Shannon C‘s guest review of Last Wolf Standing (Bloodrunners, Book 1) by Rhyannon Byrd
Paranormal romance released by Harlequin Nocturne 1 Mar 08
Rhyannon Byrd’s Blood Runners series will not be new to anyone who’s read paranormal romances for any given amount of time. The series features fated mates, blood bonds, a group who needs to hunt down rogues, and plenty of sequel-baiting.
The book tells the story of Mason, who discovers his lifemate, Torrance, while he’s in a coffee shop. Almost immediately, Torrance finds herself embroiled in an adventure for which she is unprepared with a sexy man she can’t get out of her head. But she wants more from Mason than just his body, desiring a commitment he can’t give her. Soon Mason must decide how much he wants Tori, and the wrong decision could tear their bond apart permanently.
I liked the fact that Mason wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to do about Tori. As he says early on, her scent is complicated, and he doesn’t need or want complications in his life. This is because he’s a Blood Runner, a werewolf who hunts down rogue werewolves. A rogue, of course, enjoys snacking on people like you or me. And our chief rogue here is a werewolf named Simmons, who is kind of cute in his cartoony sadistic evilness.
Unfortunately, I didn’t pick up much that was complicated about Torrance. She was Blandy McBlanderson. She has a bland job and she even has a bland best friend who runs an occult shop. (Am I seriously the only person ever who has gone to an occult shop run by kindly elderly grandma types? Because according to romancelandia, occult shops are all run by quirky, inexplicably wealthy young women who act as best friends.)
Anyway, my major issue with this book was that I’ve read stories like it before. I suppose if a reader was new to paranormal romances, they might find this more entertaining than I did, but I saw just about every plot twist coming, and I can pretty much name the heroes in at least the next six books. For all that, though, it’s a pleasant enough story, and it’s a quick read.
Grade: C
Read Devon’s review here.
Five seconds ago, Mason Dillinger would have sworn that it could never happen . . .
That a woman who was his perfect match even existed. And that he’d find her in a bustling café. Yet just the scent of sweet, mortal Torrance Watson ignited a driving, explosive need to claim her that he knew his Pack would never sanction. . . . Worse, the rogue werewolf he’d been hunting had sensed that attraction and made Torry his prey. Forced to safeguard her from this ruthless assassin who already posed a threat to his Pack, Mason now faced the ultimate challenge. Does he have the courage to cross the line by sealing the blood bond that will make Torry his alone-a disloyalty few of his kind ever survived-or live an eternity without love?
Read an excerpt here.
Other books in this series:
Read more from ShannonC at her personal blog Flight Into Fantasy.
