Blood Heir: Most Spicy Booktok Dark Romance

by Kate Love

He doesn’t just want her. He owns her.

Livia
When my mother married into the Van Roth empire, I was seventeen and invisible.
He was ten years older. Untouchable.
And he never looked at me.
Until our parents died and I became his responsibility.
Now I’m nineteen. Orphaned. Alone.
And under the legal guardianship of Dorian Van my cold, controlling, powerful stepbrother.
He says I have to live in his estate for two years to access my trust fund.
He says he’s only doing what’s best for me.
But the way he watches me says something else entirely.
I thought he hated me.
I thought he wanted me gone.
I was wrong.

Obsessive HeroForbidden Romance Forced Proximity He Falls First and Harder Touch Her and Die It’s A Dark Possessive Stepbrother Romance so proceed with caution. No cliffhanger. Lots of spice and a HEA.

Genres: Dark

134 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There are multiple authors by this name in the Goodreads database. This profile may contain works from different authors.

See also: Romance author Kate Love

Reviews

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 The only thing more dangerous than my obsession... is letting her see it.

TROPES:
-stepsiblings
-obsessed hero
-age gap (19h, 29H)
-forced proximity

This was a dark, forbidden, and SPICY read. Two years ago, Dorian fell for Livia at first sight. Then he found out they were now stepsiblings. So he pushed her away. Two years later, their parents die and she's given a choice: either give up on inheriting her trust fund, or allow her stepbrother to be her guardian and move in with him.

There's a lot of push and pull, as well as a LOT of tension as they try to navigate around each other. Dorian is OBSSESSED and very much a stalker lmao, but I loved it and so did Livia... eventually.

Great read, I enjoyed it.

SAFETY:
Virgin/celibate/etc: virgin heroine, no past on hero
OM/OW: jealousy moments, but nothing significant
Cheating/sharing: no
Kinks: bdsm, voyeurism, dirty talk, rough sex, hand necklaces, praise
HEA?: yes!

My bookshelves may contain spoilers.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 17 Livias mother remarried to a Van Roth, and she gained a step brother in Dorian 10yrs her senion who never looked at her once. Only at 19 both their parents die, and shes left in trust to Dorian for 2 years to get her inheritance, he says its to protect her future but who can protect her from him. Well written steamy quick off limits taboo, age gap romance

[Chandra Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Heir by Kate Love is one of those forbidden, intoxicating romances that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s dark, emotional, magnetic—and so full of tension that you can practically feel the static crackle between the pages.

Livia has already lost everything—her parents, her sense of safety, any illusion that life will play by the rules. At nineteen, she finds herself alone… except for the one man she never expected to be bound to: Dorian Van Roth, her cold, impossibly controlled, devastatingly powerful stepbrother.

Years ago, Livia was just the quiet girl on the edges of his world—seventeen, invisible, and hopelessly aware that he would never see her. Dorian was older, untouchable, sharper than the suits he wore and just as dangerous. He didn’t acknowledge her. He didn’t have to.

But grief changes everything. And suddenly, the man who never looked her way now owns every part of her future.

Forced to live in his vast estate for two years before she can access her trust fund, Livia is trapped in the lion’s den—with a lion who watches her like she’s already his. Dorian insists he's acting in her best interest, playing the role of guardian, protector, and executor of her fate.

But the truth is quieter. More intimate. Far more dangerous.

The way he looks at her isn’t brotherly. It’s possessive. It's a slow-burning hunger he can barely leash. It’s the kind of gaze that makes your pulse trip and your breath falter—because you know he shouldn’t want her… and yet he does.

Kate Love masterfully builds a story rooted in longing, power, grief, and the terrifying thrill of being wanted by someone you’re not supposed to want back. Livia’s vulnerability is raw and relatable; her desire for independence wars with the magnetic pull Dorian exerts without even trying. And Dorian? He’s the kind of morally gray hero who makes you question all your good decisions—and love every minute of it.

If you crave:
🔥 Forbidden, high-stakes tension
🖤 Dark, obsessive, possessive heroes
🏰 Gothic estate vibes with secrets in every corner
🌫️ Emotional turmoil wrapped in luxury and loneliness
💋 A slow surrender neither character can fight

…then Blood Heir will consume you.

This is not a love story that asks politely. It claims, devours, and brands itself onto you—just like Dorian does to Livia.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might want to make sure to double check that you are buckled up, dangerous men, alpha’s personified, possessive, oh, gorgeous, brooding all the makings of a story consisting with three D’s (dark, delicious, and dirty) 😊. There will be suspense, betrayal, death, darkness, secrets reveled, violence, hope, forgiveness, and maybe even love along the way. Livias mother remarries forcing her into a new family when all she wanted to be left alone after losing her dad but now she joining another family where she gaining a stepbrother who happen to be ten years older and he pays her no attention he is pretty much on her own until their parents die at 19 she wants to get everything over with and live her life the way she wants but she has a rude awakening coming. Dorian sexy as all get stepbrother ten years older than his little sister one, he never expected, one he ignores because deep down he doesn’t want to stay away from her and now that their parents are gone leaving him responsible for his sister for two years at which time she can get her inheritance. Once he tells her that his excuse is to protect her, her future, and who better to protect her than him but where are they headed, will he tell her really why she can’t leave him, will she understand being honest with him, will give her his inheritance when the year is up, and will the find happiness somewhere along the way?

[Heidi Rhiannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 36%. I only got that far because I didn’t have WiFi to download a new book at the beach and wanted to read something. Absolutely atrocious writing! Sentences change tense mid-sentence and are so short, I swear there wasn’t a dependent clause in sight. It’s written like an outline of a story that someone meant to come back to finish.

I knew with the literal FIRST SENTENCE that I likely wouldn’t be able to finish this book. “The conference room is colder than a funeral I’ve been a few days ago.” ????

A few other highlights:
“The only heir of this a whole empire.” Ever heard of punctuation?
“The bedrooms all has cameras.” My phone literally autocorrected this when I typed this out. Did the author turn off that feature?
“She would’ve freaked out and think that I’m a monster.” I think whoever called this a “booktok sensation” is a monster. I would’ve THOUGHT that too
“No more tiers.” Ma’am, I think you meant TEARS.

Boooooo 👎

[Shelley Drinkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me author, and I enjoyed this book. Dorian is a broody, controlling obsessive alpha male who is absolutely head over heels in love with livia, who is his step sister and 10 years his junior. Livia’s mother married Dorian’s father when livia was 17, now when she’s 19, both parent have dies and livia is forced to move into the van Roth family estate under the guardianship of Dorian to be able to get her inheritance in 2 years time. Dorian has been in love with her since the minute he laid eyes on her, before he found out who she was to him. Now he has her under his control he will do anything he can to keep her and make her fall for him just as much as he has for her. Livia rebels against his control and fights her attraction and confusing feelings for her step brother. Dorian’s keeping secrets and once livid discovers them will she stay with him?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

She was a teenager when her mother married into the Van Roth family, but they were killed in an accident, and her stepbrother is now her guardian until she can claim her inheritance. Secrets and feelings are about to bring them front and center and when the truth comes out will Livia and Dorian relationship survive. This intriguing story kept me glued to the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

★You’re not my prisoner,”…“You’re not just my obsession.”…★

“You’re also my savior.” Frustrated with the lack of control in her life living at the Van Roth mansion, Livia strikes out with the intent to make it known to her guardian. But will she be ready for the consequences, especially when he finally shows all the cards he has been gripping so closely? Steamy older stepbrother obsession romance!

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Dorian fell for Livia at first sight but his father blocked any possible chance with her. When their parents die, he takes his chance. A relationship is started but with secrets. when the secrets come out. I'm glad that Livia accepts him as someone who loves her. She returns his feelings.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

After their parents die is when Livia finds she has to live with her older stepbrother Dorian. She has no idea of how obsessed he is with her until she pushes too hard. Steamy, forbidden, possessive, loving - all perfect words for our couple's story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this could have been a really good book. But there were so many spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors that it totally kept pulling me out of the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick read while I am getting through long fantasy book. I didn’t expect much plot based on the length of the book but at least proofread. I found a few misspelled words and a lot of grammar errors. At times it made it hard to finish the book.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books like this usually are not my thing (this was for a challenge), but this one surprised me. It didn't feel forced, & even though it's a novella, the pacing was pretty good.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

smutty short read i didnt expect much. not horrible though.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

She was a teenager when her mother married into the Van Roth family, but they were killed in an accident, and her stepbrother is now her guardian until she can claim her inheritance. Secrets and feelings are about to bring them front and center and when the truth comes out will Livia and Dorian relationship survive. This intriguing story kept me glued to the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.