Heart of the Wolf    by Terry Spear Order:  USA  Can Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2008 (2008) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Bella is a red werewolf who has never accepted the fact that as a female, she's forbidden to choose her own mate. But as sole survivor of a horrible fire that killed her entire pack, she feels obligated to the Colorado grey pack who takes her in. She soon discovers she's trapped in an untenable situation once she understands her new Alpha's cruelty and possessiveness. Volan intends to claim her as his own during her next heat cycle - and death to any other male who shows even the slightest interest in Bella. Unwilling to become Volan's mate and intent on protecting Devlyn, the young Beta male she's fallen for, Bella makes her escape. For the next hundred and fifty years, she survives as a lone wolf - until she's captured while roaming the forest in wolf form and transported to a Seattle zoo. Devlyn had always hoped that one day he would find Bella again. When he discovers Bella's plight he knows he must help her escape before the next full moon - and before the local red wolf pack Alpha claims her as his own. But Volan has also discovered that Bella is alive and well. Having lost her once, he does not intend to allow her to escape him a second time. With danger closing in from all directions, including local police who believe Bella and Devlyn are somehow linked to a series of grisly murders, the pair must make their escape. But as the full moon approaches, nothing else seems to matter except consummating the love that's been denied them for far too long. The publicity blurb claims that Heart of the Wolf is 'based in extensive research on how wolves live and behave in the wild'. The integration of wolves' natural behaviour into werewolf lore has been incorporated into various other paranormal romances over the years. Spear's story does benefit from it, but even so, Heart of the Wolf never rises past being predictable and often cliché in its characterization and plotting. The author does offer readers solid writing and fast pacing though, and the romance she creates between Bella and Devlyn should appeal to those readers who like frequent and heated love scenes interspersed with the action. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews