Rating: 
Summary: A great retelling of the 'red riding' story!!!
Review: A super romp. She is the heir to Haskell Hall, a forthright American. The LAST Heiress. Her fate is tangle with Ian Griffith the last of his line as well. Both are bound by a 100 year old curse that says Ian will stalk the night as a wolf and will kill the Heiress of Haskel Hall - just as his ancestors killed all the others - unless Lil can find away to leash the heart of the wolf and set them both free.Ian is a brooding character that will live on in your mind, long after the book is put down. An absolute super read!!!
Rating:
Summary: A great retelling of the 'red riding' story!!!
Review: A super romp. She is the heir to Haskell Hall, a forthright American. The LAST Heiress. Her fate is tangle with Ian Griffith the last of his line as well. Both are bound by a 100 year old curse that says Ian will stalk the night as a wolf and will kill the Heiress of Haskel Hall - just as his ancestors killed all the others - unless Lil can find away to leash the heart of the wolf and set them both free. Ian is a brooding character that will live on in your mind, long after the book is put down. An absolute super read!!!
Rating: 
Summary: NOT a Gothic Romance
Review: I agree with some of the other reviewers for this book that it lacks "that good gothic tension," as romancefanatic put it. In fact, it lacks any tension whatsoever, gothic or sexual. Before even page thirty, the hero and heroine are in his bedroom, ready for the literal roll in the hay! As for any danger the hero might exude, we already know he's a big, bad wolfy, so no major surprise there. Something that truly mystified me were the secondary characters. Why are they there? There seems to be no reason for their existence at all. Also, how did the heroine meet a Haitan woman living in the middle of Colorado, especially in the nineteenth century? As a resident of the state, I happen to know that Haitans are about as thick on ground here as daisies in Antartica, and this is the the age of jet travel--imagine what it was like in the Oregon Trail days! Also, Shelly Holmes, the horse trainer, was absolutely unbelievable and she shouldn't have been included at all, if the author truly wanted to create a gothic: all threats, danger, and the unravelling of any mysteries MUST be the heroine's demain alone, or be shared with a truly helpless victim, such as a child. That is the entire point of having the story told solely in the heroine's point of view. This novel, for the most part, IS told in the heroine's point of view; but this works to the detriment of the story, not for it. Showing us what the hero is thinking and feeling would have added, in my opinion, to the tension, not to mention make him a more sympathetic and romantic character. I haven't read any of Shannon's other novels, but I can say that her skill with gothics is very sadly lacking. If you are a fan of Shannon's work, you will probably enjoy this novel, but readers looking for a gothic tale should pass it by.
Rating:
Summary: NOT a Gothic Romance
Review: I agree with some of the other reviewers for this book that it lacks "that good gothic tension," as romancefanatic put it. In fact, it lacks any tension whatsoever, gothic or sexual. Before even page thirty, the hero and heroine are in his bedroom, ready for the literal roll in the hay! As for any danger the hero might exude, we already know he's a big, bad wolfy, so no major surprise there. Something that truly mystified me were the secondary characters. Why are they there? There seems to be no reason for their existence at all. Also, how did the heroine meet a Haitan woman living in the middle of Colorado, especially in the nineteenth century? As a resident of the state, I happen to know that Haitans are about as thick on ground here as daisies in Antartica, and this is the the age of jet travel--imagine what it was like in the Oregon Trail days! Also, Shelly Holmes, the horse trainer, was absolutely unbelievable and she shouldn't have been included at all, if the author truly wanted to create a gothic: all threats, danger, and the unravelling of any mysteries MUST be the heroine's demain alone, or be shared with a truly helpless victim, such as a child. That is the entire point of having the story told solely in the heroine's point of view. This novel, for the most part, IS told in the heroine's point of view; but this works to the detriment of the story, not for it. Showing us what the hero is thinking and feeling would have added, in my opinion, to the tension, not to mention make him a more sympathetic and romantic character. I haven't read any of Shannon's other novels, but I can say that her skill with gothics is very sadly lacking. If you are a fan of Shannon's work, you will probably enjoy this novel, but readers looking for a gothic tale should pass it by.
Rating: 
Summary: Can Love Tame The Wild Beast ????
Review: Ian and Lil's love was cursed a hundred years ago by their ancestors. Ian of Gypsy Blood and Lil of a highly born lord. Being the last of their namesakes they alone can break the curse. But is their love Strong enough. The book was slow starting for me. I was well over 100 pages into it before I could finally become involved in the story line. I loved that Ian was romantic and could show his feelings of Love for Lil but the story dwelled on to much othe rubbish and not enough on the hero and heroine. Started out with some great secondary characters, an old sea pirate, and voodoo witch but they never really got a good story , I expected more out of them. Throw in a parnormal detective researching werewolves who starts out fairly sassy but loses her spice as the book goes on. I would have liked to have seen more of a development in Ian's and Lil's relationship while he was a wolf as well as when he was a man. I guess I would think twice before buying the book.
