When Darkness Comes (Guardians of Eternity, Book 1)
Average Rating: 4.0 Stars
by Alexandra Ivy
List Price: $6.99
Store Price: from $3.28
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Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN: 0821779354
Product Description
It's been a hell of a day for Abby Barlow. In just a few hours, she's survived an explosion, watched her employer die, had a startling dream, and now she finds herself in a seedy Chicago hotel with the sexy, unearthly Dante, a man she both desires and fears. For 341 years, Dante has stood as guardian to The Chalice, a mortal woman chosen to hold back the darkness. A terrible twist of fate has now made Abby that woman. Three hours ago, Dante would have used all his charms to seduce her. Now she is his to protect. And he will do so until his very death. A terrifying plan has been set in motion, one that will plunge Dante and Abby into an epic battle between good and evil - and a desperate race to save their love...
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Customer Reviews
Excellent Story
5 Stars
Alexandra Ivy continues her excellent series in The Guardians of Eternity. I found this one even better than her last one and can hardly wait for more. She has been able to keep my attention and move a good story with speed and substance. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Conde Cezar is a vampire, who serves the Oracles, the ultimate rulers and dispensers of justice in the immortal world. He has served them for 200 years since he tasted a woman destined to join their ranks. They have forced impotence on him and seperated him from the regular world. Now he has been allowed to entice the woman he seduced to come to Chicago.
Anna Randel has come to meet Cezar and get some questions answered. She allowed him to seduce her 200 yrs ago. When she awakened and hurried home her home had been destroyed and she was alone. She has been alone for all those years and has found that she is immortal. Now she wants to ask Cezar what he did to her.
When they meet again, Cezar finds his body very willing to seduce her again and Anna finds herself in a ton of trouble. Someone is trying to kill her. There are secrets and there are revelations. Just when life is getting interesting for both they must face a final parting.
I loved this book and recommend anyone who likes this type of tale to not miss it. This author has a surprisingly light and intriqing instinct for this type of literature. She is going to be around for a long time.
~ Elaine C McTyer, Dawson, GA USA
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Fun Vamp series!!
4 Stars
I finally got around to reading this series, and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect much with all the vampire romance series out there, but the first few pages intrigued me enough to check it out. The banter between Abby and Dante is fun and refreshing, more like two people on the first few dates rather than ancient warrior and unwilling heroine. That's what I enjoyed most about the book: the characters. I'll continue to read the series for that alone. Ivy's Guardians are fun and tantalizing enough to make you go back for more.
~ raeve, tulsa, ok
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OMG! orgasmicly amazing
5 Stars
Buy this series! you wont be disappointed I have a whole group of people all with totally different tastes who have loved this book! Its original and action pact with just enough love to keep you totally satisfied but not so much that the story gets lost. This series would make a great movie or mini-series!
~ vampgoddess, Houston, TX USA
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Where was the editing?
3 Stars
This is a steamy vampire protector/female heroine book. When an explosion takes out her rich employer Abby finds herself as the Chalice - the immortal embodiment of the protective force who's very presence keeps evil from coming to the earth. The Chalice comes with a vampire protector - Dante - tied to protect her by witchcraft years prior.
This book had all the elements to be a great read but seemed to lack the editing that would take it there (not typos but storyline flow). While it had all the components necessary, the romance, the history between the characters, and the plot seemed to be often slapped together and didn't always make much sense. Still, it did have the elements there, so that saved it.
Based on the reviews for the sequels, I may give them a try and hope my problems with this one were the result of it being a first book.
~ N. T. Bufkin,
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Good enough to make me want more
4 Stars
Abby is a wise beyond her years chick who makes ends meet by working as a assistant to a demanding upper class women whom lives in a mansion and has a body guard named Dante. When her employer mysteriously blows up Abby becomes the unwilling host to the Phoenix.
Dante is the tethered vampire body guard to the Phoenix, he has lived a life of solitude and servitude to the phoenix against his will for close to 300 years. When the phoenix host dies he finally thinks he has been freed, to his dismay Abby was close enough for the Phoenix to transfer to her body. So once more Dante is forced to defend and serve the Phoenix. What makes this more difficult for him is that he has serous feelings for the innocent beautiful Abby. The Phoenix's prior host was a formidable distant women who saw Dante as nothing more then a beast.
Abby on the other hand is thrown into a world that makes no since and has the makings for a perfect nightmare. It turns out that there is also numerous other demons of various shapes and sizes that want her dead in order to capture the Phoenix.
Abby and Dante spend the book defending themselves from zombies, demons, and witches until Abby is able to either rid herself of the troublesome Phoenix or somehow harness its powers which could shield her from the wanting demons.
I recommend this book, it was a fun easy read and it left me wanting more. All the signs of a good book.
Spoilers:
When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was admittedly apprehensive, I get bored easily if there is a lot of character development in the beginning and not a lot of action. Thankfully this author gives you action in the first chapter, it's a fun ride from beginning to end. The sexual tension between Abby and Dante is explosive and well written. Abby's character is very funny and Dante is terribly sarcastic. Dante and Abby - what a pair. There are so many things that I liked about this book. First the chemistry between Abby and Dante is great. I love how the author writes her characters, they are real and tangible. There is always a struggle in this genre with the hero, the oh-so-typical "He wants her but denies himself", that's not the case with Dante, he wants her and makes no bones about it. Now Abby on the other hand is the one that puts up more of a fight when it comes to admitting her lust or love for Dante. The storyline was pretty good, original in the fact of the all the other interesting demons, vampires, and witches. some of the sub-characters are very intriguing (Viper and Shay). There are a few twist and turns; plenty of action.
The only downside to the book was the Phoenix, its not well explained and it never really made all that much since as to what the Phoenix was. Not to mention for all the hoop-law the Phoenix got, it left Abby with very little power. Also, the erotica left some to be desired. I think though this is just the writers inexperience with the genre maybe.
~ R. McFeeters, Kansas City, MO
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