Sandy M’s review of Tall, Dark and Wolfish (Westfield Brothers, Book 2) by Lydia Dare
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 4 May10
I am thoroughly enjoying this Westfield Brothers series by Lydia Dare. Her debut book, A Certain Wolfish Charm, is a great introduction to the brothers and their animal sides, along with their heroines, of course. Tall, Dark and Wolfish is even better, which makes me very anxious for the next installment. It’s nice to be excited about a series again.
We don’t get much of Benjamin in ACWC. He’s gone missing, for lack of a better term. No one has heard from him for weeks, which is not like the man, according to those who he usually keeps in touch with. William, the middle brother, begins a search for his wayward sibling.
Picking up in TDaW, Ben has lost the wolf in himself, literally. The last full moon he failed to change into his beast and now feels broken. Wanting to, for once, take care of a problem himself and have control in his own life, he doesn’t tell his brothers about his affliction but instead goes to a family friend, who points him in the direction of a healer witch. So Ben sneaks away, making the long trek from London to Edinburgh to find the one person who can make him whole again.
Elspeth is part of an ancient coven, each witch having her own special powers, hers being the ability to heal, handed down by her mother, by taking on the injuries or sickness of her patient. Her best friend, Caitrin, is a seer and her vision has given them all a scare: a man with the mark of the beast will be taking Elspeth from them, even despite Ellie’s assurances she’s not leaving the coven.
After an initial misunderstanding about the witch he’s looking for and then a demonstration of her powers, Ben begins to believe perhaps Ellie can help him after all, especially when he learns her mother, who he originally was looking for, is no longer living. The attraction between them is immediate and they closer they are drawn to one another, the more Elspeth’s sisters use their powers to discourage their budding relationship. They have too much lose and are very suspicious of Ben.
When you read this book, beware of flying fireballs, creeping vines that can hold a man captive, and instantaneous rain and thunder storms, depending on the mood of these captivating witches. I have to say, Ben holds up very well against them all, but then he’s got a lot to lose too. So there’s no way he can walk away.
There is a side story of Elspeth’s father, who she’s never known. Or rather who she’s known only through her mother and the woman’s journals, but, as the saying goes, everything is not always as it appears.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the “fleshly” connection Ben and Elspeth have, and while that can be taken an intimate sense, Ms. Dare has done a wonderful job with that bit of imagination, using it sexually, emotionally, physically, and a few other ways between these characters. I really enjoyed those scenes.
I am looking forward to Will’s book, which is due out in a week, give or take a day or so. We get a good look at him and his heroine in the first book in the series, so the stage is set for more fireworks between them.
I’m also glad to see there’s a fourth book planned — and hopefully others later — though the Westfields do not seem to figure as prominently in those succeeding books, focus shifting to the coven witches and other werewolves. But that’s okay. Ms. Dare has proven herself with her writing, characters, storylines, and imagination. I’m a fan for life.
Grade: A+
Summary:
He’s lost the most important part of himself…
Lord Benjamin Westfield is a powerful werewolf-until one full moon when he doesn’t change. His life now shattered, he rushes off to Scotland in search of the healer who can restore his inner beast, only to find she’s not at all what he expected…
She would make him whole, if she could…
Young, beautiful witch Elspeth Campbell will do anything to help anyone who calls upon her healing arts. Then Lord Benjamin shows up, and she suddenly discovers she may need him even more than he needs her…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
