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Romance/Erotica

50 Must-Read Werewolf Romance Books

Erin McCoy

Staff Writer

Erin is a coffee shop explorer and yogi who moved to Minnesota a decade ago. She’s had the pleasure of studying both music theory and student development theory on her quest to earn degrees in music and academic advising. Erin owns an inordinate number of romance novels, coffee mugs, and bottles of vodka distilled in the Midwest. She lives with her husband, daughter, and a dog named Dixie.

Werewolf romance novels are my comfort reads. Whenever I need a book that is guaranteed to delight or something to pull me out of a reading slump, werewolf romances are my very first choice. Much of my obsession with werewolf romance books comes via the fated mates trope that almost always permeates these paranormal books. There is something so deliciously decadent about big bad werewolves being absolutely powerless to love and their preordained mate. It also doesn’t hurt that the fated mates trope—and therefore werewolf romances—is almost always higher up there on the heat level, since the character’s bodies recognize the need to get it on ASAP. See? Werewolf books are a guaranteed mood booster.

While any sort of paranormal beings (werewolves, vampires, bear shifters, demons, etc.) may not be everyone’s cup of tea, these werewolf books have an incredibly large following. Simply searching for werewolf romance books online just about put me over the edge. The number of paranormal romances published each and every year involving werewolves is staggering!

Werewolf Romance Books To Read

The best werewolf romance books

Whether you are looking for a place to start on your werewolf romance books reading journey or are a die-hard fan of furry shifter heroes and heroines, here are my suggestions for the best of the best werewolf romance novels.

Want even more to read? Check out our list of the best gay werewolf books here.

Book cover of Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

Series: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 1

“All wilderness guide Keil Lynus wanted was a nice quiet retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn’t planning on meeting his destined mate, or finding out she’s not aware she has the genes of a wolf. Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week—and his bed—is suddenly full.”

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Otherworld, Book 1

“Elena has done all she can to assimilate to the human world, but the man whose bite changed her existence forever—and his legacy—continue to haunt her. Thrown into a desperate war for survival that tests her allegiance to a secret clan of werewolves, Elena must reckon with who, and what, she is…”

Red Wolf by Jennifer Ashley

Series: Shifters Unbound, Book 10

“A spirited leopard Shifter and a fellow tracker, Jaycee Bordeaux has no problem forging a mate bond with Dimitri, but soon the two are called to infiltrate a rogue group bent on enslaving Shifters. Jaycee may have defended Dimitri from taunts before, but they now face a more lethal danger—one that threatens not only the future of their people, but also their love.”

No Need Fur Love by Kate Baxter (Part of The Big Alpha in Town)

“Moving with his pack to the tiny town of Stanley, Idaho has Owen Courtney a little on edge. With literally no women in sight, Owen will be lucky to find a date, let alone his true mate. But you know the saying about a werewolf walking into a bar…”

Last Wolf Standing by Rhyannon Byrd

Series: Bloodrunners, Book 1

“Five seconds earlier, Mason Dillinger would have sworn it could never happen…That a woman who was his perfect match even existed. And that he’d find her in a bustling cafe. Yet just the scent of sweet, mortal Torrance Watson ignited a driving, explosive need to claim her that he knew his pack would never sanction.”

MoonglowWerewolf Romances | Book Riot by Kristen Callihan

Series: Darkest London, Book 2

“Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy’s door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors…”

Taming her Wolf by Dee Carney 

Series: Fire Creek Shifters, Book 1

“For disgraced physician Kim Sharpe, Fire Creek was supposed to be a sanctuary, a place to hide from media scrutiny and the public eye. But when a group of wolf shifters break into her clinic and demand she save the life of a packmate, her serene world unravels. And when the wolf dies despite Kim’s efforts, she’s dragged into a hunt she can’t control, led by a man she desperately wants to understand.”

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Series: Parasol Protectorate, Book 1

“Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire—and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.”

