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Big Bad Wolf #1
The Wolf at the Door
Listening Length: 8 hours and 17 minutes
A former FBI agent is partnered with the enemy in this suspenseful male/male shifter romance from debut author Charlie Adhara.
Hunting for big bad wolves was never part of Agent Cooper Dayton's plan, but a werewolf attack lands him in the carefully guarded Bureau of Special Investigations. A new case comes with a new partner: ruggedly sexy werewolf Oliver Park.
Park is an agent of The Trust, a werewolf oversight organization working to ease escalating tensions with the BSI. But as far as Cooper's concerned, it's failing. As they investigate a series of mysterious deaths unlike anything they've seen, every bone in Cooper's body is suspicious of his new partner - even when Park proves himself as competent as he is utterly captivating.
When more people vanish, pressure to solve the case skyrockets. And though he'd resolved to keep things professional, Cooper's friction with Park soon erupts...into a physical need that can't be contained or controlled. But with a body count that's rising by the day, werewolves and humans are in equal danger. If Cooper and Park don't catch the killer soon, one - or both - of them could be the next to go.
A former FBI agent is partnered with the enemy in this suspenseful male/male shifter romance from debut author Charlie Adhara.
Hunting for big bad wolves was never part of Agent Cooper Dayton's plan, but a werewolf attack lands him in the carefully guarded Bureau of Special Investigations. A new case comes with a new partner: ruggedly sexy werewolf Oliver Park.
Park is an agent of The Trust, a werewolf oversight organization working to ease escalating tensions with the BSI. But as far as Cooper's concerned, it's failing. As they investigate a series of mysterious deaths unlike anything they've seen, every bone in Cooper's body is suspicious of his new partner - even when Park proves himself as competent as he is utterly captivating.
When more people vanish, pressure to solve the case skyrockets. And though he'd resolved to keep things professional, Cooper's friction with Park soon erupts...into a physical need that can't be contained or controlled. But with a body count that's rising by the day, werewolves and humans are in equal danger. If Cooper and Park don't catch the killer soon, one - or both - of them could be the next to go.
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published February 19, 2018
718 people are currently reading
14167 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Adhara
9 books2,253 followersCharlie Adhara loves snarky souls with a soft spot, twisty whodunits and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary, mystery, paranormal, queer romance. Or some assortment of that. Whatever the genre, her stories feature imperfect people stumbling around, tripping over trouble and falling in love. Charlie has done a fair amount of stumbling around herself, but tends to find her way back to the northeast US.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,130 reviews
July 18, 2023
4.5 stars
I went into this story not knowing much about it and ended up really enjoying it.
The mystery part was done really well. Up to the very end, like literally a few pages before everything was revealed, I had no idea what was going on. That was so refreshing, because I often guess early on.
I liked Cooper and Park a lot. They had this great chemistry right from the start.
Cooper often comes across as prickly and rude, he can be awkward and often speaks before he thinks but I actually found him so adorable.
Park is quite mysterious, but also warm, surprisingly calm, gentle and very protective of those he cares about.
I loved the way their relationship developed. It was well-paced and I liked that it was on the slower side.
*******
Re-read 2/2020: I struggled a bit with the audiobook in the beginning, but I got used to the narration after a while. I enjoyed the story just as much as the first time.
Re-read 7/2023: Love those two. 🥰
I went into this story not knowing much about it and ended up really enjoying it.
The mystery part was done really well. Up to the very end, like literally a few pages before everything was revealed, I had no idea what was going on. That was so refreshing, because I often guess early on.
I liked Cooper and Park a lot. They had this great chemistry right from the start.
Cooper often comes across as prickly and rude, he can be awkward and often speaks before he thinks but I actually found him so adorable.
Park is quite mysterious, but also warm, surprisingly calm, gentle and very protective of those he cares about.
I loved the way their relationship developed. It was well-paced and I liked that it was on the slower side.
*******
Re-read 2/2020: I struggled a bit with the audiobook in the beginning, but I got used to the narration after a while. I enjoyed the story just as much as the first time.
Re-read 7/2023: Love those two. 🥰
September 11, 2025
Okay, don't get me wrong, this book was fucking awesome.
It was a 5 star read THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH... Until the final 12 minutes, where it didn't go the way I wanted so my brain chucked a hissy so bad I had to drop a star off.. because I am PISSED OFF.
I like that this book is "slow burn" on the romance side...
But I'm unsure if I understand peoples views of what 'slow burn' is, because these characters touching dicks at 63% is not my idea of slow burn???
Slow burn to me is touching pinkies after 2 books...? but you've been able to feel that tension the whole ass time...? and you literally turn into a puddle and squeal incoherent noises when it happens?
I still loved the book. Do recommend and see where the love for the series is. I still felt the need to explain my dissatisfaction because I felt personally victimized by the ending.. 🤣🤣
The "Pretty eyes park" scene is literally 5 star alone. It is the reason that this book is so fucking good.
I am fucking SOGGY, my dudes, for pretty eyes park... 🤭
I'm not a murder mystery gal normally, but I liked this ALOT and I was NEVER bored during the investigations.
I never have any clue what's going on so I didn't really know who the bad guy was until the big reveal 🤣
Just read it if you haven't.. you won't.. 😈😈 do it though or else..
It was a 5 star read THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH... Until the final 12 minutes, where it didn't go the way I wanted so my brain chucked a hissy so bad I had to drop a star off.. because I am PISSED OFF.
I like that this book is "slow burn" on the romance side...
But I'm unsure if I understand peoples views of what 'slow burn' is, because these characters touching dicks at 63% is not my idea of slow burn???
Slow burn to me is touching pinkies after 2 books...? but you've been able to feel that tension the whole ass time...? and you literally turn into a puddle and squeal incoherent noises when it happens?
I still loved the book. Do recommend and see where the love for the series is. I still felt the need to explain my dissatisfaction because I felt personally victimized by the ending.. 🤣🤣
The "Pretty eyes park" scene is literally 5 star alone. It is the reason that this book is so fucking good.
I am fucking SOGGY, my dudes, for pretty eyes park... 🤭
I'm not a murder mystery gal normally, but I liked this ALOT and I was NEVER bored during the investigations.
I never have any clue what's going on so I didn't really know who the bad guy was until the big reveal 🤣
Just read it if you haven't.. you won't.. 😈😈 do it though or else..
September 2, 2018
4.35 stars
“Monsters are real”
What a surprising good mystery book. Simone my darling! you find the best detective books, thanks for putting this on my radar.
This book is right up my alley, I enjoy detective books and TV shows, this grabbed my attention from page 1.
It is hard to believe that this is a debut book, i am wondering why Charlie Adhara has not written like gazillion books, because the writing is so good and engaging.
MC 1: Cooper the BSI Agent who is tasked with investigating the disappearance of Werewolves in a small town called Florence. Cooper is a difficult guy to understand and like. One moment you want to spank him the next moment you want to hug him. He is a loner and we get a hint that his relationship with his dad is not so good, then again that doesn't give him an excuse to be an ass. I still liked him despite his tendencies to put his foot in his mouth.
MC2: Park the Werewolf and Trust Agent, who is partnered with Cooper, I loved Park and his patience to tolerate Cooper. I wanted his POV, and more of him on page. Good thing we have 2 more books, so we will get more of his background and maybe some shifting.
The Chemistry between Cooper and Park is off the charts, these two men compliment each other. And their banter, was so on point.
“Park. Agent Park... John Park? Fred? Freddy Park?” Cooper guessed. “Frederick?” Sure. ’Cause guessing his first name was what was going to make the difference here. Stupid. Maybe he deserved to have someone drop a rock on his head and put him out of his misery. “C’mon, you bastard. Show me your super hearing. Asshole Park. Huge alpha Park. Big, strong, muscular Park. Amazing Ass Park. Pretty Eyes Park.”
“Who’s there?”
The pounding stopped. “If this is you trying to make some kind of three little pigs joke right now, I am going to smack you right in your chinny-chin-chin, Dayton.”
The Mystery part was intriguing and kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat wanting to know who the unsub was. So well done. Sometimes grief can make you go crazy.
The Romance part was a Slow burn and torture, when they finally kissed, it was so hot and worth the wait.
The kiss was rough and Park’s mouth was hot and sort of sweet-tasting,
Park’s hands were frisking him with purpose, thumbing his nipples. When one large hand palmed his erection through his jeans, Cooper lost focus on the kiss and his head fell forward, forehead resting on Park’s shoulder.
“Good. Very good,” Park was murmuring as he shoved Cooper’s jeans off and freed his aching dick. “I’ll take care of you.”
This is the start of an amazing series. Highly recommended to those who enjoy mystery/detective books.
“Monsters are real”
What a surprising good mystery book. Simone my darling! you find the best detective books, thanks for putting this on my radar.
This book is right up my alley, I enjoy detective books and TV shows, this grabbed my attention from page 1.
It is hard to believe that this is a debut book, i am wondering why Charlie Adhara has not written like gazillion books, because the writing is so good and engaging.
MC 1: Cooper the BSI Agent who is tasked with investigating the disappearance of Werewolves in a small town called Florence. Cooper is a difficult guy to understand and like. One moment you want to spank him the next moment you want to hug him. He is a loner and we get a hint that his relationship with his dad is not so good, then again that doesn't give him an excuse to be an ass. I still liked him despite his tendencies to put his foot in his mouth.
MC2: Park the Werewolf and Trust Agent, who is partnered with Cooper, I loved Park and his patience to tolerate Cooper. I wanted his POV, and more of him on page. Good thing we have 2 more books, so we will get more of his background and maybe some shifting.
The Chemistry between Cooper and Park is off the charts, these two men compliment each other. And their banter, was so on point.
“Park. Agent Park... John Park? Fred? Freddy Park?” Cooper guessed. “Frederick?” Sure. ’Cause guessing his first name was what was going to make the difference here. Stupid. Maybe he deserved to have someone drop a rock on his head and put him out of his misery. “C’mon, you bastard. Show me your super hearing. Asshole Park. Huge alpha Park. Big, strong, muscular Park. Amazing Ass Park. Pretty Eyes Park.”
“Who’s there?”
The pounding stopped. “If this is you trying to make some kind of three little pigs joke right now, I am going to smack you right in your chinny-chin-chin, Dayton.”
The Mystery part was intriguing and kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat wanting to know who the unsub was. So well done. Sometimes grief can make you go crazy.
The Romance part was a Slow burn and torture, when they finally kissed, it was so hot and worth the wait.
The kiss was rough and Park’s mouth was hot and sort of sweet-tasting,
Park’s hands were frisking him with purpose, thumbing his nipples. When one large hand palmed his erection through his jeans, Cooper lost focus on the kiss and his head fell forward, forehead resting on Park’s shoulder.
“Good. Very good,” Park was murmuring as he shoved Cooper’s jeans off and freed his aching dick. “I’ll take care of you.”
This is the start of an amazing series. Highly recommended to those who enjoy mystery/detective books.
November 7, 2019
AUDIO REVIEW ONLY!!
A first for me but enough is enough!! I'm going to have to start reviewing some of the audios separately. I don't know what's up with having inexperienced narrators narrating popular book series. It makes no sense to me!!
I gave up after 2 chapters because it sounded like someone reading a text book. HORRIBLE!!!
I'll have to put this series on the back burner until I have time to read it or if it gets re-recorded.
A first for me but enough is enough!! I'm going to have to start reviewing some of the audios separately. I don't know what's up with having inexperienced narrators narrating popular book series. It makes no sense to me!!
I gave up after 2 chapters because it sounded like someone reading a text book. HORRIBLE!!!
