Blood Ties by Lindsay Buroker

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong language


Recently appointed Crown Agents Jev and Zenia must prove that they're worthy of their new jobs and young King Targyon’s trust.

Their mission?

To research the strange “disease of the blood” that killed Targyon’s three cousins and left him unexpectedly ruling an entire kingdom at barely twenty years of age.

There are just a few problems. If someone was responsible for creating that disease, that person could still be in the city, forcing Zenia and Jev to deal with someone very smart and very dangerous. Meanwhile, since Targyon has the same blood flowing through his veins that his cousins had, he’s at risk of becoming the next victim. And as it so happens, Jev shares some of that blood too. Might he become a target before Targyon?

When Jev and Zenia signed on for this job, they didn’t realize how deadly it might become.




I didn't like this book as much as the last one, but it was still pretty enjoyable. The best thing about any Lindsay Buroker book is the witty banter between the characters, and that was present here. I was expecting a bit more action, and based on how the first book ended, more romance, but I think this is going to be a very slow burn romance. There are the usual obstacles in the way to make a romantic relationship difficult, including class differences, so it will be interesting to see how the characters navigate those obstacles.

As for the plot, it was interesting but not as good as it could have been. It felt a bit like a mystery novel in a fantasy setting, whereas the first book felt more like a fantasy adventure. I do love the dwarf character and got a good chuckle whenever he was present. I'm hoping the next book pulls me in more.