What do you think?
Rate this book
Willow Grove: Book I Part II
Taking a much-needed break away from the Bad Boy Holden Darius, Mason Reiner confronts his Mother while she’s back in Willow Grove for the holidays. In doing so, he inadvertently discovers a truth that twists his trust in both his Mother and his Aunt.
Holden, meanwhile, uses the time apart from Mason to work on himself, learning to control his wolf better, having been far too eager to claim his mate. In a moment of clarity, he finds wisdom in his grandmother’s revelation about his forbidden partnership with Mason.
With newfound knowledge and truths revealed by their families, the forbidden lovers find common ground in trusting one another and discover a instinctual draw born of the will they both possess as Alphas. Mason realizes his burning desire for Holden in the most profound ways possible, leading Holden to learn to be more vulnerable and to allow not just his friends in, but his family as well, as his own truths are laid bare for all to see.
Tensions begin to rise further in Willow Grove as the Wretch finally reveals herself and her plan to claim Mason as a host. Meanwhile, James Darius returns from the Emerald City with the intent to kill Mason Reiner before the Wretch possesses him.
With his newfound strength restored through Mason, Holden Darius makes a choice that will forever change the future of Willow Grove and its people. Mason begins to step into the world he was sheltered from. Learning not just about himself, but also about the twisted society he now finds himself in. However, just when all seems to be good, and evil has faded away quietly, Mason is kidnapped and tortured by the Wretch, seeking to claim him as her vessel, but not before the deepest and darkest of truths are revealed to the naive brat, after so long, still left in the dark on the true nature of him and his family.
When darkness comes to Willow Grove, and the truth is displayed freely for all to see, will our pair of forbidden star-crossed lovers find themselves in the light of truth? Or will they drown in the darkness of the pain that truth brings?
Holden, meanwhile, uses the time apart from Mason to work on himself, learning to control his wolf better, having been far too eager to claim his mate. In a moment of clarity, he finds wisdom in his grandmother’s revelation about his forbidden partnership with Mason.
With newfound knowledge and truths revealed by their families, the forbidden lovers find common ground in trusting one another and discover a instinctual draw born of the will they both possess as Alphas. Mason realizes his burning desire for Holden in the most profound ways possible, leading Holden to learn to be more vulnerable and to allow not just his friends in, but his family as well, as his own truths are laid bare for all to see.
Tensions begin to rise further in Willow Grove as the Wretch finally reveals herself and her plan to claim Mason as a host. Meanwhile, James Darius returns from the Emerald City with the intent to kill Mason Reiner before the Wretch possesses him.
With his newfound strength restored through Mason, Holden Darius makes a choice that will forever change the future of Willow Grove and its people. Mason begins to step into the world he was sheltered from. Learning not just about himself, but also about the twisted society he now finds himself in. However, just when all seems to be good, and evil has faded away quietly, Mason is kidnapped and tortured by the Wretch, seeking to claim him as her vessel, but not before the deepest and darkest of truths are revealed to the naive brat, after so long, still left in the dark on the true nature of him and his family.
When darkness comes to Willow Grove, and the truth is displayed freely for all to see, will our pair of forbidden star-crossed lovers find themselves in the light of truth? Or will they drown in the darkness of the pain that truth brings?
421 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
May 1, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
There are times when a sequel just can’t compete with the first book in a series. But that is not the case here! I found Willow Grove: Book I Part II to be a lot better than Part I. And I think this series is only going to keep getting better. You can tell the author, A.L. Smith, has gotten a lot more comfortable in his writing. Everything in this story has been dialed up a notch. There’s more magic, more werewolves, more lore, and more romance! There’s also a lot more at stake!
The storytelling in this book is really, really good. The journey that Mason and Holden are on is genuinely interesting and keeps me wanting more. There are so many questions that I want answers to.
Willow Grove continues to be vast and immersive. Smith’s writing captures the world in a beautiful, and sometimes creepy, way. Each fight scene, sex scene, and character interaction was written so well. The characters have also developed deeper connections with each other, which in turn has led me to become more invested in their stories.
My issue with the first book in this series was the dialogue. And while it has greatly improved, I find there were still a few moments where the dialogue took me out of the story, either sounding too formal for the situation or just not flowing naturally. I suspect this will improve as the author writes more and as the characters start to drive the story more.
Those last few chapters were chaotic, in the best way possible! And the Drake clan has always been a threat to Willow Grove, quietly lurking in the background. But I think they’re about to make some noise.
There are times when a sequel just can’t compete with the first book in a series. But that is not the case here! I found Willow Grove: Book I Part II to be a lot better than Part I. And I think this series is only going to keep getting better. You can tell the author, A.L. Smith, has gotten a lot more comfortable in his writing. Everything in this story has been dialed up a notch. There’s more magic, more werewolves, more lore, and more romance! There’s also a lot more at stake!
The storytelling in this book is really, really good. The journey that Mason and Holden are on is genuinely interesting and keeps me wanting more. There are so many questions that I want answers to.
Willow Grove continues to be vast and immersive. Smith’s writing captures the world in a beautiful, and sometimes creepy, way. Each fight scene, sex scene, and character interaction was written so well. The characters have also developed deeper connections with each other, which in turn has led me to become more invested in their stories.
My issue with the first book in this series was the dialogue. And while it has greatly improved, I find there were still a few moments where the dialogue took me out of the story, either sounding too formal for the situation or just not flowing naturally. I suspect this will improve as the author writes more and as the characters start to drive the story more.
Those last few chapters were chaotic, in the best way possible! And the Drake clan has always been a threat to Willow Grove, quietly lurking in the background. But I think they’re about to make some noise.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review