How to Run with the Wolves by Eli Easton Blog Tour

Zeus loves his job on the new Mad Creek Search & Rescue team, and his inner Saint Bernard is finally being used to his full potential. When he sees a mysterious and wild-looking quickened—a dog shifter—at an earthquake site in Alaska, Zeus is compelled to investigate. Zeus falls hard for the primal beauty of Timo and of Alaska itself. Both call to his deep canine soul. But the Quimmiq pack’s laws are as harsh as the Alaskan winters, and Timo is out of his reach.

Timo’s pack of dog shifters left their Inuit village generations ago and have lived wild ever since. Not trusting the “one-skinned,” and with their numbers dwindling, the Quimmiq are on the verge of extinction. Timo is shocked to discover a whole group of “two-skinned” working as a rescue team, and he is particularly fascinated by Zeus, a gentle giant. He senses what Zeus feels for him… but it’s forbidden.

Can Mad Creek save this lost quickened clan? Perhaps—if they can learn how to run with the wolves.

This is the fifth book in the Howl at the Moon series. It features a new couple and can be read as a standalone, but we recommend reading the series in order.

Book 5
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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Zeus

The next morning, Zeus woke again at dawn. He looked at the ceiling of the little hut, knowing today was the day. This morning, in fact. Real life called, and it was time for Zeus’s human, adult side to take the reins.

Timo had hopped into bed with him again last night, both of them so tired they’d fallen asleep immediately. He’d rolled away at some point, too hot to puppy pile, and now he lay on his stomach, face turned away.

The bed was so warm and cozy, with Timo’s radiating heat and the cool morning air in the room. And Zeus’s dog was still sore and tired. But all good things must end. With a sigh, Zeus got up. He put on his clothes and went out to take a piss.

When he came back inside, Timo was sitting up, rubbing his face. “It’s early. Let’s sleep some more.”

Zeus shook his head. “Can you drive me back to Yakatuk this morning? I have to get back to my team.”

Timo’s face fell. He blinked a few times, then looked away, gazing at the wall and yawning casually as if he didn’t care. But Zeus didn’t quite believe it.

“Timo?”

“I will come back.” Timo hopped out of bed and moseyed to the door of the hut, rubbing his naked hip as if there was a sore spot there.

Zeus averted his eyes. Eventually.

Dressed, there was nothing else for him to do but wait. So he tossed the blanket back over the bed and sat down on it gingerly. Man, his forearms were crazy sore today! They always got that way when he overdid it on all fours. They weren’t used to being weight-bearing appendages.

From outside, bird tweets filled the air, and sunlight gleamed around the edges of the ill-fitting door. Zeus had a feeling he’d dream about this place—and about Timo—for a very long time to come.

He rubbed his chest. Why did he feel so sad? Ugh. His inner dog would have to be drug away from this place as though on a leash.

Timo came back in. He didn’t look at Zeus but went to his clothes and pulled on a pair of jeans. They fit him so well and he looked particularly good in them with bare feet and bare chest, his long hair brushing his pale yellow skin.

Zeus looked down at his knees, frowning. “Sorry you have to drive me back. I bet we can get some gas in—oof!”

Timo tackled him onto his back on the bed. He tickled Zeus’s stomach, which made Zeus laugh, and then hovered over him, arms straight, elbows locked. He grinned. “Let’s play. Change into your fur. We can run in the woods. There’s a place I want to show you. It’s not far.”

Zeus looked up at Timo’s smile, his stomach doing lazy swoops. Timo’s long hair hung down and brushed the side of Zeus’s face, causing a shivery little flash of electricity.

“Stay one more day? Please?” Timo pouted, his eyes at maximum puppy dog.

Zeus swallowed and dared reach up to rub a long strand of Timo’s hair between his fingers. It was so coarse and strong, yet silky too. He searched Timo’s eyes and found determination there. Maybe even possessiveness. But why? Timo and Yuki both seemed to want Zeus in the pack. Was it just as another male hunter? Did they have too many females? He tried to see more in Timo’s eyes, some sign that he had more than a casual affection for Zeus, but it just wasn’t there.

Zeus sighed. “Timo, I have to go. I’ve got a mother. Father. Friends. A job back home. The Search and Rescue team. I like your camp very much. And you too. But I can’t run away from my life.”

Timo turned his face to the wall as if unable to look at Zeus. He wriggled his nose. “But you love it here. Yesterday—you loved it. This is the best camp. There is game in the valley. And we have shelter here, fire in the winter. And there is another trail that goes to the sea where we can get all the food that swims. We have everything.”

Shit, now Zeus felt guilty, like he was insulting the camp. “It’s a very nice camp. And yesterday was awesome. But my friends will be anxious and worried. They’re probably waiting for me to go home. Please, Timo.”

Without another word, Timo bounded up off the bed and took off out the door.

“Timo!” Zeus called after him, frustrated.

But by the time he got outside and looked around, Timo was gone.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I enjoyed this book so much more than most of the previous books in the series. I love Timo and his Alaskan pack, and I really enjoyed the relationship between Timo and Zeus. As both Timo and Zeus are born Quickened, this feels more like a typical shifter story as it is free from the ‘new human’ storylines that I have struggled with. I love the way Mad Creek has developed across the series and I enjoyed the ‘two skin’ narrative introduced by Timo’s pack.

Zeus is a brilliant character and I really love the way the quiet St. Bernard is such a perfect match for the more temperamental husky. The choices the men must make – between Alaska and California, and between Timo following his alpha’s wishes and following his own heart – make for interesting and entertaining reading.

This is my favourite book in the series so far and I’m glad it will be the start of a spinoff. As I’ve admitted before, this hasn’t been a series I’ve always enjoyed. I have too many issues with the basic ‘quickened’ premise and I haven’t really enjoyed the style of writing from the start. This book steps away from some of the worldbuilding that I found difficult and offers a fascinating Alaskan alternative.

Also Available in the Howl at the Moon Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Howl at the Moon post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Walk like a Man post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Wish Upon a Star post.

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Save a Life post.

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particularly admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include Blame it on the Mistletoe, Unwrapping Hank and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles. Her Howl at the Moon series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How to Run with the Wolves (Howl at the Moon #5) by Eli Easton to read and review for this tour.

How to Save a Life by Eli Easton

Rav Miller looked into the terrified, intelligent eyes of the chocolate Labrador on death row, and knew he’d do anything to save him. When the dog, Sammy, escapes and heads to Mad Creek, Rav follows. Mad Creek. The town had become legendary in Rav’s mind after he’d met that bizarre group last year. Rav dismissed his crazy suspicions back then, but when he arrives in Mad Creek, he knows it’s true. Dog shifters exist, and apparently they all live in the California mountains. It’s enough to blow a bad boy’s mind.

Sammy has something in common with Rav—neither one of them trusts people. After Sammy’s abuse as a dog, he particularly dislikes tough-looking men like Rav. But when Sammy gets a chance to work with rescued dogs at the new Mad Creek shelter, his deep compulsion to help others overcomes his fear. Rav and Sammy bond over saving strays. If they can each find the courage to let someone else in, they might find their way to love.

Sheriff Lance Beaufort doesn’t like humans moving into Mad Creek, especially not the tattooed and defiant Rav. When Rav starts a rescue shelter, the town thinks he’s wonderful! But Lance isn’t fooled. He doesn’t buy Rav’s innocent act for one second. How much does Rav know about the quickened? What is his game? And why did he have to show up now, when Lance and the other town leaders are overwhelmed by all the new quickened pouring in?

Rav knows how to save a life. But can he save an entire town? Can he rescue Mad Creek?

This is the fourth book in the Howl at the Moon series. It features a new couple and can be read as a standalone, but we recommend reading the series in order.

Book 4
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is the book where I almost gave up on the series. I still can’t decide whether a book about a man falling in love with someone who was once a dog in his shelter was cute or seriously creepy. Rav is a Harvard educated businessman who walked away from his privileged life and opened a dog shelter. Sammy is a newly Quickened who was once a dog rescued by Rav. When Rav follows Sammy to Mad Creek, he is fascinated by the Quickened and determined to use his skills and contacts to help the unique community.

This is a cute and sweet story. Fans of the series will love the way Rav contributes to Mad Creek and they will love catching up with the couples from previous books.

