Review written: April 21, 2016
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Heat Rating: TBD
An Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book was received free via Netgalley for an honest review.
Seattle Wolf Pack is a boxed set of all three books in the series. The books are only very loosely connected: they are all Seattle Wolf Pack wolves and each book has one of the characters from another book in it. Reading them back to back to back doesn't give a sense of them fitting together and they could be read in any order because they are so disconnected from each other. Overall, these three stories get a generous three stars because I mostly liked the second two books.
Gone With the Wolf
I've wanted to read this book for a while, but just never got around to it. When I saw the three books together on Netgalley I decided now was the time. I'd read the blurb and the first chapter or so and was very intrigued. The book wasn't nearly as interesting as it sounded and of the three is easily my least favorite.
Drake is an idiot so I have no idea how he has managed to run a multi-billion dollar empire for so long. No wait, somehow every decision everyone makes is based on the same cost/benefit analysis Drake uses so it's all good. Emilia is at least interesting as a character, until she just wants to jump the hot werewolf. She had a backbone. Where did it go? I thought something might happen between Emilia and Drake's secretary but no, the tension amounted to nothing. Drake's twin Silas was just evil and had no substance to him at all. Emilia suddenly becomes TSTL and puts herself into bad situation after bad situation - to Silas's utter delight. Werewolf justice doesn't quite seem to be meted out in the end.
It's pretty standard fated mate fare, with a good twin and evil twin thrown in for good measure. Pack dynamics seem a bit off and contradictory. There is little worldbuilding and almost no secondary characters of note (with Logan being the crossover character into the next book and probably my favorite character in this one). I'd give this a meh, two stars.
Four Weddings and a Werewolf
Logan was (sadly) my favorite character in this fist book and the only character who actually seemed to have a head on his shoulders. Who knew finding your Luminary made you stupid though? Logan's a hit man and bodyguard for the Seattle Wolf Pack. Pack dynamics aside, apparently he can freelance all he wants and so he ends up protecting his best friend's Luminary's sister.
Veronica is hating on werewolves in a big way since her sister was turned in a shocking surprise attack. She's not exactly disposed to be excited about a hot guy following her around either, especially when she is not the "jump into bed" type. A bet with her assistant though, has her with Logan in a hurry. But Logan knows she hates werewolves and hides his identity and the reason he's watching her. As things heat up with Veronica's stalker, Logan makes some missteps that hurt his relationship with Veronica.
I really liked Veronica. She came across and vulnerable and likable as well as competent and strong. She's had a tough time of it but she works hard to make everything work out. Logan is vulnerable to his Luminary (That would be Veronica.) but he also knows he has a hard road to go with her and he isn't sure he'll win her at the end of it. But after a lot of hurt, confusion, and distress, Logan and Veronica seem to have themselves in gear. Now if only that stalker would just stop playing around - or maybe not. I liked the unveiling, especially since I hadn't figured it out, and the dramatic rescue.
I liked both Logan and Veronica; I liked the mystery and how it wove a good story around a werewolf hater and a werewolf. I liked the emotion both Veronica and Logan go through and how it brought them closer. I like how Veronica finally started standing up for herself. This one is a soooo much better 3.5 stars.
So I Married a Werewolf
Carter Griffin, enforcing officer for the Seattle Wolf Pack, and rescuer of Veronica, has lost his Luminary and now lives a bachelor life, serial dating his way through the female wolves in Seattle. His strongest tie is his neighbor Faith, with whom he has a standing Friday night movie "date". Faith's introduction to the Seattle Wolf Pack was when her family was brutally attacked by a rogue wolf who killed her parents and nearly killed her and her brother. Despite the terrible intro, she and Dawson her brother have settled fairly well. Of course, she's working three jobs to pay for Dawson's dreams. But hey, what's family for, after all? When Carter needs a wife, he suggests a very short term marriage to Faith, who has wanted him forever (unbeknownst to him). So, she marries him.
And this is where Faith's doormat beginning comes to an end. She's tired of always doing her best to please everyone else, especially Carter. So, she does her own thing, determined to be happy on her own and for herself. Poor Carter is caught in the onslaught of Faith determined to be happy despite him. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Faith knows what she wants and she's willing to work to get it. Carter wants Faith, but has no idea how to get her and believes that he can't have her because he lost his Luminary and there is only one fated mate.
Until we turn all the Luminary fated mate stuff into a "there can be many Luminaries per wolf, depending on where they are in their lives" and ruin the story. I was all ready for Carter to accept that he loved Faith even though she wasn't his Luminary. Instead, she's his second Luminary. Bah!
I liked this story about Faith taking charge of her life and her dreams until the bungled Luminary thing. This story gets a 2.5 stars, down a star if it hadn't decided a Luminary was no different from someone I love.