Published: May 1, 2021
Neutral Ground Publishing
I revived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

E.J. Findorff graduated from the University of New Orleans and served six years in the Louisiana National Guard before wanting to explore outside of his beloved hometown. He met the woman he would marry in Chicago and stayed.

“Welcome to the family, boys.”

Angel is an FBI agent living in New Orleans. But her past won’t stay behind her. Her superiors want to send her on the most dangerous mission of her career and possibly her life: they want Angel to go home and reconnect with her family. Angel’s family, the Blondeaux clan, is a small, influential group of individuals with all the right connections. Going home could be the last thing Angel ever does.

This is the first novel I’ve read by E.J. Findorff, and I found it fascinating. I think this novel concept is quite good, and I think the characters all have many potentials. I enjoyed the theme of family versus right and wrong and the power of choice within this book.

Angel is a tough character. She grew up knowing there was something different about her family. Think The Godfather, but in the bayou. The Blondeaux family is matriarchal, which I loved, and the men know their place. They do what they are told, and they do not ask questions.

I would have liked this story even more if it was told from the patronne perspective. I enjoyed Angel as a character, but I love the idea of a tough female calling the shots and making things happen.

I found this story very original and very unique. I liked the setting and the way the parish was described. It was easy to visualize. The characters were all impressive, and I found myself curious about their backstories. There is room for the author to revisit the characters within this book if he ever wanted to expand on this family.

I do wish there had been some more explanation about the ending and the things leading up to the epilogue. That felt slightly rushed to me, but overall I am happy with how the book played out. I would have liked knowing the characters’ fate in the end, but it was a nice ending.

The pacing in the book is pretty quick, which I enjoyed. There is a lot of information and many things going on at once, so I never found myself bored or lacking in reason to continue reading.

Find Blood Parish by E.J. Findorff on Amazon.