#BookReview: Highland Wolf Pact by Selena Kitt - 4.5 Wine Glasses

Title: Highland Wolf Pact
Author: Selena Kitt
Format: Paperback, 222 pages
Published: October 6th 2014 by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 1502408384 
Links: Goodreads | B&N | Amazon
Source: Author
Reviewer: Linda
Rating: 4.5/5

Sibyl Blackthorne isn't afraid of anything--except maybe being sold into marriage to a man she doesn't love. A man she's never even met. A man who, by reputation, is one of Scotland's cruelest lairds in over a century. 

But what choice does she have, with her father dead and her uncle now married to his brother's widow, putting him in charge of not only the Blackthorne fortune, but Sibyl's future as well? 

Then her betrothed turns out to actually be far worse than his reputation, so headstrong Sibyl decides life as a peasant, or even death, would be preferable to a future with such a despicable man, and makes plans to run away. 

On an organized hunt for wolves--or, as the Scots call them, wulvers--Sybil escapes her fiancé's clutches, only to find she's run into something far more untamed and dangerous in the middle of the woods. 

When a big, brawny, long-haired man, who only speaks to her in Gaelic and calls himself Raife, simply picks her up and carries her off with him into the Scottish wild, Sibyl knows she's in trouble. 

When he takes her to a place no human has ever been, she knows she's gone over the edge. 

And when he, at last, marks her as his own, she discovers that only one wild heart can claim another.

Note To Readers: This is the extended version with over 10K words of new material and a BONUS epilogue and preview of the SEQUEL. 

Linda's Thoughts:
HIGHLAND WOLF PACT by Selena Kitt was a fantastic treat!  I love my Highlanders AND I love my wolf shifters; This book combines both brilliantly!  HIGHLAND WOLF PACT is set in Scotland in 1502 and is an adult fairy tale of sorts.  It is the story of Sibyl Blackthorne, a young, highborn English woman sold by her step-father into a loveless political marriage, and Raife, a Scottish wolf shifter.  In this book, the wolf shifters are wulvers.

I loved both primary characters. They were genuine, realistic, relatable and likeable. Sibyl was a tenacious, fierce and witty heroine.  For all of her fearlessness and bravado, she maintained her femininity and caring.  She was also an accomplished archer and one of my favorite scenes occurred when she pinned her vile, obnoxious fiancé to a tree while escaping from him.  I was so proud of her!  

In the very beginning, I was a bit unsure of Raife as he seemed to be the silent type - when he did speak, he spoke Gaelic.  However, it didn't take long for Selena to weave her storytelling magic and Raife snared my affection and never let it go henceforth.  Raife was a gorgeous, strong alpha, smart, a true leader and so sexy! He was such a gentleman too - denying himself by putting the pack first. I want a Raife of my own!  

Sibyl's and Raife's romance was on slow sizzle for much of the book.  I'm not complaining - I was on the edge of my seat waiting for their romance to ignite. OMG!  When it did, their intense sheets-on-fire chemistry scorched the pages while still integrating humor and tenderness.   

Supporting characters were well-crafted and awesome on their own.  I especially liked Raife's brother, his mate and their little one.  The birth scene was awesome. The bantering and camaraderie among the wulver pack illustrated their unique family dynamics yet was also imbued with the clan's caring, fun and complexity.

Scottish Laird Allistair, Sibyl's cruel betrothed, made my skin crawl from the moment he appeared;  He shined as a villain. 

Following please find a few more of my favorite quotes exhibiting what a fun, flirtatious read this was:

"I had 'em set a table for ye in 'ere," he explained, nodding at the dishes. "Thought ye might like some stew."
"No, thank you."  Her stomach growled audibly and he arched his eyebrows again, a gesture that Sibyl found infuriating.  Almost as infuriating as being called "skinny." And "lass."
"This jus' rabbit." He smiled like he could read her mind, going over to the fire and using a long, thick pole with hooked end to lift a black iron pot.  "We don't eat humans, Sibyl."
---

"King Henry wants lands an'titles, like all the English."
"What do Scots want?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder. Darrow was far more sure footed than she was.
"A good woman, a warm bed, and food in their bellies." He grinned at her and she couldn't help but laugh.
---

"I have so much more t'teach ye."  He chuckled, kissing her fully on the mouth, holding her little body in his arms.
"More?" Her eyes lit up.
"Aye, much, much more," he agreed, eyes alight. "Come wit' me, lass. Let's get cleaned up so we can get dirty again."

Selena's writing was first rate.  The world and characters she has created were incredible and original!  This was the first book I've ever read by Selena but it won't be the last!  This was such an entertaining read that I plan to check out the author's other books soon.  

HIGHLAND WOLF PACT is literally teeming with excitement and suspense throughout with sexy Highlanders, paranormal elements, mystery, romance, humor and heat.  It certainly keeps the reader guessing right up to a very satisfying ending. I confess to losing sleep with this one as I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it.  I highly recommend HIGHLAND WOLF PACT to anyone who loves either Scottish or paranormal romances!  This is a two-for as you get both!  

Note to author:  I'm so glad to read that there will be a sequel to HIGHLAND WOLF PACT! I sincerely hope that Allistair's brother will get his own story later in this series; He needs a mate!