*this review contains spoilers for Forged in Blood, the first book in the series*
Promised in Blood by Sadie Kincaid is the second in the Broken Bloodlines series, a why choose romantasy series that marks a significant departure for Kincaid, who normally writes *impeccable* mafia romances. Promised in Blood proves that regardless of genre, Kincaid’s romances always bring the heat.
Ophelia, now fully bonded, has unlocked the powers that were bound at her birth, and with that comes a whole new host of danger for her and her bonded mates to contend with. Now she just has to learn to control them, a feat that proves tricky, given the consequences of losing that control. Burning down a building on campus would surely lead to her discovery, and her true identity must be kept a closely guarded secret.
Before Ophelia can get a true hold on her powers, it becomes clear that dark forces have arrived on campus. Mysterious deaths, all connected to her in some way, point the blame at the vampires she’s bonded, forcing them to find a way to keep their secret.
Promised in Blood reads exactly like it’s a second book in a series. It feels like it’s building to something on every page, with a tension that only truly breaks at the very end, with a cliffhanger, of course. The readers are getting pieces of the puzzle, but at no point are we sure about what is going on or what is about to happen. A sense of impending doom is woven throughout this book, making it incredibly suspenseful.
The tension is not just there in the plot. Kincaid is teasing Ophelia and by extension her readers, and it is delightful. One thing you can usually count on in a why choose romance is spice that is divine, and Promised in Blood is no exception. These vampires know exactly what they are doing, and are absolutely obsessed with their girl, which makes for an intoxicating combination.
Ophelia really comes into herself in this second book and embraces her fierceness, but she manages to do that while still staying true to the more bubblegum side of herself. A lot of romantasy heroines are introduced to readers as jaded, angry, and able to take down a full-grown man in a fight. Ophelia is learning to embrace her strength and just might get there with the fighting, but she holds on to her sweet and soft side, and it’s a nice change.
Readers also get to know Alexandros much better in this book. He develops into a layered character that vacillates between ice cold and burning hot, trying to maintain control over himself and the dangerous situation at hand. The rest of the boys—Axl, Xavier, and Malachi—are already well-established in the first book, but they continue to be a complete joy to read as they continue to be complete cinnamon rolls for Ophelia. The group dynamics develop further throughout this book into something amazing, something bound to explode in a tantalizing fashion in the next book.
The tension in Promised in Blood is the best kind of torture. I was turning pages like an absolute fiend just desperate for the tension to break. The cliffhanger left readers on edge, and on March 31st, 2025 we will get to find out what happens to Ophelia and her vampires in the final book of the trilogy, Bound in Blood. I can’t wait.
Writing: 4
Spice: 4
Kindle: free with Kindle Unlimited
Paperback: $19.99
Note: some of the links included here are Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you purchase through said links, The Nora Theory gets a cut.
Leave a Reply