Vampires. Auroral lights. Vampiric kitty. Slow burn. Twists & Turns.

This book had everything I wanted in a romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Country Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: missing loved one, religious trauma, domestic violence (physical and emotional abuse on page), violence, blood, death, animal attack and death, assault, blood play, cheating (physical and emotional)

This was a really interesting read. It had gorgeous style of prose and an almost timelessness to it that I really appreciated. it very much transports you to the tundra as Clio learns more about herself, her past and the mysterious keeper of the inn Nickolai. I really appreciated the twists to vampire lore and the different bit of world building.

Steam: 3.5

Beneath the Bloody Aurora
Arc:NetGalley
Publication Date :20 Dec 2022
Publisher : @Lake Country Press
Genre :Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy


Firstly alwasy check trigger warning this author has kindly put them at the start of her book.
I really liked this book. The background setting drew me in because I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, so I appreciated that aspect as well as the magical quality it gave to the characters and the book. The manor's descriptions and details were also excellent. I also enjoyed the romance and the tug of war between the characters. Cleo is a strong character who just needed some independence and something to push her over the edge, and she found it in Nikolai in a way, and Nikolai found something in Cleo as well. The chemistry between the two characters was also well done when they finally got together. I liked the spin vampires because it was new and different.
Slow paced.

I enjoyed this book alot. The background setting really drew me in because I always wanted to see the Northern Lights so i greatly enjoyed that aspect and the magical quality it lent to characters and book. The descriptions and details of the manor were also very well done. The romance and push and pull between the characters was also something I enjoyed. Cleo is a strong character who just needed some indepence and something that pushed her over the edge, that strength and she found it in Nikolai in a way and Nikolai also found something in Cleo. The spice between the two characters when they finally got together was well done also. I enjoyed the spin vampires also, it was new and fresh with more magic and myth thrown in. A lot was revealed in the end and was a bit rushed but spaced out enough that was easy to grasp and put together all the pieces, which is why I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5. Overall I enjoyed the writing, cast, and characters! Can't wait for more.

I am a sucker for a good vampire story so I was very excited to read this one. Beka Westrup did a great job of building the background for this story. Through storytelling within the story, we get the story of Nikolai's transformation. This was a clever method to develop the world while also revealing the growing connection between Clio and Nikolai.

Through the storytelling, the reader also gets snippets of the religious trauma that Clio suffers at the hands of her mother and fiancee. Clio has a constant internal battle between her religious duty and her own desires and wants. As she starts to realize that everything is not what it seems, she discovers a connection with Nikolai that defies time and death. I love the creativity with which Beka Westrup reveals the connection between Clio and Nikolai. As this twist is revealed, the story begins to feel rushed. Many different elements enter the story with not much prior set up or explanation. This made the last 1/4 of the book feel as if is was on fast forward without much background context to help it along. It is for this reason I gave the book a 4/5. The premise is quite interesting; there just needed to be more explanation and set up for some of the elements that came into the end of the story.

The romance between Nikolai and Clio was top notch, however!

Clio has been drawn to a mysterious manor on the edge of the artic circle. What she discovers might have her questioning her past and her future. What sort of secrets does the owner, Nikolai, hold? Let’s find out!

Read if you like: fantasy romance, contemporary fantasy, vampires, forced proximity, slow burn, ‘she’s not mine,’ sensitive vampires, and a leading lady determined to find herself.

Clio is about to marry the picture-perfect, and often absent Duncan, but she’s feeling uneasy. Ignoring her nerves, she jets off to a snowy manor to find a breathtaking wedding venue… and possibly some answers about the death of a friend. What she finds is an inexplicable draw to the house and its incredibly captivating owner.
Nikolai has been waiting for polar night and the long freeze so that he can have more freedom to do as he pleases in the dark. When suddenly a meeting with a potential client ends with her forcing a two week stay so she can plan her wedding in his hotel. And he can’t seem to tell her no.

Beneath the Bloody Aurora is a debut by Beka Westrup and the writing is beautiful. The slow burn romance has you screaming at their silly hearts to just go for it, but it’s done so well. The forced proximity within such a beautiful setting makes you long for a getaway of your own with the Aurora Borealis as a backdrop. The couple is the main focus to the plot and I love understanding their story and the unique way they are brought together. And when they get together, it’s very spicy indeed.

The world building with magic, the Church of Light, and beasts and other vampires is interesting, but I need a little more consistency. I loved the idea of the Light and how humans and evil can corrupt it and therefore asking questions and building true faith and not blind faith is very important. A great healing story for those with religious trauma. However, the origins of the fall and how evil and beasts and vampires are created and what’s going on in that realm needed more attention. Also, without knowing if there is a sequel in the works the epilogue is a little out of place. And I love an epilogue.

Overall, a great romance story with fantasy elements and a gorgeous setting all surrounding a tale of personal growth and inner strength. 3.5-4 stars.

Trigger and Content Warnings: Religious fanaticism, abuse in the name of religion, perversion of religion, substance abuse (parent), emotional abuse, coercion & manipulation, blood, blood play, & biting, cheating, animal death (polar bears), murder
*This is not necessarily a comprehensive list. Do the appropriate research to keep yourself whole and well.*

Tropes: Fated Mates/Soul Mates, Forced Proximity, Wedding, Vampires

Clio is about to get married to Duncan, a priest of the Divine Light. She has last minute changed the venue to a manor in the Artic tundra with a magical view of the Northern Lights. In preparation for the wedding, she must spend 2 weeks snowed in during the height of winter. During that time, she gets close to the standoffish owner, Nikoli. As the wedding date approaches, Clio must decide if she what she wants and who her future is really with Nikoli or Duncan.

From the moment the book starts, you can feel the melancholy and dejected air around Clio. Even though the extent of her trauma and mistreatment isn't fully uncovered until the end of the book, you can tell that she has been suffering abuse and that she has molded herself to fit within the bounds of other people's expectations. The time she spends at the Manor with Nikoli allows her to see how much she has compromised herself to fit her fiancé and her mother's expectations.

From the beginning we know that Nikoli is a vampire on the brink of losing control or losing hope. Clio is a spark of life that is the ultimate temptation to his beast and could nurse that last ember of hope or snuff it out completely.

For a debut novel, Beka Westrup has done a great job weaving a fantasy world. Westrup took on some difficult themes and balanced them in a way that added to the story without overpowering.

This book ends on an HEA for Nikoli and Clio but has a minor plot cliffhanger.

Beneath the Bloody Aurora was a delightful surprise! I knew I was walking into a vampire romantasy book, but since I like to go in blind, I don't read the blurbs of books. When I dove into this, I quickly realized I'd signed up for something a lot deeper than a typical fantasy romance.

To start, the book takes place after a third world war, and though it mimics our own in terms of technology (phones, computers, cars, etc) it is is also a world in which there's been a religious upheaval and a "Divine Light" religion has stepped in as the "moral" beacon for the world. Surprise surprise-- they aren't.

We open the book with Clio, who is at Nikolai's arctic resort/manor in search of a wedding venue. We know her fiancee is overbearing. We already don't like him, and her mother is a turd. So when smooth Nikolai is duped into letting her stay during a two-week arctic freeze--with literally *no one* else around-- well, we're rooting for some CHANGE OF HEART.

And we get it... SLOWLY. Talk about a slow burn! This book didn't get steamy until the 75% mark, although the tension was ratcheted up to a delicious state. Instead we get a lot of interesting subplots which become very integral to Nik and Clio's story. Clio's best friend was killed two years prior, and the only clues she can find have led her to this manor. But it gets so much deeper than that, becoming an indictment of organized "our way is the only way" religion, the objectification and abuse of women within those communities, and an exploration of how parenting and childhood can have lasting effects. If that sounds too heavy, don't worry-- it doesn't feel heavy in the moment-- it feels like a good, fast paced story with interesting characters and lots of action.

This story wraps up nicely, but it's not a stand alone. Looking forward to reading more about this world, and about Nik and Clio.
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As a side note, let me offer kudos to the author for not being at all weird about Clio's virginity. Virgin trope is one of my least favorites and yet sometimes you gotta have a virgin...But Beka Westrup knocked it out of the park.
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Thanks to Net Galley and LCP for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A paranormal romance with a twist on vampires, an Arctic setting, and a plot very evocative of Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed seeing Clio's character growth over the course of the book as she took her future into her own hands!

Beneath the Bloody Aurora is a lush bouquet of romance, mystery, and fantasy. The draw in is the Beauty and the Beast forced proximity relationship that builds between Clio & Nikolai. As a story within the story unfolds though, we are invested in the murder mystery and the sinister or supernatural forces that may be responsible.

The slow burn romance here is a delicious simmer. It inspires all the impatience of waiting the last few minutes while a pan of brownies are in the oven. The kind where you're in the other side of the house and still that thick chocolate scent finds you. Inescapable. This burn was so worth the wait.

Also, excuse me, but you happen to have snuck in my favorite trope ever (redacted to avoid spoilers) into this gorgeous romantasy murder mystery. I am eternally grateful and mad at myself for not seeing it coming. Not really mad. So hyped actually. I literally said, "Oh Schnapples!"

The social commentary here is also just as important as the romance. While we're riddled by what is real and what is fantasy, we are still set in a very familiar world with toxic relationships, plague, war, and religious extremists. Each element was treated with deft hands. Content warnings provided at the beginning and available on the publisher's website are greatly appreciated.

Beneath the Bloody Aurora is a perfect choice to add to your winter TBR list. Snowed-in, forced proximity, cozy libraries, steamy snow fights all set against the backdrop of the auroral lights. Get bundled up and tuck in for a great read.

I don't know what I was expecting but this was impressive.

Beneath the Bloody Aurora Beka Westrup blew me away!
The vivid descriptions was outta this world.
Instantly I found myself completely captivated by Clio & Nikolai's story.
The characters are well-developed and fascinating.
As the story unfolds the reader is immediately hooked and left wanting more.
I loved how this story keeps you turning the pages until there is nothing left to turn.
I am in a serious book withdrawal here people!
A fast-paced and addicting read with plenty of action, romance, and intrigue.
Westrup has created a rich and detailed world so unique.
I can't wait to see what happens to them in future books.

I can't believe this story is over and I will definitely be looking for more of this authors work in the future!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Lake Country Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

Such a dynamic and engaging read. The arctic setting was gorgeous and immersive, and Westrup has some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read. Watching the characters grow over time, seeing their relationship deepen was extremely rewarding. If you're looking for a spooky read with a unique setting, and hot yearning this is the read for you!

Do pay attention to the trigger warnings listed as the story does contain instances of abuse, religious trauma and themes, as well as blood references (which is to be expected when the love interest is a vampire lol)

Finished this book in four hours because from the cover to the romance and plot to the characters - 🥰 we all deserve a Nikolai

I didn't expect this book to be so engaging and captivating and I am glad I was wrong. I guarantee you will not only laugh and cry, but your heart will be filled with so much joy by the time you finish reading the book.