Review: Good Reading
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2013
Who ever heard of a happy-go-lucky alpha wolf? I certainly hadn't which is why I picked this book to read. The dimples deceive. Jackson Wilder is one yummy wolf and he's not defined by first impressions.Actually neither is the heroine, Alice. When the book opens, she's a mess. There's a sad reason for that but it sets the stage for what comes after. It provides the conflict, the plot motivation and the reason for the romance - werewolf style.This story is told in Alice's point of view only. Ms. Sims didn't drop the ball once and stayed true to the POV. I liked how the author kept on track. She never had Alice mired in either a woe-is-me or anger against the world kind of internal conflict. The heroine acted like a true person - she grieved, messed up and got sloppy, but when a threat rolled around she did the right thing. And when she was presented with a new `right thing' she wasn't blind or stubborn to the point of stupidity - she met the challenge head on, accepted it, moved forward all while her knees are shaking. I liked that.Personal growth is apparent. At first, Alice feels like she has to follow tradition. And in some ways she does. But the hero, Jackson, introduces a different way of doing things. Not better, just different. Okay, well maybe a little bit better. And it throws the heroine for a loop. I enjoyed that too because I was able to see how she grew as a person, as a leader and as a future mate. Talk about building up sexual tension! I liked the slow tease of their relationship. Jackson respected Alice and that was quite clear. Eventually, the heroine discovered the many ways and reasons to respect the hero in return. And that freed her to `explore'. When it comes to the part when she finally overcomes her shyness to explore, it's very sexy. But when she lets loose? Now, those scenes were fun and hot. Great writing.The villain or dramatic element of conflict had the capacity to overshadow the romance and take it to a dark place. The author resisted taking things down that path, of which I'm glad. However, it also made me ambivalent about his character. He's crude, crass, disgusting and yet ... and yet the author didn't have him stay true to form. That confused me. Was he bad all the way or, redeemable? If he's truly, possibly, redeemable, only a really naughty and hard as steel alpha female could make him toe the line. And maybe smack him aside the head. And knee him in the southern hemisphere. I didn't like him and I don't think the author wanted a reader to, but I'm not so sure. See? Ambivalent.All in all, this is a fun story. Single Wolf Female is great entertainment. After doing a bit of research, I discovered that this book is part of a series. I never felt lost or that I was missing anything. It was a tidy little novelette all by itself and I enjoyed getting to know Alice and Jackson. Secondary characters do pop in towards the later part of the tale and it was those tiny tidbits Ms. Sims included that whetted my appetite for more. If all her stories are as cute and interesting as this, with just the right balance of plot, conflict and sexy seduction, then I think it's going to be time well spent when I snag myself some back stories. I'm very glad I read this and would recommend it to other readers of paranormal romances.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews