Book Review: Howling for You by Chloe Neill

Howling for You
Author: Chloe Neill
Publication: NAL (January 7, 2014)

Description: Jeff Christopher is a shapeshifter and ally of Chicago's Cadogan House of vampires—he’s also a tech whiz and mostly-legal hacker. And the only protective shields he’s never been able to find a way around are those of the powerful Keene Family.

For a long time, Jeff has only had eyes for the beautiful Fallon Keene. Unfortunately, she is the only sister of the lethal North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene. The intricate balances of power and politics make it all but impossible for Fallon to trust her feelings.

But fate takes a hand when the Pack's totem is stolen—threatening the Keene family's rule—and Fallon enlists Jeff's help to retrieve it before the Pack is thrown into chaos. Can she and Jeff find the totem, and restore order, before it's too late? And will Jeff finally be able to prove himself to the only person he truly loves?

My Thoughts: This novella leaves the vampires behind and concentrates on the shifters. Fallon Keene is the next in line to be Apex of her pack if something happens to her older brother Gabriel before his infant son Connor grows up. What that means for Fallon is the she needs to find a mate. Fallon and her family are wolf shifters - the most prestigious of all shifters - and her family needs her to mate with another wolf shifter.

However, Fallon is in love with Jeff Carpenter who happens to be a tiger shifter.  In order to do her duty to her family she is meeting and dating "potentials" but none of them are Jeff. The latest potential is Gabriel York who comes from a family that is quite wealthy but has never been high up in the pack hierarchy. She dates him but, as usual, there are no sparks.

Sparks do fly when she wakes up the next morning and finds that the coronet that is used to anoint the alpha family has gone missing. It was scheduled to be used at a ceremony that will mark baby Connor's entrance into the pack. Since the main suspect is Gabriel, Fallon and Jeff need to track him down to see if he was the thief. Jeff and Fallon make a great team but it takes some major effort for them to find a way to be together.

This was an enjoyable story as Fallon decides if love or her duty to her pack is the most important to her. I loved Jeff's care for her and for his geekiness.

The novella also includes the beginning of WILD THINGS that makes me very eager for the book to be released. WILD THINGS brings us back to the main storyline with Merit and Ethan and the troubles they are having both with the mayor of Chicago and the Greenwich Presidium (the vampire council).

Favorite Quote:

"Every time I breathe, I breathe for you. Every time I speak, I speak for you. And every time I howl, I howl for you." He pressed his lips to mine, so softly. "This isn't over," he said, and walked inside.

I bought this eNovella to try to hold me over while waiting for the next Chicagoland Vampires novel. You can buy your copy here.