Crimson Promises

by Jocelyn Bleu

Secrets untold. A stranger's allure. A choice that could ignite a war of worlds. To escape her dangerous secret, Aurora James flees to Arch Cape University. When she meets Bennett Caelum, her life takes an electrifying and terrifying turn. Bennett is alluring and aloof. As a fallen angel with his sights set on revenge, Bennett has managed to keep a safe distance while guarding Aurora's angelic gifts and protecting secrets of his own. Aurora doesn’t know that the very past she is running from is Bennett’s sworn duty to protect. A fiery attraction ignites between the two, threatening to sway Bennett from his path of vengeance. Aurora is forced to decide between two worlds as she discovers more about her abilities. Linked by a prophecy as old as time, unexpected truths could spell downfall for all. But sinister forces lurk in the shadows, intent on claiming Aurora, as decisions kindle the flames of war. All is fair in a battle of secrets and betrayal. The only way to survive is freedom or death.

Genres: Romantasy, Fantasy

568 pages, Paperback

Published December 27, 2023

Reviews

[Amanda Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg so much happened in this book! It was so long, and yet I did not want it to end. It kept taking so many turns, especially with that third act introducing a new player onto the field (still don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, but I think I love him? Dang my morally grey bias) and just wow. I don’t know what much to say without spoiling, but this is definitely the read for you if you like stories about fallen angels, archangels, demons, the devil, etc. There was just so much at play here and I absolutely can’t wait for the next book! I do feel like the underworld portion could have probably been a separate book, and more fleshed out from there, as it felt different from the time we spent dedicated to Ben and Aurora, but I am curious to see where this Lucifer/Ben/Aurora trifecta goes, especially with the ending with what happens to Ben and Aurora.

Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥️༻༺🪽༻༺♥️
📖🖤♥️𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖♥️🖤📖

📚✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📚
♥️𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙼𝚂𝙾𝙽 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙴𝚂 𝙱𝚈 𝙹𝙾𝙲𝙴𝙻𝚈𝙽 𝙱𝙻𝙴𝚄
♥️𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙲 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈//𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙾𝚁𝙼𝙰𝙻 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
♥️𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙳𝙴𝙲𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟸𝟽𝚃𝙷, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
╰┈❥𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙺𝚄!✨
♥️𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻

Thank you SO much to @jocelynbleu and @rrbooktours for my gifted review copy of 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐒!

I loved this book! This was a thick, but really awesome, read. I was immediately pulled into Aurora and Bennett’s story. Bennett has been tasked by the archangel, Michael, to watch over Aurora as she grows up and to make sure she stays safe & protected. Bennett, a fallen angel, is fueled by the promise of power so he can get revenge on the flawed and corrupt hierarchy of Heaven. When he follows Aurora as she goes off to college, he can’t help but feel a bond to her that strengthens every day, especially as he tries to figure out exactly why he’s been tasked with protecting her. When he makes his presence to her known, their connection is immediate and deliciously forbidden. Their connection deepens as the book progresses and you can’t help but fall in love with their story.

This book has everything I love in a good fantasy romance! It has delicious tension, forbidden romance, incredible world building, and a fast paced and action packed plot. Aurora and Bennett’s journey in this book is filled with steamy encounters, supernatural beings, and a battle between good and evil that kept me captivated and glued to my kindle. It kept me guessing throughout my entire reading experience and there were so many plot twists and turns. I really enjoy the banter and chemistry between Aurora and Bennett and I thought Jocelyn did a wonderful job writing each of their journeys, as well as their development as a pairing.

I am definitely intrigued by Lucifer and feel there is a bit more to him than meets the eye - I’m interested to see where the story goes from the ending of this one!

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this book so much! I have SO many questions after the cliffhanger ending!! I definitely recommend this for any Fantasy Romance readers!

🔥✨𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄...✨🔥
♥️Enemies-to-Lovers
🪽Morally Gray
♥️Dual POVs
🪽Forced Proximity
♥️Touch Her & Di3
🪽Secrets

♥️༻༺🪽༻༺♥️

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crimson Promises

An exciting epic angel/demon fantasy filled with so much between the pages I’m not sure where to begin.

The story wasn’t only about Aurora, the FMC, but also about Ben, the MMC, in addition to the whole idea and mythology between angels and demons.

