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Tarnished Knight by Bec McMaster

In the steam-fuelled world of Victorian London, vampires, werewolves and slasher gangs stalk the night and a man made partly of metal is about to discover just how far he’ll go to protect the woman he loves…

Title: Tarnished Knight
Author: Bec McMaster
Series: London Steampunk #1.5
Publish Date: April 5, 2013
Source: free only to those signed up for author’s newsletter

Publisher’s Description: In the steam-fuelled world of Victorian London, vampires, werewolves and slasher gangs stalk the night and a man made partly of metal is about to discover just how far he’ll go to protect the woman he loves…

After a vicious vampire attack left him struggling to leash the dark urges of the craving virus, John “Rip” Doolan thinks he’s finally starting to master the darkness within. The only thing that threatens to shatter his hard-won control is Esme, his closest friend and the only woman he’s ever wanted. If the stubborn beauty ever realized precisely what was going through his mind, their friendship would be ruined.

For six months, Esme has waited for Rip to recover and take her as his thrall, not daring to hope for more. Too afraid to put her heart on the line, she is devastated when Rip reveals that he never had any intentions of making her his.

But when a savage gang of Slashers start causing havoc in Whitechapel, Rip and Esme have no choice. They must face up to the depth of the passion that burns between them and forge a new relationship…or risk losing each other forever.

Nervous Nellie’s nervousness necessitates knowledge of the novel. In other words …sometime there are SPOILERS. *BEWARE*

Nervous Nellie says…

Indeed, the dark should fear him.

This is a typical case of a man being blind as a bat. John was turned blue blood by Blade to save his life. John and Esme were very good friends but Esme wanted more. John wanted more too, but he didn’t think Esme did even though she practically hammered the idea on his head. Esme tried every way she could think of to tell him – directly, indirectly, actions, words, no actions, no words and nothing seemed to break through John’s thick head.

It finally took “meddlin'” as Blade called it to clear the air. Blade and his wife, Honoria, are making a home for their “family”. Some are blood, some are not but they are all family. Blade can’t stand not seeing Esme happy and even though he was supposed to leave things alone, he HAD to play matchmaker – which tickled him pink.

This is a fun book (except for when the bad guys steal people to drain them and want to take over Whitechapel) and it ends with a good ending. There is some sex, some foul language but John and Esme get their own story which was *sigh* so nice.

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