She only meant to dodge her ex…
Not kiss a grumpy, gorgeous wolf shifter under the mistletoe.

After losing her big-city job, Holly is home for the holidays at the family Christmas tree farm run by her retired military dad, juggling holiday customers, financial trouble, and a newly adopted hairless rescue dog. The last thing she needs is attraction—especially to Jace, the brooding wounded warrior wolf shifter recovering on the ranch.

Jace can fix the guesthouse furnace, but not the mess his life has become. He’s physically and emotionally wounded, unemployed, and barely keeping his wolf side under control. Getting close to Holly is the one thing he shouldn’t do… especially after their accidental, very public kiss.

But with Holly’s dangerous ex stalking her, and the ranch in deep trouble, Jace realizes he’ll fight anyone—and anything—to protect her. Even if it means facing up to his fears, or her terrifying bear-shifter dad.

Titles in the Christmas Ranch Shifters series include: Wounded Christmas Wolf ~

This story may include language, potential violence, and/or sexual content intended for an adult audience 18+.

Title:  Wounded Christmas Wolf
Series:  Christmas Ranch Shifters #1
Author:  Lauren Esker (a Zoe Chant author)
Published:  November 21, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Wounded Christmas Wolf begins the Christmas Ranch Shifters series as Holly returns home to her father’s Christmas tree farm/small resort after losing her job and her focus.  Some time at home with Dad, the animals, and the holiday season is just what she needs to rebuild her life in a different direction.  While volunteering at a local pet adoption event, Holly will not only find herself adopting the cutest little hairless dog ever (even though she promised her dad that she’d adopt no more animals unless they were helpful on the farm), meets the most handsome stranger she’s ever seen, and runs into an obnoxious ex with delusions of them still being/getting back together again (not gonna happen in a million years), all in one day!  Life is about to get complicated for Holly, in the best way possible, but she’ll have to get through some rough times before that prize can be hers.

Jace is a wounded soldier, a shifter who is having real problems controlling his shift.  He’s homeless at the moment, resigned to picking up small jobs and, hopefully, finding shelter at a small resort where he’s told he can recover, regroup, and build his life back… he’s not so sure about that, but desperate times mean desperate actions.  While working at a pet adoption event, he’ll see a lovely lady being harassed by a goon and can’t help but step in.  That one action is about to change his life… if he’s willing to take the risk of trusting someone again.

I enjoyed Wounded Christmas Wolf by Lauren Esker so much.  It’s a tender tale of two people who need to step outside of their comfort zones and trust in someone again.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, they are definitely a passionate couple, but they give off vibes of both being wounded and finding solid ground again with each other… gradually.  We have one vile, spoiled, rotten villain to contend with, an adorable hairless pup who is fearless (and doesn’t acknowledge size, at all), and one protective bear shifter dad (who has a heart of gold hidden beneath the gruff).  Together they’re about to save the Christmas tree farm, redefine family, and work their way to a happy ending for all (well, except for the jerk villain).  Their story is well-written, emotional, passionate, and a delightful beginning to the series.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available at Amazon