The Night Prince by. Lauren Palphreyman | Book Review – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Night Prince (Wolf King, #2)

Author: Lauren Palphreyman

Format: borrowed (KU)

Pages: 499

Publication Date: 4/1/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Politics, Werewolves, Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers

Aurora is caught between powerful alphas as they fight for the Wolf Throne. But darker forces are rising. . .

The highly anticipated sequel to The Wolf King. Pre-order now!

Aurora may have survived the Wolf King. But his bite marks her skin, and in accordance with Wolf Law, that makes her his property. Now, he wants her back.

To beat him and take his throne, Aurora and Callum must form a dangerous alliance with one of the most feared Wolves in the Kingdom, Blake. He is their enemy, but he has entangled his life with Aurora’s—meaning she cannot harm him without forfeiting her own life.

As she fights to break their connection, she suspects Blake is keeping secrets about a dark power that rises in the north, and the unsettling nature of the bond between them. It seems there is a bigger game at play than who sits on the Wolf Throne—one that threatens both the Kingdom of Wolves, and the Kingdom of Men.

With her wolf awakening, enemies closing in, relationships tested, and secrets revealed—Aurora may be the only one who can stop an ancient evil from rising.

If she can figure out who to trust.

If she can figure out where she, and her heart, belong.

If she can stay alive.

Content Warning: violence, mentions of torture, death, whipping

+ I read this book right after book one because of that ending! This take off right after the events of book one.

+ Aurora is still caught in the middle of everything but one relationship gets even more muddled. The one with Blake. Blake is sarcastic, total red flags, he’s not morally grey – he’s morally black, he is manipulative. But he’s the only one who tells her anything, he’s the one who wants her to push and fight back. I’m obsessed!

+ Book one was a enemies to lovers with Callum because he is the “enemy” as in the werewolf, but he’s a really good guy and I can see why Aurora adores him. There was no fighting between them. But the true enemies to lovers (the kind filled with hate) is between Aurora and Blake. Their bond is made closer and they both eventually see the dark side of one another and that’s why I love seeing their relationship grow. He’s fighting it and she’s disgusted by it…but it is inevitable and I hope they are end game. I don’t really want this to be polyamory because I feel like Callum deserves a Queen by his side, but I don’t think it is Aurora.

+ I did figure out one of the big reveals, sort of early in this book but it’s okay because I still think the moment when it happens is epic. I’ve been waiting for Aurora’s character to grow and she pushes back much more in this book, but she also retreats inside herself many times – she is growing though. But the other reveal in the story was a shocker to me.

+ So many things happen at the end of this book, that I was hoping book three would be coming out SOON but I have to wait until 2026. Also, I love all the new people we meet like Lochlan, Jack – I wonder if there will be spinoffs for any of these characters?

~ The love triangle feelings are heightened and complicated in this one and there is a lot for Aurora to work out. Callum has been protecting her so well and that is his nature, but Aurora needs to grow so there is a lot of turmoil between them as she tries to find her place in this new world of werewolves.

~ My biggest issue with this book? I wanted more Aurora and Blake! There is a lot of Aurora and Callum but I wanted more of Blake. Yes, he is manipulative but in this book we learn more about what happened to him in the past. And I liked getting to know him in his lands. There is also a lot of dreaming parts I think to make up for the fact that Aurora and Blake don’t get to spend much real time together since she is still with Callum. But their bond grows through these dreams…I just wish they didn’t have to dream so much and they can be together more outside of it.

Final Thoughts:

I’m addicted to this series, and I’m not ashamed to say I think it’s because of Blake. I should want Aurora to be with good, protective, kind Callum – but of course instead I want her to end up with the really messed up, hot, sinister, manipulative wolf.😅 There is just something about this series: werewolves, kilts, and Scottish accents (and no I haven’t listened to the audiobook but since they are wearing kilts, these guys have Scottish accents in my head lol). It’s fun! I might just have to re-read this book a few times until book three gets released!