Book 2 in the Midnight Breeds series and one of my faves.
As the fight against the rogues ramps up, vampire warrior Dante finds himself in a tight spot and turns to a human woman for blood to save his life. But Tessa isn't merely human. She's a Breedmate--one of the rare women who can be mates to the Breeds and bear their sons. But will she accept this new world she's been thrust into? Can she and Dante survive the new threat presented by the drug Crimson?

Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian
Book #2 in Midnight Breed
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Veterinarian Tess Culver finds herself immersed in a secret world following a brief yet vivid encounter with the badly injured Dante, one of the vampire warriors locked in a fierce struggle against the rogue element of his race. The two soon find themselves bonded together by blood and passion and must work together to thwart the enemies in their midst.

Review:
I was hesitant to continue with the series but am really glad that I stuck with it as Kiss of Crimson is a definite improvement on the first book. Adrian’s characterization has improved greatly. Tess is an amazing heroine whose heartbreaking back story draws you in and Dante’s love for her is just awe inspiring – I particularly enjoyed the small twist regarding the connection between Dante’s special power and his relationship with Tess (you’ll just have to read it to see). For once, the sex scenes contribute to rather than detract from the emotional intimacy between the characters. I also enjoyed the subtle hints at stories to come, especially Tegan and Elise, and Rio whose condition is so distressful.

The plot line continues from the previous book but adds an extra dimension by including characters from the civilian vampire world and an issue that relates to the vampire society as a whole. My one small quibble is with the villain in the book who is not all that menacing and is actually quite pathetic.

Recommendation: Every new detail added in this book helped me to become more immersed in the world Adrian has created. I definitely recommend the series based on this book. ( )

Wow, that was quite the turn-around from the first book, it almost gave me whiplash. We go from Lucan, the douchebag, to Dante, the gentleman. I didn't expect to find much to redeem this series in this book, but damn if Adrian hasn't managed to make a big improvement here. Dante and Tess were nicely developed characters and I enjoyed the progress of their relationship. And the investigation part of this book.
While I didn't find the side story with Chase that interesting, I gotta give Adrian props for tying it nicely together with the main plot of the book.
I will be giving the third book a try at some point to see if Adrian manages to keep things at this level. ( )

[b:Kiss of Crimson|715791|Kiss of Crimson (Midnight Breed, #2)|Lara Adrian|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1434807577l/715791._SY75_.jpg|702043] by [a:Lara Adrian|375626|Lara Adrian|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1490013860p2/375626.jpg]
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense
5➕➕➕ Stars!

Review from August 20th, 2019
I absolutely loved reading this a 2nd time. I think I actually loved it more this time than the 1st read.

I had completely forgotten how much of a part certain characters played in this story.

I also forgot about the 2 'Harvards'!

A fantastic read that I highly recommend to lovers of Adult Paranormal Romance.
It has everything you need for a great fun read.
The romance is hot and steamy.
AND!
Everything I said below is still true.

Review from March 5th, 2016
6 Stars! Full of action and suspense.
Extremely well written.
I was drawn in immediately and loved every second.
Dante and Tess are awesome, so well defined you feel connected to them immediately.
Filled with surprises, you are never sure what will happen next. The world and characters felt real and fluid.
I am now obsessed with the 'Midnight Breed' series! ( )

I enjoyed this second book in Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series even more than the first. Dante and Tess meet in her veterinarian clinic when he’s badly injured and needs blood. He’s a vampire. She’s human. I really liked Tess, and her special abilities! Also, this one had a really interesting subplot involving a drug that was being sold on the street and had terrible effects on vampires, and it gave book two that extra zing! Some interesting side characters were introduced that I’m excited to read more about in future books. Glad I discovered this series.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
( )