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The Deep #1
Notturno
Antique document expert Adin Tredeger thought finding a pristine five-hundred-year-old homoerotic journal was tough. Wait until he finds out the man who wrote it wants it back. Donte Fedelta isn't above using the vampire playbook to get what he wants, but Adin has a few tricks of his own.
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First published June 10, 2009
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September 24, 2018given the terrifying craze for anonymous, back-alley sodomy among heterosexual women, it is perfectly understandable why a publisher of gay male erotic romances might be so diligent in its duty to promote safer-sex practices as to insist that a five hundred year old vampire should take care to roll on a condom for the purposes of fucking a man in the ass while drinking his blood.
anything else would be irresponsible.
anything else would be irresponsible.
April 10, 2015
*1.5 stars*
Dear Deep Desire:
The M/F romance abusive men and heroines that "love them anyway and keep coming back for more" called; they want their plot back.
I should probably give this book only 1 star, but something about it kept me reading so I guess I have to give it props for that much. Honestly though, I sort of hated this story.
Adin is a self-important art dealer who meets Donte, a centuries old vampire, on a plane. They have a quicky that may or may not be considered dub-con followed by some VERY dub-con-ish encounters. I'm going to put it right out there: Donte is an asshole. Not only does he assert over and over again that he is a predator and that Adin is simply prey to him, but he displays a pattern of neglect and manipulation that NO ONE is going to convince me is even close to love. Adin is a dishrag who trusts Donte, though he really shouldn't. It is abundantly apparent that Donte's first priority is his true love and long dead lover, Auselmo. Donte proves this time and time again throughout the story.
How this book can be considered a romance between Adin and Donte is beyond me.
While the vampire world is sort of cool, and I enjoyed meeting Adin's sister and friends, I didn't get the whole deal with the book. Why did everyone want it so badly? Just because it was Donte's? It was a bit bizarre.
All in all, I found the relationship between Donte and Adin to be abusive and far-fetched, and though the plot was exciting, nothing could really redeem the story for me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Dear Deep Desire:
The M/F romance abusive men and heroines that "love them anyway and keep coming back for more" called; they want their plot back.
I should probably give this book only 1 star, but something about it kept me reading so I guess I have to give it props for that much. Honestly though, I sort of hated this story.
Adin is a self-important art dealer who meets Donte, a centuries old vampire, on a plane. They have a quicky that may or may not be considered dub-con followed by some VERY dub-con-ish encounters. I'm going to put it right out there: Donte is an asshole. Not only does he assert over and over again that he is a predator and that Adin is simply prey to him, but he displays a pattern of neglect and manipulation that NO ONE is going to convince me is even close to love. Adin is a dishrag who trusts Donte, though he really shouldn't. It is abundantly apparent that Donte's first priority is his true love and long dead lover, Auselmo. Donte proves this time and time again throughout the story.
How this book can be considered a romance between Adin and Donte is beyond me.
While the vampire world is sort of cool, and I enjoyed meeting Adin's sister and friends, I didn't get the whole deal with the book. Why did everyone want it so badly? Just because it was Donte's? It was a bit bizarre.
All in all, I found the relationship between Donte and Adin to be abusive and far-fetched, and though the plot was exciting, nothing could really redeem the story for me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
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August 27, 2020Vampire story now *FREE* on Amazon, 2020-08-26:
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March 4, 2015FYI, this is a revised version of this book:
Samhain seems to be keeping it under wraps for some reason.
I'm liking the writhing naked bodies on the old cover.
Samhain seems to be keeping it under wraps for some reason.
I'm liking the writhing naked bodies on the old cover.
June 10, 2015
3.5
One of the most compelling parts of this book, for me, was the love story of Donte and Auselmo. I found the journal entries both beautiful and tragic and I could see why Donte fought hard to retrieve that last physical tie to his first and best love.
Although I enjoyed the world created here I found the vampire world-building a bit light with more the focus on the manuscript but given that it’s the first book I’m looking forward to that being explored in more depth later.
I couldn’t help but feel bad for Adin here. The poor man dealt with quite a lot in this read with several brushes with death and had his world view shift quite sharply. I hope that in future reads he’s not as sad and beaten down. He’s a good man and I enjoyed his friendship with Edward quite a bit and would actually love to read the story of how Edward and Tuan met. There were other strong secondary characters as well that made this a nicely layered read.
This was definitely a sexy read with a lot of action but quite melancholy with the peppered journal entries. I won’t say it ended on a high note but rather a hopeful one. I’m looking forward to reading the other books.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
One of the most compelling parts of this book, for me, was the love story of Donte and Auselmo. I found the journal entries both beautiful and tragic and I could see why Donte fought hard to retrieve that last physical tie to his first and best love.
Although I enjoyed the world created here I found the vampire world-building a bit light with more the focus on the manuscript but given that it’s the first book I’m looking forward to that being explored in more depth later.
I couldn’t help but feel bad for Adin here. The poor man dealt with quite a lot in this read with several brushes with death and had his world view shift quite sharply. I hope that in future reads he’s not as sad and beaten down. He’s a good man and I enjoyed his friendship with Edward quite a bit and would actually love to read the story of how Edward and Tuan met. There were other strong secondary characters as well that made this a nicely layered read.
This was definitely a sexy read with a lot of action but quite melancholy with the peppered journal entries. I won’t say it ended on a high note but rather a hopeful one. I’m looking forward to reading the other books.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
June 4, 2024
Review from 2019
I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals
Romances featuring vampires aren’t ones I gravitate towards, but the audio of the Deep series was recommended to me by Kathleen here on Goodreads, and as I’ve enjoyed books by Z.A. Maxfield in the past, I picked it up. On the whole, that was a good decision, and I was engaged and entertained throughout all three books in spite of some inconsistencies in the plots and issues with the narration in book two in particular.
Deep Desire opens as Dr. Adin Tredeger, an authority on antique erotica, is flying home to San Francisco following the purchase of a very rare manuscript on behalf of his university. Notturno, a five-hundred-year-old journal that details the forbidden love affair between an Italian nobleman and his male lover, is the find of Adin’s career, and he is determined to keep it safe, some instinct telling him to pack it in his luggage rather than in his carry-on for the journey home.
It’s just as well, because during the flight, Adin is seduced by a darkly handsome, utterly compelling stranger and his bag is stolen. While Adin certainly isn’t opposed to one-time hook-ups, joining the mile-high club was never something he was particularly interested in, so he can’t understand why he’d have done it on this occasion… until his mysterious lover reappears and demands the return of the manuscript.
In the sixteenth century, Donte Fedeltà – who was, in life, Count Niccolo Sciarello di Petro – both wrote and illustrated Notturno, the story of his tragic and intense affair with Auselmo, the love of his life. Some of the highlights of Deep Desire are Niccolo/Donte’s journal entries; full of desire, longing and heartbreak, they’re beautiful, poignant and deeply affecting, and they help the listener to glimpse Donte as the caring, passionate man he once was – and still could be, in spite of his own belief that his humanity died with his long-dead lover. And once we’ve heard those excerpts, it’s easy to understand why Donte is so desperate to regain possession of Notturno.
“Do you really understand what it means? The book you bought with money, transported in plastic, looked at under a microscope, and joked about with your friends is all that is left of my soul.”
When he approaches Adin again to ask him to return the book, Adin is – unsurprisingly – sceptical. This charismatic, gorgeous but manipulative man is a five-hundred-year-old vampire? Yeah, right.
However, Adin is quickly brought to realise that there really is another world beyond the one he knows when he discovers that the book has been stolen – and not by Donte. Someone is out to settle an ancient score and doesn’t care what they have to do or who they have to hurt to do it, and as Adin comes to accept the existence of the supernatural and of other-worldly beings, he starts to discover truths about himself and about the enigmatic man he is falling in love with.
Deep Desire is an enjoyable story in spite of its flaws. The protagonists are engaging and well-realised, and there’s a strongly drawn secondary cast – including Adin’s friends Edward and Tuan (neither of whom turns out to be quite what they seem), Donte’s factotum Boaz, and his arch-enemy, Santos, who is a lot more than just a cardboard cut-out villain. The writing is sharp and often very funny, especially in those moments when Adin makes fun of Donte’s sometimes overly serious manner –
“Does this kind of thing work for you?”
“What kind of thing?” Donte stiffened.
“This whole I am Donte thing.” Adin affected the accent, giving it a bit more Bela Lugosi than was strictly necessary. “Come to me caro and your blood will sing in the moonlight.”
“Now. I know I have never said that.”
Or –
“It’s a terrible waste of time, but I must come to you through ordinary time and space. I drive a car.”
“What, like the Batmobile?”
“Like a rented Volvo.”
“A Volvo?” Adin’s head tipped back as he laughed. “Oh my G—”
“Enough.” Donte’s teeth captured the skin of Adin’s throat.
“I am Donte, the apex of the food chain in your world, allow me to lure you into my very safe Swedish automobile with its side curtain airbags. Don’t forget to fasten your—”
– and allows Donte, rather endearingly, to prove himself not quite the soulless monster he initially insists Adin should see him as. That said though, Adin’s inability – or refusal – to see that Donte really IS a predator who could kill him at the drop of a hat is perhaps rather naïve, and his protestations against what he sees as Donte’s overprotectiveness sometimes make him sound a bit like a stroppy teenager. But it’s clear that Donte is as fascinated by Adin as Adin is by him, no matter how hard he fights against it and tries to insist that his humanity and ability to love died centuries ago.
I enjoyed the story, which is funny, sexy and suspenseful, but because Donte’s feelings for Auselmo are communicated so powerfully in the pages of Notturno, I found it difficult to completely buy into the romance between Donte and Adin. There’s no question they’re intensely attracted to each other physically and they have great chemistry, but the development of their relationship takes a bit of a back seat, and it’s not until the last few chapters that Donte finally allows himself to take the leap and admit he’s fallen for Adin. Deep Desire ends with a firm HFN that makes it clear that there is a way to go yet before the pair can achieve their HEA… if, indeed, one of those is possible between an immortal and a human.
Caleb Dickinson is a new-to-me narrator (although his voice was familiar, so perhaps I’ve listened to him under a different name), and his deep, smooth-toned voice is easy on the ear. He differentiates very effectively between all the characters and hits all the right emotional notes, doing an especially good job with Donte’s Italian accent, which he maintains consistently and never pushes over the line into caricature. His characterisation of both protagonists is excellent and skilfully captures the various facets of each; Adin’s confidence, scepticism and humour, Donte’s aura of world-weariness and affectionate exasperation as well as his darker, more menacing side. There are only a couple of female characters in the story and they have fairly minor roles, but Mr. Dickinson voices them appropriately and without resorting to falsetto; and I also liked the way he voiced Santos using a posh almost-English accent, which really suited his frequently sardonic pronouncements.
I enjoyed Deep Desire and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal romances; or even if you don’t but are looking to try something a bit different. On to book two, Deep Deception.
I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals
Romances featuring vampires aren’t ones I gravitate towards, but the audio of the Deep series was recommended to me by Kathleen here on Goodreads, and as I’ve enjoyed books by Z.A. Maxfield in the past, I picked it up. On the whole, that was a good decision, and I was engaged and entertained throughout all three books in spite of some inconsistencies in the plots and issues with the narration in book two in particular.
Deep Desire opens as Dr. Adin Tredeger, an authority on antique erotica, is flying home to San Francisco following the purchase of a very rare manuscript on behalf of his university. Notturno, a five-hundred-year-old journal that details the forbidden love affair between an Italian nobleman and his male lover, is the find of Adin’s career, and he is determined to keep it safe, some instinct telling him to pack it in his luggage rather than in his carry-on for the journey home.
It’s just as well, because during the flight, Adin is seduced by a darkly handsome, utterly compelling stranger and his bag is stolen. While Adin certainly isn’t opposed to one-time hook-ups, joining the mile-high club was never something he was particularly interested in, so he can’t understand why he’d have done it on this occasion… until his mysterious lover reappears and demands the return of the manuscript.
In the sixteenth century, Donte Fedeltà – who was, in life, Count Niccolo Sciarello di Petro – both wrote and illustrated Notturno, the story of his tragic and intense affair with Auselmo, the love of his life. Some of the highlights of Deep Desire are Niccolo/Donte’s journal entries; full of desire, longing and heartbreak, they’re beautiful, poignant and deeply affecting, and they help the listener to glimpse Donte as the caring, passionate man he once was – and still could be, in spite of his own belief that his humanity died with his long-dead lover. And once we’ve heard those excerpts, it’s easy to understand why Donte is so desperate to regain possession of Notturno.
“Do you really understand what it means? The book you bought with money, transported in plastic, looked at under a microscope, and joked about with your friends is all that is left of my soul.”
When he approaches Adin again to ask him to return the book, Adin is – unsurprisingly – sceptical. This charismatic, gorgeous but manipulative man is a five-hundred-year-old vampire? Yeah, right.
However, Adin is quickly brought to realise that there really is another world beyond the one he knows when he discovers that the book has been stolen – and not by Donte. Someone is out to settle an ancient score and doesn’t care what they have to do or who they have to hurt to do it, and as Adin comes to accept the existence of the supernatural and of other-worldly beings, he starts to discover truths about himself and about the enigmatic man he is falling in love with.
Deep Desire is an enjoyable story in spite of its flaws. The protagonists are engaging and well-realised, and there’s a strongly drawn secondary cast – including Adin’s friends Edward and Tuan (neither of whom turns out to be quite what they seem), Donte’s factotum Boaz, and his arch-enemy, Santos, who is a lot more than just a cardboard cut-out villain. The writing is sharp and often very funny, especially in those moments when Adin makes fun of Donte’s sometimes overly serious manner –
“Does this kind of thing work for you?”
“What kind of thing?” Donte stiffened.
“This whole I am Donte thing.” Adin affected the accent, giving it a bit more Bela Lugosi than was strictly necessary. “Come to me caro and your blood will sing in the moonlight.”
“Now. I know I have never said that.”
Or –
“It’s a terrible waste of time, but I must come to you through ordinary time and space. I drive a car.”
“What, like the Batmobile?”
“Like a rented Volvo.”
“A Volvo?” Adin’s head tipped back as he laughed. “Oh my G—”
“Enough.” Donte’s teeth captured the skin of Adin’s throat.
“I am Donte, the apex of the food chain in your world, allow me to lure you into my very safe Swedish automobile with its side curtain airbags. Don’t forget to fasten your—”
– and allows Donte, rather endearingly, to prove himself not quite the soulless monster he initially insists Adin should see him as. That said though, Adin’s inability – or refusal – to see that Donte really IS a predator who could kill him at the drop of a hat is perhaps rather naïve, and his protestations against what he sees as Donte’s overprotectiveness sometimes make him sound a bit like a stroppy teenager. But it’s clear that Donte is as fascinated by Adin as Adin is by him, no matter how hard he fights against it and tries to insist that his humanity and ability to love died centuries ago.
I enjoyed the story, which is funny, sexy and suspenseful, but because Donte’s feelings for Auselmo are communicated so powerfully in the pages of Notturno, I found it difficult to completely buy into the romance between Donte and Adin. There’s no question they’re intensely attracted to each other physically and they have great chemistry, but the development of their relationship takes a bit of a back seat, and it’s not until the last few chapters that Donte finally allows himself to take the leap and admit he’s fallen for Adin. Deep Desire ends with a firm HFN that makes it clear that there is a way to go yet before the pair can achieve their HEA… if, indeed, one of those is possible between an immortal and a human.
Caleb Dickinson is a new-to-me narrator (although his voice was familiar, so perhaps I’ve listened to him under a different name), and his deep, smooth-toned voice is easy on the ear. He differentiates very effectively between all the characters and hits all the right emotional notes, doing an especially good job with Donte’s Italian accent, which he maintains consistently and never pushes over the line into caricature. His characterisation of both protagonists is excellent and skilfully captures the various facets of each; Adin’s confidence, scepticism and humour, Donte’s aura of world-weariness and affectionate exasperation as well as his darker, more menacing side. There are only a couple of female characters in the story and they have fairly minor roles, but Mr. Dickinson voices them appropriately and without resorting to falsetto; and I also liked the way he voiced Santos using a posh almost-English accent, which really suited his frequently sardonic pronouncements.
I enjoyed Deep Desire and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal romances; or even if you don’t but are looking to try something a bit different. On to book two, Deep Deception.
April 5, 2015
2.0 Stars
Adin Tredeger is an antique document expert, university professor, and erotic book collector. One day, Adin comes across a five-hundred-year-old homoerotic journal and it's the find of his career. Donte Fedelta is a five-hundred-year old vampire. He authored the manuscript now in Adin's possession and he wants it back. The journal is the story of the love of his life (Auselmo) wherein Donte poured out his heart and soul. Thus Adin and Donte begin an adversarial and dangerous dance around the manuscript. But Adin soon realizes that he's no more than a gnat in a war amongst titans.
Ugh. This book was really frustrating for me. As a love story between Donte and Auselmo, it worked; as a love story between Donte and Adin, not so much. I think this is true for a couple of reasons. Donte and Adin started out as a one-off in the mile-high club. They basically had a string of sexual encounters while engaging in some good-natured banter about the book, Adin being a lowly human, and Donte being at the apex of the food chain. There was never anything more than that between them. Sure Donte "marked" Adin but that was it. There was never anything close to the outpouring of love that Donte had for Auselmo. So, it wasn't surprising that Donte didn't come for Adin when the chips were down. That's fine but don't try to sell me a love story on such a premise! It's one thing that Adin pales in comparison to Auselmo but if Donte is not even willing to "engage" (not hurt or kill, mind you) Auselmo's son when Adin's life is on the line ... well, frankly, that pretty much disavowed me of any notion of a LOVE affair.
Adin's attempt to wait it out for Donte and his flippant attitude towards Donte's betrayal fell flat for me because Adin was a wimp at the start. It would be one thing if he was self-confident, self-assured, and went after what he wanted with singular determination. But no! There were points that his insecurities and confusion over Donte made him TSTL (cue: dance club debacle). So, when he kept professing his love for Donte despite repeatedly being rejected, he didn't come across as strong and determined. To me, he was acting like a door mat. It's no wonder that the ending was an anticlimactic meh. It felt like Donte was settling for Adin and that is sooooo NOT my notion of romantic.
Bottom line: an underwhelming vampire tale; I'm a ZAM fan but I don't know that I'll be continuing with this series.
Adin Tredeger is an antique document expert, university professor, and erotic book collector. One day, Adin comes across a five-hundred-year-old homoerotic journal and it's the find of his career. Donte Fedelta is a five-hundred-year old vampire. He authored the manuscript now in Adin's possession and he wants it back. The journal is the story of the love of his life (Auselmo) wherein Donte poured out his heart and soul. Thus Adin and Donte begin an adversarial and dangerous dance around the manuscript. But Adin soon realizes that he's no more than a gnat in a war amongst titans.
Ugh. This book was really frustrating for me. As a love story between Donte and Auselmo, it worked; as a love story between Donte and Adin, not so much. I think this is true for a couple of reasons. Donte and Adin started out as a one-off in the mile-high club. They basically had a string of sexual encounters while engaging in some good-natured banter about the book, Adin being a lowly human, and Donte being at the apex of the food chain. There was never anything more than that between them. Sure Donte "marked" Adin but that was it. There was never anything close to the outpouring of love that Donte had for Auselmo. So, it wasn't surprising that Donte didn't come for Adin when the chips were down. That's fine but don't try to sell me a love story on such a premise! It's one thing that Adin pales in comparison to Auselmo but if Donte is not even willing to "engage" (not hurt or kill, mind you) Auselmo's son when Adin's life is on the line ... well, frankly, that pretty much disavowed me of any notion of a LOVE affair.
Adin's attempt to wait it out for Donte and his flippant attitude towards Donte's betrayal fell flat for me because Adin was a wimp at the start. It would be one thing if he was self-confident, self-assured, and went after what he wanted with singular determination. But no! There were points that his insecurities and confusion over Donte made him TSTL (cue: dance club debacle). So, when he kept professing his love for Donte despite repeatedly being rejected, he didn't come across as strong and determined. To me, he was acting like a door mat. It's no wonder that the ending was an anticlimactic meh. It felt like Donte was settling for Adin and that is sooooo NOT my notion of romantic.
Bottom line: an underwhelming vampire tale; I'm a ZAM fan but I don't know that I'll be continuing with this series.
August 25, 2010
I want to say fews words. It's my first Z.A. Maxfield book, and certainly will not be the last one! She is a marvelous writer!
If you are searching an erotic M/M books this book will disappoint you. It's sexy, but tamed to be classified as erotic. On the contrary, if you are searching for a first approach on M/M world this books is perfect!
The paranormal romance is interesting, and the writer sytile will keep your attention. I enjoy the writing as I appreciated the humor.... In my view it's a terrific book and I can't give less than 4 stars.
Urfortunately maybe this book could be shorter... It's a little boring the few 30 final pages, and maybe the drama of the fight for the love was exaggerated... That's why I'm giving 4 not 5 stars.
Enjoy the reading, and thank you for reading my review![]()
If you are searching an erotic M/M books this book will disappoint you. It's sexy, but tamed to be classified as erotic. On the contrary, if you are searching for a first approach on M/M world this books is perfect!
The paranormal romance is interesting, and the writer sytile will keep your attention. I enjoy the writing as I appreciated the humor.... In my view it's a terrific book and I can't give less than 4 stars.
Urfortunately maybe this book could be shorter... It's a little boring the few 30 final pages, and maybe the drama of the fight for the love was exaggerated... That's why I'm giving 4 not 5 stars.
Enjoy the reading, and thank you for reading my review
October 27, 2020
3.5 Stars
Review:
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. I didn't think there was much necessarily wrong with it (if you don't mind a bit of vampire romance tropey-ness), but I kind of had a hard time focusing on it (although I suspect that might've had more to do with the audio than the story, and I wasn't feeling great when I listened to this).
I admit I might've noticed or been more bothered by certain things had I been paying closer attention. Like some of Donte's questionable behaviors and the sex scene right in the beginning, in which Donte slipped into the airplane bathroom with Adin and Adin just had sex with this complete stranger. But I just kind of felt like, "It's vampires." *shrug* And it's not entirely unbelievable that someone who has had nameless sex with strangers before (Adin) would do that, especially if Donte did have some sort of vampiric glamour.
Anyway, I liked the idea behind the story---a professor who studies historic erotica getting his hands on an old journal that turns out to be Donte's, which is what brings the two men into each others' paths. And there was the past love story of Donte and Auselmo woven into the present day romance. The vampires had a couple unique abilities, like being able to make humans feel physical sensations that weren't actually there. The biting was sexy. The characters could've been more developed, but I can accept that to a certain extent when it's the first book in a series. I actually appreciated that the author didn't make Donte too perfect of a love interest, that he had some longstanding values he held over the value of a human life. I don't expect vampires to always act as a human would. And in regard to the journal, it was only right that he be the one to have it since it was literally his, so I couldn't blame him for doing certain things to get it back. I'm not sure how much I really felt the romantic connection between the characters, but I wasn't completely not feeling it either.
As for the audiobook, the narrator, Caleb Dickinson, wasn't bad (other than not always being great at accents, but I think that was more of a problem in later books, which I've already read by the time I'm getting this posted). He sounded natural enough, and it was usually easy to tell characters apart. My issues though were that he had a super deep voice and slightly flat way of talking that caused me to kind of zone out sometimes, and his voice didn't match how I would've imagined Adin, but that's obviously subjective.
Overall, this book wasn't bad, just not a stand-out either. But it held enough potential to make me willing to give the next book a try.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes M/M vampire romance with some relationship and morality struggles.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. I didn't think there was much necessarily wrong with it (if you don't mind a bit of vampire romance tropey-ness), but I kind of had a hard time focusing on it (although I suspect that might've had more to do with the audio than the story, and I wasn't feeling great when I listened to this).
I admit I might've noticed or been more bothered by certain things had I been paying closer attention. Like some of Donte's questionable behaviors and the sex scene right in the beginning, in which Donte slipped into the airplane bathroom with Adin and Adin just had sex with this complete stranger. But I just kind of felt like, "It's vampires." *shrug* And it's not entirely unbelievable that someone who has had nameless sex with strangers before (Adin) would do that, especially if Donte did have some sort of vampiric glamour.
Anyway, I liked the idea behind the story---a professor who studies historic erotica getting his hands on an old journal that turns out to be Donte's, which is what brings the two men into each others' paths. And there was the past love story of Donte and Auselmo woven into the present day romance. The vampires had a couple unique abilities, like being able to make humans feel physical sensations that weren't actually there. The biting was sexy. The characters could've been more developed, but I can accept that to a certain extent when it's the first book in a series. I actually appreciated that the author didn't make Donte too perfect of a love interest, that he had some longstanding values he held over the value of a human life. I don't expect vampires to always act as a human would. And in regard to the journal, it was only right that he be the one to have it since it was literally his, so I couldn't blame him for doing certain things to get it back. I'm not sure how much I really felt the romantic connection between the characters, but I wasn't completely not feeling it either.
As for the audiobook, the narrator, Caleb Dickinson, wasn't bad (other than not always being great at accents, but I think that was more of a problem in later books, which I've already read by the time I'm getting this posted). He sounded natural enough, and it was usually easy to tell characters apart. My issues though were that he had a super deep voice and slightly flat way of talking that caused me to kind of zone out sometimes, and his voice didn't match how I would've imagined Adin, but that's obviously subjective.
Overall, this book wasn't bad, just not a stand-out either. But it held enough potential to make me willing to give the next book a try.
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes M/M vampire romance with some relationship and morality struggles.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
March 3, 2015
Overall I thought this was a pretty fun read. I never got a chance to read the first edition Notturno, so was happy to read it in this re-released version (with a new title/cover/publisher.)
I think my fave character is the limo driver/vampire slayer though...
I think my fave character is the limo driver/vampire slayer though...
August 29, 2011
Hmm...what to say. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much I loved this story. For me Donte was the perfect, emotionally distant vampire hero. Dark, dangerous and often a mystery to be solved, but at the same time his journal entries depicted someone who had loved well in his human life and cherished those memories still. This gave him a soft side even as he played the big, bad vampire.
Aiden was ready for someone special, even though he didn't know it. Watching the relationship develop was sweet, even if the final outcome came down to the last pages. Oh what a perfect ending. This now goes on my favorites shelf.
Aiden was ready for someone special, even though he didn't know it. Watching the relationship develop was sweet, even if the final outcome came down to the last pages. Oh what a perfect ending. This now goes on my favorites shelf.
February 13, 2015
This is a revised work originally published as Notturno.
Adin Tredeger is a scholar of rare erotic manuscripts and has just won the priceless 500 y/o Notturno manuscript at auction. Notturno is the first recorded book detailing an erotic homosexual relationship, and Adin is captivated by the deeply passionate story of the two lovers. Adin doesn't actually believe love exists, but the heartbreaking story of Niccolo and Auselmo's forbidden love is changing Adin's mind.
Especially so when Adin meets Donte (nee Niccolo) in the, um, flesh. Turns out the wages of Niccolo's sin was not death, but un-death. He was turned into a vampire (now called Donte), and forced to exist for centuries without his precious Auselmo. Notturno was his personal diary and he guarded it carefully, but it was confiscated with all his other art in the Nazi invasion of France and kept hidden for decades. When it was up for auction Donte's bidding was tampered, resulting Adin claiming the book. But Donte will not rest until his diary is returned, and he's willing to seduce, or sacrifice, Adin in order to get Notturno back.
This was an interesting read, for sure. The vampire element was cool, especially when we had two factions of vampires searching for the book. Adin hadn't considered the possibility of vamps existing, and suddenly he's caught between Donte and Donte's nemesis, another vamp who wants Notturno destroyed. I really enjoyed how Adin bonded with Donte. Donte claims over and over that he cannot love, that his ability to love was killed with Auselmo, but Adin is a patient man. Through his translations of Notturno, Adin sees the deep capacity for love that Niccolo/Donte had as a man, and he's willing to prove to Donte that love like that never dies. Over the course of several months, and several near-death experiences, Adin recognizes that life really is hollow without love--and having a true love, even with a vampire, is worth dying for.
Spoiler alert, no men were killed in the course of reading this book. (Though some vamps do get staked.) I wished for a little more heat in the smexytimes, but that's a small quibble. I didn't read the first edition of this book, but NetGalley provided this copy for my honest review.
Adin Tredeger is a scholar of rare erotic manuscripts and has just won the priceless 500 y/o Notturno manuscript at auction. Notturno is the first recorded book detailing an erotic homosexual relationship, and Adin is captivated by the deeply passionate story of the two lovers. Adin doesn't actually believe love exists, but the heartbreaking story of Niccolo and Auselmo's forbidden love is changing Adin's mind.
Especially so when Adin meets Donte (nee Niccolo) in the, um, flesh. Turns out the wages of Niccolo's sin was not death, but un-death. He was turned into a vampire (now called Donte), and forced to exist for centuries without his precious Auselmo. Notturno was his personal diary and he guarded it carefully, but it was confiscated with all his other art in the Nazi invasion of France and kept hidden for decades. When it was up for auction Donte's bidding was tampered, resulting Adin claiming the book. But Donte will not rest until his diary is returned, and he's willing to seduce, or sacrifice, Adin in order to get Notturno back.
This was an interesting read, for sure. The vampire element was cool, especially when we had two factions of vampires searching for the book. Adin hadn't considered the possibility of vamps existing, and suddenly he's caught between Donte and Donte's nemesis, another vamp who wants Notturno destroyed. I really enjoyed how Adin bonded with Donte. Donte claims over and over that he cannot love, that his ability to love was killed with Auselmo, but Adin is a patient man. Through his translations of Notturno, Adin sees the deep capacity for love that Niccolo/Donte had as a man, and he's willing to prove to Donte that love like that never dies. Over the course of several months, and several near-death experiences, Adin recognizes that life really is hollow without love--and having a true love, even with a vampire, is worth dying for.
Spoiler alert, no men were killed in the course of reading this book. (Though some vamps do get staked.) I wished for a little more heat in the smexytimes, but that's a small quibble. I didn't read the first edition of this book, but NetGalley provided this copy for my honest review.
September 22, 2013
I fell in love with this story right away. Donte is sexy and mysterious and I found it difficult not to feel for his plight. Adin is sexy, witty and it was hard not to feel for him as well as he tries to come to grips with the changes in his world. I loved each of them separately, but even more so as a couple. This was one of the best vampire stories I have read in a long time, and this is what I hope to be a beginning glimpse into this series. I'm definitely looking foward to reading the next one.
September 5, 2021
Eh... didn't do much for me.
July 16, 2009
Donte Fedelta is a vampire still mourning the death of his lover five hundred years earlier. When a journal he wrote to his beloved is bought by Dr. Adin Tredeger, an English Professor and expert on antique erotic manuscripts, he will do whatever it takes to get it back. From their first meeting in an airplane bathroom Donte sets out to seduce, manipulate or force Adin to turn over his journal.
At first Adin refuses to believe that Donte is really the author of Notturno, the erotic journal he's bought on behalf of his university, after all the journal is over five hundred years old. But even as circumstances force him to accept Donte for what he is , a Vampire, he will nevertheless refuse to give up the journal. The resulting clash of wills between them will continue until someone else, with a far more sinister reason to own Notturno, steps into the picture.
I have always been fascinated by Vampires and was eager to read Ms Maxfield's take on them. I wasn't disappointed. Donte is a very interesting character. On the one hand he can be a cold and ruthless predator and makes no apologies for that. He firmly believes there is nothing of his humanity left in him. Yet at the same time he shows a tender and often humorous side with Adin.
"I am the very apex of the food chain on this planet, Adin. Try to have a little respect." Donte's mouth quirked, the beginnings of a smile forming on his luscious lips.
As for Adin, he's a very interesting character as well. An expert in his field, he's traveled the world in search of antiques, he's a bit of a playboy and having never been in love doesn't believe it's in the cards for him. However, when he meets Donte he will discover that not only are there things in the world that he would never have believed existed but also he will find that he is indeed capable of falling in love. Adin will be put through quite a lot in a short span of time and I really felt for him at times as his views of the world and his faith in himself and his abilities were tested time and again.
The journal itself, Notturno, is beautifully written. In it Ms Maxfield gives the reader an opportunity to see Donte as a man and not just as the Vampire he is now. His love for Auselmo and also for his children is evident and the heartbreak he suffered comes through in those entries. The writing is wonderful, tender and passionate, bitter and sad, all of Donte's emotions are laid bare to us in Ms Maxfield's superb writing style.
The secondary characters in the book are very interesting and all help to move the story along. Adin's sister Deana and his friends Edward and Tuan, Donte's associate Boaz and even the more sinister Vampires in the book are all developed enough so that they really have a place in the story, they're not just filler in the book.
I only had a couple of small issues with the story and these are strictly my personal issues. First, Donte and Adin take time to tell each other how to correctly say their names.
"Donte? Not Dante?"
"Dante? No, DOHN-tay. Like you are AH-din and not AYden."
This isn't a bad thing but at times as I was reading I would catch myself reading Adin's name as Ayden and then the phrase AH-din and not AYden would pop back into my mind and just take me out of the story.
The other point that bothered me a bit is the ending of the story. I loved everything about it but one thing, will Donte turn Adin or will he remain a human? That one point kept the ending for me as a HFN and not a HEA. I have never liked the idea of a Vampire relationship where the human is not turned. How can the Vampire stand to see his human love age and die? How can the human stand growing old while his lover stays young and beautiful? It doesn't seem possible that a relationship could work that way. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to get a sequel to this story that will show us a bit more of their life together and answer that question for me at the same time.
Again, these were my own personal issues and in no way take away from the quality of this story. As with all the other books I've read by Ms Maxfield this is a well written and very enjoyable book. I definitely recommend Notturno and all of her other great stories. For more information on Z. A. and her books check out her site here.
At first Adin refuses to believe that Donte is really the author of Notturno, the erotic journal he's bought on behalf of his university, after all the journal is over five hundred years old. But even as circumstances force him to accept Donte for what he is , a Vampire, he will nevertheless refuse to give up the journal. The resulting clash of wills between them will continue until someone else, with a far more sinister reason to own Notturno, steps into the picture.
I have always been fascinated by Vampires and was eager to read Ms Maxfield's take on them. I wasn't disappointed. Donte is a very interesting character. On the one hand he can be a cold and ruthless predator and makes no apologies for that. He firmly believes there is nothing of his humanity left in him. Yet at the same time he shows a tender and often humorous side with Adin.
"I am the very apex of the food chain on this planet, Adin. Try to have a little respect." Donte's mouth quirked, the beginnings of a smile forming on his luscious lips.
As for Adin, he's a very interesting character as well. An expert in his field, he's traveled the world in search of antiques, he's a bit of a playboy and having never been in love doesn't believe it's in the cards for him. However, when he meets Donte he will discover that not only are there things in the world that he would never have believed existed but also he will find that he is indeed capable of falling in love. Adin will be put through quite a lot in a short span of time and I really felt for him at times as his views of the world and his faith in himself and his abilities were tested time and again.
The journal itself, Notturno, is beautifully written. In it Ms Maxfield gives the reader an opportunity to see Donte as a man and not just as the Vampire he is now. His love for Auselmo and also for his children is evident and the heartbreak he suffered comes through in those entries. The writing is wonderful, tender and passionate, bitter and sad, all of Donte's emotions are laid bare to us in Ms Maxfield's superb writing style.
The secondary characters in the book are very interesting and all help to move the story along. Adin's sister Deana and his friends Edward and Tuan, Donte's associate Boaz and even the more sinister Vampires in the book are all developed enough so that they really have a place in the story, they're not just filler in the book.
I only had a couple of small issues with the story and these are strictly my personal issues. First, Donte and Adin take time to tell each other how to correctly say their names.
"Donte? Not Dante?"
"Dante? No, DOHN-tay. Like you are AH-din and not AYden."
This isn't a bad thing but at times as I was reading I would catch myself reading Adin's name as Ayden and then the phrase AH-din and not AYden would pop back into my mind and just take me out of the story.
The other point that bothered me a bit is the ending of the story. I loved everything about it but one thing, will Donte turn Adin or will he remain a human? That one point kept the ending for me as a HFN and not a HEA. I have never liked the idea of a Vampire relationship where the human is not turned. How can the Vampire stand to see his human love age and die? How can the human stand growing old while his lover stays young and beautiful? It doesn't seem possible that a relationship could work that way. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to get a sequel to this story that will show us a bit more of their life together and answer that question for me at the same time.
Again, these were my own personal issues and in no way take away from the quality of this story. As with all the other books I've read by Ms Maxfield this is a well written and very enjoyable book. I definitely recommend Notturno and all of her other great stories. For more information on Z. A. and her books check out her site here.
January 31, 2020
Dr. Adin Tredeger, the Indiana Jones of erotic manuscripts, unearths a treasure -- winning at auction the lavishly illustrated homoerotic diary of a 16th century Italian nobleman, detailing his passionate, forbidden love for Auselmo. The only problem? The original author - vampire Donte Fedelta - wants it back.
I very much like Maxfield's world with vampires existing alongside humankind, while humankind is protected only by its ignorance. Like innocence lost, he was without the ignorance that protected most men and women from the predators that walked among them.. Adin first encounters Fedelta aboard his flight back to the States, as Donte attempts to recover the diary, and subsequently Adin is drawn into a battle between other forces to acquire the diary as well.
Throughout, Maxfield includes excerpts from Donte's diary, and his love of Auselmo is vividly depicted in heartbreaking language. As Donte asks Adin: Do you really understand what it means? The book you bought with money, transported in plastic, looked at under a microscope, and joked about with your friends is all that is left of my soul.
Toward the middle of the book, the pace slowed down a bit too much, and secondary characters are introduced with middling success. I enjoy picturing Boaz as a Lebanese Bob Hoskins, but Edward and Tuan? . Huh?
As the final events unfold, Adin wonders if Donte will always be unobtainable or if they can create a love big enough to encompass his undying love for Auselmo.
Beautifully done story, love Maxfield's writing style.
I received a copy of this book from the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
I very much like Maxfield's world with vampires existing alongside humankind, while humankind is protected only by its ignorance. Like innocence lost, he was without the ignorance that protected most men and women from the predators that walked among them.. Adin first encounters Fedelta aboard his flight back to the States, as Donte attempts to recover the diary, and subsequently Adin is drawn into a battle between other forces to acquire the diary as well.
Throughout, Maxfield includes excerpts from Donte's diary, and his love of Auselmo is vividly depicted in heartbreaking language. As Donte asks Adin: Do you really understand what it means? The book you bought with money, transported in plastic, looked at under a microscope, and joked about with your friends is all that is left of my soul.
Toward the middle of the book, the pace slowed down a bit too much, and secondary characters are introduced with middling success. I enjoy picturing Boaz as a Lebanese Bob Hoskins, but Edward and Tuan? . Huh?
As the final events unfold, Adin wonders if Donte will always be unobtainable or if they can create a love big enough to encompass his undying love for Auselmo.
Beautifully done story, love Maxfield's writing style.
I received a copy of this book from the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 11, 2010
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooring... Shallow charachters, can't understand their action, can't connect with them, meh plot... I'm quite sure that 'crossing border' was a unique gem for Z.A. Maxfield.
I'm SO sick of authors that uses other language in their books and uses BABELFISH to translate -___-
The italian in this book is totally messed up, is it SO hard to find an italian that can go trough the text ?
Donte calls Adin ' più amato' that is totally incorrect. I'm pretty sure that is the babelfish translation of 'beloved' but trust me, if you call your italian sweetheart 'più amato' you'll get a 'WTF?' look back -.-
AUTHORS: I'm italian, I'll help you FOR FREE, please stop using babelfish >___>
I'm SO sick of authors that uses other language in their books and uses BABELFISH to translate -___-
The italian in this book is totally messed up, is it SO hard to find an italian that can go trough the text ?
Donte calls Adin ' più amato' that is totally incorrect. I'm pretty sure that is the babelfish translation of 'beloved' but trust me, if you call your italian sweetheart 'più amato' you'll get a 'WTF?' look back -.-
AUTHORS: I'm italian, I'll help you FOR FREE, please stop using babelfish >___>
maybe
January 27, 2015Revised version of Notturno. Not cool of them to try to make it seem all new.
October 27, 2015
I didn't know what to expect from this, really. I didn't really look at the reviews, I usually don't, because I find that it sometimes colours my impression.
There's an Italian guy (Donte)who writes a really steamy journal about his lover a really long time ago. Then he's turned into a vampire, and he loses his journal. Naturally he really wants to get it back, because the journal is his last link to his dead lover.
Adin is an English professor who specializes in erotica, the older the better. He's after the very same journal that Donte is after, but for purely academic reasons. And he gets it, and then Donte comes after him for it, and then it turns out that there's someone else apart from Donte who wants the journal, and these new guys really don't care who they want to kill to get their hands on it.
I must say Donte didn't endear himself to me... in the beginning. Practically accosting a man in an aeroplane bathroom, and then snacking on him, is not very polite. But goddamnit, he still Caro-ed his way into my good graces, and I am mildly appalled at myself for not sticking to my guns.
Adin was nice. He's smart and he likes reading smutty stuff-- in short, he's my kind of guy. He's also a romantic, even if he doesn't really know it himself.
There's some hot smexing going down. Adin joins the mile high club thanks to Donte, there's some making out in a cemetery, and they even do it like normal folks INSIDE the house! Hurrah!
There's some cool action too, blood splashing, heads flying, but it all ends quickly. I personally would have liked a few more action scenes.
I think, for me, the best part of the book was Donte's journal entries. They are beautifully written and so full of FEELZ. Donte's love for his old lover came through loud and clear, but I'm standing here and reading about ADIN and Donte. Where's Donte's love for Adin, huh? I finally found it somewhere in the last stages of the book, and yes, okay, it was pretty good when we got it, but STILL.
Of course, now I know that there's a second book, so hopefully there'll be more good stuff there.
And it just occurred to me that this book cover is really similar to Carry the Ocean
I don't know that niggles at me but it does.
I know I sound rather cranky in this review, but the book is really not all bad. I mean, I did give it four stars, so that mean I liked it even if I was constantly poking fun at it in my head. I would have given it five stars, but it's just missing that 5 star oomph for me. Oh well.
ETA: I got this book from Indigo Marketing and Design in exchange for an honest review.
There's an Italian guy (Donte)who writes a really steamy journal about his lover a really long time ago. Then he's turned into a vampire, and he loses his journal. Naturally he really wants to get it back, because the journal is his last link to his dead lover.
Adin is an English professor who specializes in erotica, the older the better. He's after the very same journal that Donte is after, but for purely academic reasons. And he gets it, and then Donte comes after him for it, and then it turns out that there's someone else apart from Donte who wants the journal, and these new guys really don't care who they want to kill to get their hands on it.
I must say Donte didn't endear himself to me... in the beginning. Practically accosting a man in an aeroplane bathroom, and then snacking on him, is not very polite. But goddamnit, he still Caro-ed his way into my good graces, and I am mildly appalled at myself for not sticking to my guns.
Adin was nice. He's smart and he likes reading smutty stuff-- in short, he's my kind of guy. He's also a romantic, even if he doesn't really know it himself.
There's some hot smexing going down. Adin joins the mile high club thanks to Donte, there's some making out in a cemetery, and they even do it like normal folks INSIDE the house! Hurrah!
There's some cool action too, blood splashing, heads flying, but it all ends quickly. I personally would have liked a few more action scenes.
I think, for me, the best part of the book was Donte's journal entries. They are beautifully written and so full of FEELZ. Donte's love for his old lover came through loud and clear, but I'm standing here and reading about ADIN and Donte. Where's Donte's love for Adin, huh? I finally found it somewhere in the last stages of the book, and yes, okay, it was pretty good when we got it, but STILL.
Of course, now I know that there's a second book, so hopefully there'll be more good stuff there.
And it just occurred to me that this book cover is really similar to Carry the Ocean
I don't know that niggles at me but it does.
I know I sound rather cranky in this review, but the book is really not all bad. I mean, I did give it four stars, so that mean I liked it even if I was constantly poking fun at it in my head. I would have given it five stars, but it's just missing that 5 star oomph for me. Oh well.
ETA: I got this book from Indigo Marketing and Design in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2020
***4.5***
Normally when I have both versions of a book I'll combine the listening with the reading but in this case I soon realized there were some differences (they turned out not to be substantial) so I did the audio first, which is the newer version of the story and goes by Deep Desire and then the original paperback (which I somehow had) and goes by Notturno. Verdict? Loved the story, the characters, the writing and Caleb Dickinson's narration.
I love the relationship that develops between Donte, a 500 year old vampire, and Adin, a scholar who specializes in historical erotic texts. Adin isn't a doormat but he also isn't a superman standing against powerful predators. When he's beat he's beat but he also maintains his moral ground and revises his opinion when new information comes. He's not a naif. I liked how Donte also took his time coming around. He wasn't turned around by one round of good sex and a pretty face.
I loved the other characters in this world too. Boaz has me more than intrigued and I'm checking Z.A. Maxfield back catalogue for Tuan & Edward's story. I'll be continuing with the rest of this series. Definitely.
Normally when I have both versions of a book I'll combine the listening with the reading but in this case I soon realized there were some differences (they turned out not to be substantial) so I did the audio first, which is the newer version of the story and goes by Deep Desire and then the original paperback (which I somehow had) and goes by Notturno. Verdict? Loved the story, the characters, the writing and Caleb Dickinson's narration.
I love the relationship that develops between Donte, a 500 year old vampire, and Adin, a scholar who specializes in historical erotic texts. Adin isn't a doormat but he also isn't a superman standing against powerful predators. When he's beat he's beat but he also maintains his moral ground and revises his opinion when new information comes. He's not a naif. I liked how Donte also took his time coming around. He wasn't turned around by one round of good sex and a pretty face.
I loved the other characters in this world too. Boaz has me more than intrigued and I'm checking Z.A. Maxfield back catalogue for Tuan & Edward's story. I'll be continuing with the rest of this series. Definitely.
February 5, 2015
I’ve been a massive fan of Z.A. Maxfield for quite some time now so when I heard about the rerelease of DEEP DESIRE, I jumped on it without really thinking about it. Now Maxfield has stated that the book has undergone some revisions. Although the story remains largely the same, some changes have been made from its original release.
DEEP DESIRE has an intriguing but also strange premise. Adin Tredeger is a book connoisseur. However, there is one book that everyone seems to want their hands on. It is a historical erotica that many are too shy to actually read. Once Adin has it in his position, Donte Fedelta wants it off his hands. And yet, the book isn’t the only thing that Donte wants.
In their first encounter on a plane, Adin is in the men’s washroom, minding his own business when Donte, a stranger to him, forces his way inside. After a few terse words to each other, they have sex. It’s quite strange to be honest to have the book start off that way and didn’t immediately put me at ease. For the rest of the book, I was trying to coach myself to believe that all this was possible. However, a lot of it seemed to be too far-fetched for my liking. As a result, this book didn’t work for much as much as I hoped it would.
On the flipside, Maxfield’s writing is the best thing about this book. Free-flowing and eloquent, she adds a lot of personality to her characters. Unfortunately, everything else seemed too strange for me to get on board with. But if you’re in the mood for a adventure style vampire story, feel free to try it and tell me if it worked for you!
*ARC provided by publisher
June 7, 2010
Adin Tredeger is a man that doesn't need anything more than his work and the seemingly endless legion of men scattered across the world to keep him happy. Donte Fedelta is a vampire that has been in love with exactly one man in the last 500 years, and had spent the last 470 or so of them missing him. When the journal that contains some of the more intimate feelings and details of this affair suddenly ends up on everyone's most wanted list, Donte will do what it takes to get it back. But Adin, an antique document expert, will do almost anything to obtain it for his University to study. Plus, there are others out there that want it as well. The question is who will truly come out the winner?
I guess this book wasn't exactly what I was thinking it would be, but it was sweet. I found myself paging ahead hoping for more Adin/Donte scenes. And I felt it ended rather abruptly, with a lot of unanswered questions, at least until I realized that is the first of a series and the series will continue to be about these two characters. I still feel I'd like a little more about the relationship, but again, I hope this is solved with continuing the series. I hope that at some point we get a spin off series or at least a story about Tuan and Edward because I found them fascinating.
I guess this book wasn't exactly what I was thinking it would be, but it was sweet. I found myself paging ahead hoping for more Adin/Donte scenes. And I felt it ended rather abruptly, with a lot of unanswered questions, at least until I realized that is the first of a series and the series will continue to be about these two characters. I still feel I'd like a little more about the relationship, but again, I hope this is solved with continuing the series. I hope that at some point we get a spin off series or at least a story about Tuan and Edward because I found them fascinating.
November 8, 2010
A terrific book of love lost and love found. Adin Tredeger is a specialist at finding ancient m/m erotica. What Adin is unaware of is that his latest find, Notturno, is not just another piece of erotic porn. It is a true journal of the love which could not be spoken of between two men five hundred years ago. The vampire, Donte Fedelta, wrote the journal and will do anything to get it back. Mrs. Maxfield has woven a complex story of the power of love that flows beautifully from the past to the present. The occasional one liners will make the reader chuckle as she skillfully wraps you up in her book. I heartily recommend Noctturno to anyone looking to read a good love story.
January 16, 2013
Color me disappointed. Not in the story. It was well written and very entertaining but the whole story was about an old love journal with drawings of sexual things so hot they made the modern gay man blush. I thought we were going to get some reenactment here but no. Just ordinary sex. Not even kinky sex, just run of the mill sex. Bummer!
April 29, 2020
I liked this ok. I listened to the audiobook while I walked in the mornings during the quarantine. It didn’t inspire me enough to listen after I got home and could read something else on my kindle. I bought all three books already because they were cheap on Amazon so I guess I’ll finish the series.
May 4, 2016
I read Deep Desire-–though it had been named Notturno at the time-–a couple years ago and remember really enjoying it. Donte was my kind of vampire, and I found Adin’s feistiness a nice compliment to Donte’s ‘you shall obey me’ mentality. And I have to say that the feeling certainly carries over into this new edition.
(However, I also should point out that I could not find any major plot or characters changes in this new edition, so if you already own Notturno, you should be aware that not much has seemed to change in between editions. There is a way better cover…though I don’t know if that is enough to warrant buying the book again.)
This story starts off with Adin on his way back to California to authenticate a purchase he made of a 15th century manuscript on behalf of his university. But while he is still on the plane, Donte (the original writer/illustrator of the manuscript–-though Adin does not know this yet) seduces Adin in the loo, and runs off with Adin’s carry-on. A carry-on that presumably has the manuscript inside. Luckily, for Adin at least, he had taken precautions to safeguard the manuscript. Unluckily, Donte is in no way deterred from this slight blip in his plans and goes about trying to retake the manuscript for Adin. And if in doing so Donte is able to seduce Adin again…well, that would hardly be a hardship.
Unfortunately Adin and Donte are not the only ones who wish to gain possession of the manuscript and Adin’s life becomes increasingly dangerous as he realizes that once he had gotten a glimpse into the supernatural world, the supernatural world will not be so quick to let him go.
As I said before, I really did like this story. The vampires are not angsty teenagers, but neither are they so high up in their britches that they become boring. In fact, making fun of Donte fast becomes a wonderful, if dangerous, game for Adin.
The play between these two characters is both intense and fun. The chemistry is very much there, and while there were certain times where I think Adin should have slapped some sense into the vamp’s head, I loved how drawn Donte was to Adin, but also how conflicted he was about it.
Bad guys wise, I had a good idea who the shadowy figure lurking around the back of the story was since I have read it before. But time dims some of my memories, thankfully (at least in context of rereading mystery stories), and it wasn’t till almost the reveal that I remembered who was what and why. Not sure the twist was all that I wanted it to be, but it was enjoyable nonetheless (I think I just wanted a vamp battle, or something, even if those very rarely are as good in actuality as they are in my imagination).
If you are looking for a good vampire story, I would say this one is a good bet. And if I am reading the series name correctly, there should be a further two stories after this one. I’m looking forward to what happens to these guys and how they develop their relationship from here.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
(However, I also should point out that I could not find any major plot or characters changes in this new edition, so if you already own Notturno, you should be aware that not much has seemed to change in between editions. There is a way better cover…though I don’t know if that is enough to warrant buying the book again.)
This story starts off with Adin on his way back to California to authenticate a purchase he made of a 15th century manuscript on behalf of his university. But while he is still on the plane, Donte (the original writer/illustrator of the manuscript–-though Adin does not know this yet) seduces Adin in the loo, and runs off with Adin’s carry-on. A carry-on that presumably has the manuscript inside. Luckily, for Adin at least, he had taken precautions to safeguard the manuscript. Unluckily, Donte is in no way deterred from this slight blip in his plans and goes about trying to retake the manuscript for Adin. And if in doing so Donte is able to seduce Adin again…well, that would hardly be a hardship.
Unfortunately Adin and Donte are not the only ones who wish to gain possession of the manuscript and Adin’s life becomes increasingly dangerous as he realizes that once he had gotten a glimpse into the supernatural world, the supernatural world will not be so quick to let him go.
As I said before, I really did like this story. The vampires are not angsty teenagers, but neither are they so high up in their britches that they become boring. In fact, making fun of Donte fast becomes a wonderful, if dangerous, game for Adin.
“It’s a terrible waste of time, but I must come to you through ordinary time and space. I drive a car.”
“What, like the Batmobile?”
“Like a rented Volvo.”
“A Volvo?” Adin’s head tipped back as he laughed. “Oh my G—”
“Enough.” Donte’s teeth captured the skin of Adin’s throat.
“I am Donte, the apex of the food chain in your world, allow me to lure you into my very safe Swedish automobile with its side curtain airbags. Don’t forget to fasten your—”
The play between these two characters is both intense and fun. The chemistry is very much there, and while there were certain times where I think Adin should have slapped some sense into the vamp’s head, I loved how drawn Donte was to Adin, but also how conflicted he was about it.
Bad guys wise, I had a good idea who the shadowy figure lurking around the back of the story was since I have read it before. But time dims some of my memories, thankfully (at least in context of rereading mystery stories), and it wasn’t till almost the reveal that I remembered who was what and why. Not sure the twist was all that I wanted it to be, but it was enjoyable nonetheless (I think I just wanted a vamp battle, or something, even if those very rarely are as good in actuality as they are in my imagination).
If you are looking for a good vampire story, I would say this one is a good bet. And if I am reading the series name correctly, there should be a further two stories after this one. I’m looking forward to what happens to these guys and how they develop their relationship from here.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
October 28, 2012
Didn’t like it as much as Maxfield’s other books
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 5/10
PROS:
- The intrigue starts on page 1. Approximately 10 lines in. And the story, especially near the beginning when you don’t have much of an idea what’s going on, is…intriguing.
- The novel has an exotic feel to it. Donte is urbane and speaks with an Italian lilt, Adin behaves as though he has all the money in the world and can simply flit about from one place to another without a thought toward responsibilities or obligations, and many of the journal entries are glamorous despite their age and sensitive subject matter.
CONS:
- The tenderness and intimacy expressed in the journal entries, given the eventual fate of Donte’s first lover, are tragic. Overarchingly so.
- The dialog is crisp and realistic, for the most part, but it lacks the spark of other Maxfield novels I’ve read. It’s neither consistently funny nor particularly titillating.
- The sex is mostly removed; that is, it occurs in dreams, Adin orgasms simply because Donte is feeding on him, etc. To be fair, though, it isn’t possible for the characters to have too many intimate, one-on-one encounters because Donte is absent so much of the time.
- I didn’t find Donte very likeable at all, and I didn’t understand why Adin falls so hard for him. Sure, vampires are sexy, so the physical attraction makes sense, but I didn’t see anything remotely attractive emotionally in him--except for his journal entries, in which he professes undying love for someone OTHER than Adin. Donte’s mostly a jerk, and Adin is so blasted forgiving and understanding; I wanted to see him blow up at Donte and at least voice some of the frustration I knew he was feeling (because it’s there, in the exposition of his thoughts).
- The final make-up scene seems sudden and anti-climactic. They’re arguing and hurt and angry with each other and it’s never going to work out because there’s no trust and Donte couldn’t possibly love anyone else and they are just too many obstacles…and then Donte is inexplicably THERE and they’re in forever love and the story’s over.
Overall comments: This isn’t a BAD book; but it’s not near as good as the other Maxfield books I’ve read (Crossing Borders and St. Nacho’s). There’s certainly an interesting story here, but if you want to LIKE the characters, I think you’ll be disappointed in this one.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 5/10
PROS:
- The intrigue starts on page 1. Approximately 10 lines in. And the story, especially near the beginning when you don’t have much of an idea what’s going on, is…intriguing.
- The novel has an exotic feel to it. Donte is urbane and speaks with an Italian lilt, Adin behaves as though he has all the money in the world and can simply flit about from one place to another without a thought toward responsibilities or obligations, and many of the journal entries are glamorous despite their age and sensitive subject matter.
CONS:
- The tenderness and intimacy expressed in the journal entries, given the eventual fate of Donte’s first lover, are tragic. Overarchingly so.
- The dialog is crisp and realistic, for the most part, but it lacks the spark of other Maxfield novels I’ve read. It’s neither consistently funny nor particularly titillating.
- The sex is mostly removed; that is, it occurs in dreams, Adin orgasms simply because Donte is feeding on him, etc. To be fair, though, it isn’t possible for the characters to have too many intimate, one-on-one encounters because Donte is absent so much of the time.
- I didn’t find Donte very likeable at all, and I didn’t understand why Adin falls so hard for him. Sure, vampires are sexy, so the physical attraction makes sense, but I didn’t see anything remotely attractive emotionally in him--except for his journal entries, in which he professes undying love for someone OTHER than Adin. Donte’s mostly a jerk, and Adin is so blasted forgiving and understanding; I wanted to see him blow up at Donte and at least voice some of the frustration I knew he was feeling (because it’s there, in the exposition of his thoughts).
- The final make-up scene seems sudden and anti-climactic. They’re arguing and hurt and angry with each other and it’s never going to work out because there’s no trust and Donte couldn’t possibly love anyone else and they are just too many obstacles…and then Donte is inexplicably THERE and they’re in forever love and the story’s over.
Overall comments: This isn’t a BAD book; but it’s not near as good as the other Maxfield books I’ve read (Crossing Borders and St. Nacho’s). There’s certainly an interesting story here, but if you want to LIKE the characters, I think you’ll be disappointed in this one.
July 6, 2011
5 stars with reservations. The story involving a centuries-old manuscript that pits a collector in the middle of a 500 year old war between vampire rivals is a page-turner. The author's vampires are evolved from Stoker stock, which is how I like them. The characters are all great--likeable, amusing, and believable (given the situation), there are plenty of twists, and, as an archivist, I have a healthy appreciation for the main character using proper handling of the rare items he encounters. :)
My reservations came in the romance, which felt dragged out in the pages following the mystery's conclusion, although it fit quite well into that plotline. I understand that 500 years of loving someone makes it difficult to love another, especially in human/vamp situations (understand being a very loose concept here), but I felt like the same conversation was repeated about 10 times with neither character getting anywhere, and that slowed the book down for me, especially as it occurred after the other storyline had wrapped up. I liked that Donte the vampire was aware of the effect he could have on Adin, but Adin's persistent refusal to take Donte seriously concerned me as much as it did the vampire. Even when he took him seriously as a vampire who could eat him, he seemed to not take Donte's feelings about what entering into another love would mean to him, and was more interested in mocking Donte's reputation as a master vamp than talking about it. Of course love prevails in the end, but it left me feeling unsatisfied, especially in light of how well the other plot had wrapped up.
Other readers will have different views on the romance. It wasn't the reason I read the book, so I didn't let it affect my rating.
My reservations came in the romance, which felt dragged out in the pages following the mystery's conclusion, although it fit quite well into that plotline. I understand that 500 years of loving someone makes it difficult to love another, especially in human/vamp situations (understand being a very loose concept here), but I felt like the same conversation was repeated about 10 times with neither character getting anywhere, and that slowed the book down for me, especially as it occurred after the other storyline had wrapped up. I liked that Donte the vampire was aware of the effect he could have on Adin, but Adin's persistent refusal to take Donte seriously concerned me as much as it did the vampire. Even when he took him seriously as a vampire who could eat him, he seemed to not take Donte's feelings about what entering into another love would mean to him, and was more interested in mocking Donte's reputation as a master vamp than talking about it. Of course love prevails in the end, but it left me feeling unsatisfied, especially in light of how well the other plot had wrapped up.
Other readers will have different views on the romance. It wasn't the reason I read the book, so I didn't let it affect my rating.
July 21, 2012
Beautiful. Just...beautiful.
Adin and Donte both have my heart.
Adin and Donte both have my heart.
September 6, 2010
I truly enjoyed reading this book and plan to read more from this author. Two things prevented me from giving this book 5 stars. First the constant DOHN-tay AH-din AY-den whispered to each other or into the wind. I'm sure it's just me but every time I seen Adin's name I caught myself saying "AH-din? AY-den? I quirky thing I know. Second reason I couldn't give it 5 stars is that I was more absorbed in Donte's memoirs and the relationship with him and Auselmo, that I didn't really care about the relationship between Donte and Adin as much. I kept thinking I wanted to read more of their story and felt disappointed that I didn't get to. Overall I loved the book and would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed paranormal man love :)
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