Author(s): Traci Douglass
Series: Blood Ravagers #1
Also in this series: Blood Vowed
Published by Tule Publishing on October 10, 2016
Pages: 240
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance
Source: Author
Format: eBook
Purchase: Amazon
Rating:
Series Rating:
Anna Frost had a bad feeling when her twin sister, Liz, told her she’d run off with a member of the notorious Otherworld biker gang, the Blood Ravagers. And her unease skyrockets when her sister subsequently vanishes. The police have no authority and little interest, so Anna decides to take matters into her own hands by infiltrating the group to discover for herself what happened to Liz, where she meets….
Dante, half demon, half human. A mix of two worlds, accepted by neither, he’s had no choice but to learn the hard way how to play whatever side of the fence kept him alive during his nearly 500 years of existence. Now, as second-in-command of the Blood Ravagers biker gang, his survival depends on keeping his humanity a secret. Dante’s ultimate goal is to fulfill the vows he made over two centuries ago to create a world where half-breeds can live in safety and equality.
But when sheltered schoolteacher Anna finds unexpected, white-hot passion in the arms of Dante, will her quest for the truth cost him more than he ever bargained for? Or will they find a way to save Liz – and their love – together?
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Blood Bound is the first stand-alone book in the Blood Ravagers series. I read book three a few months ago and at the point of me writing this review I am about to start book 2. Based on my experience with book 3; I picked up this installment hoping for an equally exciting read. However, it did not live up to the success of its successor. For me it was just an OK read.
What I Loved.
I loved the idea of a half demon/half human trying to create a place where others like himself feel safe. The sacrifices made to accomplish this was commendable. Few people would willing put their lives on the line the way Dante did. He endured torture and many atrocities to ensure that he achieves his goal.
I enjoyed exploring the world the author created. The blending of aspects of paranormal with motorcycle gangs, made for an interesting and intriguing read.
The descriptive style of writing contributed greatly to maintaining my interest in the story. The story moved at a steady pace until about seventy percent (70%) into the book when things got heated. At this point, I eagerly turned the pages as my curiosity levels increased.
What I did not Love.
I could not establish a connection with the protagonists. Anna’s behavior annoyed me. She does not listen and because of this; she places herself and Dante in danger. Her character lacked development which minimized her impact on the story. Dante spent centuries feeling unworthy of being loved. This was due to his treatment from both humans and supernatural beings. I hoped for more on this aspect of Dante’s life, unfortunately the author failed to explore this further. As a result, his character failed in evoking any sympathy. Secondly, the joy and uncertainties expected when he discovered his life mate failed to resonate with me.
The villain of the story lacked credibility. He is a full demon and sadistic in nature, but he did elicit any feelings of fear. I found his role to be boring and flat. The thread surrounding his illicit activities, needed further development.
The romantic elements needed more development. As is typical of this genre the attraction between the protagonists was instantaneous. The physical aspects of the relationship received more attention at the expense of the emotional angle.
Conclusion/Recommendation
This story had the potential to be an exciting paranormal/MC romance, however it turned out to be an average story. The story was not bad, but the characters did nothing for me.