M

I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Book Review-Kiss of Crimson

by | Sep 6, 2015 | Book Reviews | 2 comments

Book Review-Kiss of Crimson

Book Review-Kiss of CrimsonKiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian
Also in this series: Kiss of Midnight, Midnight Awakening, Midnight Rising, Veil of Midnight, Ashes of Midnight, Shades of Midnight, Taken by Midnight
Series: Midnight Breed #2
Published by Dell on May 29th 2007
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Vampires
Pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
ISBN: 0553589385
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary ThingLibrary ThingLibrary Thing
four-half-stars

He comes to her more dead than alive, a towering black-clad stranger riddled with bullets and rapidly losing blood. As she struggles to save him, veterinarian Tess Culver is unaware that the man calling himself Dante is no man at all, but one of the Breed, vampire warriors engaged in a desperate battle. In a single erotically charged moment Tess is plunged into his world—a shifting, shadowed place where bands of Rogue vampires stalk the night, cutting a swath of terror.
Haunted by visions of a dark future, Dante lives and fights like there is no tomorrow. Tess is a complication he does not need—but now, with his brethren under attack, he must shield Tess from a growing threat that includes Dante himself. For with one reckless, irresistible kiss, she has become an inextricable part of his underworld realm…and his touch awakens her to hidden gifts, desires, and hungers she never knew she possessed. Bonded by blood, Dante and Tess must work together to thwart deadly enemies, even as they discover a passion that transcends the boundaries of life itself….

My Review

 

Summary 

Dante, a member of the breed warriors, is out on a night of hunting rogues. Through a series of events, he ends up chasing a rogue, a rogue that is more dangerous than any he has encountered. Harder to kill, suffering from a  bloodlust madness that even regular rogues don’t even suffer from. He ends up being shot and he comes across a veterinarian doctor, Tess, who he realizes after the fact of creating a bond to her, that she is a breedmate. Now she is his but only if he can protect her from the danger of his world. Tess has a talent and a heart for connecting with lost animals, and even though financially she is struggling she will do anything to help those in need. She is drawn to Dante, who is dangerous and makes her blood heat. She senses a connection between them, but there are so many secrets surrounding Dante. But when one of her two closest friends gets involved in some dangerous business with the rogues, with young Breeds turning rogue over the drug “Crimson” soon Tess will have to choose between a old friend and the man she is growing to love. Soon Dante and Tess will be thrown into the fire of danger, passion, and betrayal…

The Hero 

Dante, is one of the Breed Warriors, and fights to protect both his kind and humans from the savagery of Rogues and their vicious appetites. What I found most intriguing about Dante was his fierce need to protect others. Dante doesn’t believe that he will ever be good enough to be lucky to have a mate of his own. He lives to fight and to kill the enemy. Dante’s gift is having visions of a future of death and fire…a death he knows will be his and soon. The same happened to his parents, and he knows he inherited his gift from them. Dante is on a mission, to find out the source of Crimson and destroy it. A dangerous drug that turns a breed into a rogue fast…faster than he has ever seen. Their enemy is at work against them once more. Dante is quite the hero in the story. I really loved his fighting spirit and how far he is willing to go to protect the innocent. I really admired Dante because of the way he wins over Tess.

“You would quit the Order for her? Niko asked, the youngest only behind Dante, and a warrior who relished his duty perhaps even more than Dante had himself.

I would quit breathing for her, if she asked it of me.”

It’s not a instant love, it’s more he takes his time for her, trying to gain her trust not only for information but also because he is connected to her in an emotional and physical way.

The Heroine 

Tess Culver works as a Veterinarian. She connects with animals and they trust her instantly. Tess grew up in a home of a dysfunctional family, where drinking and abuse were apparent. One night haunts her, the night she used her gift, a gift she views as a curse. She left home and built a new life for herself. But to this day, it still haunts her, so she focuses all of her attention on those animals that need her help that come from abusive situations.

“You don’t think I’m . . . some kind of monster? That I’m not much better than him to have killed him like I did, in cold blood?”

“Never.” Dante lifted her chin on the edge of his hand. “I think you’re courageous, Tess. An avenging angel, that’s what I think.”

“I’m a freak.”

“No, Tess, no.” He kissed her tenderly. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m a coward. Just like you said, I always ran away. It’s true. I’ve been afraid and running for so long, I’m not sure I can ever stop.”

“Then run to me.” Dante’s eyes were fierce as he held her gaze

When Tess helps a stranger who is shot, she never realized how her life would be changing. What I liked most about this heroine was her drive. She was dedicated but a bit of a loner. Due to her gift, and her past, she struggles with trust. I really admired her strength and courage, and she proves herself in more ways than one. From beginning to end, we see more facets to her character, and with each chapter you begin to like her more and more.

Plot and Story Line 

Kiss of Crimson continues off pretty quickly after Kiss Of Midnight. What I found most enjoyable was seeing Dante and Tess come together in the story. Its not a insta love story, which I was pretty glad about. It takes time, and its done slowly and gradually and I felt so at ease with their romance. This story sets off with a mystery and a dangerous situation of a new drug “Crimson” now this stuff is pretty bad ass, it pretty much destroys a Breed within minutes of inhaling the stuff and turns them into a blood crazed rogue, with superior strength moe than the regular breed and it takes a lot to kill them. This aspect of the story was heartwrenching at times. Because these are young Breeds in their late teens or early twenties who are being destroyed by this drug. We have a side plot of a new character Chase and his secret agenda to find his nephew who has been missing for two weeks. We have Elise, a woman his brother was mated to, but a woman he has loved secretly but knows he will never have a chance with. Even though Chase starts off with secret intentions, they are good ones to save his kin and I respect that. It was just the icing on the cake to see Chase win over the warriors here, despite the lies and deceit, he proves himself capable. We some other character Gideon and Savannah, Lucan and Gabrielle, and poor Rio!! Zero trust with women (which for those who have read the first book, know why) and is scarred and still healing from what happened in the previous book. The love story between Dante and Tess is real and vivid in emotion and passion. They fight for the love they have found together and it is quite moving when they finally trust fully in each other.

“Everything makes sense when I’m with you, Tess. My life makes sense, after so many years of running scared in the dark. You are the light, the reason I live. I’m bonded to you deep, woman. For me, there will never be another.”

This book really grabbed my attention, and i stayed up reading because I was so immersed in the story. I love the way Lara Adrian’s writing is so compelling and wraps around you like a heated blanket in the dead of winter.

The Cover 

I really love the blue and red contrast here…with the red splashes of the city and the blue of the couple. Has an edge and passionate feel to it.

Overall View 

Kiss of Crimson is a tantalizing read that sinks its hooks into the reader from the first page. A stimulating page turner that is packed with sizzling passion, edgy suspense, and a mystery to unravel!! THRILLING TO THE END!

Series Order

 

Kiss Of MidnightKiss of CrimsonMidnight AwakeningMidnight RisingVeil of MidnightAshes of MidnightShades of MidnightTaken by MidnightDeep Than MidnightDarker After MidnightEdge of DawnCrave the NightBound To Darkness

About Lara Adrian

LARA ADRIAN is a New York Times and #1 internationally best-selling author with nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide and translations licensed to more than 20 countries. Her books have been named among Amazon’s Top Ten Romances of the Year, and have also been nominated by readers multiple times as finalists for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance of the Year. Reviewers have called Lara’s books “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “extraordinary” (Fresh Fiction), “strikingly original” (Booklist), and “one of the best vampire series on the market” (Romantic Times).

Writing as TINA ST. JOHN, her historical romances have won numerous awards including the National Readers Choice; Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice; Booksellers Best; and many others. She was twice named a Finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, for Best Historical Romance (White Lion’s Lady) and Best Paranormal Romance (Heart of the Hunter). More recently, the German translation of Heart of the Hunter debuted on Der Spiegel bestseller list.

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, the author lives with her husband in New England, where she is working on her next novel.

You May Also Like…

ARC Book Review-My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long

ARC Book Review-My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long

About The Book In USA Today bestselling author Julie Anne Long’s latest installment in the Palace of Rogues series, a notorious rake meets his match in a doe-eyed girl from the country, changing the course of both of their futures… A London season is the chance of a...

Book Review-Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan

Book Review-Wilde for You by Jennifer Ryan

About The Book New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Ryan’s page-turning Dark Horse Dive Bar series continues with this story of love lost...and found…as a widow seeking to heal her heart crosses paths with a rancher/bartender who offers her a taste of...

Book Review-Leopard’s Hunt by Christine Feehan

Book Review-Leopard’s Hunt by Christine Feehan

About The Book The next exhilarating Leopard novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan. In this pulse-pounding novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Leopard series, animal instinct unites two elite shifters whose heads are at war...

2 Comments

  1. Sophia Rose

    It’s been a while since I read the earlier books in this series, but I remember being so addicted and into them. This story was definitely one of the best and I agree that their slow to develop romance was a good one.

    Reply
  2. Anna@herding cats&burning soup

    Ahhh okay. You’re making me want to read em now. I like the sounds of him going slow and taking his time with her.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Sophia RoseCancel reply