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Immortals After Dark #8
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole enraptures again with this seductive tale of a fierce werewolf prince who will stop at nothing to protect the lovely archer he covets from afar.
A DANGEROUS BEAUTY...
Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her -- and those she loves.
AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED...
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.
THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED....
From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness -- her wanton desire for him.
A DANGEROUS BEAUTY...
Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her -- and those she loves.
AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED...
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.
THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED....
From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness -- her wanton desire for him.
431 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 25, 2010
1043 people are currently reading
14671 people want to read
About the author
Kresley Cole
67 books27.5k followersKresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.
A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into 23 foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a RWA Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family. Learn more about Kresley at: www.kresleycole.com & www.thearcanachronicles.com
A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into 23 foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a RWA Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family. Learn more about Kresley at: www.kresleycole.com & www.thearcanachronicles.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,675 reviews
July 7, 2017
Garreth MacRieve(Lykae) & Lucia (half Valkyrie/half unknown species)
Okay, I think Lykae are my favourite immortals in this series.
After “A Hunger Like No Other” which was my favourite book with Lachlain MacRieve (leader of the Lykae Clan) as the main character, my second best book is this one with Lachain’s brother, Garreth MacRieve, as the main character.
The book has basically two parts:
The first part has the events of “A Hunger Like No Other” from a different prespective and it discribes how Lycae Gareth and Valkyrie Lucia meet, how they realize that they are mates and how Lucia runs away from him in an attempt to remain pure.
The second part takes place one year after in the Amazon jungle and river. Lucia is looking for a mythical weapon that can kill immortals and Gods which is hidden in El Dorado, “the Lost City of Gold”. Gareth finds her and he decides that he will help her –no matter how strongly Lucia denies his help.
My God, the sexual tension in this book was over the top.
Between silly jokes like:
"It's no' your time of the month. I know that."
"Ew." Valkyrie didn't have periods. "You're the only one here with a monthly cycle, werewolf."
And Garreth’s persistence like:
“I’ll do this to you till there’s something to take the place of your vows—until you see the two of us together as your religion.”
…there was no way Lucia the Huntress could resist Gareth’s charm:
“Wolfy, is it? And what do you know about my turning?"
"I asked around when I figured out I was your... mate."
He stood, crossing to her. "Well, let's hear it."
"Basically, you'll lose your mind, turning animalistic, hunting me down until you claim me repeatedly, biting my neck and marking me as your possession. Nothing will stop you- no cage can hold you. Did I miss anything?
"Aye, Lousha." His gaze raked over her and his voice deepened. "The fact that you're going to like it.”
Many flashbacks from the past. Many secrets.
Scary human flesh eaters. A disturbing God/husband who needs to die. Huge Amazon predators.
Breathtaking story. I enjoyed every bit of it. The mysteries, the adventure, the scary parts, the passion.
And the jaguar shifters are also introduced. How awesome is this!
Okay, I think Lykae are my favourite immortals in this series.
After “A Hunger Like No Other” which was my favourite book with Lachlain MacRieve (leader of the Lykae Clan) as the main character, my second best book is this one with Lachain’s brother, Garreth MacRieve, as the main character.
The book has basically two parts:
The first part has the events of “A Hunger Like No Other” from a different prespective and it discribes how Lycae Gareth and Valkyrie Lucia meet, how they realize that they are mates and how Lucia runs away from him in an attempt to remain pure.
The second part takes place one year after in the Amazon jungle and river. Lucia is looking for a mythical weapon that can kill immortals and Gods which is hidden in El Dorado, “the Lost City of Gold”. Gareth finds her and he decides that he will help her –no matter how strongly Lucia denies his help.
My God, the sexual tension in this book was over the top.
Between silly jokes like:
"It's no' your time of the month. I know that."
"Ew." Valkyrie didn't have periods. "You're the only one here with a monthly cycle, werewolf."
And Garreth’s persistence like:
“I’ll do this to you till there’s something to take the place of your vows—until you see the two of us together as your religion.”
