A punch to the gut, this newest novel by Jennifer Harlow took me by surprise with its intensity. Unlike the other FREAK books, the humor was minimal but the drama and emotion were at a premium. The heroine, Vivian Dahl is a self-described selfish bitch. Words like love, honor and sacrifice aren’t in her vocabulary. With only herself to depend on most of her life, the real red-headed step-child, she is used to being on the losing end of things. When sexy werewolf Jason comes to her rescue she begins to see herself in the mirror of his loving gaze. He makes her want to be better, stronger, worthy; this novel takes us on a fast-paced journey through a werewolf civil war as we see Vivian’s transformation. Can she be the woman Jason needs her to be? This heart wrenching battle of right and wrong gives us a glimpse into what we as human beings can do when those we love are threatened.

Jennifer Harlow always delivers. Her characters are strong, while some are unaware of their strength until tested, others know they are strong because they have had to be. It is their courage even while shaking in their boots, that make her characters real and memorable. She makes us think even as she entertains. The beauty and grace with which she puts words together defies the genre snobbery with poetically descriptive emotional scenes combined with her fast paced style.

Fast and furious for the furry.