4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think that Juliette Cross managed to set the bar even higher with this.... the 3rd installment of this dark and sexy Vampire series.
There is however a bigger sense of malevolence in this story with it's Snow White fairytale overtones than the previous two books IMO.
The writing and imagery is just so vivid...that I can fully picture this world with all the hard fought battles and savagery.
Brennalyn is the beautiful schoolteacher that is fiercely loyal to the "Black Lily resistance" and Friedrich is the Vampire Duke of Winter Hill whose allegiance is uncertain.
This was a nail biter at times but I am totally loving this series. Sexy but also sweet and romantic.

Once you get past the cover, Cross' third installment in the Vampire Blood series, THE WHITE LILY is a sexy adventure with two protagonists you can't help but root for.

Brenna is sassy and smart with a big heart - an excellent match for Friedrich. When the two of them are thrown together, sparks fly. The relationship develops between them quite quickly, but it doesn't feel too rushed. And, enough time is spent on developing the greater storyline of the series that it furthers the plot along and kept me on tenterhooks trying to figure out what was going to happen next. The undercurrent of danger is always there, but there are moments between Brenna and Friedrich when they (and the reader) seem to forget all of the outside world, and get lost in each other.

Those moments were definitely what kept me reading THE WHITE LILY. Though the scenes with Brenna's adopted children were cute, and there were a few times when Friedrich's valet, Grant, gave me a good laugh, the times when Brenna and Friedrich are together alone, whether tender or explosive, are super enjoyable. The reader gets to see a different side of Friedrich than we've seen in the previous book, and it was sexy as hell.

Since this is the third book in the series, it is assumed that the reader will know most of the world, and so some aspects weren't explained - however, I don't think that should be a deterrent, as most everything is easy to pick up on and to be honest, I didn't mind going without the tedious explanations of who was related to who and the politics of the developing war. The action just happened, without a ton of preamble, and it was honestly pretty great.

After this installment in the Vampire Blood series, I am eager to see who will be featured next! I have an inkling of who it might be...one can always hope, right?

paranormal/historical romance meets a re-telling of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs. Juliette Cross manages to brilliantly capture the essence of the classic fairytale without being a literal translation.

This series...THIS SERIES!!!!

I just can't you guys. I can't even form the words to express what I'm feeling after reading these books. Each book has been unique and captivating. This one? This one is sweet and endearing. Passionate and exhilarating. But nothing prepared me for how I feel about the children. For those who know me, you know that I don't "do" books with children. This has changed my mind...

Brennalyn is a school teacher. She's also the mother to seven orphaned children who have lost their families either by illness or by the hands of the evil kingdom. But that's not all she is. She's much more than that. While visiting her friend at the castle, she stumbles in to an area that changes the course of her life. Never did Brenna think she'd come face to face with the Duke of her village. Especially considering she's heard so many awful things about the kingdom and how they rule. Boy oh boy. She's in for quite the surprise.

Friedrich is the vampire Duke. The one that has been working with his uncle Marius and the Black Lily to destroy the kingdom, but no one knows that. In fact, no one knows the secrets that he's been keeping. Now that he's noticed Brennalyn asking questions, he needs to find out if she's a spy for his evil uncle, King Dominik. It seems as though Brennalyn has some secrets of her own. And Friedrich is all too happy to find them out.

As we all know from reading the first two installments, the war rages on. The queen and Dominik are still creating vampires, hunting the Black Lily in hopes to destroy everything. After word is received that the White Lily is near Friedrich's territory, Dominik sends his huntsmen to capture anyone associated. With the hunt on, Friedrich becomes determined to find the White Lily before Dominik. Now that he's found the White Lily first, he'll do just about anything to keep the White Lily safe.

Have I mentioned the children? These beautiful creatures have stolen my heart. All seven of them. And Brennalyn, sigh. What a heart this woman has. To take these children as her own and care so deeply for them. That alone is amazing. But then she goes and becomes more. Now wonder Friedrich can't stop wanting her. Who in their right mind could? Friedrich's determination to have Brennalyn makes my heart swell. Even after all of her resistance, he never gave up on her. And without giving anything away, nor did she.

I feel really bad that I never wrote a review for this book. It really was excellent. I enjoyed the characters and the story line. I would read more books by Juliette Cross. Hopefully I will get around to writing a full review soon, and I'll update this with the link when I have one.

I adore this series! I've read every single title in it. But this one holds a special place in my heart. The world building and the romance are phenomenal!

This is a story about a vampire ruler and a rebel girl. The book is very well written, the instant attraction between the main characters is palpable in the book. The writing style is captive, characters well established and the plot is also nice. I recommend this book to paranormal romance. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Published 1/12/2018

She wasn’t the kind of woman to give herself easily. But she’d never known a man or vampire like him. He always got what he wanted. And right now, he wanted nothing more in the wide world than the complete and absolute submission of the lovely Miss Snow.  

The White Lily by Juliette Cross is a sexy, riveting adventure and a loosely fractured retelling of the fairy tale, Snow White. It’s the first book by this author that I’ve read and all I can say is why did I wait so long? The covers for the entire series are eye-catching. This is the story of Royal Vampire Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, and schoolteacher Brennalyn Snow.

Each book in the Vampire Blood series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order. Even so, this installment has whetted my appetite to catch up with the plotline that is obviously spanning the series, and read the stories of the prior couples soon!

Brennalyn is a multi-faceted character. Besides being gutsy, she’s a caring teacher, the mother to seven orphaned children, and the driving force surreptitiously working to aid the rebellion against the vampiric crown.

Freidrich is no fan of his uncle, King Dominik, nor of his brutal rule. When he discovers Brennalyn, an attractive woman in his kingdom to whom he’s strongly drawn, is behind the rebellion, he doesn’t hesitate to step in as her protector.

The sparks are definitely hot between Freidrich and Brennalyn. Their times alone were hot and steamy. While there was an instant chemistry between them, their relationship did not feel rushed. I enjoyed their interactions, the delightful scenes with Brenna’s adopted children and the antics of Friedrich’s valet, Grant – which made me laugh-out-loud too many times to count.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from The White Lily:

“It was no longer a war of humans against vampires. It was a war between justice and tyranny.” 
--- 

She opened her mouth and let him feed her. He slipped in his index finger with melted chocolate on the tip and she sucked it clean as he pulled his finger free and away from her mouth. The chocolate was decadent, but the man who fed her was pure intoxication.
--- 

  He was too big, too dark, too strong, too seductive… simply too much for her to resist.

The characters and the storyline grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it through to the end without a single dull moment. The undercurrent of danger is pervasive throughout. If you enjoy fairy tale romances with a paranormal slant with two protagonists that you will want to root for, The White Lily superbly fits the bill!



Suggested Reading Order: 
Book #1 The Black Lily
Book #2 The Red Lily
Book #3 The White Lily
Book #4 The Emerald Lily – Series Finale! Coming Jan 29, 2018!

Brennalyn is a woman on a mission and there's no one she can trust besides the children she's taken in. However, spying on Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, isn't as easy as she thought, especially when she needs to decide whether he's a friend or foe to the Black Lily; a mysterious faction working against the vampire monarchy who will face punishment if King Dominik discovers their location. Yet, when Brennalyn's life is put in danger due to the secret she's been keeping, she finds the Duke willing to play her protector. Will she give Friedrich a chance, or will they lose their chance at happy ever after because she doesn't know whether she can trust him?

Having not read the first two books of this series, I didn't really know whether this book could be read as a stand-alone or not, but I'm so glad there was enough back story surrounding what the Black Lily is and what evil Queen Morgrid and King Dominik are wreaking to get a feel for what this series is all about. Really, and right from the beginning with the prologue I was hooked, as it's palpable Friedrich is a good guy determined to be on the opposite side to defeat the evil his relatives. Will he be able to help the Black Lily? 

Both the main characters were fantastic, and I loved every moment these two conversed, as Brennalyn does her best to stay focussed on her mission, but Friedrich doesn't make things easier. Certainly, he has seduction in mind and is very tempting with his charm and his confidence. Will the heroine succumb to their intense chemistry? Moreover, the heroine is resilient and courageous in undertaking the mission she has, even though things get very dangerous for her. I also liked her determination to protect the children she's taken under her wing; children that have suffered at the hands of evil. Will she be able to keep the children safe? Will she get the information she needs for the Black Lily? Will Friedrich prove to Brennalyn that he's one of the good guys? 

While the hero, he's charming; determined to protect the heroine and the children, and I liked how determined he was to win the heroine over because she's the one for him. I also liked how he handles everything that's thrown at him when it comes to the evil his uncle is wreaking. Will Friedrich be able to go up against his uncle without consequences; consequences that could prove costly for the pair if they're not careful? 

Overall, Ms. Cross has delivered a superb read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was powerful; the romance had me loving these two together; and the ending had me worried for the main characters, but had me liking how things worked out for this hero and heroine, because Friedrich would do anything to keep Brennalyn in his life, even if it means doing something she may hate him for. I would recommend The White Lily by Juliette Cross, if you enjoy paranormal romance or books by authors NJ Walters, Rebecca Zanetti, Rachel Van Dyken and Lara Adrian.

This book is everything I could've asked for an more! I am not and have never been disappointed with Juliette Cross and her impeccable way with words. 

Fredrich, the Duke, I couldn't have asked for a better Hero. I absolutely loved everything about him. Brennalyn, the timid school teacher by day, and The Black Lily spy by night....she was wonderful! I loved her as well. As this series grows, it continues to get better and better. I can't wait for the next installment, I know it's going to be just as great, if not even better!

Fantastic!   I love this whole series so far.  I love the way the author brings us a new twist on what we think is  a familiar tale.  So looking forward to the next book.  Great job!

I enjoyed reading Brennalyn and Friedrich's story.  The series just keeps amazing me.  In this book the fairytale is that of Snow White.  Enchanting as always the heroine has a pure heart, as the local school teacher and adopted mother to seven.  But as a promoter of the Black Lily, Brennalyn has found herself caught in the limelight both good and bad.

Mit "The White Lily" ist Juliette Cross der bisher beste Band der Vampire Blood-Reihe gelungen. Getreu der Linie der gesamten Reihe steht die Liebesgeschichte zwischen den wechselnden Paaren auch hier im Zentrum: Brenna sucht in Friedrichs Herrensitz nach Informationen über und für die Rebellion der Black Lily, da sie diese unterstützen möchte - ohne zu wissen, dass auch Friedrich für die Rebellen und nicht gegen sie arbeitet. Friedrich seinerseits kennt die Lehrerin des nahe gelegenen Dorfes zwar bereits, ist aber umso faszinierter, als sie in seinem Schloss auftaucht.

Der Autorin ist es gelungen, ein dem Erzählfluss sehr förderliches Tempo aufzubauen: Zu Beginn verläuft die Geschichte noch eher ruhig, vor allem Brenna steht mit ihren Motiven und ihrer Situation im Mittelpunkt, da sie neu vorgestellt wird, während man Friedrich schon in den Vorgängerbänden kennengelernt hat. Brenna ist eine sehr angenehme Protagonistin: Einerseits kümmert sie sich hingebungsvoll um ihre Adoptivkinder (sieben an der Zahl gemäß "Schneewittchen", da "The White Lily" locker an das Märchen angelehnt ist), andererseits steht sie für ihre Überzeugungen mutig und tatkräftig ein und bietet Friedrich und später deren gemeinsamen Feinden trotz ihrer Angst mutig die Stirn. 

Diese Eigenschaften sorgen für eine gute Balance in der Story. Die Geschichte bietet sehr süße Momentaufnahmen von Brennas Adoptivkindern, wie sie von Friedrich und den Nebenfiguren unterrichtet oder gepflegt und gehegt werden; daneben natürlich auch die eine oder andere explizite Szene zwischen Brenna und Friedrich als Liebespaar selbst. Andererseits kommen vor allem in der zweiten Hälfte ansehnliche tempo- und actionreiche Szenen dazu, in denen sich die Protagonisten gegen die Handlanger der gegnerischen Vampirmonarchie wehren müssen. Gefallen hat mir dabei, dass die Rebellenbewegung insgesamt trotz der Akzentsetzung auf der Liebesgeschichte ebenfalls wieder eine zentralere Rolle spielte. In diesem Kontext darf man sich nun auch auf eine Zusammenführung der Erzählausgänge der drei Bände freuen, was Hoffnung darauf macht, eventuell im nächsten und wohl letzten Band der Vampire Blood-Reihe mehr gemeinsame Szenen der bisher eingeführten Paare erleben zu dürfen.

Fazit
Juliette Cross schafft es in "The White Lily", dem dritten Band ihrer Vampire Blood-Reihe, eindeutig am besten, die Märchenelemente der Märchen-Adaption und die Elemente der Romantic Fantasy überzeugend zu verknüpfen, sodass sie hier die bisher glaubwürdigste Geschichte der Reihe abgeliefert. Dementsprechend konnte ich mich mit den Protagonisten sehr schnell identifizieren und ich mochte beide wirklich sehr gerne - ganz zu schweigen von den Nebenfiguren, die hier tiefgründiger gestaltet waren als in Vorgängerbänden.

4.5/5 Stars

I have loved each book so far in this series but this book is hands down my favorite! There is something special about this series. Something that I’m not sure I can adequately describe with words. It's so good! Each book mixes paranormal romance with a specific fairy tale and it's like instant book crack. And each book just keeps getting better and better!

We've encountered the Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood tales in the first two book so I was intrigued about which fairy tale this book would be based on. I can't tell you how tickled I am that this was a retelling of Snow White. It's not a fairy tale you see retold very often. And it was a glorious retelling in this case. Of all the characters I have met so far in this series, Brennalyn and Friedrich are my favorites. They're amazing together and I was hooked on their story from page one.

Told from both the perspectives of Friedrich and Brennalyn, The White Lily continues the tale of the search for more supporters to join the cause of the Black Lily. Brennalyn Snow is a twenty-three year old schoolteacher who is the foster mother to seven orphans ranging in age from preschool to late teens. But Brennalyn has a secret identity that if revealed would threaten her life and the lives of the children she loves. Enter Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, and a member of the reigning royal vampire family. What ensues is the building relationship between Friedrich and Brennalyn, and the potential fall out when Brennalyn’s true identity is revealed. Except Fredrich has a secret of his own.

Friedrich and Brennalyn have had the best chemistry out of all the couples in this series so far! Therir romance is the best! They try to resist each other but they can't help but fall for one another! I loved how elements from the original tale were included in this story. I loved how the seven dwarves became Brennalyn's seven adopted children. There's even a huntsman, poisonous fruit, an evil queen, and a magical mirror that reveals all to the other side.

This is a story of adventure, action, forbidden romance, and the ongoing war between human and vampires. The premise is entertaining and addictive while the characters are strong-willed and engaging. In true Juliette Cross fashion, the book builds to an intense climax that is enough to give me anxiety and make my heart stop. This book also has sweet romantic words, intense sexy times, adorable children, and heart-pounding action. It has almost everything! I couldn't put it down once I had started reading.

If you haven’t started this series yet, start with the first book, The Black Lily. While this book can be read as a standalone, the series is best read in order. There is a story arc that continues throughout the series and the characters are recurring. I can’t wait to see what Juliette Cross has in store for us next because it looks like the next book will be a Sleeping Beauty retelling! I'm so excited to get my hands on Mina's book!

4.5 Stars

Although The White Lily can be read as a standalone (it's #3 in the series but I never felt lost) I think I'd have benefited from reading the previous installments first so that I had the full vision of the over-arching plot. However, I quite enjoyed my introduction to this series (and this author) and plan to go back and read the earlier books. 

Highlights 
~Snow White and vampires
Yep. I liked that JCross used Snow White for inspiration and wove in her own brand of vamps. 

~Characters
Friedrich and Brennalyn were well drawn. I could see they were good people who fought for their convictions. The dialog between them was fun and emotionally as well as sexually charged. And I delighted in watching them grow. Friedrich's relationships with Grant and Mikhail were entertaining and conveyed the respect and loyalty they held for one another. And Brennalyn's adopted brood was also fleshed out well enough that I was invested in  each of them. They also added depth to Brennalyn and the story. 

~Parallels in class structure
There were many parallels between the class structure in the story and the current societal structures in the world today - how it benefited the higher classes and hurt the lower ones. I liked how JCross made vampires the aristocracy, "sucking" the lifeblood - literally and figuratively - out of the lower classes. At least, vampires in general. There were exceptions, of course. *wink* 

~Rebellion
Oh boy did I admire that the rebellion was apparently started by a women and gained a staunch ally in Brennalyn Snow - yet another intelligent, strong-willed, and strong-minded woman. 

~Romance
The romance was dreamy and steamy. I admired that Friedrich yielded to loving Brennalyn in equal measure to desiring her capitulation to him. They each had reasons they were avoiding commitment but they fell hard and it was endearing to watch them fall. 

~Nice Balance
This was a romance but JCross balanced it well with the political intrigue and action. It kept the pace just right. 

I'm grateful to Entangled Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read The White Lily but JCross enamored me. Her writing is engaging and her characters well developed. I've already purchased The Black Lily because I need to meet all the characters on the game board and get the full story. The final book in the series releases in January! *wink*

I'm probably an idiot, but I actually didn't realise that this was a historical novel on top of it being a paranormal one, not until I'd started reading this book. I'm not that huge a fan of historical novels as I am to all other type of genres, so at times, I did experience a lull whilst reading this story, simply because I was bored and/or didn't understand a word any of the characters were saying simply because, like I said, I am not that huge a fan of historical romances. It's really all on me, but that is my reason for the four star rating. But putting that aside, this novel was AMAZING! Gripping, is the word to use. I was hooked from the very start, and many times I was taken surprise at where this story was going, and then where this story went.

*Full review on my Goodreads page

This is the third book in the Vampire Blood series and I am in love! I personally recommend reading the prior two books before reading this one simply to have a better understanding of story as a whole.

I fell hard for this amazing series from page one and fall a little deeper with each new story that I read. This author has a way of creating a magical world filled with characters that never cease to draw you in and make it so that you never want to leave. I am a huge fan of great paranormal romance stories, especially when they're filled with danger and a significant amount of suspense and this series delivers on both counts and then some. 

I highly recommend reading this entire series and can't wait to see what this incredibly talented author comes up with next!

The White Lily is the third in Juliette Cross’s series of fairytale retellings with vampires, which I still think is a brilliant idea. As you might have guessed from the title, this one adapts the Snow White story to Cross’s feudal world where the humans are beginning to rebel against their vampire rulers.

Brennalyn Snow, who just happens to have raven-black hair, rose-red lips, and snow-white skin, is the school teacher in the small village where she lives with her seven adopted children, who obviously take the place of a different sort of short person—there’s even one who doesn’t speak. But in secret she is the White Lily, producing flyers on her basement printing press in support of the Black Lily, the name adopted by the rebel cause.

From the previous books, readers know that Friedrich, the Duke of Winter Hill, is also an ally of the Black Lily. Brenna, however, does not know this when she sets out to spy on the duke in hopes of learning about his family’s activities. When Friedrich catches her spying, he uses the opportunity to get to know her better. But when he discovers the king has sent a huntsman after the White Lily, he’s forced to reveal his allegiance, and his intentions, to protect Brenna and the children. I liked their romance, even though I wish the outcome of a relationship between a vampire and a human weren’t always so predictable.

The White Lily follows the original fairytale much more closely than the previous book, The Red Lily, did. Cross even works a mirror and a poisoned fruit in to the story, though not exactly in the way you might expect. This book also does a better job tying in to the series plot, updating the reader on the rebels’ progress and eventually bringing Brenna and Friedrich together with the previous couples.

Because I felt like the last book digressed from the main story, I was happy to see both Snow White and the rebellion in prominent roles in The White Lily. I enjoy seeing these fairytale princesses reimagined as revolutionaries. I think that Sleeping Beauty is next and I’m curious to see what Cross does with her.

Action in the read as expected with some likeable characters, but not as strongly gripping as the first two books in the series. I did not find the Duke as likeable (?) as Marius or Nikolai And Brenna’s character appeared somewhat flighty at times. But the action scenes and finale were attention grabbing.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley