**3.5 stars**

At the beginning, I wasn’t in to this, I felt the beginning was too slow and the exposition could have moved along at a much quicker pace. But I’m very glad I kept going! It may be tense and have some graphic horror moments at times but it’s also funny, heartfelt, and cozy. I really hope the ending means what I hope it means for my favorite character in the next book! I’ll definitely read the next one.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank You to St Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved absolutely everything about this book.
I loved the quirky characters, the humor and the urban legend vibe of this book. There are quite a few scenes of explicit gruesomeness, if this isn't your thing, you might want to pass.
I laughed, I was left reeling at some scenes and found myself questioning motives and just where was this story going to end up. I definitely need to add a physical copy to my library.
This is the first installment of the Bless Your Heart series and I can't wait for the next book to come.

This book had me at vampires.  They're my favorite paranormal creature and it doesn't matter if it's straight up horror or a paranormal romance, if there are vampires, I'm going to be interested.  So, when you add in the family of southern women - who run a funeral home, no less - I was doubly intrigued.  

I loved how you got the point of view of each Evans woman since they each bring their own perspective and experiences to the story.  Each generation had its own take and perspective on the situation and their place in the town. It made for a well rounded story that gave you many angles on the truth.  

Grace was probably my favorite, but that could have been because she and I are probably around the same age.  The things she did I might have done myself in that situation.  As a mother, I know what it's like to want to sacrifice everything for my kid and the rest of my family.  

The way that the backstory unwinds gives you little bits and hints of what really happened all those years ago.  I enjoyed the way that the past weaved its way into what was going on in the present as well. Plus, the mixture of southern horror and cozy mystery was a new one for me, something I didn't know I needed until now.  

One warning, however.  There are some very dark and graphic scenes so if you're hoping or expecting a traditional cozy type mystery, you're going to be in for a shock.  However, if you don't mind a bit of true horror mixed in with your small town mystery, then this very well might be a good fit for you.

Bless Your heart is a horror mystery full of southern charm. The Evans Women run the towns funeral parlor but when the dead start rising back up that's when the trouble starts. This book is full of horror , secrets and characters that you will love . I adored this book. . I wanted more!

LOVED IT. I really enjoyed this fun little thriller- it made me laugh, but I also stayed up way too late to finish it. I would’ve liked even more backstory- honestly, I’d like an entire prequel to this one. Fun characters, intriguing world- highly recommend.

Bless Your Heart (ARC)
Linda Ryan
3.75⭐️

Pun Date: 4/9/2024

I adored this one but I wish there was more.
It started off already grim but that was actually one of the best things about this book. It was slow to begin with up until the 50% mark but it was interesting enough to keep going. It was written well and the mystery was shrouded well, allowing readers to make their own theories/assumptions *which was really fun*- like who's raising the dead, who's biting and turning people. This revolves around 4 generation of women who have been protecting their town from vampires/strigoi. But when Luna, the youngest, was having dreams, it raised more questions than answering them. This book was really slow at first but the pacing and plot got better towards the end. Most of the questions were answered but the way it ended made me think that there might be a book 2? 🤷‍♀️ or the author might leave us an open ending. Overall, pretty good and enjoyable. If the pacing was faster, I would've bumped the rating up some more.

Bless Your Heart is a cozy horror mystery that’s heavy on the charm and Southern family bonds.

The Evans Women have been battling the restless dead since 80 year old matriarch Ducey was a young woman. Professionals at dealing with ghouls, and with That Godawful Mess from 15 years ago peaking over their shoulders, the dead are starting to rise again.

It’s up to this great grandmother and her three descendants to fix this problem before it gets out of control. That’s no easy feat when this family has been keeping secrets from their youngest, Luna, who has no idea what her mom and grandmothers actually do at the funeral parlor they own. Coupled with a creepy new kid in town and a nosy Police Department, these women have their work cut out for them.

This is a well paced horror story with a lot of heart. As the secrets start to come to light, the body count rises, and the family must band together. The third act was fast paced and exciting and managed to surprise me, not an easy task when I’m notorious for predicting the ending. There were three distinct shocks for me and that delighted me endlessly.

I didn’t realize this was the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to check back in with the family for a new adventure next year!

Thank you St Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for letting me read BLESS YOUR HEART early. This one is out now!

I didn't love this one, I think this could make a better movie than a book. Maybe it's just that cozy horror is hard. I'd skip this one.

Bless Your Heart
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Lindy Ryan

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

My Thoughts: This was a mystery spun with horror and splash of fantasy blended in. This is the first book in the Bless Your Heart series. The story takes place in 1999 in Texas. The Evans women (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, Luna - four generations) run the only funeral home in town. They have placed a lot of bodies in the ground, sometimes more than once. The Strigoi, vampire who wants control of the town, is back. It is up to the Evans women to fight back and save the town and their funeral home. This follows the trope of cozy mystery with slight humor and horror blended in.

