Bleeding Hearts: True love bites... (Drake Chronicles) [Paperback]

I was so excited when this book arrived in the post for me to review from Bloomsbury! I was a latecomer to the Drake Chronicles series, but am actually glad of that now! I don't think I could have waited in between books to find out what was going to happen. I am so lucky to have read the first four books in the space of a week!

Bleeding Hearts is told from Lucy, Connor and Christabel's points of view. Which is a little different this time around, the past 3 books have only been told from two characters points of view. I liked this little change as it was nice to hear from Lucy again, I hadn't read her point of view since way back in book one.

Christabel is Lucy's cousin, who is living with Lucy for the time being. Although Lucy hasn't told her anything about the Drakes or vampires. Instead she lets her cousin think that her parents are just really strict because there are gangs in Violet Hill, so they both have a sunset curfew. Christabel is mistaken for Lucy and kidnapped by the new Hel-Bar leader. Connor Drake who is falling for Christabel goes after her which soon finds them both trapped in an impossible situation and neither of them know if they will survive.

I really enjoyed all the little quirks that Christabel has, especially her passion for reading! She is a really great new addition to the series and I'm looking forward to reading more about her and Connor in the future!
We do see some more of our other favourite couples in this book as well, Lucy and Nicholas, Solange and Kieran, Isabeau and Logan, Hunter and Quinn.

I'm really starting to feel like every single Drake brother is going to fall in love before this series comes to an end, I really cannot wait to see who the rest of the brothers are going to fall for!

The ending of this book left me completely shocked!
Lucy has made a completely life changing decision and Solange leaves the reader on a complete cliff-hanger!
I really cannot believe the book ended like that, I need book 5 pronto!!

For fans of Alyxandra Harvey then it's common knowledge that this is the fourth in the series, for those who haven't, take heed and read the first three!
With so many vampire books out there and with so many romantic storylines I'm here to tell you that this series is completely different to all the other vampire books out there and I know with the cover and the synopsis you'd probably be expecting a book heavy on romance, but honestly there is much more to it:

'Lucy's cousin Christabel has come to live in Violet Hill, and adjusting to the difference between life in a small mountain town and her home in the city is difficult enough. The strict curfew that Lucy's parents enforce is the worst part. Something really dangerous couldn't possibly happen in this tiny town.
But Christabel has noticed some mysterious happenings, and it seems like Lucy, her boyfriend Nicholas and his brother Connor are all in on a secret that Christabel doesn't understand--one that seems deadly serious. Although she won't admit it, Christabel would love to be in on any secret with Connor Drake.
But when she is kidnapped by the ruthless Hel-Blar vampires, Christabel must cause more and more trouble in Violet Hill, Lucy and Connor finally fill Christabel in on all the undead drama. Together, they must find a way to stamp out the Hel-Blar for good.'

Yes, there really is a lovely romance story in this but there's also an amazing plot that will keep you enthralled from beginning to end.
Christabel breaths new life into the story and it was intriguing watching her exist in the Drake's world while being completely oblivious to the truth of the existence of vampires. Watching her fall in love with a vampire was just as amazing, especially as she discovers the truth and learns to deal with it in her own way.
The action never lets up either and from the moment Christabel is kidnapped, the pace is relentless and I was turning the pages at ultra speed to discover what happened next.

There were a lot of plot twists throughout and I found it intriguing that there was more to learn regarding the Hel-Blar and how they come into being. Let me just say that everything even the Drakes thought they knew was thrown into question, but then I love that about these books, you can never predict what will happen. And the cliffhanger at the end will, I'm sure, have fans really annoyed yet utterly dying for the next book.

Kidnappings aside and the drama that is now ensuing with Solange (I wanted to slap her at various points in the book), there is no end of humour especially with Lucy and her mothers amusing habit of promoting safe sex to her daughter and the Drake brothers are just as funny, especially Nicholas and his over-protectiveness of Lucy. And its not just the individual characters that are funny but also Miss Harvey's writing style which seems to flow between very funny and into a more serious tone (when needed) with complete ease. I can't say whether she finds writing a difficult thing, but if she does, it doesn't show.

And finally for the romance. I don't know what it was about Christabel and her growing relationship with connor but it didn't feel as in-depth as the others at first, maybe because of the circumstances and the fact that so many other things were happening, but by the end I was just as fond of Connor and Christabel as I was the others. Having said that, it is a very good sign when the romance doesn't eclipse a very intriguing and thrilling story. By the end of the novel their relationship ends up very different to most of the others in the series, but I won't say how because I'd have to post spoilers.
What I will say is I will keep reading this series and keep worshipping the Drake boys, shame most of them are taken now...sigh.

Bleeding Hearts starts a few months after Out for Blood, in which the blood moon is fast approaching, Lucy is feeling isolated and abandoned by the Drakes and Lucy's cousin Christabel is coming to town

I really liked finding out more about the Hel-Blar and how there society works. I also liked how Lucy is back as a main character and how the past two books has affected as a person.

My favourite character in this book is Connor as I totally get his sense of humour and we like similar stuff as him, as in I get the Firefly and Star Wars references and I read fantasy books because the good guys always win like him.

However I did not connect with Christabel as while we both like reading, I felt all of her characteristics were not realistic and were only there to create obstacles. I also felt no spark between Connor and Christabel as it did not seem they would like each other that way in real life and this was disappointing as this was the relationship I was looking forward to, however Nicholas and Lucy's relationship made up for it.

This book felt a bit like a middle book and end on a cliff-hanger which will make you itch to pick up Blood Moon straight away. I would recommend this book to all who liked the rest of Harvey's books.