When the Wolves Are Silent by C.S. Harris

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

When the Wolves Are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr, #21)

Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Sebastian St Cyr #21
Publication Date:4/14/26
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 400

WOW!! This book is packed with excitement, suspense, heartbreak, dark motives, cruelty, political turmoil, and startling family revelations. Some of the surrounding political tensions feel eerily reminiscent of the unrest we see in today’s world.

When Bayard Wilcox awakens from a drunken stupor to find his friend, Marcus Toole, sprawled in the smoldering remains of a bonfire they had carelessly built the night before, he is terrified—and utterly alone. The hilltop where he stands is rumored to have been used for ancient Druidic rituals, making the scene even more unsettling. With no one else to turn to, Bayard seeks out his uncle, Sebastian St. Cyr.

Sebastian’s investigation quickly branches into multiple directions. The victim—and his circle of friends—are widely disliked, leaving no shortage of potential suspects. Matters grow even more troubling when Sebastian discovers that another of Bayard’s companions has recently been murdered under similarly disturbing, possibly ritualistic circumstances. Is someone targeting the entire group? As Sebastian uncovers instances of cruelty in their past, he is left wondering what deeper secrets remain hidden—because nothing he finds seems to fully justify such calculated violence.

Time is not on his side. The Home Office and the Chief Magistrate are determined to see the murders of aristocrats solved swiftly—and conveniently. They intend to place blame on the Spencians, who are planning a major protest against the government. One of those at risk of being falsely accused is a close friend of Sebastian’s.

Can Sebastian uncover the truth in time? Can he protect his nephew—and does he even want to? Can he save his friend from becoming a political scapegoat? And if he does solve the case, will the truth even matter, or will the government bury it to serve its own ends?

I have read this series from the beginning, and each book has been exceptional. This one, however, stands out as one of the best. I highly recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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As You Wish by Danika Brown

On By TracyIn Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

As You Wish (A Brim's Hollow Romance #1)As You Wish by Danika Brown

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A Brim’s Hollow Romance #1

Release Date: April 14, 2026

For the last ten years Honey Baxter has been the most efficient wishing well auditor at the NYC Bureau of Magical Compliance and is now eligible for a promotion. She has worked hard for the honor of being promoted to Assistant to the Director of Arcane Relations and knows that is her year! She arrives at work expecting to have her review and be informed of her promotion but is instead blindsided by her boss and sent to the small rural town of Brim’s Hollow to audit an old wishing well that has not been audited in over 20 years! Her boss makes it clear that her promotion hinges on the outcome of this case. Honey has rarely left the city and is not prepared for farm life and especially not the Hale Family! When she notices something off about the magic on the farm, she makes a note in her report, never realizing that little note could take everything from the family that she is starting to love.

As a single dad of three lively young girls, Ethan Hale has barely been keeping things together since his wife left. He is on the brink of losing everything he has spent a lifetime building if he can’t find a way to turn things around. At first, he refuses to let Honey access the well, but then decides it is easier to keep your enemies closer; he has big secrets and believes that if he lets anyone in, he will lose everything. But he seriously underestimates Honey, is she the answer to all his problems or is she the straw that breaks the camel’s back?

This was a cute story with very likable characters and a slow-burn (no spice) romance. I loved the idea of this book, and I was thrilled to find a new romantasy author who writes Third Person Narrative with a dual character POV. But as much as I liked this story, I felt like it could have been better, the world building is a bit weak, and the magic system is not clearly defined. I finished the book with a warm, fuzzy, feel-good feeling, but I still had a lot of unanswered questions – primarily about Honey’s family and Ethan’s ex-wife. I sincerely hope the next Brim’s Hollow book might provide some answers to the lingering questions I had with this book and (fingers-crossed) some heat. Overall, it was a cute read with a cozy small-town fantasy romance and a YA vibe.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *