Bloodline

by Jenn Alexander

Jenn Alexander introduces readers to a different kind of romance —think Sweeney Todd in a coffee shop with lesbians and vampires.
Still reeling from the unexpected loss of her parents, Edie McLean doesn’t have time to grieve. She’s the 4th-generation owner of the McLean Family Coffee Shop, her family’s legacy. Unfortunately, this legacy is littered with decades worth of bad business, regrettable purchases, and massive debt. The McLean family motto was always that “good coffee is in our blood,” but the shop has become an eyesore and its small, loyal customer base isn’t enough to keep it afloat—and if Edie doesn’t find a way to turn business around quickly, the family’s legacy will end with her.
As Edie tries to pull all the pieces of her life together, she finds herself drawn to an alluring night-shift nurse who stops by for coffee every evening after sunset, while contending with a quirky new roommate who sleeps in an honest-to-God coffin. When all three worlds collide in spectacular fashion, Edie’s eyes are opened to a new and untapped market that just may be the key to saving her family’s coffee shop. However, when her Draculattes and Cold Blood Cold Brews begin to raise more alarm than sales, suddenly the stakes involved appear to be of the wooden variety.

Genres: Vampires, Audiobook, Fantasy, Lesbian, Fiction, Romance, Queer

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 9, 2024

About the author

Jenn Alexander was born and raised in Edmonton, Canada. She graduated in 2017 with an M.S. in Counseling from the University of North Texas, and has since returned to Canada, where she is trying to reacclimatize to the frozen north.
Jenn is a 2018 graduate of the the Golden Crown Literary Society’s Writing Academy, for which she was the year’s recipient of the Sandra Moran Scholarship. She lives with her three daughters, two cats, and one rambunctious dog. When she’s not writing, Jenn spends her time playing the drums, skiing, or looking for adventure.
Her debut romance novel is The Song of the Sea.

Reviews

[Della B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloodline combines a struggling and out of date coffee shop with a diverse cast of characters which includes vampires. The vampires are quite docile and living amongst the general population undetected. The story follows multigenerational cafe owner Edie McLean and her struggle to make her business profitable as she faces the real possibility of closure.

I am sad to report that Bloodline failed to grab my attention and pull me in. The first half of the book is repetitive of the concerns Edie has that she will lose the shop and how this failure would affect her family. There is also the idea on how she plans to save her family’s coffee legacy. This idea is just too over the top for my tastes.

Alexander is a competent writer and although this book was not for me, others may find pleasure in reading it.

I received an advance review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book since I found out that Anna Burke, Samara Breger and Jenn Alexander had challenged one another to write vampire novellas—which all turned into full-fledged novels. Breger’s A Long Time Dead became an instant favourite. I can’t count how many times I’ve recommended Burke’s In the Roses of PieriaIn the Roses of Pieria (I’ll be listening to the audiobook soon and I’m super impatient). And now, Bloodline is out, and I got to experience it in audio, narrated by the always outstanding Quinn Riley, aka Jeremy Carlisle Parker.

All of Edie’s energy is going into saving the family coffee shop she inherited after her parents’ sudden death. The McLean family is much better at making excellent coffee than at managing a business, and the struggle is real. To help earn some direly needed money, Edie opens her home to a roommate, Empty, whose boyfriend turns out to be a vampire wannabe. Wannabes aren’t the only vampires in town, however…

First of all, I loved all the characters. There’s more to each of them than what shows on the surface and while they probably never would have met in different circumstances, their lives are richer with the others in them. I also liked that almost every time I got comfortable and thought I knew where the story would go next, a twist took me by surprise.

This novel is on the shorter side (longer than a novella though), and the ending felt a bit rushed. There were also a few repetitive moments, and a couple of unexpected takes (would an independent coffee shop owner really find anything positive to say about Starbucks?). That said, Bloodline is quirky, it’s funny, it’s moving, vividly written and narrated (Quinn Riley never disappoints), and makes good points on topics such as belonging, found family, othering, fear, and closets of all kinds.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

[SSA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vampire stories are some of my favourite books but this book was so disappointing and repetitive. This book was really boring and underwhelming from what I thought was an interesting premise. Nothing interesting or major has happened the first 36%.

I’ve decided to DNF at 44%. It’s been very repetitive about Edie being worried she’s going to lose her family’s failing coffee shop, her surface level interest in Penny (I haven’t read anything to make me understand exactly why Edie is so infatuated with her), her bizarre roommate, her borderline insufferable employee, and her ‘quirky’ customers. It might sound interesting from what I’ve said but it’s extremely dull. I stopped at almost halfway through the book, where Edie had a “great” idea to save her coffee shop by selling a latte called “Draculatte”. Really?? 50% through the book and this is the “exciting” and innovative idea to bring in more customers.

“Starbucks is a chain, but at least it’s known for ethical “business practices and good-quality brew.” No they aren’t. As far as I know Starbucks is known for busting unions, racial discrimination towards staff, and overpriced diabetes-inducing ‘coffee’ drinks. I don’t know why a independent coffee shop owner would ever praise a coffee chain.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
I never thought a book about vampires would be a cathartic read, but here we are. Bloodline is a wonderful story about found family, community, and the importance of being around not only accepting people, but other people like you.
Spoilers… not really, there are vampires in this book.
Edie is a strong-willed woman trying to keep her family’s dream alive. Penny is just making her way through “life” night by night.
These MCs are so much fun. They’re relatable, and they’re flawed. Edie’s new roommate is a little strange, she has an annoying boyfriend and a coffin. But she pays her rent on time, so Edie judges silently and keeps to herself, until she can’t. Penny has been hurt, and living in the dark has made her extremely cautious of people. It’s difficult for her to open up for fear of rejection, which is a story similar to many of our own.
A chance encounter with Penny, and Edie’s new roommate makes her start to evaluate how Edie views people.
The relationship develops quickly, but it’s done naturally. There are cute dates and helping each other out when something is wrong. I love that even in a book with vampires there are cutesy moments that keep the story relatable.
I’m still shocked at how much I was able to connect with these characters, but that’s what makes the story so great. For me, it allowed me to escape from the world while still trying to heal and process the real emotions the characters are feeling.
I hope everyone has a chance to read this one, I’ll likely return to this one.


Per usual, Quinn Riley does a great job with this narration. The MCs are fun and easy to distinguish. Riley does an amazing job pulling all of the emotion out of the text and putting it into the performance. I didn’t think I’d ever connect to a vampire character, but between the writing and Riley’s performance, I could feel the fear and hope that come with opening up to people you care about. The performance overall was excellent, the two MCs come off as warm personalities. Empty and Sid are strange but they keep their humanity through all of the theatrics. So once again 5 stars, because there isn’t a rating higher.

[ReadingwithCaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone should have a place to be themselves, meet with friends and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Even vampires. Right?

I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Edith McLean, Edie, is struggling. After the sudden death of her parents, Edie is the sole inheritor of the McLean Family Coffeeshop. She was literally born into the business and now it is her duty to continue the family legacy. Her parents knew coffee, but not so much about how to run a successful business. Sure the shop is a place where everyone is welcome and has become a safe place for people from all walks of life. That is exactly what Edie loves about it, but now she is stuck with a mount of debt. How she will be able to keep the shop open is a mystery to her. That is until she meets Penny, a gorgeous night nurse who stops by most nights to pick up coffees for her colleagues. Edie is smitten with this sweet and loyal customer and can’t believe her luck when Penny asks her out. There is something different about Penny though. As their connection builds, Penny opens up to Edie about her identity. Penny is a vampire, a real life vampire! After the initial shock wears off, Edie realizes that even vampires deserve a place to get a good cup of coffee. The question is, how will a vampire themed coffeeshop be received in a city that is anything but open minded to all things different from the norm?

I listened to the Bloodline audiobook. Narrator Quinn Riley is seriously the best of the best. If she narrates, I know it will be good. She has a way of creating different voices for all the characters, female, male or anything in between. It makes it very easy to let the story flow over you in gentle waves. Bloodline is another great example of Quinn’s talent. She is a master storyteller.

Bloodline is definitely different from Jenn Alexander’s other work, but refreshingly so. The vampire theme is a great metaphor for being different and that is a subject many of us sapphic readers are closely familiar with. Edie is the perfect rebel in a town that is very unkind to everything that doesn’t fit the wholesome lifestyle mold.

The side characters a.k.a. Edie’s employees, and her gothic housemate are a group of very interesting people. They fuel Edie’s fire to create a place for everyone. Her relationship with Penny is very sweet. The story is written solely from Edie’s POV and that gives a unique perspective in her ability to accept Penny and her very different lifestyle.

Bloodline is a very fun and engaging read! It’s different from the run of the mill sapphic romances, but still very sweet. I would love to get in line and buy a Draculatte from Edie and Penny at the counter of their shop!

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was overall fine, but I was hoping to be a bit more sucked into it. (Pun kind of intended). If you’re looking for a fairly quick, decently low angst read, this is a good one to grab for. It just never really made me fully invested. I think I’m learning that lower stakes kind of cozy fantasy style books aren’t really for me. I like my vampires with a bit more edge than we get here and I just didn’t full get invested in the coffee shop or any of the characters enough. It’s by no means a terrible read, just didn’t quite hit the mark for my personal tastes.

[Sapphic Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I was really rooting for Edie and I’m sucker for a plot revolving around saving a business. I liked the supporting cast especially the vampire love interest and quirky roommate. There’s so much humor subtly woven into the story that had me cracking up. Overall I really recommend this one!

[Lady Olenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The vampirism wasn’t central to the plot. Yes, it is significant but it’s the being “othered” or treated as a “less than” citizen in the eyes of society. And somehow the ostracism doesn’t end with vampires, it’s a quiet pandemic amongst the alternative living people. I quite liked that take of the story. It’s a different lens.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

This is such a good story about people falling in love, making friends, and doing good for their community, and doing so without having to change who they are. I found the vampire aspect to be a bit muted for my personal taste, but I did appreciate the different take on vampire lore the author offered. The pace is lightning fast and the book is written in a clean, effortless way that made it so easy to read …. and keep reading. I finished this in one sitting, while really wishing I had a caramel latte. If you’re easily influenced by coffee, be warned. You’ll need a drink with this book.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Jamie R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable listen. The story is full n and the narration by Quinn Riley is superb.

Edie is grieving the unexpected death of her parents while trying to keep their family coffee shop afloat. To do so she takes on a roommate, Empty, who sleeps in an actual coffin. Empty’s boyfriend is a vampire wannabe and probably the least liked character in the book for me. He grated my nerves lol.

The town has a strong conservative element and when Edie makes a decision to transform her old fashioned family coffee cafe into a vampire themed cafe she is met with harassment and criticism by the conservative community. The harassment is spurred in by a local author. A night nurse and loyal customer helps her with the transformation and Edie soon realizes there are more than just vampire wannabes in the town.

This story line echoes homophobic reactions that I felt were a subtle way to point out ignorance based hate. I found the majority of characters likable and the story interesting with fun humor and a couple of unexpected twists! My first by this author and I will be reading more from her.

I received the audiobook from Bywater Books and leave my review voluntarily.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and comfy vampire cafe read.

Honestly, the cover does nothing for the story and almost made me not pick it up but I took a chance and am pleased with the results. It's a pretty wholesome story about a struggling cafe owner, the vampire regular she has a crush on, and the plan that sprouts to try and save her family business. I was pretty surprised with the focus chosen family, being accepted for who you are, and an interesting conversation about censorship!

Loved it.

[3DKing · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - I'm missing a cathartic moment and I feel like every theme could have easily be expanded on. The found family aspect, the vampire existence, the relationship - all would benefit from a bit more open dialogue and less internal struggling.

[Rey Hawke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Davi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Vampire stuff almost makes up for how much romance there was lol.

[Courtney Aguilar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, just bad.. I liked the story at first, but honestly, I hated the characters and predicted a lot of the plot twists before they happened. Quick read, which is nice at least

[Jen Keyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not a fan. The audiobook narrator is great

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally added Bloodline to my Libby favorites tag based on what I read about it in the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books newsletter. At the time, it wasn’t available in either my local library Libby or my Department of Defense Libby. However, when I activated my Harris County Public Library Libby account in early March, the seven-hour audiobook was instantly available. So I instantly borrowed it to fill a gap in my listening schedule - even though it was simultaneous with a print vampire book.

Because I had added Bloodline to my list several months earlier, I didn’t know what to expect from it other than vampires and coffee. It was surprisingly cozy and insightful, but packed a full story arc into its short seven-hour length. At the beginning of the novel, the female protagonist is lonely, alone, stressed out, and burdened by the weight of a debt-ridden family coffee shop living in a close knit community with “traditional values.” Throughout the novel, she demonstrates small kindnesses that win over a reclusive vampire and build a found family around her. As expected, her decision to remodel the shop with an edgier vampire theme sparks controversy in the community, which ultimately binds the found family tighter. I was a bit bothered by the fact that the happily ever after results from a minor deus ex machina - which wildly unexpected and unforeseen even though it fit into the basic cozy vibe of the novel.

