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Keeping her will start a war.
Good thing this wolf loves a brawl…

After a year of being a vampire’s captive blood pet, I’ve finally escaped…only to end up at the mercy of a werewolf.

As the enforcer for Howling Death MC, Sawyer is no stranger to bloodshed, punishment, and carnage. I can’t trust him, no matter how much he swears to protect me.

All my life I’ve been used and manipulated. But it’s getting harder to dismiss how gentle the fearsome werewolf is with me. Harder to ignore the word mate that keeps popping into my head like someone else is whispering it.

When the vampires want their pet back, Sawyer has no choice but to hand me over. His pack can’t risk another war with them, not over some lowly human.

I can’t go back to being a captive. For the first time ever, I’ll fight for what I want. But what I’m not prepared for?

How far my werewolf will go to keep me.

This book features motorcycle club vibes, fated mates, and forbidden romance between a growly, protective shifter and a human woman. Each book in Howling Death MC is a standalone with a guaranteed HEA!

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2023

270 people are currently reading
322 people want to read

About the author

Sophie Ash

10 books128 followers
Sophie Ash is a USA Today bestselling author from Northern California, writing paranormal motorcycle clubs with plenty of bite, as well as passionate retellings of myths and folklore.

When she's not writing, she's probably reading, gardening, vacuuming up cat hair, or enjoying a craft beer in the sun.

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5 stars
289 (41%)
4 stars
202 (29%)
3 stars
152 (21%)
2 stars
37 (5%)
1 star
11 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
Profile Image for FANCHON.
804 reviews25 followers
July 30, 2024
The Worst Pack Ever

I wanted to like this way more than I actually did. I like this author, and this story has potential. But it fell flat. Riley is a human that escapes after being held captive by a vampire for nearly a year as a blood pet. It’s exactly what it sounds like. She was tormented and drained and not there by choice. When she gets a chance to escape, she flees for her life. She’s near death when the witch that Sawyer recently broke up with discovers her unconscious and saves her. When Shiloh turns to Sawyer to help, he immediately goes into protector mode and his wolf wants to claim Riley as their mate.

Sounds great right? Well it goes downhill. There’s of course drama between the supernatural factions, and Sawyer’s evil alpha decides rather than protect the innocent woman who is begging not to be forced back to be abused and drained of her blood… that’s exactly what he wants to happen. Because why would any honorable leader stand up and protect the weak and abused after all? The fact that these idiots follow a leader like that is disgusting frankly. This is supposedly the strongest pack in the area, yet they are cruel and without any honor. And the fact that Sawyer SENDS HER BACK knowing what is going to happen to her is unforgivable. End. Of. And there is zero redemption for anyone that stays in a pack with a leader willing to sacrifice innocents to save themselves. There were other options. She didn’t ask them to fight for her - just not send her back. She didn’t ask for protection or to start a war. There’s no amount of redemption possible for anyone after that in my book.

What kind of alpha knowingly commands a victim be returned to their abuser? What kind of men willingly hands a helpless woman over to someone they know is going to continue to hurt them? Honestly I loathe every one of them. Even having a change of heart later is too little too late. And to be clear- the ONLY one to EVER have a change of heart is Sawyer. I almost didn’t complete this book when they handed her over because there is just zero redemption. But for some reason I pushed myself on. But it spoiled the book for me. News flash: there was no redemption. I should have quit.

“Shiloh was going to be an incredible partner to some lucky male one day. And if the bastard mistreated her, I’d be the first in line to tear him a new one.” 🙄 Because you’re so honorable yourself there buddy. You quite literally handed your mate over to her abuser, KNOWING she would be abused and possible killed. But sure, you’ll step up if your ex is ever mistreated 🙄

After **four long weeks** of the vampire draining her almost completely, Sawyer finally comes to rescue her. He sees her near death and idiotically says “F@ck, my sweet mate. What did they do to you??” Ummmm what the eff do you THINK they did to her?? How about exactly what you KNEW was going to be done to her when you pushed her back into their arms? The same thing she endured for a year before she managed to escape and crossed paths with your pack? 🙄🙄 Don’t act like you’re surprised now. You knew exactly how she would suffer.

Their evil pack alpha’s response to learning Sawyer rescued Riley- even after learning she actually IS a wolf- is to double down the evil and strip Sawyer of his pack, declaring him a traitor wolf. This causes him to go into a weeks long downward spiral of numbness and almost catatonic depression. So not only is this pack pathetic and evil, willing to hand innocents over to be abused and killed, none of them honorable enough to even hesitate to consider it might be a shitty thing…. But they’re going to throw one of their own out knowing he will essentially wither to nothing. 🙄🙄 Because they weren’t dishonorable and vile enough before.

The ending was disgusting and felt slimy. The vile pack still treated Sawyer like filth even after everything, the spineless cruel alpha suddenly decided Riley had worth (probably because he found something he could exploit, because i refuse to believe he had a change of heart) and offers to let Riley swear loyalty to the pack and become a member. The same was NOT offered to Sawyer- he was still an outcast. But through an intentional loophole they let her beg to let him in too. It felt dirty and slimy and definitely NOT like an HEA because why on earth would you swear loyalty to such disgusting leaders? Ones who didn’t want you there and handed you over to be abused and killed? Who would willingly join such evil people? I’m angry I wasted my time for what was definitely NOT a worthy HEA by the end.

I will not be continuing this series. Frankly the only acceptable ending would be for the entire pack to be wiped out in a painful attack. They have zero honor. It’s not an HEA for poor Riley to be bound to the pack that so callously tossed her back to her abuser without a second thought. She deserves better, and they deserve karma.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Murphy.
725 reviews
March 1, 2023
This new series introduces us to a whole new world by Sophie Ash. With werewolf shifters, Vampires, Witches, Dragon shifters and Angels… the possibility is endless and what’s better, more MC’s.

Howling Death MC is filled with possessive, Alpha, home town loving werewolf shifters. When Riley is found on the edge of their territory, it is quickly brought to Enforcer Sawyers attention. Instantaneously, sparks fly and feelings never have felt before are brought forward for an extended overwhelming need to claim.

After Riley escaped almost a year long kidnap from the Vampires as a fresh blood bag, she feels all hope is lost. But when she meets Sawyer, needs she’s never felt before change before her eyes. She’s only human though and shouldn’t be feeling like this, right?

When the president of the MC declares no humans life is worth the safety of their pack and town, Riley is to be traded back to the Vampires for the sake of piece. Only someone doesn’t feel the same.

Will Riley ever be able to escape the clutches of the Vampires? When will the deal with the Dragon shifter be called upon? Will the Vampires retaliate for the disrespect of one wolf?

”She smelled like fresh spring flowers and rain. Light and feminine and somehow so utterly intoxicating. I wanted to never not be smelling this. I wanted this scent filling my home at all times. I wanted her in my clothes, my sheets, everything I touched.”

I enjoyed this story. The series is full of promise and I am excited to read more about these characters. The ending seemed to be rushed a bit due to the nature of a stand-alone, I assume, but still it was a cute, heartfelt story of mates and how nothing can come between them. Sawyer and Riley were great characters I hope to see more of with the continuation of the series.

*Overall 4/5
*Heat? 2/5
*Dual first person POV
*Med/Slow Burn
*Ends on HFN
Profile Image for Sarah Anne.
1,879 reviews190 followers
July 25, 2023
No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Overall: 2-stars

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

Possible Triggers: Yes

Ending:
Profile Image for Elia.
190 reviews
March 3, 2023
Good story

I usually don't rate below 4 stars for her stories but this one had me frustrated. The new world and people were amazing and I cant wait for their stories to come. It's mainly the MFC here that had me confused and frustrated. Many times I would have to go back and read a page because she's said sawyer said something, and no, he didn't in any way shape or form. He does things, explains why, and she still misunderstood. Also. The whole leaving him for days even knowing she was the only thing he had was a horrible move. I know it was to move the plot but that was not what a mate does.
Profile Image for Megan.
268 reviews29 followers
Read
September 11, 2023
DNF at about 25%

Strike one- weird internal thoughts from the MCs about different “euphemisms” that were literally just normal sentences

Strike two- mid way through waking the heroine up from a night terror our hero becomes sidetracked by her scent and all the sudden starts thinking sexy thoughts. Keep in mind the heroine is still thrashing around in terror. Like- I get that this is a werewolf romance so scent is a big thing but you can’t convince me this guys is nice after that

I couldn’t let it get to strike three
Profile Image for Christina Luberts.
2,767 reviews7 followers
March 4, 2023
I could not put this book down. Hopefullly we will find out more later on in one of the other characters story about Sawyers debt. Riley has lived on the street until Fabian takes her for his blood pet. When she gets a chance to run away and ends up on Sawyer's pack lands things start to happen You will want to follow until you are done reading it. Can't wait to read the next book.
1,142 reviews18 followers
August 18, 2023
There were some parts of this story I really enjoyed and some that I found just a bit off. First the parts I liked. It's very well written, I loved the way the point of view switched between the two main characters. The world the author is building also intrigued me and I felt the author could have spent a bit more time here fleshing out this magical world. The hero and heroine were solid characters, very likeable. Now for the but, the heroine has gone through something extremely traumatic (physically and mentally) yet after a couple of meals and apart from a few nightmares recovers so easily. Also trusting a stranger was what got her kidnapped and locked away as a vampires blood slave yet she so easily trusts out hero. Apart from those two slight niggles I enjoyed the book, without spoiling anything I will say this much all other books I have read when the heroine is at risk there is always a solution that presents itself, something always happens so that she is delivered from harm. Not so this book I was shocked to the core by what occurred so my compliments to the author for not being afraid to take it to a very dark place................................
Profile Image for Mariaan Belinfante.
869 reviews2 followers
September 8, 2024
As I read book 2 before this, some characters were familiar and got me hooked. Riley, an abused blood pet of Fabian the drug addict VP of the Vampire's MC, escaped to Vangmore and was saved by Shilo. Sawyer, Enforcer of Howling Death MC/pack, realising she's his mate, goes off to rescue her after Riley was handed back to Fabian as per Alpha orders and gets kicked out of the pack, branded as a traitor. I was was totally drawn into their story. Sawyer's depression was well detailed and this nearly lost him his mate. Easy read with a slow burn and HEA,but we're left with the question of what Aran will demand in lieu of the debt. Definitely keeping this series on my TBR list
Profile Image for Mettesknit .
1,161 reviews6 followers
May 11, 2025
Audiobook narrated by
Mari Bee
⭐️
Jon Brattin
⭐️⭐️⭐️

The female narrator might have ruined this a little bit for me.

The story also lacked the whole world building department.

Other than that, it was entertaining.
Profile Image for Tracy Redden.
177 reviews10 followers
May 27, 2025
My first audiobook. Took a break from it but finished on my walk today. The story was okay. Still not sure if audiobooks are for me. I may have enjoyed it more if read it from my ebook??
Profile Image for Camilla.
264 reviews28 followers
March 6, 2023
2.75/5

Average shifter romance with interesting world. Easy read. Not much spice. Might continue series.
729 reviews7 followers
March 8, 2023
Major issues- I wish I liked it better- Derrick the alpha of the howling pack ruined the book for me

Beginning was great, World was fun and the heroine was truly selfless.

Spoilers:

Issues:
1. Alpha Derrick of the howling death deserves to die. He is evil and cares nothing about others.
He gave Riley back to the vampires because he was afraid so he just creates more victims.

He is honor less for banishing sawyer from the pack. Sawyer should have challenged him for leadership.

I would never join such a sick pack that gives people back to their abusers.

2. There needed to be more character development between her and everyone.

I was just so angry that a simply hand wave apology was good enough.

The vampire were evil I get it since they were the actual abusers.

Heroine was great. Sawyer was ok, but he should’ve joined a different pack with his mate.
Profile Image for Nadia Simone.
43 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2023
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

I love Sophie (or Crystal Sophie) Ash books so much, I read this book without even reading the synopsis. I should do blind reads more often. Just like all of her books, it was perfectly paced yet I was dying for more. It perfectly foreshadowed and teased the upcoming books while making you curious about the prequel if you skipped it like I did.

A motorcycle shifter book is pure genius. Of course, I’m pretty sure it's been done before, but not this well. This author excels at anything she sets her mind to, whether its paranormal, fantasy, or why choose romances. Making the connection between the mentality of a pack and an MC, and an alpha male & an actual alpha is smart and I like the unique spin she puts on it. Granted, given the plot, there isn't much motorcycle club vibes. It's more focused on introducing the characters, world building, the pack mentality, and the main relationship between Sawyer and Riley.

Sawyer and Riley had me hooked from the start. So much of Sawyer and Riley's relationship is emotion-driven, which is important in shifter romances because it plays on their primal instincts. (This is a lesson in following your heart and trusting your instincts because a lot could’ve been avoided had they given into their primal, shifter instincts sooner lol).

Sawyer was loyal from day 1. I love when the MMC shows human emotions. Too often, they’re portrayed as infallible, untouchable people who are confident in every move they make & can take control of anyone or any situation. So it’s nice when you see a MMC unsure of how to handle a situation or blush or feel nerves. It shows they care. He was always conscious of Riley's feelings, but he still knew when to lead as well like any alpha male would. One thing's for sure though, human Sawyer may have been trying to take it slow but wolf Sawyer made no such promises. Some of my favorite parts were the scenes when they let the wolves out.

Riley was a strong woman, and not because she handled every situation with a heavy hand or a sassy monologue. Her strength came from within. It came from being able to look adversity in the face, stand with her head high, and going forward anyway. She endured a lot and she took it like a champ. I also liked the side characters in this book. There were a few morally grey characters, which I love, because perfect characters make for a boring and predictable book. All the others that were introduced have me intrigued and I can't wait to see how it places out in the future when they (hopefully) get their own books, because they aren't all part of the Howling Death MC 👀

*I'd like to note the low spice rating isn't because the spice wasn't good, it just was few and far between and clearly wasn't a focus of this book, which actually fit well. I don't believe every romance needs a ton of smut, especially considering the context of this plot in this particular book. So if you want some 5 star smut, I'd recommend...pretty much any of her other books lol*

The captivity situation added some real depth and grit to the story that really balanced out the sweetness of Sawyer and Riley's growing feelings. I love the star-crossed lovers feel. That moment when nothing is going right, the whole world may be against you and you have nothing & no one to lean on but each other. Shows the real strength of your relationship. Therein lies the problem with this book though. The 3rd act breakup came out of left field. It took me a while to get my thoughts together about it, but here were my issues: This was not a good depiction of how to handle a loved one with depression. And after all of it, it was HIM who apologized to HER! AND she said she wasn't sorry! Girl have you learned nothing?! You could explain it away by saying she was still recovering from her own trauma, but she showed more sense at the beginning of the book when she was still escaping from it. At this point, she'd been safe for weeks! Mates stick by each other for life, through thick and thin. He did it for her and she couldn't do it for him

Ultimately, it lessened the strength of their relationship in my eyes and didn't instill the most confidence in me that they'd be able to handle any and everything that came their way together in the future. For that reason, I had to deduct a star. This is the first and hopefully last time I'll rate one of her books below 5 stars.
Profile Image for Jess Croft.
208 reviews7 followers
April 12, 2024
Dnf at 85%- stupid 3rd act conflict, really you go through all that and that's your reaction?? Ugh.
716 reviews5 followers
July 13, 2025
***This review is for the book and audiobook***

Wolf shifters ✓
MC ✓
Vampires ✓
Dragons ✓
Great narration ✓
Possessive, growly, biker ✓
Strong human female ✓

This book and audiobook were fantastic! Riley was a desperate, hungry, homeless human girl who was made promises of being cared for but was instead held as a prisoner blood pet for a vicious, drug addicted vampire. Riley escaped, still desperate, hungry, homeless, and now reeked of vampire. Riley ventured into the wolf shifter Pack territory, and suddenly she was living with Sawyer, the enforcer for the Howling Death MC, a man sworn off love and relationships.

Sophie Ash has created another well written story with lots of suspense and drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what might happen next. There were lots of twists in this sometimes-scary story. The story plot is multi-layered and complicated, just like the characters. There were a lot of supporting characters to keep up with. Shiloh, the witch/bar owner, was my favorite side character because of her unwavering support of Riley, despite the danger. The author has done a fabulous job with world building and bringing to life the pack and the rest of the paranormal community. There was violence, but that is to be expected with an MC story.

Check the trigger warnings if you are sensitive to stories about abuse. The only situation I did not like in the book was that Riley was returned to her abuser, especially since the Pack knew she was abused and the near-death condition she was in when they found her.

Now for the audiobook – wow! The narration made the book come to life. The narrators, Mari Bee and Jon Brattin, had pleasant voices and were enjoyable to listen to, and the audio quality was exceptional. The narrators’ voice quality and character distinction, pacing and rhythm, and emotional delivery were all on point. You could feel the character’s emotions through these excellent narrators, and they made the book even more enjoyable.

Overall, I really loved this dark, intense, and complicated suspense drama full of Pack drama, tension, revenge, mistrust, betrayal, and redemption, and think the excellent narration added to the experience for me. If you are looking for a well-written, well-narrated paranormal romance story full of interesting characters, I would recommend this book for you.
Profile Image for Readernerd57_book_reviews.
283 reviews2 followers
August 6, 2025
3.75⭐ 1.5🌶️ 4❤️ 5🎧

✨Review Highlights✨
-Fast paced both plot and romance
-Interesting world, but needed more world building
-Main characters could have been developed more
-Had a good time, but needed more substance
-Would recommend for a vibes read

I listened to this book on audio and I really enjoyed the narrators, I thought that they did a wonderful job with this story.

The story it's self was a good time but I felt like it could have been so much better in my opinion. It was a fun time vibes read, but I fell like if the main characters where a little more developed and less kind of two dimensional then I feel like I could have been more invested in their story. I conceptually understand that the FMC came from a very traumatic and hard background, but I didn't feel that in the book. I didn't feel like her life was truly horrible, it felt like she was telling a story about a stranger that she saw once and not her own past.

I also felt like the world that this is based in is really interesting and cool, but it really isn't expanded on. There is this concept of a really cool paranormal world, but not a lot of background on it. Not a lot of history or reasons why some groups are at odds with others. I just wanted more about the world that we are in.

Like I said I still had a good time with this book. It has good vibes and it was a fast read, so I would recommend if you are looking for that, but if you are looking for a more immersive paranormal world with really flushed out characters this one may not be for you.
222 reviews
June 10, 2024
In der Geschichte entkommt ein Mädchen aus den Klauen eines Vampirs, der ihr die Adern geleert hat, als wäre sie ein Tier. Die Handlung nimmt eine unerwartete Wendung, als sie im Gebiet der Werwölfe Zuflucht sucht und beim Vollstrecker des Rudels Unterschlupf findet.
Leider kommt die Charaktergestaltung zu kurz, vor allem bei der Darstellung der Emotionen der Protagonistin und des anhaltenden Traumas nach einem Jahr als Bluttier. Die sofortige und intensive Anziehungskraft zwischen den beiden Hauptfiguren wirkt erzwungen und es fehlt ihnen an Tiefe, was die Glaubwürdigkeit ihrer Beziehung beeinträchtigt.
Dem Schreibstil fehlt es leider an Finesse und er wirkt etwas ungehobelt. Der Autorin gelingt es nicht, die emotionale Aufgewühltheit und Komplexität der Figuren überzeugend zu vermitteln, so dass der Leser nicht in der Lage ist, sich in ihre Kämpfe einzufühlen.
Auch das Konzept der Geschichte selbst kann nicht überzeugen: Die Handlung wirkt konstruiert und hat nicht die nötige Tiefe, um wirklich zu fesseln. Trotz des Potenzials für eine fesselnde Geschichte über das Überleben und die aufkeimende Liebe bleibt die Umsetzung hinter den Erwartungen zurück und lässt den Leser an der Authentizität der Erzählung zweifeln.
Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass die Geschichte aufgrund der schwachen Charaktergestaltung, der nicht überzeugenden emotionalen Darstellung und des nicht fesselnden Storykonzepts nicht überzeugen konnte.
Profile Image for Rebecca Carsley.
534 reviews8 followers
April 30, 2023
Absolutely In Love With This Series Already!! 🥰❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review

Another absolutely phenomenal story by Sophie aka Crystal Ash. Every series she writes is always absolute perfection. I have not read a book or series by her that I have not fallen in love with or obsessed over. Her MC series’ are my all time favorites to include her knew Howling Death MC.

This is Sawyer and Riley’s story and it’s not an easy one. It’s intense, heartbreaking and downright phenomenal. Riley’s escaped a life that’s left her a shell of herself so when she finds herself at the mercy of a werewolf it’s not like life can get any worse…..or can it. Sawyer knows the minute he sees her she’s his mate and he’ll do anything and everything to protect and care for her….till he’s forced by his Prez to give her back. But he’ll find away to get her back. This is a book you’re definitely not gonna want to miss.

This is an on the edge of your seat book for sure, it’s got danger, darkness, action, betrayal, heartbreak, redemption, hot chemistry and connection, alpha males, and a whole lot more. It does end on a HEA that’s rightfully deserved, but it takes a minute to get it. Seriously can’t wait for the next book in series. This is a series I’m gonna be one-clicking the whole way through. Highly recommend it!!!
Profile Image for Angie.
1,395 reviews232 followers
April 2, 2023
She smelled like fresh spring flowers and rain. Light and feminine and somehow so intoxicating. I wanted to never not be smelling this. I wanted this scent filling my home at all times. I wanted her in my clothes, my sheets, everything I touched.

5+ stars!

Holy hell, this book!! I was so pleasantly surprised and enthralled by every single thing in this wonderful story, and I just could not read fast enough. I loved Riley as a heroine because we were really able to see her strength and vulnerability as she slowly fought for her freedom from her vampire captor. Sawyer was my favorite type of hero--alpha, sexy protective, and slightly domineering--but I loved seeing his vulnerabilities and imperfections as well. This story had some of my favorite tropes--fated mates, kidnapping, extra drama and angst--and I truly enjoyed every single word. The secondary characters held their own against Riley and Sawyer's angsty courtship, and I cannot wait for more in this series!🖤

Tropes: fated mates, forbidden love, shifter/human pairing, heroine-in-danger, alpha jp hero, hidden past, magical world, MC romance, protector hero, praise kink, kidnapping, pack politics, STEAMY🔥
Profile Image for Amy-apiscesbookrealm.
317 reviews10 followers
March 1, 2023
The first book in the Howling Death MC series is such a fun read!  I finished it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.

Sawyer is an enforcer in the MC and loves his solitary lifestyle. That all changes when he comes across an unexpected visitor (Riley) in his pack's territory. From there, we basically see two strangers build a connection right away based on pure natural instincts. The angst between these two was.....hot.

I admired Riley's strength, courage, and selflessness in this story. Sawyer is such a contrast with his extra possessive and protective self. His caring nature towards Riley makes him totally swoonworthy. These two are adorable together.

Even though I was smiling from ear to ear while reading this, the captivity/kidnapping situations added some grit to the story. Our characters go through a lot before their HEA and I felt terrified for them.

There's so much more in this world called Shyftworld. There are various supernaturals and territories that added an extra layer to everything. I can't wait to re-visit and learn more when book two comes out. I'm ready for Shiloh's story!

🖤
Profile Image for Laura.
285 reviews7 followers
March 5, 2023
Traitor Wolf begins a brand new series with a whole new world, from Sophie Ash. This is our introduction to the Howling Death MC, and all the creatures and humans that live in and around Shyftworld. 

This is going to be fun! 

Riley is a human who is being held as a blood pet, against her will by a vampire and the VP of a rival MC. By sheer luck she manages to escape and is found in the werewolves territory by a witch who owns the local tavern. As luck would have it, this witch is friends with the enforcer of the Howling Death MC. 

Sawyer is a wolf who prefers to be alone. As the enforcer of Howling Death, he's a protector by nature, and when he gets past the smell of vampires on Riley, his protective instincts go into overdrive. It's those protective instincts that cause Sawyer to run afoul of his own club. 

What unfolds is a story of sacrifice and survival, hope and new beginnings. We're introduced to some of this world's beings, shifters, vampires, witches, angels, and of course, humans. There's so many opportunities for stories built into this world, the future is boundless. And there's already a rival motorcycle gang for tension and mayhem. 

Traitor Wolf is a quick, slow burn read. Perfect for a lazy afternoon. Pull up a seat get comfortable, and welcome to Shyftworld, and the Howling Death MC. And don't forget to grab your bonus scene, link at the end of the book.
Profile Image for Melissa .
490 reviews29 followers
March 8, 2023
Crystal Ash writing as Sophie Ash is an absolute hit! In Traitor Wolf, we are introduced to Shyftworld, home of vampires, witches, angels, dragons, and of course, wolves. In this paranormal world each faction exists on its own though there are some alliances and naturally, some conflict. At the heart of this conflict are the wolves and the vampires, and though a fragile truce is in place, these two supernaturals loathe one another.

Traitor Wolf is a fun and sexy read with a fast moving, engaging plot and lovable characters. Our hero Sawyer is the growly possessive yet surprisingly sweet enforcer of The Howling Death MC. When he meets Riley, his protective instincts go into hyperdrive, and these two can’t help the instant attraction that crackles between them. This is a medium burn romance, and while the spice doesn’t happen right away, it’s clear that Riley and Sawyer have an intense connection and there’s lots of wonderful tension as the romance builds.

Once the conflict arises the pace doesn’t slow down, and I was glued to my seat until the last moment. We are also introduced to some intriguing side characters and I’m looking forward to seeing more stories from this world. Overall, I’d recommend this book to any PNR fan, especially if you are looking for a low angst romance with a fast moving plot. I’m excited to see what’s next to come in the Shyftworld universe!
Profile Image for Lori  Pittman .
43 reviews
July 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Traitor Wolf surprised me in the best way. The storyline was solid and didn’t fall into the usual cringey tropes that plague a lot of paranormal romance. I was genuinely intrigued by the plot and now I need to know what happens next—especially with the deal and the evolving pack dynamics. The politics, the tension, the secrets... give me more!

The main characters—Sawyer and Riley—were likable and easy to root for. Their chemistry felt natural, and I appreciated that their connection didn’t rely solely on the typical “fated mate” formula. Plus, as someone with friends in real-world club hierarchies, it was refreshing to see the structure and dynamics portrayed with some actual accuracy.

The spice was definitely present—steamy enough to raise eyebrows but never overdone or distracting from the story. Overall, a really good book with great potential for the rest of the series. I’m definitely in for more!
Profile Image for booklover1816.
371 reviews49 followers
February 25, 2023
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.25/5⭐️
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲: 1/3 🌶

Traitor Wolf is book #1 in Sophie Ash’s new standalone series Howling Death MC and it was INCREDIBLE!

"𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐈’𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧."

I freaking loved Sawyer from the moment he was introduced and Lordy, he just kept getting better and better!! His protectiveness and kindness was exactly what Riley needed after a year of being imprisoned by a blood-thirsty vampire.

Overall, the world building is intriguing! Everything just pulled me in deeper, keeping me hooked! I was cultivated by this story and binge-read it in an entire day! And those little teasers for the other characters made me want more! I have a bunch of theories and I’m curious to see what Ash comes up with next.

Definitely worth the read!!
1,145 reviews
March 30, 2024
I get that there are TW for abuse and that's great for people like me. But the way the author dealt with the abuse was not sensitive and further victimized the victim. And THAT was the deal breaker for me.

- she goes from being the kept pet of one abuser to the MMC. Good thing he's a "good" guy and she's attracted to him. Otherwise it would mean she has zero actual growth and some would even say she invites abusive/toxic relationships.

- the "good" guys force her to go back to her abuser (the one she isn't sexually attracted to so we know that's "bad" abuse and controlling behavior. If she was smart, she'd leave them all behind. Maybe work on herself for a while. But she doesn't. Eventually the MMC realizes and goes to help her. Too little, too late for me. Others will eat this up.
Profile Image for Melissa.
997 reviews5 followers
June 17, 2025
I've been dying for a werewolf series that isn't a rejected mate situation for months and this is that, but it's also kind of irritating. I get that Sawyer couldn't really go against his alpha, but with the summary I thought he would move quicker to save her - not a full month. Sure, Shiloh had to make the potion, but that just kind of sat wrong with me. As did the alpha changing his opinion once he learned she was a wolf. I think if she would have been saved quicker, I would have enjoyed this more but in my mind a mate moves quickly to save his partner and Sawyer just didn't do that.

I'm also confused by the dragon mark because it still hasn't been called in two books later. Maybe it ties in late in the series, but I expected it to play a part late in this book and we never even saw the dragon again.
Profile Image for Fiona.
2,734 reviews32 followers
February 25, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story about Sawyer & Riley. Sawyer is the enforcer of the Howling Death MC and a wolf shifter. He is asked for help with a human female Riley, who has escaped from the vampires and seeks shelter from them. Sawyer offers her instant protection and feels drawn to her. I loved how Sawyer deals with how much Riley means to him after he has to return her to the vampires. He knows he will be removed from the pack and branded as a traitor, but he does it willingly so he can be with his mate. There is so much more to this story, but you will have to read it to enjoy it as much as I did. It’s well written and worth reading.

I was given a copy of this book to read and I am reviewing with my honest and fair opinion.
Profile Image for Jess McDaniel.
1,070 reviews69 followers
February 27, 2023
Traitor Wolf is the first in a new world and I am excited to learn more about it! It's so vast that I am hoping that it will expand outwards to the to the others.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one, but I loved watching Riley and Sawyer grow. They are pushed together when Riley escapes the vampire that took her against her will from the human world. Sawyer isn't forceful at all. He sees how skittish she is, and will do whatever he needs to do to make her trust him.

I don't want to go too deep into the story because of spoilers, but I am glad that Sawyer took the risks he needed to for Riley, even if it took away the one thing that he always knew. I loved Traitor Wolf and cannot wait for the next couple!
Profile Image for Michelle The Outgoing Bookworm .
1,322 reviews19 followers
March 2, 2023
Entering a new world filled with werewolves, vampires, dragons, angels, and witches always makes me happy. And the author sucked me in with this start to a new series.

Riley escapes a hell like no other in vampire territory and finds solace in werewolf territory. Sawyer, enforcer of the MC gang, steps in to help and protect her. But pack leaders vote to send her back. Not easy when he discovers she’s his mate.

These two were super cute together and the heat level was scorching. The growly and whole touch her/him and die thing made me swoon. A little predictable as to how things would go but loved it.

I liked this introduction to this universe. Super intrigued by all the goings on and paranormal politics. Chomping at the bit at what is to come with others.


* I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
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