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Goddess with a Blade #3
Blade on the Hunt
Rowan Summerwaite is back—and out for vengeance—in Blade on the Hunt.
“When you awaken, you will have to find her yourself. Or she will find you.”
These were the words given to Rowan Summerwaite by the Goddess as Rowan lay clinging to life. Broken—but not defeated—by the ancient Vampire Enyo.
After weeks of mandatory down time, a recharged and vengeance-fueled Rowan heads out from her father’s Keep, leading a team of some of the most terrifying beings on earth with one goal in mind—track and eliminate the Vampire who attacked her.
But as the team moves across Europe and is hit with wave after wave of attacks, the tensions between Clive Stewart—the haughty, stylish Scion of North America whom Rowan grew even closer to during her recovery—and a rival Vampire ramp up. Befuddled, confused, flattered and annoyed, Rowan’s the woman in the middle. She’s not used to being claimed in a way that’s not about how strong her sword arm is or who raised her. Clive Stewart is everything she shouldn’t want in a man—he’s bossy, he’s a Vampire, and he considers her his—but she’s past denying how it makes her feel that he fights for her the way he does. She’s past denying she’s in love.
In contrast to the uneven footing falling in love has given her, Rowan is utterly certain she will locate her quarry. She’s stronger and more powerful than she’s ever been after the tests and bloody lessons of the last years. Her connection with the Goddess is seamless and the light of her mission burns from within. And she’ll need all the help she can get because it’s not very long before Rowan and her team realize the threat is far greater than one crazy old Vampire. There’s a war brewing and Rowan will fight it to the death. It’s what she was born to do.
“When you awaken, you will have to find her yourself. Or she will find you.”
These were the words given to Rowan Summerwaite by the Goddess as Rowan lay clinging to life. Broken—but not defeated—by the ancient Vampire Enyo.
After weeks of mandatory down time, a recharged and vengeance-fueled Rowan heads out from her father’s Keep, leading a team of some of the most terrifying beings on earth with one goal in mind—track and eliminate the Vampire who attacked her.
But as the team moves across Europe and is hit with wave after wave of attacks, the tensions between Clive Stewart—the haughty, stylish Scion of North America whom Rowan grew even closer to during her recovery—and a rival Vampire ramp up. Befuddled, confused, flattered and annoyed, Rowan’s the woman in the middle. She’s not used to being claimed in a way that’s not about how strong her sword arm is or who raised her. Clive Stewart is everything she shouldn’t want in a man—he’s bossy, he’s a Vampire, and he considers her his—but she’s past denying how it makes her feel that he fights for her the way he does. She’s past denying she’s in love.
In contrast to the uneven footing falling in love has given her, Rowan is utterly certain she will locate her quarry. She’s stronger and more powerful than she’s ever been after the tests and bloody lessons of the last years. Her connection with the Goddess is seamless and the light of her mission burns from within. And she’ll need all the help she can get because it’s not very long before Rowan and her team realize the threat is far greater than one crazy old Vampire. There’s a war brewing and Rowan will fight it to the death. It’s what she was born to do.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2014
105 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Dane
111 books5,009 followersLauren Dane has been writing stories since she was able to use a pencil, and before that she used to tell them to people. Of course, she still talks nonstop, and through wonderful fate and good fortune, she’s now able to share what she writes with others. It’s a wonderful life!
The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.
The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 14, 2018
“In Clive’s tone she heard pride. Tenderness. Concern. That possessiveness was acceptable. It neither harnessed nor silenced. Rather it was nice to belong to him. In the very real way he belonged to her.
He backed her to the tile, the water hitting them from both showerheads. He poured soap into his palms and then drizzled it over her breasts and belly.
“Oops, I suppose I shouldn’t waste that,” he murmured and began to lather her up.
She hummed her delight. “My nipples must be really dirty.”
“My thoughts about them are”
He backed her to the tile, the water hitting them from both showerheads. He poured soap into his palms and then drizzled it over her breasts and belly.
“Oops, I suppose I shouldn’t waste that,” he murmured and began to lather her up.
She hummed her delight. “My nipples must be really dirty.”
“My thoughts about them are”
November 25, 2014
2 1/2
The Rowan Summerwaite series was born as a surprise baby from erotic romance writer Lauren Dane. Well, a surprise to me, at least. :) I have read a few of her other books and I seem to find them lacking somewhat. Oh I see she's a good writer, but the books in themselves always had something "wrong" for me.
Imagine my surprise when she wrote a UF novel (yes, there's still sex in it)...and I loved it!
Unfortunately, my pleasure has dimmed with every sequel. #2 was ok, #3 started great and then midway went fizzz..
I did download a sample before buying and the sample is absolutely great, like most of the first 50% of the story when the emphasis was still on the plot. Then everything stopped. The heroine moved from bad-ass chick with a chip on her shoulder to a poor mistreated woman who's a bitch on the outside only to protect her heart. She's stopped being tough and became pouty instead...Way to diminish a heroine...
The story became all about blabber, pointless chatter and useless repetitions. The end was disappointing, the big baddie was defeated easily, and I mean easily. At the same time the story was cut as the other side of bad was left for the next book leaving this reader with a sense of unfinished business and the idea that cutting all the useless mid-to-end part I could have gotten a full novel...
Overall an ok book with a great start and a weak end.
PS Marcelo is Spanish, Marcello is the Italian for it, Ms Dane.
The Rowan Summerwaite series was born as a surprise baby from erotic romance writer Lauren Dane. Well, a surprise to me, at least. :) I have read a few of her other books and I seem to find them lacking somewhat. Oh I see she's a good writer, but the books in themselves always had something "wrong" for me.
Imagine my surprise when she wrote a UF novel (yes, there's still sex in it)...and I loved it!
Unfortunately, my pleasure has dimmed with every sequel. #2 was ok, #3 started great and then midway went fizzz..
I did download a sample before buying and the sample is absolutely great, like most of the first 50% of the story when the emphasis was still on the plot. Then everything stopped. The heroine moved from bad-ass chick with a chip on her shoulder to a poor mistreated woman who's a bitch on the outside only to protect her heart. She's stopped being tough and became pouty instead...Way to diminish a heroine...
The story became all about blabber, pointless chatter and useless repetitions. The end was disappointing, the big baddie was defeated easily, and I mean easily. At the same time the story was cut as the other side of bad was left for the next book leaving this reader with a sense of unfinished business and the idea that cutting all the useless mid-to-end part I could have gotten a full novel...
Overall an ok book with a great start and a weak end.
PS Marcelo is Spanish, Marcello is the Italian for it, Ms Dane.
June 19, 2019
This book is AWESOME!!!
Rowan is the combained between Eve Dallas from Naked In Death and Elena Deveraux from Guild Hunter series. Yup, she is that good:)))
Clive describe her as a Foul mouthed. Moody. Aggressive. Angry and resentful female, LOL:)))
Now, how about Clive? Well, he is a stuffy five hundred years old British vampire who iron his underwear! Gosh! *facepalm*
The result between these two? Magnificent!
As usual tho, few problems far from over in this book, sigh..
Rowan is the combained between Eve Dallas from Naked In Death and Elena Deveraux from Guild Hunter series. Yup, she is that good:)))
Clive describe her as a Foul mouthed. Moody. Aggressive. Angry and resentful female, LOL:)))
Now, how about Clive? Well, he is a stuffy five hundred years old British vampire who iron his underwear! Gosh! *facepalm*
The result between these two? Magnificent!
As usual tho, few problems far from over in this book, sigh..
November 24, 2014
What happened
First, let me say that I love Lauren's writing. I have waited with baited breath for this installment to one of my favorite series. I love Rowan and Clive, have in fact loved them from the first book. I love the storyline and the romance. I really wanted to LOVE this book. BUT, this entire book was one of the worst examples of editing I have seen in a long time. Every third page contained a grammatical or syntax error. It was terribly distracting and severely impeded my enjoyment of the book. How can I enjoy the book when I spend half my time trying to figure out what the last sentence was supposed to say? And, there was far too much pointless chatter. We know Rowan is a bad ass, we know she doesn't have patience with other people's crap, we know she loves Clive and he loves her; therefore we didn't need to be reminded in every chapter. They belong to each other, we get it. Continually saying it was an annoying, redundant waste of space. What the heck!!! I expect better from this author and I would really like to see this book edited and re-released.
First, let me say that I love Lauren's writing. I have waited with baited breath for this installment to one of my favorite series. I love Rowan and Clive, have in fact loved them from the first book. I love the storyline and the romance. I really wanted to LOVE this book. BUT, this entire book was one of the worst examples of editing I have seen in a long time. Every third page contained a grammatical or syntax error. It was terribly distracting and severely impeded my enjoyment of the book. How can I enjoy the book when I spend half my time trying to figure out what the last sentence was supposed to say? And, there was far too much pointless chatter. We know Rowan is a bad ass, we know she doesn't have patience with other people's crap, we know she loves Clive and he loves her; therefore we didn't need to be reminded in every chapter. They belong to each other, we get it. Continually saying it was an annoying, redundant waste of space. What the heck!!! I expect better from this author and I would really like to see this book edited and re-released.
June 5, 2016
This series keeps getting better with each book! Loved this one so much. Fair warning, however - somehow Carina dropped the proofing ball on this one and it's riddled with typos. Dunno what happened as the first two didn't have this problem. But the story continues to grow and evolve. Reading book 4 now!
January 14, 2019
Yet again, Lauren Dane rocks my world with the Rowan Summerwaite Series. I have loved every moment of these books and I'm amped to read the next one.
Rowan and Clive's relationship has reached a new depth after she almost died in the last book. She's stronger, faster, more in touch with the Goddess inside her. And her snarky attitude is fabulously witty and sarcastic. Rowan is one of my favorite heroines and stuffy Clive is her perfect match in every way. I love reading about their developing relationship. I'm also fascinated by Rowan's relationship with her father figure, Theo. He's fucking bonkers and I can't get enough of it.
The action is, as usual, violent but not gorey. And there's plenty of action. Magic and vampires, betrayal and politics... it's all well-written and intriguing. The pacing is on point, keeping you interested from start to finish. It's not constantly intense, but things are always moving.
Unfortunately (though fortunate for readers), the threats haven't been totally vanquished. It's coming at Rowan from both sides now and I'm excited to see where Lauren Dane takes things in the next book.
I would have liked for the story to be longer, of course. The characters are just about to go confront one of the remaining threats and I wish we could have gotten to that in this book instead of the next one. However, the fact that it's saved for the next book indicates that it's gonna be a big deal and for that, I'll gladly wait.
I'd definitely recommend this series - it's one of my favorites and I'd love for more people to fall in love with it.
December 14, 2014
Lightning Review:
- Picks right up where the last book ended
- Rowan, Clive and a few trusted ppl are on the Hunt for Sorceress Vamp Enyo
- But...for a hunt the characters felt curiously like they were standing still in places
- A little too much discussion, not enough action
- Romance b/t Rowan & Clive takes a nice definitive step
still ... I am loving how the author is crafting the political situation between Hunter Corp and Vampire Nation & Rowan caught in middle
- Still awesome series, an autobuy for me, but this one felt like filler
- Picks right up where the last book ended
- Rowan, Clive and a few trusted ppl are on the Hunt for Sorceress Vamp Enyo
- But...for a hunt the characters felt curiously like they were standing still in places
- A little too much discussion, not enough action
- Romance b/t Rowan & Clive takes a nice definitive step
still ... I am loving how the author is crafting the political situation between Hunter Corp and Vampire Nation & Rowan caught in middle
- Still awesome series, an autobuy for me, but this one felt like filler
December 31, 2015
4.5 stars audible version
Very entertaining
Very entertaining
August 12, 2017
I'm going to be so sad when I read the next one as it's the last. Such great characters and plots. This one was a bit of a cliff hanger in that she resolved the story arc but there is an over reaching one that will be tied up in the next. I'm really going to miss Rowan and Clive. What a great pair.
July 5, 2015
I liked Blade on the Hunt, but not as much as Blade of the Keep. The writing was excellent, as are the other Lauren books, but the length was too short, little over 200pages. There was also too much sexual innuendo and commentary, to the point it was distracting. Christ, if Clive or Rowen took a deep breath, the other was commenting on how horny it was making them. It was like listening to a pair of 7th graders in math class. "And the sum ofone and one ..." "Damn that's so hot, I think I'm gonna ..." If you removed the innuendo and comments, the story losses like, 50 pages, which is a shame as your kinda left with what I think was mild cliff hanger - dealing with the corruption of Hunter Corp, but the story might have actually come to an end. There wasn't any note to a future book or continuation of the story, so I felt slighted on content.
The good, for the story that was actually present, it was entertaining, with an intriguing plot thread interwoven, yet not completely exposed throughout ... so I assume there's a continuation of the story. As I said, not really clear. The book does wrap up, so maybe not.
I hope there is another.
The good, for the story that was actually present, it was entertaining, with an intriguing plot thread interwoven, yet not completely exposed throughout ... so I assume there's a continuation of the story. As I said, not really clear. The book does wrap up, so maybe not.
I hope there is another.
March 18, 2016
What attracted me to this series: Rowan is the vessel for Brigid but she doesn’t end there. She works for Hunter Corp. as an enforcer of sorts. She puts down vampires that stray from the path the treaty ensures for safety of humans. Again, she doesn’t end there. She is the foster daughter of the centuries old “First”. “First” refers to the very first vampire. He is very violent, petulant at times, and very, very dangerous. Rowan seems like she is the only anchor for the “First.” The territories are divided among the strongest of the vampires who all answer to the “First.” Those strong vampires are called Scion. The vampire nation is strong with ritual and protocol in order to create order within the ranks. If none of that makes you want to try this series, I’m not sure what will.
I should put a warning label on this series because there are some pretty hot scenes between Rowan and Scion Stewart. Rowan is a foul mouthed, strong willed, determined female that absolutely tests Scion Stewart’s last nerve…..and she enjoys it! The tension between the two guarantee a blush or two, but what makes the story a page turner is the conspiracy and mystery.
I should put a warning label on this series because there are some pretty hot scenes between Rowan and Scion Stewart. Rowan is a foul mouthed, strong willed, determined female that absolutely tests Scion Stewart’s last nerve…..and she enjoys it! The tension between the two guarantee a blush or two, but what makes the story a page turner is the conspiracy and mystery.
January 23, 2016
I did not enjoy reading this installment as much as I enjoyed the first two. This book seemed to have so much thrown into it. The basic issues seemed to have exploded into a double conspiracy, with black magic and sorcerers working both sides against the middle. It includes psychotic breaks and love triangles. While I enjoyed the read, it was all too much together for me and that left me sometimes confused because it appeared much wasn't truly fleshed out. I will still definitely read the next installment because this one left me with too many questions.
February 13, 2023
Book 3 and going strong. Rowan is on the hunt for Polly Pirate Enyo and won't stop until she is dead.
Travelling to Prague and Venice in pursuit of her enemy she discovers betrayal by members of family stationed at the keep. Magic users join the fight and Clive uses his skill to pull the information that Rowan needs to win.
More evidence appears that links Roth to problems and attempts on Rowan`s life.
This episode closes with Rowan preparing to meet Clive`s family as his mate!
Travelling to Prague and Venice in pursuit of her enemy she discovers betrayal by members of family stationed at the keep. Magic users join the fight and Clive uses his skill to pull the information that Rowan needs to win.
More evidence appears that links Roth to problems and attempts on Rowan`s life.
This episode closes with Rowan preparing to meet Clive`s family as his mate!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2014
okay, now I have to wait months to find out what happens when Rowan cleans up the Hunter Corp in the next book. I feel cheated...however, the story was good. I enjoyed the intrigue and witty repartee. intrigue, danger. a new element of witches and sorcery added to the mix. someone wants anarchy with everyone fighting everybody else
and all against each other. who is orchestrating this madness?
and all against each other. who is orchestrating this madness?
November 19, 2014
Lots of sex, lots of Clive thinking how perfect Rowan is, lots of Rowan snark, lots of politics, many twists and turns, BUT - a disappointingly small amount of action, and relatively short, unsatisfying confrontations with the baddies. A little less emphasis on the book-long romantic HEA and more on the actual conflict would have suited me better.
February 3, 2016
Enyo on the run
The revealing of so many secrets is beautifully done. Watching Rowan and Clive figure out they love each other is hilarious. Seeing how they deal with others including Warren who decides he wants Rowan, gives us such insight into who they are.
Dying to see what other conspiracies are going on.
The revealing of so many secrets is beautifully done. Watching Rowan and Clive figure out they love each other is hilarious. Seeing how they deal with others including Warren who decides he wants Rowan, gives us such insight into who they are.
Dying to see what other conspiracies are going on.
November 28, 2014
Rowan seemed to face some hard truths in this one. Her vampire father is crazy and she is the one to keep him sane and her work with the Hunter Council isn't what it seems. I'm not sure which one hurts her more, but am thinking it's the Council. She seems to expect vampires to be a bit crazy. I love how Clive keep surprising Rowan, he definitely is able to keep up with her.
September 26, 2024
• 28/12/14 | (kindle)
• 21/07/19 | (kindle)
• 26/09/24 | (kindle)
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Rowan Summerwaite
Clive Stewart
• 21/07/19 | (kindle)
• 26/09/24 | (kindle)
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Rowan Summerwaite
Clive Stewart
October 22, 2024
Great book. Love this series. I like that Rowan and Clive are getting closer.
Read
May 3, 2018Miniseries: Goddess with a Blade
September 15, 2019
This installment suffered and I as a reader suffered.
December 19, 2014
This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers
E: Dane is on my list of auto-buy authors and has been for years. As much as I enjoy her writing something about this series has really had me captivated since I started the first one, Goddess With a Blade, a few years ago. As I have gotten to know Rowan, Clive, and the other main characters I have found myself counting down to the release of each installment with great anticipation. Dane has built a complicated world populated with a variety of supernatural entities each with their own rules, quirks, and foibles who rub shoulders with humans and their drive to eliminate any challenges to the top of the food chain along with the not understood but feared “other”. Most of the supernatural entities don’t believe humans are at the top and in fact feel humans are little more than food, amusing and helpful at times, but food nonetheless. Over the centuries a group of humans and group of Vampires came to forge a sort of uneasy armistice bound by rules, reams of paperwork, and enforcers. However, as with any agreement between disputing parties, individuals always exist who want the agreement removed, or weighted heavily towards one side or the other so they exert influence in a variety of ways trying to gain an advantage.
Into this complicated mess came Rowan – with emotional and blood ties to humans, vampires, and an ancient Goddess determined to uphold the agreement and hunt down those who break its rules. Rowan’s involvement and success in maintaining the agreement led to her near death at the hands of one almost as ancient as her adoptive father possessing some of the power she gained from a crazed goddess. I absolutely loved watching Rowan on the hunt not just for what almost happened to her although it played a large part but to prevent the loss of countless lives.
Marlene: I have a soft spot in my heart for this series. The first book, Goddess with a Blade, was one of the first eARCs I got from NetGalley when I started Reading Reality. I loved it so much that I included it in my Best Ebook Romances list for Library Journal in 2011. (Blade to the Keep is on the 2014 list, partially because Blade on the Hunt didn’t come out in time)
As my friend E said, Dane’s worldbuilding in this series is incredibly rich and detailed. There have been a lot of Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy series where the vampires are out of the coffin, but this one totally sells the idea that vampires are an apex predator that has kept itself hidden. Also, Dane does an excellent job portraying the complex political maneuvering that we have come to expect from vampire series.
Rowan is a fantastic character because she is herself an apex predator, but is not a vampire. As the living embodiment of the Celtic goddess Brigid, she has powers of her own. But Rowan is heavily involved with the vampires, on multiple levels. Her complicated relationship with the leader of the vampires, The First, gives new meaning to the phrase “dysfunctional family”. Theo is her foster father, but he is also the person who killed her biological parents. And he not only physically abused her throughout her childhood, he let members of his court do so as well. Yet, the layered complexity of their continuing relationship shows just how an abuse survivor can still love their parent, even if they are still very wary of the potential dangers.
Rowan is also a terrifically funny deadpan snarker. Rowan and Eve Dallas in J.D. Robb’s In Death series would get along famously.
E: One of the things I loved about this installment was being able to see more into Rowan and who she was underneath the snark and very real ability to kill just about anything or anything. I thought I had seen her depths during the second installment, Blade to the Keep, but it was fabulous learning she had a life completely outside of Hunter Corporation. Watching her soften and open up around Clive while maintaining her ability to both push his buttons and understand how/when to give because she cared deeply for him.
At the same time It was very entertaining to watch Clive deal with Warren and his interest in Rowan without losing his deadly edge or making it seem like Rowan had no say. The scene when Rowan and Clive dealt with what was happening was so much fun because the solution was a challenge to their usual sense of privacy and never to be repeated.
Marlene: And Rowan’s relationship with the head of the North American vampires, Clive, is just plain hot, while being equally multi-layered. These are complicated people who have come to a place where they “get” each other without needing to change each other.
The neat thing about Clive is that he totally understands that Rowan is a power in her own right. He is not interested in changing her, except to occasionally make her conscious of the danger she regularly places herself in. Rowan has an edge of violence that is necessary to keep her alive. Many men, particularly centuries-old vampires, would try to make her subservient, or obedient. Clive finds Rowan’s penchant for violence equal to his own, and it turns him on.
In spite of what should be insurmountable differences, Clive and Rowan are equals. The pissing contest that Warren gets into with Clive over Rowan just shows exactly how worthy of her Clive is, and how far out of touch Warren is.
Also Rowan thinks of Warren as an uncle, and can’t imagine him as anything else. Her “Ewww!” reaction is priceless.
E: In addition to revealing more about Rowan and the supernatural elements in the world, Dane kept the action moving as Rowan and her allies faced attacks from a variety of different directions. I loved how Rowan and Clive had to once more deal with Vampire politics getting in the way of her hunt. I can’t wait to see the fallout from those discoveries because I think it is going to be impressive. I am also looking forward to Rowan’s return to Hunter Corp. headquarters because she is going to clean house. I also found some interesting things out regarding magic users and what looks like an additional threat facing the world. I was also extremely satisfied by the results of Rowan’s hunt and how Rowan had to work to accomplish her goals.
The wait for this installment was certainly worth it. Dane proved yet again why I continue to seek out and recommend her books. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Rowan’s world and how she continues to mess up Clive’s proper British self.
I give Blade on the Hunt an A
Marlene: The world of Rowan Summerwaite continues to expand and take on depth. The vampires are one powerful faction, but the Hunter Corporation represents the human side of the equation. Dane’s introduction of magic practitioners has added a third layer. After all, if vampires are real, why not witches (or the equivalent)?
While the quest in this story involved Rowan’s need to take out the ancient (and crazy) vampire Enyo before her actions either kill a bunch of humans or his inability to deal with Enyo causes The First to go off the deep end and kill an even bigger bunch of humans, Rowan and Clive have a lot of other plates spinning.
The fastest spinning plate is Rowan’s problems in Hunter Corporation, or their problems with her. Rowan does not do politics well, but that does not justify the repeated attempts on her life by one of her fellow Hunter Corporation partners. The exposure of the complete plot looks like it’s going to be the story in the next book.
Thank goddess. There is someone at Hunter Corporation who needs to be exposed. And then killed with extreme prejudice. Or perhaps the other way around. I love Rowan so much, I can’t wait to see what she does next.
I also give Blade on the Hunt an A
E: Dane is on my list of auto-buy authors and has been for years. As much as I enjoy her writing something about this series has really had me captivated since I started the first one, Goddess With a Blade, a few years ago. As I have gotten to know Rowan, Clive, and the other main characters I have found myself counting down to the release of each installment with great anticipation. Dane has built a complicated world populated with a variety of supernatural entities each with their own rules, quirks, and foibles who rub shoulders with humans and their drive to eliminate any challenges to the top of the food chain along with the not understood but feared “other”. Most of the supernatural entities don’t believe humans are at the top and in fact feel humans are little more than food, amusing and helpful at times, but food nonetheless. Over the centuries a group of humans and group of Vampires came to forge a sort of uneasy armistice bound by rules, reams of paperwork, and enforcers. However, as with any agreement between disputing parties, individuals always exist who want the agreement removed, or weighted heavily towards one side or the other so they exert influence in a variety of ways trying to gain an advantage.
Into this complicated mess came Rowan – with emotional and blood ties to humans, vampires, and an ancient Goddess determined to uphold the agreement and hunt down those who break its rules. Rowan’s involvement and success in maintaining the agreement led to her near death at the hands of one almost as ancient as her adoptive father possessing some of the power she gained from a crazed goddess. I absolutely loved watching Rowan on the hunt not just for what almost happened to her although it played a large part but to prevent the loss of countless lives.
Marlene: I have a soft spot in my heart for this series. The first book, Goddess with a Blade, was one of the first eARCs I got from NetGalley when I started Reading Reality. I loved it so much that I included it in my Best Ebook Romances list for Library Journal in 2011. (Blade to the Keep is on the 2014 list, partially because Blade on the Hunt didn’t come out in time)
As my friend E said, Dane’s worldbuilding in this series is incredibly rich and detailed. There have been a lot of Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy series where the vampires are out of the coffin, but this one totally sells the idea that vampires are an apex predator that has kept itself hidden. Also, Dane does an excellent job portraying the complex political maneuvering that we have come to expect from vampire series.
Rowan is a fantastic character because she is herself an apex predator, but is not a vampire. As the living embodiment of the Celtic goddess Brigid, she has powers of her own. But Rowan is heavily involved with the vampires, on multiple levels. Her complicated relationship with the leader of the vampires, The First, gives new meaning to the phrase “dysfunctional family”. Theo is her foster father, but he is also the person who killed her biological parents. And he not only physically abused her throughout her childhood, he let members of his court do so as well. Yet, the layered complexity of their continuing relationship shows just how an abuse survivor can still love their parent, even if they are still very wary of the potential dangers.
Rowan is also a terrifically funny deadpan snarker. Rowan and Eve Dallas in J.D. Robb’s In Death series would get along famously.
E: One of the things I loved about this installment was being able to see more into Rowan and who she was underneath the snark and very real ability to kill just about anything or anything. I thought I had seen her depths during the second installment, Blade to the Keep, but it was fabulous learning she had a life completely outside of Hunter Corporation. Watching her soften and open up around Clive while maintaining her ability to both push his buttons and understand how/when to give because she cared deeply for him.
At the same time It was very entertaining to watch Clive deal with Warren and his interest in Rowan without losing his deadly edge or making it seem like Rowan had no say. The scene when Rowan and Clive dealt with what was happening was so much fun because the solution was a challenge to their usual sense of privacy and never to be repeated.
Marlene: And Rowan’s relationship with the head of the North American vampires, Clive, is just plain hot, while being equally multi-layered. These are complicated people who have come to a place where they “get” each other without needing to change each other.
The neat thing about Clive is that he totally understands that Rowan is a power in her own right. He is not interested in changing her, except to occasionally make her conscious of the danger she regularly places herself in. Rowan has an edge of violence that is necessary to keep her alive. Many men, particularly centuries-old vampires, would try to make her subservient, or obedient. Clive finds Rowan’s penchant for violence equal to his own, and it turns him on.
In spite of what should be insurmountable differences, Clive and Rowan are equals. The pissing contest that Warren gets into with Clive over Rowan just shows exactly how worthy of her Clive is, and how far out of touch Warren is.
Also Rowan thinks of Warren as an uncle, and can’t imagine him as anything else. Her “Ewww!” reaction is priceless.
E: In addition to revealing more about Rowan and the supernatural elements in the world, Dane kept the action moving as Rowan and her allies faced attacks from a variety of different directions. I loved how Rowan and Clive had to once more deal with Vampire politics getting in the way of her hunt. I can’t wait to see the fallout from those discoveries because I think it is going to be impressive. I am also looking forward to Rowan’s return to Hunter Corp. headquarters because she is going to clean house. I also found some interesting things out regarding magic users and what looks like an additional threat facing the world. I was also extremely satisfied by the results of Rowan’s hunt and how Rowan had to work to accomplish her goals.
The wait for this installment was certainly worth it. Dane proved yet again why I continue to seek out and recommend her books. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Rowan’s world and how she continues to mess up Clive’s proper British self.
I give Blade on the Hunt an A
Marlene: The world of Rowan Summerwaite continues to expand and take on depth. The vampires are one powerful faction, but the Hunter Corporation represents the human side of the equation. Dane’s introduction of magic practitioners has added a third layer. After all, if vampires are real, why not witches (or the equivalent)?
While the quest in this story involved Rowan’s need to take out the ancient (and crazy) vampire Enyo before her actions either kill a bunch of humans or his inability to deal with Enyo causes The First to go off the deep end and kill an even bigger bunch of humans, Rowan and Clive have a lot of other plates spinning.
The fastest spinning plate is Rowan’s problems in Hunter Corporation, or their problems with her. Rowan does not do politics well, but that does not justify the repeated attempts on her life by one of her fellow Hunter Corporation partners. The exposure of the complete plot looks like it’s going to be the story in the next book.
Thank goddess. There is someone at Hunter Corporation who needs to be exposed. And then killed with extreme prejudice. Or perhaps the other way around. I love Rowan so much, I can’t wait to see what she does next.
I also give Blade on the Hunt an A
March 17, 2024
French & English reviews
Un troisième tome qui continue l'intrigue du tome précédent et que j'ai lu avec plaisir
Ce tome reprend peu de temps après l'affrontement entre Rowan et Enyo et j'ai beaucoup aimé suivre Rowan dans sa traque à travers l'Europe (notamment à Prague et à Venise qui sont deux villes que j'adore =D) (d'ailleurs j'ai ADORE la maison de Rowan à Venise ! Je veux la même !)
La relation entre Clive et Rowan évolue encore ici pour franchir un cap et je dois avouer que je les trouve hyper mignons ensemble (les cadeaux armes + bijoux sont géniaux xD)
L'intrigue s'épaissit dans ce tome et on réalise vite que cela dépasse la simple histoire de vampires ...
Bref, un troisième tome que j'ai dévoré et qui ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour la suite =)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A third book which continues the plot of the previous book and which I read with pleasure
This book picks up shortly after the confrontation between Rowan and Enyo and I really enjoyed following Rowan in her hunt across Europe (especially in Prague and Venice which are two cities that I love it =D) (by the way I LOVED Rowan's house in Venice ! I want the same one !)
The relationship between Clive and Rowan is evolving again here to take a step forward and I must admit that I find them super cute together (the weapons + jewelry gifts are awesome xD)
The plot thickens in this book and we quickly realize that it goes beyond the simple story of vampires ...
In short, a third book that I devoured and which opens new perspectives for the future =)
Un troisième tome qui continue l'intrigue du tome précédent et que j'ai lu avec plaisir
Ce tome reprend peu de temps après l'affrontement entre Rowan et Enyo et j'ai beaucoup aimé suivre Rowan dans sa traque à travers l'Europe (notamment à Prague et à Venise qui sont deux villes que j'adore =D) (d'ailleurs j'ai ADORE la maison de Rowan à Venise ! Je veux la même !)
La relation entre Clive et Rowan évolue encore ici pour franchir un cap et je dois avouer que je les trouve hyper mignons ensemble (les cadeaux armes + bijoux sont géniaux xD)
L'intrigue s'épaissit dans ce tome et on réalise vite que cela dépasse la simple histoire de vampires ...
Bref, un troisième tome que j'ai dévoré et qui ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour la suite =)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A third book which continues the plot of the previous book and which I read with pleasure
This book picks up shortly after the confrontation between Rowan and Enyo and I really enjoyed following Rowan in her hunt across Europe (especially in Prague and Venice which are two cities that I love it =D) (by the way I LOVED Rowan's house in Venice ! I want the same one !)
The relationship between Clive and Rowan is evolving again here to take a step forward and I must admit that I find them super cute together (the weapons + jewelry gifts are awesome xD)
The plot thickens in this book and we quickly realize that it goes beyond the simple story of vampires ...
In short, a third book that I devoured and which opens new perspectives for the future =)
August 23, 2017
Clive and Rowan are on the hunt to take out the ancient vamp who is a mainstay of the Vampires First agenda... and they track her in Venice...(with other stops)...
her adopted dad is holding on by a hair... and she's going to spend more time with him...
she mates Clive - as much to alleviate the alpha struggle with the Scion of Europe who is making a play for her (she sees him as a family uncle - he lived with her dad when they were growing up)
Humans First movement from Hunter organization is targeting her and her assistant...
It looks like next book she'll be going out on her own...
her adopted dad is holding on by a hair... and she's going to spend more time with him...
she mates Clive - as much to alleviate the alpha struggle with the Scion of Europe who is making a play for her (she sees him as a family uncle - he lived with her dad when they were growing up)
Humans First movement from Hunter organization is targeting her and her assistant...
It looks like next book she'll be going out on her own...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2019
There is such a great mix of cloak and dagger, then moments of tenderness between Rowan and Clive.
The larger plot that has been brewing is starting to be more obvious and it teases just enough to make you lust for the next installment in this series!
There are again some steamy scenes, but nothing overly graphic, so older teens who find this series should be fine reading it. It's written as a full adult book, which gives it a quality over a YA Urban Fantasy book.
It was a fun read and really has so many plot twists and turns, that you'll want to read it cover to cover in a single sitting!
The larger plot that has been brewing is starting to be more obvious and it teases just enough to make you lust for the next installment in this series!
There are again some steamy scenes, but nothing overly graphic, so older teens who find this series should be fine reading it. It's written as a full adult book, which gives it a quality over a YA Urban Fantasy book.
It was a fun read and really has so many plot twists and turns, that you'll want to read it cover to cover in a single sitting!
March 31, 2025
I absolutely love the Goddess with a Blade series!
This is a series about the very powerful vampire, a hunter, and two very broken organizations that are trying to kill them. The characters are varied and stunning, the world complex and mesmerizing, and the relationships among the character is very deep. This whole thing hangs together with violence, humor, heart, and a lot of pulse pounding action. The writing is stunning, and I cannot put these books down. I'm rereading them because they're that good. The main problem I have is in waiting for the next one to come out. Please read these books. You will absolutely love them.
This is a series about the very powerful vampire, a hunter, and two very broken organizations that are trying to kill them. The characters are varied and stunning, the world complex and mesmerizing, and the relationships among the character is very deep. This whole thing hangs together with violence, humor, heart, and a lot of pulse pounding action. The writing is stunning, and I cannot put these books down. I'm rereading them because they're that good. The main problem I have is in waiting for the next one to come out. Please read these books. You will absolutely love them.
November 22, 2019
So the book was recommended to me over audio book library and I failed to notice it was the 3rd in the series. By the point that I realized this it was to late to stop reading and I had a general understanding of what took place in the last two. On it's own the book is not terrible. Bot great but I was able to finish it. There are some nice steamy sences which helped of course. I did not love it enough to move on to the sequels or go back to the prequels, nor would I read this again. But having said that it was not a bad story and there is depth to Rowan as a character.
January 1, 2025
If the author would just put in the stupid word count for the feels. Thankfully I really like her adopted father but it's like we get these relationship jumps and we show up in the book 6 months later or a year later. But it's like no slice of life moments just huge leaps.
in a perfect world she'd write smaller inesvations space between these big overarching series adventures but shes not. It's a budget singh like guild hunter type writing. It's there it's smart in place and got vibes. But it's like rushed.
in a perfect world she'd write smaller inesvations space between these big overarching series adventures but shes not. It's a budget singh like guild hunter type writing. It's there it's smart in place and got vibes. But it's like rushed.
August 13, 2019
I completed the first 4 books in Goddess with a Blade series by Lauren Dane. Like always her characters are multifaceted and engaging. I really love Rowan and Clive.
Rowan—vampire hunter, vessel to the goddess Brigid, and the daughter of THE FIRST (leader of all vampires).
Clive—Scion of North America, vampire
Kind of reminds me of Buffy and Angel.
I am looking to the continuation of this series.
Rowan—vampire hunter, vessel to the goddess Brigid, and the daughter of THE FIRST (leader of all vampires).
Clive—Scion of North America, vampire
Kind of reminds me of Buffy and Angel.
I am looking to the continuation of this series.
November 13, 2019
If you've liked the series so far, you'll like this. Our heroine is still grouchy and competent and lethal with a blade. Her love interest finds her competence hot, which is catnip for me. The larger plot is advanced in a colorfully described Venice. The voice artist did a good job conveying the different characters.
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