Tempted by Blood

Sweetblood #3

by Laurie London

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the battle for supremacy rages on between two Vampire coalitions: Guardian enforcers sworn to protect humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors….

He might be known for his effortless charm, but Guardian Jackson Foss is hiding a terrible secret. For months, he has battled the emergence of his dark nature―deadly urges that threaten to consume him. And those cravings only intensify when he meets Arianna Wells, the human he's been assigned to protect. Smart and perceptive, Arianna doesn't seem like a dangerous temptress. Yet she awakens in Jackson an unstoppable need that, if left unchecked, will brand him a traitor…a crime punishable by death.

But soon their bond may be Arianna's only hope. For stalking her in the shadows is a merciless enemy―one who will stop at nothing to claim her completely….

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Adult, Urban Fantasy

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

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Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...

I really love how easy it is to slip into Laurie London’s writing. Her Sweetblood series is easy to pick up in the middle of the series. I’ve read all of her other books, but I don’t feel anyone would feel lost at all by reading them as stand-alones. That includes this one, Tempted by Blood.

In Tempted by Blood, we read about Jackson, the agent who thinks he’s on the edge of reverting. That means he thinks he’s getting closer and closer to becoming what their kind has evolved away from-an all blood diet, and killing those they drink from. His kind now, takes sips, or drinks from bags, and they can absorb human energy as well. Those vampires who revert to the old ways are called Dark Bloods, and as an agent, Jackson has spent the past century hunting them down. While I do feel Jackson waxed a wee bit melodramatic over his possible demise, it was understandable. This is what he fears, and he’s seen what happens to agents if they revert. They are killed. Ruthlessly, violently. No trial. So, he is right to be scared.

The heroine is a blogger whose parents were killed by shadows. That might not make sense, but what she saw were Dark Blood vampires who stepped from the shadows. Since no one ever believed her, to the point her relatives told her she was in league with the devil, she started blogging. At first it was just cathartic. Then it became about realizing that she wasn’t alone, and all those people who followed her blog needed the validation that they weren’t alone either. But blogging on her X-Files meets Ghost Hunters type blog isn’t a paying gig, so she works at Xtark gaming. We found out in previous books that they are fronting a Dark Blood operation.

All in all, this is a fast-paced and easy to read book. It’s enjoyable, and has a super sexy hero, with green and blue highlights that I find so sexy. The heroine has a moment where she’s frozen in fear, but once she realizes her cousin’s in trouble, she is able to suck it up and help. She doesn’t venture into TSTL territory but she’s under no delusions that she can kick vampire arse, either. She knows her limits and makes wry comments about taking self defense classes in the future. Hopefullly everyone else will enjoy it as much as I have.

Loves:

I love that in this series not every human can have their mind altered by vampires. It just doesn't stick on some. Makes it more realistic, I mean it makes sense that not every human would be so easily manipulated (It turns out she’s only immune to him).

I love that the heroine is a blogger and I love how seriously she takes her blogging

I love that *snicker* Arianna's profile pic is Alexander Skarsgard and Jackson's giving her a hard time about Askars


On the whole a good story that was easy to get into and enjoyable to read.

***ARC provided by the author

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

A big improvement to the previous books. Jackson has been an interesting secondary character right from the start. He's very loyal to his fellow guardians and I've been looking forward to his book. We're finally told in this book why he's such a player.

Arianna saw her mother taken as a child but nobody would take her seriously. Now, she writes a blog telling of paranormal happenings. When a couple of men tried to kidnap her and her young cousin and they were saved by a mysterious man, she took photos and posted in her blog.... that's when things started getting serious.....

[Hbeebti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh I hate when I write a review and it doesn't go through. I cant remember what I wrote last time so here we go again..

Goodreads First reads winner!

Third book in this series and I think its the best one so far. Alfonso will always have a special place but Jackson is my new favorite. Jackson in the previous books has been the sweet, lovable, loyal and just a goof. But in this book you see him struggling with himself. He thinks he is reverting. Poor guy is getting messed up in the head over it. Jackson is not into relationships at all. In fact he is more of leave them before they leave me kinda person.

When Jackson and Arianna meet its because Arianna and her cousin Krystal with a K" get into trouble. Krystal is being nabbed because she is a sweet blood. Here's the thing she was in the previous book being rescued along with some others. Jackson watches over her to make sure that the reverts don't take her again. Long story short they try , they fail and Jackson has to wipe their minds again. But Jackson fails at wiping Arianna mind.

I loved that Jackson goes to to Lily and Alfonso for help. That is where their relationship changes and becomes more. Poor Jackson fights it but then gets all growly and possessive. Loved those parts! I loved seeing that side of him. Now I had it figured out from the beginning who the trader was. I get why he did it but man it was selfish. But he redeemed himself in the end. The ending was fast paced and I have to say that I loved that epi. I reread that part because it was just so sweet.

Cant wait for the next book, but I have no clue as to who it is about. Cant wait to find out though. These books are getting better and better.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book earlier in the month after the author asked for reviewers. I responded and within a couple of days received the book in the mail. I wondered if I would be lost since this is the 3rd book in the series but another friend said that it could stand alone, so I began reading without worrying about what may have happened prior to this book.

I'm a vampire lover, so I'm a sucker (no pun intended) for any book that has such a great vampire cover and whose blurb foretells a troubled hero. This book delivered all of it!

This book is the story of Jackson Foss, a Guardian vampire who is assigned to protect Arianna Wells and her niece Krystal from the Darkblood vampires. Jackson is starting to feel overwhelming urges for blood and energy beyond what he should and so he's sure that his dark nature will overtake him and he will have to be killed before he becomes like his enemies. Arianna is a human who has always believed that something dark and dangerous was the cause of her mother's death but no one has ever believed her. Then one night she sees the bad vampires attempt to take her niece and then watches as Jackson comes out of nowhere and fights them off. The fact that she can see the vampires moves as shadows and then when she's unaffected by the mind swipe means she's something special in the vampire world.

Arianna and Jackson have a natural sexual tension that brings them closer together while Jackson has her and her niece hidden from the Darkbloods. During that time, they come to know one another and you can see the relationship grow quickly as they share some of their secrets. They seem to understand what the other has suffered and it creates a connection that neither wants to let go. Even though Arianna lost her mother and could lose her niece to vampires, she accepts Jackson and his world as she comes to discover that not all vampires are bad vampires.

One of my favorite scenes comes when they are together and she reveals the beginning of her feeling for him:
" 'Damn you, Jackson. You're everything I ran from all my life, and yet, you're everything I seem to need.'
With an arm on either side of his head, she eased herself down and he slid into heaven. Soft moans and a few loud ones filled the room. It wasn't until they finished making love that he realized he'd forgotten all about his rules and had kissed her over and over."

