Of Blood and Bargain: Blood Bargain Dark Court Romantasy

by Aurelia Thorne

572 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2026

Reviews

[Sabrina]

I found the dark and mysterious atmosphere of this story interesting, and the premise definitely caught my attention. Saoirse is a compelling heroine, and I liked her calculating, survival-focused personality, even if it took me a little while to fully connect with her. Her bargain with Cairan creates an intriguing dynamic, especially as it becomes clear that neither of them understands the full consequences of their agreement. The slow-burn romance has some good tension, though the pacing felt a little slow at times. I did enjoy the magic system and the idea that using magic comes with an actual cost, which added some stakes to the story. Cairan remains quite mysterious, and while I’m curious to learn more about him and the Dead Courts, some of the unanswered questions left me wanting more development. Overall, this was an interesting start with plenty of potential, and the ending has me curious enough to see where the story goes next. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.