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Dark #34
Dark Hope
Silke Vriese Reinders knows a war is coming. The demon slayer has seen it over and over again in the cards—and the battle won’t just be for the survival of her remote village, but for all mankind. Silke knows the only way to win will be with the help of the Carpathians. A fact that fills her with trepidation, as she is fated to be the lifemate to one of the ancient supernatural warriors—bound to a complete stranger and responsible for his soul.
One of the oldest, most dangerous Carpathians, Benedek Kovak is more beast than man. Locked away for centuries, the only thing that has stopped him from becoming one of the monsters he’s sworn to defeat is the thought of his lifemate. When Benedek senses the impending danger, he sets out to find her before it’s too late. But their enemy has laid a trap that pushes him closer to turning than ever before.
For so long Benedek has felt nothing. Now, some dark art is compelling him to indulge in cravings he thought long buried. He has no hope that anyone can restore what’s left of his tainted soul, but Silke is nothing like he imagined. Perhaps she’s strong enough to fight back the darkness. Perhaps together they can defeat an adversary hell bent on destroying them all....
One of the oldest, most dangerous Carpathians, Benedek Kovak is more beast than man. Locked away for centuries, the only thing that has stopped him from becoming one of the monsters he’s sworn to defeat is the thought of his lifemate. When Benedek senses the impending danger, he sets out to find her before it’s too late. But their enemy has laid a trap that pushes him closer to turning than ever before.
For so long Benedek has felt nothing. Now, some dark art is compelling him to indulge in cravings he thought long buried. He has no hope that anyone can restore what’s left of his tainted soul, but Silke is nothing like he imagined. Perhaps she’s strong enough to fight back the darkness. Perhaps together they can defeat an adversary hell bent on destroying them all....
430 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2025
598 people are currently reading
851 people want to read
About the author
Christine Feehan
180 books52.6k followersChristine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
January 1, 2025
Once again, Christine Feehan brings danger, suspense, romance, and action to her latest book in the Dark paranormal romantic suspense series. A war with evil is coming and Silke Vriese Reinders has trained for this moment her entire life. She knows the only way to win is with the help of the Carpathians, and that she is fated to be the life-mate of an ancient supernatural Carpathian warrior.
Benedek Kovak, one of the oldest and most dangerous Carpathians, is on his way to Silke’s village of Nachtbloem in the Netherlands. With the impending danger, he and four other ancients have started their journey to find his life-mate and join her in battle. Can she fight back the darkness that is threatening to overpower him? Can they defeat the enemy and find their happily ever after?
Silke and Benedek are attracted to each other. Besides training her whole life to fight evil, Silke is a tarot card reader, a gardener, and a healer. She loves her life and her adoptive mother Fenja and her friend Tora, who is a Carpathian guarding a gate. She’s tenacious, considerate of others, intelligent, decisive, and values courage and duty. Benedek is unsure he can be saved from the darkness. He trusts few people and has a deep distrust of most. He’s patient, dangerous, matter-of-fact, and values loyalty and intellect above other traits. The secondary characters provided balance, opportunities for humor, support, and conflict. I hope some of them have their own story in future books in the series.
The novel is set in contemporary times and mainly in the Netherlands. The author does a great job of characterization, world-building and building atmosphere. Readers can easily feel themselves transported to the small village. The story has a few subplots that add to the high stakes and increase the risk.
The significant amount of danger and action, as well as the romance, kept me fully engaged and made this a true page turner for me. It’s a riveting story with protagonists that I liked and cheered on as they navigated their relationship and prepared for and fought evil. It contains the elements that I love in this genre of books. The book delivers on escapism through attraction, friendship, family, found family, romance, action, and love while also tackling serious issues including trust, respect, communication, betrayal, stressful situations, duty, loyalty, battling evil, and selfless sacrifice for others.
Overall, it was suspenseful, full of danger, and action-packed. The subplots tied together well, the main characters were strong and the ending was satisfactory, but also set up possibilities for future books. If you enjoy thrilling paranormal romantic suspense novels with strong male and female lead characters, then I recommend you check out this series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Christine Feehan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 07, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.48 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Benedek Kovak, one of the oldest and most dangerous Carpathians, is on his way to Silke’s village of Nachtbloem in the Netherlands. With the impending danger, he and four other ancients have started their journey to find his life-mate and join her in battle. Can she fight back the darkness that is threatening to overpower him? Can they defeat the enemy and find their happily ever after?
Silke and Benedek are attracted to each other. Besides training her whole life to fight evil, Silke is a tarot card reader, a gardener, and a healer. She loves her life and her adoptive mother Fenja and her friend Tora, who is a Carpathian guarding a gate. She’s tenacious, considerate of others, intelligent, decisive, and values courage and duty. Benedek is unsure he can be saved from the darkness. He trusts few people and has a deep distrust of most. He’s patient, dangerous, matter-of-fact, and values loyalty and intellect above other traits. The secondary characters provided balance, opportunities for humor, support, and conflict. I hope some of them have their own story in future books in the series.
The novel is set in contemporary times and mainly in the Netherlands. The author does a great job of characterization, world-building and building atmosphere. Readers can easily feel themselves transported to the small village. The story has a few subplots that add to the high stakes and increase the risk.
The significant amount of danger and action, as well as the romance, kept me fully engaged and made this a true page turner for me. It’s a riveting story with protagonists that I liked and cheered on as they navigated their relationship and prepared for and fought evil. It contains the elements that I love in this genre of books. The book delivers on escapism through attraction, friendship, family, found family, romance, action, and love while also tackling serious issues including trust, respect, communication, betrayal, stressful situations, duty, loyalty, battling evil, and selfless sacrifice for others.
Overall, it was suspenseful, full of danger, and action-packed. The subplots tied together well, the main characters were strong and the ending was satisfactory, but also set up possibilities for future books. If you enjoy thrilling paranormal romantic suspense novels with strong male and female lead characters, then I recommend you check out this series.
