
Member Reviews

"How to Help a Hungry Werewolf" started strong, but lost strength with repetitiveness and limited character growth. It was charming, silly, and so believably awkward. Seth and Cassie each seemed a bit childish, but it seemed playful in a way that felt like making up for lost time in the first half of the book.
I enjoyed the buildup and early exploration of their renewed relationship more than the slightly goofy exploration of Cassie's witch powers. The second half of the story lingered on the will-they/won't-they dynamic, and I was losing my patience with the continued self-doubt and lies about their attraction to each other.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I really enjoyed When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein, but How to Help a Hungry Werewolf didn’t work for me. I felt like it relied too much on tropes which made it less interesting.

Alright, this book is compared to "What We Do in the Shadows," which I have never seen. I should watch that, but I have not; however, I have seen the "Gilmore Girls" 5 bajillion times. I don't know if I would say it has Gilmore Girls vibes except that everyone talks fast (in my head, they all talk fast) and is a bit spazzy and crazy stuff happens all over, and no one seems to really care. What we have here is a young woman, Cassandra Camberwell, who is in town to deal with her grandmother's estate after her grandma passed away. She left town after high school when her best friend, Seth, was mean to her and humiliated her in front of everyone, and also fat-shamed her. Now, 10 years later, he is at her grandma's house and won't leave, and she discovers he's a werewolf and she's a witch. Plus, her high school bullies are back to bully her. Then all of a sudden, Seth and Cassandra can't stop thinking about sex. With each other, constantly. Once we get to that point in the story, that's all that it's about for the most part. A short-lived battle is in there, but mostly it's the sex.
When I first started this I thought, oh this is a great fall read, the little town is all done up on fall and Halloween decor, it's all cozy and festive, but then it was mostly Cassie and Seth pretending they didn't want to jump each other and Cassie holding on to this 10 year old grudge that traumatized her. Plus, let me just say if you have never ever had any kind of sexy times with someone you are not going to be that mind-blowing the first time you do it. Maybe you are, I don't know, it's fiction, I guess. I like the banter, the over-the-top sweetness of the story, and the willingness to communicate. Not in love with the fat shaming, especially when it was talking about herself. I get that the author is doing the love the body story, but even the dialogue where we are supposed to love our body the way it is doesn't seem like it's promoting self-love. Anyway, I do think the story is cute, but the bad guys and that whole storyline were a bit weird and did not make sense. I do like that second-chance romance aspect, and the talking microwave was hilarious. This story had great quirks and unique aspects that kept me hooked.

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf is a fun and quirky romance with a paranormal twist. Charlotte Stein’s writing is playful, and the banter between the leads is often entertaining, making it a light, enjoyable read for fans of contemporary paranormal romance.
That said, the story doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Some plot points feel predictable, and the pacing is uneven, with certain sections dragging while others rush through key developments. The characters are charming at times, but their growth feels limited, and the romance, while sweet, doesn’t always have the depth to make the stakes feel high.
Overall, it’s a pleasant, easy read with humor and some steamy moments, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression beyond its quirky premise.

This book had lots of promise. Who doesn’t love a werewolf story. But the fat shaming and the male main character making tons of assumptions and annoying comments got to me. I wanted to like this one but in the end didn’t love my time here

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my book in exchange for my honest review!
This was such a fun, cozy paranormal romance — perfect for Halloween spooky season! 🎃🐺 The small-town supernatural setting was brimming with charm, and I loved every moment spent with the unique mix of supernatural creatures.
And let’s talk about the cute and sassy raccoon — absolute scene stealer! 🦝 The romance had the perfect balance of sweet, slow-burn moments and just enough hot spice to keep things extra exciting. 🔥
If you love:
🪄 Paranormal romance with humor & heart
🐺 Quirky supernatural communities
🦝 Animal sidekicks with attitude
🍂 Spooky season vibes without the scares
🔥 Slow burn with a kick of steam
…then you’ll devour this one in a single sitting!
Perfect for fans of cozy fantasy romance, this is a magical autumn escape. 🍁

I’ve been loving Charlotte Stein’s series loosely inspired by Ted Lasso, but I was a little more ambivalent about this other series, featuring supernatural creatures.
Reader, I shouldn’t have been because this book is a flipping delight.
Cassie is less than thrilled to reunite with her former best friend Seth after almost a decade. She’s even more perturbed when Seth insists that she’s the only one who can help him.
Surprise, Cassie, you’re a witch!
This book was a bit of a slow burn… until it wasn’t, and then wow, absolutely scorching hot. Good grief, these two were wild for each other. Pun intended. But seriously, in these trying times we live in, it was just so heartwarming to see these two dorks utterly flummoxed that the other was attracted to them.
The only thing that I would have changed is more interactions with the quirky town Cassie and Seth call home. Given that this is going to be a series, I’m hoping that my wish is fulfilled, but the few glimpses we got left me wanting even more. Oh, and more sassy talking racoon too!
I would absolutely recommend How to Help a Hungry Werewolf. This was a fun paranormal romance full of humor and heart. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley.

Oh, goodness it's been way too long since I've read a Charlotte Stein book. (Which is apparently very much because she took a break from writing? Thank goodness she's back!) This one is absolutely everything I'd hoped it would be when I saw the ARC sitting on Edelweiss--all of the author's OTT deliciously smutty goodness, paired with (also pretty OTT, but also in the very best way) wacky supernatural fun.
The first day or so that I was reading this, I was a bit surprised that there wasn't really any of what I always associated her books with--I wasn't sorry to be reading it, though, because it was delightfully quirky and fun, even if the steam was slightly slow to start--but when it does start, hooo boy does it start. And everything felt right with the world again, thank goodness.
So--if you've read Ms Stein in the past and loved her characters and the hot and sexy and messy things they get up to, absolutely give this a read (unless for some crazy reason you're dead set against all kinds of supernatural/fantasy/mythological creatures getting up to totally zany antics, then I guess you either need to give it a pass or get over it and broaden your reading horizons). If characters getting it on in all kinds of messy, confused, occasionally delusional and did I mention messy? yet glorious ways are going to bother you, though, please pass it by. Because I just cannot with all these reviews talking about the book taking a turn into a direction they didn't expect and then giving it 1 or 2 stars.
Cannot wait for the next one in this series! But in the meantime I guess I can make the time go faster by reading When Grumpy Met Sunshine and My Big Fat Fake Marriage , because I honestly don't know what I was waiting for.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This was a real three star read for me. It was fun and goofy with spice. I however did not enjoy the total cluelessness of the main characters that they were actually attracted to one another. It made the read feel much more juvenile. The pacing and flow could have used some work but overall an enjoyable read.

Absolutely unhinged in the best way. This book is chaotic, horny, and somehow still manages to be soft and sweet underneath all the werewolf growling and awkward witch vibes. The banter was good and the spice was spicing. Overall, a weird little gem I didn’t know I needed.

This was so cute and steamy! I enjoyed the cozy aspects and the familiars. Seth and Cassandra are adorable and dorky and it adds to the charm that is this paranormal rom-com!

I am always drawn to books with plus size characters, so I was excited to read a fun, lighthearted paranormal romance with a plus size MC. There was a lot to like about this book. It started off really strong and I was immediately hooked. I loved Cassie learning more about her grandmother and the world she comes from. I liked Cassie journey of self-discovery. The relationship between Cassie and Seth was fun and cute.
The book does go off the rails in the middle though. It becomes very focused on the physical relationship between Cassie and Seth - aka the whole middle is just smut. Not that there is anything wrong with a smutty novel. I love a smutty novel. I just wanted more plot in the middle. Eventually the plot gets back on track at the end, but it did feel a bit rushed.
I absolutely adored the inclusion of Cassie's little raccoon friend. My absolute favorite part featured hilarity between the raccoon and Cassie's microwave. I was literally laughing so hard, I was crying.
Overall, this book was cute and funny, with maybe a little too much steam.

Cassie and Seth were the perfect pair, but they suffered from immature writing. Cassie was very frustrating as a character because it seemed like she went out of her way to misunderstand the things Seth was plainly saying to her. She also had a lot of issues with herself that I understand entirely, but it still made for a difficult reading experience. The confidence issues made her sound a lot younger than she actually was. At times, you could mistake this for a young adult novel if it weren't for the explicit sex scenes. With that being said, it avoided the third-act breakup trope and also provided a cozy, humorous tone that I'm greatly looking forward to experiencing more of in the next book.

Now that, friends, is how you write spice!
I absolutely adored this book. It felt so fresh to me. In a world of copy and paste romances, this one truly stood out. The dynamic between Cassie and Seth really felt so comfortable even when they weren’t friends or when things were awkward. I didn’t have to be told they were best friends for most of their childhoods because I could feel it when they interacted.
I also adored everything about Seth. I loved the way he talked and how, every time he did, I got to learn more about how his brain worked. He kept talking and saying more than he should have and digging himself deeper and deeper into holes and I ate. It. Up. We need more love interests like Seth.
Now, the way Charlotte Stein writes tension and pining? Somebody give this woman an award. I swear she must have written fan fiction in the past because this is the absolutely beautiful tension and longing and pathetic wanting that you can only find in a good fan fiction. And the spice! Finally! Something that doesn’t feel like I read the exact same secret scene in twenty different books!
I am foaming at the mouth.
I need the next book immediately.
I may build a shrine to this book on my shelves.

Due to medical reasons, I was unable to fully read this book before it expired. I throughly enjoyed what I did read, however I cannot write a proper review due to this. I apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.

This book did a great job with chemistry and humor. The MMC was a sweet golden retriever and their banter was so cute.
While I loved hanging out with the characters and their banter I feel like we didn't really get a plot until the last 25% or so. I feel like we spent most of the book just following them around being like hey look how cool all these supernatural things you never thought were real are and not building to anything (other than the romance).
I don't love seeing a fat woman have to have some sort of trauma related to being fat and I hated what the MMC called her at the beginning of the book (I still don't understand why he went along and repeated that) but I do like that this wasn't a constant barrage of self-hate from our FMC because of this. Also, loved that the MMC has always been attracted to her and her body.
Overall, I had a fun time but feel like this could have used more of a plot with some goal we were working towards and been a little shorter. Loved the characters and their chemistry though, and that is so key in enjoying a romance.

Cassandra comes home to grandma's house to find things a bit different. He best friend turned enemy has something strange going on and weird things keep happening to her.
When she realizes she is a witch and her best friend is a werewolf, a whole new world is opened up to her.
Opinion
This was a fun book to read. It was pretty fast paced with a lot of interesting twists on the supernatural world. I enjoyed the back and forth between Cassandra and Seth and simply cannot wait for book number 2 to come out.
Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

am DNFing this at 25%. This is the second book by Charlotte Stein and I just didn't vibe with the writing style or the banter. I don't think there is anything wrong with this per se, its just not my cup of tea. These are supposed to be two full grown adults, but they feel more like "wonky" teenagers who use swear words. And that was the same vibe I got from When Grumpy met Sunshine. And I am starting to think that this is just maybe an author whose books are not written for me.

This book is a friends-to-enemies-to lovers story and sometimes that trope doesn’t work as well for me. Cassandra’s history with Seth was likely fairly traumatic, especially for their ages when it occurred. But I do wish Cassie had gotten over her shame and had more confidence. The magical aspects were a little fuzzy and the ending was a bit rushed and bizarre? But I think that it will all make sense later in the series.

I had high hopes for this one, but it kind of missed the mark for me. The storyline is imaginative, and original, but the near constant dialogue drove me batty. Maybe it's because I listened to it instead of physically reading it, but I just wanted to tell the characters, "Shut up already!"
Cassie Camberwell returns to her hometown of Hollow Brook to clear out her grandmother's home. Bullied through0ut her school years for her weight, everything came to a head her senior year when her bullies destroyed her senior project while she was onstage demonstrating it. The worst part? Her best friend, Seth Brubaker, the one person she trusted most, was the one person she heard jeering at her as she ran from the stage. Leaving town, Cassie planned never to return, but then her grandmother leaves her the cottage. It was a magical place to grow up but she is stunned to find out the magic didn't die along with her grandma. In fact, it's stronger than ever.
Craving one of her grandmother's soups, Cassie starts cooking. Hearing weird noises in the house, she can't believe her nemesis, Seth, has broken in. He claims her grandma had been helping him, and the soup she's making smells like his medicine. Before he can take any of it, he begins to change. Can Cassie find a way to keep the beast at bay?
I liked that Cassie is clueless about the magic she carries, and that she is willing to keep trying, even when something she makes doesn't do what she thinks it should. I liked that Seth was persistent in trying to prove to Cassie that his friendship for her never died. I also liked that he didn't hold her mistakes over her.
Readers who love a story with a hefty dose of magic, another dose of romance, and a few dashes of hilarity, will enjoy How to Help a Hungry Werewolf.