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Darkness #3
Beyond the Darkness
Now that she has her freedom, she’s not giving it up.
Dragon shifter Keelin Petronilla spent centuries in forced hibernation dreaming of one thing: freedom. Now she’s living life on her terms—she’s ditched her clan for an unruly wolf pack, she tends bar for a half-demon, and she’s loving it…until a powerful supernatural being targets her. She intends to handle the mysterious attacks on her own…without the help of dragon Alpha Bran Devlin. Sure, he’s sexy in that hot, scowling possessive way, but Keelin wants to live her own life in her own way.
Now that he’s found his mate, he’s not letting her go.
Former black ops agent Bran Devlin is a born dragon Alpha and leader of a fierce clan. Getting mated was never part of his plan—until a feisty dragon princess gets under his skin in a big way. The hell of it is, she doesn’t want a mate; she just wants to have a good time. He plays along, but when a dark and powerful being marks her for death, he’s determined to stay by her side in spite of her protests. Now that he’s found his mate, he means to keep her safe no matter what the cost…even if he has to risk it all.
Dragon shifter Keelin Petronilla spent centuries in forced hibernation dreaming of one thing: freedom. Now she’s living life on her terms—she’s ditched her clan for an unruly wolf pack, she tends bar for a half-demon, and she’s loving it…until a powerful supernatural being targets her. She intends to handle the mysterious attacks on her own…without the help of dragon Alpha Bran Devlin. Sure, he’s sexy in that hot, scowling possessive way, but Keelin wants to live her own life in her own way.
Now that he’s found his mate, he’s not letting her go.
Former black ops agent Bran Devlin is a born dragon Alpha and leader of a fierce clan. Getting mated was never part of his plan—until a feisty dragon princess gets under his skin in a big way. The hell of it is, she doesn’t want a mate; she just wants to have a good time. He plays along, but when a dark and powerful being marks her for death, he’s determined to stay by her side in spite of her protests. Now that he’s found his mate, he means to keep her safe no matter what the cost…even if he has to risk it all.
345 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2015
114 people are currently reading
1349 people want to read
About the author
Katie Reus
164 books3,245 followersKatie Reus® is the USA Today bestselling author of the Endgame trilogy, the MacArthur Family series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom's stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn't always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
October 25, 2016
All the Dragons Stars
So if you saw my last review for the last book in this series, you saw that I love dragons.
Like, we aren't talking THIS level of love:
We are talking THIS level:
Don't believe me? Need proof?
I kinda collect them.
But not in that way that your grandmother collects Hummel figurines or creepy china dolls.
In this way:
That's my book dragon.
He's one of my library guards.
Boom.
But anycollection, this book.
I lurved it, although my love might be exponentially increased by the fact that it's about dragons.
But who cares. *shrug*
I LOVED Bran and, even though she started to border on annoying sometimes, I liked Keelin too .
Their connection was palpable from the beginning and, like I've said before, I am a SUCKER for the "destined mates" trope.
Also, I really dig this author's writing. It's very seamless and jumps from a few different POVs in a way that I really enjoy. Sometimes POV jumps like that can very confusing and jarring, but such was not the case for me here.
Also, I like it when long-running series like this one include details of other couples - in snapshots, mind you, not full-on "take the book over" kind of shots - that get you excited about future books. It keeps me super interested and it paves the way for the next book - making that couple's connection palpable before you even start their book.
Something else I really like about this series and this author is her ability to write action and get right into the nitty-gritty of the conflict right at the beginning of the book. So many times, it takes authors FOREVER to get the conflict ball rolling.
Or they do it TOO fast and it ends up feeling ridiculous, rushed, and without a solid foundation. But Reus has managed to find that perfect balance for me. She gets things going - and keeps them going - fast enough to get me knee deep and STAY knee deep, but not so fast that I ever feel like the story is an implausible game of cliched Clue.
Other than that, like I said, I am really digging this series and I have already downloaded the next one. I am going to try and slow down though, being that it looks like book five is the last book in the series - at least that's out right now - SADZ.
Oh, and because FUN, here are some of the hilariously awesome dragons meme/gifs I found while "prepping" (fancy) this review:
And MY FAVORITE ONE?
LOLZ.
Dragons AND Clay Matthews?
DONE.
Find me at:
So if you saw my last review for the last book in this series, you saw that I love dragons.
Like, we aren't talking THIS level of love:
We are talking THIS level:
Don't believe me? Need proof?
I kinda collect them.
But not in that way that your grandmother collects Hummel figurines or creepy china dolls.
In this way:
That's my book dragon.
He's one of my library guards.
Boom.
But anycollection, this book.
I lurved it, although my love might be exponentially increased by the fact that it's about dragons.
But who cares. *shrug*
I LOVED Bran and, even though she started to border on annoying sometimes, I liked Keelin too .
Their connection was palpable from the beginning and, like I've said before, I am a SUCKER for the "destined mates" trope.
Also, I really dig this author's writing. It's very seamless and jumps from a few different POVs in a way that I really enjoy. Sometimes POV jumps like that can very confusing and jarring, but such was not the case for me here.
Also, I like it when long-running series like this one include details of other couples - in snapshots, mind you, not full-on "take the book over" kind of shots - that get you excited about future books. It keeps me super interested and it paves the way for the next book - making that couple's connection palpable before you even start their book.
Something else I really like about this series and this author is her ability to write action and get right into the nitty-gritty of the conflict right at the beginning of the book. So many times, it takes authors FOREVER to get the conflict ball rolling.
Or they do it TOO fast and it ends up feeling ridiculous, rushed, and without a solid foundation. But Reus has managed to find that perfect balance for me. She gets things going - and keeps them going - fast enough to get me knee deep and STAY knee deep, but not so fast that I ever feel like the story is an implausible game of cliched Clue.
Other than that, like I said, I am really digging this series and I have already downloaded the next one. I am going to try and slow down though, being that it looks like book five is the last book in the series - at least that's out right now - SADZ.
Oh, and because FUN, here are some of the hilariously awesome dragons meme/gifs I found while "prepping" (fancy) this review:
And MY FAVORITE ONE?
LOLZ.
Dragons AND Clay Matthews?
DONE.
Find me at:
March 30, 2017
Two dragon shifters fall in love. A simple story really.
Bran is the Alpha of the Devlin clan and Keelin is the Alpha’s sister of the Petronilla clan.
Bran is crazy in love and lust for Keelin.
Keelin wants Bran, but she does not want to mate.
Bran thinks that he is too unattractive to be wanted by Keelin.
Keelin thinks that she is not good enough for a magnificent male specimen like Bran.
Keelin and Bran together are adorable, tiptoeing around each other.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do or where to go or who I can talk to,”
“I don’t want to chain you down, Keelin. I just want to get to know you. Take you on a fucking date.”
“Really? I’ve never been on a date.”
“Me neither.”
“Truly?”
Everyone knows that Keelin and Bran will be mated really soon – except Keelin who does not admit it to herself and keeps looking for dating advice:
“But you don’t want anything long term?”
“Correct. I just want to have fun.”
“Then keep things light between the two of you. Just sex and fun.”
“Okay, and that’ll work?”
“Fuck no. He’s an Alpha, but that’s all I can give you. Just don’t be surprised when you end up mated in a couple weeks.”
Keelin’s parents are out of out of Protective Hibernation recently and they don’t really want their overprotective daughter to be mated with the brutal, scary totally Alpha from a different clan male.
At the same time Keelin has also many other problems:
-many dragons from the Moana clan are disappearing and this is somehow associated with her,
-a strange, dangerous male is stalking her
- Akkadian demons are trying to kill her
Her only source of information is her mother. And it is also time for Bran to meet her parents. A dragon will meet his future in-laws who are also dragons! Great fun :)
The book also starts the story of Bo Broussard (the half-demon owner of a supernatural-only club and Keelin’s boss) and of Nyx (a beautiful waitress of unknown species). Sex is the only way Bo can tame his half demon self, but Nyx doesn’t have any experience. “Hunted by Darkness”, the next book, tells their story.
My favourite book in the series so far. I really like the fact that although it is not a really long novel, the story is straight to the point. There is no way you may think that it is rushed. The details are critical and enough explanation is given.
The chemistry between Keelin and Bran is off the charts. Lots of glow and dragon fire and passion.
Bran is the Alpha of the Devlin clan and Keelin is the Alpha’s sister of the Petronilla clan.
Bran is crazy in love and lust for Keelin.
Keelin wants Bran, but she does not want to mate.
Bran thinks that he is too unattractive to be wanted by Keelin.
