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Umbra: A Shadow & Blood Novel
Never did Anastasia imagine that in a world where shadows hold secrets and fate spins a harsh web, she would seek refuge in the company of a monster. Just when she thinks she is about to be free of it all, she finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the shadowy world of another, filled with a darkness that draws her in, even as it threatens to consume her.
Drenched in the blood of a merciless past, Donovan has spent centuries as a ruthless, immortal figure, haunted by the choices that shaped him. In finding Anastasia, he discovers a hope he had considered irretrievably lost. As their worlds collide, desire ignites, and the line between love and survival blurs. Yet, with each subsequent hardship, the destructive power of darkness looms larger. Can their love survive, or will the very forces that brought them together tear them apart?
Love. Loss. Obsession. The Umbra Coven awaits.
Drenched in the blood of a merciless past, Donovan has spent centuries as a ruthless, immortal figure, haunted by the choices that shaped him. In finding Anastasia, he discovers a hope he had considered irretrievably lost. As their worlds collide, desire ignites, and the line between love and survival blurs. Yet, with each subsequent hardship, the destructive power of darkness looms larger. Can their love survive, or will the very forces that brought them together tear them apart?
Love. Loss. Obsession. The Umbra Coven awaits.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2025
About the author
Ashleigh Guy
7 books4 followersAshleigh Guy is a romance and fantasy author known for writing emotionally charged stories filled with depth, heartbreak, and characters who feel uncomfortably real. She gravitates toward narratives that explore trauma, healing, obsession, and the complicated ways love reshapes the people who dare to reach for it.
Born and raised in Florida, Ashleigh eventually transplanted to Michigan, where she now lives with her husband, Aaron, and their children. When she is not writing, she can usually be found gaming, binge watching random TV series with her bestie, reading into the early hours, or chatting with her closest circle while working on her next project. She firmly believes that most problems can be solved with a good cup of coffee, a great book, or a well-chosen video game.
Ashleigh believes the best stories are the ones that stay with you long after the final page, the ones that hurt a little, heal a lot, and linger.
Born and raised in Florida, Ashleigh eventually transplanted to Michigan, where she now lives with her husband, Aaron, and their children. When she is not writing, she can usually be found gaming, binge watching random TV series with her bestie, reading into the early hours, or chatting with her closest circle while working on her next project. She firmly believes that most problems can be solved with a good cup of coffee, a great book, or a well-chosen video game.
Ashleigh believes the best stories are the ones that stay with you long after the final page, the ones that hurt a little, heal a lot, and linger.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 24, 2025
What really hooked me were the emotions. They weren’t just “shown,” they were felt—laid out so clearly and powerfully that they got under my skin. Words have always been a big deal for me, and this book weaponizes them. Certain lines hit me with a visceral punch.
And here’s the wild part—there were things the characters did that normally would’ve made me cringe (blades, for example). But it worked. Completely. Why? Because the authors made it clear what those moments meant for the characters—their pleasure, their connection. No pain, just intensity. That made all the difference.
The style itself was hypnotic. The short, clipped sentences, the extra white space on the page—it created this hollow void, almost like a silent narrator hovering in the background. I usually don’t love that kind of layout, but here? It was superb. The characters felt alive because the authors clearly knew them, down to details that never even hit the page. That depth shows, and it’s what makes the story linger.
And then there are quotes like this: “He feels more familiar than the people who claim to love me. More solid than the world that holds me captive. He is everything this life refuses me—freedom, softness, choice. A secret. A possibility. A rebellion dressed in shadows.” That’s the kind of line that stays with you.
In short, Umbra is dark, emotional, and hypnotic. It takes risks, and they pay off. Even when I thought I wouldn’t like certain things, the writing pulled me in anyway. If you want a story that’s as much about atmosphere and emotion as it is about plot, this one delivers.
And here’s the wild part—there were things the characters did that normally would’ve made me cringe (blades, for example). But it worked. Completely. Why? Because the authors made it clear what those moments meant for the characters—their pleasure, their connection. No pain, just intensity. That made all the difference.
The style itself was hypnotic. The short, clipped sentences, the extra white space on the page—it created this hollow void, almost like a silent narrator hovering in the background. I usually don’t love that kind of layout, but here? It was superb. The characters felt alive because the authors clearly knew them, down to details that never even hit the page. That depth shows, and it’s what makes the story linger.
And then there are quotes like this: “He feels more familiar than the people who claim to love me. More solid than the world that holds me captive. He is everything this life refuses me—freedom, softness, choice. A secret. A possibility. A rebellion dressed in shadows.” That’s the kind of line that stays with you.
In short, Umbra is dark, emotional, and hypnotic. It takes risks, and they pay off. Even when I thought I wouldn’t like certain things, the writing pulled me in anyway. If you want a story that’s as much about atmosphere and emotion as it is about plot, this one delivers.
June 26, 2025
I could have easily given this book 5 stars. I loved the story and the MMC, and it was written very well. The reason I chose to drop to 4 is because I felt like we were missing part of the resolution. I needed a scene that just wasn’t there in the end.
Donovan is a sexy bad@ss vampire. He’s cold and reserved, in everything he does. But that changes when it comes to Ana...
Ana is trained to hunt and hate
vampires, but that doesn’t mean she can’t indulge in her feelings for one in particular, in her dreams...
This tale will suck you in. Pun intended. Definitely recommend it.
Curious what others will think about the ending...
Donovan is a sexy bad@ss vampire. He’s cold and reserved, in everything he does. But that changes when it comes to Ana...
Ana is trained to hunt and hate
vampires, but that doesn’t mean she can’t indulge in her feelings for one in particular, in her dreams...
This tale will suck you in. Pun intended. Definitely recommend it.
Curious what others will think about the ending...
May 9, 2025
This is the debut novel of Ashleigh Guy and Josephine Lynn. I was totally sucked in from the get-go - the passion was sizzling, the drama was crazy suspenseful, and let's just say the steamy scenes were hot, hot, hot! Donovan and Anastasia had some serious chemistry going on - it was dreamy! If you're into paranormal romance with smokin' hot vampires, you'll devour this book!
October 1, 2025
Great Enemies to Lovers story. I love a good jealous vampire shadow daddy.
I struggled with relating to Ana, but it was still a fun spicy read. Want spicy vamp, enemy to lovers, love triangle, forced marriage story. This one is for you.
I struggled with relating to Ana, but it was still a fun spicy read. Want spicy vamp, enemy to lovers, love triangle, forced marriage story. This one is for you.
May 10, 2025
It has mafia men, a morally gray anti-hero, and a kicks-butt FMC. What more could you ask for from a Mafia Vampire dark romance?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews