December 1, 2024
Bestselling Danan, whose The Roommate is headed to the silver screen, offers a steamy werewolf rom-com with an enemies-to-lovers trope. Alex runs a fandom forum about a werewolf show and hates its former star. But when Devin turns to her for help--he suddenly has claws and fangs--the two start to make a connection. Prepub Alert.
Copyright 2024 Library Journal
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 15, 2025
When an actor who once played a werewolf starts to turn into one for real, he seeks out his former biggest fan for help. Devin Ashwood made a name for himself as the lead heartthrob onThe Arcane Files, a long-running supernatural detective show, but since it ended, the now 42-year-old has struggled to find his next gig. When he wakes up outside one day, naked and with no memory of the night before, and then a video of him howling and growing fangs and claws goes viral, the public thinks it's a pathetic PR ploy, but Devin knows it was real. His transformation appears to be mirroring the lore from his series, so when he discovers a thorough fan archive website, he figures the moderator is the closest thing to an expert he'll find and reaches out to her for help. As an outcast teenager in Florida, bisexual Alex Lawson became obsessed withThe Arcane Files and made lifelong friends through the fandom. She met Devin at a convention once, and though some mean remarks she overheard him make about her ("A freak like that? Poor thing's gonna die alone") made her think he was an asshole, they also spurred her to embrace being a weirdo. Now 34 and covered in tattoos and piercings, she still sticks out in her small town, where she works as a vet tech. She's reluctant to help Devin at first, but then they start to understand each other better than anyone else ever has...and their sexual desires continue to grow stronger. The paranormal elements in this story are fun, and Devin's wolfishness makes the spicy scenes extra delicious. These are flawed characters and the ways they become better because of their relationship is endearing, but it might take some time for readers to warm up to them. Several side plots make the story feel bloated, but they add to the characterization. Both playful and thoughtful, with extra appeal to readers involved in fandoms.
COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
February 1, 2025
Alex has run the online fan forum for the werewolf detective show, The Arcane Files, since she was in her teens. Once she tried to meet star Devin, only to have him embarrass her. Now as a vet tech in a small Florida town, the last thing she expects is for Devin to appear, asking for her help. Devin's acting career has been waning, and his agent just dropped him. Social media runs a clip of him naked, after he woke up in the woods with no memory of why he's there. Then he started turning into an actual werewolf. He hopes Alex's access to the show's archives will be useful. Alex doesn't make it easy for him, but as they get to know each other, Devin realizes he can trust her, something he hasn't experienced in Hollywood. The scenes from the show are humorous and even realistic in Danan's (Do Your Worst, 2023) well-written twist on the appealing fish-out-of-water trope. Even readers who don't normally enjoy paranormal romance will find it hard to resist Alex and Devin.
COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.