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Companion #4
One With the Night
Far from the glittering lights and shallow bustle of 1822 London lies another world -- a realm of shadows and secrets, where desire holds dominion and passion knows no limits...
ONE DESIRE
Jane Blundell's keen intellect and wit have always set her apart from her marriage-minded peers. But such differences are nothing compared to the change that comes upon her when she is infected by a blood sample in her father's laboratory. Suddenly, her veins resonate with a terrifying, exhilarating power. Dr. Blundell takes Jane to the Scottish highlands where she collides with the only man who can understand her hunger--and slake her unending desire…
ONE DESTINY
Callan Kilkenny has returned to England from Marrakech, still filled with self-loathing at the deeds he committed in the name of a beautiful, depraved vampire. Now that he has tracked down Dr. Blundell in hopes of a cure he has also found a kindred spirit in Jane. Her passion and her blood calls to Callan, fueling a carnal need that shocks them both with its intensity. But others have come in search of the cure, too…for reasons that are sinister and deadly. And to save Jane and the rest of their kind, Callan must risk everything--even his last chance at redemption…
ONE WITH THE NIGHT
ONE DESIRE
Jane Blundell's keen intellect and wit have always set her apart from her marriage-minded peers. But such differences are nothing compared to the change that comes upon her when she is infected by a blood sample in her father's laboratory. Suddenly, her veins resonate with a terrifying, exhilarating power. Dr. Blundell takes Jane to the Scottish highlands where she collides with the only man who can understand her hunger--and slake her unending desire…
ONE DESTINY
Callan Kilkenny has returned to England from Marrakech, still filled with self-loathing at the deeds he committed in the name of a beautiful, depraved vampire. Now that he has tracked down Dr. Blundell in hopes of a cure he has also found a kindred spirit in Jane. Her passion and her blood calls to Callan, fueling a carnal need that shocks them both with its intensity. But others have come in search of the cure, too…for reasons that are sinister and deadly. And to save Jane and the rest of their kind, Callan must risk everything--even his last chance at redemption…
ONE WITH THE NIGHT
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 3, 2007
12 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Susan Squires
41 books203 followersSusan Squires is a NYT bestselling author known for breaking the rules of romance. Whatever her time period or subject, some element of the paranormal creeps in. She has won multiple contests for published novels and reviewer's choice awards. Publisher's Weekly named Body Electric one of the ten most influential mass market books and One with the Shadows a Best Book. Time for Eternity received a starred review.
Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and three Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboardddddddddddd.
Susan has a Masters in English literature from UCLA and once toiled as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. Now she lives at the beach with her husband, Harry, a writer of supernatural thrillers, and three Belgian Sheepdogs, who like to help her write by putting their chins on the keyboardddddddddddd.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 3, 2014
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" One with the Night was another great read in Susan Squire's Companion series. Once again, I'm rather shocked by the somewhat lower ratings for this series. Then again, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she has a penchant for seriously torturing her heroes, sexually and physically. Said heroes are also typically more docile and submissive than most vampire heroes, though I hesitate to call some of them betas. However, for the most part, none of this bothers me. Overall, I enjoy the juxtaposition of the heroine essentially saving the hero. I also love how Ms. Squires takes her characters on an emotional and psychological journey that always culminates in them not only finding true and lasting love, but also finding some peace with their companion which up to that point has usually tormented them. I thoroughly enjoy watching them learn about themselves and each other and grow throughout the story to a place where I can believe in their rightness for one another and the power of their love.
Like nearly all of the heroes in this series to date, Callan is a deeply tortured man who was another of the evil Asharti's victims. She put him through hell as her own personal plaything, repeatedly raping and physically tormenting him throughout his time with her. At first it was via compulsion, but eventually, he submitted to her tortures which only left him further psychologically confused about whether he was a warped man who truly enjoyed her “attentions.” She coerced him into committing other atrocities for her as well, and when she was finally dead, he tried to create a vampire haven where others of his kind could find solace. Unfortunately, that plan backfired to the point that he became known as a traitor both to humans and vampires. Because of all this, he believes himself evil and unredeemable, but it doesn't stop the good in him from coming out in small ways. I loved how his part of the story opened with him “cleaning house” in a brothel and throwing the cruel manager and customers out while offering a new life to the prostitutes. Little good deeds like this are his way of trying to atone for the wrongs he committed in the past, but in reality, he doesn't believe he's doing much good. Callan is so tormented, he has tried several times to kill himself, but his companion won't allow it. Therefore, when he hears of a possible cure for vampirism, he's all too eager to find the doctor who is trying to discover it. Callan thinks that if he can become human again, he might finally be able to return to a normal life, and if not, then at least he'd be able to commit suicide. He just didn't expect to find love in the process. Not surprisingly, since escaping Asharti, Callan has chosen a celibate life for the past two years and doesn't really want to have anything to do with women or sex, but he can't resist the way Jane draws him. She's innocent, good, generous, and shockingly positive even in the face of her own vampirism. Although he desires her deeply, he believes it's only his companion driving him to the call of life, and he also believes himself not even close to good enough for her. Callan loathes himself so much for the things Asharti made him do that he eventually allows Jane to believe some things about himself that, while technically true, have more nuance to them than he's willing to admit. He even lets her think he's willingly having sex with the villainess, Elyta, when in reality she is compelling him in one way or another. Poor Callan has been raped so many times, first by Asharti and then Elyta, that he has trouble differentiating between a loving, healthy sexual relationship and abuse, but luckily through Jane's gentleness and their love for one another, he is finally able to experience and recognize the distinction.
Jane has always lived in the shadow of her father but is a very talented scientist and healer in her own right. She learned a great deal about doctoring by simply watching her father and reading anatomy books. In fact, she's a very bookish young lady in general, which was something I loved about her. She also taught herself midwifery by lying to her father about where she was and going into the slums to help pregnant woman. Despite all this, her father has little faith in her abilities, mainly because she's a woman, which has left her with some psychological scars of her own to overcome. Because of how she was turned vampire in a laboratory accident, Jane is still innocently unaware of the full extent of her condition and powers. She only knows what she and her father have been able to deduce scientifically. Because his only child has this “disease,” her father is working tirelessly to find a cure. It's very cute how Jane tries to comport herself like a proper lady, drinking her blood from a teacup, not allowing her "affliction" to turn her into a beast. This measure of control she exhibits over her companion definitely comes in handy in convincing Callan that not every vampire is a slave to the creature that shares their blood. She's definitely a scientist through and through. The fact that she treated her one and only sexual experience years ago as a science experiment was amusing, yet it was sad that she thought of herself as not attractive enough and too much of a bluestocking to be marriageable. This is what led to her wanting to experience sex outside of marriage, but her experiment definitely didn't produce the results she was looking for. She'd been told it would be a transforming experience, but hers was anything but until she meets Callan. However, Jane leans so far toward being a liberated woman that her first love-making experience with Callan leaves her feeling frightened that she might lose herself and her ambitions in her feelings for him. She also thinks it's just her companion producing a heightened sexual response, and that makes her feel warped for wanting sex with him so badly. Luckily, she finally comes to terms with all of this and eventually embraces every part of her new self. I also couldn't have been prouder of her when she showed her intelligence by deducing (with a little help) what was actually going on between Callan and Elyta and putting stop to it.
