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Bloodrunners #6
Dark Wolf Returning
When werewolf Eli Drake is banished from his pack, he leaves a devastated and heartbroken Carla Reyes behind. Three torturous years later, she tracks him down to a hole-in-the-wall Texas bar--the pack is in trouble and war is on the horizon. Carla needs Eli's help, but wants nothing more to do with him--even though he's as ruthless, domineering and sexy as ever....
Eli hasn't forgotten Carla. And the partial bite he gave her their last night together has had him lying awake nights imagining her sumptuous curves and supple lips. But Carla wants their bond broken, no matter the cost. Now, as they join forces, dare Eli hope that he can claim a future he never dreamed possible?
Eli hasn't forgotten Carla. And the partial bite he gave her their last night together has had him lying awake nights imagining her sumptuous curves and supple lips. But Carla wants their bond broken, no matter the cost. Now, as they join forces, dare Eli hope that he can claim a future he never dreamed possible?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2014
39 people are currently reading
843 people want to read
About the author
Rhyannon Byrd
80 books1,309 followersRhyannon Byrd is the national bestselling author of more than forty contemporary and paranormal romance titles, including the romantic thrillers LONDON AFFAIR and NEW YORK SCANDAL, and her books have been translated into ten languages. After years of enjoying the California sunshine, Rhyannon now lives in the beautiful Malvern Hills in England with her family and their ever-growing collection of concert T-shirts and coffee mugs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 12, 2014
Originally posted
HERE
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Ugh! This author writes really well and has some great ideas, but she committed some grave crimes (as far as I’m concerned) and they’re going to stop me from recommending this book.
For me, paranormal romances generally work best when they have some solid ties to the human world. Fantasy books where there’s no human tie-in rarely hold my interest. So Dark Wolf Returning had this going for it, and I was excited to get going.
HOWEVER…
My #1 thing I hate in books is misogyny – doubly so when the author feels the needs to insult blondes in the process. And when we met the hero of this book, Eli, the author managed to do both. Immediately.
When we find him in a bar he has a woman on his lap, a woman he forgets about when the heroine (Carla) walks in. And this is how he talks about her when he remembers she’s there:
There was more of it than that, but you get the idea. This man is a misogynist. He thinks the woman he’s groping has no class, even though he is doing the same thing she is. He doesn’t bother to remember her name, and from thereon in, she is the blonde.
I immediately lost interest in this man as a romantic hero, but decided to press on, because I thought the writing was good.
HOWEVER…
The next thing that happens is he admires Carla, his ex, for a while (as does every other man in the bar), thinking about how she’s petite and gorgeous.
And then Carla walks up to him and punches him in the face.
Strike two: unwarranted violence to establish the petite heroine’s tough chick persona.
From there, from very early on, I just couldn’t respect these characters.
One of the main reasons I’ve not been reading much paranormal fiction recently is because most authors find the characterisation of women impossible. They’re either useless, “sluts”, or violent bitches. The only subgenre there’s more misogyny in is New Adult.
I wish this book, with its fascinating setup, had been written without these things, because I know I would have really enjoyed it.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
Ugh! This author writes really well and has some great ideas, but she committed some grave crimes (as far as I’m concerned) and they’re going to stop me from recommending this book.
For me, paranormal romances generally work best when they have some solid ties to the human world. Fantasy books where there’s no human tie-in rarely hold my interest. So Dark Wolf Returning had this going for it, and I was excited to get going.
HOWEVER…
My #1 thing I hate in books is misogyny – doubly so when the author feels the needs to insult blondes in the process. And when we met the hero of this book, Eli, the author managed to do both. Immediately.
When we find him in a bar he has a woman on his lap, a woman he forgets about when the heroine (Carla) walks in. And this is how he talks about her when he remembers she’s there:
Hmm… classy chick.
With a jerk of his chin, he signalled Kyle Maddox, his second-in-command and the guy who’d spotted Carla, to deal with the comatose blonde.
There was more of it than that, but you get the idea. This man is a misogynist. He thinks the woman he’s groping has no class, even though he is doing the same thing she is. He doesn’t bother to remember her name, and from thereon in, she is the blonde.
I immediately lost interest in this man as a romantic hero, but decided to press on, because I thought the writing was good.
HOWEVER…
The next thing that happens is he admires Carla, his ex, for a while (as does every other man in the bar), thinking about how she’s petite and gorgeous.
And then Carla walks up to him and punches him in the face.
Strike two: unwarranted violence to establish the petite heroine’s tough chick persona.
From there, from very early on, I just couldn’t respect these characters.
One of the main reasons I’ve not been reading much paranormal fiction recently is because most authors find the characterisation of women impossible. They’re either useless, “sluts”, or violent bitches. The only subgenre there’s more misogyny in is New Adult.
I wish this book, with its fascinating setup, had been written without these things, because I know I would have really enjoyed it.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
August 9, 2014
Final book in the Dark Wolf mini series and just as good as the second (I'm not sure I ever finished the first one). I absolutely ADORED Carla and how she can (and does) kick some serious backside when the situation calls for it. Eli ... ahh, poor Eli. He really loved his family, just had the typical male inability to communicate and made assumptions that he shouldn't have.
The two's incompletely formed bond made a different turn on the "soul mate" idea, and I enjoyed seeing whether or not they would actually finish it (well, of course they would, I knew that, but still...the author made you wonder just how it was gonna get pulled off). I totally believed in their relationship and the fact that they would stay together forever by the end. I also really liked Eli's growth into accepting Carla for all that she could offer, rather than continuing past the point of idiocy to "keep her safe".
I liked seeing the Silvercrest pack deal with the Whiteclaws and other prospective enemies, along with the ongoing issue of the super drug that gave some wolves the ability to shift even during the day.
Awesome book, glad to read it!
Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The two's incompletely formed bond made a different turn on the "soul mate" idea, and I enjoyed seeing whether or not they would actually finish it (well, of course they would, I knew that, but still...the author made you wonder just how it was gonna get pulled off). I totally believed in their relationship and the fact that they would stay together forever by the end. I also really liked Eli's growth into accepting Carla for all that she could offer, rather than continuing past the point of idiocy to "keep her safe".
I liked seeing the Silvercrest pack deal with the Whiteclaws and other prospective enemies, along with the ongoing issue of the super drug that gave some wolves the ability to shift even during the day.
Awesome book, glad to read it!
Book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2014
Originally Reviewed For: Tea and Book
If you haven't visited Harlequin lately and you enjoy a well written PNR story... you seriously need to check them out. Harlequin's Nocturne books are just what you would expect from Harlequin. Not too long but well written, enjoyable and since it's Nocturne, with just a little bite.
What seems a long time ago, while I will still only reading print.. I discovered this book by Rhyannon Byrd. It was an fun read but after I finished I put it aside. It has been a few years and low and behold that wonderful book has morphed into an excellent series, The Bloodrunners.
Bloodrunner Alley, the place where they stuck all the half breeds and allowed them to be the "marines" of the pack. You know first to die.. has now become the central area for the SilverPack. Since they managed to usurp the crazed purist leader things are better. But war is on hand. Because the other packs realize that they are in a weakened position. That is where Eli Drake comes in...
Carla Reyes was a half breed wolf raised in times when being part human was almost a crime and certainly cause for shame. So when the Pack's Alpha's Son suddenly shows an interest she understands that it has to be in secret.. Only as most young girls do, she wishes it wasn't so. When Eli, is banished for daring to kill one of the wolves that raped his sister, he leaves Carla as well. Only for them both to discover that their mating bond has been half formed. Six long years later and Carla is all grown up. No more understanding why she has to be kept a dirty little secret. Now all she wants from Eli is to bring him home to help protect the pack..
Eli Drake was banished for revenge.. or as some would call it justice. It almost broke him to leave Carla behind but he was sure, she would be better off with her Bloodrunners. When Carla shows up in a dive bar in South Texas, Eli realizes that 6 years or 6 hundred years nothing will change his feelings for Carla.. Only this time she doesn't want anything to do with him.
Yes, this book is about saving the pack.. but first and foremost it's a romance. Carla has to deal with her insecurities and realize that Eli wasn't ashamed of her, that there was way more going on than she was aware of.. And Eli.. he has to stop running. It's time to come home and man up.
Ms. Byrd excels at developing her characters, they have depth and intricate relationships that dance around the mating pair. One of the reasons why this series remained in my mind long after I thought it was only one book. A true joy..
I know another book will be here soon enough but it seems like a forever wait. Dark Wolf Returning can be read as a stand alone but when you do there are nuances that might be missed.
But whether you read it as a stand alone or in order, check it out.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Dark Wolf Returning,, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on August 1, 2014
If you haven't visited Harlequin lately and you enjoy a well written PNR story... you seriously need to check them out. Harlequin's Nocturne books are just what you would expect from Harlequin. Not too long but well written, enjoyable and since it's Nocturne, with just a little bite.
What seems a long time ago, while I will still only reading print.. I discovered this book by Rhyannon Byrd. It was an fun read but after I finished I put it aside. It has been a few years and low and behold that wonderful book has morphed into an excellent series, The Bloodrunners.
Bloodrunner Alley, the place where they stuck all the half breeds and allowed them to be the "marines" of the pack. You know first to die.. has now become the central area for the SilverPack. Since they managed to usurp the crazed purist leader things are better. But war is on hand. Because the other packs realize that they are in a weakened position. That is where Eli Drake comes in...
Carla Reyes was a half breed wolf raised in times when being part human was almost a crime and certainly cause for shame. So when the Pack's Alpha's Son suddenly shows an interest she understands that it has to be in secret.. Only as most young girls do, she wishes it wasn't so. When Eli, is banished for daring to kill one of the wolves that raped his sister, he leaves Carla as well. Only for them both to discover that their mating bond has been half formed. Six long years later and Carla is all grown up. No more understanding why she has to be kept a dirty little secret. Now all she wants from Eli is to bring him home to help protect the pack..
Eli Drake was banished for revenge.. or as some would call it justice. It almost broke him to leave Carla behind but he was sure, she would be better off with her Bloodrunners. When Carla shows up in a dive bar in South Texas, Eli realizes that 6 years or 6 hundred years nothing will change his feelings for Carla.. Only this time she doesn't want anything to do with him.
Yes, this book is about saving the pack.. but first and foremost it's a romance. Carla has to deal with her insecurities and realize that Eli wasn't ashamed of her, that there was way more going on than she was aware of.. And Eli.. he has to stop running. It's time to come home and man up.
Ms. Byrd excels at developing her characters, they have depth and intricate relationships that dance around the mating pair. One of the reasons why this series remained in my mind long after I thought it was only one book. A true joy..
I know another book will be here soon enough but it seems like a forever wait. Dark Wolf Returning can be read as a stand alone but when you do there are nuances that might be missed.
But whether you read it as a stand alone or in order, check it out.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Dark Wolf Returning,, provided by netgalley and is scheduled to be released on August 1, 2014
August 6, 2014
With war looming on the horizon, Carla Reyes must track down the mate who left her heartbroken in this mesmerizing Bloodrunner romance. Eli Drake was banished and he left Carla behind and now he must join forces with her to save his pack.
Tensions run high is this fast paced, smooth flowing plot that keeps readers captivated with suspense, drama, action and romance. The author brings the story to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination and the well orchestrated drama draws the reader deeper into the story while the action and suspense adds thrilling excitement. The characters are strong, compelling, easily related to and grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
The partial bonding between Carla and Eli burns up the pages and has sparks flying everywhere as Carla resists Eli’s ruthless domineering buy sexy ways to win her back. She was devastated when he left and will take a lot of work along with a lot of drama for Eli to have any hope of getting her back and the reader can’t help but get caught up in all the emotional turmoil that these two create for themselves. Although I was a tiny bit disappointed with the way these two acted and handled things, I can’t say that I didn’t understand or that I wouldn’t have been the same way, but I sure hope not (LOL).
Spine tingling tension builds throughout the book not only from Eli and Carla romance, but also from the threat of the evil pack that is determined to take over theirs. The pending battle adds lots of spice and excitement along with some skirmishes before the big battle, but spice is also added between other characters.
I have faithfully followed the Bloodrunners since the beginning and have watched them grow and change with each story and I must say that I fell in with this group of characters and while these two weren’t my favorites they still held me captive, so I can’t wait to read the next book to see what’s in store for them next.
- Eva
Tensions run high is this fast paced, smooth flowing plot that keeps readers captivated with suspense, drama, action and romance. The author brings the story to life with well written scenes and details that capture the imagination and the well orchestrated drama draws the reader deeper into the story while the action and suspense adds thrilling excitement. The characters are strong, compelling, easily related to and grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
The partial bonding between Carla and Eli burns up the pages and has sparks flying everywhere as Carla resists Eli’s ruthless domineering buy sexy ways to win her back. She was devastated when he left and will take a lot of work along with a lot of drama for Eli to have any hope of getting her back and the reader can’t help but get caught up in all the emotional turmoil that these two create for themselves. Although I was a tiny bit disappointed with the way these two acted and handled things, I can’t say that I didn’t understand or that I wouldn’t have been the same way, but I sure hope not (LOL).
Spine tingling tension builds throughout the book not only from Eli and Carla romance, but also from the threat of the evil pack that is determined to take over theirs. The pending battle adds lots of spice and excitement along with some skirmishes before the big battle, but spice is also added between other characters.
I have faithfully followed the Bloodrunners since the beginning and have watched them grow and change with each story and I must say that I fell in with this group of characters and while these two weren’t my favorites they still held me captive, so I can’t wait to read the next book to see what’s in store for them next.
- Eva
November 23, 2014
While there is another book (Blood Wolf Dawning) in this series, Dark Wolf Returning ties up the major story arc for the series. The bad guys need to get their comeuppance and they surely do.
Eli hasn't wanted to return to the Pack, but Carla hunts him down and convinces him it's the right thing to do. They have a history that includes a partial bite that gives them a partial bond. Just enough to make them both crazed for the other.
All of the characters from the previous books are front and center here. Makes it feel like old home week! I always like that in a series.
What I wasn't so fond of was the, um, how can I say this politely? The c*ckblocking here was astonishing. Carla and Eli are right on the cusp of having sex...about a dozen times. Something always came up, and it wasn't in a good way. With each successive time, I started counting instead of enjoying the UST. It went way beyond UST, that's for sure. At least it was for this reader.
I did like seeing most of the threads pulled tight, and happiness for most of the inhabitants of the Alley. Book 7 is coming out on January 1, 2015.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin, for the opportunity to read this book
Eli hasn't wanted to return to the Pack, but Carla hunts him down and convinces him it's the right thing to do. They have a history that includes a partial bite that gives them a partial bond. Just enough to make them both crazed for the other.
All of the characters from the previous books are front and center here. Makes it feel like old home week! I always like that in a series.
What I wasn't so fond of was the, um, how can I say this politely? The c*ckblocking here was astonishing. Carla and Eli are right on the cusp of having sex...about a dozen times. Something always came up, and it wasn't in a good way. With each successive time, I started counting instead of enjoying the UST. It went way beyond UST, that's for sure. At least it was for this reader.
I did like seeing most of the threads pulled tight, and happiness for most of the inhabitants of the Alley. Book 7 is coming out on January 1, 2015.
Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin, for the opportunity to read this book
July 30, 2014
I received Dark Wolf Returning in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I have to admit that even though I liked this book as much as the other ones that I’ve read so far in the Bloodrunners series, it took me a long time to really sympathize with Carla. After reading Dark Wolf Running, that’s not something that I expected… at all.
Eli is the brother of Eric (Dark Wolfe Rising) and Elise Drake (Dark Wolf Running). He was banished from the pack before fully mating with Carla. To protect her, he leaves her behind. Carla, and some of the other members of the pack don’t see it that way, which is what causes her to act the way that she does. I honestly get that. Carla was hurt and I don’t think that she should have immediately forgiven Eli, I just wish she would have done it way before she did. *sigh* (And yes, when one member of the pack laid into Carla for treating Eli the way that she had been I actually gave them a virtual ‘high five’)
Besides that little snag in this reunion between brother, sister and mate, I really liked Dark Wolf Returning. There was plenty of action, lots of heated romance and the storyline provided the perfect set up for the next installment. Blood Wolf Dawning features the mysterious Cian and the saucy little witch that he has been trying desperately to avoid and protect. I can’t wait to see what Rhyannon Byrd has in store for this explosive couple. In the mean time I might try to play catch up with the first few books in the Bloodrunners series that I inadvertently skipped. ;)
I have to admit that even though I liked this book as much as the other ones that I’ve read so far in the Bloodrunners series, it took me a long time to really sympathize with Carla. After reading Dark Wolf Running, that’s not something that I expected… at all.
Eli is the brother of Eric (Dark Wolfe Rising) and Elise Drake (Dark Wolf Running). He was banished from the pack before fully mating with Carla. To protect her, he leaves her behind. Carla, and some of the other members of the pack don’t see it that way, which is what causes her to act the way that she does. I honestly get that. Carla was hurt and I don’t think that she should have immediately forgiven Eli, I just wish she would have done it way before she did. *sigh* (And yes, when one member of the pack laid into Carla for treating Eli the way that she had been I actually gave them a virtual ‘high five’)
Besides that little snag in this reunion between brother, sister and mate, I really liked Dark Wolf Returning. There was plenty of action, lots of heated romance and the storyline provided the perfect set up for the next installment. Blood Wolf Dawning features the mysterious Cian and the saucy little witch that he has been trying desperately to avoid and protect. I can’t wait to see what Rhyannon Byrd has in store for this explosive couple. In the mean time I might try to play catch up with the first few books in the Bloodrunners series that I inadvertently skipped. ;)
November 18, 2015
An intense, emotional story about second chances.
This book was AMAZING! I loved how realistic this book was regarding Carla’s feelings and reaction to Eli after his betrayal of leaving her 3 years ago without a word. Yes, Eli left for valid reasons, but he broke Carla ‘s heart. Some books usually try to downplay this issue, having the heroine almost immediately falling back into bed with the hero, which is unrealistic in my opinion. When you love someone, and they betray your trust or break your heart, trusting them again is not an easy thing.
I loved Carla, she is so fierce and kickass, and I loved Eli who was a total Alpha. I loved how possessive he was over Carla, and how he understood that his actions hurt her. He had no problem with apologising and begging for her forgiveness. For me that is a perfect Alpha, someone who is totally badass, but doesn’t mind showing his feelings to the person he loves.
This book was the most emotional of the series so far, the romance was so very hot and… very romantic :-), and the suspense was great.
Rhyannon Byrd is an amazing author and this is one of my favourite PNR series’. I love how the romance is this series is not just about lust and sex, but about caring and love.
I can’t wait to read Cian and Sayre’s book, and I do hope this series will continue with Eli’s amazing and sexy merc friends, who were wonderful additions to this story.
This book was AMAZING! I loved how realistic this book was regarding Carla’s feelings and reaction to Eli after his betrayal of leaving her 3 years ago without a word. Yes, Eli left for valid reasons, but he broke Carla ‘s heart. Some books usually try to downplay this issue, having the heroine almost immediately falling back into bed with the hero, which is unrealistic in my opinion. When you love someone, and they betray your trust or break your heart, trusting them again is not an easy thing.
I loved Carla, she is so fierce and kickass, and I loved Eli who was a total Alpha. I loved how possessive he was over Carla, and how he understood that his actions hurt her. He had no problem with apologising and begging for her forgiveness. For me that is a perfect Alpha, someone who is totally badass, but doesn’t mind showing his feelings to the person he loves.
This book was the most emotional of the series so far, the romance was so very hot and… very romantic :-), and the suspense was great.
Rhyannon Byrd is an amazing author and this is one of my favourite PNR series’. I love how the romance is this series is not just about lust and sex, but about caring and love.
I can’t wait to read Cian and Sayre’s book, and I do hope this series will continue with Eli’s amazing and sexy merc friends, who were wonderful additions to this story.
June 26, 2015
I've clearly been missing out not having read the rest of the series as its clearly right up my street, despite this I caught up quickly and raced through Dark Wolf Returning it was that good!
What I really liked about Dark Wolf Returning was that it didn't have the usual paranormal romance instant love thing often seen in shifter books where mates have little or no saying in who they end up mated to. Instead the heroine Carla fights against the mating bond with hero Eli still desperately hurting from his abandoning her three years ago. With an upcoming war and an overprotective hero poor Carla has to fight hard to get Eli to listen to her and accept who she really is.
Overall I really enjoyed this paranormal romance and will definitely be checking out the rest of the series now.
What I really liked about Dark Wolf Returning was that it didn't have the usual paranormal romance instant love thing often seen in shifter books where mates have little or no saying in who they end up mated to. Instead the heroine Carla fights against the mating bond with hero Eli still desperately hurting from his abandoning her three years ago. With an upcoming war and an overprotective hero poor Carla has to fight hard to get Eli to listen to her and accept who she really is.
Overall I really enjoyed this paranormal romance and will definitely be checking out the rest of the series now.
October 1, 2014
Redeem
I read this when it first came out, as I have read all of her books, this is just as good as the rest. I thought it was hot, intense, with a lot of action.
Carla, as always had feelings for Eli, unfortunately he isn't around. He basically bailed on her. At least that is her thoughts, and how she feels, and nothing is going to change it. She is feisty and doesn't take crap from no one especially him. It doesn't matter he's gone.
Eli, one hot alpha that can never forget. He can never return, he is a lost wolf, in his own demise. Can he be forgiven, will he ever be able to get rid of his pain?
The characters were well developed, and there are a few new characters that are quirky, and have a quick wit.
No grammar errors, and a solid 5 stars
I read this when it first came out, as I have read all of her books, this is just as good as the rest. I thought it was hot, intense, with a lot of action.
Carla, as always had feelings for Eli, unfortunately he isn't around. He basically bailed on her. At least that is her thoughts, and how she feels, and nothing is going to change it. She is feisty and doesn't take crap from no one especially him. It doesn't matter he's gone.
Eli, one hot alpha that can never forget. He can never return, he is a lost wolf, in his own demise. Can he be forgiven, will he ever be able to get rid of his pain?
The characters were well developed, and there are a few new characters that are quirky, and have a quick wit.
No grammar errors, and a solid 5 stars
August 4, 2014
Rhiannon Byrd does it again and again and again
Rhiannon Byrd does it again and again and again
This was a great book I hope there is always a next one in the Bloodrunners series. I'd also like more about the mercenaries please. I can't wait for the next one I'm sad I have to wait till December
Rhiannon Byrd does it again and again and again
This was a great book I hope there is always a next one in the Bloodrunners series. I'd also like more about the mercenaries please. I can't wait for the next one I'm sad I have to wait till December
Read
January 25, 2021Dark Wolf Returning / Blood Wolf Dawning
this book pissed me off. the guy hurt the girl so much she's willing to risk death to get away from him. yet when he kisses her she magically forgets ALL of that. ridiculous and pathetic and insulting to women everywhere.
this book pissed me off. the guy hurt the girl so much she's willing to risk death to get away from him. yet when he kisses her she magically forgets ALL of that. ridiculous and pathetic and insulting to women everywhere.
August 17, 2014
I loved this series. I can't wait for the next one to come out in December.
September 22, 2014
Great addition to the series. Can't wait to read Cian and Sayre's story next.
August 2, 2014
He is the Wolf banished from his pack!
She is the Bloodrunner that will bring him home!!
Carla Reyes is a Bloodrunner born to a wolf shifter mother and a human father her kind has been looked down upon for centuries, but now like the changes in leadership so are the impressions of her and her fellow bloodrunners she fights beside.
Eli Drake was forced to endure a lot beneath the hand of his sadistic father and pack leader to protect not only himself but those he loved. Eli was banished from his pack after he performed an unsanctioned kill on one of the men who attacked his sister, Elise.
But his father is gone and now it's time for Carla to bring him home!!
With the attacks on their pack increasing Eric needs his brother Eli to come home and bring his team with him. Carla knows she is the one who can find Eli even if she can't tell the others how. Eli and his men were finishing up some work and then they were heading to his home after he had received some messages from his brother. They stopped at a bar to release some tension when the one person that tied him in knots walked through the door. Carla spots Eli and everything comes flooding back but she pushes it down as she only has to bring Eli home and then she will end what he started before he left. Eli and his team will need to work closely with his brother and the bloodrunner to defeat an enemy they can't sense coming, and that will include Carla. Can he convince her of the truth and can he accept hers because if they can't it could cost them everything.
Every now and then a series comes along that is so well written it starts pulling you in from the very first page and you find yourself invested in both the storyline and characters as if you were a part of their world. Bloodrunners by Rhyannon Byrd is that series for me.
She is the Bloodrunner that will bring him home!!
Carla Reyes is a Bloodrunner born to a wolf shifter mother and a human father her kind has been looked down upon for centuries, but now like the changes in leadership so are the impressions of her and her fellow bloodrunners she fights beside.
Eli Drake was forced to endure a lot beneath the hand of his sadistic father and pack leader to protect not only himself but those he loved. Eli was banished from his pack after he performed an unsanctioned kill on one of the men who attacked his sister, Elise.
But his father is gone and now it's time for Carla to bring him home!!
With the attacks on their pack increasing Eric needs his brother Eli to come home and bring his team with him. Carla knows she is the one who can find Eli even if she can't tell the others how. Eli and his men were finishing up some work and then they were heading to his home after he had received some messages from his brother. They stopped at a bar to release some tension when the one person that tied him in knots walked through the door. Carla spots Eli and everything comes flooding back but she pushes it down as she only has to bring Eli home and then she will end what he started before he left. Eli and his team will need to work closely with his brother and the bloodrunner to defeat an enemy they can't sense coming, and that will include Carla. Can he convince her of the truth and can he accept hers because if they can't it could cost them everything.
Every now and then a series comes along that is so well written it starts pulling you in from the very first page and you find yourself invested in both the storyline and characters as if you were a part of their world. Bloodrunners by Rhyannon Byrd is that series for me.
August 1, 2014
OMG I love Eli! I have been waiting anxiously for Eli and Carla's story, and I was not disappointed! Rhyannon Byrd is one of the best at writing sensual romances, and I give this one a 4 1/2 stars. Eli is so much like Eric, but still different in many ways. It was great how Carla tracked Eli down and brought him and his crew back home. Plus the reunion between the Drake siblings just made me laugh, and love them all the more. I was hoping for a little more romance and action. But the chemistry between Eli and Carla was amazing! I am so glad I finally got my copy to read. It was well worth the wait.
August 11, 2014
With war looming on the horizon, Carla Reyes must track down the mate who left her heartbroken in this mesmerizing Bloodrunner romance. I have faithfully followed the Bloodrunners since the beginning and have watched them grow and change with each story and I must say that I fell in with this group of characters and while these two weren’t my favorites they still held me captive, so I can’t wait to read the next book to see what’s in store for them next.
See my full review at:
http://paranormalhaven.com/2014/08/bo...
See my full review at:
http://paranormalhaven.com/2014/08/bo...
August 28, 2014
I loved this book. MY first intention was to read it slow and enjoy it ;however, I could not put it down once I started it. I loved both Eli and Carla. I loved how Eli was not giving up and how Carla was staying firm. I love how Eli recognised Carla's strength. Such a good story. I also loved how Rhyannon Byrd already has me hungry for the next book by tying Cain and Sayre in to the book in a few parts. This was a good read and I'm ready for the next one :)
October 31, 2014
Thanks netgalley for a free book in exchange for a review. I hadn't read any of the previous books but I think this one did pretty good as a stand alone. Eli and Carla had great chemistry both denying themselves a bonded relationship. I enjoyed the book and the characters, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. Overall entertainment was four stars.
October 26, 2014
Love these stories.
I've read all the Bloodrunner books and will keep reading them till stop coming out. Eli and Carla's story was a very good one. A little too much insecurity on Carla's part but finally got thru it. Can't wait for the next chapter in this saga.
I've read all the Bloodrunner books and will keep reading them till stop coming out. Eli and Carla's story was a very good one. A little too much insecurity on Carla's part but finally got thru it. Can't wait for the next chapter in this saga.
August 13, 2020
*I would recommend reading this series in order if you want to get the most out of this book. Whilst it is a stand alone story, there was a lot of history and background that I struggled with because I hadn't read previous books.*
The Good
* This is an easy and short read.......to be honest I am clutching at straws here.
The Not to Bad
* I found this book to be super repetitive. Most of the book went like this: Carla and Eli would have an argument about something, this argument would lead to a sexual encounter (mostly instigated by him whether she was interested or not, she would bolt upset that the encounter had happened. This happens over and over again. There wasn't much going on apart from that. The war stuff could have been interested if it was given any time. It was beyond a joke in the end.