Rating:
Summary: LACKING THAT GOOD GOTHIC TENSION
Review: If you're expecting a gothic that keeps you flipping the pages to experience the fear and desire the heroine has for the hero until the very end, look for another book. The beginning was promising enough, as Lil (kept seeing a little old lady with this name...) arrives in Cornwall, a fitting location. Quickly enough, we get into the murder of the previous heiress, a curse, some shady neighbors and a darkly sexy hero. I settled in, more than ready to be enthralled. Then a funny thing happened. Lil and her man/wolf Ian had sex. Next thing you know, they are a bonded duo, fighting the reality of the curse together. They are in LOVE. Don't get me wrong. I want romance to end this way. I just don't want to read 200+ pages of love joining their fates so they can overcome the curse together. I suppose some will find that romantic. I simply found it dull. Gothics are supposed to be about uncertainty and danger and razor tension. I just didn't get that here. Besides, it was a tad unbelievable that Lil didn't freak out when she realized the guy she loved had a part-time gig as a wolf. That would be too weird for me...
Rating: 
Summary: classic gothic romance
Review: In 1878, already an heiress through her father, Denver resident Delilah "Lil" Trent sails to Cornwall to gain her inheritance from her mother's side, Haskell Hall. Lil realizes that Colorado polite society never accepted her or her father as nouveau riche is beneath the "blue bloods". She feels England should provide her with a new start. Everyone welcomes Lil to Cornwall because they feel she can bring the funds needed to help the villagers and her estate that her predecessor simply let fall into ruin. That is everyone warmly embraces Lil except her estate manager Ian Griffith who treats her like she is a worthless, conceited moron. Still Ian and Lil begin to fall in love, but the road to love is very hard for this pair. He is the last of his line, a descendent of a gypsy who cursed the ancestors of Lil, the last of her line. Lil does not fear the curse because death occurs while riding a horse; an act she will never perform unless it involves Ian's safety. THE WOLF OF HASKELL HALL is a classic gothic romance with all the elements expected within the sub-genre. The story line is fast-paced and exciting as Lil struggles between her love for the brooding, enigmatic Ian and her fears including that of the curse and that her beloved might be a werewolf. To find out whether he is or is not, fans should read this enjoyable nineteenth century gothic romance that once again shows that Colleen Shannon is a powerful author (see HEAVEN'S HERO). Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: classic gothic romance
Review: In 1878, already an heiress through her father, Denver resident Delilah "Lil" Trent sails to Cornwall to gain her inheritance from her mother's side, Haskell Hall. Lil realizes that Colorado polite society never accepted her or her father as nouveau riche is beneath the "blue bloods". She feels England should provide her with a new start. Everyone welcomes Lil to Cornwall because they feel she can bring the funds needed to help the villagers and her estate that her predecessor simply let fall into ruin. That is everyone warmly embraces Lil except her estate manager Ian Griffith who treats her like she is a worthless, conceited moron. Still Ian and Lil begin to fall in love, but the road to love is very hard for this pair. He is the last of his line, a descendent of a gypsy who cursed the ancestors of Lil, the last of her line. Lil does not fear the curse because death occurs while riding a horse; an act she will never perform unless it involves Ian's safety. THE WOLF OF HASKELL HALL is a classic gothic romance with all the elements expected within the sub-genre. The story line is fast-paced and exciting as Lil struggles between her love for the brooding, enigmatic Ian and her fears including that of the curse and that her beloved might be a werewolf. To find out whether he is or is not, fans should read this enjoyable nineteenth century gothic romance that once again shows that Colleen Shannon is a powerful author (see HEAVEN'S HERO). Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: So Much Promise,but not enough Gothic atmosphere to scare...
Review: It started out great with the curse of Haskell Hall and the deaths of the heiresses and the weird happenings while American Lil comes to grips with all she's inherited. It was weird and a little creepy, but soon fell short of the promise of pure Gothic darkness and deception when Lil falls for the keeper that everyone fears, Ian Griffith, our werewolf and cursed fellow of the hall.
Soon things aren't so creepy when they fall in love a mere fifty pages in and then we are left with their 'love' to stop the curse of the werewolf and the solving of the murders.
What I found hard to believe was when Lil saw him change right in front of her eyes and she wasn't at all turned off that her lover was a werewolf trying to kill her!
The quirky friends of Lil's were funny and kept the story going when it hit lulls, but all in all I found it a little of a struggle to finish. The action scenes were well done and I wished she had done more with them instead of centering on the curse and the 'bond' between Ian and Lil. Ian was far from creepy and didn't have much sex appeal either.
If you're looking for a good scary, but sexy goth romance, this doesn't hit the mark. But it is a good read for the love story itself. It was well written. Tracy Talley
Rating:
Summary: So Much Promise,but not enough Gothic atmosphere to scare...
Review: It started out great with the curse of Haskell Hall and the deaths of the heiresses and the weird happenings while American Lil comes to grips with all she's inherited. It was weird and a little creepy, but soon fell short of the promise of pure Gothic darkness and deception when Lil falls for the keeper that everyone fears, Ian Griffith, our werewolf and cursed fellow of the hall.
Soon things aren't so creepy when they fall in love a mere fifty pages in and then we are left with their 'love' to stop the curse of the werewolf and the solving of the murders.
What I found hard to believe was when Lil saw him change right in front of her eyes and she wasn't at all turned off that her lover was a werewolf trying to kill her!
The quirky friends of Lil's were funny and kept the story going when it hit lulls, but all in all I found it a little of a struggle to finish. The action scenes were well done and I wished she had done more with them instead of centering on the curse and the 'bond' between Ian and Lil. Ian was far from creepy and didn't have much sex appeal either.
If you're looking for a good scary, but sexy goth romance, this doesn't hit the mark. But it is a good read for the love story itself. It was well written. Tracy Talley
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