Customer Reviews

Death Calls (Silhouette Nocturne / The Calling, Book 4)

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FBI Agent Diana Reyes and her partner, David, were investigating a money-laundering operation when they stumbled upon a CIA case. There had been an experimental prototype for a hand-held smart bomb delivery system stolen from a military base, along with the warheads for same. The Cuban Democratic Army "CDA" purchased the stolen weapon. (The CDA is a domestic paramilitary group.) Rupert, with the CIA, must work with Diana and her team in tracking down the stolen items before they are used. It is obvious from the beginning that Rupert does not like the fact that Diana is the Special Agent in Charge instead of himself, but he must deal with his own ego about it.

At the same time, Diana is dealing with her unusual personal life. Diana's boyfriend is Ryder Latimer, a vampire. When she fell in love with him a couple of years ago, she knew that there were things she would give up, such as never having children. Now that she is seeing her friends pregnant, Diana is not so sure that it is a fair trade after all. Even her brother and his wife is due to have their first child any day now. Diana needs some time and space away from Ryder to think.

Ryder is not happy with Diana putting some distance between them, but his honor forces him to give her the time and space she requests. Seeing her with an old college boyfriend hurts, but this is for Diana to decide. Ryder is soon busy dealing with Stacia who has arrived in the area. She is one of the elders, over two thousand years old. With her strong powers, she can manipulate anyone's mind to do her bidding, even other vampires, and she has set her sights on Ryder.

Ryder still manages to keep an eye on Diana and her safety. As much as possible anyway. Diana has forced Ryder to promise that should something happen to her, he would let her die and not turn her into a vampire. But even as Ryder makes the vow, he wonders if he would be able to keep it.

***** Out-freaking-standing! Nocturne is a brand new line of paranormal romances by Silhouette. It looks like author Caridad Piñeiro will help be a big help in making it a smashing success. I found myself hooked from the very first page. Do yourself a favor and make sure you have plenty of reading time before you open the cover. I did not stop reading until the entire story was completed. A riveting masterpiece. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

From the very first page, this early volume of the Silhouette Nocturne series takes a huge step away from the usual girl-meets-vampire set-up: The girl, FBI Agent Diana Reyes, is trying to take a break from her relationship with her vampire lover Ryder, the better to focus on a money-laundering scheme gone bad, that has claimed the life of her pregnant friend. But Ryder dogs her very footsteps, seeking her human touch that can keep him balanced as he dodges a powerful, much older vampyre, and she finds herself unable to deny her attraction to the darkness in him.

I love Caridad Pineiro's style: her heroines are strong, tough, but deeply feminine Latina women, but her nods to her heritage aren't just there for variety or PC-ness: it's clearly her way of celebrating her culture. And her vampire heroes are dark, fierce, but deeply human creatures as well, bringing just the right mix of bad-but-good-boy charm. All in all, a *great* read from a fun author.

I have enjoyed every book in this series but was quite disappointed with this one. First, Ryder and Diana seem to be repeating the same emotions over and over. He'd think, "I can't give her up" then he'd think "but I have to let her decide". She'd think "I can't be with him if we can't have a normal relationship". But then she'd think "I can't give him up".

Diana has to work with a former fiance on her case. When she first sees him, she doesn't want to get back into their old relationship. But before you know it, they're kissing and she's reacting. This happens again and on the third time she finally realizes there is no sizzle when she kisses him. What?? There seemed to be sizzle the other times.

An ancient vampiress shows up who's a one dimensional character. She wants to feed and she wants sex. This after being alive for 2 thousand years? She decides she wants Ryder. She has no problems taking control of every vampire she comes in contact with and making them do what she wants(which is usually sex), even Diego. She does this to Ryder one time then decides she can't compete with his love for Diana. Before you know it she had no more relevance in the story.

The CIA/FBI case made no sense. Supposedly the agency guy helping the terrorists is mad at the government for letting his father die in the Bay of Pigs disaster in the early 60's. He was a child at that time. He's worked for this government agency forever and been a good Agent. Now he decides it's time to work with the terrorists to pay the government back! Say that again?? How does killing a slew of FBI Agents do that? How does blowing up buildings and letting a weapon go into the hands of terrorists that can deliver bio weapons and nuclear weapons to U.S. targets pay back the government?? It was ridiculous.

Then in the end, when Ryder takes a bullet for Diana but she's mortally wounded anyway, she's somehow changed and no longer quite human, but not a vampire. Ryder thinks it has to do with his blood mixing with hers when they were both wounded. Yet when she asks what is she now and how did this happen (she can be out in the sun but heals fast)he says he doesn't know. OK, he had a theory before and now keeps saying he doesn't know what happened to her. We're never told what she's become. The story ends at that point. We're never told what happens to David, her partner who was wounded and probably paralized during the same raid that wounded Diana. He wants to know what the two men who rescued him are. He knows they can't be human but she won't tell him anything. David doesn't want anything more to do with her if she can't tell him the truth. That's it? Way too many things left up in the air.

This is another super read by Caridad Pineiro. Part of a series known as "The Calling". They are fast, interesting reads with a central characters throughout most of the series. I would reccommend this book to anyone who likes vampires and heroes.

FBI Special Agent Diana Reyes had lived life on the edge after her father's murder. Once her younger brother Sebastian had gone along for the ride but now he was happily married and expecting his first child. That along with the news that her best friend Sylvia Rodriguez was also expecting had made Diana question the future of her relationship with her dark and dangerous vampire lover Ryder Latimer. She's not sure she is ready to give up the idea of a "normal life" and decides it's time to put some space between the two of them.

When Sylvia is murdered along with her unborn child, it's just one loss too many for Diana. She knows she can't allow Ryder to gift her with eternal life and stand by as the rest of her loved ones died one by one, but she also cares too much for Ryder to allow him to watch her grow old and die as he had for so many. Diana urges her friend police Detective Peter Daly to let her in on Sylvia's murder case.

Unsatisfied with the obvious conclusion that the murder was committed by Sylvia's heartbroken spouse, Diana finds a lead at Sylvia's law firm. Following up on evidence of a money-laundering scheme involving Sylvia's partner, a crime well within FBI jurisdiction, Diana and her partner David stumble over a CIA investigation of terrorist activity within the Cuban Democratic Army. Diana finds herself butting heads with the hostile CIA agent in charge, Hank Rupert. Hank's undercover source, on special assignment from the DEA, is a none other than Diana's ex, Alejandro Garcia, the man she had once loved and seen herself settling into a "normal" life with. Alex appears more than happy to pick up where they left off.

While Diana is trying to solve the crime and figure out what she wants out of life, Ryder has other matters to contend with. There's a new vamp in town, Stacia, an elder who gets her kicks seducing reluctant younger males of the species. She finds the lovelorn Ryder to be a particularly enticing challenge as his heart is totally committed to his human lover. Her resemblance to Diana and her aura of power is fascinating, perhaps impossible for a jilted vampire to resist....

Will Diana and her team solve the crime without further casualties or will Death come calling once more? And which man will she choose to spend her uncertain life span with? The fourth title in Ms. Piñeiro's vampire series had all the right ingredients for one delicious romantic suspense thriller. I couldn't put it down and cannot wait to read the next installment DEVOTION CALLS.

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews

FBI agent Diana Reyes is in love with a vampire. She's not so sure that it's good for her, though, so she asks him for some space. Her vamp, Ryder Latimer, agrees to provide just that.

As the two take a break from each other, they confront different issues in their lives. Diana's best friend is murdered, and she takes part in the investigation. This includes her running into her ex, Alex. Ryder finds it hard to leave Diana behind, and he fights against feelings for a strong vampire who wants to possess him.

Will the two lovers decide to give in to their attractions to others, or come back to each other and give in to the love that they feel?

Death Calls is the first book in The Calling series that I've read. Now, I'm desperate to find the other books so I can catch up on what I missed. This book is a great story, providing readers with a glimpse into how two people fight an attraction that they think is wrong, but know they can't live without.

I loved both of these characters and devoured each word about their lives. I look forward to the next book in the series, and hope that I can find the others on shelves somewhere.

Amelia
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

After a two years relationship with the vampire Ryder, Diane has second thoughts because if she stays with him she will never have children. She also knows how lonely she was before she met him, but she also does not want him to see her grow old. She rejects the notion of becoming a vampire and spending eternity with her beloved. She asks him to leave, which he reluctantly does; now she must forget him and move on.

While working on an FBI case investigating the ties between the Cuban Democratic Party and a drug cartel, Diane reunites with her first love Alex, who is undercover inside the CDP. Alex informs Diane that the CDP possess a weapon that they plan to use to either destroy the U.N. or the Cuban Mission. He also makes it clear he wants her; she knows that with him she can lead a normal life, but he does not bring out the passion that Ryder does.

Caridad Pinero writes fascinating, innovative, and passionate vampire romances as few authors can. Ryder and Diane are star-crossed lovers fearing their respective dark side while rejoicing in the light of their humanity. Yet her doubts that include his vampirism, her humanity, and Alex make a relationship with Ryder improbable as she knows who is better for her and who brings out the inner fire in her. The investigation adds to an understanding of a heroine who knows time is against her in more ways than just preventing a tragedy. This is a superb supernatural romantic suspense thriller with the need of a sequel starring a two millennium old vampiress who has hardly a scratch of humanity left in her.

Harriet Klausner