What do you think?
The Blood & Thorn Ranch #1
Bulls and Blood
Breaking the rules has never been Wesley's way. . .until he meets Mino. Rule Number Two that the Thorn brothers live by is that employees of the ranch are off-limits. Wesley has always followed that rule, never stepping out of his comfort zone to do more than talk to one of the cowhands that help run his family's ranch. Being a vampire makes it easier, since he doesn't go out during the day. Mino's been interested in the youngest Thorn brother since he began working at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. It's those stupid rules that hold him back from making the first move. Well, those and the fact that Wesley could kill him in a blink of his eye. Being human in a world of supernatural creatures makes living difficult, since he's considered prey. These two males, from different species and societies, must find a way to meet in the middle of their worlds if they have a chance at love.
134 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2015
About the author
T.A. Chase
160 books893 followersThere is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates me and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how I share those insights. I live in the Midwest with a wonderful partner of thirteen years. When not writing, I’m watching movies, reading and living life to the fullest.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 1, 2015
Two Hearts--I read the blurb, saw cowboys and vampires. I got really happy.
Add in boss/employee, forbidden human/vampire aspect and pining for years? Oh yeah, I was a happy camper. Not my first T.A.Chase so I knew to expect some goodness.
Then I read this. And it did deliver the modern cowboys, vampires and boss/employee sexy times. But it didn't deliver in a lot of departments too.
The Thorn brothers are a group of male vampires that all share the same vampire creator and call consider themselves brothers. The family moved from the old World to America, starting a ranch and making their own rules. Vampires came out of hiding about twenty years ago and are the most powerful supernatural beings in the world. Other creatures exist as well but the vampires reign supreme. (And the author does nothing short of shove the future pairings down our throats)
Mino, a human cowboy/ cattle hand is in lust with the drabbest vampire of the brothers, Wesley Thorn. Wesley is the youngest of the vampire brothers and the enforcer. He's very black-and-white, likes rules and everyone following them. He knows he's better than humans, shifters and any other supernatural beings out there. He's an apex predator, yadda yadda yadda. He's rude and pompous. And Mino knows it and still wants to get in his pants.
Truthfully I don't see the attraction. And yet I kept reading. Though this story was totally all telling and info dumping and a lot of repetition of how wonder vampires are, etc...i still read. Maybe it was the paranormal soap opera-ness, I couldn't stop reading it. The sex really wasn't anything to write home about, the brothers were sort of interesting, Mino seemed like he was sane...and there was smaller guy topping.
But it still can't make up for the rushed writing, the telling and the glossing over the interesting bits (vampires mating). There was no sexual tension. Wesley was cold and then in the next paragraph, he wants to have sex with someone he deems lesser than him. We get no inkling on how he feels about Mino, next thing once the secondary plot gets solved (more off page than not) the main characters are moving in and Wesley 'cold-as-a-fish' Thorn is in love?
Then story ends at 90%
The abrupt ending ruined this story. It was rushed and came way out of left field. Even with all the strikes, I was prepared to read more of the Thorn brothers. But with that weaker finish...I'm not.
I pretty much can tell which brother will end up with which secondary character, no need to read the rest.
A copy provided for an honest review.
Add in boss/employee, forbidden human/vampire aspect and pining for years? Oh yeah, I was a happy camper. Not my first T.A.Chase so I knew to expect some goodness.
Then I read this. And it did deliver the modern cowboys, vampires and boss/employee sexy times. But it didn't deliver in a lot of departments too.
The Thorn brothers are a group of male vampires that all share the same vampire creator and call consider themselves brothers. The family moved from the old World to America, starting a ranch and making their own rules. Vampires came out of hiding about twenty years ago and are the most powerful supernatural beings in the world. Other creatures exist as well but the vampires reign supreme. (And the author does nothing short of shove the future pairings down our throats)
Mino, a human cowboy/ cattle hand is in lust with the drabbest vampire of the brothers, Wesley Thorn. Wesley is the youngest of the vampire brothers and the enforcer. He's very black-and-white, likes rules and everyone following them. He knows he's better than humans, shifters and any other supernatural beings out there. He's an apex predator, yadda yadda yadda. He's rude and pompous. And Mino knows it and still wants to get in his pants.
Truthfully I don't see the attraction. And yet I kept reading. Though this story was totally all telling and info dumping and a lot of repetition of how wonder vampires are, etc...i still read. Maybe it was the paranormal soap opera-ness, I couldn't stop reading it. The sex really wasn't anything to write home about, the brothers were sort of interesting, Mino seemed like he was sane...and there was smaller guy topping.
But it still can't make up for the rushed writing, the telling and the glossing over the interesting bits (vampires mating). There was no sexual tension. Wesley was cold and then in the next paragraph, he wants to have sex with someone he deems lesser than him. We get no inkling on how he feels about Mino, next thing once the secondary plot gets solved (more off page than not) the main characters are moving in and Wesley 'cold-as-a-fish' Thorn is in love?
Then story ends at 90%
The abrupt ending ruined this story. It was rushed and came way out of left field. Even with all the strikes, I was prepared to read more of the Thorn brothers. But with that weaker finish...I'm not.
I pretty much can tell which brother will end up with which secondary character, no need to read the rest.
A copy provided for an honest review.
July 11, 2015
ARC of Bulls And Blood provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave
2.5 Stars
I love the blurb and the cover for this novella. I love vampire stories and cowboy stories, so I figured this was a slam, dunk! But, unfortunately, it wasn't to be. I never really connected with the characters, nor was I able to actually relate to them. The story was ok, but just ok.
Wesley is the youngest vampire brother at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. He keeps to himself and he likes it that way. He's been interested in Mino, one of the human ranch hands, for years, and the interest is mutual, however Wesley is also stubborn in that he doesn't think they should mix business and pleasure (silly vampire). I found Wesley's character to be too cold and stand-offish. He has a low opinion of humans and yet he is attracted to one. He tells us that he changed his opinion of humans in one evening of thought, but I would have liked to have seen the change, rather than him simply telling us.
Mino is a human ranch hand and he has lusted after Wesley for the five years he has worked at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. Now, he's taking a more aggressive approach to see if that fares better than wanting from afar. Wesley does resist, but his walls start to break down and he starts seeking Mino's company. I couldn't really get much of a read on Mino. He tended to follow Wesley around like a puppy, but we don't really get to know him at all. Why is he attracted to Wesley, when Wesley looks down on humans so much? Why has he been pining for five years? Those are questions I would want the answers to.
Alongside Wesley's and Mino's romance is the main story about a bull shifter that was inadvertently purchased by the ranch. They meant to purchase a bull, not a shifter, so most of the story revolves around them trying to find the seller and make sure that the council knows that they did not intend to buy a shifter (which would be illegal). We also meet Wesley's five brothers, along with several ranch hands and other characters whom I assume future books in this series will feature.
As with many novellas, I think this story would be greatly improved with an expanded format. There was too much going on and too many characters to fit nicely in a sub-100 page book. The result is a story that doesn't really pack the punch it could and MC's that I, as a reader, couldn't connect with.
2.5 Stars
I love the blurb and the cover for this novella. I love vampire stories and cowboy stories, so I figured this was a slam, dunk! But, unfortunately, it wasn't to be. I never really connected with the characters, nor was I able to actually relate to them. The story was ok, but just ok.
Wesley is the youngest vampire brother at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. He keeps to himself and he likes it that way. He's been interested in Mino, one of the human ranch hands, for years, and the interest is mutual, however Wesley is also stubborn in that he doesn't think they should mix business and pleasure (silly vampire). I found Wesley's character to be too cold and stand-offish. He has a low opinion of humans and yet he is attracted to one. He tells us that he changed his opinion of humans in one evening of thought, but I would have liked to have seen the change, rather than him simply telling us.
Mino is a human ranch hand and he has lusted after Wesley for the five years he has worked at The Blood & Thorn Ranch. Now, he's taking a more aggressive approach to see if that fares better than wanting from afar. Wesley does resist, but his walls start to break down and he starts seeking Mino's company. I couldn't really get much of a read on Mino. He tended to follow Wesley around like a puppy, but we don't really get to know him at all. Why is he attracted to Wesley, when Wesley looks down on humans so much? Why has he been pining for five years? Those are questions I would want the answers to.
Alongside Wesley's and Mino's romance is the main story about a bull shifter that was inadvertently purchased by the ranch. They meant to purchase a bull, not a shifter, so most of the story revolves around them trying to find the seller and make sure that the council knows that they did not intend to buy a shifter (which would be illegal). We also meet Wesley's five brothers, along with several ranch hands and other characters whom I assume future books in this series will feature.
As with many novellas, I think this story would be greatly improved with an expanded format. There was too much going on and too many characters to fit nicely in a sub-100 page book. The result is a story that doesn't really pack the punch it could and MC's that I, as a reader, couldn't connect with.
July 5, 2015
Several decades have passed since the supernatural world crawled out of the closet. Society and the power structures were shaken, but life continued on–-just with a few changes. At the top of the food chain now stood the vampires.
On the Blood and Thorn Ranch, the five Thorn brothers are the law. They make it, they keep it, and if you break it they will be the ones to break you. Permanently. Which is a really good reason why Mino should not be lusting after Wesley. Especially since Mino is human, and humans and vampires do not mix.
I’ve reviewed my thru several series by T.A. Chase, and since the wrap up of the last one I have been unsure what I wanted to read next. She has plenty of series out there that I’ve not yet got to…so I had plenty of options. Then I saw this book–-the first in a new series involving vampires, demons, shifters, and much much more. I’m not a huge fan of vampires, but it has been a while since I have read anything with a vamp MC so I thought I would give it a go.
Which, yeah…good decision, that.
I love that the vampires in this story are by no means the cute and cuddly kind. Nor are they all that emo about their existence, their souls, or their role in life. They are the top dogs and they know and revel in it. While I have several ethical issues with what they are doing on their ranch, I like that they are this…amoral. Nothing is good, nothing is bad–-there is nothing except what they want and what they say.
Throughout the course of this story we are introduced to all of the Thorn brothers-–some more than others-–and who I presume are going to be their romantic interests in later books. But in Bulls & Blood we have Mino and Wesley. Wesley runs the administrative side of the ranch–-though don’t let that fool you as to how blood-thirsty he can get. Mino is a human ranch hand. The rules of the ranch say that anything between them is a big no-no, but after Mino makes a (rather dangerous) move, Wesley can’t seem to fight the attraction any longer.
I like that Mino was the one to make the first move. He might be low man on the species totem pole, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the guts to go after what he wants. And because he takes the option of pursuing one of the dangerous Thorn brothers, it kinda evens-up the power dynamics between the two.
While parts of this book felt like it was just there to set up the rest of this series, I did enjoy the story. The ending was a bit abrupt, but I’m hoping that Mino and Wesley’s HFN will grow into something larger as the series goes on and we get to know more about the owners and workers of the Blood and Thorn Ranch.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
On the Blood and Thorn Ranch, the five Thorn brothers are the law. They make it, they keep it, and if you break it they will be the ones to break you. Permanently. Which is a really good reason why Mino should not be lusting after Wesley. Especially since Mino is human, and humans and vampires do not mix.
I’ve reviewed my thru several series by T.A. Chase, and since the wrap up of the last one I have been unsure what I wanted to read next. She has plenty of series out there that I’ve not yet got to…so I had plenty of options. Then I saw this book–-the first in a new series involving vampires, demons, shifters, and much much more. I’m not a huge fan of vampires, but it has been a while since I have read anything with a vamp MC so I thought I would give it a go.
Which, yeah…good decision, that.
I love that the vampires in this story are by no means the cute and cuddly kind. Nor are they all that emo about their existence, their souls, or their role in life. They are the top dogs and they know and revel in it. While I have several ethical issues with what they are doing on their ranch, I like that they are this…amoral. Nothing is good, nothing is bad–-there is nothing except what they want and what they say.
Throughout the course of this story we are introduced to all of the Thorn brothers-–some more than others-–and who I presume are going to be their romantic interests in later books. But in Bulls & Blood we have Mino and Wesley. Wesley runs the administrative side of the ranch–-though don’t let that fool you as to how blood-thirsty he can get. Mino is a human ranch hand. The rules of the ranch say that anything between them is a big no-no, but after Mino makes a (rather dangerous) move, Wesley can’t seem to fight the attraction any longer.
I like that Mino was the one to make the first move. He might be low man on the species totem pole, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the guts to go after what he wants. And because he takes the option of pursuing one of the dangerous Thorn brothers, it kinda evens-up the power dynamics between the two.
While parts of this book felt like it was just there to set up the rest of this series, I did enjoy the story. The ending was a bit abrupt, but I’m hoping that Mino and Wesley’s HFN will grow into something larger as the series goes on and we get to know more about the owners and workers of the Blood and Thorn Ranch.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
August 5, 2015
There are six rules at the Blood and Thorn Ranch. There also happens to be six of the Thorn vampire brothers. I can’t help but wonder if that is how the book in this series will go together. In the first book of the series Bulls and Blood, Wesley Thorn finds himself considering the ramifications of breaking one of these sacred rules. Being a business owner and also keeping his employees separate from the more dangerous side of the family business the Thorn’s have always kept business and pleasure apart from each other. Mino makes Wesley wonder if perhaps those rules don’t apply to the rule makers.
I enjoy worlds where the paranormals are “out” to the world. T.A. Chase has created that here. The vampires came out to the humans twenty years ago. The other paranormals followed the vampires lead and now humans are no longer in control of the world. Mino knows his place in the hierarchy of things. That still does not affect his pursuits of Wesley. Mino throws caution to the wind and seeks out the attention of a vampire that can make his life one one wouldn’t want to live.
Readers are given brief introductions to the other brothers and also a couple of their potential love interests. I’m curious about the slavery/trafficking ring thread within these pages. It seems something that could follow for multiple books. The laws and politics of this world are complex enough to make for that being a very interesting story arc. The Council and their desires to know more about the hunts that occur at Blood and Thorn Ranch flows into that also. It is definitely a series that could get move into complicated and complex with its paranormal romance origins.
I enjoy worlds where the paranormals are “out” to the world. T.A. Chase has created that here. The vampires came out to the humans twenty years ago. The other paranormals followed the vampires lead and now humans are no longer in control of the world. Mino knows his place in the hierarchy of things. That still does not affect his pursuits of Wesley. Mino throws caution to the wind and seeks out the attention of a vampire that can make his life one one wouldn’t want to live.
Readers are given brief introductions to the other brothers and also a couple of their potential love interests. I’m curious about the slavery/trafficking ring thread within these pages. It seems something that could follow for multiple books. The laws and politics of this world are complex enough to make for that being a very interesting story arc. The Council and their desires to know more about the hunts that occur at Blood and Thorn Ranch flows into that also. It is definitely a series that could get move into complicated and complex with its paranormal romance origins.
August 18, 2015
Original Blog Post: Pride Publishing Blog Tour, eARC Review, Excerpt & #Giveaway: Bulls and Blood: The Blood & Thorn Ranch series (Book #1) by Guest Blogger T.A. Chase
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
I love reading about vampires and cowboys and have done so separately, never together in one story. Bulls and Blood is an alternate universe paranormal romance where the vampires finally decided to reveal themselves to the world and immediately showed the puny humans they were a race to contend with and never to subdue. They are a law unto themselves and powerful. The other supernaturals also came out of the wood works and soon the world as the humans knew it, was never the same again. One of the more powerful vampire families are the Thorns. Turned centuries earlier by one Master, the seven unrelated men from all walks of life became bonded brothers. They moved to America for some reason or other and there established their ranch where the rich vampires came to hunt prey but not kill them. It is all for fun, you see. Of course, there are rules to be followed and one brother, Wesley, the youngest but second most powerful, follow the rules to the letter. Until Mino.
Mino is a human but finds himself strangely attracted to the quiet accountant Wesley Thorn. Although a vampire, Mino is strangely unafraid of the manvamp and finally realizes, after five years, he either makes a move or die pining. He moves and Wesley reacts. In the best way possible.
On a side note, the other characters are introduced in this first book of The Blood & Thorn Ranch series. One in particular, a Thorn brother I won't reveal, is truly most intriguing and leaves me with a sense of anticipation for when it's his turn to get his story told.
This is the first book of the series so does fall victim to the usual first-of-a-series-blues: it leaves the reader hanging on loose ends and questions unanswered. On the other hand, this is a different sort of vampire and cowboy story which makes my curiosity meter ping wildly.
I would recommend this to vampire and cowboy lovers out there who want a different sort of story in an otherwise very familiar world of the paranormal M/M romance.
Note: Copy provided by Pride Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Review by: multitaskingmomma
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
I love reading about vampires and cowboys and have done so separately, never together in one story. Bulls and Blood is an alternate universe paranormal romance where the vampires finally decided to reveal themselves to the world and immediately showed the puny humans they were a race to contend with and never to subdue. They are a law unto themselves and powerful. The other supernaturals also came out of the wood works and soon the world as the humans knew it, was never the same again. One of the more powerful vampire families are the Thorns. Turned centuries earlier by one Master, the seven unrelated men from all walks of life became bonded brothers. They moved to America for some reason or other and there established their ranch where the rich vampires came to hunt prey but not kill them. It is all for fun, you see. Of course, there are rules to be followed and one brother, Wesley, the youngest but second most powerful, follow the rules to the letter. Until Mino.
Mino is a human but finds himself strangely attracted to the quiet accountant Wesley Thorn. Although a vampire, Mino is strangely unafraid of the manvamp and finally realizes, after five years, he either makes a move or die pining. He moves and Wesley reacts. In the best way possible.
On a side note, the other characters are introduced in this first book of The Blood & Thorn Ranch series. One in particular, a Thorn brother I won't reveal, is truly most intriguing and leaves me with a sense of anticipation for when it's his turn to get his story told.
This is the first book of the series so does fall victim to the usual first-of-a-series-blues: it leaves the reader hanging on loose ends and questions unanswered. On the other hand, this is a different sort of vampire and cowboy story which makes my curiosity meter ping wildly.
I would recommend this to vampire and cowboy lovers out there who want a different sort of story in an otherwise very familiar world of the paranormal M/M romance.
Note: Copy provided by Pride Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2015
i never connected with the characters, plot was promising but never truly delivered, since many brother's I see a series that I hope will be better than the first book. love !e some ta chase but this was a pass for me. I HAD a long review typed up, stepped away from my tablet only to come back to find our 13# cat had decided that he was going to try and hatch the tablet. who knew tiny cat toes could be detected..... he wasn't happy about having to give up on his becoming a surrogate dad.
July 21, 2015
This is more of a two stars then three, but I'm feeling generous. The main storyline is mostly washed out, but interesting enough to be read to the end. The romance between Wesley and Mino developed to fast and felt incomplete.
July 28, 2015
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads
***3.5 stars***
Bulls & Blood is the first book in Ms. Chase’s new The Blood & Thorn Ranch series and while I enjoyed it, there was something missing for me but I’m not exactly sure of what. I realize that as the first book in the series, the author has to do a good amount of world building. In this aspect, I feel like she did an excellent job of this in the way she used an illegal shifter sale to reveal how the ranch operated and to introduce us to each of the brothers and some of the ranch hands. As Bulls & Blood is a novella, there’s only so much story that can be included and by revealing that Mino has been employed at the ranch for four years and has been attracted to Wesley the entire time, allows for their relationship to move forward a bit quicker than it would between two people who had just met. That Wesley is a vampire who sees the short time that Mino will be a part of his life due to the mortality versus immortality issue makes their speedy union even more acceptable. Even with the conflict regarding the shifter sale and the subsequent investigation as a way to add a bit of action and suspense to the storyline, I was left feeling as though the book was missing something. As I write this review and ponder what that something is, I can only surmise that I needed to see more of Mino and Wesley’s relationship. By this I don’t mean that it moved too quickly or felt rushed, but rather it feels as though the book ended too soon. Their connection was primarily sexual and while hot, it wasn’t quite enough for me to be fully satisfied. I can only hope that the next book in the series will show the continued development of the relationship between the Wesley and Mino even if its focus is primarily on one of the other brothers. I did enjoy the author’s writing and because it was more than just a good book but not quite meeting my personal definition of great, I have to give Bulls & Blood that rare half star making a 3.5 star read for me. I look forward to finding out what Ms. Chase has in store for The Blood & Thorn Ranch in the next book in the series.
***3.5 stars***
Bulls & Blood is the first book in Ms. Chase’s new The Blood & Thorn Ranch series and while I enjoyed it, there was something missing for me but I’m not exactly sure of what. I realize that as the first book in the series, the author has to do a good amount of world building. In this aspect, I feel like she did an excellent job of this in the way she used an illegal shifter sale to reveal how the ranch operated and to introduce us to each of the brothers and some of the ranch hands. As Bulls & Blood is a novella, there’s only so much story that can be included and by revealing that Mino has been employed at the ranch for four years and has been attracted to Wesley the entire time, allows for their relationship to move forward a bit quicker than it would between two people who had just met. That Wesley is a vampire who sees the short time that Mino will be a part of his life due to the mortality versus immortality issue makes their speedy union even more acceptable. Even with the conflict regarding the shifter sale and the subsequent investigation as a way to add a bit of action and suspense to the storyline, I was left feeling as though the book was missing something. As I write this review and ponder what that something is, I can only surmise that I needed to see more of Mino and Wesley’s relationship. By this I don’t mean that it moved too quickly or felt rushed, but rather it feels as though the book ended too soon. Their connection was primarily sexual and while hot, it wasn’t quite enough for me to be fully satisfied. I can only hope that the next book in the series will show the continued development of the relationship between the Wesley and Mino even if its focus is primarily on one of the other brothers. I did enjoy the author’s writing and because it was more than just a good book but not quite meeting my personal definition of great, I have to give Bulls & Blood that rare half star making a 3.5 star read for me. I look forward to finding out what Ms. Chase has in store for The Blood & Thorn Ranch in the next book in the series.
September 13, 2015
ThreeStar
As a fan of vampires, shifters and gay cowboys, I was excited by a favourite author writing about all of them in one series. And it starts well. I love the premise of a family of vampire brothers running a ranch.
I liked the various characters and personalities on the ranch, but this story felt really rushed. Such complicated world-building takes time and precision. Introducing this whole new world and a convincing love story in a very short novella didn’t quite work. The vampire brotherhood has also been done before - JR Ward and Lara Adrian have both written popular m/f vampire brotherhood series, so aside from the ranch setting, the premise doesn’t feel entirely fresh.
The slow character development and cautious build towards romance that I love in Chase’s Home series just isn’t present here. Wesley never becomes fully real for me, and he certainly doesn’t ever become vulnerable enough to love. Mino comes across as a desperate, wide-eyed adolescent with a crush on a pop-star. I usually get passionate about Chase’s characters, but I felt like I didn’t even know these two. I’m also not sure that their relationship fully resolves in this first book, so this may be an installment with Wesley and Mino’s story continuing later.
The story in this first book is relatively simple. Someone has illegally sold the brothers a shifter instead of a real bull. As a result the brothers are investigated by the Vampire council while they attempt to bring the real criminals to justice.
The story works well and is simple enough for a novella. There are a couple of very enjoyable steamy sex scenes. There is a great rapport between the brothers and some engaging banter between Mino and Oak. Oddly, I enjoyed the scenes between the men on the ranch more than the scenes between the two leads.
I get the feeling that this could evolve into a great series over several books, but I will need a great deal more character development before I can really fall for these characters.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
As a fan of vampires, shifters and gay cowboys, I was excited by a favourite author writing about all of them in one series. And it starts well. I love the premise of a family of vampire brothers running a ranch.
I liked the various characters and personalities on the ranch, but this story felt really rushed. Such complicated world-building takes time and precision. Introducing this whole new world and a convincing love story in a very short novella didn’t quite work. The vampire brotherhood has also been done before - JR Ward and Lara Adrian have both written popular m/f vampire brotherhood series, so aside from the ranch setting, the premise doesn’t feel entirely fresh.
The slow character development and cautious build towards romance that I love in Chase’s Home series just isn’t present here. Wesley never becomes fully real for me, and he certainly doesn’t ever become vulnerable enough to love. Mino comes across as a desperate, wide-eyed adolescent with a crush on a pop-star. I usually get passionate about Chase’s characters, but I felt like I didn’t even know these two. I’m also not sure that their relationship fully resolves in this first book, so this may be an installment with Wesley and Mino’s story continuing later.
The story in this first book is relatively simple. Someone has illegally sold the brothers a shifter instead of a real bull. As a result the brothers are investigated by the Vampire council while they attempt to bring the real criminals to justice.
The story works well and is simple enough for a novella. There are a couple of very enjoyable steamy sex scenes. There is a great rapport between the brothers and some engaging banter between Mino and Oak. Oddly, I enjoyed the scenes between the men on the ranch more than the scenes between the two leads.
I get the feeling that this could evolve into a great series over several books, but I will need a great deal more character development before I can really fall for these characters.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
July 28, 2015
As a fan of vampires, shifters and gay cowboys, I was excited by a favourite author writing about all of them in one series. And it starts well. I love the premise of a family of vampire brothers running a ranch.
I liked the various characters and personalities on the ranch, but this story felt really rushed. Such complicated world-building takes time and precision. Introducing this whole new world and a convincing love story in a very short novella didn’t quite work. The vampire brotherhood has also been done before - JR Ward and Lara Adrian have both written popular m/f vampire brotherhood series, so aside from the ranch setting, the premise doesn’t feel entirely fresh.
The slow character development and cautious build towards romance that I love in Chase’s Home series just isn’t present here. Wesley never becomes fully real for me, and he certainly doesn’t ever become vulnerable enough to love. Mino comes across as a desperate, wide-eyed adolescent with a crush on a pop-star. I usually get passionate about Chase’s characters, but I felt like I didn’t even know these two. I’m also not sure that their relationship fully resolves in this first book, so this may be an installment with Wesley and Mino’s story continuing later.
The story in this first book is relatively simple. Someone has illegally sold the brothers a shifter instead of a real bull. As a result the brothers are investigated by the Vampire council while they attempt to bring the real criminals to justice.
The story works well and is simple enough for a novella. There are a couple of very enjoyable steamy sex scenes. There is a great rapport between the brothers and some engaging banter between Mino and Oak. Oddly, I enjoyed the scenes between the men on the ranch more than the scenes between the two leads.
I get the feeling that this could evolve into a great series over several books, but I will need a great deal more character development before I can really fall for these characters.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the various characters and personalities on the ranch, but this story felt really rushed. Such complicated world-building takes time and precision. Introducing this whole new world and a convincing love story in a very short novella didn’t quite work. The vampire brotherhood has also been done before - JR Ward and Lara Adrian have both written popular m/f vampire brotherhood series, so aside from the ranch setting, the premise doesn’t feel entirely fresh.
The slow character development and cautious build towards romance that I love in Chase’s Home series just isn’t present here. Wesley never becomes fully real for me, and he certainly doesn’t ever become vulnerable enough to love. Mino comes across as a desperate, wide-eyed adolescent with a crush on a pop-star. I usually get passionate about Chase’s characters, but I felt like I didn’t even know these two. I’m also not sure that their relationship fully resolves in this first book, so this may be an installment with Wesley and Mino’s story continuing later.
The story in this first book is relatively simple. Someone has illegally sold the brothers a shifter instead of a real bull. As a result the brothers are investigated by the Vampire council while they attempt to bring the real criminals to justice.
The story works well and is simple enough for a novella. There are a couple of very enjoyable steamy sex scenes. There is a great rapport between the brothers and some engaging banter between Mino and Oak. Oddly, I enjoyed the scenes between the men on the ranch more than the scenes between the two leads.
I get the feeling that this could evolve into a great series over several books, but I will need a great deal more character development before I can really fall for these characters.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2015
The Thorn brothers are vampires that have run a ranch for many years after coming from the old lands. They are 6 of them and they are so powerful the council is trying to catch them doing anything they can.
When Loman buys a bull sight unseen all hell breaks loose when they find out he is a shifter and has been wounded so badly he could die in their hands.
The stars of the show--oops-- I mean book are Wesley and Mino. Wesley is the youngest brother but the others let run the ranch. Mino is a ranch hand that has crushed on Wesley since they met, but Wesley won’t break rule #2, even though that rule is for the clients of the hunt.
Since this is a first book in a there are so many characters mentioned in this story that have so much potential for stories of their own. There are the other 5 brothers, Loman, Day, Phineas, Quinn, then there is Oak the foreman and cougar shifter and of course the new bull shifter Hamlett that is recovering. There is also a demon doctor Callibry and the incubus Kunz that did the council investigation. I am eager to see how these stories go and who is paired with whom.
There was a lot going on in this book which is common for a first book in a series. I do wish the book had been longer and more thing explored in detail instead of alluded to. I also felt like I pick this up in the middle of a series because it mentioned Oak and being saved by the Thorns. This says it is a book 1 in the series but I tried to see if there were any books this may have been spun off from but I couldn’t find them.
As for the romance part of the story it was very good. I loved the happy at least for now there.
Having said that the story was very good. The premise is very interesting and I will be waiting for the other books anxiously.
If you like vampires, especially ones that don’t sparkle, shifters, demons, incubi, cowboys, and a touch of mystery with a very good romance this is for you.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
When Loman buys a bull sight unseen all hell breaks loose when they find out he is a shifter and has been wounded so badly he could die in their hands.
The stars of the show--oops-- I mean book are Wesley and Mino. Wesley is the youngest brother but the others let run the ranch. Mino is a ranch hand that has crushed on Wesley since they met, but Wesley won’t break rule #2, even though that rule is for the clients of the hunt.
Since this is a first book in a there are so many characters mentioned in this story that have so much potential for stories of their own. There are the other 5 brothers, Loman, Day, Phineas, Quinn, then there is Oak the foreman and cougar shifter and of course the new bull shifter Hamlett that is recovering. There is also a demon doctor Callibry and the incubus Kunz that did the council investigation. I am eager to see how these stories go and who is paired with whom.
There was a lot going on in this book which is common for a first book in a series. I do wish the book had been longer and more thing explored in detail instead of alluded to. I also felt like I pick this up in the middle of a series because it mentioned Oak and being saved by the Thorns. This says it is a book 1 in the series but I tried to see if there were any books this may have been spun off from but I couldn’t find them.
As for the romance part of the story it was very good. I loved the happy at least for now there.
Having said that the story was very good. The premise is very interesting and I will be waiting for the other books anxiously.
If you like vampires, especially ones that don’t sparkle, shifters, demons, incubi, cowboys, and a touch of mystery with a very good romance this is for you.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
August 10, 2015
Vampires, Cowboys, and Hunks, OH MY! I LOVE a good vampire book! Cowboy books are one of my guilty pleasures, so putting them both in one story was just begging for me to read it! The Thorn brothers are a bunch of old, conniving, and rule abiding vampires. Wesley is the book-keeper for their ranch and Mino is a human that works for them. Mino has the hots for Wesley, but Wesley is his boss. That is a lot of roadblocks and trouble for these two. Personally, I don’t feel like Wesley was all that loveable. I couldn’t see what Mino saw in him, but he was a sexy vampire cowboy, so I let that go. The sex scenes between the two were very steamy and yummy! I wish that chemistry and connection followed into their relationship, but sadly it did not. Their banter and dialogue was kind of boring for a couple in lust with each other. I hope it was because so much building of the series had to happen in so few pages.
For such a short novella, the author introduced a lot of different characters – the vampires, shifters, humans, and more. The community where the ranch is located is well thought out and developed and I suspect that the rest of the series will be good. I’m looking forward to reading more from it and getting to know the rest of the characters better.
*Copy provided for review
For such a short novella, the author introduced a lot of different characters – the vampires, shifters, humans, and more. The community where the ranch is located is well thought out and developed and I suspect that the rest of the series will be good. I’m looking forward to reading more from it and getting to know the rest of the characters better.
*Copy provided for review
February 5, 2017
The Thorne brothers have built a successful ranch governed by six rules. Rule number two is that employees of the ranch are off limits. Wesley has had no problem following that rule. He practically lives in his office and, being a vampire, cannot venture out anyway during the day.
Mino has wanted Wesley since he first laid eyes on him. Mino knows as a human he is not as strong nor as fast as a vampire. And there is that pesky rule number two. But still Mino wants more than a casual relationship. If he has a chance, he plans on trying to tempt Wesley.
This is the first book in The Blood and Thorn Ranch. We meet all but one of the brothers and find them to be amazing caring individuals, each with their own responsibility in running the ranch. They take care of their own and make sure their rules are followed. If not, beware, as they will make sure justice is served. Now, Wesley finds himself at odds with rule number two and also finds himself enchanted with Mino. The underlying plot promising to be quite intriguing. It makes us look forward to the next book.
Mino has wanted Wesley since he first laid eyes on him. Mino knows as a human he is not as strong nor as fast as a vampire. And there is that pesky rule number two. But still Mino wants more than a casual relationship. If he has a chance, he plans on trying to tempt Wesley.
This is the first book in The Blood and Thorn Ranch. We meet all but one of the brothers and find them to be amazing caring individuals, each with their own responsibility in running the ranch. They take care of their own and make sure their rules are followed. If not, beware, as they will make sure justice is served. Now, Wesley finds himself at odds with rule number two and also finds himself enchanted with Mino. The underlying plot promising to be quite intriguing. It makes us look forward to the next book.
August 5, 2015
Bulls and Blood by T.A. Chase was a great read for me, as I live in Colorado, where the story is set. However, none of the ranches I know of are owned by apex vampires! One of the things I really liked about the book was the diverse cast of supernatural characters, everything from vampires and shifters of every type, to demons and angels. This reminded me of the first vampire series I ever read which was set in Louisiana. Wesley is an interesting protagonist, being both an accountant and the enforcer for the ranch he owns with his five brothers. He is so rule-abiding it is fun to see him be the first to break a rule and fall for a human who works on the ranch. We only see the beginnings of the relationship Wesley starts with Mino, but the story has a satisfactory resolution nonetheless with a HEA likely in the offing. This book clearly sets up all the characters and scenarios for a fun series that I can’t wait to read!
August 19, 2015
I hate giving a story 1 star when it's written by an author whose stories I usually love, but I just could NOT get into this story. It's like it was trying to be too much, and I could not connect to the characters, especially Wesley. I did't see the attraction for either of them. And there were also just a BUNCH of characters introduced all at once and I know you have to set things up for future books, but there are ways to do that so the reader doesn't get completely overwhelmed with names. Sadly, this is a series I will be passing on.
August 27, 2015
In Wesley Thorn’s world everyone else is considered prey, so he’s always followed the rule that employees are considered off limits…until he meets the tempting Mino in this captivating paranormal romance. The author has created a fascinating and sexy world where vampire cowboys rule, the world has some interesting and different elements and has certainly caught my interest so I can’t wait to visit The Blood & Thorn Ranch again.
See my full review at:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
See my full review at:
http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
August 23, 2015
The ending was very abrupt and rushed, I have no idea where that 'I love you' came from and it seems like so much was just left hanging. I realize there's more books in the series, so some of that will be resolved, but it still feels like this book should have been at least twice as long.
July 29, 2015
Had a lot of ideas but needed to be perfected more.
August 2, 2015
3.25 stars
August 23, 2015
A lot of scene setting which would be expected in the first book of a series. Looking forward to the next.
August 24, 2015
2.25 Stars
Meh!
Meh!
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