I would recommend this novel to readers who want a cozy low stakes read. It reminded me of Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree in the way that it focused on the life of a coffee shop owner and the impact that a healthy coffee shop can have on the broader community. Vampirism and queerness are integral to the story, as is the pain of coming out to a bigoted society as one and/or both. If this is triggering to the reader, best to find something else to read. Fred the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes soul be a good alternative.

[M the avid reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lifeblood coffee shop that brings people together
I'm new to Jenn Alexander's writing. I read a short story by her earlier this year and now Bloodline. Thanks to both works I'd like to read more of her writing.
Bloodline is a mixed bag of comedy (sometimes dark), drama and a bit of mystery; with characters who have both bills and debts to pay, secrets to keep, and/or things to prove to themselves as much as to others. Main characters Edie and Penny are kind good-hearted people, easy to care about and root for even when they make questionable decisions. The secondary characters are easy to imagine in part because of their quirks but all of the characters have some surprises up their sleeves which makes the book all the more engaging to sink in to and get lost in. Themes of belonging and community run through the book and you may find yourself wanting to find a coffee shop with this kind of vibe in your neck of the woods, away from the ubiquitous generic chain shops. Wild and clever chapter names add to the quirky weirdness of the book and coffee lovers/nerds are sure to get extra pleasure out of the coffee shop workings behind the counter. It's a fun and sometimes creepy read that has me curious to read Jenn Alexander's future work and books already published to see what other stories she has to tell, regardless of their genre.
Note that this is not a seasonal story despite the cover art so it can be read at any time of the year. Also the way this story came into being is both impressive and fascinating; you can find that in the acknowledgments at the end of the book along with some final words whose cuteness will make you go 'awww' and grin like a happy fool.

[K. Aten · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 rounded to 4.5 for the cuteness factor.

I've never read any Jenn Alexander works but this looked cute and light, and I'll admit to being a sucker for that type of vampire romance. Decades ago, I liked vampire romance because it was different from "regular boring" straight romance I grew up with as a young and clueless pre-queer. Now I feel like most vampire romance is all the same: dark, bloody, and edgy. So, of course, my quirky brain wants yet another DIFFERENT kind of vampire rom. I would classify this book in the same category as I would The Vampire Diet Series Books by Jae, or The Vampire Next Door by Natalie Vivien and Bridget Essex. All stories I really enjoyed for being cute, romantic, and lighthearted.

Another thing I enjoyed about Bloodline is the theme of found family. I write it into many of my own books and really enjoy reading it. I believe there is something innately resonating in the connection between the queer community and the notion of found family. For many folks, found family IS their real family.

Bloodline was all that and more. Throw in a plot where a handful of unlikely characters come together and build something bigger than imagined after overcoming overwhelming hardship? What can I say except that I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Once again, here is another book I'd gladly read a sequel to.

No cons, it's exactly what I wanted and expected based on the back cover matter. Many thanks to Alexander for sharing this. I really wish I liked coffee. *SIGH*

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coffee shop and vampires, certainly not a usual mix, but neither is this story quite what you'd expect when delving into the paranormal. It's not dark or bloody, but instead a tale of a struggle to survive, to find a place where one belongs, to be accepting, and the consequences that come along. Because while the book is lighthearted at times, it is also quite heavy in others. People can bigoted and nasty, and that is shown here as well. But with the right support and love, with acceptance, there can be a place for everyone.

This is a really well told story, and I quite enjoyed it. Eddie and Penny's relationship is sweet, and the friendship an found-family that forms between the characters in the book is heart-warming. But ouch, there is pain in what they go through in trying to save the coffeeshop, a reflection of what it can be like out there. It's definitely a different style of vampire story than what people might be used to, as it is really a tale about minorities, but still definitely worth the read.

[Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know I was looking for a cozy vampire book centered around a coffee shop, but this is just what I needed. This is a quick, easy read in the vein of Legends and Lattes (though I enjoyed this much more). The setting is modern day and revolves around a floundering coffee shop owned by Edie, who’s recently inherited the shop after the tragic death of her parents. She has a crush on a woman named Penny who only shows up at night…

Penny “I never expected to be on the night shift.”

Edie “You feel like a corpse!”

