A Little Taste of Red by Beth Wylde
Phaze Publishing
Contemporary, Paranormal (shape-shifter)
Short Story, M/F
Review by Hibisicus

When Tinsel Redleigh Sawyers, affectionately nicknamed Red, finds out her grandmother is seriously ill she immediately drops everything and rushes to the hospital. En route her best friend calls from college in the midst of a major social crisis. Katie is having boy trouble again and she's frantic over being left dateless so close to her sorority's yearly charity event. Tinsel promises to come to her aid once she makes sure her grandmother is going to be okay. She never makes it to either destination though because an unexpected car accident leaves her badly injured. With no hope of rescue in sight Tinsel is convinced she's going to die until a handsome stranger comes along to save her.

Lance Waverly is out on a hunting expedition with his young nephew when he detects the smell of smoke and blood in the air. What he finds is totally unexpected. A young woman has been thrown from her vehicle and is seriously hurt. She's human but Lance's body doesn't care about that. Her scent is intoxicating and one sniff stirs Lance's most animalistic senses to life. She's elated over his rescue but Lance knows immediately that they are headed for dangerous territory. He's not only a werewolf, but a young, unmated one in his prime and on the lookout for a woman to call his own. He's afraid he may have just found his missing mate in Tinsel. Sparks fly between Lance and Tinsel but the romance is short lived when a crazy hunter tracks Lance and his brother down and tries to kill the entire family. Lance must protect them all but there is only one way to save Tinsel. He must change her into a werewolf. By Den law he has to get her permission before biting her. Will Tinsel accept his offer or run to the hunter for protection?

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I enjoy fairy tales. Especially fractured fairy tales. A Little Taste of Red is a take off of Little Red Riding Hood. She is a lonely young girl who was raised by her grandmother in the country by the woods. Her character is very believable. Tinsel wants to stand on her own two feet and does not want to accept any kind of charity from her best friend Katie. I saw how Tinsel lived and felt how sexually frustrated she was in the vivid descriptions Ms. Wilde provided. Tinsel is a very likable girl who I just wanted to take under my wing and help out in any way that I was able to.

Lance is the werewolf who finds Tinsel after she crashes her car on the way to visit her grandmother. I enjoyed his character a lot. I could feel how aroused he was from the minute he found Tinsel and knew she was meant for him. The scene in the bedroom was hilarious after Tinsel had a sip of Green Dragon. I loved how Lance fought against his own inner beast. Then how he was surprised when he spoke to Tinsel about helping he heal her leg. It was very enjoyable dialog between the main characters.

All of the werewolves played parts in the story and kept it moving on pace. Some were vital to the ending of the book. I loved the creative twist on the fairy tale toward the end. For a wickedly hot fractured fairy tale, this is a definite read.