A Different Breed

by Angel Martinez

(Gay / Erotica / Erotic Romance / Dark Fantasy / Vampire / Witchcraft / Magic) Josh hunts vampires with relentless, cold precision until the night he confronts a gorgeous hunk of vamp in the woods outside Ithaca. Richard destroys all of Josh's prejudices about vampires in the first few moments of conversation, and the sexual sparks between them ignite almost as quickly. Richard offers the stability Josh never had, while Josh offers the healing Richard needs so desperately. But it's nearly impossible just to walk away from a life of violence. An attack one evening leaves a friend in the hospital, Richard with a bullet through his chest, muttering about strange creatures, and Josh fighting to piece together what really happened. Are Richard's nightmare attackers real, or is Josh's favorite vamp losing his mind? Is there a reasonable explanation or has the hunter now become prey?

Genres: M M Romance, Vampires, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2010

About the author

Angel Martinez currently lives part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware and full time inside her head. She has one husband, one son, two cats, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Angel's alter ego writes the all-ages science fiction - Sandra Stixrude.

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, there goes my Angel Martinez winning streak.

I'm actually surprised by how much I truly disliked this book. But I really, really didn't enjoy this one, and the only reason that I finished it is because I wanted to review it properly.

First of all, if you are anti-instalust followed by instalove, don't even think about buying this book. I hate instalove, and I was absolutely gobsmacked by how fast the relationship between Josh and Richard moved.

Josh was supposedly this big bad vampire hunter who has killed scores of vampires to avenge his sister's death. So WHY did he have a change of heart almost immediately upon meeting Richard, an ancient vampire, and within EIGHT MINUTES (I checked my watch because I was so surprised) was begging Richard to bang him? The change in attitude gave me whiplash, and I never recovered.

From there the story just got more and more ridiculous. I love when Angel Martinez gets a little "out there," and I've been a huge advocate of her Offbeat Crimes series, but this story just went down a path that I couldn't get behind. It was melodramatic and outrageous, and not in a good way.

I would still read another Angel Martinez book in a heartbeat, and though I'm in the minority with this one, I just really disliked this story, almost from start to finish. Too bad.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

[Damon Suede · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of this book is in the robust worldbuilding that unfolds in the later sections of the book... What seems to be an unfortunately bland vampire/hunter setup explodes into 3D technicolor near the midpoint when Martinez takes the entire story somewhere fresh and exciting. I only wish the first 100 pages had shown the invention and subtlety of the second. Or that the familiarity of the tropes had been trotted out ironically. There was AMPLE room for metaficitonal fun in a book that is so self-aware that M/M romance and pop culture vampires are sprinkled liberally throughout. That missed opportunity would have transmuted a delightful book into an exceptional one.

In many ways this book doesn't really START until the surprise complication (and source of the title) is revealed. And that's a pity. I couldn't figure out why this plot wrinkle wasn't incorporated earlier. The opportunities for juicy red herrings on both sides of the conflict were enormous and the new terrain would have made for tantalizing glimpses that made the I-don-t-trust-you-but-I-love-you turf seem less like a swampy slog. And it would have helped us get through the "when badasses collide" quality so familiar from reams of vampire romance the past decade. I must confess that I found our two heroes a little pallid and generic, because they were so quick to settle the obvious conflicts and sidestep the hideous obstacles between them. Low stakes for them meant low stakes for us.

A quandary that, because obviously Martinez is hyperaware of generic tropes and the need to invent fresh mythology around bloodsuckers, and does so beautifully... Even hinting at what was to come would have baited the narrative trap and freshened what seems largely a ho-hum pairing between a (gasp?) tortured Hunter and a (shock?) brooding Nosferatu. So why "fool" us by withholding that wit and invention until later? Why bury the candy under warm, comfy lint? Even going back to the beginning after I'd read it once, I couldn't figure out why no one made the suggestion because it seems so obvious where these teasers could have gone that there are even convenient blackouts and cutaways acting as unused PLACEHOLDERS for delicious glimpses that never got flashed... like an exhibitionist forgetting to show their undies! The hard work was already done! Makes me nuts.

I REALLY enjoyed the second half though so I cannot quibble too long or loudly. That said, I will warn you, if the first 100 pages of near-Buffy clonage being served as if from a can starts to irk you, just hang tight... good stuff coming for entree and dessert. I look forward to the next in the series.

[Bookwatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I think this book is must get my 5 stars?
Let's start talking about the most interesting aspect... the romance...

