Drowned in Temptation by Rose Wulf

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$4.99
SKU 978-0-3695-0737-2
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Night Shadows, 7

Long ago, infamous vampire Enforcer Jasen Hawthorne was merely a man who loved a woman. On one tragic day, they were both brutally slain … only he woke up again, facing eternity alone. So he embraced his rage and became the force feared by even the monsters.

When the Vampire Queen’s estranged, bitter brother came forward with plans to dethrone her and destabilize all of vampire society, it fell on Jasen to find and eliminate him. But defeating the Original vampire is easier said than done, and when Jasen realizes the scope of the rising rebellion around him, he has little choice but to accept the help of an unlikely ally.

Indisputably the strongest water witch of her time, Rhea has long been ostracized from her community. She’s the witch her superiors call in when a situation is too dire for anyone else. This is why she was sent to Seattle, to investigate and put a stop to a string of vampire attacks. But she could never have anticipated the scope of the battle ahead, or everything it would dredge up.

Jasen and Rhea have to put aside their inherent differences and find a way to work together if they’re going to defeat their ancient enemy. What neither of them anticipated was the connection that already bound them, and just how significant the fight against the Original would become. If they survive when the dust settles, they’ll have choices to make that will change more than just their lives.

Excerpt:

            Rhea turned her gaze toward the bay for a long minute, quietly watching the waves roll against the shoreline. “Since we’re working together on this,” she said, “I suppose it’s only fair you understand why I want to be part of this fight.”

            Jasen felt one of his eyebrows raise in time to the spike of curiosity inside him. He had thought it was odd that she was so insistent, but then, there was always the chance that she just felt she had something to prove. Not the greatest motivation, but also not the worst. Still, there was one point he felt he should make, too. “You realize if your interest is due to some spell that grants you the power of whoever you kill, we might have a problem, right?”

            She faced him fully and rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said. “That’s a complete Hollywood gimmick. There’s no such spell.”

            His lips twitched. “In that case, I’m curious.”

            Her eyes practically glowed in the dark, with the water behind her and nothing more than a thin beam of light from inside the rental illuminating the beach around them. “There’s an old vow on the record,” she said after a moment, “an offer, if you will, first issued by a previous generation of Elders. The term we used to use for what’s now the Council. They offered what they considered an unachievable goal for quite a tantalizing prize.” She paused and drew a breath, as if her admission made her uncomfortable. “Any witch who slays an Original, without the aid of her fellows, will be set free from the oversight of her superiors.”

            Jasen held himself still for a moment as a myriad of reactions ran through him. He was so well trained that the very idea of her words incensed him, and he had to pull the reaction back to hear her point. She wasn’t in any way saying she intended to go after the Queen. She wanted Boris—an acknowledged Original, who was neither his superior nor his responsibility. And she was being honest about what was in it for her. Hell, she was giving him valuable information, presuming the offer was one that would remain beyond this fight.

            “Wow, I think I just saw emotion on your face,” Rhea said, a faint teasing tone to her voice.

            Jasen grunted. “Trick of the light.”

            Her grin remained. “I’m sure.”

            Jasen straightened and walked up to her, stopping just outside of arm’s reach. “I’ve heard your Council can be oppressive,” he said. “Do you honestly believe they’ll let you go?”

            She made a vague waving motion with her hand. “It was an oath. The promise cannot be broken.”

            He inclined his head. “I appreciate you telling me that.”

            Her hands flexed at her sides briefly. “Listen, Jasen. The whole concept of partnering up for work is fairly foreign to me,” she said. He had the distinct impression she was admitting something uncomfortable. “But since the end goal is important to both of us, I thought it would be helpful to make sure you understand why I’m invested. I screwed up today. I’m woman enough to admit that, and I appreciate you having my back.”

            Jasen frowned as his instincts waged war with his reason. He didn’t like her blaming herself for what had happened, and he didn’t like that he felt so strongly about any of it. He said none of that. “You don’t have to thank me. That spell you’re talking about using tomorrow more than makes up for it.”

            She huffed out a breath. “Don’t oversell it.” The tension had eased from her voice, though, so he assumed she appreciated his response regardless. Then she moved closer and laid a hand on his chest, between the zippered edges of his jacket. “Even vampires need their rest, you know,” she said, quieter, before her hand fell away and she stepped entirely around him.

Series:
/series-night-shadows/

Product Reviews

Score: 5 out of 5 (based on 15 ratings)
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4/5
Drowned in Temptation
Written by Remy L on 4th Jul 2023

While I love the romance genre, I don't regularly reach for paranormal romance. I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It reminded me a bit of the Vampire Diaries and Buffy. Personally, the idea of Jasen falling in love with his late wife's dopplegander gives me the ick. But even though the plot content wasn't my fave, I thought the writing was entertaining. The author has a good sense of humor and makes many contemporary references despite writing about a centuries-old vampire. I think the first third of the story could have been condensed to be less repetitive, but overall the story had a well defined conflict and resolution. Thanks to Wulf, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

5/5
5 Stars
Written by Regina K on 16th Apr 2023

Cab a water witch and a Vampire work together to stop rouge vampires from terrorizing and killing humans? Rhea and Jasen are going to find out. Good read I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

5/5
Excellent
Written by Laura on 21st Jan 2023

This was my first ever read by Rose, and there's no doubt I'll be enjoying more. Her writing is engaging and captivating, with an excellent plot and sensual romance. Every aspect of this story was wonderful.

4/5
Another Great Addition to the Series
Written by tburbr on 12th Jan 2023

This was another great addition to the series. The characters were endearing while the storyline kept me reading in one sitting.

5/5
Drowned in Temptation!
Written by Mary on 12th Jan 2023

This is a wonderful new story in the "Night Shadows" series. You may get more out of the story having read the previous ones. However, the author does a great job so it not necessary to read the others first. This is the story of Jasen and Rhea. He is a vampire enforcer sent to hunt a vampire. She is a very powerful water witch only called on when necessary. Their story is intense and so good that I could not put it down until the very end. I love the characters and the plot is very captivating and nicely developed.

5/5
Dangerously hot!
Written by Flavia K on 12th Jan 2023

Dangerously hot. So good. I loved it! Love this story from start to finish! The plot is good and entertaining. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable and how they discover each other through the story is amazing. I love Rhea. She is such a rich and multi-faceted character and Jasen is not only her faithful protector, but her eternal companion.

5/5
Good Read
Written by Tamnut on 12th Jan 2023

I found this to be a very enjoyable read. The characters and story are well written and it had me turning pages till the end.

5/5
Complex characters
Written by Book_Lover_97 on 12th Jan 2023

Jasen and Rhea are complex characters that have depth. I really liked the dynamics between them. The writing is detailed giving great world building and character development. This is a steamy, action packed read that has an incredible and riveting storyline.

5/5
A Great Read
Written by Gckyle02 on 12th Jan 2023

This was my first time reading this author and will look into reading more. Enjoyed the weaving tale of Drowned in Temptation and look forward to reading the previous books and the next one to follow the great imagination of this author further!

5/5
Drowned in Temptation, great
Written by Babs on 12th Jan 2023

This is book seven in the Night Shadows Series it is the first book by this Author that I have read, but it will not be the last one. Vampire Enforcer Jasen Hawthorne lost the woman he loved centuries ago when they where both murdered. He meets water witch Rhea they must work together if they are to stop what is happening in Seattle. There is suspense, drama, danger, villains, a surprise and romance. The story is well written, the storyline drew me in and I was not putting the book down until I was finished. I received a copy of this book via Evernight and am voluntarily leaving a review.

5/5
Wow, what a book!!
Written by Sarah ES on 12th Jan 2023

The way both a witch and a vampire worked together in this book was phenomenal!! The meshing of their skill sets coming together to fight a mutual enemy was done very well. The characters were detailed enough you could visualize them, even Rhea whose character was a lot deeper than could be explained easily. The romance and the resulting steam were amazing as was all the action. This book kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more books by this author!!

5/5
Past Life Lovers Reunite Again!
Written by Martha B on 19th Dec 2022

Rose did an Amazing job with this story as always. I do recommended that you start with the first book of the series. Rhea character was so kick*ss! I loved the dynamics between Rhea and Jasen. Rhea is water witch and Jasen is a vampire. They both have history as they were both together in a past life. Fate as I say has once again brought them back together as they have crossed paths yet again in this lifetime. Together they will fight against the odds. The action is this be made for an even perfect read. I highly recommend this story!

5/5
This one just keeps on giving
Written by Brittney O on 19th Dec 2022

This one just keeps on giving. I was a bit intimidated by the page count when I cracked this one open, but to my surprise, I was never bored. The author did an amazing job giving details, as well as character and world building without getting too wordy if you know what I mean. I loved that the fmc was feminine and powerful and strong. Things that can be lacking in these kinds of stories. She had no problem standing on her own two feet and holding her own. The mmc.... give me a strong broody, and incredibly violent to others but protective and caring to the fmc anyday. Add to that a vampire! Give me more lol. I appreciated the fact that at its core, this was an action adventure before it was a romance. It had a bit of steam, but it was several chapters in as the relationship between the characters grew and the story developed. This is definitely unlike anything I have read before, which in and of itself is a great feat.

5/5
Vampire fans go for it
Written by BONITA S on 7th Dec 2022

Powerful water witch, strongest vampire enforcer thrown together to battle the most powerful and oldest vampire who has ties to both of their past lives. Action and strong emotions all the way. Vampire fans go for it

5/5
Vampire & Witch story
Written by KreggySue on 7th Dec 2022

Jason and Rhea were happily married when disaster struck and they were attacked and he was forced to watch as she was burned to death. He was killed too only he woke up again .. as a vampire and became known as the Vampire Queens Enforcer Jasen Hawthorne. Rhea has been cursed to be reincarnated until suck time as those responsible for their deaths is brought to justice. Hundreds of years later they are both deployed by their to Seattle to look into and resolve a string of vampire attacks. They meet and reluctantly agree to work together. This is a well crafted paranormal story that kept me reading until it was done (into the very small hours of the morning).