I enjoyed the book for a variety of reasons. 1. Jackson is one hot vampire, and he knows it, and I like that he knows it! He's got a bad boy reputation but it's just to keep people at a distance so that he doesn't let them down. He really just wants to find love and have a family and be a good person. 2. It was easy enough to follow along and understand what was going on without having to read the previous books. Since Arianna was new to the vampire world, I got to learn about it along with her. 3. The story progressed nicely without any slow spots. The action, both between the vampires and between Jackson and Arianna, kept moving along. 4. And in the end, Jackson got his happy ending.

[Lori {Romancing the Dark Side} · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's impossible not to love these dark and sexy Guardian vampires!

In a world with feral vampires called Darkbloods who prey on humans (nicknamed Sweetbloods) there exists a league of Guardian vampires whose mission is to protect the innocent. Jackson Foss is one of those guardians but his dark urges have him walking a dangerous line that if crossed would change his life forever. When he rescues two young women from a Darkblood attack, his struggle with his personal demons and blood lust becomes unbearable. Jackson's mission is to keep Arianna and her cousin safe from the Darkbloods, but the temptation of having her soon takes over, making him the biggest threat to the woman he's sworn to protect.

Laurie London works her writing magic in Tempted by Blood. When we are first introduced to Jackson, he's portrayed as a sexy bad boy with a love for women...many women. We soon learn there's more than meets the eye with this tortured hero. He's conflicted, torn between his urges and beliefs, but underneath all those layers we see a man who is vulnerable and caring. In Arianna he finds a challenge. She's a strong willed blogger (which I love) who threatens to expose the truth of the paranormal and doesn't exactly fall at Jackson's feet, even with his incredible magnetism. Arianna isn't a stranger to the supernatural which explains how she handles the situation she's thrown into with little hysteria (the girl's pretty tough).

This romance isn't love at first sight and slowly develops which is a great element to the story. There's plenty of sass and chemistry between Arianna and Jackson which leads to some hot and heavy action when it finally happens. These two characters complement each other perfectly, he's an Alpha with a sarcastic tone and she's independent and not afraid to put him in his place!

Don't be fooled into thinking this is just another paranormal romance story...it's a little more. The world building is imaginative, new and there's plenty of suspense with the addition of a dark, female villain you'll love to hate. There's a great balance of elements in Tempted by Blood that blend effortlessly in delivering an engaging story. Ms. London's attention to detail makes it easy to jump into her vampire world even if you haven't followed the series. While there's a bit more action between the sheets than on the streets in this installment, you won't want to miss out on meeting the tempting vampire Guardian Jackson!

{ebook courtesy of NetGalley for an honest review.}

Original Romancing the Darkside Review:
http://romancingthedarkside.blogspot....

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

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

What I love about the worldbuilding in Laurie London’s Sweetblood series is how accessible it is. It doesn’t matter which book you start this series with, you’ll be able to jump right in. And yet accessible doesn’t mean ordinary. The vampire mythology is classic with a fresh and modern twist: human blood is like a drug to vampires. Some are more commonplace and less addictive than others. The most rare and highly sought after are called Sweet Bloods. They are basically human heroin x 10. Even the vampire police known as Guardians have fight themselves for control when in the presence of a Sweet Blood. Which of course makes falling in love with one a dangerous game of desire.

There’s a reason vampires are the ultimate paranormal romance heroes. They don’t just want your body, they want your very life force. Hunger and desire are hopelessly tangled together and the result, at least in the Sweetblood series, is all the more satisfying for the blend. In TEMPTED BY BLOOD, the vampire hero is Jackson, a Guardian who is slowing slipping, his appetites becoming more and more insatiable like the Darkbloods he hunts. To hide his decent into darkness, Jackson has cultivated a reputation among the Guardian a serious manwhore. When he meets Arianna, a human with an obsession for the paranormal stemming from a childhood tragedy, his last thread of self-control snaps.

If you’ve read any of the previous Sweetblood books, you know how hot they are. Well TEMPTED BY BLOOD is scorching by comparison. Jackson is used to hiding his darker desires with sex, but with Arianna, he wants—and takes—both. Like I said, hot, hot, hot. While the solid writing and worldbuilding that first drew me to this series are consistently strong, I wasn’t as taken with the characters and plot this time. Jackson was a suitably tortured character, but Arianna didn’t come to life for me the way the previous heroines had. And the overall plot didn’t feel as perilous or even as dangerous this time, I think that’s due to the fact that I didn’t build a connection with one of the important characters. That being said, this is still a good read. Imaginative and sensual, the Sweetblood paranormal romance series is one I keep going back to, so I’m already looking forward to SEDUCED BY BLOOD when it releases in July.

Sexual Content:
Several graphic sex scenes

[Μαρία Γεωργοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Tempted by Blood” by Laurie London is the third book in the Sweetblood series and I have to say that I enjoyed it very much! The author has create a very unique and interesting vampire world and in combination with the great characters, the result is great. I love her writing style, because it makes the book very easy to read and the story is fast-paced so the reader never gets bored!

In this story, we learn about Jackson a vampire agent and Arianna a human blogger. Jackson believes that he soon will revert and he’s trying to keep his distance from the others but now he has to protect Arianna and her sweetblood cousin. I loved them both!

Jackson is more than a sexy man. He acts like he’s a playboy, but deep down he is lonely and scared. He believes that he’s reverting (that he’ll become Dark Blood) and he’s afraid of hurting anyone. He wants to know what love is but so far he has only one night stands. All his friends believe that he cares only for women but the truth is that he just wants to be loved.

Arianna is a brave woman with a lonely life so far also. Her mother died when she was little and no one believed her when she said what she saw that day. Now, she is responsible for her cousin because her aunt is on rehab. She runs a blog about paranormal and soon discovers that everything she was afraid is real! Also, she works for a company that isn’t what it seems! What I loved most about Arianna was that she really believed in Jackson. She is the kind of woman who listens before takes action. She loved Jackson so much and she helps him to be a better person!

A very good book that I enjoyed very much! I totally recommend it to all the fans of paranormal romance books!

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tempted By Blood is Guardian Jackson Floss's story. Jackson increased cravings for energy and blood from humans has him believing he is Reverting. Reverting into a Dark Blood like there ancient ancestors for a Guardian means a horrible execution. While on his routing checks to insure the Sweetbloods in the Guardian Data Base is safe from DB, Jackson runs into his charge Krystal a 15 year old about to be attacked by DB. Jackson doesn't realize at first that Krystal's cousin Arianna Wells is videoing him for her blog Paranormalish. He blog code name is Icy Shadows. Jackson is forced to take there phones and mind swipe there memories. What Jackson doesn't know is her phone automatically downloads to her cloud acct. Days later after something jars Arianna's memory she posts the video and pictures of what she saw that night. Her cousin Krystal is a Sweetblood, but she has an uncanny knack for resisting mind swipes. Jackson has been order to kill her if he can't get his second attempt to swipe her memories.