Both men will narrate the story. Richard is a 900 years vampire, while Josh is a vampire hunter. Nope, do not think (as I did, and is was my big mistake!!!) it's the same old tale... nothing can be new about this old enemies falling in love theme...
NO!
The characters are PERFECT to a romantic story. Differently of what you may think the vampire is not the reluctant of the couple, trying to avoid at all cost to be emotionally committed. Nope... Josh is the lone soul of the book... his pain, hate and fear of love/be loved will break your heart!

But it's not only a romance, there is also great suspense and action parts
Because both men are fighters. Richard a real knight in a shining armor... defending his lovers, and being in terrible pain for his failures.

and Josh? Oohhhhhhhhh Josh (I LOVE HIM!!!!). Sorry, in control of my hormones again...
Josh is a killing machine, with deadly fight skills and some extra inhuman cool powers

I would love more fights (sorry, I'm a big nerd.. fan of fight and nerd stuff) but I think the story is perfect the way it is... maybe with more fights my nerd brain would be more happy, but there is... don't worry... some man kicking another man ass is there... and HOT AS HELL when it's happen!

And... to end my review let me talk very quickly about one more thing... the humor

It will always and only be Josh the funny guy... why? Simple, it's his way to try to avoid what is inevitable... the growing love between them... so well, he will do some sarcastic and incredible funny comments...
Just to tease you, read this (Josh and a woman, Glory, on the phone. Richard is the argument):

Glory laughed. "Poor dear. Though, I think it's good for him to be involved in something meaningful again. He--" She broke off. "Good Lord, is he singing 'The Lusty Month of May'? From Camelot?"
"Ah, yeah. Something like that. Been singing show tunes all day."
"Josh, that's..."
"I know. Really gay."

So well, it's just an example... Josh crack me up so many times! I like his sense of humor!

In conclusion if you don't believe in true love, or in love at first sight this book is not for you... because it's very simple, and also astonishing, read about love... unconditional love that soul mate share...

5 stars and definitively this story is one of the few I'll read more than one time! I want more of Richard and Josh!!!!

[DaisyGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I'm not sure how to rate this. I liked the story enough. The world building was terrific but things happened pretty quickly (read: insta-love). Moreover, Josh pissed me the fuck off. I loved, LOVED Richard. He was an incredibly endearing and interesting character. I thought he deserved more than ... well, Josh.

Also, I had a problem with the ending. It felt off. I understand where AM was trying to go with it and I can see that the human/vamp/animal mutations, if you will were victims who deserved to be taken care of. I got all that. What I felt was missing, however, was the reality of their situation. It was just glossed over as they rode off into the proverbial sunset forest to hunt some deer. The fact of the matter is, as vamps, they were already marginalized from society. When I think back to Richard's introduction in the story, he was browsing for a book at a local bookstore and then sat at a park bench to read. Well, kiss that fave pastime goodbye, my friend. No more strolls downtown. And, THAT, is what pissed me off. How does AM reconcile that? I dunno! She didn't. Yes, Richard got his "HEA" but he was essentially a prisoner in his own home. And where did his pack live?!? None of that was explained, which left a big, honking loose end in my book. And I don't like loose ends.

Bottom line: Not as good as it could've been.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampire and the hunter ... that is just one of the themes I like and A Different Breed gives me the right combination of likeable characters, action, angst, and romance. I love how the story is told from Richard's (the vampire) and Josh's (the hunter) point of view. Thus, as reader, I know what happens in both their mind.

Richard and Josh are engaging characters. They both share a pain of losing someone close to them. Richard loses his lover of twenty years to vicious hunter. Josh loses his twin sister to a bad vampire. It's lovely to read how the two develops into the relationship. That they are just right for each other, despite their "roles" of vampire and hunter. They find comfort in each other's arm.

The secondary characters are wonderful as well: Richard's angels (three females that serve as his source of "food") and Josh's hunter friends. They complete this lovely tale, giving a nuance about who Richard and Josh are, as person, from the outside.

The epilogue is endearing; sweet without being mushy. I find myself wanting to be part of Richard and Josh's life a bit longer. But then again, maybe I'll leave them with their newfound happiness, let them settle in their life ... and move on to another romance story I can find :)

[Susan65 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a little hard for me to rate. I liked the plot and the twist on the traditional vampire story. Richard is an amazing alpha vampire who is also very gentle, kind and refined. Josh is the vampire hunter who is fierce, crude and non trusting. Together they are great. I don't normally like insta-love stories and was hoping that the "connection" that they had meant something more to explain the insta-love but it didn't. I also wanted to know if there was a real future for them or was Richard destined to eventually lose Josh too. I guess this is more a happy for now than a happy ever after..and i guess I can live with that and make up my own epilogue.

