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Vampire Mistress
Joey W. Hill
Shattered Valor
Elaine Levine
Beyond Shame
Kit Rocha
The Mistress
Tiffany Reisz
Bare Knuckle
Katie Porter
Reckless
Skye Jordan
Cut & Run - Abigail Roux, Madeleine Urban Review to come with a plethora of quotes 0.o
Birthright - Nora Roberts Again I must give Nora Roberts two tumbs up for her themes entwined with a main and secondary romance. It all begins with an emotion rife prologue when baby Jessie is kidnapped from the stroller. Fast forward a couple of decades and in a small town at a construction site a skull is found. As it turns out it is a Neolithic village. Not only does the babynapping contributes to a suspense-laden storythread the archeology gives it a fresh twist I haven't read much before. I love archeology and the information within the story feels like the author researched the topic and gave it a realistic vibe.

What tugged on my emotional strings so very much is the multiple views of how characters were affected by the kidnapping of baby Jessie. Callie Dunbrook is at the epicenter of it all as archeologist and the grown up version of baby Jessie. She is stubborn to a fault, passionate about her work, methodical and has a vivid personality that jumps off the pages. The conflict of nature vs nurture brings lots of questions to the forfront but also encounters that just made me cry. The emotions, from all parties concerned (fathers, mothers, brother etc) are so recognizable. One mother loses a baby so another can have a baby. Love is all around and still it hurts. Nora Roberts created such lifelike characters with strengths and weaknesses that once again, I was drawn in to the story and couldn't srop reading until I read their HEA.

Because the romance was about one very fierce anthropologist named Jacob Graystone, ex-husband of Callie and more then ready to rekindle the fire of their romance. I loved the quick verbal jabs, the stuborness of them both and how quickly they can push each others buttons. There was a maelstrom of emotions humming between Callie and Jacob and I enjoyed myself reading their verbal clashes.

As always the supporting cast is excellent. Lana Campbell and Doug Callihan form the secondary romance and are very close to the main couple. I personally held a very soft spot for Digger, ugle as hell but a personality I fell head over heels for. There was a rich supporting cast all with interconnected relationships that made a flowing whole of the various story threads.

There was romance, there was drama, there was mystery and murder. The topics were refreshing, the characters flamboyant and the dialogues dynamic and full of emotion. I just couldn't get enough of Birthright!

4.5 stars
Carolina Moon - Nora Roberts Murder, southern small-town intrigues, hot passion, engaging characters and a whiff of paranormal. Carolina Moon engrossed me from start to finish. I was hooked with the murder on an eight year old girl named Hope and how it affected the brother, twin sister and her best friend. Tory is a multi-faceted character with a past that reverberated her strong personality. I sympathized with her as a girl and rooted for the woman she became. The way Nora Roberts meshed the mystery, the romance, both main and secondary, the past and the present in a setting of southern smalltown charm just made me read this story whenever I got the chance. The mystery and murder of Hope got depth with the point of views from her brother, Cade, twin-sister, Faith and her best friend, Tory. It was easy to connect myself with them as kids but also how it still affects them as adults. The evil doer remained a mystery until the end and there I was taken by surprise at the unraveling of the whodunnit. Romance and mystery enhance each other and again I thought the love and friendship had great dynamics. The romance was sweet and fiery and the friendships had quips and quirks to make it fun to read. The paranormal element is small and contains something Tory can do.

I have a fantastic time going into this small-town setting and becoming a part of it and the characters lives. That is the power of Nora Roberts, by the end of this story characters have become dear friends and involve the reader in all the good and the bad. I loved, I laughed, I cried and way too soon the story had come to an end. Carolina Moon will forever be one of me favorite stories!!
Carnal Innocence - Nora Roberts The setting of the sweltering, southern small-town is fantastic. It is inhabited with flamboyant characters who get under your skin quickly. They breath life in to their town with gossip, passion, love, death and everything in between. Add a rivting suspense with twists and turns that surprised the hell outta me and I was enthralled by this story from beginning to end. The romance was heart-tugging sweet, Caroline and Tucker are endearing characters with their personal quirks and their chemistry was evident from their first encounter! Once again I'm enamored by the characters, both main and supporting, and the setting that was full of southern charm. But the suspense plot added a thrill that shows Nora Roberts has a nack for incorporating various storythreads into a flowing, exciting read!
The Witness - Nora Roberts Nora Roberts gave an attention grabbing opening rife with suspense and action. I met a fascinating girl whom grew up into a fascinating woman and in this stage of the story a heart warming romance developed. It has been a while since I gobbled up a story from this author but with 'The Witness' I did just that!
Yours to Take  - Joely Sue Burkhart Review coming soon.
Hurt Me So Good (The Connaghers #2) - Joely Sue Burkhart 3.5 stars There was much to enjoy but Victor and I didn't always mesh well together!
Bared to You  - Sylvia Day After reading Bared To You I can honestly say it’s the best dollar I ever spend on a book. At the beginning however I did not have that feeling because everything was seemingly picture perfect. There were beautiful people to meet and they were rich, there were loyal friends and a cool boss. When Eva Tramell and Gideon cross paths for the first time there was sexual attraction on steroids between two beautiful people. This all gave some irksome moments. I don’t like picture perfect. I like flawed. I like difficult. I like almost insurmountable problems. I like conflicting emotions. Little did I know what Sylvia Day had in store for me!!

That there was an instant attraction going on between Gideon and Eva is an understatement. There was a current of undiluted sultry heat whenever they were in the vicinity of each other and it made me fan myself many times! Gideon Cross exudes a raw magnetic sexual power and he can be very much in your face with an arrogant confidence. There was definitely a time or two I could smack him one across the face! Yet underneath that attitude I found a complex man whom mesmerized me. He instantly captures the attention, he seems arrogant yet charming and is also difficult to love at times. There is something inexplicable mysterious about him and the slivers of information I got kept me on my toes, rapidly flipping the pages for more about him. Eva Tramell is a nice woman with insecurity issues, lives with her male bff, Cary Taylor and has a suffocating mother to deal with. I liked her on the spot, especially in her easy-flowing dialogues with Cary and her boss, Mark.

At first there is nothing more than a handful of distinctive characters and one hell of an attraction which cranked up the sexual intensity. There is a push-pull between Eva and Gideon which contains a cadence all of its own. Yet, as I got chapters further in to the story, the author slowly began to unravel secrets and a past that created such conflicts of the heart and soul. That’s when Sylvia Day hooked me, there were powerful emotions in the mix and I didn’t make rhyme or reason of it at first. That’s when I got a whiff of the intricate layered characterization for me to unravel and that’s when these two characters got their hooks in me.

I marveled in the mystery surrounding Gideon, I was mesmerized by the romantic conflicts which were so dark and painful at times. The romance and the eroticism was entwined in a complex manner and it fascinated me. I was wondering with the push-pull and sometimes clashing moments between the couple what direction this relationship would take. The intimacy issues added an edge to the rip-roaring desires between the main couple and it affected me. It wasn’t just this breathy lust they felt. It gradually went deeper, uncovering so much more then I initially perceived at the beginning. Sylvia Day slowly forms a connection between the reader, her characters and the story they have to tell. At the end I was invested, deeply moved by all the adversity and on pins and needles for the sequel.

While there is a small cast of equally well-defined supporting characters and there are even secondary storylines which are equally intriguing it all supported the main storyline. It was the emotionally scarred Gideon and Eva in their relationship development that sucked me in and baffled me by the end. The dialogues were bold, intense yet also with a touch of humor between characters who leaped of the pages with their personality, making each of them distinctive. If the ending would have been a happily ever after instead of a happy for now this would have probable been a five star read.

Sylvia Day put me through the emotional wringer and I love her for it. Bared To You is a contemporary romance with great storytelling, depth in characters whom will intrigue you, sultry heat and a love that will pull at all your heartstrings!! This is romance with a capital R where an intense emotional gratification is to be found!

4.5 stars

PS: What I also liked was the information that there is a sequel coming to Bared To You revolving Gideon and Eva. It prevented an overwhelming feeling of disappointment regarding the end.


