A Werewolf in Manhattan

This middling series starter introduces a paranormal romance novelist whose fiction turns out to be true. Aidan Wallace, heir to a pack of wealthy New York werewolves, worries that someone is leaking info to writer Emma Gavin, so he follows her on tour. Sparks quickly fly, and when Emma is stalked by a werewolf fan, Aidan shifts from pack spy to devoted protector and is predictably torn between his passion for Emma and his family obligations, including a long-arranged marriage. The central romance is stronger than the surrounding interpack politics and family drama, despite a ludicrous werewolf-specific "genetic condition" that provides unnecessary excuses for bedroom romps. Though weakened by an overly quick and easy resolution, Thompson (Over Hexed) provides a sufficiently clever setup and enough heated sex scenes to satisfy any werewolf romance fan. (Jan.)