Kiss of Crimson

I started the Midnight Breed series about a year ago. After hearing rave reviews from other paranormal romance readers, particularly those who compared this series to the Black Dagger Brotherhood – a series I love – I’d been very much looking forward to it. However, the first book, Kiss of Midnight, while good, didn’t grab me in quite the way I’d hoped, which is probably why it’s taken me so long to get around to reading the second book. The world building sufficiently intrigued me to make me come back, though, and I’m so glad I did, because Kiss of Crimson was an excellent read. It’s the story of Breed warrior Dante who is plagued by visions of his own death, and veterinarian Tess Culver, a Breedmate who harbors an show more extraordinary gift. After chasing a vampire he believes has gone Rogue, Dante is nearly blown to bits, the explosion tossing him into the river, where he’s swept away. He manages to crawl out and ends up in the storeroom of Tess’s veterinary clinic, where he feeds from her in an effort to heal himself. It’s not until afterward that he realizes she bears the mark of a Breedmate, and by Breed law, what he’s done makes her his. He tries to fight it, but the bond with her is strong, making it impossible for him to stay away from her. Then he discovers that the vampire he chased that night was actually hopped on a new drug called Crimson that is rapidly turning many Darkhaven youths into Rogues, and it’s Tess’s ex-boyfriend who is manufacturing and dealing the drug at the behest of the Order’s mortal enemy. Dante tries to gently woo Tess before revealing the entire truth of what they are, but when her life is threatened by Rogues, she gets a quick initiation into his dark and dangerous world.

We didn’t learn a great deal about Dante in the first book of the series, so going into this one, he was mostly a clean slate, a character waiting to be fulfilled. At only 229, he’s one of the younger vampires in the Order, the son of a scholarly aristocratic Breed male and his beloved mate. Dante’s mother was a seer who correctly envisioned both her own and her mate’s demises. She passed this gift down to her son, and for many years, he’s been having visions of his own death but has no idea when it might occur. In part because death is dogging him everywhere he goes, he’s had little interest in finding a mate, but that all changes the night he meets and feeds from Tess. The whole incident leaves her understandably freaked out. Dante would have liked to explain everything right then, but with dawn rapidly approaching, he’s forced to erase her memories. Even though Breed law says that she belongs to him, he tries to forget her, but he simply can’t. So he sets about engineering situations where he can get to know her better and gradually seduce her. Dante quickly realizes that he’s fallen in love with her, and things are going well until the actions of Tess’s ex-boyfriend end up putting her in mortal danger, leading to the necessity of Dante bringing her into the Order’s fold quickly. But when she learns what he is and all that he’s done, she may not be able to forgive him. Dante is my kind of alpha, one who’s confident and commanding while still having a gentler side and exhibiting vulnerabilities. I’m a sucker for psychic phenomena in paranormal romance, so Dante’s visions made him an intriguing hero. I also loved how he went about trying to woo Tess and how he was supportive and protective when she revealed her past to him, all of which showed his kinder side.

Tess is a sweet heroine who has been through a lot in her life. She harbors traumatic secrets from her childhood, as well as hiding her own psychic gift. She’s mostly a loner with no family and few friends, which is partly why she’s tried to maintain a friendship with her ex, even though she knows he wants to rekindle their romantic relationship and she doesn’t. She runs a veterinary practice in a not-so-great area of town, and even though she often struggles to pay the bills, she’s always unerringly kind to everyone, animals and their owners alike. With no one to go home to, she has a habit of working late, and it’s on one such night that Dante shows up in her storeroom. Being the caring person she is, Tess tries to help the injured warrior, but when he bites her, she’s terrified. Of course, after Dante erases her memory, she has no recollection of what happened, but when she starts seeing him again around town, she feels inexplicably drawn to him in a way she’s never felt before. Even though he projects an air of danger about him, she quickly falls for him and feels like she can trust him. But when she’s attacked by Rogues and rapidly thrust into his world, it’s a lot to take in. Tess is a wonderful heroine who is a kind, compassionate person. She’s very giving and loving toward those she cares about, both human and animal. I love her psychic talent and what she can do it nothing short of extraordinary. Even though she initially struggles with the revelations of a hidden world she never knew existed, she isn’t unreasonable. When Dante proves his love for her by being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, it’s an easy choice for her fully accept him as he is.

Kiss of Crimson has a number of interesting supporting characters, some of whom have their own POVs. We’re introduced to Sterling Chase, a Darkhaven agent, who bears an unrequited love for his brother’s widow, Elise. It’s because of that love that he asks the Order for help with the Crimson drug problem, because his nephew has gone missing and is believed to be using. While he isn’t entirely up front with the Order, at his core, he’s a good guy, who has to make some difficult and heartbreaking decisions throughout the course of the story, and in doing so, he proves himself to be a strong warrior, too. I’m not entirely sure what the future holds for him, but perhaps he’ll join the Order. I do know that this isn’t the end for him, though, because he becomes the hero of the final book of the series, Darker After Midnight. I’d hoped that perhaps Elise would come to love him back, but that’s not to be the case. She briefly meets and has a moment of connection with taciturn, enigmatic Breed warrior Tegan, and they will become the hero and heroine of the next book, Midnight Awakening. All the other warriors and their mates put in appearances as well. We briefly see Rio (Midnight Rising) recovering in the infirmary from events of the last book, while Niko (Veil of Midnight) helps Dante with a dangerous mission. Tech geek extraordinaire, Gideon, (A Touch of Midnight) helps with all things techie, while his mate Savannah puts in a few appearances as well. The Order’s leader, Lucan (Kiss of Midnight), is seen, along with his mate Gabrielle. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention Harvard, a very cute but ailing little dog that Dante uses to get into Tess’s good graces. Then there are the bad guys. Tess’s ex, Ben, initially seems like a decent fellow, albeit a little clingy and stalkerish, but his drug manufacturing gets him into a world of trouble as he quickly discovers that Marek, the Order’s mortal enemy, is the one pulling the strings and funding his operation.

