Blood and Secrets by Beatrix Hollow
SERIES: –
PUBLISHED: August 29, 2022
GENRE: Paranormal Romance, Erotica
PAGES: 136
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The Blurb
I’m a vampire hunter, a legacy meant only to care about killing monsters.
But all I’ve ever cared about is Sebastian.
I’m enamored… obsessed.
Stalking him and manipulating fate to keep us together.
We were assigned to Visamar Academy, where a group of powerful vampires gorge on the rich.
I failed him as a partner and he paid the ultimate price—the worst thing that can happen to a hunter.
My obsession wouldn’t let me end him.
I sullied our souls, damning us to Hell.
Crossed lines I never thought I would.
Now I’ll pay for those sins in blood.
The Brotherhood will kill me…
if Sebastian doesn’t first.
Author Note: This is first person, dual pov gothic mm romance.
Additional Content Information: There is blood play, biting (including genitals), muzzles, stalking/obsession, vague religious themes, chains/collars, violence/gore, death, guns, knives, fire, mention of parental death (previous to story), secret societies, anal, oral, and rimming.
The Review
Blood and Secrets is a tale of the hunters becoming the hunted, where rules are broken and blood is spilled (and consumed). Two rookie undercover vampire hunters are tasked with gathering intel for the takedown of a massive vampire organization, but nothing goes as planned and they soon find themselves on the run from everyone involved. Forbidden unrequited love, dueling secret societies, and filthy dirty smut, what more could you ask for?
This is the story of Tate and Sebastian and their relationship that is the proverbial powder keg just waiting to explode, and oh how it does. On one hand we have an obsessive stalker, who has been lurking and watching from the shadows for over a decade. And on the other we have someone that appears to be a bit of a user, wanting to take take take. Their relationship is undeniably an unhealthy one, a violent crash you can’t look away from as it detonates into the hottest flames.
Hollow sets a beautiful stage filled with gothic architecture, and perfectly darkened nooks and crannies for all the baddies to hide within. A university whose buildings resemble castles of old and cemeteries blanketed in fog rest above, while an entire world drenched in blood lies below. While they set the mood, the setting and worldbuilding do take a backseat to let Tate and Seb’s story shine, and I wish I had more time to explore this world and all it has to offer.
The story itself is entertaining and does keep readers hooked, but there were a few things that just didn’t work for me.
Firstly, I felt as though Tate and Seb’s relationship developed far too quickly, moving from obsession to realization in the blink of an eye (or the bite of a vampire). It didn’t feel as organic as I was expecting.
Secondly, the vampire lore is glossed over and not explained in enough detail, which had some instances leaving me scratching my head to make sense of it all.
And lastly, I’m a sucker (no pun intended) for worldbuilding. I would’ve loved to learn more about the Sanguine Society and Brotherhood, especially the latter. We’re presented with the idea of the battle between chaos and order, but I was left needing more.
All in all, I enjoyed making my way through the pages of Blood and Secrets, pretty much reading its entirety in one sitting. The scenes between Tate and Sebastian were smoking hot, and left very little to the imagination (not a complaint). I always love reading stories where the lines between good and bad are blurred, and Hollow does a wonderful job of portraying this. This is definitely not one for the squeamish, but if a plethora of blood doesn’t turn you away and you’re looking for a quick read, give this one a try to see if it’s your kind of thing!
Note: Thank you to the author for providing me with a complementary advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: Mind the warnings!
The Author
Beatrix Hollow survives in a puddle of mud sometimes called East Texas. She writes morally questionable paranormal romance that frequently has horror themes. Sometimes there’s even a strange kink and interesting appendage. She finds dark, steamy, and humorous themes fun. She studied creative writing and psychology at Virginia Tech, used to be a professional ice cream maker, and enjoys looking at artwork of raccoons.