Berkley Publishing Group and Christine Feehan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 07, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.48 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
December 19, 2024
Normally, Christine Feehan books hit it out of the park for me no matter how repetitive the storyline seems. But with Dark Hope, I feel like it fell flat. I kept noticing how much Feehan kept repeating certain words and phrases and it became tiresome. Benedek was a different Carpathian than we’ve seen in previous books; he does not want the lifemate bond and is incredibly distrustful as a rule. It was nice to see that change and see him pursue Silke. The past few books have really focused on women with tarot decks passed down through generations, but I didn’t see Silke use her cards nearly as much as the previous women in this particular arc. I’m not sure if Feehan forgot about the cards or what happened. It just seemed out of sync with the current arc, especially when tarot cards are pictured at the beginning of the four different sections.
It does feel like these books keep getting shorter and shorter. Feehan has a large information section in the back of the books that takes up a lot of space. While reading the ebook version, the end of the story occurred at 85% because of her appendices. It makes it seem like there’s more to the story than there is, which makes the endings feel abrupt. We had so much buildup for the huge battle with Lillith’s demons and it took less than a chapter to defeat them - and a short chapter at that. It feels like so much action and storyline happened in the last two or three chapters. It moved too fast.
I feel like there was so much action in this book and no time for Benedek and Silke to spend together. They spend almost no time together, and I get it they’re soulmates. But I would still like to see more connections between lifemates. I’d love to see another couple like Dimitri and Skyler - they know they are lifemates but she has to grow up and get older. But they still spend a lot of time getting to know each other. Also .
Overall, 3 stars. Not my favorite Carpathian story, but I do feel like we moved the general plot forward. Hopefully the next one will feel like more of a return to the original stories.
It does feel like these books keep getting shorter and shorter. Feehan has a large information section in the back of the books that takes up a lot of space. While reading the ebook version, the end of the story occurred at 85% because of her appendices. It makes it seem like there’s more to the story than there is, which makes the endings feel abrupt. We had so much buildup for the huge battle with Lillith’s demons and it took less than a chapter to defeat them - and a short chapter at that. It feels like so much action and storyline happened in the last two or three chapters. It moved too fast.
I feel like there was so much action in this book and no time for Benedek and Silke to spend together. They spend almost no time together, and I get it they’re soulmates. But I would still like to see more connections between lifemates. I’d love to see another couple like Dimitri and Skyler - they know they are lifemates but she has to grow up and get older. But they still spend a lot of time getting to know each other. Also .
Overall, 3 stars. Not my favorite Carpathian story, but I do feel like we moved the general plot forward. Hopefully the next one will feel like more of a return to the original stories.
January 6, 2025
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review. I received this book from Berkley Publishing in exchange for a honest review. These opinions are my own.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨.75
First Impressions
Dark Hope I had high expectations for and I went into it with certain hopes and I knew that Christine Feehan would deliver a solid story and there were many factors into this story that truly worked for me. I love the set up of the characters originally and how we see their paths cross. The battle scenes and the world building elements were TOP NOTCH as always. The way that Feehan goes so flawlessly into the details and really implements a story that becomes so atmospheric for the setting is so rich and vivid in every single paragraph. You know exactly what you will receive in the world building when its Christine Feehan at the helm. There were some lacking elements that I struggled with as a romance reader though but it was still a book that packed quite a punch.
First Line
In the distance, dark clouds gathered over the sea in an angry roiling boil.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Silke Vriese Reinders
The Heroine: Benedek Kovak
Summary
Silke has always know what her duty and role would be in life. She would be a healer, a protector and a demon slayer. She knows that there is a war coming to their quiet community and she won't be able to do it on her own. She also has always known that she has held the soul of a Carpathian warrior and is ready to give it back to him. Benedek is one of the oldest of Carpathians, but has also had to change in order to keep himself from giving completely to the darkness. He heads towards his lifemate, sensing her and knowing that he must get to her before its too late as there is a vicious enemy on the horizon that their people haven't quite seen yet. From the moment Benedek meets Silke he is determined to be the lifemate that she deserves and destroy the evil that would destroy them both if given a chance...
What I Loved
There were so many aspects to the story that I truly loved. Lets first start with the characters. I loved their personalities and they surprisingly resonated with me. Benedek is one of the best tortured heroes. We see what happened to him when he was such a young child and young man. We see how he survived the unsurviveable and had the determination to carry on and how he rejected evil actions of those that raised him. And has survived for centuries longer than many through just a strength of will. Then we have our heroine, Silke, who has always embraced her duty and never rejected it. She has always known her role as much as what was conveyed to her, and tried to be a woman of honor and loyalty and strength.
Then we have the plot and world building elements to the story. Now this is where Christine Feehan reigns supreme in what she writes. She is so able to flawlessly portray a world that is so in detail and really makes the setting come alive for the reader. I know its not for everyone, but I love that I can almost sense the world that she creates and its done in such a way that its almost as if I can feel and hear and see exactly what is being portrayed. Its why she is a MASTER in storytelling and this book really conveys how well she can capture those little details and have you as the reader just living in the moment. And its so majestic but resonating at the same time. I loved the battle scenes, they were so intense and there are DRAGONS and I loved the dragons so so much. We also get so much more on the beast, and I loved the companions to Benedek. They were so entertaining in so many ways but love how well they work together in these battle scenes.
Then we have the small moments of connection between Silke and Benedek...the scenes that we do get were so intimate and genuine in every way and loved how they embrace what they have found in each other. These were honestly my favorite aspects of the story. I loved these quiet moments between these two and they just left me swooning in the scenes that are written.
What I Struggled With
I just want to be really honest so you know what you are getting with this book and I really think the author is changing what she is delivering at least in this series and it really makes me sad. Because what we didn't really get was the focus of the relationship and the romance in this book and its probably why I have struggled with her books since Dark Song. Is the lack of the romance focus in the stories of late. I am not sure if this was the author's decision or something maybe the publisher has been pressuring her into. But it was very prevalent in this book. I think this is the first time I have seen hardly any romance from this author. I just wish it had 100 more pages to focus more on the relationship, I really think this book would have been more resonating if it had more relationship building in it. The relationship felt so rushed in so many ways and there wasn't very many moments that this couple had together. The focus was the battle scenes and while I love what Feehan delivers on that front, on the romance front it was lacking. It felt too quick from them claiming each other as lifemates to loving each other when we didn't see much focus on their relationship. So I felt like there was such a big piece of the story missing. It makes my heart sad if this is the direction Feehan is going towards though, because what has made me fall in love with her writing is how she develops her romances, they are so top notch and it will really break my heart if we don't get that in the future anymore.
Overall View
Dark Hope is a tantalizing tale that digs deep into the evils of the world and crafts a vibrant and edge of your seat thrilling paranormal tale of joining forces, stimulating romantic moments and captures the zest of beauty in life and beyond.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Paranormal Romance
Character Types: Immortals/Vampires, Kick Ass Heroine, Healer Heroine, Tortured Hero, Alpha Male
Themes: Small Town Setting, World Building A Focus
Tropes: Fated Love, Arranged Marriage
Book Perspective
3rd POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Nalini Singh
Patricia Briggs
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes I would recommend this series being read in order due to the serial plot lines.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
January 11, 2025
2.5 Stars.
I’ve read every single Carpathian book CF has published … every single book from every series actually (the standalones and the ones that have concluded). With the Dark series, there’ve been ups and downs across the various story arcs. The thing is I have been enjoying the slow build of this current Carpathian series story arc featuring the build up to the battle with Lilith and the female guardians of the gate protecting the world from Justice and unknown quantity. I’m even happy to see the stoic Benedek finding his lifemate in Silke. They’re both great, likeable and had such potential as a couple. The problem is that they have so little on page time. You’re about a quarter of the way into the book before they actually meet. Prior to that its battle scenes and repetitive scene-setting. We get it- Silke is a skilled demon slayer, she’s a skilled healer, she has an affinity for nature, she loves her mother Fenja and her Carpathian lifelong friend, Tora. We get it Benedek is ambivalent about having a lifemate and has trust issues (which we never really see beyond being told ad nauseum). We don’t need to hear it over and over for a quarter of the book and the only have the main couple together for such a short time.
Benedek and Silke spend so much of the book apart that it feels like a let down. And because relationship building is where Christine Feehan shines, this kind of fell flat. It shone whenever Benedek and Silke were together- I loved them together, how they sort of talked through and counseled themselves on what their relationship would look like- even their courage. But there’s so little of that. There might be maybe 7 or 8 scenes in this book total where they are together. I might be committed to this series but I’m ultimately here for the couples and relationships and not the battles or the esoteric bits.
Ultimately, while this wasn’t bad, it just was skewed more towards fantasy battles and creatures than it was towards human connection and even the epilogue was unsatisfying, leaning too much into the overuse of vague foreshadowing and not really making it feel like an imperative to read the next book- even though I plan to. All in all, it was just okay, a little blah and would have been improved by more Benedek and Silke.
I’ve read every single Carpathian book CF has published … every single book from every series actually (the standalones and the ones that have concluded). With the Dark series, there’ve been ups and downs across the various story arcs. The thing is I have been enjoying the slow build of this current Carpathian series story arc featuring the build up to the battle with Lilith and the female guardians of the gate protecting the world from Justice and unknown quantity. I’m even happy to see the stoic Benedek finding his lifemate in Silke. They’re both great, likeable and had such potential as a couple. The problem is that they have so little on page time. You’re about a quarter of the way into the book before they actually meet. Prior to that its battle scenes and repetitive scene-setting. We get it- Silke is a skilled demon slayer, she’s a skilled healer, she has an affinity for nature, she loves her mother Fenja and her Carpathian lifelong friend, Tora. We get it Benedek is ambivalent about having a lifemate and has trust issues (which we never really see beyond being told ad nauseum). We don’t need to hear it over and over for a quarter of the book and the only have the main couple together for such a short time.
Benedek and Silke spend so much of the book apart that it feels like a let down. And because relationship building is where Christine Feehan shines, this kind of fell flat. It shone whenever Benedek and Silke were together- I loved them together, how they sort of talked through and counseled themselves on what their relationship would look like- even their courage. But there’s so little of that. There might be maybe 7 or 8 scenes in this book total where they are together. I might be committed to this series but I’m ultimately here for the couples and relationships and not the battles or the esoteric bits.
Ultimately, while this wasn’t bad, it just was skewed more towards fantasy battles and creatures than it was towards human connection and even the epilogue was unsatisfying, leaning too much into the overuse of vague foreshadowing and not really making it feel like an imperative to read the next book- even though I plan to. All in all, it was just okay, a little blah and would have been improved by more Benedek and Silke.
October 30, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is another solid addition to the series, the overall storyline running through the last few books has been really engaging and it’s keeping me very invested in the series. This book had a unique take with Benedek being unusually reluctant to form the lifemate bond. In the series it has typically been the heroine who doesn’t want to bond or is unsure and while Silke definitely had doubts, she was much more open to bonding than Benedek. I thought that was a refreshing change and enjoyed watching Benedek work through his past and realize his true feelings for Silke. And I loved what a strong woman Silke was, she knew how to handle anything thrown at her and took the time to think things through before reacting. I did feel like the middle of this book, maybe 50%-60% in, got a little bit slow and then the big battle at the end was very quickly wrapped up. I’m looking forward to the next book especially with how this one ended, seems like we might get to see some characters from past books which I’m really excited about. And I can’t end this review without once again saying, please give Justice a book, don’t just make him some big evil to fight, pretty please.
ARC provided by NetGalley/Berkley Publishing for an honest review.
This is another solid addition to the series, the overall storyline running through the last few books has been really engaging and it’s keeping me very invested in the series. This book had a unique take with Benedek being unusually reluctant to form the lifemate bond. In the series it has typically been the heroine who doesn’t want to bond or is unsure and while Silke definitely had doubts, she was much more open to bonding than Benedek. I thought that was a refreshing change and enjoyed watching Benedek work through his past and realize his true feelings for Silke. And I loved what a strong woman Silke was, she knew how to handle anything thrown at her and took the time to think things through before reacting. I did feel like the middle of this book, maybe 50%-60% in, got a little bit slow and then the big battle at the end was very quickly wrapped up. I’m looking forward to the next book especially with how this one ended, seems like we might get to see some characters from past books which I’m really excited about. And I can’t end this review without once again saying, please give Justice a book, don’t just make him some big evil to fight, pretty please.
ARC provided by NetGalley/Berkley Publishing for an honest review.
January 17, 2025
Silke is a demon slayer tasked with protecting her village, something she’s very skilled at, but it’s been predicted that a greater danger is coming. Fortunately, Silke knows that several Carpathian warriors are coming as well, one likely her lifemate. A man she hasn’t met, but one she’s bonded to.
Benedek is one of the ancient Carpathian warriors who would be on the path of turning vampire and evil if it weren’t for his lifemate. Once he bonds with her his soul will be complete and he’ll be out of danger of turning, but he has a hard time trusting since a vicious betrayal years ago. He’s trying to get to Silke’s village quickly as he knows of the coming danger, but Lilith has her minions lay a dangerous trap that isn’t easily shaken off.
In Dark Hope Lilith has targeted Silke’s village and is intent on taking the demon slayer out but doesn’t know her identity so she sends in some of her agents undercover to find her and lay other traps. Dealing with these evil entities took some cunning on Silke’s part and it was entertaining to see how she handled it. I also really enjoyed all the epic battles, both Silke and Benedek were skilled and clever, but they were up against some dangerous foes!
The Dark series is a long-running one and I started reading late in the game, but I’ve enjoyed the stories even so. Each story has a separate romance and conflict that is resolved by the end. Fated/bonded mates, vampires, shapeshifters, and all sorts of other magical creatures are incorporated into the stories. Then there’s the evil underworld, ruled by Lilith, always trying to take over. To be honest, I have no idea why anyone serves Lilith as she’s always torturing her servants and turning against them.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of Berkley. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Benedek is one of the ancient Carpathian warriors who would be on the path of turning vampire and evil if it weren’t for his lifemate. Once he bonds with her his soul will be complete and he’ll be out of danger of turning, but he has a hard time trusting since a vicious betrayal years ago. He’s trying to get to Silke’s village quickly as he knows of the coming danger, but Lilith has her minions lay a dangerous trap that isn’t easily shaken off.
In Dark Hope Lilith has targeted Silke’s village and is intent on taking the demon slayer out but doesn’t know her identity so she sends in some of her agents undercover to find her and lay other traps. Dealing with these evil entities took some cunning on Silke’s part and it was entertaining to see how she handled it. I also really enjoyed all the epic battles, both Silke and Benedek were skilled and clever, but they were up against some dangerous foes!
The Dark series is a long-running one and I started reading late in the game, but I’ve enjoyed the stories even so. Each story has a separate romance and conflict that is resolved by the end. Fated/bonded mates, vampires, shapeshifters, and all sorts of other magical creatures are incorporated into the stories. Then there’s the evil underworld, ruled by Lilith, always trying to take over. To be honest, I have no idea why anyone serves Lilith as she’s always torturing her servants and turning against them.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of Berkley. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 4, 2025
Another great book in the Carpathian series. It felt like I had a hold of this book for a very long time, so I was so excited when I got it. I love the paranormal, supernatural aspects of these books. I would say, with so many books in the series, it does seem to get repetitive. Still, a great read!
January 9, 2025
***SPOILERS!!!***
3.5 stars.
So, I loved the Holland village setting, the familial relationships between Silke, Tora, and her adopted mother, Fenja. The ancients all have a great relationship, too. I felt awful for Benedek's past, being stolen from his parents and taken in by a diseased Carpathian and his wife. Incidentally, I don't like that whole diseased Carpathian thing. They aren't supposed to be attracted to anyone but their lifemates, and yet Benedek's adopted dad and his sons were out there killing and raping constantly...it was weird, and sets back a lot of the mythology she's built. In any case, poor Benedek had it rough. I loved Silke's confidence, her kindness, and her sense of honor. Plus, the action and plot surrounding Lilith and her being out to kill the demon slayer was intriguing. And now with Justic on the loose, the next books are going to be crazy.
If you'll notice, I haven't mentioned the romance. That's honestly because I don't feel that there was much of one. Benedek and Silke don't meet until chapter 8 of this 21-chapter story, so what they have is rushed. Sure, the lifemate bond is intense, but we got almost no quality time shared between the couple. There are battles, they meet, Benedek discovers he's actually capable of love and that he wants it, Silke commits to coming into his world after the big battle happens, and then...more battles. This story focused almost solely on fighting, the stuff with Lilith, and Justice. The romance here was really lacking for me, and that makes me very sad, as this is one of my favorite series. The characters in and of themselves are great, the setting is terrific, and the plot was intriguing, but I need more romance in my paranormal romance than this.
3.5 stars.
So, I loved the Holland village setting, the familial relationships between Silke, Tora, and her adopted mother, Fenja. The ancients all have a great relationship, too. I felt awful for Benedek's past, being stolen from his parents and taken in by a diseased Carpathian and his wife. Incidentally, I don't like that whole diseased Carpathian thing. They aren't supposed to be attracted to anyone but their lifemates, and yet Benedek's adopted dad and his sons were out there killing and raping constantly...it was weird, and sets back a lot of the mythology she's built. In any case, poor Benedek had it rough. I loved Silke's confidence, her kindness, and her sense of honor. Plus, the action and plot surrounding Lilith and her being out to kill the demon slayer was intriguing. And now with Justic on the loose, the next books are going to be crazy.
If you'll notice, I haven't mentioned the romance. That's honestly because I don't feel that there was much of one. Benedek and Silke don't meet until chapter 8 of this 21-chapter story, so what they have is rushed. Sure, the lifemate bond is intense, but we got almost no quality time shared between the couple. There are battles, they meet, Benedek discovers he's actually capable of love and that he wants it, Silke commits to coming into his world after the big battle happens, and then...more battles. This story focused almost solely on fighting, the stuff with Lilith, and Justice. The romance here was really lacking for me, and that makes me very sad, as this is one of my favorite series. The characters in and of themselves are great, the setting is terrific, and the plot was intriguing, but I need more romance in my paranormal romance than this.
January 5, 2025
2⭐️3🌶️
Paranormal Romance
Fated mates
Vampires and Demons
Suspense
Found family
Good vs evil
I read a lot of Christine Feehan’s books back in college—about 20 years ago. From the Dark series to the Seahaven Sisters and Leopard novels, I couldn’t get enough. She’s one of the authors who really helped shape the paranormal and magical realism romance genres, so when I saw Dark Hope on NetGalley, I was excited to dive back in.
I haven’t read all 34 books in the Dark series—only the first 12—so it was interesting to return to the Carpathian world with fresh characters and a new adventure. Thankfully, the books are mostly standalone, so jumping back in wasn’t a huge issue.
The first chapter does a decent job recapping where the series has been, though it’s not the clearest summary. Still, it gave me enough to catch up on how things have evolved in the more recent books.
The biggest issue for me was the repetitive dialogue and the constant telekinetic bond talk. It felt like the plot would start to pick up, and then—bam—we’d hit a wall of “lifemate” discussions and emotional intensity. I get the point, but let’s move on already.
Also, some of the dialogue and wording felt outdated, almost like a translation. It wasn’t just the Carpathian characters (who are meant to be ancient), but even the modern ones sounded stiff at times.
All in all, it was a bit of a nostalgic read for me, but it’s not quite my thing anymore. I don’t think I’ll be revisiting the series.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 5, 2025
DNF and I truly am sad to say this over one of Feehan’s Carpathian books. The Dark series, I’m done. This was boring, repetitive, noromance, I even tried skimming and skipping, and just couldn’t do it anymore. I just read others reviews that described all went on in the book and I’m good. I’m done with the series. It has fizzled and needs to be let go. This whole demon arc is a no.
January 11, 2025
As a long-time fan of Christine Feehan’s Dark series, I couldn’t wait to dive into Dark Hope—especially after waiting since November 2023. While the book continues the familiar formula we’ve seen in recent novels, there are a few unique elements that set it apart.
The premise of Silke Vriese Reinders, a demon slayer tasked with saving humanity, is compelling. The stakes are as high as ever, with the fate of her village and the world hanging in the balance. Pairing her with Benedek Kovak, an ancient Carpathian warrior, fits the series' well-known dynamic of fated lifemates and powerful enemies. Benedek’s struggle to maintain his humanity while battling inner darkness adds a familiar, yet gripping tension.
That said, Dark Hope felt rushed, compared to earlier Dark books. The plot leans heavily into the same beats as the last four books—Carpathian women guarding the four gates, each with their lifemates, battling Justice and Lilith’s demons. The danger of the male leads turning dark looms larger with each book, but this is where some of the repetitiveness begins to show. While these similar elements are expected in a long-running series, the rapid pacing in Dark Hope made it harder to fully invest in developing Silke and Benedek’s relationship.
The couple’s romance, while still enjoyable, unfolded much faster than usual for Feehan’s stories. I missed the depth of intimacy, the gradual building of trust and connection that is a hallmark of Carpathian mating. The battle scenes and strategies took up much of the novel, leaving less room for the emotional exploration of their bond. The physical intimacy, often a significant part of Carpathian lifemates' relationships, was also toned down here (and sometimes absent from recent books), which felt surprising given the centrality of that dynamic in the series.
One difference that stood out was the portrayal of the female lifemates. Silke and the others are burdened with guarding the gates and their card-reading duties, which might explain why they appear less defiant or headstrong than previous heroines. They treat their big, brooding Carpathian lifemates with something more akin to patronising patience than defiance and independence. While this makes sense given the plot’s demands, I missed some the fiery resistance from Feehan’s female characters in the past.
I whooped in excitement learning the books will return to the Carpathian mountains. There’s something nostalgic and magical about that setting, and I’ve missed it in recent books. The world-building continues to be rich, but there are still unresolved storylines, particularly with the triplet mages and the Malinov vampire family. I’m curious to see how these will play out in future installments.
Christine Feehan’s world of Carpathians has had me in a chokehold since Dark Prince was released in 1999, and I trust that the ongoing storylines are building to something big. For fans invested in this universe, Dark Hope delivers the action, danger, and paranormal intrigue we’ve come to expect—even if the romantic aspect takes a bit of a back seat this time around.
The premise of Silke Vriese Reinders, a demon slayer tasked with saving humanity, is compelling. The stakes are as high as ever, with the fate of her village and the world hanging in the balance. Pairing her with Benedek Kovak, an ancient Carpathian warrior, fits the series' well-known dynamic of fated lifemates and powerful enemies. Benedek’s struggle to maintain his humanity while battling inner darkness adds a familiar, yet gripping tension.
That said, Dark Hope felt rushed, compared to earlier Dark books. The plot leans heavily into the same beats as the last four books—Carpathian women guarding the four gates, each with their lifemates, battling Justice and Lilith’s demons. The danger of the male leads turning dark looms larger with each book, but this is where some of the repetitiveness begins to show. While these similar elements are expected in a long-running series, the rapid pacing in Dark Hope made it harder to fully invest in developing Silke and Benedek’s relationship.
The couple’s romance, while still enjoyable, unfolded much faster than usual for Feehan’s stories. I missed the depth of intimacy, the gradual building of trust and connection that is a hallmark of Carpathian mating. The battle scenes and strategies took up much of the novel, leaving less room for the emotional exploration of their bond. The physical intimacy, often a significant part of Carpathian lifemates' relationships, was also toned down here (and sometimes absent from recent books), which felt surprising given the centrality of that dynamic in the series.
One difference that stood out was the portrayal of the female lifemates. Silke and the others are burdened with guarding the gates and their card-reading duties, which might explain why they appear less defiant or headstrong than previous heroines. They treat their big, brooding Carpathian lifemates with something more akin to patronising patience than defiance and independence. While this makes sense given the plot’s demands, I missed some the fiery resistance from Feehan’s female characters in the past.
I whooped in excitement learning the books will return to the Carpathian mountains. There’s something nostalgic and magical about that setting, and I’ve missed it in recent books. The world-building continues to be rich, but there are still unresolved storylines, particularly with the triplet mages and the Malinov vampire family. I’m curious to see how these will play out in future installments.
Christine Feehan’s world of Carpathians has had me in a chokehold since Dark Prince was released in 1999, and I trust that the ongoing storylines are building to something big. For fans invested in this universe, Dark Hope delivers the action, danger, and paranormal intrigue we’ve come to expect—even if the romantic aspect takes a bit of a back seat this time around.
January 7, 2025
Another ancient is matched! Benedek is up in this book to find his perfect soul mate. His woman? She is no shrinking violet as a demon slayer. Silke has been raised to be be the defender of her village. Does this sound familiar? If you read the book before this one, Dark Memory, then it may feel a bit like deja vu. This story can be read as a standalone as Ms. Feehan recaps from previous books as well as ties in the most recent storyarc.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
*provided by NetGalley
* I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
*provided by NetGalley
* I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
January 7, 2025
Review : DARK HOPE by Christine Feehan https://bit.ly/4j4IAiw
Publication Date: 1/7/2025
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 3 Stars
I’ve been a fan of the Carpathian novels since the beginning. I’m glad they have evolved somewhat and given us a wider world. That being said, this is not my favorite. Everything was there, the dangers, the battles, the couple. Yet to me it felt like an outline of a story waiting for the emotional connections to be added. I liked Silke’s strength and commitment to her mission, as well as her caring side. Benedek was presented clearly as well. There was just no building relationship between them, nor did it seem between any other characters in the story. They were there, doing their thing...that is all.
I am intrigued by the ending and its hints to what is to come. So, I will think of this book as a build-up to that story.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/4fMusYm
Publication Date: 1/7/2025
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 3 Stars
I’ve been a fan of the Carpathian novels since the beginning. I’m glad they have evolved somewhat and given us a wider world. That being said, this is not my favorite. Everything was there, the dangers, the battles, the couple. Yet to me it felt like an outline of a story waiting for the emotional connections to be added. I liked Silke’s strength and commitment to her mission, as well as her caring side. Benedek was presented clearly as well. There was just no building relationship between them, nor did it seem between any other characters in the story. They were there, doing their thing...that is all.
I am intrigued by the ending and its hints to what is to come. So, I will think of this book as a build-up to that story.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/4fMusYm
April 6, 2025
I read to where we were told the TRIPLETS HAVE MATES!!! then gave up, the triplets have mates and we dont get the stories, we only waited over 20 odd years. F@@k this series.
March 13, 2025
Thank you to the author and the publisher for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. When I received this I didn’t realise it is actually the 34th book in a series so naturally there was a lot of backstory that I was missing. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why in the end “Dark Hope” was a bit lack lustre for me. I have not read any other books by this author but for me this felt like the storyline felt like it was made up of too much repetitive backstory and there was not enough going on to move the plot forward. Phrases were often repeated as well and I found this quite frustrating. The book looks quite thick but there is a huge information section in the back made up of appendices about healing chants which wasn’t even particularly relevant to a lot of this actual storyline. For me it made the book feel like it was just a filler story and the ending was a bit rushed and all the build up for the big battle with the demons fizzled out really quickly into just one quite small chapter. This made the flow of the book very sporadic and I feel like there was too much focus on action and not on character progression. The two main characters are supposed to be essentially soul mates but they get barely any time together and the romance is just flattened by all the focus on the impending battle. I just was left feeling like the story got away from itself but I’ve given it 3 stars because if I’d had more context from the rest of the books in the series I may well have enjoyed it more.
February 21, 2025
I normally give her Carpathian series a five star rating. This book was enjoyable, but it felt like I had read parts of it in previous books. Plus lots of repetition in certain areas. I think that some of the repetition could be left out, and more time given between the couple. The tarot reading was disappointing, and didn’t give much hope to the hunters. It would have been nice to at least tell them if their life mate was in their time at present. Plus Justice escaping, after years of protection, and dedication from the women. It seemed very rushed with no detail, concerning his choice to escape. It was good, but not great. I went with a four. I have read all her books from this series.
October 27, 2024
Dark Hope, book 38 of the Dark Series by Christine Feehan @authorcfeehan. First, I am a massive fan of Christine’s & this book was no different!
I enjoyed this book about Silke & Benedek! My only complaint was it was a slow-starting book. Tropes: PNR, MF, SLOW SLOW BURN, Demon Slayer, Carpathian Ancient Hunter, Lifemate negotiations & HEA.
I enjoyed this book about Silke & Benedek! My only complaint was it was a slow-starting book. Tropes: PNR, MF, SLOW SLOW BURN, Demon Slayer, Carpathian Ancient Hunter, Lifemate negotiations & HEA.
January 12, 2025
Can you find the truth?
I am absolutely in love with the direction this series is taking! The fact that so many of the ancients are returning to the world and finding their lifemates is so heartwarming. This couple is one of my favorites because they have to overcome the learnings of a lifetime to connect and become the bounded pair they are meant to. The author kept the story exciting and revealed new secrets and brought the end to one journey only to give us glimpses into what will come next. I can’t wait to see who will find their match yet and if good will continue to prevail.
I am absolutely in love with the direction this series is taking! The fact that so many of the ancients are returning to the world and finding their lifemates is so heartwarming. This couple is one of my favorites because they have to overcome the learnings of a lifetime to connect and become the bounded pair they are meant to. The author kept the story exciting and revealed new secrets and brought the end to one journey only to give us glimpses into what will come next. I can’t wait to see who will find their match yet and if good will continue to prevail.
March 25, 2025
Ms. Feehan spends too much time with repetition and very little time on plot development and story progression. I keep hoping the next book will be different, but so far sadly disappointed.
January 16, 2025
not worth $15 E book price
so disappointing. I luv this author, I have so many books & audio of this author.
but lately the lack of effort and repetitiveness is just making it one big snoozefest. no page turning intrigue no characters that you feel embolden by. lack of suspenseful tension ... nothing.
what happened - could have been something more.
too pricey not enough writing craft on the book pages.
Jasmin E Reads
so disappointing. I luv this author, I have so many books & audio of this author.
but lately the lack of effort and repetitiveness is just making it one big snoozefest. no page turning intrigue no characters that you feel embolden by. lack of suspenseful tension ... nothing.
what happened - could have been something more.
too pricey not enough writing craft on the book pages.
Jasmin E Reads
January 22, 2025
First off, I have read every single book in this series- even Scarletti curse- which could count as a spinoff or one of the series. I love feehan’s series in general. Although at this point torpedo ink and shadow series are both better than the dark series.
This is the end of gates. I think the main fight in the last book was better, but this book had more of a vampire /carpathian vibe- which it needed. Benedek and silke don’t meet for first 100 pages, and the book is only 350ish. Feehan spends an incredible amount of time on build up, and first fight. And implies something will come of benedek’s parent’s storyline. I kept waiting. And waiting. The main gate fight was under played and disappointing. Intimate time was not a focal point, and this book could probably just be a fantasy book- and no longer classified as any kind of romance.
Hopefully the next book we meet some old friends, catch up on some old characters and how their lives have gone. I am really looking forward to justice’s book, but I feel like it is a while off.
This is the end of gates. I think the main fight in the last book was better, but this book had more of a vampire /carpathian vibe- which it needed. Benedek and silke don’t meet for first 100 pages, and the book is only 350ish. Feehan spends an incredible amount of time on build up, and first fight. And implies something will come of benedek’s parent’s storyline. I kept waiting. And waiting. The main gate fight was under played and disappointing. Intimate time was not a focal point, and this book could probably just be a fantasy book- and no longer classified as any kind of romance.
Hopefully the next book we meet some old friends, catch up on some old characters and how their lives have gone. I am really looking forward to justice’s book, but I feel like it is a while off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
Dark Hope had the usual plotline of Carpathians engaged in an ongoing battle for survival. It seems there is always some evil-beyond-all-evils threat constantly rising, barely giving the Carpathians time to recoup and recover. The tone of this book was more fantasy than PNR.
However, the primary couple were unusual inasmuch as ancient Carpathian, Benedek and human demon slayer, Silke, spend most of the story apart as both are reluctant to be bound to their fated mate. When Benedek and Silke finally come together, they are a fighting force to be reckoned with.
The ending was shocking and thrilling with a terrifying threat heading towards the Carpathian homeland and with Justice escaping from his prison. I hope that he is paired with an extraordinary woman of gravitas to soothe his wounded soul and not some female with a boatload of baggage.
Sigh. I am losing hope that those loyal, long-suffering Triplets will ever get their well-deserved HEAs. They found nothing in their homeland nor in their fighting alongside their brethren against evil across several continents. Maybe they will finally catch a break in the next book as the ancients and warriors race back to try protect the Carpathian Mountains.
However, the primary couple were unusual inasmuch as ancient Carpathian, Benedek and human demon slayer, Silke, spend most of the story apart as both are reluctant to be bound to their fated mate. When Benedek and Silke finally come together, they are a fighting force to be reckoned with.
The ending was shocking and thrilling with a terrifying threat heading towards the Carpathian homeland and with Justice escaping from his prison. I hope that he is paired with an extraordinary woman of gravitas to soothe his wounded soul and not some female with a boatload of baggage.
Sigh. I am losing hope that those loyal, long-suffering Triplets will ever get their well-deserved HEAs. They found nothing in their homeland nor in their fighting alongside their brethren against evil across several continents. Maybe they will finally catch a break in the next book as the ancients and warriors race back to try protect the Carpathian Mountains.
January 15, 2025
intense
Not the typical Carpathian story. I felt like it had a lot more background information and history then past stories and less character interaction.
Not the typical Carpathian story. I felt like it had a lot more background information and history then past stories and less character interaction.
January 10, 2025
I liked parts of this one, but was a bit bored with it too. I liked that Benedek wasn't so over bearing and gave a thought to what Silkie wanted. Their bargaining of what a marriage would be like for them was interesting. Benedek, also seemed to like Silkie's skills, even if he did want to wrap her up to keep her safe. It was nice to see them work things so that Silkie's reservations from the start are gone. It was also interesting to see her give hope to some of the other ancients.
September 27, 2024
Loved reading this book, loved this couple and their story!
March 28, 2025
By now this series has become very formulaic, which is to be expected after so many books. So this book really isn't all the different from the previous ones, as we're still on the same storyline of fighting the demons and Lilith. Silke seems a bit unbelievable as she is talented in so many things. Benedek is the same as all the other ancient's from the monastery, stoic and almost more beast than man. So you don't get anything new there.
A thing that was frustrating was Christine's repeating of information within a few pages. It was mentioned at least 4 times that one of the dragon's looked like a downed tree. There were multiple instances of the same phrase said within a few paragraphs. The rules for this world seems to change with each novel as well, so sometimes that is hard to keep up with.
I've seen other reviews saying the romance wasn't the main focus and I have to agree. Silke and Benedek didn't even fight with each other in the one of the battles. They were facing their own adversaries. Then when it comes to the final battle it's over so quickly and I'm not even sure what really happened. The book was over at about the 88% point with the rest of it being the appendices.
Overall it was an OK book, but pretty much a repeat of the previous ones. The explaining of the same thing within a few paragraphs or pages got really annoying. I'll most likely continue to read the Dark novels since I've made it this far.
Third person narration
3/5 on the spicy scale
A thing that was frustrating was Christine's repeating of information within a few pages. It was mentioned at least 4 times that one of the dragon's looked like a downed tree. There were multiple instances of the same phrase said within a few paragraphs. The rules for this world seems to change with each novel as well, so sometimes that is hard to keep up with.
I've seen other reviews saying the romance wasn't the main focus and I have to agree. Silke and Benedek didn't even fight with each other in the one of the battles. They were facing their own adversaries. Then when it comes to the final battle it's over so quickly and I'm not even sure what really happened. The book was over at about the 88% point with the rest of it being the appendices.
Overall it was an OK book, but pretty much a repeat of the previous ones. The explaining of the same thing within a few paragraphs or pages got really annoying. I'll most likely continue to read the Dark novels since I've made it this far.
Third person narration
3/5 on the spicy scale
February 16, 2025
I have been reading the dark series since the beginning, but this book fell flat for me. The main couple didn't even meet until about 35% into the story. Once they did meet, the story moved along quickly and there was very little relationship building. Most of the story was about everything else that was going on and not the couple. I wouldn't even consider this a romance novel. It's more fantasy with a sprinkle of romance. The books have been getting shorter over the last few years, and I really miss the focus on the characters that existed at the beginning of the series.
April 6, 2025
Most Disappointing 😞
I love this author and have read every dark book. This #38 book is terrible! It consists mostly of filler words desribing flora, faun and fighting. Very little romance between the main characters. This book is supposed to be a romance not a discriptive battle book.
I love this author and have read every dark book. This #38 book is terrible! It consists mostly of filler words desribing flora, faun and fighting. Very little romance between the main characters. This book is supposed to be a romance not a discriptive battle book.
January 4, 2025
DARK HOPE is the 38th instalment in Christine Feehan’s adult DARK /CARPATHIAN erotic, paranormal romance series focusing on a group of powerful warriors known as Carpathians. This is ancient Carpathian Benedek Kovak and demon slayer Silke Reinders’ story line. DARK HOPE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Side note: GR says #34: ZON says #38 (with novellas and anthologies)
SOME BACKGROUND: All Carpathian males must find their lifemates before they turn vampire or greet the dawn. Without a lifemate, the males no longer see in color, feel pain or experience emotions. A lifemate is the light to their dark. She is the keeper of his heart and the keeper of his soul. As the unmated Carpathian male ages, the darkness begins to envelope his soul, eventually turning the male vampire or forcing him to greet the dawn.
Told in several parts from several omniscient third person perspectives (Silke and Benedek) and the occasional tarot card, DARK HOPE continues to focus on a new direction for the series with the inclusion of dragons, serpents, demons, vampires, mages (from the Underworld commanded by Lilith), and a new character – witte wieven (wise woman) aka spirit walker aka healer. Silke Reinders is a demon slayer, and Lilith has commanded her demons and followers to destroy our story line heroine. Carpathian warrior Benedek Kovak knows Silke Reinders is his mate but as he journeys towards the woman who carries the other half of his soul, he, along with Nicu Dalca, Tomas, Lojos and Mataias encounter an uprising of demons and vampires, signifying the threat of war.
The world building focuses on Benedek’s search for his lifemate; Silke’s need to protect her mother; and the encroaching demons and vampires commanded by the underworld. The action packed story line follows the take down of a powerful demon and his minions with another protracted fight scene wherein our couple must fight separately and apart.
The relationship between Silke and Benedek is one of fated mates. Silke has been taught by Carpathian female Tora that she hold the other half to a warrior’s soul but Silke has no intention of taking orders from an ancient male. The lone $ex scene is intimate.
We are introduced to Carpathian female Tora Kros, one of the guardians of the gate; Silke’s mother and healer Fenja; ancient dragon Szelem, as well as the return of Nicu Dalca, Tomas, Lojos and Mataias. The requisite evil has many faces.
DARK HOPE, once again, focuses on the continuation of new story line arc: from Tarot cards that tell the ancients of the existence of a mate, gate keepers, demons and demon slayers, hellhounds and the Underworld, as well as the woman in charge, who perhaps has the assistant for a powerful vampire and mage. The arc also renegotiates the scarring of a Carpathian, and vampires that continue to work in tandem with someone else. The slow building, action-packed premise is engaging but familiar; the romance is fated and seductive but limited as our couple spend most of the story line apart. The characters are desperate and powerful.
copy supplied for review
NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Side note: GR says #34: ZON says #38 (with novellas and anthologies)
SOME BACKGROUND: All Carpathian males must find their lifemates before they turn vampire or greet the dawn. Without a lifemate, the males no longer see in color, feel pain or experience emotions. A lifemate is the light to their dark. She is the keeper of his heart and the keeper of his soul. As the unmated Carpathian male ages, the darkness begins to envelope his soul, eventually turning the male vampire or forcing him to greet the dawn.
Told in several parts from several omniscient third person perspectives (Silke and Benedek) and the occasional tarot card, DARK HOPE continues to focus on a new direction for the series with the inclusion of dragons, serpents, demons, vampires, mages (from the Underworld commanded by Lilith), and a new character – witte wieven (wise woman) aka spirit walker aka healer. Silke Reinders is a demon slayer, and Lilith has commanded her demons and followers to destroy our story line heroine. Carpathian warrior Benedek Kovak knows Silke Reinders is his mate but as he journeys towards the woman who carries the other half of his soul, he, along with Nicu Dalca, Tomas, Lojos and Mataias encounter an uprising of demons and vampires, signifying the threat of war.
The world building focuses on Benedek’s search for his lifemate; Silke’s need to protect her mother; and the encroaching demons and vampires commanded by the underworld. The action packed story line follows the take down of a powerful demon and his minions with another protracted fight scene wherein our couple must fight separately and apart.
The relationship between Silke and Benedek is one of fated mates. Silke has been taught by Carpathian female Tora that she hold the other half to a warrior’s soul but Silke has no intention of taking orders from an ancient male. The lone $ex scene is intimate.
We are introduced to Carpathian female Tora Kros, one of the guardians of the gate; Silke’s mother and healer Fenja; ancient dragon Szelem, as well as the return of Nicu Dalca, Tomas, Lojos and Mataias. The requisite evil has many faces.
DARK HOPE, once again, focuses on the continuation of new story line arc: from Tarot cards that tell the ancients of the existence of a mate, gate keepers, demons and demon slayers, hellhounds and the Underworld, as well as the woman in charge, who perhaps has the assistant for a powerful vampire and mage. The arc also renegotiates the scarring of a Carpathian, and vampires that continue to work in tandem with someone else. The slow building, action-packed premise is engaging but familiar; the romance is fated and seductive but limited as our couple spend most of the story line apart. The characters are desperate and powerful.
copy supplied for review
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