Controlled Burn: A Wolf-Shifter Romance Novel

by L.V. Brooks

Dr. Wren Harrison has devoted her life to one protecting North Carolina’s endangered Red Wolves. When a pregnant female goes missing, Wren will do whatever it takes to keep her — and her unborn pups — safe.

Even if it means clashing with Cyrus Langston.

A commanding prescribed burn specialist with a dangerous intensity, Langston plans to light a controlled fire directly across the wolf’s path. The burn could be catastrophic, and Wren refuses to let a man with predatory eyes and an unsettling pull threaten her wolves.

But the more time Wren spends with him, the harder it is to ignore the truth coiling beneath her skin. Cyrus doesn’t just understand wolves — he is one. His presence is all heat and dominance, his interest sharpened by instinct he’s never had to fight before. Every look lingers. Every touch feels deliberate. And once he starts circling her, neither of them can seem to step back.

Cyrus Langston isn’t the enemy she expected.

He’s a wolf — and for the first time in his life, his body is responding to a claim he can’t anticipate, can’t control, and can’t pull away from.

Once instinct takes hold, there's no pulling free.

387 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Mallory Dapice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grumpy MMC, educated and opinionated FMC, quick to spice, witty banter, touch her and die, and obviously he finishes in his pants.
How could I not enjoy this book? If this is your thing too, then this is an easy, fun, and enjoyable read.

I love the banter. I love his honesty. I love how he wants her without lying to himself, or her, or holding back how he feels.

Let's talk about the older MCs. Because yes, as you age, knowing someone is the one for you is much easier to spot (here's looking at you husband). So I'm not sure if I'd call this insta-love. More like how meeting your mate looks when you're 40+ and a wolf. And if it was insta-love I would still say the vibes are all right!

I do wish she met his wolf in this story. Wolves are her life. She deserved it, and we deserved to see it!

Overall a fun read and I can't wait for more to come.

Thank you so much to L.V Brooks for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

[Lisa Conant · Rating 2 out of 5]

So first off, this is insta lust (which disappointed me)...like 15% and we start about 30 pages of hot and heavy. But if you want knotting, and instant spice, this is for you.

I didn't like the fmc, she was throwing herself at him right away with no self respect for herself and felt very casual about it. She pushed and teased him so much. Dialog repeated quite a lot, him constantly saying "you don't know what you're asking for" and similar. He would literally repeat the same lines a few paragraphs later.

I love the idea of him being a professional forest burner (and secretly a wolf shifter) and her seeking her wolves, it's original! But it sadly succumbed to pure lust and spice within the first 50 pages and I mourn the wonderful angsty drama this couldve been. He starts off grumpy, guarded, and trying to control himself (and love the age gap of 29 and 48). But he then gives in all of a sudden and starts talking dirty and feels like a whole different person after they hook up. I read 30% and there really was no character development, just them fooling around in a tent and shower.

Sadly I couldn't finish this and I'm amazed it's as long of a story as it is as I'm not sure how the plot can salvage itself beyond the more smutfocused one. Sad because the first book I read from this author I absolutely loved! The last two books feel completely different and wholly spice focused. I give it the 2nd star because of the original idea.

I wholly reccomend reading her first book though! That has excellent character development and drama.

[charisse ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .

safe to say i love this book!! their banter is top tier, i just love me a good grumpy x sunshine trope

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• wren harrison
she's so witty and SO snarky! you just can't help it but fall in love with her.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• cyrus langston
acts of service king!! loved how he always make sure that wren was taken care of! ps. he's secretly a wolf shifter too so there's that! (not that i'm complaining)

⤷ thank you to the author, l.v. brooks, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Lyons · Rating 3 out of 5]

*received arc from author*

The concept for this book is very unique! I love the characters occupations, as it’s not something I’ve read about before, and this is also my first paranormal/shifter book! Love the age gap, tension, and L.V. definitely knows how to write a spicy scene filled with delicious tension!

Overall, this plot just did not grab me as much as the previous books of hers that I have read. There were some significant continuity errors, along with repetitive dialogue and a lot of spelling errors.

Besides those gripes, I thought it was a fun read and I was always anxious to get back to it!

[Rallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 ⭐, rounded down
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What do you get when you put a young, bratty wolf biologist together with a grumpy older "definitely just a guy" up against each other in a contest of wills and red tape? And what if it rains, and there's only one tent? And what if she gets soaking wet, and what if she's freezing...oh... oh darn...

First, can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover? It fits the vibe of the book perfectly. Second, this book is spicy. Spicy-spicy. The Last Dab on Hot Ones spicy. And one thing Brooks does really well is write explicit scenes that aren't repetitive or formulaic; I've read her work before and she manages to give her characters different "styles," shall we say.

I thought Wren and Cyrus were an entertaining pair, and the age gap + grumpy/brat worked really well. I was absolutely enraged on Wren's behalf every time somebody belittled her degree (it's doctor NOT MISS NOT MRS) and appreciated Cyrus making a point to push that - I know what this is like in real life so when I tell you my annotations include "I'LL KILL YOU!!!" whenever a certain mister guy is talking I am not exaggerating a single bit.

That said, I would call this book "good" rather than "great" but in a way that has more to do with taste than skill. While for me a good amount of the dialogue fell flat or felt overly cliché that doesn't make it bad necessarily, and I think her writing around that (even Wren's and Cyrus' internal monologues) makes up for it. I will definitely read more from Brooks, especially with the little easter egg teaser in the epilogue that I only caught because I follow her on Threads!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥 Controlled Burn 🐺

“🐥 you”
“I’m trying, sweetheart. Just waiting for you to follow directions.” A nip to the side of her throat caused her to yelp softly. “Say it.”

📖 Controlled Burn
✍️ L.V. Brooks |
🗓️ Release Date: April 1, 2026

“I’ve been at this longer than you’ve been alive, sweetheart.”

Tropes:
🔥 Age Gap (21 years)
🔥 Wolf Shifter x Wolf Biologist
🔥 Forced Proximity
🔥 Only one tent
🔥 Grumpy x Brat
🔥 the Banter 👌
🔥 He takes care of her when she’s injured
🔥 Possessive MMC
🔥 Knotting

Review:
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
Spice? Yes. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 (not too much but the scenes were perfection honestly)

This is my 1st L.V. Brooks book and I was blown away, it won’t be my last. This was an ARC gifted to me by the author and the age gap certainly drew me in, but I loved this book ❤️. Like loved so much I preordered, will be getting a physical copy and have ordered 𝐻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈 (another book by the same author). Review below, but recommendation is to go in blind: stop here. But if you really must know ⬇️:

Cyrus Langston is a fire specialist and manager of a burn site near a wolf reserve. Dr. Wren Harrison is a wolf biologist tracking two endangered red wolves that wondered off the reserve and into the active burn zone Cyrus manages. Cyrus wants her gone but Wren doesn’t care 😂 and hitches her tent right near the active burn site. He eventually, warms up to her while they work together on a solution. Their relationship during this? 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒈. It’s so good. And again: he’s a wolf shifter and she’s a wolf biologist - a perfect match 🐺.

[Christina Di Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to L.V. Brooks for letting me ARC this book!

⭐️ 4/5 ⭐️
🌶 3.5/5 🌶

*** TROPES ***
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- He falls first
- Age gap (21 years)
- Mates
- *knotting*

*** THOUGHTS ***
I actually really enjoyed this. It had kind of the rom-com feel but with a shifter and a biologist obsessed with wolves. The sexual tension is good. The FMC uses her body to try to rattle him. And they fall kinda fast (like a 2 week span). But the spice is good.

There were so.e grammatical errors and a couple of lines repeat, but that being said the storyline was great. The MMCs job was pretty interesting. Overall I really enjoyed reading it!

*** QUOTES ***
"—Save me?" I called after him. "Tragic, I do so love a knight in shinning... khakis?"

"Funny thing," she murmured, eyes shining with something wicked, "you talk about fire like it's all danger. But you keep stoking it."

"The way she threw herself into things — bright, loud, hungry — it was the kind of fire you only had before life beat it out of you."

"Now," he murmured, stepping closer, duffel forgotten, hand brushing mine as he moved to set it down. "I get to deal with you. And I've... already started thinking about how much trouble you're going to be."

"You should shower,' I said simply, like it was a fact. "You look like you've been ridden hard and put away wet." My eyes flicked up to meet hers — lazy, taunting. "But me."

"I'm not afraid of the wolf."

*** SPEED ***
- Read this is four days. Fun quick read.

[Han. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good time. It was also a bit different to the normal wolf shifter romances which was nice! Cyrus, a grumpy, uptight wolf shifter who works as a prescribed fire specialist. When he meets the courageous, bold, wolf biologist, Wren, he doesn't know if he's more annoyed by how much he wants her or how much he wants her to leave...

Ughhh, and then he's only soft for her too which had me melting into my sofa! This book has high heat, but a slow burn romance which is always good fun reading too, which is a trope I can always get behind! It was a great read.

Honestly though, *stop reading if you don't want a (kinda) spoiler*... I was sorta disappointed that Wren never got to meet Cyrus' wolf properly in the book. Whenever, I read a wolf shifter x human romance, that's the thing I look forward to the most. But that's a me problem and I can't lower the rating of the book because of that.

Anyway, overall, it had everything else I love in a romance. Shifter romance *check*. Angst *check*. An age gap *checkcheckCHECK*.

The author wrote an amazing book, that has a story that hooked you immediately, characters you kinda wanted to bang their heads together, spicy scenes 🔥, and a gorgeous ending!

Thank you so much for trusting me to read your book early! It was a pleasure!

[Anna Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like insta-love, spice, shifters, and age gaps, then you’ll probably love this—because there’s a lot of it. Controlled Burn was a fun, fast read, and toward the end I really started to enjoy it.

However, if I had to read the words “watch it,” “careful,” “brat,” or “trouble” one more time… lol. Let’s just say it became a little much.

That said, this author is a strong writer and does tension very well. I can absolutely see a lot of readers loving this book—it has tropes galore and a HEA. For me, though, while I understand that the main character uses her sexuality as a tool, the first few chapters felt strange. I never fully understood what made the wolves so special to her, and I didn’t even learn much about her family.

At times, it felt like the book forgot it needed to be more than just spice and tension. Even so, I think a lot of shifter romance fans will really enjoy this one.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Controlled Burn" is a paranormal shifter romance with fated mates, age gap and knotting. The FMC Wren is passionate, smart and stubborn and the perfect match for the MMC Cyrus, who refuses to budge for anyone. They banter and push-and-pull made for a fun read. I enjoyed watching their relationship shift from physical to something with real emotional stakes. Their relationship is full of tension and chemistry from the starts and gets spicy quickly, but when the story slows down and the plot comes in more, it has quite a bit of charm.

That said, the repetition and pacing were a little of for me. Certain phrases and bits of dialogue were overused and there were moments where I wished for more of the plot, as well as more depth around Wren’s background and why the wolves meant so much to her. Still, this is a fast paranormal romance read with a HEA that was fun to read.

Thank you L.V. Brooks for a copy *Controlled Burn* in exchange for my honest review🦊🔥

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fair to say that this book probably had more spice than plot but I enjoyed it anyway! The whole "wildlife conservationist vs prescribed burn specialist" was a really interesting concept that effortlessly created tension between the two main characters, Wren and Cyrus. It was nice to see their relationship gradually develop from something purely physical to something deep and emotional.

While I enjoyed reading this book, it just didn't grab my attention like I'd hoped it would. My brain didn't kick into gear until the accident that occurs almost three quarters through, and some moments/phrases felt a little too repetitive. I'm also a little disappointed we didn't get to see Cyrus shift completely as often as I'd hoped. Despite all this, Controlled Burn is definitely worth the read if insta-love, grumpy/brat, age gap romances are your thing!

I'm super thankful to have been chosen as an ARC reader for this book and I am voluntarily leaving this review! :)

[Kaitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

New and different, the wolf conservation & controlled burn was an interesting setting and background for this book. I'm not sure I always understood exactly why the two sides were so against each other, but it hardly mattered to the plot.

The characters were lovable, the relationship was pretty swoon-worthy, and the bedroom (and tent) scenes were hot hot hot. Some bits may have dragged on a bit long, but never too much to lose interest.

While there was plenty of drama, the writing could be a bit overdramatic, for me at least. Everything was gutted, shattered, cracked, ripped, wrecked... There's definitely a place for all that, but it was noticeable that they were used a lot.

Again though, not a big enough issue to distract from the chemistry happening between our main characters and their journey. I was very into it from the beginning to the, very satisfying, end.

[Emily Knaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still recovering from this book. Controlled Burn is the kind of romance that doesn’t just simmer, it smolders, coils, and tightens until you’re begging for the moment everything finally snaps.

Wren is a wolf biologist tracking a red wolf pair, a pregnant female and her mate, when she walks straight into an active burn site. She’s brilliant, stubborn, and so deeply connected to the wild that you feel every heartbeat of the forest through her. And then Cyrus Langston steps out of the smoke.

Cyrus who is twenty years older, grumpy, carved from solitude and is the definition of controlled. He leads the burn crew with this cool, unshakeable authority. He calls her Trouble. She calls him Smokes. And from that moment on, the teasing between them is immaculate. She pokes at him, pushes him, tests the edges of his restraint… and he tries so hard to stay composed.

But the slow burn is brutal. Deliciously brutal.
He’s all about control.
She’s all stubborn sass.
And every time she gets close, you can feel him fray.

There’s this constant sense that Cyrus is holding back a wildfire, not just the literal one he’s managing, but the one under his skin. The one that wants her. The one that’s been waiting decades for someone who could make him lose it. And Wren? She’s the spark. The one person who can unravel him with a look, a question, a soft “please.”

When she climbs onto the back of his motorcycle, when she teases him just a little too sweetly, when she begs in that way she doesn’t even realize she’s doing, that’s when the wolf in him slips. That’s when the restraint cracks. That’s when the title becomes literal: this is a controlled burn in every sense, and he’s seconds from losing control entirely.

So, if you’re the kind of reader who craves age‑gap wilderness romance, slow‑burn tension that borders on torture, grumpy MMC’s who combust for the right woman, FMC’s who push and tease with shifter lore woven seamlessly into real ecological stakes, then Controlled Burn will absolutely consume you.

A huge thank you to L.V. Brooks for the early copy!

[Mackenzie Gaventa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew this book is very spicy! We have ourselves a paranormal, fated mates, age-gap romance with knotting. At first, I thought this book was going to be mostly spice with not much story line but about halfway through we get the story and it is adorable. Wren is a spitfire of an FMC and she really gives Cyrus a run for his money. You really see the progression of their relationship because as I said the book starts off hot and heavy and eventually moves into real feelings. I think the writing of not only the spicy scenes, but the whole book, gives it a depth and makes it worth reading. Just make sure you're not reading it at work! I was given and advanced read copy and I am leaving this review willingly.

[Eleonore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will start out by saying that I was given an ARC copy to read and am giving my own opinion.
I really enjoyed the book, savoring every second that I was reading it! While it does have a lot of spice and a big age gap (~20 years), the characters go well together and nothing feels forced. The banter and the flirting was enough to make me swoon and blush. The main characters are perfect, with just enough sass and swagger while also showing their sweet sides. I am a sucker for grumpy MMC x sunshine FMC and the main characters were the perfect example of this trope along with the “touch her and die trope”.
Thank you so much to L.V. Brooks and her team for letting me read the book! I really enjoyed it and appreciate the opportunity!

[Sunstarandsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the ARC read.

First - let me say that I love this author's style. Her books are always so smart, witty and engaging. Unique storylines and charming characters, pretty heady mix.

I really enjoyed this book as well. Primarily for the chemistry and topped off with the alpha/shifter/knotting dynamic - SOLD and SOLD. However, I did find the storyline to be meandering at times. There were a few alternate constructs explored in this book - MMC as a shifter, endangered wolves that need to be saved, environmental conservation etc - and while interesting, I felt they existed at the cost of some character development.

Overall, it's an intriguing read and but a few missed marks.

[Lumen Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection.
I loved every second of this book. Wren and Cyrus are such fun characters to read. Both equally stubborn and both have difficulty letting other people in. I normally don’t read age gap books, however, I am so incredibly glad I gave this book a chance because oh my god, it was so good. Some things felt repetitive but in a way that made sense and felt authentic. Their story felt real. It felt tangible. So even with some things like dialogue being repetitive, it worked out so well and still flowed in a way that had me engrossed the whole time. I loved the banter, the jokes, the tenderness and the intimacy. It felt raw and real and really made the story come together nicely. This book is spicy in a way that felt natural and never out of place. It was truly a fantastic book.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed doesn't even BEGIN to cover how I feel about Controlled Burn. An age-gap romance with a grumpy burn specialist??? The super smart wolf doctor trying to save the wolf population??? The tension between them????? The burn specialist secretly being a wolf shifter?????? And yes that includes some fun in the bedroom.

I love Brooks's writing style so much. The character development is phenomenal, and I appreciate how they lean on each other. I need twenty more books just like this immediately.

Thank you to the author for my copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sherelle de koning · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Received an ARC from the author*

I was really looking forward to this book because of the potential due to the
concept of the story. I also LOVED Hallpass by L.V. Brooks.

I am going to be honest and say this wasn't really what I hoped it would be. In my opinion it lacked depth and a real storyline for +-400 pages.
Yes, there's a storyline, but it's more insta lust and insta spice - if you're looking for that combined with paranormal shifter romance, than this is the book for you.

I struggled quite a bit to get through this because it felt repetitive in quite a lot of chapters.

[Samantha Crabill · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I just read??? This has got to be one of the filthiest and smuttiest books I’ve read in a long time!!🥵 Wren aka (Pint-sized crusader) is a riot! She’s snarky, witty and just a lovable character, Cyrus saying “Good Girl” had me blushing and questioning my morals! If you love insta lust, Older MMC and a witty and sharp FMC this is a great read for you!
Thank you L.V. Brooks for my ARC and this is my honest review!

[El Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ rounded up
🌶🌶🌶🌶

This book was a pretty quick and easy read. I enjoyed the overall themes of the book and the unique voices of the characters POVs. There were aspects that felt a bit repetitive where the language used to describe situations felt a bit overused and I had some trouble following the timeline of the book. I am still not entirely sure how much time passed from beginning to end.
I very much enjoyed the wolf shifter aspects of this book. Cyrus had me swooning over his obsessive care and focus on Wren's pleasure. The spice was incredibly hot and spicy. I definitely needed a glass of cold water to cool me down after some of those scenes.
I loved Wren's commitment to the wolves and her headstrong attitude even when in the moments where it felt like all was lost.
Overall this was an enjoyable spicy read.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like your smut with a bit of plot, then this is the book for you; but if you like your plot with a bit of spice, then this is not your book.

Make sure to read the trigger warnings before you read this book.

[Rachel Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read with a good balance of spice and plot. Not a complex world, but a good story with bratty banter and witty characters. Would definitely recommend for someone looking for a proverbial roll in the hay, quick and fun book!

[Megan May · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you L.V. Brooks for this ARC 🫶🏻

The cover 😍 The book progressed pretty fast in the beginning and I would've liked more time for world building. This overall was a fun read and I enjoyed the story 📖📚

[Monica Quintana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really good read! The sexual tension between the characters was so good. First book I’ve read from this author, will for sure read more of their work.

[Angela Doucet · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like spicy, wolf shifter romance books, this book is for you. Lots of spice but it also has a good story line. This was a quick read for me as it kept me captivated the entire time.