Kiss of Crimson (Midnight Breed, #2)

by Adrian Lara

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….

• ISBN10: 0553589385
• ISBN13: 9780553589382
• Publish Date: 29 May 2007
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Dell
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 416
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780553589382

Reviews

[Caitiebelle]

This series does remind me of many things from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R Ward. I'll not lie, I thought there were several similarities between some of the characters that I have met so far in Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series.

Not that I'm implying anything bad with that, it might even be a good thing if you are a fan of Ward. It can often help when that happens as I sometimes felt this new series (to me) already had a home with me.

I say similarities. Not identical. The world-building is quite different, as is the origin of the Vampires etc etc. It's just that if you have read Ward, you will most likely, as I say, find some similarities.

Our heroine this time is a Veterinarian and I really really liked her. Tess is strong and determined, kind, but also frightened and a tendency to run away due to past history.

Her...gift is very special and the book left me wondering if she can use it to help one of our dear males whom she encounters (but talking about him would give spoilers from book 1). I hope she does end up down the line being able to help him.

Dante, we already met in Book 1 and I do admit I had a soft spot for him. The circumstances of their bond I actually felt fitted very well into the series. Their accidental joining brings on a great deal of complications for Dante hehe, but I was none the less very amused and Tess is good for him, there is no doubt about that.

We also delve more into this war that has started and the main antagonist from Book 1 is upping up his level - this time affecting the innocent.

I will admit this book did have pages filled with my tears.

[nitzan_schwarz]

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW AND MORE ON MY BLOG

A small confession: I usually give a series somewhere around two to three books to impress me, if the series is of the intertwined standalones verity, for the simple reason that one couple/protagonist may not be my favorite, but another might be.

So it's always somewhat of a trial and error process to figure out if it was these set of characters I didn't like, or the authors storytelling (although, sometimes it's fairly obvious).

[book:Kiss of Midnight|704043], the first of the Midnight Breed series, was an underwhelming experience for me, especially considering the hype surrounding this paranormal series. But, this being a series of standalones, I gave it another chance... only to be disappointed again.

It's fair to say I will not be reading another book in the Midnight Breed world.

The one word that pops to my head when I think Kiss of Crimson is "meh". It was an okay story, for the most part. A fast, mindless read to pass time with that I can barely remember now, two years later. But I will give these books that - they are readable. So if you're looking for something that won't demand too much of you... pick them up.

My biggest issue with this book (and the likes of it) is the romance itself, and this being a paranormal romance... it's a pretty big deal. But I never understood Tess and Dante's love. It came about too quickly, with the physical element of it happening too fast for my liking. The startling "you're my life" type of declarations sprang out of nowhere, considering neither could name the other's favorite color to save their lives, not to mention anything more fundamental than that.

I find it really hard to swallow romances where it feels like if you were to ask our two main characters to describe each other, they won't be able to fill up more than two sentences. This isn't love - it could be attraction or infatuation or even in lust, but not in love.

Therefore, I simply didn't believe their love. And that kind of means I didn't believe the story, period.


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Original Thoughts

Originally posted on my blog. 

The last few weeks I've been giving a few popular Fantasy/Romance series a final chance to impress me. There are a lot of series I try for the hype, that never live up to it. The first in the Midnight Breed was that for me, but as a series of standalones, I gave it another chance.

Unfortunately, I can't say Kiss of Crimson impressed me. Actually, I can't say that one tiny bit. It was okay, for the most part. A fast, mindless read, that was just... well, readable.

And I'll give these books that - they are readable, if (for me) empty of anything else. 

My biggest issue with this book and its likes is the romance - the main crux of the story, so it's a pretty big issue. 

I never  understood their "love". It happened too quickly. The physical occurred way too fast from the time of their first meeting. The startling "you're my life" type of declarations sprang out of nowhere, when it felt like they don't even know the basic information of the other. What's her favorite color? What does she like to eat when she's depressed?  Is she the type to mule over her order before placing it, or knows immediately what she wants? Those are small things, but they matter.

It feels like, if someone asked them to describe the other, they could fill up two sentences tops. And I don't believe you can bein love with someone if that's the case. Therefore, I never believed their love.

And, well, that means I didn't believe most of the story. And it's hard to enjoy a story like that.

I honestly don't know where I'm headed with this series. I usually give standalone series at least three books before finale judgment, but at the moment I can't see myself continuing with this series. Too many good series out there to waste my time on one that's failed to impress me twice already, you know?... 

To read this review and more, head to my blog - The Book Babe's Reads! 

[RoXXie]

Lara Adrian sure does know how to keep her readers thrilled. The story of warrior Dante and his breedmate Tess is capturing from page 1.

[Hixxup]

very good book, it kept me interested the entire way through. I love books that spark my interest from the beginning and can keep it until the very end.