The Blessed Vessel

by Venus Cox

The goddess of unity's mortal daughter, Sonta, is charged with bearing and raising the next Anointed Ruler of the realm, the next emperor or empress.

The child's father will come from among the six territories, each eager to gain a stronger foothold in the empire. They each send the best candidate to the palace to join Sonta's Coterie—her circle of men promised to her for pleasure and politics.

While Sonta and her men get to know each other—intimately—behind closed doors, the world waits to discover which man will win the paternity race. Will her child be half elf, fae, mage, merperson, shifter, or vampire?

Featuring a bisexual protagonist, this fantasy duology delivers all the spice, perfect for those who want a why-choose/reverse harem version of The Bachelorette!

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Fae, Why Choose, Ebooks, Romantasy

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2023

Reviews

[Sage · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this off a TikTok recommendation on a stuff your Kindle day, and this is I think officially the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. I lost brain cells reading this. I can only blame myself because I finished it, I subjected myself to this nobody put a gun to my head, but holy God do I wish I could go back to the point that I had never encountered this. no plot none at all just weird deranged smut. dear god i wish i could unread this.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read why choose (rh) books and expect all the men to fall in love with the female eventually - this is not it. There is the one who is the jerk and makes things complicated. However, not all the men are going to end up in the group at the end - and that should have been made clear from the beginning.

I didn't like the way the merman was basically left out. It was explained for reasons, but there still was very little in regard to spending time (off-page included) with him.

Two of the guys are not going to be with the female by the end. One of those is only going to be in a relationship with another of the guys. But she always had to somehow make sure she found time to be with the other woman she wasn't supposed to be with - so, yeah.

I'll probably read the next, maybe, just to find out who the father is and that's it. There is an imbalance in the group and clear favoritism. This may have been easier to juggle (for the author) if less men were written - not everyone is able to handle a large group of men, and this one is one that isn't handled as well.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book literary just got worse and worse. The writing was all over the place, and things were just thrown in for no reason. I didn’t feel a connection to ANY of the characters including the main character. There were some elements that were okay (hence the one star) however the entire 300 pages spanned a timeline of one month and literally nothing eventful happened. This is not even a real RH or why choose, if you like those then this book is not for you. I will not be reading the sequel even out of curiosity to find out the paternity results. Very silly book.

[Vintagev_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re a RH fan who is looking for more smut than plot, this will probably be a good read for you.

I on the other hand am disappointed by the lack of connection between Sonta and her Coterie. The only relationships you really get substance in are with Gald, Hadwin, and somewhat Tyfen.

Elion was arguably the most annoying character and I dislike how he comes off that way because Sonta keeps calling him sweet, so you know the author’s intent wasn’t to make him annoying. But here’s the thing, there is nothing to his character besides constantly wanting to fuck Sonta. I’ve read plenty of shifter books and the mate heat is something I’m familiar with because of this. So I am left annoyed he still wasn’t given a personality beyond chasing her for sex. I also found it an interesting choice to have him willing to take Gald while Gald took Sonta when his mating heat is so bad he consistently says he only wants her. Then to also turn around and have Gald end up with Findie, it just felt pointless for Elion/Gald scene to happen.

Tyfen was a brooding character, which I love, and I was most interesting in his and Sonta’s relationship than any of the others. They’re rocky, but I think it’s because something is there we weren’t told yet.

Poor Haan was barely a character at all.

Overall, I honestly think it may have been too many main characters for the author because several of them felt forgotten. A lot fell to the wayside for a 300 page book. It’s odd to finish it and feel like you read only a few drawn out chapters. I did not like how frequently time was skipped over. There were just missed opportunities all around.

I may read the next one just to see who the father is.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I got this book for free on Kindle. I participated in stuff your kindle day where I got a bunch of romance books for free, roughly 2,000 books. I normally do not read romance books but I wanted to try the genre. I typically read fantasy, science fiction, biographies, and classics so this is way out of my comfort zone. My plan is to draw a book at random without reading the summary, title, and avoiding looking at the cover. As long as the book is not too graphic for me or leads into something uncomfortable, I will be attempting to finish as many of these books as I can in 2024. I understand that many of these books will likely not be top tier but I am hoping that I can learn something about the romance genre as a whole and figure out if any types of books in this genre are for me.

So this one is interesting. The whole concept of this book is that the next emperor is picked based on which race impregnates the goddess's daughter (our main character). Beyond the sex, there actually is a very interesting story going on. Political discourse between MC and her selected representatives from each race begs many questions. I'd love to see another take on this more focused on the politics, needs, and drama of the races.

The author midway through gave up on describing most of the sex, which confused me. I'm not here to read that, but isn't that the whole point of this book? It's almost like midway through they decided to shift from smut to romance/drama/fantasy. Overall, I might read this again.

[Lauren Erzsebet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonta has always known she was meant for a greater purpose which means her womb is open to the species.
Her coterie of men who would come from every area for the chance to make her heavy with their child.
Within a month her pregnancy should be confirmed after various interactions with the men promised to the task.
One from each of the six main races who have the honor to represent their people in creating the next leader.
Sonta can't let feelings or emotions get in the way of her fairness when it comes to them though she may struggle.
Who will leave when the time is right? Who will father her child?

This was an intriguing story that kept me pinned with the weight of its intensity.
There are worries, concerns, dramas, romances and each chapter brings with more reason to get lost in this world.
I loved the characters for their individual personalities and ways though some less than others obviously.
My favourite of the men is definitely Hadwin the Vampire Duke who though cold is probably internally one of the warmest of them.
There are many erotic scenes as expected but I found none of them tedious or repetitive with surprises thrown in.
I found certain matings made this not at all superficial and I liked the adorance that permeated the page.
This was written by a breath of fresh air who properly put the wind in my sails and managed to snatch my oxygen away.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book honestly just annoyed me. I understand making the FMC have flaws, not make the right choice all the time. But she constantly monologues about how she can't/shouldn't do something because it would bring the worst repercussions, does the thing, and the consequences come. Then she has the worst pity parties because the bad things she didn't want to happen, did in fact, happen.
I also think her outing Findlech was completely unnecessary. I don't see how it furthered the plot in any way. It is even listed in the 'Possible Triggers' as 'not a major focus.' Soooo, why even put it in there?
Also, Tyfen's whole storyline pisses me off. Some of this might pertain to the second book (which I am currently about halfway through). He's an asshole to her. His only redeeming quality for most of the book is that he has a big dick and is good in bed. Then when he starts being nice to her she almost instantly falls in love with him... which I find very problematic. Can't remember if it starts in the first or second book but his nickname for her is 'greedy cunt.' I'm not one to yuck anyone's yum but that just makes me cringe, especially when he uses it outside the bedroom.
I came for the smut. But I was honestly disappointed. Maybe it's been too many years of me reading fanfiction for formal literature to really do it for me anymore. Either way, I found the smut to be mild at best. Not enough detail. Overuse of the word 'tightening' for orgasm??? Kinda weird, tbh.

[Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mostly entertaining and what you'd expect from the description: a royal human lady taking on 6 non-human husbands in a political marriage to conceive the next ruler of the lands.

Sonta is only 24 and pretty immature, especially around court politics. But since she's been taught to be a banger in the sack, that's what the story is mostly about. Well, there is plenty of sex, but also, the story mostly focuses on the emotional (or lack thereof) relationships she develops with each of the men. Unfortunately, the pacing is pretty perfunctory or too slow to get to the reveals about the men. Some of the sex is so short that I wouldn't consider this erotica, either. (And I'm not talking about the scenes with Findlech.)

It also ends on a cliffhanger. Boo! And since this is an indie book, there aren't enough reviews to satisfy my curiosity at a few loose ends, so I'll either choose to wade in again (unlike Sonta with Haan) or never know.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blessed Vessel
Venus Cox
Stars:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Cliffhanger!!
This review may contain spoilers.

Tropes:
- [x] RH
- [x] PNR
- [x] Breeding
- [x] FF

This book is completely original! I absolutely fell in love with it! This is the first book I’ve read where the h is bisexual and there’s an on screen scene between two f. I did not hate it! I absolutely loved the bachelor aspect of this and liked all the guys (yes even the grumpy ones).
I totally saw the ending coming, because let’s be real we could see he was completely jealous and was holding himself back for some reason.

I cannot wait for the rest of the series!! I want to see who run ether paternity race! Will the child be elf, fea, mage, Merperson, vampire, or wolf??

This is a voluntary arc review.

[Holly Taggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the genre of Monster Romance, this is ideal. It is perfect for those who find a monster romance with just one monster to be just kind of dull. In The Blessed Vessel, the reader will experience Merpeople, Vampires, Wolf Shifters, Fae, Mages and Elves. It's kind of a lot.
The entire point of this book is for the protagnoist, a human woman- Sonta- to fufill her political and spiritual calling to be the mother to the next Emperor, and in doing so she must entertain representatives from all the realms, of monsters.
The book ends on a Cliff Hanger, as one is left wondering who the father will be, but never fear there is a blessed coterie as well... Book two tell all!

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonta, the mortal daughter of the goddess of unity, is tasked with bearing the next ruler of the realm. Each of the six territories sends a candidate to join Sonta's Coterie, a group of men promised to her for pleasure and politics. The child's father will come from among these candidates, who represent different species.


Captivating Storyline, Characters and Imaginative World-Building - A Must-Read! From the very first page to the last, I was completely enraptured by the story, characters and world-building. I highly recommend this book!

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read! The characters in this novel are to die for and the plot line and character arcs are exceptional.

This book is definitely VERY spicy — so be warned! (A little too fast-paced and heavy for me, if we’re being honest…) But the first excerpt gives you a prime example of Cox’s writing style, so you can dive in without fully committing. Truthfully, I kept reading for the characters. Can’t wait to finish the next one and find out who the father is! Fingers crossed it’s Hadwin or Elion!!! But who doesn’t love a dedicated mate?

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want something with more of a plot and substance I wouldn’t recommend this. But if you want to take a break and just read a little sex fantasy about a girl sleeping with a bunch of fantasy beings, it’s a fast cute read. Definitely wish there was more world building, I had so many questions. Also wish some scenes were written out more, wish the mermaid and other characters got more time. Truly wish it was longer and more in depth. But honestly for it being as simple as it is, I still enjoyed it.

[Tanya.Henderson #FairyWyvern TikTok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from page one. While there is lots of sex, it is almost a side note. The character development is great and getting to know all the different personalities is fun. I can’t wait for the conclusion of this series. This book was an easy read. It flowed so well that it was done before I knew. This book made me kick my heels and squeal like a school girl. I laughed out loud and cried through the tough parts. This is a book I highly recommend.

[Sarah Halter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally phenomenal! I loved how developed this book was with all of the different members of the coterie and their very spicy scenes. Another thing that really stood out to me was that this author uses actual terms, like gay and lesbian to describe her queer characters. I feel like this is rarely ever done in fantasy so I like that this book has those moments. If you love why choose with lots of spice, you don’t want to miss this book! I can’t wait for the sequel!

[Indigo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was some poorly written reverse harem smut, but let's be honest... I'll probably read the second one anyway. My biggest issue really was the writing, the first 40% or so had me curious but uninvested with how obvious and repetitive it was. It warmed up a bit once all of the characters were well introduced but even then it was just passable. Despite all of that I admittedly do want to know who the father is (my money is on Tyfen) but we'll see if I get much further than the announcement.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolutely my “hear me out” book. I think I got it on a stuff your kindle day or something and it is first and foremost a very smutty book, but the world building/lore is so cool?? I am reading the second book now and had to explain the whole plot to my husband so he would know why I laughed so hard, and as I was explaining I was realizing more and more how well this book set the series up!

[Cal Wills · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, idk what exactly folks are expecting who are leaving negative reviews, it may just be the genre isn’t for them? The relationship developments may be a little quick in some instances but the reasons why that may be so are explicitly stated in the book so it all checks out in fiction yknow? Anyway I had a great time, halfway through the sequel now and interested to see how it all plays out

[KayCee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blessed Vessel should absolutely be on your TBR. In all transparency, I am not usually a fantasy reader, but this book caught my attention and I'm so glad it did. The Blessed Vessel is about a why choose, reverse harem about a woman who is destined to birth the next ruler of the realm. The book is well written, captivating, and I can't wait for the 2nd book.

[Kristabible · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Lately I have been tired of books that have a lot of spicy scenes in them because a lot of them don’t have a strong plot line but in this books case the spice helped the plot along and it doesn’t get repetitive because there’s a lot of variety in the scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book if you love spice and fantasy I definitely recommend this book!

[E. Demel · Rating 5 out of 5]

do you like alot of spice with alot of plot? this book is for you. fun spicy why choose fantasy. The plot is riveting and the spice is *chef's kiss*. I enjoyed every moment from the spicy beginning to the spicy end. I enjoyed rooting for the men I liked and loved the men I didn't like. it was a fantastic journey and cannot wait to see what more the author has in store for the characters!

[Cory Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give out 5/5 stars, but this book is something special. I was hooked before I even noticed it, and was devastated to realize that this is only the first in the series! I cannot wait to see what comes in the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Knightofni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and an interesting premise. I would have given it a higher rating if more of the lore and world building were expanded on. As there's some really interesting ideas in here alongside the smut :)

Unfortunately, a lot of the characters were one dimensional and, almost surplus to requirement. Similarly, left field M/M scene which added nothing to either characters arc.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I feel a little deceptive giving it 2 stars, as it should probably only be 1. I liked the overall concept idea and felt that needed rewarded a little for originality. But don't be mistaken... this was a dumpster fire of a book. The more I read, the worse it seemed to get until I was physically forcing myself to just finish it already.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend this one. I'd give the author another chance to redeem themselves, but this one's a wash for me.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There of course is a lot of spice in this book and I love it. I love how Cox gives it a story and it is not just Sonta having sex with guys because she likes them. Each character is given more depth than that. I am happy that she also is bisexual. I cannot wait to read the next book.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a paranormal erotic romance it is a very good novel to read very adult kinda book but a really good novel.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Addie Loebl · Rating 5 out of 5]

spice it starts off from page 1. literal p*rn in book form ngl. but it did do well playing with my emotions. definitely a simple & enjoyable read. a good breather from super complicated epic fantasies and stuffs. it’s a duology too so i’ll be going on to the next book

[Geeky Fangirl Next Door · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, this is poly, not why choose.

Secondly, there is ZERO plot. Literally, it’s smut every 5 pages, yet none of it is particularly interesting.

I’m going to read book 2 since I like some of the guys… but overall very little makes sense and I don’t particularly enjoy the MFC. But 🤷‍♀️

[Nicolle Persoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading and expected a complicated lovestory with all the different characters. But is so much more. Politics/childhood friends/family ties and more. An immense read👍

[Juletta Gilge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure and absolute shut. There was a bit of character development and some interesting plot, but really just all spice.