Crescent Kingdom: The Wolves of Crescent Creek, Book 1

The Wolves of Crescent Creek #1

by Tessa Hale, Vanessa Moyen (Narrator), Connor Crais (Narrator)

Never stop running. And no matter what, never let the world know who you really are.

I’ve spent my whole life hiding. Training. Preparing. Hoping that no one will discover my secrets. What I can do. Who I am. And I’ve gotten so good at it, sometimes even I forget.

Until them.

The wolf pack with a ruthless reputation and a penchant for revenge. The protective fighter. The charming Brit. The shy hacker. The silent mercenary. The cruel assassin.

They see more than anyone ever has before. And even with demons of their own, they give me sanctuary. A place to hide, to rest, and maybe even a place to belong.

Only it turns into so much more. Because when they touch me, everything around me ignites, and nothing matters but them.

But these wolves have secrets. And those secrets bring enemies. And when they find out who I really am?

It’s not their enemies I need to fear. It’s them.

Genres: Fantasy, Why Choose, Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Romantasy

Audible Audio

First published April 23, 2025

About the author

Author of love stories with magic, usually with more than one love interest. Constant daydreamer.

What a FREE novella from me? You can download one via BookFunnel: https://BookHip.com/NWRWMZA

Reviews

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ I had way too much fun with this one. Imagine a CW show from the golden era, with unreasonably attractive people with violent coping mechanisms and toss in a splash of “the originals” for that supernatural baggage. Vibes 10/10. Every single one of these people is dragging a suitcase full of trauma. I cannot wait to get into everyone’s backstory.

We’ve got not one, not two, but five overprotective wolf shifters whose entire personalities seem to be violence and growling at anything that breathes near the FMC and they’re overprotective to the point of being a full-time security team. Honestly, the testosterone in this book had me a bit feral. These guys are constantly punching each other just to communicate. You know what hell yeahhh🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Each of the guys brings something different to the table, and it clicks. They’re not just five carbon copy alpha wolves. There’s a mix of broody, dangerous, sweet but deadly, and everything in between. The group dynamic is just right. The book is on the shorter side, so while I loved the setup and the group dynamic, there wasn’t quite enough time to really connect with any of the MMCs on a deeper, one on one level but I’m sure I will in the next books.

Wren The FMC is on the run with secrets for days, I love a hidden identity moment. She’s tough, mysterious, and somehow has managed to be mated to five hot wolf shifters. ✨winning✨

So if you’re into some really overprotective, supernatural men who seem like they want to inhale the FMC at any moment, a little action/fight scenes, a girl with a haunted past, and a story that reads like your guilty pleasure TV binge , THIS IS RIGHT HERE. This is exactly what I want when I crack open a paranormal romance, nothing too crazy in the world building just to sit back and enjoy the ride, kind of vibe.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gobble gobble, I was a damn turkey reading this book. I started and finished it in one sitting last night. Why choose, shifter romance has me sitting, sat, seated.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa Hale is QUEEEEEEEEN of paranormal why choose romances, and the first book of her new series did not disappoint!

This one is a wolf shifter romance that follows Wren, who is on the run from a dangerous past. No one in Crescent Creek knows she's a werewolf/caster, but when the guys meet her, they're all drawn to her. I loved how different each guy was and how each had a distinct bond/connection with Wren. The found family aspect of the gym was great and the danger!? Had me on the edge of my seat. I flew through this one and need book two now!!!

[Tessa Hale]

🐺Crescent Kingdom is Now Available🐺
Happy Crescent Kingdom release day! Wren has been in my head for so long and I’ve been excited for you to meet her ever since we saw her in the Dragons of Ember Hollow series! See what happens when Wren arrives in Crescent Creek and catches the attention of five wolf shifters…

Grab Crescent Kingdom NOW on Kindle Unlimited!! →
https://geni.us/CrscntKngdmAmzn

Listen on Audio →
https://geni.us/CrscntKngdmAudio



Never stop running. And no matter what, never let the world know who you really are.
I’ve spent my whole life hiding. Training. Preparing. Hoping that no one will discover my secrets. What I can do. Who I am. And I’ve gotten so good at it, sometimes even I forget.
Until them.
The wolf pack with a ruthless reputation and a penchant for revenge. The protective fighter. The charming Brit. The shy hacker. The silent mercenary. The cruel assassin.
They see more than anyone ever has before. And even with demons of their own, they give me sanctuary. A place to hide, to rest, and maybe even a place to belong.
Only it turns into so much more. Because when they touch me, everything around me ignites, and nothing matters but them.
But these wolves have secrets. And those secrets bring enemies. And when they find out who I really am?
It’s not their enemies I need to fear. It’s them.

[Doom Sunshine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hale hasn't really changed her writing style or elevated her stories for a more mature audience, despite having an extensive catalog.

There are a lot of inconsistencies in this book, which a good content editor would have pointed out.
FMC tells Puck not to touch her, he backs away. Next day, he touches her and she doesn't do anything. The day after that, he goes to touch her and says "I remember that not being touched is important to her" [paraphrasing] and pulls his hand away.

FMC begins the story by saying she is unable to get close to anyone and she can never tell anyone anything. By the end, she is telling anyone everything.

She refuses to take OTC meds from one MMC, but allows him to know where she lives. The next day, she allows a different MMC to give her OTC meds and a concoction of unknown origins.

Ender was the most annoying MMC tropes out there, and his kind appears in almost all of Hale's writing. He hates the FMC [insert dumb reason here] and she rarely pushes back against his verbal abuse.

There was also a lot of repetition in events. People had their nose broken several times, 'cause ya know, violence solves everything. FMC hits her head and "everything fades to black" about the same amount of times as we see a broken nose.

At this point, Hale has run out of ideas and her stories aren't original nor are her cliffhangers.

Dumb nicknames in this book:
little flower
little warrior
birdie
my love

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crescent Kingdom is the first book in the Wolves of Crescent Creek series and I loved it so much! This author is a favorite for why choose, paranormal romances with fated mates and protective hero vibes. I love wolf shifter romances and I devoured this audiobook! Tropes: wolf shifters, why choose, heroine in hiding, hidden identity, fated mates, touch her and die vibes.

I’ve been anticipating this book since some of the characters first showed up in the previous series from this author, and this start to the series did not disappoint! We see Wren’s backstory in the prologue and then cut to years later when she’s living in Crescent Creek, Colorado. She’s such a strong character who has gotten used to taking care of herself over the years. Wren is a hybrid (half wolf, half caster) and has kept her identity under wraps for years for reasons you’ll see play out in the story. Her life gets shaken up when one day she’s sparring at the gym and meets Kingston, the gym owner who she immediately recognizes as an alpha wolf shifter and has her wanting to flee! Kingston also owns a security company with the other heroes and soon Wren finds herself falling into their lives.

I am so obsessed with the start to this series and already love all of the characters so much! Each of the heroes gives different energy and feels so unique. Kingston the alpha, gym owner who calls her “Little Warrior”. Locke the tech enthusiast, glasses-wearing hacker of the group. Puck is British and owns the bar she lives above. Ender is the assassin and cat dad of the group (his rescue kitten is so precious). And Brix, the mercenary of the group! I have loved seeing each of their interactions with Wren and how they connect together as well. This is only the start to the trilogy so I know we will learn/see much more about the characters as the series continues, but I’m already loving some of the backstories we’ve gotten! I flew through this audiobook, it’s a quick read and so easy to get pulled into their world. I’m just so excited to see how the overall story continues, cause that ending! 🤯 Tessa’s books always end on a cliffhanger, but thankfully the next part in this trilogy is coming soon and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

The audiobook is fantastic, highly recommend grabbing the audios for this author’s books because they always are amazing! This one has a full cast narrating the characters and was oh so good: Vanessa Moyen, Connor Crais, Jason Clarke, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, and Shane East!

I received an ARC/ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[Britney ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so this book was actually insane. It's two am and I just finished because how could I POSSIBLY put this down??

Wren is perfect and my heart broke for her just a little bit more every chapter. She deserves only good things in this world. All she wants is to be loved and taken care of and she deserves it so much 😭.

I really liked that all of the guys had their own personalities. Ender can go walk off a cliff though and I wouldn't be mad 😌. Puck and King are also definitely getting the side eye too, but Locke and Brix?? No notes. Locke is the sweetest and wants to care for Wren and they just really deserve each other. He's the calm that she needs in her life. Brix is the touch her and die that she needs because I'd like to see someone get through him.

This seriously was so good. It was a one sitting read and let me tell you when I saw how far away book two was I was devastated. I really need it now lol.

Thank you to the author for the gifted arc

[Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure why I continue trying this author’s books but it’s like watching reality tv lol. I think I pick these up when I just want background noise of sorts.

If you’ve read one of her books, you’ve honestly read them all. Nothing really changes, the fmcs are almost all the same and react the same to things. Wren, the fmc, is probably the most different so far just bc she knows she’s supernatural as opposed to her other fmcs who never know anything. She also never has female friends, and if she does it’s never mentioned much.

Wren gives in extremely easily though, that it’s a bit annoying. I would like a fmc who at least puts up more of a fight.

But the guys are the same in every story. The same characteristics, the same personalities. They react the same to things. There’s always five, there’s always one who doesn’t want to give into the bond bc of a previous relationship with another woman went wrong, one who is mistrusting of her. I could go on.

I expected the reveal at the end early on, so it wasn’t surprising. How some of the guys reacted was a bit surprising because you’d think they’d be smarter??? Again, this story is nothing new but if you need a quick paranormal read I guess it’s not awful.


SAFETY
-She’s not a virgin
-Guys have shared before, no mentions of being playboys really but it’s kind of assumed?
-OWD - previous hook up of one guy shows up and is rude to fmc (of course), she does get jealous initially when she finds out they slept together (this is early on in the book)
-one guy had a previous gf who fucked him up because she betrayed him
-there is a true mate bond, and a calling bond (?) and the guys have felt the calling with other women before, but then you would have to choose to be with them and it’s not a true mate bond

[Sybrenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Werewolf romances are going to do it for me every single time but make it why choose with fated mates????? I ate this UP. I just wish it was longer!

[Thay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You should've run when you had the chance, Little Warrior. Because now that I know what it's like to have your touch? You'll never be free.”

Crescent Kingdom opens the door to a world of secrets, supernatural bonds, and sizzling chemistry. It’s another fantastic story from the Queen of Why Choose Romances that doesn’t just rely on steamy scenes, it’s driven by emotion, personal growth, and the slow unraveling of hidden truths.

Wren has spent her life running, from a past she doesn't fully understand and from powers she can’t always control. When she arrives in the remote town of Crescent Creek, she thinks she’s found a place to hide. Instead, she finds the Arcane Pack (also terrifyingly known as The Diablos), five intense, powerful shifters who sense that Wren isn’t just another girl with a tragic backstory, the instant connection they feel to her and how their wolves respond to her is nothing short of intriguing to all of them.

The plot builds gradually, mixing suspense, humor, and tension as Wren’s connection to the supernatural world deepens. There’s a strong undercurrent of mystery surrounding her identity and what exactly she is, and Tessa Hale skillfully lets those answers come in time, keeping the reader hooked.

The setting, Crescent Creek, is atmospheric and vivid. It feels like a place you could get lost in, with its moody forests, shifter politics, and quiet menace lurking beneath the surface.

The heart of the book is its character dynamics. Wren is a fantastic protagonist, vulnerable but resilient, sarcastic yet soft-hearted. She’s not a damsel or a savior; she’s just trying to survive, and in the process, she finds a place where she might finally belong.

As for our guys, each member of the Diablo Pack has a distinct voice and role. Kingston is the natural leader as he's the Alpha, stoic and steady, a protective force who seems to know more than he says. Puck brings light and levity, his British charm and banter hide emotional scars that make him more than just the “funny one” of the group. Locke is quiet and thoughtful, the sweet tech-genius type who sees everything but says little, until it matters. Brix is intense and complicated., there’s a war inside him, and Wren might be the only one who can reach (and touch) him. Ender is the hardest to crack, skeptical, sharp-tongued, and resistant to Wren’s presence… which, of course, makes every moment of tension between them even juicier. Ender is usually the type that attracts me the most in all of Tessa's previous works, but she excelled so hard on this new series that I'm crazy about all of the guys.

The why choose aspect is beautifully balanced, as usual. The emotional development between Wren and each guy is unique and doesn't feel as forced or rushed. The slow burn tension simmers just below the surface for much of the book, making every shared look and brush of skin feel like fire.

Crescent Kingdom explores themes of found family, trauma, trust, and transformation. It’s not just about romance or magic, it’s about healing and building something new when the world has only ever taken from you. Wren’s journey is one of reclaiming her power, both literally and emotionally.

The tone is moody but hopeful. Hale’s writing is sharp, immersive, and emotionally resonant without being overly flowery. She knows when to let a moment breathe and when to hit you with something gut-wrenching or unexpectedly sweet.

Finally, Crescent Kingdom is a rich, character-driven paranormal romance with a captivating heroine and a pack of guys you’ll absolutely fall for. It builds the foundation of a larger story that promises more magic, more secrets, and deeper bonds in the books to come. And how crazy I'm about what's to come after that cliffhanger.

If you're into shifters, strong female leads, slow-burn romance with multiple love interests, and emotional tension that keeps you turning the pages late into the night, this one’s for you.

Ps.: The cast of the Audiobook though? Fantastic! I wasn't able to listen to it in this one, but I heard some snippets and it was amazing. All the characters seem really well represented by their voice actors. I'm excited to try to listen to Audiobook of the next installment.

✨ RATING
- C (characters): 8/10
- A (atmosphere): 8/10
- W (writing): 8/10
- P (plot): 8/10
- I (intrigue): 9/10
- L (logic): 9/10
- E (enjoyment): 9/10
↬ TOTAL: 8.43 = ⭐⭐⭐⭐+ 0,5

💦 SPICE: 🌶️🌶️

🔖 TROPES:
- Why Choose
- Wolf Shifters
- Fated Mates
- Found Family
- Hidden Identity
- Heroine On The Run
- Cat Daddy
- Touch Her and Die
- Hurt x Comfort
- Tragic Past

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: drugging, violence, torture

“She smelled like... home.”

----------------------

Old review freaking out about the book before reading it, haha

I'm so excited for this new series!!
I loved Wren so much in the Dragons of Ember Hollow series and now I need MORE desperately. I can't wait to see more of the rest of the Diablos pack besides Brix, who we got to know in the previous series. Also, I was already swooning about Kingston in the one preview chapter we had in his pov.
2025 CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH!

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

exactly the tessa hale charm i needed!! one of my favourite rh writers for sure. this was the brilliant escapism trash i required.

addictive, so easy to read, entertaining. i liked our fmc - she was less innocent than the usual tessa hale heroine, and i enjoyed her determination and strength. the mmcs varied, from the adorable cutie patootie precious hacker, to the eternally suspicious emotionally tortured shithead mate! a glorious range, to be sure. cliffhanger was brutal, but when isn't it!

[Laurens.Little.Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here I am, giving this author yet another chance.

This was an improvement—by degrees—from her dragon shifter why choose series. However, Hale’s lowkey hatred for woman (every other female character is a bitchy mean girl who’s jealous of the FMC) remains prominent in this series, too.

It reads like this author has never known healthy female friendship and is straight-up self-inserting as the main character drowning in male attention 🫠🫠🫠

[Alexa]

DNF @ 30%

WOW I was not expecting to dnf this one 💔 wolf shifters… why choose… I was prepared to eat this up!!! Maybe I will come back to it eventually but it actually felt like a trash tv show. Insta lust with not 1, but 5 dudes from the wolf pack!!?? Chilllll I need a slow burn

[Shanna Ferris · Rating 5 out of 5]

• Wolf shifters
• Paranormal
• Fated Mates
• Heroine in hiding
• Found family
• Protective MMCs
• Badass FMC
• Hurt/Comfort
• Romantasy

"Someone hurt her. Our Little Warrior. Our delicate little bird with her spirit of pure flame."

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t immediately run to Amazon to see when book two was coming out. That cliffhanger? Brutal. My heart! Was the heartbreak this book caused me worth it just to experience this amazing cast and fall in love with every one of these characters? Yes. Absolutely, yes. Now begins the countdown to the next book.

Tessa Hale can freaking write. hot damn! This was my first book by her, and I’m already itching to dive into her other series. They've just skyrocketed to the top of my TBL.

I loved falling in love with each of these beautifully broken characters and watching them slowly come together. As I met each of the guys, I couldn’t help but think, what an adorably hot group of misfits. They fit together so perfectly, even though, on paper, it seemed so unlikely. And that only speaks to Tessa's incredible talent, she breathes life into her characters and emotions in a way that makes them feel real.

She gave us:
Ender, the grumpy assassin.
Locke, the genius hacker.
Kingston, the fierce fighter.
Brix, the brooding mercenary.
Puck, the charming Brit.

Their personalities were so well developed. I couldn't get enough. Especially seeing the sweet way they formed their pack and instinctively understood one another. And the way these protective men took Wren in, determined to keep her safe even though they knew she was hiding something… chef’s kiss.

I adored Wren’s character. She was an absolute badass. Even after everything she’d been through, she never stopped fighting. Her strength was inspiring.

I can’t wait for July let the countdown begin!

In the meantime, I’ll be binging her Dragons of Ember Hollow series!

🎧Audiobook Review🎧
Dual narration
Narrated by
• Vanessa Moyen as Wren
• Connor Crais as Kingston
• Jason Clarke as Ender
• JF Harding as Locke
• Teddy Hamilton as Brix
• Shane East as Puck

The talent in this audiobook was absolutely overflowing! Tessa clearly said, ‘Let me hire the best’ and she delivered. Every single narrator brought their A-game and then some. I loved every moment of it, and now I’m counting down the days until the next book!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything. The perfect amount of wolf shifter-ness and other fantasy/romantasy elements mixed in. I'm not a big RH girlie, but I didn't mind it here AT ALL 😏.

[Mikky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was an okay read. I'm interested enough to try the next book. The characters are somewhat dimensional. They just keep a lot of secrets, which makes it a frustrating read. I saw that ending coming from a mile away. Also, the one guy in the harem (whose name escapes me right now) who dislikes her so vehemently just needs to get lost. If he's pouring this much time into sabotaging her, then he needs a life away from everyone else.

[fromthestudyof · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a werewolf romance & idc who knows it

Didn’t realize this was a why choose situation when I started but I’m not complaining. My two favorite love interest rn are Locke (hot, ripped nerd) & Brix. Pronounced like “bricks” …. no one is more shocked than me that he turned out to be one of my favorites

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love. Love. Love

[Cara Frisk · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is bad.

“Billy was sad. The teacher should’ve known just by looking at him. The way his head was bent, eyes focused on his hands. How he kept sniffling as he tried to keep the tears at bay. I’d learned to match the way people looked with their feelings.”

BILLY WAS SAD? What kind of first sentence is this??

I’d learned to match how people looked with their feelings?? She had to learn that someone holding back tears must be sad? She must be an empath fr

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

ooo imma need this ASAP😼2025 needs to hurry up!!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahh love love

I love Tessa’s books they are my comfort reads. She does such a good job at writing beautiful stories that hit the spot every time. The angst and tension is divine.

Wren and the guys are just perfect and I can’t wait to read more 🥹🥹 also Cat Daddy is my fave hehe

[{ ° Olivia ° } · Rating 2 out of 5]

um... what? this was way too weird for me

[Nicolina · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Again I can’t with those sassy and “badass” FMCs. I can’t. It’s just immature behaviour. No one can be that rude to strangers and be praised for being a “strong woman”.

Also she just arrived to a town a month ago and started MMa training a month ago too, but she is already the star of the fighting Gym and fighting like a pro. I know she is half shifter but it’s too unrealistic. She is also “cool” you know, she is badass and doesn’t need anyone. She is basically Karate kid without the charm.

I’m out.

[M.L. Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hehehe ooookay this is a fun little time ON TO THE NEXT ONE! (I wish these audiobooks were duet but really vibing with the story)

[Bookish Equestrian {hiatus} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come!

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[Arianna ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the year of paranormal romance for me & I am loving Tessa Hale's books! This is the first time I'm reading her current series as it publishes and it's kinda painful tbh. I *knew* the book was going to end on a cliffy because it's a triology but I was still surprised when it happened.

I seriously love Wren's character so much! She's been drug through the trenches of life but she's still managed to come out on top & be so strong. I loved seeing her get to meet all of the MMCs and interact with them. The men are all so wildly different from each other but I loveeee the way they can each bring a different side of Wren out of her shell. Some of the men don't trust easily so there's an intense tension between them & Wren throughout the book.

This was such a good book to binge read in less than a day! The audiobook is narrated by Vanessa Moyen, Connor Crais, Jason Clarke, JF Harding, Teddy Hamilton, and Shane East. They all pulled together to create such a masterpiece! They all added their own flair to each of the characters and it made me love the book even more than I already did. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of this trilogy later this year!

Thank you to Tessa Hale and MLA for sending me an early copy of the audiobook!

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so freaking good. Crescent Kingdom is my first read from Tessa Hale and it will not be my last. A heroine who has been on the run from bad people in her life, finds a town she loves, but doesn’t realize a pack that’s a little too entwined with her past already calls it home. Not only did this story grab me from the start, but it kept my interest, made me laugh, made me gasp, and had me shedding some tears. I’m not 100% sure if it’s shifter romance or paranormal romance considering it’s a world with many types of supernatural beings, but I adored it. I usually read contemporary, but this had all the angst and steam of a contemporary but add in the pack dynamics and action of a shifter romance.

I was lucky enough to get an ALC to listen to and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved a full cast of narrators. The voice actor for Wren did a fantastic job portraying a heroine who is taking care of herself and strong, but also one who could accept love and protection once she knew it was safe. Each narrator for “the pack” (Kingston, Puck, Ender, Locke, and Brix) did SUCH a good job. Like truly each inspired a different emotion with their acting and made it easy to see the dynamic between each of them and Wren. Ender is a tough nut to crack, but of course he’s my favorite. Gotta love the resistant member.

I honestly just can’t wait for more because I am dying to know what comes next in this world!

AVAILABLE NOW!
*ALC from Must Love Audio

[Dayna | daynas.bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED MOOOOORRRREEEEEEEE

tessa hale books are like candy and i will never turn a new one down. this series may be my new fav by her!!

feral wolf shifters & a girl on the run. love love love the reverse harem and how every boy brings something different to the table. i legitimately cannot pick a favorite because they’re all sooooo good in their own way.

in true tessa fashion, that ending was criminal. NEXT BOOK WHEN??

tessa ilysm, thank you for the arc!!!❣️

[Gabriela *ೃ༄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🫣 I THOUGHT THE TRILOGY WAS FINISHED AND THEN I SAW THE RELEASE DATE FOR THE NEXT TWO💔im gonna cry