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Thursday, November 10, 2016

Book Review: Blood Bound (Blood Ravagers Book One) by Traci Douglass + giveaway/excerpt

Blood Bound (Blood Ravagers Book One)
by Traci Douglass
October 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-945879-17-3
Anna Frost had a bad feeling when her twin sister, Liz, told her she’d run off with a member of the notorious Otherworld biker gang, the Blood Ravagers. And her unease skyrockets when her sister subsequently vanishes. The police have no authority and little interest, so Anna decides to take matters into her own hands by infiltrating the group to discover for herself what happened to Liz, where she meets….

Dante, half demon, half human. A mix of two worlds, accepted by neither, he’s had no choice but to learn the hard way how to play whatever side of the fence kept him alive during his nearly 500 years of existence. Now, as second-in-command of the Blood Ravagers biker gang, his survival depends on keeping his humanity a secret. Dante’s ultimate goal is to fulfill the vows he made over two centuries ago to create a world where half-breeds can live in safety and equality.

But when sheltered schoolteacher Anna finds unexpected, white-hot passion in the arms of Dante, will her quest for the truth cost him more than he ever bargained for? Or will they find a way to save Liz – and their love – together?


Excerpt 2:
“Do you know why they call this place Seven?”
“It’s the magic number?”
His expression remained flat.
Anna cleared her throat, doing her best to hide the fact her knees were quaking. “Something to do with poker, maybe?”
The man released her arm and stepped closer. For each step he took, she retreated, until the cold stone wall pressed against her back, preventing escape. He stopped several inches in front of her, the intense heat of him searing her front. Close enough for her to smell his scent—cloves and smoke and clean, aroused male. Once upon a time, he would’ve been exactly the kind of guy she would’ve gone for—all dark and erotic and alpha sexy. The kind of man who filled her dark fantasies, who would take control and appease her secret cravings for pain while giving her the ultimate pleasure in return.
She gasped and shrank away. 
No one knew about her fetishes. Those she kept private and locked away.
They were far too dangerous.
Just like her past, her talents, her true essence.
“Seven is indeed a magic number. But not in the way you think.” Frowning, he reached out and toyed with a lock of hair from her wig, then traced a fingertip down her cheek. The crimson flames flared hotter in his eyes before vanishing once more—tempting, elusive, hypnotic. “Are you familiar with the Nine Circles of Hell?”
“The Inferno, you mean?” Yeah, she’d read it. Back in high school or maybe college, she couldn’t remember. Couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything except his fingertip on her skin—stroking, stroking, stroking.
“Yes.” He smiled again, slowly, his voice emerging as little more than a purr. Thick, hot lust pooled low in her abdomen at the sensual promise in his tone. Anna shouldn’t want this, shouldn’t want him, but she did. “Pleasure and pain.”
“What?”
“To experience extreme pleasure, one must first endure pain.”
It was as if her soul had been laid bare before him. She’d never told anyone about the cutting, had hidden her scars for years. Never told anyone about her overwhelming desire to submit, to have someone else take charge for a while, take away her burden of responsibility—if only for a few blissful hours—and just allow her to feel, to be, to live. Live like she had before tragedy had struck and she’d set aside her wants and needs for the greater good… 
The more he talked the more her traitorous body fell under his spell. Moisture gathered between her legs and her nipples hardened against the soft cotton of her shirt. Anna couldn’t remember ever being this turned on. 
Thankfully, he walked away before she climaxed on the spot. 
“What does this bar have to do with the circles of hell?” she asked, once she could breathe.
“Number seven.”
“What?” She glanced toward the window again, considered jumping then decided breaking both of her legs probably wouldn’t help her escape. 
A loud crack snapped through the room. 
Oh, Lord. 
The man had a whip. Her tingling knees threatened to buckle. 
“The seventh circle of hell.”  He wrapped the leather fall around his hand. “Violence. This club. Seven. It is home to all the most interesting sinners.”
Okay. Yeah. She had to escape Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dominant before she was kneeling at his feet, begging him for mercy. “Maybe I should leave now?”

“Yes.” He stood a good foot taller than her five-foot-three-inch height and his shoulder-length black curls all but begged her to tousle them, begged her to fist them tight in her hands while he beat her then fucked her silly. Her fingers twitched as he leaned closer, his breath ghosting across her cheek as he whispered, “Yes, perhaps you should, tu effapyfs.”

REVIEW
Searching for her missing twin sister, Anna Frost bravely rolls into the frontier town of Salvation. Seven, the outlaw bar in Salvation, is a haven for paranormal activity and Anna’s destination. Within the unsavory barroom of Seven, Anna hopes to find a lead on Liz’s whereabouts. But in her search for clues Anna gets more than she bargained for in Dante, the resident pain demon. Dante is second in command in the Blood Ravagers, the paranormal outlaw motorcycle gang reigning in Salvation, and he has his own secrets. He has answers for Anna, but they’re not necessarily the answers she wants.

Blood Bound has something for every paranormal romance reader: tough alpha bikers, BDSM and "vanilla" sex, demonic intrigue, secret oracles, even a vampire cowboy. However, in covering such vast territory, the challenge becomes meaningful coverage in any area of the story. Blood Bound’s strengths are in its erotic elements. The romance is immediate, frequent, and highly charged. The characters are fairly well developed, but I can’t say I’m attached to any. Rev, the mysterious vampire cowboy has certainly caught my attention and I’m interested in what Douglass has in stored for him for future installment in this series.

Paranormal aspects of this story are well explored and integrated into the biker genre. I liked the joining of the two elements. The plot, however, is rather confused with character and plot inconsistencies. The book also abounds with clichés common to the genre. Overall, however, it’s an entertaining, quick read.

Three Sheep





Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
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Goodreads -Amazon Author Page
Traci is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. Her stories feature sizzling heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes and heroines who are smart, tenacious, and always give as good as they get. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and she loves animals, chocolate, coffee, hot British actors, and sarcasm—not necessarily in that order.


Tour Giveaway
1 grand prize--$25 Amazon gift card, bookmark, and e-book copy of book.
3 second prize winners:
Custom Bookmark by Bewitching Book Swag and e-book copy of book
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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