While the (fade to black) romance is a main plot thread, ultimately this is a book of found family, feeling like an “other” in an unaccepting society, and the importance of defending what you believe in.

“Now is the chance to face the unknown with courage, curiosity, and empathy.”

If you’re looking for vampires and a story that feels like a warm hug, you’re in the right place.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not often that I write a scathing review but this book irked me. It gets points for overall being an enjoyable story with likeable, multifaceted characters, and I won't slam it for its lack of originality because that is endemic within the genre. However, the proliferation of plot holes, typos, and editing errors made it difficult to read.

It is one thing to write a book for fun in three days, but please take more time to fully edit before publishing.

It is also somewhat shocking to read a book with queer main characters where a character praises Starbucks, in 2024, given the protests against Starbucks over the past two years because of its connection to genocide, not to mention the company's labour standards in the places where it sources coffee beans. Big yikes. Starbucks doesn't get a cookie for supporting queer/trans staff - it is so blantantly a PR move. Watch them drop us all when we're no longer the underdog darlings.

[Hope Freed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Call me old-fashioned but I rather expected a vampire story to not only have some blood but also to have some threat. That’s completely missing here and the story is instead a parable of how difficult life can be if you don’t ‘fit in’.
In this, Edie is trying to save her family’s ailing coffee shop whilst finding herself attracted to night nurse Penny. When Edie discovers something disturbing about her crush and potential girlfriend and then is told by Penny that she’s a vampire, Edie’s lack of reaction and lack of questioning is frankly bizarre!
It’s a different take on a vampire story I guess but not what I wanted when selecting a spooky book for Halloween. This is most definitely not it!

[Karen Worden · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes it just takes one voice,” Edie said. “One brave soul speaking their truth can, quite literally, change the world.”

Thank you Jenn Alexander for this great story. In addition to many sweet and light LOL episodes, there is a powerful undercurrent message about ‘otherness’ and prejudice. Imagine, if you can, that all of a sudden every LGBTQIA person glowed like the rainbow. The people who live their lives in blissful ignorance would no longer be able to be deaf and blind. I won’t give too much away about the plot-line but Jenn Alexander asks the question; “What would happen if people knew the truth?”

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your usual dark, sexy, horror vampire story. It's a story of acceptance, family, love and just let us all live our lives and enjoy a cup of coffee. The audiobook is narrated by Quinn Riley who does an excellent job conveying the spirit of the book. There's humor aplenty and lessons on acceptance. This is the first Jenn Alexander book I've read and really enjoyed her easygoing pace and ability to tell a good story. Check the blurb see if this is for you. You might be surprised.

[Desiree · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book.
Cute concept, writing was decent, but it felt a little too warm and fuzzy?

Eddie's internal monologue about vampires being discriminated against was a bit heavy handed, but also made no sense.

Vampires *are* predators.
It's a huge part of the mythology even if there are "ethical" vampires.
I love stories that reinvent vampires, but that just took a bit away from the characters.

[Perla · Rating 3 out of 5]

me gustó en general, pero podría haber estado tan suave! la historia se quedó en un plano muy sencillo y el conflicto se simplificó un montón y todo se resolvió muy fácil. esta novela podría haber sido un cuento y tal vez hubiera amarrado mejor lo que quería contar, porque como novela me arrojó un montón de personajes y vidas y temas que al final no retomó ni desarrolló y eso me da coraje porque me deja con las ganas, me ilusiona, me promete y no me cumple :(

[AGC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually read “vampire” books, but I made an exception for this one. When you look at the cover (beautiful by the way) you’d never know the story inside is as deep and romantic as it is. I was totally absorbed in it and didn’t want to put it down. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I’ll be reading another one soon.

[WinterHater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosa Parks se sentó en un asiento que, por culpa del racismo en Estados Unidos, no le pertenecía. Cuando se negó, como gran acto de protesta no violenta, empezó una revolución en busca de la igualdad entre negros y blancos.

Cuando Edie McLean hizo el Draculatte, para venderlo en Halloween en su cafetería ruinosa, proclamó la revolución por la igualdad de las goticas culonas y los vampiros.

Verdaderemante inspirador, deberíamos hacer la semana de Halloween como la semana de la historia vampírica.

[Katherine Rupley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different take on the vampire theme.

Spoilers: I'm not sure the pitchforks wouldn't come out and there are a few things not quite wrapped up but an enjoyable read. A good cast of quirky characters.