Pack Enforcer by Lauren Dane

Series: Cascadia Wolves, Book 1

“Nina Reyes knows trouble when she sees it, and Lex Warden, Enforcer for the local werewolf pack, is nothing but. When her brother gets in too deep with some dangerous wolves and comes to Nina for help—dragging super alpha protector Lex into her life—she can handle it. She might have put her grifter past behind her, but she’s still got what it takes. If only she didn’t find Lex—his body, his scent, even his domineering nature—so intoxicating.”

Protected by Lauren Dane

Series: Diablo Lake, Book 2

“Mac can’t resist pushing Aimee’s buttons. She’s always been incredibly sexy, and the wolf in him craves a female with fire in her belly. When a heated argument ends with a sizzling kiss and Mac gets a taste of her, he craves more—”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotThe Taming Of the Wolf by Lydia Dare

Series: Westfield Wolves, Book 4

“Dashiel Thorpe, Earl of Brimsworth, has spent his life fighting the wolf within him. But when the full moon rises, Dash is helpless. A chance encounter with Caitrin Macleod on a moonlit night inadvertently binds the two together irrevocably, and Dash’s impulsiveness plunges them both into a nightmare…”

Lords of the Were by Bianca D’Arc

Series: Tales of the Were, Book 1

“Allie was adopted. She had always known it, but when a mysterious older woman shows up and invites her to learn about her birth family, things take a turn for the odd.”

Charming by Dannika Dark 

Series: A Seven World Novel
“After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realizes there’s one thing he doesn’t have: answers. Prince owes his life to a man he hasn’t seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father.”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotDaring Fate by Megan Erickson

Series: Silver Tip Pack, Book 1

“I wake up chained to the wall of a dark cell aware of two things: I failed my sister, and I smell my enemy. When I’m taken to meet Dare, the alpha of the Silver Tip pack, I’m sure I’m about to lose my throat. The last thing I expect is for the Alpha to recognize me as his fated mate. No way is he going to let me go now…”

Enchanted by the Wolf by Michele Hauf

“Kirnan Savauterre’s loyalty to his werewolf pack is absolute—which is the only reason he agrees to an arranged marriage. But a marriage borne out of duty soon takes on a whole new spin. For Kir discovers his bride is an utterly enticing mystery. Beatrice is half-faery, maybe a little bit vampire, and altogether delightful. As for Bea, she has this much in common with her new husband: she can’t resist the passion they share.”

Changed by Aline Hunter

Series: The Wolf’s Den, Book 2

“Beta werewolf Declan Schroder knows Rachel Gentry is his mate. The hard-as-nails female is more than he could ask for—intense, clever and sexy as sin. There’s only one problem. Rachel is human and fears his kind. She’s receptive to his advances—their sexual chemistry is impossible to deny—until an attack by a rogue werewolf threatens to destroy their newfound bond. As Declan’s mating heat rises, he knows he’ll do whatever it takes to claim Rachel as his own.”

Vice by Genevieve Jack

Series: Fireborn Wolves, Book 1

“When a wolf is found murdered on Fireborn shifting grounds, Laina will do anything to protect her pack, even if it means posing as a waitress at a club that flies in the face of her feminist ideals. Unfortunately, her inner wolf marks the club’s owner, Kyle ‘The King’ Kingsley, as her vice—her metaphysical addiction. He becomes a hunger she can’t ignore…one that could threaten her life, her family, and her pack.”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotMoonrise by Ines Johnson 

Series: Moonkind, Book 1

“It’s love at first sight when Lucia rescues a charming wolf shifter from certain death. She’s sure he feels the same way and will tell her so—just as soon as he wakes up from his coma. To remain by his side at the emergency room, she pretends she’s his mate. But her resolve is tested when she gets a glimpse of her fake-mate’s brother.”

Wolf Bride by TS Joyce

Series: Wolf Brides, Book 1

“Kristina Yeaton is running from her past as a working girl at a Chicago brothel. Determined to start fresh in the wilds of Colorado, she answers an advertisement in the paper for a wife. So what if she doesn’t fit the description Luke Dawson wants in a woman? She aims to survive the hell that’s coming for her, and for that, she’ll need a strapping man who isn’t afraid to get his hands a little bloody.”

Red Moon by Elizabeth Kelly

Series: Red Mood, Book 1

“Branded as a witch and rejected by her own kind because of her red hair, Avery resigns herself to a life in the slave house until a chance meeting with a powerful Lycan named Tristan Williams. Tristan believes his obsession with Avery is nothing more than lust. Determined to bed her despite her strange powers, will he convince her to accept her new life or give her the freedom she craves?”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotNight Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Series: Dark-Hunters Novel, Book 7

“Bride McTierney has had it with men. They’re cheap, self-centered, and never love her for who she is. But though she prides herself on being independent, deep down she still yearns for a knight in shining armor. She just never expected her knight in shining armor to have a shiny coat of fur…”

Ice Moon by Lisa Kessler

Series: Moon Series, Book 5

“Jared Ayers works outdoors, embracing a solitary life, hiding from his inner demons. But after so many of his Pack brothers have found their mates, he starts wondering if there might be a mate in his future too. His world turns upside down after he’s hired by the ‘Ice Queen of Lake Tahoe.’ One touch is all it takes. One touch to send the wolf howling within…”

Wolf’s Haven by Ambrielle Kirk

Series: Caedmon Wolves, Book 1

“Tamara would risk her life to gain freedom. She’s finally built up the courage to escape from a world of abuse by the hands of a man who promised her the world. But when her plans backfire, her hope for freedom begins to fade. When her world hits rock bottom, she stumbles across wolf shifter, Devin Caedmon, who offers her safety and protection. She learns to trust the wolf, but has yet to trust the man.”

Alpha’s Mate by Eve Langlais

Series: Their Furever Mates, Book 2

“Villains aren’t supposed to rescue damsels, and pack alphas are known to have complete control of their wolf. But when Fabian saves a certain lady from drowning, everything he knows gets tossed away and only one thing becomes clear: she’s his mate—and someone wants to kill her. Hell no.”

Haven by Mary Lindsey

“Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere. He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart. Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotBlack Rook by Kelly Meade

Series: A Cornerstone Run Trilogy, Book 1

“Despite being the youngest of three, Rook is first in line to inherit the role of Alpha, a duty he isn’t sure he’s capable of fulfilling. When Brynn finally meets Rook, she doesn’t expect the attraction that draws her to him—and him to her.”

Snow’s Seduction by Kristin Miller

Series: A Snow White Werewolf Tale, Book 1

“My stepmother—wonderfully wicked as she is—has come up with a plan: seduce a rich jeweler who’s visiting for the weekend. And then, when he agrees to bond with me and make me his forever, we’ll be saved. Not such a bad deal, considering he’s crazy hot, and I’ve had a crush on him forever. One problem: I’m not a temptress, not by a long shot. It’s a good thing my childhood best friend, Hunter, has come back into the area. He’s always been a playboy and knows how to get what he wants. He agrees to teach me the rules of seduction, but before long, I realize I’m the one being played.”

Shifter Untamed by Amber Ella Monroe 

“Dane Justice Magnus fought for and won the position of Pack Alpha, but to legally inherit the land left by his late human mother, the shifter needs to marry a human. His plan is easier said than done, especially when not just any woman will do.”

Moon Awakening by Lucy Monroe

Series: Children of the Moon, Book 1

“Emily Hamilton volunteers to marry a Scottish laird in order to save her younger sister. But she can’t save herself from being kidnapped by a werewolf clan—and its wild-hearted leader.”

Between a Wolf and a Hard Place by Annalise Nixon 

Series: BBW Shifter Menage—Between a Wolf and a Hard Place, Part 1

“Iris Zahn’s life is thrown into chaos when she and her sister, along with their best friend, are kidnapped from their home in Oregon. When their captors separate the three women, they vow to reunite, no matter the cost. Of course, things go from bad to bonkers when she wakes up between two of the hottest men she’s ever seen, and they both want to make her theirs.”

Red by Kait Nolan

“Elodie Rose has a secret. Any day, she’ll become a wolf and succumb to the violence that’s cursed her family for centuries. For seventeen years she’s hidden who and what she is. But now someone knows the truth and is determined to exterminate her family line. Living on borrowed time in the midst of this dangerous game of hide and seek, the last thing Elodie needs to do is fall in love. But Sawyer is determined to protect her, and the brooding, angry boy is more than what he seems. Can they outsmart a madman? And if they survive, will they find a way to beat the curse for good?”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotThe Hunted Heart by Carrie Ann Ryan

Series: Redwood Pack, Book 6.7

“Emeline might have been alive hundreds of years, but she’s never really lived. Using her knowledge and research, she helped save the Redwood Pack from devastation. However, she’s never felt whole. Not since she lost her mate so long ago. Now there is a new, younger wolf, entering her life and it will take more than her nose in a book to figure out the warmth in her heart is much more than a promise of a new feeling. It’s fate.”

Tattered Loyalties by Carrie Ann Ryan

Series: Talon Pack, Book 1

“After tragedy struck, Gideon Brentwood became the Alpha of the Talons. But the Pack’s stability is threatened, and he’s forced to take a mate—only the one fate puts in his path is the woman he shouldn’t want.”

Alpha’s Temptation by Renee Rose and Lee Savino

Series: Bad Boy Alphas, Book 1

“I’m a lone wolf, and I like it that way. Banished from my birth pack after a bloodbath, I never wanted a mate. Then I meet Kylie.
My temptation. We’re trapped in an elevator together, and her panic almost makes her pass out in my arms. She’s strong, but broken. And she’s hiding something.”

The Wolf’s Choice by Inge Saunders 

Series: Black Hills Wolves, #64

“Thirteen years ago Blaine stumbled on his mate at the local swimming hole. The next day, she was dead. Once he learns Rebecca is alive and living in Los Lobos, he decides it’s time to give up his career in Brooklyn and return to the Black Hills.”

Declaration of Courtship by Nalini Singh 

Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 9.5

“One of the most submissive wolves in the SnowDancer pack, Grace knows nothing can come of her sensual fascination with big, bad, beautiful Cooper. He might possess her over and over in erotic dreams that leave her aching for the rough heat of his touch, but she knows that in reality, he is far too dangerous for her to handle. Then Cooper decides to change all the rules…”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotKiss of Snow by Nalini Singh 

Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 10

“Alpha and dangerous, he lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. Now he walks alone. But Sienna stirs his primal heart, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf. ”

Past My Defenses by Wendy Sparrow

Series: Taming the Pack, Book 1

“Vanessa is the fastest Lycan around. In wolf form, the only threat she can’t outrun is her allergies. After a feline dander-bomb takes her down, she wakes up naked in a cage staring at a hot park ranger who had no idea what he’d trapped. But ooooh, he smells so good.
Mine.

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Series: Heart of the Wolf, Book 1

“Bella, a female red werewolf, was adopted by a pack of gray wolves as a pup. Now grown up, the alpha of the pack tries to make her his mate against her will—Bella knows she has no choice but to run away.”

Falling for the Billionaire Wolf and His Baby by Sasha Summers

Series: Blood Moon Brotherhood, Book 1

“When Jessa Talbot’s boss offered her a promotion, she agreed—no questions asked. Her family needed the money, but fighting the attraction she feels for her brooding employer is tough. Worse, she instantly bonds with his infant son she’s caring for. But this is a temporary solution and she can’t get attached to either of them..”

Twice the Growl by Milly Taiden 

Series: Paranormal Dating Agency, Book 1

“Connor and Theron want Tally to complete their Alpha triad. She’s sexy, curvy and funny. But she’s human. And they’re not sure she’ll go for a relationship with two men at the same time.”

Piece of Tail by Milly Taiden 

Series: Paranormal Dating Agency, Book 13

“A female Prowl Leader? Unthinkable. It’s what Becca Duran has dealt with since the sudden, tragic death of her brother. Now, the leopard council demands she mates an alpha, whether she loves him or not. Given no choice, Becca takes a chance on Gerri Wilder’s PDA. It should be simple. Get a match and move on. Except, it’s not. It’s hard (thick and hard) with large muscles and a panty-wetting smile.”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotHer Viking Wolves by Theodora Taylor 

Series: 50 Loving States, Michigan

“Tee escapes to Alaska for a quiet workcation, hoping to leave all that drama behind in Detroit. Only to have not one, but two crazy-hot, time-travelling Viking shifters show up in the small town where she’s hiding out. These two Viking brothers are hardcore. They’re super-intense. They both want her to be their mate, and they are absolutely not taking no for an answer.”

The Werewolf Prince and I by Marian Tee

Series: Moretti Werewolves, Book 1

“Broke, nerdy, and self-confessed wimp Misty Wall leads a ho-hum life as a Grammar Nazi intern, which of course earns her feelings of hate-at-first-sight from her colleagues at Ze Morgue, aka Moretti Inc.’s Administration Department. Misty has always wished for something exciting to spice up her boring-with-a-capital-B existence, but she never thought it would come in the form of a gorgeous six-foot-plus billionaire. The world knows him as Domenico Moretti, the ruthless, cunning, and aloof CEO of Moretti, Inc, a.k.a. her boss. Gifts of (mis)fortune come in threes, they say, and it’s certainly the case with Misty, whose life is turned upside-down by Domenico Moretti’s three shocking revelations. One, he’s a werewolf (who’s also a prince). Two, he wants her in his bed—him, the guy who actually had to file a TRO against an obsessive supermodel. And three, he has a proposition she never—and she means never—ever sees coming.”

Beast by Holley Trent

Series: Noreston Wolves, Book 1

“Christina Stilton has waited all her life to become a wolf’s bride. Becoming mate to a stranger in a faraway pack is the only chance she has to escape her Appalachian life of poverty and abuse. She wants safety, but trusts The Fates to steer her toward love, too.”

Hungry Like the Wolf by Paige Tyler

Series: SWAT, Book 1

“Keeping Mac at a distance proves impossible for SWAT team commander Gage Dixon. She’s smart, sexy, and makes him feel alive for the first time in years. But she’s getting dangerously close to the truth-and perilously close to his heart…”

Big Bad Wolf by Christine Warren

Series: The Others, Book 2

“Missy Roper’s fantasies have revolved around Graham Winters since the moment they met. But the imposing leader of the Silverback werewolf clan always seemed oblivious to Missy’s existence. At least he
was, until Missy collides with him at a party and then abruptly runs away—arousing Graham’s interest…and wild desires.”

Baby, I’m Howling For You by Christine Warren

Series: Alphaville, Book 1

“Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…”

Werewolf Romances | Book RiotFeral Sins by Suzanne Wright

Series: The Phoenix Pack, Book 1

“When female wolf shifter Taryn Warner first encounters Trey Coleman, an alpha male wolf shifter with a dangerous reputation, she’s determined to resist his charms. After all, Trey—who was only fourteen when he defeated his own father in a duel, winning the right to be alpha of his pack—can’t have anything to offer the talented healer besides trouble, or so she thinks. Taryn finds herself drawn in by Trey’s forceful demeanor and arctic-blue eyes, and she eventually agrees to enter an uneasy alliance with him. If the two succeed in convincing their respective packs that they’ve chosen each other as mates, Trey will win valuable political allies, while Taryn will escape an odious arranged mating..”

Dark Instincts by Suzanne Wright

Series, The Phoenix Pack, Book 4

“It happens whenever wolf shifter Roni Axton is near Marcus Fuller: a crackle of sexual awareness that’s intoxicating…and deeply annoying. Marcus is a pack enforcer who oozes power, but Roni is lethal in her own right—nothing like the flirty females who flock around him. Even still, his possessive gaze makes one thing clear. Marcus has singled her out for seduction, and he wants to make her sit up and beg.”