As a fan of dark romance, I found this book captivating. I love a strong female lead and this one delivered

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bloodplay is bold and unflinching, diving into dark themes with intensity. The concept and character dynamics were compelling, but the pacing and worldbuilding sometimes felt uneven. While some graphic moments weren’t quite for me, fans of raw, boundary-pushing stories may find it gripping.

Bloodplay By: Era K. Nesta
(ARC)

Bloodplay is a pitch-black romance that pushes boundaries and takes readers on a roller coaster Stockholm syndrome romance that stays with you long after you've finished reading.

When Euphoria’s estranged father bargains his daughter's life away to a ruthless dhampir, Loki. A toxic relationship between captor and captive unfurls. Loki discovers that his new toy is not as fragile as his previous playthings. Completely enthralled with Euphoria’s fight and fiery personality, Loki continues to push her boundaries, eager to find her breakpoint as his infatuation grows.

Euphoria quickly learns that the only thing keeping her alive is Loki’s continued sadistic interest in breaking her inside and out, but as more time passes under his torment, Euphoria becomes seduced by his darkness and finds that the line between fear and arousal is razor thin. Euphoria's skill as a trained assassin will not be enough to get her out of this situation, but her determination does not waver as she tries to appeal to his humanity while she fights for life with each encounter.

Bloodplay is beautifully written with a captivating plot that balances out the violent and graphic scenes, keeping readers engaged as the story progresses.

ARC kindly received from NetGalley and Troubador.

Bloodplay was definitely a dark and intense read. The premise caught my attention straight away, and there were some really interesting ideas here, but overall it didn’t quite land for me. The pacing felt uneven, and at times the writing and worldbuilding came across as a bit disjointed. Some of the darker scenes also felt a little too much, which made it hard to stay fully engaged.

That said, I did enjoy the psychological tension and how complex the character dynamics were - there’s definitely potential in the concept. It just wasn’t quite the right fit for me this time.

3★ - dark, ambitious, and full of emotion, but a little too chaotic for my taste.

Bloodplay is a psychological dark captor/captive story about Euphoria, betrayed by her father and forced to pay for his mistakes. She is sold to Loki, a cruel and ruthless dhampir. What follows is a battle of wills and survival as Euphoria navigates her new reality.

The psychological focus of this story is what drew me in the most, as both Loki and Euphoria strive to maintain control, shaped by their pasts. Euphoria, in particular, begins uncertain of her own strength but gradually challenges her limits. Through her battle of wills, she confronts her vulnerability and questions if redemption is possible, signaling a journey of self-discovery and transformation of sorts.

This story ends in a cliffhanger that sets the tone for where the story will go next—one that I look forward to reading once it comes out.

I would recommend this to readers of The Darkness Beyond the Daisies, Comfort Food, or those interested in the captor/captive trope.

What to expect:
🩸 Dark Romance
🔥 Enemies to Enemies (to something far more dangerous)
💔 Power, Control, and Obsession
🖤 Survival and Defiance


Where do I even begin with Bloodplay? This book completely wrecked me in the best and worst ways possible. It’s brutal, it’s raw, and it’s unapologetically dark. Era K. Nesta doesn’t hold your hand or cushion the blows. Instead, she throws you straight into a world where violence and desire are indistinguishable, where love is just another battlefield, and where survival itself is an act of defiance.

At the heart of it all is Euphoria—a woman who has been through hell and refuses to break. Betrayed, traded, and thrown into the grasp of Loki, a sadistic dhampir who thrives on cruelty, she could have easily become another victim. But she doesn’t. Instead, she stands her ground, meets his brutality with unflinching strength, and forces him to confront something he never expected -- someone who won’t bend to his will. I adored her resilience and the quiet fury that burns through her every action. Euphoria isn’t written to be saved. She’s written to survive, and she does so with haunting grace.

And then there’s Loki. Oh, Loki. He is not the kind of antihero who finds redemption or softness, he’s the storm itself. Vicious, cruel, and unrepentant. Yet, what makes him fascinating is not a promise of change but the collision he has with Euphoria. Every scene between them feels like a lit fuse ready to explode. Their dynamic is terrifying, magnetic, and impossible to look away from. It’s less about romance and more about power; who holds it, who takes it, and what’s left when both are stripped bare.

This book does not romanticize cruelty... it exposes it. The writing is sharp and hypnotic, every page soaked in tension that left me holding my breath. The prose feels like poetry carved in blood; it’s beautiful and horrifying all at once. Era K. Nesta’s command of tone and atmosphere is phenomenal. Every moment drips with dread, longing, and twisted intimacy that feels almost too real.

There were times I had to put the book down, take a breath, and remind myself it’s fiction -- because it feels that immersive. Bloodplay doesn’t aim to comfort you; it challenges you. It forces you to question your boundaries, your empathy, and the unsettling allure of darkness.

By the end, I was equal parts shattered and awestruck. This isn’t a book for everyone and that’s exactly what makes it unforgettable.

For those who crave dark romance that cuts deep, for those who don’t need happy endings to feel satisfied. Bloodplay will consume you.

Thank you so much to Era K. Nesta and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! I am so excited to add this book to my shelves on release day! It’s one I know will haunt me for a long, long time.

Bloodplay is one of those books that completely consumes you. It's dark, emotional, and hauntingly beautiful. From the very first chapters, I was drawn into its world, where passion and pain seem to blur, and every page feels charged with tension and emotion.

Era K. Nesta has such a distinct way of writing. Her prose is sharp yet poetic, and she knows exactly how to build atmosphere. The story unfolds with a mix of intensity and vulnerability that really resonated with me. Some moments made me hold my breath, and others made me stop to process what I’d just read.

What I loved most was the complexity of the characters. They’re flawed, raw, and deeply human. You can feel their struggles, their desires, their guilt. And it’s impossible not to get attached to them, even when they make choices that leave you conflicted. I found myself constantly questioning who was really in control, who was telling the truth, and whether redemption was even possible for any of them.

The pacing is excellent! It never drags, and the emotional stakes just keep climbing. By the final chapters, I was completely hooked, both dreading and craving the ending. And when it came… it hit hard. It’s one of those endings that leaves you sitting in silence for a moment, just letting it all sink in.

Bloodplay is dark, seductive, and deeply emotional. A story that’s as much about desire and power as it is about love and loss. It left me reeling in the best possible way, and it’s one of those books I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

(Spoiler: that gun scene had me stunned!!!)

Dark read that gave me so much in return. That this book would hit me this hard was not on my bingo card for 2025. This was exceptional. I need the next part.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was a complex read. The authors writing style is poetic and artful and so thought provoking!

I enjoyed reading this book and was also terrified by how much I enjoyed it.

The mmc reminds me of both Killian Carson and Eric from True blood.

The fmc was frustrating at times, she constantly proved she was strong and capable of saving herself... and then when she needed to, she couldn't do it!

All in all... I enjoyed this very dark book.

Objectively this book was good and the writing was great. I just really struggled to get into it. I think you should look at everyone else’s reviews instead of mine on this but thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Rating: ★★★★☆
I received an advance copy of Bloodplay via NetGalley.

Bloodplay by Era K. Nesta is a dark, intense romance/thriller that weaves together themes of power, trauma, and obsession. The story introduces Euphoria, who is bartered by her father to Loki, a dhampir whose cruelty and dominance define his reputation. Loki expects a submissive captive — but Euphoria, shaped by a history of suffering, proves to be resilient and dangerous in her own right. 

What I loved:
• Atmosphere & tension: The mood is unrelenting, with frequent shifts between vulnerability and menace. Nedra’s (Nesta’s) scenes often left me holding my breath.
• Character complexity: Loki is not a simple villain; his brutality is tempered by hints of emotional scars. Euphoria is fiercely determined; her inner strength and coping mechanisms are nuanced and believable.
• Dark romance with stakes: This is not a light romance — the push-pull of dominance, control, surrender, and defiance pulses throughout. The romance feels dangerous and complicated, not idealized.

Constructive notes:
• Some passages are very graphic; readers who are sensitive to scenes of abuse or extreme emotional manipulation may find them triggering.
• Occasionally pacing lags in transitions between high-tension scenes — a little tightening in some emotional interludes might help.

Who should read this:
If you enjoy dark romance / paranormal romance / psychological suspense with morally gray protagonists and aren’t shy about darker content, Bloodplay will appeal to you. Be warned: this is a heavy, emotionally demanding read.

Final verdict:
Bloodplay is bold, relentless, and unforgettable. Era K. Nesta doesn’t pull punches — she challenges readers to hold difficult tension. A strong recommendation for fans of dark romance who like their love stories tangled with danger and trauma.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I found this novel to be quite pleasing to read. I certainly found the content to be quite amusing and it definitely had my full attention throughout the read. It was intriguing and fascinating to put it simply. The author is to be commended in writing this novel. I would recommend this to others.

Every so often, you pick up a book that stares back at you — unflinching, brutal, and oddly beautiful in its own twisted way. Bloodplay is one of those reads. It’s a dark, violent, and unapologetically psychological story that doesn’t romanticize the damage it deals with. This isn’t the kind of book you read for comfort; it’s one you survive — and maybe, in some way, understand. Our FMC Euphoria is a survivor in every sense of the word. Given by her father to a man far worse than any nightmare, she walks into hell already knowing the rules — because she’s lived them before. Her strength isn’t loud or performative; it’s patient, dangerous, and threaded through her silence. Our MMC Loki, her captor, is a dhampir with an unstable temper and a taste for cruelty. He’s a product of violence himself, and that lineage bleeds through every decision he makes. What begins as control and punishment becomes something messier — a reckoning neither of them saw coming. When Euphoria’s father trades her to his employer, Loki, she expects nothing more than another form of captivity. Instead, she finds herself entangled in a web of power, obsession, and survival that redefines everything she thought she knew about pain and control. Loki’s world is one of blood oaths and ancient brutality — a place where monsters make the rules and everyone else learns to bleed quietly. But Euphoria doesn’t break the way Loki expects her to. She adapts. Her silence becomes a challenge, her defiance a mirror. As their warped dynamic unfolds, it’s hard to tell who’s in control — or if control even exists between them at all. The story walks a tightrope between violence and vulnerability, where every moment of connection feels like a loaded weapon. There’s no redemption arc here, no grand romance to soften the edges. Bloodplay is about what happens when two broken people see themselves reflected in each other and can’t decide if they want to destroy that reflection or protect it. The result is dark, intense, and strangely intimate — the literary equivalent of a wound you can’t stop touching. This book isn't written as a comfort read. It's written to confront — with pain, with trauma, and with the parts of yourself you’d rather not meet in daylight. It is brutal but deliberate, layered with emotional honesty beneath all the violence. It’s not for everyone, and it shouldn’t be. But for readers who crave a story that explores the uglier sides of survival and connection without apology, it’s exceptional.

Era K. Nesta's Bloodplay is not intended for the fainthearted . It immerses readers in a realm where pain and survival are intricately linked, delving into the stark extremes of abuse, resilience, and a dangerously alluring connection that teeters on the brink of destruction. At the heart of the narrative is Euphoria, a young woman betrayed by the very individual who should have safeguarded her and her father. Instead, he relinquishes her to Loki, his sadistic employer, anticipating her to be merely another shattered captive.
However, Euphoria is unlike the others. Toughened by a life of unrelenting abuse, she has perfected skills of survival and adaption. She bears the scars of her past like protective armor, concealing an assassin's precision beneath a veneer of delicacy. While other falter, Euphoria learns to maneuver through Loki's unpredictable cruelty, resisting his dominance even as she finds herself ensnared in a cycle of suffering.
Lokie on the other hand, epitomizes chaos, a figure engulfed by fury, darkness and a couple absence of remorse. Yet, Nesta portrays him not merely as a one dimensional villain but as a multifaceted anti hero, a man molded by wounds as profound as those he inflicts. AS Euphoria darkness intersects with his own, the narrative transitions from a story of anguish to one of distorted intimacy. The connection that forms between captor and captive is as disquieting as captivating, prompting readers to ponder themes of love, obession and the possibility of redemption amidst such brutality
What renders Bloodily particular striking is it' refusal to glorify violence, even while recognizing the alluring nature of toxic attachment. Bloodplay is charged with intensity and psychological complexity. Bloodplay is a bold, haunting read for fans of dark romance and psychological thrillers. It's raw, intense, and not afraid to expose the messiest parts of human connection. If you're okay with heavy themes and a story that leave you questioning this book will linger with you , It's a wild unsettling ride

Thanks to NetGalley, Troubadour Books, Author Era K Nesta
#NetGalley
#Troubadorbooks
#EraKNesta
#BloodPlay

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book completely disemboweled me in ways that I never even imagined. Euphoria is not a hopeless chicken; she is a survivor struggling to escape hell. And Loki? He is the monster that somehow makes you want him to be redeemed, although he does not deserve it at all.

Toxic. Addictive. Beautifully broken.

In case you are fond of dark romance that plays with your soul and makes your heart beat, you will be taken entirely by this one.

After finishing this book literally 10 minutes ago my first thought is when can I read the 2nd one? I want to go straight into it right now.

This book was different from what I originally expected but I have no complaints. Reading it was like battling through a dark storm - both beautiful yet terrifying.

I can't refer to it as a dark romance as there is no romance at all (although I hope there will be) but it was definitely dark.

This isn't for the faint hearted that definitely does not describe me so I found myself constantly reading to see what happened next.

No spoilers here but I know what I want to happen next as that ending broke me a bit. For some psychotic reason I have a real soft spot for Loki.

Bloodplay is a dark, unsettling, and deeply provocative narrative that refuses to fit into the mold of conventional romance. It is a story drenched in violence, obsession, and toxic intimacy, pulling readers into a world where survival is the only true form of strength. Rather than offering comfort, this book challenges its audience to confront the harrowing realities of abuse, control, and the blurred line between love and destruction.
What sets this novel apart is its fearless dive into the most difficult aspects of human connection. Euphoria’s resistance in the face of Loki’s dominance isn’t just about defiance — it’s about survival, identity, and reclaiming power in a world that constantly tries to strip it away. The writing is raw and immersive, with a pacing that rarely lets up. However, the emotional weight can be relentless, and some characters and subplots might have benefited from further development to offer a fuller picture of the world Nesta has created. Still, the intensity is part of what makes Bloodplay so effective and so memorable..

A great debut novel and dark vampire romance. Our FMC, Euphoria, is strong and witty, and Loki, our MMC, is a cruel man who is not redeemed through the romance. The relationship is wild, tense, and volatile, and the twistedness is intense.

This book is intense in the best of ways. I really fell head first into the tension and passion. The prose is so pretty and the characters have amazing chemistry.

If you like dark, psychological horror, you would enjoy this book. The TV series Supernatural is mentioned & I think that's a perfect description.

Vampire Loki meets wounded, broken, Euphoria & makes her his own.

Euphoria breaks farther under his abuse, but is torn as she finds herself attracted to him.

At one point, she realizes she can control him some by treating him gently & showing care for him, since he never had a mother to do so....I had hoped at that point that the book would continue down that path &have a better ending, but sadly it didn't last long.

The book is an up & down, emotional roller coaster. Don't read it if you're not in a good mental state. It's very dark. At one point, I wanted to not finish the book, however, I was hooked & wanted to see what happened. It reminds me a lot of Euphoria's mindset & thoughts regarding Loki. She goes back & forth in her love & hate for him.

I can see why the author left the book as she did. I'm curious to read the next book & see how it plays out.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgally for the ARC read. All opinions are my own.

Bloodplay

Rating: 3

A dark romance which ups the tension throughout the story with it's deeply provocative narrative with a guy clenching cliffhanger at the end!

For lovers of dark romance this is perfect for you!

The review below is posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

While the book is written well and I was hopeful that I would love this book but sadly it was not for me. I couldn’t get into it and I don’t think the genre was what I expected. I expected the genre to fit more towards romance but this was more of a fantasy book. I got confused in the beginning which sets the whole book up for me to get lost. I’m sure if it grabbed my attention more, it would have made sense but unfortunately it did not. I do hope others enjoy it more than I do.

Book was alright. For me personally the romance was lacking; The pacing was good and I enjoyed the characterization. I do wish more of the world was explained and the intricacies of the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. When I read the description I really thought I was going to love it and to be honest I really wanted to, but I just didn’t. enjoy the writing style. For me it felt a bit all over the place and at times disjointed. This resulted in me struggling to bond with the characters. Due to this I can only give 3⭐️

Bloodplay is a dark, unsettling book about possesiveness and obsession. It contains a strong FMC, a very pitch black vampire MMC and it has a great plot.
I really liked the fact that some of the characters were Swedish, since it's my own country, it somehow made it more appealing to me.
And I loved the references to "Supernatural", i love that show!
I struggled with the different POV's, and the swapping between them all the time, it made it hard for me as a reader to figure out who was thinking and saying what several times when reading.

With that said, this book will suit people who enjoy darkness and wants a cold, angry and broken MMC who doesn't deserve redemption but you somehow want to give it to him anyway.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this.

I read the description and was very excited for a vampire romance and I really thought I was going to enjoy it, and it just could not keep my attention. I’m not a big fan of third person POVs but I will read them, but the way this author just jumps for one person to another with stating anything was really confusing and hard for me to follow.

The book starts off with you meeting the FMC, Euphoria, and she gets traded to Loki, the MMC, because her father is trying to save himself. The story has great potential, but it’s just not for me. To me personally, the story is described as a dark romance, but to me it’s just dark.

Please read your triggers warnings.

Received an ARC copy from NetGalley.

In exchange for his life, Richard offers his estranged daughter to his boss, after he makes a grave mistake at his work. Loki is no ordinary guy, a vampire hybird with pyscopathic tendencies. He lays claim to Euphoria and promises to break her and make her all his. What he doesnt know is that Euphoria is a trained assasin and wont go down without a fight.

This is a dark and gruesome tale. Not your typical vampire romance. But I did enjoy it. The author had me conflicted throughout story. Part of me wanted Loki to be redeemable and the other part felt he deserved the hate he got for all the things he done. Looking forward to reading the next book.

This book recalls the phrase "missing the forest for the trees." The characters, plot, and fulfillment on genre are all overshadowed by dense and cluttered prose. This impacted pacing and tone, slowing everything down with the time it took to wade through redundant images and declawing climactic moments with too many highs and lows packed around them.

That being said, lovers of erotic horror, fanged billionaires, sadistic MMCs, and empowered FMCs may find a good time herein.

Stars:
Characters: 0.75
Enjoyment: 0
Plot: 0.75
Polish: 0
Vibes: 1

Total: 2.5

Era K. Nesta has crafted something dark, emotional, and completely addictive and its a debut ..!!!From the first page, Bloodplay pulls you into this haunting, beautiful world that’s full of tension, longing, and pain and I could not look away.

The writing is stunning sharp, lyrical, and full of emotion. Every line feels deliberate, every moment heavy with meaning. The characters are messy and complex, and that’s exactly what makes them so real. You feel their rage, their heartbreak, their need, and you just ache for them. 🖤

There’s a perfect balance between violence and vulnerability here and it’s not just dark for the sake of being dark. It’s layered, powerful, and deeply human. I love books that aren’t afraid to dive into the shadows and still find something beautiful there, and Bloodplay does that effortlessly.

If you’re into dark fantasy, morally grey characters, and writing that punches you right in the soul this one’s for you.

I really enjoyed this book and I couldn't put it down, I was completely hooked. I love my books on the darker side so this was right up my street and I adored Euphoria

Thank you to Ntegalley and the author for a chance to read this book!

I wasn’t in love with this book at first. It was just a bit slow and boring. Seems like every other dark romance book I’ve read. It was okay though. Not the worst read of my time. The MMC was really annoying to me. He was just whiny and weird.

This book was really well written and if you love dark romance and dark tropes it is definitely for you. The author wrote this book super well and keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Cruel, violent, and tormenting.

A book for those who seek a true enemies-to-lovers extra dark romance where the anti-hero is truly twisted highlighting a toxic romance between captor + captive and an FMC whose resilience is unbreakable.

This book is undeniably psychologically intense. The cliffhanger will leave you unsettled.

Tropes:
Paranormal
Vampire
Captive
Enemies-to-lovers
Multiple Third-person POV
Check TW

Thank you NetGalley and Era K. Nesta for the opportunity to read this eARC.

2.5 stars Thankyou NetGally and Era k nesta for this ARC.
This story has a lot of potential and offers something I haven’t read before which kept me reading until the end however, it all felt so chaotic and intense. I would have preferred more romance, it wasn’t for me but is written well.

bloodplay- era k. nesta🩸

loki and his father are the owners of a pharmaceutical company, which seems to be popular in demand for one drug in particular. when one employee messes up a batch, leading to multiple deaths- he sacrifices his own daughter to loki as his new ‘plaything’.

euphoria is set up to fly out to her father, after having such a strained relationship since she were a child due to years of abuse- she is hesitant, but willing for the sake of her mother.

taken captive and never getting the closure she needed, euphoria is met with a dark and brooding dhampir who is just as abusive, with little regard to human life.

euphoria shows resilliance all the way throughout, willing her mind not break by this man, fighting, poking and prodding. which is quite admirable, especially with how much she has been through and continues to experience.
but deep down, she thinks he is worthy of redemption, yet he doesn’t seek it.

for me personally, i found this book to be a lot darker than i initially anticipated which is fine, but not what i was expecting. i think going into this, i expected a little more romance but instead- it was stockholm syndrome, toxicity and full on abuse in every manner of speaking. despite reading the triggers and being okay with them, there were some very graphic scenes that made me feel a bit uneasy.

bloodplay highlights the psychological affects in which abuse, control, manipulation and obsession can alter the way in which your mind sees things. distorting the lines between love and hate, safety and betrayal, abuse and care.

at times i couldn’t help but feel a little thrown off and confused as to what was actually happening during certain scenes- especially as it kept switching between characters and some of the pacing just left me feeling a little lost.

•★ ★ ★

•available on ku: ❎

thank you to @troubador_publishing & @netgalley for the arc approval💫

I want to start off saying the way this book was written is a little hard for me to understand. I also feel like it just wasn't for me. It's a great storyline but I couldnt get into it. Bloodplay is a captor and captive dynamic, about a woman named Euphoria. Betrayed and hurt by her own father, she is then handed over to Loki. Loki is a brutally sadistic dhampir boss. Who won't take her standing up for herself lightly.Can Euphoria overcome this or will she crumble?