The Wolf

THE WOLF is the second instalment in JR Ward’s contemporary, adult BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD: PRISON CAMP paranormal romance series-a spin and interconnected series from the author’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. This is wolven/vampire hybrid Lucan, and Caldwell undercover police detective Rio Hernandez-Guerrero’s story line. THE WOLF can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion. WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic violence, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers. Told from third person perspectives THE WOLF follows several interconnected and diverging pathways focusing on the search for the infamous supernatural Prison Colony that is now connected to a resurgence of drugs in Caldwell New York.Detective Rio Hernandez-Guerrero has been undercover in the hopes of uncovering the who, how and where of the uptick in drug trafficking but Rio finds herself a target of some very powerful people, none of whom are working together but all wanting something from our story line heroine. Wolven/vampire hybrid Lucan is the right hand man to Caldwell’s most powerful supplier but Lucan remains a captive of the people in charge. When a drug deal goes wrong, Lucan finds himself ‘nursing ‘ our heroine back to life, the woman that calls to our hero’s inner wolf. Meanwhile, Detective Jose De La Cruz finds himself investigating a series of grizzly murders, all with connection to the latest influx of heroine, cocaine and fentanyl. With two of the precincts undercover detectives missing and presumed dead, Jose discovers that all is not well within Caldwell’s police force, and Jose is about to come face to face with a ghost from his past. Connected to both of the above premise, the Black Dagger Brotherhood, believing they had shut down the infamous Glymera Prison Colony continue to struggle with the latest information that a new set up is prospering outside of New York, a set up of which no one is able to locate or uncover. Knowing our story line heroine is working undercover to ferret out the people involved in the local drug trade, the Brothers are hoping Rio Hernandez-Guerrero will lead them to the prison, so they can shut down the operation, once and for all. THE WOLF is a complex, detailed and multi-leveled story wherein all of the pathways are interconnected and feed off of one another. Detective Jose De La Cruz plays a pivotal role in the current timeline as Butch’s former partner is struggling with his impending retirement, the missing undercover police officers, the possibility of a dirty cop at the helm of the department, and the ongoing battle to clean up the streets of Caldwell, New York. The Brothers will cross paths with Jose De La Cruz, breaking our hearts as Jose is unable to grasp the loss of his former partner and friend, a friend he knows but is unable to remember. JR Ward pulls the reader into a dramatic, intense and emotional story that continues to focus on the turmoil and upheaval of a drug epidemic that continues to destroy the lives of everyone involved.

I enjoyed reading the book about Lucan and Rio. It was exciting, had action and some humor in it. I love it when the original characters are in it as well. There was no ending so it continues to the next book. I wasn't happy about that. That's why I gave it a four stars.

The book was really good but it left me wanting more. I feel confident it will come with the rest of the series but I would have been happier if the book was longer.