Quick Synopsis – It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi—the original vampire—are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

Song This Reminds Me Of –doomsday by Lizzy McAlpine

Publication Date – April 09, 2024

Content Warning – This is a book about vampires and there are a lot of mentions of blood, death, gore, and general violence. There is also mention of violence against animals, particularly a dog, but don’t worry the dog lives! There is also some mild homophobia, alcohol abuse, and death of a parent.

Rating – 3.5 out of 5 ⭐

Review – This was a fun debut from Lindy Ryan and clearly sets up future novels in this universe. I really hope there are more novels set in this universe because I definitely have questions and there were a lot of loose ends.

Bless Your Heart is a multiple POV novel that pivots between the Evan’s women, Deputy Roger Taylor, and various other town’s people. We never get a POV from any of the Strigoi which I thought would have been interesting and showed more information about the Strigoi. I see where Lindy has easily set up more novels, but it kind of bothered me that there weren’t more answers. The Evans women have essentially been vampire hunters for generations, but they still don’t know really anything about Strigoi beyond myths and legends. It just kind of bothered me that there wasn’t a stronger knowledge base.

I did really enjoy the central story and the rising panic/anxiety. About half way through as the reader you start putting pieces together and it gave me so much anxiety in a good way. This was the kind of book where I was quickly turning pages and completely caught up in the drama. I thought the ending did lack a little oomph, but again I think it’s because the author is setting up multiple story arc. I will be disappointed if I don’t see another book in this series.

Bless Your Heart is a fun thriller that will keep you on your edge of your set. Even if I still had questions at the end, I really enjoyed this novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC.