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Precious Red Pearls: A Dark Sapphic Captivity Romance
Tonight, I find myself craving her wrath just as much as I do her pleasure...
Being bought as a blood slave for Roseshire’s vampire elite is Pearl’s greatest fear—and the only thing she’s been raised to be.
So when she’s purchased by the county’s most elusive and feared vampiress, Lady Veilthorn, and sequestered to her gothic manor on a night, Pearl has no doubt her young life is over.
But when Lady Veilthorn professes a distaste for her blood, soon it’s Pearl who finds herself in a position to demand, too impatient for her blood to ripen, and craving the touch and teeth of her new mistress.
But Lady Veilthorn isn’t touted as Roseshire’s cruellest for nothing, and there’s only so much Pearl can push before her fangs must come out...
Precious Red Pearls is a gothic sapphic standalone romance set in a shared fantasy world. Specific TWs can be found inside the cover.
Being bought as a blood slave for Roseshire’s vampire elite is Pearl’s greatest fear—and the only thing she’s been raised to be.
So when she’s purchased by the county’s most elusive and feared vampiress, Lady Veilthorn, and sequestered to her gothic manor on a night, Pearl has no doubt her young life is over.
But when Lady Veilthorn professes a distaste for her blood, soon it’s Pearl who finds herself in a position to demand, too impatient for her blood to ripen, and craving the touch and teeth of her new mistress.
But Lady Veilthorn isn’t touted as Roseshire’s cruellest for nothing, and there’s only so much Pearl can push before her fangs must come out...
Precious Red Pearls is a gothic sapphic standalone romance set in a shared fantasy world. Specific TWs can be found inside the cover.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
129 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 30, 2024
I absolutely adored this book! It was such a charming and heartwarming story that had me smiling the whole time. The romance was beautifully written and just so sweet—it really made my heart melt. I’m already thinking about rereading it because the characters and their love story were just too cute to experience only once. It gave me all the feels, and I can't get enough of it!
September 29, 2024
4.5 stars. Definitely not the kind of thing I usually read, but daaamn I really enjoyed it!! I definitely found myself under Lady Veilthorn’s spell, lol. Also, I loved how Pearl’s fiery personality meant she could go head-to-head with Lady Veilthorn’s cold dominance, making their power imbalance seem…well…a little less significant. I’ll be awaiting this author’s next book…👀
June 6, 2024
‘I don’t think I knew me either. I still don’t. It is like a stranger has awoken in me—like she has awoken it.’
Novellas are always hit or miss for me, and happily, this was a hit! So much of a hit, I'm kind of surprised. I went into it hoping and thinking that I would like it, but it pleasantly surprised me in its themes and its darkness and it just ended up working for me a lot.
This is a sapphic vampire romance between a blood slave and her new vampire mistress who is supposedly very cruel, but who turns out to be both more and less than Pearl expected. We're in an unspecified historical-ish, fantasy-ish world, where vampires are known to the world at large, and they have a lot of power and influence. Pearl has been raised from young to be a blood slave. She's very innocent and naïve in some ways, but still strong-minded in other ways, and when paired up with this tall, domineering, masterful vampiress... ooh it was everything I could have wanted from a dark and sexy paranormal read. Lady Veilthorn is not particularly nice, but she is so good to Pearl in unexpected ways. And that's something that I'll always love: someone who has been treated badly being shown kindness and love for the first time. Even if that kindness and love come in unexpected forms. Because again, Lady Veilthorn can be cruel and cold. But this was just so sexy and it still worked to me. The way her hunger and monstrousness were described... A+.
‘Look at you,’ she murmurs, gaze raking my body. ‘Chest flushed, eyes all heavy, lips swollen. Pleasure suits you well.’
The book wasn't as romance-forward as I prefer my romances to be, but it was written with this fairytale-esque quality that made me fall for it nonetheless. Even though I wanted a few more romantic moments between the characters, the way that their relationship developed was still really seductive, and in the end, really lovely to me. Even if it was far from conventional. There's a bit of a mystery in the background with the murders of other noble folk, and that was kind of interesting. But mostly I just loved the relationship between Pearl and her mistress. A nice quick read, really sexy, really compelling, and I will definitely look out for more from this author.
(Oh, and I have to say: I LOVE this cover. Definitely drew me to the book.)
‘Selflessness has no place here; I do not need it. I only need you, and I, and for us to never to be parted.’
