Yes! This was amazing! Definitely a must read for anyone that loves great characters and a fantastic world building.

🐺 Woman Of Wolves 🐺
⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Woman of Wolves is the first book in the Arasgain Rule series, a historical fantasy romance that is planned to have four books. The story follows Muirne, a strong, resilient woman who is left to defend her home when her brother and father leave to try and stop the tyranny of MacMaol, who has declared himself ruler of Eryn. When tragedy strikes, Muirne is forced to become the chieftain of her family's territory and things only become more complicated when a stranger named Riagan arrives, suspected of being a spy.

So this is such a delicious slow burn from enemies, to reluctant allies to maybe more than friends??? I loved the setting, Gaelic mythology and lore roots and world building of this it was giving Outlander meets Disney’s Brave and I was feral for it and would have loved even more details on the clans and their lives and customs. This definitely leans more young adult at this point and I wished the pacing was faster in places but also appreciate it is due to be a longer series and can’t be all action always so I’m sure there will be pay off in later books which I’ll definitely go on to read.

Thank you, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Ravens Ink Press, for providing me with a free ARC of "Woman of Wolves".

The main character, Muirne, who they called “Fáelben” or a “wolf woman”, is a daughter of Arasgain chieftain. I admired the healthy family dynamics, how her father cared for her and believed she’s strong enough to overcome any difficulties. After father’s death, she had to step in and lead their people and defend their land. I admired her persistence and strong will.

After reading the synopsis and grasp the general idea of the plot, her family’s death didn’t affect me as much I thought it would. I believe the author tried to show us the character who was put in the circumstances where she had to put aside her emotions and act tough, but it felt as if we were missing a vital piece of storytelling and character development.

She never offered any comfort to Brennus, her uncle, who also suffered the loss. Oftentimes, her bad temper was getting in a way, she was rude and harsh towards people who cared for her. In captivity, heroine had enough time to reflect on her life and I give her that, she admits she was unfair to her uncle. Yet, she claims being above Riagan, her enemy turned ally. She says he has no right to look at her or speak to her, because she’s a lady, a chieftain and a warrior. Who, by the way, has seen only ONE real battle by now. Muirne is often described as “strong”, “fierce” and “feared”. And we will be hearing this SO many times that it would feel like the author's trying to charm us into believing it. If you’re up for a drinking challenge, take a shot every time someone praises Muirne, let’s see how fast you get drunk.

The two big disappointments were a map and a pronunciation guide, the latter I found useless, as it didn’t have a phonetic transcription. And the map was too simplistic for my liking. A great example of a fantasy cartography is "Mistborn: The Final Empire", "The Lord of the Rings: The Trilogy", "The Edge Chronicles Maps", even my most recent read "Winter's Fury". Yes, this comparison might sound silly, as not every author can draw or is represented by The Big 5 Publishers or has a budget for a good map. That being so, maybe this book would’ve been better off without a map.

For those who are not a fan of a heavy world building it won’t be an issue, but I wanted more descriptions/details of their daily life, of their clothes and customs, of their beliefs. That might be the reason why for the longest time I was under the impression that we’re in a Norse setting, but it’s actually Celtic. Although, the Norse and Celtic pagan worlds were different, in this book the line is blurred.

Muirne speaks of Gods, but who are they really? We don’t have any actual names of the Gods until we’re about 40% deep into the book. And the very first Goddess mentioned is Brigid, Goddess of Fire. The second goddess/a deity, is Morrigan, who’s a part of Tuatha Dé Danann, and she’s in love with Cú Chulainn. Which is a very useful information given the fact that we will never hear about them again. I would either focus on recreating a more accurate, immersive historical and cultural setting or abandon it all together in favour of creating my own, unique setting.

Another thing that drew my attention was tattooing. By the description, we can tell that the tattoo mentioned on pages had an intricate design, which I’m not sure people would have been able to do at that time due to the lack of the right tools and techniques. I did a little research, and it appears there's no solid evidence to determine if tattoos were a thing on those lands and what their tattooing culture would look like. The same with the “war paint”, it looks great on screen, and it's fun to read about it, but again, was it really a thing, was this type of make up ever worn by the Vikings?

