Blacque/Bleu (Arcada #3)

Mar 16, 2013 Dd rated it 4 of 5 stars

A stunning, beautiful, and hungry VAMPIRE --

And

A hot, hunky, pierced and tattooed WEREWOLF --

Equals to....

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There is magic in the small town of Arcada.It is magical because the town has a presence.It provides a safe haven to people with paranormal abilities.Witches, werewolfs, vampires, etc.....manage to co-exist in relative peace.

Lukas Blacque is a deeply closeted werewolf.Deeply closeted beacause who has ever heard of a gay werewolf ? To...more

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Sep 26, 2011 DarienMoya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-m-m-lovin, 2011-reads, fave-books-of-2011, gay-vamps, gay-wolves-shifters, favorites, butt-virgins, tie-me-up-and-use-me

^^MY NEW FAVE COLOURS!^^

THE COVER: I just love it, it’s all mysterious and sexy, and the back shot of the guy in front is just very sexy. The guy at the back with the tats, he is also looking very yummy. The moon and mist makes it all very mysterious, and adds a bit of danger. It goes quite well with the story; the moon and the dark are after all apart of the lead characters.

Hands down, this has to be the best PNR I have read including a werewolf and vampire. This is the first one I have read i...more ^^MY NEW FAVE COLOURS!^^

THE COVER: I just love it, it’s all mysterious and sexy, and the back shot of the guy in front is just very sexy. The guy at the back with the tats, he is also looking very yummy. The moon and mist makes it all very mysterious, and adds a bit of danger. It goes quite well with the story; the moon and the dark are after all apart of the lead characters.

Hands down, this has to be the best PNR I have read including a werewolf and vampire. This is the first one I have read including a vamp/werewolf who fall in love. I was utterly captivated by the first few pages. The author manages to tap into these men emotions so perfectly, and their suffering became my suffering. Even though the tone of the story was somewhat sad, at most times I had a big goofy smile plastered to my face.

Lukas who goes by Blacque is werewolf, a car mechanic, and he is also gay. He knows this because he has never been attracted to a woman and his vampire neighbour turns him on. Blacque has never been with a man either, so he is a virgin in everyway. His appearance scares most people he comes in contact with; he has the tattoos, piercing, and the face to make people think twice about messing with him. Yet, he fears embracing his sexuality because it could lead to his downfall. When a night out; leads to him hooking up with the vampire of his dreams. It seems like his whole world has found balance, he doesn’t need to wonder anymore, a man in his life is the one thing that will make things complete, a woman sure wont do.

Oliver Bleu is a vampire and he is slowly dying. He cannot sleep through the day and he is slowly losing the will to live. His sexy werewolf neighbour is giving him something to think about though, but Bleu knows a relationship with the shifter will eventually lead to him breaking his heart. A night together with Blacque is hot and the wolf makes him want things he never thought possible, but a life together is farfetched because in wolf culture homosexuality is frowned upon.

Things become interesting after their night together, it seems Blacque’s father wants grandchildren, and for him to become Alpha of the pack. All the things Lukas doesn’t want. The one person he needs he can’t have, and his life seems out of place. These characters become two sad individuals, too very sexy sad individuals. I laughed when they did, I cried when they did, and I was a little hot under the collar when they would hook up.

This book has a beautiful story, and what happens when two people from different worlds collide. There are really only two sex scenes, and they are very good, it really is character driven story and every character introduced stand out, yet they fail to take the spotlight of Blacque/Bleu. I was transfixed by the detailed writing, the beautiful complexity of the story, and the fact that this is no quick “wolf meets man they are mates, they live happily ever after”.

As I said best M/M PNR I have ever read, and I hope to read other just like this. I hope everyone will fall in love with Blacque/Bleu the way I did. I hope this is not the last I see of these characters; they make my head spin and want more of them.

Oh man did I forget to mention "cock ring' how dare I. I think its my new fave thing. These characters are absolutely YUMMY!(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Marina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolute-mm-ness, a-class-vampires, all-things-paranormal, alpha-f-cking-males, erotic-romance

If I were to divide this book in three parts, it would be as such:

First comes the hotter-that-the-pits-of-hell, sizzling, all-consuming 2-day affair.

I mean let's face it, we're talking about a MALE WEREWOLF and a MALE VAMPIRE here.

Then, Blacque, the werewolf is expected to assume his responsibilities as heir to the alpha, and eventually find a mate and reproduce.

You know what this means right??

So after fruitlessly trying to stay away from each other, surviving pack conspiracies and vampire ob...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Monique ~ Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous… had it all including a hot Werewolf and a sexy Vampire… not forgetting the tattoos, piercing's and a Harley!!

photo 149a2868-f7e5-40d7-885e-b8671361b108.jpg

I haven’t read a paranormal romance in quite some time, so with the release of Silver/Steel in December, I thought I had best get a wriggle on and I am so glad I did! This was actually a teat and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, it totally ticked all my boxes, great character development the story was well paced, world building was excellent, I loved the magical town of Arcad...more Fabulous… had it all including a hot Werewolf and a sexy Vampire… not forgetting the tattoos, piercing's and a Harley!!

I haven’t read a paranormal romance in quite some time, so with the release of Silver/Steel in December, I thought I had best get a wriggle on and I am so glad I did! This was actually a teat and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, it totally ticked all my boxes, great character development the story was well paced, world building was excellent, I loved the magical town of Arcadia and the fact it was a haven and sanctuary to all that lived there… I just didn’t want to put it down, half way in and the pages were turning at an alarming rate. Our two main characters were just delicious, I mean a hot blooded Wolf, tattooed and pierced… Holy Cow! and a sinfully sexy, cool as you like Vampire, who rides a Harley! Hell yes!! …What’s not to love!?!

Lukas Blacque and Oliver Bleu are neighbours, (got to love those names) they work next door to each other and have done for years, Blacque is a mechanic who restores old cars and Bleu restores car interiors. They are also both gay and that is where the similarities end, because Blacque is a Shifter and Bleu is a Vampire both aware of the others true nature and also aware of each other physically but neither overstepping the mark, I mean a Werewolf and Vampire… impossible!

Dane Blacque is the pack Alpha and he wants his children to procreate, bring some new blood into the pack, only Blacque has never been close to his father, and if anything harbours some resentment towards him for abandoning their Mother when he and his sister Dru were babies. When she died, they had no other option but to join their Father on pack lands and fell into an uneasy truce with their Father. Only now Dane wants Blacque to eventually become Alpha and with Blacque being gay and in the closet with the door firmly locked he resigns himself to a life of duty, knowing how manipulative his father can be.

Blacque is almost a lone Wolf with little or no contact with the pack, wolves need companionship, they thrive on touch yet Blacque lives more in fear of his sexuality and deprives himself of his baser instincts as he knows it is a mans touch he wants and more specifically Bleu’s.

Bleu has a past, one that he is afraid will eventually catch up with him, but he has found sanctuary in Arcadia a place where he no longer lives in fear… yet the magical elements of the town also prevent him from feeding without permission. That, combined with the tortured dreams recurring nightly from his time in the trenches, the mustard gas and the horrors of the first world war our Vampire is slowly dying and the one thing that can keep him alive is the blood of a Wolf.

Both men are incredibly lonely and I had such a feeling of profound sadness from them, together for the first time they both seemed to have found comfort, kindred spirits recognising the soul deep loneliness and need for honesty and compassion and finally for someone to understand who and what they really were.

Blacque is honourable and wants to do what's right, become alpha and perform his duty, but his heart… no, that belonged to Bleu. His one and only experience and the first time in his life where he was just able to be him. Only they both know what is expected and agree on a weekend together. Blue is defeated and respects Blacque’s decision, his calm stoicism and deep understanding, but most of all his love, just broke my heart as he knew the wolf was his only chance at survival.

Belinda McBride did a great job of endearing both characters to my heart, there was depth to them, they endured but found the strength and courage in each other to overcome even the most stubborn of obstacles. The plot was at times riveting with Bleu’s past catching up with him, there was deception and betrayal amongst the pack, a fight for dominance as well as the unfolding revelations of our two MS’s and some very hot man loving, I mean if you think you only have two days together you sure as hell are going to make it count! We also had some great secondary characters of which I am sure we will be getting to know better as the series progresses. This is a great start and I will most definitely be cracking on with book 2 Silver/Steel.

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Nov 23, 2010 Nikyta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nikyta by: Cori

Shelves: bdsm-kink, artists, contemporary-fantasy, all-time-favs, friends-or-enemies-to-lovers, injury-recovery, m-m, mates, supernatural-powers, vampires, wolf-shifters, bubbles-safe, loose-id

I absolutely loved this book. Belinda McBride is definitely now one of my favorite authors. She sucks me in with her writing. I loved the relationship between Blacque and Bleu. Their love for each other but their willingness to put their responsibilities before each other. I have to admit, it's one of my favorites predicaments when it comes to books. Loving someone and then knowing you're going to lose them to do your duty or save someone else from having to go through something awful *sigh* Nev...more I absolutely loved this book. Belinda McBride is definitely now one of my favorite authors. She sucks me in with her writing. I loved the relationship between Blacque and Bleu. Their love for each other but their willingness to put their responsibilities before each other. I have to admit, it's one of my favorites predicaments when it comes to books. Loving someone and then knowing you're going to lose them to do your duty or save someone else from having to go through something awful *sigh* Never gets old to me. :D

Still, I loved the differences between Blacque and his sister, Dru. The manipulation Blacque's father played to get them both to do what he wanted. It pulled my heartstrings with what Blacque went through when he thought it'd be dangerous to let anyone know of his love for men. Of purposely becoming an outcast to his pack so no one would find out and his self-mutilation through tattoos and piercings.

Bleu was my favorite. At first, I didn't much like him because I thought he was purposely killing himself slowly but when I realized it wasn't him but his maker doing it, I instantly loved him and felt bad for him. When he tried to use Blacque's possessive nature to get Blacque to love him and never leave him, I wanted to give him a hug and then when that whole plan backfired, I wanted to cry. *sniffle* But then it worked out and all I did was smile.

Blacque has his own attributes, too. When he finally understood he couldn't live a life always living a secret and manning up to admit to the pack his was gay and publicly claiming Bleu as his, made it a difficult choice which was my favorite character but I think the fact Bleu dominates Blacque, the big scary wolf, made me like Bleu more, but Blacque is a very close second.

Overall, I like how Belinda creates her characters. How she makes the stereotypical sub actually the dominate. I love the way she describes these big bad wolves as scary and intimating but then makes them into lonely subs just looking for some lovin'. She has a way of writing how the closeted submissive feels that doesn't make it too depressing or annoying. This was a great book with a great writing style. Definitely recommended! (less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Aurora Alexander rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first few pages of this story were a bit frustrating, and I was starting to wonder if this was going to be another run-of-the-mill paranormal. In fact, this book carries many of the common werewolf/vampire themes and runs the risk of being another "me too" story. However, the story is quickly redeemed by fantastic character development of both main characters and secondary characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed even the barely introduced tertiary characters in this story. Bleu's nigh time tour of...more

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Mar 30, 2011 BarkLessWagMore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book

This book was fabulous. I, for a change, have no complaints. The paranormal aspects were a living part of the story, the closeted werewolf hero and the sexy, tormented vampire hero magical together. The secondary characters weren't lost in the shuffle either, they were well developed and added to the story. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

My JERR review is now on the site HERE . You may need to hit the "enter" button on JERR's main page and hit my link again t...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Tracey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, werewolfs-shifters, netgalley, battle-of-the-books-feb-2013, battle-of-the-books, erotica, hot-sexy-vampires

Well lets be honest here, a vampire and a werewolf falling for each other and it's man on man love, what could be more perfect a combination of some of my favourite genres :)

FOUR STARS

Arcadia is a special town it's home to humans and many mystical folk, it has rules though, it's as if the town is charmed as once you enter it wants to protect you, but not in a bad way like your a prisoner, you can leave but if you do it's protection you lose. This must be why bleu the vamp and blacque the werewo...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Katharina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary

Blacque/Bleu is not your usual shifter/vampire story. Yes, there are shifters and vampires involved, but this book is really more a story about two men suffering because of the cards they were dealt with in life. Blue is a vampire that is slowly fading away, getting weaker every day. He is plagued by nightmares, keeping him up all day, emptying all his energy reserves. Blacque is a gay werewolf deeply in the closet - a true outsider since he knows who he is, but also knows that this is not accep...more Blacque/Bleu is not your usual shifter/vampire story. Yes, there are shifters and vampires involved, but this book is really more a story about two men suffering because of the cards they were dealt with in life. Blue is a vampire that is slowly fading away, getting weaker every day. He is plagued by nightmares, keeping him up all day, emptying all his energy reserves. Blacque is a gay werewolf deeply in the closet - a true outsider since he knows who he is, but also knows that this is not acceptable in his species, against nature it seems. And so he keeps to himself.
Blacque's father, the alpha of the clan, has other plans, though: he wants grandkids, but more than that, he needs an heir for his position, and Blacque seems the perfect choice. And Blacque has always been a man to follow duty.
At the same time Blue is haunted by his maker, his old lover that he escaped because he could not forgive his unwanted turning. Also let's not forget that his maker is completely bonkers.
It seems really the worst time to find love in one another, but life (and the magical town Arcada) do not seem to care much about bad timing...

I started this story last night, but for some reason couldn't really get into it. So I stopped at 40 pages, let it (and myself) rest and tried again today. And suddenly the book was awesome! I think this is one of the books that you cannot read at all times. It feels really heavy sometimes, because you suffer with Blacque and Bleu (awesome names, btw), feeling Bleu's weariness and slow death and feeling Blacque's seemingly inescapable and endless loneliness. But once you get into it, you're blown away by the emotional intensity of the story and the characters, by the longing in their interaction and, of course, also, by their sexual chemistry. (view spoiler)

The only part I wasn't absolutely convinced about (view spoiler)

So, altogether definitely a recommended read, especially if you are in the right mood for it! And if you don't seem to get into it right away, give it a try some other time :) (less)

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Oct 01, 2011 L-D rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: shifters-weres, pnr, m-m, romance, vampires, bikers-motorcycles, multiple-reads-would-read-again

Blacque is a closeted gay werewolf who has been attracted to his vampire neighbor, Bleu, for years but is uncertain if Bleu is gay. I suppose that the last thing you want to do with an aggressive vampire is make the moves on him if he's straight. On top of the uncertainty of his reception, Blacque also has to worry about his pack. Basically a lone wolf that keeps to himself, Blacque's father, Dane, is the pack Alpha and pressures him to integrate more fully into the pack.

For his part, Bleu has b...more Blacque is a closeted gay werewolf who has been attracted to his vampire neighbor, Bleu, for years but is uncertain if Bleu is gay. I suppose that the last thing you want to do with an aggressive vampire is make the moves on him if he's straight. On top of the uncertainty of his reception, Blacque also has to worry about his pack. Basically a lone wolf that keeps to himself, Blacque's father, Dane, is the pack Alpha and pressures him to integrate more fully into the pack.

For his part, Bleu has been coveting his neighbor has well but Blacque is an extremely large, dominant, werewolf and Bleu is also hesitant to make a play. God, he was butch enough to make Bleu want to grapple him to the floor right then and there! Thing was, the big guy might not appreciate it.

