A Taste of Midnight (Midnight Breed, #9.5)

Sep 17, 2012 Annie (Under the Covers Book Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-lara-adrian, books-i-go-rabid-over, books-i-own, ebooks, king-of-the-harem, my-hottie-harem, read-in-2011, pnr, tortured-bad-boys, vampires

Posted on Under the Covers

A TASTE OF MIDNIGHT is an exhilarating read that will leave Midnight Breeds fans wanting more! Lara Adrian crafts a well-written and passionate story for widow Danika MacConn, the Breedmate who lost her mate, Conlan in the first book of the Midnight Breed series, Kiss of Midnight.

Now in Edinburgh with her infant son, Conner, Danika has an unpleasant encounter with Mr. Reiver, an arrogant Breed male who enjoys selling live human game for the pleasure of seeing them suf...more

12 likes · like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Karla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: yummy-men, wonderful-secondary-characters, vampire, too-short, sweet-romance, short-story, second-chance, scrumptious-hero, paranormal

Nice little short that compliments the series! I think considering who Malcolm was in relation to Conlan, Danika's deceased mate, it would have been nice to embellish on their story a little. I liked him, felt sorry for him, and would have enjoyed seeing him become a part of 'The Order'. He had to the goods and would fit right in. Alas though, it's not meant to be! On to Chase's book! Now this should be good!

10 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Lorre rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really loved A Taste of Midnight ! A lot of times with a short story it feels rushed or not detailed enough but this short story didn't have that and it was a great in-between read.
It was nice to read about Danika and little Connor.

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Sherri Needs A Maid rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of LA's Breed series

Shelves: 2011, alpha-male, keepers, ebook, hero-to-die-for, heroine-i-loved, paranormal-romance

Be still my heart!

This was a fabulous read and I read it in one sitting. If you remember from Kiss of Midnight, Danika is the widow of fallen Order member Conlan. She is in Scotland for the holidays visiting with Conlan's family. Unwittingly involved in a vicious plan for yet another underground blood club, Danika is saved by none other than Malcolm - Conlan's one time best friend, and the man whom Danika once thought she could love.

My only complaint is that it wasn't a full length book. I want...more

7 likes · like · see review

Dec 06, 2011 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, paranormal-romance-vampire

A Taste of Midnight was just that, a nice little taste of Adrian's Midnight Breeds series.

Danika, who is the widowed mate of one of Gideon's Breed warriors, has returned to her dead mate's homeland and her outspoken-never-back-down-nature lands her in a pot of trouble with the scariest Breed around, Reiver, who makes his living pandering to Breed depravity. Now that Danika is in Reiver's sights his scarred bodyguard, Bran, is going to have to decide between the safety of Danika and her infant s...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 ~Mel :)~ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of the Breed!

Shelves: romance, vanilla, paranormal

I loved it! That's all I pretty much ever say in any of my reviews, So I will try to expand on that thought this time. Just not sure I can do that without spoiling it for people. :D

(view spoiler)...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Miraphora rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampiri

Premessa: è meglio togliersi Hunter dalla testa prima di leggerlo.
Leggere questo racconto è come fare una capatina veloce dentro la serie della Stirpe senza essere inglobata da un romanzo più corposo. E' un mordi e fuggi. E' come mangiare un mini cioccolatino, una versione mignon di una tavoletta di cioccolato. In un certo senso non è abbastanza, perché vorresti un pezzo più grosso, ma da un'altra parte è più che sufficiente per farti un'idea e soddisfarti.
Ovviamente ci sono dei limiti. La lung...more Premessa: è meglio togliersi Hunter dalla testa prima di leggerlo.
Leggere questo racconto è come fare una capatina veloce dentro la serie della Stirpe senza essere inglobata da un romanzo più corposo. E' un mordi e fuggi. E' come mangiare un mini cioccolatino, una versione mignon di una tavoletta di cioccolato. In un certo senso non è abbastanza, perché vorresti un pezzo più grosso, ma da un'altra parte è più che sufficiente per farti un'idea e soddisfarti.
Ovviamente ci sono dei limiti. La lunghezza non aiuta certo ad approfondire i personaggi, i loro caratteri e le interazioni per cui non c'è possibilità di uno sviluppo coerente della storia d'amore. Non c'è tempo e spazio sufficienti per creare una relazione che abbia un inizio, uno sviluppo e una fine e che segua delle tempistiche apprezzabili. Quindi ci si deve aspettare un innamoramento praticamente improvviso e poco motivato, un cambio di rotta radicale nei pensieri dei personaggi e una serie di eventi che assecondano questa necessità.
Quello che la Adrian ha saputo fare - secondo me molto bene - è stato utilizzare la costante tipica della serie del cattivo, in questo caso un membro della Stirpe inserito nella loro società, e saperlo adattare alla perfezione senza superare il limite. Il cattivo ha l'unico scopo di unire i due protagonisti e ci riesce alla perfezione perché sia Malcolm sia Danika interagiscono con lui in due diverse situazioni: singolarmente e come coppia. Inevitabile, direi, la scappatoia del passato comune perché è necessaria per aiutare il lettore ad accettare l'innamoramento finale. Dakina e Malcolm si conoscono perché sono amici (per modo di dire) di vecchia data: prima di innamorarsi di Connor, Danika avrebbe anche preso in considerazione Mal. Malcolm, da parte sua, confida di aver avuto dei sentimenti per lei, ma di essersi fatto da parte perché non era il momento giusto per lui e non avrebbe reso Danika felice. Insomma, si ha una sorta di reunion destinata a succedere a prescindere dal fatto che entrambi si erano legati ad altre persone.
Ho apprezzato che, nonostante la brevità del racconto, la Adrian abbia comunque deciso di inserire una discreta dose di azione e pure un personaggio secondario degno di nota. E' come se l'autrice sia ormai in grado di gestire l'universo che ha creato senza lasciarsi sopraffare: in forma breve o in romanzo, è padrona della storia e dei personaggi e - secondo me - è una grandissima fortuna per i suoi lettori.(less)

