Touch of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Susan Krinard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 1999

His heart could be captured--but his passion could never be tamed....

From the acclaimed author of Prince of Shadows and Body and Soul comes the first novel in a powerful new trilogy, the story of a noble clan whose elegance belies a savage secret--and a man who will stop at nothing to preserve his family's dynasty forevermore--.

Braden Forster, Earl of Greyburn, has devoted his life to restoring the purity of his clan's werewolf blood. He spent years searching in vain for a distant American cousin, a woman whose pure wolf bloodline is a vital link in his family's heritage. Braden had thought Cassidy Holt was lost forever--until she appeared one rainy night on the steps of his London mansion...her raven hair in disarray, her skin scented with sunlight and sagebrush. As Braden whisks young Cassidy to his family's secluded country estate, both can sense their undeniable attraction. But Cassidy soon learns that they can never satisfy their mutual passion; Braden has already betrothed her to another. Her only hope of claiming the one man she'll always love is to unravel the dark and lustful secrets of his past--.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Daughter of a werewolf mother and human father, Cassidy Holt is orphaned by age seven and raised by her human aunt and uncle, who despise her wolf blood. At 22, determined to find her mother's family, Cassidy travels to London where she meets her distant cousin, Braden Forster, the powerful and charismatic Earl of Greyburn. Cassidy's wolf instincts are strong and she is drawn to the handsome earl, as he is to her. But Braden has devoted his life to preserving his clan's dynasty of werewolf blood, and due to a closely guarded secret, he believes that he cannot claim Cassidy as his mate. Instead, he betroths her to his younger brother, Quentin. As Cassidy struggles to come to grips with her werewolf heritage, she and Braden are drawn together by mutual passion. But Braden is a man of deep commitments and a tortured past that threatens any hope of a happy future for the two lovers. And falling in love couldn't have come at a more difficult time, for Braden's life and his leadership of the clan are endangered by the bitter hatred of an evil werewolf.

Krinard's world of werewolves, with their blend of human emotion and animal instinct, is every bit as believable as the novel's descriptions of London and the English countryside. The rigidly structured human society in which Braden and Cassidy live provides a stark contrast to the wildness of their wolf heritage, while Braden's darkness of soul is balanced by Cassidy's innocence and faith. Add a strong plot to this story of shape-shifting werewolves and heroic characters and the result is a terrific paranormal romance. --Lois Faye Dyer

From Publishers Weekly

Braden Forster, Earl of Greyburn, promises his fierce grandfather that he won't allow their familyAwerewolves who are "a breed apart from mankind, but living among humanity"Ato become extinct. In 1860, Forster's grandfather charges him to restore the purity of his clan's blood through shrewd intermarriages. Fifteen years later, Cassidy Holt, the Forster family's distant cousin, travels from the deserts of New Mexico to the earl's secluded estate in the north of England in search of her mother's mysterious past. Unable to transform into a werewolf at will, Cassidy disappoints her new-found familyAespecially Forster, who has arranged for her to marry his younger brother. However, despite his well-laid plans for the family, Forster finds he cannot resist Cassidy's impressive beauty and courageous will. Cassidy, too, falls for the earl, whose intense passion brings her to the realization that she is also capable of transformation. Krinard's (Prince of Wolves; Body and Soul) readers will be captivated by this first in a trilogy of historical werewolf romances.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (October 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553580183
• ISBN-13: 978-0553580181
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #644,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pick this one up to read!, November 3, 1999

By 

Sarah "sssspro" (North East, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Touch of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have always been a fan of Susan Krinard, especially with her bent towards writing stories about the paranormal. TOTW did not disappoint me. Braden and Cassidy's story was well written and a delight to read. Ms. Krinard goes out of her way to strongly define her characters, giving the readers insights on why they behave they way they do. (And not just our hero and heroine, she sets up the stage for Braden's sister and brother's story too.)

Although Cassidy might start out too trusting and innocent for my tastes, her character does grow and learn from life. Many times writers miss character development and that makes for a stale story. The time and thought that went into Braden's character development is obvious. The struggle Braden goes through for the length of the story is at once heart wrenching (we all know that deep down he wants to do what is right, its just defining what "right" is) and frustrating (damn his grandfather anyway). It's hard to have such a strong character become vulnerable.

I have but one criticism of the book. This is a story about werewolves, their relevance in society, their laws and mores, their ethics, their hierarchy, basically their very existence. Although we get some feeling of this through the choices Braden must make as leader, I did not feel like I really got to know the werewolves themselves. I got the feeling that seeing them as werewolves was almost peripherary to the story (except maybe for the climatic end scene.) There was very little changing from human form to werewolf form. It was always there on the outside of the story but never really made it to the inside. Overall, keep up the great work and I look forward to the next story.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another incredible romance from an extraordinary author!, December 14, 1999

By 

K. Moning (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Touch of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

The first Krinard novel I read was Prince of Wolves, and I promptly ordered the rest of her backlist because I loved it so much. I was thrilled to discover that each novel she's written is as wonderful. There are some authors whose work you read and the story lingers in your mind for days afterwards: the characters are so real, the plot so engrossing, the sensual chemistry so HOT, between a hero-to-die for and an intelligent, courageous heroine. Susan Krinard is that kind of author--she writes a book you just can't seem to put down and when you do you're already reaching for her next book.

Touch of the Wolf is fantastic! Read anything by Sue Krinard and treat yourself to a magnificent escape into a romantic, paranormal fantasy that only Ms. Krinard could write so well.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Paranormal Romance., April 15, 2002

By 

Sophie (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Touch of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

"Touch of the Wolf" by Susan Krinard is a powerful and well-written paranormal romance that will leave readers craving more from this talented author. Vibrant characters, lush English settings, and a strong plot combine to create an affecting tale that will stay with readers long after the book comes to an end.
Braden Forster, the Earl of Greyburn, has dedicated his entire life to "The Cause" - restoring the purity of his werewolf - or loups-garous - bloodline. Raised by a cruel grandfather, Braden was brought up to believe that his only reason for being was The Cause. For years Braden has searched for the lost branch of the Forster family, hoping to find his distant cousins and restore them to The Cause, but to no avail.
Cassidy Holt, the distant cousin Braden is seeking, is the half-human daughter of a werewolf mother, born and raised in America. Orphaned at the tender age of seven, before her mother had a chance to teach her how to be loups-garous, Cassidy was taken in by her human father's brother, Jonas. Life with her human aunt and uncle was always unhappy for Cassidy, who was constantly aware that she was unwanted and feared. For years Cassidy dreamed of finding her mother's family in England, a family who could teach her all about being loups-garous. Cassidy finally strikes out on her own, and with the help of an old friend of her mother's, travels to England.
Upon arriving in England, Cassidy is drawn to the scent of her own kind, and ends up on the doorstep of Braden Forster. Braden cannot believe his luck at finding Cassidy after all these years, and immediately decides that she will be an appropriate wife for his brother, Quentin. But Cassidy isn't what Braden expected her to be, and her refreshing combination of naiveté and courage begins to break down the walls Braden has built around himself. Cassidy finds herself undeniably drawn to Braden, and bravely stands by him even while he tries to push her away.
Past betrayals have left Braden scarred both physically and emotionally, and he is not eager to open himself up for that kind of hurt again. But Braden's emotional barriers are no match for Cassidy's gentle persistence, and she begins to show him that there may be a Cause even more important than preserving the werewolf bloodline - the Cause of Love.
"Touch of the Wolf" will sweep readers away into Victorian England, and keep them captivated. Krinard skilfully absorbs her readers into the lives of Cassidy and Braden, making their trials and triumphs palpable. This wonderful story of love and redemption is a truly satisfying read. So buy this book today, you won't regret it.