Night Reigns
Dianne Duvall


ISBN-10:
1420118625
ISBN-13: 978-1420118629
Publisher: Kensington
Line: Zebra
Release Date: Dec 6, 2011
Pages: 320
Retail Price: 6.99




Genre:
Paranormal
Heat Level: Hot
Rating:

Ami isn't much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she's no coward, and she's no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn't hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he's not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can't deny that she's strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she's also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can't bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets -- how can she defeat death itself?

Review

Night Reigns is Dianne Duvall’s second installment in her Immortal Guardians series.  The leads were a teaser couple in book one and I can honestly say this book more than lived up to the tease!  The Immortal Guardian world is fascinating with its different take on the vampire mythos and the romance is steamy and emotional.  Readers who enjoyed book one will be giddy with this next installment and new readers will fall in love with Night Reigns and go back to read book one.

Marcus is an Immortal Guardian, a human with unique DNA who was infected with a virus which makes him immortal.  Humans who don’t have this special DNA but are infected with the same virus turn blood-lust mad in a few years and threaten all of humanity.  Marcus is a soldier in the war to protect humans from these vampires and has been for nearly eight hundred years.  The leader of the Immortal Guardians, Seth, rescued a young woman, Ami, from a torture chamber but her origins are a mystery.  What they all know is Marcus needs a “second” to help him in his fights and Ami volunteers.  Ami and Marcus have a powerful emotional and physical connection but will Ami’s past and the endless vampire war prevent them from a relationship?

Readers will have fallen in love with Marcus in book one, Darkness Dawns.  He had an unrequited love for a woman for nearly all of his eight hundred years.  Marcus is lonely and lost but so full of love to give that readers will have rooted for him since his introduction.  It is a joy to see Marcus get his well-deserved HEA.  But do not make the mistake of thinking he’s only heart; he’s got brawn and brains to match his huge heart.  Marcus, though a warrior affecting an I-don’t-need-anyone attitude really is hiding his vulnerability and need for a partner.  Marcus initially resists having Ami as his second but they work so well together and she melts his heart to the point he can’t live without her.

Ami too plucks readers heartstrings.  She was badly tortured in book one and is just coming into her own strength and self-worth in Night Reigns.  Her humor and warmth permeate both Marcus and his household and is simply irresistible.  I adore the scene where Ami is roller-skating in the house to Marcus’ old records and it wakes him up.  While Ami seems emotionally fragile, she kicks serious butt and is a true partner to Marcus in the vampire war.  I can’t spoil the mystery of who Ami is but I can promise it won’t disappoint you.

Duvall does the best thing a romance writer can do: she shows us how these two remarkable people become a couple, complete with their fears, vulnerabilities, strengths and dreams.  Marcus and Ami have a relationship built on mutual trust and respect.  Their sexually intimacy matches their emotional connection and combined together make Marcus and Ami one of my favorite romance couples of ‘11. 

The Immortal Guardian world is a great world but it never over shadows the romance.  There is no information dump sometimes common in paranormal romances.  I know some readers will be turned off by the natural food and vegetarian lifestyle the book includes but I love that—us organic veg-heads deserve hot men!

Additionally, the secondary characters are wonderful.  The Immortal Guardian leader, Seth, and the next oldest Immortal, David, are surrogate fathers to Ami and add some wonderful levity to the story.  The couple from book one, Sarah and Roland, make an appearance here so it’s nice to catch up with them and their wonderful romance.  There are plenty of both male and female Immortal Guardians for this series to continue for a long time and that makes me very happy.

In my opinion, it’s difficult for a writer to follow up on a great debut but I can honestly say Duvall has done that in Night Reigns.  Anyone looking for a new favorite author will be excited to read this book and the first Immortal Guardian book.  

Reviewed by Janine


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