Seize the Night

December 20, 2004
What do you get when you pair a vivacious female vampire hunter with a cool, punctilious immortal Dark-Hunter and pit them against a bunch of blood- and soul-sucking Daemons? This taut, rollicking romance from Kenyon (Kiss of the Night
, etc.), who's fast becoming a grand dame of the paranormal romance arena. Steely Dark-Hunter Valerius Magnus and gutsy, wisecracking Tabitha Deveraux are two of Kenyon's most appealing creations. Brought together by a humorous twist of fate—Tabitha stabs Valerius, mistaking him for a Daemon—they light up every scene in which they're together. Unfortunately, their romance seems doomed. The husband of Tabitha's twin has a 2,000-year-old grudge against Valerius, many of Tabitha's friends hate him for atrocities he supposedly committed many years ago and a group of unusually powerful Daemons are intent on annihilating Tabitha, her sisters and anyone who stands in their way. Tabitha and Valerius are aided by Kenyon's familiar crew of Dark-Hunters and Dark-Hunter friends, including their enigmatic ringleader, Acheron, who is explored in more depth here than in the author's earlier novels. Though Kenyon doesn't skirt melodrama entirely with this tale—evidenced by the flashbacks to Valerius's unbelievably tortured past—she succeeds in offering a lively read containing her signature blend of brisk action, sensual thrills and light humor.

Starred review from January 1, 2005
Valerius has been an outsider all of his life. As a human he was scorned as weak by his father. As a Dark-Hunter he's hated by his own kind for the perceived sins of his mortal past. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up in the life of vampire hunter Tabitha Devereaux, who, in addition to being human, is the sister-in-law of his sworn enemy. But something in her warm smile, her openhearted love of life, makes him wonder if it truly is never too late for second chances. A lot happens in Kenyon's latest Dark-Hunter novel, stressing again how important it is to read this series in order. Kenyon delivers the goods readers have come to expect, and more. This novel isn't just the tale of a Hunter du jour, but rather a true building of consequences, secrets, and life-altering events, something few romance series achieve. Warn your patrons to set aside an evening before they pick the book up; they won't be able to put it down.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)