monday minis: Romancing the werewolf & midnight feast

These are kind of long for minis but we'll just go with it for today lol

Romancing the Werewolf (Supernatural Society #2) by Gail Carriger

Werewolf in trouble...

Biffy, newly minted Alpha of the London Pack, is not having a good Christmas. His Beta abandoned him, his werewolves object to his curtain choices, and someone keeps leaving babies on his doorstep.

Professor Randolph Lyall returns home to London after twenty years abroad, afraid of what he might find. With his pack in chaos and his Alpha in crisis, it will take all his Beta efficiency to set everything to rights. Perhaps, in the process, he may even determine how to mend his own heart.

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger presents a charming gay love story set in her popular steampunk Parasolverse. Featuring the long-awaited reunion between everyone’s favorite quietly capable Beta and the werewolf Alpha dandy who let him slip away. This sweet romance is full of unexpected babysitting, holiday decorations, and no small amount of pining. ~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

My thoughts: I’ve been enjoying all of Carriger’s Parasolverse spin-off novellas. Even though I haven’t finished the original series yet – I’m still able to follow along and read these all as stand-alones. Romancing the Werewolf  has an excellent prologue that recaps Biffy and Lyall’s, brief, but intense affair before they were separated by werewolf politics for 20 years.

Professor Lyall, a Beta werewolf, (Biffy’s Beta) was sent to serve as beta for another pack and has just been released from his obligation. He returns immediately to Biffy who is now an Alpha werewolf struggling to lead his pack.

I loved reading about an Alpha who doesn’t look or feel like the traditional alpha. It’s such an unexpected and fun twist. Biffy, who was formally a vampire drone and wanted to be turned vampire, was turned (unwillingly) into a werewolf instead and is now the leader of the London Pack,. His pack doesn’t quite trust that he even wants to be there and he struggles with things as simple as clothing & decor (which is very important to him!) to fear of failing his pack, as well as the longing in his heart for his missing beta. Not to mention that babies keep getting dropped off at the pack's front door as Christmas approaches.

When Lyall returns, their intimacy and longing is palpable, even though the physical reunion takes more time (& is mostly fade to black) but it works.

It was also nice to see Biffy from Lyall’s pov. While Biffy feels like he’s lost all control of his pack, Lyall can see his quiet strength and command over his wolves. And their affection for him. They just needed their Beta to make it all click into place.

Romancing a Werewolf suffered from a few lags – more like it got caught up in things that weren’t as  interesting as the pack but, as always, a delightful addition to Carriger’s world. I especially enjoyed reading about the intricacies of being a werewolf from Biffy’s pov. There are a few fun cameos and mentions of popular characters from the series and watching a group of grown werewolves try to take care of orphaned babies was pretty funny. Plus there’s a tiny bit of Christmas cheer so add this to your holiday reading list.




Midnight Feast (Fly Me To the Moon #6.5) by Emma Barry, Genevieve Turner

Houston, Texas, 1965

Margie Dunsford relishes her role as the leader of the astronaut wives. With her children away and her guests canceling, she faces a terrifying prospect: an entire Thanksgiving weekend alone with her husband.

Mitch knows the fire has gone out in his marriage, but he fears if he attempts to reignite it, Margie will freeze him out forever. Now he’s determined to use the distraction-free weekend to win her back.

Twenty years of resentments can’t be erased in a few fevered days, and Margie and Mitch will have to learn how to speak with their hearts instead of their hurts if they are going to save their marriage. ~ Goodreads

Source: e-arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My thoughts: Hoo-boy! This book was intense. Margie and Mitch’s 20 year marriage is in trouble. They barely speak to each other unless it’s to impress company or the press when they pose as the perfect NASA couple. Unfortunately, this Thanksgiving, all their guests canceled and they are left alone to confront all the things that lead them to this moment.

Midnight Feast was such an unflinching look at what happens when time, kids, slights, and other priorities stack up over the years and chip away at the marriage until you’re left with nothing but resentments and a wall around your heart.

Margie is the perfect leader for the astronaut’s wives. She relishes the task and control but she’s often put her life on hold for Mitch’s career – first as a pilot, during WW II, and then as an astronaut. She’s raised 6 kids mostly on her own, only to have Mitch roll in a few months per year and be the *fun* parent and she’s hesitant to give up any of her control over the house.

Mitch feels like a stranger in his own home. He and Margie used to make the perfect team but more often than not she cuts him out of the life they built and he feels like they wouldn’t even notice if he never came back and they could easily move on if her was killed in action.

It’s easy to place blame on either of them at any given time, because they are both ambitious and hard headed, but if you’ve ever been in a long term relationship, you know this happens. It’s easy to fall in love – it’s harder to stay in love and do the work.

Margie and Mitch slowly break down their walls, and do the work. They story takes place over several months so it’s not a quick fix and I appreciated that.

While there’s a lot of anger and heartache, obviously, I found it it to be super romantic It’s when you see the flaws and make the choice to forgive and do what it takes to be together anyway that's super swoony to me.

I’ve been married for 30 years now. Kevin was in the Navy and out to sea for at least 1/2 a year in our early years, and so much of Margie’s loneliness and shuttering her heart out of fear spoke to me.

This is probably the darkest of the books in the series but it does have a happy ending and can be read as a stand alone, although I HIGHLY recommend this series.

Also, if you’re wondering abut Mitch and if he cheated over the years – as hinted at in the series – you can highlight for spoilers –> He did, drunkenly, kiss one woman once but stopped before anything more happened. He was right on that line but he didn’t cross too far imo and he confesses to Margie <-