She wants her library. He wants revenge. To win their hearts’ desires, they first have to survive each other.
As a forbidden half-vampire hiding behind her public mage persona, Glory has spent her life trying not to draw attention to herself. When the king orders her to enlist the help of a roguish treasure hunter to track down a life-saving amulet, Glory is terrified. Four weeks alone with a demon whose career is to sniff out secrets is asking for her destruction. She is determined not to fall for his charms. Or his smile. Or the enticing smell of his blood.
Cammon is no more thrilled about the company than Glory is. The mage is a buttoned-up stick-in-the-mud. But the king has promised to help him end his exile and resume his place as heir to his father’s throne, so he can’t say no. But he’ll keep his distance from Glory, even if her passion for the hunt rivals his and the taste of her emotions is exquisite.
To find the amulet, Glory and Cammon must work together to solve a series of death-defying puzzles across shifter-claimed forests, giant-filled valleys, and dragon-owned mountains. With every trial they face, pieces of their hearts are laid bare, secrets are revealed, and new desires are awakened.
Inspired by the kiss at the end of The Mummy and the waterfall jump in Romancing the Stone,
A Hunt Bound in Blood is packed with adventure, banter, authentic characters, and spice.
Known for witty, vivid characters, Krista Walsh never has more fun than getting them into trouble and taking her time getting them out. When not writing, she can be found walking, reading, gaming, or watching a film – anything to get lost in a good story. She currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario
What if Indiana Jones stepped into a fantasy world and set off on an adventure unlike any other? Oh, and what if this fantasy version of Indiana Jones were an exiled demon prince who feeds on emotions and lives for revenge?
And what if he was accompanied by a seemingly cold and closed-off brilliant librarian who turns out to be so much more once she steps outside the city limits and away from prying eyes?
What if both of them got far more than they bargained for?
Well, in that case, I'd say you're in for a treat. No, a delicacy of the finest kind.
One seasoned with perfect banter, sprinkled with magical treasure hunting, and topped with emerging feelings both of our characters struggle with. Oh, you will savor every bite. Your palate will love every quip, every look, every shared secret, every broken wall. And then, just to heighten the experience, you will be rewarded with just the right amount of spice, perfectly measured and perfectly spread out.
If you're up to it, join us for the adventure of a lifetime. You'll thank me later. And so will Cammon and Glory.
And I will, once again, thank Krista for having me on the ARC team and allowing me to follow her on this wild and exhilarating journey.
I had the privilege to read this book early as I supported it through Kickstarter. I knew I was going enjoy the book as I have enjoyed every previous book by this author. The first book in the Rogues of Galwaine series A Hunt Bound in Blood is a stand alone novel. This book has the well written characters and storytelling Krista is known for. This time we have an opposites attract slow burn romantic fantasy. Glory is a mage who has been hiding her forbidden half vampire side) and Gammon is a roguish treasure hunter (and demon). The King of Galwaine has ordered Glory to track down a life saving amulet with Gammon’s help. Their journey involves solving one puzzle after another, in dangerous situations and an evolving relationship
Krista is one of my go to authors for urban fantasy and now I am going to read her new romantasys too.
The writing captures you in from the very beginning. Whether you’re an avid fantasy reader or not, this book is intriguing and well written. A love story about being true to who you are, believing in yourself, weighing your sense of duty vs what you truly want and about trusting others - with adventure and a few mystical creatures thrown in.
This book takes you on a journey for a magical item with puzzles to be solved and desires to be tested!
Glory, a tempest mage, who has no power, is a researcher, but also has a dark secret. A secret that no one must know.
She has been sent on a quest for an amulet that was stolen. The amulet could possibly break the curse that has been placed upon the princess. The king requested she work with a treasure hunter, who also happens to be a demon and hunter of secrets.
Glory and Cammon set out on foot for a four week journey following all the clues she has researched in hopes to find the amulet.
Cammon, an exiled crowned prince decides to help Glory find the amulet to clear his name. He was exiled for killing the king ten years ago.
The treasure hunt is filled with puzzles, creatures and traps!
The clues are supposed to be hard for anyone unworthy of finding it. Glory has spent years reading through the notes in hopes of figuring out the clues and being worthy. The banter between Glory and Cammon is great! I love how opposite they are and yet, when they work together it's wonderful. They balance each other out.
During the quest, they are tested by creatures in each territory and make quite the memories!
Whatever else comes, make sure you're choosing what makes you happy."
The imagery that the author draws up for us to see is wonderful. You can picture their quest and what they had to go through in your mind. The entire book is like this and it was as if we were besides Glory and Cammon watching and going through all the tests they endured.
I devoured this book! This was a very enjoyable book with puzzles, different creatures, and a man and woman trying to find their way in life.
This book is set in the same world as A Dream Shrouded in Fury, and while it can be read as a standalone I feel you will get better value from reading that first.
Starting in Golthwaine where Princess Brynna has arrived but is cursed and dying. Glory, a mage who is part of the King’s council, believes a magical amulet could save the Princess, so heads off on a quest to try to find it. All the while she is hiding her true nature for fear of being executed for her hybrid status. She is accompanied by the exiled demon prince, Cammon, who works as a treasure hunter while trying to find evidence to clear his name back home and regain his title.
This book is an epic adventure while they are getting to know each other and see the true person behind the lies and hiding, and slowly come together. I thoroughly enjoyed the action and suspense of the quest, the slow burn anticipation and progression of the relationship, and that sense throughout the read that it must work out but never quite being sure how it would. I couldn’t put it down, so engaging and well paced, I look forward to more books set in this world.
Absolutely fell in love with the epic journey that takes place within these pages! We instantly fall in love with Mage Gloria Dolan and this wild idea she has to leave and search for a long forgotten, and hidden, magical amulet that has the power to save the kings dying bethrothed. Gloria isn’t happy when the king tells her to bring the famed treasure hunger, demon Cammon Ruxo, with her on this journey… she doesn’t need him right!? She quickly learns that she does need him as her journey to the amulet throws curveballs and dangers she wasn’t expecting her way. Can they find the amulet in time to save the princess? Can Gloria keep her secret from the demon she is being forced to surround herself with for the next month? As the adventure gets underway… so does the danger and suspense as we find Glory and Cammon are being followed and not by anyone friendly! Can Glory and Cammon work together and deny the inevitable pull they feel for one another? Can they figure out the clues to the magical amulet? Can they survive the dangerous events and creatures they’re about to find in their path?
A hunt bound in blood is an incredible journey that will have you on the edge of your seat much of the time! You really feel the pressure of the quest. I loved every single page and hope the story continues!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of A Hunt Bound in Blood in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author for facilitating!
I said in my review of Walsh’s previous novel that I’d loved the world she created. In this one she further expands it, seamlessly interweaving that with a stunning enemies-to-lovers arc.
At the beginning, Cammon Ruxo and Gloria Dolan could not be more different. Gloria – known as Glory – is purely looking to keep her head down and eventually curry favour with the ruling King, earning herself a role unthinkable for someone of her hidden half-vampire heritage. Cammon is a disgraced demon prince, who fills his days with exploration, feeding off the emotions of others, and plotting revenge against the family members who cast him out. The question is not if this pair will clash during their royally-enforced quest to find a magical amulet, but how.
And clash they do – almost from the moment they first meet. Glory sees the artwork around Cammon’s estate as a naked attempt to “evoke the feelings he most savoured. The sense of joy that comes from social engagements, love, lust.” Cammon, in turn, describes Glory as an “unpleasant shrew of a mage.”
What starts as a begrudging respect for each other’s geographical knowledge and puzzle solving skills slowly begins to grow into something more. This novel definitely puts the “slow” into “slow burn” – there are so many times when you think Cammon and Glory are going to finally confess to each other about their true feelings – but it’s outside forces that eventually get them to open up.
After loving Kalla and Jael’s story, it was a very nice surprise to see them and other characters from A Dream Shrouded In Fury again. Seeing Kalla and Glory interact really makes you realise Walsh’s skill in nuanced characterisation. Though both are vampires, Glory defaults to hiding herself, as she has done all her life. Kalla, meanwhile, is much more liberated on account of living amongst other vampires. It’s her not-so-gentle nudging that helps Glory to realise she can squeeze more out of life as her true self – with Cammon by her side. “It couldn’t last,” she says of their not-quite-relationship, “it shouldn’t last—but my willpower had disappeared the moment he’d revealed his ridged horns and powerful wings. Or maybe it had been the moment he’d seen my truth and not rejected me for it.”
The same is true for Cammon’s character development. He starts off as disinterested – merely looking for his next big score of treasure and others’ emotions. “I don’t love, mage,” he tells Glory at one point. “Love is a distraction and a weakness. I lust. It’s the nature of my being.” But as he continues to spend time with Glory, he comes to see that they’re more alike than he originally thought. “Wounded in our own ways, but coping. Surviving.” As they’re drawn even further together, his priorities shift.