…there was no way Lucia the Huntress could resist Gareth’s charm:
“Wolfy, is it? And what do you know about my turning?"
"I asked around when I figured out I was your... mate."
He stood, crossing to her. "Well, let's hear it."
"Basically, you'll lose your mind, turning animalistic, hunting me down until you claim me repeatedly, biting my neck and marking me as your possession. Nothing will stop you- no cage can hold you. Did I miss anything?
"Aye, Lousha." His gaze raked over her and his voice deepened. "The fact that you're going to like it.”
Many flashbacks from the past. Many secrets.
Scary human flesh eaters. A disturbing God/husband who needs to die. Huge Amazon predators.
Breathtaking story. I enjoyed every bit of it. The mysteries, the adventure, the scary parts, the passion.
And the jaguar shifters are also introduced. How awesome is this!
January 8, 2017
“She’d been born for him. And I was born to find her…”
Pleasure of a Dark Prince gave me the same feelings and vibes as if I was reading A Hunger Like No Other again. I loved Garreth, he's Lachlain's brother and on a mission to claim his mate. The incidents he's thrown into is very much like his brother's. Lucia the Huntress never gives up so easily when it comes to her life, so she fights the temptation pulling her to him strongly, no matter how hard it gets.
“Fate has a way of getting what she wants, no matter how we try to avoid it.”
Lucia's part is outrageous, even though I'd got a glimpse of it through this book, I still can't believe that she has been through this when she was young. I didn't have any suspicions when she denied Garreth and pushed him away for her pain being so real and hurting her all along this much. Garreth, too, is not a complex character to me as he's supposed to be, unlike Lachlain, sometimes he annoyed me when they venture into the woods and do something precarious to their lives because of his uncontrolled instinct, and it incites Lucia even more.
“You doona want to kill me, which is a good sign. Maybe this is your way of flirting?”
However, Kresley Cole managed to put me into an emotional hurricane that swept me up and tore me apart by what happened at the ending. The last chapter was the reason I decided to give this book five stars, and that cliffhanger is so cruel I have to pick the next one up right after I finished this book.
March 14, 2010
I...loved...this...book! It was a fabulous thrill ride from the start all the way to the harrowing, grisly climax, and contained my favorite IAD hero (sorry, Sebastian), the Prince of the Lykae, Garreth MacRieve. Ahhh MacRieve... Scot... Wolf (all names that the heroine, Lucia the Huntress called him), I totally fell for your Scottish charm, your dogged determination, and your devotion to your lass, "Lousha". Your humor, your sexy brogue, your singlemindedness to claim your mate...you definitely won me over and I cried for you at the end (no spoilers). You were a worthy mate for the fair maiden Lucia, and I was hoping and praying that the resistent Lucia would realize that and that you wouldn't give up on her.
I won't get into the plot too much--not sure I could even adequately explain it. This is the 9th book in the IAD series, and they must be read in order. That being said, the time frame of this book places it close to book number 2, A Hunger Like No Other, which features Garreth's older brother Lachlain MacRieve and Lucia's niece Emmaline, and also book number 4 (Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night) which features Garreth's cousin Bowen MacRieve and his mate Mariketa the Awaited. After the first 120 pages where readers of the series will get all caught up with what's already happened in the series, Lucia and Garreth's story takes off, and it becomes un-put-down-able. Garreth knows that Lucia is his mate, and he goes to the ends of the earth to be with her. Even though the Valkyrie Lucia is attracted to the Lykae Garreth, she wants nothing to do with him. She tries to run from him and lose him any way she can (shooting arrows in him slows him down) while she gets ready to face off with her evil nemisis, Crom Cruach. Because of a deal she made with a goddess when she was young and at death's door (due to her involvement with a ghastly, evil, devil-like god), she is now a huntress with extraordinary archery skills, and she is supposed to remain chaste for the rest of her life, while fighting/preventing this god (Crom Cruach) from escaping his prison every 500 years. The time for fighting Crom is getting closer and closer. If Lucia gives into her unusual desire for Garreth, she will most likely lose her archery skills, and then who would be able to battle Crom? Lucia would like to get rid of Crom once and for all, and hears about a way to do that. But it requires a trip into the most deadly parts of the Amazon. She must find the one thing that could bring him down for good, and it's hidden somewhere deep in the Amazon. With some clues from the valkyrie soothsayer Nix (hilarious as always), and with Garreth doggedly tagging along, Lucia has to fight some deadly beings blocking her way, and her impossible attraction to Garreth. Along the way she falls for Garreth, but ends up having to make some heartbreaking decisions before she and Garreth can have a future together--a furute that she thought would be impossible for her.
