Customer Reviews

The Untamed One (Book 2 of The Wild Wulfs of London)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In 1821 Lord Jackson Wulf comes to Whit Hurch, England seeking to kill the witch he heard rumors lived in the vicinity. Jackson knows that the curse that changes him and his brothers into monsters can only be lifted by facing and defeating his greatest enemy, which he assumes since a witch cursed the family, means a witch's death.

Jackson finds his target deep in the forest, but Lucinda begs him to let her deliver her child before he kills her. Jackson agrees to allow her to give birth before he completes his quest by killing her. He assists her with the birth of her son, born of a rape, but immediately loved and cherished by his mother. However, the villagers are after both of them; he for sleeping with one of their daughters; her because Lord Cantley, father of her infant, said so.

Jackson is unable to complete his task. Instead he offers a haven for Lucinda and her son, which she accepts for the sake of her child and in return she promises to find the magic to lift the curse. As they fall in love, Cantley demands he return the outlaw witch to him, but Jackson refuses to hand over his wife.

THE UNTAMED ONE is a fabulous paranormal historical romance with the otherworldly elements used more as a plot device to bring the lead couple together and to propel the fun story line forward. Jackson is a wonderful protagonist stressed between the devastation of the curse especially because of what it will do to his brothers and his love for the witch he must kill. Lucinda is a courageous soul, somewhat inept as a witch, but perfect as the woman for the Wulf. Ronda Thompson provides a mesmerizing Wild Wulfs tale (see THE DARK ONE).

Harriet Klausner

In book two of the Wild Wulfs of London series, Thompson focuses on the second lycanthropic cursed brother, Lord Jackson as he attempts to solve his forebear's riddle in order to break free of the beast within him.

The opening pages show Jackson seeking out and finding the witch Lucinda -- fully intending to kill the hag in thinking that with the witches death, he and his brothers would be free of an other witche's curse. Instead of what he assumed would be a wart-ridden hag, Jackson found Lucinda. A beautiful young witch, in the throes of what looked to be a potentially fatal breach birth. Rather than kill an unborn innocent child, she begged and bargained for Jackson to help her deliver her son and see that he would be provided for -- then he could kill her. After delivering the child Jackson found he could not kill a defenseless woman. Other men hired to find Lucinda and kill the babe did find them and Jackson helped Lucinda escape. Thinking Jackson had been killed Lucinda found her way to London passed herself off as Jackson's widow with infant son and was now living the good life; and then Jackson showed up. A new arrangement was negotiated. Jackson would marry Lucinda, raise Sebastian as his own; in return after she lifted the curse, she would disappear. Unfortunately, Lucinda as a `white' witch who could only heal and protect, didn't have a clue as to how to lift a curse. Lucinda felt cursed in knowing that in healing Jackson, she would be leaving the child she adored and the one man she herself had come to love.

*** Thompson's second entry to her Regency set werewolf paranormal, while not quite as exhilarating as the first book, still had the ability to grab this readers attention from the very first pages. In a brave move from the more common innocent virginal heroine, you are introduced to a woman giving birth to another man's child. The fact that the child was conceived via a twisted man's rape upon an unconscious innocent immediately supported my initial regard for Lucinda. Later, her inept attempts at casting spells for a myriad of causes furthered my appreciation and pleasure in her character.

Jackson was a complicated hero. After years of attempting to live with the curse by drowning himself in liquor and using his unnatural scent and fabulous good looks to seduce and fornicate across London, discovering a woman who didn't succumb to his desires was a `wake-up call' to his humanity. From the moment he held the tiny life of Sebastian in his hands he was ready to start on the road to recovery.

The struggle both made to overcome their fears as each began to hold one another in high regard was paced well with enough narrative to ease both parties into acceptance of one another on a basic level inculding a sensual aspect which was quite inspiring. With the re-emergence of the twisted villain and the final outcome the author had this reviewer standing up to cheer! Bottom line - I believe fans of this new series will find book two a worthy addition to the Wild Wulfs of London saga and I can't wait to see what delights are in store for brother Gabriel.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

Although the first book was just so-so for me, I decided to go ahead and give the second book a chance. I enjoyed this book, maybe not with a keep it and reread it vigor, but I will now buy the last book in this trilogy to read. Not sure why this book isn't a four or five star book for me...maybe because I couldn't understand how Jackson went from wanting to kill Lucinda to rid himself and his brothers of the curse to all of a sudden just accepting that she had moved herself into his house and was claiming to be his wife. There was no angst for him, it just seemed too easy a transition for me. Hmmm...

I often see readers whine a story should have been this or that way...sorry, I think they miss the point. You the readers are listening to a storyteller. Ages ago, when the bard stood before fireside and wove tales for entertainment, no one stopped him and said, "I don't like part change it or I won't listen." Would you have told a bard to change the part where King Arthur finds Gwen and Lance together? So I wonder why readers feel they have that right today? Listen up, the world doesn't revolve for you. A writer conceives the story, spends months, a year bringing that story to everyone. It's her vision, you are just one of many permitted, gifted, for the price of a "ticket" along for the ride.

