Customer Reviews

Forbidden: The Awakening

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Byron Renfield has spent centuries providing for the well being of his clan. He's been on this earth for three hundred seventy-nine years and has finally found the woman he wishes to spend eternity with, a human named Violet Deeds. He did the unthinkable and claimed her. Now, they're in danger. Byron has spent two months arranging for his carefully planned disappearance so that he can begin a new life with Violet.

Violet wasn't looking for a husband or mate when she visited Byron's island. She'd been invited by her Aunt Grace for the weekend and only learned of Grace's passing when she arrived at the island. She's devastated to hear of the loss but can't deny her attraction for Byron. While Byron does everything in his power to keep from succumbing to her charms, Violet is not about to allow him to deny them what they want. Assuming that it's just a sexual encounter, she is stunned when Byron explains that he has claimed her and changed their lives forever.

It's been two months since Byron and Violet last saw or spoke to one another, but they were never out of contact. The bond they share intertwines their lives so completely that there's almost no need for words between them. The long separation is at an end when Byron arrives at Violet's San Diego beach home. He's made the break from his life as a Dominie and prays that there is no retribution for the decisions that he's made. Will his attempt to cover his tracks be enough to protect them? While Byron adjusts to life in Violet's world, he finds pleasure in the simple things and enjoys companionship with both rebel vampires and people he meets. When his clan members eventually track him down it's a fight to protect all he holds dear and requires help from friends he's made along the way.

Samantha Sommersby tells a kick butt tale with her FORBIDDEN series. Even though it's not necessary, I'd highly recommend reading THE CLAIM first in order to get the full impact of the storyline in THE AWAKENING. I loved the whole idea of vampires being part of the community. Vampires in this series do not need blood to survive; they eat just like normal people, which makes each bonding experience - where Byron does take blood from Violet - much more intense. I was fascinated by how Byron discovers for himself that there is nothing wrong in mating with a human, as he was initially led to believe. He becomes a much stronger personality because of his acceptance that as long as he loves and is loved in return then what he's doing and giving up is not wrong. This is a book that I eagerly read through each and every page. I found myself immersed in the battle to save Violet and Byron from the aged prophet, Cain, and the revelations that we find out about afterward. I'm now eagerly anticipating the next story in this series which is aptly named THE REVOLUTION. I'm dying to know what happens next.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

FORBIDDEN: THE AWAKENING by Samantha Sommersby.

STORY BRIEF:
This continues the story from Book 1 "Forbidden: The Claim." Ren and Violet fell in love during Book 1. In Book 2 Ren completed his work moving and hiding financial assets and creating a false identity for himself. He then moves to San Diego to be with Violet. While there, they meet another couple, Christian and Isabelle. Christian is a vampire who is under the spell of a succubus. His wife Isabelle is pregnant and delivers the baby Sophie. Cain is the leader of the vampires. His henchmen kidnap Violet and Sophie. Cain plans to punish Ren and Christian for mating with humans. Ren and his friends make a plan to free them.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
I liked what happened at the end with Cain. I liked Ren's plan for what was going to happen in the sequel (Book 3). The rest of the story was ok, but there were some holes. There was not enough description or detail about what happened and why for three events: the succubus and Christian, what happened to Isabelle, and the details about what Ren and his friends did after the kidnapping. I was also disappointed that one must read both books 1 and 2 for a complete story.

DATA:
Story length: Kindle count 3715, a short story. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: 3, each a few or several pages long. Setting: 2006 San Diego, California, and BaMidbar (Cain's lair). Copyright: 2007. Genre: erotic paranormal romance.

OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Samantha Sommersby books, see my 4 star review of "Forbidden: The Temptation" posted 7/2/09.

Excellent second book in this contemporary erotic vampire series. Heat and lots of it, humor and intelligence. The winning triad for me.

Other reviewers have provided well written story summaries; I won't be redundant. I loved the premise in the first book, "The Claim" and fell into the story line immediately. This second book is a continuation of the first book. I hope that the publisher will eventually combine the first two books into one larger book. They really belong together.

I love the way this author writes and love her new twist on the vampire alpha male. Byron Renfield "Ren" is everything you could want in an Alpha male vampire hero; sexy, very hot, but Ren also has elements of a sensitive romantic nerd rolled in to his character. A "he had me at hello" kind of guy.

The tension and attraction between Ren and his HEA Violet is drawn in a way that raises your blood pressure and occasionally gets one's tear ducts working. Violet's character is also well drawn and developed over the first two books. She is in her way an Alpha female and she and Ren balance each other. There is a cast of characters incorporated into Ren's and Violet's story, with their own stories that follow from the first book to this book, and new characters are added here in the second book, who one hopes will be developed in future books.

I downloaded all three books of the series on the same night from allromanceebooks.com and read all night. I cannot wait for the next, fourth book in the series. I am hoping for a long relationship with this series.

Vampire Byron Renfield has escaped his Dominie vampire clan to be with his mate Violet Deeds. Two months ago Byron claimed Violet but had to send her away. Now they are reunited but Cain, his clan's prophet, may seek retribution for taking a human mate and leaving the clan. While Byron and Violet struggle a bit adjusting to life together, Byron's worst fears materialize when Cain makes a move.

Forbidden: The Awakening is a really good story. It's intriguing and full of action and drama. Byron and Violet are very loving, erotic, and passionate together. Byron is sexy and has a very commanding presence, and Violet is sweet but tough. I would strongly recommend reading The Claim before Forbidden: The Awakening to better understand the story. Forbidden: The Awakening is a great sequel to The Claim.

Nannette
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is my first time reading Samantha Sommersby, but I can say it won't be my last!!! Her novel "Forbidden: The Awakening" was so hot I read it in one day. Yes a few hours. She shows you that just because a love may be forbidden doesn't mean it's always right. She used her characters to show you a different light. What I loved most about her book was how her characters were so open to the new experiences that were happening to each and every one of them.

Great Job Samantha!!!!!

Ok, first of all, Vampire romances are basically all I read. So of course I read the first forbidden, and liked it ok. Thought it was kind of short, but was glad to see that it would be continued. This one was a little dissapointing. It picked up where the first one left off, Byron was escaping his clan and sent violet away. so in the first part, he comes after her, they have hot hallway sex, yada yada yada. then there are a bunch of other weird characters thrown in, and it just got a littlle confusing. And when violet gets kidnapped and Byron goes after her, a whole new plot just unravels. Ill probably read the third one, just so i can feel some sense of completion with this story.

Disappointing! Should have been combined with another story or two and sold as a novella so a purchaser would expect a short story with little to no character development or story line.