Loved the sexual tension in this one! And it starts out almost immediately, as soon as Garreth first senses his mate is near. And when they lay eyes on each other...you know the attraction is there. Garreth is determined to claim Lucia, and although she's aroused by him, she doesn't want to be. She thinks being mated to Garreth would be the end of her so-called "career" as the world's best archeress, and she can't imagine giving that up. But Garreth keeps wearing her down, teasing her with what could be, arousing her to the point where she can't think straight and is ready to give in to him. This goes on and on for page after page, with Garreth gaining more and more of Lucia's body and her trust until finally when the full moon urges him to finally claim her...whew! That was one smokin' hot scene!
The ending was one gripping, emotional 50 pages. I went from being terrified for Lucia and Garreth, to being horrified with what they had to go through, to my heart breaking for them both. I had tears welling up and I was on the edge of my seat as I hoped and prayed that they would have their much deserved HEA.
Fans of this series, I think you're going to love this one. I always end up loving KC's heroes, but sometimes I have a bit of a problem with her heroines (some can be a little cold-hearted). I had no problems with Lucia, other than wishing that she would trust Garreth completely and reveal all her secrets to him. He was soooo devoted to her I knew he wouldn't judge her and would only want to help her.
There's plenty of humor in this book, whether it's coming from Garreth, Regin, Lucia, or especially from Nix (no one can top her). I wish I could list all the wisecracks and pop culture references that were made. The plot was easy enough to understand, except when they got to the Amazon suddenly there was an abundance of characters/gruesome things to keep track of, but don't worry, it eventually all falls into place. And of course, there was that magnificent, grisly, horrifying ending...which will surely bring tears to your eyes if you fall for Lucia and Garreth like I did.
So well done Kresley Cole, I think you have another winner on your hands. And with the teasing ending you provided, it looks like you just set up the next three books in the series. Can't wait to see how all this plays out! 5 big stars.
How I imagine Garreth MacRieve...
I won't get into the plot too much--not sure I could even adequately explain it. This is the 9th book in the IAD series, and they must be read in order. That being said, the time frame of this book places it close to book number 2, A Hunger Like No Other, which features Garreth's older brother Lachlain MacRieve and Lucia's niece Emmaline, and also book number 4 (Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night) which features Garreth's cousin Bowen MacRieve and his mate Mariketa the Awaited. After the first 120 pages where readers of the series will get all caught up with what's already happened in the series, Lucia and Garreth's story takes off, and it becomes un-put-down-able. Garreth knows that Lucia is his mate, and he goes to the ends of the earth to be with her. Even though the Valkyrie Lucia is attracted to the Lykae Garreth, she wants nothing to do with him. She tries to run from him and lose him any way she can (shooting arrows in him slows him down) while she gets ready to face off with her evil nemisis, Crom Cruach. Because of a deal she made with a goddess when she was young and at death's door (due to her involvement with a ghastly, evil, devil-like god), she is now a huntress with extraordinary archery skills, and she is supposed to remain chaste for the rest of her life, while fighting/preventing this god (Crom Cruach) from escaping his prison every 500 years. The time for fighting Crom is getting closer and closer. If Lucia gives into her unusual desire for Garreth, she will most likely lose her archery skills, and then who would be able to battle Crom? Lucia would like to get rid of Crom once and for all, and hears about a way to do that. But it requires a trip into the most deadly parts of the Amazon. She must find the one thing that could bring him down for good, and it's hidden somewhere deep in the Amazon. With some clues from the valkyrie soothsayer Nix (hilarious as always), and with Garreth doggedly tagging along, Lucia has to fight some deadly beings blocking her way, and her impossible attraction to Garreth. Along the way she falls for Garreth, but ends up having to make some heartbreaking decisions before she and Garreth can have a future together--a furute that she thought would be impossible for her.
