MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole-a review

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Release Date: July 2, 2013

A Beast In Torment

Uilleam MacRieve believed he’d laid to rest the ghosts of his boyhood. But when a brutal torture revives those ancient agonies and destroys his Lykae instinct, the proud Scot craves the oblivion of death. Until he finds her—a young human so full of spirit and courage that she pulls him back from the brink.

A Beauty In Chains

Seized for the auction block, Chloe Todd is forced to enter a terrifying new world of monsters and lore as a bound slave. When offered up to creatures of the dark, she fears she won’t last the night. Until she’s claimed by him—a tormented immortal with heartbreaking eyes, whose touch sets her blood on fire.

A Full Moon On The Rise

With enemies circling, MacRieve spirits Chloe away to the isolated Highland keep of his youth. But once he takes her to his bed, his sensual mate becomes something more than human, evoking his savage past and testing his sanity. On the cusp of the full moon, can he conquer his worst nightmare to save Chloe . . . from himself?

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Review:

After surviving The Order’s torturous imprisonment, Uilleam “Will” MacRieve is using whiskey to numb himself to the horrible nightmares that plague him. Not only nightmares from his imprisonment, but also the devastating things that were done to him as a child and ultimately cost him and his brother both parents and unborn sister. His twin, Munro, knows that Will is near to giving up, and is helpless to try and save his twin. The only thing that Will joneses for is a good fight or a good war. I guess he should have been careful what he wished for………….

Chloe Todd is a world class soccer player. She eats, sleeps and breathes soccer. She is focused, determined, fierce and has earned her nickname, T-Rex. She lives in a “McMansion”, her words, with her father who is away on business a lot and has always been her biggest supporter. Her mom died when Chloe was a baby, so it’s just been her and her dad. When Chloe starts feeling out of sorts, she talks to her dad about it and he hands her The Book of the Lore, tells her to read it and that he’ll love her no matter what she is, and promptly leaves on another “business trip”. Yep, things are about to get interesting.

Chloe ends up being kidnapped by witches and put up on the auction block for the highest bidder in the Lore to acquire. Why would they want Chloe you ask? Because she is the “Daughter of Webb”. The despicable leader of the order who has tormented all factions of the Lore. He’s killed, vivisected and tortured Lorean beings for a long time, determined to rid the Earth of these vile creatures. Once the call goes out about the auction, all of the Lore beings, good and evil, are determined to be the one to buy her in order to lure her father out of hiding. Munro and Will head to the auction, and, yes, you guessed it, once Will encounters Chloe on the auction block, he knows she is his fated mate.

Once Will secures Chloe within their compound, he sets out to woo her. And, woo he does, until she comes into her immortality. I can’t tell you what she is without ruining the story, but let’s just say that she becomes something that Will loathes. Will takes Chloe to Conall, his childhood home, in order to try and salvage some kind of relationship with her and overcome his own demons. Will he be successful? Well, of course he will. This is, after all, a romance, but they are in for a bumpy ride.

MacRieve is a wonderfully written story of betrayal, guilt, and ultimately love and redemption. The things that were done to MacRieve as a child will make your heart pound. And, the way he treats his mate once she comes into her immortality will make you want to cut his throat. That is the ONE thing that is held higher than anything among the Lykae, but he has to come to terms with his past in order to revel in his future. I have to be honest. Those parts were hard to read at times. He says the most awful things to her, but Chloe being Chloe, she basically thumbs her nose at him and walks her own path. Once he figures out that she is nothing like the creatures he loathes, he does everything in his power to make her feel safe and treasured. There are a few surprises along the way. One in particular that I NEVER SAW COMING!!! HOLY COW!!! And, it changes EVERYTHING!!! We get to meet a few new characters, who are great, and we also get to see our favorite Valkyrie, the one and only Nucking Futs Nix!! (I can’t wait for her book!!) If you haven’t read this series, you are sooooo missing out!!! Great series and this book was a great addition!! Can’t wait for the next installment, which we know will be Will’s twin, Munro’s book, and based on the snippet at the end of MacRieve’s book, WOW!!!

Vickie M