Dark Wine at Death

I’d long anticipated reading Dark Wine at Death, Book 4 in the Hill Vampire series by Jenna Barwin. It sizzled way beyond my expectations. The fast paced, engaging story line picks up where Dark Wine at Dusk ended. Barwin is terrific at threading reminders of events and characters from the three previous books into this new story. She made it easy to recall details about the savage murderer loose on the Hill and become reengaged with the dangerous pursuit.  And, it was very easy to remain enthralled by the love story central to the series.

In a sexy dance scene, main characters Cerissa and Henry heat the floor beneath their feet and at the core of their beings. From the get-go, I wanted these two unique people to cement their relationship. As Cerissa notes, “…she hoped with all her heart that what they had together would never end.” This is why the romance of vampires, with the promise of everlasting life, appeals to lovers. Don’t we all want everlasting love? But are Cerissa and Henry meant to be married or just enjoy an intense relationship? This is one issue at the heart of the story, and the nagging doubt each harbors carries through, provoking arguments, distrust, and conflict.

Before Cerissa and Henry’s dance passion cools, death visits the five founding vampires of the Hill, devastating the surviving community. Police Chef Tig Anderson and her capable crew immediately set out to identify and snare the mastermind behind the murders. Can they be successful before even more vampires are murdered? Who are his accomplices? Barwin sets up several potential suspects, confounding easy conclusions.

Barwin is a masterful writer. Her characters are the people you meet every day – well, minus the vampire aspect. They cover the spectrum of religious values and gender lifestyles. They embrace and refute ideas of supremacy, equality, ethics, villainy, genetic traits, personal choice, and mental disorders, making me think about the principles I hold sacrosanct. I was attracted to many of the characters – vampire, mortal, and Lux – because their very human qualities endeared them – even when they weren’t human.

Though the passion and sex are one bookend element, and chasing down the murderers is the other, it was a few scenes involving animals that made me laugh out loud. Let me just say – puma and vampire bats – so much fun to read these scenes. I reread the puma scenes. Why not double my fun?

The cover art is sumptuous with romance, beauty, and mystery, my favorite of four beautiful artworks in this series.

I truly loved the book. By the way, don’t cheat yourself. Read the first three books in the series before reading this one.

 

Cover image courtesy: Hidden Depths Publishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dark Wine at Dusk is an Intoxicating Read

Happily ever after isn’t served on a silver plate. Cerissa and Henry struggle together to find theirs in Jenna Barwin’s Dark Wine at Dusk.

I was excited to read the third Hill Vampire Novel. Having devoured the first two books in the series, I couldn’t wait to open the pages of her newest story.

Stop right here if you haven’t read Dark Wine at Midnight and Dark Wine at Sunrise. Start with those – you’ll be so glad you did and well prepared to continue the story in Book 3. The sumptuous covers alone are worth drooling over – why deny yourself such pleasure as the reading will provide?

Dark Wine at Dusk picks up with the continuing mysterious murders on the residents of Sierra Escondida. This is a unique colony inhabited by vampires and their mortal mates, a place dedicated to preserving their lifestyle.

Police Chief Tig Anderson is focused on finding the mastermind attacking them, but his identity is difficult to decipher, masked as he is by subterfuge and cyber barriers.

While Tig tries to secure safety measures for her community, we enter the private domain of Henry Bautista and his new mate, Dr. Cerissa Patel.   Their passionate romance alights everywhere throughout his mansion. One of the most inventive love romps I’ve ever read is the hide-and-seek game they play in his vineyard. (Oh, to be chased. Oh, to be found!)

Henry reveals his youthful violent behavior in scenes so visceral that my skin tingled in horror as I read them. Cerissa reacts with grave distress over whether she can trust him, the molten fire of their love struggling to stay alive.

In addition, mortal mates are campaigning for equality, and everyone feels the mounting threat of death by an unknown enemy. Universal issues of morality, medical ethics, and personal relationships swirl in a complex brew, the outcomes uncertain.

The story escalates as Cerissa and Henry become dangerously involved in an attempt to identify the person who is targeting vampires for true death.

Then all hell breaks loose in a scene so unexpected I dropped my iPad.

I won’t tell more as story spoilers are not in my toolbox, but the tension and shock of the volatile climax will keep you riveted.

If you enjoyed the first two books in this series, you’re going to love this one. You’ll imagine yourself born with Lux wings.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. My review is entirely my opinion.

 

All images courtesy of author Jenna Barwin