Overall, Kiss of Crimson was a really great read. I very much liked both Dante and Tess. Dante is the perfect mix of alpha warrior and gentle, passionate lover. Tess is very relatable and easy to love. They fit together very well and more than prove their love for one another, while their romance is emotional, steamy, and tender. The underlying plot about the drug, Crimson, and how it’s turning young vampires into Rogues was engaging, well-crafted, and suspenseful. There were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. While the first book left me a little uncertain about the Midnight Breed series, this one has solidified my interest and I’m hopeful that it produces many more great reads for me. At the very least, I can say that both Tegan and Elise are characters who deeply intrigue me, so I’m very much looking forward to reading their story soon. show less

Wow, that was quite the turn-around from the first book, it almost gave me whiplash. We go from Lucan, the douchebag, to Dante, the gentleman. I didn't expect to find much to redeem this series in this book, but damn if Adrian hasn't managed to make a big improvement here. Dante and Tess were nicely developed characters and I enjoyed the progress of their relationship. And the investigation part of this book.
While I didn't find the side story with Chase that interesting, I gotta give Adrian props for tying it nicely together with the main plot of the book.
I will be giving the third book a try at some point to see if Adrian manages to keep things at this level.

I have to admit that I am liking this series. But I really, really dislike all of the females in them. Why are they all irrational, impractical, and/or just plain dumb? Ok, I'm sure some of their actions are normal, but common sense would tell them not to do some of the things they do. You would think this series was written by a man. That being said, I think the plot line is great and can't wait to read the next.

Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian
Book #2 in Midnight Breed
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Veterinarian Tess Culver finds herself immersed in a secret world following a brief yet vivid encounter with the badly injured Dante, one of the vampire warriors locked in a fierce struggle against the rogue element of his race. The two soon find themselves bonded together by blood and passion and must work together to thwart the enemies in their midst.

Review:
I was hesitant to continue with the series but am really glad that I stuck with it as Kiss of Crimson is a definite improvement on the first book. Adrian’s characterization has improved greatly. Tess is an amazing heroine whose heartbreaking back story draws you in and Dante’s love for her is just awe show more inspiring – I particularly enjoyed the small twist regarding the connection between Dante’s special power and his relationship with Tess (you’ll just have to read it to see). For once, the sex scenes contribute to rather than detract from the emotional intimacy between the characters. I also enjoyed the subtle hints at stories to come, especially Tegan and Elise, and Rio whose condition is so distressful.

The plot line continues from the previous book but adds an extra dimension by including characters from the civilian vampire world and an issue that relates to the vampire society as a whole. My one small quibble is with the villain in the book who is not all that menacing and is actually quite pathetic.

Recommendation: Every new detail added in this book helped me to become more immersed in the world Adrian has created. I definitely recommend the series based on this book. show less

I enjoyed this second book in Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series even more than the first. Dante and Tess meet in her veterinarian clinic when he’s badly injured and needs blood. He’s a vampire. She’s human. I really liked Tess, and her special abilities! Also, this one had a really interesting subplot involving a drug that was being sold on the street and had terrible effects on vampires, and it gave book two that extra zing! Some interesting side characters were introduced that I’m excited to read more about in future books. Glad I discovered this series.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian
Book #2 in Midnight Breed
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Veterinarian Tess Culver finds herself immersed in a secret world following a brief yet vivid encounter with the badly injured Dante, one of the vampire warriors locked in a fierce struggle against the rogue element of his race. The two soon find themselves bonded together by blood and passion and must work together to thwart the enemies in their midst.

Review:
I was hesitant to continue with the series but am really glad that I stuck with it as Kiss of Crimson is a definite improvement on the first book. Adrian’s characterization has improved greatly. Tess is an amazing heroine whose heartbreaking back story draws you in and Dante’s love for her is just awe show more inspiring – I particularly enjoyed the small twist regarding the connection between Dante’s special power and his relationship with Tess (you’ll just have to read it to see). For once, the sex scenes contribute to rather than detract from the emotional intimacy between the characters. I also enjoyed the subtle hints at stories to come, especially Tegan and Elise, and Rio whose condition is so distressful.

The plot line continues from the previous book but adds an extra dimension by including characters from the civilian vampire world and an issue that relates to the vampire society as a whole. My one small quibble is with the villain in the book who is not all that menacing and is actually quite pathetic.

Recommendation: Every new detail added in this book helped me to become more immersed in the world Adrian has created. I definitely recommend the series based on this book. show less

I really enjoyed the first book in the series (Kiss of Midnight) because it had lots of action and lots of electronic toys being used. This one didn't have much of either. The book is centered around Dante this time and it outlines his quest for the love of his life, a young veterinarian with strange healing powers. And that's about it. Add a club drug that is turning young vampires rogue and a whole lot of erotica, and that is it for the book. Disappointed.