The Werewolf Upstairs [Mass Market Paperback]

Ashlyn Chase (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 1, 2011

Petty crime never looked so good...

Alpha werewolf Konrad Wolfensen sees it as his duty to protect the citizens of Boston, even if it means breaking into their businesses just to prove their security systems don't work. But when his unsolicited services land him in trouble with the law, he'll have to turn to his sexy new neighbor for help.

She should know better...

Attorney Roz Wells is bored. She used to have such a knack for attracting the weird and unexpected, but ever since she took a job as a Boston public defender, the quirky quotient in her life has taken a serious hit. Until her sexy werewolf neighbor starts coming around...

Praise for Strange Neighbors:

"The good-natured fun never stops. Chase brings on plenty of laughs along with steamy sex scenes as Merry and Jason bewitch each other amid the supernatural mayhem."—Publishers Weekly

What readers are saying about Ashlyn Chase:

"Entertaining and humorous—a winner!"

"The humor and romance kept me entertained—a definite page turner!"

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this stand-alone sequel to 2010's Strange Neighbors, disillusioned attorney Roz Wells moves into her new Boston digs, an apartment building full of witches, shape-shifters, and a nosy ghost. Roz and sexy werewolf Konrad Wolfensen instantly hit it off and embark upon sexual adventures and cute-couple antics. A skimpy side mystery about a long-ago museum robbery is the only discernible plot device, giving Konrad a sudden need for his new girl's lawyerly abilities. For the most part the tale genially and somewhat aimlessly bounces along as it examines Roz and Konrad's search for meaningful career paths and ever more mutual pleasure. Stilted, often unnecessary dialogue ("I can't believe you saved that child without getting killed.... You were so brave and so selfless") and entire superfluous scenes pepper the pages as the story meanders toward a predictably sweet ending. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Public defender Roz Wells moves into a Boston apartment building filled with odd inhabitants, including shapeshifters, a couple of witches who make a noisy living with their phone sex business, a vampire, a ghost, and other paranormal beings. Roz’s new neighbor, the tall and exquisitely built Konrad Wolfensen, who sports flowing golden locks, is friendly and kind, sympathizing with her over her disappointment in her career choice. He claims to work in security, but they meet up again when he is assigned to her caseload for allegedly lifting a fully loaded commercial freezer, something beyond human capabilities. When Roz and Konrad start a steamy relationship, they decide to try out a series of possible careers, from bartending to jumping out of planes, but something always goes hilariously and catastrophically wrong. Then, when they try to help a neighbor witch and a ghost who is haunting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Konrad’s freedom and secrets are put in jeopardy. Readers who like play-by-play sex scenes and don’t worry about plausibility will enjoy Chase’s romp. --Diana Tixier Herald

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140223662X
• ISBN-13: 978-1402236624
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ashlyn Chase describes herself as an Almond Joy bar. A little nutty, a little flaky, but basically sweet, wanting only to give her readers a scrumptious, satisfying, reading experience.

She holds a degree in behavioral sciences, worked as a psychiatric RN for several years and spent a few more years working for the Red Cross. She credits her sense of humor to her former careers since comedy helped preserve whatever was left of her sanity. She is a multi-published, award-winning author with Ellora's Cave and Sourcebooks.

Most writers, whether they're aware of it or not, have a 'theme,' some sort of thread that runs through all of their books, uniting the whole mishmash into an identifiable signature. Ashlyn's identified theme involves characters who reinvent themselves. It's no wonder since she has reinvented herself numerous times. Finally content with her life, she lives in beautiful New Hampshire with her true-life hero husband, who looks like Hugh Jackman if you squint and they're owned by a spoiled brat cat.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for Mature Audiences March 15, 2011

By M. Bardales

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Do not read this if you want chemistry between the characters, smart dialogue or coherency.

The characters are not well developed. The relationship between the main characters just is. The dialogue is painful to read. I found myself feeling embarrassed for the characters. The sex scenes are also uncomfortable to read. This is due to the lack of real relationship development. Hard to feel their connection when one hasn't been established.

Konrad is an Alpha?! I don't think so. I'm having trouble even seeing him as a Beta.

Don't get me started on Roz's hangups. How annoying.

If you are looking for something that doesn't require attention to detail and you don't care about character development or progression of storyline, this is the book for you.

