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She was seeking revenge. What she found was a vampire who swept her into the darkest depths of passion.

Chicago, Illinois... the windy city. Home to football greats, dinosaurs named Sue, and, when the sun goes down... powerful vampires battling for the right to rule the city and beyond.

Born into slavery, Aden is one of the most powerful vampires in North America, waging war on others of his kind in a struggle to become the next Lord of the Midwest. But in the midst of the deadliest fight of his long life, the ghosts of his past have come back to haunt him. Slavery still exists, and Aden is hellbent on destroying it and the vampires who profit from it.

Sidonie Reid is an investigative reporter in pursuit of the biggest story of her career, until that story costs the life of a friend and Sid realizes she has to do much more than write about it. Intent on bringing down the vampires and their slave network, Sid gains entry to the highest levels of vampire society, where she finds herself confronting the raw sexuality that is Aden.

Caught up in a dark passion that neither can resist, Aden and Sidonie join forces, determined to defeat the old regime and everything it stands for. The dangers are beyond calculation, but the ultimate reward is worth the risk. If they survive...

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2013

110 people are currently reading
1440 people want to read

About the author

D.B. Reynolds

39 books2,367 followers

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5 stars
1,294 (45%)
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409 (14%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession.
1,224 reviews3,696 followers
May 11, 2019
4 Healing Aden Stars



First read 3/2014
Reread 5/2019


Going into Aden I really didn't think I would like him. Aden was introduced in the last novella Hunted, briefly and we got a bit of his back story. Aden was a misogynistic pig that didn't think highly of women. He thought they were only useful for sex and blood. So I yea totally thought I would want to beat him down. However I really ended up loving him. Aden did have major issues with women, thanks in large part to his pos mom. His past was sad and very dark. It really helped me understand his mistrust, and low opinion of women. Aden was damaged and was the type of bad boy you just want to kiss and make all better. As much as I loved Aden, Sidonie was just okay for me. She didn't really stand out. She wasn't bad, but she wasn't memorable either.



Aden because of his dark past as a sex slave had some darker needs when it came to the bedroom, but it was light bdsm read. I did enjoy Aden falling in love with Sidonie, but didn't fully connect to them because Sid wasn't anything special in my eyes. I loved seeing Aden soften a bit and heal. Aden was so good I kinda wanted a better heroine for him. I did like that she was good to him, not bitchy, but still I didn't see what was so special that she would turn Aden's head. All that said with the plot and Aden this was a solid 4 star read for me! The plot was good and had tons of action. I also like that Sid didn't just wait for Aden to save her, she saved herself. It was one of the few things I liked about her. I can't wait to see what is next in this series.
Profile Image for Jo ★The Book Sloth★.
486 reviews444 followers
November 10, 2014
3 Not my Favorite Stars



Sidonie Reid is determined to write a story on the slavery ring the vampires have been operating in Chicago for years. The ring got her friend and source killed and she will stop at nothing to expose them. Even if she has to play good for the next Vampire Lord in Chicago. Maybe she will even let him bite her...

Aden was born the bastard son of a man who gave him to slavery when he was just a kid and a mother who sacrificed him for her luxuries. The one thing he won't tolerate is someone operating a slavery ring right in the territory he has decided to win as his own. Having to work with beautiful Sidonie in order to destroy the operation is just an added bonus.

Soon Sid and Aden will find themselves battling several fights at once and it will become hard to keep their boundaries intact. But can the two of them make their relationship work?


Why me?” she whispered. “You could have any woman in the city. Why me?”
His eyes filled with heat and something else . . . victory. “I like redheads.”
Sidonie started to pull away, pissed that her only attraction to him was something so shallow. He laughed at her efforts, holding her fast and not letting go.
“You don’t like that?” he asked. “Then answer the same question. Why me?”
Sid looked up at him in surprise. This arrogant, confident, powerful creature . . . and he needed to ask her that? She stared at his perfect face with its sensuous mouth and chiseled cheekbones. His extraordinary eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” she said honestly.


Yeap Sidonie, I can see the depth just oozing out of you. What a hypocrite.

This moment about sums up my feelings about the book. The writing and the story were as solid as ever but I didn't feel the relationship. The couple fell in lust at first sight, in bed at second and in love at third. The book was filled with sexual tention, sex, sexual fantasies. The story got swallowed by an avalanche of lust and overdeveloped libidos.

And I really, really didn't like the heroine. She was driven and generally nice but there was something so annoying about her. She set limits and never kept them, she made her mind and then let sex change it. Generally she was a huge hormone walking around the hero.

Aden was much better, he had the whole "tortured hero" thing going for him so I loved him. But he wasn't enough to save the romance side of the book.

There was also some BDSM but it was pretty light. I got the feeling that the author only went there because it's the new trend in book. BDSM is "in" these days, it's what all the cool kids want to read about. :P



Anyway... Not an awful book but nowhere near the author's capabilities.
Profile Image for Karla.
987 reviews1,108 followers
August 20, 2014

4 Stars! Somewhat saturated in sex, but that's how these vamps roll! Overall, another great installment in this series!

Aden a yummy hero with mad bedroom and fighting skills. He does not hold back, on either front! Sid, another strong heroine, and a funny one too. The author does a wonderful job pairing up the couples in this series. I can think of only one book where I didn't like the heroine and that was in Rajmund.

I love the flashbacks that give us the history and background on each of our vampire heroes. It's just enough information to understand what shaped their personalities, who sired them and how it came about.

The story has the same brutality that is within keeping of this series, and I love it! My only complaint would be that I wanted Aden and Sid to connect a little more outside the bedroom, it was a little overwhelming at times. Still and all, this is a standout paranormal/vampire series geared towards adults!
Profile Image for The BookChick .
1,454 reviews425 followers
September 10, 2017
My Rating: ★★★★★
EXCELLENT: The characteristics of a 5 star story include: an awesome story; and, I love everything about the story — characters, plot, and story elements. I would definitely read it again and I would highly recommend it to a friend and rave about it often.
My Thoughts:
*Sigh*...I just finished Aden and I have to say that D.B. Reynolds did not disappoint. Aden was long awaited but totally worth every second of the wait. His story continues the fast-paced, thrilling, and super steamy Vampires in America series. Ladies, let me just tell you, these vampire lords are total alphas and will leave you swooning and panting for more. But, I digress *fans face*. Yes, they are sexy...but the series itself is woven together quite well. Each book builds upon the others and deepens an intricate and intriguing plot. Once the North American lords have been secured, and we have one final book to cinch that in Vincent, a larger battle looms with the European vampires seeking to expand their influence in the U.S. I cannot wait for those stories to come!

Now...onto Aden *sigh* <--boy that feels like déjà vu *LOL*

We first meet Aden in Hunted when Reynolds sets the stage for his ultimate takeover of the Midwest after the demise of the corrupt lord Klemens. Until a new Lord can be established--by conquest--Lucas hold the territory and all of its vampires in trust. But, the die has been cast and Raphael has maneuvered powerful lords and allies as rulers over the North American territories. The only two strongholds in his effort are the Midwest and Mexico. And the Midwest is where Aden comes in. Aden is one of Lucas' vampires and by far the strongest. Lucas rallies behind Aden and he gains Raphael's support as future lord of the Midwest. Raphael's "blessing" is the easy part. Aden has to face challengers for Klemens old territory--challengers who were once loyal to the malevolent lord. Klemens was evil and he used drugs and sex slaves as a means of perverse control. And that is where Sidonie enters the picture. Sidonie is an investigative reporter at her father's newspaper and she seriously begins to hunt the sex slavers to bring them down after the murder of her friend and former sex slave, Janey. Sidonie's hunt brings her to a blood house where she meets Travis, one of Aden's lieutenants albeit unbeknownst to her. Travis brings Sidonie to the "challenge" gala, kind of like the opening ceremony of the Olympic games, and she comes face to face with the favored challenger, Aden. That one meeting...that one moment changes the course of their destiny and weaves their paths and their future together in a most delicious manner.

Hands down, this was one of my most favorite ViA and that's saying something because I absolutely LOOOOOOVED all of them with the exception of Sophia which I only enjoyed. I'm biased because I love the lords--THE MEN *LOL*. But, I enjoyed Aden more so because he was not the "typical" lord. He was not sweet like Duncan, good-natured like Lucas, and funny like Rajmund. He kind of reminded me with Raphael with a bite and that's saying something because Raphael packs quite a punch himself. But, Aden had a total disregard for women because of his early life. And honestly, after reading about it, I probably would have hated women too. So, it was no small wonder that he and Sidonie bumped heads and battled wills when they first met. He saw her as a conquest and she saw him as a story. However, what they got in the process was passion and love.

I always enjoy reading the books in the series because the big, strong vampire lords are felled by strong, human women. Every single one of the lords are paired with a woman who matched him in wit and strength. Sure, not the type of strength possessed by the vampires but strength nonetheless. And, I gotta add Sidonie right there in the "strength" category with the other mates. Although she knew Aden would save her, she proved that she was no princess and saved herself. I absolutely loved that scene between her and Pinto. One of the best Reynolds has written!

This series just keeps getting better and better for me and I look forward to reading what's next!

Ratings Detail:
Rating for female protagonist: 5★
Rating for male protagonists: 5★
Rating for secondary characters: 5★
Steam Level: 5★
Plot Viability: 5★
General Storyline: 5★
Story Ending: 5★
Ease of Reading: 5★
Book editing: 5★
Cliffhanger: No

Overall rating: 5★

Would I recommend this book: Yes!
Would I read other books by this author: Absolutely!

For more of my reviews visit The BookChick Blog
Profile Image for Ann.
2,115 reviews50 followers
December 1, 2013
Love this author’s writing and this series but by 31% in I didn’t really care for either Aden or Sid. And that just never improved. Aden seemed more a cold, primitive, arrogant, control freak than a sexy hot vamp. Guess they can’t be all class like Raphael (sigh). Sid, well she’s all business and lacking any real feeling or warmth. Couldn’t really see her interest in Aden other than to get what she wanted. Disappointing to say the least. Where’s the personality? Where’s the connection? Just couldn’t cozy up to either of these two. Like cardboard characters. Just two people put together for the sake of the story. Should have felt their connection at the initial gathering where they meet each other, but, nope, nada…nothing.

Now I did feel the love Aden had for his vampy children/guards – Kage, Freddy and Travis but most especially for Bastien. And my heart went out to pour little Aden growing up a slave in Morocco in such a horrible environment without any care or concern from his selfish, loveless mother. It’s not any wonder he wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type. But despite those moments this one didn’t knock my socks off. The story was pretty good, and it’s not that I’m just too hung up on stories about Raphael and Cyn (ok, maybe I am) but I wanted this one to WOW me, and well…it just didn’t. And another thing….WTH?!? Does everyone now have to throw in a bk with BDSM elements?!? Seemed unnecessary and a turn off.

