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Bride McTierney has had it with men. They're cheap, self-centered, and never love her for who she is. But though she prides herself on being independent, deep down she still yearns for a knight in shining armor.She just never expected her knight in shining armor to have a shiny coat of fur...
Deadly and tortured, Vane Kattalakis isn't what he seems. Most women lament that their boyfriends are dogs. In Bride's case, hers is a wolf. A Were-Hunter wolf. Wanted dead by his enemies, Vane isn't show more looking for a mate. But the Fates have marked Bride as his. Now he has three weeks to either convince Bride that the supernatural is real or he will spend the rest of his life neutered—something no self-respecting wolf can accept...
But how does a wolf convince a human to trust him with her life when his enemies are out to end his? In the world of the Were-Hunters, it really is dog-eat-dog. And only one alpha male can win.
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The Dark-Hunter series has had some ups and downs for me, but I have to say that I'm glad that I have continued with it or I would have missed out on some wonderful stories. When Sherrilyn Kenyon is “up”, she can write a very good story, and Night Play was definitely an “up” book for me. It had the swoon-worthy romance that I've loved in some of Ms. Kenyon's other books, lots of fun and interesting characters, and a good plot. Night Play picks up the narrative of Were-Hunter Vane Kattalakis right where book #2 of the series, Night Embrace, had left him. Things got off to a steamy start right in chapter one with a hot love scene between Vane and Bride. Normally I'm not fond of the quick hook-up or stranger sex, but this time it show more worked for me. Ms. Kenyon managed to infuse both characters with a deep vulnerability that made their lovemaking very honest and real even though they had barely met. Vane had also seen and had been thoroughly enthralled by Bride months before in a scene in Night Embrace. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her ever since, and when he found her again, it was obvious that he desired more than just a one night stand. Both Vane and Bride are completely accepting of one another, flaws and all, right from the start, making them one of the most romantic and perfect-for-each-other couples that I have ever read.
Vane was a hero I won't soon forget who has earned a spot near the top of my favorite heroes list. He is rather typical of Sherrilyn Keyon's heroes in the Dark-Hunter series with his long hair and beautiful physique, but his is the first full-length Were-Hunter story that I've read. Vane is a Katagaria wolf whose animal form is that of the Arctic wolf, one of my favorite breeds. In the scenes where he is in his wolf form, I thought he was rather cute. When he is a human though, which is for most of the story, Vane is a seriously sexy man. He doesn't think that he knows or understands anything about humans, but time and time again, proves that he is more humane than many full-blooded humans. Vane does a very respectable job of comforting and wooing Bride just on instinct alone, and makes a great impression on her by just being himself (albeit initially hiding his wolf side and magical powers). I absolutely love the way he protected and tenderly cared for Bride and made her feel so special, something no man had ever done for her before. Vane sees her not as a full-figured woman, but as one who is beautiful and sexy with lots of soft, luscious curves. He just can't imagine why any man wouldn't find her attractive. Vane is a tortured soul whose own parents not only disowned him but are actually out to kill him. In the past, he has been conditioned to rather violent animalistic matings that were meant to show dominance, and although the animal part of him still wants that, the man in him is completely undone by Bride's gentle touches and easy acceptance of him in both his human and wolf forms. No one except his siblings ever showed Vane any love, and he just basks in the warmth of Bride's affections and cherishes every moment with her. He even showed compassion for an abused and abandoned dog, earning its trust almost instantly, not just because he's part animal himself, but because of his kindness and loyalty. Vane may have been the alpha of his pack, but when it came to his interactions with Bride, Vane behaves more like a sweet beta which is pretty much my idea of perfection in a hero.
As a heroine, Bride was no slouch herself. She had a much healthier upbringing than Vane did, surrounded by a loving, supportive family, with the possible exception of her sister who said some hurtful things to her. However, Bride's plump figure has been the object of many an individual's derision over the years, and she has just had her heart broken by a jerk of an ex who used her to get a glamorous job and then dumped her for not looking good enough to be seen on his arm in public. He also badgered Bride to go on numerous diets over the years that they were dating. Although she doesn't have major self-esteem issues like many women in her position would, Bride understandably is skeptical when the gorgeous Vane comes along, saying how beautiful and perfect she is. Bride is a real sweetheart who is a very loving and giving person. When she found out what Vane really was, she had a very normal human reaction, but still came around pretty quickly, continuing to show him all the gentleness and unconditional love that he deserved. Bride may have been sweet, but she was no pushover. She's a successful business woman who owns her own boutique, and when push came to shove, Bride showed she had the heart of a warrior with plenty of spunk and spirit.
As with all her other Dark-Hunter books, Sherrilyn Kenyon brings in a huge cast of secondary characters. It's fun to be able to visit with characters from past and future books, even if it's just a cameo, and to meet the occasional new character. Vane and Bride both first appeared in Night Embrace, along with Vane's brother, Fang (Bad Moon Rising). Based on the prologue, it looked like there would be an interesting and humorous relationship between the brothers, but Fang sadly ended up spending the rest of the book unconscious. Fury (“Shadow of the Moon” from Dead After Dark), a new Were-Hunter, picked up the slack in that department by being endearingly awkward while still letting it be known that he was viciously lethal. He and Vane had some witty interplay, as did Tabitha (Seize the Night) and her brother-in-law, Kyrian (Night Pleasures). I loved Bride's family, and wish we could have seen more of them. The Thanksgiving dinner scenes at their house were a lot of fun, as were the ones at Sanctuary later. The other members of Vane's family, particularly his mother and father, are essentially the bad guys. I liked the creative punishment that the author came up with for them. Other Dark-Hunter characters who put in an appearance: The Peletier Bear Clan including Aimee (Bad Moon Rising) & Dev (No Mercy - coming April 2010); Wren (Unleash the Night) with his first ever actual lines; Julian & Grace (Fantsay Lover); Amanda (Night Pleasures); Valerius (Seize the Night) with a bit more depth being added to his character; the squires Nick, Liz, and Otto, and Ash's little demon, Simi, all as wacky as ever; and last but not least Acheron himself (Acheron). As always, Ash nearly walks away with every scene that he's in while also being totally scrumptious and swoon-worthy. If he's this good as a mere supporting character, I can only imagine what he'll be like in his own book. I can't wait.;-)
There were a few of Ms. Keyon's writing traits that I usually find a bit annoying that did surface in Night Play such as her tendency to bring the flow of the story to a screeching halt in order to explain some new bit of mythology. She also can sometimes be a little repetitive. I realize that she reiterates certain details from book to book to assist readers who may have picked up a book in the middle of the series to get up to speed, but occasionally she unnecessarily repeats herself within the same book. There were also a few moments where she adapted the world to fit the plot rather than the other way around which I usually don't care for. Overall though, most of these things were relatively minor this time around. In fact, I have to give Ms. Kenyon kudos for building on existing mythology and utilizing lots of characters who were already on the canvas instead of creating new ones to confuse me. These things and her, for once, not giving the human characters unbelievable superpowers really helped to make the story much more enjoyable for me than some of the others in the series have been. Night Play is book #5 in the Dark-Hunter series. It was filled with sweet, tender romance, had a great hero and heroine that I found to be very relatable, and everything together kept me fully engaged, earning this book a spot on my keeper shelf. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series. There are currently a total of 17 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website. show less
Vane was a hero I won't soon forget who has earned a spot near the top of my favorite heroes list. He is rather typical of Sherrilyn Keyon's heroes in the Dark-Hunter series with his long hair and beautiful physique, but his is the first full-length Were-Hunter story that I've read. Vane is a Katagaria wolf whose animal form is that of the Arctic wolf, one of my favorite breeds. In the scenes where he is in his wolf form, I thought he was rather cute. When he is a human though, which is for most of the story, Vane is a seriously sexy man. He doesn't think that he knows or understands anything about humans, but time and time again, proves that he is more humane than many full-blooded humans. Vane does a very respectable job of comforting and wooing Bride just on instinct alone, and makes a great impression on her by just being himself (albeit initially hiding his wolf side and magical powers). I absolutely love the way he protected and tenderly cared for Bride and made her feel so special, something no man had ever done for her before. Vane sees her not as a full-figured woman, but as one who is beautiful and sexy with lots of soft, luscious curves. He just can't imagine why any man wouldn't find her attractive. Vane is a tortured soul whose own parents not only disowned him but are actually out to kill him. In the past, he has been conditioned to rather violent animalistic matings that were meant to show dominance, and although the animal part of him still wants that, the man in him is completely undone by Bride's gentle touches and easy acceptance of him in both his human and wolf forms. No one except his siblings ever showed Vane any love, and he just basks in the warmth of Bride's affections and cherishes every moment with her. He even showed compassion for an abused and abandoned dog, earning its trust almost instantly, not just because he's part animal himself, but because of his kindness and loyalty. Vane may have been the alpha of his pack, but when it came to his interactions with Bride, Vane behaves more like a sweet beta which is pretty much my idea of perfection in a hero.
