Amid a crumbling marriage and PTA power struggles, Daniele Ténèbres is about to unearth more than just family secrets.
She feels like a husk as she goes through the motions of her day-to-day, so busy it borders on chaos. Then, a mysterious new neighbor arrives, his presence both alluring and unsettling.
Whispers of dark truths and hidden pasts swirl around her suburban life, pulling Danny into a world she never knew existed. Everyone around her is hiding something—but some secrets are more dangerous than others.
In a desperate bid to reclaim her identity and protect her children, Danny must navigate a treacherous path where every decision could be her last. In order to find her light, she has to walk headfirst into darkness. But when the truth finally emerges, will she be ready to face it?
House of Secrets is a fantasy debut novel from writer ME Evans and the first book in The Bloodborne Trilogy. The book is a genre-bending dark fantasy featuring vampires, magic, and forbidden romance woven into a tale about the struggles of motherhood and married life. The author’s writing style is very vivid and immersive, making everything, down to the smallest environmental detail, very tangible. The story follows Daniele (Danny) Ténèbres, a 35-year-old woman with an emotionally abusive, inattentive husband, who meets a new mysterious stranger, Andras, in the neighborhood. As her marriage falls apart, she becomes increasingly obsessed with her new neighbor and learns some shocking truths about him, just as her own life becomes threatened. The book includes several popular tropes, including instalove, mysterious stranger, friends to lovers, forced proximity, and twisted love triangles! The story is fast-paced, unpredictable, and easy to follow, making for a read that can easily be devoured in one sitting!
The characters in the story are complex, mostly morally grey, and very compelling. Danny’s personal growth is very evident in the story, beginning as a passive people pleaser, in both her marriage and friendships, and then transforming into a fierce, outspoken woman ready to fight her battles. She’s a very relatable character, and her motherhood struggles and feelings of loss of self will resonate with many readers and make her easy to empathize with. Her interactions with the other “mean girl” PTA women are quite hilarious, as she’s seen as the outcast, especially with her family’s sordid past, and she becomes increasingly vocally resistant to their demands and gossip, often putting them in their place without caring about the consequences.
On the contrary, the relationship between Danny and her sister Jess is the epitome of a strong and healthy sisterly bond. They have an abundance of heartfelt dialogue in the story, keep few secrets from each other, and constantly have each other’s backs. The mysterious and brutal murder of their father is mentioned several times in the book, having greatly affected both sisters as teenagers, and there’s a strong sense that the truth behind this mystery and other family secrets will be revealed in book 2. Andras is an enigmatic, morally grey character, shrouded in mystery, who becomes more likeable as more of his heartbreaking vampire backstory is revealed. The chemistry between Danny and Andras is palpable from their first encounter, giving vibes of a “Twilight for Adults” narrative. It should be noted that this isn’t a closed book romance story—spicy book lovers will appreciate the steamy romance scenes that are well executed and don’t overwhelm the main storyline.
The story quickens in pace and slowly spins towards a paranormal narrative in the second half. When Andras unintentionally brings great danger to Danny and the welfare of her family, she acknowledges that she can’t be his lover and also a mother of young children since he is a magnet for perpetual trouble. Even still, readers will have to suspend their disbelief at some of the impulsive, nonsensical decision-making Danny makes thereafter, especially when she chooses to travel to the cabin where a dangerous vampire showdown between Andras and his ex-lover is set to unfold. Another plot point that is a bit far-fetched is how Danny and Andras engage in indulgent sexual activity at the cabin, both well aware of the fact that an imminent threat is expected at any moment—but they don’t seem the least bit concerned.
Despite some of these implausible plot points, the story remains very entertaining and action-packed, with a lot of engrossing dialogue. The battle that ensues also features shocking revelations and some violent, gory scenes that will please horror fans. Soon after, the story abruptly ends in a twisty cliffhanger hinting of big changes coming for Danny and her sister, and readers will want to read the sequel right away. Unfortunately, no date has been set for its release, and readers may require a reread when the sequel comes out to refresh the storyline and excitement.
In summary, this is a highly addictive dark fantasy that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. Popular vampire romance novels, in the vein of Twilight and The Vampire Diaries, often involve young female protagonists—so this book, with its older characters, is a refreshing take on this sub-genre and will resonate with a wider audience, especially mothers of young children. Narrator Tess Irondale delivers an exciting and compelling performance, inflecting an impressive vocal range to depict the character voices and the wide variety of scenes. If you enjoy stories with vampires, magic, family drama, steamy romance, and relatable characters, then you’ll love this book. The book is a great achievement for ME Evans, and the series has great storyline potential. Let’s hope we won’t have to wait too long for the sequel!
