Review: Blood Veil by Megan Erickson

Blood Veil by Megan Erickson

Book Two of the Mission series

Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the midst of supernatural chaos, worlds and hearts collide.

Celia: Having never known my parents, I’ve always felt like an orphan. All I want is a normal life. But after I’m attacked in my bedroom by one vampire—and rescued by another—it’s about time to give up on “normal” once and for all. Idris, the second in command of the Gregorie vampire clan, has come to my aid, but his motives for saving me are unclear. And what surprises me most is my attraction to his heated gaze. . . .

Idris: Terror. Curiosity. Arousal. These are the natural impulses of a human female, not the spawn of the ruthless Valarian king. Is it possible that Celia is unaware of her bloodline—and the power coursing through her veins? As the daughter of my archenemy, she was supposed to be my ransom. But how quickly the heat of desire changes everything. Now the family Celia has always craved is trying to kill her, and it’s up to me to save her again—when all I really want to do is make her mine.

What I Liked:

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'm kind of excited about vampires being "in" again. Ten years ago (or more than that), everyone was sick and tired of vampires and werewolves and all that - myself included. But I'm ready for more vampire novels, especially in romance! Thank goodness there is a great author behind this series. I already love Erickson's books, and this series has been going really well for me.

This is the second book in the Mission series, and a companion to the first book. Idris, the younger Gregorie brother, is bent on revenge. He plans to use the Valarian king's daughter as a pawn in his plan to take out the king. But Athan (the Gregorie king and Idris's older brother) wants the Valarian princess safe and unharmed while negotiations are in place. Unfortunately for Celia (who doesn't even know that vampires exist, let alone that she's half-vampire), life is not turning out the way she thought. One minute she's sleeping, the next minute there is a creature in her bathroom. She is almost killed by one supernatural being, only to be rescued by another. Idris thought he could use Celia in his schemes, but he didn't expect to fall for her.

I felt so bad for Idris in Blood Guard, with everything that he had to deal with, and all the changes that came about towards the end of that book. Idris is a complicated guy with a lot of loneliness and a loss of purpose. He is honing in on revenge because his purpose is gone. But while Idris is a strategic mastermind and a man set on the course of revenge, he is also very loyal and protective. He wants more in life but he is also stalled, and doesn't know where to go. He's a good guy, despite his armor and stony facade.

I adored Celia, and maybe for reasons that others might not like her. She is a nurse, a kind soul, a gentle person who cares with her whole heart and is so sweet. She is a selfless, giving woman, and I loved that her gentleness was a perfect foil to Idris's hardness. Celia is NOT weak, but she has a quiet strength. She isn't some sort of kickbutt warrior queen - but she is strong in other ways. Her strength is in her selflessness and her good heart.

As a pair, Idris and Celia really worked. It took some time for each of them to trust each other - which makes sense, since Idris saved Celia's life and then took her away from her home (for her safety of course - but still). Celia was scared and cautious at first, but she began to trust him with every time he saved her life, and every time he showed his softer sides. And Idris... Idris spent his entire life being lonely, not having that sense of connection and love with anyone. Both of them have a lot of caution when it comes to loving someone else, and both of them fit the other really well. There was a slow build of trust and a slow build of feelings, but the chemistry was always there. I didn't see Stockholm Syndrome in this romance.

As always, Erickson wrote some great chemistry and tension, and this book was fairly steamy! Her books are always spot-on when it comes to chemistry, so I expected no less. 

This novel isn't just a romance - there is a lot of vampire politics in play. Athan is very present in this book, what with him being Gregorie king and all, and Celia being the Valarian king's daughter (and a very important piece to a puzzle that Idris is trying to understand). We also get to see Tendra (Athan's queen), though less so than Athan. Politics are very important in this book, and certain events take the series even further than Blood Guard. I'm curious to see how the overall plot (the vampire politics and wars and peace settlements with humans) will shake out.

I hope there will be a book three! I don't know who the protagonist would be, but I can hope.

What I Did Not Like:

I can't really think of anything specific at the moment. I enjoyed this book!

Would I Recommend It:

If you like adult paranormal romance, this is a great series to read! I was wanting to read a vampire romance novel last year and lo and behold, Erickson had Blood Guard ready to be published. That book and Blood Veil are excellent! Very steamy, very intriguing paranormal romance novels. 

Rating:

4 stars. I really hope there will be a book three! Erickson cannot stop the series here! While each book is a companion novel following a different pair of characters, the overall plot connects the books, and I want to see where things will go. Keep writing, Megan!

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