I give the book 2 stars only because I don't like using the word hate.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Drunk writers in a bar February 2, 2011

By DMackey

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I read A LOT and I love light paranormal books. I read the first book in this series and found it to be o.k. Not really memorable but acceptable. I don't like to be unkind because writing is a creative and subjective matter. However there was no choice. This book was just that bad. The characters have no depth and they jump around from situation to situation with no continuity. There is never any depth to the characters or the situations. The feeling is that several people were in a bar and decided they would all write 3 pages about whatever they wanted. They just had to use the same names for the characters. Then they put their pages together and sold it as a book. We have a hero who is a thief, but ashamed. He's an alpha but can't do anything. The heroine is whiny and can't make a decision. One of our writers decided to write a sex scene. After our thirsty group had a couple of shots, they remebered the old adage that sex sells. It's a shame they weren't too coherent at that point and couldn't write any more. With determination and more drinks, they solved their problem. Simply copy and paste the same scene throughout the book.!! The bartender (or editor) should have stopped them. The sex scene wasn't very good to begin with. Repetition just prolongs the agony. I hope whoever wrote the first book sobers up and takes their editor to rehab too.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the first book February 2, 2011

By A. Jacobs VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This is the second book in the Strange Neighbors series by Ashlyn Chase. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, this one didn't fulfill my expectations like I had hoped. The cover is cute and eye-catching, but the book was lacking in spark.

Roz moves into Merry's old apartment and finds herself attracted to neighbor Konrad Wolfensen. Konrad happens to be a shape-shifter who also happens to be a security system salesman. He gets his kicks from spooky his customers so they will buy his system. When he is accused of theft, he turns to Roz--an attorney-- to help him out.

From then on the author tries to convince you of the romantic sparks between the two. While I enjoyed the characters, I didn't feel any connection to the two. I liked the dialogue, but not the actions. This was a book that I struggled to finish, but will still give the next book a try.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Paranormals Everywhere in this Book February 21, 2011

By K. Herbrand

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This is the second book by Ashlyn Chase involving the residents of a Boston apartment building inhabited by mostly paranormals. I first met them in Strange Neighbors. In this book, Roz Wells (cute pun), a lawyer, moves into the building to be close to her best friend Merry. She knows that Merry's husband is a shapeshifter, but doesn't know about the other residents. She meets Konrad Wolfensen waiting for her moving truck and sparks fly.

Before long Konrad and Roz are an item, but Konrad has yet to confess to Roz that he is a werewolf. He knows that Roz is supposed to be his mate, as they have a weird telepathic link, but doesn't know how she will react to his true identity. Together they decide that they both would like new careers, so they set off to try to find their "bliss" in a new job. They share some hilarious as well as harrowing mishaps together on this journey.

Morgaine, one of their neighbors, trying to pump up her income as well, has accepted a job with the police department, trying to get information out of a ghost at a local museum that had a theft 20 years earlier. She has the ability to communicate with ghosts. Konrad goes along as a witness and for some reason the ghost takes a dislike to him. He tries to set Konrad up for the theft. Will Roz be able to prove him innocent? Or will he have to figure out a way to "change" while in jail?

This was another humorous book and while you don't have to read Strange Neighbors first, I found it helpful to know some of the other characters before reading this one. Warning though - there are some pretty explicit sex scenes.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Werewolf Romance! September 3, 2012

By Sheri Fredricks

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I picked this book up at the library and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Ashylyn Chase does a wonderful job creating her life-like characters with adorable traits that make you wish the story would never end. I'll definately be looking for more books by this author.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Romance May 14, 2012

By Cari bella

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The Werewolf Upstairs by Ashlyn Chase caught my attention during a recent trip to the library for a couple of reasons - 1: the cover art is fun, and 2: I'm into the werewolf thing lately. The cover art is lighthearted and romantic in theme with a glitter heart, attractive woman, and werewolf feet set in a library. I expected a fun brain candy romance, and that is exactly what I got! There is a bit of mystery to keep the plot moving, but the main attraction is the blush-inducing romance between Konrad and Roz.

The story revolves around Roz, a bored attorney moving into her best friend's apartment complex as a suprise. We quickly meet the cranky landlady, many eccentric neighbors, and the oh-so-sexy Konrad. Side note - the spelling of "Konrad" with a "K" continually threw me off throughout the novel. Why with a "K"? Back on track - Konrad and Roz are immediately attracted to each other and they move quickly from strangers to lovers. Konrad wants a committed relationship but cannot reveal a very personal secret to Roz and it threatens the future of their relationship. We get to see Konrad and Roz try to find new jobs by going on "dates" to classes about photography, cooking, sky diving, etc. Roz and Konrad are also in the middle of an art theft investigation - seriously in the middle. The investigation introduces more characters at the art museum and police department.

I had to suspend my disbelief for most of the novel, but that's part of the fun with romance. There was a bit too much going on in plot line and I was often pulled out of the fun romance of the novel and back into reality as I tried to remember various small-part characters and some history.... Chase adds several roadblocks to the Konrad/Roz relationship and some I don't believe could be that easily overcome. The dates to classes seemed a bit like filler and I could have easily lived without them. The art investigation was at first interesting, but then the conflict seemed more forced and became a bit tedious. However, the love scenes between Konrad and Roz were NOT tedious. They were well written - fun, sexy, and day dream worthy. I was reading the novel in class while my college students finished up their essays and I admit to blushing a few times.

Overall, the book is a fun, quick read. At 342 pages (paperback), I was able to read it in 2 days without losing interest. I recommend the novel for a fun summertime read. I will be reading more of Chase's novels as I lounge by the pool this summer! Read more ›