Julian and Eli … I was really looking forward to this. I loved the original series and Eli was such a snarky mystery.

I’m not sure why, but this book took forever for me to get into. I started and stopped like five times. The first 30-40% is extremely slow.

Also…this isn’t an HEA but that’s ok because it’s a book one. However, Eli and Julian needed more relationship development. A lot more.

This one kinda missed the mark for me BUT I am interested in the rest of the series because I think it’ll pick up on both pacing and in romance.

Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series quickly became one of my favorite PNR series so I was excited for the spin-off series, Monster Hunt. Pack of Lies is the first book in the series, starring Eli, Park’s ex from Cry Wolf, the last book in the Big Bad Wolf series. He’s now the manager of a retreat in the middle of nowhere, the pack plans on using it to help rebel pack runaways. The book starts with a bang immediately when Julien arrives looking for answers to his brothers’ mysterious disappearance.

One important question with a spin-off series is if it can stand on its own, and I definitely think this one can. Any reader should be able to pick this one up and have no issues with not knowing the background stories. However, the beginning of the book did leave me a bit confused as I did have an issue separating Eli and Julien from each other – it took a bit for the two to have distinct personalities. I also remember having a similar issue with the first book in the Big Bad Wolf series, which I came to love, so don’t let that issue bother you too much if that happens for you as well.

The main theme of this book is secrets: who is hiding them, who knows where the answers are hidden, who can ask the right questions, and what will happen when they’re uncovered. Eli is desperately trying to keep the existence of wolves hidden, but Julien’s brother was trying to prove that they do. The central plot also revolves around people in the area trying to hunt a mystery beast. So we get a lot of scenes involving Eli scrambling to cover things up.

My favorite thing about this book is the romance, as always. Eli has an acerbic sense of humor and it bounces off Julien’s very well. The author has a knack for creating tension between the characters with glances and not-so-subtle innuendos from Eli. The mystery was fine, it was there in the background, but what kept me reading was the heat between the two main characters. I’m looking forward to seeing more of these two together.

I've not read this author before, but I do have a lot of respect for the Carina Adores line, so I was excited to be approved to review Pack of Lies. I didn't realise that this book was the first book in a spin-off series, but after a few chapters I was so invested in the characters and the story that it didn't matter.

Pack of Lies is a paranormal romantic suspense book that follows Julien - a human man searching for the truth about his twin brother's death - and Eli, a lone werewolf acting as manager of a rundown retreat that's designed to take in werewolves without packs. When dead bodies - old and new - beginning turning up in town, Julien and Eli are drawn into the investigation, and Julien is exposed to the hidden paranormal world.

This book was smart and fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Both Julien and Eli have secrets of their own, which makes working together a challenge, but the forced proximity brings them closer. They had plenty of banter in their relationship and dynamic that I enjoyed.

I also appreciated that this book really set up a larger plot/mystery for the series, which I'm very interested in continuing to read past this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Carina Press for access to this arc.


I loved your Big Bad Wolf series, and when I have read about the possibility that the next book would feature the enigmatic Eli as the main character I was very excited. I was very surprised to find out that the first book of the spin-off series indeed featuring Eli would be out so soon and of course I could not resist asking for an ARC.


I always wonder whether I should recommend the first series for the readers who may be wondering whether they should read it before starting the spinoff. I think here while I wholeheartedly recommend the story of Oliver and Cooper, even though Eli makes appearances there (and pretty significant one in the last book), I think people should be okay in terms of not being confused if they don’t want to read the previous five books. You will miss a lot of Eli’s back story and his character development, but here you are told about most things that he has to endure in his past, and it is not a long recap, but the main beats were mentioned I thought.

I also thought that the writer did a good job taking Oliver and Cooper (the main couple in the previous series) out of the action. I thought that not wanting to disturb them on their honeymoon made a good enough reason for Eli not calling them. Of course opinions may differ on this one, but I was okay with it and happy that both of them made an appearance in the end. I think it will be harder to take them out of the action in the next books though considering their obvious affection and connection with Eli, so I am curious to see how the author will handle it.


The blurb gives you a nice set up. Eli just started his work as the manager of the retreat for runaways werewolves and he is really eager to do a good job and a new guy Julien comes to the town because he is apparently searching about the mystery connected with his brother’s death and his brother was REALLY into looking for monsters, real and imaginary ones. In the meantime the very real mystery seemingly completely UNCONNECTED to his brother’s death plays out in town and very much threatens Julien and Eli’s life and limb.


Obviously since Julien is a completely new character, I was wondering if the author would be able to make me like him and if so, how fast. That was not a problem, I did like him pretty fast, but I also thought that he had a lot of grief to go through even if he claimed that he already had. I was very attached to Eli already so that was easy enough, but I was also curious whether the connection between them will work for me and well, I have to say that part did not happen right away. I am not sure why, I think the author established the attraction between them fast enough, that was not a problem.

But both Eli and Julien admit to carrying too many lies and they know they should not trust each other and they dance around each other (while danger is looming because of the mystery/suspense plot) and I guess them being from completely different worlds, it just did not really work for me right away. Interestingly enough, sex between them actually helped me to strengthen their connection in my mind (for those who don’t like it there are mild dominant/ submission undertones. Only mild, but it is definitely there) so I started to root for them even before the lies and omissions between them are being cleared out.

Here is a tiny glimpse at them together:

“Eli’s gaze softened to something pleased and very nearly shy. He nodded and Julien was surprised by the pulse of arousal that simple movement sent through him. Usually he liked nothing better than wringing a loud and desperate yes from his partners. Finding this spot and that tone and every single touch that made a particular person’s body begin to babble. Apparently Eli’s silent consent was just as thrilling. Either that or Julien was overcome with how efficiently they’d actually come to an agreement, for once.”

The mystery/suspense plot was interesting enough. I think that same as in the main books the mystery/suspense plots take a lot of page space and are complex enough, but I somehow still found those to be vehicles to move the main relationships forward (even if actual relationship development may take fewer pages, not sure if that makes sense.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Charlie Adhara presented another captivating series with her new “Monster Hunter” series. This is the spin-off from the thrilling “Big Bad Wolf” series and centered on Elias Smith, Oliver Park’s ex who chose to join Park/Dayton pack and managed their wolves retreat in Maudit Falls, North Carolina. PACK OF LIES is the first entry, follows not long after the conclusion to the last of BBW - “Cry Wolf.” I strongly recommend readers to read the whole series prior to starting this, to get elaborate idea of the backstory and pertinent issues at play here.

This book got different vibe to Cooper/Oliver dynamic. The Eli as a leading man was way more complex - there were layers to his characters being revealed gradually that even when the story completed hadn’t truly divulge who is Elias Smith as a whole. He’s so far removed from the flirty wolf who annoyed Cooper on their earlier engagements.

The other man of the hour, Lucien Doran, was an interesting character. Almost like Eli, he’s a man with many faces but mostly being himself in front of Eli. Their dynamics was a surprise for me; not as intense as Cooper/Oliver, yet quite turbulent (considering Julien also got ‘reason’ to come to Maudit Falls himself). The mix to secrecy and subtlety with pleasure soon hurled them into the path of power hungry killer who might or might not be what they think they were.

Adhara always got ways with plot twist which still could stun me. That she was able to evoke every characters in the story as (potential) bad guy then eliminate them one by one is priceless. Honestly, the only thing had me yelling at them was ‘having a go’ in not so conducive place nor situation, especially when it forced their hands into making not ill-advised move. Also, this is the kind of not-finish-there-are-still-loose-ends-to-tie-up sort of tale; just to put it out there. No cliffhanger but everything and everyone left hanging, waiting for whatever comes up next. Way to go to put your readers on the edge of their seat, author. 😉

4.5*

Despite having several of this authors books on my to-read list. This is actually the first one I’ve read. And it won’t be the last.

This is a fabulous book, it slowly enthrals you and just doesn’t let go. Julien is on a monster hunt. Well he’s actually following his brothers map trying to discover what happened to him.
Eli (readers of the Cry Wolf series will already know him and I wished I’d been one of them since I loved him) is managing the Retreat a haven for rebel pack runaways. He gets caught up in the happenings around Maudit Falls and gets close to Julien.

That’s all your getting from me since I don’t want to inadvertently spoil anything.

I loved both Julien and Eli and I can’t wait for more.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by Carina Press and NetGalley.

It’s not always easy to write a review. It’s specially hard when you love the book. And safe to say I did.

After meeting Eli in Big Bad Wolf I was excited to read about his adventures. I was very curious about who his partner was going to be and I wanted to learn his back story after the glimpses we got in the other series.

Enter Julian, a character that has gone straight to my favorites. From the first chapter, really the first sentence I was in love. I don’t know how Charlie Adhara does it, but she creates absolute wonderful characters. Very flawed and so very real. And they are always very special.

Both Julian and Eli have secrets. They both carry heavy burdens and trust is not something that it’s easily given. We slowly see them open up (sometimes a bit reluctantly) and it’s a joy to read. Very opposite personalities but work so very well together.

I could write a lot of about everything I loved, but I will just mention one of my favorite things about the book and it is how bisexuality is handled. I won’t spoil why but it was such a refreshing take to read.

TDLR: snarky werewolf meets actor on a mission. Secrets and some murder put them together and well, the result is a wonderful book and a fantastic start to the series. Extremely recommended.

The good
+ Julian and Eli both keeping secrets from each other
+ How they were both honest about not being trustworthy to the other
+ Julian trusting Eli regardless
+ Eli making himself vulnerable for Julian
+ How they both covered for each other every time they got in trouble
+ Positive representation of Julian's bisexuality, and reasonable exes portrayed without sexism
+ Julian telling Eli what kind of person he thinks he is. Gosh, that quote, it was so romantic
+ Julian not shutting Eli out whenever Eli pushes him away out of self-preservation
+ Julian and Eli both having more secrets to figure out in the next books

The neutral
o I was kindly provided with an ARC. My review remains honest and unbiased
o To me, some parts of the mystery's solution were obvious pretty early on. But other things still surprised me when it all came together

The bad
- Annabelle was really antagonistic towards Eli from the start, and suddenly did a complete 180. It was unclear to me why


I have to admit I didn't really like Eli in the Big Bad Wolf series, so I was a little skeptical. I was proven wrong. There's much more depth to Eli than I thought there'd be, and Julian is an amazing character too. I really enjoyed reading this and can't wait for the sequel. Would definitely recommend.



This is a copy of my original Goodreads review (found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4392125109). Any spoilers have been removed.

Pack of Lies by Charlie Adhara was delightful, cheeky, angsty, and mysterious! I love the Big Bad Wolf series so much and felt like the writing was consistent for this first installment of the new Monster Hunter series. Eli is acerbic yet vulnerable. Julian is mysterious yet open(-hearted). I found their dynamic unique and so fun with their banter, their soft moments, and those where they clashed. The mystery element kept me guessing and I had so much fun learning about the different types of monsters that we may get to see in this series. I, of course, loved the cameos of Oliver and Cooper at the end, and am very glad that Eli and Julian didn't need them to swoop in and save the day (not that I was expecting it, but you never know with buddy-series). I am eternally grateful that I was permitted an ARC of this book and will definitely be rereading closer to publishing day as well!

Eli and Julien were everything! I was a little worried that I would spend the whole book missing Cooper and Park (I mean, they're just so amazing), but that was dashed from the first chapter when Julien was just the right amount of charming and awkward. He was the perfect pair for prickly Eli who I always was lowkey obsessed with in previous books by Adhara. I thought I knew everything, I thought I was just sitting back and enjoying the ride, but honestly there were some twists that literally made me gasp aloud and furiously flip pages to make sure that everything worked out for these two. It's a firm HFN in the end, but it's perfectly set up to be a completely compelling series building upon the amazing world Adhara has already built and adding new twists and turns along the way. Will I still always want more Dayton Cooper? Yes. Yes I will. Do I think there's a possibility I could end up loving just as much? We will have to wait and see, but this book was definitely a strong start heading in that direction!

I will never get over how talented a writer Charlie Adhara is. There were so many turns of phrases or bits of banter that just made me stop and shout "BRILLANT!" Like I just want to live inside her mind. It seems like a nice place. I loved the new guy, Julien and I continue to be obsessed with Eli. I loved their growing relationship and cant wait to read even more from it! I just love this world and I just never want it to end.

My expectations for this book were EXTREMELY high bc Cooper and Oliver are probably my favorite characters of all time and I have never stopped thinking about them since I first read the series about a year ago. Im not sure this entirely lived up to them, but this is the first book, so I am sure Julien and Eli will worm their way into a permanent spot in my heart like Cooper and Oliver did.

I've already preordered a physical copy bc I am so very excited to FINALLY have a Charlie Adhara book in my hands that I can hold and carry around like a little purse dog.

Pack of Lies is everything I wanted it to be and more! I've been obsessed with the Big Bad Wolf series (starring Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park) and my expectations for Pack of Lies were high, and they were 100% met and exceeded! The characters - Julien and Eli - jumped right into my heart and made me smile, laugh, and tugged at my heartstrings. I really love that we get both POVs - Julien the grieving, unaware human stumbling into a retreat for werewolves; Eli the lovable enigma of a werewolf who is confident on the outside but riddled with insecurities on the inside. Together they make a great team as they set about sleuthing in a setting that is peak mystery goodness - a mostly empty ski lodge in the winter with a small cast of dubious characters. The dual mysteries - unearthing the truths Julien's brother uncovered and looking for the mysterious mountain cryptid - kept me guessing right up until the end. Heart-pounding action, sizzling sexual tension, wrenching revelations, banter for days, and excellent character development kept me reading long after midnight! The book hangover is REAL and I'm already pining for book 2.

disclaimer ;; I have not read the books in the other related series! would like to follow that up with saying that I was not lost at any point in this book, so knowledge of the related series is absolutely not necessary

Pack of Lies was a really fun read. it was not what I was anticipating when I started it (I had no idea there were related books and was a bit wrong-footed at the beginning) but I ended up genuinely liking it. I got through this book really fast lol, it's written in a very easy-to-read style that makes the plot zip along. I was invested in the characters and the mystery and didn't see a couple of the twists coming at all.

overall, a book I'd be happy to rec, especially to readers looking for paranormal romance.

thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

charlie adhara does it again!!

till today, i have not read a single book by charlie adhara that i did not love with my whole heart and the streak continues with pack of lies. eli and julien are such multilayered, visceral characters who grab your heart immediately. this is charlie's first dual pov and she absolutely nails it with such distinct voices.

this was just. such a wonderfully fun and gripping read with the perfect amount of suspense, thrill, spice and intensity. not to be impatient but next book when!

(also, fans of big bad wolf will be delighted to know there are wonderful cameos that made me fall off my seat)

4.5 stars.

Having reread the Big Bad Wolf series this year was the perfect way to get ready for Adhara's Pack of Lies. Reading from Eli's perspective brought his character to life; I liked him before, but now I know him in a way I didn't before. The fact that this book's written in dual perspectives was a pleasant surprise, especially because Eli and Julien have such different voices that were equally interesting. The small-scale mystery didn't quite grab me as much as the large-scale one that's been set up for future books, but the characterization we got, coupled with new information regarding pack politics, more than made up for that. The dynamic established between Julien and Eli was completely dissimilar to that of Cooper and Park but wasn't any less compelling, and I'm looking forward to seeing both men grow as characters across the Monster Hunter series, especially when it comes to their histories unfolding. And the crowning moment? Seeing Park and Cooper from a new perspective. So, so good.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have wanted Eli’s story since the moment we met him. So we have Eli working on getting the haven ready to take in the rebel runaways to help them heal and then move on to a better life. Julien is in town trying to find out what truly happened to his brother who was there looking for the monster in the woods. I loved that we had dual POV! Those are my favorite because I always want to know what the MC’s are thinking and to see things through their eyes. I had the bad person figured out almost from the beginning, but never really figured out why. If you are a fan of the Big Bad Wolf series, you will love this spinoff!

Since I read the Big Bad Wolf Series I wanted to know more about Eli and because we only knew about him through Cooper and Oliver point of view, Eli was a mystery, an interesting, sassy mystery that just makes you want to know more about him. His past, his secrets, his true self, and I really love what I found here, yep, Eli is still a mystery, he is so complex and has so many secrets that I think we will need two or three more books about him to get to know him completely.

Here Charlie Adhare introduces a new character, Julien Doran, and oh boy! I love him so much!! His story and all about why he is determined to be on Maudit Falls and know about its secrets, the duality of his personality made me fall in love with him - he is so charming, cute and shy! But … when all of you read the book you will know what I’m talking about! . And I know that what we know is just a little bit of a huge story, because as Eli he has more secrets that we have to wait to read.

I really love the dynamic between these two and how their personalities match perfectly, and even though I know I have to wait to see them together in a serious relationship I will love the suffering.

I liked the story around Maudit Falls, the mystery, the secrets and trying to know what was going on. It's true that it took me a while to reconnect with the substory and all the drama that we read on Big Bad Wolf but once I understood everything again it was easy.

It felt so good to be back in this world! I love Eli, and I loved getting to see his own story. This book delivers the typically paranormal mystery Charlie Adhara is known for, and I really enjoyed it. The banter between Eli and Julien was absolutely top-notch, and there were so many funny one-liners and references. It also pulled on my heartstrings and made me want to give Eli a hug. My dude just really wants some friends and somewhere to really belong, bless his heart. Overall, I was very satisfied with this spin-off and it kills me to have to wait for the next book!!!

The only problem/nitpick I had with this book was the way Charlie explicitly described everyone with their race. "He was white" and "She was white, middle aged" etc. It is unnecessary and a bit jarring to have it so blatantly spelled out.

Basically felt like I'd won the lottery when I got this ARC. Excited to say that I'm just as invested in this new series as I was in the Big Bad Wolf series that it's a spinoff of, which is to say ridiculously freaking invested. This was all around great. Fast paced and exciting with an interesting mystery and characters I really cared about. Some aspects of the story are wrapped up by the end, but there are also loose ends to be followed through in future books and I'm already dying to know how those will play out.

There are some definite differences here from the Big Bad Wolf series. For starters, it's dual POV, which works well for this book. It was interesting getting Eli's POV, since the Big Bad Wolf series is all from Cooper's POV, because it's the first time getting to see things from the POV of a character who is a wolf.

I will say that while it never reached the point of squicking me out, there were a few times in this book, particularly during sex scenes, when the dynamics became something a bit iffy for me, just in terms of my personal taste. In Cooper and Oliver's books, Oliver is always very much "in skin" (meaning in human form) during intimate scenes. Pack of Lies blurred those lines a little. This is partly because of who Eli is (though there are still a bunch of unanswered questions about that) and how shifting works for him, so it makes sense for his character. Again, it never quite crossed over the line, it really is only some small details, but it was definitely more apparent that he's a wolf during sex scenes than it ever was for me with Oliver in the first series. Which again, is just a personal preference thing.

I was a little surprised about Julien's reaction to realizing what Eli is, but I'm wondering if the things we still don't know about Julien and his brother might help explain that. There is certainly a lot left to be explored in future books.

Of course, the few pages where Cooper and Oliver make an appearance were one of my favorite parts of this book. It was especially hilarious and sweet to see Cooper from an outside perspective, since we are in his head throughout the first series.

This was one of those books that made me resentful of everything I had to do that wasn't reading, since I was so eager to find out what happened next. I can't wait for the next one!

3.75 stars

I was so excited that Eli was getting his own series and I cannot wait until we get more of his story, he is a fascinating character and there is a lot to learn about him.

I started reading this as soon as I got the ARC but I couldn’t concentrate on the story for some reason so I waited and then started it again a few weeks later. I am glad I waited until I was in the right headspace because I feel like you need to be aware of everything going on.

Julien Doran is a human who does not believe in monsters, that was his brother Rocky who was always hunting down leads and filming them for his web series. Because Rocky usually only uncovered actual humans in trouble with the law he often got himself in trouble leaving Julien to bail him out. After his brother dies Julien feels guilty about everything and when he finds paperwork in a hiding space his brother left he decides to finish this last monster hunt for him.

If you have already read the Big Bad Wolf series I think you will follow this book much better. I actually read over some of the last book in that series to get a good idea about what was happening in this book. That series is also so good and I highly recommend it. You meet Eli but the setting for this book is also the setting in book 4 of the Big Bad Wolf series. Plus Cooper and Oliver….they are just awesome!!!!

Overall I liked this and I think it has set up what is going to be a really great series. I loved Eli, it’s hard not to. He’s such a character and behind his smart mouth is a vulnerable person/wolf. I think him and Julien will make a great couple.

I did feel like this book lost me at times. How and when exactly did Julien discover Eli was a wolf? We aren’t shown some important aspects but are just told about them and that brought me out of the story. I also thought these were some of the strangest sex scenes, almost uncomfortable, bordering on cringy at times, not sexy at all. I hope that these aspects get better in the next book.

While I liked this I did hope to love it. It seemed to almost get there but stopped a bit short. Being a first book in a new series I find this happens sometimes so it doesn’t hinder me looking forward to what is to come for these characters.