* It was angst for angst sake.
* I just didn't really care about what happened.
* Carla was really annoying. I just didn't like her at all. She kept flip flopping from one frame of mind to another. She did nothing the whole book but sulk, get mad and be regretful.
The Ugly
* Eli is an absolutely awful person. He is a pushy, borderline alcoholic misogynist who uses sex as a weapon against the women he says he loves. He is manipulative, selfish and has serious anger management issues. He is supposed to be sexy and brooding but if this was real life then he would be a serious creep who most women would actively avoid. At one point he cups her crotch and says, "no more pushing me away from this," he said that after Carla had said she was not ready to have sex with him. The first time they had sex he was off his face drunk then he left her. The first day they are reunited he pushes her for sex only stopping when he notices she is crying. What a stand up guy! Every time she says no to him he losses his temper or he has a sulk like a petulant child being refused a cookie before dinner time. What makes this all worse is that when he goes on a drunken bender Eli's brother gets everyone to confront Carla about how she is being unfair to Eli. He puts his face in her face aggressively and tells her to go and fix it. Not one person calls out this behaviour, not one person speaks to Eli about the way he has been acting. When they finally get together he walks into a meeting like he owns the place (he doesn't) and says that women shouldn't be fighting. Fighting is literally Carla's job but he wants her to hang back and look after the others. Again, no one stands up in the meeting and challenges the opinion.
* I actively did not want them to end up being together which isn't great considering this was a romance.
The Good
* This is an easy and short read.......to be honest I am clutching at straws here.
The Not to Bad
* I found this book to be super repetitive. Most of the book went like this: Carla and Eli would have an argument about something, this argument would lead to a sexual encounter (mostly instigated by him whether she was interested or not, she would bolt upset that the encounter had happened. This happens over and over again. There wasn't much going on apart from that. The war stuff could have been interested if it was given any time. It was beyond a joke in the end.
* It was angst for angst sake.
* I just didn't really care about what happened.
* Carla was really annoying. I just didn't like her at all. She kept flip flopping from one frame of mind to another. She did nothing the whole book but sulk, get mad and be regretful.
The Ugly
* Eli is an absolutely awful person. He is a pushy, borderline alcoholic misogynist who uses sex as a weapon against the women he says he loves. He is manipulative, selfish and has serious anger management issues. He is supposed to be sexy and brooding but if this was real life then he would be a serious creep who most women would actively avoid. At one point he cups her crotch and says, "no more pushing me away from this," he said that after Carla had said she was not ready to have sex with him. The first time they had sex he was off his face drunk then he left her. The first day they are reunited he pushes her for sex only stopping when he notices she is crying. What a stand up guy! Every time she says no to him he losses his temper or he has a sulk like a petulant child being refused a cookie before dinner time. What makes this all worse is that when he goes on a drunken bender Eli's brother gets everyone to confront Carla about how she is being unfair to Eli. He puts his face in her face aggressively and tells her to go and fix it. Not one person calls out this behaviour, not one person speaks to Eli about the way he has been acting. When they finally get together he walks into a meeting like he owns the place (he doesn't) and says that women shouldn't be fighting. Fighting is literally Carla's job but he wants her to hang back and look after the others. Again, no one stands up in the meeting and challenges the opinion.
* I actively did not want them to end up being together which isn't great considering this was a romance.
March 29, 2020
I don't even know where to start.
I liked Eli.
I did NOT enjoy Carla. She kept making Eli pay for mistakes he made, which in all honesty were made out of concern for HER.
I really HATE it when authors force the couple to have drama and angst, and when a good plot device isn't happening just force it with ridiculous BS!
Example: Eli left because he was banished. Carla was hurt he didn't take her with him. Okay, that makes sense. But later she is all fearful because he might take off again leaving her behind, out of... boredom? What? She constantly calls Eli a liar and refuses to believe him, even when he has never lied to her before not even to protect her. And then, she finds out he's staying and gets mad? Huh? The whole relationship didn't make sense. At all.
The Whiteclaw plot was also SERIOUSLY anticlimactic. Like 6 books of building up that story for THIS?
Yeah. Though the sex scenes were great, writing was grammatically correct, and there was a plot and the world was great. I was entertained despite my disgust for obvious forced relationship drama. Hopefully, the next book is better!
I liked Eli.
I did NOT enjoy Carla. She kept making Eli pay for mistakes he made, which in all honesty were made out of concern for HER.
I really HATE it when authors force the couple to have drama and angst, and when a good plot device isn't happening just force it with ridiculous BS!
Example: Eli left because he was banished. Carla was hurt he didn't take her with him. Okay, that makes sense. But later she is all fearful because he might take off again leaving her behind, out of... boredom? What? She constantly calls Eli a liar and refuses to believe him, even when he has never lied to her before not even to protect her. And then, she finds out he's staying and gets mad? Huh? The whole relationship didn't make sense. At all.
The Whiteclaw plot was also SERIOUSLY anticlimactic. Like 6 books of building up that story for THIS?
Yeah. Though the sex scenes were great, writing was grammatically correct, and there was a plot and the world was great. I was entertained despite my disgust for obvious forced relationship drama. Hopefully, the next book is better!
May 12, 2023
3.5*. I loved this series back when first came out but stopped with the previous book. I think I’d have liked it better if I’d read it after the first ones.
I liked the MCs but I don’t have much patience for the back and forth fighting between them. It went on to the end. There was a lot of tell not show as well. And my last gripe is that we learn the mercenaries are “more” than plain werewolves but never explained what they are. May be in following books but I’m not sure I’ll ever find out.
I liked the MCs but I don’t have much patience for the back and forth fighting between them. It went on to the end. There was a lot of tell not show as well. And my last gripe is that we learn the mercenaries are “more” than plain werewolves but never explained what they are. May be in following books but I’m not sure I’ll ever find out.