As a heroine, Bride was no slouch herself. She had a much healthier upbringing than Vane did, surrounded by a loving, supportive family, with the possible exception of her sister who said some hurtful things to her. However, Bride's plump figure has been the object of many an individual's derision over the years, and she has just had her heart broken by a jerk of an ex who used her to get a glamorous job and then dumped her for not looking good enough to be seen on his arm in public. He also badgered Bride to go on numerous diets over the years that they were dating. Although she doesn't have major self-esteem issues like many women in her position would, Bride understandably is skeptical when the gorgeous Vane comes along, saying how beautiful and perfect she is. Bride is a real sweetheart who is a very loving and giving person. When she found out what Vane really was, she had a very normal human reaction, but still came around pretty quickly, continuing to show him all the gentleness and unconditional love that he deserved. Bride may have been sweet, but she was no pushover. She's a successful business woman who owns her own boutique, and when push came to shove, Bride showed she had the heart of a warrior with plenty of spunk and spirit.
As with all her other Dark-Hunter books, Sherrilyn Kenyon brings in a huge cast of secondary characters. It's fun to be able to visit with characters from past and future books, even if it's just a cameo, and to meet the occasional new character. Vane and Bride both first appeared in Night Embrace, along with Vane's brother, Fang (Bad Moon Rising). Based on the prologue, it looked like there would be an interesting and humorous relationship between the brothers, but Fang sadly ended up spending the rest of the book unconscious. Fury (“Shadow of the Moon” from Dead After Dark), a new Were-Hunter, picked up the slack in that department by being endearingly awkward while still letting it be known that he was viciously lethal. He and Vane had some witty interplay, as did Tabitha (Seize the Night) and her brother-in-law, Kyrian (Night Pleasures). I loved Bride's family, and wish we could have seen more of them. The Thanksgiving dinner scenes at their house were a lot of fun, as were the ones at Sanctuary later. The other members of Vane's family, particularly his mother and father, are essentially the bad guys. I liked the creative punishment that the author came up with for them. Other Dark-Hunter characters who put in an appearance: The Peletier Bear Clan including Aimee (Bad Moon Rising) & Dev (No Mercy - coming April 2010); Wren (Unleash the Night) with his first ever actual lines; Julian & Grace (Fantsay Lover); Amanda (Night Pleasures); Valerius (Seize the Night) with a bit more depth being added to his character; the squires Nick, Liz, and Otto, and Ash's little demon, Simi, all as wacky as ever; and last but not least Acheron himself (Acheron). As always, Ash nearly walks away with every scene that he's in while also being totally scrumptious and swoon-worthy. If he's this good as a mere supporting character, I can only imagine what he'll be like in his own book. I can't wait.;-)
There were a few of Ms. Keyon's writing traits that I usually find a bit annoying that did surface in Night Play such as her tendency to bring the flow of the story to a screeching halt in order to explain some new bit of mythology. She also can sometimes be a little repetitive. I realize that she reiterates certain details from book to book to assist readers who may have picked up a book in the middle of the series to get up to speed, but occasionally she unnecessarily repeats herself within the same book. There were also a few moments where she adapted the world to fit the plot rather than the other way around which I usually don't care for. Overall though, most of these things were relatively minor this time around. In fact, I have to give Ms. Kenyon kudos for building on existing mythology and utilizing lots of characters who were already on the canvas instead of creating new ones to confuse me. These things and her, for once, not giving the human characters unbelievable superpowers really helped to make the story much more enjoyable for me than some of the others in the series have been. Night Play is book #5 in the Dark-Hunter series. It was filled with sweet, tender romance, had a great hero and heroine that I found to be very relatable, and everything together kept me fully engaged, earning this book a spot on my keeper shelf. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series. There are currently a total of 17 full-length novels in the Dark-Hunter series and quite a number of related novellas and graphic novels as well, with more still to come. A complete list of all the books and their recommended reading order can be found on Sherrilyn Kenyon's website. show less
This book is likely my favorite in the Dark Hunter series so far. Something about watching a plus-size heroine find love with the very handsome and completely loyal Vane equaled a perfect romance. Bride is a small shop owner in New Orleans who had just broken up with a boyfriend who always wanted her to be on a diet. She rebounds with Vane, who turns out to be a werewolf on the run, and Bride soon becomes enmeshed in a paranormal world she had no idea existed. This novel wasn't perfect, but I found that I loved Bride and Vane as a couple and I hope they turn up in future books in this series!
This is the first Were-Hunter entry to Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series, and I truly enjoyed it. First, hats off to Kenyon for having a plus-sized heroine. I've never encountered one before in romance (paranormal or otherwise), and it was nice to see a heroine who isn't built like a supermodel. Everyone deserves true love, even the overweight, and in the real world some men like meat on their women! Bride is very real. She has her insecurities, but also owns her own shop, bickers with a family she loves and is waiting for love. Vane is a werewolf. And, as in many paranormal romances, he has a destined mate. But, in Kenyon's world there are also some new rules. He has magic, for one. Second, there are two kinds of weres. Those born animals show more and those born human - and they do not get along. Yes, Vane is a too good to be true hero (pretty much faultless). However, though I want my characters to have some realism, I read for escapism. He swept me off my feet right along with Bride. The romance was sweet, and the sex was hot!
This entry expanded even more on the mythological universe Kenyon created. It provides a good counter-point to the Dark-Hunters, since the weres are not governed by Artemis and have their own agendas and power struggles. An engrossing read - highly recommended. show less
This entry expanded even more on the mythological universe Kenyon created. It provides a good counter-point to the Dark-Hunters, since the weres are not governed by Artemis and have their own agendas and power struggles. An engrossing read - highly recommended. show less
Night Play is a fated-mates romance between Vane, a magic-wielding wolf shifter that was left for dead by his pack, and Bride, a curvy small business owner who just got out of a crummy relationship.
The story kept my interest throughout, with likable characters, interesting villains, and a complex world. There are many unique groups (human shifters, animal shifters, vampires, vampire hunters, gods, demons) that all have different terminology. It's not too confusing, but it's a lot to remember.
Both main characters were very infatuated from the get-go, but they had some issues to take care of before they could be a couple. The heroine was pretty insecure and down on herself for a lot of the book. The hero had some family problems to show more resolve. They both only had eyes for each other from the moment they met. show less
The story kept my interest throughout, with likable characters, interesting villains, and a complex world. There are many unique groups (human shifters, animal shifters, vampires, vampire hunters, gods, demons) that all have different terminology. It's not too confusing, but it's a lot to remember.
Both main characters were very infatuated from the get-go, but they had some issues to take care of before they could be a couple. The heroine was pretty insecure and down on herself for a lot of the book. The hero had some family problems to show more resolve. They both only had eyes for each other from the moment they met. show less
Night Play is a story I enjoyed immensely, which proved to be entertaining, sensual and funny. Even if full of risky details that could have caused its downfall, it only made it shine.
Dysfunctional family issues are so overused by Sherrilyn Kenyon, I am beginning to believe it's from her personal life. In this book however, it worked beautifully. Plain Jane's with low self-esteem are common also. Sometimes too common and unbelievable when a hot (six-packs and all) male falls for a size 18. Bride's insecurities and doubts however worked for me. She was beautiful and strong in her vulnerability.
Destined mate theme was a gamble. It is easy to fall off-track forgetting the true romance and pairing the heroes only because the Fates deemed show more them to be together. I believe with Night Play it paid off.
I can honestly say the book is one of the best in Dark-Hunter series (future books not included). Sizzling from the first page, Night Play proved to be a thrilling experience as I devoured it.
Simply loved Vane's sensitive and gentle side. He won me over without even trying. His brothers Fury and Fang were an interesting addition and I can't wait for their books.
Plus, the book shows how Were-Hunters came to exist.
Trust me, it's a keeper!
Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested. show less
Dysfunctional family issues are so overused by Sherrilyn Kenyon, I am beginning to believe it's from her personal life. In this book however, it worked beautifully. Plain Jane's with low self-esteem are common also. Sometimes too common and unbelievable when a hot (six-packs and all) male falls for a size 18. Bride's insecurities and doubts however worked for me. She was beautiful and strong in her vulnerability.
Destined mate theme was a gamble. It is easy to fall off-track forgetting the true romance and pairing the heroes only because the Fates deemed show more them to be together. I believe with Night Play it paid off.
I can honestly say the book is one of the best in Dark-Hunter series (future books not included). Sizzling from the first page, Night Play proved to be a thrilling experience as I devoured it.
Simply loved Vane's sensitive and gentle side. He won me over without even trying. His brothers Fury and Fang were an interesting addition and I can't wait for their books.
Plus, the book shows how Were-Hunters came to exist.
Trust me, it's a keeper!
Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested. show less
I didn't actually mean to read this book when I did; but when I was checking the reading order of the series, this one had high marks all around, so I dug in. I read it in 2 days (I normally give myself 4 days for a book of this type - 5 if I am busy at work). It was a really fun read! It was a departure from the other DH novels, in that it focused on characters from other arenas. Ash makes a few fun appearances as do several beloved DHs from past books. I REALLY appreciate the heroine though! I am thin but my BFF (for over 30 years) is a lovely Full-Figured woman. I LOVE that this book featured someone who looked like her. Someone who worried about the same things she worries about, someone who is often left in the cold by romance show more novels. This is definitely an underserved, underrepresented population. This book featured the standard hunk-of-a(nearly)-man who carries the standard baggage all heros carry, with the standard, "will-she-love-me-for-who-I-REALLY-am" worries; but he loves the woman who is often ignored. Overall, this was great to read and I recommend it - especially for the female reader who isn't built like a supermodel~ you won't be disappointed. show less
Premessa…
Il Gioco della Notte (Night Play) è il quinto volume della serie Dark Hunters, ma soprattutto è il primo volume della serie Were-Hunters.
Anzi parlare di Dark Hunters in questo caso è quasi “esagerato” in quanto è un libro che molto probabilmente è nato più come spin-off che non come elemento della serie principale. I cacciatori oscuri qui sono praticamente assenti, compaiono brevemente Acheron (che non può assolutamente mancare, anche se poco), Kyrian e Valerius. Ma non sono particolarmente importanti nello schema generale del romanzo.
Poi penso che, essendo piaciuto tanto (dato che i commenti anche su goodreads sono molto buoni) e volendo i nuovi personaggi incontrati avere la loro parte di notorietà (dato che show more come ben sanno gli scrittori, i personaggi prendono spesso anima e corpo e pretendono storie proprie), si è meritato di diventare il primo di questa sotto-serie…quella dei Cacciatori Mannari.
Chi è già addentro al mondo creato dalla Kenyon saprà che i personaggi creati da questa autrice sono innumerevoli e articolati anche in sotto gruppi (tanto che alle volte si fa fin fatica a tenerli tutti a mente e ci si deve quindi calare nell’ottica di non badarci troppo altrimenti si rischia di esserne sopraffatti) e non rimarrà questo l’unico esempio di sotto-serie infiltratasi nella più grande categoria.
Ma veniamo al romanzo
Dopo l’ultimo viaggio che ci ha portati a Wulf e Cassandra … torniamo a New Orleans, città teatro degli eventi di “L’abbraccio della notte” con protagonisti Talon e Sunshine.
E’ stato in questo romanzo che abbiamo incontrato per la prima volta Vane, accorso in aiuto di Talon per proteggere Sunshine… e per questa sua scelta -piuttosto inconsueta per un cacciatore mannaro- ritrovatosi poi a subire un attacco da parte dei demoni apollinei al proprio branco. Attacco che ha portato alla morte dell’amata sorella, l'unica assieme al fratello Fang che fa parte della sua VERA famiglia. Ed è questo l'evento scatenante che fa si che Vane e Fang si ritrovino, nelle prime pagine del libro, a lottare per la propria vita appesi ai rami di un albero aggettante una palude, in cui coccodrilli affamati aspettano solo il momento dell'imminente caduta.
Saranno i poteri e la forte volontà di Vane a salvarli, anche dal successivo attacco di demoni apollinei decisi a succhiare loro anima e poteri che però lascia Fang in uno stato catatonico dovuto allo shock da cui Vane non riesce a farlo uscire. Rifugiatosi al Sanctuary locale gestito da una famiglia di orsi mannari che mantengono il posto neutrale per ogni creatura paranormale che abbia bisogno di un porto sicuro, Vane deve decidere come salvarsi dalla condanna a morte ordinata dal suo stesso padre, capo del suo vecchio branco.
Ed è a questo punto che entra in scena Bride.
Completamente umana, ma soprattutto completamente ignara di questo mondo sotterraneo che vive e respira attorno a lei, è appena stata lasciata da quel bastardo opportunista del suo fidanzato che non ha fatto altro che approfittarsi di lei e cercare di cambiarla.
E qui stà il bello di questo romanzo…Bride è un’eroina alquanto atipica, soprattutto in questi romanzi dove la parte femminile è solitamente bella quanto la sua controparte maschile è aitante.
Ok, non che Bride non sia bella, ma è quella che tutti definiremmo una donna morbida, in carne.
Insomma…è cicciottella. Cosa che le ha sempre dato dei grossi problemi (e come non capirla! Siam tutti li a controllare i kili che aumentano ;) ) soprattutto nelle relazioni con l’altro sesso.
Quando vede entrare nel suo negozio l’uomo più bello e “in forma” che abbia mai visto, perciò, teme che abbia brutte intenzioni…di certo non immagina che sia entrato per rivedere lei.
Rivedere perché Vane ha incontrato per la prima volta Bride mentre stava proteggendo Sunshine e ne era rimasto subito ammaliato. Ed è lei l’unica che ha risvegliato in modo tanto prepotente i suoi istinti animali…e meraviglia ancor più grande quelli protettivi che solitamente sono rivolti alla Compagna per la vita. Peccato che la sua vita sia momentaneamente (e probabilmente per un bel po’) incasinata all’inverosimile…e il pensiero d'una compagna sia il più lontano fra tutti.
Conclusione…
A differenza dei precedenti volumi, che man mano stanno svelando il mondo dei Dark Hunters e degli estremamente complessi legami che scorrono appena sotto la superficie, questo romanzo prende un momento di pausa da tutto e crea una bolla di dolcezza veramente indescrivibile. La storia di Vane e Bride esce dagli ultimi schemi per raccontare una storia comune incastonandola in una montatura magica dove l'amore e la fiducia in se stessi la fanno da padrone.
Un romanzo che è il sogno che ogni ragazza –che sia formosa o meno- coltiva dietro le coltri del suo letto, nel buio della propria camera.
Un bellissimo romanzo che realizza i sogni più reconditi dei romantici più sfegatati, nella speranza sempiterna che un amore tanto forte possa esistere anche nella realtà. show less
Il Gioco della Notte (Night Play) è il quinto volume della serie Dark Hunters, ma soprattutto è il primo volume della serie Were-Hunters.
Anzi parlare di Dark Hunters in questo caso è quasi “esagerato” in quanto è un libro che molto probabilmente è nato più come spin-off che non come elemento della serie principale. I cacciatori oscuri qui sono praticamente assenti, compaiono brevemente Acheron (che non può assolutamente mancare, anche se poco), Kyrian e Valerius. Ma non sono particolarmente importanti nello schema generale del romanzo.
Poi penso che, essendo piaciuto tanto (dato che i commenti anche su goodreads sono molto buoni) e volendo i nuovi personaggi incontrati avere la loro parte di notorietà (dato che show more come ben sanno gli scrittori, i personaggi prendono spesso anima e corpo e pretendono storie proprie), si è meritato di diventare il primo di questa sotto-serie…quella dei Cacciatori Mannari.
Chi è già addentro al mondo creato dalla Kenyon saprà che i personaggi creati da questa autrice sono innumerevoli e articolati anche in sotto gruppi (tanto che alle volte si fa fin fatica a tenerli tutti a mente e ci si deve quindi calare nell’ottica di non badarci troppo altrimenti si rischia di esserne sopraffatti) e non rimarrà questo l’unico esempio di sotto-serie infiltratasi nella più grande categoria.
Ma veniamo al romanzo
Dopo l’ultimo viaggio che ci ha portati a Wulf e Cassandra … torniamo a New Orleans, città teatro degli eventi di “L’abbraccio della notte” con protagonisti Talon e Sunshine.
E’ stato in questo romanzo che abbiamo incontrato per la prima volta Vane, accorso in aiuto di Talon per proteggere Sunshine… e per questa sua scelta -piuttosto inconsueta per un cacciatore mannaro- ritrovatosi poi a subire un attacco da parte dei demoni apollinei al proprio branco. Attacco che ha portato alla morte dell’amata sorella, l'unica assieme al fratello Fang che fa parte della sua VERA famiglia. Ed è questo l'evento scatenante che fa si che Vane e Fang si ritrovino, nelle prime pagine del libro, a lottare per la propria vita appesi ai rami di un albero aggettante una palude, in cui coccodrilli affamati aspettano solo il momento dell'imminente caduta.
Saranno i poteri e la forte volontà di Vane a salvarli, anche dal successivo attacco di demoni apollinei decisi a succhiare loro anima e poteri che però lascia Fang in uno stato catatonico dovuto allo shock da cui Vane non riesce a farlo uscire. Rifugiatosi al Sanctuary locale gestito da una famiglia di orsi mannari che mantengono il posto neutrale per ogni creatura paranormale che abbia bisogno di un porto sicuro, Vane deve decidere come salvarsi dalla condanna a morte ordinata dal suo stesso padre, capo del suo vecchio branco.
Ed è a questo punto che entra in scena Bride.
Completamente umana, ma soprattutto completamente ignara di questo mondo sotterraneo che vive e respira attorno a lei, è appena stata lasciata da quel bastardo opportunista del suo fidanzato che non ha fatto altro che approfittarsi di lei e cercare di cambiarla.
E qui stà il bello di questo romanzo…Bride è un’eroina alquanto atipica, soprattutto in questi romanzi dove la parte femminile è solitamente bella quanto la sua controparte maschile è aitante.
Ok, non che Bride non sia bella, ma è quella che tutti definiremmo una donna morbida, in carne.
Insomma…è cicciottella. Cosa che le ha sempre dato dei grossi problemi (e come non capirla! Siam tutti li a controllare i kili che aumentano ;) ) soprattutto nelle relazioni con l’altro sesso.
Quando vede entrare nel suo negozio l’uomo più bello e “in forma” che abbia mai visto, perciò, teme che abbia brutte intenzioni…di certo non immagina che sia entrato per rivedere lei.
Rivedere perché Vane ha incontrato per la prima volta Bride mentre stava proteggendo Sunshine e ne era rimasto subito ammaliato. Ed è lei l’unica che ha risvegliato in modo tanto prepotente i suoi istinti animali…e meraviglia ancor più grande quelli protettivi che solitamente sono rivolti alla Compagna per la vita. Peccato che la sua vita sia momentaneamente (e probabilmente per un bel po’) incasinata all’inverosimile…e il pensiero d'una compagna sia il più lontano fra tutti.
Conclusione…
A differenza dei precedenti volumi, che man mano stanno svelando il mondo dei Dark Hunters e degli estremamente complessi legami che scorrono appena sotto la superficie, questo romanzo prende un momento di pausa da tutto e crea una bolla di dolcezza veramente indescrivibile. La storia di Vane e Bride esce dagli ultimi schemi per raccontare una storia comune incastonandola in una montatura magica dove l'amore e la fiducia in se stessi la fanno da padrone.
Un romanzo che è il sogno che ogni ragazza –che sia formosa o meno- coltiva dietro le coltri del suo letto, nel buio della propria camera.
Un bellissimo romanzo che realizza i sogni più reconditi dei romantici più sfegatati, nella speranza sempiterna che un amore tanto forte possa esistere anche nella realtà. show less
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Author Information
261+ Works 96,652 Members
Sherrilyn Kenyon was born in Columbus, Georgia in 1965. She attended the University of Georgia. She has written novels and nonfiction works using both her real name and the pseudonym Kinley MacGregor. The name was created when she started writing historical romances. She writes several series including The Dark-Hunters, The League, Lords of show more Avalon, BAD Agency and the Chronicles of Nick. In 2018 her title, Death Doesn't Bargain, made the bestseller list. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Night Play
- Original title
- Night Play
- Original publication date
- 2004-08-03
- People/Characters
- Bride McTierney; Vane Kattalakis; Vane Kattalakis; Fury Kattalakis; Fang Kattalakis; Acheron "Ash" Parthenopaeus (show all 27); Simi; Colton "Colt" Theodorakopolus; Amanda Devereaux; Kyrian Hunter (Kyrian of Thrace); Alastor; Bryani Kattalakis; Tabitha Devereaux; Stefan; Taylor; Aimee Peltier; Dare Kattalakis; Nicolette "Lo" "Mama Bear" Peltier; Markus Kattalakis; Anya; Jasyn Kallinos; Matarina; Marvin the Monkey; Aubert "Papa Bear" Peltier; Cherif Peltier; Quinn Peltier; Nicholas "Nick" Ambrosius Gautier
- Important places
- New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Dedication
- For my husband and sons who are my world. For all my friends who are there through thick and thin: Lo, Janet, Brynna, Tasha, "Nick," Dara, Ret, Cathy, Donna, Chris, Rebecca, and Kim.
To the DH fans all over the globe ... (show all)who make the world of the website and loops thrive and who give me endless hours of smiles -- I wish I had space to list all of you by name, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. For my RBL sister who are always there and for my readers who make it all worth while. I can never, never thank you enough.
To Kim and Nancy for all the hard work you do and for still allowing me to take the DH to the outer limits of my imagination and beyond. And I haven't forgotten either of you, Alethea and Nicole!
Words can never truly express just how much I adore all of you and how much you mean to me.
May God bless and keep you all. Hugs! - First words
- Come with me, modern traveler, back to a time that has been shrouded by mystery.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"No. I'm going to be too busy watching you."
- Original language
- English
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 2,864
- Popularity
- 6,278
- Reviews
- 54
- Rating
- (4.12)
- Languages
- 6 — English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 24
- ASINs
- 10