Loved the sexual tension in this one! And it starts out almost immediately, as soon as Garreth first senses his mate is near. And when they lay eyes on each other...you know the attraction is there. Garreth is determined to claim Lucia, and although she's aroused by him, she doesn't want to be. She thinks being mated to Garreth would be the end of her so-called "career" as the world's best archeress, and she can't imagine giving that up. But Garreth keeps wearing her down, teasing her with what could be, arousing her to the point where she can't think straight and is ready to give in to him. This goes on and on for page after page, with Garreth gaining more and more of Lucia's body and her trust until finally when the full moon urges him to finally claim her...whew! That was one smokin' hot scene!
The ending was one gripping, emotional 50 pages. I went from being terrified for Lucia and Garreth, to being horrified with what they had to go through, to my heart breaking for them both. I had tears welling up and I was on the edge of my seat as I hoped and prayed that they would have their much deserved HEA.
Fans of this series, I think you're going to love this one. I always end up loving KC's heroes, but sometimes I have a bit of a problem with her heroines (some can be a little cold-hearted). I had no problems with Lucia, other than wishing that she would trust Garreth completely and reveal all her secrets to him. He was soooo devoted to her I knew he wouldn't judge her and would only want to help her.
There's plenty of humor in this book, whether it's coming from Garreth, Regin, Lucia, or especially from Nix (no one can top her). I wish I could list all the wisecracks and pop culture references that were made. The plot was easy enough to understand, except when they got to the Amazon suddenly there was an abundance of characters/gruesome things to keep track of, but don't worry, it eventually all falls into place. And of course, there was that magnificent, grisly, horrifying ending...which will surely bring tears to your eyes if you fall for Lucia and Garreth like I did.
So well done Kresley Cole, I think you have another winner on your hands. And with the teasing ending you provided, it looks like you just set up the next three books in the series. Can't wait to see how all this plays out! 5 big stars.
How I imagine Garreth MacRieve...
January 22, 2022
I can’t stop reading this series!!!!!
July 27, 2025
This reread was too fuckin’ goood! 😍 Once I started listening to the audiobook, I could not stop!
————————————
I'm already looking forward to the day where I've caught up with this series and I'll go back to rereading them again from the start.
Everything about it is pure fun. The characters are well-developed. The worldbuilding is awesome. There's enough adventure and paranormal activity going on. It's well-written. And the banter and the sex?👌🏾
I see no flaws.
4.5 🌟
————————————
I'm already looking forward to the day where I've caught up with this series and I'll go back to rereading them again from the start.
Everything about it is pure fun. The characters are well-developed. The worldbuilding is awesome. There's enough adventure and paranormal activity going on. It's well-written. And the banter and the sex?👌🏾
I see no flaws.
4.5 🌟
May 9, 2024
"Lass, I'm about to make you a widow--"
Kresley Cole is more and more merciless – with her characters and with her readers as well. So much blood, so much tension, pain, and death.
The first 16 chapters parallel the storyline of A Hunger Like No Other. The book starts with Lucia and Garreth’s first encounter, when Garreth realizes that Lucia is his mate, and ends when Lucia runs away from him, and Garreth vows he is going to have her back in two weeks.
We meet them one year later. Garreth spent that year chasing her all over the Earth, meanwhile Lucia tried to get rid of him, and also to get an unimaginably powerful weapon to kill the cause of her nightmares and stop an apocalypse. Garreth finally catches her, and they continue her quest together along the River Amazon.
