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Raise Up, Heart
Hearts don’t lie.Two years ago, grief took over Cole's life when he lost his true love Damon in an accident. He’s felt empty ever since. But his lover’s heart survives, placed inside a transplant recipient. As time passes, it becomes Damon’s heart is too devoted to Cole. It’s strong, lovelorn, and terrifyingly true blue.The heart's fight to reunite with Cole is brutal.Even when faced with the horror of his lover’s eerie return, Cole leaps at the chance to finally have the man he's yearned for. What will he sacrifice to be with Damon? And who will pay the ultimate price?Raise Up, Heart is a stand-alone, second chance gay romance, inspired by the famous gothic short stories of yore. With head nods to Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Raise Up, Heart is dark, epic, consuming, and dreamlike.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2020
50 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Leta Blake
71 books1,739 followersAuthor of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for over a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.
If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H
If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 12, 2020
~3.5~
This is a tale of obsessive love, dark and haunted, and a heart that hurts and takes only to soothe and give.
Cole cannot get over the death of his partner, Damon. It's been two years, but Alex, Damon's cousin and close friend, is walking around with Damon's heart while Damon is dead.
On the brink of a mental collapse, Cole believes he hears Damon, sees Damon. But maybe it's the concussion or just a beautiful dream.
What if you can't move on? What if grief drives you to madness?
Would you kill for love? Claw your way out?
Told in a narrative fashion reminiscent of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," this story is haunting and creepy, not scary exactly, but definitely not a typical romance. The ending is a HEA, though ... at least for the MCs.
But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst.
This is a tale of obsessive love, dark and haunted, and a heart that hurts and takes only to soothe and give.
Cole cannot get over the death of his partner, Damon. It's been two years, but Alex, Damon's cousin and close friend, is walking around with Damon's heart while Damon is dead.
On the brink of a mental collapse, Cole believes he hears Damon, sees Damon. But maybe it's the concussion or just a beautiful dream.
What if you can't move on? What if grief drives you to madness?
Would you kill for love? Claw your way out?
Told in a narrative fashion reminiscent of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," this story is haunting and creepy, not scary exactly, but definitely not a typical romance. The ending is a HEA, though ... at least for the MCs.
October 2, 2020
Leta is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She's kinda dirty. Kinda kinky. And she's not afraid to take risks. Take this story -- without spoiling anything -- I'll simply say the premise it out there. Way out there. But I loved it! And it felt so appropriate to read during the fall and so close to Halloween. It was definitely a fun read and worth checking out. Recommended!
January 9, 2022
2 stars
To say I’m disappointed that I didn’t love this is an understatement. Blake is one of my favorite authors but we can’t love every book we read.
This is a totally different book than any I have read from Leta Blake, the writing style is so different and I think that’s where I struggled the most. Immediately we are inside Alex’s head. Alex was in a car accident with his cousin Damon. Damon didn’t survive and Alex needed his heart in order to survive. Things are very different for Alex since the heart transplant, he starts feeling and thinking things he never felt before, little snippets of memories that aren’t his own. He then starts to change physically a little bit at a time. He disappears and leaves everyone heartbroken.
Cole was Damon’s boyfriend of one year. He is devastated after having lost Damon and 2 years after the accident things aren’t better for him. His best friend Emily was Alex’s girlfriend but she has moved on since Alex disappeared. Cole just has so many regrets, mainly that he didn’t let his relationship progress with Damon sexually because of his own personal hang ups.
Cole is so distraught that he almost doesn’t care if he lives or dies. One night while walking home on a busy road he is almost hit by a car but someone pushes him out of the way at the last moment. He swears this person is Damon. He heard his voice, he called him Cole and he saw him briefly. He has a concussion so he feels as if he could be imagining it but he can’t let it go. When he starts thinking he is being followed by someone and things are happening that he can’t explain he is really close to losing his mind.
One night Damon appears and Cole cannot believe it’s true. How can Damon make Cole understand that he took over Alex’s body to get back to him? It’s creepy and macabre and it makes no sense. But this is a second chance for them.
I really liked the creepiness of the story. Someones heart lives on in another’s body but it slowly takes over, basically killing the person in the process. It is definitely a terrifying thought. This is a story that is reminiscent of Poe.
What I didn’t like was the way the story was told. Damon’s (and Alex’s) parts are told in a second point of view and I never connected with this. I almost felt like this set up the beginning when told by Alex but when it came to Damon I thought it felt off. It could be because I rarely read anything told in the 2nd person.
Another thing I didn’t enjoy was how Cole’s friends and family treated him. He was treated like a child instead of a grown man. Emily became annoying and almost rude in the way she told Cole to get over Damon. It was as if she got over Alex’s disappearance so quickly and she expected Cole to get over Damon’s death just as fast. Rosanna, Cole’s sister, was extremely overprotective, asking him personal questions as if he were a child.
I also felt like there was a huge gap in what happened to Alex. Was no one looking for him? It was never explained what happened to him, just that he essentially died. The poor guy went through such a horrible, painful experience while Damon took over his body and I felt like he got the short end of the stick.
Being this was a novella I think some parts were rushed. I just felt like this was a totally different author. I appreciate what Blake was striving for but for me it just missed the mark.
ARC received for review through GRR
To say I’m disappointed that I didn’t love this is an understatement. Blake is one of my favorite authors but we can’t love every book we read.
This is a totally different book than any I have read from Leta Blake, the writing style is so different and I think that’s where I struggled the most. Immediately we are inside Alex’s head. Alex was in a car accident with his cousin Damon. Damon didn’t survive and Alex needed his heart in order to survive. Things are very different for Alex since the heart transplant, he starts feeling and thinking things he never felt before, little snippets of memories that aren’t his own. He then starts to change physically a little bit at a time. He disappears and leaves everyone heartbroken.
Cole was Damon’s boyfriend of one year. He is devastated after having lost Damon and 2 years after the accident things aren’t better for him. His best friend Emily was Alex’s girlfriend but she has moved on since Alex disappeared. Cole just has so many regrets, mainly that he didn’t let his relationship progress with Damon sexually because of his own personal hang ups.
Cole is so distraught that he almost doesn’t care if he lives or dies. One night while walking home on a busy road he is almost hit by a car but someone pushes him out of the way at the last moment. He swears this person is Damon. He heard his voice, he called him Cole and he saw him briefly. He has a concussion so he feels as if he could be imagining it but he can’t let it go. When he starts thinking he is being followed by someone and things are happening that he can’t explain he is really close to losing his mind.
One night Damon appears and Cole cannot believe it’s true. How can Damon make Cole understand that he took over Alex’s body to get back to him? It’s creepy and macabre and it makes no sense. But this is a second chance for them.
I really liked the creepiness of the story. Someones heart lives on in another’s body but it slowly takes over, basically killing the person in the process. It is definitely a terrifying thought. This is a story that is reminiscent of Poe.
What I didn’t like was the way the story was told. Damon’s (and Alex’s) parts are told in a second point of view and I never connected with this. I almost felt like this set up the beginning when told by Alex but when it came to Damon I thought it felt off. It could be because I rarely read anything told in the 2nd person.
Another thing I didn’t enjoy was how Cole’s friends and family treated him. He was treated like a child instead of a grown man. Emily became annoying and almost rude in the way she told Cole to get over Damon. It was as if she got over Alex’s disappearance so quickly and she expected Cole to get over Damon’s death just as fast. Rosanna, Cole’s sister, was extremely overprotective, asking him personal questions as if he were a child.
I also felt like there was a huge gap in what happened to Alex. Was no one looking for him? It was never explained what happened to him, just that he essentially died. The poor guy went through such a horrible, painful experience while Damon took over his body and I felt like he got the short end of the stick.
Being this was a novella I think some parts were rushed. I just felt like this was a totally different author. I appreciate what Blake was striving for but for me it just missed the mark.
ARC received for review through GRR
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 1, 2020Coming October 5th! Pre-order available!
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October 8, 2020
4.5 stars!
This is a perfect read for the spooky season. Leta Blake acknowledges the authors that inspired this story and I think she did a wonderful job setting a gothic eerie feel. One thing that I thought really added to it was writing Alex and Damon in the second person.
The story explores just how deep the heart can love and here, that devotion does amazing and gruesome things - there is no on-page gore, but the references to what occurs make it clear that things did not happen without a cost. This is a second chance story that really goes above and beyond that really takes that theme to its limits!
This novella was so close to perfect for me. The story was well-paced and played out fully, though I would have been happy reading a full novel of this story. I was very invested in both Cole's unrelenting struggle with his grief and in Damon's story - even Alex's struggle was all-consuming even though we saw very little of him on-page. I suspect this will become a regular Halloween season read for me!
This is a perfect read for the spooky season. Leta Blake acknowledges the authors that inspired this story and I think she did a wonderful job setting a gothic eerie feel. One thing that I thought really added to it was writing Alex and Damon in the second person.
The story explores just how deep the heart can love and here, that devotion does amazing and gruesome things - there is no on-page gore, but the references to what occurs make it clear that things did not happen without a cost. This is a second chance story that really goes above and beyond that really takes that theme to its limits!
This novella was so close to perfect for me. The story was well-paced and played out fully, though I would have been happy reading a full novel of this story. I was very invested in both Cole's unrelenting struggle with his grief and in Damon's story - even Alex's struggle was all-consuming even though we saw very little of him on-page. I suspect this will become a regular Halloween season read for me!
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December 10, 2020Thank you for the gift, There's some HO HO HO's in this house!
October 2, 2020
It took me some time to write this review after finishing the book. I’m not gonna lie:I’ve had some mixed feelings on the first few pages, thinking this was going on a road I was not prepared to. But I’m happy I continued because this one right here gave a whole new meaning to “second chances|” and love above anything else. Leta is a one click author to me, and I love her writing and the way the writing flows… it’s vivid in a unique way. Here is no different. The background of the book is not an easy one, and yet, the story does not go too heavy; quite the contrary. When the story reaches its high point, everything feels like coming home, to where it should have never left. Yes, there is angst, but there’s also hope, sweetness, forgiveness and all the love we can hope for.
And this being a novella, it had the perfect development and ending, tying all the stories and with no loose ends. (I think a full Leta Blake book with this plot would be too much for me to handle… rs) In the end, this is HIGHLY recommended. Give it a try, I promise it gets so good you won’t put it down.
And this being a novella, it had the perfect development and ending, tying all the stories and with no loose ends. (I think a full Leta Blake book with this plot would be too much for me to handle… rs) In the end, this is HIGHLY recommended. Give it a try, I promise it gets so good you won’t put it down.
May 13, 2022
Kind of disturbing, kind of sweet.
November 2, 2020
I love a Poe inspired story but I don't think this hit the mark, at least not for me. Damien was a bit of a dick, to be honest, and it didn't feel like a great love story. It felt a little selfish and superficial. I thought this was going to end differently, and I kept reading for that ending, but then nothing happened and I was a little disappointed.
October 13, 2020
Raise Up, Heart by Leta Blake is a pretty amazing and chilling novella with a decided twist that is both horrifying and yet somehow romantic. It’s hard to say much about this story other than to tell you the basics. Alex and his girlfriend’s cousin, Damon are in a car accident—one survives, the other dies, leaving behind a grieving partner. Remarkably and rather macabrely the survivor ends up with the other man’s heart in a life-saving transplant and that’s where the story takes a decided turn into the weird and darker side of romance.
