What do you think?
Rate this book
Blood and Bonds #2
Bleed in the Night
FROM EXCITING AUTHOR OF LGBTQIA+ ROMANCE S. J. COLES
Book two in the Blood and Bonds series
It' s not just fear keeping Tyler up at night... and that' s what frightens him.
Tyler Lomax met Lucien, supposedly the oldest haemophile in existence, on a dark night in the depths of winter. Tyler was protesting against Baron Emory Von Magnusson taking possession of a human child. He thought he' d been doing the right thing— fighting against evil, against fear.
Lucien had almost killed him for it. Now it' s months later, and Tyler hasn' t slept since. Tyler wants Lucien found. When the authorities fail him, he feels forced to take matters into his own hands.
Tyler' s contact ‘ Damon' doesn' t call himself a ‘ vampire hunter' , but that is exactly what Tyler intends to pay him to be. What Tyler doesn' t bank on is having Lucien at his mercy, forcing him to confront what' s really consuming him.
Tyler will not only have to face what he is feeling but finally open his mind to a perspective other than his own. He just has to pray that opening up to Lucien won' t bleed him dry before he realizes the truth.
Book two in the Blood and Bonds series
It' s not just fear keeping Tyler up at night... and that' s what frightens him.
Tyler Lomax met Lucien, supposedly the oldest haemophile in existence, on a dark night in the depths of winter. Tyler was protesting against Baron Emory Von Magnusson taking possession of a human child. He thought he' d been doing the right thing— fighting against evil, against fear.
Lucien had almost killed him for it. Now it' s months later, and Tyler hasn' t slept since. Tyler wants Lucien found. When the authorities fail him, he feels forced to take matters into his own hands.
Tyler' s contact ‘ Damon' doesn' t call himself a ‘ vampire hunter' , but that is exactly what Tyler intends to pay him to be. What Tyler doesn' t bank on is having Lucien at his mercy, forcing him to confront what' s really consuming him.
Tyler will not only have to face what he is feeling but finally open his mind to a perspective other than his own. He just has to pray that opening up to Lucien won' t bleed him dry before he realizes the truth.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 4, 2024
"Why did you want me to watch, Tyler?” Lucien asked softly. His voice had changed. Lowered, grown warm. “Why did you want me to watch you having sex?"
3.5 everyone is kind of an asshole stars
Lucien gets his story with the protestor he attacked in Touch in the Night. This is book two in the series, it has to be read in order.
I wasn't sure how Coles was going to get me to like Tyler, he's pretty unlikable. Arrogant, throwing his weight around, belligerent, using his power and privilege to get what he wants. No, to demand what he thinks he is entitled to. Which is basically everything.
It's clear from the beginning Tyler has gone off the deep end; he isn't sleeping, he drinks excessively, he is acting paranoid, and he is hyperfocused on finding Lucien. It's obvious they have a connection, and Tyler is in some kind of haemophobic denial.
Tyler was Jesse's on-page one-night stand and the one Lucien was holding by the neck when the rioting got ugly (Tyler and his buddies acting like dickheads outside Emory's estate.) It was understandable that he'd be shaken up or acting strangely afterward. Except that's not all he was doing. Barging into places demanding to be seen now, threatening regular working people, using his sister (the Mayor) and his white-ass rich man status as clout. Tyler's the type of character usually set up as the Bad Guy you can't wait to see get hit by a car. (Just me? 👀)
After Tyler is done running around town doing his rich man dick-swinging we meet Damon, the dark web lunatic you never want to meet in person, and this guy is smart, sensual, and manipulative. Obsessed with tracking down haemophiles. Tyler isn't looking so bad all of a sudden, well, other than the fact that he hired this guy to find Lucien. Because Lucien has to pay for almost (but not) killing Tyler.
Now we have two very obsessed and deranged men hunting down Lucien. Damon's full personality and goals are slowly revealed to Tyler, who thankfully, isn't as stupid as he's been acting.
If book one was an edging slowburn with a buildup to action, book two takes a different route, insta-attraction, on the run, fast-paced action and unhinged behavior byalmost everyone. A little less world-building, but there are side cameos and the plot is still engaging.
Damon is dangerous, but Tyler sleeps with him anyway despite having a new touch aversion (ever since Lucien touched him), and it's a game of who is the most unhinged, everyone is running from someone, and everyone is getting arrested.
I'm not sure I ended up liking Tyler, but he was a great match for Lucien and somehow ended up being the voice of reason, which was bizarre. I loved that they got intimate in the cell (where haemophiles sleep during the day, basically in a high-tech box instead of a coffin), and Tyler was living haemophile hours with Lucien. I also don't think it mattered if I liked who Tyler was or how he was acting before, I like who he is with Lucien.
The interesting part about this whirlwind book (200-odd pages) was that the three main characters, Tyler, Lucien, and Damon, are just different tiers of the same thing. Obsessed, working outside the law under the belief that they are meting out justice where the system has failed. In their minds, they are vigilantes and protectors. I don't think that was accidental on the author's part. Damon is the one we fear and can easily hate because he's gone "too far" and is violent and merciless. He's hunting vampires, after all, the vampires that have killed humans. Lucien has been hunting down "bad guys" for centuries, under the belief that God created vampires for this one task, to save humans from their human monsters. Tyler has been (it's alluded to) planting evidence on "bad guys" (child pornography users, abusers, etc) that the system has failed to punish. I think it's easy for others to find Tyler's behavior reprehensible but still noble, but where is the line? When is too far over the line too far? When does a Tyler become a Lucien or a Damon? Aren't they all misguided and taking matters into their own hands, as judge, jury, and executioner?
"There still has to be a reason we do what we do."
"You can’t change your nature just because you want to.”
Anyway...
All that hate and fear was quickly flipped into lust-filled scenes (including some interesting voyeuristic moments). A shortlived attempt at whitefanging, several actually, Lucien needs some convincing. I enjoyed it; it ends in a tentative HFN for the couple, but a cliffie for the overarching series plot! Thankfully, Book 3 is out tomorrow!
Tags: human/vampire pairing, sex w/others (on-page), kidnapping, arrests, threats of torture, drugging, manipulation, captivity, on the run, imprisonment, blood, voyeurism, exhibitionism, touch aversion, JOI, whitefanging attempts, HFN.
3.5 everyone is kind of an asshole stars
Lucien gets his story with the protestor he attacked in Touch in the Night. This is book two in the series, it has to be read in order.
I wasn't sure how Coles was going to get me to like Tyler, he's pretty unlikable. Arrogant, throwing his weight around, belligerent, using his power and privilege to get what he wants. No, to demand what he thinks he is entitled to. Which is basically everything.
It's clear from the beginning Tyler has gone off the deep end; he isn't sleeping, he drinks excessively, he is acting paranoid, and he is hyperfocused on finding Lucien. It's obvious they have a connection, and Tyler is in some kind of haemophobic denial.
