I’m not supposed to be here.

Hollow Oak isn’t on any map. GPS dies at the gate. And the locals? Yeah. They stare as if I walked into a secret society wearing a press badge and a neon “snitch” sign.  But I’m not leaving.   Not until I get the story.

It starts with whispers: of disappearing hikers, a town frozen in time, and something that howls when the snow falls hardest.

Then I met him.  Alaric Thistlebrush — yes, that’s really his name — is the town’s resident enforcer, built like a war crime and staring at me like I’m his next assignment or his next meal.

Spoiler: it’s both.  I should run. Instead, I move in. And the deeper I dig, the more the town closes ranks… and the more Alaric closes in.  Apparently, I’m not just a threat. I’m his fated mate.

Turns out, when you chase monsters into the woods… one of them might chase you back, propose, and demand a human wedding.

Titles in the Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak series (connection to Hollow Oak Mates series) include:  Fetch Me a Mate ~ Panthering After You ~ License to Howl ~ Ain’t Lion, I Love You (12/11) ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  License to Howl
Series:  Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak #3
Author:  Kala Aster and Milly Taiden
Published:  November 4, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

License to Howl is the third title in the Shifter Mates of Hollow Oak, a spin-off from the Hollow Oak Mates series.  I love returning to a series that I completely enjoyed with another series that continues the adventures in a familiar location.  We’ll also see several well-known residents from the original series, and have a chance to get caught up a bit with their lives.

Elara is a journalist who is searching for that one story that will move her career up to the next level.  She believes she’s found it… or Hollow Oak found her, since the Veil opened and let this human through to the sanctuary that usually only those with paranormal abilities can see.  She’s been following a trail.  Missing hikers here.  A town that has an old-world feel over there.  It all leads here to this small, admittedly charming, town with secrets that its residents won’t hesitate to protect.  Elara came to Hollow Oak, meaning no harm beyond the search for truth… but what if the truth harms those who live in this sanctuary?  That is going to be a hard lesson for this stubborn, determined human to learn.

Alaric is an enforcer for the town of Hollow Oak.  He takes his job very seriously.  Alaric is a wounded soul, haunted by guilt over something that was not his fault, far beyond his control… but reality matters little when you’ve convinced yourself that it was all your fault.  Because of this mindset, he is very stringent in following orders to the letter.  Something that will affect his new relationship with Elara, a curious human, a possible threat… who just happens to be his mate.  When trouble comes for the town, and it will, how will Elara and Alaric handle the threat to the town, and to their relationship?

I enjoyed License to Howl so much.  It’s well-written, engaging, emotional, and passionate, with a very real threat to resolve.  I loved seeing so many familiar faces; they add just the right touch to Elara and Alaric’s story.  I adored Alaric; his hidden pain is palpable throughout the pages.  Watching him heal was an emotional journey.  I wish I could say I loved Elara… I liked her (for the most part), but her actions often passed a line (for me) that held me back from finding her perfect for Alaric.  Stubborn, determined… that’s one thing, but she went beyond in her search for the “truth” and ignored the constant warnings of the town’s residents about how her actions could affect them all.  I know it was necessary for the tensions of the story, yet it also held me back from loving her (but that’s on me, not the authors).  In all, their story is one any reader of Paranormal or Shifter Romances will enjoy.  If that’s your kind of entertainment, then you’d love this one.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you love this author’s work, be sure to visit our Kala Aster page or our Milly Taiden page for reviews of other series, or just to discover series you might have missed.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)