A nice tame paranormal series…
G.K. DeRosa gives us a slew of heroes to root for and villains to “boo” for, in her “Wolfish” series. That being said, the heroes are a little “too perfect” and the villains a little “too stereotypically bad.”
**SPOILERS**
This series follows our FMC, Sierra, and her fated mate, Hunter. In book one we are introduced to Sierra who is an “innocent” student at a magical academy, who has no magic of her own. Through a series of bizarre events, Sierra ends up as a witch werewolf. Later she learns that her family has been keeping their Magic and Werewolf identities a secret from her.
Sierra has always “loved” this boy she met at the age of 16. She didn’t know who he was at the time, but she felt an instant connection to him (even though he was wearing a mask). She realizes, when she goes to the wolf academy that the mysterious boy is actually the son of the Supreme Alpha (leader of all the werewolf alphas) AND her fated mate. Too bad he doesn’t feel the same way…or does he?
The series follows Sierra as she navigates her new wolf world, and discovers her rare lineage and heritage. All the while trying to navigate an increasingly difficult relationship with Hunter, the on again, off again, maybe boyfriend/fated mate. And here is where the book fell flat for me. This series although touted as Sierras story, is REALLY Sierra and Hunter’s story, as everything Sierra does in all 4 books is to be free with her love, Hunter. The author does an adequate job of introducing their budding romance, but after 4 books loses the “pace” and it becomes stagnant and boring. By the end, book 4, “Wolfish: Fateborn,” the reader doesn’t really care anymore about whether Sierra and Hunter will find a way to be together permanently. We all KNOW they will. And it’s just a matter of how the author ties up the “loose threads,” of the overall story arc.
Book 4 ends waaaaay too conveniently. Considering the hoops that Sierra and Hunter have had to go through to break the curse and be together, I’d expected a lot more than, “Hunter goes to a wizard to try and break the curse but loses even more i.e. ALL his emotions. But this wears off at the VERY end when both he and Sierra are battling the biggie bad guy for the crown to rule the werewolves.” Seriously, in a nutshell that’s what happens.
Through the ENTIRE series Sierra and Hunter’s relationship has been impeded by his curse, a curse that Sierra is determined to find a way to break. She does everything, even “joining” the trials to try and oust Hunter’s evil father, to ultimately be there by his side and buy time to find a solution to his curse. All of the drama with Sierra’s family, the absurdity of the multiple random Alpha werewolf plots against her, and Hunter’s own ridiculous self-sacrificing nature, draw to the inevitable; can the curse be lifted and will Sierra still choose Hunter by the time it is, if it can be.
There are too many random sub-plots in this series and honestly, too many “great” choices for Sierra as mate. If the reader was 150% invested in their love story there’d be no doubt that Sierra and Hunter belong together…even if one of them dies etc. But G.K. DeRosa introduces several other male werewolves that she gives great characteristics to, that seem evenly matched to Sierra. In fact, one of these choices (even being mated) comes across, at times, as a better mate for Sierra than her fated one. By book 4, I was just a little “over” the constant “will they, won’t they,” AND Hunter’s really annoying self deprecation. He laments numerously about not being good enough for Sierra, and “giving her away,” for her own good. *eye roll* frankly there are just so many times I can read the same rant before it becomes boring.
In the end everything works out as “it should.” The couples that are supposed to be together are together, and the “choices” Sierra had are conveniently wrapped up within 5 pages of the end of the book. Everyone gets their HEA, EXCEPT the one person with a plot twist I didn’t see coming. But then we learn that that person is getting their own book/series, so even that plot twist, ends conveniently.
Overall “Wolfish,” is a nice, fairly tame, romantic paranormal romance series, that is very predictable, a little slow, and sometimes cringe worthy. But if you like basic run-of-the-mill, paranormal romances that are sure to end as expected, then you’ll enjoy this series.