Run Rabbit Run

Blood and Burrows Dark Romance Duet #1

by Annie Wild

THIS PLACE SWALLOWED MY SINS ONCE BEFORE, BUT THIS TIME, IT WON’T LET ME GO.

Okay, I did it. I killed him.

Well, I thought I did. I watched his body sink beneath the surface, my hands stained with his blood, my heart pounding with terror. And then I ran.

BUT THE PAST ALWAYS HAS A WAY OF PULLING YOU BACK.

Now, events have forced me home. I’m trapped in the place where it all began—where the waters are murky and deep, where the whispers of my mistakes slip through the trees. And it doesn’t take me long to realize I’m not alone. Someone else is here, too.

AND THEY’RE HUNTING ME.

To make it all worse, whoever it is knows things that should’ve been lost to the bottom of the lake, and suddenly, I’m not sure if my mind is slipping or if my first love, and worst sin, has returned to torture me from his watery grave. But as my sanity begins to unravel, I start to wonder…

WHAT IF HIS SHATTERED SOUL IS OUT TO HAUNT ME? WHAT IF HE’S COMING BACK FOR REVENGE?

Or worse...

WHAT IF IT'S NOT HIM AT ALL?

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2026

Reviews

[Caylie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

eARC provided by BookSprout & Annie Wild, THANK YOU!!!

This is a dark stalker romance that fully leans into the obsession and twists, and I was HOOKED!

It’s intense without feeling try-hard. The tension builds steadily, the mystery keeps unfolding, and the emotional heaviness ✨🤌🏻 Trauma, obsession, power, secrets… it all works together instead of just being there for shock value.

The characters are messy and complicated in a way that makes you want to keep watching them unravel. I never felt bored, and the twists kept me locked in.

And the ending.

That fucking ending.

Oh my god. I did not see it coming.
It gives you just enough to think you’re steady and then completely knocks you sideways! I need book two like YESTERDAY!!!

If you like your romance dark, obsessive, and emotionally charged with real intrigue behind it, this one delivers.

[Didi Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Run Rabbit Run is dark, messy, and emotionally suffocating in the best way. Rue is drowning in guilt and trauma, Noah is angry, escaped, and completely feral, and together they are one giant terrible decision I couldn’t stop rooting for.

The dual POV added so much tension and emotional chaos, and every chapter felt like waiting for a bomb to go off. Secrets, regret, obsession, consequences — this book hurts in all the right ways.

And that cliffhanger?? Actually disrespectful. I need the next book immediately.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read anything by Wild and I really feel like I've been missing out. I am an absolute sucker for a good stalker romance so this ticked off that box perfectly!

This story was written so well and I quickly found myself drawn into the madness. The ending left me in absolute shambles and I need to know what happens next.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

He took the fall for her sin. Now he’s back.

Rue buries her worst mistake at the bottom of a lake and runs. Ten years later, she’s forced back to the small town she swears she’ll never return to, into a house heavy with guilt and a past that never stopped breathing. She tells herself she survived that night. She tells herself it’s over. But someone is watching her from the trees, and they know exactly what she did.

Noah loses everything the night he chooses to protect the girl he loves. A future. A name. A life that could’ve been his. Now he’s back, hardened and volatile, carrying devotion twisted by anger and unfinished desire. He wants answers. He wants truth. He wants her. And the closer he gets, the harder it is to tell where revenge ends and love begins.

As sirens close in and suspicion tightens around the lake, Rue is forced to confront the past she tried to outrun. Fear turns into something far more dangerous when old feelings resurface and loyalty begins to outweigh survival. Their reunion becomes a collision of obsession and high risk devotion that threatens to ruin them both.

Rue starts guarded and emotionally detached, convinced distance is the only way to survive, but she becomes willing to risk everything for the man she once let suffer in her place. Noah shifts from resentful and fixated to protective, forced to face that beneath the rage, he still loves her. Together, they move from childhood refuge to betrayal to a volatile second chance where desire and destruction blur into one reckless bond.

A dark, steamy small town romantic suspense about a woman who runs from her sin and the man who takes the fall, bound by guilt and morally gray choices that refuse to stay buried. It’s about trauma bonded love twisted by silence and sacrifice, and whether devotion saves you or consumes you. Ends on a cliffhanger.

The Elevator Pitch: A woman returns to the lake where she buried her worst mistake, only to discover the boy who sacrificed everything for her is no longer willing to stay silent. As old desire collides with obsession and suspicion tightens around them, their reunion becomes a dangerous dance between guilt and longing. In a town that never forgets, love demands a reckoning neither of them can outrun. Ends on a cliffhanger.

Heat Level: 🔥 Steamy

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay but LISTEN. If you like your romance dark, morally questionable, and dipped in guilt with a side of “oh no, this is messy,” then Run Rabbit Run understood the assignment.

Rue Iverson comes back to her hometown carrying more emotional baggage than an airport carousel. She’s haunted, she’s spiraling, she’s trying to outrun a past that absolutely refuses to be outrun. And honestly? The girl is STRESSED. The tragedy that shattered everything still lingers like smoke, and every page feels like you’re holding your breath waiting for something to explode.

And then there’s Noah. Wrongfully imprisoned. Angry. Intense. Escaped.
Yes. ESCAPED.

The dual POV between Rue and Noah? Chef’s kiss. It adds layers of tension, regret, and unresolved feelings that make you want to yell at both of them while simultaneously rooting for them. Their connection is messy, complicated, and sitting squarely in that morally gray “this is probably a bad idea but I’m invested” zone.

The suspense? Deliciously stressful.
Law enforcement closing in.
Secrets clawing their way to the surface.
Past mistakes refusing to stay buried.

Every chapter tightens the rope just a little more.

The themes of guilt and redemption hit hard. This isn’t a fluffy love story it’s about consequences. It’s about the weight of choices. It’s about how far you’d go for love… and whether love is enough to survive the damage done.

Annie Wild’s writing pulls you straight into the emotional chaos. The atmosphere is heavy, intense, and intimate. And that cliffhanger?? RUDE. Disrespectful. I need answers immediately.

[Cocolici · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was dark, messy, and emotionally chaotic in the way only a dark romance can be. From the first few chapters, you can feel that something isn’t right, the tension isn’t just romantic, it’s layered with obsession, history, and unresolved wounds.

The connection between the main characters is intense and complicated. Their past bleeds into the present, and while it’s not soft or simple, it’s raw.

There’s hurt, there’s desire, there’s that push-pull energy that makes you slightly uncomfortable but also unable to look away. That emotional volatility is what carried the story for me.

The spice definitely brings the heat, but it’s the darkness underneath it all that gives this book its edge.

It’s not a fluffy love story. It’s flawed people colliding, making questionable choices, and trying to figure out what love looks like when it’s tangled up with pain.

[ChokeholdByFiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm… the miscommunication trope really said “let’s create drama at all costs” 🤣😅
But honestly? I get it. We needed the chaos.
It wasn’t a bad read though. It was quick, short, entertaining, and had a nice mix of action and spice to keep things moving.
And not gonna lie… I am curious enough to keep reading and see where things go next, even if it feels pretty obvious what direction the story is heading in 👀

[Shu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My God Annie how could you do this to me!!!!

Holy crap this book. Noah, my sweet innocent summer child, you hold a dear special place in my heart and please dear God, Annie, I need the next one like yesterday.

The writing? Superb. The Characters? Oh so twisty and lovely. The arc? Dear lord, intrigue. Someone get me a blanket because I need to recover from this with a warm blanket and hot cocoa.

Annie Wild

[Cassandra Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fever dream of guilt, paranoia, and second chances twisted into something dark and breathless.

From the opening confession—*“Okay, I did it. I killed him.”*—you’re thrown straight into a psychological spiral that never loosens its grip. The heroine is unreliable in the most compelling way. She believes she committed an unforgivable act, watched a body sink beneath the lake, and ran. That certainty drives the entire story. But as events pull her back home, the question becomes less about what she did… and more about what truly happened.

The setting is suffocating in the best way. The lake isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a looming presence. Murky water, whispering trees, heavy air thick with memory. Every return to the shoreline feels like stepping onto a crime scene that never fully settled. The atmosphere drips with dread and nostalgia, blurring the line between supernatural haunting and psychological collapse.

What makes the story addictive is the uncertainty. Is someone stalking her? Is her first love somehow alive? Is guilt manifesting into something monstrous? The narrative constantly shifts the ground beneath your feet. Just when you think you’ve found stable footing, another revelation drags you under.

The exploration of first love as both intoxicating and destructive is especially powerful. The man she believes she killed isn’t just a victim—he was her past, her passion, her worst mistake. That emotional weight amplifies the suspense. If he is back, revenge would be justified. If he isn’t, then someone else knowing her darkest secret is somehow even more terrifying.

The mental unraveling is written with intensity. You feel her sanity thinning, her memories warping, her fear tightening like a noose. It’s not just about survival—it’s about truth. And truth here feels slippery, distorted by trauma and regret.

Perfect for readers who love:

* Small-town secrets with a gothic edge
* Unreliable narrators
* Psychological thrillers with romantic undercurrents
* “Did I imagine it?” tension
* Haunting atmospheres where the setting feels alive

This story doesn’t just ask whether the past can catch up to you—it forces you to sit with the possibility that it never left. Dark, suspenseful, and deliciously unsettling, it keeps you guessing until the final page.

And even then… you might still be looking over your shoulder.

