Wicked All Night

February 15, 2021
Ancient enemies jeopardize a deepening romance between two vampires in the third book of Frost's paranormal romance Night Rebel series. Picking up right where Wicked Bite (2020) left off, vampire and rogue Law Guardian Veritas is desperate to save her gravely wounded lover, Ian, following their climactic battle with a demon named Dagon, whose wickedness has plagued them for centuries. But the end of an old foe comes with even greater enemies. Veritas has defied the ruling vampire council, and her show of power in the netherworld has ripped a hole between the planes, allowing passage of terrifying creatures into the mortal world. It's a high stakes race against time to save the world, and Veritas also has to deal with her own family dysfunction, getting to know the half brother she's only just learned about. This book isn't for newcomers, as Veritas and Ian's relationship has been developed significantly in their previous two books, and characters from Frost's other series pop up for cheeky cameos, making the barrier for entry rather high. The trouble with paranormal romance and urban fantasy series that follow the same central couple is keeping things new and exciting. Sure, Veritas and Ian still have their sizzling banter, but the action feels lukewarm after the vanquishing of Dagon. With the introduction of Veritas' half-demon brother, Ashael, who overshadows everyone else on the page, Frost has the perfect setup for a spinoff that would leave Ian and Veritas to settle into their happily-ever-after on the sidelines. A fun and flirty series that has run its course.

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March 5, 2021

After defeating their greatest enemy, Veritas and Ian should be cozying up and celebrating their win. However, with Ian having sustained a curse from the fight, Veritas is instead desperate to heal her dying husband. After trying everything she can think of, Veritas strikes a bargain with the deity Phanes, her would-be fiance. In exchange for the removal of Ian's curse, Veritas must travel to Phanes's home and spend one night as his intended. To Veritas, this seems like a small sacrifice in exchange for Ian's health, but the bargain quickly reveals itself to be a series of illusions and betrayals by Phanes. His real goal is to use Veritas's ability to access the netherworld, in order to break out two gods imprisoned there and bring the world back under their control. To defeat the gods, Ian and Veritas call on friends old and new and work to arrange alliances among the least likely of players. VERDICT Frost's "Night Rebel" series continues to shine as the duo face new enemies and balance an explosive love with an intolerant society. While new readers can likely jump in with no issues, appearances by old friends are sure to drive readers to Frost's backlist.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

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