Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Howling Heart

I'm just going to tell you right now- don't be alarmed by my review. It might scare you, it might freak you out, but I'm telling you right now that if you like romance- just do it and feel the feels like I did. 

The Howling Heart
Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.
Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv—wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.
Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.
I know you want me to talk about why this got weird for me, but I'm going to tell you upfront that I loved this book. The main issue I have is that the relationship between Paige and Riley seemed to happen fast and there could have been more between them. While I understand why we don't have more sexy times in the book because Riley (a shifting werewolf) wants to make Paige (a human) his mate and in order to do they have a ceremony and they mate and he bites her, etc. I'm not saying there aren't any sexy times, because there are, they just aren't happening left in right like a traditional romance would have. So it feels a little rushed and I kind of get it. Riley has been in love with Paige since they were children and their brief encounter and she dreams of the boy that she met in the woods, but she doesn't know the wolf and the boy are the same. 
So now let's talk about where it gets weird. I know the exact point in which some readers are going to be like, "Oh this is too damn much" and quit the book. But don't do that. I should have known it might get weird when Riley has the conversation with Paige where he asks her if she would still love him if he was a wolf, and he couldn't change back. This is not a spoiler, settle down, but it's like how you'd ask your spouse "Would you still love me if I were.... paralyzed" or whatever. Kind of. Anyways. So there is a point where I thought, oh shit- we're going to have girl and wolf sexy times, aren't we? And am I mentally ready to read this? Am I going to freak out? Keep in mind I'm reading this at midnight, I'm the only one awake so I can't even talk it out with someone, and lambs- it was a tough moment. So that right there might scare enough of you were you rule this book out and I wish that you wouldn't. It's not like I'm trying to sell you on dinosaur erotica because this isn't anywhere near that and I'm telling you, without spoiling it, that you don't need to panic. It's going to be OK and you won't feel scarred in anyway. 
In fact, I think you are going to like it. 
Can we talk about the ending? I hate it. That's not what I want for Riley. I feel like Paige needs to not be a jerk and maybe think about poor Riley. He's a freaking wolf- this is a terrible solution. So I sincerely hope there is a book two so Paige can come to her damn senses but also so we can learn more about Riley and Paige's relationship because I kind of love Riley. Have I mentioned he's British? He's a British shifter. EEK. So adorable. Anyways. 
You should visit April's webpage because she does have other books and her Goodreads page, too. I want you to read this, then email me and we'll talk it out together. Because I want you to read it so we can bond over this. 

2 comments:

April Bostic said...

Hi Sara, thanks for reviewing my book!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great recommendation and for being a part of the tour!