Now that I’m done yapping, here’s what I think. Muirne got slightly better by the end of the book, and Riagan was a true voice of common sense and reason. With a good marketing strategy, I’m sure this book will find its audience. There’s a potential, it’s noticeably better edited than most of the popular romantasy novels. Yet, it didn't hit the mark for me, and I feel bad for not liking “Woman of Wolves” as much as I thought I would. That being said, everything is subjective, if the synopsis sounds like something you might enjoy, if you like detailed fighting scenes, light world-building and strong-willed characters, go for it!

P.S.
Where do the druids learn how to pick locks?

I'm actually not clear if this is an adult or YA novel. That information could sway the rating, but if it's adult, it's a solid 2 stars.

The idea behind this novel is solid. Youngest child of the chieftain loses her family, gets kidnapped, and has to fight back to restore her home. Along the way she meets up with a band of mercenaries and works together to take down the man behind the downfall of her clan. Pepper in some romance, and it makes a great story. I can get behind this. What absolutely killed this for me was the writing itself. I almost DNF at around chapter 3 or 4, but that's against my nature. I don't like to not finish.

From what I could tell McFarlane was trying to create a character similar in strength to Celaena from Throne of Glass, but the development was just not there. We start this novel with Muirne beating her older brother in sword fighting, then being told she can best everyone in her father's clan. Most of the information is told to us when it's needed to explain why she can do what she does when there has been no evidence to support the action. I almost wish McFarlane took the time and gave us hints at Muirne when she was growing up - whether in flashbacks or actually start the novel when she is younger. She falls very flat and it doesn't feel real that she becomes the leader at the end and gains everyone's respect.

The interrogation of Riagan was simple embarrassing. He is much harder to break than expected. Honey, you asked his name then punched him in the face like a child. No wonder he just looks at her and says You must be new at this. But no.

I did like Riagan as a character for a while, but the chemistry with them was odd. Sometimes it made sense, but again, this suffers from a lack of development. There needed to be more attention and less time of side characters telling Muirne that he's into her and she's into him. Seriously, this happened with 4-5 characters in like 3 pages. Stop wasting words on silly repetition and take time on your plot.

This is a first in a series and I would be interested in seeing how the story progresses with more care and dedication to the writing. At times it felt like a second draft, maybe even a thrown together fanfiction. This could have been amazing, but only if more time is put into the story.

I really enjoyed the setting and the premise of this story. I love a good female bad a$$ warrior. The history and the dislike between the main characters makes sense.

One thing that I didn't care for, was that the main character in this book, Muirne is supposed to be 25 years old, a great fighter (which you see throughout the book) and at the beginning of the book they said how she would be a better leader than her brother. However, throughout the book, I find myself thinking of her as a 18 or 19 year old, instead of 25. The character really seems to act younger than she is and is even nicknamed "brat" by the ML. Of course, people at 25 can be brats, too, but I guess I expect more maturity when characters are 25 years old at the time that this story takes place.

The timing and the healing of wounds in this story also needed more to explain how they were able to persevere through this injuries and starvation. I understand it's fantasy, but maybe some disbelief over how quickly they were healing, or maybe someone saying something like "the gods really have blessed you with quick healing" might have helped making this a bit more understandable for the reader.

I know it seems like I am really criticizing the story, but overall, I did enjoy this story and I think it has a potential to be great with a little ironing out! I will be reading the 2nd book when it is released and I'm excited to see how the author grows the story!

Woman of Wolves was a surprisingly easy-to-follow story, with a simple and straightforward plot that kept things moving at a steady pace. Going into the book, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out to be a fun read. The main character initially struck me as a bit insufferable, but as the story unfolded, she definitely grew on me. The dynamic between the characters was a highlight, especially with the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers arc. While the fantasy elements were present, they weren’t the focal point, which made the book feel more grounded than I anticipated. Overall, it was an enjoyable journey, even if it wasn’t as fantastical as I initially thought.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's a bit jarring for me to give this book two stars, as the author is less known and I was enjoying the book at first. But in the end this book was a bit frustrating. We follow Muirne, also known as Faelben or Wolf Woman, because she survived a wolf attack when she was just a little girl and returned home with the wolf's skin upon her shoulders. Muirne is the daughter of Inbiur's chieftain, Arasgain, who leaves for battle because one of the other chieftains has broken the peace. Both Muirne's father and brother die in battle and she is the only one left to rule Inbiur and carry on the Arasgain name.

Well, first of all, this book was listed on the Sci-Fi and Fantasy category in NetGalley and, at least so far, this book had no fantasy elements, it was historical romance. At least in this first book. The closest thing was the mythology, but it wasn't an active element in the story, it was just the characters' beliefs. I kept waiting for something mystical to happen, but no.

Anyway, at first I was liking it (even though I'm tired of knowing who's gonna be the love interest as soon as he shows up because he's so huge and gigantic), but it was so slow like the actual action happened maybe in the last 15%. Mind you, there were some bits throughout the story, but overall for me not much happened. And then it was a little bit repetitive. I think I'm about to sound like an asshole because Muirne was grieving and trying to navigate through her trauma and really complicated feelings (this is enemies to lovers), <i> but </i> they way she was constantly going back and forth like "omg I can't stand you *stabs him*" and then "u so hot tho, hold me in your arms" and I mean <i> constantly </i>.

Also I appreciate the whole 'I am a woman and I can bring life to this world and take it as well so respect me', I really do and I liked it, but in certain scenes it's made out to be as if that meant that every single woman should be friends with each other and support each other's wrongs but then there's literally this one character who is the crazy ex like what?

<spoiler> One thing I really appreciated even though it may sound stupid is when Muirne is treating the wound below her chest and she has to hold her boob out of the way to properly treat the wound. I appreciate the little things you see.</spoiler>

Lastly, there's a certain point where everyone in the book is <spoiler> telling Muirne that Riagan is head over heels in love with her, but it's one after the other, there are so many scenes I just wanted to yell to all of them we get IT mind your fucking business. And also there's this scene where Eoghan is like 'girlie you should totally make out with Riagan stop pretending you don't want to' and then next scene he runs into them finally holding hands and standing so close and he doesn't even realise and he's like 'yo guys whassup hanging out I see come inside it's cold' like completely unaware of the whole situation when just a minute before he noticed the whole situation with one (1) longing look. Doesn't make sense to me. All the secondary characters seemed to be there to get these two laid or hurt them . </spoiler>

Anyhoww I don't think this is a bad book in any way it just wasn't for me as historical romance is not really my thing and I went into the book expecting something else so do with that what you will.

A bit of a slow start and the main character was frustrating early on but I stuck with it and am glad I did! Excited to see where book 2 takes us as this story has a ton of potential.

Woman of Wolves is a captivating tale of family, betrayal, second chances, and a woman’s unyielding strength in the face of battle and vengeance. Don’t wait to immerse yourself in this story, with unforgettable characters, gripping twists and turns, and a world that lingers long after the last page.

A great action packed and fast paced norse inspired fantasy. Recommended for fans of Bernard Cornwell and John Gwynne!

The first book in a series, Woman of Wolves tells the story of Muirne, an up and coming warrior who finds herself suddenly thrust into the position of chieftain to her people in the wake of tragedy.
The arrival of a stranger only brings more heartache for Muirne, and her skills and perseverance as a warrior are put to the test in the struggle to survive and reclaim what was taken from her.

Readers will find many of their favourite tropes in this book. From a feisty and strong, sword wielding FMC, to a mysterious, handsome warrior MMC, found family, slow burn, and conflict and battles with high stakes. All set in a world inspired by Ancient Irish folklore and mythology.

As a reader, I hope to see more character development and growth in the coming books. I also hope the pace slows down a little to make room for more details, more tension and more world building. I also want to really be held in suspense when the stakes are high. Of course I also want a happy ending, but it doesn’t have to be delivered super fast…let me stress for a bit! The story certainly has a lot of potential to be an epic tale.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book, which was a shock because I almost DNF after the first few chapters. I hated how whiny and childish Muirne was but man did Jess McFarlane give her a great character arc. She is an incredibly relatable character for anyone who feels like the need to prove themselves, especially women. Reagan was a great MMC in that he never doubted her strength and anticipated Muirne's emotional needs before she knew them. That ending killed me but I wouldn't call it a cliffhanger for those like me who rage quit when a book ends with a cliffhanger. I will absolutely be one if the first in line for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Not too bad! The last quarter of the book was my favorite - I really felt like the main character was a bit insufferable before then. She drove me nuts. I was trying to be sympathetic though given all she dealt with, and she started to get a lot better by the end.

Overall I was definitely interested enough (and saw enough character growth) to be interested in book 2 where I hope we get a bit more of the changes she went through in this book.

This review is coming to you from 3 am because I could not put it down
Do I have to get up in a few hours to get my kids to school? Yup
Was is hard to concentrate with my husband snoring next to me?
He’s lucky to be alive

But it was worth it!
I try not to read too much about any book I read before because I want to be surprised. Sometimes that works out for me and sometimes not but if this book isn’t rated all 5s I’ll be surprised

It’s a lot of action, which is amazing!
I’m American but I went to uni and lived in Scotland for 5 years. I learned about the clans and the history and has so much fun. So, reading a book where someone took the time to learn about it and not just use buzzwords like I’ve seen other authors do made me happy!

As far as the romance- enemies to reluctant allies to friends to maybe more and a very slow burn.
When he says the two words (you’ll know it) your heart will ACHE!!!!

I was in an utter panic that this was a standalone but thank god/goddess/whoever the fuck might be granting prayers, it’s a series!

Literally, sign me up now for at arc, seriously, email me…

Really enjoyed the character and world development and can tell there is a lot more to come but it did leave me feeling like a massive build up for a very short ending, hopefully more in the next installment

This was such an empowering story! I was quickly captivated by the narrative and loved the portrayal of a strong female main character. Muirne's growth and resilience through her harrowing journey was awe inspiring. She constantly struggles throughout her journey with self-doubt and her personal perspective on how to be seen as strong. This made her character so relatable. I also loved that her personal growth was a continuing journey. I can't wait to see what is in store next for Muirne!

I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Excellent story. This is an extremely hard enemies to lovers read. So different. Muirne is the most bada$$ heroine you will ever read. Action filled "medieval" setting with death, destruction, bloody Clan battles. Eagerly awaiting the second book.

Wow, this story is just hands down incredible! The story is set in medieval Ireland and follows our FMC, Muirne. I absolutely love Muirne! She is just all anger, and resilience, and a dang force to be reckoned with and I want to be her when I grow up! She is the daughter of Arasgain, the chieftain of Inbiur. She experiences tragedies and challenges that force her to battle for her life. Her growth throughout the story was slow and subtle but I loved her development. Aside from Muirne, there are other characters that you will be introduced to and it will be hard to pick favorites! This is such an adventurous story and is Book 1 of a 4 book series. Make sure to add this one to your TBR!

'Woman of Wolves' is a captivating and richly detailed fantasy novel. The author masterfully creates a world steeped in history and intrigue, populated by unforgettable characters. Muirne's journey is one of resilience and strength, as she navigates betrayal, loss, and the complexities of power. The slow-burn romance adds another layer of depth to the already compelling narrative, while the twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the very end. Samantha L. Valentine's praise for the well-developed characters and engaging storyline is spot-on; this is a book that lingers long after you've turned the final page. Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy with strong female leads.(⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I liked the premise of this and was expecting a bad ass warrior in Muirne but imo she didn't have any character growth even though she went through so much. The nickname Riagan gives Muirne is fitting. I did like that you saw Riagan's character growth as the story went on, getting to see there was more to the man behind the mercs.

Once I managed to switch off my inner Medieval historian and perveyer of chronicles in Middle Irish and Sengoidelc, this was an extremely fun read. It doesn't really do anything new with the warrior woman trope but it plays on well worn aspects extremely well. Some of the historical basis is a bit imaginative but this is a fantasy novel and a thumping good one. Looking forward to the next book.