Tyler was Jesse's on-page one-night stand and the one Lucien was holding by the neck when the rioting got ugly (Tyler and his buddies acting like dickheads outside Emory's estate.) It was understandable that he'd be shaken up or acting strangely afterward. Except that's not all he was doing. Barging into places demanding to be seen now, threatening regular working people, using his sister (the Mayor) and his white-ass rich man status as clout. Tyler's the type of character usually set up as the Bad Guy you can't wait to see get hit by a car. (Just me? 👀)
After Tyler is done running around town doing his rich man dick-swinging we meet Damon, the dark web lunatic you never want to meet in person, and this guy is smart, sensual, and manipulative. Obsessed with tracking down haemophiles. Tyler isn't looking so bad all of a sudden, well, other than the fact that he hired this guy to find Lucien. Because Lucien has to pay for almost (but not) killing Tyler.
Now we have two very obsessed and deranged men hunting down Lucien. Damon's full personality and goals are slowly revealed to Tyler, who thankfully, isn't as stupid as he's been acting.
If book one was an edging slowburn with a buildup to action, book two takes a different route, insta-attraction, on the run, fast-paced action and unhinged behavior by
Damon is dangerous, but Tyler sleeps with him anyway despite having a new touch aversion (ever since Lucien touched him), and it's a game of who is the most unhinged, everyone is running from someone, and everyone is getting arrested.
I'm not sure I ended up liking Tyler, but he was a great match for Lucien and somehow ended up being the voice of reason, which was bizarre. I loved that they got intimate in the cell (where haemophiles sleep during the day, basically in a high-tech box instead of a coffin), and Tyler was living haemophile hours with Lucien. I also don't think it mattered if I liked who Tyler was or how he was acting before, I like who he is with Lucien.
The interesting part about this whirlwind book (200-odd pages) was that the three main characters, Tyler, Lucien, and Damon, are just different tiers of the same thing. Obsessed, working outside the law under the belief that they are meting out justice where the system has failed. In their minds, they are vigilantes and protectors. I don't think that was accidental on the author's part. Damon is the one we fear and can easily hate because he's gone "too far" and is violent and merciless. He's hunting vampires, after all, the vampires that have killed humans. Lucien has been hunting down "bad guys" for centuries, under the belief that God created vampires for this one task, to save humans from their human monsters. Tyler has been (it's alluded to) planting evidence on "bad guys" (child pornography users, abusers, etc) that the system has failed to punish. I think it's easy for others to find Tyler's behavior reprehensible but still noble, but where is the line? When is too far over the line too far? When does a Tyler become a Lucien or a Damon? Aren't they all misguided and taking matters into their own hands, as judge, jury, and executioner?
"There still has to be a reason we do what we do."
"You can’t change your nature just because you want to.”
Anyway...
All that hate and fear was quickly flipped into lust-filled scenes (including some interesting voyeuristic moments). A shortlived attempt at whitefanging, several actually, Lucien needs some convincing. I enjoyed it; it ends in a tentative HFN for the couple, but a cliffie for the overarching series plot! Thankfully, Book 3 is out tomorrow!
Tags: human/vampire pairing, sex w/others (on-page), kidnapping, arrests, threats of torture, drugging, manipulation, captivity, on the run, imprisonment, blood, voyeurism, exhibitionism, touch aversion, JOI, whitefanging attempts, HFN.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2024
I really struggled with my rating for this book. On the one hand you have Tyler. He starts the book in a rough place after a haemophile attack that has left him with PTSD and a drinking problem (although that likely predated the attack tbh). He’s obsessed with Lucian, the haemophile who attacked him. The problem with Tyler, for me, is that he doesn’t think, or if he does it’s with his dick. He also doesn’t consider anyone aside from his own desires, and is basically a small minded bigot who seems to think he can do whatever he wants as a rich man. He’s fairly detestable at the beginning of the book, and there was no magical redemption arc.
On the other hand, we have Lucian, who also lives by his own set of rules. He’s a bit of a throwback- one of the oldest of his kind. He operates by a code that makes the younger haemophiles look at him like an out of touch Grandpa. He’s not well liked by his peers. Lucian retreats into his private getaway for long periods of time, but when he comes back nothing has changed. He still isn’t liked, and is still seen as inconvenient and irrelevant. It bothered me that he is treated poorly throughout the book, even though the conflict between his code and the new fashion of integrating into human society isn’t particularly compatible. I’m not sure he deserves someone like Tyler, but somehow it works. Tyler loves him, would do anything for him, and demonstrates an ability to change for him that was surprising considering how selfish he is at the best of times. I think I may be misunderstanding Tyler’s character but I strongly disliked him for the entire book.
Now, for the most important question- do you need to like Tyler to enjoy this book? I can confidently say no you don't. I liked the book, SJ’s writing style and world building was very good and I read it in one sitting. I think any book that has you still thinking about it days later is worth reading. Crappy people deserve love too.
Rating: 3.5
Angst: 4/5
Steam: 2/5
I received an advanced copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
On the other hand, we have Lucian, who also lives by his own set of rules. He’s a bit of a throwback- one of the oldest of his kind. He operates by a code that makes the younger haemophiles look at him like an out of touch Grandpa. He’s not well liked by his peers. Lucian retreats into his private getaway for long periods of time, but when he comes back nothing has changed. He still isn’t liked, and is still seen as inconvenient and irrelevant. It bothered me that he is treated poorly throughout the book, even though the conflict between his code and the new fashion of integrating into human society isn’t particularly compatible. I’m not sure he deserves someone like Tyler, but somehow it works. Tyler loves him, would do anything for him, and demonstrates an ability to change for him that was surprising considering how selfish he is at the best of times. I think I may be misunderstanding Tyler’s character but I strongly disliked him for the entire book.
Now, for the most important question- do you need to like Tyler to enjoy this book? I can confidently say no you don't. I liked the book, SJ’s writing style and world building was very good and I read it in one sitting. I think any book that has you still thinking about it days later is worth reading. Crappy people deserve love too.
Rating: 3.5
Angst: 4/5
Steam: 2/5
I received an advanced copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
February 29, 2024
After enjoy Touch in the Night, the first book in the Blood and Bonds series by S.J. Coles, I was eager to dive into the second book. While the first book was not perfect, there were lots of things I enjoyed. These elements had me hoping for a second book I would adore. Thus, I went into Bleed in the Night with high hopes.
I will be honest and say that I struggled more than I expected with Bleed in the Night. I was eager to see how the world would develop and where the storyline would head considering the characters involved in the story, which is why I was surprised by how disinterested I was in so much of what was happening. There was the possibility of so much emotion and conflict with this, yet it never felt like it was explored as deeply as I had hoped. Things simply were – be they introduced or handled – and I was constantly wanting more. For me, everything was too quick, and I wanted to go deeper into what happened. Thus, while I can appreciate the new elements that were added, the story itself needed more substance to hit the notes I had hoped for.
All in all, this second book in the Blood and Bond series, sadly, did not work for me in the way I had hoped it would.
I will be honest and say that I struggled more than I expected with Bleed in the Night. I was eager to see how the world would develop and where the storyline would head considering the characters involved in the story, which is why I was surprised by how disinterested I was in so much of what was happening. There was the possibility of so much emotion and conflict with this, yet it never felt like it was explored as deeply as I had hoped. Things simply were – be they introduced or handled – and I was constantly wanting more. For me, everything was too quick, and I wanted to go deeper into what happened. Thus, while I can appreciate the new elements that were added, the story itself needed more substance to hit the notes I had hoped for.
