Wolf in the Shadows

February 1, 2022

In this next in the "Legend of All Wolves" series, Julia is a Shifter trapped with the Great North Pack whose task is tending to Arthur, the Omega wolf at the bottom of pack hierarchy who watches out for all the other wolves. Happily, they fall in love. Lots of wolf-human tales out there, but Vale's series is especially smart and vividly told, so check it out.

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Starred review from May 23, 2022
Vale closes out her Legend of All Wolves series (after Season of the Wolf) with a beautiful and melancholy love story that provides the dual satisfaction of a caring and transformative romance and a heartfelt celebration of all things wild. Julia Martel, who comes from a powerful line of Lukani—shape-shifters who resist their bestial natures—grew up spoiled and was raised to be “exquisitely inconsequential” in the shadow of powerful men. After her fiancé’s misstep leaves her stranded with the Great North Pack of wolf shifters, she lands in the care of beautiful Arthur, the bottom-ranked Omega of the Pack, who’s healing from the brutal ritual Clawing he received as punishment for killing a traitor before he could be put to trial. Arthur is kind and gentle, but constantly working to control the maelstrom of violent impulses that threaten to overwhelm him. As Julia grows into her power and discovers the wild side that she’s long been denied, she and Arthur build trust and love that enables her to help him maintain his calm. Charmingly tender scenes of Julia helping the Pack’s young pups learn to function in the human world, paralleled with scenes of Julia learning how to hunt with the Pack, are a particular delight. Vale also ties up the series-long political arc, satisfyingly disarming the remaining threats and shepherding all to a happy ending. This is a worthy finish. Agent: Heather Jackson, Heather Jackson Literary.

May 15, 2022
A sheltered, pampered wolf Shifter finds herself falling for a fellow wolf at the bottom of the pack in this opposites-attract paranormal romance. Julia Martel has lived her life in a bubble. She's a wolf Shifter who has never shifted, suppressing that part of herself while living a life of luxury in Montreal. The men around her shower her with gifts to keep her compliant and far from the call of the wild. Her Shifter fiance Cassius Despres' abusive desire to keep her in a gilded cage has stunted her growth as a wolf, leaving her mostly uninformed about pack life and politics. When he tricks her into attending a hunting party in upstate New York instead of the weekend in Manhattan she was expecting, Julia feels surprised and betrayed. Their prey: wolves. But the prey quickly overwhelm the hunting party, and Julia and Cassius are captured by the Great North Pack. Julia is put into the care of Arthur Graysson, the lowest wolf in the hierarchy and one with a dangerous nature he does his best to keep on a tight leash. The developing romance of Julia and Arthur is reminiscent of "Beauty and the Beast": She's refined and cultured, while his less sophisticated nature makes him feel like they're from two very different worlds. It's a relationship in which each has something to learn from the other. Their interactions are a careful dance as Julia and Arthur poke and prod at each other's vulnerabilities; the scenes of their sparring are the most rewarding in the book, though they're often pulled up short of an emotional payoff. Vale continues her lyrical and elaborate exploration of the Pack community alongside yet another slow-burn romance--emphasis on slow this time. Exceptional worldbuilding helps carry a romance needing a bit more heat.

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