Author: Allegra Hall

Series: Wolves of the Lost Moon

First Published: 28 July 2024

“We hold hands across the small table, in a bubble of absolute bliss.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank so much Allegra for sending a copy my way!

Amaia Harding isn’t looking for love at her daughter’s wedding, but that’s exactly what finds her in the form of a sexy wolf shifter. Brett is wonderful — he’s tall and handsome, kind and thoughtful, and when they’re together everything clicks.

However, fitting this new love into her current life isn’t so easy. As Amaia tries to balance it all one thing is Brett is the breath of fresh air she never realised she needed.

Oh my god, this is a stella novella! The way we get so much relationship development in under 150 pages is incredible. I am still surprised at how much depth we see in these characters in this novella. Honestly, it is a masterclass on how to write a fully developed romance in a short form.

A Breath of Fresh Air occurs towards the end of A Wolf in the Garden and starts at Ellie’s wedding. We follow Ellie’s mother, Amia, and her romance with Brett, an Australian wolf shifter. They almost have a steamy hook-up at the wedding until Brett is called away to look after his drunk nephew. The pair meet again the next time Amaia is back in Matuwai Isaland, and so starts their swoony romance. One which I am wholly obsessed with.

This is one of the most romantic books I have ever read. You can feel that these two are meant to be together. The story is split up into months. I adore that in some sections when they can’t get their schedules to line up, we just get messages of them planning when they will see each other again. I also love that both Brett and Amaia are in their late 40s, or early 50s, as this is an age group we don’t get a lot of in romance novels. I loved this representation. Brett is really all in and loves the space he gives Amaia as she processes her feelings. I love that Amaia needs to put together a grand gesture to prove that she is all in. It’s a nice change of dynamic. The spice in here is fantastic. We have all the fun knotty things which I loved. I was cackling when Ellie linked Amaia with several articles about knots and was like we are never talking about this. It was so funny.

Amaia seems to be in a sort of rut. Her life revolves around Ellie and her ageing father. She has put herself on hold as she focused on raising her daughter and caring for her father. She has been struggling a little with the changing world since the unveiling. I love that through her relationship with Brett, she’s focused on her and her needs, even if she’s hesitant at times to make the changes. I adored watching her come out of her shell and chase her own happiness.

Brett gives the biggest golden retriever vibes, and I am here for it. Family is important to him. He left his home country to ensure he was there for his daughter. I am not the biggest fan of kids in books, but the whole single-dad thing works for Brett. Put simply, he is a sweet and good guy who deserves all the good things life can offer.

I am endlessly fascinated with this world and cannot wait to read more from Allega Hall. We get a deeper dive into the shifter dynamics. Brett’s pack is back in Australia, but he has moved to be closer to his daughter. It was interesting to see how he interacted with Xander and his pack. The way the fear of “the other” shows felt authentic and, honestly, I can imagine this happening tomorrow. Like with A Wolf in the Garden, I adore the addition of the Māori culture and language. It’s beautiful. I adore learning more about the Māori people.

I adored being back in this world. I have my fingers and toes crossed that we get to see more of Brett and Amaia in the coming books in this world since they have stolen my heart. It gave me all the cozy feelings of snuggling under a blanket. I am fully obsessed with this paranormal world Allegra has created and cannot wait for more. If you have read A Wolf in the Garden and need more of this world, A Breath of Fresh Air isn’t one to miss.