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Know Thine Enemy

by Rosalie Stanton (Goodreads Author)

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 16 ratings · 6 reviews

He’s a vampire with a story. She’s a woman with a past.

Izzie has dedicated years to distancing herself from her personal ghosts. Every night she faces monsters most people don’t believe exist, and though she doesn’t flinch at drawing demon blood, she never forgets the first face to show her true evil was human.

The second Ryker spots the girl with midnight hair, he knows t...more

ebook, 248 pages

Published October 2011 by Noble Romance

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Nov 23, 2011 Wendy Mitchell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: requested-review, erotic-romance, kick-ass-heroine, tear-jerker

Niles Arnold Ryker III (he HATES his whole name) fought for the Union in the War of Northern Aggression. So he had seen a lot in his years walking this Earth and not a lot intrigued him anymore. The skinny female demon hunter fighting off the three young vamps in an alley was the exception. She was extremely skilled, but there was no hatred or revulsion in her aura. This was just business for her. Izzie Bennett killed those who meant to do her or others harm. She and her partner/mentor Wright ri...more Niles Arnold Ryker III (he HATES his whole name) fought for the Union in the War of Northern Aggression. So he had seen a lot in his years walking this Earth and not a lot intrigued him anymore. The skinny female demon hunter fighting off the three young vamps in an alley was the exception. She was extremely skilled, but there was no hatred or revulsion in her aura. This was just business for her. Izzie Bennett killed those who meant to do her or others harm. She and her partner/mentor Wright rid the world of the unnatural vermin seeking to spread their darkness to the unsuspecting human population, but for Izzie, it was a “don’t start no thing, won’t be no thing” type of gig. She didn’t harbor the consuming hatred for vampires that Wright did. Especially since most of her damage came from humans. Ryker was also showing her that the world isn’t black and white but an infinite number of shades of grey.

This book literally just blew me away. It is soooo very, very different than what I was expecting. I have been a HUGE fan of Rosalie Stanton for quite a bit because of her snarky dialogue, dark humor, fantastic heroines and "off the charts hot" erotic content, and even though many of her books dealt with demons or vampires, there was an overall feeling of lightness to the stories, not "happy, happy, joy, joy " but light nonetheless. This book is just exponentially darker and grippingly intense. All the aforementioned elements are still in the book (OMG, especially the erotic one) but comparing this book to Ms. Stanton's previous releases is like comparing everyday Marines and Sailors (whom I truly worship) to US Navy SEALs. Sure they're all soldiers, but a SEAL has that indefinable something that's very rare. This book is a SEAL.

The characters in this book are all incredibly damaged but still struggle to find a somewhat, if not meaningful, at least survivable existence. With a basic core of innate decency, they try their best to keep at least one foot on the side of good. Sometimes that's an impossible task and lives must be forfeit to the whims of fate. Fate has not been a kind mistress to many in this story. Tragedy and loss plays a major part in shaping their combined destinies. It's how each character handles the blows thrown at them that determines the mettle of the person. Some overcome and some succumb to the darkness, Izzie and Ryker are still fighting the battle along with Connor (a great and loveable ogre of a barkeep). This is a book whose characters and story linger long after the last word is read. I want to know what happens with Wright and his young daughter. I need to know if the lab where Ryker and Izzie were held is still operational. I really need to know if Izzie gains any weight ( that was one skinny chick). These characters could quite easily become an obsession and Rosalie Stanton deserves major kudos for such a powerful book. You know I hear at least once a day that the whole vampire theme is played out and passe, and to this I say a resounding "Bull Feathers!" Great stories from talented writers never grow old or passe and Know Thine Enemy more than meets that criteria.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2011 Ni_kii rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, vampires, steamy, dreamy-men, strong-female-charcter, previous-abuse

A product of a broken home, Izzie latched onto the life of a Vampire Hunter when she was taken under the wing of a man who wanted to mould her into his own personal sidekick. Years into a well-deserved reputation, she only has one rule; don’t attack unless they do first. This rule is what saves her from Ryker when he realises that a Hunter has encroached on his patch. He doesn’t believe in killing humans for sport, so Izzie is safe until she strikes first. When she begins to stir feelings in him...more A product of a broken home, Izzie latched onto the life of a Vampire Hunter when she was taken under the wing of a man who wanted to mould her into his own personal sidekick. Years into a well-deserved reputation, she only has one rule; don’t attack unless they do first. This rule is what saves her from Ryker when he realises that a Hunter has encroached on his patch. He doesn’t believe in killing humans for sport, so Izzie is safe until she strikes first. When she begins to stir feelings in him that he hasn’t felt in years, he begins to wonder if the Hunter could ever fall in love with her prey. When an old enemy with a grudge rears its head, things for Ryker start to look a little perilous. When said old enemy hands over both Izzie and Ryker to a Government determined to utilise them in their quest to study Vampire Biology, it looks like Izzie’s real enemy might not be as obvious anymore. Can she trust a Vampire to get her out of trouble? And when the dust settles, will they be able to go back to the status quo?

Izzie is a strong, snarky heroine who was in the Vampire Hunting business purely by chance. She didn’t hate them, it wasn’t her grudge that kept both her and Zack finding them, it was his. When she meets Ryker, he challenges the preconceptions that Zack has drummed into her. He doesn’t seem to be the mad, deranged killer that all Vampires should be; he like a normal guy, albeit a dead one. That she is completely attracted to him leaves her a little shaken, but I like that she didn’t dismiss it, she just chose not to act on it. When she gets an inkling that Ryker may be in trouble, she goes against Zack’s express orders and warns him. That she is willing to challenge her own views and break free of the safety net of Zack was really sweet! Then it all goes to hell in a hand-basket when the Government get them. My respect for her grew a million fold at the way she dealt with the horrors of the lab. The humans in charge were completely horrible, completely dehumanising her in the interest of research. She realised that the only way to survive was to try to find the light in the situation, to find her one salvation in a room full of torture; the attraction she feels for Ryker. The whole situation that goes on in the lab is uncomfortable to say the least. It left me a little shaken that I could be conflicted with two such extreme emotions as arousal and distaste. I coped only due to the strength of the characters; if they could find a moment to savour their attraction I could feel OK with it! I approved with the way that she dealt with the whole thing as it proved just how strong she was.

Ryker is yummy. Ryker rivals Dante as Rosalie Stanton’s hottest vampire. A Vampire that considers himself on the right side of the moral line, he has secrets in his past that both haunt and ground him. Without the choices that he has made previously, I don’t think that he would be quite as lovely. The respect that he shows Izzie, as both a warrior and a woman, was quite rare in a PNR. He never questions her decisions but does his best to support her. He does his best not to hurt her with his true nature. He measures his every action around her, never really giving into his baser instinct unless he deemed she could handle it. Once he did give into them…..*fans* jeeeez  The sex scenes in this books are the stuff of wet dreams, I just didn’t feel comfortable with my own reaction to them in parts. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I could just enjoy them together; I’ve never wanted the suspense part of a story out of the way so quickly before.

Well, I’ve only read one other of Rosalie Stanton’s books before (which I loved) but this one has cemented her onto my very limited pre-order list. This book was original, dark, sexy and really quite twisted. I don’t like to think the couple are a product of circumstance, but I have to say that the time that they spent together in the lab cements them together in a way which I think would be hard pressed to reverse. I loved this book and would LOVE to see more from these characters. A fast paced, gritty paranormal romance which make me think, squirm and pant….a recommended read!
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Jan 04, 2012 Chelsea [Vampire Book Club] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, vampires, uf-pnr, smexy

This review was originally published at Vampire Book Club.

I always enjoy a heroine who thinks for herself. That’s the case with Izzie. She’s a demon hunter without a reason to kill vampires and the like. She does it because she’s good at it, because the man who saved her from the streets has a vendetta. She knows humans can be just as vicious and cruel, and she only attacks those who make a move on her. And that makes her incredibly interesting to Ryker.

Ryker’s an old vampire and, really, he jus...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-requests, abused-heroine, against-the-wall-smexing, brooding-heroine, charming-hero, dangerous-heroine, dangerous-hero, endearing-hero, endearing-heroine, erotica, ex-military-hero, explosive-passion, favorite-alpha-heroes, favorite-endings, good-for-nothing-ex-fiance, haunted-by-the-past-hero, haunted-by-the-past-heroine, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-first-kiss, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, intense-connection-between-hh, kick-ass-heroine, laugh-out-loud-moments, loner-hero, loner-heroine, opposites-attract, paranormal-romance, possessive-hero, possessive-heroine, protective-hero, shower-smexing, sizzling-sexual-tension, some-violence, tortured-heroine, tortured-hero, unforgettable-hero, vampire-hero

Rosalie Stanton is an author who definitely knows what she is doing when it comes to heroines of the kick-ass variety. And invigorating banter is always a part of her novels that makes them that much harder to put down. Whether it be vampires or just plain old human heroes and heroines that she writes about, Rosalie writes them with a passion that comes across when one reads her books.

Know Thine Enemy tells the story of a more than 100 year old vampire who finds the peace, solace and love that h...more Rosalie Stanton is an author who definitely knows what she is doing when it comes to heroines of the kick-ass variety. And invigorating banter is always a part of her novels that makes them that much harder to put down. Whether it be vampires or just plain old human heroes and heroines that she writes about, Rosalie writes them with a passion that comes across when one reads her books.

Know Thine Enemy tells the story of a more than 100 year old vampire who finds the peace, solace and love that he has been searching for all his life when he meets the human demon hunter who entices him to get to know more of her even from their very first encounter.

Niles Arnold Ryker the Third (Ryker) knows a woman worth getting to know when he sees one. Tailing Elizabeth Jane Bennett (Izzie) and watching while she takes on vampires more than capable of sending her to a brutal death, the one thing that draws Ryker is the fact that Izzie is a hunter without a cause.

Izzie had embraced the world of hunting down vampires 6 years back when her life had taken a turn that would have killed her if it had been anyone other than Zack Wright she had tried to steal from. Driven by a need to exorcise the world from the undead that roams at night, Zack has made it his life’s mission and in turn trained and made it Izzie’s mission as well to hunt them. But even if Izzie is unwilling to say it out loud, somehow the empty existence of living from one hunt to the next makes for a lonely existence until Ryker steps into her life and makes her do things that she would never have done otherwise.

Before anything can happen between Ryker and Izzie, an enemy from Ryker’s past who is maniac enough to embrace becoming a creature of a race that he so despises just because it would bring him one step closer to getting the “justice” he feels that he rightfully deserves comes into Ryker’s life, putting both Izzie and Ryker in danger. The time spent in captivity is one that tests the endurance and strength of both Izzie and Ryker’s characters, both forced into submitting to the desire that is always a part of them when they are together.

Know Thine Enemy is a story that tells the tale of a vampire’s quest to find redemption, acceptance and love, things he had resigned himself that he would never ever have in his life. It also tells the story of a woman who is more than a little bit lost in life, following the footsteps of a man whose need for vengeance and revenge is no part of who Izzie is. Izzie has led a tougher life than most, growing up with a father who had slowly grown insane as the years sped by. Escaping from him with her life intact had just been the beginning of a hard life and it is only under Ryker’s soothing touch that Izzie finds the strength to let go and believe for the very first time in her life.

Ryker’s brand of seduction is a lethal one that got my heart racing more than a time or two. His intensity and focus when it comes to Izzie, to the point that the rest of the world just melts away and ceases to exist, the way he whispers those tender nothings during those moments when physical and emotional intimacy seems to mix and blur around the edges, needless to say I loved his character and his brand of seduction. His tenderness and understanding nature is just exactly what someone like Izzie needs in order to believe that something better has come to her life and is there to stay as long as she wants and needs it to.

With a fitting end to the villain, no hanky panky forgiveness stuff here which I just loved, Know Thine Enemy is a great read, recommended for fans of Rosalie Stanton and fans of vampire romances.

Rating=4/5

Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance

My quotes included below the review!(less)

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Oct 27, 2011 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't recommend this book highly enough. From start to finish you are enraptured with Izzie and Ryker as well as how their pasts will effect their future. This is not for the faint of heart. There is more than sex and vampires in this intriguing psychological paranormal romance. There is drama and tension and a few situations that can make a person feel a little dirty. But it is a MUST READ for me and hopefully others. When you sit down, you'll be able to see the thought Rosalie has put into c...more

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Nov 20, 2011 J.A. Saare rated it 5 of 5 stars

A kick ass heroine, a hard-as-nails hero, and lotsa heat = Know Thine Enemy. This latest offering by Ms. Stanton is dark, gritty, and extremely hot.

1 like · like · see review

May 08, 2013 Becky marked it as freebie

Shelves: mf-contemporary, paperback, random, rt, urban-fantasy

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Shelves: missing-shelf

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Shelves: favorites

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Shelves: 2011-release, nook-books-i-own, paranormal-romance

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Shelves: favorite, pnr, uber-hot

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Shelves: unsolicited-review-copy, ebook

Jul 11, 2012 Renee Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr, kick-ass-chick, kindle-lendable, vamps, authors-i-love

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About Rosalie Stanton

Rosalie Stanton is a multi-published erotic romance author, specializing mostly in paranormal and urban fantasy. A lifelong enthusiast of larger than life characters, Rosalie’s muse is fueled by alpha males, from badass bikers to scruffy-looking Nerf herders, and the intelligent, strong, and independent women who actually do the driving. She loves interweaving the lives of people who appear to be...more

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Quotes from Know Thine Enemy

“Intimacy with Wright had seemed necessary; an essential human experience she didn’t think she’d get anywhere else, at least not on her terms. Ryker changed everything.
Ryker, she wanted. Hell, a part of her needed him, and the rest of her just craved.” — 1 person liked it

“You’re not dirty, or bad, or wrong, or anything that ass of a father told you,” he whispered, kissing the swell of her breast. “I honestly don’t know what you are.”
“Ryker, please.”
“Except mine.” — 1 person liked it

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