This begins a fast paced suspenseful and sensual sexy romance between Jackson and Arianna. There are villain aplenty, twist and turns that the readers will probably figure out. I enjoyed the revisit with all the lead characters of the other books in the series. I also loved that the world of Guardians, Dark Bloods and Sweetblood continue to grow and expand. There world is always enlarging as well as the PR capabilities of the Guardian. I Highly Recommend Tempted by Blood bk3 and the entire SweetBlood series by Laurie London.

[Esra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gerçekten böylemi bitecekti ?

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Başları inanılmaz sıkıcı itiraf etmeliyim ama kitap sonraları açılıyor. hikaye yine klasik , kız ve oğlan - kız gıcık ama akıllı ,bağlı,güveniir -erkek ben canavarlaşıyorum diye sevdiklerini kendinden uzaklaştırmaya çalışır. kız erkeği yola getirir ama herşey sütlimanken kız kötüadamlarca kaçırılır, erkek kızı kurtarır. aşık olurlar , ve mutlu son.
kitabın tek katlanılır kişisi don ve jackson'dı. mitch'de feci değil. alfonsoda dünyay tatlısı babacık :D kitap klişe olsada okuması güzeldi. o yüzden 5 yıldız verdim :=) okuyunuz :D

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

I really loved Jackson's story, he was just as sexy and intriguing as I imagined from previous books. I'm very happy with the way his story went and can't wait for more Sweetbloods!

You can check out Lexy's 3.5 Star review of Tempted by Blood at Reading Between the Wines

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, relatively quick read.

This is the third book in the Sweetblood series. It continues in the Seattle field office, this time following the romance of Jackson Foss when he meets Arianna. You get to know more about him than the first 2 books revealed & find him to be a different person than he lets on.
He feels that he is "reverting" & will have to be killed by the Guardian Agency. When he meets Arianna, he feels led to protect her & her niece, one of the Sweetbloods rescued at the end of the 2nd book.
It's a decent read with the same kind of plot as the first 2, so you know what you're getting with this one.

[Betty Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good. Its been a while since I have read a book by Laurie London, the Sweetblood series. This was about Jackson Foss is a guardian. He thinks he is beginning to revert to a dark blood vampire. He meets up with Arianna Wells, the human he has been assigned to protect. There is a lot of action and kind of gory spots in this book, but the story line was good. Passion between Jackson and Arianna is really off the charts but Jackson tries to hold back as he fears he may hurt Arianna. Book kept me reading well into the night. Highly recommend.

[Sharon Ryder Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious, and dark.. A few places had me laughing which i loved a great deal and i appreciate the humour as i am like that myself...A few times i had to re-read, it as some of the words seemed to me hard to understand, not a fault of the author but rather mine as words/slangs from different parts of the world i am not used to, but in all i love these books.

[Laura Fitton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burner compared to her previous ones, but it gradually got going and ended great.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

Jackson is on the verge of reverting. He’s on the downward spiral of blood lust and needs high amounts of energy from humans to survive and he needs all this frequently. Being a Guardian and reverting means very simply - execution. Jackson is estranged from his parents and he blames himself for his little sister’s death. As a result, he lives like he has nothing to lose. He’s a risk taker and takes chances with his work by throwing himself into the middle of it all, knowing that his days are numbered.

Arianna works for a gaming software company and runs a paranormal blog on the side. She watched her mom die when she was a little girl, watching as the dark shadows take her mom away. No one believed her, so her heart is into running Paranormalish, her blog dedicated to the weird and unexplained things that humans can’t understand. She’s watching out for her younger cousin, Krystal, but can’t stop the shadows when they come for her one night. Krystal is a Sweetblood, a blood type that’s irresistible to vampires and the Darkbloods want to gather all the sweets and move back to how vampires used to live; taking blood freely from humans, with no concern for their lives. Krystal was in a group of sweets that were captured in the previous book, Embraced By Blood, that were to be sold to the highest bidder. One of the master minds behind that idea is back and she wants the sweets that got away.

Jackson is in the right place at the right time as he helps Krystal and Arianna get away from the Darkbloods and takes them to Alfonso and Lily’s home to regroup and get a plan of attack together. We get to see plenty of the Guardians, including Kip who’s still struggling to get back into his life and work. I loved seeing a little more of Alfonso in the role of Dad, it was something that I wanted more of in his own book.

She tensed. Was this the part where he was going to bite her? She was so completely and utterly enthralled by him that she hasn’t thought about it ahead of time, but the man was a vampire. At least she could’ve mentally prepared herself. Would it hurt? Would he -

“Shh, little minx. I will not hurt you.”

“You…you won’t”

He stroked a finger along her throat. Her pulse quickened in response as if encouraging him to drink from her.

“As much as I want this from you, I will not take anything that you don’t freely give to me.” He hesitated and it felt as if he was going to say something more. She held her breath, but he stayed silent.

He wouldn’t bite her unless she told him he could. Slowly, she relaxed.

“There we go,” he murmured. “That’s it.”

The romance between Jackson and Arianna was sweet, but a little slow in building. I do like how Laurie London has created a connection between the vampire/human couples in that when they meet their “one”, the human’s blood unlocks a dormant power in the vampire. It’s a nice connection for the couples to have and in the case of Jackson it causes a bit more angst since his new talent is often a side effect of reverting. I kept waiting and waiting for their romance to heat up, and while it took until around the midway point for them to get together, the first part of the book had a nice build up. It set the story up for Krystal, being the sought after Sweetblood and Arianna and Jackson trying to figure out ways to protect her. I liked following this trio as they run from the Darkbloods and connect with Lily and Alfonso. Jackson feels especially protective of Krystal as she reminds him so much of his sister.

The suspense plot is driven by the Sweetbloods and the Guardians trying to find ways to help keep them safe, it builds to a fight at the end with a group of Darkbloods behind the latest plot to take them. I wasn’t so attracted to this plot line as I was the little moments that came out of it for our hero and heroine – like Arianna’s blog coming in handy and giving clues to the Guardian’s when it came to missing people and Jackson struggling to believe in himself when he’s so convinced that he’s going to fall on the wrong side of the line he’s trying to straddle between being a Guardian and becoming too addicted to blood and energy. It was the little things that came out along the way to final fight that I was more interested in than the actual fight itself, which was resolved fairly quickly.

This was an overall nice story for Jackson and Arianna and I always enjoy the addition of the side characters both from past books and characters that we need to know more about before they take center stage in their own books.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting: Devil’s Backbone; Arianna’s apartment, Guardian Headquarters, Xtark Software offices, Seattle;
Casa en las Colinas

Theme: doing right; hiding truth to protect self and others; truth; operating in a world that does not know the truth; finding a love that empowers

Characters:

Arianna Wells – aka Icy Shadows; Dark Seer (can see the shadows that vampires make themselves into to hide); when a child, saw shadows kill her mother – but no one believed her; now works at Xtark working on computer games and maintains a blog that discusses and investigates the unknown i.e. vampires, though she does not know that. She is caring for her 15 year old niece Krystal, while her mother is in drug rehab. Krystal is a sweetblood, and when missing for 3 days is one the Darkbloods captures, and were going to auction for a vampire to suck dry; when the Darkbloods try to take her again, Arianna captures some of it on her camera video and it is automatically sent to a cloud account.

Krystal – sweetblood; living with Arianna. Had mind wiped after kidnapping and does not know she is in danger. Ventra wants her back (along with any they lost in the Guardian take down). Soldiers forward under Arianna and Jackson’s protection though. She reminds Jackson of his dead sister.

Jackson Foss – Guardian; handsome and plays it up / charming and plays it up; feels that he is changing, worried that he is reverting and will soon be a Darkblood, making his friends to track him down; feeling inferior since youth, when took his sister out on the family boat during the day when parents slept, and she fell off boat and drowned and when he changed to vampire a few months later, his parent’s kicked him out of the house . He needs multiple, daily infuses of energy and more blood than usual – and plays up his manwhore image to make his companions think he is just real horny. He knows it will not last forever.

Mitchell Stryker – Jackson’s partner (next book?) – accepts and respects Jackson. New to Guardian.

Lily and Alfonso and Zoe – from last book – Lily a tracker, Alfonso building their home in Casa en las Colinas. They offer refuge and protection to Jackson, krystal, and Arriana.

Darkbloods / sweetbloods / Guardians – Darkblood Alliance / humans with rare blood type particularly addicting and attractive to vampires / protectors of humans and the vampire race by keeping their presence unknown to humans.

Carter – Xtark programmer; Arianna’s friend; helps her set up protections on her blog; helps her keep her blog anonymous and under Xtark’s radar; has debilitating disease, and knows about the vampires – helping them program coded messages through the game (though does not know it is to sell off human sweetbloods); is willing to do for the vampires so they will make him a changeling, and the vampire blood will destroy his disease – they are big on promises, but not fully forthcoming.

Ventra Capelli – newly appointed Seattle Sector Mistress; with big plans for the Darkbloods – to be rulers of the world, to make loss of money by the capture and distribution of Sweet bloods… looking forward to her first ‘sculputure of dead human/vampire bones’…

Summary:
Jackson is struggling with how to deal with reverting, and obeying the edicts of the Guardians where Krystal and Arianna are concerned which is contrary to how he feels toward them – Krystal reminds him of his younger sister, and he is drawn to Arianna who doesn’t see him or treat him like other women – she is attracted to him, but she gets him… and he begins more and more to trust her with his true self… when assisting her from leaving Xtrac (where she was trying to upload info for the Guardians), he shifts to invisible – a ‘power’ of the first, more violent vampires and does so more purposefully when going in with the team to retrieve Krystal (again)… It takes Arianna’s time with Ventra, who recognizes his changes as those that come for one who finds his true blood bond to bring forth latent powers (as Alfonso can mist) so he no longer fears reverting.

Ventra encourages him to join her and quest to find the true power of vampires in their ‘rightful’ place as rulers of the food/humans…. Hmmmm

And 2 months later, Arianna and Jackson are ready to open a sweetblood retreat, where sweetbloods can be better protected… the Guardians taking a more assertive part in their protections (moving away from the Guardian’s primary mission to keep knowledge of vampires hidden – through controlling out-of=control Darkbloods and through mind wiping -

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'héroïne, Arianna Wells, travaille dans une compagnie de jeux vidéos, mais tient secrètement un blog assez populaire recensant les phénomènes paranormaux de la région. Elle vient aussi de récupérer la garde de sa cousine adolescente, Krystal, pendant que sa tante est en cure de désintoxication. Or, un soir, alors qu'elle vient la chercher chez une amie, Krystal se fait enlever par deux hommes sortis de l'ombre… Heureusement, Jackson Foss est là pour la sauver.

Jackson est un vampire qui travaille comme Gardien, et sa job est d'éliminer les "darkbloods", ces vampires qui croient à la supériorité de leur race sur les humains et n'hésitent pas à tuer pour vendre du sang sur le marché noir. Le type de sang le plus prisé des vampires est appelé "sweetblood", et Krystal le possède justement…

Première impression en lisant ce roman : rien de nouveau sous le soleil. Des réminiscences des Dark-Hunters de Sherrilyn Kenyon ou de Dark Gold de Christine Feehan… Mais pas seulement, finalement. Une autre raison pour laquelle l'univers me paraît familier est qu'il reprend de nombreux éléments qui, à défaut de se trouver dans des séries paranormales bien connues, se trouvaient dans mon projet de romance paranormale ! (Il fut un temps où j'écrivais…) Comment ne pas y être sensible ? Cette auteure décrit les vampires et leur organisation politique presque de la même façon que je l'aurais fait. Premier bon point.

Deuxième bon point : bien que la chronologie des parutions oblige à présenter Kenyon comme l'inspiratrice de London, voici un cas où l'imitation dépasse l'original, où l'élève dépasse le maître. Vous vous rappelez que je n'avais pas spécialement accroché à Night Pleasures… Tempted by Blood me semble paradoxalement plus original et plus substantiel. Ce qui est sûr, c'est que j'ai eu nettement plus de plaisir à lire cette romance-ci que l'autre ; les personnages me sont plus sympathiques, l'intrigue plus vive.

Je suis donc partagée entre l'impression que ce roman n'a pas forcément d'intérêt transcendant (si vous avez déjà lu de la romance para et que ça vous suffit), et celle qu'il serait injuste de méconnaître ce livre alors que d'autres, similaires mais certainement pas meilleurs, sont adulés… En somme, je le conseillerais :

aux personnes qui souhaitent découvrir la romance paranormale, car c'est une bonne illustration du genre,
ou aux personnes qui adorent la romance para précisément pour ces "éléments communs" que l'on retrouve d'une série à l'autre.

Cela dit, à mon sens, la romance a toujours un intérêt, et la romance vampirique en a aussi un qui lui est propre. Je ne suis pas du tout spécialiste des vampires dans la littérature, mais je suis, en revanche, un peu spécialiste des questions d'égalité, de liberté et de démocratie. Il me semble que la représentation actuelle des vampires dans la culture populaire renvoie à un état du monde et à un état de la conscience modernes, sinon démocratiques. Je pourrais me faire une note pour écrire un jour un article scientifique à ce sujet.

Non, finalement, la seule réserve que j'ai vis-à-vis de ma lecture est interne à l'œuvre. Tempted by Blood n'est pas parfait non plus. En effet, si toute l'histoire autour de l'enlèvement de Krystal et sa poursuite par des darkbloods nous absorbe, j'ai été frappée par le degré de prévisibilité de tout ce qui n'aurait pas dû l'être : l'identité du traître, notamment… Il est vrai que dans un livre bien écrit, aucun détail ne doit être laissé au hasard, que comme le disait Sabrina Jeffries, si vous vous attardez sur quelque chose, le lecteur va penser qu'il a une importance quelconque (donc ne le faites pas s'il n'en a pas !). Mais il y a le versant de cet écueil : si vous vous attardez sur quelque chose et que le lecteur devine immédiatement pourquoi.

Je défends toujours la fin heureuse en romance sur la base que l'on veut savoir quand et comment, et non quoi. Mais cela a une limite, surtout lorsque l'on sort de la romance et qu'il s'agit d'une intrigue secondaire supposément à suspense. Dans Tempted by Blood, j'étais un peu déçue de tout savoir avant l'héroïne, même si cela ne m'a pas empêchée de lire vite, très vite afin de savoir dans quelles circonstances elle allait le découvrir.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arianna Wells works for a software company by day, but at night she devotes her time to her blog, Paranormalish. When her mother was kidnapped when Arianna was 5, she quickly learned that no one believed her when she said shadows, not a real person, took her mother away. Since then, she has devoted her life to researching the paranormal or odd situations that people can't explain. One night when Arianna is out picking up her cousin, two men come out of the shadows and attempt to kidnap her cousin. But lucky for Arianna, she has her own Guardian vampire lurking nearby.

Jackson Foss is a vampire and a Guardian. In this world, there are vampires called Darkbloods, who prey on humans who have an addictive, rare type of blood called Sweetbloods. However, the Guardians have sworn to protect these Sweetbloods and have been waging a war with the Darkbloods for a long time. Humans are not to find out that vampires exist, so after Jackson fends off the Darkbloods who try to kidnap Arianna's cousin, he erases the events from their memories. But unfortunately for Jackson, Arianna's mind-erase doesn't keep. Lately, Jackson has needed to feed (both on blood and energy) more and more. He is afraid this is the beginning stages of reverting to the dark side. The failed mind-erase worries him even more.

I've been excited to get Jackson's story — he has always been the more laidback, sarcastic guy of the group in Laurie London's Sweetblood series. Known for his playboy ways, he easily can get any woman he wants. But we come to learn more recently that he is not necessarily sleeping with all of these women — he just needs their energy. He fears his dark side might be taking over. The very people he fights, those who drain Sweetbloods dry, might one day be him. So we get a Jackson that on the inside is kind of scared and unsure where his life is headed. He wants to fight the good fight, but his body is screaming for something else.

I enjoyed our heroine, Arianna, as well. A very curious woman who knows deep down that she was not crazy when she saw two shadows kidnap her mother all those years ago. So when Jackson comes to her rescue in his shadow form, and she also sees fangs, it is not a big leap for her to understand that vampires exist. When she documents the rescue with her phone, it complicates things for Jackson. Unfortunately for her, the Darkbloods learn where she and her cousin live, making it impossible to go home. So she ends up spending a lot of time with Jackson, who refuses to let them be hurt.

I enjoyed how Arianna and Jackson go from strangers to friends. It was well paced and believable. I wasn't as convinced with them going from friends to lovers. That scenario felt a little more rushed. While it takes a long while for the physical intimacy to start, I still don't know if I was 100% convinced Arianna would have sex with a vampire. All of a sudden, Arianna, who is still unsure about vampires, is falling into bed with one? That made me take pause. To me, they felt more like best friends, rather than intimate lovers. Not to say I didn't enjoy their friendship. I just wasn't convinced of their intimacy at first. By the end though they made me smile.

Tempted by Blood is a fun, easy read and can be read as a stand-alone.

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Laurie London has built-up her reputation as a red hot vampire fiction writer with her Sweetblood series and Tempted by Blood is the hottest book yet! Even though it’s been months since I finished reading Embraced by Blood; once I dove in to this third installment it felt like no time had passed at all. Even though the overall premise of this series is hard to forget, Laurie does a great job of bringing the details to the forefront and then expanding upon them even further. I didn’t find that the characters were as engaging this time around and the plot didn’t have that sense of do-or-die about it. As a result, this was my least favorite novel out of the three.

I really liked the fact that Arianna is a blogger. Granted, this aspect probably doesn’t appeal to everyone but for me, it’s what allowed me to form that initial connection to her. We bonded over our geekiness so to speak. There are a number of instances where I found myself nodding in agreement because her reaction was exactly what mine would have been. Plus her blog’s called Paranormalish, how cool is that? A girl after my own heart! Unfortunately, that’s where the synchronicity ended. I had a hard time connecting with Arianna on any other level. She’s not a bad heroine per say but she’s not on the same level as MacKenzie and Lily from the first two books either.

A guardian’s biggest fear is reverting back to their feral nature and becoming the very thing that they hunt, Darkbloods. Jackson fears that this is what’s happening to him and feels trapped in his own skin. He can’t tell anyone because it’s an automatic death sentence so instead he hides his urges by playing up his whole man whore persona. I enjoyed witnessing his internal battle of wills. Laurie does a great job of conveying how close he is to breaking. I felt genuinely stressed out for him! Jackson is just barely holding on and then in walks Arianna. Talk about adding fuel to the fire!

I found the plot line of Tempted by Blood to be a little on the slow side. The first two books have a real sense of urgency to them that’s somewhat lacking this time around. The story is interesting but it’s not a page turner. Maybe that was London’s plan. She’s moved the action from the battlefield to the bedroom so instead of it being go-go-go it’s hot-hot-hot! I think it was a fair trade because I’m definitely not complaining.

Tempted by Blood achieves a nice balance of blood, sex and violence which are the key elements to writing good vampire fiction. Unlike its predecessors, it’s heavier on the nookie side of things and lighter on the action side. I’m giving this book a three but it’s a high three. I’ll definitely be back for more in July when Seduced by Blood releases.

[Megan Riverina Romantics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tempted by Blood, the third book in Laurie London's Sweetblood series, is Jackson Foss's story. Jackson, a Guardian for the Seattle Field office is known to be quite the ladies man. His reputation was well earned and he used it to his advantage. If people thought he was constantly getting busy then they wouldn't guess that he was actually using that 1 - on - 1 time to get the extra energies and blood that his body needed. He was afraid that he was reverting to the old ways and hated it.

Arianna Wells had two jobs. She worked for Xtark, a computer gaming company, and also wrote a blog. You cold basically call her a parajournalist. On top of that, she was taking care of her cousin while her aunt was in rehab. She wasn't doing the best job of it though. Her cousin had disappeared for a few days right after she had arrived in Seattle. Though she had returned safely, she had retained no memory of where she'd been or of what had happened to her. What Ari didn't know was that her cousin, Krystal with a "K", was a Sweetblood that had been kidnapped by Darkbloods only be saved a few days later by Jackson.

Tempted was a really enjoyable read. I had been waiting for a while to read Jackson's story and Laurie London didn't disappoint. Jackson first caught my eye in Bonded by Blood. He was handsome, big & bad, and had a great sense of humor. All these things are pluses in a guy but it was wonderful getting to know the man beneath the glossy cover. Within the pretty package lay a heart of gold. His charm and consideration were both a natural part of him. He honestly cared about doing the right thing when he found out that Krystal was still on danger from the DB's.

I really liked that the Big Bad in this continued to be Xtark and the DB's behind the company. The whole recruitment through a video game is a fantastic idea of London's that is easily plausible in Today's world. So isn't Ventra the sector mistress. What kind of villain would she be if she wasn't both power hungry and brilliant? All rising stars in the business world need the chance to shine. You can totally see Laurie London's business past in the way that Ventra's mind worked.

Another cool thing about Tempted was that it was a big shout out to bloggers everywhere from Laurie. It was great that she created a character that was a blogger. As a blogger myself I think it's cool that an author took the time to recognize the effort and devotion that we put into our work.

~Awesome hero & heroine: Check
~Devious villain: Check
~Betrayal:Check
~Intrigue: Check
~Secret message to readers: Check
~Steamy sex: Check

Tempted by Blood has all that you need in a PNR and more! If you haven't tried Sweet then you haven't lived!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I really enjoyed this book. Jackson was such a delightful surprise. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from him going into Tempted By Blood. In the previous books he was portrayed pretty much as a man-whore who didn't have seem to have a care in the world. That was definitely not the case. Yes he's charming, funny and a man-whore but it's all a front. Jackson believes he is reverting which is a big no no, especially if you are a guardian. So because of this he uses the persona he's created as a man-whore to cover up the fact that he's actually using these woman for their energy and blood. Despite the fact that Jackson is reverting, I still found him to be kind and considerate and very caring. He takes such good care of the ones he feel responsible for and yet he still houses tremendous guilt for things that happened in his past. There were a few times I just wanted to give a hug and let him know things were going to be alright.

I loved Arianna and I thought she was a perfect match for Jackson. She is open and honest. I love that she is also loyal and willing to do anything to take care of the ones she loves. Arianna has had a rough childhood. After watching her mom get taken away by "shadows" when she was just a kid an no one believing her, she has grown up trying to learn everything she can about the paranormal world. She now runs a blog called Paranormalish dedicated to all things that go bump in the night. When Arianna posts pictures on her blog of an attempted attack on her and her cousin she immediately draws the attention of Guardians and the Darkbloods. When Jackson is sent to erase Arianna's memory of the attack he ends up staying and getting to know her. He is definitely attracted to her and he finds she is easy to talk to.

I loved the relationship between Jackson and Arianna. They both were just so open and honest with each other and they didn't play games with one another and I loved that. I loved watching their relationship progress. Their connection was a slow build and I found that I enjoyed that. I liked watching them interact with one another while getting to know each other. But believe me, when these two did finally get hot and heavy my oh my was it hot! I had to put the book down quite a few times and fan my face after some of their encounters. Jackson sure is one sexy beast!

Like I said before, I really enjoyed this book. The overall storyline was just okay for me but I loved being able to catch up with past characters. I love the world Laurie London has created with her Sweetblood series and she just has a way with creating super sexy heroes. I can't wait to read her next book.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to this book since the first time we met Jackson! He really stood out for me in past novels and I relished the opportunity to be in his head. He is currently struggling with life because he fears her is reverting to the violent ways of his ancestors. He tries to play off his fear by letting others think he is a player, but really he is just getting energies from the women he meets and not much else. He battles control every day and worries that he is on the brink of becoming something truly terrifying.

Arianna is a human who lost her mother to vampires at a young age and has never forgotten what happened. She only saw shadows when the attack happened, but she is convinced there is something paranormal connected to the event. She has grown up believing in the paranormal and runs a blog feeding into these beliefs. She is also watching after her cousin, Krystal, who unbeknownst to her is a sweet-blood. Arianna meets Jackson when he comes in to save Krystal from some Darkbloods trying to capture her.

Since Jackson is used to women just falling at his feet, I liked that nothing really happened between him and Arianna for a while. Once they do finally get together it is hot, but I liked the slow build between them. I also adored how Jackson was trying so hard to make everything special for her and he did not want Arianna to feel like just another girl. He wanted things to be different with her. It was very sweet.

I also loved that we got to see characters from past books come into play here. Laurie wove them into the plot perfectly. Characters we have come to know and love came back as critical influences in the plot not just useless cameos. It was nice to see Laurie use their strengths to move the plot forward and aid Jackson and Arianna in their journey.

The threat of Darkblood is always running through the background, but the focus of the story really is on Jackson and Arianna, especially Jackson’s journey to try and discover who he truly wants to be. I did like the danger that was there though and it did keep the story exciting. There were quite a few revelations about who is behind the Darkblood attacks and what they plan to do next and I will be interested to see that explored in future books.

Overall, this is another fantastic addition to this series. I was looking forward to this book for quite some time and it definitely delivered! I loved Jackson and watching him go from a lost soul to someone who had someone who appreciated him for who he was. I am looking forward to the next book with Santiago which is due out later this year!

[VampireNovelFan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

Tempted by Blood is book 3 in Laurie London's Sweetblood series. The war continues between Guardians, the evolved race of vampires who choose to protect humans, and Darkbloods, the more primitive vampires who want to maintain their heritage and culture, remaining at the top of the food chain. The focus of this book is on one special Guardian, Jackson. He takes pride in his work and finds himself protecting a teen girl who is the Darkblood's target. She is in the custody of her cousin, Arianna. Arianna works for a gaming company while maintaining a secret paranormal blog. Having always suspected that supernatural activity existed, she and Jackson cross paths trying to keep her cousin safe, and what she witnesses may expose them all.

I honestly didn't know this was a part of a series because the author does a really good job at providing back story. Jackson is indeed hott, but every time I think about him I imagine Taylor Kitsch. The cover doesn't really match him at all, especially when it comes to his multi-colored hair. Arianna is his love interest and she comes off as fairly ordinary in appearance, but Jackson loves that about her.

While this can be classified as paranormal romance, there's a good deal of action, plot and tension that keeps things very interesting. I actually felt as if this book balanced the elements really well. No, it's not the most original, but it's still an entertaining read. I think fans of the Black Dagger Brotherhood would like this; I myself particularly appreciated normal names and villains that are actually intimidating.

Feel free to skip this paragraph because this may be considered a spoiler, but I was fine with the book up until the ending. In all honesty it was way too "Happily Ever After" for my tastes. I was hoping for a little more grit and I felt like this book could have taken a more interesting route. Tieing everything up into a perfectly neat bow was just cringe-worthy for me.

So aside from that one gripe, I recommend this book if you're searching for a new series. I was engaged all throughout, so that's a sign of a good read for me.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

*Review also posted to Amazon

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Sweetblood series by Laurie London. From the very first book the series tends to suck you into a world that can be a tad dark, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for each and every character. I was super excited to find out this book was about bad boy Jackson, who I absolutely loved from the moment he was introduced in the first book. The way that Laurie made Jackson so mysterious was of pure genius. Even though he is portrayed as the playboy type you can tell that there is so much more to him than meets the eye. It honestly just took the right woman to bring him out of his shell.

When Arianna was a young girl she watched her mother die, but no one believes her that her mother was killed by a “shadow”. After staring a blog Arianna comes to find out the truth of what really had happened. It’s up to her to be the voice of the past and present. Now she has to guard her cousin Krystal (with a K) after she is kidnapped by the Darkbloods . Now Jackson is the Guardian to protect her against the wrong. Now that he is thrown into the mix who is going to save Jackson from falling in love? This one woman will bring this playboy to his knees and there will be no back tracking when things start to come together.


Every single guy in this series had a bad edge until the woman come and show them how it is going to be. What I like most about this series is that there are strong females who tend to bring in the story full force. They are a forced to be reckoned with. Sure the men are a major turn on but a strong woman is well worth the read. It makes It not only more exciting, but the level of heat and tension has a major rise on every scene.

Jackson’s story was not only worth it in the end but a fantastic addiction to this series. I am really excited to see what Laurie will come up come with next for this series. It is enough that I never want to put it down. I am truly interested to see where this is headed. Every part of this book made me want more and more.

Again Laurie had not only brought the fire but has brought you an edge that you just can’t help fall in love with. You are going to want to read about each guardian and how their story will turn out. Overall, it is fantastic series that is detailed. I adored it from the first page to the end. *dreamy sigh* Jackson is the man!!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. This is filled with fascinating new Sweetblood vampire details, plus more explanation of the previous ones and past relationships.

Arianna Wells is a human who works for Xtark as graphics designer. She also runs a blog named Paramormalish which is against Xtark’s rules. Her sister, Krystal (with a K) was one of the sweet bloods who was rescued in the raid on the Night of Wilding party in ‘Embraced by Blood’.

Jackson Foss is a Guardian with an almost out-of-control energy/sex problem who thinks he’s reverting. He’s been trying to fight it and hide it from his fellow Guardians, but is losing the battle. Until he meets Arianna (of course).

The two together have a lot of chemistry, though again Jackson is a normal male who thinks he knows best and makes unilateral decisions for the both of them. But he has a conscience about what’s right. When they are together it brings out the best, and a little extra special something, in both of them. Though his overprotectiveness in to the scary extreme. You definitely don’t want to be on the bad side of a vampire when they think they’re protecting their female.

One of the things I think is weird. In Embraced, Dom was the authoritarian and Santiago was the understanding one. In Tempted it’s reversed. Makes it hard to get a handle on the characters.

The action is fast and complicated as they strive to keep Krystal safe from the Darkblood’s who want her back. I love all the online gamer involvement. Computer secret codes and messages. But unlike the previous books, the bad guy gets away to cause future problems.

The Darkbloods get really creepy in this one. Not in the normal vampire ways, but in how they perceive what normal life, and decorating, should be. And Ventra’s plans take their evil designs to a whole new level.

Speaking of decorating, Alfonso’s wallpaper is just tacky, doesn’t fit with his family persona and is totally unnecessary to the story. Though toasted peanut butter & honey sandwiches sound pretty good.

The ending is heart-warming in several ways, but especially the last. Though some of it was a little cliché.

Fave scenes: the capers, Arianna, Jackson and Krystal’s escape from her house, Dom’s “talk’ with Jackson and of course, Jackson rescuing Krystal.

[Angela Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted at link: Under The Covers Book Blog


Laurie London delivered another great installment of the Sweet Blood Series. Ms. London’s world of the Vampire Guardians vs. the Dark Bloods continues and this book is no different from the rest, outright addictive.

Jackson Foss has been one of my most anticipated characters. From the first time I met him in Book 1, Bonded by Blood, I knew there was more to him then just a plain brute. I remember him specifically when he helped Dom set up some road signs for Mckenzie and when he was flirting with Lilly in the Gym flexing his muscles. Jackson is a bad boy; this guy is very hot (hence the cover, whom I pictured the whole time reading this book), inked, well endowed and well accessorized.*cough*. Unfortunately, Jackson has gone to a point of reverting (blood addiction) and well, sh*t around him is falling apart. One of the Sweet Bloods he protected has somehow fallen into more danger than usual. Do you remember “Krystal with a K" from the previous book? She is one of the Sweet Bloods Jacks had rescued. I actually expected her to be our heroine. Boy, was I wrong.

Arianna Wells is Krystal's cousin and guardian. She is also our hard headed, smart and very independent heroine. I like her. She's a straight shooter. She figures out what she wants and tries very hard to achieve or acquire it. She'a good for Jackson, someone who is not a push-over and will keep our hero in check.

They meet in an unfortunate incident as both Arianna and Krystal were being attacked by Dark Bloods. Jackson protects them but his protection would need to go beyond his usual task.
Their attraction was strong from the get go. But both had trust issues, not quite a love-hate relationship but hurdles with a "should-I-stay-should-I-go" syndrome. Although it was frustrating, it makes their love scenes super intense and leave you wanting more! And the ending was a tear jerking surprise.

My only complain and note that this is a personal opinion; I felt certain parts of the book were a bit wordy and the parts I wanted more of were cut short. Nevertheless, I look forward to the next installment of this series. 

[Lindsey ( United By Books Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third installment in the “Sweetblood” series. We delve more into Guardian Jackson Foss, known as the funny man-whore of the group. He has put a lot of effort into letting people think he is a man whore to cover up the fact that his energy and blood consuming is getting more persistent. Jackson was checking in on the Sweetbloods that he watches over when he runs into Arianna. Arianna's cousin, Krystal, is a sweetblood he saved a few months before. Krystal reminds him of his sister, so he is drawn to her in that aspect. What Jackson doesn't expect is Arianna and the feelings she evokes in him. Arianna can see shadows walking which just happens to be the Darkbloods, who kidnap her cousin and reminds her of a time when she was younger and her mother. Jackson is there and saves her cousin. They wind up hiding out in the country and things steam up between Jackson and Arianna.

I was worried when I got this book that I might be lost since it’s the third installment. Even though I have the first two, I haven’t been able to read them yet. In reality, this book can be read by itself, but it will make you want to read the previous ones. Jackson was super sexy alpha male with a troubled side as well as the vulnerable and insecure side. He had me swooning so hard all through the book. Arianna was perfect for him. She has sass and called him on his stuff. She wasn't afraid to see what others didn’t. The attraction between them went from a building sizzle to a burning house fire. Seriously, the passion on the pages and in the sex scenes was steamy as hell. I gasped and sighed Jackson's name a few times. I have to say I really loved this book. Laurie London did a great job with “Tempted By Blood“. It’s a definite read. I will be reading the first two in my pile in the near future and I’m already craving “Seduced By Blood” coming out in July. London has a twist on vamps and brings something new and different. I loved seeing how a vampire/human relationship can cause dormant traits to unleash with a taste of the human’s blood and the bond between them. London's "Sweetblood" series is one to add to your book pile. I would also like to thank Laurie London for sending this book and letting me review it.

[MoonGlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tempted by blood is the 3rd book in Laurie London's 'Sweetblood' series. I have not read the other books in this series yet but I had no problem with reading this as a stand alone.

Jackson is our Hero. He's an agent who feels that he may be reverting back to his darker side. To the way of his ancestors. Reverting back to the old ways would mean drinking from and killing his human hosts instead of taking sips from them and using some of their energies he needs to survive. He can feel himself losing control and he doesn't know how much longer he can hold out. Lately he needs to feed far too often. He hides this from his peers by making it look like he's using his many hosts for sex. He's got quite the reputation ;)

Arianna secretly runs a blog called paranormalish. She started this blog to find and relate to others who believe in supernatural things. It's a way for her validate the things she's seen. It's comforting to know that she's not the only one who has experienced things that are not normal. She really cares about her readers and can relate to them and their stories.

All Guardians are assigned to protect humans who are considered 'sweetbloods.' Arianna's cousin, Krystal happens to be on Jackson's list. He's saved her before and she reminds him of his little sister. When she is abducted right off the street by Darkbloods in front of Arianna, Jackson is their to save the night.

Jackson and Arianna are very much drawn to each other. But each have their own reservations for wanting to hold back. Jackson finds himself feeling emotions that he never thought he'd feel. He becomes very protective and possessive of Arianna. To the point where he can't seem to control his temper in front of others.
There is a lot of action, a little mystery and a bit of betrayal as Jackson and Arianna try to keep her cousin safe. They also need to find out who is leading the Darkbloods advances to revert all vampires to the old ways. The trust and romance build up beautifully throughout the book. The sex is passionate and H-O-T!! I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books in this series to read!

This book was given to me by NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher for an honest review.

Reviewer for WereVampsRomance. werevampsromance.blogspot.com/

[Angels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tempted by Blood (Sweetblood #3)
by Laurie London
5 stars

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the battle for supremacy rages on between two Vampire coalitions:Guardian enforcers sworn to protect humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors….He might be known for his effortless charm, but Guardian Jackson Foss is hiding a terrible secret. For months, he has battled the emergence of his dark nature—deadly urges that threaten to consume him. And those cravings only intensify when he meets Arianna Wells, the human he's been assigned to protect. Smart and perceptive, Arianna doesn't seem like a dangerous temptress. Yet she awakens in Jackson an unstoppable need that, if left unchecked, will brand him a traitor…a crime punishable by death.But soon their bond may be Arianna's only hope. For stalking her in the shadows is a merciless enemy—one who will stop at nothing to claim her completely….

My Thoughts and Review

Standing in at the Library I saw the cover of this book and picked it up without reading what it was about.Ever do that?Well glad I did. This is my first book by Laurie and hope to read more of her books it was a fabulous read right from the first page.The book had tons to keep you interested in. A story plot of good Guardian vampires protecting the Sweetbloods from Rogue vampires.Something about a Sweetblood's blood is additive like crack.The characters of the book were engaging and lots of fun to read about.

Jackson and Arianna were the main characters of the book the were quirky and fun.The two developed a romance after he goes to protect her from her own miss deeds.She runs a paranormal blog and she writes about paranormal activities.She witnessed a kidnapping of her cousin and got it on camera and reported all of this on her blog exposing herself and vampires to the whole world creating tons of danger.

The two develop and light fun romance and of course filled with tons danger but, it seems that Arianna will turn out to be his savior and maybe not the other way around.The book was action packed from beginning to the end with all kinds of things going on and a mystery to solve as well.It was a light fun read that I finished in a couple of hours and would recommended it to all readers.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this is my favorite story so far from the Sweetblood series. Its hero is Jackson, the hot man-whore vamp who played a support role as one of the Guardians in earlier stories. Known best for his sexual conquests and devil-may-care attitude, you'd never know there is more to him than meets the eye. But there is.

Jackson fears he is on the edge of reverting to the dangerous and violent ways of his ancestors. He needs to feed on blood and energy in staggering amounts and he can barely control himself at times. He hides his needs from those around him, cloaking them under his party-boy persona. If the council so much as catches wind he is reverting, it would mean a death sentence.

Arianna has believed in vampires since she saw them kill her mother as a child. But no one believed her. Now she anonymously runs a blog devoted to exposing the paranormal. Her cousin, who she is caring for, was among the sweetbloods kidnapped and almost auctioned away in the events of the last book. Jackson is now monitoring the girl's safety --and that is what puts him in Arianna's orbit.

The short version is that Jackson is there to save the day when Darkbloods try to kidnap the girl again. And his attempts to make Arianna forget the incident ultimately fail. He ends up protecting her and her cousin from the persistent Darkblood threat and in the process, they end up falling for each other.

Women have always fallen at Jackson's feet, but I like the fact that nothing really happens between him and Arriana until she knows and cares for the man he is beneath his smooth exterior. I love that he is vulnerable and insecure. And she is so patient and understanding of his needs.

There is solid thread of danger that runs throughout, regarding the Darkbloods and their plans, but this book focuses more on the love story than anything else. It's one of the things I enjoyed so much about it. Oh yeah... and the sex was smokin-hot too. --Plus I liked the way that the couples from the previous books are woven into the story. It felt germane to what was happening... not like useless cameos.

Well done. 4 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley