Nocturnal Book Reviews

Aden managed to wait until the elevator doors closed before rubbing his forehead in a fruitless attempt to relieve some of the stress. Life had been so much simpler before he’d become Lord of the Midwest. Sometimes he wondered what the hell he’d been thinking. The elevator doors opened on his private quarters, and a rare smile crossed his face as he was reminded of the one reason he’d never regret coming to Chicago. He’d never have met Sidonie otherwise, and, although few people knew it, after centuries of bitterness, she’d made his life sweet.

She was in the other room now singing Christmas music along with the radio. And she’d lit a fire. He could smell the aromatic smoke from the applewood she’d bought just for the holiday. After a slight detour to his private office, he followed the sound of her voice to their bedroom and found her dancing around a small Christmas tree, hanging ornaments. He paused, leaning against the door jamb and watching her silently. She was graceful and beautiful, and she was his.

Sidonie spun around at that moment and saw him standing there. A welcoming smile lit up her face, a smile of such warmth and happiness . . . for him. It still surprised him sometimes. But tonight the surprise was for her.

“Aden!” She fairly skipped over to greet him, going up on her toes, her fingers fisted in his jacket, face raised expectantly. He rested a hand against her lower back, fingers splayed as he pressed her closer, as he brushed his lips over hers, once, twice, then crushed her mouth against his, wrapping her long, curly hair around his fist and holding her there. She moaned softly, and his dick was instantly hard.

“Good evening, habibi,” he murmured. “Did you miss me?”

“Endlessly.” Her arm brushed against the gift he was hiding behind his back, and her eyes lit up. “What’s in the box?”

“What box?”

Sidonie did a fair imitation of a vampire’s snarl, and he laughed. “It’s a present for you.” She made a playful grab for it, but he pulled it away. “It goes under the tree. Isn’t that how this works?”

“Only if you believe in Santa Claus, and my brothers ruined that for me ages ago. Can I open it?”

Aden pretended to consider her request. The truth was he’d fully intended that she open the gift tonight, since it was something for her to wear two nights from now, when they had dinner with her parents. Aden didn’t give a damn whether her parents liked or approved of him. Sidonie was the only one who mattered. But he knew it was important to her, and he wanted them to know that she was important to him. Fair warning: hurt his Sidonie and, parents or no, you will pay.

“I guess you’re right,” he agreed. “Let’s sit over there.”

Sidonie gave him an extra-long, lingering kiss then snagged the elegantly wrapped box and hurried over to sit on the sofa, her face flushed with pleasure. Aden sat next to her, leaning back to watch in bemusement as she stroked the embossed silver foil, caressed the brilliant blue silk ribbon before finally ripping it apart and lifting the lid. It was a fair sized box, big enough to hold a pretty party dress or a warm jacket. But what Sidonie found was layers and layers of silver and sapphire tissue until finally . . .

Her face paled, losing all of its color as she looked up at him in shock.

“Open it, habibi.” He could hear her heart racing as she opened the small velvet box.

“Aden,” she whispered reverently, then gazed up at him, her blue eyes full of crystal tears. “But we’re already—”

“Mated. But this is for you. For your family, so they’ll know you’re mine.”

Sidonie lifted the stunning ring with shaking fingers. She looked up.

“Will you . . . .”

Aden took it from her, then cradled her elegant hand in his huge paw and slid the ring onto her finger. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckle then raised his eyes to meet hers. “Will you be mine, Sidonie?”

Sidonie launched herself into his arms, gripping his neck so tightly he could feel her heart beating against his chest.

“Silly vampire,” she whispered. “I already am.”

The Dom Project by Heloise Belleau and Solace Ames

Egalley courtesy of Carina Press

Synopsis from Goodreads
By day, Robin Lessing has a successful career as a university archivist. By night, she blogs about her less-than-successful search for Mr. Tall, Dark and Dominant. Living up to her handle "The Picky Submissive," she's on the verge of giving up and settling for vanilla with a side of fuzzy handcuffs when she discovers her best friend and colleague has a kinky side, too.

Sexy, tattooed techie John Sun is an experienced Dom who never lacks for playmates, male or female. If he can't satisfy Robin's cravings, maybe no one can—after all, he knows her better than anyone. So he offers to help her master the art of submission for one month.

Robin eagerly agrees to John's terms, even the pesky little rule forbidding any friendship-ruining sex. But rules are made to be broken, and once they begin their stimulating sessions, it's not long before she's ready to beg him for more—much more…
Release date: December 23rd 2013.
Amazon kindle US/UK

7.5/10

Don't expect anything dark or super steamy, peeps. Instead this is short and sweet and romantic. I loved how The Dom Project was about two close friends finally finding love with each other.

Aden by D.B. Reynolds (Vampires in America #7)

bought

Synopsis from Goodreads
She was seeking revenge. What she found was a vampire who swept her into the darkest depths of passion.

Chicago, Illinois... the windy city. Home to football greats, dinosaurs named Sue, and, when the sun goes down... powerful vampires battling for the right to rule the city and beyond.

Born into slavery, Aden is one of the most powerful vampires in North America, waging war on others of his kind in a struggle to become the next Lord of the Midwest. But in the midst of the deadliest fight of his long life, the ghosts of his past have come back to haunt him. Slavery still exists, and Aden is hellbent on destroying it and the vampires who profit from it.

Sidonie Reid is an investigative reporter in pursuit of the biggest story of her career, until that story costs the life of a friend and Sid realizes she has to do much more than write about it. Intent on bringing down the vampires and their slave network, Sid gains entry to the highest levels of vampire society, where she finds herself confronting the raw sexuality that is Aden.

Caught up in a dark passion that neither can resist, Aden and Sidonie join forces, determined to defeat the old regime and everything it stands for. The dangers are beyond calculation, but the ultimate reward is worth the risk. If they survive...
 Amazon  US | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository US/UK | Fishpond

8.5/10

 I always know I can rely on D.B. Reynolds to deliver exactly what I want, so when Aden came out I snatched that book straight away. I love my comfort food, and this is what it is for me - cool non-technophobic mafia-like American vampire lords fighting for their territory, and strong, gutsy and clever women with whom they hook up. Total win.

A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway (The Baskerville Affair #3)

Egalley thanks to Del Rey

Synopsis from Goodreads
As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, in handcuffs and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.

Not even Niccolo, the dashing pirate captain, and his sentient airship can save her. But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville Affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is…he’s dead.

Release date:  December 31st 2013.

Amazon  US/UK | Amazon kindle US | The Book Depository US/UK

9/10

A brilliant wrap up of all the things building during the first two books of The Baskerville Affair! I already mentioned last week that this series was awesome. Fast, furious, full of wonderful gadgetry, magic, treachery, danger and complex intrigues. I was glued to the books, satisfied with the ending and hopeful for more instalments in the future.