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Dark Desires #1
Break Out
The immortal heart knows no bounds.
The year is 3048, Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars where they've discovered the secret of immortality-Meridian. Unfortunately, the radioactive mineral is exorbitantly expensive and only available to a select few. A new class comprised of the super rich and immortal soon evolves. The Collective, as they're called, rule the universe.
Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can't resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. When beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted by the Collective has never been so dangerous-or so fun!
The year is 3048, Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars where they've discovered the secret of immortality-Meridian. Unfortunately, the radioactive mineral is exorbitantly expensive and only available to a select few. A new class comprised of the super rich and immortal soon evolves. The Collective, as they're called, rule the universe.
Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can't resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. When beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted by the Collective has never been so dangerous-or so fun!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
184 people are currently reading
2758 people want to read
About the author
Nina Croft
88 books1,096 followersGrowing 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
If you'd like to find out about new releases then sign up for my Newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l...
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
If you'd like to find out about new releases then sign up for my Newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
February 9, 2017
DNF at 27%
I'm so tired of these same, tired, bad tropes being brought out to play.
First - I'm not a fan of deception between my heroes, and the heroine here is hiding something BIG. Ugh. Gross.
Second - We're how many thousands of years in the future, and we're still calling women "whores". Give me a break.
Third - the hero has no common sense and does things that are likely to get him killed, apparently for the story. The heroine is unreliable, and apparently an idiot who doesn't even know what she's doing in her own training simulation.
Fourth - Get the heroine drunk trope, but not too drunk. Have hero check, several times, to be sure he's not taking advantage. Distraction. Heroine gets pissed at hero because she gave into her own desires. And then punch him.
And now, I'm done.
I'm so tired of these same, tired, bad tropes being brought out to play.
First - I'm not a fan of deception between my heroes, and the heroine here is hiding something BIG. Ugh. Gross.
Second - We're how many thousands of years in the future, and we're still calling women "whores". Give me a break.
Third - the hero has no common sense and does things that are likely to get him killed, apparently for the story. The heroine is unreliable, and apparently an idiot who doesn't even know what she's doing in her own training simulation.
Fourth - Get the heroine drunk trope, but not too drunk. Have hero check, several times, to be sure he's not taking advantage. Distraction. Heroine gets pissed at hero because she gave into her own desires. And then punch him.
And now, I'm done.
April 20, 2016
3.5 - "There's always a choice." Stars.
Space is definitely the 'final frontier' for me when it comes to reading a romance novel. I can honestly say it isn't an area that I would normally look for my romance 'jollies', and in truth it probably isn't a genre that I will be rushing out to buy more of in future.
But Break Out is written by Nina Croft, so that changes things a tad for me. I love her writing and haven't read a bad book by her in the past, so I pulled out my Lightsabre, fired up my Lego Millenium Falcon and strapped myself in to venture into the unknown, and I am happy that I did. Nina, as usual didn't let me down.
He wanted her to know who he was. What he was.
Sexy Vampire Rico, and the elusive intriguing Sklyar, as well as the rest of the crew of the El Cazador pulled me in, kept me interested, and left me looking for more at the end.
Thankfully, book 2 Deadly Pursuit is due out at the end of October, so I don't have to wait too long too, continue boldly going where I haven't been before!
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Space is definitely the 'final frontier' for me when it comes to reading a romance novel. I can honestly say it isn't an area that I would normally look for my romance 'jollies', and in truth it probably isn't a genre that I will be rushing out to buy more of in future.
But Break Out is written by Nina Croft, so that changes things a tad for me. I love her writing and haven't read a bad book by her in the past, so I pulled out my Lightsabre, fired up my Lego Millenium Falcon and strapped myself in to venture into the unknown, and I am happy that I did. Nina, as usual didn't let me down.
He wanted her to know who he was. What he was.
Sexy Vampire Rico, and the elusive intriguing Sklyar, as well as the rest of the crew of the El Cazador pulled me in, kept me interested, and left me looking for more at the end.
Thankfully, book 2 Deadly Pursuit is due out at the end of October, so I don't have to wait too long too, continue boldly going where I haven't been before!
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
July 7, 2025
Purch Amazon March 22, 2016
Break Out (Dark Desires #1) by Nina Croft is an Adult Science Fiction/Paranormal Action/Adventure Romance.
Exceedingly well written! It starts off immediately with plenty of action with Rico running from an angry mob. The non-stop action and adventure continues to the last word on the last page. Although I found 3 typo errors, the story moves seamlessly. Not only are the character builds of the H/H complex and well developed, but you get a very solid idea of the secondary characters. In fact, you can't help but feel connected to each of them.
I was captivated by this world. Bewitched by the characters. Enamored with Rico and fascinated with both Skylar and Tannis. I was enchanted by Daisy, and intrigued by Janey. I admit it! I have been enthralled!! I could not stop reading this book.
I am shocked that this doesn't have a higher star rating! It is a 'Great Read'!!
Not only is it sci-fi, which gives you the genetically modified humans but there are paranormal's too. Then there is 'The Collective', humans who have become immortals with the use of Meridian.
I was so impressed with this story, the writing and the world build, that as soon as I finished the last word I immediately went looking for book #2, purchased it and downloaded it! I also added Ms. Nina Croft to my Goodreads book shelf.
It looks like there are 6 books in this series at this time. This one, 'Break Out' is free on Amazon right now. I found book #2, 'Deadly Pursuit' listed for .99 cents!! Books #3, 4, and 5 are listed at 1.99 and book #6 is listed for pre-order at 3.99.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves Action/Adventure, Paranormal, or Sci-fi that is written for Adults!
Break Out (Dark Desires #1) by Nina Croft is an Adult Science Fiction/Paranormal Action/Adventure Romance.
Exceedingly well written! It starts off immediately with plenty of action with Rico running from an angry mob. The non-stop action and adventure continues to the last word on the last page. Although I found 3 typo errors, the story moves seamlessly. Not only are the character builds of the H/H complex and well developed, but you get a very solid idea of the secondary characters. In fact, you can't help but feel connected to each of them.
I was captivated by this world. Bewitched by the characters. Enamored with Rico and fascinated with both Skylar and Tannis. I was enchanted by Daisy, and intrigued by Janey. I admit it! I have been enthralled!! I could not stop reading this book.
I am shocked that this doesn't have a higher star rating! It is a 'Great Read'!!
Not only is it sci-fi, which gives you the genetically modified humans but there are paranormal's too. Then there is 'The Collective', humans who have become immortals with the use of Meridian.
I was so impressed with this story, the writing and the world build, that as soon as I finished the last word I immediately went looking for book #2, purchased it and downloaded it! I also added Ms. Nina Croft to my Goodreads book shelf.
It looks like there are 6 books in this series at this time. This one, 'Break Out' is free on Amazon right now. I found book #2, 'Deadly Pursuit' listed for .99 cents!! Books #3, 4, and 5 are listed at 1.99 and book #6 is listed for pre-order at 3.99.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves Action/Adventure, Paranormal, or Sci-fi that is written for Adults!
Want to read
January 7, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/7/2020)! 🎁
July 7, 2011
Rico is a vampire born in the 15th century. He's a mercenary with his own ship, with a strange crew, and he uses sex as a substitute for his darker cravings. Those cravings are the reason he got entangled with Skylar, it became known throughout the universe that he has a weakness for pretty women.
Skylar needs someone to help her extract a prisoner from a maximum security prison. Rico looks ideal for the assignment. If only she could stop fantasizing about him. There's just something about him that drives her in, no matter how much she wants to resist.
I like both Skylar and Rico, and Rico's crew is great as well.
The world-building is interesting. I haven't yet read a futuristic romance with vampires in them.
The only thing I don't like is the end. Some thing are left dangling. I know that there'll be a sequel, but it seems like we are being teased on purpose.
Rating:
4 stars
Skylar needs someone to help her extract a prisoner from a maximum security prison. Rico looks ideal for the assignment. If only she could stop fantasizing about him. There's just something about him that drives her in, no matter how much she wants to resist.
I like both Skylar and Rico, and Rico's crew is great as well.
The world-building is interesting. I haven't yet read a futuristic romance with vampires in them.
The only thing I don't like is the end. Some thing are left dangling. I know that there'll be a sequel, but it seems like we are being teased on purpose.
Rating:
4 stars
July 6, 2011
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: July 1, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.ninacroft.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Blood Hunter series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
In the year 3048, Planet Earth has become inhabitable, and humans have joined with other space-faring species. For the very rich and elite, the Meridian treatment is a much sought-after way to ensure immortality. However, Meridian is incredibly rare and expensive, allowing only an elite few to afford the treatment. Worse than that, however, is the deadly nature of the mineral in its raw form -- exposure to unprocessed Meridian is a death sentence. Because of this, prisoners are often sentenced to serve in the Meridian mines, as escape is futile due to the simple fact that once exposed, death soon follows.
Vampire Ricardo Sanchez, one of Earth's original pirates, is now the pilot of the infamous space cruiser, El Cazador de la Sangre -- The Blood Hunter. A womanizer to the extreme, he unapologetically uses physical passion to keep his darker vampire nature at bay, and has earned the reputation of being the best mercenary available.
Skylar Rossaria is a woman on a mission. A well-trained soldier disguising herself as a bubble-brained bimbo, she hires Rico and his crew to do the impossible -- break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One -- a feat that has never before been attempted let alone succeeded. Trakis One is more than just a mere prison planet -- it's virtually impossible to approach let alone escape from. Positioned perilously close to a black hole, with an extremely inhospitable atmosphere, prisoners are kept in cryo-sleep. Despite her reputation, sleek build, and incredible firepower, even El Cazador has no chance of successfully approaching the planet. However, Rico isn't one to back down from a challenge, especially when presented by a beautiful woman. The riches promised as a reward are enough to entice the rest of the crew to agree, but Rico has his eye on something other than mere credits -- if they succeed, Skylar must allow Rico to taste her blood, something that will reveal all of her secrets (as well as her true identity) to him.
With no choice but to agree to Rico's conditions, Skylar and the crew of El Cazador plan the most daring prison break in known history.
Overall, I was absolutely thrilled with this book. While it was available on Netgalley, I couldn't resist supporting the newly established Entangled Publishing by purchasing it through Amazon. As of the writing of this review, Break Out is only $0.99 for Kindle, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of vampires and futuristic space adventure. While this is obviously the start of a series, it also felt complete despite the fact that the ending leaves a perfect setup for the next book in the series, Deadly Pursuit, due out in January of next year.
I must admit that this is the first Nina Croft story I've written, but that I will be cheerfully stalking this series, and as such dear readers, you should prepare yourself for quite a bit of fangirling from my general direction closer to the release of the sequel.
Recommended for fans of slutty ancient vampires who finally meet their match, secret identities and double-crossing, and thrilling space adventures. A very cheerful 5/5 Stars.
Expected Release Date: July 1, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.ninacroft.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Blood Hunter series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
In the year 3048, Planet Earth has become inhabitable, and humans have joined with other space-faring species. For the very rich and elite, the Meridian treatment is a much sought-after way to ensure immortality. However, Meridian is incredibly rare and expensive, allowing only an elite few to afford the treatment. Worse than that, however, is the deadly nature of the mineral in its raw form -- exposure to unprocessed Meridian is a death sentence. Because of this, prisoners are often sentenced to serve in the Meridian mines, as escape is futile due to the simple fact that once exposed, death soon follows.
Vampire Ricardo Sanchez, one of Earth's original pirates, is now the pilot of the infamous space cruiser, El Cazador de la Sangre -- The Blood Hunter. A womanizer to the extreme, he unapologetically uses physical passion to keep his darker vampire nature at bay, and has earned the reputation of being the best mercenary available.
Skylar Rossaria is a woman on a mission. A well-trained soldier disguising herself as a bubble-brained bimbo, she hires Rico and his crew to do the impossible -- break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One -- a feat that has never before been attempted let alone succeeded. Trakis One is more than just a mere prison planet -- it's virtually impossible to approach let alone escape from. Positioned perilously close to a black hole, with an extremely inhospitable atmosphere, prisoners are kept in cryo-sleep. Despite her reputation, sleek build, and incredible firepower, even El Cazador has no chance of successfully approaching the planet. However, Rico isn't one to back down from a challenge, especially when presented by a beautiful woman. The riches promised as a reward are enough to entice the rest of the crew to agree, but Rico has his eye on something other than mere credits -- if they succeed, Skylar must allow Rico to taste her blood, something that will reveal all of her secrets (as well as her true identity) to him.
With no choice but to agree to Rico's conditions, Skylar and the crew of El Cazador plan the most daring prison break in known history.
Overall, I was absolutely thrilled with this book. While it was available on Netgalley, I couldn't resist supporting the newly established Entangled Publishing by purchasing it through Amazon. As of the writing of this review, Break Out is only $0.99 for Kindle, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of vampires and futuristic space adventure. While this is obviously the start of a series, it also felt complete despite the fact that the ending leaves a perfect setup for the next book in the series, Deadly Pursuit, due out in January of next year.
I must admit that this is the first Nina Croft story I've written, but that I will be cheerfully stalking this series, and as such dear readers, you should prepare yourself for quite a bit of fangirling from my general direction closer to the release of the sequel.
Recommended for fans of slutty ancient vampires who finally meet their match, secret identities and double-crossing, and thrilling space adventures. A very cheerful 5/5 Stars.
July 13, 2011
Favorite Lines: “Is this some weird vampire shit? Do vampires even have sex? Everlasting Hell, don’t tell me you’re impotent.” (p. 45, e-galley)
I’ve been dreading this review. I’ve read nothing but stellar reviews and know I’m going to catch grief for not rating this $1 book higher on GoodReads. It’s not that I didn’t like the story; I didn’t love the characters.
Break Out is an erotic Star Trek meets Stargate story. Not a bad thing, right? Well, I found Ricardo to be a lazy jerk. He slowly began to reform over the course of the story. I never got over the cad who seduced her in private quarters without telling her the act might be witnessed by his crew. Skylar was a sneak who couldn’t be trusted. Sure it takes all kinds to make a well-rounded world, but I didn’t care if they found love together.
I liked the sexual tension and the pacing of the story. Unfortunately Break Out is just not a book I want to read again. It’s a novella so there isn’t time for the characters to realistically grow and the plot can only go so far leaving many things to be taken up in the next installment of the Blood Hunter series.
Buy it or Skip it: It’s less than $1, buy it and see what you think. Come back and let me know. Do you think I’m being too hard on it? Why or why not?
Scooper Speaks
I’ve been dreading this review. I’ve read nothing but stellar reviews and know I’m going to catch grief for not rating this $1 book higher on GoodReads. It’s not that I didn’t like the story; I didn’t love the characters.
Break Out is an erotic Star Trek meets Stargate story. Not a bad thing, right? Well, I found Ricardo to be a lazy jerk. He slowly began to reform over the course of the story. I never got over the cad who seduced her in private quarters without telling her the act might be witnessed by his crew. Skylar was a sneak who couldn’t be trusted. Sure it takes all kinds to make a well-rounded world, but I didn’t care if they found love together.
I liked the sexual tension and the pacing of the story. Unfortunately Break Out is just not a book I want to read again. It’s a novella so there isn’t time for the characters to realistically grow and the plot can only go so far leaving many things to be taken up in the next installment of the Blood Hunter series.
Buy it or Skip it: It’s less than $1, buy it and see what you think. Come back and let me know. Do you think I’m being too hard on it? Why or why not?
Scooper Speaks
October 15, 2017
Rico is a vampire, born/made in the 15th century. This takes place in 3048, Earth is no more (doesn't say why) and mankind has taken to space. That also means genetic engineering and the discovery of Meridian. Meridian is an expensive mineral that has the ability to make a person immortal. As the series continues, I'm assuming I will learn more about it. Skylar makes Rico and his crew an offer they can't refuse. Skylar has her own secrets.
This was fun. I enjoyed the interactions of the crew of the El Cazador: Tannis, Daisy, Janey, Trog, and Al. Decent action, romance, and banter. Reminded me a little of Firefly. Looking forward to the next. It looks like it picks right up after this one, but with Al and Jon.
This was fun. I enjoyed the interactions of the crew of the El Cazador: Tannis, Daisy, Janey, Trog, and Al. Decent action, romance, and banter. Reminded me a little of Firefly. Looking forward to the next. It looks like it picks right up after this one, but with Al and Jon.
September 14, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Paranormal Romance meets Science Fiction in this adrenaline-laced take on a crew of smugglers taking on a seemingly suicidal mission for an obsene amount of money.
Opening Sentence: Rico hurled himself behind the huge trunk of a tree and stood, back pressed against the rough bark, as the missiles whizzed past.
The Review:
Visions of stars and worlds beyond our imagination are part of the appeal of the science fiction genre. Now add in some unforgettable characters, including a vampire and genetically altered people, and you have this book. Break Out is part-Herbert’s Dune, part-Ice Pirates movie, and a dash of Kenyon’s League with a twist of lime. Basically, it’s complex, funny, and full of interstellar action.
In this reality, man has left Earth and travels the stars. There are several powerful factions at work throughout the Galaxy. The Collective, the group that Skylar is a part of, has developed and distributed a drug that gives immortality. There is also the Church, the Rebels, and all sorts of little players in between. The backgrounds of each sect are doled out sparingly, so the story itself isn’t overshadowed. In this book, there is more focus on the personal issues of the main characters rather than more political ones of each faction. The Croft also offers technical details of the ship, like the El Cazador de la Sangre, space ports, and planets without it droning on. I liked that the world information flows so seamlessly within the main storyline and not some person sprouting off stats to another character like some boring history lesson.
Skylar Ross is finally getting her first solo mission; break into an unbreakable prison and escape with one of the convicts. To accomplish this seemingly impossible task, she goes undercover and enlists the “services” of a notorious band of space smugglers. But being away from everything that she has ever known, mainly the hive mind of the Collective, has left her more than a little vulnerable to her more baser emotions. It has also left her unprepared for the ferocious sensuality of the pilot, Rico. Skylar’s character is strong and capable of handling anything that comes her way, but has been left without the feeling of acceptance and belonging. Is the El Cazador de la Sangre, the Blood Hunter, a place where she can belong? Even with a crew of misfits and renegades with dark secrets of their own, can they accept Skylar and her “good guy” past?
Ricardo “Rico” Sanchez is a 2,000 year old vampire, give or take a few hundred years. His time is full of whisky, women, and blood and the occasional smuggling challenge that keeps his afterlife full of surprises. He does as he pleases, whenever he pleases. But nothing in Rico’s past experiences can prepare him for Skylar. She was just supposed to be a client, but everything about her calls to the primitive side within him. Rico’s character is more calculated craziness than meticulous planning; quite the opposite of Skylar’s rigid discipline and restrained nature. Though the sexual tension between the two could rival a supernova, what are the chances of two so very different people having a happily-ever-after?
Though the emphasis is in not in character development, Break Out does offer memorable characters. Each member of the crew aboard the El Cazador has secrets and histories that are hinted at throughout the book. Though we may not get to know them personally, the unity among the crew members is telling in itself. You get the sense that they can count on each other based on their current actions and not their pasts. When Skylar proves her loyalty by saving one of the them when she didn’t have to get involved, her acceptance in this exclusive club begins. I really enjoyed the byplay between everyone. Even when things were at their most tense and dangerous, the crew would still heckle and jab each other. The sense of family and comradery is one of the things that make this book a good read.
Overall, Break Out is fantastic. It has a nice flow to it that makes it an easier read than most others in the sci-fi genre. I can recommend this to readers that enjoy science fiction but don’t have the patience to muddle through all the foundation details that most books in this genre possess.
Notable Scene:
“Come on, Skylar, you know you want to play with me.” Rico’s tone was low and dark and ignited a fire deep inside her.
The flare of heat reminded her that he was dangerous— that she couldn’t trust herself around him and that she should get the hell out of there. Instead, she slowly sank into her chair. “What are we playing?”
He grinned. “Seven-card stud. A game I learned when I lived in the Wild West. Around a thousand years ago, give or take a couple of hundred.”
“I’ve read about the Wild West,” Daisy said, eyes wide. “Were you a cowboy?”
Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “I’m a vampire, honey, and there aren’t too many cows that need chasing at night.” He relaxed in his chair. “So this,” he said, picking up the box in front of him, “is a deck of cards.”
FTC Advisory: Entangled Publishing graciously provided me with a copy of Break Out. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.
Quick & Dirty: Paranormal Romance meets Science Fiction in this adrenaline-laced take on a crew of smugglers taking on a seemingly suicidal mission for an obsene amount of money.
Opening Sentence: Rico hurled himself behind the huge trunk of a tree and stood, back pressed against the rough bark, as the missiles whizzed past.
The Review:
Visions of stars and worlds beyond our imagination are part of the appeal of the science fiction genre. Now add in some unforgettable characters, including a vampire and genetically altered people, and you have this book. Break Out is part-Herbert’s Dune, part-Ice Pirates movie, and a dash of Kenyon’s League with a twist of lime. Basically, it’s complex, funny, and full of interstellar action.
In this reality, man has left Earth and travels the stars. There are several powerful factions at work throughout the Galaxy. The Collective, the group that Skylar is a part of, has developed and distributed a drug that gives immortality. There is also the Church, the Rebels, and all sorts of little players in between. The backgrounds of each sect are doled out sparingly, so the story itself isn’t overshadowed. In this book, there is more focus on the personal issues of the main characters rather than more political ones of each faction. The Croft also offers technical details of the ship, like the El Cazador de la Sangre, space ports, and planets without it droning on. I liked that the world information flows so seamlessly within the main storyline and not some person sprouting off stats to another character like some boring history lesson.
Skylar Ross is finally getting her first solo mission; break into an unbreakable prison and escape with one of the convicts. To accomplish this seemingly impossible task, she goes undercover and enlists the “services” of a notorious band of space smugglers. But being away from everything that she has ever known, mainly the hive mind of the Collective, has left her more than a little vulnerable to her more baser emotions. It has also left her unprepared for the ferocious sensuality of the pilot, Rico. Skylar’s character is strong and capable of handling anything that comes her way, but has been left without the feeling of acceptance and belonging. Is the El Cazador de la Sangre, the Blood Hunter, a place where she can belong? Even with a crew of misfits and renegades with dark secrets of their own, can they accept Skylar and her “good guy” past?
Ricardo “Rico” Sanchez is a 2,000 year old vampire, give or take a few hundred years. His time is full of whisky, women, and blood and the occasional smuggling challenge that keeps his afterlife full of surprises. He does as he pleases, whenever he pleases. But nothing in Rico’s past experiences can prepare him for Skylar. She was just supposed to be a client, but everything about her calls to the primitive side within him. Rico’s character is more calculated craziness than meticulous planning; quite the opposite of Skylar’s rigid discipline and restrained nature. Though the sexual tension between the two could rival a supernova, what are the chances of two so very different people having a happily-ever-after?
Though the emphasis is in not in character development, Break Out does offer memorable characters. Each member of the crew aboard the El Cazador has secrets and histories that are hinted at throughout the book. Though we may not get to know them personally, the unity among the crew members is telling in itself. You get the sense that they can count on each other based on their current actions and not their pasts. When Skylar proves her loyalty by saving one of the them when she didn’t have to get involved, her acceptance in this exclusive club begins. I really enjoyed the byplay between everyone. Even when things were at their most tense and dangerous, the crew would still heckle and jab each other. The sense of family and comradery is one of the things that make this book a good read.
Overall, Break Out is fantastic. It has a nice flow to it that makes it an easier read than most others in the sci-fi genre. I can recommend this to readers that enjoy science fiction but don’t have the patience to muddle through all the foundation details that most books in this genre possess.
Notable Scene:
“Come on, Skylar, you know you want to play with me.” Rico’s tone was low and dark and ignited a fire deep inside her.
The flare of heat reminded her that he was dangerous— that she couldn’t trust herself around him and that she should get the hell out of there. Instead, she slowly sank into her chair. “What are we playing?”
He grinned. “Seven-card stud. A game I learned when I lived in the Wild West. Around a thousand years ago, give or take a couple of hundred.”
“I’ve read about the Wild West,” Daisy said, eyes wide. “Were you a cowboy?”
Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “I’m a vampire, honey, and there aren’t too many cows that need chasing at night.” He relaxed in his chair. “So this,” he said, picking up the box in front of him, “is a deck of cards.”
FTC Advisory: Entangled Publishing graciously provided me with a copy of Break Out. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.
July 3, 2011
A sizzling hot Space Opera complete with vampires!
Skylar is on first solo mission as an elite intelligence officer. Disconnected from her team, she’s completely on her own, and this mission cannot fail. She’s trained for every situation, except a sexy vampire rogue who wants to take advantage of her and taste her blood. She can’t give in to her desires, because if he gets close enough, he’ll learn too much and her mission will fail.
Combine space ships with vampires, pirates, and romance, and you get Breakout by Nina Croft. The characters are so vivid, they jump off the page and talk right at you, and the brilliant dialog made me laugh out loud several times. The chemistry between Skylar and Rico starts hot and doesn’t stop heating up, until I thought the ebook would burst into flames on my computer.
A must read for science fiction romance fans.
Skylar is on first solo mission as an elite intelligence officer. Disconnected from her team, she’s completely on her own, and this mission cannot fail. She’s trained for every situation, except a sexy vampire rogue who wants to take advantage of her and taste her blood. She can’t give in to her desires, because if he gets close enough, he’ll learn too much and her mission will fail.
Combine space ships with vampires, pirates, and romance, and you get Breakout by Nina Croft. The characters are so vivid, they jump off the page and talk right at you, and the brilliant dialog made me laugh out loud several times. The chemistry between Skylar and Rico starts hot and doesn’t stop heating up, until I thought the ebook would burst into flames on my computer.
A must read for science fiction romance fans.
July 3, 2011
I've not read much sci-fi/space opera romance, but if they are all like this, I may be hooked. The story begins with Rico running for his life and doesn't stop the fast paced race until the very end. He's one hot hero. I love that he's not stupid and stayed one step ahead of the heroine.
Skylar is one tough cookie, too. She's vulnerable yet strong, and isn't afraid to ask for what she wants. I found myself cheering her on when she would one-up Rico--no easy task.
Ms. Croft created a whirl-wind story that ate away my afternoon with a fun world and an even funner cast of characters. I loved this book and can't wait for the next installment. I have to know who Al is!
Visit http://sirenssongreviews.blogspot.com... for the rest of the review.
Skylar is one tough cookie, too. She's vulnerable yet strong, and isn't afraid to ask for what she wants. I found myself cheering her on when she would one-up Rico--no easy task.
Ms. Croft created a whirl-wind story that ate away my afternoon with a fun world and an even funner cast of characters. I loved this book and can't wait for the next installment. I have to know who Al is!
Visit http://sirenssongreviews.blogspot.com... for the rest of the review.
March 27, 2016
Who would have thought that reading about vampires in space could be mildly entertaining? I certainly didn't, but Break Out was entertaining enough that I'm thinking about getting the second one in the series.
February 19, 2016
I found out about this book by reading an article about women who write scifi romance. There was a bit of an interview with the author & mention of the second book in the series debut. Scifi with some romance & I was already interested. Vampires in space? What the hell, I'm game. So off I went to get the first book.
I have to say that it was far less scifi serious than I expected but as soon as I just went with the story, I had a good time with it. The hints given about the Collective, the Church & the bio-engineering company along with the rest of the general society snippets left me wanting more. I wanted to know more about this world the characters move around in (hopefully that's expanded in book 2) & how these huge players came to be just that. There were mentions of a lot of cool things but as there wasn't much delving in, it all remains fairly surface. The escape & fight/battle scenes were very well done. I loved the showdown on the space station orbiting Trakis Five near the end. It was fairly brutal.
Now to the characters. The supporting characters were interesting but much like the big organizations I mentioned above, there is no deep getting to know them. They had good banter & definitely displayed some interesting characteristics but there's no getting to know them here. They're all likable enough but there's not much to connect to with them.
Skylar & Rico had good lust. I bought the lust. The turn to everlasting one true love? No. I never bought into it because the whole premise is based on her lying to the entire crew for her mission. For all her angsting & whinging about keeping her mind on her mission but being attracted to Rico, all I could think was that she was terribly suited to this job & the Collective had made an error sending her in the first place. It kind of got on my nerves. I wanted her to just get on with both things & shut up about it. Also, That's not redemptive or altruistic. Tannis, is given some toothless threat moment & the rest of the crew says absolutely nothing. It's all good & there's the happy ever after. Even all the Collective are rendered inert as threats now that she's gone against the group. The Collective angle seemed really convenient & only to serve to prop Skylar's absolution. Everything is just fine. She gets a big ring from Rico & they're both going to give it an eternal go. M'mkay.
But as I said, Skylar & Rico had good lust. I really wanted to know more about them both. This is partly why I suppose I didn't buy into the whole love thing between them. I didn't know enough about them & couldn't see how either of them knew enough about each other to have anything deeper yet. The mentions & remembrances of Daniel seemed genuine but never amounted to much revelation about Skylar. I was a little peeved that Rico conveniently had the dearly departed wife he grew to "care for" but had not, in his over 1000 years of life experienced true love until Skylar ambled in on her high heels. And everyone in the crew notices that he's so changed since Skylar's arrival after mere days. That she was peeved when he mentioned that he'd had a wife once, peeved me. I don't like insecurity in my immortals about things that happened lifetimes before even they were born & more to the point, didn't know the current paramour. And to the same point, Rico wanting to sex her into forgetting every man before him was equally sad.
I'll definitely read the next in the series because I truly want to know what will happen next. It was a fun read & while I have listed my problems with the story, it all circles around the fact that in the end, I wanted to know more about everything & everyone. As series beginnings go, it's a good set up for things to come. And by the way, in case I haven't mentioned it before, Skylar & Rico... they had really good angsty lust.
I have to say that it was far less scifi serious than I expected but as soon as I just went with the story, I had a good time with it. The hints given about the Collective, the Church & the bio-engineering company along with the rest of the general society snippets left me wanting more. I wanted to know more about this world the characters move around in (hopefully that's expanded in book 2) & how these huge players came to be just that. There were mentions of a lot of cool things but as there wasn't much delving in, it all remains fairly surface. The escape & fight/battle scenes were very well done. I loved the showdown on the space station orbiting Trakis Five near the end. It was fairly brutal.
Now to the characters. The supporting characters were interesting but much like the big organizations I mentioned above, there is no deep getting to know them. They had good banter & definitely displayed some interesting characteristics but there's no getting to know them here. They're all likable enough but there's not much to connect to with them.
Skylar & Rico had good lust. I bought the lust. The turn to everlasting one true love? No. I never bought into it because the whole premise is based on her lying to the entire crew for her mission. For all her angsting & whinging about keeping her mind on her mission but being attracted to Rico, all I could think was that she was terribly suited to this job & the Collective had made an error sending her in the first place. It kind of got on my nerves. I wanted her to just get on with both things & shut up about it. Also, That's not redemptive or altruistic. Tannis, is given some toothless threat moment & the rest of the crew says absolutely nothing. It's all good & there's the happy ever after. Even all the Collective are rendered inert as threats now that she's gone against the group. The Collective angle seemed really convenient & only to serve to prop Skylar's absolution. Everything is just fine. She gets a big ring from Rico & they're both going to give it an eternal go. M'mkay.
But as I said, Skylar & Rico had good lust. I really wanted to know more about them both. This is partly why I suppose I didn't buy into the whole love thing between them. I didn't know enough about them & couldn't see how either of them knew enough about each other to have anything deeper yet. The mentions & remembrances of Daniel seemed genuine but never amounted to much revelation about Skylar. I was a little peeved that Rico conveniently had the dearly departed wife he grew to "care for" but had not, in his over 1000 years of life experienced true love until Skylar ambled in on her high heels. And everyone in the crew notices that he's so changed since Skylar's arrival after mere days. That she was peeved when he mentioned that he'd had a wife once, peeved me. I don't like insecurity in my immortals about things that happened lifetimes before even they were born & more to the point, didn't know the current paramour. And to the same point, Rico wanting to sex her into forgetting every man before him was equally sad.
I'll definitely read the next in the series because I truly want to know what will happen next. It was a fun read & while I have listed my problems with the story, it all circles around the fact that in the end, I wanted to know more about everything & everyone. As series beginnings go, it's a good set up for things to come. And by the way, in case I haven't mentioned it before, Skylar & Rico... they had really good angsty lust.
January 4, 2017
"Break Out" is the first in a futuristic romance series by British author Croft, whom I've read before for writing solid and fun stories such as this one. And indeed, "Break Out" is a solid and fun story, and it had me smiling in many places, particularly at the antics of the motley pirate crew of the mercenary ship the Blood Hunter, owned by the space vampire and all-around man-whore Rico. I have a feeling that the storylines of the crewmembers will be revealed in later books of the series.
Rico and his crew are hired by Skylar to break out her brother from a maximum security prison on a dangerous planet. There's lost of deceptions, some double-crossings, genetic breeding, barroom brawls, poker games, speeder rescues, and interrupted sex. In fact, almost every scene, except the very last one, had our couple interrupted in a delicate position by some crew member. Fun times on the Blood Hunter!
The world-building was good, and I'm particularly interested in the Collective and Meridian, an expensive and controlled drug that can produce immortality in those who ingest it. I'm also interested in learning the stories of many of the crew members, particularly the ship's captain Tannis and the engineer, The Troog. However, I had a few issues with the plot devices used to further the relationship between Skylar and Rico, and ultimately, I didn't like their characters much. Rico remained a man-whore who seemed at ease with liquoring up his women and comfortable with dubious consent. No means no, but not to a vampire space smuggler. And Skylar, for an immortal warrior member of the Collective, was simply an idiot, and not merely for the antics she played with Rico. Ultimately, it was this lack of connection between this reader and the main characters that lead to my underwhelming rating of a 3 for a favorite reading genre.
Rico and his crew are hired by Skylar to break out her brother from a maximum security prison on a dangerous planet. There's lost of deceptions, some double-crossings, genetic breeding, barroom brawls, poker games, speeder rescues, and interrupted sex. In fact, almost every scene, except the very last one, had our couple interrupted in a delicate position by some crew member. Fun times on the Blood Hunter!
The world-building was good, and I'm particularly interested in the Collective and Meridian, an expensive and controlled drug that can produce immortality in those who ingest it. I'm also interested in learning the stories of many of the crew members, particularly the ship's captain Tannis and the engineer, The Troog. However, I had a few issues with the plot devices used to further the relationship between Skylar and Rico, and ultimately, I didn't like their characters much. Rico remained a man-whore who seemed at ease with liquoring up his women and comfortable with dubious consent. No means no, but not to a vampire space smuggler. And Skylar, for an immortal warrior member of the Collective, was simply an idiot, and not merely for the antics she played with Rico. Ultimately, it was this lack of connection between this reader and the main characters that lead to my underwhelming rating of a 3 for a favorite reading genre.
September 7, 2014
A little paranormal romance... a little sci-fi... why not? This was an ok read... liked it but didn't love it. I don't know... I just needed a little more world building. It was a nice quick read, and I did enjoy some of the characters. This appealed to me initially because the description reminded me of a mix of Firefly/Star Wars... except that we have the inclusion of a vampire. Clever idea... I might at some point give the additional books in this series a try. Sometimes stories and characters become more fleshed out as they progress. Hopefully that will be the case with this one... the foundation is certainly there.
