​I LOVE a good vampire story and this was freaking FANTASTIC! I love the world that was introduced, the characters, the details, the drama, and the passion. It was all so exciting!

Tendra and Athan were awesome. I loved how they met and their interactions. I loved Tendra, she was fierce! I loved her attitude and determination in the midst of this very crazy situation and I thought she was a great heroine. And Athan, oh my! All gruff attitude and devoted to his task I loved how loyal he was. I loved their dialogue, it was incredibly entertaining.

I loved the conflict that Athan was facing as he and Tendra grew closer. I loved watching his attitude lighten up as he started to get to know her and care for her. He was so sweet, protective and sexy. I really enjoyed watching Tendra grow and really find her place. Athan and Tendra were fun together, teasing, and sweet. I loved that growing attraction and heat between the two. They live in such a passionate world, blood and sex seem to go hand in hand, and I love it when that collided for them. Seriously! I was cheering, I was so excited for that moment to finally happen.

I loved all the details of Mission and learning all the ins and outs of how it was set up. I am a big fan of vampire stories and can get kind of picky so I really thought the author did a fantastic job pulling me in to everything and making it feel fresh. I was excited while reading, fascinated by the world and the dynamic. I loved the drama and there were some really excellent fight scene. This was a serious page turner for me.

A great cast of characters was introduced as well as a story that I assume will continue on through the series. I am so thrilled for more. The next book, Blood Veil, is already on my to-read list. Loved the writing and story. I thought it had a great flow and I loved the dual POVs. Great descriptions and details. I am so excited for what's to come!

This story was on the lighter side, entertaining and sexy but it had just the right amount of grit and drama to round it out and make it an excellent read. This was my first Megan Erickson book and it certainly won’t be my last. This was awesome!

This is the first book by Megan Erickson that I have read. It will not be the last. I’m looking forward to reading the next in this series.

This is a great vampire read.

Tendra is awesome. She can kick ass, she’s independent, and she’s sarcastic. She’s my kind of female lead in a book.

Tendra has no clue that vampires are real, until she’s basically kidnapped by Athen.

There are so many secrets that she learns. Her life isn’t what she thought it was. But once she learns from Athen, things start to make more sense to her.

Athen is her blood guard. He needs to get Tendra to his brother safely. Easier said than done though.

Things don’t go as planned.

More secrets come out.

There are some surprises and twists.

I can’t wait for the next one!

I received a copy via Netgalley.

I'm a big lover of Paranormal reads and I'm always on the quest for new books. This book caught my attention but once I started reading it reminded me of another paranormal series that I love. I found myself comparing the two and all the similarities and I got turned off from reading.

This is my first read by Megan Erickson, but it won't be my last. Blood Guard is well-written and engaging. It's not a loaded with action, paranormal romance, but Athan and Tendra's journey is certainly interesting, especially with Tendra's snark and face it head on attitude. The world of the Gregorie vampires and their enemies takes shape as Athan explains Tendra's destiny to her. The chemistry and sexual tension builds and things don't go quite as the noble Athan had planned on their trip to deliver Tendra safely to his brother. Overall, the story is an entertaining romance with the added bonus of suspense, intrigue, political corruption, family loyalty and betrayal, and fan yourself steamy times. I'll be eagerly anticipating the next Mission novel.

This book was so entertaining with great action and adventure that I just couldn't put this book down. There was so many laughing out loud throughout the story, I love that in a book. The story did not have the heroine and hero falling for each other quickly the relationship had the characters building an appropriate pace before there was any sexy time. Fans will see how their circumstances moved for feelings and emotions a real time table before lovers.

The heroine was very realist in her thinking and what action she will take to keep herself alive. She was bold, self aware and a bad-ass at times. The hero believed he was bodyguard and a great fight. I enjoy how he let her stand up for herself and didn't beat her up for making mistakes. It was just lovey seeing how these two belong together even with the prophecy looms over their head.

5 Stars!!!

I was completely blown away with this book! Talk about starting a series with a bang and making me want to read more of it ASAP! This is one of the most amazing paranormal books I've read, be it MF or MM.

Tendra is one kickass heroine and truly, aside from one tiny moment in which I wanted to slap her, she was resourceful, confident, supportive and definitely not your run-of-the-mill helpless female. Athan was absolutely swoon-worthy, even when he was trying to do the right thing and deliver Tendra to his brother. They just had so much chemistry and the love, connection and trust growing between them was so obvious that I was ecstatic that it all played out like it did. Of course, it didn't hurt that Megan Erickson wrote some of the hottest sex scenes that I've ever read between them. *fans self*

Tendra's background and the whole lifeblood storyline was so intriguing and while I guessed who the bad guy was, I was captivated by how it all worked out. I don't want to give much away, because this is a story you need to experience, but there were so many nuances to the plot and I can't wait to read Idris' book, hopefully very soon.

Overall, if you love vampires, MF, fantastic characters and enthralling storylines (and even if you don't, trust me, you don't want to miss this book), you can't go wrong with Blood Guard. A must-read that's going directly to my Favorites.

*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

Let me start with saying this book was absolutely FANGTASTIC!!!! What a way to start a new series Megan Erickson. You have me addicted already and chomping at the bit for more. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT. Sorry for the shouty caps but when you read a book this good you can’t help but end up shouting about it.

This book was like crack to me. I have read it twice since I got my grubby hands on it and it’s calling me for a third read. Yes it’s that good. It’s crackalicious good. Believe me when I say that once you start it, you will not want to put it down. I just could not get enough of the world that the always amazing Megan Erickson has created.

I’m a sucker for vampire stories and when the author announced she was venturing into this genre, I may have squealed loud enough to only be heard by dogs I was so excited. So imagine my delight when the story was even better than I knew it would be and that I would develop a major crush on both the main characters in Tendra and Athan.

Just wait till you meet Athan. Holy panty melter…..OMG. He’s seven foot plus of smoking hot vampire who will knock you on your ass and have you begging for more. He’s undoubtedly one of my favourite vampires ever now. Is my crush showing yet? Sorry, not sorry. Every girl needs a protector like him, *fans self thinking about it*.

As for Tendra, she is hands down my favourite heroine of the year. I loved her from when she almost trips over her cat to the moment she does what she was born for and saves her new race. Toss in her spine of steel and sass and I couldn’t help but fall for her.

During an epic return journey home for Athan and a new home for Tendra, they grow closer than they should, while facing deadly threats popping out of every crevice, a spark and sizzle of chemistry that is off the charts hot and a major case of doubt and you get an unforgettable trip that takes them both to places neither expected but can’t ignore.

I’ve failed to mention the awesome characters they encounter on their interesting trip. Some will make you laugh, some will have you hating them and some will have you goofy grinning when thinking about them.

For me it was a combination of everything, Tendra, Athan, Brex the cat, the fantastic storyline and the epic feel to it that I totally loved. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, I’m hopelessly hooked.

Good gravy, is there anything Megan Erickson can't write?

It appears not.

I mean, I went into this just a tiny bit skeptical. I'm a huge Megan Erickson fan, but it's been a while since I took on a vampire story and I wasn't so sure about the tone of the story when I first picked it up.

And then - it completely hooked me.

I sometimes felt little whispers of Sookie Stackhouse in the writing. The stories aren't particularly similar, but that's how the tone felt to me sometimes. Like a subtle blend of dark and campy. A compelling story that made my heart race and held me on the edge of my seat, but also a tiny bit irreverent in a way that allowed me to giggle on occasion and get swept away in the romance.

I floved Athan in a way that I completely did not expect. Holy hell. Holy hotness. Holy alpha vampire deliciousness. He was perfect. And Ten was perfect for him. It was not difficult to connect to these two - their chemistry was on point and burning up my Kindle from nearly the moment they met. And they were hot, y'all. H-O-T. *fans self* But it was their deeper connection that grabbed hold and kept me reading voraciously - impossible to look away.

Blood Guard was a completely addictive read - sexy, exciting, suspenseful and fun, I couldn't get enough and thank God there's more coming! I want so much more time with the alluring and mysterious Gregorie clan and I Can. Not. Wait. for the next installment! ~ 4.5 Stars

I am new to Megan Erickson writing. And I believe this was a great place to start.
For years you and your mother have been running away from something. You never knew why. You never asked when you became an adult. You just pulled your already packed bag out of the closet and ran. Then she is gone. Killed. And whatever danger that is out there is now unknown to you. But you are always on your guard. Keeping aware of your surroundings as if you would know the possible danger. Nothing could have prepared you for the seven feet, muscle packing, fast action vampire that captures you one night. The blood that courses through your veins have been in the making for ten centuries and finally, you carry the correct potency to make his vampire race the strongest of them all. But do you have the strength, the will, the need to become the savior of all mankind? Because without your blood mankind becomes cattle for all the other vampire races. Tendra did not ask for this. Athan was trained to be the Blood Guard to bring her to his people. Others want to stop him. Neither of them was prepared for what will happen on their travels. The need to save the capture becomes the need to save oneself.

'Blood Guard' by Megan Erickson is the First Book in the New Series called "Mission'. This is the story of Tendra and Athan.
Athan is the Guard sent to bring Tendra home to his brother Idris. Tendra just lost her mother and is just getting over that but she has also been thinking of moving. Tendra and her mom moved all the time when her mom was given 'signs' that it was time to move. Tendra has no ideal that she is a Sanguivita. Tendra mother was to prepare her to take her place as Sanguivita of the Gregorie Vampire Clan but Tendra has no ideal what Athan is talking about when he 'kidnaps' her. Athan tries to go over how her mother was killed by Valarians who are a Rival Vampire clan and that he had to move fast because they have been trying to kill her for a long time. Tendra is having a hard time believing any of this is true at first but when the bad guys start trying to take her she starts to get it.
Athan is finding that he is drawn to Tendra but she is supposed be for his brother. Tendra too feels something for Athan even thought she is unsure what is going to happen to her.
This was an exciting story!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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If you are looking for a sweet romantic paranormal book. this is not it! Blood Guard is raw, primal and filled to the brim with tough characters. These guys have practically no filter because the underground city beneath Mission is their domain and this is where they rule. Tendra gets thrown in headfirst when Athan, hell bent on his mission "kidnaps" her. Unknown to her, her family has been in alliance with the vampires specifically the Gregorie clan and she is their prophesied saviour Sanguivita.

Getting her back to his brother Idris in one piece though is another matter altogether especially when their nemesis clan the Valarians who of course have recruited an assassin clan the Quellens (all vampires) are hot on their tails. Betrayals are exposed like nobody's business at every level. and here is where I'm going to stop because one of these betrayals are so HUGE that if I say anything y'all are just going to hate me for revealing spoilers.

3.5 Stars
Good PNR. My main complaint was how quickly she accepted the situation and her place within vampire society. But beyond that this was more of a classic old school vampire romance and I enjoyed it. Plenty of action and a slow burn romance.

Blood Guard by Megan Erickson
A Mission Novel #1

What if you really REALLY wanted someone and knew s/he was not for you – I mean – the prophecy of years says that the Sanguivita (Tendra) belongs to the king in waiting and that is Idris and not his brother Athan. BUT Athan and Tendra are drawn to one another in spite of the rules and the prophecy. They need to get from the human area to the Gregoire stronghold and it won’t be easy as assassins, two different groups of non-aligned vampires and turncoats from their own clan try to keep them from achieving their goal.

I loved Tendra – what a tough kick*ss woman she is! I also loved Athan and how tender, caring and sometimes clueless he was. Idris shows promise and I believe his story is coming in the next book AND there are a few other characters mentioned, like Zeb and his cousin Wyatt, that could easily end up in stories of their own. It will be interesting to see where the author goes with this series and I look forward to finding out.

If you like vampire stories with strong H/h characters and a bit of a different take on things then this might be a book you would enjoy reading. I would like to thank NetGalley and Loveswept for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

OK, this book had a LOT going for it, but honestly the thing the one word that stands out for me is SEXY.  Like holy bleeping sexy.  Athan and Tendra had loads of chemistry, and the steamy scenes were super delicious (at least in my opinion).  And dude, some parts were way more risque than I was expecting (club scene anyone?).

I really enjoyed Ms. Erickson's version of vampires.  The thing about paranormal books, and well known creatures, is that they all take on their own qualities.  For the most part the vampires in this book were pretty standard (drink blood, can be turned, no sunlight, immortal-ish), but then there are all the little details that set them apart.  In this case there was clan stuff, a prophecy, the specifics of how you're turned into a vampire, the whole Somnus thing (I liked that), and running with the whole feeding and lust thing (holy sexytimes).

I remember reading an excerpt on this author's newsletter, which is what drew me to requesting the book in the first place, because Tendra came across as hella snarky.  I'd expected a bit more on that front, but I thought she was still a nice little spitfire who definitely threw Athan for a loop.  And Athan was unexpected himself!  I loved his soul/humanity, and he was actually really sweet and endearing in parts (you know, mixed with the badassery).  You could really feel how important his duty was to him, even in the face of it not feeling quite right.  He was extremely loyal, but that did lead to some blindness at times.

I really appreciated that there were many opportunities for the author to fall into tropes, and the characters even sort of acknowledged the "typical" responses.  But then the characters just wouldn't follow that path...like Athan could have held onto his standoffishness at times or continued to be a dick.  It's kind of hard to describe, but I just really appreciated that the author didn't choose the easy/typical path/responses.

And can I just say that I ADORED Zeb, and even Idris eventually...makes me excited about next book.  Neither character had a large role, but they still managed to endear me to them.  I also loved the kitty, Brex...though I was really hoping to learn something more concrete about him.

I will admit that sometimes all the walking got a bit boring.  And I can't confirm in the final copy, but in the ARC copy my beta brain would occasionally notice some continuity errors or things that could be clearer.  Like why didn't Athan carry her and run?  I know there's a reason, but I wouldn't have minded knowing it.

All in all it was nice being in a paranormal world again, and I'm totes looking forward to Idris's book (which I'm assuming is next).  Definitely recommend diving in, especially if you like your paranormals a bit racier.

I'm still wrapping my head around the awesome experience I had while reading Blood Guard. This is not your mother's vampire PNR. It's edgy, dark, twisted, dirty, and sexy AF.

I love the whole concept of Mission City. There's danger lurking everywhere--human and not so human. In Blood Guard we meet Athan (totally calling dibs on this sexy, broody, loyal vamp) and Tendra.

Athan's been sent to protect Ten, but who's going to protect Athan from her?

I loved this story of love, loyalty, and duty. Athan. Jesus. That man would move heaven and hell to protect his clan and Tendra. I loved their interactions. Loved how Athan communicated with Ten to keep her informed or to inform her of what was going on, what needed to happen. And Ten. Man, she just rolled with the punches. Human bartender one day, fated queen of the vampires the next. Really, not much fazed her. She was kick ass and kicked ass.

I couldn't put Blood Guard down once I started. I was immediately immersed in their world. Totally bought into the hidden world of the Gregorie clan and I can't wait for more!

I enjoyed Blood Guard a lot, the plot was interesting and the characters enjoyable.It was fast paced and sexy, I loved the world Megan created.I always had a soft spot for vampires and Athan was delicious.He is sexy,mysterious,dark and strong.Tendra is also an interesting heroine, she is smart and strong.Their romance was sexy and in some parts sweet.

Overall, it was a great start to a new series, and now I'm excited to read the next book.If you like vampires and you need a quick read this will definitely perfect for you.

Vampire stories are a highly popular subject matter so I'm always impressed when an author can spin a fresh take. I like the differences that Megan Erickson created and want to learn more.

This was an enjoyable story with great main characters. It had enough tension with Tendra being meant for Athan's brother. Watching him battle with his sense of duty over his feelings that grew for her, the longer he guarded her.

The epilogue created enough interest to see where Book 2 will continue with the storyline. ARC provided by NetGalley.

When Tendra's mom dies she leaves her daughter behind in a hopeless city after a lifetime of never setting down roots. Tendra spends her evenings as a bar waitress and her days learning self-defense, until one night when a dark (and ridiculous hot) man kidnaps her and her cat and tells her that her entire life has been leading her to one important purpose.

Tendra is human. Athan is the vampire sworn to give her to another man. What's not to enjoy about that?

Blood Guard is a vampire novel with all the violence, sex, and romance you'd expect. This isn't going to be a life changing new series for me, but I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next in the series.

Yessssss!!!! Another great read! First time author for me and definitely will not be the last. This the story of Athan, the Blood Guard and Tendra (love the name, by the way) the Sanguivita and their adventure. I enjoyed the word building and the different way that these, vampires from the Gregorie clan, lived. Filled with action, light banter, (especially Zen, I hope he gets a book too ;) suspense, betrayal, and love, Tendra and Athan are tasked to do their duty. During the time that Athan is supposed to deliver Tendra to his brother Idris, truths are revealed and a love stronger than duty prevails. Great read! 4 stars!

This was a fun book to read. This book starts out with Tendra, a human girl, returning to her job at a bar shortly after her mother passed away. Tendra has always been on the move with her mother, never staying in one place too long. And she's a fighter. She knows how to defend herself and fight back, if necessary. One night, she meets Athan, a too-serious vampire who declares himself her protector and says that her blood is what could save all humanity.

As much as I enjoyed the book, there's two parts to this story that I want to touch on - the characterization and the plot. The first meeting between Tendra and Athan is a bit sketchy, but as the story goes on, we get to know the type of person Athan is. Their first meeting...well, Athan kind of drugs her and kidnaps her? It's not the best of introductions. Athan handled the entire situation very poorly. But Athan is completely not prepared for the kind of woman Tendra is and never expected her to fight back. Which, I get that this still sounds bad for Athan, but things are explained a bit more about the relationship between vampires, humans, and the expectations from both parties going forward. Athan never really does anything against Tendra's will, but she is still expected to follow him to marry his brother and to provide said brother her blood. First intro to Athan is not great, but the story does get better.

So, plot. Tendra posses the cure to save humanity, and the oldest brother of the royal family (in this case, Athan's older brother, Idris) is to drink from her blood and gain powers that will save the humans from the bad vampire clans who would rather not live in harmony with humans. Save the cheerleader, save the world? There's assassins after Tendra, and to be quite truthful, the line kind of blurs for me why the characters insist on walking everywhere. Even after two days of walking and hiding out, it's like they never progressed at one point.

I'm reading this from an ARC, so things may change in the final version, but I'm kind of iffy on Tendra's character at the end. She's such a fighter the entire book, but then a scene happens near the end where she seems to...no longer fight? I think Tendra is a badass for the most part, but I also find her difficult to fully connect with at times. She goes from never having any human connection to being completely accepting that she's got to be a blood bank and bride to a complete stranger in order to save humanity, just because a guy claims it was all prophecy. I think this book does take a bit of suspended belief to read (I mean, naturally, this is a book with vampires). Blood Guard helps set up the world and the war that's coming between the vampire clans in future books. And I look forward to reading them!!

I really liked the introduction of the secondary characters - Zeb and Wyatt, especially. I hope we see more of them in the future! One of the highlight characters in this book is Brax, Tendra's mysterious cat with a sixth sense. Brax seems adorable and I wouldn't mind seeing Brax just wreck havoc on characters in future books, if for even no reason than a just because. It does look like the setup for the next book is with Idris? The two brothers, Idris and Athan, are big softies. Athan's dangerous when he's fighting, but deep down, he's a real sweetheart. It kind of boggles the mind that the vampires know so little about the human world when they live in parallel with them, but I liked Athan's utter lack of human knowledge and Tendra's shock at what all Athan doesn't know.

Tendra and Athan have unbelievable chemistry together and I loved reading how they gradually came together. I look forward to reading Blood Veil and everything else Megan has in store for this series!