I'll have to put this series on the back burner until I have time to read it or if it gets re-recorded.
February 21, 2020
***4.5 Stars*** and I AM WOWED or WOLFED or WHATEVER!!!
Ohhh, this was definitely some wolfy goodness...
... although this is pretty much all you will get to see of a werewolf in this book. Well, with one exception.
I LOVED...
... the world-building , although it's still in the early stages of development and the super sekrit agency Cooper is working for is definitely not something unheard-of. I guess we will get to see more development in the rest of this series, but the slightly different approach here, with werewolves living among humans leading a 'normal' life and no one is the wiser made things very interesting and I would not call this a typical shifter story. Everyone who might expect lots of snarling, gnarling and breaking bones while shifting might be disappointed.
... the mystery part, with the author throwing me red herrings left, right and center and kept me guessing the whole time what the hell was going on here - just like the main characters, I should add - turned out to be a complex case which had me burying my nose in my Kindle until I was finished. Oh, and the red herrings woven into it might not have been red herrings after all... Intrigued? Well, I was - or rather still am!
... the characters , who only added to the complexity of the story. Granted, at the beginning I couldn't decide if I liked Cooper or not. Porcupine Oliver called him once and that describes him to the point. He behaved like an a**hole sometimes, especially towards Oliver, but with his lashing-out he just wanted to keep his attraction toward him at bay. Is it the right thing to do? Certainly not and he admittedly sometimes frustrated the hell out of me with his hot-and-cold attitude, but for someone being socially awkward and lonely without somebody he would call 'friend' I could still understand where he was coming from. And Oliver? This sexy werewolf with the amaretto eyes intrigued me from the beginning and I wanted to peel off all his layers one after the other myself - and not only the fabric-kind... *cough* -, until I get to his secret and the reason for his pain and vulnerability.
... the romance , which developed very slowly and tentatively from a sexual attraction into something deeper, but we are still at the very beginning of this partnership-turned-relationship and I can't wait to see where they are going from here. And if the sex scenes are anything to go by, I'm in for a treat here. ;-)
... the humor , both Cooper's dry sense of humor...
... and the humorous writing style in general...
... threatened to make me snort my coffee through my nose.
For me, this is a great start to a new series and I am definitely hooked!
Murder was like getting a tattoo. The first one you carefully ask yourself why; each one after you ask yourself why not?
Ohhh, this was definitely some wolfy goodness...
... although this is pretty much all you will get to see of a werewolf in this book. Well, with one exception.
I LOVED...
... the world-building , although it's still in the early stages of development and the super sekrit agency Cooper is working for is definitely not something unheard-of. I guess we will get to see more development in the rest of this series, but the slightly different approach here, with werewolves living among humans leading a 'normal' life and no one is the wiser made things very interesting and I would not call this a typical shifter story. Everyone who might expect lots of snarling, gnarling and breaking bones while shifting might be disappointed.
... the mystery part, with the author throwing me red herrings left, right and center and kept me guessing the whole time what the hell was going on here - just like the main characters, I should add - turned out to be a complex case which had me burying my nose in my Kindle until I was finished. Oh, and the red herrings woven into it might not have been red herrings after all... Intrigued? Well, I was - or rather still am!
... the characters , who only added to the complexity of the story. Granted, at the beginning I couldn't decide if I liked Cooper or not. Porcupine Oliver called him once and that describes him to the point. He behaved like an a**hole sometimes, especially towards Oliver, but with his lashing-out he just wanted to keep his attraction toward him at bay. Is it the right thing to do? Certainly not and he admittedly sometimes frustrated the hell out of me with his hot-and-cold attitude, but for someone being socially awkward and lonely without somebody he would call 'friend' I could still understand where he was coming from. And Oliver? This sexy werewolf with the amaretto eyes intrigued me from the beginning and I wanted to peel off all his layers one after the other myself - and not only the fabric-kind... *cough* -, until I get to his secret and the reason for his pain and vulnerability.
... the romance , which developed very slowly and tentatively from a sexual attraction into something deeper, but we are still at the very beginning of this partnership-turned-relationship and I can't wait to see where they are going from here. And if the sex scenes are anything to go by, I'm in for a treat here. ;-)
... the humor , both Cooper's dry sense of humor...
"Something bothering you, Agent Dayton?"
"Nope. Just want to solve this case. And go home and hug my very live cat."
"Should have known you were a cat person."
"Why, because I don't like you?" Cooper muttered as Park left the trailer.
... and the humorous writing style in general...
Every time he managed to catch Park's eye, Park would immediately look away, and when Cooper tried to get him alone he'd scamper off. Or whatever the Park equivalent of scamper was. Gracefully glide elsewhere.
... threatened to make me snort my coffee through my nose.
For me, this is a great start to a new series and I am definitely hooked!
August 30, 2024
Wow, I really loved this book! I’m going into book 2 right away.
Highly recommend for werewolve shifter fans. No insta-love-you´re-my-mate business. Not that I don’t like that every once in awhile.
Love!
Highly recommend for werewolve shifter fans. No insta-love-you´re-my-mate business. Not that I don’t like that every once in awhile.
Love!
July 7, 2020
4 Stars!
Well, well, well.
I must say that the reviews raving about this book aren’t wrong.
Law enforcement tropes are a top favorite and when you mix it with werewolf shifter lore on a whole new set up, this definitely scratched every itch I had and some I didn’t even know about.
Eager FBI agent, recently transferred to a top secret branch known as the Bureau of Special Investigations, Cooper doesn’t quite know how to handle his new world view. Werewolves exist. This is still a well kept secret to the general population but that doesn't mean human and werewolf relations can take a backseat. When the top brass on both sides express displeasure in how suspected crimes done by werewolves are handled, Cooper’s the lucky guy that gets to spearhead a new partnership… with an actual werewolf.
Cue immediate distrust, throw in a little resentment, and toss liberally with a whole lot of needing to prove oneself as Cooper, and his new partner Park, head up north to investigate a couple of suspicious deaths. Cooper doesn’t want to like Park, but he can’t dismiss that having someone with extra sensory abilities covering his back, is not such a bad thing after all. As these two race against time, as both werewolves and humans start to go missing, they find things are way more complicated and shocking than they ever expected.
Overall, this was filled with plenty of suspense, in and amongst a delicious slow burn between two men basically not communicating their vulnerabilities but not being able to fully hide their attraction. On a side note, Park was an absolute dream - mysterious, confident, an unruffled professional until he’s well and properly ruffled, a charming alpha with a protective streak, and a strong sense of justice and just this side of controlled dominance to melt your clothes off. Unf!!
So the short of it is, I definitely likened this to the other ultimate FBI couple that I love so hard, and when you throw in the shifter dynamic, it was the proverbial icing on the cake. Though this irked me quite a bit regarding Cooper’s understandable insecurities, the top notch romantic progression, peppered with some spot on snark, tender feels, and yummy smexy, all but negated those quibbles. I can only hope this continues to deliver and becomes a long standing series that I’ll enjoy far far into the future! Fingers crossed!
Well, well, well.
I must say that the reviews raving about this book aren’t wrong.
Law enforcement tropes are a top favorite and when you mix it with werewolf shifter lore on a whole new set up, this definitely scratched every itch I had and some I didn’t even know about.
Eager FBI agent, recently transferred to a top secret branch known as the Bureau of Special Investigations, Cooper doesn’t quite know how to handle his new world view. Werewolves exist. This is still a well kept secret to the general population but that doesn't mean human and werewolf relations can take a backseat. When the top brass on both sides express displeasure in how suspected crimes done by werewolves are handled, Cooper’s the lucky guy that gets to spearhead a new partnership… with an actual werewolf.
Cue immediate distrust, throw in a little resentment, and toss liberally with a whole lot of needing to prove oneself as Cooper, and his new partner Park, head up north to investigate a couple of suspicious deaths. Cooper doesn’t want to like Park, but he can’t dismiss that having someone with extra sensory abilities covering his back, is not such a bad thing after all. As these two race against time, as both werewolves and humans start to go missing, they find things are way more complicated and shocking than they ever expected.
Overall, this was filled with plenty of suspense, in and amongst a delicious slow burn between two men basically not communicating their vulnerabilities but not being able to fully hide their attraction. On a side note, Park was an absolute dream - mysterious, confident, an unruffled professional until he’s well and properly ruffled, a charming alpha with a protective streak, and a strong sense of justice and just this side of controlled dominance to melt your clothes off. Unf!!
So the short of it is, I definitely likened this to the other ultimate FBI couple that I love so hard, and when you throw in the shifter dynamic, it was the proverbial icing on the cake. Though this irked me quite a bit regarding Cooper’s understandable insecurities, the top notch romantic progression, peppered with some spot on snark, tender feels, and yummy smexy, all but negated those quibbles. I can only hope this continues to deliver and becomes a long standing series that I’ll enjoy far far into the future! Fingers crossed!
February 24, 2018
*** 3.5 stars ***
I have mixed feelings about this book. At times I was bored; other times engrossed. For too long a chunk of the story I disliked the MC, Cooper Dayton (or Dayton Cooper? Two last names for a name had me chronically confused). He seemed mean-spirited, which isn't an easy flaw for me to forgive. The other MC, Park, seen only through Cooper's POV, was mostly an enigma to me.
But there's one thing I don't have mixed feelings about, and it's this: Charlie Adhara is a real talent, an author to be excited about. Sure, her debut novel had some pacing issues, some characterization issues, but damn can she write. Cooper's internal dialogue was quirky and distinctive, and there were so many interesting little turns of phrase that I occasionally found myself laughing out loud just at the joy of seeing something expressed in a fresh and original way.
I'm at a loss as to whether to round this up to 4 stars, or down to 3. Out of appreciation for a promising new author, I'd like to round up; to honestly compare it to other books on my shelves, I should round down. Also, as far as my personal enjoyment goes, the relationship between Cooper and Park had a D/s aspect to it, which is something I have a strong aversion to. It made me set the book aside for a while before I was ready to grit my teeth and pick it up again. So, 3 stars it is -- but it's a very upbeat, optimistic 3 stars, and I'm looking forward to seeing more by this author.
I have mixed feelings about this book. At times I was bored; other times engrossed. For too long a chunk of the story I disliked the MC, Cooper Dayton (or Dayton Cooper? Two last names for a name had me chronically confused). He seemed mean-spirited, which isn't an easy flaw for me to forgive. The other MC, Park, seen only through Cooper's POV, was mostly an enigma to me.
But there's one thing I don't have mixed feelings about, and it's this: Charlie Adhara is a real talent, an author to be excited about. Sure, her debut novel had some pacing issues, some characterization issues, but damn can she write. Cooper's internal dialogue was quirky and distinctive, and there were so many interesting little turns of phrase that I occasionally found myself laughing out loud just at the joy of seeing something expressed in a fresh and original way.
I'm at a loss as to whether to round this up to 4 stars, or down to 3. Out of appreciation for a promising new author, I'd like to round up; to honestly compare it to other books on my shelves, I should round down. Also, as far as my personal enjoyment goes, the relationship between Cooper and Park had a D/s aspect to it, which is something I have a strong aversion to. It made me set the book aside for a while before I was ready to grit my teeth and pick it up again. So, 3 stars it is -- but it's a very upbeat, optimistic 3 stars, and I'm looking forward to seeing more by this author.
February 4, 2019
4.5 Stars
With The Wolf at the Door, Adhara delivers a damn impressive debut novel, one that will surely remain among my top reads of 2019.
What we have here is an engaging whodunit-type crime/mystery plot, full of lots of intriguing twists and turns that left me riveted to the page as I tried my best to predict what was coming next – (mostly) to no avail.
Cooper is a special agent who works for a top-secret branch of the FBI called the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI), which deals exclusively with cases involving werewolves. The existence of werewolves is still largely unknown to the general population, but it’s becoming imperative that the humans in the know start working cohesively with their werewolf counterparts, mostly to ensure that crimes committed by/or against werewolves are handled in a safe and unbiased way.
The story kicks into gear when Cooper’s higher ups partner him with a werewolf named Park, who works for a werewolf organisation called The Trust, and send them to investigate a string of murders and disappearances in the backwoods town of Florence.
The dynamic between Cooper and Park is complex and appealing from the start, only growing more so as they race against the clock to uncover the truth behind the nefarious murders and disappearances that are ravaging this once-peaceful small town community.
Even though the mystery played front and centre here, it was the slow-burn romance between Cooper and Park that held me truly captivated. Their chemistry was off the charts, and after lots of delicious push and pull, with plenty of banter and barbs shared while working the case, they finally came together in spectacular fashion and it was positively combustible!
This story truly was an epic amalgamation of many of the things I love reading most in fiction, including:
- remarkable writing quality with a perfectly paced narrative
- intriguing world-building
- a cast of characters who were multifaceted and engaging
- a mystery plot that was both complex and engrossing
- a swoon-worthy slow-burn romance, and
- humour that was bang-on and wildly amusing to the point of induced giggle-snorting
To me, that’s a lot of impressive ticks in my plus column, and I’m sure I’ve even forgotten a few unintentionally.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the hell out of this reading experience and I’m blown away at the thought that this was the author’s debut offering. I’m truly excited for this series to expand and grow because I get the feeling Cooper and Park have the potential to become quite the epic M/M book couple, if given the chance.
With The Wolf at the Door, Adhara delivers a damn impressive debut novel, one that will surely remain among my top reads of 2019.
What we have here is an engaging whodunit-type crime/mystery plot, full of lots of intriguing twists and turns that left me riveted to the page as I tried my best to predict what was coming next – (mostly) to no avail.
Cooper is a special agent who works for a top-secret branch of the FBI called the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI), which deals exclusively with cases involving werewolves. The existence of werewolves is still largely unknown to the general population, but it’s becoming imperative that the humans in the know start working cohesively with their werewolf counterparts, mostly to ensure that crimes committed by/or against werewolves are handled in a safe and unbiased way.
The story kicks into gear when Cooper’s higher ups partner him with a werewolf named Park, who works for a werewolf organisation called The Trust, and send them to investigate a string of murders and disappearances in the backwoods town of Florence.
The dynamic between Cooper and Park is complex and appealing from the start, only growing more so as they race against the clock to uncover the truth behind the nefarious murders and disappearances that are ravaging this once-peaceful small town community.
Even though the mystery played front and centre here, it was the slow-burn romance between Cooper and Park that held me truly captivated. Their chemistry was off the charts, and after lots of delicious push and pull, with plenty of banter and barbs shared while working the case, they finally came together in spectacular fashion and it was positively combustible!
This story truly was an epic amalgamation of many of the things I love reading most in fiction, including:
- remarkable writing quality with a perfectly paced narrative
- intriguing world-building
- a cast of characters who were multifaceted and engaging
- a mystery plot that was both complex and engrossing
- a swoon-worthy slow-burn romance, and
- humour that was bang-on and wildly amusing to the point of induced giggle-snorting
To me, that’s a lot of impressive ticks in my plus column, and I’m sure I’ve even forgotten a few unintentionally.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the hell out of this reading experience and I’m blown away at the thought that this was the author’s debut offering. I’m truly excited for this series to expand and grow because I get the feeling Cooper and Park have the potential to become quite the epic M/M book couple, if given the chance.
November 20, 2024
It's no secret that romantic suspense is my least favorite genre, but this is one of the few "big" series in M/M romance that I haven't read, so I had this voice in the back of my head saying trrrryyyy it, you need to tryyyyyy ittttt.
I first started this book in audio format. BAD idea. I'm very sorry to report that the narrator of this series is garbage. Literally one monotone voice for all characters. Not worth your money or a credit, I'm telling you.
So I (luckily) also owned the ebook, which I immediate switched to. And even though romantic suspense isn't my thing, I ended up really enjoying it.
I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to suspense books because I don't love surprises or like a jump scare is around every corner. I'm sure you can guess how fun I am at the movies... I kept trying to guess the bad guy, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. I do think that took away my enjoyment a bit, but that's me with any book in this genre.
I'm really liking the world that The Wolf at the Door created, and I'm pretty excited for more books in this series, now that the two MCs will be an established team moving forward. I'm also hoping for a bit more steam and some more back story on Park as his character was less developed for me, probably because of the single POV.
Putting on my big girl pants to dive into the rest of the series!
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I first started this book in audio format. BAD idea. I'm very sorry to report that the narrator of this series is garbage. Literally one monotone voice for all characters. Not worth your money or a credit, I'm telling you.
So I (luckily) also owned the ebook, which I immediate switched to. And even though romantic suspense isn't my thing, I ended up really enjoying it.
I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to suspense books because I don't love surprises or like a jump scare is around every corner. I'm sure you can guess how fun I am at the movies... I kept trying to guess the bad guy, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. I do think that took away my enjoyment a bit, but that's me with any book in this genre.
I'm really liking the world that The Wolf at the Door created, and I'm pretty excited for more books in this series, now that the two MCs will be an established team moving forward. I'm also hoping for a bit more steam and some more back story on Park as his character was less developed for me, probably because of the single POV.
Putting on my big girl pants to dive into the rest of the series!
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July 14, 2020
“Murder was like getting a tattoo. The first one you carefully ask yourself why; each one after you ask yourself why not?”
Well then I better be careful not to commit that first murder, cuz I gotta hella lotta tattoos.
And yet not one of these. So, I guess you can say that I'm winning.
So this book is a mystery that has werewolves as the main suspects because people are being killed by werewolves. As surprising as this might seem, I actually had the wrong guy pegged for half the book and even put way too many bookmarks on what I saw as the evidence against that person. Then they turned up dead and I was like, "ruh roh, back to the drawing board." Yeah, I'm articulate. Luckily, I'm also extremely suspicious because the person who I thought was a co-bad guy was the one.
(My kids and I were discussing the other day if we could get away with casually dropping the word "zoinks" in a conversation without the other person noticing. We decided that it's impossible. If you have any ideas, please share.) (I know, we're a veritable brain trust over here.)
The mystery was pretty interesting and there were plenty of murders - which I like (bloodthirsty much? Yes). But, I think the main thing about this book was the partnership between the two law enforcement guys. In this world, the werewolves have only been out of the doghouse closet for a short time and only to law enforcement. This led to them starting a branch of the FBI to work werewolf crimes, but to say that this branch is clueless and racist is an understatement. So, to work this case they take an FBI guy and pair him with a werewolf officer. Seems like a good idea.
The FBI guy is super werewolf-racist but doesn't mean to be. He has basic misunderstandings of werewolves, was trained by a total bigot, and had been attacked by one. The werewolf guy has the patience of a saint and is awesome in every way. And, the best part? They are both gay.
If that bothers you, you definitely are not going to want to turn the page. Or the nextone few.
I liked the book, the mystery, and the main werewolf character. The main human character was kind of an immature asshole for a good portion of the book. But, he did grow. I'm going to continue reading to see if he ends up becoming a good and decent guy after getting laid consistently. It's possible.
Well then I better be careful not to commit that first murder, cuz I gotta hella lotta tattoos.
And yet not one of these. So, I guess you can say that I'm winning.
So this book is a mystery that has werewolves as the main suspects because people are being killed by werewolves. As surprising as this might seem, I actually had the wrong guy pegged for half the book and even put way too many bookmarks on what I saw as the evidence against that person. Then they turned up dead and I was like, "ruh roh, back to the drawing board." Yeah, I'm articulate. Luckily, I'm also extremely suspicious because the person who I thought was a co-bad guy was the one.
(My kids and I were discussing the other day if we could get away with casually dropping the word "zoinks" in a conversation without the other person noticing. We decided that it's impossible. If you have any ideas, please share.) (I know, we're a veritable brain trust over here.)
The mystery was pretty interesting and there were plenty of murders - which I like (bloodthirsty much? Yes). But, I think the main thing about this book was the partnership between the two law enforcement guys. In this world, the werewolves have only been out of the doghouse closet for a short time and only to law enforcement. This led to them starting a branch of the FBI to work werewolf crimes, but to say that this branch is clueless and racist is an understatement. So, to work this case they take an FBI guy and pair him with a werewolf officer. Seems like a good idea.
The FBI guy is super werewolf-racist but doesn't mean to be. He has basic misunderstandings of werewolves, was trained by a total bigot, and had been attacked by one. The werewolf guy has the patience of a saint and is awesome in every way. And, the best part? They are both gay.
If that bothers you, you definitely are not going to want to turn the page. Or the next
I liked the book, the mystery, and the main werewolf character. The main human character was kind of an immature asshole for a good portion of the book. But, he did grow. I'm going to continue reading to see if he ends up becoming a good and decent guy after getting laid consistently. It's possible.
August 23, 2023
This one is even better on a second read! I love how the story is woven together, the mystery, the shifter prejudices, how genuine these men are, and the underlying budding romance!!
“Wait,” Cooper said. He wet his suddenly dry lips. “Aren’t you going to check under the bed?” The words come out slow, thick and suggestive.
Park stared at him for a moment, and then suddenly Cooper was being pushed inside. The door slammed behind them and he was shoved against it.
Original review:
This was a great take on the shifter/human, m/m gay romance, thriller genre.
This book was a good start to the series. It left quite a few questions unanswered and left me wanting to start the next book. Who knows what new mysteries they can solve together?
“Wait,” Cooper said. He wet his suddenly dry lips. “Aren’t you going to check under the bed?” The words come out slow, thick and suggestive.
Park stared at him for a moment, and then suddenly Cooper was being pushed inside. The door slammed behind them and he was shoved against it.
Original review:
This was a great take on the shifter/human, m/m gay romance, thriller genre.
Murder was like getting a tattoo. The first one you carefully ask yourself why; each one after you ask yourself why not?A former FBI agent partners up with an agent from The Trust (a werewolf oversight committee) to solve a series of murders in a small town. It’s enemies to trusted partners, to lovers. The story focuses mainly on the murders, and colorful side characters. The relationship between the two men grows slowly, each feeling out if they can trust the other.
“Fortunately, Park seemed more bemused than offended. “Do you disapprove of human-werewolf relationships, Agent Dayton?”Cooper tries so hard to hold everything inside, he doesn’t know if he can trust Park, but he knows he is deeply attracted to him.
“No. Of course not. I—that’s not what I meant. I just didn’t understand...” Cooper trailed off, thoroughly uncomfortable, and Park took pity on him.
“She’s not my type because I’m gay.”
The silence was sharp. Vaguely Cooper was aware his mouth was hanging open. He shut it quickly. Then opened it again to say, “Oh, that’s nice.”
This book was a good start to the series. It left quite a few questions unanswered and left me wanting to start the next book. Who knows what new mysteries they can solve together?
February 23, 2019
I'm making my intrigued face.
Ollie and Coop definitely have chemistry. Nothing beats a size difference IMHO; excited to see where that leads and how it develops. If it's anything in the neighborhood of that sex scene on the couch...
I'd like to know more about Ollie but what I know so far I like. Especially the growling.
Could've done with less push/pull between them, though it looks as though it's coming from an authentic place and Adhara's looks to be playing the long game character development-wise.
I'm up for the game since this case really kept me on my toes! That excited me and I also appreciate that they didn't Patterson me and throw in the culprit at the end. I hate that shit.
I kept fluctuating between 3.5 and 4 stars so I'll just round up.
Thank you Mistletoe Jingleflakes for the gift!
And all the friends who've read this and put it on my radar! xx
Ollie and Coop definitely have chemistry. Nothing beats a size difference IMHO; excited to see where that leads and how it develops. If it's anything in the neighborhood of that sex scene on the couch...
I'd like to know more about Ollie but what I know so far I like. Especially the growling.
Could've done with less push/pull between them, though it looks as though it's coming from an authentic place and Adhara's looks to be playing the long game character development-wise.
I'm up for the game since this case really kept me on my toes! That excited me and I also appreciate that they didn't Patterson me and throw in the culprit at the end. I hate that shit.
I kept fluctuating between 3.5 and 4 stars so I'll just round up.
Thank you Mistletoe Jingleflakes for the gift!
And all the friends who've read this and put it on my radar! xx
November 27, 2024
I’m on BookTube now! =)
”Murder was like getting a tattoo. The first one you carefully ask yourself why; each one after you ask yourself why not?”
Damn, I think I should read more in the m/m supernatural genre again, because this book was exactly what I needed and craved! I loved this story and the characters so much and I’m kinda mad at myself for waiting so long to pick it up! Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park were two amazing characters and the humour was impeccable! Not to mention the plot and the murder mystery they were trying to solve. “The Wolf at the Door” delivered on all fronts and I honestly couldn’t be happier about it. Plus there was a lot of chemistry going on between our two MCs, yet I’d definitely say that it was a really nice slow-burn romance that smouldered throughout the entire book before it actually caught fire. ;-)
"A large, warm hand grabbed his arm and prevented him from face-planting into a rotted log.
Cooper straightened quickly and shrugged out of Park's powerful grasp. "I'm good," he said gruffly.
"Of course you are," Park replied, deep voice reassuring and solemn, but there was a teasing narrowness to his eyes and the slightest quirk of his mouth.
I mean Cooper and Park were vibing from the moment they had their first meet-cute, but it took a little more time and energy to get those two to a point where they were comfortable enough to trust each other. Considering their pasts it’s not all too surprising they were guarded, though. Not to mention the fact that they were thrown together as the first human/werewolf team to ever solve a murder case in a joint effort. A cooperation between the BSI and The Trust in the middle of nowhere when both parties are guarded certainly wasn’t the best starting point, but Cooper and Park were determined to make it work. Well, and they eventually did. Most definitely much better than their supervisors might have anticipated. *lol* ;-P
”Something bothering you, Agent Dayton?”
“Nope. Just want to solve this case. And go home and hug my very live cat.”
“Should have known you were a cat person.”
“Why, because I don’t like you?” Cooper muttered as Park left the trailer.
Park called over his shoulder, “Because you’re an anti-social asshole.” Cooper laughed despite himself.
Honestly, those two made me laugh so often! I really enjoyed their antagonistic conversations and in their case it worked out so perfectly. I wouldn’t say they were enemies-to-lovers, but it also wasn’t exactly rivals-to-lovers, if you know what I mean?! If anything it was more like distrustful-co-workers-with-a-lot-of-personal-issues-to-lovers. Haha! If that’s not a sub-trope already I’m going to make it one now. XD No, seriously, their chemistry was so off the charts that even the most mundane actions had some sort of innuendo lurking beneath the surface.
”You really know how to butter a guy up, Dayton."
"Oh, get over yourself. It wasn't that big a deal. What are you expecting, that I get on my knees and beg?"
Park tilted his head. Now the look in his eyes was not soft at all. They flicked down to Cooper's mouth and then back up. Cooper didn't breathe.
Both MCs were very different and I think that’s why they worked so well. Unfortunately we only see all the events happening through Cooper’s POV and I really wish we would have gotten Park’s view as well. It would have added another layer to the story and in my humble opinion would have made everything even better. Don’t get me wrong, this is already a five star read but with Park’s POV it would have been a “hall-of-fame I’ll never stop gushing about the book” one! *lol* Not that it isn’t already, but you get what I mean. XD Anyway! I enjoyed being in Cooper’s head more than I’d like to admit because he was one of the most relatable characters ever. The way he thought about people’s actions, his sarcasm, his tendency to overthink simple things, his honesty and him being a grumpy smart mouth with a great humour… It were all character traits I have myself so I couldn’t help but be soft for him. *lol* Also his statement about parents:
”Parents, right?” he said weakly, “No one knows you better and no one understands you less.”
Boy, truer words have never been spoken. Haha! I found it interesting to read that so many people didn’t like Cooper at first because I loved his character right from the beginning. I guess the saying “One man’s meat is another man’s poison” might apply in his case. Well, and then we have Park, a quiet and rather stoic seeming werewolf who has a tight grip on his feelings and only lets a little bit of amusement shine through his impeccable façade every once in a while. I’m not gonna lie, Park was a mystery and I think that’s why Charlie Adhara decided not to give him his own POV. Smart move! It definitely would have taken away some of the mystery and to experience everything he did through Cooper’s eyes made him even more interesting. Because of that, the reader and Cooper are left guessing at his motives and actions instead of knowing what he’s up to. Okay, I would have loved to get at least one Park POV chapter but I’m fine with the way it was handled here. Maybe in one of the other books when we got to know him better?! You can always hope and dream. ;-P
”Every time he managed to catch Park’s eye, Park would immediately look away, and when Cooper tried to get him alone he’d scamper off. Or whatever the Park equivalent of scamper was. Gracefully glide elsewhere.”
”For someone who enjoyed being around people, he was a very private person. Charming other people from behind a carefully controlled mask. Cooper wondered if he’d always been like that or if it was something he’d learned out of necessity.”
I kinda liked the fact that Cooper used to be a profiler at the FBI and only changed to the BSI taking over the same function. I really enjoyed seeing how he worked through the clues and evidence while he tried to get a clear picture of the murderer’s personality. It was one of the many things that made the book even more intriguing and even though we didn’t find out all too much about Park’s past I’m pretty sure he’s not as much of a blank slate as Cooper thought he’d be. He brought a lot of experience and insight to the table and I doubt everything was only based on him being a perceptive werewolf. Also I found it hilarious that Park was so private Cooper didn’t even know his first name. At least not until something happened that got Cooper in quite a … tight spot. *lol* Sorry, couldn’t help the allusion to that scene! I laughed so much!
Cause guessing his first name was what was going to make the difference here. Stupid. Maybe he deserved to have someone drop a rock on his head and put him out of his misery. "C'mon, you bastard. Show me your super hearing. Asshole Park. Huge alpha Park. Big, strong, muscular Park. Amazing Ass Park. Pretty Eyes Park."
Those two! I absolutely adored them. Them and their easy banter, which is top-notch. I can’t wait to read all the other 4 books of this series because I’m pretty sure it will only get better and better from here on out. At least that’s what the increasing rating of all the other books on goodreads indicates. I’m secretly hoping for more quotes like this one:
Oliver looked puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I want to work with you?”
“Why would you?” Cooper asked bluntly. “Since we first met, I’ve done nothing but stick my foot in my mouth and my head up my ass.”
“Very flexible of you. Good trait in a partner.”
Haha! I can’t with them! *lol* Okay, okay! I’m going to stop now! I think this review already got excessively long! The only thing I’ll add and say is that the plot was actually pretty enjoyable as well. I figured out a couple of the clues and hints, but didn’t totally nail the identity of the culprit. And this doesn’t happen often when I read murder mysteries. Usually I’m quite good at figuring out leads so the fact I had a hard time this time around made the story even more appealing. At least for me it did.
Conclusion:
Just in case you didn’t already realize this by seeing the high rating or reading this review: I loved and adored this story and its characters! Cooper Dayton is one of the most relatable characters I ever came across and Oliver Park is one hell of an intriguing love interest. The combination of a supernatural murder mystery paired with a m/m romance and great humour hit exactly the right spot and the spicy scenes fit perfectly into the story. Bottom line: I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the next book. ;-P
____________________________
Okay, I absolutely loved and adored this?!
And I could legit bite myself in my own behind for not picking this up sooner!!!
Cooper and Park had such a great chemistry and the supernatural mystery element was done so well too. Not to mention the humour! *lol* Also Cooper is so damn relatable, I can’t even. Haha! Love this man.
Full RTC soon-ish. Stay tuned for more! ;-)
P.S: I managed to finish one #rainboween book, at least. >_<
_____________________________
“The Wolf at the Door” is my second #Rainboween read this year and I’m more than just a little curious about it! So many people raved about this story, you have no idea!
Also it sounds exactly like my cup of tea! I mean, two FBI agents that work for a special investigations bureau and are forced to team up in order to solve a supernatural case?!
They are attracted to each other but don’t want to give in?! This sounds like the supernatural version of the “Cut & Run” series and I don’t know about you, but I’m so here for it! <3
Let’s do this! Cooper and Park, here I come!
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”Murder was like getting a tattoo. The first one you carefully ask yourself why; each one after you ask yourself why not?”
Damn, I think I should read more in the m/m supernatural genre again, because this book was exactly what I needed and craved! I loved this story and the characters so much and I’m kinda mad at myself for waiting so long to pick it up! Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park were two amazing characters and the humour was impeccable! Not to mention the plot and the murder mystery they were trying to solve. “The Wolf at the Door” delivered on all fronts and I honestly couldn’t be happier about it. Plus there was a lot of chemistry going on between our two MCs, yet I’d definitely say that it was a really nice slow-burn romance that smouldered throughout the entire book before it actually caught fire. ;-)
"A large, warm hand grabbed his arm and prevented him from face-planting into a rotted log.
Cooper straightened quickly and shrugged out of Park's powerful grasp. "I'm good," he said gruffly.
"Of course you are," Park replied, deep voice reassuring and solemn, but there was a teasing narrowness to his eyes and the slightest quirk of his mouth.
I mean Cooper and Park were vibing from the moment they had their first meet-cute, but it took a little more time and energy to get those two to a point where they were comfortable enough to trust each other. Considering their pasts it’s not all too surprising they were guarded, though. Not to mention the fact that they were thrown together as the first human/werewolf team to ever solve a murder case in a joint effort. A cooperation between the BSI and The Trust in the middle of nowhere when both parties are guarded certainly wasn’t the best starting point, but Cooper and Park were determined to make it work. Well, and they eventually did. Most definitely much better than their supervisors might have anticipated. *lol* ;-P
”Something bothering you, Agent Dayton?”
“Nope. Just want to solve this case. And go home and hug my very live cat.”
“Should have known you were a cat person.”
“Why, because I don’t like you?” Cooper muttered as Park left the trailer.
Park called over his shoulder, “Because you’re an anti-social asshole.” Cooper laughed despite himself.
Honestly, those two made me laugh so often! I really enjoyed their antagonistic conversations and in their case it worked out so perfectly. I wouldn’t say they were enemies-to-lovers, but it also wasn’t exactly rivals-to-lovers, if you know what I mean?! If anything it was more like distrustful-co-workers-with-a-lot-of-personal-issues-to-lovers. Haha! If that’s not a sub-trope already I’m going to make it one now. XD No, seriously, their chemistry was so off the charts that even the most mundane actions had some sort of innuendo lurking beneath the surface.
”You really know how to butter a guy up, Dayton."
"Oh, get over yourself. It wasn't that big a deal. What are you expecting, that I get on my knees and beg?"
Park tilted his head. Now the look in his eyes was not soft at all. They flicked down to Cooper's mouth and then back up. Cooper didn't breathe.
Both MCs were very different and I think that’s why they worked so well. Unfortunately we only see all the events happening through Cooper’s POV and I really wish we would have gotten Park’s view as well. It would have added another layer to the story and in my humble opinion would have made everything even better. Don’t get me wrong, this is already a five star read but with Park’s POV it would have been a “hall-of-fame I’ll never stop gushing about the book” one! *lol* Not that it isn’t already, but you get what I mean. XD Anyway! I enjoyed being in Cooper’s head more than I’d like to admit because he was one of the most relatable characters ever. The way he thought about people’s actions, his sarcasm, his tendency to overthink simple things, his honesty and him being a grumpy smart mouth with a great humour… It were all character traits I have myself so I couldn’t help but be soft for him. *lol* Also his statement about parents:
”Parents, right?” he said weakly, “No one knows you better and no one understands you less.”
Boy, truer words have never been spoken. Haha! I found it interesting to read that so many people didn’t like Cooper at first because I loved his character right from the beginning. I guess the saying “One man’s meat is another man’s poison” might apply in his case. Well, and then we have Park, a quiet and rather stoic seeming werewolf who has a tight grip on his feelings and only lets a little bit of amusement shine through his impeccable façade every once in a while. I’m not gonna lie, Park was a mystery and I think that’s why Charlie Adhara decided not to give him his own POV. Smart move! It definitely would have taken away some of the mystery and to experience everything he did through Cooper’s eyes made him even more interesting. Because of that, the reader and Cooper are left guessing at his motives and actions instead of knowing what he’s up to. Okay, I would have loved to get at least one Park POV chapter but I’m fine with the way it was handled here. Maybe in one of the other books when we got to know him better?! You can always hope and dream. ;-P
”Every time he managed to catch Park’s eye, Park would immediately look away, and when Cooper tried to get him alone he’d scamper off. Or whatever the Park equivalent of scamper was. Gracefully glide elsewhere.”
”For someone who enjoyed being around people, he was a very private person. Charming other people from behind a carefully controlled mask. Cooper wondered if he’d always been like that or if it was something he’d learned out of necessity.”
I kinda liked the fact that Cooper used to be a profiler at the FBI and only changed to the BSI taking over the same function. I really enjoyed seeing how he worked through the clues and evidence while he tried to get a clear picture of the murderer’s personality. It was one of the many things that made the book even more intriguing and even though we didn’t find out all too much about Park’s past I’m pretty sure he’s not as much of a blank slate as Cooper thought he’d be. He brought a lot of experience and insight to the table and I doubt everything was only based on him being a perceptive werewolf. Also I found it hilarious that Park was so private Cooper didn’t even know his first name. At least not until something happened that got Cooper in quite a … tight spot. *lol* Sorry, couldn’t help the allusion to that scene! I laughed so much!
Cause guessing his first name was what was going to make the difference here. Stupid. Maybe he deserved to have someone drop a rock on his head and put him out of his misery. "C'mon, you bastard. Show me your super hearing. Asshole Park. Huge alpha Park. Big, strong, muscular Park. Amazing Ass Park. Pretty Eyes Park."
Those two! I absolutely adored them. Them and their easy banter, which is top-notch. I can’t wait to read all the other 4 books of this series because I’m pretty sure it will only get better and better from here on out. At least that’s what the increasing rating of all the other books on goodreads indicates. I’m secretly hoping for more quotes like this one:
Oliver looked puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I want to work with you?”
“Why would you?” Cooper asked bluntly. “Since we first met, I’ve done nothing but stick my foot in my mouth and my head up my ass.”
“Very flexible of you. Good trait in a partner.”
Haha! I can’t with them! *lol* Okay, okay! I’m going to stop now! I think this review already got excessively long! The only thing I’ll add and say is that the plot was actually pretty enjoyable as well. I figured out a couple of the clues and hints, but didn’t totally nail the identity of the culprit. And this doesn’t happen often when I read murder mysteries. Usually I’m quite good at figuring out leads so the fact I had a hard time this time around made the story even more appealing. At least for me it did.
Conclusion:
Just in case you didn’t already realize this by seeing the high rating or reading this review: I loved and adored this story and its characters! Cooper Dayton is one of the most relatable characters I ever came across and Oliver Park is one hell of an intriguing love interest. The combination of a supernatural murder mystery paired with a m/m romance and great humour hit exactly the right spot and the spicy scenes fit perfectly into the story. Bottom line: I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the next book. ;-P
____________________________
Okay, I absolutely loved and adored this?!
And I could legit bite myself in my own behind for not picking this up sooner!!!
Cooper and Park had such a great chemistry and the supernatural mystery element was done so well too. Not to mention the humour! *lol* Also Cooper is so damn relatable, I can’t even. Haha! Love this man.
Full RTC soon-ish. Stay tuned for more! ;-)
P.S: I managed to finish one #rainboween book, at least. >_<
_____________________________
“The Wolf at the Door” is my second #Rainboween read this year and I’m more than just a little curious about it! So many people raved about this story, you have no idea!
Also it sounds exactly like my cup of tea! I mean, two FBI agents that work for a special investigations bureau and are forced to team up in order to solve a supernatural case?!
They are attracted to each other but don’t want to give in?! This sounds like the supernatural version of the “Cut & Run” series and I don’t know about you, but I’m so here for it! <3
Let’s do this! Cooper and Park, here I come!
Find me on:
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September 19, 2021
4.5 stars ☆
bitches out here willing to die for Oliver Park. that's me. im bitches. 🤪
fav scene:
"Good." He brought Cooper's wrist to his mouth, inhaled deeply and then brushed his lips across the racing pulse point. "You're afraid."
Cooper nodded, then let his head tip back, gasping, when Oliver pulled him closer still and moved to nuzzle over the scars on his belly.
"Why?"
"Because you can hurt me." It slipped out without Cooper thinking, and he almost kicked himself when Oliver pulled away to stare at him seriously.
"I would never."
"Not like that. You could hurt me because I... I care." The last words were nothing more than a mumbled exhale that your average person wouldn't have heard.
Oliver heard.
He stood, their bodies pressed together, and he leaned in so his mouth was hovering over Cooper's. "In that case, you scare me, too."
Cooper's heart pounded and he tingled all over. "Yeah?"
He felt Oliver's smile on his lips. "Special Agent Dayton, I'm absolutely terrified, and I couldn't be happier about it."
bitches out here willing to die for Oliver Park. that's me. im bitches. 🤪
fav scene:
"Good." He brought Cooper's wrist to his mouth, inhaled deeply and then brushed his lips across the racing pulse point. "You're afraid."
Cooper nodded, then let his head tip back, gasping, when Oliver pulled him closer still and moved to nuzzle over the scars on his belly.
"Why?"
"Because you can hurt me." It slipped out without Cooper thinking, and he almost kicked himself when Oliver pulled away to stare at him seriously.
"I would never."
"Not like that. You could hurt me because I... I care." The last words were nothing more than a mumbled exhale that your average person wouldn't have heard.
Oliver heard.
He stood, their bodies pressed together, and he leaned in so his mouth was hovering over Cooper's. "In that case, you scare me, too."
Cooper's heart pounded and he tingled all over. "Yeah?"
He felt Oliver's smile on his lips. "Special Agent Dayton, I'm absolutely terrified, and I couldn't be happier about it."
September 20, 2025
Cooper Dayton is a federal agent who works for the BSI, an offshoot branch of the FBI that deals with special cases... notably werewolves. On his way to work on the metro one day, he bumps into a handsome stranger. After they exchange a few words, the stranger hurriedly moves on his way.
When the BSI and the werewolf equivalent, The Trust, decide to team Cooper up with one of their agents as part of a scheme to improve relations with the werewolf community, he once again comes face to face with said stranger – Agent Oliver Park.
Together they start to work together to investigate the murders of two people and the disappearance of a Forest Service employee – all whilst slowly falling for each other.
This is a slow-burn romance; we don't get to our first kiss until around the 60% mark. When it comes to romance, I know people like different ratios of spice to plot – we do get a couple of spicy scenes, but you could actually say this falls more into the romantic suspense category, as it's heavier on the whodunit aspect than the romance/spice.
I probably will go on to read the next in the series at some point, but it's not one I'm desperate to jump into straight away. The whodunit was wrapped up in this one, so it will probably be a whole new plotline in the next book.
I don't read as much romance as I used to, as it tends to all get a bit similar. When I do dip back in, it's for books like this that add a good mix of different things to the genre – it had a detective/crime plot with a sprinkling of the paranormal via the werewolf element.
I'm a bit torn as to what to rate this one. I liked it, but it did tend to drag a little bit in places. It was also told only from the point of view of Cooper, so I found Oliver's character was a bit harder to connect with, simply because we don't know what he was thinking. It was so close to a 4, but given some of the aforementioned points, I'll rate this one a 3.5/5.
When the BSI and the werewolf equivalent, The Trust, decide to team Cooper up with one of their agents as part of a scheme to improve relations with the werewolf community, he once again comes face to face with said stranger – Agent Oliver Park.
Together they start to work together to investigate the murders of two people and the disappearance of a Forest Service employee – all whilst slowly falling for each other.
This is a slow-burn romance; we don't get to our first kiss until around the 60% mark. When it comes to romance, I know people like different ratios of spice to plot – we do get a couple of spicy scenes, but you could actually say this falls more into the romantic suspense category, as it's heavier on the whodunit aspect than the romance/spice.
I probably will go on to read the next in the series at some point, but it's not one I'm desperate to jump into straight away. The whodunit was wrapped up in this one, so it will probably be a whole new plotline in the next book.
I don't read as much romance as I used to, as it tends to all get a bit similar. When I do dip back in, it's for books like this that add a good mix of different things to the genre – it had a detective/crime plot with a sprinkling of the paranormal via the werewolf element.
I'm a bit torn as to what to rate this one. I liked it, but it did tend to drag a little bit in places. It was also told only from the point of view of Cooper, so I found Oliver's character was a bit harder to connect with, simply because we don't know what he was thinking. It was so close to a 4, but given some of the aforementioned points, I'll rate this one a 3.5/5.
March 3, 2020
Well, as much as I enjoyed reading this one...and I really did... Cooper must be one of the worst agents I have ever read about. I mean come on... even I knew he was fucking everything up. And a profiler for the FBI?? Yeah, he couldn't even figure his head from his own ass !! Which might have something to do with the fact that he was not only clueless as shit but also a major asshole.
Thankfully Parker made a lot of things right in this book and so I never felt the need to close the book on Cooper's stupidities.
Near the end, it seemed that Cooper was finally opening his eyes a bit and so I have high hopes for his brain and personality in the second book, which I can't wait to read.
So even though Cooper made me grind my teeth from the beginning until the near end, this was a pretty great read ;)
3,5 stars
Thankfully Parker made a lot of things right in this book and so I never felt the need to close the book on Cooper's stupidities.
Near the end, it seemed that Cooper was finally opening his eyes a bit and so I have high hopes for his brain and personality in the second book, which I can't wait to read.
So even though Cooper made me grind my teeth from the beginning until the near end, this was a pretty great read ;)
3,5 stars
June 25, 2018
I've been in a bit of a book slump lately, starting books and not finishing them. This book roared in like a band of bad ass bikers, grabbed me by the throat, and dragged me along til the last page. I simply loved the writing--it's filled with intelligence, wit, and genuine characters. The murder mystery plot was good, and I enjoyed the secret werewolf agency angle. The romance was slow burn, which I really like, and felt fulfilling for being only the first book for this couple.
My only disappointment is the Charlie Adhara has no other books out right now. Sequel coming in September!
My only disappointment is the Charlie Adhara has no other books out right now. Sequel coming in September!
June 28, 2025
June 2025 re-read - scrap the audio, I read this WITH MY EYES this time and it was SO GOOD! I need Park in my life ASAP. I think shifter books WITHOUT the omegaverse vibes REALLY HIT THE SPOT FOR ME.
Re-read prior to starting book 4 as I realised that the initial audio I listened to for book 1 wasn’t necessarily bad but it didn’t make the most of the experience either. I think I missed out on a lot of the chemistry as well as some of the more intricate plot details when I zoned out at times on audio. I definitely loved this more on the re-read.
Original review - 4 🌟
Ooh a new contender for my favourite shifter series! This was so much fun! I listened to this on audio and the narration was fine with a non-irritating voice although he spoke quickly and maybe a little monotone.
I’ll admit I was expecting a slower burn for the series, feel like the tension was short lived and maybe a trickier mystery would have been good but I still had a jolly good time! Cooper was quite endearing and Park just extremely irresistible - their banter and dynamic was right up my alley.
Loved the way the wolves are integrated into the story and the human vs wolf dynamic is interesting. I especially like how ‘normal’ the werewolves are, it wasn’t too OTT at all. Super keen for book 2.
Re-read prior to starting book 4 as I realised that the initial audio I listened to for book 1 wasn’t necessarily bad but it didn’t make the most of the experience either. I think I missed out on a lot of the chemistry as well as some of the more intricate plot details when I zoned out at times on audio. I definitely loved this more on the re-read.
Original review - 4 🌟
Ooh a new contender for my favourite shifter series! This was so much fun! I listened to this on audio and the narration was fine with a non-irritating voice although he spoke quickly and maybe a little monotone.
I’ll admit I was expecting a slower burn for the series, feel like the tension was short lived and maybe a trickier mystery would have been good but I still had a jolly good time! Cooper was quite endearing and Park just extremely irresistible - their banter and dynamic was right up my alley.
Loved the way the wolves are integrated into the story and the human vs wolf dynamic is interesting. I especially like how ‘normal’ the werewolves are, it wasn’t too OTT at all. Super keen for book 2.
June 5, 2025
"This used to be a nice town. A safe town. Now you can't catch one devil before running into another. When did this world become overrun with sin?"
Look. I wanted to like this. Really. It's so hard for me to find books that I could enjoy, especially romance books, but I keep on trying. The Wolf at the Door started well enough for me to have hope for it to be enjoyable, and I felt quite positive about it until I realized that I already read such a story. Multiple times, actually. As fanfics and as novels (mostly as fanfics). I'm not accusing the author of plagiarism, I'm just trying to point out how painfully generic this story is.
~ two main characters who officially meet each other at work, but unofficially meet each other on the route to work - check ✅
~ sexy, mysterious and unresistible partner - check ✅
~ the main characters get to know each other and trust each other while working on a case, but the MC cuts it off when the love interest says something very personal - check ✅
~ the mystery of the MC's tragic past (accident) - check ✅
~ daddy/parents' issues - check ✅
~ "I need you to fuck me"/"I need your cock" type of sex- check ✅
~ awkwardness and regrets after having a one night stand - check ✅
~ the culprit is obvious from the very beginning, but let's pretend like he's not - check ✅
~ emotional plot twist that's not earned at all - check ✅
Did you notice that I haven't pointed out the werewolf thing anywhere? It's a reason for that. You see, The Wolf at the Door is supposed to be a crime/romance story with werewolves, but, except for the word "werewolf" being used here and there, you could have easily forget that it's a werewolf story. The so-called werewolf characters could easily be just normal characters, I felt no difference between them, genuinely. It's one of the reasons why the book failed to keep my attention.
What's the book about?
Two agents, Cooper Dayton (a human) and Agent Park (a werewolf) gets paired up to solve a case of missing people and fall for each other. That's pretty much what it is.
The characters.
Agent Cooper is a lonely human with daddy issues, scars on his belly that hurt sometimes (after an attack some years ago), hates to talk to people and is very observant of even the smallest of things. Agent Park is a hot, intimidating, stoic and always professional werewolf that has distanced himself from his famous werewolf family for some reason. It's all that they are, really. There are also some other characters, like Cooper's human partner, some other agents, missing people and potential culprits. Nobody memorable, just trust me on this.
The case.
It started well. I was actually engaged in the main characters' chase at first, and I was looking forward to see who the culprit was and what was the reason for abducting all those people. But then I started to lose my focus, because the story felt less and less engaging. When the culprit was finally revealed, there was no 'oh my gosh, really?! No way!' from me, it was 'oh, it's him, of course'. There was no plot twist. No surprise. Now, when it comes to the culprit...
The lack of emotional plot twist that's supposed to be there.
The other reason why I reacted so impassively to the culprit reveal was because the story lacked in the emotional connection between the MC (Dayton) and the culprit. It was hinted on, here and there, but it wasn't developed, so the betrayal on the end didn't work as it should have.
The romance.
I liked Dayton's and Park's relationship at first. They met up, slowly started to know each other and work as a unit to solve their case. The romance and the case balanced each other very well. I was anticipating their first kiss, maybe their first date or something. It felt exciting. But then the worst thing (for me, at least) happened - without knowing much of one another and knowing that they will have to work together after this, they jumped into a one night stand (that turned into two night stand surprisingly fast). I hate when it happens. Call me what you want, but I'm an enthusiast of a slow burn, not of jumping into sex right away. That's not a romance story for me. That's not a love story. It looked like all they got was the sexual fascination, lacking the emotional connection that supposed to also be there.
Btw, the sex scenes, especially the second one, was incredibly awful. But it made me laugh a lot, so points for that, I guess!
The circumstances.
The two agents are paired up to solve a case, mostly because their agencies need to show up the trust between them and an united front to the, well, not to the public (because the werewolf community didn't "come out" to everybody), but to the world governments. There was also another reason to it - because the werewolf community was outraged over their people missing. That reason was only pointed out, never explored in any deeper way, which surprised me, because yes, there were some werewolves having some trust issues over humans, but that was it. No anger, no real conflict, nothing. What also surprised me a lot was how uninformed agent Dayton was about the werewolf community. Wouldn't it be strategically wise of the BSI to educate its agents about the werewolves since 1) they knew they exists, and 2) the whole point of their agency existing are the paranormal stuff? That wasn't just a misstep, it was a incredibly stupid decision and could cost someone's life one day.
Some points I can give to the story:
~ Dayton's 'I don't like to talk' thing (same)
~ every time Dayton and Park made each other laugh
~ The mystery of Park's first name
~ Park asking for consent before they went all in during the sex
~ Dayton being the one to save the day (not being a damsel in distress for a werewolf to save).
I will not read the next books of this series. They might be better or they might not, I will not be there to find it out. I just don't care much about these characters and their romance. Even the werewolves weren't anything interesting. I'm sad to say it, but that's how I felt about it.
Look. I wanted to like this. Really. It's so hard for me to find books that I could enjoy, especially romance books, but I keep on trying. The Wolf at the Door started well enough for me to have hope for it to be enjoyable, and I felt quite positive about it until I realized that I already read such a story. Multiple times, actually. As fanfics and as novels (mostly as fanfics). I'm not accusing the author of plagiarism, I'm just trying to point out how painfully generic this story is.
~ two main characters who officially meet each other at work, but unofficially meet each other on the route to work - check ✅
~ sexy, mysterious and unresistible partner - check ✅
~ the main characters get to know each other and trust each other while working on a case, but the MC cuts it off when the love interest says something very personal - check ✅
~ the mystery of the MC's tragic past (accident) - check ✅
~ daddy/parents' issues - check ✅
~ "I need you to fuck me"/"I need your cock" type of sex- check ✅
~ awkwardness and regrets after having a one night stand - check ✅
~ the culprit is obvious from the very beginning, but let's pretend like he's not - check ✅
~ emotional plot twist that's not earned at all - check ✅
Did you notice that I haven't pointed out the werewolf thing anywhere? It's a reason for that. You see, The Wolf at the Door is supposed to be a crime/romance story with werewolves, but, except for the word "werewolf" being used here and there, you could have easily forget that it's a werewolf story. The so-called werewolf characters could easily be just normal characters, I felt no difference between them, genuinely. It's one of the reasons why the book failed to keep my attention.
What's the book about?
Two agents, Cooper Dayton (a human) and Agent Park (a werewolf) gets paired up to solve a case of missing people and fall for each other. That's pretty much what it is.
The characters.
Agent Cooper is a lonely human with daddy issues, scars on his belly that hurt sometimes (after an attack some years ago), hates to talk to people and is very observant of even the smallest of things. Agent Park is a hot, intimidating, stoic and always professional werewolf that has distanced himself from his famous werewolf family for some reason. It's all that they are, really. There are also some other characters, like Cooper's human partner, some other agents, missing people and potential culprits. Nobody memorable, just trust me on this.
The case.
It started well. I was actually engaged in the main characters' chase at first, and I was looking forward to see who the culprit was and what was the reason for abducting all those people. But then I started to lose my focus, because the story felt less and less engaging. When the culprit was finally revealed, there was no 'oh my gosh, really?! No way!' from me, it was 'oh, it's him, of course'. There was no plot twist. No surprise. Now, when it comes to the culprit...
The lack of emotional plot twist that's supposed to be there.
The other reason why I reacted so impassively to the culprit reveal was because the story lacked in the emotional connection between the MC (Dayton) and the culprit. It was hinted on, here and there, but it wasn't developed, so the betrayal on the end didn't work as it should have.
The romance.
I liked Dayton's and Park's relationship at first. They met up, slowly started to know each other and work as a unit to solve their case. The romance and the case balanced each other very well. I was anticipating their first kiss, maybe their first date or something. It felt exciting. But then the worst thing (for me, at least) happened - without knowing much of one another and knowing that they will have to work together after this, they jumped into a one night stand (that turned into two night stand surprisingly fast). I hate when it happens. Call me what you want, but I'm an enthusiast of a slow burn, not of jumping into sex right away. That's not a romance story for me. That's not a love story. It looked like all they got was the sexual fascination, lacking the emotional connection that supposed to also be there.
Btw, the sex scenes, especially the second one, was incredibly awful. But it made me laugh a lot, so points for that, I guess!
The circumstances.
The two agents are paired up to solve a case, mostly because their agencies need to show up the trust between them and an united front to the, well, not to the public (because the werewolf community didn't "come out" to everybody), but to the world governments. There was also another reason to it - because the werewolf community was outraged over their people missing. That reason was only pointed out, never explored in any deeper way, which surprised me, because yes, there were some werewolves having some trust issues over humans, but that was it. No anger, no real conflict, nothing. What also surprised me a lot was how uninformed agent Dayton was about the werewolf community. Wouldn't it be strategically wise of the BSI to educate its agents about the werewolves since 1) they knew they exists, and 2) the whole point of their agency existing are the paranormal stuff? That wasn't just a misstep, it was a incredibly stupid decision and could cost someone's life one day.
Some points I can give to the story:
~ Dayton's 'I don't like to talk' thing (same)
~ every time Dayton and Park made each other laugh
~ The mystery of Park's first name
~ Park asking for consent before they went all in during the sex
~ Dayton being the one to save the day (not being a damsel in distress for a werewolf to save).
I will not read the next books of this series. They might be better or they might not, I will not be there to find it out. I just don't care much about these characters and their romance. Even the werewolves weren't anything interesting. I'm sad to say it, but that's how I felt about it.
May 15, 2025
3.5 stars. My gut is a funny thing. It took me a long time in my life to trust my “animal instincts,” and then an experience like this book has to come along and make me remember why.
With every passing year, my dnf trigger finger gets itchier. I can be patient with content development, but writing quality... let’s just say that if I’m not appreciating that, it has almost never turned around. And I’ve learned to trust my gut and not throw good time after bad.
Fortunately, I have more resources at my disposal than only my gut. Namely, my GR friends.
If I hadn’t gone into Wolf at the Door on a friend’s recommendation (coupled with other friends’ positive reviews), I think I would have DNFed it around 25%. At that point, the plot was slow to develop, but what was aggravating me more was the characterization of the MC, Cooper. I could not get a feeling for who he was. His internal voice didn't make any sense to me, and the way he was presented was just too all over the place.
Here’s where my experience gets REALLY strange — and misaligned with many of the reviews I’ve read — Cooper ended up being my favorite part of this book.
When the narrative got consistent, he was awkward, adorable, neurotic, vulnerable, snarky, with a chip on his shoulder but just this side of cynical. In a genre full of devastatingly handsome, confident, and mysterious alpha men, he was so refreshing, even if experiencing his perspective was sometimes as cringe-worthy as watching Michael Scott lead a team meeting.
I don’t always call out the strength of sex scenes in romance novels; to be perfectly frank, I expect them to be strong and am more likely to call it out if they aren’t. But these especially landed for me, for a couple of reasons. (Sorry, I know it’s unsexy to analyze such things.) The descriptions weren’t subtle per se, but they had fewer practical details than usual, focusing instead on the characters’ reactions, inner monologue, etc. Not kinky, but just a hint of a D/S dynamic that reeeally worked for me. And when a sex scene makes me laugh and moan within the same paragraph? Fucking brilliant. I live for that shit and I don’t find it often.
So this rating is really an average, because it finished much stronger than it began. I will definitely read book 2. I’m looking forward to returning to Cooper and Park’s story! Charlie Adhara is a great addition to the genre.
----------
After I glanced at the Wolf at the Door cover around 20 times, a wolf image jumped out at me. I had assumed I was slow on the uptake here, but after talking to Hayley today, who doesn’t see it, I need some confirmation. Or a tie-breaker, haha. I haven’t seen a discussion about this anywhere.
The wolf I see: The reflection of the house is his right eye (picture left). The dirt across the top is his forehead, becoming the bridge of his snout as it moves vertically down. Full paw print is his nose, or maybe a marking on his snout. He’s looking over your right shoulder.
Am I crazy?? Please someone else tell me you see this.
With every passing year, my dnf trigger finger gets itchier. I can be patient with content development, but writing quality... let’s just say that if I’m not appreciating that, it has almost never turned around. And I’ve learned to trust my gut and not throw good time after bad.
Fortunately, I have more resources at my disposal than only my gut. Namely, my GR friends.
If I hadn’t gone into Wolf at the Door on a friend’s recommendation (coupled with other friends’ positive reviews), I think I would have DNFed it around 25%. At that point, the plot was slow to develop, but what was aggravating me more was the characterization of the MC, Cooper. I could not get a feeling for who he was. His internal voice didn't make any sense to me, and the way he was presented was just too all over the place.
Here’s where my experience gets REALLY strange — and misaligned with many of the reviews I’ve read — Cooper ended up being my favorite part of this book.
When the narrative got consistent, he was awkward, adorable, neurotic, vulnerable, snarky, with a chip on his shoulder but just this side of cynical. In a genre full of devastatingly handsome, confident, and mysterious alpha men, he was so refreshing, even if experiencing his perspective was sometimes as cringe-worthy as watching Michael Scott lead a team meeting.
I don’t always call out the strength of sex scenes in romance novels; to be perfectly frank, I expect them to be strong and am more likely to call it out if they aren’t. But these especially landed for me, for a couple of reasons. (Sorry, I know it’s unsexy to analyze such things.) The descriptions weren’t subtle per se, but they had fewer practical details than usual, focusing instead on the characters’ reactions, inner monologue, etc. Not kinky, but just a hint of a D/S dynamic that reeeally worked for me. And when a sex scene makes me laugh and moan within the same paragraph? Fucking brilliant. I live for that shit and I don’t find it often.
So this rating is really an average, because it finished much stronger than it began. I will definitely read book 2. I’m looking forward to returning to Cooper and Park’s story! Charlie Adhara is a great addition to the genre.
----------
After I glanced at the Wolf at the Door cover around 20 times, a wolf image jumped out at me. I had assumed I was slow on the uptake here, but after talking to Hayley today, who doesn’t see it, I need some confirmation. Or a tie-breaker, haha. I haven’t seen a discussion about this anywhere.
The wolf I see: The reflection of the house is his right eye (picture left). The dirt across the top is his forehead, becoming the bridge of his snout as it moves vertically down. Full paw print is his nose, or maybe a marking on his snout. He’s looking over your right shoulder.
Am I crazy?? Please someone else tell me you see this.
June 22, 2018
Holy moly this was a GREAT, solid MM-mystery and it is currently on sale at all major platforms, they fixed it so it also shows up at the 'zon (june 2018).
Now spend ALL the monies!!!!
First of all the amount of humour and snark was amazing, and it elevated this story from a good mystery to a fantastic book.
I'm very surprised I liked this one as much as I did, considering I didn't like Cooper all that much.
More than once he's a total douchebag and completely incapable of apologizing, going as far as mocking Park for having his feelings hurt.
I know they're all 'manly men' but can we please acknowledge that it's okay to have feelings and that it's okay to demand that the one treading on said feelings; apologize for being a shithead?!
NOW you can kiss and make up!
As for the rest of it... Fucking fantastic mystery.
Sure, there were a lot of people and names to keep straight, but I thought the author did a pretty good job of describing different characteristics, making it easier to navigate who was who (I feel like there should be a whom somewhere there, but I can't figure it out and I can't be bothered to Google it.)
I also had no clue where this was going, which I thought was amazing, considering I read a lot of mysteries and always have a guess or two. But here I was blank, so that was pretty masterful and fun IMO.
The chemistry between Cooper and Park was palpable at times, though I did miss Park's POV.
I get that he's supposed to be mysterious (and that we have more books coming, YAY), but a wee bit more intimate knowledge of him and his history would have been appreciated, and it would have made it easier to swallow his easy forgiveness of Cooper's 'foot-in-mouth-syndrome' and douchetastic behaviour.
In the end though, even if this story only takes place over a few days, it felt like a delicious slow-burn and I bought their connection.
Another thing I want to comment on is the fact that I didn't really notice that it was a shifter book. I know it sounds strange, but it was very...Fluent? Realistic? Seamless!
And it read believable to me; making this a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I am really excited about the next one and am looking forward to finding out more about Cooper (and his idiotic father), but especially Park and his mysterious family and background.
I would recommend this to ALL MM-mystery fans, who wants some smexy times (though they come late *snicker*) and humour served with their main course of police work.
Now spend ALL the monies!!!!
First of all the amount of humour and snark was amazing, and it elevated this story from a good mystery to a fantastic book.
I'm very surprised I liked this one as much as I did, considering I didn't like Cooper all that much.
More than once he's a total douchebag and completely incapable of apologizing, going as far as mocking Park for having his feelings hurt.
I know they're all 'manly men' but can we please acknowledge that it's okay to have feelings and that it's okay to demand that the one treading on said feelings; apologize for being a shithead?!
NOW you can kiss and make up!
As for the rest of it... Fucking fantastic mystery.
Sure, there were a lot of people and names to keep straight, but I thought the author did a pretty good job of describing different characteristics, making it easier to navigate who was who (I feel like there should be a whom somewhere there, but I can't figure it out and I can't be bothered to Google it.)
I also had no clue where this was going, which I thought was amazing, considering I read a lot of mysteries and always have a guess or two. But here I was blank, so that was pretty masterful and fun IMO.
The chemistry between Cooper and Park was palpable at times, though I did miss Park's POV.
I get that he's supposed to be mysterious (and that we have more books coming, YAY), but a wee bit more intimate knowledge of him and his history would have been appreciated, and it would have made it easier to swallow his easy forgiveness of Cooper's 'foot-in-mouth-syndrome' and douchetastic behaviour.
In the end though, even if this story only takes place over a few days, it felt like a delicious slow-burn and I bought their connection.
Another thing I want to comment on is the fact that I didn't really notice that it was a shifter book. I know it sounds strange, but it was very...
And it read believable to me; making this a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I am really excited about the next one and am looking forward to finding out more about Cooper (and his idiotic father), but especially Park and his mysterious family and background.
I would recommend this to ALL MM-mystery fans, who wants some smexy times (though they come late *snicker*) and humour served with their main course of police work.
January 8, 2023
Reread 1/8/23: Loved it even more the second time and glad I got some new friends on the bandwagon!
*****
Original review:
I started this as an audiobook and could not get into it about 30% in I ended up switching to the ebook and loved it. Excited to continue the series.
*****
Original review:
I started this as an audiobook and could not get into it about 30% in I ended up switching to the ebook and loved it. Excited to continue the series.
March 1, 2024
4.25**** stars
audio: 3.5 stars
I think this was a great first installment of this author’s debut series.
I enjoyed the back and forth and hesitant romantic approach between BSI Agent Cooper Dayton and werewolf Oliver Park a lot. I’m eager to see where their journey is taking them in the next books.
Erik Bloomquist is certainly not the most outgoing of narrators but I think his low-key performance will grow on me. *lol
*************
Big Bad Wolf Series
Book 1 - The Wolf at the Door - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - The Wolf at Bay - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Thrown to the Wolves - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - Cry Wolf - 4.0 stars
audio: 3.5 stars
I think this was a great first installment of this author’s debut series.
I enjoyed the back and forth and hesitant romantic approach between BSI Agent Cooper Dayton and werewolf Oliver Park a lot. I’m eager to see where their journey is taking them in the next books.
[context to my favorite scene: Cooper just got himself in a potential dangerous situation, scooping out a suspect’s land with the unsub somewhere out there.]
“Park,” Cooper whispered, feeling like an idiot. “Park,” he repeated a little louder, but still not at full talking volume, […] “Park. Agent Park... John Park? Fred? Freddy Park?” Cooper guessed. […]
“C’mon, you bastard. Show me your super hearing. Asshole Park. Huge alpha Park. Big, strong, muscular Park. Amazing Ass Park. Pretty Eyes Park.”
[a little later when Park had rescued Coop from his situation]
“Hey,” Park said. “Oliver.”
“What?”
“My name’s Oliver. Though if you want to call me Pretty Eyes Park again, I promise I’ll still come running.”
Erik Bloomquist is certainly not the most outgoing of narrators but I think his low-key performance will grow on me. *lol
*************
Big Bad Wolf Series
Book 1 - The Wolf at the Door - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - The Wolf at Bay - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Thrown to the Wolves - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - Cry Wolf - 4.0 stars
September 30, 2024
Crime/mystery-romances are not my usual go-to genre, so it took me a few years to convince myself to give this series a try. I'm happy I finally started the series!
The crime/mystery part was ok in my opinion and made more or less sense.
I had a hard time following all the suspects, their names (they were called sometimes by their first name and sometimes by their family name, so that didn't help me feeling less confused) and their supposed motives. Should I have taken notes while reading? Is that a thing to do when reading this genre? Or maybe I was too distracted and tired to keep track of all the hints and details.
The parts I loved most were Cooper and Oliver's interactions and their relationship. I loved both of them so much. Oliver obviously, how could I not, with his strong and calming personality. Cooper was someone I could relate to, though, as he was an abrasive, antisocial, pessimistic jerk like me, preferring to shut down over getting vulnerable, and not good at expressing himself and his feelings. I loved him so much, poor sweet baby.
I loved the chemistry between Cooper and Oliver. The scene after the fall in the ditch was one of my favourites in the book.
“Hey,” Park said. “Oliver.” “What?” Cooper’s voice sounded huskier than usual. Maybe due to breathing the foul air of the crevice. Maybe not. “My name’s Oliver. Though if you want to call me Pretty Eyes Park again, I promise I’ll still come running.”
I really enjoyed the way their relationship developed, how their (emotional) intimacy grew.
Plus: stellar sex scenes.
"He gasped against Park’s temple when he felt teeth graze the soft spot under his jaw. Cooper wanted that. He was so tired of struggling. So tired of defending his position, of proving himself. So tired."
The last chapter was way too short for me, though. I get that they solved the case, but they didn't even talk between the two of them why Oliver and why Parker had been appointed to this case. I needed them to address these things, to clear the air. Talk about what happened when they solved the case. And then I needed the we-care-about-each-other scene to be longer than three, four sentences. It is a romance after all, right??
But since this is a series with 5 installments I guess I'm just too needy and pushy, and have to be more patient. I'll try.
The crime/mystery part was ok in my opinion and made more or less sense.
I had a hard time following all the suspects, their names (they were called sometimes by their first name and sometimes by their family name, so that didn't help me feeling less confused) and their supposed motives. Should I have taken notes while reading? Is that a thing to do when reading this genre? Or maybe I was too distracted and tired to keep track of all the hints and details.
The parts I loved most were Cooper and Oliver's interactions and their relationship. I loved both of them so much. Oliver obviously, how could I not, with his strong and calming personality. Cooper was someone I could relate to, though, as he was an abrasive, antisocial, pessimistic jerk like me, preferring to shut down over getting vulnerable, and not good at expressing himself and his feelings. I loved him so much, poor sweet baby.
I loved the chemistry between Cooper and Oliver. The scene after the fall in the ditch was one of my favourites in the book.
“Hey,” Park said. “Oliver.” “What?” Cooper’s voice sounded huskier than usual. Maybe due to breathing the foul air of the crevice. Maybe not. “My name’s Oliver. Though if you want to call me Pretty Eyes Park again, I promise I’ll still come running.”
I really enjoyed the way their relationship developed, how their (emotional) intimacy grew.
Plus: stellar sex scenes.
"He gasped against Park’s temple when he felt teeth graze the soft spot under his jaw. Cooper wanted that. He was so tired of struggling. So tired of defending his position, of proving himself. So tired."
The last chapter was way too short for me, though. I get that they solved the case, but they didn't even talk between the two of them why Oliver and why Parker had been appointed to this case. I needed them to address these things, to clear the air. Talk about what happened when they solved the case. And then I needed the we-care-about-each-other scene to be longer than three, four sentences. It is a romance after all, right??
But since this is a series with 5 installments I guess I'm just too needy and pushy, and have to be more patient. I'll try.
Read
February 10, 2025and I get to read FOUR MORE books about them?? 😩😩
![Profile Image for Megan [At The Cottage].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1634561405i%2F25103878._UY200_CR50%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 28, 2024
MM Romance
Paranormal Detectives
Book 1 of 5
4 Stars ⭐️
🎧Included with my Audible Plus Subscription🎧
🎵 Narrated by Erik Bloomquist🎵
First time listening to this narrator but he did a really good job and I liked listening to him.
I have been wanting to read this series forever so finding it new on A+ was a delight. Loved Pretty Eyes Park and Dayton 💗 Can’t wait to listen to all of these. It’s also nice to read a series like this where I don’t need a bazillion books for them to be together. I’m looking at you GA 😂😘
Paranormal Detectives
Book 1 of 5
4 Stars ⭐️
🎧Included with my Audible Plus Subscription🎧
🎵 Narrated by Erik Bloomquist🎵
First time listening to this narrator but he did a really good job and I liked listening to him.
I have been wanting to read this series forever so finding it new on A+ was a delight. Loved Pretty Eyes Park and Dayton 💗 Can’t wait to listen to all of these. It’s also nice to read a series like this where I don’t need a bazillion books for them to be together. I’m looking at you GA 😂😘
May 30, 2024
Different from your standard shifter romances......
And different is a good thing in this sub-genre. Unfortunately, it's novelty wasn't enough to make up for a lot of deficiencies in this book.
Positives:
Shifting wasn't the be-all and end all. In fact, there is only one on-page shift.
The werewolf culture world building was slow to reveal itself. For me, this was a pleasure since I wasn't buried in an info-dump.
There was some UST.
The book tried to tackle bigotry. (With limited success).
Now for my not so favorite parts:
The MC, Cooper, whose POV we experience, is a bigot. At times intentionally, at others as a matter of course. It found it hard to endear myself to this character. I tried, I really did, because he had moments were he seemed like a rational, open-minded individual, but then he would do, say, or think something to destroy any goodwill he created with me. Sure, by the end he changed his prejudiced tune, but it was too late for me.
Cooper was also very prickly. Add his bigotry (yes, due to ignorance and a weak will) to his rudeness and I have an even less likeable character. I'm not sure what the author was trying do here. Create a very flawed individual so he could later be redeemed? Leave the reader with mixed feelings? Try to bring out my inner bigot? What ever the purpose Adhara intended, it didn't work for me. Sorry, Charlie.
Another thing that bothered me: stupid police work. They missed OBVIOUS CLUES. I guessed the unsub from the get go. This made the fumbles the MCs made as investigators all the more annoying.
The second MC, Park the werewolf, interested me. But....I learned next to nothing about him. At all. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Give me more than tall, dark, and mysterious.
Adhara gave us no heat until 65%. We got two scenes. Both were good, but could have been much more explicit and longer.
I had high expectations from this book. I like mysteries. I like werewolves. I like police procedurals. I like small towns. I'd like Maine if I ever visited. And I really liked the fact that the focus here wasn't on shifting, but on a series of werewolf and human disappearances and murders. I just didn't like how it came across in this book.
Will I read the next one? Maybe. If it's free.
And different is a good thing in this sub-genre. Unfortunately, it's novelty wasn't enough to make up for a lot of deficiencies in this book.
Positives:
Shifting wasn't the be-all and end all. In fact, there is only one on-page shift.
The werewolf culture world building was slow to reveal itself. For me, this was a pleasure since I wasn't buried in an info-dump.
There was some UST.
The book tried to tackle bigotry. (With limited success).
Now for my not so favorite parts:
The MC, Cooper, whose POV we experience, is a bigot. At times intentionally, at others as a matter of course. It found it hard to endear myself to this character. I tried, I really did, because he had moments were he seemed like a rational, open-minded individual, but then he would do, say, or think something to destroy any goodwill he created with me. Sure, by the end he changed his prejudiced tune, but it was too late for me.
Cooper was also very prickly. Add his bigotry (yes, due to ignorance and a weak will) to his rudeness and I have an even less likeable character. I'm not sure what the author was trying do here. Create a very flawed individual so he could later be redeemed? Leave the reader with mixed feelings? Try to bring out my inner bigot? What ever the purpose Adhara intended, it didn't work for me. Sorry, Charlie.
Another thing that bothered me: stupid police work. They missed OBVIOUS CLUES. I guessed the unsub from the get go. This made the fumbles the MCs made as investigators all the more annoying.
The second MC, Park the werewolf, interested me. But....I learned next to nothing about him. At all. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Give me more than tall, dark, and mysterious.
Adhara gave us no heat until 65%. We got two scenes. Both were good, but could have been much more explicit and longer.
I had high expectations from this book. I like mysteries. I like werewolves. I like police procedurals. I like small towns. I'd like Maine if I ever visited. And I really liked the fact that the focus here wasn't on shifting, but on a series of werewolf and human disappearances and murders. I just didn't like how it came across in this book.
Will I read the next one? Maybe. If it's free.
May 2, 2024
I've been sick since yesterday and The Wolf at the Door saved my day. Reading it felt so effortless and I rooted for our resident disaster and our secretly sweet wolf from the very beginning. The mystery was engaging, if a bit predictable, and I enjoyed following them immensely. Really though - how often do we get werewolves romances with great dynamics but without that mate nonsense? 😭 Truly a blessing 🙌
Read my (spoiler-free) review for the entire series on my blog.
Read my (spoiler-free) review for the entire series on my blog.
February 2, 2022
Wow. That about sums up my thoughts on this debut novel from Charlie Adhara.
It's simply brilliant. A complex plot embracing the paranormal in combination with a police procedural, murder mystery and a romantic suspense element, could have been a hot mess.
But this narrative sparkles, it shoots along at a pace, carefully pulling all the threads together into an epic denouement which, while I saw the protagonists coming for a while, is still fraught with the necessary tension to make you try and read faster to get to the conclusion.
It's also, whether deliberate or not on the part of the author, quietly political allegory, dealing as it does with the distrust of something different, something powerful that can't be easily controlled or pigeonholed, and it reminded me a lot of the unrest happening across the world with minorities of race, sexuality, ethnicity, gender and so much more.
Ultimately, it's also a quiet love story, between two radically different people coming from poles apart and having no middle ground other than, at first, physical attraction to anchor them.
That it becomes so much more is testament to the skilful handling of the relationship by the author. I loved these two so much, with their stumbling attraction and inability to articulate their thoughts and feelings.
The paranormal is handled well, along the same vein as in the Twilight saga for me, where a whole world of other inhabitants has comfortably existed without anyone being the wiser.
I like this approach, it's always fascinated me how each of the disparate cultures across the world have 'monsters' in common which mirror werewolves and vampires, although there's none of the later in this book.
It's part one of a series, with the second due out in September this year, and I cannot wait to see where the author takes Cooper and Oliver and the The Trust/Bureau of Special Investigation's new team up partnership as they solve more werewolf crimes.
#ARC kindly provided by Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It's simply brilliant. A complex plot embracing the paranormal in combination with a police procedural, murder mystery and a romantic suspense element, could have been a hot mess.
But this narrative sparkles, it shoots along at a pace, carefully pulling all the threads together into an epic denouement which, while I saw the protagonists coming for a while, is still fraught with the necessary tension to make you try and read faster to get to the conclusion.
It's also, whether deliberate or not on the part of the author, quietly political allegory, dealing as it does with the distrust of something different, something powerful that can't be easily controlled or pigeonholed, and it reminded me a lot of the unrest happening across the world with minorities of race, sexuality, ethnicity, gender and so much more.
Ultimately, it's also a quiet love story, between two radically different people coming from poles apart and having no middle ground other than, at first, physical attraction to anchor them.
That it becomes so much more is testament to the skilful handling of the relationship by the author. I loved these two so much, with their stumbling attraction and inability to articulate their thoughts and feelings.
The paranormal is handled well, along the same vein as in the Twilight saga for me, where a whole world of other inhabitants has comfortably existed without anyone being the wiser.
I like this approach, it's always fascinated me how each of the disparate cultures across the world have 'monsters' in common which mirror werewolves and vampires, although there's none of the later in this book.
It's part one of a series, with the second due out in September this year, and I cannot wait to see where the author takes Cooper and Oliver and the The Trust/Bureau of Special Investigation's new team up partnership as they solve more werewolf crimes.
#ARC kindly provided by Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
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