A decade as a cop tends to make anyone cynical. Even a cop with great instincts.
Until I follow those instincts one night, and get my throat torn out.
That's a new one.
Odder still, I wake up in the ER with no trace of the lethal injury. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled to be alive, but my memory is blank.
I’m going to find out what happened.
I followed a man that night. I have a feeling he has answers.
Finding him might kill me.
ETIENNE I was the king of the city. Untouchable.
Until a hired assassin tried to kill me.
My saving grace? A police officer caused a distraction allowing me to dispatch the assassin.
My mistake? Saving that police office. A woman who haunts me with the sweetness of her taste.
Someone is power-hungry enough to try to make me permanently dead. I need an expert to help uncover the source of the threat.
And I know just where to find a detective.
Whether she wants to help or not.
NOTE TO READERS: No ifs, ands, or buts, this story has triggers. It’s dark romance with mafia and vampires and things that go bump in the night and think of humans as snacks or worse. If you have issues with violence, sexual assault, murder, blood, dubcon, graphic sex, and why choose scenes this may not be your read. And while this book is complete, it does have a cliff at the end. Consider yourself warned.
Meh. This was a fine read. I didn't hate it. It didn't light me up, either, though. I really liked that the heroine is older. I don't think an exact age is ever given. But, she has some grey in her hair and has been in her job long enough to be the mentor instead of the mentee. I liked the archetypes that the men are filling. I liked the snarky tone, and the writing is pretty clean and easy to read.
But I also don't feel like the book lived up to its own potential. The villain is paper thin and dispatched with no fanfare (super anticlimactic). I did not feel any connection between the romantic leads. The lust is instant and baseless. So, I can't even say I felt the erotic chemistry.
There's also a trigger warning for SA. So, I'm not complaining about that. But I also always assess if an SA is actually integral to a plot or if an author could have skipped it without changing the story any. And that is 100% the case here. It just wasn't needed.
All in all, I'd be willing to read the next series. In fact, I'd like to. This one kind of felt like an extended prologue more than anything else. But alas, it isn't out yet, and I'll probably have forgotten about it by the time it is.
I was hooked to this story right away. Vampires? Sold. RH? Sold. Cops? Ehhhh not my favorite but everything else sounded wonderful. Except I LOVED the whole cop thing. It was done so well. You had your bit of mystery. Wolves and Witches made a small appearance. This was a slow burn but the plot was there so I didn’t mind it at all. I loved the FMC. She was feisty, held her own, wasn’t a doormat and most importantly, she didn’t whine. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens!
You NEED to read this because I need the next instalment 🤣 loved this book so much,the characters are fanatic,the smut is even better and it completely hooks yiu from the word go 😍
Ugghhh, this book had so much potential but didn't quite make it. I really enjoyed the premise but parts of it felt rushed and then other parts unnecessary. I also didn't feel any real emotional connection between the main characters - sexual attraction, yes. Emotional connection, no. Unfortunately I also felt like the ending left the reader hanging. This book had some really good reviews, so I feel let down.
This is book one of Grave Grahme’s new series, told in multiple first person POVs and leaves you on a cliffhanger. This story did not disappoint. This is a why choose story filled with mystery, suspense, plot twists and steamy chemistry between more than just two people. If you are easily triggered, be sure to check out the trigger warnings, as there a lot of them throughout the book.
I loved that Brittany wanted to stay true to her morals, even when she had every reason not to. With her life and friends in danger, she learns that her world is not as it seems and those bumps in the night is more that just shadows dancing on the walls. I love that she is determined to solve the mystery of who is behind all the threats and missing/found bodies. I love her sass, her take no crap and attitude.
I wasn’t sure what to think of Etienne and Bayonne at first. With Britt making their cold hearts thaw, I love getting to see who they truly are and they are starting to win me over. I loved Denver from the start. His cocky and hilarious personality was great. He is definitely the tension breaker and peace keeper of the group.
I can’t wait for the next book to come out so I can see how this story unfolds and how these four solve the mystery that just keeps changing in front of them. I’m excited to see how Brittany takes on her new life and if she can discover her true self.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. These words and opinions are my own.
oh this book was a surprise and in a good way!! Despite the fact that all this fantasy stuff doesn't go well with me, I liked this little book. The Dark Romance? ⚠️ the vampires and wolves? to be the first story of this author, she knew how to connect each point; Although I have to admit that we see the "why choose" trope almost at the end of the book and it was a open-ended left me hanging; This whole world of corrupt cops, cops helping sexy vampires was new to me, so yes, I'll keep reading this new [to me] author because I feel like she has great potential!!
🫂 thanks to Grave Grahme for give me the arc in exchange for my honest review 📚!!
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¡Oh, este libro fue una sorpresa y en el buen sentido! A pesar de que todo esto de la fantasía no me va bien, me gustó este librito. ¿El romance oscuro? ⚠️ los vampiros y lobos? al ser el primer cuento de esta autora, supo conectar cada punto; Aunque tengo que admitir que vemos el tropo de "por qué elegir" casi al final del libro y fue un final abierto que me dejó colgado; Todo este mundo de policías corruptos, policías ayudando a vampiros sexys era nuevo para mí, así que sí, ¡seguiré leyendo a esta nueva autora [para mí] porque siento que tiene un gran potencial!
I absolutely loved Grave Grahme’s debut, Grave Stakes. For whatever reason, I went into the story expecting something light and fun—my mistake, for sure! Vampires, mafia, and trigger warnings don’t exactly spell light-hearted! I’m glad I was wrong.
There was a depth to the story I wasn’t expecting, and Britt, the IA detective who tells the story, was a breath of fresh air. She was mature and hardheaded, which was a fun mix. Even though she made a few decisions that put her in danger, she did so because she’s a cop and she’s always done what is morally right. I loved her dedication to her morals and her department, and I appreciated that Ms. Grahme made Britt have to look past the black and white to gray.
I loved the mafia angle, and that’s new to me. I am not a mafia or gangster person. This was also one of very few why choose books I’ve read. Ms. Grahme warmed us up slowly, but that last scene of Britt with the vampires was smokin’ hot! Never mind that I read a few of those scenes in public and had to peek around to make sure no one was watching me read! Thankfully I was at home for that final bang-bang scene!!
I can’t wait for more of Ms. Grahme’s vampires, specifically Denver! And I am very interested in what comes next in the Britt and Etienne’s fight to save their city. A very well-written, easy to read, page turner that left me ready for book 2! ~ Tracy Broemmer, author of Say Everything
Britt is a human cop who helps to stop a vampire from being killed but she gets hurt and the vampire saves her life. Etienne is a vampire who is the big boss in a mafia type enterprise. He's not normally a nice guy but he likes Britt and wants her to come work for him so when she is under investigation at work and has some problems, she comes to work for him.
Etienne wants to find out who is out to kill him permanently and Britt is there to help him find the person responsible. But Britt puts herself in danger a few times in order to find out who is behind the death threats. She's a seasoned police officer so this doesn't really surprise me. The romance between Etienne and Britt was kind of surprising though because she knows he's a mafia boss and a vampire and she's a cop so you wouldn't think that a relationship between the two would work but it sure did.
These two are so hot together, boy they were burning up the pages.
I knew from the blurb that this would end on a cliffhanger so I knew it going in and read this one anyway. If I know beforehand and can make up my mind to read it anyway then I feel better about a cliffhanger. I got this for free so I thought I would take a chance on it and I'm glad I did because it really was a good book.
This is the kind of book where you fall right into it from the first page and read until your alarm goes off the next morning. Which makes you contemplate calling in sick, not because you haven’t been to bed (because who needs sleep?) but because you haven’t FINISHED yet!!
It’s a vampire tale, which I love, and it’s got a different angle, which I also love, because you won’t keep thinking you’ve already read this one before.
It has a bunch of trigger warnings which should be heeded for anyone who may be susceptible, although I will say that I felt the violence here was at least used in context and not in the oddly misogynistic manner that has become popular with some “romance” novels of late.
And finally the sex, there’s a lot, and it’s very, VERY hot. As in fill the ice chest and set the ice maker to overdrive. You’ll need to be prepared!
It’s a very good book, maybe plan to read it over the weekend so you’re not going into work sleep deprived, and prepare yourself for some steamy times. Send the husband and kids off for some bonding time together, get the pets a new toy.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
**Please ensure you read the trigger warnings** There are some graphic scenes in this book. I have been reading vampire/mystery books since long before I was old enough, so I am someone sceptical when I go into a new story. This one was really good and I can't wait for the next one.
The MFC is a detective in the internal affairs department but the cop she is looking into seems to be involved in a lot more that just simple bribery. I loved the timing of this book, far too often storylines seem to be rushed but this allowed time for the investigation without dragging on (indicating days between incidents).
We have 3 MMCs to contend with and they all sound amazing! They are all different personalities for Britt to contend with and the insta-lust may have an explanation that she won't be ready for.
If you liked Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series then I have a feeling you may like this book. Though this is no slow burn and Britt is certainly not holding herself back.
Grave stakes is a well written romance that ties RH with a mafia romance and a paranormal romance. The main female character is strong and sassy which is needed in the world this book is based in. The main 3 male characters are very much protective of britt despite her feeling she doesn’t need protecting and they are also very possessive of her. The paranormal side to this book flows well and is easy to understand which is good if You enjoy paranormal books. The story line became evident quickly which allows you to get in to the book full from the start. The book had a good flow throughout and there wasn’t a point where the story struggled or the key plot points weren’t recognisable. Overall a good read for those who enjoy paranormal romances
I wasn't sure what to expect with all the trigger warnings, and not having read this author before, but I was pleasantly surprised. While the story has some dark elements, it wasn't over the top. Everything fit with the story perfectly. I loved Britt and Denver. I am still on the fence about Etienne. We will see. The story ends with a happy for now (HFN) cliffhanger. So, while the relationship between Britt and the three vampires is moving along, the mystery of who is trying to take down Etienne is still unsolved. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, so I can see what happens. This is a 4.5 star read for me.
I like Britt, a lesser woman would have been overwhelmed and perished long before finding her abilities. She's so strong, intelligent, fair, resilient and her moral compass is pointing unerringly North. Can you imagine what she can become if she accepts her supernatural gift? Of the MCs, I think Etienne is a favorite, although they are all intriguing in their own way. I'm still torn about the "lesser evil" theory, but so is Britt.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was definitely different from what I normally read, the story was written well and the characters were really great. This paranormal story had Vampires, Wolfe's, and Witches. It all started at a coffee shop Brittany (Britt) a cop had a feeling something bad was going to happen to him Etienne (Liege), Denver and Bayonne are all residence of the city of St. Jean where things aren't what they seem. This was one 🔥 fire hot reverse harem.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First time reading Grace Grahme and this book did not disappoint. Britt the FMC is a strong willed, won’t take no for an answer and believes in the law. She meets sexy Etienne with her intuition thinking he is in danger. And is brought into a whole new world. Vampires do exits and so does sexy Denver and Bayonne. Ends on a cliffhanger. Waiting for the next book is a killer already.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a dark reverse harem romance. It has mafia, vampires, wolves, witches, and cops. Lots of mystery, danger, suspense, intrigue and HEAT. Read this straight thru. Kept my interest. Author claims this is a standalone but I hope the story continues.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I have read by this author and was blown away. The storyline is intriguing with dark undertones. A reverse harem storybwith string female lead that is coming into her paranormal abilities and male alpha main characters who are paranormal theirself. Ends in a cliffhanger.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed Brit as a strong female lead character. This book had the perfect amount of spicy and plot. I can not wait for the next book. It does leave off on a cliffhanger.
Gotta love a strong and stubborn female main character that goes toe to toe with strong male characters and doesn't back down when she's right, but takes on board their advice. Vampire mafia types AND reverse harem to boot? Yes please! Can't wait for the next one!
This is my first Grave Grahme novel, and I wasn't disappointed. Deliciously dark and dangerous, not for the fainthearted. Great characters, and a well written storyline. Would recommend. Will read more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was quite cheesy during some parts but honestly not a bad storyline. I absolutely did NOT expect it to be a dark mafia reverse harem vampire read but it worked pretty well. Despite how cheesy it could be at times, the plot is interesting
Loved that Britt is a bad ass. Though she was scared at times she stood her ground, showed everyone she wanted to help anyway she could. The spice was great but I’m a sucker for sarcasm all around! I cannot wait for the next one!!! Thank you.
BETA / ARC Review - This was my first Beta read, but definitely not a first by Grace that I've read. The other series of here I've read was the Fair Series which has totally different vibes than this one does. For this being her first supernatural book, it was done SO WELL! There were multiple love interests which I'm a huge fan of. I also really enjoyed the characters names. They were very unique. This book does touch on some darker themes, so keep that in mind when reading. Overall the plot was great, the spice was very enjoyable, and though it ends on a slight cliff, it wasn't too bad. I'm not sure if this is meant to be a series or a standalone, but I'm a huge fan.
Apparently dark romance needs to be on my TBR more often. You can’t go wrong with vampires. Unless your are talking about the Twilight movies. Don’t come for me. The books were fabulous and all of the movies are are in my possession. They just should not have been made into movies.
Here are reasons to give snaps to this book. The female lead isn’t tripping over herself to get close to vampires. We have all seen True Blood. We know the sex appeal there. Does anyone have Eric Northman’s number? I digress. Britt is strongly independent and, vampire or not, the way she stands her ground is admirable. Also, Etienne and his crewe almost don’t see humans as part of their every day life. By that, it was nice they went about their lives not paying much mind to non-supes as only prey.
Now to that parts that had me questioning this book. There were times it was hard to tell who was talking. Once was in Etienne’s office deciphering between Bayonne and Denver, and then again at Clarissa’s house. It took a moment to realize it was Denver speaking. Also, a few times it was confusing if Britt was monologuing her thoughts or quotes were not used. One of the three, Etienne, Bayonne, or Denver, seemed to answer her even if she didn’t speak. Can they read minds? Did she say her thoughts out loud? It wasn’t ever really addressed.
Overall, this is a 3.5. Loving the story, but the writing has me reluctant to pass this book on to a friend. Maybe when the rest of the story comes,out everything will come together and all will be well.
***Please read the trigger warnings before reading this book. For some it may not be suitable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.