TALL, DARK AND WOLFISH

Author: Lydia Dare ISBN: 9781402236952 5/2010 HISTORICAL PARANORMAL Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS
Time Period: 1816

He’s lost the most important part of himself… Lord Benjamin Westfield is a powerful werewolf—until one full moon when he doesn’t change. His life now shattered, he rushes off to Scotland in search of the healer who can restore his inner beast, only to find she’s not at all what he expected… She would make him whole, if she could… Young, beautiful witch Elspeth Campbell will do anything to help anyone who calls upon her healing arts. Then Lord Benjamin shows up, and she suddenly discovers she may need him even more than he needs her…

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

In the first book of the series we met Simon, the eldest Westfield brother, and only heard about Benjamin, the youngest, who was off hiding out in Scotland for some reason.  The reason being that he is no longer able to shift to wolf form and has sought the help of a renowned witch in Scotland to heal him. 

Sadly, the renowned witch is dead.  Happily, she left a beautiful, equally powerful daughter named Elspeth. 

I read the 'Westfield Werewolf' books out of order—I read the first book, A CERTAIN WOLFISH CHARM, then the third book, THE WOLF NEXT DOOR, before reading this one so a lot of the 'surprises' of who Elspeth was, her history, and Benjamin's own problems were already known to me.  That said, I still felt as if Elspeth in particular was given a short stick.  Her characterization didn't always match previous information—such as her willingness to enter into an intimate relationship with Ben outside of wedlock, even after the point was hammered home that she was the result of such a relationship herself, and suffered for it. 

Ben also had weak moments of development—how his inability to shift first came about, for instance, was weak next to everything else that stood in his way.  Together they made a strong pair; they both tempered each other's weak points, but encouraged the best.  Ben fighting to gain Elspeth's coven's trust, and Elspeth coming to terms with the Lycan side of herself was especially interesting.

I felt bad for Ben, so used to women just falling over themselves to be with him; he doesn't take Elspeth's rejection—or her friends' hostility towards him—well.  But like Simon, he won't let it deter him.  He proves himself and doesn't let anyone tell him otherwise.

Alexandra Cenni