Keelin thinks that she is not good enough for a magnificent male specimen like Bran.
Keelin and Bran together are adorable, tiptoeing around each other.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do or where to go or who I can talk to,”
“I don’t want to chain you down, Keelin. I just want to get to know you. Take you on a fucking date.”
“Really? I’ve never been on a date.”
“Me neither.”
“Truly?”
Everyone knows that Keelin and Bran will be mated really soon – except Keelin who does not admit it to herself and keeps looking for dating advice:
“But you don’t want anything long term?”
“Correct. I just want to have fun.”
“Then keep things light between the two of you. Just sex and fun.”
“Okay, and that’ll work?”
“Fuck no. He’s an Alpha, but that’s all I can give you. Just don’t be surprised when you end up mated in a couple weeks.”
Keelin’s parents are out of out of Protective Hibernation recently and they don’t really want their overprotective daughter to be mated with the brutal, scary totally Alpha from a different clan male.
At the same time Keelin has also many other problems:
-many dragons from the Moana clan are disappearing and this is somehow associated with her,
-a strange, dangerous male is stalking her
- Akkadian demons are trying to kill her
Her only source of information is her mother. And it is also time for Bran to meet her parents. A dragon will meet his future in-laws who are also dragons! Great fun :)
The book also starts the story of Bo Broussard (the half-demon owner of a supernatural-only club and Keelin’s boss) and of Nyx (a beautiful waitress of unknown species). Sex is the only way Bo can tame his half demon self, but Nyx doesn’t have any experience. “Hunted by Darkness”, the next book, tells their story.
My favourite book in the series so far. I really like the fact that although it is not a really long novel, the story is straight to the point. There is no way you may think that it is rushed. The details are critical and enough explanation is given.
The chemistry between Keelin and Bran is off the charts. Lots of glow and dragon fire and passion.
March 2, 2015
4.5 - "I'm not letting you go." Stars!
Book three in Katie Reus' Darkness Series, literally takes off a month after its predecessor finished. And I have officially fallen hook, line and sinker for it, and the author.
I think there is a fine line when writing romantic suspense in the PNR spectrum, there is a risk of going over the top in the technicalities and bogging down the flow of the story with long drawn out explanations into things. Not so, with Katie's books, I have read all three of this series in succession, and although the explanation is there, she manages to seamlessly slip it into the story without detracting from what is going on or who it is involving.
Keelin and Bran were very much a part of the second book in the series in that both of the Petronella and Devlin Clan have a strong alliance, and when Keelin returns to the world after spending Centuries in forced hibernation, the last thing she wants or needs is a dominant Alpha Clan leader sending 'mating' flames her way.
New Keelin had taken charge of her life and she wasn't going back to her prior, boring existence.
Bran being the growly *swoon* understanding Alpha that he is, tries his best to reign in the dominant, overprotective need he has, to take, mate and ultimately bond with the headstrong Keelin, especially as he never envisioned himself being in the position of ever wanting to take such permanent steps with another shifter, and what follows is HOT, fire breathing dragon hot!
He tries, he really does, but I loved that all the growly goodness got the better of him a lot of the time, dominant and demanding written well grabs me every time!
He was going to imprint himself on every cell in her body, make sure she knew she belonged to him.
The story also proceeds for the series as a whole, Keelin is being targeting by an unknown being(s), for what reason we aren't initially given, but as the book progresses and with the help of the Stavros Shifter clan, as well as the dragon clans, things start to become more clear, more characters are added into the mix with this book as well, so you just know this series has got some serious legs left in it, which makes me happy as the potential for future books expands with each addition to the cast.
There are interesting developments in the life of club owner Bo, the half-demon looks to have lost his whole heart to the most unlikely of bedfellows (well not yet but i hope they will be). I hope Ms. Reus gives us the rest of this story in the next book in the series. I also hope we don't have to wait too long for it.
It is safe to say Katie Reus has added herself to my 'Auto-Oneclick' list with this series, and I am in the enviable position of having a wealth of other work by the author that I can now immerse myself in while I wait for the continuation of the Darkness series.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Book three in Katie Reus' Darkness Series, literally takes off a month after its predecessor finished. And I have officially fallen hook, line and sinker for it, and the author.
I think there is a fine line when writing romantic suspense in the PNR spectrum, there is a risk of going over the top in the technicalities and bogging down the flow of the story with long drawn out explanations into things. Not so, with Katie's books, I have read all three of this series in succession, and although the explanation is there, she manages to seamlessly slip it into the story without detracting from what is going on or who it is involving.
Keelin and Bran were very much a part of the second book in the series in that both of the Petronella and Devlin Clan have a strong alliance, and when Keelin returns to the world after spending Centuries in forced hibernation, the last thing she wants or needs is a dominant Alpha Clan leader sending 'mating' flames her way.
New Keelin had taken charge of her life and she wasn't going back to her prior, boring existence.
Bran being the growly *swoon* understanding Alpha that he is, tries his best to reign in the dominant, overprotective need he has, to take, mate and ultimately bond with the headstrong Keelin, especially as he never envisioned himself being in the position of ever wanting to take such permanent steps with another shifter, and what follows is HOT, fire breathing dragon hot!
He tries, he really does, but I loved that all the growly goodness got the better of him a lot of the time, dominant and demanding written well grabs me every time!
He was going to imprint himself on every cell in her body, make sure she knew she belonged to him.
The story also proceeds for the series as a whole, Keelin is being targeting by an unknown being(s), for what reason we aren't initially given, but as the book progresses and with the help of the Stavros Shifter clan, as well as the dragon clans, things start to become more clear, more characters are added into the mix with this book as well, so you just know this series has got some serious legs left in it, which makes me happy as the potential for future books expands with each addition to the cast.
There are interesting developments in the life of club owner Bo, the half-demon looks to have lost his whole heart to the most unlikely of bedfellows (well not yet but i hope they will be). I hope Ms. Reus gives us the rest of this story in the next book in the series. I also hope we don't have to wait too long for it.
It is safe to say Katie Reus has added herself to my 'Auto-Oneclick' list with this series, and I am in the enviable position of having a wealth of other work by the author that I can now immerse myself in while I wait for the continuation of the Darkness series.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
February 3, 2016
Review to come...
May 24, 2019
Re-read 24th May 2019
4.5*
I’m absolutely loving this series.
Once again all the characters are great particularly Bran. And again we have a great story. I just can’t get enough.
I really liked that on top of Bran and Keelin’s story we also get the start of Bo and Nyx’s. I was enjoying trying to work out what kind of supernatural Nyx was but I wouldn’t have got there.
4.5*
I’m absolutely loving this series.
Once again all the characters are great particularly Bran. And again we have a great story. I just can’t get enough.
I really liked that on top of Bran and Keelin’s story we also get the start of Bo and Nyx’s. I was enjoying trying to work out what kind of supernatural Nyx was but I wouldn’t have got there.
September 7, 2019
It's really hard not say every hero in this series is my new favorite because this series has some really awesome heroes!
Bran is a dragon shifter and the alpha of his clan. He meets Keelin when his brother and his brother's wife visited the Petronilla clan. Bran's dragon recognized Keelin as his mate immediately. Unfortunately, Keelin isn't so keen on a mate.
Keelin is Drake's sister who was the hero in book 2. After Drake was presumed dead, her family and clan smothered Keelin with their overprotectiveness. In Beyond Darkness, Drake is back and happy and now Keelin realizes she needs to gain some independence. She decides to go stay with the Stavros pack where Drake's mate lived.
I worried that Keelin's need for independence would mean she would push Bran away too much. I'm not the biggest fan of pushing away. But. Even though she makes it very clear she is not mating, she isn't opposed to getting to know Bran casually. Due to this, we get to see some quality time with these two together.
Bran is deliciously possessive with Keelin. There are some great scenes where is displays that jealously. He's also very protective of her, but not to a point of smothering. Keelin is more of a fragile dragon shifter which causes the protectiveness to come from others. She's not a warrior and smaller than most other dragon shifters. Even though she isn't a fighter, she's got the mind of a leader. These two compliment each other very well.
We got a good start to Nyx and Bo's relationship who are the main couple in the next book. I think I already know what Nyx's mom is going to demand of her and I'm really looking forward to how Bo is going to handle that. Off to the next book...
Bran is a dragon shifter and the alpha of his clan. He meets Keelin when his brother and his brother's wife visited the Petronilla clan. Bran's dragon recognized Keelin as his mate immediately. Unfortunately, Keelin isn't so keen on a mate.
Keelin is Drake's sister who was the hero in book 2. After Drake was presumed dead, her family and clan smothered Keelin with their overprotectiveness. In Beyond Darkness, Drake is back and happy and now Keelin realizes she needs to gain some independence. She decides to go stay with the Stavros pack where Drake's mate lived.
I worried that Keelin's need for independence would mean she would push Bran away too much. I'm not the biggest fan of pushing away. But. Even though she makes it very clear she is not mating, she isn't opposed to getting to know Bran casually. Due to this, we get to see some quality time with these two together.
Bran is deliciously possessive with Keelin. There are some great scenes where is displays that jealously. He's also very protective of her, but not to a point of smothering. Keelin is more of a fragile dragon shifter which causes the protectiveness to come from others. She's not a warrior and smaller than most other dragon shifters. Even though she isn't a fighter, she's got the mind of a leader. These two compliment each other very well.
We got a good start to Nyx and Bo's relationship who are the main couple in the next book. I think I already know what Nyx's mom is going to demand of her and I'm really looking forward to how Bo is going to handle that. Off to the next book...
March 25, 2016
4.5 stars.
Officially one of my favorite PNR series. Review to come.
Officially one of my favorite PNR series. Review to come.
May 11, 2016
Beyond the Darkness was another really good addition to this series. I loved both Bran and Keelin, all though I wasn't to sure about Keelin in the beginning. I found she came across a little childish but as the story progressed I understood her much better and in the end loved their story. I am really enjoying this series that I already started Bo's book.
January 1, 2018
Another awesome dragon shifter PNR! LOVED Bran, he was one sexy determined alpha who knew what he wanted, expressed how he felt without artifice and always laid out his intentions, no matter how caveman-ish they happened to be. (Which for the record, I’m a sucker for!)
Keelin wasn’t my favorite heroine but I get why she was hesitant to tie herself down so quickly. Being forced into hibernation and sleeping so long, she craved freedom. She was definitely throwing out some wishy washy vibes when it came to Bran.
Bran being so awesome, I felt bad Keelin kept pushing him away! But things worked out and their HEA was still sweet as only KR writes 😉
Probably not needed because this is KR but this was another 100% safe read!
Keelin wasn’t my favorite heroine but I get why she was hesitant to tie herself down so quickly. Being forced into hibernation and sleeping so long, she craved freedom. She was definitely throwing out some wishy washy vibes when it came to Bran.
Bran being so awesome, I felt bad Keelin kept pushing him away! But things worked out and their HEA was still sweet as only KR writes 😉
Probably not needed because this is KR but this was another 100% safe read!
March 30, 2016
I had some problems with this one... non that I didn't enjoyed it, but...
I couldn't understand why Keelin insited so much on not wanting to mate with Bran, when it was clear from the start (and even before!) that he's her mate... She insisted that she wanted to be independent, but it was overdone.
Also Bran was sometimes too much of a caveman...
If things were less stressed, the book would have been better...
I couldn't understand why Keelin insited so much on not wanting to mate with Bran, when it was clear from the start (and even before!) that he's her mate... She insisted that she wanted to be independent, but it was overdone.
Also Bran was sometimes too much of a caveman...
If things were less stressed, the book would have been better...
November 15, 2016
I speed read this one because it felt kinda predictable. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel like 4 stars is definitely appropriate. Just one TSTL moment that falls on the shoulders of both the hero and heroine.
Keelin was an interesting character, desperate for freedom but unable to separate her parent's overprotective behavior from Bran's alpha male desire to protect. It made for an interesting relationship development plot. Bran was a little one dimensional and I don't think he came across that way just because of my speed reading - he was basically just an cookie cutter alpha male, but not so flat that he was a boring character.
The villain could have been a little more developed. Some more background on him and a bit more... Hmm. I guess "emotional reaction" is an acceptable phrase? When he failed, he didn't really react emotionally, just kinda "ugh, okay, let's try again"... Whereas I expected a raging hissy fit.
Nyx and Bo get a little page time in this book and I have to say I'm now more interested in them than I am in Keelin and Bran. I enjoy the dragons, but I'm excited to see how a demigod and half-demon work together.
Definitely recommended for dragon-shifter fans.
Keelin was an interesting character, desperate for freedom but unable to separate her parent's overprotective behavior from Bran's alpha male desire to protect. It made for an interesting relationship development plot. Bran was a little one dimensional and I don't think he came across that way just because of my speed reading - he was basically just an cookie cutter alpha male, but not so flat that he was a boring character.
The villain could have been a little more developed. Some more background on him and a bit more... Hmm. I guess "emotional reaction" is an acceptable phrase? When he failed, he didn't really react emotionally, just kinda "ugh, okay, let's try again"... Whereas I expected a raging hissy fit.
Nyx and Bo get a little page time in this book and I have to say I'm now more interested in them than I am in Keelin and Bran. I enjoy the dragons, but I'm excited to see how a demigod and half-demon work together.
Definitely recommended for dragon-shifter fans.
February 20, 2019
Bran's dragon rippled beneath the surface just like when he'd first met her in Montana. She made him crazy, made him understand how a male could give up everything for a female. Deep down he knew he'd do anything for her. It didn't matter that they were still getting to know one another. Everything about Keelin called to him.
This was good, but I didn't love it. I really did like Bran and Keelin, but they felt a little flat at times. I figured Keelin would get on my nerves with all her complaining about how her parents forced her into Hibernation, but she wasn't super whiney about it, like I had expected. And I think I would have liked Bran more if I had learned more about his past, or his black-ops days, he needed something…more. I liked the small bits from Nyx and Bo's point of view the best, so I'm looking forward to their story. And I gotta say, for such a big, bad, mysterious villain, who stalked Keelin and wanted to destroy her entire line…he sure did go down easy. It was pretty anticlimactic. It was literally only ten pages. From the time he made his move, to the time he was defeated…ten pages. And three of those pages were what was happening back at the other place after he disappeared. So yeah, disappointing on that end, but all in all not a bad story. I'm thinking I'll like the next one better…hopefully.
While he still held onto the last shred of his sanity he spoke again. "I'd rather argue with you any day of the week than deal with this shit of you running away." When it looked as if she wanted to interrupt, he continued. "Do I want to protect you from the world? Fuck yeah. But that doesn't mean I want to wrap you in cotton and keep you from experiencing everything. I'm sorry for the way your parents sheltered you but I'm not them. I want a partner, a mate, an equal. That's you, Keelin. We're definitely going to argue and I'm definitely going to be an overprotective asshole. If you'd told me you wanted to come here without me we definitely would have fought. And I don't know if I'd have let you go alone. Now we'll never know because you didn't give me the choice. But I trust that you can put me in my place in any situation." Not to mention the makeup sex with her would be explosive whenever they argued. "Now get naked." Because he was done talking.
This was good, but I didn't love it. I really did like Bran and Keelin, but they felt a little flat at times. I figured Keelin would get on my nerves with all her complaining about how her parents forced her into Hibernation, but she wasn't super whiney about it, like I had expected. And I think I would have liked Bran more if I had learned more about his past, or his black-ops days, he needed something…more. I liked the small bits from Nyx and Bo's point of view the best, so I'm looking forward to their story. And I gotta say, for such a big, bad, mysterious villain, who stalked Keelin and wanted to destroy her entire line…he sure did go down easy. It was pretty anticlimactic. It was literally only ten pages. From the time he made his move, to the time he was defeated…ten pages. And three of those pages were what was happening back at the other place after he disappeared. So yeah, disappointing on that end, but all in all not a bad story. I'm thinking I'll like the next one better…hopefully.
While he still held onto the last shred of his sanity he spoke again. "I'd rather argue with you any day of the week than deal with this shit of you running away." When it looked as if she wanted to interrupt, he continued. "Do I want to protect you from the world? Fuck yeah. But that doesn't mean I want to wrap you in cotton and keep you from experiencing everything. I'm sorry for the way your parents sheltered you but I'm not them. I want a partner, a mate, an equal. That's you, Keelin. We're definitely going to argue and I'm definitely going to be an overprotective asshole. If you'd told me you wanted to come here without me we definitely would have fought. And I don't know if I'd have let you go alone. Now we'll never know because you didn't give me the choice. But I trust that you can put me in my place in any situation." Not to mention the makeup sex with her would be explosive whenever they argued. "Now get naked." Because he was done talking.
August 11, 2016
4 stars
This was a very good story. I liked both Bran and Keelin and enjoyed their story a lot.