And Rhonda Thompson gives us one wild ride in the second book of the Wild Wulfs of London. Don't confuse this Thompson with Dawn Thompson (a Dorchester author with The Waterlord, The Falcon's Bride and The Ravencliff Bride). Rhonda Thompson pens a nifty character-driven tale, with the story of the second brother of Lord Jackson Wulf. Not content with the inner beast within him, Jackson is seeking to solve the riddle of the curse he and his brothers must live under.

He first seeks out a witch, thinking to kill her, and that might possibly end the curse. Easy to do, he assumes, kill a crone. Instead of a hag, he finds the witch Lucinda is beautiful. He comes upon her in the final stages of giving birth. The birth is going badly, and Lucinda fears both the child and she dying. She bargains with Jackson, help deliver her unborn child and promise to provide for it, and she'd give him leave to kill her. Jackson agrees, but then cannot go through with taking Lucinda's life. Men have been sent to kill Lucinda, but more specifically charged with killing both her and her child. They break in and Jackson helps her escape with her son.

Lucinda believes in the struggle Jackson was killed, so she goes to London with the plan of passing herself off as his widow. Things go along smoothly, until Jackson shows up and confronts his "widow". Still thinking of her child's welfare, she strikes a hard bargain, in return for lifting his curse, Jackson must marry her and adopt Sebastian, her son. Once the curse was lifted, she promised to go away, leaving Jackson to live his life. Only trouble - Lucinda is a white witch and cannot work black magick and that is what is needed to counter the curse.

While the first book in the series was breathtaking, this is more character-driven, and Jackson and Lucinda captured my heart. I applaud Thompson for stepping outside of formula and permitting REAL flesh and blood characters to come alive and control the story. Jackson is a properly tormented, Alpha male, a complex man. His life had been spent, wasted, in typical ton pursuits, and his meeting Lucinda and her child, pulled him from this, saved him. How could he not capture the readers heart when he falls for the tiny baby. These characters are just vibrant, real instead of two-dimensional Regency paper dolls that you often see in this genre.

Very highly recommended for readers with discerning taste, wanting something a bit more than formula.

Jackson Wulf is a man on a mission. He has spent years trying to find a solution to the curse plaguing his family, and is finally on the trail and scent of a witch. This witch is the key to alleviate his curse and nothing is going to stop Jackson from finding the old crone and killing her.

Jackson's witch extermination plan comes to a screeching halt when he finally finds her. The old, wart-faced hag he envisions is actually a young, beautiful woman about to give birth at any minute. The witch knows why Jackson is there and is resigned to her fate, but begs him to help her deliver her child. She also extracts a promise from Jackson that he will raise her child after her death. Jackson agrees to the witch's demand but before he can kill her, angry hunters are heard outside the shack and Jackson's inner beast breaks free and runs off to safety.

Lucinda has been shunned by her village her entire life. Even though Lucinda has only used her powers for good, she is still only trusted by villagers who need her help as a last resort and in the dead of the night. During one of these times, Lucinda was assaulted by a village elder and has to flee for her life and that of her unborn child into the forest. As her hunters draw near, Lucinda goes into labor and is unable to fend for herself. Jackson Wulf finds her hidden shelter and Lucinda knows that he is here to kill her. Death doesn't come to Lucinda as expected because Jackson shifts right before her eyes and vanishes into the darkness. Lucinda does the only thing she can think of to keep her child safe; she travels to London as the wife of Jackson Wulf.

The time is late and after a night of debauchery, Jackson only wants to go to bed. He is in for a surprise when he finds a warm, sleeping woman in his room posing as his wife! Both parties are shocked to see the other but soon come to an agreement to help each other. Time is not on their side, however, because the full moon is in mere days and Lucinda has just come face to face with the man that assaulted her and wanted her dead. It seems that nothing will stop this evil man from kidnapping Lucinda and harming her. This man doesn't count on Jackson Wulf, however, whose animal instincts have just been forced to the surface.

THE UNTAMED ONE by Ronda Thompson captivated me from the first page and I was unable to put it down. It held me enthralled until I read the very last word. The storyline flowed, danger was afoot, and love was in the air. I highly recommend THE UNTAMED ONE and am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. Lucky for myself and other readers, there are two brothers left and I am anxiously awaiting their stories!

From the first page of The Untamed One,the second book of trilogy "The Wild Wulfs of London ", an emotional bond is created between the characters and the reader that is not broken. Lucinda a "white whitch" and a new mother, is a very strong person. Her self-sacrificial determination to do what needed to be done to keep safe the ones she loves, I found appealing and it held my attention throughout the book wanting to know what she would do next. I found myself admiring her strength and her courage.

