This is my least favorite of the series, and I LOVE the series. I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between the two, or couldn’t relate or understand the main characters well. They were just bleh. Don’t get me wrong the lusty scenes were still

A slower paced story of a ghost and a vampire. Both beings dealing with loss and pain (and murder) in their lives. Really engaging characters and writing style.

3.5

Keeping with the same pattern of earlier books in the 'Immortals After Dark' series, this fifth book in the series tells the story of another "unblooded" male that meets his mate. This time around, the female is a ghost, Naomi, and the male vampire is Conrad, brother to earlier heroes in the series.

Conrad, a bloodmad and vicious vampire, is captured by his three brothers and trapped in an old mansion to help recover his sanity. Néomi, a 1920's Prima Ballerina (and former Burlesque dancer) currently haunts said mansion as this was where she was violently murdered. Of course, the sexually confident, lively and brazen ghost is the perfect partner for virginal, uptight and angry Conrad. Their seduction and romance is, for most of this novel, based on their attraction to each other and telling each other every little thing they would do if only they could touch.

At the beginning of the story, Conrad’s insanity is represented by short, staccato sentences in simple present tense. This fragmented style perfectly pictures how unstable he is. At first, he is unable to make a distinction between reality and unreality. He doesn’t know whether Néomi is a delusion, a fractured memory, a hallucination, or a ghost.

Néomi is incorporeal, so Conrad is forced to behave reasonably and collected if he wants to keep her by his side. It helps him to defeat his insanity. He feels clearer, more focused in her presence. Conrad is intense, morose, feral, but also has a romantic, gentle side. The fact that Neomi doesn't have an actual body for a large part of this story put a different spin on things. At times, I was wondering how in the world Ms. Cole would manage to pull off a love story when one of the main characters was little more than air. It certainly made the thought of "blooding" mind-boggling. However, all my concerns were for nothing. These two characters came together beautifully. Like the earlier couples in this series, their chemistry was off the charts!


If you love a strong, high-handed, alpha-male hero and an equally tough and sassy heroine, this series doesn't disappoint! I'm hooked on this series. It's on to the next one for me. The sexual tension is incredible in this novel, since they are incapable of touching each other in the larger part of the story. They get to know each other by talking, teasing, and debating. Waiting and hope give an extra sensation to the story.

Another 3.5 Stars.

The Wroth brothers have finally found Conrad and to save him they must imprison him and wean him off drinking directly from the veins of his victims, much like a drug addict. He is mad in more ways than one but it seems that perhaps his salvation lies in the ghost of a ballerina who can only be seen by him.

Néomi didn’t necessarily seek an acknowledgment of her presence. She could float a sheet spray-painted with “Bonjour! from le spectre!” if she wanted bad attention, or a possible exorcism. No, she wanted to be seen. She yearned to converse.

Néomi a burlesque turned ballet dancer murdered 80 years before has been stuck all alone for the most part. But when she finds that Conrad can sense her whole bunch of new opportunities arise for her. He gives her the will to try and find a way to be more than the ghost she has become.

This was a very interesting shift in the relationship dynamic from the prior books. One character is almost crazy and the other is incorporeal most of the time. This gives a whole new meaning to the idea of forbidden love. Conrad doesn’t start out very likable, he is bent on revenge against his brothers and goes around killing other immortals for vengeance. But as Néomi spends time with him he is able to pull farther out of the memories that haunt him and focus more on the present.

When one is insane, it’s best to simplify things.

Again I freaking love Nix and the role she is playing putting all these couples together. If we ever get a Nix book I think I’ll die of happiness. She is always moving the players into position and is hilarious while doing it.

, “I suppose that now you’ll want to sleep with me.” Over Rydstrom’s sputtering, she added, “Alas, big guy—I am taken.” “No, you’re not,” Regin said. “Am too,” Nïx said. “Mike Rowe, the star of Dirty Jobs, is soon to realize I’m his beloved.” She sighed dreamily. “He even got his lawyers to contact me on the pretext of a”—she made air quotes— “‘restraining order.’”

The chapters that involve Nix are always the funniest and as she taunts Cadeon and Rydstrom with a seeing I laughed out loud so many times.

Other things of note this book – Who exactly is Murdock’s bride and why does she not want his to tell anyone? Is Regin’s Berserker the Columbian Drug lord? And how does one procure an invite to Girls Night Out? Because I totally want to go.

Mariketa was awesome with her witchy ways. She is a force to be reckoned with and it will be interesting to see what happens with her power because it seems immense. Seeing Bowen and Mariketa together bantering and playing with one another is another favorite moment from this installment.

The resolution was incredibly interesting and I didn’t see it going that way. I found it original and well thought out. I really am getting excited for this accession and the chaos that will come with that later on. Which all of these couples aligning and the houses combining it seems like it will be a fantastic battle.

Rating: 4/5

Whew. Good stuff. I am a sucker for both

Spoiler

ghost heroines and virgin heroes