13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling conclusion to this exciting series!, May 1, 2009
This review is from: Night After Night (Brotherhood of the Blood, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
Night After Night marks the thrilling conclusion to Kathryn Smith's Brotherhood of the Blood series. The books of the series take place simultaneously in 1899 and centers around five Templar Knights who mistakenly drank from the unholy Blood Grail six hundred years before and became vampires. They were eventually given new names - each a religious moniker: Chapel, Bishop, Saint, Reign and Temple.
In the first book of the series, Be Mine Tonight, we learned that Temple was the protector of the Blood Grail. As its guardian, his task was to allow no one to accidentally drink from it again and have to experience the torment and burden of living the cursed life of a vampire. Toward the end of the book, he is captured by an evil society, the Order of the Silver Palm. Since there are five books in the series, it has been a long time coming finding out exactly what happened to Temple.
When Night After Night begins, Temple is being held prisoner. His captors keep him drugged, chained and are attempting to use him as bait to draw his friends out of hiding. Little do they know that the drugs they continue to administer to him are beginning to wear off and now having minimal effect. In his now lucid state, he is able to "meet" one of the people holding him captive - a tall, beautiful, redhead whom he instantly feels a strange connection with.
Vivian has spent her entire life thinking herself a freak. At six feet, she is taller than most women, plus she is also exceptionally stronger than most men. And it was that unusual stature and strength that prompted her father to sell her to a traveling oddity show when she was fourteen. While caged up, she was noticed and rescued by a man named Rupert Villiers. In Vivian's mind, Rupert saved her life and she owes him everything. No longer was she kept in cages, looked at weirdly and laughed at. With him, she had a home and was treated like a real daughter. She trusts him explicitly, but when Temple escapes and Rupert sends Vivian after him without divulging any pertinent information, she begins to doubt Rupert's loyalty. And after spending time with Temple, she is soon torn between her allegiance to Rupert and her increasing affection for Temple.
Both Temple and Vivian are compelling characters with haunted pasts. They've both been hurt by people who were supposed to love them and each has a valid reason for being alone. However, their immediate attraction and the acts that follow cause them both to reconsider their solitude. With Temple, Vivian feels desirable and like a woman for the first time in her life. With Vivian, Temple finds the love and passion he has constantly craved yet always denied himself.
Ms. Smith had her work cut out for her with this book. Not only did she need to provide a romance for Temple and Vivian, she also had to tie up the loose ends left at the end of each of the previous four books. She did a great job of balancing both. Temple and Vivian's relationship was firmly established and growing (with lots of hot love scenes!) before the previous couples made their appearances and the final culmination began. At no time did I feel like there was too much going on and I believe that anyone who hasn't read the prior books could pick this one up and fit right in. As someone who has read the other books in the series, it was wonderful to see and catch up with old friends again. I absolutely adored the epilogue and thought it was so fitting and perfect! I'm really sad to see this series end, but am grateful to Ms. Smith for introducing me to a whole new world of romance and for convincing me that vampires really are sexy!
Andrea
Romance Novel TV
4.25 stars
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2.0 out of 5 stars
Plot with Potential Ruined by Boring Characters, April 28, 2011
This review is from: Night After Night (Brotherhood of the Blood, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
Of the 5 books in this series, book one is the best one. The plot is interesting and has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it never really takes root and flourishes. Each book is less and less interesting. Borders was having a 75% off store closing sale which is the only reason I purchased the series. Otherwise, it is definitely not worth purchasing. I doubt I will read these books again. Jeanine Frost, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nalini Singh and J.R Ward are some of the authors I prefer to read. If their earlier works are a 10, then Smith is a 2.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
OMGOODNESS!!!!!!!, January 25, 2011
This review is from: Night After Night (Brotherhood of the Blood, Book 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
OMGOODNESS!! I love love loved the way this series ended! It was awesome. Temple's story did not disappoint in the end or the middle. I must say though, from the beginning til about page 85 I was a bit worried. I felt that he and Vivian became involved physically, too quickly because there was really nothing there for me, that explained their "undeniable" pull to each other, other than the fact that you are being told that it's there by the author. But I kept reading because I was more interested in how the whole mystery of the Silver Palm was going to be solved, and what or who Vivian really was. I had my suspicions, but I was completely off the mark but glad. Because I was surprised. And I was equally happy and surprised that Temple and Vivian's emotional pull was eventually just as great as the their physical one. And this did not come too late in the story so I was very pleased about that.
It all came together well, and everyone got their HEA's. Chapel, Bishop, Saint, Reign, as well as Temple and their Loves. Oh and Marcus Grey (Dreux's descendant) got his as well. So I was really happy about that one. Just read it! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ENTIRE SERIES TO READ!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
