3 ⭐️ I tried to listen to this audiobook as a standalone, but there are so many world-building things that just didn't make sense to me at all! It was entertaining nonetheless, and it has a HEA feel to it, so I can't really complain.

Short, sweet and to the point! It was nice to see what was happening in the background of the main stories. I liked how the MMC handled the situation and the FMC. Very mature! Narrator is awesome! 4 stars only because it's kind of the same story with just two different people if that makes sense. I still liked it though.

*I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook from the author via Story Origin.*

This book is best read between books six and seven of the Etherya’s Earth series. It tells the story of one of the first female soldiers in the Vampyre Immortal army, Siora, who was brought up on a farm and doesn’t fit the normal mould of many women. She has never thought of having a mate, just in being a warrior and becoming the first ever female battalion leader! General Garridan has been in the army since before the Awakening and has been a bachelor for centuries, never feeling the need for a companion or getting bonded. He has fought beside Latimus since that time long ago and is a good friend, even though he doesn’t take advantage of their friendship. He was brought up as the second son of a high level aristocratic family, thankful he has an older brother, Sebastian, who could take the family lineage onwards and be the aristocratic person his father wants Garridan to act like as well. He gave up his trust fund to the army he lives and breathes for, but found the addition of women in the army hard to handle, forgetting to not call the troops men, which annoys Siora no end. She feels he seems to pick on her all the time and she hates him for it! She is in third place in the running for the battalion leader position and has a tell which Garridan and Latimus pull her up on in her close quarters combat training.

Garridan’s father has wanted him to bond with an aristocratic woman and is pushing him to into a bonding ceremony with Celine, who he has been seeing for some time, but he has no romantic interest in her. He has instead, found himself interested in a certain skilful female in his training group, who he only wants to know better if only she didn’t hate him so! He offers to give her one to one training to help her get rid of her tell, to hopeful give her that push to overcome her opponents in the fight to become one of the new battalion leaders. It takes a few evenings of extra training to finally get rid of her tell, but also getting so much closer to Garridan himself. She dreams of Garridan being her bonded mate and the children they might have together, but she knows the son of an aristocrat would never be with someone like her, especially in public. They don’t exist in anywhere near the same kind of social circles! They can’t deny their chemistry for each other, as she finally accepts he doesn’t hate her, as his body’s reaction to her proves. They have little time until the final battle and training has to intensify. He has to work on making her realise he is serious about being with him, but she denies him the chance to even discuss it, believing hit can never happen. A fundraising event amongst the aristocratic families, brings about a surprising introduction to society for Siora and seeing Garridan there, doesn’t help her feel worthy of him! She will have words about who he was with, but it will only have made her worst fears come to life and she will need to decide if he truly wants her and would give up everything for her, which she still doubts. The final battle may well cement their true feelings for each other, as death could come for any of them, at any minute, against such a dangerous foe. A great ending to this short love story and for female equality in this immortal world. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

*my tagged shelves may include spoilers


Garridan is a general in the Vampyre army. He was born an aristocrat but he wanted to be a soldier so he joined the army. His father, however, wants him to bond with an aristocrat. Specifically, Celine, but Garridan has no romantic feelings for her nor she for him.
Siora grew up on a farm and still lives there with her father. She helps him whenever she can around her duties to the army. She works extra hard to prove herself in training, as one of the first females in the army, and is in the running to become one of the new squadron leaders. I love that Siora is described as tall, muscular, and broad shouldered as a warrior likely would be and she is totally a bad-a$$!
Garridan and Siora butt heads constantly, each of them thinking the other is stubborn and antagonistic.
After some one-on-one training, it starts to become evident to both of them that they may actually feel a bit differently about one another and the sexual tension becomes more than either of them can ignore. Siora believes nothing can come of that long term though since Garridan was born an aristocrat and she was not.
As is often the case, misunderstandings cause a few issues that they need to work out.
Even though this is a novella, there is still plenty of steamy romance! There are definitely more than a couple ways to get a workout in, am I right? ;)
There are also some side plots that you just know are going to be addressed in a later book. I can’t wait!