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Camwolf
Lonewolf
Sex with a stranger can be riskier than you know… particularly if that stranger turns out to be a werewolf. A companion to — or appetiser for — my novel Camwolf.
Two years ago a casual encounter in Stuttgart left Carl changed forever. He thought he could handle being a werewolf—until he passed the curse on to his English lover, Nick Sewell.
Now Carl's come back to Germany to look for answers from the man who made him a monster. But Stefan's disappeared, and in his place Carl finds Christian, who may have as much to hide as Carl does—or even more.
This is a short story in the same universe as Camwolf, but with different main characters. If you've read the novel you may recall that Nick Sewell was turned into a werewolf three years before the start of Camwolf by his then lover, Carl Fisher. This is Carl's story, and it's a dark little tale.
This story was first published in 2011; this is a revised edition.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2011
22 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Merrow
145 books1,327 followersJL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
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May 25, 2011Reading reviews of Lonewolf, it's clear I've unintentionally caused offence to some readers, for which I can only apologise. My intention was to depict a bitter, self-loathing character who, in his pain, lashes out at everything he sees—and sees the worst in everything.
Re-reading the story in the light of some reader comments, I can see how some of the phrases used have caused offence. I'd like to emphasise that these are the views of my character, not me — but as the last thing I want is to cause hurt to the reader, I've uploaded a revised version of the story that hopefully addresses those issues.
Again, I can only apologise to anyone who was upset by the story in its original form.
Re-reading the story in the light of some reader comments, I can see how some of the phrases used have caused offence. I'd like to emphasise that these are the views of my character, not me — but as the last thing I want is to cause hurt to the reader, I've uploaded a revised version of the story that hopefully addresses those issues.
Again, I can only apologise to anyone who was upset by the story in its original form.
May 26, 2011
Note:Review and rating are for the first published and non-revised version of Lonewolf!
So many prejudices against Germans in such a short story....made me grit my teeth!
A question Ms.Merrow:
What is a >> superior Aryan gaze << ?
I am dark-blond and blue-eyed.Shall I look in the mirror...and there it is?
And the phrase >>His square jaw,blond hair and piercing blue eyes would have made Heinrich Himmler wet himself with joy<<.
You`re walking a VERY thin line between crude humor and simply being beneath contempt here!
This is just a minor niggle but "ugly,rotten area of Stuttgart" ??
Perhaps in every other of Germany`s big cities...but Stuttgart? Hell,NO!
I could go on and on,but it`s not worth it.
Trash!
So many prejudices against Germans in such a short story....made me grit my teeth!
A question Ms.Merrow:
What is a >> superior Aryan gaze << ?
I am dark-blond and blue-eyed.Shall I look in the mirror...and there it is?
And the phrase >>His square jaw,blond hair and piercing blue eyes would have made Heinrich Himmler wet himself with joy<<.
You`re walking a VERY thin line between crude humor and simply being beneath contempt here!
This is just a minor niggle but "ugly,rotten area of Stuttgart" ??
Perhaps in every other of Germany`s big cities...but Stuttgart? Hell,NO!
I could go on and on,but it`s not worth it.
Trash!
January 16, 2012
Apparently Ms. Merrow got the inspiration for this story from The Sun or the Daily Star. I happen to live in the city where this book takes place and it's full of errors. Another thing that got on my nerves were the stereotypes about Germans and the highly incorrect use of my language. How hard can it be to find a native speaker on the internet? To be fair, I read also the revised edition and it didn't make things better.
December 9, 2018
Definitely only read if you enjoyed Camwolf which (of course) I did ;)
here's my review
here's my review
March 20, 2024
Short 20-page novella. Wolf-shifter in Stuttgart looking for the man (wolf) who turned him two years earlier.
May 31, 2020
Rating: 2.5 stars
Extremely short story. It abruptly ends at around the 75% mark. Really there is no reason to read this story. Very brief history about how Carl became a wolf. Very brief history about him and Nick. Very brief meeting with Christian. They have sex….The End. Yes there’s a bit more to it but not much. Really, it’s good that is was free because it wouldn’t be worth paying money for it.
Extremely short story. It abruptly ends at around the 75% mark. Really there is no reason to read this story. Very brief history about how Carl became a wolf. Very brief history about him and Nick. Very brief meeting with Christian. They have sex….The End. Yes there’s a bit more to it but not much. Really, it’s good that is was free because it wouldn’t be worth paying money for it.
March 25, 2022
...what? I haven't read the book this is a spin-off of, so maybe that would have made a difference in my enjoyment? As it was, what was on page was neither enough to feel like a short story, nor did it really work as a piece of erotica. Maybe it would have worked as the beginning of a full novel, or maybe it's an amazing bit of side-character insight to those that read the other book, but regardless, a disappointing read for me.
June 3, 2011
This is a bit of a prequel of sorts to the novel by the author Camwolf which is available at Samhain publishing. Carl is the ex of Nick, hero of that novel, and the man responsible for turning him into a wolf.
The book is told in a series of vignettes of a sort. It tells you how Carl hooked up with Stefan in Germany and the terror of the night he was turned himself. There is also a bit of history with Nick and how he ended up turning Nick and what drove them apart, and his anguish at turning Nick when he knew he shouldn’t, and how it ended between them. Then finally, his interactions with Christian, who has an unexpected connection with Stefan and may be able to help Carl understand what happened to him.
This is quite different from the humorous stories we have often come to expect from JL Merrow. However the quality of writing is still there, although the leaps from incident to incident leave it feeling a bit disjointed. I think maybe if I’d read Camwolf first I might have rated this higher, but I have it waiting for me, so some of the connection with Nick didn’t mean quite as much, but it gives you a taste of the shifter world and how it is a more violent and terrifying world than we’ve often come to expect in the romance world. I’m looking forward to reading Camwolf to find out more about this world.
The book is told in a series of vignettes of a sort. It tells you how Carl hooked up with Stefan in Germany and the terror of the night he was turned himself. There is also a bit of history with Nick and how he ended up turning Nick and what drove them apart, and his anguish at turning Nick when he knew he shouldn’t, and how it ended between them. Then finally, his interactions with Christian, who has an unexpected connection with Stefan and may be able to help Carl understand what happened to him.
This is quite different from the humorous stories we have often come to expect from JL Merrow. However the quality of writing is still there, although the leaps from incident to incident leave it feeling a bit disjointed. I think maybe if I’d read Camwolf first I might have rated this higher, but I have it waiting for me, so some of the connection with Nick didn’t mean quite as much, but it gives you a taste of the shifter world and how it is a more violent and terrifying world than we’ve often come to expect in the romance world. I’m looking forward to reading Camwolf to find out more about this world.
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June 9, 2021Rating: UNRATED*
Note: Reading other reviews, I will point out that this review is of the revised version.
A short prequel story by Merrow which, I guess, centres on a character which is later on present in the same series. However, I felt that the story was very choppy, and did not work very well as a standalone. There were also still some strange German references that, despite not being German myself, felt a little too much/unnecessary, and only added a caricaturish feel to the story.
As to the characters, Carl is not very likeable, at least not to the point where I feel invested in him, and the other characters mentioned are so quickly in and out that I never really get a feel for them. The part with Nick was especially short, and I was left scratching my head.
The abrupt ending also left me a little confused.
Based on this short story, I will not continue the series. It felt more like a companion piece, like bonus material for already established readers, rather than a teaser for the series.
*I leave books unrated if I cannot justify at least a 3 star review.
Note: Reading other reviews, I will point out that this review is of the revised version.
A short prequel story by Merrow which, I guess, centres on a character which is later on present in the same series. However, I felt that the story was very choppy, and did not work very well as a standalone. There were also still some strange German references that, despite not being German myself, felt a little too much/unnecessary, and only added a caricaturish feel to the story.
As to the characters, Carl is not very likeable, at least not to the point where I feel invested in him, and the other characters mentioned are so quickly in and out that I never really get a feel for them. The part with Nick was especially short, and I was left scratching my head.
The abrupt ending also left me a little confused.
Based on this short story, I will not continue the series. It felt more like a companion piece, like bonus material for already established readers, rather than a teaser for the series.
*I leave books unrated if I cannot justify at least a 3 star review.
May 12, 2012
Nice to get a bit of a look into Carl, though it really is just a teaser. I read it after Camwolf, and I have to say I'm glad I did. If I had read it before I'm not sure I would have gotten much from it, but afterward it gave a bit of perspective on Nick and what it means that he broke the cycle of changing his lover (Matthew, from his past in Camwolf).
October 15, 2011
Less than 40 pages but it was listed as a companion to Camwolf and the purpose was to tease. Well it did and i will be reading more.
November 21, 2024
Lonewolf by J.L. Merrow is a short story set in the same universe as her novel Camwolf, following Carl, who was turned into a werewolf after a brief encounter with a stranger in Stuttgart. Two years later, Carl returns to Germany, hoping to find answers from the man who cursed him, Stefan. However, Stefan has vanished, and in his place, Carl meets Christian, a man who may have secrets of his own. The story is meant to explore Carl's journey and add depth to the world introduced in Camwolf, but unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver much beyond its premise.
The biggest issue with Lonewolf is that it barely qualifies as a short story. It’s incredibly brief and feels more like a piece of supplemental material rather than a self-contained narrative. The story doesn’t have enough substance to be considered a full, engaging tale. There’s little plot development, and Carl's journey doesn’t feel significant enough to make an impact. The characters are underdeveloped, and the pacing is far too quick, leaving no room for emotional connection or tension. It’s hard to invest in the storyline when it feels like there’s no depth or progression.
