Werewolves, family secrets, fated mates - and finding true friends and maybe love intertwined in all the lies and hidden agendas. Enemies to lovers weaves with coming of age and self discovery among shifters and humans. HFN and looks like more to come ...

If you are looking for a werewolf book that hits the common tropes this is it. Ashton is the alpha dealing with trauma and abuse from his father and when he finds his mate is a human he denies it. This leads to some them threats and bullying all in an attempt to push her away. Brayden however stands her ground, and still showed compassion to Ashton when he really didn’t deserve it. The climax with the rogues also served as a backdrop for the emotional tension which helped. Overall pretty standard paranormal werewolf novel with characters that are easy to connect with and a quick pace made this a fast read.

Not much to say-this was fine—the story was classic shifter tropes and stories. It was entertaining but I wished for more development and growth of the characters. It felt a little rushed.

Wolf Girl is a paranormal romance that follows Ashton, a confident Alpha shifter, and Brayden, a human college student who’s just trying to get through the semester. Their worlds collide in a way that neither of them expects, leading to a story full of tension, emotional moments, and self-discovery.

The characters are well-developed, and their relationship is both complicated and heartfelt. The story takes place in a college setting with supernatural elements that add mystery and suspense. As the plot unfolds, both Ashton and Brayden are forced to make tough choices and face who they really are.

This book is romantic, emotional, and suspenseful, with a serious tone and a strong focus on character growth. A great pick for fans of shifter stories and character-driven romance.

Alyssa E. Stadnyk does a fantastic job in writing this paranormal werewolf book and this was a great first entry in the Evergreen Grove series and left me wanting more. I really enjoyed the way the characters and world were presented and developed. It was everything that I wanted in a opening chapter and was glad it was everything that I was looking for and am excited for more in this world.

Ashton, the brooding future alpha, and Brayden, a stubborn human just trying to survive college, clash from the very start. Their bond is undeniable, but Ashton’s fear of destiny and his abusive father’s shadow cause him to push Brayden away in cruel ways. I really admired how Brayden stood her ground, showing strength and compassion even when Ashton didn’t deserve it. Sure, the tropes are familiar, mate denial, pack drama, rogue attacks, but the emotional tension helped. I connected with the story and will want to see what happens in the sequel.

Brayden strikes a deal with her real estate dad: two years of community college business courses in small-town Oregon, and then she’s free to chase her dream of medical school. Easy enough—until she literally collides with Ashton, the local alpha werewolf.

Ashton immediately recognizes her as his mate, but since she’s gasp human, denial sets in. His coping strategy? Threats, bullying, and general jerk behavior. Meanwhile, Brayden—with her compassion, stubborn streak, and sheer guts—sticks around anyway, even becoming best friends with his sister.

Ashton’s family life is far from picture-perfect: his abusive father uses him as a punching bag, and he suffers in silence to protect everyone else. After a brutal run-in with rogues in the woods, it’s Brayden who saves his life—without asking for anything in return. That’s the turning point. Suddenly the big bad alpha is vulnerable, terrified of his own feelings, and determined to win her back. (Spoiler: it takes him, oh, about five minutes of story-time.)

Interwoven is the backstory of Brayden’s mother—her wolf dormant, her past tied to Ashton’s father, who once tried to assault her before she escaped town pregnant by a human. The threads all lead to the inevitable showdown: Ashton finally facing the monster who raised him, as the rogues close in.

It’s a pretty standard paranormal werewolf setup—alpha angst, mate denial, family trauma, pack dynamics, rogue attacks. Nothing groundbreaking, but the pacing is quick, the characters are easy to connect with, and the woodsy scent of our MMC lingers pleasantly in the imagination. I’ll be picking up the sequel, mostly to see what happens with Rowan.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.