Customer Reviews

Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

just got done reading Be Mine Tonight, and.. I really, truly loved it. A wonderful job all the way around - the characterizations were very three dimensional, not to mention that Pru Ryland is one of the best heroines I've ever read. Kathryn Smith's new take on vampire legend was very smart, unique and believable. I loved that Chapel didn't end up as that all-too-familiar vampiric hero stereotype. He was very vital, warm and alive, instead of being darkly brooding and menacing in the way I've come to expect from vampire fiction. As for the story itself, I don't want to give too much away I was asborbed every step of the way as the two main characters, Pru and Chapel, fell in love very convincingly without falling into cliches. I cried so hard through parts of this book that I've blocked my right ear, but it was a fabulous read. I'm usually a picky b*tch and not too many authors make it into my auto-buy list, but this one just did. I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, and hope they'll all be as wonderful as this one.

I actually hate giving this book 3 stars because I whole heartedly believe in the potential of the series. The world-building, the setting, the mythology use-it's all very intriguing. But this book fell short.

The Plot:

Chapel became a vampire when he drank from a mystical cup known as the Blood Grail, having mistaken it for the Holy Grail. Six hundred years later, in the year 1899, Pru Ryeland is searching for the Holy Grail in hopes of curing her terminal illness. Chapel fears that what she will actually find is the Blood Grail and that she will become cursed as he believes he is cursed. But as he begins to fall in love with Pru, his belief in his own soul-less nature is challenged.

The Best Parts:

The use of history and mythology is fun, interesting, and well put together. The time period and setting is rich and unique, and in fact is one of the few things that sets this book apart from other paranormal writings.

Chapel is a surprisingly sexy, if somewhat frustrating character. He is loyal, determined, and fun. His love for Pru is heartbreaking.

The Problems:

First of all, Pru's terminal illness is-it's never given an exact name, so I assume uterine cancer-the biggest plot point/conflict in the book. I am not at all making light of cancer but it's presence in the story is,dare I say, drawn out to the point of dull? We expect her to be saved, obviously, whether she finds the Holy Grail or becomes a vampire. But it takes THE ENTIRE BOOK. We are forced to watch Chapel hem, haw, and struggle with his own self-pity while the love of his life suffers unnecessary pain.

And Pru's cancer is a seriously painful one. I don't know how well Smith researched the disease but I happen to know from what I've witnessed that 1)Even early stage cancer patients are often exhausted, suffer from easy bruising, and tend to have compromised immune systems, and 2) The physical reality of advanced uterine cancer does not usually allow for any kind of comfortable sexual relationship. So the fact that Pru is so active right up until the very end is seriously problematic.

Despite all of this, I still have high hopes for the series. While I did not care for the terminal illness plot-line, I enjoyed Smith's style and imagination.

Pru has cancer, she is dying. Her one hope is finding the legendary holy grail to be cured. A dig on her father's property may turn up the holy relic. The church sends a priest to monitor the dig, along with a companion, called Chapel. Although Chapel works for the church, he is a vampire, turned by drinking from the blood grail, which he mistook for the holy grail on a quest centuries ago. Chapel seeks the holy grail for himself, and longs for salvation. He and Pru fall in love, and she learns what he is. She also knows that he could save her life by turning her. He refuses to make her a monster like himself, even though it means her death. You can't help but love both of these people, and feel for them. One part was so touching, I was actually sobbing. Excellent story. Can there be a happy ending? You bet!

It was the saddest romance I have ever read. Granted the ending is predictable, but it was a sad journey. It lacked action and passion. There was romance, but not enough of the other two. What I found painful about this story was the main characters having sex as the heroine is suffering from advance uterine cancer, UGH! @. This was a story told in a very Victorian era sort of way. If you have read Kresley Cole or J.R. Ward, this series is nothing like them. I think I'll past.

I absolutely loved this book! Kathryn Smith joins the ranks of Sherrilyn Kenyon, J. R. Ward and Christine Feehan. Her "Blood Brothers" series is awesome. There are six (6) brothers and I cannot wait to read each one of their stories. Chapel(Severian De Fonce) is a 600 year old totured Vampire and Prudence(Name does not fit her at all) is a beautiful young woman dying of cancer. Of course Chapel can save her but he absolutely refuses to. This does not sit well with her family. And, amazingly due to a heroic act by Chapel when he saved every one of them, they ACCEPT his vampirism. This book is exciting and full of loving emotions. I cannot wait until February, 2007 when the second installment comes out.

There are enough reviews to let you know the story line of this book. Let me tell you what else I enjoyed about this book.

This book reminded me about what first brought me to love the Vampire story. The vampire itself, and the inner battle of good vs evil. An immortal creature of the night. No fancy explanations as to why the vampire is this way or how come they have the powers that they do. They just do, and that is part of the mystery & the allure. I love the fact that even tho Chapel has a conflict as to who is responsible for him being a vampire, Satan or God. He knows that he wouldn't want to be human again.

The heroine, Pru because of the illness that is slowly draining her our short life away. Understands what a "gift" this is. And it is the person who makes this gift good or bad.
And what I really loved about her was she wasn't afraid to ask for it. No doubt No fear.



I can't wait to read more in this series.

I am a fan of vampire and paranormal romance. I picked this book up because I found the back cover blub interesting. This is my first Kathryn Smith novel. I liked the prologue and the premise of the retooling of the grail legend. As a fan of paranormal, I can suspend reality for the sake of fiction.
What I didn't like. Let me preface by saying that I am a nurse, former oncology nurse for 3 years. I found the story line of sex with advanced uterine? cervical? cancer distasteful. I could not get past the unpleasant images in my mind of oral sex. It was not sexy or romantic, it was icky. How I wish the author had chosen another form of terminal illness. Even brain or bone cancer. This is not to make less of female cancer, it was just my awareness of the physical reality of the symptoms.
I found myself skimming the rest of the book. I thought the hero was intriging. And the secondary characters interesting.
I apologise for offending anyone with the bluntness of my imagery. I may try another of this authors books, because her writing and characters were good. Maybe other novels are more "palatable".

I rarely read vampire stories, but I'd previously read several of Kathryn Smith's Regency set books and enjoyed them all, so I took a chance on BE MINE TONIGHT. I am so glad I did. I was instantly swept into the story.
The characters are wonderful, people who will stick in your heart and your mind for a very long time. Prudence Ryland, a young woman doomed by cancer, is fighting her death sentence with every means she can find, including conducting an archaeological dig for the Holy Grail, which she believes might save her. Chapel, a vampire who has spent the past six hundred years attempting to atone for the evil things he has done, is sent by the church to monitor Prudence's dig. He is to prevent anyone drinking from the Blood Grail which is actually buried there, a cup that is far from holy, the cup that turned Chapel into the monstrosity he believes he is.
How Kathryn Smith manages to bring Prudence and Chapel together is a touching love story, one filled with suspense and pain and joy. And incidentally, a three hanky read.

I was rather apprehensive about branching out into other aspects of the romance genre (being a primary Regency romance reader), but after reading much of Kathryn Smith's work, I decided to give this vampire novel a go. After having read it in one sitting, I'd have to really commend Smith's writing abilities, because I have never, EVER cried so much while reading a book. Many a time I found myself pausing just so the tears would go away and I can see the fine print again.

I liked the uniqueness of both the hero and heroine. Never have I crossed a pair where they were so completely genuine. Pru, despite the debilitating cancer growing inside her, manages to give Chapel the solace that he needed after so many years of hiding himself away from the world. And Chapel, although he could have been that alpha-male hero of so many other romance novels, goes the opposite direction. Don't get me wrong, he exudes strength and sensuality but his rather obvious vulnerability is what sets him apart. He gives his all to make Pru happy, and it was nice to see that he found a place where he really belonged. The story was rather fast-paced and it didn't irritate us with the drawn-out problems that might have ensued; the central story here is the romance.

I don't know what it is but Kathryn Smith has this innate ability to write where the emotions really do hit you, as though you were there experiencing it all. I can't say much for other vampire novels but if they were all like this one I would definitely go out and buy them all. Yet another great book by Ms. Smith, and I can't wait til Bishop's book in February.

Okay I just finished this book and let me tell you, BORING!!! I've read almost every vampire book out there from Armstong to Ward. If I like/love the book i can zip thru it but this book took me FOREVER to finish. In the 1300's Chapel and his soldiers, the Knights Templar, embarked on a quest to go after the Holy Grail only to find the Blood Grail instead. Our hero, Chapel gets poisoned and drinks from the Grail thinking it's the Holy Grail. The other soldiers follow in suit after witnessing Chapels "miracle" healing, hence they all turn into Vampires. 600 hundred years later Chapel and Prudence paths cross. The Heroin, Prudence is stong and vivacious and opinionated, definetly not a lady of her time, but is ill. Being diagnosed with Cancer she now starts looking for the Holy Grail for a chance to live. The Catholic church sends two representatives to investigate the findings, Moyneux and Chapel,and make sure no one finds the Grail. Sounded interesting didn't it? Peeked my curiosity until I actually read the book.

I skimmed thru the pages. No tension, no build up, no hook to keep a reader interested. And the bad guys, "what bad guys" presence lasted only a few pages. The plot was.... ridiculous. Chapel went on and on and on about his self pity thru out the whole entire book. Seriously the WHOLE entire book. While Pru delt with her Illness. She was dying and it was mentioned over and over and over again also!! I mean come on, after 300 hundred pages of explaining Chapel's disguist with his vampire self, then came the same outline with Pru's illness I was going come on!! Get with the story. This whole entire book can not be about just those two issues?

I can not recommend any body to try this book and be happy with myself. Not even out of curiosity. The whole theme of this book was self pity and illness. Which got overly cooked. I'm not making light of cancer so please don't misunderstand what i'm saying. I'm just stating the fact that I as a reader didn't needed to be told in every chapter that Pru was dying. I mean i gathered that much information, and then some, from the first 150 pages. If you stripped the book of those two things.... what else did the book have to offer?? NOTHING!! I totally wasted my time reading this book and will not continue. Not only but the ending.... My gosh, who in there right mind would continue with this series based on that ending? It was weak and just thrown out there.