Live for Me

Red Thorne #2

by Lauren Jackson

A vampire uncovering dark secrets to save the town, her tormentor trying to break a witch’s curse and a prisoner who won’t provide any answers. How will they survive?THE FIGHTERI’m being hunted while trying to save a town that wants me dead. No one is safe from him. I know what I need to do to secure their safety, but I don’t know if I can end him. My tormentor, my nemesis, the one who consumes me. He hurt me in so many ways, so why do I find myself wanting to save him?THE ENFORCERIt’s always been my duty to stop vampire hunters. But since being cursed to die by a coven of witches, I can’t focus on my mission. To make matters worse, someone is hunting Cora. No one touches what is mine. I need to keep her safe without letting her know all my secrets.THE PRISONERThey want information from me. I can’t remember what they’re after. Or maybe I never knew in the first place. I need to escape, but it’s impossible when my mind is what’s trapped.Dark, steamy and compelling, Live for Me is for readers who · Mystery to solve· Morally grey hero · Fated bond · Possessive love interest · ‘Who did this to you?’ · Enemies-to-lovers · Spice · Romantasy · Australian setting · Multiple POVs

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Paranormal, Dark, Dark Romance

Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[natalie 𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one’s for the Klaus girlies 🥵

[✨DeannaK✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Lauren Jackson’s writing again in this second instalment of the Red Thorne series. I find her writing so easy to read and addictive. Live for Me was definitely a tad slower than Die for You but still a great read! Hope we get a Theo book next! 🖤

[Gia Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I really enjoyed this book!

Live for Me is a dark, spicy vampire romance that gives off The Vampire Diaries vibes.

We follow Cora, a vampire trying to save her town while being hunted by a dangerous (wink wink, nudge nudge) ENEMY.

Then we have Kain, cursed by witches and bound by duty, is determined to protect her at all costs. *slams coffee down* YES.

It also gives off almost thriller type vibes this time around, rather than a rerun of our favourite vampire romances. This one felt more unique with a blend of supernatural, steamy romance and gripping action, suspense and tension.

The pacing did feel a little uneven at times but honestly, the chemistry and high stakes of the plot kept me HOOKED.

[Katie Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️. Now this book was definitely on the slower side compared to book 1 but I felt like we learnt so much more about the characters in this book compared to what we learned about the book 1 characters and I really enjoyed that!

Again I still ate this book up in 24 hours. These books are so easy to read and just fill my vampire dairies desires in a book!

I absolutely LOVED Kian character and I loved every one of his chapters. I loved how Cora was trying to re write her story and life in this book and I really enjoyed her character development in this book, also the BEFORE chapters so so good I loved them!

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it did feel slow at times and the middle felt a little flat with a bit of backwards and forwards but there was also so much I enjoyed about this story and the writing!

[cait ʚ♡⃛ɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Live For Me by Lauren Jackson ❤️

*spoiler free arc review*

Releasing tomorrow - 10 September!

Stop it righhhhht now! This was so damn good. If you’re a Vampire Diaries / True Blood lover, particularly Klaus Mikaelson lover, then this one is for you.

I had the best time reading this one and am so grateful to Lauren and her team at Penguin House Australia for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc.

This one’s a 3 person POV and I just LOVE the mystery element to these vampy romances. Someone’s being hunted, someone’s been cursed by a coven of witches (hello Bonnie, is that you??) and someone’s been taken prisoner.

This one is a step up from book 1 (Die For You) a little darker and steamier. There are so many secrets to uncover, complicated relationships to work through and plenty of angst.

I guessed something early on in the story which ended up being half true so all in all the plot twists got me good! My fave of the 2 for sure 🤍

Themes / tropes:

🧛🏻 vampire romance
🧛🏻 fated mates
🧛🏻 enemies to lovers
🧛🏻 morally grey mmc

4⭐️

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved being back in Red Thorne reading book 2 in the series. Live for Me takes us on Kian and Cora’s journey,

I really enjoyed reading about how they first met and how Kian was turned a long time ago. We also get taken on a wild adventure looking for a witch. There are so many secrets and mysteries, things get pretty intense, I love how vamps fight it out!

The characters are so great, Theo is a favourite and makes me chuckle. I must say though, nothing beats the chemistry between Hunter and Raya! Yes, the attraction and spice was heavy between Kian and Cora, but I felt it more between the others.

I really enjoyed the story, sometimes I felt like it was jumping around a lot but it was easy enough to follow and an enjoyable read.

[Stacktheforest - Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ The start of this book didn’t grab me but boy am I glad that I stuck with it. This book is a very big change of pace compared with the first book so prepare yourself for a slow plot. I was really unconvinced that I was going to love Kian by the end of this but he slowly clawed his way into my heart. I really enjoyed the flashbacks into Cora’s turning and the insight into her and Raya’s relationship when they were humans.

This book definitely embodies the morally grey MMC and I actually found him really unlikeable at the beginning. I think that fed into my eventual love of this book and I was kept enthralled by the kinship I felt with Cora, and discovering her motivations.

Thank-you to the publisher for providing me a copy to review. This review is my honest opinion.

[ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

“there is nothing and no one that will ever take you from me. i will love you endlessly, without fault, without limit.”

kiancora are officially being added to my fav ships i love them so bad

rayahunter wedding i cried i love them always

theo getting the tattoo dedicated to their little found family brb im sobbing (and him getting one dedicated to alex even tho he barely knew him? SOBBING.)

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good to see coras past and how she came to be with Kiran. The absolute monster that he is, but there is just something missing. I'm not sure what, tho. It was a good book and I did enjoy it.

We got a lot more information and the Spice was good. Cora trying to fight her attraction and do her own thing was good to see, I also loved the little plot twist and that she was a bad ass who protected her self.

🌶🌶🌶

[Tamyka · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good as always by Lauren.

Definitely recommend reading if you like vampires, enemies to lovers and morally grey characters 🫡

Cannot wait for the third. I need it now 🙏🏼

[Matt Hortomaris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Repeat after me: if you hate the first one you do not need to see how the story ends.
I only have myself to blame

[Sandra Lee 🦖 · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s giving Vampire Diaries but not in a good way

[Nikki Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ✨ I absolutely adored this book and the relationship between our FMC & MMC.

Being back in this world fed my soul, I loved the mystery, the banter, the want and NEED.

It was easy to digest and addictive! I am an absolute sucker for a real morally grey dark vampire with a soft side for the one special vamp.

Live For You was a little darker and a little bit more spicy and I ate it up!

The epilogue though… I need Theo’s book!

[Samantha Maree · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally finished this one. I didn’t enjoy it as much as first book. It just felt very predictable and the same story as raya. I had to suspend my disbelief a little to finish this one.

Like they toke about how rare the bond is yet both sisters are bonded to brothers? Okay sure I believe that. Also how was she still willing to be with him after everything? I mean some of the issue Kian had were resolved by the end? But is that enough to still be with him? Idk about that.

I just didn’t enjoy this one as much unfortunately

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really exciting dive back into this world and it didn’t disappoint! I found this one not as fast paced as Die for you, but felt like we got a lot more in depth with the characters in this one, and also a bit of a darker and twistier story.
I loved hearing Cora’s story and all the mystery surround her and Kian.
I find Lauren’s writing really easy to read and so addictive! Definitely excited for the next instalment in the Red Thorne series.

[Bookswithambs · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"My tormentor, my nemesis, the one who consumes me.
He hurt me in so many ways, so why do I find myself wanting to save him?"

Ummm Lauren what was that ending??!! I need book 3 asap holy crap 😮. This one was definitely a step up from book 1 in terms of being darker and steamier - and I loved that. Loved getting Cora’s and Kian’s story and diving deeper into these characters and being able to learn how they met along with how it all went down. This one was a little slower in parts I feel, but the twists and mysteries were great! Kian was something, his past and the event that led to him being turned broke my heart honestly. Cora and Kian 100% give Klaus and Caroline from TVD vibes and I lived for it. The steaminess in this book was a pleasant surprise but it didn’t take away from the overarching plot which I’m happy about!! But yes I’m definitely hanging on for book 3 because what the actual hell!!

🖤 fated mates
🥀 enemies to lovers
🖤 morally grey mmc

[Charlotte that_reading_mum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fated mates/ vampires / enemies to lovers/ Aussie Author/ mystery

This is the second book in the Red Thorne series 🥀
I loved the first book in the series and this book further explained the storyline and characters in the first book.
I read it all today so I was definitely sucked into the storyline! I did enjoy the story but I think I loved the first book more!
This book is definitely steamier than the first!

I did guess one of the twists in the storyline, but I still really enjoyed it.

[⋆· ༘ * annalise .ೃ࿐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞.”

Live for Me was an irresistible piece of fiction; transversing the parallels of dark romance and fantasy, combining murder, lust and deception to create an enigmatic plot with a compelling narrative and amorous atmosphere. Lauren Jackson is a talented author, flourishing her books with very well written sentiments and key derivatives which hooked me from the beginning. Kian and Cora’s love was unique, especially when compared to the simmering romance between Hunter and Raya. Their’s was diverse and complex; a wayward bond they resisted, and a resentment built upon mistrust and loathing. I really enjoyed this perspective, morally grey characters are always intriguing, and their vampiric nature heightened the story’s illusion. Cora’s portrayal was relatable, and her virtues and beliefs reflected her isolated immortality. The introduction of witches, werewolves and other creatures of folklore was interesting, and the curse inflicted upon Kian was an exponential crisis with dire consequences which was a treasonous form of karma. While I really liked this book; it definitely succumbed to some of the same issues in Die For You. The basis of witches wasn’t briefed enough, and it had a lacklustre effect on their vexing abilities. The villains didn’t accustom to their fates and complications were left unsolved. The prisoner’s perspective fell flat, and Cora and Kian’s love was rushed, and their internalised feelings for each other didn’t reflect their desires resolutely. Regardless, I still would consider reading this book again, the Red Thorne saga has potential and the concept is enthralling. The dark romance and sex adds to the appeal as well and articulates the rendezvous of immortality’s bloodlust.

[Jess | books.with.jesss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Penguin Australia for the gifted physical copy in exchange for an honest review!

Romantic, captivating and spicy.

We alternate between three POVs - the fighter, the enforcer and the prisoner. Cora - the fighter - is trying her best to ignore Kian - the enforcer - but it’s hard when she feels a connection to him, a connection deeper than she’s ever known. A connection that creates a bond between the pair that they never saw coming. Kian is intrigued by Cora but knows he can’t get attached to her, so he doesn’t. At least that’s what he tells himself.

The pair can’t help but go back to each other for more. More attention. More nights together. More everything. Cora knows it’s wrong - she knows it deep in her bones - but she can’t help herself. She shouldn’t be attracted to the vampire who ruined her life - but the heart wants what it wants.

Kian knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. He found himself drawn to more than her beauty; he found himself drawn to her soul. And that’s why he had to make it his. 

I found the story a little slow to begin with and hard to follow since I didn’t read the first book, however it was still enjoyable, and I loved the multiple POVs which gave us an insight into each aspect of the story. 

It did get a little frustrating when Kian was so hot and cold with Cora - it would’ve been nice if he could’ve told her how he felt or just given up on her and not led her on for ages. I also felt like the ending was a little short - almost like a deadline had to be met, resulting in it finishing rather abruptly. 

Perfect for fans of a fantasy novel full of morally grey vampires, curses and romance!

[Kayla Gozzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ★

► Vampires vs Witches
► Enemies to Lovers
► Found Family

“𝑴𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒓, 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒆. 𝑯𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎?”

If you are a fan of the vampire diaries, then this books is 100% for you! This book ticks all your vampire boxes, especially if you love a villain such as Klaus or Damon because that is exactly the vibes you get from Kian!

I loved getting Cora’s story after book one! Finding out how Cora and Kian meet and also what happens after! This book is filled with mysteries and even had a little bit of a thriller undertone! I loved the Witches Vs Vampires aspect in this, it made it so much fun!

This book was a bit more darker and more spicy than book one which really enjoyed! I really enjoyed our morally grey man too!

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was a super fun and easy read!!

[Sophie (sophiesbookarchive) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved die for you by lauren jackson so this was a highly anticipated read for me, and I have to say it exceeded expectations!!

If you are a fan of mystery, vampires, morally grey men, or delectable tension then this book is definitely for you! There was the perfect blend of plot twists to keep you hooked, angst to keep you on the edge of your seat, and hot villainous MMC to keep you swooning.

I absolutely loved Cora and Kian, they are both such wonderfully complex characters. I loved getting to know them and their backstories, and I especially loved the flashbacks scattered throughout the book.

The side characters in this series are PHENOMENAL, Theo had me giggling the whole time, and, Raya and Hunters appearance had me kicking my feet.

It was amazing being back in Redthorne and I cannot wait for the next one!!

[Jade bigalla · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Every time I inhale, it’s all him. Every breath, every movement, every touch - it all gravitates to him.”

——————————————————————————————

- Vampires
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fated Mates
- Morally Grey MMC

——————————————————————————————

Absolutely loved this!! I knew I would love Cora and Kian!!

Live for me is book 2 in the Red Thorne series and follows along with Cora, an innocent curious new Vampire and Kian, the evil ruthless vampire that everyone fears and it appears everyone wants him dead. Hes evil and cares for no one in this world… or does he?

I was so enthralled in this book from beginning to end!! I’m really enjoying Lauren’s writing and I love being in a world that feels like I’m in some kind of Vampire Diaires / Twilight crossover!

I need Theos book, right now!! If you haven’t yet, do yourselves a favour and go and read Die For You and then Live For Me!!

A massive thank you to penguin for my copy of Live For Me, which is OUT NOW

[indibookdumps · Rating 3 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book. was kind of confused at the beginning bc i read die for you over a year and half ago.

always had the suspicions about the cat being a witch glad i was right didn't expect it to be mya though, so sad what happened to her though. glad that wasn't heaps of smut in this and the overall plot was good, it was a bit slow but not too bad. also unfortunately wasn't that shocked over sofia backstabbing kian especially because it was stated a lot that witches and vampires don't mix, and when she started going to the mom without saying it made it suspicious too. like what was the reasoning but anywyay

hopefully we get the next book with theo!! maybe lucy (ik she's an ex, low-key forgot why they broke up tho) but like why would she still be around if something didn't happen yk? or even a brand new character would be cool

[Danielle Glučina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Okay so I absolutely devoured Die For You. I read it in one day and needed book two asap.

So this was a highly anticipated read for me.

Things I liked…
Flashback to scenes that happened before Die For You
The second half of the book
All the vampire vibes

Things I didn’t…
Slow paced
The lull (nothing muxh happened) in the middle of the book

I still enjoyed this book, I think it just didn’t meet the expectations I had originally for this book. At the end of the day I just have to be honest with myself, and unfortunately this book just fell flat in my opinion.

Thank you to Penguin Books for an Ebook advanced copy.

[Dark Romance Reader 4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3⭐️ 3 🌶️
I finally got around to reading this after literally purchasing a physical copy the day of release back in Julyyyyyy ☠️☠️☠️

I was left a little disappointed!!! This book was much slower in pace compared to Die for You (Book 1) which at times was a little difficult to get through.

I enjoyed the push and pull of Kian & Cora’s relationship and the spice was good 👍🏼 but honestly this book was all just a major miscommunication trope full of secrets, lies and manipulation under the guise of protecting the “weak” FMC. Which is very different to book 1 where the FMC is strong, involved and independent.

At this stage I am unsure if I will continue reading this series. Though I’ll admit Theo seems like a very interesting character and I would love to get inside his headspace especially now that *SPOILER AHEAD* he’s free.

[daniireads19 · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way i needed a moment to actually settle all my thoughts of this book to actually write a good review, as it totally deserved it!!
the first book in the red thorne series about raya and huter, was for me a masterpiece, but let me just tell u I WAS A FOOL FOR THIS ONE TO, i love the way Kian always protected Cora in its way, of course it was really hurtful the way things happened, but happy to saw their happy ending, as they deserved
i was so invested in this story that i actually devored almost half of the book in one day of how much obssesed i was with their story!
another thing i also loved was lauren's writting, def ill be reading more of her in the future, so excited to read in a future of theo's story, def got me very intrigued ahahah

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Live for Me is book 2 of the Red Thorne series.
Lauren Jackson did a great job of creating beautifully flawed characters. The book is told in the POV of 3 characters, allowing the readers to empathise with their struggles and root for their growth. I particularly enjoyed reading about Cora and her character development in this book.

The writing is easy to read, however the pacing can feel a bit slow especially in the middle, and some plot points may seem predictable. Despite this, Live for Me, remains engaging and enjoyable.

[Heather ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to get a signed early copy from the QBD opening at Springfield. Lauren Jackson absolutely blew me away with Live for Me! From the first chapter, I was all in—the emotional intensity, the chemistry, the heartache—every bit of it was perfection. Lauren has this incredible way of making you feel every single emotion her characters go through, and trust me, there were moments I had to stop and catch my breath! If you're looking for a romance that’s not just swoon-worthy but unforgettable, this is it. Honestly, I didn't want it to end. A total must-read!

[Mariah Kendle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book I think is actually better than the first one and that’s saying a lot because I absolutely loved the first one. I could not put the first book down and this one in my eyes top it.

As soon as Lauren says that book 3 is ready for pre-order I will be doing everything to get my hands on that copy. I mean Theo I need a book about Theo. I need to know what happens. This is something that is so dear to me and I know that sounds stupid but this book has sparked my love for reading and I will never stop recommending this.

[Davina Kempnich · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Klaorine heart is happy

Cora and Kian 😍 it was nice to dive into a bit more background about them both and how they ended up they way they did. I loved getting to know Kian and following his story!

This one is really for the ones who didn't get the ending they wanted in tvd you know what I'm talking about if you know what I'm talking about 😏

I loved this story from beginning to end!

Ummm but how could you leave my Theo like that?

Umm need book like liked yesterday