WHY?!?!?!? AHHH I'm so frustrated. This wanted to be a standalone but it needed more worldbuilding and it's such a shame because it would've been a 5 star read it there had been more buildup. It was just too abrupt and felt confusing to get used to everything right off the bat.

4.25 Stars!

So, first thing first, while Howling on Hold is book 1 in the series, it can't be read as a standalone. There are a lot of recurring characters from E.J. Russell's Fae out of Water and Supernatural Selection series and you'll be lost and/or confused over who is who if you haven't read those before. I've read all the books in both series and even I found it difficult to keep up a couple of times, and frankly, they're so good, that you don't want to miss out on them.

I really liked Tanner and even if I wasn't sure about Chase at first, he grew on me as the book progressed. They were sweet and had tons of chemistry.

However, the romance portion of the story fell a bit to the background with everything that was happening with Tanner's cousin and uncle and his reticence to become his pack's Alpha and all the problems Chase had as their Doghouse pack's RA. Still, there's action, some angst, a few twists and turns I frankly didn't see coming —especially one regarding Tanner— and it gave me the chance to catch up with some of my favorite E.J. Russell characters and meet a few new ones. I adored the juniors, especially Jordan, who was too adorbs for words, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better in the next book(s).

These kind of books are my favourites and I really wanted to love this book too but it just fell short for me. The idea and concept was good but it felt abrubt and rushed. Maybe if it had been made longer, possibly two books... overall an average read with parts I did throughly enjoy.

I couldn’t get into this, unfortunately because the blurb made it sound like a standalone and it clearly wasn’t I was missing whole chunks of information that meant I was lost. You clearly had to have read previous books to have a sense of understanding , which is a shame, I’m used to reading books where they might be in a series but the author still gives you enough that you know what’s happening, not here unfortunately

•ENGLISH/ESPAÑOL•

~ENGLISH~

⭐️: 1.5

Even I am surprised with the low rating, I have never put such a low rating for a book and that makes me somewhat anxious, especially for this review that I am writing, but I will be completely honest: I didn't expect anything of what happened in the book.

You see, the story is about Tanner, a werewolf from a distant and very traditional pack, who has spent the last three years of his life on Howling, where all junior wolves learn to control their instincts and their wolfish impulses. That's the first step into adulthood, and at just 21 years of age, Tanner is expected to return to his pack and take on the position of Alpha of the Pack for which he has been expected to take.

The problem is that Tanner doesn't want to return. He is tremendously in love with his supervisor, a young boy named Chase who has always been very good to him and for whom he has had a crush for three years.
In a few months, Tanner is expected to return home and when he does, he will not be able to see Chase again, so when he and his Doghouse friends go to the city bar, he decides to take advantage of that last opportunity and kiss Chase but everything from there begins to go wrong for him when he is not only rejected by Chase, but is also persecuted by the person he fears most. Tanner must learn where his limits are, decide if his love for Chase is worth the fight, and decide what kind of future he wants.

The truth, the synopsis caught me from the first moment I read it, and I was expecting something simple, very tender and full of romance and jokes, but I think I lost myself in reading.

First I'll say that the extremely good things about the book (and why I gave it 1.5 stars) are the world and the characters.

Tanner is an extremely precious character, who cares for others, is altruistic and different from the classic werewolf. He doesn't like hurting animals, he's calm, he generally doesn't get into trouble... During all the reading, all I wanted was to hug him and fill him with a lot of love and affection because THAT KID SHOULD BE PROTECTED, OKAY?
I loved him too much, and in Chase's character I loved his responsible side, made me think he was like an older brother to the Doghouse boys, and I really loved seeing someone so protective of these inexperienced students.
Jordan, of course, was a plus, because although (in my opinion) we do not know too much about him, what they show you is something extremely adorable, he is like a small chattering puppy and in the whole book I saw him as the youngest brother of Doghouse guys and I really wanted to hug him~.

On the other hand, there is the world that the author created. There were so many interesting things about it, so many that kept me reading, like the Howling itself, the rules they had put in the bar. I was also very struck by the fact that it was not only a story of werewolves, but also of vampires, fae, demons, angels, there were even people who became foxes, wolves or hyenas and each parte where the autor explained a little about the world was extremely fascinated, it was incredible.

And if you have come this far, you will wonder why, then, I put 1.5 stars in the book... And that is because in the whole book I understood 30% of what the autor explained.
When I started reading I was sure it was a self-contained book (that's why I chose it) but as I read I realized that the author did not explain much of the world. He explained situations that were happening at the time to put the reader in context with the situation (such as the No-Alchol-For-Kids law) but apart from those BRIEF moments of explanation, there was nothing more to tell me what was happening with the organization that supervised the RAs or how they organized the classes or the teachings, why they should hide if there were so many different species or why NO ONE kept a report of their own pack in writing, or the demon revolution they mentioned in one scene.

There's also the fact that when we're barely getting to know Tanner and Chase, seeing what they are like and what they feel, they imply that they don't know each other too well. I'm not a fan of insta love, and I wanted to think that this book didn't apply that but... Yup, it does.
I really liked how cute Tanner and Chase's relationship was, it was super respectful, they both love each other so much that they want to protect each other, the problem is that, although the relationship is beautiful, I don't think they know each other well. During the book it seemed to me that Tanner knew who Chase was in his RA role only and Chase knew only how Tanner behaved and not who he was or his past or aspirations. The relationship was beautiful but when I got to the end of the book I realized that they spent very little time together and most of the scenes where they are alone they spent it kissing or wanting to kiss, not really knowing each other. (Believe me, this hurts me more than it hurts you...)

Lastly, there is the fact that, before I even reached the middle of the book, I had already been introduced to a lot of characters whose names I can't remember, the author made them seem important but in the story they are not relevant, and when they appeared there were many internal jokes or winks that made you think that it is a reference to something but I never understood it. It wasn't until I checked other reviews and previous works by the author that I realized that they really ARE references to characters from her other sagas. The problem is that this book is self-conclusive, so if you have not read the author's other books (like me) literally you DO NOT understand what they mean or why they are important.

In summary, in this book IT IS ASSUMED that you have read the author's sagas, that you know the characters and the world because here are minimal explanations and many references. For those who read the author's previous work, perhaps this was incredible (which is fine, of course!), But for those who don't, believe me, you will be just as confused as I am...

What I do applaud the author for were the characters and the enormousness of the world. If I had read the other books perhaps I would have been delighted with the book but, from my point of view, this has been an extremely confusing read.

~ESPAÑOL~

⭐️: 1.5

La verdad, hasta yo estoy sorprendida con la baja calificación, nunca había puesto una calificación tan baja para un libro y eso me tiene un tanto ansiosa, especialmente por esta reseña que estoy escribiendo, pero voy a ser completamente honesta: No esperaba nada de lo que pasó.

Verán, la historia trata de Tanner, un hombre lobo de una manada distante y muy tradicional, que ha pasado los últimos tres años de su vida en Howling, donde todos los lobos junior aprender a controlar sus instintos y sus impulsos lobunos. Ese es el último paso a la adultez y, con 21 años recién cumplidos, se espera que Tanner regrese a su manada y tome el puesto de Alfa de la manada para el que le han esperado tomar desde su nacimiento.

El problema es que Tanner no quiere volver. Está tremendamente enamorado de su supervisor, un chico joven llamado Chase que siempre ha sido muy bueno con él y por quien tiene un crush desde hace tres años.
En pocos meses se espera que Tanner regrese a casa y, cuando lo haga, no podrá volver a ver a Chase, así que cuando sus amigos de Doghouse y él van al bar de la ciudad, decide aprovechar esa última oportunidad y besar a Chase pero todo a partir de ahí empieza a salir mal para él cuando no sólo es rechazado por Chase, sino también es perseguido por la persona a la que más teme en el mundo. Tanner deberá aprender dónde están sus límites, decidir si su amor por Chase vale la pena la lucha y decidir qué clase de futuro quiere.

La verdad, la sinopsis me atrapó desde el primer momento en que la leí, y estuve esperando algo simple, muy tierno y lleno de romance y chistes, pero creo que me perdí en la lectura.

Primero diré que las cosas sumamente buenas del libro (y por las que le di 1.5 estrellas) son el mundo y los personajes.

Tanner es un personaje sumamente precioso, que cuida de otros, es altruista y diferente del clásico hombre lobo. No gusta de dañar a las personas, es calmado, generalmente no se mete en problemas... Durante toda la lectura lo único que quería era abrazarlo y llenarlo de mucho amor y cariño porque ESE CHICO DEBE SER PROTEGIDO, OKAY?
Lo amé demasiado, y en el personaje de Chase me encantó su lado responsable, me hacía pensar que era como un hermano mayor para los chicos de Doghouse, y en verdad adoré ver a alguien tan protector con estos alumnos tan inexpertos.
Jordan, por supuesto, fue un plus, porque aunque (en mi opinión) no sabemos demasiado de él, lo que te muestran es algo sumamente adorable, es como un pequeño cachorrito parlanchín y en todo el libro lo vi como el hermanito menor de los chicos de Doghouse y me dieron muchísimas ganas de abrazarlo y consentirlo~.

Por otra parte está el mundo que creó la autora. Había muchísimas cosas interesantes de él, muchísimas que me mantuvieron atenta como el Howling en sí, las reglas que habían puesto en el bar, el consejo al que respondía cada RA. También me llamó muchísimo la atención que no sólo era una historia de hombres lobo, sino también de vampiros, fae, demonios, angeles, incluso había personas que se convertían en zorros, lobos o hienas y cada que leía las partes donde se explicaba un poco del mundo quedaba sumamente fascinada, era increíble.

Y si han llegado hasta aquí, se preguntaran por qué, entonces, le puse 1.5 estrellas al libro... Y eso es porque en todo el libro entendí un 30% de lo que explicaron.
Cuando inicié la lectura estaba segura de que era un libro autoconclusivo (por eso lo escogí) pero conforme fui leyendo me di cuenta que la autora no explicaba mucho del mundo. Explicaba situaciones que estaban ocurriendo en el momento para poner un poco en contexto al lector con la situación (como la ley de nada de alcohol hasta los 21 años) pero a parte de esos BREVES momentos de explicación, no había más que me dijera qué pasaba con la organización que supervisaba los RA o cómo organizaban las clases o las enseñanzas, por qué debían esconderse si había tantas especies diferentes o por qué NADIE mantenía informe de su propia manada por escrito, o la revolución de los demonios que mencionaron en una escena.

También está el hecho de que, cuando apenas estamos conociendo a Tanner y Chase, viendo cómo son y qué sienten, dan a entender que no se conocen demasiado. No soy fan del insta love, y quise pensar que este libro no aplicaba eso pero... Sip, lo hace.
Me gustó mucho lo tierna que fue la relación de Tanner y Chase, fue super respetuosa, ambos se quieren tanto que desean protegerse el uno al otro, el problema es que, aunque es linda la relación, no creo que ellos se conozcan bien. Durante el libro me pareció que Tanner sabía quién era Chase en su rol de RA solamente y Chase sabía sólo como se comportaba Tanner y no quién era o su pasado o sus aspiraciones. Fue linda la relación pero cuando llegué al final del libro me di cuenta que ellos pasaban muy poco tiempo juntos y la mayor parte de las escenas donde están a solas para el romance se la pasan besándose o queriendo besarse, no realmente conociéndose. (Créanme, esto me duele más a mí que a ustedes...)

Por último está el hecho de que, antes incluso de llegar a la mitad del libro ya me habían presentado un montón de personajes de los cuales no recuerdo su nombre, los hicieron parecer importantes pero en la historia no son relevantes, y cuando aparecían había muchos chistes internos o guiños que te hacían pensar en que es una referencia a algo pero nunca lo entendí. No fue hasta que chequé otras reseñas y anteriores trabajos de la autora que me di cuenta que realmente SÍ son referencias de personajes de sus otras sagas. El problema es que este libro pasa por autoconclusivo, así que, si no has leído los otros libros de la autora (como yo) literal NO entiendes qué quieren decir o por qué son importantes.

En resumen, en este libro SE ASUME que has leído las sagas de la autora, que conoces los personajes y el mundo porque aquí hay mínimas explicaciones y muchísimas referencias. Para los que leyeron el trabajo anterior de la autora quizá esto fue increíble (lo cual está bien, se entiende!) pero para los que no, créanme, van a quedar igual de confundidos que yo...

Lo que sí le aplaudo a la autora fueron los personajes y lo enorme del mundo. Si hubiera leído los otros libros quizá me habría sentido encantada con el libro pero, desde mi punto de vista, esta ha sido una lectura sumamente confusa.

Rating: 2.5⭐

To be honest, I was not sure what I expected. Reading the blurb, I guess I was expecting a simply light hearted romance but it got all this heavy and unnecessary plot that even confused me at times. The 'villain' presented himself as one only for a couple of pages and the rest of the story was a bit of a mess. Not to mention that the world building really confused me. I expected this to be just a standalone but going through other reviews, I realised that all these characters I could not remember the names of were from previous books of the author set in the same universe. I could hardly keep up with the first third of the book and whenever there were mentions of the weird magic system or Fae suddenly popping up in the story.

The romance aspect of it was fine. It was sweet but it would had been much better if it had been the focus. I liked the other characters too - mainly Jordan - but I didn't really care much for Tanner or the whole thing about pack leaderships and being Alpha.

I could see how all this could have worked but perhaps broken down and extended in, let's say, a trilogy so that it did not feel like rushed mix of plot with a bit of romance that started as arousal and wolf instincts and got to actual feelings in a way that did not make much sense.

this was a lighthearted and fun story.. it was different and unique in so many ways.. i really liked how it was written and kept me on the edge of my seat.. very good!

3.5 Stars
A good read and start to this series. I enjoyed the story and the character interaction and look forward to reading more.

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. My favorite characters are the main characters and a side character named Jordan. I enjoyed this authors writing style. This book is readily available for purchase to anyone and everyone. I would recommend it. So go out and get this book, it is good.

This was fine. Some bits of weird plotting, but ok. The overarching evil uncle character wasn't really needed or expected. The blurb is all about the RA falling in love with a student in their care, but instead it became about a wider problem with bigger stakes. I wasn't expecting that and it wasn't what I was looking for.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is a sweet and sometimes silly story about the relationship that builds between two young wolf shifters. In parts, it’s a fun, new adult romp. At other times, it’s a wild and slightly confusing whirlwind of events.

Chase, Tanner, and the shifter storylines are the best parts of this story. Tanner’s fear of returning to his pack is heartbreaking – even if we don’t understand the fear until later. Chase’s sense of responsibility for his young charges is very sweet and the young shifters in his care are very entertaining. However, this story is incredibly busy with far too many minor characters and continuous action. With so much going on, it’s the character and relationship building that suffers and I really struggled to connect with Tanner and Chase. The book lacks the depth and detail necessary to build romantic suspense between them. The story works better as a supernatural adventure than it does as a romance.

Fans of the author will recognise the way this story sits between the contemporary world the Faerie world. To complicate things further, this is a shifter story with shifter worldbuilding added on top of the Faerie lore. With characters from previous books introduced frequently, my head was spinning pretty quickly. While I enjoy all the ideas, there is way too much content in this book for one rather short story. At times the story is reduced to string of actions and places.

This is another book that isn’t listed as part of any specific series, but if readers haven’t read the author’s previous books – or at very least the Fae out of Water books – they’ll be struggling to keep up. I really wish that authors and publishers would start making the links between books very clear to readers before purchase. There is nothing on any site I can find that suggests it is anything other than a stand-alone novel.

This was a good book and definitely well written with great characters that were quite interesting.

Why 2-Stars then? Although this book has a blurb that makes you assume it can be read as a stand-alone. It. Can. Not.

There was virtually world building, no explanation of how the paranormals (known as "Supes" in the book) are organised socially, economically or even physiologically. There was also no reason given to why they were hidden and governed by such strict monitoring bodies. Nothing. It was like a big gap in the plot for me. Especially with my "standalone" assumptions going in.

In fact, books automatically assumes you’ve read the SuperNatural Selection trilogy beginning with Single White Incubus and the Fae out of Water trilogy beginning with Cutie and the Beast and kept bringing up characters, events and “inside jokes” from all those books into the story about Chase and Tanner.

Now these characters were interesting enough and seemed like really great people but to say I was overwhelmingly lost would be a gross understatement and I for one did NOT like feeling that way at all. Hell, I’m one person that reads 4 prior books in a series before getting to the 5th book I’m actually interested in just to avoid feeling lost so you can imagine my consternation with this book.

So readers, beware of this book if you’ve not read the SuperNatural Selection trilogy and the Face out of Water trilogy. You’ll feel like you’ve been dropped down a rabbit hole.

But if you’ve read one or more of the series, go right ahead! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book immensely

**Book Graciously provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review**

I really liked the MCs, Tanner and Chase were great together. Their slow-burn shifter romance is a great addition to the worlds of the Fae Out of Water and the Supernatural Selection series. All in all a well-written story with an engaging storyline and a great cast of old and new characters.

4.5 - 5 stars - I love this world - and so many cameos <3

The books in this universe created by E.J. Russell are so much fun! Of course, it’s not all fun, because there’s always a hint of danger.

The guys at the Howling residence are there to get a handle on their “wolves” and prepare them to take their place in each of their individual packs. Not all of them are happy about leaving though. Times have changed and a lot of the packs are still living in the past. Tanner is one of those who have no desire to go back, especially since he never really felt like he fit in there to begin with. And then there’s Chase, another big reason why he doesn’t want to leave.

Chase knows he’s not supposed to give into his feelings for Tanner, but the closer Tanner gets to the time when it won’t matter anymore, the harder it is for Chase to hold back.

There were a lot of twists and turns in Howling on Hold that definitely helped keep the pages turning. And that “hint of danger” came from a totally unexpected place.

As much as I loved meeting all the new guys, the cameos from a lot of my favorite characters in the previous series were a real treat. Which brings me to another point – Howling on Hold is probably not the place to introduce yourself to this world. Fae Out of Water is the introduction to this world and Cutie and the Beast is still one of my favorites by this author. 😉

Howling on Hold by E.J. Russell is an enjoyable m/m werewolf romp. Chase has lusted after tanner since they first met but Chase is a responsible RA at the Howling residence affectionately dubbed “the Doghouse” but now Tanner is a legal adult and any restrictions have fallen by the wayside. Tanner is a quiet, studious guy who really doesn’t want to go back to his pack and become Alpha. Tanner has lusted after Chase but he is afraid of being rebuffed. When they finally do get together it is sweet as can be.
This story is at times laugh out loud funny and at others very serious. I really enjoyed catching up with characters from the authors other stories but this book can totally be read stand-alone.

I really enjoyed Tanner and Chase's story. It was also nice to see the other guys from the Mythmatched universe popping in and helping out periodically. If you haven't read any of the stories in the universe, that is okay, but you might get an itch to go get them when done with this one.

At first, there was a time gap that seemed strange, but, as the story progressed, I understood why it was there. The guys encounter good people, unexpected actions, and lots of support and "help" from the Doghouse pack. Overall, another fun read from this author.

The ARC had only a few proofreading issues.

This book, possibly the first in a new series, is somewhat tied to the Supernatural Selection and the Fae Out Of Water series as some of the couples from those books make an appearance here. I haven't read those books, but that wasn't detrimental to my enjoyment of it.

Young Werewolves, upon turning 18, have to go to Howling, a three year live away from home (think of it as college for humans) to teach them how to live and work in a world full of humans and still keep their supernatural nature secret. Among other things.

Tanner's three years are nearly at an end, and he's about to celebrate this 21st birthday. He's sort of looking forward to 'graduation' because that means his hot RA Chase is no longer off limits, but also not so much because he doesn't want to go back to his small pack's podunk town. His parents died in an accident when Tanner was still but a boy, and he's been raised by his uncle. He also doesn't much like his uncle's son who's been nothing but a bully to Tanner for as long as he can remember.

Chase, the hot RA, might possibly have feelings for Tanner, but as it would highly inappropriate to lust after one of your charges, he's basically kept Tanner at a distance as much as possible, even if the younger man gets his blood flowing south more often than not. In addition, Chase's RA duties are nearly over as well, and he is expected to return home also.

Apparently in the wolfy world, traditions are a big thing and it's frowned upon to forgo those traditions in favor of one's own preferences and desires. Sucks to be a wolf in this world, for sure.

Anyway, Tanner is about to be 21, they go out to have a little party for him, and then the plot takes off when a bunch of stuff happens that kept me glued to the pages of the book. The plot has twists and turns, and the character development was spot on - their actions and reactions made sense, and it was rather enjoyable to see so many different types of personalities come together to round out the supporting cast. Obviously, if you've read the two series mentioned above, you'll recognize folks like Casimir and his intended, or Ted Farnsworth and his husband, and Professor McLeod how teaches at the 'school' Tanner attends and his Fae boyfriend. This book also includes some new characters, such as the other young men in Tanner's Howling residence, one of which is barely 18 and still a young wolf struggling not to dig in the yard or chew up frisbees.

This was part fun romp and part whodunit mystery, as the plot unfolds. There was emotional depth as well, as Tanner and Chase get it together and get it on, all while hiding from whatever supernatural creatures are after them. A careful reader might figure out sooner than the characters what's really going on, and I wasn't entirely surprised when it became clear who the villain was. There are certainly also some darker undertones at work here, especially around Tanner's fears and insecurities as well as Chase's presumption that whatever they have is for a short time only as duty will call them home sooner or later.

Or will it?

Read this to find out. I enjoyed this book immensely and think you will too. I am also going to put the other two series on my ever-growing TBR.

Tanner Ayala is am alpha were-in-waiting. He can't assume control of his pack until his 21st birthday--and he'd rather never do it, truth be told. He's only just learned to master his shifts in the two years he's been a resident of the Howling House run by the were consortium in Portland. He loves his housemates, fellow young male shifters who hail from different packs in the Northwest, and he loves taking classes and learning about life far from his sheltered and conservative pack. He'd love to let his uncle continue leading the pack in his absence, and especially to avoid meeting up with his jerk-cousin, Finn. Plus, then he could stay near Chase, the RA for their Howling house.

On Tanner's 21st birthday celebration turns into an epic disaster--following his clumsy kiss on Chase's unexpecting lips. Chase is only a few years older, and terribly attracted to Tanner, but he's held himself apart afraid to make a move on a younger, and undeniably impressionable, alpha. As the other pups lose control of their human selves, Chase gets hauled in for a reprimand, and is immediately removed from Howling house for a 3 month retraining without even getting to tell his charges what's up. So, when he returns, he's astounded to find Tanner missing--and no one can account for his whereabouts. His fellow residents thought he went back to his pack--and a check in gets everyone involved in the search.

And I mean everyone! This book is set in the same were-supe universe as the Fae Out of Water series and the Supernatural Selection series--so Chase reaches out to Mal Kendrick, co-founder of Quest Investigations, to help track down the missing Tanner. This begins a rollicking chase through haunted woods, Fae realms, and the backwoods of a Weasel Pit. I have enjoyed all the stories in these books, so getting little reprises of the imaginative and diverse mythological characters is always entertaining. This time we get a reluctant <em>bean-nighe</em> (the washerwoman of death) revealing important clues, as well as witches lingering in junk shops and cafes that help Chase and Tanner make all the right choices. I loved the call-backs to the characters and locales of previous books and I think I will never stop being charmed by the suit-shredding unfurling of Quentin Bertrand-Harrington's incubus wings when his husband Ted is in danger. To see the racket of Tanner's 21st party impinging on Mal's proposal to Dr. Bryce MacLeod--who helps train the Howling weres so they don't dig up yard--was a treat.

Tanner may have run to avoid his destiny, but soon he's going to face his worst fears, and his potential doom. Seems a plot had been in place to kill him, but his flight from embarrassment has opened the door to a whole new path. Not exactly knowing the danger, Chase finally confesses his strong attraction to Tanner, and they are able to build the connection each man has longed for--over these years. Expect a little steam, as with all the books. NOt a lot of sexytimes, but some just where it needs to be.

There are so many cute characters--misfit weres--at this Howling House, and their talents, while not ideally suited to their own packs, makes them great partners for a pack of their own making. It's not exactly clear if they will all stay together as a found family, but the potential is there for that, as well as future romances in this world. I'm so glad to have gotten this far, and hope to have many more forays into love in this universe.

Howling on hold is a wonderful coming of age, supernatural, action romance with a host of great characters, several known from the Supernatural Selection series.
Tanner is coming of age as his Howling nears its end. This is where young wolves go to a residence to learn to, basically, hide from humans. At 21, he’s graduating and will be able to go back to his pack at the end of the school year. His crush on Chase, his RA, will carry on forever even though he’s never made a move and romance between students and staff is prohibited. At least until they are of age. Chase has definitely noticed Tanner, ever since he arrived, but he’s refused to act on it as it would compromise his position. A series of events, however, lead to them spending three months apart with a lot of thinking done on both sides.
There is a lot more that goes on in this story than the blurb suggests and it gets really interesting! Family drama, relationships both old and new, misunderstandings, and a few mysteries to solve. Chase and Tanner are instantly likable characters. Tanner is struggling with not wanting to return to his pack, enjoying being in the Wider World and learning all he can. Chase is a great RA, really caring about the people he’s in charge of, taking their welfare and his responsibilities seriously. The group of students at “The Doghouse” are such fun to read, especially Jordan who is new to his Howling and finding it harder than most to act less like a wolf. I loved getting to hear from several of the cast from the Supernatural Selections series. Because of the turn that the story takes, help is needed to search for someone and many become involved in that and what follows as danger rises up to meet them and the safety of Tanner and Chase becomes paramount.
I loved the couple and the plot of the story that Howling on Hold gives the readers. I was engaged right from the start and enjoyed it all the way through. Definitely another recommended read from E.J. Russell and I’m hoping we get to hear more from these characters again in the future.

I am a huge fan of the Supernatural Selection series. For me, every one of those books was a home run, so I was eager to read this and it didn’t disappoint. Chase and Tanner are adorable as they try to figure out how to go from RA / student to equals who could finally act on their attraction, especially amid the danger tracking Tanner’s coming of age and the role he’s supposed to step into. As the threat ramps up and the action unfolds, we get to revisit all our favorite couples from Supernatural Selection and see where they’re at, as well as become invested in a whole new cast of characters who are starting to come into their own. My only complaint and it really is just my desire for ‘more, more, more’ was I wanted to see something in the three months Chase was banished from the Doghouse.