I'm really picky about what paranormal stories I pick up these days since I was burned out during the vampire craze a few years ago, but trust Megan Erickson to get me hooked on her sexy, snarky, scary vampire clans! I'm glad I managed to score a copy of the prequel novella, Bite the Hand that Bleeds, because I had some context for the Mission world before I started Blood Guard, but I think readers who skip it will do fine.

What Megan does best is create characters with amazing chemistry. I could really feel the connection between Tendra and Athan thanks to both their actions and their great dialogue.

Parts of the story, certain plot twists, were not the surprises I think they were meant to be, but I still found the overall plot to be compelling, especially since it was combined with complex characters, marked character growth, fantastic dialogue that was both sexy and witty, intriguing settings, and really great worldbuilding overall. I can't wait to read Blood Veil!

Wow, I loved this book . I can't wait to read more books from this author.

I have read Megan Erickson books in the past and have loved them, specifically her M/M PNR and her new Hacker series. For that reason I was very excited to read this story. Furthermore, anyone who knows me knows that I loveeee vampire PNR and the world building associated with a new series. Ans honestly- this book was fantastic! I was lost in the story and never wanted it to end!

When Vampire Athan enter's Bartender Tenra's life saying she is the lifeblood of his clan, her whole world changes. Gahh!! This novel was great. Tenra and Athan were amazing and I could not get enough of their connection, her sass and his protectiveness! Bravo! 4 stars!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. ~Ratula

Ok so this one I did a straight through read. My only complaints where that some plots should have been tightened up and the cave scene dragged a bit for me. I kept wondering when they will get the heck out of Mission city! Overall, I liked this one and it did keep me entertained and I'll be sure to come back and read Idris' story.

Reviews shared on Amazon, V's Reads, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads: https://vsreads.com/2017/10/27/cephalopod-coffeehouse-october-2017-fates-align-blood-guard-a-review/

This is an interesting twist on the “fated mates” trope and I really enjoyed this rich new world.

Tendra is a 20-something young woman newly-alone as her mother had just died in a car wreck, leaving her adrift in Mission City, New Jersey. She’s a cocktail waitress and deeply unsettled by a swarthy customer one evening. She’s even more unsettled when he kidnaps her and tells her she must come with him if she wants to live! At least he’s packed her most precious belongings from her barren apartment, including her cat, Brex. Even more unbelievable is what this dude, Alain, tells her: her blood has mystic properties and will help transform his brother Idris, sworn king of the Gregorie clan…of vampires. In their prophesy, they’ve been waiting ten generations for a Sanguivita–Tendra–and with the powers her blood holds Idris will be able to effectively combat the warring Valerian clan.

Yeah, she’s not buying it. But, she has little choice but to accept Athan’s aid when the bad guys come calling. Learning about the hidden vampire culture lurking just below Mission City has Tendra mixed up–and aroused. Those vamps are some seriously kinky folk. Plus, the more time she spends with Athan, the more she admires and desires him. And the feeling is very mutual. Their escape to the Gregorie compound is complicated by several attacks, some of which are thwarted by Brex the wonder cat. There is a good mix of danger, intimacy and downright delicious sexytimes. Athan falls hard for Tendra, yet holds back on tasting her blood, knowing that to drink from her could void the prophesy and Idris’ expected boon. Unfortunately, it’s not in his hands when the treachery extends far beyond what had been expected.

I liked Tendra, who is a take-no-shit kinda gal. Her life has been weird, and she finally realizes why once she meets Athan and learns about her place in their world. Honorable Athan’s confused by his compulsion toward Tendra; shouldn’t he not be attracted to his brother’s promised? But, the more he puzzles over it, the more he knows deep down: it doesn’t matter. He will do anything to have Tendra for his own. While this might seem cavalier, he knows his brother has no interest for Tendra beyond the desire for her blood to transform him for battle. And, neither he nor Idris expected the depth of their own father’s manipulation. There’s a lot more going here than clan clashes, the entire human race is at stake, literally, as the Valerians have plans to reveal themselves and take control of the populace to feed and frenzy. Together, Athan and Tendra have the ability to stop it. And, while the war isn’t over, a key battle is won before the end. I’m expecting Idris to find his fated mate in the next book, and I look forward to it!

This was a quick entertaining read but the romance went from zero to sixty faster than I usually prefer in a romance.

Tendra is main female lead and she is okay, she has spirit and personality and adapts well to what is in her path. She has recently lost her mother and is on her own, she doesn't have many acquaintances or friends as they have always been on the move - at the start of the story she finds out why she has always moved around

Athan is a vampire, his strong and on a mission to protect his people, he just happens to be a prince but he is also the Blood Guard, he is destined to bring the precious cargo home to be a saviour for the vamps.

The world building is interesting and there is plenty of scope to build the world as the journey back to vampires stronghold is a major part of the story. Some of the characthers are very interesting and the nightclub sounds fun, if you know what you're in for when visiting it lol. There are of course baddies and twists here and there.

Athan and Ten develop a relationship on the journey back and I loved them as a couple, they didn't rush right in, they got to know each other over a few days before the heat turns up.

For a first in series it's a winner and I will happily read more in this series.

3.75 stars strong start to a series

Enter a world of immortal danger and desire—and discover an incredible fate borne of blood.

Tendra:
One minute, I’m a bartender in gritty Mission City; the next, I’m whisked away by a vampire named Athan who tells me that I’m the lifeblood of his clan. It sounds unbelievable, but he’s got evidence I can’t deny. Turns out, Athan belongs to an underground society of vampires who feed only on humans with their consent. Their enemies have no such qualms, and they want me dead. The only thing standing in their way is strong, sexy Athan. And the closer we get, the more tempted I am to let Athan feed. . . .

Athan:
How could I have known when I snatched this snarky, beautiful human off the streets that she would change my destiny? As a loyal soldier, I must deliver Tendra to our future king—my brother. Empowered with the blood of ten generations of the Gregorie breed, she is fated to rule as our queen. But there’s something between us that’s so intoxicating, so carnal, I can’t help wanting Tendra for myself . . . even if it’s treason.



* * * * *



I wasn't expecting much from this book since I found a few editing errors in the first couple chapters. However I didn't take into account Ms. Erickson's magic with characters. I became so invested in Tendra's story that I couldn't put the book down until the very end. And now I am waiting impatiently for the next book in this series.



I really think that my readers who enjoy hot paranormal romance will love this book. I do want to give out a gentle warning that there are explicit sex scenes and violence. If those things are not things that you prefer to avoid in your books, I recommend picking up this very enjoyable book.



*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

With Blood Guard, there was a lot of I like this, but... going on in my head--really, that about sums it up. Still here's some specifics:

The worldbuilding is interesting, and I'll definitely keep my eye out for the next book in the series, which will feature Idris, Anthan's brother, and the half-vampire, half-human daughter of a higher-up in a rival vampire clan. Tons of potential there, and we saw just enough of the brother here (not a lot, but what I saw I liked) to stoke my interest. There are still some questions about this world, though, and a big ol' oh really??? still ringing in my head at how quickly Tendra's human BFF accepted the existence of vampires in the world. I just think that most people wouldn't quite be so quick to believe it, at least not without prior clues and/or proof.

A definite plus: shapeshifters exist here, and we didn't see any...yet. Probably. Maybe? There is a question about one of the characters being something more than they seem which isn't answered definitively by the book's end. Fingers crossed that shifters come up later in the series...

I liked Ten and Anthan, and thought they were good together. The reason why they could get to an HEA even though for most of the book they think they can't I thought was pretty obvious. There was a bit of a twist with exactly who was behind everything that was going on, but really, even that wasn't a huge shock...we pretty much knew that that particular individual wasn't going to be winning any awards for their benevolence, well, ever.

Though I chuckled every time Ten made a modern pop reference (especially a Disney one, which most of them were--as they should be) and Anthan gave her a blank look, there really wasn't a whole heck of a lot of evidence of him and the other vampires being 40+ years older than they appeared to be...it felt like opportunities were missed to make more of a case of their otherness like we usually see in books with characters who are supernaturally older than they seem. Instead, they came off as just slightly different guys who drink stuff that frequently tints their teeth red.

One of the best parts of the book is the relationships between characters--Ten and Anthan, Anthan and Idris, Idris and Ten, Brex the cat and pretty much everybody--and I look forward to seeing more of this in future books.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Tendra Parrish and her mother moved frequently and she never understood why. After her mother dies in an accident, she is confronted by Athan Gregorie and told she is the "Sanguivita" for his brother the prince. Athan needs to get her to his brother where her blood will provide life changing powers. Only problem, their rival clan the Valerians have hired killing bounty hunters . The race is on! The author has some very creative twists and turns in an already engaging story. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others.

It was my first m/f romance by Megan Erickson and It was a good surprise! Everything I loved in her m/m books is in this one.

It was addictive, I was surprised by some twists I didn't see coming!

This is a paranormal romance with vampires, the story has some surprises that give us the need to read the next page and to know what will happen!

The characters Athan & Tendra are interesting, their relationship is funny, swoony, the chemistry is crazy!

I'm curious to read the next book and to know more about Idris and Zeb too.

I loved the premise of this story. It's a unique spin on vamps. I also love a heroine who is tough, snarky and ready to kick butt. It was a fun read. I'm a tad torn on my rating. The copy I read had some conflicting details that a beta reader should catch but I also read an arc and realize that it could have been changed in the published version. That being said, the reason I mentioned this at all is that I was distracted by it.
 
Assuming any detail errors that caught me up, were caught, then I would totally recommend this book if you're a Paranormal lover. It's such an interesting story. I truly enjoyed it. I just needed my copy to have more finesse.

This is a quick read and will fill the craving for PNR with sexy times. The story involves hidden vampires and the heroine is pulled from her life to be taken to be the blood provider for the future king. Her blood guard is his younger brother. I enjoyed their banter and this quick paced story.

I'm afraid this book didn't do it for me. I was bored and didn't complete it. A tired story-line.

"Blood Guard" was my first paranormal romance in a while and Ms Erickson did not dissapoint.
She delivered a smart sassy young heroine in Tendra and a sexy hot alpha hero in Athan.

Tendra is alone in the world having recently lost her mother with very few freinds having moved many times, but mission city has been a home she has stayed the longest in years,so when the almost seven for hulk of a man Athan abducts her on her way home from work she fights like the devil, but it does not help her.
She awakens tied to a hair in and abandoned apartment ; with her abducter across form her and for some reason her cat Brex is in the apartment also.
Turns out that Athan has been stalking her for a little bit, knew where her home was, her job and her routine, he is insisting that he is not going to hurt her, that he is there to collect her . Tendra is apparently a prophecied savior for his vampire clan, The Sanguivita sure this sounds a bit nuts ; especially since there is no such thing as a vampire, but there is.
Athan succeeds in convincing Tendra and explains the vampire politics, three clans , his the Gregorie ebbing the only clan that respects humans. And one feeds from willing blood providers .
However, their journey too the Gregorie clan home will be fraught with danger and added to the danger the underlying attraction these two hve for each other, one that Athan fights hard to ignore, he is an honorable vampire and wants to do his duty and deliver Tndra to his brother the Prince of the clan , for Idris to claim and grow stronger for the clan well being.

The story line is engrossing , the vampire politics intresting and the sweet sexy romance and occasionally hot romance , makes the pages fly by.

Looking foward to the next book in the series,
Arc graciously supplied via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review .

My complete review is attached in the link,. Blood Guard covers all of the things I look for in a great romance, and it's paranormal which is even better! The heroine is strong and smart and resourceful. The hero is alpha without the asshole. The world build doesn't feel like a data dump and the twist is like woah! I loved it, couldn't put it down and I can't wait for more!

Blood guard was a great book and I liked how the author wrote the storyline with a fast flowing and easy to read story that keeps you reading until the end.

To be honest it's been a while (I would say years) since the last time I read a series about vampires and yes I have read a lot (I need to go back to review those series so that you know to what I refer to) and this one made be hooked to it.

The author really sets us into the scene and characters smoothly from the beginning and adds more characters as the story progresses. The pace of the story is really good and I love that I get the story from both main characters. (No need to wait for another book rewritten to the other character's point of view). I also love the fact that this a story standing on its own with its beginning, plot and its end.

As every author who respect him/herself she differentiates a bit his/her version of vampires with lovely details.

I really loved this new vampire world and I'm looking forward for the next story. Wondering if the story will pick new main characters or it will continue with the same.

DNF
I like PNR but this book just wasn't my cup of tea. I have read some of her books and enjoyed them. This one was a miss for me, unfortunately.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Blood Guard by Megan Erickson
Book One of the Mission series
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: September 11, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Enter a world of immortal danger and desire—and discover an incredible fate borne of blood.

Tendra: One minute, I’m a bartender in gritty Mission City; the next, I’m whisked away by a vampire named Athan who tells me that I’m the lifeblood of his clan. It sounds unbelievable, but he’s got evidence I can’t deny. Turns out, Athan belongs to an underground society of vampires who feed only on humans with their consent. Their enemies have no such qualms, and they want me dead. The only thing standing in their way is strong, sexy Athan. And the closer we get, the more tempted I am to let Athan feed. . . .

Athan: How could I have known when I snatched this snarky, beautiful human off the streets that she would change my destiny? As a loyal soldier, I must deliver Tendra to our future king—my brother. Empowered with the blood of ten generations of the Gregorie breed, she is fated to rule as our queen. But there’s something between us that’s so intoxicating, so carnal, I can’t help wanting Tendra for myself . . . even if it’s treason.

What I Liked:

I'm going to be honest: I've always loved (adult) vampire romance novels, specifically male vampire/female human ones. I know the vampire thing has been exhausted and beat dead over the last ten years or so, and there are certainly many novels that sound the same when it comes to this trope. I've not read a good PNR novel featuring vampires in a long time, and Blood Guard was exactly what I wanted and needed. I've been a huge fan of Erickson's so I would have read this book even if I hated vampire romance novels. But luckily, I love them, and I love Erickson's books, so this book is a huge win for me! And even better - it was a good book.

Tendra has been living in Mission for a short time, since her mother passed away. She and her mother moved a lot over the years, and the latest place was Mission. Tendra has no attachments to Mission, but she likes her job and her coworkers. One night at the bar she works at changes everything. She finds out (the hard way) that her blood is special and will make the head of the Gregorie vampire clan stronger and more powerful. Oh yeah, and she finds out that vampires exist. Athan Gregorie has come to take her to his brother, Idris, who is the vampire who will be strengthened by Tendra's blood. Athan's duty is to bring Tendra safely to Idris, with none of her blood spilled. Tendra's duty is to be the queen of the Gregorie clan by giving her blood to the king (Idris). But duty comes up against their growing feelings for each other, and they will find that the closer they get to the Gregorie stronghold, the harder it is to let go.

Sometimes in romance novels, I adore the hero and HATE the heroine. It's so sad when that happens, because the story is pretty much ruined at that point. I'm always slightly nervous when starting a new romance novel, for that reason. In this book's case... I loved Athan, and I loved Tendra.

Tendra is such a likable heroine. She is tough and smart, and she speaks her mind. One thing I hate about some heroines is how they seem feisty and assertive, but when it comes down to some things, they shut their mouth. This definitely isn't the case with Tendra. She makes many things clear - that she doesn't want to be some guy's blood bank, that she doesn't want to have her free will taken from her, that she doesn't want to leave Athan. Tendra doesn't lie back and accept fate - no, she fights for what she wants. Her safety, Athan's well-being, their relationship, the fate of the Gregorie clan and the human world... Tendra understands her duty as Sanguivita, but she also isn't letting an old prophecy rule her life. I'm a huge fan of Tendra.

I also loved Athan, just as much as or even more than Tendra. He is gruff and unsmiling, the kind of hero that doesn't really joke around but isn't a total grump either. He's the broody, protective type, who is a warrior but also a sweetheart. Athan puts his duty and his respect for his brother above everything... or he tries, when it comes to Tendra especially. But I liked how even though he was always trying to carry out his duty (bring Tendra safely to Idris), he still accepts his growing feelings for Tendra. It's tricky, falling in love with someone who will be crucial in keeping peace between vampires and humans.

This book was a little on the short side - not novella short, but not a full-length romance novel. So it seems fairly fast-paced and it almost seems like the plot is too simple. I know some readers didn't like how it seemed like there was nothing going on. The main objective of the story is getting Tendra to Idris without getting killed or anyone drinking her blood. It's a journey of action and high stakes, so it isn't boring by any means. Simple, yes, but not boring. There weren't huge twists and turns, and the one "big thing" didn't surprise me, but I liked it.

Speaking of that, the ending of the book was fantastic. There is no drama in this book and absolutely no love triangle. By the time Athan and Tendra get to the Gregorie home, they are very much in lust and in love. Idris never enters the picture as a love interest, and it's clear from him and Tendra meeting that he has no interest in her. There is no drama in this book - no shenanigans, no lies, no fighting between the brothers. I loved this! I hate it when romance novels involve a woman coming between two brothers, whether it's because of a love triangle, or anything else.

I should mention that the romance is lovely! There is definitely lust at first sight, but no insta-love. I liked seeing Athan and Tendra get more and more comfortable with each other, and fall for each other. They have really hot chemistry and there are several scorching hot scenes in this book. It's a short book, and I definitely wanted more!

Also worth noting - I love the bodyguard/protector trope. In contemporary novels, it's usually a male bodyguard and a female woman to be protected. I love those stories, and I liked this one. I don't usually go for novels involving a brother (or friend) falling for his brother's/friend's intended, but there was no drama and no love triangle in this story. Which was awesome!

Overall, this was a great start to the series. I liked Athan and Tendra a lot, and I hope they will appear in the future books of this series.

What I Did Not Like:

Nothing really major, but like I mentioned before, this book is a little short, and its plot is pretty simple. It's a quick read, but I would have loved more. I definitely would not have wanted any drama and love triangles though.

I also kind of wanted some answers on Brex, Tendra's cat. Is he a supernatural kitty? Maybe a familiar or something? This isn't a huge thing, but the author made it seem like the cat was going to play a huge role in the book, and that there was something significant that would be revealed about him. But then there never was. Honestly, I half-expected Brex to shape-shift into a human form. (Surprise, I've been peeping you two all along, during all of your hot sexy times! That would be weird. Never mind.) Here's hoping Brex will show up in the next book!

I'm hoping the next book features a little more vampire politics and whatnot. I feel like this book had a lot of good vampire/bad vampire politics, where it is black and white. But are all of the Valarian vampires bad? The Quellen? Probably not. I definitely want to see more of both of those clans of vampires, to better understand them.

But, these are minor things!

Would I Recommend It:

If you're in the mood for a quick and steamy paranormal romance novel, this is definitely for you. It's a good vampire romance novel, not a generic repetitive one. I doubt vampire novels are making a comeback, but this one felt so refreshing and satisfying.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I only wish this book was longer! I really enjoyed it and wanted much more. This is a companion series so the next books won't feature Athan and Tendra as the protagonists. But, I'm excited to read Idris's story (I'm assuming he is the hero of Blood Veil)!