like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Cornelia Zass rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lang ersehnt und endlich erschienen, im LYX-Verlag, die Kurzgeschichte von Lara Adrian mit dem Titel “Das Sehnen der Nacht”.
Leider können seit dem 10. Mai 2012 nur E-Book Reader Besitzer in den Genuss von Danikas Geschichte kommen.
Die gebundene Ausgabe erscheint im Oktober 2012 und wird, ebenso wie das E-Book, 128 Seiten umfassen …

Danika, die Witwe vom großen Conlan, ist nach Schottland gegangen, um dort die Nähe ihres geliebten Gefährten zu spüren.

Auf einer Party hört sie das Gespräch einer Gru...more Lang ersehnt und endlich erschienen, im LYX-Verlag, die Kurzgeschichte von Lara Adrian mit dem Titel “Das Sehnen der Nacht”.
Leider können seit dem 10. Mai 2012 nur E-Book Reader Besitzer in den Genuss von Danikas Geschichte kommen.
Die gebundene Ausgabe erscheint im Oktober 2012 und wird, ebenso wie das E-Book, 128 Seiten umfassen …

Danika, die Witwe vom großen Conlan, ist nach Schottland gegangen, um dort die Nähe ihres geliebten Gefährten zu spüren.

Auf einer Party hört sie das Gespräch einer Gruppe von Männern mit.
Als sie jemand in ihren Gedanken hört, der sie vom Lauschen abhalten will, ist ihr Interesse noch mehr geweckt.
Der Gangsterboss Reiver hat Danika sofort erkannt und warnt sie, ihm nicht in die Quere zu kommen.
Unter seinen Gefolgsleuten ist auch der gefährlich aussehende Brannoc.
Danika begibt sich, trotz der Warnung, auf den Weg zu einem von Reviers Club, um nach Hinweisen für seine Machenschaften zu suchen.
Brannoc bemerkt sie und drängt sie nach draußen dabei erkennt Danika ihn, denn er war von Hunderten von Jahren der beste Freund von Conlan und ebenso unsterbliche verliebt in Danika.
Revier beschließt nun endgültig Danika los zu werden und schickt seine schlimmsten Männer aus, um sie und ihren kleinen Sohn zu vernichten.
Nun liegt es an Brannoc, der ihr als Einziger beistehen kann …

Natürlich werden viel Fans von Lara Adrian denken, das diese Geschichte viel zu kurz ist, um die ewige Warterei auf die Romane zu versüßen, aber es ist nun einmal als Kurzgeschichte angepriesen worden und ich finde für ein kleines Reinschnuppern in Danikas Lebensverlauf reichen die 128 Seiten vollkommen aus.
Lara Adrian zeigt hiermit, dass sie auch mit diesen wenigen Seiten, den Leser fesseln und die Stimmung hochhalten kann, damit ihre Protagonisten eine äußerst spannende, extrem erotische und aufschlussreiche Geschichte erzählen können.
Auch wenn Danika in den Romanen nicht so präsent war, wie vielleicht andere Gefährtinnen, war sie doch die Erste in der Geschichte, die ein Baby auf die Welt brachte, dem eine große Zukunft vorausgesagt wurde.
Es ist sehr interessant zu lesen, wie Danika Conlan kennen und lieben lernte, und wie ihr Leben, lange vor den Kriegern, verlief.
Auch ist mir Brannoc sehr sympathisch, denn er ist sehr bedacht darauf Danika aus der Schusslinie von Revier herauszuhalten, was ihm nicht immer gelingen mag.
Lara Adrians Schreibstil ist mir als Leser, bereits in ihrem ersten Buch, sehr aufgefallen, denn er ist immer flüssig, sehr, sehr spannend und hoch erotisch.
Danke für diese kleine Kurzgeschichte, vor allem da alle E-Book Besitzer jetzt schon in den Geschmack kamen, ich freue mich schon sehr auf den zehnten Band der “Midnight” Reihe mit dem deutschen Titel “Erwählte der Ewigkeit”, welcher im August 2012 ebenfalls im LYX-Verlag erscheinen wird.(less)

like · see review

Feb 15, 2013 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eine Novelle mit ein paar kleinen Extras.

Das Sehnen der Nacht beginnt mit einer kurzen Geschichte von etwa 90 Seiten über Danika. Die gute ist bereits bekannt als Stammesgefährtin des ehemaligen Ordenskrieger Conlan - dieser verstarb leider schon sehr früh und so verließ Danika mit ihrem kleinen Sohn den Orden und kehre in ihre Heimat Dänemark zurück um um ihren Geliebten zu trauern. Nun ist sie zu Besuch in Schottland bei Conlans Familie und gerät unerwartet in etwas verboten gefährliches ...

Di...more Eine Novelle mit ein paar kleinen Extras.

Das Sehnen der Nacht beginnt mit einer kurzen Geschichte von etwa 90 Seiten über Danika. Die gute ist bereits bekannt als Stammesgefährtin des ehemaligen Ordenskrieger Conlan - dieser verstarb leider schon sehr früh und so verließ Danika mit ihrem kleinen Sohn den Orden und kehre in ihre Heimat Dänemark zurück um um ihren Geliebten zu trauern. Nun ist sie zu Besuch in Schottland bei Conlans Familie und gerät unerwartet in etwas verboten gefährliches ...

Diese Geschichte ist kurz, spannend, aber auch mit gemischten Gefühlen zu genießen, denn Danika ist nun "erst" seid 1 1/2 Jahren Witwe und trifft nun auf einen alten Bekannten: Malcom MacBain. Wer die Autorin kennt, der wird sich denken können welchen Verlauf es mit Danika nehmen wird. Schwierig hierbei ist als eingefleischter Fan der Reihe natürlich, sich die Protagonistin vorzustellen, wie sie nicht mehr so stark um ihren verstorbenen Gefährten trauert, sondern einen anderen Mann begehrt. Natürlich sagt einem der gesunde Menschenverstand, dass das nicht unüblich ist und alles seinen gewohnten Gang geht. Allerdings hat Lara Adrian mir scheinbar eingehämmert: Ewige Liebe ist für immer! Und so tat ich mich echt schwer mit dem Gedanken um Danika und Malcom. Da kommt es ja nur gelegen, dass der Stammesvampir eine ähnliche Geschichte wie Dani selbst hinter sich hat. Nun, welch Überraschung.

Rache, blutige Geschäfte und ein alter Freund als neue Liebe. Lara Adrian hat mich hiermit leider nicht so sehr begeistern können. Vielleicht lag es an der kürze, denn nicht immer ist die Kürze auch die Würze - nicht wahr?

Nach der Geschichte bekommt der Leser ein paar wirklich wundervolles Dankesworte der Autorin zu lesen. Es ist doch erstaunlich wie viele Leser auf wie vielen Kontinenten Lara Adrian mit ihren Vampiren mittlerweile begeistert.

Außerdem gibt es ein großes kleines Extra bezüglich der Protagonisten. Aber auch hier habe ich ein bisschen zu meckern, denn Das Sehen der Nacht erschien NACH Band 10, Danikas Geschichte spielt zeitlich allerdings VOR Band zehn. So weit, so gut. Das Extra allerdings beinhalten kurze Steckbriefe der Protagonisten aller Bände, wobei auch Band 10 schon inbegriffen ist - sowie auch Mias Geschichte aus Band 11. Das klingt jetzt alles bestimmt sehr verworren ... ist es ja auch. Wer also auf Nummer sicher gehen will, liest diese Novelle und ihre Extras erst nach Beendigung von Band 11.

Die oben genannten Steckbriefe sind zum Teil in Textform verfasst. Sie umfassen eine kurze Hintergrundinformation zur Vergangenheit der Person und meist auch zum Kennenlernen des jeweiligen Partners, sowie dem Band in dem die Geschichte schlussendlich spielt. Ich persönlich finde das eine wunderbare Sache, wenn man bedenkt wie lange es doch bereits her ist, dass Band 1 erschien. Eine weile ...! Auch eine kurze Auffrischung des Gedächtnisses bezüglich der Gabe, des Aussehens, des Blutduftes und bei den Frauen auch der Sitz des Muttermals.

Alles in allem ist diese Novelle erst durch ihre Extras wirklich interessant und eher etwas für Fans der Reihe selbst. (less)

like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Laura Ashlee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, romance

I found this one as a free download on www.kobobooks.com and thought I’d give it a try. I was looking for something short and maybe a little sexy to read one day, when I came across this one in my reader. I loved it and now I’m dying to learn more about the Midnight Breed world. This came along at the perfect time. I’ve been avoided paranormal romance after burning out, but now I’m ready for some vampires!

There wasn’t much time for character development or anything. What I got from this was a ta...more

like · see review

Dec 04, 2012 Amarilli73 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Il primo amore non si scorda

Mmm, per quanto aspettassi con entusiasmo quest’ulteriore tassello di una delle mie serie preferite, devo dire che questa pubblicazione mi ha lasciato un po’ perplessa.

In realtà, non si tratta di un nuovo episodio che si riallaccia al punto in cui la serie si era interrotta, ma è solo un racconto lungo (neanche novanta pagine, tempo di lettura: un’ora) che corre parallelo alla vicenda principale, riprendendo uno dei personaggi che avevamo già conosciuto nel primo li...more Il primo amore non si scorda

Mmm, per quanto aspettassi con entusiasmo quest’ulteriore tassello di una delle mie serie preferite, devo dire che questa pubblicazione mi ha lasciato un po’ perplessa.

In realtà, non si tratta di un nuovo episodio che si riallaccia al punto in cui la serie si era interrotta, ma è solo un racconto lungo (neanche novanta pagine, tempo di lettura: un’ora) che corre parallelo alla vicenda principale, riprendendo uno dei personaggi che avevamo già conosciuto nel primo libro e poi incontrato nuovamente nel Bacio Eterno (il libro dedicato ad Andreas Reichen). In effetti, il titolo originale parlava solo di un “assaggio” (A taste of Midnight), e traeva meno in inganno dell’edizione italiana.

In ogni caso, per chi si sente ormai di casa tra i guerrieri dell’Ordine e le loro Compagne, non può che far piacere sapere che anche la dolce Danika non passerà il resto della sua secolare esistenza da sola e senza amore. Anche se è passato oltre un anno e mezzo dalla morte di Conlan, il guerriero dell’Ordine a cui era legata da secoli, Danika continua a portare la fascia scarlatta intorno alla vita, quale segno di vedovanza per il suo compagno, a cui ha dato comunque un erede, un piccolo vampiro biondo scozzese.

Durante un ricevimento presso il Rifugio Oscuro dei parenti di Conlan, Danika, sfruttando i suoi poteri di Compagna della Stirpe, riesce ad intercettare mentalmente un dialogo tra alcuni ricchi vampiri, percependo gli indizi di un intrigo. E’ l’inizio di un’indagine che la porterà a mettere in pericolo sé stessa e suo figlio, ma anche a ricontattare gli ex-colleghi di Boston e ad incontrare una vecchia, anzi vecchissima (visto che siamo in tema di vampiri) conoscenza della sua gioventù, un amore sepolto nel passato, comunque strettamente legato al suo adorato Conlan.

E’ un racconto romantico, anche se, come detto, dura lo spazio di un sospiro.
Per ora, pertanto, possiamo solo aspettare il prossimo vero nuovo episodio (Darker after Midnight), per sapere (finalmente) cos’è successo all’affascinante Sterling Chase e a tutti gli altri bollentissimi guerrieri!
(less)

like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Anorielt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Erster Satz: Weihnachtliche Melodien erfüllten den Ballsaal der Edingburgher Villa.

Lange ist es her, doch ich bin froh das die Autorin Danika nicht vergessen hat und es jetzt nach all der Zeit ein kurzes Wiedersehen gibt. Die Kurzgeschichte spielt scheinbar zwischen dem 8ten und dem 10ten Band der Reihe, ist also doch ziemlich aktuell. Danika ist zusammen mit ihrem Sohn Connor in Conlans alter Heimat Schottland, zu Besuch. Dabei legt sie sich leider mit dem übelsten Stammesvampir Schottlands an...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Auntie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. We briefly me Dankia early into the series when she tragically became widowed. She also made brief cameos from time to time. Now, it's time for her to finally heal and to find love again.

We meet Malcolm, her late husband's best friend. Malcolm has a wounded heart as well having lost his mate and unborn child. Determined to avenge them he aligns himself with the organization that killed them to gaining their trust, waiting for his perfect moment to strike. None of his plans i...more

like · see review

Jun 01, 2012 Nicky Cartwright Pashley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit to being a little disappointed with this novella compared with the other full sized books in this series. The plot had the potential to be so much more if it had been given the time to develop. The plot was good, the characters had plenty of potential … but it felt rushed due to the book size. The book broke away from The Order as it is set in Scotland (instead of Boston) … The Order are mentioned but the on-going Dragos plot is completely separate to this novella. I did wonder i...more

like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-kiwi

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Tasty treat for Breed lovers.

Opening Sentence: Christmas music swelled from the tuxedo-clad orchestra, filling the ballroom of the Edinburgh mansion where two dozen beautiful couples danced beneath garlands of crisp holly and fragrant evergreen boughs.

The Review:

In A Taste of Midnight, we catch a glimpse of the life and times of Danika MacConn, whose appearance in this novella is a bit of a blast from the past. Long ago, back in book one; we...more

like · see review

Jan 11, 2012 Carla-Book Monster Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

We first met Danika MacConn in "A Kiss Of Midnight", the first book in the Midnight Breed series. She was the mate of Conlan MacConn, a warrior of the Order that was killed in battle. When her mate was killed, Danika was also pregnant with their first son. She had decided to the Order and went back to her homeland, Denmark.

Danika was invited by Conlan's family to attend a ball in Scottland where she overhears an alarming conversation between a bunch of males. Caught as they walk in from the conv...more We first met Danika MacConn in "A Kiss Of Midnight", the first book in the Midnight Breed series. She was the mate of Conlan MacConn, a warrior of the Order that was killed in battle. When her mate was killed, Danika was also pregnant with their first son. She had decided to the Order and went back to her homeland, Denmark.

Danika was invited by Conlan's family to attend a ball in Scottland where she overhears an alarming conversation between a bunch of males. Caught as they walk in from the conversation, Danika has an altercation with one of the males, Reiver, who is a well-known crime boss in Edinburgh and Danika is now the center of his wrath. She is then confronted by Brannoc, a male very familiar to her but she can't remember where she knows him from. He tells her to stay away from Reiver and out of his business. Danika is used to being the mate of a Breed warrior, so when she hears that something terrible is about to happen, she will do all in her power to try and stop it. She gets herself in further trouble and now she has to worry about protecting herself and her baby, Conner from a madman.

Brannoc is a tortured hero who has endured many horrors to get to where he is now. He is Reiver's bodyguard and a man on a mission. The last person he ever expected to see again or for Reiver to set his sights on is Danika, a female he knew in his past. Now he has to try and save Danika from becoming Reiver's next victim. Will he jeopardize his mission to save her?

For all you Gideon fans, he also makes a short appearance in this story while trying to help Danika.

I really enjoyed this story. I was so happy to see Danika finally get a happy ending. I remember crying my eyes out when she found out that her mate, Conlan was killed. We didn't get to learn much about her in the previous books, but this certainly makes up for it. It was also nice to know that a part of Conlan lives on through baby Conner. For a short story, it had everything - action, suspense and love and it was not rushed or thrown together.

I give A TASTE OF MIDNIGHT 4 1/2 STARS.
(less)

like · see review

Dec 11, 2011 ReadingDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

A Taste of Midnight is the story of Danica & Malcolm. This novella is all about Danica and how she comes to understand that second chances do exist. Her character as we learned from the series has always been regal, tasteful and strong.

Lara Adrian does an amazing job when portraying her characters. I am glad to see she didn’t forget about Danica who we have become to like just as much as the other Breedmates in the series.

I like this novella because though it is short it stays true to the se...more

like · see review

Dec 11, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blogger Purchase. REview with blurb and excerpt Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust 12/7/2011

Lara serves up a tasty morsel in this e-novella, on sale this past Monday, December 5 from AMAZON as well as other e-retailers and published by Dell, an imprint of Random House.

Midnight Breed stories are always scorchingly hot and this one, though short, is no exception. Imagine if you were to meet your old boyfriend from hundreds of years in your past. The guy you didn't choose because you knew he would break y...more

like · see review

Dec 06, 2011 Kimberly Rocha~ Book Obsessed Chicks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Although Conlon has been gone for over a year now, Danika MacConn is still in mourning in her own way. She returns to the Scottish Highlands with he son Connor to spend the holidays with her deceased mate's family. At a Breed Holiday party Danika comes face to face with evil in the form of Reiver. a dangerous Breed male involved in the trafficking of humans. Along with Reiver is his bodyguard Bran, or so Reiver likes to refer to him a Brandogge.Bran is not who he seems to be. A Breed male badly...more Although Conlon has been gone for over a year now, Danika MacConn is still in mourning in her own way. She returns to the Scottish Highlands with he son Connor to spend the holidays with her deceased mate's family. At a Breed Holiday party Danika comes face to face with evil in the form of Reiver. a dangerous Breed male involved in the trafficking of humans. Along with Reiver is his bodyguard Bran, or so Reiver likes to refer to him a Brandogge.Bran is not who he seems to be. A Breed male badly scarred, but Danika still finds something familiar about the Scot.

When Reiver makes an unwanted pass at Danika she insults the notorious Breed male with a resounding smack across his face. A big No No in Darkhaven society, especially for this female who no longer has a Breed male to protect her, or does she? Bran comes to Danika's defense and soon Danika realizes, through some investigation of Reiver's "blood club" that Bran is none other that Malcolm MacBain, Danika's mate Conlon's best friend.

Malcolm/Bran has gone undercover to seek revenge on Reiver for his past misdeeds. Malcolm/Bran has had feelings for Danika for centuries and when he finds out Reiver has plans to eliminate Danika he risks his cover as Reiver's bodyguard to save her from a sure death at Reiver's henchman's hands. When Malcolm see Danika also has a child he is in deep to get them both to safety.

Will Malcolm/Bran succeed in his revenge of Reiver? Will he finally act upon his feelings for Danika? These questions and more can be answered by reading this amazing Novella. Lara Adrian typically gets you by the first sentence. She is a master storyteller who brings you into the Breed world and makes you want to remain there. I enjoyed every written word and although it was short, I was not left wanting. This is a definite must read and I am thankful to have it while we all wait with bated breath for Darker After Midnight, Lara's final installment of the Midnight Breed Series. Once again Lara, BRAVO!

~ Kimberly ~
(less)

like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 ValerieC rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of the Midnight Breed series.

Shelves: midnight-breed-series, lara-adrian, on-kindle, amazon-purchase, vampires

This short novella came in early to my Kindle, and at $1.99 it was worth the read.

This is one of those 'in between' stories and catches us up with what happens to Danika MacConn, the pregnant Breedmate widow (of Conlan MacConn) we met in an earlier book. She lived in a cabin in Denmark and offered shelter to members of the Order that needed it.

In this novella, Danika is visiting her deceased H's Scottish relatives and attends a Darkhaven party with them.

While there, she overhears a group of male...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 29, 2012 Sandra Valente rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: have-read, paranormal, 2012

Short, sweet and so good to be back in the Midnight Breed Series even though only Gideon makes an appearance. Danika McConn who we remember quite clearly from the beginning of the series (Kiss of Midnight), lost her mate Conlan McConn during a mission. She’s not totally alone though as she was pregnant when Con died. Visiting family in Edinburgh, Scotland, for Christmas and whilst attending a party she really had no wish to be at, she overhears something of a sinister nature. A sudden thought en...more Short, sweet and so good to be back in the Midnight Breed Series even though only Gideon makes an appearance. Danika McConn who we remember quite clearly from the beginning of the series (Kiss of Midnight), lost her mate Conlan McConn during a mission. She’s not totally alone though as she was pregnant when Con died. Visiting family in Edinburgh, Scotland, for Christmas and whilst attending a party she really had no wish to be at, she overhears something of a sinister nature. A sudden thought enters her head, “Eavesdropping is a very rude habit”. She’s sure she recognises the voice. Those who have read the MB series know that Danika has an extrasensory gift as do all mated females, with hers being able to read someone’s thoughts although her ability has weakened without the blood of her mate. She’s caught and this puts her and Connor, her son, in danger.

After making contact with Gideon and acquiring after a repulsive vampire who gave her the creeps by the name of Reiver, she decides to check out the club he owns that Gideon’s mentioned. Of course, she’s caught snooping by Brannoc, one of Reiver’s minions, whom she had noticed at the party. Again, she has a feeling that she knows him. Realisation hits! She had known him decades ago, only then he was called, Malcolm McBain, her dead husband’s best friend. She’s horrified that he’s working for Reiver knowing what he does. Mal on the other hand has worked too hard to get where he is and has a mission to accomplish, one of revenge, and damn if this isn’t the wrong place and time for Danika to pop back into his life. Malcolm had feelings for her way back then and realises they haven’t dissipated over time. This makes what he needs to do that much harder. He made a promise and will avenge the one he came to love. He will destroy Reiver and his blood club.

I’m glad there was finally a story on Danika but sad that it was so short. I’d just started reading and realised I was finished. A full length book would have been awesome but because this one had a bit of everything even though it was a short well written story with no loose ends (as expected from a book by Lara Adrian), I suppose beggers can’t be choosers. The happy ending I was looking for? Got it. I’m just excited that the much anticipated (by me and MBS fans) ‘Darker After Midnight’ has finally been released, has downloaded to my Kindle, and is happily awaiting my attention!
(less)

like · see review

Dec 27, 2011 Esra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Serinin 9. ve 10. kitabı arasında geçen bir zaman diliminde geçiyor. Danika'yı conlon'ın soy eşi olarak tanıyorduk. Conlon ölmüş geride danikayı hamile olarak bırakmıştı. Danika kendi toprakları danimarkaya taşınmıştı. Ailenin bir toplantısına katılmak üzere iskoçyaya bebeğiyle beraber gidiyor. Conlon'ın eski dostu ve danikanın eskiden de tanıdığı ve hatta eskiden ondan çok hoşlandığı malcolm ile karşılaşıyor. Malcolm kendi soyeşini ve doğmamış bebeğini öldüren bir vampirden intikam almak için 7...more

like · see review

Dec 09, 2011 Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: midnight-breed, paranormal-romance

My Rating: 4 Stars. Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Danika MacConn lost her life-long mate while he was serving the Order... a band of warriors who protect Breeds (vampires) and humans alike from the darker side of their kind. Danika left the Order's Boston compound to live a quiet life with her Breed infant son in her native land. While reconnecting with her mate's family, she overhears a dangerous Breed criminal planning to use humans for illegal and horrific purposes, and Dani cannot let it...more My Rating: 4 Stars. Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Danika MacConn lost her life-long mate while he was serving the Order... a band of warriors who protect Breeds (vampires) and humans alike from the darker side of their kind. Danika left the Order's Boston compound to live a quiet life with her Breed infant son in her native land. While reconnecting with her mate's family, she overhears a dangerous Breed criminal planning to use humans for illegal and horrific purposes, and Dani cannot let it go. (Note: you do not need to have read the series to read this story, back knowledge of the characters is not necessary.)

I have to admit, I was a little upset with Danika when she purposefully walked into a known criminal's place of business after refusing to ask for outside help in bringing this criminal down. As a mother, my first thoughts were "NO! you idiot, do you want to orphan your poor child? Don't be so stupid woman!" I got over that quickly, especially since it brings her into contact with Brannoc, and Dani realizes his true identity is a close childhood friend.

The fact that the pair were would-be lovers from long ago allows for an immediate and fiery passion to ignite. Their romance is not hampered by the shorter length of the story, and is enhanced when both acknowledge it is okay to move on after a mate dies. I could have done without the "I love you's" but in the end it didn't detract from their story.

There is a lot of action packed into this short story, which creates a "cannot set this book down" situation. I like that the storyline is self-contained, and there are no unanswered questions when the story is over.

For those fans of the wonderful Midnight Breed series, A Taste of Midnight is the perfect Christmas gift from Ms. Adrian. Not only does she give us a steamy taste of her Midnight Breeds, but she also includes an excerpt from Chase's book, Darker After Midnight. I highly recommend this enjoyable novella-length story for all paranormal romance readers - if you haven't tried this series, here is your chance to see what you've been missing. The story is a perfect capsule of the series flavor and Ms. Adrian's talent and writing style.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 08, 2011 Sidney Martin rated it 2 of 5 stars

