Customer Reviews

Bond of Blood (Texas Vampires, Book 1)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

This was my first venture into paranormal erotica/romance, and despite my busy schedule, I could not put this book down at night! I really liked the pychological twists with the good vs. bad vampires. Hey, haven't we all met our share of the bad vampires? And the thought of a noble vampire with paranormal sexual/romantic abilities sounds good to me! As for the complaints above of the foreign languange peppering, I liked it. I don't speak Spanish, but I can spot erotica and sweet-talk in any tongue, especially in obvious context. I do know a little basic Latin and enjoyed the characters from an era when Latin was the religous language actually using Latin, and it wasn't all that much or often to overlook for those who like their religion in English, even from a time when it was always in Latin. It was a learning experience, with all the levels of vampires. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy!

Don Rafael Perez has lived a lifetime...seven hundred years of a lifetime to be precise and during this time he has worked up from being a vampire slave to being the ruler of one of the largest "areas" in the United States. His rule has been absolute until now. Now his enemy is making a bid for his dominion and that would be enough to keep Rafael busy enough. But then Grania O'Malley enters the picture. Grania is a mortal but she is trouble with a capital "T." She has no idea that she shares a bond with a seven hundred year old vampire. Rafael doesn't trust what it between them yet he can't stay away even though it would be safer for Grania if he did. Can Rafael safe the woman destined to be his mate and still retain his rule in North America?

This is the first full length effort by Ms. Whiteside for her Texas Vampire series. There are going to be two more titles to follow. There is plenty of heat found between the pages between Rafe and his Grania. This is a very strong character driven romance with plenty of paranormal elements balancing out the read. Rafe is not you common everyday vampire and his sensuality is almost a character in an of itself. The reader will find that Ms. Whiteside's vampires are very unique and as a result fresh when compared to other authors in the hugely popular market. Grania is a perfect mate for Rafe. This is really a story about star-crossed lovers. I eagerly devoured this effort and anxiously await the rest of this series. Rafe and Grania will capture the reader's attention from the start. Be prepared for a heated and sexy read! Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

A knight will always be true to his faith and his oaths, and these will give him the strength to face and overcome anything.

Born in the 13th century Don Rodrigo of Galician followed his liege, Don Fernando, through battle and peace. His true happiness though came from the love he shared with his wife Blanche and their children, and he would have done anything to keep them safe. After many battles, Don Fernando died, taking his army's hopes with him, but they fought on in his name...until their final defeat at the hands of the Syrian army. Pulled off the field by his Arabian cousin, the badly injured Rodrigo had a chance of making it home to his beloved family; but as he and his close friend Fearghus were healing, the escudero that he mourned as dead stole into Achmed's home along with a Syrian and took them. It took two centuries, but after being tortured, forced to become a vampiro and used as a sex slave, Rodrigo escaped. 700 years later, Rodrigo is now Don Rafael Perez and he holds both Texas and Oklahoma under his rule and his protection.

Found as a baby in a raid of Mexican drug traffickers, Grania O'Malley was brought up in an orphanage, unadoptable because her parents' deaths were unconfirmed. She made the best of her situation and worked to help the younger children around her and later she put herself through school. Finally, finished with both school and her teaching stint, Grania is on her way to her dream job, being a vet for the Hill County Raptor Center.

The first time they set eyes on each other, Rafael and Grania can feel a strong attraction, almost bordering on obsession. Rafael fights the attraction as he can't afford a distraction now that there's a very real possibility that soon he'll be in the middle of a war. When Grania first sees Rafael, she can't believe how much he resembles the knight that has been in her dreams all of her life. She knows that he cannot be her knight; Rodrigo is just a dream...isn't he?

Bond of Blood by Diane Whiteside is an interesting story, taking place in the present with Rafael's past told through Grania's dreams. Although the story of the past is gripping, the scenes of the present are slow paced and could have used more action; I found myself putting Bond of Blood down a few times. I also wish the transitions were done better as there were several times that I had to go back or skip ahead to figure out what was going on. The characters, both main and secondary, are all multi-faceted and feel real and the world that Ms. Whiteside created in Bond of Blood is wonderfully done. If you love a well-told tale, Bond of Blood is definitely a good read.

Lyonene
Reviewed by Joyfully Reviewed

For seven hundred plus years, Spanish knight Don Rafael Perez has been a vampire and now he leads the Texas Oklahoma chapter. Madame Celeste head of the New Orleans contingent warns Rafael to cooperate or her assassins will take care of business. He knows that means the evil Diego, a former agent of the Russians who wantonly kills and enjoys torture; Rafael knows that first hand. Now Rafael plans to destroy his foe, who murders anyone in his way as collateral damage is road kill to this malevolent person.

However, Rafael's world spins out of control when he meets Texas Hill Country Raptor Center veterinarian Grania O'Malley; his shock is less than hers as she recognizes him as the hunk that has starred in her lustful dreams. As they become acquainted and begin to fall in love the mortal animal doctor is stunned further when she realizes her beloved is a vampire, whose prowess thrives on sex; something she gladly offers him. Celeste and Diego know how to destroy their enemy as Rafael has an Achilles' heel, Dr. Grania O'Malley.

BOND OF BLOOD is an exhilarating heated vampire romantic suspense thriller that makes the world of the undead alive through the political power struggles. The action-packed story line stars two courageous ethical star-crossed lovers who know their heated chemistry is taboo. The villain is an evil killing machine who brings the non-sexual intrigue and tension to Diane Whiteside's terrific paranormal romantic suspense thriller.

Harriet Klausner

It's been a pleasure to follow this author through all her books as her writing continues to grow and deepen. This jump into the crowded paranormal field is a good one, but there are some serious writing decisions that cloud the story. First, the sensual scenes, while deeply emotional, become circular and repetitive. Secondly, the writer chooses to interject French, Spanish and Arabic phrases into the text and while--sometimes--you can figure out the meaning from context, much of the time
the four page glossary in the back of the book is required. Some of the Arabic words are so unusual looking they stop the story dead while you marvel at the collection of letters and then the meaning. Still this is a start of a great series and worth the purchase.

Don Rafael Perez has had 700 yrs to remember all of his loses. Once a noble knight for the king he clings to his code of honor. He is the leader of the largest vampire territory in North America. But soon an old enemy is going to try to challenge this and take it all away from him.
Rafael has not been alone this whole time and has cherished all the women he has put into ecstasy while he feeds. But when he meets Grania O'Malley the new Vet at the Texas Hill Country Raptor Center. he realizes that she is not only going to be a bit more difficult to seduce but that there is a special bond between them.
Grania does not understand why she is not in control of her body lust when she is around Rafael or what the dreams she has had since she was a child in the orphanage reminds her so much of him. Her dreams are about Rodrigo and he has been dead for many centuries, but still every time she looks into his eyes they are the same eyes she sees when she is in her dream lovers arms.

Can dreams come true?

Bond of Blood is an excellent book that contains every aspects of a thriller, a paranormal, and a romance.

The characters have enough human qualities, such as love, greed, and revenge while the vampire and were parts of their persona are more than facinating. The sex is shocking but loving between Don Rafael and Grania. The background characters are essential to the book and I can't wait for the sequels.

The use of Spanish and French is well placed in the dialouge. The languages never go beyond a high school class and there is even a glossary of terms at the end of the book.

I recommend this book easily to all.

Nicely written story in the romance, vampire erotic genre. Compelling character development, plot kind of light but not bad, nicely written erotic scenes. These vampires are rather different from Hamilton's but still well drawn. The story is peppered with Spanish if you don't have some knowledge of the language it will become annoying.

I bought the trade size version on super clearance at Amazon. After blowing through it, I can understand why it was so dirt cheap. I could not stand this book.

The book was about vampire mafias fighting over territory.

Raphael is the Texas vampire leader, replete w/ human and vampire body guards because of the multiple assassination attempts; he's also involved in some sort of Trust fund, that I had trouble understanding.

Grania is a new veterinarian hired and meets Raphael the director of the Trust fund for the first time. Raphael resembles the man she has always dreamed of, but he doesn't recognize her at all. When Grania catches Raphael in a compromising encounter feeding off another woman, the cat is out of the bag and she knows what Raphael is. When he begins to keep an eye on her just in case she may publicize her discovery, they both begin to feel a sort of bond between them. Raphael does not comprehend the bond, but Grania thinks it may have to do w/ her dreams.

The dreams were the only scenes in the book that were some what interesting, but I just could not get into any of the characters as they were cookie cutter like. Nor was the book particularly sensual. Frankly, I'm shocked that Berkley is not making this book a mass paperback edition. I do not intend to buy any Diane Whiteside vampire books in the future.

I read to relax and unwind... not to have to look up every other word in the back of the book!!! After the first two chapters I gave up. I felt like I was in high school studying for an exam! I don't feel the need to check out authors other books.