Book Review: Pack and Coven by Jody Wallace Page

Pack and Coven by Jody Wallace Page is a paranormal romance available on e-readers and as an audio book. Harry Smith is a lone wolf and is doing everything in his power to stay that way. However, he is also an alpha wolf and the local pack wants to bring him into the fold, whether he wants in or not. He does not want to leave, he has a favorite place to eat and a group of people he likes to spend time with. Now he is trying to stay free, with a little unexpected help. June has been a friend and admirer of Harry for years, but he has no idea who she is because she has been under magical disguise, hiding as the elderly woman Sadie who Harry loves for her cooking and spunk. Harry initially thinks June is Sadie's granddaughter. She tries to help him hide from the pack, but things quickly go from bad to insanely complicated. June is a witch willing to risk everything in order to help Harry. While Harry and June are drawn together, the complications are mounting along with the danger and everything and everyone is at risk.

I liked Pack and Coven, it kept me reading well past my bedtime. Which as an exhausted mother of two young children, says a lot. Alright, so maybe I just liked Harry, a lot. He is an alpha man who respects women. He likes hanging out with people for their cooking and their company, not to get into their pants. Alright, so once he discovered that June was young, attractive, and could cook there was some of that too, but when he first met her as Sadie he preferred to spend time with her and the 'grannies' rather than go out on dates. He is a little arrogant at times, but it is tempered with concern for others. We could use some real Harry's in the world, even if they did get furry.

June held much less of my affection than Harry. While she is clearly older than her appearance, I found her objections to cursing and cleanliness a little distracting. Much of it came with good reason, but I just did not connect with her. I liked her more in the beginning when she was the spunky, though elderly, Sadie than when she looked to be in her twenties but with the same personality. I really liked that the plot was not simple and contrived. There were many players, and not all of the characters that might have originally been seen as villains stayed firmly in their place. There are several layers of action and plot, which I really enjoyed.

I recommend Pack and Coven to readers that enjoy paranormal romance and urban fantasy with a romance included. The story moves at a good pace, with the only slow portions inside June's head weighing the consequences of having a relationship with Harry. This is the perfect book for reading during a lazy weekend.