Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren
Book Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Mass market paperback: 336 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Release date: March 2, 2006
Series: The Others #9
Reviewed by: Stéphanie
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
Sullivan Quinn didn't travel 3,000 miles from his native Ireland and his wolf pack just to chase rabidly after the most delectable quarry he's ever seen. Quinn is in America on a mission--to warn his Other brethren of a shadowy group willing to use murder and mayhem to bring them down. But one whiff of this Foxwoman's delicious honeysuckle fragrance and he knows that she is more than a colleague or a conquest…she is his mate.
Anthropologist Cassidy Poe is a world-renowned authority on social interaction, but the overpowering desire she feels around Quinn defies every ounce of her expertise. Working by his side to uncover The Others' enemies poses risks she never expected--to her own safety, to those she loves, and to her heart, as every encounter with Quinn proves more blissfully erotic than the last…
Now, with no one to trust but each other, Quinn and Cassidy face a foe that's edging closer every day, threatening to destroy the life they've always known, and the passion they've just discovered…
Sometimes, I like nothing more than an easy read that will probably have a good ending, especially when it comes with paranormal romance. WOLF AT THE DOOR caught my eye because the romantic story seemed like fun and because the paranormal story sounded intriguing. It lived up to my expectation and I thought it was an enjoyable and satisfying read.
I also picked up the book because the blurb at the back of the book said “Christine Warren’s spellbinding new series takes you into the enthralling world of the others…”, so I assumed it was the first book of a series. I was wrong. After reading a few chapters, I kept getting the impression some of the characters had had a story written about them already, and I confirmed this later by checking online. It’s actually the ninth book of the series. I felt a bit mislead by the back of the book since I usually like to read series in order, whenever possible. I think it has something to do with a marketing thing, this being the first book the publisher actually came out with, but still, the truth would have been nice right from the start.
Despite that little blunder, the book can absolutely be read as a stand alone. The story holds on it’s own and I really liked being introduced to the Others, which refers to any types of paranormal beings including vampires, weres, witches and demons. The main story focuses on the probable exposure of Others to the general human population. Others have always tried to live in hiding because of witch trials and other mass murdering events of the past. But now, since the human servant of a vampire has been kidnapped by fanatics trying to expose them as bad guys, some Others feel like it’s time to reveal themselves to human in order to avoid as much bloodshed and prejudice as possible. Werewolf Quinn totally believes in the Unveiling and can’t wait to be able to live in an accepting society. However, anthropologist and Foxwoman Cassidy Poe believes revealing themselves to humans will be the Salem Witch Trials all over again.
Obviously their disagreement creates a lot of initial tensions but since Cassidy and Quinn are so attracted to each other, they try to work together to find out more about the kidnappers and their crazy fanatical sect. The scenes with Cassidy and Quinn are really fun to read because of their intense chemistry and their quirky lines. These scenes are definitively the highlight of the book, especially the scene where they first meet and they end up naked a few seconds later. I really liked how their relationship blossomed, and even if it felt a little quick, it didn’t seem forced despite their “animal instincts”.
Despite my initial confusion with the book, I think this series is definitively worth investigating. If the other books are anything like this one and have memorable characters like Quinn and Cassidy, I’m definitively in. There’s nothing like a good paranormal romance, and for a older release, this book was a good surprise.
Nice review! I started this series myself not too long ago. Not sure how I stumbled across it but I learned that the books were published in a different order than the author's chronological intention. I thought that might be what might happen to me one day--if I am lucky enough to find an agent! So I was curious to see how things worked.
ReplyDeleteRegardless though, I am reading the series in order. But like you said, each book stands alone, but you do miss out on a few tidbits of things that happened with some of the other characters if they pop up in a later book.
Very nice review! You could always start the series over, the author has the order she has the books arranged on her website and that's how I am reading them. Have to take a break now as I wait for the last one to be published in summer so I can move on with the last 7!
Great review. I was actually disappointed in this book. But I am happy you liked it.
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