Review Tour: Wounded Soul by Annabelle Jacobs



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link 

Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Length: 89,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Blurb

One night can change everything…


Jesse Sykes has lived far longer than his youthful appearance suggests. Becoming a vampire after tragedy struck seemed the only option when his soul was shattered, after all he’s no stranger to having to hide what he is from the rest of the world. But eternal life isn’t without problems or heartache.

With a good job and great friends, Ian Moreton’s life would be almost perfect—if only he wasn’t in love with his best friend. His feelings are unrequited, and in an effort to move on, he takes a chance on a one-night stand with the handsome stranger he meets in a bar.

Jesse knows the risks of becoming attached to a human, but with neither of them looking for anything serious, where’s the harm? At least, that’s what Jesse thinks until his chemistry with Ian proves off the charts.

A second hook-up solidifies their connection…and brings Jesse to his senses. He scrambles to protect Ian from danger, but it’s already too late. With Ian unwittingly drawn into a world he knows nothing about, events are set in motion that will change both of their lives forever, and it’s up to Jesse to steer them safely through it.

Todd's review:




A vampire walks into a gay bar... After years of pining for his best friend, when unrequited-love-struck Ian was finally given a fairly-harsh reality check by his best gal pal, his decision to take someone home for the night unknowingly changed his life. Forever. 

Jesse had been a vampire since the 1950's, but was still getting over the love of his human life. He was no stranger to hookups, but he'd never felt that *spark* of romantic attraction with anyone else. 

Until Ian. The book started out pretty hot and heavy in the steam department, as the pair hooked up twice. Then the possessive vampire who had sired Jesse began to interfere, with deadly consequences for Ian. 

A lot of this story reminded me of Jacobs' previous book, "Bitten by Mistake". But with vampires. Not in a bad way, but the feeling of déjà vu was there, nonetheless. 

As with that previous book, The Big Bad was someone in a position of power over the paranormally-blessed MC, and would go to any length to get what he wanted, how he wanted it, and when he wanted it. 

In spite of the intense feeling of plot line familiarity, I really enjoyed seeing Ian and Jesse bond, then work their way through another "accidental" turning from human to non-human, then the efforts to keep Ian alive while being stalked by The Big Bad and his henchmen. 



Albert barely strayed from the old tried and true "this is how vampirism works" mythology (sunlight, silver, stakes, strength and speed), which was a slight disappointment, as my last read, "Nox" by Adrienne Wilder, took almost every expected rule for werewolves and set them on their edge with exciting and satisfying results. 

But even with the bit of predictability, I was on the edge of my seat watching the calculated chess game between the good and bad guys play out, especially when the final moves were made. 

And The Big Bad in this story? He was one of the most ruthless, plotting, vicious characters I've read in a while, so I was thrilled when Jesse finally realized that the asshat would never stop, and decided that a final, *permanent* solution was the only way forward. 

Before the HEA, there was one short separation, but Jacobs blessedly avoided using The Big Misunderstanding as a means of introducing more drama, for which I am always profoundly grateful. 

I'd say that this story contained a moderate amount of feels, enough to feel organic and genuine, but not enough to induce Wookiee Cry Face. 

So I'd recommend this 4 star book to anyone looking for a bit of vampy action, while not venturing too far from previous fanged hero tales that they've read.


** A free copy of this book was provided by the tour organizer in exchange for an honest review. **

About the author:

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They're usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

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