No Shade in the Desert

by R.R. Mangold

"No Shade in the Desert" is a gripping urban fantasy, with supernatural intrigue, and the healing power of love, set against the stark beauty of the New Mexican desert. Can Alex Sipala put aside her past and embrace a future filled with possibility, or will the shadows of Shade pull her back into the darkness?

In the scorching desert of New Mexico, vampire Alex is a shadow of her former self. Once a dedicated agent for the secretive organization known as Shade, she now spends her nights in a haze of alcohol, trying to drown the haunting memories of her past.

Her self-imposed exile is abruptly interrupted when the local sheriff, aware of her unique skills and past, pulls her into a case: werewolves are disappearing without a trace. Alex’s keen senses and experience with supernatural beings make her the only hope of solving the mystery in the rural town.

As Alex delves deeper into the investigation, she is forced to confront her own demons. The case becomes more than just a search for the missing werewolves; it becomes a journey of redemption. She enlists the help of Dr. Mariana Nava, a brilliant and beautiful genetic scientist. Mariana's sharp mind and warmth slowly begin to crack the wall Alex built around her heart.

As Alex and Mariana grow closer, the vampire must decide if she can trust again and allow herself to feel something other than pain and regret.

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2025

About the author

R.R. Mangold grew up in a tiny Oregon town, where she fell head over heels for theater, fashion, and writing—basically anything that would let her play dress-up and write about it. She eventually made her way to a fashion school in Los Angeles, where she filled journals with scribbles of movie plots, play ideas, and novel outlines. Finally, she decided her dreams couldn’t hide in the shadows anymore, and To Touch A Reaper became her debut published work!

She’s a storyteller at heart. Her work centers on emotional, character-driven narratives—often with paranormal or speculative elements. R.R. crafts tales about love, grief, healing, and transformation. Whether it's a ghost lingering in a Victorian home or a celestial being falling for a mortal, her stories feel layered, heartfelt, and deeply human even when wrapped in the supernatural.

Her stories often center queer protagonists and explore love, loss, and emotional intimacy. She treats those relationships with nuance, care, and often a touch of spice.

When she’s not writing, R.R. is likely hanging out with her husband, two kids, and her loyal hounddog in Utah. You’ll find them either gaming like pros or hunting for the coolest rocks around!

Reviews

[AshleysReadingRoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot to highlight a cute quote for this review. (Guess next time I reread it I shall get it then! :'D)

No Shade in the Desert follows Alex. Alex is a vampire who used to work at an organization known as Shade. The world did not know of its existence until they held a press conference to show themselves to the world. Alex left Shade to basically be isolated from her past and well most people in general. She was running away from it with alcohol as a crutch.

Alex is enlisted by the sheriff to help solve the mystery of where some missing werewolves are. It's that or the sheriff has to bring in shade.

What you can expect:
📖Vampires
📖Werewolves
📖Sapphic
📖A little spicy spice
📖heated thoughts
📖action packed

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Sapphic vampire book and I am here for it. This book gives vampire books a fresh take, it was different than most I have read, which made it that much more enjoyable. The character building of Alex and Mariana was written well and brought the characters to life. I loved that this book took place somewhere different from the normal big cities, it was refreshing. This book had just the right amount of spice to keep smut seekers interested. I would highly recommend if you enjoy hot Sapphic books.

[F.O.N: Lovelace · Rating 3 out of 5]

No Shade in the Desert is going to find it's audience. R.R. Mangold is the type of author who has a vision and executes that vision near flawlessly. A fresh take on the vampire genre that I think is sorely needed in the market. This book blends genre together, part mystery, part character arc, part romance almost seamlessly. People are definitely going to resonate the plight of these characters, if you have ever struggled to find who you are. Vampire or not. Cannot wait to see where this author goes with their next projects in the future.

[Sophy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, first have to say that this was a big leap up from her debut novel. We not only get romance in this book, but a badass vampire named Alex who is hiding from her past. Sometimes your past has a way of catching up with you. This book has action, trauma, betrayal, kidnappings, mystery, and so much more. It is very well done and the lore behind the vampires and werewolves is very interesting. Honestly, would read book 2 if she wrought one.

[The Atlas of Stars · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely solid urban fantasy. Alex was likable, the relationship between her and Mariana was sweet, the found family aspects were cute, and the ending was crazy! I’m completely obsessed with Mangold’s use of color throughout this story. It just made everything more immersive. This book had all the right amount of everything. It was suspenseful, fun, thoughtful, emotional, and had the perfect amount of spice. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

[Candace Aresfury · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The writing style was impossible for me to get over. Just short choppy sentences one after the other, no commas or semicolons or hell even transitions within a sentence to be seen. To me there was no flow just statement after statement ending in a hard period. I feel like it really needed a hard edit and a read out loud to maybe help with some of the choppiness. I may pick it back up when I’m in a better mood to push through because the story sounds promising.

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. It was recommended by someone at an independent bookstore when I said I liked Patricia Briggs, and this was a solid recommendation. It’s a bit like Patricia Briggs meets Blade. Yet it wasn’t quite up to that standard…and self-publishing drives me crazy because of the typos!! Still, I enjoyed this - it was a solid 3.

[Siva Loepard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit stilted at the start until I adjusted to the author's writing style, but overall a phenomenal book. Definitely will be recommending to my friends, and will most certainly be rereading it when I get the chance

[Kaysi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me struggling to put it down. Sapphic vampires, werewolves, hot scientists, and a mystery to solve? Sign me up. I love Alex and that we could watch her grow and process her trauma throughout the book. I also really enjoyed her and James banter. I can’t wait to get a physical copy✨

[Angel aka BooksnCats007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting sapphic urban fantasy with mystery, action, found friendship, and unexpected love.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First a sweet ghosty love story.
Now, a fierce vampire love story!
OMG. Smokin'!
The opening: OMG yes - supernatural folks!

Stretching from difficult relationships to medical abuse, this was a great story.
Alex could be in therapy, instead she's living in a rural town, helping the sheriff sometimes and drinking a lot.
Mariana is a scientist, working on gene stuff.
Then, were-wolfs go missing!
Vampire history in this world!
Were-wolf and vampire - can they work together? Yes, if they must!
The more Alex learns, she get deeper and deeper in a mess! Oh big mess!
Meanwhile, there is a slow-burn romance happening and oh that dress!
Secrets come out! Heads come off! And that ending! Wow!
I liked the vampire history, the romance, and the way Alex redeem her self with the truth. I loved the setting and the gene stuff. Oh and that dress.

[Erin Saulpaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. I will read anything with vampires and werewolves. Mystery to top it off. The banter between the two main characters is what won me over in this book.
I would recommend.