The Impassioned Choice

Etherya's Earth #5

by Rebecca Hefner

A new villain emerges, threatening the peace the immortals crave…

Heden, the youngest Vampyre royal, has always strived to live up to his sovereign duty. As the most gifted programmer in the immortal world, he applies his skills to protect the kingdom and the family he adores. But his siblings have all settled down with families of their own, and Heden often feels like a perpetual third wheel.

Wracked with guilt after her grandfather’s violent death, Sofia Morelli made a sinister pact with an unknown ally. Utilizing her tech ingenuity to plan the ultimate attack against the immortal royals, she begins to realize they might not be the nefarious enemies she believed them to be.

As Heden discovers the new adversaries and learns someone on the Secret Society shares his hacking prowess, he realizes the human, Sofia, might actually hold the key to defeating them. Determined to turn the feisty woman to his side, he employs his jovial nature and seduction skills to win her over. But when their tentative connection turns into something more, Heden understands a coding war isn’t the only thing he could lose to the spunky human. For, he might just lose his heart to someone who can never share his immortal future…

**The Etherya's Earth paranormal romance series is best read in order so the reader can enjoy the evolution of the characters. After all, the author loves a good twist and wants the reader to uncover them organically. However, readers of romance rest assured that each book has its own featured hero/heroine and HEA.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Audiobook

Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2020

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner grew up in Western NC and now calls the Hudson River of NYC home. A huge Buffy and Star Wars fan, she loves an epic fantasy and a surprise twist (Luke, he IS your father).

Before becoming an author, Rebecca had a successful twelve-year medical device sales career. After launching her own indie publishing company, she is now a full-time author who loves writing strong, complex characters who find their HEAs.

Rebecca can usually be found making dorky and/or embarrassing posts on TikTok and Instagram. Please join her so you can laugh along with her!

You can find all of Rebecca's books here, along with content warnings: https://www.rebeccahefner.com/books

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, I found myself completely sucked into this story in the Etheyra’s Earth series from the start! Sofia has been living a life driven by the need for vengeance. Evie (yes, that Evie—you should read that book, too!), killed her beloved grandfather, and she will have her revenge. A brilliant hacker, she’s infiltrated the immortal’s computer system and intends to take her down. Enter Heden, another hacker this one seriously was so adorably computer geeky in the best way!!) and the two of them are having this complete “I can out tech-you” enemies to lovers vibe while also waging a war of sexy spy craft. Um, yes please.

One of my favorite things about this series is the relationship between all the characters. Time has passed and we have adorable kids with giraffe pajamas in the picture 😊. Darkrip is making stir fry. He promises it isn’t poisoned. We get to see glimpses of everyone’s HEA extending past that last page, and that feels even sweeter. Of course, we have a new bad guy on the scene, Bakuri, and he’s out to destroy them all. And the new family dynamic complicates things in all sorts of ways. Now it’s not just your badass mate with superpowers who needs protection, but your vulnerable children. I’ve loved every installment in this series, and this was my favorite one yet!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE IMPASSIONED CHOICE is the fifth book in the Etherya's Earth series and is the one that broke me! I've loved every book in the series so far, but this one may just be my favourite.

Heden is the youngest brother and the one who has hidden any pain behind jokes. He is the one who feels as though he doesn't quite fit in, although you'd never know it. Finding spyware on his servers leads him to Sofia, someone who was out for vengeance but had a change of heart when she realised innocent people, including children, would be hurt by her actions.

Oh, man! Be still my beating heart! And bear with me as I try to explain without giving any spoilers. All of the couples so far have been destined to be together. We knew it from the first page. And so were Heden and Sofia. But the odds really are stacked against them. Everyone looks at the problems from one direction. Now, I know why they did! My brain went the other way, but I just couldn't comprehend it, so I returned to the way they were going. And that's all I'm saying! If you want to figure out just what I'm waffling on about, read it!!!

My eyes were constantly leaking from about 90% onwards. I did get a break when Miranda and Ken saved me by finding some lost scrolls, allowing me to get my breath back. But my eyes were soon leaking again. So be warned.

An absolutely brilliant addition to the series that I have loved. I really can't recommend both this book, and the series, highly enough.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 28, 2022

[M.E. Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review:

The world of Etherya’s Earth once again impressed me!

In The Impassioned Choice, we follow Heden as he finds love in a very unfamiliar place. Not only does he actually fall for someone, but that someone just so happens to be a human.

I throughly enjoyed seeing Heden attempt to grow up and make heavy decisions that would impact his life forever. He’s always been one of my favorite characters and seeing him find his happily ever after was so wonderful.

Once again Hefner does an amazing job weaving together action, romance, and a plethora of characters into a fantastic book that I never wanted to end!

*I was given a free copy of this audiobook from BookFunnel and this is my honest, voluntary review.*

[SP · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice by Rebecca Hefner is the the story of Heden, the youngest Vampyre royal and of Sofia, a human. Yes, a human! This was so different from the rest of the series. It was sweet and gentle, light and funny but still passionate and super exciting.

After defeating the Dark Lord Crimeous in The Reluctant Savior, the Vampyres and Slayers had finally felt at peace. But, that peace proved to be short-lived. Their enemies, who called themselves the Secret Society, were people they never could have expected. The Royal family was set to be attacked in ways they never could have envisioned.

Heden and Sofia were gifted programmers who initially had different goals, one's was to protect whereas another's was to kill. However, soon realizing the error in her ways, Sofia teamed up with the Royals to defeat the Secret Society and stop the impending attacks. Heden and Sofia were the sweetest couple of the entire series. Their chemistry was off-the-charts hot. Heden was such an amazing person. He was a caring brother and a devoted lover. The things he did and the amount of patience he had for Sofia were swoon-worthy. Sofia was conflicted in the beginning because of her guilt from not avenging her grandfather's death and as a result, she made some wrong decisions. But, she soon realized her mistake and made her best to amend it. Her transformation from a guilt-ridden person to someone who accepted others with open hearts was beautiful.

We also get to read more about the characters from previous book. Evie, Kenden, Darkrip, Arderin, Latimus, Lila, Sathan, Miranda, Aron and Moira were all amazing as the supporting cast. I was super excited to read more about Jack as well and really hope he gets his own story as well. The children were adorable. Overall, this was another amazing novel by Rebecca and a must read for fans of paranormal romance.

[Rebecca Hefner]

🎧Available in Audio!🎧
Narrated by Devon Wilcox!

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Or, you can always download review copies of all of Rebecca's audiobooks on StoryOrigin if you are are an ARC listener and enjoy leaving reviews.💕

[BooksBooksandmoreBooks69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heden is youngest brother to Sathan, Latimus and Arderin, the joker and peacemaker in the family. A computer genius, there isn’t much he can’t find or do with them.
Watching from the sidelines as his family gets bigger with each year. His brothers have found mates, even his tempestuous sister has bagged herself a man, well demon! Heden is wondering if anyone will come forward and claim this geek?!
After swearing to get revenge for the death of her beloved grandfather, Sofia now has the upper hand. After placing surveillance in all the villages in the Vampyre/Slayera domain, Sofia can watch and plan the downfall of the Deamon-Slayera murderess who killed her grandfather.
Her prowess with technology rivals and surpasses (well in her opinion) Heden’s. Her supporter wants them all dead! Even the children! A full scale war is on the cards......
I’ve read the whole series, and I do recommend you read them in order. Heden has been in all of them, his sense of humour has been in evidence, his love for his family is obvious, playing peacemaker for centuries. But you get the sense he’s a much deeper character, behind that smile and banter is a young man that wants to be loved.
Sofia is a new character. But her knowledge of the Etherya world is not. With the help of The Secret Society she knows who is to blame for the death of her grandfather, the only objection is the fact the society want EVERYONE dead! Even the children, and Sofia is finding that hard to work with.
And when Sofia is faced with the truth about who the leader of the society is, and the fact the families he has accused aren’t as bad as he claims, it puts Sofia in a quandary, does she have the right to end so many lives? And what’s his agenda (I know, but I’m not saying)
Heden has grown over the last few books, sure he’s still the playboy, the joker, but I also get this sense he’s ready for a family (even if it’s only subconsciously at the moment) his sense of humour had me chuckling at the oddest of moments, the banter he had with the women in his family (sisters-in-laws) tell them he’d run away with them, and they’d live happily ever after. The jokes he had with the man his sister bonded too, you’d think it would be difficult, but Heden draws out the smiles in most people.
So who is the secret society? What do they want? What’s the agenda?
Well I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you 😉
I try not to give spoilers, and boy this one was hard to keep quiet, it’s a big one. I did not see it coming, and I did have a moment where I had to reread the passage just to be sure.
It’s been a marvellous journey, filled with danger, intrigue, passion, and sadness. The characters have all been amazing. Catching up with everyone in the Etherya world was great, seeing how the couples have grown, how each character has evolved.
The action scenes were still as good as the first book.
The tender moments were all the more poignant as this series is almost at an end.
Like how can Sofia and Heden have a happy ending? She’s human, she will age and die, and she won’t be able to live in Etherya!
Each book became a favourite. But now with this last book, I can say this wasn’t my favourite, but it came a very very close second.
But I encourage you to pick up the first book, you won’t regret it.
🦋

[Spicy_Little_Italian_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that all nerds deserve and gives hopeless romantics the promise that love always finds a way. The Impassioned Choice by author Rebecca Hefner is book 5 of her Etheryas Earth series and in my opinion the best one and personal favorite to date! This book is why I started reading romance novel's. What Rebecca has done for Heden and Sofia’s characters had me a joyful hot mess the entire time I was reading it, I could not put it down! She gave me the same feelings towards the end that The Notebook gave me and made Hedens journey to what he became all the more compelling. If I can tell you anything it’s you need to read it solely for the build up to the end. The journey is SO worth it for these two! Rebecca not only gave my favorite tech nerd the best outcome possible but she also made him the man that he grows into 💛

[JodyL · Rating 5 out of 5]

We discover a new group of enemies in this book. New characters that could be good or bad but we have to wait and see.
Sophia is a human hacker that was helping the group in order to get revenge on Evie. But Heden ends up helping her see that killing isn't what her grandfather would want.
Heden has a great sense of humor and uses it to make tough situations better. He had to learn to grow up in this book. Sacrifices must be made if they are going to end up together, but who will make them and will it be enough.
I was thrilled to get to listen to this in audible format. If you get a chance to do that you will be glad. The narrator has a very sexy voice.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Rebecca Hefner for allowing me to listen to a copy of this book. I loved experiencing more of this world and experiencing Heden's love story. There were times where I was almost crying, and the story ended so well. It was heartwarming too, just like the other installments in this series. I cannot wait to read more from this series.

[Amanda- LateNightReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best one yet, and that is saying something!
I love this series. I swear, every book gets better and better. This book took place a few years after the first few books. So of course there is a new bad guy. And I can't wait to see what happens with that. And the ending was awesome. I would have never guessed that when I first started reading/listening to this one. Rebecca Hefner is an extremely talented author. And the narrator has done an amazing job throughout this entire series so far. I can't wait for more!

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for Hedens story and meet his leading lady , no spoilers but I loved her, I love the passion, the chemistry and the humour, fantastic.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[RACHEL REED · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

Story: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Narration : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This is the last book in the Etherya's Earth series and am so sad to see this series come to an end.

I loved Heden and Sofia's story.
It was a bit different from the others in the series but still as enjoyable.

Having read Evie's book, I ventured into this immediately and didn't regret it in the least.
I recommend reading the previous books in the series as characters from previous books make cameos as well and the twists and turns the plot takes will be more entertaining.

I will be definitely Re-listening to this series. Devon Wilcox's audio delivery was flawless and so very entertaining.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice is the fifth book in author Rebecca Hefner’s Etherya’s Earth series. For those of us who have read this series from the beginning, this book is set six years after the immortals defeated Crimeous and features the youngest Vampyre Royal, Heden. Heden is the fun-loving jokester who just happens to be a tech guru.

So we’re finally back in Etherya’s Earth with the latest in this series, featuring all our favorite characters and some new enemies to conquer! I’ve been highly anticipating this latest addition and I must say it did not disappoint! I’ve been a fan of this series from day one and author Rebecca Hefner is on my must-read list!

Now being that this is number 5 in the series, some authors can lose a little steam… but not Rebecca Hefner! This was a book I struggled to put down! Not only did she add some unexpected twists and turns to this story, but she also gave us a fabulous female lead in Sofia and the perfect mate for Heden. Their journey to their HEA wasn’t exactly smooth but it was a great journey and an absolutely perfect ending!

So what’s in store next in Etherya’s Earth? So many possibilities to consider! I may not know what’s coming next for this series, but with Ms. Hefner writing it, I’m sure it will be another winner! Not enough stars in the rating system for this gem! Absolutely loved it!

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book five of the Etherya’s Earth series and tells the story of the youngest of the Vampyre Royal family, Heden, finally giving up on his player reputation when he meets human Sofia Morelli, who had been devastated by the death of her Italian grandfather, Francesco, who raised her after her parents died when she was ten. She found out about the presence of Immortals in her world and that one of them, Evie, was responsible for killing her grandfather, not the heart attack she was originally told. She has spent the years after finding this out, wanting to get her vengeance on Evie and was sought out by an Immortal called Bakari, who set up a Secret Society, with the purpose of killing the Vampyre royal family and all of their hybrid spawn. His plan is to become the leader of both the immortal and human worlds, separating all of the races back to being pure and not allowing any unions like those in the royal family have brought to Etherya’s world. He has lived mostly in the human world, but was quickly taught all kind of dark magic and spells by the witch who raised him from the dead as a newborn. Sofia is a talented hacker and has been part of a plot to do away with them all and it was only noticed when Heden found a suspicious bit of software on his system. She has been following them for ages, using her computer and hacking skills to figure out their calendars and where they will be at all times. Watching her own targets one night, less than a week before they are to carry out their plans, she is spotted by Heden who has come to give his sister Arderin and her demon Slayer hybrid husband Darkrip, a surprise visit. Sofia is starting to have second thoughts about her role in the Secret Society, when she finds out exactly who Bakari is and that she is expected to kill both her adult targets and their innocent children, she can’t go through with it.

Bakari doesn’t take her deserting his secret group well and it is lucky that Heden had managed to track her and steps in just at the right time to save her. He discovers lots more information on his family on her laptop, when she takes him back to her hotel room to pack her things before figuring out she will try and hide somewhere. He and Evie persuade her to come through the ether with them and she has to face the rest of his family, who aren’t exactly happy to find out what she had been part of planning! Heden sticks up for her and begins to feel something for her, maybe wanting to find his person, like all his siblings have now. He feels he is alone, so different than his siblings, with them thinking of him as a joker and playboy most of the time, but he just hadn’t found someone to challenge him fully. He and Sofia are perfectly matched with their computer skills, although she is a better hacker and knows some of the more commonly used computer languages, which he doesn’t have any knowledge of. Not surprising since most of the Immortal world isn’t run by technology like Earth. She agrees to stay for a couple of months to help sort out technology to help the communicate through the ether, which she has already done for Bakari, plus get their fledging medical experts, Nolan and Sadie, trained up on using a computerised system to record details and try to counter what Bakari is doing and planning in their world.

As Heden falls for Sofia, she is adamant about her plans to return to the human world and become pregnant as she gets closer to her fortieth birthday and knows her time is running out for that. No matter what she begins to feel for Heden, he is Immortal and she is human, so they can’t have children together and she will eventually get old and die, whilst he lives on with his Immortal life! She was so used to living a lonely life and had been planning on artificial insemination, but her place is not in the Immortal world, however much she wants to be with Heden. This is a really tragic situation for the couple, especially for Heden, having seen all of his siblings gaining the person they love and none of them being with who should. Their world is opening up with Vampyres, Slayers and now Daemons all living together after the end of the War of the Species. But now they have another foe to fight who could be their most dangerous yet, bringing human chemical and biological weapons to play in the Immortal world, as well as black magic spells and powerful abilities of his own, along with his group of once dead allies willing to do anything to kill those they hate. There is so much going on with the side story of Bakari and his Secret Society wanting to destroy the others in his family and make the races pure one again and kill any hybrid spawn! Finding Heden finally getting his love story almost brought tears to my eyes at times, as they have such a struggle to find a HEA. The easiest option isn’t something the goddess can grant to him, and Sofia makes the hard decision for him as it is obvious they can’t have a future together with their lives being so different in length! A shocking twist at the end for the Heden and Sofia love story, but still so much more to follow in his family’s battle against Bakari and the Secret Society. Ancient prophecies are part of the problem as well as maybe the solution, and they need to find the secret soothsayer records Heden was told about when he was in the in-between. I can’t wait for the next full length story and to find out more. I received an ARC copy of this book and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Tani Hanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second of Hefner's books I've read, and I'm the first to admit, they're not my usual fare. I'm not a sci-fi fantasy type person, but there's enough romance to keep me engaged. I have not read the other Etherya's Earth books, and, while it was difficult to keep everyone straight, esp at first, take Ms. Hefner at her word when she says that this book can be read as a stand alone if you wish to read it as one. I did it, and lived to tell the tale.
What I liked:
The dialogue. Hefner has a real ear for what people (and vampyres and slayers, etc.) talk like, and it's always snappy and fun and funny. The conversations roll along and no one sounds like a philosopher or a professor. Everyone sounds real.
The characters. Which makes sense, since I liked the dialogue. They felt real, like genuine beings with real feelings. They were all likable, except for the bad guys, who were unlikeable, because they were supposed to be, of course.
The plot. It was tricky, and intricate, and obviously depended on much that had happened in the previous books. The author managed to steer a fairly steady course between covering previous plot points while not being repetitive. The world building was not tedious.
What I didn't like:
The plot development. And no, this isn't a contradiction to the above. There didn't seem to be a clear climax (not that kind of climax, there was plenty of steam in this book); I thought there was going to be some kind of war or huge battle, but no, I thought there was going to be a huge fight over someone's life or soul, but no; I thought--anyway, you get my point. There were plenty of little climaxes, but nothing stood out, it kind of rambled, like a very pleasant creek, from one fun vignette to another scary one to another dramatic one, each very entertaining. And I did see the resolution of The Big Romantic Problem from pretty much the beginning. Which isn't a huge deal, because with all romances it's not the destination, it's the journey, am I right?
Anyway, it's five stars from me, as it's a flavor I've never tasted before, a journey through scenery I've never seen to a place I've never been. Give it a whirl.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Vampyre Prince Finds His Match

Audiobook Review:
In this fifth book of Etherya's Earth series, a human finally plays a major character! All the immortals, stars of the previous books of the series, live in their own separate plane of reality but are a part of the Earth. This is Hedon’s story, the last of the immortal Vampyre princes to find his lady. He was certainly an interesting character in the prior books, almost always providing a little comic relief when he showed up. He's the hot, nerdy Vampyre brother with mad programming skills but is also quite the ladies’ man. He meets his match both professionally and personally with a human hacker who's been tasked with killing his family! Luckily, she realizes she can't do something like that and changes sides. It was fun to watch Hedon settle down and fall head over heels for somebody, and did he fall hard! He's also younger than her, at least in looks because he's actually a millennium old, having been turned in his late 20s, she’s approaching 40. But, of course, things cannot go easily, and they each have hard decisions to make. Things go back and forth for quite a bit, and you wonder how they're going to make it work when it's quite obvious that they should be together. (And, heck, this is a romance…they’ve got to get together!) I actually liked the solution the author came up with and didn't see it coming. I like to be surprised by books, especially when it really makes sense in hindsight, which it did here. The book is certainly steamy, which I like in general, but I did find a few of the scenes in this book a little off-putting, as seems to be happening so much for me lately. It didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book because I certainly became invested in these characters, hoping that they could figure something out that would keep them together. An enjoyable listen.

I received a promo code for this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.

[Rose Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice is an exciting mix of paranormal action and romance with a tech twist. Set in a kingdom of immortal vampyres, the story follows Heden, the youngest and most skilled programmer in the royal family. Despite his abilities, he often feels like an outsider as his siblings settle into their own lives. This sets the stage for an emotional journey as he faces not only external threats but also his own feelings of loneliness.
On the other side is Sofia Morelli, a human programmer driven by guilt after her grandfather's death. Seeking revenge, she teams up with a mysterious group to plan an attack on the vampyre royals. However, as she learns more about them, she begins to question her beliefs and realizes they may not be the villains she thought.
The heart of the story lies in the unlikely partnership between Heden and Sofia. Heden believes she might be key to defeating a dangerous enemy, and what starts as an attempt to win her over, turns into something deeper. Their chemistry adds emotional depth to the story, blending playful moments with genuine connection.
The novel stands out for its integration of technology, with Sofia and Heden's programming skills playing a crucial role in the plot. The modern tech elements add a fresh twist to the traditional vampire genre, creating an interesting mix of the supernatural and the digital age.
Overall, The Impassioned Choice is an engaging, fast-paced story about love, loyalty, and the challenges of immortality. The characters are relatable, and the romance adds a layer of heart to the action. Fans of paranormal romance with a tech twist will enjoy this thrilling and emotional ride. I really enjoyed the ending.
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and Devon Wilcox is fantastic. He’s been narrating this series, and he does an incredible job of bringing the characters to life.

[Korra II Allison Baskerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I’ve previously said, each romance gets better than the last. I’m all for love at first sight/destined love, but I also love the back and forth conflict as they cum to accept it and get to know each other. Sofia and Heden are just adorable together. I think they have some of the best romance scenes so far, at least, of the ones I can remember.

On top o the improved romance, I find the new threat to be exciting. I was worried after the big bad demon boss was killed in book 4. I wasn’t sure if it was just going to be all romance, all the time, or if paradise would slowly deteriorate. It takes a logical turn and keeps things interesting. There were times previously when the danger felt like it took a back seat and lost some of its luster due to that.

One of the things that makes this one of the best books in the series so far is not only the balance between romance and conflict; It’s also how it continues to build upon the romances from past novels and characters. Sofia is on the war path, but even she has to accept that Evie is a changed person, and for the better. It continually builds upon the lore previously established to show that these people really are growing, learning, and adjusting to their new lives.

Devon Wilcox does a fantastic job, as always in bringing Etherya’s Earth and its characters to life. I really couldn’t imagine anybody else doing it at this point.

NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice is an electrifying addition to Rebecca Hefner's Etherya's Earth series, featuring a compelling blend of tech intrigue and heartfelt romance. Heden, the youngest Vampyre royal, is brilliant, loyal, and burdened by the weight of living up to his family’s expectations. When Sofia Morelli, a tech-savvy woman with a dangerous past, enters the picture, Heden’s skills and charm are put to the test in both the digital world and matters of the heart.

Sofia's complex motivations and her internal struggle create a rich dynamic as she navigates her growing feelings for Heden, a man she once thought of as an enemy. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the stakes couldn’t be higher as they face off against a new villain threatening the immortals’ hard-won peace.

What I loved most about this book was how it balanced action, suspense, and deep emotional connections. Heden's playful yet sincere approach to winning Sofia's trust and affection is both endearing and irresistible. The evolving relationship between them is layered with tension, humor, and a sense of destiny, making it hard to put down. And as they race against time to thwart a looming cyber-attack, you’ll be left wondering if love and technology can truly save the day.

If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers, tech-savvy romance, and characters who must confront their deepest fears, The Impassioned Choice will steal your heart. The perfect mix of passion, suspense, and vulnerability!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[April Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you say talk nerdy to me? I have loved Heden from the beginning with his quick wit and moderately immature humor. The youngest of the royal vampyres is smart with tech and a brilliant coder, but very much a player! Sophia is a human and the granddaughter of Francesco, who was killed by Evie (half deamon half slayer) who has changed her ways and now married to Ken and living amongst the vampyres and slayers. Sophia, still filled with rage and hatred seeks revenge by aligning with a group of immortals and humans out to destroy the immortal world and restore it to its former glory before species started cross mating. She is a brilliant programmer as well and uses those skills to help the group infiltrate the immortal world. Sophia soon realizes she made a huge mistake in doing so, and Heden offers his protection if she agrees to help the immortals stop the attack being planned. As they work closely, sparks fly but of course, humans and immortals could never make it work. But after giving in to temptation, can they really live apart? And leave it to grumpy Latimus to put some sense into Heden! The character arcs were brilliant, the story progressed so well, my heart was torn out then pieced back together. And as always, the spice level was superb! I am sad I am almost done with the series! But so glad to have found it!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 - 4.5 Stars

The Impassioned Choice is the fifth book in the Etherya's Earth series by new-to-me author, Rebecca Hefner.
Etherya’s Earth is a romantasy series that will pull you in and keep you avidly reading the whole way through. I picked up the first book in the series not really expecting much- but soon found myself devouring ALL seven instalments as I became well and truly hooked.
Each book in the series follows its own particular ‘couple’- so they can be read as standalones, if you wanted. But, having said that, there are interconnected elements, a recurring cast of characters, and other relevant details that all combine to build a much bigger picture-making it worth your time to read the all the books.
With vampires, slayers, tension, agendas, action, adventure, politics, drama, danger, chemistry, sizzle, emotion, paranormal & supernatural elements, war, good vs evil, suspense, mystery, quests, superb world building, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and much more- this series has a lot to offer.
The series consists of:
-The Dawn of Peace (Series Prequel)
-The End of Hatred (Book #1)
- The Elusive Sun (Book #2)
-The Darkness Within (Book #3)
-The Reluctant Savior (Book #4)
-The Impassioned Choice (Book #5)
-The Cryptic Prophecy (Book #6)
-The Diplomatic Heir (Book #7)

Happy Reading…

Thank you, Rebecca Hefner!

[Coastie Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally – Heden’s story! The youngest Vampire royal is smart, funny, and a gifted hacker! He feels like he doesn’t really fit in sometimes and the rest of his family is starting to settle down and start families of their own. Sofia (human) is the granddaughter of Francesco (Evie’s old flame). She is also a hacker and is out for revenge as she knows her grandfather was killed and found out it was Evie who did it.

You just thought things were going to settle down once Crimeous was out of the picture – boy were you wrong! A whole new secret society is out for blood and wants the entire Royal family taken out – along with all their non-pure offspring!

Teaming up with this secret society (all members have reasons for wanting to get rid of one or more of the main characters!) Evie learns all about the immortal world and sets off to kill Arderin, Darkrip and their children. But as Evie starts to learn more about these Royals and is busted by Heden, will she be able to go through with their dark, sinister plan? And what happens when Sofia and Heden start to have feelings for each other? Will one sacrifice everything so they can be together? Be prepared for some tough choices!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Heden and Sofia, both computer experts, but one is a royal Vampyre and the other a human. They work together wonderfully, but they have different agendas. Sofia is insistent on revenge for the gruesome death of her grandfather by the royal immortals. She is convinced that they are completely evil, but by living around them she's beginning to wonder if she has misjudged them. Heden is a proud man who is the most gifted programmer in the immortal world and when he discovers that Sofia has skills like his own, he begins to see her in a different light. As they grow closer, it becomes apparent that there is no future for a human and immortal. She can never have the children of a vampyre and she can't bear having Heden watch her grow old and die, so she takes "the easy way out" and returns to earth. But Heden isn't willing to let her go so easily, and he makes a plea to be able to live out his life with his little human. This part of the story is sweetly teary and the ending is heartwarming.The narration continues with Zachary Zaba and he's become the voice of this entire series. His range is impeccable, his voice is well-modulated and he is able to bring each of the characters to life with an individual personality and attitude.  

[Crissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice gives us Heden and Sophia's story and although it was a good story, I thought I would enjoy it more. Heden is one of the royal family members and he seems the most fun and he's funny. However, when it came to his jokes in this book there were times when I thought some were said at the wrong time. One day Heden notices a spyware program on their computer system and is determined to find out who has done it and what they did it. Sophia has revenge in her heart after finding out about the truth of what happened to her grandfather Francesco. She discovers immortals and their world, and the part one immortal played in her grandfather's passing, and she's determined to have her revenge. However, she is not the only one and Bakari is willing to help her if she helps him. Sophia agrees but her plans go wrong, and her enemies now becomes her protectors. She never expected that one immortal in particular would not only protect her but capture her heart. Heden and Sophia's story is one with revenge, betrayal, steamy scenes, suspense, it's funny, has surprises, romance, love and a HEA for Sophia and Heden. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I think paranormal romance readers will enjoy this series.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice, book five in the Etherya’s Earth Series follows the youngest of the royal Vampyre brothers, Heden and a human coder named Sofia Morelli. Six years after the war on Crimeous ended, Sofia finds out that her her grandfather Francesco has been murdered, and while Sofia tries desperately to find the killer she discovers that he was killed by an Immortal/Daemon hybrid named Evie. Seeking revenge, Sofia uses her computer skills and plots with a group of people who are determined to eradicate the royals, until she realizes that the immortals aren’t as bad as her new friends made them out to be. When Heden finds a new program in his security system, he soon also finds the human Sofia. As Heden works to turn Sofia to their side, their flirtation turns into more, and the pair soon realize that they may have doomed themselves to never finding true happiness. But will Heden be able to find a way to stay with his ‘little human’? Or will their love be separated before it even has a chance to begin?

[Penny Thibodeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the hardest decisions to make in life is letting your loved one go when you know it’s what’s best for them. That was the case for the main characters in this book. It wasn’t possible for them to have a long life together because she was mortal and he was immortal. So rather than him having to watch her grow old and die, she left to return to the human world. I’m not gonna give away the ending and spoil it for you. Just know that it’ll make your heart smile.
On another front there is Bakari the non-existent 3rd brother of the vampire royals. Nonexistent because he supposedly died and was buried in the human realm. What I wanna know is who is this Zala chick? And why did she interject herself into the story by resurrecting Bakari? She sure gave him a superiority complex when she raised him. The man is delusional, thinking himself a god equal or better than Etherya herself. To get these answers and more, I must read the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MummysVampire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well of the series so far that was by far the most romantic, honestly Sofie and Heden’s love story had me just smiling while looking and reading on the iPad lol. Heden makes my heart melt he is so lovely and funny!
So this is book Five in Rebecca Hefner’s Ethyras earth series. In my opinion you need to read the previous 4 as you will get soooooo invested in the family dynamics.
We already know and LOVE the youngest Vampyre royal Heden and I for one could not wait to meet his Happy ever after girl. Yes maybe after the last book we were introduced to new villains and one in particular may have stood out for me for him. BUT it depends are you a opposites attract kind of person or like me and best friends for life kind of love.
Haha well not telling you any more in the fear of spoiling As you simply must read.
The villains and set up for the next book is epic! 🤩. Top marks 5/5 and honestly you need to read now.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Impassioned Choice is the fifth Etherya book in the series and another engaging story.
Leading a cast of characters both old and new Heden the youngest Vampyre Royal becomes immersed in subterfuge, and romance in this well written and very enjoyable read with some tough decisions to be made along the way.
MFC Sofia is the feisty human who becomes his love interest,and Heden’s challenge as new enemies emerge poised to eliminate the Vampyre royals.
The reader remains fully immersed as the exquisite narrative begins to unravel the many twists and turns that keep the story flowing at high speed until it finally reaches an epic and satisfying conclusion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peace has been found between the Daemons and the rest of the Immortals in this fifth book of the series, but a new danger is rising.

Sofia has a drive for vengeance and a long-lost royal brother is happy to use her to wipe out the immortals in the name of purity.

Haden must discover Sofia's cyber infiltration and turn her desire for vengeance into an understanding. A few jokes will not solve this problem, but they might get it started.

And even if they do save everyone there is still the small problem of Haden is an immortal and Sofia is a human and Etherya isn't interested in pissing off the Universe again by making a human immortal. How will they find their Happy Ever After?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shana W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook. I liked the MCs, especially Heden and his family, and the narration was every bit as good as in the previous books in the series. I have always liked Heden, and he was wonderful as the main character. The only reason that this book is not rated 5 stars like the previous ones is that there were a couple of instances where I felt the backstories were insufficiently explained, or perhaps not adequate to justify present circumstances. I can't give details because they could be spoilers. But I ignored all that so I could just enjoy the story and the easy-to-read writing style. All in all, the book is entertaining.
I received an audiobook copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.