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Forever Freed
A heart can break, even one that no longer beats.
I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient guilt and grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.
But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear--talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and tempting the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.
Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can...
I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient guilt and grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.
But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear--talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and tempting the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.
Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can...
422 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2011
About the author
Laura Kaye
72 books7,521 followersLaura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink, Raven Riders, Blasphemy, Heroes, and Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura's hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura also writes historical fiction as Laura Kamoie, and lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
March 1, 2015
5 Stars! I was utterly captivated by this endearing, sweet romance.
Lucien is a vampire born out of tragic circumstances and has never really embraced what he has become. The loneliness he feels is crushing and it pained me to the bone. The first person narrative was so well done, that you couldn’t help but feel his emotions, his longing for some normalcy, in his not-so-normal life. He becomes involved with Samantha and her delightful daughter Olivia, “Ollie”, and realizes that perhaps he can once again have what he lost so many years ago. I was captivated by the bond that Lucien and Ollie formed, lost myself in the sensual, loving relationship that he had with Samantha, and was charmed by his unconventional “family”. A very heartwarming and enjoyable read.
This is the second book that I’ve read by this author. Two different genres, two different narratives, one full length book, one novella, two 5 star reads! I fell hard for both of her leading men, had the overwhelming urge to comfort them, jump into the pages of the books and wrap my arms around them; I wanted to be their salvation. That’s good writing! So, now it’s on to her erotic romance, can she do it again? I’m dying to find out!
October 22, 2011
Forever Freed is a very sweet, romantic, and heartwarming story. The relationship and bond that forms among the three main characters, Lucien, Samantha, and Olivia (Samantha's daughter), is tender and endearing. Especially, the relationship that developed between Lucien and Olivia. The interactions between the two was fun, sweet, and my favorite part of the story.
The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because even though the book ended well, it also felt rushed. Plus, in my opinion, the author left out a very important element of the story. We are never told if Samantha will become a vampire. In fact, it was never discussed. My heart breaks to think that Lucien finally has the family he's always desired, only to end up alone again.
I'm becoming a huge fan of Laura Kaye. She has a way of writing fantastic romance stories using simple prose that captures my emotions, my imagination, and my heart. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because even though the book ended well, it also felt rushed. Plus, in my opinion, the author left out a very important element of the story. We are never told if Samantha will become a vampire. In fact, it was never discussed. My heart breaks to think that Lucien finally has the family he's always desired, only to end up alone again.
I'm becoming a huge fan of Laura Kaye. She has a way of writing fantastic romance stories using simple prose that captures my emotions, my imagination, and my heart. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 29, 2011
I had heard (or rather, read) really great things about this book, but after starting it I was disappointed and expected this to just be an okay read. I'm very, very happy to say that I was wrong! The book starts slowly and it took a little time for me to get into it, but it ended up being an absolutely lovely romance with a hero who gained a permanent spot on my Best Romance Heroes Ever list.
{ Characters }
Main Characters: Lucien (27.5), Samantha or Sam (26), Olivia or Ollie (5)
It was slightly disconcerting that the entire story is told from Lucien's (the hero) first person POV, so that took getting used to. One of the greatest - if not the greatest - strengths of this book is Lucien though, so in that sense it actually ends up being a real treat that we're told the story in his voice. He's a very compelling character and is an utter sweetheart with Samantha and Ollie - after he's rethought his decision to kill and drink from Sam, of course ;-). His love for both of them is so strong and so unbelievably heartfelt.
Lucien is not a cookie-cutter hero, which I adored: he's not the possessive alpha who sometimes treats the heroine like crap and is too authoritarian; he's not the sweet beta hero with the "nice guys don't finish last" theme. He's a wonderful mix of both and seems all the more real for it. He's guilt-ridden - and has been for 100+ years - over the death of his family. He's tortured and sees himself as undeserving. He's gentle and caring with Ollie. He's tender and slightly obsessive with Sam. He's ashamed of what he is, angry about having been made into it, regretful about the "dark" years where he was a bit of a shady character. He's a talented violinist and carpenter. He's just straight-up lovely and lovable!
I know some people don't like children in romances, but if an author does it right I absolutely love them. Chalk it up to my gender and the wannabe-mother in me, but I always love reading about the hero's' interactions with the child(ren); warms my heart every time. Ollie provides a lot of great humor and watching her interactions with Lucien will make your heart melt into a big, fat puddle. She's also a well-defined character and seems a person on her own, which is one of the biggest stumbling blocks I find that author's sometimes run into. Olivia is her own entity and very well-written.
Samantha took me awhile to ... get into, I guess would be the term? Not to like or to root for - she's very likable and I loved watching her relationship with Lucien develop. The biggest flaw with her character was that she felt much more inaccessible to me. This was one of the turn-offs at the beginning that had me questioning whether I was going to enjoy the book or not; I felt like I didn't know her, had no sense about who or how she was, and at the beginning we're only seeing her through Lucien's eyes - so yes, she's a happy and bright and sweet person, but she's also nourishment. His stance on that changes, of course, and as he gets to know her better we do as well.
In the end though, I still didn't feel like I knew her as well as Lucien, and frankly how could I when the entire thing is in his first person POV? That is one of the downsides of doing that with romances. I will say that it was a nice change that here it was done with the hero, and not the heroine. Also, to be perfectly honest, Lucien was such a great character that I do feel something would have been lost had we not been given such insight into his thoughts and emotions.
The secondary characters were well-done - most especially Lucien's "family," who are all wonderful. I loved them; the strong ties they all share are very clear and make reading their interactions a delight.
{ Love Story }
This is mostly a relationship-focused / character-driven book. There is some excitement thrown in towards the end, which felt a little jarring and random, but brings things to a head so I guess is understandable. Overall though, it really centers around the relationships between Lucien and Sam, and Lucien and Ollie. They're great together, I loved watching their romance develop, and there is definitely sizzling chemistry.
The relationship seems very authentic, because not only does the book take place over a longer amount of time than we're used to (~6+ months), but while the tension between them is very well-done and love scenes alive with chemistry, you know that first and foremost it's emotion driving these two together. They don't even sleep together for several months, which IMO fit - she has a young daughter to consider, he doesn't feel right about sleeping with her without her knowing he's a vampire.
I thought Kaye did such a terrific job of showing Lucien's struggle at the beginning between wanting to drink from Sam and wanting to leave her alone because she's Ollie's mom, then wanting to leave her alone because he's falling in love with her. When they have sex, he has to be sure to control himself because his natural instinct is to bite her at the end; I liked that he continues to have to battle this and exert control over himself (though much, much less as time goes on), and it didn't conveniently all of a sudden subside.
{ This Vampire World }
The vampire world in this book is different than in others I have read - though I'm beginning to realize that is almost always true and that each author adjusts and incorporates what they want to, making for a nice variety. Some of the basics are:
* There are vampire covens, but they can also live by themselves and not everyone belongs to a coven
* They do not consume food or drink
* Drinking blood from a person can't be done, stopped, and person goes on alive and fine (from what I understood - this was a little murky); can live off of blood from blood banks (not taken directly from the source, shall we say); only vampire mates drink from one another; can live off of animal blood, but is not great sustenance and person blood is much better
* Most all humans are intrinsically scared of them and have an immediate and natural fear reaction
* Different vampires have different extra abilities: hearing others' thoughts, sensing their emotions, healing, etc.
* Can't be in the sunlight for long or they start to burn
* All the usual stuff: better speed, hearing, smell, sight, self-healing, charming (i.e. glamouring) etc.
Whenever vampires do eat human food, it weakens them and their body has to work extra hard to absorb it or they have to throw it up. It made the Christmas holidays when Samantha and Ollie go with Lucien to visit his "family" absolutely hysterical!
{ Criticism }
I really did love the book, but as with most there were certain things I had issues with.
*One of them I already mentioned: feeling that I never really "got" Samantha as much as I would have liked.
* Some things felt very piecemeal. Ex: I was never very clear on what precipitated Lucien leaving New York and going to Detroit. Lucien was turned against his will and we're told throughout he's wanted revenge on his unknown Maker, but that thread ends up just dangling.
* Not everything flowed very smoothly. One example is that we're told Lucien had a very difficult relationship with William, one of his "brothers," but then everything seems to be fine after a brief talk. All happens quite abruptly.
* I loved Lucien's "family," but they were all - aside from William - almost a little too perfect.
* Still don't completely understand how the vampire society is structured - or whether it's like people and there's no one way of doing things and every place / vampire is different.
* We skip over the first few weeks of Lucien and Sam's relationship once they've gotten together. Understandable for the sake of page space, but could have been done more smoothly.
* Sam's father, Joe, was really not developed. He's just kind of ... there.
* Ending felt a little rushed.
*
* Aside from the Sam-disconnect, my biggest issue is probably that we're not told how their HEA is going to work. (I'm not putting a spoiler alert on this, because is it really coming as a shock to anyone that they end up together?! Please.) Lucien is a vampire, so he can live forever and during that living will always be 27.5 years old ... Sam and Ollie are regular, aging humans. So how is that going to work between Lucien and Sam? They'll be together, then she'll be viewed as a Cougar, and then he'll be seen as a twisted guy who has a thing for elderly women in nursing homes?
{ Quote }
There are great quotes throughout about Lucien's feelings for Sam and Ollie, but that basically makes up half the book, so instead I'm sharing a funny one I liked:
Definitely read it. Starts off slowly, but begins to pay off very quickly. Overall, the story could have been a little tighter, but it is an absolutely lovely one and supremely enjoyable. I know I'll reread in the future.
{ Characters }
Main Characters: Lucien (27.5), Samantha or Sam (26), Olivia or Ollie (5)
It was slightly disconcerting that the entire story is told from Lucien's (the hero) first person POV, so that took getting used to. One of the greatest - if not the greatest - strengths of this book is Lucien though, so in that sense it actually ends up being a real treat that we're told the story in his voice. He's a very compelling character and is an utter sweetheart with Samantha and Ollie - after he's rethought his decision to kill and drink from Sam, of course ;-). His love for both of them is so strong and so unbelievably heartfelt.
Lucien is not a cookie-cutter hero, which I adored: he's not the possessive alpha who sometimes treats the heroine like crap and is too authoritarian; he's not the sweet beta hero with the "nice guys don't finish last" theme. He's a wonderful mix of both and seems all the more real for it. He's guilt-ridden - and has been for 100+ years - over the death of his family. He's tortured and sees himself as undeserving. He's gentle and caring with Ollie. He's tender and slightly obsessive with Sam. He's ashamed of what he is, angry about having been made into it, regretful about the "dark" years where he was a bit of a shady character. He's a talented violinist and carpenter. He's just straight-up lovely and lovable!
I know some people don't like children in romances, but if an author does it right I absolutely love them. Chalk it up to my gender and the wannabe-mother in me, but I always love reading about the hero's' interactions with the child(ren); warms my heart every time. Ollie provides a lot of great humor and watching her interactions with Lucien will make your heart melt into a big, fat puddle. She's also a well-defined character and seems a person on her own, which is one of the biggest stumbling blocks I find that author's sometimes run into. Olivia is her own entity and very well-written.
Samantha took me awhile to ... get into, I guess would be the term? Not to like or to root for - she's very likable and I loved watching her relationship with Lucien develop. The biggest flaw with her character was that she felt much more inaccessible to me. This was one of the turn-offs at the beginning that had me questioning whether I was going to enjoy the book or not; I felt like I didn't know her, had no sense about who or how she was, and at the beginning we're only seeing her through Lucien's eyes - so yes, she's a happy and bright and sweet person, but she's also nourishment. His stance on that changes, of course, and as he gets to know her better we do as well.
In the end though, I still didn't feel like I knew her as well as Lucien, and frankly how could I when the entire thing is in his first person POV? That is one of the downsides of doing that with romances. I will say that it was a nice change that here it was done with the hero, and not the heroine. Also, to be perfectly honest, Lucien was such a great character that I do feel something would have been lost had we not been given such insight into his thoughts and emotions.
The secondary characters were well-done - most especially Lucien's "family," who are all wonderful. I loved them; the strong ties they all share are very clear and make reading their interactions a delight.
{ Love Story }
This is mostly a relationship-focused / character-driven book. There is some excitement thrown in towards the end, which felt a little jarring and random, but brings things to a head so I guess is understandable. Overall though, it really centers around the relationships between Lucien and Sam, and Lucien and Ollie. They're great together, I loved watching their romance develop, and there is definitely sizzling chemistry.
The relationship seems very authentic, because not only does the book take place over a longer amount of time than we're used to (~6+ months), but while the tension between them is very well-done and love scenes alive with chemistry, you know that first and foremost it's emotion driving these two together. They don't even sleep together for several months, which IMO fit - she has a young daughter to consider, he doesn't feel right about sleeping with her without her knowing he's a vampire.
I thought Kaye did such a terrific job of showing Lucien's struggle at the beginning between wanting to drink from Sam and wanting to leave her alone because she's Ollie's mom, then wanting to leave her alone because he's falling in love with her. When they have sex, he has to be sure to control himself because his natural instinct is to bite her at the end; I liked that he continues to have to battle this and exert control over himself (though much, much less as time goes on), and it didn't conveniently all of a sudden subside.
{ This Vampire World }
The vampire world in this book is different than in others I have read - though I'm beginning to realize that is almost always true and that each author adjusts and incorporates what they want to, making for a nice variety. Some of the basics are:
* There are vampire covens, but they can also live by themselves and not everyone belongs to a coven
* They do not consume food or drink
* Drinking blood from a person can't be done, stopped, and person goes on alive and fine (from what I understood - this was a little murky); can live off of blood from blood banks (not taken directly from the source, shall we say); only vampire mates drink from one another; can live off of animal blood, but is not great sustenance and person blood is much better
* Most all humans are intrinsically scared of them and have an immediate and natural fear reaction
* Different vampires have different extra abilities: hearing others' thoughts, sensing their emotions, healing, etc.
* Can't be in the sunlight for long or they start to burn
* All the usual stuff: better speed, hearing, smell, sight, self-healing, charming (i.e. glamouring) etc.
Whenever vampires do eat human food, it weakens them and their body has to work extra hard to absorb it or they have to throw it up. It made the Christmas holidays when Samantha and Ollie go with Lucien to visit his "family" absolutely hysterical!
{ Criticism }
I really did love the book, but as with most there were certain things I had issues with.
*One of them I already mentioned: feeling that I never really "got" Samantha as much as I would have liked.
* Some things felt very piecemeal. Ex: I was never very clear on what precipitated Lucien leaving New York and going to Detroit. Lucien was turned against his will and we're told throughout he's wanted revenge on his unknown Maker, but that thread ends up just dangling.
* Not everything flowed very smoothly. One example is that we're told Lucien had a very difficult relationship with William, one of his "brothers," but then everything seems to be fine after a brief talk. All happens quite abruptly.
* I loved Lucien's "family," but they were all - aside from William - almost a little too perfect.
* Still don't completely understand how the vampire society is structured - or whether it's like people and there's no one way of doing things and every place / vampire is different.
* We skip over the first few weeks of Lucien and Sam's relationship once they've gotten together. Understandable for the sake of page space, but could have been done more smoothly.
* Sam's father, Joe, was really not developed. He's just kind of ... there.
* Ending felt a little rushed.
*
* Aside from the Sam-disconnect, my biggest issue is probably that we're not told how their HEA is going to work. (I'm not putting a spoiler alert on this, because is it really coming as a shock to anyone that they end up together?! Please.) Lucien is a vampire, so he can live forever and during that living will always be 27.5 years old ... Sam and Ollie are regular, aging humans. So how is that going to work between Lucien and Sam? They'll be together, then she'll be viewed as a Cougar, and then he'll be seen as a twisted guy who has a thing for elderly women in nursing homes?
{ Quote }
There are great quotes throughout about Lucien's feelings for Sam and Ollie, but that basically makes up half the book, so instead I'm sharing a funny one I liked:
Yeah. It's happening. "It" being the fact that I was in love. With a human. Who I had been planning to kill.{ Bottom Line }
Definitely read it. Starts off slowly, but begins to pay off very quickly. Overall, the story could have been a little tighter, but it is an absolutely lovely one and supremely enjoyable. I know I'll reread in the future.
June 4, 2012
Opening Line: "The sleek silver Beemer swerved roughly to the curb in front of my driveway, cutting me off as I pulled out."
Lucien Demarco is hungry. We join him (in 1st person POV) seeking out a blood source after a long dry spell. One night he runs into an old vampire friend who ironically is now director of the Detroit blood bank. All our hero can think is perfect, guilt free sustenance, freedom from the weak blood of animals and evil men he’s been forced to feed on. As Lucien wanders the hospital corridors a couple of days later, anticipating his next meal he’s stopped in his tracks by an approaching nurse. This woman is exuding joy, pure blissful joy. And because Lucian can read emotions she smells sweet to him, like dessert. His hunger suddenly takes on a whole new meaning because if he were to take her blood those innocent, carefree emotions would seep into him eradicating the constant sorrow he feels and destroying the evil he has ingested from feeding on murderers. And so the hunt begins.
It doesn’t take long for Lucien to learn where Samantha lives and buy a house within the neighbourhood, then like the predator he is, he stalks her. It’s during this hunt that Lucien meets a young girl, throwing himself in front of a car to protect her. Surprisingly she is not afraid of him (most humans instinctively fear vampires), but this girl calls him her angel and holds his hand. Lucien is moved and vows to always protect her. Now imagine the tricky situation that arises when he learns that this child is the daughter of his intended prey.
I wish I could say I liked this more, I really wanted to, I mean the premise is fantastic; a hungry vampire stalking his neighbours only to fall in love with them, but after a slow start (which I expected based on other reviews) it never grabbed me. I think the romance angle was just too sweet, I kept waiting for some conflict, but for 90% of Lucien, Samantha (and Ollie’s) story it was just sweetness and light, a fairy tale romance.
I also found Samantha (and Lucien for that matter) to be immature and there were moments, dare I say, when I felt like I was reading something from the Twilight universe. Our hero all self loathing and overtly agreeable to anything Sam wants or needs because he feels guilty lying about what he is. They also wait six months to have sex, I mean these are experienced adults who are having sleepovers and into each other, I just felt this was a stretch.
And as much as I enjoyed Lucien’s “family” I was constantly reminded of the Cullen’s especially during their Christmas visit where everyone tries to act human in a comical sort of way for the sake of the girlfriend (they also have healing and telepathic powers and are often called in as back up to fix things) For some weird reason it’s also when our couple decides to consummate their relationship, all within prying, super vampire ears.
I am by no means giving up on Laura Kaye, I loved Hearts in Darkness, can’t wait to read North of Need and love the world she created here. Her vampire characteristics were, can I say realistic? More practical then magical, more predatory, which is how I always imagined a vampire would be , much like a lion or bear who is excited by fear and will instinctively take chase if you run. Anyways I’m so far off topic. Cheers.
300jb3
Lucien Demarco is hungry. We join him (in 1st person POV) seeking out a blood source after a long dry spell. One night he runs into an old vampire friend who ironically is now director of the Detroit blood bank. All our hero can think is perfect, guilt free sustenance, freedom from the weak blood of animals and evil men he’s been forced to feed on. As Lucien wanders the hospital corridors a couple of days later, anticipating his next meal he’s stopped in his tracks by an approaching nurse. This woman is exuding joy, pure blissful joy. And because Lucian can read emotions she smells sweet to him, like dessert. His hunger suddenly takes on a whole new meaning because if he were to take her blood those innocent, carefree emotions would seep into him eradicating the constant sorrow he feels and destroying the evil he has ingested from feeding on murderers. And so the hunt begins.
It doesn’t take long for Lucien to learn where Samantha lives and buy a house within the neighbourhood, then like the predator he is, he stalks her. It’s during this hunt that Lucien meets a young girl, throwing himself in front of a car to protect her. Surprisingly she is not afraid of him (most humans instinctively fear vampires), but this girl calls him her angel and holds his hand. Lucien is moved and vows to always protect her. Now imagine the tricky situation that arises when he learns that this child is the daughter of his intended prey.
I wish I could say I liked this more, I really wanted to, I mean the premise is fantastic; a hungry vampire stalking his neighbours only to fall in love with them, but after a slow start (which I expected based on other reviews) it never grabbed me. I think the romance angle was just too sweet, I kept waiting for some conflict, but for 90% of Lucien, Samantha (and Ollie’s) story it was just sweetness and light, a fairy tale romance.
I also found Samantha (and Lucien for that matter) to be immature and there were moments, dare I say, when I felt like I was reading something from the Twilight universe. Our hero all self loathing and overtly agreeable to anything Sam wants or needs because he feels guilty lying about what he is. They also wait six months to have sex, I mean these are experienced adults who are having sleepovers and into each other, I just felt this was a stretch.
And as much as I enjoyed Lucien’s “family” I was constantly reminded of the Cullen’s especially during their Christmas visit where everyone tries to act human in a comical sort of way for the sake of the girlfriend (they also have healing and telepathic powers and are often called in as back up to fix things) For some weird reason it’s also when our couple decides to consummate their relationship, all within prying, super vampire ears.
I am by no means giving up on Laura Kaye, I loved Hearts in Darkness, can’t wait to read North of Need and love the world she created here. Her vampire characteristics were, can I say realistic? More practical then magical, more predatory, which is how I always imagined a vampire would be , much like a lion or bear who is excited by fear and will instinctively take chase if you run. Anyways I’m so far off topic. Cheers.
300jb3
October 14, 2012
I found Laura Kaye's books through a friend of mine, who also liked her fanfiction on the internet. The first book, or should I say, novella, I read was "Hearts in Darkness", which blew me away in originality and simplicity; i.e., no battles scenes and few characters.
This story was a heartfelt, emotional and lovely romance between, a vampire, Lucien and Samantha, a human. Another interesting twist and one I found unique, was the inclusion of a 5year old girl, "Ollie," Samantha's insightful daughter. As we all know, most vamp romances don't involve children, (unless the typical virginal character becomes impregnated), and I found it refreshing. I must admit, I hesitated at the thought of a child being one of the major characters, but Kaye made it work. The pace of the story was slow at first, but picked up about 1/3 of the way through and Kaye's great writing continued to capture my attention; making me finish it quickly.
The chemistry was red hot between Lucien and Samantha and the intimate scenes were even hotter! I found myself smiling through a lot of this book and little Ollie was a sweet, yet accident prone, child who thankfully lacked in bratty and combative tendencies...whew!! This is an excellent book for those of you wanting a little vamp, a little drama and a lot of entertainment!!
This story was a heartfelt, emotional and lovely romance between, a vampire, Lucien and Samantha, a human. Another interesting twist and one I found unique, was the inclusion of a 5year old girl, "Ollie," Samantha's insightful daughter. As we all know, most vamp romances don't involve children, (unless the typical virginal character becomes impregnated), and I found it refreshing. I must admit, I hesitated at the thought of a child being one of the major characters, but Kaye made it work. The pace of the story was slow at first, but picked up about 1/3 of the way through and Kaye's great writing continued to capture my attention; making me finish it quickly.
The chemistry was red hot between Lucien and Samantha and the intimate scenes were even hotter! I found myself smiling through a lot of this book and little Ollie was a sweet, yet accident prone, child who thankfully lacked in bratty and combative tendencies...whew!! This is an excellent book for those of you wanting a little vamp, a little drama and a lot of entertainment!!
October 16, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! The character's were enduring especially little Ollie (Olivia), Lucian was filled with such self hatred at times it was overwhelming and with Ollie's unconditional love for him and Sam's gentle nurturing he learned to let go of his past & guilt. This would have been 5 stars if we were given a glimpse into their future with a more indepth epilogue.
October 21, 2011
Wow that was just a wonderful and heart touching book. I so felt for Lucien and his lonely existence until of course he found happiness. Ollie is so wonderful, such a beautiful little girl that wears her heart on her sleeves. Such a great read that I'm looking forward to reading more from Lauren Kaye.
May 30, 2012
A heart-warming story about a vampire named Lucien and the human woman and her child who give him a reason to carry on with his life. They enable him to absolve himself of the guilt he carries about the murder of his wife and daughter, who were killed by the vampire who turned him.
This was my first Laura Kaye book and I'm glad I gave this author a try. I haven't felt so strongly about the characters in a book in quite sometime. Ms. Kaye manages to make you care without going overboard or being schmaltzy.
My only complaint, and it's a small one, is the first half of the book is a bit slow. Other than that, this was a very memorable and enjoyable read.
This was my first Laura Kaye book and I'm glad I gave this author a try. I haven't felt so strongly about the characters in a book in quite sometime. Ms. Kaye manages to make you care without going overboard or being schmaltzy.
My only complaint, and it's a small one, is the first half of the book is a bit slow. Other than that, this was a very memorable and enjoyable read.
January 9, 2016
The most beautiful and sweetly innocent love story I've read in a very long time. Lucien, a lonely, self-loathing vampire, finds true love and acceptance first with adorable, precocious 5 year old Ollie and then her mother Samantha. What I loved most about this book is that Ms. Kaye put as much effort into developing Lucien and Ollie's relationship as she did Lucien and Sam's. Each time he referred to them as "my girls" I melted inside because their connection was palpable and believable.
Compared to other books I've read this year this was relatively slow paced - especially in the beginning. However, the pace highlighted Lucien and Sam's languid and cautious journey as they not only fell in love, but forged a wonderful family unit with Ollie at the center. Although I would have liked a more insightful epilogue (), my love for these characters allowed me to look beyond the book's small deficiencies and root for them with my whole heart. The quiet, unassuming way in which this story was told may not be for everyone, but for me it was a breath of fresh air.
February 9, 2020
Man I'm on a role with finding books I love lately. This one was about a vampire who fell in love with a human and her daughter. He went from wanting to consume her to wanting to protect and love her.
I couldn't put this book down. I read all night. It was filled with so much passion and emotion. Actually a lot of emotion since Lucian was an empath and could feel everyone else's emotions. The cool thing about this book was I agreed with Lucian with all the decisions he made. Usually when the protagonist has a big secret they need to tell someone in the book, it drives me nuts when they don't just DO IT! But, in this book, I could really sympathize with him and agreed with him all the times he wanted to tell Samantha about what he was, and for some reason couldn't or didn't.
The love scenes in this book were pretty intense and beautiful. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it. I literally laughed out loud at times. For example during Christmas when they bet who could eat without throwing up the longest. It just seemed so much like something some guys would come up with and I loved that they were all in on the joke and Samantha had no idea how much pain they were in every time she ate something. I loved it. Cracked me up. Other parts of the book were just heartbreaking, even now thinking back to them makes my chest hurt or my stomach flip. I really got caught up emotionally in this book. Well done Laura Kaye. :)
OH! I feel like I have to mention Olivia. She was beautifully written in my opinion. In so many books I find the children talking younger than their age, and they seem to cutesy with their lisps. But I found Olivia to be so real. I loved her! Throughout the book I compared the things she said and the way she acted to my 4 year old and I was really surprised how well she was written age wise. I could picture her so clearly in my head. One of my favorite parts was when she was sitting around the table with all the vampires and jokingly asked them if they wanted a bite of her pop tart. It showed how bright she was for a 5 year old, but added the touch of silliness that a child her age would have. I loved it!
The only thing is I wish it had a better cover. The cover looks a little cheap to me. I know, can't judge a book and all that but I just don't think the cover does the book justice. For such a beautiful book I think it deserves an equally beautiful cover.
One thing I love about Laura Kaye, is her vocabulary. I am constantly looking up words when I read her books, and I love that.
I couldn't put this book down. I read all night. It was filled with so much passion and emotion. Actually a lot of emotion since Lucian was an empath and could feel everyone else's emotions. The cool thing about this book was I agreed with Lucian with all the decisions he made. Usually when the protagonist has a big secret they need to tell someone in the book, it drives me nuts when they don't just DO IT! But, in this book, I could really sympathize with him and agreed with him all the times he wanted to tell Samantha about what he was, and for some reason couldn't or didn't.
The love scenes in this book were pretty intense and beautiful. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it. I literally laughed out loud at times. For example during Christmas when they bet who could eat without throwing up the longest. It just seemed so much like something some guys would come up with and I loved that they were all in on the joke and Samantha had no idea how much pain they were in every time she ate something. I loved it. Cracked me up. Other parts of the book were just heartbreaking, even now thinking back to them makes my chest hurt or my stomach flip. I really got caught up emotionally in this book. Well done Laura Kaye. :)
OH! I feel like I have to mention Olivia. She was beautifully written in my opinion. In so many books I find the children talking younger than their age, and they seem to cutesy with their lisps. But I found Olivia to be so real. I loved her! Throughout the book I compared the things she said and the way she acted to my 4 year old and I was really surprised how well she was written age wise. I could picture her so clearly in my head. One of my favorite parts was when she was sitting around the table with all the vampires and jokingly asked them if they wanted a bite of her pop tart. It showed how bright she was for a 5 year old, but added the touch of silliness that a child her age would have. I loved it!
The only thing is I wish it had a better cover. The cover looks a little cheap to me. I know, can't judge a book and all that but I just don't think the cover does the book justice. For such a beautiful book I think it deserves an equally beautiful cover.
One thing I love about Laura Kaye, is her vocabulary. I am constantly looking up words when I read her books, and I love that.
May 23, 2011
I really loved this book! I definitely connected with these characters. I loved the fact that it was told from Lucien's point of view. Lucien is a vampire who had lost his wife and daughter in a tragic turn events. He spends many, many lonely years hating who and what he is. I tend to have a thing for dark, tortured, and brooding men. You just can't help but like Lucien, even though he is a predator. He meets a little girl named Ollie who is just adorable and wise beyond her years. He later meets her mother Samantha, though at the time he doesn't realize they are mother and daughter. He finds that he is drawn to both of them. Before he knows it, Ollie and Samantha find their way into his life and his heart.
Forever Freed has everything I could want in a book all combined nicely together in a pretty little package. It's about love, passion, family, forgiveness... It's a heartwarming story that will have you feeling just about every emotion there is. I laughed and I cried, which I don't do often.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romance. It does have adult scenes and language which is something to keep in mind. I'm really glad I read this book and I will definitely read more by this author.
Forever Freed has everything I could want in a book all combined nicely together in a pretty little package. It's about love, passion, family, forgiveness... It's a heartwarming story that will have you feeling just about every emotion there is. I laughed and I cried, which I don't do often.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romance. It does have adult scenes and language which is something to keep in mind. I'm really glad I read this book and I will definitely read more by this author.
December 29, 2013
I really liked this one. It's the story of a vampire, Lucien, narrated in 1st person POV which was very original.
He's about 140 years old and living a shallow existence until he meets a woman, Sam. Lucien is an empath, so he feels the emotions of others. Sam's happiness, her entire essence, just calls to him. He reaches out to embrace her and the feelings she evokes in him, overcoming his bloodlust. He then meets Sam's daughter Ollie, and once again he's astonished by their acceptance and overwhelming feelings of love and well-being. Lucien feels alive, he yearns to have a family again, and it's wonderful to watch him try to achieve this goal. However, he's torn about telling Sam the truth about what he really is because he's afraid to lose her.
I love how he is so sweet to both Sam and Ollie. I think this is the first beta vampire I've encountered in a book. He's beautiful, inside and out. The romance overshadows the paranormal aspects of the book until the end, where a confrontation with an enemy takes place and we see Lucien's alpha side emerge with a growl. The prose is simple but the story works well.
He's about 140 years old and living a shallow existence until he meets a woman, Sam. Lucien is an empath, so he feels the emotions of others. Sam's happiness, her entire essence, just calls to him. He reaches out to embrace her and the feelings she evokes in him, overcoming his bloodlust. He then meets Sam's daughter Ollie, and once again he's astonished by their acceptance and overwhelming feelings of love and well-being. Lucien feels alive, he yearns to have a family again, and it's wonderful to watch him try to achieve this goal. However, he's torn about telling Sam the truth about what he really is because he's afraid to lose her.
I love how he is so sweet to both Sam and Ollie. I think this is the first beta vampire I've encountered in a book. He's beautiful, inside and out. The romance overshadows the paranormal aspects of the book until the end, where a confrontation with an enemy takes place and we see Lucien's alpha side emerge with a growl. The prose is simple but the story works well.
July 24, 2012
Loved this book.....! Great read! What can I say, just got totally sucked in , Lucien Demarco is an empathic depressed and somewhat self loathing vampire,he was turned well over a hundred years ago by a vampire that killed his wife and 3 year old daughter and can not let go of his guilt of not being able to protect them.
Circumstances bring him into contact with Olivia and Samantha sutton whose happiness and joy of life become a draw for him, and not with the most harmless of thoughts at first; over a few weeks time Lucien become involved in their lives and falling in love with Samantha and her daughter. The story is told from Lucien's point of view and I found myself going along with his emotional highs , lows and misgivings about the relationship.
Circumstances bring him into contact with Olivia and Samantha sutton whose happiness and joy of life become a draw for him, and not with the most harmless of thoughts at first; over a few weeks time Lucien become involved in their lives and falling in love with Samantha and her daughter. The story is told from Lucien's point of view and I found myself going along with his emotional highs , lows and misgivings about the relationship.
April 22, 2015
What an interesting and entertaining way to tell a Paranormal Romance, in the first person, from the male/hero vampire's point of view. Started out a little slowly, but then you get to really know the characters. I really enjoyed this book!
August 17, 2011
~* 3.5 Stars *~
Sweet Romance With a Bit of a Bite
He lost his wife and young daughter the night a monster slipped out of the shadows and stole his humanity, leaving him forever changed and his family little more than broken, bloody dolls. He had never forgotten, and he'd never forgiven himself for not being able to prevent their slaughter. Every year for over one hundred of them he paid tribute to their memories during the month in which they were slain with ritual he took from his Italian heritage, but this year, alone and weary of the press of humanity's emotions on his empathic abilities, nearly starved from his self inflicted fast, the weight of Lucien Demarco's penance and remorse threatens to destroy the final flickers of his soul.
And then, just as desperation starts to sink its deadly claws into him, he sees her. And she sees him.
The little darling is like a miracle, an adorable human girl named Ollie, a child who sees him. Unlike every other creature on the planet, she doesn't shy away out of some primal instinct, but waves, and with a cherubic smile, brings him into her world for the span of a beat from a long silent heart. Then, on the heels of that encounter, Lucien's empathy is overwhelmed by a feeling of such pure bliss and joy, an incandescent feeling of such rightness, that he's drawn to the inexorably to the source. Happiness the likes of which he'd not felt in over a century fills him up and, out of a nearly maniacal need to bask in the warmth of it, he plans to take the source of it all inside himself and make it his own. Even though to do so makes him the monster he knows himself to be, because it means the death of a young and pretty woman named Samantha.
He stalks her like prey, watching and waiting for the moment he will sink his fangs deep and take her essence into himself. The moment never comes. In fact, the longer he watches her, the closer he gets to her life, and when he finds out that she is Ollie's mother, Lucien finally realizes that Samantha is no longer his intended prey, but the source of his ultimate salvation.
After loving Laura Kaye's novella Hearts in Darkness, I knew it was just a matter of time until I read more of her work. This lovely paranormal romance hearkens back to a classic romantic style and it's written with a depth of emotion and an elegance that I appreciated. It wasn't quite as successful for me as her novella, though, for a couple of reasons.
I don't prefer romances told in first person point of view. I find it too limiting in fleshing out the characters of both sides of the relationship, which poses a major problem in character-driven stories. It was a drawback for me in this book. While Lucien was well rounded, complex, and wonderfully broody as the male romantic lead, a role that was nuanced and emotive, Sam's character seemed very two dimensional and she came off seeming too good to be true, lacking any flaws or peccadilloes that would add flavor to her role...no pun intended. Ollie was a charmer, but she too seemed a little one-note, and an explanation about what made her different, what made her see things as they were - something that could have added depth to her character - was notably and painfully absent.
The plot also posed a problem for me. I loved the classic romance feel to it, but honestly, the first half dragged a bit for me for the very lack of conflict in it. The only conflict posed was strictly internal on Lucien's side, his vampire nature causing him several fairly predictable issues. Unfortunately, I didn't find it all that compelling, and the lack of relationship conflict weakened those aspects of the story for me. An external conflict was introduced a bit later than I would have preferred, and when it came, it was a rather shockingly abrupt about-face that unbalanced the narrative for me.
I wish Lucien's vampire family had been better incorporated into the whole of the story, and I wish the external conflict had been fleshed out a bit more. Both would have added a depth and dimension to the book and kept the romance plotline from dragging in the middle. That being said, Kaye proved yet again that she can reach into a readers hearts and with a few words, yank the emotions from them, twist a little, and make them feel exactly what she wants them to feel. There was a moment in this book, a single sentence, really, in which every single ounce of emotion Lucien felt, every dream and prayer for a future he feared losing, was so beautifully and articulately expressed that it felt like someone reached in and grabbed my heart and throat and squeezed. Hard.
Moments like that, however fleeting, are rare and precious treasures in books. With this book, Kaye has now given me at least one in each story of her's I've read. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment. And it's why I'll keep reading her work.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Sweet Romance With a Bit of a Bite
He lost his wife and young daughter the night a monster slipped out of the shadows and stole his humanity, leaving him forever changed and his family little more than broken, bloody dolls. He had never forgotten, and he'd never forgiven himself for not being able to prevent their slaughter. Every year for over one hundred of them he paid tribute to their memories during the month in which they were slain with ritual he took from his Italian heritage, but this year, alone and weary of the press of humanity's emotions on his empathic abilities, nearly starved from his self inflicted fast, the weight of Lucien Demarco's penance and remorse threatens to destroy the final flickers of his soul.
And then, just as desperation starts to sink its deadly claws into him, he sees her. And she sees him.
The little darling is like a miracle, an adorable human girl named Ollie, a child who sees him. Unlike every other creature on the planet, she doesn't shy away out of some primal instinct, but waves, and with a cherubic smile, brings him into her world for the span of a beat from a long silent heart. Then, on the heels of that encounter, Lucien's empathy is overwhelmed by a feeling of such pure bliss and joy, an incandescent feeling of such rightness, that he's drawn to the inexorably to the source. Happiness the likes of which he'd not felt in over a century fills him up and, out of a nearly maniacal need to bask in the warmth of it, he plans to take the source of it all inside himself and make it his own. Even though to do so makes him the monster he knows himself to be, because it means the death of a young and pretty woman named Samantha.
He stalks her like prey, watching and waiting for the moment he will sink his fangs deep and take her essence into himself. The moment never comes. In fact, the longer he watches her, the closer he gets to her life, and when he finds out that she is Ollie's mother, Lucien finally realizes that Samantha is no longer his intended prey, but the source of his ultimate salvation.
After loving Laura Kaye's novella Hearts in Darkness, I knew it was just a matter of time until I read more of her work. This lovely paranormal romance hearkens back to a classic romantic style and it's written with a depth of emotion and an elegance that I appreciated. It wasn't quite as successful for me as her novella, though, for a couple of reasons.
I don't prefer romances told in first person point of view. I find it too limiting in fleshing out the characters of both sides of the relationship, which poses a major problem in character-driven stories. It was a drawback for me in this book. While Lucien was well rounded, complex, and wonderfully broody as the male romantic lead, a role that was nuanced and emotive, Sam's character seemed very two dimensional and she came off seeming too good to be true, lacking any flaws or peccadilloes that would add flavor to her role...no pun intended. Ollie was a charmer, but she too seemed a little one-note, and an explanation about what made her different, what made her see things as they were - something that could have added depth to her character - was notably and painfully absent.
The plot also posed a problem for me. I loved the classic romance feel to it, but honestly, the first half dragged a bit for me for the very lack of conflict in it. The only conflict posed was strictly internal on Lucien's side, his vampire nature causing him several fairly predictable issues. Unfortunately, I didn't find it all that compelling, and the lack of relationship conflict weakened those aspects of the story for me. An external conflict was introduced a bit later than I would have preferred, and when it came, it was a rather shockingly abrupt about-face that unbalanced the narrative for me.
I wish Lucien's vampire family had been better incorporated into the whole of the story, and I wish the external conflict had been fleshed out a bit more. Both would have added a depth and dimension to the book and kept the romance plotline from dragging in the middle. That being said, Kaye proved yet again that she can reach into a readers hearts and with a few words, yank the emotions from them, twist a little, and make them feel exactly what she wants them to feel. There was a moment in this book, a single sentence, really, in which every single ounce of emotion Lucien felt, every dream and prayer for a future he feared losing, was so beautifully and articulately expressed that it felt like someone reached in and grabbed my heart and throat and squeezed. Hard.
Moments like that, however fleeting, are rare and precious treasures in books. With this book, Kaye has now given me at least one in each story of her's I've read. That's a pretty impressive accomplishment. And it's why I'll keep reading her work.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
April 24, 2012
To see this review and more like it check out my site www.ufreviews.com
So to begin, I would like to say that this book is a little bit on the difficult side to get into. The beginning doesn't just grab your attention like some other books too. And while I did try to figure out why it didn't grab my attention, I really could not figure out a legitimate reason why. The writing isn't bad, and the characters aren't confusing, it just didn't seem to jump out at me. Although it might be that I didn't really identify with Lucien, who the entire story is told from.
I have to say that I did enjoy the fact that Lucien is not your everyday main character, even though I think that might have played a role in why it took longer for me to get into the book. He's kind of a tortured soul, he doesn't really like who he is, but at the same time can't help that he has the desires that come along with being a vampire. He has a really terrible past so he is pretty isolated to start off with, another reason why I think it took longer to get into his character.
And in the beginning, the beginning of the relationship to be more specifically, you as the reader really get the sense that Lucien is more stalker than anything else. Now I think I have a lot of problems with characters who kind of fall in love with the object of the obsession, it often comes off a little bit on the creepy side for me, but this relationship was able to move a beyond that initial creepy vibe.
I do have to say that in the end the romance is worth it, and honest the book is more about romance than anything else. Sure there is a plot behind it all, but if you don't get into the romance then I don't think you will be able to get into the book. But if you are a person that enjoys romance, I think this will be a good book for you to read, especially since it has the unique factor of being told from the male point of view and not from the female.
Overall I think the book is an okay read, especially if you are just in it for the romance. If you are going to look at the book critically however I think you are going to find a couple of things that might nag at you. I felt like there were certain things, plot elements, that are brought up and not addressed within the book or are wrapped up in a way that didn't feel organic. I felt like while there was romance the was some issue with getting to know the characters. And I think my biggest issue is that I think because the book took so long to get started it ended up having a rushed feeling at the end.
So to begin, I would like to say that this book is a little bit on the difficult side to get into. The beginning doesn't just grab your attention like some other books too. And while I did try to figure out why it didn't grab my attention, I really could not figure out a legitimate reason why. The writing isn't bad, and the characters aren't confusing, it just didn't seem to jump out at me. Although it might be that I didn't really identify with Lucien, who the entire story is told from.
I have to say that I did enjoy the fact that Lucien is not your everyday main character, even though I think that might have played a role in why it took longer for me to get into the book. He's kind of a tortured soul, he doesn't really like who he is, but at the same time can't help that he has the desires that come along with being a vampire. He has a really terrible past so he is pretty isolated to start off with, another reason why I think it took longer to get into his character.
And in the beginning, the beginning of the relationship to be more specifically, you as the reader really get the sense that Lucien is more stalker than anything else. Now I think I have a lot of problems with characters who kind of fall in love with the object of the obsession, it often comes off a little bit on the creepy side for me, but this relationship was able to move a beyond that initial creepy vibe.
I do have to say that in the end the romance is worth it, and honest the book is more about romance than anything else. Sure there is a plot behind it all, but if you don't get into the romance then I don't think you will be able to get into the book. But if you are a person that enjoys romance, I think this will be a good book for you to read, especially since it has the unique factor of being told from the male point of view and not from the female.
Overall I think the book is an okay read, especially if you are just in it for the romance. If you are going to look at the book critically however I think you are going to find a couple of things that might nag at you. I felt like there were certain things, plot elements, that are brought up and not addressed within the book or are wrapped up in a way that didn't feel organic. I felt like while there was romance the was some issue with getting to know the characters. And I think my biggest issue is that I think because the book took so long to get started it ended up having a rushed feeling at the end.
June 1, 2011
After reading the first 3 chapters of Forever Freed on a website I anxiously awaited purchasing it and reading the rest. In the end, though there were one or two areas in the plot where I felt a tiny bit unsatisfied, I really enjoyed Forever Freed.
After losing his human wife and child to the vampire who created him Lucien tries to suffer through his tortured existence. He finds love and acceptance in his vampire family/coven but it just isn't enough to sooth the ache in him. Attempting to live his life in Detroit he encounters a little girl who just upon meeting her appeals to his empathetic senses. Lucien is drawn to the child Olivia and discovers that both her and her mother Samantha are everything he needs to feel whole again.
That is a pretty rough plot description but it sums it up. Forever Freed is a first person narration written in Lucien's point of view. And though I don't normally choose first person it was really great to read feelings from a hero's point of view. He was absolutely heart melting. The way he felt and expressed his love for "his girls" completely made my heart go pitter pat for him. I found absolutely nothing in the characters, how they felt, or acted that I would have wanted written any differently. I loved all of them. Ollie, the girl was absolutely adorable.
The only small thing that I would have liked to have seen play out a bit differently was what I felt was a plot hole with Lucien's maker. We hear a bit about him and what he did to Lucien's family but I would have liked to know more about Lucien's change and more detail about what happened in Lucien's past. Overall however this was a minor complaint and I would definitely read more by this author. Maybe a sequel to dive deeper into Lucien's past?
After losing his human wife and child to the vampire who created him Lucien tries to suffer through his tortured existence. He finds love and acceptance in his vampire family/coven but it just isn't enough to sooth the ache in him. Attempting to live his life in Detroit he encounters a little girl who just upon meeting her appeals to his empathetic senses. Lucien is drawn to the child Olivia and discovers that both her and her mother Samantha are everything he needs to feel whole again.
That is a pretty rough plot description but it sums it up. Forever Freed is a first person narration written in Lucien's point of view. And though I don't normally choose first person it was really great to read feelings from a hero's point of view. He was absolutely heart melting. The way he felt and expressed his love for "his girls" completely made my heart go pitter pat for him. I found absolutely nothing in the characters, how they felt, or acted that I would have wanted written any differently. I loved all of them. Ollie, the girl was absolutely adorable.
The only small thing that I would have liked to have seen play out a bit differently was what I felt was a plot hole with Lucien's maker. We hear a bit about him and what he did to Lucien's family but I would have liked to know more about Lucien's change and more detail about what happened in Lucien's past. Overall however this was a minor complaint and I would definitely read more by this author. Maybe a sequel to dive deeper into Lucien's past?
July 23, 2013
3.5 stars
FOREVER FREED is a stand alone paranormal storyline by Laura Kaye. The premise focuses on vampire Lucien Demarco, a human woman Samantha Sutton and Sam’s daughter Olivia.
Lucien is a vampire who has fallen in love. Samantha is a human female, with a young daughter, and it is through Sam’s daughter that Lucien will first begin to lose his heart.
Living for decades, feared and ignored by humans, Lucien is overcome with emotions when one small young child opens her heart and her mind to a man who believes he is incapable of ever finding or being in love. With his immediate connection to Olivia, Lucien is overcome with need when he begins to believe that Samantha is the woman for him.
The storyline is told from Lucien’s POV. We learn about the loss of his first family; his entry into the world of the vampire; and the current vampires out for revenge for a crime against one of their own.
Lucien is a likeable character and a reluctant vampire. He is the ‘almost’ perfect boyfriend/mate/lover. His concern is for the safety of Sam and her daughter, but his presence in their life has made them a target for revenge.
The writing and storyline premise are simple. This is not a psychological drama or a study in the paranormal. Forever Freed is a sweet storyline of one vampire’s need to love and be loved and the woman who has opened his mind to a possible future. But it is also a story of forbidden love and the extremes and pressures of what one vampire will do to keep the people he loves safe from harm
Copy supplied by the author.
see all of my reviews at : www.thereadingcafe.com
FOREVER FREED is a stand alone paranormal storyline by Laura Kaye. The premise focuses on vampire Lucien Demarco, a human woman Samantha Sutton and Sam’s daughter Olivia.
Lucien is a vampire who has fallen in love. Samantha is a human female, with a young daughter, and it is through Sam’s daughter that Lucien will first begin to lose his heart.
Living for decades, feared and ignored by humans, Lucien is overcome with emotions when one small young child opens her heart and her mind to a man who believes he is incapable of ever finding or being in love. With his immediate connection to Olivia, Lucien is overcome with need when he begins to believe that Samantha is the woman for him.
The storyline is told from Lucien’s POV. We learn about the loss of his first family; his entry into the world of the vampire; and the current vampires out for revenge for a crime against one of their own.
Lucien is a likeable character and a reluctant vampire. He is the ‘almost’ perfect boyfriend/mate/lover. His concern is for the safety of Sam and her daughter, but his presence in their life has made them a target for revenge.
The writing and storyline premise are simple. This is not a psychological drama or a study in the paranormal. Forever Freed is a sweet storyline of one vampire’s need to love and be loved and the woman who has opened his mind to a possible future. But it is also a story of forbidden love and the extremes and pressures of what one vampire will do to keep the people he loves safe from harm
Copy supplied by the author.
see all of my reviews at : www.thereadingcafe.com
August 15, 2011
I guess I'm in the minority here but I struggled through this whole story. I don't know if my expectations were just unrealistically high because of how much I love love loved "Hearts in Darkness". I was over the moon for that novella and didn't want it to end.
Part of it was the fundamental problem I had with Lucien stalking Samantha in the beginning in order to kill her. Instead of him coming off broody and sexy, he was just plain stalkerish.
Also, I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Sam and Lucien and, big annoying point for me, if you're a single mother and you keep "randomly" bumping into some intense brooding stranger, do you seriously let your 5 (almost 6) year old go over to his house without supervision? No parent I know would do this.
Oddly, I can suspend my disbelief for vampires but not for that....
Part of it was the fundamental problem I had with Lucien stalking Samantha in the beginning in order to kill her. Instead of him coming off broody and sexy, he was just plain stalkerish.
Also, I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Sam and Lucien and, big annoying point for me, if you're a single mother and you keep "randomly" bumping into some intense brooding stranger, do you seriously let your 5 (almost 6) year old go over to his house without supervision? No parent I know would do this.
Oddly, I can suspend my disbelief for vampires but not for that....
September 14, 2011
Rating: 4 or 4.5 haven't decided yet.
(Wow. This book ended up really rocking. about 30 percent of the way in, I had to "take a break" because it just wasn't doing it for me, not really. But getting back to it, something clicked and it took off. I ended the tale with a smile on my face.)
This is a standalone vampire story with a great deal of character development. In fact, this is all character driven. The mood is subdued, and actually starts out very, very slowly, but there's a wonderfully fleshed out romance that builds steadily throughout the book. The protagonist Lucien begins as a character of questionable morals and ends up completely identifiable and lovable. (4 of 5 stars)
(Wow. This book ended up really rocking. about 30 percent of the way in, I had to "take a break" because it just wasn't doing it for me, not really. But getting back to it, something clicked and it took off. I ended the tale with a smile on my face.)
This is a standalone vampire story with a great deal of character development. In fact, this is all character driven. The mood is subdued, and actually starts out very, very slowly, but there's a wonderfully fleshed out romance that builds steadily throughout the book. The protagonist Lucien begins as a character of questionable morals and ends up completely identifiable and lovable. (4 of 5 stars)
February 22, 2013
As posted at www.choicebookreviews.net
****3.5 stars****
This was so unlike any other vampire novel I have read. And with saying that...I liked it! I loved Lucien and how he transformed with the love of a good woman. He was do desperately lonely and hollow that once love and commitment entered his life he became alive for the first time in a long time.
Samantha was sweet and kind. She was beyond understanding and I appreciated her the more for it. Of course, the star of the show was Ollie! She was a child beyond her years and defined what is was to love unconditionally.
Lucien's biggest mistake was withholding crucial information but I did understand his motives. All in all a good story with a sweet love story!
****3.5 stars****
This was so unlike any other vampire novel I have read. And with saying that...I liked it! I loved Lucien and how he transformed with the love of a good woman. He was do desperately lonely and hollow that once love and commitment entered his life he became alive for the first time in a long time.
Samantha was sweet and kind. She was beyond understanding and I appreciated her the more for it. Of course, the star of the show was Ollie! She was a child beyond her years and defined what is was to love unconditionally.
Lucien's biggest mistake was withholding crucial information but I did understand his motives. All in all a good story with a sweet love story!
August 8, 2013
Very very close to a 5 star book. Just a couple of things nagged me a little. One being the Twilightness of the story in the beginning and kinda at the end (but of course I love Twilight!) plus a couple other things I can't say because I don't want to give anything away (parts of the ending).
Basically it's a very sweet story and Ollie adds a lot of originality to the story. Lucian is my favorite kind of hero. Tormented and lonely. Seeking love and redemption even though he doesn't think he is or even deserves it. I love Lucian's character. I like the story being told from his POV. Sam and Ollie are perfect for him.
I highly recommend this book as I do all Laura Kaye's books. She is one of my favorite authors. Happy reading!!
Basically it's a very sweet story and Ollie adds a lot of originality to the story. Lucian is my favorite kind of hero. Tormented and lonely. Seeking love and redemption even though he doesn't think he is or even deserves it. I love Lucian's character. I like the story being told from his POV. Sam and Ollie are perfect for him.
I highly recommend this book as I do all Laura Kaye's books. She is one of my favorite authors. Happy reading!!
September 28, 2011
This is a great story; I was so excided when I won it.
I just could not wait to jump right in and start reading it.
I have Forever Freed in PDF Copy witch did not give to much time at one time to read it. However, when started back into it each day, I had to make my self-get up from it.
I loved how Laura Keye put this together. The charters are just wonderful. The point of view in this book was different then some of the books I have read, from this point you got to see though the hero’s eyes. I enjoyed it very much.
I would say this was a great paranormal romance and would recommend this book with being able to say im sure your going to love it!~!
Happy Reading
I just could not wait to jump right in and start reading it.
I have Forever Freed in PDF Copy witch did not give to much time at one time to read it. However, when started back into it each day, I had to make my self-get up from it.
I loved how Laura Keye put this together. The charters are just wonderful. The point of view in this book was different then some of the books I have read, from this point you got to see though the hero’s eyes. I enjoyed it very much.
I would say this was a great paranormal romance and would recommend this book with being able to say im sure your going to love it!~!
Happy Reading
March 19, 2016
This Is A Really Good Story
This is the first paranormal romance that I've read written by Laura Kaye. It's different from the others I've read. It's told from the male point of view. The story made me laugh a little and cry a little.
I love the relationship that Lucien had with Samantha and Ollie (Ollie is Samanthas' daughter, what a sweetie she holds the story together). Their relationship is a little complicated and as the story grows so does the relationship. Luciens' past comes back to haunt him and it puts Samantha and Ollie in danger. Lucien protects his new found family with a vengeance.
This is the first paranormal romance that I've read written by Laura Kaye. It's different from the others I've read. It's told from the male point of view. The story made me laugh a little and cry a little.
I love the relationship that Lucien had with Samantha and Ollie (Ollie is Samanthas' daughter, what a sweetie she holds the story together). Their relationship is a little complicated and as the story grows so does the relationship. Luciens' past comes back to haunt him and it puts Samantha and Ollie in danger. Lucien protects his new found family with a vengeance.
January 30, 2012
I seriously think I'm being too generous by giving this book three stars but it was an original idea for a paranormal read even if the author failed in the execution of said idea. I dont think I ever read a book that was so intense and boring as hell at the same time, I found myself forgetting this was a paranormal read which is crazy because the entire book was from luciens "the vampire" point of view. now I'll be honest at times I did find this book entertaining it had its moments ,but mostly it was dull and lacking a story line.
November 27, 2011
This was a fantastic story. I was a little leary at first but it finally grabbed hold of me and didnt let go! I loved how it was written in Lucien's perspective and I loved his tortured soul. Sam and Ollie are two great characters, such a loving mother and a fun little girl (who just accepted Lucien as being 'different'). I did love the ending, but it left me wanting more...I need more Lucien, Sam, & Ollie, this just cant be the end of their story!!!!
July 4, 2012
Not really sure how to feel about this book to be honest..mabye more 2,5 stars than 3..
it was ok nothing more,nothing less..
It did bug me a bit that a single mom didn't feel more bothered about bumping in to a man more then once in a short period of time..instead she let her child be with him..huh....
and I got a little twilight vibe about there abilities and that the hero only feed from bad guys....
but overall an ok book...
it was ok nothing more,nothing less..
It did bug me a bit that a single mom didn't feel more bothered about bumping in to a man more then once in a short period of time..instead she let her child be with him..huh....
and I got a little twilight vibe about there abilities and that the hero only feed from bad guys....
but overall an ok book...
November 7, 2011
Great good vamp/bad vamp story. Single read, which is nice that this bk could wrap it up in one rather than add to my huge list of dangling series. Loved Lucien the hero, his family and little Ollie.
October 12, 2011
I loved this story. It was a much different take on a vampire story.
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