Limecello’s review of Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney
Paranormal romance released by Ballentine Books 26 Feb 08
The first book in the trilogy, Tales of an Urban Werewolf, was a pleasant read. I found the premise of the story interesting and extremely cute. Wolves make us think wilderness, open spaces, and a complete lack of domestication. What happens when you trap a wolf, who is also a glamor girl in the city? Well, Howling at the Moon tells you.
Sophie is an interesting character, but has little depth. You know a lot about her materially- what purse she has, shoes, car, job, and even what her mother wears. But you don’t get a lot about her. The conflict didn’t really seem that believable to me either, and there were too many questions left unanswered. I felt that because this book is part of a series the issues were excessively drawn out and too much was left open. Sophie also was a bit too flaky for me.
I really liked the boyfriend, Heath, but he wasn’t believable. He’s too perfect, with no flaws other than checking up on Sophie a bit too obsessively. (That’s just my opinion – nobody in the book seems to think anything about it.) Also, it doesn’t seem that Heath and Sophie are that into each other, even though they say “I love you” so much it’s nearly nauseating.
Then there’s Tom, the potential other love interest, and only other werewolf Sophie has ever met. He’s hot, and he’s mysterious. She’s madly attracted to him,. Yup – that’s pretty much all you find out about him in 360 pages. Obviously he’ll come back in the next book – so maybe we’ll find out a few more things about him. Maybe like his age, and what he actually (and concretely) does. So, yes, there is a love triangle. Normally I love those, but since so little happens in this book, it’s not developed at all, and it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a relationship between anyone.
While I enjoyed the story, I didn’t love how it read. This book is extremely dialogue heavy, and the problem is while the characters say many words, they aren’t saying much. The secondary characters aren’t very appealing. I loved that this book was set in Austin, Texas, and that the Saltlick got a shout out (delicious barbecue!), but that wasn’t enough to cover the other flaws. A few of the scenes providing comic relief weren’t that believable. A werewolf in pantyhose, stuck to a bush? Ha ha, right? Unfortunately, I didn’t believe it. If pantyhose stays – what about underwear? A bra? Tshirts, etc. You can’t have one without the other(s).
I normally don’t like series, because I need closure, and a happily ever after. I needed it in this book too. Still, I enjoyed the book and want to read the next one to see what happens, even though I know I’ll have to wait for yet another book for my closure. While there were a lot of things I didn’t enjoy in this book such as the slow moving plot and excessive dialogue, not to mention certain secondary characters that I found irritating … I find myself still eager to find out what will happen with Sophie and Tom (or, I suppose, Heath) in the next book On the Prowl.
Grade: C-
Romance is about to get a little hairy.
Sophie Garou seems to have it all: a great job at a prestigious accounting firm, a closet that rivals a Nordstrom showroom, and a terrific boyfriend who isn’t afraid to use the “M” word. There’s just one little itty-bitty problem: Sophie is a werewolf-and her time of month has a whole new meaning.
Needless to say, life among yummy flesh-and-blood humans is no piece of steak . . . er, cake!, but regular doses of wolfsbane tea and a mother who runs a magic shop have helped Sophie keep her paranormal pedigree under wraps. Still, when a sexy, golden-eyed werewolf prowls into town, Sophie finds herself struggling to keep her animal impulses in check-not to mention trying to keep things on track with her super hot (and super human) lawyer boyfriend. What’s more, someone is threatening to expose Sophie for what she really is. And when her mother is accused of selling a poison-laced potion, Sophie must sniff out a culprit before the fur hits the fan.
Read an excerpt here.
