This book is a very good book for people who enjoy complex story lines. It jumped between characters and jumped between cases ( it covers modern paranormal law/crime cases). Even with the prequel novella it’s a tad confusing at times, which is why I say it’s a book for people who like dissecting storyline’s and world building. There is romance but it’s more a sub genre in my perspective when I was given the impression it was main genre. Please check trigger warnings! Some mentions of things like rape, abuse, ect come up!

3.75 🌟

I appreciate getting an eARC of this book from Netgalley and the author. What a spicy read this was. I love a good vampire romance, and this was one of the best! I'm eager to read the upcoming book in the series. Even if there are still some unsolved questions, I'm still really interested in reading the rest of this series.

Anyone looking for a fast-paced urban fantasy involving vampires and other supernatural beings should pick up a copy of this book, in my opinion.

This was such a steamy read. I am a sucker for a good vampire romance and this was it! I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

Thank you Netgally and the author for providing me an eARC of this book.

"When I am with you, my blood always burns."

This book was so good i liked it. The world building was amazing and the writing was chef’s kiss. I loved all the characters that were introduced and I’m so excited to read a book about Doyle he’s very interesting and Tucker.

Luke has my heart. I felt so bad for him and what he had gone through. And i was so glad to see where he was and what he achieved i was also so happy that he found happiness finally.

Sara is a lovely character i loved her. She’s your badass prosecutor who’d do anything to put bad people behind bars and she did. I loved watching her trust Luke and get to know him and his world their relationship was wholesome.

The plot twist at the end blew me away. I didn’t see it coming and it awesome. Overall this book was a good read i liked it. If you guys love paranormal romance then you should give this book a try.

"She brings light to the dark inside me,"

✨My Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

✨Tropes✨
- Paranormal Romance🔥
- Vampire X Prosecutor🔥
- Unique World🔥
- Spice🔥
- Strangers To Lovers🔥
- Forced Proximity🔥
- Multiple POVs🔥
- 3rd Person POV🔥

✨Trigger Warnings✨
- Attempted Murder⚠️
- Betrayal (not MMC)⚠️
- Mention Of Rape⚠️
- Violence⚠️
- Child Abuse⚠️

Thank you Netgalley, Author Collective 20, and Kira James for an eARC copy of Embrace Me Darkly.

Sara just prosecuted her biggest case, and she won. During her celebration, she meets the tall, dark, and handsome man, Luke, and her life is forever changed.

I enjoyed this book. I’m a sucker for a good urban fantasy, especially with vampires. The paranormal world was interesting and easy to follow. Though, there were things about the world that was just implied based on common knowledge.

The romance was sexy. The undeniable connection and chemistry was evident through the pages. I loved Sara and Luke together, and I loved them separately as well. They were both very strong main characters.

The POV changes were difficult to follow, as the prospective would change in the middle of a scene. However, having so many POVs was very interesting, and it seemed necessary in some points.

There’s still some unanswered questions, but it makes me very intrigued to continue reading this series as the next books come out.

I recommend this book to anybody looking for a fast paced, urban fantasy with vampires and other supernatural creatures.

Embrace Me Darkly by Kira James.
Turns out I’m a good girl, who likes very bad boys. No, not boys. Monsters.
I don’t think much of it when I hook up with the brooding stranger making eyes at me from across the bar. Not until I run into him a second time… This time he’s an accused killer, and it’s my job to get him put away for good. I soon learn there’s much more to this guy than meets the eye. For starters, he’s a vampire accused of murder—and he’s my first case as a prosecutor newly recruited into a top-secret judicial system that oversees the comings and goings of the city’s supernaturals. Not surprisingly, he’s telling me I shouldn’t waste my time focusing on him, when there’s a far worse killer still on the loose. My head knows I shouldn’t trust anything he tells me, but my body still remembers the ecstasy it felt at his hands, and my heart is whispering that maybe I should take a chance and trust him. But siding with the man I’m meant to convict will risk more than just my job. It could also end my life…
Brilliant read. I loved the story. Loved the cover. 5*.

I didn't see trigger warnings before requesting this book. Because of this, I wasn't aware of child abuse (physical and sexual) being in it. I made it to 73% before I just couldn't handle it anymore. I enjoyed everything else about this book. It took me a little bit to get into it but once I did, I really enjoyed it. I had hoped to be able to push through but it just became too much for me.

Goodreads review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5069331449

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for a willing and honest review.

“You touch me, Sara, in ways that it would be better that you did not. I know I should leave—know even that you should push me away. And yet I cannot stop.”

This book was not what I expected. I saw the words vampire, read a review that said it teetered on Interview with the Vampire -esc, and the cover of the book is gorgeous.

I felt like I was reading a script for a movie, or maybe a tv show given how long the book is.

My biggest gripe is that there are so many things happening. I think, due to its length, that it would do better to have more chapters and each one being a specific labeled POV. Otherwise, this is a pretty good read.

Thank you for allowing me to read this as an arc reader. All thoughts and reviews are my own.
I honestly enjoyed this. It was a faster paced story with a bit of spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and author, Kira James, for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. Embrace Me Darkly releases on October 27th, 2022. This is the first book in a series, but the ending is not too much of a cliffhanger - so I would pre-order this debut!

Pick up this series if you like:
-Hot Vampires and half vamps
-Accurate legal career descriptions
-Strong female lead
-Dual POV
-Mystery and crime
-Lots of steam

This gave me Lost Girl and Buffy vibes. The paranormal world-building was super interesting. I loved the side characters and how well-explained and realistic the big cast was. Personally, I could not enjoy the series that much as the female lead has not only my name, but also my exact job - so it hit too close to home lol. But, I would recommend this to others!

I did enjoy reading this book. It was fast paced and action packed, with a little bit of spice. I loved the banter between characters, had me chuckling.

I found the change of povs somewhat abrupt and confusing at times. Like who are we with now??
Also I didn’t quite enjoy how major plot points were explained away. I thought we were going on a journey to find out who killed her father, instead she was just told. In the middle of the book. And when she was introduced into the paranormal world she was just like…ok. It just all seemed to simple. Also the memory wipe. Like.. what?

But I did love the plot twist at the end. I thought that was well done. And I liked how they found out, through evidence, instead of just being told. I wanted more of that. Since it is a paranormal csi type book.

Also Tasha freaked me out from the beginning. I don’t like the whole “I’m a little girl trapped in a woman’s body” thing. It reminded me of Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. Shudder. And Serge with Tasha… just no.

Also the epilogue?? Like she was just told another mind blowing thing and it’s just like..huh. Ok. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Otherwise the book was entertaining. I liked it.

Embrace Me Darkly is a wickedly brilliant and spell-bindingly enthralling journey of undeniable love, unyielding revelations, and indescribable beauty. Nothing can prepare you for this story, and nothing can compare to its child-like wonder and epic danger as it regales and compels your heart to listen, learn, and love along the way. This story has everything that I have come to crave and adore in a story: insatiable curiosity, unstoppable love, and wicked twists.

Sara is fighting for so many things in her life. Among them to bring justice to the innocent who have been wronged, the identify of her father's killer, and to find something to fill the dark void in her life that relentlessly eats away at her. An unexpected promotion on the heels of winning her most hard fought case is a good start to putting her in a good state of mind, but what she finds is something almost unbelievable as she begins to navigate a whole new world. Luke is part of that world, and he both intrigues and scares her in equal measures. Unsure of who to trust, she finds herself reluctantly following her heart as if it already know this world intimately. Will Sara live to fight her next case, or will she succumb to the lethal darkness stalking her that is both terrifyingly unknown and exceptionally clever?

Luke and Sara are what some might see as another cliche couple in this wonderful paranormal story, but I find them uniquely intriguing and devastatingly beautiful. Their love is truly unstoppable and undeniably breathtaking. Their connection and their struggles are very real, and above all I love that their hearts would never let them give up on the other no matter what happened. They are truly fated by the blessings of Heaven and who they are.

I have thoroughly savored and enjoyed this exceptional masterpiece by Kira James! There was never a dull moment to be found amid the danger and darkness that thrives and nurtures this wonderful new world. The characters never failed to delight and entertain, and I am looking forward to delving even deeper into this fascinating world of the unknown and the ancient.

This is very well written, and I couldn't put it down! The author managed to keep the tension up the whole time too.

The intro of the MC to the supernatural world was a little fast and cheesy, she accepted it a bit too well.

The twist at the end was very well done and I enjoyed it

Some of the dialog lacks subtext. Someone just rants everything they are thinking with no subtext. Or major plot points are just told to you.
For example...

SPOILERS
The fact that Sara's father was killed on order of her new work? Major! And just told to her. the whole reason she took this job was to get info on her father's death, and she was told it was a cold case, they had no idea who killed him. Instead of investigating herself and figuring out the lie, Luke just told her! And he also revealed that it wasn't Serge, but himself that killed her father!

The fact that Luke had his mind wiped? Just told to him. No detective work to figure it out.
The fact that Sara had her mind wiped? Luke just told her!

It was okay that Luke just told her she was half vampire at the end. But the fact that she instantly knew it was Tiberius was weird.

I liked the reveal that Tasha attacked Braddock first. That was great, because Luke didn't just tell Sara. She had to find out through DNA evidence. Actual work. That should have been the case for all these examples.

I was provided an ARC of this book by Kira James on NetGalley.

*These opinions are my own and are not influenced by others*

Writing - 4.5/5
World Building - 4/5
Story - 4.5/5
Spice - 3.5/5

Crescent city meets twilight?? An instant hit!

Let me start by saying the chemistry between the MC and FMC is truly one I love within this book. There are quite a few characters within this book however this is a somewhat fast paced book therefore it is easy to understand what is going on. Luke is to die for. Sara is smart, witty, sexy. The twists were interesting and kept me reading until 2am!

This is a dark romance with a mid-high level of spice. There are a few triggers aswell such as implied r*pe, predatory behaviour towards children. This book pulled me in with the insane world building from the very first chapter!

Embrace Me Darkly,
by Kira James

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Mystery & thrillers, Romance, Sci-fi and Fantasy,

I enjoyed this read, I love fantasy stories and there's a great mix of characters and types here. Sarah is so invested in finding her fathers killer she based her career around it. He had a strong belief in the supernatural, and she wonders if that was a factor? Vampires and the like can't be real though...can they? She learns otherwise and gets dropped into a very different world.
Luke, wow! Yet though he and Sara have a very strong connection when they meet it seems they're destined to be apart. He knows that his actions in the supernatural world and her job as prosecutor make it difficult, he knows he's not the killer she's looking for but all the evidence points to him, and not only that his past, when she learns of it, is bound to drive a wedge between them.
I love that sort of story where there is so much keeping people apart, and here it was very real stuff, not some semi tragic but easily abandoned actions. Sara has a lot to get past, Luke had done what she would regard as terrible things and yet he too has reasons and doesn't regret them. Its the merging of two people from very different worlds.
I really didn't see who the real killer was, looking back the clues were there but I missed them. I love it when I'm taken by surprise like that, when a book isn't a typical predictable, know who's behind things from early on.

Stars: Four, a really good start to the series.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

Writing: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Character Development: 4/5
Romance: 5/5
Spice: 3/5

Warning: violence, sex

POV: Multiple

Theme: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery

Embrace Me Darkly by Kira James is a great read. Sara is a strong independent character. She a prosecuter who is trying to figure out who killed her father when she was younger. I really enjoyed seeing Sara grow as a character as through the book. The relationship between Sara and the male love interest was my favorite part of the book. The way he would do anything for her and the pull they had towards each other made this book that much better. The supernatural world was also fun to read about. It didn’t go into too much detail but relied on previous knowledge of vampires, shifters, demons… There were just enough new twists that pulls you into the world and make you not want to put the book down.

This book is great for anyone who wants to read about a strong female prosicuter who falls for a vampire on the wrong side of the law who is more than happy to kill anyone who would hurt her.

I received a free copy of this book and I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.

Loved the world building so immersive! An incredible blend of realism and the fantastical.
The narrative changes could be confusing at times but overall a great read.

I thought that this was a brilliant book!!

It was a superb read and the plot was excellent - it was full of twists and turns and such an addictive read, this was definitely a book that I was not putting down!

The characters were spot on, they had some brilliant interaction and they worked so well together.
It was a romantic and sexy story and I am so glad I read it

It is 5 stars from me for this one without hesitation, I loved it - very highly recommended!!

Embrace Me Darkly by Kira James was seriously everything I was hoping it would be.
I mean just look at this gorgeous cover! Gawd... I'm in love.

I loved all the characters in it. It was well written, with engaging, interesting and well developed characters.
The plot was fast paced and absorbing. I never once got bored, I never felt like it dragged and the story was so much fun to read.
I found the world building impressive and very detailed.
Kira James knows how to grab your attention and not let go.
She has written a phenomenal book here and I plan to read them all!
Her writing style is beautiful..

I will continue following the series.... As they're now high on my TBR list!
I can't wait to read book two Torture Me Gently later this month!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Martini & Olive,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

4.75/5*

World building 4.5/5 | Characters 5/5 | Plot 4.5/5 | Romance 4/5 | Spice 4/5

I absolutely loved reading this ARC. I can tell the book is really something when I can picture it in my mind as if I was watching the real thing unfold or imagine it filmed as a really great TV series on HBO or something like that. This book fit that bill perfectly. I loved all the characters in the book, main and supporting a like and I hope that over the course of this series, the readers will get a chance to learn more about ( especially- Tiberius, Nick, Caris and Doyle). Sara is such a great FMC- she is smart, honourable and not afraid to stick to her beliefs. Luke is just yummy and his and Sara's chemistry is off the charts. Everyone also has great backstories with more to come, I am sure. The plot is pretty original even though it is a tad predictable at the end, that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

A few things to note:
- there are A LOT of characters in this novel, and at times it was tough trying to keep track of them all, but for the most part, they all served a roll. Just be ready for it.
- I'm not sure there is a trigger warning but there is violence against children and inferred rape. So be warned.

If you enjoy a dark and delicious PNR with plenty of smut and set in an intricate world with interesting characters, this is the book for you!

* I was provided an ARC of this book by Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and all those opinions are definitely my own*