Title: Dark Wolf
Series: Dark, Book 25
Author: Christine Feehan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: Review copy provided by publisher
Published: January 7, 2014 by Berkley
Skyler Daratrazanoff always recognized the miracle that was Dimitri Tirunul, a man beyond any dream that had ever engaged her nights. But she was human. Vulnerable. He was Carpathian. Nearly immortal. She was nineteen. He was an ancient. Yet she held half his soul, the light to his darkness. Without her, he would not survive. Caught between the two warring species, Dimitri has spent centuries hunting the undead to keep his people free, and humans safe. He had survived honorably when others had chosen to give up their souls. But now, marked for extermination by the Lycans, Dimitri found himself alone, and fearing for his life. But salvation was coming…
No Lycan would ever suspect someone like Skyler to dare mount a secret rescue operation. A teenage girl. A human of untested abilities. But she had something no one else had. She was predestined for Dimitri—as he was for her. And there was nothing stronger for Skyler than her desire to see her life-dream come true. Whatever the risk.
Reviewed By: J9
In a Nutshell: I had to read Skyler and Dimitri’s story and it was fine but this book is very repetitive action plot from the previous 24 books and the romance was adequate but not spectacular. After 25 books I’m breaking up with this series, and I hope to mean it.
The Set Up: Skyler was rescued by Carpathians as an abused child and she’s always known she’s Dimitri’s mate. Dimitri has refused to claim a too young Skyler but now that she’s nineteen, Skyler will wait no more. When Dimitri is captured and tortured by Lycans out to destroy Carpathians, Skyler mounts a rescue and will prove to Dimitri that she’s ready to be life mates with him.
Why I Read this Book: Like most series’ readers, I’ve eagerly awaited Skyler and Dimitri’s book.
What I Liked: Dimitri and Skyler already know and love each other which is a different romantic set up from the previous 24 books in this series and I liked that. Skyler didn’t spend most of the book fighting her “mate” status only to be seduced into it by biology; instead the romantic tension is if Skyler’s past childhood abuse will allow her to have a sexual relationship with Dimitri. This isn’t an erotic romance but it did deal with Skyler’s reactions to sex in a believable, though brief, way. I liked Dimitri’s acceptance of Skyler’s sexuality and how it would realistically affect them. This romance had a tenderness and almost joy that a lot of the other romances didn’t have, in my opinion.
What I Also Liked: Unlike a lot of the previous books, this one has some humor to it. Skyler’s best friends, Josef, a young Carpathian, and Paul, a psychic human, rescue Dimitri with Skyler. Paul and Josef gently pick on each other and Skyler, like siblings and this added a little humor to the action plot that was desperately needed.
As a series fan I also liked the revisit to previous couples in the series. Skyler’s adopted parents, Gabriel and Francesca, as well as her real father and his mate play important roles and I liked seeing them. The other Carpathians are here too, including Fen, Dimitri’s older brother, and I enjoy this community.
The plot of the Lycan civil war with some wanting war with the Carpathians has been building for a few books and this is the backbone of the action plot. There are plenty of fight scenes with blood and near death escapes for Skyler, Dimitri and their fellow Carpathians. Zev, the mysterious Lycan ambassador to the Carpathians, plays a huge role here and I’m a fan of this snarky Alpha wolf.
What I Didn’t Like: I just can’t take the repetitiveness of this series any more (maybe). The chants, the same descriptions of both fighting and sex scenes, as well as the over use of the made-up Carpathian language have all combined to wear me down after 25 books. It feels like one long book instead of world building that evolves. I know series fans are going to hate me but I just didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to. The romance was fine but was better in Fen’s book (book 24) than in this one because the intensity was better there.
IMO: I’m glad I read Skyler and Dimitri’s story since I needed the resolution but I don’t know if I have another book in me, even if it is Zev’s book.
J9’s Rating:
J9’s reviews for other books in this series:
Dark Nights, Book 7 and 11
Dark Lycan, Book 24
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