This is the first book in the series in which both characters begin the story as vampires, so the dynamic between them is a little different. Because of the companion in their blood, they experience an intense, raw sexual attraction from the moment they meet. It even provokes a sexual response when Callan is gravely wounded and unconscious. Events that occur later in the story change this dynamic, as they experience their attraction for each other in a different way. Always though, Callan is thinking of Jane first and foremost in everything he does which I found very romantic. They each also see things in the other that they can't see in themselves. Callan recognizes Jane's talents, creativity and femininity all of which she tries to hide or deny, because of how her father treated her as the son he never had. Jane intuitively senses the pain in Callan's past, because she can see it mirrored in his eyes. She also sees the goodness in him when he thinks of himself as nothing but evil. Both of them admit their love for one another to themselves, but each think the other can't love them back, which delays their verbal declarations until the very end. A part of me wished that they could have had a little more faith in each other and their ability to love, but it all ended well anyway.
For the first time in this series, I have to admit that the sexual abuse of the hero was a little harder for me to take. I think it was because a large part of it was happening in real time with Elyta, interspersed with some flashbacks to his time with Asharti as well, which made it all a little too overwhelming. It got to the point that Callan was spending so much time engaged in torturous sex acts with the villainess that I felt it was taking something away from his and Jane's burgeoning love. Of course, none of this is his fault, because Elyta first compelled him with her vampire powers, and later, by hanging Jane's safety over his head. At the time, he had little else with which to bargain except his body, so I did admire him for putting himself on the line like that to protect Jane. It was just difficult to read about him being abused over and over when he was already deeply damaged from his time with Asharti. It also didn't allow for a lot of time for Callan and Jane to develop a healthy sexual relationship, so that part seemed slightly rushed. Having Callan and Jane finally rekindle their intimacy right on the heels of the abuse seemed a little too soon as well. However, I will admit though, that their interactions were very sweet and romantic, and the author did a great job of differentiating between the two experiences for Callan.
There were a few common characters from past books who appear in One with the Night. Jane's father was first seen in The Companion as the doctor who Ian turned to, looking for a cure, and it is through his blood sample that Jane was infected. Stephan Sincai's mentor, the monk, Brother Flavio, arrives with Elyta and her maid, Clara. Although Flavio seems to have a guilty conscience for not doing more to help Stephan and is obviously not evil like Elyta, he is largely passive throughout the story. I thought it was sweet that Clara had been in love with Flavio for a long time and unable to express her feelings inside the confines of Mirso Monastery. She finally finds her voice, but sadly, we don't get to see much of what happens between these two. Perhaps they will appear again as supporting characters in future books of the series. There is also the vampire, Khalenberg, who is out to prevent anyone from discovering a cure. Although I don't distinctly recall him from the previous books, he may have appeared before, because he seemed to have knowledge of the other now-happy couples. I also thought the inclusion of the Loch Ness monster was clever.
Overall, I enjoyed reading One with the Night and thought that it was another worthy effort in the Companion series. The only reason I marked off the half-star was for the somewhat excessive sexual abuse, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn't take too much away from the rest of the story for me. I liked the journey to finding a cure and how that all turned out. I also admire the author for her talent with character studies and how she was able to bring Callan and Jane full-circle in both their relationship with each other and their individual relationships with their companions. Although the main characters for the next book of the series look like they are going to be brand new, I look forward to meeting them when I continue the series soon.
Note: The sexual tension and love scenes between the hero and heroine are fairly steamy but not really what I would term erotic. However, there are multiple scenes of the hero being raped both in the present and in flashbacks that are pretty intense and contain some BDSM style interactions (including a D/S “relationship”, bondage, flogging, and intimate piercing) between him and his female abusers, which are not for the faint of heart.
"4.5 stars" One with the Night was another great read in Susan Squire's Companion series. Once again, I'm rather shocked by the somewhat lower ratings for this series. Then again, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she has a penchant for seriously torturing her heroes, sexually and physically. Said heroes are also typically more docile and submissive than most vampire heroes, though I hesitate to call some of them betas. However, for the most part, none of this bothers me. Overall, I enjoy the juxtaposition of the heroine essentially saving the hero. I also love how Ms. Squires takes her characters on an emotional and psychological journey that always culminates in them not only finding true and lasting love, but also finding some peace with their companion which up to that point has usually tormented them. I thoroughly enjoy watching them learn about themselves and each other and grow throughout the story to a place where I can believe in their rightness for one another and the power of their love.
Like nearly all of the heroes in this series to date, Callan is a deeply tortured man who was another of the evil Asharti's victims. She put him through hell as her own personal plaything, repeatedly raping and physically tormenting him throughout his time with her. At first it was via compulsion, but eventually, he submitted to her tortures which only left him further psychologically confused about whether he was a warped man who truly enjoyed her “attentions.” She coerced him into committing other atrocities for her as well, and when she was finally dead, he tried to create a vampire haven where others of his kind could find solace. Unfortunately, that plan backfired to the point that he became known as a traitor both to humans and vampires. Because of all this, he believes himself evil and unredeemable, but it doesn't stop the good in him from coming out in small ways. I loved how his part of the story opened with him “cleaning house” in a brothel and throwing the cruel manager and customers out while offering a new life to the prostitutes. Little good deeds like this are his way of trying to atone for the wrongs he committed in the past, but in reality, he doesn't believe he's doing much good. Callan is so tormented, he has tried several times to kill himself, but his companion won't allow it. Therefore, when he hears of a possible cure for vampirism, he's all too eager to find the doctor who is trying to discover it. Callan thinks that if he can become human again, he might finally be able to return to a normal life, and if not, then at least he'd be able to commit suicide. He just didn't expect to find love in the process. Not surprisingly, since escaping Asharti, Callan has chosen a celibate life for the past two years and doesn't really want to have anything to do with women or sex, but he can't resist the way Jane draws him. She's innocent, good, generous, and shockingly positive even in the face of her own vampirism. Although he desires her deeply, he believes it's only his companion driving him to the call of life, and he also believes himself not even close to good enough for her. Callan loathes himself so much for the things Asharti made him do that he eventually allows Jane to believe some things about himself that, while technically true, have more nuance to them than he's willing to admit. He even lets her think he's willingly having sex with the villainess, Elyta, when in reality she is compelling him in one way or another. Poor Callan has been raped so many times, first by Asharti and then Elyta, that he has trouble differentiating between a loving, healthy sexual relationship and abuse, but luckily through Jane's gentleness and their love for one another, he is finally able to experience and recognize the distinction.
