Deadly Pursuit

Dark Desires #2

by Nina Croft

He craves his own freedom.
Jonathon Decker knows how to keep his enemies close—and his allies closer. But what about his women? Everyone wants a piece of the world's sexiest werewolf, now that he's been broken out of prison. Enter Alexia, the High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting life. Captivating and independent, Alexia is everything Jon could want in a woman. But can she be trusted? It will take more than one night of endless passion to find out…
And she is his to possess…
After twenty-four years of faithfully playing by the rules, Alex is finally ready take fate into her own hands. Her passion for Jon is a force to be reckoned with—and the way he makes her feel keeps her coming back for more. But their desire could lead them both down a dark path—one in which there's no turning back. How much will each of them risk to be together…for all time?

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters

286 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

Growing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both, along with a whole load of other things, could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever.

Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.

Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.

Nina's writing mixes romance with elements of the paranormal and science fiction
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Reviews

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - ”Who let the fucking dog onboard.” Stars!

I am absolutely freaking loving this series. If at the beginning of book one you told me I would really enjoy a Space/PNR/Romance series, I probably would have laughed in your face and said Hell NO. Turns out this is the one time in my life I have ever been wrong!


We met Al originally, in Break Outbook one of the Blood Hunterhe was the unassuming crew member that everyone, knew virtually nothing about. Turns out Al, is actually Alexia, High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, and she is hiding from her responsibilities for a while. Jon was rescued as part of the mission Skylar was on in the first book, so he is the newbie on the crew so to speak, and what a yummy addition he turns out to be.

”Doesn’t it bother you that I’m a werewolf?” … “No, I always wanted a pet dog.”

The banter between Rico, Jon, Tannis and Skylar through this book is priceless, I was giggling and guffawing for quite a few sections, and it really did make this story an absolute treat too read. Nina Croft has such a great voice for the humor in her books, and I love the Britishness of it.

”First dogs. Now cats. Bloody ships turning into a zoo.”

Another absolutely (inter)stellar book from Nina, I can’t wait to start Death Defying



ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Crystal _ Reading Between the Wines Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

SERIES REVIEW, BOOK 1 & 2
**May contain spoilers for the first novel**

Race through space on a heart-pounding, out-of-this-world adventure with a dark and sexy vampire, a brooding werewolf and the courageous women that stand by them throughout it all in the Blood Hunter series!

In the first book, Break Out, Skylar Rossaria is on her first solo mission for the Corps. The Corps is a specialized military unit that is part of the Collective, a group of immortals that rule the universe. She enlists the El Cazador and her crew to break a prisoner out of a maximum security prison, an impossible task but one she is determined to complete. What Skylar didn’t plan on however was the sizzling attraction she feels for the El Cazador’s sexy owner and pilot. A two thousand year old vampire with magnetic sex appeal, Ricardo Sanchez, accepts the job, looking forward to a large payment and an even better bonus. He knows Skylar is hiding secrets and keeping him at a distance because of that, but refuses to let her get too far. Will danger catch up with them before Rico has a chance to collect though?

Break Out was a fiery novella that I didn’t want to end! Full of sexual tension, mystery, humor and flaming hot sex scenes it kept me turning the pages until the very last. The story flowed perfectly for its length and the characters were superbly written. I loved Skylar and Rico, and the dynamics of their relationship. The secondary characters are just as loveable and I couldn’t wait to see more them in the second installment!

The Blood Hunter series continues with Deadly Pursuit and the prisoner that the crew of the El Cazador freed from Trakis One’s maximum security prison, Jonathon Decker, a lone werewolf assassin with a bad attitude. With the Collective hot on their tails, returning Jon is no longer an option, so the group must find out what the Collective thinks Jon knows and hope that they can trade that information for their lives. When the Church adds to the El Cazador’s list of pursuers though, cabin boy Al must step forward and reveal her true identity as the missing high priestess. Suppressed by the Church and her duties for the last twenty four years, Alex yearns for adventure and finds it, and the family she has missed out on, aboard the El Cazador. With her days of freedom and excitement drawing to a close, Alex is determined to experience everything she can in the short time, including seducing the magnificent werewolf who seemingly wants nothing to do with her. But despite the fact that Jon gave up on being close to anyone ever again he can’t help the protective instinct that the small red head brings out in him. Will Alex be able to experience the promise of passion she sees in Jon’s eyes before the Church catches up with them or will their enemies find them first?

Not very often you find a second novel for a series that is just as fantastic as the first but Nina Croft delivers with Deadly Pursuit. Drama and romance is perfectly balance in this intergalactic full novel adventure, and Nina Croft expertly weaves a fun tale that you won’t be able to put down! With an assortment of entertaining characters and a longer story this time around, readers will find fuller character development and more to love here. Jon is a bad-ass hero sure to make you swoon with plenty of inner demons to grab at your heart while Alex is a heroine with a fierce heart and warrior spirit. All the previous characters are back and really shouldn’t be classified as secondary since they each play their own capacious role in the story. Deadly Pursuit does make a good stand-alone but better read in series order, imo.

If you like a mix of sci-fi, urban fantasy and paranormal romance then Nina Croft’s Blood Hunters is the series for you! Action, intrigue, an immersing plot and captivating characters I loved every second of Break Out and Deadly Pursuit. Nina Croft is a new-to-me author but has quickly turned into a must-read author! I look forward to more installments in this fantastical series!

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.com.

Expected Release Date: December 6, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.ninacroft.com
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2 Blood Hunter Series
Series Best Read In Order: Yes
Steam Level: Steamy

I loved BREAK OUT, but no matter how good that book was, this one was even better. Jon was an absolutely wonderful, tortured hero, and while I wanted to pimp-slap Alex half the time for her reckless behavior, they made a perfect couple.

With tons of action, romance, and plot twists, this book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Not only were Jon and Al interesting, but the rest of the crew added an enormous amount of interest as well. The intrigues, twists, incredible action, and delicious tension to the story all kept me glued to the pages, and ensured that I quite literally couldn’t put it down.

Recommended for fans of exciting space operas, vampires and werewolves who despite being around for centuries have never quite figured out how to fit in with society, and of a hero and heroine who are perfect for each other despite their differences.

A very solid 5/5 Stars

[Rachel-RN · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picks up where Break Out left off. I liked that the crew was there and they all played significant parts to the story. Jon and Alex were central to the story, but the interplay between all the characters are what I liked most in this book and in the previous book. They have all become a family, they go to bat for each other. Interesting development with Meridian. Callum is an intriguing character whose story is next, with Tannis's.

[Jinxy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nonexistent romance *SPOILERS*

This is the second book in the Blood Hunter series but can easily be read on its own. I’ve tried this author a couple times before and have had to DNF each of those books. I guess the good news is that I managed to finished this book. The bad news is that I didn’t like it. Strap in for a lengthy review.

1. The writing. Maybe I just don’t mesh well with this author’s writing style as many other people seem to love their books, but it just drags for me. To me, the whole sum of the book can be described as saying a lot without really saying anything. The hero and the heroine both have huge thought monologues that just go on and on without telling the reader anything important. In addition, there were several mistakes in grammar, spelling, and weird formatting (this could be due to what I was reading it on so is not factored into the rating).

2. The main characters. This will just basically be a list of some of the questions I was left with when the book ended because I learned absolutely nothing about them so I couldn’t even tell you whether I liked them or not. (It’s not an exhaustive list because otherwise we’d probably be here all day...)

The hero. Apparently he went from a lawman to an alpha wolf to an assassin. Okay great. This sounds interesting but where’s the backstory? Why do the readers never find out why he became a cop? Why did he stop? Did he want to stop? Did he like being alpha? Does he want to be again now that he’s cured by love or whatever? How did he meet his wife? Plus he seems to have this really tragic story of his wife being murdered and then later on his pack mates being slaughtered but we never get more than a passing mention about it. Why did he hate the Collective and the Church? What did being a werewolf mean (abilities, powers, etc)?

The heroine. She was the High Priestess of the Church and she ran away because she wanted to experience life. What was her time with the Church like? What were her duties as Priestess? In the beginning she mentions she doesn’t believe in love, why and why is it not brought up again? Does she know what she wants to do now that she’s never going back? If she’s the symbol of the Church and she’s no longer there, will they have to find a new Priestess or how will that work? Are sins the same in this new futuristic Church? You get the idea...

In addition, their characters were all over the place in terms of actions making sense with the limited backstory we did get. If the hero hates the Church and the Collective, why was he not at least wary or standoffish to either the heroine, who was a part of the Church, or another crew member, who was part of the Collective. For the heroine, she has grown up her whole life in the Church and hearing their dictates of right and wrong. Assuming their dictates would be similar to contemporary views (again there was no direction or explanation here so just guesswork by the reader), why was she not hesitant on any of the “sinning” behaviors she did? I get doing them anyway because she was trying to live as much as she could before she went back at that point, but there should still be doubts and second guessing. But no, no hesitation when she propositions the hero or when she kills someone for the first time. Killing someone, I think, should at least warrant a minute reflection after the fact from her but again nope she just goes off to try and have more sex with the hero. It was just mind boggling the character holes throughout the book that made me shake my head.

3. The relationship. Seriously, what relationship? There are two ways of writing books... there’s showing and there’s telling. Showing is where the author is able to get the reader to come to a certain conclusion through dialogue, actions, etc. Telling is where the author just tells the reader explicitly what they should be getting from the characters and the book, usually without backing it up with actions of the character. Apparently this book has created a third category I didn’t know existed that should be called “the invisible happenings” or something similar. Basically what happened is the author never wrote any scene that furthered their relationship. Both characters hardly even interacted based on the book. Is the reader just supposed to assume they’ve had all these meaningful conversations or even spoken about anything besides sex? I could maybe pick a handful of conversations they even had between themselves... total. Five or so talks about sex does not a relationship, or love, make. For that matter, both the hero and the heroine were saying how much they loved the crew. This also happened under “invisible happenings” because I couldn’t really point to a bonding moment or a time where I could really even say any of them were friends. Honestly the only other one who really even had any dialogue in the book was Rico and he didn’t seem fond of either of them so not sure where all this friendship and closeness was supposed to be. This is what I meant when I mentioned the book said a lot without saying anything. How can you have a whole book and not have one relationship/friendship be shown on page? Just astounding.

4. The plot. Okay, so you may be thinking, “The romance wasn’t great but it’s a sci-fi so maybe there was a solid plot and that’s why there are so many great reviews!” Oh how I wish I could tell you that was the case. The plot was extremely simplistic. This book easily could have been shortened into a novella. I think the main problem I had with the plot were the reveals. So the crew is being chased by the Church and the Collective and they have to figure out what the connection is between why both groups want them dead. I just felt that when I got the answer it was a real let down. I had the feeling of, “Oh, that’s it?” Especially at the very end when they are coming to a point where they are outnumbered and highly likely they will all die and then the powers that be just decide to change their mind and let them live. What? Way too simple and contrived.

5. Consent. What I’m talking about here is the consent to immortality. In the end there’s a dramatic moment where the heroine jumps in front of a laser blast meant for the hero and she’s dying. Still very much lucid, but a fatal wound nonetheless. The hero decides he can save her by changing her into a werewolf. Now it’s unclear, because again the author never explained, whether werewolves are immortal but they do live longer than humans because the hero was some hundred years old. In addition, the change process is painful and not many make it through and some that do make it through go crazy from the change and have to be killed, including the hero’s late wife. So first, knowing all this, I’d think the hero, who supposedly loves the heroine so much, would be distressed at thinking what he has to do to her, whether she’d make it, etc. Apparently not this hero. He’s cool as a cucumber and those thoughts never even cross his mind. Secondly, the heroine is completely conscious and lucid but is never asked whether she wants to be changed. Maybe this was a case of another “invisible happenings” and they had already discussed what to do should she be in mortal peril or maybe they had the discussion off script during the actual event. Whatever the case, I as a reader, didn’t get to see it and it bothered me because not all humans would want immortality. The fact that he forced this on her without consulting with her seemed wrong to me but maybe I’m reading too much into it.

There were so many things wrong with this book that I probably barely scratched the surface. I will not be reading another book by this author and I definitely recommend that people skip this book.

P.S. Authors, can we please stop with the kind eyes? This man was literally an assassin for years! But apparently the heroine knows he’s amazing because he has “kind eyes.” *eye roll* What a crock of crap. Let the heroine learn the hero’s character through his actions and his words rather than using this tired device to skip all of that.

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:
Deadly Pursuit is book 2 of this absolutely WONDERFUL Sci-fi series!!! I don't think that you have to read book #1 in this series, Break Out, to be able to enjoy this book, but I do think that it will help you understand the world and the characters better. Also, right now that book is only $.99 for the e-book so you can't go wrong with that price!


This book is about Jon. He is a werewolf that was broken out of prison at the last of book #1. I don't watch True Blood, but the entire time I read this book, I envisioned Jon looking like Joe Magnalio (I don't think that hurt my enjoyment of this book...not, one little bit!)

Ever since the mass-masacre of his pack, Jon has been a loner and assassin. He was hired to kill one of the leaders of the Collective, but something is fishy about that assassination which resulted in his break-out by the crew of the El Cazador. Now the entire crew is being targeted by the Collective for capture and assassination.

To complicate matters, there has been a young boy, Al, who has been hiding on the El Cazador for three months posing as a 14 yo cabin boy. In truth, Al is the Lady Alexia, the high priestess for the Church and she is 24 yo. She is not happy within the Church and knows that she will have to return soon, but she has no life and wants to do some "living" before she returns. Part of that living includes bedding the seriously sexy, brooding Jon.

There is a lot of action and adventure in this book. Lots of emotions and some serious sexual tension. Overall, OMG, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! This is reading at it's very best. Completely entertaining and definitely a book that I didn't want to put down once I started it.

