The Vampire's Captive

by Sofia Storm, Kathrin Hutson, Rebecca Hamilton

A House Of Immortals Vampire Romance Novel

She's a blood-slave who longs for freedom, but this Viking vampire has other plans...

As the favorite blood-slave of Nevada's vampire king, Arietta Heron lives a waking nightmare with no escape. Her master's cruelty is as inevitable as her fate, leaving her with nothing but impossible dreams of freedom.

Until the night a strange, ancient vampire kidnaps her and changes everything she knows about what it means to serve one master and one master only...

A Viking takes what he wants. And every vampire wants a taste of Bjorn's new prize.

Falling for a blood-slave almost ruined him once already, and Bjorn Elding doesn't make the same mistake twice. But after stumbling upon a blood-slave like Arietta turns his immortal world upside down, he just can't help himself.

Fully claiming the young woman as his own is a dangerous game. But the damage is already done, and with a continent of vengeful vampires on his heels, Bjorn must now gain her submission to protect that which does not belong to him...

...and hope her unbreakable spirit doesn't get them both killed in the process.

Fans of JR Ward, Charlaine Harris, and Anne Rice will love Sofia Storm's scorching-hot dark paranormal vampire romance.



*The Vampire's Captive is a 120,000 word slow burn enemies to lovers paranormal romance novel.*

Genres: Vampires, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Dark Romance, Paranormal

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2022

Reviews

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️⭐️⭐️


Style: Dark Paranormal Romance (Vampire)
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Dark Level: 2/5
Sexual Level:
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes
Male: Sexy & Alpha
Series: book 1
Pages: loc. 5791
Audio: N/A
Kindle Unlimited:

STORY:
This book cover was so inviting and it intrigued me. To start off, I liked the story, but sometimes the journey was up and down for me and that’s more of a me thing. This is a slow burn and at times, I have a love hate relationship with it. On one hand this is the start of a series and the authors are creating and inviting us into this new world with the players. Then on the other hand, the pace for me was not to my liking at times and that’s mainly between Bjorn and Aarietta. Aarietta is a blood slave and this is what she was specifically bred for. She has been held by a Vampire King and this is all she has known. Once Bjorn kidnaps her, she is thrust into another territory of Vampires. At times, Aarietta annoyed me with her choices, but then I have to keep reminding myself, she has been held in a room for her blood, and now being out into this new territory, everything is new, so at times her choices were not the best. Bjorn was stoic, grumpy and stern, but sexy with all of his darkness. He is coming from a past where he has been hurt so his treatment of Aarietta was rocky. Their chemistry fascinated me but annoyed me as well because the behavior felt repetitive and not fully developed.



SEXUAL CHEMISTRY:
Their chemistry build up was good. The pace of both characters slightly deter this but it was good for me.


SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
There were a lot of characters that we were introduced to that. I like the set up and how they came into play. So far no one specific has intrigued me yet to say I want them to have their own story.


OVERALL:
Again, like the story and concept, however, at times they journey was up and down for me. With that being said, I still liked it enough were I am curious to see how this plays out as it ends on a cliffy.



✰✰TRIGGERS: captive, violence


****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.

[Safety Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

nothing sucks more than a cliffhanger to a new book

The books overall is pretty good although not much romance. More like suffering vampire and human. Hello Twilight series. Long winded but it works for the brooding vampire and headstrong human blood slave. What is abhorrent is that this book ends with a cliff hanger and the next in the series is not out yet. Next time I will read the reviews more closely. Lots of undercurrents of higher politics, unspoken secrets that are hinted at repeatedly to the point of annoyance. After about the third time of trying to figure out what the big secret was, I was over it and started skimming sentences to get to better parts. Too much inner dialog but when characters did converse it was always with a hint of betrayal and hidden plans. Nothing is as it seems in this book to the point of hopelessness which is then where it ends. Not sure if I am willing to torture myself to read the second book where I hope the Viking will prevail and get a HEA with his Blood slave who will probably end up being his heart mate or whatever the Scandinavian term is. Lots of politics, more internal dialogue, tears, shock and the list goes on to finally end in the final book probably 3 or heaven forbid 5. Strikingly similar to other Vampire romance but with more dark undercurrents. Please decide for yourself and as always Happy reading!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