Keelinis a dragon shifter and the younger sister of Drake (the hero in book #2). Since Drake went missing when he was a child, Keelin and Drake's parents went very overprotective when it came to her and she had basically no life outside of her home. She even got guilted into a long hybridization with her parents but rose before them, about a year ago. Keelin has enjoyed this new world now that she's risen. She cherishes her new freedom and isn't willing to lose it for anything or anyone.
Bran is a dragon shifter and the alpha of his dragon clan. He is rare when it comes to dragons because he was born with a deformity, an eye that he can't see out of. He's also not "fair in face" like most dragon shifters and feels that no female would want him because of his imperfections. This never really bothered Bran because he never wanted a mate....at least not until he meets Keelin.
When Bran and Keelin met in the previous book, Bran wanted Keelin immediately but was unsure of how to proceed. Keelin thought he hung around at the behest of her brothers as a protector and didn't realize it was a personal interest (at least not at first). Keelin is attracted to Bran but assumes that because he's an alpha that he'd automatically feel the need to dominate her and restrain her freedom so she wont even consider mating with him. She decides to go live with Finn's wolf pack for a while so she can experience life and Bran stays home, giving her some time before going after her. When Bran does go to see Keelin, she's still adamant about not wanting a mate but does express an interest in "fooling around" with Bran, just as long as he promises not to bite her to solidify their mating. Bran isn't exactly happy with the offer but he figures he'll take what he can get and work on her from there.
Unfortunately, someone seems to be after Keelin and Bran has his hands full keeping her safe. Things escalate when Bran finds out that some other dragons that have gone missing recently might have something to do with the attacks on Keelin. As they investigate things, Bran and Keelin learn to work together and she finds that he's not as insufferable as she thought at first. He actually listened to her and didn't push her around which made Keelin think that maybe, just maybe there could be something more between them. A little more drama comes out when Keelin's parents come out of their hibernation but that whole situation actually ends better than I expected. With some work, the bad guy is found and dealt with and Bran and Keelin proceed on to start their HEA together.
This was a very enjoyable story. I liked Keelin where I didn't think I would. So much of the time, heroines that have a reason why they wont get involved with a man can harp on that reason to the point of major annoyance. With Keelin, she had her reasons and she stuck to them at first but she wasn't afraid to change her opinion when she saw the reality of things and I liked that!. Bran was a good hero...no complaints there. Overall, the story was very good and engaging. I'd recommend this book (and the series). :)
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a very good job.
This was a very good story. I liked both Bran and Keelin and enjoyed their story a lot.
Keelinis a dragon shifter and the younger sister of Drake (the hero in book #2). Since Drake went missing when he was a child, Keelin and Drake's parents went very overprotective when it came to her and she had basically no life outside of her home. She even got guilted into a long hybridization with her parents but rose before them, about a year ago. Keelin has enjoyed this new world now that she's risen. She cherishes her new freedom and isn't willing to lose it for anything or anyone.
Bran is a dragon shifter and the alpha of his dragon clan. He is rare when it comes to dragons because he was born with a deformity, an eye that he can't see out of. He's also not "fair in face" like most dragon shifters and feels that no female would want him because of his imperfections. This never really bothered Bran because he never wanted a mate....at least not until he meets Keelin.
When Bran and Keelin met in the previous book, Bran wanted Keelin immediately but was unsure of how to proceed. Keelin thought he hung around at the behest of her brothers as a protector and didn't realize it was a personal interest (at least not at first). Keelin is attracted to Bran but assumes that because he's an alpha that he'd automatically feel the need to dominate her and restrain her freedom so she wont even consider mating with him. She decides to go live with Finn's wolf pack for a while so she can experience life and Bran stays home, giving her some time before going after her. When Bran does go to see Keelin, she's still adamant about not wanting a mate but does express an interest in "fooling around" with Bran, just as long as he promises not to bite her to solidify their mating. Bran isn't exactly happy with the offer but he figures he'll take what he can get and work on her from there.
Unfortunately, someone seems to be after Keelin and Bran has his hands full keeping her safe. Things escalate when Bran finds out that some other dragons that have gone missing recently might have something to do with the attacks on Keelin. As they investigate things, Bran and Keelin learn to work together and she finds that he's not as insufferable as she thought at first. He actually listened to her and didn't push her around which made Keelin think that maybe, just maybe there could be something more between them. A little more drama comes out when Keelin's parents come out of their hibernation but that whole situation actually ends better than I expected. With some work, the bad guy is found and dealt with and Bran and Keelin proceed on to start their HEA together.
This was a very enjoyable story. I liked Keelin where I didn't think I would. So much of the time, heroines that have a reason why they wont get involved with a man can harp on that reason to the point of major annoyance. With Keelin, she had her reasons and she stuck to them at first but she wasn't afraid to change her opinion when she saw the reality of things and I liked that!. Bran was a good hero...no complaints there. Overall, the story was very good and engaging. I'd recommend this book (and the series). :)
* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a very good job.
January 20, 2023
Preface
The difference one book can make. This series- so far - has been a steady 3 star rating. Enough to keep me interest, not enough to make me swoon. This book in particular took a direction I did not like in terms of plot. Being longer and delving more into the relationships was perhaps a mistake. It all felt… hollow.
I was hollow finishing this.
While I try to always end series, I will not be doing so with this one. Life is too short and this is not something I want in my shelves.
————————————————————————————
RATINGS:
Plot : 1.5 📚💫 Sprinkled around.
World Building(Immersion): 1 🌎 Dipped my toes.
Angst : ❎ No angst.
Funniness: 1 🌝 There was a joke, but I didn’t even twitch.
Scariness: ❎ Not scary.
Romance: 2 💖💖 Okay.
Spice: 3 🌶🌶🌶 Explicit, but not that hot.
Goriness: 3 🫀🫀🫀 Someone died and I got to see what happened.
Sadness: ❎ No sadness.
Overall star rating : 2 ⭐️⭐️ Nothing is okay.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨MILD SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨
The Good Place:
▫️Drake and Victoria are here because at least they added something to the plot. I’m not found of them either but they are not Bran and Keelin.
The Bad Place:
▪️If you have been around my Goodreads, ya know I enjoy a good smutty story as much as the next gal. Yet there was a certain direction in te sensuality that bothered me in this. Maybe it was the over indulgence in things I find… repulsive? Details I found unnecessary? It took away from the story.
▪️Keelin was annoying. I couldn’t with her.
▪️Bran. It seems like he was only there to growl, screw the heroine and be all macho dragon. Where is the depth? If this had been a novella, no problem, but 300+ pages of this mindless blabber. 💼 I’ve packed my bags. I’ve moved on.
▪️oh btw the hero of the next book is a big manwhore- to the point where the next book’s heroine has seen his debauchery in 4K high resolution. He a turned 180, apparently. Great for him. Awful for her. I don’t even want to go near that. I don’t know how any self-respecting person could recover from what she saw with minimal reaction like she did.
Romance Safety:
Safeish. There OW drama galore. She gets naked right in front of the hero. Super unnecessary. There is also some OM drama, retaliation for the OW. Besides that, there is no cheating.
————————————————————————————
The difference one book can make. This series- so far - has been a steady 3 star rating. Enough to keep me interest, not enough to make me swoon. This book in particular took a direction I did not like in terms of plot. Being longer and delving more into the relationships was perhaps a mistake. It all felt… hollow.
I was hollow finishing this.
While I try to always end series, I will not be doing so with this one. Life is too short and this is not something I want in my shelves.
————————————————————————————
RATINGS:
Plot : 1.5 📚💫 Sprinkled around.
World Building(Immersion): 1 🌎 Dipped my toes.
Angst : ❎ No angst.
Funniness: 1 🌝 There was a joke, but I didn’t even twitch.
Scariness: ❎ Not scary.
Romance: 2 💖💖 Okay.
Spice: 3 🌶🌶🌶 Explicit, but not that hot.
Goriness: 3 🫀🫀🫀 Someone died and I got to see what happened.
Sadness: ❎ No sadness.
Overall star rating : 2 ⭐️⭐️ Nothing is okay.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨MILD SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨
The Good Place:
▫️Drake and Victoria are here because at least they added something to the plot. I’m not found of them either but they are not Bran and Keelin.
The Bad Place:
▪️If you have been around my Goodreads, ya know I enjoy a good smutty story as much as the next gal. Yet there was a certain direction in te sensuality that bothered me in this. Maybe it was the over indulgence in things I find… repulsive? Details I found unnecessary? It took away from the story.
▪️Keelin was annoying. I couldn’t with her.
▪️Bran. It seems like he was only there to growl, screw the heroine and be all macho dragon. Where is the depth? If this had been a novella, no problem, but 300+ pages of this mindless blabber. 💼 I’ve packed my bags. I’ve moved on.
▪️oh btw the hero of the next book is a big manwhore- to the point where the next book’s heroine has seen his debauchery in 4K high resolution. He a turned 180, apparently. Great for him. Awful for her. I don’t even want to go near that. I don’t know how any self-respecting person could recover from what she saw with minimal reaction like she did.
Romance Safety:
Safeish. There OW drama galore. She gets naked right in front of the hero. Super unnecessary. There is also some OM drama, retaliation for the OW. Besides that, there is no cheating.
————————————————————————————
September 20, 2019
It just doesn’t get any better than this! I adore an alpha hero, especially a dragon, who chases the heroine and man, Bran gave Keelin a freaking wonderful chase.
After thousands of years in hibernation, Keelin is ready to live life. Even her time before hibernation was sheltered and she’s never had real freedom to do as she pleases. But just as she sets about to do that, trouble comes knocking, along with the Alpha dragon who has intrigued her since she met him a month ago.
Keelin was an awesome heroine. She was smart and fiesty and while she might not have had physical strength to combat the enemy, she had a heart full of determination when Bran was in danger. Due to her upbringing, she has an air of innocence about her, but nothing over the top. I loved that she led Bran on one heck of a chase, and she didn’t even realize she was doing it.
Holy heck! What else can I say about Bran other than: freaking perfect hero! Every single one of my boxes was checked and then double checked with him. I don’t know why I’m always so delighted to find this autor’s heroes to be so perfect, because they are…every single time. And more so the ones in this series.
Together this couple are trying to solve a bit of a mystery that ties in with someone who is out to get Keelin. Where this leads will have you in a bit of shock and awe. I loved watching Keeling and Bran fall in love as this story is spread out before us. There is a lot of action and adventure, as well as the perfect amount of humor. And of course, there is plenty of fire breathing steam between this couple. They literally set the pages on fire each time they come together with a steady stream of sizzling goodness in between.
Fast paced, always well written, with a lead in for Bo and Nyx’s story as well as a great epilogue! As I said, it just doesn’t get any better than this!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
After thousands of years in hibernation, Keelin is ready to live life. Even her time before hibernation was sheltered and she’s never had real freedom to do as she pleases. But just as she sets about to do that, trouble comes knocking, along with the Alpha dragon who has intrigued her since she met him a month ago.
Keelin was an awesome heroine. She was smart and fiesty and while she might not have had physical strength to combat the enemy, she had a heart full of determination when Bran was in danger. Due to her upbringing, she has an air of innocence about her, but nothing over the top. I loved that she led Bran on one heck of a chase, and she didn’t even realize she was doing it.
Holy heck! What else can I say about Bran other than: freaking perfect hero! Every single one of my boxes was checked and then double checked with him. I don’t know why I’m always so delighted to find this autor’s heroes to be so perfect, because they are…every single time. And more so the ones in this series.
Together this couple are trying to solve a bit of a mystery that ties in with someone who is out to get Keelin. Where this leads will have you in a bit of shock and awe. I loved watching Keeling and Bran fall in love as this story is spread out before us. There is a lot of action and adventure, as well as the perfect amount of humor. And of course, there is plenty of fire breathing steam between this couple. They literally set the pages on fire each time they come together with a steady stream of sizzling goodness in between.
Fast paced, always well written, with a lead in for Bo and Nyx’s story as well as a great epilogue! As I said, it just doesn’t get any better than this!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
March 2, 2015
In the third book in the Darkness series, Keelin’s had a rough couple of months, awakening from hibernation imposed on her by her overprotective parents, only to have to recover from an attempt to sacrifice her to open a hellgate. Then her dragon mate, Bran, decides to court her and she cannot deal with the thought of a possessive male taking her independence away from her. She just wants to hook up with and ignore the mating urge (hands up for those who think that was a bad idea from the get-go?) Then alot of stuff, and some romance, happens.
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
-Dragons and weres and demons, oh my: I’ll say this, I did like the fact that the ‘verse that these characters inhabit is very diverse. There’s so many different supernatural beings and learning a little bit about each of them was intriguing.
-Keelin is irrational and frustrating: For a good portion of my read, I kept thinking that she was so immature and reactionary, bordering on TSTL. Ok, that’s me being kind. I really did think she was kind of TSTL. Until I learned more about how protective her family was. Sadly, I think her inability to look beyond her own nose worked against me sympathizing with her. It got better the further I got into the story, but
-The sex was pretty good: As far as the sex scenes are concerned, if you’re into the possessive alpha “mine” chant and he’s all into her pleasure, then it worked.
-Bran’s most distinctive feature is his possessiveness and his eye: He was very much “mine!” and his left eye was cloudy. *blinks* As for his personality, well...I knew that he was very into Keelin and he hit all the beats you’d expect of an Alpha, but I still didn’t know him much better than when the story started.
-An actual secondary romance! Oh wait...: It’s kind of like spotting a Yeti these days it’s so rare. In the days of series, most couples that could have thrived as a secondary romance usually end up with their own books, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Nyx and Bo’s romance play a secondary role in this story. I was genuinely excited...and then it turned out that their romance will get its own book. Of course. But this does lead me to the next point...
-Didn’t quite work for me as a standalone: I think I would have been a bit more understanding and supportive of Keelin and Bran had I read the earlier books. The story shifts from Bran/Keelin to Bo and Nyx, as well as chapters devoted to the second book’s H/h, Victoria and Drake drew me to the strength of those characters and unfortunately, highlighted the shallowness of Keelin and Bran.
The Bottom Line
Strangely enough, I liked everything except for the main couple, so I can’t give a full recommendation. However, I like Nyx and Bo, and I think I will read the next installment in this series.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
-Dragons and weres and demons, oh my: I’ll say this, I did like the fact that the ‘verse that these characters inhabit is very diverse. There’s so many different supernatural beings and learning a little bit about each of them was intriguing.
-Keelin is irrational and frustrating: For a good portion of my read, I kept thinking that she was so immature and reactionary, bordering on TSTL. Ok, that’s me being kind. I really did think she was kind of TSTL. Until I learned more about how protective her family was. Sadly, I think her inability to look beyond her own nose worked against me sympathizing with her. It got better the further I got into the story, but
-The sex was pretty good: As far as the sex scenes are concerned, if you’re into the possessive alpha “mine” chant and he’s all into her pleasure, then it worked.
-Bran’s most distinctive feature is his possessiveness and his eye: He was very much “mine!” and his left eye was cloudy. *blinks* As for his personality, well...I knew that he was very into Keelin and he hit all the beats you’d expect of an Alpha, but I still didn’t know him much better than when the story started.
-An actual secondary romance! Oh wait...: It’s kind of like spotting a Yeti these days it’s so rare. In the days of series, most couples that could have thrived as a secondary romance usually end up with their own books, so I was pleasantly surprised to see Nyx and Bo’s romance play a secondary role in this story. I was genuinely excited...and then it turned out that their romance will get its own book. Of course. But this does lead me to the next point...
-Didn’t quite work for me as a standalone: I think I would have been a bit more understanding and supportive of Keelin and Bran had I read the earlier books. The story shifts from Bran/Keelin to Bo and Nyx, as well as chapters devoted to the second book’s H/h, Victoria and Drake drew me to the strength of those characters and unfortunately, highlighted the shallowness of Keelin and Bran.
The Bottom Line
Strangely enough, I liked everything except for the main couple, so I can’t give a full recommendation. However, I like Nyx and Bo, and I think I will read the next installment in this series.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
June 18, 2020
I just can’t get enough dragons!
Just like the previous books in the Darkness Series, there was tons to love about Beyond the Darkness. It had lots of action, oodles of feels, and was all kinds of sexy.
Bran had it going on, at least where I’m concerned. He’s a former black ops dragon and current leader of his clan. Due to a birth defect, I think he felt he had a lot more to prove than your average everyday dragon leader. I’m not sure why because he was one tough mofo and seemed to be doing just fine. Bran figured out early on what Keelin’s hang-ups were and was bent on showing her he saw her as an equal which had me all in for him.
Keelin was raised in an extremely sheltered way, to the point where her overprotective parents ended up seriously handicapping her. This didn’t make a lot of sense to me considering both her parents were renowned warriors. Keelin was determined to stand on her own two feet which I loved. Her cluelessness when it came to Bran though…not so much.
The steam factor was high and there was a lot of buildup to the chemistry between these two and when the fireworks hit, it was spectacular.
As much as I enjoyed Bran and Keelin’s story, the suspense is where things fizzled a bit for me. The antagonist was all kinds of evil yet he was clearly outmatched which was a bit disappointing. While the buildup was great, the ending was almost too easy.
My intrigue was spiked with the addition of gods and demigods (not that I really needed another reason to go all in on this series). There was scads of set up for Nyx and Bo’s story. It didn’t hijack Bran and Keelin’s story but added to it. With a Goddess of Chaos involved, I am looking forward to a fun ride.
Rating: 4 You Had Me At Dragon Stars
Just like the previous books in the Darkness Series, there was tons to love about Beyond the Darkness. It had lots of action, oodles of feels, and was all kinds of sexy.
Bran had it going on, at least where I’m concerned. He’s a former black ops dragon and current leader of his clan. Due to a birth defect, I think he felt he had a lot more to prove than your average everyday dragon leader. I’m not sure why because he was one tough mofo and seemed to be doing just fine. Bran figured out early on what Keelin’s hang-ups were and was bent on showing her he saw her as an equal which had me all in for him.
Keelin was raised in an extremely sheltered way, to the point where her overprotective parents ended up seriously handicapping her. This didn’t make a lot of sense to me considering both her parents were renowned warriors. Keelin was determined to stand on her own two feet which I loved. Her cluelessness when it came to Bran though…not so much.
The steam factor was high and there was a lot of buildup to the chemistry between these two and when the fireworks hit, it was spectacular.
As much as I enjoyed Bran and Keelin’s story, the suspense is where things fizzled a bit for me. The antagonist was all kinds of evil yet he was clearly outmatched which was a bit disappointing. While the buildup was great, the ending was almost too easy.
My intrigue was spiked with the addition of gods and demigods (not that I really needed another reason to go all in on this series). There was scads of set up for Nyx and Bo’s story. It didn’t hijack Bran and Keelin’s story but added to it. With a Goddess of Chaos involved, I am looking forward to a fun ride.
Rating: 4 You Had Me At Dragon Stars
February 18, 2015
Katie has become an auto read author for me because her writing is brilliant and this story is no exception. A good plot for me has to do with details. An author brings me into their world for however long it takes me to read their book. I need to feel the imagery. See what you saw when you wrote it. Katie achieves this with great skill. Keelin and Bran have great chemistry. When Keelin is threatened, Bran is there to protect her. The plot weaves itself well with the first book. The characters are unique. I am definitely eager for more!
February 10, 2019
My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 Unicorns - I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! I bought this book back in 2015, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I own this whole series and many other books by Katie Reus!
The cover is very subdued, and you would know it is paranormal except for the small dragon that gives you a hint.
This is Keelin and Bran’s story! Keelin is Drake and Conall’s sister, and Bran is the Devlin Clan’s Alpha. Keelin is staying in Biloxi because she wanted some freedom. A month later, Bran shows up. There is all sorts of drama, fights, danger, and as usual demons trying to hurt them. This time Keelin is the target, but they are trying to figure out why. This was another action-packed book, but I don’t want to give anything away, but we have lots of new faces who show up. We also have some favorites from the other books who return like Finn, Vega, Drake, Rhea, Conall, and Victoria! I love this world and how they are making alliances and helping each other out!
I highly recommend to any paranormal fans who love complex worlds filled with all types of being, action, fights, treachery, mystery, intrigue, and mating fire!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! I bought this book back in 2015, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I own this whole series and many other books by Katie Reus!
The cover is very subdued, and you would know it is paranormal except for the small dragon that gives you a hint.
This is Keelin and Bran’s story! Keelin is Drake and Conall’s sister, and Bran is the Devlin Clan’s Alpha. Keelin is staying in Biloxi because she wanted some freedom. A month later, Bran shows up. There is all sorts of drama, fights, danger, and as usual demons trying to hurt them. This time Keelin is the target, but they are trying to figure out why. This was another action-packed book, but I don’t want to give anything away, but we have lots of new faces who show up. We also have some favorites from the other books who return like Finn, Vega, Drake, Rhea, Conall, and Victoria! I love this world and how they are making alliances and helping each other out!
I highly recommend to any paranormal fans who love complex worlds filled with all types of being, action, fights, treachery, mystery, intrigue, and mating fire!
April 24, 2015
The two leads, Bran and Keelin, met in the last book. Bran recognizes Keelin is his mate and though attracted, Keelin resists because she wants independence above all things. Her parents smothered her and she doesn't want to switch one set of prison wardens for another. Bran doesn't understand her attitude, but bides his time even though his dragon side is impatient for their mate.
Keelin moves to New Orleans and lives with the wolf pack there while working at Bo's bar that catered to paranormal races. She is content with the friends she is making and her new independence, but then strange things start happening around her and Bran comes to town. She knows what he wants and she plans to resist even if her dragon side wants Bran. Then Bran makes her mad with his over-protectiveness even while she acknowledges that she is glad to have him when she is attacked more than once.
Bran is in New Orleans for Keelin, but he also promised his former boss that he would look into the disappearances of dragons from the local clan. He suspects the arrival of demons that attack Keelin and the disappearances may be related. He wants to keep Keelin safe, but she insists on helping. Then she seems upset when another female dragon shows interest even though she insisted that she didn't want him, not that he wanted anyone, but Keelin.
Alongside, Bran and Keelin's story, Bo slowly draws closer to the mysterious female, Nyx, who works for him and seems to have troubles of her own. She doesn't fit any of the types of races to which he is familiar, but he doesn't care. She soothes his wilder demon side and he wants her. Nyx is the key to figuring out who is after Keelin, but will the group figure it out soon enough to help Keelin and find the other dragons?
This was exciting, intriguing, passionate and fun as it told the story of Keelin and Bran's turbulent romance and the secondary romance of Bo and Nyx while figuring out who is after Keelin and why. Keelin's need to feel some control in her life and Bran's need to be with her took some sorting, but I was glad that it didn't descend into that 'no, I don't want you, but really I do' game for very long. I enjoyed the inclusion of familiar characters from the previous story. I love the blend of the paranormal races and most of all that Keelin and Bran are dragons. There was some dragon shifter action, but I'm always game for more. The romance was passionate, but developed at a goodly pace. Probably not one of the heaviest hitting PNR series out there, but still good. I can't wait to see where things go with Bo and Nyx. They are both mysterious figures and I want to know more about them.
It moved along quickly, but still gave a nice entertaining read. I would recommend the series to Paranormal Romance lovers who like a bit of spicy it the romance and some variety in their paranormal.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Keelin moves to New Orleans and lives with the wolf pack there while working at Bo's bar that catered to paranormal races. She is content with the friends she is making and her new independence, but then strange things start happening around her and Bran comes to town. She knows what he wants and she plans to resist even if her dragon side wants Bran. Then Bran makes her mad with his over-protectiveness even while she acknowledges that she is glad to have him when she is attacked more than once.
Bran is in New Orleans for Keelin, but he also promised his former boss that he would look into the disappearances of dragons from the local clan. He suspects the arrival of demons that attack Keelin and the disappearances may be related. He wants to keep Keelin safe, but she insists on helping. Then she seems upset when another female dragon shows interest even though she insisted that she didn't want him, not that he wanted anyone, but Keelin.
Alongside, Bran and Keelin's story, Bo slowly draws closer to the mysterious female, Nyx, who works for him and seems to have troubles of her own. She doesn't fit any of the types of races to which he is familiar, but he doesn't care. She soothes his wilder demon side and he wants her. Nyx is the key to figuring out who is after Keelin, but will the group figure it out soon enough to help Keelin and find the other dragons?
This was exciting, intriguing, passionate and fun as it told the story of Keelin and Bran's turbulent romance and the secondary romance of Bo and Nyx while figuring out who is after Keelin and why. Keelin's need to feel some control in her life and Bran's need to be with her took some sorting, but I was glad that it didn't descend into that 'no, I don't want you, but really I do' game for very long. I enjoyed the inclusion of familiar characters from the previous story. I love the blend of the paranormal races and most of all that Keelin and Bran are dragons. There was some dragon shifter action, but I'm always game for more. The romance was passionate, but developed at a goodly pace. Probably not one of the heaviest hitting PNR series out there, but still good. I can't wait to see where things go with Bo and Nyx. They are both mysterious figures and I want to know more about them.
It moved along quickly, but still gave a nice entertaining read. I would recommend the series to Paranormal Romance lovers who like a bit of spicy it the romance and some variety in their paranormal.
My thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2015
Here we are back in the world that Ms Reus has created populated by ( amongst others ) Werewolves, Vampires, Demigods, Half Demons and Dragons. Oh yes it's all about the Dragons who until recently had been believed to be extinct and we learned in the previous book Taste of Darkness that exactly the opposite is true. Some Dragons are in hibernation but there are still those awake in the world but cautiously protecting their Clans. Keelin has led a sheltered life and always longed to spread her wings ( no pun intended!) and it's only in recent months that she has finally escaped from her overprotective family. Whilst helping track down her missing brother Drake she met Bran a fellow Dragon who seemed beyond interested in her but Keelin has no wish to exchange one gilded cage for another. No Keelin has a job and the protection of the Stavros Wolf Pack and absolutely no intention of giving up her new found independence but Bran is one very determined Dragon willing to woo her in any way he can. Yes he feels the urge to mate with her but he sees the woman she is and wishes to cherish not crush her. Keelin is up for a little fooling around as hey that Dragon is mighty fine but whilst she is looking at Bran she fails to see the danger that's stalking her and pretty soon it's clear that there's a target and it's painted on Keelins back! I love these characters and the slightly cuckoo world they live in. I mean the very idea of a Dragon living amongst Werewolves is just crazy and yet this author pulls it off. Nothing says love like a male ready to barbecue your enemies and if he accidentally takes out the odd truck well that's just plain old enthusiasm . That's what I love about these stories they are just such fun to read. Yes we have a likeable heroine who is loyal but she's paired here with a male who respects her and although he is protective Bran never tries to stifle her. Keelin might put her foot in it occasionally but when their passion ignites it's a blaze to warm the cockles of the hardest heart!
I really enjoy this series full of sexy shifters but I think it's the world the author has created that really keeps me coming back. From fight club to a bar run by a Half Demon there's always something interesting going on and speaking of Half Demons I can't wait to read Bo's story. Fast fun and well written , what's not to love? Another winner from Ms Reus
I was gifted a copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoy this series full of sexy shifters but I think it's the world the author has created that really keeps me coming back. From fight club to a bar run by a Half Demon there's always something interesting going on and speaking of Half Demons I can't wait to read Bo's story. Fast fun and well written , what's not to love? Another winner from Ms Reus
I was gifted a copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
October 4, 2022
4+ "Dragons!" Stars!
I really liked this one a lot. This world is expanding and I love it.
Happy reading!
I really liked this one a lot. This world is expanding and I love it.
Happy reading!
February 13, 2015
Beyond the Darkness is the 3rd book in the Darkness series by Katie Reus. I loved the last book, Taste of Darkness, so I’ve been looking forward to this one. Keelie Petronilla and Bran Devlin are the main characters in this story. They are both Dragon shifters. Bran is the Alpha of his clan and Keelie is the sister of the hero from the last book, Drake.
Keelie has been sheltered all her life. Guilted into going into protective hibernation for centuries, she remerged a year ago. She has since come to love the modern world and desperately wants to spread her wings and assert her independence. To accomplish this she moves out of her clan home and in with the Stavros wolf pack. It’s not long before Bran follows her. He has a mission, in more ways than one, though winning Keelie over is paramount. But danger is coming and Keelie and Bran find themselves smack dab in the middle of it.
Bran and Keelie first meet in Taste the Darkness. Bran found himself drawn to Keelie since they moment he first saw her. Keelie however, has no interest in being mated. She believes that being mated will be a constraint on her freedom and independence. Bran is determined to convince her that, though he wants to protect her, he sees her as an equal. He has a plan to court her and he won’t let anything or anyone stand in his way, including Keelie.
I really enjoyed Beyond the Darkness. It was good to see Keelie grow into the woman/dragon she was meant to be. She was a great heroine and Bran was perfect for her. I loved how he was with her. He was supportive and protective but he didn’t coddle her. The romance is steamy, sexy and endearing. The characters are nicely done and the plot flows smoothly from beginning to end. There was a secondary romance brewing between Bo and Nyx that I enjoyed as well. I’m looking forward to reading more about them in the future.
Beyond the darkness is an interesting and entertaining story. It’s a great addition to the series. I would recommend Beyond the Darkness and entire series to fans of paranormal romance.
*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from KR Press, LLC, via NetGalley.
Keelie has been sheltered all her life. Guilted into going into protective hibernation for centuries, she remerged a year ago. She has since come to love the modern world and desperately wants to spread her wings and assert her independence. To accomplish this she moves out of her clan home and in with the Stavros wolf pack. It’s not long before Bran follows her. He has a mission, in more ways than one, though winning Keelie over is paramount. But danger is coming and Keelie and Bran find themselves smack dab in the middle of it.
Bran and Keelie first meet in Taste the Darkness. Bran found himself drawn to Keelie since they moment he first saw her. Keelie however, has no interest in being mated. She believes that being mated will be a constraint on her freedom and independence. Bran is determined to convince her that, though he wants to protect her, he sees her as an equal. He has a plan to court her and he won’t let anything or anyone stand in his way, including Keelie.
I really enjoyed Beyond the Darkness. It was good to see Keelie grow into the woman/dragon she was meant to be. She was a great heroine and Bran was perfect for her. I loved how he was with her. He was supportive and protective but he didn’t coddle her. The romance is steamy, sexy and endearing. The characters are nicely done and the plot flows smoothly from beginning to end. There was a secondary romance brewing between Bo and Nyx that I enjoyed as well. I’m looking forward to reading more about them in the future.
Beyond the darkness is an interesting and entertaining story. It’s a great addition to the series. I would recommend Beyond the Darkness and entire series to fans of paranormal romance.
*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from KR Press, LLC, via NetGalley.
November 8, 2022
06/11/22
Relectura. Mantengo las tres estrellas.
Mi memoria me había jugado una mala pasada y tenía un recuerdo peor de este libro de lo que en realidad es. Creo que es por un par de clichés que Reus usa en esta historia, de esos que odio con pasión y cuando me los encuentro no me dejan ser objetiva, ni disfrutar de la novela.
Estos son: el doble rasero de la experiencia sexual, es decir, él, Bran, tiene mucha, ella, Keelin, no tiene apenas. Por los motivos que he explicado un trillón de veces, o más. Y el uso de terceras personas para crear celos en las protagonistas y hacer avanzar la relación. Además, en este libro pasa con dos parejas, la principal y la que será la protagonista en el siguiente libro de la serie.
Si obviamos esto, la verdad es que me gusta. Ambos protagonistas tiene problemas de autoestima, ninguno de los dos cree ser lo suficientemente bueno o adecuado para el otro y antes de estar juntos tienen que superar ese obstáculo. Ninguno de los dos es el típico cambiante y no se ven a sí mismos en igualdad de condiciones con el resto de cambiantes de sus clanes. También, Keelin quiere independencia después de haber sido controlada y sobreprotegida por su familia.
Por cierto, una de mis escenas favoritas de esta novela ha sido un momento de Drake con otro personaje que no voy a nombrar por no hacer spoiler. Una escena preciosa que me ha sacado alguna que otra lagrimilla.
Reus sigue expandiendo el universo de esta serie y los personajes. Es una serie sencilla, sin mucha complejidad pero que, en mi opinión, si eres muy fan de este subgénero puede ser una buena opción. Para mí es un espacio libre de grandes dramas que me gusta revisitar cuando no paso por un buen momento lector.
Tengo la edición en tapa blanda, la única que ha sido publicada hasta el momento. Está publicada por la propia autora. Estas ediciones me tienen loca. La ilustración de la cubierta me encanta, el diseño, los pequeños dragones (porque son cambiantes dragones). No tengo queja.
Relectura. Mantengo las tres estrellas.
Mi memoria me había jugado una mala pasada y tenía un recuerdo peor de este libro de lo que en realidad es. Creo que es por un par de clichés que Reus usa en esta historia, de esos que odio con pasión y cuando me los encuentro no me dejan ser objetiva, ni disfrutar de la novela.
Estos son: el doble rasero de la experiencia sexual, es decir, él, Bran, tiene mucha, ella, Keelin, no tiene apenas. Por los motivos que he explicado un trillón de veces, o más. Y el uso de terceras personas para crear celos en las protagonistas y hacer avanzar la relación. Además, en este libro pasa con dos parejas, la principal y la que será la protagonista en el siguiente libro de la serie.
Si obviamos esto, la verdad es que me gusta. Ambos protagonistas tiene problemas de autoestima, ninguno de los dos cree ser lo suficientemente bueno o adecuado para el otro y antes de estar juntos tienen que superar ese obstáculo. Ninguno de los dos es el típico cambiante y no se ven a sí mismos en igualdad de condiciones con el resto de cambiantes de sus clanes. También, Keelin quiere independencia después de haber sido controlada y sobreprotegida por su familia.
Por cierto, una de mis escenas favoritas de esta novela ha sido un momento de Drake con otro personaje que no voy a nombrar por no hacer spoiler. Una escena preciosa que me ha sacado alguna que otra lagrimilla.
Reus sigue expandiendo el universo de esta serie y los personajes. Es una serie sencilla, sin mucha complejidad pero que, en mi opinión, si eres muy fan de este subgénero puede ser una buena opción. Para mí es un espacio libre de grandes dramas que me gusta revisitar cuando no paso por un buen momento lector.
She didn't need words anyway. She just needed Bran. (pág.327)
Tengo la edición en tapa blanda, la única que ha sido publicada hasta el momento. Está publicada por la propia autora. Estas ediciones me tienen loca. La ilustración de la cubierta me encanta, el diseño, los pequeños dragones (porque son cambiantes dragones). No tengo queja.
December 10, 2019
Bran was there for Keelin when she was attacked a while back and he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her since. He's back in town on a mission but the fire between them is not stopping. They're both dragon shifters and he wants to make her his mate but she doesn't want that because she thinks she'll lose her freedom if she has a mate. So they just get to know one another slowly and the sexual tension was real. Even though they started out a little slowly with their first meeting when they meet a second time weeks later, they can't deny the sexual chemistry is there.
There's another secondary romance going on between Nyx and Bo. He's the owner of the bar she works at and is a half demon but doesn't originally know what kind of shifter Nyx is which made the mystery interesting.
Watching these couples get to know one another was so much fun but Bran and Keelin were the hero and heroine of this story so we saw more of them than the other two. But there's danger right around the corner for Keelin which has Bran feeling all kinds of protective for her and trying to keep her safe even though she doesn't think that she really needs his help sometimes. So when she runs off to figure things out with her family and doesn't tell him where she's going, his dragon goes crazy and stops at nothing to make sure she's safe. Seeing his animal side come out like that was sexy as hell.
The bad guys are bad, like really bad. There's kidnapping, torture and murder going on and when we find out what the bad guy is and why he's after Keelin it really ratchet's up the danger in the story. I loved the world building as well as all the different paranormal creatures that were in this book and how we know things are going to get interesting for Nyx in the future.
While this book started off a little slow for me, it sure did pick up and the story stayed crazy and engaging until the end once it pace picked up.
Disclosure: I was given an ARC via NetGalley but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
There's another secondary romance going on between Nyx and Bo. He's the owner of the bar she works at and is a half demon but doesn't originally know what kind of shifter Nyx is which made the mystery interesting.
Watching these couples get to know one another was so much fun but Bran and Keelin were the hero and heroine of this story so we saw more of them than the other two. But there's danger right around the corner for Keelin which has Bran feeling all kinds of protective for her and trying to keep her safe even though she doesn't think that she really needs his help sometimes. So when she runs off to figure things out with her family and doesn't tell him where she's going, his dragon goes crazy and stops at nothing to make sure she's safe. Seeing his animal side come out like that was sexy as hell.
The bad guys are bad, like really bad. There's kidnapping, torture and murder going on and when we find out what the bad guy is and why he's after Keelin it really ratchet's up the danger in the story. I loved the world building as well as all the different paranormal creatures that were in this book and how we know things are going to get interesting for Nyx in the future.
While this book started off a little slow for me, it sure did pick up and the story stayed crazy and engaging until the end once it pace picked up.
Disclosure: I was given an ARC via NetGalley but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
December 19, 2019
I just love this series, and this book was fantastic.
“Quit staring at my breasts,” she hissed with a soft stomp of her heel.
His gaze flashed to hers. “Why? They’re mine.” The bold statement tore from his lips, his inner dragon in complete agreement. He was a fucking Alpha and tired of pretending he didn’t want to claim her. She might think this pull between them was casual, but it wasn’t for him. He wanted her for his mate and not just because of fucking biology.
The chemistry between Keelin and Bran was so very hot, and I loved how Bran, a very alpha dragon, didn’t try to control Keelin. He didn’t see a fragile woman, but an independent, sexy woman he wanted for himself. It took quite a while for Keelin to realise that she wouldn’t have to give up her independence, her sense of self, to be with Bran. But Bran was just so wonderful with Keelin, and so very convincing.
“Do I want to protect you from the world? Fuck yeah. But that doesn’t mean I want to wrap you in cotton and keep you from experiencing everything. I’m sorry for the way your parents sheltered you but I’m not them. I want a partner, a mate, an equal. That’s you, Keelin. We’re definitely going to argue and I’m definitely going to be an overprotective asshole.”
I REALLY loved this book – the sexy and intense romance, the great plot and wonderful characters. There was even a hint of a romance between Bo and Nyx. I really do hope they get their own story.Bo sure is one damn sexy half-demon.
I can’t wait for the next book, and I'm hoping it's either Conall or Bo’s book. Pretty please can the next book be available soon….
A must read for all PNR fans.
June 25, 2020
This was soooo good! I love Bran. Love love love love love. He is everything I want in a romance hero! Sexy, alpha, dominant, brooding, yet he still respected the hell out of his woman and knew how to support her and be protective without being a douche. He respected Keelin's need to take things slow and never pushed her, but he was in it for the long term from the beginning and he wasn't afraid to say it.
It made for an amazing bond between the characters and from the very beginning, their chemistry was off the charts.
I LOVE me some Bran. ❤️
It made for an amazing bond between the characters and from the very beginning, their chemistry was off the charts.
I LOVE me some Bran. ❤️
September 18, 2019
3 stars.
This one is about Keelin (Drake's sister who's come out of forced hibernation) who decides to get some freedom by going to live with her sis-in-law's wolf clan and work in a pub owned by a half-demon. In the meantime, Bran, the alpha of another dragon clan, is investigating on behalf of his ex-boss, the case of a dead female dragon shifter found near Keelin's new hometown. Which, of course, is very convenient for his pursuit of Keelin.
I actually think the half-demon pub owner Bo and Keelin's fellow worker Nyx have more interesting back stories than Bran and Keelin. But I liked how the author has expanded the supernatural world again in this instalment. It's going to be interesting to see what other surprises she comes up with next.
This one is about Keelin (Drake's sister who's come out of forced hibernation) who decides to get some freedom by going to live with her sis-in-law's wolf clan and work in a pub owned by a half-demon. In the meantime, Bran, the alpha of another dragon clan, is investigating on behalf of his ex-boss, the case of a dead female dragon shifter found near Keelin's new hometown. Which, of course, is very convenient for his pursuit of Keelin.
I actually think the half-demon pub owner Bo and Keelin's fellow worker Nyx have more interesting back stories than Bran and Keelin. But I liked how the author has expanded the supernatural world again in this instalment. It's going to be interesting to see what other surprises she comes up with next.
June 2, 2017
I loved this! Beyond Darkness is about Keelin and Bran, both dragon shifters from different clans. Their chemistry is undeniable and yet, Keelin isn't ready to be mated, especially to an alpha male. She's just gotten away from her overprotective parents, so the last thing she wants is be to controlled and sheltered from the world again.
This was such a great read. I was lost to this world and Keelin and Bran together was great. Their chemistry was easy to see and feel, their sex scenes were off the chart hot and they matched each other. Add in some suspense and action and this was the perfect paranormal romance read. I would definitely recommend it to fans of this genre.
This was such a great read. I was lost to this world and Keelin and Bran together was great. Their chemistry was easy to see and feel, their sex scenes were off the chart hot and they matched each other. Add in some suspense and action and this was the perfect paranormal romance read. I would definitely recommend it to fans of this genre.
September 13, 2017
I'm late to the party so there are more thorough reviews out there. But I will say this:
1) If you love dragon shifter romances, this is a really good one. There's a lot of alpha-yummy behavior and hot chemistry. I loved that both MC's are dragon shifters and that it's a dual POV. Woohoo 🙌🏻
2) This is book 3 in a series and to appreciate the storyline, it's best if you start from book 1.
1) If you love dragon shifter romances, this is a really good one. There's a lot of alpha-yummy behavior and hot chemistry. I loved that both MC's are dragon shifters and that it's a dual POV. Woohoo 🙌🏻
2) This is book 3 in a series and to appreciate the storyline, it's best if you start from book 1.
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