Title: The Healer

Heat Level: 5/5

Genre/subgenre: Paranormal Romance

Target audience (age group, reader type): Adult

Word count or page count: 90668

Release date: Aug-19

Publisher: Sevannah Storm

​

Series info: The Blood of Legends 2

 

Short blurb: A traumatized human doctor falls for an alpha shifter who only likes her for the blood flowing in her veins. But to the shifter, she's far more than a substitute. She's his mate.

​

One-line hook or taglines:

"He craves her blood. She dares him to crave her soul."
"He craves her blood. His body wants more."
"One touch. One taste. Now she’s all he wants."
"He thought her blood would free him. Her body, her scent, her soul—that’s what enslaved him."

 

Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/bxkVeo

​

Excerpts:

Standing in the middle of the snowed-over road was a naked man…holding her abandoned boot.
She closed her eyes, questioning her sanity. “No way would there be a naked man out in this weather.”
He strolled balls to the wind to the passenger side.
When the door opened, she gaped.
Tall, broad-shouldered with brown hair to his collarbone, his muscles rippled across his massive chest, catching the light.
He settled his blue gaze on her with the frame of the door hiding a certain part of his anatomy she shouldn’t be eager to see.
“Your boot, ma’am.”

“Rhys.” She glared at him. “Do you never listen?”
His bear growled at her open disrespect.
He wondered how she knew this grizzly was him. He made a note to ask her. Later.
He changed to human to talk to her, resting his hands on his hips.
“You aren’t warm enough, woman. You’re worth nothing if you’re dead.”
She blinked at him, her gaze traveling over his naked body.
The fact she wiped her goggles to get a better look made him want to laugh.

She tightened her fingers on her thighs against the silly urge to stroke his beard. “And you are?” He arched a brow. “Well, I can keep calling you Neanderthal, Mr. Naked, Mr. Balls-to-the-wind, but I have a feeling you might prefer your name.” His chuckle rumbled from his belly, vibrating along her side. “Rhys.”

She hadn’t expected a kiss. His lips were dry, soft, hot, but the moment he slipped in his velvet-like tongue, she melted. The demanding way he conquered her mouth scattered her thoughts. With a sweep of his tongue, he claimed her. “Kissing you is better than I imagined.” He feathered kisses along her jawline then swooped in to claim her lips again.

“I’m not making love to you until you agree to date me, Lona.” “What?” She faced him. “Why?” “I want all of you, not just your body.” He closed his eyes as pain twisted his features. When his eyelids fluttered open, a desire smoldered in their depths.

“What are you doing?” His thick voice raised the hairs along the back of her neck. His navel trembled when she placed a wet kiss there. “Making love to my boyfriend.” He stretched, and the lamp illuminated them, but she looked nowhere else but at him, at his wide eyes, at the slow smile sauntering across those sensual lips. “We’re dating?” He paused, with his long fingers wrapped around her upper arms. “You’re not just saying that to get laid?”

“Say you’re mine.” His expression softened and tugged at her heart threads. She smirked. “You’re mine.” He arched his back as he laughed. The sound was so joyful, she smiled in earnest. “At last.” Swooping in, he snatched a kiss that curled her toes.

​

Reader reviews:

​

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read!
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2022
Ilona has her world collapse. The story of her struggle to build a new life is very good. Rhys' entrance into her life sure had me smiling! Her new life is surely a surprise with all the shifters plus an unknown grandfather. I loved the ending!

​

5.0 out of 5 stars The doc won't know what hit her! More than once!
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2023
Oh man you think you know where your life is headed, you have it all figured out but like a game of poker they flip over some more cards and the hand you thought you had is clearly different! Ilona is in for it. This story takes her through so many emotions before she gets her footing. Rhys is in for a new ride as well in this sequel. As they say when one door closes another one opens. When their world's collide this story picks up at a rapid pace beyond page turning. On the edge of your seat you go through each moment waiting on the first sign of a HEA hoping everything works out. Well read it and find out lol you won't be disappointed!

 

Discussion or book club questions:

​​

Ilona’s identity and self-worth are shaken by her accident. How do her scars—both physical and emotional—shape her choices throughout the novel? Do you think she ever fully regains her confidence?

​

Rhys initially falls for someone else. How does that complicate your feelings toward his pursuit of Ilona? Do you believe love that begins as "mistaken identity" can become real?

 

The mating bond is a key theme. Does the idea of “fated mates” feel romantic or problematic in this context? How does Ilona’s skepticism make the story stronger or more relatable?

 

Both characters are forced to confront what they think they want versus what they need. How do Ilona’s and Rhys’s definitions of love evolve throughout the story?

 

The snowy, remote town setting adds a layer of isolation. In what ways does this setting amplify the stakes, character growth, or tension in the romance?

 

Ilona is thrust into a supernatural world she didn’t choose. How does she navigate her role as a healer in a world of shifters? Would you have made the same choices?

 

Trust is a recurring obstacle. Do you think Rhys truly earns Ilona’s trust by the end? What more could he have done?

 

Family legacy looms large—especially for Ilona. How does being the daughter of two celebrated doctors influence her decisions? Does she rebel, live up to it, or forge her own path?

 

The theme of being “wanted for your blood” is powerful. How does the book explore the difference between being valued for who you are vs. what you are?

 

If this book had a sequel featuring another character from the town or Rhys’s family, who would you want it to follow—and why?

 

Hashtags:#paranormalromance #soulmates #hefallsfirst #shifterromance #bookstagram #romancebooks #romancebookaddict #amreading #romancenovel #romancebookstagram #readmoreromance #romanceblogger #romancereader #romancereadersofbookstagram #romancetbr #romancebooksofig #amreadingromance #romancelandia #romancenoveladdict #romancenovels #romancenoveljunkie #booktok

 

Relevant tropes or keywords:

Soulmates
Shifter
Alpha hero
He falls first
Small town romance