What do you think?
Rate this book
Maple Hollow #1
Big Bad Wolf
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dream Harbor series, comes a brand new paranormal romance set in the small town of Maple Hollow.
The darker the woods, the bigger the secrets...
Ruby Bellerose lives on the edge of the woods, in a cottage more akin to a fairy tale than modern day life. Her love life is basically non-existent, and she keeps away from the whispered gossip that travels through Maple Hollow.
Until a chance encounter with Rafe.
As mysterious as he is brooding, Ruby is drawn to the woodsman, curious to find out more about the stranger who lives deep within the woods.
But Rafe is hiding a secret. And with something lurking in the shadowy forest, will Ruby find that Rafe is her knight in shining armor or something altogether more dangerous...
The darker the woods, the bigger the secrets...
Ruby Bellerose lives on the edge of the woods, in a cottage more akin to a fairy tale than modern day life. Her love life is basically non-existent, and she keeps away from the whispered gossip that travels through Maple Hollow.
Until a chance encounter with Rafe.
As mysterious as he is brooding, Ruby is drawn to the woodsman, curious to find out more about the stranger who lives deep within the woods.
But Rafe is hiding a secret. And with something lurking in the shadowy forest, will Ruby find that Rafe is her knight in shining armor or something altogether more dangerous...
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2026
About the author
Laurie Gilmore
36 books18.3k followersLaurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.
She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.
She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,992 reviews
July 22, 2026
1 1/2⭐️
ARC
If one of those moody werewolf graphics and a hot topic employee from 2008 came together it would be this romance. I struggled so much to get through this. It’s baseline every werewolf romance you’ve ever read before. If I had to read about Rafe being like “oh I need to leave you to keep you safe I’m a monster” one more time I think I would have evaporated. I hoped the highland wolves would have gotten to them both in the end.
ARC
If one of those moody werewolf graphics and a hot topic employee from 2008 came together it would be this romance. I struggled so much to get through this. It’s baseline every werewolf romance you’ve ever read before. If I had to read about Rafe being like “oh I need to leave you to keep you safe I’m a monster” one more time I think I would have evaporated. I hoped the highland wolves would have gotten to them both in the end.
July 13, 2026
“Is that what you wanted, brave girl? You wandered through the woods hoping the big bad wolf would find you?”
“Not the big bad wolf,” she breathed. “You.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴛ” x ʀᴀᴠʏɴ ʟᴇɴᴀᴇ
0:58 ───♥─────── 3:33
Paranormal romance has never really been my thing, so I genuinely did NOT know what to expect going into this one. Ruby finds herself caught up in a world she never expected, with Rafe being very much at the center of it all. And somehow… I was hooked almost immediately.
PHEWWWW WEEEEE 🤣 I was honestly shocked by how much I enjoyed this, especially after reading another book from this author’s most well-known series and not being impressed. I originally requested this because I was obsessed with the cover, then saw the author’s name and immediately got nervous. Thankfully, those nerves disappeared pretty quickly because this felt SO different. There was constantly something happening, and I genuinely felt like I could barely keep up in the best way.
I absolutely loved Ruby. She was strong, confident, and so sure of herself, and I especially loved how accepting she was of Rafe. I did struggle a little with how easily she accepted his secret, but I loved that she never tried to change him or make him into something he wasn’t. She loved every part of him, and I think that was such an important part of his journey because she helped him realize that he could be exactly who he was without being the monster he’d always been told he was. 🥹
Now, Rafe… sir. PLEASE 🤣 The back-and-forth with Ruby had me so irritated at times. He would want her, tell her he wanted to be with her, get close to her, and then pull away AGAIN. Like my guy PICK A LANE. I was definitely getting frustrated by the constant push and pull.
Also, this was spicier than I expected. There was definitely tension and buildup before their first physical interaction, but I ended up wishing there had been a little more story and a little less spice in some parts. Still, considering I basically never read paranormal romance, this kept me completely interested. And thank goodness for that HEA because I needed it after all the emotional chaos… 😭 although that little cliffhanger?! 👀 I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW
favorite quotes ↓
“That was what it had become. An obsession. Ever since he’d laid eyes on Ruby, he’d wanted her. More than wanted her. Needed her.”
“He would give up his own soul to keep holding her forever.”
“He wanted her more than he wanted his next sunrise, more than his next race through the woods, more than any part of his own worthless life. Wanting Ruby made existing possible.”
things to know about the book ↓
🐺 paranormal
🐺 forced proximity
🐺 fated mates
🐺 Little Red Riding Hood inspired
🐺 protective MMC
🐺 strong FMC
🐺 written in 3rd person
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 20, 22, 32, 37, 38, 43, 55, 56, 57
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🐺 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
july 13- ive read one book by this author and wasn't super impressed but here's to my second chance 🤞🏼 the cover is cutie!!
"To my readers who like their fictional men with a few more red flags; I think you'll have fun in Maple Hollow" 🙂↕️🙂↕️
“Not the big bad wolf,” she breathed. “You.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
“ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴛ” x ʀᴀᴠʏɴ ʟᴇɴᴀᴇ
0:58 ───♥─────── 3:33
Paranormal romance has never really been my thing, so I genuinely did NOT know what to expect going into this one. Ruby finds herself caught up in a world she never expected, with Rafe being very much at the center of it all. And somehow… I was hooked almost immediately.
PHEWWWW WEEEEE 🤣 I was honestly shocked by how much I enjoyed this, especially after reading another book from this author’s most well-known series and not being impressed. I originally requested this because I was obsessed with the cover, then saw the author’s name and immediately got nervous. Thankfully, those nerves disappeared pretty quickly because this felt SO different. There was constantly something happening, and I genuinely felt like I could barely keep up in the best way.
I absolutely loved Ruby. She was strong, confident, and so sure of herself, and I especially loved how accepting she was of Rafe. I did struggle a little with how easily she accepted his secret, but I loved that she never tried to change him or make him into something he wasn’t. She loved every part of him, and I think that was such an important part of his journey because she helped him realize that he could be exactly who he was without being the monster he’d always been told he was. 🥹
Now, Rafe… sir. PLEASE 🤣 The back-and-forth with Ruby had me so irritated at times. He would want her, tell her he wanted to be with her, get close to her, and then pull away AGAIN. Like my guy PICK A LANE. I was definitely getting frustrated by the constant push and pull.
Also, this was spicier than I expected. There was definitely tension and buildup before their first physical interaction, but I ended up wishing there had been a little more story and a little less spice in some parts. Still, considering I basically never read paranormal romance, this kept me completely interested. And thank goodness for that HEA because I needed it after all the emotional chaos… 😭 although that little cliffhanger?! 👀 I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW
favorite quotes ↓
“That was what it had become. An obsession. Ever since he’d laid eyes on Ruby, he’d wanted her. More than wanted her. Needed her.”
“He would give up his own soul to keep holding her forever.”
“He wanted her more than he wanted his next sunrise, more than his next race through the woods, more than any part of his own worthless life. Wanting Ruby made existing possible.”
things to know about the book ↓
🐺 paranormal
🐺 forced proximity
🐺 fated mates
🐺 Little Red Riding Hood inspired
🐺 protective MMC
🐺 strong FMC
🐺 written in 3rd person
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 20, 22, 32, 37, 38, 43, 55, 56, 57
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🐺 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
july 13- ive read one book by this author and wasn't super impressed but here's to my second chance 🤞🏼 the cover is cutie!!
"To my readers who like their fictional men with a few more red flags; I think you'll have fun in Maple Hollow" 🙂↕️🙂↕️
September 27, 2026
Laurie Gilmore is an auto-read author for me, so when I saw she had a new paranormal small-town romance I jumped at the chance to read it! ALL the adorable WEREWOLF-Y FALL vibes 🐺🍂🧡✨
This was SO MUCH FUN 🤩
I honestly wasn’t sure about the idea of a Red Riding Hood retelling, yet somehow...I was hooked almost immediately!
Laurie draws us into Ruby’s life in Maple Hollow. Living in a cottage in the woods, Ruby finds herself caught up in a world that is more like a fairy tale than modern life, and at the very centre of it is Rafe - a lone werewolf that doesn’t believe in fated-mates…until now…With a secret lurking in the shadows, Ruby finds herself in need of his protection, while he needs her unwavering love. Can a human really learn to love a beast? 🐺🧡✨
“Is that what you wanted, brave girl? You wandered through the woods hoping the big bad wolf would find you?” 🌳 👀🐺🤭
DAMNNNN, this was good! And the CLIFFHANGER?! I will be jumping into the sequel as soon as it’s released 🙇🏻♀️
Not only is this an incredibly heartwarming werewolf romance, but there’s also a strong subplot of mystery that runs throughout the book. I loved how Laurie combined and balanced different elements of the story into an emotional and compelling narrative. As usual, she created impeccable vibes and the humour was so on point, tying in the original story with the retelling, and adding a lighthearted twist to the plot.
Ruby was an amazing FMC! She was strong, independent, and sure of herself, making for a badass female lead. But she was also really funny, and sweet, and so accepting of Rafe which was the key to this romance. She genuinely loved him, faults and all. How she handled everything that was thrown at her was so admirable. I also loved the relationship she had with her sister and how incredibly loyal she was.
Rafe…Hello Mr. King of Mixed Signals, yet I couldn’t feel anything but sorrow and heartache for this poor tortured puppy. He was carrying a lot of baggage and heavy burdens making for a broody wolf-man. But he was so damn adorable 🥺 and he gets a gold medal for being a protective MMC 🥇
“I don’t know why I can’t stay away from you, why you haunted me even before I knew you. I don’t know why I’m here and why I can’t leave. But I know I can’t. I know that, even if I went home now, I’d be tormented by thoughts of you, of your scent and the taste of your lips and the feel of your skin, but mostly by the sheer terror of thinking you weren’t safe, and I know I would run right back to you.” 💘
“I don’t know anything except that I would kill for you.” 🥹
This was a well played slow burner heavily featuring a werewolf who believes he doesn’t deserve Ruby’s love. I will admit his hot and cold act did annoy me at times, but in the end his protective instincts and pure, undeniable love won my heart 🥹 The build up of tension and chemistry was SO GOOD! I absolutely loved how they slowly inserted into each other’s lives; it felt genuine and effortless. And once that tension broke 🥵 things got a lot spicier than I expected 🌶️ I personally would have preferred less spice but there was plenty of emotional connection to balance it out. The human x werewolf combo totally won me over 🥰
"He knew she was his Mate like he knew when he needed to hunt. Instinctually and without a doubt. Everything he’d felt about her made sense now. She was his and he was hers." 😌
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read that had me entertained throughout. It is the ultimate autumnal read, with cozy found family dynamics, a mystery subplot, and an adoring, protective werewolf MMC. It is the perfect seasonal read…and that CLIFFHANGER?! 😳 I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW! 🙇🏻♀️
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
This was SO MUCH FUN 🤩
I honestly wasn’t sure about the idea of a Red Riding Hood retelling, yet somehow...I was hooked almost immediately!
Laurie draws us into Ruby’s life in Maple Hollow. Living in a cottage in the woods, Ruby finds herself caught up in a world that is more like a fairy tale than modern life, and at the very centre of it is Rafe - a lone werewolf that doesn’t believe in fated-mates…until now…With a secret lurking in the shadows, Ruby finds herself in need of his protection, while he needs her unwavering love. Can a human really learn to love a beast? 🐺🧡✨
“Is that what you wanted, brave girl? You wandered through the woods hoping the big bad wolf would find you?” 🌳 👀🐺🤭
DAMNNNN, this was good! And the CLIFFHANGER?! I will be jumping into the sequel as soon as it’s released 🙇🏻♀️
Not only is this an incredibly heartwarming werewolf romance, but there’s also a strong subplot of mystery that runs throughout the book. I loved how Laurie combined and balanced different elements of the story into an emotional and compelling narrative. As usual, she created impeccable vibes and the humour was so on point, tying in the original story with the retelling, and adding a lighthearted twist to the plot.
Ruby was an amazing FMC! She was strong, independent, and sure of herself, making for a badass female lead. But she was also really funny, and sweet, and so accepting of Rafe which was the key to this romance. She genuinely loved him, faults and all. How she handled everything that was thrown at her was so admirable. I also loved the relationship she had with her sister and how incredibly loyal she was.
Rafe…Hello Mr. King of Mixed Signals, yet I couldn’t feel anything but sorrow and heartache for this poor tortured puppy. He was carrying a lot of baggage and heavy burdens making for a broody wolf-man. But he was so damn adorable 🥺 and he gets a gold medal for being a protective MMC 🥇
“I don’t know why I can’t stay away from you, why you haunted me even before I knew you. I don’t know why I’m here and why I can’t leave. But I know I can’t. I know that, even if I went home now, I’d be tormented by thoughts of you, of your scent and the taste of your lips and the feel of your skin, but mostly by the sheer terror of thinking you weren’t safe, and I know I would run right back to you.” 💘
“I don’t know anything except that I would kill for you.” 🥹
This was a well played slow burner heavily featuring a werewolf who believes he doesn’t deserve Ruby’s love. I will admit his hot and cold act did annoy me at times, but in the end his protective instincts and pure, undeniable love won my heart 🥹 The build up of tension and chemistry was SO GOOD! I absolutely loved how they slowly inserted into each other’s lives; it felt genuine and effortless. And once that tension broke 🥵 things got a lot spicier than I expected 🌶️ I personally would have preferred less spice but there was plenty of emotional connection to balance it out. The human x werewolf combo totally won me over 🥰
"He knew she was his Mate like he knew when he needed to hunt. Instinctually and without a doubt. Everything he’d felt about her made sense now. She was his and he was hers." 😌
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read that had me entertained throughout. It is the ultimate autumnal read, with cozy found family dynamics, a mystery subplot, and an adoring, protective werewolf MMC. It is the perfect seasonal read…and that CLIFFHANGER?! 😳 I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW! 🙇🏻♀️
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨
August 24, 2026
I wanted to love this. So much. I was enjoying it in the beginning & even thought I’d like it more than her other series…but then, nothing.
This book delivered nothing but lack of communication and “I need to leave you for your own good but I just can’t” vibes. There were so many repetitive thoughts and words that I was starting to get really annoyed.
Seriously, nothing happened in this entire story and nothing was fleshed out! I can’t really say a couple of specific things because it would cause spoilers but GAH there was just zero character development and certain situations/comments didn’t make sense.
If I read the word growl one more time, I was going to throw my kindle at the wall.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
This book delivered nothing but lack of communication and “I need to leave you for your own good but I just can’t” vibes. There were so many repetitive thoughts and words that I was starting to get really annoyed.
Seriously, nothing happened in this entire story and nothing was fleshed out! I can’t really say a couple of specific things because it would cause spoilers but GAH there was just zero character development and certain situations/comments didn’t make sense.
If I read the word growl one more time, I was going to throw my kindle at the wall.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
September 11, 2026
It was when I read the line, “Get naked wolf man, I want to see you”, I realized I shouldn’t give Laurie Gilmore a 3rd try.
September 26, 2026
Thoughts | 4.5⭐️
When I first started reading this author's work I didn't realise I'll come to love everything she writes - well apart from the time she fucked up The Christmas Tree Farm which deserved the 2 stars in my opinion ( I'm still pissed ) 😂 let's hope that's the last and only low rating from me lol
I will admit I had no idea what this book was about until I picked it up-- well the cover and title gave some things away but I didn't think I'll literally eat it up in 3 hours or so but I was so invested I couldn't stop till I got to the end. I loved everything about this book down to the tiniest detail, the only reason it's not five stars is due to the fact that there will be more books lol and also the part of the book where the MMC pulled the "for your own good" narrative got a tad to repetitive ( for me ) apart from that I loved this book so much, I enjoy retellings and I grew up loving Little Red Riding Hood
I can't wait to continue this series ❤️🔥
Read if you enjoy
🐺 Paranormal
♥️ Forced proximity
🐺 Protective MMC
♥️ Fated mates
Plot Summary
Ruby lives a quiet, secluded life in a cottage on the edge of the woods, far from the gossip of Maple Hollow. But when she meets the mysterious and brooding Rafe, her curiosity draws her deeper into his world. As dark secrets begin to surface and something sinister lurks in the forest, Ruby must discover whether Rafe is there to protect her or put her in danger
My Bookstagram
When I first started reading this author's work I didn't realise I'll come to love everything she writes - well apart from the time she fucked up The Christmas Tree Farm which deserved the 2 stars in my opinion ( I'm still pissed ) 😂 let's hope that's the last and only low rating from me lol
I will admit I had no idea what this book was about until I picked it up-- well the cover and title gave some things away but I didn't think I'll literally eat it up in 3 hours or so but I was so invested I couldn't stop till I got to the end. I loved everything about this book down to the tiniest detail, the only reason it's not five stars is due to the fact that there will be more books lol and also the part of the book where the MMC pulled the "for your own good" narrative got a tad to repetitive ( for me ) apart from that I loved this book so much, I enjoy retellings and I grew up loving Little Red Riding Hood
I can't wait to continue this series ❤️🔥
Read if you enjoy
🐺 Paranormal
♥️ Forced proximity
🐺 Protective MMC
♥️ Fated mates
Plot Summary
Ruby lives a quiet, secluded life in a cottage on the edge of the woods, far from the gossip of Maple Hollow. But when she meets the mysterious and brooding Rafe, her curiosity draws her deeper into his world. As dark secrets begin to surface and something sinister lurks in the forest, Ruby must discover whether Rafe is there to protect her or put her in danger
My Bookstagram
October 26, 2026
my rating: 2.5 ⭐️
bestie katy's rating: 1.5 ⭐️
this definitely brought the cosy, spooky vibes I was looking for but unfortunately insta-love just really isn't for me. although I will say the story got better as I got further into the plot where more characters were introduced, and secrets were uncovered. I think Laurie Gilmore's books are always a really easy, quick read and good if you feel a little burnt out reading wise, but this one wasn't my favourite and I think it's mostly down to not really connecting to the main characters very much at all. MMC werewolf Rafe, in all his broodiness, really just needs therapy. there is a point where the repetition of the push & pull from him just got too much, and his emotional avoidance was starting to get annoying.
I also find the constant switch from quite juvenile writing to really intense spice every few pages quite jarring. I'm just more of a slow burn kinda girl if anything, and I like my characters with depth aside from physical attraction and surface level personality traits.
aside from this though, I think this was my 5th(?) book I've read from this author, and although it's not my typical type of book/writing style I enjoy, I keep coming back because sometimes you do just need an easy to read book that feels cosy & isn't too heavy 🥹
⭐️ pre-read ⭐️
finally managed to convince my irl bestie to join me in a buddy read so obvs we had to choose something perfect for spooky season 🤭🍂
bestie katy's rating: 1.5 ⭐️
this definitely brought the cosy, spooky vibes I was looking for but unfortunately insta-love just really isn't for me. although I will say the story got better as I got further into the plot where more characters were introduced, and secrets were uncovered. I think Laurie Gilmore's books are always a really easy, quick read and good if you feel a little burnt out reading wise, but this one wasn't my favourite and I think it's mostly down to not really connecting to the main characters very much at all. MMC werewolf Rafe, in all his broodiness, really just needs therapy. there is a point where the repetition of the push & pull from him just got too much, and his emotional avoidance was starting to get annoying.
I also find the constant switch from quite juvenile writing to really intense spice every few pages quite jarring. I'm just more of a slow burn kinda girl if anything, and I like my characters with depth aside from physical attraction and surface level personality traits.
aside from this though, I think this was my 5th(?) book I've read from this author, and although it's not my typical type of book/writing style I enjoy, I keep coming back because sometimes you do just need an easy to read book that feels cosy & isn't too heavy 🥹
⭐️ pre-read ⭐️
finally managed to convince my irl bestie to join me in a buddy read so obvs we had to choose something perfect for spooky season 🤭🍂
Did Not Finish
September 8, 2026Pre-read :
He is a BIG BAD WOLF? literally my sign to read it.
He is a BIG BAD WOLF? literally my sign to read it.
September 24, 2026
just because you repackage a book for a completely new genre doesn’t mean it’ll hold over well with new readers. i should’ve listened to the reviews of the authors other book (a curse of blood and wolves) because wow was this BORING! this author is soooo boring and gets away with it because people these days don’t know what a good book is and i’m sick of it! the book starts off good with the twilight blue filter vibes but then 20% into the book both characters are already interested in each other so basically after that the book goes downhill. you’ll never get me to read laurie gilmore or any other pen names of hers ever again.
September 2, 2026
1.5 ⭐️
Okay... where do I start? I honestly went into this wanting to love it. But man, take out big and wolf from the title and that's what you're left with... BAD. This book was so bad.
The two MCs basically 'fall in love' within the first few chapters, you think that means that they must be to be fated mates right? But oh, how does that work.. she's a human, he's a werewolf.
Oh no, but it takes him until he eats her out to realised.. omg she's actually IS his mate.
Then it's the whole "I'm bad for you, I'm a monster" but "oh I can't live without you because we are MATES" back and forth the whole book.
There was literally no storyline, I swear literally NOTHING happened. The writing did feel a little lazy with the main character being called Ruby and then Rafes ex lover being called Scarlett, oh and her lipstick colour is "sexy red riding hood" ... I also couldn't stand the nicknames "brave girl" and "wolf man".. CRINGE.
Also, why is she not freaked out to discover he's a werewolf when she's never been around anything otherworldly like this before...
and then let's not get me started on Rafe killing Wyatt and others from his werewolf pack just for stalking Ruby & her sister, which we don't actually get any answers too at all. Like we know something is going on but it isn't addressed at all. The last 50 pages were basicially just sex and I was skim reading just to get it done...
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC copy of this book, I really did want to love it (being a little red riding hood retelling and all) I'm very disappointed it wasn't for me.
Okay... where do I start? I honestly went into this wanting to love it. But man, take out big and wolf from the title and that's what you're left with... BAD. This book was so bad.
The two MCs basically 'fall in love' within the first few chapters, you think that means that they must be to be fated mates right? But oh, how does that work.. she's a human, he's a werewolf.
Oh no, but it takes him until he eats her out to realised.. omg she's actually IS his mate.
Then it's the whole "I'm bad for you, I'm a monster" but "oh I can't live without you because we are MATES" back and forth the whole book.
There was literally no storyline, I swear literally NOTHING happened. The writing did feel a little lazy with the main character being called Ruby and then Rafes ex lover being called Scarlett, oh and her lipstick colour is "sexy red riding hood" ... I also couldn't stand the nicknames "brave girl" and "wolf man".. CRINGE.
Also, why is she not freaked out to discover he's a werewolf when she's never been around anything otherworldly like this before...
and then let's not get me started on Rafe killing Wyatt and others from his werewolf pack just for stalking Ruby & her sister, which we don't actually get any answers too at all. Like we know something is going on but it isn't addressed at all. The last 50 pages were basicially just sex and I was skim reading just to get it done...
Thank you to the publisher for my ARC copy of this book, I really did want to love it (being a little red riding hood retelling and all) I'm very disappointed it wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2026
Literally written terribly. No plot
September 16, 2026
Adorably smutty FALL romance 🍁🧡🐺 cozy small town vibes with a loner WEREWOLF that doesn’t believe in fated mates…yet!
She needs his protection and he needs her undying love and care.
Fall in a small town should be for cozying up at the fire with your favorite book ✨ Not for Ruby though! She has to take care of her sick twin, pay the bills and now also fight of large wolves?! The only thing keeping her spirits up is a mysterious lumberjack that doesn’t talk much but can’t stop staring 🐺 slow burn romance gradually overwhelms a rough werewolf who can’t believe he deserves this kind of LOVE *sad cry*
Werewolf romance for beginners! This was such a cozy read overflowing with a autumnal vibes 🍂 the werewolf romance added that additional sprinkle of tension & (uncontrollable) chemistry making it feel smuttier than it actually was.
🐺 cozy small town with heartwarming characters
🍂 he has an Etsy shop!
🐺 twin’s mystery illness
🍂 strong fmc that pursues & initiates
BOLDER & smuttier! This felt different from Gilmorem’s PSC series and I loved it. The addition of her twin’s mysterious illness made for a more engaging read and I’m excited to learn more about this world. My only complaint is the hot & cold mmc!! It got a bit annoying after the 3 time he left Ruby behind.
4.5 ⭐️ perfect fall inspired read!!
protective mmc
feisty fmc
fated mates
werewolves & other paranormals
dirty talk (mild)
small town
found family
HEA
She needs his protection and he needs her undying love and care.
Fall in a small town should be for cozying up at the fire with your favorite book ✨ Not for Ruby though! She has to take care of her sick twin, pay the bills and now also fight of large wolves?! The only thing keeping her spirits up is a mysterious lumberjack that doesn’t talk much but can’t stop staring 🐺 slow burn romance gradually overwhelms a rough werewolf who can’t believe he deserves this kind of LOVE *sad cry*
Werewolf romance for beginners! This was such a cozy read overflowing with a autumnal vibes 🍂 the werewolf romance added that additional sprinkle of tension & (uncontrollable) chemistry making it feel smuttier than it actually was.
🐺 cozy small town with heartwarming characters
🍂 he has an Etsy shop!
🐺 twin’s mystery illness
🍂 strong fmc that pursues & initiates
BOLDER & smuttier! This felt different from Gilmorem’s PSC series and I loved it. The addition of her twin’s mysterious illness made for a more engaging read and I’m excited to learn more about this world. My only complaint is the hot & cold mmc!! It got a bit annoying after the 3 time he left Ruby behind.
4.5 ⭐️ perfect fall inspired read!!
protective mmc
feisty fmc
fated mates
werewolves & other paranormals
dirty talk (mild)
small town
found family
HEA
Want to Read
February 28, 2026um! i did not know this was happening!
October 28, 2026
this is the skin of a furry bella . dnf @28% 🙃
September 20, 2026
-Go away I'm too dangerous!!!
-k
-No, come back, I love you!!!
-k
-Go away I'm too dangerous!!!
-fuck
-k
-No, come back, I love you!!!
-k
-Go away I'm too dangerous!!!
-fuck
September 15, 2026
3 stars
This is my first book by this author. I think I have her Pumpkin Spice Cafe novel on my tbr as well but in truth none of them felt particularly appealing to me. Surprisingly my Libby hold came in right after it released and I needed a break from the 500+ page books I've been reading lately.
Fair warning about Big Bad Wolf: I think you'll enjoy it much more if you approach it with a "cozy fantasy" mindset and not "dark romantasy". You sort of get that vibe from the cover alone but it's not tagged that way in the genre description. It's in third person, which hurt my enjoyment overall, but that is completely personal preference. I don't connect to the characters as strongly, especially when it's a romantic plotline. Third makes more sense when you're focusing on world building / politics / etc.
I read this review comparing Rafe to Edward Cullen and I have to agree completely. The whole back and forth "I'm not good for you because I'm a monster" thing goes on for way, way too long. And in my opinion, Edward had a lot stronger basis for thinking that way! I can't explain why without a spoiler sadly.
I didn't love where it ended, there's no real resolution to the plot. I realize there will be two more books following two other couples, but the way it just seemed to randomly cut itself off felt unsatisfying to me. The reason I'm giving this 3 stars and not something lower is that there were times when Gilmore's writing was both genuinely charming and entertaining. I think I actually laughed out loud at one point, which is rare for a book. And despite my grievances with the storyline it still kept me mostly engaged throughout.
Will I read the sequel? I don't know, the next featured couple is sort of giving me the ick. It's friends to lovers, which is not a trope I like, and the guy was flirting with Ruby quite a bit while his love interest was in the same house. I might though because I peeked at the summary of the third book and I would be interested in that paring. This book has reignited my interest in reading werewolf romances (that are not cozy) so ... there's that ...
This is my first book by this author. I think I have her Pumpkin Spice Cafe novel on my tbr as well but in truth none of them felt particularly appealing to me. Surprisingly my Libby hold came in right after it released and I needed a break from the 500+ page books I've been reading lately.
Fair warning about Big Bad Wolf: I think you'll enjoy it much more if you approach it with a "cozy fantasy" mindset and not "dark romantasy". You sort of get that vibe from the cover alone but it's not tagged that way in the genre description. It's in third person, which hurt my enjoyment overall, but that is completely personal preference. I don't connect to the characters as strongly, especially when it's a romantic plotline. Third makes more sense when you're focusing on world building / politics / etc.
I read this review comparing Rafe to Edward Cullen and I have to agree completely. The whole back and forth "I'm not good for you because I'm a monster" thing goes on for way, way too long. And in my opinion, Edward had a lot stronger basis for thinking that way! I can't explain why without a spoiler sadly.
I didn't love where it ended, there's no real resolution to the plot. I realize there will be two more books following two other couples, but the way it just seemed to randomly cut itself off felt unsatisfying to me. The reason I'm giving this 3 stars and not something lower is that there were times when Gilmore's writing was both genuinely charming and entertaining. I think I actually laughed out loud at one point, which is rare for a book. And despite my grievances with the storyline it still kept me mostly engaged throughout.
Will I read the sequel? I don't know, the next featured couple is sort of giving me the ick. It's friends to lovers, which is not a trope I like, and the guy was flirting with Ruby quite a bit while his love interest was in the same house. I might though because I peeked at the summary of the third book and I would be interested in that paring. This book has reignited my interest in reading werewolf romances (that are not cozy) so ... there's that ...
September 21, 2026
Marked as DNF but truth is i didnt even start. I purchased Big Bad Wolf last week with excitement for reading it.
Turns out Laurie Gilmore, which we all suspected was a pen name (no issues with this) is actually Melissa McTernan, and Big Bad Wolf is a re-release of A curse of Blood and Wolves. Which i purchased 2 years ago on kindle and DNF at the 20% mark and ive marked it down as Terribly written. So imagine my surprise and annoyance that this is the same damn book, that ive now spent my money on TWICE!!!
There really needs to be some transparency here when publishers re-release works that have already been released, even if they have been self published. Its not acceptable.
So no i wont be reading this book since ive already dnf it, and I will be counting it towards my reading goal for the sheer audacity of it.
I will also no longer buy Laurie Gilmore books. Dont fuck me over.
Turns out Laurie Gilmore, which we all suspected was a pen name (no issues with this) is actually Melissa McTernan, and Big Bad Wolf is a re-release of A curse of Blood and Wolves. Which i purchased 2 years ago on kindle and DNF at the 20% mark and ive marked it down as Terribly written. So imagine my surprise and annoyance that this is the same damn book, that ive now spent my money on TWICE!!!
There really needs to be some transparency here when publishers re-release works that have already been released, even if they have been self published. Its not acceptable.
So no i wont be reading this book since ive already dnf it, and I will be counting it towards my reading goal for the sheer audacity of it.
I will also no longer buy Laurie Gilmore books. Dont fuck me over.
September 13, 2026
This was… painfully bad
July 29, 2026
Communication was their greatest enemy
October 6, 2026
Minus 1 star because of the constant pet name of “brave girl” and the cliffhanger ending
October 17, 2026
Big Bad Wolf is a very good, sexy and engaging story. Usually Miss Gilmore writes a clean romance. Now she proves herself to be a versatile writer.
I enjoy the story very much. I devoured it during my hot humid weekend. A very good book.
4 stars
I enjoy the story very much. I devoured it during my hot humid weekend. A very good book.
4 stars
October 19, 2026
Ik hou van een goede weerwolf romance, maar deze viel jammer genoeg erg tegen :(
Kritiekpuntjes (MET SPOILERS):
-De mc is erg naïef met gedachten als: ik weet dat het niet slim is, maar ik loop toch elke avond in mijn eentje door het donker naar huis.
-Het boek is mega insta lovey! Ze zijn vanaf het begin eigenlijk al verliefd op elkaar.
-De love interest heeft domme gedachtes. Zo kent hij haar pas net en staart hij naar haar in de keuken en weet hij gewoon dat ze zo’n persoon is die altijd voor iedereen zorgt, maar niet voor zichzelf. Dat ziet hij gewoon aan haar uiterlijk DUHH. En dan moet hij uiteraard voor haar gaan zorgen.
-De mc heeft mogelijk powers en er is gedoe met een wolvenroedel, maar deze plot dingen worden minimaal uitgewerkt. 99% van het boek gaat in op de romance. Misschien dat het plot beter tot z’n recht komt in boek twee, maar dan volgen we alweer een ander koppel. Beetje raar dat we dus de groei van de mc niet in dit boek hebben kunnen volgen?
Kritiekpuntjes (MET SPOILERS):
-De mc is erg naïef met gedachten als: ik weet dat het niet slim is, maar ik loop toch elke avond in mijn eentje door het donker naar huis.
-Het boek is mega insta lovey! Ze zijn vanaf het begin eigenlijk al verliefd op elkaar.
-De love interest heeft domme gedachtes. Zo kent hij haar pas net en staart hij naar haar in de keuken en weet hij gewoon dat ze zo’n persoon is die altijd voor iedereen zorgt, maar niet voor zichzelf. Dat ziet hij gewoon aan haar uiterlijk DUHH. En dan moet hij uiteraard voor haar gaan zorgen.
-De mc heeft mogelijk powers en er is gedoe met een wolvenroedel, maar deze plot dingen worden minimaal uitgewerkt. 99% van het boek gaat in op de romance. Misschien dat het plot beter tot z’n recht komt in boek twee, maar dan volgen we alweer een ander koppel. Beetje raar dat we dus de groei van de mc niet in dit boek hebben kunnen volgen?
September 15, 2026
3.5 stars! Big Bad Wolf is the first book in the Maple Hollow series, a small town paranormal romance series. The author originally released this (and book 2) under her former penname, but after the success of her Dream Harbor series she re-branded/re-edited and re-published this one with her popular penname. I hadn’t heard the best things about it when it was first written, but figured I’d try it since it was re-done and I did enjoy her cozy small town series.
This was fun overall. I think it still does have that small town charm that we already expect from Laurie Gilmore. But it also adds the layers of paranormal and cozy fall vibes which I was so here for! Ruby works at the local bar and lives with her twin sister Lena, who has been experiencing “episodes” recently that they’re still trying to figure out. Early into the story Ruby meets Rafe, a new woodworker in town who builds furniture but is very in tune with her. He’s super pulled to her and protective and obsessive (in good ways) and of course he has a secret…!
Cute and fun, slow burn (as far as the spicy bits for reasons), loved how protective he was over her and pointing out she shouldn’t be walking home to her cottage in the dark. We do meet the couple of book 2 in here, and get a bit of a cliffhanger as far as the fate of a character in an upcoming book. I appreciated getting to know more of Rafe’s history/backstory and the short chapters, made me fly through the read! This book is the perfect example of why I wish we could do half star ratings since it was a solid 3.5!
This was fun overall. I think it still does have that small town charm that we already expect from Laurie Gilmore. But it also adds the layers of paranormal and cozy fall vibes which I was so here for! Ruby works at the local bar and lives with her twin sister Lena, who has been experiencing “episodes” recently that they’re still trying to figure out. Early into the story Ruby meets Rafe, a new woodworker in town who builds furniture but is very in tune with her. He’s super pulled to her and protective and obsessive (in good ways) and of course he has a secret…!
Cute and fun, slow burn (as far as the spicy bits for reasons), loved how protective he was over her and pointing out she shouldn’t be walking home to her cottage in the dark. We do meet the couple of book 2 in here, and get a bit of a cliffhanger as far as the fate of a character in an upcoming book. I appreciated getting to know more of Rafe’s history/backstory and the short chapters, made me fly through the read! This book is the perfect example of why I wish we could do half star ratings since it was a solid 3.5!
September 22, 2026
I actually really enjoyed this Red Riding Hood retelling!
I loved that we didn’t have to wait too long for some of the secrets to be revealed. I thought Ruby and Rafe’s mutual attraction and tension were so well done. I do feel like it got a bit repetitive with Rafe feeling like he wasn’t right for Ruby. I get it, though… he had his past experiences to deal with, and she is human. Taking time to process his feelings isn’t too much to ask for.
Ruby was amazing. Honestly, she handled everything thrown at her like a champ. I loved her relationship with her sister and her protective instincts. I also liked how she was going to speak her mind no matter the situation! She was definitely a strong woman.
This is an easygoing retelling. I found it very fun and bingeable. The ending does leave on a cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be reading book two when it releases!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved that we didn’t have to wait too long for some of the secrets to be revealed. I thought Ruby and Rafe’s mutual attraction and tension were so well done. I do feel like it got a bit repetitive with Rafe feeling like he wasn’t right for Ruby. I get it, though… he had his past experiences to deal with, and she is human. Taking time to process his feelings isn’t too much to ask for.
Ruby was amazing. Honestly, she handled everything thrown at her like a champ. I loved her relationship with her sister and her protective instincts. I also liked how she was going to speak her mind no matter the situation! She was definitely a strong woman.
This is an easygoing retelling. I found it very fun and bingeable. The ending does leave on a cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be reading book two when it releases!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Marvelous and enchanting! Big Bad Wolf is a cozy, charming, and spicy escape packed to the brim with yearning and tension. Gilmore's writing is endearing and relatable, and these characters will grab you by the heart and refuse to let go. The perfect fall romance read that will deliver any time of year!
September 17, 2026
**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔅𝔦𝔤 𝔅𝔞𝔡 𝔚𝔬𝔩𝔣 𝔟𝔶 𝔏𝔞𝔲𝔯𝔦𝔢 𝔊𝔦𝔩𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢
Release Day: September 8, 2026
4⭐️4🌶
This is a delectable Little Red Riding Hood retelling. With a characters living out their days in a cozy little paranormal town. I loved this little Paranormal Cozy Fantasy, and can't wait for the next one in the series.
Minor Spoilers Ahead:
Ruby is a twenty something working at the local bar nearly every night, and she has lived in Maple Hollow for approximately 10 years since her parents died in a tragic accident, but all the "locals" still call her the "outsider". When their parents died, Lena and Ruby moved in with the Aunt's cottage (who is also passed) and they later find out that their Aunt is a witch and both of them have untapped Seer powers.
It's just a local night at the bar when Rafe walks in to talk to the owner about hand crafting some tables for her establishment. He sees Ruby immediately and it's game over for him.
However, he was raised to believe that humans and wolves can't be together. Plus, he knows he's not good enough for his perfect Ruby because he abandoned his pack and his position with them as Alpha when he couldn't do what was "necessary."
This was such a layered little small town paranormal romance. It definately has more than your usual just "meet-cute" monster romance, and I can't wait to see where these set of characters go in the next installment.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Fated Mates & Shifter Romance
🍁Grumpy x Sunshine
🍁Small Town Gossip & Quirkiness
🍁Forced Proximity
🍁Found Family
🍁High Steam / High Spice
🍁Embracing Inner Monsters vs. Humanity
🍁Secret Supernatural Demographics
🍁Protection vs. Autonomy
TW:
✨Werewolf Violence & Gore
Abuse.
✨Murder
✨Blood & Injury Details
✨Stalking
✨Kidnapping / Captivity
✨Death of a Parent
✨Medical Episodes
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC read!
Release Day: September 8, 2026
4⭐️4🌶
This is a delectable Little Red Riding Hood retelling. With a characters living out their days in a cozy little paranormal town. I loved this little Paranormal Cozy Fantasy, and can't wait for the next one in the series.
Minor Spoilers Ahead:
Ruby is a twenty something working at the local bar nearly every night, and she has lived in Maple Hollow for approximately 10 years since her parents died in a tragic accident, but all the "locals" still call her the "outsider". When their parents died, Lena and Ruby moved in with the Aunt's cottage (who is also passed) and they later find out that their Aunt is a witch and both of them have untapped Seer powers.
It's just a local night at the bar when Rafe walks in to talk to the owner about hand crafting some tables for her establishment. He sees Ruby immediately and it's game over for him.
However, he was raised to believe that humans and wolves can't be together. Plus, he knows he's not good enough for his perfect Ruby because he abandoned his pack and his position with them as Alpha when he couldn't do what was "necessary."
This was such a layered little small town paranormal romance. It definately has more than your usual just "meet-cute" monster romance, and I can't wait to see where these set of characters go in the next installment.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Fated Mates & Shifter Romance
🍁Grumpy x Sunshine
🍁Small Town Gossip & Quirkiness
🍁Forced Proximity
🍁Found Family
🍁High Steam / High Spice
🍁Embracing Inner Monsters vs. Humanity
🍁Secret Supernatural Demographics
🍁Protection vs. Autonomy
TW:
✨Werewolf Violence & Gore
Abuse.
✨Murder
✨Blood & Injury Details
✨Stalking
✨Kidnapping / Captivity
✨Death of a Parent
✨Medical Episodes
Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC read!
October 26, 2026
I AM SO PISSED THAT THIS WAS MY 50TH BOOK. I can’t tell you if i liked the plot or not cuz there was none. my favourite part was when it ended. My mom once told me “If you have nothing nice to say don’t say it.” consider my tongue held, and my hatred for this book fiery.
September 15, 2026
2,5 stars.
Overall I guess this book was okay. It was fine. But not an ounce more than that. It read a little like a fanfiction regarding the writing style but the author kind of manages to mix in a cozy feeling (but maybe that was just me trying to find and imagine the cozy in this book, lmao). It´s cute for a fall read and maybe it was just the wrong time to read it because I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
I must admit the book and it´s characters pissed me off more than once. It took me days to read it and it sometimes felt like wading through sludge. I just wanted it to be over at one point and I´m not usually a quitter, so I pulled (or rather stress-read) through.
Like I said everything was okay, the characters were okay but I did not particularly like the MMC Rafe. He was too indecisive and broody/grumpy and he growled too much. He also could not make up his fucking mind. The whole push and pull right from the insta-lusty start got onto my nerves. It´s the typical "I´m bad for you, so you should stay away from me even if we both want to be together". Ugh. He finally stops running from Ruby around 70% only to fuck off again around 78% I rolled my eyes. Nothing turns me off more. The way he comes back and leaves again (repeat cycle) only to still follow her around and protecting her from afar was aggravating.
He´s just a fucking idiot with more muscles than brain and made dumb decisions like killing some werewolves who were after Ruby and her sister, and then he´s like "well I killed them. You are both safe now. I should leave now. Bye". Seriously man? Did he really think they were the only threat? He knew there was someone who ordered them to do it, so it made zero sense to leave Ruby on her own.
Ruby is actually the one in this book to take action but I don´t like if the FMC is the one chasing the MMC. Though I like that she doesn´t take his "woe is me" shit and I loved when she said: "Fuck you Rafe. I didn´t come to check on your boo-boos. I came to ask why you left me. Again". Girl, he´s not worth it anymore. Then again it´s the grabbing of her face and the dramatic gasping of "I had to". Cry me a river you piece of shit. I do get somehow that he is traumatized and that his werewolf-life is dangerous, especially for a human like Ruby, but then he should actually stick to his decision and fuck off for good, not crawling back to her, only to push her away again.
I really see why the first version of this had so many poor ratings. While I believe that the edits and rewriting of this book maybe saved some shit I also have the feeling that it possibly also made it more messy and all over the place. It´s neither one thing nor the other.
The ending was super abrupt and ends on a cliffhanger, no HFN or HEA. So you basically have to read book 2 but I have reasons to drop the series after this book in the safety infos below.
I did not hate the book but it was also just not good. I´m sure a lot of people will like this a lot more. I will stick to her Dream Harbor series.
Safety:
It was safe for me. Yes, it has the dead girlfriend trope which a lot of people hate. It doesn´t really bother me as long as not every second page is about her and she was not the love of his life and it´s clear the FMC is the real deal. Then I can life with it and I actually like reading about an MMC who finds a new love who turns out to be the one.
In this book his dead girlfriend Scarlet is mentioned a LOT. But only ever the fact that she was killed and that Rafe feels guilty about it. First of all, it´s been 10 years since her death. It´s described as "the most horrifiying moment of his life". But we also learn that he "hardly knew her". So as far as I understand it he wasn´t with her long before she was killed so I doubt he ever got as far as loving her. She also reacted badly when he told her what he was. She was not even that special and her death is still mentioned a lot in this book and this is something I don´t get. His thoughts on her are mainly the guilt and not love or anything. I could not take it seriously tbh. The way she was mentioned so often kind of put her on a pedestal even though it was not justified because at the end of the day she could not have been THAT special to him.
Other than that Rafe has lived in that cottage for about a year and nothing is mentioned of his sexual past in the last ten years after Scarlet.
Another thing: My friends, I think it´s safe to say you can scrap book 2 from your tbr, like I did, lmao. MMC Theo from book 2 is, and I´m quoting Rafe here: "A spoiled fuckboy who spent his days screwing women he barely knew". Another banger: "Theo fucks whatever he wants and still calls Phoebe a friend". Awesome. Does the author really want us to read this trash? How is this appealing? So it will be the typical story about a fuckboy being besties with a woman for 10 years, already knowing they´re mates and there is attraction between them but again it´s the same old story like "We can´t be together" - because of his father (who dies, so whatever).
There is zero justifiable reason to not be together, but rather than making a move he rather screws anything with a heartbeat. Eww. I can´t take a guy seriously who loves a woman but then denying himself this because it´s oh so "dangerous", but fucking others is totally fine. I could never take his feelings for her seriously.
And I also bet my ass that she is waaaay more inexperienced because it´s always the same recipe for a shit-cocktail like this. As long as his reputation is not a misunderstanding than I´m putting this on my shit list.
Overall I guess this book was okay. It was fine. But not an ounce more than that. It read a little like a fanfiction regarding the writing style but the author kind of manages to mix in a cozy feeling (but maybe that was just me trying to find and imagine the cozy in this book, lmao). It´s cute for a fall read and maybe it was just the wrong time to read it because I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
I must admit the book and it´s characters pissed me off more than once. It took me days to read it and it sometimes felt like wading through sludge. I just wanted it to be over at one point and I´m not usually a quitter, so I pulled (or rather stress-read) through.
Like I said everything was okay, the characters were okay but I did not particularly like the MMC Rafe. He was too indecisive and broody/grumpy and he growled too much. He also could not make up his fucking mind. The whole push and pull right from the insta-lusty start got onto my nerves. It´s the typical "I´m bad for you, so you should stay away from me even if we both want to be together". Ugh. He finally stops running from Ruby around 70% only to fuck off again around 78% I rolled my eyes. Nothing turns me off more. The way he comes back and leaves again (repeat cycle) only to still follow her around and protecting her from afar was aggravating.
He´s just a fucking idiot with more muscles than brain and made dumb decisions like killing some werewolves who were after Ruby and her sister, and then he´s like "well I killed them. You are both safe now. I should leave now. Bye". Seriously man? Did he really think they were the only threat? He knew there was someone who ordered them to do it, so it made zero sense to leave Ruby on her own.
Ruby is actually the one in this book to take action but I don´t like if the FMC is the one chasing the MMC. Though I like that she doesn´t take his "woe is me" shit and I loved when she said: "Fuck you Rafe. I didn´t come to check on your boo-boos. I came to ask why you left me. Again". Girl, he´s not worth it anymore. Then again it´s the grabbing of her face and the dramatic gasping of "I had to". Cry me a river you piece of shit. I do get somehow that he is traumatized and that his werewolf-life is dangerous, especially for a human like Ruby, but then he should actually stick to his decision and fuck off for good, not crawling back to her, only to push her away again.
I really see why the first version of this had so many poor ratings. While I believe that the edits and rewriting of this book maybe saved some shit I also have the feeling that it possibly also made it more messy and all over the place. It´s neither one thing nor the other.
The ending was super abrupt and ends on a cliffhanger, no HFN or HEA. So you basically have to read book 2 but I have reasons to drop the series after this book in the safety infos below.
I did not hate the book but it was also just not good. I´m sure a lot of people will like this a lot more. I will stick to her Dream Harbor series.
Safety:
It was safe for me. Yes, it has the dead girlfriend trope which a lot of people hate. It doesn´t really bother me as long as not every second page is about her and she was not the love of his life and it´s clear the FMC is the real deal. Then I can life with it and I actually like reading about an MMC who finds a new love who turns out to be the one.
In this book his dead girlfriend Scarlet is mentioned a LOT. But only ever the fact that she was killed and that Rafe feels guilty about it. First of all, it´s been 10 years since her death. It´s described as "the most horrifiying moment of his life". But we also learn that he "hardly knew her". So as far as I understand it he wasn´t with her long before she was killed so I doubt he ever got as far as loving her. She also reacted badly when he told her what he was. She was not even that special and her death is still mentioned a lot in this book and this is something I don´t get. His thoughts on her are mainly the guilt and not love or anything. I could not take it seriously tbh. The way she was mentioned so often kind of put her on a pedestal even though it was not justified because at the end of the day she could not have been THAT special to him.
Other than that Rafe has lived in that cottage for about a year and nothing is mentioned of his sexual past in the last ten years after Scarlet.
Another thing: My friends, I think it´s safe to say you can scrap book 2 from your tbr, like I did, lmao. MMC Theo from book 2 is, and I´m quoting Rafe here: "A spoiled fuckboy who spent his days screwing women he barely knew". Another banger: "Theo fucks whatever he wants and still calls Phoebe a friend". Awesome. Does the author really want us to read this trash? How is this appealing? So it will be the typical story about a fuckboy being besties with a woman for 10 years, already knowing they´re mates and there is attraction between them but again it´s the same old story like "We can´t be together" - because of his father (who dies, so whatever).
There is zero justifiable reason to not be together, but rather than making a move he rather screws anything with a heartbeat. Eww. I can´t take a guy seriously who loves a woman but then denying himself this because it´s oh so "dangerous", but fucking others is totally fine. I could never take his feelings for her seriously.
And I also bet my ass that she is waaaay more inexperienced because it´s always the same recipe for a shit-cocktail like this. As long as his reputation is not a misunderstanding than I´m putting this on my shit list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2026
You, an author, rewrite and republish under a new title and name, a whole book and it is still bad? Actually criminal.
This would have needed at least another round of editing. Judge (my instincts) are still out on if this is some sicko use of AI or whatnot. But whilst the writing was okay, the mistakes and repetitions and kind of jarring dialogue decisions kept putting me off until I couldn't take it anymore.
And with characters I didn't really like - because I could not understand, bc of poor writing choices of "I am not going to beg" -> proceeds to beg the next chapter. These charas are presented as 'strong' and 'stoic' and then the story acts like anything can happen, and they can do anything, even directly contradictory with these descriptions, and we as readers are supposed to believe it just because????? What, trusties teeeheee
Anyway, yeah, DNF at about 300 pages in. You copy the Twilight 'Say it' scene and then expect me to take you seriously anymore??? My last straw
This would have needed at least another round of editing. Judge (my instincts) are still out on if this is some sicko use of AI or whatnot. But whilst the writing was okay, the mistakes and repetitions and kind of jarring dialogue decisions kept putting me off until I couldn't take it anymore.
And with characters I didn't really like - because I could not understand, bc of poor writing choices of "I am not going to beg" -> proceeds to beg the next chapter. These charas are presented as 'strong' and 'stoic' and then the story acts like anything can happen, and they can do anything, even directly contradictory with these descriptions, and we as readers are supposed to believe it just because????? What, trusties teeeheee
Anyway, yeah, DNF at about 300 pages in. You copy the Twilight 'Say it' scene and then expect me to take you seriously anymore??? My last straw
Want to Read
April 21, 2026HELLO??? I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS COMING AND I NEED A MOMENT 😱
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,992 reviews