Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5)
Title: Dark Alpha's Awakening
Author(s): Donna Grant
Character(s):
― Erith: Black, Lavender Eyed
― Cael: Black, Gray Eyed
Setting: N/A
Tag(s): Paranormal Romance
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “In the midst of chaos there is opportunity.”
― “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
― “Then kiss me again, Erith, or I might go up in flames right here, right now. I’ve wanted to do this for far too long. You’ve given me a taste. I need more.”
― “You’ve had my heart from the first moment I saw you. I became a Reaper just to be near you, just to be able to see you. I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined you’d be mine. I love you for everything you are—and everything you’ll be.”
Overall Opinion:
Cael has been servicing Death for centuries and when a foe, Bran is bent on destroying her and everything she has created, he’s willing to risk everything for her survival. Unbeknownst to Cael, she had lied to Carl by not revealing she knew exactly how to defeat Bran by destroying a few realms to rebuild the last of her power, she concludes that she must become the Mistress of War again.

In the midst of Bran betrayal, her affection and love for her Reaper Cael almost becomes too overwhelming and she fears he may end up in the crossfire. She'd lost Reapers in the past, but she couldn’t lose Cael. To have love so close yet so far away that it could never be hers was a crushing blow and it would destroy her more quickly and savagely than anything Bran thought to do to her. In the process of regaining her strength and withholding dire information, she might very well destroy Earth and everyone she holds dear, including Cael.

I know many reviewers will be shock to learned that I do at times venture off to other genres besides romance. “Dark Alpha's Awakening” blurb about serving Death and becoming Reapers instantly drew me in. The descriptive wording, the in-depth details of Erith and Cael backgrounds, the roles that they play in the battle with Bran and his army. I have never come across a series that was built on some a strong foundation. It has all the great components that make astounding novel. “Dark Alpha's Awakening” is highly recommended action packed novel that is filled with phenomenal paranormal romance that intertwines exponentially well with the other books in in the “Reaper” series.

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It's what I had been waiting for!

I mean who didn't know that Erith/Death and Cael had a thing for one another? From the sounds of it some of the other Reaper's saw it too.

Anyway, at the beginning we get Death's origins, something I never thought of. The explanation of who and what The Mistress of War was....totally cool. Which leads to the question, just where did she come from?

Okay now to the other good stuff. They were meant to be together. He noticed her during a battle and couldn't stop thinking about her. When he is betrayed and she offers him a position in her Reaper's he accepted if for nothing else than to be able to be close to her. And it turns out he is the reason she came up with the idea of the Reaper's. Oh yes, this is a love story for the ages.

Now we still had to work out how Bran is able to still her power and life force. What is his plan? How do they keep the women safe, especially River who is pregnant?

I will say that is the one thing that had me kind of scratching my head. Erith constant indecision and self-doubt. Oh I get it, she's worried about what will happen if she goes into battle and the Mistress takes over, will she be able to stop herself? The other side of the coin, if she doesn't try and Bran wins...the whole world is doomed.

Useil, I knew she was cracked but seriously. In cahoots with Bran, this has to be about more than just wanting Con and jealousy of Rhi. I mean now she's out to kill Xaneth, her nephew, because he could come forward and take over the Light Fae. I mean after all she's done to become Queen, what's one more death of a family member?!?!

Balladyn, the bad guy you hate to admit you love. He was betrayed, turned Dark, lost his true love, still yearns for her and wonders what could have been. When Death goes to ask for his help and tells him who they are and their mission, my jaw dropped. Quite a chance she took, but then she lays the heavy stuff on his. Had what's-his-name succeed in killing him she would have offered him a position in her Reaper's. The fact that knowing that made him feel good....see there is still something of the Light in him. He needs to find someone to balance him so he doesn't follow the rest of the Dark Fae kings into the very depths of darkness and loneliness.

The final battle was so worth the weight. It didn't wimp out or give us an easy out. Erith went all in because she finally found her motivation. Cael had surrendered to Bran in order to save 2 of his Reaper's. Bran tortures him and hits him with special purple magic. Erith and the Reaper's stage a fight so that she can get into his mansion to search for whatever it is he is using to syphon her power. Cael is dragged onto the battlefield and collapses. Erith takes him to her realm where he "dies" and now she's ready to get down to business.

So now Bran has gone. Erith has her power back. The Reaper's and their families will live with her in her realm. Cael is something super special. Dark purple eyes and power that evenly matches that of Erith?

Now let's see how this ending helps or effects the DK's?

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❤❤❤

Cael and Erith have teased us with their attraction to each other for several books. This long awaited, much anticipated story does not disappoint. Another great story in the Dark World universe. ( )

Dark Alpha’s Awakening by Donna Grant
A Reaper Novel #7

This book begins with the beginning...the beginning of Death or Erith or sometimes SHE...it tells of her past and how she came to be and why the sword was hidden and then picked up again. From there we move to a dream Cael is having of how Death came to him and turned him into a Reaper. From there we move on to dealing with Bran...once a Reaper but definitely fallen from Grace. He must be thwarted and to do so Erith has to pick up her sword again. Cael and the other Reapers (now two teams of them) will be there at her side as she makes her move.

Cael and Erith have danced around one another for...well...almost forever. In this book the dancing pace picks up and moves on to and beyond seduction and...it was well worth waiting for. Cael and Erith SO belong together.

There are fights and captures and torture and pain and angst and drama and...LOVE...getting to see the other reapers and their women and hearing about the first birth of a Reaper child was so much fun! I am not sure where this series will go next and having NOT read all the other threads dealing with this marvelous world filled with dragons and warriors and kings and reapers and faeries and...probably other beings I am unaware of it made me wish I had started with book one of the series and not book one of the Reapers to really immerse and know everyone mentioned in this book. That said...this was a superb read and well worth waiting for!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press-Swerve and InkslingerPR for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )