What do you think?
Rate this book
Her Wolf in the Wild
The Hounds of God MC live outside the law and protect their own. They only have three rules:
(1) look out for each other
(2) obey the club president
(3) never show a human your werewolf form.
Christiana Arjean needs to get out. She tried to fix her relationship, but making a break for it is her only shot. She almost doesn’t make it, until a butch biker with a shock of white hair tosses Christiana on the back of her bike. Micah is as mysterious as she is attractive, and Christiana wants to know what’s under that tough exterior.
Micah Nubilo knows a little bit about keeping secrets. Rescuing Christiana is a bad idea, and letting her hang around is even worse. But there’s something calling to Micah: an impossible bond no werewolf should ever feel for a human, even one as beautiful as Christiana.
Their growing intimacy is threatened when they realize their pasts are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Christiana and Micah must fight against threats both outside the pack and inside themselves for a chance at putting it all behind them and finding a way forward—together.
(1) look out for each other
(2) obey the club president
(3) never show a human your werewolf form.
Christiana Arjean needs to get out. She tried to fix her relationship, but making a break for it is her only shot. She almost doesn’t make it, until a butch biker with a shock of white hair tosses Christiana on the back of her bike. Micah is as mysterious as she is attractive, and Christiana wants to know what’s under that tough exterior.
Micah Nubilo knows a little bit about keeping secrets. Rescuing Christiana is a bad idea, and letting her hang around is even worse. But there’s something calling to Micah: an impossible bond no werewolf should ever feel for a human, even one as beautiful as Christiana.
Their growing intimacy is threatened when they realize their pasts are connected in ways they never could have imagined. Christiana and Micah must fight against threats both outside the pack and inside themselves for a chance at putting it all behind them and finding a way forward—together.
Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2021
29 people are currently reading
1260 people want to read
About the author
Rien Gray
25 books153 followersRien is a queer, nonbinary author of LGBTQ+ romance, erotica, and horror. They love writing charged sex scenes, consent-informed kink, and hot criminal love interests who revel in the above.
When not writing, Rien spends their time at the gym, making tea, or angling for yet another platinum trophy in a video game.
Newsletter: Free Novella Here!
Website: riengray.com
BSky: @RienGray
When not writing, Rien spends their time at the gym, making tea, or angling for yet another platinum trophy in a video game.
Newsletter: Free Novella Here!
Website: riengray.com
BSky: @RienGray
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 17, 2021
This was a pretty average paranormal-romance book. There was a lot of good potential here, but in the end it was missing some excitement and a deeper storyline. I read Gray’s debut Love Kills Twice, earlier this year and enjoyed it so I think I had expectations that this would be an even better read, which unfortunately it wasn’t. It’s not bad by any means, werewolf stories are always fun, but I don’t believe it will stick with me like their debut did.
There were a lot of good ideas in this book. I liked that the wolf pack was actually a club of lesbian, bi, non-binary, and trans motorcycle riders. I enjoyed the concept of them living in a park and using their might to help people in need. I also liked that they had a character who was a “Warden” who added something new to the werewolf twist, and I also liked the conflict about the main character’s family. There were lots of great little storylines and different places that Gray could have taken things but they all fizzled out. We don’t get to actually ride with the club and see how they help people. We see nothing come from all the mentions of the main character’s family, and finally I felt for sure something was going to happen, that seemed obvious yet a really cool twist to the story, (I’ll put it behind a spoiler for those who have read this already ) but it didn’t happen either. I haven’t seen anything indicating this might be a series, which is a shame since this world Gray has built has such potential but instead none of the great storylines really turned into anything.
Besides feeling let down from great ideas that never materialized, there was some big eye rolling moments and characters being stupid. A stalker ex is after you so what do you do? You go and hang out at all the spots that he knows where to look for you. It was so dumb that it was hard to overlook, plus the big angst moment also felt really forced so I was rolling my eyes more than once.
The romance is not insta-love in where the characters get together right away, but it is insta-love in that the characters fall for each other right away. I didn’t really mind that because of the whole werewolf mate thing, I love paranormal books so I can give this a pass, but there was something in the relationship that I was missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I liked the two together but I didn’t feel like they had to be together. Maybe I needed to see stronger feelings between them since when you are throwing around the ‘soulmate’ word it needs to be powerful. Whatever it was, the romance fell in just the average category for my tastes.
TLDR: A paranormal story with a ton of good ideas, but not enough of them was seen all the way through. This was an average werewolf story, with an average romance, and not enough excitement for the paranormal part. I did have trouble distinguishing who was speaking at times, but hopefully that will be tightened up before this book releases. The story is fine and very readable, but its just not as good as it could have been. Gray has shown they have a lot of potential, so I would definitely read them again.
A copy was given to me for a review.
There were a lot of good ideas in this book. I liked that the wolf pack was actually a club of lesbian, bi, non-binary, and trans motorcycle riders. I enjoyed the concept of them living in a park and using their might to help people in need. I also liked that they had a character who was a “Warden” who added something new to the werewolf twist, and I also liked the conflict about the main character’s family. There were lots of great little storylines and different places that Gray could have taken things but they all fizzled out. We don’t get to actually ride with the club and see how they help people. We see nothing come from all the mentions of the main character’s family, and finally I felt for sure something was going to happen, that seemed obvious yet a really cool twist to the story, (I’ll put it behind a spoiler for those who have read this already ) but it didn’t happen either. I haven’t seen anything indicating this might be a series, which is a shame since this world Gray has built has such potential but instead none of the great storylines really turned into anything.
Besides feeling let down from great ideas that never materialized, there was some big eye rolling moments and characters being stupid. A stalker ex is after you so what do you do? You go and hang out at all the spots that he knows where to look for you. It was so dumb that it was hard to overlook, plus the big angst moment also felt really forced so I was rolling my eyes more than once.
The romance is not insta-love in where the characters get together right away, but it is insta-love in that the characters fall for each other right away. I didn’t really mind that because of the whole werewolf mate thing, I love paranormal books so I can give this a pass, but there was something in the relationship that I was missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I liked the two together but I didn’t feel like they had to be together. Maybe I needed to see stronger feelings between them since when you are throwing around the ‘soulmate’ word it needs to be powerful. Whatever it was, the romance fell in just the average category for my tastes.
TLDR: A paranormal story with a ton of good ideas, but not enough of them was seen all the way through. This was an average werewolf story, with an average romance, and not enough excitement for the paranormal part. I did have trouble distinguishing who was speaking at times, but hopefully that will be tightened up before this book releases. The story is fine and very readable, but its just not as good as it could have been. Gray has shown they have a lot of potential, so I would definitely read them again.
A copy was given to me for a review.
October 3, 2021
3.25 stars. I enjoy a shifter romance, and I read a book by Gray before which I liked, so I was looking forward to this. This was a fun paranormal read, but not without some bumps. It is not the most surprising book, but it is what you can expect from a werewolf romance and the diversity (gender, sexuality and ethnicity) in this book is excellent. One thing about the cover, why is wolf Micah so small? ….. I would have liked to see her in all her big bad glory.