Although the first half of the story is relatively slow, the second half is adventurous and full of fun. They face several dangers, such as giant caimans, new kinds of supernatural beings, mysteries, the legend of El Dorado, and really hot nights.
Garreth's perseverance is admirable; he is loyal, fierce, possessive, and never misses his aim. The portrayal of the beast inside him, the nature of the Lykae is very logical and consequent, till the very end.
He would do anything for Lucia, never gives her up. He protects her “Lousha”, hunts down her enemies, saves her life several times, gives her precious and sweet gifts, including a gift that finally saves her life again! He stands by her side in every situation, despite the fact that he gets only rejection and distrust from her.
I try to understand Lucia, but I’m afraid I'm failing. Okay, she had very, very bad experiences with a certain man, so it is pretty hard for her to trust in anybody. But it was thousands of years ago! With keeping important things back from Garreth, she rushes him into an almost fatal situation.
She is under pressure and seems to be running out of time, so it is understandable that she worries about her archer abilities. But I was really upset when I just couldn't believe her behavior. Poor Garreth...
I’m not satisfied with the end, because I don’t feel is so big a deed or sacrifice from Lucia to save Garreth. I feel this part superficial. She does almost nothing for this love, while Garreth risks everything.
The new secondary characters, Damiãno, Chizabel, Travis, Schecter, Rossiter are intriguing, the old ones, such as Regin and Nïx never disappoint.
“Have you ever fought an opponent you had no defense against? Like a fire breather or an acid spitter?”
“Once I faced a female with diamond skin,” Nïx said breathlessly. “I was transfixed—even as she was choking the life out of me.”
“Really?”
“No, I saw that character on X-Men. I just wanted to commiserate. Alas, I have no weaknesses.”
“Except your insanity,” Lucia pointed out.
Pleasure of a Dark Prince is a real adventure, with lots of humor, and some really dark, horror scenes. I loved the setting, the luscious and dangerous River Amazon, with its amazing wildlife and vegetation, also loved that Cole mixed ancient legends with modern technology. The epilogue is really compelling and puzzling to make me eager to read the next book.
My favorite quotes.
June 23, 2017
Let me begin by saying that Pleasures of a Demon King, Kresley Cole’s 7th book of the Immortals after Dark series has to be one of my FAVOURITE PNR reads!!!!! After reading some of the books I am absolutely amazed at her ability to take me to a Each story is original, a magical world filled with characters that I want to have as friends and be part of their lives!!!! Females who are beautiful, strong, with different talents and who are there with their men and not some damsel in distress. Quirky, humorous, hip and so now dialogue. The ongoing texting between Lucia and her other sister, Regin the Radiant had me falling from my chair with all the laughing!!!!
Before I get carried away gushing about this author’s talent, let me say a few things on why I found this story engaging.
A story of Garreth McRieve, Prince of the Lykae (werewolves) who finally finds his woman in Lucia, a Valkyrie known as the Huntress and he will do anything to be with her. Though she realizes that she is his mate, Lucia has a dark secret and a very important mission that will not allow herself to be sidetracked which will happen if she gives in to her passion for the Lykae. Their finally getting together takes a long time….over a year….Lucia has been trying to give him the slip but unknown to her, her sister Nix….who cannot love this ditzy Valkyrie seer….she is OTT and so funny…anyway she helps Garrett in keeping a watch over Lucia whilst she travels to the Amazon, where she has an assignment to complete and should she fail could lead to the end of the world…
The scenes are very well written and the description of the Amazon and the locals is really quite impressive. I could feel the heat; hear the night sounds, the flow of the river as I turned the pages.
There’s action, hot and sexy romance..even before they have sex, the lead up to scenes are steamy, hot hot…..the banter between these two is really good. You just know that they were meant for each other and Garreth will do everything, including giving up his life, for her.
This story ties up with the previous books and we keep reading more about the characters that form part of this series.
The ending has a cliffhanger……there’s something happening out there that is a danger to the Lore and I can’t wait to read the next book.
If you love Paranormal Romance, you just have to read this series.
Before I get carried away gushing about this author’s talent, let me say a few things on why I found this story engaging.
A story of Garreth McRieve, Prince of the Lykae (werewolves) who finally finds his woman in Lucia, a Valkyrie known as the Huntress and he will do anything to be with her. Though she realizes that she is his mate, Lucia has a dark secret and a very important mission that will not allow herself to be sidetracked which will happen if she gives in to her passion for the Lykae. Their finally getting together takes a long time….over a year….Lucia has been trying to give him the slip but unknown to her, her sister Nix….who cannot love this ditzy Valkyrie seer….she is OTT and so funny…anyway she helps Garrett in keeping a watch over Lucia whilst she travels to the Amazon, where she has an assignment to complete and should she fail could lead to the end of the world…
The scenes are very well written and the description of the Amazon and the locals is really quite impressive. I could feel the heat; hear the night sounds, the flow of the river as I turned the pages.
There’s action, hot and sexy romance..even before they have sex, the lead up to scenes are steamy, hot hot…..the banter between these two is really good. You just know that they were meant for each other and Garreth will do everything, including giving up his life, for her.
This story ties up with the previous books and we keep reading more about the characters that form part of this series.
The ending has a cliffhanger……there’s something happening out there that is a danger to the Lore and I can’t wait to read the next book.
If you love Paranormal Romance, you just have to read this series.
January 10, 2016
"You're my woman, Lousha. Damn you, I'll never want another!"
Can I just say that I LOVED Garreth MacRieve!! He embodies everything that I love in an Werewolf Alpha.
Garreth was patient, kind, and strong as sin. I was in awe by what he was physically capable of. Garreth was also hell bent on protecting his woman at any cost. And did I say he was patient? These two didn't seal the deal until after page 300 and over a year (book time) of chase.
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae
"You've maddened me for you, have changed everything." Reaching between them, clutching her panties, he rasped, "So I'm going to fuck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well."
Lucia has sworn oath to the Goddess of Archers. In exchange for her ability to shoot, Lucia vowed chastity, purity, and humility. Lucia has a bit of an ego and she refuses to give up her abilities, so therefore she is NOT willing to have a sexual relationship with Garreth even though she was his mate. Not only did that not set well with me, if was Beyond frustrating.
Lucia the Huntress
Lucia was the heroine I had high hopes for but started to dislike by the 60% mark. She was 1000 year old Valkyie that was afraid to take a chance on love. I understand that she was afraid to lose her identity as the world's best Archer. My frustration with Lucia stemmed from her selfishness! She was all take while Garreth was always the one making sacrifices for her. I just could not understand her motivation to run from him and give him such hell.
"With his harsh, beast like voice, he rasped, "Woman, you are everything to me!" He wrapped her hair around his fist, forcing her to meet his frenzied gaze. "Why can I no' be that for you? Let me claim you for my own. Choose me this night…""
I never felt like Lucia gave her heart to Garreth. She was so self absorbed and self centered. She is by far my LEAST fave of the Valkyrie heroines.
The first 25% of this book was mostly a recap of events that took place in previous books, but at least it was all from different points of view. The next 60% of the book was all about the chase with the final 15% focusing on resolving the fight between Lucia and her demons.
Kresley Cole is a phenomenal writer but I'v grown tired of the trend of couples fighting each other. For instance, Garreth chases and Lucia runs. That type of conflict gets tiresome after a few books. I hope this trend does not continue through out this series.
My Immortals After Dark Reviews:
The Warlord Wants Forever
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Dark Skye
Can I just say that I LOVED Garreth MacRieve!! He embodies everything that I love in an Werewolf Alpha.
Garreth was patient, kind, and strong as sin. I was in awe by what he was physically capable of. Garreth was also hell bent on protecting his woman at any cost. And did I say he was patient? These two didn't seal the deal until after page 300 and over a year (book time) of chase.
