THE BLACK LILLY
Tales of the Black Lilly, Book 1
JULIETTE CROSS
March 27, 2017
ASIN#: B06XC4R44J
Entangled Publishing, LLC
http://entangledpublishing.com
eBook
$3.99
300 pages
Paranormal Historical Romance
Rating: 4 Cups
Arabelle, an orphan who lost her mother to a vampire, works as a servant to an old duchess and her daughters and dreams to free humans from tyranny and fear of being killed by vampire. With the help of a friend, she gains a dress, ride, and an invitation to attend the prince’s ball where he will choose his blood concubine so that she can assassinate him. Once there she gets him alone, but maddeningly she finds herself drawn to him and has a feeling that he is not like the other vampire. In spite of her feeling, she proceeds with her plans then flees, not knowing till the next day that she failed. Even though she took great care to cover her tracks Marius follows, capturing her friend and offering his safety in exchange for her. Will she risk the rebellion and all it stands for in exchange for the feelings she starts to have about Marius?
Prince Marius, a vampire, is holding a ball for the selection of his blood concubine. He has not always agreed with what he has been told about his human subjects and has noticed how the palace servants seem skittish. At the ball he meets a beautiful golden creature who instantly entrances him though there is something about her that seems dangerous. After the assassination attempt his friend discovers that she is known as the Black Lilly, where she might be, and murmurs of a possible human revolt. Once he captures her friend he is told disturbing news about crimes involving humans done by vampire. He finds himself conflicted between what he learns from Arabelle and what he has been told by his mother. Will he continue to listen to his mother, who insists on duty and tradition, or his heart, and go after what he thinks is right, Arabelle and a solution to the rampant killings?
The Black Lilly has uncovered corruption hiding in the vampire kingdom. Marius had thought he had dealt with the rampant killings before, but Sanguine furorem, the blood lust that can infect vampire and make them thoughtless killers, has not been stamped out and the infected have hidden their traces well. The current outbreak is troubling. Where is it centered? Who is behind hiding the infected? The answers might be closer to home and more troubling than first thought. On one hand Marius and Arabelle are drawn together by a strong passion, and on the other they should be sworn enemies, neither able to fit into the other’s world. Will they realize that despite their stations they love each other and take a chance that love is stronger than duty and obligation? Will it be realize in time before more lives are lost … one being Arabelle’s?
I enjoyed every minute of this book. It is definitely not the typical version of Cinderella one would expect. In lieu of leaving a shoe she leaves a dagger, rather than being human the prince is a vampire, and alternatively she does not want him to find her (at first). I liked the action, intrigue, and sexual tension that zinged between Arabelle and Marius. On the outside they were total opposites, but you could easily see how they were perfect for each other and their interactions took my breath at some points. One of the neat things about this story was the lore regarding the kingdom, vampires, and history between the two races, very imaginative. Each character was nicely done, some having hidden depths to them that I never expected. This book does a bang-up job at being a first in a series, it totally left me wanting to read what is next.
Llaph
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
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