June 10, 2017
I liked this book. It was a good shifter romance story. It was well written and very easy to read. Even though it was book 6 in the series, I found that it didn't matter that I hadn't read any of the previous books. I think this could be read as a standalone. However after finishing this book I now want to go back and read the previous stories as well as the ones that follow. I want to know more about this world and the characters.
February 8, 2019
The same stuff all over again
The series had a lot of promise but it's the same as all the other books in the series. There was a place where they went after a pack with bad leadership and drug selling but I said more in this review than was mentioned about their fight with the other pack. It was skimmed over with no action or drama and the rest of the book was the same..VERY DISAPPOINTED.
The series had a lot of promise but it's the same as all the other books in the series. There was a place where they went after a pack with bad leadership and drug selling but I said more in this review than was mentioned about their fight with the other pack. It was skimmed over with no action or drama and the rest of the book was the same..VERY DISAPPOINTED.
June 2, 2020
My Goodness I couldn't wait to be done
Carla was so stubborn to the end. Nothing but strong willfulness if that's a word. I Do believe in playing hard to get to an extent, this was l!aging impossible to get which made it Boring for me... This could had been a great book Loved Ali and his men.
Carla was so stubborn to the end. Nothing but strong willfulness if that's a word. I Do believe in playing hard to get to an extent, this was l!aging impossible to get which made it Boring for me... This could had been a great book Loved Ali and his men.
July 21, 2020
I hate this story,the woman was a bitch. She was trying to push the hero away until the middle pages. She was using the reason of the hero abandoned her and keep pushing him away. Eventhough she knew the real reason why he left her for her own good. Even me feel so sorry for the guy.
June 17, 2017
A great read!!!
July 18, 2018
*2.25
September 24, 2014
Fantastic PNR Series!
I received my copy of Dark Wolf Returning by Rhyannon Byrd through the Goodreads FirstReads program.
While this is book 6 of the Bloodrunners series, and the first of the series that I have read, at no time did I feel that I was out of the loop. Clearly some characters had already had page time and experienced their happily-ever-after, and some characters were being set up for future novels, but Rhyannon Byrd dealt with their back stories with such ease and fluidity that it never felt like the much dreaded "catch-up" chapter. Yes, I was baited to want to read their stories, but I didn't feel deprived of the information necessary to appreciate the current situation.
Ms Byrd's world building is superb, reminding me somewhat of Larissa Ione's Moonclan Vampire series. There is a long, embattled history between the White Claw and the Silvercrest Lycan communities, which provides the background security/danger element to the storyline. There are also politics at play within the Silvercrest Lycan, with divisions between Shifters and the Bloodrunners of the Alley. It is within this smaller microcosm that Eli and Carla find themselves.
The book opens with Carla Reyes, a Bloodrunner, a mixed breed, tracking down Eli Drake and his crew of powerful shifters in a dive bar. Carla and Eli have a past, a tortured past, but Carla had put that aside for the sake of the pack. She needs Eli to return to the community, to his brother and sister and his rightful place in the community in order to protect the Silvercrest from the threat of the White Claw. The bond that has partially formed between them is powerful, but problematic. Eli had been banned and exiled from his pack by his power-hungry, insane father, and opted not to take Carla with him, despite the fact that their mate-bond was partially formed. Living in an agonizing limbo in order to "protect" Carla, Eli joins a pack of mysterious, and oh-so intriguing mercenaries and tries his hardest to live a life away from his mate and his family. Carla, so terribly hurt by Eli's rejection and sure that it has everything to do with her being a mixed-breed, is willing to risk her life in a magically inspired rite to sever the bond between her and Eli, but first has to convince him to come back to the Silvercrest to protect the pack.
You can guess what happens next. Guy wants girl, girl puts him off. Guy comes to terms with his own feelings but holds back to protect girl. Sexy stuff happens. Guy knows what he wants. Girl tries to protect her feelings and future heartbreak by steeling her heart. More sexy stuff happens. Guy is damn sexy stubborn and finally convinces girl that he means business and is there for the long haul. HEA ensues ... but its not that textbook. The rapport and banter between Carla and Eli is fantastic and so realistic. Eli doesn't say all the right things. He is a guy, a real guy, who can't really put everything that he feels into the exact right words at the right time for the girl to realize that he really is sincere. Eli screws up, he sticks his foot in his mouth more times than not, but he is a man of action not so much of words. It is the fact that he is there, reliable, dependable, present that works to his advantage. I've got to admit that at times I wanted to club Eli over the head, especially when he declares that NO FEMALE should fight against the White Claw, just because he is afraid that Carla could get hurt, despite the fact that HER JOB IS TO FIGHT!! Yes, he loves her and wants her safe, but come on, she is a badass and knows her way around a battle! At times I wanted to club Carla too, because she was so certain that Eli was going to bolt again, that she couldn't enjoy what was in front of her. Perhaps there was one or two near-misses/dodge-and-runs too many, but the scenes felt real, not prosaic and overly wordy.
I have found my new PNR series addiction!
I received my copy of Dark Wolf Returning by Rhyannon Byrd through the Goodreads FirstReads program.
While this is book 6 of the Bloodrunners series, and the first of the series that I have read, at no time did I feel that I was out of the loop. Clearly some characters had already had page time and experienced their happily-ever-after, and some characters were being set up for future novels, but Rhyannon Byrd dealt with their back stories with such ease and fluidity that it never felt like the much dreaded "catch-up" chapter. Yes, I was baited to want to read their stories, but I didn't feel deprived of the information necessary to appreciate the current situation.
Ms Byrd's world building is superb, reminding me somewhat of Larissa Ione's Moonclan Vampire series. There is a long, embattled history between the White Claw and the Silvercrest Lycan communities, which provides the background security/danger element to the storyline. There are also politics at play within the Silvercrest Lycan, with divisions between Shifters and the Bloodrunners of the Alley. It is within this smaller microcosm that Eli and Carla find themselves.
The book opens with Carla Reyes, a Bloodrunner, a mixed breed, tracking down Eli Drake and his crew of powerful shifters in a dive bar. Carla and Eli have a past, a tortured past, but Carla had put that aside for the sake of the pack. She needs Eli to return to the community, to his brother and sister and his rightful place in the community in order to protect the Silvercrest from the threat of the White Claw. The bond that has partially formed between them is powerful, but problematic. Eli had been banned and exiled from his pack by his power-hungry, insane father, and opted not to take Carla with him, despite the fact that their mate-bond was partially formed. Living in an agonizing limbo in order to "protect" Carla, Eli joins a pack of mysterious, and oh-so intriguing mercenaries and tries his hardest to live a life away from his mate and his family. Carla, so terribly hurt by Eli's rejection and sure that it has everything to do with her being a mixed-breed, is willing to risk her life in a magically inspired rite to sever the bond between her and Eli, but first has to convince him to come back to the Silvercrest to protect the pack.
You can guess what happens next. Guy wants girl, girl puts him off. Guy comes to terms with his own feelings but holds back to protect girl. Sexy stuff happens. Guy knows what he wants. Girl tries to protect her feelings and future heartbreak by steeling her heart. More sexy stuff happens. Guy is damn sexy stubborn and finally convinces girl that he means business and is there for the long haul. HEA ensues ... but its not that textbook. The rapport and banter between Carla and Eli is fantastic and so realistic. Eli doesn't say all the right things. He is a guy, a real guy, who can't really put everything that he feels into the exact right words at the right time for the girl to realize that he really is sincere. Eli screws up, he sticks his foot in his mouth more times than not, but he is a man of action not so much of words. It is the fact that he is there, reliable, dependable, present that works to his advantage. I've got to admit that at times I wanted to club Eli over the head, especially when he declares that NO FEMALE should fight against the White Claw, just because he is afraid that Carla could get hurt, despite the fact that HER JOB IS TO FIGHT!! Yes, he loves her and wants her safe, but come on, she is a badass and knows her way around a battle! At times I wanted to club Carla too, because she was so certain that Eli was going to bolt again, that she couldn't enjoy what was in front of her. Perhaps there was one or two near-misses/dodge-and-runs too many, but the scenes felt real, not prosaic and overly wordy.
I have found my new PNR series addiction!
June 17, 2016
Title: Dark Wolf Returning - Bloodrunners 6
Author: Rhyannon Byrd
Published: 8-1-2014
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Pages: 301
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sub Genre: Shifters; Werewolves, Suspense
ISBN: 9781460337172
ASIN: B00IWU49WK
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4 Stars
.
It has been three years since Eli Drake was banished by his pack, The Silvercrest Lycan Pack, for what is referred to as an unsanctioned revenge killing. To me it was deserved, he killed the man that raped his sister Elise. Now the Alpha, his father is dead and the his brother needs Eli and team of mercenaries to return to help defend the pack from the oncoming threat of Sabastian Claymore and the Whiteclaw Pack. When he doesn't give him an answer Carla Reyes the woman he left behind without explanation after beginning the mating ritual half done, knows she can track him down and get him to comeback. Arriving at a rundown Texas Bar she rips him a new one and giving him a punch in the face she convinces him to help the pack. She also lets him know she wants nothing else from him and plans to free herself from the bonding process they began three years before. Eli doesn't know if he can give up Carla, but she still refuses to believe him when he tells he had no choice if he was to keep those he loved safe, but to leave quietly and immediately. Can he finally convince Carla? Is it time to standup and fightnot only the pack's enemies, but also for the woman he was destined to have as his mate?
This is the last of the story of the Drake sibling books and ties up the loose ends and gives the reader to catch up with all the characters from previous books. You can enjoy the story of Carla and Eli resolving their issues, but to truly understand all the interactions and previous events mentioned fully I recommend reading the series in order. Carla is difficult to like as she refuses to even consider that Eli is telling the truth and that she is wrong to condemn him for his actions. I liked Eli and kept thinking he could do so much better. This book reads more like a wrap up rather than an independent story and for that reason I rated Dark Wolf Returns at 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IWU49WK/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Author: Rhyannon Byrd
Published: 8-1-2014
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Pages: 301
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sub Genre: Shifters; Werewolves, Suspense
ISBN: 9781460337172
ASIN: B00IWU49WK
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4 Stars
.
It has been three years since Eli Drake was banished by his pack, The Silvercrest Lycan Pack, for what is referred to as an unsanctioned revenge killing. To me it was deserved, he killed the man that raped his sister Elise. Now the Alpha, his father is dead and the his brother needs Eli and team of mercenaries to return to help defend the pack from the oncoming threat of Sabastian Claymore and the Whiteclaw Pack. When he doesn't give him an answer Carla Reyes the woman he left behind without explanation after beginning the mating ritual half done, knows she can track him down and get him to comeback. Arriving at a rundown Texas Bar she rips him a new one and giving him a punch in the face she convinces him to help the pack. She also lets him know she wants nothing else from him and plans to free herself from the bonding process they began three years before. Eli doesn't know if he can give up Carla, but she still refuses to believe him when he tells he had no choice if he was to keep those he loved safe, but to leave quietly and immediately. Can he finally convince Carla? Is it time to standup and fightnot only the pack's enemies, but also for the woman he was destined to have as his mate?
This is the last of the story of the Drake sibling books and ties up the loose ends and gives the reader to catch up with all the characters from previous books. You can enjoy the story of Carla and Eli resolving their issues, but to truly understand all the interactions and previous events mentioned fully I recommend reading the series in order. Carla is difficult to like as she refuses to even consider that Eli is telling the truth and that she is wrong to condemn him for his actions. I liked Eli and kept thinking he could do so much better. This book reads more like a wrap up rather than an independent story and for that reason I rated Dark Wolf Returns at 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IWU49WK/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
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