Revived

Foreverers #1

by Nina del Arce

Murder at the family mansion—and Dirk Crewe is the obvious suspect.

For as long as he can remember, Dirk Crewe’s family have made all his major decisions for him—including who he’ll marry. Born a Crewe, Dirk knows he has to give up everything for the sake of his family’s rise within society. About to marry a woman he does not love, Dirk has resigned any hope for his heart’s truest desires. But when he finds his fiancée Corelia in the arms of another man, Dirk sees the chance to walk away from a loveless marriage and find love on his own terms. However, Dirk does not venture far once he learns Corelia has been murdered. Unless Dirk can prove he had nothing to do with Corelia’s death, his last chance at agency might as well be ruined.

A mysterious stranger, and the deadly secret that could save—or destroy—them both.

Becoming a vampire was never Rhys’s first choice. However, no matter how he tries to be better than the man who turned him, he still faces life in self-loathing isolation. But when Rhys meets Dirk, something about the mortal resonates with him—and age-old defences begin to fall apart. Though something about the death of Dirk’s fiancée isn’t right—and Rhys knows it better than anyone. Together, they set to discover the truth behind Corelia’s death in hopes to settle the past and determine the future.


REVIVED is the first book in the queer vampire romance series FOREVERERS.

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Word count: 29,000 words


Content statements/warnings (contain spoilers, so be aware):


This book features vampires (well, obviously), blood and bleeding, biting (some), kissing (quite a lot), m/m sex, an abusive ex, and physical violence (fight scenes). It has a HFN ending.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Fantasy, M M Romance, LGBT

183 pages, ebook

First published September 4, 2017

About the author

Nina del Arce a.k.a. Vilhelmina Ullemar

Nina del Arce writes supernatural thrillers and queer romance novellas. She finds her ideas in the middle of the night, where they’re usually coiled up in a comfortable darkness. It takes persuasion, sometimes, to make them assume the tangible form of words. That, a perhaps slightly larger than recommended amount of blackcurrant tea (her favourite), and a backdrop of suitably dramatic music.

When not writing (or sleeping, when the tea’s gone), Nina spends her days working as a medical scientist—though she firmly believes attempts at making long dead things come to life are best saved for fiction.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://www.ninadelarce.net/subscribe

Supernatural thrillers with queer protagonist
Cemetery Shift (Cheston Chronicles #1)

Queer vampire romance novellas
Revived (Foreverers #1)

Reviews

[Kate M. Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in Nina del Arce's Foreverers series, Revived is a paranormal romance that begins the complicated relationship between Dirk (a wealthy human) and Rhys (a vampire).

While the exact setting and time period of the book remains undefined (though it feels much like Victorian London), Revived does a good job of setting the mood and tone for the series. Nina del Arce's world feels dark, beautiful, and dangerous, a perfect complement to her vampires, which follow a very classic model (with a few unique attributes). For me, these elements were the shining part of the book.

Because of the short length (under 200 pages), the plot moves quickly and keeps the readers turning the page. While the story is well-written and thoughtfully crafted, I felt like certain aspects could have used more space to develop. Specifically, I thought Dirk and Rhys's relationship accelerated a bit quickly on an emotional level (though, it is a romance story), and I would have liked for characters' motivations and histories to be explained more by action than exposition.

As far as the romantic content itself, Dirk and Rhys's relationship is surprisingly tender, and I'm excited to see how it grows. There is one explicit scene, but it was very tastefully written.

Overall, Revived sets up a seductive world, intriguing vampires, and a complex romantic pairing. A quick, worthwhile read for fans of paranormal and queer romance.

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[Whitney McGruder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dirk Crewe is mentally preparing himself to marry Corelia—a woman he doesn't love. He knows it's all for the family image and he wonders why he so easy settled for a future he didn't want. However, his preparation comes to a halt when he discovers that not only was Corelia secretly seeing another man—she is murdered in his estate. He now has to uncover who killed his fiancee to rest his sister's suspicions.

In his attempts to clear his name, he runs into Rhys—an man of other-wordly strength and attractiveness. They both work together in hopes of finding the killer and make sense of their strained pasts to get a grip on the future.

I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like Anna, but she was an interesting character throughout the narrative. Anna is Dirk's sister, and his only surviving relative, so she carries the pressure Dirk faces from his family's name and social status.  She keeps the narrative interesting, because she's the first to question Dirk if the dead fiancée was his fault. She goes beyond the damsel in distress and seems to know more about what's going on than Dirk does.

She's an imposing sister and becomes an interesting addition to the story and important to the plot twist. Basically, don't underestimate the sister!

I also liked del Arce's vampire lore—how she keeps with certain points of tradition but adds in her own spin as well. I'm not normally a fan of vampire novels because it feels like you read one and you've read them all, but it didn't feel that way when reading this novel.

I had a hard time connecting with Rhys's character, mainly because he's already withdrawn from most of the characters. When you meet him, he hasn't come to terms with his current lifestyle and where his future is going. Often, these kinds of characters take some time to connect and empathize with. He constantly emphasized his unhappiness—even after finding Dirk—so it made me impatient in waiting for his character growth. But, some characters need more time to bake, right? I imagine we'll get to know him further in the next parts of the series.

It's been a while since I've read a vampire novel. I put that on the backburner after reading the Twilight series. Del Arce does a great job of introducing her own flavor of vampire lore—introducing the vampire society, the local fear and awareness of vampires, and the vampire-hunting society that work with and against Dirk's ambitions to uncover the truth about Corelia. I have a feeling that there's more to learn and enjoy once I delve into the rest of the series!

Also, it's probably not much of a secret—thanks to the fantastic cover art—that Rhys and Dirk are attracted to each other. This vampire/horror novel is LGBTQT+ friendly, but I'll give a quick warning: there are two intimate scenes that might not be appropriate for younger readers. Just a heads up if intimate scenes in general are not your thing!

[Denise GremoryKohta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good way to start a series. Firstly, we got to meet the main characters Rhys and Dirk. Secondly neatly woven into the plot was the back story. The world the characters live in wasn't really defined enough for me hence the 4 star rating. I am thinking as the series progresses it will be more fleshed out. I do like how the author let you see some of the vampires abilities as they were needed rather than having a character reveal them all at once. I found it very revealing that Rhys wasn't aware of all the skills as well as risks there is with vampires. It shows that either his sire Agretence didn't know them or he didn't trust Rhys with the knowledge.
One thing I really did love about this book was the author's take on Vampirism. Nina del Arce was consistent with how she wanted them portrayed. Even while adding the complex personalities to Rhys and Agretence and the animalistic nature of Corelia she still stayed true to her vision. With this kind of skillfulness in writing I can see a highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable read from each book that follows. I want to see how things progress with Rhys and Dirk. Will Agretence's fate be in the next book or will he be part of the whole series plot? I am also intrigued by Anna and her relationship with Ailora. How much of the vampire world did Anna really know? Is she going to let Dirk go or will she continue to hunt them with the slayers? So many questions I can't wait to have answered in the books that will be following. I look forward to new challenges and adventures as well as new characters that will be joining in. This is a great start to what looks like an exciting series and I look forward to getting lost in it. I was given the privilege and opportunity to receive an advanced reader copy and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book because I'm always hunting for a good vampire M/M series. Unfortunately this one was just okay for me. There wasn't much world building and I was confused about whether people knew vampires existed or not. Sometimes it seemed they did and yet the MC didn't know. It was also predictable - I knew exactly what would happen throughout the books and there were no surprises. The relationship was pretty instant and I just didn't really feel any great connection between the MCs. Sadly I will not be reading the next book in this series and I'm still on the hunt for a great M/M Vampire series.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review An Alisa Review:

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I really enjoyed this story. Dirk has been living under his sister’s thumb for years doing everything she wanted to maintain their family’s status. Rhys can’t help but feel connected to Dirk and want to keep him safe.

Dirk is pretty much depressed about what his life will be like when he marries Corelia when he first meet him. I hated seeing his confusion and how he seems to be easily manipulated by his sister but Rhys seems to finally give him a reason to stand up to her. Rhys has to go up against his past to find the way to protect Dirk. I connected a bit more with Dirk in this story as we saw more of his emotions and his history. I look forward to reading more in this series.

The cover art is very nice and eye-catching.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of potential if we keep on with these two men. Rhys is a pretty typical vampire who feels unworthy of the goodness Dirk offers. Add in a murder with hints of vampire? Rhys can't seem to stay away no matter how much he feels he should. Dirk needs him in more ways than just vampiric sleuthing, though. Tired of denying his own desires in order to follow his older sister's dictates, he finds a measure of relief when he walks in on his intended's infidelity and proceeds to walk out on his own party only to find himself in bigger trouble than a broken engagement.

Throughout this story there's a lot of background that's given in pieces but only to the reader. When things are unsaid between the men it leaves doubt and uncertainty. When things come to a head they admit that what they really is each other. They go against their past and those that would bind them to it in favor of a new and perilous future with one another. The series is off to a really good start. Overall, this was a short story, a quick read that had enough depth for each character that we feel for these men individually and root for them as a pairing. There's a lot of turmoil that bodes well for a continuing series and I hope that these men are featured from here on out, though I wouldn't be opposed to introducing new pairings in later books.

Read and willingly reviewed this ARC for the author.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and quirky short story. There’s a lot wrapped up in this book. Vampires, an unfaithful fiancée, a pushy sister, hunter and more. There are people in thrall, people turned against their will. Then there’s Dirk, who is in the middle of it all.

Dirk doesn’t want to get married, but sister Anna makes sure he understands his duty to the family name. At his engagement announcement party, Corelia is late coming down. He decided to go find her and when he does, she’s in the arms of another man. Dirk feels justified in calling off the wedding and leaving the house. In his wanders, he meets Rhys.

Rhys was turned against his will. And he keeps trying to be the good person he was before his turning. But when you’re a vampire, it’s hard. Then he meets Dirk and is intrigued. Together they try to figure out what happened to Corelia.

The writing gives almost a Victorian feel to the story, but the author never gives us a real time or place. The story is well written and complete. The characters feel real, as do their inactions with each other. Anna and Dirk act and sound like siblings. The story flows at a nice pace. I truly enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Violet Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in The Foreverers Series. What an captivating book the writing was great. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters riveting. The characters were well developed and thought out. Dirk is a human and Rhys is a Vampire and they are the MC’s of this book. There was humor, an engagement party, death, a mystery, vampires, vampire slayers, a dominant sister, a large house and so much more in this book.

Here is a quote from the book, “Dirk,” she whispered. “We can’t have strangers running around here.” Dirk glanced back at Rhys, offering another smile—this one probably meant to be reassuring. It wasn’t, but then he wouldn’t know Rhys heard every word. “Anna, he saved my life. I can’t throw him out on the streets, “Dirk said. She crossed her arms. “Well, I can. His timing is terrible.” “It’s not like it’s on purpose. He doesn’t know,” Dirk said, the last word holding ominous emphasis.”. There is more but you will need to read the book which I can recommend as a good read. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent vampire story with lots of twists and turns along the way plus a thrilling conclusion.
Dirk and Corelia are about to announce their engagement at their party but she is late coming down. When Dirk goes up to look for her he sees her in the arms of another man. Then later Dirk finds himself in the thrall of the vampire Rhys. However all is not what it seems.
The characters are very rreal and the action exciting. My one real criticism is we are not told of the era in which this takes place which had me slightly confused to begin with.
I was given a copy to read at my leisure.

[Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick fun read. I loved Dirk and Rhys together and can't wait to learn more about them. I didn't care for Anna, she was selfish and cared more about her status than her brother. I'm curious to find out about her and the Slayers, she seems to know more than she's letting on. I also want to know more about Rhys past with Agretence. I know Agretence turned Rhys but I'm still confused as to the circumstances. It takes a really good plot to keep me interested in a book that takes place during this time period, "Revived" kept me not only interested but wanting more. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this through a giveaway (thank you!). It was not really able to hold my attention. I liked Dirk and to some extent the other guy (already forgot his name). It was not an inventive story, so I felt like I could just predict the ending without finishing. I did finish, and I was correct in my assumptions. This does not have a hard cliffhanger, but does have an obvious series feel to it. I will probably not seek those out, but might look at them if they found their way in front of me. No big flaws with grammar or punctuation (yay!). Love story is not very explicit. Would recommend for the doctor's waiting room, that sort of thing.

[Esther Alayeto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, quick supernatural story. Really enjoyed the storyline and it is very well written. Rhys and Dirk are wonderful characters with great chemistry. I can't wait to read the next one.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and atmospheric story about personal choices and vampires. Dirk is in an impossible situation, he walks away and things get worse. At his lowest point, he meets Rys, who skims the edges of existence like a shadow. They find an incredible attraction. Enjoyable to read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampire romance

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway on my kindle. This was a quick vampire romance between two male characters. Even though it was really short and the characters weren't totally fleshed out I really enjoyed it. The two MCs were cute together.

[Meep]

Kindle-Sort-ReRead

Just not working for me.

[Jacqueline Mudge-Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I would like to apologize to the author for not being punctual.

The reviewer would also like to say that this review may contain spoilers so venture at your own risk.

This story is about a young man named Dirk who finds himself in a situation that even most heroines don't want, but are stuck with anyway. A future that involves a loveless marriage and no freedom. Until he meets Rhys does everything change, in more than one way, which is not necessarily a good thing. Especially with a corpse laying around and then disappearing on it's own.

Rhys is a vampire, who plans to live out his days nights. By being a hermit, only killing when he has too and leaving little traces of his existence. Until he spots Dirk, and in anti hermit fashion, but in full action hero he gets himself deep into Dirk's situation with his fiance and everything else that follows with it. Especially the slayers lurking around and his sire involved in the mess in some way

There is a lot of world building to be done and a lot of development for this couple to have. Which I know is going to be done as they travel off into the sunset dawn. It's a great start to a series. I wish there was a bit more, but beggars can't be choosers. Now waiting impatiently for book two.

[Bronwyn Heeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is not the edition I read. this one has a new author "Vilhelmina Ullemar" plus it's only 101 pages.

This book was fine.

It’s a hard book to take seriously, with the series title, add into it that the start was rough, jumping quickly and messily forward. I wasn’t sure why only 1 person didn’t seem to know vampires existed. It seems odd. It was like there was meant to be a naivety to the MC but it really just made him seem ditsy.

Other then that it was fine. fast moving and interesting enough that I wasn’t bored.
It’s the very start of their romance, with more to come.

ARC provided for honest review

[Lavender]

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I won this book via Goodreads Giveaways.