Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Second read: 4.5/5 stars This is my favourite so far of my reread, there’s so much love and affection and character development. Also I really love the narrator now, it’s great to see how much he’s improved since the first book and I really do recommend the audiobooks once you have just push through the first one 😅

4.5 Stars Get emotional thinking about how much they've grown as a couple and individuals. I'm a huge sucker for the whole undercover fake dating or fake roles but everything has a double meaning because they are actually dating scenarios. This book has arguably some of the best moments between them, they really have started to open up and aren't afraid to show their scars. Yeah, there some issues like Cooper not wanting to move out of his apartment that him and Oliver have been sharing, but nothing they can't work through. It's such a good mix of emotional and humorous moments. Not to mention they really have the best banter and in these situations where Cooper would literally be anywhere else than stuck to talk about his feelings in a couples counseling retreat. We finally see strong they are as a couple and it's so rewarding!

Look, I cannot express in words how much I love Cooper and Park. From reluctant partners to is-this-a-relationship to living together, it’s been quite the journey, and now we’ve reached the next step – relationship counseling! If you haven’t read anything in the Big Bad Wolf series yet, please go read them – and beware, spoilers for the first three books ahead! “Why us?” he said, flustered. “Because I need someone I can trust in there. Someone I know is more concerned with finding the truth than upsetting the Park pack or inter-bureau politics. Someone who isn’t afraid to step on some toes. Frankly, Dayton, I don’t know anyone less concerned with pissing off people and wolves alike.” “Careful, all this flattery is going straight to my head,” Cooper said dryly. “But I suppose I can consider choking down a mojito in the sun. For justice, of course.” A personal request by a past boss – and a heaping serving of guilt – lead Cooper and Park to go undercover to investigate a disappearance at Maudit Falls, a relationship retreat, run by werewolves and for werewolves. So, yes, just like the last book, this is another house party-esque mystery, but the characters are very different. Rather than Park’s family, though, it’s several couples, mostly werewolves but a few mixed partnerships like Cooper and Park. They’re not even through the front door when they start to realize that something is not quite right at the resort. “Just so you know, it wasn’t your AQ that first drew me to you. It’s the way no one has ever made me laugh like you do. When I’m with you, I don’t feel trapped at all. I feel lighter, stronger. For the first time in my life, I feel free.” One of the things that came up in the last book is the Alpha Quotient, AQ, which somehow measures how “alpha” a werewolf is. Not much about it was explained, but we did get the tidbit that Coop is more alpha than Park (?!?!?) and that Park considers Cooper the alpha of their little pack of two (insert crying-hearteyes-emoji here). Turns out, AQ is one of the core components of this place’s counseling, so many of my lingering questions were answered. There’s also more background info on packs and how they’re emotionally necessary to werewolves, which naturally leads to a particularly lovely scene where Cooper tries to right the – perceived – inequality of Park being forced to stay in a relationship with him because he’s his alpha. So, yes, more Cooper being the adorkable porcupine we’ve come to know and love. And, naturally, being Cooper, the state of his relationship with Park is always at the front of his mind. From trying to find a bigger place to live (and dealing with his discomfort with Park’s seeming penchant for chandeliers) to pieces of their past they haven’t shared with each other (more of Park’s history as the Shepherd and Cooper’s undercover work for the FBI), Cooper is struggling to figure out what he wants from their relationship. And again, being Cooper, he can’t just come out and say that, so instead he worries and turns things over in his head. “I care so much I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to. I wouldn’t know how.” Park rolled them over and kissed Cooper tenderly. “I love you.” “Oh yeah,” Cooper sighed. “That, too. Always that, too.” Since the story is told solely from Cooper’s point of view, we’re up close and personal with a lot of Cooper’s worries. Cooper’s inner monologue – this sort of “I’m a mess” – is very familiar to me, but it doesn’t stop him from loving Park or, you know, actually solving the mystery. It’s one of my favorite parts of this series, especially when, after marinating in all of those worries, he finally shares them with Park and gets his befuddled response. I say this every time, but these books perfectly meld feels-inducing romance with ridiculously steamy scenes, and I always finish them with a giant smile and a full heart. “How often do any of us get into serious physical trouble like that?” Every four months or so, Cooper thought.” Overall, this is another knock-it-out-of-the-park entry in the Big Bad Wolf series, and I’m beyond overjoyed to know that another book is already planned, especially as the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I simply cannot recommend this books enough. If you love paranormal mysteries that are full of all the feels and steamy scenes, you will love this book! I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I don't know why but compared to the previous installments of this series this just hit different. I feel like Oliver and Cooper have really found their footing as a couple and no longer suffer from those silly little arguments of previous books. They are a real couple who a genuinely working their way through their own issues to be stronger for one another. I also feel like the overall plot and writing was much more cohesive. I feel like gradually, with each book, the writing it is getting stronger. I will be pretty much picking the next book up almost immediately.

Istg, all these books deserve a 3,5 stars rating. AT LEAST. But I suck at rating books, so what's new. Anyway, I'm having so much fun reading them. And this one was especially cute. Edit: considering how I'm rereading the books again NOW (13.7.21), I think it deserves its 4 stars :')