Night-blooming Hearts Carnival of Mysteries Anthology
Magic, Bi-Sexual Romance, Vampire Romance, Witches and Wizards
Independent
August 2, 2023
Kindle
200
Amazon
Phoenix sacrificed everything to become one of the greatest necromancers in nightwalker history—including his beauty, though that was by accident rather than design. As beauty is everything to vampires, he has been a pariah ever since, disowned, discarded, and largely forgotten by everyone he once called family and friend.
Nowadays, he lends his skills to sorcerer Jackie Black and the notorious Clan Mordred. If he still feels lonely and isolated, and rejected by the man he'd been stupid enough to think returned his interest, that's his own problem, no one else's. He's used to rejection anyway.
Then his brother shows up on his doorstep begging for help with a blackmail problem—and offering the one thing Phoenix cannot refuse as payment. But if there's one thing he's learned about nightwalkers, it's that nothing is ever as it seems, and problems always get worse before they get better…
Night-blooming Hearts is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries Series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book contains a lonely vampire convinced he's unloveable, a pining cowboy who wants to prove him wrong, and a guaranteed HEA.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Phoenix is a vampire and a necromancer and inside he is beautiful but outside he is scarred and never expects to find lasting love. A spell he was working on exploded leaving his face and body badly scarred and there was nothing that could be done to correct it. The results of this spell not only scarred him externally but internally when his parents threw him out for being ugly and his lover turned her back on him. Alone, no money, no food, no place to live, he is alone in the world. It took a long time before he was able to make money, became known for his necromancy and found friends who overlooked his scars.
He put his hopes on a possible relationship with Jebediah (Jebb), a sorcerer, but when he thought he was finally getting the kiss he hungered for Jebb just up and left, no goodbye and no explanation. He should have known better but he is so hungry for love and his scars are always an obstacle. Then after centuries of being away from his family a knock on the door brings him face to face with his brother Wilhelm. Phoenix only recently discovered that his brother and the girl he loved and believed loved him, Amadea, are getting married. From insult to injury.
Wilhelm is being blackmailed for a murder he committed decades ago, and he asks Phoenix for help in finding whose blackmailing him. He totally expected Phoenix to refuse and throw him out, but he had the one thing he knew he would want, a magic ring that Phoenix always coveted. Phoenix had no idea what he was getting into, but he would soon discover that the ring was not worth it. His first stop is Paris where he tries to get information but is soon followed. He escapes by entering a circus that suddenly appeared. The magic in the circus forced him to enter the funhouse, which is the last place he wants to go; mirrors are not his friend.
Exiting the funhouse, he finds himself home with little information about the blackmailing, but he enlists his friends who are willing to help. Jebb finally admits to Phoenix why he left and once again someone from his past is responsible for him leaving. The people in his past had done all they could to destroy his life and once again they are back to do more damage. Phoenix must go back to Paris only this time Jebb insists on accompanying him. Jebb saved him the last time he was attacked and nearly killed so he won’t make that mistake again and leave Phoenix on his own.
Another unexpected visit to the circus and to the funhouse, only this time the mirrors don’t reveal his ugly face but his memories and most of those memories are not pleasant. Phoenix discovers that the circus is Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, and it would take time before he realized that the carnival was giving him help.
Getting to the discovery of who is doing the blackmailing of his brother would lead to secrets, murders and a figure from his past. Surprises, secrets, lies, betrayals and an attempt at reconciliation that has no chance of happening.
Love this series and look forward to more.
