I bow to no man.The words are tattooed on my skin, just as they’re branded on my heart.But I never planned for Sergeant Lincoln Asher, a man as deceptive as he is cold. His dominance sets my teeth on edge . . . and my body on fire. He won’t stop until I’m his, but I’m not his to take.My secrets bind me—and blind me.I live in the shadows of New Orleans. Hidden and protected in the underworld I … Orleans. Hidden and protected in the underworld I call home. I know who I am.
I vow never to kneel before a man…
Save one.
And he will be my downfall.
Sworn is Book 1 of the Blood Duet. Lincoln and Avery’s story concludes in Defied, which is now available.
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SWORN (Blood Duet Book #1) by Maria Luis
In this story, Maria Luis brings us Sargeant Lincoln Asher and Avery Washington who lives as a fortune teller while hiding out in New Orleans. Both have been damaged by their pasts. She as a 12 year old child listening as her mother was murdered, then knowing the bad guy was after her. He is a dominant cop with lots of secrets. This story has dark twists, explosive chemistry, and the ability to keep you turning pages way into the night. It does cliffhanger into Defied Blood Duet #2. This is a 5 star read. Congrats on weaving a great story Maria!
Lincoln and Avery are complicated characters. Both their pasts have made them strong. This story draws you in and won’t let go. It does end in a cliffhanger but the next book is due out soon. I can’t wait to find out the rest of the story. A must read!
I have always been intrigued and drawn to the mystique, spiritualism and dark charm of tarot card reading, so this book was an absolute no-brainer for me when offered the chance to read Sworn, Book 1 of Maria Luis’s Blood Duet.
What I wasn’t prepared for was such a sensational, gripping, suspense filled, hot-as-hell read that this book turned out to be!
Avery Washington is running from a past she plans to avenge.
Hiding in plain sight in the shadows of New Orleans and working as a tarot card reader, a craft she picked up surviving on the streets after fleeing for her life as a child, she manipulates her fortune telling to glean information from her clients to exact revenge for her mother’s murder.
I love Avery as a character, she’s driven, almost ruthlessly so, she holds no true romanticism for her craft seeing it more as a tool, and is outwardly as “brave”and as “bold” as her mother urged her to be in pursuing her goal of bringing to man responsible for her death to justice.
But when the mercurial delicious Sergeant Lincoln Asher sits at her table demanding his future be told, she knows there is more to this cop than a shiny badge and uniform, he’s got a dark past that is just as easily read from his face, as it is his cards.
There’s an obvious undercurrent of sizzling chemistry in the initial interaction between these two, and it is brilliantly built on by this author, whose writing, by the way is flawlessly superb.
As the heat builds with Avery and Lincoln, so does the plot deepen and evolve as their secrets and lies begin to tie these two together and put them in danger of being consumed by NOLA’s dark underbelly.
So many elements of this story make it an definite five star read, I couldn’t put it down.
With a perfectly executed cliff hanger setting the stage for the gripping continuation, I’m wasting no time in diving into Book 2, Defied to see where this author takes me next!
This is my first book by Maria Luis and I am officially hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed this gritty, dirty, sexy read set against the culturally rich back ground of New Orleans. I can’t wait to continue the journey with Lincoln and Avery…..Smart, sexy writing and excellent character development make Sworn a 5 Star read!!
“…with no hope, your past has led to your distruction…”
Ok, so it’s no lie, I love Maria Luis. Especially her Blades hockey romance series. She’s definitely been an author that I read whenever a new book comes out or I get the chance to grab something in her backstock and it’s been that way since I discovered her about a year ago. But, FULL disclosure here… I straight up hit up the PR group handing the promo and Maria herself to get my hands on the first book in her newest project Sworn, book one in the Blood Duet. And wow folks. I can not tell you this with enough emphasis… I FLOVED this book. You need this book in your life!!!
I loved Sworn for a host of reasons…but first, let me tell you what I normally prefer to stay away from. Namely duets! Yes, sadly, I am one of those that likes to start and finish a book within the pages of one cover. I understand that sometimes this isn’t possible, and I try to keep an open mind when I read books that just have too much character building, or world building, too much content, etc. It happens a lot, and not all books would be anywhere near as awesome as the final product if there’s more…so an open mind is key right? Well folks… I am here to tell you that’s exactly why something that normally isn’t a favorite of mine, ended up being a favorite read of the week. Yes, I have the cliffhanger ending to endure (until I can get my hands on the next book) and yes, I am DYING for more. But WOW! I can’t even tell you how awesome this book was.
First, I loved the location. The story is set in New Orleans and all the robust history this city and setting has to offer is a bit part of what makes this book so awesome. Luis includes fortune tellers, rogue cops and dirty politician as well as the history of the air rife with magic. It really sets the stage for why Lincoln Asher’s character is the sinner and the saint that he’s portrayed as. And that leads me directly to my second favorite thing about this book that hooked me! LINCOLN ASHER! WOW!!! I mean, when the hero meet’s this description “…he was rugged, too forward, too in-your-face masculine…” and “…his imposing physique-tall, broad, narrow waist. He stood like a soldier or a cop…” what’s not to like, right?!?! Yet it’s the complexity of his character that really drew me in. The duel sides of him – the sinner he was given no choice but to be as an adolescent and the man who became a cop to right his wrongs…to appease his quilt. Seriously, Lincoln Asher fascinated me, and I am excited to see where his character goes with these next books. Asher’s keen insight into people reading served him well. His first thought upon meeting Avery, the heroine in this book, was “who had broken her spirit so badly that her armor was as thick as my own?” and as the story progressed, this single line continued to be at the forefront of my mind. It was a very aptly described Avery and the hell that had been her life. She had seen the worst life had to offer and her distrust of people was both extreme and completely justifiable all things considering. She’s written in a beautifully complex manner, and her story is just getting started with Sworn, so I am equally fascinated by where her character will go with the second installment of this duet, Defied. And let’s be real? For romance, it boils down to the chemistry between the hero and heroine, and with Sworn, Asher and Avery are creating sparks at their every meeting. Maria Luis stepped up the hotness factor for readers and this is certainly something I loved about the story. Like the book itself, the romance has a darker element. It’s not sunshine and rainbows, nor should it be. The pair heats up the pages of this story by incorporating a bit of kink. Honestly, with the sizzle of this first book, Defied is going to be pretty intense if Asher and Avery continue to explore their sexuality within the confines of a relationship.
While the location, characters, and chemistry really set Sworn up for success, it was the excellent plot that really pushed Sworn to a five-star read for me. The inherent darkness and suspense that is built into the story really had me glued to my seat. Sworn is set to a pace that was perfect and keep me very involved in the story. While Sworn ends with an expected cliffhanger, it was a plot twist that I honestly didn’t see coming and ultimately, leaves readers completely invested in the conclusion of the duet. Other noteworthy features of this book that I consider equally important is how well written the story was and the duel perspectives that allowed for deeper connection with the storyline and the characters themselves. I feel strongly in the importance of a well written, well edited book as otherwise, readers can get lost in the mistakes an author makes. Also, not connecting with the full context of a story, as well as it’s primary character’s, can ultimately make or break most books. If I can’t connect with the hero or heroine, I am unlikely to want to read the book again in the future.
Overall, I can’t recommend Sworn enough, it’s absolutely worthy of a five-star rating and I am counting the minutes until I can get my hands on Defied, the conclusion to the Blood Duet by Maria Luis. Do yourself a favor and quit reading reviews…just buy the book and get to reading!
Wow! I’ve read several books by Maria Luis, and loved all of them, but this one is a complete departure from her usual style. Dark, erotic, suspenseful…this book grabbed me from the first few pages and just drew me in. Avery and Lincoln are deep, complex characters. As the story progresses, there are a few twists and revelations as we gradually find out more about them both, and their backgrounds. The book ends in a cliffhanger, something I usually avoid in a book, but in this case I am left eagerly awaiting book 2, Defied, to see what happens. I love Ms Luis’s RomComs, but she definitely should write more like Sworn. She’s got a knack for weaving a story – her attention to detail and character development really make for a book that’s hard to put down!
WOW!. What a departure for Maria Luis. And so worth it. Lincoln and Avery’s chemistry is off. the. charts! A complicated storyline and a humdinger of a cliffy…..
“Sworn” by Maria Luis was such a good read it was also the first thing I’ve read by this particular author.
From the minute I started this I was transfixed and transported into the fascinating world of Avery and Lincoln.
Set against the decadent background of New Orleans; we are swiftly immersed into this rich tapestry of secrets and lies.
“Sworn” features Lincoln and Avery; the former a cop and the latter a tarot reading runner just trying to live her life whilst also staying under the radar.
Hiding really; in plain sight.
When these two finally connect sparks do fly, but with both hiding so much from each other and also drowning in undisclosed information how can it ultimately work between them both.
Well, I for one couldn’t wait to find out.
And got to say this was just so good.
like seriously couldn’t put it down good; the chemistry between our H and h was rocking and really hot and the storyline here was just action-packed with never a dull moment throughout.
And that ending MAN!!!!
what a cliffhanger; I for one can’t wait to discover the outcome from where we left it here.
Good job I don’t have to wait too long ay.
So this is told in dual POV and is relatively low on centre stage secondary characters.
There’s really only Katie; Avery’s best-mate/roomie, who I really adored by the way.
It’s an easy to follow, well-written piece of fiction that definitely gets the stamp of approval from me.
This is one of them stories that just grabs you by the throat and digs in.
I need the next instalment of this like yesterday.
Thank You to the Author for providing me with an ARC of “Sworn (Blood Duet, #1) ” of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Good Lord people!! The minute I read the blurb to Sworn I knew I needed to read it. And honestly? This story blew.my.mind!!! This was so well written. Lincoln and Avery were fantastic. They were so sexy and this story was raw, gripping and so intense. I never wanted it to end!!
On the run with secrets so deep, Avery Washington had no intentions of getting involved with a man, let alone a mysterious and broody Police Sergeant who had pain and shadows in his eyes to rival the deep dark alleys in NOLA’s seedy underbelly. But when an unexpected connection is formed they find that the pasts they’re both running from emerge with a vengeance putting both their lives in danger.
Gahh!! This book came out of nowhere for me!! It was AMAZING and so damn explosive!! Filled to the brim with secrets, lies, danger and intrigue I was hooked from the get go. Lincoln and Avery had the most explosive chemistry and I for one was looking for singe marks on my kindle. How is this my first Maria Luis story?! I am seriously hooked and can not wait for book two now!! Bravo!! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Oh My Gosh! Absolutely have no clue how to start this review other that to say: Phenomenal! The author has written a very suspenseful, action packed storyline that will have you on the edge of your set from the very first chapter. A storyline set in the dark shady underworld of New Orleans. A storyline about a young girl who has been forced to grow up and live a life in the shadows and a young man who is forced to do things he regrets but sees no way out.
The storyline takes off as these two meet. The chemistry between them is amazing and by the author’s words you can tell that they are drawn to each other by an unseen force. But what? What draws these two to go against everything they know and to throw out knowledge that have kept them alive in the harsh world around them.
No other words but simply phenomenal writing and a storyline that I can’t wait to see where it turns next – which of course is coming up in part 2 of the duet. A duet that based on book 1 I Highly Recommend! FYI – I’d give book #1 of this Duet 10 stars to if only it was allowed!!
I have somewhat made it my life mission to read any book set in New Orleans that I can find (I really love and miss home). So, that fact alone instantly drew me to this book. The blurb solidified that I wanted to read this one.
I love Avery as a heroine! She is tough and doesn’t play the damsel in distress. You can’t help to feel sorry for her after reading the prologue. The hero, Lincoln, takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. One minute I hated him, then I just didn’t trust him, then I loved him.
You learn secrets about Avery and Lincoln along the way that really make you wonder, “What’s next?”
Then we get to the cliffhanger… OH. MY. WORD. I was so upset that I had to wait for the second book of this duet. I needed to know right then what happened. This is now my favorite cliffhanger and I’m not really fond of cliffhangers!