This was such an enjoyable witchy, werewolf book! Friends to lovers, magical beings and so much HEAT!! The spice was an unexpected treat.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein was a hoot and a half. If you love paranormal romances with a hefty dose of humor, this one will be the perfect October read (or listen). I listened to the audiobook from MacMillan Audio, and the narration by Yael Rizowy was incredibly well done.

Cassie has come back to Hollow Brook to clear out her grandmother’s house, and she unexpectedly reconnects with her childhood friend turned teenage enemy, Seth. And even more unexpectedly, she discovers that HE is a werewolf and SHE might actually be a witch. She doesn’t want anything to do with him because of how badly he hurt her in the past, but all he wants to do is earn her forgiveness—and maybe make her his mate. Or something. The steamy scenes border on ridiculous, but in a good way, so if you’re looking for a quick paranormal romance this fall, consider this one. Solid four stars from me because it made me laugh. And I thought her raccoon familiar was hilarious.

When Cassie returns to her hometown after her grandmother's death, the last thing she's prepared to find is her former best friend/current mortal enemy breaking into the house...and is now a werewolf of all things. When Seth tells her she's a powerful witch, Cassie trades him information on the supernatural world for potions, but can she ever learn to trust him again? Hilariously cute friends-to-enemies-to-lovers book with a supernatural twist. Loved the narrators. #MF #slowburn #urbanfantasy #witches #werewolves

2.5 rounded up to 3

I don’t think Charlotte Stein books are for me. The pacing was off in the second half of the book, and I really didn’t feel the chemistry between the couple.

This book started off really strong in the beginning for me. Cassandra counters her ex bestie Seth after years and then somehow ends up helping him while finding out she's a witch! I thought the magic and her potions were such a fun vibe. Then somewhere along the lines Cassandra and Seth become friends again and I really like how that developed out.

Now we're the book lost me. About halfway through it lost the plot. It just got super sexual and it was kinda cringey. I feel like I felt where the author was trying to go with this but just wasn't executed the best. Then after all that somehow Cassandra gets back on track with the main plot and all is well.

I really liked the narrator with this. I felt the character was brought to life and had me giggling.

I am interested to see what comes next with this series.

Thank you Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook.

I really liked the premise of How to Help a Hungry Werewolf and was excited to dive into the audio. Narrator Yael Rizowy does a great job providing Cassie's POV and I thought she effectively voiced Seth's dialogue too. The small town trope is alive and well and I thought author Charlotte Stein really nailed the slow burn, cozy romance vibes.

That said, I think she did the slow burn too well. By the time the spice hit between our MCs it felt out of place and like the explicit language didn't quite fit the story. I also didn't love that just when the chemistry was building between the MCs, one or both of them doubted it or backed away from it and the flame was doused back to friends again.

Overall, I really enjoy Charlotte's writing and this was a good listen but I wasn't blown away.

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein and Macmillan Audio for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

Cozy & spicy and, like a good chai latte, perfect for autumn.

Classic childhood friend turn I to more. With a paranormal twist that theree is the existence of witches, warewilves, fairies, vampires & more!

I love the main characters, even though they got in their own way sometimes. The friendship, forgiveness and trust they build throughout the story gives way into a passionate romance that I was very invested in!

I hope there are more books in this series to cone because I definitely loved this novel and the new universe it has introduced to me.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf
The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures #1
Charlotte Stein
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cassandra Camberwell returns to Hollow Brook after the death of her grandmother. The old house is in bad shape but it’s her responsibility to clean it out. She was surprised when she answered the door and saw Seth Brubaker standing there. Once upon a time they were good friends, she considered him her best friend but that was before he humiliated her in front of the whole class. She has never recovered from embarrassment. She refuses to allow people to get close to her.
She couldn’t understand why he continued to show up. Eventually the truth comes out; he is a werewolf, and he thinks she is a witch that can release him from his misery. Cassie isn’t sure she should trust him. Seth promises to teach her all she needs to know about her unexplored magic if she will provide him with the potion he needs. All goes well until they are faced with a mating bond.
This tale has a lot of hot and spicy scenes. There is also a bit of humor thrown it. The characters are immature and carry a lot of baggage they should have dropped off a long time ago.
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy.

The best way to describe how I felt about this book was meh. I was enjoying it for the first 50%, but it just became ridiculous after that and tedious. To be quite honest, I have so many issues with this book I can't even express all of them without giving away the entire book and writing an essay. My main issues are:
1) This book read like the romance elements were written separately from the paranormal elements. We got an odd chunk in the second half that was all sex with no preamble for the romantic relationship before this and then it abruptly turns back into the plot before it ends.
2) The characters and their relationship were so immature and read like two teenagers trying to figure things out but with adult level knowledge of sex.
3) The paranormal stuff was not thought out that well and a lot of things were easily swept away by saying oh magic can fix that.
4) If Seth and Cassie simply had a single adult conversation before this book was 97% complete, so much of the issues with this book could've been resolved. Any relationship conflict that hinges on lack of communication is not well done.
5) Fatphobia was an element in this book that simply wasn't addressed well. We get information about what happened, but then this somehow doesn't seem to impact Cassie at all aside from a few times when she recalls what happened. It felt like this was just included to say we had a body positive book, but it just didn't read well to me. If I'm going to have a curvy heroine who has experienced instances of fatphobia then I want an actual explanation as to how that has impacted her.

Overall, I liked the ideas of this book, but the execution wasn't done well. It was very silly and weird and not in a good way with too many niche jokes. This book simply needed better editing. This one is a solid 2.5 stars for me.

3.5 stars, rounded down.

This book was such a fun read to help me get into the spooky spirit! I really loved how much humor the author incorporated into the story, it made everything feel super light hearted. The stakes didn't ever feel very high, I would place this book into more of a cozy read for the fall.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters because they bantered so much. However, I had to literally stop myself from yelling at the audiobook because Cassie was literally clueless about Seth. His feelings, his actions, his change of character.... like girl WAKE UP. Their relationship and really the whole story felt like a cheesy TV sitcom - until the spice happened then it was like a back room film (LOL).... When things finally did become steamy, it jumped in full force. I love smut as much as the next person but I think there is literally a 15-20% chunk of the book that is just them having sex. While I am not opposed to that, I just wish it didn't come at the expense of the plot. The main point of conflict/danger was literally wrapped up so quickly that I barely had time to wrap my head around it.

Overall, I did really like this book! I just wished the plot and conflict was a bit stronger. I think if you go into this knowing that is more of a funny, smutty, cozy read then you will enjoy it more. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this arc!

2 🌟

Thank you Netgalley for the arc! I listened to the audiobook version and I enjoyed the narrator for the story. I did not mind the general plot, but the characters were not doing it for me. They were flat and cringey. The characters were supposed to be 28 but were stuck in high school in a weird way, every character could have benefitted from therapy. It is definitely spicy, but the spice also fell flat. I don't mind a story where the characters could benefit from a little more communication, but this one was not it for me. Just because I didn't enjoy it, does not mean you won't!

*How to Help a Hungry Werewolf* by Charlotte Stein, narrated by Yael Rizowy, was a delightful experience that hooked me. The mix of humour, romance, and supernatural elements created a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of *What We Do in the Shadows* and the small-town charm of *Gilmore Girls*.

Cassandra's return to Hollow Brook and her unexpected reunion with Seth Brubaker were entertaining and engaging—their dynamic, filled with tension and unresolved feelings, made for a compelling story. I appreciated how the plot developed, particularly the unique twist of a werewolf seeking help from a witch. The pacing kept me captivated, and Rizowy's narration brought the characters to life in a way that enhanced the emotional depth of their journey.

However, I did find myself wishing for a change or a new point of view at times. It could have added a zestier layer to the narrative, offering fresh insights into their evolving relationship and the magical world they navigated.

