KISS OF THE WOLF - Morgan Hawke
The Penumbral Realm, Book 1
Kensington Aphrodisia (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 0-7582-1546-0
February 2007
Erotic Paranormal Romance

Constantza, Romania - 1876

Thorn Ferrell will never forget the day her life changed -- the day when a crazy 'Doktor' somehow combined her soul with that of her pet wolf's into one body.  Now, years after escaping the mad man's clutches, Thorn has fallen into another jail of sorts, acting as a courier for the US government.  Being able to shift into her wolf form enables her to get into and out of places humans cannot imagine.  But this is her last assignment, and Thorn has no intention of re-enlisting.

Resting in a hidden cave in her wolf form on her way to delivering her last package, Thorn is surprised to hear someone approaching.  Even more surprising is the strength of the man who enters and withstands her beast.  In all of her years as a werewolf, Thorn has always thought she was unique in the world.  But who would have believed vampires existed in anything but fairy tales?  Well, Yaroslav has put to rest that erroneous thought, in the yummiest of ways.

Soon, Thorn will learn that there are more things that go bump in the night than she ever dreamed possible.  Including the walking dead who seem to be spreading like wildfire in Russia and the Balkans.  Could the source of these creatures be the same man who cursed her so many years ago?  What is the Penumbral Realm Yaroslav keeps mentioning and does Thorn really want anything to do with them?

For all its nineteenth century setting, KISS OF THE WOLF is quite a modern tale.  The dialogue is more twenty-first century slang than pre-1900's.  To be honest, I'm not sure of the relevance of the timeframe as the story could easily have occurred in the present.  However, this doesn't distract from the fun and engaging tale.  Vampires, werewolves, and all manner of other beasties are living secretly alongside humans, but don't interfere with their future destiny.  Then a mage is born outside of the Penumbral Realm and sets events in motion that could spell the destruction of the world.

Unbeknownst to her, Thorn is put in the unenviable position of being the catalyst that could doom or save mankind.  A straight-thinking, independent woman with a rather wry sense of humor living in a time more suited to coddled misses, Thorn refuses to be caged by any man.  That is, until Yaroslav chains her heart by being a very bad vampire in oh so satisfying ways.  It is sometimes difficult to determine exactly who is friend or foe in the tale as there isn't always a clear distinction.  Max, a fellow werewolf, falls into this middle ground between black and white, along with Senator Belus, cursed into the form of a lamia by an angry mage.  Can they be trusted?

As the first book in the Penumbral Realm series, KISS OF THE WOLF sets the stage for future tales, and I'm definitely looking forward to delving into the next one!  For an action-packed paranormal romance full of magic, mystery, and humor, pick up your copy of this intriguing story as soon as possible.

Phillipa Ann