5 Heart Review: Breathe by Lauren Jameson

Breathe (In Vino Veritas #2)
Lauren Jameson

Page Count: 304
Release Date: December 3rd, 2013
Publisher: NAL Trade (Penguin Group)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Signet Eclipse!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Two people learn what it really means to give up control in the sizzling new novel from the author of Blush and Surrender to Temptation...

When business mogul Elijah Masterson travels to the Mexican coast for his chain of luxury resorts, he purchases an emerald green glass sculpture for one of the properties. He is soon fascinated by the fiery temptress who created it. The attraction between them is instant and explosive, but Elijah resists, unsure that a woman as strong-willed as Samantha would ever yield in the way he needs her to.

Headstrong glass artist Samantha Collins hides a secret desire to submit to the right man. Samantha sees everything she wants in Elijah, but apart from one steamy night, he seems determined to keep his distance. She has always held back, but refusing to let go now that she’s found the dominant man she’s always wanted, Samantha makes Elijah an offer he can’t refuse: a month of absolute submission.

But after a month of incredible passion, will either of them be able to walk away?

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | Sony eStore | Kobo

Review

But being restrained—that had been a major turn-on. More than that, the manner in which Elijah had taken her in his arms after she'd had her momentary panic attack had filled something deep inside her. The way he'd wrapped her in a blanket, held her close, fed her—it had been strange and some kind of wonderful to be taken care of.

That was what she wanted, more than anything she'd seen in the BDSM club. She wanted a strong man, a man who would take care of her without questioning her endlessly about it. A man who wasn't put off by the fact that she could be argumentative and stubborn.

Elijah was that man. She was absolutely sure of it.

Considering how much I adored the first book in the In Vino Veritas series, Blush, which I reviewed back in May, I thought I would love Breathe, but I was actually very disappointed. With backdrops of breezy José del Cabo and colorful Las Vegas, Breathe is business tycoon Elijah Masterson's story—the story of how he finds the girl who steals his heart, and how he responds to her touch—even though she isn't fully available for his taking.

Samantha, our heroine, is running away from a deep, terrible past that still haunts her in the flesh today. I don't know what it is in recent trends that has glamorized childhood trauma, but as you can imagine, this "escaping the past" trope was predictable, superficial, and left a bad taste in my mouth—not because it was too horrible for words, but because it was so recklessly developed. Samantha has always had to be the responsible one, the one who had to pick up the scattered pieces of her broken family, but when she meets Elijah, a relationship as fiery as her personality ignites, and for once, she gets the chance to give up control.

There are two problems here that I can name already: first, the degree of "heat" of the relationship, and second, Samantha's "sassy" attitude—both the result of poor characterization. Whatever chemistry there is supposed to be between Elijah and Samantha is unconvincing; I felt nothing for them, and didn't care enough to root for their romance either. While the more explicit sex scenes are taboo and decently written, the character interaction, the entire presumption of their so-called relationship, is stinted and utterly painful (and not in the good way!).

Samantha is portrayed as your typical contrary, smart-mouthed redhead who's so uptight that she can't ever be fully submissive. The heart of the book's tragedy lies here: while Samantha wants to surrender to Elijah's kinky ways, she is too much of a "strong, independent woman who don't need no man" to do so; and while Elijah is intrigued by this adorable, passionate character, he is a true Dom and cannot be with a sort-of, kind-of sub. She's the kind of girl that could make him get way over his head—fall in love too quickly and get hurt—again. The dilemma of the impossible power play, as well as the secret he wants to coax out of her without damaging her, is really well elaborated, but that's about all I can praise.

The characters themselves are hard to sympathize with; entirely two-dimensional and routine. Samantha huffs her breath out and puts her fists on her hips too much, while Elijah does creepy, unrealistic things like call her "kitten" and lust after his best friend's fiancée. Jameson tried too hard to make each character ideal—Samantha the brazen, bold heroine, and Elijah the smooth, rich Dom—but she ended up making them unrealistic and rather ridiculous in the process.

I thought I'd at least enjoy the BDSM aspect, but nope, didn't happen. Samantha's immersion into the world of kink is uncannily Fifty Shades-esque; we've got a pathetically naïve innocent girl with only not-so-witty inner monologues to her name, and we've got a billionaire-slash-handsome-devil who's an expert on whips and chains and gags. On top of this, we have an author trying way too hard to be inventive, to be sexy; it was entirely unsexy. A few nights together and a trip to Elijah's infamous sex club later, and they're already developing separation anxiety. They call it incredible passion. They call it love.

