The Night Prince is the sequel to The Wolf King book series by Lauren Palphreyman, which is planned as a trilogy.
Why I Picked The Night Prince
I enjoyed the first book, so I decided to go for book two. And to be fair, in The Wolf King I liked Callum but I was genuinely curious about Blake. After book two? I’m definitely pro Blake. Let’s talk about it.
The Basics
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.
No spoilers beyond the blurb. If you haven’t read it, scroll away.
What Worked
The world-building expanded in a way that actually felt earned. More characters, more complex pack dynamics, more political tension layered under the romance. The plot twists had me genuinely gasping at times—except for the Heart of the Moon thing, which was predictable. I’ve read too much fantasy over the years to see a big twist like that coming a mile away. But I’m not gonna complain much, because the reveal scene itself was perfect. The delivery landed.
And then there’s Aurora—or Rory, as I’ve taken to calling her in my head. She’s a genuinely likable FMC. Fierce, independent, the type who doesn’t stop fighting even when the odds are stacked. What I love is that she balances that steel with actual love and kindness toward the people around her. She doesn’t burn everyone down to level herself up. I can’t wait to see her grow more, because there’s so much room for potential.
Callum, oh. Sweet, protective, golden-retriever alpha. He’s flawed, and there’s an appeal about him that makes you want to root for him. I don’t hate him. But he’s not Blake.
BLAKEEEEEEEEEEE. I cannot explain to you how much I adore and love this man. Like, whenever he’s in a scene, I’m on my knees. I just need more and more and more of him. He makes it to the morally grey book boyfriend list easily. The man’s got me in a chokehold and I don’t want out.
The romance has so many ups and downs. The love triangle had me stressed. The slow burn and tension-building had me yearning and breaking my heart at the same time. I am manifesting earth-shattering Blake spice for the next book. I’m calling it now.
The ending had me shook, ngl. So much was happening. I think I’m beginning to form an idea on how book three is going to unfold, and I’m going to be here for it. The wait is just going to be painful.
What Didn’t
Now. Callum. Respectfully, this man pissed me off.
Still hot though. Unfortunately.
But if I had to hear “it’s a wolf thing” one more time—
This man kept talking about how he was “restraining himself” with Aurora, how she hasn’t even seen his full intensity yet, and I was sitting there like:
THEN SHOW US???
It’s a frustrating trope to lean on when the character is otherwise so compelling, and it siphoned tension out of scenes that could have hit harder. He had the potential to be the dangerous, untamable alpha, but the “restraint” narration kept undercutting it. Show, don’t tell, man.
Final Thoughts
Look—Callum was slightly getting on my nerves, for sure. And Blake landed firmly on my lovable list. I’m so much so that I’ve already started creating an OC based on him, just so I can get a little of that energy on the page until book three drops.
If you read The Wolf King and wanted more pack politics, more morally grey tension, and a love triangle that actually hurts, this delivers. It’s a strong second entry that expands the world without losing momentum, and it ends on a hook that makes the wait for book three a genuine test of willpower.
I’m reading book three. I know I am.