Forever Wolf

The Legend of All Wolves #3

by Maria Vale

*A Kirkus and ALA Booklist Best Book of 2019*

Legend says his eyes portend the end of the world...or perhaps, the beginning...

Born with one blue eye and one green, Eyulf was abandoned by his pack as an infant and has never understood why, or what he is...

Varya is fiercely loyal to the Great North Pack, which took her in when she was a teenager. While out on patrol, Varya finds Eyulf wounded and starving and saves his life, at great risk to her own.

With old and new enemies threatening the Great North, Varya knows as soon as she sees his eyes that she must keep Eyulf hidden away from the superstitious wolves who would doom them both. Until the day they must fight to the death for the Pack's survival, side by side and heart to heart...

"An impressive achievement," -New York TImes

"Tender, heart-wrenching, and drenched in legend and lore, this bittersweet romance highlights the tension between following rigid law and adapting to change; a fierce, fulfilling addition to this mesmerizing series." - Library Journal

"The third installment in Vale's enthralling Legend of All Wolves series, this maintains momentum and adds fascinating insights into pack life. Terrific on its own, it is enhanced by reading The Last Wolf (2018) and A Wolf Apart (2018). In addition to thrilling paranormal-romance fans, Vale's latest will also delight readers who enjoy exquisite world building in any genre." - Booklist, STARRED Review

"Prepare to be rendered speechless." - Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Contemporary

315 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 26, 2019

About the author

Maria Vale is a journalist who has worked for Publishers Weekly, Glamour, Redbook and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She's a double-Rita finalist whose books have been listed by Amazon, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, ALA Booklist & Kirkus among their Best Books of the Year. Trained as a medievalist, she persists in trying to shoehorn the language of Beowulf into things that don't really need it.

Reviews

[Marta Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up until the early hours to finish this which I really hadn't expected to do and I went to bed unable to sleep feeling bereft. From the first few pages I honestly felt no empathy for the heroine Varya as she was cold, hard and just felt lacking in empathy. I guess the reason I kept going was simply because she clearly felt enormous loyalty to the Pack, their continued survival and the Law. There's a scene right at the beginning that just felt so very wrong to this reader and then and there it was almost a DNF for me. However Varya discovers a wounded male whilst on patrol and from that moment on she and the reader go on a journey of discovery.
To be Pack and wild is everything. These Wolves are not humans who can transform but still form a cohesive unit with a hierarchy that exists for a reason. Yet I'm reminded of a saying about death and taxes being inevitable and I would add change to that thought. If you've followed this trilogy than you will remember it all began with a Runt and a Shifter. The author brings everything full circle to glorious effect here and this reader has no choice but to grant a five star review.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever Wolf is the best and most emotional book of the series for me. I still feel emotional when I read this quote:

Listen to me. Look at me. Love me. Make life with me.

After having read the first two books of The Legend of All Wolves series I considered Forever Wolf to be a comfort book to me. Reaching the end of the story, I realized how true that was.

Forever Wolf storytelling has an Old World mixture of Viking, Inuit, and Native American feeling to it. Life seen through the souls bonded to nature and each other. If you've read the first two books you NEED this one! And if you haven't read them yet I would recommend starting from the beginning and reading them as a whole to get the full emotional experience of Forever Wolf .

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, so I could give an honest review.

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over a month ago and it sheer laziness isn’t the only reason it has taken me until now to review it. I still feel like I am recovering. Forever Wolf is the final book in The Legend of All Wolves series (I think!) and not only this book, but this series, has left a huge impression on me. The whole series, but this book in particular, was an emotional ride. I finished this book shedding a lot of tears. And not because something bad happens – although it isn’t quite the HEA you are expecting – but out of pure emotion. I was just feeling so much and it had to escape somehow. I loved it. Any book that has me in that much turmoil is forever stuck on my best-of shelf.

Maria Vale is a burst of fresh air in the paranormal romance genre, she’s taken the concept of werewolves and shifters and turned it on its head to great effect. Her books are paranormal romances with the grit and rich world building of a good urban fantasy series. In fact, I thought this was an urban fantasy series until I saw the blurb for book 2 and realised it was a different couple. For that reason, this would be a great transition series for a reader who likes fantasy or urban fantasy and wants to try out some paranormal romance.

Varya is a character that when I started reading I wasn’t sure I would like and yet her story and her passed really moved me and she quickly transitioned to one of my favourite heroines. I know she won’t be a character that every reader will enjoy. She is fierce, scary and can seem callous. However, her love and loyalty to the pack are plain to see and her seeming lack of empathy is all a matter of perspective. She was a complex and interesting character that I found fascinating to read.

There was also an interesting gender role reversal in this book, Varya had many of the characteristics people love about a romance hero. She was an alpha, she was strong both physically and emotionally and she was tough. Replace that all with ‘he’ and I’m describing a typical romance hero. Alpha females are hugely under represented in romance so Varya was refreshing. The hero Eyulf, was different and would be described as beta. He was a survivor completely ignorant about his Wolf heritage Varya saves when he is injured. Watching Varya and Eyulf together was lovely, he evokes emotions in her that no one else can.

The love story in Forever Wolf isn’t what you would traditionally find in a paranormal romance. Which means that HEA wasn’t what you expect either. But for me, the conclusion of this book was beautiful. It made me cry. It still makes me cry. In fact, I may be shedding a tear right now thinking about it. It destroyed me in the best way.

Forever Wolf also brings the collision of the shifters and the Wolves to its conclusion. This was the only aspect of the story that felt a little bit anti-climatic. Although the tension between the two factions has been building throughout the series it seemed to be over very quickly. However, it was a very satisfying ending despite its speed.

I highly recommend this book and this series, it’s a great twist on the paranormal romance genre and has become one of my favourites. Maria Vale is an author to watch and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

[Betül · Rating 5 out of 5]

”How could anyone think his eyes were a curse? Blue and green. The promise of heaven and earth.”

I tried to read this book last year but couldn't fully get into it, plus I read a couple of spoilers about the ending which made me even more hesitant to pick it up. However, after receiving an ARC of the next book I knew I had to read Forever Wold because there is a plot that continues throughout the series, and in my opinion I would've missed a part of the storyline if I skipped this book. I am so happy I decided to give this book another chance because I ended up loving it. It first took me some time to get familiar with the terms and hierarchy the pack used. But this didn't lessen my enjoyment of the story.

“Wolves are physical. Our stories are written on our skin. And you are the story I want written on my body.”

In Forever Wolf we are following Varya who comes across as very cold and emotionless. She lives to protect the pack and is extremely loyal. I first couldn't connect to her but further down the story my heart went out to her. Even though she is part of the pack, she is still very lonely. However, when she comes across the injured Eyulf she starts to feel new things and the ice around her heart begins to thaw. These two were so beautiful together and it really warmed my heart seeing them interact and open up to each other. I was prepared for the ending but it didn't make me hurt less. But in a way I thought it was very fitting and original, and I was okay with it. I really love all the characters and the pack dynamics, and I look forward to seeing what will happen next. I hope the next book isn't the last one, because I want to see this pack thrive and finally live a peaceful life.

[Limecello · Rating 2 out of 5]

[6/12/19 from my first review which had been lost and unfinished: 😐 ok so like ... 😒 looking at the title, I guess I shoulda known.

Yo. This... I don't ... I don't think I'd call this a romance.
Which - first of all - like... ]

Ooook so https://twitter.com/Limecello/status/...
I was still reading when I tweeted that ...

Also fucking GR lost the original part of my review so ...

ANYWAY.
Gosh. I ... don't know that I'd say this book is a romance.
Really.
Considering THE HEROINE ENDS UP AS A FUCKING WOLF. A LITERAL ACTUAL WOLF WHO CANNOT CHANGE INTO A HUMAN. ... And the "hero" ... is like ... we barely know him. He's probably in like 20% of the book maybe max? Likely less but ... Literally he's isolated from EVERYONE ELSE the entire time. Eyuwulf or whatever is ... kept separate and the only time he interacts with any other wolf is when he goes to rescue Varya and Evie + Tiberius's babies.]... and he also ends up as a forever wolf, so I guess that's ... uh ... sweet? Only you don't see it or anything... it's him off there and Varya rushing to stop the humans/shifters... it's a mess.

So I REALLY hate the ... I mean it's low key rape. She doesn't WANT to have sex but ... she does because she ~has to.

AND THEN THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SLAVES. Like sure, Silver was a slave for a few minutes - and then it's not much of a deal. THESE WOLVES HAVE SLAVES. And ... it's not a problem?
So ... it's ... at least resolved kinda in this book...

So I had a looooot of problems with this book. It's very compelling - I read it cover to cover.
But ... it felt like a lot of manufactured conflict. Also willful blindness and contradictions.
The ... "pack is everything" only clearly not - conflict that's just ignored when touting "the strength" of "Pack" is the foundation for everything.
It's OBVIOUS there were so many problems that were OBVIOUS and ... why the fuck do the wolves just let shit go so far/so much?
Like ... driving Elijah into being a suicidal mess. Letting Victor just be a useless giant fucking evil asshole.
Ignoring the things going around their lands. (Although SLIGHTLY less here...)

Oh I feel bad for forgetting the guy's name... with the O_o butter knife.

I liked the pipe fight O_o >.> [trying not to spoilerize]
But just ... the then with the other Shifters and the shitty ass pack more idiocy but like big problems and ...
I'm SO PISSED she agreed to the binding with Lorcan or whatever his name was.

Varya being so ... like yes the point is she's so obdurate but it just went too far.
Too many people being huge assholes with no consequences and also for no real reason/good reason.
[And being so shitty to each other constantly...]

:|

D-

[Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Gemini

Forever Wolf is the third and final book in Maria Vale’s Legend of All Wolves series. Although I didn’t like how it ended, it was a very good book. The series was wrapped up in a nice bow. There was a lot of additional information learned in Forever Wolf that added to the overall lore of these wolves that humans would refer to as werewolves.

As with the first two books, the main theme of Forever Wolf is the unlikely coupling of a pack member and an outsider. And to be clear, if you haven’t read the other books in this series, it would be very difficult to really follow along. This is truly a continuation that starts in the first book, The Last Wolf. The main character of Forever Wolf is Varya, one of the protectors of the pack. She is committed to the pack more than anyone. She is very much caught up in the old ways of the pack until she meets Eyulf. Eyulf has no clue what he is or how he came to be. Just like Varya, Eyulf was cast aside. He is alone and has a profound affect on Varya. Unfortunately, the threat from the Shifters that has existed since the first book has escalated into something the pack can no longer avoid and gets in the way of their relationship. In addition, the pack has become fractured because of choices that some of the pack members have made that go against tradition.

There are lots of lessons to be learned from Forever Wolf. It was all about family, tradition, and perspective. Although tradition can be important, you have to be sure to have perspective and understand the reasons why certain laws are created. Some of the pack was so entrenched in tradition, that they failed to recognize the purpose of those traditions which was for the good of the pack. Due to all of this conflict, they fail to see the threat that’s right in front of them. Although Varya seems to be the most cold and feared member of the pack, she ends up being the hero that they never expected. I really admired her devotion to the pack but wished that things could have gone a little differently for her in the end. That’s my only issue. Everything else was great.

**Received a copy from the publisher and reviewed voluntarily.**

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Vale’s The Legend of All Wolves series is a unique entry in the broad and popular world of shifter romances. No one would define it as cute or fun, so if that’s the kind of paranormal romance you want, you’ll have to look elsewhere. But if you like a meaty story full of gristle to chew on, you’ll want to dive into this enthralling Scandinavian inspired tale of the men and women who’ve survived and thrived in a world where humans have taken over the role of apex predator. In Forever Wolf, the inevitable clash of man and wolf threatens the Pack and an unlikely pair of outcasts may be their only salvation.

Varya survived the decimation of her Russian arctic wolf pack through her own grit and determination, making her way as a juvenile to the Great Northern Pack on the eastern seaboard of North America. There she has risen in the ranks to the position of Shielder for the twelfth Echelon (one of the fourteen echelons, or age groups, among adult wolves) of the Pack. She is a watcher, a wolf who knows hardship and the need to be on guard at all times, a need she vainly tries to instil in those around her. Most of them don’t know what it’s like to fight for survival every day – but she hasn’t forgotten.

One day on patrol, Varya comes across an injured wolf with a familiar smell – the crisp, cold scent of the arctic. Nursing him back to health, it’s clear why he was cast out as a pup. This white wolf has one blue eye and one green, the prophetic signs of the one who will bring about the end times. Named Eyulf, he doesn’t know why he was abandoned, only that he has wandered far in his quest for survival. Varya knows she must keep his presence hidden or superstitious wolves of her own pack will seek to destroy him out of fear. The Pack is in danger from many enemies, with humans and shifters threatening their very survival. Is Eyulf the harbinger of doom or the key to their salvation?

Though the series story arc builds from The Last Wolf and A Wolf Apart, it is possible to read Forever Wolf as a standalone though it will be more thoroughly appreciated if you’ve started the series at the beginning, since the events of those two books are what has led to this finale. Still, the author does an excellent job of introducing the characters, setting and unique terms for her worldbuilding so that a new reader can catch up. I won’t rehash the sequence of events that have brought the Pack to the position they are in now, nor try to explain too much of the complexities of this world except to say that it’s gritty, bloody and compelling. This particular story is told by Varya, so you get the viewpoint of a female who is a hardened survivor, one who feels more comfortable in the body form of a wolf but has the mind of a human while understanding where she fits in the Pack and her duties to it.

As werewolves, Varya and her Pack have no choice but to turn into their wolf forms during the Iron Moon, a three day period that occurs every month. It’s important that they are in human form when the shift starts: if they are already in wolf form they will remain trapped in that form as forever wolves, losing their humanity. For this reason, the Pack takes great care to never shift into wolf form too close to the Iron Moon, and puts precautions in place for their safety when they are at their most vulnerable.

Shifters are different. They are not bound by the Iron Moon and can shift back and forth at any time, though many prefer to remain in human form permanently as they believe it to be superior. But in training themselves out of having to shift during the Iron Moon, they have also affected their ability to breed. Recently it’s been discovered that a female werewolf impregnated by a male shifter is able to bear live pups, and as this looks to be the only way the shifters will be able to have children, their current leader is intent on forcing the Pack to come to their aid. He’s not above extortion and threats to do it.

This conflict leads to an intense and action packed story, all while Varya and Eyulf are forging a friendship that becomes something more. For the good of the Pack, Varya performs mating duties with the Alpha of her Echelon, but as she and Eyulf grow closer she has difficulty weighing what she really wants against her duty. There are some love scenes between Varya and Eyulf that are very intimate and emotional, cementing their bond. But the romance is less of a focus in this story versus the previous ones in the series, and the ending is… well… can I say it has an HEA with an asterisk? It’s not the ending I expected (but rest assured, Varya and Eyulf end up alive and together), and I’m still parsing through my feelings about it. However it’s absolutely a fitting ending for the series, for the Pack, and for the many secondary characters. I’m particularly fond of the wolf pups who make several appearances.

It’s hard to do justice to a series that is so rich in detail, characters and setting. The third and final act of the Legend of All Wolves series is definitely one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to readers who enjoy paranormal romances with the caveat that you’ll appreciate it more if you read the earlier books first. Forever Wolf will not be easily forgotten.

This review also appears at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...

A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Ang -PNR Book Lover Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forever Wolf by Maria Vale

(The Legend of All Wolves Book 3)

This book... This book will DESTROY you!

Like the other books in this series, this was amazing. Now that my feelings have some simmered, I can sort of put some words together for a review.

Forever wolf, made me feel, made me cry, swoon and laugh.
It pulled every emotion from me, and I was ruined when the last word was read.

I again, can not highly, highly recommended this entire series. This is one book you need to read, but with reading the others first. That is what a believe.

I for one, will re read these books again, Forever Wolf is like nothing I have read before, the author has created this unique world, that I can not explain with the right words, its just really good and I really love it. This book was from the start to finished high paced, twist and turns and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and grabbing for tissues.

Eyulf & Varya will forever be in my heart.

[Melann · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai apprécié cette série, où les sentiments sont fluides et simples. Ici tout arrive doucement mais d'une façon sûre et immuable.
La fin est... surprenante. Ça ne plaira peut-être pas à tout le monde, mais je la trouve belle et poétique.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

We were back in the Homelands for this one and I think that's just how I like this series. I like all the wolfy behaviors and customs. My reaction to the couple is mixed though. I didn't feel I got to know him anywhere near enough and, while I liked her, I don't understand why she fell so hard for him so quickly, other than being another arctic wolf (and I like you just because you're the same race as me seems a squinky basis for a relationship). Having said that, I liked the book but was disappointed in the ending. It makes sense and wasn't hard to see coming, but it's a happy ending with a heavy dose of sad.