A big part of showing that is the spicy scenes. I’ve never been anti-spice, but my preference has always been for scenes that actively advance the plot and character development. I’m happy to say that Walsh delivers on both of those here. In these arenas, we see Cammon go against his own instincts, slowly – reverently – helping Glory learn that sometimes good things can happen when she gives up control.
With all of this together, Walsh once again proves her romantasy credentials. Glory and Cammon’s story is sumptuous, tortuous and triumphant all at once – an adventure that I felt part of until the last page.
A Hunt Bound in Blood by Krista Walsh is the perfect blend of adventure, magic, and romance—an absolute gift for anyone craving a rich, immersive escape! From the opening chapter, Krista sweeps readers into a world bursting with yearning, secrets, and wild possibility. The dual POV pulls you directly into the minds of Glory and Cammon, whose vulnerability and intensity are deeply moving. Their relationship sparkles with tension and chemistry, making every twist in their treasure hunt for the magical amulet feel personal and urgent.Walsh excels at layering danger and discovery: vampires, demons, dragons, kings, and shapeshifters all converge in a tale where stakes are high and nothing is ever certain. Yet what truly stands out is the author’s gift for introspection and character growth—both leads feel complex, flawed, and so easy to root for.Every scene pops with atmosphere, action, or emotional depth. Whether it’s the adventure, the spice, or the clever banter, there’s something here for every romantic fantasy fan. This is storytelling with heart, energy, and endless imagination. I loved it, and I will absolutely read anything Krista Walsh writes in the future!
This was an incredible read. I immediately loved Glory and quickly became enthralled with Cammon. On the surface it seemed these two were like oil and vinegar and their mission was going to go sideways fast.
Quickly they both realized that they worked well as a team and came to rely on each other as they faced many perils along the way. Both had high stakes in retrieving the amulet for the king and both were open to one another about those stakes.
Glory had secrets, one of which could see her killed. That secret was revealed when they were attacked by mutts one night and she lost a lot of blood. Blood that she needed to replenish right from the source.
Cammon found himself fighting what he felt for the uptight librarian with a stick up her butt, but what started at intrigue soon developed into more. But he had to remind himself to keep his eye on the prize...not the girl.
As they neared completing their mission, all hell broke loose and Glory had to decide what it is she wanted. Her quiet library hiding herself away or living and loving?
This story just flowed and was so hard to put down. I thoroughly loved it and could have kept reading about these two 🖤
Where do I start? This was such a good book! Easily a 10 star read for me.
It grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. I immediately fell in love with Glory, as bookish Nerd and researcher myself, it really struck a cord with me. Cammon was a loveable rogue with an interesting back story, he had lots to add to the story and their quest. It was a fast paced, tense, dramatic and engaging adventure. All the clues and danger invoked by completing the quests, the teamwork involved and secrets that come unraveled, were INSANE! I was on the edge of my dang chair!
The dialogue was interesting and helped moved the story along, the pacing was great! The banter between Glory and Cammon was fun. I smiled so much reading each chapter. The spice was hot!
Krista’s attention to detail and world building is phenomenal. I travelled right alongside Cammon and Glory on this Quest and cannot wait to read more in this world! Definitely pick this book up, it’s a must read!
I really enjoyed this one! It's giving The Mummy vibes if Evie was half-vampire and O'Connell was a demon, and I'm so here for it!
I really liked that we got more world-building and explanations about the magic system than we did in the novella, although it does make sense since these characters are more worldly than Kalla and Jael.
I am obsessed with Cammon! I really loved how Cammon and Glory dealt with each other's emotions and didn't push each other too far, while also managing to push every single button. I also really liked the idea of a deadly scavenger hunt!
I really hope we get more information about Princess Brynna, and that we see more of Sy in future books.....
Ok, unexpectedly beautiful bookish nerd lady with secrets adventuring with the devilishly brilliant, kind, handsome protector? I am ON BOARD. I could not stop reading this, until I found myself near the end and realized that I really did not want the book to end! It is a beautiful romantacy from an author who never lets her readers down. The fantasy adventure is gripping and full of surprises, as is the romance. I don't think of myself as a romance reader, but apparently, when it comes to Ms. Walsh, I am avid! If you love fantasy, adventure, great writing, appealing characters, and steamy romance, this book is for you.
Treasure hunting, vampires and demons (don’t forget dragons), and immersive worldbuilding. What more could you ask for in a fantasy book?
Romantasy fans, this is your call to dive into a new world full of lovable characters and steamy romance. You won’t be disappointed. I loved following Camon and Glory’s adventure together to find a magical amulet for the kingdom, all while they went on an internal rollercoaster of discovering what life and love mean to them–for themselves and with each other.
Krista Walsh is a master storyteller. Whether you’re a long-time Krista fan, or new to her heartfelt narratives, A Hunt Bound in Blood is a novel for everyone to bond with and enjoy.
I had the pleasure to read an advanced copy of A Hunt Bound in Blood. I had high hopes for this book, and it did NOT disappoint!! This book had me hooked from the very first chapter! This one hit all the check marks! - Epic Adventure ✅ - Magical Treasure Hunting ✅ - Riddles and Puzzles ✅ - Witty Banter ✅ - Slow Burn ✅ - Swoony characters ✅
This was such a fun read. It was fast paced, with great character development and just the right amount of spice!
This is book #1 in the Rogues of Golthwaine series, and I can't wait to see where the next adventure will take us!
I’m not a huge fan of romantasy, but I will follow this author wherever she goes. This is the story of Glory and Cammon who go on a hunt to find a life-saving amulet for the king’s wife. As they go along on the hunt, they find out each other’s secrets, save each other’s lives, and draw closer together. I loved their romance, and I found the story to be as well-written as the other books this author has written. Fans of this author and this genre will find this book to be quite a wonderful find; please give it a try. Recommend.
And this is why I love romantasy. Glory and Cammon were chefs kiss characters 😭😭😭I loved their dynamic and adventure so much I was in no rush to finish this book. The trials and tribulations they faced and them getting to know and love each other was beautiful I absolutely loved it through and through. Highly recommended
I love the Romantasy genre - the magic, the action, the romance, and the spice. This book has all of that and more!
Glory and Cammon are as unlikely a pair as ever was written, but they need to work together to accomplish the seemingly-impossible: solving increasingly more difficult puzzles to find an amulet to save not only a princess but also to keep the country out of a war. They don't even know if the amulet still exists, but they each have their reasons for wanting to find it, apart from the aforementioned princess-saving and war-averting. That's an awful lot of pressure, and as they progress through the mission, they find that they really aren't as different as it appears on the surface.
I've read this book twice, and I was as riveted the second time as I was the first! This author is really good at making you feel what her characters feel, which is... ahem... especially nice when she turns up the heat. But there's also the nerves and triumphs and defeats and normal, everyday emotions, and I felt them all.
While this is a standalone novel, I hope this isn't the last we see of Glory and Cammon, and I am really looking forward to more stories coming out of Golthwaine!
"She wants her library. He wants revenge. To win their hearts’ desires, they first have to survive each other."
A Hunt Bound in Blood by Krista Walsh is an exciting introduction to a new urban fantasy series. The story kicks off with high stakes, intriguing characters, and a world filled with secrets and danger. I really enjoyed the fast-paced narrative and the moral complexity of the protagonist, Glory who is a mage and has been hiding her forbidden half vampire side. She’s tough, resourceful, and not afraid to bend the rules, which made her a compelling lead to follow.
The world-building is vivid, with plenty of action and dark moments to keep you hooked. The relationship between Glory and Cammon are well-drawn, and I found myself invested in their development.
The book does a fantastic job setting up intrigue for future books, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.
Thank you to Krista Walsh for the ARC Copy of this book!
very engaging characters, non-stop action, this book made me laugh, made me cry, kept me on the edge of suspense through the whole story. At times i wanted to crawl into the book and slap some characters, spicy scenes that were very hot but didnt overpower the story overall.
The epic journey of Glory and Cammon had me invested from start to finish, the banter and quips were fantastic and the adventure had me giggling to myself, biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat. I loved the puzzles they needed to solve and the creatures they found along the way. I enjoyed this book so much and absolutely devoured it! The writing was excellent and I look forward to more from Krista Walsh.
"She wants her library. He wants revenge. To win their hearts’ desires, they first have to survive each other.
As a forbidden half-vampire hiding behind her public mage persona, Glory has spent her life trying not to draw attention to herself. When the king orders her to enlist the help of a roguish treasure hunter to track down a life-saving amulet, Glory is terrified. Four weeks alone with a demon whose career is to sniff out secrets is asking for her destruction To find the amulet, Glory and Cammon must work together to solve a series of death-defying puzzles across shifter-claimed forests, giant-filled valleys, and dragon-owned mountains. With every trial they face, pieces of their hearts are laid bare, secrets are revealed, and new desires are awakened."
That was a definite 100% fun read. Perfect for curling up with my floofs, a bucket of tea & Storm Amy battering the Northern UK (definite ARC weather)
I Abso-ducking-lutely loved Glory & Cammons tale!! I wasn't really much of a "Romantasy" reader, but Krista Walsh has definitely gone & changed that now 🤩 The Rogues of Golthwaine are standalone books, based in the same kingdom & what a kingdom it is..... Vampires are outlawed, Exhiled Demon princes can be treasure hunters, Shifters, Ogres & Dragons have their territories, The Soldara Fae are whispering of war against Golthwaine & King Evaniel should anything happen to his betrothed, their Princess Bryanna who has been cursed... So it's a bring you back from the brink of death, life/kingdom saving amulet that Glory & Cammon are on the hunt for. All they need to do is follow the trail, solve the clues & find the amulet. (if it was that easy, it'd be a short book 🤣) but the amulet was buried a century ago by Mage Tersey & he had left himself clues & signposts in his journal that would lead him back to it, in multiple languages, poems, riddles & death defying puzzles, our plucky duo learn a lot about themselves & each other on this journey, with twists & turns that surprise & a whole lot of heart this book was a perfect stormy read
The entire book was so completely riveting and compelling, as you now know, I couldn't put it down! OMG so riveting! It's safe to say, I'm addicted to Krista Walsh! Krista honestly creates the most interesting complex characters that I fall in love with immediately, they take over my senses, they spell me and heck if I don't want to be besties with them! Her MMC's are some of the most delicious I've read, they're always complex, always magnetically enticing, always grey, flawed, but with a spark that sets my soul burning.
A gravely ill princess, her groom, the king, broody and distraught, no healer has come up with a cure, her fate seems cast in stone. Until Glory offers an alternative. Glory, a mage, a half vampire, is hiding in plain sight, she has a secret she keeps very close to her heart, one that if it got out, would be instant execution for her. As a researcher she's discovered an artifact that could be Princess Brynna's only hope but she needs to find it first. So she sets off on a rather perilous journey, burdened with a companion of the king's choice, much to her despair. Who is non other than a demon, a treasure hunter, who too hides a secret. Who feeds off emotions. Who'll make it that much harder for Glory to hide what she is. Cammon might be stranded on earth, exiled far from his homeland but he has the support of his best friend Sy and house keeper Mrs Taylor and a burning need to return home. I loved both Sy and Glory's bff, Ashara, both incredibly caring of their friend, both willing to help them, unconditionally. Glory needs sustance to prevent her from succumbing to "feeding" from anyone, which she's never done, the consequences are less than desirable. So, with "food" and potions in toe, Glory reluctantly embarks on the journey with Cam. Following the exact path written by a departed mage, in a journal from 100 years ago, so much could go wrong, and it did...
The alluring treasure hunter demon, so complex yet righteous, is beduffled by Glory. I love how he "classifies" her, seeing her only as an obstacle, rather than an asset. In fact, both had already made assumptions of the other even before the journey they undertook together. But slowly, slowly, these preconceived biases are nullified, as each one is conflicted. Cam is in danger of being intrigued to uncover the Glory that's hidden by copious amounts of clothing and stand offish attitude, "This stuck-up mage was a walking enigma, and I was at very real risk of becoming interested." Glory, on the other hand, is hard pressed to contain her writhing hormones and the allure of his...smell. Yes, he sets her vamp senses into danger zone territory. These aren't the only dangers they face, puzzles, riddles to solve, deadly booby traps, near death by shifters, attacked by mutts, not your average road trip!
Gloria's anxiety is palpable, she needs to succeed, she needs to gain the position she cherishes just so she can be "safe". As a Tempest Mage, she has major power in her, only problem is, with her half breed status, she either has barely a spark or can bring down an entire mountain and she has no control over either, so she keeps it tightly reigned in. Glory is a stunning character, I feel her to my core! I love how realistically the author captured her, her fears, her doubts, her emotions, her ramblings, so very "human", just make me love her more. I adored seeing Glory come out of her internal battles with herself, seeing her insecurities pop up so realistically. I love her quiet strength and when she finally let loose, well heck! I literally did a fist pump and jumped up and down in my chair with joy!
And Cam...OMG is Cam the sweetest, nicest, most genuinely beautiful soul! Cam is not only yummy, I love his complexity, which adds to his allure. He and "Buttons", Cam's nickname for her, slowly realise the fire that burns in their veins is not a normal occurrence but they fight it, every step of the way. I really love how they start to understand one another, how the misconceptions erode slowly, and the heat, OMG HOT!!! I love Cam's teasing manner, I love how he distracts Glory and I LOVE how she has him on the defensive from himself! "In all my years, I’d never met anyone who made me think committing myself was worth the time or aggravation", yep, that about sums it up! The Cam and Glory romance is gorgeous, it's so fitting, nothing is rushed and everything slots into place beautifully with an honesty that's palpable. I loved seeing the erosion of their bias, I loved seeing their personalities bubbling up like a geyser, strong and volatile. Krista really knows how to deliver, immaculately, every single emotion!
I honestly didn't think there could be more awesome surprises but then.... they, ummmm, encounter, a fury of vamps and it gets a whole lot more interesting! OMG I was in delight heaven! I loved the vamps! Especially meeting up with Kalla, Cliff and Thorn again! I have met them in the awesome prequel... I love how uninhibited and free the vamps are, even though they are essentially in hiding, they seize every second to enjoy, let loose and boy do they ever! Revelation after revelation hits both Glory and Cam, set up as only Krista can, magnificently dropping bombs with flair! How Krista does it, I have no idea, but all her characters have imprinted in my brain, willingly seared into it, to carry around, forever. This Elizabeth Barrett poem comes to mind "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." That's how profoundly I feel about these characters and this book.
I loved the incredible descriptive prose, I swear I could taste it all! There's a battle towards the end that had me panting! My anxiety was sky high, my adrenaline threatened to escape my body and my heart??? All I can say, the tug on my heart, no, my very soul, had me in knots. I also loved how Krista built it all up, the truism of the niggly doubts, the pacing, the growth in both of them, outstanding! Krista brings the tension, Krista brings the banter, Krista brings the action, Krista brings the twists, Krista brings the FEELS, Krista brings it ALL in spectacular fashion! I loved the mystery elements as well as the drama, the action and pacing, which is spot on and geez, there were a few times my heart was galloping like a herd of runaway bison! The uncertainty, the inner struggles, the romance, beyond fabulous! The plot immersive to the degree I couldn't tear myself away, I have to reiterate, it's completely and utterly unputdownable! That ending, oh my hat, it settled in my very being, lingering, engulfing me with a warmth I can still feel, 24 hours later.... Oh and there's an epilogue you DON'T want to miss! Trust me... Just get the book already, you'll be thanking me 😁
Thank you to the author for the ARC! “A Hunt Bound in Blood” is available now!
Not the author absolutely crushing her first romantasy. (Note for the older gens— this is a good thing)
A princess dying of a curse in a foreign land is a great reason to start a war, which means when Gloria realizes her lifelong research project could stop said war she absolutely has to help. It doesn’t hurt that finding the magical amulet would allow her to secure a spot safely away from prying eyes; after all, even half-vampires are forbidden. What Glory didn't prepare for was being partnered with Cammon Rux— demon, treasure hunter, and a royal pain in her prim and proper ass.
As of this review, this author has something like 32 books out. Which is insane to me, because the things I would do to be even half that creative…but I digress. I’ve now read 13 of those books and been fortunate enough to ARC read most of them. Obviously, I’m a fan. So when I tell you that this book blew them all out of the water, I hope you understand that this is coming from a decent foundation for comparison, and you should just skip the rest of this review to go read it.
In case you’re still here, I should specify that I’ve only read Krista’s urban fantasy series and, now, her romantasy installments. I have every belief that her epic fantasy series are also delightful, I just haven’t managed to squeeze those in yet. Regardless, this one is absolutely where it’s at. So far, “The Rogues of Golthwaine” has a full novel (this one) and a novella (“A Dream Shrouded in Fury”). You don’t need to read them in order, but I’d recommend “Dream” first for maximum enjoyment and some small spoilers found in “Hunt.”
Listen, this book was just *fun*. Laugh out loud, edge of my seat adventure, fun. It’s got puzzles, it’s got banter, it’s got thrilling moments of tension; I legitimately could not have asked for a better story.
The plot was solid, start to finish. Sleeping at a reasonable time became a thing of the past because I could not put it down. The world-building is incredible, and I’m so excited to see what else we get to explore in the future. I adored the characters; Glory is hilariously relatable, Cammon is deliciously rogueish, and the two of them together is just incredibly entertaining. Don’t even get me started on the spice.
I simply have nothing bad to say about this book. There was nothing I didn’t like, and that’s a rare find. “The Immortal Sorceress” watches Kat rebuild herself from the ground up back into a force to be reckoned with, “Hour of Witches” delivers all the loving family support you could ever want, but “Hunt” leaves them both in the dust.
Glory is a half vampire/half mage who can't use her powers unless she wants to unleash hell. She also has to hide her vampire nature for fear of being found out and executed. And to complicate matters, she works directly for the king making it even more important to hide her vampire half. When the King's betrothed, a Fae princess, becomes cursed and ends close to her death bed, Glory realizes she can save the princess and show the King just how loyal she is by finding an artifact that has been hidden for 100 years. Unfortunately, the King will allow her to go, only if she takes an experienced treasure hunter with his own ulterior motives on this trip with her. Now it is up to the 2 of them to trek across dangerous territories and solve riddles without falling victim to the traps of the mage who hid the artifact. Glory is a shy, reserved mage. She has never wanted to bring attention to herself and thinks she has a way to hide from everyone even more if she can find this amulet. She can't use her magic because it is all or none with it. If she loses her temper, she could level a city. And her anxiety, oh how she worries about everything. But being outside the city and traveling makes her realize there is more than being cooped up in a research position. Cammon is a demon with one goal - to get revenge on his siblings for framing him for a coup on their father, the demon king. He never thought a demon could care for anyone, let alone a human. And along comes Glory to make him doubt everything he knew and everything he thinks he wants. This book has it all! Action, adventure, riddles, romance and suspense. You are taken on an amazing journey through the land, both above and below ground. As usual, Krista doe an amazing job of making you feel like you are right there on the journey with the characters. You can feel the emotions as if you were trying to solve these crazy riddles yourself. There is never a dull moment and right up until the epilogue, these 2 are jumping into the fire feet first! There are shifters, dragons, demons and vampires all out to get them. I loved the treasure hunting aspect of this book as well. It was like the Mummy set in a fantasy world. I know Krista was nervous about switching genres from UF to romantasy, but she absolutely nailed it!
Krista Walsh's writing ticks a lot of boxes for me and I loved the idea of a series made up of loosely connected standalone books so this one really appealed for those reasons initially - but it only took a few pages for the astounding adventure that is this story to grab me and not let go for all 500-odd pages!
For me part of the early appeal of this novel was watching these very opposite MC's form the expected and incorrect first impressions of each other. Tones of Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy in the snap judgements and condescension that still made for a strong connection when the forced proximity trope was applied in such a fun, often potentially fatal way. This author excels at character growth and didn't let me down with it here. I appreciated the way she gave Glory and Cammon room to develop then left them to it. The length of this book allowed a realistic time frame for each to do some serious internal analysis and decide where their futures lay and Ms Walsh laid it all beautifully bare for my delectation.
I thought the balance of romance and fantasy was perfect. The added thrills, spills and tension just meant it was a captivating and exciting read that, I think, will suit many readers.
Dual POV is my favourite style of writing because I love the immediacy and transparency of the characters motivations and responses - "...the man ... looked as though he’d been dragged out of a brothel.". How funny is that?!
Krista Walsh clearly loves putting her characters through the wringer, and the reader in me adores the page after page of emotionally charged results. I just hope the next in the series isn't too far away and my poor heart can take more of this dizzying and exquisite world.
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
"Tapping into these emotions, allowing myself to feel. It was magic. It was terrifying. And painful."
I had read another book by this author, A Dream Shrouded in Fury, and I liked the characters and world. So, when this book popped up, stating it was inspired by scenes from the movies "The Mummy" (awesome) and Romancing the Stone (also awesome), I knew I had to read it.
The story follows Glory, a half-vampire mage who can’t use magic, and Cammon, a treasure-hunting demon prince. They have to team up to locate a hidden amulet that might just save a life and stop an impending war.
This book is first-person and has both main characters’ POV, which I always prefer in these types of fantasy romance stories.
It has a great pace, showing the motivations and drive between the two characters as well as their very different and often opposite personalities.
We follow them as they travel through the land together, finding clues, dodging traps and dangers, as they learn about each other. *swoon*
It’s one of those stories that I would love to see as a movie. It pulled at my heartstrings, had me laughing and even a little tear-shedding. I even cancelled all my work and plans one day and just decided to take a “reading day” because I wasn’t willing to put the book down.
The world-building is not too much, but enough to give you a good feel of how things are. There are some secondary characters, such as Sy, who I would love to see a book about because I liked his character too.
The banter was amusing, the characters were swoon-worthy, and I tore through this book too soon, and it left me feeling adrift, wishing there was a sequel!
This will definitely be going into my fave collection of books I can read again and again.
What an extraordinary amazing journey, filled with riddles that had to rhyme, death traps and some frightening creatures, royal mage Glory Dolan and demon prince Cammon Ruxo went on to retrieve a life saving amulet created a hundred years ago by the mage Tersey to save the betrothed fae princess Bryanna of the Nightfall king Evaniël. Glory had a deadly secret, except for being a tempest mage, she's a halfling vampire, outlawed in Golthwaine. Neither is thrilled to be thrown together on this mission. He thinks she's a stuck up brainy bookworm and calls her Buttons whereas she has to hide her vampiric nature at all cost. In a near death attack by shifters her vampire side is exposed when she had to feed on Cammon to save her life. At this stage the attraction is sizzling and passions start to flare. An overnight stay with The Gloaming Fury vamps, yes cameo appearances of Kalla and the Vampire Queen Thorn, results in a night of passion. I literally devoured this edition, binge reading all day, on tenterhooks, holding my breath, while the two were fighting their growing emotional entanglement and raging passion, battling dangers as well as racing towards their end goal of retrieving the amulet. Was there a future for them, two opposites, yet sharing a love of history and hiding secrets? This book definitely succeeded in keeping the guessing game riveting, strong characters and has a great shot of spice. The bonus epilogue at the end was amazing. Brilliant storyline Ms Walsh.
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary. Much appreciated
📚 Book Review 📚 ARC review A Hunt Bound in Blood by Krista Walsh 🍁🇨🇦 4.25 ⭐️ 3.5 🌶️ Releases ✨Direct October 23rd,2025 - Nov 5th, 2025 📚Kobo October 30th, 2025 until Nov 1st, 2025 💫KU/Amazon exclusive starting November 6th, 2025
“Do you trust me?.” He asked I blinked “I really don’t.”
Krista’s first Romantacy novel in the Rogues of Golthwaine series of interconnected standalones.
Follow a mage and a demon as they race to unearth a treasure that will save the kingdom; but is sure to destroy everything they thought they knew they wanted out of life.
This is a slow burn opposites to lovers romantacy fuelled with witty banter, a treasure hunt packed with action, vampires, dragons, and everything in between. Some spice but not so much that the story is lost.
As someone who easily lost with the way some others do spice; this one kept me reading. It has just the right amount of story, spice, and witty banter to keep me wanting more. Which is not an easy feat.
I love the character development between Cammon and Gloria. While there were a few moments I cringed, I genuinely loved both these characters and really hope we get to see more of them in future novels in the series.
If you’re questioning whether it’s for you, I say you should give it a try! It’s honestly one of the top 3 romantacy novels I’ve read in the last two years.
“And as impossible as it would have been a few weeks ago, I trusted him. I trusted him not to hurt me, not to push me further than I was comfortable with. To introduce me to layers of myself I’d always been afraid to explore.”
Where do I even START!!! I absolutely loved the character development that Glory goes through in this story. In the beginning I was sympathetic to her circumstances, she was cautious, closed off, and just trying to survive. But as the book went on, she really comes into her own and the change is not only satisfying to watch but liberating in a sense.
With this being a standalone, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to these characters and wished I was able to pick up a second book and keep going…. Both Glory and Cammon have their own quirks and inner struggles, but they evolve into people I didn’t want to leave behind.
Confession time: I’ve never seen The Mummy or Romancing the Stone, so I went in without any frame of reference for those inspirations. But honestly, I didn’t need it. The story completely stood on its own. If you’re looking for a well-written fantasy adventure with likeable characters, heartfelt moments, and a good dash of chemistry, this one’s for you. The spice level is mild to medium (so if you’re looking for something extra spicy, maybe temper expectations), but what it lacks in heat it makes up for in tension and charm.
Rating: 4.5/5 for character growth, adventure, and heart.