Which of the Wolves has potential.

I did enjoy the Victorian setting, the inclusion of werewolves and witches and the reluctant allies-to-lovers aspect. I did not enjoy that the way the book was described feeling inaccurate to me.

What this is? Paranormal Romance.
What this is not? Romantasy.

Witch of the Wolves lacked the world-building associated with romantasy or even fantasy romance. We're in Victorian London and then we're in a Werewolf city outside of London. The magic system essentially boils down to sorceror magic vs. witch magic without going into specifics on how they different between needing to be verbalized. There is potential for more with the world-building and magic.

While the characters could use some fleshing out, we did have a few gems. The younger characters added needed breath of fresh air. The pack dynamics weren't bad per se, I've just read them a dozen times before. Paranormal romances can feel pretty formulaic at times and while there were a few surprises, it just felt expected.

I wouldn't call Witch of the Wolves a bad book perhaps, just standard paranormal. If you're a werewolf girlie this might be right up your alley. If you tend to prefer romantasy, know this isn't it.

Thank you to Kaylee Archer, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

** spoiler alert ** Here for the vibes and Mr. Bishop did just that. As far as book werewolf boyfriends go....Yes. Please 🙏 Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Cordelia was a strong headed, smart FMC that has been lied to by some of her closest people and it was a fun read learning the different levels of betrayal.

Did I mention Bishop is hot 🔥? And attentive. And protective? And yet let's her be the fullest oh who she wants to be.

Didn't know what to expect going into this read but I had a fun time. It was fast paced, the world building was easy to understand even with numerous characters being introduced throughout the book. My only hiccup was that I had no idea it was going to be set in the 18th century London, so the first few chapters took me off guard with the way they were speaking and dressing until I pieced it together. I'd suggest adding something to the book blurb to help set the time/place.

Excited for the next book to see how the story continues.

DNF - Huge thanks to Netgalley for the eARC, but I'm only a few chapters in and can tell the writing style is not for me. Nothing has grabbed my attention, and there were already a few scenes where I was confused about what was happening. Even the opening scene was confusing, which did not encourage me to keep reading - are we shopping? are we spying? Suddenly we are making a delivery? Leaving a neutral 3 star review since this was a DNF for me.

This is an ARC review. I want to thank Kaylee and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day!

Overall this was a good story plot and kept me interested in where it was taking me. Cordelia has a ROUGH time getting the people around her to be fully open and truthful with her. Because of these secrets she is raised by her aunt and doesn’t know who her father is until it is too late. Cordelia is kidnapped by a very intoxicating werewolf named Bishop. She and Bishop are drawn to one another so much that it bares to say that their love story is a slow burn that was ignited by a forced marriage from her deranged Alpha father.

I’ve never disliked more characters in a book than this one! Usually the number of characters I like outweighs the numbers I don’t but this book took the cake! The treatment of Cordelia throughout the book besides from Bishop and his closest circle is horrendous at best.

To say they all got what they had coming to them or as I hope in the next book in the series WILL have coming to them is an understatement. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I will read the next book in the series.

Witch of the Wolves
By Kaylee Archer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OK, wow. This book had me hooked by Chapter One, and I already need more. Please tell me there's a sequel on the way!

Witch of the Wolves follows Cordelia, a quick-witted, intelligent, and beautiful member of the infamous Levine witches of London society. When she’s approached by Bishop Daniels—a serious, stoic werewolf—who warns her she’s in danger and insists she come with him for her safety, Cordelia uncovers long-buried family secrets and a hidden world that changes everything she thought she knew about herself.

Packed with some of my favorite tropes—enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, and arranged marriage—this novel has all the makings of a top-tier romantasy. There's the perfect amount of caliente spice, so fair warning: this is definitely not a closed-door romance. The chemistry between Bishop and Delia is sizzling, and I absolutely loved how confident and open Delia is when it comes to her sexuality and curiosity. Her frankness and humor around intimacy were refreshing and empowering to read.

My only critique? There has to be a better word than “knockback” for the recurring spell—it was used a lot, and the term just didn’t flow well in context. But honestly, if that’s my biggest note, you know it’s a winner.

I’m so excited for whatever comes next in this world—I hope we get to dive even deeper into these characters and their story.

Thank you to Kaylee Archer and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review—I’m truly grateful!

Kaylee Archer’s Witch of the Wolves delivers a simmering paranormal romance wrapped in a richly atmospheric Victorian setting. Blending werewolf lore, hidden magic, and slow-burn desire, it’s a fast-paced fantasy that sinks its claws in early... and doesn’t let go—MAMA LIKES!

The story follows Cordelia Levine, a young apothecary witch trying to live a quiet human life in good old London. But when she’s abducted by Bishop Danvers—the intimidating, hot and brooding second-in-command of a powerful werewolf pack and her estranged father’s right hand—her life is turned completely upside down. Soon, she’s trapped in a crumbling estate, caught in a power struggle between witches and wolves... and uncovering her [spoiler alert] rare hybrid identity.

I love how the author at creates tension—not just the romantic kind (though there’s plenty of that)—but emotional, magical and political too. Cordelia is a strong, clever heroine with a sharp tongue and a rebellious spirit, while Bishop radiates classic alpha energy with a mysterious edge, hiding vulnerability beneath his domineering exterior. Their dynamic is a textbook enemies-to-lovers setup, but it’s executed with enough emotional weight to feel fresh and satisfying.

What really shines here is the setting: a gothic, candlelit world steeped in secrets and ancient magic. The pack estate itself becomes a character, filled with shadowy corridors, eerie whispers and brooding atmosphere. The pacing is quick, with twists and revelations that keep the pages turning—even if a few subplots and magical elements needs a little more development (imho).

That said, the novel isn’t without its flaws. Heads up to readers who might find the focus on Cordelia’s “breeding potential” unsettling—it’s a recurring theme tied to her value within the pack. Additionally, while the political intrigue is well-crafted, the magic system could have used more depth and explanation.

Witch of the Wolves is a heady mix of dark romance and supernatural intrigue. Perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses or From Blood and Ash, it’s a tantalizing start to what promises to be a gripping series. If you love brooding alphas, fierce heroines and paranormal politics, this one’s worth sinking your teeth into.

Witch of the Wolves reminds me a lot of Kelley Armstrong’s paranormal romances in the character’s thought processes and the ways they think, that said, readers might be frustrated at Kaylee Archer’s main character because Cordelia is one of the most naïve heroines ever. She doesn’t have a suspicious bone in her body and readers with spot the plot chapters before she does.

Witch of the Wolves is an okay tale, and the set up is good, but the characters need more guile.

I honestly really loved this book right from the beginning. The writing flowed so smoothly, I was reading much faster than I had been able to read for the last few books I had read. I was impressed with the writing right away. There was a lot of action throughout, a ton happens and it is SUPER fast paced. A LOT of twists and turns. Even things I feel like I expected seemed to surprise me. There were perfect parts action, political intrigue, and romance. The spice was spicy but didn’t take away from the plot and could be skipped over if you didn’t want to read them. I did want to read them.

When I started getting back into reading I felt like I had been giving everything a 5 star review and I kind of thought I might just be easy to please. I found out eventually that that was not the case, but this book gave me that same giddy feeling I got early on when everything I read was coincidentally a really good book. Really pleasantly surprised because I wasn’t sure how I would feel going into it. I think I like werewolves more than I thought I did.

5⭐️
2🌶️ …. Maybe 2.5 🌶️

This was a good debut shifter novel. Someone who enjoys reading new authors if you’re like me and you enjoy shift or romance I think you’ll like this. The pacing is a bit off for my personal taste. The author manages to pack quite a lot in one book. At times felt rushed and other times I found my mind wondering a bit. The MC is a strong, typical character you would find in a shifter novel. Attention was written fabulously between our two main characters. This book was not super spicy. I definitely can see this author growing in her craft, because her world building was great.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In this Victorian Era, paranormal romance, we see a unique twist where a witch is also part werewolf. The witches find out who you are and want you for your power and the werewolves want you to breed their children. And then you find yourself forced to marry your father’s right hand man. I loved the characters and cannot wait for the next book.

“Silence means I’m doing something he won’t want me doing. Thinking.”

This was a fun fantasy focusing on witches and werewolves with a hint of regency. The magical part of the world was fun with the background of the regency. The ending makes you want to read the sequel.

What a fun and fast-paced read! I gobbled this up!

What I loved
- The Victorian England setting
- Fast paced, something was happening constantly, and I couldn't put the book down.
-Enemies to lovers
- Witches AND werewolves!
- Arrange marriage

Thank you, Netgalley, for this amazing arc!
Friends put this paranormal romance on your TBR because Witch of the Wolves comes out September 30, 2025

Cordelia is used to strange supernatural men following her, but when she loses one and informs her aunt, who she lives with, of the details, her aunt tells her they need to flee. It turns out that the man, Bishop, works for her father, the alpha of a werewolf pack. They attempt to flee, but despite their best efforts Cordelia is captured and engaged to Bishop because her father wants a strong male heir. Cracks begin to show in the leadership of the pack, and Cordelia must decide who to trust and put her loyalty in.

So, I did enjoy a lot about this book. It's well-paced, and the worldbuilding is interesting. I kept on thinking that the plot twist would be that female werewolves actually do exist and Cordelia is one, and that didn't happen, so kudos for that. She's genuinely "just" a lycan witch, but she's not actually "just" anything — she's a kickass FMC. Bishop is also a great love interest and a really interesting character. I didn't buy their romance, since the thing that caused their first kiss seemed kind of random, and suddenly they're in love and jumping into bed together, but I guess that is fairly common for the genre.

I unfortunately have major issues with the way the greater-scope villains were presented. I am aware that if you are reading fantasy as a Jewish reader, due to the roots of the genre, you need to be prepared for at least a chance of antisemitism — but wow, there was way more than just a little bit in this book. The villains have a Jewish last name, are literally called a cabal (a word derived from Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism), steal/buy children and entice women to have sex with demons. I appreciate a little more creativity in my villains, honestly, not just copy/paste of blood libel. Did they really have to use such a stereotypically Ashkenazi Jewish last name? Not to mention, it also has aspects of people from the cabal running away and changing their names to assimilate into British society, and taking British lovers. I'm not advocating for censorship here, just sensitivity in a world where Jewish people are expected to assimilate. It's especially problematic since one of the witches from the cabal is forced into a marriage with a gentile. Archer clearly has a creative flair for worldbuilding, and I am hoping that the second book in this duology shows it better.

I read this book way too fast. I thought I would just casually read this at a normal pace and I accidentally devoured it. Victorian romantasy with a fierce witch FMC and a kinda cinnamon roll/protective werewolf MMC is definitely for me. I loved the banter between them and the progression of the plot and didn’t even realize I had progressed into ‘one more chapter’ mode less than halfway through and stayed up far too late trying to see what was going to happen next.

As I got to the end I was actually glad to realize there was more to come and not enough time to finish, so that I could get more in another book. I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger, just the next step of their adventure to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy to review!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This is a solid debut novel form Kaylee Archer. I’m not usually one for werewolf stories, but this one had me hooked. And I loved the setting of historical London with parasols and top hats! This was definitely something I’m going to come back and reread and then read the sequel, because there HAS to be a sequel with that ending.

Witch of the Wolves is a solid paranormal romance with action, likable leads, and a refreshing middle ground between low-steam fantasy and high-heat shifter erotica. It delivers fast-paced tension, a compelling heroine, and enough mystery and werewolf politics to set up a promising series.

Cordelia Levine, a young witch living quietly in London, is thrust into a hidden world of pack alliances and ancient bloodlines when she’s kidnapped by a brooding werewolf on her estranged father’s orders. What follows is a mix of danger, family drama, and slow-burn attraction as Cordelia navigates her dual heritage and the growing bond with her reluctant captor, Bishop.

While the premise is familiar for fans of paranormal romance, I appreciated a few things:

* Cordelia is level-headed and pragmatic, especially in dangerous moments—no unnecessary dramatics, and she’s quick to assess and adapt.
* The romantic tension works well, and the book avoids leaning too hard into overblown alpha tropes or exaggerated sexuality common in shifter romances (this is not an omegaverse-inspired story).
* The action ramps up nicely toward the end, and the pacing overall is steady and engaging.

That said, I would have liked more concrete historical detail to ground the setting. As written, it feels vaguely historical, but it could easily shift into a modern or alternate-world backdrop without much change. Also, while the romantic and sexual tensions are mostly well-balanced, the post-trauma dump of intimacy scenes felt abrupt and out of character given what was going on (I would buy one scene, but not a string of them immediately following the trauma).

The spice level sits around a 3/5—open-door scenes are present but not pervasive, which makes this a great pick for readers who enjoy romantic tension with payoff but not overwhelm. There's no major cliffhanger, but the ending is clearly setting up more to come.

Recommended for fans of shifter romance who want likable characters, action with emotional stakes, and a story that doesn’t rely entirely on heat to carry the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks NetGalley for this arc

I enjoyed this book and it was a fairly unique take on werewolves and witches. I’d like more character development and a bit deeper relationship building. I did like this book though. I also enjoyed it being set in England past. Top hats and parasols and all that gave it kind of a fantasy meets Brontë a bit.

This book was great, it was interesting and easy to get into the story. I did have a few little issues, but not enough for me to not enjoy this story. The plot kept on giving, and when you thought you had it all figured out, you didn't. It had so many layers. I would have enjoyed a little bit more time to breathe between the new problems that arose. Because, at the end, it did feel like the MC never wins, she keeps on being brought down and never has time to rest or succeed. One thing that this author is good at is world-building. It was very immersive, and we got to know the world pretty well without being bombarded with too much information. The world-building was organic without being shoved down our throats. I loved the MC, Cordelia, who was well-written, a strong-headed woman with values and a brain. What prevented me from enjoying this book to the fullest was the small inconsistency that I noticed. What would have made this book a 5-star was if the timeline was slightly longer; it is crazy to imagine that everything in this book happened within a week. Other than those small things, I cannot wait to read the sequel.

3.5 ⭐️ 1.5 🌶️

Review:

This story started off with a bang, got a little sleepy in the middle, and ended like an action movie, cliffhanger included. I’ve been wanting to get into more shifter stories, but I don’t know if this was the one for me. Is it normal to not have them be in wolf form more than two times? I thought there’d be more of that. And more than two spells in Cordelia’s witch arsenal. But what it did have was tension and spice building up between the to MCs for awhile. It was not just a straight jump, which I appreciate. But overall it was just meh for me.

Summary:

Cordelia enjoys her life, content at home with her aunt Lenora running an apothecary. They’re witches who come from a powerful line. And everything is fine in they’re supernatural world until they aren’t. A werewolf, Bishop has been sent to retrieve Cordelia. Not only is she a witch but she’s also a Lycan. And her father, Silas, wants her back, claiming she was stolen by her aunt. After being forced to go with the werewolves she has to figure out what’s the truth and what’s all a lie. And what’s more confusing is that she’s starting to develops feelings for Bishop, the man who took her to begin with.

Favorite Quote:

“Sometimes you need to run and hide so you can fight another day.”

Tropes:
•werewolves
•witches
•chosen one
•enemies to lovers
•slow burn

Rating: ★★★¾ (3.75/5)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5)

Okay, this book had me hooked right from the jump. Witch of the Wolves is what happens when you throw witches, werewolves, daddy issues, forced marriage, and slow-burn romance into a blender—with just enough heat to keep things fun.

FMC, Cordelia is a total powerhouse. She’s strong, witty, and doesn’t take crap from anyone—not even a broody werewolf named Bishop, MMC, who rolls in with orders to bring her back from her father who she thought was dead, and HUMAN. Their dynamic had me grinning. He’s respectful, she’s independent, and together they’ve got that “will-they-won’t-they-oh-wait-they-have-to” energy that somehow works.

The action scenes were exciting, the world-building was solid, and I loved the witches vs. wolves angle. Plus, the side characters were legit stars—Marjorie and Ann were my favorites. Female empowerment,

My only nitpick? The writing could’ve used a bit more oomph. Sometimes the prose felt a little flat—not bad, just not as vivid as I hoped. But honestly, the story and characters made up for it.

Overall, it’s a fun, fast-paced read with a magical twist and just enough spice to keep things interesting. Definitely will be waiting for book two!