North Wolf

Gwen Branson is trapped inside a mental hospital for going on four years now. Ever since the day she saw her father killed by a creature that wasn’t human, Gwen has had to face the horrors of the St. Catherine’s Hospital for the Mentally Ill. Drugged and watched over, Gwen has almost no will left to live. However, things are about to change for her big time when Eben Lowell comes to the mental hospital to rescue his brother, and hijacks Gwen in the process.

The moment Eben scents Gwen, he recognizes her as his mate. His next move is to get her out of the mental hospital and back to his home where she can heal, mentally and physically. He also plans to slowly insinuate himself in her life as he has no plans of ever letting her go again.

When Gwen wakes up in a strange bed, in a strange home that is definitely not the mental hospital she’s used to, she is scared and confused. However, the men of the house quickly set her straight about how she arrived, and, despite her reservations, she agrees to stay for awhile. She feels safe with Eben, his brother and his father, and even if Eben intimidates her a bit, she still knows she’s better off at their home, exploring her artwork and healing, than she ever would have been in the hospital. But Gwen doesn’t know the whole truth about Eben and his family. They are Weres, the very things that haunt her nightmares and still cause her fear everyday. What will Gwen do when she discovers the truth?

North Wolf is an engaging examination of the lives of the Weres and what happens when a human enters their midst. M.A. Everaux builds an intricate world surrounding the Weres in her story, a world that is harsh and violent but at the same time, it is loving and supportive, the kind of community anyone would feel welcomed into. She builds Eben and Gwen’s love story slowly and steadily, which makes for some intense emotions and plenty of steamy encounters, but also allows for a gradual trust to emerge from two people who haven’t given their trust too often in the past. The mystery surrounding Gwen’s father’s death is a central point in this story and is an issue that Gwen and Eben must work through together, thus ensuring that they will continue to grow closer. Eben seems a bit harsh and domineering at the outset of the novel, much of that due to the fact that he’s the packs new Alpha Were, but as his character grows, the reader will see that he hides a soft heart in his chest.

All in all, North Wolf is a thrilling love story featuring some very intense characters and a provocative romance. M.A. Everaux will definitely hold your attention with her tale of love, Were style.

Reviewed by: Sarah