The Crimson Wolf

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Crimson Wolf is a fresh retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, where our FMC, Mildred (Red), is a New York journalist who returns to her hometown to investigate a string of grisly murders. As she delves deeper into the case, she begins unraveling long-buried secrets about her past and her family's mysterious lineage.

I found this book to be a fun, easy read with an intriguing plot. It's entertaining and engaging, but there were some minor inconsistencies that pulled me out of the story. For instance, there's a scene where Red claims she can't tell the time because there's no clock in the room, only for a clock to magically appear on the bedside table the next day. Another moment that didn't quite add up was Red's supposed lack of knowledge about werewolves—yet somehow, she's familiar with the “knot,” one of the most intimate details about them. It left me scratching my head a bit.

The romance between Red and the MMC (no spoilers here!) also felt a little forced. The author aimed for the enemies-to-lovers trope, but it didn't fully land for me. The banter lacked the playful tension that usually builds anticipation, and instead, it felt like Red was just in it for a physical release. The MMC's attempts at dirty talk also fell flat, feeling more awkward than seductive.

The book was quite short, and that may have contributed to the rushed feeling. With more scenes to build up the tension between Red and the MMC—even if it extended the length of the book—it could have made a big difference. This might have been a 5-star read with that extra development.

Overall, while The Crimson Wolf has a lot of potential and a captivating premise, the execution left something to be desired. Despite its flaws, it kept me engaged, and I think with some fine-tuning, it could really shine.