Only Human

Only Human #1

by Candace Blevins

Book one of an exciting new urban fantasy series…

Someone is abducting women and killing men in a way to get Kirsten O’Shea’s attention. Luckily, she has some formidable friends and allies in the supernatural world, and she isn’t without her own defenses, either.

A powerful master vampire romances her while the alpha werewolf flirts with her, and an ancient being who used to be worshipped as a god wants her dead, but Kirsten survives, even if she is Only Human.

Genres: Paranormal, BDSM, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Erotica, Romance, Fantasy

391 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2015

About the author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Candace Blevins writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, epic fantasy contemporary BDSM romance, and two kick-ass motorcycle club series. She’s published more than fifty books. Candace lives with her husband of twenty-four years and their two teenaged daughters. The family’s beloved, goofy, retired racing greyhounds are usually at her side as she writes, quietly keeping her company. Or sometimes not so quietly.

Her urban fantasy series, Only Human, gives us a world where weredragons, werewolves, werelions, three different species of vampires, and a variety of other mythological beings exist.

Candace's various paranormal romance series are all sister series to the Only Human series, and give some secondary characters their happily ever after.

Her Dark(ish) Faerie Tale series gives us a close-up and personal look at Queen Mab, and her Dark Underbelly series is, as you’d expect, dark and (if you’re a little twisted) oh-so-yummy.

Her contemporary Safeword series gives us characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work. Each couple in the Safeword series gives the reader a different take on the lifestyle.

You can visit Candace on the web at candaceblevins.com. Feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads at goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins. You can also join facebook.com/groups/CandacesKinksters to get sneak peeks into what she's writing now, images that inspire her, and the occasional juicy teaser.

Stay up to date on Candace’s newest releases, and get exclusive excerpts by joining her mailing list at http://bit.ly/cb-new-release.

Only Human series, urban fantasy
• Only Human
• An Unhuman Journey
• Of Humans and Monsters
• Defining Human
• Edge of Humanity
• Infinitely Human
• Unhuman Acts

Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club
• Duke
• Brain
• Bash Volume I
• Bash Volume II
• Bash Volume III
• Horse
• Gonzo
• Nix
• Ghost
• Bud
• Razor
• Bubbles
• McGyver

The Birmingham RTMC
• Bobcat
• Dementor
• Frost
• Squatch

Cat out of Hell, series, paranormal romance:
• Cat out of Hell Volume I
• Cat out of Hell Volume II
• Cat out of Hell Volume III

The Dark Underbelly of The Chattanooga Supernaturals
• Pride (A short story featuring The Lion King)
• Indentured Freedom: Owned by the Vampire
• Leashed
• An Elegant Weapon

A Dark(ish) Faerie Tale
• Slave
• Lady
• Consort
• Queen

A Paranormal Halloween, paranormal romance
• Hallowed Destiny – Forged by Darkness
• Unhallowed Murder
• Countdown to Murder
• Unholy Murder

Pleasure Times Four Christmas series, ménage/RH paranormal romance
• Unexpected Gifts
• The Gift
• Present Tense
• Imperfect Gifts

Chattanooga Supernaturals series, paranormal romance:
• The Dragon King
• Riding the Storm
• Acceptable Risk
• Careful What You Ask For
• Uncaged
• Cocky Queen

The Safeword series, intense BDSM contemporary romance
• Safeword Rainbow
• Safeword: Davenport
• Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon
• Safeword: Quinacridone
• Safeword: Matte
• Safeword: Matte – In Training
• No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon
• No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After
• Safeword: Arabesque
• Safeword: Mayday (TBA)

Reviews

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy this book NOW! I've already read this book three times and I love it. This new series from talented BDSM writer Ms. Blevins is a winner. This is the story which Safeword Storm Clouds should have been. In this new series, there are character crossovers between the Safeword world. Let's see if you can find them as quickly as I could. And let's see if you recognize Kirsten.

In this story, Kirsten is a human. That is all she is to her knowledge. She does have a special skill to help hunt supernaturals. She's a bit like Buffy the Vampire Slayer but a lot more mature and way kinkier. Her day job is as a therapist (every character must have a flaw). Kirsten leads a pretty happy life with a good part time boss, Aaron Drake who is a Dragon. She is a single mother by choice who adopted a Chinese orphan from China. And she's able to shoot lasers out of her hands to kill demons. What's not to like about her?

Did I mention the BDSM? Kirsten is a sexual submissive. She's a kick ass martial artist and independent woman during the day and sexy submissive at night to a dominant male. For the past years, she's been training with a Dominant who's taken almost all of her limits and removed them. This is all done in an amazing way. I'm melting in a puddle of goo just reading about how Kirsten is trained even though I'm a bit afraid.

This book could be cookie cutter trope with alpha dominant males and a kick ass heroine. Ms. Blevins takes a much beloved trope and creates a game changer. This story carries her brand of super nova hawt BDSM as well as well developed characters. For those who loved the early Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton, this is the series you were waiting for. This is better written, better sex with no penetration, better characters and no narcissistic main characters!

From a world building perspective, it's just unfolding. I can't wait to read more about it. It is familiar to many who read paranormal romance and urban fantasy. What Ms. Blevins does is blend it with some mythological figures which may bring a smile to many readers face.

I love the characters in this story. What I like is that they are not infallible. They make mistakes and own up to them. There are several hot dominant males in this story. They kept me at a constant humming erotic haze and I fantasized about submitting to them. As each alpha male Dominant appears, I respond the same way as Kirsten - panting with desire and doing my best to stay calm. Ms. Blevins doesn't even have any intercourse in this story until the very end and yet this book is erotically explosive because she is able to capture the D/s dynamic so well. For those who are D/s lovers, this book will rock you. Each of the dominants make me want to kneel down and whimper for just a taste of their dominance.

The BDSM in this story is amazing and I could go on and on about it. It's best experienced. Suffice to stay, Ms. Blevins does tone down the SM and ups the D/s. Her love of contracts does come into play just a little bit in this story. The descriptions of the scenes are so vivid it is easy to slip into a sexual yearning whilst witnessing Kirsten submitting. Even the non-erotic parts are still charged with a sexual tension.

Lastly, I must note the Chinese part to this story. It is very clear to me Ms. Blevins did her research into China and probably has visited China. The two secondary characters in here which are Chinese are very accurate and makes me happy. They aren't some white character with a Chinese name. Ms. Blevins is able to translate the nuances of being Chinese for these two characters and I love her for it. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. This urban fantasy is highly recommended to kinky readers who love mentally stable heroines who are strong, sexy and still be sexually submissive.

*arc provided by the author*

[Jeanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

—5 stars!
Amazing fell in love with H/h. First met the H in the book Duke & he sparked my interest straight away.
If this is any indication of future books i'm all in. Auto buy

[Marianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 52%
Yet another story about a human woman with super duper amazingly special skills and a master vampire who is lusting after her...




Admittedly, the bdsm aspect in an UF series felt new and different, and I usually like that sort of thing, but I was unable to gel with any of the characters. Therapist at day, Buffy monster hunter at night? Nah, not feeling it. Moving on to better books.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Whenever I read Candace Blevins, I have some very distinct ideas of what to expect. I expect hot BDSM scenes, hot love scenes, characters with stamina and strong-willed women. I expect to be surprised and, most definitely, expect to be entertained. So, when the ARC of “Only Human” showed up on my Kindle, I was excited, thrilled and ready to read a hot, steamy, sex-filled, BDSM romance. Well, I didn’t get what I expected. What I got was a preview to a new Urban Fantasy series by Candace. I got one hell of a strong, beautiful woman with several hot, steamy men after her. Some for pleasure and some for death. I got surprised because this novel is so much off of what I have grown to love and adore about reading Candace. Now, I expect more. More excitement, thrills and adventure. I expect more of the hot, steamy love scenes. I expect more of the Vampires, Shape-shifters and Gods. And, I definitely expect an HEA, eventually.

Kirsten, Aaron, Nathan … Abbott, Mordecai, Randall … Alex, Eddie. All characters in the book, all with their own story on how they became supernatural. All possibly interested in Kirsten? Yes, Abbott has her now, Aaron and Eddie had her before, Nathan may not be interested but the rest are all fair game. But, can they fulfill her they way she needs? Can they make her submit? There lies the question and only one has proven to her that he can bring her to her knees.

So, no, I didn’t get what I expected. I got a lot more. Unfortunately, Candace Blevins raised the bar with “Only Human” for me. She added a new layer to her unbelievable writing skills. She has brought herself out of BDSM and into the Urban Fantasy world. She enthralled me, had me turning pages to see what was going to happen next. She had me cheering for Abbott, feeling sorry for Aaron. I have no inkling as to what Nathan really feels. Mordecai is a real unknown to me and I can’t wait to see if Kirsten takes him up on his offer. But, most of all she had me smiling.

So, sometimes you don’t get what you expect. Sometimes you are disappointed and a little let down that you didn’t get what you expected. Then, that one time happens and what you expected is less than what you really got. You know, like on Christmas morning when you’ve hinted at what you really wanted and don’t find it under the tree? Then, out of the blue, you not only get your new Kindle, but find it loaded with books from all of your favorite authors? WIN! Now, unfortunately for Candace, I expect more. And, what’s funny about that, I know that Candace will deliver. She’s never let me down and I don’t expect her to do it in the future. Outrageously surprised with “Only Human” is the only way to describe how I felt when I turned the last page of the book. Candace has done it again, she pulled me in, tied me up and made me submit, with a smile on my face.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Ruby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I'm kind of mad that I wasted so much time waiting for this book to get better. I wanted it to be good, and it's just not. Stylistically, it's clunky and awkward, and the excessively long, clinical explanations drag down an already overencumbered plot. There are way too many alpha male types, all of whom seem to fawn over the main character within moments of meeting her, and she herself comes across as reckless and stubborn poorly spun in an attempt to appear daring and independent. In addition, the author appears to be one who subscribes to the "independent women have to be in the boys' club", because she spends a lot of time talking about how Kirsten doesn't usually act like such a female, or doesn't usually do such female stuff (like cry after murdering the shit out of a bunch of bad guys), or how she used to be a 'shallow and materialistic female' because she was a model and a ballerina and a juggler before an injury ended her career (which is no longer a hindrance because she healed herself) and led her to become a therapist and a demon hunter.

Oh yeah, did I mention she used to be a juggler, model, and ballerina before becoming a therapist and demon hunter? In between those radical career changes, she apparently also found time to learn about energy manipulation and martial arts from "Native American ceremonies" (which is the easiest way to co-opt some mysticism without having to research exactly what she studied and with whom) and by studying with monks in China.

I'm starting to get ranty because I really want to share exactly HOW bad, boring, and at times more than borderline offensive this book is, so I'll just leave it at this: whoever said this was like early Anita Blake was dead wrong. This is like shitty sex-obsessed forgot she used to be a necromancer Anita Blake, and I 100% do not recommend to anyone, even people I dislike. I deeply regret spending money on this.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't really have a lot to say about this book, it has a lot of high ratings but it just didn't work for me and I only made it to about 34% before I gave up on it.

It's not badly written but I felt it was trying to do too many things at once and not quite hitting the mark on any of them. The main character Kristen is a sex therapist by day and a demon hunter by night which makes for an interesting combination. She's into the BDSM lifestyle which is something you don't tend to see much of in UF so I was very curious to see how it was handled but it just felt like every guy she meets was someone she had either already had sex with or was thinking about having sex with in the future. There were just too many hot and powerful guys who were all vying for her attention & I wanted more focus on the actual story.

I never really connected to Kristen's character and I was bored by the mundane details we see of her. It's very much written in a "I did this, then I did that and then XXX happened to me" style and that rarely works for me, especially if I don't like the main character.

I'm obviously in the minority here so don't let me put you off trying it but I can think of a lot of other UF series that I'd recommend you read first!

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the Author in Exchange for an honest Review

I wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to read this book since it was first time read a book from this author. This was a well written book and I really enjoyed to book.

I really loved all the characters but Kristen is kick-a$$ female and a strong female even though she is a submissive she says it like it is. I also enjoyed Abbott who is the sexy vampire that is interested in Kristen and also a Dom too. The sexual build up between the two is explosive that you just want to continue until the end to see if the submissive Kristen will give in to the Dom vampire.

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I have read the world of Kirsten O'Shea out of order so I already knew about some of the characters in this book. That being said - I really, really enjoyed this book. Kirsten O'Shea isn't your typical human, she has special powers that allows her to fight against the EVIL supernatural that are walking around. Kirsten O'Shea is a sex therapist by day and a badass by night. I haven't enjoyed a female character this much in a long time.

Kirsten is a dominate female and doesn't take orders from anyone except in the bedroom where she is a sexual submissive. She is the perfect "two sides to a coin" character. I enjoyed when she was letting loose on the evil that has invaded her town but I loved when she let her guard down and submitted to her desires.

Aaron Drake, owner of Drake Securities, aka The Dragon King, has Kirsten on his payroll as the therapist for all of Drake Securities employees to use when needed. Kirsten knows that Aaron is a weredragon and she fights alongside of him when needed. He is also a close friend that trusts her implicitly. Although there is nothing sexual between them now they do have a special bond. Now, Nathan on the other hand...he is an Alpha Lion and there is just something between him and Kirsten that I can't figure out. They do not like one another at all and you know there's is a fine line between love and hate but they haven't crossed that line yet so they just hate each other. Their story has me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if they get together at some point...but that doesn't happen here, but you never know what the next book will bring.

Abbott is the main love interest of Kirsten, but he had a lot of competition in this book. It would seem that most of paranormal and mythological alpha men have the hots for Kirsten.

I look forward to reading An Unhuman Journey to see what happens next.



***This book was provided by the Author through the BDSM group on Goodreads in exchange for my honest review***

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from the first paragraph! It's Urban Fantasy loaded with supernaturals, a plethora of sexy, Dominant men and a sexually submissive female protagonist that holds her own among them all, even if she is...Only Human.

I have been reading Ms. Blevins' books for years, love her Safeword series and have stretched my boundaries with each new book. This new series is a departure in that it is firmly in the UF genre, with the world-building accomplished in a skilled manner that avoids the brain dump often prevalent in a first-book-of-the-series and with a cast of supes that runs the gamut - vampires, tiger and dragon shifters and more...and that's before we even speak about Kirsten, who is certainly not ONLY human.

This series has great potential, with a terrific premise, hot sexy dust-ups and lots of room to expand...I cannot wait for the next one!

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Update 6/25/16: I thought I'd do a re-read before I read book #2, An Unhuman Journey....I bought it this time, I loved it again and I'm already into book # 2, which is amazing!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve read a true Urban Fantasy book and I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it. Candace Blevins’ Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club series is an auto-buy buy for me, and the Kirsten O’Shea series is linked to it through several of the characters. The second book in the series is coming out this month so I thought this would be a perfect time to read Only Human.

First, I have to admit that what held me back from reading Only Human is the fact that Kirsten is a sexual submissive and Ms. Blevins’ Safeword series is a bit outside my comfort zone, not in a bad way, but they run more towards the masochistic side than I like. I really wish I hadn’t waited so long because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The BDSM parts weren’t as instructive feeling as in Ms. Blevins’ Safeword series, and as an added bonus I felt I had more of an understanding of that type of BDSM (without feeling like I was reading a manual on it).

Only Human is not a romance per say, it’s definitely pure Urban Fantasy but there was romance involved. This did not bother me a bit since there was no shortage of hot, dominant, alpha men running around which made me a happy little camper.

Kirsten is a therapist by day, but the unique powers that she wields (she can shoot lasers out her fingers!) mean she is seriously good at fighting supernatural bad guys, especially demons. Unbeknownst to her, the way she fights demons along with the fact that she tends to kill them instead of sending them back has gotten the attention of some pretty heavy hitters and not all of them are good guys. To add to it, someone is killing people using powers that are the same as hers. As she navigates her way through the politics of the supernatural world, she seems to amass just as many allies as she does enemies.

One such person is Abbot, the master vampire of the area. As she weighs the pros and cons of starting up a relationship with him, she also captures the interest of the alpha werewolf of the local pack, a powerful God-like being, and even another vampire. I loved how cautious she was, weighing her options, taking into account all the pros and cons, and gently turning most down but aware of the political ramifications of doing so. Kirsten is a lucky woman since any one of the men around her would be a great choice.

I was impressed how Kirsten took care of her patients, took care of bad guys, and took time for herself but the number one priority in her life was her teenaged daughter. In some books with lots of action, the children seem almost like accessories, paraded around for a bit then shoved in a drawer somewhere. Kirsten took her daughter to practices, helped with homework, and generally just made sure she was available. I loved this.

I also loved the world building involved in this book. There are shifters galore including dragons, along with lots of vampires and even some yet to be determined species. The politics involved that Kirsten had to wade through were fascinating to me. The fight scenes were impressive too. Add in lots and lots of smoldering chemistry, BDSM that wasn’t OTT, and the “OMG” steamy hot sex scene and I found myself not caring there wasn’t a happy couple at the end with an HEA. Now I wish I had read this before starting Ms. Blevins’ other series. You can bet I won’t miss anymore.

5 I adored this book Stars

For this review and more, check out EDGy Reviews

[Daria · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~~Received ARC from the Author in Exchange for a Review~~

I have to admit I was a bit wary that Candace’s writing would change when she mentioned writing this book. I’ve loved all her books and was like OK sure...with a bit of reservation. But she hits it out of the ball park and just proves what a remarkable writer she is. Her same style with the full personalities of her characters and with a full variety of species, this only added another layer to her already brilliant style.

Who can for get the sassy and sexy Kristen I loved her personality and the fact yeah she is a submissive, but not a floor mat. Candace as always been able to show her female characters strong personality and how they shinned in their submissive role. (Even if it took them a minute to see it for themselves, smiles).

I’ve always loved paranormal and to find it mixed with my other favorite genre BDSM is a major win win for me. When Kristen steps in the the world of D/s you can almost feel it... the chase..then the catch. That teasing sexual tension that has you wanting to jump the pages and see what the end result will be.

The whole thing for me about submitting is not the fact the One that are in control demands it.. But the ability for them to want to make the submissive give it to them. All the hot sexy Maleness around Kristen...whats a girl to do? Just fall on her knees without a fight? Will Abbot be the one? Muahhaa... I truly love the saying “if you don't have to fight for it on some level its really not worth having”... Winks and nudges Kristen. Enjoy!! I did.

[Becca Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm trying to think of the best word for this and all I can come up with is awe. I am in absolute awe of Candace Blevins. This book is mind blowing in the best possible way. I haven't read much in the UF genre but the world building in this book was incredible and the characters were fascintating. I'm sad that we have to wait to find out the rest of this story but at least it's not a cliff hanger of an ending. There are several bdsm scenes though they were not as extreme as some of those in the Safeword series. If you like Vampires, Werewolves, Shapeshifters and otherworldly beings, this is a book worth exploring.

I also reviewed this on my blog which you can find here.

Update!!!
Just did a second reading before diving into Unhuman Acts. I still love this book and now I can't wait to dive in to the second book. I should probably reread The Dragon King as it happens concurrently and is in between in the recommended reading order. I feel like a remember more of that story so I plan to skip for now.

[Gwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What utter rubbish i can't believe the great ratings this book got, I thought I had reached a new low when I started reading a book about an amish vampire, boy was I wrong.
Please let me introduce you to kirsten o'shea sex therapist by day and super hero the "BDSM LADY" by night.
In other words 50 shades of grey meets PNR and my first nominee for the "Bad Apple Awards" for 2015 (if that doesn't exist it should).
I like a good book with a kick ass leading lady but not only is this an incredibly clinical read, we are also forced to get to know our lady's ass in too much detail ( not to mention anything else related to BDSM) that made me reach over for the red hot poker's to poke my eye's out.
I highly recommend this book for the fans of 50 shades of grey and those with less than two brain cells to rub together, buyer beware!

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too many data dumps to introduce the reader to a complex supernatural as well as a bdsm world. I'm going to read the second book to see if the data dumps continue or the story picks up.

[Jaycee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jaycee for BOOKS 'N COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS, www.Talon-ps.com
Purchased at Amazon.com

I can’t recall when last I was this excited about a new series, nor when last I was captivated before the end of the first page of a book. This story isn’t just about magic; it IS magic and I’m both hooked and dismayed that I have to wait until later in 2015 for the next Kirsten O’Shea adventure. But wait I will, and meantime I will expound on the virtues of book one:

Right out of the gate is the uncomplicated telling of a complicated world. The build is perfectly executed and easily sucks the reader in such that it becomes an experience as opposed to a mere read. The characters are, as usual with Ms. Blevins, full-bodied and rich on the finish, like a good wine.

The good guys are many and varied and hopefully each deserving of a key, concentrated role in future books. Some of the bad guys are…let’s just say “in limbo” and may ultimately play a pivotal role on either side of the street. The beauty is, the reader just doesn’t know yet. The other truly bad guys are suspected but not as yet actually identified, and the whole course of events seems based on an supernatural inter-species political game of power being waged through the manipulation of unsuspecting humans. I assume the real life parallels are intentional.

The lone human in the midst is not without some serious skills and game of her own, though she does have some very human vulnerabilities in her make-up and her personal life that will no doubt keep the story energy at high alert with the distinct probability of elevating it to DefCon1.
There seems a background romance or three in the infrastructure of the story, as is typical of urban fantasy and this retrograde level will keep UF readers happy. But the Alphaness of the characters, their diverse backgrounds and resultant romantic possibilities, and the mild forays into the BDSM needs of Kirsten O’Shea will keep PNR readers happy as well.

Its the perfect balance of all genres, tropes and sub-genres and woven together by a Master storyteller. Its a very different book for Ms. Blevins and yet will be completely familiar to her erotic romance readers in its forthright form of strong world and even stronger character. I’m often left cold by first-person interpretations, but this book excels so well and so comfortably, that its effortless. Everything the perfect escape should be.

I’m psyched for the series and the next book, and I could not recommend this read more heartily.

[Heart5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book on my Kindle for a while, but kept avoiding it. Kirsten never really appealed to me as a character in The Safeword Series, so I wasn’t sure about a whole book dedicated to her. That was clearly a mistake on my part. Given her character in The Safeword Series, I expected Kirsten to be tough, but not an ass-kicking, laser wielding, demon slayer. No wonder she always seemed a little distant in The Safeword Series.

This book is very much like The Dragon King, where we get a blending of worlds and characters. The author does a tremendous job with the amount of detail put in to the different characters and realms. It was clear she’s setting the stage for much more to come.

Kirsten didn’t win me over as a lead character until about half way through the book. As she begins developing a relationship with Abbott, much more of her personality shines through and she seems much less rigid. By the end, she was definitely a character that I wanted to read more about.

There were numerous drool worthy alpha males to keep the story interesting. Aaron is one of my favorite characters from all the different series, and I think Nathan definitely has potential for future books. Abbott has seemed quite untouchable in the other series, so I appreciated getting to see a more intimate picture of him. It was also nice to get a little of the backstory about Randall to compliment the RTMC books. I’m crossing my fingers for a little something to develop between Kirsten and Randall in future books.

[Gem Larkspur · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is great to read about a strong sexy heroine over thirty. Weird when the 34-year-old mom, therapist, submissive and demon-fighter refers to herself as middle-aged. That aside, Only Human is another great Urban-Fantasy PNR with a strong spicing of hot BDSM erotica. I totally love Kirsten O’Shea and I’m totally glad I have Dragon King in my TBR, because I like Aaron more and more. He may be vanilla, but he’s a lot more sexy than Kirsten’s trainer James. The scenes between the two of them are oddly bloodless for all the intensity. On the other hand, Abbot, Kirsten’s vampire love-interest is smokin’. So that’s all good. Throw in some scary demons, a few shifters and a murder mystery – and Only Human is a first rate read. I couldn’t wait to start the sequel, An Unhuman Journey.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author to me. I liked the story but wanted a little more heat. Coming from an author who does bdsm I expected a little more heat with the kink. It was a little cold to me but the UF part was great. I will read more! Also seems like possible man harem set up like merry gentry series but I hope not! Just hope the talk of all the yummy men will mean their own stories.

There were also some spelling/grammar errors but this doesn't bother me.

[Tennacious B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must have missed something, I am confused. The BDSM was not really there, and I kept losing track of who is who and who is the real alpha, and whose power does what, and well Kristen kinda pissed me off.

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Gab
It is always a pleasure for me to read Ms. Blevins books. But after rereading Only Human I have to say it gets even better the second time. The characters in this story, old and new, are so well developed, the story line sucks you in and does not let you go until the end.

[Aerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://editrix.ca/review-42-only-human/

[Romancing the Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed by Nadene
Book provided by the author

The first thing that got my attention was the cover. I was reminded of Kate from the movie Underworld . In addition to this the synopsis promised a story that would be filled with excitement and adventure. My decision was further influenced by the fact that the story would feature vampires and a variety of other supernatural beings. The author was new to me, but I had heard so many great things about her work as a result, I confidently dove into this story believing that I would not be disappointed.

Now that I am finished reading I am at a lost as to what say about this book. Unfortunately the story did not live up to my expectations. I struggled to finish reading it as I found the story to be quite tedious and tiresome. There were a few times that I was tempted to throw the towel in on this one.

Only Human tells the story of Kirsten O’Shea, who is a sex therapist by day and a demon huntress by night. I found this combination intriguing, however, as I got deeper into the story I became bored with her character. I had difficulty connecting with her. I recognized she was special based on her skills but I just could not see why every powerful supernatural male who came in contact with her wanted to connect with her in a sexual manner. Equally for the secondary characters I was profoundly disappointed. The supernatural males that she works with knew of her abilities, but they were still intent on treating her like a helpless human.

The story began on an exciting note, however, as it progressed instead of heating up it lost its momentum. The main premise of the story is supposed to be the abduction of women and the murder of men, however a lot of the focus was on Kirsten’s life both past and present. I am all for providing sufficient details about characters as this should enable readers to learn and get a better understanding about whom they are reading, but when it takes away the focus from the main story then I have a problem.

Only Human is an urban fantasy with strong BDSM elements, Kirsten was a sexual submissive. Now, although this is my first time reading a book with this theme I had an idea what being a sexual submissive was. However, after reading about what she undergoes to experience pleasure made me want to cringe. The story was well written, but it just did not grab my attention. It took me some time to get through this book. I am a big fan of urban fantasy, but this did not do it for me.

This is the first book in a series, but after this disappointing read I am not sure if I will go beyond this volume. Although this was not for me, I know there are readers out there who enjoy stories with a BDSM theme coupled with paranormal elements as such this book may just be to your liking.

[UnusualChild{beppy}]

DNF @ 13%.

I was already on the fence about this because of the writing style. Something about it just was off to me.
Q: Most people would have been out of breath by the time we reached the coffee shop, as the hill was steep. I wasn’t, but expected Abbott to be, and he wasn’t either.

and

I don’t drink coffee in the evening, but assumed they’d have tea.

(Simplistic? Over-explanatory? Whatever it is, it grates on me.) Add to that the fact that she was already sure he was a supernatural, so why would she expect him to be out of breath. In fact, since she herself wasn’t, why would most people? And she already mentioned that Abbott was in very good shape. I realize I’m getting bogged down in the minutia of a few sentences, but they are symbolic of everything I’ve read so far in this book.

Then there was the BDSM aspect, and it didn’t seem healthy. (Not because it is BDSM, but because of some of the people, particularly the one she has come to rely on the most.) She described a BDSM scene where she orgasmed 20 or 30 times in the space of 2 hours, and then a celebrity in that world was all like ‘do you want to be trained in the lifestyle by a real master’. Uh, arrogant much? And I’m sorry, but arrogance does NOT a master make. Confidence, yes. Arrogance leads to bad things, especially in the BDSM world.

Plus there’s this gem:
I mean, I’m not ugly, but I don’t believe I’m beautiful anymore. In my teens and younger twenties I was a model and ballerina, but now I’m in my thirties…and, well, I guess I’m still attractive, but not beautiful. I don’t really miss it - people now accept I have a brain, which didn’t happen much when I fit the definition of what our society considers ideal.
It’s…I just…there are SO many things that are wrong with that paragraph, leaving aside the comment about people not expecting beauty and brains, because it’s somewhat true. (But if you were creating a world, couldn’t you have it not be the case?) As far as I can tell, she doesn’t have any scars or anything else that could be considered disfiguring, so why is she not still beautiful? She’s in her thirties and doesn’t dance or model? Are only models and ballerinas beautiful? Can’t therapists be beautiful too? And there was also a throwaway comment about the fact that 36 (36!!!) is middle-aged.

There was the moment where Abbott admitted he is a vampire, and one minute later, she is thinking ”this suggested he was a vampire or some other sort of supernatural being”. 😳🙄 DUH!!! He just told you he was a vampire! How stupid are you??
So, all this yelling and rolling my eyes at the main character telling the story at only 13% means I’m out.

[Amber J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I truly loved this book and cannot wait to continue into the series! Ms. Blevins does an amazing job of developing characters with strength and depth that makes them quite intriguing. The paranormal aspects of the story are described so vividly I could create a clear picture in my mind of what the characters look like in both human and non-human forms.

But the highlight for me is the development of Kirsten's character. She is strong, independent and fearless. She will fight to the death to protect those she cares about as well as the human race. She is not afraid to stand her ground and, if necessary, take on the heads of the Vampire clans, the Alpha's of wolf and lion packs, the men that used to be seen as gods, nor the head of the dragon shifters. She is beautifully submissive to a Master in the bedroom. She gives herself over to her submission so eloquently and takes back control of herself and her life as soon as the aftercare is over. The way Ms. Blevins weaves Kirsten's story through her past journeys, current fights with demons and other enemies, encounters with extremely important and dominant men and all the while she submits to a Master sexually is fascinating. I think Kirsten is my new favorite female MC, I want to be her...powers and all!

By far my favorite Candace Blevins paranormal book so far!!!

[Gea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very explanatory of the way of life Kirsten leads!
Kirsten is great at asking the right questions at the right moments.
But of course she doesn’t always get answers to them.
The different species all have their quirks and also impressive leaders.
Most of them are friends and might want to be more than that. During reading I kept wondering which one of them she might end up with.
But it would be okay too if she’d chose not to bond like that.

But what I liked most was the metaphysical abilities and the importance of meditation to get your own energy back to full capacity.
I needed the reminder of that last part, thanks!


NL:
Duidelijke omschrijving van het leven van Kirsten in de bdsm scenes.
Heel byzonder dat ze zo makkelijk de juiste vragen weet te stellen aan de verschillende soorten. Van de alfa mannen kan ze haar partner uitzoeken als ze zou willen. Maar dat wil ze (nog) niet. Supersterk karakter, mooi om te lezen.
De metafysische energie kan ze manipuleren en door meditatie en zonlicht laadt ze haar verloren energie weer op.
Dat meditatie ook een oplaad functie kon hebben was ik even vergeten en ik ben blij met die herinnering!

[Fritz Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (and presumably the series) combines urban fantasy, erotica, and intense BDSM. Note that I did not put romance in that list.

The pacing is FAR slower than most modern UF. There are fights and action scenes, but they are measured -- not all the time in the book. Which, frankly, is rather refreshing.

The protagonist (the book is told First Person) is human, hence the title. Much of the book involves the other main characters (who are vampires, shifters, demigods, demons, etc.) being rather condescending to Kirsten because she is "only human" or being shocked by her abilities in spite of her humanity.

And, yes, she often blames misogyny for the attitudes, because the other main characters, besides being other-than-human, all are male. And she makes weird "I went all girly" excuses for breaking down and crying after slicing an attacker's head off.

But, for the most part, I really liked the book a lot. This will be an interesting series.

[Melanie Marnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candace Blevins incredibly vivid imagination and mastery of her craft has given us, the reader, an enthralling and mesmerizing look into her urban fantasy world. Vampires, shape shifters, and werewolves abound as well as a human female with metaphysical powers. Kirsten O'Shea is strong, Alpha, self aware ans a warrior but she is also a woman, a mother, a submissive and a deeply loyal friend. She gets drawn deeper into the paranormal world because of her unique abilities. She meets and cultivates allies from the ranks of the supernatural royalty. She is put under their protection while trying to navigate the dangers thrust upon her from the underworld.

The characters in this book are so fabulous. They are so well written and distinctive. Paranormal, supernatural or urban fantasy fiction is not a preferred reading genre for me and yet Ms Blevins' works have me devouring every word.

[T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the blurb doesn't make clear, is the heavy D/s and BDSM lifestyle influence in the book--not a bad thing, but to me, a distraction from a really wonderful, intense story line and some strong, interesting characters. Nothing against the Lifestyle, but I have no interest in this level of D/s detail (based on my own knowledge of D/s relationships, I found the scenes and emotional connections to be very accurate-so Lifestylers will probably love this part of the storyline). I'm on the fence about continuing this great author and this particular series, as I end up skimming a lot of the BDSM scenes to get back to the plots/sub-plots...but really, the author is brilliant with her character development and plots. So, off to book two...

[Dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing ride from the start to the end! What a vibrant world, with interesting characters, let alone alternate beings, who are bad guys, good guys, and all the shades in between. Kirsten is in the middle of it all, though she doesn't think she is all that special. Her focus is, and always will be, her family. The fact that she seems to have developed some interesting abilities, that is her normal. As her circle of friends expands, so does the realization she can do more, and that is a little scary to most. She also learns she may be more, she may be why she has attracted such a wide variety of eclectic friends, but she doesn't think so. Urban fantasy at its finest, and I can't wait to read more!

[K. · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's rare to find urban fantasy that has true kink in it (erotica and erotic UF are two separate genres, after all), but this one was no good, DNF @ 35%. From the constant info-dumping where dialogue or scene removal would do to the main character's experience with "Native American" meditation, I just could not force myself to keep reading to see if the author had managed to write an explicit BDSM scene. The main character had a scene with a non-romantic partner early on that was just vague recounting of toys and numbers of orgasms, nothing on page.

Also, she kept referring to herself as middle-aged. She's thirty-four! I refuse.