The book is written in third person with POVs of Micah and Christiana. Christiana is running from her ex, a crazy state patrol officer, and she is rescued by tall attractive biker Micah. But of course, what Christiana doesn’t know, Micah and her “pack” of bikers are werewolves. Micah shouldn’t get attached to Christiana as they are not allowed to show themselves to a human, but she can’t fight the attraction.
Their romance has the insta-love feeling to it BUT we’re talking wolfie chemistry here with mate bonds, so this to be expected in this genre. This is in fact the only genre where I can actually (sometimes) really appreciate insta-love. Micah is the strong, silent type, a leader that everybody respects. Christiana is more difficult to describe, at 24 she’s somewhat younger than Micah (end 20s), and it seems that she is still figuring out who she is and what to do with her life. This is likely caused by her previous toxic relationship and it was nice to see her find her way. I enjoyed their romance, but it didn’t wow me, I would have liked to feel more of their emotions. In paranormal books the emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and love are often stronger than in a “normal” type of romance and this is something that was missing for me.
The plot is fairly simple, which is ok, but there were some issues. Starting with one of the WLW romance traps, the 80% romance conflict felt forced and I just didn’t like the reasoning behind it. Furthermore, there were some head scratching moments while I read this book, they just didn’t make sense to me. I can’t go much into detail as I would be giving away too much of the plot, but as an example, when Christiana’s stalker ex-boyfriend is trying to find her he does this is in a very big and elaborative way, but he knows at what bar Christiana works, so why not just go to the bar? Also, the way the conflict near the end is solved just didn’t add up, I didn’t believe it could have worked out the way it did.
There is quite some background info on Micah’s family of which I would like to know more, I also liked the idea of the wardens (human protectors of the werewolf and human world) and I was intrigued by the warden character in this book. I’m not sure if there will be more books in this universe, but it feels like there are plenty of options to expand on this and I would be interested in reading it.
All in all, I had some issues, but the book did make me curious for more. This is a light and entertaining paranormal romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is written in third person with POVs of Micah and Christiana. Christiana is running from her ex, a crazy state patrol officer, and she is rescued by tall attractive biker Micah. But of course, what Christiana doesn’t know, Micah and her “pack” of bikers are werewolves. Micah shouldn’t get attached to Christiana as they are not allowed to show themselves to a human, but she can’t fight the attraction.
Their romance has the insta-love feeling to it BUT we’re talking wolfie chemistry here with mate bonds, so this to be expected in this genre. This is in fact the only genre where I can actually (sometimes) really appreciate insta-love. Micah is the strong, silent type, a leader that everybody respects. Christiana is more difficult to describe, at 24 she’s somewhat younger than Micah (end 20s), and it seems that she is still figuring out who she is and what to do with her life. This is likely caused by her previous toxic relationship and it was nice to see her find her way. I enjoyed their romance, but it didn’t wow me, I would have liked to feel more of their emotions. In paranormal books the emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and love are often stronger than in a “normal” type of romance and this is something that was missing for me.
The plot is fairly simple, which is ok, but there were some issues. Starting with one of the WLW romance traps, the 80% romance conflict felt forced and I just didn’t like the reasoning behind it. Furthermore, there were some head scratching moments while I read this book, they just didn’t make sense to me. I can’t go much into detail as I would be giving away too much of the plot, but as an example, when Christiana’s stalker ex-boyfriend is trying to find her he does this is in a very big and elaborative way, but he knows at what bar Christiana works, so why not just go to the bar? Also, the way the conflict near the end is solved just didn’t add up, I didn’t believe it could have worked out the way it did.
There is quite some background info on Micah’s family of which I would like to know more, I also liked the idea of the wardens (human protectors of the werewolf and human world) and I was intrigued by the warden character in this book. I’m not sure if there will be more books in this universe, but it feels like there are plenty of options to expand on this and I would be interested in reading it.
All in all, I had some issues, but the book did make me curious for more. This is a light and entertaining paranormal romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2021
Christiana is running away from her abusive ex when her car breaks down. Just as she begins to believe all is lost, a gorgeous biker saves the day. Micah isn’t just any biker, however. As Christiana soon finds out, Micah is a werewolf, and her merry band of companions is her pack.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a lot lighter than I expected. Having read – and loved – Rien Gray’s debut Love Kills Twice (I still need to find time for the follow-up), I was looking forward to seeing how the dark and cynical atmosphere would translate to paranormal. What I got instead is a pretty traditional werewolf story with a cute romance.
Micah is a dreamy alpha, sinewy and earnest, the kind of leader who makes you believe in a world at peace while looking hot and in charge at all times. Christiana is much stronger than she gives herself credit for, open-minded and ready to love with all her heart. She might not have been prepared to become a werewolf’s mate but the way she takes it in stride is admirable.
All in all, this wasn’t the exciting read I was hoping for, but it was pretty enjoyable all the same.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a lot lighter than I expected. Having read – and loved – Rien Gray’s debut Love Kills Twice (I still need to find time for the follow-up), I was looking forward to seeing how the dark and cynical atmosphere would translate to paranormal. What I got instead is a pretty traditional werewolf story with a cute romance.
Micah is a dreamy alpha, sinewy and earnest, the kind of leader who makes you believe in a world at peace while looking hot and in charge at all times. Christiana is much stronger than she gives herself credit for, open-minded and ready to love with all her heart. She might not have been prepared to become a werewolf’s mate but the way she takes it in stride is admirable.
All in all, this wasn’t the exciting read I was hoping for, but it was pretty enjoyable all the same.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 21, 2021
Damsel in distress Christiana Arjean is left stranded on the side of the road as her stalker ex boyfriend and State Parol officer chases her down with lights and sirens blaring. And this is just the first chapter folks. In the Arizona desert with no place to hide Christiana has only one option for safety. The very tall, white haired and leather vest wearing motorcyclist who stopped to help her. Micah Nubilo is a woman of few words. She is the founder of her motorcycle club who live off the grid and make their own rules. They are good samaritans doling out their idea of justice.
Have no doubt this is a paranormal romance novel with some action scenes mixed into it. The immediate falling in love is easily explained away by the werewolves finding their mate scenario.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a light and entertaining novel. The characters are fully formed with competent writing and very likeable. It is light on the sex scenes with the most effort going into the romance. I can really see a sequel to this as Vera is a mysterious character which needs to be explored.
All in all a nice enjoyable read.
I was given a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
Have no doubt this is a paranormal romance novel with some action scenes mixed into it. The immediate falling in love is easily explained away by the werewolves finding their mate scenario.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a light and entertaining novel. The characters are fully formed with competent writing and very likeable. It is light on the sex scenes with the most effort going into the romance. I can really see a sequel to this as Vera is a mysterious character which needs to be explored.
All in all a nice enjoyable read.
I was given a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.
November 13, 2022
Ok, so HER WOLF IN THE WILD was absolutely delightful and it hit all my checkboxes for a paranormal romance! Christiana and Micah were great MCs and I loved watching them fall for each other and protect each other. After Christiana's boyfriend blows up on her when she breaks up with him, she takes off in her car and is rescued by a sexy biker in leather. Micah is secretly a werewolf and the alpha of her small pack but there's something about Christiana that draws her in and she can't help but keep her close.
As tough as Micah is she's also surprisingly sensitive and emotionally vulnerable and I loved those moments where she put her trust in Christiana. The care between these two women was so sweet and I love a fated mates romance so it really worked for me. There's also a touch of a slow burn but overall the story has a very fast feel to it. The set up for the werewolf packs, their politics, and their secrets were so well done and I'd love to read more in this world, especially if it's about some of the other members of Micah's pack. HER WOLF IN THE WILD had wonderful queer found family elements and I adored the side characters. I do think the first half of the book was a bit stronger than the second half, but overall, this was a great book by a new-to-me author.
CW: Christiana's ex-boyfriend and police officer has been stalking her after their breakup
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
"I want my mate," she answers breathlessly. "I love you. Fate might have brought us together, but life lets us stay or run, I'll stay. I'll always stay, as long as you'll have me."
As tough as Micah is she's also surprisingly sensitive and emotionally vulnerable and I loved those moments where she put her trust in Christiana. The care between these two women was so sweet and I love a fated mates romance so it really worked for me. There's also a touch of a slow burn but overall the story has a very fast feel to it. The set up for the werewolf packs, their politics, and their secrets were so well done and I'd love to read more in this world, especially if it's about some of the other members of Micah's pack. HER WOLF IN THE WILD had wonderful queer found family elements and I adored the side characters. I do think the first half of the book was a bit stronger than the second half, but overall, this was a great book by a new-to-me author.
CW: Christiana's ex-boyfriend and police officer has been stalking her after their breakup
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
"I want my mate," she answers breathlessly. "I love you. Fate might have brought us together, but life lets us stay or run, I'll stay. I'll always stay, as long as you'll have me."
October 6, 2021
I'm still slowly getting into paranormal romance, so I didn't quite know what to expect from this, but it was a delight! I'm a big fan of werewolves, especially because of the found family trope that's often used, as was the case here as well. I absolutely adored Micah's entirely queer little wolf pack, they were all amazing! Four sapphics, a trans guy and a non-binary person!!
In terms of the plot this book is on the intense side, because Christiana is coming out of an abusive relationship and is being hunted by her ex. I personally didn't find this a particularly heavy read though, because the wolf pack and the romance bring a lot of comfort.
In terms of the plot this book is on the intense side, because Christiana is coming out of an abusive relationship and is being hunted by her ex. I personally didn't find this a particularly heavy read though, because the wolf pack and the romance bring a lot of comfort.
February 24, 2022
It's a typical supernatural. An okay/good read though.
November 22, 2022
2,5 stars
This wasn't exactly bad, but it was definitely one of the weaker stories I ever read (even though I read some truly terrible stuff this past week, so in comparison this was quite decent).
A bit too much insta-love and easy solutions that appeared at exactly the right moment.
But not bad
This wasn't exactly bad, but it was definitely one of the weaker stories I ever read (even though I read some truly terrible stuff this past week, so in comparison this was quite decent).
A bit too much insta-love and easy solutions that appeared at exactly the right moment.
But not bad
October 8, 2021
I really enjoyed the two books that I read by this author this year; Love Kills Twice might make my favourites of the year list (assuming I do one). Unfortunately, I didn't like this quite as much. It's a pretty fun read, with great characters, but I had my issues.
This is a fated mates paranormal werewolf/shifter romance between Micah, a big, butch, totally swoon-worthy werewolf biker, and Christiana, a woman fleeing her abusive ex. I can't tell when was the last time I read a fated mates romance, but I was intrigued enough to give this a chance. Sadly, I think that's where most of my issues lay. Turns out I still don't like insta-love, even when it's plot/trope related. I really liked both characters, and thought they'd be good together, but I barely felt the chemistry between them. It felt like the fated mates trope was expected to do all of the heavy lifting for the relationship, and I didn't enjoy that at all. I would much rather a slow getting-to-know-each-other process, rather than a lightning quick realisation that you've found the One. Even though this is fated mates, I still expected to get more chemistry and character interaction, and there just wasn't enough for me.
I also think I might have liked these character more in a different story? Not that I disliked this story, but I wasn't particularly compelled. The plot was shaky in certain places. I wanted to know more about werewolf society and Micah's parents, but we only got snippets. The ways that characters reacted in certain situations didn't always really fit/make sense to me. The third act conflict was, as it so often is in romances, way overblown. I liked the writing fine, but I do think Gray has written better. There just wasn't a lot making me fall in love with this book.
But though I didn't fall in love, I still liked this. I liked Micah a lot, and the type of alpha she was. I love reading about pack dynamics, and the fact that we had a found family of all queer werewolves made me super happy. You can't call this book slow burn, but they also didn't fall into bed immediately and break all the tension, and I appreciated that. Micah and Christiana are really sweet together.
This is definitely a unique paranormal romance. If you're in the mood for f/f shifters, this would be a good pick for October. I didn't love it, but it was mostly solid.
Content warnings: .
☆ Review copy provided via the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!
This is a fated mates paranormal werewolf/shifter romance between Micah, a big, butch, totally swoon-worthy werewolf biker, and Christiana, a woman fleeing her abusive ex. I can't tell when was the last time I read a fated mates romance, but I was intrigued enough to give this a chance. Sadly, I think that's where most of my issues lay. Turns out I still don't like insta-love, even when it's plot/trope related. I really liked both characters, and thought they'd be good together, but I barely felt the chemistry between them. It felt like the fated mates trope was expected to do all of the heavy lifting for the relationship, and I didn't enjoy that at all. I would much rather a slow getting-to-know-each-other process, rather than a lightning quick realisation that you've found the One. Even though this is fated mates, I still expected to get more chemistry and character interaction, and there just wasn't enough for me.
I also think I might have liked these character more in a different story? Not that I disliked this story, but I wasn't particularly compelled. The plot was shaky in certain places. I wanted to know more about werewolf society and Micah's parents, but we only got snippets. The ways that characters reacted in certain situations didn't always really fit/make sense to me. The third act conflict was, as it so often is in romances, way overblown. I liked the writing fine, but I do think Gray has written better. There just wasn't a lot making me fall in love with this book.
But though I didn't fall in love, I still liked this. I liked Micah a lot, and the type of alpha she was. I love reading about pack dynamics, and the fact that we had a found family of all queer werewolves made me super happy. You can't call this book slow burn, but they also didn't fall into bed immediately and break all the tension, and I appreciated that. Micah and Christiana are really sweet together.
This is definitely a unique paranormal romance. If you're in the mood for f/f shifters, this would be a good pick for October. I didn't love it, but it was mostly solid.
Content warnings: .
☆ Review copy provided via the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you!