ARC was provided by St. Martins Press
www.ktbookreviews.com
ARC was provided by St. Martins Press
www.ktbookreviews.com
October 24, 2012
LOVE this story!!! So unique!!! It is like the tv show Firefly, in a book, with a vampire! Seriously how could it get any better than that. Will definitely be looking for more of these! Such a wonderfully original idea which merges my top 2 pleasures (sci fi and vampires) into one book. SO glad my book club had this on its list! V""V
September 28, 2015
3.5 stars rounded up for good world building and good writing. An enjoyable read, but I found it hard to care about the main characters.
June 10, 2017
What a ride! Intrigue, the characters were complicated and mysterious. It gave me my fill, yet I couldn't wait to find out more. It sort of put me in the mind of Dark Matter, the tv series.
Anyway, the anticipation leading up to the sex was done well. I so love sex positive feminism. I get so tired of writers making women seem weak and confused. Well none of that here. The female characters were strong and interested in normal human things.
Anyway, the anticipation leading up to the sex was done well. I so love sex positive feminism. I get so tired of writers making women seem weak and confused. Well none of that here. The female characters were strong and interested in normal human things.
January 27, 2020
Hmm
Interesting vampire/human? tale. Pretty mushy. Explicit. Very technical and slightly military. A mess of a mystery. . . . .
Interesting vampire/human? tale. Pretty mushy. Explicit. Very technical and slightly military. A mess of a mystery. . . . .
February 20, 2024
Dnf 18%
Somehow managed to make space vampires, a magical cult, a max prison break out, and immortality boring. Impressive, but in the wrong way.
Somehow managed to make space vampires, a magical cult, a max prison break out, and immortality boring. Impressive, but in the wrong way.
September 4, 2014
I have to confess that I had already read the second book in this seres so when I started this I knew pretty much what the setup would be but as I enjoy sci fi that gets a little steamy I knew this book would not disappoint. Set in the future with the remnants of humanity spread far away and yet again division and religion are seeking to control the masses . Something known as Meridian has been discovered but it's closely guarded by those known as the Collective as by using it humans can become immortal . Not all agree however that this Collective should have power over the galaxy and there's a new Church seeking to take control. It's a world divided with outcasts, mutants and rebels and amongst them all space pirates exist but most frightening of all is a vampire named Rico!
Ricardo Sanchez has left earth behind and although he is no longer a swash buckling pirate of old he is still first and foremost a privateer ! Piloting his own space cruiser with a crew he trusts implicitly this terrifying vampire with a passion for blood and the darker things that life has to offer . Rico finds himself taking on a job that will place both himself and his crew in one of the most feared places in space. It's a mission that pays well but it involves getting into the heavily guarded prison ran by the powerful Collective but most worrying of all is the strange attraction Rico feels for the woman hiring him , Skylar!
Skylar Rossaria is a well trained soldier determined to impress her superiors and complete her mission. Infiltrate this rag tag crew and pretend to be an innocent and vulnerable young woman who just wants to break someone she cares about out of jail. Sounds simple enough but Skylars commander has not told her everything and she finds herself plunged head first into a dangerous situation with a crew that will not hesitate to kill her. Rico is a vampire but he's also the most irresistible male Skylar has ever met. Skirting around the truth Skylar finds herself getting more involved with everyone onboard than she ever anticipated but her mission comes first no matter what the cost, doesn't it?
Oo I love this series and I heartily recommend this authors work . This is sci fi but it's space opera at it's finest with action, adventure , romance and one hell of a sexy vampire! I think what I really liked was even though the reader knew the heroine Skylar was more than she pretended her actual mission and the reason for it was kept shrouded in mystery right up until the end and I do love a mystery. I have also read some of this authors paranormal stories and happily recommend those if you enjoy sexy paranormal romance. This book was a fabulous read and a joy as well as it's both well written and edited. This author clearly has a wonderful imagination and the talent to express herself eloquently but her ability to ramp up the sexual tension is quite extraordinary ! Well worth reading and keep a bucket of iced water on standby!
Ricardo Sanchez has left earth behind and although he is no longer a swash buckling pirate of old he is still first and foremost a privateer ! Piloting his own space cruiser with a crew he trusts implicitly this terrifying vampire with a passion for blood and the darker things that life has to offer . Rico finds himself taking on a job that will place both himself and his crew in one of the most feared places in space. It's a mission that pays well but it involves getting into the heavily guarded prison ran by the powerful Collective but most worrying of all is the strange attraction Rico feels for the woman hiring him , Skylar!
Skylar Rossaria is a well trained soldier determined to impress her superiors and complete her mission. Infiltrate this rag tag crew and pretend to be an innocent and vulnerable young woman who just wants to break someone she cares about out of jail. Sounds simple enough but Skylars commander has not told her everything and she finds herself plunged head first into a dangerous situation with a crew that will not hesitate to kill her. Rico is a vampire but he's also the most irresistible male Skylar has ever met. Skirting around the truth Skylar finds herself getting more involved with everyone onboard than she ever anticipated but her mission comes first no matter what the cost, doesn't it?
Oo I love this series and I heartily recommend this authors work . This is sci fi but it's space opera at it's finest with action, adventure , romance and one hell of a sexy vampire! I think what I really liked was even though the reader knew the heroine Skylar was more than she pretended her actual mission and the reason for it was kept shrouded in mystery right up until the end and I do love a mystery. I have also read some of this authors paranormal stories and happily recommend those if you enjoy sexy paranormal romance. This book was a fabulous read and a joy as well as it's both well written and edited. This author clearly has a wonderful imagination and the talent to express herself eloquently but her ability to ramp up the sexual tension is quite extraordinary ! Well worth reading and keep a bucket of iced water on standby!
December 4, 2011
Vampires in space. And not some genetically engineered aliens, but at least one earthly (or unearthly), honest-to-Lucifer bloodsucker, born on earth of human parents circa 1452. Piloting a spaceship circa 3050.
Break Out, by Nina Croft may be the first paranormal science fiction romance I've ever even seen, let alone read. It's also the first book in the series Blood Hunter. Why Blood Hunter? The space vampire again. He is Ricardo "my friends call me Rico" Sanchez, and he became a vampire in the days of the Spanish Inquisition. He doesn't just pilot that spaceship, he owns it. And that gives him the right to name it. So even though Spanish is a dead language by 3050, his ship is El Cazador de la Sangre, in other words, Blood Hunter, just as he is.
But what about the story? The premise is fairly simple. A woman named Skylar Rossario hires Rico and his ship to rescue her boyfriend from a maximum security prison before "Jonny" is transferred to a death-sentence planet. Both Rico and his ship's captain Tannis know that the woman is scamming them, the only question in their minds is why. Tannis wants the payday. Rico wants the entertainment, and the woman.
In this universe, immortality can be had, for a price. Treatment with the drug Meridian is expensive. Mining and processing of the drug kills everyone who comes in contact with the unrefined product in two years or less. Membership in the "Collective" of those who have taken the drug requires a loss of self that sounds like a halfway trip to being a Borg.
So when Rico convinces Skylar to tell them that the man she wants to rescue murdered a high-ranking member of the immortal "Collective", and that he is her brother, and not her boyfriend--he and Tannis decide to go through with the plan. The money is too good, as is the lure of pulling off a supposedly impossible job.
Rico is in this for the excitement. Not just the rescue, but the thrill of discovering all of Skylar's secrets. What he doesn't count on discovering is that he might still have a heart and not just a raging libido and a thirst for blood.
Escape Rating C+: My verdict on Break Out is somewhat mixed. The romance part of the story works. As odd as the idea was of a vampire surviving until the year 3000, it actually was part of the plot for a lot of reasons. Rico needed to be who and what he was. At the same time, I kept wondering if there were any others like him. It's a big galaxy.
But the science fiction parts, well, that was different. The world building about the Collective, and the rebels against the Collective, and how all of that came about, needed some development for it all to make sense for me. I recognize there simply wasn't time or space in a 99 page book, but still, if this is science fiction, the world needs to get built. I hope that happens in later books in the series. I'd like to see more.
Break Out, by Nina Croft may be the first paranormal science fiction romance I've ever even seen, let alone read. It's also the first book in the series Blood Hunter. Why Blood Hunter? The space vampire again. He is Ricardo "my friends call me Rico" Sanchez, and he became a vampire in the days of the Spanish Inquisition. He doesn't just pilot that spaceship, he owns it. And that gives him the right to name it. So even though Spanish is a dead language by 3050, his ship is El Cazador de la Sangre, in other words, Blood Hunter, just as he is.
But what about the story? The premise is fairly simple. A woman named Skylar Rossario hires Rico and his ship to rescue her boyfriend from a maximum security prison before "Jonny" is transferred to a death-sentence planet. Both Rico and his ship's captain Tannis know that the woman is scamming them, the only question in their minds is why. Tannis wants the payday. Rico wants the entertainment, and the woman.
In this universe, immortality can be had, for a price. Treatment with the drug Meridian is expensive. Mining and processing of the drug kills everyone who comes in contact with the unrefined product in two years or less. Membership in the "Collective" of those who have taken the drug requires a loss of self that sounds like a halfway trip to being a Borg.
So when Rico convinces Skylar to tell them that the man she wants to rescue murdered a high-ranking member of the immortal "Collective", and that he is her brother, and not her boyfriend--he and Tannis decide to go through with the plan. The money is too good, as is the lure of pulling off a supposedly impossible job.
Rico is in this for the excitement. Not just the rescue, but the thrill of discovering all of Skylar's secrets. What he doesn't count on discovering is that he might still have a heart and not just a raging libido and a thirst for blood.
Escape Rating C+: My verdict on Break Out is somewhat mixed. The romance part of the story works. As odd as the idea was of a vampire surviving until the year 3000, it actually was part of the plot for a lot of reasons. Rico needed to be who and what he was. At the same time, I kept wondering if there were any others like him. It's a big galaxy.
But the science fiction parts, well, that was different. The world building about the Collective, and the rebels against the Collective, and how all of that came about, needed some development for it all to make sense for me. I recognize there simply wasn't time or space in a 99 page book, but still, if this is science fiction, the world needs to get built. I hope that happens in later books in the series. I'd like to see more.
October 14, 2013
I was lucky enough to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway! I am so happy for that! Definitely a book worth reading! Fast-paced, full of adventure and sexy, this story combines the best elements from a vampire and a sci-fi story. Set in the distant future, it shows us a very different world, not better, I may add.
I am not going to write details about the story because it’s better to just read the book, but I want to tell some things about the main characters. I’ll begin saying that they are very well-written characters. Both Skylar and Rico are very interesting. They have a painful for them past and they live their life in a way that doesn’t really fill them but they do it anyway.
Skylar lost a loved one and now she hides behind her job and she seems cold although she’s far from it. She has so many secrets to hide in this story but soon it’s easy to see that she likes the way she is with her new company. Rico is a very old vampire. Born in earth almost 1500 years ago, he experienced the loss of his wife from the Spanish Inquisition and now he spends his life with a different woman each time and doing the most dangerous jobs. I liked him very much because it was easy to see that he wasn’t just a pretty face. He’s smart and a very good judge of characters.
They seem different, but at the end of the day they both want the same: someone to trust and love. And a little action, of course!
Also, I liked all the secondary characters in this book. I have to say that I was very intrigued by the fact that almost all of them have secrets and I admit that the end of the book left me with very important questions!
So, I loved it and I recommend it to all the fans of this genre!
I am not going to write details about the story because it’s better to just read the book, but I want to tell some things about the main characters. I’ll begin saying that they are very well-written characters. Both Skylar and Rico are very interesting. They have a painful for them past and they live their life in a way that doesn’t really fill them but they do it anyway.
Skylar lost a loved one and now she hides behind her job and she seems cold although she’s far from it. She has so many secrets to hide in this story but soon it’s easy to see that she likes the way she is with her new company. Rico is a very old vampire. Born in earth almost 1500 years ago, he experienced the loss of his wife from the Spanish Inquisition and now he spends his life with a different woman each time and doing the most dangerous jobs. I liked him very much because it was easy to see that he wasn’t just a pretty face. He’s smart and a very good judge of characters.
They seem different, but at the end of the day they both want the same: someone to trust and love. And a little action, of course!
Also, I liked all the secondary characters in this book. I have to say that I was very intrigued by the fact that almost all of them have secrets and I admit that the end of the book left me with very important questions!
So, I loved it and I recommend it to all the fans of this genre!
July 18, 2011
Per Entangled Publishing site, Book #2 is called
Deadly Pursuit
, due out Oct 2011. Can't wait!! :D
WARNING: The synopsis for Book#2 contains some spoilers for Book#1.
WARNING: The synopsis for Book#2 contains some spoilers for Book#1.
February 14, 2023
Originally deployed as a spy to bring down the mercenary pirates, the heroine quickly finds herself in a battle between her loyalty to her people and the new bonds she's created with the crew. Much to my surprise this is a futuristic romance set in space where most of Earths old customs have been forgotten. Nothing in either the cover or synopses hints at anything other than your typical run of the mill paranormal romance. But how quickly the rush of something new wore off.
My god this was simply awful. The writing style was so rudimentary and dull that I quite literally fell asleep multiple times mid chapter. First off, everything was so comically simple and robotic. The whole cast of characters were so lifeless and one dimensional that it almost put me in a coma. I liked neither the heroine with her supposedly, cooler than thou demeanor the crew remarked upon but I failed to see or the hero with his single-minded blood lust and perverted sex lust. The dude thought of nothing else and all the others laughed it off but I was put off. He had no substance. Honestly, I didn't much mind the secondary characters and would have much preferred the no nonsense GM caption to be the main heroine as I found her a tad bit more interesting. It's a bad sign when your background support characters outshine the main cast. The plot was boring as hell and though the story felt rush in a lot of things such as the two characters love, the actually point of the whole story was to get to the prison to do a break out and that didn't happen until the very end! Very much a dud of a book. Total BRUH!!!!
My god this was simply awful. The writing style was so rudimentary and dull that I quite literally fell asleep multiple times mid chapter. First off, everything was so comically simple and robotic. The whole cast of characters were so lifeless and one dimensional that it almost put me in a coma. I liked neither the heroine with her supposedly, cooler than thou demeanor the crew remarked upon but I failed to see or the hero with his single-minded blood lust and perverted sex lust. The dude thought of nothing else and all the others laughed it off but I was put off. He had no substance. Honestly, I didn't much mind the secondary characters and would have much preferred the no nonsense GM caption to be the main heroine as I found her a tad bit more interesting. It's a bad sign when your background support characters outshine the main cast. The plot was boring as hell and though the story felt rush in a lot of things such as the two characters love, the actually point of the whole story was to get to the prison to do a break out and that didn't happen until the very end! Very much a dud of a book. Total BRUH!!!!
July 21, 2011
This novella was a fast, fun read for me. It starts off strong and keeps getting better. I loved the action scenes and the dialogues with the secondary characters. This crew truly shines as far as I am concerned, each had distinctive personalities and quirks, and I couldn’t help but love them – Tannis and Daisy, especially. Skylar, also, (a devious, conniving, kick-ass liar) is remarkably easy to like and empathize with. I would have preferred her to have given Rico more of a chase before bedding down with him.
As much as I wanted to connect with Rico, he always felt a little bit distant or arrogant to me. Tannis, despite her somewhat scaly skin, my favorite character, could usually manage to bring his highfalutin majesty down a peg or two, and I loved and admired her for that innate ability. Rico certainly chose wisely when he made her captain of his vessel.
This story is a wonderfully unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and romance. There were heaping doses of humor scattered throughout. This levity helped keep the tone from becoming too dark; it was well-conceived and unequivocally added to my overall enjoyment. The sexual tension between Skylar and Rico needed a little more oomph or pizzazz, but the story fluidity and conversations made this an uncommonly good adventure tale.
Reviewed by Laurie-J on my blog
for Bewitching Tour Stop
***I purchased this book on Amazon for myself***
As much as I wanted to connect with Rico, he always felt a little bit distant or arrogant to me. Tannis, despite her somewhat scaly skin, my favorite character, could usually manage to bring his highfalutin majesty down a peg or two, and I loved and admired her for that innate ability. Rico certainly chose wisely when he made her captain of his vessel.
This story is a wonderfully unique blend of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and romance. There were heaping doses of humor scattered throughout. This levity helped keep the tone from becoming too dark; it was well-conceived and unequivocally added to my overall enjoyment. The sexual tension between Skylar and Rico needed a little more oomph or pizzazz, but the story fluidity and conversations made this an uncommonly good adventure tale.
Reviewed by Laurie-J on my blog
for Bewitching Tour Stop
***I purchased this book on Amazon for myself***
January 5, 2012
Break Out by Nina Croft is a paranormal sci-fi symphony! It is a literary fantasy set in the future that is believable and imaginative. Croft sets these two genres up in an unbelievable story of a space traveling vamp, altered humans, and the forces at play. The story carries you through space with characters who all have a story to be told. An exciting new world appears before your eyes, compelling you to read through the night. Rico will captivate you with his suave, commanding, and sexy ways. Skylar and Rico's connection will heat this story to it's core as we travel deep into the abyss of space. Croft blends the elements of science fiction and paranormal to create a world worthy of reading about. I hope to read book two, Deadly Pursuit next, I have great expectations for it. Will Croft answer all our unanswered questions? What are the Collective's plans? What will Jonny do now that he's awake? Who is Al? More importantly, if there are vamps in space, could we hope to find werewolves, too? I'll let you know!
May 2, 2012
The idea of a vampire smuggler in space where the elite have discovered immortality was right up my alley. It sounded like a fun mix of Firefly + Angel. Unfortunately this book suffers from a plot very loosely hung together and paper-thin characters.
Skyler is supposed to be one of the top operatives of an elite security force and yet she can’t keep a thought in her head if Ricardo the Sexy Spanish Vamp is in the room. Seriously, woman. TRY TO HOLD IT TOGETHER FOR LIKE TWO DAYS.
Ricardo was no better as a hero. Even the pivotal break out of the super secure prison was underwhelming and mostly just gave Ricardo more time to comment on how hot Skylar is. I get it. He finds her ridiculously attractive. On the other hand, I never bought that he loved her. He became obsessed with her, yes. But he was a controlling, dangerous, abusive guy and Skylar became his sex toy and doormat. Ricardo was such an unpleasant macho man. And Skylar was so weak and pathetic.
Skyler is supposed to be one of the top operatives of an elite security force and yet she can’t keep a thought in her head if Ricardo the Sexy Spanish Vamp is in the room. Seriously, woman. TRY TO HOLD IT TOGETHER FOR LIKE TWO DAYS.
Ricardo was no better as a hero. Even the pivotal break out of the super secure prison was underwhelming and mostly just gave Ricardo more time to comment on how hot Skylar is. I get it. He finds her ridiculously attractive. On the other hand, I never bought that he loved her. He became obsessed with her, yes. But he was a controlling, dangerous, abusive guy and Skylar became his sex toy and doormat. Ricardo was such an unpleasant macho man. And Skylar was so weak and pathetic.
October 27, 2016
DNF at 23%
Got this book free on amazon. wasn't sure what to expect but not my cuppa tea. Started out as a scifi but started to sound like it might end up as cheap pornography so decided to give it a skip. Life is short. A pity really because the writing itself is strong. If only the subject matter was better. The hero guy in the story is so unbeleavably sleazy. He is described in the book as a 'womaniser'. He is not a womaniser because womanisers are at least charming. No he is a sexual predator. Also a bit contradictory to say that in the year 2600 religion has all but vanished, and yet every Tom, Dick and Harry is taking the Lord's name in vain. Christ this and Christ that. If religion wasn't around as the book says then that phrase wouldn't exist. She should have invented a swear word like they did in battlestar Galactica.
Got this book free on amazon. wasn't sure what to expect but not my cuppa tea. Started out as a scifi but started to sound like it might end up as cheap pornography so decided to give it a skip. Life is short. A pity really because the writing itself is strong. If only the subject matter was better. The hero guy in the story is so unbeleavably sleazy. He is described in the book as a 'womaniser'. He is not a womaniser because womanisers are at least charming. No he is a sexual predator. Also a bit contradictory to say that in the year 2600 religion has all but vanished, and yet every Tom, Dick and Harry is taking the Lord's name in vain. Christ this and Christ that. If religion wasn't around as the book says then that phrase wouldn't exist. She should have invented a swear word like they did in battlestar Galactica.
September 10, 2011
I finished this book and have to say what fun it was to read. I think the author is very imaginative and talented.
The premise of the book is a space pirate vampire with a crew of mismatched mutants are offered a near impossible job of breaking someone out from a space prison. Rico, the space pirate vamp, is immediately drawn to the lady who offers to employ him and his crew. Lots of lust and heavy breathing transpire before they make it to the prison planet.
This book was a very fun read and I devoured it too quickly. Now I want more!
The premise of the book is a space pirate vampire with a crew of mismatched mutants are offered a near impossible job of breaking someone out from a space prison. Rico, the space pirate vamp, is immediately drawn to the lady who offers to employ him and his crew. Lots of lust and heavy breathing transpire before they make it to the prison planet.
This book was a very fun read and I devoured it too quickly. Now I want more!
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