All the makings for a good book are within the pages of A CURSE OF BLOOD AND WOLVES, including the Little Red Riding Hood retelling concept. The issue I had from the start was being unable to root myself in a time period and setting. Modern references helped with the time period, but it wasn't until page 85 that we found out the book was set in Maine. To top it off, because Ruby and Lena live next to the woods on the outskirts of town, I couldn't visualize what the town looked like.

Engaging in the story further was challenging by the fact that the pacing is either too slow (in the beginning) and then gets too fast. I would've loved to see their relationship develop on a deeper level at a slower place.

With all the above said, my biggest issue is that Rafe was stalking Ruby and somehow it's okay. It's not. The fact that the topic of stalking is written so flippantly and more as a tool for foreplay I found disturbing.

I will say it's a great cast of characters, but I wish the book didn't feel so periphery, discombobulated, and at times repetitive in action and interiority.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I would like to thank the Author and NetGalley for letting me read this book before publication in return for an honest review.

The concept of this one is great. I wouldn't say it was particularly well done though. The sisters were intriguing and I was excited to find out what the sisters turned out to be and how Ruby and Rafe's relationship would develop. However I wasn't a huge fan of the writing and the simplicity of it.

As I said above, the concept is actually very good - a little red riding hood retelling in a very unique way, that far enough removed from the original that makes it interesting. The story-telling was very easy going and for the majority of the book I read it quite quickly - it's one of the one that you just keep turning the page regardless of if you are enjoying the book or not.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me and therefore I would rate it a 2.5/5
If you like fairytale re-tellings, forbidden love, fated mates and the 'touch her and die' tropes then give this ago.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review 💛

I toyed between giving this book a two or a three star throughout reading it, so you may consider it a two and a half.

The strongest parts of this story for me were the premise and the easy-going storytelling. I think the writing style suited the story and the characters well and helped make it an enjoyable experience to get through.

Unfortunately, I struggled with understanding the way the plot was paced. Since I read the majority of the story in one sitting, I felt that the flaws in the pacing were more obvious to me and I mostly fault this over the fact that this books tries to follow a pattern more commonly seen in contemporary romances, where each book follows a different couple. Unfortunately- whilst admitting that I cannot completely consider myself as disinterested in the other couples in this world- this meant that everything had to happen quickly (in two weeks, to be precise) in order for it to be wrapped up for that couple. This being said, some other paranormal romance books I've read in the past have managed to successfully write beautiful books using this structure, so I encourage the author to experiment further with it to help find that happy balance.

Further, where one would expect world building and an atmosphere of anticipation, this book simply breezed through and used a sense of "normalcy" amongst characters as an excuse. Even more noticeably, most reveals in the plot were anticlimactic and fell flat.

Despite this, I will still be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series as I do believe it has the potential to get better. Thank you once again to Net Galley for the opportunity.

Liked the MC, the romance was good. Could use a bit more world building but I think that's part of the mystery about Lena and Ruby, looking forward to reading more about them in the next installment.

A modernized Little Red Riding Hood with a couple spicy scenes.

It was your typical werewolf wants modern girl but is too dangerous for her. Modern girl is sassy and doesn't need/want to be protected. Thus ensues the tug of war of will they won't they until the evitable climax of the situations.

It was a cute read with some smutty scenes but nothing I thought it was going to be. I felt like the main characters could have fleshed out a little more and have more personality than what we were given. I don't know but I was expecting more.

I will say I liked the side character enough that I will keep reading the series to get to their books.

My thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The book is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Ruby works as a bartender, and she finds herself drawn to the mysterious stranger that has been following her through the woods. In turn, the stranger can’t get her out of his mind, he can’t stop watching her, following her. He needs to protect her.

The author has done a terrific job of making the story her own, it is not just a warped copy of the original, it stands on its own. At the same time, there reader is left in no doubt as to where the inspiration to this story has come from. However, the small nods to the original story scattered throughout the book I found a little too obvious and almost a little cringy.

Ruby and Rafe’s story is really sweet. I personally wouldn’t use the words “dark and steamy” to describe this book. It does have a fair bit of spicy scenes, but they never quite hit home for me. I had hoped for a little bit more heat and darkness from this big bad wolf, and there are little glimpses of that at times, but not nearly enough for me personally.

It´s a slow burn, which I absolutely love, but there are times in this book where it almost annoys me. Rafe sometimes feels whiny rather than dark and broody, even though his inner conflicts are motivated, it got a bit too much. Ruby is a very likeable FMC and I love that she’s a strong, stubborn woman who can hold her own. Their banter is spot on, and I really like their chemistry.

Parts of the book felt repetitive, both in the sense that something was explained through the narrator and then again through dialogue
The book is a nice, sweet paranormal romance, with some spice added. I did enjoy the book, but not enough to read the second one.



Thank you, Melissa McTernan, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK - One More Chapter for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own This review will be shared on my Instagram.

✨ARC review✨

This little red riding retelling was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed the read, it was easy to read and had some sweet moments, but it left me wanting.

The writing was very simple, which I enjoyed because it was nice to be able to cruise through, but the overall story lacked. I had no love for any character due to the lack of building. The main characters were sweet but I didn’t care for them too much.

The overall storyline was intriguing, but once again, was lacking. It was incredibly fast paced and the plot jumped so fast it was like running across stepping stones. It made the story seem rushed and quite shallow. The plot twist at the end was so abrupt but didn’t quite suck me in.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there was a lot of potential for it to be more.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and the author for granting me an advance eCopy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

Pub Date: 01 Oct 2023

This book is a fairy tale retelling of Little Red Robin Hood. I have just gotten into the fairytale retelling gonre and found some to be a bit boring, this one was not

I loved the werewolf theme and the romance was the best. To many of these types try to hard to not stray very far from the original fairytale and the story goes no where. This one contained the exact mix to make it perfect.

Ruby is my favorite character. I loved her and Rafe's hot romance. A perfect paranormal romance novel

I thought enjoyed the story. The author is a brilliant writer and I have no trouble recommending.

Finished in one sitting - always the sign of a great book!
Although based on the Little Red Riding Hood story, this book is far enough removed that it doesn’t feel like you are just getting a retelling with some spice thrown in. It’s perfect for those who enjoy reading paranormal romance as there is more than just a gorgeous, grumpy, protective werewolf MMC in this story! Witches, seers and nymphs all add their own twist to the story and bring the fantasy element to life.
I really like that this story was told in third person, but still from the perspectives of Ruby and Rafe, meaning that I experienced their pain, sorrow, fear and happiness as they tried to make sense of how their lives were beginning to entwine and the factors beyond their control that threatened to destroy them. Ruby doesn’t fear anything and soon comes to realise that you cannot fight fate…although Rafe is a different story altogether! There were honestly points where I wondered if they would ever take their relationship to the next level - or if their relationship was ever going to survive. Ruby is different to other FMC’s that I’ve read lately: she’s a goth girl, she’s curvy and she works an average job. Rafe too: he’s not rich, he’s (almost annoyingly) very self-deprecating and he is a loner.
There are lots of great tropes in this story that kept me reading: fated mates, rejection, touch her and die, good banter, a kick-ass FMC, a dark, broody and dangerous MMC, some light stalking and some light ‘catch me if you want me’ action. The spice was good and didn’t overtake the story.
This story finished on a cliffhanger and I hate that I have to wait so long for the next instalment, but I will be eagerly awaiting it! I would definitely recommend this for romantasy readers!

Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa McTernan and Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love me a good werewolf story. This wasn't it.

It took me a bit to get into the flow of this book. I didn't really connect with the writing style so I definitely considered DNFing the book. I did end up reading the entire thing because I got curious about what the sisters would turn out to be. The conclusion was very boring. And the end was so wide open that it made this entire book very unsatisfactory.

The smut was nice, but not even that great. The characters basically had no personalities... I thought about DNFing this book to many times to give it a high rating. I'm going with two stars.

🐺 ARC REVIEW 🐺

Definitely worthy of smuttock 🌶️ 🔥 ! I loved the Red Riding Hood homage, but this book has its own unique plot. Loved the characters, especially a certain gruff alpha male!
I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book in the trilogy!

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

This twist on the Little Red Riding Hood finds Ruby walking home from work one night when she feels someone watching her from the woods. She should be scared and terrified, but worse she doesn't seem to mind it. Rafe the man who is watching her eventually gets the courage to talk to her, but when he does everything changes for both of them.

I was a little worried when I started reading this book that I wouldn't like it. The plot was a little slow for me and I wasn't sure where it was going. But I am so happy I stuck with it. The plot got interesting, the stakes grew higher, and I wanted to see what would happen for Ruby and Rafe. I look forward to reading what else is in store for them!

*ARC Review*

I LOVED this dark little red riding hood reimagining! Ruby is likely one of my favorite FMCs this year. She is strong and knows who she is and while Rafe the MMC is more unsure about himself, he is still very much a likable character!

I really enjoyed how their relationship progressed, and while I don't usually enjoy cliffhangers, it wasn't one that hit you out of nowhere (these are the only cliffhangers I enjoy).

This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait for the other two books to be released! If you love a good paranormal, fairytale reimagining with spice, this is the book for you!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter publishing for the Arc in turn for an honest review.

I loved this retelling of Red Riding Hood with a fantasy twist involving werewolves, witches and other magical creatures!

Good romance with spice and good chemistry that I enjoyed. I felt it was well written and I couldn’t stop reading.

Red Riding Hood Retelling? Wolf Shifter? Heck yes. This was a great first installment of the Wolf Brothers Trilogy and it definitely delivered! Great humor, great romance, great storyline. My only complaint is now I have to wait for the second book as this one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger!!

3.25⭐️ this was fine. Easy to read, growly alpha-hole, bit of a mystery within the plot. Ruby was an easy FMC to like and Rafe was your classic self-isolating, lone wolf shifter that you want to root for. The ending leaves things a bit open ended so you want to see what happens in the next book.

Couple complaints: Rafe was so self deprecating that it got a little repetitive and annoying. Now that the book is over, I have too many questions. The epilogue makes it seem like the next book is about a different couple, a couple that I’m not particularly interested in. I would like to learn more about Ruby and Rafe so I’m not sure I’ll continue with the series because of that…

Still entertaining and an easy book for first time readers of shifter romance.

I really enjoyed this book, though I would say it's playing pretty fast and loose when it comes to a retelling. Is there a big bad wolf? Yes. Does Ruby represent little red riding hood? Sure. But that's kind of where the similarity ends. I would say this is way more of a monster fucking book. Which honestly sign me up. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the e-ARC.

Visit my blog Kim Writes Stuff for a fuller review and more book reviews!

🐺❤️ A Curse of Blood and Wolves ARC Review ❤️🐺

Thank you so much to Melissa McTernan, One More Chapter, HarperCollins and netGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

A Curse of Blood and Wolves is a standalone fairytale retelling fantasy romance. Ruby’s life isn’t the easiest…working as a bartender and taking care of her sister. While walking home through the woods, she feels eyes on her, but they don’t feel evil. Rafe is drawn to Ruby and he can’t explain why. But when she discovers his secrets, will he find himself alone again?

This was such a fun read! I love fairytale retellings and this was an awesome twist on the Red Riding Hood story! Ruby was a spooky goth girl, and I absolutely loved her story. Rafe was a fantastic match for her and I loved his growth as a character throughout the book. This was a fun read and I look forward to more books in this world in the future!

Overall this was a four star read for me! I really enjoyed the characters and the adult retelling! I did feel like there were a few loose ends, and I’m hoping they will be addressed in future books. This book had a few spicy scenes with light primal play vibes throughout, so overall three flames for spice.

If you’re a fan of fairytale retellings with spunky goth girls, possessive shifter males, fates mates and a unique supernatural world, then definitely pick this one up!!

Please Note: review will be posted to Amazon upon publication

If you're a fan of retelling of fairy tales, you won't be able to put down this scorching hot take on Little Red Riding Hood!

Read if you like:
Forbidden Romance
Touch her and die
Fated mates

“Is that what you wanted, brave girl? You wandered through the woods hoping the big bad wolf would find you?”
A Curse of Blood and Werewolves by Melissa McTernan was such a fun and delightful read. I loved how the story began with Ruby, a gothic bartender and her secret desire for the man stalking her in the woods. The book starts with the first encounter between Ruby and the loner werewolf that’s been watching her in the woods for months. A steamy story inspired from the fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood with plenty of slow burn romance rife with tension.
The characters were well fleshed out and didn’t feel like caricatures of the original fairytale. In all her flaws, Ruby was the sensible character with dark desires. She found herself attracted to the stranger at night and that fantasy does come to play in later scenes *wink*. Rafe as a character was someone that had to grow on me as he was constantly making me groan in frustrations from the choices he made. Other characters in this book such as Ruby's sister and Rafe's two brothers were set up in a way that I can see them being explored in the rest of the series.
This was easily a 5-star read for me. I did not want to put this book down once I started to read it. It does take a good majority of the book before there are any major spice scenes. As this is an adult novel I will note that there are multiple explicit scenes throughout the novel. It’s still a very sweet and romantic story at its core. I will say that the constant push and pull of the two mmcs started to get repetitive throughout the novel. I am excited for the rest of this series.

Loc 3982 85% in the book there’s a pov change that isn’t marked by a line like the others are. I am not sure if this was intentional.
I will add links and post this on my socials when the publish date is closer. Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.