Blog Tour: Review of A Blessing and A Curse by Anna Campbell

A Blessing and a Curse
Anna Campbell
Publication date: October 31st 2023
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Blessing Savage barely remembers who she was before the unexpected death of her father, Pastor Savage. These days she clings desperately to the party girl persona she’s created for her second year of college, living with a new group of friends, joining their sorority, and partying non-stop. There’s only one thing that can kill her perpetual buzz, and his name is Camden Holbrook, the boy she’s pined for for nearly a decade.

Camden credits Blessing’s father for saving him when he was a child, giving him a place to stay when his mother abandoned him and setting him back on the right track. So when Pastor Savage asked a promise of Camden before dying – to look out for Blessing – he made a vow and meant it. Protecting Blessing has always come easily. Loving her has not. Not for someone who’s learned time and time again that love and loss are intricately interwoven.

After years of Camden keeping her at arm’s length, the last thing Blessing wants is him barging into her life. But new Blessing refuses to let Cam play knight-in-shining-armor, not when she knows – from one starry summer’s night slip-up – how he really feels about her. This time around, Blessing’s intent on pushing Camden’s limits, and she’s got some sexy new tricks up her sleeve to take him past them. Then maybe he’ll admit the truth of his feelings. Maybe the person who’s always known her best can help her find a way back to herself. Maybe she can prove to Camden that love doesn’t always destroy a person. Sometimes, it’s the only thing that can start putting them back together.

Goodreads / Amazon

My thoughts:

A Blessing and A Curse is a friends to lovers slow burn romance.  I wasn't sure if I would like this in the beginning.  But, I was pleasantly surprised and I was sucked into Blessing and Camden's story. I loved the flashbacks to when they first met as kids.  It really added depth to their love story.  In present day, they are both handling grief and trying to feel loved. In the end, they were home for each other.   There is one scene at the vet that had me tearing up.  That was such a gut wrenching scene.   It made me like them as a couple that much more.  I definitely recommend this one.

Author Bio:

Spend more time with Anna Campbell and her stories on Instagram: @annacampbellstories

Anna Campbell has traditionally published several stories for teens over the years under a different pen name. Anna Campbell stories are mature YA/NA angsty stories about beatiful broken people who love hard and still believe in happy endings.

Goodreads / Instagram

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A Rake's Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell

Author: Anna Campbell
Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Date of publication: August 2013

Brilliant scholar Genevieve Barrett knows how to keep a secret. Her identity as the author of her father's academic articles has always been her greatest deception—until a charming housebreaker tries to steal the mysterious Harmsworth Jewel from her.

Sir Richard Harmsworth has been living a lie, maintaining a rakish façade to show society that he doesn't care about his status as a bastard. Yet long haunted by his unknown father's identity, Richard believes the Harmsworth Jewel will confirm his claim as the rightful heir. But when Richard sets out to seduce the bookworm who possesses the stone, he instead falls for its beautiful owner.

A Rake's Midnight Kiss is the second book in the "Son's of Sin" series.  I enjoyed the first one, Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed.  I liked this second one, but I didn't love it.  It was a little dull for me.  I really wasn't feeling the attraction between Richard and Genevieve. It felt forced and fell flat for me.  There was really no heat between them.  I think that kind of ruined the story for me.  I was hoping for more from Richard's courtship of Genevieve.  I did like their HEA and some of their banter was cute, but it wasn't anything wow.

The rest of the story was interesting. The bad guy was really slimy.  The carriage scene was very disturbing and icky.  I think the thing I liked most about the book was the end scene with Richard and his mother.  It was nice to see that he got his true happiness in the end.  I do look forward to the Cam's book, What a Duke Dares, coming out next year.

Review: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell

Author: Anna Campbell
Publisher: Forever
Date of publication: September 2012
Audiobook by Tantor Media

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed is a nice twist on the Beauty and the Beast story. Sidonie offers herself as payment for her sister's gambling debt in an order to save her sister from a beating by her BIL.  Jonas has been labeled a bastard and has been a mean recluse most of his life.  Intrigued by Sidonie, Jonas agrees to her arrangement.

One thing I did like about this book was that Sidonie's seduction took place over a week.  Jonas didn't take her to bed right away, especially after he found out she was untouched.  He slowly seduces her and while doing so falls in love with her.  Of course, this book isn't all roses and chocolates.  The two do have a pretty angsty relationship.  Both of them are so unwilling to trust the other that it takes a long time for them to finally get their HEA. Especially when Jonas finds out the secret that Sidonie has been hiding from him all along.  I was rooting for them though.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Campbell.  I enjoyed it enough that I will probably look for more works by her.  The audiobook was well done and definitely worth a listen.