I really, really liked this. A slow burn fantasy romance where the fantasy is incredibly detailed and satisfying. We’re living the dream!
Blood Mercy is the first book in a self-published fantasy romance series. Cassia is our main character, and she is the bastard daughter of a king (a terrible, tyrannical, cruel king). She normally tries to stay away from court in order to stay away from her father, but a once in a lifetime event is about to occur and she needs to be there. She maneuvers her way to court so she can meet a Hesperine. (Why she needs to do so you have to wait to find out.)
Hesperines in this world are essentially vampires because they drink blood, but they are not your typical folkloric vampires. They are kind and compassionate, and like basically they are hippies? Anyway, the treaty the Hesperines made with Cassia’s kingdom has long-lapsed (as in, four hundred years lapsed), and a delegation is coming to renew it, which is a very big deal, considering that Hesperines are thought of as the monsters they very much are not in her country. Everyone is on edge, because the king is not known for his compassion, and it’s pretty much given that he’s up to something in inviting the Hesperines.
Lio is our other main character, and he is absolutely a cinnamon roll. He is the youngest member of the diplomatic party, and after he and Cassia meet by chance one night (he’s out hunting, and she is looking for a Hesperine) they keep meeting, getting to know one another slowly. Cassia is a very lonely person, but she is smart and cunning, so learning to trust Lio is a process. It also takes her a long time to build up the courage to ask him what she needs to know.
Honestly, most of the book is made up of their meetings and their conversations, but it does get very steamy, and the last hundred pages were a whirlwind of exciting plot and court intrigue. If you like fantasy and romance, and fantasy romance! there is a very good chance that you will also like this book. I really need to get on with finishing the series before I forget too much, because I’m very curious to see where it’s going.
CBR BINGO: Politics (lots of political intrigue in this series).
