"Dark and Erotic"
Lost in the winter-ridden mountains of Romania, Amanda
McLaurin was relieved when she stumbled upon a castle. But
as she becomes acquainted with the master and his other
guests, she starts to wonder what she's gotten herself
into. Why are some of the guests disappearing? And what
about the mysterious painting of a skeletal death figure,
who appears to be smiling and watching her? Ryan Noceo sensed Amanda in the woods, and drew her to
himself because of her strong soul. As the current prince
of the Poena Nisus, those who feed on the souls of mortals,
he found her nearly irresistible. Now he must convince her
to become his mate, and share her soul with him. But his
kind avoids all emotion, and Ryan can't promise her love.
Will she take the challenge, risk death, and become his—
heart and soul? This book has a unique story concept and interesting
characters. I liked Amanda, and wanted her to challenge
Ryan to break through and admit to his feelings. I rooted
for Ryan to find and recognize the value of emotions. Due
to the Ryan's essential nature, he was not a very
sympathetic character, but the author did a credible job of
helping me understand why he was that way. This book adds yet another mythos to the burgeoning
paranormal field, with its mysterious Poena Nisus. Full of
suspense, dark eroticism, and intriguing characters, it
should interest those who like a little heat with their
horror. Not for readers wanting a traditional romance, this
story should find an audience with those who like darker
fare.
Reviewed by Julia Clark
Posted February 12, 2008
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Change can be a frightening thing. To sacrifice what one believes in order to make that change can be terrifying. After finding herself lost in the freezing mountains of Romania, Amanda McLaurin finds herself faced with just such a situation. The mysterious castle would be a welcomed refuge from the weather outside if not for the deaths of the other guests following blatant displays of sexual favors. And it all seems related to a painting of the Tarot card known as Death. Worst of all, it seems to be watching her! Ryan Noceo, the sexy owner of the castle, tries to reassure her but she finds that his explanation is just as frightening as the painting itself. He is the most seductive and dangerous man she has ever known. Unfortunately he's also the prince of an ancient race that feeds on the souls of mortals, and one that seems convinced that Death is a real person. In order to claim her as his mate, he needs to make her understand that emotions are not common for his race and that mating for life is unheard of. Yet, knowing that she must sacrifice part of her own soul to become part of his race, Mandy insists upon Ryan loving her forever in exchange. Together they must both come to realize that sacrifice is necessary for both. She must sacrifice her soul, but Ryan must confront the emotions he thought was nonexistent. Frightening, but neither can live without a heart and soul.
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