cursedRating: 4 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novella


Terry wakes as he’s rescued from a fire, but he doesn’t get a good look at his rescuer. As he begins to rebuild, Terry crosses paths with Clyde. The attraction between them is instant, but Clyde has a secret. Not only is he a werewolf, but he’s been cursed and has no choice but to shift every night.

This doesn’t deter Terry. In fact, Terry thinks he can unwork the spell so that Clyde will be free. But the problem is there is an age old war between werewolves and warlocks. And even though Terry succeeds, Clyde’s pack doesn’t trust him. As werewolves start to disappear, the fractious pack breaks. But there’s something even more sinister at work. Something no one every expected. And nothing is as it seems.

This book is just a part one and ends on a cliff. But oh what a beginning it is. I felt the MCs connection right from the start and that helped pull me into the story. It’s a quick read, and part of that is due to the short amount of pages. But even more, there was a draw and an urgency to find out what happens next that kept me reading.

Terry was a truly enjoyable character. He’s earnest and giving, and just so real. I was invested in him and loved his determination. Clyde was similarly engaging, and I loved them together. That’s where the characters really shined for me. Their interactions with each other, their back and forth as they worked things out between them, really worked for me. Because underneath it was this layer of rightness to them.

What was really refreshing was this book went to some unexpected places. It could have been just another by rote storyline, but Sawyer puts a unique spin on things. At one point, I was wide eyed while reading, completely surprised by the turn of events and wondering how the author would come back from that. Sawyer manages it well, though, and it definitely took things to another level for me.

One area where I thought this story was a bit lacking was the world building, which you may know is a sticking point for me. But some of the elements felt underdeveloped to me. I was looking for a bit more explanation where some of the magic, in particular, was concerned. Other bits felt thrown in without enough to really ground them. However, this is just the first in the series, and given the way it ended, I know there are more twists to come. I’m hoping as the series moves forward, things will be a bit more developed.

There’s a lot to this book that works, and some elements that were delightfully refreshing. Sawyer has a smooth style that really makes the story flow and I was engaged from the start. Coupled with the unexpected twist, this is an easy recommendation, and I’m looking forward to the next book.

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