The Reckoning by Kimberly Van Meter
Paranormal Romance
April 22, 2011
E-Book, Novella
Self-Published
Reviewed by Mandi
Isabella’s family was destroyed by a vampire. Now working as a government scientist, she is determined to study vampires and eradicate them from the Earth. She finally has her chance after her team catches one. 400 year old Julian de Valsan, is not happy to have been captured. Although Isabella has him in what she thinks is a very secure cell, Julian is smart enough to know how to escape. Then he must decide if he is going to kill her right away, or savor her body.
The Reckoning has a nice beginning as we read the fear and terror Isabella feels at the memory of her murdered family members and her triumph as she catches a vampire. She now has the opportunity to put him under and analyze all of his parts. But then Julian escapes and the story starts to go downhill.
Julian takes Isabella back to his place, where he feasts upon her body – against Isabella’s will. Very soon after this, he actually brings her to orgasm, something I just don’t believe. She has lived so many years hating vampires, a little touch from Julian and she is writhing in pleasure?
Way too soon, these two are having consensual sex. Again, the time-frame of absolutely hating vampires, to willingly having sex with one is way too short. The ending revelation comes out of nowhere and the very end is abrupt. I think this one just suffered from being too short. The emotions, relationship and the story in general is rushed.
Rating: D
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I think the problem with novellas is that the storyline tends to move to fast sometimes. I love the cover of this one though!
Yes I would have trouble buying it. Sure he may be a hottie but you will not go from hate to sex
Too bad this one didn’t work out since it sounds like it had potential to be pretty good. But I agree, the rush to a sexual relationship after a lifelong hatred of vamps seems unbelievable.
Thank you for reviewing my first vampire novella. I agree with you that it could’ve easily been longer but I was hampered by the constraints of the novella.Originally, I had envisioned this book as a longer book but when it didn’t work out, I was very disappointed and couldn’t resist putting it out there anyway. It’s not for everyone but I’m happy that it’s found a home.
Kimberly, if you self-published it, couldn’t you have made it longer? Was it in an original anthology, thus the constraints?
The cover is nice and hot/
KB/KT, I’m limited to novellas at this time due to the language of my contract with my agent. If I had hit the word length mark for a full-length book, I would’ve run into a contractual issue that would’ve strained my relationship with my agent, which I don’t want to do as my agent is wonderful. In the original synopsis, Julien takes Isabella to his ancestral home in France and that’s where she starts to slowly fall for him. I was bummed I couldn’t do that.
That actually brings me to the current issue I’m facing with the follow-up novella. I already know it’s going to be about Savannah, the abducted sister, but each time I try to work it out, I need more room to tell the story because it doesn’t truly lend itself to the short format. So I’m stuck with how to proceed but I desperately want to write that story because it’s already in my head! LOL
Hmmm. Not for me I think. I can’t see the move from hate to lust to love that quickly. But I think that’s why novellas don’t often work for me – I need the slow relationship development.
Thank you Mandi!
Oh, and that’s a WOW cover!
Hate when this happens.