Bleeding Love Book Review
What was it? What did she do to change you so suddenly?
… She gave me hope. She made me want to live.
Synopsis
Love is the blood of life. To live forever, one must drink every last drop. The line between love and hate is often drawn in blood. For Celeste, a powerful witch who sold her soul for revenge, living her lives hunted and feared is nothing new. Death is her companion, and darkness is her friend. But when both take the form of a lethal vampire who tries to kill her, her precarious fate hangs in the balance in more ways than one. For Roman, a listless vampire who exists solely because his Master wills it, turning into a creature of darkness and death was never a choice. His life ended the night his heart ceased to beat and for a thousand years, there had been nothing that made him want to live. But when a witch drenched in blood and magic crosses his path, something he thought long dead inside of him awakens. Joined by desire. Separated by hate. Can two monsters help each other heal from the wounds of the past or will they choose to destroy that which promises salvation? One thing is for certain: there will be blood. And if they are lucky, it won’t be theirs. Bleeding Love is part of The Soulless Witch series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Review
A prequel to J.S. Hart’s The Soulless Witch series, Bleeding Love is a wild ride through a world of morally grey characters, forced proximity, and enemies who can’t decide if they want to kill each other or make out. The whole “witches v. vampires” thing is next level, and I’m here for it. The main characters, Celeste and Roman, are each carrying their own burdens and haunted pasts when they have their meet-cute as Roman comes across Celeste massacring a group of Hunters. Celeste, a witch seeking revenge, and Roman, a vampire trapped in a lifeless existence, toe the line between desire and hatred that will have you hooked from the beginning. Every interaction between them is charged with tension, and the spicy moments are expertly written to appeal to just about any reader looking for some steaminess.
Both main characters were fairly engaging, but I was definitely drawn to Roman the most. He gives off major daddy vibes and is a total sweetheart besides – but hold onto your broomsticks, as his life’s been nothing short of fucked up. His backstory provides layers of complexity to the story, adding a whole new level to this dark fantasy and making him way more interesting than your typical brooding vampire.
Content warnings include blood/gore/violence, explicit sexual content, dubious consent, torture, and murder.
Expected publication date is 16 November 2023.
Author Profile
J.S. Hart grew up in a small town in Bulgaria, surrounded by books and not much else. Her writing journey started in middle school with writing short stories, school plays, and cringy fanfiction that will never see the light of day.
Now J is a single mother, avid reader, and an unapologetic book hoarder who likes puzzles, coffee, and maybe four people. She loves all things paranormal and fantasy, and secretly, her cold, black heart beats really fast when she reads about world-shattering passionate romance. That and a lot of smart, sarcastic, powerful supernatural men. Oh, and let’s not forget sexy because why would we?
She enjoys reading and writing stories with strong female characters and irresistible male counterparts that slowly but surely work on ruining real men for her readers. She focuses mainly on paranormal stories with lots of steam and adult themes, her new obsession being stories with reverse harems.
When she is not making people cry or laugh, she likes to paint, watch anime, and occasionally meet with her very extroverted friends. Bribes and promises for delicious food are usually involved.
She has another penname where she writes her fantasy books, so you can check both her personalities out on www.scarlettstrange.com.
TL;DR
- Rating: 4 stars | Genre: Romantasy | Pages: 229
- Novella/prequel to The Soulless Witch
- Tropes: morally grey characters, forced captivity, enemies to lovers, FWB, soulmates, touch her and die
- MMC seems like a sweetheart… whose just had a fucked up life – also, daddy vibes
- Cliffhanger ending
- Phenomenal writing, great pacing, was hooked from the beginning!
- Ideal for fans of dark, slow-burn romances
- CWs: blood/gore/violence, explicit sexual content, dubious consent, torture, murder
