Bloodlust: His Mate. Her War.

by Harper Voss

His Mate. Her War.
He was born to conquer. She was trained to kill him.

Hessa, fiercest warrior of the dying nymph race, doesn’t believe in fate—or mates. After losing her family to the demon-infested forests, she’s sworn to protect her sisters at any cost. Even if that means facing the Vampire King on the battlefield.

Layne Drost is the terror of the realm, raised to crush weakness and erase the prophecy that threatens his rule. But when he captures the one nymph he cannot kill—Hessa, with wild green eyes and a blade at his throat—his world begins to unravel.

Trapped together in a cursed forest and bound by a prophecy neither of them can outrun, they must survive demons, storms, and each other.
Desire simmers beneath every clash.
But trust is dangerous—and love is a weapon neither of them can afford.

A warrior with nothing left to lose. A king with everything to fear.
Their bond could end a war… or ignite one.

For fans

slow-burn enemies to lovers

fated mates

forest magic

morally gray tension

and high-stakes paranormal passion

Bloodlust is the first book in a dark romantasy trilogy about destiny, danger, and the sisters who refuse to surrender.

Genres: Fantasy Romance, Slow Burn Romance, Found Family, Enemies To Lovers

414 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2025

About the author

Harper Voss writes fantasy romance that bites hard and loves harder—think morally gray kings, feral heroines, and prophecies with teeth. When she’s not writing steamy scenes under moonlight, she’s probably dancing, parenting, or streaming vulnerable chaos with a splash of humor. Her stories mix heat, heartbreak, and high-stakes magic—perfect for readers who crave tension with tenderness.

If you’ve enjoyed Bloodlust, leaving a review on Amazon helps more readers find it 🖤 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F9TJJ8RW

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💔🔥 Vampires. War. A love she didn’t choose.

Reviews

[Paula Sena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting this, so I have conflicted feelings about it.

Firstly, I would like to say I loved the characters' personalities and I think they worked well as lovers. What I need to add is: I didn't like the way it was executed.

I think they should have had more time to get to know each other better. Their time in the forest was a perfect opportunity for it, but they were basically just having sex and being horny. I am not a fan of spice, but I don't let it interfere with my rating. However, this was A LOT. I get that it's a prophecy and they're meant to fall in love, but they should have fallen in love in a smoother way—especially Layne. Also, I get that she's a nymph and it's part of their nature, but begging for sex is just cringe and ridiculous.

The sisters were okay with the whole idea too fast. I expected more reluctance from them. I mean, he was a vampire king who had been killing their kind for centuries.
I also expected Qwythyn to be more of a problem. She could've been a great antagonist or a villain. Since she wanted to be a queen so badly, I expected her to try harder.

It just seemed like everything was solved too fast. Qwythyn was with Madrick, so she gave up Layne. The sisters were okay with the prophecy and were encouraging Hessa to be with Layne. Layne just decided to end the war and everyone was okay with it. I don't know.

The writing was also a little odd. There were paragraphs that were basically just short sentences. It was a quick read, though.

Thank you to BookSirens and Harper Voss for this ARC.

[☾arina⭐︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Layne is desperate to avoid a prophecy that foretells he’ll have a change of heart in the war by falling in love with a nymph. His solution is to eliminate every nymph who might pose a threat to his plans. What I found unbelievable, though, was how long it took him to realize who Hessa really was. He was experiencing emotions he had never felt before, yet he struggled to name them—even though it should have been obvious, considering he’d never felt that way with anyone else.

Hessa, on the other hand, was such a badass. She never put up with Layne’s nonsense. At first, she tried to diffuse his discomfort with teasing and annoyance, and when that didn’t work, she shifted to a softer, more gentle approach.

I absolutely loved their banter and the tender moments they shared. Layne kept trying to push her away, haunted by the prophecy, but he couldn’t resist the pull between them. Their relationship had a wonderful balance of tension and vulnerability. I especially enjoyed the intimacy in some of the sex scenes—both between the main couple and a side couple. These are my favorite moments when it comes to sex scenes. Layne and Hessa’s journey toward trust and letting themselves love was really satisfying to watch unfold.

I really enjoyed all the side characters that were introduced. They felt purposeful and well integrated into the story. Even Qwythyn, whom I disliked at first, grew on me by the end, once she recognized what was right in front of her all along. I only wish we’d gotten more depth and backstory for some of them—especially the side couple introduced later.

The biggest drawback for me was the writing style. At times, it felt too choppy and staccato, which broke up the flow. That said, the story itself, the characters, and the underlying message to not be afraid to be vulnerable and to love were what made it an enjoyable experience.

Thank you BookSirens for the ARC.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Bloodlust… how I enjoyed you. Truly my favorite ARC so far in 2025.

Some of my favorite lines from the book:

“Wars are made by powerful men who do not feel the full totality of their actions.”

