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Hidden Wolves #0.3
Fixer
Wade
When my little brother was fifteen, he kissed a boy. Someone from our werewolf pack saw him and told Alpha, and that was the end. The end of his life, because wolf packs have ironclad rules and one of them is, Thou shalt not be gay, ever. Shawn died. And the extra gut-punch on top of losing my brother was that the man who obeyed our Alpha's order to kill Shawn was Dustin, our Fixer, a man I'd thought was my good friend. The man I'd secretly had a crush on.
Once Shawn was dead, once Alpha let me loose, I ran fast and far. I wanted to kill Dustin, to smear his guts out on the ground and dance on them, but he had four inches, thirty pounds, and fifteen years of fighting experience on me. He was pack Sixth to my Fifteenth. In a fight, I'd always lose. Still, as I made a new life a long way from the pack, I vowed that one day, I'd find Dustin and end him. Then, one spring night, I woke to a very familiar wolf peering in at me from the fire escape. I had my shot at revenge at last.
Dustin
Pack Fixer is a title, a job, an avocation. It's also a prison, bound by vows to your Alpha and one sole protect the pack. My father, who was Fixer before me, taught me all kinds of ways to cover up evidence that might reveal werewolves. I could pick locks, alter photos, confuse, drug, blackmail, and eliminate threats. I was up on all the new technology that was growing by leaps and bounds here in the 1970s. I understood video, knew what a motion detector could do. And I used my skills to kill an innocent boy.
Well, that's what my Alpha thought I'd done, what he'd commanded of me. What Shawn's brother Wade believed, when he escaped our pack and vanished. In fact, Shawn was still alive and I was no longer Fixer. But it took me seven years to find Wade, to give him the good news. Question is, will he kill me before I can tell him he still has a brother?
Fixer is a 53,000 word, hurt-comfort, second chances prequel novella set in the 1970s, thirty-seven years before the events in Unacceptable Risk.
word count: 53,837
When my little brother was fifteen, he kissed a boy. Someone from our werewolf pack saw him and told Alpha, and that was the end. The end of his life, because wolf packs have ironclad rules and one of them is, Thou shalt not be gay, ever. Shawn died. And the extra gut-punch on top of losing my brother was that the man who obeyed our Alpha's order to kill Shawn was Dustin, our Fixer, a man I'd thought was my good friend. The man I'd secretly had a crush on.
Once Shawn was dead, once Alpha let me loose, I ran fast and far. I wanted to kill Dustin, to smear his guts out on the ground and dance on them, but he had four inches, thirty pounds, and fifteen years of fighting experience on me. He was pack Sixth to my Fifteenth. In a fight, I'd always lose. Still, as I made a new life a long way from the pack, I vowed that one day, I'd find Dustin and end him. Then, one spring night, I woke to a very familiar wolf peering in at me from the fire escape. I had my shot at revenge at last.
Dustin
Pack Fixer is a title, a job, an avocation. It's also a prison, bound by vows to your Alpha and one sole protect the pack. My father, who was Fixer before me, taught me all kinds of ways to cover up evidence that might reveal werewolves. I could pick locks, alter photos, confuse, drug, blackmail, and eliminate threats. I was up on all the new technology that was growing by leaps and bounds here in the 1970s. I understood video, knew what a motion detector could do. And I used my skills to kill an innocent boy.
Well, that's what my Alpha thought I'd done, what he'd commanded of me. What Shawn's brother Wade believed, when he escaped our pack and vanished. In fact, Shawn was still alive and I was no longer Fixer. But it took me seven years to find Wade, to give him the good news. Question is, will he kill me before I can tell him he still has a brother?
Fixer is a 53,000 word, hurt-comfort, second chances prequel novella set in the 1970s, thirty-seven years before the events in Unacceptable Risk.
word count: 53,837
ebook
Published November 8, 2025
13 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Kaje Harper
91 books2,729 followersI get asked about my name a lot. It's not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname, and my pronouns are she/her/hers.
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
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November 9, 2025Now available wide some vendors with the rest to follow, and in Kobo Plus
universal link: https://books2read.com/Fixer-Kaje
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXY1D1N3?
universal link: https://books2read.com/Fixer-Kaje
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXY1D1N3?
November 15, 2025
Set in 1974, this prequel in the Hidden Wolves series takes place 37 years before the events of the first book, Unacceptable Risk, and it shows how things worked in the packs when a member was found out to be gay. Not that the series hadn’t already made it clear in the first book and later, but here there’s a first-hand example of how it would affect the lives of the people involved and this was one of the best scenarios, where Dustin, the (closeted) fixer of the pack tasked with taking care of Shawn (Wade’s little brother) after he was outed, found a way to “fix” the problem that didn’t involve killing him, which is what the Alpha and the rest of the pack expected of him (and think he has done). What allowed Dustin to save Shawn’s life was a lot of planning ahead and sheer luck, which didn’t feel forced because it’s clear the author chose to make us see what might happened when things got right. I have no doubt that there were many other instances in this universe when somebody in Dustin’s place was found out and dealt with alongside the gay wolf he was trying to help and the brother of the gay wolf as well. Instead, we thankfully get to see how things might have gone when people managed to work against the prejudices and backwards laws that still existed in the packs.
Despite the premise, with Wade hating Dustin for 7 years because he wrongly believed Dustin to have killed Shawn, the story felt pretty light and hopeful, once they cleared the air about the “misunderstanding”.
I liked both MCs (and Shawn and Zay) and it was interesting to see another shifter pairing finding their way to a dynamic that worked for them even if it didn’t fit what is expected of their species. Some pairings need and want
I also liked that we got the chance to see In any case, I trust this author to do him justice, whatever she has planned for him, if anything at all.
Despite the premise, with Wade hating Dustin for 7 years because he wrongly believed Dustin to have killed Shawn, the story felt pretty light and hopeful, once they cleared the air about the “misunderstanding”.
I liked both MCs (and Shawn and Zay) and it was interesting to see another shifter pairing finding their way to a dynamic that worked for them even if it didn’t fit what is expected of their species. Some pairings need and want
I also liked that we got the chance to see In any case, I trust this author to do him justice, whatever she has planned for him, if anything at all.
November 25, 2025
It's always a delight to come back to this world and BR with Ele. This was a nice addition to the series. I liked both main characters, the conflict, despite suspecting since the beginning what was going on, felt authentic and well done.
I like how the author keep exploring this world and the opportunities and different ways to "be a wolf" even when things didn't look so good for gay wolves. And I absolutely loved that glimpse we have
I'm looking forward for a new chapter in this world if the author feels like coming back here.
I like how the author keep exploring this world and the opportunities and different ways to "be a wolf" even when things didn't look so good for gay wolves. And I absolutely loved that glimpse we have
I'm looking forward for a new chapter in this world if the author feels like coming back here.
December 31, 2025
3.5 stars, I think. RTC!
Thank you for the gift, My Secret Elf!
Thank you for the gift, My Secret Elf!
November 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
The Hidden Wolves series is a comfort series for me, despite being pretty high angst (and despite the fact that I haven't finished it yet; I read the first four in a binge and have been doling out the rest). This is technically a prequel, but I wouldn't advise new readers to start here. Not because it's bad -- see 4-star rating -- but because it is uncharacteristic of the rest of the series in its relative lack of menace and emotional torment.
Book 1 of the main series (which is free!) throws us into a brutal, violent world: wolves and packs are virulently masculinist, homophobic, reactionary, and paranoid. It's a shock to the system and a hard read, but the world sketched out there forms the necessary setting for all the personal, political, and pack drama to come. This prequel keeps all that very much in the background. We know it's a homophobic wolf world -- Dustin was, after all, ordered to kill a young gay wolf -- but it's also the early 70s (with the faked killing happening years earlier), where homophobia in society at large is more prevalent and on-the-surface, so the disjuncture between wolf and human society isn't as gaping. Plus, the fact that the faked death -- and both Dustin and Wade leaving their pack -- is well in the past ratchets down the tension: there is no real sense of peril here, but rather a focus on the relationship side of things, with a dash of human-centric conflict giving Dustin a chance to use his fixer skills. We do get a glimpse of other wolves, but that seems more about giving loyal readers a cameo from an important (supporting) series character than creating any kind of real wolfy danger.
I liked this despite it being much lower angst than I was expecting, given the tone of the main series. But it definitely benefited from my affection for the rest of the wolves books; and if this was my first entry into the series, I'm not sure I would have committed to reading on. A lovely treat for series fans; but if you're a newbie, start with book 1 (it's free!!) instead.
(Oh, and if Kaje Harper's editor/ beta readers, etc are seeing this: PLEASE STOP WITH THE OVERUSE OF ITALICIZED TEXT TO INDICATE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE!!!!! It is deeply annoying and WAY overdone -- sometimes multiple instances per page -- and it's infected all of Harper's writing in ways that it didn't use to -- I've gone back and checked. Please. I beg you. Readers can tell the difference between interior monologue and dialogue. Readers can also tell the difference between narrating and monologuing. Readers don't need this italicized hand-holding! We are not dumb! Stop it!!!!!!!)
I got an ARC from the author and GRR in exchange for an honest review.>
The Hidden Wolves series is a comfort series for me, despite being pretty high angst (and despite the fact that I haven't finished it yet; I read the first four in a binge and have been doling out the rest). This is technically a prequel, but I wouldn't advise new readers to start here. Not because it's bad -- see 4-star rating -- but because it is uncharacteristic of the rest of the series in its relative lack of menace and emotional torment.
Book 1 of the main series (which is free!) throws us into a brutal, violent world: wolves and packs are virulently masculinist, homophobic, reactionary, and paranoid. It's a shock to the system and a hard read, but the world sketched out there forms the necessary setting for all the personal, political, and pack drama to come. This prequel keeps all that very much in the background. We know it's a homophobic wolf world -- Dustin was, after all, ordered to kill a young gay wolf -- but it's also the early 70s (with the faked killing happening years earlier), where homophobia in society at large is more prevalent and on-the-surface, so the disjuncture between wolf and human society isn't as gaping. Plus, the fact that the faked death -- and both Dustin and Wade leaving their pack -- is well in the past ratchets down the tension: there is no real sense of peril here, but rather a focus on the relationship side of things, with a dash of human-centric conflict giving Dustin a chance to use his fixer skills. We do get a glimpse of other wolves, but that seems more about giving loyal readers a cameo from an important (supporting) series character than creating any kind of real wolfy danger.
I liked this despite it being much lower angst than I was expecting, given the tone of the main series. But it definitely benefited from my affection for the rest of the wolves books; and if this was my first entry into the series, I'm not sure I would have committed to reading on. A lovely treat for series fans; but if you're a newbie, start with book 1 (it's free!!) instead.
(Oh, and if Kaje Harper's editor/ beta readers, etc are seeing this: PLEASE STOP WITH THE OVERUSE OF ITALICIZED TEXT TO INDICATE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE!!!!! It is deeply annoying and WAY overdone -- sometimes multiple instances per page -- and it's infected all of Harper's writing in ways that it didn't use to -- I've gone back and checked. Please. I beg you. Readers can tell the difference between interior monologue and dialogue. Readers can also tell the difference between narrating and monologuing. Readers don't need this italicized hand-holding! We are not dumb! Stop it!!!!!!!)
I got an ARC from the author and GRR in exchange for an honest review.>
November 22, 2025
3.5 stars
Kaje Harper return to her Hidden Wolves series with Fixer. Set in 1974, it is sort of a prequel to the series. There are no characters from the "original" series of course, though we sort of meet a young wet-behind-the-ears Rick (future Chicago Alpha who has a hand to wolves coming out in the series) in the later chapter of this book.
This one opens right into moment of Dustin finding Wade after seven years, where he plans to tell Wade that his little brother (whom Dustin supposed to kill) is still alive. Things move fast from there.
It was pretty quick, relationshipwise... I guess the fact that Wade is supposedly had crush over Dustin when he was younger (and Wade still had feelings for Dustin now, even with the hatred of thinking of Dustin as his brother's killer) and Dustin also had feelings for Wade helped the process. But it lack of deep emotional connection, for me, I guess.
There was another problem introduced a bit later, with Dustin helping Wade with his building issue. It added some action to the story.
All in all a nice read from this universe.
Thank you Ginger Bells Elf from Goodreads Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2025 for this book
Kaje Harper return to her Hidden Wolves series with Fixer. Set in 1974, it is sort of a prequel to the series. There are no characters from the "original" series of course, though we sort of meet a young wet-behind-the-ears Rick (future Chicago Alpha who has a hand to wolves coming out in the series) in the later chapter of this book.
This one opens right into moment of Dustin finding Wade after seven years, where he plans to tell Wade that his little brother (whom Dustin supposed to kill) is still alive. Things move fast from there.
It was pretty quick, relationshipwise... I guess the fact that Wade is supposedly had crush over Dustin when he was younger (and Wade still had feelings for Dustin now, even with the hatred of thinking of Dustin as his brother's killer) and Dustin also had feelings for Wade helped the process. But it lack of deep emotional connection, for me, I guess.
There was another problem introduced a bit later, with Dustin helping Wade with his building issue. It added some action to the story.
All in all a nice read from this universe.
Thank you Ginger Bells Elf from Goodreads Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2025 for this book
November 21, 2025
B- / 3.5 stars rounded up.
I confess I haven’t yet read any of Kaje Harper’s Hidden Wolves books (although I do have some on my Kindle waiting for me!), so I thought maybe picking up this prequel novella would give me the push I need to actually read them!
As a result, I’m coming to this world completely fresh; I can’t say how this story fits in or if it has the same ‘feel’ as the others and can only talk about what worked for me (which was quite a lot) and what didn’t (not much).
Set in 1974, the story follows pack fixer Dustin and former pack member Wade as they reconnect and realise they’re meant to be. It’s not an easy road for either of them; Wade detests Dustin and has vowed to kill him on sight if they ever see each other again, because he believes Dustin killed his brother, Shawn, on instructions from their pack Alpha after Shawn was discovered kissing a boy. Not only is being gay completely unacceptable in wolf culture, it’s regarded as akin to a disease to be eradicated, hence the kill order. Afterwards, a broken-hearted Wade sought permission to leave the pack and become a lone wolf, and now, seven years later, he lives in a somewhat dilapidated apartment building in a small Illinois town where he has become a kind of caretaker to the various tenants.
Dustin has spent seven years tracking Wade down to explain what really happened – that he didn’t kill Shawn and instead came up with a complicated plan to get him away and to safety. He, too, left the pack to become a lone wolf - although some years after Wade did - and set himself up as a PI in Chicago. He was wary of seeking Wade out too soon after leaving, not wishing to lead any of the pack to him or to create any suspicions, and Wade has hidden his tracks very carefully, but Dustin has at last tracked him down and is preparing to confront him with the truth – knowing that Wade is likely to try to kill him the moment he reveals himself.
I enjoyed the story and liked the characters, and the worldbuilding is integrated really well, which made it easy to get a handle on wolf society – that it’s homophobic, hyper-masculine and paranoid! – through character and interaction. And okay, much of society in 1974 was homophobic and hyper-masculine, but from what I assume are cameo appearances near the end it seems not much has changed – for wolves at least – between 1974 and beginning of the Hidden Wolves series proper (2011). I also appreciated that Dustin’s rescue of Shawn wasn’t due to some spur-of-the-moment good luck, but that he’d planned it meticulously – it made it that much more believable.
The emotional turmoil Wade is facing is really well articulated; he still misses his brother terribly and his desire for revenge on Dustin has only grown over the years and is raw and visceral. His inner conflict - the need not to believe Dustin warring with his need to believe his brother really is okay – is superbly written, as is Dustin’s desire to atone, even if it means allowing Wade to kill him. He��s a decent person forced to do bad things; flawed but kind, tormented but loving and loveable – and it’s impossible not to root for these two to sort out their shit and realise they’re ‘it’ for each other.
Fixer is a long-ish novella and I was pleased to find that the relationship development isn’t too rushed; there are space constraints of course, but the chemistry and attraction between Wade and Dustin is palpable and I liked seeing the developing trust between them. When Wade learns that there’s a plan underway to tear down his building and make his friends homeless, Dustin make it clear that he’s not about to leave him to deal with it alone and sets about using his fixer/PI skills to help to expose the corrupt real-estate deal at the bottom of it. I also liked the way Wade and Dustin’s HEA or HFN is framed; wolves usually bond with their (female) mates which creates a life-long partnership, but the guys decide they don’t need that to be committed to each other, and they don’t need to decide which of them is the Alpha in their little pack.
The main negative I have to offer is that the structure is a bit wobbly. Early on, Dustin takes Wade to Canada where Shawn is happily living with his human boyfriend, who knows he’s a wolf; they’ve only been there a day or so when they find out about the plot to demolish Wade’s building and have to return home. The brothers’ reunion is a necessary part of the story, and I liked the idea of their getting to run in fur together again, but for such an important plot point, it’s over very quickly. And maybe Wade forgives Dustin a tad quickly – although it isn’t completely Dustin’s fault that he wasn’t able to find Wade any sooner!
Those reservations aside, I enjoyed Fixer – and I really must bump up the other books in the Hidden Wolves series nearer the top of my TBR!
I confess I haven’t yet read any of Kaje Harper’s Hidden Wolves books (although I do have some on my Kindle waiting for me!), so I thought maybe picking up this prequel novella would give me the push I need to actually read them!
As a result, I’m coming to this world completely fresh; I can’t say how this story fits in or if it has the same ‘feel’ as the others and can only talk about what worked for me (which was quite a lot) and what didn’t (not much).
Set in 1974, the story follows pack fixer Dustin and former pack member Wade as they reconnect and realise they’re meant to be. It’s not an easy road for either of them; Wade detests Dustin and has vowed to kill him on sight if they ever see each other again, because he believes Dustin killed his brother, Shawn, on instructions from their pack Alpha after Shawn was discovered kissing a boy. Not only is being gay completely unacceptable in wolf culture, it’s regarded as akin to a disease to be eradicated, hence the kill order. Afterwards, a broken-hearted Wade sought permission to leave the pack and become a lone wolf, and now, seven years later, he lives in a somewhat dilapidated apartment building in a small Illinois town where he has become a kind of caretaker to the various tenants.
Dustin has spent seven years tracking Wade down to explain what really happened – that he didn’t kill Shawn and instead came up with a complicated plan to get him away and to safety. He, too, left the pack to become a lone wolf - although some years after Wade did - and set himself up as a PI in Chicago. He was wary of seeking Wade out too soon after leaving, not wishing to lead any of the pack to him or to create any suspicions, and Wade has hidden his tracks very carefully, but Dustin has at last tracked him down and is preparing to confront him with the truth – knowing that Wade is likely to try to kill him the moment he reveals himself.
I enjoyed the story and liked the characters, and the worldbuilding is integrated really well, which made it easy to get a handle on wolf society – that it’s homophobic, hyper-masculine and paranoid! – through character and interaction. And okay, much of society in 1974 was homophobic and hyper-masculine, but from what I assume are cameo appearances near the end it seems not much has changed – for wolves at least – between 1974 and beginning of the Hidden Wolves series proper (2011). I also appreciated that Dustin’s rescue of Shawn wasn’t due to some spur-of-the-moment good luck, but that he’d planned it meticulously – it made it that much more believable.
The emotional turmoil Wade is facing is really well articulated; he still misses his brother terribly and his desire for revenge on Dustin has only grown over the years and is raw and visceral. His inner conflict - the need not to believe Dustin warring with his need to believe his brother really is okay – is superbly written, as is Dustin’s desire to atone, even if it means allowing Wade to kill him. He��s a decent person forced to do bad things; flawed but kind, tormented but loving and loveable – and it’s impossible not to root for these two to sort out their shit and realise they’re ‘it’ for each other.
Fixer is a long-ish novella and I was pleased to find that the relationship development isn’t too rushed; there are space constraints of course, but the chemistry and attraction between Wade and Dustin is palpable and I liked seeing the developing trust between them. When Wade learns that there’s a plan underway to tear down his building and make his friends homeless, Dustin make it clear that he’s not about to leave him to deal with it alone and sets about using his fixer/PI skills to help to expose the corrupt real-estate deal at the bottom of it. I also liked the way Wade and Dustin’s HEA or HFN is framed; wolves usually bond with their (female) mates which creates a life-long partnership, but the guys decide they don’t need that to be committed to each other, and they don’t need to decide which of them is the Alpha in their little pack.
The main negative I have to offer is that the structure is a bit wobbly. Early on, Dustin takes Wade to Canada where Shawn is happily living with his human boyfriend, who knows he’s a wolf; they’ve only been there a day or so when they find out about the plot to demolish Wade’s building and have to return home. The brothers’ reunion is a necessary part of the story, and I liked the idea of their getting to run in fur together again, but for such an important plot point, it’s over very quickly. And maybe Wade forgives Dustin a tad quickly – although it isn’t completely Dustin’s fault that he wasn’t able to find Wade any sooner!
Those reservations aside, I enjoyed Fixer – and I really must bump up the other books in the Hidden Wolves series nearer the top of my TBR!
December 5, 2025
I was a bit wary coming into this because although I'm a huge Kaje Harper fan, I've not read any of the werewolf series that this is a prequel for. It doesn’t matter. This can easily be read as a standalone.
From the blurb I was expecting a much more angsty read in the relationship between Dustin and Wade but this part of the story was very easy once the initial 'misunderstanding' had been resolved.
There's plenty of time period appropriate detail and some shady dealings that provide a backdrop to the romance.
NB I've given this an historical tag, but as I was already born when this was set I don't really class it as historical. Because that would make me feel old 😕
From the blurb I was expecting a much more angsty read in the relationship between Dustin and Wade but this part of the story was very easy once the initial 'misunderstanding' had been resolved.
There's plenty of time period appropriate detail and some shady dealings that provide a backdrop to the romance.
NB I've given this an historical tag, but as I was already born when this was set I don't really class it as historical. Because that would make me feel old 😕
November 28, 2025
Reviewed for Love Bytes – 3.75 hearts
After a man Dustin admired killed his brother, Shawn, on the orders of their Alpha, Dustin became a lone wolf and disappeared from the pack. Years later, the man Dustin hated found him. Wade, the pack fixer, wanted nothing more than to clarify his actions, but everyone had to believe the worst. The question was – would Wade get the chance to explain that all was not as it seemed?
Fixer is the prequel to the already existing Hidden Wolf series. Therefore, I suspect that anyone who has already read the series will, for loose ends' sake, origins, or love of characters, probably get more from this story than an unsuspecting newcomer. I am a newcomer to this series, but having read novels by Kaje Harper in the past and enjoyed them, I gave it a whirl. I found the tale sweet and enjoyable, but low on heart-rate-altering moments, which is an aspect I relish in my reading. Any scenes that had the potential to be dramatically compelling were diplomatically avoided or easily resolved.
The story is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Dustin and Wade. Technical aspects and worldbuilding are of an excellent standard. I had no problems imagining the people and scenery. Also, the spice between Dustin and Wade will leave many needing a cold shower.
Dustin is a good man with a big heart. Although he doesn’t have a wolf pack, he is protective of the people in his building and does his best to keep them safe from harm. This could be a person a few blocks away or scheming profiteers out to line their pockets. The loss of Shawn hit him hard, but as the blurb says, Wade the fixer has the solution to that.
After providing a fix for Shawn, Wade eventually leaves the pack and becomes a PI. He is street-smart and is extremely competent at his job. He is a man fully aware of the good and bad within people and how to exploit it. After finding Dustin, Wade helps him find justice for the repressed while ensuring future happiness. I can imagine all sorts of ways these two would be used in future novels.
As a prequel and introduction to the series, I’d look forward to future instalments, hoping that Wade's skills, lost and found packs, and other adventures, provide the heart-stopping moments I crave. There’s nothing wrong with the story. As already mentioned, it is sweet. I just didn’t get over-excited about it. I may have appreciated this novella more if I’d read the other books first. Then, maybe I’d understand why the prequel was written.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
After a man Dustin admired killed his brother, Shawn, on the orders of their Alpha, Dustin became a lone wolf and disappeared from the pack. Years later, the man Dustin hated found him. Wade, the pack fixer, wanted nothing more than to clarify his actions, but everyone had to believe the worst. The question was – would Wade get the chance to explain that all was not as it seemed?
Fixer is the prequel to the already existing Hidden Wolf series. Therefore, I suspect that anyone who has already read the series will, for loose ends' sake, origins, or love of characters, probably get more from this story than an unsuspecting newcomer. I am a newcomer to this series, but having read novels by Kaje Harper in the past and enjoyed them, I gave it a whirl. I found the tale sweet and enjoyable, but low on heart-rate-altering moments, which is an aspect I relish in my reading. Any scenes that had the potential to be dramatically compelling were diplomatically avoided or easily resolved.
The story is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Dustin and Wade. Technical aspects and worldbuilding are of an excellent standard. I had no problems imagining the people and scenery. Also, the spice between Dustin and Wade will leave many needing a cold shower.
Dustin is a good man with a big heart. Although he doesn’t have a wolf pack, he is protective of the people in his building and does his best to keep them safe from harm. This could be a person a few blocks away or scheming profiteers out to line their pockets. The loss of Shawn hit him hard, but as the blurb says, Wade the fixer has the solution to that.
After providing a fix for Shawn, Wade eventually leaves the pack and becomes a PI. He is street-smart and is extremely competent at his job. He is a man fully aware of the good and bad within people and how to exploit it. After finding Dustin, Wade helps him find justice for the repressed while ensuring future happiness. I can imagine all sorts of ways these two would be used in future novels.
As a prequel and introduction to the series, I’d look forward to future instalments, hoping that Wade's skills, lost and found packs, and other adventures, provide the heart-stopping moments I crave. There’s nothing wrong with the story. As already mentioned, it is sweet. I just didn’t get over-excited about it. I may have appreciated this novella more if I’d read the other books first. Then, maybe I’d understand why the prequel was written.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for
Love Bytes.
November 9, 2025
The shifter book I didn’t know I needed
I love Kaje Harper’s books, but am new to the werewolf books. I loved Once an Alpha and so was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a new book. And it’s here!
Okay – so throw back to just about the year I was born. Time warp anyone? Remember phone booths and operators? Yeah…barely. Oh, and bell bottoms. A trend which keeps cycling around despite being ridiculous.
But I digress.
Wade has hated Dustin, his pack’s fixer, for seven years. Dustin, after all, killed Wade’s brother, Shawn. That kind of hatred runs deep – for a good reason. I don’t always get along with my brother – but woe the person who kills him. I’d be just as vengeful. Except Wade left the pack, joined one out of state, and then became a lone wolf as soon as he could (who knew that was a thing?). He’s disappeared into a small Illinois town and made himself practically invisible. He does his woodworking at home and only goes out to get supplies, to run, or to attend craft fairs where he sells his popular wares.
Oh, but he sort of has a bunch of friends in the building where he lives. They’re almost like family – even though he’s loathe to admit it.
Then Dustin comes back into his life. As an apparition at his window.
Wade recognizes him instantly – and all the hatred comes to the fore.
Turns out, Dustin has a story. He didn’t kill Shawn. In fact, he protected him. In truth, Shawn’s alive and living in Canada.
Okay…so nothing left but for Wade to meet Shawn, have a reunion, and life moves on.
Right?
Of course not! This is a Kaje novel – I expected more and I got it.
As Wade and Dustin worked out their differences, Wade faces challenges to his ‘family’.
And Dustin, being the honorable man he is, isn’t going to leave Wade to deal with the mess alone. He puts his PI skills to work to assist people he doesn’t even know.
Then, naturally, the men grow closer. Antipathy falls away as each shares their harrowing journey from the last seven years. Dustin becomes the hero for reuniting the brothers. Wade sees his former crush in a whole new light.
Even more problems come up and I started to wonder if the couple was ever going to catch a break. Well, this is a Kaje Harper romance so all ends well. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. This is an adjacent book, so no prior reading is required. But they’re all great, so consider picking them up!
I enjoyed the ride. For certain.
I love Kaje Harper’s books, but am new to the werewolf books. I loved Once an Alpha and so was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a new book. And it’s here!
Okay – so throw back to just about the year I was born. Time warp anyone? Remember phone booths and operators? Yeah…barely. Oh, and bell bottoms. A trend which keeps cycling around despite being ridiculous.
But I digress.
Wade has hated Dustin, his pack’s fixer, for seven years. Dustin, after all, killed Wade’s brother, Shawn. That kind of hatred runs deep – for a good reason. I don’t always get along with my brother – but woe the person who kills him. I’d be just as vengeful. Except Wade left the pack, joined one out of state, and then became a lone wolf as soon as he could (who knew that was a thing?). He’s disappeared into a small Illinois town and made himself practically invisible. He does his woodworking at home and only goes out to get supplies, to run, or to attend craft fairs where he sells his popular wares.
Oh, but he sort of has a bunch of friends in the building where he lives. They’re almost like family – even though he’s loathe to admit it.
Then Dustin comes back into his life. As an apparition at his window.
Wade recognizes him instantly – and all the hatred comes to the fore.
Turns out, Dustin has a story. He didn’t kill Shawn. In fact, he protected him. In truth, Shawn’s alive and living in Canada.
Okay…so nothing left but for Wade to meet Shawn, have a reunion, and life moves on.
Right?
Of course not! This is a Kaje novel – I expected more and I got it.
As Wade and Dustin worked out their differences, Wade faces challenges to his ‘family’.
And Dustin, being the honorable man he is, isn’t going to leave Wade to deal with the mess alone. He puts his PI skills to work to assist people he doesn’t even know.
Then, naturally, the men grow closer. Antipathy falls away as each shares their harrowing journey from the last seven years. Dustin becomes the hero for reuniting the brothers. Wade sees his former crush in a whole new light.
Even more problems come up and I started to wonder if the couple was ever going to catch a break. Well, this is a Kaje Harper romance so all ends well. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. This is an adjacent book, so no prior reading is required. But they’re all great, so consider picking them up!
I enjoyed the ride. For certain.
November 21, 2025
A surprisingly hopeful book
I was absolutely prepared for this book to rip my heart out. The plot is heart wrenching after all, with Wade genuinely believing Dustin murdered his baby brother for 7 years. Surprisingly though, it was actually shockingly (and in a good way) lower angst than I thought it could be. Don't get me wrong, it was heartbreaking (apart from anything else, the horrifying parallels to what is happening in the real world is enough to make you want to cry) but it somehow felt like there was a layer of something soft between you and the heartbreak. It allowed you to read and appreciate it without feeling that overwhelming sadness that a story like this would usually bring. Maybe it's because the worst parts are in the past - we know the awful thing that Wade thinks happened, didn't, and we know it from the very beginning. Maybe it's because there's this undertone of hope. The book, for all it shines a spotlight on the absolute devastation extreme masculinity/homophobia/discrimination/persecution can and does cause, it also unreservedly shows that there are people who are willing to risk their own lives to do what is right and to save those who don't deserve to be harmed simply because they don't fit into a caricature of what people should be. At the end of the day, despite it being the easier option Dustin makes the hard choices, he makes the effort and he works hard to protect innocent people. He keeps making those choices. Wade finds out he hasn't lost his brother forever and that the worst thing to have happened to him is actually an example of a bright shining moment in humanity when someone risks everything to do good. Maybe it's because I need to see the positive and the hopeful when everything in the real world feels like it's burning, but I honestly loved that I felt good after reading this which I really didn't expect (I was absolutely ready for a sad book hangover). I think that's maybe why I enjoy this series - it somehow manages, no matter how dark it gets, to remind you of the fact that there's always a light burning brightly and people willing to keep it alight. Anyway, the long and short of it is, I really enjoyed this and loved getting that peak into the past for this world.
I was absolutely prepared for this book to rip my heart out. The plot is heart wrenching after all, with Wade genuinely believing Dustin murdered his baby brother for 7 years. Surprisingly though, it was actually shockingly (and in a good way) lower angst than I thought it could be. Don't get me wrong, it was heartbreaking (apart from anything else, the horrifying parallels to what is happening in the real world is enough to make you want to cry) but it somehow felt like there was a layer of something soft between you and the heartbreak. It allowed you to read and appreciate it without feeling that overwhelming sadness that a story like this would usually bring. Maybe it's because the worst parts are in the past - we know the awful thing that Wade thinks happened, didn't, and we know it from the very beginning. Maybe it's because there's this undertone of hope. The book, for all it shines a spotlight on the absolute devastation extreme masculinity/homophobia/discrimination/persecution can and does cause, it also unreservedly shows that there are people who are willing to risk their own lives to do what is right and to save those who don't deserve to be harmed simply because they don't fit into a caricature of what people should be. At the end of the day, despite it being the easier option Dustin makes the hard choices, he makes the effort and he works hard to protect innocent people. He keeps making those choices. Wade finds out he hasn't lost his brother forever and that the worst thing to have happened to him is actually an example of a bright shining moment in humanity when someone risks everything to do good. Maybe it's because I need to see the positive and the hopeful when everything in the real world feels like it's burning, but I honestly loved that I felt good after reading this which I really didn't expect (I was absolutely ready for a sad book hangover). I think that's maybe why I enjoy this series - it somehow manages, no matter how dark it gets, to remind you of the fact that there's always a light burning brightly and people willing to keep it alight. Anyway, the long and short of it is, I really enjoyed this and loved getting that peak into the past for this world.
November 9, 2025
1. I'm unreasonably addicted to the Hidden Wolves books. They take on the misogyny, queerphobia, and masculinism of Kaje Harper's all-male werewolf society. They're sexy. The plots are engaging.
2. You might say, Well, why invent a whole closed male society when you can just look at some aspects of our existing world? But sometimes the view is sharper from different angles. Harper's werewolf packs push masculinism to its logical end, toward a brutality that's often screened in real-world everyday life. What Duncan had to do in order to save Shawn's life, for example.
3. For a narrative that begins with one of the MCs believing that the other one has murdered the first one's little brother, and that details the extraordinary precautions Duncan takes in order to keep Shawn, himself, and Wade safe, "Fixer" feels oddly low on angst. Or maybe that's because the worst has already happened before the book's opening, so it's all uphill from there.
4. There's a pleasing Easter egg near the end, for those who've read the Hidden Wolves books set in the 21st century. Gosh, I wonder who the Alpha of the Chicago pack will eventually be????
5. "Fixer" is set in 1974 and how I loved the historical details. The gas crisis! I was sixteen that year; how could I have forgotten? Also: the first inklings of the tech and surveillance we now live with. (Motion detectors!) Also also: the ease of the border crossing between the US and Canada almost brought me to tears. Thanks for nothing, Cheetolini.
6. The above may or may not make this obvious: "Fixer" will be more satisfying and more fun if you're already familiar with the Hidden Wolves world. True of prequels generally? But if you like "Unacceptable Risk," the first book in the main arc -- it's a freebie, so no loss if you don't -- then odds are you'll enjoy the whole series and will want to come back to this one for another taste.* 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for sentimental reasons.
Thanks to the author and GRR for the ARC.
*I originally gave "Unacceptable Risk" 3 stars -- 3.5 rounded down -- but considering that it and the rest of the series have stuck with me and I keep wanting more, I had to revise up.
2. You might say, Well, why invent a whole closed male society when you can just look at some aspects of our existing world? But sometimes the view is sharper from different angles. Harper's werewolf packs push masculinism to its logical end, toward a brutality that's often screened in real-world everyday life. What Duncan had to do in order to save Shawn's life, for example.
3. For a narrative that begins with one of the MCs believing that the other one has murdered the first one's little brother, and that details the extraordinary precautions Duncan takes in order to keep Shawn, himself, and Wade safe, "Fixer" feels oddly low on angst. Or maybe that's because the worst has already happened before the book's opening, so it's all uphill from there.
4. There's a pleasing Easter egg near the end, for those who've read the Hidden Wolves books set in the 21st century. Gosh, I wonder who the Alpha of the Chicago pack will eventually be????
5. "Fixer" is set in 1974 and how I loved the historical details. The gas crisis! I was sixteen that year; how could I have forgotten? Also: the first inklings of the tech and surveillance we now live with. (Motion detectors!) Also also: the ease of the border crossing between the US and Canada almost brought me to tears. Thanks for nothing, Cheetolini.
6. The above may or may not make this obvious: "Fixer" will be more satisfying and more fun if you're already familiar with the Hidden Wolves world. True of prequels generally? But if you like "Unacceptable Risk," the first book in the main arc -- it's a freebie, so no loss if you don't -- then odds are you'll enjoy the whole series and will want to come back to this one for another taste.* 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for sentimental reasons.
Thanks to the author and GRR for the ARC.
*I originally gave "Unacceptable Risk" 3 stars -- 3.5 rounded down -- but considering that it and the rest of the series have stuck with me and I keep wanting more, I had to revise up.
November 22, 2025
This book is a Hidden Wolves prequel set in the 1970's. This is an excellent book. This is the story of Wade and Dustin. Both were shifters in the same pack. It had brutal rules and being homosexual was a death sentence. When Wade's brother Shaun was seen by another pack member kissing a male, the alpha ordered him killed. To make matters even worse, the person assigned to do it was The Pack Fixer. Dustin is the pack fixer, having assumed the position from his father. So Dustin does as he is assigned, "Protect the Pack". He killed Shaun and the secret crush that Wade had on Dustin. As soon as he is able, Wade takes off and joins a pack out of state. Eventually becoming a lone wolf. He has an assortment of found friends that act like his pack whether he wants them to or not. It may have been seven years ago, but Wade still hates Dustin with every fibre of his being. He yearning for revenge is strong. Then one day a strange wolf stares at him from his fire escape. He knows that face anywhere. Time for retribution is upon him.
Dustin has been looking for Wade for the past seven years. He too is now a lone wolf. He wants to explain to Wade that his brother Shaun is not dead. He has been safe and living with a pack in Canada. Dustin followed the directive of the Fixer, he protected the pack. Dustin had faked killing Shaun so that he could secret him away and live somewhere safer. He has been searching for Wade to explain what happened since he left his job as Fixer. This is their story.
As with all books by this author, the book is well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed it. I received a complementary advanced review copy of this book from GRR and I am voluntarily leaving a review. I was happy to see Shaun and Wade reunited after being forced apart for so many years. Of course now Wade had to change to a new mindset as his brother was murdered by the fixer after all. You will be able to enjoy this book without having first read the Hidden Wolves series but be warned. You will probably want to read them all after finishing this book.
Dustin has been looking for Wade for the past seven years. He too is now a lone wolf. He wants to explain to Wade that his brother Shaun is not dead. He has been safe and living with a pack in Canada. Dustin followed the directive of the Fixer, he protected the pack. Dustin had faked killing Shaun so that he could secret him away and live somewhere safer. He has been searching for Wade to explain what happened since he left his job as Fixer. This is their story.
As with all books by this author, the book is well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed it. I received a complementary advanced review copy of this book from GRR and I am voluntarily leaving a review. I was happy to see Shaun and Wade reunited after being forced apart for so many years. Of course now Wade had to change to a new mindset as his brother was murdered by the fixer after all. You will be able to enjoy this book without having first read the Hidden Wolves series but be warned. You will probably want to read them all after finishing this book.
November 22, 2025
I was thrilled to dive into this new release. It did not disappoint. We’re dropped straight into the 1970s, with phone booths, operators, bell bottoms, and all the nostalgia that comes with them, which gives the story a wonderfully distinctive atmosphere. Wade has spent seven long years believing that Dustin, the pack’s Fixer, murdered his fifteen-year-old brother, Shawn. That kind of grief and hatred settles deep, and Harper captures it with raw emotional clarity. Wade fled, built a quiet life for himself as a lone wolf, and tucked himself away in small-town Illinois with his woodworking, his routines, and a surprisingly sweet found family in his building.
And then Dustin appears on his fire escape. What follows is gripping: Dustin’s revelation that Shawn is actually alive; the slow, painful unravelling of seven years’ worth of anger; the truth behind Dustin’s actions; and the rekindling of a connection Wade had buried beneath resentment. Their reunion is anything but straightforward, I mean this is a Kaje Harper novel, after all! But the emotional payoff is absolutely worth it.
I loved watching Wade and Dustin navigate their fraught history while dealing with a string of escalating problems closer to home. Dustin’s sense of honour shines through in the way he steps up for people he’s never met, and Wade’s thawing affection both for Dustin and for the found family he pretends not to care about is beautifully done. As the men begin to understand each other, that old crush transforms into something deeper, steadier, and unexpectedly tender.
There’s tension, danger, emotional gut punches, and the kind of layered character work Harper excels at. And although this book is adjacent to her other werewolf titles, you can easily read it as a standalone. (Though honestly, the whole series is worth picking up.)
A gripping, emotional, and ultimately uplifting story. I enjoyed every moment of the ride!
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review
And then Dustin appears on his fire escape. What follows is gripping: Dustin’s revelation that Shawn is actually alive; the slow, painful unravelling of seven years’ worth of anger; the truth behind Dustin’s actions; and the rekindling of a connection Wade had buried beneath resentment. Their reunion is anything but straightforward, I mean this is a Kaje Harper novel, after all! But the emotional payoff is absolutely worth it.
I loved watching Wade and Dustin navigate their fraught history while dealing with a string of escalating problems closer to home. Dustin’s sense of honour shines through in the way he steps up for people he’s never met, and Wade’s thawing affection both for Dustin and for the found family he pretends not to care about is beautifully done. As the men begin to understand each other, that old crush transforms into something deeper, steadier, and unexpectedly tender.
There’s tension, danger, emotional gut punches, and the kind of layered character work Harper excels at. And although this book is adjacent to her other werewolf titles, you can easily read it as a standalone. (Though honestly, the whole series is worth picking up.)
A gripping, emotional, and ultimately uplifting story. I enjoyed every moment of the ride!
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review
November 22, 2025
This is the first book I've read by this author. It's short and a prequel so it gives me a feel for the other books in the series. I love a good shifter series and I don't think I've ever read a shifter book where the pack punishes people for being gay so that was something new and interesting. The premise of the book drew me in. It takes us on a journey with Dustin and Wade. Dustin is a Fixer and he carries out the Alpha's orders to keep the pack safe and hidden from humans and apparently that also means from being gay. Shawn and Wade come to the pack seeking asylum with their mother and they feel like they finally have someplace to belong and Dustin is really there for the boys. Until one day when Wade's younger brother Shawn, who is 15 at the time, is seen kissing a boy from school and the Alpha orders Dustin to "take care of him". Except Dustin doesn't agree with the Alpha and fakes Shawn's passing and finds him somewhere safe until he can reunite him with his brother. The problem is that Wade doesn't know that Shawn is alive and breaks ties with their pack and eventually becomes a lone wolf with a desire for vengence against the man he looked up to and had a crush on. He ends up getting his world turned upside down yet again 7 years later when Dustin finally tracks him down and Wade finally learns the truth of what really happened. But it's hard to turn off how he felt after all these years thinking the worst. Now it's up to Wade and Dustin to decide where to go from here and the shady buiness dealings Wade gets wind of about the building he lives in gives them the perfect opportunity to see what they can do together and where they could go if they give into their feelings and attraction for each other. I really enjoyed the book and I'll for sure be checking out the rest of the series.
November 22, 2025
4.25 stars
This is actually a prequel to the author’s Hidden Wolves series and took place in the 1970s when being ‘different’ in a wolf pack carried a mandatory imminent assisted expiration date.
Dustin, the pack Fixer, was head ‘expiration assister’ and was forced by the pack alpha to ‘assist’ in the expiration of a close friend’s fifteen year old little brother. This is the general storyline and describes his search (and eventual reconciliation) for Wade, the friend who had comforted himself for the last seven years by dreaming of the day he would finally have a chance to rip out the throat of the former best friend who had betrayed him and his little brother so horribly.
This was a super interesting book for me. I was a little kid in the 70s and wasn’t really aware of grownup issues but, based on things I DO remember between then and now, it kinda rings true, like signs of the times things, wolfing out notwithstanding, could’ve easily happened (like the intolerance crap).
It’s been a couple of years since I read Unacceptable Risk, which this book supposedly preceded, but now I’ve got to go back and reread it with new eyes. I’m really looking forward to it, not that I remember much about it, but I kept it instead of deleting it so that means I must’ve enjoyed it. If you happen to come across this review and HAVEN’T read it, I hope you’ll check it out too after reading this one. If you HAVE but can’t remember what it was like, maybe do like me and do a reread after this one. For Dustin and Wade 4.25 stars… good book!
I received a copy of this book for free from GRR but am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is actually a prequel to the author’s Hidden Wolves series and took place in the 1970s when being ‘different’ in a wolf pack carried a mandatory imminent assisted expiration date.
Dustin, the pack Fixer, was head ‘expiration assister’ and was forced by the pack alpha to ‘assist’ in the expiration of a close friend’s fifteen year old little brother. This is the general storyline and describes his search (and eventual reconciliation) for Wade, the friend who had comforted himself for the last seven years by dreaming of the day he would finally have a chance to rip out the throat of the former best friend who had betrayed him and his little brother so horribly.
This was a super interesting book for me. I was a little kid in the 70s and wasn’t really aware of grownup issues but, based on things I DO remember between then and now, it kinda rings true, like signs of the times things, wolfing out notwithstanding, could’ve easily happened (like the intolerance crap).
It’s been a couple of years since I read Unacceptable Risk, which this book supposedly preceded, but now I’ve got to go back and reread it with new eyes. I’m really looking forward to it, not that I remember much about it, but I kept it instead of deleting it so that means I must’ve enjoyed it. If you happen to come across this review and HAVEN’T read it, I hope you’ll check it out too after reading this one. If you HAVE but can’t remember what it was like, maybe do like me and do a reread after this one. For Dustin and Wade 4.25 stars… good book!
I received a copy of this book for free from GRR but am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 13, 2025
Dark, emotional, and completely gripping I was captivated, entranced, and fully hooked. 🐺💔🔥
Fixer by Kaje Harper is a heart-wrenching, slow-burn prequel that left me reeling. From the very first page, I was drawn into Wade’s pain and Dustin’s complex, shadowed world. The emotional intensity is palpable grief, betrayal, and longing intertwine in a story that’s both haunting and heartbreaking.
Wade’s journey of loss, anger, and the desire for revenge is raw and gripping. I felt every emotion his grief for Shawn, his fury toward Dustin, and his fear and hope all at once. And Dustin… oh, Dustin. The way Harper writes him, flawed yet layered, tormented yet capable of love, makes him impossible not to be drawn to. The slow unveiling of truth between them had me on edge, my heart racing with every moment they faced each other.
The 1970s setting adds a nostalgic, gritty atmosphere that enriches the story. The stakes feel personal, the tension is suffocating, and the moments of hurt-comfort and vulnerability hit hard. Seeing Wade and Dustin navigate years of misunderstanding, secrets, and pain toward a chance at connection was utterly compelling.
💔✨ A beautifully dark, emotional novella about revenge, secrets, and second chances. I was enthralled, emotionally invested, and completely unable to put it down.
Fixer by Kaje Harper is a heart-wrenching, slow-burn prequel that left me reeling. From the very first page, I was drawn into Wade’s pain and Dustin’s complex, shadowed world. The emotional intensity is palpable grief, betrayal, and longing intertwine in a story that’s both haunting and heartbreaking.
Wade’s journey of loss, anger, and the desire for revenge is raw and gripping. I felt every emotion his grief for Shawn, his fury toward Dustin, and his fear and hope all at once. And Dustin… oh, Dustin. The way Harper writes him, flawed yet layered, tormented yet capable of love, makes him impossible not to be drawn to. The slow unveiling of truth between them had me on edge, my heart racing with every moment they faced each other.
The 1970s setting adds a nostalgic, gritty atmosphere that enriches the story. The stakes feel personal, the tension is suffocating, and the moments of hurt-comfort and vulnerability hit hard. Seeing Wade and Dustin navigate years of misunderstanding, secrets, and pain toward a chance at connection was utterly compelling.
💔✨ A beautifully dark, emotional novella about revenge, secrets, and second chances. I was enthralled, emotionally invested, and completely unable to put it down.
November 22, 2025
Wade McKinley has hated Dustin Palmer for the past seven years. He ran from his pack after his brother, Shawn, was killed for being gay by the pack Fixer – Dustin. He landed in a small town in Illinois making a living through carving. He lives in an apartment house where many of the residents have become his family. When Dustin reappears in his life, Wade is sure to get what he wants – his revenge. But Dustin is there to say that Shawn is alive and well and living in Canada. He wants to reunite the two brothers. As they work out the past, that might be the end but there are problems with the apartment complex. Dustin offers his PI skills to help solve those problems.
Set in the 1970s, we see so many differences. Phone booths are the least. This a prequel to the Hidden Wolves series set more than 30 years later. These two men had so many issues to work through before they could be together. Trust was a big one. Seven years hating someone is hard to let go. Wade needed proof while Dustin had that proof. All the changes were so well written that you could feel the emotions pouring out. Working together to solve all the problems, they found more than just some closure on the past. Looking for some werewolf drama and what happened to gays in the 1970? Fixer is perfect for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Set in the 1970s, we see so many differences. Phone booths are the least. This a prequel to the Hidden Wolves series set more than 30 years later. These two men had so many issues to work through before they could be together. Trust was a big one. Seven years hating someone is hard to let go. Wade needed proof while Dustin had that proof. All the changes were so well written that you could feel the emotions pouring out. Working together to solve all the problems, they found more than just some closure on the past. Looking for some werewolf drama and what happened to gays in the 1970? Fixer is perfect for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 22, 2025
I haven't read any of Kaje Harper's Hidden Wolves series, so the prequel is just that, my introduction to Harper's Wolf Universe. From the other book blurbs and reviewers takes on this story, I'm getting the picture of a very brutal world. There is homophobia in Fixer, but it's more in the background. The world of 1974 was very different than that of 2011 (where the series starts). Yet it seems, at least in the pack's dynamics,not so very different.
Wade and Dustin's attraction is a slap in the face of the traditional supe world. Dustin knew he was gay from a young age. His father accepted him, worried over him and gave him tools and techniques to survive in the hereto heavy wolf pack. Dustin had a set escape plan, which he used for another pack member. Shawn was fifteen and caught kissing a boy, the Alpha ordering his death. Dustin aided his escape, but was unable to clue Shawn's brother, Wade, into the plan. So Wade spent the next seven years marinating in grief, planning revenge.
Their second chance is pretty laid back. The sizzle is real. There's a quick cameo of to tell readers what's to come. I don't know if I'd say HEA. But its more than a HFN.
Not a quick read (I'd argue with the author that this was NOT a novella!) But it was a thoughtful and enjoyable one.
I received an advanced e copy of this book and this is my review.
Wade and Dustin's attraction is a slap in the face of the traditional supe world. Dustin knew he was gay from a young age. His father accepted him, worried over him and gave him tools and techniques to survive in the hereto heavy wolf pack. Dustin had a set escape plan, which he used for another pack member. Shawn was fifteen and caught kissing a boy, the Alpha ordering his death. Dustin aided his escape, but was unable to clue Shawn's brother, Wade, into the plan. So Wade spent the next seven years marinating in grief, planning revenge.
Their second chance is pretty laid back. The sizzle is real. There's a quick cameo of to tell readers what's to come. I don't know if I'd say HEA. But its more than a HFN.
Not a quick read (I'd argue with the author that this was NOT a novella!) But it was a thoughtful and enjoyable one.
I received an advanced e copy of this book and this is my review.
November 17, 2025
Novella, prequel to Hidden Wolves series, set in the 1970s. I can verify a lot of the historical details from my own memories. Yes I remember filling up my mom’s car for 35 cents a gallon, then later that year the Arab Oil Embargo hit and it was more like 78 cents a gallon. I don’t recall gas stations closing in early afternoon - my memory was of only allowing even numbered license plates to fill up on certain days, and odd numbered ones on the others. Pay phones with paper phone books with yellow pages, yes. I remember watching the TV shows and at least one movie that were referenced in the book.
The story is engaging, but a few places were very dark and I had to put the book down for a while. I’m wondering whether there are any tie-ins with the novels, which take place decades later, particularly that youngster named Rick in Chicago.
You should be able to enjoy this book without reading the novels in the Hidden Wolves series, but I highly recommend reading the free Unacceptable Risk either before or after this novella. It’s a great book.
The story is engaging, but a few places were very dark and I had to put the book down for a while. I’m wondering whether there are any tie-ins with the novels, which take place decades later, particularly that youngster named Rick in Chicago.
You should be able to enjoy this book without reading the novels in the Hidden Wolves series, but I highly recommend reading the free Unacceptable Risk either before or after this novella. It’s a great book.
November 11, 2025
FIXER is a prequel novella in the Hidden Wolves series and features Wade and Dustin. Wade thinks Dustin killed his little brother, so please forgive him for not being too happy when he sees Dustin for the first time in seven years, and outside his window, of all places. Dustin didn't kill Shawn, but couldn't tell Wade, or the Alpha would have found out.
This is their story of how they come to be together, in a world where they're still not supposed to be! I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but am now curious to know what happens. It made a real change to read a book where two wolves who are mates felt absolutely no pressure to have a bond.
A great introduction for a new reader and definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 11, 2025
This is their story of how they come to be together, in a world where they're still not supposed to be! I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but am now curious to know what happens. It made a real change to read a book where two wolves who are mates felt absolutely no pressure to have a bond.
A great introduction for a new reader and definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 11, 2025
November 12, 2025
Wade and Shawn are brothers who end up in a bad pack when their father dies. Shawn is seen kissing another boy and the alpha tells his fixer Dustin to take care of the problem. Dustin is unwilling to do the deed, so he fakes it and hides Shawn far away. Wade doesn't know it's all staged and now wants to kill Dustin. Years later when Dustin hunts him down, Wade might get his chance. Things don't go the way Wade thinks and these two are on the road to better things; although, these better things don't last long before trouble comes knocking on Wade and his friends' doors. Further trouble comes knocking on Dustin's door and now more changes are happening.
This was an okay book for me. Nothing outstanding or new. I didn't really feel a strong chemistry between Wade and Dustin. All the trouble heading their way seemed contrived to get them together. I started skimming pages at the point of Wade and Dustin leaving Canada after one day of an anti-climatic reunion. Not really interested in reading further in the series. 🤷♀️
This was an okay book for me. Nothing outstanding or new. I didn't really feel a strong chemistry between Wade and Dustin. All the trouble heading their way seemed contrived to get them together. I started skimming pages at the point of Wade and Dustin leaving Canada after one day of an anti-climatic reunion. Not really interested in reading further in the series. 🤷♀️
November 18, 2025
Wade's brother was murdered by the pack fixer 8 years ago when he was caught kissing another boy. Werewolf packs don't abide gay members. He's spent the intervening years dreaming of the revenge he'll take on the fixer Dustin if he ever sees him again. Dustin has spent the last 8 years trying to find Wade after he went lone wolf to tell him that his brother is alive. When the 2 finally come across one another, Dustin is finally able to let Wade know the truth and Wade can let go of his rage and emptiness. They each are now lone wolves, not willing to stay with packs that treat gay members that way because it would apply to them as well. Dustin has been harboring feelings for Wade this whole time and Wade is just coming to terms with his own sexuality. I found this to be a unique take on shifter and fated mates tropes. These 2 MCs are mates but they choose to not bond because they'd rather be together by choice always. I also found it interesting to see things from a gay man's perspective in the 70's. I really enjoyed it and the relationship these two create. Would recommend.
November 22, 2025
As other reviewers have said, this prequel is a great entry in a series that is unreasonably addicting. I think it can be a stand alone, but it shines as a preview of coming attractions if you’re already familiar with the HW world. The Easter egg at the end is super fun, not totally unexpected, but plays a lot better if you’re at least a little familiar with Kaje’s world of all-male wolf packs drowning in secrets and toxic masculinity.
This story itself rounds up from 4.5 stars. The angst is surprisingly low for a story that starts with an 8-year-old murder. The twisty details of hiding secrets in a world where scent or a whisper can betray you, and the historical details, make it really enjoyable and immersive. The enemies-to-coconspirators-to-lovers is well done, especially as Dustin helps Wade save his own ‘pack’. And for once there are a fair number of human side characters, which adds some authenticity to the fact that Wade is hiding (and some are really neat humans). Honestly, there’s nothing I don’t like about this story except that it ended!
This story itself rounds up from 4.5 stars. The angst is surprisingly low for a story that starts with an 8-year-old murder. The twisty details of hiding secrets in a world where scent or a whisper can betray you, and the historical details, make it really enjoyable and immersive. The enemies-to-coconspirators-to-lovers is well done, especially as Dustin helps Wade save his own ‘pack’. And for once there are a fair number of human side characters, which adds some authenticity to the fact that Wade is hiding (and some are really neat humans). Honestly, there’s nothing I don’t like about this story except that it ended!
November 23, 2025
Wade suffered when his brother was killed by pack fixer for kissing a guy. He ran from the pack and has stayed away since but he has always wanted to find Dustin, the pack fixer, and get his revenge for Dustin doing what he did to his brother Shawn and betraying his trust in Dustin. Seven years have passed and Dustin is looking for Wade to let him know that although he believed his brother died, Shawn is still alive. Dustin wants to get the brothers back together. But before that can happen this pair has some things to work through. They need to work through the past and the mistrust Wade feels towards Dustin. There are also issues in the apartment complex Wade lives in and since he cares about his neighbors they work together to resolve some of those issues as well. This was a good period piece and it makes me want to read some of the stories in the series it is a prequel to. It works well as a stand alone too and it was a nice reminder of what the 70s were like for folks considered different.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 19, 2025
The cherry on the ice cream sundae of this series, I very much enjoyed this prequel. Thank you, Kaje, for keeping us immersed in this world by doing prequels as they give a unique standalone story but provide a sneak peek to the future. Hint: the fixer apprentice named Rick in Chicago. (Loved this!)
The story seemed simple at first glance, but there were plenty of cleverly placed plot twists, peeks to the future world of shifters living among humans, and an authentic seventies vibe. (Anyone feeling groovy?)
The love story between Wade and Dustin was solid and believable and I like the fact that this couple took a different path to their HEA than others in the series. I wouldn't mind seeing them at some point in the future as on older, settled couple, or have we already and I didn't remember? Hmm, I wouldn't put anything past Kaje. But I must say, I hope we aren't completely done with this series. I love coming back to it, whatever time period the story happens to be within. Definitely recommend this entire series.
The story seemed simple at first glance, but there were plenty of cleverly placed plot twists, peeks to the future world of shifters living among humans, and an authentic seventies vibe. (Anyone feeling groovy?)
The love story between Wade and Dustin was solid and believable and I like the fact that this couple took a different path to their HEA than others in the series. I wouldn't mind seeing them at some point in the future as on older, settled couple, or have we already and I didn't remember? Hmm, I wouldn't put anything past Kaje. But I must say, I hope we aren't completely done with this series. I love coming back to it, whatever time period the story happens to be within. Definitely recommend this entire series.
December 8, 2025
**********Contains Spoilers**********
This was a quick and enjoyable read and thought that it was another good addition to the Hidden Wolves Series world that Kaje Harper has created. Wade thought that the man he considered a friend and his secret crush Dustin, the pack Fixer killed his younger brother Shawn on the Alpha’s orders all because Shawn was caught kissing another boy when he was 15 years old.
Wade left and vowed to get revenge on Dustin. It’s been 7 years since and Dustin has finally been able to track Wade down to let him know that Shawn is still alive and living in Canada, well that is if Wade doesn’t kill him before he has the chance.
These two don’t have an easy go of things but their happily ever after is well deserved. I hope that this isn’t the last we get to see from the Hidden Wolves universe but only time will tell. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Kaje Harper in the future. I’d recommend this novella, series and author to others.
This was a quick and enjoyable read and thought that it was another good addition to the Hidden Wolves Series world that Kaje Harper has created. Wade thought that the man he considered a friend and his secret crush Dustin, the pack Fixer killed his younger brother Shawn on the Alpha’s orders all because Shawn was caught kissing another boy when he was 15 years old.
Wade left and vowed to get revenge on Dustin. It’s been 7 years since and Dustin has finally been able to track Wade down to let him know that Shawn is still alive and living in Canada, well that is if Wade doesn’t kill him before he has the chance.
These two don’t have an easy go of things but their happily ever after is well deserved. I hope that this isn’t the last we get to see from the Hidden Wolves universe but only time will tell. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Kaje Harper in the future. I’d recommend this novella, series and author to others.
November 13, 2025
I absolutely adore The hidden wolves series, and it’s one of my comfort series of all times.
This wonderful story is yet another expansion of the universe I didn’t know I needed.
Love love love how Kaje keep on reaching new horizons with peeks at what came before (OMG! A young Rick Brown *gasp*)
He has always just been one of those characters that just WERE. You know?! But now NOW I want to know more; how did he go from fixer to Alpha? Is he gay himself? (Can’t remember if he has a wife in the glimpses we get of him and his life in the series) how did he come to be so BIG, not physical, but personality wise. You have lit a fire, Kaje❣️🫣
And this with Shawn being spirited away and fake death and Wade not knowing + Dustin and Wade, and Zay and Shawn. Aww. Just the right amount of excitement and love.
This wonderful story is yet another expansion of the universe I didn’t know I needed.
Love love love how Kaje keep on reaching new horizons with peeks at what came before (OMG! A young Rick Brown *gasp*)
He has always just been one of those characters that just WERE. You know?! But now NOW I want to know more; how did he go from fixer to Alpha? Is he gay himself? (Can’t remember if he has a wife in the glimpses we get of him and his life in the series) how did he come to be so BIG, not physical, but personality wise. You have lit a fire, Kaje❣️🫣
And this with Shawn being spirited away and fake death and Wade not knowing + Dustin and Wade, and Zay and Shawn. Aww. Just the right amount of excitement and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2025
★彡 𝟓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 彡★
I loved reading this prequel to Kaje Harper’s Hidden Wolves series. I haven’t yet read the series but now I really want to. This was a really great story. It had just the right amount of tension and suspense. It’s kind of a second chance story because Wade and Dustin crushed on each other years ago but neither of them knew it.
Since I was a teenager in the 70’s there were a lot of references to things from that time that made me nostalgic and that contributed to my enjoyment of the story. Payphones in particular brought back memories of my boyfriend (now hubby) being away at college and having to keep feeding the payphone coins so we could keep talking. Kids today take free long distance for granted but it wasn’t always that way. 😊
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
I loved reading this prequel to Kaje Harper’s Hidden Wolves series. I haven’t yet read the series but now I really want to. This was a really great story. It had just the right amount of tension and suspense. It’s kind of a second chance story because Wade and Dustin crushed on each other years ago but neither of them knew it.
Since I was a teenager in the 70’s there were a lot of references to things from that time that made me nostalgic and that contributed to my enjoyment of the story. Payphones in particular brought back memories of my boyfriend (now hubby) being away at college and having to keep feeding the payphone coins so we could keep talking. Kids today take free long distance for granted but it wasn’t always that way. 😊
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
November 22, 2025
Shawn has lived for 7 years believing his younger brother was killed because of homophobic views held by werewolf society.
He also believes that Dustin, the pack Fixer/Enforcer was the one responsible.
That's why Shawn hates Dustin but thankfully that's not true.
When Dustin finally finds Shawn to explain what actually happened, he wants nothing to do with him.
Thankfully Dustin is able to prove the truth and reunite the brothers.
Both men feel something towards each other, both of their wolves clamoring "mate" when they're together.
They're able to tentatively make a start on a relationship when there's some trouble for Shawn's adopted human pack.
Dustin's skills are able to be out to use to help them resolve the situation quickly before they're confronted by a pack in Chicago which really does nothing but speed up the timeline for them somewhat moving in together.
He also believes that Dustin, the pack Fixer/Enforcer was the one responsible.
That's why Shawn hates Dustin but thankfully that's not true.
When Dustin finally finds Shawn to explain what actually happened, he wants nothing to do with him.
Thankfully Dustin is able to prove the truth and reunite the brothers.
Both men feel something towards each other, both of their wolves clamoring "mate" when they're together.
They're able to tentatively make a start on a relationship when there's some trouble for Shawn's adopted human pack.
Dustin's skills are able to be out to use to help them resolve the situation quickly before they're confronted by a pack in Chicago which really does nothing but speed up the timeline for them somewhat moving in together.
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