MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Running With the Werewolf

Running With the Werewolf

by Laurie London

🌶️🌶️mild·Darkaway Island #1·Ongoing Series
4.1 on Goodreads (87)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

Available on Kindle Unlimited
find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A delightfully fun mashup of reality dating show drama and paranormal romance. The island setting is pure escapist fantasy, the banter between grumpy werewolf Travis and resourceful Daphne crackles, and the supernatural world-building is inventive without being overwhelming. Perfect for readers who want their paranormal romance served with a side of humor and cozy vibes.

Synopsis

JUST RELEASED! Welcome to Darkaway Island: A destination resort for supernaturals. Where monsters come to play! Daphne Dupree needed to get out of town after things at work got a little…complicated. The last thing she expected when she filled out a silly online quiz was winning a singles trip to paradise. Too good to be true? Probably. Turns out, Darkaway Island is more than a little strange. People in costumes. Large dogs running around unleashed. 
But the weirdest of all is that she seems to be part of a…dating contest. The prize: a smoking-hot cowboy with an unhealthy fixation on the moon. Travis Monroe wasn’t planning to stay long on the island. As the grumpy werewolf star of a supernatural soap opera, all he wants is to give his newly-inherited ranch to his sister then fly back to the set on his private plane. Trouble is, if he isn’t mated by the White Wolf Moon, the ranch reverts to a half-brother he just met, and his sister loses everything. Solution: Find a mate, sign over the property, break up. Falling in love isn’t in the script. As Travis and Daphne spend time together on group dates and one-on-ones, his feelings for her grow, extending far beyond duty to his family. And she learns he’s more—much more—than just fangs and fur. But a rival pack is stirring up trouble, and Daphne is hiding a secret of her own. Do Travis and Daphne find love in paradise only to lose it in the end?

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Cozy paranormal rom-com set on a supernatural island with a Bachelor-style dating show twist. Daphne—an apothecary shop owner—gets swept into a mating competition with Travis, a famous werewolf actor who needs a mate to save the family ranch. 304 pages, published November 2025. Spice rated 4/5 by reviewers—solidly steamy with possessive shifter vibes. First in the Darkaway Island series. Grumpy sunshine gold with fated mates and dual first-person POV.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.14 ★ (87)

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2025

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Paranormal Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Medium Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

N/A

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

N/A

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
fated matesforced proximitycelebrity / rockstar romancehidden identitycompetition romanceshifter romance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

cozyswoonylightheartedhumoroussteamyromantic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

conversationalwittybanter-heavylightheartedwarmplayful

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

light

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

low

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

comfort read vibes

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

bookworm/scholarsunshine/optimistapothecary

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

grumpy protectorpossessive alphasecretly softshifter alpha

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

grumpy sunshineprotective love interestfated mateshe falls firstpossessive love interest

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 2

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

possessive / claimingplayful banter

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

possessive/protectivemine declarationsscent kinkgrowling / possessive soundstouch starvation

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

bonding/claiming/markingpossessive
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (2)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
murderkidnapping
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

paranormal

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

coastal / island / beach

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

werewolvesshifters

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

feel-goodcomfort reread materialthe swoon

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

beach tripvacationpalate cleanser readcozy eveninglazy Sunday

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.14 ★ (87)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Darkaway Island #1
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Running With the Werewolf

Similar Books

Cover of Cry Wolf

Cry Wolf

Alpha & Omega, #1

Patricia Briggs

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
fated matesshifter romancehurt/comfort
Cover of Feral SinsKU

Feral Sins

The Phoenix Pack, #1

Suzanne Wright

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximityforced to marrymarriage of convenience
Cover of Bride

Bride

Bride, #1

Ali Hazelwood

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
arranged marriagemarriage of convenienceforced proximity
Cover of Mate

Mate

Bride, #2

Ali Hazelwood

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fated matesforced proximityomegaverse / ABO
Cover of The Wolf KingKU

The Wolf King

The Wolf King, #1

Lauren Palphreyman

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
enemies to loversforced proximitycaptive romance
Cover of Hunting Ground

Hunting Ground

Alpha & Omega, #2

Patricia Briggs

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
fated matesshifter romanceforced proximity
Cover of Slave to Sensation

Slave to Sensation

Psy-Changeling, #1

Nalini Singh

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forced proximityhidden identityblood feud romance
Cover of It Happened One SummerKU

It Happened One Summer

Bellinger Sisters, #1

Tessa Bailey

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forced proximitygrumpy sunshineopposites attract