Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Lucien

SERIES: Vampire’s Mate (Book 3)

AUTHOR: Grae Bryan

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 267 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2022

BLURB:

Jamie Hernandez loves his life. He has his family, his friends, and a successful freelance career at just twenty-three. The only thing missing? His monster. The one Jamie has seen in his dreams for the past five years. Jamie doesn’t know much about the enigmatic man from his visions, but he doesn’t need to. He knows enough. He knows they belong together.

Lucien Volaire has been losing his mind for almost half a century, the monster within him steadily taking greater control over his thoughts and actions. He’s destroyed everything he’s touched, including the people he’s cared for. The one thing that could stop his final descent into madness? A mate. So when Luc meets a young man in the desert, one who smells like heaven and doesn’t run in fear, Luc knows he’s met his last chance at redemption.

But the more Lucien is enchanted by Jamie, the more reluctant he is to taint him with his own vampire curse. Can Lucien find a balance between love and obsession? Or will those that want Luc out of their territory step in before he has a chance?

Lucien is a heated, fated-mates MM paranormal romance with an HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains a morally grey, obsessive vampire with anger management issues and the bright, playful human who might just match him in possessive romantic tendencies. It also contains steamy scenes between two men, and the moderate violence (and mentions of blood) that one might expect from a vampire romance. This book can be read as a standalone, but the series is best enjoyed in order (it is especially recommended to read book one first).

REVIEW:

I took a chance on the first book in this series and now Grae Bryan had me completely hooked and mesmerized with this amazing series.

Lucien Volaire has been wandering since his mate Victoria chose to die over being turned. He has chased and tormented Roman and his friend Soren for decades since he lost his the one or so it seemed. Now that both men have their true mates he is sure him turning feral and being put down is his destiny. That is until he picks up the most alluring and captivating scent…cinnamon. Jamie has waited years for his monster to finally appear and he’s not letting go. He knew, from his visions/dreams, that he isn’t perfect but far from it. But he is perfect for him and he can not only help the lonely vampire but have the love he has searched for since his worthless father left in the middle of the night.

I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to forgive, let alone fall for, the evil Luc. I mean he turned the sweet and gentle Danny to torture Roman and had tortured Danny’s brother before he became Soren’s mate. Although in all fairness, neither of those two men would have ever found their true mates if Luc hadn’t been chasing Roman. But, after reading his backstory you can’t help but want him and Jamie to work. And how could anyone has been more perfect to tame the monster lurking inside Luc. I loved that Jamie not only knew who was coming but what he was and what he’s done and still accepted that Luc was his mate plain and simple! And boy oh boy did he lust after him. The chemistry was smoking hot between these two.

I was pleasantly surprised and overjoyed that, not only do we get Jay’s story next but there are more to come after it in this universe. I am hoping that we get at least a novella where Luc and Roman can finally call a real truce and work on their long-time friendship before Victoria entered their lives. I can see Jamie becoming fast friends with Danny and hopefully the rest of that group up there.

This book was a true treat. It captured my heart with the redemption and love that Luc finally had with his sassy mate Jamie. I can’t wait to see Jamie’s powers become more refined and a definite bonus for these men and their mates. This is a must read series. I would totally recommend that you at least read the first book in the least but I think it is made even better by reading the entire series in order. They truly are a continuation of the whole story as each man finds his mate.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon