This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I love shifter romances and this one had a mix of mystery, romance, and intrigue. Bella is on the run and hiding out from her pack when the alpha wants her as his mate. She loves Devlyn and while he has feelings for her, he thinks she is destined for their alpha.

Bella keeps some secrets from Devlyn so he agrees with his alpha, Volan, and goes to bring her back to the pack. While hiding out, Bella is also trying to figure out who is killing human woman, and brings Devlyn into her plan. I won't give away any spoilers but I did not see that scenario!

It was fun to read as Bella and Devlyn played detective and tried to find the killer, and I loved that her neighbor, Chrissie was so helpful with the zoo "guy" Thompson, that would also make a great story!

I loved that Devlyn had to fight for Bella more than once but also that Bella had to win her own fight to be Devyln's mate! They really desired their HEA.

Could possibly have done with being a bit shorter or a little bit more character development. A great idea but a little bit lacking in execution.

As much as I want to give a high star rating, I just can't with this one. I'm a total fan of Shapeshifter stories and I have already read some of Terry Spear's Wolf stories, which were great. But the story of Bella and Devlyn just seemed to drag on and on.

After Bella was forced to flee from her adoptive pack, to avoid that Volan (the alpha of the pack) would force her to be his alpha female, she wanders around alone for years. Being caught as a wolf and taken into the zoo as a red wolf, gets her the attention of not only the red wolfs living in the area, but also her old packmates.

Devlyn is Volan's beta, who is in love with Bella. However, in order to claim Bella he has to fight Volan, because the alpha has already claimed Bella as his mate. Since Bella didn't believe Devlyn would be able to conquer Volan, she fled the pack. But now Devlyn is here to rescue her from the zoo and take her back to Volan. But when suddenly redhaired women are turning up dead in the neighbourhood, Devlyn and Bella decide to find out who is the killer, before going back and facing Volan.

The whole who-dunnit-search is a bit confusing and very, very wordy (and did I mention boring...). When they finally catch the bad guys, Devlyn goes back to claim Bella for his own in a lethal fight with Volan.

When I requested the arc from Netgalley I assumed it was a new story from Terry Spears. On Goodreads, however, I found that it is a re-print of the first story of Terry Spear. Now it all made more sense. The original story is from 2008. Terry has developed a lot in her writing since then. So, if you are interested in a good story, pick a newer one. Because you don't want to miss out on her Heart of the Wolf series.

So two out of five stars for this one. But I'll keep an eye out for new stories. With a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Well...I have to admit that I was really struggling with what to say for this review. That is until I realized that I wasn't alone in my views and opinions about this book. (sigh)

As someone who loves to read PNR and shifter books, I was 100% intrigued by the blurb, wanting to get my hands on this as fast as I could. But once I started reading, it became pretty clear that this was going to be a difficult book. Why? I had a hard time buying in to it. Why? (Sigh)

The Prologue starts in the 1800's. Then we jump forward to the present. The female lone wolf (because she ran from her pack) still stays in contact with someone from the pack, basically so she can keep an eye on the one grey wolf she really loves. Although, we keep hearing about how she can't be with him because the Alpha wants her (why she ran off), so she'll just mate a human. But she clearly still has feelings for this grey wolf. And he has feelings for her too. So what do they do? They release tension. Um...ok.

Look, this had some cute moments, don't get me wrong. But I found this to be...boring more than intriguing. I kept waiting for something to happen that would change my mind and draw me in, but the sex didn't even do that. (sigh)

Sorry. I tried.

reviewed by Christina

Heart of the Wolf is a re-release and having only picked up one Terry Spear book in the past, I decided it was the perfect time to give this a read. I went in knowing little of the story, but having heard good things!

I picked up the story and it starts in 1850 so I was instantly curious about the world Spear created. Were these immortal wolves? Was this the story of the history of the pack? Was this a historical PNR?? Spear's wolves, once they are of age, only age 1 year for every 30 human years. They exist in the world without human knowledge and the number one rule? Never let humans know! In the prologue, you meet Bella, the heroine, who is a red wolf that has been raised in a grey wolf pack after a wildfire killed her family. Volan, the grey pack alpha has decreed that Bella will be his mate, but she will do anything to avoid that fate.

Bella is a scrappy thing and I liked that about her! She is pragmatic yet vulnerable. She is smart, yet not so cocky she thinks she is invincible. Even though she is a wolf, Bella is an incredibly relatable character. However, she spends the first 30-40% of the book avoiding getting raped by so many men (and one actual wolf). Seriously, they all want to forcibly mate her because there is apparently a shortage of females (and a major shortage of red wolf females). She is in love with Devlyn, but fears that he will be killed if she mates him (because all the other dudes will be pissed!).

Bella wants Devlyn but Velan wants Bella. But, that isn't their only problem! Alfred, Nicol, and Ross also want Bella and will NOT back down. Plus, there is a serial killer on the loose. So, you know, kind of busy! Bella wants to protect everyone and that makes Devlyn feel a bit less manly. I understand why his male ego would be wounded, but I also understand Bella's desire to keep everyone safe. This point of contention was the biggest issue between these two. I wished they would have just talked through things. Obviously, Bella isn't going to just stop trying to save everyone so Devlyn's attempts to force her to stay in the car, go to a safe house, etc are irritating. I also wasn't sure about their actual mating-was it official once they had sex or did they have to wait for the moon and change into wolves? Could the other wolves still take her for their own after she was mated? It just wasn't explained well (or perhaps I missed it!).

Heart of the Wolf was an engaging read, even when it made me want to knock some skulls together! The end felt a little anti-climatic after all the build up but it was satisfying! I certainly plan to read more from Spear!
Blog link live on 1/2/18

This book is a rerelease for the 10th Anniversary.
I typically enjoy this author and I believe that many of the issues in this book have been improved in her work through time and experience.
Bella is a red wolf shifter raised by a gray wolf shifter pack who ran away from the alpha who wanted her for her mate regardless of her consent. Fast forward in time and the wolf sent to retrieve her after her hiding place is revealed is the love from her childhood who she fears the alpha will kill. The story follows a subplot of murder mystery and the first plot of whether the villainous alpha will get to claim the beautiful Bella.
I enjoyed revisiting a book I enjoyed in my teens. I appreciated that Bella was not content to follow the status quo. If you enjoy the classic domineering alpha trope then this book may be right up your alley. I found some of the situations borderline. Even the hero took for granted that he had the right to force decisions on the heroine by simple right of authority, protection, and male dominance. The author did soften some of this by separating it out as a trait of the werewolves but I could still see some readers being sensitive to this and finding it overpowering the rest of the story. Overall I enjoyed this walk down memory lane and the added short story.
I would give potential readers a trigger warning that there are mentions of attempted rape in this story.

Terry Spear writes with a very intense feel and makes you believe that the world of the Werewolf and shifters is real and they could face any of the dangers that happen to Bella in this book. Anything that happens to Bella can happen to a person or a wild wolf. She goes from being the obsession of and terrified and almost raped by leader of the pack who makes it plain that she is his even though she doesn't want him. His obsession is so intense that she has to run away and spends decades on the run as a lone werewolf taking care of herself. When she is kidnapped by a zookeeper and placed in the zoo they man she's always wanted is sent to bring her back to the pack. Devlyn has been in love with her as long as she has been in love with him so when he's sent to bring her back to the pack and its leader he gladly goes so that he can convince her to be his mate and not a humans like she seems to want to mate with. Meanwhile there is a pack of her kind of red wolf in the area and someone has been killing human women trying to turn them into werewolves. Bell knows that the person killing them has to be given justice by another werewolf because they can't go to jail, so she sets out to find the killer so that he can be brought to justice. After, Devlyn rescues her from the hospital they work together to find the killer and trying to stay below the radar of the police and the zookeeper, Along with having to deal with the leader of their pack. Along the way they fall more deeply in love and all of Bella's secrets are revealed and their is a show down with the red wolf pack and the killers and the gray wolves pack leader. Heart of the Wolf is the first book of the series of the same name and I look forward to reading the rest. I was also pleasantly surprised to get a bonus novella about Bella's twin sister Serena after finishing the Heart of the Wolf.. There was also a sneak peek of the different series based on the white wolves that Terry Spear is writing about also. I look forward to reading all of her Werewolf series in the future. I'ts a definite must read on my list of series to complete.

Two stories with one destiny. Heart of the Wolf written by Terry Spear is book #1 in the Heart of the Wolf series. It was first published on April 1, 2008, with a different cover. It all began with Bella being a sole survivor of the fire that wiped out her entire pack. Found as a young pup, she was adopted into a pack where the Alpha was vicious and become a threat to Bella well-being. After the last attack by the Alpha, Bella escapes, to live a life as a lone wolf. Until one day a grey wolf appears to bring her back into the fold.
In the second story, we learn that Bella wasn’t the only one to have escaped the fire. Her sister Sabine too escaped but also under the misconception that she was the only one who made it out alive. Until, one day coming home from work to learn that her roommate left but not before draining her bank account. Now on the hunt on the scoundrel who absconded with her life savings. But before she does, she needs to take care of one thing that was to sell her family land. Instead of finding her land abandon, she finds the land occupied by grey wolves and soon learns that her sister may not only be alive but married to the packs Alpha.
Heart of the Wolf was not one of Terry Spears better works. Bella and Dylan’s story were too convoluted to be believable. All through the story, I was questioning Dylan’s masculinity, even after the story has ended I am still wondering how did he become the Alpha. Too, you must solve a murder mystery, where it is later learned that a rogue shifter is going around murdering human females, who compellingly resembles Bella. Out of the two stories I think that Sabina story was the better out of the two stories, it wasn’t too convoluted a truly great PNR romance. In my opinion, the two stories shouldn’t have been encompassed into one story.

I received an ARC of this e-book and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Bella is a red wolf shifter who was rescued when a fire took the life of her family. Devlyn rescued her and brought her back to his home and pack. She has been there for many years but must flee soon. The Alpha has decided he wants to mate Bella and this she will not do as he is a violent man and has tried to assault her on several occasions through her time there.

She leaves and makes a life on her own. She misses her pack, her family, friends and Devlyn though.
She hears of murders happening in her area and believes a wolf may be responsible. She goes out for a run one night to see if she can discover anything. Bella does find possible clues but something worse happens....she end up in the zoo!

Thompson, who works for the Zoo, is excited he has found another red wolf which are not common in the area. He hopes his male and the she-wolf will mate...not if Bella has anything to do with it!
Others have noticed her presence though and this she wolf has gotten very popular. Not only has her ex-pack found her but also a small pack of red wolves that want a mate and aren't going to give up easily.

Devlyn was sent by his pack leader to bring Bella back. He can't return her the abusive man after finally finding her once again. She has always been the one for him. Life has gotten very complicated for them since they have to worry about "the theft" from the zoo, the red wolves looking for a mate, a possible wolf shifter killing and his pack leader.

Can these two be together and deal with their obstacles?

The author has written many books in this series and I enjoyed this one also. It had a few twists and that made it more enjoyable.

This is 2 books in one as you get the full length book and then a separate story about another character at the end.

The main book is about Bella, she is a female red wolf who was orphaned follwing a wildfire and taken in by a loacl Grey Wolf pack. The leader of that pack Volan wants Bella for his mate but she is in love with a young male wolf called Devlyn who she cannot have as Volan will kill Devlyn.

Bella runs away and goes into hiding for decades. She comes under the attention of a local red wolf pack and whilst out on a run she is shot and taken to the local zoo to mate with the wolf there. However she trys to escape and runs out of moon time and shifts back into a human where she is found by Devlyn, who is all grown up and under orders to take her back to the pack by leader Volan.

It gets very interesting as Bella and Devlyn have to deal with unwelcome advances from the entire red wolf pack who wants her for her own, meanwhile trying to solve the murder of 4 young women who all look very much like Bella.

The 2nd book is about Sabine, she is the victim of a crime and comes home to try and sell her family home and land and when she comes back she finds out something that she cannot believe is true. She goes to try and get her money back and is sent a wolf from the local pack to accompany her.

I enjoyed both books, the 1st one was nice and long and the 2nd was a short novella but i would be very interested in reading more in this series.

Amazing. This was my first read in this series and I fell head over heels in love with it. The romance was in full swing and the sexy alpha wolfs made me want to howl! A must read if you are into shifter books it will totally make you want to read more and more!

I sadly didn't enjoy this as much as what I thought I would, I struggled the whole time reading it. I was left with an unsatisfied feeling.

So I hate giving bad reviews and this is no different, I'll be honest I was really interested in the first 30% if the book I enjoyed the things that we're happening and the book was running smoothly. But then the author began to add all kinds of things to the plot that just started to dilute the story and make it a bit of a cluster mess. There seems to be to many enemies for my liking lurking to many things going on at once that I'm losing the actual plot of what's going on. I still see the big picture but you added to many factors and enemies vying for these two characters. I think you could have dropped a few elements and this story would have worked better in my opinion. I lost interest :/

I've been wanting to try Terry Spear's series for a while now and I'm glad I finally did. I really liked Devlyn and Bella. They were so made for each other. The chemistry between them was sizzling. I also loved a few of the supporting characters like Argos, Chrissy and Henry! I didn't like the red's they met or Volan, Volan more so then the reds cause of what he tried to do to Bella when she was only a child still.
I did want to slap Bella a few times for not believing in Develyn like she should or truly supporting him as he deserved but I get that she was terrified of losing him permanently, as in him getting killed because of her. For that reason I can't hate her for not believing in Develyn's abilities cause she'd built Volan up as the Devil made loupe garou so I can understand she wasn't seeing clearly. He'd taken on the status of demon to her and she couldn't see anyone beating him. The thought that he would kill Develyn, the wolf she really loved, was terrifying to her. I'm glad they got their happy ending and in the process helped the red pack as well!

Terry Spear writes such outstanding paranormal romances that I am in awe.

This was such a great book! I really enjoyed reading it. It starts off in 1850 when Bella is waiting to meet a human boy. Volan, the Alpha of the pack, wants to mate her; she wants to mate Devlyn but can’t because she knows Volan would kill him. So she decides to mate with this human, turn him into a wolf then they would leave and she would be safe from Volan. Isn’t it amazing how we always think we know how to solve a problem but somehow it never turns out the way we want it to? In this story, we learn exactly how life happens to Bella. It’s nothing like what she planned. The next part of the book is how she’s living in the present time. There are a lot of unexpected things that begin to happen in her life and boy is it interesting. This was such a hard book but it’s told so realistically that you could imagine it really happening just like this. Bella has a hard life but it gets better. I really enjoyed reading this book. And then we get an additional story added after Bella’s story is done. We get the story of her sister, Serena, who we thought had been killed years before. This was a very short story where she meets Tanner and his brothers. Tanner helps her retrieve money that her male roommate stole from her. They end up in the Cayman Islands after him. It’s a short story but has a good storyline in the buildup of what happens between them. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Netgalley

The first one in the Heart of the Wolf series is being re-released but this was one I had never read before since I started somewhere in the middle of the series and never read the previous books but still a great read.

I really like Terry Spears's wolves. They seem very true too actual wolf behavior (as close as shifters can be) This was a good addition to her series'.