SASSY'S REVIEW
❖Blood and Heaven is dark, emotional, violent, morally complicated, and surprisingly tender. It also occasionally had me wondering how we managed to get Heaven, vampires, angels, shifters, trauma, redemption, obsession, and questionable romantic decisions all living under the same roof. Somehow, it works.
What mattered most to me was how much this book made me feel. I was angry, uncomfortable, sad, hopeful, frustrated, amused, and genuinely invested in what happened next. There’s almost always something happening, changing, being revealed, or threatening to go spectacularly wrong, so my hyperactive squirrel brain had plenty to keep it occupied.
Noraya was easy to become emotionally invested in because surviving terrible circumstances doesn’t automatically make her fearless. She’s vulnerable, angry, compassionate, and conflicted, and she’s still learning what it means to have control over her own life. Her struggle with trust, freedom, protection, and choice became one of my favorite parts of the story.
Alejandro brings much-needed tenderness to a world that can be incredibly brutal. Elias, though, was easily one of the most fascinating characters for me. He isn’t simply morally gray. That man saw the gray area, laughed, and kept walking directly into darkness. Watching someone who has spent so long disconnected from empathy, guilt, vulnerability, and love begin to struggle with those feelings was one of the strongest parts of the book.
My biggest issue was that some of the emotional and romantic progression moved faster than I wanted it to. Considering everything these characters experience, I would have liked more time for fear and distrust to grow into understanding and genuine emotional attachment. I wanted certain relationships—and especially certain pieces of trust—to feel harder earned.
The book is also very spicy. Nobody anywhere near this story appears interested in discovering celibacy. The intimate scenes fit the relationships and the world, but there were a few stretches when I wanted slightly less focus on the bedroom and more time with the larger supernatural story.
That larger world was one of the things that intrigued me most. There’s far more happening here than romance alone, and the mythology surrounding the different supernatural beings, their abilities and relationships, the politics, and the larger conflicts left me genuinely curious about where the series is going.
There are also moments when similar emotions and internal conflicts are revisited more than necessary, which occasionally slows the pacing. Tightening some of that repetition and giving the supernatural plot more room alongside the romance would likely have pushed this closer to five stars.
WOULD I RECOMMEND BLOOD AND HEAVEN? I’d recommend Blood and Heaven to readers who enjoy dark paranormal romance, morally complicated characters, intense relationships, supernatural world-building, and a high level of spice. The book has plenty of emotional and violent moments, so it’s best suited to readers who are comfortable with darker themes. I did want more time for some of the relationships to develop, but the characters and larger world kept me invested. Please check the content warnings before reading, as this book includes dark themes and violence.
MY FINAL VERDICT: Overall, Blood and Heaven gave me characters I actually had opinions about—which will always beat characters I forget ten minutes after closing the book. It made me uncomfortable when it intended to, gave me emotional moments I cared about, and kept me entertained through a substantial story. The quick emotional progression and repeated internal conflicts held it back from a higher rating, but I’m still interested enough in these characters and this world to want to see what happens next.
Final Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) | Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5/5)
NOTE: I received an ARC of Blood and Heaven directly from the author. This review reflects the copy I read on August 9 and may not reflect any revisions, corrections, or updates made to subsequent editions.