[Michelle Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

At its heart, this story asks the question: Would you let an innocent person take the fall for a crime you committed? And once it plants that seed, it does not let you look away. Rue never imagined she’d step foot in her childhood home again. She ran years ago, both from what she did, and from a mother whose emotional cruelty left scars deeper than anyone realized. But when that same mother is injured and pulls her back with blackmail, Rue is forced to return to the scene of the crime—literally and figuratively. The house is thick with memories. Guilt clings to the walls. Grief seeps into every corner. Regret hangs in the air like humidity before a storm. There’s a suffocating, muggy tension to everything, sharpened by the constant, prickling sense that she’s being watched. Because she is. Noah Anders has been waiting in the shadows. Her childhood friend. Her almost-everything. He has questions. He has wounds. He has a score to settle and an aching need for closure. Noah’s feelings for Rue are a volatile cocktail: resentment, longing, pity, fury. One moment he hates her; the next, he’s unraveling at the sight of her. He once believed she’d gone on to live some charmed, carefree life. But the longer he watches, the more he sees the fractures beneath the surface. And here’s the thing about Noah: he has always been a little obsessed with Rue. Dozens of letters. Not one reply. She is the only person he’s ever loved, and as the layers of their shared past peel back, the devastating chain of events that tore them apart becomes horrifyingly clear. The betrayal cuts both ways. You feel it in your chest. Even knowing this is the first book in a duet, even bracing myself for the inevitable cliffhanger, I still found myself hoping (maybe irrationally) for a soft landing. A temporary truce. A happy-for-now. Instead, Annie pulls the rug out from under us and leaves the story hanging in the most deliciously painful way possible. And now? I’m equal parts wrecked and desperate for book two.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

★ “Karma is a *****. And it’s coming for Rue Iverson.” ★

Small towns like Moccasin Cove have a way of dredging up the past, especially when rumor mills begin flowing again, and when Rue shows up from Los Angeles to care for her injured mother after a decade’s time, questions resurface about “the incident” which involved putting a local man in jail. “You don’t forget the girl whose beloved boyfriend was **unalived.**” When Noah takes advantage of a golden opportunity to return to the scene of the crime, he has to wade through years of resentment and why’s, but knowing he would done the same thing for Rue, his obsession for her having stemmed from his childhood. Rue has relentless emotional battles with her mother, who may be the only person who can clarify what happened all those years ago. This story felt fairly real, not fiction! The cliffhanger was brutal and suspenseful - I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[bunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Rue spent half as much time in therapy as she did running from her childhood trauma, this book would be three pages long. She returns to her hometown only to find that her past has better tracking skills than a private investigator. Noah is back from prison and he is exactly as unhinged as you would expect for a man who spent a decade stewing in a jail cell for a crime he didn’t commit. The toxic relationship between Rue and her mother is the most realistic thing in this story and frankly it made me want to pour a drink. I actually liked that Noah wasn’t a saintly martyr but a volatile mess who clearly needs a hobby that isn't stalking. The cliffhanger is an absolute slap in the face after all that buildup. I am annoyed that I have to wait for the next installment just to see if these two ever manage to hold a conversation without someone almost dying. It is dark and gritty but sometimes the melodrama is a bit much to swallow.

[Heather Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★
This was my first Annie Wild book, and I was completely hooked from the very first page. The characters were incredibly well written, I found myself either besotted or loathing certain ones, especially the mother… that woman is absolutely awful! Our FMC Rue has a dark secret that is buried at the bottom of the lake and our MMC Noah’s life is turned upside down when he pays for her sin. Never to feel freedom again…a decade passes and he’s back, and he’s after her!

This is a hard book not to give spoilers about, but if you want a quick read to dip your toe into the waters of where this story is heading, give this one a read you’ll know if it’s for you very early on.

The suspense kept me on edge throughout, and the storyline drew me in completely from the start. I loved every moment of it, and now I’m in a total chokehold, ready for part 2. An incredible start to the duology!

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOT THAT ENDING!! WHY WHY WHY!!!! Ugh this book, I need more. I can't wait for book two. I need to know what happened after that ending. This book is trauma with a red bow for you. I feel so bad for Noah and everything he went through. That kid could not get a break. Rue clearly grew up with a very abusive mother, because that woman. I cannot stand her at all. Like she reminds me of my mother and I don't talk to mine. This has mystery, death, and trauma. I won't say to much since it is a smaller book, but you will not want to put it down. I'm like crying after that ending. I need book two now!!

[Steph Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 * 

thanks to the author and booksprout for providing me with an arc copy of this ebook. Opinions given are my own independent thoughts upon reading. 

I really enjoyed this short read. Loved the cliffhanger although wont be enjoying the wait to find out what happens. It was a really good teaser to sink my teeth into. 
I really liked Noah the mmc, i felt so bad for him with his early life struggles and then being prosecuted for a murder he didn’t commit. He was willing to take the fall for her though because he loved Rue . 

I massively didn’t like Rue’s mum. I thought she was horrible. She was using the past as a way to seriously guilt trip her daughter because both her and her sister left to live lives away from the town. She seemed like a very lonely and manipulative woman. 

Rue only really seemed to be affected when she found out that it was Noah that took the fall, not some random guy like her parents said. She seemed to be happy enough to have moved on before that. 

I really enjoyed this read overall and I will be impatiently waiting to find out what happens. I really hope Noah gets set free and things turn out okay for him. 

[Samantha Millican · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in the Blood and Burrows Dark Romance Duet, welcomes us to Moccasin Cove when Rue is summoned by her recuperating mother. She’s stayed away for good reason, and it seems that reason will come to light. A man wrongfully imprisoned has come back to the small town with a need for vengeance. A small town with secrets and drama. The story charges at breakneck speed as soon as you read the first line! It’s psychological, twisted, suspenseful, steamy at times, and a jarring cliffhanger. I’ve already preordered the next book, I need to know what happens!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Daria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money Talks...

And all else walks. A strange lil bit we have. The feel of the story i mean. A new author to me, pens a tale of a past where things aren't as rosy as they seem.
Rich, middle and lower class they all have their secrets.
A night gets twisted and lives will be forever changed.
The small town drama tells its own story, as a young woman comes back to town. The town didnt forget.
More mystery than heat and some dark comes to light. Oh and the writer leaves you hanging just at the edge. Enjoy

[Brit.Readz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little short prequel was exactly what we needed to bring us just enough for what comes next.

Annie does such a great job giving us suspense, keeping us at the edge of our seats, and giving us just enough spice to keep us intrigued.
Noah is angry but also lusting over what he may or may not have had the chance to have if it wasn't for Rue unintentionally screwing him over.
Rue has a secret.. and then she ran.
Can we just say I am not a fan of Rue's mom!
I cant wait for the next installment of this "Hide Rabbit Hide" coming in March!!

[Erika Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so I wasn’t sure how I’d like this book so I went into knowing it’s not my usual genre. I like branching out and discovering new books and oh man am I happy I did with this one! The writing is amazing the story is amazing the book overall is AMAZING!! It’s under 200 pages which is fine except for the fact the second book isn’t released yet and I need more! Second book has been preordered and I’m so ready for it!! 10/10 I recommend

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can't run forever

You have been hiding a deep secret for too long. Rue didn't want to come back home. She wanted to stay forever. Now she has learned the truth about her childhood love. He was sent to prison for the murder that she committed. Noah needs to make her pay but he realizes that it ha always been her. But there is no hope for them. Will this be the end of them? A good read

[Darkangel Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nail-biting edge of your seat read. I loved everything about this book. Finished the whole thing in one sitting. Rue and Noah are perfectly damaged and lost characters that you cannot help but like.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Run Rabbit Run by Annie Wild is a great dark stalker romance. The story is suspenseful, interesting, obsessive, entertaining, steamy, spicy, dark romance, gruesome, thrilling, morally grey, and more. Run Rabbit Run is the first book in Blood and Burrows Duet series. This is a Cliffhanger.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Krista Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller mixed into a stalker romance. You know that you don’t know everything but that all the characters have different pieces of information. You can feel how Rues mom makes her feel small with her mannerisms and dialogue. You can’t tell quite yet if the lovers will fully reunite and the cliffhanger has me waiting on Amazon impatiently to bring me the next book❤️

[Kaylynn Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a page turner for sure. I couldn’t stop reading! I was on the edge of seat the whole time. march can not come fast enough with the cliff hanger ending!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sins dont stay hidden for long, when rue returns to her home town the past remains a reminder of her sins and when she learns shes not alone out there, has her past come bacl from the watery grave? Well written the story is engaging dark, twisted captivating and more.
Cant wait for bk2!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of ARC from Author

Annie did it again. I've read every one of her books, and when I think it can't get better it does.

This short prequel was just enough to get me invested and I need more.

For now, questions:
Is Noah alive? 👀
Why does her mom apparently hate her?

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! This was a wild read! Talk about amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. This was intense, and steamy. These two had me gripping my book for dear life. I can’t wait for what comes next.

[FoxyBookCorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loveeee this book! But whyyyy leave me hanging?!?! Like what 😍😍😍 As always Annie slam dunked it!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cheyenne Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow, this is a great, the characters are great and the plot is well done, i enjoyed the story, it was dark and so good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[♥︎Obsidian°Scorpio°Reads♥︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie pulls another hit 🙌🙌

The was Annie Wild went in on this with no hold backs on the stalker aspect was blissful, the twists she threw in were just the added bonus. this will have you in a gasp wondering "wait.... I thought it was, wait what!".

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟/5