LONG winded doesn’t quite describe this VR

I have read a large volume of vampire romances. Many seem to have been written by young authors who need editors badly. This book, The Vampire’s Captive, roars into extremely long winded descriptions of EVERYTHING! I began a pattern of reading that involved skipping/skimming through the pages which worked rather well. The writer did something right, though, as the main character of Bjorn peeked my interest forcing me to launch to the end. Unfortunately, I was hit with a Cliffhanger that has left me with a painful decision: Follow through to the sequel or leave this work unresolved. meh!

[Samantha E Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timid flower, abused in a house by an ungrateful Vampire.
An ancient who takes what he wants…
And a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants

Holy lord have mercy and bless my sinful soul! I ATE this book via osmosis and then descended into Amazon hell for #2 while my crotch goblins slept sweetly.

This book is a MUST read. Slow burn, great plot, amazing ending. Gimme #2!!!

[Alicat23 · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF around 50%. This just kept dragging on. Ariette was completely clueless, Bjorn kept hinting to the reader about mistakes he had made in the past over and over and OVER again without shedding much light on anything. Honestly, just a boring read.

[Lynn Stifle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arietta is a the prized blood slave to the Vampire King of Nevada. He’s a cruel master, and she can only dream for escape….until the night she is taken by the mysterious and ancient vampire, Bjorn Elding. What follows is one thrilling adventure and a cliffhanger ending that left me wanting more. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great read! It’s well written and intense and the characters are superb. There’s action, drama, danger, vampires and a blood slave that every vampire wants. The world building is incredible, the storyline thrilling and engrossing I have to say this dark enemies to lovers paranormal romance is gripping and I look forward to reading more.

[Cali Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotionally thrilling roller coaster journey filled with dangerous and engaging charters, witty banter, heart racing twist and unforgettable moments. An edge of your seat holding on for dear life not sure what you want to happen next adventure. Great reading.

[Erin Ramsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

I can normally force myself to finish a book but I got 32% done and just couldn’t keep going. It seems like a great story but I just can’t connect with the characters. It’s all very well written but so dang boring and hardly any romance. 🤣

[Marie Keagy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I was at 58%. I was bored. Only giving the reader tiny bits of info on who what where and why was totally frustrating. Also we know by this point that she is totally naive in Everything and it wasn’t interesting.

[Lisa Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the book, it pulled me right in. I did find some places in which the story moved a little slow for me and it did end on a cliff hanger. I will be reading the next one to see where it goes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beba Andric · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the blurb, I was very excited to read this book. It started off intriguingly, Arietta was bred exclusively for the sole purpose to be a blood slave to vampires and to serve her master as he sees fit. She is abducted by another vampire, Bjorn, and a mad scramble, to find a safe place, starts a perilous journey. Many obstacles are in their way until they finally end up where Bjorn promises they'll both be safe. But this was not to be. Arietta and Bjorn are apprehended by the Immortals for a farce trial. The plot had great promise, it is a very interesting concept but I think the slow pace detracted me. Arietta, understandably, is terrified of Bjorn and has no idea what he wants with her but her distrust and fear doesn't resonate with me. I got to the stage where I was thinking, oh get over yourself already! As for Bjorn, he comes across confusing. The author alludes to the fact there is more to him, but it comes across as disjointed and I wished for more info into who he actually was and what his motivation is. They both left me feeling very frustrated, even though the tenuous relationship between them was really cool. Towards the end of the book, some details surface, and Bjorn starts making more sense. Overall, it was an interesting storyline, and the characters seem to be developing. As much as I wanted to enjoy it and I did for the most part, it left me hanging

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story just did not hold my interest. Nowhere in the blurb I read does this say it will end on a cliff-hanger. It is not in my opinion just a carry over to the next book. This is a new Author to me. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Reed Daylee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
more PG-rated paranormal fiction than romance, ends in cliffhanger

POV: dual
HUMOR: some
F BOMBS: no
CLIFFHANGER: yes
NEW AUTHORS FOR ME: yes
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: physical abuse, betrayal

CHARACTERS: Arietta Heron (22, female blood-slave) and Bjorn Elding (ancient vampire)

OVERALL: Not my cuppa - suggest requesting a free sample chapter first to see if it's for you

PROS:
1. Other paranormal creatures involved in this world: shifters, witches, fae, and a goddess
2. Unique feature of vampire's elongated fangs "click" into place

CONS:
1. Lots of repetitive info.
2. Long read (over 430 pages) that includes minor characters' dialogues that weren't relevant to the story, and many paragraphs/pages of trying to get Arietta to answer a simple question or following through with a request like eat dinner or getting into a bathtub.
3. Sexy times? None, not even a kiss.
4. Didn't care for the female main character. She never listened to wise advice, and was constantly putting herself and others' lives at risk.
5. Use of vampire vocabulary that wasn't defined (praell, konungr, etc.)
6. Cliffhanger

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Crissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a fantastic vampire story but unfortunately this wasn't one of them. The storyline was so slow that it made the whole story drag and I mean the entire book. The pace never picked up at all. I hated every character in this book besides Bjorn. Bjorn believed Arietta was full of curiosity, but in this story everything she did was out of stupidity. I truly wish I had enjoyed this book more, but I just can't force myself to love something I simply don't. This story might be a high rating read for other readers but it's not one for me and there's nothing wrong with that. I'd say try the book and see if it works for you.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of The Immortal Viking series and the main character is Arietta Heron, the favourite blood slave of Leandro Diamandis, the vampire king of the Nevada territories of North America, sees no chance of any change to her fate. She cannot even think about changing her fate, because he would know. He knows everything! She isn’t allowed to think, nor to even dream. She was born for one purpose, and one purpose only, to serve him until he killed her. She is his favourite for reasons she doesn’t understand and she has had to learn how to react in exactly the way he wants, unless she wants to be injured and threatened with worse. She is even supposed to thank him for feeding from her, leaving her so weak, she can no longer even stand. He has hundreds of blood slaves in his abode, who all are born to serve him and nobody else. He leaves for business purposes and she collapses on her small bed, until awoken by the sound of footsteps approaching her room. She believes Leandro is back for her again, but it in fact is a dirty looking and ancient Viking vampire, known as Bjorn Elding, who has come looking for something and ended up in what he thought was an empty room, until he smelt her.
He has come to Leandro’s home for a particular reason, but upon finding her, satisfies himself with taking her as a prize! Why she is worth so much or so highly prized is unclear at this time. Bjorn had wanted to talk to Leandro, having not spoken for some two or three hundred years, but he wasn’t there when he came. Instead he made the foolish decision to take Arietta and leave. Her blood is an extremely rare and old blood that he can smell is special. She reminds him of a ghost from his past, centuries old memories, of a human with strength mixed with fear and a strange intensity that he had best forget. He travels back to Los Angeles, to Orin’s safehold, before the dawn breaks. She is now in a new vampire king’s territory and uncertain if she has a new master or many, to serve. The North American vampires seem to follow very different rules than those of Bjorn’s own, with these younger vampires being very unruly and impulsive, with little to no control, nor respect for the ways of old. They seek to take what they want and when they want it with no self-control. When supposed alliances seem to break down with Orin, Bjorn has no choice but to run for another ally, before they take Arietta away from him.
He hoped to have safe haven with an old friend in Canada, but it turns out he demands a high price for his silence, forcing Bjorn to do something he doesn’t want to and to also allow him no control over what happens thereafter. He has also lost the control of one of his progeny, before he could prepare him for a move to another vampire king or queen in some fifty years. During all of this, Arietta remains determined to keep asking her incessant questions and undermining his control over her and her position as a blood slave. Not that he makes use of her like her former master did, nor does he punish her physically! More is to come as a grievance is sent to the highest courts of the Immortal House, where fae, shifter and witch representatives will decide Bjorn’s fate for his actions and therefore, also Arietta’s own fate. Bjorn has sworn he will not allow her to be hurt and he is a man of his word, as a Viking! I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book and where they both end up, as it is left as a slight mystery at the end, as the story ends before we find out. Bjorn’s true identity and abilities are slowly revealed as the storyline progresses and his role in the Americas is explained. He himself has caused a problem with his actions in taking Arietta and the consequences are not hitting them both! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Kreela · Rating 5 out of 5]

He found himself wanting to grant her everything she desired in the moment, which was clearly nothing more than cheap, nutritionless junk.”

- "The Vampire’s Captive" by Sofia Storm

Sentences like this make me swoon. The writing is so fluid and engaging that I had no trouble with the dual POV even though I prefer single POV, that I let the story devour my Sunday. Arietta is a blood slave born and cultivated to please a master vampire, so I had to ignore my wishes for her to show some self-reliance. She never had any, and freedom to her is avoiding the torture and inevitable fate of a brood mare. Bjorn is the first vampire created, and he violates his own mission to steal her from the local king. His upbringing leads him to believe that Finders Keepers deems ownership, yet he knows there will be consequences and tries to run to Canada to escape the angry king.

However, even the most ancient vampire is still subject to an independent court, and they eventually catch up to him in Canada. By that time Arietta has grown in boldness, asking questions and ignoring the growly mysterious he-man vibe that Bjorn tries to cow her with. Yes, this a captor love story, but it is still PG-rated here, if you ignore the dark atmosphere. I loved every minute.

The politics and world are amazingly well-constructed. It is not a full fantasy, since the modern world still exists, but there is no superficial layer of hiding from real humans. There just is. And vampires must treat with each other to keep alliances, which might mean a trade of hostages or a trade of genetics (Bjorn’s). I get the impression the author spent months planning the world.

The plot is tight, with no slowdown in pacing. The only thing that I found irritating is the long-winded reflections on their fates. Sometimes Arietta or Bjorn spent too much time thinking before acting. That didn’t stop me from finishing and wanting more.

The theme seems to be a long reflection about what constitutes freedom. When the prosecutor asks if Arietta acted through her own free will, you could have heard a pin drop. Most of Bjorn’s actions after the kidnapping are dictated by his duties as much as his desire. Free will doesn’t imply an absence of duty.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vannessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb on this one really intrigued me and while the premise of the story works, overall it fell a bit flat for me.

Arianna is a blood slave, born and bred to serve her vampire master. She's initially meek and mild, used to the torture and physical abuse from Lenadros. When Bjorn, an ancient Viking vampire kidnaps her, it seems like she has jumped from the fire into the frying pan, but Bjorn is so unlike her current master. She has a choice - go back to Leandros or continue on with Bjorn. Well what's a girl to do? Go back to the devil she knows or go off with the possible devil she doesn't?

Knowing what Bjorn has done, he drags her across the country trying to find sanctuary somewhere where the vampires won't try to take Arianna for themselves. Something about her just seems to attract their baser sides more than it does for Bjorn.

This book was really long, longer than I thought initially, but I found a lot of it was repetitive. The chapters swapped between each of the main characters and a lot was repeated from both point of views. The secrets Bjorn held were hinted at so many times, as were the secrets about Arianna. Some of these were later on revealed, but again repeated over and over. I often went back to check I hadn't accidentally turned back a page and wasn't just rereading what I had already read. That I found to be quite distracting!

I didn't feel any romance coming on between the two of them really, even though this book is described as a slow burn romance - maybe more of that will come in the next book! Arianna was infuriating - as a born and bred blood slave she definitely did not seem to know her place, despite being told several times not to do something, she would still do it! Bjorn was an intriguing character and made more sense when some of his secrets were revealed, although there's still a lot more we haven't yet found out about him.

I picked this book up from BookSprout, but this review is all my own. As this one ended on a huge cliffhanger and I want to see what happens to them both next, I will probably pick up the next book in this series.

[Monique Delaney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not romantic at all and kind of depressing

I read vampire romance books all the time and this one wasn't romantic. At all.

The main male character is cold, distant and even emotionally abusive without showing any signs of tenderness or gentleness until the 93% mark. And not in an enemies to lovers kind of way. The whole story is mostly about them running and hiding in one dangerous situation after another. There are no love scenes, no kissing, no sex. No physical contact at all, not even a hug for comfort. No kind words, nothing. Not once, from start to finish.

On top of that the main female character has lived her entire life isolated in a locked room and is unfamiliar with modern life and treated as property. But not treated anywhere near as well as a pet or dog. She's treated like cattle raised for slaughter. The main male character is prized for things like not hitting her, not raping her, not taking her blood without consent and the bar is just too low. It was hard to like him or fall for him. He rarely spoke to her. There was no charm or moments that made him likeable. And it was hard to like her as well. She is the epitome of weak and lacking in intelligence to the extent I could see why everyone viewed her as food to be honest. This was a hard read for me, I almost didn't finish it because it was so negative and depressing and stressful but not in an angsty beautiful way. More in a political, potential war, finding allies, chess board kind of way. It was hard to really root for anyone.

Despite all that, the style of writing is solid. If this book had been listed under a different genre (not romance) my expectations would have been different and my review might have been different. This could be more of a fantasy/horror type book. It's not a slow burn, there is no burn. It's not sexy, it's not sweet, it's not romantic in terms of any of the regular tropes the romance genre has. But there is world building, there is an interesting power structure or hierarchy. There are multiple other types of supernatural creatures such as fae, witches, shifters.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am of two minds when it comes to this book. While I read along steadily for awhile, I found myself losing interest. It seemed to take forever for something to happen, and even that was not that exciting. Then it ends on a cliffhanger, or at least it doesn't really end. I can't decide if I want to read the next one, or just cut my losses.

Arietta is the favorite blood slave to the vampire King of Nevada. She was raised to be what she is so she really has no idea how to be anything else. This does not mean that she is resigned to her fate of becoming a broodmare for her master, just that she had no idea how to change her circumstances. Then comes the night when another vampire steals her away from the only home she has ever known.

At first, she does her best to get away and return to what she knows. This is mostly because she is sure that her master will blame this on her and her life will be even worse then it was before. But when it looks like she might actually not be found and dragged back to hell, she becomes curious about the vampire who took her. Why did Bjorn want her? He refused her blood and her body but refused to take her back. He even defended her when other vampires wanted him to share her blood with them. But still he seemed indifferent to her, except to give her warnings about her curiosity and orders to obey him. He eventually takes her to Canada where he hopes to keep her hidden from her former master, but then the Fae intervene. They know that Bjorn stole her. Are they going to force her to go back?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arietta Heron is the prized blood slave of a cruel master who is the Vampire King for Nevada that spends her “free” time longing for freedom. Then one night a strange but ancient vampire kidnaps her and changes everything that she knows of serving one master and one master alone. A Viking takes what he wants and every vampire around wants a taste of Bjorn’s new prize. In the past he fell for a blood slave and it almost ruined him and so he is determined not to make the same mistake again, but having found Arietta she has turned his immortal world upside down and he just can’t help himself. Fulling claiming her is a dangerous game and with a continent of dangerous vampires on his heels, he needs to gain her submission to protect that which does not belong to him while hoping that her unbreakable spirit doesn’t get them killed in the process.

OMG – I was addicted to this story from the start to the finish. I was completely transfixed by the relationship between Arietta and Bjorn as well as her reckless determination to gain information even if it was dangerous to do so. Their dynamic was almost hypnotic as I was wondering what was going to happen next. It all ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and so I just cannot wait for the next book in the series to be published so that I can follow their story. Easy to read, understand and very easy to sense/feel their thoughts and emotions. Definitely recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Buttercupp77 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arietta was bred to be the perfect blood-slave to the Vampire King of Nevada. She's only known servitude at the hands of her cruel master. Enter a strange vampire, Bjorn, who kidnaps her from her room. Ill-equipped to deal with the wider vampire community, uncertain of her future, and generally ignorant, Arietta tries to survive. Bjorn, meanwhile, has problems of his own - and of his own making.

Much of this initial entry in planned series feels like lining up the dominoes. There is a lot of world-building. There is a lot of hinting at things about the two primary characters that they aren't revealing/don't know (about themselves or one another). Given that this is billed as first-in-series, I was not expecting a big payoff, so I was not too disappointed when one failed to materialise.

I thought the pacing was good - there's a LOT packed into this novel: a lot of action, a lot of cultures, a lot of locations.

There was a lack of character development for my taste. Partly, this is because of the intense world-building and all the action: there simply wasn't room for the characters to breathe, and the journey of the two main characters meant that no secondary character had enough meat to truly stand out. I think this is the biggest weakness for me.

Having said that, I think there was enough material in the novel that I will continue with the series - some series need a couple of entries to settle into themselves, after all.

I received an ARC via the author.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bjorn is not your normal type of vampire.... he actually has a conscience! He come to Vegas intending to speak with Nevada King and ends up leaving with a blood slave. We aren't really told what Bjorn is actually doing in Nevada or what he's doing in the states at all. His home and kingdom are in Norway. There is a race to get the blood slave away from Nevada... a race to keep her safe in the California Kings home from the other vampires... then another race to get her to Canada in yet another vampire Kings residence. Favors are traded, alliances and made and broken and a lot of errors are made on the way to Canada. A very intense story, kind of confusing about the blood slave and what the heck Bjorn intended. It is a great story, but I feel like I'm missing something.... will have to get book 2 and see where this is going. You end up hoping the blood slave gets a say in what happens to her but things don't seem to be going her way....yet. Will Bjorn get to keep her? Will she find any semblance of happiness? Please someone get her some shoes!!! Love the new perspective of looking at vampires....gets ya thinking and looking forward to book 2.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arietta a bloodslave and Bjorn her rescuer and new capture he's ancient and likes things his way were as Arietta held captive by there King for along time is more like a mushroom kept in the dark all her life everything is new and needs exploration and it's that innocence about things at times that is aggravating it gets her in trouble I really hope she evolves more as a character in later books. Bjorn is more complex more evolved as a character which made him more interesting there are plenty of side characters in this book there is the awful King whom will have his day sometime in this series he wants his slave back there is a slow buildup of sexual chemistry between Bjorn and Arietta. This world could get more complex or it could become completely stagnant to soon to tell with this book sometimes it happens with fantasy type historical books. If I could change one thing about this book the story seemed to drag out at times to much thinking by the characters otherwise I'm willing to read the second book to see if it develops more this dose have a cliffhanger.


I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book via Booksprout and this is my honest review. I also own a copy of the book.

[J Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mouthwatering series opener!

A blood-slave of a long and tasty lineage, Arieta has lived her life in hell and when an opportunity exists to change that she overcomes her fear and gets in Bjorn’s car. She was not his goal in coming to Nevada and it is the first step in a series of disasters that follow the blood-slave and the vampire across the country.

The plot is well developed and you get hints of backstory to build a complete picture of Bjorns role in all of this and what their future may be. There a a few battles but they are more to establish the rule of law than settle the fight. The politics in the Immortal House is insanely complicated and Arietta can only listen to what the delegates say and try to glean enough information to help Bjorn but if they both fail there is no doubt that neither of them will live to regret it.

I received an advance copy but my review is voluntary and honest. Kathrin Hutson ends the book with such a short, grinding cliff hanger that I felt like I got punched in the gut. Must have the next book! I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Kathie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love dark and gritty UF with strong, well-developed, mostly likeable main characters and a fast-paced plot. Unfortunately, The Vampire’s Captive was lacking all across the board. The main FMC was just TSTL. Every single choice she made put herself and the MMC in serious danger because she (Arietta) never thought things through or considered the consequences of her actions. I was actually rooting for her death by the end of the book because she exhibited no redeeming qualities. As for the MMC, Bjorn, I”m on the fence. On the one hand, he’s an over-the-top alpha and has absolutely no communication skills. On the other hand, he has potential and the last few pages of the book show that he does have some depth. Normally, I can read a book in a several hours, especially if it’s engaging. This one took me 3 days: three days because the plot moved at a snail’s pace with so much unnecessary detail that bored me to the point that I just wanted to be done with it. I think the premise/concept of the book had promise; it just didn’t deliver.

I received an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ My place is to serve.” “To serve whom?” “You. Only you.” ★

—>>> Bjorn Elding coming upon King Leandro Diamandis’ much-coveted, meticulously bred blood slave Arietta was a most serendipitous event, one which actually drove him to steal her right from under his nose when he was actually there on a mission. Arietta knows nothing of the world outside her prison walls, and what an eyeopener it was for her to realize all that lay beyond them, and the contrasts between Leandro and Bjorn.

Bjorn did not foresee it then, of course, that that single impulsive act will complicate his life at least tenfold and involve much more than just the outraged and possessive king on his heels to recover his prized pet. It is all he can do to manage the consequences and trying not to unravel himself, nevermind trying to keep Arietta safe.

We delve right into the Intriguing politics of this vampire king/blood slave world and their intercontinental journey to avoid war between vampire kingdoms. I anticipate the immortal viking will fall, we just don’t how badly or when, but the signs are in the wind, and I look forward to the next installment.

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariella is the favored blood-slave of Nevada's vampire king, but being his favorite doesn't make her safe from his cruelties. Bjorn is an ancient vampire on a mission to the North American continent, he once had a favored blood-slave, but that relationship ended badly. He had no intention of ever claiming another, but Arietta is special, and she reminds him of his once favored blood-slave. On impulse he steals away with her in the night only to realize that she just might be more trouble than she's worth, but she is his now and he won't give her up.
These are absolutely wonderful characters. They are compelling, riveting, well written, and sometimes cruel. I thought this was an intriguing introduction to a brand new world. Some action, paranormal beings, magic, and surprising twists in the plot that kept me engrossed in these pages. I'm already looking forward to more books in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Ruth Hinojos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primer libro en esta serie y realmente me atrapo y me dejo con ganas de mas, buen construcción del mundo y de personajes, aunque entiendo que los humanos son esclavos, se me hizo un poco denso todo lo referente al trato que tuvo Arietta o lo que esperaba que le pasara, aún así espero con ansías el siguiente libro para saber que es lo que pasara con Arietta y Bjorn sobre todo con ese final. Libro recomendado.

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First book in this series and it really caught me and left me wanting more, good construction of the world and characters, although I understand that humans are slaves, everything related to the treatment that Arietta had or what she expected to happened to her did became a bit dense. Still I look forward to the next book to find out what will happen to Arietta and Bjorn especially with that ending. I recommend the book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this story was very slow for me most of the way through, but, the storyline intrigued me so I continued to read it. The more I read it the more I really didn’t like Arietta that much. She was more weak to me. However, I understand this was the way she is taught so I made sure to remind myself of this. Then as the story progresses I am getting more and more drawn in. I am getting excited to see what is going to happen next and who Bjorn really is. He is a mystery and suspense all rolled up in one. The story is extremely well written. I like the drama that unfolds throughout the story. It seems they can’t catch a break throughout the story. The ending does end in a cliffhanger and that right there has me glued and waiting for the next book. It is most definitely worth reading reading and really doesn’t disappoint.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.