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Wicked Dark Duology #1
The Night Runs Red
When Calia Darrow, a descendant of fae royalty, learns she is to be wed to prominent vampyre Rion D’arcy, she accepts her fate—not that she has a choice. With an age-old curse binding their families together in an attempt to balance power, Calia and Rion must marry unless they wish to forfeit their lives.
After a tumultuous ceremony, Calia finds herself isolated in a sprawling gothic mansion with a husband who wants nothing to do with her. When a foiled abduction attempt leaves her vulnerable, Calia sees a glimmer of hope that perhaps there is more to Rion than she thought.
As the blood moon approaches, Calia must face an unknown enemy with only the assistance of the mysterious Rion D’Arcy. Will the truth come to light, or will the night run red with Calia’s blood?
After a tumultuous ceremony, Calia finds herself isolated in a sprawling gothic mansion with a husband who wants nothing to do with her. When a foiled abduction attempt leaves her vulnerable, Calia sees a glimmer of hope that perhaps there is more to Rion than she thought.
As the blood moon approaches, Calia must face an unknown enemy with only the assistance of the mysterious Rion D’Arcy. Will the truth come to light, or will the night run red with Calia’s blood?
348 pages, Paperback
Published October 27, 2023
125 people are currently reading
2666 people want to read
About the author
Amber Palmer
9 books491 followersAmber Palmer is an American romance author specializing in paranormal and contemporary love stories. Born in Arizona and raised in Texas, she’s the proud parent of three mischievous cats and one playful pup. When she’s not devouring spicy romance novels, you can find her curating bookish Spotify playlists or jotting down ideas for her next project. A fierce advocate for mental health, Amber crafts characters who face and heal from deep traumas. She’s unapologetically passionate about all things spicy—both in books and life—and loves gaming with her husband in her downtime.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
January 9, 2024
Oh man, I wanted to love this book but alas, it was a rough start from page one.
Our FMC, Calia, has a very "pick me but don't because I'm different than any other girl alive and nobody in the exsistence of life itself will never know how hard it is to be me, a simple girl with cellulite. I want you to feel bad for me and my hard life but I also don't want your pity cause I'm a banging bad bitch." That's all I'm going to say there.
Then we got our MMC, Rion, who has nothing to give to the story. I love a typical morally grey bad boy but he was just a boring piece of white printer paper that got stuck in the printer itself. I mean you had one job and you couldn't even do it correctly.
For it only being 350 or so pages, I seriously had to fight my eyes to stay forward since they kept rolling into the back of my head the whole time.
Our FMC, Calia, has a very "pick me but don't because I'm different than any other girl alive and nobody in the exsistence of life itself will never know how hard it is to be me, a simple girl with cellulite. I want you to feel bad for me and my hard life but I also don't want your pity cause I'm a banging bad bitch." That's all I'm going to say there.
Then we got our MMC, Rion, who has nothing to give to the story. I love a typical morally grey bad boy but he was just a boring piece of white printer paper that got stuck in the printer itself. I mean you had one job and you couldn't even do it correctly.
For it only being 350 or so pages, I seriously had to fight my eyes to stay forward since they kept rolling into the back of my head the whole time.
January 15, 2024
«Саме тому я тобі не підходжу. Ти тендітна, Калія, у багатьох відношеннях. Одного разу я знищу тебе, і ти будеш безсила мене зупинити. Запам’ятай мої довбані слова.»
Перша частина занурює нас у світ жорстокого міського фентезі з договірним шлюбом, тисячолітньою війною між фейрі і вампірами, та героями, яким треба або полюбити один одного, або змиритися з долею, якої вони не хотіли.
➷ Ріон, той самий персонаж, якого ти одночасно любиш і ненавидеш. Він може бути чуттєвим, підтримуючим і закоханим, але і загадковим, незрозумілим та таємничим.
➷ Калія? Вона прекрасна героїня зі своїми бажаннями та принципами. У глибині душі мила і ранима, але зовні це по справжньому сильна жінка зі стержнем.
➳ Вони обоє жертви тиранічних батьків - він страждав від руки своєї матері, вона - від жорстокого батька. І обидва пережили втрату того члена, який їх захищав і любив. Проте Калії повезло на крихітку більше - у неї залишилась тітка з її донькою, яка стала для неї найкращою подругою та сестрою одночасно. Напевно тому Ріон і став ще більш жорстоким і закритим, бо єдиною втіхою у його житті залишилися старі батьківські окуляри.
— Ця частина більш вводна, у ній мало подій, а перші 50% книги відбуваються в одному приміщенні.
Хоча за те нам доволі добре розкрили головних героїв, що є великим плюсом.
➳ Якщо ви сумували за фентезі без боротьби і військових деталей, то ця серія для вас .
Готичний, таємничий замок, вороги, сили яких ти не розумієш, проблеми в шлюбі і головне - кохання.
Палке, несамовите і болюче.
«Якщо ти не можеш полюбити себе, то я буду робити це за тебе, поки ти не зрозумієш, наскільки прекрасна.»
Перша частина закінчується клінфенгером і не забувайте, що троп цієї книги Ромео та Джульєтта 🤐
Я відкрила рота вкінці, настільки там був неочікуваний факт, який навіть не спав мені на думку.
Я вас попередила, а сама тепер буду чекати продовження, бо так закінчувати треба ще вміти.
October 24, 2023
I know I’m biased as I alpha read, but this really is some of Amber’s best work. The prose is melodic and really pulls you in without being overly wordy or dramatic.
The story will take your emotions on a wild ride - from annoyance, to giddiness, to top tier spice, to um WHATEVER THAT ENDING IS MA’AM!
Rion is the broodiest of broody men and will have your head spinning - do we love him or hate him? Yes.
Calia is just so relatable and I love her. But also kinda want to be her.
The cast of secondary characters is so well developed but also knowing how Amber writes, I'm not sure who to trust which adds such a great component to the story.
Can't wait for book two!
The story will take your emotions on a wild ride - from annoyance, to giddiness, to top tier spice, to um WHATEVER THAT ENDING IS MA’AM!
Rion is the broodiest of broody men and will have your head spinning - do we love him or hate him? Yes.
Calia is just so relatable and I love her. But also kinda want to be her.
The cast of secondary characters is so well developed but also knowing how Amber writes, I'm not sure who to trust which adds such a great component to the story.
Can't wait for book two!
November 19, 2023
DNF @ 67%
Sounded interesting, started off interesting but then it didn’t make sense.
Like I thought Jasper was your bff and then he gets punished and beat up and you’re just like “well that sucks…but anyways I REALLY want to know what’s it’s like to live and be used by Rion”
The progression of the story feels off and jumps around.
Rion says nice things to Calia but at the same time I don’t feel the chemistry at all.
I’ll skim ahead but pretty much done at this point.
Sounded interesting, started off interesting but then it didn’t make sense.
Like I thought Jasper was your bff and then he gets punished and beat up and you’re just like “well that sucks…but anyways I REALLY want to know what’s it’s like to live and be used by Rion”
The progression of the story feels off and jumps around.
Rion says nice things to Calia but at the same time I don’t feel the chemistry at all.
I’ll skim ahead but pretty much done at this point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2024
Listen, vampires are always going to be hot and fun for me so it’s not surprise I thoroughly enjoyed this. I will say, it was a bit insta lovey for me, but listen if I was Calia I would fall for Rion immediately too lol.
I did however LOVE the plus size rep in a romantasy/paranormal book! I also adored the dermatillomania representation, as someone with trichotillomania, this was such a lovely surprise to come across 🥹
I did however LOVE the plus size rep in a romantasy/paranormal book! I also adored the dermatillomania representation, as someone with trichotillomania, this was such a lovely surprise to come across 🥹
October 28, 2025
I wanted to love this and the plot has intrigue and potential, but the pacing just didn’t jive with me. And the whiplash in their interactions was distracting.
November 9, 2023
Another DNF. Is it too much to ask for an FMC that doesn't have body betrayal syndrome? What about Rion draws you to him? The way he's rude to you 90% of the time while spouting hateful words, is it when he lies to you, or maybe when he ignores you for most of the time you are in HIS home as he liked to point out to you? You nearly die and he can't even be bothered to walk you to your room but the minute he comes into your room you f**k him? Ugh. Almost made me throw my Kindle across the room. Two stars feels generous.
March 3, 2024
.
Holy marbles, the ending came, and i just can't believe it ends there. I need more. So I'm instantly adding book 2 to my list.
The sexual tension between them was sizzling, and secrets were uncovering... I found myself shocked more than once. It was a marvelous book. Rion is such a grump, but when him and Calia come together, it's epic. Don't get me started on his mother. She was like the evil stepmother, I wanted to throw coffee at her. I am still shocked about the ending.
Holy marbles, the ending came, and i just can't believe it ends there. I need more. So I'm instantly adding book 2 to my list.
The sexual tension between them was sizzling, and secrets were uncovering... I found myself shocked more than once. It was a marvelous book. Rion is such a grump, but when him and Calia come together, it's epic. Don't get me started on his mother. She was like the evil stepmother, I wanted to throw coffee at her. I am still shocked about the ending.
November 2, 2023
I heard about this book the day before the release, so I had no expectations going in. Despite that, I’ve never been more disappointed??? I’m glad it was relatively short otherwise I wouldn’t have finished it, but also it felt super rushed so ???
The storyline was appealing, I enjoyed the lore, but I feel like I got none of that throughout the actual plot and dialogue.
It felt really rushed, the plot jumped around without any sense or connection, there’s random names and characters thrown around that we are expected to know about (???), the actual progression of relationship with the MCs felt unnatural and weird, the twist at the end could’ve been good but nothing around it made sense so it fell flat.
And the ending??? What the fuck was that.
It’s not the s**ci*e that I’m even the most ‘wtf’ about (which totally came out of left field but also v predictable in the moment reading it- I had the thought of “she is not about to do that, really?), but the last chapter from Rion’s perspective? What did that even mean? But for real. I’m so confused. Am I supposed to be able to infer what that letter said? And that’s that.
Either I blacked out for 90% of this book and missed everything, or this story was all over the place.
The storyline was appealing, I enjoyed the lore, but I feel like I got none of that throughout the actual plot and dialogue.
It felt really rushed, the plot jumped around without any sense or connection, there’s random names and characters thrown around that we are expected to know about (???), the actual progression of relationship with the MCs felt unnatural and weird, the twist at the end could’ve been good but nothing around it made sense so it fell flat.
And the ending??? What the fuck was that.
It’s not the s**ci*e that I’m even the most ‘wtf’ about (which totally came out of left field but also v predictable in the moment reading it- I had the thought of “she is not about to do that, really?), but the last chapter from Rion’s perspective? What did that even mean? But for real. I’m so confused. Am I supposed to be able to infer what that letter said? And that’s that.
Either I blacked out for 90% of this book and missed everything, or this story was all over the place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2023
Marketed as grumpy/sunshine. When really the mmc is just a jerk to her. Very hot and cold over and over again to the point of annoyance. Doesn't do anything to actually gain the trust she gives him. The author also used a couple references of him helping various special needs kids in ways to soften our opinion of him after he was just horrible to the fmc. Don't use special needs kids as plot devices.
I liked Calia and the world building. Hated the mmc. Not enough biting.
Ends in a huge cliffhanger.
I liked Calia and the world building. Hated the mmc. Not enough biting.
Ends in a huge cliffhanger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2024
Кінцівка 🥹
Родину фейрі та вампірів поєднує дуже давнє прокляття і сімʼї винять один одного в тому що сталось з ними. І ось на долі Ріона та Калії випала ноша, виконати давні традиції, заповіт який був покладений на їхні сімʼї. У них не було вибору, усе вирішили за них, цим двом потрібно поєднати один одного узами шлюбу.
Цікаво читати про вампірів які жили у сучасному світі, але досі вкладали шлюби через прокляття.
Ріон - видався чоловіком владним і знає чого він хоче, він надія своєї сімʼї. Дуже швидко він впав до ніг Калії. Я хотіли, щоб цей процес відбувся не так швидко, але нажаль авторка вирішила саме так.
Калія - така ранима душа, яка пережила стільки знущання від свого батька-тирана, що шлюб з Ріоном їй не здавався таким уже поганим варіантом.
Але як же без класики жанру, хтось хотів знищити Калію, а відповідь надто очевидна. І зверніть будь ласка на тригери, щоб не офігіти, як я з кінцівки…
Родину фейрі та вампірів поєднує дуже давнє прокляття і сімʼї винять один одного в тому що сталось з ними. І ось на долі Ріона та Калії випала ноша, виконати давні традиції, заповіт який був покладений на їхні сімʼї. У них не було вибору, усе вирішили за них, цим двом потрібно поєднати один одного узами шлюбу.
Цікаво читати про вампірів які жили у сучасному світі, але досі вкладали шлюби через прокляття.
Ріон - видався чоловіком владним і знає чого він хоче, він надія своєї сімʼї. Дуже швидко він впав до ніг Калії. Я хотіли, щоб цей процес відбувся не так швидко, але нажаль авторка вирішила саме так.
Калія - така ранима душа, яка пережила стільки знущання від свого батька-тирана, що шлюб з Ріоном їй не здавався таким уже поганим варіантом.
Але як же без класики жанру, хтось хотів знищити Калію, а відповідь надто очевидна. І зверніть будь ласка на тригери, щоб не офігіти, як я з кінцівки…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2024
I’m gutted. I’m unwell. I loved this book. THE ENDING!!! I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!!!!!!! This reminded me of Blood Orange by Karina Halle but I think I like this better! The mystery, the romantic tension…THE ENDING!!!!!! I am officially a fan of Amber Palmer and CANT WAIT for book two of this vampire/ fae romance duology which comes out this May! If you enjoy vampires and mystery and a touch of darkness give this book a read. It’s an arranged marriage with SO MANY SECRETS! Love love loved this!
Returning to re-rate this book after finishing the duo. This is 5⭐️ . Every reason I originally rated it 4.5⭐️ for was resolved to perfection in book two! 👏🏻
Returning to re-rate this book after finishing the duo. This is 5⭐️ . Every reason I originally rated it 4.5⭐️ for was resolved to perfection in book two! 👏🏻
September 9, 2025
4🌶️ Rion CARRIED this book, a great mmc. i know this one was short and i’m giving it props for having so much packed into such a short novel. i wasn’t a huge fan of the fmc, she could’ve been a lil smarter. lol i loved the mental health rep in this though, and the insta love/lust. Amber’s mmc’s are just scrumptious, i love them and will eat them up every time. definitely will be reading book 2 to find out what happens!
September 8, 2025
Ça aurait pu être bien mais le livre fait 200 pages il manque beaucoup de world-building
La fmc fait que de se dénigrer physiquement car elle a des cuisses épaisses. Je trouve ça insupportable que la personnalité d’une fmc repose sur des insécurités comme la largeur des cuisses ou la cellulite étant donné que c’est parfaitement naturel et qu’on a pas besoin d’homme pour le comprendre
L'autrice écrit bien, mais il manque des pages pour que ça tienne la route. il en faut plus pour une fantasy
La fmc fait que de se dénigrer physiquement car elle a des cuisses épaisses. Je trouve ça insupportable que la personnalité d’une fmc repose sur des insécurités comme la largeur des cuisses ou la cellulite étant donné que c’est parfaitement naturel et qu’on a pas besoin d’homme pour le comprendre
L'autrice écrit bien, mais il manque des pages pour que ça tienne la route. il en faut plus pour une fantasy
June 16, 2024
This was an amazing read! The perfect dark fantasy romance with a mafia setting. Amber delivered! And I am full on feral for Rion and Calia’s story.
July 24, 2024
Couldn’t connect the book and I hated the heroine. She was kinda pushover and there was an intimate scene of her with Om in the beginning. She slept with him knowing she is marrying the hero the same day.
October 28, 2023
I don’t even know where to start with this book! I absolutely loved the urban fantasy setting with fae and vampyres.
This book follows Calia Darrow, a descendent of the fae royal line. Due to a deal made by her ancestor, she is to marry a vampyre, or both will have to forfeit their lives. The vampyre she is set to marry is Rion D’arcy, who is gorgeous and a notorious playboy. When Calia meets Rion, she can’t help the attraction and is instantly drawn to him, while Rion insists that their marriage will be in name only. But after an attempt to kidnap Calia, things being to change between them. Calia finds herself falling for Rion, but it seems the closer she gets the more secretive and invasive he becomes, particularly about the history of the deal that affects both their families. When answers begin to arise, will they be able to salvage their relationship or will blood be shed?
“Whether he voiced it or not, I knew Rion was falling just as hard as I was. I only hoped we didn’t crash and burn.”
The Night Runs Red was so captivating and I could not put it down. Calia was such a relatable FMC and it was so refreshing to see a character that a lot of women can relate to. My heart broke for her given the situation she found herself in. Alone with no friends or family, and a grumpy husband who wants nothing to do with her. But she held her head up high and refused to cower, and I was damn proud! And Rion… he was so rude and there were times where I wanted to give him a piece of my mind! But once he starts to warm up to Calia, I fell in love. He was protective, caring, and truly making an attempt in their marriage. The spice was perfect and the chemistry between these two was incredible. The ending left me speechless and I need the next book ASAP. I will be stalking Amber’s socials for any crumbs she may give about when we can expect it! Highly recommend checking this book out!
This book follows Calia Darrow, a descendent of the fae royal line. Due to a deal made by her ancestor, she is to marry a vampyre, or both will have to forfeit their lives. The vampyre she is set to marry is Rion D’arcy, who is gorgeous and a notorious playboy. When Calia meets Rion, she can’t help the attraction and is instantly drawn to him, while Rion insists that their marriage will be in name only. But after an attempt to kidnap Calia, things being to change between them. Calia finds herself falling for Rion, but it seems the closer she gets the more secretive and invasive he becomes, particularly about the history of the deal that affects both their families. When answers begin to arise, will they be able to salvage their relationship or will blood be shed?
“Whether he voiced it or not, I knew Rion was falling just as hard as I was. I only hoped we didn’t crash and burn.”
The Night Runs Red was so captivating and I could not put it down. Calia was such a relatable FMC and it was so refreshing to see a character that a lot of women can relate to. My heart broke for her given the situation she found herself in. Alone with no friends or family, and a grumpy husband who wants nothing to do with her. But she held her head up high and refused to cower, and I was damn proud! And Rion… he was so rude and there were times where I wanted to give him a piece of my mind! But once he starts to warm up to Calia, I fell in love. He was protective, caring, and truly making an attempt in their marriage. The spice was perfect and the chemistry between these two was incredible. The ending left me speechless and I need the next book ASAP. I will be stalking Amber’s socials for any crumbs she may give about when we can expect it! Highly recommend checking this book out!
September 11, 2024
1 5 Stars
I was pretty meh about it the majority of the time but writing this review made me walk it down from 3 stars to 1.5 stars. I didn't mind the ending, but probably because it actually gave some excitement.
- absolutely no chemistry between FMC & MMC.
- absolutely no character or relationship development. There was one point when the FMC said something about not know how their relationship had gotten to this point or whatever. Yeah, bitch, me too. If your character doesn't know, that's pretty bad.
- the plot is ??? Basically non existent.
- I feel like the author gave me half of a story. I learned and experienced absolutely nothing.
- using people with disabilities to make the MMC look nicer is pretty shitty. We didn't ask for that.
- the world building is not great. No explanations on supernaturals, magic, abilities, anything. Also I kinda felt like there were conflicting scenes about the vampires cant be in the sun/fae cant be under the moon. Or my dyslexia got the best of me.
- why did the FMC have to be abused? What did that serve the narrative? Just because it's a "dark" romance?
- there was a specific scene where the FMC mentions making friends with the landscaper/gardener person that we've never seen before and does not mention their name. Great friends.
- the author also cant write a scene or conversation change to save their life. So many things jumped around for no reason and just made the FMC look like a madwoman.
- did you know the FMC is bigger/fat? The author never let me forgot, but it seems like the cover art did.
- the FMC was also just annoying because she was so different than everyone else and that was her only thing. Like, damn, cant the author give her a hobby or something?
- women hating women for just being women. Classic.
I don't think I've written this passionate of a review in a hot minute.
I was pretty meh about it the majority of the time but writing this review made me walk it down from 3 stars to 1.5 stars. I didn't mind the ending, but probably because it actually gave some excitement.
- absolutely no chemistry between FMC & MMC.
- absolutely no character or relationship development. There was one point when the FMC said something about not know how their relationship had gotten to this point or whatever. Yeah, bitch, me too. If your character doesn't know, that's pretty bad.
- the plot is ??? Basically non existent.
- I feel like the author gave me half of a story. I learned and experienced absolutely nothing.
- using people with disabilities to make the MMC look nicer is pretty shitty. We didn't ask for that.
- the world building is not great. No explanations on supernaturals, magic, abilities, anything. Also I kinda felt like there were conflicting scenes about the vampires cant be in the sun/fae cant be under the moon. Or my dyslexia got the best of me.
- why did the FMC have to be abused? What did that serve the narrative? Just because it's a "dark" romance?
- there was a specific scene where the FMC mentions making friends with the landscaper/gardener person that we've never seen before and does not mention their name. Great friends.
- the author also cant write a scene or conversation change to save their life. So many things jumped around for no reason and just made the FMC look like a madwoman.
- did you know the FMC is bigger/fat? The author never let me forgot, but it seems like the cover art did.
- the FMC was also just annoying because she was so different than everyone else and that was her only thing. Like, damn, cant the author give her a hobby or something?
- women hating women for just being women. Classic.
I don't think I've written this passionate of a review in a hot minute.
November 9, 2023
Okay let's start off the bat with how I'm unwell. Like I'm furious. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely enjoyed the book, but HOW VERY DARE. I'm gonna need book 2 to come out tomorrow because I'm made of theories and I OBJECT.
Now that that's out of the way, yeah I hella enjoyed this book. I'd have read it in a sitting if I didn't have a pesky day job that wanted me to like...log on regularly.
Rion? Full dick. Hate him up front, which is why it's so good when you see more of him. It was a very weird cognitive dissonance to be verbally telling a character she needs to be more sus while also rooting for the sus dude in question.
Calia? Love her. Wanna shake her and tell her to love herself but honestly, super relatable from one emotionally soft reader who was conditioned to hate her body for...being a body.
I was guessing and theorizing and SCREAMING for so much of this book, which doesn't sound like a hearty rec but I promise, it totally is for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be stalking the author's insta for hints on the next book because I'm made of rage that she left us where she did.
Now that that's out of the way, yeah I hella enjoyed this book. I'd have read it in a sitting if I didn't have a pesky day job that wanted me to like...log on regularly.
Rion? Full dick. Hate him up front, which is why it's so good when you see more of him. It was a very weird cognitive dissonance to be verbally telling a character she needs to be more sus while also rooting for the sus dude in question.
Calia? Love her. Wanna shake her and tell her to love herself but honestly, super relatable from one emotionally soft reader who was conditioned to hate her body for...being a body.
I was guessing and theorizing and SCREAMING for so much of this book, which doesn't sound like a hearty rec but I promise, it totally is for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be stalking the author's insta for hints on the next book because I'm made of rage that she left us where she did.
October 24, 2023
4,5⭐️
I’m shocked, I wasn’t expecting this at all, what a rollercoaster !! I was really surprised by this new universe and I loved the clash between Fae and Vampyre.
Also who doesn’t love a marriage of convenience because of a curse, being dismissed by her husband, totally ignored and then kidnapped, without forgetting some thought interaction with dear husband 😅
Let’s be honest one minute, Rion wasn’t nice at all which considering his character wasn’t a surprise 🤣 going thing there was Jasper (Yeap she’s done it again, I’m addicted to a secondary character). Rion is truly mysterious, there is no way to know what he thinks and how he will act which puts Calia in an awkward situation. She has been forced to get married, to move in a strange manor, and doesn’t have any interaction with her husband, and worse of all she’s deeply attracted to me, even if she has mixed feelings about it.
So to sum it up, lot of angst and pinning, with a crazy plot twist 😱🔥
I received an ARC Copy of this book, this review is from my own thoughts 😍
I’m shocked, I wasn’t expecting this at all, what a rollercoaster !! I was really surprised by this new universe and I loved the clash between Fae and Vampyre.
Also who doesn’t love a marriage of convenience because of a curse, being dismissed by her husband, totally ignored and then kidnapped, without forgetting some thought interaction with dear husband 😅
Let’s be honest one minute, Rion wasn’t nice at all which considering his character wasn’t a surprise 🤣 going thing there was Jasper (Yeap she’s done it again, I’m addicted to a secondary character). Rion is truly mysterious, there is no way to know what he thinks and how he will act which puts Calia in an awkward situation. She has been forced to get married, to move in a strange manor, and doesn’t have any interaction with her husband, and worse of all she’s deeply attracted to me, even if she has mixed feelings about it.
So to sum it up, lot of angst and pinning, with a crazy plot twist 😱🔥
I received an ARC Copy of this book, this review is from my own thoughts 😍
February 15, 2024
“You flatter yourself by assuming it was you on my mind, husband.” His eyes darkened, a muscle feathering in his jaw. “Who, pray tell, were you imagining, wife? Give me their name.” “Why?” He leaned in closer. “So I can kill them.”
I read this book in 24 hours, it had me enthralled and ensnared from start to finish! It’s packed full of adventure, snark, humor, tension and all of our favorite tropes! I am so sad I waited so long to read this one! It definitely got me out of my book slump and I am dying for book 2! I was unprepared for the twists and ending, definitely packs a punch!
This is definitely a favorite read of the year for me! So please read it!
What you can expect:
🩸curse, prophecy, fate
🩸vampires vs fae
🩸spice
🩸protective, broody MMC
🩸arranged marriage
🩸touch her and d!e
🩸curvy FMC
🩸enemies to lovers
I read this book in 24 hours, it had me enthralled and ensnared from start to finish! It’s packed full of adventure, snark, humor, tension and all of our favorite tropes! I am so sad I waited so long to read this one! It definitely got me out of my book slump and I am dying for book 2! I was unprepared for the twists and ending, definitely packs a punch!
This is definitely a favorite read of the year for me! So please read it!
What you can expect:
🩸curse, prophecy, fate
🩸vampires vs fae
🩸spice
🩸protective, broody MMC
🩸arranged marriage
🩸touch her and d!e
🩸curvy FMC
🩸enemies to lovers
October 27, 2023
A must-read for adult paranormal romance lovers! 🖤
This book sucked me right in from the first page. The original paranormal lore for the witches, vampires, and fae that lead into the arranged marriage was *chef's kiss* 💋! This is a fast-paced and addictive read with a fun cast of characters, a slow-burn romance, and witty banter. There is soo much Amber can do with this paranormal world.
If you're looking for a book with:
🩸Adult Paranormal Romance
🩸Vampires, witches, and fae
🩸Arranged marriage
🩸Enemies to lovers
🩸Spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶
🩸Touch her & 💀
🩸Forced proximity
🩸Cliffhanger ending
then this is for you!
I'm really excited to have come across this book and author on Instagram! Thank you so much for the ARC! Looking forward to book #2!
This book sucked me right in from the first page. The original paranormal lore for the witches, vampires, and fae that lead into the arranged marriage was *chef's kiss* 💋! This is a fast-paced and addictive read with a fun cast of characters, a slow-burn romance, and witty banter. There is soo much Amber can do with this paranormal world.
If you're looking for a book with:
🩸Adult Paranormal Romance
🩸Vampires, witches, and fae
🩸Arranged marriage
🩸Enemies to lovers
🩸Spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶
🩸Touch her & 💀
🩸Forced proximity
🩸Cliffhanger ending
then this is for you!
I'm really excited to have come across this book and author on Instagram! Thank you so much for the ARC! Looking forward to book #2!
November 16, 2023
Skimmed the second half because it was so infuriatingly stupid 🤦🏻♀️ The mmc was an abusive asshole who sucked, while the fmc was very two dimensional and didn’t really have a personality. The spice wasn’t even a redeeming factor and not enough bitting for a vampire romance 🤷🏻♀️ I wish I could have enjoyed it more because the story in it or itself seemed interesting. Even though I skimmed the last half of the book I found the whole ending to be lacking and the ‘twist’ odd.
October 20, 2023
Wow! When it comes to vampires, there’s a lot that’s been done and redone, and it can all get a little cliché sometimes. The Night Runs Red is a refreshingly different take on the vampire genre, pitting them against the fae in a centuries old vendetta. As Calia finds herself fulfilling a duty to marry a vampire, she finds her enemies may be more than bloodsuckers.
Forced into an arranged marriage by fate to a vampire she doesn’t know, Calia’s got plenty of reasons to be angry. However, she wants to make the best of the situation and hopes her new husband wants the same. Rion D’Arcy is sin walking and he thinks his new wife is an inconvenience. Enter angst, tension, and more tension!
While Rion pretends he’s unaffected by Calia’s presence, he’s secretly falling for her, jealous of any other vampire who gets close. He’s possessive and primal and their relationship is a fiery explosion. But he’s also really caring. There’s great mental health rep in this story as Calia battles with anxiety and body dysmorphia, which is all so well written by Palmer.
And while The Night Runs Red is definitely character driven, the world building is just as important. This is an urban fantasy where modern day meets fae and vampires, but there’s a lot of lore even in a relatively short story.
Some of the amazing tropes are:
❤️ arranged marriage
❤️ forced proximity
❤️ Touch her and ☠️
❤️ I would like to bite you
❤️ Who did this to you?
❤️ very possessive MMC
If you like urban fantasy with sizzling romance, then definitely add this to your TBR! I highly recommend it to fans of King of Battle & Blood or The Book of Azrael.
✨ Thank you to Amber Palmer for providing an ARC on exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own ✨
Forced into an arranged marriage by fate to a vampire she doesn’t know, Calia’s got plenty of reasons to be angry. However, she wants to make the best of the situation and hopes her new husband wants the same. Rion D’Arcy is sin walking and he thinks his new wife is an inconvenience. Enter angst, tension, and more tension!
While Rion pretends he’s unaffected by Calia’s presence, he’s secretly falling for her, jealous of any other vampire who gets close. He’s possessive and primal and their relationship is a fiery explosion. But he’s also really caring. There’s great mental health rep in this story as Calia battles with anxiety and body dysmorphia, which is all so well written by Palmer.
And while The Night Runs Red is definitely character driven, the world building is just as important. This is an urban fantasy where modern day meets fae and vampires, but there’s a lot of lore even in a relatively short story.
Some of the amazing tropes are:
❤️ arranged marriage
❤️ forced proximity
❤️ Touch her and ☠️
❤️ I would like to bite you
❤️ Who did this to you?
❤️ very possessive MMC
If you like urban fantasy with sizzling romance, then definitely add this to your TBR! I highly recommend it to fans of King of Battle & Blood or The Book of Azrael.
✨ Thank you to Amber Palmer for providing an ARC on exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own ✨
October 25, 2024
“𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳, 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲.”
The Night Runs Red by Amber Palmer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 🌶️🌶️
I was gifted this beautiful read by the author herself and all I can say is THANK YOU! I have had this book on my TBR and have brought it to my book club a few times prior— but it being spooky season and a vampire read? I knew it was time. I literally devoured this book. The last 50%? I couldn’t put this book down. I was reading it on the treadmill, in the car, on break at work— pretty much EVERY opportunity I had I needed to know what was going to happen next.
I related so much to Calia. I loved how Amber wrote her with such beautiful strength but transparent pain and insecurity. I loved that she showed her internally fighting the negative thoughts — because it felt like a fight within my own mind honestly. Just beautifully done— hugs to all the girlies who also relate to Calia. 😫✨
I am so angry at this ending though girl. THE CLIFF HANGER. I have so many questions and I’m also very angry at a very specific tall, dark, and broody asshole. 😤
Gonna drown in book 2 immediately now.
The Night Runs Red by Amber Palmer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 🌶️🌶️
I was gifted this beautiful read by the author herself and all I can say is THANK YOU! I have had this book on my TBR and have brought it to my book club a few times prior— but it being spooky season and a vampire read? I knew it was time. I literally devoured this book. The last 50%? I couldn’t put this book down. I was reading it on the treadmill, in the car, on break at work— pretty much EVERY opportunity I had I needed to know what was going to happen next.
I related so much to Calia. I loved how Amber wrote her with such beautiful strength but transparent pain and insecurity. I loved that she showed her internally fighting the negative thoughts — because it felt like a fight within my own mind honestly. Just beautifully done— hugs to all the girlies who also relate to Calia. 😫✨
I am so angry at this ending though girl. THE CLIFF HANGER. I have so many questions and I’m also very angry at a very specific tall, dark, and broody asshole. 😤
Gonna drown in book 2 immediately now.
May 14, 2024
Okay I am living for this arranged marriage/enemies to lovers/fae-vampire romance!!!
We love mental health representation and I feel seen after connecting to a character who deals with dermatillomania for the first time.
IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE BEXT BOOK BECAUSE HOLY CLIFFHANGER AHHHHHHHH
We love mental health representation and I feel seen after connecting to a character who deals with dermatillomania for the first time.
IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE BEXT BOOK BECAUSE HOLY CLIFFHANGER AHHHHHHHH
October 21, 2023
4.5⭐️ Rating, I loved the storyline and the character development, I had to remind myself there was a 2nd book coming as I was going to cry❤️
February 20, 2024
In The Night Runs Red, a descent of fae royalty, Calia Darrow, is forced into a marriage arranged by fate with Rion D’arcy, a prominent vampyre. The fae and vampyres have resented each other for centuries, and as punishment for the deal a fae king made long ago, fate marks a fae and vampyre that are to be wed or they will perish. This arrangement is an attempt to balance the power between the factions, but Calia quickly learns that the vampyres have something up their sleeves that could change the entire dynamic. As Calia struggles with the sense of impending doom and her new found isolation, she finds herself curious about her new husband, who she believes wears a mask of cold indifference out of fear. After Calia is almost kidnapped, she realizes she must work with Rion to uncover a potential betrayal and find out what the vampyres have planned for her.
The Night Runs Red has a unique premise but it fell flat in a lot of ways for me. There was little to no world building, no explanation of the magic system or super natural abilities, and barely any character development beyond the surface level. Everything was just very underwhelming and superficial. Rion and Calia’s dynamic felt very jarring, as they go from essentially hating each other to suddenly being in love. It was basically insta love after being cold and cruel to one other for 50% of the book - it made zero sense to me. Rion had zero redeeming qualities and honestly needs therapy. I seriously get so frustrated with how some romance authors write “strong” men with the emotional spectrum of a rock and the violent tendencies to match. The book was interesting enough to keep me going and I think the potential for a better story is there. However, the cliff hanger needs to be reworked. I have no idea what the ending even means, the reader is given literally nothing and I guess the author thinks it’ll make them curious for the next book. In reality, it just pisses me off. The ending wasn’t surprising, sneaky, or twisty. It just doesn’t give you any context so the words on the page don’t compute, no matter how many times you reread it. Seriously, what was that? That alone made me want to toss the book across the room. Overall, this was a subpar read with an infuriating ending, so I mostly likely won’t pick up the next book.
I was sent a free copy from the author and R&R Book Tours, I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
The Night Runs Red has a unique premise but it fell flat in a lot of ways for me. There was little to no world building, no explanation of the magic system or super natural abilities, and barely any character development beyond the surface level. Everything was just very underwhelming and superficial. Rion and Calia’s dynamic felt very jarring, as they go from essentially hating each other to suddenly being in love. It was basically insta love after being cold and cruel to one other for 50% of the book - it made zero sense to me. Rion had zero redeeming qualities and honestly needs therapy. I seriously get so frustrated with how some romance authors write “strong” men with the emotional spectrum of a rock and the violent tendencies to match. The book was interesting enough to keep me going and I think the potential for a better story is there. However, the cliff hanger needs to be reworked. I have no idea what the ending even means, the reader is given literally nothing and I guess the author thinks it’ll make them curious for the next book. In reality, it just pisses me off. The ending wasn’t surprising, sneaky, or twisty. It just doesn’t give you any context so the words on the page don’t compute, no matter how many times you reread it. Seriously, what was that? That alone made me want to toss the book across the room. Overall, this was a subpar read with an infuriating ending, so I mostly likely won’t pick up the next book.
I was sent a free copy from the author and R&R Book Tours, I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
August 1, 2024
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It felt like such a fast read and there was so much good banter. Rion was full on giving me whiplash with his grumpy but soft attitude. I loved it. 😭 BUT I’M ALSO SO MAD AT AMBER.
THAT IS ALL.
THAT IS ALL.
May 1, 2024
First of all, I would like to say thank you for the review copy, which was provided to me by the author. This fact does not in any way affect my personal opinion of this book. This post contains advertising and the rights for the book belong to the publisher.
Of course, this is only my personal opinion of the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.
This was my first book by this author, and it will not be my last.
This book has a lot of the tropes that I like and I enjoyed my reading time.
I was instantly hooked on the story and the characters.
The writing style was easy to read, and I didn’t have any problems with specific words, even tho I am not a native speaker.
The characters are really interesting. I liked the FMC a lot and I am curious to see more of her development in the second installment.
The love story is filled with lust and steam. The reader could feel the attraction. The book also definitely has a fair amount of spice if you need to know 😉
The only issue I had was the pacing. I don’t know how I managed to read 352 pages in 2 hours. Yes, the book was that good and yes, I didn’t skip pages. Maybe the page number was incorrect for the ARC, and stuff was added after I received it, but everything went a bit too fast in my opinion. This is a really small point for me, so I will round up all the platforms that don’t allow 4.5-star ratings.
Conclusion
After that mean cliffhanger, I can’t wait to get my hands on book two!!
Second time reading: 4⭐️
Of course, this is only my personal opinion of the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.
This was my first book by this author, and it will not be my last.
This book has a lot of the tropes that I like and I enjoyed my reading time.
I was instantly hooked on the story and the characters.
The writing style was easy to read, and I didn’t have any problems with specific words, even tho I am not a native speaker.
The characters are really interesting. I liked the FMC a lot and I am curious to see more of her development in the second installment.
The love story is filled with lust and steam. The reader could feel the attraction. The book also definitely has a fair amount of spice if you need to know 😉
The only issue I had was the pacing. I don’t know how I managed to read 352 pages in 2 hours. Yes, the book was that good and yes, I didn’t skip pages. Maybe the page number was incorrect for the ARC, and stuff was added after I received it, but everything went a bit too fast in my opinion. This is a really small point for me, so I will round up all the platforms that don’t allow 4.5-star ratings.
Conclusion
After that mean cliffhanger, I can’t wait to get my hands on book two!!
Second time reading: 4⭐️
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