Wolf and the Holly

Rowan Harbor Cycle Series, Book 2

De: Sam Burns

Narrado por: Chris Chambers

Five years ago, Jesse dropped out of college and came home to Rowan Harbor to find safety with his pack. A broken man, he's been living as though the world is ending - allergic to responsibility and spending most of his nights at the local bar. But he can't avoid growing up forever.

On the night of his 30th birthday party, he finds his childhood friend Isla unconscious, attacked in the middle of their peaceful hometown. The wolf inside him wants to protect its people from the slick-haired, smooth-talking vampire who's brought trouble to town, and Jesse can't run from his instincts any longer.

Now that his inner wolf is out of its cage, it's picked the most inconvenient moment to find its mate. Sean Anderson - recently back from college and much changed from the skinny preteen Jesse once knew - is just what he never knew he needed.

Contains mature themes.

©2018 Sam Burns (P)2018 Tantor

Great gay romance book!!

Narrator is really getting better and his pace was nice not to fast. Great love story.

better narration than it was in previous book

The narrator was somehow better in this second book. aaaand somehow the same?!....or maybe his voice suits Jesse more than to Dev 🤷

I want more!

We first met Jesse as Devon's best friend in Blackbirds in the Reeds. I was intrigued by him and his backstory and I couldn't wait to pick up this book to get to know him a bit better.

This book is set shortly after the last one left off. We find Jesse drinking in the local bar and chatting with friends. Only trouble enters the bar and all Jesse can smell from the stranger is death. It is clear to everyone in town that this stranger is up to no good. Nothing makes this clearer than finding his childhood friend nearly beaten to death in an alley. Though (very) reluctant to any form of responsibility or claim his birth right as the future alpha, Jesse makes it his mission to find the one responsible.

For most of his life Jesse dreamed of finding his mate, the one person destined for him. Only past experience while at uni put him off relationships and mates. So when he runs into Sean again, and electricity sparks (literally) between them he's a little conflicted. I wouldn't call this book a romance per se. Sure Jesse find's his mate, but the time they spend together in this book is minimal. It's mostly focused on happenings in town, learning about the past, learning more about the world they live in and the consequences for choices made.

So while we didn't get to have much Sean time or really getting to know him, the core group of people this series is growing. I'm sure we'll get to see all relationships - romantic and non-romantic ones - develops as the series moves along.

I loved Chris Chambers's narration of the first book so I had high hopes for this one. And he delivered, he truly did. His narration is filled with emotion and he truly captures the essence of the town, the people and makes them come alive. It is always easy to follow along and knowing who's speaking, having distinct voices for all the characters.

So far these books follow different couples and are told from different POV's. At the same time they aren't really standalones, they are each a part of a larger story, a bigger picture that's only ever hinted at, at this stage. They should definitely be read in order so you don't miss out on anything, because I have a feeling that each minuscule clue we get will be important later on.

Wolf and the Holly was another great edition to this series. While one part of the story has been resolved, there is so much more brewing on the horizon and I can't wait to listen to the next book and find out what will happen next.

Loved the story!

10/10 I loved this story! The fact that we have a reappearance of the same characters from the first book is AMAZING! Definitely going to continue the series

Second in this series

I like the writing style of this author. This series has a continuing mystery and even though it wraps up in the third book I can see where it could be continued. There is no cliff hanger but with the characters and town I could see where the author could go on. The narrator does an excellent job. I've listened to many books narrated by Chris Chambers. I discovered this series by searching his name.

entertaining and engaging kept me listening

this is a great series. the narrator does an amazing job. I was concerned with one story but switching character focus. but it works very well. my only complaint (not a real one) is that they were short and I wanted more.

Best of the Series

Rowan Harbor sounds like an amazing place to live. A town full of magical creatures protected by an ancient tree, Oak, and a new alpha wolf, Jessie. Wolf and the Holly is the best of the series so far, and the ending has sinister implications that the safety of Rowan Harbor’s residents is still in jeopardy.

Good world development.

The Author did a great job creating this world and though I wish the characters had a bit more development, they were relatable and decently portrayed. the sex scenes were a bit too overimbelished/dramatized for my liking. Gave it more of a softcore porn vibe, and though the plot was exciting and engaging, I found myself wanting more in the relationship development portion of the story. Seemed to go straight from nothing to all in sex marathon with no emotional build up. Otherwise a very good series.

Cozy romance with a bit of a bite

“Wolf and the Holly” is a warm, comforting read, blending small-town holiday charm and magic. The characters continue to develop and are full of kindness, quirks, and just enough vulnerability to make you root for them. The romance builds sweetly, with moments that feel like sipping hot cocoa by a fire while snow falls outside. The pacing leans gentle rather than urgent, which may feel a touch slow for those craving higher stakes, but it works beautifully for the soft holiday tone. A lovely, heartwarming read that leaves you smiling, even if you wish for just a bit more tension to sharpen the sweetness.

The plot thickens

It was interesting to see more of Jesse's back story and internal straggles.

Looks like Chris Chambers is more "connected" to Jesse's character then to Devon's, but the action scenes are still a bit lackluster.

The setup for the next book was subtle but it still made me continue listening on to the next story.