Dante Gabriel is starving. What he craves is red gold—human blood. After being held captive as a blood slave to a female vampire for years, he has finally escaped. Unchained at last, he follows his nose to the nearest blood bank to sate his hunger.ER nurse Erin Hamilton expects just another busy night shift…until she finds a gorgeous stranger vandalizing the hospital blood bank. Though her logic … her logic tells her to turn him in, she’s pulled by stronger and unfamiliar emotions to protect the man who seems oddly infatuated with her scent. Chemistry sizzles between them, but Dante, plagued by nightmares of his time in captivity, fears he won’t be able to control himself…especially when he discovers a secret she doesn’t even know she’s hiding.
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Held captive for a decade, vampire Dante Gabriel is at last free.
Taken as an eighteen-year-old, Dante endured being chained, tortured and humiliated regularly. He was also forced to feed—and feed from—someone who called herself the Queen.
His freedom is bittersweet when he finds his father and uncle left to find him after he disappeared ten years ago and never returned.
The world has changed in Dante’s absence. He’s confused and stumbles often. He’s missing the knowledge of his full vampire ancestry, something taught to vampires after they turn eighteen.
But of course, someone kidnapped him before his teaching could begin.
However, what confuses Dante most is his obsession with ER nurse Erin Hamilton, the nurse who walked in on him as he gorged himself in the hospital’s blood bank.
And why does she appear obsessed with him?
With help from remaining family members Emilia, his sister, River, his cousin and Bill (Guillaume), his grandfather, Dante works to reclaim his life and the mystery of what happened to him all those years ago.
Though seemingly unrelated, missing patients, blood shortages, and a homeless man with too much knowledge about vampires deepen the mystery.
Dante’s sense of urgency leads to reckless and violent behavior, but he knows he’s running out of time—the Queen is coming, determined to reclaim him.
Though he is “free,” Dante is still mentally captive. Even if the Queen wasn’t in his head, he’s suffering from a serious case of PTSD, with no time to heal. His frustration and anger leap from the page. Great writing!
Erin’s no dummy. She’s pragmatic to a fault and troubled by her attraction to Dante. It’s not the Typical Romance trope of I-know-I-should-stay-away-from-him-but-I-can’t drivel. Erin’s obsession controls her and causes her to act out of character. Things are happening to her she cannot explain, but despite her fear, she’s still driven to protect and be with Dante.
Unchained is a good read that pulls you right in.
The author does a good job of world-building in Unchained, not following the usual myths and concepts of vampires, but establishing new ones with small, subtle changes.
My only issue with this read is the growing relationship between Dante and Erin.
I love a slow build to romance, but the start/stop routine with these two became tedious for me and I began to lose interest in them as a couple. Don’t get me wrong, they have definite chemistry, but it was the trouble brewing around them—Em and Jay, River and Lucy, Dr. Zarah, Ghost? What ghost?, bug bites, and why is Bill acting weird—that kept me anchored to this read until the end. And I’m looking forward to the next volume. I have questions and I need answers.
Enjoy!
Love Dante and Erin
Blood Bond Saga: Part 1 is a Novella and is an introduction into the Blood Bond Chronicles and it looks like there will be 6-9 books in this Saga.
I have been promoting her books for a while on my blog and have been wanting to read her books. I have found that I have enjoyed reading more and more paranormal and fantasy books so this book fit the bill, so to say.
Dante Gabriel is descended from one of the oldest living male pure vampire on this planet. Although, his father has been missing since Dante was captured. Dante finally escaped after he was unchained. He finds the nearest blood bank which was at a hospital where Erin Hamilton is working as an ER nurse. Erin finds Dante in the blood bank covered in blood. She finds she is drawn to Dante and the story escalates from there. Especially when there is more to the story and I still need to discover the secret that Dante has discovered! I love the chemistry between Dante and Erin and I am looking forward to reading Part 2. I give Blood Bond Saga: Part 1 (5) chemistry filled stars!
I have had a soft spot on my heart for vampire books for a couple of years. So I started this the other night and was hooked on the first page. It kept me interested and wanting to know more about Dante and Erin. Their brewing tension was enough to feel while I was reading. Part 2 needs to be released, I’m already itching for more. Thank you Helen Hardt for a great beginning.
Blood Bond is a story that shows even if you don’t know why follow your heart and not your head. Erin was surprised when she met Dante, and he was intrigued. Now neither of them can ignore the pull they feel, but their heads are telling them to ignore each other. Dante has secrets he can’t tell Erin and she wants to know the answers to her questions or doesn’t she? Does she just want to follow the connection and ignore her reasoning.
WOW! I was hooked from page 1 and couldn’t put it down. This was a great book. A wonderful start to a fabulous new series. I can’t wait to read more. Literally, I don’t know how I am going to wait for Part 2!!!!
Dante & Erin’s Story Is A Paranormal Romance Set In New Orleans. It Is A Quick Read That Will Pull You Into The Mystery Of Who Took Dante Captive & Why. After Escaping Ten Years As A Blood Slave To The Mysterious Queen, He Needs Answers.
Unchained: Blood Bond Volume 1 includes the Blood Bond Saga, Parts 1-3. Each part is a quick read; they are not standalones. The saga is a paranormal romance. It is Dante Gabriel and Erin Hamilton’s story
IN BLOOD BOND SAGA, PART 1:
Dante Gabriel and his cousin River were like normal teens when they decided to disobey and sneak out to Bourbon Street to attend the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans ten years ago. The problem was that they weren’t normal teens, and they weren’t mature enough to handle the supernatural activity that pervaded such an event. There is a lot of cosmic energy in the air in New Orleans in general thanks to all the voodoo practitioners, and Mardi Gras really tapped into all that concentrated energy. The boys had been warned by their fathers, identical vampire twins, not to go. But eighteen year old Dante and his seventeen year old cousin chose to go anyway. Dante doesn’t remember what happened that night. He doesn’t know what happened to River. He doesn’t even know how much time has passed. All he knows is that he woke up bound. He has been treated horribly in his captivity, and his inability to fight off his captor shames him. He eventually gave up the fight, accepted his fate. He was kept to serve the Queen as a blood slave. But drinking vampire blood is morally distasteful. That along with the unthinkable abuse he has suffered makes him want to tune it out and forget it all. The problem is that he cannot get the Queen’s voice out of his head.
When Dante one day escapes his bonds, suddenly finding himself unchained and free, he just hopes to be able to find his family. But first, he needs blood. He follows the scent to a blood bank, which is where he first sees Erin.
Erin Hamilton had followed her boyfriend Cory to New Orleans, but she decided to stay even after their breakup two years ago. She has made a life for herself there, buying her own home. She works at University Hospital just north of the French Quarter, along with Lucy Cyrus, her best friend. Her brother Jay works at the New Orleans Police Department and was just promoted to detective. Erin had always dreamed of becoming a doctor, but her parents never made much money, and the idea of so much debt had her readjust and choose nursing instead. The ER can be challenging work that is often a matter of life or death. She donates her own blood regularly for the cause. When she needs to grab some blood from the blood bank for a gunshot wound victim late one night, she isn’t prepared for the bloody mess she finds – nor the blood-covered strange man she finds in the middle of it. What surprises her most is her instinctive need to protect him.
As Dante reconnects with his family, he must come to terms with the decade that he lost in his captivity. His father and uncle have been missing since they went in search of him. He feels guilty for all his family went through because of his foolishness. His grandfather, Bill, is the pillar of their family. At 102, he is the oldest living pure vampire and a source of much-needed answers. But Dante isn’t ready to face his grandfather and to come to terms with his time in captivity. He would rather forget it all for now. And thoughts of Erin don’t help matters much. He cannot seem to forget her, even though he should. He isn’t safe until he makes up for lost time and learns more about vampirism, his ancestry, and how to blend into the human world.
Dante and Erin have instant chemistry in this paranormal romance. Dante must hold back despite how much he wants Erin, and Erin get conflicting messages from the handsome and mysterious stranger. She begins to have doubts as her self-esteem takes a hit There are a few surprise entanglements that liven things up and keep you on your toes as you read; it looks like there might be more unveiled in the next book. As Dante tries to work through his feelings and reconnect with family, he must battle the Queen’s voice in his head and pray that he doesn’t fall prey to her again.
Dante and Erin’s story is a paranormal romance set in New Orleans. It is a quick read that will pull you into the mystery of who took Dante captive and why. After escaping ten years as a blood slave to the mysterious Queen, he needs answers. We begin to learn that the vampire population is endangered thanks to a fertility issue and the shortage of female vampires. Despite their many genetic advantages, vampires in this drama don’t live forever and have difficulty reproducing. They are a dying breed. The story is well-written. The plot is fairly simple thus far. The characters are just introduced here, so much remains to be learned. The story is told in first person. The POV alternates between Dante and Erin, with the epilogue in the Queen’s POV. I rate this book four stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Blood Bond Saga Part 1 by Helen Hardt 4.5 Stars!
I loved getting back to a good, tough, sexy, Vampire book! It’s well written, interesting, exciting, with great characters. This is the first time I’ve read this author’s work and I quite enjoyed this vampire short story. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series to see where it goes and what other species come about.
This book contains adult content and includes frequent adult language and explicit and frank sex scene talk. Don’t read this book if hot love scenes and adult language offend you.
Happy Reading
Blood Bond is a great start to the Blood Bond Saga, my only complaint is that I wish it would have been longer. Loved this author’s modern day tale about Vampires. Dante and Erin’s story is off to a great start and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
You ever felt so pulled to someone that you just had to touch and kiss that person? You ever kiss a person and it feels like electrical shocks all through your body? How do you fight this hunger and thirst for someone? This person is in your head 24/7. The sexual chemistry and attraction is so intense! Ok, now add a person’s darkest secrets to the equation. What do you get? An intense read!
A spooky and steamy mix. Dante has been released after being kept in bondage for ten years. He runs into Erin and there is instant attraction. He is trying to fight the attraction while he comes to grip with his new normal but there is no stopping it. An intriguing start to this wonderful series.
My Rating: (3.5)
Content Rating:18+
Genre: Paranormal/Vampire Romance
Published:2018
Blood Bond: 1 does a reasonably good job of introducing the reader to the Blood Bond Saga Series and all the main characters. But, I felt that this book was more of a prologue. Looking at the subsequent books, I now realize this is a serial series.
Blood Bond is the first book that I have read by Helen Hardt. Although it was easy to read, I did feel that the writing fell short, and there was a lot of repetition in the dialogue. The story was engaging and did keep me reading.
Dante, our alluring, gorgeous vampire, has escaped after being held captive for ten years by a female vampire. Dante makes his way to a hospital blood bank where Erin, an ER nurse, catches him vandalizing the blood bank. Dante and Erin do have a certain amount of chemistry. Unfortunately, I felt that their attraction was rushed; I am not a huge fan of insta-love.
Reader beware, this first part does end in a bit of a cliffhanger. I am planning on reading the next installment in this series. Unchained: Blood Bond: Volume 1 includes parts 1, 2, & 3. And as luck would have it is now free on Amazon.
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
As I hadn’t read a book with vampires for a while, I decided to give the Blood Bond Saga a go, especially when I saw there was a prequel novella. I think a prequel novella usually gives you just enough to make the decision whether to read on into the series.
The cover is red, representing the blood vampires consume, and has a couple on the cover whom I would presume are Dante and Erin the two main characters in the novella.
In the prologue we immediately meet Dante, who is being held against his will by a woman calling her self the ‘Vampire Queen’. Though she keeps Dante ‘comfortable’, it is her version of comfortable as he is tied up and not allowed to leave. He is fed, and given plenty of water to replenish his blood supply. When the Queen visits him she drinks his blood, hinting at it being very powerful and precious.
Dante, manages to escape, or maybe he was allowed to escape he just can’t seem to remember clearly how he got out, but he is thankful he is out. He is so ashamed at being overpowered and held against his will subjected to tortured and other acts he doesn’t wish to remember. On his release or escape Dante is naturally hungry for blood, he ends up in a hospital emergency room blood bank where he meets Erin. Dante is immediately drawn to her, wanting her physically and wanting her blood too. He describes how her blood calls to him, and that she has an addictive, unique scent he basically cannot get enough of. Dante needs to find his family, though he is unsure if there will be any of them still living in the area as he is unsure how long he been held captive. When Dante moves into his Grandfather’s house, they reveal he has been gone ten years and that those that went searching for him never returned. Dante is confused and his emotions and desires are all over the place. His grandfather tries to tell him he still has so much to learn as he was still at such a young age when he went missing.
His grandfather, Bill, asks Dante to tell him what was done to him whilst he was missing, but Dante feels too ashamed to retell anyone, let alone his strong pure bred vampire Grandfather. Bill allows him time to settle in but assures Dante there is nothing he can say that will change how he see’s him. That he seriously needs to talk about it. Bill also explains to Dante that he has yet to learn control and advises him to stay away from relationships, that he needs to open up about what happened to him whilst he was held captive. The trouble is Dante just can’t seem to stay away from Erin, and if he can’t have her yet, then nobody will have her either!
One of my favourite characters other than Dante and Erin, was Steve who is a hospital orderly, who is very bright, cheery and a great gossip, knowing everyone’s business and secrets. The character I loved to hate was Dr Bonnaville, or rather Dr Bitchville as she is called behind her back in the ER. I’ll be honest I have my suspicions about her, I think maybe she could be a vampire, or at least someone who knows about the supernatural beings in the area.
I did enjoy the novella. It got a little steamy and perhaps graphic wording but it fit with the plot and wasn’t so explicit that it put you off reading the book. I enjoyed the history of the Gabriel family parts and as for the romance, well I am already pairing characters off. Perhaps Erin’s brother Jay & Dante’s sister Emilia that’s presuming she isn’t in a relationship, I kind of get a hunch she could be pregnant too! I would also possibly pair Lucy, Erin’s friend in the ER with Dante’s cousin, and vampire River. There are so many ways this book series could progress, I mean there’s the woman who held Dante captive and made him call her the ‘Vampire Queen’. Why did she want Dante? Does she have anyone else hostage? Who is she?
So, to sum up the book did become a little slow paced for my taste in a couple of places, then I was a little surprised about how descriptively steamy things got lol but by the end I was hooked and would like to read more. I felt like this was a good introduction to the characters, and revealed some of their back stories. I have been left with SO many question, theories and thoughts!!
I was intrigued with this story as I have heard a lot of great things about it lately. It is a unique take on a vampire romance and it is correctly labeled a saga! This is only part one in a larger serial series and it does end abruptly in a cliffhanger. I think the author wrote this entire series and then just cut it a certain parts to put it into serial form; a bit frustrating.
Likes: In part one, we are introduced to Dante, a starving vampire who is free after being held captive and “tortured” by another older, stronger vampire. Looking for blood in order to think clearly enough to figure out his life now, he meets Erin at a blood bank. There is a moment or two of instant attraction, though it is not labeled as such; Erin finds herself wanting to protect and care for Dante. There is a lot of chemistry between these two, and the story is quite filled with it. There is little action, a fair amount of introspection/thoughts and a lot of romance. It is well written and had me turning the pages. I LOVED that Dante had nightmares about his time in captivity; it added to the grit and realness of emotions that this story invokes. The struggle that he has seems very real, and I enjoyed the author’s take on vampires. They are more human and less supernaturally invincible then other stories have made them out to be. I also liked Erin and her personality and way of dealing with Dante.
Dislikes: As I said before this is a SAGA it does seem to go on and on (thought this book is only 117 pages or so) and this is only part one; there are fifteen (15) books to complete this story line. I don’t know that I am going to make it that far as I am a reader who gets bored easily and that is just too many books cover one couple to keep my attention. This story was good and I did enjoy it, but I don’t see myself finishing it anytime soon. I received an ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving an honest review.
#BloodBondSagaPart1 #NetGalley
Unexplainable urged and uncanny need. Blood Bond Saga is a thriving, trembling need. Need for more. Need for everything.
It’s a tease into a glimpse of Erin’s and Dante’s plight.
3.5 Stars
A quick, sensual and angsty paranormal romance that will leave you wanting more.
Dante is a vampire who has just recently escaped captivity. He is in a compromising situation when he meets Erin.
Erin is a hard working nurse. When she meets Dante it is not under the best of circumstances but there is an undeniable connection and attraction between the two that neither can ignore.
Dante is trying to rebuild his life but is finding difficult especially when it comes to the need he has for Erin. She brings out the animal in him.
With so many secrets between them, will they be able to build something real?
This story is told in dual POV and is the first book in the series.
I loved the attraction and the pull between our main characters.
I also enjoyed and was entertained by the story and where it is heading. I would have loved it even more if their was a build up between the main characters. It felt a little insta-love and happened way too quickly for my liking.
A small thing that bothered me had to do with how sanitary Dante was when he first escaped and how Erin and he kissed so passionately despite it.
Regardless, this was an amazing beginning to a new series and I am anxious to see where their story is headed.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
My first by Hardt…This story has potential, but had flow issues and not enough interest to hook me into 9 more clearly drug out storyline. Need to work on hooking your readers before you can expect them to pay $42. bucks.
This is by far one of the best series I have ever read. I love the whole vampire story and the love between Dante and Erin . I can’t get enough of it .
5-Blood-Sucking-Intense-Stars!
Helen is truly one of the most incredible, amazing authors I’ve ever had the pleasure of discovering and obsessing over. Yet again, she delivered an amazing start to what seems like its going to be an intense, incredible and addictive series! I’ve read my fair share of paranormal romances, and this right here just tops them all! She put a different kind of twist on things and it’s not the same old vampire love story and it’s exactly what I needed! I’d started to stray from paranormal romances and anything vampire related because after a while it all seems to sound the same. But as Helen does, she throws all the typical expectations of any romance and throws you into something that’ll have you craving more and more of. Hands down the best vampire romance I’ve ever read and I’ve only just started what promises to be an amazing series of books! This is beyond fantastic! From page one I was hooked! Part 1 in the Blood Bond series is flawless! This book will have you on an emotional roller coaster, it’ll have your pulse thumping and squirming in your seat. Helen is known for her suspense and saucy, kinky and down right dirty plot line and this book delivers that and more!
Dante? Well damn, I’ve just found my next book boyfriend and obsession. Helen has done what she’s known best for and pulled you in to what’s going to be an emotional, heart wrenching, completely and utterly mind blowing ride of your life with this characters story.
Erin? She’s strong, independent and looks after herself, and doesn’t depend on anyone else. Which is refreshing, because all too often I find some main female characters in romances tend to be the helpless young girls, but Erin takes on a heroine role and it’s just perfect!
The chemistry between Dante and Erin is intense and hot as hell and it was amazing to read the way it progress, and I can’t wait to continue that!
I
Need
More
Now
I honestly don’t know if I can wait for part 2! This story has me hook, line and sinker.
Well done, Helen! When I heard she was doing a paranormal romance, I’ll admit I questioned it.. but of course she proved that she can write about anything and it’ll be amazing! She’s a breath of fresh hair into the paranormal romances sub-genre. Nailed it!
I love Helen Hardt books I recommend them to any one who likes them