All the tropes-second chances, enemies to friends to lovers, werewolf and witch? Wait that last one makes this paranormal romance between Cass and Seth different. There's steam, there's jokes, there's an interesting town. All in all, it's a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

📣 a PNR with ex best friends to friends to lovers

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s a word that starts with S, E, P, T or any other letter in the word September that describes your day so far? Mine is Sleepy.

You can tell that Charlotte Stein had fun writing this book.

Heroine Cassie learns that she is a witch & that her ex BFF is a werewolf & both discoveries end up being entertaining as heck for the reader. I really never knew where the story would take me 🤣. Like seriously 😆.

Though this is a slow burn,once it gets going boy does it ever get going.

The cuteness element is there too, since both leads are hot & nerdy & totally vibe on a best friend level.

So what was missing, then?, because I feel like this review is leading to that point 😝. I wish that some elements of the story had totally come together for me. In the end, the story feels cute & engaging but also missing a final tightness to it all that would have made everything fully cohesive for me.

I’ll read more by this author, though, because what was in this shifter + witch romance is intriguing & fresh & just bonkers in a way I appreciated.

4 ⭐️. Out 10/01.

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess holds the ebook in front of a green & blue mural.]

I was worried this was going to be a bully romance and I’d like to clarify for anyone else with that concern-it is not. Seth did something terrible to Cassie in high school but he does not continue to hurt her, he shows genuine remorse and ownership of his actions. I’ve read novels that try to do the enemies-to-lovers angle with bullying throughout and I personally hate it because it lacks respect and equal footing, so rest assured this novel is not that. The bullying Cassie experienced in her youth (Seth did one terrible thing, many others did worse) sets readers up to know her trauma, where it stems from and how it’s effected her to this day. It also sets the tone for why she distrusts Seth so deeply and how every inch of reconnecting between them will not come easily.

I did find the characters to be somewhat immature. High school and their relationship as children is so prevalent, I found that they often acted like teens despite being almost thirty. The jokes told throughout the novel ranged drastically from being genuinely funny to having me wanting to take a lap around my house out of second hand embarrassment. Both characters were chronically dense which I found frustrating at times but overall this novel was an easy read. I was entertained and I think the supernatural aspects of the novel were fleshed out well.

This book is what I would consider a cozy, quirky romance. Obviously by the title we are dealing with paranormal stuff. For me it rode the line of too cutesy, but did it effectively, where I found this book quite enjoyable, and with weaker writing, it could have easily gone over the top to something I just didn't want to read. So - if you like cozy and quirky - you will probably like this. If you don't normally like cozy romance - give this a try anyway! Cute story of high school best friends turned enemies turned friends again. All with lots of simmering unresolved sexual tension. A fun read!

The cover got me and really let me down here. I love a paranormal romance so I thought this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, I think this author's work isn't for me as I've previously DNF'd another one of her works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 ⭐️


Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Charlotte Stein for the ARC of *How to Help a Hungry Werewolf*. This book is perfect for the fall season and the upcoming spooky time. While the beginning was a bit slow to gain momentum, the overall premise is undeniably charming. The author describes it as a “cozy, heartwarming, and hilarious paranormal romance,” and it delivers on that promise. It’s a fun and cute read that’s ideal for October. I enjoyed it and recommend it to those seeking a lighthearted and whimsical story, I will definitely continue with the series and I’m excited to see where this will go next

DNF @30%

I really enjoyed When Grumpy Met Sunshine by this author and thought a paranormal rom-com sounded like fun. Unfortunately this one just isn't working for me. Humor is very subjective and I can tell a lot of the dialogue is intended to be funny, but I'm finding it more grating and cringe-worthy. Your mileage may vary, but it does feel kind of immature and it's getting under my skin in a less than positive way.

And for that matter the characters feel rather immature as well. There's also the fact that the hero was the childhood best friend of the heroine, but then went along with the cool kids teasing her about being fat in high school. He doesn't seem mean-spirited and there's probably some explanation for why he did that, but I'm not sure I want a romance with a high school bully. Especially when the previous friendship made it such a betrayal, I think I would need a book that takes a much more serious tone in addressing something like that. This is more silly and even wacky in tone, which just isn't going to work for me. Again, you may have a different experience, but I think it's best if I stop here. The audio narrators do a great job and with a different story I would have liked them. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

A cutesy cottage core which vibes. After moving back to her grandmothers house after her passing, she finds out her grandmother’s secret, that she was a witch. After learning her high school best friend is a werewolf and that the recipe she cooked for her supper was the medicine her grandmother supplied him to help with his change. I’m not sure how I feel about the twist at the end, but there is plenty of the smut towards the end of the book.

🔹enemies/friends to lovers
🔹curvy girls

I chose How to Help a Hungry Werewolf for two reasons: (1) the premise—after the death of her grandmother, a woman returns to her hometown only to discover that she's a witch and her former-bestie-turned-nemesis is a werewolf who needs her help—sounded fun; and (2) loved the banter between the MCs in the author's previous novel, When Grumpy Met Sunshine. That the blurb included the promise of a "delightfully cozy" read with a "swoony romance" and "small town feels" sealed the deal—I wanted (dare I say needed?) to read this novel.

But then.

But then I read it, and let me just say that the description was misleading, to say the least. I won't claim that the banter was utterly absent—I did chuckle aloud at least twice—but I have to seriously object to any sense of this novel being cozy. At somewhere just past the halfway mark, all the quippy banter and any sense of coziness was entirely overshadowed by the sheer volume of absolute smut that overtook the narrative.

Don't get me wrong—I love smut. (By which I mean that I pray that my mother never sees my Kindle Unlimited reading history.) But I need to know that's what I'm getting. When I've cozied up with the promise of some Gilmore-Girls-level-swoon, I'm unsure how to respond to the excessive and oh-so-explicit bits-and-parts-and-fluids smut scenes.

So.

What gets me most about this book is that it still could've worked. Unfortunately, the under-development of the how/why/what when it came to the supernatural aspects of the fated-mates trope and simultaneous over-development of the physical effects (read: both MC's extreme horniness) completely took over an entire third of the narrative. Scenes that should have moved the plot forward instead kept it stuck in a loop. Which in turn made the ending feel rushed.

That said, I enjoyed many aspects of the book and look forward to more in this series. But I also hope the author gets much better editorial advice on the next one because I'd love to see these MCs again.

Final word: if you've existed on a steady diet of Kindle Unlimited smut and are looking to transition to more mainstream publications, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf is the book for you. If, on the other hand, you pick this title up because you're looking for something cozy and swoony, just...be advised.

Cassie returns home following the death of her grandmother only to find her former friends turned nemesis Seth at her door looking for help. But nothing it what it seems.

Read if you like:
-Werewolf x Witch
-Friends to Enemies to Lovers

I was really excited about the premise of How to Help a Hungry Werewolf, but it fell short of my expectations. The romance aspect of the book was my biggest disappointment, and not because it was a slow burn, but because it was cringy. They spent so long trying to avoid it while also indulging in hypothetical dirty talk. It just didn't really work.

Oof, I’m sad to say this one didn’t work for me. I struggled to even get past the first 20% … it was too much, too fast, and I struggled to keep up with everything going on while also trying to get to know and care about the main characters. This author is hit or miss for me, and unfortunately this one just didn’t land.

I am so so sad that this book just wasn't it. I absolutely love witchy Halloween theme books and was absolutely thrilled to dive into this one! Unfortunately, it just wasn't it. I'm not a huge YA fan. Some are great but as a whole I read way more adult theme books. This book is marketed as an adult book but reads like a YA novel. Yes the MC Cassandra is an adult, but the things she's dealing with are actual high school issues and problems from long ago. Which to be clear, you can absolutely have childhood trauma and carry it with you, this just read as way more juvenile than I think the author meant for it to. I felt like I waited for the good part to come and unfortunately it just didnt.

✨️✨️✨️/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Charlotte Stein. ❤️

I was really excited to read this book and for the first two thirds I was disappointed.

It read a lot like a young adult book with some spicy scenes near the end. There's a lot of high school related trauma that the main character isn't over and even though she's in her late twenties, she acts a lot like a teenager.

I get world building in fantasy books, but the amount of description was a bit excessive. I was less into reading it for the discovery of a magical side of the world and more in it for the flirtations I wished were throughout the novel. I feel like they spent more time pretending they weren't into each other which gave off high school vibes.

I will say that by about 73% the book picks up in the romance department and I enjoyed it overall. I normally finish a book in two to three days, but it took me around eight to read this one. I finished the last quarter in an evening though.

If you like young adult fantasy with a hint of spice, this might be a good book for you.

3.5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️

Read As An Arc

🐺 Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🐺 Plus Size FMC
🐺 FMC Is A Witch
🐺 Second Chance
🐺 Paranormal Romance
🐺Slow Burn


I absolutely love the cooker! That little raccoon is the best, loved him… And he talks!! This really does give off the cozy, October read vibes. I really wish I loved this more than I do.

Can I see a such a sweet character, she is confusing at times, but I can't help loving her and Pod.

TW: I am not a fan of this, but I feel like Charlotte did this one enough for me to actually finish and get to the cute ending. There is fat shaming, Seth does this to Cassie in school, although she likes him. This is also a bully romance not a thing I usually read due to personal preference, but Charlotte threads. Listen pretty well I think.

Seth: After reading this, I feel like something needs to be done with Steph. I need more from him, to know who he is, and how he grew as the story progresses. I think his character needs to be developed and rounded off a little bit more.

The Town: I’m not sure if the town knows that they are, which is in wolves among them? This is unclear to me, so it would be great to add that in for context. A lot of things could've been omitted in the writing that doesn't really add or contribute to the story, so, including a little bit of backstory on the town would've been a perfect addition.

Overall, all those seeming a bit under developed, it is a fun and enjoyable read. It's easy to read, a bit juvenile, except for the spicy scenes. I can definitely tell you that the spice is really spicing here!!!




* Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Oh how cute! How to Help a Hungry Werewolf by Charlotte Stein is a cute and cozy paranormal romance that is perfect for spooky season. The magic in this book was fun and somewhat disturbing. Some of the things about the werewolf transformation had me cringing in sympathy painm but the witchy magic was fun, intuitive, and kind of adorable. There was a very large focus on fatphobia and fat shaming, and while I do think that is an important topic, I wish it had been less central to the plot. But it was nice to see it handled so well. The relationship was a little iffy for me but the spice was passionate and wild while still being really wholesome and cute. Overall, this is definitely a book you should to your fall tbr.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, to be a witch. Cassie and Seth have a complicated history. Seth is such a great character. You really feel how Cassie is feeling. You know you shouldn’t like him and give in so easily, but you also can’t really help it. Cassie really has some of her own strengths and determination. Together they face reconnecting, awkwardness, and a bit of danger. The slow burn of this was incredible. The fire immediately kindles and continues to grow until they are combusting. Such an amazing read. Loved it.

Charlotte Stein’s latest paranormal romance, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf, is the first book in a new series, The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures. It features Cassandra (Cassie) Camberwell who returns to her hometown to clear out her grandmother’s house. What she doesn’t expect is for her ex-best friend Seth Brubaker to show up. He’s the reason she was homeschooled during the last part of high school. When she finds out why he’s hanging around her, they make a pact to help each other. But things don’t go smoothly.

Cassie was rejected, hurt, and embarrassed when she was seventeen, but it still affects her today. She’s afraid to make friends with anyone and she only takes temporary jobs. Seth is terrible at keeping a story straight when forced to lie. Despite his strength, there’s an under lying vulnerability.

The book starts out strong with Cassie learning more about herself, her grandmother, and about Seth. It’s sprinkled with humor throughout and the world-building is done well. However, at about the 60 per cent point and going until 90 per cent or so, there isn’t much happening other than steamy, spicy scenes. The last 10 per cent is back on track, but the ending felt rushed. Themes include bullying, friendship, trust, abandonment, protectiveness, and possessiveness, as well as learning about one’s abilities and forgiveness.

Overall, this novel has a great premise, but nearly a third of the book interrupted the story line that I expected. There are several humorous moments, especially with the microwave and the raccoon. I would like to see where the author takes the series in book two.

St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Charlotte Stein provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for October 01, 2024.

Sooooo much happened in this book and sometimes it was just too much 😅 overall I enjoyed the story and the dynamic love story between Seth and Cassie. Sometimes the narration was just off so it would take me out of the moment and the spice wasn’t always the good kind but overall a decent supernatural romance com!

Instant thought when finishing the book: This spicy delight was a fun time.

Themes:
🐺 Second chance friendship to romance
🦝 Sunshine/Sunshine
🐺 Self discovery
🦝 Forgiveness
🐺 Spice - she’s got some sizzle

Childhood bffs have a falling out (rightfully so) and find their way back to each other as the cozy version of mortal enemies. Some forced proximity brought on by her being the only one that has what he needs 👀, has her working through some old wounds to see him in a new light. The narration of the audiobook was good - no complaints. There was some good banter, but I did miss tension. I mean, that’s not completely fair. There was tension, but the MCs are both so sunshiny sweet, it didn’t have the same hold on me as I’m used to. Cassie is a gem, and I adored her throughout the story. This would be a great witchy season read.

There are some content guidelines to consider. Please check those out. I wanted to specifically touch on the fatphobic one briefly. I felt this book did a good job with it. Events happened, the FMC internalized details of the events as one might, and the MMC told her/showed her how wrong those events were by showing up for her exactly as she is over and over again. I thought it was good and wanted to say as much. That is all. 🙃

Thank you to NetGalley, Charlotte Stein, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s press for arc copies of this fun story!

I really, really wanted to like this title. Unfortunately, I struggled with Stein's writing style. The concept of the story is cute and I know a lot of people are going to really enjoy this title. It is perfect for the beginning of the fall season and does feel very cozy.