The Untamed One
3.5 Stars

Jackson Wulf is determined to break the curse that afflicts his bloodline and believes that he must kill a witch in order to do so. Lucinda is a witch on the run after being targeted by the local Lord who is determined to murder her unborn child. Jackson and Lucinda cross paths in the woods and set in motion a chain of events that will either lead to their mutual destruction or untold happiness. Which will it be?

The basic premise of this series is wonderful and Thompson’s writing style is very immersive. Unfortunately, this installment suffers from the irritating silly misunderstanding and lack of communication tropes that annoy me no end.

Jackson is a charming rogue well on his way to becoming a drunkard and a womanizer. Lucinda brings out his honor and self respect as well as his sense of responsibility, and his scenes with baby Sebastian are some of the sweetest in the book.

Lucinda is strong, self-reliant and resourceful, but holds herself back from loving Jackson out of fear. This inevitably leads to several irritating scenes in which she fails to tell him the truth of her past with the villain and ultimately puts both herself, her son and Jackson in danger.

Unfortunately, despite their chemistry and growing emotional attachment, neither Jackson nor Lucinda are honest with one another which leads to a another series of annoying scenes in which they wallow in their internal angst rather than speaking about their issues openly.

In sum, this one is worth reading more for the suspense plot, which has some intense, tension filled scenes and an exciting resolution, than for the disappointing romance. ( )

Another installment in the Wild Wulfs of London series. Jackson Wulf meets a young woman unexpectedly who is in the midst of giving birth. She is a witch that he has sought out, believing if he kills her, it will break the curse on his family. Instead he helps her and falls for her and her baby. Forced to marry, they try to come to terms with each other and seek the answer to break the curse. A good story, though their constant misunderstanding of each other's feelings drove me crazy!

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2011/08/untamed-one-by-ronda-thompson.html ( )

Wed and widowed in one day, stunning socialite Amelia Sinclair's honeymoon is anything but typical. Then again, neither is Amelia—rebellious and impulsive, marrying Robert Collingsworth was the one sensible thing she ever did. Now he's dead and she must escape the vicious creatures stalking her—even if it means relying on a stranger. Well, maybe not a complete stranger. Amelia first glimpsed Gabriel Wulf years ago on the busy streets of London; since then he has haunted her dreams. But in the flesh, Gabriel is much more tantalizing than she ever dreamt, and much more complicated…

Gabriel Wulf, the strong one, the sensible one—the, and the curse that plagued them, were his only priorities; there was little time for women and none for love. Now, he must protect an enticing beauty—and not just from the dangers that prowl the woods around them. Gabriel has secrets, dark ones he's sure Amelia must never know and could never understand. But she has already awakened his heart...and the beast within. Will Amelia be the key to his salvation, or the architect of her own demise? ( )

Jackson Wulf is one of the cursed brothers, the Wild Wulfs of London. Determined to discover the witch he must destroy to break his family’s curse, Jackson is led to the young Lucinda, who is in the midst of bearing a baby alone in the woods. Lucinda trusts no man, having been drugged and raped, then threatened with the death of her unborn child. However, when Jackson Wulf risks his life to help her, despite his initial proclamation of planning to kill her, Lucinda is startled to discover that perhaps there is one man worthy of her trust. And when Jackson agrees to protect her child on the condition that she find a way to break his curse, the time they spend together might lead to something even more compelling than a simple bargain.

I’ve really enjoyed the Wild Wulfs of London werewolf stories I’ve read so far, and this was no exception. It has everything one would look for in a paranormal romance and doesn’t feel at all awkward or as though she is trying to copy someone else’s writing style. Both Jackson and Luncinda were compelling characters that made you want to care about what happens to them. I’d highly recommend this, and the other Wulf stories, to anyone who enjoys the paranormal romance genre. ( )