Kingdoms of the Compass
romantic fantasy
Series · paranormal romance
Maple Hollow
The Maple Hollow series by Laurie Gilmore has 2 known books (1 published; 1 announced) and is best read in publication order, starting with Big Bad Wolf (2026). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Big Bad Wolf. The next announced book, Wild Wicked Mate, is due 20 October 2026.
- Books
- 2 known books (2 novels)
- Published
- 1
- Announced
- 1
- First published
- 2026
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Big Bad Wolf (2026) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series. Announced future books are marked below.
- Book 1:
Big Bad Wolf
Big Bad Wolf, arriving in September 2026, opens Laurie Gilmore's Maple Hollow at 384 pages -- a swerve from the sun-drenched Dream Harbor books into darker, fairy-tale-inflected paranormal romance -- retelling Little Red Riding Hood with teeth as Ruby Bellerose, half-hiding from town gossip at the edge of the woods, has a chance encounter with the brooding stranger Rafe.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Big Bad Wolf - Book 2:
Wild Wicked Mate
Wild Wicked Mate follows just six weeks later, in October 2026, at a shorter 368 pages, introducing a new central couple in the same town while the recurring cast builds across what's planned as a trilogy; no familiarity with Dream Harbor is required.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Wild Wicked Mate
About the Maple Hollow series
Maple Hollow is Laurie Gilmore's swerve away from the sun-drenched cozy contemporary romance of Dream Harbor into darker, fairy-tale-inflected paranormal territory. Book one, Big Bad Wolf, retells Little Red Riding Hood with teeth: Ruby Bellerose lives alone at the edge of the woods outside Maple Hollow, half-hiding from town gossip, until a chance encounter with Rafe -- a brooding stranger who lives deep in the forest and is clearly hiding something -- pulls her toward a danger, and an attraction, she didn't see coming. Book two, Wild Wicked Mate, turns to Phoebe and Theo, lifelong best friends who have spent years pretending the spark between them isn't there, until a road trip together strips away the distance they'd been using to keep each other safe.
The tone keeps Gilmore's found-family warmth and small-town texture but trades pumpkin spice for shadowed woods, curses, and werewolves -- angstier, hotter, and higher-stakes than Dream Harbor while still built around the same instinct for a couple who can't stay away from each other. Maple Hollow is billed as a trilogy; the third book has not yet been announced.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maple Hollow connected to Laurie Gilmore's Dream Harbor series?
No, it's a separate series with a different town and cast, though it shares Gilmore's found-family warmth. Maple Hollow is paranormal romance (werewolves, fairy-tale retellings) rather than Dream Harbor's cozy contemporary small-town romance.
How many books are in the Maple Hollow series?
Two are published or scheduled as of this curation (August 2026): Big Bad Wolf (September 2026) and Wild Wicked Mate (October 2026). It's billed as a trilogy; the third book has not yet been announced.
What is Big Bad Wolf about?
A Little Red Riding Hood retelling: Ruby Bellerose, who lives alone at the edge of the woods near Maple Hollow, is drawn to Rafe, a mysterious woodsman hiding a dangerous secret.
Is Big Bad Wolf a new book or a reissue?
Big Bad Wolf is a substantially rewritten and re-edited version of A Curse of Blood and Wolves, first published in 2024 under Melissa McTernan -- Laurie Gilmore's real name, which she also publishes romantasy under. Some character names and plot points carry over, but it was reworked for this release.
If you like the Maple Hollow series
Reading order last verified .