Embrace the darkness in a sensual vampire romance novel from acclaimed author Susan Sizemore. . .
The world holds great danger for Alec Reynard and his kind. As the dark hollows of his soul threaten to overwhelm him, he undergoes secret medical treatments that allow him to bear daylight. Living a double life as a bodyguard, he must also battle the powerful chemistry that explodes between him and Domini Lancer, a mere mortal -- and, unbelievably, his soul mate.
Domini knows nothing of Alec's true nature. But when danger threatens, he kidnaps her to his clan's stronghold to protect her . . . and there, he can no longer hide who -- or what -- he is. As the forces aligned against Domini draw near, Alec wonders whether she'll accept the darkness within him -- or whether she's actually a vampire slayer who's cleverly infiltrated his clan.
Susan Sizemore's life and interests include such varied activities as medieval costuming and embroidery, being a chef, and working in the defense industry.She is owned by her spoiled rotten, beloved mutt dog, rather than the other way around, and this is just fine with her.Current hobbies include hiking and studying t'ai chi. She travels whenever she can, loves history, loud music, movies, good coffee, and writes constantly.She hopes readers enjoy her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.She has won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award and has been nominated for two Romantic Times awards.
Opening Line: “He was growing hungry for the night”
I BURN FOR YOU was an okay read. I mean I won’t be rushing out for the rest of the series or anything but it did have its moments. It’s the first book from Susan Sizemore’s Prime series (which is also available in the omnibus Crave the Night) Providing us with yet another unique take on Vampire romance. I have to say though that I enjoyed the world building here and for the most part, as a first-book-in-series it wasn’t overwhelmed with huge info dumps but explained gradually throughout.
Our hero is of course Vampalicious; dreamy, tortured and seriously alpha or “The Prime” as his chest beating manliness is explained as here. There are interesting secondary characters and some funny dialogue and I enjoyed the premonitions/dreams aspect from our heroine as well as the mind melding process our couple went through. The love scenes are steamy enough but nothing special, which was how I felt about the romance in general -nothing that I’ll remember for very long. My only true complaint (other then the blahness) was the abrupt ending, with several loose ends left hanging and a general feeling of what? That’s it? Still there’s way worse paranormal romance out there.
Alec Reynard is battling his inner demons and true vampire self. Undergoing secret medical treatments that allow him to go out in the daylight and live among humans. Alec keeps himself on a very tight leash and everything seems to be going according to plan until he feels the call of his “Bond Mate” She brings out the beast in Alex and suddenly his cocktail of drugs isn’t working so well anymore, hence the recent sunburn and aggression issues he‘s been experiencing.
Domini Lancer works at her grandfather’s security company as a bodyguard. She’s experienced premonitions her entire life and has grown used to the occasional weird dream. Lately though these dreams have been taking on a life of their own, filled with erotic visions of sex, blood and a man she doesn’t know. And now that voice in her head is there even when she’s awake, compelling her to buy peaches and go places she’s not entirely comfortable with.
So while Domini doesn’t yet know what she is or the danger this places her in Alec as her soul mate and The Prime is driven to protect her. Taking a job at the old man’s company he’s soon teamed up with Domini on their latest security detail. (Hmm mind influence anyone) As the darkness seizes him there is nothing Alec won’t do to keep Domini safe… And claim her as his own.
Alrighty!! Got my hands on the first Prime book, so let's start this off right! (Since I've already read the third book,lets do the series the way a series is meant to be done, starting with the first and ending with the last!) Let me get some reading done and I'll be updating this little review!
Ok, almost half way through, and I am liking this one very, very, very much!! This book doesn't rush into the story right off the bat, it takes it's time. It doesn't jump into things and the charaters, Alec and Domini, are very mature. Working together is driving them both up the wall, but it's only because the passion they are both denying each other builds a mountain of sexual frustration. I've had my nose in this book and I'm very happy with the way the story unfolds.
I have finished the book and all I have to say is wow! This was much better, I love the fact that vampires are used to protect humans not just use them for food. They are brought up to take vows and dedicate their life to watching over humans. It's like any other romance novel, but different from any vampire novel. This story took its time, we get to know Alec and Domini, we discover the passion that drives the two to become one. His need for her is something she can't understand at first, but when she comes to terms...look out! The only thing that prevented me from giving this one a full 5 stars is the ending took me by surprise, I thought there would have been a little bit more to the book. But all in all, great story.
I was really excited to read this book, since I had heard so many good things about it. Unfortunately, for me this book ended up being mostly a lot of build-up, and not much else.
The chemistry between Alec and Domini was great for the first half of the story, but then things went downhill very quickly. The first 200 pages were a blistering build-up to when these two characters would finally hook up. But when they did, the scenes fell flat and the previous chemistry almost completely disappeared.
The rest of the plot was a little too predictable, and the last third of the book moved rather slowly. All in all, I was hoping for a lot more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Domini Lancer & Alexander Reynard Location: California & Idaho
I read this book many years ago, but never finished the series. This may have been the only one in the series that I read. I remembered that I liked it but couldn't remember what happened in the story at all.
Glad I read it again. I liked that Domini is a woman who can take care of herself and doesn't' play the damsel in distress when dealing with an alpha who can and maybe would try to run over you if allowed to do so.
I liked that Alec put everything in to making sure he was at his best before becoming involved with Domini, but fate seemed to have other plans.
It was a great opening to this series. We got the romance and the explanation of the Primes and how this vampire world works.
From that very first 'meeting' between the two I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen.
The story was fast paced, and I really liked both of the characters, even though there were a couple of moments I wanted to kick Alec.
I did want to see Domini (and Ben) come face to face with one particular person from their past, but that didn't happen, and we still didn't learn for sure who the old lady was, even though I think I may have guessed.
I was disappointed in this book right off the bat...never a good sign. I was so bothered by the fact that the author used Alec as a nickname for Alexander not to mention numerous grammatical errors and poor word usage. Does Susan Sizemore NOT have an editor? How did this ever get published in the first place?? Clearly, I will be continuing with this series.
That said, let me sum it all up for you. It's the story of Alec and Domini. Alec is a vampire prime who has chosen to live in the daylight. To do this he has to take quite a few daylight drugs to enable this to happen. He has done this with enough frequency spanning quite a number of years so that earned a post as a Colonel in the Army. However, the drugs are not longer working properly. He has built up some sort of tolerance to them which causes problems. Domini is a tough private security officer who also happens to have visions and lives in fear of her Grandfather. Once Alec and Domini meet, can't stay aware from each other, blah blah blah you know where I am going with this because it was SO formulaic that you have already read this book listed under about a thousand other titles. Usually this doesn't deter me, however, those other books have been more well written and had far better dialogue. For example, calling Alec a "d-boy" makes me wonder if the author bothered with any research at all. Has she ever actually MET anyone who was in the special forces? None of the special ops servicemen I have met refer to themselves in such a ridiculous manner.
The love affair and consequent bond was completely forced, almost as if the author was running down a "How to write a cheese vampire romance" checklist. This really made me yearn for the books that first get you into the the plot and storyline where you felt like there was a relationship forming. In this book, the two main characters meet and less than five seconds later one of them is thinking or saying "I love you" - it's all a bit too quick even for love at first sight. You need that development, even for the fantasy world that these books take place in. What was most disappointing is that you'd assume that if they were so immediate with the "I love yous" that the author would at least make up for that in the bedroom...don't be fooled! I would read those "steamy" scenes and then think to myself..."Really? That's it? That was lame." I'm so glad I got this book for free as it is not worth the paper it was printed on.
The first book in a new series – vampire “Primes”. If you like your vampire males, the alpha driven testosterone types, dark and brooding, this series is for you. For me it was a change from the humorous paranormal romances that I usually read. A nice balance for me to switch back and forth from.
Now on to the scathing review. Having started out reading the 6th ,and last, book in the series, Primal Desires, I enjoyed it enough to buy the other books in the series. I was, however, rather disappointed in the first book. Not so much with the story itself, and the initial background of the main characters, but with the tempo of the book. I give Sizemore brownie points for getting the two main characters interacting with each other on a verbal level by the end of the 2nd chapter. But to frustrate the reader until the book was more than half over with before they got together body -to-body, in that the writer lost points. Granted there was a lot of psychic/sexual mind dreams going on. And to be blunt they were described and played out a lot better then the actual in-the-flesh scene which I thought was poorly written, to quickly delivered, and seem to be tossed in at the last minute. Maybe the editor was having a bad day and had Sizemore cut more than she should have. Who knows, anyway, unless you are curious about Primes and their medical treatment/condition you can easily skip this book and move on to the next in the series, I Thirst for You, which definitely puts your faith back into the author as a vampire romance writer. If I hadn’t read Primal Desires first I doubt I would have gone any farther than the 1st book, and would have missed out on a good series in the making.
I was disappointed in this book right away. However, I managed to get beyond the fact that the author used Alec as a nickname for Alexander enough to finish the book. With all of the other grammatical errors and poor word usage - I do not think I will be continuing with the series.
This book had ok moments. Overall it contained Negative - Insta love - Cheese - Some consent issues - Once the pair got together it felt flat - Not much plot apart from the romance
Positive - Interesting addition of a treatment to be able to live a human life - Some good romantic build up
Prime Alexander Reynard and clairvoyant security specialist Domini Lancer met in a dream. A dream so vivid, Domini tried to duplicate it when she awoke. Domini has always been able to tell the grandfather that raised her anything. But she definitely doesn't want to tell him everything about her dreams lately. They're too often erotic but there are a few things she can share.
Alec thinks the dreams have to do with his personalized cocktail to keep his vampire metabolism immune to traditional taboos and keep him from going feral. Domini isn't certain she isn't losing her mind though things are too vivid to be imagination. Alec is hired by Domini's grandfather and assigned to her team. Their first assignment has the pair working with others to guard her famous childhood friend.
Domini is accosted when she goes searching for Alec after one of her vivid dreams and again on assignment. Each time the strangers mention a phrase that tickles her memory but doesn't come through. Meanwhile the mating bond begins to form between the two as they seek their individual desires and passions beyond each other.
If the reader can stick with the complicated vampire lore here, this foundation tale offers a bit of mystery to go with the romance in this imaginative tale. Though tame by today's standards, this older series was no doubt cutting edge in its day and can still be enjoyed by readers who like the suggestion of things to come teased out and don't have an issue with fade to black romantic interludes. Rating:4 stars
What is up with the controlling guys? I liked Alec, I really did, but things could have gone much smoother for him if he had been more upfront with Domini.
Once Domini finally figured out exactly what the truth was, I was surprised at how well she took things. I was expecting a rougher transition for her, so I was pleasantly surprised with her.
I'm interested in seeing how things go with this world. Things are a bit different with the vampires, but nothing too outside the box. I look forward to future books.
This book starts out strong and ends strong. I liked that there was not that yo-yo/should I-shouldn't stuff going on. I'm planning on reading more of the series.
Alec is a vampire who's is going feral and is trying to slow/stop the process. In the middle of his mess, he finds his bond mate and tries to keep her from him until he has more control over himself. His bond mate Domini, has a secret family past that she's not even aware of let alone that vampires exist. Good book!
A great series if you like the sexual strong male characters and their equally strong minded mates. For those who like vampires and romance will not want to put the book down. Alec Reynard and Domini Lancer are just made to be together whether they agree at the moment or not they can't stay away from each other for very long without wanting to go and find the other and bring them back home. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
An interesting take on vampires, but too many loose ends..not sure if they are tied up later in the series. There was so much good build up that the story felt like it ended too abruptly. I was expecting much more as I read and then the book just ended... leaving me hanging. I felt a little cheated.
I'm left wondering if I should continue with this series.
Bence Türkçe'ye çok geç çevrilmeye başlanmış bir seri benzerlerini ve daha iyilerini gördüğümüz için biraz ordan burdan alınmış (ki bazılarından daha önce yazılmış olmasına rağmen) gibi geldi. O yüzden vasat bulmaktan öteye geçemedim.
Recommend this book for all vampire lovers who are looking for something to end their thirst for more, but who don't expect anything great or original.
Domini is a psychic who works for her grandfather's security company. She has a powerful draw to the newest member of the company, Alec Reynard, who, to her, is very strange and very dangerous because of his allure. Alec is actually a vampire and the two are drawn to each other because they are soul mates and everything in Alec is telling him to claim Domini for his mate. But Alec is on the edge, having a bad reaction to the drugs that allow him to walk in daylight, he cannot join Domini to him and subject her to his darkness. So he fights it. He also continues to try to hide his nature, but Domini is suspicious. As the attraction draws them together, the truth and Alec's darkness work against them.
This was a promising start to the series but fell short in several places. I like the psychic aspect of things and characters themselves are pretty likeable. There's some pretty great action and suspense alongside an awesomely written friendship between Domini and her BFF. The world in which the characters are living and its paranormal nature were very gradually revealed - and the vampires seem to be like tribes, each family named for an animal and claiming a common ancestor. But what's confusing is that there are groups of vampires within the whole population called the Tribes, the Clans and the Families and apparently each exhibit different characteristics. I think I need more explanation of that. There is definitely chemistry between Domini and Alec, although Alec doesn't behave very much like he's met his soul mate and the love of his life. He's awfully rude and sneery toward Domini. But I didn't mind that too much. What I did struggle with though was how quickly Domini had a change of heart - at first she was trying to push Alec away and all that, but then as soon as they have sex and they're mated, she's totally in love and totally fine with being mated to him. And it kinda felt like her choice was taken from her since she didn't know that she'd end up mated to him...And Alec was not even remotely remorseful about any of it (of course it was his goal all along anyway). But while I was a little peeved about Alec's attitude, Domini's total acceptance of being tied for life to a complete stranger who has shown evidence of controlling behavior is mind-boggling. And then the really abrupt ending on top of that with absolutely no winding down or discussion sort of ended the book on a sour note. I'm reading on and hoping the stories at least stay consistent with this one or get better. This first one was walking an edge and this could still be a great series (I'm so hoping it is).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I recalled very little about this story, other than I had enjoyed it. Now I'm not fully certain if nostalgia makes me remember this book more fondly or if the progress of the genre, time and my reading taste make me look upon it with a bit more scrutiny. Either way I still liked it, but not as much as I thought I would and the ending was so abrupt I thought for a minute my book was missing pages."
I lost 3 days reading this book and I could't finish it at 88%. There was no chemistry between Alec and Domini and the bonding was forced all the time. Domini was cold and she didn't have that instant love and passion for Alec. I think Alec was burning for his woman and mate while his mate didn't care.
Rushed and the mate bond was forced. Dominia did not even like or know Alec before she suddenly was madly lusting after her. And what the hell was all the vampire knowledge and plit when it ended so abruptly.
3.5 ⭐️ A little dragging in the beginning especially when both characters could be aggravating at times but then it picked up more. The ending was too abrupt though.
Honestly it’s I not bad story line but I think the writing is kinda weak. Like if you feel like reading a romance fantasy quickly just fir the sake of reading something then this book is good for you