All in all, this second book in the Blood and Bond series, sadly, did not work for me in the way I had hoped it would.
February 27, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
This is the second book in the Blood and Bonds series and really ought to be read along with its precursor, Touch in the Night. The first book did a great deal of world building, explaining how haemophiles came out to the public, how they’re treated, and how and why public opinion of them shifts as it does. This book focuses less on the world building and more on the growing obsession between Tyler and Lucien.
The writing is strong and I do enjoy the world the author has created in this series. Tyler and Lucien work together well as a couple so blinded by one another as the world happens around the two of them, dismissive of consequences because they’re both already decided what they want to happen. There is an open ending, leaving the door wide open for further adventures but is, overall, fairly self contained.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
This is the second book in the Blood and Bonds series and really ought to be read along with its precursor, Touch in the Night. The first book did a great deal of world building, explaining how haemophiles came out to the public, how they’re treated, and how and why public opinion of them shifts as it does. This book focuses less on the world building and more on the growing obsession between Tyler and Lucien.
The writing is strong and I do enjoy the world the author has created in this series. Tyler and Lucien work together well as a couple so blinded by one another as the world happens around the two of them, dismissive of consequences because they’re both already decided what they want to happen. There is an open ending, leaving the door wide open for further adventures but is, overall, fairly self contained.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
February 20, 2024
BLEED IN THE NIGHT is the second book in the Blood and Bonds series and follows Lucien and Tyler, both of whom we met in the previous book.
Tyler has been through a traumatic experience - admittedly of his own making - and hasn't been sleeping since. He wants to know Lucien has been apprehended but no one seems to take him seriously. Taking matters into his own hands, he employs 'Damon' to capture Lucien. As with most things though, Tyler doesn't think it through and soon faces a choice.
I was surprised when I saw it was Lucien and Tyler in this book. I was convinced it would be Darragh and Tom. I do like it when I'm wrong. And this book continued to surprise. Tyler is still a hothead but I learnt more about what makes him tick and the work he does to help those with less than him. He doesn't come across as just a thug anymore. And Lucien? What can I say about him? I love him! He has reasons for the way he is and they are completely understandable. These two are almost touch-starved but when they're together? Yeah, not so much! 😁
Although I can understand where they're coming from, I have to say Emory and Co. really dropped the ball with Lucien. There was more understanding from Tyler than there was from them. This certainly differs from the norm where Elders are respected!
I was happy with the ending for Tyler and Lucien, although I hope it's not the last we see of them. I was also shocked by the ending, but it has left me with a desire to continue the series, so I guess it did its job!
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2024
Tyler has been through a traumatic experience - admittedly of his own making - and hasn't been sleeping since. He wants to know Lucien has been apprehended but no one seems to take him seriously. Taking matters into his own hands, he employs 'Damon' to capture Lucien. As with most things though, Tyler doesn't think it through and soon faces a choice.
I was surprised when I saw it was Lucien and Tyler in this book. I was convinced it would be Darragh and Tom. I do like it when I'm wrong. And this book continued to surprise. Tyler is still a hothead but I learnt more about what makes him tick and the work he does to help those with less than him. He doesn't come across as just a thug anymore. And Lucien? What can I say about him? I love him! He has reasons for the way he is and they are completely understandable. These two are almost touch-starved but when they're together? Yeah, not so much! 😁
Although I can understand where they're coming from, I have to say Emory and Co. really dropped the ball with Lucien. There was more understanding from Tyler than there was from them. This certainly differs from the norm where Elders are respected!
I was happy with the ending for Tyler and Lucien, although I hope it's not the last we see of them. I was also shocked by the ending, but it has left me with a desire to continue the series, so I guess it did its job!
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 20, 2024
January 15, 2024
Once again I really enjoyed this world, the vampires and the characters. I loved Tyler’s journey, and I found Lucien surprising in his beliefs. The ending left me wanting more again!
March 1, 2024
I'm rounding this up from 3.5. I didn't enjoy this one as much as book one but it was still a good story.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
February 24, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
So, I’m not quite sure how to summarise how I feel about this book, I’ll be honest.
For the most part, I enjoyed Tyler and Lucien together. Lucien more than Tyler really. He’s operating on ancient beliefs that were instilled into him by his maker, and he’s ostracised for it due to being a threat to his kind’s recent desire for integration into the human world. If anything, I think he’s actually a big softie at heart, and I just wanted to hug him. He was incredibly sweet, and it was lovely to see him let down his walls with Tyler.
Tyler is… complicated. He’s not really a good person, and it’s really hard to like him. I did start changing my feelings towards him as his relationship with Lucien developed, and he’s very much a one track mind kind of guy, because he doesn’t give a shit about anyone or anything that isn’t Lucien. However, that’s also kind of a problem, because he doesn’t really have a redemption arc as such, and he’s still kind of the same… idiot is a bit to strong, but he’s the same as what he was in the beginning, just with a better understanding of why he feels and acts out the way he does.
So, with book one, I thought it was great. Jesse and Emory had a lot of time to build on their relationship together, it was very much forced proximity, and the story was rounded out nicely at the end. With this one, Tyler and Lucien don’t actually get a lot of time together. A big bulk of the story they’re actually separated, whether it’s the time after their encounter in book 1, due to haemo hunters, or due to Lucien’s situation at the end of the book. But then they come together like a whirlwind - literally - and they’re in love, and running off into the sunset (a sunset I’ll be coming back to shortly). Because of this, the relationship feels very surface level, as I felt they didn’t have any time at all to build a real connection… not like Jesse and Emory in the first book, and this threw me a little. I just wish I could’ve read more about them, like if the author wanted to add a bunch more pages about their time together before shit hit the fan? I’d be all up for that. However, if I look past all of this, I actually really like Tyler and Lucien together - Lucien really softens Tyler’s hard edges and makes him much more likeable when he’s with him.
So, now we come to the ending. What the fuck, right?! The book ended. Like, it just ended and I felt like it ended in the middle of something big. As in, there should’ve been another twenty or thirty pages before that happened. There’s quite a cliffhanger here, and I’m not sure if it’s just for the wider story, or for this couple alone. Like, is the next book still going to focus on Tyler and Lucien? In a way, I hope it does, because something big has happened that we as readers have absolutely no clue about, and Lucien is being very shifty. Plus, there’s the confrontation between Tyler and Soroka - what was that about? What’s Soroka’s deal? Basically, I’m left feeling very unsettled and without a lot of answers. In fact, I probably have more questions than anything. This doesn’t make me like the story any less, because I will reiterate that I did enjoy what I read, but I kind of almost really need to know who and what the next book is going to be about so that my brain will stop going at a million miles an hour.
Basically, I’m now in some kind of reader hell, because I don’t know what’s coming next and who it’s going to be about. Also, there was quite a significant event at the end that affected someone I thought might have their own book at some point… so, what does this all mean?! These feelings I have are good for the author anyway, because I’ll definitely be reading the next book just so my head will stop spinning.
Bring on book 3!
**received an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review**
So, I’m not quite sure how to summarise how I feel about this book, I’ll be honest.
For the most part, I enjoyed Tyler and Lucien together. Lucien more than Tyler really. He’s operating on ancient beliefs that were instilled into him by his maker, and he’s ostracised for it due to being a threat to his kind’s recent desire for integration into the human world. If anything, I think he’s actually a big softie at heart, and I just wanted to hug him. He was incredibly sweet, and it was lovely to see him let down his walls with Tyler.
Tyler is… complicated. He’s not really a good person, and it’s really hard to like him. I did start changing my feelings towards him as his relationship with Lucien developed, and he’s very much a one track mind kind of guy, because he doesn’t give a shit about anyone or anything that isn’t Lucien. However, that’s also kind of a problem, because he doesn’t really have a redemption arc as such, and he’s still kind of the same… idiot is a bit to strong, but he’s the same as what he was in the beginning, just with a better understanding of why he feels and acts out the way he does.
So, with book one, I thought it was great. Jesse and Emory had a lot of time to build on their relationship together, it was very much forced proximity, and the story was rounded out nicely at the end. With this one, Tyler and Lucien don’t actually get a lot of time together. A big bulk of the story they’re actually separated, whether it’s the time after their encounter in book 1, due to haemo hunters, or due to Lucien’s situation at the end of the book. But then they come together like a whirlwind - literally - and they’re in love, and running off into the sunset (a sunset I’ll be coming back to shortly). Because of this, the relationship feels very surface level, as I felt they didn’t have any time at all to build a real connection… not like Jesse and Emory in the first book, and this threw me a little. I just wish I could’ve read more about them, like if the author wanted to add a bunch more pages about their time together before shit hit the fan? I’d be all up for that. However, if I look past all of this, I actually really like Tyler and Lucien together - Lucien really softens Tyler’s hard edges and makes him much more likeable when he’s with him.
So, now we come to the ending. What the fuck, right?! The book ended. Like, it just ended and I felt like it ended in the middle of something big. As in, there should’ve been another twenty or thirty pages before that happened. There’s quite a cliffhanger here, and I’m not sure if it’s just for the wider story, or for this couple alone. Like, is the next book still going to focus on Tyler and Lucien? In a way, I hope it does, because something big has happened that we as readers have absolutely no clue about, and Lucien is being very shifty. Plus, there’s the confrontation between Tyler and Soroka - what was that about? What’s Soroka’s deal? Basically, I’m left feeling very unsettled and without a lot of answers. In fact, I probably have more questions than anything. This doesn’t make me like the story any less, because I will reiterate that I did enjoy what I read, but I kind of almost really need to know who and what the next book is going to be about so that my brain will stop going at a million miles an hour.
Basically, I’m now in some kind of reader hell, because I don’t know what’s coming next and who it’s going to be about. Also, there was quite a significant event at the end that affected someone I thought might have their own book at some point… so, what does this all mean?! These feelings I have are good for the author anyway, because I’ll definitely be reading the next book just so my head will stop spinning.
Bring on book 3!
**received an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review**
February 23, 2024
I picked this book because the level of supposed dark undertones to the story seemed promising, but the angst and darkness turned out to be of medium intensity. However, the author really surprised me with the depth of the world building, the thrilling twists and turns, the distinct dystopian vibes, and the bottomless pit of conflicted feelings at their rawest. The story revolves around a really big challenge for the human race - the integration of haemophiles/vampires/ and the challenges and unexpected mishaps that process brings in its wake. It was a gritty, violent, dirty clash of 2 species trying to coexist and failing to find the balance.
After a terrifying attack from a haemophile, Tyler's life comes to a screeching halt. For someone who has lived all his life throwing his money and weight around and used to receive what he wants, he is shell-shocked being touched by the new reality where he isn't amongst the biggest, baddest fish in the small pond where he lives. The world is changing and not in a good way - new threats and new status quo are emerging from the deepest recesses of the night, irrevocably shifting the power balance. In the sleepless nights after the attack, Tyler is battling his inner demons - anger, frustration, rage. And not only!!! The fleeting moments of closed proximity with his attacker, Lucien, left him an even less than wanted present - a primal, unexplainable desire towards the monster, desire for something more, something forbidden. So Tyler spends his time obsessed by the overwhelming need to find Lucien again and understand the inferno of feelings, eating him alive. Deep down inside of him, he knows what the need is but just can't accept it. His mind and body are in a vicious conflict.
Lucien, on the other hand, is one of the oldest, probably the last of the oldest vampires in existence. Uncontrollable menace, amongst his kind, he lives by a long forgotten moral code, that was the reason he was turned centuries ago - to be a judge, jury and executioner when the human juridical system fails to protect the innocent. But haemophiles like him are detrimental to the efforts of the majority to blend in, adapt and be accepted as a part of the modern world.
The appeal of the story, from my perspective, is that the author has created not likable but plausible characters - they aren't pretty picture perfect. On the contrary- their decisions are often morally grey, self centered or plainly repulsive, the results - messy and ugly, but the story is so much more intense, unpredictable and out of control fascinating.
When Tyler met Lucien again, the collision was explosive. The world he knew and the world he never known about, merged together creating something unknown and frightening, that he has to learn and embrace as his new reality. The ending of the book was a HFN and I hope the questions will be answered in the next installment.
After a terrifying attack from a haemophile, Tyler's life comes to a screeching halt. For someone who has lived all his life throwing his money and weight around and used to receive what he wants, he is shell-shocked being touched by the new reality where he isn't amongst the biggest, baddest fish in the small pond where he lives. The world is changing and not in a good way - new threats and new status quo are emerging from the deepest recesses of the night, irrevocably shifting the power balance. In the sleepless nights after the attack, Tyler is battling his inner demons - anger, frustration, rage. And not only!!! The fleeting moments of closed proximity with his attacker, Lucien, left him an even less than wanted present - a primal, unexplainable desire towards the monster, desire for something more, something forbidden. So Tyler spends his time obsessed by the overwhelming need to find Lucien again and understand the inferno of feelings, eating him alive. Deep down inside of him, he knows what the need is but just can't accept it. His mind and body are in a vicious conflict.
Lucien, on the other hand, is one of the oldest, probably the last of the oldest vampires in existence. Uncontrollable menace, amongst his kind, he lives by a long forgotten moral code, that was the reason he was turned centuries ago - to be a judge, jury and executioner when the human juridical system fails to protect the innocent. But haemophiles like him are detrimental to the efforts of the majority to blend in, adapt and be accepted as a part of the modern world.
The appeal of the story, from my perspective, is that the author has created not likable but plausible characters - they aren't pretty picture perfect. On the contrary- their decisions are often morally grey, self centered or plainly repulsive, the results - messy and ugly, but the story is so much more intense, unpredictable and out of control fascinating.
When Tyler met Lucien again, the collision was explosive. The world he knew and the world he never known about, merged together creating something unknown and frightening, that he has to learn and embrace as his new reality. The ending of the book was a HFN and I hope the questions will be answered in the next installment.
March 4, 2024
I have mixed feelings about Bleed in the Night. Though this is billed as technically a standalone, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first book. The story starts strong, and it is easy to see what kind of person Tyler is without having read the prior book. He’s abrasive and angry, a state that seems to be his resting state since everyone, including his sister, tells him to get over almost being killed instead of showing concern. The writing is solid and makes Tyler’s all-encompassing obsession readily apparent. His entanglement with Damon and how they go after Lucien kept me engaged. . .then Tyler and Lucien connect and the story falls flat for me.
The story gets a bit repetitive as they go through a cycle of stay and go then sex. I began to wonder if I had missed some deeper character moments in the previous book that made Lucien and Tyler so drawn to one another. It makes some sense from Lucien’s perspective as he sees the same simmering violent need for justice in Tyler and has had no inkling of connection with any human in centuries, but I don’t know what happened on the moor that night that solidified Tyler’s fear into obsessive lust. I guess the connection is supposed to be visceral and inexplicable and the lust strong enough to make them leave the world behind. Also, Tyler doesn’t have much character development imo. He starts as an angry a-hole who seems to only care about his needs unless he can violently mete out justice, and he ends the story kinda still as self-absorbed. He’s in love with Lucien and tries to sacrifice himself to keep Lucien safe, but he doesn’t care about anything else. Lucien is *his* person and his focus so Tyler is still locked into himself and his own world.
However, the writing is strong enough that I enjoyed the story, and I felt for Lucien’s predicament—being older than your peers and the last one raised in a faith no one believes in is extraordinarily isolating. The other haemophiles barely tolerate him, and he can’t connect with any humans until Tyler. I don’t feel compelled to continue the series, but maybe if I read the first book, I’ll change my mind as the ending is very open-ended and interesting.
The story gets a bit repetitive as they go through a cycle of stay and go then sex. I began to wonder if I had missed some deeper character moments in the previous book that made Lucien and Tyler so drawn to one another. It makes some sense from Lucien’s perspective as he sees the same simmering violent need for justice in Tyler and has had no inkling of connection with any human in centuries, but I don’t know what happened on the moor that night that solidified Tyler’s fear into obsessive lust. I guess the connection is supposed to be visceral and inexplicable and the lust strong enough to make them leave the world behind. Also, Tyler doesn’t have much character development imo. He starts as an angry a-hole who seems to only care about his needs unless he can violently mete out justice, and he ends the story kinda still as self-absorbed. He’s in love with Lucien and tries to sacrifice himself to keep Lucien safe, but he doesn’t care about anything else. Lucien is *his* person and his focus so Tyler is still locked into himself and his own world.
However, the writing is strong enough that I enjoyed the story, and I felt for Lucien’s predicament—being older than your peers and the last one raised in a faith no one believes in is extraordinarily isolating. The other haemophiles barely tolerate him, and he can’t connect with any humans until Tyler. I don’t feel compelled to continue the series, but maybe if I read the first book, I’ll change my mind as the ending is very open-ended and interesting.
June 7, 2024
I'm trying to tackle and fight myself into a new path in life. In doing so, I've adding more things to my To Do lists and more things to my TBR lists. BUT that also means more ARCs for me! :D Here's S.J. Coles's latest. "Bleed in the Night" is the second novel in the new Blood and Bonds series. The first two books have already come out, but the third novel debuts August 6, 2024.
["It's not just fear keeping Tyler up at night... and that' s what frightens him.
Tyler Lomax met Lucien, supposedly the oldest haemophile in existence, on a dark night in the depths of winter. Tyler was protesting against Baron Emory Von Magnusson taking possession of a human child. He thought he'd been doing the right thing— fighting against evil, against fear.
Lucien had almost killed him for it. Now it's months later, and Tyler hasn't slept since. Tyler wants Lucien found. When the authorities fail him, he feels forced to take matters into his own hands.
Tyler's contact ‘Damon' doesn't call himself a ‘vampire hunter', but that is exactly what Tyler intends to pay him to be. What Tyler doesn't bank on is having Lucien at his mercy, forcing him to confront what's really consuming him.
Tyler will not only have to face what he is feeling but finally open his mind to a perspective other than his own. He just has to pray that opening up to Lucien won' t bleed him dry before he realizes the truth."]
This one was... It was hard to like Tyler at first. He had so much hate inside himself that it was consuming him. It made him ugly and unlikable. But when he finally started to get what he thought he wanted, he started to change into a better person.
Then things got hard for both Tyler and Lucien, and I started crying. I cried a. looooot. during this book. It was just so much character growth and self sacrificing and Love that it was overwhelming and beautiful and sad.
This book might be arguably better than the first. Just saying.
Trigger Warnings: species-ism, violence, thoughts of suicide, and more.
#gayromancereviews #arcs #arcteammember
#touchinthenight #bleedinthenight #huntinthenight #sjcoles #bloodandbonds #bloodandbondsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
["It's not just fear keeping Tyler up at night... and that' s what frightens him.
Tyler Lomax met Lucien, supposedly the oldest haemophile in existence, on a dark night in the depths of winter. Tyler was protesting against Baron Emory Von Magnusson taking possession of a human child. He thought he'd been doing the right thing— fighting against evil, against fear.
Lucien had almost killed him for it. Now it's months later, and Tyler hasn't slept since. Tyler wants Lucien found. When the authorities fail him, he feels forced to take matters into his own hands.
Tyler's contact ‘Damon' doesn't call himself a ‘vampire hunter', but that is exactly what Tyler intends to pay him to be. What Tyler doesn't bank on is having Lucien at his mercy, forcing him to confront what's really consuming him.
Tyler will not only have to face what he is feeling but finally open his mind to a perspective other than his own. He just has to pray that opening up to Lucien won' t bleed him dry before he realizes the truth."]
This one was... It was hard to like Tyler at first. He had so much hate inside himself that it was consuming him. It made him ugly and unlikable. But when he finally started to get what he thought he wanted, he started to change into a better person.
Then things got hard for both Tyler and Lucien, and I started crying. I cried a. looooot. during this book. It was just so much character growth and self sacrificing and Love that it was overwhelming and beautiful and sad.
This book might be arguably better than the first. Just saying.
Trigger Warnings: species-ism, violence, thoughts of suicide, and more.
#gayromancereviews #arcs #arcteammember
#touchinthenight #bleedinthenight #huntinthenight #sjcoles #bloodandbonds #bloodandbondsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
June 18, 2024
This is the 2nd book in the series, I would recommend that you read the first book (Touch in the Night) before reading this one just so you have the knowledge of the history on the MC's.
Tyler is suffering from PTSD after experiencing a tragic incident, which he brought on himself and can't sleep at night. He can't help but remember what was said to him by Lucian. He wants revenge and can't seem to get over the anger that he has. What Tyler doesn't do is try to see the truth before causing harm to others. He is so set in certain ways and things that he doesn't realize the problems or the outcome until it's to late. He ends up helping Lucian escape and they do their best to hide but things end up happening and now they must figure out a way.
Lucien is the oldest haemophile and he always protects his family. He hurts Tyler after he was trying to hurt Emory and his family. Lucien made a vow to Tyler and when he knows that Tyler is still looking for him, he tries to warn him away. When Lucien finds himself kidnapped, he decides to let things be and go from there. When he was able to get out of his cell, he goes to Tyler and ends up escaping with him. They go into hiding and that is when Lucien learns the truth from Tyler. Now, he will do what he can to protect Tyler and save him.
Tyler & Lucien to me were made for each other. They both are misunderstood and nobody really cares for them. They both end up talking and getting to know each other. The connection that they share, shows that they do have a way to go. Neither of them can stand to be away from each other.
I have to say I was disappointed in Emory and Co for how they played their parts in this story, I really expected more out of them. I do understand a little of why they acted the way they did but they still should have been better. Tyler knew and understood Lucien way better than they did.
I do like how the book ended however the ending left me with questions and hopefully we get to see these two come back into the next book.
#I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
Tyler is suffering from PTSD after experiencing a tragic incident, which he brought on himself and can't sleep at night. He can't help but remember what was said to him by Lucian. He wants revenge and can't seem to get over the anger that he has. What Tyler doesn't do is try to see the truth before causing harm to others. He is so set in certain ways and things that he doesn't realize the problems or the outcome until it's to late. He ends up helping Lucian escape and they do their best to hide but things end up happening and now they must figure out a way.
Lucien is the oldest haemophile and he always protects his family. He hurts Tyler after he was trying to hurt Emory and his family. Lucien made a vow to Tyler and when he knows that Tyler is still looking for him, he tries to warn him away. When Lucien finds himself kidnapped, he decides to let things be and go from there. When he was able to get out of his cell, he goes to Tyler and ends up escaping with him. They go into hiding and that is when Lucien learns the truth from Tyler. Now, he will do what he can to protect Tyler and save him.
Tyler & Lucien to me were made for each other. They both are misunderstood and nobody really cares for them. They both end up talking and getting to know each other. The connection that they share, shows that they do have a way to go. Neither of them can stand to be away from each other.
I have to say I was disappointed in Emory and Co for how they played their parts in this story, I really expected more out of them. I do understand a little of why they acted the way they did but they still should have been better. Tyler knew and understood Lucien way better than they did.
I do like how the book ended however the ending left me with questions and hopefully we get to see these two come back into the next book.
#I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
February 15, 2024
Lucien is a Haemophile (vampire), over five centuries old, very tired of his existence.Tyler is human with an unreasoning hatred for Lucien’s kind and wants him dead. When he gets the chance to rid himself of Lucien and the terror he engenders, his feelings change. “You’re crazy. You’re gorgeous. You’re bloody terrifying, and I’ve wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.” Tyler begins to understand that maybe Lucien isn’t evil. Possibly he’s just ridding the world of the evil that inhabits it. Lucien tells him, “we serve a higher truth—something beyond us, bigger than us…a greater good.”
I enjoyed watching Tyler come to terms with his burgeoning feelings for Lucien. His realization that there was so more to Lucien than just being a cold blooded murderer opened up his whole world to new possibilities and feelings.
It took a bit for me to accept Tyler. His obsession with Lucien was tormenting and a bit unhinged. Both characters had demons they were fighting. Lucien was tired of being in the world but unable to do anything about it. Tyler was afraid of living also, shut off from himself and the those around him, almost more unconnected than Lucien was.The thought that he might need something from the Haemophile kept him in a state of unrest, both figuratively and literally. His gradual acceptance that he wanted Lucien soothed his tired soul and gave him peace even amid the turmoil he faced for what he had tried to do to Lucien.
The author took a thoroughly unlikeable person and made him human and sympathetic. Tyler was a very complex personality, written with a lot of heart which I felt made this a better story than the first book.
I hope there will be more to the series. Though this book ended with a happy for now, I feel there is much more to their story.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
I enjoyed watching Tyler come to terms with his burgeoning feelings for Lucien. His realization that there was so more to Lucien than just being a cold blooded murderer opened up his whole world to new possibilities and feelings.
It took a bit for me to accept Tyler. His obsession with Lucien was tormenting and a bit unhinged. Both characters had demons they were fighting. Lucien was tired of being in the world but unable to do anything about it. Tyler was afraid of living also, shut off from himself and the those around him, almost more unconnected than Lucien was.The thought that he might need something from the Haemophile kept him in a state of unrest, both figuratively and literally. His gradual acceptance that he wanted Lucien soothed his tired soul and gave him peace even amid the turmoil he faced for what he had tried to do to Lucien.
The author took a thoroughly unlikeable person and made him human and sympathetic. Tyler was a very complex personality, written with a lot of heart which I felt made this a better story than the first book.
I hope there will be more to the series. Though this book ended with a happy for now, I feel there is much more to their story.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
February 27, 2024
4.25 stars. Tyler Lomax has one goal, fighting against evil, and the evil in his opinion are the haemophiles.
In book one we saw how Emory and his human partner Jesse adopted a human child.
Tyler is outraged about it, loud about it, what got him almost killed by Lucien, another scumbag haemophile!
Since that event, he can’t sleep at night, which doesn’t make him any nicer.
Now he will be hunting down Lucien himself.
Tyler thinks he knows everything, throwing around accusations about Lucien. Oh boy, little does he know.
So, how to catch a vampire, well, Tyler got him a helper.
His helper got a list with Lucien is Classified as A—Unpredictable, Uncooperative, Extremely Dangerous.
Lucien is probably the oldest vampire ever known. Nobody understands him or his motives, and he’s tired of it, tired of being misunderstood.
I’ll keep it to this, because at some point the tables are turned, and spoiling is no fun.
Tbh I didn’t understand the purpose of some interactions, but I did just go with the flow.
Was Tyler likable? Most of the time not really, and I didn’t mind, I found it quite interesting to watch an MC, and me struggling with feelings about him.
I found Lucien most endearing, lovable and way too good for the world.
Overall a great read, engagingly written, absolutely nothing I expected, it was entertaining, with a lot of suspense and excitement and everyone got what they deserved, ha! To be continued!
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
In book one we saw how Emory and his human partner Jesse adopted a human child.
Tyler is outraged about it, loud about it, what got him almost killed by Lucien, another scumbag haemophile!
Since that event, he can’t sleep at night, which doesn’t make him any nicer.
Now he will be hunting down Lucien himself.
Tyler thinks he knows everything, throwing around accusations about Lucien. Oh boy, little does he know.
So, how to catch a vampire, well, Tyler got him a helper.
His helper got a list with Lucien is Classified as A—Unpredictable, Uncooperative, Extremely Dangerous.
Lucien is probably the oldest vampire ever known. Nobody understands him or his motives, and he’s tired of it, tired of being misunderstood.
I’ll keep it to this, because at some point the tables are turned, and spoiling is no fun.
Tbh I didn’t understand the purpose of some interactions, but I did just go with the flow.
Was Tyler likable? Most of the time not really, and I didn’t mind, I found it quite interesting to watch an MC, and me struggling with feelings about him.
I found Lucien most endearing, lovable and way too good for the world.
Overall a great read, engagingly written, absolutely nothing I expected, it was entertaining, with a lot of suspense and excitement and everyone got what they deserved, ha! To be continued!
Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews
March 2, 2024
Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Blood and Bonds series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Touch In The Night, before this one. It will givev you Tyler and Lucien's meeting, but it will also give you the background you need about the haemophiles and how they live in this world. It will, as well, give you what the rest of the haemophiles think of Lucien, that's very important.
Because when we get to hear why Lucien does what he does, I was surprised! He's not quite the bad guy he's portrayed to be.
I loved how Tyler flips his opinion of Lucien, when faced with the consequences of his actions, it made for a speedy turnaround, butit alos made Tyler see, really see Lucien, and what he has been doing, and why. The history of the vampire of this world is different to anthing I've read before and I love that.
Again, only Tyler gets a say. And again, I wish we had heard from Lucien. I really think this would be a 5 star if he had.
Somethinghappens right near the end of thisbook that has thrown me for a loop, and this book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and it makes me think if Lucien and Tyler will appear again. Emory and Jesse appear here, from book one.
Again, 4 very VERY good stars.
These books are keeping me on my toes and making my bok brain whir! Keep em coming, please!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Blood and Bonds series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Touch In The Night, before this one. It will givev you Tyler and Lucien's meeting, but it will also give you the background you need about the haemophiles and how they live in this world. It will, as well, give you what the rest of the haemophiles think of Lucien, that's very important.
Because when we get to hear why Lucien does what he does, I was surprised! He's not quite the bad guy he's portrayed to be.
I loved how Tyler flips his opinion of Lucien, when faced with the consequences of his actions, it made for a speedy turnaround, butit alos made Tyler see, really see Lucien, and what he has been doing, and why. The history of the vampire of this world is different to anthing I've read before and I love that.
Again, only Tyler gets a say. And again, I wish we had heard from Lucien. I really think this would be a 5 star if he had.
Somethinghappens right near the end of thisbook that has thrown me for a loop, and this book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and it makes me think if Lucien and Tyler will appear again. Emory and Jesse appear here, from book one.
Again, 4 very VERY good stars.
These books are keeping me on my toes and making my bok brain whir! Keep em coming, please!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
June 15, 2024
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Wasn't that much of a fan of this installment tbh. Tyler was just NOT my kind of character, but regardless of that bit of unpleasantness, i still really appreciated a few things about this book.
For 1, SJC's narrative style still delivered a fairly decent story. I didn't dnf and that's saying something with the way my life is right now. So yeah just me out here celebrating the little things!
2nd, Lucien as both an idea and vigilante pnr murder husband legit made my day. We love to read it!
And 3rd, literally any character with a moniker like "the undying baron" is a simple pleasure even if it's very on the nose. it just sounds snazzy as fk, and it was such a mega vibe from Book 1 that it carried over and made Jesse and Emory's cameo in this installment feel like a visit from an old friend...ish. Trust that there was a bit to unpack here, but the complexity felt real and so i give that aspect the props it deserves.
Very much hoping Book 3, Hunt in the Night, delivers on this human-vamp police partnership because i'm a stan for teamwork making the (solving murder mysteries) dream work, especially while crossing that tension rich pnr sociological divide in love and politics and everything in between! ooooh yasssss gimme!
Wasn't that much of a fan of this installment tbh. Tyler was just NOT my kind of character, but regardless of that bit of unpleasantness, i still really appreciated a few things about this book.
For 1, SJC's narrative style still delivered a fairly decent story. I didn't dnf and that's saying something with the way my life is right now. So yeah just me out here celebrating the little things!
2nd, Lucien as both an idea and vigilante pnr murder husband legit made my day. We love to read it!
And 3rd, literally any character with a moniker like "the undying baron" is a simple pleasure even if it's very on the nose. it just sounds snazzy as fk, and it was such a mega vibe from Book 1 that it carried over and made Jesse and Emory's cameo in this installment feel like a visit from an old friend...ish. Trust that there was a bit to unpack here, but the complexity felt real and so i give that aspect the props it deserves.
Very much hoping Book 3, Hunt in the Night, delivers on this human-vamp police partnership because i'm a stan for teamwork making the (solving murder mysteries) dream work, especially while crossing that tension rich pnr sociological divide in love and politics and everything in between! ooooh yasssss gimme!
Read
February 25, 2024There is a lot of emotional baggage and personal growth in this episode. The focus is on Tyler and Lucien. As for the long-running story it is touched on a bit. Some clues to what is coming and I am hoping that a certain unaliving is just a misdirection.
We did get to touch a bit more on the hunters
"Come back and say that when you love someone you shouldn't, someone you love and breathe for"
Oh, Tyler you selfish prat.
I had a bit of trouble staying rational when it came to Tyler.
He is redeemable though as he proves during his very slow growth
He is driven by fear, mostly irrational
A sense of entitlement, more armor than reality
I found if I approached him as though he was a toddler I had more patience for his decisions
"I made you afraid to touch people. To be touched. For that I'm sorry."
Lucien, IMO, should have known better all the way around
I know he is tired, lonely, and very disenchanted with how the world has developed. Even more unfortunate was how angry he was with himself and who he had become
We usually are the hardest judges when it comes to ourselves
Not my favorite in the series but a solid episode
I am looking forward to seeing who makes the next move
We did get to touch a bit more on the hunters
"Come back and say that when you love someone you shouldn't, someone you love and breathe for"
Oh, Tyler you selfish prat.
I had a bit of trouble staying rational when it came to Tyler.
He is redeemable though as he proves during his very slow growth
He is driven by fear, mostly irrational
A sense of entitlement, more armor than reality
I found if I approached him as though he was a toddler I had more patience for his decisions
"I made you afraid to touch people. To be touched. For that I'm sorry."
Lucien, IMO, should have known better all the way around
I know he is tired, lonely, and very disenchanted with how the world has developed. Even more unfortunate was how angry he was with himself and who he had become
We usually are the hardest judges when it comes to ourselves
Not my favorite in the series but a solid episode
I am looking forward to seeing who makes the next move
June 18, 2024
I loved Bleed in the Night which is book 2 of Blood and Bonds.
I really enjoyed book one, and book two blew me away. Just wow.
Tyler and Lucien met in book one and I think reading it first is important to fully grasp their story. Tyler wasn’t exactly a good guy in book one, so I was shocked to see this book focused on him. Surprisingly, I warmed up to him as the story progressed.
Lucien is ancient and even other Haemophiles want to shut him down to protect what they've built. But is Lucien truly evil? This question adds depth and intrigue to the story.
Tyler, struggling with insomnia and finding no help from the law, takes matters into his own hands and hires a hunter named Damon. The twists in this book are mind-blowing, making it a true page-turner. The ending is shocking and leaves you reeling—it's more of an HFN (Happy For Now) than a HEA (Happily Ever After), so I'm really looking forward to book three.
If you enjoy vampires, dark romance, plenty of spice, and a story that stands out from the crowd, this book is for you.
I really enjoyed book one, and book two blew me away. Just wow.
Tyler and Lucien met in book one and I think reading it first is important to fully grasp their story. Tyler wasn’t exactly a good guy in book one, so I was shocked to see this book focused on him. Surprisingly, I warmed up to him as the story progressed.
Lucien is ancient and even other Haemophiles want to shut him down to protect what they've built. But is Lucien truly evil? This question adds depth and intrigue to the story.
Tyler, struggling with insomnia and finding no help from the law, takes matters into his own hands and hires a hunter named Damon. The twists in this book are mind-blowing, making it a true page-turner. The ending is shocking and leaves you reeling—it's more of an HFN (Happy For Now) than a HEA (Happily Ever After), so I'm really looking forward to book three.
If you enjoy vampires, dark romance, plenty of spice, and a story that stands out from the crowd, this book is for you.
February 29, 2024
The world building is really fun here, it feels very alive and the characters are complex and challenging. There is a lot of discontent in this world and I loved the brooding vibe the author was able to create. I also enjoyed the writing style and how the author lets you get to know Lucien and Tyler little by little. Tyler is quite unlikable, but I loved seeing a different side to him as he becomes fixated on Lucien. Lucien is ancient and seems to have been left behind by his people, he doesn’t fit in the modern world. I appreciate that while we get to know them better over the course of the book, the author lets Lucien and Tyler be what they are. There are no convenient and unrealistic personality makeovers, which I loved. This was an absorbing read, the end was a bit abrupt to me, but definitely left me interested in more.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
March 1, 2024
Tyler and Lucien
3 Stars ⭐️
Le sigh 🤷🏻♀️....ugh, ok so this book worked for this world that S.J. Coles built, for me....I had a hard time with this one and it was not the story. Let me explain, this is purely personal preference of my likes and dislikes in a book: I have a really hard time throwing myself into a read that has one character that I just don't take to and sadly Tyler ruined it for me to fall head over heels for this one. With that all beings said, IMO it was not as good as the first book in this series but I feel that this was the direction the author needed to go to keep this story true for the reader. I did like Lucien a lot and I was actually excited that this book was more or less open ended so I am looking forward to the next book in this series. With any luck the author will redeem the heck out of Tyler and I will eat my words 😂 I would recommend this read for series fans.
* I Received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review*
3 Stars ⭐️
Le sigh 🤷🏻♀️....ugh, ok so this book worked for this world that S.J. Coles built, for me....I had a hard time with this one and it was not the story. Let me explain, this is purely personal preference of my likes and dislikes in a book: I have a really hard time throwing myself into a read that has one character that I just don't take to and sadly Tyler ruined it for me to fall head over heels for this one. With that all beings said, IMO it was not as good as the first book in this series but I feel that this was the direction the author needed to go to keep this story true for the reader. I did like Lucien a lot and I was actually excited that this book was more or less open ended so I am looking forward to the next book in this series. With any luck the author will redeem the heck out of Tyler and I will eat my words 😂 I would recommend this read for series fans.
* I Received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review*
February 25, 2024
I find the world building in this series fascinating— there’s something about it that just pulls me in and makes me want to see how characters will move through it. Lucien is a deeply interesting soul (and one who deserves better treatment from just about everyone). Tyler is…also interesting, but with a much more freighted inflection on that descriptor. Tbh, I don’t like him, and I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to— he’s a deeply unlikable character who doesn’t have so much a redemption arc as a modicum more self awareness at the end of the story. For the most part, this works, and it makes for a compelling read in ways that defy some set tropes/expectations.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
February 22, 2024
Wow. This started off with the MC feeling completely hopeless, no matter what he told himself. I was worried that the whole narrative would be that way, but I was so wrong. It's not about hopelessness, but just plain hope.
Tyler was so afraid after being attacked it became all he knew. And poor Lucien was just so very tired. Theirs wasn't a meet cute by any stretch of the word, but it still affected them both profoundly.
It's not a sweet, easy world that's been built in this series. It's a bit gritty and rough. But it's also got shining examples of unconditional love that brings hope to even the dark corners.
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series!
Tyler was so afraid after being attacked it became all he knew. And poor Lucien was just so very tired. Theirs wasn't a meet cute by any stretch of the word, but it still affected them both profoundly.
It's not a sweet, easy world that's been built in this series. It's a bit gritty and rough. But it's also got shining examples of unconditional love that brings hope to even the dark corners.
I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series!
March 3, 2024
Book two of S J Coles vampire series where vampires are known about and prefer to be called haemophiles. Human Tyler has some scared ideas about haemophiles and Lucien in particular. It’s very slow burn on the romance but the attraction is there and it’s very fast paced and intense for the first bit. The world building that Coles has done shines in this book with a lot of interesting backstories and conflict in addition to the romance aspects. Another very well crafted story and I look forward to more stories based in Coles’ world.
June 13, 2024
After book one where Lucien attacks Tyler Lomax Tyler needs revenge he needs to find Lucien and make him pay . He hires Damon a vampire Hunter and they kidnap Lucien but when Tyler faces Lucien he tells Tyler to take a closer look at the kill list Damon showed him . Tyler starts to put the pieces together and it’s then he starts to notice the way Damon is acting and alarms bells start going off in Tyler’s head . I can’t wait to start book 3 because i need to find out what the heck is going on and who’s behind it .
January 14, 2024
It took me a while to get into the story mainly because Tyler is not very likeable in the beginning but then it played out very nicely. This world fascinated me in the story before and it keeps doing so. The suspense plot was brutal and kept me on my toes. The love story unfolded beautifully and was heart-wrenching at times. I really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for the next installment.
March 2, 2024
Since I enjoyed the first book in the series, I was looking forward to reading and reviewing the second book. We are introduced to two characters from the previous novel: Tyler and Lucien. The author does a great job with their backstories and previous meetings you don’t have to read the first book to immerse yourself in this one, but I do recommend you give the first one a read. You won’t be disappointed.
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-bfH
Read more here: https://wp.me/p12iNR-bfH
February 24, 2024
This was another good addition to the series, we meet Tyler again and he is still a hard person to like and he is obsessed with Lucien, the author does a good job with the story and Tyler becomes somewhat likeable and it was nice to see him and Lucien together, the story finishes with a cliffhanger so I’m looking forward to reading book three in this series next.
February 27, 2024
This was a hard one to rate for me because I did not like Tyler at all. He was a dick. I honestly got really sick of the treatment Lucien got too. I mean I guess vigilante justice is wrong but I don’t have a problem with it- what’s the problem? In a world that has vampires why we being so judgy …So honestly I think Lucien deserved better from everyone.
March 2, 2024
The blurb left me hoping that this was going to be a book about two complicated and possibly unlikeable characters who are forced to deal with their own prejudices and erroneous assumptions and that's exactly what I got. Watching Tyler and Lucien sort out their legitimate concerns from those they need to set aside in this interesting world the author has created made for a great read.
February 26, 2024
Tyler is obsessed with a vampire Lucien. This book is a good prn offering. It is a part of a series and there are so many questions that are left open. I'm hoping that the series will ultimately answer them. The couple does get an HEA but the series is cliffhanger.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews