Finally! Another new series of NJ Walters. It was already six months, that I had read the last of the Lone Wolf Legacy (Tempting the Black Wolf) and I was craving a new story. And boy, does she deliver!

Samael is the start of a brand new series around Death itself! Samael Blackwell is one of Death’s sons who is tasked with reaping souls. But after eons of reaping, Samael is tired of it and doing his job without compassion or any feeling at all. So Death dumps him without his powers and without his cell phone (yep, he had one of those) in a tiny town called Redemption.

Talk about irony, right? Waiting for his next assignment, while trying to survive without cash and a mobile, Samael meets Adrianne Sharp. And Samael can’t help but feel an attraction to her (because, duh, it’s a NJ Walters book).

While getting to know Adrianne better. Samael’s assignment comes through: he has to reap Adrianne’s soul. With compassion. But how to let go of the first woman in eons, who touches his heart? Per usual, NJ Walters tears your heart to pieces, before putting it back together.

Can’t wait to read about Samael’s brothers as well! Loved it. Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

I gave this book 4 stars. I debated about 3. Overall, it was a good book. The story line was good but it was predictable. I feel like the majority of the book was spent knowing the outcome and just waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak. It was a good read if just a little long. I loved the concept, the FMC and MMC. I’ll continue reading the series.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for an eArc in exchange for my review!

I am DNF'ing this, there isn't anything pulling me into the book at all, and I feel as though I am half skimming because of it. I feel as though it is an interesting concept of where we were heading, but the way it was written, it didn't seem exciting or like we were getting anywhere with her stalker. Just meh.

Samael
N.J. Walters
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Samael Blackwell is literally the son of Death and his dear old Dad is not happy with him. After centuries of reaping souls without any regard for the rules, his father sends him to a small town that is aptly named Redemption. With only five hundred dollars cash and the clothes on his back, Sam has one last chance to prove he can do his job correctly: reap with compassion, or lose everything.

It really shouldn't be that hard. Find the soul, finish the job, learn compassion, and then walk away.

Adrianne Sharpe is hiding from her past. A past that is coming back to haunt her in every way possible. She thought she'd be safe if she moved back home to Redemption. She left no trail, and no way for her stalker to find her. But he has, and that's where Sam comes in. She's his assignment.

To win back his old life, all Sam has to do is watch her die and help her through to her afterlife. It should be easy right? But what if the cost of redemption is her?

Sam was sent to end her story. But she just might rewrite his.

Wow! What an amazing start to a new series. N.J. Walters does it again. From the moment I opened this book the world around me didn't exist anymore. It was the most fabulous start to my new favorite series. As you read this book the characters loom up and come to life in front of your very eyes. I honestly didn't know what to expect. Sam ran so hot and cold I wasn't too sure about him at first. Adrianne was so cute, brave, and strong. I was rooting for them the whole way. Ms. Walters thank you for writing such an incredible book. All in all I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere.

Really enjoyed this one, and it was my first read from N J Walters. I thought the story was interesting and kept my engaged. I really like the cover.

Samael dives into a dark and emotional paranormal romance where fate, duty, and desire collide. The connection between Samael and Adrianne is immediate - very much an insta-love situation - which sets the tone for the fast-moving story. I enjoyed how their bond pushed against the rules of the world around them. The pacing keeps things engaging, though I found myself wanting more - more depth in the world building, more time with the characters, and more development in their relationship. That said, it’s an entertaining read with a compelling concept and just the right amount of darkness.

Samael is a reaper, eldest son of the Grim reaper himself. Daddy dearest believes he has lost his compassion in ushering souls to the afterlife. As punishment, Samael is sent to the small town of Redemption, North Carolina to complete a job - find the soul he's been assigned to and usher it into the afterlife with compassion. What he isn't prepared for is to fall for the girl who's soul he must reap.

At only 288 pages, I powered through and gave this a try. Unfortunately this was not for me and I did not really enjoy it.

However, if you are into 90s style, cheesy paranormal romance with instalove - this could be your next 5 star read!!!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing me with an eARC, This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

Thank youuuuu Entangled for another thrilling read. I absolutely loved how this turned out and I can wait to read Alex’s story.

Sam’s growth was just top notch and I loved that he genuinely cared about Adrianne, even from the beginning—even though he didn’t want to admit it. The things he gave up for her just go to show love truly can change a person.

Samael by N.J. Walters

Spice Level: The only 🔥 came from my heated annoyance. Ok fine it was spicy but the actual characters need a crash test in romance and how it works.

Tropes: Paranormal Romance, Insta-love, Morally gray characters, forbidden love

Quicktake: This one did not work for me, let's unpack it.

What didn't work: Insta-love was just too much. I didn't like that they were just dancing in circles and didn't have a real connection with each other. It was great and interesting at the start because of the story's arc with the grim reaper's son tasked with reaping his romance interest's soul. But once i got to a certain point the dancing began and I just didn't find it much more interesting. I think with more improvements it could have been a lot better. While I did not enjoy this one too much I will keep my eye out for more!

Great paranormal HEA!

Samael was a quick and easy read that makes for a great paranormal romance.

The MMC and FMC do have an instant connection that I felt could have been built upon and I was left wanting more with both their charchters.

I did enjoy the sprinkle of humor that was throughout the story but wish we could have had more of the paranormal aspect, it felt a little too contemporary at times.

Definitely would reccomend to those who enjoy fast paced story lines with a HEA!

This was an interesting and enjoyable story-a good "beach read" for sure. I enjoyed the paranormal spin (take on reapers & the entity of death) and that it did not overwhelm the story as a whole but was just a part of Samael & his life. While the story happens over a short period, neither it nor the relationship between Samael and Adrianne feel rushed. There's a bit of mystery which included a surprise twist (or two), but its also a story about finding parts of oneself that hadn't realized been lost and the power of love. I look forward to finding out what is store for the other Blackwell brothers.

I found this to be a fast-paced read, but at thr same time, I didn't feel like a lot was shared as it moved along. The romance was decent, but a little too insta-love. I was looking for a more fantasy aspect to the romance, but this definitely was heavier on the romance. It will definitely appeal to a certain audience, but it unfortunately was just not for me.

This was definitely a solid, entertaining read. It took me 2.5 days to complete this book, so a rather fast read.
I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I felt that certain things could have been expanded on, but that's what later books are for, right? The resolution was a bit rushed for me, but overall, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to continuing this series.

I’d enjoyed N.J. Walters’ wolf shifter romances, so I was excited to jump into this new series. Samael didn’t disappoint, giving me a grim reaper romance with some great character development and the perfect amount of spice.

Sam was your typical redemption story, forced to dig his way up from the very bottom if he wanted to return to the life he’d grown accustomed to. But Samael wasn’t who his father or his brothers thought he was, and his small town punishment turned into so much more than Sam or his father ever thought it would. Once Adrianne entered Samael’s life, Sam had to decide what was more important: his status as a reaper, or his and Adrianne’s happiness. It was definitely a journey of maturity and emotion for Sam, and I loved seeing that growth from him as he and Adrianne grew closer together.

Samael wasn’t just a redemption story, though. While Adrianne’s soul was wanted by the reaper, she was also wanted by a mysterious character who had it out to get her. I enjoyed the mystery element of this story, especially since it only brought Sam and Adrianne closer together.

These two main characters had a tendency to butt heads, but the tension between them was delicious when it turned into fireworks. I loved watching Sam realize what truly brought his life meaning, all while getting to know Adrianne and the people in her town a little better. Adrianne’s issues gave the plot a twist I didn’t expect, and Walters gave me an ending I did not see coming.

I enjoyed this take on a grim reaper romance, and loved Samael’s character development. I’m excited to see what adventures his brothers get up to in the rest of the series, as I’m sure the rest of the Blackwell clan has a lot of trouble planned for us.

Samael, the rebellious son of Death, is sent to a small town for one last chance at redemption, and his final assignment is Adrianne, a strong, guarded woman hiding from her past. What should’ve been a simple soul-reap becomes a heartbreaking moral dilemma as love complicates duty. I loved how the story balanced danger, emotion, and slow-burning tension. The world-building felt natural, and both characters grew in meaningful ways. While the romance felt a little rushed initially, the emotional payoff by the end completely won me over. The high stakes, pacing fast, and ending left me breathless. I can’t wait for the next book!

Not my most favorite. A little too small minded on the build up. It was an easy read if you just want to finish a book and add it to your read pile.

This was good! I'm thinking 3.75/4 stars. I liked the premise of the book, I found it to be different to what I usually read.

The book goes straight into the plot, starting with Samael, one of the sons of the Grim Reaper, being sent to a small town in the middle of nowhere called Redemption, all because his father is not happy with the job he's been doing and wants him to learn some compassion. Samael is ready to complete this job and get back to his life, but it all changes when he meets Adrianne, but not even their connection can make him forget that she is his next assignment.

I would have liked a little bit more background information/worldbuilding before going straight into it, as I was a bit confused at the start and just had to roll with it. The citizens of Redemption were more trusting of Samael than I would have thought, considering the situation, but who knows. I liked Adrianne, she was a good character and I liked her strength and resilience. Her relationship with Samael was a little bit too insta-love for my liking, and I struggled a little bit to relate to their big feelings considering that by the end of the book, they had only known each other for a week, and half of those days they were separated. I think it could have been written over a longer time period (idk, give me at least two weeks!) without deducting anything from the story. I like a bit of mystery so I was intrigued by the stalker aspect and came up with some theories while reading (happy to report I was correct about some of them!). I liked the action and how the situation was resolved, although the ending of the book left me a little bit confused. However, this book was quick to read, the pace was good, and I am intrigued about how the story will continue, so I will be reading the next book when it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and N.J. Walters for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Author N.J. Walter delivers a fast-paced, plot-driven story that I found thoroughly engaging. The narrative is compelling without being overly fantastical, making it accessible even to those who don’t typically gravitate toward paranormal or romantic-themed tales. What I particularly enjoyed was how the story balanced supernatural elements with grounded, relatable contemporary character interactions. The themes woven throughout are relevant and thought-provoking, offering something for a wide range of readers. Whether you’re a fan of the paranormal or simply enjoy strong character development and a gripping plot, this book is sure to capture your attention and keep you hooked from beginning to end.

I adored this book! It is exactly as cute and cozy as it sounds! The pacing was a little slow at first, but Samael (the MMC) definitely made up for it with his loyalty and empathy. The personal growth for Adrianne from helpless victim to bravery was great. I liked the fact that the stalker essentially stayed a mystery until the final confrontation. Death was pretty cool also and not what I thought he’d be like. Malachi was amusing to me.