DNF at 75% - I did initially really like this and thought it was charming and cozy....I would say around the halfway mark, the spice level went from 0 to 100 with no real work-up to it and therefore I am put off with finishing it. The whole time the MCs are 'friends' and reconnecting over what they are, and learning to live with it and thrive...then all of a sudden it's just erections here, back-ups there, can't handle being near each other without NEEDING to touch. I feel like the second half is almost written by someone else that's how much the tone shifts so abruptly. I wish this would've gone better, but spice without a real lead in to it is cringey.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf caught my eye because of its title and the cover. The title just made me smile and I love the how the cover is designed and colored. I have to say I went into this blind when it came to the synopsis. I was very grateful that I had the audiobook, because Yael Rizowy brought Cassandra to life in this story. The narrator is really what kept me going while reading and I'll be keeping an eye out for more books narrated by Yael!

This book started off really strong for me. I loved that Cassandra discovered a whole new world than she knew and that she was a witch. The creatures they stumbled upon, the talking microwave, and Pod really had me laughing. Cassie and Seth getting to know each other again also really warmed my heart. That's where it kind of got tricky though. I'm someone who prefers dual POV in romances, and I really missed Seth's POV in the story. I feel like getting his side of the story and how he thought would've been a great addition to my attachment to the stories and characters.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love spicy books, but after the halfway mark it kind of felt like that's all we got in the story. I just couldn't connect with this side of the story unfortunately. I think because it was so spice focused after that point, that the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I would've loved for them to spend more time talking about what happened and the consequences that followed.

While I really wanted to love this story, unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

This was a great pick for the Fall season! I love a good urban fantasy with cozy, small-town vibes, and friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Perfect for anyone looking for a spicy, fun read with witty banter, and anyone who enjoyed When Grumpy Met Sunshine.

For an enemies to lovers trope this is spot on, and very spicy. I liked the characters and felt for their friendship and then relationship. Was a bit unexpected on how spicy, just because the blurb didn't give that vibe. Otherwise it was still a good witch and werewolf love interest story. Overall a good fall read.

3/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Former best friends turned unexpected, supernatural team, Cassie and Seth had great chemistry and I loved their dynamic! Friends to enemies to friends to lovers is a fun dynamic and this part was well executed. Super quirky and cute to start with, then got super spicy like halfway through! I love a spicy book as much as the next person, but some of this felt a bit forced and awkward. The resolution felt like it took waaay too long but then the story wrapped up fast. I think the romance and overall pacing could have been executed better, but the magical parts and creativity of this book were well done.

🐺 How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein 🌙✨

This one had me intrigued at first—the setup promised a fun mix of supernatural hijinks and second-chance tension. Cassie’s return to her hometown and her unexpected run-in with Seth, her former best friend turned werewolf, kicks things off with a lot of potential. Their magical pact sounded like the perfect recipe for some great, plot-driven twists.

But honestly, after a while, it felt like the plot got lost. The story shifted quickly into steamy scenes that, while spicy, seemed to overpower the character development and pacing I was hoping for. If you’re a fan of steamy romance with an emphasis on intimate moments, this might be your vibe. For me, though, it felt a little forced and pulled away from the story’s initial charm.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this title. I think I blushed a lot while I read this one.

⭐️⭐️💫 /5

I really wanted to love this book. The first half was a cute, spooky, paranormal, Hallmark movie. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get attached to the main characters. I found their relationship frustrating and annoying for most of the book. It has a lot of great potential, but just wasn’t it for me.

This audiobook was perfect for spooky season! And who doesn’t love a sexy werewolf?!? I loved this couple so much! It kept me engaged and rooting for them the whole time! The banter was top tier!!! The narration was excellent!

This book looked adorable and like a lighthearted romance, so I was really looking forward to it. For the first time in years, the FMC goes back to her grandmother's house and runs into her former boyfriend, whom she doesn't want to see. But there are reasons why he can't stay away. Although I'm sure it will have its fans, I'm not one of them. It had a lot of potential to be a sweet little love story. I simply couldn't relate to either character, and I didn't particularly like some of the decisions the FMC made during the book.

Overall, this novel has a great premise, but nearly a third of the book interrupted the story line that I expected. There are several humorous moments, especially with the microwave and the raccoon. I would like to see where the author takes the series in book two.

This was not the book for me. I have enjoyed several of Charlotte Stein's novels, both her indie romances and When Grumpy Met Sunshine. I loved WGMS. I was really excited to get an audio copy of How to Help a Hungry Werewolf as my first real audio ARC from #Netgalley .

But I just did not love this like her other books. It felt incredibly wordy and drawn out. A super slow burn (not until about 80% mark) felt forced sometimes. And the overall tone felt immature. Like these characters were still the teens they used to be before their conflict. That they constantly referenced and obsessed over. (And which focus made their eventual super sexy times a little uncomfortable for me to read.) The magical world building was of the bonkers variety, with the main character becoming an overpowered insta-witch. Lots of silly elements (although I did get kind of attached to the talking microwave). At least there was a raccoon involved!

However, I'm not sure how much of this dissatisfaction is simply a matter of taste. I don't read this subgenre often. Are these normal approaches? Would I have enjoyed the book more if the setting were British (like When Grumpy Met Sunshine) instead of generic American? How much did the narration affect my perception? The racoon lines were very difficult to understand, for instance, and I didn't love the voice used for Seth, either.

So overall, not for me, but your mileage may vary. I think I'll stick with Stein's contemporary romances instead. Thanks anyway to Netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy of #HowToHelpAHungryWerewolf

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for both the eARC and the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Don't let this cartoon cover fool you! This book was hot and spicy! This might be one of my favorite examples of best friends to enemies to lovers ever! I read it all in one day and the audiobook added a lot to my reading experience! Highly recommend this book! Can't wait for more books by this author!

Tropes:
-M/F Paranormal Romance
-Witch x Werewolf
-Childhood Crushes
-Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers
-Slow Burn
-Plus Size Rep
-So Much Banter

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf sounded adorable, and for the first half of the audiobook I was enjoying the platonic relationship between Cassie and Seth. That said, I did find it odd how much Cassie was still harboring hurt feelings from high school when she’s nearing 30.

I enjoyed the two of them testing Cassie’s powers, trying out potions and spells together, and trying to rebuild their friendship. All good things.

But then the mating bond storyline was thrown into the plot and that’s what the second half of the book became all about. Smut, but and more smut, and I feel like the plot from the first half of the book was lost somewhere.

After being so withdrawn and unsure about giving her trust back to Seth as a friend, the fact that she went full throttle into the mating bond, 0 to 70,000, I had a little bit of a hard time with, too.

That said, the steamy scenes are well done - and made it awkward to drive in town with my windows down.

There’s also a sentient microwave and a raccoon familiar, who were both absolute scene stealers!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

I was really looking forward to this book, it looked so cute and like a fun little romance. The FMC returns to her grandmothers how for the first time in years and run into her ex bff, who is the last person that she wants to see. However, he can not stay away for reasons.. It had so much potential to be a cute little love story and I am sure that it will have its fans, I am just not one of them. I just never could connect with either of the characters and did not really enjoy some of the choices that the FMC made throughout the book.

This story had its highs and lows for me. Some parts I loved, while others didn't resonate as much. I will probably continue reading the series for the talking microwave and the raccoon.

So this was a woot from almost the start. I LOL so many times. The narrator did a great job bringing Cass alive however I didn’t care for Seth voice. He sounded like he was in the 10th grade. Just super young and a little babyish. Other than that narration was good.
This is one of those cozy reads you just sit back and relax too. Little to no angst. The conflict is more on the light side even though bullying isn’t a light subject. It just the author wrote about it in a lighter way. I thinks allows the characters to have more room to talk about the issues and make the proper decisions for them.
The witchy vibe is more Marty Poppins to me like it’s all sweet and safe; unless someone poses a threat.
I think anyone just getting into paranormal romance and audiobooks would love this story. It’s fun, it’s light, and it’s cozy with some heat.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was good. The storyline was interesting and spicy but the female main character got on my nerves so bad I had a hard time listening to the book.

How To Help a Hungry Werewolf:

Thank you Macmillan Audio and SMP Romance for my gifted copies.

Honestly, i enjoyed this one. You have to get over the fact that the love interest fathomed the gal in school, but people grow and change. So yay growth yay change.

This was saucy. I loved Cassie and Seth. There is a lot of dirty talk as they don’t know if they can touch (werewolf probs, ya know?), and definitely your fill of spice. Audio was wonderful but keep those headphones on around kids if you don’t want to answer werewolf mating questions.

I feel like it was really long, like really long. We were in track for the plot and the side quest galore. I just wanted the plot. Regardless I loved the audio, the familiar (all familiars are life) and the forgiveness finally.

Out now!

Spicer than I expected, but that's what I get for judging a book by its cover. Several laugh out loud moments. Interesting story. Would love to read more in this universe.

Ultimately this was a really cute and enjoyable story, that said I had a really hard time getting past the transgression that occurred in the prologue and spent most of the story waiting to see if it would be thoroughly explained and honestly while it was to an extent, it still felt a little unforgivable to me.