Route Refuge, by Jessica Lane, is only the second work published by this new author. This first installment in her Callaway Wolves Series was enjoyable and easy to read. When I started the novella I was concerned that it was mislabeled because there is no mention or hint of wolves until almost halfway (chapter 8 of 13) through the book.
Fawn and Tate are very likeable characters, as are Tate’s mother, sister and brother, who are also introduced in this story. The basic story plot is a familiar one: an abused wife runs away from her abuser, she finds refuge with a stranger and they proceed to fall in love. What was unique about this story was how Ms. Lane explained the “matat” and how she handled introducing the wolves. This part of the story was a bit unrealistic in that you take an obviously skittish, terrified woman, present her with werewolves and she has a minimal, if any at all, reaction. As a reader I expected her to have a more pronounced startle, at least.
As the story progresses, the realism (or as real as a world of werewolves can be) becomes more pronounced by the way the author has Tate react to other males and his extreme protectiveness of Fawn. When Fawn’s abuser shows up to exact his revenge, it was sweet to see how her savior handled the threat. Since this is the first book in a series, I am guessing the next installment will be about either the brother Carson or the sister Freddie. I cannot wait to see how this author’s writing progresses over time.
-Reviewed by Selina