Quote Gideon;
"I'm going to tell you all the ways I want you to please me, Eva, and you're going to do it all...take it all, and we're going to have explosive, primal, no-holds-barred sex. You know that, don't you? You can feel how it'll be between us."

Quote Gideon;
"You forget who submits, Eva," he said gruffly. I've given up control for you. I've bent and adjusted for you. I'll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I can't be tamed or topped. Don't mistake indulgence for weakness
It's All Relative - S.C. Stephens Review to come - 3.5 stars.
Bear, Otter, and the Kid - T.J. Klune review to come soon
Lover Reborn - J.R Ward When I read my Goodread updates it reflects how emotionally involved I was with Lover Reborn. My emotions were all over the place and I loved every minute of it! Lover Reborn is all about the romance and the interpersonal relationships between the brothers, seasoned with some hardcore action. It reminded me why I love J.R. Ward’s BDB series so much, why she is able to attach me to new characters and keep me involved in all the trials and tribulations of the established ones. There is much to jubilate over but there were also a few things that bothered me.

!!!SPOILER!!!
The main thing that didn’t satisfy me is the explanation of the reason why Welsie was in the In Between. I mean, she’s there because Tohr doesn’t want to let her go. I get the angle Ward is going for but hell, they’ve been mated for two hundred years and we are talking about fifteen months of grief here when Lover Reborn begins!! And of which Lassiter is part of Tohr’s life for what, fourteen and a half? Lassiter made a deal with the Maker before he became a part of Tohr’s life. So it didn’t seamlessly work for me and left me with some eyebrow raising moments of not completely buying it. !!!SPOILER!!!

However, how Ward pulled of Tohr’s grief process and the romance development just grabbed me by the heart and led me through so much turmoil. There was the good, the bad and the ugly and it made me fall for Tohr all over again. His grief, oh his grief was so painstakingly real and made me cry on various occasions. His pain echoed inside me with all the raw emotions it entailed. In Tohr’s anger I wanted to hit him over the head with a club. He lashed out in his anger and fear that made him unreasonable at times. Tohr’s character development was just sublime, we get to be a part of his journey in such an intimate way it affected me from start to finish. And that is Ward at her best!! Tohr falling in love again was both bittersweet as it was erotic because the reigniting of his sexual self again was an aphrodisiac all on its own.

When I met No’One I didn’t know what to think of her but there was a certain fascination for her. I could see the connection she and Tohr shared but I couldn't see them as a romantic couple yet. No’One was putting everyone’s needs before her own which irked me at times. She was sweet but I was in doubt if that kind of personality was going to make Tohr all hot and bothered. If she was a withdrawn, mouse-like, personality at first she grew a spine and there was a growing of spirit and boldness too. Ward surprised me so very much with No’One’s layered characterization and storyline that by the end I really liked No’One and got a shocker to boot. Did not see that coming!!

The pace of the storytelling served Tohr and No’One’s journey very well. It made each scene meaningful between them; giving us an in-depth romance encompassing the labyrinth of the heart and a scorching hot blooming of the passion. Tohr taking matters in to his own hands scorches the imagination but the erotic to and fro between this couple pulled at my heartstrings as well as made me reach for the ice cubes!! But what I thought was really well done was the fact that the romance took its own time, that with all the issues they had to work through it received an ending befitting the emotions of both Tohr and No’One. I liked that, it felt real which made it powerful in its own way.

The romance took the center stage for me but Ward gave us so much more to devour! Next to the main couple there was also a supporting storyline of Xhex and John Matthew’s romance but for me that was a rehash of the conflict they had in their own story; Lover Mine. They did heat up the pages in various scenes, it did fit in the overall storyline, it just didn’t bring anything new to the table conflict wise.

Xcor and his band of bastards; Zypher, Throe, Syphon and Balthazar, add a danger to the story I relished in. It seems that the Lessers have taken a backseat for a moment but nothing is honky-dory for the brothers. Xcor is complication to the ninth degree & even though he aggravates me he enamors me at the same time. He amps up the trouble with a plan which kept me wondering if he is good, bad or if he has his own kind of moral code. The Band of Bastards definitely holds very complicated characters and I can’t wait to find out more about their backstories.

Assail is another character whom adds his own brand of bad and he really gives off the villain vibe. I do not like him at this point but he keeps things very interesting! Threats are all around the brothers and while Ward has numerous story threads to juggle I think these new ones add exhilarating possibilities!!

There is so much more to this story without being convoluted. Many more characters pass by whose storyline develops, including a sliver of Qhuinn and Blay. I got to see Phury again and Layla’s storyline is getting more exciting with each book. This is a Black Dagger Brotherhood story I could sink my teeth in as a very hungry reader and by the emotional rife and surprising ending I was a very satisfied one. That hasn’t happened in a very long time regarding this series!!

Lover Reborn is a story of worth!


Quote Lassiter
“My name’s Lassiter, and I’ll tell you all you need to know about me. I’m an angel first and a sinner second, and I’m not here for long. I’ll never hurt you, but I’m prepared to make you pretty goddamn uncomfortable if I have to, to get my job done. I like sunsets and long walks on the beach, but my perfect female no longer exists. Oh, and my favorite hobby is annoying the shit out of people. Guess I’m just bred to want to get a rise out of folks—probably the whole resurrection thing.”

Quote Tohr;
And now here he was, empty just like the dress, because what had filled both him and this gown was gone.
The tears that came out of his eyes were silent, the kind that seeped out and soaked the pillow, traveling over the bridge of his nose and falling free to drop one after another like rain from the lip of a roof.

Quote;
“I understand the bastard was out last night,” Wrath said.
Tohrment spoke up. “We engaged with Xcor, yes.”
“So this is not a fake.”
“No, but it was written by someone else. He’s illiterate—”
“I’ll teach the fucker to read,” V muttered. “By cramming the Library of Congress up his ass.”

Quote Tohr;
Jesus Christ … she had been really fucking naked.
As Manello poked and prodded at the injured hand, and then started numbing and stitching, Tohr watched the female out of the corner of his eye—no direct viewing. Especially not after—
Jesus … like, really fucking naked—
Okay, time to stop thinking about that.
Firelight - Kristen Callihan I think it is over a year ago that I've read a historical romance but I bless my curiosity right now for it has led me to read Firelight. Labeled as a Gothic Historical Romance with a Beauty And The Beast trope my curiosity was fired. When I read the RT review in the magazine it fueled my curiosity further. What I found surpassed everything I thought to find. Firelight gives a romance of sheer excellence that whisked me away to find adventure, curses, mystery, violence and characters whom rocked me to me core.

Callihan masterfully introduces Miranda and Archer with mystery, snappy dialogues and a 'cope a feel moment' that was rife with sensuality. The prologue was a mere appetizer for what was to come. Even with the basic storyline of Miranda forced to wed Archer out of financial gain for her father, nothing is ordinary after that. The plot begins with murder and didn’t let me go. I got tantalizing pieces of the puzzle regarding the reasons behind it all but also of the secrets regarding a few significant characters. The mystery courted my curiosity. It engaged me to think about the whodunit, the why of it all and how it would affect Archer and Miranda. Because even though I was entranced by the high-octane mystery it was the romance that swept me off my feet and kept me in a perpetual state of an emotional high.

Miranda Rose Ellis is a woman with a secret, a fiery secret, but she learned to deal with it and the way life turned out. I liked, Miranda from the get-go. The prologue already told me she was going to be a fighter, that she was a resilient woman, a passionate woman. Miranda only gained depth of character, she showed me her pain, her joy, her love and everything in between. She was a reason why I was so engaged because I wanted her to find it all in life she wanted. The way she dealt with Archer showed backbone and the high-spirited woman she is. Their interaction hummed of sexual attraction and a blooming love and respect for one another.

Lord Benjamin Archer was a troubled man with a past shrouded in mystery. In this the author engaged my curiosity like nothing else. Gradually I got to peel off the layers of mystery and the man I found made my romantic heart beat so very fast. The depth of his emotions, his intellect, his honor, it all blended in to a kind of sexy that is so addictive for me.

The author made the main and secondary characters come alive for me, made their adventures and the dangers it encompassed feel real to me and in doing so I read the book cover to cover in one day. It also made the romance something to gobble up. The romantic tension rocketed from the get-go and kept building until it erupted in an ending that made me cry and smile and feel every bit of the love! Getting off that emotional high, the ending did leave me in want of an explanation how certain things worked in the end to solve the problem. It felt like the author missed to dot an I there in an otherwise flawless story.

I absolutely adored the lyrical writing style that evoked images in the mind’s eye of atmospheric backdrops in Victorian London and the glitter and glamour of the society. It also enriched the dialogues and I absorbed it all eagerly. I loved how the time period, the paranormal elements and the secondary characters added its own layers and fleshed out the story to give me a more than satisfying read!

Kristin Callahan’s poignant writing voice makes the reader a part of the story. FIRELIGHT contains a memorable romance steeped in an ever present sensual chemistry and a fascinating mystery! I couldn’t get enough and eagerly await the second full-length story in the Darkest London series.

4.5 stars

Quote;

I love you. For one agonized moment, he feared he had said it aloud. His
soul fairly shouted it. Three long years and not a day had passed when he hadn’t thought about her. She’d filled his mind until she’d become the quintessence of womanly perfection, so much so that when he had come for her, he feared she might not live up to his impossible expectations. And she didn’t. Yes, the real Miranda was brave, loyal, and pragmatic. She was also meddling, quarrelsome, and opinionated. The real Miranda was human, and by God, she took his breath away. He knew he would love her until the end of time. What was he to do?
Pricks and Pragmatism - J.L. Merrow It was a quick, fun read with a slowburn, sweet romance. I liked Luke but had issues with him at times. I just loved Russel, serious, geeky, socially awkward but highly loveable!!
By a Thread - Jennifer Estep Jennifer Estep just keeps delivering action-filled stories in her Elemental series which keeps me on the edge of my seat and my eyes glued to the pages. I just can't get enough of the familiar cast of characters nor the plots unraveled. What also becomes a recurring issue is the rehashing of information from the previous novels in the beginning. Now I understand readers who pick up a random book in this series will appreciate the additional information given. I, as an invested reader in this series however, it becomes a bump in an otherwise fast paced story.

With By A Thread I was wondering where Jennifer Estep was going to take Gin Blanco now that the overall story arc got its conclusion. I was taken to Blue Marsh where Gin took a vacation with her family. There, trouble was cooking and Gin got a quick taste of it on her first day. I absolutely revel in the villains Jennifer Estep brings to life. The sadistic nature of the villain made my blood boil and got me that much more invested in the fights against him. The high octane action that ranged from knife, to gun, to hand to hand combat and elemental magic, amps up the chills and thrills I experienced while reading. The suspense also showcased the strong bond Gin, Bria, Owen and Finn share.

I love Gin in how tough she is, how she fights and kills without any scruples. But I love it even more how it is counterbalanced by her inner monologues which show her own insecurities in the emotional department. Her growth in accepting herself and falling in love shows her more vulnerable side and deepens her characterization. Owen is down-to-earth, sexy and so in to Gin you don't doubt his feelings for one second. Owen is hot hero stuff!! There are a few beach scenes that brought a whole new kind of sexy to this series! I also liked the return of Donovan. There was still unfinished business between them and of course I whooped as there was personal justice for Gin.

The Elemental series equals Gin Blanco but it also makes me think of Bria and their sisterly trials and tribulations. The one that can always make me laugh out loud is the adoptive brother of Gin, the highly quotable, Finnegan Lane. Sophie and Jo-Jo conclude this group, when danger comes calling you would want these two fantastic dwarfs at your side!! They are the core ingredients that make the stories one to savor. Their animated dialogues laced with humor and sarcastic bantering breathes the love and connection they share. It’s like returning to a family you love to hang out with.

The plot raises the stakes, the love burns fierce, the action is spine tingling good and both major and minor characters are well-developed, dynamic and intense. Jennifer Estep delivers another rip roaring, action filled episode in the elemental series!


Quote:

“Just think about it. You, Owen, me, and Bria, all happily ensconced in a swanky hotel by a beautiful beach. Bria in a bikini. You and Owen doing your own thing, Bria in a bikini. Did I mention Bria in a bikini?”

Quote

I looked at Bria. “How do you put up with him?”
Bria started to open her mouth, but Finn piped up instead.
“She puts up with me because I happen to be rich, handsome, charming, a witty conversationalist, and exceptionally talented in bed,” he smirked. “Flexible too.”
Eternal Captive - Laura Wright From the bat Eternal Captive put me through a maelstrom of emotions. Luca touched me in ways I didn’t think he would and his romance with Bronwyn just shook me to my core – in all the good ways! In the previous stories of Mark of the Vampire series there were encounters between Luca and Bronwyn that reverberated a magnetic sensual force. I couldn’t wait to see where they were headed because there was no doubt in my mind they were meant for each other. What Laura Wright delivered exceeded all my expectations.

As I returned to the world now familiar to me I found Bronwyn concocting a plan to avoid being presented to the Breeding Male. This plan brought a new character to the cast named; Synjon Wise and he instantly flipped my intrigue switch. He is described as a combo between a Special Forces officer from his native Britain and a Navy Seal from the US; hello Synjon!! The danger and mystery clinging to this character made me want to unravel all there is to know about him! While he played an important role in Eternal Captive the story was all about Bronwyn and Luca.

Luca, with his flippant attitude, is a vampire who entered Eternal Hunger for the first time and made me think; MINE! He doesn’t care what everybody thinks and goes his own way but underneath it all hides a complex nature. Now in Eternal Captive I got inside his heart and mind and he blew me away. He became the fantastic mix of attitude, vulnerability, emotions and prowess.

Bronwyn was largely responsible for the change in Luca. She is a scientist, definitely a smart cookie who is fierce, bold and caring. She takes matters in to her own hands and it might get her in to trouble she is just not one who will sit by the sidelines to see her life get orchestrated. I loved to see Bronwyn’s braveness coupled with a certain fear, to see her grow and change throughout the story. What I loved most was how she challenged Luca and gradually fell in love with him.

The powerful pairing of these two characters created an exquisite love/hate affair that was simply titillating to read. Due to personal reasons Bronwyn wants to elude the Breeding Male at all costs and Luca is a son of the Breeding Male – halfway becoming one. This romantic conflict, combined with the burning attraction and the overall plot arc just knocked me off my feet. It was a battle of will power, of the heart and soul which captivated me with the well of emotions pouring from Bronwyn and Luca. The interactions was a clash of sharp minds, fierceness and sexual undertones and I gobbled it all up.

Not to mention the fact that the intricate rules, customs and society structures bring depth to this vampire race. It brings conflict and injustice, dangers, mystery and adventures; all elements that elevated the romance to greater heights. It infused this story with bloodcurdling scenes that got me crying. It delivered such intense bittersweet moments I could actually feel my heart ache for the characters involved. Laura Wright superbly deepened the characterization of the familiar cast of characters. She made the villain so evil I wanted to strangle him myself and added some new characters whom intrigued me. These new characters; Erion, Lycos, Phane and Helos mark a new plotline within the story arc and one I’m enthusiastic about.

I want to jubilate more about the romance, which consumed me from beginning till end. About the plot that took it up a notch and kept me riveted to the pages. If I could share the erotic heat I felt between Luca and Bronwyn I could create a pleasant bonfire. And if I could talk more about the high-stake dangers of all the trials and tribulations I would, but I want you to find it out all on your own.

Luca played all my emotional chords like no tomorrow. He and Bronwyn gave me a romance I will never forget, set in a rich and detailed world with a memorable supporting cast of characters. Laura Wright, you rocked my world with this one!!

Quote

Bronwyn gazed up into the face of her dear friend. Movie-star handsome, with an athlete’s body and the loyalty of a gracious god, Synjon Wise had grown from an awkward balas into a six-foot-four, broad-shouldered paven of every veana’s fantasy.

Lucian’s hand came up and covered hers, as his eyes implored her with their ferocity. “I feel the animal within me emerging, Princess. It’s raw and uncontained, but it wants to please you. If we wait…”His chin dropped, his voice too. “I cannot hurt you, do you understand?”

She hadn’t wanted it this way – not out of necessity. She’d wanted him to want her, God – to really care for her. She’d wanted him to take her, make her feel what he felt; his rage, his lust, his sadness – his endless sadness.

In his one hundred and twenty-five years, Lucian had felt deep hunger. He’d felt uncontrolled lust. He’d felt impending insanity. He’d felt sorrow and hopelessness come over him in thick waves of fog. But never in his life had he felt them all at once. This wasn’t morpho – he was never going through morpho. This was the pain and agony of changing into the Breeding Male.
Kiss of Midnight - Lara Adrian For a while now I’ve been experiencing vampire fatigue as everything I tried lately was of the same. I was completely set to read a different book when Kiss Of Midnight’s cover popped up in my vision. I bought it when it was released and kept buying each new release in the series as they came but never read one of them. Now however, Kiss Of Midnight didn’t let me go as I wondered what this series and story had to offer. So I put the other book down and cracked the spine of Kiss Of Midnight.

What I found was a story that pulled me in from the first chapter and let me into a world that was fascinating. The vampire lore given by Lara Adrian had me jubilating, it felt fresh and exciting and full of possibilities. The origin of the vampires, the Gen Ones, the Ancient Ones, the Bloodlust, it all stirred my enthusiasm for sound world building and Adrian was checking them off, one by one. Next to the Lore there were also customs and rituals which tugged at my heartstrings. Sometimes it was a rite full of symbolism that moved me and sometimes it was utter brutal, but each element of this world was drawing me in and making me a part of the whole.

While I was absorbing the detailed world there were also plenty of dangers and mysteries to deal with. The vampire and Rogues are heading towards a war that will ask many sacrifices. While the twists and turns of the mystery kept me succumbed even more it is the characters who made me feel it all. Lucan Thorne is the head honcho of the vampire warriors and close to the Bloodlust. He is a vampire who makes me tingle all over; commanding, virile and on the verge of going to the dark side. Gabrielle Maxwell is a leading lady in the dark regarding an essential part about herself. She is creative, loyal, vivacious and also guarded. Of course there are more warriors and each was introduced with enough characteristics to make them stand out. I personally was falling very hard and fast for Tegan and Gideon.

The romance is one of the things that felt almost standard romance development. Lucan meets Gabrielle in personal trying times and he tries to resist her lure. Gabrielle gets more and more confused by all the signals she is receiving of another world yet simultaneously feels the attraction burning fierce for Lucan. Together they have a titillating push-pull between their desires and personalities as the plot steers them to dangers and secrets revealed. It is a romantic formula I enjoy but it wasn’t completely up to par with all the other exciting elements I was getting in Kiss Of Midnight. There was also a dreamlike sensual scene which I’m not a fan off and it made me initially worry if the romance would work for me. That was quickly put to rest though and what made it good for me was the solid build-up of the physical and emotional connection humming between Lucan and Gabrielle. It convinced me of their budding love, it made me understand the risks involved and understand the choices made. It may have been romance 101 but Lara Adrian took it to heart and made it her own via a distinctive leading couple who felt a range of emotions together.

When the ending neared the action and mystery amped up and delivered a cliff hanger that made me instantly hunger for the next novel. I was riveted to the pages, couldn’t believe all that was happening but it was happening all the same. The overall plot arc contains lots of promise and I can’t wait to see where Ms. Adrian is taking it all. My anticipation is high with the calling card delivered in Kiss Of Midnight. With the last page read all I can say is that sometimes you find books on your shelves that rekindles the fire for a certain genre, Kiss of Midnight is one of them!


Quote Gabrielle:

To top it all off, she was half in love with the darkest, deadliest, most emotionally closed-off man she’d ever known. Who just so happened to also be a bloodsucking vampire. And, what the hell, since she was being honest, she wasn’t half in love with Lucan. She was full-on, flat-out, head-over-heels, never-going-to-get-over-this-one, in love with him.
“Way to go,” she told her miserable reflection. “Just frigging brilliant.”