I enjoyed this whimsical tale, which is filled with unexpected twists, heartwarming moments, and laughs. It's perfect for a light-hearted, enchanting, cozy read.

Such a unique read and the character’s personality really shine through in the audiobook. A fun read, but also some heavy hitting topics that need to be discussed.

I really wanted to like How to Help a Hungry Werewolf. I think the narrator did a good job making these characters come to life, and I found it easy to listen to... Unfortunately, the writing style just did not work for me. There were some excellent worldbuilding aspects like angry fairies and unhinged recipes for magic, but I felt like the plot and tone of this book shifted directions too often to keep me interested. In many points, it was super funny and had me completely engaged... others felt more like someone writing an adult version of Twilight. I have mixed feelings overall, but if you want magic, werewolves, and a lot of spice this might be for you!

Thanks to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own!

This is the first book I have listened to by this author, and I really enjoyed it! It had an interesting plot, very well written characters, and a great ending. I really enjoyed the story and the narrator did a good job too. I will definitely look into reading/listening to more books by this author.

Back in town to clean out her late grandmother’s house, the last person Cassie expects to see is Seth Brubaker, her former best friend turned tormentor, whose arrival completely turns her life and everything she thought she knew upside down.

Honestly How to Help a Hungry Werewolf was such a fun and quirky, but oh so steamy listen! Cassie and Seth’s dynamic and the shenanigans they got up to had my cackling, and then blushing and fanning myself when things got steamy.

This was just too cute and I cannot thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio enough for the ALC! This was a perfect cozy listen, cozy spooky season listen!

Cassandra has returned to Hollow Brook to clean out her grandmother's house, but she finds more than she expected when her ex-best friend, Seth, turns into a werewolf and it turns out that Cassandra is a witch. Cassandra has to figure out the supernatural world, how to help Seth deal with all the downsides of being a werewolf, and suppress her feelings for him that she's sure he doesn't reciprocate.

I found the communication issues both very frustrating, but every understandable given both character's backgrounds. This book had so much going on, and while I loved it, I wish I had gotten to learn more about the town, the side characters, and the magic of this world.

I really loved the narration, especially how Seth's voice was very distinctive from Cassandra's

... I hate being negative but I really didn't enjoy this. I listened to the ALC and also read it via eARC and I did not enjoy it at all. I wasn't a fan of the characters and felt like they were lacking. The plot was also just not the vibe. At times I had the hardest eye rolls because the circumstances were just so off. It felt like the author was trying too hard to be "the funny girl". I'm happy to see representation of bigger bodies but I really felt like she could have given the character a little more than just being the "fat quirky" girl.

Once we get into the smut it never stops. It was so forced in the second half of the book. It was really hard to enjoy when it was literally shoved in your face so much.

Anyways... I never say don't read a book because you may like it even though I didn't. So pick this up if a werewolf x witch "second chance romance" sounds like something you want to read.

Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillan.audio, and @stmartinspress for the ARC and ALC.

5 Stars all around!

The romance was on point, the frenemies to lovers, the racoon!! If you're looking for a somewhat wholesome monster romance, this is for you.

Very cute and silly. It's a really fun book if you don't take it too seriously. I will say the characters do read younger than they're meant to be, last time I heard so many sexual inuendoes was in my late teens/early 20's haha. I loved seeing Cassie learn and develop her witchy abilities. I did also like Seth as a character but I wish there would have been a little bit more to him other than being a horny werewolf.

I did skip the majority of the spicy scenes, since they were a little too cringe for me. I will say the plot is primarily spice driven, I do wish we would have had more relationship building between the two characters. The writing isn't my personal favorite, I'm not sure if its the way the characters were written but the book did have a bit of a fanfiction vibe to it.

If you're not looking for spice don't pick this one up but if you go into it with the mindset of just having a silly, spicy good time for Halloween I think you'll love this book! Side note: I need a raccoon familiar omg!

The audiobook narrator was great! Really brought Cassie to life and helped the jokes land so well.