Witch of the Wolves: A Witch of the Wolves Novel

Witch of the Wolves #1

by Kaylee Archer

Caught between spells and savage beasts, Cordelia Levine must unravel the secrets of her dual heritage—half witch, half werewolf—and face her desire for the one creature who holds her future in his hands.

Cordelia Levine, a twenty-three-year-old witch hidden in the human world, leads a quiet life in London with her aunt, managing an apothecary for the supernatural. But her life is upended when a brooding and handsome werewolf, Bishop Danvers, kidnaps her on her estranged father’s orders—the Alpha of the Albion Pack.

It is at Trevelyan, her father’s estate, that Cordelia learns she comes from a long line of witches with secondary werewolf traits—a powerful and unique bloodline that must be protected from foreign packs.

Not everyone in the pack is happy about Cordelia’s arrival, and as danger closes in, she wonders if the man who ripped her from her life could be the one to save it.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Witches, Paranormal, Werewolves, Paranormal Romance

Audible Audio

First published September 30, 2025

About the author

KAYLEE ARCHER grew up on tales of legend and lore, myth and magic. Her favorites were always werewolves and witches, and when she ran out of stories to read about them, she started writing her own. As she got older, the werewolves and witches stopped killing each other and started kissing. Okay, no, they still kill each other…but they also find plenty of time for kissing.

source: Amazon

Kaylee Archer is the fantasy-writing pen name of New York Times bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong.

For more of Kelley’s books, see her website: KelleyArmstrong.com

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ My Thoughts & Rating ♥

Whew! this was quite the read! It was an entertaining experience that took me on a journey of love between a witch and a werewolf! This is the first book in this series and I’m excited for the next one to come out! I found the storyline to be really unique and interesting. Set in the Victorian era, a witch and a werewolf romance develops. This book is dark, tense, adventurous, mysterious and emotional! It is a fast paced read, filled with lovable characters.

It came with a clear thesis and had effective visuals. I did want to see more of the world building develop, but I think that will happen in the next book of this series. I really had fun reading the entire book. It left me wanting more, that’s for sure! I think that the main characters and the minor characters all stood out, while reading this. This enemies to lovers paranormal romance came with a slow burn, spice, and twists and turns you don’t see coming! Overall, I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars rating!

♥ Who I think would enjoy this book & Content Warnings ♥

I think readers who like to read books set in the Victorian era that contain paranormal spicy romance would enjoy this book. Content warnings include death, misogyny, explicit sexual content, torture, abuse, and murder.

♥ Thank You ♥

Thank you to NetGalley, author Kaylee Archer and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

♥ Publication Date ♥

This book is expected to be published on September 30, 2025!

♥ Quick Review ♥

✔️ Victorian Era
◾️ Witch & Werewolf Romance
✔️ Full of Twists
◾️ Spicy 🥵
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
◾️ Slow Burn
✔️ First Book in Series
◾️ Dark / Tense / Emotional

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[kitkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

── overview ── .✦

witch of the wolves is a fast paced romantasy about a witch who’s half werewolf. cordelia’s been leading a quiet life, until now. until now, she’s always assumed that her father was a human, not the alpha werewolf of the albion pack. that all changes when she’s kidnapped, by a handsome wolf, no less, and brought to the albion pack’s estate for her safety. in a completely new world of werewolves and secrets, cordelia must navigate the ways of the pack… all while fighting her attraction to her father’s second in command.

── my thoughts ── .✦

i honestly enjoyed this one more than i thought i would. it’s been a while since i’ve read a paranormal romance, but this one definitely delivered. cordelia has the perfect amount of wit and snark, while managing to still managing to have a good heart. bishop… he was just hot. i mean, he was so protective of her in the best way possible. the only real issue i had was that it really did not have that many witchy aspects to it and don’t think the storyline was that original. overall, it was a very enjoyable read, though.

features -
- slow burn
- arranged marriage
- witches
- werewolves
- enemies to lovers
- romantasy
- first person
- single pov

── preread ── .✦

it’s been awhile since i read a paranormal romance, so why not???

>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc <3

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

What Lit My Mood
A witch who’s also part werewolf-Cordelia, a powerful witch(more about that), discovers she’s the daughter of an Alpha werewolf. She is dragged into his Pack, denied her freedom, forced into marrying Bishop, second-in-command werewolf and expected to “produce” heirs to secure her father’s place as Alpha. This setup delivers some commentary on gender roles and women’s rights (a weakness of mine!).

The dark, Victorian-era romanasty tropes:
Enemies to lovers (though leaning more toward instant lust)
Forced marriage
Betrayal

Where My Mood Flickered
I’m always up for enemies to lovers, but here it fell into lust too quickly to savor that delicious tension. The betrayal trope was rushed to give it any real push-pull chemistry, and I wanted more mistrust and resistance to build suspense.
The Victorian setting often felt more modern than gothic, and while Cordelia is framed as a witch from a legendary line, her power never fully leapt off the page. I kept waiting for her magic to spark.

Witchy Mood Reader Rating
Almost Aligned – the vibes showed up, but the magic didn’t fully stick.

Spicy Level: Low to moderate. Lusty tension simmers early on (heated stolen moments), leading into longer spicy scenes that added enough steam to add heat. I might have jumped ahead after a couple of pages.

Verdict
Add this to your altar and summon it if you want a paranormal romance where witches clash with werewolves, and the bite comes more from its commentary than its spice.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

She’s a WITCH. She’s a LYCAN. She’s IN LOVE. Victorian romantasy with witchy kisses & werewolf betrayal!!

✨🐺🌲 🩵 🌲🐺✨

Cordelia is a resourceful witch who just found out she has a werewolf father & now she’s getting kidnapped by his handsome second-in-command. She’s transplanted to an uncivilized patriarchal pack and must face the truth that…her dad is a MONSTER! Cordelia is betrayed, attacked & mated but she’s also fallen dangerously in love 🩵✨

I found the dynamic between these two so refreshing! The story sets them up as enemies but Cordelia & Bishop worked together to avoid a horrible fate of…marriage 💍 Their romance grows in secrecy and is marked by silent kisses, undying protection & strategizing.

🐺 resourceful, intelligent & super pretty witch X stoic strategist werewolf

✨ struggle for female emancipation - historical & werewolf!

🐺 he gives her seductive baths

✨ borderline protector/bodyguard trope

Absolutely adored the VICTORIAN witchy vibes! The struggle for female emancipation & recognition of witchy powers reminded me of A Discovery of Witches but with werewolves 🐺 Historical romantasy works really well with this theme but I wish there was more emphasis on Cordelia’s witchy powers. Hoping for more witch world building in the next one!

historical romanatsy
protective mmc
attractive fmc
virgin fmc
he falls harder
(s)low spice
forced proximity
kidnapping
betrayals
pack politics
HEA

[DianaRose]

kaylee archer's witch of the wolves sounds like the campy raunchy romantasy that i hope it is - our fmc cordelia is an extremely powerful witch who discovers that she's the daughter of an alpha werewolf and is kidnapped by his pack; while trying to escape, she also must deny her attraction to the man that abducted her... like c'mon that sounds so steamy LOL. i really hope it pulls through because i'm so tired of hating romantasy right now...

[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Victorian-era romance and fantasy collide, we get a deliciously dark tale! Victorian era romance is one of my favorite time periods to read about, specifically for the corsets and dresses - but in combination with the Peaky-Blinders-esque grit of this story, I had a good time reading!

There are many layers to this story, and I appreciate on some level the lack of initial world-building - very much felt like we got to the meat of the story right away? Not dilly-dallying over family lineages, etc, kept my attention, and I could feel the main couple's tension rise immediately! Lots of shifting motivations definitely required me to pay closer attention because people were sneaky!

- Forced Proximity
- Enemies to lovers
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 - Open door (skipping will not impact your read of the book!)

*Fantastic cliffhanger and will be on the lookout for book #2!!
**CWs: talk of SA and non-consent but not between our main couple.

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR🖤

Follow me on Instagram for honest reviews, bookish freebies & giveaways! 🖤 ||
Southern Lady Reads YouTube channel coming soon!!

[Shannon Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Release day Review!😊

“I mean what do you think you’re doing existing, looking like that. Fully dressed, you’re more than enough. Undressed? Entirely too much.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️.5

This was a pleasant surprise! I had so much fun reading it. I loved the simplicity of the writing. It was such a good change of pace to read a romantasy that was more direct and straight to the point. We weren’t left wondering and confused about the characters or the plot. It was steady and straightforward with its reveals and plot twists, which I found refreshing!

There were a lot of things I didn’t see coming with the twists and turns of this that kept me hooked! I also really like the characters. They flowed well with the writing, being more forthcoming with each other but also getting twisted up in other people’s plans, giving a lot of betrayal and serious tension!🔥

With this being Kaylee’s debut, I am so excited to see what is to come in the future! Thank you to Net Galley and publishers for the ARC read opportunity! ❤️

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.75 ⭐️ I was looking through my Brooklyn Library on Libby when I came across this title and was available to borrow without a wait (that has never happened to me before, so I took this opportunity to see what's it like after I saw decent ratings on Goodreads) and I thought this was pretty good. Its very fast paced, action packed and spicy (2-2.5 chili peppers) Victorian-era/paranormal romantasy that is about a young witch, Cordelia, who learns that she is not a simple witch but half witch, half lycan and the daughter of the Alpha of the most known Werewolf pack. On her father orders, Cordelia is abducted by the Alphas second in command, Bishop Daniels, who is expected to become the next Alpha. When brought into her father’s lands, there she discovers that her supernatural heritage is very desirable to both the wares and the witches and she sort of becomes the pawn in her father’s games. Then her father drops another reveal that she is expected to marry Bishop so that she can birth hybrids for her father’s ulterior motives. Cordelia has a very hard time with the packs rules and expectations while pushed towards closed proximity to Bishop, which basically leads them to have undeniable attraction over time. Their romance does become kind of the central conflict in the story but the major political conflict/motives don’t really come out until the later third of the story.

In short, this book seemed to minimally echo the Underworld franchise with Kate Beckinsale and Michael Sheen as it predominantly focuses on bloodlines, powers and clan secrets. I enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator captured Cordelias emotions well. Polly Edsells voice was fantastic and kept me interested in knowing how everything will wrap up. There is no major cliffhanger but the conflict doesn’t exactly resolve and sets up the second book nicely.

[❤️My Dog is my Best Friend❤️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won an early copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway--so thank you to the publisher for providing a copy through that.

*1.5

I have been going back and forth on how to review this book because honestly...I didn't like it. But I hesitate being too harsh since this is this author's debut and I know how hard it is to write a book and get it published. I didn't like this book but it also felt like younger YA in terms of maturity (excluding the sex scenes) so maybe I would have enjoyed this more in high school.

Right from the beginning our main character, Cordelia, is walking down the street with her friends and notices a guy looking at her. This isn't all that unusual because she is apparently "super good looking" which is something that is mentioned throughout the story to the point where I was like "okay I get it she is incredibly good looking---can we move on?" Furthermore her character did not make a lot of sense and there was a heavy emphasis on "telling" over "showing." This is not uncommon among debut authors however, I felt like I was being led a bit too much. Instead of showing the reader why or how Cordelia grows to trust Bishop (MMC) or even just in her choices to follow Bishop, enter into a fake relationship, etc. we are told that she does trust them because she feels it or because of x, y, z but I wanted to be shown her slowly giving that trust and finding legitimate reasons for her decisions. The telling over showing really made it hard to get into the story.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention two situations that Cordelia finds herself in that her reactions to don't really make sense.
1. When her aunt dies
Not long after her aunt is murdered right in front of her, Cordelia starts making out with Bishop in an underground prison and probably would have slept with him if he hadn't stopped. I understand trying to drown out your sorrow using another person (although it really isn't the best thing to do) but she legitimately seemed to forget her aunt had her neck snapped mere moments ago. Furthermore, after this happens things really start heating up between her and Bishop and randomly she'll be like "oh yeah my aunt died! Now I'm depressed." As the reader I didn't feel like she was really all that sad about the death of the aunt WHO LITERALLY RAISED HER. To have that emotion missing really brought down the rating for me.

2. When it is discovered her father is a piece of crap
The most interesting part of the book was when the father really shows who he is and Cordelia is put in a crazy situation with a bunch of history about her parents that she realizes she doesn't actually know. It was the first time I felt really invested in the story but Cordelia's reaction to the whole thing was weird to me. She seemed to be determined to make excuses for her father even though he was like "Yeah I'm forcing you to get married to my right-hand man because I need you to have kids to pass on your amazing witch/wolf genes to my future heir etc." This was the exact thing her father said he was protecting her from--he said everyone else was going to force her to do just that in other packs but then suddenly he turns around and does the same thing? And Cordelia doesn't seem all that panicked? Or really hating her father? I don't know maybe I missed something, but the whole thing felt underwhelming.

Overall this is not a book I'd recommend. If you are curious about it, maybe wait until your library gets it or if it shows up on Kindle Unlimited or something. I didn't read a finished copy but I really don't see my big issues being resolved by the time final print comes along.

Also--I know Bishop was supposed to be kick butt and all but I think I could crush him with a stern conversation. No fighting required.

Content: Some language throughout, there are some sex scenes that are fairly descriptive, graphic violence, physical/verbal abuse, sexual innuendo

[BookishKB · Rating 3 out of 5]

🐺 Bookish Thoughts
I’m conflicted about this book. On one hand, it had a really interesting premise with a witch who was half Lycan during the Victorian era. It started off exciting, with a lot of things happening quickly. But then it became very repetitive and super bleak. And super slow paced. I was honestly relieved to finish the book.

The audiobook narration was fantastic though.

🖤 What to Expect
• Witch FMC
• Lycan heritage
• Dark family secrets
• Pack tension
• Broody MMC
_ _ _

📖 Final Score: 3 Stars
🎧 Audio Score: 4.5 Stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo (Polly Edsell)
📅 Pub Date: September 30 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Haunna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Are you actually fucking kidding me with this book? I don't remember the last time I felt rage about a poorly crafted book like this. It started off rather whimsical which lolled me into a false sense of security on what the central themes of this book would be. As things progressed I would've told you it wasn't well plotted or written but at least it was compelling to read. That is until I hit 50% and our main character who has been brutalized by her father (for really rather flimsy reasons) watches him kill her beloved aunt and then immediately starts having a passionate moment not five minutes later with the man who got her into the situation!??? I literally sat and said are you fucking kidding me. This book is not worth the time.

[Kayla_Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In this Victorian Era, paranormal romance, we see a unique twist where a witch is also part werewolf. The witches find out who you are and want you for your power and the werewolves want you to breed their children. And then you find yourself forced to marry your father’s right hand man. I loved the characters and cannot wait for the next book.

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 ★— It’s been a while since I read a sexy werewolf book, and honestly, I’ve kind of missed them.
Witch of the Wolves seemed like the perfect candidate to sate that craving, and as I got into the story, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I sank into the world-building, which was serviceable, if not exactly dazzling.

Set in historical England, Cordelia is a witch living with her aunt, hiding her powers and identity from the humans around them. After a strange encounter with a handsome stranger, her life is completely upended when she discovers she’s the daughter of the local wolf-shifter pack’s Alpha.

Let me just say, the book never specifies exactly when it takes place. It’s clearly a few hundred years back, and there are dresses, corsets, men and women addressing each other as Mr. and Miss, strictly entrenched gender roles (women needing to marry, of course)… but also gas lamps. So, probably sometime in the 19th century, I guess?
This vagueness didn’t do the already thin world-building any favors. That said, since I came here mostly for the wolf smut, I was willing to overlook this, along with a few other underdeveloped aspects of the setting.

As the book moved toward the midpoint, I actually started to get a little invested. There were some intriguing setups and revelations, but my interest faded pretty quickly as the story lost momentum and sort of floundered for a while.

Now, the wolf smut was pretty standard for the genre and well-written. The author included a few solid scenes between the MMC and FMC that worked well.
The dynamic between Bishop, who’s the MMC, and Cordelia was pretty much insta-lust on her side and a very quick fall on his. Cordelia makes her interest known right away and never wavers, while Bishop quickly morphs into the typical possessive wolf-shifter hero. Their connection felt very thin overall, and as more tropes piled on, the predictability of it all became pretty clear.

But… as an audiobook I listened to purely as brain candy, I had fun! A lot of the fantasy wolf-pack world-building felt pasted on and barely developed beyond the basics, and this is definitely not an inventive or breathtaking love story. However, as a bit of wolf smooching and some mindless historical fantasy fluff, it fulfilled its purpose for me and provided my monkey brain with some much needed serotonin.

🎧Audiobook/Narration:
The narrator did a great job giving distinct voices to the different characters. I never had trouble telling them apart, and I enjoyed her cadence immensely.

_________________________

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[meggthereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a wild ride. The ending alone had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. This was a true dark romance with Gothic Victoria vibes that made it super interesting paranormal read that more people need to be obsessing over.

When a mysterious man approaches Cordelia and tells her she must come with him, everything comes crashing down and so does her world. She discovers her life has is not what she thought and her life has been a lie. That same man turns up at the right moment when she’s in trouble, but it turns out that he’s werewolf and ends up kidnapping her and taking her to a father she never knew about.

I don’t want to give away too much, but just know that as soon as you finish this book you are going to want to run to read book two. Not only was this book completely different, but there were so many twists and turns, with some you would have ever see coming. The chemistry between Cordelia and Bishop was so good it had me barking. The plot alone had me pulled in but the spice was just downright criminal. If you need a new gothic/paranormal romance you gotta add this one to your TBR!


Tropes:
• Slow burn
• Deception, lies with so many twists and turns
• Gothic Victoria era
• Dark romance
• Witch x Werewolf
• Enemies to lovers
• Forced Proximity

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witch of the Wolves by Kaylee Archer
Romantasy. Part 1. Historical Paranormal romance with witches, werewolves and magic. Cliff hanger.
Cordelia Levine is a witch in London working in the human world until she’s abducted into her father’s werewolf pack. She’s being gifted and mated to her father’s second in command. Without her prior knowledge or consent of the union, Cordelia is determined to find a way out. Bishop Daniels has other ideas and he’s going to convince Cordelia to put her faith in him.
It’s a whole new world and the threats are vast and powerful.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Polly Edsell who does a wonderful performance. Cordelia is brought to life via the life changing obstacles she must overcome and the narration is filled with her terror, her determination and her building desire. The story practically jumps off the page and kept me actively listening to find out what’s next.
I listened at 1.5 and higher to more closely match local conversation speed.

Action, adventure, power grab, pack dynamics, and romance.
I liked Cordelia’s strength and her ability to listen and act even when under threat.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan audio.

[❀ Jamie ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the dark Victorian era vibes & quick start into the action! Enemies to lovers / slow burn is my favorite and Cordelia & Bishop’s chemistry was chef’s kiss. This is a fun, fast paced, and good book to test the paranormal romance world.

I got The Handmaid’s Tale vibes about the “breeding potential” & even though I like that show, it always makes me so upset. The pacing felt off in some places that I wish the author would have elaborated on, but they just grazed over. Overall there was still an intense plot and was a page turning read with so many twists! I will definitely be continuing the series.

💞 Thank you Net Galley for the ARC! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review 💞

[Natalie Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine. I will probably give the sequel a try. We follow a half witch half werewolf girl who is forced to marry the second in command in her father’s pact. There are twists and turns but nothing super crazy. If you want a simple paranormal story with average characters then you should check it out. It’s nothing special of a story but it did its job.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had potential, but the execution didn’t sit right with me. The magic in particular felt underwhelming—Cordelia’s spells were described more by what they accomplished (“a knockback spell,” “a privacy spell”) rather than allowing readers to experience the magic through vivid detail. Instead of immersing me in the atmosphere, it often read like an explanation.

