Review: Hellbound by Dria Andersen

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

HellBound by Dria Andersen
on September 29, 2020
Genres: African American, Romance
Pages: 271
Format: ARC
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four-stars

Asa’s life had never lacked adventure. Hopping from one exotic locale to another was a part of her job as a treasure hunter. She thought she’d seen everything, until she was kidnapped for the third time…no wait, maybe fourth? Just like the times before, she’d hear out her kidnappers, decide whether she’d take the job and be on her way. Except…this time it wasn’t a job waiting her, but the man she’d been dreaming about for a year.
Xavier was head of a military force that kept demi-gods from overrunning the human population. He handled his job and any trouble facing his family with ruthless precision. During the day, he kept his head down, preventing a war that could destroy the world from breaking out. At night…at night, she was in his dreams, calling to him, tempting him. So he was understandably shocked when that woman walked...or rather, was carried into his office.

As though summoned, Asa walked straight out of Xavier's dreams and into his worst nightmare. The woman of his dreams, the mate fated for him, was the only thing standing between hell unleashed and the rest of the world. Would fate make him choose the fate of the world over the woman he loved?

Asa is well versed in ancient artifacts, national treasures, and believing the unbelievable. She’s a hunter so she’s seen some things. But finding out that demi-gods and shapeshifters are real and your mother kept her history from you, well that can be a bit much. Did I mention that her father is a hell god and she has powers she doesn’t even know about? And to be honest, that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. But I won’t ruin the fun by telling you everything. Let’s just say that Asa has many reasons to be stressed and untrusting.

Xavier is the head of the Amanda, the military force that keeps the balance between demi-gods and humans. He’s also the man Asa has been dreaming about for over a year. For months, these two have met in their dreams; sharing stories and providing comfort. Neither have them ever imagined the other really existed. However, their lives collide when Asa’s mother dies and the true identity of her father is revealed. Now, Xavier is up to his neck in problems but the most important is preventing a dangerous war that would affect demi-gods and humans alike. Asa is one of the most important pieces for stopping this war. So while feelings need to be explored and questions need to be answered, they don’t really have the luxury.

HellBound provided a nice balance; giving us just enough drama to go along with the romance. I liked the twist of Asa and Xavier meeting before in their dreams so when they met in person for the first time, the bond was already there. It didn’t really feel like insta-love because they had really known each other for quite some time before then – they just didn’t know it was real at the time. The history and context provided for this world is the selling point. The author does a great job weaving in the paranormal aspects – of breaking down the world, the importance of those in it, and the longterm ramifications. There are a lot of moving parts but I thought it was easy to follow. Once we learn the history and the action gets going, it moves at a great pace and kept me entertained. This was a nice end to the series, integrating the two couples from the previous books and secondary characters easily.

As a fan of paranormal romance, Dria Andersen’s work is one I’ve come to like quite a bit. The worlds she builds, the backstory, and the characters keep me entertained. I’m making my way through her catalog now and will definitely be reading more of her work.

HellBound is the last in the Haven series featuring the Tegan brothers. While this can be read as a standalone given the backstory provided, I highly encourage reading the series in order.

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Natalya

Natalya is an Account Manager by day and an editor and author's assistant to passionate creatives by night. When she is not adding to her enormous book collection or stationery supply, she is catching up on her favorite television shows.

Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.

You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.