Suffice it to say that what happens to the survivor is just horrifying yet somehow this author makes you feel the happiness that ends up being the result for most all involved. But how that happiness is achieved is never far from your mind and while you want to be thrilled for the couple that now lives on, you also feel yourself recoiling from their ability to put the past behind them and knowingly grab their chance at forever after despite what it took to get them there.
Oh how I wish I could clarify but seriously to do so would absolutely spoil this story for the next reader. There is lots of heat and sensuality in this story—and there is also grief—palpable and heart-wrenching but a sort of strange happy ever after is achieved nonetheless. When you take those elements and couple them with the fantastical plot you end up with a gripping story that I finished in one night. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down. While I haven’t read a lot by this author I think this one is a bit of a departure from her norm and it really works! A recommended read, for sure.
Suffice it to say that what happens to the survivor is just horrifying yet somehow this author makes you feel the happiness that ends up being the result for most all involved. But how that happiness is achieved is never far from your mind and while you want to be thrilled for the couple that now lives on, you also feel yourself recoiling from their ability to put the past behind them and knowingly grab their chance at forever after despite what it took to get them there.
Oh how I wish I could clarify but seriously to do so would absolutely spoil this story for the next reader. There is lots of heat and sensuality in this story—and there is also grief—palpable and heart-wrenching but a sort of strange happy ever after is achieved nonetheless. When you take those elements and couple them with the fantastical plot you end up with a gripping story that I finished in one night. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down. While I haven’t read a lot by this author I think this one is a bit of a departure from her norm and it really works! A recommended read, for sure.
October 1, 2020
Wow... just wow. I'm glad a had a few days to process this book, before writing this review, because this book was INTENSE.
this is what Leta Blake is all about. She has a power in her words that for me, is very rare, especially with the types of books she writes. I was blown away by this book and for many reasons.
My advice, keep an open mind because this novella, though short, packs a punch.
**** Highly Recommended Second Chances****
For fans of #pnr #intenselove #secondchance
This book shows that sometimes when you love someone enough, not even death can keep you away from them...
The characters:
Cole is grieving after the death of his boyfriend but feels a little bit of consolation that his heart was able to save his best friend and cousin Alex. Cole has a lot of regrets...things he never said or did with Damon, and things that in retrospect shouldn't have been postponed. #HowCanILiveWithoutYou
Damon has a love so deep for Cole, that he can't possibly just leave him.. even death can't keep him away. To do that, Alex must leave and make way for Damon... #NothingWillKeepMeAway
The Romance...
I didn't think that their love could ever be more epic... Damon did do the impossible to get back to Cole and as such, both men are determined to take the gift they were given, or maybe the gift that Damon stole, and make the most of it. From the moment they meet again, their love is resurrected and burns brightly... #ICameBackToYou
The Heat...
It's a known fact that Ms. blake writes some very hot scenes. This is the case here, as Cole and Damon finally get to explore what they weren't able to before Damon's "death". The scenes were equal parts sexy and sweet, due to the circumstances surrounding it... #MakeLoveToMe
The Plot...
Though short, the novella is solid and well written. The progression shows how Cole and Damon adapt to the fact that Damon is back, Alex is gone, and that they can't stay living where they are. Changes are made so they could live their life together and away from prying eyes. #TakeMeAway
The Points Of View...
You get both pts of view here but in different ways...
Cole is done in third-person, but Damn is done in second-person point of view., which is certainly different.
I actually thought that the drastic change was important for the story as a whole... Damon and Alex are grappling for control in the beginning and using 2nd person made more poignant to experience. It was literally like being in Alex's head, and then Damon.. #GetOutOfMyHead
The HEA...
After everything they went through, these guys get their HEA. They conquer death and come out on top. #TogetherForever
All in all, after having withdrawals, Ms. blake gifted us a book to mildly quench our thirst. It was romantic and creepy and sexy and otherworldly. It all came together to make an amazing book.
#happyreading
this is what Leta Blake is all about. She has a power in her words that for me, is very rare, especially with the types of books she writes. I was blown away by this book and for many reasons.
My advice, keep an open mind because this novella, though short, packs a punch.
**** Highly Recommended Second Chances****
For fans of #pnr #intenselove #secondchance
This book shows that sometimes when you love someone enough, not even death can keep you away from them...
The characters:
Cole is grieving after the death of his boyfriend but feels a little bit of consolation that his heart was able to save his best friend and cousin Alex. Cole has a lot of regrets...things he never said or did with Damon, and things that in retrospect shouldn't have been postponed. #HowCanILiveWithoutYou
Damon has a love so deep for Cole, that he can't possibly just leave him.. even death can't keep him away. To do that, Alex must leave and make way for Damon... #NothingWillKeepMeAway
The Romance...
I didn't think that their love could ever be more epic... Damon did do the impossible to get back to Cole and as such, both men are determined to take the gift they were given, or maybe the gift that Damon stole, and make the most of it. From the moment they meet again, their love is resurrected and burns brightly... #ICameBackToYou
The Heat...
It's a known fact that Ms. blake writes some very hot scenes. This is the case here, as Cole and Damon finally get to explore what they weren't able to before Damon's "death". The scenes were equal parts sexy and sweet, due to the circumstances surrounding it... #MakeLoveToMe
The Plot...
Though short, the novella is solid and well written. The progression shows how Cole and Damon adapt to the fact that Damon is back, Alex is gone, and that they can't stay living where they are. Changes are made so they could live their life together and away from prying eyes. #TakeMeAway
The Points Of View...
You get both pts of view here but in different ways...
Cole is done in third-person, but Damn is done in second-person point of view., which is certainly different.
I actually thought that the drastic change was important for the story as a whole... Damon and Alex are grappling for control in the beginning and using 2nd person made more poignant to experience. It was literally like being in Alex's head, and then Damon.. #GetOutOfMyHead
The HEA...
After everything they went through, these guys get their HEA. They conquer death and come out on top. #TogetherForever
All in all, after having withdrawals, Ms. blake gifted us a book to mildly quench our thirst. It was romantic and creepy and sexy and otherworldly. It all came together to make an amazing book.
#happyreading
October 11, 2022
Poe can speak to you of hearts: the ticking of them, the secrets within; he knows their ferocious strength. Poe understands. Hearts can’t be tucked beneath the floorboard of a house. They will not rest there, complicit and quiet. He knows they are stronger than that, louder, greedier— vengeful. He knows that a heart can come back for you, take you over, take you apart. It only has to beat. Ba-boom. Ba-boom. And within that sound there is infinity, and within infinity there resides the untold and unspeakable. These stories of Poe’s, you’ll never believe them, though they may chill you through. Yet they are true all the same.
True like a darling heart is true blue. — Alex
Warnings: death, murder (???)
Raise up, Heart is a story with gothic themes, some might say ideal for the 👻spoopy season🎃. In the gothic tradition, there is a dark romance involved. In this case, the relationship involves Cole Hart, Damon Black and Alex, though there are only two bodies involved. It is a decidedly strange, intriguing and at times disturbing novella. I wanted to like it much more than I did, unfortunately. What keeps it from being three stars is the way Leta Blake writes. She draws the reader into her world and characters bringing them to life.
The whole story takes place over only a week, the exception being the prologue set two years before the main plot. It is written in two perspectives, Cole's and Damon's. Cole is written in the third person and Damon (also Alex) is written in the second person. It's rare to see the second person used at all, but it does work well in this context, it drags the reader in and makes them wonder the extent of the truth. Damon is the character that Leta Blake wants the reader to attempt to empathise with, using the language is the best way to force the reader to try that.
While the second person didn't work for creating empathy for Damon for me it definitely did for Alex. While I say the relationship essentially involves three people, Alex is dead, more than dead just gone, his soul and spirit consumed by Damon, by the force of Damon and Cole's love. I wanted to cry for Alex. I was reading this on the train on a commute. I skipped the smut that was happening around the same time but read intently the Alex moments. It was a struggle to weep. His voice destroyed me. "The fourth journal is very short. Only about twelve pages, and then there are five pages with two words written over and over.
Help Me
Help Me Help Me Help Me Help Me
There’s no punctuation; each plea is scrawled any which way across the page, sometimes overlapping with others. Cole knows that it wasn’t written as a chant but as an intermittent plea in the midst of a sea of great pain and horror." (Cole and Alex) But that is the sign of good writing, something Leta Blake does.
I liked Cole well enough he had a sort of innocence about him that leads to him developing a backbone throughout the story. Cole has a past and secrets and I like the slow reveal of his background. His desperation for Damon makes sense and I don't dislike it. But he seems to lose a part of himself to Damon, potentially not knowingly. Cole and Damon's chemistry was explosive and executed in a way that makes it feel like a gut punch at times when they both remember the cost. I did not like Damon. I understand the point of him, I see why we are supposed to like him but I don't. His is supposed to be a love that even death couldn't kill but he just comes across as wrong, broken. Like Leta has written a monster but without the consequences of that. Some of his actions are just... wait, what, no.
My wish for this book is that it had been less smut and more conversation or angst. I just couldn't deal with Cole and Damon jumping into bed that fast and that consistently. I struggle with it because they almost use it to put off the requisite conversations and pressing issues. This could have something to do with my personal reading preferences too, I have always preferred plot or character-driven stories rather than smut. The balance here just feels off. I think I'd even have been a be happier if this ended without a HEA or HFN, not a cliffhanger just a moment of reason. I like Frankenstein for that ending, that doesn't give you that, it feels more final. I know this is mm romance and we don't go there as a rule. But you know a girl can dream.
I did read this in three sittings, over two days, with a gap in the middle for a library book on ghosts. One thing I will add, this is one of Leta's favourite works (or it was when she wrote it). I get the feeling this was a true passion piece for her. It just didn't work for me. Ugh this review is a total mess but whatever. Sorry Leta
He won’t stop until he owns me. You remember how true that was, though you had no idea what that actually entailed as you fought so hard to destroy him. — Alex (italics) and Damon
Read for godzilla-reads' Simple Reading Challenge. Filling the October prompt: "Halloween/Samhain Book!! or Spoooooooky Poetry"
I wasn't going to use Rise Up, Heart for this then I read it. Let me add the last paragraph from the blurb... "Rise Up, Heart, is a stand-alone, second chance gay romance, inspired by the famous gothic, short stories of yore. With head nods to Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Rise Up, Heart, is dark, epic, consuming, and dreamlike." If that doesn't sound like Halloween what does? It's haunting and dark and a perfect ode to two of the greats of gothic literature.
A representative gif:
October 9, 2020
Deeply emotional, writing that will grab you in the guts and pull you in.
The story doesn't need to have any of the science or supernatural elements of Damon's revival, it's as harrowing as it is unexplained. It's the emotional punch that gets you, the craving, the passion, the possessive power of their love bridging life and death.
Damon is a character you both love and hate, for how he came to be again, for what he did to his cousin. But his desire to live, to life, is palpable, and the emotional storm drags you under.
This book is about love, and it cannot be explained, just experienced- in this Leta did an amazing job. Every word is dripping with emotion, and it is reminiscent of her book Any Given Lifetime, that deals with a similar topic, Love defines death against all odds.
The power behind this story, to value life now, not to wait for things that might not be, is very relevant in these troubling times.
Not an easy tale to read, but very emotional and steamy.
The story doesn't need to have any of the science or supernatural elements of Damon's revival, it's as harrowing as it is unexplained. It's the emotional punch that gets you, the craving, the passion, the possessive power of their love bridging life and death.
Damon is a character you both love and hate, for how he came to be again, for what he did to his cousin. But his desire to live, to life, is palpable, and the emotional storm drags you under.
This book is about love, and it cannot be explained, just experienced- in this Leta did an amazing job. Every word is dripping with emotion, and it is reminiscent of her book Any Given Lifetime, that deals with a similar topic, Love defines death against all odds.
The power behind this story, to value life now, not to wait for things that might not be, is very relevant in these troubling times.
Not an easy tale to read, but very emotional and steamy.
November 15, 2022
Why do I do this thing where I buy a book by an author I love on release date, only to not touch it for eons, even though I know I'll love it? Because it was really good. Surprisingly horrifying (in a psychological horror kind of way), and sweet, and angsty, and sexy at the same time. It was a different vibe from everything Leta has done before, but I read it in one sitting because I just couldn't let it go
October 7, 2020
Not sure what the plot was exactly XD
I like Leta Blake but this story didn't work for me. I liked the idea (poor Alex) but the plot could be told in like once sentence XDD I get that it's a short story but a lot of parts seemed to be leading to something I and then nothing would happen lol
And I also did like Cole. He didn't feel like a convincing reason for his dude to come back. Idk he felt off and I was more invested in secondary characters and then the main couple.
As for occasional second person narration, it's a pretty cool tool but when smut is written from that perspective I'm not a fan XD considering I didn't like Cole and sentences like "you kiss him" didn't do it for me XP
I like Leta Blake but this story didn't work for me. I liked the idea (poor Alex) but the plot could be told in like once sentence XDD I get that it's a short story but a lot of parts seemed to be leading to something I and then nothing would happen lol
And I also did like Cole. He didn't feel like a convincing reason for his dude to come back. Idk he felt off and I was more invested in secondary characters and then the main couple.
As for occasional second person narration, it's a pretty cool tool but when smut is written from that perspective I'm not a fan XD considering I didn't like Cole and sentences like "you kiss him" didn't do it for me XP
November 11, 2021
I had to sleep on it first. Then, I write the damn thing and it gets deleted. Blasted GR.
Cole is a young man, a virgin, who meets and falls in love with Damon, a sexy, egotistical doctor. They date for some time but don't do the deed. It becomes important later on, the virginity thing.
These men have one important thing in common, their good friend Alex, who needs a new heart.
There is an accident, Damon dies, and Alex receives his heart. It's the end of Damon, or is it?
Creepy possessive love, that is our story. And, the lengths of acceptance of all things horrific to keep that love.
Very Poe like, macabre, horrific and gothic. These are the good parts.
Alex loses his mind and body. Slow and torturous, the madness in knowing you are turning into someone else and you can't stop it. Alex is consumed by Damon and he's gone. The end, at least of the good parts.
Cole and Damon are reunited. They struggle over the loss of Alex for like, a minute, then they get down to the business of Cole's virginity. Every which way you can, over and over, day in and day out, only coming up for air to buy more condoms.
A romance? Hardly. I found their love to be creepy and weird. Cole was nuts and Damon a jerk. What the hell about Alex? Can you think of him while you're boinking all over the place? No, it's all about your all consuming, everlasting love. Gives you the heebie-jeebies.
And then it ends with 'and they lived HEA' in Cabo. Blah, blah, blah. Non-Poe like and more like a Harlequin. That was a huge disappointment. It's a horror story after all. I was looking for a big surprise and got the beach. Maybe Cole carted off in a straight jacket when he wakes in bed one day laying next to Alex. That it was all a horrible dream as Cole sits in the insane asylum for murdering Alex.
Now, cue the Vincent Price laughter.
😈
Cole is a young man, a virgin, who meets and falls in love with Damon, a sexy, egotistical doctor. They date for some time but don't do the deed. It becomes important later on, the virginity thing.
These men have one important thing in common, their good friend Alex, who needs a new heart.
There is an accident, Damon dies, and Alex receives his heart. It's the end of Damon, or is it?
Creepy possessive love, that is our story. And, the lengths of acceptance of all things horrific to keep that love.
Very Poe like, macabre, horrific and gothic. These are the good parts.
Alex loses his mind and body. Slow and torturous, the madness in knowing you are turning into someone else and you can't stop it. Alex is consumed by Damon and he's gone. The end, at least of the good parts.
Cole and Damon are reunited. They struggle over the loss of Alex for like, a minute, then they get down to the business of Cole's virginity. Every which way you can, over and over, day in and day out, only coming up for air to buy more condoms.
A romance? Hardly. I found their love to be creepy and weird. Cole was nuts and Damon a jerk. What the hell about Alex? Can you think of him while you're boinking all over the place? No, it's all about your all consuming, everlasting love. Gives you the heebie-jeebies.
And then it ends with 'and they lived HEA' in Cabo. Blah, blah, blah. Non-Poe like and more like a Harlequin. That was a huge disappointment. It's a horror story after all. I was looking for a big surprise and got the beach. Maybe Cole carted off in a straight jacket when he wakes in bed one day laying next to Alex. That it was all a horrible dream as Cole sits in the insane asylum for murdering Alex.
Now, cue the Vincent Price laughter.
😈
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2020
From the very first paragraph, this author set the stage for a spingle-tingling and chilling romance unlike anything I've ever read. This story is certainly not for the faint of heart, but if you're willing to blur the limits of science and explore how all-consuming and twisted love can be, you're in for a fascinating ride.
I thought the choice to have Alex's narrative in second-person present was fantastic. I've never reacted to a prologue so intensely, but every unexplainable and subtly horrific thing that happened to Alex felt so terrifyingly real that I almost couldn't stand it. A darkly curious part of me wanted to dig deeper into his torment and find out more about exactly what happened, but I think it's for the best that some of my questions were left unanswered. Even without knowing every last detail, I was absolutely captivated by the promise of what was coming next.
The majority of this book is about Cole and Damon coming to terms with their new reality and figuring out if there's a path forward for them to be together. It would have been easy for Cole to get lost in the fantasy of having Damon back in his life, but I really appreciated that he questioned what he was seeing and dealt with the harsh truth of what happened. There's definitely something twisted about how stoic Damon and Cole were about it all, but it also showed how powerful and greedy their love truly was. I could never get fully invested in the steamy moments in this book, because I was still reeling from just how dark the reality of their situation was, but I certainly can't deny that Damon and Cole are meant to be together.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
I thought the choice to have Alex's narrative in second-person present was fantastic. I've never reacted to a prologue so intensely, but every unexplainable and subtly horrific thing that happened to Alex felt so terrifyingly real that I almost couldn't stand it. A darkly curious part of me wanted to dig deeper into his torment and find out more about exactly what happened, but I think it's for the best that some of my questions were left unanswered. Even without knowing every last detail, I was absolutely captivated by the promise of what was coming next.
The majority of this book is about Cole and Damon coming to terms with their new reality and figuring out if there's a path forward for them to be together. It would have been easy for Cole to get lost in the fantasy of having Damon back in his life, but I really appreciated that he questioned what he was seeing and dealt with the harsh truth of what happened. There's definitely something twisted about how stoic Damon and Cole were about it all, but it also showed how powerful and greedy their love truly was. I could never get fully invested in the steamy moments in this book, because I was still reeling from just how dark the reality of their situation was, but I certainly can't deny that Damon and Cole are meant to be together.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
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September 26, 2023La dernière fois que j'ai lu un titre de Leta Blake, je suis un peu restée coi devant une histoire complètement wtf mais, malgré tout, pas mal du tout, et bien... REBELOTE 😂
Vous êtes Alex, survivant après un accident de voiture où son cousin Damon a péri et qui vit maintenant avec son cœur. Plusieurs semaines plus tard, ça ne va plus, vous voyez des choses qui ne viennent pas de vous, ressentez des sensations qui ne sont pas les vôtres et avez des compétences qui ne vous appartiennent pas. Et puis, vous disparaissez...
Alors, déjà, c'est un double vue, l'un où vous incarnez Alex puis Damon (attendez, j'explique plus tard) et l'autre où c'est Cole qui survit depuis la perte de son amant. Si au début, ça peut être déstabilisant, au final, ça donne un côté un peu original à l'histoire qui détonne un peu de la romance habituelle.
Mais alors, que se passe-t-il ici ? Et bien, ce sera une histoire de réincarnation un peu morbide, d'un amour retrouvé et de beaucoup de sexe.
Parce oui, pareil que dans l'autre, à un moment, le récit vrille et les deux protagonistes se sautent dessus pour rattraper le temps perdu.
Globalement, j'ai trouvé ça tellement fascinant, déroutant et même un peu dérangeant mais l'expérience était bien à faire. Ça ne plaira pas à tout le monde, mais si vous êtes aventureux, alors cette romance pourra vous plaire. Et puis, ce n'est pas trop long 😏
Entre deuil, réincarnation, désir inassouvis et amour plus fort que tout, découvre le nouveau Leta Blake dès à présent !
Vous êtes Alex, survivant après un accident de voiture où son cousin Damon a péri et qui vit maintenant avec son cœur. Plusieurs semaines plus tard, ça ne va plus, vous voyez des choses qui ne viennent pas de vous, ressentez des sensations qui ne sont pas les vôtres et avez des compétences qui ne vous appartiennent pas. Et puis, vous disparaissez...
Alors, déjà, c'est un double vue, l'un où vous incarnez Alex puis Damon (attendez, j'explique plus tard) et l'autre où c'est Cole qui survit depuis la perte de son amant. Si au début, ça peut être déstabilisant, au final, ça donne un côté un peu original à l'histoire qui détonne un peu de la romance habituelle.
Mais alors, que se passe-t-il ici ? Et bien, ce sera une histoire de réincarnation un peu morbide, d'un amour retrouvé et de beaucoup de sexe.
Parce oui, pareil que dans l'autre, à un moment, le récit vrille et les deux protagonistes se sautent dessus pour rattraper le temps perdu.
Globalement, j'ai trouvé ça tellement fascinant, déroutant et même un peu dérangeant mais l'expérience était bien à faire. Ça ne plaira pas à tout le monde, mais si vous êtes aventureux, alors cette romance pourra vous plaire. Et puis, ce n'est pas trop long 😏
Entre deuil, réincarnation, désir inassouvis et amour plus fort que tout, découvre le nouveau Leta Blake dès à présent !
October 9, 2020
this was heartbreaking and horrible in spots and amazing and well written in the entire thing.. the emotions were raw and real and amazing. it was a fast paced read and passionate. very good
October 6, 2020
Wow
Idk if I liked this book or hated it. But it definitely deserves 5 stars for the way it’s made me feel after I finished it. It’s definitely a must read!
Idk if I liked this book or hated it. But it definitely deserves 5 stars for the way it’s made me feel after I finished it. It’s definitely a must read!
October 7, 2020
Hearts are love
This was a emotional story. I was so saddened for Cole and his loss and when Damons heart in placed in Alex it shows its love for Cole. It was emotionally up and down but in the end they are together and thats what matters most.
This was a emotional story. I was so saddened for Cole and his loss and when Damons heart in placed in Alex it shows its love for Cole. It was emotionally up and down but in the end they are together and thats what matters most.
October 25, 2020
3.5 stars. Interesting but feel like it could have been resolved easier with cosmetic surgery
October 10, 2020
This book is atmospheric. The moment I started it, I could feel the chills and the impending horror and the book has that all-pervasive ambience of spookiness.
This book starts off really strong because we begin in Alex's head and the horror and Frankenstein-ish element was really strong in his narrative. It really set the tone for the book and the writing was phenomenal as Alex's horror and his fear is tangible throughout the chapter, which really emphasized that feeling of other-ness.
Unfortunately, the book didn't carry forward this momentum given how strongly it started. Because immediately after this wonderful prologue we take a time leap and switch perspectives to Cole and from that point onwards the story focuses on him and his relationship with Damon.
I feel like the story could have been much better if we had followed Alex because he was a really interesting character and he was the one who captured my imagination but the fact that he is just an afterthought for much of the remainder of the book felt like a missed opportunity because in my opinion if there was atleast a hint of a struggle it would have made the stakes that much higher and would have also made their relationship that much more perverse.
The book does highlight their love for each other and the absolute limits they are both willing to go for the other while managing to somewhat horrify you to the extent of their enthusiasm to preserve their relationship but I could have used more.
This was a pretty interesting read with a supernatural gothic romance and it was very different from anything I have ever read before. I'm glad I read it even though I was left wanting it to be a bit more.
This book starts off really strong because we begin in Alex's head and the horror and Frankenstein-ish element was really strong in his narrative. It really set the tone for the book and the writing was phenomenal as Alex's horror and his fear is tangible throughout the chapter, which really emphasized that feeling of other-ness.
Unfortunately, the book didn't carry forward this momentum given how strongly it started. Because immediately after this wonderful prologue we take a time leap and switch perspectives to Cole and from that point onwards the story focuses on him and his relationship with Damon.
I feel like the story could have been much better if we had followed Alex because he was a really interesting character and he was the one who captured my imagination but the fact that he is just an afterthought for much of the remainder of the book felt like a missed opportunity because in my opinion if there was atleast a hint of a struggle it would have made the stakes that much higher and would have also made their relationship that much more perverse.
The book does highlight their love for each other and the absolute limits they are both willing to go for the other while managing to somewhat horrify you to the extent of their enthusiasm to preserve their relationship but I could have used more.
This was a pretty interesting read with a supernatural gothic romance and it was very different from anything I have ever read before. I'm glad I read it even though I was left wanting it to be a bit more.
October 8, 2020
*** 3.5 Stars - Dark and Intense ***
It is a true Halloween story - dark and intense. There is nothing sweet about this book - it is bold, twisted and passionate. Damon's heart took over Alex's body with a brutal force to come back to the man he loves. And when Cole finally believes in Damon's return - nothing else matters. He will do anything to secure their future together.
I was drawn into the story and couldn't put the book down from start to finish. But at the end it left me unsettled - MCs got their happy ending but somebody else had to pay the highest price for it.
It was one of those stories you can't forget, the one to make you think and feel. But the feelings are not necessary good so rounded down
It is a true Halloween story - dark and intense. There is nothing sweet about this book - it is bold, twisted and passionate. Damon's heart took over Alex's body with a brutal force to come back to the man he loves. And when Cole finally believes in Damon's return - nothing else matters. He will do anything to secure their future together.
I was drawn into the story and couldn't put the book down from start to finish. But at the end it left me unsettled - MCs got their happy ending but somebody else had to pay the highest price for it.
It was one of those stories you can't forget, the one to make you think and feel. But the feelings are not necessary good so rounded down
October 27, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Raise Up, Heart has a fantastical (and somewhat horrifying) premise that is revealed pretty clearly in the blurb, and even more so in the opening prologue. That said, if you want to go into the story totally cold, be aware that there is no way to write this review without revealing that premise. So if that is you, just know the book is great and check it out. For everyone else…
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Raise Up, Heart has a fantastical (and somewhat horrifying) premise that is revealed pretty clearly in the blurb, and even more so in the opening prologue. That said, if you want to go into the story totally cold, be aware that there is no way to write this review without revealing that premise. So if that is you, just know the book is great and check it out. For everyone else…
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
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October 25, 2021There are a couple of things Leta Blake does that I know are not up my alley so I generally stay away from them. One is werewolves with mpreg, the other is paranormal of the “so my lover came back from the dead under some pretty bizarre circumstances” ilk (learned my lesson from Any Given Lifetime). This story about a dead man whose transplanted heart (with his consciousness attached, somehow) takes over and transforms the donee’s body so he can get back to his grieving lover fell into the latter category. I’m not going to rate it because I pretty much knew going in that it wouldn’t be my cuppa and only read it because it was a freebie.
There are aspects of this I appreciated – I liked the heavily Poe-influenced vibe, and it was well-written, with a sinister, haunting atmosphere. Parts of it are in second person, which I know is a hard sell for a lot of people, but I actually quite enjoy it if it’s well done, which this was.
But that’s pretty much the end of my short pros list. The main con (for me) is… well, I guess the murdering someone just to be with your boo aspect?? Not only does Damon kill a man – in an obviously protracted, horrible, psychologically torturous fashion, slowly erasing his struggling consciousness and changing his body – but neither he nor Cole seem to have much of a problem with it at all. So an innocent person has been gruesomely choked out of their own existence, oh well, too bad, let’s bang? Okay, guys, you do you but I can’t root for you, lol.
There are aspects of this I appreciated – I liked the heavily Poe-influenced vibe, and it was well-written, with a sinister, haunting atmosphere. Parts of it are in second person, which I know is a hard sell for a lot of people, but I actually quite enjoy it if it’s well done, which this was.
But that’s pretty much the end of my short pros list. The main con (for me) is… well, I guess the murdering someone just to be with your boo aspect?? Not only does Damon kill a man – in an obviously protracted, horrible, psychologically torturous fashion, slowly erasing his struggling consciousness and changing his body – but neither he nor Cole seem to have much of a problem with it at all. So an innocent person has been gruesomely choked out of their own existence, oh well, too bad, let’s bang? Okay, guys, you do you but I can’t root for you, lol.
July 16, 2025
2.5⭐
I love gothic stories, so I also loved the opening chapter. It was creepy and full of dread. And I got a bit invested in Alex. Which was intentional I'm sure, to make us readers care about him at least a little bit. But this decision sort of backfired with me. I got into the mood of the building dread and following Alex, and then we skipped two years. I felt cheated. All the good stuff I had been looking forward to was already gone.
I also would have preferred this story to be about Alex (adding tags just in case for something the book is not about) . I think I could have dealth with one of these disappointments but with both of them... these skewed expectations made me feel disconnected from the main couple. It really didn't help that I hadn't seen a glimpse of them together before the accident.
I just didn't really feel their burning passion. Even all the regrets felt a bit hollow. They're saying/thinking "I'm such a monster, I should feel worse, more conflicted" and I guess they're sort of right, I'm not feeling enough conflict here. But I don't feel that they are monsters either. I'm a bit bored, to be honest.
But the book's not badly written, and I liked some parts of it. I don't know. I wish I had been able to read it without having my expectations direct me wrong, maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
I love gothic stories, so I also loved the opening chapter. It was creepy and full of dread. And I got a bit invested in Alex. Which was intentional I'm sure, to make us readers care about him at least a little bit. But this decision sort of backfired with me. I got into the mood of the building dread and following Alex, and then we skipped two years. I felt cheated. All the good stuff I had been looking forward to was already gone.
I also would have preferred this story to be about Alex (adding tags just in case for something the book is not about) . I think I could have dealth with one of these disappointments but with both of them... these skewed expectations made me feel disconnected from the main couple. It really didn't help that I hadn't seen a glimpse of them together before the accident.
I just didn't really feel their burning passion. Even all the regrets felt a bit hollow. They're saying/thinking "I'm such a monster, I should feel worse, more conflicted" and I guess they're sort of right, I'm not feeling enough conflict here. But I don't feel that they are monsters either. I'm a bit bored, to be honest.
But the book's not badly written, and I liked some parts of it. I don't know. I wish I had been able to read it without having my expectations direct me wrong, maybe I would have enjoyed it more.
October 5, 2020
When Cole lost his lover in a car crash he is absolutely shattered and broken. But his cousin, Alex survived and had Damon's heart transplanted into him.
After the transplant, things start to change for Alex. His memories are not his own and neither are his fleeting thoughts or the strange things he's been feeling lately.
But slowly Cole starts changing physically and slowly morphing into something not of his own.
Will Cole get his lover back from the depths of the grave? Will they get a second chance at love?
I absolutely loved this second chance, gothic romance. The concept of the story was compelling. As with all Leta Blake's books there was steam and so much passion! I was genuinely mesmerized by the author's ability to tell this beautiful story.
I adored this book. It's perfect for this time of year too!
After the transplant, things start to change for Alex. His memories are not his own and neither are his fleeting thoughts or the strange things he's been feeling lately.
But slowly Cole starts changing physically and slowly morphing into something not of his own.
Will Cole get his lover back from the depths of the grave? Will they get a second chance at love?
I absolutely loved this second chance, gothic romance. The concept of the story was compelling. As with all Leta Blake's books there was steam and so much passion! I was genuinely mesmerized by the author's ability to tell this beautiful story.
I adored this book. It's perfect for this time of year too!
October 12, 2020
Raise Up, Heart is the perfect read for this time of year! Even death can't keep these lovers apart.
When Cole lost Damon to a car accident his grief is beyond compare. When his heart is transplanted into his cousin strange things start to occur.
This second chance, gothic romance will capture your attention from the first page and not let up until you reach the end.
This novella packs quite the punch!
When Cole lost Damon to a car accident his grief is beyond compare. When his heart is transplanted into his cousin strange things start to occur.
This second chance, gothic romance will capture your attention from the first page and not let up until you reach the end.
This novella packs quite the punch!
April 22, 2021
Leta, Leta, Leta, I think I'm a bit in love with you.
This story is twisted and a little bit sick and filled with a deep sense of sadness and pain and love. A love so strong that not even death can stop it.
Parts Edgar Allan Poe and parts Mary Shelley, with a bit of Stephen King and Shirley Jackson throw in for good measure.
Tightly plotted and well written, this book is a page turner that does not disappoint.
All that is missing are Alex's journals, now those I would love to read!
This story is twisted and a little bit sick and filled with a deep sense of sadness and pain and love. A love so strong that not even death can stop it.
Parts Edgar Allan Poe and parts Mary Shelley, with a bit of Stephen King and Shirley Jackson throw in for good measure.
Tightly plotted and well written, this book is a page turner that does not disappoint.
All that is missing are Alex's journals, now those I would love to read!
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