Friday, November 1, 2013

Captive (The Forbidden Side of Nightshade #1) by A.D. Robertson (Review + Giveaway)

Genre:
Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Publication.Date  October 22nd 2013
Pages:320
Published By:  Dutton Adult
AuthorA.D. Robertson

Captive on Goodreads
My review copy:Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Timesbestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.

Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.

But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.

Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captivedelves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.

(Goodreads)

Sarah hovered just outside his door. She didn’t want to stop talking with Tristan, but she questioned the wisdom of so willingly accepting an invitation into his bedroom. She stood there, looking at the open door.

It’s just a room. A room where there happens to be a bed. No need to read anything more into the situation. God, I’m terrible at lying to myself, Sarah thought as she went through the door. No matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, she was well aware of the thrill she felt at being invited into Tristan’s bedroom and how much she wanted to be there.
What human history tells of witches is but a silver of truth. Neither agents of the devil nor figments of our imagination, those creatures, named witches for so many centuries, are in fact human beings, but exceptional human beings at that. In an age when rationality and science did not muzzle those with knowledge of the arcane and occult, a few brave souls dedicated their lives to the protection of this Earth from the dark influences of strange spirit realms. A secret branch of the Knights Templar, these warriors - collectively known as Conatus - repelled every onslaught of nether creatures. But those things that hide in the shadows are well versed in seduction, and there were those within Conatus who fell prey to the dark's allure.
Castle Tierney and its master remained a puzzle to be solved, but Sarah had a nagging suspicion that the solving could prove treacherous in ways she'd never expected.



       When I first heard about Captive I just knew I had to get my hands on it. Never mind that I don't usually read erotica, or even romance novels, but guys - this is a book set in our beloved Nightshade world! A book that explores what Andrea Cremer could not explore in her YA novels - the forbidden side of Nightshade! It's hot, steamy and gorgeously written - how could I possibly say no to that?!

     Not to mention that I just love Andrea Cremer and her captivating writing style. Even if I'm not always entirely happy with the plot developments and/or the choices she makes for her characters (like the convoluted love triangles or the ending of Bloodrose). That being said, I am happy to report that I was not disappointed with Captive. In fact, this book exceeded all my expectations! From start to finish, this book is exceptionally well-written and intensely mesmerizing. Even though the main focus of the story is the romance between Sarah (the Searcher who finds herself imprisoned and at the mercy of her sworn enemies) and Tristan (the privileged and powerful Keeper), the thorough worldbuilding itself is enough to leave you breathless. We also learn more about the history of Searchers and Keepers, and the conflict between them, and we get to explore a darker, more passionate side of their natures.

     Sarah and Tristan's love story was intense, swoon-worthy and sexy. The passages describing their passionate relationship had me blushing and in need of a cold shower. At the same time, Robertson was very tasteful and subtle in her descriptions, which I appreciated a lot. Their encounters were steamy and loaded with amazing chemistry, but the line between tasteful and cheap was never crossed, not even blurred.

     Forbidden love, an old prophecy, shapeshifters, magic, betrayal and sacrifice - Captive has all that and more. The imagery is intricate and amazing, the chemistry between the characters - deliciously spine-tingling, and the plot line itself - well thought-out, exciting and emotionally engaging. Honestly, there isn't a thing I didn't love about this book. From the great characters to their complicated and tangled up fates, Captive is a fantastic novel full of passion, surprising twists and dramatic developments. I recommend this one to fans of the Nightshade series who would like to explore the more "adult" side of this gorgeous and magical world, and to fans of paranormal romance in general. And no, you don't have to be familiar with Cremer's Nightshade series to fully enjoy this one, Robertson does a great job introducing you to the Nightshade universe, and you learn new interesting things as you go deeper into the story. No matter how you slice it, it's just an awesome book to curl up with on a cold Fall/Winter evening - it'll definitely keep you warm.






ENDS: November 10th
OPEN TO: US addresses only, 18+
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About the author:


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A.D. Robertson is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author. Prior to becoming a full-time novelist, Robertson was a professor of early modern history at Macalester College, giving her a background that informs her books' compelling blend of mythology, history, and lore. She grew up in northern Wisconsin and now lives in New York City.

A.D. Robertson is a pen name for Andrea Cremer, author of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series.
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