The Lone Wolf Trilogy: The Good Wolf and The Bad Wolf by Meredith Russell

The Lone Wolf Trilogy:

• The Good Wolf (book #1)
• The Bad Wolf (book #2)
• The Ugly Wolf (book #3) – Not yet released

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The Good Wolf by Meredith Russell

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The Blurb…

Sometimes the only way to let love in is to let the wolf in, too.

Ten years ago, Mason fell for his best friend while at university. Little did he know just two years later, that same friend would turn his world upside down in a way Mason could never have imagined. Now, he lives a cursed life. Living in solitude, Mason does everything he can to keep people away, not only for his safety, but for theirs, too.

The night of the full moon.

Niall has no idea he’s a werewolf, but fate brings him and Mason together. A trick of the moon or something deeper, the men are drawn to each other. Together they must find a way to deal with what has happened to them both. But first Mason must learn to trust Niall and realize being alone is not always for the best.

So what did I think?

The Good Wolf was surprisingly unique. Definitely not the standard shifter story. I don’t read a huge amount of paranormal stories, so maybe there are more out there, but I haven’t read a story that provides such a brutal look at the world of werewolves.

This story isn’t about gorgeous alphas with their band of devoted followers. It isn’t about insta-love and werewolf bonding. It shows the horror and violence of the wolf.

Mason hates every moment of being a werewolf and has spent years trying to find a ‘cure’. He is alone, living in isolation, hiding from the man who created him and despising what he has become.

I didn’t feel this was a romance in the traditional sense but Niall and Mason develop a relationship as they deal with the horrific three days each month when the wolf takes over.

The Bad Wolf by Meredith Russell

My rating: 3.5  of 5 stars

The blurb…

The journey to become a better man isn’t easy, especially when there’s something worth fighting for.

Evan has been alone since Kaine’s death, moving from place to place, and for the most part, keeping to himself. He never expected to cross paths with Mason and Niall again. When he gets caught up in something bigger than himself, he is left injured, scared, and with nowhere else to turn.

Michael is like no wolf Evan has ever met before. Born a werewolf, Michael is stronger and faster, but has yet to truly tap into his abilities. Taken in by Mason and Niall, Michael struggles to come to terms with the horrific events in his past and the loss of his family. In Evan, Michael finds an unexpected focus. And despite warnings of Evan’s own dark past, Michael finds Evan to be someone worth fighting for, and someone who can help him understand exactly what he is capable of.

So what did I think?

As with the first book in the series, this werewolf/shifter world is a completely different take on the worlds I have come across before.

This is a lot of focus on the negative aspects of being a wolf – the pain, sadness and desire to avoid the pull of the full moon. There is fear and loathing of the gruesome horrors that these wolves might find themselves involved in.

This story follows Evan, who was introduced in book 1. He is injured and stumbles across Mason and Niall (the couple from The Good Wolf), who he hasn’t seen for years. Evan is a changed man but Mason and Niall don’t know that and there is a lot of distrust.

Evan’s love interest is Michael, a young man with his own troubles, who was born wolf. They share a special bond and their relationship strengthens throughout the book but once again, this story wasn’t a typical romance as in the story is not purely focused around the couple and their feelings for each other.

This is a story of healing, mending bridges, learning to trust and fighting the enemy.

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To find out more about Meredith Russell and her books visit her website.

Buy the books from Amazon.