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae
"You've maddened me for you, have changed everything." Reaching between them, clutching her panties, he rasped, "So I'm going to fuck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well."
Lucia has sworn oath to the Goddess of Archers. In exchange for her ability to shoot, Lucia vowed chastity, purity, and humility. Lucia has a bit of an ego and she refuses to give up her abilities, so therefore she is NOT willing to have a sexual relationship with Garreth even though she was his mate. Not only did that not set well with me, if was Beyond frustrating.
Lucia the Huntress
Lucia was the heroine I had high hopes for but started to dislike by the 60% mark. She was 1000 year old Valkyie that was afraid to take a chance on love. I understand that she was afraid to lose her identity as the world's best Archer. My frustration with Lucia stemmed from her selfishness! She was all take while Garreth was always the one making sacrifices for her. I just could not understand her motivation to run from him and give him such hell.
"With his harsh, beast like voice, he rasped, "Woman, you are everything to me!" He wrapped her hair around his fist, forcing her to meet his frenzied gaze. "Why can I no' be that for you? Let me claim you for my own. Choose me this night…""
I never felt like Lucia gave her heart to Garreth. She was so self absorbed and self centered. She is by far my LEAST fave of the Valkyrie heroines.
The first 25% of this book was mostly a recap of events that took place in previous books, but at least it was all from different points of view. The next 60% of the book was all about the chase with the final 15% focusing on resolving the fight between Lucia and her demons.
Kresley Cole is a phenomenal writer but I'v grown tired of the trend of couples fighting each other. For instance, Garreth chases and Lucia runs. That type of conflict gets tiresome after a few books. I hope this trend does not continue through out this series.
My Immortals After Dark Reviews:
The Warlord Wants Forever
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Dark Skye
March 9, 2017
Spoilers
Yummy Sexy Lykae Check
Kick ass Female Check
Awesome Story Check
Steamy Lovemakin Check and Check........
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae
For real what is not to like about Garreth so hott, sweet chasing her for a year and still he protects her, forgives her of her crap and even gets her a gift that he know she will love when she is running from him and hurting him to keep him from following her. He is fun and truly wants to make her happy. loved him so much !
“You've maddened me for you...have changed everything. So, I'm going to f*ck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well. ”
"I'll never be done!" he snapped, wincing again as his ribs screamed in protest. "You're my woman, Lousha. Damn you, I'll never want another!"
Lucia the Huntress
Lucia was tricked into marrying pure evil and he tortures and rapes her. laying dying she is giving a gift of being healed and being the best archer but if she misses her shot she will be in the worst pain and she has to be pure. She meets Garreth and is drawn to him wanting him so bad but she fights its and runs from him for a year afraid if she lets him next her she would let him have her and then she would lose her skill and not be able to stop her evil husband which she does every 500 years. I liked her, she was very brave and when she stopped fighting her feels for her wolf she was very caring and sweet. she was just freaked out and didn't want to make the same mistake I could understand that.
Emma softly asked, "Aunt Luce, would you bet your life on that?"
"He is my life now."
Aye, me too. You know of anyone who'd be trailing you?"
Cruach had followers in his Cult of Death who would do anything to stop her, but they were usually human and easy enough to lose. "Actually, yes," she answered softly, and MacRieve leaned in with interest. "This jackass Lykae who can't take no for an answer is stalking me."
“Please put your penises away, gentlemen. Dinner is procured. By a woman.”
so after chasing her butt down they team up to find a weapon to kill her evil god husband,and start to fall in love with each other. I liked the banter between all the characters. Here are a few of my fav quotes:
"Why'd you invite them?" he demanded. "Damn you both, I weary of this. Did you never think that I doona like nymphs?"
"Nay," Uilleam said with a swig. "Any being that sports a penis likes nymphs."
Munro drained his bottle and added, "You canna argue with medical facts."
"Well, maybe we need to Cesar Millan their asses and show them who's boss. Tsst, tsst!"
"She took me to a mall yesterday." Lachlain sounded as if he'd just stifled a shudder. "And she pointed to a boy and said, 'I think I want one.' So naturally, I start thinking, Where can I get a wee mortal? But she meant... she meant a bairn - our bairn."
"There's no evil greater than the Gilded One!"
"Bullshite!"
Lucia made a sound of frustration. "You two are going to argue about this? My evil's bigger than your evil?"
so far great series!!!!!!!
Yummy Sexy Lykae Check
Kick ass Female Check
Awesome Story Check
Steamy Lovemakin Check and Check........
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae
For real what is not to like about Garreth so hott, sweet chasing her for a year and still he protects her, forgives her of her crap and even gets her a gift that he know she will love when she is running from him and hurting him to keep him from following her. He is fun and truly wants to make her happy. loved him so much !
“You've maddened me for you...have changed everything. So, I'm going to f*ck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well. ”
"I'll never be done!" he snapped, wincing again as his ribs screamed in protest. "You're my woman, Lousha. Damn you, I'll never want another!"
Lucia the Huntress
Lucia was tricked into marrying pure evil and he tortures and rapes her. laying dying she is giving a gift of being healed and being the best archer but if she misses her shot she will be in the worst pain and she has to be pure. She meets Garreth and is drawn to him wanting him so bad but she fights its and runs from him for a year afraid if she lets him next her she would let him have her and then she would lose her skill and not be able to stop her evil husband which she does every 500 years. I liked her, she was very brave and when she stopped fighting her feels for her wolf she was very caring and sweet. she was just freaked out and didn't want to make the same mistake I could understand that.
Emma softly asked, "Aunt Luce, would you bet your life on that?"
"He is my life now."
Aye, me too. You know of anyone who'd be trailing you?"
Cruach had followers in his Cult of Death who would do anything to stop her, but they were usually human and easy enough to lose. "Actually, yes," she answered softly, and MacRieve leaned in with interest. "This jackass Lykae who can't take no for an answer is stalking me."
“Please put your penises away, gentlemen. Dinner is procured. By a woman.”
so after chasing her butt down they team up to find a weapon to kill her evil god husband,and start to fall in love with each other. I liked the banter between all the characters. Here are a few of my fav quotes:
"Why'd you invite them?" he demanded. "Damn you both, I weary of this. Did you never think that I doona like nymphs?"
"Nay," Uilleam said with a swig. "Any being that sports a penis likes nymphs."
Munro drained his bottle and added, "You canna argue with medical facts."
"Well, maybe we need to Cesar Millan their asses and show them who's boss. Tsst, tsst!"
"She took me to a mall yesterday." Lachlain sounded as if he'd just stifled a shudder. "And she pointed to a boy and said, 'I think I want one.' So naturally, I start thinking, Where can I get a wee mortal? But she meant... she meant a bairn - our bairn."
"There's no evil greater than the Gilded One!"
"Bullshite!"
Lucia made a sound of frustration. "You two are going to argue about this? My evil's bigger than your evil?"
so far great series!!!!!!!
December 13, 2010
Dear Sebastian,
You know I’m a vampire girl at heart, but I’ve been pleasured by a Dark Prince and now I can’t look back! A Scot has won over my heart and I’d be damned if I let him run off!
Sorry, love.
Pleasure of a Dark Prince is the ninth book in the IAD series. I have to stress the importance of reading the series in order. I made that mistake earlier on when I read the third book first! I’m totally kicking myself for being so foolish. Again, Cole writes Pleasure of a Dark Prince in parallel with A Hunger Like No Other. So be sure to read AHLNO first!
That being said, I cannot rave enough about the hero of this book! Garreth MacRieve has surpassed Sabastian Wroth, my previous favourite hero of the IAD series. Sorry Bastian! But Garreth is still the king of all Lykae in my eyes. I loved his Scottish brogue , his charming personality and his intense need to protect his woman, “Lousha”. Can a woman ask for more? