Sandy S.
3.25 stars—- THE BEST OF BOTH WOLVES is the second instalment in Terry Spear’s contemporary adult RED WOLF paranormal romance series. This is wolf shifters, former US soldier turned artist Sierra Redding, and police detective Adam Holmes’ story line. THE BEST OF BOTH WOLVES can be read as a stand-alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Told from several third person perspectives including Sierra and Adam, THE BEST OF BOTH WOLVES follows the building romance and relationship between former US soldier turned artist Sierra Redding, and police detective Adam Holmes. Sierra Redding is the new art teacher for the red wolf pack in Portland Oregon when an opportunity arises to work part time as a forensic artist with the local police department but an unresolved relationship back home in Texas, finds Sierra having to make a choice, a choice that may involve Portland police detective and wolf shifter Adam Holmes. A series of local robberies places Sierra front and center, and the man pulling the strings has targeted our story line heroine in an act of revenge. As Sierra and Adam’s relationship begins to develop, working together to take down the theft ring reveals a convoluted connection between a number of criminals and crimes including robbery and murder. The relationship between Sierra and Adam begins as friends to lovers, a slow building affair as wolves take care to choose their mates but know almost immediately if there is a probably connection. The Portland Wolf Pack has more male wolves than females, and the arrival of a single, unmated woman begins to stir the competition between potential mates. As Adam begins his seduction of our story line heroine, the future reveals the possibility of their own happily ever after. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text. The secondary and supporting characters include Sierra’s brother Brad and his mate Janice, their parents Kirk and Rhonda Redding, Sierra’s ex-Richard Wentworth, as well as newcomer and Adam’s new partner Tori Rose; former police detective and wolf shifter Josh Wilding and his mate Brooke, Pack leaders Leidolf and Cassie. The requisite evil has many faces. THE BEST OF BOTH WOLVES is a story of family and friendships, murder and vengeance, love and happily ever after. The premise is entertaining and detailed but once again, there is too much telling and not enough showing-an over abundance of information and detail that detracts from the actual story. The romance is fated but it felt like the couple were just going through the motions waiting for the inevitable; the characters are numerous, and energetic.