), and while it follows the general plot of the original book, there were definitely twist that I did not see coming.

The book kept me engaged and there were moments where I was laughing out loud. I think I spent a little too much time finding the parallel characters in Truth or Beard, which brought me out of the story a little (but that’s my issue and not the authors).

Overall this was a unique take on the first book in the Winston Brothers (Boone Brothers) series.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth or Wolf is a mix between the Winston Brothers and paranormal romance. It is a genre I don't read much, but I am so glad I picked up this book!

I liked Anne Marsh's storytelling and writing style. I really liked Alice and Ford. She's a scientist who is back in town after losing her job and he's a grumpy werewolf. The two of them never got along, but find an unexpected connection forming as they spend more time together. They had great chemistry and I couldn't wait to see their HEA.

This was such a fun, unique read. I found myself noticing parallels between it and Truth or Beard, but it is not a carbon copy. I really hope we get more in this series!

Thank you to the author and Smartypants Romance for providing an ARC for an honest review.
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Bookstagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7CxGYJSMYO/

[Laurie Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, paranormal version of Penny's Truth or Beard! I'm a huge fan of PNR and all things Winston Brothers, so I knew I'd want to read this one.

Keep in mind that this is basically a retelling of Beau and Jessica's book but a wolf shifter theme. Anne has definitely put her own stamp on this and turned it into a fun read for fans of the Winston Bros!
I hope there will be a book two!

[Lady Lioness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found out about this book via a tweet from Penny Reid who was like, "Hey, check out this approved Winston Brothers fanfic that made everyone werewolves!" Since it was in KU, I naturally had to check it out.

Book 1 of the Winston Brothers was my least favorite, which probably influenced my rating of Truth or Wolf. I also kept comparing the characters and being like, "okay, that's Billy, that's Jethro, etc."

I'm definitely checking out book 2, as I enjoyed the sneak peek. Not being released until October 2024, so I have a wait ahead of me.

[giftgirlreadsromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Format - Paperback /E ARC

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶 🌶

Series- Wolf Brothers #1

Troupes- Grumpy/Sunshine, childhood enemies, enemies to lovers, small town, urban romantasy, Paranormal romance

Representation-

CW- Morning the death of a loved one, threats of death and/or torture

Do you love the Winston brother series? Do you love werewolf romance? Are you looking for a urban romantacy series where the bearded werewolf brothers hunky and protective and a little bit hillbilly? If you answered yes to any or all of those questions then this book is for you.

This is a werewolf reimagining of Penny Reid's, Winston Brothers series where the brothers are named after cars instead of dead authors and they run a wildlife rescue company instead of an auto garage. But are still just as Bearded and possessive.

I loved all of the nods to the original! I spent the better part of this book giggling over the ways in which Anne included them! I alway loved the Tinyhouse! It’s pretty much my dream to live in my tinyhouse in the woods, and Alice got to do it!

I can not wait for the rest of this series! These reimagining’s are quickly becoming some of my favorite in the SPRU.

Thank you Anna Marsh and Smartypants Romance for both the Paperback and E ARC, my opinions are my own.

[Kahea · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 Stars***

This was an enjoyable read. When it hit me that it was a retelling of Truth or Beard ~ which took a bit of time to be honest ~ I had to tamp down the urge to make comparisons, which I mostly won, but regardless of the similarities, it was a fun read. I love a good small town, family all up in everyone’s business read and this gave me all of that.

I adored Ford. I have a huge jones for the grumps with a good heart AND actually communicate with more than just grunting. Alice was quirky, stubborn and sweet. Their journey to their HEA was fun and while they did have bumps in the road, I liked how they actually communicated with each other ~ even when they disagreed. They had a great flow and chemistry, and their bantering was a lot of fun.

This was a quick, fun read and as a retelling with a paranormal twist, it was a good one. There were a few quirky things that had me going hmmmm but I loved the Boone’s and Sanye and Alessandro and will definitely keep an eye out for the next one.

~ Copy provided by SmartyPants Romance & voluntarily reviewed ~

[Caroline F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't realised that this series was a retelling of the Winston Brothers series. However, I really enjoyed the shifter take on Truth or Beard.

"There was nothing safe about the man in front of me, his eyes heated and warm, like being this close to me turned him on."

Ever since she was a teenager, Alice Aymes had has a crush on Atticus Boone. At the same time, his identical twin, Ford, became the bane of her life. When she returns to Moonlight Valley after being absent for a number of years to clear up her late aunt's affairs, life takes a decidedly unexpected turn and she's seeing Ford in a whole new light. Unfortunately, she has plans. Plans that don't include a certain gorgeous werewolf shifter!

"Wanting Ford Boone was not part of my plan, but he was a force of a nature."

This was a great starter novel for the series, as we're introduced to all the Boone brothers and other key players. The chemistry between Alice and Ford was tense, frantic and compelling. I really enjoyed all the surprises that sprung up along the way, as they started to spend time together and gave in to their chemistry. They were argumentative, sweet, sexy, and funny together. I adored Ford and his desire to be with Alice. He showed vulnerability, as well as possessiveness and protectiveness. Alice had a little bit of tunnel vision, but she was also practical and willing to take a leap of faith.

Blog: https://readingwillingable.blogspot.c...

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R348882...

[Lala · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't badly written. For the most part - it had a filler problem. Lots of words all saying the same thing. Did you know the heroine didn't have a lot of dating experience? If you didn't get it the first time, never fear, you might catch it the next twenty times it's mentioned.

And the heroine was boring. And a stubborn pill. I skipped over pages and pages of her internal dialogue. It wasn't interesting or funny, and never really told me anything new. I honestly didn't see why the hero was obsessed with her. And the reason I stopped reading...that dating for a year and then stopping, no negotiation. That's A trope I never need to see again. It's stupid and unrealistic. Really? You plan on being in a full b!own relationship with all the affection and good hormones for a year and nobody is supposed to catch feelings? Pffft.

The will/won't they was boring and predictable. I didn't care to even skip to the end to see how far they made it into the year before it exploded.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! I received this book with some other fun goodies from my Penny Reid Smarty Pants Patreon membership. I squealed with delight when I opened the package and KNEW what I was going to be reading this weekend! What a fun and interesting take with the Boone family (loosely based on the Winston Brothers of Green Valley series by Penny Reid) but based in Moonlight Valley. At first, I was trying to match up one for one happenings and characters but I quickly dropped that mindset and just fell into the awesomeness of these characters and this story. It's a great start to a new bearded shifter world set in Moonlight Valley.
I won't be able to wait for the next installment so I will have to go track down other titles by Anne Marsh in the meantime. I love when I discover a "new to me" author!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
This made me realize how much I miss reading shifter romance. I really enjoyed this small town paranormal romance set in Tennessee. This is a retelling of the Winston Brothers with a paranormal twist. I am here for it!! Those Boone brothers have me so intrigued! Alice is for a lot of eye opening revelations in this one first off with the Boone brothers. She's had a crush on one for forever, but his twin may just pull on her heartstrings. I loved the banter between Alice and Ford. Some twists and turns in this one that just added greatness to this book. I could hardly put this book down. I would get frustrated when I had to stop because life and responsibilities. Trust me you want to read this one. It's so good. I really can't wait for more and I don't know how I can patiently wait!

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[Anima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine the Winston brothers as werewolves, this is their reimagined story and the start of a new series. I have not read the series yet, but there are telltale signs of who the story is really about. All the brothers are there, their personalities are evident, and the red hair and bushy beards are clearly defined. It’s an interesting story, gets intense at the beginning, but it’s definitely a slow burn, as Ford is the one directing the story down a different path. He’s the one with the emotions and second-guessing himself, to the point he almost misses out on his chance at love. I will admit the story was a bit longer than I was expecting, and it took me a bit to get through it. Despite that, it was quite enjoyable and the characters are fun to read. I was able to get an early copy from the author and I have written this review as honestly as I can.

[MT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I know I wanted to read a paranormal retailing of the Winston brother series. No, I would never have thought of that. But did I really enjoy this…. Yes, I absolutely did. Alice and Ford were meant to be in the original book and now they are fated mates. I love the twist on this concept. I’ve already added all of the series to my TBR. I want to see all of the Winston brothers as werewolf get there happily ever after. Who knew this was right up my alley!

I have one pet peeve, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who was who in the retelling and the originals. But after I gave that up and just allow myself to enjoy this book, I don’t think it really made a difference.

Thank you to the author for the ARC In exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moonlight Valley, it's right next door to Green Valley and is the newest location in the Penny Reid Smartypants Romance world. Alice is back in Moonlight Valley and still burns for Atticus--she never expects his twin brother Ford to grow on her. But soon, he is. And without that scientific evidence she's used to relying on in her volunteer role studying fireflies, she is uncertain about her next steps. She's falling for the man she loved to hate her entire life.
And then she sees his Wolf form...

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a lot of fun! I'd love to write for Moonlight Valley. It would be a lot of fun to be in a happy supernatural place.

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this story, so so much. It's fun, it's quirky, it has werewolves, it's sexy..I mean, what more can you possibly want? Alice came back to regroup and sort her aunt's belongings, and maybe, possibly, fantasise about Atticus , her forever crush..well, she didn't count on Ford, Atticus' twin, and the man determined to win her heart.
I love Alice. She is unapologetically herself and I love that about her. Ford might seem gruff and moody but once he is all in there's no going back. I love the background story and the secondary characters. I hope we will be getting more books for the other siblings as they deserve their stories to be told.

[Aletha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving this a three and a half, mostly because it is THE exact same story as my favorite one of the Winston Brothers, just adding in a paranormal aspect. When I started reading, I was just on a smartypants romance kick and looking forward to adding the paranormal piece. I was not expecting it to be the exact same. As things began to unravel, I was like “ooo this trope again! Yay!” But then when it followed the storyline so closely, it lost a little of its intrigue. Will I read through them all as they come out…yes…but will I enjoy them as much as I would if they were a little more original, probably not.

[N.W. Moors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice returns to Moonlight Valley, sister to Green Valley in the Smartypants world, to accidentally kiss the wrong twin, Ford, instead of Atticus, whom she had a high school crush on. As a citizen scientist, she knows she needs to apply some rigor to this new hypothesis: maybe she was wrong in hating grumpy Ford all these years.
I'm excited about this new series. Wolf shifters in Green Valley hit all the right buttons for me. Ford has a lot of brothers, and I'm looking forward to their stories, as I loved this one with Ford and Alice.