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The Unseen War #1
Bloom in Blood
Librarian Note: an older cover for this edition can be found here.
Five years ago, Riley's world fell into chaos when her husband and sons vanished without a trace. In the aftermath, she mourned, she searched, and with each unanswered question, she planned and prepared.
No one will catch her vulnerable again.
Life takes an unexpected turn when a sexy stranger appears at her door, revealing a shocking truth—her missing family wasn't human, and neither is Riley.
A chance emerges for Riley to reclaim what was lost, but the path is full of challenges. To unearth the secrets of her supernatural heritage, she must grapple with the undeniable attraction she has for her missing husband's two best friends.
In this terrifying world, where the lines between fantasy and reality blur, Riley is resolute. The mourning is over. Her life is in her hands again. And Riley will burn the world to the ground to find her family.
"Bloom in Blood" is a WhyChoose romance, weaving Fantasy and Paranormal elements into a tale of resilience, passion, and the unrelenting pursuit of family.
Five years ago, Riley's world fell into chaos when her husband and sons vanished without a trace. In the aftermath, she mourned, she searched, and with each unanswered question, she planned and prepared.
No one will catch her vulnerable again.
Life takes an unexpected turn when a sexy stranger appears at her door, revealing a shocking truth—her missing family wasn't human, and neither is Riley.
A chance emerges for Riley to reclaim what was lost, but the path is full of challenges. To unearth the secrets of her supernatural heritage, she must grapple with the undeniable attraction she has for her missing husband's two best friends.
In this terrifying world, where the lines between fantasy and reality blur, Riley is resolute. The mourning is over. Her life is in her hands again. And Riley will burn the world to the ground to find her family.
"Bloom in Blood" is a WhyChoose romance, weaving Fantasy and Paranormal elements into a tale of resilience, passion, and the unrelenting pursuit of family.
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2021
537 people are currently reading
1133 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Boruff
292 books639 followersL.A. Boruff lives in East Tennessee with her husband, three children, and an ever growing number of cats. She loves reading, watching TV, and procrastinating by browsing Facebook. L.A.’s passions include vampires, food, and listening to heavy metal music. She once won a Harry Potter trivia contest based on the books, and lost one based on the movies. She has two bands on her bucket list that she still hasn’t seen: AC/DC and Alice Cooper. Feel free to send tickets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
March 5, 2023
This has an interesting premise and characters. But the execution...OMG, the execution is so bad. I picked this book up because I accepted an audible code for a copy of Dance In Night—book two of the series—without realizing it is a sequel. So, I had to step back and find this book to read first. If I hadn't committed to reading and reviewing book two and therefore needed to finish book one, I would have DNFed this pretty early on.
The narrative is almost entirely dialogue, which leaves very little room for world-building that isn't just info-dumped from one character to another for the benefit of the reader. And so much of the dialogue is painfully stilted. Worst of all, in my opinion (because it's a pet peeve—once you notice, you can't stop noticing), names are constantly included in the dialogue.
Authors, step back and think about a conversation you have with friends and family in real life. How often do you actually say the name of the person you're talking to? I find the constant inclusion of names in dialogue one of the fastest ways to make writing feel amateurish.
Plus, the name of this series is An Unseen Midlife. The character is 42. It's meant to fit in the Paranormal Women's Fiction genre. A genre for women approaching middle age who are past the starting a family stage and are moving on to finding themselves again outside of the role of wife and mother.
Add to all of the above the fact that the plot rockets at such a pace that nothing is allowed time to grow or develop, and the result is a complete flop for me.
The writing and editing are mechanically sound, and the book has a cool cover. (The series has cool covers, rather.) And I appreciate that Riley is a full-sized woman. She's a size 18 when her husband falls in love with her. But that's about the most positive thing I have to say about any of it.
The narrative is almost entirely dialogue, which leaves very little room for world-building that isn't just info-dumped from one character to another for the benefit of the reader. And so much of the dialogue is painfully stilted. Worst of all, in my opinion (because it's a pet peeve—once you notice, you can't stop noticing), names are constantly included in the dialogue.
Authors, step back and think about a conversation you have with friends and family in real life. How often do you actually say the name of the person you're talking to? I find the constant inclusion of names in dialogue one of the fastest ways to make writing feel amateurish.
Plus, the name of this series is An Unseen Midlife. The character is 42. It's meant to fit in the Paranormal Women's Fiction genre. A genre for women approaching middle age who are past the starting a family stage and are moving on to finding themselves again outside of the role of wife and mother.
Add to all of the above the fact that the plot rockets at such a pace that nothing is allowed time to grow or develop, and the result is a complete flop for me.
The writing and editing are mechanically sound, and the book has a cool cover. (The series has cool covers, rather.) And I appreciate that Riley is a full-sized woman. She's a size 18 when her husband falls in love with her. But that's about the most positive thing I have to say about any of it.
May 23, 2018
A Betrayal That Can’t Be Forgiven...And A Totally Unlikeable Harem!!
I actually really wanted to like this book, I didn’t want to give it 2 stars, but honestly I was grappling with the decision to give it 1 star. It got 2 because the creativity of the world Boruff writes is well done, and I enjoyed the unique spin on the vampire mythos and origin. However, frankly, in the end there was just too much intrinsically (and “morally”) wrong with this book to garner anything other than a few stars in my mind.
**possible spoilers**
Riley is happily married and has 2 beautiful boys. One day she comes home to find her husband and sons GONE! Their stuff is gone and it is as if they erased their presence from her life entirely! For 5 years Riley suffers until a man claiming to be an FBI agent comes to her home and her world is upended again!! Riley runs to share the craziness (of these new revelations) with one of her closest friends, who is also her trainer—Eli. This is where the story goes from a “mystery” to a full out wackadoo mish-mosh of a paranormal/fantasy/horror/mystery. And although the creativity is there (Boruff does not lack talent) there is just TOO MUCH going on that it often feels (IMO) that the book doesn’t know “what” it is. But that is not even the largest problem/issue - the biggest problem with this book is in the reverse Harem aspect of the reverse Harem. To have a successful reverse Harem you have to have men (be they human, shifters, or in this case, vampires/Supay) that CONNECT with the female protagonist, they also have to make you CARE for them, and root for their relationship with the heroine. They can be brooding, dark, alpha, or all three, heck they can even be an anti-hero, but they MUST be relatable in as much as you root for their love and relationship with the female to succeed etc. In Supay Eli (Riley’s best friend) and eventual lover, is well, detestable. He does something that frankly IMO cannot EVER be forgiven, and even though Anthony (fake FBI guy) was in on the deceit/betrayal of Riley, it’s Eli that truly is the culprit. You have to understand, as a mom, this betrayal is unforgivable!
**BIG SPOILER** do not read the next section if you don’t want to know.
Eli (having grown up with Michael—Riley’s missing/runaway husband) knew AND helped him disappear WITH THE KIDS from his wife’s life. After tragedy befalls Michael yup, he bites the dust, Eli does something so despicable, that I’m STILL furious at him!! He gives the kids, at the time only 1, and 6 to his infertile sister to raise AS HER OWN!! 😡 He literally (instead of even trying to figure out a way to return them to Riley - a woman he claims to love) just hands them over to his sister, who naturally doesn’t want to relinquish them, and claims them 100% as the children of her heart. But it gets worse!!! He then decides, hey my friends dead, I’ve given his kids to my sister, soooo yeah let me keep watch over his wife, but nope, I’ll go a step further, I’ll totally INTEGRATE myself into her life, thus eventually becoming her confidante and best friend...all the while KEEPING HER CHILDREN FROM HER!! And honestly that’s not even the most horrifying part of the book—no—the horrifying part is that Riley FORGIVES him, not only forgives him, but sleeps with him, and although she feels betrayed by him and does tell him how angry she is at him, she continues to lust after him, sleep with him and ACCEPT the situation. She literally says “Hey, I’m hurt by what you did, but ohh I need to FEEL alive again, and I need s*x it has been a long time...so let’s sleep together.” 🙄🙄😖 Are you kidding me? WTH?! And frankly the rest of the men aren’t much better, but at least they didn’t “gift” her kids to their sister *huge eye roll inserted here* By this point, I was so disgusted by his actions and enraged by Riley’s behavior and decision to jump in the sack with him that I had to FORCE myself to read the rest of the book. Then we have Anthony who continues to use the explanation *ahem—try cowardly flimsy excuse* that the big bad Supay council could hurt us (us being him Eli and Michael) if they learned that we talked to you, or God forbid told you hey your kids aren’t dead...oh but we’ll just “stalk” you for five years ummmmm stalker creepy anyone? In Eli’s case integrate himself into her freaking life! Disgusting!
Then there is the reason that Michael her “devoted” hubby took off with the kids - Boruff tries to make it into a big mystery/who dunitt, but this fails as well — fails because all it does is paint Michael as selfish, SO SO SO COWARDLY, and an awful EVIL guy, as he takes his kids away from their mother!!!!! See the recurring theme here? Yup AWFUL men that you want to hit really hard rather than root for.
Suffice to say I found Supay: A RH Novel to completely overwhelmingly FAIL as a Reverse Harem! I’m honestly as I finish writing this thinking I should have given it its 1 Star. Nope, this was one of the most frustratingly annoying and yuck non romantic RH I’ve read in a long time. 😖🙄
I actually really wanted to like this book, I didn’t want to give it 2 stars, but honestly I was grappling with the decision to give it 1 star. It got 2 because the creativity of the world Boruff writes is well done, and I enjoyed the unique spin on the vampire mythos and origin. However, frankly, in the end there was just too much intrinsically (and “morally”) wrong with this book to garner anything other than a few stars in my mind.
**possible spoilers**
Riley is happily married and has 2 beautiful boys. One day she comes home to find her husband and sons GONE! Their stuff is gone and it is as if they erased their presence from her life entirely! For 5 years Riley suffers until a man claiming to be an FBI agent comes to her home and her world is upended again!! Riley runs to share the craziness (of these new revelations) with one of her closest friends, who is also her trainer—Eli. This is where the story goes from a “mystery” to a full out wackadoo mish-mosh of a paranormal/fantasy/horror/mystery. And although the creativity is there (Boruff does not lack talent) there is just TOO MUCH going on that it often feels (IMO) that the book doesn’t know “what” it is. But that is not even the largest problem/issue - the biggest problem with this book is in the reverse Harem aspect of the reverse Harem. To have a successful reverse Harem you have to have men (be they human, shifters, or in this case, vampires/Supay) that CONNECT with the female protagonist, they also have to make you CARE for them, and root for their relationship with the heroine. They can be brooding, dark, alpha, or all three, heck they can even be an anti-hero, but they MUST be relatable in as much as you root for their love and relationship with the female to succeed etc. In Supay Eli (Riley’s best friend) and eventual lover, is well, detestable. He does something that frankly IMO cannot EVER be forgiven, and even though Anthony (fake FBI guy) was in on the deceit/betrayal of Riley, it’s Eli that truly is the culprit. You have to understand, as a mom, this betrayal is unforgivable!
**BIG SPOILER** do not read the next section if you don’t want to know.
Eli (having grown up with Michael—Riley’s missing/runaway husband) knew AND helped him disappear WITH THE KIDS from his wife’s life. After tragedy befalls Michael yup, he bites the dust, Eli does something so despicable, that I’m STILL furious at him!! He gives the kids, at the time only 1, and 6 to his infertile sister to raise AS HER OWN!! 😡 He literally (instead of even trying to figure out a way to return them to Riley - a woman he claims to love) just hands them over to his sister, who naturally doesn’t want to relinquish them, and claims them 100% as the children of her heart. But it gets worse!!! He then decides, hey my friends dead, I’ve given his kids to my sister, soooo yeah let me keep watch over his wife, but nope, I’ll go a step further, I’ll totally INTEGRATE myself into her life, thus eventually becoming her confidante and best friend...all the while KEEPING HER CHILDREN FROM HER!! And honestly that’s not even the most horrifying part of the book—no—the horrifying part is that Riley FORGIVES him, not only forgives him, but sleeps with him, and although she feels betrayed by him and does tell him how angry she is at him, she continues to lust after him, sleep with him and ACCEPT the situation. She literally says “Hey, I’m hurt by what you did, but ohh I need to FEEL alive again, and I need s*x it has been a long time...so let’s sleep together.” 🙄🙄😖 Are you kidding me? WTH?! And frankly the rest of the men aren’t much better, but at least they didn’t “gift” her kids to their sister *huge eye roll inserted here* By this point, I was so disgusted by his actions and enraged by Riley’s behavior and decision to jump in the sack with him that I had to FORCE myself to read the rest of the book. Then we have Anthony who continues to use the explanation *ahem—try cowardly flimsy excuse* that the big bad Supay council could hurt us (us being him Eli and Michael) if they learned that we talked to you, or God forbid told you hey your kids aren’t dead...oh but we’ll just “stalk” you for five years ummmmm stalker creepy anyone? In Eli’s case integrate himself into her freaking life! Disgusting!
Then there is the reason that Michael her “devoted” hubby took off with the kids - Boruff tries to make it into a big mystery/who dunitt, but this fails as well — fails because all it does is paint Michael as selfish, SO SO SO COWARDLY, and an awful EVIL guy, as he takes his kids away from their mother!!!!! See the recurring theme here? Yup AWFUL men that you want to hit really hard rather than root for.
Suffice to say I found Supay: A RH Novel to completely overwhelmingly FAIL as a Reverse Harem! I’m honestly as I finish writing this thinking I should have given it its 1 Star. Nope, this was one of the most frustratingly annoying and yuck non romantic RH I’ve read in a long time. 😖🙄
June 14, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Book one in the brand new Unseen series and what a mind blowing start it is too. We meet Riley who has been dealing and training for the last five years after her family comes up missing. Things are fine until a stranger shows up one day pretending to be law enforcement though she knows he is not. This leads to her discovering some really strange secrets that just blow her mind (my too to be honest) thinking to Gods, magic, supernaturals, and so much more. Another surprise visitor just makes things even crazier and I was hooked. This is some incredible world building mixed in with some great characters, and a large chunk of fantasy that creates a story that you really will not want ot put down once you get started. I am so looking forward to where this whole thing is going next. If you like magic, Gods, paranormal, and reverse harem romance then you should really try this one. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
Book one in the brand new Unseen series and what a mind blowing start it is too. We meet Riley who has been dealing and training for the last five years after her family comes up missing. Things are fine until a stranger shows up one day pretending to be law enforcement though she knows he is not. This leads to her discovering some really strange secrets that just blow her mind (my too to be honest) thinking to Gods, magic, supernaturals, and so much more. Another surprise visitor just makes things even crazier and I was hooked. This is some incredible world building mixed in with some great characters, and a large chunk of fantasy that creates a story that you really will not want ot put down once you get started. I am so looking forward to where this whole thing is going next. If you like magic, Gods, paranormal, and reverse harem romance then you should really try this one. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
May 21, 2018
Five Stars From Me Most Definitely!!
Vampires, shapeshifters, fae and dragons oh my! ;)
And that is the only spoilers I’m going to give you!
This book was so very awesome that I was sad when I got to the end because I didn’t want to leave the world I was visiting. This book had so many twists and turns that I was literally kept on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. This was the first time reading anything by L.A. Boruff and I have to say she’s awesome at creating her amazing kick butt characters and weaving her realities that they all feel so real. I loved this book and I look forward to reading more from L.A. Boruff in the future.
So yes I most definitely recommend this book because it’s AMAZING and other people need to read it!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book for my honest opinion.
Vampires, shapeshifters, fae and dragons oh my! ;)
And that is the only spoilers I’m going to give you!
This book was so very awesome that I was sad when I got to the end because I didn’t want to leave the world I was visiting. This book had so many twists and turns that I was literally kept on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. This was the first time reading anything by L.A. Boruff and I have to say she’s awesome at creating her amazing kick butt characters and weaving her realities that they all feel so real. I loved this book and I look forward to reading more from L.A. Boruff in the future.
So yes I most definitely recommend this book because it’s AMAZING and other people need to read it!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book for my honest opinion.
Want to read
March 18, 2020💝FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (10/18/18)!💝
Blurb:
Five years. For five years Riley Effler has lived without her family. Five years before, her husband and sons disappeared without a trace. When a suspicious man shows up claiming to be an FBI agent, Riley is thrown into a world she never imagined. Throw her best friend and a stranger claiming to help into the mix, and deeply hidden truths will come to light that rock the foundation of the only world Riley has ever known. Can Anthony and Elias help her through the chaos? Or will her heritage bring about more complications? Anthony and Elias are not what they seem, and Riley must find a way to come to terms with her newfound truths if she hopes to find her family, love, and peace.
Blurb:
Five years. For five years Riley Effler has lived without her family. Five years before, her husband and sons disappeared without a trace. When a suspicious man shows up claiming to be an FBI agent, Riley is thrown into a world she never imagined. Throw her best friend and a stranger claiming to help into the mix, and deeply hidden truths will come to light that rock the foundation of the only world Riley has ever known. Can Anthony and Elias help her through the chaos? Or will her heritage bring about more complications? Anthony and Elias are not what they seem, and Riley must find a way to come to terms with her newfound truths if she hopes to find her family, love, and peace.
October 30, 2022
Riley's Dilemma . . .
Riley arrived home five years ago and found that her husband, Michael, and their 2 children, Daniel and David, had disappeared, all their belongings missing as well. Finding that Michael is now dead, two men, Elias and Anthony, arrive to tell her that her children are still alive and her family is not human – and she may not be as well. They offer to take her to a “spring of life” where she can achieve an extended lifespan and watch her children grow up. Yet a voice in her head warns her not to trust them. Will she figure out who to actually trust? Will she discover what they really want from her? Will she get her children back?
Riley arrived home five years ago and found that her husband, Michael, and their 2 children, Daniel and David, had disappeared, all their belongings missing as well. Finding that Michael is now dead, two men, Elias and Anthony, arrive to tell her that her children are still alive and her family is not human – and she may not be as well. They offer to take her to a “spring of life” where she can achieve an extended lifespan and watch her children grow up. Yet a voice in her head warns her not to trust them. Will she figure out who to actually trust? Will she discover what they really want from her? Will she get her children back?
January 17, 2023
There's super strange preoccupation with bodily odors, cleanliness, and especially, poop. The heroine is constantly worried about her little vampire harem being able to smell her. Not blood mind you, but poop of all things. I had to suppress my disbelief just to continue reading. She's also one that's not too secure about her looks and weight. Does it come with the territory? Anyway, she's grateful that the blood sucking bunch loves her so much, smelly as she thinks she is. Maybe I just witnessed arrival of the new genre, or maybe it was already there, just unnoticed by me and other poop-smell unconcerned free roamers.
June 12, 2018
KU
In some ways this is a fairly intense novel, addressing a couple of issues that cover heartache rather than humour. Having said that, this is a captivating read with great and complex world building, which includes a variety of supernaturals with paranormal traits. There’s plenty of food for thought over gods and mythology, particularly the Incas but not exclusive to, with a fair amount of the parthenon of others included.
The female protagonist is a strong way with some class kicking and punching moves with a couple of strong sexy men to back her up.
In some ways this is a fairly intense novel, addressing a couple of issues that cover heartache rather than humour. Having said that, this is a captivating read with great and complex world building, which includes a variety of supernaturals with paranormal traits. There’s plenty of food for thought over gods and mythology, particularly the Incas but not exclusive to, with a fair amount of the parthenon of others included.
The female protagonist is a strong way with some class kicking and punching moves with a couple of strong sexy men to back her up.
Want to read
June 11, 2024🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/12/2022)! 🎁
not-an-offensive-name
July 26, 2018Just reminding myself that I read a random page of this, and it was so poorly written and inconsistent that I don't want to accidentally buy it.
NEMO. DO NOT BUY.
NEMO. DO NOT BUY.
June 5, 2024
Honestly the story line had me hooked. Best part was this took place in the same town I live in 😂
Was a little too insta…love? Lust? I’m not sure what you would call it but it from zero to 100 MPH with not a lot of character development.
Was a little too insta…love? Lust? I’m not sure what you would call it but it from zero to 100 MPH with not a lot of character development.
May 11, 2018
For five years Riley has lived with a mystery, with loss, with overwhelming pain. She lived the perfect life with her husband and two small boys. Then one day five years ago, she came home to an empty house, to empty closets, to no husband, no sons, and no answers. Fear, devastation, loneliness. When the police decided that her husband had simply left her and her friends couldn't look her in the face without pity, Riley wanted to give up but she didn't. She tried to gain a measure of control. She trained her body, she learned self-defense, she reminded herself of her beloved family daily. She survived. Then one day an FBI agent showed up at her door claiming to be looking into cold cases, claiming he has answers. What little peace Riley had found was destroyed by this one visit. Between this stranger and her one friend, Riley learns the truth; secrets that could get her killed. Riley's life is forever changed. A dangerous journey, a shocking reunion, danger around every corner. She's either at the beginning of a new wondrous life or at the end.
Supay is a fantasy romance like you have never read before. Vampires, witches, gods, werewolves, dragons, fey, and likely a dozen other creatures are all woven into the pages of this imaginative story. Each time you think that you have it figured out, that you know what is coming next, the book swerves and takes a whole new direction. It's rare that I can't figure out the story but this one surprised me more than once. It earned my respect. The characters are all nicely developed. Riley is likable and strong. Maybe a bit too obsessed with her body and looks but I like the fight in her. I won't say anything about the men that might spoil the story but they turn out to be exactly what I wanted them to be. I wasn't sure about them at first. I had a strong reaction to a secret that had been kept from Riley that as a mom I felt was unforgivable. I had a harder time forgiving than Riley did but her reaction made for a better story. Also, the interactions the men had with Riley at the beginning seemed awkward or forced but as the trip went on, I fell in love with the relationship. Their tenderness, their protective natures, their attraction to Riley became apparent.
The world(s)-building and lineage history were remarkable. I loved the extensive back-story and how it was woven into human history. While this part of the story wrapped up, there are still so many other stories to be told. So many worlds to be examined; so many creatures came through the portals and they each have a story. Riley and her men have only just started their own story. I'm not sure if LA Boruff will continue with them or head into a new direction with other paranormals. There are at least four other characters in this book I would like to read more about. If this book proves anything, its that she has a vivid imagination with the ability to create a captivating adventure-romance.
Supay is a fantasy romance like you have never read before. Vampires, witches, gods, werewolves, dragons, fey, and likely a dozen other creatures are all woven into the pages of this imaginative story. Each time you think that you have it figured out, that you know what is coming next, the book swerves and takes a whole new direction. It's rare that I can't figure out the story but this one surprised me more than once. It earned my respect. The characters are all nicely developed. Riley is likable and strong. Maybe a bit too obsessed with her body and looks but I like the fight in her. I won't say anything about the men that might spoil the story but they turn out to be exactly what I wanted them to be. I wasn't sure about them at first. I had a strong reaction to a secret that had been kept from Riley that as a mom I felt was unforgivable. I had a harder time forgiving than Riley did but her reaction made for a better story. Also, the interactions the men had with Riley at the beginning seemed awkward or forced but as the trip went on, I fell in love with the relationship. Their tenderness, their protective natures, their attraction to Riley became apparent.
The world(s)-building and lineage history were remarkable. I loved the extensive back-story and how it was woven into human history. While this part of the story wrapped up, there are still so many other stories to be told. So many worlds to be examined; so many creatures came through the portals and they each have a story. Riley and her men have only just started their own story. I'm not sure if LA Boruff will continue with them or head into a new direction with other paranormals. There are at least four other characters in this book I would like to read more about. If this book proves anything, its that she has a vivid imagination with the ability to create a captivating adventure-romance.
September 22, 2018
I’ve been wanting to read this series for a long time. It’s always been on my to-read list on my Kindle. But with the new release, I had to read it! So I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy from LA Boruff. I didn’t know what to expect but I did like it. This is my first series and first read from LA Boruff. But other readers give her high praise. There are some times in this book where I didn’t really connect with Riley or men. I personally need more background, more connections, between the characters in order for me to really fall in love with them as a couple. So most times, I don’t like them until I’m a few books in. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
Overall: 4/5
I received an ARC copy for an honest review.
Overall: 4/5
I received an ARC copy for an honest review.
July 10, 2018
An exciting reverse harem story about a woman who comes home one day to find her husband and children have vanished without a trace. It is wonderful to have a story with an older heroine, the story has a number of twists and turns which kept me glued to the page, I felt I was left guessing what was happening throughout which I love as it made the story extremely exciting. Well written and beautifully executed I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book in this series
September 5, 2018
I personally couldn't get into this book.
As soon as I found our her husbands friends (& one of her best friends of several years) had been watching over her and waited 5 whole years before contacting her, I almost stopped reading then and had to force myself to keep going.
To then find out they had actually helped take the kids away from her, and said/did nothing for 5 years? And she so easily forgives them? No, not for me.
As soon as I found our her husbands friends (& one of her best friends of several years) had been watching over her and waited 5 whole years before contacting her, I almost stopped reading then and had to force myself to keep going.
To then find out they had actually helped take the kids away from her, and said/did nothing for 5 years? And she so easily forgives them? No, not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2018
A rather fantastical tale with an h whose current life is a mix of grief and anger. She's lost her family, and doesn't know why. Then something changes and as she learns more about what happened, she's whisked into an adventure with 2 men. It's a well paced book, with an h whose responses seemed quite authentic. The men were a little more difficult to engage with, their story was complex, told in fits and starts. Overall it was good, a fantasy quite different from the norm.
August 2, 2021
Another day, another dud
I have yet to find one of these paranormal women’s fiction books that feature female protagonists over 40 to be very interesting. I wanted to like the concept here, but starting out by making the fmc a mentally unstable gun fanatic did the book no favours.
I have yet to find one of these paranormal women’s fiction books that feature female protagonists over 40 to be very interesting. I wanted to like the concept here, but starting out by making the fmc a mentally unstable gun fanatic did the book no favours.
May 29, 2024
I loved this story and I can’t wait to read on. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that likes vampires and a main character that finds out she’s supernatural. My only draw backs are that I was confused through half the story and it felt like the epilogue was a little rushed. I also can’t wait to see if the baby is male or female or what the species of the baby is.
October 7, 2018
NO
I have no words. The betrayal in this book is insane and it's made by the guys and she just let's it go. NONoNo!
I have no words. The betrayal in this book is insane and it's made by the guys and she just let's it go. NONoNo!
August 20, 2021
This is book one of the An Unseen Midlife series and the main character Riley has had five years now to get used to the fact that her husband Michael and their two sons, Daniel and David, disappeared one day, with every single sign of them in their house also gone. The first year she spent in a stupor, with the police and FBI looking into their disappearance, but then it becoming a cold case and the belief being that her husband took their children. After that, she decided to fight back and she took lessons in self-defence and learning how to use weapons, especially guns. She takes lessons from a former Marine called Elias, who has become a friend. When a man comes to her door, pretending to be an FBI agent, with news about her husband and children, she finds herself easily overpowered and shocked. She finds out that he knows Elias well and they tell her that her husband is dead, but her children are alive still. They have a lot to explain about what her husband and they really are and why she couldn’t be told anything until now. To tell her would be a death sentence as they aren’t human, but they believe that she is also not human, that she is an Unseen, but of a different kind to them. An Unseen is what they label all the different types of supernatural beings.
She finds what she is told, very hard to understand or believe and also has to fight the attraction she is feeling for the two men. Both of them say they consider her husband their brother, having been born to three mothers who were close friends and gave birth to them all in the same month. Their ancestors were revered by the Incas and the men give her a history of their people and the fact they need to drink blood, like vampires as she would compare them to, from modern folklore. They take her to see her sons, who have been raised by some relatives of theirs, but she can’t reveal her true identity to them. They are in a magical guarded location to protect them from the people who originally took them and might want them dead. As she gets closer to Elias and Anthony, they mention a special spring of life, where they believe she could gain extended lifespan, so she could see her children grow up. They leave the city and travel on a small chartered plane to Mexico and then South America, to try and locate the possible location of this spring. She is having a strange voice talking to her in her sleep, saying she shouldn’t trust the men, but she trusts them more than the strange voice in her head! An old woman who appears in more than one of their locations, turns out to be a font of knowledge about the past and helps them all reconnect to it, in a special way. Lots of surprises to come in the storyline, with an over forty main character and a touch of steam. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
She finds what she is told, very hard to understand or believe and also has to fight the attraction she is feeling for the two men. Both of them say they consider her husband their brother, having been born to three mothers who were close friends and gave birth to them all in the same month. Their ancestors were revered by the Incas and the men give her a history of their people and the fact they need to drink blood, like vampires as she would compare them to, from modern folklore. They take her to see her sons, who have been raised by some relatives of theirs, but she can’t reveal her true identity to them. They are in a magical guarded location to protect them from the people who originally took them and might want them dead. As she gets closer to Elias and Anthony, they mention a special spring of life, where they believe she could gain extended lifespan, so she could see her children grow up. They leave the city and travel on a small chartered plane to Mexico and then South America, to try and locate the possible location of this spring. She is having a strange voice talking to her in her sleep, saying she shouldn’t trust the men, but she trusts them more than the strange voice in her head! An old woman who appears in more than one of their locations, turns out to be a font of knowledge about the past and helps them all reconnect to it, in a special way. Lots of surprises to come in the storyline, with an over forty main character and a touch of steam. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
August 9, 2021
Riley is a woman who has seen much pain, five years prior her husband Michael and their 2 children vanished, She came home from work to find them and all their belongings gone, She coped but she hated every pitying look, every whisper. She pushed her body into any form of self defence she could, determined to stop feeling scared, to protect herself. After all if someone was able to take her family because she's certain Michael would have never taken their boys and left her like this, no someone overpowered him and took them from her. a And a great side effect is that she can physically exhaust herself until she can sleep. Sleep having evaded her these last 5 years.
A visit from an FBI agent on the 5th anniversary but, he isn't who he claims to be and when confronted Riley attacks him, only to be unarmed in the blink of an eye. The stranger pleads with her to listen to him he has information for her, but Riley collapses to the ground. Only to wake up hours later. Safe. In. Her. Bed!! Safe
Unable to return to sleep she runs to the gym, meeting her retired ex marine trainer Elias there. When he hears what happens, he takes charge taking her to the hospital and taking her to his home where she can be safe. But all Riley can think about is the words from the fake FBI agent, her family is alive and he can help her! Alive her boys might be alive, but can she trust the word of a stranger who lied to her. But something about him, something about his eyes she believes him.
I'm not going to give away any of the story from here, suffice to say Riley has a lot to take on in the coming days, including learning about vampires.. With their origins in Incan mythology it makes for an original take on the vampire story that I had not come across before.
.
This is a fast paced story. It has a well thought out plot and some great funny bits that had me laughing out loud, some things other books don't mention, here everything is fair game! i loved Riley's bathroom dilemma knowing full well I would have a similar reaction! Which made it all the funnier!
I'm not a big reader of the "why choose" genre. I'm always a bit wary as the main characters can be so much younger than this mid-life lady and her chin hair, So i went into Bloom in Blood with some trepidation but having read many books by L.A Boruff in the paranormal women's fiction i was reasonably sure I was in safe hands. And I was, Andrew and Elias were wonderful...But i digress The sex isn't on every page, it fits nicely into the plot and isn't just there to be salacious. Though if I had one complaint Riley goes from grief struck to brief drop really fast but there are only so many chapters in a book and more importantly it is a work of fiction.
A visit from an FBI agent on the 5th anniversary but, he isn't who he claims to be and when confronted Riley attacks him, only to be unarmed in the blink of an eye. The stranger pleads with her to listen to him he has information for her, but Riley collapses to the ground. Only to wake up hours later. Safe. In. Her. Bed!! Safe
Unable to return to sleep she runs to the gym, meeting her retired ex marine trainer Elias there. When he hears what happens, he takes charge taking her to the hospital and taking her to his home where she can be safe. But all Riley can think about is the words from the fake FBI agent, her family is alive and he can help her! Alive her boys might be alive, but can she trust the word of a stranger who lied to her. But something about him, something about his eyes she believes him.
I'm not going to give away any of the story from here, suffice to say Riley has a lot to take on in the coming days, including learning about vampires.. With their origins in Incan mythology it makes for an original take on the vampire story that I had not come across before.
.
This is a fast paced story. It has a well thought out plot and some great funny bits that had me laughing out loud, some things other books don't mention, here everything is fair game! i loved Riley's bathroom dilemma knowing full well I would have a similar reaction! Which made it all the funnier!
I'm not a big reader of the "why choose" genre. I'm always a bit wary as the main characters can be so much younger than this mid-life lady and her chin hair, So i went into Bloom in Blood with some trepidation but having read many books by L.A Boruff in the paranormal women's fiction i was reasonably sure I was in safe hands. And I was, Andrew and Elias were wonderful...But i digress The sex isn't on every page, it fits nicely into the plot and isn't just there to be salacious. Though if I had one complaint Riley goes from grief struck to brief drop really fast but there are only so many chapters in a book and more importantly it is a work of fiction.
May 27, 2023
Didn’t Quite Do It For Me
I'm not really a fan of vampire fiction, but I've read and reviewed several series by this author and her co-authors, and I trust her work. However, this first book of the series didn't seem realistic to me. (Yes, I understand this is paranormal women's fiction, but humans and humanoids living on Earth have certain ways they act and react that are authentic to most of us.) While I understand the devastating loss the heroine has been through, her responses and reactions seem way over the top most of the time. The way she acted and reacted just didn't come across as being the way a regular person would in her circumstances. A lot is going on in this book, and at times, I found it a little confusing, especially with these over-reactions. I found myself flipping back to see if I had missed some detail that she was going OTT about. While I sometimes read Why Choose romance, it didn't feel quite appropriate here with a supposedly still grieving woman whose husband vanished without a trace. Too many parts of this book just did not work for me.
2.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I'm not really a fan of vampire fiction, but I've read and reviewed several series by this author and her co-authors, and I trust her work. However, this first book of the series didn't seem realistic to me. (Yes, I understand this is paranormal women's fiction, but humans and humanoids living on Earth have certain ways they act and react that are authentic to most of us.) While I understand the devastating loss the heroine has been through, her responses and reactions seem way over the top most of the time. The way she acted and reacted just didn't come across as being the way a regular person would in her circumstances. A lot is going on in this book, and at times, I found it a little confusing, especially with these over-reactions. I found myself flipping back to see if I had missed some detail that she was going OTT about. While I sometimes read Why Choose romance, it didn't feel quite appropriate here with a supposedly still grieving woman whose husband vanished without a trace. Too many parts of this book just did not work for me.
2.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
January 29, 2022
This book was on so many different levels..
The book starts with Riley alone in her home that she used to share with her husband and two boys. They disappeared without a trace 5 years prior. Struggling with grief, tired of feeling helpless, and believing her family was taken; Riley learned to handle weapons and how to fight. Riley finds herself learning about ancient races of Supay and the Inca and everything she previously knew to be true no longer is.
So this one starts out slow and kind of okay but then you learn of the Supay(vampires) and it gets a little weird. Once it is explained it gets better. Everything then seems fine for the majority of the book until you find out that Riley is also an ancient race, just one that has been long forgotten. Finding out what she is makes things take a weird turn.
There isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I think having it state that Riley is the “saviour” to her people was slightly pointless.. it didn’t change the outcome of this book at all.
The book starts with Riley alone in her home that she used to share with her husband and two boys. They disappeared without a trace 5 years prior. Struggling with grief, tired of feeling helpless, and believing her family was taken; Riley learned to handle weapons and how to fight. Riley finds herself learning about ancient races of Supay and the Inca and everything she previously knew to be true no longer is.
So this one starts out slow and kind of okay but then you learn of the Supay(vampires) and it gets a little weird. Once it is explained it gets better. Everything then seems fine for the majority of the book until you find out that Riley is also an ancient race, just one that has been long forgotten. Finding out what she is makes things take a weird turn.
There isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I think having it state that Riley is the “saviour” to her people was slightly pointless.. it didn’t change the outcome of this book at all.
September 5, 2021
Blurb:
Vampires? Hell, no.
Five years ago, my world was turned upside down when my husband and sons disappeared without a trace. I mourned, I searched, and when I got no answers, I began to prepare.
Nobody will catch me vulnerable again.
Even with all that happening, I was wrong to think my life couldn’t get any crazier. Now there are two vampires at my door telling me my missing family wasn’t human…and neither am I. I have a chance to regain everything I’ve lost. But first, I have to find the truth about my heritage, all while fighting the overwhelming attraction I have for my missing husband’s best friends.
No matter what, my mourning is done. My life is in my control again. And I will burn the world to the ground to get my family back.
This book was formerly titled The Unseen War: War of Fangs.
Vampires? Hell, no.
Five years ago, my world was turned upside down when my husband and sons disappeared without a trace. I mourned, I searched, and when I got no answers, I began to prepare.
Nobody will catch me vulnerable again.
Even with all that happening, I was wrong to think my life couldn’t get any crazier. Now there are two vampires at my door telling me my missing family wasn’t human…and neither am I. I have a chance to regain everything I’ve lost. But first, I have to find the truth about my heritage, all while fighting the overwhelming attraction I have for my missing husband’s best friends.
No matter what, my mourning is done. My life is in my control again. And I will burn the world to the ground to get my family back.
This book was formerly titled The Unseen War: War of Fangs.
November 2, 2022
Our heroine was definitely hitting a midlife slump until some unexpected visitors gave her hope for the future. It is going to take some adjusting on her part, but she is ready to begin a whole new life.
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is a paranormal romance with vampires. The story is well written and easy to read, with a setting that is nicely developed and fun to explore. The characters are well done and bring an intriguing mix of personalities to the story. And in some magic, mystery and romance and you have the makings of a fun series. Overall, this was a great start to the series and I can't wait to see what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
This is book one of the series, so a fine place to start.
This is a paranormal romance with vampires. The story is well written and easy to read, with a setting that is nicely developed and fun to explore. The characters are well done and bring an intriguing mix of personalities to the story. And in some magic, mystery and romance and you have the makings of a fun series. Overall, this was a great start to the series and I can't wait to see what comes next.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
August 21, 2024
Riley's family went missing five years ago. A visit from a stranger leads her to believe that she and those missing aren't quite human. Then, she meets her husband's two best friends from childhood. Now, she's on a mission to recover her family.
This Paranormal Vampire Romance is appealing. While the main character has suffered severe tragedies, she's still naive, innocent, and clueless. She regularly accepts information without verifying its validity. She quickly moves from a celibate life to a polyamorous one. Nevertheless, the story is entertaining. And the ending is comforting.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Steamy. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
This Paranormal Vampire Romance is appealing. While the main character has suffered severe tragedies, she's still naive, innocent, and clueless. She regularly accepts information without verifying its validity. She quickly moves from a celibate life to a polyamorous one. Nevertheless, the story is entertaining. And the ending is comforting.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Haunting. Romantic. Scary. Steamy. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
October 29, 2022
I’m not really sure what I had been expecting from this book, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the thrill ride I got. I adored Riley. She’s surviving one of the most tragic things I could possibly imagine, and she’s doing it with strength and grace. However, her life’s about to get turned upside down once more. I was amazed at her resilience; her ability to roll with the punches, because they just kept coming for her. I really don’t know where the author is going to take this series from here, but I’m already itching to dive into the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.
January 5, 2024
Fascinating Story!!!!!!
Wow! This is a fast paced story. I will say that I am kind of surprised that certain questions weren’t asked by Riley and the events that took her family away. I really hope that we get to learn more soon. This story is extremely well written and developed. It is intriguing and unique. It is definitely a fascinating story. Elias seems like such a fantastic friend to Riley but as the story develops we see so much more. It is kind of an instant attraction story. It is full of lies and betrayal. It definitely pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Then we have this extremely major cliffhanger. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next.
Wow! This is a fast paced story. I will say that I am kind of surprised that certain questions weren’t asked by Riley and the events that took her family away. I really hope that we get to learn more soon. This story is extremely well written and developed. It is intriguing and unique. It is definitely a fascinating story. Elias seems like such a fantastic friend to Riley but as the story develops we see so much more. It is kind of an instant attraction story. It is full of lies and betrayal. It definitely pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Then we have this extremely major cliffhanger. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next.
October 17, 2024
If this is book 1, please just state that. I skipped to the end because I wanted to see how it ended and I have to read book 2 and, very likely, book 3... nope.
The plot was basically a supposedly human woman whose husband is a vampire (I think?)... anyway, turns out there are two men sent to watch her since her husband and sons just disappeared five years ago. But apparently the sons have been alive this whole time and she's not allowed to see them. Of course, she's ridiculously attracted to the two men, so I know it will turn into a reverse harem, but why not do that in one book? I wasn't that invested in the characters. Plus, they've put her through hell. So much more groveling needed.
The plot was basically a supposedly human woman whose husband is a vampire (I think?)... anyway, turns out there are two men sent to watch her since her husband and sons just disappeared five years ago. But apparently the sons have been alive this whole time and she's not allowed to see them. Of course, she's ridiculously attracted to the two men, so I know it will turn into a reverse harem, but why not do that in one book? I wasn't that invested in the characters. Plus, they've put her through hell. So much more groveling needed.
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