the setup…
Darius was one of the original members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, the best fighter and the closest to Wrath, the King of the vampires. He was introduced in the first book of the series but was murdered at the onset after having disclosed to Wrath that he had a daughter Beth, a halfbreed (non-vampire mother), asking him to look out for her as she neared possible transition. For many reasons, Darius’ presence has been in the background of most of the stories that followed, generating lots of intrigue and mystery. Now the setting is over 25 years earlier when Darius first meets the only woman he ever loved…Beth’s mother.
the heart of the story…
This is the story die-hard fans like me always wanted but, after 20 books, never thought we’d ever get! I savored every moment of it, finally getting to know the Brother who the others spoke of with reverence and respect, as well as being the sire of the current Queen of the Vampires. It was a tender love story that was both heartbreaking and lovely. As much as I enjoyed the romantic angle, I was equally taken with that ending as it finally resolved all those questions we’ve had and put to rest all of the theories we developed over the years.
the narration…
Jim Frangione is not only the voice of the series but somehow makes the strange “Brother-isms” sound almost normal. I switch to audio many years ago because of him and he didn’t disappoint here.
the bottom line…
I enjoyed every minute of the story and loved being back in this world. The ending had an unanticipated high note, doing more than just tying up some loose ends and providing clarity. I knew I would like Darius’ story, just wasn’t prepared to love it!
Book Info
- Release Date: July 19, 2022
- Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #.5
- Narrator: Jim Frangione
- Audio Length: 6 hours, 57 minutes
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
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(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Blue Mood Café 
This book was a bit different than I expected from seeing the cover. I like the paranormal/fantasy angle. It sounds very compelling. Excellent review!
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Thanks, Tessa💜 I’m not a fan of this cover. It doesn’t come close to how he’s described in the books. Darius was massive!
This is my most favorite vampire series. There’s nothing like it…maybe Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series.
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Your love and reverence for this series is clearly visible from this review, Jonetta. Loved your review ❤️
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Thank you, Debjani💜 Yes, I can’t hide my affection for these characters.
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