The Witch and the Werewolf by Michele Hauf Review

The Witch and the Werewolf started so good for me and it just fell bad. In the end, I just couldn't connect with the characters.

The Witch and the Werewolf by Michele Hauf
Publishing Date: November 1, 2017
Publisher: Harlequin
Language: English
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
ISBN: 9781488031311
Format: ebook (I got a digital ARC via NetGalley for an honest review)

The werewolf's fate rested in the witch's hands…

Mireio Malory is a quirky witch who's on a quest to complete a dark spell that will grant her immortality—at the expense of a live vampire's heart. She's ready to conjure that dangerous and life-changing spell when she meets a lone werewolf and beekeeper.

Lars Gunderson has secrets of his own. His alpha allure is obvious, but Mireio senses that there's something more to him than his raw sexiness. When Lars entrusts her with a devastating revelation, Mireio has to make a choice. Will she sacrifice the most potent magic she's ever worked on to be with the man she loves?

Review

The beginning of the story was so intriguing. The whole "accidentally saw you naked" fiasco was titillating. The problem was the complication. Suddenly, a baby entered the picture. That slowed the whole process for me. Perhaps for both the witch and the werewolf, it hastens the courting process, but for me, it dampens my relationship with the book. If the protagonists weren't ready facing the baby issue, it's worse for me. I didn't expect it.

Putting both the words witch and werewolf together in a title gave me an impression of a badass romantic plot. I didn't know it was all flowers and butterflies, and in this book's case, bees. Everything is so mushy and cheesy, I almost couldn't stomach it.

Mireio is a fluttery mermaid (she identifies herself as a mermaid) and I prefer my witch sassy. Lars is a shy and softee giant of a man and I prefer my werewolf ass-kicking. I couldn't stand them both. Screw them being paranormal, it just doesn't work for them. They're way too normal and vanilla to me. I didn't like the all-too-homey plot.

The first steamy scene wasn't even steamy because I already had a foul mood. It was at this point that I was about to DNF the book but I really want to get a 100% approval-to-reviewed ratio in my Netgalley account so I had to see this book through and judge it for its entirety. But seriously, if you don't have a good relationship with a book from the get-go, you will only suffer it through. And boy did I suffer.

This book was rooted so much on reality that you never get sensual things done. It's all so frustrating. If the baby wasn't enough, a beer keg had to burst open and Mireio had to run to their shop to clean up the mess while she and Lars were in the middle of heat. And there will be more drama later. For those real masochist at heart, this is for you. That is, if you don't mind souring your mood all the time.

This book is supposed to be emotional but the delivery was sloppy at best. The author has written so many books but she failed at eliciting what she intended towards her readers. This could have been beautiful but all of the items laid out just didn't mix well.

There was something painful about the plot. It was supposedly painful. Supposedly because it meant nothing to me, I didn't grow love for the characters. I felt like a voyeuristic sociopath watching the story unfold and not caring but understood that it should evoke emotions, for which I'm seemingly lacking. What was painful to me though was reading all the intimate scenes. If the book couldn't stir emotions in me, much more so with sensuality. I'd always heave a sigh of relief after the deed is done. They're nothing but running words to me as I have to read those parts fast.

Due to his circumstance, I could understand how Lars came to be tame (or appear so) when as a werewolf, he's supposed to be an alpha. But still, the author could have done him justice. She was just not able to convey well the character that he's supposed to be. Yes, he's showed how prideful he can be at his weakest spot but that showing of pride is ill-placed.

Perhaps, the author should have built more on the romance between Mireio and Lars, you know, exclusive giddy encounters between the two before the baby was introduced. That's how the book has ruined it for me and I was not able to recover. I usually get redemption from other books but unfortunately, this one just failed. The baby was part of the journey but it was not even the driving force of the story.

This is only one book of an ongoing series. From what I've read, I don't think I'll be delving more.