Smoulder

by Laurell K. Hamilton

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Erotica, Romance, Fiction

Paperback

Published March 28, 2023

About the author

Laurell K. Hamilton is one of the leading writers of paranormal fiction. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Hamilton writes the popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novels and the Meredith Gentry series. She is also the creator of a bestselling comic book series based on her Anita Blake novels and published by Marvel Comics. Hamilton is a full-time writer and lives in the suburbs of St. Louis with her family.

Reviews

[Mender · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't make it past the first scene. They're in a wedding dress shop, trying on groomsman clothes for Edward and his step-son Peter. 

I used to like Edward. Learning more about him made Obsidian Butterfly my favourite book in the series. This is not the Edward of that book. You could say he's grown, if you're feeling charitable, I suppose. 

At any rate, I picked this up to lend to my flatmate who likes to flip through for the porn. I couldn't even manage to do that, because the writing annoyed me so much. 

By the end of the first scene, Asher has barged in, and there's been a bit of a fist fight, and then the real tedium continues where the characters insist on saying out loud the stuff that they would think inside their heads. Edward talking through the 'you have to decide if you're going to kill them before hand' thing. It's just a level of showing his cards on the table that he would not do. Certainly not in public. And the conversation between all of them, Edward and Asher and Peter who are complete strangers, sharing their deepest secrets and having this confessional emotional intimacy *in a public shop* was completely unearned. 

Also there's a creepy vibe of Peter wanting to sleep with Anita which I no longer trust her enough to believe is completely off the table, which just screams of grooming to me. 

So yeah, hated it, chucked it in before the end of the first chapter. Missed the wedding, did it happen? From the last page she's made up with Richard again, so yay I guess?

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hopefully Ms Hamilton reads these reviews. I think she does because this book is not a porn fest but it is one endless never ending therapy session. I read for escape not to attend therapy. I kept thinking there would be some action or something but nope. Nada. What tiny bit of action that occurred was was interrupted by yet another therapy session. I seriously don’t understand why we just can’t have a book with a story line. This wasn’t even a book. Literally nothing happened. They are supposed to be strong and powerful but not a single one of the characters is capable of a grown up thought or action. I’m thankful I borrowed this book because I’d have been ticked for spending money on this. I won’t even borrow the next one until I read reviews. Life is too short to read terrible books.

[Jordan Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I like this series, but there have been some major quality drops! Around book10 it went softcore porn, but it was countered by some element of emotional or psychological growth each book. But the problem, going polyamourous, it leaves no real room for anything else. The joy of these books were the hunting, fighting, crimes to be solved with complicated romantic relationships, rivalries, creature politicsand some mythology. This book, there was no fight scene, just sex as solution. Edward and Peter are just wasted, a couple of lines to intro semi relivant info. The crime scene, again wasted trip! There was no real mystery and the basics were solved in a few pages! The mythology was a blip at best.
The big emotional and psychological points were so multilayered with ppl and seperate issues it was all just forced through.
This was not a book, the was a long intro to a book. Basically it is little more than a build up to the new book SLAY! They should have just made it all 1 book!

[Jemima · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please make it stop 😭. It started out so well with a police case. That was solved within 40 pages and the rest of the book is just talk of their poly group.

[Corina Lilith · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a whole lot of talk with a whole lot of nothing.

Normally if I don't like a book, I won't finish it but I kept reading this one in the hopes it would get better. It did not.

Way too many characters to keep track of, a big bad villain comes to town yet everyone is bragging that they're in therapy and everyone else should go to therapy, characters meet for the first time yet a few books ago they were sexual partners.

Anita should be raising zombies otherwise "her power leaks out and finds a way" yet doesn't seem to need to any more.

So much repetition of who's who in the zoo and how Anita met them. She doesn't seem to care that certain characters are now "Brides" yet she b!tched and moaned about her first Bride even though both times were to save everyone. Now it's all fine?

Don't bother with this book. It's a filler

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this because I was already 28-books into the series, and I can't give up now. But I spent the whole time sighing loudly or whispering "JFC" under my breath. It's 90% conversation. I was an hour into the audiobook and they were still standing around the bridal shop talking and fighting. Multiple times, Anita will think something through in her head, then another character will ask what she's thinking, and she'll repeat what we all just read. It really feels like the entire purpose of this book is to get a higher word count. There's very very very little actual content.

For someone who's had a lot of therapy and won't shut up about how much therapy she and everyone else has had, Anita still jumps down everyone's throat non-stop, jumps to the worst possible conclusions, has no patience and has a nasty temper which she takes out on everyone.

These books have become sagas of needing to shower, but having multiple conversations and emergencies on the way to the shower. And infomercials for therapy where multiple guests come on the infomercial and detail how therapy helped them. And a how-to guide for polyamory, that would dissuade most people from trying it, because it just seems like constant talking, scheduling, negotiating, arguing and fights.

Filling in between all that are detailed descriptions of people's eyes. I know every single character's eye colour...

Please go back to necromancy, zombie raising, crime fighting, mysteries, battles and badassery, with a sprinkling of smut. Enough with the talking.

[skein · Rating 1 out of 5]

pretty sure the majority of this book was written by AI. it’s just too … repetitive, in an unhuman sort of way. characters say the same lines over and over, descriptions use the same words over and over, — and yeah, Hamilton has her pet phrases, but no human with a natural grasp of language has so many. hmmmmmmmmm

*

so! Ms Hamilton has started on her mental health journey! congrats to her, that must be very difficult and rewarding … but this “novel” reads like an instagram post — or kvetch diary — about medication and working through your feelings and Let Me Tell You The Things I Learned This Week In Therapy. i fully expect one of the many (many) furries to teach an imprompteau yoga class.

listening while i run and this sort of thing is about my intellectual level during exercise, but jesus god it’s not good at all. weren’t these books less trashy at some point? am i remembering wrong?

one star, entirely for the reader.

UPDATE: this entire book takes place over a single day, and i mean about twelve hours of storytime & audio both. they spend a full eight audio hours in the strip club, and half of those are walking downstairs to the basement. it’s truly astonishing, but … not in a good way.

[amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sorry to say this was my least favorite book of the series. And am I the only one that was not happy to have Richard back and to still have to deal with Asher?

[Lorena · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, basically, instead of doing a single 700 page book where nothing really happens as has been the case with the last few books in this series, LKH has decided to maximize profits by dividing up what is essentially one story between this book and the next (Slay). The two books came out fairly close together earlier this year (as if to drive home that point), and I read them fairly close together. Reader, I barely even have the energy to snark about these anymore. I certainly didn't when I first finished them, and now I only vaguely remember the outlines of what happened. I do know that
tThe main story we are following at this point is the lead-up to Anita and Jean-Claude's wedding, and dealing with Anita's family of origin and all of their issues in relation to this. I do not remember, without looking, whether we actually got to the wedding or not. I'm thinking not, because surely there would have been some ridiculous detail that would have stuck out?

The clothes people are going to wear for this wedding are ridiculous, I know that, because Smoulder opens in a shop where Edward and his son Peter are trying on exceedingly stupid-sounding outfits in their roles as attendants for Anita. Anita gets an upsetting phone call from her dad, who is an anti-supernatural bigot, about how he doesn't believe his mother abused her as a child, and about coming to town to finally meet Jean Claude face to face. Anita then cries with Peter, who she first met as a child, and who proceeds to tell her how much he lusts for her, which is horrendously squicky and inappropriate under any circumstances.

Then Asher and his were-hyena crew come in and start hurling insults (in a public dress shop, of course) and there is so much macho posturing and Peter punches the main offender out, and then there is much more macho posturing, and then there is talking about therapy and how it is helping him but not Kane, the evil bad werehyena he is bound to. This takes up literally the first 11% of the book.

Then, we get to another plot point - there are these things called "Sunshine killings" where people are exposing vampires to sunlight while they sleep. Sort of stochastic terrorism against vampires by anti-vamp bigots. There has been a murder like this in a local hotel. It is immediately obvious to the reader that the hotel maid did it. This is not immediately obvious to Anita and the police, which means we're messing around with them for another 15% of the book, partly because there is also a magical attack on Anita and Jean-Claude that draws some attention from the pretty basic murder in front of them, and everyone is worried this is part of some bigger plot aimed at JC and the wedding.

Then there is a bunch of security theater, and bickering with Ru and Rodina, two of Anita's "brides" who are supposedly totally mind-controlled by her, except Rodina not so much and there is a lot of pointless bitching and posturing. They head BACK to the wedding shop, because it's date night for Anita and Jean-Claude, and she needs 2 hours in hair and makeup to get ready. Anita then has a crisis because she looks feminine (and you can be sure the "calling other people girls as an insult thing" has been in full force for her up until now in this book). After another 10% of the book freaking out about this, she starts to maybe think that perhaps she shouldn't let herself be so triggered by what her family said about her when she was a kid. Therapy breakthrough! Huzzah! But moving on.

We are now off to one of the clubs, because Jean Claude is stripping tonight, and this is part of the date? Sure. Blah blah blah security theater and posturing, Anita is so tough and also famous, she keeps this guard Rodina around even though she despises her and she is a danger to herself and others, another 10% of the book gone. Now JC is gonna do his act. Anita muses some more about how she just doesn't understand Other Women, because they are stupid, not like her. Some weird magic shit happens and the crowd gets crazier than usual. It's another magic attack, and clearly Anita needs to join some random werewolf onstage and do sex stuff to fight back.

Then, at about 50% through the book, fucking RICHARD shows up. He is here because he has also sensed the magic attack. He has suddenly decided to get over all of his issues that kept him from being part of the polyamorous army generally and the power triad with JC and Anita in particular. Bygones, he declares. Or rather, bi-gones, because Richard is coming out as bisexual now. They start heading in a sexy direction, but then the bad guy attacks again and slows things down, because heaven knows we were moving MUCH too fast before now. The bad guy is called Deimos. He is yet another previously-hidden vampire who is after JC's power base. It's funny how Anita's crew keeps defeating The Most Baddest And Dangerousest Vampire Evah, only to find that there is YET ANOTHER Most Baddest And Dangerousest Vampire Evah out there who was previously hiding from them, on account of their even more extreme badness and dangerousness. The trio have sex, which knocks Deimos back a bit, and then JC goes back on stage to alter the audience's memories and convince them something totally different happened.

Spend about another 25% of the book explaining polyamory and all the various relationships to Richard. They all decide and declare most definitely that it is of vital importance that they absolutely finalize their triumvirate of power by taking the next set of marks from JC before dawn. If you guessed they are going to spend most of the rest of the book dithering and not getting to the point on this, you would be correct. Also they talk about there maybe being a real Dragon who is also a vampire out there somewhere. There's some more drama with Asher and the hyenas at the very end, and then we're out of time for this book.

[Robin Duncan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is very poor. I read 41 pages; I tried, I really did.
Boring narrative, dull dialogue, empty characters.

[Olivia Barrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does anyone else miss pre-therapy Laurell K. Hamilton?
I read to get away from all the shit going on in my life. If I needed professional help, I'd find it, but escaping a few hours a day in the pages of a book as been my go-to since I learned to read. The last few Anita Blake novels have read like a cross between a self-help book and a how-to manual with a dash of crime noir thrown in for good measure. When the characters aren't spending a mind-numbing amount of time talking about therapy, they're explaining the how-to's of joining, being in, and sustaining a happy polyamorous relationship. Why, oh why, has Laurell K. Hamilton picked up this baton? Yes, mental health is important, and sure, I guess better understanding the main characters' complex love-life "can" be interesting...at first. But do I have to read and re-read and read again about the same damn thing? And I thought the chapter-long descriptions of Anita's weapons were bad...
Now that I've vented.
Ms. Hamilton has not missed the mark when it comes to creating nail-biting, heart-pumping, page-turning suspense with the newest threat to Anita, John Claude and their ever growing polycule. I'll spend the next few days (maybe weeks) reading up on the folklore and mythology covered in the book. It's one of the reasons I love her books so much. Richard's return was always expected (at least for me) but I can't say I'm happy with the sudden change in the character built up from beginning of the series. Even therapy couldn't explain away the big surprise announced at his return. It just felt...made up. I still love the world of Anita Blake and while I'll never buy another book, I'll always run to the library as soon as the newest one is released.

[Nope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Borrowed this from my library, and I'm very glad I didn't pay for it, cause it would be a waste of money. Anyone who is leaving a 5 star review of this book is either getting paid, got the book for free or didn't read it.

Love LKH and have been a big fan of the Vampire Hunter series for over a decade, but this was sadly one of the most boring books in her series to read. Probably the most boring book I've ever bothered to finish, period.

One plot hook was introduced early on, only to never be brought back up again. Like, what was the point?! The meat of the "action" is in the middle, but even that's just a lot of talking, and not much happens. And then add in one long chapter at the very end, WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS. Just talking in circles.

It made me mad that there was no resolution. As people are pointing out, this seems to be an intro to her next book, where hopefully things will be brought together. But that's really odd for a LKH book, and I don't think there's been a Vampire Hunter book that was like that before. Usually each book can be a stand-alone if you want.

I don't know if something went wrong in the editing, or if maybe she was pressured into finishing up and putting out a new book on a deadline. But this, and the next book, should have just been one.

The only reason why I'm giving it 2 stars instead of 1 is because I am hoping everything that was left to hang will be resolved in the next one. Here's hoping it won't take years to come out.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't usually trash books, specially not ones from a belloved saga and writer... But this one really got on my nerves... So there we go...

I don't know if it's this book or that it's been years coming... But I don't think I'll stick around much longer. I'm still fond of some characters but not enough to deal with everyone. I missed more than ever the Anita that killed people. I would've killed away so many problems in this book... Specially the last part.

It was honestly ridiculous how they are supposedly facing this big bad new super-evil (or not, we don't actually know anything about them) running against the clock... But everyone and their mother popped out of nowhere to stop what's going on, again and again, to talk about their feelings... It's like... "We may die in half an hour but we need to talk about my petty feelings for the next 3 days"... 😑 Absurd. Specially at the end... If it was a fisical book and not my cellphone I would have been tempted to throw it through the window.

The book manages to both drag the story to the point of absurdity and feel rushed in all the important parts.

My recommendation? Find a summary, only 4 things actually happen that matter at all, it'll take you 1minute to read a summary, and skip this book entirely. It is not worth the time.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shrinkflation! As I read this via eBook, I don't know if the page/word count was actually lighter and LKH has always been great at getting a book wrapped up in the last chapter or few pages, this one seems like the pacing is totally different and didn't seem to me to be a full storyline. As I've developed with the characters through the series, the way the book "ends" is resonating and thought-provoking - but I do not like the book is basically the first skirmish in a "battle with the big bad" and worldbuilding. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved the detail and character development, but don't like the new trend of parts one, two, etc. Additionally, I am so sold on this universe, I took up the book without reading PR so was unprepared to end the book without more information on the new foe or their defeat. (Yup, I had the same problem with the last movie I saw - Fast X)

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is getting better - though still not as good as the earlier books. Less sex which is good (I like good sexy scenes - but it was getting ridiculous). Anita still overthinks everything - they are running out of time, but she has to analyse everything! I just want to shake her sometimes. This book does have Anita back to police work - a mystery to solve - and a new evil villain to defeat (which is what I enjoy most about this series). But then it's all carried on to the next book, nothing much was worked out or resolved (too much time ringing hands and worrying) which is frustrating. It is improving - but I would still like to see more of Anita's work (solving mysteries & defeating evil) and less time trying to get everyone into therapy.

[Tea the library lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to wait extra time to get my hands on this one. For some reason it was weeks late in Australia - annoying.
But it was so good! Silly me thought we might actually get to the wedding of Anita and Jean-Claude but no. Instead we got the surprise that Richard has decided to rejoin the poly group and seems to be acting like a grown up, which is a huge change for him.
We got a new threat - defeated or just inconvenienced? Remains to be seen. We got teasers of Anita's family - supporting or a new threat? Remains to be seen.
All in all this is a teaser book - cliff hangers much?

[Allan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a way this went back to the earlier books before they went soft porn, poly, but with a difference there was no hunting killing of the evil doers.
Edward was pointless, unless its a build up for him to slay a dragon. Wtf is going on with harliquinn, the bodyguardz, just who is anita not fk. Felt limr a introduction on jow to join a poly group.


Can we get back to what made people buy the books 29 books ago.


Can we have less of copycat anitas reallife


More importantly can we get us some new Merry

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read other reviews. I disagree with them. As my husband, Patrick said the title of this book basically states that there will be no resolution to the story's new plot lines. I really do love the new subtle polycule relations and resigned development of the primary trinity. Asher's personality portrayal was a bit random in consistency. Asher's animal to call is dooomed because he is a firely jealous and shall be killed by Anita soon. Other characters has interesting subtle development.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, but not as good as some of her earlier stuff. This one had no resolve in the fight with the bad guy. I would love to see Anita kick more butt in the upcoming novel as well as still maintaining her relationships.
One of my favourite lines in the book was when she said about just shooting through the purse, don't bother pulling out the gun. This is the old school Anita I feel in love with, more of this please!

[Debs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story starts off with with Anita and Jean-Claude's wedding dress rehersal. Edward doesn't seem to like his outfit as it has a lot of leather to it. A strange murder has happened which takes Anita away from trying on dresses. A vampire has been killed and the only witness is a maid who put out the fire from the corpse. She has a faraway look in her eye and mumbles strange things. There seems to a presence which is affecting people in a strange way. And an old acquaintance returns.

[Chelbra Washington · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this a 0 I would. I have been a fan of this series for many years. This entire book was a waste of time due to the ending. All the relationship issues they talk about makes me think this is really all about the author's personal life. She really should just end this series and enjoy the royalties from the series. She has obviously lost her touch in this series. So disappointed.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number 29 and still gets me hooked in everytime! I still enjoy the storyline and all of the characters and the conflict. It's nice to see the development of the individual plots. Definitely feels like change.

In terms of progress, it was roughly a 24 hour period but jam packed. I wish it was longer. However, look forward tot he next installment!

[Sj Makepeace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her better ones. Gutted it started off well and felt like it went off somewhere in no particular direction. On to the last book 😬 Hoping its better, or is there going to be more? Not sure where story is going to end. Was hoping Olaf would be in the ending books.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few bits of this book were okay. Some bits I didn't like because they were boring me.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't enjoy these books as much as I used to, but I'm still invested enough to check the books out from the library.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much introspection. Too many lovers - I lose track! No action at all.

[TipsyMermaid GR · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a great return for Anita Blake. A lot of superfluous descriptions and therapy session talk. Almost no action or sex. Hopefully it picks up in Slay.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sauciest book on wokery there has been. And a big bad for the pack to see off.

[Sharon Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. I can never get enough of Anita, her preternatural cases and the drama that comes from dealing with so many egos.

[Tanya Pienaar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Richard, back in for now? What is going on. Really delaying the wedding. That is what everyone is waiting for. Can we also get a good balance of sex scenes and story.