This book was such a struggle to get through. It’s basically a YA romance made for adults with smut on the tail end. As someone who loves YA romance AND adult monster smut, this was so so disappointing. The first half of the book reads like a YA book. It’s super cringy with bits of sexual innuendo here and there. Then around 65% it’s time for sex. It was even more cringy. Like the FMC says “cumming, he just said cumming. As in a noise I would make”

It felt like this book started as a YA friends to lovers with werewolfs and witches. Then the author decided it needed to be for adults so just include bits of adult elements.

This book would have been 10 times better if the Main Characters were 16 or 17 and just dealing with being a werewolf/witch. Maybe navigating high school and you can even Include teenage hormones. OR the author could have committed to the smut and made the entire books adult and less YA. The characters could be doing sexy things that build to them finally in bed or deciding on something more adult.

This book was just a mashup of two things and I don’t think it worked.

The name of the books is “How to help a hungry werewolf” in the book we learn that’s actually supposed to be “how to help a horny werewolf. Why not commit to that. No one was horny until the book was more than halfway over.

This was so cute and funny and magical!
The town gave me StarsHollow vibes from Gilmore Girls but the story was completely its own.
Friends to enemies to lovers. A slow burn with lots and lots of magic elements. Slight bully romance themes, but mostly a redemption arc. Hooray for plus size representation! Check your TWs for bullying and fat shaming.

Cassie returns to her hometown of Hollow Brook to clear out her late grandmothers house when she runs into her childhood best friend turned enemy, Seth, who happens to be a werewolf. When Cassie stumbles upon Seth trying to steal her grandmothers recipe book, she finds out those recipes are actually magical potions. And that they weren’t actually created by her grandmother but instead by Cassie unknowingly because she’s a witch. A witch who creates potions through cooking, which she’d given up for years after her grandmother advised her against it. For years Seth had been getting her grandmother’s help through those recipes to help maintain some wolfish traits and now that she’s passed away, he needs Cassie’s help. In exchange for her help, he offers to educate her on magic and the other magical creatures in their little town. Hesitant at first, Cassie agrees. And as she learns the extent of her magical capabilities, word gets out and an angry pack of werewolves come knocking. What starts as forgiveness and newly redeemed friendship, quickly turns into fighting off said pack of werewolves WHILE also resisting a magical mating bond neither of them wants… or do they? Absolutely STEAMY. The slow burn sexual tension had my heart pounding. I loved the element of cooking being a big part of how Cassie uses her magic and did I mention she gets the cutest raccoon for a familiar?! The ending really put their past into perspective and some truths were revealed. Such a steamy, cozy read!

DNF @30%

I really enjoyed When Grumpy Met Sunshine by this author and thought a paranormal rom-com sounded like fun. Unfortunately this one just isn't working for me. Humor is very subjective and I can tell a lot of the dialogue is intended to be funny, but I'm finding it more grating and cringe-worthy. Your mileage may vary, but it does feel kind of immature and it's getting under my skin in a less than positive way.

And for that matter the characters feel rather immature as well. There's also the fact that the hero was the childhood best friend of the heroine, but then went along with the cool kids teasing her about being fat in high school. He doesn't seem mean-spirited and there's probably some explanation for why he did that, but I'm not sure I want a romance with a high school bully. Especially when the previous friendship made it such a betrayal, I think I would need a book that takes a much more serious tone in addressing something like that. This is more silly and even wacky in tone, which just isn't going to work for me. Again, you may have a different experience, but I think it's best if I stop here. The audio narrators do a great job and with a different story I would have liked them. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The description of this book was supppper interesting to me and on audio? How could I complain? Well, here I am complaining. I got to 30% and feel like next to nothing happened in terms of moving the plot and the two "Adults" are so stuck on things that transpired years prior in high school it's almost annoying. I DNF'd.

Cassie and Seth were childhood friends until he fat shamed her trying to be in the “cool” kids club. She hasn’t seen Seth in years. Cassie returns home to handle her grandmother’s estate. She unintentionally bumps into Seth when she finds him in her basement. There she finds out some truths. This is a fun paranormal friends to enemies to lovers plot.

This started off so cute and 100% up my alley, old childhood friends turned enemies, a witch and a werewolf, small town magic... sadly, about 1/3 into the book the main storyline became two grown-ups desperately and obviously into each other, magically in heat for each other, fighting that desire for like 150 pages. It was drawn out, boring and took away from all of the potential other plot points. Their miscommunications AKA lack of communication got tiresome.

If you’re looking for a fun cozy read about a girl who finds out she’s a witch from her childhood ex best friend after her grandma dies this is for you! This book is silly…..If you’re looking for the novel of the year this is not it. However it’s a good freaking time. I love Charolette’s take on the magical world. The fairies had me loling. The pacing seemed a little off to me but only slightly in a okay they can just be together sorta way.

I listened to the audiobook of this book and really enjoyed the narrator. I do think they added to my enjoyment of the book.

A cutesy cottage core which vibes. After moving back to her grandmothers house after her passing, she finds out her grandmother’s secret, that she was a witch. After learning her high school best friend is a werewolf and that the recipe she cooked for her supper was the medicine her grandmother supplied him to help with his change. I’m not sure how I feel about the twist at the end, but there is plenty of the smut towards the end of the book.

🔹enemies/friends to lovers
🔹curvy girls

I did not enjoy this one at all, there's so much fat shaming. So many things I just couldn't get past for me to continue. I had to DNF this one.

I'm amazed at how quickly I was able to fall into the world that Charlotte Stein created. The world building was simple enough that I didn't feel bogged down by it but fascinating enough that I was hooked until the very end. This book definitely felt like a cozy fantasy that you want to read curled up on the couch. My only complaint is that it took so long for the FMC to see how great she was. I honestly don't know if I would want more of her story or another book in this series dedicated to more creatures in the town that was created for us. I'm just not sure I'm done with these two yet. It wasn't until I was 5 minutes from finishing this book that I realized that this wasn't my first Charlotte Stein book. The first book I read by her was When Grumpy met Sunshine. I love the representation given to curvy girls but I really wish they could see how much the MMC desired them earlier in the books as this is something that I too struggle with and wish I didn't. Another great book! Spice 2.5/5

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This would be better if the MCs were younger
Their banter is extremely juvenile and 7 years is too long a time to hold on to this childish crap. 21/22 instead of 27 would've been great
So many conversations they had made me cringe. I need to be more wary that when things are compared to Gilmore Girls, they mean every sentence is quippy and fast.
Also she's been away from a small town for 7 years, of course the weird grocer is going to remember her name, kinda how small towns work

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein

I managed to finish this in less than a day. Different genres serve different moods, and *How to Help a Hungry Werewolf* is exactly what I was looking for in a cozy paranormal romance. It's silly and weird, with cute character development and a decent plot. While it’s a pretty slow-burn romance, it reaches a five on the spice scale by the end. I can easily see myself returning to this author in the future.

Thank you, Charlotte Stein, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for my advanced review digital copy. My opinions are my own.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf is out on October 1st, 2024!

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 5
Personal Bias - 4
Narration - 5
Final Score - 4.4

Perfect for: Cozy fantasy lovers seeking a character-driven tale with a spicy second-chance romance.

What I loved:
* Plus-size Heroine: Curvy girl representation on this one.
* Cozy vibes: The autumnal setting and magical atmosphere create a comforting escape.
* Paranormal romance: The relationship between Cassie and Seth is youthful and I laughed at how they tip toed around one another.
* Character-focused: Cassie's journey of self-discovery and reconnecting with her past is heartwarming.

A heads-up: The second half of the book is smutty but, thankfully no knotting. (Personally, I don't like that trope.)

Audiobook recommendation: The audiobook, narrated by Yael Rizowy, brings the story to life with her captivating voice. However, some listeners may find the choice of voice for Cassie's familiar a bit off-putting.

Overall: A delightful blend of fantasy, romance, and cozy charm that will leave you wanting more.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh how cute! How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein is a cute and cozy paranormal romance that is perfect for spooky season. The magic in this book was fun and somewhat disturbing. Some of the things about the werewolf transformation had me cringing in sympathy pain but the witchy magic was fun, intuitive, and kind of adorable. There was a very large focus on fatphobia and fat shaming, and while I do think that is an important topic, I wish it had been less central to the plot. But it was nice to see it handled so well. The relationship was a little iffy for me but the spice was passionate and wild while still being really wholesome and cute. The audiobook was really well done. I loved how I could really hear the secondhand embarrassment of the characters in the narrator's voice. Overall, this is definitely a book you should to your fall tbr.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Instant thought when finishing the book: This spicy delight was a fun time.

Themes:
🐺 Second chance friendship to romance
🦝 Sunshine/Sunshine
🐺 Self discovery
🦝 Forgiveness
🐺 Spice - she’s got some sizzle

Childhood bffs have a falling out (rightfully so) and find their way back to each other as the cozy version of mortal enemies. Some forced proximity brought on by her being the only one that has what he needs 👀, has her working through some old wounds to see him in a new light. The narration of the audiobook was good - no complaints. There was some good banter, but I did miss tension. I mean, that’s not completely fair. There was tension, but the MCs are both so sunshiny sweet, it didn’t have the same hold on me as I’m used to. Cassie is a gem, and I adored her throughout the story. This would be a great witchy season read.

There are some content guidelines to consider. Please check those out. I wanted to specifically touch on the fatphobic one briefly. I felt this book did a good job with it. Events happened, the FMC internalized details of the events as one might, and the MMC told her/showed her how wrong those events were by showing up for her exactly as she is over and over again. I thought it was good and wanted to say as much. That is all. 🙃

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s press for arc copies of this fun story!

He’s a werewolf who needs help from her grandma but she’s dead. Discovers she’s a witch and unintentionally heals him with a questionable recipe.
Perfect for spooky season with a paranormal slow burn.

The narrator did a fabulous job bringing the story to life. This is a great audiobook! It's thrilling, funny, spicy and sweet all at the same time. And having plus size representation is the cherry on top! The story flows well and keeps you captivated from page one. You'll fall in love with Cassie and Seth, they have the best banter! This book is the perfect mash up of paranormal romance and romcom. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy. You can pick up How to Help a Hungry Werewolf on October 1, 2024.

I went into this book expecting a cute, witchy/werewolf romance about second chances and harmless shenanigans. I did read the author's note at the beginning, so I even knew to expect instances of fatphobia and fat-shaming. What I did not expect was a romance between her and the guy who inflicted said fatphobia. And even then, I kept reading, wondering how we'd see the "growth" exhibited by the main characters, and curious how the paranormal elements factored into it.

But the last straw for me was goblin poop marbles and the werewolf being tempted to chase a stick like a dog.

I love a humorous romance, but these scenes were just so ridiculous and didn't contribute anything to the story. For the entire first 30% that I listened to, almost NOTHING happened besides constant conversations about nothing. They have, quite literally, done nothing but talk for the entirety of this book so far. And he changed into a werewolf once (mid conversation).

I could not bring myself to read any more, and I'm honestly disappointed that I wasted as much time as I did reading the beginning.

Much thanks to Charlotte Stein, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So funny and charming! I loved spending time with Cassie and Seth. However, I can believe some readers may find this kind of awkward humor not to their taste; I'm sure some people will find it annoying. Side thought - I wonder if it'll come across as less annoying in print than in narration. I thought it was fine, at any rate, though at times it tread the line of annoying; once or twice I found myself mentally screaming, Oh my god, quit tripping over your tongue and get to the point!

The characters are very likeable and endearing, and relatable as far as they can be. By that I mean we really didn't explore the characters' lives much, their world. Unsupportive parental relationships were briefly mentioned (I was quite surprised Cassie had such a full conversation with her mother over the phone), as were Cassie and Seth's current living situations, but otherwise the narrative was very focused on their relationship with one another and secondarily discovering the supernatural world. Which, you know, duh, it's a romance, but it was almost too insular. Like they were in their own little bubble apart from the real world. The main external antagonist, the wolf pack, also had a very specific narrative function and that was it. Neither Cassie nor Seth seemed to have a job, though that might have been addressed; if it was, it was so brief that I missed it. On one hand it's great that Stein can keep her narrative focused with little fluff or side tangents or the like. On the other it makes the story and perhaps the characters feel limited and shallow. I'd be in favor of fleshing out the world, and especially fleshing out the characters.

But where would that additional flesh go? It could replace some of the second half, which is almost solid horniness and sex acts, which I had two problems with. One, there was too much of it; I was dying to get back to the far more interesting exploration of the supernatural aspects. Skip---skip---jesus, are they <i>still</i> talking about how horny they are?---skip---skip---thank christ, they're finally fucking, maybe now we can get back to the story.

Two, the tone of the sex scenes didn't mesh for me. Felt like a departure from the tone of the rest of the book. Stein writes with a light tone, even while discussing serious things like bullying, fat shaming, and the consequential emotional trauma, and it works. I liked the tone of the first half. It flowed, it felt natural, it suited the characterization, and the narrator, Yael Rizowy, was perfect for it. Then in the second half we get into the horniness and now this light, charming tone is trying to talk dirty, literally, and I can't take it seriously. The same narrative that gives a witch an adorably feisty raccoon familiar who brandishes a toilet brush like a musket (loooved that!) is also throwing around "cum" and "cock" and "pussy" and I can't reconcile it. Like vulgar graffiti sprayed over a heartwarming poster about friendship. Another author might have been able to make it work, but here it was discordant. Maybe if there had been far less of it, it wouldn't have felt so jarring, but it went on and on and on....

Overall, I really liked this book, I just wanted more character and world building and less sex. Sorry, Stein, you're just not an erotic writer. Or perhaps this story just isn't erotic. But it's not a deal breaker for me yet; I'll be looking out for the next in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook.
The premise of this book was very good, but the whole book felt very immature and silly. Although, the narration was well preformed, which I suspect enhanced the enjoyment experience.