March 21, 2024
The writing felt very impersonal, and characterisation was shallow so I didn’t really connect with the characters. It’s very much instalust, but I never bought into the romance, or what stood out that made Pearl different to any of Lady Veilthorn’s blood slaves. They hardly interact, and yet we are told she is treated differently from the start.
Pearl is a bit of a blank slate in terms of personality. The only traits I can think of in regards to her is ‘naive’ and ‘childlike’, these words being used in the book itself in regards to her often. Pairing this with the fact she was a slave really undermines their relationship, in my eyes. Her being a slave removes her ability to give informed consent, as she is repeatedly reminded that she is property. Her naïveté and childlike understanding of the world, sex, and even relationships just heightens that.
I feel at this point I should clarify that I like ‘captive’ narratives, and I like CNC, but I personally like it when either the captor is secretly working to undo the oppressive state that put them in this position in the first place, or they learn that it is wrong and work to change that and begin to respect the love interest and rectify what they’ve done. I thought this was going in the former direction, but it wasn’t.
There is a theme of Lady Veilthorn asking for Pearl’s consent in certain things, and yet she still holds the stance of ‘slaves should be treated better but we still need slaves’ which just didn’t sit well with me. And the book ends with the cycle starting anew with both vampiress’ buying a new blood slave, which left a sour taste in my mouth. This kind of captive narrative is just not my cup of tea. I think this could have been executed a lot better in regards to the world building around the blood trade, and working on the two FMCs characters to make them more consistent.
Pearl is a bit of a blank slate in terms of personality. The only traits I can think of in regards to her is ‘naive’ and ‘childlike’, these words being used in the book itself in regards to her often. Pairing this with the fact she was a slave really undermines their relationship, in my eyes. Her being a slave removes her ability to give informed consent, as she is repeatedly reminded that she is property. Her naïveté and childlike understanding of the world, sex, and even relationships just heightens that.
I feel at this point I should clarify that I like ‘captive’ narratives, and I like CNC, but I personally like it when either the captor is secretly working to undo the oppressive state that put them in this position in the first place, or they learn that it is wrong and work to change that and begin to respect the love interest and rectify what they’ve done. I thought this was going in the former direction, but it wasn’t.
There is a theme of Lady Veilthorn asking for Pearl’s consent in certain things, and yet she still holds the stance of ‘slaves should be treated better but we still need slaves’ which just didn’t sit well with me. And the book ends with the cycle starting anew with both vampiress’ buying a new blood slave, which left a sour taste in my mouth. This kind of captive narrative is just not my cup of tea. I think this could have been executed a lot better in regards to the world building around the blood trade, and working on the two FMCs characters to make them more consistent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2025
Oh how I wish I had DNFed this.
I found the writing style a little strange and I felt completely disconnected from the characters and the story.
Pearl was just so naive and inexperienced when it came to basically anything but especially sex.
So their whole relationship just didn't sit right with me, since I felt like Pearl wasn't even in a position to give proper consent or even fully comprehend what was happening.
And the epilogue???
I think I never hated anything more.
The way Abigail was just described as "girl" and "young" gave me the ick.
I would have given it 2 stars but that epilogue just ruined everything even more.
Definitely not going to continue with the series. (especially not after reading some of the reviews)
I found the writing style a little strange and I felt completely disconnected from the characters and the story.
Pearl was just so naive and inexperienced when it came to basically anything but especially sex.
So their whole relationship just didn't sit right with me, since I felt like Pearl wasn't even in a position to give proper consent or even fully comprehend what was happening.
And the epilogue???
I think I never hated anything more.
The way Abigail was just described as "girl" and "young" gave me the ick.
I would have given it 2 stars but that epilogue just ruined everything even more.
Definitely not going to continue with the series. (especially not after reading some of the reviews)
February 19, 2024
4 stars. This was really good and extremely sexy vampire romance. I liked the characters and I’m glad that there will be more books in this series.
February 18, 2024
3.5⭐️ rounded up. A delicious dark speculative fiction that was definitely enjoyable to read. If you like vampire romances, I would add this to your TBD list.
This book does a nice job of exploring a power, captive dynamic and I love the possessive, yet loving and protective relationship between the two main FMCs. Also, there is something subtle in the author’s style that was lovely and unique - love that!
My only reason for not rating it higher is that plot-wise it was too simplistic and predictable for me. With that also came a little shallow character development. I was yearning for more depth; ideally with a few twists thrown in.
🌷
This book does a nice job of exploring a power, captive dynamic and I love the possessive, yet loving and protective relationship between the two main FMCs. Also, there is something subtle in the author’s style that was lovely and unique - love that!
My only reason for not rating it higher is that plot-wise it was too simplistic and predictable for me. With that also came a little shallow character development. I was yearning for more depth; ideally with a few twists thrown in.
🌷
March 8, 2024
Sexy Sapphic Vampire Story!
Well done quick read Sapphic vampire dark romance! Told in the captive’s pov, Pearl, who has been brought up very very naive in most ways of the world. Sweet romance even with the dark undertones. Excited to see there will be more books!
Well done quick read Sapphic vampire dark romance! Told in the captive’s pov, Pearl, who has been brought up very very naive in most ways of the world. Sweet romance even with the dark undertones. Excited to see there will be more books!
February 24, 2025
Demasiado fácil para que sea de buen gusto. Predecible y con muy pocas ganas de mantener al lector enganchando a las páginas.
December 11, 2024
3/5🌶️
•vampire/human
•sapphic
•one bed
•forced proximity
“If anyone looks at you, they die. If anyone touches you, they die. If someone so much as sniffs your way—’ ‘They die.”
this story was so compelling i could not put it down. it had the perfect amount of romance, sexual tension and banter. i never wanted it to end. Pearl and Lady Veilthorn were addicting and i loved their dynamic. Pearl being the only woman to sleep in Morvannas (her real name) was chefs kiss. I was butt hurt at the end when Pearl was changed…because it changes the dynamic a bit, but i was still as obsessed. i loved them, their story was perfect❤️
quotes🩸
‘Spread your legs for me, darling.’
‘You know I would eviscerate anyone who tried to hurt you again, don’t you?’
‘You are everything to me and more.
‘I only need you, and I, and for us to never to be parted. You will have me forever’
•vampire/human
•sapphic
•one bed
•forced proximity
“If anyone looks at you, they die. If anyone touches you, they die. If someone so much as sniffs your way—’ ‘They die.”
this story was so compelling i could not put it down. it had the perfect amount of romance, sexual tension and banter. i never wanted it to end. Pearl and Lady Veilthorn were addicting and i loved their dynamic. Pearl being the only woman to sleep in Morvannas (her real name) was chefs kiss. I was butt hurt at the end when Pearl was changed…because it changes the dynamic a bit, but i was still as obsessed. i loved them, their story was perfect❤️
quotes🩸
‘Spread your legs for me, darling.’
‘You know I would eviscerate anyone who tried to hurt you again, don’t you?’
‘You are everything to me and more.
‘I only need you, and I, and for us to never to be parted. You will have me forever’
September 6, 2024
Under developed
I don’t really know where to start, lesbian vampires should be right up my street however, the lack of an actual plot makes it one of the most boring reads to date.
There’s no background on the vampire, there’s no depth to her character just that she’s tall, beautiful and likes a virgin…..
The “bloody slave” - a meek virgin girl who has no life experience but is able to please and love this women for no real reason… there was no build up, no slow burn, one day this girl wakes up and decides she loves the vampire and that’s it? The vamp does f all to achieve this🤣
The vampire is “bad”… but then takes revenge on other vampires for being vampires?
It’s just all over the place. The dark rose? A side character who comes in 20mins before the end, no back story to her either, just that she’s an assassin.. I mean it’s just, all over the place. It had really good potential. Maybe if it was built up abit more, more story less weird sexual encounters, longer story line then possibly it would of had a chance but as it is, it’s just chaotic in a bad way.
Reading other reviews I do struggle to see the appeal for this one.
I don’t really know where to start, lesbian vampires should be right up my street however, the lack of an actual plot makes it one of the most boring reads to date.
There’s no background on the vampire, there’s no depth to her character just that she’s tall, beautiful and likes a virgin…..
The “bloody slave” - a meek virgin girl who has no life experience but is able to please and love this women for no real reason… there was no build up, no slow burn, one day this girl wakes up and decides she loves the vampire and that’s it? The vamp does f all to achieve this🤣
The vampire is “bad”… but then takes revenge on other vampires for being vampires?
It’s just all over the place. The dark rose? A side character who comes in 20mins before the end, no back story to her either, just that she’s an assassin.. I mean it’s just, all over the place. It had really good potential. Maybe if it was built up abit more, more story less weird sexual encounters, longer story line then possibly it would of had a chance but as it is, it’s just chaotic in a bad way.
Reading other reviews I do struggle to see the appeal for this one.
August 19, 2024
Pearl’s self perseveration is non existent. I’m confused by Pearl’s age because she doesn’t know what a period is and has never had one before?? How old is she? Pearl was too naive and childlike, it was creepy to me.
I didn’t really believe in Pearl and Lady Veilthorn’s emotional connection. The story lacked any emotional intimacy and build up so when they confessed their love for each other, it wasn’t believable. They barely spoke to each other outside of their intimate scenes and knew next to nothing about each other by the end of the book.
The mystery and horror aspects of the book also felt very rushed and had very little build up to the climatic confrontation between Lady Veilthorn and the ’bad’ guy. .
I didn’t really believe in Pearl and Lady Veilthorn’s emotional connection. The story lacked any emotional intimacy and build up so when they confessed their love for each other, it wasn’t believable. They barely spoke to each other outside of their intimate scenes and knew next to nothing about each other by the end of the book.
The mystery and horror aspects of the book also felt very rushed and had very little build up to the climatic confrontation between Lady Veilthorn and the ’bad’ guy. .
February 12, 2024
The only thing I liked about this book was the period sex scene bc lbr, it’s so shocking this isn’t a scene in more vampire spicy books.
But this book did not make sense, the way Lady Veilthorn treated her before the period sex scene did not make sense, there was like a really lazy explanation of love makes u weird, I guess?? It felt like the author was trying to fit so many things into this book to the point where it’s just flashes of random things happening with no real depth.
And the sex scenes were….not…appealing? Like the sex itself is fine, but the language used to describe it made it super unsexy and I did not find myself desiring this Lady at all in any way.
But this book did not make sense, the way Lady Veilthorn treated her before the period sex scene did not make sense, there was like a really lazy explanation of love makes u weird, I guess?? It felt like the author was trying to fit so many things into this book to the point where it’s just flashes of random things happening with no real depth.
And the sex scenes were….not…appealing? Like the sex itself is fine, but the language used to describe it made it super unsexy and I did not find myself desiring this Lady at all in any way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
GodDAMN I love women
July 1, 2024
I'm so gay for Lady Veilthorn
February 20, 2024
Deliciously dark. A quick read but so enjoyable and unique. I’m looking forward to others by this author!
March 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this book!. Looking forward to what's next from this author.
August 12, 2025
3.5
not exactly dark was it (other than the fact it mainly seems to be night)
not exactly dark was it (other than the fact it mainly seems to be night)
September 6, 2024
READ THIS ONE TOO.
this one changed me, genuinely. this is definitely a re read and a book i will keep in my library and buy a hard copy of. ugh. the characters love for each other was so prominent, and there’s even a little side book for one of the main characters.
love this book. so much.
this one changed me, genuinely. this is definitely a re read and a book i will keep in my library and buy a hard copy of. ugh. the characters love for each other was so prominent, and there’s even a little side book for one of the main characters.
love this book. so much.
January 10, 2025
Really enjoyed the easiness of this read. Sapphic vampires with spice, excellent! Enjoyed the slow discovery of characters backstories and how that changed their relationship.
June 12, 2024
this was so gothic
September 25, 2024
2.75 stars. This had potential, and I think I was so excited about the sapphic vampire part of the story, that I ignored the Captivity part and... I dislike captive x captor romance so much, especially when it's framed as slave x master. This was short, but it lacked the world-building frame and reference I needed to understand the relationship's stake. Pearl is a blood slave, an orphan raised in a farm to be sold to a rich vampire master. The story starts as she is being bought by the notoriously elusive Lady Veilthorn. We don't know if vampires dominate all society, what humans are sold, what is happening and why. Of course, Lady Veilthorn is a monster but she doesn't hurt people, and Pearl is So Different (I am not sure why). Veilthorn was fine, not very interesting but hot, kept picturing her as Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil lol. Pearl though, annoyed the hell out of me. Nothing about her character made sense, her upbringing was supposed to have made her mindless and obedient and she is kinda that at first, and then she just starts making the worst decisions ever for no reason. She was only fed veggies at the farm - a place that aims to cater to rich vampires' tastes - and then we learn that veggies make the blood taste awful... huh? Nothing about what happened in the farm made any sense, and this divide made itself so present in Pearl as a character. I didn't like her, she had no personality, and she was just being dragged along a stalling story.
Also, I remember a weird thing about the writing, how descriptions would be kind of casual style but the dialogue would be super formal and that was so weird to me.
I was interested in Lady Veilthorn human "butler", Edward, I thought he was the most interesting character, and I HATE liking a man when there is a sapphic romance happening in the foreground, and that pissed me off lol
Also, I remember a weird thing about the writing, how descriptions would be kind of casual style but the dialogue would be super formal and that was so weird to me.
I was interested in Lady Veilthorn human "butler", Edward, I thought he was the most interesting character, and I HATE liking a man when there is a sapphic romance happening in the foreground, and that pissed me off lol
July 20, 2025
Bizarre. Pearl was a slave sold to a vampire mistress and was terrified but then suddenly really wanted to shag her mistress. Very Stockholm syndrome. Lady Veilthorn’s first name is Morvanna which is unique. Not a reread.
Read
April 5, 2024DNF (104 pages)
February 6, 2024
Holly Hawthorne
Precious Red Pearls: A Dark Sapphic Captivity Romance (Roseshire County Book 1)
Kindle Unlimited
Lady Veilthorn is the most hated vampiress in all of Roseshire?’
I am deeply captivated by the allure of dark romance. This book immerses the reader into a haunting atmosphere, where Pearl finds herself standing alone in a dimly lit warehouse. Her destiny hangs in the balance, as she awaits the arrival of a vampire who may either bring an end to her life or awaken her to a new beginning.
The author thoughtfully includes trigger warnings, acknowledging the intense nature of the story. This serves as a testament to their commitment to ensuring readers' emotional well-being.
Lady Veilthorn, in her own unique way, holds a deep love for Pearl. Her affection for Morvanna, Pearl's enchanting name, is undeniable. The bond between these two characters is unbreakable, intertwining their lives for eternity. This unexpected narrative has pleasantly surprised me, leaving me eagerly anticipating more installments in this series. The inclusion of compelling side characters adds depth and intrigue to the overall story. I eagerly await their continued presence in future volumes.
While Lady Veilthorn's love for Pearl is undeniable, a shadow of fear looms over their relationship. The fear of losing Pearl weighs heavily on Lady Veilthorn's heart. She desires to protect her beloved, but also understands the importance of respecting Pearl as her equal partner. This enthralling book has kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Its unique narrative has rejuvenated my love for reading, reminding me of the power of dark romance as a genre. It showcases love in a different light, where darkness intertwines with tenderness and sweetness, creating an extraordinary tapestry of emotions.
Out of all the characters, Dark Rose and the enigmatic hidden queen have piqued my curiosity the most. I am thrilled to learn that they will have their own dedicated story in the future. For those interested, the book is available on Amazon KU, promising a dark romance experience beyond imagination. Prepare to be enthralled by the multitude of layers and surprises that await within its pages.
March 5, 2024
This was a compelling read and an enjoyable novella. The dark, haunting atmosphere draws you in right away, and an element of mystery and danger keeps you going. The writing was excellent and immersive. Pearl, the main character, was complex and her relationship to her vampire captor was intriguing. The romance plotline was sweet, very spicy, and highly problematic (but you know that going in). I would recommend this to anyone who likes the dark romance genre, or a general romance reader is looking for a milder dark romance to dip their toes into.
Highlights:
-Great writing, worldbuilding, and general atmospheric vibe. The setting was well thought out and the storyline was well executed.
-The relationship between the MC’s was surprisingly sweet considering their circumstances. There was a clear power dynamic, but within that there was genuine care and affection between the characters. There were a lot of interesting elements to their relationship; for example, Pearl’s master was fiercely protective of her despite also being her greatest threat.
-Spicy! Lots and lots of quality spicy content.
-The world outside of the main story (and side characters) was intriguing and sets up for some interesting sequels. I found the balance was well done between the romance and main plotline in this novella, vs the time spend on the rest of the wider universe.
Gripes & Groans:
-If it was ever explained why the vampire took a special interest in Pearl then I missed it. The story was told from Pearl’s point of view, and we saw her feelings develop but I never figured out the other side of the story. It was immediate (stated in-text that no one prior was treated similarly on day one) but never explained and I wish it had been.
-The plotline is very straightforward and simple. Although appropriate for the expectations of a novella, there could have been a bit more to it (it wasn’t THAT short).
-There is the obvious issue with the power dynamic between the two characters, with one literally being the others slave. I realize that’s specifically a part of the point in this story, but for me its still worth mentioning as problematic towards the romance. In all honesty the entire novel is incredibly problematic, but we all know that and ultimately it works!
Highlights:
-Great writing, worldbuilding, and general atmospheric vibe. The setting was well thought out and the storyline was well executed.
-The relationship between the MC’s was surprisingly sweet considering their circumstances. There was a clear power dynamic, but within that there was genuine care and affection between the characters. There were a lot of interesting elements to their relationship; for example, Pearl’s master was fiercely protective of her despite also being her greatest threat.
-Spicy! Lots and lots of quality spicy content.
-The world outside of the main story (and side characters) was intriguing and sets up for some interesting sequels. I found the balance was well done between the romance and main plotline in this novella, vs the time spend on the rest of the wider universe.
Gripes & Groans:
-If it was ever explained why the vampire took a special interest in Pearl then I missed it. The story was told from Pearl’s point of view, and we saw her feelings develop but I never figured out the other side of the story. It was immediate (stated in-text that no one prior was treated similarly on day one) but never explained and I wish it had been.
-The plotline is very straightforward and simple. Although appropriate for the expectations of a novella, there could have been a bit more to it (it wasn’t THAT short).
-There is the obvious issue with the power dynamic between the two characters, with one literally being the others slave. I realize that’s specifically a part of the point in this story, but for me its still worth mentioning as problematic towards the romance. In all honesty the entire novel is incredibly problematic, but we all know that and ultimately it works!
May 5, 2024
Lady Veilthorn gives me Maleficent vibes and I’m all here for it. The way she speaks and handles herself 😮💨😮💨 I really liked the book BUT there were some cringe (Wattpad like) moments and I had to put the book down to take a breath lmao😭 I usually go for lesbian masc/fem tropes but this woman stirred something in my being literally like I will never be the same again. Pearl was so sweet and she is the type of innocent (literally knows nothing about sex or periods) a little childish and annoying character that develops and becomes a better version of herself at the end of the book. It was short and I went trough it in a couple of hours, I really recommend if you want a quick read :)
Spice was 2.5/5.🌶️
AND I DEVELOPED A SUDDEN CRUSH ON THE DARK ROSE HELLO?!? (And on Edward😭)
Some paragraphs from the book👇🏼:
“Lady Veilthorn pitches forward, grasping my hand hard. 'I will guide you, Pearl. You have me. Forever, if you would like.'
'Would you like that?'
Lady Veilthorn shakes her head, a gust of breath escaping her lips. 'I don't think I could bear it otherwise.‘“ 🥹
“‘Steady, darling. It's okay.” *faints😀*
“Across the table, Lady Veilthorn sighs, a satisfied, lusty sound. 'Good girl,' she murmurs.” SCREAMING
That was my rant for the day, I will now go cry until the other books come out.🫡
Spice was 2.5/5.🌶️
AND I DEVELOPED A SUDDEN CRUSH ON THE DARK ROSE HELLO?!? (And on Edward😭)
Some paragraphs from the book👇🏼:
“Lady Veilthorn pitches forward, grasping my hand hard. 'I will guide you, Pearl. You have me. Forever, if you would like.'
'Would you like that?'
Lady Veilthorn shakes her head, a gust of breath escaping her lips. 'I don't think I could bear it otherwise.‘“ 🥹
“‘Steady, darling. It's okay.” *faints😀*
“Across the table, Lady Veilthorn sighs, a satisfied, lusty sound. 'Good girl,' she murmurs.” SCREAMING
That was my rant for the day, I will now go cry until the other books come out.🫡
January 11, 2025
This was a delightfully quick dark fantasy romance. It isn't as dark as I had first thought based on some of the trigger warnings. It's actually quite sweet in a lot of ways. Hawthorne does not shy away from what it is to be a vampire though. There is a good amount of gore and violence as well. Really, the scene I least enjoyed occurred while Lady Veilthorn was still waiting for Pearl to "ripen." And that is more to do with my personal preference about MCs and spicy scenes involving non love interests.
The romance between Pearl and Lady Veilthorn is kind of sweet. The Lady spoils Pearl more than she ever anticipated...all while Pearl is a bit of a brat. She pushes Veilthorn's buttons quite often in order to receive any kind of attention from her. It was different to find someone so innocent and naive when it came to intimacy. It was also fun watching Lady Veilthorn teach her how to be more and more depraved.
There is no third act breakup. In a lot of ways, until the end, this is kind of slice of life for Pearl. So, a lot of the conflict comes from Pearl not getting enough attention from Lady Veilthorn and her bratting about it until she gets what she wants. The end does have a bit of intrigue and action, and I feel that just added depth to the story.
The romance between Pearl and Lady Veilthorn is kind of sweet. The Lady spoils Pearl more than she ever anticipated...all while Pearl is a bit of a brat. She pushes Veilthorn's buttons quite often in order to receive any kind of attention from her. It was different to find someone so innocent and naive when it came to intimacy. It was also fun watching Lady Veilthorn teach her how to be more and more depraved.
There is no third act breakup. In a lot of ways, until the end, this is kind of slice of life for Pearl. So, a lot of the conflict comes from Pearl not getting enough attention from Lady Veilthorn and her bratting about it until she gets what she wants. The end does have a bit of intrigue and action, and I feel that just added depth to the story.
October 5, 2025
3.5 / 5 ⭐️
3 / 5 🌶️
SPOILER REVIEW:
my biggest complaint is (SPOILER!!!) that Lord Astor's slave stabs Pearl. That makes no sense to me? We see that Lord Astor is awful to his slave, why would the slave ever try to avenge him? That really did not make sense to me. It seemed like a sloppy and lazy excuse used to justify (SPOILER) Lady veil-thorn turning pearl into a vampire.
I think honestly it would have been much more meaningful if pearl was able to make the decision to be turned. She started the book as a slave, with no choice in this life, and then even at the end she still has no choice. It's just kinda sad.
I also don't understand why Lady Veilthorn picked pearl, some clarity on that would have helped a lot.
And there are random references to meat highs? Like the human girl eats meat and it makes her feel high? It just seemed weird and very confusing. To the point it took away from the story.
Spice was okay! Some of the scenes felt very rushed, I think they could have been drawn out a little more and maybe more of them too.
Edit: I also wish we knew how the Lady gathered all of her wealth and status
3 / 5 🌶️
SPOILER REVIEW:
my biggest complaint is (SPOILER!!!) that Lord Astor's slave stabs Pearl. That makes no sense to me? We see that Lord Astor is awful to his slave, why would the slave ever try to avenge him? That really did not make sense to me. It seemed like a sloppy and lazy excuse used to justify (SPOILER) Lady veil-thorn turning pearl into a vampire.
I think honestly it would have been much more meaningful if pearl was able to make the decision to be turned. She started the book as a slave, with no choice in this life, and then even at the end she still has no choice. It's just kinda sad.
I also don't understand why Lady Veilthorn picked pearl, some clarity on that would have helped a lot.
And there are random references to meat highs? Like the human girl eats meat and it makes her feel high? It just seemed weird and very confusing. To the point it took away from the story.
Spice was okay! Some of the scenes felt very rushed, I think they could have been drawn out a little more and maybe more of them too.
Edit: I also wish we knew how the Lady gathered all of her wealth and status
October 19, 2024
Loved it.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was the perfect blend of lesbian smut and actual story. I found it was well written, and loved every moment of reading it. Barely slept so I could finish reading it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, whether it's more of pearl and morvanna or the dark rose. I think I have found a new favourite author. And always happy to see an author who is from England like me. I wish there was more in the story about lady veilthorns background and explaining what the rumours are about her.
Definitely read this book if you like lesbian vampies and vampires and humans that get it on together. I would also of liked to of seen more of Edwards story.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was the perfect blend of lesbian smut and actual story. I found it was well written, and loved every moment of reading it. Barely slept so I could finish reading it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, whether it's more of pearl and morvanna or the dark rose. I think I have found a new favourite author. And always happy to see an author who is from England like me. I wish there was more in the story about lady veilthorns background and explaining what the rumours are about her.
Definitely read this book if you like lesbian vampies and vampires and humans that get it on together. I would also of liked to of seen more of Edwards story.
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