Quick Synopsis

Werewolves move in next door and Ox’s whole world has shifted. Family is found, lives are lost, and love changes everything.

Review

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the E-arc.

This is a fantastic re-release of an earlier TJ Klune novel and while I did love it, I do want to warn other readers.

There are depictions of child physical and emotional abuse in this book, while they aren’t super graphic in nature, they could still be difficult to read.

I don’t want to spoil too much with my review. We have our precious cinnamon roll Ox and the werewolves literally next-door, the Bennetts. I would say hijinks ensue, but that would do a great disservice to the story Klune has weaved. I did really enjoy this book, it was heartbreaking and beautiful. However, the writing was almost immature. I felt like I was reading the same sentence rephrased several times. I though maybe it’s because Ox was 16 at the beginning of the story, but it never really progressed. I just felt like it was stunted.

Check out my blog for a fuller review with minor spoilers.

I can’t wait to continue on with the story.

SPOILERS BELOW

Let’s talk about the werewolf in the room…..Joe.

From the very beginning of our intro to Joe he has an unusual attachment to Ox. Even at the introduction it felt like a little puppy love moment. Pun fully intended.

At first this kind of gave me a huge ick. Joe is 10 when we meet him and Ox is 16. That’s gross af.

However, nothing really romantic happens until way later. In other discussions of the book, I’ve seen where people have pointed out the Joe being the wolf means that he has the power in the situation, but I think with that age gap it wouldn’t matter if you’re a supernatural being.

I will say Klune is very mindful of the age gap and Ox repeatedly is like you’re a child and there is no underage romantic interaction or grooming of any kind. I just wanted to point it out, because for some it may put them off from reading the book.