Category: The Bloodgate Guardian

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Reviews: The Bloodgate Guardian

First up, Sherri Meyer reviews The Bloodgate Guardian on her blog:

Once again, Burkhart blew me away with her attention to detail, research, and amazing characters. She built a fully realized world seeped with Mayan mythos. She doesn’t burden the story with her research but weaves it within the plot seamlessly. A great twist on the “end date” stories out there.

Over on Amazon, Barbara Longley gave it 4 stars!

Joely Sue Burkhart’s Bloodgate Guardian is a must read. Ancient Mayan ruins, portals leading to other worlds, one hot Mayan priest cursed with immortality, and an intelligent, sexy archaeologist determined to rescue her father from Mayan hell. What’s not to love? Bloodgate Guardian is a fast paced, high tension romance set amidst the mythology and legend of the ancient Mayan civilization. Once you start it, you won’t be able to put it down.

Thank you so much, Barbara and Sherri!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian 4.5 Top Pick

PennyAsh for Night Owl Reviews gives The Bloodgate Guardian 4.5 stars and declares it a Top Pick!

The Bloodgate Guardian by Joely Sue Burkhart is a very good story with solid writing. The well-researched facts give the story credibility and make it an enjoyable read.   If you like stories with an archaeological basis and lots of myth and romance give this book a try.

Thank you so much, PennyAsh!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Review and a Contest

If you’d like to win a free copy of Hurt Me So Good, stop by The Romance Reviews and enter here.  They’ve also reviewed both Connagher books (my author page links to them).

Stacey at Paranormal Romantics gave 4 Stars to The Bloodgate Guardian:

All in all, this story has a very Da Vinci Code feel too it―in regards to the legends and solving the mystery. It brings together a tormented soul, a very brilliant woman, danger, Mayan legends, and romance. Add all this into wonderful writing, I’d say it’s a hit―a perfect book to curl up with on a cold fall night.

Thank you so much, Stacey!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian

Nancy reviews THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN at My Odd Little World:

This has an edge of your seat tension, and you spend much of the book holding your breath. The secondary characters are mostly demons and are unbelievably evil, but she uses her imagination to bring these beings to chilling reality. Yes, the loves scenes are few in number, but Ms. Burkhart uses her words to best advantage, with passion and touching emotions.

Thank you so much, Nancy!

Don’t forget the Break 20 Giveaway, as well as the two giveaways celebrating HURT ME SO GOOD’s release.

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian

Harry of A Dude reads PNR fame for The Book Smugglers says:

I love that Jaid is vulnerable. I love the fact that she is smart-ass, not kick-ass. She doesn’t do the whole super ninja vixen. No leather pants and favorite blades for this chick. She’s nerdy and the Un-Indiana Jones of the faculty. Brilliant characterization, right there. Pure gold. It makes Jaid stand out from all the other leading females in the genre. I also can honestly say that Jaid’s the strong woman urban fantasy and paranormal romance has been boasting with. She’s not sure she will win and she is mortified to venture, but she does. She falls down and picks herself up, because the situation demands it. That’s what I call bravery and perseverance.

Of course there were a few parts he didn’t like.  Names.  (Oh, you know the drama we already went through over the names, right?)  Shapeshifter.  Yes, the Maya did believe that the most powerful shamans could actually transform into the sacred jaguar.  He also thought it ended too happily.  Considering the version I had originally written [Everybody dies. The end.], I can only smile.

You can read the entire review here.  Thank you, Harry!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian

Thanks to Kait Nolan for passing this review along. From Saucybelle at A Taste For E-Books , “four dark chocolate chunk cookies for a delicious, spicy, and kinda dark read.  Bravo Joely!”

Burkhart presents an action-packed read that I couldn’t put down (we won’t talk about what I didn’t do at work just so I could finish it).  The mythology was beautifully woven into the story in a way that–if I didn’t quite get everything because I hadn’t heard it before–was well enough explained that I didn’t feel I was missing anything.  I absolutely identified with the heroine, this brilliant and flawed “UnIndiana Jones”, and adored watching her come into her own and go toe to toe with Ruin.  And Ruin.  Delicious. Sigh…there are not enough big, broad muscular sexy priests out there.  Muscles, brains, and magic?  What’s not to love?  Burkhart totally puts the characters through the wringer with this book with at least two cases where it looks like there’s no way they could prevail.  They totally earn their HEA.

Thank you so much, Saucybelle!

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian – Recommended Read!


From CK2S Kwips & Kritiques,

THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN is without a doubt one of the best books I have read this year so far. The combination of intense action, phenomenal world building, and multidimensional characters kept me up far too late as I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. Highly recommended!

Read Debbie’s entire review here.  Thank you so much!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian

From Long & Short Romance Reviews, 4 Books for The Bloodgate Guardian:

Ms. Burkhart also believes in making her couple work hard for their happily ever after. So much so, that by the time it finally comes around her audience will release the breath they’ve been holding. Her supporting characters are mostly demons and are unbelievably demonic, let’s just say that Ms. Burkhart has an excellent imagination and isn’t afraid to use it. This romance is so full of pitfalls that you’ll need handrails to get through it, but get through it you will. And it just makes that Happy Ever After so much better when it’s worked for.

Thank you so much, Larkspur!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Review: The Bloodgate Guardian Recommended Read!

Rae Lori has posted a review of The Bloodgate Guardian as a recommended read:

 I really enjoyed this book filled with action, adventure, a little bit of romance and a lot of suspense. One of the many strengths of this book was the characters and story pacing. I loved that Jaid is not a generic kick butt heroine who rejects all feeling except her libido to do whatever needs to be done.

One last aspect out of many I really enjoyed about this story was the world building and the history of the Mayan culture. I have to admit, I didn’t know much about it going in but after reading this, I’m eager to read more about the ancient civilization. I love how it was weaved into every aspect of the story and it helped drive the story at every turn. I also got to learn a lot about the belief systems and mythology, all of which was very interesting.

Thank you so much, Rae!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my Break 20 Giveaway!

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Review and a Note about Tomorrow

First, an incredible, tear-wrenching review from My Beloved Sister Molly Burkhart for THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN:

This book isn’t a page-turner. It’s a page-devourer. The demons and their hell are chilling. The sense of danger surrounding the hero and heroine is suffocating. And yet, in all of that darkness, there is a light. And that light is always Joely’s gift to her readers. It shines in all weather, and it cannot be quenched, though her characters sometimes lose sight of it.

Hugs, wipes tears away.  Thank you so much, Sis!  Read her entire review and watch me blush.  Also, she got an incredible review herself for My Gigolo over at Whipped Cream Reviews!

Tomorrow I’ll be Tia’s guest for Writer Wednesday at Debuts & Reviews.  My workshop will be On Writing Sex, covering the basics from LB&LI Transformative Sex  from last year and the Coyote Con panels with an exclusive sexy scene from THE BLOODGATE GUARDIAN.  Please stop by if you get the chance and share a transformative sex snippet or ask questions!