At about the same time that Blacque's sister, Dru, breaks the news to him that the Alpha wants them both to have children, the attraction between Blacque and Bleu ignites. Knowing that he has responsibilities to his pack, Blacque agrees to one weekend with Bleu where he can let down his guard, but that is the only concession he allows himself.

I loved Blacque. He is the quintessential male in my opinion. Aggressive, dominant, Alpha male with an incredible physique, piercings, and tats. But not only that? He is an incredibly noble and caring person, sacrificing his own happiness for his family and his pack.

I also liked Dru's character. She is very supportive and loyal.

This book had a good premise and I enjoyed the plot. The only complaint that I have is that I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic. (view spoiler)

Overall a fun and interesting read. I really like Belinda McBride's An Uncommon Whore and will read more of her work in the future.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Heather K (dentist in my spare time) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, losing-the-v-card, m-m, paranormal, romance, shifters, hot-hot-hot, vampire

"Blacque/Bleu" seems to be a total hit with most of my Goodreads friends. Alas, I'm in the minority here. This book really didn't do it for me, which is odd because I have a thing for werewolves AND M/M romances. I thought this one would be a favorite of mine.

Blacque is a closed werewolf. My favorite part about him? He is covered in tattoos and piercings. Can we say sexy bad boy?! However, he is a sweetheart underneath his gruff exterior and is terrified of the feelings he has for his vampire n...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Tam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, shifters, m-m

Lukas Blacque is a werewolf who runs his own car repair shop. His next door neighbor, a guy who restores interiors, is Oliver Bleu a vamp. Seems they've both been attracted but Bleu hasn't made a move and Blacque knows gay werewolves are not permitted so contents himself with staying out of his father, the alpha's, way. Finally after being told it's time to wolf up and start producing babies, he and Bleu get together and it's freaking amazing. Seems Bleu is ill and Blacque's shifter blood is goo...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Seregil rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars (tempted to give it 4, actually) Totally worth buying

Loved the romance between the badass huge werewolf that was actually a softy and a submissive and the pretty boy, forever young, vampire, who was a total top.
The secondary characters were very lively and interesting and the story was captivating, filled with pack politics, angsty pasts, coming out and all sorts of weird creatures. And I REALLY liked the fact that the town seemed to have a mind/power of its own :)

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Nov 01, 2010 Don Bradshaw rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-out, shifters, vampire, family-drama, gay-romance

WOW what an excellent love story. Lukas Blacque and Oliver Bleu are lovers but there's a slight hitch. Bleu is a vampire and his insane maker wants back. Blacque is a werewolf and destined to one day be his pack's alpha. Gay werewolves are usually killed. Vampires and werewolves have always shared an intense hatred. How can the ill fated romance between Blacque and Bleu possibly endure? The town of Arcada holds mysterious answers and the times are a changing. I can't reccomend this book strongl...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Xandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-romance, shapeshifters, fantasy-pnr-sci-fi, reviewed

Vampires and werewolves are so hip right now that it almost doesn’t matter if a story is actually good and well written as long as it mentions fangs and packs of wolves every other two pages. Throw a hot, blood thirsty vampire into the plot and you’ll have girls screaming and fainting all around.

That’s not to say the book wasn’t good. It was and even though in the beginning I was tempted to drop it, I slowly became immersed in the story and grew to like the characters, especially Balcque. He’s...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-immortals-reading-challenge, pnr-uf

I love the idea of forbidden romance and this one promised that when a wolf shifter and a vampire fall in love right when the wolf shifter makes a commitment to his pack that will pull the two apart for good. It was a story of danger, love, and dangerous selfish love.

The town of Arcada is magical and magical beings live there making magical things happen. In the town, a wolf shifter named Lukas Blacque runs an auto repair shop next door to a vampire upholstery worker named Oliver Bleu. Blacque a...more I love the idea of forbidden romance and this one promised that when a wolf shifter and a vampire fall in love right when the wolf shifter makes a commitment to his pack that will pull the two apart for good. It was a story of danger, love, and dangerous selfish love.

The town of Arcada is magical and magical beings live there making magical things happen. In the town, a wolf shifter named Lukas Blacque runs an auto repair shop next door to a vampire upholstery worker named Oliver Bleu. Blacque and Bleu have eyed each other for years, but do nothing about the attraction because vamps and wolves don't mix not to mention that Blacque has barely acknowledged to himself that he likes men let alone to his pack.

One night, all this changes when Bleu is near starving and a lost and confused Blacque stumbles into the bar he is trolling for a blood donor. Blacque has had shocking and life changing news- not for the good- so he decides that he and Bleu will have this weekend to give in to desire before he must take up the life and responsibility that his dad is forcing on him.

Only the unthinkable happens, the two don't walk away emotionally unscathed. Both men have felt joy and happiness together. Bleu hoped he'd be enough to hold Blacque to him, but Blacque takes responsibility seriously so they part. In the meantime, trouble brews in Blacque's wolf pack now that his dad named him the alpha's heir. Trouble is brewing for Bleu as his crazed maker closes in on him.

The book kept my attention from start to finish. I loved how it all developed and I was so vested in the characters and what they had together that it tugged my emotions hard when Blacque and Bleu separate and are both lonely and miserable. I enjoyed seeing Lukas the cause of Oliver's redemption from being a lonely vampire that just uses other people and it was touching to see the hope of Oliver's love give Lukas the strength to set aside his fears and grow. The passionate romance was the strong theme, but the secondary plots kept things interesting too. The action in the werewolf challenge and the grand finale fight were brutal, but expected when strong paranormals get into a tussle.

This would be enjoyable to those who enjoy two strong male leads in their paranormal romance.(less)

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Feb 22, 2013 Book Lovers Never Go to Bed Alone rated it 3 of 5 stars

I rarely ever review more than one novel at a time, but as these are the first two in a series, I decided to put them together. These are the first two novels in the Arcada series. Like most gay erotica horror, the stories feature vampires, werewolves, and other mysterious creatures grappling not only with their preternatural state, but also with their love lives as gay men.

Blacque/ Bleu opens the series with a story about forbidden love between vampires and werewolves. McBride uses the werewolf...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Jeanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: yaoi-m-m, fantasy

I liked this book. It was refreshing and I really enjoyed the werewolf/vampire romance. I feel that the author introduced the characters well and their home of "Arcada". Arcada is home to humans and many other types. If the town feels you are a threat it won't let you enter.

Lukas Blacque is the oldest son, of the alpha, of the local pack. He also happens to be gay. He has a strong attraction towards his neighbor, Oliver Bleu, a vampire. Blacque runs his own auto repair shop. He has never been at...more I liked this book. It was refreshing and I really enjoyed the werewolf/vampire romance. I feel that the author introduced the characters well and their home of "Arcada". Arcada is home to humans and many other types. If the town feels you are a threat it won't let you enter.

Lukas Blacque is the oldest son, of the alpha, of the local pack. He also happens to be gay. He has a strong attraction towards his neighbor, Oliver Bleu, a vampire. Blacque runs his own auto repair shop. He has never been attracted to women. He harbors his feelings towards men, espeically towards Bleu. He is afraid that his family will disapprove, because being a gay werewolf is unheard of. He is living a decent life, until his father decides/demands certain things from Lukas. He decides to try to drink his unhappiness away at a local hangout, where he meets Bleu.

Bleu, is a vampire that suffers from insomnia. Because of it, he is starting to fade from existence. He has the hots for his werewolf neighbor. He decides there are so many reasons he should just keep his attraction towards him to himself. Then one night, at a local hangout, Mr. Sexy werewolf walks in and starts drinking. One thing leads to another and they end up hooking up. There attraction for each other finally brings them together.

Blacque likes to be in control, part of him being a dominate werewolf, except when he is with Bleu. His guilty pleasure is when Bleu takes control. Bleu's maker is a psycho. He is obessed with Bleu to the point of insanity. Bleu enjoys that Blacque is headstrong but allows him to take the lead. Blacque is inexperienced, will Bleu has lots of it. They have a weekend of love and connections. They have a longing for each other that go beyond just wanting to hook up. With Blacque nearby, Bleu's insomnia goes away. But they have many obstacles they will have to confront if they want stay together.

Blacque is suprised by how his family reacts when they find out of his sexuality. How far will Blacque and Bleu go to be together.
This is the first book of "Arcada" but it can be read as a stand alone book also. You won't be disappointed by this book.(less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Jeannie Zelos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blacque/Bleu Belinda McBride

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.
I've never read any of Belinda's books before but love both paranormal romance and erotica. This is gay (m/m) romance which I feel is often very touching, and heartbreaking. If you're offended at work like this don't read it – but you'll miss out on a good roma...more Blacque/Bleu Belinda McBride

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.
I've never read any of Belinda's books before but love both paranormal romance and erotica. This is gay (m/m) romance which I feel is often very touching, and heartbreaking. If you're offended at work like this don't read it – but you'll miss out on a good romance. Its in the LGBT Shape-shifter/Vampire Paranormal Genre, and please take note of the publishers warning “contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Bondage, domination, male/male sexual practices, violence.” I hate reading reviews where people complain about content when its clearly labelled beforehand....

The description covers the storyline pretty well so I won't repeat that but say why I enjoyed this story. Firstly the characters – well written and feel real, and I was able to empathise with the predicament both Blacque and Bleu found themselves in. It was written in a way that the reader could look at the problem themselves and feel the dilemma they were in. Its one that must face many gay people and in the world of fantasy some writers create a world where its accepted and others where especially werewolves males are supposed to be very heterosexual, and anything less is considered weakness. An important part of his Pack, this is the position Blacque found himself in, with his father the Alpha of the pack wanting him to sire the next generation... A word about Those Names though... Blacque and Bleu just sound so twee and I feel they let the story down. Reminds me of why I’ve never read another series where the characters have what I feel are “twee” names - Rhage, Vishous, Phury, so cheesy I just can't yet bring myself to read the books and looking at reviews others have found the same. Its a shame as readers can miss out on good stories as with this one ( and with the BDB being such a popular series as I’ve probably missed out on that) authors really need to look at both sides when considering names : ) they can be memorable – but in the wrong way!
The story itself is solid, not too complicated but clearly defined and with a number of interrelated plots. So many erotic romance books use the story as simply a vehicle to tie together myriad sex scenes – I read one like that yesterday and TBH its boring. Belinda does more with keeping the undoubtedly explicit sex to its proper place within the framework of a good story. The other pack members are interesting too and I'd like to read more from this grouping – I feel Belinda has created a set of characters that work well together and could prove an interesting series ( note to self – look to see if she has done just that : ) The whole town of Arcada has a contingent of mystical people that deserve to be heard more of and are solid enough to carry further novels.

Its priced at £4.48 for 258 pages so not the longest of novels for the price but as Belinda is a well established author I guess her works command a higher price. Its well edited too with few spelling or grammar errors and a book I would enjoy reading again at a later date. Its not a strong enough story to make it to my five star rating but it a well deserved 4 stars.

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Oct 25, 2012 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Decent vampire/werewolf romance

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 7/10

PROS:
- I always begin shifter and vampire stories with the idea that the character’s nature must be a secret from everyone around him and that it’s something the other guy will have to discover. It amuses me to read ones in which being non-human is commonplace or the other characters simply treat the knowledge like it’s no big deal.
- It’s nice to read a story in which vampires and w...more Decent vampire/werewolf romance

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 7/10

PROS:
- I always begin shifter and vampire stories with the idea that the character’s nature must be a secret from everyone around him and that it’s something the other guy will have to discover. It amuses me to read ones in which being non-human is commonplace or the other characters simply treat the knowledge like it’s no big deal.
- It’s nice to read a story in which vampires and wolves are not sworn enemies who hate each other with the crazed passion of a centuries-long blood feud.
- The sex scenes are well done: enough detail that I wasn’t frustrated by them, but not so much that I got bored, either.
- There’s a bit of action toward the end that I liked quite a bit. The story doesn’t have battles interspersed all through it, but it has two separate climactic scenes at the end, both of which are well-written and tense.
- There’s a whole array of mythical creatures that appear in the world of the story. Some appear only briefly, but they combine to create a magical setting.

CONS:
- The all-important make-up scene felt rushed to me. Throughout the story, practically all Blacque can think about is how he and Bleu can never be together, and then very suddenly, all is resolved and they’re set to spend forever together.
- The similarity of the guys’ names--both surnames, both French, both start with BL--made it a little difficult for me to tell them apart sometimes. At the very least, I wasn’t able to read the story quickly because I had to pause each time one of their names appeared and make sure I had the right character in mind before moving on.
- Certain key scenes (typically involving sex) are told from both characters’ perspectives. This caught me off guard a few times because I’d read one scene and then move on to the next expecting it to occur AFTER what I’d just read, whereas the story would actually have moved back in time by a few minutes.

Overall comments: I’m not sure how long this one will stick with me, but I enjoyed it while I was reading it. The story flows well: McBride’s writing is smooth, the characters are likeable (if not terribly deep), and the conflict is familiar but handled well.(less)

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Feb 16, 2012 Elisa Ramblings added it

Blacque/Blue is a fantasy paranormal urban novel. It basically imagines that in our current time there is a small town in US, Acarda, where paranormal creatures are living together in a sheltered environment. And humans as well. I actually hadn’t understood if humans are aware they are living among paranormal creatures, unless they are not in a relationship with them, mostly since paranormal creatures are not behaving any different from humans. That is the main point of this novel and what I fou...more Blacque/Blue is a fantasy paranormal urban novel. It basically imagines that in our current time there is a small town in US, Acarda, where paranormal creatures are living together in a sheltered environment. And humans as well. I actually hadn’t understood if humans are aware they are living among paranormal creatures, unless they are not in a relationship with them, mostly since paranormal creatures are not behaving any different from humans. That is the main point of this novel and what I found the most interesting as well.

Blacque is a 30 years old werewolf; he is also gay and in the closet and for that reason he is also a virgin, a 100% virgin since Blacque has never had any interest in women. Now try to imagine a big and strong auto mechanic, all tattooed and pierced and a virgin! He has a sweet core given by his innocence that is a perfect contraposition with his bad guy looks. Blacque is attracted by Blue, the vampire next door; while Blacque is an auto mechanic, Blue does custom upholstery, and if in their jobs they are a perfect match, usually werewolves and vampires don’t match, they have a “polite” cohabitation, but sexual relationship are not common.

Only that Blue is ill, affected by a chronic insomnia that is preventing him to sleep during the day and he is not even “eating” in a right way, meaning that he is not sucking enough blood to sustain him. Blacque is like a banquet to Blue, rich and wealthy werewolf blood in an hot and ripe to be picked body. When Blue finds out Blacque is as innocent as a newborn baby, his first instinct is to “hunt”, but then Blacque shows him his kind side, the one who wants to nurture and protect, and Blue is lost.

I like the play of contraposition between Blacque and Blue; Blacque is innocent where Blue is experienced, and so Blue leads in bed; Blacque is strong where Blue is weak (at least now), and so Blacque leads in life; Blacque is an Alpha for his pack, but he is a little submissive in bed with Blue; Blue is an ancient vampire, older than Blacque, but in any case Blacque feels as he has to protect Blue, to make him one of his own pack, to give him shelter in many way, with his home, his body, his love.

I really liked this story, it has almost an “ordinary” mood in a paranormal world; Blacque’s struggle to come out was very much similar to what a gay guy would face if he was born in the “wrong” side, in a place where being gay equal to being weak; Blue and Blacque’s relationship has nothing of extraordinary, even if one is a vampire and the other a werewolf, they are simply two guys in love when they are together.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1611183626/?...(less)

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Jun 01, 2011 BJ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vamps-and-shifters

I thought Blacque/ Bleu was a nice little twist on the conventional... or not so conventional vampire/ werewolf forbidden gay love story... okay, so maybe after writing it down and realising just how crazy (but awesome) it actually sounds, i've come to the conclusion that there's really nothing conventional about it.

There's Lukas Blacque, a Werewolf whose intimidating appearance belies his kind, nurturing and submissive - but only in the bedroom ;) - character traits. Then there's Oliver Bleu,...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-fantasy-paranormal-futuristic, mm-shifters, mm-vampires

Oliver Bleu is a vampire suffering from chronic insomnia. He also feels himself fading away because of consuming nightmares. Lukas Blacque is a lonely werewolf, being outside of his pack for years (his own choice) as well as deep in the closet for being a gay werewolf. Both have silently harboring deep feeling to one another, then one night they decide to finally do something about it. Unfortunately, the timing is not on their side. Blacque's father, the pack Alpha, has pressured Blacque to fina...more

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Nov 10, 2010 Kassa rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars (I rounded up)

Blacque/Bleu is a cute play on words with Oliver Bleu as a near century old vampire and Lukas Blacque as a closeted werewolf mechanic. The sexual chemistry is hot and the sex scenes are just plain fun to read. There is some tension since Lukas is closeted and Oliver has an obsessive maker wanting to put Oliver on his crazy shelf, but these issues are mostly handled in the blink of an eye. That’s the only downfall to the story, since the driving tension is so weakly resolv...more 3.5 stars (I rounded up)

Blacque/Bleu is a cute play on words with Oliver Bleu as a near century old vampire and Lukas Blacque as a closeted werewolf mechanic. The sexual chemistry is hot and the sex scenes are just plain fun to read. There is some tension since Lukas is closeted and Oliver has an obsessive maker wanting to put Oliver on his crazy shelf, but these issues are mostly handled in the blink of an eye. That’s the only downfall to the story, since the driving tension is so weakly resolved. Otherwise the characters are entertaining and well crafted, if a bit cutesy.

The story is character driven as Lukas and Oliver dance around each other than finally get together. There’s a good supporting cast with the manipulative alpha and Lukas’ father Dane, Lukas’ sister, and eventually Oliver’s family that play into the mix. These appearances are almost always associated with manipulation and a way to advance the tension between Lukas and Oliver but they work well in those respects. The secondary cast feels fully formed and important. They could easily exist on their own and not simply as extensions of the main characters.

Oliver and Lukas are well matched and nicely complex. Oliver has some guilt and angst over his death and the family he left behind while Lukas is pretty angst filled over being a gay werewolf. He gives in extremely easy to the obvious manipulations of his father Dane, which definitely weakens Lukas as a character. This capitulation supposedly sets up the main tension in that Lukas and Oliver can’t be together with Lukas the heir to the alpha. Yet that entire issue just disappears later on. Lukas says they can’t be together for numerous reasons, which all make sense. Later in the story none of those reasons have actually changed or disappeared yet Lukas just ignores them and the happy couple is together again. This definitely makes the ending weaker than it would otherwise be since it’s more of a hand waving; don’t look at the problems anymore than resolving any issues.

I did like that the characters felt genuine without a lot of over the top actions, even considering their supernatural abilities. I especially liked the twist with Oliver’s vampirism and scarring. It’s not the first time I’ve encountered this concept but it’s not the usual vampire clichés so I definitely appreciated the creativity. The town backdrop is also quite entertaining and wonderful. The latent magic in the idea and the various fascinating residents make for a really great touch to the story. It’s one that offers so many possibilities and also makes you want to read more about the town. This would be the perfect backdrop for a series.

The chemistry between Lukas and Oliver is pretty hot and their sex has a very mild D/s component to it. This is extremely mild though so don’t let it turn you away if D/s isn’t your thing. Instead their interaction feels natural and honest and the slight D/s plays into that. Their sex scenes are great though and very steamy with just the right amount of spice, teasing, and satisfaction. The writing is pretty engaging and the 200 pages kind of flew by without noticing. This isn’t a story I’d necessarily read again but I liked reading the story and enjoy the characters a lot.
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Feb 11, 2013 DaisyGirl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-romance, i-own, m-m, m-m-bingo-round-6, romance-pnr

3.5 Stars

Lukas Blacque is a deeply closeted werewolf. He is the first-born son of the alpha and next-in-line to lead the pack. As a werewolf, he is expected to mate and procreate. Gay werewolves are non-existent so Lukas lives in fear of anyone discovering how much he longs for his neighbor, Oliver Bleu. Oliver is a vampire who is slowly dying from insomnia. More than anything, he needs Lukas Blacque and the rich blood that flows through his veins. A passionate tryst between Lukas and Oliver one...more

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Oct 27, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa by: michelenjeff-reviews.blogspot.com

Shelves: m-m-romance, paranormal-romance, weres-shifters, vampires, favorites

Lukas Blacque is a were and the son of the pack Alpha. Blacque has been designated as his father’s successor, which translates to his placing the needs of the pack above his own and continuing his familial bloodline. Lukas is deeply closeted: a thirty-four year old man who has never allowed himself to explore his own sexuality. After all, there is no such animal as a gay werewolf. For years, Lukas’s business has neighbored that of the beautiful vampire, Oliver Bleu, and Lukas has done nothing mo...more Lukas Blacque is a were and the son of the pack Alpha. Blacque has been designated as his father’s successor, which translates to his placing the needs of the pack above his own and continuing his familial bloodline. Lukas is deeply closeted: a thirty-four year old man who has never allowed himself to explore his own sexuality. After all, there is no such animal as a gay werewolf. For years, Lukas’s business has neighbored that of the beautiful vampire, Oliver Bleu, and Lukas has done nothing more than to quietly admire him and deny himself the freedom to express his attraction.

Bleu arrived in Arcada years before, lured to its borders and compelled by its mysterious powers to make it his home, and this town is indeed arcane, in every sense of the word. Populated by all manner of supernatural creatures, from shifters to fae, the town protects its citizens, allowing them to live peaceably, side by side.

Oliver is a vampire suffering from insomnia, literally starving for sleep. The nightmares of his human death haunt him during the day, leaving him paralyzed, aware of his surroundings but unable to escape the pain and fear those nightmares inspire, until the sun releases him from its grasp. The signs of his slow death are visible, leaving its scars on his body, which no amount of blood seems capable of healing. In a desperate attempt to save his own life, Bleu resigns himself to the fact that there may be only one man who can help, thus setting in motion a plan to seduce Blacque into giving both his blood and his body to the vampire, entangling themselves in something from which neither man may want to escape.

Blacque/Bleu is paranormal romance at its finest. It is a story of sacrifice, duty, and honor. It is a story of the denial of self: denial of one’s own wants and needs and hungers, for the perceived good of others. It is a story of the burdens one carries when the weight of one’s heritage overwhelms the sense of one’s individuality. It is a story that highlights the harmful nature of fear and the healing power of courage — the fear of living honestly, then finally finding the courage to claim one’s happiness, regardless of the consequences.

Blacque/Bleu is a tale of pain — not only of the physical kind but of the emotional as well. It is a story that shows how well the pain of the soul can manifest itself in the physical. It also shows how well the pain of the physical can attempt to compensate for the ache of the soul. Obsession, betrayal, aggression, loyalty, and ultimately, love, each play a role in this book, and each are portrayed to perfection. But in the end, it is the story of finding the courage to declare one’s love for another and truly setting the soul free.

There are so many strengths to this story that it’s difficult to know which to compliment first. The writing is eloquent; the pacing of the story is taut; the world building is absolutely intriguing, and the characters are each multifaceted, leaving the reader wanting nothing more than simply more of everything. Not only are Blacque and Bleu entirely seductive and compelling but the host of minor characters in the story are nothing short of wonderful.

The final line in Blacque/Bleu is “Guess it can’t hurt to try something new.” Belinda McBride, may the Muse who granted you the inspiration for this brilliant book visit you again and imbue the gift of creation upon you many times over. I want…no, I need a sequel to this story. I must see precisely what that something new will conceive.
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Oct 13, 2010 Tame rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read-favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 20, 2013 Awilk -will work for books- rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-highlights, body-art-tattoos, dhasg13, favourites, hot-alphas, hot-cars-bikes, kindle, m-m, paranormal, read-in-2013, secondary-characters-i-love, tortured-hero-s, vampire, were-shifter

4.5 stars

Somehow Belinda McBride got into my mind and wrote the perfect book for me. I have always enjoyed well-written paranormal romance and m/m has quickly become an obsession. To have these two genres mixed so well together made reading this story a pure joy to me.

The world building was well done without bogging down the story. It moved along so well that I hated putting it down.

Blacque and Bleu were wonderful characters. I truly can't pick a favourite. I would happily have either of them fo...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Cinzia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley

Blacque/Blue is the first book in Belinda McBride's Arcada Series, it's a paranormal romance, M/M, written very well, with two beautiful main characters: Oliver Bleu, a vampire and Lukas Blacque a werewolf .

The story takes place in Arcada a very quiet town at first sight, but that hides well its secrets related to magic and the supernatural; here live together peacefully humans, vampires, fae, werewolves without sometimes being aware of the true nature of each other. Rules must to be followed b...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Lara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, m-m, shifters, lent

Boy, was this a sweet and sexy love story. These two men loved each other from the beginning, and never stopped. Not much angst going on here, just a whole world of impossibility due to being two different species (for lack of a better word). Oliver Bleu is a vampire who is fading. He suffers from nightmares and insomnia during his day sleep, and as such is slowly dying. Lukas Blacque is a gay werewolf, the son of the pack alpha, and is noble enough to choose his duty over his heart's desire. He...more

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Blacque/Bleu (Arcada #3)

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