A Beauty In Nightmares

by Jessica Florence

My world has been broken down to these three truths:
Monsters are real.
Some are made of blood.
And some feast on it.

I’ve worked to be a fashion designer my whole life. As the daughter of Japan’s richest businessman, I’ve had the means to make it happen . . . until a villain with fangs declares revenge on my family and makes me his shiny weapon.

At first, I fight him, tooth and nail, until sparks fly and he begins craving more than my blood.

Torn between my family’s dark secret and the vampire’s demands to rip them apart from the inside, I now have two choices. Find a way to survive this dangerous game between the supernatural and crime worlds… or become a monster myself.

Genres: Vampires

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2021

About the author

Jessica Florence writes the stories that her fellow nerds yearn for.

From Superheroes to Sexy Truckers, Jessica is known to give readers unique tales of hope where love conquers all. Stories that melt away reality and take you on a journey with the characters. If escapism is what you are looking for, then look no further. Jessica is the Queen of weaving the tales you may not normally pick up but find yourself not being able to put down.

Jessica’s always had a love of reading, and her love of books lead her to start writing in the 9th grade. She quickly learned that storytelling was her passion. Inspired by movies, music, and her personal life she writes like it’s the very air she breathes. Through her writing it’s evident that she lives for the stories she creates.

Jessica resides in North Carolina with her daughter, husband, and various animals. She loves to be outside, write in her hammock, and collect tea mugs.

CONNECT WITH J-FLO:

➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/jessicaflorenceauthor
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/authorjessicaflorence

➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/florencejess
➜ WEBSITE: www.Jessicaflorenceauthor.com

Reviews

[Short and Sweet Reviews by Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Jessica Florence, for providing a copy of A Beauty in Nightmares. I have reviewed honestly.

A Beauty in Nightmares features, but is not limited to, the following themes:
○ Paranormal Romance
○ Vampires
○ Mafia
○ Japanese culture/setting
○ Overbearing father figure
○ Enemies to lovers
○ New adult

My overall rating for A Beauty in Nightmares is…

4 Stars!

Move over Twilight and Edward Cullen, Tatsous' come out to play and he's not afraid to bite! A Beauty in Nightmares is an incredible, modern take on vampire romance, with a Japanese culture to add an exciting punch to the plot. The author wove this unsuspecting tale artfully, with scenes unpredictable, steamy and enticing. I loved the characters, mains, seconds and villains, as they each complimented the other, and the setting was vivid and unique. I did find the tale faltered slightly just after halfway through, but Florence cleaned up the mess not too much later. Overall, an enjoyable and quirky vampire romance novel for mature young adults and adults to devour.

[Merrit Townsend (always1morebook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book for free. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

First let me say that I will read any book about vampires. When I had the opportunity to review this one I jumped at the chance. The story takes place in Japan which i felt was super original. I loved the Japanese legends and traditions that were included in the story. I loved the main characters. Katsumi (Kat) is the youngest daughter of a wealthy businessman. Hiromi is her sister and Tatsou is the vampire who falls in love with Kat. All of the interactions with the MC's were well written and I loved the witty banter. I finished the book in 2 sessions. There was action, adventure, romance and even a bit of humor throughout.

There were just a few areas in the book that felt rushed. Other than that, I adored the entire story. The author leaves no questions at the end of the book. She also left it open for future books if she desires. I truly enjoyed this book and give it 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Paper Myths and Jessica Florence for allowing me read this beautiful story.

[Anshul (stories.buddy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a vampire book? If yes, then this is the one and if no, then too I’ll recommend you to read it.
The book "A Beauty in Nightmares" by Jessica Florence fits the bill.
With the hustle of daily life, Katsumi is a fierce and independent girl, born in the sakura line. Tatsou is the original vampire, sleeping for 400+years and awaken by modern day construction.
After waking up Tatsou get to know about the fate of people he loved and plans revenge on his enemies.
It has an enemies to lovers trope, my favourite and is a standalone. The character development is amazing and on point with the story. It absolutely draws you in. I got even more excited right after that one twist, and I’m very satisfied with the ending.
It’s an engaging book and relation between the leads has all the flavours.
4.5/5 for me.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow!! This book is amazing! Another home run by this author!

[Court Small · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for you next Vampire Romance, check this book out.
This is the story of a recently awoken 400+ year old Vamp and a modern day women with a passion for fashion and design set in Japan.
This is a revenge plot, enemies to lovers with one hell of an age gap 😉
I liked the overall story and characters, this is more of a contemporary romance with some steamy bits so suitable for everyone to read and enjoy. And no these vamps don't sparkle 😂

[Tracy Books_Beers_Brews · Rating 5 out of 5]

So first off, this book is just amazing! If you are looking for a great vampire romance, sparkling not included, then look no further then this story.

I love how both the story & characters developed through the book. The couple, Katsumi & Tatsou had great chemistry & I loved how their relationship built as this is a medium burn. There is some great heat in here too, which I love.

This story is set in Japan & I have always loved Japanese culture & yet have never read a story based there. This provided a really great change in scenery from some of the books I have been reading.

Overall I absolutely loved it & I really hope we get more stories from the vampire world that Jessica built for us.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read! I really enjoyed the story progression and the enemies to lovers trope! The ending is just what I wanted to see out of this book as well. All in all, another good vamp read for those of us that just can’t get enough!

[Permanently_Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Instead of a knight in shining armor. I got a monster in a three piece."

Told in dual POV, A Beauty in Nightmares brings together paranormal romance, Japanese culture, mafia families, fashion and enemies to lovers all in one page turning novel. When Katsumi's family awakens the deadly Tatsou, she becomes a pawn in his scheme of revenge that traces back centuries across lineages. I loved the bits of humorous banter, the well developed characters and descriptive writing style. A few areas felt a little rushed but the overall novel was exactly what my vampire loving heart desired.

Katsumi is independent and artistically gifted in fashion designs. Setting her own role in her family as best as she can. Even with an overbearing but devoted father, I loved her family and the cultural aspects Florence places throughout the pages. It has truly been a moment since I've had an exciting vampiric story too sink my nerdom brain into. I'm thankful to Papermyths for introducing me to a new author!

Thank you to @authorjessicaflorence and  @papermyths for sending a gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Content is suitable for mature young adults and adults.

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!

Having read Ms.Florence's work before I've been looking so forward to picking up more of her books! As soon as this one was announced I knew I had to read it next! I still can't get over that beautiful cover!! Once I got into this story I was pulled in quickly. I enjoyed it!!

Katsumi and Tatsou's journey wasn't exactly an easy one. I really liked the fact that their story had a uniqueness to it and how I could picture it all. I felt many different things with both of these characters which I really enjoyed and I was so glad that I got to jump into their minds. I wasn't sure what all was going to happen with these two and I liked how it kept me on my toes.

With A Beauty In Nightmares, Ms.Florence has created such a good read! I can't wait to pick up what she releases next! (:

*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from the author*

[Stephanie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and different story to read! I personally LOVE paranormal romances and this one was an absolute delight to read! My favorite character was definitely Eleanor! She was a complete bad ass!! From the way she supported her friends to her insanely cool vampire powers, I was drawn to her!

I really love the fact that this was written in dual POV! It always helps to understand the view of both main characters and really moved the story along! I also would absolutey LOVE to wear some of the gorgeous dresses Kat designed throughout the book! I highly recommend you check this out if you're into paranormal, romance, fashion, mafia, and enemies-to-lovers! The story is worth it!

[Rebecca F. Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying, I don't know if the author has first-hand experience with Japanese culture, or if that culture was accurately depicted. I personally felt there was a lack of cultural nuance and detail. The book could have used a good editor...there were many misplaced words/typos, and many instances of switching verb tense from past to present, but this was an Advance Review Copy so perhaps those have been corrected in the final version. I did enjoy the romance aspect, and the organized crime aspect heightened the stakes. The characters were intense and chaotic, and their banter was my favorite part of the story. Some really wonderful moments throughout. Readers looking for a hot, dramatic vampire romance will enjoy it.

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a crazy ride. It was more of a mafia romance than I was expecting, and I am not always one for those, but I liked the premise of this story. It was a shorter book, and for some reason I thought that it was going to be a series. The pace of this was fast, very fast and I feel like it skipped over some things and rushed through other events. I thought the first half of the book went great, but the second half is where it fell off for me. If you are looking for some fun and a non sparkly vampire mafia read, you will definitely like this one.

[Liliana Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really easy to read, Kitten and Tatsuo were so funny, especially the "batty boy" parts !
I loved the sisters bond.
I wished we had more of the Originals, they were there but we didn't know much about them, but I still would love to be part of the gang though 🤣
It has a happy ending, enemies to lovers, smut romance, what else could you ask for?!

Thank you Jessica and @Papermyths for the book !

[Nikki Wardlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Florence has done it again! This was an awesome story! A very cool vampire origin story as well! This is a must read and will definitely be a go to re-read for me! 10 stars!

[Kaitlyn Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'd be written in history as the Cinnamon roll that brought a vampire to his knees"

I loved the banter between Tatsuo and Katsuma. Their relationship is the highlight of this book😍
I actually found Katsuma to be quite funny.
Fast paced and filled with tension.
A sexy and violent tale featuring vampires and the mafia ! 😘👌
I recommend this to romance lovers and fans of enemies to lovers! 💖

[Candice Willman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the lovely author for sending me a copy to review!

First off- that cover 😱 it is so beautiful.

Second- vampires? Need I say more!

I am a sucker for anything to do with enemies to lovers. What gets more enemies to lovers than a vampire and his prey you ask? A vampire and the daughter of the clan who destroyed your entire world… that’s who.

I am really getting into the super bad boys (mafia and mob and dark and killer but loves the girl) and I can’t help it. This one did not disappoint. I’m excited to see where the story goes and if you love this trope and vampires then I definitely recommend picking this one up!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s has been so hard to sit down and devour a book in one day, but ‘A Beauty in Nightmares’ definitely made it possible. This is a book that just wowed me. I absolutely loved Katsumi & Tatsou. They had so much animosity at the start and I loved as they slowly realized that the animosity was really attraction.
I was on the edge of my seat for this book and I LOVED every minute of it.
Jessica has such a way with words and I loved being drawn into her world!! (I’m ready for moreeeeeee) 😍

[Betty Leung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed

I was so excited for this book, especially after reading The Onyx series which was fabulous! I loved the fact that it’s based in Japan and there’s fashion and hellooooo…vampires! What’s not to love, right?
But sadly, this book fell a bit flat to me. I found it choppy, with no flow to the story. The h’s thoughts were inconsistent and the plot twists just dropped without any base or foundation to it.
Loved the idea and the premise, but unfortunately I think the author could’ve polished the story better.

[Dawne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars! The premise of the story is amazing, but I found that I struggled a bit to get into it. The first half of the book felt a bit disjointed, as if this was a first time author that needed to polish it up more; but once I pushed through and the H and h connected, things were so much smoother. The drama, the action and the connection between the 2 finally had me lost in the story. I just wish the build up had been as good as the end.

[moxxi reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are vampires like you have never read about before! No sparkles here, but there are lots of surprises, steam, and laughs.
This book was so enjoyable! I love how Jessica’s males can start off gruff and almost feral. Tatsou is no different. Because of how fierce he is and his intent to conquer and take what’s his, in my mind he was like Jason Momoa as a fierce vampire warrior. Honestly that was hot AF 🔥🔥 - I know that’s not how she pictured or wrote him, necessarily but I couldn’t lose that mental image. 😅🙈
When he wakes up after years of being in a state of stasis, he wakes up ready for vengeance. When he wakes up he happens upon Kat. Thinking she needs to be part of the price paid for the damage done to Tatsou and his friends and family, he sets out for blood.
In an attempt to save her own life, Katsumi (Kat) becomes Tatsou’s unwilling partner in crime. She quickly realizes how much of an effect his hotness has on her, this makes it really difficult to withstand her attraction.
She’s charming and feisty. I liked watching her discover her strengths through some hard truths in her life and take those truths and make them her bitch. 😂
Jessica always includes scenes that are steamy as hell, and this book has some serious steam. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The world building is so vivid! I could easily imagine all of the environments. The side characters brought so much to the story - I’m really hoping for some spin offs, - please?!
I would recommend this book for people that love adult vampire books, romantic comedy, paranormal romance, books about super powers, and overcoming challenges.

[Britney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Just finished this one! First off this cover is absolutely gorgeous!

I'm not going to lie, but I was a little disappointed in this one. The characters were great and the background story for the vampires was interesting. But something about the story just fell flat for me and I found myself skimming through some parts. The first part of the book was somewhat slow but it picked up once the main characters met.

But if you love Japanese culture and vampires you'll love it! I loved these parts of the story! It just seemed like the flow of the story was a little off and some situations were a bit intense. The romance and steamy scenes were great as well.

Overall not a bad read but not one of my favorites.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy for an honest review.

This is my first book by Jessica Florence and it was really good. I liked her version of how Vampires were created, it was different so I appreciated it. And I am a sucker for assholes falling for the nice girl! And as for why Tatsou wants revenge, I do not blame him. Especially the more you find out! And Kat, holy hell! She is such a badass! And her father, just ugh! He's just such a horrible human being, but thankfully he gets what he deserves. I hope she continues to write in this world as there are a lot of secondary characters I would love to know their story!

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
3/5 🌶️

I loved this book. It was quick read for me with just the right amount of plot and spice to keep me going!

I bought this book at SaSS 2023 and was looking for something to read from my shelf. This one caught my eye and as soon as I saw the Dedication was to my favorite writer, Amelia Hutchins, I stopped looking and crushed it. Well done. 👍🏽

[Suzanne McNeill Taviner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

A lovely fairy-tale type romance with few twists. Such an enjoyable and fun read from an author I hadn't read before, will keep an eye out for more of her work.