I loved both backstories for Alex and Jon. Neither one of them have had easy lives. They are so completely different though, but it works. He's this gruff, huge guy that doesn't like to get attached to anything or anyone. He just wants to be left alone, although he longs for the days when he had his pack to back him up. Werewolves and vampires have traditionally HATED each other and are natural enemies. When Jon first joins the ship, Rico and him clash constantly. One of the absolute best things about this book was watching their friendship develop and grow. There's a great bromance here! I love their heart-to-hearts especially about Alex.

And Alex...whoa! She has been completely sheltered and raised within the Church her entire life. She doesn't let that color the world around her though. She thinks with her own head and is her own person. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. I loved the scenes where she became this kick-ass chick....so much fun!!

Like I said, I loved this book and honestly, I love this series!! I HIGHLY recommend it. I cannot wait for book #3 which I am thinking will be Tannis' book (the El Cazador captain) and the hints that we've already seen about it, point to the fact that it's going to be another really fabulous adventure!

[Literary Ames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firefly with a paranormal twist. Better than Break Out, Deadly Pursuit continues from where BO we left off.

Al, the small teenage boy, turns out to be Alexia High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, the 24 year old woman. Suffocating from boredom and lack of control over her high profile life she escapes, disguises herself as a boy and ends up on the spaceship El Cazador.

Both the Collective (people who've taken the expensive immortality treatment Meridian) and now the Church (believe in immortality of the soul which goes to heaven when they physically die) are chasing the crew for the recapture of Jon the werewolf assassin and the return of the High Priestess.

Despite her deception, the crew immediately defend Alexia. She's one of them and they're not going to hand her over if she doesn't want to go. Jon, on the other hand, is wanted for an unknown reason, pointing to a conspiracy so they're not giving him up after they were hired to risk their lives breaking him out of prison until they get some answers.

Alexia is instantly attracted to Jon. Unfortunately her disguise worked only too well, looking like a scruffy child. Her innocence is compounded by the fact that she's a virgin who's lived a sheltered life, and Jon doesn't do virgins. He's a rough, tough, manly 6ft 4 werewolf to her doll-like 5ft 1. He'd break her. But she knew what she wanted and was determined to experience as much of life as could before she was forced to return to her duty so the predator became the prey. Poor man, he had no chance. At least he has a new pack now i.e. the crew and a buddy in Rico despite him being a vampire.

Similarities to Firefly (Rico is Mal with fangs and a lust for blood) and the introduction of shapeshifters, my favourite supernaturals, meant I quite liked this. However, I'm slightly uncomfortable with how Alexia, seconds after being almost raped and killed on two occasions, jumped her mate-to-be's bones. That struck me as wrong since she was beaten and manhandled. I doubt I'd feel up to it if I was in her shoes.

Tannis is next to be matched up with her crush Callum Meridian, the man who first took the immortality treatment and has been transformed by it. They're hired as his bodyguards in the next book.

***Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for providing the ARC via Netgalley for an honest review.***

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

DEADLY PURSUIT is an excellent paranormal science fiction adventure. The world building is inspired with shifters of various sorts, vampires, aliens, living under two powerful sources; The Collective (a large government agency) run by an immortal elite and the Church of Everlasting Life. I love the idea of having all of our familiar paranormal creatures having adventures in space. The plot gets pretty twisty very quickly and really has no dull moments. The romance is a different one especially since Alex is introduced posing as a young boy. It actually took me awhile to adjust to the fact that Alex is indeed an adult woman and that no Jon is not going after a child because I would have stopped reading if that were true. Age and gender confusion aside there are some pretty big hurdles these two have to get through before they actually start their romance. The frustrating part was that they kept getting interrupted any time they start to make some progress in their relationship. They both develop, grow, and learn about themselves and eachother pretty well. Its a slowly building romance with a ton of frustrating interruptions but worthwhile for their happily ever after. DEADLY PURSUIT is an entertaining addition to the genre of sci-fi that is equal parts adventure and romance.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!!!!
I have loved how Nina Croft has given us this creative and action packed world that is unique to the paranormal world. It is new and refreshing and I am totally captivated.
Deadly Pursuit allows us to still interact with all the characters from Break Out and added a new one named Jon...and I love him...he is such a great addition to this crew of "misfits"!!
LOVE IT...MUST READ...ready for the next one... :)

[James Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many different things I could say...
Let me start by saying the book I read did not have that cringy bare-chested guy on the cover. If it had, I probably would have walked on by. The one I saw had 4 characters on it, one with dagger nails, a space ship and outer-space in the background and a strange looking lady with a blaster in her hands. Kind of Firefly-esque.

This is a multi genre book, in that it could fall under sci-fi, urban fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, romance, etc. The blurb on the cover says "Werewolf on the most wanted list and high priestess on the run. What could go wrong?"

The parts of this that I enjoyed were the sci fi elements. It was sci-fi LITE, in that there were no details about ANY of the technologies or what made them work. There were blasters and guns and grenades. The story moved well and there were two interesting groups of baddies that I would have liked to know MUCH more about. The paranormal parts of this were THERE, but they kind of felt tacked on. If you didn't know someone was a vampire or werewolf, then it would not have changed the story that much. Elements of their being that helped explain their ability to heal, quickly. But it was a minor piece of the overall story.

The characterization of all but the two main characters was also LITE. This book is apparently part of a series ... book 2 to be precise. I did not read book 1. Doing so was not necessary to the story, but it might have helped me a bit more with the characters. As it was, there was a fair amount of detail on the two MCs and FAR less on anyone else. The rest of the crew could almost have been interchangeable. There IS the one guy who is a vampire who owns the ship they are all on. But if you did not know that, the rest of the details would not have mattered much. Same with the other crew members.

So it was really all just a mechanism for getting the two MCs together. There is never much doubt that they will eventually BE together. Whether they should or not is debatable.

The plot revolves loosely around a mystery...(forgot THAT genre above) as to what happened to someone that supposedly died in book 1, at the hands of one of the MCs. The crew is being pursued by two baddie groups who either think they know something they don't, or who want to punish them for harboring one or the other MC.

The BAD in this is that the MCs take turns behaving in stupid ways. You get the sense that neither one of them likes each other very much, and so maybe that is at the root of their poor decision-making. But the action can be summarized as:

1) Deadly or no-win situation appears;
2) MC makes poor choice, rationalizing that by doing so, they are helping/saving others of the crew;
3) Crew risks their lives and miraculously pulls off the win.
4) Rinse and repeat.

There is a small subplot in that whenever anyone tries to take liberties with the high-priestess, (who is virginal when the book starts but desperately anxious to change that status)...that character must die quickly and in gruesome and painful ways. You might say that she has the bosom of doom, because whenever anyone touches it...they will die.

Oh yeah...and apparently, throughout the entire book 1, everyone is convinced that the high-priestess is a boy. The big reveal happens fairly early in book 2. Al is really Alex, thank you very much. She apparently is a well-endowed girl, at that, but no one else figured this out. I may need to look for a copy of the cover of book 1. If I am guessing the characters correctly in book 2's cover, everyone would have had to be BLIND to not realize the truth. Oh well...

This was actually a pleasant enough read. The on screen love scenes were minimal and mostly un-cringeworthy. I would have preferred those were taken out completely. The rest of the story could have been more interesting if more of the other details were fleshed out. I mentioned Firefly. It could have been a Firefly episode, but for the vampires and werewolves. Better characterization and a plot with more depth would have made this better. As it is, the author seems to have intended it primarily as a bodice-ripper, with other benefits. I would like to see her aim higher.

[GothicMom'S Reviewers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect blend of science fiction, paranormal and romance, and enjoyable by any gender. The greatest books are the ones that make readers stop and think, what if? Nina Croft proves with each book in this series that she truly understands that concept. Creating a world after the earth has been destroyed, and showing that mankind still lives on, and survival of the fittest still applies.

High Priestess Alexia the entirety of her life living under the rule of others. While being doted upon hand and foot, she was also sequestered to a glamorous life of servitude. Told what to wear, how to talk, how to behave, more importantly, how to think. When she finally sees the opportunity to break free, even if only for a short while, she jumps on it, or rather in. Taken in by the Captain of El Cazador Alexia assumes a new role in life, as well as a new gender becoming Al the cabin boy. But good things must come to an end, as Al learns with bitter clarity as the Church learns of her whereabouts and demand her return.

An alpha werewolf without a pack to protect can be a very dangerous thing. Jon cannot forgive himself for the events that tore his pack apart. Becoming a lone wolf and an assassin seemed the only solution for him. But the moment he meets the "cabin boy" his world is turned on its axis as every instinct he has comes back online, no matter how much he tries to fight the pull. The wolf and the man may want the same thing, but the man is determined to resist.

One determined to live a full life in a short time, the other still running from the life he once lead. Together they can either be each others downfall, or salvation.

Full of non-stop action from beginning to end, plus a bonus scene at the end, the Blood Hunter series is a true must read. Both male and female lovers of sci-fi and paranormal alike will enjoy this read. Characters to love, characters to hate and characters to make you laugh. Not for the squeamish or faint of heart as there is violence, bloodshed and steamy, hot sex that will have you reaching for your lover and making them very happy. This is a re-publish, so for those who have already read it, here's your chance for an actual paperback, so that you may have both Jon and Rico right at your fingertips.

[Nessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A SOLID 3.5 STARS.

THIS ONE MIGHT HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD, EXCEPT IT WAS MISSING SOMETHING TO GEL IT ALL TOGETHER, nevertheless it was still enjoyable.

JON is the werewolf the motley crew in this story rescued from prison BUT they weren't friends in the least. We get to meet Rico and Skylar again, and since werewolves and vampires are natural born enemies, you can expect some rough and tough between Rico and Jon. To be frank, I wasn't too invested in the plot, I was more into Jon and Alexia, sadly it wasn't all it was made up to be. Upon discovering that Al, the Cabin Boy is in truth Lady Alexia, the High Priestess and a virgin to boot, all bets are off and he wants nothing to do with her. Only, his body craves her and the attraction was real. Jon saved Alexia's life countless times, once when she was attacked by a vampire, and another when the abominable High Priest almost got her killed.

Basically, to understand the story best, you should start with the first book in the series because the world and plot building continues from there....so I was a little confused when I started this book right off the hitch, but since I was more invested in the romance, I couldn't complain.

ALEXIA ran away from her stifling responsibility as a High Priestess and now the Church is looking for her - bounty non withstanding. When the chance to serve as a Cabin Boy showed itself, she took the chance and everybody onboard assumed she was a HE not a SHE, well except Skylar and Jon. Her attraction to Jon was almost embarassing, it's the typical virgin meets hot guy and gets insanely attracted to, and she wants to lose her virginity with him but the damned man isn't complying at all.

OVERALL I wasn't too crazy about this one, it was enjoyable but kind of average.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Explícito). 2.5. No me agradaron mucho los protagonistas. Están bien pero no sentí química entre ellos, estuvo rara su relación, al menos hubo un final feliz. En cuanto al universo, pues, ahora hay hombre lobo. El título es un conveniente, se la pasaron huyendo a cada rato, todo un ir y venir en el espacio. En sí son humanos y creo que todavía no salen aliens, sino que la humanidad (la poquita que logró sobrevivir) fue colonizando otros sistemas solares (como Trakis). Alex se va a quedar sin labio inferior de tanto que se lo muerde (unas veinte veces en el libro mínimo lo hizo), es muy indecisa y dependiente debido a su situación, no sabe nada. Jon tampoco ayudó mucho, se la pasó diciendo que el no huía de la muerte, que no quería estar en compañía de otros, que no sabe proteger a nadie..., aburrido. Ese desenlace con la Unión, demasiado complaciente. Ahora tenemos un poco más de información sobre el meridian y sobre la muerte de Aiden Ross. Espero que el siguiente libro sea mejor. En mi opinión. ... narrado en tercera persona y ofrece los puntos de vista de los protagonistas.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fierce, Furry, Futuristic Romp
Confused and disoriented, Jonathan Decker jerks awake aboard a strange ship. He's lying in bed in an unfamiliar room, not in a cell, and he's alive. He doesn't know why he was released from the maximum security prison he expected to die in, and he doesn't know who got him out.

It isn't until a young cabin boy shows up carrying clothes for him that he's told he's aboard a space cruiser called the El Cazador de la Sangre. Owned and piloted by a vampire, captained and crewed by what seems a band of misfits, it's enough to make his inner wolf twitch. Except for the blood sucker. He just makes Jon want to rend him limb from limb. Werewolves and vampires, after all, do not get along.

The cabin boy is interesting, though. It doesn't take Jon long to realize there's definitely a story there. His first clue is the fact that the boy isn't a boy at all, but a diminutive young woman. The second is that he seems to be the only one who knows that tidbit of information, and he just got there. Jon's not sure he cares enough to find out why that is, or what her story is, but his libido definitely takes notice.

Before he can decide whether to follow up on whatever secrets she's keeping, the ship is attacked and his life becomes more complicated than ever. Someone obviously wants him very, very dead, maybe more than one someone. Not surprising in theory, but almost inconceivable in practice. Then the girl turns out to be the runaway High Priestess of the Church of the Everlasting Life, one of the two most powerful organizations in the universe and not a big fan of his kind, and they're searching the galaxy for her. Which paints a bright red bulls-eye on the ship that is his only means of escape and survival. Not exactly where he needs to be to keep a low profile.

Who would've thought that a long, brutal end in a maximum security penal colony may have been the lesser of the two evils in this new nightmare called his life?

~*~

I'm a little surprised by how much I enjoy the mix of futuristic science fiction and paranormal romance this series provides. I wasn't expecting it with the first book, and though I knew of the juxtaposition going into this one, I was delighted to see it combined with a story that had more appeal than its predecessor. The longer format allowed for more depth and detail in character development, plot, and world definition, all things I felt lacking in the novella-length series starter.

Still, I'm glad I read that first book prior to this one. I don't think this one would read as well as a stand-alone. The story starts off almost exactly where the first book left off and if I hadn't read the other, I think a good portion of the first few chapters would be lacking in emotional significance and/or seem downright confusing.

I thought Jon was a solid lead character. He was abrupt and coarse at times, a bit of a smart ass, and a guy who loved pushing buttons, but he's also a wounded, deeply scarred male who has suffered painful loss and survived by insulating himself from life at every turn. Jaded, cynical, and standoffish, protective, proud, and passionate, there are many layers to that one, some of them downright unpleasant. He was also a fairly traditional alpha male and the lone wolf attitude fit him like a glove.

Alex wasn't as big a draw for me. I didn't dislike her, I just prefer a different type of heroine. Strength, intelligence, and independence are big to me and Alex didn't exactly overwhelm me in that regard. She was a little too skittish and inexperienced both physically and emotionally. It got her in trouble more than once. It wasn't until deep into the latter half off the book, as her relationship with Jon evolves, that I started to enjoy her and imagine them together. That put a bit of a crimp on my feelings about the romance arc of the book.

Beyond that, though, I thought the story was very solid. Full of action and danger, brushed by humor and spiced with lusty sexiness, the external plot conflict was a many-headed monster of tension and taut triumph. Like a juggler with his balls in the air, Croft kept each element of threat and danger churned up, tossed out, and caught again to finish the spin. Gave the book a hunted edge that worked nicely with the keen intent of the characters.

I wish the final conflict and resolution had been handled differently, though. After everything that happened, all that had been lost, found, stolen or sacrificed, the end struck me as fairly anticlimactic. It all got resolved too quick for my taste, and the epilogue didn't mitigate as much of that abruptness as I'd hoped it would. Leading up to that, though, the non-romantic story elements were wholly engaging.

This series is shaping up very nicely and has furthered the steady progress being made in turning me into a sci-fi romance fan. It wasn't too long ago that I didn't read sci-fi romance at all, but I have it admit, with entertaining stories like this one that blends my favored paranormal romance with the less familiar science fiction, the genre is definitely growing on me and I look forward to more.

Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

[Helen Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon is a professional assassin. He's also an alpha werewolf, fighting his urges to protect. Alex was selected at birth as the figurehead of the Church of Everlasting Life. The crossing of their paths set the entire universe after the crew of the the space cruiser El Cazador. The story is fast paced. Full of action and adventure. Just enough adult romance to keep you satisfied without overwhelming the entire story.

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Jonathon and Alexia were both very interesting characters, I didn't like this one as much as the first book in the series. There was lots of action and it was fast paced, but I just didn't enjoy the storyline as much.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this even better than the first in the series. Another fine balance between steam and classic space opera. I've already ordered book three.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK: Re-release November 1, 2014

He craves his own freedom.

Jonathon Decker knows how to keep his enemies close—and his allies closer. But what about his women? Everyone wants a piece of the world’s sexiest werewolf, now that he’s been broken out of prison. Enter Alexia, the High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting life. Captivating and independent, Alexia is everything Jon could want in a woman. But can she be trusted? It will take more than one night of endless passion to find out…