October 12, 2021
I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, and I really like Grays writing style. I did feel like there were some loose ends. I wish we could have met Micah's mom, she seems like the perfect ice queen hehe. Nice romance, ok plot, cool side characters. Overall good read.
November 4, 2021
3.5 ⭐
September 12, 2021
Really liked this book. Just the paranormal (werewolf) break I needed. Quick read, lots of action, and (while there is sex) perhaps less than in many f/f paranormal romances.
When Christiana flees from her abusive ex-boyfriend, she never expects to be picked up from the side of the road by a 6-foot hunk of biker-chick awesomeness. While intimidated by the oh-so-powerful Micah, Christiana can't help being drawn to her and the safety of the biker gang Micah leads. When Micah finds Christiana, she finds more than she ever bargained for, but can she trust that Christiana feels the same way... and can she keep Christiana safe from her stalker ex without exposing herself and her pack?
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGally in exchange for an honest review.**
When Christiana flees from her abusive ex-boyfriend, she never expects to be picked up from the side of the road by a 6-foot hunk of biker-chick awesomeness. While intimidated by the oh-so-powerful Micah, Christiana can't help being drawn to her and the safety of the biker gang Micah leads. When Micah finds Christiana, she finds more than she ever bargained for, but can she trust that Christiana feels the same way... and can she keep Christiana safe from her stalker ex without exposing herself and her pack?
**I received this book from the publisher via NetGally in exchange for an honest review.**
dnf-gave-up-on
June 15, 2025DNF and while I had heard good things about the author and started it intrigued, this didn’t work for me.
I got to about 15% and the whole “mysteriously fated destiny” element sometimes but not always works.
——
One of my pet peeves with writing is when authors decide to have their characters do something that doesn’t make sense given the character and context, and then just announce to you the reader that it doesn’t make sense?
”’I want to go with you,’ I finally answer. She’ll keep me safe.
My whole body feels it like the truth, then ratchets up the tension again. Where did that even come from? We just met.”
This was already popping up in chapter 1 and similar telling-not-showing announcements are made to the reader from both characters’ narrations by the point I stopped reading. I’m sure this wouldn’t bother some people but for it to happen over and over drove me bonkers.
Announcing the plot doesn’t make sense for the situation and character motivations just takes me out of the story. I’d rather have the exact same paragraphs without the announcement it doesn’t make sense, or fleshing out the character in a way where the choice does make sense but we understand it isn’t their default response.
——
Besides the writing elements that bothered me, the general writing was otherwise good, so I’m curious if there was a plot that wasn’t giving fated feels from the first chapter if I’d enjoy it.
I do think I’d like to try one of their other novels that may be more my speed and see if I’d like them instead, probably “Love Lies Twice” or “Double Exposure.”
I’m also curious if a 3rd person narration would also resolve some of the writing style choices that just don’t work for me.
I’ve known people who liked their work so I’m not sure if a different story would pull me in or if it just doesn’t work with my particular likes and dislikes with writing.
I got to about 15% and the whole “mysteriously fated destiny” element sometimes but not always works.
——
One of my pet peeves with writing is when authors decide to have their characters do something that doesn’t make sense given the character and context, and then just announce to you the reader that it doesn’t make sense?
”’I want to go with you,’ I finally answer. She’ll keep me safe.
My whole body feels it like the truth, then ratchets up the tension again. Where did that even come from? We just met.”
This was already popping up in chapter 1 and similar telling-not-showing announcements are made to the reader from both characters’ narrations by the point I stopped reading. I’m sure this wouldn’t bother some people but for it to happen over and over drove me bonkers.
Announcing the plot doesn’t make sense for the situation and character motivations just takes me out of the story. I’d rather have the exact same paragraphs without the announcement it doesn’t make sense, or fleshing out the character in a way where the choice does make sense but we understand it isn’t their default response.
——
Besides the writing elements that bothered me, the general writing was otherwise good, so I’m curious if there was a plot that wasn’t giving fated feels from the first chapter if I’d enjoy it.
I do think I’d like to try one of their other novels that may be more my speed and see if I’d like them instead, probably “Love Lies Twice” or “Double Exposure.”
I’m also curious if a 3rd person narration would also resolve some of the writing style choices that just don’t work for me.
I’ve known people who liked their work so I’m not sure if a different story would pull me in or if it just doesn’t work with my particular likes and dislikes with writing.
September 8, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It was fun, fast paced and I couldn't put it down. If you like wolf stories I would put this on your to be read list.
It's a moral kind of story. The difference between right and wrong. Also, pointing out having a badge doesn't mean you are automatically right.
I can't say too much because it would be easy to get so involved you wouldn't have to read it just my review. So I'll say this. If you want something different and a feel good book pick this up.
Enjoy!
It's a moral kind of story. The difference between right and wrong. Also, pointing out having a badge doesn't mean you are automatically right.
I can't say too much because it would be easy to get so involved you wouldn't have to read it just my review. So I'll say this. If you want something different and a feel good book pick this up.
Enjoy!
September 17, 2021
When it comes to werewolves, it seems like some elements are always included, such as lifemate, the pack, and the alpha. It's like a package deal, a checkmark list...Reading how the author reveals those secrets it's always the fun part. I wouldn't say this book is outstanding because it reveals pretty much everything in the first 40% of the book; it made me wonder what else I’d get from the story. There’s also a lot of talking and inner monologue in both MC's POV, I guess I’m just not a fan of this writing style.
As for the romance part, it was okay-ish? I love the shape-shifters/human trope; there was something about physical power imbalance... But in this case, Micah, the alpha in the pack, is more like a puppy around Christiana lol. It’s an instant love story, but the chemistry between Micah and Christiana is well written.
3.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Carina Press for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review
As for the romance part, it was okay-ish? I love the shape-shifters/human trope; there was something about physical power imbalance... But in this case, Micah, the alpha in the pack, is more like a puppy around Christiana lol. It’s an instant love story, but the chemistry between Micah and Christiana is well written.
3.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Carina Press for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review
December 5, 2021
Very entertaining!
I liked the storyline, the supporting cast and my favorite, the butch biker. But, I was missing something in this story that I can't quite put my finger on. Plus I had, in a few chapters, trouble recognizing who was talking. Despite this, it was a pleasure to accompany Christiana and Micah on their emotional journey. So overall, a nice, entertaining read.
I liked the storyline, the supporting cast and my favorite, the butch biker. But, I was missing something in this story that I can't quite put my finger on. Plus I had, in a few chapters, trouble recognizing who was talking. Despite this, it was a pleasure to accompany Christiana and Micah on their emotional journey. So overall, a nice, entertaining read.
November 13, 2021
*I received an ARC of Her Wolf in Wild from Carina via Netgalley*
This is 2* for the plotting, 4* for the romance, 5* for the large stoic sapphic biker with a heart of gold type of situation.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit up front that Micah was the most compelling part of the reading experience. If you recall my review of A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane, you may remember that a person who can make their love interest come by abs alone is one of my romance gold standards. Micah is that kind of woman. A 6ft tall supernaturally strong werewolf who rescues people in distress *and* has ab-sex powers. Where is the sign up sheet?
More seriously, I found this a very compelling read in so many ways. The story opens with Christiana, a Mexican-American dancer and bar tender, fleeing from her abusive ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be a state trooper. When her tire blows on a lonely stretch of highway she thinks that’s it, until a motorcycle comes over the horizon and stops. A huge brooding woman in leathers gets off and, realising the stakes, offers to help her. Christiana doesn’t know why she instantly trusts this woman, nor why Micah would go out of her way in the circumstances. She definitely doesn’t know that Micah is an alpha, leading a pack of rogue queer werewolves in the Arizona desert, or that they’re feeling the first twinges of a mate bond.
The plot that spools out from here is unlikely and distressing at times, as Christiana’s ex relentlessly hunts her down and she and Micah are forced to fight back. It’s unnecessarily twisted in parts, and the denouement was disturbing to me. It was the least satisfactory part of the book, engineering conflict that felt at odds with the thoughtfulness of the rest of the story. Because the affirming diverse queer world of the Hounds of God pack, all bikers, is a wonderful place to spend time. I loved Alejandra and Talisa, a bonded sapphic couple; Royal, a non-binary mechanic; and Connor, a young trans man just growing into his wolf. They’ve carved out a good world for themselves in the wilderness that gives Christiana a chance to relearn who she is after surviving years of psychological abuse and gaslighting. I also appreciated how the story tackled the corruption and use of intimidation and power by the police - there was no doubt they were the bad guys here.
And did I mention Micah is hot? No? Well, let me tell you more. There’s a lovely slow burn dynamic between her and Christiana, in spite of the insta-love inherent in the mate trope. Their intimate scenes were sensual and patient, and ultimately fiery. The writing in these sections is also lovely - Rien Gray has a fabulous turn of phrase that I could read all day.
In spite of the meh plot devices, I would definitely read more in a series, and I’ll be going on to Rien’s romantic suspense duology.
CWs: MC recently in abusive long term relationship - psychological abuse and gaslighting; destroying property and threatening; continued threats and physical abuse on the page; descriptions of violent assault against another woman; vigilante justice; violence leading to wounds
This is 2* for the plotting, 4* for the romance, 5* for the large stoic sapphic biker with a heart of gold type of situation.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit up front that Micah was the most compelling part of the reading experience. If you recall my review of A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane, you may remember that a person who can make their love interest come by abs alone is one of my romance gold standards. Micah is that kind of woman. A 6ft tall supernaturally strong werewolf who rescues people in distress *and* has ab-sex powers. Where is the sign up sheet?
More seriously, I found this a very compelling read in so many ways. The story opens with Christiana, a Mexican-American dancer and bar tender, fleeing from her abusive ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be a state trooper. When her tire blows on a lonely stretch of highway she thinks that’s it, until a motorcycle comes over the horizon and stops. A huge brooding woman in leathers gets off and, realising the stakes, offers to help her. Christiana doesn’t know why she instantly trusts this woman, nor why Micah would go out of her way in the circumstances. She definitely doesn’t know that Micah is an alpha, leading a pack of rogue queer werewolves in the Arizona desert, or that they’re feeling the first twinges of a mate bond.
The plot that spools out from here is unlikely and distressing at times, as Christiana’s ex relentlessly hunts her down and she and Micah are forced to fight back. It’s unnecessarily twisted in parts, and the denouement was disturbing to me. It was the least satisfactory part of the book, engineering conflict that felt at odds with the thoughtfulness of the rest of the story. Because the affirming diverse queer world of the Hounds of God pack, all bikers, is a wonderful place to spend time. I loved Alejandra and Talisa, a bonded sapphic couple; Royal, a non-binary mechanic; and Connor, a young trans man just growing into his wolf. They’ve carved out a good world for themselves in the wilderness that gives Christiana a chance to relearn who she is after surviving years of psychological abuse and gaslighting. I also appreciated how the story tackled the corruption and use of intimidation and power by the police - there was no doubt they were the bad guys here.
And did I mention Micah is hot? No? Well, let me tell you more. There’s a lovely slow burn dynamic between her and Christiana, in spite of the insta-love inherent in the mate trope. Their intimate scenes were sensual and patient, and ultimately fiery. The writing in these sections is also lovely - Rien Gray has a fabulous turn of phrase that I could read all day.
In spite of the meh plot devices, I would definitely read more in a series, and I’ll be going on to Rien’s romantic suspense duology.
CWs: MC recently in abusive long term relationship - psychological abuse and gaslighting; destroying property and threatening; continued threats and physical abuse on the page; descriptions of violent assault against another woman; vigilante justice; violence leading to wounds
August 26, 2021
TW: (ex) abusive relationship- stalking
-
HER WOLF IN THE WILD is told in dual POV. Christina Arjean is stranded on the side of the highway as she’s trying to escaping her abusive ex. Luckily, she is saved by Micah Nubilo, president of The Hounds of God motorcycle club. There’s an instant connection between the two girls, a bond that Micah isn’t sure is possible to have, considering Christina is human…. And Micah is a werewolf.
-
This was such an enjoyable read! It reminded me of how much I loved paranormal romances back in the day, though this one was *much* more diverse (LGBT+ and BIPOC) than any of those. I loved the characters— the bond between the pack was so wholesome. I’d like to have more of their stories. I enjoyed the pacing and I thought the build up in the romance was nice. Though I was expecting more steam, the sexy bits that we got were great. The action in this book was intense and watching the pack work together to protect their own had me in my feelings.
-
If you enjoy paranormal romances this is a good one to pick up! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Rien’s next book. 🐺
-
4/5 stars, HER WOLF IN THE WILD by Rien Gray is available October 19, 2021!
-
Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.
-
HER WOLF IN THE WILD is told in dual POV. Christina Arjean is stranded on the side of the highway as she’s trying to escaping her abusive ex. Luckily, she is saved by Micah Nubilo, president of The Hounds of God motorcycle club. There’s an instant connection between the two girls, a bond that Micah isn’t sure is possible to have, considering Christina is human…. And Micah is a werewolf.
-
This was such an enjoyable read! It reminded me of how much I loved paranormal romances back in the day, though this one was *much* more diverse (LGBT+ and BIPOC) than any of those. I loved the characters— the bond between the pack was so wholesome. I’d like to have more of their stories. I enjoyed the pacing and I thought the build up in the romance was nice. Though I was expecting more steam, the sexy bits that we got were great. The action in this book was intense and watching the pack work together to protect their own had me in my feelings.
-
If you enjoy paranormal romances this is a good one to pick up! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Rien’s next book. 🐺
-
4/5 stars, HER WOLF IN THE WILD by Rien Gray is available October 19, 2021!
-
Thank you to Carina Press and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.
October 21, 2021
3.5
I'm a big fan of Rien Gray based on their Fatal Fidelity series and was looking forward to them branching out to another genre.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a paranormal romance and very different from the other series. There's enough hints and mentions around Micah and her family that would easily allow the story to be expanded into a series but the book easily stands on its own and you won't be left with a cliffhanger or a lot of unanswered questions or plots.
On the run from her boyfriend, Christiana's luck seems to run out when her car gives up the ghost on a lonely highway. Lucky for her, Micah is passing by and offers her a safe place to hide from her crazy ex. Hidden away, Micah and her motorcycle crew (The Hounds of God ... love that name) live off the grid and by their own code of honor and justice - and helping a woman being pursued by a unstable cop is right up their alley, but they also need to protect their secret.
Overall, this is a light paranormal romance that doesn't have quite the same level of ambiguity or smolder that the Fidelity series has. The romance has very few obstacles (other than the whole "I'm a werewolf" thing ... and a bit of angsty guilt on Micah's part) but there's a decent amount of chemistry.
If Gray expands this into a series, I'll pick up the next one - I think that there's some interesting worldbuilding ahead that will give a some original twists to a shifter/paranormal storyline.
I'm a big fan of Rien Gray based on their Fatal Fidelity series and was looking forward to them branching out to another genre.
Her Wolf in the Wild is a paranormal romance and very different from the other series. There's enough hints and mentions around Micah and her family that would easily allow the story to be expanded into a series but the book easily stands on its own and you won't be left with a cliffhanger or a lot of unanswered questions or plots.
On the run from her boyfriend, Christiana's luck seems to run out when her car gives up the ghost on a lonely highway. Lucky for her, Micah is passing by and offers her a safe place to hide from her crazy ex. Hidden away, Micah and her motorcycle crew (The Hounds of God ... love that name) live off the grid and by their own code of honor and justice - and helping a woman being pursued by a unstable cop is right up their alley, but they also need to protect their secret.
Overall, this is a light paranormal romance that doesn't have quite the same level of ambiguity or smolder that the Fidelity series has. The romance has very few obstacles (other than the whole "I'm a werewolf" thing ... and a bit of angsty guilt on Micah's part) but there's a decent amount of chemistry.
If Gray expands this into a series, I'll pick up the next one - I think that there's some interesting worldbuilding ahead that will give a some original twists to a shifter/paranormal storyline.
July 29, 2024
Literally my only gripe with this book is that it’s too short!!! Like wdym you’re going to write a sapphic, man-hating, ACAB manifesto, sexy queer werewolf novel and give me less than 300 pages of it?! This reads a bit like a wlw fanfic of the Green Creek series by TJ Klune in the best way. All the found family feels and soulmate romantic chemistry! Ugh. Just a few more chapters at the beginning and in the middle to provide more build up and tension would have made this absolutely perfect. I really hope Gray continues this as a series, there’s so much potential with Micah’s parentage and the histories of the other packmates. Yes, I need more of Christiana and Micah, but also Alejandra, Talisa, Royal, and Connor too.
December 9, 2021
A band of "brothers" with a side of paranormal
This story felt like a shock to my heart, waking me up from a boring book I was reading. Bikers tend to turn my head and when those bikers are sexy werewolves, you have my full attention.
The beginning had me riveted. How Christiana and Micah first met to how Micah immediately took Chris in without hesitation or with too many questions was rather surprising. The author's description of Micah the big, badass, muscly, butch biker had me thinking she was going to be aloof, cold, and hard. Micah proved to be the complete opposite. Not only was she the leader of the biker gang she ran, she was also alpha werewolf of her pack. Nice and gentle don't generally equate to that deadly recipe, but she was like a gentle giant who only used her brawn when absolutely needed.
The wolves in this tale reminded me of the wolves you'd find in Gill McKnight's wolf series; standing on two legs as opposed to the wolves you'd see in Jenny Frame's series, who stand on all four legs when shifted. There was the typical lore about wolves in this story; shift on command, but the full moon enhances their ability, silver is lethal, mate bonding including biting ones mate as well as being tactile and close to the pack. The author did a good job at not bogging us down with too much info dumping about the wolves. Gray filtered in information through narrative and dialogue between the characters, evening it out. There was a mixed bowl of diversity among the wolves, something I appreciated... BUT... I also felt like the author forced these characters just to be diverse. To have a transgender, nonbinary, bisexual, and a gay man all in one shot and in a paranormal book, seemed a bit forced. If this were a YA set on a college campus somewhere, I wouldn't even question it.
The relationship between the two MC's was quite natural and intense in a way. Micah being alpha and struggling with her past, she couldn't be completely honest with Chris, whereas Chris, her whole life was an open book given that her cop ex-boyfriend was hunting her. Everything was going great until the author let me down by adding that whole "let's freak the F out over miscommunication and the fact that a werewolf loves me". I couldn't understand how Chris so easily accepted the fact that not only Micah but the entire gang she'd been hiding out with were shapeshifting mystical beings who could rip her throat out by one swipe of the paw, but couldn't accept love? And then chooses to fight with her bond mate. (I won't reveal more). It totally sucked the fun right out of it for me.
The author redeemed themselves when Micah and Chris finally "bond" and it was sexy, and hot, and beautiful because of what Micah was, and I'm not referring to her being a werewolf, either.
I would recommend this book if you like buff bikers with a furry coat underneath and insta-love.
Solid 4 stars.
This story felt like a shock to my heart, waking me up from a boring book I was reading. Bikers tend to turn my head and when those bikers are sexy werewolves, you have my full attention.
The beginning had me riveted. How Christiana and Micah first met to how Micah immediately took Chris in without hesitation or with too many questions was rather surprising. The author's description of Micah the big, badass, muscly, butch biker had me thinking she was going to be aloof, cold, and hard. Micah proved to be the complete opposite. Not only was she the leader of the biker gang she ran, she was also alpha werewolf of her pack. Nice and gentle don't generally equate to that deadly recipe, but she was like a gentle giant who only used her brawn when absolutely needed.
The wolves in this tale reminded me of the wolves you'd find in Gill McKnight's wolf series; standing on two legs as opposed to the wolves you'd see in Jenny Frame's series, who stand on all four legs when shifted. There was the typical lore about wolves in this story; shift on command, but the full moon enhances their ability, silver is lethal, mate bonding including biting ones mate as well as being tactile and close to the pack. The author did a good job at not bogging us down with too much info dumping about the wolves. Gray filtered in information through narrative and dialogue between the characters, evening it out. There was a mixed bowl of diversity among the wolves, something I appreciated... BUT... I also felt like the author forced these characters just to be diverse. To have a transgender, nonbinary, bisexual, and a gay man all in one shot and in a paranormal book, seemed a bit forced. If this were a YA set on a college campus somewhere, I wouldn't even question it.
The relationship between the two MC's was quite natural and intense in a way. Micah being alpha and struggling with her past, she couldn't be completely honest with Chris, whereas Chris, her whole life was an open book given that her cop ex-boyfriend was hunting her. Everything was going great until the author let me down by adding that whole "let's freak the F out over miscommunication and the fact that a werewolf loves me". I couldn't understand how Chris so easily accepted the fact that not only Micah but the entire gang she'd been hiding out with were shapeshifting mystical beings who could rip her throat out by one swipe of the paw, but couldn't accept love? And then chooses to fight with her bond mate. (I won't reveal more). It totally sucked the fun right out of it for me.
The author redeemed themselves when Micah and Chris finally "bond" and it was sexy, and hot, and beautiful because of what Micah was, and I'm not referring to her being a werewolf, either.
I would recommend this book if you like buff bikers with a furry coat underneath and insta-love.
Solid 4 stars.
January 9, 2024
Thankfully things picked up in the last half, but yeah… started a three star book ended a three star book. I feel like this could have either been streamlined down to remove all the stay story threads or expanded on to actually make use of those stray threads.
Either way, we definitely needed to cut 3/4ths of Micah’s dithering over telling a Christiana they were mates. It felt like the first half of the book was just Micah hashing out the same dilemma to everyone who is not Christiana in various locations.
It’s got a queer werewolf gang, though. So if you like that, you will probably get at least some enjoyment out of this book.
Either way, we definitely needed to cut 3/4ths of Micah’s dithering over telling a Christiana they were mates. It felt like the first half of the book was just Micah hashing out the same dilemma to everyone who is not Christiana in various locations.
It’s got a queer werewolf gang, though. So if you like that, you will probably get at least some enjoyment out of this book.
November 13, 2021
CW: intimate partner violence
For the first half of this book, I was convinced I was looking at a 5 star read and the FF shifter romance of my dreams. It was so promising, especially due to strong characterization for Micah, a butch werewolf MC president with white hair. Like wow did I ever pay attention whenever she strode into a scene. I had a couple of questions about how Christiana’s experience of intimate partner violence was being handled—why did she go to work instead of laying low or getting out of state?!—but the world-building was incredibly rich and I loved learning about pack dynamics. It was thoughtful, inclusively queer, and utterly compelling. It was such an easy, enjoyable read, in spite of my nerves over where the abusive stalker cop ex plot would go.
Then the external conflict kicked in and the plot holes kept piling up. I’m not a fan of plots with intimate partner violence that involve confrontations with the abuser or that are solved with more violence. I had a lot of issues with how the IPV was handled and resolved, particularly that Christiana would benefit from therapy to process the trauma of the abuse and aftermath; there’s no indication that will happen, which is unfortunate.
I would have been happier reading about Christiana and Micah making out in the lake, going on motorcycle rides, and figuring out why the werewolves didn’t know it was possible for them to mate with humans. They were great together and Christiana adapted pretty quickly once she learned the truth about the Hounds of God MC. They also had great chemistry that built up to a super steamy sex scene. Tough Micah was a virgin (I read her as being demisexual but I could be wrong) and Christiana got to take the lead in a nice little role reversal. Based on the strong first half, I would definitely try something else from this author. There’s an unresolved conflict regarding Micah’s mom and I hope that means there’s a series in the works. I want more about each person in this pack!
Character notes: Christiana is a 24 year old bisexual Mexican-Cajun bartender, dancer, and human. Micah is a white lesbian (possibly demisexual) MC president and werewolf. She has white hair (but not due to age) and she’s a virgin. This is set in Arizona.
Content notes: intimate partner violence , on-page confrontations with abuser, stalking by ex, violence, gunshot wound, gaslighting, ex is a highway patrolman, police intimidation, multiple mentions of cops abusing their power, flashbacks to MC stopping a man who was abusing a woman and almost killing him, past biphobia, motorcycle crash (secondary character, who recovers), vomit, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, one possible instance of gender essentialism , reference to marijuana (secondary character)
For the first half of this book, I was convinced I was looking at a 5 star read and the FF shifter romance of my dreams. It was so promising, especially due to strong characterization for Micah, a butch werewolf MC president with white hair. Like wow did I ever pay attention whenever she strode into a scene. I had a couple of questions about how Christiana’s experience of intimate partner violence was being handled—why did she go to work instead of laying low or getting out of state?!—but the world-building was incredibly rich and I loved learning about pack dynamics. It was thoughtful, inclusively queer, and utterly compelling. It was such an easy, enjoyable read, in spite of my nerves over where the abusive stalker cop ex plot would go.
Then the external conflict kicked in and the plot holes kept piling up. I’m not a fan of plots with intimate partner violence that involve confrontations with the abuser or that are solved with more violence. I had a lot of issues with how the IPV was handled and resolved, particularly that Christiana would benefit from therapy to process the trauma of the abuse and aftermath; there’s no indication that will happen, which is unfortunate.
I would have been happier reading about Christiana and Micah making out in the lake, going on motorcycle rides, and figuring out why the werewolves didn’t know it was possible for them to mate with humans. They were great together and Christiana adapted pretty quickly once she learned the truth about the Hounds of God MC. They also had great chemistry that built up to a super steamy sex scene. Tough Micah was a virgin (I read her as being demisexual but I could be wrong) and Christiana got to take the lead in a nice little role reversal. Based on the strong first half, I would definitely try something else from this author. There’s an unresolved conflict regarding Micah’s mom and I hope that means there’s a series in the works. I want more about each person in this pack!
Character notes: Christiana is a 24 year old bisexual Mexican-Cajun bartender, dancer, and human. Micah is a white lesbian (possibly demisexual) MC president and werewolf. She has white hair (but not due to age) and she’s a virgin. This is set in Arizona.
Content notes: intimate partner violence , on-page confrontations with abuser, stalking by ex, violence, gunshot wound, gaslighting, ex is a highway patrolman, police intimidation, multiple mentions of cops abusing their power, flashbacks to MC stopping a man who was abusing a woman and almost killing him, past biphobia, motorcycle crash (secondary character, who recovers), vomit, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, one possible instance of gender essentialism , reference to marijuana (secondary character)
October 17, 2021
Her Wolf in the Wild by Rien Gray
This has the makings of a great series starring The Hounds of God MC ~ I hope it will be the first of a series though I have not found out yet if that is the intention of the author.
What I liked:
* Christiana: human, daughter, bartender, dancer, controlled by her ex-boyfriend, on the run, bi-sexual, interesting
* Micah: werewolf, biker, alpha, female, leader of small pack, protective, daughter of an alpha intriguing
* Vera: warden, peace keeper, wise, magical abilities, would like to know more about her
* The pack
- Talisa: grew up with Micah
- Alejandra: VP and mated to Talisa
- Connor: young werewolf
- Royal: interesting pack member
* Realizing there must be a backstory and more to come and wanting to know both while hoping for another book in the future
* Charlie and Mary: coworkers of Christiana, good people, there for Christiana and one another
* The magical-paranormal aspect of the story
* Seeing this as a great YA/NA paranormal romance for LGBTQIA readers (and for those of us a wee bit or a lot older)
* That the bad guys were dealt with
* That there was a HEA for Micah and Christiana
What I didn’t like:
* The bad guy(s)
* Thinking about the abuse of power and how many get away with it
* Wanting to know more about the backstory and what will happen next and whether or not this is the beginning of a new series.
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
This has the makings of a great series starring The Hounds of God MC ~ I hope it will be the first of a series though I have not found out yet if that is the intention of the author.
What I liked:
* Christiana: human, daughter, bartender, dancer, controlled by her ex-boyfriend, on the run, bi-sexual, interesting
* Micah: werewolf, biker, alpha, female, leader of small pack, protective, daughter of an alpha intriguing
* Vera: warden, peace keeper, wise, magical abilities, would like to know more about her
* The pack
- Talisa: grew up with Micah
- Alejandra: VP and mated to Talisa
- Connor: young werewolf
- Royal: interesting pack member
* Realizing there must be a backstory and more to come and wanting to know both while hoping for another book in the future
* Charlie and Mary: coworkers of Christiana, good people, there for Christiana and one another
* The magical-paranormal aspect of the story
* Seeing this as a great YA/NA paranormal romance for LGBTQIA readers (and for those of us a wee bit or a lot older)
* That the bad guys were dealt with
* That there was a HEA for Micah and Christiana
What I didn’t like:
* The bad guy(s)
* Thinking about the abuse of power and how many get away with it
* Wanting to know more about the backstory and what will happen next and whether or not this is the beginning of a new series.
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
December 15, 2024
This is a fast, fun read. It's pretty standard werewolf, fated mates kind of stuff with a side of corrupt exes. But sometimes that's exactly what you want. The Hounds of God are probably the sweetest motorcycle club in existence. Lots of diverse rep in the characters. I loved pretty much all of the side characters.
The romance between Christiana and Micah was pretty standard fated mates, instalove. Even from the human side, Christiana was struggling against her instant attraction and unnatural trust for Micah from the get go. They take things pretty slow physically, and there are only a few spicy scenes at the end of the book. It was interesting to find the big bad butch was the inexperienced partner and needed direction when things finally heated up.
There is a third act breakup. It only lasts for a few hours chronologically, and not much time in the book. The reason for it is kind of lame and doesn't feel super authentic, but it is needed to seperate the two MCs for the final confrontation with the antagonist.
The romance between Christiana and Micah was pretty standard fated mates, instalove. Even from the human side, Christiana was struggling against her instant attraction and unnatural trust for Micah from the get go. They take things pretty slow physically, and there are only a few spicy scenes at the end of the book. It was interesting to find the big bad butch was the inexperienced partner and needed direction when things finally heated up.
There is a third act breakup. It only lasts for a few hours chronologically, and not much time in the book. The reason for it is kind of lame and doesn't feel super authentic, but it is needed to seperate the two MCs for the final confrontation with the antagonist.
March 12, 2022
Lady human bartender + lady werewolf biker.
Christiana is trying to escape an abusive ex when her car tire blows out on an almost empty desert highway. (Her ex is a state trooper, and she can literally hear his sirens in the distance). Micah, a hot motorcycle-riding badass, offers her a getaway ride and she takes it. The circumstances of their first meeting are dire, and quite terrifying, but the take-my-helmet and grab-onto-me-tight rescuing bit is quite hot.
Her Wolf in the Wild has a lovely cast of LGBTQ+ characters, and from the start the romantic leads are emotional attuned to each other, so there’s very little couple angst overall, which I personally loved. The stakes are mostly external.
The story is set in Arizona. There’s desert sex and a sensual naked times kiss in a lake under the light of the moon. *swoon*
Wow, it’s SO good!
F/F paranormal romance.
Content notes: sex, drinking, abusive ex/stalker, corrupt law enforcement, blood, violence, guns.
Christiana is trying to escape an abusive ex when her car tire blows out on an almost empty desert highway. (Her ex is a state trooper, and she can literally hear his sirens in the distance). Micah, a hot motorcycle-riding badass, offers her a getaway ride and she takes it. The circumstances of their first meeting are dire, and quite terrifying, but the take-my-helmet and grab-onto-me-tight rescuing bit is quite hot.
Her Wolf in the Wild has a lovely cast of LGBTQ+ characters, and from the start the romantic leads are emotional attuned to each other, so there’s very little couple angst overall, which I personally loved. The stakes are mostly external.
The story is set in Arizona. There’s desert sex and a sensual naked times kiss in a lake under the light of the moon. *swoon*
Wow, it’s SO good!
F/F paranormal romance.
Content notes: sex, drinking, abusive ex/stalker, corrupt law enforcement, blood, violence, guns.
April 10, 2024
Butch/Femme Loveliness!
Nicely done sapphic shifter story! Wolf shifter and alpha, Micah, rescues human Cristiana as she is on the run from a crazy ex. Their connection, or bond, seems almost immediate. Instalove done right with fated mates. Naturally the nasty ex is the antagonist for the story and I was pretty satisfied with the resolution. The touches and conversations between the MCs were engaging and the found family of the pack was well done. I liked how the alpha was portrayed, yes the leader of the pack but also sweet and caring and loyal and sincere. Having the big bad alpha be the inexperienced one in the relation was also an endearing twist. Recommend!!
Nicely done sapphic shifter story! Wolf shifter and alpha, Micah, rescues human Cristiana as she is on the run from a crazy ex. Their connection, or bond, seems almost immediate. Instalove done right with fated mates. Naturally the nasty ex is the antagonist for the story and I was pretty satisfied with the resolution. The touches and conversations between the MCs were engaging and the found family of the pack was well done. I liked how the alpha was portrayed, yes the leader of the pack but also sweet and caring and loyal and sincere. Having the big bad alpha be the inexperienced one in the relation was also an endearing twist. Recommend!!
July 18, 2025
This was better than I expected it to be. The first 50% was really strong, but then it kind of started to fizzle out/become more unrealistic at the end.
September 22, 2021
This story is as near perfect as a Carina Press romance can get. Micah, the alpha werewolf and president of Hounds of God motorcycle club, saves Christiana, who is fleeing the man she just broke up with. He's not taking the breakup well, and he's using his position as a state trooper to terrorize her.
This story is well-paced with minimal downtime. We do get to know the different people in Micah's pack of queer werewolves. There are multiple sexualities and genders. The chemistry between the leads seems natural and believable, even though they are immediately interested in each other. The action scenes when the baddie shows his hand are good, and the world-building was more than I'd expect for a book that might be a one-off.
IF you like werewolves, good bikers, or FF romances, there is a lot here to enjoy. Recommended.
Note: I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Carina Press.
This story is well-paced with minimal downtime. We do get to know the different people in Micah's pack of queer werewolves. There are multiple sexualities and genders. The chemistry between the leads seems natural and believable, even though they are immediately interested in each other. The action scenes when the baddie shows his hand are good, and the world-building was more than I'd expect for a book that might be a one-off.
IF you like werewolves, good bikers, or FF romances, there is a lot here to enjoy. Recommended.
Note: I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Carina Press.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews