A review by booksafety
Lore & Lust by Karla Nikole

5.0

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

This is heaven. He has never given heaven much thought. Never questioned whether or not it exists, but this is it. Here, in the warm firelight of this bedroom and kissing Haruka, is absolute paradise.

With a cover this freaking beautiful and a blurb that speaks to me like this one did, actually feeling like the content lives up to the expectations is rare, but this turned out to be even better than I hoped. Without a doubt my new favorite vampire romance, and I haven’t even read book 2 yet. The characters were both complicated and felt like complete, complex people. The development of their relationship was so gosh darn charming and believable. Their chemistry was off the charts, and every kiss and touch between them gave me butterflies and had me kicking my feet with giddiness.

Nearly every book I read is spicy, but this one was full of intimacy and sensuality. It just brought a completely different level to the sex, and it was a real treat to read.

I would have loved to learn more about the vampire species in general, just the general lore, you know? But even with not knowing everything, it was brilliant. What a talented writer, and I can’t wait to read more. So happy I discovered these!

Haruka rests his body down against him, exhaling a muffled moan from the satisfaction of his own arousal being pressed into Nino’s naked warmth. They slow the rhythm of the kiss, the affection turning more playful as they lie together against the cool sheets.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Urban fantasy
Vampires
Cultural diversity
Strangers to friends to lovers
Aristocracy
Magical powers
Slow burn
Book 1 of 2

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Blood consumption
Explicit sexual content
Social class differences
Death of parents (off page, past)
MC’s family member force feeding on him as a child (past, off page)
MC sexually harassed
Attempted assault on MC by SC
Graphic violence
MC cheated on in the past (not by other MC)
Alcohol consumption

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Paranormal/urban fantasy romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 101 and 112
Series: Duology
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 284


(Haruka doesn’t exercise at all though. He hates it. Especially running. He told Nino that running should be strictly reserved for emergencies.).

“Please do not try so hard to alter yourself,” Haruka says. As he speaks, Nino lifts his head and opens his vivid eyes. “I feel that you are lovely now. Just as you are.”

Happiness feels so foreign to him. Awkward—as if he’s suddenly wearing his shoes on the wrong feet. He doesn’t know how to settle into this feeling.

What is he supposed to do? How can he stop this feeling from consuming him? He knew it was there from the moment he first met Haruka—like the tiniest ember glowing deep within him. Now, the ember is a full-grown flame and he doesn’t know how to snuff it out.

Everything about Haruka registers as cool and refreshing. As if nature has uniquely cultivated him from its most beautiful elements—spring rain, the starry midnight skies and roses in full bloom.



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