[Tj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what to say! Awesome read. The story comes across so vividly. For once in a "vampire" book the vampire is such a MAN. Richard is a warrior with a "gentleman" attitude. Oh, soooo good. The hunter, Josh, is a bit of a confused jerk but you really feel for him. There are so many twists and turns some are so easy to see and others...not so much. I REALLY hope there is more! I really fell for Richard. Richard just makes you want to see so much more and better for him!

[♥Laddie♥ (Lee Lee) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Finn so I was psyched when I came across A Different Breed. I'm kind of soured on vamp books right now but this is Angel Martinez so the book could have been about a bloodsucking garden gnome and I would have bought it.

The way we meet Josh and Richard is cute. A vampire hunter stalking a vampire looking through gay fantasy novels. Josh is flummoxed by a vampire who loves a good gay fantasy but our man Josh is still all "I will END you!" when it comes to any vampire. It doesn't matter if the bloodsucker's taste in literature is excellent.

So Josh, who's been trained and is now like a samurai-ninja-pirate-death-and-gravity-defying warrior, tracks Richard while Richard, blissfully ignorant, does very non-sociopathic things. Things like waving to shop owners, reading on a park bench and strolling through the woods. Basically, Josh is hunting the vampire version of Mr.Rogers. I was loving it.

We've got Josh who serial kills vampires and Richard who's a bit of a gentle soul. I liked that it's the hunter whose actions, while you sympathize with him on some level, are the most vicious and cold hearted.

It's near the very beginning that the story lost the fourth star for me. Josh is drinking his Hate-orade until he wakes up, has a conversation with Richard and sees that Richard is at the very least someone who wishes harm on no one else. It's like someone flips the switch in Josh and he goes from "Kill those bastards" to "let me rub off on you like a cat in heat". It was jarring for me.

Fortunately I had nothing to fear because other than that 180, Josh's actions are all plausible as are Richard's. Even though they get sexy early on, Josh still doubts things. He's still uncomfortable, for most of the book, with the emotional intimacy of his relationship with Richard. It takes an intense situation and near-death to wake Josh up.

Richard is steady throughout the book; somehow managing to be strong, intimidating and gentle all at once. His love for Josh, even when he believes that Josh thinks the worst of him, made Richard a beautiful character.

Last but not least is the fact that Angel Martinez can do intense action scenes like nobody's business. Richard's anger near the end of the book, and the strength it gives him to fight was awesome. Just goes to show you that there doesn't need to be blazing guns and buildings exploding to make action intense.

This book was a fresh take on...everything. Yeah, I gave it three stars but I still loved it.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like any other red-blooded woman, I love a sexy vampire story, and Angel Martinez has definitely delivered that in 'A Different Breed'. Not only is Richard a very sexy undead, he's definitely a different type of vampire than Josh is accustomed to dealing with. So, not only is this a hot and sexy paranormal book, but it's a little different from the norm and that makes it even more entertaining.

Josh has spent the past three years hunting and killing vampires. His sister, Jenny, was killed by a vampire and on the night she died, Josh attained an unusual ability. He can sense any vampire, anywhere, at any time. Good skill to have if you're a hunter. Josh stalks and tries to kill Richard but discovers a sad, lonely, compassionate, and honorable man who also happens to be a vampire. This throws Josh off course for a bit until he realizes that he's been lumping all vampires into the same category and perhaps Richard deserves the benefit of the doubt. The fact that these two set fires of lust off in one another doesn't hurt the equation any. Richard asks and Josh agrees to stay with him awhile.

Richard is a most unusual type of vampire. He does need to feed, but in his long existence he's discovered that people with any form of neurological disease, i.e. Fibromyalgia, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, etc. get relief from their pain when he feeds from them. So Richard has some "clients", all female, whom he feeds from and in exchange they get relief from the daily pain of their disease. These three women were wonderful secondary characters and brought a lot of humor to the story. I love this interesting take on vampire mythology and thought it was excellent that the author wrote it.

Josh and Richard begin a torrid love affair, learning about each other, in and out of bed. They discover that they share an odd, empathetic response to one another, which after only having fed once from Josh, shouldn't have occurred. None of this is important, however, when the Guild of American Hunters come looking for Josh. What Josh and Richard discover is a terrible betrayal of Josh's beliefs in not only humans, but his former co-workers as well. And, what an exciting discovery it is! No, I'm not telling. You have to read the book. But I wholeheartedly applaud the author in her world building.

This was only my second Angel Martinez book, but I guarantee I'm nowhere near being done with her. I so enjoyed this book. I adored Richard and Josh, right from the start, and there were really great secondary characters to like. I was afraid the story would be predictable, but the author managed to surprise the heck out of me, and except for the happy ever after, it was an unpredictable ride. Great job, Angel!

NOTE: This book was provided by MLR Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews

[Ayanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, the first intro of the title in the book was rather gimmicky and whatever, but w/e.

Ignore the cover. The cover is melodramatic and kind of weird.

This book. It. Was. Amazing.
Ish.

I don't know what I expected, but it defied 'em anyways.

Actually, I was going to create this whole simile with this book and The Kiss in The Princess Bride (you know, the one that blew the rest of the Record Kisses away?) but idk, man.

Richard is, like, the ultimate Woobie.
The insta-love thing was a little weird (in a bad-ish way) but it's fiction, so w/e.

And you know what? Josh is a Pisces and so am I so, Pisces solidarity on that note.

It's good. There's a plot. There's kind of intrigue. There are moments where it's inane, which makes it more wholesome.

I didn't hate Josh, which is important, and Richard is just too damn adorable. And Richard bottoms, too, which is also important. I really wanted for him to bottom.
But...it wasn't weird when Josh bottomed, which is also important. Something about the way it's worked made it, well, work. As opposed to "O_o wtf? Why the hell is he bottoming?"

I also liked that the Hunter's Guild was an actual organized organization. Emphasis on organized. Too often it feels like I encounter hunters who are little better than miscellaneous rabble, which pisses me off cuz that's usually an indication that the author is unfairly biased against them to the point of turning them into pathetic caricatures so the MC and his vamp can righteously win or shit like that. To me, that's like bullying the disabled kid at school. Really? Picking on someone who physically can't defend him/herself? How much lower can you get?

But yeah. Ignore the cover. And the gimmick with the title, which was stupid.

ETA:
Something I just noticed...

Look familiar?

[Cole Riann · Rating 3 out of 5]

For days Josh’s inner voice (a sort of vampire sixth sense) calls him to upstate New York. The closer he gets the more excited he becomes, this one is old and powerful, he can feel it. While searching through the stacks at a bookstore in Ithaca, he he surprised when his inner alarm goes off. The vampire is in the same store as him, and most surprisingly of all, he is buying a book by Lynn Flewelling. Wait. Vampires read gay romance? They read, at all?! Intrigued by this vampire who acts so totally different from any he has before encountered, he follows the vampire and sets up a trap. Needless to say, no matter how many times Josh assures himself that the whole humanity act is just a glamour to trap unsuspecting townsfolk, there is something about this one. When they meet and look into each others eyes, Josh’s resolve falters, his blow is misplaced, and instead of being finished off, he is instead taken to the vampire’s home and to be patched up.

Now, I will admit to you that at this point, I though “Aww crap. I’ve read this story a hundred times before.” You know the one — mortal enemies come together in blissful passion despite all odds, laying the scene for an epic battle which tries to drag our two star-crossed lovers apart. Ultimately, the story did not fall prey to this pre-formatted plot trap and partway through really started to get creative with a whole new set of dangers launched at Josh and Richard that they never expected. No, plotwise, this book was excellent. The execution, however, was not...

For the full review, visit Reviews by Jessewave.

[Birte · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book had me roll my eyes almost the whole time, I'm still amazed I actually finished the book, seeing that my eyes were heavenwards a lot of times. For that part I'd give 2 stars - even though everything is well written, the insta-love was just TOO cheesy for me.

The second half though was great with the even more paranormal twist ("even more" as in that it's already paranormal with the vampire-plot).

Alas - 3 stars and an enjoyable read once you pass the cheesy-ness :)

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It starts out as a standard vamp-in-love tale but quickly morphs into an m/m romance version of The Island of Dr. Moreau. I recommend it as a quick and entertaining read for paranormal fans.

[Sammy Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel Martinez takes the m/m paranormal genre to an all-new height in her fascinating novel, A Different Breed. After watching a vampire rip his sisters throat out, Josh has joining a guild as a hunter. Armed with extreme senses that enable him to flush out the creatures of the night, Josh kills with revenge in his heart. Not once did he ever stop or dream that the undead he hunts may not be the evil demon he has believed all this time. When he comes face to face with an ancient vamp named Richard, Josh’s life turns on a dime as he feels the instant connection bloom inside himself. This is no bloodthirsty man but instead an artist who has loved humans over the course of his life. For the first time in a long while, Josh lets the wall around his heart fall and makes the decision to leave the guild and the role of Hunter behind.

However, those who control the guild are not quite ready for Josh to go renegade on them and thwart the plans they have made to accelerate the vamp hunting process. Before he can blink, Josh is part of an operation that may mean the death of his beloved Richard and himself as well.

I think the real genius here was the choice the author made to have Josh be as realistic as possible. Even though greatly smitten by Richard, Josh never fully loses his anger over the loss of his twin sister or his wariness about Richard’s potential to lose his self-control and become a bloodthirsty killer till almost the end of the story. These two elements combine to make Josh both captivating and the reader more eager to learn about him and just how far he will allow himself to be involved with Richard. Speaking of which, another tour de force takes place as Angel Martinez gives a non-human character a decided “human” soul. It is Richard’s eyes and their habit of displaying every raw and tender emotion inside him that really draws Josh. A killer can hide many things but his eyes will always give him away and Ms. Martinez uses that analogy well not only with Richard but with the bad guys as well.

Due to impeccable writing, I found myself losing any sense of time in this story—when I realized that only weeks had passed since Josh met Richard I was a bit shocked. You see, the relationship building that takes place in A Different Breed is so tentative at first that one forgets that these two have not been together for a very long time. By using the tie the two feel emotionally to one another and the growing ability to hear and feel each other even across distance, the author creates a seamless yet steady trajectory for their love—one that is beautifully real.

[J'aime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little surprising for a gay paranormal romance. In a very good way. Vampires in gay romance have become a little trite, but Martinez looks at them with fresh eyes. Though it does lean more toward erotica in that the relationship happened way too love-at-first-sight fast, there was a well-developed plot to support the romance of two very likeable protagonists. Josh has been killing vampires indiscriminately since his sister was murdered by one. Until he meets Richard and learns that, like humans, not all vamps are the same. However, the Guild he has been working for will not let him go so easily, and they have a new weapon in their war on vampires. And, now they want Richard to help refine that weapon.

I liked the writing style of this author. She includes a lot of witty dialog to help build the relationship, in addition to some very hot sex scenes. The main characters are fully realized and the supporting characters are fun, if not completely developed. Plus, she does an excellent job of building tension and suspense, especially when Josh and Richard are in danger. And the ending was a nice surprise with some unexpected consequences for the characters.

The one thing that I think weakened the story was how quickly Josh gave up his all-consuming revenge, within a day of meeting Richard, and jumped into not only sex with Richard, but living with him. Other than that, their relationship is fun and incredibly sexy, and the story kept me fully engaged. The ending was very satisfying, but the author's world-building leaves the door open for more stories. I would definitely read more and highly recommend this to other fans of gay romance - especially those that are tired of the alpha top/submissive bottom (no switching allowed) dynamic.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

****Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance®****

I usually love Angel Martinez work. While not terrible, A Different Breed was not one of my favourites from her.

It suffered from insta-lust and unlikeable characters. I just could not believe that Hunter Josh, who hated vamps, could do such a one eighty in such a short time. It made the resulting relationship feel insincere. Adding to that is I didn’t like Josh much. He was hot tempered and jumped to conclusions.

I did like Richard and the care he took. I appreciated his tragic back story and could genuinely feel his sorrow. He truly was a different breed of vampire.

The sub-plot of the Hunter’s guild was interesting and added some action to the story and I found the supporting characters also added to the book.

If insta lust doesn’t bother you, and you can get over a self-centred MC, you may enjoy the book a little more than I did. This hasn’t turned me off Angel Martinez, but don’t let this be your first book, or last, by her.

[Kendra T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this story. It was a nice story about a vampire hunter who found and fell in love with a vampire. They had an instant connection but that connection was never really discussed. Was there a reason for this connection outside of just being made for each other? Why can they hear each other? What is the magic (or whatever) behind that?

I was a little confused by Josh. He met Richard (the vamp) and within hours, they were sleeping together and he is agreeing to stay with Richard. He gives up everything he knows and just stays there. But a few weeks later, when Richard tries to say ILY, he flips out saying that this isn't forever. It didn't jive for me. I get his panic but I would have expected the panic closer to the beginning when he clearly and obviously realized he was giving everything up to be with Richard, not just because words were said.

Then of course, this leads to mutant vampires. That threw me for a small loop wondering why we really needed that in the story but I suppose it helped Richard find purpose?? not just to love someone but to become a leader as well.

This was more like a 3.5 star for me but I bumped it up since GR doesn't have half stars.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. I did. Really. I just think it could have been longer, that all the stuff that happens is good stuff, but it all just happens too fast. Josh goes from trying to kill Richard to trying to sleep with him in like a page and a half. We barely meet "Richard's Angels" when suddenly they're thrown into peril, before we really get to know anything about them. Maybe the cast was too big or the plot was too busy . . . something. I like all of the individual elements, I just wanted more glue to hold them together.

And now I sound all whiny like I didn't like it, when really, I did. I read it all in one sitting, forcing my family to fend for themselves for dinner so I wouldn't have to take a break from the action. Richard is dreamy and Josh is prickly but good-hearted, and the parallels drawn between the vampire hunters and racist groups are inspired. I did like this story, but the there were enough themes, adventures, and characters in this book that twice as many words could have been used to explore them.

[SueM · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story about two damaged men - a vampire and a vampire hunter - who together find themselves leading a rebellion as they reassess their current roles in life. These two men find that if they want a future together, they will need to fight for it - not only from those who intend them harm, but their own pride/egos and their past. I liked the world building that is surprisingly solid for a novel under 200 pages, and the depth of character was good too, particularly for Richard, as he gets additional depth from the way he works and from the friendships he has made. Indeed, his 3 female friends almost steal the scenes at times. I guess the only real issue I had with this novel is the 'insta-love' scenario. If you don't mind insta-love, or if you're like me and able to ignore it for the most part, then you'll enjoy this novel.

[leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vampire/hunter tale with an added twist. An intriguing action plot develops in the last third of the book and would have benefited from additional expansion. The romance is a rather implausible insta-love. The avenging hunter abruptly falls for one of his vampire targets based on an almost mystical attraction which is never fully explained beyond the crudely sexual.

I found Josh’s romantic style rather juvenile, particularly his pet names for Richard. Richard’s character was more fleshed out. Their relationship, though sweet and sexy enough, was less interesting than the “different breed” plot which is revealed in the latter half of the story. This one is an engaging enough read which didn’t reach its full potential.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

My review is in spoiler tags because it hasn't been edited yet. It probable has too much negative stuff as that's what I tend to think to write down. If I'm enjoying myself, I don't want to stop reading!

There could be actual spoilers, though, so you've been warned.



This was tough and emotional. There was excellent peril but I cried. I don't like crying. This is one of those vamp novels that doesn't pretend that there's loss when the human dies. I hate that. I want the human to live as long as the vamp. It's so sad and painful.

I can't say that I enjoyed this so much as appreciated his good it was.

[Carolinareader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked one. Two individuals who have suffered great emotional pain are unexpectedly drawn to each other. Both Richard and Josh are fully developed characters and I really liked the fact that both remain strong through out the book. I also like the fact that Richard actually has a career and is not just another Vamp with piles of money and nothing to do all day. Hope we see a sequel soon.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm wondering if this is one of the author's earlier works. The MCs act like a couple of brooding, hormonal teens, the prose is lackluster, the dialogue simplistic, and the world building rudimentary. And then there's the insta-sex. Her later work is so much better. I loved her Brimstone series, Brandywine series, and The Christmas Cactus and the General. DNF at 51%.

[Luta Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the many details put into it and I completely and utterly loved Richard. Josh threw me off though, it was almost like he was bipolar with how all over the place his character was between emotions. Despite that though, I did like it and I'm glad I read it.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really buy how quickly Josh fell for Richard, and I found the beginning to be a bit slow in terms of tempo, but I was fully engaged by the last quarter. I would be interested to read more about Richard and Josh (and the pack).

[k reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I forgot to review this after I read it and when I went back to do so a few weeks later, I couldn't remember anything about it. Had to skim thru it to remind myself. Which should tell ya something.
It's fine. I thought it was trite and kinda dull.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, what a whopper. The twists and turns kept me turning pages to find out what happens next. I do hope to see a sequel sometime in the near future? Seems like a cliff hanger to me.

[kasjo_peja · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars bumped to 5, because of the entertainment factor. It's my third book by Angel Martinez and I greatly admire her quality of writing and plotting.

[Avril · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG How much did I love this book? Loved. Awesome read, sexy and fast paced.

[Sherry F · Rating 2 out of 5]

Insta-boinking followed by insta-love. Disappointing for me because I do enjoy the AURA series. :(