The romance between Cordelia and Bishop also felt forced. The author was going for enemies to lovers, forced proximity, but It leaned more toward insta-lust than believable connection. Their “romance” often cropping up at odd times—like immediately after someone is beat and/or murdered. Cordelia, who is supposed to be inexperienced, is constantly instigating their tension (though the narration frames it as flirting), which felt silly and unbelievable.

The storyline was also weighed down by repetitive family drama, especially with Cordelia’s father and grandmother/mother/aunt plotlines that ended up feeling nearly identical. However other characters like Oliver and Julius added some charm and helped carry the story.

Overall, the premise intrigued me, but the writing style wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this but I'm going to leave room for the rest of the series before I give a higher rating. This was a complex and fascinating story that I NEED to keep reading (2nd book isn't out yet... yikes).

Cordelia is living with her aunt in semi-Victorian England and they are both witches. She is approached by a strange man on the street who tells her she's in danger and he's with her father and she needs to come with him. She's rightly suspicious of him and doesn't comply. When she reaches home, she tells her aunt... and boom, the book is off to the races and the action doesn't stop until a slight lull at the end where our characters get a breather while we wait for the next book to drop.

I really enjoyed Cordelia. She's strong and kickass, but also vulnerable and naive. I appreciated that she wasn't one of those heroines who makes stupid mistakes, but we're expected to believe she's actually SOOOO smart. Sadly, she does make some grave errors. Over and over again, she trusts the wrong people. It's not so much that she's stupid, as that she genuinely loves people and wants to be in relationship with them. I appreciate that she isn't hardened to change and to life and to trust. It sucks that she is surrounded by so many untrustworthy people, but it's not HER bad character causing these issues.

Throughout the book, the villains made sense to me. They are terrible, but they made sense. The worldbuilding and plotting made sense. People are nuanced and complicated and that carried through in this fictional world.

Her relationship with the love interest is nuanced and complicated, too. It's not a straightforward line from enemies to lovers. By the end of the book, they are staunchly allies who love each other, but their relationship is still complicated and fraught.

I appreciated the author included women's rights in this book in a way that felt very "of the time". Our heroine is very aware of her world, and while she believes women should be free to choose their lives, it didn't feel anachronistic. She's very present in this time of history where women are the property of their fathers until they are passed to their husbands. But, she definitely appeals to my modern thinking.

I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the narrator. Single first person POV from Cordelia's perspective.

Safety deets
- He's known for being with other women and having a good reputation for treating them well in bed. I could have done without that... but he hasn't slept with any of the women that surround them, for which I was grateful.
- She's a virgin, but is aware of the world. I love how she can talk a big game, but still gets a bit nervous about it.
- There is a LOT of violence, including threats of rape, etc. Thankfully, we don't get any scenes of sexual assault, but there is a lot of murdering and fighting.
- This is not even happy for now. This seems to be part of a series and I REALLY hope the author continues it and finishes it well, because I want to see them doing so much better. They are kind of together at the end, but it's pretty shaky.
- The male love interest is pretty good with seeking consent. However, Cordelia has this throwaway line: "If I don't protest, the answer is yes". I'm not a fan of that approach. Because people assume that saying nothing means consent but that's not necessarily true and needs to be negotiated between partners. It was fine here, because it was part of this couple's negotiation, but I am not a fan of the author including this phrase because it perpetuates unhelpful beliefs about consent.

[Emily | emilyisoverbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Griffin for the gifted copies!

Absolutely LOVED listening to WITCH OF THE WOLVES as narrated by Polly Edsell. I crushed it in a day.

Cordelia finds out that in addition to being a powerful witch, she’s also the daughter of an Alpha wolf when she’s taken by her father’s Pack and put in an arranged marriage / mateship with her abductor.

WITCH OF THE WOLVES is just a super fun, easy, escapist Romantasy that will leave you wanting more. (So like, thankfully it’s the start of a series). The world building here is simple and easy to understand, but there are both witch and werewolf politics that are GOOD and move the plot forward well. I also loved that this was in a Victorian setting. The romance between Cordelia and Bishop is just FUN and I was giddy as they fell for each other and loved when they got a lil spicy. They just work so well together. I’m a huge fan of this Pack and can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!

Add to your TBR if you liked THE WOLF KING, love an escapist Romantasy read, or are looking for a good Witch Week audio!

[Charity (Booktrovert Reader) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really came into Witch of the Wolves by Kaylee Archer ready to dive into a lush paranormal romance. Witches, werewolves, forbidden magic. The concept had promise, but for me, the story never found solid footing and I ended up stopping around the 16% mark.

The pacing felt uneven, with the plot jumping ahead without much grounding. Although I could tell the story was aiming for a Victorian-era vibe—Cordelia's wardrobe gave that away—the lack of historical context left me floating in an unclear, unanchored world.

Cordelia's voice also threw me off. Her inner thoughts and dialogue rang modern, rather than fitting a gothic, period-inspired setting. Meanwhile, the side characters remained flat. There was no real introduction or emotional layering, so I never felt connected to any of them. Their interactions felt hollow, like they were just there to fill the scene.

Then there's the paranormal aspect: Cordelia discovering and accepting her werewolf heritage happened too easily. There was no internal conflict, no emotional weight. She just sort of shrugged and moved on. Something that didn’t sit right with me when reading the story.

Overall, Witch of the Wolves had an intriguing premise, but the world-building and character depth didn’t resonate enough to keep me reading. If you prioritize immersive settings and emotional resonance, this might not be your paranormal cup of tea.

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Advance Review Copy generously provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread August 2026:
I did a reread on this so I would be fully refreshed on the deets before reading The Wolf Queen's Curse.
This time I tried the audio and Polly Edsell did an amazing job on the narration.
Enjoyed this even more the second time!
I am all set to find out what happens next and thank goodness I got early access to book 2!

Original Review March 2026:
Ugh, this book consumed me.
Did I love it?
Yes.
Do I hate that I have to wait until September for the story to continue?
Also yes.

Cordelia is the kind of FMC I am always looking for.
Blunt, sweet, naïve in a warm openness, and a total badass.
I cannot wait to see where Archer takes this story in the next book.
Magic, werewolves, deception, tragedy and hope.
This book really had everything.

Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my copy.

[Nya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need a drink but I LOVED this. Banging on the bars of my prison cell for the sequel

[Samantha Gaudious · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great time!!!

She’s half witch, half werewolf who gets taken
and now is an arranged marriage 🤭

If you are looking for a fun, fast paced and original story AND I have to say the romance & spicy scenes had me blushingggg 🤣🤣
…with plenty of action to keep you engaged!

Also perfect quick read for the fall 🖤🧡🐺

[Coffee&Cliffhangers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost forgot how much I missed stories like this and was hooked from the beginning. Cordelia, descended from a long line of witches, works at her aunt's apothecary in London, secretly helping supernaturals while honing her own powers. When she's abducted by Bishop Daniels at her father's request—an Alpha werewolf—she discovers she's not only a witch but also a Lycan. Her father claims to want to protect her from harm, but she soon learns his real motive is to marry her to Bishop to continue the bloodline and solidify his status. Determined to escape, she refuses to marry Bishop, but when it becomes clear that Bishop intends to challenge her father's power, she reluctantly teams up with him and begins to trust him. As they navigate the pack's dynamics, Cordelia finds her attraction to Bishop growing. This book was so much fun, and it reminded me how much I enjoy this genre. My only complaint is that the enemies-to-lovers trope developed too quickly, lacking the tension I had hoped for.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This is the first book in a new romantasy/urban fantasy with romance series featuring witches and werewolves. The story takes place in Victorian London.

Cordelia Levine (23) is a witch. She lives among humans. But helps out her aunt Lenora (a wealthy fairly powerful witch).

The main male character is Bishop Daniels/Danvers. He is a werewolf who works for Cordelia’s father. He is sent to bring her to him.

I love Cordelia. I love books that feature witches. And I adore seeing them cast spells. I also enjoy werewolves. And the witch/werewolf dynamic here is amazing.

The romance is super steamy. Bishop and Cordelia are so great together!

The book has a lot of action. There are so many surprises. There is just one part near the end that is a bit too much for me. However I do understand why it happens. Overall this is such a fun new series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Merry Jayned · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐ 5/5
🌶️ 2/5
You know? I didn't hate it. In fact, one would say, I enjoyed it. I went in blind and came out needing a drink from emotional damage.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable historical PNR. Set in Victorian era London, it follows Cordelia (23) who is a witch. She grew up thinking her dad was some random guy, but when the werewolf Bishop (28) shows up to take her to her long-lost dad, she learns her dad is a werewolf. She knew that werewolves existed, but they're very insular, so she had never interacted with them before. She gets taken to the spooky Gothic mansion where the werewolf Pack lives, and she gets involved in their politics, infighting, and intrigue.

This book is by Kelley Armstrong, author of the Otherworld series, like Bitten, and it's set in that world - so, the werewolves are all men, and Cordelia is one of the only women in that house (because that's how werewolves work, in this world). There are a lot of fun little nods to that series, like Cordelia is a Levine (an ancestor of Savannah and Eve from the Otherworld series), and Bishop is a Danvers (an ancestor of Jeremy). I have no idea why she's writing this under a pen name. Fans of the Otherworld series would dig this, why is she making it harder for them to find it? Since the blurb is calling this "Romantasy" it seems like maybe she's trying to appeal to the Romantasy trend, and maybe she was told books that seem like debuts could sell better, but it's all very odd.

I'm hit or miss with her books, I mostly enjoy her Otherworld series, but sometimes her heroines can annoy me - too impulsive and brash. Cordelia was one of her best heroines. She's confident, resourceful, and she's good at pretending to be docile and quietly gather information before acting (rather than doing something impulsive and stupid). But she's also a fighter when she needs to be. Sometimes the Otherworld series let the men have all the fun and didn't let its heroines kill their enemies. Not here, Cordelia gets her hands dirty.

Bishop was a very likable hero. Not my favorite Armstrong hero (I like Clay from her Otherworld series and Gabriel from her Cainsville series, Bishop is a similar combo of brawny and smart, but he's too nice. He doesn't have that anti-social attitude that she writes so well in men). We don't get his POV, but I didn't need it. This story is good at making his feelings filter in through her POV, even when she doesn't always pick up on them, the reader can. But, there's a part of this story where it seems like he betrayed her, and even though it's obvious that he didn't, it felt like this moved past it too fast. Like, Cordelia was almost TOO practical and logical, and immediately moved past it. It felt like this story squandered an opportunity for good angst.

The plot was interesting, and had turns that surprised me. Sometimes this author can fall into the writing pattern of, "and then THIS happened, and then THIS happened, and then THIS happened," and that's the whole book. This book was good at giving Cordelia interiority, and slowing down when it needed to, and having more variety in types of scene.

Mild spoiler - this book's biggest flaw was a holdover from her Otherworld series. In this paranormal world, she has this concept of a Cabal, which are basically evil corporations run by sorcerers, and she often used them as the villain. It was fine in a couple books, but she's over-used them in way too many books. She seems to find them MUCH more interesting than I do. I'm tired of Cabals, let's get some variety in the villains. So when a Cabal became relevant in this story, I almost groaned.

But, overall, this was a very enjoyable PNR read - I don't know why the blurb is calling itself Romantasy, it's PNR. And ironically, it's the best Kelley Armstrong book I've read in a while, even though she's not even writing it under her own name.

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun!! There were a lot of surprise twists and plenty of spice in this amalgamation of the historical, fantasy, and shifter romance genres. I enjoyed the characters, fast pace, and the romance.

🎧 The narrators English accent and story telling abilities elevated my enjoyment of this particular story.

Shifter x Witchy Romance
Historical Fantasy (Regency Era)
Forced Marriage
Tyranical Rulers
Dark Secrets
Political Machinations
& An Extremely Clevel MC, think Sherlock Holmes as an English Debutant
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining, albeit predictable shifter romance.

This world and this story have a lot of promise, but as of now, it's underdeveloped. The romance is much the same. I liked the potential; however, there wasn't enough build-up for me to truly fall in love with Cordelia and Bishop as a pairing. That being said, I think there's room to grow and improve. So I am open to checking out the sequel to see where this story goes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.