I didn’t love this book – but I’ve been slightly ambivalent about the series from the start. The books about relationships between humans or characters who are born Quickened and newly Quickened partners just make me a bit squeamish. I love my dogs more than I love most people but I really don’t want to fall in love with them. In this story, every time Sammy is described as young or innocent, I recoiled a bit more from the romance element of the story. It’s hard to wrap my head around the idea that Sammy was a dog a few months ago and now he’s falling for a human man. With Sammy struggling with basic literacy and language, he also reads a little bit too childlike for me.

I feel like I’m just not getting this series the way I’m supposed to. I will give the next book a go but I’m not sure I’ll carry on beyond it. I think readers have to be willing to buy in to the series premise for the books to work and I just haven’t been able to do it.

Also Available in the Howl at the Moon Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Howl at the Moon post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Walk like a Man post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Wish Upon a Star post.

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particularly admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include Blame it on the Mistletoe, Unwrapping Hank and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles. Her Howl at the Moon series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


ARC Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How to Save a Life (Howl at the Moon #4) by Eli Easton to read and review.

How to Wish Upon a Star by Eli Easton

Dr. Jason Kunik is working on the most earth-shattering genetics project ever, DNA mapping of a new species, the quickened—dogs who can shift into human form. The problem is, no one knows the quickened exist and Jason can’t betray them by publishing his studies. When he moves to Mad Creek to continue his research in a town full of quickened, all he wants is peace, quiet, and to be allowed to bury himself in his work. Perhaps if he figures how out the mutation is activated, he can silence his own inner dog forever.

Milo is a hospice comfort dog who has bonded with, and lost, many beloved patients in his life. He intuitively understands sickness and pain on a spiritual level most can’t see. When he gains the ability to become a man, he thinks he finally has everything he ever wanted. But being a man isn’t the same thing as being loved, and taking shelter in Mad Creek isn’t the same thing as finding a home.

When a mysterious illness hits Mad Creek and threatens all the quickened in town, it’s up to the scientist and the comfort dog to figure out what it is and how to stop it. Along the way they might discover that true love is possible—if you wish upon a star.

This is the third book in the Howl at the Moon series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is the most exciting book in the series so far. As Jason uses his academic skills to stop a dangerous virus spreading through Mad Creek, he finds himself increasingly attracted to his new roommate, Milo, who is young and newly quickened.

I’m still having issues with the whole quickened concept but I did enjoy the action in this story. Nothing about the story is plausible and I shudder to think what an actual scientist or doctor would make of Jason’s scientific interventions – but this was a fun read.

The romance between Jason and Milo really didn’t work for me. Milo is only months away from being a dog and he feels very, very young – and doglike. Jason is a singularly focused scientist without any people skills, and I didn’t quite get the connection between them.

We see more of the couples from earlier books in this series and I enjoyed seeing the life Lance and Tim have made for themselves. I liked the race against time element of this story, and I like the road trip the men take while trying for a vaccination. I’m still not a fan of the slightly wooden characters and often stilted dialogue.

Also Available in the Howl at the Moon Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Howl at the Moon post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Walk like a Man post.

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particularly admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include Blame it on the Mistletoe, Unwrapping Hank and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles. Her Howl at the Moon series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


ARC Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How to Wish Upon a Star (Howl at the Moon #3) by Eli Easton to read and review.

How to Walk like a Man by Eli Easton

Deputy Roman Charsguard survived Afghanistan where he lost his best friend—his K-9 handler James. Roman was a military dog until two years ago when he developed the ability to shift into a human. It’s not easy to learn how to be a man. He found a place to live in Mad Creek, a haven for the secret world of dog shifters. Finding a reason to live has been harder. That is, until a certain human walks into the Mad Creek Sheriff’s office and starts making trouble.

Matt Barclay has the worst luck. First he was shot in a SWAT drug raid, then he was sent as DEA investigator to Mad Creek, a little town in the California mountains. Matt’s job is to keep a lookout for illegal drug farms, but nobody in the town wants him there. And then there’s Roman, Matt’s erstwhile baby-sitter. He’s the hottest guy Matt’s ever seen, even if he is a bit peculiar. If the town doesn’t kill him, sexual frustration just might.

The town is counting on Roman to prevent Matt from learning about dog shifters, Matt’s counting on Roman to be his work partner and tell him the truth, and Roman’s trying to navigate love, sex, and a whole lot of messy human emotions. Who knew it was so complicated to walk like a man?

