Riley Dawson is a social worker trying to brighten her corner of the world, one case at a time. She's seen the worse that the world, and the people in it, can do to each other, and yet she keeps on, trying to help where she can. After a particularly rough day, when she could very literally have lost her life, she is forced to face down one more threat: a trio of vampires who want to play before they kill. Conlan, the high prince of Atlantis, who has spent the last seven years being tortured by Anubisa, the vampire goddess of death, is her unlikely rescuer. The unexpected answer to desires she didn't know she had.
I have a Thing about Atlantis. I always have, so any book set there or with Atlanteans, real or imagined, is going to get my attention. Of course, with my speed of reading, I've had this book for a while before cracking the cover. I meant to read it on the cruise--how perfect to read about Atlantis while on the ocean, right?--but I didn't realize how little time I'd actually spend reading. So! I've read it now.
I think this is the first time that I can honestly say that an alpha hero has not, at some point, irritated me with his bossy, push you around attitude. I'm not saying that Conlan isn't pushy or demanding. I'm saying that it worked for me and not once did I roll my eyes or feel the urge to slap him.
And most of the reason is Riley herself. This is a heroine who stands up to the alpha despite the fact that he can easily overpower her. She gives back just as much as she gets, and does it without being a Xena-clone, which makes me so very happy. For once, we have a hero and heroine who really -are- a match for one another, rather than simply having that stated and forcing the reader to try to figure out how that makes sense.
I am looking forward to reading stories for all of the Warriors of Poseidon. There are seven of them, so I should be set for a good long time.
Writing is like a drug. Anyone who tells you it isn't is trying to sell you something more addictive. Like crack.