This was a slow burn at first, but a great reading journey. The Evans women are very spunky. The characters were well developed with depth, eccentric-minded, mystery, were witty, and fierce. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, a tad suspenseful (I would love to see more), funny, great world building, and engaging. The paradox between the mystery coziness and the dark (horror) was fabulous, I really enjoyed seeing this combination that I have not seen before. Some of the scenes were quite graphic. Now that does not bother me because I am an 80’s slasher horror movie buff. I loved the vibe of the small town, the ingenuity of incorporating horror elements, and then the Evans family dynamics were well executed.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio versions for the ARC, I leaned on the audio more. This was a light, fun, mystery with a flare of horror and fantasy (vampires & people rising from the dead). Think Finlay Donovan vampire edition. This was not scary and won’t keep you up at night or give you nightmares. I would love to see more suspense in the next book in the series. I highly recommend picking up the book or audiobook today.

3.5 stars

This was a fun read! I really loved all the Evans women in this book. Especially Ducey! The story follows a family of women who run a funeral home along with all the services.. and some extra! This book definitely took you on a fun and interesting ride.

Thank you netgallry for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

This would be such a funny movie. I can picture it. Take the women from Sweet Magnolias and place them in a funeral parlor. Oh and then the dead become undead. And there is a vampire that caused all this??? If Gothic Southern writing was your jam in high school you are going to love this book. It is so funny and so southern. And so gothic. It’s going to make you laugh and suspend your disbelief.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Minotaur books for an e-copy!

A family job!

The Evans women have kept the town safe from Strigoi for decades as the owners of the Evans Funeral Parlor where they can dispose of the spreading evil around town.

Ducey Evans is in her eighties, Lenore is her daughter, and Grace is Lenore's daughter. Last, there is Luna. She is Grace's daughter. A teenager who doesn't know what her family's job really is.

When several bodies start rising, Ducey, Lenore, and Grace know what they have to do.

Bless Your Heart was a light horror novel. At times, the pace was slow and for me, the "Strigoi" felt more like ghouls than vampires.

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Super cute horror mystery story. Set in a small town, it contains all types of ghouls and monster. I loved the strong women in the story. I loved how it opens in a shocking way - giving you an idea what you are in for!

I also really liked the ending. I liked how it all came together and there was a moment there when even the bad things were making sense. Cute intro, love that it is book 1 in looks to be a very cute series with this family. I'd definitely read another!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

To be honest, I found the book started off really interesting but quickly lost its momentum. My mind kept wandering, so I had to reread many sections and force myself to focus. While the characters were well-developed, the cozy horror left me wanting more from the plot.

Full review will be posted on goodreads, storygraph, and instagram then linked here shortly!

2.5 stars

I was SO excited for this one based off the title, cover, and synopsis. It was so great in theory. Unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. I found it to be dragging and it couldn't hold my attention for very long at all (which is very uncommon for me when I'm reading!) I'd potentially read the sequel based on it's synopsis but I'm not sure yet!

“Bless Your Heart” is a thriller with a dash of comedy that soothed my 90s-kid heart! The chapters were quick to get through and the storyline kept me interested! Quirky characters that I didn’t know I needed, as well!
This is my first read from Lindy Ryan and I hope to pick up more of their work!

A very cozy mystery/light horror novel! I wasn't sure what to expect because this isn't a book I would necessarily go for right off the bat.... but, in the end, I was pleasantly surprised and genuinely enjoyed it! I definitely would recommend this to others who, like myself, may want to "slow roll" themselves into either of these particular genres (i.e., horror; mystery/suspense), as well as to anyone who ALREADY enjoys these types of books and are looking for a quick & fun holiday/staycation read!

This is a fun, quirky southern vampire story! I love a good southeast Texas moment and this one was a delight. I enjoyed the multi-generational family aspect of it all. What a legacy to discover, that your family kills vampires and that vampires are real!

Bless Your Heart tells the story of four generations of Evans women running a funeral parlor in rural Texas. When the dead start rising, all bodies go to the Evans' women and it's nothing they aren't used to. But why? And why are they rising now? And better question, how do they stop it without a repeat of what happened last time?

This story was absolutely hilarious, dark, scary, satirical, and so much more all rolled into one. I loved the horror aspects but also the larger than life characters. It is such a well laid out narrative and it makes me so happy to see that this is the first in a series! I need more Evans women in my life and we can all learn something from them. The horror was gruesome and the humor was hysterical. I found myself laughing in my car. Overall, a fantastic read that is all parts funny and dark!

The year is 1999 & vampires have made a comeback in a small Texas town. The Evans women run a funeral home & are the only ones who know how to put a stop to the Strigoi. This was such a fun read. It's got the cozy vibes but with surprisingly dark elements. I thought it was a great start to a series. I'll be looking forward to reading more of the Evans women.