Mason’s inner wolf will go crazy without her. Lucy thinks he’s already crazy. Werewolves aren’t real. Right?Lucy Morgan left Ashtown, Georgia, ten years ago and planned to never return. Unfortunately, life didn’t get that memo. She’s back and now painful memories follow her everywhere. Until she meets him. Mason Blackwood is over six feet of sinfully gorgeous man who—for some reason—wants her. He … reason—wants her. He also thinks he’s a werewolf so… yeah. He’s crazypants. But when he wants to have his wicked way with her, his sanity doesn’t seem all that important anymore.
Mason isn’t sure how much longer he can remain Alpha over the Blackwood pack. Without a mate to balance him, his wolf snatches more control every day. It won’t be long before he loses himself to the animal entirely. Then he meets Lucy—a sassy, curvaceous beauty who calms his beast with a smile. One sniff is enough to tell him she’s his mate, and nothing will keep them apart.
Not even the pack’s deadliest enemy who’s determined to kill Lucy before Mason can claim her.
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Great characters for a paranormal romance.
I really enjoyed this book it was really cute. I liked the leading male character the most. I had mixed feelings about the leading female, it took her until almost 75% into the book before she was willing to admit her “mate status.” I like my shifter stories more on the instant love side, but that is pure preference. I loved the humor in the book, and the dialogue was worth the read. I have been a fan of one of these authors for awhile and am excited to now read more from the other. Solid 4 stars.
This was a quick-ish paranormal read with a hot alpha and a quirky yet strange by human heroine. Mason and Lucy were really cute together and while the story was super fast paced I really enjoyed it. The secondary characters brought out a side of the pack that I liked. They were pretty close and had great banter.
Now my issue with the story is pretty much only an issue that I will have because when I read romance, I always look for the seen where they tell each other they love each other. It normally shows a sweet side to each but sadly this book didn’t have it. As I was reading I was waiting for the first “I love you” and am very sadly disappointed that this book didn’t have that. It takes away from romance to me. Even with that it was still an enjoyable read. 3 stars #2OCCJD
Tried and true shifter romance trope
Y’all know you’ve read it before – it’s a classic wolf shifter romance trope. The wolf-shifter alpha needs a mate or he’s gonna go feral. The lonely/orphaned/friendless girl meets the half-crazed alpha, and insta-lust explodes. They struggle through the whole ‘he’s a werewolf’ thing, followed by the ‘so is she’ thing, occasionally harassed by the ‘mysterious enemy of the pack’ thing, and the whole book is just crammed full with lusty and luscious steamy sexy times… But this is Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix, y’all! Meaning it may have been done before, but it ain’t been done this good before! Enjoy!
I enjoyed this quick shifter read. Mason finds Lucy after she saves one of the pups in his pack. The attraction and pull of being fated mates follows, and of course outside forces try to interfere. A little romance, a little action, overall good story.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series
I’m not one to leave bad review but I mean I like this book I just didn’t love it. Mason is your typical alpha male but I did like the going feral part without a mate ordeal though. As for Lucy I had mixed feelings about her. She was sassy, snarky, and at time funny but also very annoying. But beside that for a short story it was very enjoyable and entertaining read. I voluntarily read and review this ARC no monetary compensation was received the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Always an enjoyable read with these two authors! This book will wrap you up in its beautiful layers and keep your interest to the end. The characters were fully developed, Lucy was a very sympathetic character and her life and experiences pull you to read further. Mason also had a good backstory and his pull was just as strong. wondering, would she change or would she die? I loved the emotionalism and the fact that the main characters did not just meet and jump straight to bumping their hot spots. The story had a lot of back and forth as well as a building of emotional depth. I loved Charlie, he was the catalyst but was not forgotten as the story progressed. It was a good way to spend an afternoon, reading a story the I almost didn’t want to see end.
This was a quick enjoyable read. Mason is near feral from going so long without a mate. He knows what will happen when he finally loses control completely and has accepted his fate. But he soon catches the most amazing scent ever! His fated mate.
Lucy has returned to her hometown to get away from all the chaos and to take a walk down memory lane. What starts out as her helping a little boy out of the road before getting hit by a car, ends with her bit by a werewolf and in risk of death.
My main issue with this book is it felt rushed throughout majority of it. Like it jumped from one thing to another. For example, one page Lucy is dying and the next she is healed and window shopping. Even though this bothered me some, I still enjoyed the book. Chemistry was really good between Mason and Lucy but theres only 1 full sex scene in the entire book so that was a tad bit disappointing as well. Some really interesting side characters were mentioned, so I look forward to seeing them again!
I LOVE the book and I like the story too.
Lucy’s life is in a spiral and she’s hiding in her home town. Mason is on the verge of going feral and desperately needing his mate. The pack is on edge, threats are coming in beyond Mason’s issues and it’s going to take the entire pack to resolve things. Its a fun ride watching Mason trying to woo his mate.
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest
The characters + storytelling were very captivating
Lucy did not know what to make of Mason, Mister Crazypants.
Mason is hoping that he can wood his mate.
Will these two take a risk for a real relationship ?
The storytelling + the character’s build were awesome!
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I really enjoyed this story. It wasn’t your conventional Alpha falls for woman and wins her over. I loved who Lucy was and Mason was great as the all growly alpha. I loved the kitchen scene where he gives Lucy his phone. The story is the perfect balance of humor, romance and happiness.
Mason’s inner wolf will go crazy without her. Lucy thinks he’s already crazy. Werewolves aren’t real. Right?
THE BLURB
Lucy left her hometown behind years ago, fleeing from painful memories. But life has a way of dredging up the past, and she’s back again. She’s never been one to sit idly while life passes by, and when she sees a young child in danger she takes a running leap. Screw the consequences, right?
Mason is running out of time; if a werewolf doesn’t find his mate, he’ll go crazy. He’s not sure how much longer he can remain Alpha over the Blackwood pack; he’s losing his sanity fast and at risk of hurting his closest friends and family. Even his enemies are circling. The last thing he needs to deal with is one of the pups in his pack in trouble. Or more so, that pack causing trouble by biting a human. One sniff and he knows that human is his mate. Nothing will keep them apart.
TONE OF THE BOOK
Real Men Howl has a neutral tone. It’s not exactly a light-hearted book, but nor does it dwell on any particularly dark themes.
SENSITIVE TOPICS
Real Men Howl is aimed at mature readers. There are numerous sexual scenes between the characters. There are a couple of fight scenes involving death.
SERIES SYNOPSIS
Real Men Howl is the first book in the 7 book Real Men Shift series. Each book in the series is complete with their own couples and a happily ever after.
Real Men Howl is 186 pages long, making it slightly shorter than your average romance novel (at 300 pages). It certainly feels fast to read, but has all the necessary scenes for character development and growth.
REVIEW
Plenty of psychopaths fooled people into believing they were normal pillars of the community every day—politicians, religious leaders, Barney the Dinosaur… No, wait. Barney just turned others into psychopaths as a form of self-preservation.
Real Men Howl isn’t exactly a comedic novel however it does have some moments, most of which are used to help break up tension to keep the novel a bit more light hearted.
I was pleasantly surprised with the world building in Real Men Howl. A lot of novels at this length tend to not have much depth, but Cylia Kyle and Marina Maddix have certainly been able to imply a world beyond the stories boundaries. There are plenty of new characters to explore, and a hint of political intrigue throughout the wolf packs.
I’m hoping that in future novels the side characters are developed more. Quite a number of characters were introduced in Real Men Howl, and yet never really explored to their potential depths. The first book in the series has set up the world, and hopefully future books will expand upon it successfully.
FINAL WORD
I would have loved a longer version of Real Men Howl, I feel like if a few extra scenes were added it would be an amazing book rather than just a good book. The characters and world proved interesting, inviting to be explored. I look forward to reading more for the series.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND AUTHORS
If you like shifter romances then you might enjoy Fireblood Dragons series by Ruby Dixon. A fun adventure set in a post apocalyptic world that’s been taken over by mad dragons. Only when the dragons meet their soul mates, a human woman, that their madness clears. The first book in this series is Fire In His Blood.
If you are after something with a bit more action, consider reading The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews. Dina DeMille runs a magical inn for aliens, and life is far from normal. Theres nothing like tracking down serial killers, holding peace keeping summits and stopping alien genocide to test your mettle. The first book in the series is Clean Sweep.
Epic narration.
A traditional shifter romance. Well written, nothing obvious missing and only two obvious flaws. The story is a bit of a bla and the alpha male bordering on creepy. The narration though! Kendall Taylor is so good she can read the phone book and make it feel epic. She and James Marsters. Just wow. In actuality it is unfair to have Kendall narrate this story, my brain totally skipped the flaws while listening. It wasn´t till after finishing the book I started wondering about why the story failed to grip me. Even the bla sounded epic with that voice.
I enjoyed this story and the trip it took me on. I did get frustrated near the end. But the characters were spot on and I could feel their chemistry. Not sure if so am hooked enough to want to read the next one.
The alpha finally meets his mate right before he thinks hes about to go feral, just before the whole pack thinks he’s about to go feral.
Lucy is a surprise visitor to town, coming back to somewhere she never thought she would return.
Turns out sometimes returning home is a good thing.
These two make a very powerful couple and as clique as it may sound she is exactly what he needs, even if it happens in a round about way.
i thoroughly enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more about this pack.
I received a free ARC copy in exchange for a honest review.
Real men Howl is my first paranormal romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure what to think about a story about werewolves but this is a story about characters.
Mason is the alpha of the Blackwood pack. He is on the verge of going feral unless he can find his mate.
Lucy is wandering aimlessly. She is in town to pack up her parent’s house. They were killed when she was younger by a wolves attacking in the forest.
Something isn’t right and Mason can feel it. Someone’s setting fires to the forest and now is going after Lucy. Mason will protect his mate with his life. She thinks Mason is crazy. Werewolves don’t exist. Plus she doesn’t need anyone’s protection. Why does being with Mason feel right?
Lucy is a strong woman. She may have her vulnerable times but she will decide her future, even if she isn’t sure what that is. Mason has the weight of the future of the pack in his shoulders. His wolf wants to take over and he must do what he knows is right. Until he gets her scent…she is his future.
The developing relationship between Mason and Lucy is fun. She can’t believe in werewolves and it is crazy that Mason believes he is one. But the man draws her to him.Their romance is sweet and even though Mason is the alpha, he is tender and patient with Lucy.
This is a standalone romance with a happily ever after. It does set up future stories about Mason’s brothers and the pack healer. These guys are all perfect for future stories.
What a great start to a series. Now I want to hurry and start the next one. I am never disappointed in anything from Celia and Marina is now on my automatic buy list too. I enjoy a growly alpha and a take no prisoners sassy female. Add in some humor and you have my favorite kind of story. In there trying times, it’s great to find a story that gives you a break and puts a smile on your face.
It seems that this year I have less ARC’s to review. Which kinda makes me sad but it also gave me time to read more. Heck, this year I’ve been reading more than I have in years. So I decided that this summer I was going to catch up on some of the books I have laying around, (it will take a lifetime) and try some that I’ve been wanting too.
I really love Celia Kyle’s books so I thought I’d try this finally find the time to read a few of her series that I’ve not tried. So I started off with her and Maddix’s Real Men Shift series.
I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the whole series and can’t wait to review the rest of the books for you. But for today let’s talk about Read Me Howl.
It’s the first book in the series and really set the ton of it. I totally love Mason. He really pops off the pages for me. I want so badly for him to find his mate so he will be okay. Then when he does I’m not sure what I think right off the bat. On her own, I liked Lucy but with Mason…I didn’t know.
The good thing is that soon I saw how great these two are together and how much they really needed each other.
Mason needs a woman who will stand by his side as an alpha mate but also in private be able to tell him how she feels. Lucy is that women. It makes them the perfect loving unit.
Since I’ve never read Marina Maddix I don’t know her voice so for me I felt Kyle’s more. She has a wonderful way of writing funny characters. I will have to try a book by Maddix only so I have a better feel for her. I really think the authors did a great job on a story that is less than 200 pages. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything and in fact, couldn’t wait for the next one.
Fun, very fast read.