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
If the first book in this series didn’t sit easily with me, this second story actually made me squirm. Roman, our protagonist, has only been human for the past two years. Prior to being quickened, he was a decorated military K9 dog. This book starts with Roman only starting to develop human qualities like humour and a sex drive. As much as Roman is strong, brave, and handsome, it was impossible for me to separate the newly formed man from the German shepherd and more impossible for me to invest in a romance between the man/dog and Matt, a newly arrived DEA agent.

The dog/man thing made it really difficult for me to engage fully with Roman. He admittedly is gradually gaining human skills and abilities but the character we meet feels very robotic and quite childlike. His complete naivety about sex, especially when combined with a vocabulary that includes the idea of ‘mounting’ or ‘being mounted’ made for scenes that I found a little bit off-putting. The story might have worked a bit better if Matt were the main narrative voice but most of the story is told from Roman’s perspective.

The action element of this book is more exciting than the first one and I enjoyed the haphazardous way the Mad Creek townsfolk attempt to welcome Matt while keeping their shifter secrets. Like the first book, this story feels more simply drawn than some of the author’s recent work and the characters remain sketches and caricatures rather than fully fleshed people. The action is entertaining but sillier than the DEA/drug lord plot suggests.

There are a few too many unfinished plot strands in this story. I want to know what happens with Matt and his dad and I want to know how Roman makes peace with Matt’s dad. And I want to know about Luci, her family and her future.

Also Available in the Howl at the Moon Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our How to Howl at the Moon post.

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particularly admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include Blame it on the Mistletoe, Unwrapping Hank and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles. Her Howl at the Moon series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


ARC Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How to Walk like a Man (Howl at the Moon #2) by Eli Easton to read and review.

How to Howl at the Moon by Eli Easton

Sheriff Lance Beaufort is not going to let trouble into his town, no sir. Tucked away in the California mountains, Mad Creek has secrets to keep, like the fact that half the town consists of ‘quickened’—dogs who have gained the ability to become human. Descended on both sides from Border Collies, Lance is as alert a guardian as they come.

Tim Weston is looking for a safe haven. After learning that his boss patented all of Tim’s work on vegetable hybrids in his own name, Tim quit his old job. A client offers him use of her cabin in Mad Creek, and Tim sees a chance for a new start. But the shy gardener has a way of fumbling and sounding like a liar around strangers, particularly gorgeous alpha men like Sheriff Beaufort.

Lance’s hackles are definitely raised by the lanky young stranger. He’s concerned about marijuana growers moving into Mad Creek, and he’s not satisfied with the boy’s story. Lance decides a bit of undercover work is called for. When Tim hits a beautiful black collie with his car and adopts the dog, its love at first sight for both Tim and Lance’s inner dog. Pretending to be a pet is about to get Sheriff Beaufort in very hot water.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is possibly the strangest shifter romance I’ve encountered, and only Eli Easton’s reliably good writing prevents the story from becoming completely ridiculous. Dog shifters aren’t too much of a departure from the more common werewolf shifters, but I really struggled with the Quickened concept where dogs who are loved enough eventually wake up as humans. I’m still not convinced by the idea, but the eccentric characters and their secretive town kept me entertained and I enjoyed Tim and Lance’s relationship.

This isn’t a remotely plausible story, but it is a fun read. Characters, including Tim and Lance, are fairly simplistic and very dramatic. Readers discover Mad Creek alongside Tim, an unsuspecting human newcomer. Tim’s own life is full of drama – but he’s actually not the criminal Lance suspects he is. As town sheriff, Lance is very suspicious of the new arrival and he concocts an elaborate plan that allows him to keep a close eye on Tim.

Between Lance’s meddlesome mother, the unusual citizens of Mad Creek, and the actual criminals threatening Lance’s town, this story descends into almost farcical comedy. The romance between Lance and Tim is fairly low heat and I didn’t really get into the dog element to the romance. Moments of this book are exciting, several scenes are very funny and there are a few steamy moments. I don’t think I ever completely relaxed into the quickened dog shifter concept and I struggled with some of the dog/human elements of the romance. I like that the series concept feels completely original, but I’m not sure it works for me.

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particularly admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include Blame it on the Mistletoe, Unwrapping Hank and Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles. Her Howl at the Moon series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads


ARC Provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of How to Howl at the Moon (Howl at the Moon #1) by Eli Easton to read and review.