A little too much creamy goodness, but I'll take that over all the 'spilling' any day of the week. I didn't find this as bad as some, but don't think I can recommend to anyone that hasn't enjoyed her books since Narcissus in Chains. I can damn with faint praise and say it wasn't the complete disappointment that Divine Misdemeanors was, though. ( )

As someone that doesn't read Laurel K Hamilton's works for the "paranormal romance" (or urban fantasy erotica/porn as some of my friends call it), I'm glad that it seems that LKH is getting back into writing books that have more crime solving than just having Anita have sex in various locations. ( )

It's becoming noting but porn ( )

I keep waiting for the next book in the series that will actually advance the plot. This one didn't do that, or at least, not very far. ( )

Synopsis: 'Anita is attending a dance recital after work for Monica Vespucci's son Matthew, Nathaniel, Jason, and Stephen. Everyone in Jean-Claude's entourage is in attendance for this event, with the exception of Richard, who because of his job can't afford to be outted as something other than human. There are performances from children as young as two years old up to high school seniors. Jason, Stephen, and Nathaniel helped elevate their dance partners' performances to new levels of excellence. It brings many of them to tears.
Once they make it back to the Circus, they find Asher threatening to leave St.Louis with Narcissus and the wereHyenas if Jean-Claude will not return his feelings and be with him intimately. It is a strategic power move, threatening Jean-Claude's power base. No one knew that Jean-Claude and Asher were not having sex. Jean-Claude feared Anita's reaction, but also that Asher would roll him completely, making him his slave, as he almost did in the past. Jean-Claude states that if Anita is present, he and Asher can once again be lovers. To the total shock of everyone, Richard shows up so that their triumvirate can once again be complete. After a sharing of power, Richard agrees to going to bed with the three of them.
Before getting down to business, Richard explains his change of heart. He'd been in therapy for several months trying to work out many of his deep seated issues. The other leaders in the Were-community had held an intervention to discuss how his behavior was hurting everyone. He takes the time to apologize to Jean-Claude and to Anita for his actions over the years and vows to make things better from now on. The mood begins to transition and they begin a sexy BDSM scene.
Haven's rage over not being Anita's Rex has clouded his ability to sense truth from lies and suspects that Anita has slept with Travis and Noel. Because of this he has beaten both badly, Noel close to death. Anita attempts to heal Noel using the power of the triumvirates, and the werelions, including Nicky. The massive amount of power raised helps to save Noel, but in giving over that much power, it has broken down their shields once again. They were left with the intense craving to tear Noel apart and it wouldn't have stopped with him. They had given up their control and the Morte d'Amour, full of the possession of Marmee Noir, chose this moment to strike. Anita, Richard, and Micah beg for Jean-Claude to change the bloodlust and beast's hunger into something else to save them all from certain death. Instead of becoming a meal of death and destruction for the Lover of Death, they raised the ardeur. But with the amount of power raised, it exploded out into the room.
Anita finds a powerful black tiger in the room who turns out to be a spy for a Harlequin vampire who is controlling her remotely. She gets the tiger, named Jade to submit to her by having sex with her, a new activity for Anita. She uses the ardeur which can see into the mind, the heart, the soul, to the thing you want most and wants to give you, your heart’s desire. Jade wants to be free of her abusive master. She has been sent to spy along with another tiger, a golden one with a kinder master. The Harlequin have broken with the Vampire Council and are running from the Mother of All Darkness -- this news, which she learns when her mind melds with Jade's, pleases Anita.
Review: Lots is going on in this book, but most of it is violence and sex. ( )