I loved the growth and journey for both the characters throughout the story. Aurora really grows into herself and Ben does as well. It great to see not only the romance between them but the lessons they learn and how they help shape each other.

The world was interesting and I liked the little twist and turns along the way. There were a lot of ideas and things going on that it was hard to put down from the start.

Loaded with lots of different tropes, here are a few to peek your interest:

- forbidden love
- Angel and demons and so much more!
- Love triangle vibes
- Chosen one
- Protector/guardian
- ‘You make me better’
- Deadly trials
- College drama
- Mean girls
- Secrets
- Angry kiss
- Dual POV
- Morally grey MMC

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

You get a Fallen Angel who survives on revenge. When he is tasked with watching over a baby by the Michael the Archangel, who informs him in his success he will be granted the one thing he always wanted.

I enjoy the plot. It was interesting and a nice take on the battle of Heaven and Hell.

Heaven and Hell retellings is a favorite of mine.

This one was ok. It's starts off strong. I loved the intro to the story. I loved Bennett. He was a strong character. Aurora, not so much. She gave me so much mental whiplash. Her character was not a strong MFC one would see in these types of stories.

There was a lot of unnecessary add-ons that didn't add to the story. Which had me skimming.

Some nice action and battle scenes with Bennett which I enjoyed.

[Linda Alyss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben & Aurora are some of my new faves. I am OBSESSED. This was SO well done. Had me pulled & just kept reeling me in after each chapter. AMAZING story!!!

[Diane Laura Spiteri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ 🌶️🌶️/5

I had a love-hate relationship with this book.

The take on Heaven and the hierarchy and Hell and the Archangels and everything was a real plus for me. The concept was so creative and enthralling that even when I really wish I didn’t, I loved it anyways.

Aurora as an FMC was not likeable, like at all. I wanted to shove a fist through my kindle and clock her in the jaw like 80% of the time. Bennett is an Angel (pun intended hehe) and I loved the way he always wanted her safe, but at the same time I just couldn’t understand the point at which their relationship started to become more?? Like when did he decide to go to college with her and approach her as himself ??

Something that bothered me was the chemistry between the main characters. They didn’t have it. Lucifer and Aurora had more chemistry than Ben and Rory did, and the interactions between the two were tedious at best, unbearable at worst. It was just so formal and unnecessarily complicated. The hot and cold dynamic was also very confusing. I couldn’t grasp whether Aurora wanted him in her, over her, or away from her. She just couldn’t make up her mind. And then she kept looking at other guys like ma’am, do you want Ben or do you just want d*ck ?

I also felt like some of the characters were unnecessary and just added to the confusion, like Riley. There was literally no point to him as a character other than to depict Ben as a jealous d*ck, and to make me wonder if Aurora knows the meaning of the word monogamy. There were also a lot of subplots going on that didn’t really need to happen but did and it just added to the confusion like why the hell is there a talking closet in hell? Why is Lucifer being depicted as morally grey but then the next minute he’s literal evil? There’s just a lot of whys and huhs in my head right now, making me wonder why I loved this book 😭

Overall, I enjoyed it as a read, and i will read the next instalment in the series because now I’m curious to see what the hell is going to happen between Michael and Aurora and I really just want to see someone punch Azrael in the face.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first 62% of the book but the next 30% was a bit wonky for me and left me with conflicting emotions. With that being said, I did enjoy this book and will definitely be reading book two.

I enjoyed the fact that this book reminded me of an NA version of some of my favorite YA fallen angel books. I also really enjoyed the unique take on the hierarchy of heaven and why Lucifer rebelled and all that jazz.

Character wise, I was definitely more of a fan of Bennett (Ben) than Aurora. Ben is driven more by revenge at first than by love, but that does change, which makes that 30% of the book I really didn’t care for that much harder to swallow. He did come across as a bit dense though in terms of all the very obvious “secret” info about Aurora’s lineage that’s eventually revealed. Like, how has he not figured out who ******** is to Aurora yet? Aurora… she’s young and was pretty isolated growing up, yet she’s not quite the awkward, quiet, unpopular bookworm I think the author was going for. The college football quarterback is obsessed with her, girls are jealous of her, she’s ridiculously confident in everything she does despite her inner monologue… and my god, she makes some of the dumbest, most wishy-washy decisions out of any book character I’ve ever read…that was incredibly hard to read sometimes BUT she’s a young twenty something college student, so that behavior is actually spot on (minus the whole “She’s All That” treatment that seems to apply to her). For more than half the book Aurora is stringing along the popular, hot quarterback of the football team (whom she really doesn’t even like) whilst being in love with Bennett. Even once she hooks up with Ben she still strings the quarterback along. I’m not really sure if his character is there to show that Aurora has a darker/meaner side to her or whether he’ll play a bigger role in the future, or if he was really just there to be an obstacle between Aurora and Ben. Either way, Aurora treated him horribly and continues to treat him horribly. I definitely hope she matures a bit in the next book…and by a bit, I mean A LOT.

That 30% of the book I struggled to get through was the WORST in terms of the dumb decisions Aurora made. She spent the entire book in love with Ben (all while stringing Quarterback along AS I SAID ABOVE) and as soon as she meets Lucifer she’s ready to drop her panties anytime he looks in her direction. It’d be one thing if there was some sort of build up/courting, but he literally kidnapped her and she’s basically like, “you’re so hot… I want you… Ben who?” Aurora’s time in hell was like a weird fever dream mixed with a dark, messed up Alice in Wonderland with guest appearances from all the sentient furniture from the animated Beauty & the Beast movie from the 1990s. I just can’t understand how she can go from being completely and utterly her over heels in love with Ben to letting Lucifer do what he does to her in front of Ben once he finds her…and then ol Lucí sends them on a quest together. It was just bizarre. I feel like the entire portion of the book that takes place in hell should have been book two. It seemed really rushed and made Aurora make those really dumb decisions…also, for someone so bent on revenge, Ben sure was forgiving for everything Aurora was doing down in hell.

Once we get out of hell there’s about 10ish percent of the book left and it’s back to normal again. We see more of the scheming heavenly angels and you just know some stuff is going to go down in the next book.

I can’t tell if the author is trying to get us to root for an Aurora/Lucifer pairing or what, but I personally don’t see the appeal. Not after spending all that time dedicated to Ben and Aurora. With that being said, I’ll most likely check out the second book to see if Aurora starts making better choices.

If the “Aurora goes to hell” part had maybe been saved for book two (or just not happened at all) I would have enjoyed the book a lot more. There were some small grammatical errors here and there and a few larger mistakes I noticed, but nothing too heinous. For a debut book, this was good. Did Aurora get on my nerves? Yes. But any early twenty-something would get on my nerves at this point. My biggest issue was the portion in hell and feeling like the story is moving towards a Lucifer/Aurora pairing. That’s just not something I’m interested in, at least not at this stage. I am looking forward to seeing what Michael’s contemporaries are going to get up to though. Not all of them seem very nice and I’m hoping the end of the book wasn’t a setup to keep Ben occupied with that one female that was eyeing him so Aurora could go frolic with Lucifer again.

I feel like maybe my first review was a bit too harsh, so I wanted to come back and update it after thinking a bit. As long as you remember that Aurora is a young woman (she’s twenty, going on twenty-one), her annoying behavior and nonsensical behavior makes total sense. I really do love the angelic lore Jocelyn has created and am looking forward to delving more into that storyline.

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

[Gwen Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly dont even know what to say about this book. I could not even put into words how this book affected me. I have read a lot of books over the last couple of years. None of them have even come close to this one. I was immediately gripped with the characters. Digging into the storyline brought me to places I never imagined going. This was beautifully written, and each character was brought out of the pages. I am a new reader to Jocelyn and with this one book alone she has gained a huge fan. But I am very upset with her for one the ending of this book had me ready to cry and the knowledge that the next one will not be out for another year. But let me try to tell you about this intense storyline.
Aurora is very special. You dont realize how special until far into the book. But you have to dig into the book to get there and getting there is so worth it. From the day she was born she has a protector, Ben. Ben is special he is an angel. Someone special in Aurora's life needs Ben to protect her until she is 21. But as the storyline moves you learn the relationship between Aurora and Ben. And what a relationship it becomes. I absolutely loved the banter the chemistry the spice between these two. But everything changes when the Devil himself Lucifer decides that he wants Aurora more. This is where the storyline becomes even more intense and interesting. Hold on because things get interesting, and you will want to turn each page as fast as you can to see what happens. Will Aurora and Ben make it out from under Lucifer with their lives?
There were some very shocking moments in this storyline but each one helps you to understand the characters, and what makes them unique. But the ending. I wanted to throw my kindle at the ending. Be fair warned it is heartbreaking. But I loved this storyline. It was so well written and page turning from beginning to end.

[Caitlin Horst]

𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠；
So I may be a little bias cause I absolutely love the whole Fallen Angels, demons, angels and archangels story line. I am OBSESSED with this book. If you love;
🖤Enemies-to-lovers
🖤Morally Gray
🖤Dual POVs
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Touch Her & Di3
🖤Secrets
Do yourself a favor and grab this book. The main story line follows Aurora, the FMC and Bennett, the MMC. I absolutely loved these two. They grew so much together and separately which I loved to see. Bennett is definitely my favorite of all characters. I love a good main character motivated strictly on revenge. Aurora was okay, I wish she would have been stronger in a sense. Some of the decisions she made, just made you say what the heck are you doing girl. She was pretty isolated growing up and I feel like that had a lot to do with her mental whip lash. The choices these two made, drove me nuts in a good way. Sometimes I wish we got more passion from Bennett especially when other characters came into play.

This book is definitely a big one, that has a lot of info. I’m not one for love triangles at all but I am very interested to see how the Bennett/Aurora/Lucifer plays out. Though I’m always going to be rooting for my boy Benny. Some of the side characters I felt could have been removed and didn’t really give much to the story. Other side characters I absolutely loved.

Did I think some places could have been condensed, yes. Am I a sucker for Heaven and Hell retellings? Yes. Do I love a good battle? Also yes. This book definitely keeps you enthralled and wanting more. Overall I absolutely loved the book and can’t wait to see where book two takes us! I just hope Jocelyn is team Bennett like I am 😝
Thank you both @rrbooktours and @jocelynbleu for the book in exchange for and honest review!

[im.booked.on.a.feeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much @jocemynbku and @rrbooktours for the advanced eARC of Crimson Promises. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Can I just say that I adore a forbidden love/bodyguard trope? Mix that in with handsome angels, fearsome demons, a picturesque college campus, jaw dropping secrets, sizzling spice, gorgeous libraries, and the mysterious (but tempting) prince of hell, and you’ve got the stunning debut novel, Crimson Promises!

To say I was in a chokehold while reading Crimson Promises is selling this book short. From the first pages, I was instantly drawn into Bennett and Aurora’s story. Their will-they-won’t-they complicated relationship dynamics had me turning pages well past my bedtime. I also could never anticipate what secrets would be revealed next, which kept me on my toes!

The book ends on a huge cliffhanger with lots of loose ends that I know are going to cause some delicious complications in the next installment. Let’s just say I can’t wait to see more of a certain red-eyed fallen angel on the page. 🔥

Romantic fantasy fans, you need to pick this one up ASAP!

In the pages, you will find:

🪽Angels
😈Demons
🏆Chosen ones
💪Trials
❤️Enemies-to-lovers
🤫Secrets
✖️Multiple Points of View
🩶Morally Gray MMC
👫Forced Proximity
🗡️Touch Her and Die
🔥Spice
😮Betrayal
🚫Forbidden love

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Yaniie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

4🌟

🌶️🥵

- Fantasy Romance / Paranormal Romance

- Gardien Angel to lover

- Touch her and die

- Duel Pov

- Winged MMC

- Morally Grey MMC

I was captivated by BEN; to be honest, how could you not be? Winged, morally grey, a protector with a mission— who wouldn't want a Guardian Angel like him until you turn 21? The FMC's character was well-developed, and her story was interesting, but she did manage to frustrate me at times, haha.

The interplay between heaven and hell, with Lucifer pursuing Aurora, was really nice. However, I'm still on team Ben.

The ending is heart-wrenching; I was tempted to throw my Kindle.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The plot was compelling and kept me engaged, providing enough backstory and historical details to fully comprehend the unfolding events.

