Rating: 4.5⭐️
Bound By Fate (Blind Fury Book 1) is a new series by Annabel Chase and the first book is a terrific one.
I absolutely love the premise of a paranormal retirement community, along with the attendant issues of its otherworldly residents in their “later, much much later years “ of existence. Witches, vampires who have lived extremely long and rich lives and now live out their lives together. Some lively souls, enjoying their ancient lives while others exhibit significant signs of dementia.
It’s a familiar setting and group made fantastical in a complex and intimate story. One that will flow together with a weekly meeting of cardsharp players and fanatical cliques of pickleball teams. All beautifully written and believable.
Chase treats them with kindness, respect and compassion. These people are layered with degrees of history and poignancy of life at its for some.
The assistant head of their security team is an enigma, Maya August, an intriguing figure herself. She’s in hiding on this retirement island off of Savannah,Georgia. She’s been personally isolating herself from everyone. And that gives Chase ample room for her to develop Maya’s personality and reveal bits about her background as events happen.
And, wonderfully, Chase does this by bringing Maya into the community. She finally fully acknowledges her role as protector and part of them. We are enveloped by their presence as well as Maya’s ability to make her own choices for herself.
But there’s also mystery, murders, and outside forces of power here. One of those includes a person called Zale, someone who will figure into the series.
I love everything about this. The many characters, types of beings, the various mythology the author is introducing (she’s excellent at it), but above all, this realistic yet not retirement community of powerful paranormal beings. All who have issues we can identify with but on extraordinary levels.
I really can’t wait for the next story to arrive.
Btw, HOA’s are still awful no matter what the setting. FYI.
A winner and so happy to share with you.
Cover design by Trif
Blind Fury:
Bound By Fate #1
Bargain With Fate #2 – May 26,2026
Buy link
Blurb
Most people move to a magical retirement island for peace and quiet—and pickleball.
Maya August moved there to disappear.
As the assistant director of security for Evermore Island—a secret community where elderly paranormals fade into obscurity—Maya has built the perfect hiding place. Her days consist of magical mishaps, avoiding the clothing-optional tennis courts, and definitely not getting attached to the island’s strays (feline or otherwise).
Then her boss vanishes. A resident turns up dead. And Maya’s carefully constructed refuge begins to crumble.
She could handle a murder investigation. She’s handled much, much worse. What she can’t handle is the HOA president forcing her back to the mainland after five years in self-imposed exile to meet Vale, the mysterious and powerful figure who’s claimed jurisdiction over her case.
But Maya isn’t interested in playing by his rules or anyone else’s.
Because if Maya can’t solve this case and keep her past buried, there are fates far worse than letting a killer walk free.
Perfect for fans of morally gray heroines, slow-burn tension, and retirement home chaos meets magical noir, Bound By Fate is the first book in the new Blind Fury-urban fantasy series.
Publisher
Red Palm Press LLC
Publication date
February 12, 2026
Language
English
Print length
276 pages
Book 1 of 2
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 