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Midnight Guardians #1
A Bargain of Blood and Gold
A novice hunter with a mission. A five-hundred-year-old vampire with a strong sense of irony. A town plagued by creatures in need of saving.
When Johnathan Newman arrives in Cress Haven, the last thing he expects is for his life to be irrevocably changed. Sent by a clandestine league of vampire hunters to investigate a string of murders, signs point to a vampire lurking amid the townsfolk. Johnathan’s attempt to enlist the locals leads him to an unlikely partnership with Vic, the town's most eligible, enigmatic bachelor.
As the pair work to solve the mystery, Vic’s secrets come back to bite him. Revealed, the vampire fights his attraction to a man trained to destroy him, while Johnathan’s emotions land him in the middle of forbidden desires. Even if Vic isn’t the murderer, how can Johnathan yearn for his natural enemy?
As Vic leads Johnathan into encounters with terrifying beings straight from children’s nightmares, Johnathan learns that not only is the world stranger than he knew, but that those he once trusted have far darker intentions that will place hunter and vampire at the center of a conflict between realms.
Cress Haven holds more sinister secrets than its resident vampire, a secret so great, it could unleash Hell itself.
For fans of Gail Carriger’s Supernatural Society, The Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles, Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh, and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee.
When Johnathan Newman arrives in Cress Haven, the last thing he expects is for his life to be irrevocably changed. Sent by a clandestine league of vampire hunters to investigate a string of murders, signs point to a vampire lurking amid the townsfolk. Johnathan’s attempt to enlist the locals leads him to an unlikely partnership with Vic, the town's most eligible, enigmatic bachelor.
As the pair work to solve the mystery, Vic’s secrets come back to bite him. Revealed, the vampire fights his attraction to a man trained to destroy him, while Johnathan’s emotions land him in the middle of forbidden desires. Even if Vic isn’t the murderer, how can Johnathan yearn for his natural enemy?
As Vic leads Johnathan into encounters with terrifying beings straight from children’s nightmares, Johnathan learns that not only is the world stranger than he knew, but that those he once trusted have far darker intentions that will place hunter and vampire at the center of a conflict between realms.
Cress Haven holds more sinister secrets than its resident vampire, a secret so great, it could unleash Hell itself.
For fans of Gail Carriger’s Supernatural Society, The Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles, Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh, and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2021
35 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Jacques
37 books274 followersMother of two, caffeine addict, sleep deprived book eater.
Kristin Jacques writes primarily speculative fiction, dabbling with dark adventures, monsters, mayhem, and the occasional sarcastic zombie.
When not at her computer spinning tales she is generally herding cats or snuggling with her gremlins.
A Multi Award Winning Author of Fantastical YA & Adult Fiction.
Kristin Jacques writes primarily speculative fiction, dabbling with dark adventures, monsters, mayhem, and the occasional sarcastic zombie.
When not at her computer spinning tales she is generally herding cats or snuggling with her gremlins.
A Multi Award Winning Author of Fantastical YA & Adult Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
September 25, 2023
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you City Owl Press). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅🆗 Murders / Intrigue
✅🆗 Action / Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Romance
Let’s just say that this story is really not what I was expecting after reading the summary of the book. It’s not a bad book, but I was definitely hoping for more, and I am again a minority here since almost everyone seems to love this book.
Jonathan Newman is a Prospect. He is part of The Society, and his sole purpose is to hunt the fiends/vampires that are hiding among people. He is sent to a little town of only a thousand people to try to unmask the fiend hiding in their midst but finds himself thrown into a much bigger problem as he realized that the many murders are not the result of a vampire feeding, but are instead due to demons roaming the woods around the city.
Jonathan is an okay character I guess, he has an interesting backstory, but we learn bits and pieces through flashbacks, and besides that, his character doesn’t hold much appeal. He has no depth and is overall quite generic and bland. He is also naïve to the point where it’s ridicule… Being a part of The Society and being trained to combat and kill fiends that are hiding among humans, I was expecting him to be warier of strangers, or at least more aware of the fact that everything is not as it seems.
Vic is a little more interesting, but again, there is no depth, no connection, and we know nothing about him, his backstory, or what motivates him. The third important character of this book is Alyse. She is presented at first as a strong character but she spent most of the book getting mad at Jonathan or Vic (mostly Jonathan though) and taking care of them when they got hurt. I am not sure what her purpose is in the whole intrigue besides adding someone to create dialogues and to piece Vic and Jonathan back together after they get shot, attacked, stabbed, or mauled by demonic creatures. At least there was a lot of action (well… kind of).
There are a lot of supernatural beings in this book, more than just plain vampires, but there were not many details about the other creatures, and overall it created confusion sometimes. The intrigue was interesting at first, and I was eager to see where it would lead, but now I feel that there were not a lot of clear answers in this book. There is a bunch of explanations that are thrown into the dialogues, but it just felt as if the author was trying to explain the evil entity that took hold of the town, instead of having the characters discover the truth. There are many secrets in this book, mysterious demonic creatures, secret society, hidden agendas, and more, but we got so little information that it became frustrating instead of keeping us hooked on the story.
This is not what I would call a romance. There is a kind of sexual tension between Jonathan and Vic, but it almost comes out of nowhere and felt a little forced even at times. It was not consistent all throughout the book, sometimes there was a heated glance, a moment when Jonathan couldn’t think, had the urge to touch Vic, or blushed, and then there would be almost no chemistry between them for a few pages until another random “intense moment” happened.
Jonathan went from hating Vic based on a prejudice against vampires (and previous bad experiences), to worrying that he might get hurt in the spawn of a day or two. We didn’t really see the evolution of their relationship, it was all very shallow, and I didn’t see a real relationship development between them.
I think this book might be better suited for teenagers who enjoy paranormal and light romance, because honestly besides a few kisses and embraces, there is no romance. The characters are bland and lack depth, and while the plot is interesting, the execution was not one that I enjoyed.
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✅🆗 Murders / Intrigue
✅🆗 Action / Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Romance
Trial by fire was the truest method of ascertaining if one was suited for the life.
Let’s just say that this story is really not what I was expecting after reading the summary of the book. It’s not a bad book, but I was definitely hoping for more, and I am again a minority here since almost everyone seems to love this book.
Jonathan Newman is a Prospect. He is part of The Society, and his sole purpose is to hunt the fiends/vampires that are hiding among people. He is sent to a little town of only a thousand people to try to unmask the fiend hiding in their midst but finds himself thrown into a much bigger problem as he realized that the many murders are not the result of a vampire feeding, but are instead due to demons roaming the woods around the city.
Jonathan is an okay character I guess, he has an interesting backstory, but we learn bits and pieces through flashbacks, and besides that, his character doesn’t hold much appeal. He has no depth and is overall quite generic and bland. He is also naïve to the point where it’s ridicule… Being a part of The Society and being trained to combat and kill fiends that are hiding among humans, I was expecting him to be warier of strangers, or at least more aware of the fact that everything is not as it seems.
Vic frowned and tore away the layers of fabric over the wound. The vampire frowned. “You say he shot you?”
Jonathan managed a halfhearted sneer. “No Vic, I simply tripped and fell on the bullet.”
Vic is a little more interesting, but again, there is no depth, no connection, and we know nothing about him, his backstory, or what motivates him. The third important character of this book is Alyse. She is presented at first as a strong character but she spent most of the book getting mad at Jonathan or Vic (mostly Jonathan though) and taking care of them when they got hurt. I am not sure what her purpose is in the whole intrigue besides adding someone to create dialogues and to piece Vic and Jonathan back together after they get shot, attacked, stabbed, or mauled by demonic creatures. At least there was a lot of action (well… kind of).
“If we run, it will chase us down.” Said Jonathan
“Rather take your chances here?” Vic’s voice rose an octave.
Jonathan cursed. He had to get both of them out of here alive. “Fine, on three we run.”
“I told you to run,” said Vic. “I’ll distract it.”
“You plan to play fetch with it?” Jonathan spoke far too loudly.
There are a lot of supernatural beings in this book, more than just plain vampires, but there were not many details about the other creatures, and overall it created confusion sometimes. The intrigue was interesting at first, and I was eager to see where it would lead, but now I feel that there were not a lot of clear answers in this book. There is a bunch of explanations that are thrown into the dialogues, but it just felt as if the author was trying to explain the evil entity that took hold of the town, instead of having the characters discover the truth. There are many secrets in this book, mysterious demonic creatures, secret society, hidden agendas, and more, but we got so little information that it became frustrating instead of keeping us hooked on the story.
“I feel like some mythic hero, rescuing the fair maiden from the heart of a cursed wood,” Vic said. “Are you always so taken to keeling over?”
A sarcastic and lengthy retort balanced on Jonathan’s tongue, but staring into the beautiful face above him, he could only manage, “Blood-sucking scoundrel.”
This is not what I would call a romance. There is a kind of sexual tension between Jonathan and Vic, but it almost comes out of nowhere and felt a little forced even at times. It was not consistent all throughout the book, sometimes there was a heated glance, a moment when Jonathan couldn’t think, had the urge to touch Vic, or blushed, and then there would be almost no chemistry between them for a few pages until another random “intense moment” happened.
“I haven’t made up my mind yet. I shall inform you when I’ve compiled all the facts.” Begrudgingly, Jonathan also found himself piqued over his shifting opinion of Vic’s humanity.
“Ah well, do let me know when you decide,” said Vic.
“I assure you, you will be the first to know,” said Jonathan.
“I hope that revelation comes without decapitation.”
“We shall see”
Jonathan went from hating Vic based on a prejudice against vampires (and previous bad experiences), to worrying that he might get hurt in the spawn of a day or two. We didn’t really see the evolution of their relationship, it was all very shallow, and I didn’t see a real relationship development between them.
I think this book might be better suited for teenagers who enjoy paranormal and light romance, because honestly besides a few kisses and embraces, there is no romance. The characters are bland and lack depth, and while the plot is interesting, the execution was not one that I enjoyed.
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July 6, 2021
I was curious about A Bargain of Blood & Gold from the cover and premise, even though I'm often wary about new-to-me authors, like Kristin Jacques. I'm a HUGE sucker for paranormal historical romance, and so I was really hoping to love this one. Alas, it was not meant to be.
It's hard to describe my reaction to the writing style, but I didn't mesh with it right off the bat. It was almost hard to read. Kind of strange, awkward phrasing and confusing world-building, and I struggled to finish even the first few chapters. I guess it got marginally better from there, but I ended the book still not enjoying it much.
I really don't think this book is a category romance book. Aside from a few small details, this book does not have any relationship development or chemistry at all. I didn't even shelve it with my romance books on Goodreads.
The book banks all of its "wow"-factor on mystery and secrets, but it wasn't enough to keep me going, personally. Plus, the writing style, like I said, made it super hard to sink into the story.
A strange book for me. I won't be continuing on with the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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It's hard to describe my reaction to the writing style, but I didn't mesh with it right off the bat. It was almost hard to read. Kind of strange, awkward phrasing and confusing world-building, and I struggled to finish even the first few chapters. I guess it got marginally better from there, but I ended the book still not enjoying it much.
I really don't think this book is a category romance book. Aside from a few small details, this book does not have any relationship development or chemistry at all. I didn't even shelve it with my romance books on Goodreads.
The book banks all of its "wow"-factor on mystery and secrets, but it wasn't enough to keep me going, personally. Plus, the writing style, like I said, made it super hard to sink into the story.
A strange book for me. I won't be continuing on with the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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June 13, 2021
It’s safe to say I really struggled with this early on. At about 20% in I’d been skimming for a while.
Why not just quit?
I nearly did but I’d requested this book from NetGalley and therefore I wanted to finish it.
Plus there was the chance it was just me. So I picked it up again the following night. And again I struggled until about the 25% mark. Before I’d fully realised it I’d stopped skimming and found I was enjoying the story.
From this point I was glad I’d stuck with it. It turned out to be an interesting read. I still wasn’t overly fond of the writing style it seemed to take a long time to get where it was going. I found myself getting frustrated with it at times.
But it did win me over in the end and the way it ended has me considering continuing on when the next book is available.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
Why not just quit?
I nearly did but I’d requested this book from NetGalley and therefore I wanted to finish it.
Plus there was the chance it was just me. So I picked it up again the following night. And again I struggled until about the 25% mark. Before I’d fully realised it I’d stopped skimming and found I was enjoying the story.
From this point I was glad I’d stuck with it. It turned out to be an interesting read. I still wasn’t overly fond of the writing style it seemed to take a long time to get where it was going. I found myself getting frustrated with it at times.
But it did win me over in the end and the way it ended has me considering continuing on when the next book is available.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
June 12, 2021
This book sounded so good and seeing some really great reviews I decided to request an ARC. I was excited when I received the ARC but I have to say the story was a let down for me.
The premise of the book is not really what unfolded in the story. There is a lot of supernatural beings and I found it all strange and confusing. Vic is not a vampire like what is usually expected. I couldn’t figure out what his relationship with Alyse was either.
Johnathan was another conundrum who I felt didn’t really grow as a character throughout the story. There was a great backstory for him but I found that more interesting than the events currently happening.
I didn’t feel there were many clear answers, just a bunch of explanations thrown out that included so much information it made my head hurt. It was information overload and it was too much. It seemed as if the author was trying too hard to explain the evil that overtook this town and for me it didn’t work.
This definitely is not a romance. In fact, I felt like the author was holding out on something the entire book. I never felt satisfied in the relationship development between Johnathan & Vic.
This will probably be an unpopular opinion but I didn’t necessarily like Alyse. I spent most of the book wondering what she was there for. She’s supposed to be a strong female character but she gets mad easily and being a strong woman is more than arguing with people or getting annoyed at things. She was there to take care of the many injuries to the men but she never fought in the battles. I felt she could have been so much more and could have been a key to the story that I felt was missing. I also was expecting a story between Johnathan and Vic and this felt more like a threesome without the sex or romance. She was in the way and it detracted from the development of anything happening between Johnathan & Vic.
This book is full of secrets and instead of unfurling at the right times I thought they were kept hidden to the point where I was becoming impatient. I do love stories like this but this just did not work for me.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 13, 2021
I have been on the hunt for an mm paranormal romance and chanced upon this accidentally. I was sceptical at first since it is the first book in the 'Midnight Guardian' series. A cliffhanger is not something everyone is fond of. But rest assured, even though the story is not complete, it doesn't leave behind that much of a suspense . . . just the right amount so we can peacefully wait for the next one without going bonkers.
From the very beginning, the story focuses on Jonathan and Vic's attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding the murders in Cress Haven. Sure, they get close with so many near-death experiences, but romance takes a back seat most of the time. I can only hope that the author has reserved all the funny bits for the next book. What we witness here is the start of a very promising relationship and I can't wait to hear more.
I should not be forgetting my favourite character though. She might be intended as Vic's sidekick, but she had outlived her role and I don't think she is planning to remain as a supporting cast. Brave, spirited, sharp-tongued Alyse, let's see how the outside world treats you. Maybe you get to have your own story this time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
From the very beginning, the story focuses on Jonathan and Vic's attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding the murders in Cress Haven. Sure, they get close with so many near-death experiences, but romance takes a back seat most of the time. I can only hope that the author has reserved all the funny bits for the next book. What we witness here is the start of a very promising relationship and I can't wait to hear more.
I should not be forgetting my favourite character though. She might be intended as Vic's sidekick, but she had outlived her role and I don't think she is planning to remain as a supporting cast. Brave, spirited, sharp-tongued Alyse, let's see how the outside world treats you. Maybe you get to have your own story this time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 16, 2023
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
A paranormal story with vampires, demons, a budding romance, a historical setting, an eerie mystery that unfolds throughout the book, and good-hearted characters trying to do the right thing while sometimes battling the metaphorical demons of their past---lots of stuff to like in this one! I will say Vic seemed more of a vampire in label than in practice, since he injects blood rather than drinking it and is basically just a fast, strong, immortal human, but that's just me always wanting more vampire-ness in books. This was an enjoyable start to a series.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: Ebook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes historical fantasy, m/m paranormal romance, vampires, uncommon supernaturals, and a bit of mystery.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
A paranormal story with vampires, demons, a budding romance, a historical setting, an eerie mystery that unfolds throughout the book, and good-hearted characters trying to do the right thing while sometimes battling the metaphorical demons of their past---lots of stuff to like in this one! I will say Vic seemed more of a vampire in label than in practice, since he injects blood rather than drinking it and is basically just a fast, strong, immortal human, but that's just me always wanting more vampire-ness in books. This was an enjoyable start to a series.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: Ebook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes historical fantasy, m/m paranormal romance, vampires, uncommon supernaturals, and a bit of mystery.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
June 9, 2022
This was so good. Like.. *really* really good. I love the lore and the small-town vibes. The characters were everything I could have wanted. It was wonderful watching John alter his expectations and opinions. The relationship that forms between John and Vic was so sweet. Charged for sure, but sweet. Those boys need a break, though. A nap and a good meal and a few days off. I'm looking forward to book 2 more than I can say, really. I worry it won't focus John and Vic the same way, but even then, I'd like to see what happens next!
RE-READ: yup. still love it. such a comfort read for me. <3
RE-READ: yup. still love it. such a comfort read for me. <3
June 16, 2021
A Bargain of Blood and Gold was an enjoyable MM PNR tale. I found the premise intriguing, and both Vic and Johnathan were entertaining characters. I appreciated the slow pace of their relationship, which eschewed insta-love in favour of a more gradual deepening of feelings. By the end, there were quite a few 'creatures' to contend with, and once or twice I wished there were fewer so we had more time to get to know each, the rules of their existence etc., a little better, but that's a very small gripe, and since this book is the first in a series, that kind of information may well continue to trickle through as we move through future installments. Overall, though, this was a fun, quick and easy read and is sure to please fans of MM PNR. It gets a solid 4-star rating from me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2021
3.5 stars
It started a little slow but I ended up enjoying it. I'll definitely check out the next one.
It started a little slow but I ended up enjoying it. I'll definitely check out the next one.
June 6, 2021
I absolutely adore Jacques’ writing and the voice of her stories is so wonderful, expressive, and special. I’ve read a few of her works now and this is definitely one of my favourites - Vic and John are such interesting and intriguing characters, and I love the drama and romance that have been wound into the book. An exceptional job!
September 30, 2021
-Fae -Demons -Vampires -Paranormal Murder Mystery - LGBTQ/Historical Romance - Ghosties
Ya'll know I am a massive fan of Jacques' The Gate Cycle series. When I heard she was branching into the paranormal murder mystery/LGBTQ romance realm, well you can guess I already had plans on putting this on my TBR. Needless to say this has been the most hectic few months and I am utterly behind on getting my bookish agenda items checked. Good news? I am just in time for Spook Season for ya'll!
PLOT
MC, Johnathan, is a vampire hunter for the Society. They go from town to town hunting what lurks in the night and helping townsfolk feel safe again. When he is given a mission at Cress Haven, he quickly learns that not everything is as it seems and there are much deadlier things haunting the streets. I liked the plot growth and the unique myth-like elements that intermingled together to push the storyline along. Their is a mixture of mystery, romance and paranormal comingling from start to finish. I did find the pacing slow in the beginning with a quickly closing ending. Though the ending tied up nicely and I definitely like how it wasn't an over-the-top cliffhanger. Addition of memory reflection was a nice add but didn't fit the momentum the way I would've hoped. On a personal reader note I did struggle a bit with the inner reflection/monologue of Johnathan. This could truly be a reader preference since I am more drawn to dialogue and active plot over character internalizing. For me it took a little away from the current scene that was in play redirecting focus.
CHARACTERS
Johnathan took a little getting used too. Slightly on the naïve side (though reasoning is understandable), more awkward than expected and not as "huntery" as I would've liked. I think I envisioned a take no crap Mr. Darcy type for some reason (don't ask). I am also used to the darker and harder character personas of the gate Cycle crew. He did become a heartfelt favorite by the end though. His relationship with Vic is absolutely adorable. All of the props to Jacques for a slow building connection between Vic and John. Vic is everything I like in my vampires; Debonair, witty, strong and devilishly handsome of course. The show stealer was Alyse for me. A spinster with a sisterly dedication to Vic and a fiercely protective instinct. Plus a total badass when you think about it.
World/Magic
The Victorian Era is one of my favorites and I really liked how this novel embodies a lot of that atmosphere into the pages. Jacques has a writers gift when it comes to descriptive writing and capturing the essence of mood, tone and impression. The creatures, the levels of 'worlds' and expertly describing how they all come together was a fascinating aspect of this novel for me.
I enjoyed this new genre switch for Jacques. I love that her creative traits have morphed into something new and exciting and captivating all at once. I look forward to watching Alyse, Johnathan and Vic grow as their series unfolds. Thank you Jacques for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! True rating 3.5/5.
Ya'll know I am a massive fan of Jacques' The Gate Cycle series. When I heard she was branching into the paranormal murder mystery/LGBTQ romance realm, well you can guess I already had plans on putting this on my TBR. Needless to say this has been the most hectic few months and I am utterly behind on getting my bookish agenda items checked. Good news? I am just in time for Spook Season for ya'll!
PLOT
MC, Johnathan, is a vampire hunter for the Society. They go from town to town hunting what lurks in the night and helping townsfolk feel safe again. When he is given a mission at Cress Haven, he quickly learns that not everything is as it seems and there are much deadlier things haunting the streets. I liked the plot growth and the unique myth-like elements that intermingled together to push the storyline along. Their is a mixture of mystery, romance and paranormal comingling from start to finish. I did find the pacing slow in the beginning with a quickly closing ending. Though the ending tied up nicely and I definitely like how it wasn't an over-the-top cliffhanger. Addition of memory reflection was a nice add but didn't fit the momentum the way I would've hoped. On a personal reader note I did struggle a bit with the inner reflection/monologue of Johnathan. This could truly be a reader preference since I am more drawn to dialogue and active plot over character internalizing. For me it took a little away from the current scene that was in play redirecting focus.
CHARACTERS
Johnathan took a little getting used too. Slightly on the naïve side (though reasoning is understandable), more awkward than expected and not as "huntery" as I would've liked. I think I envisioned a take no crap Mr. Darcy type for some reason (don't ask). I am also used to the darker and harder character personas of the gate Cycle crew. He did become a heartfelt favorite by the end though. His relationship with Vic is absolutely adorable. All of the props to Jacques for a slow building connection between Vic and John. Vic is everything I like in my vampires; Debonair, witty, strong and devilishly handsome of course. The show stealer was Alyse for me. A spinster with a sisterly dedication to Vic and a fiercely protective instinct. Plus a total badass when you think about it.
World/Magic
The Victorian Era is one of my favorites and I really liked how this novel embodies a lot of that atmosphere into the pages. Jacques has a writers gift when it comes to descriptive writing and capturing the essence of mood, tone and impression. The creatures, the levels of 'worlds' and expertly describing how they all come together was a fascinating aspect of this novel for me.
I enjoyed this new genre switch for Jacques. I love that her creative traits have morphed into something new and exciting and captivating all at once. I look forward to watching Alyse, Johnathan and Vic grow as their series unfolds. Thank you Jacques for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! True rating 3.5/5.
June 9, 2021
I have been on the hunt for new authors even if I have so many to keep track of right now, I can’t! I picked this up and dived in. First off, this has the distinct feel of a Victorian novel which isn’t my favorite. However, once I got mostly over that, I quite enjoyed this novel. Vic and Johnathan are interesting characters with one being the more genteel aristocrat and one being the uncouth strapping young lad. They played very well against each other…and so did Alyse! (Who’s she? Read this and find out!) Add to that the interesting plot and excellent writing, this is a great urban fantasy book. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
April 24, 2023
This book was such a blast. A Bargain of Blood and Gold is a MM paranormal romance with a historical setting. The premise is this: Johnathan is a novice vampire hunter who is sent to eradicate a vampire in a town where young girls are going missing. There are disappearances and murders and signs point to vampiric activity. However, despite popular belief, the town’s resident vampire isn’t the culprit. John and Victor, the vampire, team up to uncover the truth regarding the murders and stumble upon a whole paranormal mystery that’s definitely noteworthy. There’s humor and tension, intricacies and a faerie side plot.
The chemistry between Vic and John is really what did it for me. Their instant connection and the “I don’t like you, but I actually really do like you” vibes were so well-written and the perfect amount of romance. While this is a paranormal romance, it is perfectly balanced with a really intriguing plot. Those are my favorite romances.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be picking up the sequel sometime soon!
The chemistry between Vic and John is really what did it for me. Their instant connection and the “I don’t like you, but I actually really do like you” vibes were so well-written and the perfect amount of romance. While this is a paranormal romance, it is perfectly balanced with a really intriguing plot. Those are my favorite romances.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be picking up the sequel sometime soon!
November 15, 2021
Review copy received from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
I am so incredibly weak for vampire/vampire hunter pairings (enemies-to-lovers rears its head) and seeing A Bargain of Blood & Gold with just that trope, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read it!
The main pairing of this book is just a delight. We follow our hunter Jonathan, a young Prospective of the Society, a group that deals with the supernatural threats against humanity, who’s dropped off in a small backwater town in Maine to deal with the local vampire problem. (As one may guess, there is, in fact, more than just a vampire problem). John, while somewhat naïve due to his youth, is still quite a fun character to follow because of how clever he is. The Society trained him well. The other half of this pairing is local vampire and town’s most attractive/charismatic bachelor, Vic, who cheerfully flirts with John any opportunity he gets while also proving to be quite helpful in this investigation. I just lived for the banter between these two. There’s so much growth in this relationship, as John first meets an unfairly attractive man, as John goes through the crisis of realize the unfairly attractive man is a vampire, and as John slowly reconciles those two facts together.
For those curious, Vic is of the grassfed, vegetarian style, killing humans for food bad, breed of vampire. So the enemies-to-lovers aspect is a fairly one-sided.
I can’t say much about the plot without giving away details, but I will say I did enjoy the murder mystery storyline. I was surprised by the number of components(and some of the foreshadowing) that were introduced and it’s clear the author is building up the world for future books! For me, my favorite part was exploring the absolutely fascinating dynamic between John and his childhood father figure (again, no details because spoilers) and I certainly hope to see that more in later books. Overall, a solid 4/5!
I am so incredibly weak for vampire/vampire hunter pairings (enemies-to-lovers rears its head) and seeing A Bargain of Blood & Gold with just that trope, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read it!
The main pairing of this book is just a delight. We follow our hunter Jonathan, a young Prospective of the Society, a group that deals with the supernatural threats against humanity, who’s dropped off in a small backwater town in Maine to deal with the local vampire problem. (As one may guess, there is, in fact, more than just a vampire problem). John, while somewhat naïve due to his youth, is still quite a fun character to follow because of how clever he is. The Society trained him well. The other half of this pairing is local vampire and town’s most attractive/charismatic bachelor, Vic, who cheerfully flirts with John any opportunity he gets while also proving to be quite helpful in this investigation. I just lived for the banter between these two. There’s so much growth in this relationship, as John first meets an unfairly attractive man, as John goes through the crisis of realize the unfairly attractive man is a vampire, and as John slowly reconciles those two facts together.
For those curious, Vic is of the grassfed, vegetarian style, killing humans for food bad, breed of vampire. So the enemies-to-lovers aspect is a fairly one-sided.
I can’t say much about the plot without giving away details, but I will say I did enjoy the murder mystery storyline. I was surprised by the number of components(and some of the foreshadowing) that were introduced and it’s clear the author is building up the world for future books! For me, my favorite part was exploring the absolutely fascinating dynamic between John and his childhood father figure (again, no details because spoilers) and I certainly hope to see that more in later books. Overall, a solid 4/5!
January 5, 2023
Thank you to the author Kristin Jacques for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for a review.
I just want to start off by saying I love everything the author has written and A Bargain of Blood and Gold (referred to as ABBG) was no exception. I had been looking for my next mystery/detective read and this one had the bonus of including vampires. So it was a win all around.
I’ll start with the characters, Johnathan and Vic were both very compelling characters for different reasons. Johnathan’s backstory pulled at my heartstrings, and watching him find happiness by the end of the book was one of my favorite parts of the story. And Vic was that perfect mix of charm and genuine compassion that always makes the character an automatic favorite.
Overall the plot of ABBG had a steady pace and never really hit a slow point. I was occasionally confused by certain lore points/mythic connections but I think they will be expanded upon in the next book. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Vic and Johnathan in book two!
I just want to start off by saying I love everything the author has written and A Bargain of Blood and Gold (referred to as ABBG) was no exception. I had been looking for my next mystery/detective read and this one had the bonus of including vampires. So it was a win all around.
I’ll start with the characters, Johnathan and Vic were both very compelling characters for different reasons. Johnathan’s backstory pulled at my heartstrings, and watching him find happiness by the end of the book was one of my favorite parts of the story. And Vic was that perfect mix of charm and genuine compassion that always makes the character an automatic favorite.
Overall the plot of ABBG had a steady pace and never really hit a slow point. I was occasionally confused by certain lore points/mythic connections but I think they will be expanded upon in the next book. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Vic and Johnathan in book two!
July 10, 2021
What an amazing, breath-taking fantasy and suspense filled adventure from beginning to end!
Read full review in the 2021 Summer issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2021 Summer issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 25, 2021
I had the privilege of helping Kristin edit this book. I so love Vic and Johnathan and can’t wait to see where their adventure goes next!!
September 21, 2021
I picked up A Bargain of Blood and Gold because it was the latest release by my good friend, Kristin Jacques. It happened to share a book birthday with my Never Say Never, and I decided to read it sight unseen. I hadn’t even read the summary. I was just going to try it out and see what I got. I started it toward the end of last month and sped through it enthusiastically. This one was a page turner for sure! But what’s my writer’s view of it?
What I Enjoyed:
So so very much. Where to begin! For one, I loved the narrative voice of this story, which is perfect for it’s time period (circa early 19th century America). I fell in love with the characters. You’ve got Johnathan, a Prospect, or a hunter working for The Society. He’s thrown into this town and is told to figure his own way through Cress Haven, on the hunt for what he’s been trained for since he was young–killing vampires. But his past is a lot more complex than that of a simple hunter, and his stalwart honor is delightful when played against the people he meets when he arrives. There’s Alyse, a “spinster,” the daughter of a Pastor, and a badass who knows she’s capable of more than the life she’s leading allows. And Vic, the vampire (something that is very fun to say out loud), who is sassy and clever, and is nothing like what Johnathan knows about vampires. He cares about the town he lives in so much, he’s willing to send for vampire hunters to root out the danger–which is definitely not him.
Also a gay romance is always a refreshing find in a story, particularly one that is not viewed as anything surprising to the people around them. It also felt like a natural evolution for their storyline. It was a helluva slow burn, but by the end, I wanted to push them together and yell “Now, kiss!”
There were loads of fun twists and turns in this mystery, and they had me going for a ride. Everytime I thought I had something figured out, something new was revealed, and I realized I’d missed the clues! I haven’t done this in a long time, but I even went to sleep late reading this one. Definitely a wild time with strong descriptions and a strong creep factor. And the end wraps the story while leaving wonderful opportunities for a sequel!
What I’d Avoid:
I really had no complaints here. I really enjoyed this story.
What Can I Learn:
My main takeaway is how important it is to read in the genre you want to write in. It’s clear that Kristin read heavily in the historical genre to capture the manner of the time period, the clothing, the weapons, the modes of transportation. I felt immersed reading it and I loved it. Well-researched and done just well enough to twist some of the elements and make them believable. I was super impressed.
Conclusion:
I’d recommend this story to anyone who loves a good paranormal adventure with romantic elements. The romance is a slow burn, but the paranormal mystery is enough to drive your interest while you’re waiting for the main characters to realize there’s something brewing between them. A lot of fun. I can’t wait for the sequel.
What I Enjoyed:
So so very much. Where to begin! For one, I loved the narrative voice of this story, which is perfect for it’s time period (circa early 19th century America). I fell in love with the characters. You’ve got Johnathan, a Prospect, or a hunter working for The Society. He’s thrown into this town and is told to figure his own way through Cress Haven, on the hunt for what he’s been trained for since he was young–killing vampires. But his past is a lot more complex than that of a simple hunter, and his stalwart honor is delightful when played against the people he meets when he arrives. There’s Alyse, a “spinster,” the daughter of a Pastor, and a badass who knows she’s capable of more than the life she’s leading allows. And Vic, the vampire (something that is very fun to say out loud), who is sassy and clever, and is nothing like what Johnathan knows about vampires. He cares about the town he lives in so much, he’s willing to send for vampire hunters to root out the danger–which is definitely not him.
Also a gay romance is always a refreshing find in a story, particularly one that is not viewed as anything surprising to the people around them. It also felt like a natural evolution for their storyline. It was a helluva slow burn, but by the end, I wanted to push them together and yell “Now, kiss!”
There were loads of fun twists and turns in this mystery, and they had me going for a ride. Everytime I thought I had something figured out, something new was revealed, and I realized I’d missed the clues! I haven’t done this in a long time, but I even went to sleep late reading this one. Definitely a wild time with strong descriptions and a strong creep factor. And the end wraps the story while leaving wonderful opportunities for a sequel!
What I’d Avoid:
I really had no complaints here. I really enjoyed this story.
What Can I Learn:
My main takeaway is how important it is to read in the genre you want to write in. It’s clear that Kristin read heavily in the historical genre to capture the manner of the time period, the clothing, the weapons, the modes of transportation. I felt immersed reading it and I loved it. Well-researched and done just well enough to twist some of the elements and make them believable. I was super impressed.
Conclusion:
I’d recommend this story to anyone who loves a good paranormal adventure with romantic elements. The romance is a slow burn, but the paranormal mystery is enough to drive your interest while you’re waiting for the main characters to realize there’s something brewing between them. A lot of fun. I can’t wait for the sequel.
July 17, 2021
trigger warning
Monster hunter novice Jonathan is assigned a case to finish his training: He is dropped in a small town to get rid of the vampire who lords over the people here. It doesn't take long for the first corpse to turn up.
Right from the start, we have a historical fiction crime thingy with paranormal elements, and this is what I came here for - that and the gay romance which developed quite nicely and didn't feel forced at all. I like it when characters happen to realise how fond they've grown of each other, and abhor insta love tropes of all kinds.
Since we have a small town, the suspect list is not that big, though we are not introduced to the whole village. Part of that has to do with that we follow our protagonist closely, and he spends a lot of time injured in bed, and when gets up to do things, he is in a hurry because he feels like so much time has been lost to uselessness.
One thing that annoyed me was that he was sick and low and pushed his body to his limits, but he didn't even try to get better. I am not sure if it is done on purpose and ties in with the ending of the novel, or if he just happens to never eat and drink, which is an especially stupid decision if you recently lost a big amount of blood.
Apart from that, I enjoyed this book, want both to know more about the main characters and about the world. I will come back for sure.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Monster hunter novice Jonathan is assigned a case to finish his training: He is dropped in a small town to get rid of the vampire who lords over the people here. It doesn't take long for the first corpse to turn up.
Right from the start, we have a historical fiction crime thingy with paranormal elements, and this is what I came here for - that and the gay romance which developed quite nicely and didn't feel forced at all. I like it when characters happen to realise how fond they've grown of each other, and abhor insta love tropes of all kinds.
Since we have a small town, the suspect list is not that big, though we are not introduced to the whole village. Part of that has to do with that we follow our protagonist closely, and he spends a lot of time injured in bed, and when gets up to do things, he is in a hurry because he feels like so much time has been lost to uselessness.
One thing that annoyed me was that he was sick and low and pushed his body to his limits, but he didn't even try to get better. I am not sure if it is done on purpose and ties in with the ending of the novel, or if he just happens to never eat and drink, which is an especially stupid decision if you recently lost a big amount of blood.
Apart from that, I enjoyed this book, want both to know more about the main characters and about the world. I will come back for sure.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
July 23, 2021
This book , for me, was a retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow - but insert vampires and demons instead of the headless horseman.
Jonathan has been sent to a very small town in Maine to investigate, track down, and eliminate a vampire. This is his final mission as an apprentice in the society that practically raised him after liberating him from the vampire that was using him as a way to attract food. When he arrives in town - things are definitely more than they seem and much more intense.
Vic is the local vampire - but he is definitely not the monster Jonathan's society led him to believe he would be. He and Jonathan need to work at trusting each other and finding the answers to save the town from a very otherworldly threat. I definitely liked both of them - but I spent a good portion of the book being confused about what was actually going on. In fact - I'm still not 100% clear on everything and where things in the story will go from here. The story leaves a lot of things open-ended - and a lot of questions unanswered - but only leaves us on a semi-cliffhanger.
Overall - I liked it as a start to what will probably be a very interesting supernatural series.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
Jonathan has been sent to a very small town in Maine to investigate, track down, and eliminate a vampire. This is his final mission as an apprentice in the society that practically raised him after liberating him from the vampire that was using him as a way to attract food. When he arrives in town - things are definitely more than they seem and much more intense.
Vic is the local vampire - but he is definitely not the monster Jonathan's society led him to believe he would be. He and Jonathan need to work at trusting each other and finding the answers to save the town from a very otherworldly threat. I definitely liked both of them - but I spent a good portion of the book being confused about what was actually going on. In fact - I'm still not 100% clear on everything and where things in the story will go from here. The story leaves a lot of things open-ended - and a lot of questions unanswered - but only leaves us on a semi-cliffhanger.
Overall - I liked it as a start to what will probably be a very interesting supernatural series.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
December 10, 2023
4.5 ⭐
That was an unexpectedly good read. The book focuses on the story not the romance and I had a hard time to put the book down in the evenings. Who needs sleep...?
I really liked Alyse as a supporting character. She reminded me of Christine from the Widdershins series which was a great plus.
The storyline was great and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. There's also fairies and demons which makes the book a whole lot better. The world building was a little rough in the beginning but it got better and better. There were also some twists I didn't see coming.
That was an unexpectedly good read. The book focuses on the story not the romance and I had a hard time to put the book down in the evenings. Who needs sleep...?
I really liked Alyse as a supporting character. She reminded me of Christine from the Widdershins series which was a great plus.
The storyline was great and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. There's also fairies and demons which makes the book a whole lot better. The world building was a little rough in the beginning but it got better and better. There were also some twists I didn't see coming.
June 15, 2021
This gay-goth, slow-burn mystery/romance pushed all the right buttons for me! Hunky novice ready to kill the monsters? Check. Sexy Vampire who might be the enemy? Check. Smart female side-kick ready to pick up where the others stop? Check. Small village near the forest, lots of fog, missing girls, and plenty of twists and turns? Check. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, Jacques took it a different direction, making this a book I couldn't put down. Plus the romance kept getting hotter and hotter...I can't wait for the next installment to see what these gentlemen do next, and hopefully get to know Alyse better (and what she plans on doing...)
November 30, 2023
Absolutely love Kristin's storytelling and style. The descriptions are vivid, the paranormal world is grim, mysterious, and ready to swallow you whole, and the characters have dark pasts awaiting to be uncovered.
Fantastic read.
Fantastic read.
June 11, 2021
I have not read this author before, but she is good about making you want to know what happens next. With that said, this is totally different than what I was expecting.
When I think about vampires, the description and actions from Vic are not what I imagine for a vampire. He seems kind of wimpy for being 500 years old. I was not impressed by his character. He was more docile than I would have expected.
Jonathan is young and naïve to the point of ridiculousness. With his past, he should have been more aware of people and their character.
I think maybe this book would be more enjoyable to a teenager who likes mystery and paranormal books. There is nothing that happens in the book that would classify it as anything more than a young adult paranormal book. The only “romance” to it is a couple of kisses and an embrace.
I voluntarily reviewed a BookSirens ARC of this book.
When I think about vampires, the description and actions from Vic are not what I imagine for a vampire. He seems kind of wimpy for being 500 years old. I was not impressed by his character. He was more docile than I would have expected.
Jonathan is young and naïve to the point of ridiculousness. With his past, he should have been more aware of people and their character.
I think maybe this book would be more enjoyable to a teenager who likes mystery and paranormal books. There is nothing that happens in the book that would classify it as anything more than a young adult paranormal book. The only “romance” to it is a couple of kisses and an embrace.
I voluntarily reviewed a BookSirens ARC of this book.
June 21, 2021
ENGLISH/ESPAÑOL.
ENGLISH.
You don't know the surprise that I got with this book! I'm not gonna to lie, at the beginning of the story I was curious about John and his adventure but it seemed to me that everything was happening very fast. For a moment I was undecided about whether to continue reading or leave it on DNF but I'm so glad I finished it because it was AMAZING!
The story of John and Vic and his adventure began to get more and more intriguing as I read on. And the mysteries! My God, the mysteries in this book and the plot twists don't let you separate a moment from the story. After 20% of the ARC I could not separate myself from the kindle and I could not stop reading because I NEEDED ANSWERS!
Furthermore, I needed to read more of Vic and John together as a team because let me tell you that these two are pure dynamite and they have that je ne sais quoi, that energy and chemistry that I was so eager to find and read.
The two are vastly different people. For starters, Johnathan is a vampire hunter who was recruited by the Society, a soldier who is eager to prove his worth on this first mission alone. He is smart, attentive and his attention to detail is impressive. On the battlefield or in the face of death he is the model soldier, he is funny and direct but he is clumsy when it comes to relating to others.
Vic, on the other hand, is extremely charismatic and empathetic, he is not the typical vampire who is always calm and in control, that you can hardly imagine that he can feel something, no, Vic is a person with many feelings, many impulses, he is the type of character that you cannot help but love because he is the most precious thing in the world.
I'll be honest with you, I loved these two with passion. Separately they are extremely interesting and lovable characters, BUT TOGETHER THERE IS SPARK!
The two of them are flirting/fighting throughout the whole book and the sexual tension between them makes you wish you didn't finish the book.
Furthermore, the mystery about the murders that have occurred at Cress Haven becomes more and more exciting as you read. I'm not much into reading mystery stories (something I try to change, by the way) but with this story I felt more intrigued and excited, I wanted to know what would happen and how our heroes would end, even more so because this story is full of magic and fantasy. When I started the book I thought it would just be one more vampire story but the truth is that it is MUCH MORE. I'm so glad I gave it a try.
Yes, there were some things that at first I didn't like, such as the fact that at first it seemed that John was trusting Vic very quickly or that it seemed to me that everything was happening at the speed of light but as I got used to it rhythm and I got to know our characters I got used to all the action that is here, in all the chapters something important happens and I liked that a lot, I did not think there was filler and everything that the characters did had me very intrigued.
The ending was somewhat abrupt to me, I would have loved to know much more about what would happen but I just realized that it is the first book in a saga so I am very excited for the continuation!
I started this book looking for something simple, a romance and a mystery and tension between the protagonists but I found something much better and I am very happy to have given it a chance. AAAAHHHHH I already want to read the continuation and see Vic and Johnathan again <3
Btw, the ARC for this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks you so much!
ESPAÑOL.
No saben la sorpresa que me llevé con este libro! No les voy a mentir, al principio de la historia tenía curiosidad por John y su aventura pero me pareció que todo estaba sucediendo muy rápido. Por un momento me encontré indecisa sobre si seguir con la lectura o dejarlo en DNF pero me alegra mucho haberlo terminado porque fue INCREÍBLE!
La historia de John y Vic y su aventura empezó a hacerse más y más intrigante conforme seguía leyendo. ¡Y los misterios! Dios mío, los misterios que tiene este libro y los plot twist no te dejan separarte ni un momento de la historia. Pasado el 20% del ARC no me pude separar de la kindle y no pude dejar de leer porque NECESITABA RESPUESTAS!
Más aún, necesitaba leer más de Vic y John juntos como equipo porque dejenme decirles que estos dos son dinamita pura y tienen ese je ne sais quoi, esa energía y química que estaba ansiando encontrar y leer.
Los dos son personas sumamente diferentes. Para empezar, Johnathan es un cazador de vampiros que fue reclutado por la Sociedad, un soldado que está ansioso por probar su valía en esta último misión. Es inteligente, atento, algo torpe y su atención al detalle es impresionante. En el campo de batalla o frente a la muerte es el soldado modelo, es gracioso y directo pero es torpe cuando se trata de relacionarse con otros.
Vic, por otro lado, es sumamente carismático y empático, no es el típico vampiro que siempre está calmado y en control, que apenas puedes imaginarte que pueda sentir algo, no, Vic es una persona con muchos sentimientos, muchos impulsos, es el tipo de personaje que no puedes evitar amar porque es la cosa más preciosa de la vida.
Les seré sincera, amé a estos dos con pasión. Por separado son personajes sumamente interesantes y adorables, PERO JUNTOS HAY CHISPA!
Los dos se la pasan coqueteando/peleando durante todo el libro y la tensión sexual que hay entre ambos te hace desear no terminar el libro.
Más aún, el misterio sobre los asesinatos que han ocurrido en Cress Haven se vuelve más y más emocionante a medida que avanzas en el libro. No soy mucho de leer historias de misterio (algo que intento cambiar, por cierto) pero con esta historia me sentía más intrigada y emocionada, quería saber qué pasaría y cómo terminarían nuestros héroes, más aún porque esta historia está plagada de magia y fantasía. Al empezar el libro pensé que sólo sería una historia más de vampiros pero la verdad es que es MUCHO MÁS. Me alegra muchísimo haberle dado una oportunidad.
Sí hubo algunas cosas que en un principio no me gustaron, como por ejemplo el hecho de que al principio parecía que John estaba confiando muy rápido en Vic o que me parecía que todo estaba sucediendo a la velocidad de la luz pero conforme me fui acostumbrando al ritmo y fui conociendo a nuestros personajes me acostumbré a toda la acción que hay aquí, en todos los capítulos pasa algo importante y eso me gustó mucho, no me pareció que hubiera relleno y cada cosa que los personajes hacían me tenía muy intrigada.
El final sí se me hizo algo abrupto, me hubiera encantado saber mucho más sobre lo que pasaría pero acabo de darme cuenta que es el primer libro de una saga así que estoy muy emocionada por la continuación.
Empecé este libro buscando algo simple, un romance y un misterio y tensión entre los protagonistas pero me encontré con algo muchísimo mejor y me alegra mucho haberle dado una oportunidad. AAAAHHHHH Ya quiero leer la continuación y volver a ver a Vic y Johnathan <3
Btw, el ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
ENGLISH.
You don't know the surprise that I got with this book! I'm not gonna to lie, at the beginning of the story I was curious about John and his adventure but it seemed to me that everything was happening very fast. For a moment I was undecided about whether to continue reading or leave it on DNF but I'm so glad I finished it because it was AMAZING!
The story of John and Vic and his adventure began to get more and more intriguing as I read on. And the mysteries! My God, the mysteries in this book and the plot twists don't let you separate a moment from the story. After 20% of the ARC I could not separate myself from the kindle and I could not stop reading because I NEEDED ANSWERS!
Furthermore, I needed to read more of Vic and John together as a team because let me tell you that these two are pure dynamite and they have that je ne sais quoi, that energy and chemistry that I was so eager to find and read.
The two are vastly different people. For starters, Johnathan is a vampire hunter who was recruited by the Society, a soldier who is eager to prove his worth on this first mission alone. He is smart, attentive and his attention to detail is impressive. On the battlefield or in the face of death he is the model soldier, he is funny and direct but he is clumsy when it comes to relating to others.
Vic, on the other hand, is extremely charismatic and empathetic, he is not the typical vampire who is always calm and in control, that you can hardly imagine that he can feel something, no, Vic is a person with many feelings, many impulses, he is the type of character that you cannot help but love because he is the most precious thing in the world.
I'll be honest with you, I loved these two with passion. Separately they are extremely interesting and lovable characters, BUT TOGETHER THERE IS SPARK!
The two of them are flirting/fighting throughout the whole book and the sexual tension between them makes you wish you didn't finish the book.
Furthermore, the mystery about the murders that have occurred at Cress Haven becomes more and more exciting as you read. I'm not much into reading mystery stories (something I try to change, by the way) but with this story I felt more intrigued and excited, I wanted to know what would happen and how our heroes would end, even more so because this story is full of magic and fantasy. When I started the book I thought it would just be one more vampire story but the truth is that it is MUCH MORE. I'm so glad I gave it a try.
Yes, there were some things that at first I didn't like, such as the fact that at first it seemed that John was trusting Vic very quickly or that it seemed to me that everything was happening at the speed of light but as I got used to it rhythm and I got to know our characters I got used to all the action that is here, in all the chapters something important happens and I liked that a lot, I did not think there was filler and everything that the characters did had me very intrigued.
The ending was somewhat abrupt to me, I would have loved to know much more about what would happen but I just realized that it is the first book in a saga so I am very excited for the continuation!
I started this book looking for something simple, a romance and a mystery and tension between the protagonists but I found something much better and I am very happy to have given it a chance. AAAAHHHHH I already want to read the continuation and see Vic and Johnathan again <3
Btw, the ARC for this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks you so much!
ESPAÑOL.
No saben la sorpresa que me llevé con este libro! No les voy a mentir, al principio de la historia tenía curiosidad por John y su aventura pero me pareció que todo estaba sucediendo muy rápido. Por un momento me encontré indecisa sobre si seguir con la lectura o dejarlo en DNF pero me alegra mucho haberlo terminado porque fue INCREÍBLE!
La historia de John y Vic y su aventura empezó a hacerse más y más intrigante conforme seguía leyendo. ¡Y los misterios! Dios mío, los misterios que tiene este libro y los plot twist no te dejan separarte ni un momento de la historia. Pasado el 20% del ARC no me pude separar de la kindle y no pude dejar de leer porque NECESITABA RESPUESTAS!
Más aún, necesitaba leer más de Vic y John juntos como equipo porque dejenme decirles que estos dos son dinamita pura y tienen ese je ne sais quoi, esa energía y química que estaba ansiando encontrar y leer.
Los dos son personas sumamente diferentes. Para empezar, Johnathan es un cazador de vampiros que fue reclutado por la Sociedad, un soldado que está ansioso por probar su valía en esta último misión. Es inteligente, atento, algo torpe y su atención al detalle es impresionante. En el campo de batalla o frente a la muerte es el soldado modelo, es gracioso y directo pero es torpe cuando se trata de relacionarse con otros.
Vic, por otro lado, es sumamente carismático y empático, no es el típico vampiro que siempre está calmado y en control, que apenas puedes imaginarte que pueda sentir algo, no, Vic es una persona con muchos sentimientos, muchos impulsos, es el tipo de personaje que no puedes evitar amar porque es la cosa más preciosa de la vida.
Les seré sincera, amé a estos dos con pasión. Por separado son personajes sumamente interesantes y adorables, PERO JUNTOS HAY CHISPA!
Los dos se la pasan coqueteando/peleando durante todo el libro y la tensión sexual que hay entre ambos te hace desear no terminar el libro.
Más aún, el misterio sobre los asesinatos que han ocurrido en Cress Haven se vuelve más y más emocionante a medida que avanzas en el libro. No soy mucho de leer historias de misterio (algo que intento cambiar, por cierto) pero con esta historia me sentía más intrigada y emocionada, quería saber qué pasaría y cómo terminarían nuestros héroes, más aún porque esta historia está plagada de magia y fantasía. Al empezar el libro pensé que sólo sería una historia más de vampiros pero la verdad es que es MUCHO MÁS. Me alegra muchísimo haberle dado una oportunidad.
Sí hubo algunas cosas que en un principio no me gustaron, como por ejemplo el hecho de que al principio parecía que John estaba confiando muy rápido en Vic o que me parecía que todo estaba sucediendo a la velocidad de la luz pero conforme me fui acostumbrando al ritmo y fui conociendo a nuestros personajes me acostumbré a toda la acción que hay aquí, en todos los capítulos pasa algo importante y eso me gustó mucho, no me pareció que hubiera relleno y cada cosa que los personajes hacían me tenía muy intrigada.
El final sí se me hizo algo abrupto, me hubiera encantado saber mucho más sobre lo que pasaría pero acabo de darme cuenta que es el primer libro de una saga así que estoy muy emocionada por la continuación.
Empecé este libro buscando algo simple, un romance y un misterio y tensión entre los protagonistas pero me encontré con algo muchísimo mejor y me alegra mucho haberle dado una oportunidad. AAAAHHHHH Ya quiero leer la continuación y volver a ver a Vic y Johnathan <3
Btw, el ARC de esta novela fue proporcionado por la editorial a través de NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
July 8, 2021
Thank you to Kristin for sending me an ecopy for an honest review!
Vic, John and Alyse are the perfect trio. The mystery was so enjoyable that I had a difficult time putting it down. I enjoyed learning a bit about John and Vic's backstories. The descriptions were so vivid, which made it easy for me to immerse myself in the world. I loved so many scenes, but I won't say because of spoilers. The dialogue had me laughing out loud at certain points. This was a very entertaining read. I loved every aspect of it! OUT NOW.
Vic, John and Alyse are the perfect trio. The mystery was so enjoyable that I had a difficult time putting it down. I enjoyed learning a bit about John and Vic's backstories. The descriptions were so vivid, which made it easy for me to immerse myself in the world. I loved so many scenes, but I won't say because of spoilers. The dialogue had me laughing out loud at certain points. This was a very entertaining read. I loved every aspect of it! OUT NOW.
September 21, 2024
: ̗̀➛ 4 stars
What a pleasant surprise!
This was honestly better than I expected.
It's been a while since I've read a historical romance novel so it took a few pages to get used to the writing and the way the characters talked, but after that, I basically devoured this.
Vic and John were amazing and I can't wait to find out how their story continues in the sequel!
What a pleasant surprise!
This was honestly better than I expected.
It's been a while since I've read a historical romance novel so it took a few pages to get used to the writing and the way the characters talked, but after that, I basically devoured this.
Vic and John were amazing and I can't wait to find out how their story continues in the sequel!
July 3, 2021
A Bargain of Blood and Gold introduces readers to a world where the supernatural is just out of sight, and the Society has taken on the job of protecting humanity from things that go bump in the night. For Jonathan Newman's graduation exercise into the Society he is left at Cress Haven to handle a series of reported vampire attacks in the small Maine village. But the mauled body of a young woman on his first night there proves to Jonathan that whatever is haunting Cress Haven, it is far more than a mere vampire. Johnathan teams up with slick country gentleman Vic and fiery parson's daughter Alyse to discover what is attacking the girls and learns that what he thinks he knows about the supernatural is just the tip of the iceberg.
This is a hard book to review without giving away too many spoilers, which I'll try not to do. Bargain is a fast-paced book full of danger and the reader is right there with Johnathan trying to figure out what is happening. His attraction to Vic becomes even more disturbing to him when he realizes Vic is a vampire and brings up a lot of dark memories of his tragic past. Jacques handles the romance well, with light touches and teasing/flirting as Vic and Jonathan figure out how they should handle the whole "natural enemies" thing. Also the whole "possibly we're all going to die" thing, because while trying to understand what is happening in Cress Haven they are in non-stop danger, getting attacked from strange creatures, or healing from said danger and attacks pretty much constantly. They can be forgiven for occasionally putting the slow-burn romance on hold to see if they can survive the situation. I liked how, even before Jonathan was really sure what he thought of Vic or Alyse, he knew he could trust them and they developed into a pretty good team.
Alyse is definitely not your typical country parson's daughter. She has no qualms about ignoring convention, matter-of-factly solving the supernatural mystery in her home town, and joining in the fight when she has to. She knows what Vic is and loves him for who he is. She refuses to stay at home and be 'safe' while the men go out to battle. Whether it is the possibility of vampires, fairies (the Patricia Briggs kind, not the Disney kind), vampires, or humans, Alyse accepts the evil as well as the good and keeps the men in line. Jonathan takes a little warming up to, but his unbelievable stubbornness and sheer dumb luck grew on me, as did his mental flexibility when ignoring the Society's idea of 'right' and 'wrong' long before he learns to seriously question their actions. Bargain is full of excellent light sarcasm and humor-and Vic gets all the best lines. Questions about Vic and his past still linger by the end, but it becomes obvious in the last few pages we will have more adventures of Vic, Jonathan, and Alyse to look forward to in the future. The only real question by the end for me was, how will Kristin Jacques top this in her next book?
I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
This is a hard book to review without giving away too many spoilers, which I'll try not to do. Bargain is a fast-paced book full of danger and the reader is right there with Johnathan trying to figure out what is happening. His attraction to Vic becomes even more disturbing to him when he realizes Vic is a vampire and brings up a lot of dark memories of his tragic past. Jacques handles the romance well, with light touches and teasing/flirting as Vic and Jonathan figure out how they should handle the whole "natural enemies" thing. Also the whole "possibly we're all going to die" thing, because while trying to understand what is happening in Cress Haven they are in non-stop danger, getting attacked from strange creatures, or healing from said danger and attacks pretty much constantly. They can be forgiven for occasionally putting the slow-burn romance on hold to see if they can survive the situation. I liked how, even before Jonathan was really sure what he thought of Vic or Alyse, he knew he could trust them and they developed into a pretty good team.
Alyse is definitely not your typical country parson's daughter. She has no qualms about ignoring convention, matter-of-factly solving the supernatural mystery in her home town, and joining in the fight when she has to. She knows what Vic is and loves him for who he is. She refuses to stay at home and be 'safe' while the men go out to battle. Whether it is the possibility of vampires, fairies (the Patricia Briggs kind, not the Disney kind), vampires, or humans, Alyse accepts the evil as well as the good and keeps the men in line. Jonathan takes a little warming up to, but his unbelievable stubbornness and sheer dumb luck grew on me, as did his mental flexibility when ignoring the Society's idea of 'right' and 'wrong' long before he learns to seriously question their actions. Bargain is full of excellent light sarcasm and humor-and Vic gets all the best lines. Questions about Vic and his past still linger by the end, but it becomes obvious in the last few pages we will have more adventures of Vic, Jonathan, and Alyse to look forward to in the future. The only real question by the end for me was, how will Kristin Jacques top this in her next book?
I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
June 24, 2021
This wasn't quite what I expected... but I enjoyed it.
The story is about a young vampire hunter, John, who is sent to a small town to deal with their vampire problem. He quickly realises that its not a vampire killing the young girls. He works with the town's resident vampire to find out who, or what, is murdering the girls.
The novel begins with John being dropped in the middle of nowhere, outside of the village he's set to investigate. Although the set up is intriguing, I found it a little hard to get into the story at first, mostly because of the use of old fashioned language. One particular example that stood out to me at the beginning when John is alone in the woods outside of town: "The snarl made his [John's] bladder clench. It was a small miracle he didn’t void his waters as the unseen creature suddenly bounded away." At such an emotional point it seems unlikely, at least to me, that anyone would use such flowery language. The archaic language does help to establish the time period and (I'm not sure if this is the author's intention) reflects Johns awkward character. This use of language wasn't a problem later in the book- I either got used to the language, or it wasn't used as much (perhaps as Johns character evolves?).
At the beginning of the story our main character POV John is thrown (literally) straight into a mysterious situation. Immediately it's easy for the reader to identify with him as we work together to find out what's going on and who's committing these murders. John's relationship with Vic the vampire, our other protagonist, is interesting. They start off as allies investigating the murders until John realises who, or more accurately what, Vic really is. John's still determined to investigate so the men have to work together to rebuild the trust between them until, eventually, their relationship becomes something more. And then it stops. Aside from a kiss, there aren't any other romantic interactions between Vic and John. I thought this was a shame as I want to see how these once sworn enemies would interact as lovers. (One positive is that this means their relationship a cliche human/vampire pairings you often seen in MM romance). The end of the novels makes it clear there's going to be a sequel. I'll definitely look out for that. I'm interested to see more of Vic and John's relationship as well as how they develop as individuals- at the end of the book John especially is still facing a lot of problems.
Throughout the book the supernatural elements are handled well and don't come across as cliched.
I'd recommend this book for anyone's who's interested in an original story with a bit of action, a spooky historic setting, and characters, especially LGBT+ characters, solving gruesome supernatural murders. If you're particularly interesting in any romance between the characters, I might suggest waiting to see what book 2 brings.
The story is about a young vampire hunter, John, who is sent to a small town to deal with their vampire problem. He quickly realises that its not a vampire killing the young girls. He works with the town's resident vampire to find out who, or what, is murdering the girls.
The novel begins with John being dropped in the middle of nowhere, outside of the village he's set to investigate. Although the set up is intriguing, I found it a little hard to get into the story at first, mostly because of the use of old fashioned language. One particular example that stood out to me at the beginning when John is alone in the woods outside of town: "The snarl made his [John's] bladder clench. It was a small miracle he didn’t void his waters as the unseen creature suddenly bounded away." At such an emotional point it seems unlikely, at least to me, that anyone would use such flowery language. The archaic language does help to establish the time period and (I'm not sure if this is the author's intention) reflects Johns awkward character. This use of language wasn't a problem later in the book- I either got used to the language, or it wasn't used as much (perhaps as Johns character evolves?).
At the beginning of the story our main character POV John is thrown (literally) straight into a mysterious situation. Immediately it's easy for the reader to identify with him as we work together to find out what's going on and who's committing these murders. John's relationship with Vic the vampire, our other protagonist, is interesting. They start off as allies investigating the murders until John realises who, or more accurately what, Vic really is. John's still determined to investigate so the men have to work together to rebuild the trust between them until, eventually, their relationship becomes something more. And then it stops. Aside from a kiss, there aren't any other romantic interactions between Vic and John. I thought this was a shame as I want to see how these once sworn enemies would interact as lovers. (One positive is that this means their relationship a cliche human/vampire pairings you often seen in MM romance). The end of the novels makes it clear there's going to be a sequel. I'll definitely look out for that. I'm interested to see more of Vic and John's relationship as well as how they develop as individuals- at the end of the book John especially is still facing a lot of problems.
Throughout the book the supernatural elements are handled well and don't come across as cliched.
I'd recommend this book for anyone's who's interested in an original story with a bit of action, a spooky historic setting, and characters, especially LGBT+ characters, solving gruesome supernatural murders. If you're particularly interesting in any romance between the characters, I might suggest waiting to see what book 2 brings.
January 14, 2022
3 stars
A young vampire hunter is sent off on his first solo mission in a frontier town, but things aren’t as they seem. An interesting premise & decent plot, but the characters & romance plot don’t get enough development.
[What I liked:]
•The book starts off with an interesting premise, & steadily builds on the intrigue & mysteries for the first half of the story.
•The pace never lags, with the action ramping up to a very dramatic ending.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•How does such a small, out of the way town get a full morgue, with places for multiple corpses? They don’t even have any official law enforcement.
•Overall the writing is okay, but the dialogue is stilted at times. Especially when Vic & Johnathan are in situations of imminent peril & they pause to bicker, it feels unrealistic and disruptive to the action. Also, why are Americans using British slang & cuss words like bloody & bugger?
•The historical era this story is set in is frustratingly vague. I’m guessing it’s the early to mid-19th C, since there is a lumber mill in town, men are wearing long pants, & short hair is in fashion for men, but there was no mention of train travel. But there were so many missed opportunities to add details to better ground the story: who is President? How long has Maine been a state? How is the industrial revolution affecting the social fabric of the community? Even just some more specific details of fashion & technology would’ve given me a hint of what decade it’s supposed to be.
•Though he’s the MC, Johnathon doesn’t get much character development other than a tragic backstory & his physical attraction to Vic.
•For a book marketed as a paranormal romance, this book has next to no romance. Johnathan does a lot of blushing in Vic’s presence & there are declarations of love at the end, but no time is spent on their relationship development. I’m not exactly sure when they had time to fall in love.
•Why did the Morrigan come back to help them? That seemed unexpected & too easy.
CW: murder, gore, child abuse/neglect
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
A young vampire hunter is sent off on his first solo mission in a frontier town, but things aren’t as they seem. An interesting premise & decent plot, but the characters & romance plot don’t get enough development.
[What I liked:]
•The book starts off with an interesting premise, & steadily builds on the intrigue & mysteries for the first half of the story.
•The pace never lags, with the action ramping up to a very dramatic ending.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•How does such a small, out of the way town get a full morgue, with places for multiple corpses? They don’t even have any official law enforcement.
•Overall the writing is okay, but the dialogue is stilted at times. Especially when Vic & Johnathan are in situations of imminent peril & they pause to bicker, it feels unrealistic and disruptive to the action. Also, why are Americans using British slang & cuss words like bloody & bugger?
•The historical era this story is set in is frustratingly vague. I’m guessing it’s the early to mid-19th C, since there is a lumber mill in town, men are wearing long pants, & short hair is in fashion for men, but there was no mention of train travel. But there were so many missed opportunities to add details to better ground the story: who is President? How long has Maine been a state? How is the industrial revolution affecting the social fabric of the community? Even just some more specific details of fashion & technology would’ve given me a hint of what decade it’s supposed to be.
•Though he’s the MC, Johnathon doesn’t get much character development other than a tragic backstory & his physical attraction to Vic.
•For a book marketed as a paranormal romance, this book has next to no romance. Johnathan does a lot of blushing in Vic’s presence & there are declarations of love at the end, but no time is spent on their relationship development. I’m not exactly sure when they had time to fall in love.
•Why did the Morrigan come back to help them? That seemed unexpected & too easy.
CW: murder, gore, child abuse/neglect
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
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