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In Between The Lies
He was buried for three centuries. Hers was the blood that woke him.
Nero is not a man — not anymore. He is something older and far more dangerous, a creature who has spent over a millennium as a weapon for those powerful enough to bind him. When Hope’s blood accidentally spills over his coffin in the Paris catacombs, he resurfaces half-mad, half-dead, and entirely certain he wants nothing she's offering.
Hope Masters survives on instinct, sarcasm, and sheer stubbornness. She didn't ask for a volatile ancient vampire tracking her back to London, a curse that makes her his only source of blood, or the slow, devastating realisation that she is falling in love with him.
But Nero's past is not finished with him. His previous master is looking for the perfect opportunity to reclaim what’s rightfully his.
A dark paranormal romance about grief, devotion, and the kind of love that refuses to die.
Nero is not a man — not anymore. He is something older and far more dangerous, a creature who has spent over a millennium as a weapon for those powerful enough to bind him. When Hope’s blood accidentally spills over his coffin in the Paris catacombs, he resurfaces half-mad, half-dead, and entirely certain he wants nothing she's offering.
Hope Masters survives on instinct, sarcasm, and sheer stubbornness. She didn't ask for a volatile ancient vampire tracking her back to London, a curse that makes her his only source of blood, or the slow, devastating realisation that she is falling in love with him.
But Nero's past is not finished with him. His previous master is looking for the perfect opportunity to reclaim what’s rightfully his.
A dark paranormal romance about grief, devotion, and the kind of love that refuses to die.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2026
About the author
Savanna Rioux
1 book2 followersBorn in Transylvania and now living in the UK — proving she's not the only one to make that journey — Savanna Rioux writes dark fantasy driven by a love of complex characters and stories that don't let go easily.
She speaks three languages, travels whenever she can, and has a habit of falling down historical rabbit holes for the sake of "research."
When she's not writing or reading, she's usually painting walls, building furniture like it's a personal challenge, or adding to her growing collection of tattoos.
She lives with her cat, who supervises everything and remains thoroughly unimpressed.
She speaks three languages, travels whenever she can, and has a habit of falling down historical rabbit holes for the sake of "research."
When she's not writing or reading, she's usually painting walls, building furniture like it's a personal challenge, or adding to her growing collection of tattoos.
She lives with her cat, who supervises everything and remains thoroughly unimpressed.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 15, 2026
Read it in half a day.
I enjoyed the story. It pulled me in fairly quickly. I especially loved Nero. The ending was not what I expected, and it was more bitter than sweet for me. But the heart is partially mended nonetheless.
At the very least, I think there was room to expand on the ending, especially Nero’s POV. I was left wanting there.
Overall, it made me feel things, had a smidge of humor (some of the coworker banter was especially cute), and like I said, I loved Nero.
🌶️🌶️
I enjoyed the story. It pulled me in fairly quickly. I especially loved Nero. The ending was not what I expected, and it was more bitter than sweet for me. But the heart is partially mended nonetheless.
At the very least, I think there was room to expand on the ending, especially Nero’s POV. I was left wanting there.
Overall, it made me feel things, had a smidge of humor (some of the coworker banter was especially cute), and like I said, I loved Nero.
🌶️🌶️
May 31, 2026
I was hooked from the very beginning, i laughed, I cried and many times almost flung my kindle at the wall. Savanna’s writing is beautiful and the story truly captivated me. I hope to read more of her work soon.
May 24, 2026
I loved this way more than I expected to. The characters were relatable and loveable. Nero is a vamp after my own heart and Hope is a kick ass firecracker. The story kept me coming back for more. It was funny, action packed, and sad at times. Highly recommend!
May 16, 2026
This book was a perfect mix of love, adventure and fantasy! I loved both Nero and Hope and their story. It was fast paced and exciting right from the first page!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A deviation from the average that will captivate and ensnare the reader. I immersed myself in this darkish novella as I was totally pulled into the gripping storyline from scratch and had a hell of a binge reading day. Hope is a feisty, no filter catshifter with sass, a sense of humor and a thief. Trying to steal an artifact, she ended up in the Catacombs, disrupted culturists with a spellbook, maybe I should say curse book, and a dilapidated coffin. Alex got a team to extract her. What a surprise she got at home, a skeleton who bit her to rejuvenate his body. They nearly killed each other. Nero is extremely violent and emotional unstable, yet he gets unexpected, unexplainable feelings along the line. Hope is pretty pissed off to learn that this vamp is bound to her and she's his only source of substance. Before long though they can't stop the scorching attraction, created an inferno whilst going at it like bunnies. Things are about to go south though as Nero,'s past is set to repeat. This is my 1st read by Rioux and I was intrigued by her creativity, the characters she created, both main and side characters, the storyline didn't sag along the way, it kept my attention focused and mesmerised with the twists and unexpected.There's in depth details, not just hot spice. The side characters added to the plots. Info on Nero towards the end was a bit lacking. I almost expected a cliffhanger ending, but it brought closure.
I received an advanced review copy from the author and leave this review voluntary Thank you
I received an advanced review copy from the author and leave this review voluntary Thank you
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Savanna for the ARC!
