I actually screamed when Monica James told me she was working on the third book in the Blood of the Stars (In Love and War Book 3). No exaggeration. I'm thrilled to say it exceeded my expectations! Just, WOW. Check out my spoiler-free review below.
Blood of the Stars Buy Links
Amazon https://amzn.to/4l8vwKj
Apple https://apple.co/3Zyh5Wd
Blood of the Stars
Book 3 • In Love and War
Release date: March 3rd, 2026
Photographer Michelle Lancaster Michelle Lancaster
Cover model Christopher Jensen
Synopsis:
Ruthless Viking warriors.
A fierce heroine.
Why choose romance with serious
touch-her-and-die energy.
Epic, dark, and oh, so bloody.
I actually screamed when Monica James said she was working on Blood for the Stars. I might have begged her a few times to write another book in this series.
I actually screamed when Monica James told me she’s working on Blood for the Stars.
Truth be told I may have begged her more than once to write another book in this series lol.
Dreams DO come true, book friends.
Please read this series in order.
North of the Stars
Fall of the Stars
Blood of the Stars
My beloved England is finally saved, for I am now queen.
The rules have changed, and peace now settles over the Kingdoms.
This is the life I was destined for.
However, this life isn't without regret because I'm missing an integral piece of my heart.
I believed we were forever.
But for England to prosper, I had to give up everything for the only man I ever loved.
And that man is Skarth the Godless.
I do not know where he is.
But this is the sacrifice I must make because a Saxon queen cannot love a Northman.
But I do.
I always have.
A love fated in the stars…stars which I wish to set alight—for what good is love if you cannot embrace it with both hands?
Skarth and I are connected in more ways than one. And when our children's lives are at risk and everything I fought so hard for is about to be destroyed, I forget I am Queen Emeline.
I am Hugrekki.
I must find Skarth, and only one person can help me.
Ulf the Bloody.
This is our final battle—a battle of the heart—and I fear it's a war we're all about to lose.
Godspeed…
North of the Stars (Book 1)
Fall of the Stars (Book 2)
Blood of the Stars (Book 3)
Spoiler-free Review of Blood of the Stars
Blood of the Stars by Monica JamesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I actually screamed when Monica James told me she was working on the third book in the In Love and War series, Blood of the Stars. No exaggeration. Full fangirl moment.
Please note: you must read this series in order:
-North of the Stars
-Fall of the Stars
-Blood of the Stars
This isn’t a standalone experience. It’s an epic, emotionally layered journey filled with brutal sacrifice, fierce loyalty, betrayal, and survival. Every book builds so beautifully on the last. The battle scenes are wickedly raw and immersive. Monica doesn’t soften the brutality of the Viking world; she makes you really feel it. The clash of swords, the shifting alliances, the impossible choices, and the wicked plot twists all land with impact. But just when you think the physical battlefield is intense, the emotional warfare within these relationships hits just as hard.
Queen Emeline is everything. She’s strong, smart, strategic, and she takes what she wants, including her two fiercely devoted warriors and lovers, Skarth and Ulf. The “why choose” dynamic isn’t there for shock value; it’s layered, emotional, and seriously hot. The loyalty, tension, and love among the three of them create a powerful, all-consuming connection that drives this story forward.
And yes…Chapter 18. Let’s just say my Kindle started smoking. Heck, I started smoking ;) That chapter was equally passionate and explosive, but beyond the heat, what stayed with me most was the sacrifice. The emotional cost of loving during war. Monica weaves a wicked web of loyalty, lies, murder, and mayhem, yet somehow makes it feel both epic in scale and intimate at its core.
I’m not ready to leave this world. I would absolutely return to it in a heartbeat because that epic ending left me wanting more.
Monica, I’m going to beg again for another book. Please and thank you.
One-click Blood of the Stars. Vikings are HOT!
