Small town drama, murder, and romance with werewolves! When I picked this one up, I wasn't aware that it was book two in a series, but even though there is backstory, I had no problem figuring out who was who and where Cooper and Park were in the relationship. I will add that I was quite impressed with this one and will be reading that first book. There is drama, angst, and mystery mixed in with this romance, but there's also some great moments of levity, along with some sexy fun between Cooper and Park, to keep things from getting too heavy. Cooper's relationship fears did drive me a bit bonkers at times, to the point that I really wanted to give him a good shake and show him what was right in front of him, but this pair is good together and they're so likable that they're easy to root for. There are also plenty of twists along the way to keep things moving at a good pace. For me, this one was one of those easy reads where the pages keep turning and before you know it, chapter after chapter has flown by.

After a slow start, this paranormal romance novel gained steam, and I wound up thoroughly enjoying it by the end.

The story opens a few months after the end of the previous book in the series, The Wolf at the Door. Cooper Dayton is both working and sleeping with his werewolf partner, Oliver Park. He’s on edge because he’s not quite sure how to define their relationship. Work partners and f*** buddies? Boyfriends? Maybe something even more serious than that? Then, as the two of them are on the way home after closing a case, Cooper is asked to visit his hometown to attend his brother’s engagement party. That just adds to his stress, because he has a difficult relationship with his family, particularly his father, and bringing his . . . whatever Park is . . . along is only going to make it more stressful. And if that’s not enough, a skeleton is dug up as his father is demolishing a gazebo in his backyard, and the authorities think his father might be a murderer, so Cooper needs to figure out what’s going on there, too.

The slow start to the novel is due to Cooper’s inability to communicate with Oliver about his feelings, which really dominates the first third of the book. His fear of rejection paralyzes him, and he spends a little too much time waffling back and forth about whether and how to open up to Oliver. It frustrates Cooper, and it frustrated me as a reader, too.

However, once the dead man is discovered, the story starts to pick up. In part that’s because Adhara is good at incorporating the mystery elements into her romance series, and Cooper’s investigation caught my interest. (The identity of the killer was a surprise to me.) But the interactions Cooper has with his family and the information he uncovers as part of his attempts to solve the murder also both push Cooper toward some overdue emotional openness. I liked how the romance developed between them through the rest of the book, and the ending was kind of adorable.

Readers who like paranormal romances with a strong mystery component should pick up both books in this series. Some hints given through the story make me suspect that the next entry will involve a visit to Park’s family, and I’m eager to learn more about them. I’m definitely up for more Cooper and Oliver, too!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

If you haven’t read The Wolf at the Door, the first book in the Big Bad Wolf series, be warned - there are spoilers in this review.  In it, the author introduced readers to a world in which werewolves exist, although humans are largely unaware of them.  I was completely sucked into the suspense and romance elements of the story and had high hopes for book two, The Wolf at Bay, which proved to be another addictive page turner, although this time out, the novel frustrates early on and only hits its stride in the second half.  The suspense plot is less intriguing this time, but the romance more than makes up for it.   While the ending is still firmly in the happy for now column, the relationship feels destined for happily ever after.  This is a partnership - professional and personal - that readers will root for… and despite our principal characters frequent, oft repeated missteps, I loved them.

The Wolf at Bay, like The Wolf at the Door, takes place entirely in the PoV of BSI (Bureau of Special Investigations) Agent Cooper Dayton.  Cooper, who only joined the BSI after he was nearly eviscerated by a werewolf, found himself partnered up with Oliver Park, a werewolf and agent for The Trust (a werewolf organization).  Wary and suspicious, conditioned by his near-death experience and former BSI partner to distrust and dislike werewolves, Cooper initially treated Park as his adversary, but as the investigation unfolded, he found himself unable to resist his handsome, enigmatic and capable partner.  When The Wolf at the Door ended, he and Park were lovers, Cooper learned his original BSI partner was the killer targeting werewolves - and realised almost everything he knew (or thought he knew) about werewolves was wrong.

The Wolf at Bay picks up four months later; Cooper and Park are still BSI partners and lovers, but Cooper is plagued with insecurities about the relationship and unable to confess his feelings for Park.  He wants more, but doesn’t know how to ask for it, and worries that Park doesn’t feel the same.  In the opening sequence, Cooper finds himself again at the mercy of a werewolf; Park intervenes to protect him and later chastises him for taking unnecessary risks.  Cooper is resentful and angry at Park’s overprotectiveness, and struggles to reconcile those feelings with his affection for him.  After the case wraps up, there’s an awkward tension between them.  Cooper is terrified Park wants to end the... whatever it is they’re doing, and desperately wants and simultaneously dreads ‘The Talk’. He nearly screws things up again, but before he can gather the courage to talk to Park, his father calls - reminding him of his brother’s upcoming engagement party.  He agrees to go and invites Park to join him.  The visit home - Cooper’s first in nearly two years - starts off awkwardly, and quickly goes sideways when a skeleton is found buried in the backyard of his family home.

One of the many pleasures of this novel is the intricate manner in which the author links the secrets between Cooper and Park - truths they’re both seemingly too afraid to confess to one another - with the ones revealed once the murder subplot is introduced.  Cooper is forced to examine his feelings for Park whilst trying to clear his father’s name and determine just how and why a dead body turned up in his backyard.  It’s a tricky bit of maneuvering as Ms. Adhara deftly keeps the two extremely complex plotlines moving in tandem as the novel progresses.  Cooper wants more from his relationship with Park; he adores and desires him, but subconsciously sabotages every opportunity for honesty.  He’s kept his job at the BSI and his sexuality a secret from his family, and can’t seem to find a way to bridge the distance that’s grown between them.  He isn’t even sure he wants to.  Meanwhile, there’s a dead body in the backyard - one the FBI is convinced his father put there - and as Cooper and Park investigate, old secrets finally come to light.  Cooper has to reexamine his childhood, the small neighborhood in which he was raised, neighbors he thought he knew, and the part he’s played in pushing his family away when they only wanted to be closer to him.  It’s a lot of moving pieces, but Ms. Adhara juggles them all with aplomb.

Cooper is an emotional mess . He doesn’t trust that anyone can love him or understand why they might, and he second-guesses all of his personal relationships.  Those closest to Cooper struggle (in their own way) to break through his self-imposed walls, and it’s painful to witness his bumbling attempts to meet them part way.  The first half frustrates - Cooper alienates Park, his family - and then, mid-way through the book, after a particular steamy encounter with Park, Cooper chills out.  He stops fighting his feelings, starts opening himself up to the people who love him... and the story opens up too.  Cooper isn’t easy to love.  But he tries.  And fails.  And tries again.  I liked this voyage of self-discovery, and although it’s crystal clear to readers that Park is waiting for Cooper, it’s equally clear Park has some pretty significant secrets of his own.  Readers will either root for this couple or grow frustrated by the slow pace in which they work out their issues... but it’s worth the wait.

While I ultimately came to love the relationship dynamics, the investigation is also compelling and clever.  I enjoyed the slow revelation of clues and the introduction of the various secondary characters - all of whom are Cooper’s suspects at one time or another - and it’s impossible to guess who did it.  Unfortunately, once the murderer is revealed, it doesn’t have quite the same impact as it did in the first book.  I like surprises, but this one was random. Luckily, it leads to a sweetly satisfying happy for now ending that sees Cooper forging better relationships with his family, and with Park.  Although I’m concerned Park’s secrets threaten to derail Cooper’s newfound openess.  Oh, Park.

The Wolf at Bay is an engaging and affecting follow up to the wonderful The Wolf at the Door.  The first half frustrates, but ultimately, Cooper examines the clues and finds a killer and a partner to love.  Ms. Adhara leaves readers satisfied, but eager for more.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*


You know those nights where you aren’t quite tired enough to fall asleep so you decide to read a chapter before you nod off? Sometimes it works, and off into dreamland I go, riding on a happy cloud of fictional character tomfoolery to spice up my night's rest. (Or, ya know, so I hope. Depends on the story. And the chapter. And the author. 🤣)



Other times… yeah, y’all know what I’m about to say. We’ve all been there. Those nights where that one chapter turns into two… which turns into three… then the next thing you know the morning birds are squawking their heads off and sunlight is piercing through your closely drawn curtains, attempting to burn your vampiric readerly eyeballs.



Yep, you guessed it, this week’s read was one of those. Carina Press’ The Wolf at Bay, by Charlie Adhara, sucked me in so hard I forgot to pee. Literally. I vaguely remember thinking somewhere around the middle my bladder was angry, but I didn’t pry my butt outta bed until I hit “The End” several hours later. Reading can be a cruel mistress, can it not?



Now, it must be said: I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal stories. A book in that genre has to be done really, really well or I get cringe-face while I read. That’s not to say I haven’t adored many a paranormal romance (PNR), but they tend to get a little less leeway from me. They gotta give it their all and maybe just a little bit more or I can’t claim fandom.



That being said… shall I remind you how this post began? Yep. The Wolf at Bay is a werewolf PNR that did its genre such exceptional justice, I stayed up all night without a single bathroom break. I, quite simply, devoured this bad boy.



I discovered, after doing a touch of investigation, this is book two in the series Big Bad Wolf. The whole reason I did research is because I had a feeling it was part of a series based on the way previous events were discussed as if I already knew about them. I feel like it does a decent job of acting as a standalone novel, with a satisfactory HEA, but I kept getting that twinge of recognition I was missing out on something. I’m definitely gonna pick up book one, entitled The Wolf at the Door, and fill myself in on the missing pieces, but guess what? My research also showed this isn’t just a sequel… it’s a book two of at least three.



No lies, y'all... I about died when I realized there’s a third book coming out April 2019. If I had a calendar that stretched that far out, you best believe it would be marked. I’m not sure where Ms. Adhara is going to take things after the quite satisfying HEA feel of this book’s end, but that just makes me even more desperate to read and find out!



Another aspect of this book I was surprised to discover did not bother my delicate readerly sensibilities was its use of single POV. In my romance, I like to get into both character’s heads. I often feel cheated if I only see one side of the story, which is one of the reasons I’m not the biggest fan of first person… unless it’s dual POV first, then I’m more agreeable. 🤣 However, it worked for this story. Really, really well. In fact, had it been in dual, it would have destroyed some of the tension and buildup that made it so enjoyable.



I applaud the author for making a staunch dual POV supporter walk away from a single POV book thinking, “Okay, that really couldn’t’ve been written any other way.” Kudos to you, kid.



I’m not going to touch much on the plot because seriously… y’all should just read this for yourselves. I went into it blind and regret nothing. All I’m gonna say is this… one of the characters—the love interest of our MC—is a werewolf. A fantastically handled werewolf that induced absolutely zero cringes from an easily cringe-able PNR reader. Oh, and there’s a twenty-five-year-old murder mystery with a fun and well managed investigation spearheading the main, non-romance plot. 👍



Overall, I would recommend this to just about anyone who enjoys a good read, but most especially male/male romance lovers, PNR addicts, werewolf fanatics, and murder mystery enthusiasts.



So… for rizzle, what are you waiting for? The Wolf at Bay is available for pre-order or can be purchased for immediate enjoyment on or after its release date, September 24, 2018! (In the meantime, you should totally get book one, The Wolf at the Door. Haven’t read it yet, but I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be worth your time. Just sayin’.)

A very good paranormal mystery! Even if it's the second in a series I'd no problems in understanding the characters and their relationship.
I enjoyed the plot, the characters and the general atmosphere of the book.
I will surely look for other books in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Carina Press and Netgalley for this ARC

I really enjoyed this book even more than the first and I really enjoyed the first book! This one gives us lots of character growth and some growth in the relationship between Cooper and Parker along with an interesting mystery.

This book takes place about 4 months after the end of the first book. Cooper and Parker are still partners both for work and out of work although the out of work relationship is a bit of a mess. Cooper isn't sure if they are just friends with benefits or more and he's afraid to ask although he knows he needs to. Both Cooper and Parker have issues with their families and they don't talk about two things with each other: their feelings or their families/background. However, Cooper's background becomes unavoidable when his father calls and reminds him about his brother's engagement party and he invites Parker to go with him.

What was supposed to be a quick weekend at home takes a turn when a dead body is discovered buried in Cooper's family home's backyard and his father becomes the #1 suspect. Cooper is thrown threw a loop when he learns a few secrets about his mom that only makes his dad a bigger suspect. I really enjoyed the mystery in this book and although I was a bit more invested in the relationship between Parker and Cooper I did spend quite a bit of time trying to figure out who the killer was. The author did a great job of providing plenty of suspects and some clues along the way.

Cooper had a lot of growth in this book that I thoroughly enjoyed as he frustrated me a bit in the first book. Not to say I didn't get a bit frustrated in this book when Cooper would completely miss the cues Parker was giving or read something he said completely wrong. Cooper wants to know where his relationship with Parker is but he's afraid to ask and the author did a great job of making the ready sympathize and understand where Cooper was coming from. It had me rooting for these two.

I loved the way this book progressed the relationship between Cooper and his family and between Cooper and Parker. I loved the few hints we got about Parker's family and the few things he told Cooper only made it more intriguing. I'm completely caught up in this story and these two characters and just wish I didn't have to wait so long for the next book! I hope that we learn more about Parker's background and maybe even get a bit of his POV.

I highly recommend this series - if you haven't read the first one what are you waiting for - grab it now so you're ready when this book is published.

I fangirled the heck out of the first book in this series, to anyone who would listen. It is going on my 'best of" list for this year. I was really excited when I got this book and I was hoping the author would keep the pace and that this would be just as good. I'm super happy to report that it was.

This picks up about four months after the end of book one. Cooper and Oliver have been working cases together during this time and have tentatively been building their relationship. On their way home from one, Cooper's dad calls and essentially guilts him into coming home for his brother's engagement party. The two men detour to Cooper's home town and almost immediately find themselves involved in a murder case.

I thought the mystery part of the book was really entertaining and creative. I enjoyed it a lot. I also really enjoyed the romance development. These two were dancing around some issues and Cooper couldn't get out of his own way for much of the book. I wanted to shake him. They work through it though and end up in a better, stronger place in their relationship. I love both of them and their romance. They're great together.

I am totally smitten with this series and hope there are many more books planned for these two.

helves: lgbt

I didn't realise this was a sequel when I picked it up, but after only some slight confusion I easily picked up the story and totally enjoyed it. I loved the two characters Cooper and Oliver and enjoyed watching them struggle with their emotions, wondering if the other felt the same. It was a interesting premise, a werewolf and a human working as a team in a spin-off department of the FBI, and I'd like to go back to book one and see how it came to be. More though I'm looking forward to book 3 next year when I can see where their relationship will go. I enjoyed the crime element and the dynamics of Cooper's family and how that all twisted about during the two men staying there. It was definitely a book that kept me reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Carina Press for a copy in return for an honest review.

I don't know what compelled me to open this book- it's way outside my usual genres- but it's a darn good read. Who would guess that a Bureau of Special Investigations (and former FBI SA) agent and a werewolf would be partners in work and in life. The paranormal end of this periodically had me shaking my head (again, not a regular werewolf reader) but at it's root, this is a good mystery, with two fun partners and a romance. A trip home becomes even more painful for Cooper when Park sniffs out a body- and Cooper's dad is the main suspect. Of course, even though the body has been buried for 25 years, the FBI investigates and all sorts of things float up. There's good dialogue, some funny scenes, and a twist at the end. This was quite entertaining and I thank Netgalley for the ARC.

The characters introduced in the first book, Wolf at the Door, are more fully developed in this second book in the series.
At this point, fully human Cooper is not entirely sure where his relationship with his werewolf partner Oliver Parker stands. If you haven’t read the first book I suggest reading it first. Cooper does not want to go back to his hometown but when his brother is getting married and has an engagement party he feels he must go. He really wants Oliver to go with him, and he does. When they arrive home they find that in the middle of the big party Coop’s father brings in a front-end loader and begins demolishing the gazebo his late mother loved. Underneath the gazebo, which has stood a very long time, a body is found and it turns out to be the woman who lived next door where her husband still lives. Everyone thought she had simply left her husband and also left town. This is not Coop and Parker’s territory but they can’t resist investigating whether there was a murder and who did it. The first suspect is her husband.
Coop and Parker’s relationship is not a rock steady one. It ebbs and flows, forward and backward. They have a big communication problem with each other and an inability to communicate. Other than this one mystery there are secrets and mysteries upon secrets and mysteries. They manage to step on everyone’s toes along the way.
The ending is more of an abrupt end to this book than a cliffhanger as some things are resolved but much, especially between Coop and Parker, definitely needs a wrap up, which leaves the reader wanting the next book very much. The series plotline is progressing and isn’t yet fully developed, so there is more to know about the BSI that Coop and Parker work for as well as their relationship with each other. Stay tuned for what happens in the next book.

THE ANGST, Y'ALL. THE ANNNNNNNNGST.

I thought The Wolf at the Door had angst, but this book takes the cake. Book one was a very strong book, and I was quite impressed with the depth and complexity of the story, but this one is even better. This brings family drama to the forefront, with a mysterious dead body buried in the backyard as the...lovely backdrop to the story.

Cooper is essentially tricked into returning home to see his father, Ed, and brother, Dean, and we learn that "home" is actually not all too far from where Cooper lives. But, he's taking to avoiding his family because he's not out to his family and doesn't want his dad to have yet another reason to nag about his life.

Ed was the local sheriff in their hometown, and it was always expected that both Cooper and Dean would follow in their father's footsteps. Cooper's brother did, but Cooper ran off to join the federal agency. First, the FBI, and after his injury on the job, the BSI. Ed never fails to harp on Cooper for working for the government and wants him to return home and work with his brother (now a sheriff). Cooper has lived a life separate now from his family, and had ever felt like his connection to the family was through his mother. So, going home after the years he's spent away isn't his idea of a fun weekend. Especially not with his new work partner he only recently began sleeping with - Oliver Park.

Things get interesting when a body turns up in the backyard of Cooper's childhood home. It's not BSI's case, and not The Trust's. But, Cooper isn't going to just standby when investigators come to town ready to pin the crime on his father. Park doesn't want to get involved, since it's not their case or their jurisdiction really. But, he gets roped in anyways, because Cooper obviously isn't going to just sit by and let his father sent away for murder.

The "thing" between Cooper and Park is slightly frustrating in this book. Cooper has feelings for Park, but is scared to ask Park if they're something more, or just fuck buddies. It doesn't help that they have to maintain their distance from one another because Cooper's father and brother don't know that Cooper is gay.

And that's not all Cooper has hidden from his family either. When Cooper was left hospitalized for days after a wolf attack, he never told his family. I feel like I would have liked for Cooper's family to find out and give him hell for not telling them about his very life-threatening injury, but that never quite happens in this book.

There's one scene that made me cry. The entire scene just broke me for some reason and left me heartbroken. I wish these men would show their feelings to one another instead of trying to be these big, strong men who hide their tears from each other. JUST CRY IT OUT. I guess that is my one selfish complaint for these books. The characters are almost there emotionally, but they never quite want to show the depths of the feelings when I just want them to confess the feels behind their man pain and angst.

The mystery surrounding the dead body is a fascinating one, and again, like one book, I didn't expect for it to go where it did. The full story behind the body was quite unexpected, and left me guessing until the very end. This was action-packed, and high stakes. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story as much as I enjoyed the romance pieces in this book.

For the most part, I think the ending can be counted as a HEA. We learn more about Park and his past in this story, and it'll tide you over until the next book. I absolutely loved this book even more than the first, and I can’t wait until book three comes out!!!

***Thanks to Carina Press for approving my request for an ARC on NetGalley***

***4.5 Stars***

Partners. Four months after solving their first case for the Bureau of Special Investigations, former FBI Agent Cooper Dayton and werewolf Oliver Park are still partners in the field. And in bed.

Lovers. So yeah, they are in a relationship. Kinda. Sorta. They have fun together - in and out of bed -, watching movies and talking about everything and anything. Just not feelings. Because that would mean stripping your soul. Baring your deepest secrets to someone else. Which in turn evokes your deepest fears because... God, what if the other one doesn't like what he finds there? What if he doesn't feel the same?

Oh, and talking about their past is another absolute non-topic because that also belongs to the deepest secrets part and that could easily mean tempting fate. Cooper's fate comes calling, though - well okay, it's his dad who calls him, but in this case it amounts to the same thing - and reminds him in no uncertain terms that he should make an appearance at the engagement party of his brother, which means going home. Home to a place where nobody knows about Cooper's secrets, either. When a ghost from the past gets dug out - umm, literally - and Cooper's dad is suddenly the suspect no. 1, Cooper is glad that Park tagged along and can help him searching for the real perp. But when Park worries him by acting weird, another body turns up, the evidence against his dad piles a mile high, Cooper's world unravels by detecting a family secret and his own secrets bubble to the surface, Cooper suddenly has more on his plate than he can chew...

This book made me wonder if I am living in an alternate universe and might have some werewolf genes myself. You should have seen me howling with laughter sometimes and getting all gnarly and growly here when these guys wouldn't talk... Like I said in my review for The Wolf at the Door, though, I can understand where they are coming from. Basically, I could have copied my review for the first book, not because the second book is a replica from the first book and therefore boring without any development - hell no, quite the contrary - but rather because everything I said there is still true. I just love the different take on the whole wolfy thing and as of yet I stick to my word that this series could also be for people who usually are not really into shifter books, but who love a good whodunnit and a slow burn romance. Charlie Adhara seems to be a master at spinning a mystery plot because I had absolutely no clue who the perp was. Again. Okay, in the end I was right, but only because I suspected everyone.

Cooper and Park - no, Oliver - are well on their way to become one of my favorite couples. I just love their chemistry and although their sex can be quite kinky (role play, just sayin'), I especially love every tender and gentle moment between them, paired with some good-natured banter and the movie references and humor that already got to me in the first book.

All signs - well some signs - point to us getting to know more about Oliver's past in the next book and I cannot wait to get to know him better. The very last sentence at the end of the book made me whine like a pup, though, because I have to wait until April 2019 until the next book comes out...

Highly recommended!

Shifter Book-2 Mare-0

I’m truly in love with both the MCs in this series. I’m hard pressed to say which one I like better. The chemistry is off the charts amazing and the two of them are so hot and sweet together I’m shocked my E-Reader did not burst into flames.

I’m also loving that as a debut author, Charlie Adhara, did not disappoint me. There was no change in the tone of the book, execution, or delivery and I truly love that because lately books have been a sad disappointment to me.

I’m not one to read an incomplete series BUT for this series I will wait. I’ll be sad…. hyper, not patient…. all of those really bad qualities I have LOL waiting for book 3 and then 4 and then maybe a 5? I have no idea how many books in this series but I will read them all!

Shifter book =2

Mare= 0

I really do love Cooper and Park, but my Gods to I want to beat some sense I to them. Talk about your classic case of miscommunication. Most of this story (and the 1st) is them circling talking about their feelings.

After finishing up a case, they're driving back home when Cooper's father invites them to Cooper's hometown for his brother's engagement party. Cooper reluctantly agrees and drags Park with him.

Being a "Bay kid" Cooper doesn't think much of it, but poor Park. They take him out for a day of fishing, but Park doesn't have any sea legs, poor guy. It is kind of nice seeing that vulnerability in him though. The big bad wolf has some vulnerabilities and makes him a little more "human" and easier to connect with.

While there they accidentally get caught up in a 25 year old disappearance/murder investigation. Making enemies with the FBI, facing old hurts and over coming them, and learning a lot of new truths. Some of these truthsare very interesting. What happens with Rose and the explanation of what's happening with Park, all very creative. I love new takes on PNR.

One thing that threw me off was the quite abrupt ending. I was in the acknowledgements before I even know I was done. I don't mind a cliffy, when I can actually tell the story has ended lol.

I think this author is growing with each story, and the plot is evolving nicely and can be taken to a lot of places creatively. I can't wait to read future stories.

3.75

Rating: 5 stars out of 5



Going home digs up bad memories, so it’s something Bureau of Special Investigations agent Cooper Dayton tries to avoid. When he’s guilted into a visit, Cooper brings along Oliver Park, his hot new werewolf partner, in the hopes the trip will help clarify their status as a couple…or not.

When Park’s keen shifter nose uncovers a body in the yard and Cooper’s father is the prime suspect, Cooper knows they’re on their own. Familial involvement means no sanctioned investigation. They’ll need to go rogue and solve the mystery quietly or risk seeing Cooper’s dad put behind bars.

The case may be cold, but Park and Cooper’s relationship heats up as they work. And yet if Cooper can’t figure out what’s going on between them outside of the bedroom, he’ll lose someone he… Well, he can’t quite put into words how he feels about Park. He knows one thing for sure: he’s not ready to say goodbye, though with the real killer inching ever closer…he may not have a choice.

I just love The Wolf at Bay (Big Bad Wolf #2) by Charlie Adhara.  It's a first for me by this author.  I picked it up because I was intrigued by the cover and the description.  At the time I had no idea it was part of a series.  I had to find that out once I went scrabbling for more information at Goodreads for information about the author and found that there was a story that preceded this one.  Too late, I was already heavily involved with Cooper Dayton, Oliver Park, and Cooper's visit home.

I'll tell you immediately Adhara's characterizations are amazing.  Layered, complex, and highly interesting people/beings emerge immediately from the story.  I didn't have to read the first novel to get into the stress filled  relationship and shaky dynamics that is the partnership, personal and professional, between Cooper and Oliver.  It's like being close to quiet lightning. it crackles and you don't want to look away from the energy.

They are struggling to figure out how to emerge from what was clearly a disastrous event.  Cooper's ex partner and his unwitting involvement  in his corrupt affairs.  Yes, this will send me running back to that first story but I didn't feel I needed it to read this book.  I got enough information to feel satisfied that I had sufficient groundwork here to go on.

A call from Cooper's family and  an invitation from Cooper for Oliver to accompany him seems like a good idea until a body is found under the gazebo in his family's backyard.

How Adhara builds this case, all the emotions, the labyrinthine path filled with clues, old personal history, memories both good and bad is incredible.  The author builds it around Cooper's family, his memories of his childhood, and his tenuous connections to his father in present time.  All the while as he and Oliver try to figure out where they stand with each other.  And keep Oliver's identity as a werewolf from the family.  I did say that, didn't I?

I'm so in love with this author and story.  I  need the next book in the series to arrive.  I guess the first story will have to do until then.

Love shifters?  Murder mysteries?  And romances?  Why not combine all three?  Pick up one beautifully written story with outstanding characters and a romance you will go crazy over in The Wolf at Bay (Big Bad Wolf #2) by Charlie Adhara. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Cover art is simply and relevant from a scene in the story.  Love it.

3* Book 2 in a series, and I think I should perhaps have read the first before this (no indication it was a series).

This isn't a bad read, but I think I'd have gotten it better and appreciated the leads' stances more had I read the first book. But, there's not a ton of depth to this and I didn't get too lost, though at one point I did wonder if there was going to be anything happening on the romance front, given that a murder-mystery whodunnit seemed to be being played out.

The 'going rogue' translated into going behind the investigating agents' backs and just asking around, and when one... removal of someone considered a suspect to the crime occurred, the leads - experienced agents, both of them - had a TSTL moment over something sooo blatantly inorganic, that I eye-rolled. And then the baddie got revealed and I actually ended up... laughing. I'm pretty sure that wasn't what the author intended, but I'd considered and dismissed it, but it was so 'planted'ly done that it really didn't wash.

Not sure I'll bother with the next in the series, actually.

ARC courtesy of Carina Publishing and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

"The Wolf at Bay" is the second book in the "Big Bad Wolf" series. I had quite enjoyed the first book, so I was eager to read the second, and it was a worthy follow up.

The basic setting is that there are werewolves, they are hiding from most of the humans, but there is a special federal division called BSI dealing with werewolf related crime. Cooper is a former FBI agent working there together with his werewolf partner Oliver Park. He and Park are partners in more than one sense, but Cooper isn't sure whether it's serious or not. While he and Park are visiting Cooper's family, they get involved in a murder that happened when Cooper was still a kid.

I think whether you like this or not depends on whether you find Cooper exasperating or not. Overall, I found his insecurities believable and relatable. His and Park's lack of communication was frustrating at times. This is going to sound strange, but while it was realistic, that sort of thing can be annoying in a novel because it feels like a forced conflict. Anyway, while I wasn't exactly crazy about this, I didn't mind too much. I actually like Cooper a lot. I think it would be better for the series if we got to know Park better, and fast. He remains a little too mysterious and perfect to my taste.

The mystery part wasn't as interesting as the one in the first book. And I have to say that I could have done without at least half the banter and jokes. But all complaints aside, I had fun reading this. I really like the werewolf mythology here and can't wait to find out more about that.

I absolutely loved this. Park and Cooper are on rocky roads trying to get their relationship (or not-relationship) together. Cooper suddenly has to go back home and invites Park. There is so much drama with Cooper's family not knowing what happened to him from book 1, or that Park is a werewolf. These two things cause the most strain on their relationship.

For as much as Cooper loves his family the addition of a murder mystery involving pretty much every one in town, and the least expected his father, Park wants help his so badly, but Cooper's stubbornness is enough to want to throw the book. I felt so badly for Park because he loved Cooper so much and Cooper can't see it. They are both on the same page, but somehow their understanding of how each other feels keeps missing.

As the first book, this one was a slow build, but the subtle traits and characteristics of the character and how the mystery aspect of this story unfolds was really engaging. I hate that I have to wait until 2019 for the next one, but I know it will be well worth it.

I have legitimately found a new series and author to love. I'm just bummed because at the end of this it said the next one doesn't come out until April of 2019!!!!! :O That's so longggg, and I already can't wait for more :D

After the end of book 1, Cooper and Park were tentatively starting something together, and book 2 starts 4 months after the event of book 1. Cooper and Park are definite partners now, and they've been working cases together for the past 4 months.

But when Cooper's father calls and reminds Cooper that his brother has his engagement party that weekend and Cooper promised he would come (which, Cooper forgot when the engagement party was), Cooper has to go, and it is during his and Park's vacation time, and on a whim, Cooper invites Park along for the weekend.

But it isn't just a weekend visit with the family - when Cooper's father gets rid of the old gazebo in this backyard for the coming wedding in a few months, something is discovered that makes this fairly ordinary weekend not so ordinary anymore.

I loved this second installment, possibly more than the first, or just as much as the first. Because Cooper grew on me in the first after being really, really annoying and frustrating, but in this he grew on me even more.

Cooper knows that he isn't good with emotions - he actually really sucks at them, at recognizing them and expressing them - and a good part of that is his upbringing with his father who is just as bad at emotions, but part of it is just Cooper himself wishing to avoid big discussions and important discussions because it's hard. There are several times when Cooper is like "okay, me and Park got to talk, just got to do it" and he ultimately chickens out for some reason or another - whether he does it himself or is saved by the ring of a phone, what have you - and he does it in talking to his brother and dad.

But I felt for him, because I felt he was really trying in this book, and I feel the more he's falling for Park, the more in touch with his feelings for him he is getting and I felt that in this book, his feelings for Park - Oliver.

Cooper was actually quite cute several times with his internal thoughts and feelings for Park.

Park himself has been holding back, not so much because he's not in touch with his emotions or represses them like Cooper, but more, I think, because he didn't really know where Cooper was at. Cooper keeps his emotions under such lock and key for so long that I bet from Park's perspective, Cooper didn't care about him as much as he does.

I mean it's hard to tell for sure, because don't get Park's POV in this at all (oh how i wish we did!) but by the end of this book that's the feeling I got from Park.

The story, the plot, was intriguing and fun to read, and Cooper and Park just work together so well, they feed of each other, and help each other, I love them working together as much as I love them together.

Their relationship development in this book was awesome and I loved it - and the sex didn't hurt either....it was pretty damn amazing, I thought. Plus, we got to have jealous Park for a moment, which was fun too :D

If you read the first book and loved it, I highly recommend you read this one too. It was just as great as the first and delved into different territory than the first one. There were still werewolves, of course, but that wasn't all that was in the story.

Loved this! A must read :D

I made a terrible mistake judging this book by its cover. When I was doing my research about the series, I was honestly surprised by the reviews I saw for the first installment and so I didn’t wait any further.

This is a beautiful wolf-tale with strong characters and outstanding plot. This is the book two of the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ series. I did not read the first installment yet (and I will), but this sequel did a really nice job explaining the significant things that happened in the first installment.

Park and Cooper are probably one of the hottest pairs I’ve seen this year. Apparently, they’ve already established a good sexual relationship for the past few months and I am being overwhelmed by their every moment together (both in and out of bed.)

And the elements? Goodness, it is a top-notch! I appreciate how the author didn’t bother lecturing me about wolves and packs. She focused on amazing me with mind-blowing mysteries and angst-stuffed moments. Almost every scene offers different uninvited emotions, and who wouldn’t love a story like that? Specially if the main characters have the best chemistry you can see in a romance.

Another thing that I enjoyed so much about this book is the family drama. Cooper’s mother died when he is still young. The revelation of some relevant things that happened in the past is not just shocking to him as a son, but also to me as a reader. At the start, I genuinely felt the distance between Cooper and his family (father and brother.) But then Miss Adhara gave me the pleasantest family moments. First, Cooper’s sexuality discussion with his brother. Second, his heart warming conversation with his dad. So beautiful.

Just like me, you probably enjoy guessing out ‘who really did what’ while reading mysteries and loving it when you made the right guess. Be prepared my dear, this one’s different and you’d be lucky if you get one out of ten guesses right.

Like I said, I haven't read the first installment yet, but I could tell that these two hotties have been holding back some emotions in the past. The first installment must have been full of ‘anti-fraternizing’ rationality, and I am happy to see them finally admit their true feelings to each other.

The ending... let me put it this way. The air’s been cleared so no more hiding, the case is solved, the love is told. For me, it’s excellent.

Of course, I want the HEA! The real one. I couldn’t wait for the nest book which will be released next year around April. But it will be worth the wait, I am certain. A story as brilliant as this, I understand it takes time to write.

Heartily recommended for readers who enjoy being bitten by a strong alpha wolf-tale. You will not be disappointed.

***An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***