Sorry, but this one just wasn't for me.

Pros

Brief cameos of characters from Blush // Intense love scenes // D/s relationship well explored // Quickly paced; I kept reading, didn't I?

Cons

Physical BDSM is poorly incorporated // Laughable characters // Laughable romance/love/whatever // Stereotypical "rich sex god falls in love with unextraordinary girl" plot // Emotionally artless; Jameson tries too hard to be sentimental, but I got nothing out of it

Verdict

Breathe's pages turned easily and were paced well, but the story itself is insipid, unoriginal, and at times, just too over-the-top. A clear Fifty Shades of Grey wannabe—the two books having nearly identical plots and equally ridiculous characters—the second installment of the In Vino Veritas series disappointed me sorely. Frustratingly, I really wanted to enjoy this novel about giving up and handing over control, but I must have gotten my hopes up too high; even if you're a fan of Blush or Jameson's alter ego, Lauren Hawkeye's other works, I can't recommend this one 

5 hearts: Doesn't particularly light any of my fires; I feel indifferent about this book (x)

8 Heart Review: Blood Eternal by Marie Treanor

Blood Eternal (Awakened by Blood #3)
Marie Treanor

Page Count: 342
Release Date: 4 October 2011
Publisher: Signet Eclipse (NAL; Penguin)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Everything comes to light someday...

Elizabeth Silk is struggling to reconcile her passion for the vampire overlord Saloman and her allegiance to the vampire hunters. When a shocking vampire revolt calls Saloman away from her, she refuses to follow him.

To make matters worse, Saloman's beloved cousin Luk has been found and awakened by one of his greatest enemies. Frenzied with bloodlust, Luk embarks on a killing spree and prepares to expose Saloman's biggest vulnerability: Elizabeth.

But under Saloman's regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy, no longer willing to hide their power. Rumors are swirling about attacks on humans. After Saloman joins forces with the vampire hunters to consolidate his power, Elizabeth begins to understand her role in the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could bring resolution between vampires and humans—if she can manage to stay alive long enough to play both sides...

Review

Missed my reviews on the first books in the series? You might want to read them first!

Book 1: Blood on Silk

Book 2: Blood Sin

In the midst of Saloman's tumultuous, forbidden romance with the wickedly smart and vulnerably human Elizabeth Silk, there is one thing on the powerful Ancient's mind: to see the world change, to see the vampires be brought out to the open and live in the human world. His strategy is carefully calculated and involves the gradual education of humans in order to achieve tolerance and cooperation, but his Ancient cousin, Luk's unexpected awakening, may veer him off his path.

I absolutely devoured this third and final installment of Marie Treanor's Awakened by Blood series... I am definitely pining for more, and am distressed by the fact that there IS no more. I would recommend readers of the first two books to pick this one up, just because Blood Eternal picks off and concludes where Blood Sin left off.

Recent vampire revolts risk Elizabeth and Saloman losing each other, which makes Saloman all the more determined to maintain order within the dynamic of vampires slowly cohabiting with humans in the real world. In the end, however, his mission uncovers one startling, anticipated truth: that as much as both he and Elizabeth want and need eternal love, she is thoroughly human, and it is her humanity that makes her so valuable to both him and to the world. She indeed, is his weakness; her loving, frail humanity, compassion, intelligence, wit, vulnerability, sweetness, bravery, and overthought are what make him falter. She is simultaneously his strength, his stamina, his moral guidance; he needs her to survive. As much as he wants to love her forever, he knows she belongs in the light, and he, in the shadows. Through her and through opening up to her, he painfully learns and relearns both his identity and the sheer, melancholy truism that in love, nothing can ever, ever be perfect.

The emotional anguish and unfeasibility of the romance is so well-conveyed. Blood Eternal tugged at my heartstrings and left me aching inside. Elizabeth is Saloman's lifeline, but when the deranged and furious Luk realizes she is also his demise, he'll do anything to fulfill his early prophecies and use her as the missing piece to Saloman's complete destruction. It's possible their love may be strong enough to change Luk's predictions and in turn, change Luk's insanity itself, but it's also possible their love could ultimately lead to the sacrifice of one of them... or both of them, in time.

The entire novel surrounds the internal battle for Elizabeth's trust, from both the perspectives of Saloman and the single-minded vampire hunters who lover her as much as he does. Saloman's adverse effects surface clearly, not only to Elizabeth's friends, but also to Elizabeth herself; it is obvious that he is whittling away her human life—she has no sense of normal anymore—which is causing her to lose her principles. It's interesting how Treanor adds Elizabeth's confusion with her identity in this last novel, because readers previously thought she had such a good grip on it before. The importance of loving herself first—the self that Saloman fell in love with and the self that could temper his inhumanity and make his domination more like cooperation—is brought to light. She is not the only one who needs her humanity—the world needs it too. If she lost who she was, there would be more lives at risk than she could ever imagine.

One of my favorite aspects of Blood Eternal was the slow, painful unraveling of Saloman—what made him a vampire, and what made the weaknesses he has today. Luk's mentally insane and dangerous resurrection reveals another one of Saloman's vulnerabilities; his agonizing past is explored and his weaknesses tested. I loved how he was finally able to bare himself to Elizabeth, as well as bare a part of her she never knew existed. The unearthing of secrets and deep desires makes it difficult to distinguish the vampire and human races by much. Saloman's compassion is heart-wrenching; that a being so evil could feel emotions so loving, is tragic, and is what makes him so damn perfect for Elizabeth. I'm devastated there's no more of Saloman to read about—am experiencing severe Saloman withdrawal symptoms. Bloody fictional characters!

The return of old vampires we've grown to love and new one's we'll come to hate ushers a violent, willful ultimate battle will determine their fate... that is, if they make it out alive. Victory in the raging vampire war will spark a new millenium of Ancients for the greater good of both humans and vampires, while defeat will end the world as they know it. 

Pros

More thrilling romantically, action-wise, and emotionally // Mystery shrouding Saloman is finally cleared // Entire cast of vampires and hunters alike unite // Witty, deliberate writing style // Saloman and Elizabeth are both perfectly lovable // Fast-paced and action-packed // Sizzling, sensual, as always // The impossibility of a vampire-human relationship is heartbreaking // Quirky, amusing dialogue // Ending that leaves me wanting more!!!!

Cons

Drags on at times // Glamorization of vampires gets out of hand: medical prowess? Spell-casting? Protectional powers? Foresight of natural disasters?? I found it to be way too much.

Love

"We walk a bit of a tightrope, you and I," [Elizabeth] whispered. "I overbalance and overcompensate..."

"But you don't, fall." Never fall...

The stake [Elizabeth] always carried lay on the bedside table. "What's this?" Saloman had said, apparently amused. "In case I get too rough?"

"In case you stop."

Verdict

Gripping, full of blood and kickassery and action, and emotionally doleful, Blood Eternal is a thrilling continuation of Elizabeth and Saloman's struggle to stay in the light together... even at the risk of losing themselves completely within their love. The tradeoff in their relationship—her impairment of his judgment that renders him sensitive and his disarming of her grounded values—accurately portray the pain of their love that is impossible to either bear or to forsake. He could die with her, ending his existence and all the good he could do for the world, or she could die for him, and go on forever; either way, one of them will lose what they most need. Somehow though, readers will maintain hope that their decision will, in the end, be for the better—whether Elizabeth and Saloman stay together, or not. Blood Sin is a riveting, satisfying, and completely addicting conclusion to a beloved vampire tale that will stay in readers' hearts for a long time to come 

8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended (x)

9 Heart Review: Blood Sin by Marie Treanor

Blood Sin (Awakened by Blood #2)
Marie Treanor

Page Count: 315
Release Date: 5 April 2011
Publisher: Signet Eclipse (NAL; Penguin)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Even if you stand in the light, you can dwell in the dark.

Months after her dangerous encounter with the vampire overlord Saloman, Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is still trying to cope with both the demands of her ancestral bloodline—which marks her as a vampire hunter—and the overpowering desire she feels for the immortal she brought back from the grave. But she is not alone in her fascination with Saloman.

When Elizabeth tracks down a distant cousin from America, she learns he possesses an antique sword that has caught the interest of the Grand Master of the American hunters. It is the ancient and mystical sword of Saloman—a treasure of vast occult powers and a prize beyond measure to both vampires and humans. Now the race is on for the possession of the sword.

Even as her enemies and allies shift their allegiances and battle for supremacy, Elizabeth must decide which will rule her own perilous fate: unwanted loyalty or unholy love.

Review

Check out my review for the first glimpse at Elizabeth and Saloman in Blood on Silk by clicking here

The gripping whirlwind of a forbidden romance between Ancient vampire, Saloman and his human Awakener, Elizabeth continues in Marie Treanor's second installment of the Awakened by Blood series. Blood Sin is rich in landscape, full of delicious vampire sex, and brimming with desperate emotion, which makes it as good as—and in my opinion, even more enjoyable than—the first book that originally subjected us to the two lovers.

Elizabeth knows she shouldn't. Months after parting from Saloman after a very wild, very wicked last night together, she knows she shouldn't involve herself in his search by the vampire hunters to whom she has so gratefully allied herself—and yet she does. The hunters are still unaware of her fleeting, but still intense relationship with Saloman, but in the turmoil of the manhunt—or, shall we say, vampire-hunt—her hidden loyalties may soon falter and even worse, be exposed. The quest brings her to America—New York, New York—where she seeks out a distant relative who has what he thinks is a family heirloom, but actually may be Saloman's most prized possession, but her visit may hinder the hunters' plans to put Saloman to rest once and for all.

Saloman, having thrived since his awakening, doesn't necessarily want to harm anyone, but he does want his sword back. He'll do everything in his strength to attain his highly coveted weapon, and isn't afraid to kill anyone who gets in the way. But of course, the biggest barricade happens to be the sweet, compassionate Elizabeth Silk; apparently the hunters are not the only ones whose agendas will be destroyed.

The evolution of Elizabeth's relationship with Saloman is amazing. Readers are exposed to more ardent, more complicated aspects to Saloman that make Elizabeth fall in love with him even more, and these harrowing truths are what fuel her wrongdoings. At once tender and emotionally brutal, the romance that we first became enchanted with in Blood on Silk displays its darker, more mesmerizing side, and for Elizabeth, and for readers, there is no going back. 

Treanor's writing style, as always, is a treat: delightfully droll, expressive, and wholly sentimental. She perfectly captures the pain of parting onto paper, and her descriptions are great for further characterization and emotional buildup. I love the new auxiliary characters we meet in this book. Even the villains, as despicable as they are, are well-developed and realistic.

As Elizabeth's power grows, she must face the hard, cold reality that her old, dully intellectual life will never be the same again. As much as she promises herself never to ally with evil, she also must face the pleasing yet disturbing fact that she and Saloman make a kickass team—a powerful, passionate team—which is exactly what Saloman wants to convince her of. As the mistress of the most powerful vampire in the world, there are certain risks that come her way... what will it take to bring her to her senses that she and Saloman ultimately will be each other's ruin? 

The impossibility of Elizabeth's concerns probes the conscience, demonstrating the very human, very real affinity towards being wicked, even though there's nothing more than good at heart. Emotionally wrecking one moment, and fiercely erotic the next, the continuation of Elizabeth's search for herself, her lover, and ultimately, her position in the light, is a scintillating, fascinating escape.

The main reason I don't give this one a full 10 hearts is because there was one looming aspect that I could have done without: the heightened idealization of the vampires. Every time I was introduced to new vamps, I found myself thinking Aren't there any unattractive vampires around? Any unique, humbled powers? The telepathy is one thing, but the animalistic speed, the power over the natural elements, and the inability to ever get dirty (because, you know... vampires never sweat. They're too pristine and beautiful and etc. etc.) are a little too much—definitely annoying and Twilight-esque. I would have liked to see a little more originality and a little more grit within the otherwise stunning creatures Treanor created.

In the end, the secret of the almighty sword is revealed, but not before embarking readers on a thrilling, carnal ride full of vampire fights, mass murders, and emotional breakdowns first. The chilling realization that our terrifying and beloved Saloman is capable of feelings more profound than any human has ever known, is toxic for Elizabeth, but completely crucial for their unfeasible but ever-kindling fire.

Wanna know what happens next? Read my review of Blood Eternal, the next and final installment of the series, by clicking here

Pros

A deeper, darker, and more thrilling branching from the first book // Lots of baring to Saloman's fascinating character // Hot, hot, HOT // Elizabeth and Saloman's relationship flourishes off of more than just lust // Dilemma of Elizabeth's loyalties are agonizing // Familiar and evocative European backdrop, but also a fresh American setting // New secondary characters, such as Josh Alexander, are sweet, human relief! // Continual witty dialogue // Monumental climax // Bittersweetly romantic

Cons

I hate how Elizabeth is so independent, but pathetically weak in Saloman's sexual presence. Get a grip, girl! // Vampires wayyy too glamorized—even more so than in Blood Sin

Love

I've plenty of quotes I picked out! You know I hate choosing favorites:

[Elizabeth] knew it would be a mistake to [get involved with Saloman] all over again, and she knew that when they met, she'd have to be strong enough to assure him of that. And yet she couldn't prevent the surge of excitement, of pure hunger just to talk to him, just to be in his arms for one more minute.

Well, if she was honest, the hunger went well beyond a minute in his arms, but she couldn't, she really couldn't afford to be that honest.

"I can't work out," [Elizabeth] said, "whether I'm perverse, or the world is."

— what I ask myself everyday LOL!

Another night of bliss with Saloman. There had never been more than one night at a time before this, and she was aware of the danger as she writhed under him, dragging at his clothes and wriggling to feel all of him against her desperate body. She was sinking deeper into the darkness and it felt increasingly like light.

— this one gave me shivers.

He stood under the café light, dressed in black, with his hair loose around his shoulders, glistening with moisture. Raindrops trickled down his forehead, trembled on his full, sensual lips. Shadows lurked in the deep hollows of his cheeks. His opaque dark eyes held secrets she never wanted to learn. And many, so many, that she did.

— have you fallen in love with Saloman yet?

Verdict

Blood Sin is indeed a sinful trek through steamy sex, a high-risk chase, and the morally exhausting complications Elizabeth must confront. Marie Treanor expertly brings her characters and scenery to life, which is bound to make readers writhe in arousal and fall in love all over again. A fresh paranormal pursuit and the wicked tug-of-war game for power divulges Saloman's greatest, familiarly human weakness: the ability to feel, and the capacity to love. A satisfying, addicting sequel for fans of the first story in the series, Blood Sin will not disappoint 

9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf (x)

9 Heart Review: Blood on Silk by Marie Treanor

Blood on Silk (Awakened by Blood #1)
Marie Treanor

Page Count: 316
Release Date: 7 September 2010
Publisher: Signet Eclipse (NAL; Penguin)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher, via Bewitching Book Tours, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Give in to it, Elizabeth. Give into evil.

Scottish academic Elizabeth Silk is spending the summer in Romania researching historical superstitions for her PhD. While she is tracing local folktales, one subject in particular sparks her imagination. His name is Saloman, legend's most powerful vampire, a seductive prince staked centuries ago. Now, in the ruins of a castle crypt, Elizabeth discovers the legends are real. Her blood has awakened him. Her innocence has aroused him. But Elizabeth unleashes more than Saloman's hunger.

An army of vampire hunters has amassed to send Saloman back to hell. Sworn to help—yet fearing Saloman's deadly bloodlust—Elizabeth seeks to entrap him, offering her body as bait. But something stronger than dread, more powerful than revenge, is uniting Elizabeth to her prey. Caught between desire and rage, Elizabeth must decide where her loyalties lie... and what the limits are to a yearning she can no longer control.

Review

Elizabeth, a captive of academia, is a no-nonsense woman whose trip to Romania is solely for the completion of her thesis. Elizabeth is wickedly smart—sometimes too smart for her own good—but it is the solid head on her shoulders that has gotten her so far in life. And yet, devastatingly, it is Elizabeth, whom, in the first of Marie Treanor's thrilling Awakened by Blood series, accidentally but fatefully brings Saloman, the last of the Ancient vampires, back from his grave. And this is when her safe, sensible life goes perfectly, disastrously awry.

There are so many things about this book that I love—I'm not even sure where to start! The plot is gripping and fast-paced, and the history of vampires in its wake, fascinating. The premise involving Elizabeth's attraction to Saloman is tragic, but absolutely absorbing. As Saloman's Awakener, especially as an Awakener who is a descendent of one of Saloman's original slayers three-hundred years previously, Elizabeth is a powerhouse waiting to be bitten, and yet, an initial spark of attraction—a desperate plea for affection—prevents him from killing her. Lust-crazed, he may be—in his past life, he always got what he wanted: sex and blood—but there's just something about her that keeps him from delaying the prophesied. 

The dynamic between Saloman and Elizabeth is charming, witty, and absolutely smoldering! In their first catastrophic encounter, Elizabeth escapes from his clutches by sweet-talking him, and even making him laugh. But after that, it's no longer fun and games; it's power, sweet, succulent power... but in the end, it's desire that consumes them both.

Saloman's quest to take revenge against Zoltán, the evil vampire who has been in rule during his rest, is severely hindered by the distraction that is the naïve and beautiful Elizabeth Silk. During his unpeaceful rest, Saloman had no choice but to be patient, to be dead with his eyes open, but even he knows now it is time for vengeance. Yet the startlingly tender Elizabeth—the surprisingly hilarious and clever girl who's smart in all areas, except for those of herself—prevents him from leading a direct path to Zoltán. To me, this was the typical forbidden love story, nothing original, but I loved it nonetheless. What I didn't really favor was how vampires seem really idealized: all of them are attractive, all of the powerful ones have the same clichéd paranormal powers (telepathy, inhuman speed, etc.), which is a bit annoying. But if that's what it takes to create a character like Saloman, a girl can dream, right? LOL.

The fine lines between love and hate, good and evil, and loyalty and betrayal are crossed, then crossed back in Blood on Silk, and the ride itself will leave you squirming in arousal and panting for breath. Treanor's eloquent, sensual writing style definitely enhances the story. This book was hard to put down and definitely hard to let go of.

As for characters, Treanor does a splendid job fleshing them out really well, both primary and supporting. Elizabeth is extremely relatable, in that she's a quiet sort of beauty, who is still insecure in identity and desire. She is contradictory in herself: lonely but self-sufficient, innocent but cynical, solemn but witty, fearful but unexpectedly bold, reserved but entirely passionate. She's torn between the well-researched, highly driven vampire hunters who only want to help her, and the beckoning of true desire and obscured evil; I think any reader will be able to sympathize with her frustratingly mixed feelings. Having brought Saloman back to "life" (because he's still technically dead... or undead), she has the self-determined obligation to save humanity and put him back to rest, but her unbearable attraction to him tampers with her emotions and he in parallel, prevents her from fulfilling her duties as well.

Saloman, on the other hand, is the exact opposite: sexually experienced, mysterious, and quite shady, but an enchantingly complex and deep character. Not much is revealed to readers about him, aside from what he tells Elizabeth, but he's the most powerful vampire in the world—who are we readers to trust him? I obviously swooned over him... he's such a perfect evil hero! Marie Treanor cunningly and delicately shapes a lovable, devastating vampire, one who's more human than we think. His struggle and greed for power fuels his passion, evil, and destruction, which I think is perfectly portrayed. Saloman is all of alluring, magnetic, and dangerous, and throughout the book, is someone Elizabeth gets to know by heart, but then again, not really much at all. I'm looking forward to discovering more of him in the next book, Blood Sin (review to come!).

Both Elizabeth and Saloman fall for the monster in each other—he, for the enemy and she, for the evil—and in between the throes of passion, both will commit the ultimate act of surrender out of lust. But the question is raised: is it really only lust?

From both characters' perspectives, the shame, humiliation, and lingering insecurity of being in love with someone who may have ulterior motives is so true to life. The torture of Saloman's ever-presence that remains in Elizabeth's mind causes her to behave recklessly, and drives her into an emotional mess... but no one ever said love would be easy. And so readers recognize, love in Saloman was something she did not expect, but to be fair, love in Elizabeth was not Saloman expected, either.

The unworldly and rather reclusive Elizabeth helplessly opens her heart up to Saloman, and he, even more tragically, does the same to her. Treanor magically and precariously sheds light upon the importance of living in the moment, in the name of love, while weaving a heart-pounding, steamy love story about two lost individuals who find each other even under the most extenuating of circumstances. 

Pros

Saloman is a perfectly evil, dangerous, provocative, swoon-worthy, marvelous character // Elizabeth is extremely relatable and likable // Witty, sexy banter // Explosive love scenes // Awesome secondary characters that are also well-developed // Forbidden love is heart-wrenching and equally hot // Plot is well-formed, with many facets explored and still unrevealed // Stylistically smooth

Cons

Elizabeth reacts lustily every time Saloman remotely comes near her and Saloman has an erection every time she comes remotely near him // Vampires are way too glamorized

Love

"You really are a bit of a bastard, aren't you, Saloman?"

"Oh no. I'm a complete and utter bastard. One can perfect these things over the millennia."

Verdict

The pages of Blood on Silk are absolutely scorching hot. From the chemistry between the main characters, to the heartbreaking storyline involving a star-crossed encounter and fate, this modern vampire tale combines the mystique of the world's oldest paranormals, with the enamoring backdrop of Scotland, and it's one you don't want to miss. The characterization is strong, the sex hot, and the love powerful in Marie Treanor's Awakened by Blood debut. False hopes, unconquerable desires, and the repercussions of unspoken longings convey a powerful message in Blood on Silk: that when it comes to love, sometimes doing the right thing, isn't always the best thing 

9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf (x)

Check out my review for the continuation of Elizabeth and Saloman's romance in Blood Sin by clicking here