When Kyle Slidell moved to Boston, MA for work, he didn’t expect to develop a Massachusetts-sized crush on his neighbor, Tobias Rogan. After watching Tobias with occasional hellos for a few months, Kyle is thrilled to learn that Tobias is into him, too.
But Tobias isn’t what he seems, and neither are most of the rest of Kyle’s neighbors. Kyle finds this out too late, when one of the neighbors turns out to be a rogue werewolf who attacks Kyle. And it turns out Kyle’s other neighbors are also werewolves, Tobias is their Alpha–and now Kyle is a werewolf too, and Tobias’s mate! But, being as stubborn as he is, even in wolf form vegan Kyle refuses to eat meat.
The werewolf world is not a calm place, as Kyle learns. Some local wolves have a grudge against Tobias. And Tobias has attracted attention beyond the Boston limits from those who want to make sure he never poses a threat to them. Together, Kyle and Tobias build a life together while fighting to protect their pack and each other.
Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat is currently a 5-book male/male romance series, originally published between 2011-2014, being rereleased in 2022-2023. Books 1-3 are from Kyle’s point of view; books 4 and 5 are from Tobias’s. Additional books are tentatively planned, since Kyle talks a lot and Tobias has informed the author that their story didn’t end where she thought it did. These books include on-page discussion of off-page sexual assault; discussion of parental abuse; violence between werewolves (in human form and in wolf form); depictions of PTSD; and other content readers might find triggering. Book-specific warnings are in the individual book descriptions.
The books:
Salad on the Side
Since moving to Boston, Kyle Slidell has met only a few of his neighbors, including Tobias Rogan. Kyle is very interested in Tobias, and is ecstatic to learn Tobias wants him too.
But his neighbors have a secret: They’re werewolves, and Tobias is the pack Alpha. When one of the wolves attacks Kyle in the neighborhood garden one night, Kyle learns the truth in a hurry. Now he’s a werewolf too–and since he’s vegan, he refuses to eat meat.
With Tobias’s help and love, Kyle must adjust to his new life and protect himself and his friends from a rogue wolf with a grudge against Tobias.
This book contains discussion of past sexual trauma (the trauma does not occur on-page, the conversation does), physical violence between werewolves, abduction, and a werewolf Alpha living with PTSD.
Available on Amazon!
Author Anthony Avina gives Salad on the Side 5 stars and says, “Heated, engaging, and thrilling, author Karenna Colcroft’s “Salad on the Side” is the perfect first novel in the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series and a brilliant LGBTQ-driven supernatural romance novel.”
Joyfully Jay gives Salad on the Side 3.5 stars and says, “Overall, I think this is a great selection for people who love werewolf stories.”
Bayou Book Junkie gives Salad on the Side 3.5 stars and says, “With plenty of subplots and secondary characters included in Salad on the Side, I’d recommend this book to fans of shifter romances looking for a new series.”
MM Fiction Cafe gives Salad on the Side 4 stars and says, “Seriously though as quirky as the title suggests, this story is quite a page turner. It has all the wholesome ingredients of a good novel.”
TTC Books and More gives Salad on the Side 4 meows and says, “This story is a fun, unusual take on werewolves. Especially with one that is vegan. I liked some of the characters, disliked others (in a good way).”
Veggie Burgers to Go
A member of Boston North Pack is attacked by humans who say they were hired by a werewolf. The same night, Melia, the wolf who changed Kyle, returns to Boston. The pack suspects Melia of arranging the attack, but Kyle believes someone else is behind it. He just doesn’t know who.
The next day, at the regional Alpha meeting (or “Alpha-con,” as Kyle calls it) in Pennsylvania, Kyle finds the answer. Saul Hughes, another Alpha, has long-standing issues with Tobias, made worse by Tobias claiming another man as his mate. Saul claims Tobias is too weak to lead a pack, and makes it clear that he wants control of both of the Boston packs. But no one can guess how far he’ll go to get it.
When tragedy strikes at the gathering, orchestrated by Saul, Kyle is left to fight for his pack and mate while Tobias fights for his life. Boston will never be the same.
This book was originally published in 2012 by MLR Press. This edition has been revised, re-edited, and updated from the original, and also includes the Christmas-themed short story “Tofurkey and Yams,” originally published as a separate short story in 2011. This book includes on-page discussion of off-page abuse and sexual assault; depictions of PTSD; gun violence; and a main character losing his temper with his mate and coming far too close to crossing the line between consensual and coercion.
Available on Amazon!
Joyfully Jay gives Veggie Burgers to Go 4.5 stars and says, “Overall, I enjoyed this installment of Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat tremendously.”
TTC Books and More gives Veggie Burgers to Go 4 meows and says, “I’m anxious for the next book, as I’m loving this series.”
MM Fiction Cafesays, “A good addition to this unique take on werewolves that is the Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat.”
Paranormal Romance Guild gives Veggie Burgers to Go 4 stars and says, “Overall, I found this to be a great shifter story to read with a lot of different aspects coming together to build up the atmosphere and emotion that is experienced.” This review was also posted on QueeRomance Ink.
Tofurkey and Yams
It’s Kyle Slidell’s first Christmas with his mate, Tobias Rogan. Kyle loves Christmas and can’t wait to share it with his mate…but Tobias is making Scrooge look like Santa Claus. Can Kyle help his mate find joy in the season, or will his attempts drive Tobias away?
Available on Amazon! Please note that this short story is also available as bonus material in both the Kindle and print editions of Veggie Burgers to Go.
Hummus on Rye
A six-year-old human child, who recently moved with his single father into the heart of the Boston North Pack’s territory, is missing–and Alpha Tobias Rogan has been framed for kidnapping the boy. Meanwhile, a new pack member with a traumatic past has drawn Saul Hughes, the rogue Alpha with a grudge against Tobias, to Boston.
Kyle Slidell, Tobias’s mate, spots Saul and realizes he must be behind the child’s kidnapping. But Saul has retained his powers and uses them to erase his presence from the minds of all of the other Boston wolves. Only Kyle, with his unusual immunity to compulsion, is able to remember seeing the rogue.
To protect his mate and save the little boy, Kyle will violate shifter law and ignore direct orders from the ruler of the Northeast Region werewolves. But will he survive the fallout?
This book was originally published in 2012. This version has been revised, edited, and expanded from the original. This book contains child abduction; references to off-page abuse and sexual assault; violence between werewolves; and depictions of PTSD.
Available on Amazon!
Joyfully Jay gives Hummus on Rye 4.5 stars and says, “All in all, I thought Hummus on Rye was an excellent addition to Colcroft’s werewolf series. Kyle and Tobias continue to grow and love and I just loved seeing them fall more in love with each other. The main villain was deliciously insidious.”
TTC Books and More gives Hummus on Rye 5 stars and says, “I love the uniqueness of this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next!”
Queer Sci Fi says, “The story-telling was excellent. Along with well-developed, complex characters, we got an action-filled story with good pacing.” (No star rating is given.)
Book Review Virginia Lee Blog gives Hummus on Rye 5 stars and calls Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat a “high suspense series.”
MM Romance Reviewed gives Hummus on Rye 4 stars and says, “I am getting more and more attached to the characters in the series and can’t wait to read the next book later this year.”
Try the Tofu
As Alpha Tobias Rogan and his mate Kyle Slidell prepare to travel to the regional Alpha gathering, Tobias receives a threatening phone call: If he brings his mate to the gathering, Kyle will not return to Boston. But stubborn Kyle, believing the threat is actually against Tobias, refuses to stay home.
Tobias’s foreboding is proven correct when a visiting stranger challenges Zane Wolfskin, Arkhon of the Northeast Region, to a fight for rank–and wins. Tobias and his allies learn that the challenge was part of a larger plan to destroy their region, something Tobias will not allow. To prevent disaster, Tobias must challenge the new Arkhon himself. But can he survive the attempt?
This book was originally published in 2013 by MLR Press. This version has been revised, re-edited, and updated from the original. It includes conflict between mates and reference to a past physical fight between those mates; mention of off-page murder, abduction, and child abduction; violence between werewolves; references to past abuse and sexual assault; and depictions of PTSD.
Available on Amazon!
TTC Books and More gives Try the Tofu 5 meows and says, “If you like paranormal romance, werewolves, vegan, twists, suspense and lots of heat you will love this.”
Joyfully Jay gives Try the Tofu 4.75 stars and says, “Needless to say, I was enthralled with this installment.”
Rainbow Book Reviews reviewed Try the Tofu and says, “Very exciting addition filled with a lot of intrigue, backstabbing, and violence.”
Tempeh for Two
Tobias Rogan never wanted to rule over anyone, but in the past several months has gone from quietly running the smallest werewolf pack in the United States to ruling over the Northeast Region of the country as its Arkhon. Traveling to California for the annual national gathering of all United States arkhons and alphas, Tobias knows the time has come to make his stand. The Anax, ruler of all werewolves in the United States, is acting out of senility and desperation for power to not only destroy the structure of the werewolf world in the U.S., but to start war with the wolves in Canada.
To protect his world, his friends, and his mate, Tobias must challenge the Anax–no matter how little he wants the rank. But Tobias’s mate, Kyle Slidell, is taken captive by the Anax’s men as soon as they arrive at the gathering to blackmail Tobias into dropping his plans. Tobias must choose: Issue his challenge and risk Kyle’s life, or stay silent and risk the Anax declaring war.
Releasing January 10, 2024!
Take Some Tahini
As Tobias Rogan adjusts to the changes in leadership of the United States werewolves, he’s tasked with ending a conflict between the wolves of the U.S. and those of Canada, a conflict intentionally orchestrated by the former Anax of the United States. To make amends and put things right between the two countries, Tobias chooses to travel with his mate, Kyle Slidell, to Nova Scotia to meet with the Anax of Canada. After a flight to Boston to see their old friends, Tobias and Kyle begin the drive to Canada.
But the journey doesn’t go smoothly, and, although the Canadian Anax is amenable to ending hostilities between the countries, there are those who want the conflict to continue. Tobias must protect himself and Kyle while working to restore the relationship between the countries, or risk war–and his own life.
Releasing July 12, 2024!
And Kyle and Tobias’s “theme song”:
