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Wolves of New York #1
Wolf King
Maxim Thorn is a ruthless Alpha, a mobster king who rules his pack with an iron fist. He’s also my only hope.
As a shifter from the wrong side of the tracks who’s just been rejected by my abusive fated mate, I don’t have a lot of options in this city.
I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.
But that doesn’t mean I’m powerless. I have an ace up my sleeve, a bargaining chip Maxim can’t resist. He wants revenge on my pack leaders for poisoning his father, and I hold the key to his enemy’s destruction.
In exchange for one month of protection from my ex and his friends, I promise to give Maxim what he wants—me.
I expect honoring the bargain to be pure hell. I don’t expect to ignite every time we touch or to develop a soft spot for this wounded wolf. His blood calls to mine, and I’m starting to think this wicked king may have a heart after all.
But is there room in his world for love? Or am I destined to become a pawn in his dark game?
*This is book one in a quartet. It ends in a cliffhanger.*
As a shifter from the wrong side of the tracks who’s just been rejected by my abusive fated mate, I don’t have a lot of options in this city.
I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.
But that doesn’t mean I’m powerless. I have an ace up my sleeve, a bargaining chip Maxim can’t resist. He wants revenge on my pack leaders for poisoning his father, and I hold the key to his enemy’s destruction.
In exchange for one month of protection from my ex and his friends, I promise to give Maxim what he wants—me.
I expect honoring the bargain to be pure hell. I don’t expect to ignite every time we touch or to develop a soft spot for this wounded wolf. His blood calls to mine, and I’m starting to think this wicked king may have a heart after all.
But is there room in his world for love? Or am I destined to become a pawn in his dark game?
*This is book one in a quartet. It ends in a cliffhanger.*
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2021
About the author
Bella Jacobs
41 books277 followersBella Jacobs loves pulse-pounding action, fantasy, and supernaturally high stakes, mixed with swoon-worthy romance and unforgettable heroes.
She adores trips to the dark side and can't wait to take you on her next adventure.
She adores trips to the dark side and can't wait to take you on her next adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
July 1, 2023
This was just okay. The story took a while to get going and when it finally got to it it ended. The hero was wishy washy with the heroine. Gave me whiplash if I’m being honest. The heroine was clearly in a bad situation and the hero, at times, wasn’t a great person. Don’t get me wrong I ADORE an antihero but this one didn’t really captivate me. I’ll think about going into the next book. For now it’s a no from me but that could change in the future if I’m desperate enough for a book.
May 10, 2021
I loved this combination of a mafia type/shifter romance.
Maxim Thorn is the epitome of an alpha male, not only is he the alpha of the North Star pack but he is also a mafia king. He's been working hard to keep his pack from civil war with the Blood River pack so when the mate of the rival alpha's son shows up on his doorstep looking like a drown rat, Maxim knows things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Willow knows her life is forfeited the moment she knocks her new mate unconscious on their mating night. So she does the only thing she can think of, jumps through a portal and hopes the North Star pack will take mercy on her. What she is not expecting is the chemistry that sparks between her and Maxim.
This book is an exciting start to a new series which ends with a cliffhanger, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
Maxim Thorn is the epitome of an alpha male, not only is he the alpha of the North Star pack but he is also a mafia king. He's been working hard to keep his pack from civil war with the Blood River pack so when the mate of the rival alpha's son shows up on his doorstep looking like a drown rat, Maxim knows things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Willow knows her life is forfeited the moment she knocks her new mate unconscious on their mating night. So she does the only thing she can think of, jumps through a portal and hopes the North Star pack will take mercy on her. What she is not expecting is the chemistry that sparks between her and Maxim.
This book is an exciting start to a new series which ends with a cliffhanger, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
July 24, 2022
I literally had to go back and confirm the word Dark in the Dark Mafia Story/ Shifter trope. Clearly, I am spoiled by all the twisted books I've read. I still tried to read it as a normal shifter book, but alas the language the author associated with the characters made me think of teenagers. So... maybe one day.. maybe later...
September 22, 2023
Literally nothing happened in this book. Nothing gets solved, everything was left in the middle of nowhere.
This book did read quickly, so props to the author for that, but other than that it was quite disappointing.
This book did read quickly, so props to the author for that, but other than that it was quite disappointing.
September 14, 2022
Meh.
The dialogues were very weird and strange.
Who talks like this in real life?
The dialogues were very weird and strange.
