I think this will forever be one of my favorite books. I LOVE Ducey Evans and I hope to be as badass as she is when I am 80! I adore the entire Evans clan of women.

This was a fun mystery with just enough suspense, and "horror" to not make it feel like a horror book to me. I would watch the movie (hint, hint) if there was one made. I would have devoured this book in a day had my 17 year old son not gotten hooked on it with me and I could only read it with him.

As much as I loved this book I was taken aback at the ending but I don't want to spoil anyone else's reading. So, I'm looking forward to the next book to see where things go.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

This book was NOT what I thought it would be going into it! Do you like Buffy and a family of women? This book is for you!
I listened to the audiobook, the narrator was incredible with the different voices but not leaning too much into it where it seemed cartoonish.
I really enjoyed it and I’d love to see another book in this universe!

Okay, this had my head spinning and questioning whose heart was being blessed with what and when. Living in the SouthI loved the southern twist and charm to this who dun it, and honestly wasn't sure I'd love the funeral home aspect of the story line, but I loved it! I was happily surprised and loved the narrative!

The Evans women run a funeral home Led by Ducey Evans the women have taken care of the dead for generations, even if that means a stake through the heart when the dead come back to life. It’s been a peaceful 15 years since the last Strigoi wreaked havoc on the small Texas town. The dead are starting to rise again eating their way through the residents leaving a bloody violent path. This time they are facing a more powerful force that is gaining strength every day.

This was a fun read. The Evans women are characters, especially Ducey. The story was laced with a little humor and some gruesome scenes that had me hooked. The ending was a little bit of a let down. I was left with unanswered questions and a little confused. Overall though I liked the book it was fun. The concept was so good!! The narration for the audiobook was done really well and added to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

3.5 ⭐️

This was such a cute book! It had some elements of mystery/thiller, but it was also really funny. The four generations of Evans women, especially Ducey, had such unique personalities that were so lovable. I'm not usually one for vampire/undead type books, but this one was really well done.

Light hearted & razor tongued, BLESS
YOUR HEART follows the steel magnolias of four generations of the Evans family as they try to run their family mortuary in a small town in Texas and keep the dead, well, you know, dead. Recommended for fans of early Charlaine Harris & Grady Hendrix’s SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB’S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES.

I had so much fun listening to this book. "Bless Your Heart" by Lindy Ryan followed the women from the Evans family and their commitment to keep their town safe from a secret they've been protecting for years.

Of note: When we first meet the Strigori, I expected to meet vampires as I understood them; however, throughout the book, these are described like zombies that "mature" into more of the typical vampire as we know them. I was a little confused but easily adapted to the author's creative freedoms.

I became emotionally invested with so many of the characters that Ryan introduced that, when chapters ended on cliffhangers, I could not stop listening because I HAD to know that happened next and IF they would be safe! Ryan presented characters that the reader is able to understand and even anticipate how one might respond to the current conflict or crisis; I believe that is a beautiful skill for stand alone books.

While this book is different that others that I have scored 5-stars, I still have to give Ryan her credit for a captivating and creative tale. The narration of the audiobook was absolutely pristine. I would certainly listen to another book by the author and/or narrator without question.

This was interesting. Lots of weird phrases and words to describe the outbreak, and I got a bit lost here and there. Overall an OK read. I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Bless your Heart by Lindy Ryan, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker was a fun, entertaining and bloody mystery which I really enjoyed. The characters were fun and the narrator kept me from pressing pause when I should have been doing other, less interesting, work. I give this 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

If you have to kill the undead, what better place to do it than a funeral home! That's why the Evans family continues to run the only one in town. If the Strigoi (vampire) wake after death, someone needs to put them down before they start to turn the town into their own feeding (and killing) ground. But when people start disappearing around town, the Evans must roll up their sleeves and prepare for battle.

The story wasn't quite what I was expecting - I was thinking more dark vampire, but instead it almost had a rom-com feel but without all the mush! I really enjoyed how Lindy was able to keep the story light, yet still edge of your seat mystery. I also liked that the characters were well developed but not so overdone that you started to lose interest in them. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and will look for more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did not expect to love this as much as I did. The narration was almost too good. Like she does the lip licking noises when the cop was licking his lips
I did get a little sick when Belle disappeared but that turned out okay.
It does get pretty gorey, so prepare for that.
I love the ending.

The premise of this book sounded so fun, but the execution fell very flat for me. I feel like I just wanted more with the character development to really become invested with these women and their fight. I also kept getting confused as to which POV I was listening to with only one narrator and very little difference in their voice for each character.

If you had asked me after 30% of this book, I would have said it’s a 5 star. Unfortunately, I was terribly uninterested after that point. It felt very repetitive and the pacing was too slow. It started to pick up and become interesting towards the end.

I loved the multiple POV.
I liked the premise.

I think this book suffered from organization of story and pacing of the story! It’s a brilliant concept and story, but the pacing was not for me.

The Evans Family has always protected their town from things that go bump in the night. As owners of the only funeral parlor in town, they come across all kinds of strange and disturbing things. Now that Luna is a teenager, everything the family has worried about will be out in the open. Can they once again protect their town from the ghouls that really exist and most people never see. This book was different and I enjoyed the dark humor of the characters in the story. The story however, was gory and graphic and not for the faint of heart. Those looking for a lighthearted adventure into the paranormal may consider caution.

DNF at 30%. This sounded like a fun read similar to The Southern Bookclub's Guide to Slaying Vampires. It starts off with some action but got tedious to listen to after a while. I could not stay focused.

Although I did not read the physical book, I did have the pleasure of listening to an audio copy thanks to McMmllian Audio and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Bless Your Heart is the story of the Evans family who own a funeral home in a small Texas town and the women of the family are taxed with the secrets of the Strigoi and how to put an end to the horror for which the Strigoi bring. Filled with humor and southern sass, the story is quite descriptive with the gore and yet lighthearted. I think fans of Grady Hendrix and even Christopher Moore would get a kick out of the Evans girls.

The audio book was easy to follow along and even with the large cast of characters I shouldn't feel lost. The narrator did a wonderful job at pacing and the perfect southern drawl but not so much where it made it hard to listen to. Well done.

A solid 3.5 for me!!

It’s 1999 in a small Texas town where the Evans women run the only funeral parlor around. Four generations of women, from tough-talking Ducey Evans to her teenage great-granddaughter Luna, are entrusted with burying the town’s dead – and making sure they STAY buried. But sometimes the dead are restless & their reanimated corpses return as Strigoi, vampire-esque creatures hungry to feed on the living. And it’s up to the Evans women to fight back to protect their family and the whole town.

This book was pleasantly entertaining and a great, quirky multiple POV story. The relationships between the four women gave the story a lot of heart. The late 90s pop culture references are on point and were a lot of fun. This book would be perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and books by Grady Hendrix and Charlaine Harris.

The audiobook is incredibly narrated! Her voice is so expressive and she differentiates the various characters clearly for the listener. She really channels the Evans women, especially Ducey with a crackerjack southern accent.

4.5 stars. Very Grady Hendrix-esque. Bless Your Heart is the story of the Evans women and their fight against the undead. It's 1999, and there hasn't been trouble in the small Southeast Texas town since that God-Awful Mess 15 years ago that left 2 bodies and Grace Evans raising her infant daughter alone. Now, the dead seem to be rising again and the Evans women must get ready to do battle against the Strigoi once again.
The Evans women own and run the local funeral parlor and with the "rise" of Mina Jean Murphy, realize that once again, the undead have become restless. But how did it start this time? So funny while also being horrific, get ready for a wild ride with the most firecracker group of Southern ladies you'll ever meet. (And hopefully, this seems like it's going to be a series!)
Stephanie Nemeth-Parker brings a full cast of character to life with her entertaining narration.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

A mystery-horror with Southern charm, Bless Your Heart alternates between delightful smile-inducing dialogue and action packed scenes that get the heart racing.

The Evans women are unconventional undertakers who are battling to keep their town safe from the rising dead, all while trying to keep their own family secret safe.

What I Loved:
- The Characters! Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and Luna are all unique and people you just want to be friends with! Even the secondary characters are well-developed and realistic.
- The humor! I didn’t expect to giggle or smile so much while reading a book about the rising dead.
- The setting! Small-town South just after the Columbine shootings was the perfect setting for this story.

Didn’t Love:
- The mystery was a little too obvious.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ARC. This review reflects my honest opinion.

I received this ARC in audiobook format. The narrator did a great job providing the southern vibe needed for this light mystery/horror. The story reminded me of The Southern Bookclubs Guide to Slaying Vampires. If you enjoyed that one, you'll also enjoy this book publishing in April. Full of quirky and likelable characters. Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the arc and opportunity to provide an honest review.

Such a light hearted take on the horror genre! Not scary at all - so it’s perfect for those looking to explore the “horror” genre. Think Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet.

This is a new series that I am looking forward to exploring more!

It gives the womanhood/motherhood vibe from Practical Magic mixed with Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires with the tone/style of writing of Finlay Donovan. Very specific description - but I love it!

Audiobook was great. Story is captivating and fun!