Be Mine Tonight (The Brotherhood of Blood, Book 1)

Average Rating: 4.5 Stars
by Kathryn Smith

List Price: $5.99
Store Price: from $2.48
More Details...

Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Avon
ISBN: 0060848367

Product Description

I am called Chapel . . .

For nearly six centuries I have roamed the night, a mortal man no longer. Would that I could undo the past -- when I entered the sanctuary of the Knights Templar to wrest from them the Holy Grail, only to discover the chalice I raised to my lips was not the sacred relic but a hellish cup of damnation. Now I shun the day and all things human, driven by an ungodly thirst. And yet...

Never have I known a maiden the like of Prudence Ryland, whose beauty and spirit awaken a heart I feared long cold and dead. But her young life is slipping away, and she also seeks the deliverance of the Grail -- unaware that the cost of her search could be her soul. I must help Prudence, for in six hundred years, no other woman has stirred my passions so. But dare I tender to my beloved that which she most desires -- the sensuous "gift" of forever that is both rapture and a curse: my immortal kiss?

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Vampire Romance
5 Stars
I really liked this book. Pru is a young woman who is dying of cancer. Her quest for a cure makes her obsessed with finding the Holy Grail. It also brings her search to the attention of other people...some good...some bad. Chapel has been sent by the church to help. He had no idea he would find his salvation. The romance between Chapel and Pru was wonderfully written.
~ cmoonlight, nc
More Details...

Good Ideas, Average Book
3 Stars
I actually hate giving this book 3 stars because I whole heartedly believe in the potential of the series. The world-building, the setting, the mythology use-it's all very intriguing. But this book fell short.

The Plot:

Chapel became a vampire when he drank from a mystical cup known as the Blood Grail, having mistaken it for the Holy Grail. Six hundred years later, in the year 1899, Pru Ryeland is searching for the Holy Grail in hopes of curing her terminal illness. Chapel fears that what she will actually find is the Blood Grail and that she will become cursed as he believes he is cursed. But as he begins to fall in love with Pru, his belief in his own soul-less nature is challenged.

The Best Parts:

The use of history and mythology is fun, interesting, and well put together. The time period and setting is rich and unique, and in fact is one of the few things that sets this book apart from other paranormal writings.

Chapel is a surprisingly sexy, if somewhat frustrating character. He is loyal, determined, and fun. His love for Pru is heartbreaking.

The Problems:

First of all, Pru's terminal illness is-it's never given an exact name, so I assume uterine cancer-the biggest plot point/conflict in the book. I am not at all making light of cancer but it's presence in the story is,dare I say, drawn out to the point of dull? We expect her to be saved, obviously, whether she finds the Holy Grail or becomes a vampire. But it takes THE ENTIRE BOOK. We are forced to watch Chapel hem, haw, and struggle with his own self-pity while the love of his life suffers unnecessary pain.

And Pru's cancer is a seriously painful one. I don't know how well Smith researched the disease but I happen to know from what I've witnessed that 1)Even early stage cancer patients are often exhausted, suffer from easy bruising, and tend to have compromised immune systems, and 2) The physical reality of advanced uterine cancer does not usually allow for any kind of comfortable sexual relationship. So the fact that Pru is so active right up until the very end is seriously problematic.

Despite all of this, I still have high hopes for the series. While I did not care for the terminal illness plot-line, I enjoyed Smith's style and imagination.



~ Chelsea Marie Spencer,
More Details...

Really good new series!
5 Stars
Honestly I picked this book up because the name of the series "Brotherhood of the Blood" made me think of the BDB series and I need something to help me pass the time till the next BDB book is released . I tried not to expect too much of this series so I wouldn't be disappointed which was completely unnecessary because this series doesn't have anything in common except a group of vampire warriors, the Brotherhood, with stupid names who have a whole bunch of issues . I also wasn't disappointed because this book was just great!

The first difference is that the vampires aren't born as vampires. In 1307 a group of six knights is send by their king to hunt down some Templars and claim the treasure those Templars are guarding . The "treasure" is the Blood Grail, the evil twin of the Holy Grail, and when the knights drink from it, it turns them into vampires . The vampire knights turn themselves over to the church in order to repent for their sins.

Around 600 years later, in 1899:
Prudence Ryland has cancer and she pretty much expects to die every day. She lives in Tintagel, King Arthurs birthplace, so it's not a far stretch for her to be accustomed with the Holy Grail tale. The Holy Grail is her only chance to live so she searches for it frantically. When she and her crew comes close to a old Templar ruin Father Molyneux and his friend Chapel - one of the six vampire-knights - are send from the church to help and monitor her search. Molyneux and Chapel fear that Pru will find the Blood Grail which one of the other vampire-knights is guarding at a secret place.

The love story between Pru and Chapel is very sweet and isn't overshadowed by the plot - which is something some people criticize about the BDB books. The love story here takes up at least 90% of the book and a lot of plot related things are still related to the love story . However, it's not really that steamy or passionate. But I would say it's normal considering that most historical don't have much bedroom action going on for almost ¾ of the book .

I also loved the mixture between historical and paranormal and while most paranormals are so focused on building their world and the whole plot stuff, it was nice to have a book that puts the romance first. The book is also not as dark and edgy which is nice for a change too. Sure, Chapel has his demons and struggles with the vampire curse but overall it's not a dark and violent story like many other vampire books .

I can't say much about the rest of the series yet but if the other books are somewhat similar to that one I'll have a new favorite series. I would give this book five stars!

~ schnuppi, Wherever the Military sends me
More Details...

I love the whole series!!
5 Stars
I love all the books in this series. I can't wait until the next one comes out!!
~ Janiece,
More Details...

Navigation