November 25, 2014 by Caroline Barker

RELEASE BLITZ with Giveaway Snare (Delirious #1) by Clarissa Wild

Title: SNARE (Delirious, #1)

Author: Clarissa Wild

Release Date: November 25, 2014

Genre: Dark Romance

Blurb

His secrets will destroy her.

Taken.

Humiliated.

Used.

With his smart mouth, dirty talking, and possessive behavior, Sebastian Brand has me hooked in the most shameless way. I’m obsessed with him. However, now that I’ve escaped the mental hospital, he seeks to control my every move.

The overwhelming aloofness in his attitude and the darkness in his mind tells me there is more to this man than sheer dominance. Depravity is his playground and pain is a necessary evil.

Keeping me away was his first instinct.

Capturing me was his second.

Claimed by a man with the exterior of an angel and the mind of a brute, I will do anything to unveil his secrets and face my own demons.

A body in exchange for freedom. A heart in exchange for truth.

Life is never a given. Only a certain death.

This is Volume 1 in the Delirious Series, which contains 3 volumes and a prequel. This book is a full-length novel. These books should be read in order.

WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, strong language, drugs and alcohol, dubious consent, and graphic violence. Contains a cliffhanger that will make your eyes pop.

SNARE (Delirious, #1)

SEEK (Delirious, #0.5) – FREE!

PRE ORDER SEIZE (Delirious, #2) for $2.99 (Will go up to $3.99 on Release Day)

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

About the Author

Clarissa Wild is the USA Today Bestselling author of FIERCE, a college romance series, but she’s best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

Check out my sexy books: http://smarturl.it/clarissawildbooks

Giveaway

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November 19, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Cold Call by Colin Llewelyn Chapman

Title: Cold Call

Author: Colin Llewelyn Chapman

Release Date: October 2014

Publisher: Percy Publishing

Genre: Dark crime/thriller

Length: 300 pages

Synopsis: Wealthy entrepreneur Robin Bradford had it all – the house, the cars, the fine dining – and he lost it all. All except Lizzie, his perfect, loving girlfriend. Down on his luck and with no immediate prospects in business, Robin’s energies found another outlet, Just a little something spicy to bide his time until his financial world recovered, leading him down a very seedy path, onto a very rocky road. Time however was all he had, and all he was going to get.

Due to violence, drug references and sexual content, readers are recommended to be of 18yrs+.

REVIEW

Cold Call reeled me in from the very beginning, opening up with the discovery of a body within the first few pages, the emergency services being called, and then introducing the reader to the main character, Robin Bradford. In the very first chapter the pace is set for the rest of the book and the writing style is direct, easy to follow but with a dark, gritty and full storyline.

After losing his wealthy lifestyle due to recession and having to downsize his home, lose his cars, etc, Robin now works as a cold call salesman from his own kitchen, meeting clients when necessary. His loving girlfriend, Lizzie, has stayed with him throughout the hard times and keeps a part time job for herself. But with more time on his hands, and his physical relationship with Lizzie not always being quite as he’d like, Robin begins to spice things up a bit for himself, which leads to terrifying consequences for some.

The first victim, Katja, is discovered by her neighbour, Adam, who finds her mutilated body after noticing her front door ajar. He goes in to warn her of the dangers of leaving her door open when he realises a warning is too late. This scene is gritty and gory. The description and dialogue feels very real, making the reader easily imagine that they are there with Adam and experiencing it all firsthand.

The reader is given glimpses into what could have happened but not enough to know the full details. This allows the flexibility for twists and the reader to guess the motive, the culprit and how exactly the murder was carried out. This does become more apparent as the story moves on with the police investigation and forensics.

The story switches easily from the police officers involved, the forensic team and the crime scenes to Robin’s life, making it easy for the reader to keep up with all involved and you really sense that the author has left nothing out. I can understand Cold Call being likened to Martina Cole and Luther (BBC TV series), as it does read like a crime drama for tv.

I particularly loved reading how the investigation grew, from the very first murder scene, right the way through to the very end. The development is gradual, with DNA tests results being waited on, new crime scenes to record and compare notes with and even flaws within the characters that can slow down the investigation. This again makes it very realistic.

As the story continues so does the tension and suspense. Robin’s hunger for more spice, more control and more dominance drives the story even more, making for a more seedier read that becomes increasingly more dangerous. It also becomes clear that there is more to Robin’s actions than meets the eye. The recession and loss of his high class lifestyle has a deep impact on his dignity and pride. His extra ‘marital’ activities are psychologically allowing him to feel powerful and in control once again. But just how far will he go?

Cold Call is written well and clearly, easy to read and follow, at the same time as having a well-planned and detailed storyline with likeable and realistic characters. The pace is perfect, with dialogue and storyline flowing nicely at a rate that allows the reader to take in the information but never allowing the reader to switch off. And, as the story comes to an end, there are unexpected events which will surprise the reader. I would certainly like to read more from Colin Llewelyn Chapman as Cold Call is a fantastic debut.

A copy of Cold Call was provided by Percy Publishing in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

To read an excerpt of Cold Call please click here: EXCERPT

AUTHOR BIO

Colin, 45, has worked in Construction throughout his career. He has three children aged from 12 to 18, and two step-children. Son of a former gamekeeper, he is still a country boy at heart! He described his childhood as “brilliant”, benefiting as he did from fantastic loving parents, and the joy of growing up in the beautiful Essex countryside.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @ColinLChapman

Facebook: Colin Llewelyn Chapman-Author

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

November 15, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Review Entropy by Robert Raker

Book title: Entropy

Author: Robert Raker

Publisher: Wattle Publishing

RRP: PB: £8.99 | Kindle & eBook: £5.99

Synopsis: When a series of child abductions and murders disrupt the life of an economically blighted community, the consequences have far-reaching implications. The brutal crimes take a different toll on a disparate group of individuals; the scuba diver who retrieves the children’s bodies; the disfigured cellist who thinks he knows who’s responsible; the undercover federal agent; and the mother of one of the victim’s.
United in a situation not of their choosing, they are forced to take a deep, introspective look into their intersected, yet isolated lives.

Review:

Entropy makes for a different type of crime drama. The story is about the impact that the killings have on the individual as opposed to the mystery of who done it and how/why. It focuses on the inner thoughts of these individuals whose lives are changed for the worse forever. These lives belong to those who are parents of a murder victim, a diver who witnesses and retrieves the dead, an undercover agent who has to pretend to be like these calculating and manipulative sex offenders/paedophiles, and also a member of the public who believes they know who is responsible.

What is fascinating about Entropy, is that the story is written from four very different perspectives, each one being written in first person. The first person allows the reader to be that particular character, to see inside their mind and feel every thought. It is a very strong and powerful connection and it grows as the story moves on and we hear from all four characters. Not only do they have the murders of these children to connect them, there is also another situation that brings these particular four together, without each of them realising the first connection they all have. Each section from all four characters ties in to make more of a narrative than the reader suspects.

The diver

The first section, told from the diver’s point of view, is extremely informative of each murder scene. Being a diver by profession, he falls into the role of assisting the police during times when they haven’t the time or manpower to provide their own. It is very interesting to read from this perspective, as it is quite shocking and difficult at times for the diver to deal with what he is seeing and dealing with. This is a completely different take on a crime scene, and I would imagine that not many have spent too long pondering on how one, such as a diver, would cope under these extraordinary devastating experiences.

The musician

The former celloist has many dark issues to contend with. Recently being involved in an accident which disfigured him plays a huge role in how it affected the one thing that he truly loved: music. Not only damaging to his career, but due to his introvert behaviour since, he has become distanced from his wife. His life is at a very dark moment. During this time he has been provided with information concerning the murders and has a strong suspicion on the culprit. Only his intention is not to take his suspicion to the police but to handle it his own way, taking out all of his anger and problems on the one person who truly deserves it.

During this second section it became clearer that Entropy is a heavy story, with little dialogue at times. There is a great deal of information to take in, and moments when I wanted to go back and re-read some points. It is very cleverly put together and interesting looking at each perspective in detail.

The agent

This section reminded me of ‘Legends‘ (tv series starring Sean Bean), where the undercover element of their job causes them to forget who they really are and has a strong, and sometimes damaging, impact on their personal life. The agent in this instance cannot let his wife in and it becomes clear why. The agent has to try and infiltrate a group of paedophiles. Although his role is necessary and he is carrying out his duties for all of the right reasons, it does make him sick at times, especially when he comes across photo’s of children to be sold and one is a familiar face linked to the murders.

At times part of the story is sickening with some graphic details of what was carried out with some of the victims. It does feel very real when you’re reading this. Some readers may not like parts of this section, however these lines are needed for the story and to allow the reader to realise just how some of these victims were treated.

From the words and context it is written, I was easily able to grasp the dark, powerful emotions that the agent’s wife is feeling and the pain that she faces on a daily basis. It is similar in some ways to the wife of the musician, how both women are left feeling quite alone, and abandoned by their partner emotionally.

…. Everything is so vacant here so I leave and go out to dinner all dressed up and alone. I sit outside because it’s cool and calm. I look for you in the people on the street, even though I know you’re not going to be there. The waiter feels sorry for me. I can see it in his eyes when he pours me a glass of red wine. I don’t even care that he can probably see my breasts in that dress. I want him to touch me, to ask me to stand up, and to take me right there outside, in the peaceful breeze. The hard truth is that I want another man, any man, a stranger to fuck me so that I can just feel something, and not feel like I am wasting away….

The model

The final chapter follows the mother of a victim. She has lost her child to a sex offending murderer, and this she finds incredibly difficult to live with. Her life has been torn apart and will never be the same again. To make matters worse, she has a husband who left her due to his infidelity. She is at a loss. The world she knew has gone.

It is an emotional read and one that will stay with you. But it does make the reader think about consequences, how one action can lead to so many more. It allows you to empathise with each character as we are taken on a journey through the lives of these individuals and can feel the devastating affects which lead to them all being in the same place at the same time.

I love the bus scene at the end of each section which ties all of the characters together, as well as the murders. Entropy is certainly a story which needs to be read until the very end before everything becomes clear. Each character looks within themselves for answers of the repercussions following the murders. They all ask themselves, and some mentally ask their partners, ‘what went wrong?’ Each story, as the synopsis suggests, is quite individual even though that one or two circumstances bring them together.

A copy of Entropy was provided by Wattle Publishing for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Entropy by Robert Raker is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Author biography:
Robert Raker graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. He currently resides in Philadelphia where he enjoys art, music, literature and live theater. He is currently working on his next novel.

Link to retailers: http://wattlepublishing.com/catalogue/entropy/

Twitter: @RobertRaker1
Facebook: Entropy by Robert Raker

November 6, 2014 by Caroline Barker

PROMO POST with Author Bio & Excerpt Cold Call by Colin Llewelyn Chapman

DARK CRIME THRILLER (Adult 18yrs+)

For those readers who love a dark, gritty crime thriller, we are excited to introduce you to COLD CALL by Colin Llewelyn Chapman. Described as being ‘a cross between Broadchurch and Luther… Martina Cole and Fifty Shades‘, I cannot wait to review this one very soon! Not a book to read alone or in the dead of night, or so I am told, but that is when I do most of my reading and I’m sure the atmosphere will lead to more tension and suspense! The reader’s discretion is advised and an 18yr+ reader is strongly recommended due to some of the content.

Title: Cold Call

Author: Colin Llewelyn Chapman

Release Date: October 2014

Publisher: Percy Publishing

Genre: Dark crime/thriller

Length: 300 pages

“A FANTASTIC FAST PACED PAGE TURNER”

EXCERPT

About an hour later Robin reached his destination, a busy car park a stone’s throw from the Sea Front. Riffling through his pockets, he counted his change as he stood in front of the parking meter. “Bollocks!” He didn’t have enough coins to meet the two hour charge, but then glancing around the parking lot he decided to chance his luck. He beat a path through the hordes of shoppers, tourists, loafers and vagrants that congregated around the town centre, eventually arriving at the Tango Top-Up Sun Bed Salon. This was the facade behind which Tamsin and Marina’s knocking shop plied its trade. On the face of it the place was a reputable tanning salon, doing a roaring trade among Southend’s innumerable wannabe WAGS. Young women seeking that healthy orange glow to impress the local bar-brawling men, fixated on having trophy wives and glamorous girlfriends to show off down the Seafront. The crafty tanning shop owner let out the upstairs room to the two harlots for a nice handful of cash, which they palmed his way once a week. No invoices, no questions, and a discount on services if and when he needed relief. As instructed, Robin approached the receptionist and asked where the Therapies Room could be found. She obligingly led him through the shop and into a back room which housed a long staircase, leading up and out of view.

“Up there, Sir. Ring the bell at the top.”

“Thank you, Darling!” he replied, smiling. His charms were wasted on her, though. She knew exactly who he was and what he was: a punter.

The staircase turned halfway up to reveal a large, royal blue door. Covered in an array of different locks, it was obviously designed to prevent the Old Bill, disgruntled clients and irate wives from getting at the working girls. Robin pressed the buzzer on the small intercom and waited somewhat impatiently for a reply. As he stood shuffling from foot to foot, wringing his hands in anticipation, he felt a twinge of fear. Stories of mugged punters and blackmail victims started to play out in his mind.

What if I get inside and some big beefcake robs me?

What if the police raid the place while I’m ankles deep in a tom?

What if they try and blackmail me?

But the ever present ‘what if’s’ were quickly beaten back down by a much more pressing matter: Robin’s rampant desire to satisfy the lustful urges seething in his loins.

The silver, pepper-pot fronted intercom speaker crackled into life and brought Robin’s mind back into line instantly.

“Hello! Who is it, please?”

Despite having already passed the first line of defence, namely the drone working the ‘Front of House’, Robin was subjected to several encrypted verbal trials from the intercom. While it was gabbling away at him, asking him all sorts of trivial questions, he started to become distracted by an idea that the voice coming from the silver box of buttons seemed vaguely familiar. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t place it; the sexy overtones disguised her natural voice.

At last the door opened. Robin surveyed his potential purchase, beginning at her black high-heeled shoes and sheer hold-ups. Moving on up, he paused briefly at her lacy red knickers, a matching brassiere barely restraining her ample breasts. When he reached her dark tousled hair, his mouth fell open.

“Fuck me! …You?”

It would have been hard to say at that point who was the more alarmed, Robin or his lacy lady.

AUTHOR BIO

AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @ColinLChapman

Facebook: Colin Llewelyn Chapman-Author

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

August 23, 2014 by Tina Williams

Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1), by Pepper Winters

Deliciously Dark Erotic Romance – A Top Read for 2014!

18+ Read/Adult Situations

Book Blurb

“I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.

Deliciously Dark and Freakin’ Amazing!!!

If you are a fan of dark erotica or dark romance and you haven’t already done so YOU WILL WANT TO READ THIS BOOK! It is addictive – I only meant to read the first few pages or so to get a taste BUT my conscious and unconscious mind, which craves such reads, had other ideas. I tumbled headlong into this particular rabbit hole created by Pepper Winters into a world where innocence is consumed by darkness and depravity and I devoured it within a matter of hours. Debt Inheritance is the first instalment of Pepper Winter’s Indebted series and I cannot wait to see how the tale pans out!

I LOVED the two main protaganists and the developing chemistry between them: the talented but sheltered heroine Nila and Jethro, the anti-hero, who is out to break her. I found some of the actions taken by Nila a little naïve at the start of the book, but understandable given that she has an overprotective brother, who is also her twin, and an even more overprotective father. How she copes with the realisation of her fate, the psychology between Jethro her captor and her relationships with others involved in her captivity make this book a fantastic and chilling dark read. Nila needs to draw on previously unknown strengths in an attempt to survive in a situation that becomes more and more desperate as the tale progresses. Her only chance of survival is to persuade the monster that is Jethro, not to destroy her, but this is a task that is his by birth right, ingrained into his very being.

And Jethro – oh my goodness I both loved and feared this terrifying alpha and I definitely crave a LOT more of him. His character is from the dark void, intent on destroying Nila, the first born female of the current generation of the Weaver family, indebted to his own family in a manner most foul. He exhibits no remorse or compassion for what he is to do to this innocent woman. Nila is far from his usual type and he despises her, cruelly taunting her weaknesses and insecurities at every turn – indeed he is a real b******. However, he IS attracted to her, some of her actions take him by surprise and she gets under his skin. Yet will this be enough to save her or is his soul beyond redemption? Characters such as Jethro are exactly why I love dark reads such as this and the way Pepper Winters recounts Nila’s and Jethro’s story in their alternate POVs makes this read ever more chilling and addictive.

The sex scenes in this book range from hot and teasing to visceral and somewhat disturbing. There is some violence but more so the threat of violence against the heroine and psychological torture as her punishment for being one of the women to pay for the sins of the Weaver family begins. I read wide eyed and dry mouthed as the scenes played out, both aroused and repelled at the same time. It takes great skill to do this and the author has a real talent for drawing the reader into the story and keeping them there hanging on every word.

There are many dark, evil twisted characters in this book, which include Jethro’s father and brothers and they have their own role to play. There is also the unorthodox method Nila relies on in an attempt to maintain her fragile sanity through a tenuous link with the outside world – I will not give an more away except to say that the whole read is an inspired foray into the darker realms of power, lust and depravity. Lovers of the dark side are well advised to check this book out! I am new to Pepper Winters but will definitely be reading further instalments of this series and her backlist.

Purchase Links

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

http://www.pepperwinters.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-Winters/539976006062848

July 2, 2014 by Tina Williams

Cover Reveal CORRUPTED by Alicia Taylor and Natalie Townson

We are thrilled to be a host for the cover reveal of Alicia Taylor’s and Natalie Townsend’s first release, CORRUPTED, a dark contemporary. Have a peek at the cover and read on to check out the blurb and an excerpt and teasers that will leave you wanting more! You can also find out about and connect with the authors. ❤

Synopsis

I am going to marry a monster.

He is my everything.

He manipulates people for fun. He takes over their lives, consuming them. He dominates and crushes, ruling them, claiming their souls. No one can survive the games of Damon Hunt.

Before now. Before me.

I am Ella Knight. I am corrupted. My sister was a victim of Damon’s games. It’s my turn to play now.

Damon Hunt has been my sole focus, my everything for three years, since my sister’s death. I’ll manipulate him. I’ll take over his life, consuming and crushing him. I am going to take away his soul. Damon Hunt will not survive my games. I will win.

I hope.

Add to Goodreads

PROLOGUE

February 12th 2014

I look down at Cory and feel nothing; no joy at breaking him, no happiness at succeeding, and certainly no sadness over lost love. I don’t really remember feelings nowadays. Love isn’t real. It hurts people. It’s a word used too often without meaning. I have no time for love. I am empty. A single vessel floating around a universe of
nothing. I have no reason to feel anymore. No real reason.

The weeping man before me brings no emotions out in me. They never do, they’re just collateral damage. They’re all the same – easy to please, easy to hurt, full of broken promises. The world would be better off without men in it. I didn’t need to ruin Cory. I was ready when I left Scott. Cory just happened to catch my eye at the right time. Or wrong time, depending on how you look at it. I want to laugh at his pathetic display of weakness. Crying over a break up? Disgusting. Love sucks, get over it already!

“You’re weak. Nothing but a pathetic piece of shit.” I snarl.

“I don’t understand. Why? What’s changed since this morning?” his eyes plead with me. This is the part I like. Seeing how far I can push them. “Baby, I love you.”

“You think you love me after three months?” I laugh and shake my head. “You were easy.”

“I do. You know I do. You feel the same, you said you loved me. Why did you fuck him?”

I can see the doubt set in as he looks up at me. I smile. Stupid man. “I’ve never loved you. It was all a game. You were a game.” He sucks in a shocked gasp. “I saw you the night before in the bar. You’d cheated on your girlfriend, but you were still trying to make her feel bad for your actions. After you got caught. Like it was her fault your dick slipped into the redhead. I had to have you then.” I walk to him and crouch down so we’re eye level. “It took one flash of leg to get your attention. One smile to get a drink. Three days for you to say you were sorry for the first time. By day eight you told me you loved me.” I tilt my head to the side to look at the poor excuse of a man I’ve been shacked up with for the past three months.

“Why are you doing this?” he cries as his head drops forward, shoulders hutched over in defeat.

“Because I can.” I snap. “You tried to manipulate a vulnerable woman. You used love to hurt her. I couldn’t let you get away with that, you needed to feel the pain you caused your ex.”

“So this has all been revenge for Carol?” Cory asks in an incredulous voice.

“No. I’ve never spoken to Carol before. This was about more than just your ex, Cory. It was about the man you are. What you represent. I knew on day five that you would be the easiest. A few words in your ear and you believed my words over a fourteen year friendship. Never put hoes before bros, it’s a known fact. That friendship took twelve days to break. Twelve days as opposed to fourteen years?” I laugh at his stupidity, shaking my head. “Pathetic.”

“Tony didn’t?”

“Tony certainly did. Just not the way I told you.” I’m ready to leave. I stand and move to collect my bag from the kitchen table. “I never needed anything from you. I don’t need anything from anyone. All that money you’ve given me, I didn’t need any of it. I just needed to see how hard you would try to keep me.” realisation is finally sinking in. He sounds broken.

“Why? Why? Because I lost everything. All because of a man like you.” I shout at him before calming my voice. “Your dad never touched me, you know?” a sob tears from his throat, raw pain. “Sure, he grabbed my arm and made those marks but only after I told him I was using you. Good thing mummy dearest believed him.”

“You bitch.” he cries, looking torn up. Yes, he’s too broken to even stand up to me. I walk to stand in front of him.

“I am a bitch. I don’t feel. I don’t love. I hate. I only hate. I hate you.” I grab a hand full of his brown hair, squeezing it into a fist then pulling his head back so he’s looking at me. “I would say it’s been fun but you’re the same as the rest of them. A lying, cheating, lousy lay. Have fun trying to build bridges.” I push away from him, stride to the door, and exit, leaving it to slam behind me. I smile as the cold, February air stings my face. The winter sun is shining bright. It’s deceiving. Like me, beauty surrounded by nothing but bitterness. It takes nothing but a smile to lure men in. I use them. I manipulate them. I break them. That’s the best part, leaving them broken with nothing and no one left. I had everything taken away from me because of one man. The Demon. Damon Hunt.

Damon is a hunter. He preys on innocent women. He breaks them, tears them apart until they have nothing more left to give. It’s time for the hunter to be hunted.

Author Bio’s

Alicia Taylor is 28, lives in Derbyshire in the UK with her husband and two step-daughters. Corrupted is her debut novel which she cowrites with Natalie Townson. This is book one in the Manipulation Trilogy. Her love of reading led to blogging which led to this – dipping her toes in the indie author pool.

Connect with Alicia

Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Natalie Townson is 31, a mother of one beautiful little boy and lives in Gloucester in the UK with her Husband. Corrupted is her debut novel that is a book one of the manipulation trilogy, that she co writes with Alicia Taylor. She is currently working on book two of the series which is nearly complete.

Facebook | Twitter or you can like our facebook page Author Alicia Taylor & Natalie Townson

February 18, 2014 by Tina Williams

Blood Mate, by Kitty Thomas

Dark and Intense Fairy Tale!

Literary Erotica 18+/Adult read

This is another mind blowing, intense and deeply psychlogical read from Kitty Thomas. Readers of this author will be familiar with her imaginative literary erotica. For my part, I am still working my way through her backlist, having read Tender Mercies, Submissive Fairy Tales and Big Sky. At times I like a dark read that blurs the boundaries between wrong and right, moral and immoral and good and evil and few can equal this author. Kitty Thomas’ books always provoke a moral dilemma in my head, which stays with me long after I have read the book!

In Blood Mate we have a powerful and ancient vampire August, formerly a pious man, who was turned against his will and who bears a terrible curse. He must drink the blood of his terrified human victims night after night, his desperate efforts to end his life being fruitless. The only way that his torment can be assuaged is to find his one and only blood mate, a woman whose mind he cannot enthral but who will be able to satisfy his blood-lust each night, negating his desire for another’s blood, and remain with him for eternity.

But hey, this is in no way your usual tortured vamp meets his mate affair, leading to a HEA. In fact if a neat and tidy HEA is what you are after than this is not the book for you. This is Kitty Thomas and Nicole, the heroine of this story does not play ball and fall at the vampire’s feet, despite her physical attraction to him, for she has already found her soul mate, her husband Dominic, and she is not giving him up without a fight! What follows is a dark and twisted tale examining love, blood-lust, desperation, guilt, torment, sanity and jealousy, peppered with scenes of eroticism and violence which literally took my breath away and had me questioning what was right and what was wrong.

August is a vampire who will go to any lengths to ensure that Nicole accepts him as his blood mate and the lengths he goes to are not romantic by any means. Despite his actions I do have some sympathy towards him as he does retain a spark of humanity. It is this spark of humanity, coupled with the wish to not harm his mate, that drives the plot in directions that only this author could envisage.

Nicole‘s husband Dominic, a strong and sympathetic character, is also a key player in the development of the plot and the ending took me completely by surprise and I have not stopped thinking about it since! I will not say any more as to do so would spoil the plot for those that are tempted to buy the book for a truly entertaining and thought-provoking read. Do not just take my word for it but check reviews elsewhere– just be sure to put on your big girl’s pants if this is your first Kitty Thomas book!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Amazon US:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Mate-Kitty-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00I3QKPHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392576085&sr=8-1&keywords=kitty+thomas

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Mate-Kitty-Thomas-ebook/dp/B00I3QKPHQ

Author’s Website: http://kittythomas.com/