What do you think?
Rate this book
Blood Lies: A dark vampire why choose standalone
With the blood of the Van Helsing slayers in my veins and the legacy of Dracula himself in my bones, my future as the Queen of Vampires is set in stone.
Yet I want nothing to do with it.
One fateful night I’m pushed to the brink and escape to the human realm, and am quickly confronted with the violent reality of why I was forbidden to come here. Two devastatingly handsome brothers disarm me with wit, charm, and a shared dream of the arts. I think I’ve found kindred spirits, but what I find instead is the doorway into their family nightmare. Chained and left on the brink of death's doorstep, I reconnect with the dark side of myself I swore to leave behind, in order to survive.
Somehow monsters like me can find devotion and love in the most unexpected places, and it turns out I’m not the only one held by chains in this compound. Three humans I once swore to kill vow to break me out and protect me. They’re meant only to be a means of escape, but somewhere along my path of vengeance, they become the very people my soul craves.
Together we must face the demons we’re running from. Only then will we know if love can save us, or if it will demand we bleed for it.
***
Author Blood Lies is a standalone dark, why choose vampire and human romance for readers who crave vengeance, obsession, and love that cuts as deep as it heals.
Blood Lies is a 107k word full-length standalone that CAN be read without reading previous works in this universe.
Yet I want nothing to do with it.
One fateful night I’m pushed to the brink and escape to the human realm, and am quickly confronted with the violent reality of why I was forbidden to come here. Two devastatingly handsome brothers disarm me with wit, charm, and a shared dream of the arts. I think I’ve found kindred spirits, but what I find instead is the doorway into their family nightmare. Chained and left on the brink of death's doorstep, I reconnect with the dark side of myself I swore to leave behind, in order to survive.
Somehow monsters like me can find devotion and love in the most unexpected places, and it turns out I’m not the only one held by chains in this compound. Three humans I once swore to kill vow to break me out and protect me. They’re meant only to be a means of escape, but somewhere along my path of vengeance, they become the very people my soul craves.
Together we must face the demons we’re running from. Only then will we know if love can save us, or if it will demand we bleed for it.
***
Author Blood Lies is a standalone dark, why choose vampire and human romance for readers who crave vengeance, obsession, and love that cuts as deep as it heals.
Blood Lies is a 107k word full-length standalone that CAN be read without reading previous works in this universe.
430 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
186 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Caulder
42 books1,671 followersR.L. Caulder is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in her writing cave away from the intense heat of the Florida sun with her husband and furry writing assistants, MeowMeow and Winrey. Life is never boring for R.L., who has hundreds of imaginary friends constantly vying for her attention and begging for their stories to be told.
If you're looking for ways to interact with R.L., you can find her on Facebook, in her group:
The Cauldron: R.L. Caulder Reader Group
If you're looking for ways to interact with R.L., you can find her on Facebook, in her group:
The Cauldron: R.L. Caulder Reader Group
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
September 26, 2025
If you loved Alina in the Blood Oath series, then you're going to love her daughter (Alina had a baby!) in this standalone from R.L. Caulder.
When I tell you I yelled at the book, I cried, I wanted to reach into the pages and both hug and de-life characters, that's putting it lightly.
Briar, my sweet baby B, deserves every bit of goodness her boys can give her - especially that dirty talking one. 🥵
The men are very lickable. And loveable. They need hugs, okay?
While some may think the book needs more spice or that it ends abruptly, I disagree. Keeping in mind it's a standalone that's full of action, torture, and abuse, I think it's perfect as is. Any more spice wouldn't have made sense and would have felt forced. The ending, which includes not one but TWO epilogues, is exactly what I needed to tie everything together.
Besides, with a golden retriever MMC who has a tragic backstory, his dirty talking twin, and their cousin of the slutty gold chain? You really can't ask for more.
As a spoiler, my most commonly used emojis while reading: 🥵🥹🫠😭. Do with that what you will.
When I tell you I yelled at the book, I cried, I wanted to reach into the pages and both hug and de-life characters, that's putting it lightly.
Briar, my sweet baby B, deserves every bit of goodness her boys can give her - especially that dirty talking one. 🥵
The men are very lickable. And loveable. They need hugs, okay?
While some may think the book needs more spice or that it ends abruptly, I disagree. Keeping in mind it's a standalone that's full of action, torture, and abuse, I think it's perfect as is. Any more spice wouldn't have made sense and would have felt forced. The ending, which includes not one but TWO epilogues, is exactly what I needed to tie everything together.
Besides, with a golden retriever MMC who has a tragic backstory, his dirty talking twin, and their cousin of the slutty gold chain? You really can't ask for more.
As a spoiler, my most commonly used emojis while reading: 🥵🥹🫠😭. Do with that what you will.
November 4, 2025
Bite of vengeance is one of my favorite vampire series—I was excited to jump into this world again. This was a quick action packed read and I loved every second of it.
October 1, 2025
❤️🔥 4.5 𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉𝖞 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖘 ❤️🔥
“𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝.”
get ready to sink your teeth into another great book by R.L. Caulder 🖤
the 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑶𝒂𝒕𝒉 series is one of my favourites, so when R.L announced a 2nd gen book about Alina’s daughter, i was so excited and it did not disappoint. this book def gave me the vibes of The Little Mermaid 2 where Alina and her mates want to protect their daughter Briar from humans and vampire hunters, and Briar wants to live among the humans and live a life not planned out by her parents.
this is a 𝓼𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓷 and majority of the spice happens in the epilogue. so if you’re looking for a book that is super spicy, this is not it. but this book about the journey and strength of Briar, but also Dante, Callum, and Elias. there is much for all of them to work through individually but also together. Callum and Elias need to deal with that Briar is one of the “monsters” that killed their mother. and Briar now has to deal with that these 3 men were complicit in her abduction and torture.
“𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”
the ending and epilogue were so satisfying. and i loved being back in this universe and all the mentions of the other characters. you don’t need to read Briar’s mom’s series, or the others in the universe, but it’s so highly recommended.
thank you R.L. Caulder for an e-ARC of 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒆𝒔 🩸🖤🗡️
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, 3 human mmcs, 1 vampire fmc
2 brothers & 1 cousin in group, vampire hunters x vampires, sassy & badass fmc, captor x captive, slow burn, 2nd gen, revenge, DP, group scene in epilogue, HEA, epilogue
“𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝.”
get ready to sink your teeth into another great book by R.L. Caulder 🖤
the 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑶𝒂𝒕𝒉 series is one of my favourites, so when R.L announced a 2nd gen book about Alina’s daughter, i was so excited and it did not disappoint. this book def gave me the vibes of The Little Mermaid 2 where Alina and her mates want to protect their daughter Briar from humans and vampire hunters, and Briar wants to live among the humans and live a life not planned out by her parents.
this is a 𝓼𝓵𝓸𝔀 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓷 and majority of the spice happens in the epilogue. so if you’re looking for a book that is super spicy, this is not it. but this book about the journey and strength of Briar, but also Dante, Callum, and Elias. there is much for all of them to work through individually but also together. Callum and Elias need to deal with that Briar is one of the “monsters” that killed their mother. and Briar now has to deal with that these 3 men were complicit in her abduction and torture.
“𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”
the ending and epilogue were so satisfying. and i loved being back in this universe and all the mentions of the other characters. you don’t need to read Briar’s mom’s series, or the others in the universe, but it’s so highly recommended.
thank you R.L. Caulder for an e-ARC of 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒆𝒔 🩸🖤🗡️
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
MFMM, 3 human mmcs, 1 vampire fmc
2 brothers & 1 cousin in group, vampire hunters x vampires, sassy & badass fmc, captor x captive, slow burn, 2nd gen, revenge, DP, group scene in epilogue, HEA, epilogue
October 3, 2025
Okay 2nd generation
I was really excited when I saw there was going to be a gen 2 story for Alina and her family. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite hold up to the previous stories. I think part of it is that the 1st generation 's story got to be developed over a few books, giving us a more authentic growth and insight for relationships forming in a way that's harder to do in 1 reasonably sized book. There were good bones to the story, but it just didn't feel as satisfying as the rest of the series was to read.
I found our MFC pretty irritating at the beginning of the story, almost to the point that I nearly quit after the first few chapters. She knows what her parents have experienced and seen, and the whole "I know better, my overbearing, unreasonable parents are raining on my parade and won't let me live my life" really just doesn't sit well, especially if you've read about her parents. They clearly have given her a large range of opportunities and trying to keep her reasonably safe, but all she does is comes across as entitled and stupid.... and eventually she pays a pretty awful price for it.
I almost wonder if I would like the story more if I hadn't reread the parents' story again first. You don't *really* need to read their story to understand this one, and maybe my fondess for them made Briar's attitude more unbearable. 😂
The MMC are .... Okay? Again, I think that they had a lot of potential, but in one book, it didn't feel like there was enough "time" for the relationships to feel like they reached their potential or get a better picture of them all individually. The spice level was less and more heavy at the very end, which fits considering the role the guys play in Briar's misery for a good portion of the story. I would have liked to see more of Dante And his viewpoint in particular, since the poor guy definitely got the short end of the stick and deserves to definitely live free of his evil daddy.
In summary: The plot was overall interesting. Briar becomes more likable as the story goes on. The MMCs were okay, could have been fleshed out more. I'd lean more towards 3.5 overall with low-medium spice, since it wasn't really memorable until the end of the story lol.
I was really excited when I saw there was going to be a gen 2 story for Alina and her family. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite hold up to the previous stories. I think part of it is that the 1st generation 's story got to be developed over a few books, giving us a more authentic growth and insight for relationships forming in a way that's harder to do in 1 reasonably sized book. There were good bones to the story, but it just didn't feel as satisfying as the rest of the series was to read.
I found our MFC pretty irritating at the beginning of the story, almost to the point that I nearly quit after the first few chapters. She knows what her parents have experienced and seen, and the whole "I know better, my overbearing, unreasonable parents are raining on my parade and won't let me live my life" really just doesn't sit well, especially if you've read about her parents. They clearly have given her a large range of opportunities and trying to keep her reasonably safe, but all she does is comes across as entitled and stupid.... and eventually she pays a pretty awful price for it.
I almost wonder if I would like the story more if I hadn't reread the parents' story again first. You don't *really* need to read their story to understand this one, and maybe my fondess for them made Briar's attitude more unbearable. 😂
The MMC are .... Okay? Again, I think that they had a lot of potential, but in one book, it didn't feel like there was enough "time" for the relationships to feel like they reached their potential or get a better picture of them all individually. The spice level was less and more heavy at the very end, which fits considering the role the guys play in Briar's misery for a good portion of the story. I would have liked to see more of Dante And his viewpoint in particular, since the poor guy definitely got the short end of the stick and deserves to definitely live free of his evil daddy.
In summary: The plot was overall interesting. Briar becomes more likable as the story goes on. The MMCs were okay, could have been fleshed out more. I'd lean more towards 3.5 overall with low-medium spice, since it wasn't really memorable until the end of the story lol.
October 15, 2025
Absolutely loved this one! Can be read by itself as a standalone of as book 5 in the Blood Oath series which is also amazing! Alina Van Helsing, a Slayer turned vampire & Dracula 🤭
Blood lies is a continuation about her daughter Briar who wants nothing more than to attend college in human world but her parents have other plans for her.
Ultimately she ends up running away and getting captured by the hunters & falling for her human captors that end up breaking her out! Honestly I loved how fast paced the book was and I think it was my favourite one in the series personally 💖 It is another Why Choose and very well written, I love when you can feel all the emotions and feelings with the different love interests ❤️
Fav quote:
The moment is surreal, but not because of the beautiful light in this sanctuary of arts.
It's her.
The way she sits here, hazel eyes unguarded, speaking truths she didn't have to share. The way she bares herself through the lines of graphite and the tremor of her voice, offering me a glimpse of her soul when the world's already taken so much from her.
She is more beautiful than I've ever let myself admit. Not just because of her exterior, but because she's still creating. Allowing herself to feel and finding ways to turn her pain into art.
Blood lies is a continuation about her daughter Briar who wants nothing more than to attend college in human world but her parents have other plans for her.
Ultimately she ends up running away and getting captured by the hunters & falling for her human captors that end up breaking her out! Honestly I loved how fast paced the book was and I think it was my favourite one in the series personally 💖 It is another Why Choose and very well written, I love when you can feel all the emotions and feelings with the different love interests ❤️
Fav quote:
The moment is surreal, but not because of the beautiful light in this sanctuary of arts.
It's her.
The way she sits here, hazel eyes unguarded, speaking truths she didn't have to share. The way she bares herself through the lines of graphite and the tremor of her voice, offering me a glimpse of her soul when the world's already taken so much from her.
She is more beautiful than I've ever let myself admit. Not just because of her exterior, but because she's still creating. Allowing herself to feel and finding ways to turn her pain into art.
October 1, 2025
Normally I am not one for second generation books and that is only due to a personal preference. But I absolutely loved Alina’s story I wanted to give her daughter a chance. Boy, am I glad I did. We meet Briar, now, at first I am like boy is she a spoiled, doesn’t know what is good for her young lady. Then we meet Elias and Callum that throws a wrench into the game. Briar shows us how strong and determined she is. She shows how much she loves her family. Elias, Callum, and then Dante, the third one we meet, all have some issues that are really felt throughout the story. This story is jammed packed with so much in a short amount of time. The pain and despair you feel coming off all the characters will have your heart breaking. The way they end up have to do things that they wouldn’t expect just adds that extra element to the story. The ending in this story was intense. The action that takes place has you absolutely rooting for Briar. It was fantastic to see Alina and her mates at times in the story. An absolute fantastic story that doesn’t disappoint.
October 12, 2025
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️,5
- Why choose
- Slow burn
- Vampire x humans
- Vampire x vampire hunters
- Captor/Captive
- Revenge
- HEA
If you know me you know I can’t resist reading a RL Caulder’s book and especially books in the Blood Oath series universe !
The story follows Briar, Alina’s daughter, in a quest for identity and discovery. I loved her from the beginning and was rooting for her all along. Her character development was really well done. Her ability to grow despite horrific conditions and her pain was so well written. I loved the MMCs and how they each provide something to the story. I, however, feel like the relationships between the FMC and the MMCs + between the MMCs could have benefited from a little more fleshing out and could have been more deepened. I found it a little rushed but in a standalone it can be expected. What I am saying is a second book would have been perfect 😂
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️,5
- Why choose
- Slow burn
- Vampire x humans
- Vampire x vampire hunters
- Captor/Captive
- Revenge
- HEA
If you know me you know I can’t resist reading a RL Caulder’s book and especially books in the Blood Oath series universe !
The story follows Briar, Alina’s daughter, in a quest for identity and discovery. I loved her from the beginning and was rooting for her all along. Her character development was really well done. Her ability to grow despite horrific conditions and her pain was so well written. I loved the MMCs and how they each provide something to the story. I, however, feel like the relationships between the FMC and the MMCs + between the MMCs could have benefited from a little more fleshing out and could have been more deepened. I found it a little rushed but in a standalone it can be expected. What I am saying is a second book would have been perfect 😂
October 1, 2025
I loved this addition to the Blood Oath Series! Not only do we get to see previous characters we fell in love with - but we get a whole new batch of bada^^ characters.
Briar has strength like her mother, but in a completely different way. Where Alina was out to prove her strength and superiority, Briar’s is quiet and assured. The only thing she needs to prove is that she can be her own person and survive the human world, much to her parents chagrin.
But alas - trouble finds her and almost destroys her in the form of the cute men she met just hours before…and those parents who didn’t understand her, thoughts of them fuel her inner strength.
This story finds Briar fighting for her life and fighting to understand her attraction to her three captors.
There are so many fun microtropes in this book that keep things fun and interesting and totally hawt!
Briar has strength like her mother, but in a completely different way. Where Alina was out to prove her strength and superiority, Briar’s is quiet and assured. The only thing she needs to prove is that she can be her own person and survive the human world, much to her parents chagrin.
But alas - trouble finds her and almost destroys her in the form of the cute men she met just hours before…and those parents who didn’t understand her, thoughts of them fuel her inner strength.
This story finds Briar fighting for her life and fighting to understand her attraction to her three captors.
There are so many fun microtropes in this book that keep things fun and interesting and totally hawt!
October 8, 2025
I received Blood Lies in return for an honest review.
While Blood Lies is part of the series each book is a standalone in the same world so jumping right in was just fine. I loved Briar right from the start she may be a vampire but she's trying to get away from the life her parents planned for her getting a chance to embrace her art. However, a quick trip through the portal changes everything and now she's at the hands of the slayers who want to use her.
I loved Briar right from the start I really felt like I could connect with her and cheered her on through the whole book. I wasn't sure about her love interests but they totally redeemed themselves and I think they are perfect for her. They all compliment each other and it really just works so well. I ended up devouring this one in just an afternoon and before I knew it I was at the last page. I was hooked from the start and loved every moment.
I haven't read this series before this book but now I need to go back and read the prior books as I loved this one so much. It hit all my slow burn paranormal romance cravings. I really enjoyed the concept of her being a vampire but also more. The author has done a beautiful job creating a captivating story with engaging characters. Highly recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance. I've enjoyed all the authors books but this might be my favorite.
While Blood Lies is part of the series each book is a standalone in the same world so jumping right in was just fine. I loved Briar right from the start she may be a vampire but she's trying to get away from the life her parents planned for her getting a chance to embrace her art. However, a quick trip through the portal changes everything and now she's at the hands of the slayers who want to use her.
I loved Briar right from the start I really felt like I could connect with her and cheered her on through the whole book. I wasn't sure about her love interests but they totally redeemed themselves and I think they are perfect for her. They all compliment each other and it really just works so well. I ended up devouring this one in just an afternoon and before I knew it I was at the last page. I was hooked from the start and loved every moment.
I haven't read this series before this book but now I need to go back and read the prior books as I loved this one so much. It hit all my slow burn paranormal romance cravings. I really enjoyed the concept of her being a vampire but also more. The author has done a beautiful job creating a captivating story with engaging characters. Highly recommend if you enjoy paranormal romance. I've enjoyed all the authors books but this might be my favorite.
September 30, 2025
R.L. Caulder is QUEEN. Every single book written is a 10/10, this one is no different. Blood Oath is, and has been, my favorite series written by her, so imagine my excitement finding out we get a book on their daughter?! Not only that, but this as a stand alone is *chefs kiss*. Briar is just as strong as her mama. I loved the mother daughter dynamic is this. It pulled at my mama heart so much. The best part, you ask? Her THREE badie boiis. I want to say that I hated them, but I really can't. R.L. did such a great job with writing them, that even everything that happened and what they did/didn't do, I found it so hard to hate them.
If I had one magical wish, I would wish to live in a R.L. Caulder book. One with a happy ending, of course.
If I had one magical wish, I would wish to live in a R.L. Caulder book. One with a happy ending, of course.
October 3, 2025
ARC Review: Blood Lies
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Such a great companion to the Blood Oath series! This book was fast-paced from start to finish, and I was completely pulled in. I loved the mix of dark tension, high stakes, and those unexpected moments of connection that made the story hit even harder.
The whole blend of legacy, vengeance, and finding love in the middle of chaos worked so well. The bonds that form here feel raw and real, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen next.
If you’ve been keeping up with the series, this one definitely delivers. I can’t wait to see where RL Caulder takes it from here!
Thank you to @authorrlcaulder for sending me an ARC to review!
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Such a great companion to the Blood Oath series! This book was fast-paced from start to finish, and I was completely pulled in. I loved the mix of dark tension, high stakes, and those unexpected moments of connection that made the story hit even harder.
The whole blend of legacy, vengeance, and finding love in the middle of chaos worked so well. The bonds that form here feel raw and real, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen next.
If you’ve been keeping up with the series, this one definitely delivers. I can’t wait to see where RL Caulder takes it from here!
Thank you to @authorrlcaulder for sending me an ARC to review!
October 7, 2025
This was so well written, I felt their emotions as my own. Heart break, guilt, shame, fury, hope, fear, sorrow, love. So many powerful emotions and such a great story, it had me at the edge of my seat the entire time.
I loved The Blood Oath series and Briar’s story was icing on the cake! She’s resilient, determined and one hell of a badass
It’s RH and normally I would have a favourite even if it’s just by a tiny bit but all these men are equally delicious!
One quote resonated with me…”Never dim your shine for someone who thinks they're going to be burned by your greatness. The right person for you will put on sunglasses and bask in your glow." I.LOVE.THIS!
I loved The Blood Oath series and Briar’s story was icing on the cake! She’s resilient, determined and one hell of a badass
It’s RH and normally I would have a favourite even if it’s just by a tiny bit but all these men are equally delicious!
One quote resonated with me…”Never dim your shine for someone who thinks they're going to be burned by your greatness. The right person for you will put on sunglasses and bask in your glow." I.LOVE.THIS!
October 9, 2025
I loved this book! Briar was so determined and strong and I always want to read this world! Always recommend you read the other books in the series first because you do see cameos of the other characters (and they’re so good!!!) but can be read as a standalone. Have fun with these delicious men and a gripping story!
September 27, 2025
I love reading second gen books! This can be read as a standalone, but other characters mentioned have their own series within this world. I loved this book to see what else these characters are up to. It felt full circle, but I hope its not the end of those world.
September 30, 2025
This second gen standalone hooked me from the prologue which set the tone perfectly. Even without reading Blood Oaths, I never felt lost. Dark themes of grief and loss mix with enemies to lovers tension, a strong FMC, and a why choose romance that kept me flipping pages. A powerful, addictive read!
October 6, 2025
Blood Lies
Was so excited for the next chapter of this world, and Briar's story doesn't disappoint at all. It will pull at the heartstrings and make you yell, scream and have all the feels. Loved it
Was so excited for the next chapter of this world, and Briar's story doesn't disappoint at all. It will pull at the heartstrings and make you yell, scream and have all the feels. Loved it
October 9, 2025
This was really well written, as always with Caulder, she has a way with words and her world are something else!
I really do love the way she writes. I felt all of the emotions as if they were my own.
I absolutely loved ALL the men! I couldn't pick a favourite.
I love that this is a stand alone too! Briar is a strong FMC.
Ugh if only I could live in her books. I need myself a happy ending. 🫣🤣
I LOVED all the micro tropes, they had me kicking my feet and giggling everytime I noticed another one.
I really do love the way she writes. I felt all of the emotions as if they were my own.
I absolutely loved ALL the men! I couldn't pick a favourite.
I love that this is a stand alone too! Briar is a strong FMC.
Ugh if only I could live in her books. I need myself a happy ending. 🫣🤣
I LOVED all the micro tropes, they had me kicking my feet and giggling everytime I noticed another one.
November 7, 2025
I was looking forward to this one as it featured Alina's daughter and I did enjoy the previous books. The premise was interesting, secret organisations, vile experiments and action packed trials throughout. However, I am not sure why, but frankly I was a bit disappointed, I could not connect with the characters at all, some of their decisions did not make much sense to me and there was just simply no time for proper relationship foundations to form. It appears that others really enjoyed it, but unfortunately this time around it just did not quite work for me.
October 7, 2025
4.5, rounding up
I always love Legacy books, that way we can see how life went for the original cast and how their offspring is in life.
This one had a strong theme of mother- daughter relationships. The love and fierce determination and protection that can come from having traumatic events and wanted to keep your child safe at all costs.
The cost however, can become having a child that feels too stifled and unsure of who they really are as they never really were allowed to spread their wings. Which then can turn into reckless decisions made with catastrophic consequences.
While now experiencing her own trauma, she also encounters men who are dealing with their own trauma and family issues. Eventually they are able to stand up for her and they all slowly come together.
I do wish that we had more time with the group together, learning dynamics and seeing it unfold. The ending felt a little fast, and very well could be because I just wasn't ready for it to end, but there personally it felt like a lot of build up and then a fast pay off.
I always love Legacy books, that way we can see how life went for the original cast and how their offspring is in life.
This one had a strong theme of mother- daughter relationships. The love and fierce determination and protection that can come from having traumatic events and wanted to keep your child safe at all costs.
The cost however, can become having a child that feels too stifled and unsure of who they really are as they never really were allowed to spread their wings. Which then can turn into reckless decisions made with catastrophic consequences.
While now experiencing her own trauma, she also encounters men who are dealing with their own trauma and family issues. Eventually they are able to stand up for her and they all slowly come together.
I do wish that we had more time with the group together, learning dynamics and seeing it unfold. The ending felt a little fast, and very well could be because I just wasn't ready for it to end, but there personally it felt like a lot of build up and then a fast pay off.
October 5, 2025
horrible male leads, they torture her & there's no grovelling, only one apologize. Whats wrong with this author
October 6, 2025
Rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 1.5-2 🌶️
Tropes:
- Dark Why Choose
- Vampire X Humans
- Captor/Captive
- Enemies to Lovers
- Revenge
- MMCs are related
- Blood Play
- Next Generation
This book is a whirlwind centered around the daughter of the MCs in the Blood Oath series. Briar begins the book as sheltered & burdened by a crown & future she doesn’t want. *Cue an ill planned escaped to the mortal world & a harsh lesson that maybe her parents actually had a point all along. Her character growth & development is painful (literally), but very well done. It was so rewarding to see her turn that pain into power & discover who she really is & where she really belongs.
I couldn’t get enough of the MMCs of this story: Callum, the golden retriever with a cocky persona & soft heart; Elias, the broody protector with a penchant for dirty talk; & Dante, the silent & tortured observer who is looking for his place in the world & in Briar’s heart. I loved how all in they were with Briar & the efforts they went to in order to atone for their prior actions (or more appropriately, inactions).
I just wish this book was a little longer. I was engaged in the story, but I didn’t really feel the emotional connection to the main characters that I was expecting. I think it would’ve benefited from a little further fleshing out of the characters of the MMCs & more development of the relationship between Briar & her men. I was invested but I wasn’t quite 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 invested, if that makes sense. That being said, the story as a whole was interesting & compelling; it completely drew me in & kept me turning the pages, which is why it still gets 4 stars from me.
Blood Lies is perfect for fans of vampire x human romance with darker themes, obsession, revenge (best served with a collar and a leash), & MMCs who are down bad & will do anything to redeem themselves.
⚠️ This is a 2nd generation book, but can be read as a standalone (with slight spoilers to the main series). It contains darker content, including torture, death of a parent, & parental abuse. Please check for triggers.
I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Spice: 1.5-2 🌶️
Tropes:
- Dark Why Choose
- Vampire X Humans
- Captor/Captive
- Enemies to Lovers
- Revenge
- MMCs are related
- Blood Play
- Next Generation
This book is a whirlwind centered around the daughter of the MCs in the Blood Oath series. Briar begins the book as sheltered & burdened by a crown & future she doesn’t want. *Cue an ill planned escaped to the mortal world & a harsh lesson that maybe her parents actually had a point all along. Her character growth & development is painful (literally), but very well done. It was so rewarding to see her turn that pain into power & discover who she really is & where she really belongs.
I couldn’t get enough of the MMCs of this story: Callum, the golden retriever with a cocky persona & soft heart; Elias, the broody protector with a penchant for dirty talk; & Dante, the silent & tortured observer who is looking for his place in the world & in Briar’s heart. I loved how all in they were with Briar & the efforts they went to in order to atone for their prior actions (or more appropriately, inactions).
I just wish this book was a little longer. I was engaged in the story, but I didn’t really feel the emotional connection to the main characters that I was expecting. I think it would’ve benefited from a little further fleshing out of the characters of the MMCs & more development of the relationship between Briar & her men. I was invested but I wasn’t quite 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 invested, if that makes sense. That being said, the story as a whole was interesting & compelling; it completely drew me in & kept me turning the pages, which is why it still gets 4 stars from me.
Blood Lies is perfect for fans of vampire x human romance with darker themes, obsession, revenge (best served with a collar and a leash), & MMCs who are down bad & will do anything to redeem themselves.
⚠️ This is a 2nd generation book, but can be read as a standalone (with slight spoilers to the main series). It contains darker content, including torture, death of a parent, & parental abuse. Please check for triggers.
I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
October 9, 2025
Blood Lies pulled me in and absolutely refused to let go—long after I turned the final page. Even though I hadn’t read the Blood Oath series, it didn’t matter. R.L. Caulder fully immersed me in the universe she’s built around Queen Alina, her husbands, and the magical land of Praeditus. Her worldbuilding is rich, her characters are layered, and her writing made me feel like I was right there beside them.
Princess Briar Van Helsing stands at a crossroads. Her parents want her to claim her place in their world, but Briar is still discovering who she is. She longs to live freely, express herself through art, and step outside the shadow of the Van Helsing legacy. Desperate for independence, she escapes to the human realm—New York City—hoping to find freedom. Instead, she’s confronted by the brutal reality of how humans treat magical beings.
Elias, Callum, and Dante each hide broken souls behind their charming exteriors. Initially, they’re part of Briar’s nightmare—complicit in her captivity—but as the story unfolds, each man begins his own path to redemption and healing through their connection with Briar.
This book takes Enemies to Lovers to another level—think Captor/Captive to Lovers. It’s a super slow burn, with tension threaded through every interaction, and most of the spice hits in the epilogue. If you’re looking for constant steam, this isn’t that kind of story—but it is about strength, found family, and a heroine’s journey toward vengeance and love.
Briar’s arc was phenomenal. There were moments I wanted to shake her, but I was always rooting for her. Her growth from uncertain princess to fierce avenger was beautifully written. And that moment—“What’s a collar without a leash?”—had me cheering.
The pacing was spot on, and the emotional depth gave the story so much weight. Briar had to discover who she was before she could open her heart to these men, and that made their eventual bond feel organic and earned. The spice was top tier when it came.
While Blood Lies is the second-generation story in the Blood Oath universe, it reads perfectly as a standalone. Now that I’ve devoured it, I can’t wait to go back and meet the previous generation.
Princess Briar Van Helsing stands at a crossroads. Her parents want her to claim her place in their world, but Briar is still discovering who she is. She longs to live freely, express herself through art, and step outside the shadow of the Van Helsing legacy. Desperate for independence, she escapes to the human realm—New York City—hoping to find freedom. Instead, she’s confronted by the brutal reality of how humans treat magical beings.
Elias, Callum, and Dante each hide broken souls behind their charming exteriors. Initially, they’re part of Briar’s nightmare—complicit in her captivity—but as the story unfolds, each man begins his own path to redemption and healing through their connection with Briar.
This book takes Enemies to Lovers to another level—think Captor/Captive to Lovers. It’s a super slow burn, with tension threaded through every interaction, and most of the spice hits in the epilogue. If you’re looking for constant steam, this isn’t that kind of story—but it is about strength, found family, and a heroine’s journey toward vengeance and love.
Briar’s arc was phenomenal. There were moments I wanted to shake her, but I was always rooting for her. Her growth from uncertain princess to fierce avenger was beautifully written. And that moment—“What’s a collar without a leash?”—had me cheering.
The pacing was spot on, and the emotional depth gave the story so much weight. Briar had to discover who she was before she could open her heart to these men, and that made their eventual bond feel organic and earned. The spice was top tier when it came.
While Blood Lies is the second-generation story in the Blood Oath universe, it reads perfectly as a standalone. Now that I’ve devoured it, I can’t wait to go back and meet the previous generation.
September 26, 2025
This is a second gen story and Briar is just as much of a bada-- as her mother. Briar loves her family and life but like most young adults, wants more and wants to leave the shadow of her parents. If that means going to the human world? She will do it. While this may seem knee jerk to having to choose a life path, she thinks she knows what she's doing. What happens in the human world not only changes and shapes who Briar is, but how humans and supernaturals all interact.
Callum, Elias, and Dante are all under the control of one man who hates vampires and all supes. They do as they're told and aren't excited about the prospect of dealing with Briar once they realize what she is. Through her sarcasm, love of her family, and unfailing stubbornness to endure everything she's put through and all the torture, she shows these men who she is and that maybe their family shouldn't hate all vampires.
I love the transformation all of them make both in their feelings towards one another's species, and how they behave and see themselves. The emotions these men went through learning to fight against years and years of conditioning and emotional and physical abewse and save the very creature they were determined to hate was so visceral. I love that Briar stayed true to herself and protected her family at all costs. She did learn that maybe she doesn't know everything and the human world was very different than she assumed, but she was changed for the good in that she and the men were able to make a positive change for future generations.
The ending has a surprise request from the men in the epilogue and I screamed. I was so excited and you can't tell me you won't be excited too. The pacing was perfectly in line with what I was expecting and their relationships fell real and move at a pace you'd expect for enemies to lovers.
Some tropes:
-enemies to lovers
-rh
-vampires
-2nd gen
-Strong fmc
-men who eventually would burn the world for her
Callum, Elias, and Dante are all under the control of one man who hates vampires and all supes. They do as they're told and aren't excited about the prospect of dealing with Briar once they realize what she is. Through her sarcasm, love of her family, and unfailing stubbornness to endure everything she's put through and all the torture, she shows these men who she is and that maybe their family shouldn't hate all vampires.
I love the transformation all of them make both in their feelings towards one another's species, and how they behave and see themselves. The emotions these men went through learning to fight against years and years of conditioning and emotional and physical abewse and save the very creature they were determined to hate was so visceral. I love that Briar stayed true to herself and protected her family at all costs. She did learn that maybe she doesn't know everything and the human world was very different than she assumed, but she was changed for the good in that she and the men were able to make a positive change for future generations.
The ending has a surprise request from the men in the epilogue and I screamed. I was so excited and you can't tell me you won't be excited too. The pacing was perfectly in line with what I was expecting and their relationships fell real and move at a pace you'd expect for enemies to lovers.
Some tropes:
-enemies to lovers
-rh
-vampires
-2nd gen
-Strong fmc
-men who eventually would burn the world for her
September 29, 2025
If you loved the Blood Oath series then you’re going to love this next gen addition but if you haven’t read the Blood Oath series this book is going to make sure that you do. DISCLAIMER: You do NOT need to read the Blood Oath series in order to enjoy this book.
It was so good to be back in a world built by R.L Caulder!
Briar Van Helsing put me through it! Her character development was done so beautifully from start to finish. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into her but undoubtedly I wanted her to win and get the vengeance she was owed.
The MMCs — Elias, Callum and Dante. I’m really not sure if sorcery isn’t at work here. How are R.L’s MMCs becoming progressively hotter? How many is too many for my own personal cohort?
I really appreciated the way each dynamic was crafted within this group. Briar had a unique relationship with each MMC that was so tailored to their personality and vibes. I was living for it, I still don’t know who is number one in my heart! Elias, he has a mouth on him that either makes you want to slap him or put it to work 🥵 Callum, the golden retriever after my own heart and Dante brooding, tortured soul who is ready to claim his spot in Briar’s heart. SWOOOOOON
The pacing of the story was perfect! This story had such emotional depth, I enjoyed the way the story unfolded. Briar had to go on her own journey of self discovery before opening up her heart to these men! What she endured and the scars it left on her soul shaped her into the woman she became in the end. The spice was TOP TIER and came at the right moments. It felt like the relationships were progressing really organically which added so much more to this story.
That ending though? “What’s a collar without a leash?” 🙃 *chefs kiss* so damn satisfying.
TWO EPILOGUES? BABY we were blessed! Omg I’m still not over it, still crying little horny tears.
Another 5 star read from R.L Caulder!
Thank you for the opportunity to alpha read this amazing book!
It was so good to be back in a world built by R.L Caulder!
Briar Van Helsing put me through it! Her character development was done so beautifully from start to finish. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into her but undoubtedly I wanted her to win and get the vengeance she was owed.
The MMCs — Elias, Callum and Dante. I’m really not sure if sorcery isn’t at work here. How are R.L’s MMCs becoming progressively hotter? How many is too many for my own personal cohort?
I really appreciated the way each dynamic was crafted within this group. Briar had a unique relationship with each MMC that was so tailored to their personality and vibes. I was living for it, I still don’t know who is number one in my heart! Elias, he has a mouth on him that either makes you want to slap him or put it to work 🥵 Callum, the golden retriever after my own heart and Dante brooding, tortured soul who is ready to claim his spot in Briar’s heart. SWOOOOOON
The pacing of the story was perfect! This story had such emotional depth, I enjoyed the way the story unfolded. Briar had to go on her own journey of self discovery before opening up her heart to these men! What she endured and the scars it left on her soul shaped her into the woman she became in the end. The spice was TOP TIER and came at the right moments. It felt like the relationships were progressing really organically which added so much more to this story.
That ending though? “What’s a collar without a leash?” 🙃 *chefs kiss* so damn satisfying.
TWO EPILOGUES? BABY we were blessed! Omg I’m still not over it, still crying little horny tears.
Another 5 star read from R.L Caulder!
Thank you for the opportunity to alpha read this amazing book!
October 2, 2025
sweet and heart wrenching
I read the original series when it came out after reading the other series in this world and this one, I’m sad it’s over! I love that this was a standalone because I couldn’t handle a whole series right now personally, but I’m also sad because I love Alina and her men as well as all the other characters from the other series that were mentioned and I would’ve loved to not just hear their names again in it, but actually have them in the book. This book stole my heart! Out of all the series in this world, this one is probably my favorite although it’s a tough call because I really do love them all and was obsessed and will for sure be doing rereads now as well as maybe buying some of the audio books if I can afford it. I wish I had more credits or that each series was a bundle on it just so I could have them all, but I also totally want them separate because the author deserves the collection of money from each individual book and with the fact that changed their prices of the books to lower if you’ve downloaded the book from KU or bough it from kindle, it means the author is already getting less than originally and I know it’s already a small portion of the whole book total that they get. I both wish books were cheaper and wish authors made more money off them at the same time and that’s just a conundrum! Anyways! I cried my eyes out during this book so much, seeing Alina’s daughter go through what she did, gutted me and was so heart wrenching to read, but I also absolutely devoured this book at the same time! I love this author and can’t wait for more from her!
