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Fairy Tale Romance #4
Big Bad Wolf
MY, WHAT BIG SHOULDERS HE HAD ...
Big and wide and strong, Wolf Trevelyan's shoulders were just right for his powerful physique --- just right to hold a girl. And Molly Kincaid wondered what his arms would feel like wrapped tight around her.
AND A WICKED SMILE ...
Molly knew she should have been scared of the dark stranger when he confronted her on her shortcut through the Maine woods. She had been warned of Wolf's questionable past and sinister ways.
LIPS THE BETTER TO KISS HER WITH ...
But there was something compelling in his gaze, something tantalizing in his touch --- something about Wolf that left Molly willing to throw caution, and her grandmother's concerns, to the wind to see if love wouldn't find the best way home.
Big and wide and strong, Wolf Trevelyan's shoulders were just right for his powerful physique --- just right to hold a girl. And Molly Kincaid wondered what his arms would feel like wrapped tight around her.
AND A WICKED SMILE ...
Molly knew she should have been scared of the dark stranger when he confronted her on her shortcut through the Maine woods. She had been warned of Wolf's questionable past and sinister ways.
LIPS THE BETTER TO KISS HER WITH ...
But there was something compelling in his gaze, something tantalizing in his touch --- something about Wolf that left Molly willing to throw caution, and her grandmother's concerns, to the wind to see if love wouldn't find the best way home.
359 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 1997
30 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Linda Winstead Jones
184 books378 followersLinda Winstead Jones is the bestselling author of more than eighty romance novels and novellas across several sub-genres. She’s easily distracted (Look! A squirrel!) and writes the stories that speak to her in the moment. Paranormal. Romantic Suspense. Twisted Fairy Tales. Cowboys. Her books are for readers who want to escape from reality for a while, who don’t mind the occasional trip into another world for a laugh, a chill, the occasional heartwarming tear. Where will we go next?
More information can be found at lindawinsteadjones.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, and at www.facebook.com/LindaWinsteadJones or www.facebook.com/LindaHowardLindaJones.
More information can be found at lindawinsteadjones.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, and at www.facebook.com/LindaWinsteadJones or www.facebook.com/LindaHowardLindaJones.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 6, 2024
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I’ve read so many of this author’s fairytale retellings years ago, but I somehow missed this one.
I loved it. It follows the Red Riding Hood fairytale’s main theme pretty closely, I felt. Setting is in a mountainous area of Maine and at some points New York City.
The hero, Wolf, was a perfect old school hero. His original plan was to get pestering NYC society mamas off of his back, so he decided to get married, get her pregnant, ship her off to his mountain castle home in Maine, while he would stay in NYC to carry on his rakish scoundrel ways.
He picks our heroine to be the candidate of his grand plan as he encounters her in the forest while she’s walking to her grandmothers house. This heroine was the classic ‘sunshine’. She saw only the good in the hero, was immediately enchanted by the hero, and secretly fell in love pretty quickly.
Well… the hero accidentally becomes fascinated by the heroine as well… and his whole grand plan gets slowly ruined.
I loved watching the hero slowly realize that he liked her company, to then missing her, to needing her to then eventually acknowledging loving her. We get to see it happen thru the whole book, so many feels!!
The only holdback I have to giving this a Keeper status… when the heroine overhears the hero making inappropriate comments that deeply hurt her, I felt she forgave him way too easily and quickly. I wanted her to be a bit more pissed off. I would have been more pissed off by that overheard conversation than ‘the test’ he put her thru with his friend.
I loved it. It follows the Red Riding Hood fairytale’s main theme pretty closely, I felt. Setting is in a mountainous area of Maine and at some points New York City.
The hero, Wolf, was a perfect old school hero. His original plan was to get pestering NYC society mamas off of his back, so he decided to get married, get her pregnant, ship her off to his mountain castle home in Maine, while he would stay in NYC to carry on his rakish scoundrel ways.
He picks our heroine to be the candidate of his grand plan as he encounters her in the forest while she’s walking to her grandmothers house. This heroine was the classic ‘sunshine’. She saw only the good in the hero, was immediately enchanted by the hero, and secretly fell in love pretty quickly.
Well… the hero accidentally becomes fascinated by the heroine as well… and his whole grand plan gets slowly ruined.
I loved watching the hero slowly realize that he liked her company, to then missing her, to needing her to then eventually acknowledging loving her. We get to see it happen thru the whole book, so many feels!!
The only holdback I have to giving this a Keeper status… when the heroine overhears the hero making inappropriate comments that deeply hurt her, I felt she forgave him way too easily and quickly. I wanted her to be a bit more pissed off. I would have been more pissed off by that overheard conversation than ‘the test’ he put her thru with his friend.
November 12, 2012
This was a great little light read. It is both amusing and much needed, after submerging ones self into bodice ripper seriousness, and my gripes are generally very few when I'm particularly seeking the escapism from the harshness of historical depictions. If, of course, you don't have 400 pages of saying absolutely nothing, and inoffensive, acute censorship for the frail hearted, as my last freebie-read was.
♪ We're not afraid of the big, bad wolf; the big bad wOooo-oolf. ♪
Wolf Trevelyan, he's the Big BAD WOLF. He's got a dead wife and mystery under his belt to spook the locals into giving him his privacy. Every bedtime euphemism in reference the age-old Little Red Riding Hood fairytale was clearly established early on! He's predatory, he stalks, he threatens every angle of propriety, as he waits in the woods with a keen anticipation for Red, the flaming haired Molly Kincaid, on her periodic visits to her grandma's house deep within the woods.
Molly's a 24 year old, genuinely innocent girl who is tempted by the alluring mystery and wounded paw of the Big Bad Wolf. She's telling the missing side of the story of a maturity behind the innocence; revealing a new, true character living behind that scrim of male desire: the good girl who wants it just as much as he does.
♪ We're not afraid of the big, bad wolf; the big bad wOooo-oolf. ♪
Wolf Trevelyan, he's the Big BAD WOLF. He's got a dead wife and mystery under his belt to spook the locals into giving him his privacy. Every bedtime euphemism in reference the age-old Little Red Riding Hood fairytale was clearly established early on! He's predatory, he stalks, he threatens every angle of propriety, as he waits in the woods with a keen anticipation for Red, the flaming haired Molly Kincaid, on her periodic visits to her grandma's house deep within the woods.
Molly's a 24 year old, genuinely innocent girl who is tempted by the alluring mystery and wounded paw of the Big Bad Wolf. She's telling the missing side of the story of a maturity behind the innocence; revealing a new, true character living behind that scrim of male desire: the good girl who wants it just as much as he does.
February 16, 2022
A fairytale retelling AND it’s a non-British historical? Sign me up. For this month’s TBR Challenge, I went old school with a 1997 historical romance set in 1890s Maine. Big Bad Wolf is a deliciously sexy take on Little Red Riding Hood that held up pretty well for me.
There’s a mansion overlooking the Maine woods and its owner, Wolf Trevelyan, is pretty much the local bogeyman. Rumor has it he killed his first wife on their wedding night, and he’s stayed safely away from Maine ever since. He reportedly lives a life of debauchery in New York, and the folks in the local small town have largely forgotten he even owns property out there.
Molly Kincaid lives a simple life with her widowed mother. Mrs. Kincaid works hard taking in laundry and doing some of the smaller jobs open to a single woman in a rural town of that day. Molly’s life isn’t fancy, but she’s content living with her mother and taking provisions out to her grandmother’s cottage every day or so. Naturally, she has a lovely hooded red cape.
Things change when Molly heads out to her grandmother’s one day and meets up with Wolf in the woods. Wolf clearly has fun toying flirtatiously with Molly. It’s apparent that he intended to be scary or at least off-putting, but sensible Molly meets him head-on. Wolf finds himself intrigued and this starts a series of flirty meetings in the woods. Molly knows the stories about Wolf, but having met him, she’s (correctly) convinced that there must be more to the story.
It’s certainly believable that the sheltered Molly would develop a crush on Wolf. And Wolf finds himself so obsessed with Molly that he can’t get her out of his mind. He proposes to make her a kept woman and Molly turns him down flat. Eventually Wolf proposes marriage, and we are off to the races.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text here: https://allaboutromance.com/tbr-chall...
There’s a mansion overlooking the Maine woods and its owner, Wolf Trevelyan, is pretty much the local bogeyman. Rumor has it he killed his first wife on their wedding night, and he’s stayed safely away from Maine ever since. He reportedly lives a life of debauchery in New York, and the folks in the local small town have largely forgotten he even owns property out there.
Molly Kincaid lives a simple life with her widowed mother. Mrs. Kincaid works hard taking in laundry and doing some of the smaller jobs open to a single woman in a rural town of that day. Molly’s life isn’t fancy, but she’s content living with her mother and taking provisions out to her grandmother’s cottage every day or so. Naturally, she has a lovely hooded red cape.
Things change when Molly heads out to her grandmother’s one day and meets up with Wolf in the woods. Wolf clearly has fun toying flirtatiously with Molly. It’s apparent that he intended to be scary or at least off-putting, but sensible Molly meets him head-on. Wolf finds himself intrigued and this starts a series of flirty meetings in the woods. Molly knows the stories about Wolf, but having met him, she’s (correctly) convinced that there must be more to the story.
It’s certainly believable that the sheltered Molly would develop a crush on Wolf. And Wolf finds himself so obsessed with Molly that he can’t get her out of his mind. He proposes to make her a kept woman and Molly turns him down flat. Eventually Wolf proposes marriage, and we are off to the races.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text here: https://allaboutromance.com/tbr-chall...
March 22, 2014
Nice, entertaining read. I liked the fact that the heroine stood up for herself. Hero tried his best not to fall in love with the heroine, but he was fighting an already lost battle. It was a little bit repetitive.
January 27, 2026
Haha, so the H in this story was a colossal jerk. He would be really good in traditional bodice-ripper.
Overall, I enjoyed it, because it had one of my favorite tropes - marriage of convenience with H being the reluctant party.
Overall, I enjoyed it, because it had one of my favorite tropes - marriage of convenience with H being the reluctant party.
November 14, 2025
MY RATING GUIDE: 3-3.5 Stars. I enjoyed the beginning and the ending but thought BIG BAD WOLF dragged in the middle. I prefer novels with more action, suspense or mystery elements. BBW was originally published in 1997, recently rereleased with a new cover (original cover shown).
(1=DNF/What was that?; 2=Not for me; 3=OKAY; 3.5=I MOSTLY ENJOYED THIS; 4=I really liked; 5=I really loved this! 5 is rare for me).
The forests of Maine and NYC, NY, late1800’s-early1900’s ~
Molly Kincaid and her mother live a simple lifestyle mending clothes, doing laundry and selling baked goods to the nearby villagers for their income. Molly visits her grandmother daily to deliver meals and to take a break from her daily chores. Molly prefers a shortcut through the deep woods as it is the quickest route to her grandmother’s house. Molly’s grandmother reminds her to never wander from the path; Molly would immediately become lost. One day, Molly runs across a tall, dark-haired man as she is passing through the woods on the path. She discovers he is Wolf Trevelyn, a 30yr old wealthy widower, the last in his line, whose manor house sits at the end of the path beyond her grandmother’s house a significant distance from the village. The villagers don’t like Trevelyn believing he killed his young bride their wedding night. All the village ladies are warned to stay far away from him but Molly finds him intriguing. Trevelyn is arrogant, sophisticated, well-traveled, hard but unusually captivating. Each day as Molly continues to use the path Wolf Trevelyn meets her somewhere along the way. He asks her questions and they converse daily. Although Molly believes she should stop using the path and begin walking the road to avoid Trevelyn still she uses the shortcut. Yes, he is rich and powerful but he seems so forlorn and alone behind his harsh facade. Molly is drawn to him as he tempts her with his eyes and his knowledge of things beyond her experience. As the days pass, Molly begins to wonder, what if? But men like Trevelyn do not marry young ladies such as Molly. Perhaps soon he will return to NYC where his business and women await.
Quote ~
> ‘It seems any number of women would suit your stated purpose.’ Molly
‘I have a sudden hankering for red headed children.’ Trevelyn
Comments ~
The lovely new (red) book cover caught my attention on a recent sale. BIG BAD WOLF is a Standalone novel based the Grimm Bros tale Little Red Riding Hood (and possibly Beauty and the Beast). I was pulled into the story quickly but felt the middle section dragged which had me putting aside the book for a number of days. When the book setting changed near the ending, I was able to finish it quickly. There are additional books in this Fairy Tale series but I won’t be rushing to read them. BIG BAD WOLF might be enjoyed more by readers who prefer:
> Novels based upon Fairy tales.
> The slow redemption of scoundrels and misunderstood male characters.
> Innocent, virginal brides.
> Opposites Attract trope.
> Steamy Historical romances (with little accompanying mystery or suspense elements).
BIG BAD WOLF was originally published in 1997 and contains certain aspects of romance novels from that era (experienced, cynical men and innocent young ladies).
READER CAUTIONS ~ not recommended to those who prefer Clean fiction.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used.
VIOLENCE - PG-13.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Mention of brothels and sexual liaisons. Several Steamy open door intimacy scenes between the main characters.
(1=DNF/What was that?; 2=Not for me; 3=OKAY; 3.5=I MOSTLY ENJOYED THIS; 4=I really liked; 5=I really loved this! 5 is rare for me).
The forests of Maine and NYC, NY, late1800’s-early1900’s ~
Molly Kincaid and her mother live a simple lifestyle mending clothes, doing laundry and selling baked goods to the nearby villagers for their income. Molly visits her grandmother daily to deliver meals and to take a break from her daily chores. Molly prefers a shortcut through the deep woods as it is the quickest route to her grandmother’s house. Molly’s grandmother reminds her to never wander from the path; Molly would immediately become lost. One day, Molly runs across a tall, dark-haired man as she is passing through the woods on the path. She discovers he is Wolf Trevelyn, a 30yr old wealthy widower, the last in his line, whose manor house sits at the end of the path beyond her grandmother’s house a significant distance from the village. The villagers don’t like Trevelyn believing he killed his young bride their wedding night. All the village ladies are warned to stay far away from him but Molly finds him intriguing. Trevelyn is arrogant, sophisticated, well-traveled, hard but unusually captivating. Each day as Molly continues to use the path Wolf Trevelyn meets her somewhere along the way. He asks her questions and they converse daily. Although Molly believes she should stop using the path and begin walking the road to avoid Trevelyn still she uses the shortcut. Yes, he is rich and powerful but he seems so forlorn and alone behind his harsh facade. Molly is drawn to him as he tempts her with his eyes and his knowledge of things beyond her experience. As the days pass, Molly begins to wonder, what if? But men like Trevelyn do not marry young ladies such as Molly. Perhaps soon he will return to NYC where his business and women await.
Quote ~
> ‘It seems any number of women would suit your stated purpose.’ Molly
‘I have a sudden hankering for red headed children.’ Trevelyn
Comments ~
The lovely new (red) book cover caught my attention on a recent sale. BIG BAD WOLF is a Standalone novel based the Grimm Bros tale Little Red Riding Hood (and possibly Beauty and the Beast). I was pulled into the story quickly but felt the middle section dragged which had me putting aside the book for a number of days. When the book setting changed near the ending, I was able to finish it quickly. There are additional books in this Fairy Tale series but I won’t be rushing to read them. BIG BAD WOLF might be enjoyed more by readers who prefer:
> Novels based upon Fairy tales.
> The slow redemption of scoundrels and misunderstood male characters.
> Innocent, virginal brides.
> Opposites Attract trope.
> Steamy Historical romances (with little accompanying mystery or suspense elements).
BIG BAD WOLF was originally published in 1997 and contains certain aspects of romance novels from that era (experienced, cynical men and innocent young ladies).
READER CAUTIONS ~ not recommended to those who prefer Clean fiction.
PROFANITY - Yes. Strong language is used.
VIOLENCE - PG-13.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - Yes. Mention of brothels and sexual liaisons. Several Steamy open door intimacy scenes between the main characters.
July 20, 2025
I could gush/analyze the homages to the OG fairy tale
-It began with a warning from Molly's mother to "stay on the road/don't take the hidden path"
-Wolf can't help following her red hood through the trees
-Molly's infatuation with Wolf mirrored her need to stray from the well-beaten path, how she herself was animal like in her want of escaping her mother/grandmother's expectations and eventually even NYC once she was married.
-I likened his falling for Molly's passion as opposed to his thinking he won a little housewife he can wed, bed, and leave in Maine to the sleeping RRH in between the werewolf's paws in Angela Carter's "The Company of Wolves" how she was internally smug in being "No one's meat".
-Molly almost says "what a big, never mind" when Wolf reveals himself on their wedding night.
-His going to Molly's grandmother's and getting beat with her cane felt like a call and response to the OG BBW going to grandmother's/devouring her.
Side note, Wolf isn't an easy man to love, but damn does Molly really do it up.
But honestly, it was the gothic, atmosphere (every night was passion backlit with candles, nightmares beckoned Wolf back to the past), the Rebecca like backstory of Wolf that drew me in (he's seen as a murderer due to his first wife jumping off a cliff on their wedding night... the villager's-even one of Molly's friends-literally threw stones back in the day). It was the fairy tale feel of the tasks Wolf does to discover Molly's vice (spoiler: she's into doing-the-do with him 😜, much to his surprise), how Molly decides she's done being emotionally cheated on and that his first groveling isn't enough. And the epilogue is what got me: ending the story with Wolf warning his and Molly's daughter to "stay on the path" while the girls beg him to retell the story of his being beaten with Great-Grandmother's cane. Molly and Wolf both get what they want; unconditional love.
-It began with a warning from Molly's mother to "stay on the road/don't take the hidden path"
-Wolf can't help following her red hood through the trees
-Molly's infatuation with Wolf mirrored her need to stray from the well-beaten path, how she herself was animal like in her want of escaping her mother/grandmother's expectations and eventually even NYC once she was married.
-I likened his falling for Molly's passion as opposed to his thinking he won a little housewife he can wed, bed, and leave in Maine to the sleeping RRH in between the werewolf's paws in Angela Carter's "The Company of Wolves" how she was internally smug in being "No one's meat".
-Molly almost says "what a big, never mind" when Wolf reveals himself on their wedding night.
-His going to Molly's grandmother's and getting beat with her cane felt like a call and response to the OG BBW going to grandmother's/devouring her.
Side note, Wolf isn't an easy man to love, but damn does Molly really do it up.
But honestly, it was the gothic, atmosphere (every night was passion backlit with candles, nightmares beckoned Wolf back to the past), the Rebecca like backstory of Wolf that drew me in (he's seen as a murderer due to his first wife jumping off a cliff on their wedding night... the villager's-even one of Molly's friends-literally threw stones back in the day). It was the fairy tale feel of the tasks Wolf does to discover Molly's vice (spoiler: she's into doing-the-do with him 😜, much to his surprise), how Molly decides she's done being emotionally cheated on and that his first groveling isn't enough. And the epilogue is what got me: ending the story with Wolf warning his and Molly's daughter to "stay on the path" while the girls beg him to retell the story of his being beaten with Great-Grandmother's cane. Molly and Wolf both get what they want; unconditional love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2022
This retelling of Little Red Riding Hood holds up very well. The bones of they story are literal but the push and pull felt current. The sexy times are tame compared to most 2022 books but overall, there is not anything cringey.
February 1, 2018
It was a great little, I different take on the big bad wolf.
May 22, 2022
Very anticlimactic. Wished the H groveled more. h was a doormat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2018
Review originally posted at Under the Moonlight Book Blog
I love what Linda Jones has done with all this fairy tale retelling mixed with historical romance. Two of my favorite things together. The retelling of children books with an adult twist and my favorite genre, historical romance.
Molly is on her way to visit her sick grandmother when she comes across a stranger that steps out of the woods. She is drawn to this stranger and feels no fear even when she realizes is Wolf Trevelyan, a man that has a dark past and who no one wants near their innocent female women.
Wolf feels this inexplicable pull to Molly and he needs to have her no matter the cost. What he can't explain is why she doesn't behave like any other woman he knows and why he can't buy her into her bed. Everyone has a price, he just needs to find hers.
I fell in love with this book since the first encounter between Molly and Wolf. The way Wolf was puzzled by Molly, the way Molly treated him in spite of the rumors, the way Wolf kept trying to look for an explanation as to why Molly was different, and the way Molly followed her instincts instead of what people said.
Even their time in New York at which point the story deviated from the Red Ridinghood story was fascinating and engaging and infuriating and so many more things that capture my attention and hold it firmly. I will, of course, be reading more of this stories the next one being Someone's Been Sleeping In My Bed since I was gifted that book too.
I love what Linda Jones has done with all this fairy tale retelling mixed with historical romance. Two of my favorite things together. The retelling of children books with an adult twist and my favorite genre, historical romance.
Molly is on her way to visit her sick grandmother when she comes across a stranger that steps out of the woods. She is drawn to this stranger and feels no fear even when she realizes is Wolf Trevelyan, a man that has a dark past and who no one wants near their innocent female women.
Wolf feels this inexplicable pull to Molly and he needs to have her no matter the cost. What he can't explain is why she doesn't behave like any other woman he knows and why he can't buy her into her bed. Everyone has a price, he just needs to find hers.
I fell in love with this book since the first encounter between Molly and Wolf. The way Wolf was puzzled by Molly, the way Molly treated him in spite of the rumors, the way Wolf kept trying to look for an explanation as to why Molly was different, and the way Molly followed her instincts instead of what people said.
Even their time in New York at which point the story deviated from the Red Ridinghood story was fascinating and engaging and infuriating and so many more things that capture my attention and hold it firmly. I will, of course, be reading more of this stories the next one being Someone's Been Sleeping In My Bed since I was gifted that book too.
December 28, 2025
This book was cute and sweet. I didn’t expect much going in—I honestly thought it would be another silly fairy-tale retelling—but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
I really enjoyed how the H pursues the h, constantly offering her gifts and money in hopes that she’ll marry him. The h herself was sweet, innocent, and very easy to like.
One of my favorite moments was when the H asks his friend to flirt with the h just to test her. When the friend actually touches her, the H completely loses it and ends up fighting him in the boxing ring to vent his jealousy and anger. That scene was oddly satisfying.
“I never said you could touch her.”
What I didn’t like was the H’s initial mindset. At first, he only wants to use the h to get her out of his system, keep her tucked away in his home, and then return to enjoying his city life. That didn’t sit well with me. I also found him frustratingly stubborn when it came to admitting that he loved her.
There’s no major OW drama, which I appreciated, although the H does attempt to flirt and “have fun” with the OW—even if he clearly can’t go through with it because he’s already fallen for the h.
Overall, the story kept me gripped. Despite a few frustrating moments, it was an enjoyable, sweet read.
I really enjoyed how the H pursues the h, constantly offering her gifts and money in hopes that she’ll marry him. The h herself was sweet, innocent, and very easy to like.
One of my favorite moments was when the H asks his friend to flirt with the h just to test her. When the friend actually touches her, the H completely loses it and ends up fighting him in the boxing ring to vent his jealousy and anger. That scene was oddly satisfying.
“I never said you could touch her.”
What I didn’t like was the H’s initial mindset. At first, he only wants to use the h to get her out of his system, keep her tucked away in his home, and then return to enjoying his city life. That didn’t sit well with me. I also found him frustratingly stubborn when it came to admitting that he loved her.
There’s no major OW drama, which I appreciated, although the H does attempt to flirt and “have fun” with the OW—even if he clearly can’t go through with it because he’s already fallen for the h.
Overall, the story kept me gripped. Despite a few frustrating moments, it was an enjoyable, sweet read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2012
This book was better than what I expected. The last page or so was not so great but the book was.
July 18, 2013
Very cute, sweet, believable. Loved the setting: 1900s Maine and New York City. Recommended read.
October 15, 2020
I loved the twist on this old fairy tail, a must read.
July 27, 2014
Sweet and heartfelt but not for me. Listia, here it comes. =)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews