Thank you to Karina Halle and Valentine PR for the advance reader copy of The Blood is Love, the sequel to Black Sunshine. This book hit shelves on July 1st!
This is such an anticipated sequel not just for me but romance readers everywhere. So I was over the moon to get my ARC and get to review it for you.
Check out the Goodreads synopsis…
“From the fog-shrouded bay of San Francisco to the dark cobblestone streets of Helsinki and all the hidden places in-between, The Blood is Love takes the reader on a sensual and twisted journey deep into Lenore and Solon’s lush vampire world in this thrilling sequel to Black Sunshine.
When Lenore Warwick turned twenty-one, she expected lots of bar-hopping, parties with friends, and the occasional hookup. What she got was the realization that she’s both a witch and a vampire, and that there are things in this world that want her dead. Thank god she has her enigmatic vampire lover, Absolon Stavig, to help show her the ropes. But while Lenore struggles to fit into her new topsy turvy world, full of blood, sex, and magic, she also has to contend with her messy and complicated love for a vampire who isn’t always what he seems.
To make matters worse, her real father, Jeremias, a powerful warlock from the dark side, has professed an interest in her, while Solon’s father, the depraved vampire king Skarde, is intent on destroying everything she loves. When Solon and Lenore have to travel to Finland to work alongside Solon’s charming and vicious brother, Kaleid, in an attempt to defeat Skarde once and for all, the two of them enter a bloody new world that neither of them are prepared for. Even if their love survives the carnage to come, the chances of them getting out of there alive are slim.
Good thing they like to take their chances.”
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
- Characters: Lenore and Solon go through quite a lot of character development in this sequel. Lenore starts to really get a grasp of her powers. She is really forced to face head-on her new identity. While Solon has his own realization that he is incredibly powerful and cannot always be in control. Not only is Lenore growing in her own power and independence. But as he falls deeper in love with Lenore it challenges his worldview and how he has operated for hundreds of years.
- Setting: The story is mainly set in San Francisco just like the first book. Solon’s house is such a cool setting. The story opens with a big party and just the atmosphere of it was electric. This book just oozed sensuality. The time in Helsinki that is alluded to in the synopsis, had my heart racing and was such a great way to expand this world. I missed San Francisco though when we went away as I really love both Amethyst and Wolf (very pumped for their book this October!) and I wanted even more time with them.
- Pacing: I engulfed this story. I read this incredibly fast, in less than a day. I think lots of us will fall victim to that. The way Karina composed this will make you want to keep reading.
- Romance: The sexual tension between these two is off the charts. Some of their romantic scenes were insane. If voyeurism, exhibitionism and blood play are not for you, then this book is not gonna be for you. The way that these two love each other is so deep, it almost inspiring. Hence I was a bit frustrated when they had their petty arguments and bumps in their relationships. I get why they happened, it furthered the plot and allowed for each character to develop on their own. Yet it seemed out of character at times when these two were not fighting for their relationship tooth and nail. What I love about Lenore and Solon’s relationship is that they brought out the best in each other and only made each other stronger. I will miss these two but hopefully, we will see them in some upcoming books in this universe.
The Blood is Love receives four out of five stars.
You can pick up the story below…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gOeX5B
Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/TheBloodIsLove
Follow Karina on all her social channels…
Website: https://authorkarinahalle.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4785031.Karina_Halle
Amazon: https://amzn.to/31HMztJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinahalle/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/912577838806567/
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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karina-halle
Thank you again to Karina and Valentine PR for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