“He shifted closer, until his arm wrapped around my waist. I let him. We didn’t speak again. No promises. No lies. Just the slow, shaking exhale of two broken people pretending none of it meant anything— when it meant everything.”

“You’re allowed to change, Layne. That doesn’t make you weak.” A beat. “Denial does.”

Chapter 75 has many of my favorite lines, but that would contain too many spoilers to include. Just read it for yourself… :)


What I loved:

The writing has weight to it, descriptions and character actions feel deliberate. Characters have room to breathe and realistically develop over time - Layne falls hard and fast and succumbs to the reality of it more quickly than Hessa. Hessa, a sharpened, jaded, and battle worn soldier is a lot more hesitant after her parents loss. I love what the author does with the side characters - No spoilers again, but phewwww. They did not feel like throwaway or filler characters, they helped move the plot along and in a meaningful way.

What really stood out to me and why it’s a 5 and why I’ll be thinking about Layne and Hessa as I toss and turn at night 🤣:

Sex can be a form of violence, of lustful taking, of control, and dominance. By the time we get to 99% of the book, sex becomes a beautiful act of surrender. Layne is defined by control and dominion at the beginning of the story, meanwhile Hessa is defined by her stalwart spirit, he inability to back down and her drive to push down the guilt and fear. At the end of the story, both characters have not fundamentally changed, that would be unrealistic, but they have molded into each other and bent to become softer and gentler because of their love. Without giving anything away, the last chapter really is the culmination of their love: he surrenders control, the one thing that defined him and made him feel safe, while she surrenders her fear, which is what helped her survive.

Chefs kiss. 10/10. If I ever lost my memory this is one of the top 10 books I’d go back to read. So happy it was ONE book and not stretched out into a ginormous series. The pacing was perfect (quick and emotive), the writing was a great balance of a little flowery and action-packed, and the characters were… just wonderful. Fantastic how the author was able to capture enough emotion and romance in one book without making it feel drawn out OR rushed. Bravo 👏🏽

Some pointers, things I didn’t love:
- 2-3 quotation marks missing throughout the story. Not a huge deal, I’m sure other readers have caught those.
- I would have really loved some more lore about the forest and the creatures that live in it. Why it came to be, why it is the way it is. But it wasn’t a dealbreaker for me.

Thank you to BookSirens for this fantastic ARC. So happy I saw the cover and thought “heck yeah” because this was well worth staying up until 4am to finish!! Willingly reviewed, willingly chose, but unwillingly will stay up thinking about Layne and Hessa 🥲💜👏🏽

[Eden · Rating 1 out of 5]

~I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. Goodreads: I'll do my best to tag spoilers.~

What drew me to this book: it had all of the things.
Why I can't give this book more than one star: it had all of the things...

...but they were untethered, unmoored; drifting in the aether, plucked from the cartoon bubbles of BookTok'er dreams across the land. The Things so badly wanted to be pinned down to the page and do the thing but there was nothing for them to hold onto. Each sentence, each paragraph was so chock-full and bursting with its own bid for Viral'ity that they had no possible way to anchor themselves to the story.

Everything that happened (or didn't happen) in this was at the behest of one entity; one that was so narrowly focused on including every single one the tropes, desperate on the heels of clout and quotability-for-a-TikTok potential that there was simply.. no room. Character development, world building, the details and big-tails and intrigue and tension, they had nowhere to live.

This was, I fear, a Pick Me Plot.

I'll hit a few different points where I feel like the book actually worked against itself and then round out with the things I liked. I tried very hard.

Main Character Syndrome
(Alt Title: I Don't Even KNOW Her💅)
(Alt Alt Title: Don't Sniff Too Hard Next To The Plot, It WILL Crumble)
Welcome to "Avoiding a Prophecy Never Works 101". Our MMC, the vampire king, has "seen and heard all the prophets or seers" or whatever and doesn't put stock in any of them. Fair enough, he's not an astrology girlie, that's chill. Yet for some reason we open with the fact that he's spent a lot of resources dragging This One Seer out of the mountains for.. why? We never get to know.
[[ETA: It was pointed out to me that this feels very spoiler-y, but this is 1) from the book description and 2) laid out in the first two very short chapters of the book, so I'm keeping it <3]]

MMC: tell me things
Seer: you're gonna meet a nymph
MMC: okay and?
Seer: you're gonna love her
MMC: ew
Seer: she's gonna make you not wanna do war anymore
MMC: CRINGE I should just like, kill all the nymphs or smth yeah? (Pick Me Plot)

So now we're here, doing genocide at war. A genocide war the MMC started because love is icky, fate is stupid, and he wants to beat it up, no one tells him what to do!! Tale as old as time, right?

MMC, Prophecy Denier, Vamp King, Fangs McGee: he is Trying Very Hard with his genocide war to kill all the nymphs so that he never meets His nymph, and the pesky and surprisingly sturdy nymphs just don't want to die! So of course, Prophecy Dude is right there on the front lines, being super up close and personal in all the killing, with the people he's trying to kill so that he doesn't meet Her and do the "fall in love with me" schtick.

.....

Let's run that again. MMC is given a prophecy that he'll meet a nymph, and he doesn't want that to happen. Not because he's racist, but because she apparently has a magic pussy (?) or something and he doesn't want to stop doing war and violence, which is apparently what the magic pussy will do. So obviously, he tries to kill all the nymphs (A Very Normal and Reasonable Reaction, yes?) and is putting himself exactly in the place he's now most likely to meet her, since now vamps and nymphs aren't likely gonna around each other outside of this genocide the war (Pick Me Plot). Then, what do you know, he meets her on the battlefield? Le gasp. Shocked Pikachu is shocked. How ever could anyone with any foresight or critical thinking skills have predicted this?

The main drive of the characters became their only personality points, and they were just so over the top intense all the time holy fuck and there was nothing else for me to latch onto.
- FMC = feisty warrior nymph who's only 22 years old but can easily rival hundreds of year old vampires on the battlefield bcs she needs to be really super good at everything (Pick Me Plot). All she knows is avenge family, be snarky, be horny. Fate? Ha! Fate's not gonna tell her what to do!!
- MMC = angy vampire king who's just kind of a dick all the time, doesn't believe in love because he had a Bad Childhood™, doesn't want to stop doing violence and conquering. Shove it, Fate!!

Massive plot points were consistently dropped because I guess The Plot wanted to lose weight or something? Decided they weren't relevant anymore? Fell out of its consistency era 💅

Three major ones come to mind, and they were pretty large looming presences from the very beginning. I want to but can't get into all of them, but one I'll mention is: what we're led to assume is "a pull in their beings towards their mate" (only now that they've like.. touched each other? Idk, but there's distinct mention of "a pulse" or "electric hum beneath [the] skin") when they're close, that after chapters 5 and 6 is never mentioned again. The others? They were shoved in our face, so it's a thing to pay attention to, yeah? Then, oh my god something's gonna happen, and then..!!... oh, we're moved on I guess? There's not a bit of exploration, exposition, story relevance, anything. It kept happening again and again and it was so deeply disappointing. Something was dangled in front of my face as a reader, so I took interest, and then.. nothing. There was no payoff for anything that was mentioned so I stopped caring about.. well, anything (Pick Me Plot).

Every single moment is so full of forced tension with every kind from the very beginning with nowhere to go. Everything is 110% All The Time. I know we're victims of a genocide at war, but folks we gotta breathe a bit. This is relevant, but I don't know how to bring this up naturally so here we go: in this world nymphs need to have spicy time constantly, or they die. No I'm not kidding (Pick Me Plot). Simultaneously: a massive source of tension between the MCs is that they're super duper horny for each other. As they're "forced" to travel together and she needs to ✨fireworks✨ like every night, MMC is constantly mad at his dick for wanting to participate. No, it's not that she's his mate, it's that she's a nymph and her horny magic is trying to make him sin!! He's so constantly and deeply in denial I can't in good conscious make the "Denial isn't just a river in Egypt! 🤓☝️" joke, the fruit hangs too low.

Editing: The Enter Button Never Skipped Leg Day
These poor broken characters, every other line "something in them snapped" they must be just crumbling to dust inside /s. On a more serious note, one: the overly repeated lines from every carbon copy romantasy book was stamped everywhere in every which way all over the pages. In a chapter towards the end of the book, I finally started highlighting every instance of "And then--". Fourteen (14) times. In one (1) chapter. That was thirteen (13) Kindle on a smartphone pages long. Ma'am, please. I can't even count the number of times the MC's (not the Plot) "control snapped" despite the fact that I tried to highlight every instance.

Two: I think you could take at least 20 pages off the overall count if using the enter button had been forbidden, just by
adjusting
all
the places
that
there
shouldn't
have
been
paragraph
breaks.

I'm all for getting funky with formatting, don't get me wrong, but sometimes there's just funk. Not every sentence needs to be a new paragraph; there were pages where my whole phone screen was left-indented-two-word segments. At that point, it felt like it was for no reason other than sticking to the gag.

Three: an absolutely egregious mis- and overuse of the italics function. Sometimes, inner dialogue was italics, but not always. Sometimes, intense outer dialogue was italics, but not always. Very often, random chunks of text were highlighted like someone forgot to properly format their HTML "end italics" command (couldn't be me O.O). There was no rhyme or reason to any of it, so I also stopped caring about what was and wasn't italicized.

Where Art Thou, Homie??
The next major thing I noticed is about environmental and physical placement. What I mean by that is: Who is where, when? Yes. Well, no not there, there. Huh? Exactly. But where-- Exactly! Where and when when the where is convenient. Are you confused? So was I.

I highlighted and dissected and reread inside out, upside down, looking for clues I was sure I'd missed.

I. Found. None.

I was losing my mind. I thought I was missing chapters. I'm a bit directionally challenged irl, but I had to try to physically draw out maps and take notes citing page numbers to try and figure out where anything was so that I could write about it here. I looked like Conspiracy Charlie Day trying to piece everything together. I finally resigned to the fact that it just doesn't make sense, and I can't force it to. I laid awake at night reckoning with the fact that I was fighting a losing battle against a Pick Me Plot. The things just happen because The Plot said so.

Ex: characters positioned one way (say, facing another character head-on) and are suddenly adjusting their position in a completely contradictory way (suddenly whirling to face that character!); a sword is being sheathed, but in the next sentence it's swinging and cutting like it was never put away. Seriously, don't think about it too hard or your mental images will crumble.

Worldbuilding: in a word, shoddy. So shoddy, in fact, I think I'd have preferred none at all. Places exist for what feels like either, one: vague umbrella concepts for the author to reference when it's convenient, and two: we have to imagine somewhere for our characters to exist beyond an empty soulless void, right?

There are different "lands" that aren't different worlds or realms (I think?) and there is (can be?) free travel between them. Maybe. Nymph lands have one moon (basic), but vampire lands have two moons (based) and no daytime (odd). This is relevant. Humans live in the vampire lands peacefully, but not in the nymph lands? This is the only time humans are mentioned. Then there's the demon lands, which is a forest, somewhere. Where? Wherever it's convenient. The environment is very good at telling us where we aren't, but makes no efforts to tell us where we are. Or where the characters are, both in terms of where there feet are and where their dot is on a world map. (World map? Man, that would have been nice.)

Ex: The MMC and FMC are across the battlefield from each other. They make eye contact. "Her scent clings to the air." Bro is literally across an entire field of mud, sweat, and blood rn, but he can make out her individual scent *now*, and only after he's seen her? Okay. "And then--she lunges" at him, despite seconds earlier being alllll the way "across the chaos" (literal quote).

This is a spoiler but I need, for my own sanity, to try and work out if this part actually makes sense and I'm dumb, or if the map is just mapping for Plot's sake:
At the top of one of the very first chapters seeing Fangy Man at his genocide war tent. His army of vampires is in the camp around him. He waxes on about the nymph lands stretching out before him, and talks about how he can "feel the land even from here." So... the camp and battlefield that lays before it is not IN the nymph lands? But we're not in the vamp home lands, vampire lands, because in the next breath he talks about missing home. So I'm left to think, where could he be? Ah! We hear about this other place that I'll call the Demon Forest.

But wait! Now we meet our FMC. She's about to be sent "to the Northern front.. near [Demon Forest]" (emphasis added). We're not told if the "front" is in nymph lands or not, but it can't be in vampire lands because it's been established by MMC because "he misses home" and if that's not enough, there's only one moon in the sky and the sun is rising. But we're also not in Demon Forest. So.. where is this camp, surrounded by woods with the battlefield laying before it? Because we now know for certain, that it's: not vamp lands, not nymph lands, and not demon lands.

??????

Is there another place? A secret fourth option? (Spoiler, no.)

Then we get to the battle that kicks this off. We're at the vamp genocide war camp, which we've just established that is located at a giant ass question mark. The nymphs surprise attack, oh no! Fighting ensues, nymphs retreat, the fighting is over. The MMC and FMC stand up from the aftermath of the battle and realize it's just the two of them (where are the bodies and the soldiers that are still alive..? we're getting there), and demons attack then! Don't worry, our MCs can handle it. The demons are defeated, good job team.

But wait, where are we? Pshhh. Why is that even a question? Obviously we're on the battlefield that was outside the vamp genocide war tent that we just talked about but ohhhh no no no, hold onto your butts:
Our MCs are now isolated in the middle(?) of the Demon Forest forest. They need to find a cave to hide in so they can regroup before traveling. Because they're now lost from the vamp genocide war camp where the nymphs had ambushed. It's implied they're miles and miles away from their original starting place, multiple days worth of walking! This signals the start of their forced proximity journey back to their respective camps, needing to help each other stay alive in this treacherous forest.

McFuckingWhat??

I scoured the text looking for hints of how we ended up from point A (again, we have no idea where that's even geographically situated) to point B (supposedly multiple-days walk away) with no explanation. Spontaneous dual teleportation is apparently a thing when a Pick Me Plot needs it to be.


Manufactured Conflict at Its Finest
Okay. Fine. Let's try to follow the Plot's logic, because all I'm getting is that it's a roundabout ouroboros of fuckiness:
- MMC is doing conquering (I guess? he's just chilling when we meet him);
-MMC gets told he'll meet FMC and she'll make him not care about conquering and like.. colonizing? anymore;
-MMC says "nuh-uh you can't tell me what to do" and does a genocide war on FMC's people (can't meet her if she's dead with the rest of 'em!);
- FMC fights against the genociders in said war to protect her people from being genocided.
So: when our MMC meets our FMC, his fated match, his perfect other half, he would want to please her, right? And what would please her? Stopping the genocide war against her people, perhaps? Beg and grovel and plead about how wrong he was to do a GENOCIDE war against her people because he didn't want to me her that badly? Revolutionary. A win for feminism, truly.

Well that didn't really clear anything up, so let's try again. Pulled straight from the book's description: "A warrior with nothing to lose. A king with everything to fear. Their bond could end a war... or ignite one." Reminder, this is from the description and the first two very short chapters of the book.

The "warrior who has nothing to lose" (except I'd argue, she does still have stuff to lose, so either that's just a line thrown in there or it wasn't established well at all) is only a warrior because the king "ignited" this whole thing. Note, I am only saying "ignited" because the description says it and I'm making a point; the genocide war was INITIATED, completely unprompted (at least to anyone living in this realm of logic and sanity). The threat to the king, who "has everything to fear," is (checks notes) that "he won't care about conquering the world anymore." Hmm. High stakes, huh?

bUt ThEiR bOnD.. let's be clear really clear about this: at the beginning of this whole mess (i.e. when King Drac hears the prophecy for the first time in the prologue of the book), "their bond" isn't a thing. Between the prologue and chapter 1, it's been about 100 years, during which Pointy Teeth started this whole genocide war. Okay, we're at Chapter 1, so NOW the bond, right? Nope! It's also not a thing in the beginning of the chapters-part, because the genocide war has been happening for a century but our FMC is only 22 years old and they've not even met. That's 80ish years of genociding nymphs while she's not even fucking alive to be killed, or to BE MET.

This war genocide was "ignited" by an everlasting vampire because he.. (flips through more notes).. doesn't want fate to tell him what to do. "Because fate is a chain, and I have spent centuries breaking every shackle placed upon me. And now, it dares to try again."

This whole contrivance exists because he of his own volition started the a war genocide. MMC supposedly is all about conquering and overtaking and seizing lands, but it feels like mentions of it are included, at best, as an afterthought. His vampire army isn't tired of this war genocide because they want to get back to overthrowing other lands, they're just making fun of him because he's super intense over a little prophecy about a stupid nymph lmao omg how lame of him. There are no stakes (pun unintended but appreciated), there's nothing to gain by doing this war genocide, there's nothing to lose except.. MMC not being a brooding, conquering shithead? [deep, deep sigh]

Plot Pt 2: What Actually Happens?
Some spice, some swords, and some "politics." This is straight spoilers: The first half of the book is MMC fighting his dick down and working up the nerve to kill FMC to spite fate. The back half of the book is him being like "oh no, I actually love her" and making a political spectacle of himself as he tries to undo his tantrum a war an entire fucking century of genocide and war crime to impress FMC. The book pulled turns on a dime faster than my head could spin around trying to keep up with what the fuck was going on. Someone call a chiropractor frfr.

Please, Let This End
There were a couple lines in this book that were truly bangers and made me go "damn." The spice was pretty good. That's all I have to say to round this out. I used all my words up there. I need a nap and a hit of whatever those hobbits are smoking.

[Barbara’s bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by BookSirens | 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3🌶️🌶️🌶️


I picked Bloodlust by Harper Voss as my very first read through BookSirens, and the blurb immediately drew me in — a romantasy about a warrior nymph and a powerful vampire king, bound together as fated mates. At around 400 pages, it sounded like everything I usually love in this genre.

However, I struggled with the writing style in the first part of the book. Some sections consisted of one-sentence paragraphs, which made the rhythm feel choppy and prevented me from fully immersing myself. The forest section — about the first third of the story, where Layne and Hessa are getting to know each other and fighting side by side — felt slow and, at times, hard to connect with. The intimate scenes also lacked some of the push-and-pull tension I usually enjoy in romantasy.

That being said, the story picked up significantly around the midpoint. The last 40% was by far the strongest part of the book: once Layne and Hesse entered the negotiation phase and the idea of peace began to emerge, the emotional stakes finally hit home. I especially liked how the romance shifted when Layne demanded Hessa to make her own choice rather than surrender to destiny — this gave their bond more depth and brought a touch of classic romance structure (separation before reconciliation) that really worked for me.

Also worth noting: the book ends without a cliffhanger, which I found very satisfying — the main arc resolves cleanly while still leaving room for future installments.

Overall, Bloodlust delivered moments of emotion and romantic intensity, but the execution felt uneven — with immersion coming and going depending on the scene. The fantasy worldbuilding felt lighter than the romance elements, and I sometimes wished for more balance. Still, the ending gave me genuine anxiety over whether they’d get their HEA, and that emotional investment is what ultimately pushed my rating up.

I’ll definitely stay curious about book two in the series — the setup has promise, and I’d love to see where Harper Voss takes this world next, especially if the pacing and worldbuilding deepen further.

✨ Ratings: 3.5 ⭐️
• Emotion: 3.5/5
• Character connection: 3/5
• Worldbuilding: 3/5
• Romance: 3.5/5
• Writing: 3/5
• Plot: 3/5
• Spice: 3/5 🌶️

✨ Tropes:
🧝‍♀️ Warrior FMC
🧛‍♂️ Vampire King MMC
✨ Fated mates
🏹 Enemies-to-lovers vibes
🌲 Forced proximity (forest survival)
👑 Negotiations / political intrigue
💔 Separation before HEA
✅ Ends without a cliffhanger

ARC provided through BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author Harper Voss and BookSirens for the opportunity!

[Gwen Brophy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC. Read it in a day.

I really, really loved the plot. It's essentially the "trying to avoid the prophecy, and trying to avoid it just brings it on" but I never once felt like this was derivative of anything else, especially since the MMC wages war to avoid it.

He's not morally grey in the beginning. He's morally black, for sure, but like all morally black villains/MMCs, you need to know WHY he's that way, and the author does a marvelous job of explaining his mind set with memories of his childhood. It's efficient story-telling.

I was 100% invested in their relationship, and I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen to them.

I do wish the FMC/MMC had had more time together to build their bond before the MMC decided to give into the pull of the bond. He's also a shadow-wielder, I think, but I don't remember him ever actually using the shadows, and the FMC has some sort of magical power that is never explained nor explored. She uses it once to get them out of a sticky situation, and that's it.

I feel like this book needs more time. Time to explore both of their magics. Time for them to struggle against the pull before they give in. There are demons who pop up and then are never heard from again, although it feels like the Demon King might warrant a bit of revenge down the line.

There is a second book coming, but there was an epilogue in this that makes me think the second book might not continue with this specific couple. If it does center on these two, though, maybe my above questions might be addressed.

I will definitely read book 2.

[Inês · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This book was an ARC kindly provided by BookSirens for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

It follows the story of Layne, a Vampire King, and Hessa, a soldier for the Nymph Kingdom. It's a standalone book with future spinoffs for side characters.
I would describe this story as a spicy romance with fantasy background, since the fantasy plot is not very important for the story, besides the abilities and characteristics it provides the characters with.
This story is written in multiple POV's, mostly Layne and Hessa, and you can really feel the difference between the way that the characters think and I found that really immersive and interesting!

I honestly really enjoyed this story! I read this in half a day because I was so invested. However, I feel like this being a debut for the author, there are some things that could be better. Sometimes the writing made the story a little bit confusing (but not less enjoyable) and there were many one phrase paragraphs that sometimes restricted the pace of the story. Additionally, sometimes in was written in the past tense without any reason for it.

HOWEVER! I will continue to read the rest of the series by this author because I can't wait to see what more she comes up with.

This book definitely deserves attention from the romantasy fans!

Fated mates, he falls first and harder, spicy content, vampire x nymph romance, reluctant enemies to lovers, badass FMC, brood MMC

[Katie Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for the E-Pub

Wow this was such a fun read!
Take your typical insta-lust, reluctant fated mates and knives to the throat! Honestly, these could be seen as the 'overused tropes' but I disagree - Bloodlust felt fresh and was a hell of a journey!

After a prophecy predicting his downfall in the shape of a Nymph solider, Layne, the Vampire King declares war on the Nymphs in attempt to find his mate and kill her.
Hessa, a Nymph solider, sworn to never mate with someone due to a dark past, is hell bent on finding the Vampire King and killing him to end the pointless war.

Where the story lost its fifth star, was because I was dying for more from the main characters (which I think is a great problem!)

This book is perfect for those who love
- an easy to digest magic system and world
- a strong FMC who can fight against the best of them
- a MMC with a huge redemption arc
- multiple POVs from characters you aren't expecting
- a stand alone (with the next books following the side characters - which I personally can't wait to see what their stories are!)
- SPICE (from 20% so get ready)

Was such a fun read and I can't wait to see where this series goes from here!

[Liz | ᥫ᭡reakawayreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

🩸 fated mates / destined romance
⚔️ reluctant enemies-to-lovers
🔥 slow-burn romance with tension
🧝‍♀️ strong, kickass FMC
🧛 brooding, redemption-arc MMC
🗡️ prophecies & war
👀 multiple POVs
🌶 spicy scenes (~20%)
📖 stand-alone with side character spin-offs

“Wars are made by powerful men who do not feel the full totality of their actions.”

Layne is trying to outrun a prophecy that says he’ll fall for a nymph and betray his people—so he decides to eliminate every possible threat. Enter Hessa, a fierce nymph soldier with her own mission, and suddenly nothing goes according to plan.

Bloodlust makes familiar tropes—insta-lust, fated mates, reluctant romance—feel fresh and exciting. Hessa is fearless and sharp, Layne is brooding and conflicted, and their banter and chemistry keep the story thrilling. The romance is spicy but also emotionally satisfying, and the side characters add depth and intrigue.

Perfect for readers who love a strong FMC, a redemption-arc MMC, multiple POVs, and a standalone story with plenty of action, romance, and worldbuilding. Fun, addictive, and impossible to put down!

Special thank you to Book Sirens for a copy to review !

[Yas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book, but am not required to leave a review.

I enjoyed this book! I've been in a slump the past few weeks and I finished it in a day. I liked the pacing and the plot. Both characters were well written and no quick tie ups to get to the end, Harper did really well with the storyline making sure we (as readers) saw and believed the characters stayed true to themselves while also growing and changing in the right directions.

I take one start off because I think there was something missing, I having trouble putting my finger on it. I think it's because I wasn't able to get lost in it. Because both characters stayed detached for a long time, I stayed detached and I think I wish the come together was more crashing ( not the best word I could use sorry). I wish we got to see the FMC discover herself more, I saw the inner change of her thoughts but not what she learned about herself.

But overall I enjoyed it, it is a standalone ( which I absolutely LOVE) and I would definitely recommend!!

[MaddMoxxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Where Fate Meets Blood and Desire

Bloodlust: His Mate. Her War. by Harper Voss is a dark, fast-paced fantasy romance that blends war, prophecy, and obsession. The story dives into morally gray territory with a vampire king determined to defy fate and a fierce nymph warrior who refuses to bend to anyone. The worldbuilding is vivid, and the writing style is one of the book’s strongest points - moody, sharp, and immersive.

That said, the flow isn’t always perfect. Some transitions between character POVs and plot developments can feel abrupt, and at times I wished for a little more breathing room in the narrative. Still, the author’s voice more than makes up for it. The prose has a rhythm that pulls you along, and the character dynamics keep the tension high.

If you’re into dark fantasy romance with high stakes, brutal battles, and chemistry that crackles on the page, this is a solid pick. I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sara Lauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enemies to Lovers, reluctant fated mates, strong FMC, he falls first. *swoon* What more could I want!
I didn’t want to put this book down, the pace was great and I loved the multiple POV’s.

Layne is the King of the Vampires, Hessa is a capable warrior nymph.
A prophecy that the war between Vampires and Nymphs will end due to the king falling in love with a nymph. He is is avoiding this future with his desire to stay all powerful and in control. She refuses to accept a mate due to her dark past.

I would have gone 5 stars, but I was wanting a bit more backstory to the forest, I wanted more from Maldrek and Qwythyn. And more about Edmael. I don’t think this is a negative, just a sign that I was really into the writing and story and wasn’t ready for it to end without exploring more of the world and characters.
I hope there is a book 2 in this world!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[pluto_bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay… this book? Had me feral. The tension, the action, the high-stakes worldbuilding, it was giving everything I needed and then some.

First of all, the way the author blended fantasy, romance, and war themes together? So smooth. The pacing was tight, the atmosphere was intense, and the main character? Loved her. She felt real, layered, and absolutely held her own. I was rooting for her every step of the way.

The romance is fierce but not rushed. It simmers. And when it hits? Whew. It hits. I also loved how the emotional beats were handled. It wasn’t just spice and action, there were actual stakes and consequences that mattered. I felt it.

This was one of those stories where the world pulls you in and refuses to let go. Every chapter left me needing to know what happens next. It’s dark, it’s bold, and it has so much heart.

If you’re into fantasy romance with bite, protective energy, and a heroine who doesn’t play about her power, this one’s calling your name. Period.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars⭐️

Firstly thank you to Harper Voss and BookSirens for an ARC of Bloodlust. All views are my own and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

When I read the blurb for this I couldn’t wait to read because it’s all my favourite tropes! I definitely enjoyed it, but I would have liked a little more from the ending. I felt it jumped quite fast and the last few chapters covered a lot of ground. I found myself wanting the ending to be longer to explore in more detail what was happening.

I liked the world, the characters, the romance and following the journey of both main characters as they navigate the the prophecy. The writing was sharp and to the point, which helped build up the tension and high emotions of the characters.

I believe it is going to be a trilogy with the sisters so I will add it to my TBR!

Overall, it’s a good, fast paced read!

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The cover was what initially drew me in. It was really well illustrated. The story was written so well, I was sucked (no pun intended 😉) into the tale immediately, and craved my kindle, a comfy blanket and a cozy spot on the couch to read until I finished it! The FMC was strong and beautiful. A tragic backstory provided plenty of motivation for her to train hard and succeed in her place as a nymph fighter against the vampire army. Our MMC was handsome and stubborn. Some choice words and tough lessons from his parents, primarily his father, put into motion the events going on at the start of the book. Though there were plenty of moments where I was mentally yelling at the characters to just stop being so damn stubborn and get it together, there was eventually )SPOILER ALERT) a happy ending!

[Tamatha F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished an ARC copy of this book and wow! This book has me feeling all the emotions! the quick banter between the characters was so fun and wicked! I laughed, I cried, i stomped my feet a few times! The enemies to lovers is written perfectly and the spice in this book , let’s just say it was hot hot hot! I had a hard time putting this book down and was disappointed when it ended. The character development for the main characters and side characters was so great and i felt like the side characters could have their own books ( hint hint)! if you love a die hard enemies to lovers with a brooding dark vampire and headstrong fierce nymph then please please add this book to your TBR!!! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annie Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book, hooked me from the start and never let go. Great broody MMC and a kickass FMC that wipes the floor with her enemies. Enjoyed the enemies to lovers angst... I won't spoiler you with more info than that.

There were some things that gave me pause (Like how did they go from standing with the vampire army and the ambush to being suddenly four days away from anyone else? 🤔) but hey I'm really just here for the romance anyways. I enjoyed the story and I always hold that as more important than any plot holes.

Will look for book 2.

Thank you BookSirens for the ARC! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pricilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is told in multiple point of views, primarily centered on Layne and Hessa.
I was perplexed by the mmcs decision to form a romantic connection with the fmc, despite being aware of a nymph woman's predetermined role in his demise. It appears contradictory that he wouldn't exploit the opportunity to eliminate her, given that it was his intended goal. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters, which hindered my ability to become fully immersed in the book. While the book displayed potential, it failed to captivate me. Nevertheless, I think that certain readers may find it appealing, and I would suggest giving it a try.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review:
Bloodlust- Lust indeed! This was a fun action-packed romantasy with plot-twists and delicious banter - and delicious spice ;)

The story was quick and well written and the tension was high! The enemines to lovers were nicely done - in more than one way, and the vampire/nymph interaction were a fun ride.

I really enjoyed the maincharacters and how the story unfolded.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily - 4 delicious stars and a thanks to Booksirens for the ARC

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my very first ARC opportunity and it did not disappoint! Okay, I love Hessa. I think she deserves to be named with the great warriors we often find ourselves looking up to in our books. She’s vicious, strong, cunning. She found her match it this enemies to lovers. The banter and refusal of what the world’s plans were trying to enforce on them was thoroughly entertaining. They reminded me of Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows. Outside of the resemblance, this story is unique and captivating and draws you in from page one.

[Bénédicte · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been a while since I had given an ARC a chance just for the sake of it.

So I started reading without knowing much about it and without expecting much.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised.

This is the author's first novel, and while it's not flawless, I really enjoyed it.

The characters are interesting and their dynamic together is enjoyable to follow.
What I really liked was the fact that they have both tragic backstories and are two tortured souls (yes, that's my guilty pleasure),

I recommend it if you're looking for:

❤ vampire romance
❤ fated mates
❤ forced proximity
❤ enemies to lovers
❤ morally grey MC

[Pages&Pals . · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all I liked it, took me awhile to get into it and by chapter 23 I almost put it down but kept going and I'm glad I did!

The line that saved it for me and made me smile,

“You want me to buy you a sword to kill my kind with?”

I blink, feigning innocence. “Well, not just your kind.”

Then I smile.

“You too.”

From here it just got more interesting!

That epilogue was perfect also!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenny Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, romantic, and beautifully written.

This book surprised me in the best way. It’s brutal in its honesty, lush in its language, and full of characters who feel achingly real. Hessa’s arc in particular gutted me — watching her wrestle with strength, vulnerability, and the weight of fate was unforgettable. The pacing hits that sweet spot between breathless action and quiet heartbreak. A perfect blend of fantasy, tension, and emotion.

[Andreea Pădurean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the theme of the book, but the story telling could have been more intriguing. Also, the main characters were portrayed in two very different manners, and there wasn't a smooth transition from the main characters from the beginning of the book, to the way I saw them at the end of the book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been yearning to pick up a gooood vampire book, this was a great read! I truly enjoyed the whole journey. Even the stubbornness of all the characters.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I found myself curious about their world as I was at work or doing house chores. Definitely a recommended read!

[Alba Dorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this book a lot. I've loved how addictive (but complex enough) and emotive and also refreshing Hessa and Layne - the main characters - are. There's been fantastic action and world building. 4,25⭐

[Sarina Bint Tarick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is intense, emotional, and a little chaotic in the best way. The world is brutal, the romance is messy, and the characters aren’t perfect—but that’s exactly what makes it addictive. Not a soft love story, but one that claws at you and sticks.

[Jany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative fantasy, steamy love story! Fun read, light hearted and sarcastic humor throughout the book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the start I was hooked, the tension leaps off the pages.

[Rebecca Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story overall but feel like it could have benefited from more world building and could have just been 2 povs rather then the odd pov from a random character.

This is a enemy's to lovers story with a prophecy, war and hidden identity. Seeing how the main characters families shaped them into who they were and in finding each other learning that maybe things can be different and that even with fate you are free to choose.