Blood Guard follows Tendra (Ten) and Athan. Tendra is a fiery, stiletto-wielding badass. Mission is the latest stop in a long line of residences that aren’t home for long. Mourning the recent death of her mother Tendra is about ready to move on again, her only long-term companion Brex, her cat.

Athan is dark, broody and soon finds himself torn between loyalty and love. As the younger son of the vampire king he has been raised for one thing, to be Blood Guard to the Sanguivita – the prophesied queen who is destined to strengthen the Gregorie clan. But not all is as it seems and both Ten and Athan face tough choices.

I loved Ten, she is fierce and refuses to take shit from anyone lest of all a broody vamp. I like the dynamic between the two of them as well, sometimes books with this kind of storyline can get a bit stockholm syndrome-y for me but this wasn’t the case here.

Although we only saw Ruby for a brief time in the book, I’d love to see more of her down the line. Though Tendra hadn’t been in Mission for long her and Ruby were fast friends, and when Tendra needed a place to stay Ruby didn’t hesitate.

Special mention to Brex is needed! He his pretty much my favourite secondary character and is way more than your standard house cat!

For a large part of the novel Athan and Tendra are making their way to the royal household, with the action really picking up once they got there. That said, it would have been nice if this part was a little longer. It wasn’t rushed per se but I was keen to see a bit more of Idris and the dynamics of the royal household a little more.

Overall Blood Guard was a short but fantastic start to the series and I’m glad we will get to see more of Idris (and hopefully Kellan too!). I’ll definitely be picking up book two

ARC received from publisher for honest review

4.5 Stars

This read was such a pleasant surprise! Blood Guard by Megan Erickson reads and feels like old school PNR.

Though this is a Paranormal read Tendra is quite real with real problems that are only compounded when she suffers a terrible loss, faces a not so bright uncertain future, and happens upon a brooding stranger her first night back at work. Through all of this she maintains her snarky no nonsense attitude even after her world has changed far more than she first realized.

Add Athan to this heroine's very real life problems and life and watch the fireworks. Athan ....oh Athan Sighhhh. Athan is the perfect mix of chivalry, sensitivity, with dashes of alpha. Strong and bad ass when required, fearless always, and loyal to a fault. They may not know it yet but these two come together in a very important way.

Though Athan and Tendra's chemistry is enough to write a full book we are entertained by the challenge awaiting them on their quest for safety.

Blood Guard is the first installment to a promising new Vampire saga which will take us through the perils of a looming vampire war. No doubt will Athan and Tendra be part of the continuing saga however I'm eager to learn more about the "new couple"and the role humans will play in the future of their clan.

I found Blood Guard entertaining and again it reminds me of old school PNR . A great PNR read is the perfect balance of character and story development along with the perfect mixture of world building. I did thoroughly enjoy this read however the world building is lacking and seems at times convenient. In addition I really enjoy when vamps or members of the underworld have special abilities beyond what are present in this story, I mean they aren't human so other than sucking blood what do they have? Or is that the point?

KUDOS to Megan Erickson and her first foray into the PNR world, I look forward to reading Blood Veil available April 3, 2018 and will pick up additional works by her until then.

Cover= 4.5 stars
Heat= 4 stars
Story= 4 stars
Characters 4.5 stars

Tendra grew up learning to take care of herself, to be strong and alert. Her mother made sure she was an independent woman, but her death left Tendra mourning her loss. When she is abducted by a mysterious, and powerful man who manages to dodge her every self-defense tactic, she learns the unbelievable. According to Athan, she is the product of ten generations of births empowered by the Gregorie vampiric blood and she is destined to be their queen. Yep, vampires…and he has evidence.

All Athan has trained for his entire life was to bring Tendra to the future king to fulfill a prophecy of power and peace, a peace that will save humanity from the vampiric world. Just deliver the goods safely and step away, letting his brother take his future bride and gain the powers their union will bring.

Just Step Away….easier said than done when the fiery woman has not only gotten on his nerves, but under his skin and keeping his hands off her is impossible because she is everything he never knew he was searching for. Can Athan get her to Gregorie lands safely or will their enemies do all they can to stop them? Athan was bred and trained to be a warrior, but this human female is rapidly defeating his resolve to keep his hands of her and his heart locked away. Will his efforts to keep her safe from both his lust and rival clans be in vain? Can his heart give up the one thing he never thought he would have?

BLOOD GUARD by Megan Erickson is passionate, from the battles waged to the attraction between two beings whose destinies are carved in the prophecy that must be fulfilled. As the Passion-O-Meter rises, Ms. Erickson refrains from flowery scenes and gives us all the raw and earthy passion two souls fighting for their lives can feel. Can you say, HOT…and I repeat, Earthy? Strong characters, strong passions and strong scenes all make for a fabulously entertaining read!

I received an ARC edition from Loveswept in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Mission - Book 1
Publisher: Loveswept (September 12, 2017)
Publication Date: September 12, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Number of Pages: 230
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

I've always loved vampire books, but I haven't started a new vampire series in a very long time. I'm so glad one of my favorite authors decided to write a vampire series, because it's exactly what I've been missing! I loved every minute of it.

Tendra waits tables at a seedy bar near her apartment in Mission City. Her mom, her only family, died about a month before, and she hasn't been handling it well. They were always moving around when she was growing up, and so she never made close friends, or any other connections, along the way. But, they had been in Mission City for 5 years, the longest she'd ever been anywhere, so she finally had a good friend, Ruby, and a job she could count on to pay the bills. But, now that her mother is gone, she's been waiting for a sign that she should leave town and not look back. All she had in the world were a few possessions and her cat, Brex. It would be so easy to just pick up and go. Too bad she didn't do it when she had the chance.

Athan is the younger son of the king of his clan, the Gregorie. He's also a vampire with a duty he's known about all his life: find the Sanguivita, the female human meant to strengthen their clan, through her blood, and her bond with his brother, the future king. He is to find her and deliver her safely to his brother Idris, to enact the prophecy that's been ten generations in the making. He had never planned on his reaction to Tendra, the woman, rather than the Sanguivita, the blood vessel he's meant to guard with his life. He had no idea he'd fall for his brother's intended. He's always been about honor, and duty, and he doesn't know what will happen if he lets any of that slip.

Athan and Ten's chemistry was HUGE right from the start. Even with her initial fear, her snark and sarcasm continually show up, and Athan isn't sure what to make of her. And he really isn't sure what to do with her cat. He's not been around humans much, other than for feeding. Since he's a royal, he wasn't raised like other vampires, who mesh in the human world quite readily. So, he has no real expectations, and even still she blows them out of the water. He's immensely drawn to her and it scares him. And vice versa. They have a very dangerous road ahead of them, and they have to stick together. But, they also need to remain separate in their hearts, to protect the prophecy at all costs.

I enjoyed many of the side characters we met, and the villains were super scary and kept me on the edge of my seat. There was a new problem around every corner, and it was never what I expected. It was fast-paced and exciting. I really enjoyed the world the author has built here, and I can't wait to learn more about it, with Idris' book next in line. There are many enemies of the Gregorie, and of the humans for that matter, and the main characters have their work cut out for them. I'm very excited to see where this series will go from here. I highly recommend this to any paranormal romance lovers, or Megan Erickson lovers, for that matter. It was fantastic, exciting, sexy, and fun.

I'm a big Megan Erickson fan, so I was pumped to hear that she was writing a series about vampires, especially because I've been craving vampire books lately. Blood Guard did a good job introducing the series, and while it wasn't as fleshed-out as it could have been in the world-building department, it was an entertaining read.

The book is told in the POVs of Tendra, a waitress in a small-town, who turns out is destined to be a blood bank for the future vampire king, and Athan, brother of said vampire king, and Tendra's guard. Both characters were likable and interesting, as I've come to expect from Megan Erickson's characters. Tendra was especially a hoot. She was sassy, bright and no-nonsense. We also get to see her more tender and vulnerable sides as the story progresses, and I liked her even more. Athan was a little stoic at first, but as he became more comfortable around Tendra, he opened up more to readers as well. He was a total gentleman, and I loved how protective he was of Tendra, but without being all up in her space. He was very devoted to his vampire clan, and was willing to go to lengths to protect those he loved and cared for.