I read the original series when it came out after reading the other series in this world and this one, I’m sad it’s over! I love that this was a standalone because I couldn’t handle a whole series right now personally, but I’m also sad because I love Alina and her men as well as all the other characters from the other series that were mentioned and I would’ve loved to not just hear their names again in it, but actually have them in the book. This book stole my heart! Out of all the series in this world, this one is probably my favorite although it’s a tough call because I really do love them all and was obsessed and will for sure be doing rereads now as well as maybe buying some of the audio books if I can afford it. I wish I had more credits or that each series was a bundle on it just so I could have them all, but I also totally want them separate because the author deserves the collection of money from each individual book and with the fact that changed their prices of the books to lower if you’ve downloaded the book from KU or bough it from kindle, it means the author is already getting less than originally and I know it’s already a small portion of the whole book total that they get. I both wish books were cheaper and wish authors made more money off them at the same time and that’s just a conundrum! Anyways! I cried my eyes out during this book so much, seeing Alina’s daughter go through what she did, gutted me and was so heart wrenching to read, but I also absolutely devoured this book at the same time! I love this author and can’t wait for more from her!
October 10, 2025
ABSOLUTELY fantastic!
I loved the Blood Oath series, and I love “next generation” books – and that is exactly what this is. This story is about Alina, Drake, Andrei, and Linc’s daughter Briar. Briar doesn’t want to follow in the steps that her parents want her to… she dreams of going to the human realm for the college exchange program that has been set up at NYU, which her parents absolutely do not want her to do since hunters are still a problem in the human realm.
When its time to make the decision, she chooses to go with her dream, except she didn’t think about arriving after the admissions office was closed. Ready to leave, she sees 2 men leaving the office arguing. The heat that instantly sparks between Briar, Callum, and Elias but she disregards them initially. When their uncle comes to pick them up, Briar just knows that the uncle is evil, and it proves to be true when she is captured later that night and taken to his compound.
This part was really hard to read since she was treated so horribly. Callum and Elias originally wanted nothing to do with their uncles business, but they conceed to help to try to serve their 12 months there and leave. Their cousin Dante is his fathers second – but not by choice. All three of them hate the way that Briar is being tortured, and decide to all escape together.
And of course, this goes horribly right but wrong at the same time when Alina gets captured…. Can Briar and her fathers trust these men who have started meaning something to Briar to give them correct information about the compound so they can save Alina? Can Briar forgive them for being part of the treatment she received?
I loved the Blood Oath series, and I love “next generation” books – and that is exactly what this is. This story is about Alina, Drake, Andrei, and Linc’s daughter Briar. Briar doesn’t want to follow in the steps that her parents want her to… she dreams of going to the human realm for the college exchange program that has been set up at NYU, which her parents absolutely do not want her to do since hunters are still a problem in the human realm.
When its time to make the decision, she chooses to go with her dream, except she didn’t think about arriving after the admissions office was closed. Ready to leave, she sees 2 men leaving the office arguing. The heat that instantly sparks between Briar, Callum, and Elias but she disregards them initially. When their uncle comes to pick them up, Briar just knows that the uncle is evil, and it proves to be true when she is captured later that night and taken to his compound.
This part was really hard to read since she was treated so horribly. Callum and Elias originally wanted nothing to do with their uncles business, but they conceed to help to try to serve their 12 months there and leave. Their cousin Dante is his fathers second – but not by choice. All three of them hate the way that Briar is being tortured, and decide to all escape together.
And of course, this goes horribly right but wrong at the same time when Alina gets captured…. Can Briar and her fathers trust these men who have started meaning something to Briar to give them correct information about the compound so they can save Alina? Can Briar forgive them for being part of the treatment she received?
October 3, 2025
This book sank its fangs into me and I absolutely devoured it. It’s a second generation book but can be read as a standalone. I didn’t read the first gen and had no issues following the plot and characters. I will, however, go back and read them now.
Briar Van Helsing, the heir to the Vampire throne, is burdened by the crown and her parents’ expectations. Her sole desire is to study art at a magical exchange program in New York City, in the human world. Driven by desperation, she escapes to the human world but is captured by the elusive Hunters, a group that tortures magical beings. During her captivity, she encounters Callum, Dante, and Elias. These three cousins are under the control of a single man who is fixated on torturing magical beings. As Briar endures torture, Callum, Dante, and Elias come to realize that Briar is not the enemy and that they may be on the wrong side.
The author did an excellent job crafting the plot and character development. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the guys and Briar. The tension and yearning between them are palpable.
Briar is probably one of my favorite FMCs now. Her resilience in enduring torture and her unwavering reliance on her family’s love to persevere was truly amazing. The way she was truly a warrior made her battle moments so impressive. Some of my favorite scenes with her involved her daggers.
I do want to mention that you should mind the trigger warnings.
𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮:
“𝒮𝒽𝑒’𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒, 𝓌𝑒𝒶𝓅𝑜𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎, 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹-𝑜𝓃, 𝓃𝑜 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹–𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓇𝒶𝓌 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝒾𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒.”
𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
🧛♀️ Vampires
🧛♀️ Why choose
🧛♀️ Enemies to lovers
🧛♀️ Strong FMC
-ARC READ.
Briar Van Helsing, the heir to the Vampire throne, is burdened by the crown and her parents’ expectations. Her sole desire is to study art at a magical exchange program in New York City, in the human world. Driven by desperation, she escapes to the human world but is captured by the elusive Hunters, a group that tortures magical beings. During her captivity, she encounters Callum, Dante, and Elias. These three cousins are under the control of a single man who is fixated on torturing magical beings. As Briar endures torture, Callum, Dante, and Elias come to realize that Briar is not the enemy and that they may be on the wrong side.
The author did an excellent job crafting the plot and character development. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the guys and Briar. The tension and yearning between them are palpable.
Briar is probably one of my favorite FMCs now. Her resilience in enduring torture and her unwavering reliance on her family’s love to persevere was truly amazing. The way she was truly a warrior made her battle moments so impressive. Some of my favorite scenes with her involved her daggers.
I do want to mention that you should mind the trigger warnings.
𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮:
“𝒮𝒽𝑒’𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒, 𝓌𝑒𝒶𝓅𝑜𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎, 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹-𝑜𝓃, 𝓃𝑜 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹–𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓇𝒶𝓌 𝒹𝑒𝒻𝒾𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒.”
𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
🧛♀️ Vampires
🧛♀️ Why choose
🧛♀️ Enemies to lovers
🧛♀️ Strong FMC
-ARC READ.
October 8, 2025
Wow, this book was pretty dark! Those who have triggers, be sure to check the warnings.
Briar, the daughter of Alina and her three husbands (if you haven't read the previous Blood Oath series, go read it!), feels trapped in the loving cage her parents have her in. She longs to attend NYU, pursue her studies, and create art, not play politics. Her parents, however, are keenly aware of the dangers lurking in the human world and want to protect her at any cost. So, Briar leaves, and as the saying goes, she goes from the fire into the frying pan.
There is a significant amount of pain in this instalment. Not just physical, but also emotional. Dreams are shattered, and innocence is lost. But within that darkness, there is also love: love for family, and love found in the unlikeliest of places.
The book is well-written, keeping my attention throughout with good pacing and flow. While there wasn't extensive new world-building, as we're already familiar with the setting, new readers won't be lost; the story provides all the necessary information. Character development was good, with our cast embarking on a journey of self-discovery, realizing what is truly important, what lines they won't cross, and what they are willing to do for freedom and love.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed the book itself, the epilogues were, for me, the absolute best part. Beware... you will feel all the feels, and it will be completely worth it!
All in all, this is a great read, even if it leans heavily toward the dark side (so please, check those trigger warnings!).
Briar, the daughter of Alina and her three husbands (if you haven't read the previous Blood Oath series, go read it!), feels trapped in the loving cage her parents have her in. She longs to attend NYU, pursue her studies, and create art, not play politics. Her parents, however, are keenly aware of the dangers lurking in the human world and want to protect her at any cost. So, Briar leaves, and as the saying goes, she goes from the fire into the frying pan.
There is a significant amount of pain in this instalment. Not just physical, but also emotional. Dreams are shattered, and innocence is lost. But within that darkness, there is also love: love for family, and love found in the unlikeliest of places.
The book is well-written, keeping my attention throughout with good pacing and flow. While there wasn't extensive new world-building, as we're already familiar with the setting, new readers won't be lost; the story provides all the necessary information. Character development was good, with our cast embarking on a journey of self-discovery, realizing what is truly important, what lines they won't cross, and what they are willing to do for freedom and love.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed the book itself, the epilogues were, for me, the absolute best part. Beware... you will feel all the feels, and it will be completely worth it!
All in all, this is a great read, even if it leans heavily toward the dark side (so please, check those trigger warnings!).
September 30, 2025
Blood Lies introduces us to Briar Van Helsing, the daughter of Alina and her men from the Blood Oath series. While she starts out a little naïve and gives off huge pampered princess vibes, I couldn't really blame her for wanting to carve her own path in life - despite how ill-prepared she was to do so. She very quickly gets beaten down by a harsh reality, which ends up making Blood Lies way darker than I was anticipating! Something this book doesn't lack is the ability to pull you in and keep you flipping the page until well past 2am. So much action and angst and tension and heartbreak and guilt and confusion and quite literally any emotion you can think of! The plot was utterly gripping and I really struggled to put it down!
The ending was insanely satisfying and yet left me feeling slightly bereft. This is a standalone and a lot happens but I needed more of the emotional connection between Briar and the guys to feel like their relationship was authentic enough to land where it did as quickly as it did. Ultimately, I think I just needed more to feel fully settled and content.
The cross-overs from RL Caulder's other series were amazing - I always love those! And of course getting to see Alina and the guys again was a treat! If you love why-choose enemies-to-lovers with vampire vs humans and forced proximity and so much angst and slow-burn tension, you're going to love Blood Lies!
The ending was insanely satisfying and yet left me feeling slightly bereft. This is a standalone and a lot happens but I needed more of the emotional connection between Briar and the guys to feel like their relationship was authentic enough to land where it did as quickly as it did. Ultimately, I think I just needed more to feel fully settled and content.
The cross-overs from RL Caulder's other series were amazing - I always love those! And of course getting to see Alina and the guys again was a treat! If you love why-choose enemies-to-lovers with vampire vs humans and forced proximity and so much angst and slow-burn tension, you're going to love Blood Lies!
October 1, 2025
*Reverse Harem
*Paranormal
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Vampire Princess
*Human MMCs
*Enemies to Lovers
*TW - torture
*Slow Burn
*Established Harem (3)
*Standalone
Fight for your own future 👑
This book follows Briar the daughter of characters from Caulder’s Blood Oath series - you really don’t have to read that to enjoy this book 👍
Briar is princess of Sanguis with options ahead of her not none are fulfilling and speak to who she wants to be 😖 she wants to explore the human world and the art that calls to her! However there are dangers lurking and it’s those dangers that throw poor Briar into complete turmoil 😢 she’s her own source of strength in the face of the Hunters and her love for her family sees her through; but she might also need those boys who hurt her with their silence 😱 Callum with a gentle soul who hides his trauma behind smiles and jokes; Elias who tells the world to sod off with a scowl as he tries to protect his brother; and their cousin Dante whose has to endure violence and protects himself by withdrawing! Each of them offers themself to Briar in different ways to atone for their sins - theres some grovel. But its a deeper connection being forged in quiet moments that really cement their relationships 🥰🥰
There’s plenty of action and revenge in this book to keep you page turning 🔪
This is definitely a story about these characters finding themselves and standing up for what they believe is right, and the HEA really confirmed that 😀
*Paranormal
*Multi-1st-PoV
*Vampire Princess
*Human MMCs
*Enemies to Lovers
*TW - torture
*Slow Burn
*Established Harem (3)
*Standalone
Fight for your own future 👑
This book follows Briar the daughter of characters from Caulder’s Blood Oath series - you really don’t have to read that to enjoy this book 👍
Briar is princess of Sanguis with options ahead of her not none are fulfilling and speak to who she wants to be 😖 she wants to explore the human world and the art that calls to her! However there are dangers lurking and it’s those dangers that throw poor Briar into complete turmoil 😢 she’s her own source of strength in the face of the Hunters and her love for her family sees her through; but she might also need those boys who hurt her with their silence 😱 Callum with a gentle soul who hides his trauma behind smiles and jokes; Elias who tells the world to sod off with a scowl as he tries to protect his brother; and their cousin Dante whose has to endure violence and protects himself by withdrawing! Each of them offers themself to Briar in different ways to atone for their sins - theres some grovel. But its a deeper connection being forged in quiet moments that really cement their relationships 🥰🥰
There’s plenty of action and revenge in this book to keep you page turning 🔪
This is definitely a story about these characters finding themselves and standing up for what they believe is right, and the HEA really confirmed that 😀
Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews