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Little Wolf and the Witch
After being exiled in his youth, Feilan has earned a comfortable, complacent life in the Siftar trading post. He has very little to worry about...
...aside from a would-be emperor with covetous eyes on Siftar’s trade network, the Vaer raiders who insist on camping nearby every summer, the warrior who got him exiled all those years ago – and the jolterhead who thinks it’s perfectly reasonable to walk the new child-queen of Seven Hills into the raiders’ camp to beg for help.
Renart is young Queen Adeline’s uncle, and he’s trying to save her from a dangerous regency. They desperately need champions for a monster hunt, and Renart is not exactly grateful to Feilan for diverting them for their own safety.
He’s very grateful to Feilan for falling for the trick he tries next.
Feilan finds himself accompanying Renart home, under orders to win the monster hunt to earn Adeline a throne and Siftar a trade deal. The monster’s more than even a Vaer warrior can handle alone, so he’ll need to pull together an unlikely alliance to stay in the game.
Meanwhile, he has a marriage to fake, and he soon finds spiky, provocative, lonely Renart to be a man of secret depths and unsung courage.
But there’s more than one monster in Seven Hills, and the one who wears the human mask is far too accustomed to power to let an interfering barbarian take it away...
...aside from a would-be emperor with covetous eyes on Siftar’s trade network, the Vaer raiders who insist on camping nearby every summer, the warrior who got him exiled all those years ago – and the jolterhead who thinks it’s perfectly reasonable to walk the new child-queen of Seven Hills into the raiders’ camp to beg for help.
Renart is young Queen Adeline’s uncle, and he’s trying to save her from a dangerous regency. They desperately need champions for a monster hunt, and Renart is not exactly grateful to Feilan for diverting them for their own safety.
He’s very grateful to Feilan for falling for the trick he tries next.
Feilan finds himself accompanying Renart home, under orders to win the monster hunt to earn Adeline a throne and Siftar a trade deal. The monster’s more than even a Vaer warrior can handle alone, so he’ll need to pull together an unlikely alliance to stay in the game.
Meanwhile, he has a marriage to fake, and he soon finds spiky, provocative, lonely Renart to be a man of secret depths and unsung courage.
But there’s more than one monster in Seven Hills, and the one who wears the human mask is far too accustomed to power to let an interfering barbarian take it away...
340 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2025
5 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Palmer
18 books53 followersWendy Palmer lives in Bridgetown, Western Australia with her partner, son, dogs, goats, alpacas, bees and chickens. She's patted tigers, ridden elephants, dog-sledded across glaciers, faced down lions in the Serengeti, swum with whale sharks, and camped in the Sahara, but she not-so-secretly prefers curling up with a good book.
She writes fantasy fiction with entertaining characters, enjoyably perilous adventures, romantic entanglements, some dark undertones, but always happy, hopeful endings.
Now over at StoryGraph.
She writes fantasy fiction with entertaining characters, enjoyably perilous adventures, romantic entanglements, some dark undertones, but always happy, hopeful endings.
Now over at StoryGraph.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 12, 2025
I had SUCH A GREAT TIME WITH THIS!! this book literally had me losing time cause I was so caught up in the story. The only reason why I didn't finish this in one sitting was cause at about the 80% mark I fell asleep reading it and clocked myself in the face with my kindle. My first Wendy Palmer book but I can safely say that it wont be my last.
Here was a man who had been taught to never ask for too much, curse his uncle and every one of his brothers and sisters. Feilan said, ‘It’s not about turns. It’s about sharing pleasure. It’d be my pleasure to take your cock, any way it’d be your pleasure to give it to me.’
‘I see,’ Remy said, very slowly. ‘Doesn’t…doesn’t the smaller man…’
‘No, go on, I’m interested to hear your theory,’ Feilan told him, snickering.
‘My theory is that men who take the piss don’t get fucked in any way except the proverbial,’ Remy said with endearingly spiky acerbity.
Feilan laughed outright. ‘Apt enough. Whoever wants to take the cock, takes the cock, Rufran, and right now, I want to lie back here and take your cock. Want to give face-fucking a try?’
Just as an advisory, I won't be discussing any spoilers for the overarching plot but I will discuss some background points that I think are important for some readers to be informed about before entering into the read.
Feilan is spymaster for a bustling trading post, and an exiled Vaer Raider, and one day encounters Prince Renart (Remy) and his niece, and future Queen-to-be, Princess Adeline, as they try to covertly secure champions to represent them in a monster hunt, the winner of which would determine the future ruler of Seven Hills. Feilan is then subject to some trickery which traps him in returning to the Seven Hills and assisting Remy with his efforts to secure Adeline her throne.
Its worth noting that this book is set 200 years prior to another of Palmers books, Domesticated Magic, and whilst they don't intersect across storylines, I suspect that there is some inherent shared world building and language I missed by having not read it first. All this meant however, was that it took a little bit for me to get my head around the vibes of the book, but within a few chapters I had found my footing.
Aesthetically, the Vaer are a facsimile for the Vikings (Berserkers and all) and I had the impression that the Seven Hills was a stand in for Mediaeval England.
One of the things that I appreciated about this book is that it took a trope I normally avoid like the plague, Love Triangles, and utilised it in a way that I actually really appreciated and enjoyed. I can say hand on heart that if I had of realised there was a love triangle in here prior to picking it up, that I would probably not have taken the risk of reading it. So I'm glad I went in to this without realising and gave it the opportunity to show me how it can be used well between interesting characters with complicated backstories.
All that being said, I don't know if this is a book that would work well for everyone and there are some elements that can be a little unpalletable to the reader.
The Vaer have a very pragmatic view towards sex and the fathering of children that I found to be a little confronting, including Feilan and Torban engaging in aggressive oral sex in front of Remy early on in the book, and Feilan discussing the fact that historically he was studded out to father children with a trading partner to secure an alliance. Whilst these are fairly minor things in the scope of the larger story they aren't the normal features of a traditional romance story.
I did think that the book posed some interesting commentary on the negative impacts of toxic masculinity as manifest through the Vaer culture and the harm it ultimately does to the men who are subjected to it.
‘No, I’m asking. What’s so wrong about it?’ Torben said. ‘What’s wrong with valuing strength, and having a code of honour, and wanting to protect your family?’
‘Because you only value one kind of strength, defined so precisely that most Vaer men end up feeling weak and pretending otherwise, which is dangerous for everyone, and your code of honour is so rigid it ostracises everyone outside of a very narrow mould even as it traps you in there, and protecting your family – who you barely know – comes at the cost of other people’s families?’
There is also significant culturally ingrained homophobia present in the Vaer and this is a prominent feature of the dynamic and history between Torben and Feilan. Although the book spends most of its time challenging these attitudes and what Feilan has had to do to overcome his internalised shame they are still a hard read at times.
All that being said, I loved this book and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of world building and character work. This book had a balance of romance, adventure, humour and political intrigue that worked perfectly for me.
(Also Feilan calling Remy Little Fox/Foxy as a pet name had me weeeeeeeak)
Here was a man who had been taught to never ask for too much, curse his uncle and every one of his brothers and sisters. Feilan said, ‘It’s not about turns. It’s about sharing pleasure. It’d be my pleasure to take your cock, any way it’d be your pleasure to give it to me.’
‘I see,’ Remy said, very slowly. ‘Doesn’t…doesn’t the smaller man…’
‘No, go on, I’m interested to hear your theory,’ Feilan told him, snickering.
‘My theory is that men who take the piss don’t get fucked in any way except the proverbial,’ Remy said with endearingly spiky acerbity.
Feilan laughed outright. ‘Apt enough. Whoever wants to take the cock, takes the cock, Rufran, and right now, I want to lie back here and take your cock. Want to give face-fucking a try?’
Just as an advisory, I won't be discussing any spoilers for the overarching plot but I will discuss some background points that I think are important for some readers to be informed about before entering into the read.
Feilan is spymaster for a bustling trading post, and an exiled Vaer Raider, and one day encounters Prince Renart (Remy) and his niece, and future Queen-to-be, Princess Adeline, as they try to covertly secure champions to represent them in a monster hunt, the winner of which would determine the future ruler of Seven Hills. Feilan is then subject to some trickery which traps him in returning to the Seven Hills and assisting Remy with his efforts to secure Adeline her throne.
Its worth noting that this book is set 200 years prior to another of Palmers books, Domesticated Magic, and whilst they don't intersect across storylines, I suspect that there is some inherent shared world building and language I missed by having not read it first. All this meant however, was that it took a little bit for me to get my head around the vibes of the book, but within a few chapters I had found my footing.
Aesthetically, the Vaer are a facsimile for the Vikings (Berserkers and all) and I had the impression that the Seven Hills was a stand in for Mediaeval England.
One of the things that I appreciated about this book is that it took a trope I normally avoid like the plague, Love Triangles, and utilised it in a way that I actually really appreciated and enjoyed. I can say hand on heart that if I had of realised there was a love triangle in here prior to picking it up, that I would probably not have taken the risk of reading it. So I'm glad I went in to this without realising and gave it the opportunity to show me how it can be used well between interesting characters with complicated backstories.
All that being said, I don't know if this is a book that would work well for everyone and there are some elements that can be a little unpalletable to the reader.
The Vaer have a very pragmatic view towards sex and the fathering of children that I found to be a little confronting, including Feilan and Torban engaging in aggressive oral sex in front of Remy early on in the book, and Feilan discussing the fact that historically he was studded out to father children with a trading partner to secure an alliance. Whilst these are fairly minor things in the scope of the larger story they aren't the normal features of a traditional romance story.
I did think that the book posed some interesting commentary on the negative impacts of toxic masculinity as manifest through the Vaer culture and the harm it ultimately does to the men who are subjected to it.
‘No, I’m asking. What’s so wrong about it?’ Torben said. ‘What’s wrong with valuing strength, and having a code of honour, and wanting to protect your family?’
‘Because you only value one kind of strength, defined so precisely that most Vaer men end up feeling weak and pretending otherwise, which is dangerous for everyone, and your code of honour is so rigid it ostracises everyone outside of a very narrow mould even as it traps you in there, and protecting your family – who you barely know – comes at the cost of other people’s families?’
There is also significant culturally ingrained homophobia present in the Vaer and this is a prominent feature of the dynamic and history between Torben and Feilan. Although the book spends most of its time challenging these attitudes and what Feilan has had to do to overcome his internalised shame they are still a hard read at times.
All that being said, I loved this book and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of world building and character work. This book had a balance of romance, adventure, humour and political intrigue that worked perfectly for me.
(Also Feilan calling Remy Little Fox/Foxy as a pet name had me weeeeeeeak)
May 13, 2025
What a ride...
I enjoyed this story immensely once I got into the writing style and language the author used (many expressions I admit I had to look up, and many I guess the author made up to sell her world), and once I felt more or less sure what was going on (approximately after 20%).
The world building was interesting, the things we learned from the MCs' pasts were introduced without info dumps but subtly and gradually.
What impressed me most were the social norms and the way the characters dealt with them. The strong female characters were a joy I wasn't expecting from a mm fantasy romance!! Loved them.
The author simply excelled at writing complex, multilayered and diverse characters. I'm a sucker for MCs who are flawed and not perfect.
The story is told in single pov (Feilan) third person past tense, and it worked.
I loved the very slow relationship development and hesitantly building intimacy between Feilan and Remy. Feilan, who in past had had sex when, how and with whoever he wanted, finally living unapologetically, and Remy being the opposite, shy and ace and simply awesome, were a stellar combination as MCs.
There's lots of political intrigue and monster fighting, but there's tenderness and care taking, too (AND I WAS SO THERE FOR ALL OF IT). Watching Remy slowly falling in love with Feilan, and Feilan not even considering that love would be a possibility for him when nearly everybody (aside his mother) had failed him, was fantastic.
Plus.. the humour? Awesome.
A few quotes (and then at the bottom a few details, not really spoilery, for those who want to go somewhat prepared into this, as I thankfully could because of the heads ups I got beforehand)
"‘You think I should take him up on his offer?’ Feilan asked her dryly.
‘That part’s your business,’ she said, but then added, ‘I did raise you better.’
‘I wasn’t planning on indulging in marital rape, Mother.’
‘Decent of you.’
‘Thanks, I appreciate a low bar.’"
"And – why should he be cautious? He was Cursed. The worst had happened, and he’d ended safe and accepted and valued within Freyja’s trading empire. He’d examined his preferences, dragged them into the light, tried them out every which way, and purged the last lingering remnant of dishonour and guilt and shame and self-hatred."
"For all Torben’s more noxious qualities, he’d always lived the true warrior code: strong men never need hurt those weaker than themselves. The code did presuppose who should fall into the category of weak, of course."
" 'You know how sometimes you have an itch and you know you shouldn’t scratch it or it’ll just inflame and make it worse, but then you do scratch it and it does make it worse, but it just feels so, so, good? That’s him.’
With a heavy dose of acerbity, Remy said, ‘There are salves for that, you know.’
Feilan, smiling, collected a lock of Remy’s carnelian hair, releasing a green-tinged waft of that herbal scent he was beginning to think really was witchcraft.
He gave a gentle tug. ‘Ja, I know.’ "
"So Feilan had Remy lie back against his chest, between his thighs; he already knew he had a cuddler on his hands. He gently worked the comb through Remy’s tangled and slightly salty hair, using oil on the fingers of his other hand to smooth and unknot it as he went. ‘Going to take a while,’ he muttered. ‘It can’t be much more of a mess than you left it that first night.’
Feilan remembered smugly wiping his sticky hand through Remy’s hair. ‘Yeah, I was being a barbarian arsehole.’
‘You’re still a bit of a barbarian arsehole,’ Remy pointed out in his most sanctimonious tones.
Feilan snorted, lightly weaving fingers into Remy’s locks. ‘And you’re still a provocative little shit.’"
"Feilan ran his hands up and down Remy’s back. He’d quickly discovered that Remy was starved for touch: it fell upon him like the first rains on parched ground, sinking endlessly under his skin as if he could never be satisfied."
So. This isn't a straightforward romance between two MCs. I don't know how to explain it, but Feilan still having feelings for his best friend Torben (who had been for a long time his FWB) just felt so genuine I couldn't not sympathise with Feilan (and Remy, and even Torben). The author wrote the single characters in a believable and not artificial way. I loved the way the author showed the different kinds of attraction, love and intimacy between Feilan and Remy on one side and Feilan and Torben on the other side. There's no sex between Feilan and Torben (or Feilan with anybody else) after Feilan and Remy come to an agreement, but Torben still tries, and Feilan thinks about it. Feilan and Torben's people (the Vaer) had very low inhibitions when it came to sex, though. There's not much privacy, so once in the beginning Remy even watches Feilan blow Torben.
I didn't mind all of that at all, though, the story's vibes and intent felt very balanced and genuine.
Thank you Smutty Sully and Evie for your rec's ♥️
I enjoyed this story immensely once I got into the writing style and language the author used (many expressions I admit I had to look up, and many I guess the author made up to sell her world), and once I felt more or less sure what was going on (approximately after 20%).
The world building was interesting, the things we learned from the MCs' pasts were introduced without info dumps but subtly and gradually.
What impressed me most were the social norms and the way the characters dealt with them. The strong female characters were a joy I wasn't expecting from a mm fantasy romance!! Loved them.
The author simply excelled at writing complex, multilayered and diverse characters. I'm a sucker for MCs who are flawed and not perfect.
The story is told in single pov (Feilan) third person past tense, and it worked.
I loved the very slow relationship development and hesitantly building intimacy between Feilan and Remy. Feilan, who in past had had sex when, how and with whoever he wanted, finally living unapologetically, and Remy being the opposite, shy and ace and simply awesome, were a stellar combination as MCs.
There's lots of political intrigue and monster fighting, but there's tenderness and care taking, too (AND I WAS SO THERE FOR ALL OF IT). Watching Remy slowly falling in love with Feilan, and Feilan not even considering that love would be a possibility for him when nearly everybody (aside his mother) had failed him, was fantastic.
Plus.. the humour? Awesome.
A few quotes (and then at the bottom a few details, not really spoilery, for those who want to go somewhat prepared into this, as I thankfully could because of the heads ups I got beforehand)
"‘You think I should take him up on his offer?’ Feilan asked her dryly.
‘That part’s your business,’ she said, but then added, ‘I did raise you better.’
‘I wasn’t planning on indulging in marital rape, Mother.’
‘Decent of you.’
‘Thanks, I appreciate a low bar.’"
"And – why should he be cautious? He was Cursed. The worst had happened, and he’d ended safe and accepted and valued within Freyja’s trading empire. He’d examined his preferences, dragged them into the light, tried them out every which way, and purged the last lingering remnant of dishonour and guilt and shame and self-hatred."
"For all Torben’s more noxious qualities, he’d always lived the true warrior code: strong men never need hurt those weaker than themselves. The code did presuppose who should fall into the category of weak, of course."
" 'You know how sometimes you have an itch and you know you shouldn’t scratch it or it’ll just inflame and make it worse, but then you do scratch it and it does make it worse, but it just feels so, so, good? That’s him.’
With a heavy dose of acerbity, Remy said, ‘There are salves for that, you know.’
Feilan, smiling, collected a lock of Remy’s carnelian hair, releasing a green-tinged waft of that herbal scent he was beginning to think really was witchcraft.
He gave a gentle tug. ‘Ja, I know.’ "
"So Feilan had Remy lie back against his chest, between his thighs; he already knew he had a cuddler on his hands. He gently worked the comb through Remy’s tangled and slightly salty hair, using oil on the fingers of his other hand to smooth and unknot it as he went. ‘Going to take a while,’ he muttered. ‘It can’t be much more of a mess than you left it that first night.’
Feilan remembered smugly wiping his sticky hand through Remy’s hair. ‘Yeah, I was being a barbarian arsehole.’
‘You’re still a bit of a barbarian arsehole,’ Remy pointed out in his most sanctimonious tones.
Feilan snorted, lightly weaving fingers into Remy’s locks. ‘And you’re still a provocative little shit.’"
"Feilan ran his hands up and down Remy’s back. He’d quickly discovered that Remy was starved for touch: it fell upon him like the first rains on parched ground, sinking endlessly under his skin as if he could never be satisfied."
So. This isn't a straightforward romance between two MCs. I don't know how to explain it, but Feilan still having feelings for his best friend Torben (who had been for a long time his FWB) just felt so genuine I couldn't not sympathise with Feilan (and Remy, and even Torben). The author wrote the single characters in a believable and not artificial way. I loved the way the author showed the different kinds of attraction, love and intimacy between Feilan and Remy on one side and Feilan and Torben on the other side. There's no sex between Feilan and Torben (or Feilan with anybody else) after Feilan and Remy come to an agreement, but Torben still tries, and Feilan thinks about it. Feilan and Torben's people (the Vaer) had very low inhibitions when it came to sex, though. There's not much privacy, so once in the beginning Remy even watches Feilan blow Torben.
I didn't mind all of that at all, though, the story's vibes and intent felt very balanced and genuine.
Thank you Smutty Sully and Evie for your rec's ♥️
May 8, 2025
Remy added, 'I know you don't kiss, but it'd be very helpful if—'
Feilan said, 'I kiss.'
I knew at the 40% mark this book was getting 5 stars, absolutely nothing was stopping that. Is it perfect? I don't know. Will you give it 5 stars? No idea. It's getting five full stars from me for pure fucking delight while reading. This is the exact type of book that gives me a book high and fuels the mad search for another one like it afterwards.
Someone give my head a giant whack for leaving seven of Wendy Palmer's books on my Own It shelf for this long.
Why didn't I know Wendy Palmer writes sizzling hot sex scenes? (It's not about the sex, I know, I know.)
I'm talking fur-humping public gazebo-fucking sex-lesson hot scenes.
The anticipation of sex, the over the top flirting for the sake of embarrassing, even talking about sharing (and vehement 'I don't share' refusals) were... just...wow.
It takes skill for me to be enthralled by a something brushing against an erection scene.
Enough about sex. Fantastic uncomplicated world-building, sneakily inserting other languages, cultural norms, and casually diverse characters.
Palmer excelled with pet names that had a pejorative start that meld into something cuter. There was also great warrior-bro humor that I actually found funny, because it was so crass and purposely broke up the serious or fraught moments. Just all-around excellent writing (plus amazing erotic scenes.)
The relationship between mother and son, something I don't usually really feel strongly about, was a strong, survivor-based, touching relationship. Feilan's mother was a fantastic side character, a woman in charge who doesn't take any shit, in a culture where that is unusual.
The monster hunt, which is a tool for securing the throne, became complicated by needing alliances, and those hesitant alliances needing massive, nearly impossible favors. Feilan juggled all of that scheming and plotting, while trying to keep Torben in check, and softly helping Remy explore sexual intimacy, with all of that, the monster faded into the background. Until it didn't...
Then the monster was upon them.
That's how the chapter ends! What a great combination of tense action and slow gentle domesticity. That monster though...
It came at a ground-eating lope, intent on the prey Feilan had habituated it to.
Despite his acceptance that there was more to the local stories than a rogue bear, he’d still developed a bear-shaped idea in his head, somewhat taller than a man, covered in thick hair, clumsy but fierce.
He couldn’t have been more wrong.
Don't read below this if you don't want minor spoilers.
I skipped the blurb, so I had no idea that this had a forced (sneaky manipulative little shit) marriage-of-convenience. Yup, the inexperienced 33-year-old virgin managed to snag the hulking bachelor, and that marriage's only purpose was to force Little Wolf to risk his life hunting and decapitating a "monster."
Little Wolf (not so little) and Fox (definitely a foxy little fox) are complete opposites, and I thought this may go in a heavy animosity (uh, he did trick him into a marriage?) enemies-to-lovers area, but nope. Little Wolf is patient and kind, and having only his POV worked perfectly. You get to watch him slowly adjust and adapt to Remy's (Renart aka Fox) behavior, how he thinks and reacts. For such a rough setting, Feilan (Little Wolf) is thoughtful, emotionally intelligent (despite not knowing he is 😀), and coddles, cuddles, and oh so gently let's Remy explore intimacy and sex. Shit, I circled back to the sex again.
There are tender hair-brushing scenes, tears, fake kissing and groping (to sell the marriage to Remy's family), and flirting coming from every angle.
Eventually, Remy said, sounding less angry but more indignant, 'How can you possibly be this good at hugging?'
Did I mention there's a third-wheel-almost-but-not-really-love-triangle?
Torben, Feilan's first love from childhood, also along for the monster hunt, is a rowdy fuck buddy with depths of emotions that everyone is denying, has ridiculously crass humor, and is a very protective cockblocking friend, who (un)surprisingly starts to get jealous of Feilan doting on Remy, even if it's a short-term fake marriage. And the sex scenes between Torben (also known as: Mighty Thunder Bear) and Feilan are sizzling (before the sham marriage starts.) And I'm back to sex, I give up.
‘Looks good enough to eat,’ Torben growled. Hand still working, he leaned close over Feilan, nibbling his ear, making him muffle a gasp. ‘Plenty for both of us.'
Feilan was sure Renart wouldn’t understand the words, but his eyes widened regardless. It was the purring, predatory tone, and the way Torben was looking at him.
The way Feilan was looking at him, too.
At some point I wasn't sure what was going to happen between those three...I enjoyed the turmoil, posturing, and emotional outbursts.
‘Foxy could watch and learn,’ Torben suggested idly as he swam over. He addressed Remy in his rough Midlands. ‘What do you think, Rufran? Shall I show you exactly what he likes?'
Feilan shut his own eyes. For a moment, he was overcome with rampaging lust – Torben breaching him roughly from behind, a fist in his hair to pull his head back so that Remy could shove his more circumspect cock down his throat, its slender length crammed all the way. Torben grunting with each deep thrust, Remy making those soft, uncontrolled sounds of pleasure—
‘I’m not sharing either, Thunder Bear,’ Remy said, in heavily accented but still intelligible Vaer. Carefully, but determinedly, he removed Torben’s hand from Feilan’s stomach.
‘Ja.’ Torben placidly paddled a circle. Then he swung around to face Remy and said, ‘He’s not yours.’
Shocking behavior and tension. I loved all three of them, despite their flaws, emotionally constipated behavior, past and current betrayals.
Little Wolf, Mighty Thunder Bear, and Foxy Witch.
It wasn't that Feilan was tending Remy's hair, he knew. It was their interrupted air of affection. Men didn't do that. Men fucked everyone knew they fucked – but they didn't cuddle afterwards like they were actually fond of each other.
Switching to Midlands, Torben said, 'I told you he's not yours, Rufran.'
Remy said, 'He's made it clear he's not yours, either.'
Of course all of this drama eventually came to a head, and there were explosive emotional scenes.
Oh, and Little Wolf had what sounded like olfactory-visual synesthesia/smell-to-color synesthesia. Synesthesia is one of those random things I look for in books, but usually it's chromesthesia/sound-to-color synesthesia, so this was a fun treat!
He passed the bodies of guardsmen, the scent of blood still fresh enough to make hazy clouds of fading blue wherever he looked.
Such a fantastic book, I can't remember the last time I was this happy reading! Now I need to get off my ass and finally read Domesticated Magic, set in the same world, 200 years later.
Will add tags later. All of Palmer's books are on Smashwords and Kobo+.
Rufran=Fox
Names:
(MC) Feilan, Little Wolf, Faro
(MC) Renart, Remy, Rufran, Fox, Foxy
(SC) Tobern, Thunder Bear, Mighty Thunder Bear
May 19, 2025
I tried to write a precis of the twisty setup for "Little Wolf"'s equally twisty plot and failed miserably; Wendy Palmer must have spent hours on the ad copy, which lays it out neatly, so you should go read that and then come back.
The monster hunt which supplies the action sequences features an actual monster, some of one MC's healing skills may be owed to magic, and the whole story is set in an alt-medieval space with alt-Vikings, alt-French (Adeline, Bertrand, Remy), and, off in the distance, alt-Romans beginning to encroach (disciplined soldiers, straight roads). This isn't our world, except for the human ways in which it absolutely is:
What does it mean to be a man? To be a woman? What are the varieties of courage and of cowardice? What is betrayal, and when can you forgive it? How many kinds of love are there, and what does love require of us? "Little Wolf and the Witch" takes up these questions -- always, always, in ways that are organic to the characters and the plot. Nothing feels forced or obvious. The love relationship between Remy and Feilan is endgame (this really isn't a spoiler), but the love relationship between Feilan and Torben, their long history, lays a constant counterpoint and its resolution is equally important. (So although the Feilan/Remy relationship is 100% a romance, don't go into this book expecting a villanous ex who disappears after the first few pages.)
I've loved all of Wendy Palmer's books, because even in their imperfections they're satisfyingly complex in plot, in character, in emotion, in worldbuilding. But this one! This one seems to me damn near flawless.
ETA: Like all Palmer's books, this one's available on Smashwords, so you can avoid that other seller if you want.
The monster hunt which supplies the action sequences features an actual monster, some of one MC's healing skills may be owed to magic, and the whole story is set in an alt-medieval space with alt-Vikings, alt-French (Adeline, Bertrand, Remy), and, off in the distance, alt-Romans beginning to encroach (disciplined soldiers, straight roads). This isn't our world, except for the human ways in which it absolutely is:
What does it mean to be a man? To be a woman? What are the varieties of courage and of cowardice? What is betrayal, and when can you forgive it? How many kinds of love are there, and what does love require of us? "Little Wolf and the Witch" takes up these questions -- always, always, in ways that are organic to the characters and the plot. Nothing feels forced or obvious. The love relationship between Remy and Feilan is endgame (this really isn't a spoiler), but the love relationship between Feilan and Torben, their long history, lays a constant counterpoint and its resolution is equally important. (So although the Feilan/Remy relationship is 100% a romance, don't go into this book expecting a villanous ex who disappears after the first few pages.)
I've loved all of Wendy Palmer's books, because even in their imperfections they're satisfyingly complex in plot, in character, in emotion, in worldbuilding. But this one! This one seems to me damn near flawless.
ETA: Like all Palmer's books, this one's available on Smashwords, so you can avoid that other seller if you want.
May 31, 2025
Y'all, I have utterly failed in my self-appointed role as Serious Reviewer with Impeccable Taste. I read this book. I loved this book. I fat-thumbed 5 stars/ rtc for this book. I immediately forgot to review this book.
I stand by the impeccable taste thing (please do not peer closely at my shelves), but would a Serious Reviewer leave a 5-star rtc hanging for weeks?? No! No, they would not! Because by then they'll have forgotten the whole damn book they were 5-starring! Not because it's forgettable, mind you, just because [waves hand at timeline].
So here's what I remember:
-- kind of a slow start, a bit heavy on the worldbuilding
-- love the main dude. also, 42! we stan a king with creaky knees and graying hair
-- also love the other main dude (33ish, so age gap-adjacent but doesn't really figure)
[no, I do not remember their names, but the one's the little wolf and the other's the witch, trust me on this one]
-- the third dude! also cool!
-- not really a love triangle, but also not really NOT a love triangle
-- but i hate love triangles and didn't hate this -- never any doubt who endgame was, more about having to deal with complicated feelings towards exes and old love and old betrayals, and also navigating how those feelings affect new relationships, jealousies, etc
-- incredible setup
-- love how the little wolf was constantly george costanza-doing-the-opposite on us -- like you think he's gonna react one way, and then he does the opposite in a way that is way better than what you thought he'd do, but also utterly consistent with his character even though you didn't see it coming
-- twisty!
-- lots of meaty stuff on masculinity and shame and families and living true to oneself, but not preachy or pedantic with it
-- smexy!!! bloody!!! nefarious villain dude!!! monster who is somehow both horrible and wrongly maligned!!!!
I loved The Uses of Illicit Art and really enjoyed Fair Haven, but I think this is the best Wendy Palmer yet. And I should know. Impeccable taste!
I stand by the impeccable taste thing (please do not peer closely at my shelves), but would a Serious Reviewer leave a 5-star rtc hanging for weeks?? No! No, they would not! Because by then they'll have forgotten the whole damn book they were 5-starring! Not because it's forgettable, mind you, just because [waves hand at timeline].
So here's what I remember:
-- kind of a slow start, a bit heavy on the worldbuilding
-- love the main dude. also, 42! we stan a king with creaky knees and graying hair
-- also love the other main dude (33ish, so age gap-adjacent but doesn't really figure)
[no, I do not remember their names, but the one's the little wolf and the other's the witch, trust me on this one]
-- the third dude! also cool!
-- not really a love triangle, but also not really NOT a love triangle
-- but i hate love triangles and didn't hate this -- never any doubt who endgame was, more about having to deal with complicated feelings towards exes and old love and old betrayals, and also navigating how those feelings affect new relationships, jealousies, etc
-- incredible setup
-- love how the little wolf was constantly george costanza-doing-the-opposite on us -- like you think he's gonna react one way, and then he does the opposite in a way that is way better than what you thought he'd do, but also utterly consistent with his character even though you didn't see it coming
-- twisty!
-- lots of meaty stuff on masculinity and shame and families and living true to oneself, but not preachy or pedantic with it
-- smexy!!! bloody!!! nefarious villain dude!!! monster who is somehow both horrible and wrongly maligned!!!!
I loved The Uses of Illicit Art and really enjoyed Fair Haven, but I think this is the best Wendy Palmer yet. And I should know. Impeccable taste!
Read
July 10, 2025DNF @ 21%. I was rooting for this one, I love the premise of the actual plot (which I won’t spoil for you!) and the scene that sets it up - a lot of romance authors wouldn’t dare go there tbh.
But there’s just way too much telling and not showing. The backstory between the MC and his ex has been exhaustively re-litigated already, the MC and his mother’s tragic past has been dropped like a dumbbell in front of us, and I would have loved to learn about the MC’s Viking-inspired culture through hints and references but instead it’s like I’ve been stuck reading the reverse guidebook. (Don’t go, it sucked, here’s how.) It feels early draft-y - that’s my theory, anyway. There’s some really interesting stuff in here once you cut through all the fluff… whether or not you’re willing to do that is up to you.
ETA I gave this another shot bc I wanted to see exactly how much inspiration Palmer took from the Vikings while I read my Vikings history book. I made it to 47%, but I’m DNFing again bc the reading experience did not meaningfully improve. I have however discovered a new (irrational) pet peeve, which is - fictional Vikings should not speak in English accents! A Viking saying “Point of clarification,”?? Totally implausible. They get American, or Australian, or American English with a fun Scandinavian accent. That’s it! (😅)
But there’s just way too much telling and not showing. The backstory between the MC and his ex has been exhaustively re-litigated already, the MC and his mother’s tragic past has been dropped like a dumbbell in front of us, and I would have loved to learn about the MC’s Viking-inspired culture through hints and references but instead it’s like I’ve been stuck reading the reverse guidebook. (Don’t go, it sucked, here’s how.) It feels early draft-y - that’s my theory, anyway. There’s some really interesting stuff in here once you cut through all the fluff… whether or not you’re willing to do that is up to you.
ETA I gave this another shot bc I wanted to see exactly how much inspiration Palmer took from the Vikings while I read my Vikings history book. I made it to 47%, but I’m DNFing again bc the reading experience did not meaningfully improve. I have however discovered a new (irrational) pet peeve, which is - fictional Vikings should not speak in English accents! A Viking saying “Point of clarification,”?? Totally implausible. They get American, or Australian, or American English with a fun Scandinavian accent. That’s it! (😅)
January 10, 2026
What is manliness?
Beauty? Loyalty? Honour?
Just being honest.
I freaking loved this book. Palmer has been on my tbr forever, but despite multiple recs I've never pushed her over the edge. But this book! What a great introduction!
To get the 4 stars out of the way--the incredibly stupid and unmotivated and annoying lack of communication in the third act can kiss my...
Like, seriously--both And it always makes me super grouchy when both the author and the POV character (paging John Grishamand Dan Brown) know more than the reader but don't tell... So the last quarter of book kinda pissed me off.
That said, the swoony romance, the exploration of Norse mythology, and the atypical love triangle had me at hello.
Beauty? Loyalty? Honour?
Just being honest.
I freaking loved this book. Palmer has been on my tbr forever, but despite multiple recs I've never pushed her over the edge. But this book! What a great introduction!
To get the 4 stars out of the way--the incredibly stupid and unmotivated and annoying lack of communication in the third act can kiss my...
Like, seriously--both And it always makes me super grouchy when both the author and the POV character (paging John Grishamand Dan Brown) know more than the reader but don't tell... So the last quarter of book kinda pissed me off.
That said, the swoony romance, the exploration of Norse mythology, and the atypical love triangle had me at hello.
September 28, 2025
It is an absolute crime that this book isn't better known because it's one of the best MM romantasy books that I've ever read.
I loved Feilan's cleverness in particular. There were so many interesting twists and turns to this story, with a strong world-building underlying the plot. I struggled with the homophobia but appreciated hard-won acceptance. There was also a hard-won story of healing from betrayal that popped its head in several times.
I can't wait to re-read this one someday, and this has solidified Palmer as an author I really need to follow.
I loved Feilan's cleverness in particular. There were so many interesting twists and turns to this story, with a strong world-building underlying the plot. I struggled with the homophobia but appreciated hard-won acceptance. There was also a hard-won story of healing from betrayal that popped its head in several times.
I can't wait to re-read this one someday, and this has solidified Palmer as an author I really need to follow.
November 6, 2025
The strong Scandinavian historical exposition made for somewhat dense writing, but that was so wonderful. Loved clever Feilan, the lightly magical world, and the message of overcoming homophobia into personal acceptance and strength. 4.5 stars.
June 16, 2025
5/5 stars, no notes. Wendy Palmer is criminally underrated. Her world building and imagination is second to none, she has a great ability to dump you straight in to the deep end without drowning you in explanations of lore while keeping it comprehensible, her characters are flawed and brilliant and loveable (and usually grumpy). I could easily gobble up another 200,000 words of anything she writes.
July 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this novel! I think one thing that this author is always great at (for me) is the world building. All three of the novels I have read (The use of illicit art, Domesticated Magic and this) are set in different worlds (technically this is in the same world as Domesticated Magic but the location and time is quite different). I never felt like I was being dumped a bunch of lore and esposition, and I never felt like I was looking at a lazily created world - in all three cases, the whole novel allowed me to experience something new. Here we have almost a Viking/Northern inspiration, but as in the other two cases it was never just a matter of copy and paste.
This book also has one of my favorite things (when a character has to seduce another character for reasons outside love/romance), and the accidental marriage was absolutely hilarious but it worked because of how distracted Feilan was.
The plot is okay, I did find myself confused in some parts (especially towards the end when more characters are added) but it did not stop me from following what was happening. But one of the reasons why it was 4 instead of 5 stars is because the book seemed to end so abruptly, and I felt like many things were left open and unexplained. Now, I actually hope there will be a sequel because I have to say Micah and Torben stole the whole show for me. Torben was such an interesting character, both aggressively loyal to his traditions, and quite vulnerable in some moments. I just remember this beautifully painted scene of with Micah curled like a cat at Torben's side and I do want more.
Talking about Torben and Micah, the secondary characters? Great. But Feilan was my absolute favorite. He was smart, and kind, but also could be quite harsh and his relationship with Torben was so bittersweet and layered. Unfortuately I also felt like Remy was the much less interesting character in the novel, so to read how complex Torben and Feilan were also made me realize that I cared much less about Feilan and Remy. Still, a lot of Remy's scenes were great. My absolute favorite: Remy being accused of being a witch and then the revelation that he acts exactly like a witch (cave with oinments, making potions etc.).
This book also has one of my favorite things (when a character has to seduce another character for reasons outside love/romance), and the accidental marriage was absolutely hilarious but it worked because of how distracted Feilan was.
The plot is okay, I did find myself confused in some parts (especially towards the end when more characters are added) but it did not stop me from following what was happening. But one of the reasons why it was 4 instead of 5 stars is because the book seemed to end so abruptly, and I felt like many things were left open and unexplained. Now, I actually hope there will be a sequel because I have to say Micah and Torben stole the whole show for me. Torben was such an interesting character, both aggressively loyal to his traditions, and quite vulnerable in some moments. I just remember this beautifully painted scene of with Micah curled like a cat at Torben's side and I do want more.
Talking about Torben and Micah, the secondary characters? Great. But Feilan was my absolute favorite. He was smart, and kind, but also could be quite harsh and his relationship with Torben was so bittersweet and layered. Unfortuately I also felt like Remy was the much less interesting character in the novel, so to read how complex Torben and Feilan were also made me realize that I cared much less about Feilan and Remy. Still, a lot of Remy's scenes were great. My absolute favorite: Remy being accused of being a witch and then the revelation that he acts exactly like a witch (cave with oinments, making potions etc.).
January 26, 2026
Working my way through Wendy Palmer's backlist. In Little Wolf and the Witch, exiled Feilan lives comfortably as the right-hand man and spymaster for the ruler of a trading post. Until the uncle of a young heir-apparent to the neighboring petty kingdom walks into his life and manipulates him into acting as champion so Adeline can seize the throne...
This book is set in the same universe as Domesticated Magic, except several centuries earlier. On the sweet to contentious scale of Wendy Palmer romances, it's more to the contentious end, although not what I'd consider enemies to lovers, since Feilan is mostly resigned to being forced to stand as champion. Probably because he, like me, thinks that someone who's fooled into marriage because a hot guy tells him that his people always say these words in a foreign language before they have sex deserves what he gets. And what Feilan gets is dealing with Renart's awful extended family, scheming against other champions in a monster hunt, and finally dealing with his complicated feelings about his on-again-off-again ex. Plus a terrible crush on his fake husband.
I also liked the worldbuilding around same-sex relationships. Feilan is from a raider culture that deeply stigmatizes being the receptive partner in gay sex, and he was caught at age sixteen, almost executed, and very decisively run out of town. Now in his late thirties, he's mostly rejected the ideals of Vaer manhood and the form of homophobia he was brought up with, but the last vestiges of it do come back to bite him occasionally. Particularly in the form of his Vaer sometimes-lover who refuses to so much as kiss him on the mouth. Meanwhile, Renart's culture isn't a utopia, but same-sex marriage is technically permissible, if uncommon. My favorite element in this whole business is Feilan's strong relationship with his formidable mother, who was banished along with him. She's his role model and the person he most tries to live up to, which is a breath of fresh air.
Charming, light, immensely readable. Not my favorite of Palmer's books (that honor still goes to Uses of Illicit Art), but one of the stronger ones. If you like queer fantasy novels in the style of KJ Charles or AJ Demas, I would strongly recommend getting into Palmer's books.
This book is set in the same universe as Domesticated Magic, except several centuries earlier. On the sweet to contentious scale of Wendy Palmer romances, it's more to the contentious end, although not what I'd consider enemies to lovers, since Feilan is mostly resigned to being forced to stand as champion. Probably because he, like me, thinks that someone who's fooled into marriage because a hot guy tells him that his people always say these words in a foreign language before they have sex deserves what he gets. And what Feilan gets is dealing with Renart's awful extended family, scheming against other champions in a monster hunt, and finally dealing with his complicated feelings about his on-again-off-again ex. Plus a terrible crush on his fake husband.
I also liked the worldbuilding around same-sex relationships. Feilan is from a raider culture that deeply stigmatizes being the receptive partner in gay sex, and he was caught at age sixteen, almost executed, and very decisively run out of town. Now in his late thirties, he's mostly rejected the ideals of Vaer manhood and the form of homophobia he was brought up with, but the last vestiges of it do come back to bite him occasionally. Particularly in the form of his Vaer sometimes-lover who refuses to so much as kiss him on the mouth. Meanwhile, Renart's culture isn't a utopia, but same-sex marriage is technically permissible, if uncommon. My favorite element in this whole business is Feilan's strong relationship with his formidable mother, who was banished along with him. She's his role model and the person he most tries to live up to, which is a breath of fresh air.
Charming, light, immensely readable. Not my favorite of Palmer's books (that honor still goes to Uses of Illicit Art), but one of the stronger ones. If you like queer fantasy novels in the style of KJ Charles or AJ Demas, I would strongly recommend getting into Palmer's books.
November 19, 2025
Not enough reviews for such a good book! I’m a big fan of “historical” mm and this book really reminded me of a less cozy AJ Demas.
It also had (more than one!) some of the most developed and non passive female characters I’ve seen in an mm romance.
Actual complicated relationships without easy resolutions (but a HEA). I also enjoyed how I went from loathing a character, to understanding him, to actually quite liking him.
I loved all the side characters and would absolutely read any of their books.
It’s a bit longer and deeper than the average romance novel and veers into fiction. Great book.
It also had (more than one!) some of the most developed and non passive female characters I’ve seen in an mm romance.
Actual complicated relationships without easy resolutions (but a HEA). I also enjoyed how I went from loathing a character, to understanding him, to actually quite liking him.
I loved all the side characters and would absolutely read any of their books.
It’s a bit longer and deeper than the average romance novel and veers into fiction. Great book.
May 11, 2025
3.25, i LOVE wendy palmer but this just didn’t capture my attention like her other work :/ I didn’t feel the spark between the MCs most of the time and [very minor spoiler] I honestly feel that the betrayal/“sex under false pretenses” thing is getting a bit old since it also appears in her two most recent books. her writing is stellar as usual though and I loved the references to the Ystherans of her book Domesticated Magic
January 19, 2026
How does this book not have significantly more reviews? I think this is one of the most underrated books I've ever read.
So ok, there are a few issues I've had at first: confusion that this is neither a shifter book nor pnr/magical high-fantasy, as the title made me believe. It is instead a low magic (almost nothing magical except a monster), high fantasy like the Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat, full of intrigue, politics, and a little bit of monster hunting.
And I would dare say it is similarly good as the CP or as A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows. It has the same elements I loved about both of these books: the MCs trying to outsmart dangerous opponents against all odds. MC1 (a looked-down-upon prince because he is suspected of being a witch because of his red hair) seeks out MC2 (a barbarian berserker shunned by his people because he is gay) to try to convince him to help him win the throne for his 12-year-old niece, who is in danger of otherwise ending up as a child-bride if her great uncle gets his way.
I was also a bit thrown off by the first few chapters, mostly because the author uses quite a few norse(ish) words that confused me at first until I got used to them. But because I did get used to them and continued, I got to experience a really satisfying book. I can hardly remember the last time I had such a rush reading (and rushing towards the ending). I honestly can't recommend it enough!
So ok, there are a few issues I've had at first: confusion that this is neither a shifter book nor pnr/magical high-fantasy, as the title made me believe. It is instead a low magic (almost nothing magical except a monster), high fantasy like the Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat, full of intrigue, politics, and a little bit of monster hunting.
And I would dare say it is similarly good as the CP or as A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows. It has the same elements I loved about both of these books: the MCs trying to outsmart dangerous opponents against all odds. MC1 (a looked-down-upon prince because he is suspected of being a witch because of his red hair) seeks out MC2 (a barbarian berserker shunned by his people because he is gay) to try to convince him to help him win the throne for his 12-year-old niece, who is in danger of otherwise ending up as a child-bride if her great uncle gets his way.
I was also a bit thrown off by the first few chapters, mostly because the author uses quite a few norse(ish) words that confused me at first until I got used to them. But because I did get used to them and continued, I got to experience a really satisfying book. I can hardly remember the last time I had such a rush reading (and rushing towards the ending). I honestly can't recommend it enough!
June 29, 2025
This was lovely! 5 stars for the first 80%, 3 stars for the last 20%, so a solid 4 overall. I do wish the ending hadn’t been so rushed. But I loved the characters and it was all so well written - very refreshing.
August 5, 2025
4 (slightly rounded up)
imperfect, but what a delightful surprise this was! wendy babe i'm coming for your entire catalogue
imperfect, but what a delightful surprise this was! wendy babe i'm coming for your entire catalogue
Read
September 12, 202515% dnf the writing style is failing to keep my attention unfortunately
May 17, 2025
4.5 rounded up - my GODS can Palmer create incredible characters! Who can be refreshingly Grown Up, with functioning braincells, but still have hang-ups and blindspots and biases to keep things interesting. Cultures are complicated and always imperfect. Gaslighting villains remain The Most Evil villains (and therefore the best). And the mother/son relationship in this one is SOLID GOLD, and I was so happy it remained vitally important throughout!
Less overt magic in this one than Palmer's other fantasies, but everything else rocked so hard I didn't care.
Much yes!
Less overt magic in this one than Palmer's other fantasies, but everything else rocked so hard I didn't care.
Much yes!
September 17, 2025
This book started almost tediously. But the story bloomed pretty quickly. It's not a traditional romance because the first sex scene we get is one of the MCs with the third wheel, not with the other MC. But my god, this book is brilliant.
Re-read: the wit makes me giggle. The details make me think I'll still have new things to notice when I reread again.
Re-read: the wit makes me giggle. The details make me think I'll still have new things to notice when I reread again.
August 16, 2025
This started out strong but was ultimately underwhelming. I liked Feilan as a character but Remy is not properly fleshed out at all, and that was the biggest disappointment. The plot and climax were also surprisingly simplistic.
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