Jackson Wulf, self-centered, pleasure seeking womanizer and drunk, determine to find and kill the witch that cursed his family, instead he is transform into a man committed to protect those in his charge. I cannot but admire a man who swallows his pride for the woman he loves...

The chemistry between Jackson and Lucinda is wonderful. They demonstrate that love..."never fails" ..."is not proud...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things..." I finished reading the final pages of The Untamed One with tears in my eyes.
This reading is looking forward to reading the next book in this trilogy.

S G K "Carpathian Healer"

I expected the second book to be very much like the first one but with different characters and different plot. What I mean when I say that I expected that the main line would be the same is that it would be the Wulf man meeting a woman, falling in love and then, recognizing those feelings would broke the curse. I was very surprised when I discovered that the curse and the way of breaking it is different from every brother. Every one of them has its own moster to face, and this I liked a lot.

Jackson is a very liekable character, because he is not perfect, he's flawed, then is not as honorable as Armond was in the first book, and it makes for a nice change. Also, the femenine character is very much like him, one thing on the outside, a different one in the inside, and is wonderful when they come to grips with it and share it with each other.

The book is very gripping, and the only thing I missed was the heroine not having to be overly protected by the main chracter, because it reminded me a lot of the first book, but then, what kind of hero or wolf would Jackson be if he didn't protect her female?

All in all, a good book and a fast read!

The plot here while somewhat traditional is more twisted than the first book. Jackson is seeking out the witch that cursed his family hopping mtha by killing her he can break the curse. He finds a witch, Lucinda, just as she is in labor and in trouble. The plot thickens from there. Nicely done seduction sequences and nice characters and plot development. Resolution is not entirely traditional and over all well done. A little more humr than then the first book but not much. Very good read.

I loved the characters Lucinda and Jackson. Lucinda is strong in will, intelligence, and strength. Jackson is simply sexy. The reader discovers in this book that each brother has a different wolf strength. Jackson seems to give off phermones that drive the ladies crazy. Yet the only woman he had ever loved saw him as a brother. Having obtained the "wolf" at an early age he stays on the move to keep his family safe. His brothers don't even know the pain it has caused him and think of his wanderings as being selfish. Alot of things are explained in this book that was missed in the first. I found it even better because the characters were more well-rounded and interesting. I'm looking forward to the next and can't help but wonder which brother it will star.

Ronda Thompson teased fans with her first installment, "The Dark One", leading us into a more laid back, yet magical version of the werewolf paranormal sub genre. It laid the ground work for this spectacular second in the series, this time about Jackson Wulf, who is in some ways more tortured a hero than his brother Armond was in the first book. Fans will be delighted with this second tale, which reveals even more of Thompson's unique version of werewolves.

Lord Jackson Wulf is a man intent on ending his family's curse. Through some rather misguided and desperate decisions, he focuses his anger and retribution on the quiet and unassuming witch Lucinda. Since it was a witch that cursed his family so long ago, Jackson believes this will end his brothers' pain and misery. Fate has other plans though, and when he finds his intended victim in about to give birth, he ends up rescuing her instead. The two make a bargain: Lucinda will use her talent as a witch to help break the curse in return for Jackson's protection for her and her baby. What Jackson doesn't know about is the man set on destroying Lucinda's child and further defiling her in the process. Through many trying trials of mistrust, Jackson and Lucinda must come to terms with their opposing enemy positions and learn to see each other for what they really are. The breaking of the curse depends on more than just their cooperation--it requires an unveiling of their hearts.

The second in Thompson's intriguing paranormal series is loaded with more action and tension between the hero and heroine. They are like two circling wolves, both leery of each other, yet desirous of the other's help too. Jackson wishes to end his family's curse for good, in effect making him blind to the fact that Lucinda could in no way be responsible for their position as werewolves. Desperate times call for desperate measures though and he ends up appreciating Lucinda far more than he originally hated her. I had a hard time getting past Lucinda's dilemma with her son Sebastian, her willingness to leave him with the Wulfs once she cured Jackson, but a mother's sacrifice is often too personal and therefore hard to understand. The sensuality simmers below the surface, raging to a fine boiling point that readers will sigh in satisfaction for when it finally arises. Villainous secondary characters add the right level of intrigue and suspense, giving the hero and heroine a run for their money.

Thompson has created a wonderful premise for the series, one that will carry readers through the third installment, "The Cursed One" (due out December '06) with plenty of interest and excitement for the finale to come. She also has a short story coming in the "Love at First Bite" (Fall '06) anthology--another Wulf installment--so check it out too. Overall a very pleasing, well-spent weekend of reading! I highly anticipate the third brother, Gabriel's story.

K. Montgomery
Official Reviewer for The Mystic Castle