I enjoyed the previous books in Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series, but I like this one so much it makes me want to gush, which is not something I generally do.

The last book involved a visit to Cooper’s family, and Park’s family gets their turn in this one when Cooper accompanies Park home after his grandfather dies. Unfortunately for Cooper, they don’t exactly welcome him with open arms, not because Park is dating a man, but because he’s dating a human. (Cooper being a BSI agent is just the icing on the cake as far as they are concerned.) While he feels distinctly out of place, Cooper soon finds himself involved in investigating yet another crime when he learns that Park’s grandfather didn’t die of natural causes. He may not have a clue about werewolf social customs, but solving a murder—that Cooper can do.

The investigative parts of all of the books in the series have been well done, but I have to admit I got a little lost in the details of the mystery here. However, I think that’s because I was so caught up in the romance this time around. Park so obviously would do anything for Cooper, and he’s got some moments where he’s almost painfully sweet. Cooper is mostly his usual snarky self, which I love, but he also exposes his tender side. The story gets positively swoony at a few points. Open conversations about feelings! Declarations of love! It gave me all the feels.

And for readers who enjoy some heat in their romances, well, there are scenes that should make them quite happy, too.

The novel includes some important personal and professional developments in Cooper’s life, and I’m curious about how the author plans to move forward with the series. It’s probably not going to be smooth sailing, though, given that the final words of the book are actually “what could possibly go wrong?” I’m guessing—lots.

Thrown to the Wolves is absolutely required reading for anyone who enjoyed the first two books in the series. For anyone who likes werewolves and paranormal romance who hasn’t been reading the series . . . why aren’t you? You really should give it a try!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own. And just FYI, I’ll be buying this one, too.

This series is just…wow! The Big Bad Wolf books have all my favorite things: great characters, witty banter that makes me smile, accessible romance, suspense that keeps me guessing, and stellar writing tying all those aspects together. Thrown to the Wolves marks the third book in the series featuring established couple Oliver and Cooper. Although the author does a great job refreshing scenes and relationships, I do think this is one that reads best in order. I loved the premise of Thrown to the Wolves- seeing the men’s relationship continue to deepen while gaining a better understanding of Oliver’s history and his pack all capped with an ending I hadn’t seen coming.

Thrown to the Wolves follows Oliver and Cooper to the Park family homestead for his grandfather’s funeral. There the couple is faced with all sorts of stressors including family power struggles, the pack’s acceptance of Cooper, a potential hunter threatening their family land, and loads of secrets being revealed. The drama surrounding these storylines certainly tests the couple and I enjoyed seeing the relationship dynamic shift and develop over the course of this book. I love that despite being a shifter fantasy novel, the romance and relationship concerns are honest and relatable rather than it being simply fueled by an “irresistible bond” pulling the men together. It’s easy to care about these two and by the end I definitely felt I had a much better understanding of Park and what his stakes in the relationship are. Then there’s the case. Each book has left me guessing and Thrown to the Wolves was no different. I loved the twists and surprises that kept popping up and was utterly glued to my kindle cover to cover. There is a lot going on in the book and loads of secondary characters and relationships to track, but I never felt overwhelmed with information or that it didn’t all fit within the storyline. Thrown to the Wolves is an easy recommendation that ticks all my boxes- from the pacing to the dialogue and the action scenes to the love scenes…I’m simply left excited for the next one.

This is one of my favorite series. The writing is outstanding and the storyline is interesting.

In this book, Cooper travels with Oliver to the funeral of Ollie's grandfather. Once there, they discover his death is suspicious. Cooper also discovers Ollie hasn't told his family the truth about Cooper - that's he's human. Cooper finds out Ollie hasn't told him the truth about a lot of personal things.

This book delves into the internal workings of the pack and Cooper begins to question his place in Ollie's life. The book is also heavy on the mystery and light on romance. HOWEVER, in lieu of romance, we get a huge advancement of the relationship between Cooper and Ollie. A vulnerable Ollie is truly a wonderful thing. The closeness they development in this story is beautiful.

Highly recommend!

4.5 Stars

All my friends know the following things about me:

1) I love books with werewolves/wolf shifters, especially when there's intriguing and original world-building politics.

2) I love an ongoing series with an established couple. The best romantic conflicts and plot points, in my opinion, happen after the initial agreement to be together. Getting to the HEA/HFN is fun - watching couples grow into their skin after the HFN and reaffirm their love is terrific. There's a reason why some of my favorite books include the In Death series by J.D. Robb and the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.

3) Family drama is the best drama and no one will ever persuade me otherwise. Bonus points if there's murder and skeletons in the closet.

Luckily for me, THROWN TO THE WOLVES met all the above criteria and was my personal catnip. Note: this book does not work as a standalone and will likely make little/no sense if you haven't read the previous books. I give you permission to stop reading the review and go buy the first two books because they're excellent.

Seriously - stop reading this review if you haven't read the first two books! This series is so good and I want everyone to love Cooper and Park, too! Plus, the review below will contain spoilers for the previous books. You have been warned.

After chasing serial killers and dealing with Cooper's family troubles (aka that time Cooper's dad got accused of murder and all hell broke loose), the werewolf Oliver Park and human Cooper Dayton have settled into domestic bliss. They have a cat named Boogie (the mental image of a werewolf taking care of a cat brings me so much joy)! They have really hot sex! They spend all their free time together (well, Cooper feels a little awkward that Park moved out of his apartment after his brief health-related stay but that's an issue for another day). They work together to solve werewolf-related crimes (Cooper as an agent of the secret Bureau of Special Investigations and Park as an agent of the Trust, a werewolf organization that deals with the human government). Unfortunately, Cooper has a bad rep among his colleagues because 1) everyone knows that he's with Park (and human/werewolf relationships are Not A Common Thing) and 2) he's still dealing with the fallout of his former partner being an evil murderer of werewolves (basically no one trusts him and some are suspicious that he is as guilty as his former partner). Still, ignoring their work issues, they're a pretty cute couple that the reader can't help but rooting for. I had heart eyes whenever they were on page together.

Cooper shook his head. “Why would I want that? What am I supposed to be doing on this hike? Trying to start a...a...”

“Investigation?” Park suggested.

“Threesome?” Cooper finished.

Park choked. “Okay. We’re obviously not a couple that should be trying to finish each other’s sentences.”


Of course, even paradise has trouble brewing in the sidelines. While Cooper is 100% open about his f'ed up past and feelings for Park, Park is... not. He's extremely secretive about his past and family. At the beginning of the book, all we know is this: 1) Park used to be part of his family's pack but left for some mysterious reason, 2) the Park family pack is extremely powerful and famous, and 3) all werewolves (even the ones who haven't met Park before) know exactly who he is and are terrified of him. I've been wanting to know the truth about Park's family for two books now and this book answered all my questions perfectly.

The book opens with the death of Park's grandfather, the patriarch of the expansive Park clan. Even though Park hasn't had contact with his family in a while, he has to go home to the funeral and decides to bring his human lover to meet the family. This goes as well as you can imagine - hijinks, murder, and family drama ensue. I'm reluctant to talk about exactly what happens when they visit Park's family because I think it's important that the reader discover Park's secrets for themselves. Charlie Adhara paces the novel so smartly that I was constantly on the tenterhooks to discover the next surprise plotpoint. I read the book in one sitting because there was no good stopping point to take a break! The constant shocking revelations and fast-paced plot make the book impossible to put down, so I recommend that you clear your schedule for 4-5 hours.

I will spoil this: Park's family has no clue about Cooper's real identity. Oh, they don't care that Park is gay or that Cooper is a man (Park's sister is married to a woman). But they're in for a nasty shock to discover that Cooper is 100% non-lupine. Poor Cooper has to face the brunt of the unenthusiastic reactions of Park's family, most (well: pretty much all) of whom think that Cooper is an unfit mate for Park. I kinda loved how Cooper reacted to this problem. They were uniformly terrible to him (for understandable reasons - it's not like werewolves have a terrific relationship with humans in this world). Still, I would have lost my patience and told them to fuck off had I been in Cooper's shoes. But compassionate and calm Cooper understands that Park's family doesn't matter in the overall scheme of things - he's here for the funeral and to support his partner. I love how unselfish and thoughtful Cooper is. Plus, he constantly uses humor to balance out the grim family situation.

Helena, watching his struggle out of the corner of her eye, sighed as if she’d read his mind. “I suppose you know why I’ve asked you out here.”

“Um, to tell me my engagement to your nephew, Mr. Darcy, is impossible?”


Park is a more difficult character to root for. First, we never get his POV so the reader is predisposed to take Cooper's side of things. I'll admit it: I normally dislike plots that rely on a lack-of-communication to set off the conflict. Park is extremely secretive. He doesn't tell Cooper anything about his former role in the Park family pack. He doesn't even warn his family that Cooper is human! This leads to an *extremely* awkward family dinner and introduction. I can see why readers might be frustrated at Park's behavior. However, the reason that it worked for me is the eventual reveal of *why* Park is so secretive and reticent to confide in Cooper. Park is an enormously flawed individual, and Cooper knows it. But love, like in all romance novels, always saves the day. Cooper unflinchingly loves Park from the beginning to the end of the novel. That love gets severely tested, but never wavers. And it's the fact that this love perseveres - despite so much conflict - that allows me to believe in their HEA. If they can work their way through emotionally-wrenching situations and if Cooper can forgive Park for his sins, then they can work through anything. And the novel ends with both men completely baring their souls to each other. There are no more secrets, and I can completely buy into their HEA.

I don't know if there are plans for more books in this series, but I really hope there will be. The romantic arc does have a satisfying ending, but I would read many more books about Park and Cooper's adventures to solve werewolf-related crimes. Regardless, I highly recommend this book to any paranormal and/or romantic suspense fans.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review and will cross-post this review on Amazon on release day.

This BOOK WAS EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!
Review to come but GAH I love the MCs SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

Mare~Slitsread

3.5 stars

I really loved the previous books in this series, book 2 was one of my favorite reads last year. Unfortunately this book wasn’t a win for me. I was frustrated most of the book and I just never felt invested in the story.

Cooper meets Parks family after Oliver’s grandfather, the Alpha of their pack, has been killed. This trip starts off in the worse way with an “accident” and things just get worse from there. Park was so closed off and I thought that how he handled this situation was just horrible. Because we only get Cooper’s POV we don’t know why Park has made the decisions he has. I didn’t like Park much in this book, I thought he seemed like a one dimensional character. I didn’t feel the strong connection between Cooper and Park and for the third book in a series I just thought they should’ve been stronger as a couple. Cooper was all in but Park just disappointed me.

I felt the story with who was killing people, starting with Parks grandfather, was weak. I guessed who was really behind it all and none of it seemed to make sense in a way. I just felt lost for a lot of the book and that is the worst feeling for me while reading. I still love this series and hope to see more of these guys, hopefully working together both on the same page.

Wow...that was intense... (I honestly can't think of a better word to describe this book.) I was emotionally exhausted, in a good way. So Oliver's grandfather dies and he and Cooper go to the Park estate in Nova Scotia for the funeral. Cooper gets to meet most of the Park family members. Not all of Oliver's siblings are there but there are enough aunts and uncles to create a significant amount of family drama. The Park family, because of their wealth and status in the wolf community, aren't the nicest or friendliest bunch of people. In some cases it's understandable but they're not my favorites right now.
I won't go into the details of the story, because the blurb really does say it all. The book is mostly focused on the characters and their relationship, with the sinister environment creating a more charged atmosphere. Cooper is as awkward, funny, and relatable as ever. His character growth is quite visible in this. He's trying his hardest to make his relationship work and work on his issues. I just love him so much, with his empathetic nature, his sense of humor, and the sheer nerve.
Oliver, on the other hand, is as secretive as ever in the beginning of this book but he learns his lesson by the end. (I think, haha). In the previous books, there were hints to certain aspects of his personality, and those are finally explored here. His journey is angsty and seeing it unfold was really enjoyable (I'm evil, LOL).
As for the mystery part, it takes a while for the actual suspense plot to kick in, but there is plenty of action right from the start. This isn't exactly a police procedural, but it is a murder mystery, with a lot of twists and turns (and I mean A LOT). I did miss Cooper and Oliver's on-the-job partnership, which was one of the reasons I loved book 1 so much. I hope we get to see more of that if the series is continued.
Overall thoughts: It's really fast-paced and I finished it in one evening, but I wish I hadn't rushed through it so much, because it's a lot to digest. A lot of significant developments occur throughout the book, but it all comes together in the end. I liked the ending, as it wasn't abrupt and didn't leave anything hanging. I hope there are more books in this series because it's so freaking good!. There is a lot of potential for future story-lines, and I would love to read more about Cooper and Oliver.

2.5 stars

At one point of this story, Cooper Dayton told his werewolf lover, Oliver Park, that ...

“Maybe that’s the problem. Honestly, I haven’t understood seventy percent of the things that have happened since I got here. I’m so far out of my depth, I don’t know what’s right anymore.”


And THAT is my biggest problem with this book.

Park takes Cooper to meet his family, although it is not for a joyful reunion like when Cooper took Park home to meet his father and brother in the previous book. This time Park takes Cooper because Park's grandfather, the ALPHA, has passed away. But before they get there, Park and Cooper got into accident -- and that is only the beginning. Because apparently, as Cooper realizes, he is into a new territory, where he doesn't know ANYTHING, since Park is adamant of keeping things mum.

Secrets. Pack Politics. MINIMUM COMMUNICATION.

MY GOD!! I want to tear my hairs out!!! Maybe it's okay for book #1 and book #2 ... I assume because they both still trying to find balance of their relationship. But this is book THREE, people, and all of these secrets that Park keeps from Cooper just grates on my nerves. He doesn't tell Cooper ANYTHING. I think that's a jackass move on Park's part, especially since this is no ordinary "family dinner". This is a WEREWOLF pack, with different culture altogether.

Yeah, yeah, later on Park explains his reasons, that he's ashamed about his past, that he doesn't want Cooper to think differently about him. BOO HOO. It's NOT an appealing kind of plot trope for me. Because as a reader, I'm seriously frustrated with Cooper being kept in the dark. Especially since the book is written solely from Cooper's perspective. There's no insights into Park's mind.

It doesn't help that there's "barely" an investigation towards the death of Park's grandfather. AGAIN, because apparently, "that's not how the pack are dealing with it".

Cooper confronts Park later on and he gets to understand more about Park and Park's hesitancy to explain things about his werewolf's life. However, for me, it's too little too late.

There's a couple of development on both personal and professional aspect of Cooper and Park's life. Enough to give me hope that the next book will be better.

BUT, if only judging on this one book. NOPE, I'm NOT at all amused.