Love Me To Death by Marissa Clarke – a Review

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Description:
Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar. When she is shot in a convenience store robbery, she finds herself rocketed into supernatural insanity courtesy of a sexy immortal law enforcer. He’s convinced she’s some kind of freaky half-vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster. Yeah, right. As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, Nikolai Itzov’s orders from the Underveil General are clear: Kill Elena Arcos or die. The only thing holding him back from that directive is the overwhelming urge to protect her. Too bad she’s also the offspring of his father’s murderer. Kissing Elena, let alone being with her body and soul, can never happen. Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans. With her analytical mind and his centuries of training, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives, and maybe even with their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.

Review:

When Nikolai has his target, his vampire enemy in his hands on the brink of death (though he didn’t have the pleasure of causing her demise)…why on earth couldn’t he finish her…why would he suddenly freeze? Let’s follow the supernatural trail Marissa Clarke sets up in Love Me to Death, because where Nikolai leads…I willingly follow…

End of story. She wasn’t dead. Death had saved her instead.

A formidable slayer, Nikolai is “a terrifying being created to patrol the Underveil and execute immortals who broke the laws”. There should be no hesitation on his part. Except, there was a genuine vulnerability; a genuine innocence/ignorance about Elena’s nature that belied his Uncle Fyodor’s instructions to kill her on site.

When he had stood over her in the convenience store, ready to end her life, something had happened – something more frightening than death itself: He had felt the pull of her soul. A distinct tugging at his own, calling him to join with her.

I loved Nikolai and Elena immediately! His fierce exterior was intimidating, but endearing when he screwed up, pissed off Elena or made her cry. Elena…she’s a paranormal enigma. For 26 years, “she’d just gone along with the ebb and flow of life”; a hematologist who suffers from hypoglycemia. Is she going to freak when she realizes the cure is never going to be sugar! Ha…I love it!

The chemistry was scorching and written seductively. I loved everything about this book! Secondary characters were fascinating and I’m crossing my fingers Stefan, the droll Time Folder, gets his own book. Charming, powerful, and intriguing, but a “biological eunuch”? Say it ain’t so! Aleksi, the other slayer, is made of steel and is loyal to a fault (what she’s enduring at the fortress with Fyodor *shudders*). Ricardo, the vampire leader of the resistance faction was swoon-worthy and compelling. Then there’s Vlad, the epic vampire prisoner in the dungeon…Seriously, I have hopes for several spinoffs! The world building is amazing!

Truths will be revealed and people will be held accountable. Discoveries will be accepted, a prophecy of a legend will be fulfilled, and a fated love will be embraced. I was swept up in the sensual relationship of our H/H, but equally gripped by the events and subplots warring within such a dynamic community.

In short, this book was UNPUTDOWNABLE!  It’s a word I saw in a review somewhere, but I couldn’t resist borrowing it.

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher