Unfortunately, there were many parts in this book that didn't gel for me, nor did they make sense. I don't know why the love interests liked each other and it seemed like the fmc fell for basically every person she came across. Was hard for me to immerse myself in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this Durant influence my review. The romance was not it and I don’t understand why she was attracted to the other guy… DNF

Thank you to Hot Tree Publishing and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emer (aka Sarah) is a woman fighting to stay out of sight from the people who came and destroyed her clan and killed her parents. She is the heir and knows if she is caught by her 'captors' than she will be killed, so she plays it off like she is a maid and helps to cook and clean for the invaders.
She holds a lot of anger towards Whalen, the leader of the warriors who attacked her clan and is not shy about letting him know how she feels about him, even though she is supposed to stay under the radar. And although she holds a lot of anger, she finds herself attracted to Whalen and tries to fight it at every turn. She soon learns that what she thought about Whalen and his warriors is far from the truth. That's when more twists and turns come to the story....enter vampires, druids and more.

I LOVED the book from the start. It drew me in and kept me intrigued. I couldn't put the book down and read it in a day. Half of the book is her believing Whalen attacked and killed her parents and the other half is finding out about a world that she didn't know existed. I love the tension and moments between Emer and Whalen and I also love that she has more than one 'love' interest, even if it is just some flirting and blushing. I thought it added a little something extra to the storyline. I really like where the books are going and CAN'T WAIT for the 2nd book to come out. I hate cliffhangers, but would for sure make an exception with this book.

Unfortunately, this book was not it.

I struggled to finish this book, but at some point the story lost any meaning to me.
First of all, the FMC should get her priorities straight and should stop falling in love with every man, that felt really weird for me at some point and I was a bit unsure about what kind of book I was reading.
Second of all, at times the story gets really weird with time jumps or spending an incredible amount of words on something not important.

I wish I could say that the main story was good, but I'm a bit unsure about if the plot this book started is the same as the one at the end.

However, I really do think that the author can do a good job, she just need a bit more experience so she can portray her ideas in a better and easier to understand manner

*The White Wolf's Wrath* plunges readers into a world of intense emotions, simmering revenge, and unexpected love. The story follows a protagonist whose life is torn apart when the White Wolf's wrath descends upon her family's once-glorious estate, leaving her broken but not defeated. Fueled by a desire for vengeance, she infiltrates the Wolf's inner circle, disguising herself as a lowly servant to bring down the man who destroyed everything she held dear.

As she carefully walks the fine line between survival and discovery, she begins to unravel the truth about the man she once vowed to hate. The White Wolf is far more complex than she ever imagined, and as his layers are revealed, her hatred begins to waver, replaced by a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She is caught between her desire for revenge and an unexpected attraction that threatens to derail her plans.

With the help of the enigmatic Amergin, the protagonist navigates a world full of dangerous enemies, hidden secrets, and looming war. Betrayal lurks in every shadow, and as the stakes grow higher, she must summon every ounce of courage to follow her heart while protecting herself from the treacherous path she’s chosen.

Shea Hulse crafts a gripping tale of revenge and romance in *The White Wolf's Wrath*, the first book in the *Dragon Fire and Druids* series. The combination of high-stakes drama, complex relationships, and an intricately woven plot makes this romantasy an emotional rollercoaster. The slow-burn attraction between the protagonist and the White Wolf is charged with tension, creating a captivating love story built on betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption.

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**Highlights:**
- **Intense Emotions**: The story’s themes of betrayal and revenge are deeply felt, making the protagonist's journey both thrilling and emotional.
- **Complex Characters**: The White Wolf’s mysterious and multifaceted nature keeps readers guessing, while the protagonist’s inner turmoil adds depth to the narrative.
- **Romantasy Vibes**: A perfect blend of romance and fantasy, set against the backdrop of impending war and secretive alliances.

Shea Hulse’s The White Wolf’s Wrath is a captivating entry into the Dragon Fire and Druids romantasy series, offering readers an engaging mix of revenge, intrigue, and reluctant attraction set against a backdrop of impending war and simmering tension. Fans of fantasy romance will find themselves immersed in a world of deep betrayals, unexpected alliances, and dangerous secrets.

The story kicks off with a bang—our protagonist’s once-glorious estate has been destroyed by the enigmatic White Wolf, a figure of power and menace. From this moment of devastation, Hulse crafts a narrative driven by vengeance. Our heroine, consumed by a thirst for revenge, infiltrates the inner circle of her sworn enemy by disguising herself as a humble servant. This classic setup—underdog seeking justice while navigating the treacherous world of their oppressor—is well-executed and keeps readers on edge as she treads the fine line between survival and discovery.

One of the novel's strengths is its emotional complexity. The heroine’s single-minded mission to bring down the White Wolf is compelling, but as she spends more time in his world, she begins to unearth deeper layers to the man she swore to hate. This gradual unraveling of his character is handled well, revealing surprising nuances that challenge both the heroine’s perception and the reader’s expectations. As emotions stir and attraction begins to complicate her plans, the novel takes on an almost tortured quality, heightening the stakes.

The growing tension between the heroine and the White Wolf, a man she initially despises, is one of the novel’s most engaging elements. The enemies-to-lovers trope is in full swing here, with the kind of slow-burning attraction that keeps readers invested. Hulse doesn't rush their relationship, allowing the complex dynamics between the two to evolve naturally, making the eventual romantic tension all the more rewarding.

Hulse adds depth to the plot through the introduction of Amergin, a mysterious figure who serves as both a guide and a catalyst for the heroine’s journey. His presence introduces elements of magic and ancient knowledge, hinting at a broader lore that will likely be further explored in future installments. The novel's world-building, while focused primarily on the central characters and their personal struggles, hints at a larger, intricately designed world full of political intrigue, magic, and impending conflict.

The looming war and the sense of betrayal that permeates the novel provide an ever-present tension. Hulse is adept at keeping readers guessing about who can be trusted and where true loyalties lie. This atmosphere of suspicion and danger serves as a fitting backdrop for the heroine’s internal conflict—whether to follow through with her revenge or acknowledge her growing feelings for the White Wolf.

If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that the pacing can occasionally slow in the middle as the story navigates the complex emotional and political terrain. However, these moments of introspection are necessary for the characters’ development and allow readers to more deeply connect with their internal struggles.

Final Thoughts:
The White Wolf’s Wrath is an exciting and emotionally charged beginning to the Dragon Fire and Druids series. Shea Hulse expertly combines elements of romance, fantasy, and intrigue, creating a rich world where betrayal and attraction collide. With a strong enemies-to-lovers dynamic, layered characters, and a plot filled with twists and hidden secrets, this romantasy offers everything fans of the genre could want. The novel’s slow-burning tension and impending war set the stage for an even grander conflict to come, making it a promising start to the series.

This could be the beginning og a great romantasy series! There's a lot to unfold and the world building is intriging.

Thanks of the story and the ARC

3,5 fantasy stars!

Thank you to Hot Tree Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, but sadly I DNFed at 75%.

Yes, I know, 75%! I tried really REALLY hard to finish this book but I honestly didn’t know where this story was meant to go. There were so many narrative jumps that quickly confused me. There was a scene in which the FMC discovers that there are paranormal creatures in the world and her own clan, and the why of that was just too much to swallow. Realms were divided to prevent a human and fae war, but there’s still a ton of supernatural creatures coexisting with humans? Literally every creature except fae? There was no foundation or background into this world to even suggest that fae existed beyond that point but the FMC didn’t seem very surprised by that fact, should I have known that? I don’t know, it was all too much at once.
I did really enjoy the tension between the MMC and FMC, but even that eventually became too convoluted. He also ignored her for days because she made a comment about trusting someone else more, ick. The FMC also seemed to be attracted to every man she spent time with, I began to suspect a reverse harem situation.

Overall, this book was not for me.

This book really started off very choppy and the pacing was kind of all over the place, but by the end it really found its footing and was well worth the read! It seemed like a lot of information was rushed in the first part of the book, and I had to go back and re-read to make sure I hadn't missed something. The FMC was also hard to keep up with at times and relate to. I wished the relationship between her and Whalen was fleshed out a bit more, and his use of pet names could be a bit cringe at times. About halfway through the book I was finally hooked to the story and really enjoyed the progression of events! The world building finally settled into place by then, and I had a better understanding of the lore. Great ending and I will definitely read book 2!

Review to be published after publication date

**I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I absolutely devoured this book. Starting off I felt a little hard to get into the book but once it hit about 20% in, I was devouring the book as quick as possible. You have a mystery trying to be figured out as our FMC tries to struggle with the aftermath of the war that descended on her village at the very start. The ramifications left her pushing all her anger on the White Wolf, but things are not always as they seem are they?

This has druids, dragons, shifters and so much angst packed into one book. I really hope that this series goes the way I want it to, especially as to what it alluded to in the final few chapters!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

DNF at 20%

The writing is so terrible that it's painful to read. I struggled through every single page until I finally had to give up.

Not only is the writing incredibly immature and features a LOT of telling and very little showing, the main character's inner monologue is mind-numbingly atrocious.

Some examples:
"I was worth more alive than dead right now too."
One paragraph later: "If anyone knew the would-be king and queen remained, we would be routed out and beheaded instantly."
Uh...I thought you were worth more alive than dead?

Another example of just how annoying the FMC is:
"Every took the kitchen scissors to it after cleaning the blood off me, luckily in peace.
That was when I cried.
I cried over my shorn hair, once long, thick, and wavy, now a bob barely touching my chin."

Keep in mind the FMC was injured and woke up facing her mother's dead body and her father is missing. But she's crying over her hair? I simply cannot, especially because it CONTINUES:
"My hair was gone, the luxurious oak brown, so like my mother's, short with the look of a fresh cut, rounder and sharper at the same time.
Frankly, it looked flattering. The bangs framed my dark lashes, making me look exotic and feral, and the bob accentuated my broad shoulders, making my otherwise muscular body shapelier."

I remind you, she just woke up to her mother's dead body, her father is missing, her fiancé is missing, but she's waxing poetic about how good she looks with her new "haircut" given to her by the cook in a few minutes solely in order to help hide her identity?? Bitch, no.

Later, she keeps going on and on about how only her fiancé matters...even though her dad is still missing?? Keep in mind, this is an arranged marriage, she's not in love with him and explicitly says so.

And less than a page later:
"I would have been queen; instead I was scrubbing pots in the kitchen–a task my staff used to do for me."
I was really having difficulty feeling bad for her, but this just sealed the deal. Boo fucking hoo, girlie.

And THEN there was this part:
"That was the most grating part of the ordeal after my hair. Strangers could sleep in our beds. We'd had strange guests before. But it was galling that they would eat our food, too."
WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOM BEING MURDERED?????

Literally just a few pages later she's snuck into her old bathroom:
"The woman who stared back at me above the sink smiled wickedly before straightening her spine. I marveled at her beauty a moment before starting to walk away. She had never looked so wild and fierce, never so lovely."
The FMC is a narcissist and you cannot convince me otherwise.

The FMC was insufferable, the writing even more insufferable. I have no idea how this was published, honestly.

This book was intriguing, but ultimately not for me. While having a good concept it struggled with finding a good narrative to follow. It started out as one story and then completely changed not once, not twice, but three times! By the third plot twist I was so confused I could not keep up and just gave up reading it. The writing style is very good, however, if the story is set in medieval times there cannot be present time items or references! It takes the reader completely out of the story. Unfortunately, I think this book needs a lot of reworking before it is ready to be released.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hot Tree Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had the potential to be a great story but it fell a little short for me.

Parts of storyline felt rushed- particularly the romance aspect, and others felt slow to the point I was losing interest. The world building was good- I do love me some supernatural creatures!

The MMC openness about his feelings was refreshing and I always enjoy some good banter between our main characters.

2.5 stars

The premise of this book was intriguing but I couldn’t get past the writing, even though this is a YA book.

The way this book is written over explains everything, and in the most juvinile way. Which would be normal if it was not extremely hard to get through in this case!

Thank you for the ARC. The premise is interesting and workable, but I would clean up the writing a lot

I really enjoyed this, and I do think it's the perfect fall kinda read. I would definitely recommend this those of my followers who love fantasy. Unfortunately, I am particularly critical with fantasy reads and this is somewhat forgetttable for me. But I can see how popular it's going to be.

I really enjoyed this book and struggled to put it down. I enjoyed the overall story and there seems to be lots of hints and foreshadowing to keep the suspense up. But there are so many things that are never resolved so I’m pining for book two to come out. Lots of secrets left unanswered - like Whalen’s story that keeps getting hinted at. The characters are interesting and I enjoyed their interactions with each other to develop them and their stories but I wanted more development and more explanation for Whalen and Emer’s emotional connection. The emotional pull for them felt sudden and very underdeveloped; as was her and Joseph’s. I’m interested to see if there’s more to these than we’ve been told.

This book was enjoyable. It was a little bit to fast paced and it felt very rushed. I did like the romance and the world building was good.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with ARC copy in exchange for honest review.

**Rating: 2.5 stars**

The White Wolf's Wrath by Shea Hulse is a debut novel that blends fantasy and romance, following a young woman on a quest for revenge after the White Wolf destroys her family's estate. Disguising herself as a servant in his inner circle, she uncovers unsettling truths and begins to develop feelings for her enemy, Whalen.

While the premise holds promise, I struggled with several aspects of the book.

First, the world-building feels inconsistent. The setting often feels more modern than fantastical, with characters having names like Whalen, Sarah, and Joseph, which clash with the magical elements like shapeshifters, vampires, druids, dragons, and fae. This mix doesn’t quite mesh well and creates a disjointed atmosphere.

Secondly, the main character comes across as indecisive and lacking direction. She quickly shifts from hating the man who destroyed her family to lusting after him, without even attempting to uncover the truth. Her character also suffers from the "chosen one" trope, passively allowing events to unfold around her rather than showing personal growth or development.

Lastly, while the writing and story easy to follow, it reads more like a contemporary novel than a fantasy. The narrative lacks the whimsical and immersive narrative that is typical found in this genre, making it feel indecisive about whether it wants to be a contemporary romance or a fantasy romance.

Overall, while The White Wolf's Wrath shows promise with its mix of fantasy and romance, the story ultimately feels disjointed. The world-building struggles to find a balance between modern and fantastical elements, which can pull readers out of the immersive experience. The protagonist's inconsistent character development and reliance on familiar tropes also weaken the narrative. Additionally, the writing style lacks the whimsical or enchanting tone typically associated with fantasy, making the novel feel more like a contemporary story that hasn't fully committed to its fantasy roots. Despite its potential, these issues prevent the book from reaching its full potential.

When Emer's home is raided and her family is killed, she quietly lives under the the rule of the warband who tore her life apart. As the heir of her clan, she knows she has to learn about their invaders if she ever hopes to save the remainder of her people. When she accidently draws the attention of the White Wolf, she struggles with her attraction to the war leader as the truth about the raid and her own destiny is revealed.

This book shifted dramatically half way through with added supernatural elements. I struggled a bit with the pacing - the ending was particularly harsh.

First, I would like to thank Hot Tree Publishing for allowing me to read the ARC of The White Wolf’s Wrath by Shea Hulse.
I really enjoyed the tension and banter between Whalen and Emer, and Whalen’s cockiness was great. There are dragons, vampires, druids, and I am sure much more to be discovered in this series. If I could give this book a 3.5 star rating I would. I feel like it was a little rushed and there could have been more detail throughout. But overall, I really like the story and am looking forward to book two to see what happens with Whalen, Emer, and Joseph.