And she is his to possess…

After twenty-four years of faithfully playing by the rules, Alex is finally ready take fate into her own hands. Her passion for Jon is a force to be reckoned with—and the way he makes her feel keeps her coming back for more. But their desire could lead them both down a dark path—one in which there’s no turning back. How much will each of them risk to be together…for all time?
~~~~

REVIEW: 4.25 stars-DEADLY PURSUIT is the second installment in Nina Croft’s adult, paranormal, sci-fi DARK DESIRE (formerly Blood Hunter) fantasy romance series. The continuing voyage of the crew of the space cruiser-the El Cazador-finds their most recent and reluctant rescue Jonathon Decker running for his life. Not only does the Collective want Jonathon dead but The Church of Everlasting Life is hunting for their wayward priestess- a young woman who now calls the cruiser her home. With two warring factions of interdimensional space on the attack against the El Cazador, our crew members are in for the fight of their lives. The Blood Hunter (Dark Desires) series takes place one thousand years into the future where Earth is no longer inhabitable and immortality can be bought-for a price.

The storyline follows a race against time and space. In the first storyline –BREAK OUT- the crew rescued space assassin Jonathan Decker from an uncertain future. As the newest member of the El Cazador cruiser, Jonathan finds himself in the unenviable position as the only ‘species’ of his kind still in existence. When the Collective demands the return of Jonathan, his rescuers find themselves on the defensive and protecting a man they know nothing about. But it is Jonathan’s attraction to another crewmember that has everyone concerned.

Alexia has been hiding in plain sight. As the youngest member of the El Cazador, Al as she has come to be known, is the High Priestess of The Church of Everlasting Life and wanted by the very people from whom she ran. But it is her unrequited attraction and love for Jonathan that will be the deciding factor in Alexia’s decision to return to her place within the Church. What follows is an assault and several attempts on her life leaving Alexia wondering where everything went wrong.

The relationship between Jonathan and Alexia is slow to build. Their attraction to one another is immediate although not welcome by Jonathan Decker. He is a man who likes to pursue but being pursued is not what he wants. As the storyline builds, so too does the animosity between our couple, one brought about by need, instincts and lust. It is only when each will sacrifice themselves for the other, does the reality of love and the possibility of a future together realize.

The world building continues with the inclusion of most of the previous storyline characters including all of the crew of the El Cazador. The Collective ( and their elite army Corps) as well as The Church play a major role in the control of space as we learn a little more about the personal cost for those seeking an unnatural immortality and its affects on the controlling elite. With the Collective controlling the rare radioactive element known as Meridian-known to bestow immortality on those who could afford the price-they now control most of the universe.

DEADLY PURSUIT (and the Dark Desires series) is very similar to the Star Trek and Star Wars franchise storylines including the concepts of technology, background and species. These are the stories of suspense, mystery, romance and love whereby the people or species who once called Earth home must struggle for acceptance in a new world order. The GMs (or genetically modified) are considered abominations by the Church and meant for extermination, and in this most of the crew of the El Cazador are wanted just for whom they are-GMs, vampires, werewolves and more.

Nina Croft’s ability to weave a tale of paranormal science fiction with romance is compelling and remarkable. You will be pulled into the action, the anxiety and their struggle to break free from the hold of those who consider themselves more superior and powerful. The Blood Hunter series is addictive, intense and seductive. The storylines are heartbreaking, emotional and wondrous-the virtual reality of the storylines is intriguing and believable.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well who doesn't love a tortured hero and the werewolf Jon who takes centre stage in this story is just too delicious! Yes he has been rescued from prison by Rico and his crew aboard the El Cazador but now he has to prove that he was worth saving! This is the second book in this series set in space and after the first book has a lot to live up to. This is a complex world the aurthor is giving us with more than one bad guy to dislike. A bleak future for mankind but where there's life there's always hope and with Ms Croft in the driving seat there's romance as well!
The crew of the El Cazador are a pretty mixed bunch so having a werewolf aboard seems quite apt really. A vampire , genetically modified crew members , The Trog ( just who and what is he?) and of course there's Al the cabin boy . Oh wait Al is really Alexia the High Priestess of the new Church and the virgin bride of God! Not that anyone has realised of course and unfortunately it would seem her time hiding from the Church is over. Time to come clean with her shipmates and tel the truth but first there's something on her bucket list that she would really like to tick off and more than anything Al wants something good to remember . So step forward one very stubborn werewolf but the last thing Jon wants is the heart of a silly girl but Al is a lot more determined than he realises and there's not a lot that this courageous young woman won't face. Unfortunately those hunting Al are not about to gve up and it seems there's something very suspicious going on that could blow up quite literally in their faces!
I'm really enjoying this series and look forward so much to catching up with these characters. I'm not overly fond of virgin heroines but I get that a priestess would have led a sheltered life so no nit picking here. Al is a young woman who seems to have trouble tattooed on her forehead because trust me she stumbles from one misadventure to the next and I was starting to feel very sorry for her. Her sense of adventure sees her making quite huge errors and constantly puts her in truly atrocious danger but she's a character who had to grow and I found myself having great sympathy for her. She's not exactly too stupid to live but she is naive although I can't fault her deeply loyal core.
It felt a bit strange having a werewolf in space but I thought the author explained it quite well and Jon is a lone wolf with an awful lot of baggage to carry emotionally. Whilst he's not exactly older than dirt he has seen a lot in his life and when we meet him he just seems to exist on autopilot. It takes a very headstrong young woman to make him realise that life is worth living and their romance has more than a few stumbling blocks along the way. This is not instant lust with lots of sexy moments ,no the aurthor ramps up the tension and keeps these characters ( and the reader) waiting for that inevitable moment when all bets are off . There's a scene that whilst hot did seem to be a little misplaced and you will understand when you read the book but happily the couple do finally get quality time alone together .
Well I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with this crew and the next book features genetically modified Tannis and an immortal and very arrogant Calllum so that's something for readers to look forward to. As for me? Well I want to read more about The Trog so I'm hoping Ms Croft takes pity on him soon and shines a little light in his direction!
This is a sexy futuristic series with a paranormal twist and such fun to read. Recommended

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suffocating under the regiment and routine of being the chosen high priestess, the heroine uses the first opportunity she gets to escape out into the world. Naïve and innocent of what the real world is like, she finds herself on a ship under the rule of a vampire who scares her to death. But disguised as a boy, the heroine is finally able to experience freedom and though she convinces herself that she'll eventually go back to the Church, she revels in the open air and vows to experience all she can while she can.

This includes feeling the touch of a man, whom is more wolf than man. The hero is not a good guy. As an assassin he's killed without conscious or remorse and the idea of being stuck on a ship in space with a blood sucker and a doe eyed little girl makes him sick to the stomach. He's never been one to desire the company of others and his surly attitude doesn't endear him to the other members of the crew either. The girl is obviously got a crush on him, she practically throws herself at him at every opportunity but he makes sure to turn her down every time. He tells himself that he doesn't find her attractive or that she's too much work, too easy to caught feelings but deep inside he fights off the idea that she affects him more than any other woman ever has. He feels unwelcome compulsions to care for her, to protect her and mark her as his woman. But when the Church comes looking for their lost priestess, she asks him to take her back to spare the crew the danger of having her on board. He does it, though the pain in his chest urges him to take her far away from those people. His instincts are right and he returns to find her beaten and nearly raped. Right then as he carries her back to the ship, he recognizes that she's become to mean something far deeper to him than he's comfortable with.

When his enemies come calling and he's captured, he goes willingly to protect the heroine and the crew. Just when he's found something worth living for after so many years longing for death, he's also found someone worth dying for but the heroine is no longer the meek girl but a strong woman. And she'll fight tooth and nail for the man she loves.

I liked this book so much more than the first in the series. I thought this story had what the first one lacked. Which was heart and vulnerable characters. The anti-hero who was really a good guy underneath and the heroine who grew up sheltered and coveted willing to kill the men who hurt her and the hero. They both had such a marvelous balance of good and bad, light and dark. Though they were both quick witted and had snappy comebacks, they had substance and it was far from all fun and games. I loved how reluctantly possessive the hero was. You could see inside his true intentions and into his heart even before he really came to grips with his feelings. But he was never fake. When the heroine was being an idiot or being a cry baby, he would call her on it. It wasn't to be a dick, it was to make her stronger and it worked. The story was great and the action was intense. The romance was a slow bloom but it was genuine and hard won. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book as much as I did because as I said, the first in the series left something to be desired. Yet I really enjoyed this addition and it gave me interest to read the coming 3rd book.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.readingreality.net/?p=3499
I absolutely love it when an author gives me what I asked for! Not that Nina Croft and I have ever met. But in my review of Break Out, the first book of her Blood Hunter series, I asked for more world-building, more information about how the situation with the Church and the Collective got started, and were there any others like Rico, meaning, are there any other vampires traveling the space lanes? And I just plain wanted more story.
Deadly Pursuit, Ms. Croft's second entry in this paranormal science fiction romance series, gave me just what I asked for. Which makes me one happy reader.
Deadly Pursuit picks up right where Break Out left off. The El Cazador and her crew have eluded the pursuing Collective, after breaking Jon the mysterious prisoner out of their clutches just before he was scheduled to be shipped to their maximum security prison planet. What they still don't know is why Jon and the crew were all supposed to die in the escape attempt. Whatever he knows is so toxic that everyone who gets near him is poisoned. It must be a really big secret.
Jon is a contract killer. The person he assassinated was in the inner circle of the Collective, a man named Aiden Ross. Everyone knows that members of the Collective are supposed to be immortal, and Jon was given the secrets to killing them, so maybe that's the reason for the big target on his back. It's certainly not because anyone took Aiden Ross' death personally. The guy was a bastard, and I don't mean the fatherless kind.
But the crew has other problems. And so does Jon. Because the cabin boy, Al, isn't a cabin boy. He's a she, and she's not just any girl. She's the 24-year-old Lady Alexia, the High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life. She ran away from her temple 3 months ago, and the Church is just gunning to get her back. Literally.
And Jon has a not-so-big secret of his own. He's a werewolf. And that whole territory thing about werewolves and vampires? It's still a problem. And a space ship really doesn't have enough territory for one vamp and one werewolf to share comfortably.
But the real problem is that Jon's werewolf has found his perfect mate. And it's the feisty virgin priestess. But Jon has failed too many people in his life to let himself care about anyone ever again, never mind letting someone like Alex depend on him or care for him. But when the ship's crew worm their way into becoming his new pack, what's a werewolf to do?
Escape Rating B+: This was so much fun! It answered so many of my questions from Break Out, and told a great story. The male-bonding between Rico and Jon was hilarious, and the love story with Jon and Alex was sweet without being too syrupy.
I'm looking forward to the next book. Meridian, the drug that grants immortality, well, let's just say that anything that seems too good to be true is, as usual, too good to be true. Let me put it this way, if you have vampires and werewolves, what other supernatural creatures might you have?
If you like science fiction romance, get Break Out and Deadly Pursuit and just read them both at once. You'll be very glad you did!

[Rhianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the hunted becomes the hunter...

When the El Cazador's crew broke assassin Jon Decker out of prison they knew he was dangerous. But far more dangerous is the mystery as to why the Collective want him so badly. Complicating things is the discovery that the cabin boy has just been outed as a woman, and not just any woman. High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, Alexia has spent her entire life under the designs of others. Her little adventure wasn't supposed to land her in the place she's found herself. But being part of the crew is far more enjoyable than serving the Church, at least on the El Cazador she has a choice in what she does and just maybe people who care about her as more than just a figurehead.

Before her obligation to the Church manages to wrest her from the new life she's built Alex just wants one thing—to know the touch of the virile werewolf assassin. But the last thing Jon needs is the complication of a virgin bride of God, even if she's the only thing to truly spark his desire in a long time. Their pasts have made them hunted but their pursuit could prove their more than just prey.

Admittedly, I think my expectations were a little higher than could be met but Croft has done it again. Taken a crew of misfits and sent them on a great adventure where another pair of characters find a happy ending. In my geekness I love the idea of vampires and werewolves in space but I have to say it is actually the one thing that sort of kills this series for me. It's too... Earthy? I kind of wanted them to have some space/alien origins that would scrape the cheese off the idea for lack of a better way to put it. I felt like the werewolves here didn't get explained enough for me as a reader. I like to have a solid understanding of the 'mythology' or in this case 'pseudo-science' that makes it work.

Pushing past that one area I struggled with I really enjoyed DEADLY PURSUIT. It's not-as-common to see the heroine as the one doing the chasing and I adored it here. It may not be something I want in every romance but when done right, as it was done here, it's refreshing. Jon is just not the guy you see being pursued by a girl in romances, that big-bad alpha male being chased by a tiny barely-woman was a nice twist. I didn't quite like either character as much as I had hoped, both felt a little two-dimensional and uninspired but they weren't unlikable either.

On the whole it wasn't flawless but it was still very much worth the read. The things that weren't working for me were pretty mild and not-too-hard to look past to enjoy the novel as a whole. I look forward to seeing what adventure is next for the El Cazador's crew and I really want to know more about the Trog darnit!

***Notes: ARC received via NetGalley.
Originally posted @RhiReading.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crew of the El Cazador is hiding from the Collective, the prisoner they broke out of maximum security prison, Jonathon Decker is not only a wanted hired assassin but he’s also a lone alpha werewolf. As much as Rico wouldn’t mind dumping the “dog” on some random planet he’s not going to just let Jon loose, not when he has information that could explain why the Collective is insistent on killing the entire crew of the El Cazador. To make things worse (or more interesting) the Church has decided to get in on the action. They’re also in pursuit of the El Cazador. According to the High Priest of the Church the crew has something that belongs to them, that belonging being Al the Cabin boy who happens to be Alex the High Priestess of the Church.

While the El Cazador has become the most wanted crew on the planet things are heating up on the ship. Rico and Skylar can’t keep their hands off one another and Al has decided she wants Jon to be the one to give her a sexual experience of a lifetime before she’s forced to go back to the Church. Jon on the other hand just wants to get off this crazy ship and get on with his life. The last thing he wants is to feel responsible for another being. The longer he stays on the ship the more drawn to Alex he becomes. He’s torn between his feelings when it comes to the impulsive and naïve High Priestess. She’s constantly getting wrapped up in dangerous situations and Jon feels compelled to not only protect her but to give into her sexual desires. With all their lives on the line giving into temptation doesn’t sound so bad.

Oh my, I thought Rico was one suave sexy beast but Jon takes sexy to a whole other level. He’s tortured by his past and for that reason he hesitates when it comes to Alex. He’s comes off as an angry mean guy but deep down he’s a gentleman and he tries to do the right thing when it comes to Alex. Alex is naïve and at first looks at Jon as just some sexy guy for her to have a first and final fling with but as she gets to know the lone wolf she realizes he’s going to be more than just a fling and she’s not sure she can deal with the heartbreak that will come with being with him.

The way those two fell head over heels in love with one another was sweet, poignant and sexy. I loved the way Croft built up their relationship and brought the two together. There was an emotional bond that helped both stand against the danger they faced and tear down the walls from their past that had them hiding their emotions. The story was full of lots of twists and reveals concerning the Collective and the Church. The twist about the truth concerning Meridian was intriguing. I can’t wait to get to know Callum Meridian, founding member of the Collective a bit more and read about him and Tannis interacting. Those two I imagine will bring the level of steamy up a few notches.


Copy provided for review.
Reviewed by Joy for Crystal's Many Reviewers

[Paranormal Kiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deadly Pursuit is the 2nd book in the Blood Hunter series by Nina Croft. It takes place immediately following events from the end of the first book, Break Out. The main characters of this story are Jon and Alex. Jon is the one that Skylar, Rico and the crew of the spaceship, El Cazador, helped to break out of prison in the last book. Meanwhile, Alex has been living on the ship masquerading as Al, a boy. But Alex is really Alexia, a runaway High Priestess for the Church of Everlasting Life. She ran away to experience life but she knows she’ll soon have to return to fulfill her duty as a High Priestess. Alex is young, inexperienced and impulsive. After meeting Jon she finds herself yearning for things she never imagined that she could have. She has a vibrant personality that is just itching to burst free from the staid and obedient life she had been forced to live. It was nice to see her true personality emerge as she became more confident and independent.

Jon is an interesting and intriguing character. He is hardened by the life that he’s led and events from the past. He is attracted to Alex as she is to him but he doesn’t want any attachments so he does his best to keep her at a distance and push her away. But that doesn’t stop his protective instincts from taking over whenever Alex is in danger. He protects her with furious and deadly force. It is Alex that manages to thaw his frozen heart and gives him the will to truly want to live.

Deadly pursuit is a good story and a nice addition to the series. I liked it. The romance was a slow burning flame that gained momentum as the story progressed. I would have liked Jon to have been a little less reticent sooner but I still enjoyed how everything came together in the end. I also liked getting to know that secondary characters a bit more, mainly Janey and Tannis. Each story is an adventure and we get a glimpse at the end of where the next one is headed.

Deadly Pursuit is recommended to fans of Science Fiction Romance.

*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Deadly Pursuit even more than Break Out! This book picks up immediately after the end of Break Out so I do advise reading book 1 first before diving into this one.

Jonathan Decker, the assassin the group just broke out of the most secure prison in the system, is awake from cryogenic sleep, a little confused and a lot cranky. Oh and here's a fun fact- he's a werewolf! Given that Rico is a vampire and the two don't exactly mix well, their first encounter is less than civil to put it mildly!

And it turns out that Al the cabin boy is really Lady Alexia, the virgin High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life. She ran away to escape the suffocating confines of the role forced on her for the last 24 years and ended up on the El Cazador. One look at Jon and she is immediately contemplating how to make that "virgin" part of her past title disappear which is a bit of a shock to her. Even more surprising is that Jon is not on board with this idea AT ALL. He may be a lone alpha wolf without a pack but doesn't do virgin, needy, relationships or anything else that will interfere with his solitary existence- so can't figure out why his mind and eye keeps going back to the tiny girl trying so hard to get his attention. When the girls onboard decide to take her shopping and give her a bit of a makeover, he'd better brace himself!

In the meantime, they have a shipload of problems to deal with. The Collective is breathing down their necks trying to kill them all for the prison break/ Skylar's defection, the Church High Priest is hellbent on retrieving Alex, the ship is damaged in an attack leading to an encounter with another seriously cranky vamp looking for a fresh food source, and they still don't know what the Collective thinks they know that is worth killing them for. There is plenty of action, a little steam, a few near death experiences, off the charts UST and a bit of suspense with a big reveal at the end. In short, it was a great read! Up next is Tannis' story and it is already on my TBR!

[Amanda Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Redonk Nutshell: Stowaway priestess lives on the wild side while hiding out with a mercenary ship

Book Two in Ms. Croft's Blood Hunter series picks up more or less where it's predecessor, Break Out, left off. This time we're focusing on Al, the cabin "boy" and the ship's newest guest, assassin Jonathon Decker. Having been rescued from cryo on a no-return kind of planet, he's confused about where he is and why he's there.

Alexia, High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life, aka "Al the cabin boy" has been hiding out among the crew of El Cazador on the run from her sheltered life as revered figurehead. When Jon comes into the picture she finds herself pulled to him. She decides then and there that she wants him, but Jon has other ideas. Thus begins a cat and mouse game of "I want you but I shouldn't" across a wild space chase involving agents of the Church as well as the government.

I enjoyed Deadly Pursuit. I have a soft spot for intergalactic stories, and I remembered Break Out being a fun story. Book two is a full out novel, so this time around we get more character development that isn't completely driven by sex. Jon is a werewolf, yet another element added into the fantasy mix that might tip the scale for some readers. Ms. Croft does a good job balancing the supernatural with the sci-fi, though at times I remember thinking it was all a bit... extraneous. Amid talk of blasters and aliens there's also vampires and werewolves. Is it too much? Perhaps, though I rolled with it and found myself enjoyed it regardless. No need to read the first book, though mention of its character's escapades is made. Ms. Croft does a nice job of carrying over just enough backstory to pull it off.

If you enjoy bad-ass heroes and wimpy-turned-fierce heroines you'll enjoy this. With it's intricate world building and sci-fi/fantasy, Deadly Pursuit is a fun and fantastical romp.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action-packed, this story is brimming with an odd assortment of characters. This is the second book Nina Croft’s Blood Hunter series; and in this episode, the crew of the El Cazador get fleshed-out a bit more. While each of them still have their own demons and mysterious pasts, the author does dole out some juicy morsels which serves to keep interest on high alert while satisfying that basic desire to discover more about the unique characters I have come to care about.

Chased by two wealthy and highly motivated factions, the ship plays hide and seek in space, barely escaping several close encounters before the final nail-biting showdown. Jon, a lone wolf assassin finally begins to question some of his strongly-held beliefs, and to hope that maybe this time he will be able to prevent the pending catastrophe. However, fate and one pint-sized, curvy priestess may be his complete undoing. Determined to make up for lost time, Alexia, knows that the brooding, over-protective werewolf is worth all the effort she has expended, and then some.

When you are crew, you belong. Jon begins to accept his new, unexpected circumstances and learns first-hand what it means to be crew. A quick death beats a slow, lingering demise in the Meridian mines, afterall. This engaging story is another winner. If you have read the first book, Breakout, then this will be another treat for you to read. However, this book does stand alone quite nicely, so do not be afraid to pick it up right now and jump into the adrenalin-charged adventure.

The review copy was provided to me from Net Galley via Entangled Publishing, the author, and Bewitching Tours. The thoughts presented in the review are my own. I am under no obligation to write favorably about any book I choose to read.

Reviewed by Laurie-J at Laurie's Thoughts & Reviews

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in Blood Hunter series is an intriguing and exciting read that gets the reader’s adrenalin pumping.

Werewolf and assassin, Jon is used to working alone and now he’s stuck on the El Cazador while he figures out what he is supposed to know that puts him on everyone’s most wanted dead list. High Priestess of the Church of Everlasting Life and runaway, Alexia is finally having fun, she never meant to runaway and is planning on returning one day. And she has decided that Jon would be a very exciting companion only Jon gave up being a protector a long time ago.

This fast paced and stimulating plot is brought to life with well written and vivid scenes that put the reader right in the middle of the action and keeps them on the edge of their seat. The fascinating journey has lots of surprises and twists as the characters try to outrun and outmaneuver their enemies.

All the characters are strong and compelling with lots of charisma that captures the reader’s imagination with snarky and fun dialogue that adds depth to this delightful adventure. The attraction between Alexia and Jon is hot and steamy, despite the fact that Jon tries his best to stay a lone wolf and the sex scenes leave the reader sizzling.

The author conveys all the emotions and personalities with intensity that it makes it easy for the reader to connect to the characters and feel as if they are a part of the story.

This is an exciting journey for a ragtag crew of misfits that has futuristic, science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and romance elements that come together to make this a must read series. The author does a brilliant job of combining all the elements and blending several conflicts into wonderfully entertaining stories that the reader doesn’t want to end.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received from Entangled Publishing on NetGalley

So here's the thing, I really loved this book until about the last 30 pages. It's not that something bad happened in the last 30 pages, but that's about where I started to lose interest. It just felt like either Alex or Jon had tried to sacrifice themselves to save the other one ONE too many times. If I had realized there were only 30 pages left, I would have just powered through. But as it was I just took a few days break and then finished it.

In the end I did like the ending. Although it did seem a little too easy. Mrs. Croft tried to make it seem action packed, but things just went a little too easily and perfectly for my liking.

Despite not expecting much going in, I was pleasantly surprised when I began reading this. There was interesting world-building and I liked both Alex and Jon much better than I had expected too. I loved the way Alex and Jon met!

I do think, however, that I should have read Break Out first. While I didn't feel like I missed much in terms of characters, I did feel there were some elements of the world that I needed to be explained more (although as someone who loves to read series in order, I think it was just the right amount of info if I had read the first book).

Overall I enjoyed it. I hope she is planning to continue the series, it seemed like maybe they were dropping hints at the end for Tannus and Cullen!? *fingers crossed*

[Laurie Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning! Do Not crack any eggs near this book; unless you want them fried...This is seriously hot stuff.

This book has great characters, kick ass plot lines, humor and plenty of 'Hot 'n' Heavy' along the way.


Deadly Pursuit may be the first of these author's full-length novels, but it is the second in this series. It stands well enough on its own merits, but there would be no harm in reading the previous book, 'Breakout'(A Blood Hunter Novel)just to get a deeper understanding of the other characters and inter-relationship status.


Nina Croft is one of THE main reasons behind my push to join the Kindle revolution. Frustrated by the fact that none of her books were available in hard copy, until now, I bit the bullet and bought the New Kindle in October last year.

I think I can safely say that I have read and purchased each of the e-books currently in her portfolio. As a result, I have watched her go from strength to strength with each one.

Finally, she has managed to straddle both sides of the literary publishing routes, with this, the first of her full-length novels.

Nina Croft effortlessly appears to combine several genres (of which Sci-Fi, Romance and Supernatural are just three that spring to mind) in to one exciting, fast paced and sexy reading experience.