I binged this right after peaky blinders and hot damn, it filled every carnal craving I had after watching it.

4.5 stars!!!

I absolutely loved Milla and Nico! And yes...I would call Nico "Daddy" too. I simped so hard for this man! I loved the character progression and the marriage of convenience trope was done SO WELL! The steampunk setting and the metal hand was such a vibe. I need book 2 ASAP...

I'm thrilled to hear that the first two books in this series are focusing on Milla and Nico, while the latter two will be on another couple - I wonder who?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky/Forever for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

I absolutely fell in love with these characters and the world they live in. The found family and rivals to lovers tropes are so good. I can’t wait to see where the story of Milla and Nico goes.

The vibes were 10/10! 1920s mafia meets fantasy romance with magic, competing bloodlines, and a marriage of convenience.
The main characters had great chemistry and I loved their cheeky banter! The politics and mysteries kept me engaged and guessing, and the end had my jaw on the floor! I need book 2!!!
Overall, this was a really refreshing take on fantasy romance and felt totally unique. It reminded me of Grishaverse meets Crescent city in a way? If you’re looking for something to mix it up, this should be at the top of your list!

Favorite quotes below 👇🏼

“‘Not all cages are built with bars.’ Some, like mine, were made from the shackles of duty and the chains of domestic obligations.”

“There’s no chance I’ll walk away from this unscathed. Not anymore.”

“Wear your black tweed with the silver pocket square. It matches your stupid eyes.”

Thank you Second Sky and Netgalley for the arc.

This was exactly what I needed. 1920s era with magic. Think Peaky Blinders meets Shadow Bone/Six of Crows with one of the best tropes - a marriage of convenience.

There's mafia, magic and a steampunk world all set in the 1920s. It felt like something I hadn't read before. I absolutely adored the characters in this, the different families and their rivalries. What stood out to me was that the two main characters, Camilla and Nico, were so fleshed out. They had a backstory, they had depth, and the chemistry between them... I ATE IT UP. Think knife to your throat romance. There was so much banter between them, which I always love.

The plot kept me very gripped, and immediately after finishing it, I needed to pick up the next book! Loved, loved this and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fresh fantasy with something different.

House of Bane and Blood was… fine. The vibes were definitely dark and atmospheric, and I liked some of the twists, but I didn’t fully connect with the characters. The pacing dragged in places, then rushed through moments I actually wanted more of. It wasn’t bad, but it also didn’t blow me away. If you’re into gothic fantasy with plenty of drama, you might enjoy it more than I did!

1920s gangster world meets fantasy with romantic chemistry and political intrigue in a perfect balance.

What drew me to the book: I’d heard strong reviews when it was indie published, and the redesigned cover makes it even more appealing.
Writing style: Engaging and immersive, with just enough description to clearly build the world and context without slowing the pace.
Characters: A great mix of personalities — even the harder characters had softer moments. Relatable family dynamics grounded the slightly dramatized aspects.
Plot & pacing: A perfect balance of slower and faster moments. I would have loved more insight into the outside world beyond the city, but perhaps that’s coming later in the series.
Comparisons: Perfect for fans of Peaky Blinders, urban fantasy, and mafia dynamics.

What I Liked:
A mystery that unfolded naturally without being over-explained.
A strong FMC who holds a position of power in the family business over her brothers — refreshing compared to the more typical “hidden powers/scared heroine” trope.

What Could Be Stronger:
I’d love a slower romantic burn. Since this is a series, I’d have liked a promise of more development on the romantic horizon, (perhaps for other characters?) alongside the political and plot-driven intrigue.

I highly enjoyed this book! The synopsis fits the vibe of the story perfectly - with the noir peaky blinders type of feeling to it. I enjoyed the story and watching the power dynamics with Camillas family and Nicos as powers outside of their control worked to keep them small and powerless. I was intrigued by the relationship with Camilla and her brothers as well, never quite knowing whether to trust them or not. Overall, I highly enjoyed the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚.

🔥Quick Fire Review🔥

Genre/Themes: 🔥💧🌱🌬️🪄⚔️🚂👹👰🏼‍♀️🚬🦾🥃
Tropes: Victorian, Steampunk Aesthetics, Dark Family Histories, Heiress, Insta Love, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Relationship, Inheritance Disputes, Blackmail, Mole Within, Mafia, Crime Family, Hired Assassin, Cults, Revenge, Betrayal, Paying the Price, Complex Political Systems, Slow Burn, Enemies to Lovers, Nursed Back to Health, Anti-Hero, Disabled, Enemies, Elemental Powers, Shifters, Hidden Truth
Positives: fun plot and aesthetics, easy-going writing style, natural representation, likeable main characters, some good romance elements
Room for Improvement 🔎 : predictable at times, some ideas taken very unsubtly from other works, unconvincing enemies to lovers, some underdeveloped world building, occasionally clunky prose
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗

✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑

This was fun! Another Amazon/Kindle release I was pleasantly surprised by. Was it a tad predictable with some overused tropes? Sure. Did it feel like a Mob/Mafia romance that was changed to Fantasy/Romantasy at the last minute? A little bit. But did I enjoy it? Absolutely.

🧍‍♀️Characterisation:🧍‍♂️
Camilla, nickname Milla, and Nicolai, nickname Nico, were the main characters of the book. Milla was interesting because, verbally, she would come across as stubborn and standoffish, but as the book progressed we learnt she was actually riddled with guilt, feeling indebted and worthless to everybody she loved which meant she let others use and belittle her without realising it. She also had loads of food allergies / intolerances, which I thought was so cool to include. Nico was your classic morally grey character who goes about murdering people, but all to protect or avenge his family. He was charming and authoritative but full of love to give, having grown up in a more loyal and affectionate family. He was able to get Milla to see her own self worth. Nico had a prosthetic hand and claustrophobia, which was depicted so organically. Their chemistry was written well, there was plenty of sexual tension, but the ‘enemies to lovers’ felt quite forced. They were never really ‘enemies’ at all and while Nico’s insta love made a bit more sense further down the line when we learnt he had saved Milla’s life 7 years earlier, I felt the author should have either leant into it fully or not bothered.
Supporting characters, such as the pair’s family, were too underdeveloped for me. Especially since the pair were sacrificing everything for them. In Milla’s family, there was one flashback scene to explain Aramis’ hostility towards her - their father chose her as his heir instead because Aramis had gotten involved in a cult - but that wasn’t enough motive for me. She and Giles got on better, but we never learned why he didn’t hold the same contempt for her and their interactions were too minimal to put across their closeness. I don’t know if we even heard the Twins speak. In Nico’s family, the only thing distinguishing Adler and Luther apart was the fact that Luther went to Hightower with Nico. Other than that, their dialogue was basically the same. Gideon could have been utilised way more seeming he had a little crush on Milla, or they could have at least developed a very close friendship or started to have a true sibling bond that Milla had never had. But again, they only interacted a couple of times. The same could be said for Esme, who could have been a source of sisterhood that Milla desperately needed. Uncle Solomon appeared at random times to get angry at Nico, even though it had been established that he’d given up his authority, and I just didn’t really know why the author bothered with his character. Especially since Nonna existed. Although yet again, Milla had one significant conversation with her where they found a mutual respect for each other because Milla wasn’t afraid to hold her own against her, but then they didn’t really speak to her again. Fran spoke once, Lucinda and Ianthe were mentioned but I don’t recall them ever talking, and a person called Grimm was mentioned at one point and I had no idea who that was. The only important family member, who was actually Milla’s tailor, was Sera. Sera looked out for Milla, even if it turned out to be for an ulterior motive. Overall it was very obvious that the families were inspired by the Italian-American Mob Family trope.
The most interesting villain was actually Sabina. She was depicted as cruel and ruthless, but really she had a strong sense of justice and could be reasoned with. I respected her and kinda wished she’d become a more involved ally. The real villain, Inspector Gavriel, felt a bit too wishy-washy to me. He was threatening Nico, then threatening Milla, then threatening her family. He just didn’t have the intimidating sophistication that some of the best villains have, he felt like an unorganised hot mess to me. The Grey Hands nor The Firenzes created enough of a genuine sense of peril for me. My final thought is justice for Vanya Hartsong. We only saw her as a jealous, stilted lover of Nico only for it to turn out she was mastermind.

🗺️World-Building:🗺️
Before I say anything, I have two glaring points about the world building and they’re both related to the magic wielder called a bender. First off, this author is clearly not British and didn’t consult a British sensitivity reader because if they had they’d know that this is a derogatory slur for a gay man. Secondly, the ones who could manipulate air were unashamedly named air benders. Not even an attempt was made to try and separate that from Avatar. Alas, I move on. Now my experience of the world-building is probably not truly representative of the published work, because this ARC didn’t include any world map or glossary which I would assume the published edition did. Therefore the one chunky paragraph that explained the bulk of the world-building was my only real source of knowledge, and it was very easy to forget it as I read along. I couldn’t help but feel that the world-building and the lore was too much of an afterthought in comparison to the romance, in the sense that it was only explored at the surface level when it was convenient to the plot. There were quite a few types of magic wielder not mentioned, assuming that each remnant had several sub-types. For example, there were three Remnants of Mirth that were properly named - Scolapa (mind readers), Amov (shifters), Mentalus (thought readers) - and Nico as a Remnant of Bane discussed how he could bend air, time and light while Darkthiefs could bend shadows and Esme was a metal bender - but this wasn’t done for the Remnants of Giver and Greed, Blood or Chaos. Wearhs and Bleeders seemed to be used interchangeably, and it wasn’t clear how consuming human blood was a power. Nico’s bending of time, stretching a second out as long as he could, was super cool as well as his air bending to make his prosthetic hand work, which was the work of Esme. But I didn’t really understand how the Descendants and their Remnants used their powers in the context of their society and their lives. Nico knocking people over with a gust or spreading fire generated by his cousin was cool and all, but how did they utilise that elsewhere? What about all the other Remnants? Why did the Firenze family create Glint products against the effects of Remnants, what had been happening in everyday life to generate such a fear of it? The origin of the magic in the book was quite clever, but again a glossary really would have helped. Especially with mentions of the god of Chaos now living in Oblivion, which I assumed was the underworld, and Milla being revealed to be a Remni. The politics in the book I found quite confusing too, with mentions of the OIC and The Watch and The Society being thrown around without me really seeing who they were or what they did. The Nine Crowns gang, or cult?, was significant too but I still didn’t really understand the background of it. Milla’s family steam engine, The Iron Saint, and the value of it in trade was utilised well, but it would have been nice to see what life for typical folk in Lynchaven or the Row was like outside of the privileged estates Milla and Nico lived in. It made it difficult to understand what all the fight for power was even for. Who were the ordinary folk driving the economy? Making those who owned these industries rich? Who was the Overseer, the position the Inspector wanted, ruling over?
Milla’s familiar was sort of glossed over as well, and why was nobody questioning this existing on someone who was meant to be mortal? My frustration was that I actually really enjoyed all of these elements, but I wish they’d been fleshed out more and that I could have immersed myself in the Isle. But the truth-generating champagne that makes you vomit if you lie was my favourite bit.

📝Prose/Plot:📝
The prose was occasionally a bit clunky, mostly when describing rooms or settings or in action scenes where the placement of the characters all got a bit muddled. Characters were stood up when I thought they were sat down, or Nico being sat behind Milla high enough up to rest his feet on her bench, but then being low enough for her arms to rest on his thighs and his face to be in her neck? The Daddy jokes were unnecessary and pretty tonally inconsistent with Nico’s very poetic and romantic dialogue. The book did have a huge pet peeve of mine that exists in romance / romantasy where the characters repeat corny phrases to themselves about the love interest, in this book it was ‘Spoiled little heiress or ‘evil little heiress’. I LOATHE IT. So many books do it and it’s so infantalising it drives me insane. It was also grating that Nico kept calling Milla his wife even though he knew they hadn’t handed in the marriage license. Plot wise I had a good time but the time-restricted arranged marriage and misunderstanding about it was a bit dumb. The whole ‘oh I clearly do want to stay married to you but I can’t because of these not actually very important reasons therefore I have to make you think I don’t want to marry you even though I clearly do’. It got a bit tiresome. The bit with Milla in the beast fighting pit was honestly so random. If the world-building had been better, showing the nitty gritty side of working class living, maybe it would have made more sense, but as it stood there were suddenly these beasts that nobody had mentioned as a legitimate threat and an underground arena with spectators betting on it. Sabina’s ball was an under-utilised scene, where we could have learnt more about the industry leaders, noble families and people of influence but instead we just got Nico fondling Milla’s breasts in front of them all. The Collector thing was a little too glossed over, too, and I still found myself a little bit lost as to the Firenze’s role in everything involving the Inspector and the Nine Hands. I think some of the plot twists were a bit too spoon-fed too. It always gives it a YA feel to me when foreshadowing or vague allusions to events are made too obvious. Like I’m an adult, let me figure it out myself. Or make it a surprise? It was obvious that Milla had asked Giles to hand in the marriage license, and obvious that it was Sera shifted into Milla. If anything Aramis made a good point that Nico didn’t even notice the change of clothes. Dude, Milla instantly knew when a shifter had taken Nico’s place just by his use of the wrong pet name and the feel of his pulse. Nico didn’t even figure it out with Sera basically outright telling him she wasn’t Milla. But despite all that, the scenes of Milla and Nico sneaking around and his use of bending, plus the steam train scene were all really engaging. I would happily read the sequel and hope we get to see more of the magic side of things.

Absolutely yes all the way ! I loved this book so much, i wasnt sure that i was going to enjoy this but i loved it so much

This was a reread. I loved it in 2024 and love it now.

Peaky Blinders + Shadow & Bone- say less! I am a sucker for Thomas Shelby and throw in some magic- I’m melting.

Author Alexis Menard did a wonderful job setting the world in an urban, steampunk past + present era. It made the setting eerie, gloomy, and alluring.

Camilla started off meek and subdue. But we quickly saw her grow into a strong, fierce woman that would do anything to protect her family.

Nicolai. Oh Nicholai. He’s possessive and protective but a softie deep down. He’s your typical moral grey MMC that you wanna dislike but can’t help by loving him.

Some of the side characters and found family. Oh my heart.

Can’t wait to read book two.

Thank you, ForeverPub for my gifted ARC 💕

Absolutely loved this book 😍
The fmc and mmc chemistry is off the charts!! The banter between them had me laughing out loud, the tension was hot even when they both hated each other.
Why do I love the mmc Nonna 😂 she’s was hilarious and mean and I wanted to read more about her.
This book was mafia meet fantasy vibes which I loved and the arranged marriage 😍 who doesn’t love an arranged marriage trope.
Highly recommend this book can’t wait to read the next one.
Thank you NetGalley & Second Sky for the Arc 🥰

❤️🖤 House of Bane and Blood Review 🖤❤️

Thank you so much to Alexis L Menard and Second Sky/Forever books for the opportunity to read and review this book!

House of Bane and Blood is a fantasy romance and book one in the Vows of Vengeance series. Camilla is determined to save her family from financial ruin, even if that means an arranged marriage with someone she doesn’t know. She’s determined to have one more night of freedom before being bound to another, but when that man turns up at her wedding and offers a new bargain, will she sign up for more than she expected?

This book was such an amazing read!! The steampunk mafia fantasy vibes of this world were so unique! I loved the world building so much and the magic system was so much fun! Camilla was such a strong character and Nico was such a great match for her. Both of these characters were so well rounded and made each other stronger throughout this story, which I really enjoyed

Overall this was a fantastic five star read! I adored these characters and this world so much! I can’t wait to read more in this series! This book definitely has some darker moments, so please check if you’re sensitive. This book was a bit of a slow burn, but had fantastic tension and spice later in the book - so overall two flames for spice

If you’re a fan of romantic fantasy with amazing characters, beautiful world building, and steampunk mafia vibes, then absolutely pick this one up!

House of Bane and Blood is a dark fantasy romance that blends forbidden love, family betrayal, and lots of political intrigue.
I really liked the gothic atmosphere and the tension between Camilla and Nico — their dynamic was sharp and addictive. The pacing dipped in places, but it was still an engaging read overall.

Camilla is such an interesting heroine — she’s messy, complicated, and stuck in a situation that’s impossible to win. Enter Nico, the rival heir with a sharp tongue, a dangerous edge, and way too much chemistry with her. Their banter + angst carried the book for me.
The worldbuilding is super atmospheric (kind of gothic, smoky, political), though I’ll admit it dragged in some spots and I wished the pacing was tighter. But honestly, I was still hooked, especially with all the family betrayals and forbidden romance vibes.


For me, it lands at about 3.5–4 stars, and I’ll definitely check out the second book to see where things go.

.ೃ࿐ <i>Thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky & Alexis L. Menard for the opportunity to read and review the ARC before release! All thoughts and opinions are my own.</i>

<i>3.75 ★</i>

ੈ✩‧₊˚ <i>my thoughts</i>

<b>A fun reread of a really solid fantasy romance.</b>

I originally read this back in April and was so excited when I saw it was picked up by trad publishing that I decided to give the ARC a read. What I loved about this book the first time around had not changed. The engaging storyline, original themes, and great characters were still all as captivating as the first time I read the story.

I remember loving the relationship between Nico and Milla the first time around and I was so glad to find that it was still such a sweet and touching connection between them.

I’m looking forward to rereading the trad version of book 2 soon, once it releases as well!

Warring rival mafia families, magic, heiress x Peaky blinders, post industrial era and one of my favourite tropes…marriage of convenience which gives us all the TENSION! Thank you Second Sky for sending me this, I just could not put this down!!! I read this in 24 hours it was that good! This one is for all you Peaky blinders fans, get ready to meet Nicolai Roman Attano 🔥 and Milla 🙌 who might be my new favourite couple! I couldn’t get enough of them! I love the banter in this, the delicious slow burn, a woman who can put a cocky gangster in his place (or smash a glass to his head 😆) and a possessive MMC who would burn the world for her despite what he may claim most of the time!

“I see all of you. The good, the better, and the best because there is no bad in you. You are enough.”

In a city divided, Nico and Milla are from opposite sides of the track, literally. Milla is the heiress of the railway and Nico is our rough and ready gangster ✨with magic✨who find themselves in a marriage of convenience to save their rival families & companies.

Plenty of chaos, gun fights, scheming politicians and MY WIFE moments along with tenderness, slow building trust, romance and I just loved it! This whole book had me on the edge of my seat but the last section, wow, I am fully invested and I neeeeed book 2 already! Absolutely loved this!!

BK-17
🌶️ Spice: 1 (🔥SLOW BURN)
👁 POV: First Person, Dual
✨ Vibe: 1920’s, Steampunk, Peaky Blinders, Mafia
Cover: 5/5!! We love the mix of the old with the new!

If you love steampunk glam, mafia danger, and the grittiness of a 1920’s-inspired world, House of Bane and Blood is a ride you won’t forget.

Camilla, heiress to a crumbling steam-train empire, finds her only hope for survival in a marriage of convenience. Enter Nico—her new husband who quickly realizes protecting his wife means claiming her as his own. When threats close in, loyalty and love are put to the ultimate test.

This story is brimming with atmosphere: the smoky, industrial setting, the mafia undertones, and the push-pull romance kept me flipping pages. It’s uniquely immersive and we tabbed the heck out of our physical copies! The dual narration on Audible is fantastic and only adds to the experience.

✅ Recommend for fans of dark mafia romance, steampunk aesthetics, and slow-burn intensity.
❌ Skip if you’re not into morally gray heroes or gritty, atmospheric worldbuilding.

Annie's Rating: 4⭐
Laura's Rating: 5⭐
Average Rating: 4.5⭐
⭐ Rated: 5/5
Spicy Chapters: 35

I had so much fun reading House of Bane and Blood -- I look forward to continuing with the Vows of Vengeance series.

The mafia vibes of the book were a lot of fun twisted up with the magic and romance. Nico and Milla deliver on the witty banter and delicious spice! There's so much action in this one, you won't be bored.

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am still recovering from this book, and I mean that in the best way possible. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this stunning ARC. House of Bane and Blood is a masterclass in gothic fantasy romance. It's dark, it's atmospheric, and it's so beautifully written that I found myself highlighting passages on nearly every page.

Menard crafts a world that is both terrifying and alluring. The titular House is a character in its own right—a place of decaying grandeur, haunted by ancient secrets and bound by a curse that ensnares all who enter. The atmosphere is thick enough to taste, a perfect blend of horror and beauty that kept me perpetually on edge. The plot unfolds like a grim fairy tale, blending mystery, horror, and a deeply passionate romance that feels both fated and forbidden.

Our heroine is resilient and sharp, a perfect foil to the brooding, morally gray lord of the house. Their chemistry is simply electric. This isn't a simple love story; it's a raw, complicated, and sometimes painful connection between two characters who may be each other's salvation or ultimate destruction. The banter is sharp, the emotional moments are profound, and the spice is woven seamlessly into the narrative, adding depth to their bond.

If you love the dark, gothic vibes of Mexican Gothic mixed with the high-stakes fantasy romance of Kerri Maniscalco, you absolutely must pick up House of Bane and Blood. It's a haunting, unforgettable read that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

I absolutely adore this book and I am super excited to see this book traditionally published. The writing and the gothic Victorian esque setting is to die for. The banter between the love interests was so good and it really added so much chemistry. I enjoyed the magic system and thought it took on an interesting take. I would a 1000% recommend this book for everyone.