The Bleeding Hearts Series by Dylan Page Review
On Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Publication Date: The first book January 18, 2021, the last book October 30, 2023
HEA: Overall Series? Yes
Version: eBook
Have you ever read a book or a series that you loved so much you think about it all the time, you become obsessed, you hear a song and it instantly takes you back to a moment in that book or series, and all those feelings come back?
Well, this is that for me. I still remember the moment I started the book that will forever have changed me and left a huge spot in my heart for it.
That was the Torment Duet, Book 1 and 2 of The Bleeding Heart Series. I read both the books in two days, and when I tell you that duet left me in shambles—it left me in SHAMBLES. I sobbed for days, DAYS.
It took me on an emotional roller coaster. I definitely went in blind only knowing that it was a dark romance, MC, taboo book and to ME that was the best way. I took the jump. I do have to advise if you have triggers, please check them out first, this book is dark and has very touchy trigger subjects.
My feelings were all over the place. I felt torn between the characters. Love, sadness, anger, frustration, heartbroken and then in love again.
This duet follows Mina and Shay who are step-siblings. Mina’s mom marries Shay's dad when she is 7 and he is 13. At first he’s her protector, her big brother, and she looks up to him. Shay is possessive, and cares for Mina—and then cares for Mina in a different way. This duet does go back and forth to when they first met to present. Mina in the present is 17, a ballerina wanting to follow her dreams to be a dancer. At first, it seems like a love story and then you pick up on the manipulative ways, and secrets being unfolded. Literal emotional roller coaster.
I definitely do not want to give anything away, except I still can't listen to, The Night We Met by Lord Huron, without my eyes sweating, and daisies? Well they hold a special place in my heart.
And after the duet the other three books are interconnected…
Next we have Ashes.
Ashes is a why-choose romance. It was so good, but I knew it would be. I also devoured this book. I enjoyed the banter, chemistry and connections between the main characters, Casey, Vial, Lee, and Shaw. Even the side characters were so fun to read.
Casey first meets her boys and they have such a connection, a friendship but so much more. She has to leave them and then six years later moves back. So, things are weird between them as they feel like she abandoned them. The boys are protectors and when Casey is in trouble they protect her. We have characters from the first two books that tie into this one and honestly I wanted to punch him in the throat.
They are all broken in their own ways, have been through so much and get through it together, them four. I really did love this one too.
Next we have Mercy …. And I loved this book more than Ashes lol.
This one is heavier to me at least than Ashes, so again check triggers. This is taboo, age gap, possessive mmc, dark romance.
Jermey is part of the MC, he has been through so much, so much that it was and still is still really fcvked. He has lived through his trauma and horrible past, learning to deal with it the only way he knew how—not that that excuses his behavior.
Nylah, my baby, she had to grow up fast! But she’s such a tough girl. She doesn’t give up and is a fighter.
Listen, the way they start off isn’t good, it’s fvcking bad, and yet I found myself cheering for them at the end. Through it all, through the darkness, Jeremy opens up to her and she gets through to him.
You know they say if you love someone, let them go.
And yes, I cried my eyes out on this one too.
Lastly, we have Echoes, the book that ties it back all together, back to the very beginning.
This story follows Hayden and Maddy.
Hayden is, well Hayden is Mina and Shay's son.
The LOVE I have for this book and this series in general is so BIG!
Hayden is fighting with his inner demons, his inner monologue—the voice inside that he’s his real father, fighting mania, fighting himself that he is not like his real father. The way he was bullied. He slowly realizes that he is not Shay, but the man who raised him, his DAD, that’s his real father.
Maddy herself has been through so, so much trauma. Dealing with her mom who is mentally ill, but also the abuse from others.
Hayden and Maddy have been through a lot separately. Dealing with different traumas and seeing them both overcome that and learn to love themselves and not let their past break them, was super emotional for me and so nice to read.
I cried quite a few times—I’m absolutely lying and cried a lot—and I think it's mostly because this series is easily one of my favorite series. I got to see the sides I didn't see before of Mina, Keenan, James and Shay.
I love the way Mina, well not just Mina, but they way they all speak of Shay and try to show a lighter side of him. It felt good to read that because that man put me through it.
I finished this book in a day!
It was the perfect ending to this series!
I could never thank Dylan Page enough for writing this series, for making me feel it all. All the feelings, from anger to love.
