As second wolf in the Lunas Locas pack, Paul Kraskowski has power and prestige. He also has a dark secret, one he hides and won't admit even to himself-until the night he meets Laurent.
Born to one of the oldest families of his kind, Laurent Montcrieve is vampire royalty. He stands to inherit massive wealth and the title Viscount of the Blood. But he would give it all up to find the one man who can complete him-his Coeur de Sang, or Heart's Blood.
Two worlds collide when Laurent and Paul meet and form an accidental blood bond. But the instant spark between them ignites a raging bonfire of conflict. Their people are enemies who would rather see them dead than together and Paul refuses to admit his attraction to another man. Now the clock is ticking as they agree to explore what lies between them. Their search may end in true love or death. But they must be careful...for if they sever the tie that binds them, the bond they share will be forever broken.
Evangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.
Forever Broken was a mixed blessing. Some parts I honestly enjoyed very much, but mostly it was simply an okay werewolf/vampire fated- to- be- mated-but-we-can-not-be-because-I'm SO not gay-and-everyone-around-here-hates-fags/I'm-gay-but-my-parents-hate-weres-and-you-don't-want-me-anyway-but-oh-I-SO-want-you- kind of story. To put it simply. There is also a lot of angst, homophobia, uncivilized language and hot sex.
I really liked this book and I think the blurb explains the story perfectly.
I believe the best way to describe Paul Kraskowski is denial, denial, denial. Lol. Having lived in Miami almost his whole life, he's learned of how much people hate gays. His pack especially does not like them and, in such, he denies his attraction to males and denies his attraction to his mate. Pretending to be just as much a bigot as everyone else and, in doing so, he has a deeply rooted impression of how wrong loving another man is. When he meets Laurent, Paul denies his attraction and the bond they have even more and even after his body says otherwise. I think Laurent was my favorite character. He's patient with Paul and will do anything for him because he loves him and is his Coeur de Sang, or Heart's Blood (or mate). I really liked how even though Paul hurt Laurent with the things he said and the actions he did, Laurent still didn't give up hope that Paul would come around and see that loving Laurent isn't wrong.
I thought it was fascinating watching Paul battle his attraction towards Laurent and I thought the way it was written was amazing. The story kept my attention from Paul's denial, to his acceptance and then to what Paul and Laurent have to go through to finally be together. I loved the fact that we were given so much background information on the characters. I especially liked the trip that Laurent and Paul take to Laurent's old nanny's to get answers on Paul being Laurent's Coeur de Sang because that's about when Paul starts to get tired of pretending. I will say that it broke my heart a little with what Paul's pack does to him and what Paul is forced to do to keep Laurent safe.
Overall, an excellent read. I definitely recommend it and I think it'll appeal to just about everyone in some way or another. [image error]
I usually like Evangeline Anderson's books. They're mediocre but interesting. This one is not.
On my best days I don't like gay for you or the deadly combination of G4U and denial. This one has both in spades. Really huge spades. 80% of the book was about Paul whining and bitching about how un-gay he was. Sorry to be crude, but when you have your dick in someone else's rear end, multiple times, then you're on the pronto lane to gay land. No excuses.
Seriously ruined the book for me. All the corny stuff I can put up with and might even like, but whining whining whining about how un-gay he was? No. Just... No.
Seriously, send these people some Love-Thyself brochures or something.
Not a bad vampire/werewolf love story. I think if the author had left out the french and spanish terms/slangs, this story would have been so much better for me.
You know those warewolves stories that you read in wattpad? This was kind of like that... The whole plot was so unbelievable. They just meet and they are already in love and the second time they meet they are already crying? I kinda had to cringe. It was so unrealistic. I skimmed a few pages... Guilty. Hope u guys like it better than me.
I really like Anderson's creativity and her willingness to "play with her work." She has a knack for reinventing tropes and taking chances that marks her fiction as unique. Her efforts aren't always successful and enjoyable for everyone, including me, but I can't help coming back and checking her out again and again. If Anderson has a limit, I don't know where it is and that makes her an extremely exciting author to read and review.
"Forever Broken" is a paranormal gay romance that doesn't "work" for me, although I can see how it might appeal to others. It contains elements of the "gay for you" trope and the "fated mate" trope. It also addresses themes related to a gang's social structure, homophobia, and racism. Anderson seems to want to say a lot in her gay romances and maybe that's part of the problem; too many messages lack complete articulation so they end up a bit muddled.
Conflict rages all over this book. Paul contends with his not-so-secret homosexuality, his status as an outsider (non-Cuban member of a Cuban gang,)and his unrequited crush on best friend and pack leader, Angel. I guess Anderson felt more tension and conflict was necessary since she threw in Laurent, a vampire royal destined to share a remarkable romantic bond with Paul. Oh, and BTW, Paul's pack not only hates gays, they hate vampires and will hunt and murder any vampire on sight. There! That ought to do it.
Laurent's characterization is a huge liability to the read because he just isn't well-developed. He is charming, romantic, and somewhat innocent and sheltered due to his position in vampire aristocracy. His easy acceptance of his homosexuality complements Paul's street boy homophobia. Unfortunately, I didn't see much more to Laurent beyond his love of the sensual and his steadfast, near-childish devotion to the idea of the one true love he believes Paul to be.
This story has some good moments, but I got tired of the chronic homophobia and hatred demonstrated toward gays throughout the read. Everybody in the real world does not hate gays or care they are gay. It got tiresome reading all the different confrontations and expressions of hate from so many different people.
I kept wondering why there wasn't more to the story concerning Paul and Angel. They just seemed to have greater chemistry than Paul and Laurent. There is a delightful, swooney romantic ending to this little book, but I felt like I had to slog through a lot of substandard storytelling to get there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A Romeo and Juliet type of gay lovestory between a werewolve and a vampire. What really pulled me and at the same time threatened to tear me away from the book was the new take on pack relationships. I'm used to reading werewolves story and it's the first time there was a blatant assimilation between gangs and packs. It was disturbing but at the end it was worth it. Another thing that I liked is the fact that Paul, who through most of the book refused to acknowledge that he is gay (even to himself), actually didn't have an epiphany coming out of nowhere. I still wanted to slap the crap out of him but the author succeed in making me feel for him at the same time. His progress was slow but it was less awkward than some book I read where the main character claimed not to be gay and a few lines later his having sex with a guy (I totally hate that kind). Laurent should be granted sainthood. He was just so sweet. Generally that kind of character isn't on my list of favorites but the guy is just too cute. He is irrevocably a romantic fool and it's assumed. He doesn't go over the top, he doesn't do pity party. He is selfless, sweet, and did I say cute? (Some might not think like me but it's not important) It's a great read, really. Some people will probably put it down because it looks like a shakepearian tragedy but don't worry the end is actually a HEA and it's pretty realistic not outlandish. That got to me too. The book is well wrapped with explanations and all but still left place for the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Confession number one: I've started no less than 7 books in the last week and haven't finished any of them. It takes a lot to grip my interest from the beginning & it's a must for me. Confession number two: I love Evangeline Anderson and her preposterous GFY or OFY scenarios. I just find them all sorts of fun! She's my guilty pleasure. So I will say I did finish this one & I rather enjoyed it. I loved Laurent. He was so cool headed all the time and just easy to love. But it's only a 3.5 star read for me because of Paul. He rather annoyed me. He was so gruff all the time. I mean, I know he's a hot blooded wolf and all, but his roughness got on my nerves this time. There were parts that were really great. There were parts (quite a few) where I rolled my eyes. But it kept my interest throughout. And for me, right now, that's saying something!
Deep in the closet Paul Kraskowski is the second wolf in the Lunas Locas pack who is homophobic and hate vampires in Florida so Paul is in big trouble when he starts to experiment sexually with a male vampire. Paul Kraskowski was a frustrating character that was so out of touch with his feelings and the truth that I felt like banging my head against the marble fireplace that I was cozily reading this story! I liked how real and thoughtful the Laurent Montcrieve's vampire character was portrayed in this story, but he wasn't enough for me to believe the relationship building between him and Paul. I get that that he wanted to renounce his future title as Viscount of the Blood and I'm not sure that finding his 'Coeur de Sang' soul mate was going to change the fact that he didn't want to participate in royal society. There is a bit of violence and manly posturing with lots of were-guys with big egos and a total lack of understanding about love. My least favorite book by Evangeline Anderson if you want a better story by the same author, you should check out Broken Boundaries or The Assignment or Str8te Boys because they have the gay-for-you virginal type put into semi-forced situation where they have to show their true gay feelings or risk dying/end of the world/end of friendship. 171 pages and bought at All Romance site for $8.75 which is crazy expensive, but I used by book bucks which is the best thing about that site. 2 stars
¿Qué decir de un libro de Evangeline Anderson? Es una de mis autoras favoritas dentro del género del romance paranormal homosexual, y con esta historia tampoco se queda atrás. Paul y Laurent me parecen una pareja despareja de lo más interesante, el lobo y el vampiro hacen un lindo dúo, aunque la autora se ha empeñado en ponerles palos en la rueda a su relación. En un principio sinceramente no me gustaba Paul, lo veía con una mente demasiado cerrada y detestaba que no aceptara de una vez por todas sus sentimientos, hasta que Laurent logra romper un poco sus murallas y hacerlo ver que lo único importante es ser feliz amando a quien se ama, y punto. En sí, creo que las razas en las cuales están ambos tienen unas normas y prejuicios demasiado arcaicos que deberían cambiar, es algo más que obvio, y el ejemplo de la lucha de los dos personajes por cumplir sus deseos es de lo más aleccionadora. Obviamente es una historia más que recomendable, y sus escenas románticas son muy lindas.
I have read the author's Kindred series and while I enjoyed them, I really did not enjoy the way the females were portrayed. They were always whiney. But this book intrigued me, and I found that Evangeline does so much better when writing male / male. A good story, although keep in mind that it is a true mate plot story so there is a bit of insta love. But what makes it work is that there is still conflict(both internal and external) to deal with.
What I found interesting is that she took the bond aspect from this story and put it in herSought. However, it was much better integrated into this story than that one. Kinda cheesy, that.
This was my first male on male romance and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This was a classic tale of sworn enemies falling in love against all odds. A paranormal Romeo and Juliet of sorts. We have Laurant, an openly gay vampire falling in love with Paul, a "still in the closet"', "I'm attracted to men but I couldn't possibly be gay" werewolf. Though the characters had flaws, I felt that I could relate to their struggle. I wanted to hit Paul upside the head because he was so in denial about what he was and who he desired. Laurant was very patient with Paul and never pushed or tried to force him into anything, even when it broke his heart. This was a quick and enjoyable read at 217 pages on my Nook.
Story was fine. Would have been 4 stars if not for the were and vamp talking wa-ay too much in mid-stroke and thrust. I got tired just telling them to shut up and just get on with the fucking. Was also too 'over-written'? I'm not sure what the word is to describe Anderson's writing here but it was very different from, say, her earlier ones like The Assignment? This one felt more like Broken Boundaries. Everything seemed to be over-the-top - I don't mind that in the story since it's a paranormal/fantasy but the oh, the dialogue...
I had a desperate craving for something down-to-earth with normal dialogue and normal guys after this book.
Cannot believe I skim-read another of these! What the hell is wrong with me? This was even more disappointing than the previous one. The vamp was basically a hundred year old teen. If he'd stamped his foot and slammed his bedroom door it wouldn't have been very out of character. The wolf was a closet gay in a pack of violent homophobes and honestly his complicated friendship with the pack leader was the only truly interesting thing in this story and it got the literary equivalent of 5 minutes screen time. A shame. EA could have had a really gripping romance here if she'd dispensed with the denial all together and focused more on the vamp or were politics keeping the lovers apart.
I could say I wasn't in the mood for this read, but I was so, Forever Broken didn't live up to my expectations. Can you really like a book if you dislike one of the main characters? For this moment in time I would have to say no. Pissy Paul sucked all the love out of the room for over 3/4 of the book. Laurent could only make up for so much of Paul's attitude and denial of his feelings. Just an "okay" read for me~
I really enjoyed this one from Evangeline Anderson. It reminded me Broken Boundaries, just paranormal rather than sci fi. I liked the characters, Laurent especially, and liked the concept of their bond and how it manifested in them. Very enjoyable read, I think if you like this author's previous works, you'll enjoy this one.
2.5 Eh. It's not really a romance. It's one of those run-of-the-mill shifter/vamp romances (the ones that seem like consummate pulp to me. Highly analogous to those romance novels you can buy at Lucky's). I don't quite understand why Paul acquiesced other than The Bond Said So.
I kinda knew what I was getting into when I started this book. I knew it would have a lot of angst and that one of the characters refuses to admit he is gay. I just didn't realize how much of both of these would make it so that the book wasn't as much fun to read as I had hoped.
I started out loving that the book was about a vampire and wolf. I could see all kinds of ways that the book could go and loved the possibilities. This book just fell a bit short for me because it focused so much on denial of feelings. I just wanted to smack Paul and tell him to wake up.
I did love Laurent though. He is probably the biggest reason this book got three stars. He was such a wonderful vampire. You would think being raised the way he was that he would have been really against wolves, but he wasn't. He was just a really nice guy.
Overall, there was a lot that I didn't like about the book. There was also some that I did. I don't know that I would read it again, but it hasn't made me mark the author off. I did like the writing style and found the book to be smooth reading.
Like another reviewer I normally love Evangeline Anderson but this one...not so much which was really disappointing because GFY is totally my thing. When one of the MC's was still doing the "I'm not gay", "Why can't I be normal", "This is wrong" at 65% into the book I almost DNF'd it. Laurent was the only reason I finished, he deserved better than Paul even though he got his crap together at the end of the book.
When you mix vampires and werewolves and everything else but also pour in homophobia, "I'm not gay", and more into a dumb cocktail.
In such a lovely setting with vampires and werewolves fucking, you'd think the last thing a book would hinge on is if the one with his dick buried in the guy's ass for the fifth time decides he needs to remind us each time he fucks a guy that he's not gay.
Seriously, that's where this book goes and how it carries on. You have a lot of outdated no-need content that amounts to self-made drama to pad a book that already has so many flaws it needs to work out.
Everything I read was total cliche: homophobic, rough Latino werewolf clan alongside arrogant, noble European vampire families, but with both groups following bloodlines, class distinction and family honor above all.
Blah, blah, blah. I don't want to read about that again because I've read it before several times.
I am not a fan of insta love. This one kept me reading, but if I could have yelled for Paul to shut the hell up I would have. I loved Laurent, he was so kind and selfless. Angel annoyed me as much as Paul. I could see he was a tease to Paul, but what he ended up doing was unforgivable. Without Laurent and Nana I would not have enjoyed this book at all.
3.5 * Again, mpre perspective from the closeted werewolf would've helped the story run smoother. Also, more backstory of the French Vamp would have been nice. Still, a goodie non the less 💗💋💋
El mejor libro de amor entre un hombre lobo y un vampiro, es una historia sumamente romántica y dramática que demuestra que lo que vale la pena nunca es fácil.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.