Blog Tour Review: Romanov by Samaire Provost

Published by: Black Raven Books

Publication Date: January 24, 2018

Genre: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Page Count: 268

Rating: 3/5

Source: eARC from Xpresso Book Tours

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In an abandoned warehouse in Manhattan, two enemies battle to the death, while outside, a malevolent entity watches and waits and plots, eager for blood. On an island in the heart of Seattle, an immortal princess struggles to lead a normal life just as a flood of terrifying creatures starts to pour in through a portal that should not be there. A young man meets a classmate while walking home from the college library, and embarks on the most dangerous adventure he’s ever known – will he survive? A deranged madman hunts the girl he’s lusted after for a century, in a relentless pursuit for vengeance. A prehistoric, mythical beast jealously guards a primeval land, which is leaking into present-day Seattle. A sweet, forbidden passion blossoms between two lovers who steal moments whenever they can, while unbeknownst to them, they’re hunted by a deadly creature.

A royal family threatened at its weakest – yet lethal in its own right – is stalked by an ancient evil that will not rest until they are utterly destroyed: a nightmare incarnate that has waited millions of years for revenge threatens the very existence of the young lovers and their family.

Will they prevail?

I’ve received an eARC for an unbiased and honest review. I want to thank Xpresso Book Tours, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this copy.

Time portals, magic, vampires, dragons, Russian lore, love, death, and romance are all in one book? Are you—and I—reading that correctly? Yes. All of that and more. Now buckle in for this paranormal review.

Anna, Alix, and Alexei, 10one-hundred-year-old vampires, come off the heels of a heartbreaking death. Trying to hide from the vampire who killed their matriarch, they find themselves in Seatle, where Anna develops a budding relationship with Eric. What they don’t know is that something has followed them and is looking for revenge, which may put everyone in danger.

So I signed up for this blog tour on a whim. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve put vampires behind and moved onto other genres and am quite happy that I have. Samaire reminds me why sometimes old genres shouldn’t be left forgotten. With some rough patches, Romanov gives you all the good vampy vibes and offers up a cheesy yet cute romance. Phew, this book is a rollercoaster of a read, which I wasn’t expecting for a vampire story.

Even though I found Romanov a fun and easy read, the multiple POVs threw me off, and I felt confused in some areas. Sometimes the writing and the chapters were choppy and felt somewhat disjointed. A little more tightening in places would have made the story transition much better into each chapter. Samaire introduces a new spin by including the Romanovs (yes, those ones) and Rasputin into the storyline. That backstory surprised me the most and actually boosted my rating.

And the family dynamic is what also makes me like the story. It’s natural and loving, which I always look for in a story. Another feature of this book is the romance between Anna and Eric, a human. Both fall hard, fairly quickly. And even though I wish the romance blossomed more organically and slowly, I enjoyed it nonetheless.

What I enjoy the most is the mythology Samaire incorporates into her writing. You can tell she loves writing paranormal stories. And she gives you plenty of beasties to keep you entertained. I thought adding too many may muddy the book. But I liked them, and they keep the story moving along. You feel the threats and the dangers the Romanov family faces throughout each page. This peril adds good tension. But the vampire lore seems boggled down though. The author includes too many different and conflicting folklore.

Family love, threatening creatures, young romance, and interesting lore are what will attract readers to this quick paranormal read. If you’re looking to get back into the vampire genre, Romanov may be your reason to do so.

Author’s Bio

Samaire Provost lives in California with her husband and son.
Her love of paranormal stories, odd plots, and unique tales as well as the works of Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, Madeleine L’Engle and Stephen King has deeply influenced her writing.

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