Hoping Vincent’s bk up next gets things back on track to the page turning stories early on in this series. But until then, unfortunately, with a feeling of disappointment, I’ll have to go with a 3.0 stars on this one.

2.5 stars = character
3.5 stars = story
Overall = 3.0

Profile Image for Sandra Hoover.
1,457 reviews258 followers
November 2, 2016
Reviewed at Cross My Heart Writings & Reviews

With each Vampires In America book, I think they just can't possibly get any better. Wrong! I enjoyed this series in the beginning, but the last couple of books have just blown me away. I keep expecting to get tired of bossy, dark, baggage toting, alpha vampires, but let me tell you - it just ain't happening. Aden is absolutely magnificent in this book as he battles all competitors for the title of Lord of the Midwest territory. Big, bad*ass, dark, but melt your panties gorgeous - he is one stone cold, powerful dude. I really loved getting his heartbreaking backstory in "real-time" through his flashbacks. But, it seems Aden's come up against a raging force to be reckoned with in Sidonie Reid, a human investigative reporter out to revenge her friend's death at the hands of slave/sex traffickers. She believes vampires are behind the sex ring, and nothing and no one - not even the soon-to-be Lord Aden - will stop her from seeking vengeance. When these two meet in one of the vampire blood clubs, sparks fly as both are shocked to feel such an intense physical attraction radiating between them. As the story unfolds, this couple goes toe-to-toe in a dance in which Sid holds her own, often defying Aden who is most certainly not accustomed to being told "No". Both are strong, stubborn, and determined to "lead" this dance while guarding their heart and refusing to lose. They make a formidable team in both battle & the bedroom, but will either survive the darkness?

Get ready for the HEAT because the scenes between these two are HOT! Aden is the very definition of "sex-on-a-stick" and surprise, surprise: a bit of a dom! And my, my . . . it seems our Sid likes it a little "dirty"! What a great story! A Page Burner! A Must Read! I can't wait to continue the series.
Profile Image for ❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️.
1,047 reviews322 followers
September 7, 2020
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11.27.13
Five Fangtastic Stars!!!

D.B. Reynolds does it again! Another great storyline, another hot Vampire Lord (and this Vamp is much more ummmm....sexually dominant? Yep, that's the word I'm looking for). As per usual we get a feisty strong independent heroine. Dear Lord...Aden’s backstory is aching sad and pull at your heartstrings.

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All-in-all, another fantastic addition to the ViA series, as always I can’t wait for more! Looking forward to "Vincent" next.

* Reread on 4.16.18
Profile Image for Cassandra.
1,188 reviews110 followers
March 18, 2015
My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 unicorns - I loved it!!
***Received ebook from Belle Books for an honest review

The cover is beautiful though I imagine Aden much bigger :)

This is the 7th full novel in the Vampires in America series, and while they can be read standalone, I recommend reading them all in order with the novellas and short stories, so you don’t miss anything :) I tend to hate reading and wondering…wait when did that happen…lol so reading them in order is how I avoid that :) This is for adults only since there is sexual content and violence and lots of it :)

Sidonie is a brave and strong female lead. I love that in a lead :) Aden is a broody male, but he grew on me fast, and he definitely puts up a front. I seem to fall in love with all the vamps and mates allied with Raphael and Cyn…lol As always in this series, tons of action, steamy scenes, and trouble coming out of the woodwork everywhere :)

Wow, I really love this series. D.B. is a fantastic writer with all the plot twists, action, and descriptions that make the story jump off the page. She is definitely one of my top authors for vampire romance :) She amazes me with all of her creativity to come up with all these complex stories that keep me wanting more and coming back :)

I highly recommend this series to all vampire romance lovers especially if you love Lynsay Sands and Kerrelyn Sparks vamp series’, you will want to add this series to the list to read :)
Profile Image for Wendy.
526 reviews280 followers
March 27, 2015
I couldn't connect to the main characters, and the whole plot seemed disjointed. Oh well...moving on.
Profile Image for Mak.
144 reviews45 followers
June 3, 2019
3.5

This was another easy and good read. Another detective, romance, fantasy combination which seems to be the main recipe. There’s a promising future story mentioned in this book, something that should take the whole series to a new level of adventure, and I’m hoping it will finally give this series the boost it needs.

All the installments in the series follow similar paths. The plot is very predictable and I find myself missing the surprise and suspense element. The story is well-written, but it doesn’t offer further insight.

The stereotype of the brooding, tough-as-nails, taking-no-bullshit, sex machine, alpha, jealous male and the I’ve-never-had-a-satisfactory-sex-interaction-before, turned-on-from-second-three, playing hard to get and in reality is so damn easy to get kind of woman is beginning to tire. Maybe I have simply grown out of it or maybe authors should try a more realistic approach every now and then.

I know that this gender is about fantasy drizzled with steam and passion, combined with a good sense of humour and an adventurous story -and usually the result is awesome-, but what happens when sex becomes the main story instead? There are plenty of books out there under the right genre for it. Why would the reader need pages upon pages of pretty much the same sex scenes being repeated in each book, simply with different characters. OK, that was a lie; at least in this one. I forgot the addition of masochistic and dominant elements, just to spice things up!

To be honest, the blame is on me. I pick a series and keep reading one book after the other and eventually they all seem the same. I think I’m going to move on to something new for now, and there’s plenty of time ahead to continue this.

And don’t get me wrong, the whole series is quite nice. I am simply trying to point out the elements that, according to my humble personal opinion, this series is lacking and are preventing it from becoming far better.
Profile Image for PepperP0t .
5,108 reviews86 followers
August 13, 2016
4.25stars & digital edition actually

This installment begins shortly before Hunted: A Cyn & Raphael Novellaends, continuing the party to greet the contenders for Midwest Lord. Aden's a definite contender for being the new Midwest vampire Lord but first he has to win the challenges coming his way while he "romances" investigative reporter Sidonie Reid. Sid is out to run an expose on the slavery trade being run concurrently with the drugs being run through town. Both activities were controlled by Aden's predecessor and led to the death of Sid's friend. Everyone is very aware that Klemen's death did not stop the businesses as others not only stepped up to take his place and continue the status quo but possibly to expand it.

I thought the storyline was the strongest element of this installment, but it felt reminiscent of [book:Lucas|13510645 in places though not so much that it was exactly the same. (Elements such as: The heroines each went to a new Lord and the Lord was new to the territory, etc.) I liked both Aden and Sid as individuals after a while but as a couple they each seemed to be interested in the great sex and HFN not so much the HEA. Sid's independence, determination, stubbornness & protectiveness were consistent throughout the story as was Aden's unapologetic bad boy with a definite soft spot for the downtrodden. Thankfully Aden had a personality change during the party though he did seem to have a few issues leashing his inner caveman but luckily that is just what Sidonie ordered. The titillation factor for smexy scenes in this installment was flavored with French Vanilla (a hint of BDSM with the promise of naughtier things to come). That helped push the steam quotient to places it hasn't been for this series. I also enjoyed the climactic action piece which was full of drama as well. A couple of things bothered me during the read, one being the kidnapping (how did they know when/when the victim would be available for said kidnapping?). Also both Sid's story and her family which were so prominent through the book were just dropped with no resolution to either. And I'm not a big fan of flashbacks and believe when there are more than three it should be a prologue, so there were too many of them during this read for my taste. Let's face it, fans of the series will gobble this installment and order the next simultaneously and I'm one of them.

Profile Image for t'irla ~The Bookslayer~ aka Barbara.
1,018 reviews134 followers
November 30, 2013
DB Reynolds never lets you down. I anxiously awaited this novel. DB did a great job teasing me in Hunted and I couldn't wait to get to know Aden and as in all her Vampires in America novels she didn't let me down in fact I think Aden is one of her best heroes yet.

I admit I have loved every single novel in this series ok ok with the exception of Sophia (sorry DB) and Aden was everything I wanted....no needed in her next Lord. Overbearing, opinionated, arrogant, stubborn with a hint of mischief and devilment..he was just *sigh* perfect! Sidonie is another of DB Reynold's strong, alpha women who don't sit back and wait to be rescued but rescue themselves. In Sid's case she is an investigative reporter who after one of her informants is killed pulls out all stops to crack open a slavery ring.

As usual there is lots of great action with several action packed, bloody *ashes to ashes* type scenes and some hawt steamy sex. The sparks fly when these two great characters get together and we welcome a new Lord into our ViA family.

DB keeps her back story of something brewing in Europe to the for front and is reving us up for some super great reading in the future. She has also introduced to us our Last North American Lord....Vincent who will be the hero in her next novel and I for one can't wait!!!

Another 5 star read. If you love alpha vampire lords and strong heroines this series and this novel is definitely for you. Hey Christmas is coming why not treat yourself to the entire series...it will be money well spent and hours of fantastic reads!

t'irla

t'irla's talk tirlastalk.blogspot.ca
Profile Image for Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile.
2,265 reviews518 followers
July 5, 2019
Spoilers ahead


I àm so engrossed in this series that I find myself resentful of the time taken to write a review 😂

In the previous novella we met Aden as Lucas' choice to win the competition but honestly he was a complete asshole and i didn't like him. He believed that women were only good for sex and blood and his issues translated to Cyn, which of course Raphael shut down. I didn't expect to like him but his backstory was so tragic I couldn't help but sympathize. He'd been betrayed by women starting with his mother, his whole life. He was made a slave and a prostitute until he freed himself from that life. He had a lot of issues but we did see him open himself and slowly heal. He was a dominant sexually and did engage in light BDSM. He'd had lots of women over the years with his last encounter being weeks before the h

Sidonie is a reporter from a wealthy family, she is out for revenge after her source and friend was killed. She's no simpering miss and she clashed with Aden regularly though she suited him sexually. Her ex was around a bit but didn't cause drama.

Something about these two together didn't sit well with me but I still enjoyed this story and immediately moved on to the next
Profile Image for Ira.
1,157 reviews130 followers
May 30, 2016
3.5 stars.

I think Sid my least fav heroine in the series so far.
Seriously, she wanted to investigates the sex slaves ring for her small local newspaper which belongs to her dad where usually she only write something fun for the old ladies readers, er....???? You kidding right?

And too much sex in this one! Gosh I couldn't believe I complaining about this.
The things is I wanted more from my vampires read, a brutal wars, well matching villains, lots of bloods and smashed bones, things like that and those not delivered here, Aden enemies are too bloody weak, boo!!
Also if I want to read more sex, I just need to read 60 pages smut and be done with it not a book like this.

But is still a good read and the last 20% was good.
Profile Image for Deborah.
864 reviews18 followers
December 4, 2013
Not my favorite of the series but a nice addition. I didn't feel the love from Aden as I did from the former heroes in this series. Raphael will always be my favorite.
281 reviews5 followers
April 7, 2017
UGH. A part of me wants to just write a whole essay on this, but anyway.
Aden is trying to take over as Lord of the Midwest, after Lucas killed Klemens for starting shit with him. Lucas doesn't want to take over that territory, and Aden is one of his favorite subjects, so Lucas (and Raphael) support Aden's bid to take over the Midwest.
But Aden is like SUPER misogynistic. He hates women, although he's more than willing to engage in some BDSM with them (with him being dominant, of course). Aden's mother was stolen from Scotland and became a member of a Muslim guy's harem, and when Aden was 5, his mother had to allow him to be sold as a slave or leave the harem and support them both. She let him go. Aden ended up in a brothel as a male prostitute, and he thought his clients loved him (he was young), but one night he heard a female prostitute screaming and saved her from the guy who was beating her. In retaliation, his female madam allowed the asshole to whip the ever-loving shit out of Aden, like as often as he wanted. So every woman who Aden knew fucked him over, and he had no way to improve his life. When he was 27, he took a knife and slashed his madam's throat, and then a female vampire offered to turn him, and he was like "...sure, why not."
So Aden beds pretty women and likes to use lashes, whips, etc., along with some light, almost play bondage. And he seems to think women are below contempt.
Sidonie has reddish-gold hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and is the daughter of a newspaper publisher (EEEEEEEEEEEEEE). She's trying to expose sex slavery in Chicago, and when she gets too close, her source is killed by the slave traders. She finds out vampires are involved and wrangles an invitation to the big vampire lord gathering/kickoff to the "who wants to be Lord of the Midwest?" competition.
So Aden has to fight all the strong contenders to take over. He meets Sidonie at the gathering, and she wants to get close to him (in case he's involved or can give her leads on the whole slavery thing), and he's like "guess who I'm going to be whipping later," because have I mentioned he's an asshole? He totally is. She tells him that she's tracking down slave traders, and like the next night she's checking out a possible waypoint and is caught. One of Aden's vampires takes her to Aden, and then Aden and his guys storm in, kill the slave traders, and rescue the slaves.
Aden takes Sidonie to bed that night, which is like the second time they see each other, ripping her underwear in the process (seriously, girl, she didn't bring more so maybe tone it down a notch), and he is super bossy. Vampires can compel humans to obey them, and especially the first time a vampire is with a human, there's this element of "is there informed consent? 'cause I don't think there is" for me. The second time they go to bed, Aden ties her up (she figures out she can get out if she wants, but again, he didn't ask if that was okay, he just did it) and like barely uses any lube before he surprises her with anal sex, and she doesn't effing take any of his blood during that encounter, so:
-She didn't say she was okay with anal sex
-He totally didn't prepare her sufficiently for it
-Girl is going to be HURTING the next day
I get that the idea of an all-powerful, demanding man can be arousing, but if that had happened to me, I would have run away from that bastard. Nope. Nope nope nope. Of course Sidonie is still super attracted to him; she overhears him saying that he won't let "that woman" stand between him and what he wants, and she's like "noooooooooo" and gets all butthurt and runs, and of course Aden wasn't talking about her, he was talking about the only remaining vampire contender. And he goes after her, tells her that he wasn't talking about her, and she's like *swoon.*
The next day, while Aden is sleeping, Sidonie is kidnapped by humans and taken to the remaining vampire slave trader's house. Aden has to deal with the carnage (the kidnappers killed a bunch of his human daylight security force) and a challenge from the last remaining strong vampire, and he thinks Silas, that vampire, is behind Sidonie's kidnapping. But she isn't. Also, Aden's power is that he draws strength from the deaths of vampires. While they slaughter Silas's minions, Aden's just gaining power. It's odd and even he doesn't seem to like it.
Sid, in the meantime, still has her gun with her, but she's drugged and sleeps until the next night (convenient). Pinto, the vampire slave trader, comes in for her (he knows Aden's been with her) and then Aden comes in and slaughters the bad guys, and Sid empties her gun into Pinto's heart but Aden kills him. Then Aden's SUVs are blown up! Silas's human groupie did it 'cause he loved her (although she's dead). Aden's like "fuck this" and basically declares himself winner, come get your ass kicked if you think otherwise, and no one does. Then he takes Sid back to his place and they have sex, and she bites him and drinks blood (which lets her heal faster).
So Sid decides that Aden needs some sexual healing, involving her being dominant during sex (not in any dom/sub way, just her being on top), and Aden wants to roll her over and fuck her hard but lets her have control, and then it's like "yay I'm cured, all that bad shit I went through is done."
Sid and Aden go to South Dakota so Lucas can give Aden official control, and then they have an official gathering, and now Lucas and Katie are mated (super exciting for him), and Sid and Aden are in the process of being mated, I think (she tells him she'd rather have a diamond but this is cool too), and Sid and Aden are in love, and at least he isn't going to be smacking around random women now.
(I mean, Aden says that he knew how to inflict pain in ways that were pleasurable to his partners and would never force a woman, but considering how little he thought of them before, it just seems... eh. Kind of suspect. At least Sid is into it and is taking vampire blood, so she'll heal from his jackassery faster.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews .
1,566 reviews209 followers
December 13, 2013
Well folks, dare I say this has to be my favorite book in the series so far? Yes, yes I will. There is just something about Aden that made me fall in love. His back-story unfolding was mesmerizing - give me a wounded hero that can maintain his heart any day of the week.

Chi town is where the action is this time. Aden is set to take the territory with the “help” of the other Lords in his corner. Dealing with other Lord wannabes is a taxing endeavor. It’s during the gala that he meets the scrappy take-no-prisoners reporter Sid. Sidonie is trying to expose the human slave ring in Chicago, and in doing so needs the help of Lord-to-be Aden. What she doesn’t expect is to be drawn in to Aden; he is a shadow of darkness with a terrifying past. When she learns he was born a slave, she finds that Aden will be her best ally.


These two are a fantastic couple. I laughed out loud so many times at the banter and sass these guys threw at each other.

“A cell phone? Please. Who’re you going to call? Buffy?

“Look,” she snapped, trying without success to push him away. “I get the whole alpha male, vampire lord-of-all-he-surveys thing, okay? I kind of even like it in the bedroom. But out in the real world, you are not the boss of me. I don’t forfeit my brain just because we have sex. And I’ll do whatever I think necessary to get my story. Besides, it’s not like most of what I do is dangerous. I’m not exactly Woodward and Bernstein material. But I’m not stupid either. I don’t take unnecessary risks, and I’m careful with the risks I do take.” “Kind of like it?”


Sid is a tough girl, no ‘damsel in distress’ kind of heroin. She is confident, strong, fearless, and just the kind of woman Aden needs. She is a welcome addition to the VIA spouses club.

In the end, Aden reveals all of his past and in doing so gets the best reward of all. I really did love this installment of the Vampires in America series. D.B Reynolds has outdone herself this go ‘round, and I cannot wait till the next!

5 Brilliant Stars!!
T~
Profile Image for Kara-karina.
1,712 reviews260 followers
December 7, 2013
4.5/5
I always know I can rely on D.B. Reynolds to deliver exactly what I want, so when Aden came out I snatched that book straight away. I love my comfort food, and this is what it is for me - cool non-technophobic mafia-like American vampire lords fighting for their territory, and strong, gutsy and clever women with whom they hook up. Total win.


It's never a straight up paranormal romance, more like a mix of one with some urban fantasy, which works great if you are more of a fan of UF than PNR.


Aden is someone we met in Lucas's book, and at that point he didn't impress me as a reader with his chauvinistic attitude towards women. Never fear, the mighty lord falls hard when he meets the right woman. *grinning*


Sidonie is a beautiful, self-assured reporter, who tries to find justice for her friend by exposing Chicago's slave trade which was ruled by city's previous vampire lord.


In Aden who started his life as a slave Sidonie finds more than a willing supporter for her cause, but he also admires her and wants to have her for his own. Add to it a battle of strong wills, a spice of danger, a slightly kinkier sexual preferences than I'm used to in D.B.'s books, and it's a fast, dynamic and enjoyable read.


My only complaint is that it felt too short and didn't have enough Cyn for my liking. Very much recommended to fans of Elizabeth Hunter and anyone else.
Profile Image for Bea .
2,037 reviews136 followers
April 6, 2015
A tortured hero, a driven heroine, a hot contemporary issue, and a coming war; "Aden" has no lack of material. There's a hot romance and forward motion in the overall story arc war amongst the vampires.

Sidonie is driven to stop the local slavery ring and when she finds links to the local vampires she goes underground to make contact. But the local vampire lord is deceased and a new lord hasn't arisen. Aden is the most likely contender to win the fight to rule so Sid makes contact. There's immediate attraction but Sid resists Aden's arrogant and demanding behavior. The romance follows her usual pattern: a rich, sexy, sensual vampire who pursues the brave, feisty, independent, gorgeous human woman.

Also usual, there's a threat, but several this time. Aden has to fight off challengers to win his title as Midwest lord while both he and Sidonie are looking for the vampires behind the slavery ring. There's treachery, hot sex (lots of it) with some light BDSM, vampire politics, and romance. It's standard Reynolds fare but I particularly enjoyed the politics and machinations as well as the flashbacks to Aden's life as a human. The story kept me reading, wanting to see the romance unfold and what would happen next. I enjoyed it so much that I went right into reading the next story, a novella, "Unforgiven".
Profile Image for ♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡.
939 reviews87 followers
December 10, 2013
OH MY GAWWWD!! Where have I BEEN!! I LOVED this book!! All I can really say is that this series is awesome!! And this was Book #7?!? Why didn't I know about this!! Now I have to get all of them!! Damn!!

Ok! So let's just say I am really mad that I didn't start this series when it first came out. This author is great!! Not only can she tell a story that isn't all rainbows & candy, but she can develop some characters too!!

I knew what the characters looked like, I felt their trauma of past lives, which was so sad in Aden's case by the way... Kind of Acheron-like in Sherrilyn Kenyon's series, but not as so-over-the-top-I-need-to-skip-a-bunch sort of way. It was made clear, but not totally uncomfortable, just really sad. I hate his mother even still.... You will too! The Bitch!

Anyway, I won't synopsis it out to you, but just know I loved it & there are tons of areas to cover still in this series... wars to fight & mates to find!! I cannot wait to read more!!

Absolutely Over the top 5 stars for me!!
Profile Image for Ms. Cyn.
1,544 reviews
July 29, 2016
I loved the slight BDSM touch to this story about Aden. All of the vampires in this series have rough backgrounds but a sex slave might be one of the roughest. Aden doesn't show it but he still has lingering issues from it. It ties into Sidonie's story, who is a journalist trying to uncover the truth about the modern day sex trade in Chicago. Although this story is mostly typical of the series it's still a great romance story with a BDSM twist.
Profile Image for Pepito .
644 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2014
I had such a hard time reading this installment. While I loved most of the books in this series, I just couldn't get to like this one, It took me forever to finish it. I didn't like the main characters at all, nothing about them was appealing to me. I didn't like the plot, the rest of the characters and specially the romance in the story.
Profile Image for Lindap.
1,496 reviews
August 28, 2017
4.50 / 4 Stars

Sid was a hometown reporter that wanted to report on more then just local things. When her friend dies she's determined to investigate/report the slave trade that her friend had once been forced into. Sid wants to bring them all down. (Vamps are involved in it.) Aden had a rough start in life as a slave, so he's not one to condone slavery of any kind. In-order to get to the heart of this slave trade Sid has to get close to the vamps...in-which she meets Aden. Sid is on a mission of her own and Aden is in a battle for the Mid-West territory.
Profile Image for Books By Ces.
523 reviews45 followers
December 2, 2013
I can call myself a paranormal romance junkie but... lately there are many authors out there that haven't been able to captivate me as much as my 5 favorite authors. One of those five is definitely D.B. Reynolds. As a series progresses it sometimes tends to be repetitive or deviates from the original idea. Mainly, the books get boring and I start to beg for an ending.

When a very wise moderator, on the paranormal romance group I joined here on GR a little over a year ago recommended this series to me, I had a bit of a hard time deciding to read them. Basically the reason was the covers... I was and am not a huge fan of said covers (even if they are starting to get better) but I gave it a shot, and the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" took over a whole new meaning for me. I don't do it any more, EVER. I listen; I read reviews and take a chance on the books.

The Vampires in America series is one of those sometimes hidden jewels. The books are fantastically well written; professional; flawless and have a deep, original amazing plot. D.B.'s vampires are not the common denominator, she takes the myth to a whole new level and what I love the most is, her vampires are not wishy-washy, they are violent, sometimes cruel, unyielding, sexy and they can love to depths that equal their own darkness. She can definitely write violence and sexy/smexy/kinky romance and mix it altogether just fine!!! A damn good recipe.

Aden was no exception. I loved were the story is going, I loved how he played the heroine and I loved his backstory. He reminded me a bit of some of my favorite tortured heroes, especially those of Sherri K. I also liked how he was powerful enough to claim a territory with few children, that weird hidden ability of his was a surprise! The showdowns with the contenders were interesting, a little gruesome as only ViA delivers! And near the end, that scene with Lucas!!! So cool!

On the other hand, Sidoine (BTW I looooved her name) was a likable heroine. I would have preferred to know more about her and skip her inner monologues at times. I also felt her badass-ness was a tiny bit forced, hence she was no police/FBI or detective as other heroines. She was a journalist, but I didn’t feel she was such a “professional” and maybe this is the reason I felt her rushed and making some minor stupid decisions. But, she was the other half for Aden, she needed someone like him and I loved how she gave him a run for his money in the bedroom, she was never shy and all up for the kinky vampire…. Oh yes, this one was fairly into the kink! And she wasn’t shy, not even with the … mmm… u know! Read the book!! All I am going to say is that Aden went to second place on my ViA o ’meter (yes Raphael is still my number one).

I can’t wait for the next installment, so we can see were the story is going! And mostly since we are going to MEXICO!!!!! Oh yes my sweet country…… therefore Ms Reynolds, anything we Mexican fans can do to help, advise and review (in matter of Spanish phrases, places, etc. etc. here we are) I am offering because I hate, and absolutely hate to see my country wronged in books!!!! (Not that I believe you will, since you’re a pro, but… help is never underrated).

Great read! I recommend the series to any vampire book enthusiast and paranormal readers out there! They don’t disappoint.
Profile Image for Bea.
513 reviews49 followers
December 4, 2013
Well, I liked it better than the last one. Heck, I don't remember much about the last one, so that tells you right there how bad that one was. A tie for my favorite will always be Raphael and Duncan, both of them have so strong characters.

Most of the females in this series tend to be assertive, go-get-her type "broads", and this one is no different.

Sidonie Reid is a feisty investigative reporter who is investigating a sex slave ring lead by vampires. She is emotionally involved in getting the bad guy and is going to do whatever it takes to take them down.

Meanwhile, Aden is the fore-runner for getting the new Chicago Vampire Territory. He is dark and violent, with a really kick-ass super vampire power. In fact, I think he is up to my third highest favorite character because of his dark and painful history. I would like him better than Raphael, but Reynolds has made his character so incomparable, that NO ONE will beat him.

But this fellow is not a smiley-happy vamp, so be prepared for some fairly dark backstory (think Acheron from the Dark-Hunter series). Reynolds doesn't go into too much detail like what Kenyon did, but you certainly understand his pain by the end.

My biggest complaint about these two is that I did not buy it. The sex was hot, sure, but I saw very little in relationship development, and I think most of that was due to the fact that I did not like the Sidonie character. She was just plain STUPID! She did stupid things and had to have the big man come and save her. STUPID STUPID STUPID. Hell, I'm not sure she's worth the meal!

Another thing was the BDSM type sex. It felt forced, almost like someone said, "hey, we need to have some BDSM in this series. This dude is fucked up, so it makes sense that he would want to be in control and on top." I did not get any real power exchange BDSM here, just kinky rough sex. Which don't get me wrong, is not bad it just fell flat for me.

So, overall, I guess I have to give it a three. I had thought it was a 4, but writing this review has made me drop it down. I might adjust it up after I read this again. Also, I have been reading more male/male for the last 3 years, so my reading tastes might have changed a bit.


What I am looking forward to is the big fight coming up soon. From what I can gather, we have one more book (Mexico territory) and then Raphael will have all of his peeps in position. There is some talk about fighting European vamps? I actually would hope for some more development over there and not just some final fight for evil Europe.

Who knows. Overall, I have always loved this series (except when she tried to have that one female vampire, that did not work). This book is pretty good, the suspense was great and I read it in one sitting. My biggest complaint was that the chick was TSTL, although she was slightly bad-ass at the end, but for me it was too little too late.
Profile Image for Katya.
825 reviews
December 7, 2013
4.5 Stars!!!!

Let me tell you that I loved this installment in the Vampires in America Series. This is one of my all time favorite series.

Aden is so super sexy...but like an normal human being....You have favorites....and as much as I love Aden, I have to say Raphael is still my favorite!

I have to say that the physical interactions between this couple were the most smoking hot of the series in my mind. They were a little different each time and so well written. I also liked Aden stepping back in his mind or in conversation describing his life. He did not have it easy born into slavery, used as a sex slave most of his life. Not having had a female who ever cared about him...most just used him and not allowing anyone to get emotionally close to him made it very difficult to yield to Sid.

If there was any aspect that could have been a little tighter it would be the romance aspect for me. I am missing is some of the tease and fighting their feelings found in previous books.....you know...pursuit but holding back......you knew what was inevitable....and the slow build of trust....the inner dialogue, especially with the human...."Is this smart? What are the repercussions of dating a vampire lord?"

Aden seemed a bit colder a vampire....not having the warmth & humor of Lucas or Rajmund. Another plus...each vampire is a little different not cookie cutter characters like some series. He was whitty and powerful. He also was an incredibly handsome, beautiful male to look at. I got the picture in my mind that if I were in his presence I would have trouble hearing anything anyone said because I would be so transfixed on him....Years as that sex slave taught him to be smooth, sexy and appealing. And oyyy the things he said to Sid....(the heroine.) :-)

Speaking of which, Sidonie, the heroine was fantastic. What a great character. Probably my favorite heroine of the series so far. Although, I do love Cyn. Sid did not let Aden get away with anything....she stood up to him, did her thing and was not going to be pushed around by the likes of some superpower alpha vampire like Aden. And although she had her insecurities about Aden, tried to keep it a temporary, sexual relationship while she tried to avenge the death of her friend...the inevitable pull was there. She was afraid of falling for him thinking that when she had accomplished her aims with Aden's help that they would go their separate ways.

HOWEVER.....Thank goodness they both got their happy ever after. What a dynamic couple and so in love. Another score for D.B. Reynolds....High Five to you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Debra Johnson.
11k reviews179 followers
July 12, 2025
Aden by D.B. Reynolds
Genres; Adult, Action, Crime, Erotica, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense.
4.80 Stars

Positives & Negatives
The only negatives I came up with is 3 typos. They are in my kindle highlights.
Aden is competing to be the next lord of Chicago & Sidonie is adamant about closing down the slave ring.
The suspense of the challenge and challengers and the mystery of the slave organization keep you absorbed in the story.
The two main characters set the pages on FIRE!! The passion between Sidonie and Aden runs sizzling hot and keeps you captivated in their relationship. Even though the attraction is instant, they are both reluctant to take it for more than lust.
Awesome book.
Extremely well written.
Flows so smooth and keeps you so involved you will swear you were there.
Can I make this my new favorite of the 'Vampires in America' series?
These two characters may have just beat the 1st book with Cyn & Raphael. It is that close!
Profile Image for Saly.
3,437 reviews580 followers
December 19, 2013
I have come to a realization that when I go into a book with low expectations I am generally presently surprised and that is what happened with Aden. Aden's master is Lucas and now Aden is in a contest to become Lord of the Midwest. Aden as we see through flashbacks had a horrible life, sold by his own mother into slavery, and then sold again to become a sex slave, so he is a cynic and women don't hold much importance to him.

The heroine Sid, comes from a life of wealth and is a reporter and her investigation into a sex slave ring (by the now dead vampire lord Klemmens) brings her into Aden's sphere. I will say straight off the romance was umm-hmm but the book still kept me engaged, Sid is attracted to Aden and rightfully so scared of him and they are soon indulging in bedroom gymnastics and Aden's slight kinks. Aden hates slavery and when he learns of what Sid has to say he says that he will take care of it bt Sid wants to be involved.

Honestly, I didn't see or believe how fast these two fell for each other and that Sid could help Aden overcomes his hang-ups but I went with it. Overall, good book and I am looking forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,897 reviews472 followers
January 9, 2014
I'm really sorry to give only 3 stars...

I love this series and even if nothing (almost... see Lucas! LOL) rivals Rapahel, I enjoyed very much the other books.

This one ... not so much.

I had issues both woth the heroine, Sidonie, and with the hero, Aden.

Sidonie... what to say? A wealthy socialite wannabe social worker/PI/world savior... And the name... I kept thinking about a bad copy of Carey's Imriel trilogy and finding her empty headed and lacking. I couldn't for the life of me understand why Aden was so captivated by her !!!

Aden was better. I liked and understood his darkenss and his dominance, but I couldn't connect with his attraction to Sidonie. It just felt strange and not very credible to me. OK, so she's a submissive and I see how that could appeal to Aden, but I felt her too weak in every sense for such a forceful personality as Aden is. I would have seen better somebody more similar to Cyn outside the bedroom.

But I'll be waiting anxiously to read Vincent's story still! :D
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