"Excellent, well-written Carpathian story."
In this the most recent of Feehan's "Dark" series about the
Carpathian bloodline, the story not only is well-written,
but also touches on one of the major sticking points of her
plots: The fact that the women in her series very often
cannot physically or mentally resist the Carpathian males,
whether they will it or not. In DARK SECRET, Colby Jansen attempts to keep her brother
and sister from the grasp of the Chavez family who've come
to take them away. She's been taking care of the ranch
since her stepfather first became ill, but now a rash of
mysterious "accidents" made that act much more difficult.
The Chavez family also has the backing of the wealthy and
dangerous De La Cruz brothers. One of these brothers,
Rafeal De La Cruz, was on the edge of turning into a rogue
vampire until he saw Colby. Once he met her, he could feel
emotions and see colors again. Now, he's eager to woo her
and convince her that she is his lifemate, a fact of which
he's already assured. Instead of wooing her, Rafael has to
learn that just because his nearness incites within Colby a
great passion, just because he can win her body, does not
mean he's won her mind or her heart. DARK SECRET does an excellent job of actually elaborating
on those points. So often in this series, as in other
romance novels, the heroine falls in love with the man with
whom she has just been sparring, so the sparring seems
merely another part of foreplay. In this book, Colby states
clearly just how different the two can be and how harmful
it can be to forget that fact. As in the whole series, DARK
SECRET is excellently written, with vivid characters and
quick exposition that makes reading the other books a joy,
but not a necessity.
Reviewed by Vicky Gilpin
Posted January 14, 2005
SummaryRafael De La Cruz has spent centuries hunting vampires with
his brothers, and with each passing year his capacity to
feel emotions has grown weaker and weaker until finally
there's barely been a memory left-until only sheer willpower
keeps him from turning into the very abomination he hunts.
But it'll take more than will to keep him away from the
woman who is meant to be his and his alone...
For five years, rancher Colby Jansen has been the sole
protector of her younger half-siblings, and with fierce
determination and work she has kept her family together and
the ranch operational. Now, the De La Cruz brothers are
threatening that stability. They claim that her siblings
belong with their father's family, not with her. Colby vows
to fight them—especially the cold and arrogant Rafael
De La Cruz. But Rafael is after more than her family—he
wants Colby and will not let anything stand between them.
After ages of loneliness, the raw desire to possess her
overwhelms his very soul, driving him to claim her as his
lifemate....
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