Who talks like this in real life?
October 25, 2023
It’s ok. I got Hooked on the audiobook and am on to audiobook 2. Good voices.
July 23, 2021
I could not put this one down. It had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book! Maxim is a dark, powerful and sexy Alpha. Willow doesn't quite know the potential of her possible gifts yet, but she'll learn soon enough. She is strong, beautiful and smart as hell. I love that about her character. I want to know more about them all and what is happening between the packs. The end left me breathless! I need more!!
Lili Valente and Jason Clarke absolutely killed it in this one. I can't wait to hear the rest!
Lili Valente and Jason Clarke absolutely killed it in this one. I can't wait to hear the rest!
May 11, 2021
It took a while for the story to get anywhere and then bam it ended abruptly and we need to wait for the next book...
Insanely frustrating but I did love the characters and the intrigue makes me want to know what will happen next so 4 ⭐️
Insanely frustrating but I did love the characters and the intrigue makes me want to know what will happen next so 4 ⭐️
May 10, 2021
it was an ok read. took a bit to get into. the characters were good just took a while to get anywhere.
October 21, 2023
The Blurb is completely inaccurate
I'm so confused and pissed and feel like I got sold a bottle of water when I thought it was getting wine. The Blurb makes it sound like the MC's have some sort of "my body for my protection" thing going on. What they don't tell you is that what actually happens is the MFC lies about being raped and pregnant to the MMC and he says she can stay until they know for sure if she's pregnant or not. There is zero sex in this book, there's barely any romance, it feels like a filler book of BS just put together to milk as much money as possible. So dissappointed. The writing is laughable awful, here is a direct excerpt;
But the second I’m alone, I snag a roasted baby carrot from the main plate and pop it into my mouth, moaning as the sweet and tart balsamic glaze floods across my tongue. “Damn,” I mutter, following the carrot with a slice of turnip and another carrot. “You are some delicious little veggies, roasted root vegetables. And how about you, meaty bits? Are you yummy, too?”
😐😑🫥 What...in...the...fukazi is that? I feel like this author probably also likes Meg Ryan and using the word "feisty" "scrappy" and "sassy" 🤢 *shudder* Just skip it. I'm so done with shifter books, 99% of them aren't even hot garbage, they're tepid lukewarm garbage.
I'm so confused and pissed and feel like I got sold a bottle of water when I thought it was getting wine. The Blurb makes it sound like the MC's have some sort of "my body for my protection" thing going on. What they don't tell you is that what actually happens is the MFC lies about being raped and pregnant to the MMC and he says she can stay until they know for sure if she's pregnant or not. There is zero sex in this book, there's barely any romance, it feels like a filler book of BS just put together to milk as much money as possible. So dissappointed. The writing is laughable awful, here is a direct excerpt;
But the second I’m alone, I snag a roasted baby carrot from the main plate and pop it into my mouth, moaning as the sweet and tart balsamic glaze floods across my tongue. “Damn,” I mutter, following the carrot with a slice of turnip and another carrot. “You are some delicious little veggies, roasted root vegetables. And how about you, meaty bits? Are you yummy, too?”
😐😑🫥 What...in...the...fukazi is that? I feel like this author probably also likes Meg Ryan and using the word "feisty" "scrappy" and "sassy" 🤢 *shudder* Just skip it. I'm so done with shifter books, 99% of them aren't even hot garbage, they're tepid lukewarm garbage.
April 24, 2021
I loved this combination of a mafia type/shifter romance.
Maxim Thorn is the epitome of an alpha male, not only is he the alpha of the North Star pack but he is also a mafia king. He's been working hard to keep his pack from civil war with the Blood River pack so when the mate of the rival alpha's son shows up on his doorstep looking like a drown rat, Maxim knows things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Willow knows her life is forfeited the moment she knocks her new mate unconscious on their mating night. So she does the only thing she can think of, jumps through a portal and hopes the North Star pack will take mercy on her. What she is not expecting is the chemistry that sparks between her and Maxim.
This book is an exciting start to a new series which ends with a cliffhanger, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
Maxim Thorn is the epitome of an alpha male, not only is he the alpha of the North Star pack but he is also a mafia king. He's been working hard to keep his pack from civil war with the Blood River pack so when the mate of the rival alpha's son shows up on his doorstep looking like a drown rat, Maxim knows things are about to take a turn for the worst.
Willow knows her life is forfeited the moment she knocks her new mate unconscious on their mating night. So she does the only thing she can think of, jumps through a portal and hopes the North Star pack will take mercy on her. What she is not expecting is the chemistry that sparks between her and Maxim.
This book is an exciting start to a new series which ends with a cliffhanger, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
May 30, 2021
I love the cover of the book. I like how the writer uses one of the main characters as the narrator-to the book. I like that the dialogue is brief among the characters. The dialogue is straight and to the point.
The entertainment and action sets the pace for a fast and easy read.
The entertainment and action sets the pace for a fast and easy read.
February 14, 2023
Are you kidding me with how this ended. Get serious girl. I’m ALL for a sequel but be for real.
How abruptly this ended is actually really irritating.
How abruptly this ended is actually really irritating.
May 16, 2021
Wolf King is the first book in the Wolves of New York series by Bella Jacobs. Shifter books aren’t usually my go-to type of book but I have read all of Bella’s books. She has a way of sucking me in and this time it’s with wolves. There are some others as well, of course.
Willow Astor was an independent nerdy badass wolf shifter. She wouldn’t ask for anyone’s help unless she was desperate to keep herself and her family alive. She knew there was only one place to go and that was to his kingdom. He was the top Alpha in New York and the only one to protect her. He was also known as being a ruthless king without a heart so she had to convince him to help her. She now went from one prison to another. Except this king was everything she expected and so much more. Sinfully Alpha and hot as sin. She had one month to get him to trust her or she would be thrown out on her ass...
Maxim Thorn didn’t have time for this little wolf at his doorstep. He didn’t have time for anything but to watch over his pack. Once in awhile hit up a fairy for a good time. She wanted his protection from his enemy but will it be worth the risk of his own pack? He will soon find out.
Maxim and Willow are fire! You can feel the sexual tension in the air between these two. They have secrets, desires, and some kind of connection. One that shouldn’t be. I can’t wait for the next book! Thank God Bella isn’t making us wait long.
Quotes:
Nothing in my personal experience prepared me for the wave of hunger that swept through me as he fisted his hand in my hair and stared down at me like I was a treat he wanted to devour in one bite.
“You’re tougher than you look, little wolf.”
“I love the way you look at me. I love the sound of your voice, so deep I can feel it vibrating against my skin.”
Willow Astor was an independent nerdy badass wolf shifter. She wouldn’t ask for anyone’s help unless she was desperate to keep herself and her family alive. She knew there was only one place to go and that was to his kingdom. He was the top Alpha in New York and the only one to protect her. He was also known as being a ruthless king without a heart so she had to convince him to help her. She now went from one prison to another. Except this king was everything she expected and so much more. Sinfully Alpha and hot as sin. She had one month to get him to trust her or she would be thrown out on her ass...
Maxim Thorn didn’t have time for this little wolf at his doorstep. He didn’t have time for anything but to watch over his pack. Once in awhile hit up a fairy for a good time. She wanted his protection from his enemy but will it be worth the risk of his own pack? He will soon find out.
Maxim and Willow are fire! You can feel the sexual tension in the air between these two. They have secrets, desires, and some kind of connection. One that shouldn’t be. I can’t wait for the next book! Thank God Bella isn’t making us wait long.
Quotes:
Nothing in my personal experience prepared me for the wave of hunger that swept through me as he fisted his hand in my hair and stared down at me like I was a treat he wanted to devour in one bite.
“You’re tougher than you look, little wolf.”
“I love the way you look at me. I love the sound of your voice, so deep I can feel it vibrating against my skin.”
June 6, 2024
Definitely needed more.
The book started off slow but definitely picked up in the middle. Had multiple moving parts which made things very interesting. My only problem with this book is that it felt like it was cut short. I know there is more books but it leaves this book in a weird spot like an ending of tv episode.
The book started off slow but definitely picked up in the middle. Had multiple moving parts which made things very interesting. My only problem with this book is that it felt like it was cut short. I know there is more books but it leaves this book in a weird spot like an ending of tv episode.
June 13, 2024
I was looking for a good shifter story, and I believe I found one. This is only the beginning of the story so this book does end in a cliffhanger but it is a heck of a story she's running away and he's where she runs to but he's not so nice it doesn't seem I definitely am enjoying the story I'm anxious to see where it leads me in the next story.
September 24, 2023
Not great but not too bad. Audio narration is good enough for me to finish the series.
January 2, 2024
Loved it! Great little read. The main character, Willow is super lovable and strong willed. I’m super obsessed with her and Maxim. The little sister is cute and the whole plot is intriguing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2022
Ends at 89%
Not much of anything. Barely any heat no spice and a big tangled mystery no where near solved. I'm so bummed.
Not much of anything. Barely any heat no spice and a big tangled mystery no where near solved. I'm so bummed.
August 3, 2022
It has potential.
This series has potential, but it hasn't gripped me just yet.
It's well written and flows well, I do like the characters, but nothing is really standing out for me in this book. So it's OK.
This series has potential, but it hasn't gripped me just yet.
It's well written and flows well, I do like the characters, but nothing is really standing out for me in this book. So it's OK.
September 11, 2021
One Bad, One Worse?
*May Be Spoilers*
Hard to believe that there is to be one good king and one bad king. As far as I can see it’s just bad and worse. I did not like the ending of this book and where it was heading. The actions were not those of an Alpha looking out for his people, but one looking for revenge and blame and starting to go to insane lengths with it.
I read this entire book, but will not be reading the rest. Mainly due to reviews of the second novel in the series where it’s been stated the “hero” drugs and rapes the heroine. Uh. No. In no way shape or form is that acceptable. Then the later on reviews state the H&h are fated mates. Well that’s a beyond cruddy (no cursing here in reviewland) thing to happen to the heroine. Did the author hate her that much? Apparently so.
*May Be Spoilers*
Hard to believe that there is to be one good king and one bad king. As far as I can see it’s just bad and worse. I did not like the ending of this book and where it was heading. The actions were not those of an Alpha looking out for his people, but one looking for revenge and blame and starting to go to insane lengths with it.
I read this entire book, but will not be reading the rest. Mainly due to reviews of the second novel in the series where it’s been stated the “hero” drugs and rapes the heroine. Uh. No. In no way shape or form is that acceptable. Then the later on reviews state the H&h are fated mates. Well that’s a beyond cruddy (no cursing here in reviewland) thing to happen to the heroine. Did the author hate her that much? Apparently so.
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November 5, 2023
The beginning was good, but soon after it went downhill.
March 15, 2024
No.
Just no. This was awful to read and the ending completely ruined it.
Just no. This was awful to read and the ending completely ruined it.
June 20, 2024
I had to put this down and pick this up 5x. I made it halfway through but it was so freaking boring. Literally nothing happened, except the h and H kept giving each other eyes.
April 9, 2024
This review/rating is actually for the whole series. I did enjoy this series - it was well written in my opinion and had a good plot. That said I did have some issues with it, including some confusing plot points (sometimes I just didn’t understand what the main female character was thinking - she kept making decisions and it didn’t make sense to me why she went in certain directions at times) and the lack of trigger warnings. Finally, while this series has 4 books and says it is complete it does not really wrap up the plot as nice as I would have liked. I assume that is so the author has the opportunity to continue the series with a book about the alpha’s sister Diana, but I didn’t see anything about another book yet so the ending still feels unfinished.
Like I said I did enjoy the read but I don’t think it is a series I would read again.
First - I would not consider this a “dark mafia shifter” book, it was honestly just more of a dark shifter book the mafia part was basically nonexistent after the first few chapters. Also, the first book wasn’t really all that dark, which honestly I was fine with, but it definitely gets darker with each book. I was a bit disappointed the author didn’t include any trigger warnings on these books - they had some very dark themes which I felt should have at least been mentioned prior. I know it says “dark” but idk I just don’t think that’s enough nowadays. I will give the warnings I think the author should have included and then spoilers in each below.
Trigger warnings ⚠️
-rape/sexual assault (MFC)
-non consent/dub consent due to drugs
-child assault/molestation
-extreme torture/abuse
-mentions of abortion/pregnancy loss
-cannibalism
Ok I think I got all the big ones - I’ll give some spoiler details below for those interested.
rape/sexual assault (MFC) - the heroine is almost raped by her supposed “fated mate” right before the book starts. He is unable to get it up, and she knocks him out, ties him up, and runs away - but she pretends to the hero Alpha’s pack that she was raped and now might be pregnant (and would let the alpha raise his enemy’s child) as a way to seek refuge with his pack. She is still a virgin so it’s not possible and that eventually becomes a plot point when the hero Alpha Max finds out (when they have sex of course).
non consent/dub consent due to drugs - the hero drugs the heroine to make her horny and want to have sex so he can get her pregnant after she told him multiple times she did not want to have a baby with him (has to do with a prophecy of her getting pregnant but she does not want to try) anyway she does figure it out and everyone else in the pack knows he drugged her too.
Child assault/molestation - this was tricky to phrase because technically the child isn’t molested but as a small girl (maybe 7-8?) the heroine is attacked by an older male who kills her repeatedly because he physically gets off on it. While he doesn’t specifically molest her the scene has a very strong sexual feel to it due to what the male says to her after he kills her and brings her back. Honestly I thought the detail of the scene was a bit unnecessary and really put me off. I would say you could skip this whole scene and just give the basic background and it would have been enough to progress the plot.
extreme torture/abuse - there were a few scenes where torture was detailed, and one in particular with the hero being tortured that was very very detailed on bones breaking and nails being ripped off.
Mentions of abortion/pregnancy loss - the heroine does take a morning after pill after the hero drugged her and had sex. Also the sister uses her unborn baby as a life source to fuel her power - basically living off of it forever and never giving birth. The sister is sad about it because she has wanted to get pregnant but decides to go ahead and sacrifice her child for the ritual.
cannibalism - there was a discussion near the end of the series of the sister needing to eat body parts of virgins after the ritual to keep her strength up and the unborn baby she is using to feed her powers.
Like I said I did enjoy the read but I don’t think it is a series I would read again.
First - I would not consider this a “dark mafia shifter” book, it was honestly just more of a dark shifter book the mafia part was basically nonexistent after the first few chapters. Also, the first book wasn’t really all that dark, which honestly I was fine with, but it definitely gets darker with each book. I was a bit disappointed the author didn’t include any trigger warnings on these books - they had some very dark themes which I felt should have at least been mentioned prior. I know it says “dark” but idk I just don’t think that’s enough nowadays. I will give the warnings I think the author should have included and then spoilers in each below.
Trigger warnings ⚠️
-rape/sexual assault (MFC)
-non consent/dub consent due to drugs
-child assault/molestation
-extreme torture/abuse
-mentions of abortion/pregnancy loss
-cannibalism
Ok I think I got all the big ones - I’ll give some spoiler details below for those interested.
rape/sexual assault (MFC) - the heroine is almost raped by her supposed “fated mate” right before the book starts. He is unable to get it up, and she knocks him out, ties him up, and runs away - but she pretends to the hero Alpha’s pack that she was raped and now might be pregnant (and would let the alpha raise his enemy’s child) as a way to seek refuge with his pack. She is still a virgin so it’s not possible and that eventually becomes a plot point when the hero Alpha Max finds out (when they have sex of course).
non consent/dub consent due to drugs - the hero drugs the heroine to make her horny and want to have sex so he can get her pregnant after she told him multiple times she did not want to have a baby with him (has to do with a prophecy of her getting pregnant but she does not want to try) anyway she does figure it out and everyone else in the pack knows he drugged her too.
Child assault/molestation - this was tricky to phrase because technically the child isn’t molested but as a small girl (maybe 7-8?) the heroine is attacked by an older male who kills her repeatedly because he physically gets off on it. While he doesn’t specifically molest her the scene has a very strong sexual feel to it due to what the male says to her after he kills her and brings her back. Honestly I thought the detail of the scene was a bit unnecessary and really put me off. I would say you could skip this whole scene and just give the basic background and it would have been enough to progress the plot.
extreme torture/abuse - there were a few scenes where torture was detailed, and one in particular with the hero being tortured that was very very detailed on bones breaking and nails being ripped off.
Mentions of abortion/pregnancy loss - the heroine does take a morning after pill after the hero drugged her and had sex. Also the sister uses her unborn baby as a life source to fuel her power - basically living off of it forever and never giving birth. The sister is sad about it because she has wanted to get pregnant but decides to go ahead and sacrifice her child for the ritual.
cannibalism - there was a discussion near the end of the series of the sister needing to eat body parts of virgins after the ritual to keep her strength up and the unborn baby she is using to feed her powers.
July 5, 2021
The Wolves of New York is a four part series and the latest release from Bella Jacobs. Reading supernatural books is pretty new to me, and to be honest, they haven’t always been a favorite. But with Bella Jacobs at the helm with her fantastic imagination and creative writing, I was obsessed with this story and completely drawn into Willow and Maxim’s world right from the start. I could practically envision each scene as I read the words. The electricity that soars from the pages when they’re conversing is amazing and absolutely magnificent. From the moment they lay eyes on one another, they both sense the powerful pull of attraction, almost as if they were meant to find one another.
I truly love the strength that Willow has when dealing with Maxim. Despite his position as alpha of the pack, she continues to exhibit a fortitude she could always sense she possessed but never admit that she had. And despite his uncertainty of whether she can be trusted, Maxim feels a connection with Willow he has never before experienced, and he truly admires the strength she displays. But as the story develops and uncertainty lingers, book one abruptly comes to an end, and Ms. Jacobs leaves us hanging onto the edge of our seats. She literally left me screaming at my iPad, leaving me wanting and now having to wait for the release of book two.
Wolf King is an amazingly hot story which continued to roll through my thoughts long after I finished the book and left me with a deep curiosity of where Ms. Jacobs will take me next. I eagerly await the release of book two with a strong desire to discover where Willow and Maxim’s lives will go.
I truly love the strength that Willow has when dealing with Maxim. Despite his position as alpha of the pack, she continues to exhibit a fortitude she could always sense she possessed but never admit that she had. And despite his uncertainty of whether she can be trusted, Maxim feels a connection with Willow he has never before experienced, and he truly admires the strength she displays. But as the story develops and uncertainty lingers, book one abruptly comes to an end, and Ms. Jacobs leaves us hanging onto the edge of our seats. She literally left me screaming at my iPad, leaving me wanting and now having to wait for the release of book two.
Wolf King is an amazingly hot story which continued to roll through my thoughts long after I finished the book and left me with a deep curiosity of where Ms. Jacobs will take me next. I eagerly await the release of book two with a strong desire to discover where Willow and Maxim’s lives will go.
February 4, 2025
Shorter than it should be but it is a compelling story. It got me hooked and I am invested in these two MCs:
- Maxim, 32yo North Star pack alpha, living on Manhattan with his entire pack in a very large building.
- Willow, 24yo refugee, just escaped from the Blood River pack, full of vile alpha men who abuse women.
I liked their chemistry and the push and pull between them. I like the story development.
But I have issues with the fact the book is short and forces you to get multiple book. I didn’t realize this wasn’t a standalone, but that’s on me. However, if book 1 is the standard, these books could be longer they just cut out earlier to make you buy a second book. And so on.
The book also isn’t as advertised - a dark mafia/shifter romance - mmm it’s about shifters, yes, but mafia? Not really at all, unless it’s because of the selling of drugs by both packs. And “dark” yeah not so much. I’ve read dark romances, but this doesn’t even scratch the surface of dark. This is all fine with me, it’s just odd to put it out there that this is a dark romance when it’s really not.
And the thing I take issue with the most…I hate that Willow is lying about being raped. That’s just dirty and low. I get the initial lie of being possibly pregnant in order to be taken in as a refugee I suppose. But to continue the lie the way she does is just gross! And by the end of book 1 everyone still believes her lie. I don’t see how you come back from something that heinous. I guess we’ll see.
- Maxim, 32yo North Star pack alpha, living on Manhattan with his entire pack in a very large building.
- Willow, 24yo refugee, just escaped from the Blood River pack, full of vile alpha men who abuse women.
I liked their chemistry and the push and pull between them. I like the story development.
But I have issues with the fact the book is short and forces you to get multiple book. I didn’t realize this wasn’t a standalone, but that’s on me. However, if book 1 is the standard, these books could be longer they just cut out earlier to make you buy a second book. And so on.
The book also isn’t as advertised - a dark mafia/shifter romance - mmm it’s about shifters, yes, but mafia? Not really at all, unless it’s because of the selling of drugs by both packs. And “dark” yeah not so much. I’ve read dark romances, but this doesn’t even scratch the surface of dark. This is all fine with me, it’s just odd to put it out there that this is a dark romance when it’s really not.
And the thing I take issue with the most…I hate that Willow is lying about being raped. That’s just dirty and low. I get the initial lie of being possibly pregnant in order to be taken in as a refugee I suppose. But to continue the lie the way she does is just gross! And by the end of book 1 everyone still believes her lie. I don’t see how you come back from something that heinous. I guess we’ll see.
March 6, 2026
Ummm… I genuinely don’t know where to start with this one because my feelings are CONFUSED.
Was this insta-lust? Oh absolutely. Like… 0 to “we are spiritually, emotionally, and hormonally bonded” in about five minutes.
Was the plot highbrow literature? No.
Were some moments a little cringe? Also yes.
Was the pacing crazy? Mhm yup. We racing like it’s NASCAR.
Did I still kind of eat it up? Unfortunately… yeah.
The romance between Maxim and Willow is very much what you expect from a fated mates situation. Big possessive wolf man. Destiny. Growling. You know the drill. Nothing revolutionary happening here.
That said… their banter was actually pretty funny and these two have some WILD internal monologues. Like y’all just met and you’re already thinking that?? Okay relax.
Plot-wise it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it moves fast and it’s entertaining enough that I kept turning the pages. Sometimes you just want a chaotic wolf romance where everyone is dramatic and horny and the vibes are unhinged. This delivers that.
And honestly? The cliffhanger was actually pretty good. It definitely set things up in a way that made me curious about what’s next.
Will I immediately run to read the next book? Probably not.
Will I continue the series once the rest hit Kindle Unlimited? Yeah… let’s be real. I probably will.
Was this insta-lust? Oh absolutely. Like… 0 to “we are spiritually, emotionally, and hormonally bonded” in about five minutes.
Was the plot highbrow literature? No.
Were some moments a little cringe? Also yes.
Was the pacing crazy? Mhm yup. We racing like it’s NASCAR.
Did I still kind of eat it up? Unfortunately… yeah.
The romance between Maxim and Willow is very much what you expect from a fated mates situation. Big possessive wolf man. Destiny. Growling. You know the drill. Nothing revolutionary happening here.
That said… their banter was actually pretty funny and these two have some WILD internal monologues. Like y’all just met and you’re already thinking that?? Okay relax.
Plot-wise it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it moves fast and it’s entertaining enough that I kept turning the pages. Sometimes you just want a chaotic wolf romance where everyone is dramatic and horny and the vibes are unhinged. This delivers that.
And honestly? The cliffhanger was actually pretty good. It definitely set things up in a way that made me curious about what’s next.
Will I immediately run to read the next book? Probably not.
Will I continue the series once the rest hit Kindle Unlimited? Yeah… let’s be real. I probably will.
June 16, 2026
Ok so fair warning, mild ‼️⚠️SPOILER⚠️‼️ in my opening sentence. You’ve been warned. Read at your own risk. If you read it and get butthurt it’s your own fault. Now onto my review.
Oh boy was I so glad this book came to a close with no smut. Shocking for me to say, I know. But I did not pay attention to the synopsis apparently. The Heroine is named Willow. I have a young cousin of the same name. It made me deeply uncomfortable the whole book waiting for smut to happen so I could skip past while listening. Obviously when physically reading a book I can just mentally change the names of whoever I want and honestly oop guilty. I do it all the time if an Author gives the MMC an ugly name (and every Wattpad book was my own name whether it was a y/n or not when I was a middle schooler obviously.)
Other than that the plot was pretty good. It just didn’t start until pretty deep into the book. It’s also not very Dark for a “Dark Romance”.
Oh my gosh also both of the narrators read these characters soooooooo slow. Maybe it was a character choice for both of the characters to be super dramatic and treat every sentence like it needed a dramatic pause, but oh my Atlanta it pissed me off. I had to read it at 1.5 speed because they were so dang slow that I was admittedly, unreasonably frustrated by it.
Oh boy was I so glad this book came to a close with no smut. Shocking for me to say, I know. But I did not pay attention to the synopsis apparently. The Heroine is named Willow. I have a young cousin of the same name. It made me deeply uncomfortable the whole book waiting for smut to happen so I could skip past while listening. Obviously when physically reading a book I can just mentally change the names of whoever I want and honestly oop guilty. I do it all the time if an Author gives the MMC an ugly name (and every Wattpad book was my own name whether it was a y/n or not when I was a middle schooler obviously.)
Other than that the plot was pretty good. It just didn’t start until pretty deep into the book. It’s also not very Dark for a “Dark Romance”.
Oh my gosh also both of the narrators read these characters soooooooo slow. Maybe it was a character choice for both of the characters to be super dramatic and treat every sentence like it needed a dramatic pause, but oh my Atlanta it pissed me off. I had to read it at 1.5 speed because they were so dang slow that I was admittedly, unreasonably frustrated by it.
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