BUT I didn't give it 5 stars because I found it challenging to stay focused. The author provides a plethora of information and descriptions; I had to reread entire pages because I was skipping some details since I couldn't stay focus. I believe that some phrases or events felt a bit random and could have been omitted altogether. Nevertheless, it's a good book, and I'll be reading the next one, #teamben

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts off so promising...
I love how the love story between Aurora and Ben unfolds; the scenes when they first make out are so hot (unfortunately, the actual bed scenes were just okay, but this isn't the main part of the book, so it's all right).
The fantasy story around the couple with fallen angels, a great war, and Hell is great. The book should have ended after chapter 15. There were some minor things, like typos and the boxing scenes, that were dragging for me, but I'd have given the book 5 stars.
But, the moment they come to Hell, the writing gets bad. It's repetitive, not only in the content but also in the words and sentences used to express the same thing one after the other.
There are so many plot holes, like when they have to fight wolves, cross a maze, and thin ice - why not simply fly over those obstacles? Aurora feels betrayed because of a thing that Ben did, which he didn't know about. How can you betray someone when you don't know it?
In Hell, Aurora has a Beauty and the Beast experience, with talking furniture, a beast, a ball, a library, and a rose. I'd expected to at least comment on the fact that this is very familiar.
The second part of the book is only two stars for me because of the writing and many plot holes; it would have been a DNF if I weren't so far in the story.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aurora is at college and living in a loft in a guarded building. She was out at the library alone and heading home when she's accosted. Using pepper spray and a kick she gets away but loses a necklace she's had a long time. Now she's gotten a part time job.
Bennett Caelum is a fallen angel. He is approached by a Gifted to help with an issue. He is to in short babysit Aurora till her 21st birthday. As the years go by he discovers she is a magnet for problems. As a child he could be her imaginary playmate but now as an adult he has to be invisible to her.
Life certainly is a landmine and he has to figure out how to go around the landmines of her life. Now demons are after her and he's saved her twice. So he makes himself visible and goes to classes. But he can't wait to see what Michael's reaction will be when he gives him this info.
What is going on in her life that demons are now taking an interest? Will she be able to survive her trouble magnet ability? Will Bennet be able to keep saving her. He can't be taking an interest in her because he has bigger issues to handle. Life just gets more complicated.
Fantastic story!.

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

[Rebecca Mirzabozorg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy, romance, and the battle of good and evil--must read!

Wow, what a fun read! Jocelyn Bleu's debut novel Crimson Promises totally sucked me into the world of Aurora and Bennett's tangled romance. The beginning slowly builds their characters and relationships while immersing you in the rich fantasy world Bleu has created. Her beautiful visual details and original mythos had me hooked.

Once the foundation was set, the story took off into an addicting adventure! Aurora's quest is filled with supernatural creatures, unexpected twists, action-packed battles, and steamy romantic encounters with Bennett. The fast-paced plot kept me eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next. The characters are engaging and relatable, and the mystical lands Bleu built were easy to vividly imagine.

When I reached the end, I was so bummed it was over! Bleu wrapped up this book nicely while still leaving me excited for the next installment. If you like character-driven fantasies with equal parts romance and adventure, definitely give Crimson Promises a read. I devoured it in just a few days because I couldn't put it down! Fans of fantasy romances like Fourth Wing and ACOTAR will love sinking into this magical world. I can't wait to return for more!

[The_Quiet_Fool · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a tale that has every imaginable trope? This is it!

This is a long read so definitely make sure you mentally prepare yourself. The second half of the book had me entirely intrigued compared to the first half. The whole tone changed and it almost would've been better if they had been split into their own respective books.

The first half was a slower-paced love story with a lot of background info setting up the foundation for the world. I wasn't a huge fan of Ben and Aurora. I wish I could explain why but they just didn't click for me--which is a big reason why I struggled with the beginning. A HUGE component as to why I didn't DNF is the Heaven/Hell retelling. It was such an interesting concept and well thought out.

The second half had introductions of new characters, plot twists, and angst that kept the story moving along. Before I knew it, the book was over.

The reason I gave it a 4 was because of some of the really cringy scenes that threw me out of the story… *ahem* Miss Angela. Some scenes/characters added no push to move the story along and could've been omitted altogether.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to BookSirens and Jocelyn Bleu for the opportunity to read this treasure!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jocelyn Bleu's debut novel Crimson Promises totally sucked me into the world of Aurora and Bennett's tangled romance. The beginning slowly builds their characters and relationships while immersing you in the rich fantasy world Bleu has created. Her beautiful visual details and original mythos had me hooked.

Once the foundation was set, the story took off into an addicting adventure! Aurora's quest is filled with supernatural creatures, unexpected twists, action-packed battles, and steamy romantic encounters with Bennett. The fast-paced plot kept me eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next. The characters are engaging and relatable, and the mystical lands Bleu built were easy to vividly imagine.

When I reached the end, I was so bummed it was over! Bleu wrapped up this book nicely while still leaving me excited for the next installment. If you like character-driven fantasies with equal parts romance and adventure, definitely give Crimson Promises a read. I devoured it in just a few days because I couldn't put it down! Fans of fantasy romances like Fourth Wing and ACOTAR will love sinking into this magical world. I can't wait to return for more!

[Kim Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started well, and it pulled me in. However, it started to become more unbelievable the further in I got. Having an angel appointed as a guardian of a young woman (college entry level) makes sense, but a fallen angel? Not enough unfallen angels to go around? And how can this angel who has lived, according to the author "born before Adam and Eve took their first breath," the first human woman he falls for is an unsophisticated, friendless and reclusive young thing with no life experience of love or much else? Can't imagine they'd have a lot in common, but for me, this "angel's" behavior with ants in his pants, shall I say, was not only unbelievable but a little warped. But then this angel doesn't come from a Heaven I'm familiar with. This angel's heaven is exactly like earth. Not "built on love, peace or acceptance" (author's words) but "power." Society is this book's heaven is complete with classes and privileged and not, rich and poor, powerless and power mongers. Not a heaven I want to dream about, nor do I think would anyone else. This book is just fiction and an insult to angels - a generally loved stereo type in literature that this book slams. No thanks.

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book had a beautiful and captivating cover photo. It intrigued me and tempted me tо delve into the story within.

This book іs a thrilling journey оf magic, action and adventure. The author weaves a captivating tale оf hidden secrets and forbidden attraction. Aurora James has a dangerous secret that forces her tо run away tо Arch Cape University. There, she encounters Bennett Caelum, a mysterious and irresistible stranger who changes her life forever. Bennett іs a fallen angel оn a quest for vengeance, who tries tо stay away from Aurora while guarding her angelic powers and his own dark secrets.

With a captivating writing style, the author creates a world оf fantasy and magic that I can vividly imagine. It's a perfect book tо read with a cup оf coffee. If you love fantasy, you need tо get this book. You will be mesmerized by it.

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enticing and intriguing start to this new series. Intense doesn't even begin to describe the overall feeling of this book. Everything just seems to be magnified by ten as this smartly crafted tale that skillfully blends things you probably never thought would or could work together, grabs you and refuses to let go. Honestly, I was initially worried that I might find this book a bit off-putting but the darkness is balanced so well with swoon. I'll admit to having a pet peeve come into play here and that cost this book a star from me but still I found this a highly entertaining and very enjoyable read that is also great series starter. This is my frank, freely posted review.

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

[Bekk Mendenhall · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Crimson Promises” is a paranormal romance novel that tells the story of Aurora James, a young woman with a gift, and Bennett Caelum, a fallen angel seeking revenge. The two characters are drawn to each other despite their differences and the secrets they keep. The book is well-written (with a few grammatical mistakes) and engaging, with a fast-paced plot and vivid descriptions. The characters are complex and interesting, and the romance is both passionate and tender. It was a tad long for my preference, with long chapters. Overall, “Crimson Promises” is a solid debut novel from Jocelyn Bleu that will appeal to fans of the paranormal romance genre. If you enjoy stories about angels, demons, and forbidden love, then this book is definitely worth checking out.

[MaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing start to this paranormal story involving angels, demons...and more? The character relationships are ever evolving. From one page to the next you wonder just who ARE the bad guys?! The plot twists keep the reader engrossed, afraid of missing the slightest detail.
I will say that there were several points - without getting into spoilers - that seemed to contradict each other. Maybe I missed one of those slight details? But they kind of made me go hmmm? and lose my flow for a moment.
That being said, I enjoyed meeting Aurora, Ben and the whole cast...Lucifer too! I am inquisitive enough to want to see what happens after this doozy of a cliffhanger!

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

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟 REVIEW

Thank you R&R and Jocelyn for my review copy of Crimson Promises!! Can I just say that I'm a total sucker for the forbidden love/bodyguard trope!! Omgsh I just love it so much!!

The world building and set up is just epic in this one and I really like her take on the angel/demon idea. The twists and turns were great and really kept me from putting the book down. I do think the whole Underworld part could've been another book and fleshed out a little better. I did enjoy seeing Aurora and Ben's characters grow together and as individuals! That cliffhanger killed me and I can't wait to get Book 2 in my hands!!

Read this if you like:
🖤Enemies-to-lovers
🖤Morally Gray
🖤Dual POVs
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Touch Her & Di3
🖤Secrets

[Cathryn]

The premise of this book sounded amazing. I'm all about morally grey MMCs with tragic backstories, so a fallen angel seemed perfect.

I DNF'd around 60%. I struggled to connect with the FMC and hit a trope (microtrope?) that I couldn't really get past.

Age gap trope didn't bother me at all until this book - specifically because the MMC starts as a protector when the FMC is a baby, is her imaginary friend and has tea parties when she's a kid, and then disappears from her life, but "watches" her from a distance and admires her grown up body. When she's an adult, he eventually makes contact with her and though she doesn't remember him, he remembers her.

I'm sorry that this one was not for me.

[jennifer langdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this baby was thick!

Angels, Demons, Forbidden Love, Secrets, and Betrayal what more could a girl want.

This was such a great read. The writing and world building were intriguing and intense, with great character depth.
The story pulls you in and keeps you in a chokehold. It had plenty of adventure and unexpected twists.

Aurora and Ben relationship held a lot of tension, keeping me glued to the pages to find out more.
But I felt very drawn to Lucifer, who doesn't love a bad boy, I feel there is a lot more to his story.

With a love triangle of sorts, I'm excited to read the next instalment

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 3 out of 5]

“To be here was enough.”

“Crimson Promises” by Jocelyn Bleu

Running from her life Aurora attends Arch Cape University. She meets Bennett, who is her guardian angel. He is tormented from his past and is determined to fulfill his current mission of protecting Aurora. Aurora has unique gifts that puts her in danger, and she has choices that she needs to make and isn’t sure how she wants her life to turn out. Their attraction to each other is undeniable.

This book is good. It was interesting and I liked the love story. This is a standard angel x human romance. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

-Angels/Fallen Angels
-Multi POV
-Demons
-Forbidden Romance

[Rebelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this plot

I haven’t read a fallen angel story in a hot minute and I’m glad it was this one that I found to bring me back in. The worldbuilding was fantastic and I loved learning about Heaven’s hierarchy and Hell’s limitations and aspirations. The side characters were perfect, I love Vic and wish he was my adopted grandpa! Ben and Aurora were good together, and I found that their hang-ups for their relationship were profound and realistic. I appreciate that there wasn’t any miscommunication thrown in. The ending was sublime and was my favorite part of the whole book. Impatiently awaiting the next installment!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aurora is in college and her path leads her to Bennett Caelum. Ben is a fallen angel, her protector since she was a baby and with his sights set on revenge.
The book is very well written and I also liked the worldbuilding. If you love heaven and hell retellings, then this book is for you. I really liked that you could read the story from multiple perspectives (almost all from Ben and Aurora's perspective), which brought you even closer to the characters and made their actions more comprehensible. I will definitely continue reading the book series.

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

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

All that Aurora wants is to have a normal life - but she has secrets. She goes to Arch Cape University hoping for a normal future. Who is Bennet really? He has secrets too - and seems to know way too much about her. Is he the right one for Aurora - or is it to be Riley? Will Bennet really be able to keep her safe - or will Lucifer win? Cant wait to read the next book in this trilogy - I love the twista and turns, and the characters are amazing.

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

[olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crimson Promises forced me to brush up on my religion history. I loved that it was a longer book so we could experience deeper plot and character development.

I genuinely enjoyed the story and thought there was a lot of potential, but I got such an ick at Ben being thousands of years old and in love with a girl he had protected since she was a baby. Never got over it, probably won’t ever get over it. Will I still read the next one? Absolutely.

5 ⭐️ for the story
2 ⭐️ for the romance ick

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

[Autumn Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I can not wait until the next book comes out. At the beginning, I did not think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. I did become very emotionally invested in the 2 main characters. It did take me a few days to read this book due to the amount of information, but I did enjoy this read. I would recommend for those who enjoy fantasy, coming of age, sexual aspects, and who do not mind the story including a spiritual/religious retelling of what Heaven, Hell and the angels are.