Wild Wolf

The Pack #9

by Karen Whiddon

Turning her back on humans because of her ability to shape-shift into a wolf, young and beautiful Raven doesn't believe she needs anyone. Until the day a darkly handsome man appears near her remote cave ... and she watches him turn into a wolf.

Simon Caldwell has been sent to assess the threat of a new feral wolf prowling the Rockies. But he's wholly unprepared for his intense attraction to Raven. His investigation is about to take a deadly turn as he and Raven become the hunted. Now their very survival depends on Simon's ability to win what this wild wolf holds most dear!

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Romance, Paranormal, Harlequin, Fantasy Romance

280 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Karen Whiddon spun fanciful tales for her younger brothers as early as the age of eleven. Growing up in the Catskill Mountains of New York, then the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, she found enough magic in the rugged peaks to keep her imagination fueled for years.

Now making her home in North Texas, she shares her life with her hero-like husband and three doting dogs. She writes paranormal tales for Harlequin Nocturne including the popular Pack series and romantic suspense stories for Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

She's also written Fae novels for Lovespell and a long time ago, she wrote five Precious Gem Romances for Kensington publishing. These she now owns again and has put them up for sale on Amazon.com among other places

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that 90% of this book was great. There was lots of andventure, danger, and romance. The ending however fell short of my expectations from the whole story. Overall considering it was an ok read that I don't regret spending my time on.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start but really disappointing ending - far too rushed.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

After escaping a life of captivity and abuse, wolf shifter Raven has retreated to the Colorado mountains to live among a pack of wild wolves. Her life is difficult, but she is content with it. Raven thought she was the only wolf shifter in existence until she sees an unfamiliar camper in her area change into a wolf.

Simon has been chosen and trained to be a Protector, and it's the only life he knows. His job is to evaluate feral shifters to see if they can be rehabilitated. If not, he's tasked with exterminating them. Dispatched to make contact with a feral in the Colorado mountains, Simon isn't prepared for the stunning beauty he encounters. Spending time with Raven soon has him questioning everything he's been taught about ferals, but questioning his superior puts Simon's career and life on the line as well. Going on the run with Raven, Simon begins to suspect she's his mate, and he'll stop at nothing to protect her.

I'd like to say that, for once, misogyny didn't rear its ugly head in a Nocturne book, but we learn that Raven was sexually assaulted, repeatedly, while in captivity. Sigh. Can any Nocturne author write one damned book where the female lead is tough, competent, and not subjected to sexual assault? Please? At least the male lead wasn't too much of a condescending jackass.

So-so story. Not as gawd-awful as others in the line, but nothing much to redeem it, either. Three stars.

[Gerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

CN: Mentions of sexualised violence.

Well written, with great pacing the book only loses a point for the way the final confrontation fizzles out.

I bought Wild Wolf because I love the cover, and because I got it in a sweet 2 for 1 deal together with Secrets of the Wolf. Not having read any of Harlequin's nocturne novels before, nor anything by the author, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it and ended up pleasantly surprised that it plays out a lot more as Urban Fantasy than as Paranormal Romance.

Wild Wolf also happens to be mostly my kind of sexy, with short, not overly detailed, sensual sex-scenes that never take away focus from the main story.
Although I did feel a bit uncomfortable with the way the female lead intiated the sex with the male lead while he was still asleep. In a ways I guess this fit the characters healing journey from sexual abuse, allowing her full agency over her own sexuality. But can't help but balk some at the lack of full consent here.

[Adrianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books started off really interesting. I loved the premise of the book and how independent and resourceful Raven is; she's a wolf shapeshifter that has lived among real wolves for years. She comes across a "protector" Simon whose job it is to investigate her. The first half to the book follows the main leads trying to escape from the mysterious "Society". This book gives enough background about the "Protectors" that reading the previous books is not necessary. Given how short these Nocturne books are, sometimes they lack world-building, but this did a decent job. The prose was decent, the background of the characters interesting enough, but by the end the action just starts getting rushed and just doesn't feel as interesting as the first half. My other qualm is the fact that the heroine of the novel was a victim of brutal sexual violence. This is mentioned very briefly in the book and not dealt with well, ie, it's mentioned but there's really not much insight into how the character dealt with it and seems to have little impact on the development of the hero/heroine relationship.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Whiddon's pack and have been a fan of these short 'shifter reads from way back. I enjoyed Wild Wolf, but there was a great deal going on in this one and really thought that Whiddon had the makings for a full length novel here. Still I liked the pairing of the by-the-book Simon who learns to appreciate shades of gray after living a black and white life and also the wild Raven who ends up asking insightful questions since she's the outsider looking in at Simon's world.

[Stacie]

Raven is a shapeshifter who think she is the only one who can change into a wolf. Then she sees a man change into a wolf and realises that there are others like her. But Simon has been sent to assess the threat that she poses to the general shapeshifter population. His orders are to kill her but he finds that she is not the feral animal everyone thinks.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting premise but nothing really out of the ordinary

[Kate]

Mills & Boon does Werewolves! Gotta give this a try!!