Jane has always lived in the shadow of her father but is a very talented scientist and healer in her own right. She learned a great deal about doctoring by simply watching her father and reading anatomy books. In fact, she's a very bookish young lady in general, which was something I loved about her. She also taught herself midwifery by lying to her father about where she was and going into the slums to help pregnant woman. Despite all this, her father has little faith in her abilities, mainly because she's a woman, which has left her with some psychological scars of her own to overcome. Because of how she was turned vampire in a laboratory accident, Jane is still innocently unaware of the full extent of her condition and powers. She only knows what she and her father have been able to deduce scientifically. Because his only child has this “disease,” her father is working tirelessly to find a cure. It's very cute how Jane tries to comport herself like a proper lady, drinking her blood from a teacup, not allowing her "affliction" to turn her into a beast. This measure of control she exhibits over her companion definitely comes in handy in convincing Callan that not every vampire is a slave to the creature that shares their blood. She's definitely a scientist through and through. The fact that she treated her one and only sexual experience years ago as a science experiment was amusing, yet it was sad that she thought of herself as not attractive enough and too much of a bluestocking to be marriageable. This is what led to her wanting to experience sex outside of marriage, but her experiment definitely didn't produce the results she was looking for. She'd been told it would be a transforming experience, but hers was anything but until she meets Callan. However, Jane leans so far toward being a liberated woman that her first love-making experience with Callan leaves her feeling frightened that she might lose herself and her ambitions in her feelings for him. She also thinks it's just her companion producing a heightened sexual response, and that makes her feel warped for wanting sex with him so badly. Luckily, she finally comes to terms with all of this and eventually embraces every part of her new self. I also couldn't have been prouder of her when she showed her intelligence by deducing (with a little help) what was actually going on between Callan and Elyta and putting stop to it.
This is the first book in the series in which both characters begin the story as vampires, so the dynamic between them is a little different. Because of the companion in their blood, they experience an intense, raw sexual attraction from the moment they meet. It even provokes a sexual response when Callan is gravely wounded and unconscious. Events that occur later in the story change this dynamic, as they experience their attraction for each other in a different way. Always though, Callan is thinking of Jane first and foremost in everything he does which I found very romantic. They each also see things in the other that they can't see in themselves. Callan recognizes Jane's talents, creativity and femininity all of which she tries to hide or deny, because of how her father treated her as the son he never had. Jane intuitively senses the pain in Callan's past, because she can see it mirrored in his eyes. She also sees the goodness in him when he thinks of himself as nothing but evil. Both of them admit their love for one another to themselves, but each think the other can't love them back, which delays their verbal declarations until the very end. A part of me wished that they could have had a little more faith in each other and their ability to love, but it all ended well anyway.
For the first time in this series, I have to admit that the sexual abuse of the hero was a little harder for me to take. I think it was because a large part of it was happening in real time with Elyta, interspersed with some flashbacks to his time with Asharti as well, which made it all a little too overwhelming. It got to the point that Callan was spending so much time engaged in torturous sex acts with the villainess that I felt it was taking something away from his and Jane's burgeoning love. Of course, none of this is his fault, because Elyta first compelled him with her vampire powers, and later, by hanging Jane's safety over his head. At the time, he had little else with which to bargain except his body, so I did admire him for putting himself on the line like that to protect Jane. It was just difficult to read about him being abused over and over when he was already deeply damaged from his time with Asharti. It also didn't allow for a lot of time for Callan and Jane to develop a healthy sexual relationship, so that part seemed slightly rushed. Having Callan and Jane finally rekindle their intimacy right on the heels of the abuse seemed a little too soon as well. However, I will admit though, that their interactions were very sweet and romantic, and the author did a great job of differentiating between the two experiences for Callan.
There were a few common characters from past books who appear in One with the Night. Jane's father was first seen in The Companion as the doctor who Ian turned to, looking for a cure, and it is through his blood sample that Jane was infected. Stephan Sincai's mentor, the monk, Brother Flavio, arrives with Elyta and her maid, Clara. Although Flavio seems to have a guilty conscience for not doing more to help Stephan and is obviously not evil like Elyta, he is largely passive throughout the story. I thought it was sweet that Clara had been in love with Flavio for a long time and unable to express her feelings inside the confines of Mirso Monastery. She finally finds her voice, but sadly, we don't get to see much of what happens between these two. Perhaps they will appear again as supporting characters in future books of the series. There is also the vampire, Khalenberg, who is out to prevent anyone from discovering a cure. Although I don't distinctly recall him from the previous books, he may have appeared before, because he seemed to have knowledge of the other now-happy couples. I also thought the inclusion of the Loch Ness monster was clever.
Overall, I enjoyed reading One with the Night and thought that it was another worthy effort in the Companion series. The only reason I marked off the half-star was for the somewhat excessive sexual abuse, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn't take too much away from the rest of the story for me. I liked the journey to finding a cure and how that all turned out. I also admire the author for her talent with character studies and how she was able to bring Callan and Jane full-circle in both their relationship with each other and their individual relationships with their companions. Although the main characters for the next book of the series look like they are going to be brand new, I look forward to meeting them when I continue the series soon.
Note: The sexual tension and love scenes between the hero and heroine are fairly steamy but not really what I would term erotic. However, there are multiple scenes of the hero being raped both in the present and in flashbacks that are pretty intense and contain some BDSM style interactions (including a D/S “relationship”, bondage, flogging, and intimate piercing) between him and his female abusers, which are not for the faint of heart.
January 3, 2008
I hated this one. I'm starting to see a distressing similiarity in all of this authors books. Kind of the Cheryl Holt syndrome. What's with all the rape? Is this the new sexy? If so, I don't want to be part of it.
March 24, 2022
- SPOILERS -
This is a vampire story that explores female control in various forms & how the need for that control can wound externally or strengthen internally, can breed hate or inspire love, can warp desire or feed courage.
…But nevermind the mushy stuff, because this book also has an army of gargantuan flipper-wielding Nessies that crawl out of the Loch & save our heroes from certain destruction.
Yes, really. And it was glorious. :D :D
This is a vampire story that explores female control in various forms & how the need for that control can wound externally or strengthen internally, can breed hate or inspire love, can warp desire or feed courage.
…But nevermind the mushy stuff, because this book also has an army of gargantuan flipper-wielding Nessies that crawl out of the Loch & save our heroes from certain destruction.
Yes, really. And it was glorious. :D :D
September 23, 2015
When a feisty and independent thinking young woman is infected by the blood of a vampire, her scientist father begins the search for a cure in a time when even drawing blood was suspect. With her father wrapped up in science and its study, Jane is left to fend for herself, never knowing the true extent of her powers. Sequestered away in the Scottish Highlands, “Plain Jane” longs for excitement, pretty clothes and a man strong enough to stand by her, not coddle her.
Callan, a turned vampire leads a hollow life full of remorse for heinous deeds he has done. Willing to do anything for the cure, he has sought out the good doctor. What he found was Jane, a naïve woman who has never been taught the ways of the vampire or of the nature and power of their lust. Callan is a victim of his past, tortured and beaten like a plaything for a cruel female vampire. Together Jane and Callan must learn to trust in each other to help find a cure or die trying when the vampire world seeks to destroy the possible cure. Will these two find more than the need to feed their lust? Will they embrace their true nature and find their own happiness?
One With the Night by Susan Squires is a regency romance with paranormal lust thrown in. Jane is clearly too sheltered from the world around her and struggles between pleasing her father and being herself. Callan has seen too much evil, committed too much evil and has become a tortured soul, full of disgust with himself. Ms. Squires takes us back to the early nineteenth century and adds an edginess that is almost brittle. The true heat comes when Jane discovers her feelings of shameful lust are part of her vampire side and only one man can understand. Erotic scenes are detailed and prove that even the most prim and proper vampire has a wild side. Dark, steady pacing and dialogue that feels right for the era will make historical romance buffs swoon.
I received this copy as part of the One With the Night Review Tour, stopping at Tome Tender September 23.
Series: Companion - Book 4
Publication Date: August 11, 2015
Publisher: Susan Squires
Genre: Regency paranormal
Print Length: 326 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Callan, a turned vampire leads a hollow life full of remorse for heinous deeds he has done. Willing to do anything for the cure, he has sought out the good doctor. What he found was Jane, a naïve woman who has never been taught the ways of the vampire or of the nature and power of their lust. Callan is a victim of his past, tortured and beaten like a plaything for a cruel female vampire. Together Jane and Callan must learn to trust in each other to help find a cure or die trying when the vampire world seeks to destroy the possible cure. Will these two find more than the need to feed their lust? Will they embrace their true nature and find their own happiness?
One With the Night by Susan Squires is a regency romance with paranormal lust thrown in. Jane is clearly too sheltered from the world around her and struggles between pleasing her father and being herself. Callan has seen too much evil, committed too much evil and has become a tortured soul, full of disgust with himself. Ms. Squires takes us back to the early nineteenth century and adds an edginess that is almost brittle. The true heat comes when Jane discovers her feelings of shameful lust are part of her vampire side and only one man can understand. Erotic scenes are detailed and prove that even the most prim and proper vampire has a wild side. Dark, steady pacing and dialogue that feels right for the era will make historical romance buffs swoon.
I received this copy as part of the One With the Night Review Tour, stopping at Tome Tender September 23.
Series: Companion - Book 4
Publication Date: August 11, 2015
Publisher: Susan Squires
Genre: Regency paranormal
Print Length: 326 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 30, 2015
Originally published on Not Now...Mommy's Reading
One With The Night by Susan Squires is my first Regency Vampire Romance read and if they are all as well-written as this novel, it won't be my last. I absolutely loved how the novel started out - I was immediately drawn in and wanted to know more about Callan Kilkenny and what he endured at the hands of the beautiful yet sadistic, Asharti. Tramautized and hellbent on seeking a cure for vampirism that has condemned him to a life bereft of peace and love, Callan is the type of tortured hero I swoon over!
If Callan is all things swoon worthy then Jane is all things noble and admirable - a truly likeable heroine. I adore heroines that are intelligent and don't fit into the neat little boxes that society has carved for them. It seems that no one truly appreciates what a rare woman Jane is, her father included. The only man who appears to notice her is Callan who oddly enough, seeks to remain in the shadows while a cure is being worked on by Jane's father.
Most vampires have a signature about them and Susan Squires vamps are no different. Their signature? Red eyes and cinnamon which I found to be rather interesting. The novel was filled with some of the most poetic prose I had ever read. For example, one of my favorite lines was: The crescent moon was pregnant with a shadow belly where it hung low over the loch. How beautiful is that? And as a true logophile, I was ecstatic to discover a word that just rolled so eloquently off the tongue: gloaming. Gloaming. *le siiiiiigh
Another thing I found especially endearing was how it was mentioned repeatedly that Callan's eyes were not blue but were rather a gray-green....but no one ever looked closely enough to notice this about him. I got it. I just...got it. The novel had everything that made it so right: the right amount of sexual tension, steamy love scenes, heartfelt emotions, and quite a few laughs. Thank you, Susan Squires, for such an awesome introduction into a new genre for myself - I look forward to reading more titles by this author!
One With The Night by Susan Squires is my first Regency Vampire Romance read and if they are all as well-written as this novel, it won't be my last. I absolutely loved how the novel started out - I was immediately drawn in and wanted to know more about Callan Kilkenny and what he endured at the hands of the beautiful yet sadistic, Asharti. Tramautized and hellbent on seeking a cure for vampirism that has condemned him to a life bereft of peace and love, Callan is the type of tortured hero I swoon over!
If Callan is all things swoon worthy then Jane is all things noble and admirable - a truly likeable heroine. I adore heroines that are intelligent and don't fit into the neat little boxes that society has carved for them. It seems that no one truly appreciates what a rare woman Jane is, her father included. The only man who appears to notice her is Callan who oddly enough, seeks to remain in the shadows while a cure is being worked on by Jane's father.
Most vampires have a signature about them and Susan Squires vamps are no different. Their signature? Red eyes and cinnamon which I found to be rather interesting. The novel was filled with some of the most poetic prose I had ever read. For example, one of my favorite lines was: The crescent moon was pregnant with a shadow belly where it hung low over the loch. How beautiful is that? And as a true logophile, I was ecstatic to discover a word that just rolled so eloquently off the tongue: gloaming. Gloaming. *le siiiiiigh
Another thing I found especially endearing was how it was mentioned repeatedly that Callan's eyes were not blue but were rather a gray-green....but no one ever looked closely enough to notice this about him. I got it. I just...got it. The novel had everything that made it so right: the right amount of sexual tension, steamy love scenes, heartfelt emotions, and quite a few laughs. Thank you, Susan Squires, for such an awesome introduction into a new genre for myself - I look forward to reading more titles by this author!
October 1, 2015
The first volume of the Companion series was published, according to Goodreads, in 2002, and One With the Night in 2007, when vampires were already high in vogue in their new version. Thus, I was curious to see how the author’s vision has changed and whether she was influenced by the new trend.
Ms. Squires’s vampires are modern, but with a flavor of classic and authenticity. I liked how they are presented, as well as how she led the "game" between the extremes offered by the biological predispositions and free will. The parallel with another myth, but clearly of an animal nature, artistically highlights these issues. The winner of the game is always another and totally depends on the morality and mental constitution of the player. From moral to immoral, from innocence to depravity there are many phases in which the characters, main or secondary, are to be found.
From decadence and abuse to the sublime moment of transformation, the eroticism has its significance in the story. Some aspects seemed to me a bit exaggerated (only by their repetition), but maybe another reader will have a different opinion. However, these scenes have a defined role and they are useful to the plot. One With the Night is clearly an adult story through these scenes, but also through the aspects that are arisen.
The main themes of: survival, redemption, finding love and make peace with yourself entwine tightly with the social and moral observations regarding the individual and its species (human or vampire) that add value to the story. They offer new and new opportunities to portray the characters without breaking the rhythm of the story. The pace is sustained, but it is not that fast forward characteristic to many of the newer stories with similar topic.
The style and the language of the author are artistic, and I enjoyed to find, here and there, a figure of speech, a beautiful description or one small fragment whose message deserved to be kept in mind as a quote.
That said, I added Ms Squires’s books to my TBR short list.
http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/...
Ms. Squires’s vampires are modern, but with a flavor of classic and authenticity. I liked how they are presented, as well as how she led the "game" between the extremes offered by the biological predispositions and free will. The parallel with another myth, but clearly of an animal nature, artistically highlights these issues. The winner of the game is always another and totally depends on the morality and mental constitution of the player. From moral to immoral, from innocence to depravity there are many phases in which the characters, main or secondary, are to be found.
From decadence and abuse to the sublime moment of transformation, the eroticism has its significance in the story. Some aspects seemed to me a bit exaggerated (only by their repetition), but maybe another reader will have a different opinion. However, these scenes have a defined role and they are useful to the plot. One With the Night is clearly an adult story through these scenes, but also through the aspects that are arisen.
The main themes of: survival, redemption, finding love and make peace with yourself entwine tightly with the social and moral observations regarding the individual and its species (human or vampire) that add value to the story. They offer new and new opportunities to portray the characters without breaking the rhythm of the story. The pace is sustained, but it is not that fast forward characteristic to many of the newer stories with similar topic.
The style and the language of the author are artistic, and I enjoyed to find, here and there, a figure of speech, a beautiful description or one small fragment whose message deserved to be kept in mind as a quote.
That said, I added Ms Squires’s books to my TBR short list.
http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/...
September 20, 2015
My review
Jane Blundell is turned into a vampire when she comes in contact with vampire blood. Her father, an obstetrician by trade, determined to find a cure for Jane, whisks her off to the Irish countryside with her and sets up a lab.
Callan Kilkenny reads an article about vampirism by Jane’s father and sets out to find the doctor, hoping in doctor has or is in the process of finding a cure. But there are problems. The born vampires are determined to stop Jane’s father from finding a cure and when Callan first shows up to the lab, he finds himself fighting for the lives of Jane and her father.
This story was way different that what I expected. The author does a wonderful job of using the Irish dialogue when Callan is speaking, which makes his character true to life. I loved Jane, her compassion and strength gave her character warmth. This was good read and I recommend to anyone who loves a sexy, steamy and interesting vampire tale.
My rating 4.0 out of 5.0
Jane Blundell is turned into a vampire when she comes in contact with vampire blood. Her father, an obstetrician by trade, determined to find a cure for Jane, whisks her off to the Irish countryside with her and sets up a lab.
Callan Kilkenny reads an article about vampirism by Jane’s father and sets out to find the doctor, hoping in doctor has or is in the process of finding a cure. But there are problems. The born vampires are determined to stop Jane’s father from finding a cure and when Callan first shows up to the lab, he finds himself fighting for the lives of Jane and her father.
This story was way different that what I expected. The author does a wonderful job of using the Irish dialogue when Callan is speaking, which makes his character true to life. I loved Jane, her compassion and strength gave her character warmth. This was good read and I recommend to anyone who loves a sexy, steamy and interesting vampire tale.
My rating 4.0 out of 5.0
September 24, 2009
the whole series is amazing!!!!
May 9, 2025
Not sure if I was meant to feel more for one character than the other, but I definitely felt for Callan's struggle throughout the novel:
-Bouncing from one hell to another
*First it's feeling the political/economic pressures of the English (it's kind of the whole reason Callan raised a vampire army, to overthrow the English govt).
*Asharti (his sadistic vampire mistress. Those edging/non-con BDSM scenes kind of made my stomach turn. But they were necessary in order to understand why Callan is closed off/hateful of his heightened sexual desire around Jane/involuntarily around other women, and why he's willing to be a guinea pig for Dr. Blundell; he's already been harmed/scarred. At least this might give him a happy start rather than a bitter end).
*Elyta... when that vampiress arrives, and we find out she actually taught Asharti everything she knew... and then Callan is again subjected to what could be read as r****. This time it's that much harder on him because it's happening with Jane only a room away! And he'd had her (meaning, he's known what it felt like to make love, sweetly and kindly with one of his own kind only to have that ripped away) and the memory of her is what's making it bearable.
-Till he lets Jane in, Callan's kind of felt like an outsider/manipulated to serve someone above him (i.e. denying his own heritage to gain university scholarship-he doesn't even know if he's Irish or Scottish-being a sex slave for Asharti, guinea pig for Blundell's cure). I liked that by the end, he's making jokes about making babies, and teases Jane about how he plans to spend his money on her.
-Anyone else find it fucked up that he's forced to gather his own poison?
*Dr. Blundell needs poisonous plants/fungi. While these excursions do create a smutty scene in the rain for our leads, knowing the physical pain Callan will later endure (in vain, no less, the cure doesn't last) make those scenes difficult, but effective.
Jane is a bit bland
-I like that she's been hiding her interest in fashion because she's set on pleasing her father
*And how this fashion lover bit comes full circle: Callan mockingly threatens her with buying pretty dresses now that they're fully embracing forever.
-The fact that she calls vampirism a disease vs. a curse: that makes it appear that it can be cured/perhaps views her need for blood as medicine to make her feel better, rather the beastly need Callan lives with.
-Loved the bit where she and Callan drink their blood via tea cups poured straight from a tea pot.
*Her response of "we're not complete heathens, you know" made me picture her winking as she sipped.
The end gave me Fright Night part II (1988) ending scene vibes 💋. And the smutty scenes (at least with Jane) were delightfully smutty 😜.
Some parts fell flat, but because they did, they aren't really worth mentioning. I liked the setting of the countryside juxtaposed with the invasion of the evil posh vampires. Sort of felt like Carmilla-esque. It is interesting that unlike a lot of paranormal romances in the same series, all the novels seem to have a different setting/writing style (pretty sure one involves time travel). Either way, I'm ready to sink my teeth into this world 🧛♀️❤️!
-Bouncing from one hell to another
*First it's feeling the political/economic pressures of the English (it's kind of the whole reason Callan raised a vampire army, to overthrow the English govt).
*Asharti (his sadistic vampire mistress. Those edging/non-con BDSM scenes kind of made my stomach turn. But they were necessary in order to understand why Callan is closed off/hateful of his heightened sexual desire around Jane/involuntarily around other women, and why he's willing to be a guinea pig for Dr. Blundell; he's already been harmed/scarred. At least this might give him a happy start rather than a bitter end).
*Elyta... when that vampiress arrives, and we find out she actually taught Asharti everything she knew... and then Callan is again subjected to what could be read as r****. This time it's that much harder on him because it's happening with Jane only a room away! And he'd had her (meaning, he's known what it felt like to make love, sweetly and kindly with one of his own kind only to have that ripped away) and the memory of her is what's making it bearable.
-Till he lets Jane in, Callan's kind of felt like an outsider/manipulated to serve someone above him (i.e. denying his own heritage to gain university scholarship-he doesn't even know if he's Irish or Scottish-being a sex slave for Asharti, guinea pig for Blundell's cure). I liked that by the end, he's making jokes about making babies, and teases Jane about how he plans to spend his money on her.
-Anyone else find it fucked up that he's forced to gather his own poison?
*Dr. Blundell needs poisonous plants/fungi. While these excursions do create a smutty scene in the rain for our leads, knowing the physical pain Callan will later endure (in vain, no less, the cure doesn't last) make those scenes difficult, but effective.
Jane is a bit bland
-I like that she's been hiding her interest in fashion because she's set on pleasing her father
*And how this fashion lover bit comes full circle: Callan mockingly threatens her with buying pretty dresses now that they're fully embracing forever.
-The fact that she calls vampirism a disease vs. a curse: that makes it appear that it can be cured/perhaps views her need for blood as medicine to make her feel better, rather the beastly need Callan lives with.
-Loved the bit where she and Callan drink their blood via tea cups poured straight from a tea pot.
*Her response of "we're not complete heathens, you know" made me picture her winking as she sipped.
The end gave me Fright Night part II (1988) ending scene vibes 💋. And the smutty scenes (at least with Jane) were delightfully smutty 😜.
Some parts fell flat, but because they did, they aren't really worth mentioning. I liked the setting of the countryside juxtaposed with the invasion of the evil posh vampires. Sort of felt like Carmilla-esque. It is interesting that unlike a lot of paranormal romances in the same series, all the novels seem to have a different setting/writing style (pretty sure one involves time travel). Either way, I'm ready to sink my teeth into this world 🧛♀️❤️!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2014
This review was originally published on Musing Bookworm
One With the Night by Susan Squires is part of The Companion series of books.
In the wild Scottish highlands of the 1822, Jane Bludell fights an infection in her blood. Jane has been infected with Vampirism. It gives her strength that terrifies her. Her senses of sight, smell and hearing are magnified to a phenomenal level, but she must remove herself from the world of sunlight and food will no longer sustain her on its own. She must have blood. Jane knows many things, she is an accomplished midwife and sees herself as a scientist, but she has no idea HOW to be a vampire!
Jane’s father is Dr Blundell, a noted research doctor in London was developing the methods of blood transfusion. Through accident, a blood sample in his laboratory (infected with vampirism) breaks and Jane comes in contact with the blood and it infects her. Dr Blundell is diverted from his transfusion work to search for a cure to his daughter’s “illness”. He takes her to Scotland, with the hope of keeping her safe and continuing his search for the illusive cure.
Callan Kilkenny, has escaped the clutches of a beautiful but depraved and evil vampire. Filled with self-loathing for the crimes he has been forced to commit, he goes in search of Dr Blundell and his cure, in the hopes the he can be changed back to human and if not return to his former life then at least leave the immortal one that he hates.
As Callan approaches the Blundell’s farm house, he feels the presence of another vampire. He comes to the rescue of Jane and her father as a “born vampire” attempts to destroy the Blundell’s laboratory. Callan is injured and it is not till he awakes that he realises that Jane is a new vampire with no concept of what that means. He decides to stay and protect the Blundell’s in exchange for the cure – though he will be tempted daily by Jane’s mere presence.
Squires has created an in-depth vampire world, hidden inside historical Europe. There are two types of Vampires – those “born” and those “bitten”. The born vampires feel that they are the pure race and that the bitten vampires should be killed. The story eludes to complex politics within the born vampire society (which I assume is more fully explained in other novels in the Companion series) which leads to the born vampires wanting to eliminate Dr Blundell and the cure. This is the one of the first sources of conflict you meet in the novel and is a continuous vein weaving through the storyline. This gives a solid grounding to the narrative allows the Squires to make many twists and turns throughout her story line.
The first conflict the reader is faces is that between the character Jane and the vampire “illness” in her blood. Jane wants to help those around her, particularly those in need of medical assistances such as women in labour, but the vampire side of her thirsts for blood, power and sexual release. In his world, the person is not transformed into a vampire, but they are infected with a vampire “in their blood”. It is a separate entity that lures them to make love and create new life. It is a symbiotic relationship where the host feeds the vampire in their blood with human blood and it pays them back with strength, speed, extra sensory power. However, it does not take over the host. The host make call on it to give them more power – allowing them to travel through space via translocation.
Jane is a women of her time, and though she has experiences the physical elements of sex (purely scientifically and so she could help women in need) she has no understanding of passion or physical need. When Callan comes into her world she is suddenly possessed with a need to make love to him. Her body responds to him immediately, at first sight she has “heat between her thighs” and thinks of “the wetness” growing there. Callan explains to Jane that this is their “Companions” want them to procreate and that is why her body is crying out for his. They fight the urge as hard as they can. Can you say HOT love scenes? Delicious.
The issue of “compulsion” is also used in this world, compulsion being a force that a vampire can use on humans or younger, weaker vampires to make them do their will. This is used both for good but mostly for evil in this world.
The hero and heroine in this novel are breath taking. Jane is a girl far to strong for her era, which make me love her. Historical romance is not one of my most favourite genres but Squires uses a strong willed heroine which made me love the character. She is flawed and sometime naïve, but her intelligence, wit and strength of personality saves her from being a simpering damsel in distress, which I utterly despise. Instead, I identified with Jane’s need to be accepted for who she is and all she has to offer in a male dominated world.
Callan is scared and battered from his human life as well as his treatment as a young vampire. My heart utterly bled for the suffering he experienced. This sensitivity, which the other characters do not see until later in the narrative, juxtaposed with his strength as a vampire and as a rough and ready Scot/Irish man creates a man that you fall in love with. The brogue the Squires attributes him is at first hard to read, but once I got the hang of the sounds (in my head) I was just WISHING for my husband to call me “lass”. Who doesn’t love a man with an accent, I ask you?
This book was a marvellous read. I am now searching for copies of the rest of the series so I can read more. I highly recommend you give One With The Night by Susan Squires a go. You won’t be sorry!
One With the Night by Susan Squires is part of The Companion series of books.
In the wild Scottish highlands of the 1822, Jane Bludell fights an infection in her blood. Jane has been infected with Vampirism. It gives her strength that terrifies her. Her senses of sight, smell and hearing are magnified to a phenomenal level, but she must remove herself from the world of sunlight and food will no longer sustain her on its own. She must have blood. Jane knows many things, she is an accomplished midwife and sees herself as a scientist, but she has no idea HOW to be a vampire!
Jane’s father is Dr Blundell, a noted research doctor in London was developing the methods of blood transfusion. Through accident, a blood sample in his laboratory (infected with vampirism) breaks and Jane comes in contact with the blood and it infects her. Dr Blundell is diverted from his transfusion work to search for a cure to his daughter’s “illness”. He takes her to Scotland, with the hope of keeping her safe and continuing his search for the illusive cure.
Callan Kilkenny, has escaped the clutches of a beautiful but depraved and evil vampire. Filled with self-loathing for the crimes he has been forced to commit, he goes in search of Dr Blundell and his cure, in the hopes the he can be changed back to human and if not return to his former life then at least leave the immortal one that he hates.
As Callan approaches the Blundell’s farm house, he feels the presence of another vampire. He comes to the rescue of Jane and her father as a “born vampire” attempts to destroy the Blundell’s laboratory. Callan is injured and it is not till he awakes that he realises that Jane is a new vampire with no concept of what that means. He decides to stay and protect the Blundell’s in exchange for the cure – though he will be tempted daily by Jane’s mere presence.
Squires has created an in-depth vampire world, hidden inside historical Europe. There are two types of Vampires – those “born” and those “bitten”. The born vampires feel that they are the pure race and that the bitten vampires should be killed. The story eludes to complex politics within the born vampire society (which I assume is more fully explained in other novels in the Companion series) which leads to the born vampires wanting to eliminate Dr Blundell and the cure. This is the one of the first sources of conflict you meet in the novel and is a continuous vein weaving through the storyline. This gives a solid grounding to the narrative allows the Squires to make many twists and turns throughout her story line.
The first conflict the reader is faces is that between the character Jane and the vampire “illness” in her blood. Jane wants to help those around her, particularly those in need of medical assistances such as women in labour, but the vampire side of her thirsts for blood, power and sexual release. In his world, the person is not transformed into a vampire, but they are infected with a vampire “in their blood”. It is a separate entity that lures them to make love and create new life. It is a symbiotic relationship where the host feeds the vampire in their blood with human blood and it pays them back with strength, speed, extra sensory power. However, it does not take over the host. The host make call on it to give them more power – allowing them to travel through space via translocation.
Jane is a women of her time, and though she has experiences the physical elements of sex (purely scientifically and so she could help women in need) she has no understanding of passion or physical need. When Callan comes into her world she is suddenly possessed with a need to make love to him. Her body responds to him immediately, at first sight she has “heat between her thighs” and thinks of “the wetness” growing there. Callan explains to Jane that this is their “Companions” want them to procreate and that is why her body is crying out for his. They fight the urge as hard as they can. Can you say HOT love scenes? Delicious.
The issue of “compulsion” is also used in this world, compulsion being a force that a vampire can use on humans or younger, weaker vampires to make them do their will. This is used both for good but mostly for evil in this world.
The hero and heroine in this novel are breath taking. Jane is a girl far to strong for her era, which make me love her. Historical romance is not one of my most favourite genres but Squires uses a strong willed heroine which made me love the character. She is flawed and sometime naïve, but her intelligence, wit and strength of personality saves her from being a simpering damsel in distress, which I utterly despise. Instead, I identified with Jane’s need to be accepted for who she is and all she has to offer in a male dominated world.
Callan is scared and battered from his human life as well as his treatment as a young vampire. My heart utterly bled for the suffering he experienced. This sensitivity, which the other characters do not see until later in the narrative, juxtaposed with his strength as a vampire and as a rough and ready Scot/Irish man creates a man that you fall in love with. The brogue the Squires attributes him is at first hard to read, but once I got the hang of the sounds (in my head) I was just WISHING for my husband to call me “lass”. Who doesn’t love a man with an accent, I ask you?
This book was a marvellous read. I am now searching for copies of the rest of the series so I can read more. I highly recommend you give One With The Night by Susan Squires a go. You won’t be sorry!
October 9, 2019
The growth of a "modern" woman in the 1820's who through accidental exposure to infected blood tries to understand how to cope. A refreshing take on a vampire romance tale. Enjoyed the awaking of Jane and Callan. Did not enjoy reading of the torture, debasement, of Callen by the old vampires.
December 20, 2017
Falling off - as many series do.....
July 17, 2019
Rated 4 Stars
August 15, 2025
Jane's life has never been the same since the the fateful accident all those months ago. When she came in contact with a patient of her fathers who's blood contained the Companion. Now, Jane thirst for blood and must live in the darkness, all the while fighting for a cure. Unknowing that the search for a cure would bring both friend and enemy into their midst.
Callan has desired a cure with all of his being. With memories of torture, rape and violence both at the hand of his maker and his own hands, Callan is a beaten down man. He has no joy in life and if his Companion would allow it, he would gladly kill himself. Unfortunately, the parasite in his veins won't permit it. So he finds rumors of a cure and a beauty scientists daughter.
Living under their roof, protecting them from born Vampires wanting to destroy the cure and being the doctors test subject, Callan finds himself becoming more and more attacted to Jane. Until a stronger female vampire ventures into the midst and threatens both his sanity and the fragile connection he and Jane possess.
I found this book to be rather boring. I also found Callan to be a drab and lifeless character. Jane had passion in her life, despite her own torment over her condition but Callan was just a bore. A whinny and bitchy bore. He needed to pull himself up by his boot straps and get on with his life, instead of wallowing in mercy. Hell, even when he got the cure, it didn't make any difference to his character. He loved Jane but he wasn't affectionate towards her for the majority of the novel and a lot of time, he was being used and not standing up for himself. I understood, but I didn't find him or it attractive.
The story was also boring. Nothing happened for the majority of the book and without that element of romance, I found this book fell flat.
Callan has desired a cure with all of his being. With memories of torture, rape and violence both at the hand of his maker and his own hands, Callan is a beaten down man. He has no joy in life and if his Companion would allow it, he would gladly kill himself. Unfortunately, the parasite in his veins won't permit it. So he finds rumors of a cure and a beauty scientists daughter.
Living under their roof, protecting them from born Vampires wanting to destroy the cure and being the doctors test subject, Callan finds himself becoming more and more attacted to Jane. Until a stronger female vampire ventures into the midst and threatens both his sanity and the fragile connection he and Jane possess.
I found this book to be rather boring. I also found Callan to be a drab and lifeless character. Jane had passion in her life, despite her own torment over her condition but Callan was just a bore. A whinny and bitchy bore. He needed to pull himself up by his boot straps and get on with his life, instead of wallowing in mercy. Hell, even when he got the cure, it didn't make any difference to his character. He loved Jane but he wasn't affectionate towards her for the majority of the novel and a lot of time, he was being used and not standing up for himself. I understood, but I didn't find him or it attractive.
The story was also boring. Nothing happened for the majority of the book and without that element of romance, I found this book fell flat.
February 10, 2017
The Companion Bundle Two is a compilation of three Paranormal/historical novels by Susan Squires. One With the Night is the first book in the bundle and is the love story of Jane Blundell and Callan Kilkenny. Both have become vampires unwillingly, one by accident and one by force, but both share a common goal, to rid themselves of the disease and the only person who might be able to help them is Jane’s father. Neither expects to find love and when they do they both fight it, hoping they can find a cure and move on with their lives, but fate has other plans for them.
In Book Two, One With the Shadows, you get to meet Kate Malone, a tarot card reader and Gian Urbano. Their paths cross when Kate steals an emerald that Gian needs. When their paths cross it takes them both on a path they never expected to be on.
The last book in this bundle is One With the Darkness. Contessa Donnatella di Poliziano travels back in time to find the love of her life she let slip away many years ago. The only problem is that not only does she lose her memory when she gets there; she has also changed the entire course of history. She may not have her memory but the moment she sees Jergan she starts to fall in love with him all over. But can their love survive the test of time?
This historical/paranormal romance bundle was a good read. I enjoyed going back in time with all of the characters and following them on their journeys.
In Book Two, One With the Shadows, you get to meet Kate Malone, a tarot card reader and Gian Urbano. Their paths cross when Kate steals an emerald that Gian needs. When their paths cross it takes them both on a path they never expected to be on.
The last book in this bundle is One With the Darkness. Contessa Donnatella di Poliziano travels back in time to find the love of her life she let slip away many years ago. The only problem is that not only does she lose her memory when she gets there; she has also changed the entire course of history. She may not have her memory but the moment she sees Jergan she starts to fall in love with him all over. But can their love survive the test of time?
This historical/paranormal romance bundle was a good read. I enjoyed going back in time with all of the characters and following them on their journeys.
