In the seventh book of the Dark/Carpathian series, Gabriel Daratranznoff and his twin Lucian are legends among the Carpathian people. They’re the most powerful and the oldest of the old, and they made a pact with each other that if one of them turns vampire, the other twin will hunt and kill the vampire twin. Then Lucian turns, but only sometimes did he act like a normal, deranged, maniacal vampire. After years of fighting with no winner, Gabriel finally trapped Lucian in an underground Parisian cemetery.
Now, in the modern era, the cemetery undergoes construction, which wakes the twins. When Gabriel rises from the ground, he’s starving and out for blood. Luckily for him, a kind woman takes him home with her.
Francesca Del Ponce doesn’t realize the gaunt, hungry, homeless man she took pity on is actually a Carpathian warrior and her lifemate, presumed dead. She, too, is an ancient Carpathian and a great healer, but she’s given up her people and her homeland to live as a human in Paris.
She’s such a strong, stubborn, self-sacrificing woman. Like most of the heroes in this series, she’s ready to greet the dawn when she finally meets her lifemate. She doesn’t want a relationship with Gabriel, but he has other plans. Gabriel is more patient, amusing, and less of a chest-beating he-man as the majority of heroes are in the other books. Granted, Gabriel does have his moments of being overbearing, but it’s not that bad compared to some of the other men.
My favorite characters are Lucian and Skyler. Lucian is a great actor and isn’t the bad guy everyone thinks he is, but he is a lot darker and moodier than Gabriel. He’s lived a harder life than Gabriel has, but did so of his own free will. In that aspect, he’s more like Gregori, the twins’ heavy-handed younger brother. Skyler is the human teenager Gabriel and Francesca have taken into their home. She’s psychic and could possibly be someone’s future lifemate (I love Dimitri!), but she’s dealing with loads of personal trauma. Her past is heart wrenching.
Despite the friction between Gabriel and Lucian, they have a great bromance, and I love their sarcastic remarks to one another.
As with all of Mrs. Feehan’s writing, the POV jumps between various characters. I do like, however, how the heroes always sound so old-fashioned and respectable.
This book leads up to Lucian’s story, which is one of my favorites.
4 Stars ( )

For once i didn't want to strangle the main guy. :D ( )

"3 out of 5 stars. Sweet book, however I would not considerate a favorite in this series for me."

Read more of this review and a TEASER here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/05/made-grade-dark-series-book-8... ( )

Uno dei migliori della serie, in assoluto. Un romanzo che sembra dare una svolta, in meglio, allo stile dell'autrice, che è lontano anni luce dal suo primo romanzo.

Un finale bellissimo, anche se facilmente intuibile, ma che sicuramente ci farà fremere di impazienza di fronte alla lunga attesa che ci aspetta prima di poter leggere il nono capitolo della serie The Carpathians. ( )

i gave this one 4 stars because i actually enjoyed the back and forth between gabriel and francesca. not sure how i feel about the whole lucian vampire but still gets a lifemate. oh well ( )