Sandy M’s review of Wolf Nip (Granite Lake Wolves, Book 6) by Vivian Arend
Contemporary Paranormal Romance ebook published by Samhain 12 Feb 13
Sometimes a romance book doesn’t need a mystery, a villain, or a puzzle of any kind to figure out. Sometimes all it takes is romance and love, and in this case of Vivian Arend’s latest release in her Granite Lake Wolves series, that’s the perfect thing.
Tessa wants to make it on her own, create something that doesn’t fail. No insult to her successful family. So she heads to Haines, Alaska, where her dream of owning a B&B from the ground up is about to come to fruition. She’s smart enough to contact the local Alpha of the wolf pack that lives there, letting him know a Jaguar is about to move into their neighborhood. Getting the A-OK is all she needs, and when she sees the old paddle wheeler just waiting for her to make her mark, Tessa knows she’s in the right place.
What she doesn’t figure into the equation is Mark, the wolf who owns the paddle wheeler and the land it sits on. Tessa is raring to go, to get started on the renovations, but suddenly Mark is spouting nonsense about them being mates and now he’s raring to go but in the wrong direction, as far as she’s concerned. Wolves mate for life, whether or not love is involved. Cats? Well, cats do things in their own time in their own way, and Tessa wants a mate who loves her. At this point business is more important to her. Mark comes up with the perfect solution for a partnership that will hopefully ease into a wonderful mating between them.
I really enjoyed these two. Tessa is one who bounces and moves from one idea to the next, just as a cat would. She likes to have fun along the way. Mark realizes what Tessa needs and is more than ready to give it to her, along with anything else she wants. I love his willingness to work his heart out to show her how much he wants her in his life, how much he wants to mate with her. Ms. Arend does a nice job of showing us those little nuances of each animal portrayed in their human counterparts, a contented purr from Tessa, a playful romp with Mark. What I wanted more of is the shifting, a little more time with these two in their fur, especially when the author has given them human awareness when in animal form. But what we do get is fun and enjoyable.
This is a sweet, lovely story with characters you’ll love from the first. It’s refreshing to have one like this come along every so often.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Cat got your tongue?Tessa Williams is looking to make her mark outside the family business, and the unusual landlocked paddle wheeler she spots in Haines, Alaska, strikes her as the perfect location. Only the owner is being difficult, refusing to sell. Still, she’s sure that replacing her written queries with a little in-person charm is all she’ll need to shortly have her Eco-tour B&B on the road to success.
Local wolf-slash-owner of said vessel, Mark Weaver, isn’t hanging on to the landmark building out of spite. There are more reasons for holding back the sale than are easily explained on paper. A face-to-face meeting to resolve the matter only confounds it—when Mark recognizes Tessa as his mate.
But she’s a cat…and cats don’t do insta-mates.
The sexual attraction between them isn’t in question, just everything else. He wants her. She wants twue wuv. His wolf can’t figure out what the holdup is. Her cat thinks the entire situation, and the pack, are rather amusing.
Somewhere in here is the beginning of a beautiful relationship—if they don’t drive each other mad.
Read an excerpt.