My rating 1.5 stars.
To start with I would like to say that I love the Midnight Breed series and I think that Lara Adrian is a great writer.But this book couldn't reach up to my expectations.In fact to say that it didn't reach to my expectations is an understatement.
My first question is....where was the story?!!! The book was so short that I actually finished it in 2.5 hours.But if it would have been a good story I would have ignored the fact.But the story was lacking in so many ways.
I liked the...more My rating 1.5 stars.
To start with I would like to say that I love the Midnight Breed series and I think that Lara Adrian is a great writer.But this book couldn't reach up to my expectations.In fact to say that it didn't reach to my expectations is an understatement.
My first question is....where was the story?!!! The book was so short that I actually finished it in 2.5 hours.But if it would have been a good story I would have ignored the fact.But the story was lacking in so many ways.
I liked the start of the story.It was good.Even though the slapping part wasn't original,it still was good and that time I knew that this story will have a great villain but I was wrong.The book was good till the part where Malcolm saves Danika and takes her to his castle.And then....DISASTER.Out of nowhere there are sparks between them and they start desiring each other.The only person unhappy with his feelings was Malcolm.Danika was perfectly fine with her desires for Malcolm even though she was still in mourning.
I was happy when I first found out that Danika will have second chance at love in this book but she was already in love with Conlan so falling in love with Malcolm would have taken some time.But everything happened all of a sudden.She started desiring him all of a sudden and then she was in love with Malcolm ALL OF A SUDDEN.
(Sigh)She had been with Conlan for centuries and loved him so much that she didn't want to part with her mourning sash even after 1.5 yrs yet she forgot Conlan in seconds when Malcolm was in front of her.
Then comes the middle part.It was okay.But I would have loved a little bonding time between Malcolm and Conner.But in the whole story either Conner was sleeping or crying.If Malcolm was going to become Conner's father then there should have been interaction between then in the story but that didn't happen.It would have been great if Malcolm would have interacted with Conner and Danika seeing this would have realised that 1)Malcolm would be a great father and 2)Conner needs a father.
But no such thing happened.
Then comes the ending part.The villain had captured Danika and Conner but i didn't panic at all.In fact I didn't care.This part should have made my heart beat at the speed of 200 beats per second (never mind the exaggeration)but no such thing happened. Then was the part where the villain had to die.......Oh apparently there was no scene related to his death in the book.In fact the only way we know that Mr Reiver is dead is because Malcolm says so.I am not a fan of violence but that part was important.Villain is an important part of the story so is his death.But no such scene was there.
So basically not only was the book lacking but also rushed.A book being fast-paced is good but this book was rushed.This book could have been so much better but it disappointed me.So at the end I am pretty sure Lara Adrian is suffering from writer's block because both Deeper than Midnight (2nd half of it) and A Taste of Midnight (almost the whole book) disappointed me because of the way things happened in the book.Now I have my fingers crossed that Darker than Midnight would be better.
The only thing I liked about this story is Thane and I definitely want to read more about him.
And for all those people who like this book,we all have different tastes.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2012 Sarah ♥ Vutch forever ♥ rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Unfortunately I didn't like this story at all.

I've never been convinced by the romance part in the MB books but this was one of the worst.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with characters moving on and I know you can't decide when you fall in love but you should make it at least believable. Rio's story was already bad and this one isn't much better.

Danika was mated for several hundred years, Con is dead like 1,5 years and *bamm* she moves on like that. He was hardly even mentioned in...more Unfortunately I didn't like this story at all.

I've never been convinced by the romance part in the MB books but this was one of the worst.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with characters moving on and I know you can't decide when you fall in love but you should make it at least believable. Rio's story was already bad and this one isn't much better.

Danika was mated for several hundred years, Con is dead like 1,5 years and *bamm* she moves on like that. He was hardly even mentioned in the story. It made me really mad when there were hints that she'd always loved Mal and vice versa. Made it seem like Con and Fiona have always been secon choices and I don't like it when former matings get diminished.

Sometimes authors do that by giving all kinds of stupid 'explanations' for the first mating (it was arranged, it was only out of obligation, the mate suddenly wasn't as great as thought compared to the new one etc.) or like here implying a secret love that goes back several hundred years.

I also find it laughable when authors try to sell the HEAs as "the one and only now and for all times" when the characters can clearly move on like it is the case here. It was a WTF moment when at the end Mal and Danika talked about being together forever. I'm sure they promised that to Con and Fiona as well. Maybe they should just keep their mouths shut and enjoy the time they have. Because I'm sure they can move on when one partner dies.

Like with all MB books I didn't feel the romance at all. They met, recoginzed each other, fucked and were deeply in love. It was also once again full of sappy cliché lines that make me cringe.

In the other books I at least have the overall storyline which is the best part about the MB series and the reason I'm still reading it. Here you had a boring and predictable story. Oh, Danika is one of the captured humans in the end. I never expected this! *rolls eyes*

I always liked Danika but hated it when she used her talent to get information about Mal's past and he isn't really pissed about it. WTF!

But it was still great to see her again although I was more hoping of a story with flashbacks of her and Con that also showed how she was coping with the loss. But it seems everyone has to have a HEA, no matter how unbelievable it is.

I really liked Thane and am sure he'll be transfered to Boston soon. Can't wait to see him again! (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 16, 2012 Mareike rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gelesen-2012

Das Sehnen der Nacht ist eine Kurzgeschichte, die zwischen Gejagte der Dämmerung und Erwählte der Ewigkeit spielt. Die Geschichte hat knapp 100 Seiten und handelt von Danika, die nach Schottland zurückkehrt und direkt eine fiese Machenschaft aufdeckt. Dort trifft sie auch Bran, den sie bereits von früher kennt. Es gibt lose Verbindungen zu den anderen Romanen der Reihe, denn man liest ein paar Zeilen von Gideon und kennt Danika und ihren verstorbenen Gefährten Conlan bereits aus Geliebte der Nac...more Das Sehnen der Nacht ist eine Kurzgeschichte, die zwischen Gejagte der Dämmerung und Erwählte der Ewigkeit spielt. Die Geschichte hat knapp 100 Seiten und handelt von Danika, die nach Schottland zurückkehrt und direkt eine fiese Machenschaft aufdeckt. Dort trifft sie auch Bran, den sie bereits von früher kennt. Es gibt lose Verbindungen zu den anderen Romanen der Reihe, denn man liest ein paar Zeilen von Gideon und kennt Danika und ihren verstorbenen Gefährten Conlan bereits aus Geliebte der Nacht. Auch nach Conlans Tod hat Danika ab und an kleine Gastauftritte und mit Die Sehnen der Nacht gibt es nun eine kurze, knackige Geschichte dazu, wie es mit ihr weitergeht.

Bran und Danika, die beiden Hauptcharaktere kennen sich bereits, was durch die Kürze der Geschichte durchaus positiv ist. So braucht man kein längeres Kennenlernen und die Verbindung zwischen den Beiden ist dennoch glaubwürdig. Die Perspektive wechselt gut zwischen Beiden hin und her, so dass man genug mitbekommt, was Beide bewegt. Danikas Gefährte Conlan kam bei einer Mission ums Leben und gut 18 Monate später trägt Danika immer noch Trauer. Mit ihrer Reise nach Schottland soll sie endlich wieder neue Impulse bekommen und ihre Trauer verarbeiten. Aber nach jahrhundertelanger Liebe ist das schwerer als gedacht. Als sie Bran jedoch wiederbegegnet, trifft es sie wie ein Schlag. Das ist wirklich süß gemacht. Auch Bran steht seit einiger Zeit gefährlich nahe am Abgrund. Man wünscht sowohl Bran als auch Danika, dass sie zueinander finden und alles ein gutes Ende nimmt. Die Mischung aus Spannung, Fantasy und Romantik ist wie auch in allen anderen Büchern der Reihe wieder sehr gut gelungen.

Klasse finde ich übrigens das Kompendium, das angehängt wurde. Dort wird noch einmal alles bis dato Wichtige über die Charaktere zusammengefasst und eine kleine Erklärung gegeben, welche Gruppierungen es gibt und welche Ziele sie verfolgen. Die Leseprobe von Band 11 Vertraute der Sehnsucht, dem sehnsüchtig erwarteten Buch zu Mira, ist ebenfalls wieder spannend und macht Lust auf mehr.

Bewertung
Für Fans der Midnight-Breed-Reihe ist auch die Kurzgeschichte ein Muss. Die Handlung ist spannend und romantisch und leider viel zu kurz. Danika und Bran hätten auch einen kompletten Roman füllen können, so gut hat mir die Handlung gefallen. Ich hoffe, ich lese bald wieder etwas von den Beiden.(less)

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

I read this little gem this morning before work so it is a quick read, but don't let that fool you! This was a great little snack before I can get to Chase's book.

This book follows Dannika, Con's mate who died while he and Rio were on patrol and Rio's mate betrayed them. There wasn't a lot of backstory here so if you haven't read the others then you'll be really lost.

I'm a fan of using people from a character's past as a love interest in novellas because it makes the seemingly quick romance more...more

like · see review

Dec 07, 2011 Shari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Feeling so lost and alone, Breedmate Danika MacConn braves a holiday party thrown in the Highlands. When her senses overhear a conversation about bloodsport she can’t help but eavesdrop. But when the same man who is setting up the horrific situation makes a pass for her, she can’t resist letting him know just how much she reviles him, smacking him in front of all the guests at the party. Unbeknownst to her is that he is the local crime boss and now she is in trouble. But there is an unexpected a...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, review

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

Lara Adrian is able to pack a whole lotta story in a novella and believe me, that is not an easy task. I'll be honest, I'm normally not the biggest fan of novellas or short stories, it usually feels as if things are packed in or as if important items are left out. That was definitely not the case with A Taste of Midnight. Lara was able to pack so much information in the novella without me feeling bombarded with facts and items that were not ne...more

like · see review

Jan 31, 2012 Jeanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not generally a big fan of the story stories and novellas ( I tend to find them lacking in depth and character development) and I usually read them because I'm a fan of the series and want to know the "in between" parts of the story. That being said, this story was better than most. It was the story of Danika (the widowed Breadmate of the warrior Conlon from early in the series) and how she manages to find love again - in the arms of someone she new before...more

like · see review

title link	preview: A Taste of Midnight
avg rating	preview: A Taste of Midnight Goodreads rating: 4.21 (5326 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13026408-a-taste-of-midnight?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327929188l/13026408.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13026408-a-taste-of-midnight?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]A Taste of Midnight by Lara Adrian[/url]

A Taste of Midnight (Midnight Breed #9.5)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (5)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Lara Adrian

Books by Lara Adrian

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About A Taste of Midnight

Quotes from A Taste of Midnight