The chemistry between Athan and Tendra was sizzling from their first meeting, and that chemistry only heightened throughout the book. I loved their dynamic, and I loved the tension and forbidden-aspects between them. What I didn't particularly love, however, was how quick they were to declare their love for each other. I personally thought they needed to get to know each other a little bit better.

The world in Blood Guard was pretty straight-forward. Humans are oblivious to the different vampire clans that exist and that there are secret underground vampire cities. We learn a little bit about the different clans here. I did feel like most of the world-building here was a lot of telling instead of showing, and I would have liked that aspect to be different. There also wasn't a lot of action here, so don't go in expecting your typical PNR story. At its heart, it's definitely a romance more than anything. That being said, the ending set up things nicely for the sequel, and I'm hopeful that we'll get to see more of the political dynamics that was hinted here. I especially like that it's going to be a companion series, and Athan's brother's book is next.

All in all, I've got to give Megan Erickson props for writing yet another fun book. I'll be eagerly looking forward to the sequel.

Athan is the brother of the future king of a vampire clan that lives peacefully and tries to protect humans against vamps that want to just from, drain and kill them all. Tendra is the "sanguivita", a human who was specially bred through 10 generations to strengthen her blood so that when the king of the vamps feeds from her, he will gain even greater strength according to a prophecy. Athan has been raised to be her Blood Guard and is just supposed to guard her and deliver her safely to his brother, but the bad vamps keep attacking them and along the way to his compound, they fall in love.

I liked this book, but I found it sagged a bit in the middle. I had a hard time picturing the world building because it seems like there were lots and lots of vamps (although they weren't anywhere near as numerous as humans) and it seems like if there were that many, all feeding on humans, it would be really hard to hide their existence. In general, I'm not as fond of vamps as other paranormals, and wouldn't normally have requested this except that I love Megan's other work and figured I would give this a try. I think it would work better for readers that do like vamps. The attraction between Athan and Ten was strong and I liked her character, even though she did make a really bad TSTL move at one point. I probably won't continue this series, but that's more because I was reminded of why I don't really like vamps, than any lack in the author's writing.

<i>[I was] a little peeved my Disney reference was lost on a vampire bodyguard.</i>

So, I just mentioned in another review how much I like when beloved authors shake up their defaults and try something new. And Erickson's been doing that a lot lately. First by co-authoring some contemporaries, then venturing into shifters, and now vampires. The shifter series (which I need to read more of) didn't wow me but I really enjoyed it. Whereas book one in the <i>Mission</i> series.. well.

With so many flavours and vibes and takes on PNR, it can be hard to find that new niche or that new angle that satisfies longtime readers. Erickson gives us a light-ish take on the human chosen one trope and instead of being the one to vanquish the bloodsuckers, she's the one destined to basically be the King's personal feedbag.. and, oh, I guess the Queen? The soon-to-be-King's brother is sent to retrieve her when rival vampire assassin clans are closing in on her location and it's his duty, as her creatively titled blood guard (no sarcasm, I do think that's a cool title), to get her to her brother so he and the clan can fulfill a prophecy, vanquish the shitty evil vampire foes and live happily ever after.

<i>What did one take to meet their arranged vampire partner?</i>

Hahah except that doesn't happen.

The synopsis already spoils the fact that things get complicated between the soon-to-be-queen and her not-yet-brother-in-law and this reader was definitely prepared for things to go sideways. Which they did. In one sense BLOOD GUARD did have unique aspects but.. I don't know, I was kind of bored? Not really interested? There's a long convuluted journey to get to the Gregorie clan's location, lots of pitstops for food and cat snuggles, and the ending is set up perfectly for book two's couple, but I'm just not sure I'll be reading it.

Erickson infused the read with a few snappy oneliners, a popculture oblivious vampire bodyguard, and a fourlegged furball that almost rivals Binx (from <i>Hocus Pocus</i>) in his usefulness. It's a quick read and the action moreorless starts right away so I think a lot of people will probably enjoy this for what it is : a swoony thrill ride. I think I just wanted a little more substance and a little less predictability to sink my teeth into (sorry, couldn't help it, peace out).

2.5 "oh great, so this was like <i>Goodfellas</i> with fangs" stars

Blood Guard is a fantastic book! As soon as I started it I was sucked in and there was nothing that could stop me from reading it. This is such a great start to a new series. I've been hoping for a new vampire series for some time, and now I think this is it.

The writing is wonderful, characters are developed spectacularly, the world building is on point, the plot is intriguing, interesting, and has a really great edge to it. While the vampires have many similarities to other vampires out there, this story takes a different direction which made me so excited when the reveal happened.

I'm also now so excited to find out where the series will go, what will happen in the next book with new main characters, and moving the main plot line forward.

This is going to the top of my vampire love list.

I love this author but did not love this book. I much prefer her werewolf books to her take on vampires done here. I can't even place my finger on what I didn't like about it! It just wasn't for me. But I will still be reading everything she writes because she is awesome!

Interesting and hot take on vampire romance. This storyline keeps enough familiar lore with some new twists to keep you interested. The strong female character is refreshing. Bad guys you love to hate, good guys you want to cheer on, then those you can keep guessing about. Add in a dose of palace intrigue and you have a good read. This is a great start to a new series.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange if an honest review.
I didn’t have any kind of expectation going in this book because I didn’t read anything from the author before. The only reason why I requested this book because the synopsis sounded great. Well in the end it was not so good at all.
I don’t even know where to start. Okay so the writing is dry, plain and it really bothered me how aggressively it tries to convey the story conclusions. Right from the beginning it tries to shove everything down my throat. I mean, in one chapter the book mentioned at least 8 different times and just as many different ways that Tendra is grieving, or that she learned self defense and so on for the whole story. Okay, I got it the first time and I see that these are important tidbits regarding the plot you don’t have to repeat it so many times.
Then there is the world building which has a couple of problems too. For one it’s not detailed and explained well enough, and even the parts that are mentioned are probably would never work. It’s not built up for a believable level.
The plot is a bit ridiculous and has a comic element to it. For this reason I couldn’t take it seriously. To me it was the last couple of chapters that I could truly enjoy but the events there were to rushed for my liking. Also I felt that the storyline is off balance by the romantic fantasizing and intimae scenes compared to the actual storyline. Also its predicable as hell.
The characters are carefully created but I couldn’t form a bond with either of them. A lot of times they don’t act as themselves and quite a few instances they make a complete 180 like a switch was flipped when it comes to their emotions and reactions. It was quite hard to follow.
I don’t like to write negative reviews but when I don’t like a story I won’t lie. Really the only saving grace in this book were the last couple of chapters. This is also a relatively quick and short read.

I was provided an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Megan Erickson and adore her Cyberlove series. For those who don't know, yes Blood Guard is an MF romance with no MM in sight (or even on the horizon). I enjoy reading MF romance from time to time and this one was totally worth it! (I used to read ONLY MF romance and then one day I was introduced to a secondary character who was gay and that was it.)

There is instant-attraction and connection, and if you count falling in love in a week insta-love, this has that too. I was surprised by how instant the connection was between Tendra and Athan because it took only seconds for Tendra to feel something towards Athan. They worked together, don't get me wrong, but I was still shocked by how much Tendra was turned on to Athan and how she reacted to him.

Vampires, prophecy, magical blood, and the possible annihilation of the human race. Yeah, no pressure on Tendra or Athan to make sure she makes it to Athan's familial home where there will be an army providing security.


Honesty time
Tendra didn't freak out very much when she learned Athan was really a vampire and not some crazy kidnapper. I thought more time should have been devoted to her coming to grips with what was really going on. Granted, it wouldn't have been helpful for her to have a panic attack, but still - I expected more.

I was surprised at how much sex played a part in this story and I will admit to skimming those parts since there were so many. Athan is supposed to be her protector, and his brother to be her mate. Yet neither can deny they feel something towards the other and when tension is high and fear and anxiety take over, near death experiences, they can't say no to sex. [Add in the fact that when a vampire drinks from a human, they are both struck by lust and sex is usually a part of the process. (hide spoiler)]


As for how everything went down, I thought I knew what was going on, or at least had a good idea, but Holy Cow! Was I surprised when what happened towards the end happened, and nope, not gonna say - it should really be a surprise. ;) Some people may figure it out before I did (which good for you!) but I had no clue that something was gonna happen at the end like it did. It's actually several something's that happen. I can't wait for book 2 since it's obvious by the ending to this one that book 2 will be about Athan's brother, Idris (I think is his name).

I can't say this book ends on a cliffhanger, it doesn't exactly, it's just the end of book 1 (or you could say part 1). The bad vampires are still out there, they still want to kill/enslave the human race, and Athan and the gang still want to stop the bad guys from doing that, by any means necessary.

If you enjoy MF romance, vampires, magic, underground vampire communities, prophecies, and sex, you will enjoy this story! I do recommend it to those who fit the above categories. ;-D

This was an ARC I was provided so there are some inconsistencies I hope are fixed before officially released. Hurry up book 2! :)

One of my fav reads this year. Interesting and unique paranormal romance with plenty of action.

I could not put this book down! The pacing in Blood Guard is amazing and the world of vampires literally right below humans was detailed and exciting. Athan and Tendra are forced together by duty, but the love they develop for each other that eventually triumphs duty made me cry more than once.

When I saw Blood Guard being offered on NetGalley, I was pretty excited about it. When I was approved, I was stoked. Vampire romances are my guilty pleasure. I do try to read as much as I can with reviewing only the ones that I have been approached/seen on NetGalley. I was not disappointed with Blood Guard. This book lived up to my mental hype!!

Blood Guard was a very interesting book to read. It had your typical vampire stereotypes and it also had some new stereotypes. The usual stereotypes that we have all come to associate with vampires.One of these stereotypes is that vampires couldn’t go out in the sun. Other stereotypes are that they need blood to survive and were super strong/super fast. Tendra’s journey on Athan’s back while in the woods is a great example. The newer stereotypes are that there are different species of vampires. They have different roles in the vampire society. Also, the vampires are not known to the human population (except those that are used as blood donors).

The romance between Athan and Tendra was most definitely Instalove. But it didn’t take away from the book. Instead, it added to it and made Tendra and Athan’s bond so much stronger. I did find it strange that Athan had such a pull towards Tendra. Let’s say that there is an interesting twist to this story that took me by surprise because I didn’t see it coming. It explained the pull that they had to a T.

The sex between Athan and Tendra was smoking hot. I didn’t think that they actually have sex because of the situation that they were in. This is the only book that I actually was chanting, in my head, “Do it!! Do it!!” up until the sex in a cave scene. When I say that it was hot, it was smoking hot. I had to put down my Kindle and fan myself. Usually, after a great sex scene, the rest is “meh” because everything was wasted on that one huge scene. Well, in this book, each sex scene was as good as the first one.

I did feel bad for Athan. Here he is, told to bring home the Sanguivita and then his brother would be king. He was not expecting to be as attracted to Tendra as he was. He definitely wasn’t expecting her to be as, well, stubborn as she was. He was so stubborn. I wanted, at one point, to reach through my Kindle and smack him because of certain choices he was refusing to make.

Tendra was still reeling over her mother’s death when she was kidnapped by Athan. I think her reaction to Athan’s news, that she was the Sanguivita was pretty much the same reaction I would have had. The journey through the underground, into safe houses and finally into the woods was epic. I definitely would not have lasted as long as she had. I also wouldn’t have had the cojones to do what she did when Athan needed help.

The end of the book was fantastic and I did not see the twist in the plot coming. I am going to be waiting for book 2 to come out. Hopefully, it will be Idris’s story!!!

My Summary of Blood Guard: 4 stars

Blood Guard is a vampire/romance novel that will stay with you long after you are done reading it. The plotline was great and original. I also loved Athan and Tendra together. Sparks flew from the moment they saw each other. This is going to be a series that I cannot wait to read

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, Sex, and Violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Vampires are back!

I love them! Since Salem’s Lot and Interview With A Vampire so many years ago, I have been hooked on all that vampy goodness. J.R. Ward, Jeannine Frost and many others have kept me riveted for years. I have read great stories about these toothy non-humans, some thinly veiled rip-offs and some total crap. Megan Erickson has written vampires to fall in love with…and I did.

Athan has been taught his whole life that this one task, guarding the Sanguivita of the Gregorie Clan, was his purpose in life. He was also taught that, as first born, his brother, having drank from her, would be many, many times stronger, the savior of the clan…the Clan hated and hunted by rival vampires.

Tendra has lived her life on the move, never having a clue why her mom wanted to leave a place suddenly. She and her mom were incredibly close.

Treason? It’s freakin’ treason if these two hook up? Athan and Tendra are great together. Treason? Phooey! Athan is a perfect vampire protector…strong, dedicated and loved by his people. Tendra (Ten) is a smart mouthed, witty, defiant little firebrand with a very unusual and special cat! I’m not sure which of these I loved the most! Collectively they make for one terrific crew.

There is one really vivid, porn quality scene as they walk through a vampire club called Bite, and some steamy sex. And it all works beautifully to set the stage for the next book in the series, Blood Veil, coming soon…I hope. Pick up a copy and…

Enjoy!

2shay

Absolutely loved this book, and am eager to continue the series!

I haven't read any M/F from Megan Erickson. I really enjoy her writing, she writes snappy dialogue, engaging plots and her romance elements are always on point.Blood Guard is a promising start to the Mission series I just wasn't as amazed as I thought I would be.
This is Erickson's first paranormal romance which I'm not sure if she is going to get M/M within but the M/F was really well done I just couldn't connect with the chemistry. Tendra is funny, smart and brave. I also liked that she didn't dwell forever on her fate and 'destiny". Athan is strong but I just couldn't connect with them. I loved the Bodyguard and "client" trope but they passed the stages of love very quickly and so I couldn't connect.
Overall I think I will read book two but I'm not enamoured. 3.5 Stars.
***ARC courtesy of publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review***

Blood Guard is a fantastically impressive new series that will fulfill your deep craving for excellent vampire lore while giving you a wonderful spine-tingling mystery to solve. I was blown away by the brilliant plot and stunning characters found throughout this amazing book. While I have always had an intense interest in vampires, this book slaked that longing in no time at all. It has everything you would ever want in one magnificent work of art. I couldn’t get enough and yet I read the last word knowing I was completely satisfied. This is a wildly superb start to a fabulous new series that I can’t wait to experience and savor!

When I search for paranormal stories, I look for something with a lot of depth and heart. I want to feel every part of the character’s heart and soul while I walk their journey alongside them, and I was gifted with that privilege over and over. There is nothing better than losing your heart to a wickedly indulgent storyline that engages and stimulates every part of your mind. Blood Guard meet all of those requirements and so much more. This is a book that will leave you happily speechless, contentedly satisfied, and wickedly grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Megan Erickson is one author that I plan on reading more from in the near future. She has caught my attention, and I look forward to learning more about her other epic adventures. My voracious reading appetite won’t let me choose anything but the best, and Megan is without a doubt one of the best in paranormal stories that I have come across. Let her stories invade and conquer your heart while satisfying your vast hunger for excellent and well-written stories.

Megan Erickson is a new author to me - one I will definitely want to read more from!

I enjoy paranormal stories and this one did not disappoint. What makes this one stand out from other books of similar genre? Character development. The reader really gets to know and understand Tendra's predicament. Without spoiling the story, there is more to why Tendra is the "lifeblood" of Athan's vampire clan and what will happen if she doesn't cooperate with the clan's leader. Suffice it to say, it's a more complex reason than just grabbing a random woman off the street. And the doubts and fears Tendra has? The reader really feels for her being in such a difficult spot, having to make tough decisions.

And Athan? Again, he's a lot more than just big, dark and dangerous. He truly cares for humankind and, as he gets to know Tendra as they are on their journey back to his brother (the future king of the clan), he not only empathizes with her predicament but treats her in a caring manner (even before he discovers that there is "something between us"), so unlike other vampire characters. He understands what she will be giving up and doesn't dismiss her fears/concerns lightly.

If you enjoy paranormal stories, especially of the vampire type, you will enjoy this one!


Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.