Lydia Dare

Fun, but not wonderful. Ben's problem is real, but his situation is awkward at best - and I find Forster's involvement more than a little odd (if Lycans bond with their healers, why is he willing to send Ben?). The answer to Ellie's questions was also pretty obvious to me. Their interactions are rather silly - Ben does better when he's not thinking, just doing (like when he goes to look for the combs). The link between their marks is highly amusing, as is the use they make of it. If she's show more marked, can she change? Seems odd, if not. The sex is reasonably explicit and quite hot. I like all the parts of the story, but as a whole - I mostly wanted to shake the two of them and make them actually sit down and _talk_, using real words and full sentences and not assuming that the other is thinking the same thing they are. The discussion at the picnic was the most blatant version of this, but it happened throughout. It wasn't helped by a rather awkward version of a Scots dialect from Ellie and her coven sisters (and a very few others). Oh, and the wild wolf was just ridiculous - no one else encountered them, it didn't occur to anyone (in Scotland at that time) that they _were_ just wolves, _and_ no one went hunting them. No, sorry, off-key in too many ways. Eh - glad I read it, I guess, but I don't think I'll reread. I will read the rest of the series, though. show less

The Wolf Who Loved Me
3 Stars

The first half of the book is very engaging and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the second half is ruined by the over-reliance on tropes that I simply despise - silly misunderstandings and lack of communication between the hero and heroine.

As the story begins, Madeline is portrayed as loyal friend and an intelligent woman struggling against the dictates of her social station. However, once she and Wes set out on their journey together, she is revealed to be a spoiled show more and selfish brat whose constant whining and thoughtless jabs at Wes's nature made me want to smack her hard.

Wes, on the other hand, is a sweet and endearing hero. He is earthy, sexy and passionate in his love for Madeline, although I have no idea what he sees in her, and it is clear here that love certainly is deaf, dumb and blind.

Unlike the previous books in the series in which the paranormal elements take center stage, here they are secondary and serve only to move the plot forward by placing Wes and Madeline together in a compromising position. This is unfortunate as the Lycan aspects of the stories have wonderful potential.

The ending improves slightly but the damage has already been done. It should be said that the secondary characters are very intriguing, especially Wes's older brother Archer and Maddie's penniless friend, Lady Sophie. Sparks certainly fly between the two of them and I look forward to reading their book. Hopefully it will come out very soon. show less

A Certain Wolfish Charm caught my attention almost as soon as I saw the title. I didn't expect it to be about a werewolf family in Regency England--I thought it merely was a statement of the male lead's personality. The description hooked me however and I eagerly awaited the chance to read this. Then I began reading it and I eagerly sacrificed my sleep in order to read it all in one sitting.

The premise isn't a new one, but the way that Dare handles the Lycan side of Simon (and the other show more family members afflicted with the genetics) was certainly interesting. Apparently in order to keep the Beast at bay Simon perfected a routine that involved sleeping women, gambling and carousing (to be fair so did his two brothers William and the absent Benjamin). He is also rather thick-headed when it comes to what will make a woman happy. His original solution to the predicament of Lily wanting to stay near Oliver, Simon wanting to stay near Lily and keeping the secret that he was afraid would repulse her is one of his stupidest mistakes. Which everyone is more than happy to tell him, but he's so excited about that stupid mistake its hard to fault him for it.

Lily is not shrinking violet and doesn't let Simon (or Oliver, or anyone for that matter) make her feel as if she doesn't have a right to what she has to say. Her moments of vulnerability are understandable, given Simon's initial hot/cold/passionate/scared treatment of her as well as her fear of becoming what her sister became after marrying Simon's cousin David. She can come across as being entirely too nosy at times however. Simon...well Simon is hard to resist. I can't imagine too many men would offer to give the girl they want to bed (badly) a dowry and then offer to practically tear an old friend's arm off for even thinking of marrying her all in the same breath.

The two of them are entirely too blind to what's going on between them and it sometimes makes mountains out of molehills. There are definite trust issues involved, but Dare doesn't explore them as deeply as I wanted and Lily's attempts at wheedling information out of Simon (or anyone else) were more annoying then anything else.

Oliver, Lily's nephew by her late sister Emma (who married David, Simon's cousin), is the most surly, obstinate and aggravating child I have ever read about. Lily mentions how sweet and amiable the child was before he hit twelve, but I can't see it. And neither can any other character quite frankly--almost every single character either mentions or thinks that Lily is a Saint for being able to put up with him the last six years. Certainly the fact he is undergoing the transformation for the first time and is scared of what's happening to him explains some of it, but the kid was just this side of being a complete jerk to everyone--including Lily.

As this is the first in the trilogy, there is a lot more set up that will come to fruition in the latter two books. William's past relationship with Prisca (the girl next door) and Benjamin's disappearance for instance. The trilogy is slated to have back to back releases--which by the way, I love when publishers do that, just saying--with A Certain Wolfish Charm due in April, Tall, Dark and Wolfish due out in May (Benjamin) and The Wolf Next Door due out in June (William).

This is Dare's debut novel and is well worth reading and enjoying. The in-jokes between Simon and William (about being wolves), the banter between any of the characters is amusing and witty and the heat is high. I can't possibly recommend this book more, though I'm sure I could fangirl a bit more if anyone would like. show less

I must say that this was my favourite book of the 3. Why, well everyone that have read them know about William and Prisca, their constant banter and how they seem to loathe each other, but at the same time they do seem to like each other...a lot. With that in mind I started this book.


We finally get an explanation why Prisca takes every opportunity she gets so verbally abuse William. There was a failed elopement years ago, and neither got over that. It is obvious that they still have feelings show more for each other, but Prisca does not trust him, and William is a notorious rake by now.


Her brothers are finally tired of her and has a plan, marry her off to William. But there is another suitor, and he is one big bad wolf. William will not back down now. It's all or nothing, and he is not ready to loose her.


Like I said before I could nto wait to read Prisca's and William's story because they are at each other all the time. I was wondering how they with their constant bickering could see past that and fall in love. Well I can tell you that is not an easy road. They are still bickering, and the tension is running high in this book.


Prisca is a nice heroine who is not afraid to speak her mind, even if that leads her into trouble. And William, oh he is such a flirt, but with such a good heart that it just makes me wanna hug him, and the smack him over the head.


This is a fun book, you know it with those two, she is always at his throat, and he is trying to seduce her one way or the other. There is the merry hunt, and what happens afterwards. And then there is the big bad wolf lurking in the shadows, wanting Prisca for himself.


These two made this book the best so far. It had something for everyone, werewolves (yay), damsels in distress, witty remarks, and some lines that nearly killed me from laughing. For example when she asks why he always has something in his pocket. That, lol, has to be read.


A good werewolf story set in the regency era, and a nice conclusion to the Westfield story. All brothers had something special, but I do think I am starting to like William the best after this.



Tensions are running high, when a wicked werewolf finally meets his match, and passion can't be denied no longer. show less