April 17, 2018
Callan Kilkenny suffers from his condition of being a vampire and wants to make himself somehow useful by protecting prostitutes. He learns that Dr. Blundell is working on an antidote against vampirism. He visits him and his daughter Jane and protects them from a vampire attack. Jane falls in love with him, but he feels unworthy and is ready to endure painful tests of the antidotes.
They are visited by Elita - a born vampire and a companion of Asharti - who also wants the antidote. She forces Callan into her bed. Jane is of course not amused. Finally the antidote works and Callan becomes human again. However, a renewed attack kills the doctor and destroys the remedy. Elita now forces Jane to brew the antidode. To protect Jane, Callan voluntarily submits to the SM needs of Elita. Jane frees Callan and they both escape. Persecuted by various vampires, Callan asks Jane to reinfect him so he can protect her. In a final fight, the Loch Ness monster appears with a few buddies. A little too much for my taste.
Again, the typical "I am unworthy" hero of Squires. However, the story is not as good as the previous novels. Maybe the pattern is just too clear. The constant back and forth of "now he is a vampire - again not - now again" is also somehow annoying.
They are visited by Elita - a born vampire and a companion of Asharti - who also wants the antidote. She forces Callan into her bed. Jane is of course not amused. Finally the antidote works and Callan becomes human again. However, a renewed attack kills the doctor and destroys the remedy. Elita now forces Jane to brew the antidode. To protect Jane, Callan voluntarily submits to the SM needs of Elita. Jane frees Callan and they both escape. Persecuted by various vampires, Callan asks Jane to reinfect him so he can protect her. In a final fight, the Loch Ness monster appears with a few buddies. A little too much for my taste.
Again, the typical "I am unworthy" hero of Squires. However, the story is not as good as the previous novels. Maybe the pattern is just too clear. The constant back and forth of "now he is a vampire - again not - now again" is also somehow annoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2016
Beautiful Paranormal Regency Romance
This book is beautifully written with deep and complex characters and a riveting plot, much like the other books in The Companion Series. It seems that Susan Squires has a penchant for the extremely tortured hero and the vulnerable heroine. Their love blossoms even when the hero feels himself so damaged as to be unlovable. I will warn you, however, that each of the books so far in this series has vivid descriptions of rape and torture written from the victim's point of view as well as some gruesome deaths. So if you have a weak stomach or don't think you could get past those scenes to the love story within, this is not the series for you. I prefer to read the series in chronological order with the second book read first and the first book read second rather than in the order they were written since the events of the second book happen years before the events of the first. That is a personal preference however, and as I have read them in the order they were written, I will say it doesn't hurt that much to read them in written order either. But next time I will read them chronologically instead.
This book is beautifully written with deep and complex characters and a riveting plot, much like the other books in The Companion Series. It seems that Susan Squires has a penchant for the extremely tortured hero and the vulnerable heroine. Their love blossoms even when the hero feels himself so damaged as to be unlovable. I will warn you, however, that each of the books so far in this series has vivid descriptions of rape and torture written from the victim's point of view as well as some gruesome deaths. So if you have a weak stomach or don't think you could get past those scenes to the love story within, this is not the series for you. I prefer to read the series in chronological order with the second book read first and the first book read second rather than in the order they were written since the events of the second book happen years before the events of the first. That is a personal preference however, and as I have read them in the order they were written, I will say it doesn't hurt that much to read them in written order either. But next time I will read them chronologically instead.
July 7, 2013
Companion 7/9
A Sombra De Um Homem
Susan Squires
Bianca 876
2007
Companheiro...
Muito interessante a forma que eles, os vampiros, chamam o seu sangue, COMPANHEIRO.
É como se fosse outro ser, que se apoderasse do seu corpo e se instalasse no seu sangue, e esse ser que precisa de sangue, tem poder e tem desejos.
É um absurdo, o que uma pessoa sem moral alguma e com muito poder pode fazer com outra, chega a ser nojento.
Transformar o outro em escravo e degradante.
Apesar de belo o sacrifício, ainda não me conformo com esse abuso do mais forte.
A estória é muito bem elaborada, com muita coerência, os personagens são interessantíssimos, com passado e presente, muito bem desenvolvidos.
Apesar de tanto sofrimento físico e psicológico, o belíssimo Callan, sofri com ele, nunca desistiu de proteger Jane.
E graças a Deus com final feliz, porque depois de tudo, não houvesse um final feliz me mataria, juro!
RECOMENDADÍSSIMO!!!!!!!!
ADORO!!!
A Sombra De Um Homem
Susan Squires
Bianca 876
2007
Companheiro...
Muito interessante a forma que eles, os vampiros, chamam o seu sangue, COMPANHEIRO.
É como se fosse outro ser, que se apoderasse do seu corpo e se instalasse no seu sangue, e esse ser que precisa de sangue, tem poder e tem desejos.
É um absurdo, o que uma pessoa sem moral alguma e com muito poder pode fazer com outra, chega a ser nojento.
Transformar o outro em escravo e degradante.
Apesar de belo o sacrifício, ainda não me conformo com esse abuso do mais forte.
A estória é muito bem elaborada, com muita coerência, os personagens são interessantíssimos, com passado e presente, muito bem desenvolvidos.
Apesar de tanto sofrimento físico e psicológico, o belíssimo Callan, sofri com ele, nunca desistiu de proteger Jane.
E graças a Deus com final feliz, porque depois de tudo, não houvesse um final feliz me mataria, juro!
RECOMENDADÍSSIMO!!!!!!!!
ADORO!!!
September 7, 2010
This is my least favorite of the companion series. I just couldn't like self pitying Callan at all. For some reason I was surprised that it was as steamy as it was but, unfortunately, the setting and the way the plot played out did not contribute to the erotic qualities. It was also a bit too predictable and something about the characters just didn't feel believable.
I may be nitpicking but it's a testament to a lack of absorption in the plot that I took note of Callan's use of the term 'genetic' since I doubt the term was coined for another decade after the story was set.
Poor Jane seemed to have a crotch affliction that wouldn't pass. I don't mind her bring aroused to wetness but I did mind it being mentioned as often as it was.
I may be nitpicking but it's a testament to a lack of absorption in the plot that I took note of Callan's use of the term 'genetic' since I doubt the term was coined for another decade after the story was set.
Poor Jane seemed to have a crotch affliction that wouldn't pass. I don't mind her bring aroused to wetness but I did mind it being mentioned as often as it was.
January 7, 2016
It was ok, but not my cup of tea. Slow paced in many parts, exciting in some. Like when Jane is trying to help deliver a baby while trying not to suck everyone dry of their blood. And when Jane's father and Jane meet Callen. Also when Jane and Callen give over to their needs. The experimentations on Callen were very cool especially when Jane finds out. Over all not bad. Like I said slow paced, but not bad.
June 29, 2015
3 stars, but only because I liked the ending. I skipped all of the flashback (Asharti) scenes, and after the first one, all of the sex scenes involving Elyana or whatever her name was. I can't stand reading about women raping men.
August 17, 2015
This one was way too sexually graphic and disturbing. I liked the first book I read by this author but not this one, at all.
January 14, 2009
A good book with a very unoriginal name
January 7, 2018
Vampiri + Loch Ness. Saga molto fantasiosa.
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