I understand that this is a companion piece to Camwolf, but that doesn’t mean it should be so shallow. The brief length doesn’t justify the lack of development or depth in the plot, and it left me feeling unsatisfied. It’s unfortunate because the premise—Carl looking for answers about his werewolf curse—had potential, but it just wasn’t explored in a meaningful way.
Overall, Lonewolf feels more like a teaser or an add-on for fans of Camwolf, and it lacks the substance needed to stand on its own. It’s a very short, very basic story with little to offer beyond its connection to the larger universe. If you're looking for something more substantial or engaging, this isn't it.
The biggest issue with Lonewolf is that it barely qualifies as a short story. It’s incredibly brief and feels more like a piece of supplemental material rather than a self-contained narrative. The story doesn’t have enough substance to be considered a full, engaging tale. There’s little plot development, and Carl's journey doesn’t feel significant enough to make an impact. The characters are underdeveloped, and the pacing is far too quick, leaving no room for emotional connection or tension. It’s hard to invest in the storyline when it feels like there’s no depth or progression.
I understand that this is a companion piece to Camwolf, but that doesn’t mean it should be so shallow. The brief length doesn’t justify the lack of development or depth in the plot, and it left me feeling unsatisfied. It’s unfortunate because the premise—Carl looking for answers about his werewolf curse—had potential, but it just wasn’t explored in a meaningful way.
Overall, Lonewolf feels more like a teaser or an add-on for fans of Camwolf, and it lacks the substance needed to stand on its own. It’s a very short, very basic story with little to offer beyond its connection to the larger universe. If you're looking for something more substantial or engaging, this isn't it.
September 24, 2020
Carl Fisher met Stefan Bachmeier in Germany, attracted to his Aryan blond, blue-eyed good looks. Their interactions were contentious, Stefan cruelly forward in his actions. Carl knows it is wrong and not something he would ever do or be tempted to do, yet he participates. He finds himself turned into a monster, filled with self-loathing.
I don't tolerate abusive relationships, not in real life and not in my fiction. I flat out refuse to give them the time of day. I understand that this is a setup/companion piece about the man Carl turned in Britain, but what I found in these meager pages is enough to turn me away from reading "Camwolf". I pretty much stalled on page 7 of 14. I fast forwarded through the remainder, hoping to see something more worthy of reading or redeeming. I was beyond disappointed.
I mean, the basic idea was intriguing, containing newly turned werewolves and a m/m slant. A man searching for redemption and companionship. Except Carl never really found that. There is no real kindness between any of the characters, although Carl seems to try. What he gets is Christian, Stefan's former lover, who lures him back to the apartment he once shared with the other man. And based on what Christian hints at, it seems to me that Carl has stepped from the frying pan into the fire. As I said, very disappointing. 2 out of 5.
I don't tolerate abusive relationships, not in real life and not in my fiction. I flat out refuse to give them the time of day. I understand that this is a setup/companion piece about the man Carl turned in Britain, but what I found in these meager pages is enough to turn me away from reading "Camwolf". I pretty much stalled on page 7 of 14. I fast forwarded through the remainder, hoping to see something more worthy of reading or redeeming. I was beyond disappointed.
I mean, the basic idea was intriguing, containing newly turned werewolves and a m/m slant. A man searching for redemption and companionship. Except Carl never really found that. There is no real kindness between any of the characters, although Carl seems to try. What he gets is Christian, Stefan's former lover, who lures him back to the apartment he once shared with the other man. And based on what Christian hints at, it seems to me that Carl has stepped from the frying pan into the fire. As I said, very disappointing. 2 out of 5.
October 11, 2020
4-1/2 Stars
Lonewolf is a companion piece to the author's Camwolf, having not yet read Camwolf, I was hesitant to read this unsure if Lonewolf would effect the novel but having gotten the rec from a FB M/M book rec group, I was told it wouldn't so I went ahead. So glad I did. Lonewolf is a short intriguing look at how one man becomes a wolf and the anguish he feels when he himself turns Nick(the main character from Camwolf). There really is quite a bit packed into this short story, though it may seem a bit disjointed at times I can't help but wonder if the author didn't intend that to help the reader connect with Carl's emotional state dealing with being a wolf. Wonderful little gem that entertained and definitely intrigued me to add Nick's story, Camwolf to my TBR List.
Lonewolf is a companion piece to the author's Camwolf, having not yet read Camwolf, I was hesitant to read this unsure if Lonewolf would effect the novel but having gotten the rec from a FB M/M book rec group, I was told it wouldn't so I went ahead. So glad I did. Lonewolf is a short intriguing look at how one man becomes a wolf and the anguish he feels when he himself turns Nick(the main character from Camwolf). There really is quite a bit packed into this short story, though it may seem a bit disjointed at times I can't help but wonder if the author didn't intend that to help the reader connect with Carl's emotional state dealing with being a wolf. Wonderful little gem that entertained and definitely intrigued me to add Nick's story, Camwolf to my TBR List.
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January 28, 2026This short, dark werewolf story is a prequel to Camwolf, which I haven't read.
It was an interesting, violent story. Just be aware that it is brief and not romance, and set your expectations accordingly.
It was an interesting, violent story. Just be aware that it is brief and not romance, and set your expectations accordingly.
Read
July 1, 2025I precipitated myself and read this short without reading Camwolf first, thus the reason why no rating. Without knowing what happened in Camwolf, I'm completely lost. So, read Camwolf before reading this little nugget.
October 28, 2018
too short.. read like an explanation rather than a story
May 5, 2024
This does not even deserve to be called a short story, let alone a book. It's a few pages of supplemental material to the book "Camwolf."
January 18, 2012
As a standalone story, this wasn't completely developed but as the prologue to the novel Camwolf, I think it's enough to pique my interest in the rest of the series. Carl visits Stuttgart and a chance encounter at a bar brings him into contact with the mysterious Stefan. The instant attraction is enough for Carl to drop his guard, and his recklessness changes his life forever when Stefan bites him and changes him into a werewolf. Trying to live with this curse works for a time, but Carl inevitably passes his condition onto his English lover, Nick, who leaves him.
Returning to Stuttgart to find Stefan, Carl finds Christian instead, someone who knows of Stefan and can give him the answers he is seeking
I found this storyline interesting, but there really wasn't enough development or connection with Christian at the end of the short story. That relationship felt very rushed to me and I would have liked to understand more about it, as well as Christian's relationship with Stefan. Maybe we'll learn more in Camwolf
Returning to Stuttgart to find Stefan, Carl finds Christian instead, someone who knows of Stefan and can give him the answers he is seeking
I found this storyline interesting, but there really wasn't enough development or connection with Christian at the end of the short story. That relationship felt very rushed to me and I would have liked to understand more about it, as well as Christian's relationship with Stefan. Maybe we'll learn more in Camwolf
November 10, 2015
3.5 stars
Two years after the crazy hook-up which turned him into a monster, Carl is back at Stuttgart trying to find Stephan and answers to a lot of questions. Instead, he finds Christian and a new beginning…
A very short story, Lonewolf is a sort of prequel of Camwolf, and tells us about Carl, Nick’s former boyfriend. It is a fast read, sexy and with a HFN ending full of possibilities for Carl and Christian… I do hope there is a future story on these two. I would love to know how they manage together.
Two years after the crazy hook-up which turned him into a monster, Carl is back at Stuttgart trying to find Stephan and answers to a lot of questions. Instead, he finds Christian and a new beginning…
A very short story, Lonewolf is a sort of prequel of Camwolf, and tells us about Carl, Nick’s former boyfriend. It is a fast read, sexy and with a HFN ending full of possibilities for Carl and Christian… I do hope there is a future story on these two. I would love to know how they manage together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2016
It pains me to put 1 star on a J.L. Merrow story, but I really didn't find much enjoyment here at all. Very short but that doesn't mean it had to be so shallow. Too much tell, not enough show. I believe I've read the revised edition, but the absence of the polarising language clearly didn't make me like, or even feel the slightest bit of sympathy for, the main character, however. Still, I have Camwolf lined up as well, and hopefully I'll feel much more appreciative of it.
May 24, 2011
Would be solid 3 stars if it weren't for an overabundance of clichés and the incorrect use of german language.
The writing flow was good once you got over the first three pages, wich contained the majority of the afore-mentioned issues.
The writing flow was good once you got over the first three pages, wich contained the majority of the afore-mentioned issues.
June 8, 2013
A nice little "teaser" for Camwolf. Helps give a little more understanding to the world, but isn't really necessary or helpful. Gives you a taste of the writing, more than anything else.
May 19, 2011
3.5 stars. Good short m/m paranormal romance about Carl (who turned the main character from Camwolf into a werewolf) as he tries to find the man who turned him into a werewolf.
July 2, 2011
This short story is prequel and written like diary. It was definitely to short for true rating.
July 26, 2011
Four stars since I haven't read Camwolf yet - I'll probably raise it to five after I've read Camwolf (if I like Camwolf).
September 1, 2011
liked it, although I thought the last section should have been called 'after' as in before/during/after... the author seemed to miss a trick there
January 2, 2012
2* for the second edition.
July 17, 2016
As a stand alone short this just didn't work for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews