Book 1 of the Dark Brethren NIGHT'S COLD KISS remains my favorite of the series. It did a fabulous job of drawing me into the story so that I wanted to read more of what would come in the series. Book 3 SIN'S DARK CARESS was a good addition to the series. It follows Bianca Sin and Lancelot McManus as they investigate a string of mysterious crimes.

The other two books were heavy on the relationship front but SIN'S DARK CARESS is more about the story and mystery then relationship. There is some romance but nothing like the previous 2 books in the series. I really liked both characters. Bianca is a witch who never came into her powers so she is pretty much the dunce to the other witches. She finally comes into her powers when she bonds with a dragon of all things and happens to be extremely powerful. McManus is an addict. He is addicted to alcohol but also a drug called Neon Tears. You can see the attraction to each other but they take forever to act on it. The case they are on was extremely close to Bianca. It involves others with powers and even people that she knows personally. The whole case is pretty gruesome but fantastically so. It grabs your attention and makes your heart go a little faster then normal trying to see what will happen and who that something will happen to. The only thing I missed is a bigger role of the characters from the previous books.

O'Hara has an easy to get into writing style with great descriptions of her world and characters. I would recommend starting from book 1 or even DANTE RISING which is a prequel to NIGHT'S COLD KISS. I will continue to follow the series and hope we get some more of my favorite characters from previous books. ( )

It has been a while since I have read something in the Urban Fantasy genre and I’ve missed it. Having read Night’s Cold Kiss and Death’s Sweet Embrace last year I jumped at the opportunity to read Sin’s Dark Caress as part of the AWW (Australian Women Writers) challenge I am participating in and was quickly drawn back into O’Hara’s dark fantasy world.
Forensic witch Dr Bianca Sin features in this installment, called in by NYPD homicide detective Lancelot McManus when young women are found brutally murdered, an infant ripped from their womb and the Dark Brethren’s mark painted nearby in blood. While the FBI blame a black market baby ring, McManus, Bianca and Oberon’s team know that there is something much more sinister happening.

I enjoyed the plot of Sin’s Dark Caress which blends action, mystery and magic with a touch of romance. There tends to be a fair bit of grisly violence in the story but it supports the gritty tone of the series. While the last two books in this series veered towards paranormal romance, Sin’s Dark Caress is more properly urban fantasy. The relationship between Bianca and McManus is an aside rather than central to the story though O’Hara does ensure the romantic tension between the pair remains present throughout.

Bianca has appeared briefly in other installments of this series as a member of Oberon’s elite team. She is a forensic specialist and also a witch but has never bonded with a familiar, a necessary process for a witch to come into full power. In Sin’s Dark Caress her powers are activated when her pendant hatches to reveal a dragon, Kedrax. Dragons are the first guardians of the veil between this world and the dimension where the Dark Brethren are trapped, and Bianca’s new power, along with McManus’s surprising birthright, are crucial in preventing their escape.

Sin’s Dark Caress is a fast paced read with plenty of action, exciting twists and strong characters. With its mix of murder, mayhem and magic I think its the strongest book of the three and though it could work as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the previous installments. ( )