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Book Review: A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing, by Susanna Allen

I borrowed a copy of Susanna Allen‘s A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing through Hoopla.

A Duke in want of a wife…

Alfred Blakesley, Duke of Lowell, has long been an enigma. No one dares to give a man of his status the cut direct, but there’s simply something not quite right about him. What would the society ladies say if they learned the truth―that the Duke of Lowell is a wolf shifter and the leader of a pack facing extinction if he doesn’t find his true love? So now he’s on the hunt…for a wife.

Felicity Templeton has a goal of her own: to remain unwed until her twenty-fifth birthday, when she will inherit a significant fortune. But that all changes when she meets Alfred, the dashing duke who’s determined to have her for his very own…

This was absolutely ridiculous. Nothing about Felicity’s reactions felt believable. So, it took a lot of suspension of disbelief. But it was ridiculous in a cute way. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I appreciated Felicity’s backbone and how unflinchingly and openly willing to want Alfred was.

I was annoyed at how often Felicity fell asleep and was able to be picked up, moved, undressed, etc in her sleep. This is a scenario that only really makes sense with small children and I find it horrendously infantilizing when authors subject their adult female characters to this. (It’s only ever women too. I can’t think of a single male characters this happens to.) Additionally, this is labeled “a steamy shapeshifter regency romance” on Amazon. But that calling that is a stretch. There’s basically nothing more than angst and a kiss the very end and, even then, the sex is very tame. So, I don’t know what steamy scale it’s rated on, but don’t expect much.

All in all, for a bit of light fluff this was fun. But I wouldn’t call it any more than that.

Other Reviews:

ARC Review: A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing by Susanna Allen

Review: A Wolf in Duke’s Clothing – Susanna Allen

Book Review: The Long-Forgotten Winter King & The Twice-Scorned Lady of Shadow

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I borrowed audio copies of The Long-Forgotten Winter King & The Twice-Scorned Lady of Shadow through Hoopla. These are books 2 and 3 of The Guild Codex: Unveiled series, by Annette Marie. (Narrated by Tim Campbell and Cris Dukehart.) I reviewed book one, The One and Only Crystal Druid earlier this year.

About the Book:

Everyone is keeping secrets.

Zak won’t reveal what really happened between us ten years ago. Ríkr’s been hiding so much I scarcely recognize him anymore. But the biggest secret belongs to my parents, and it’s the one I’m most desperate to unravel.

Finding out who they really were, and who I am, means solving their eighteen-year-old murders. For reasons unknown, Zak decides to join me—and that makes me nervous, especially when the trail leads us into the most dangerous fae territory in the lower mainland.

The questions keep piling up, but as I realize too late, my parents’ killer is no mystery. He’s been lying in wait all along.

But not for me.

I’ve led Zak and Ríkr into a hell with no escape, and I need more than answers now. I need power—because without it, none of us will make it out alive.

I generally enjoyed this. I still liked the characters a lot, the world is interesting, and Marie’s writing is easy to read (or listen to in this case) as always. However, it did feel a little like the middle book it is—you know, like you’ve been dropped into something but without any final conclusion. Maybe this wouldn’t have been such an issue for me if it hadn’t been so long since I read book one. But my experience is what it is. Basically I liked it, but didn’t feel overly invested in it. I’ll be continuing the series, however, and that says more than anything else.

About the Book:

I’m learning to embrace who and what I am, but there’s one thing I can’t face: the night Zak betrayed me. But even with the mysteries of our shared past hanging between us, I can’t turn Zak away when he asks for my help.

Powerful fae are going missing, and when he tried to investigate, Lallakai vanished too. Now he wants me to venture with him into the territory of the Shadow Court, but its bloodthirsty courtiers don’t welcome meddling druids.

Danger is gathering around us, seen and unseen. As we uncover incomprehensible clues about the missing fae, we realize this nightmare runs deeper than we imagined, and unveiling it means delving into the past—our past.

If I abandon Zak now, he’ll never make it out alive. But if I stay at his side, if I face the truth of that night, it will destroy us both.

I don’t really have a lot to say on this one. Three books into the series and I’m still enjoying it. I’m invested in seeing how it all works out and I appreciate that Marie has allowed these young adults to have made grievous errors in life that hurt each-other horribly, but they be the mistakes of youth. Not need to complicate it with deep machinations. The writing, as always, is easy to follow and the narrators are doing a fine job.

I have to admit that I’m not finding myself falling in love with the characters though. It’s a story I flow along with easily, but I don’t think I’ll remember it next week. Regardless, the series is getting me through my ‘company is coming’ scramble to get the house clean.