[Under the Covers Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


I read this book over a month ago and it sheer laziness isn't the only reason it has taken me until now to review it. I still feel like I am recovering. Forever Wolf is the final book in The Legend of All Wolves series (I think!) and not only this book, but this series, has left a huge impression on me. The whole series, but this book in particular, was an emotional ride. I finished this book shedding a lot of tears. And not because something bad happens - although it isn't quite the HEA you are expecting - but out of pure emotion. I was just feeling so much and it had to escape somehow. I loved it. Any book that has me in that much turmoil is forever stuck on my best-of shelf.Maria Vale is a burst of fresh air in the paranormal romance genre, she's taken the concept of werewolves and shifters and turned it on its head to great effect. Her books are paranormal romances with the grit and rich world building of a good urban fantasy series. In fact, I thought this was an urban fantasy series until I saw the blurb for book 2 and realised it was a different couple. For that reason, this would be a great transition series for a reader who likes fantasy or urban fantasy and wants to try out some paranormal romance.Varya is a character that when I started reading I wasn't sure I would like and yet her story and her passed really moved me and she quickly transitioned to one of my favourite heroines. I know she won't be a character that every reader will enjoy. She is fierce, scary and can seem callous. However, her love and loyalty to the pack are plain to see and her seeming lack of empathy is all a matter of perspective. She was a complex and interesting character that I found fascinating to read.There was also an interesting gender role reversal in this book, Varya had many of the characteristics people love about a romance hero. She was an alpha, she was strong both physically and emotionally and she was tough. Replace that all with 'he' and I'm describing a typical romance hero. Alpha females are hugely under represented in romance so Varya was refreshing. The hero Eyulf, was different and would be described as beta. He was a survivor completely ignorant about his Wolf heritage Varya saves when he is injured. Watching Varya and Eyulf together was lovely, he evokes emotions in her that no one else can.The love story in Forever Wolf isn't what you would traditionally find in a paranormal romance. Which means that HEA wasn't what you expect either. But for me, the conclusion of this book was beautiful. It made me cry. It still makes me cry. In fact, I may be shedding a tear right now thinking about it. It destroyed me in the best way.Forever Wolf also brings the collision of the shifters and the Wolves to its conclusion. This was the only aspect of the story that felt a little bit anti-climatic. Although the tension between the two factions has been building throughout the series it seemed to be over very quickly. However, it was a very satisfying ending despite its speed.I highly recommend this book and this series, it's a great twist on the paranormal romance genre and has become one of my favourites. Maria Vale is an author to watch and I can't wait to see what she does next.

*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Suzanne❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her voice. Love how she writes.

[Alyson McLayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this whole series!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Legend of all Wolves #3, Oh My Gosh this book! There is so much I love about this book and this series. The narration, seeing the pack through Varya's eyes and seeing the transition of her feelings about them at the beginning of the book to the end of the book. How in depth the wolf's history goes especially with the norse mythology. Each of the characters past and present it was easy to connect with them, with it being in the first person POV you get to hear all the internal conflict. Varya despite her devotion to the pack and her Alpha still feels like she's not part of it, referring to the pack as "them" not "us" because of what happened in her past she's not letting herself get emotionally attached she doesn't feel she deserves it. She follows the pack laws and enforces them, she doesn't care that the other wolves are afraid of her she uses that fear to her advantage but when she discovers a lone wolf on their territory a white wolf who knows nothing of the pack and their laws she finds herself bending the rules for him. She feels a deep connection to him not just because he's an arctic wolf like her it goes beyond that, but the fact that he has two different colored eyes has her keep him hidden from the pack. But he's not the one the pack is worried about the shifters are at it again, this time bringing in the threat of human hunters. But Varya steps up to the plate and helps protect the coveted pups among other things. I really hope this isn't the end of the series but it did have definite closure elements in the epilogue.

Overall, I loved this book. It has the kind of ending that really made me cry. This whole series is something to behold.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book a few times already and for some reason, I still have a hard time writing this review. BECAUSE THE BOOK IS THAT GREAT!!!
When you truely understand what love is what would you do for it.

“Sentiment is what you do for yourself,” he says. “Love is what you do for someone else. "

“You can’t always protect, Varya. Things happen in the world that are beyond even your control. Sometimes all you can do”—he gently pries apart my hands and kisses each palm—“is love.”

"He turns to face me. Ah. Now I know. Now I know why he is alone. Why he has always been alone. And why he will be alone forever. I guess I’d only seen one eye before—the pale, ice-blue one. Never the other. Never the one that is the bright, variegated green of the forest canopy."

"Laws that cannot bend will break. For Victor, the law is dead, petrified and unchanging. He will use it against Tiberius. Against Evie for accepting him into the Pack. Against the human who saved Theo’s life. This is not about protecting the Pack. This is about protecting the Old Ways, which is not the same thing.”

This book. No, this series touched me in a way I can't explain thoroughly. To the point, I actually wrote Maria Vale to discuss it with her after my first reading. She pointed out that one of the things her readers have to accept is that the magic in this wolrd is different and that a happily ever after for the Pack is one for everyone.

** :) ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. :) **

[Suzi (Obsessive Reading Disorder) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book of the series and so far I have been so intrigued, not only by the world building but also by the richness found in the wolves of the Great North Pack. The description of this book is vague enough that I wasn't sure what to expect. It is told from Varya's POV.

I admit, I spent a good two thirds of the book scratching my head--what is going on? I felt no connection to Varya at all. She was so detached. Not quite feral but really not bonded with any other wolf. Her only loyalty being to the Pack. So much of the story is her narrative of what it is like to be her in the world of the Great North.

There came a turning point in the story. Now, if I would go back and read again, I may pay closer attention to Vary's words. The light bulb finally clicked for me and I got her. I understood where all her life had been leading. I understood her loyalty and what it would mean for her to love. I honestly still think that throwing in Eyulf's POV might have helped muddle through the first half of the book.

I should know better than to second guess an author's vision. The ending was just fabulous and I am so glad I stuck in there and read the whole book. I am looking forward to more from this author. The Pack has more issues to overcome.

*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ stars

"YoursMine" "YoursMine" "YoursMine" "YoursMine" ...

This was one of the best books I've read lately. This book made me feel excited, frustrated, hopeful, sad, confused and that ending blew me away and left me raw! It wasn't a perfect story but it was beautiful. It wasn't the ideal ending but it was perfect. It made me cry last night when the story ended and it still made me cry this morning when I thought about it. A great finale to an outstanding series. I highly recommend these books to anyone that loves the paranormal romance genre and would enjoy a different twist on the werewolf narrative.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as werewolf books go this one was actually surprisingly good. I don't know why the ending hit me so hard but I actually cared way more then I expected to. Gotta give it props, I'll probably read it again.

[Victoria (Eve's Alexandria) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wolf Apart will probably always be my favourite (because, Elijah) but Forever Wolf is the most emotionally and thematically complex of the series so far. Here the individual love story is a subplot to the much bigger and broader story of the love between members of the Pack, and its continued fight for homeland and heritage. I was absolutely wrung out by the end and, although some aspects of the denouement didn’t work for me, the overall arc of the book was absolutely satisfying. Roll on book 4 in August.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

I’ve got that anxious, excited feeling I used to get in English class because I was bursting with stuff to say, and it’s about Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf. This isn't the first time I've thought this about one of her books: I’ve never read a romance novel like this before.

Forever Wolf is the third in Vale’s The Legend of All Wolves series, and it’s beautiful. It’s also the darkest book in a romance series that doesn’t shy away from the dark.

The first thing to say about the plot is that this is a shifter romance, about wolves.

Our heroine Varya is a shielder—a position of esteem—in the Great North pack. She journeyed to the pack alone after all the wolves in her former pack died, and to her, the pack is everything. She’s known for upholding order, even when that devotion doesn’t exactly win her any friends.

But then she runs across an injured wolf, Eyulf, and on him she smells her old home. She has a connection with him, even as she knows that there will never be a place for him in her pack. But is there a place for him with her?
Picture
Vale’s books have lots of action, if you like that sort of thing.

I do.

But you also need to know that Vale's a gorgeous writer. The pack, the place the pack inhabits, the outside world, it’s all fantastically rendered. Throughout each novel in the series, she shows how pack can offer home, stability, and community, but how its very nature can be inclusive, sometimes leaving no place for outsiders like Eyulf. It also often requires great personal sacrifice, even as it gives much.

​Sometimes in romance, the reader is made aware of the tremendous odds facing the main characters, but semi-miraculously, those odds are surmounted in the final pages. Vale does something different, something that I think is braver.

​Not every problem is miraculously erased or overcome in her books.

Make no mistake: she writes romances and her characters do end up together, but not always in the ways you’d expect. In that way and others, Maria Vale writes paranormal romances that feel really realistic. Sometimes—a lot of times—we don’t get unqualified happy endings.

Parts of Varya and Eyulf’s story might make you slightly sad; there might even be some disappointment or frustration.

But on balance, Forever Wolf reminds us that there’s no discounting how huge love is, how it can buttress us up even as we’re facing huge change or loss.

No, Vale’s books aren't joy-filled romps, and you’ll probably feel like your heart is breaking at least once when you read one, but they are books that are absolutely suffused with love. Are you reading them yet?

[Tracy DeNeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Legend of All Wolves

I loved this entire series. The world building was magnificent. Riveting. Engaging. All consuming.

Starting with Tiberius and Quicksilver, moving on to Elijah and Thea (then adding the darling pups, John, Sigeburg, Solveig and Theo “the runt’s runt”) and finally Varya and Eyulf—I loved them all.

This series is going into rotation. I can’t just read it once and forget about it. Impossible! I recommend it highly!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, didn't see that ending coming--and yet it's simply perfect for both the book and the trilogy. My advice? Start with the first book (The Last Wolf) and read them all. I have a book hangover now in the best way.
Maria Vale is an amazing writer--I can't wait to see what she does next.

[Preet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just gets better and better! Varya and Eyulf really stole my heart. Varya especially. Maria Vale is so talented. I didn't see that ending coming, and I'm both gutted and happy by the outcome. I can't wait to read more of the Great North Pack.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking the female were viewpoint, this is a better book for me than the second in the series. We spend almost all the pages in the upstate New York area, where a planned gas pipeline is going to rip through the weres' private lands. As they have to shift at full moon they are vulnerable to human hunters, and they also have enemies in the shifter fraternity.

One of the guarding wolves discovers an injured lone wolf who was rejected as a pup and grew up without a pack. He's made his way this far, but a trap caught him. This is not much of a romance but at least we see he can behave himself around a female, unlike the male wolf in the previous book.

I read an ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Lauren Archer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced readers copy of this book. I wanted to read this when I saw Kirkus reviews give this a starred review. Although, I am usually very thorough I missed that this was the third and final book in a series. For the most part I completely lost and I am learning these paranormal fantasy/romances are no longer something I am interested in reading. The one thing the author did was add a lot of folklore which I really did like. However for me and my tastes this one could have been a miss for me.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria Vale's trilogy of paranormal romances started out fairly typical of the genre. Then kept getting darker and finally dumped the HEA (happily ever after) for a probably "happy-ish now" ending. More intriguing is the deep dive into a single character POV of this story. If you're looking for werewolves, Old English, and a Viking woman warrior sensibility, there's a bit of that in this. But it is something very particular to the author's worldview--and that makes her an author to keep track of.

[Sonia189 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this novel was a treat. So many good elements and world building that captivated me... the heroine's first person "voice" also pleased me and, overall, I felt a lot more in sync with this third story's vibe than I had with the first two books.
However, the end.... no.
It's like karma, it's poetry on the page, it's an infinite amount of anything one could think of a paranormal series where wolves can turn into humans but are not humans. Still, that notion is part of how the world is sold to the reader and that is why I cannot appreciate the end, no matter how whimsical.

[Sariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il m’a fallu de nombreux chapitres pour comprendre où l’auteure voulait nous mener, et c’est la fin de l’ouvrage, émotionnellement explosive, qui me permet de dire que j’ai apprécié ma lecture. Sauvages est une saga qui ne ressemble en rien à ce que j’ai pu lire auparavant.
https://www.sariahlit.com/2020/05/sau...

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome read!

Forever Wolf was a wonderful read. I love the emotions and intensity packed into these books. While I enjoyed this one I'm conflicted about the ending. I'm not sure exactly how I feel but I will most certainly be reading the next book in the series. I'm hooked on this series and definitely recommend them.

[Anathea Krrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are shifter novels, and then there is the Legend of all Wolves series. Maria Vale creates an utterly unique world with creatures that are not humans who take on wolf form, but wolves who live 'in skin'. Gritty stories without the saccharine tropes so often found in this genre. Wonderful! No spoilers from me. You need to read for yourself. Enjoy! 😉🐺