This was 100% a 5-star read for me! I loved the banter and the 1st person PoV. Give me a broody OLD Vamp ANY DAY! This was a great mix of plot AND spice which I do find hard to find. It is also a lovely standalone which I sometimes crave between long series. Hope is also herself nearly 200 y/o which we don't see often in fantasy; it brings her character totally up a notch and gives her an edge which she already has because she's such a badass cat-shifting assassin! She is hilarious. Equally, the character development of Nero was really wonderful to read and envision. I loved the idea of him awakening in this new techy world, I do think Savanna could've dove into that aspect a bit more. He seemed to just get the iPhone straight away which seemed a bit of a leap.
I love a book that makes me feel all sorts of feelings and also has me laughing out loud. I struggled to put this down and finished it in 2 days! I also really loved the placement of the current time and in our current world as the back drop, rather than spending chapters and chapters developing a new 'world'.
SPOILER AHEAD - I also agree with another reader's review in that the 'prologue' didn't really make sense with the rest of the story, that could've been explained a bit more. They are hinting at Nero being born a vamp but later in the book he admits to 'forcing' the change on himself from another. We also don't really (IMO) get an explanation of the curse.
Everyone who likes fantasy + shifters + vamps + spice has got to read this book.
This was 100% a 5-star read for me! I loved the banter and the 1st person PoV. Give me a broody OLD Vamp ANY DAY! This was a great mix of plot AND spice which I do find hard to find. It is also a lovely standalone which I sometimes crave between long series. Hope is also herself nearly 200 y/o which we don't see often in fantasy; it brings her character totally up a notch and gives her an edge which she already has because she's such a badass cat-shifting assassin! She is hilarious. Equally, the character development of Nero was really wonderful to read and envision. I loved the idea of him awakening in this new techy world, I do think Savanna could've dove into that aspect a bit more. He seemed to just get the iPhone straight away which seemed a bit of a leap.
I love a book that makes me feel all sorts of feelings and also has me laughing out loud. I struggled to put this down and finished it in 2 days! I also really loved the placement of the current time and in our current world as the back drop, rather than spending chapters and chapters developing a new 'world'.
SPOILER AHEAD - I also agree with another reader's review in that the 'prologue' didn't really make sense with the rest of the story, that could've been explained a bit more. They are hinting at Nero being born a vamp but later in the book he admits to 'forcing' the change on himself from another. We also don't really (IMO) get an explanation of the curse.
Everyone who likes fantasy + shifters + vamps + spice has got to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow… what a ride. In Between the Lies by Savanna Rioux has it all. From the very first chapters, I was completely pulled into Hope and Nero’s worlds and honestly did not want to leave.
Hope is sarcastic, fiery, passionate, and impossible not to love. She brings so much personality and emotion to the story that every scene felt intense and real. Nero complements every aspect of Hope perfectly, and together their chemistry absolutely jumps off the page.
This book took me through a whole range of emotions. One minute I was laughing at the sharp sarcasm and banter, and the next I was completely emotionally invested in the darker, more intense moments. The balance between dark romance, spice, tension, and emotional depth was done so well.
What stood out most to me was how real the characters felt. Savanna created characters that felt like people I genuinely knew from very early on in the story, which made every twist and emotional moment hit even harder.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a dark romance with plenty of spice and sarcasm thrown in for good measure. Thank you again, Savanna, for an unforgettable read.
Hope is sarcastic, fiery, passionate, and impossible not to love. She brings so much personality and emotion to the story that every scene felt intense and real. Nero complements every aspect of Hope perfectly, and together their chemistry absolutely jumps off the page.
This book took me through a whole range of emotions. One minute I was laughing at the sharp sarcasm and banter, and the next I was completely emotionally invested in the darker, more intense moments. The balance between dark romance, spice, tension, and emotional depth was done so well.
What stood out most to me was how real the characters felt. Savanna created characters that felt like people I genuinely knew from very early on in the story, which made every twist and emotional moment hit even harder.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a dark romance with plenty of spice and sarcasm thrown in for good measure. Thank you again, Savanna, for an unforgettable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2026
I read this book while it was still in the beta stage and bought it as soon as it released, because it is so much fun. I've yelled at Hope so much. I want to wrap Nero in a blanket and tell him it's all going to be okay, and I want to smack them both upside the head so often.
I love Hope. I love that impulsivity and chaos are so integral to her, and I love the way she gets herself into and out of trouble. I adore the way these two interact, and I do NOT trust THEI or the demons. I love the way the book introduces new characters that all feel real from the moment they enter the page. In some cases, you feel like you know a character just from a few messages in a chat, even. Like... Rioux does an amazing job of making them all feel real. Even though they're demons, mermaids, elves and shifters.
This is her debut book and I am hooked. I want to buy all her books. I will be her devoted beta reader forever if she lets me.
I love Hope. I love that impulsivity and chaos are so integral to her, and I love the way she gets herself into and out of trouble. I adore the way these two interact, and I do NOT trust THEI or the demons. I love the way the book introduces new characters that all feel real from the moment they enter the page. In some cases, you feel like you know a character just from a few messages in a chat, even. Like... Rioux does an amazing job of making them all feel real. Even though they're demons, mermaids, elves and shifters.
This is her debut book and I am hooked. I want to buy all her books. I will be her devoted beta reader forever if she lets me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️
I really really enjoyed this read!! I read it in one sitting, it gripped me from the start. I loved the characters in this, I loved the paranormal vibes, I loved everything about this book. It genuinely surprised me at how much I loved it
There was a moment about 3/4 of the way through that I thought didnt match the rest of the book vibes.. it just seemed to lack in the writing, nothing like the rest of the book.. it didnt last long thankfully then it picked right back up
I adored the ending oh my gosh!! The only thing to make this better would have been Neros POV. I mean, it brought a tear to my eye not going to deny. It was so sweet!
I seriously hope somewhere there is another book to this! Not sure how or what but I am not ready to be finished with Hope and Nero and this world ✨️
I really really enjoyed this read!! I read it in one sitting, it gripped me from the start. I loved the characters in this, I loved the paranormal vibes, I loved everything about this book. It genuinely surprised me at how much I loved it
There was a moment about 3/4 of the way through that I thought didnt match the rest of the book vibes.. it just seemed to lack in the writing, nothing like the rest of the book.. it didnt last long thankfully then it picked right back up
I adored the ending oh my gosh!! The only thing to make this better would have been Neros POV. I mean, it brought a tear to my eye not going to deny. It was so sweet!
I seriously hope somewhere there is another book to this! Not sure how or what but I am not ready to be finished with Hope and Nero and this world ✨️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advanced reader copy .
I did like Hope's sarcasm & could see her using this as a way to deflect her emotions. The premise was a pretty interesting one that enticed me -Paranormal fantasy and sarcasm ? ✔️
The story did pick up halfway through. However, I would have liked this to explore the more historical background through Nero's past and some events unfortunately lacked depth. However, for a first book this was enjoyable ✨️✨️
Lastly, the ending was bittersweet, Hope has a part of him. While, it was not the ending I was expecting it did envoke emotions thst is expected in a book. Therefore, credit to the author for having the writing style in the end to do that🌸🫶
I did like Hope's sarcasm & could see her using this as a way to deflect her emotions. The premise was a pretty interesting one that enticed me -Paranormal fantasy and sarcasm ? ✔️
The story did pick up halfway through. However, I would have liked this to explore the more historical background through Nero's past and some events unfortunately lacked depth. However, for a first book this was enjoyable ✨️✨️
Lastly, the ending was bittersweet, Hope has a part of him. While, it was not the ending I was expecting it did envoke emotions thst is expected in a book. Therefore, credit to the author for having the writing style in the end to do that🌸🫶
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
I had high hopes for this book after reading the prologue. As I started chapter 1, to me it felt like a whole different writing style. It felt very chaotic and a little all over the place. Some of the words and phrases throughout the book felt off to me. As I continued on things seemed to come together a bit more.
This books kept me wanting. It had/has so much potential.
The ending through me off. I was definitely left wanting after the 2nd Epilogue, Neros POV would have been great!
I had high hopes for this book after reading the prologue. As I started chapter 1, to me it felt like a whole different writing style. It felt very chaotic and a little all over the place. Some of the words and phrases throughout the book felt off to me. As I continued on things seemed to come together a bit more.
This books kept me wanting. It had/has so much potential.
The ending through me off. I was definitely left wanting after the 2nd Epilogue, Neros POV would have been great!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review, I read this book front to back in about 4 hours it hooked me straight away and kept me wanting more. At times the story was a bit confusing however I love the way it’s written and loved the story line between Nero and Hope! The only downside making it 4 not 5 stars for me, was the ending unfortunately I just didn’t see the story going that way and I kind of just skimmed the last few chapters. Overall throughly enjoyed the book, great writing and characters. Would definitely read again and read book 2 if it was ever a thing!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a paranormal fantasy with vampires, shifters and demons. The book was written really well and I loved the banter between the characters and the relationships they each had. Hope and Nero were perfect for each other and I loved watching their story unfold. I did not expect the ending. It was bittersweet, the timeline seemed a little rushed and it ended abruptly hence the 4 stars. I would have liked a little more detail into the curse and why it happened and I wish there was a little more closure with Nero and his perspective, but over all, I really enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this book as part of an ARC review. Reading the prologue I had very high hopes for this book. It was well written and grabbed my attention immediately. As I started reading chapter one it felt a bit chaotic and rushed like it was a completely different writing style from the prologue. As I continued the book seemed to become more cohesive. I really loved Nero and Hope but I wish there was more to the story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed the dynamic between Nero and Hope and how their relationship evolved throughout the book. The timeline does skip around a bit but the story was still easy to follow and things tied up nicely at the end. For those looking to try out the genre or anyone looking for a quick read should give this book a try.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ooo this sucked me in!!!! That ending though …. A bit ..i don’t know. Maybe setup for a duology??… and mmc pov will be a main focus or something…. It was just something weird about how the ending was setup. Left me feeling very unsatisfied.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Good plot and spicy level, not my normal reading book, but really great story line angst longing plot everything, Nero should have his point of view
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews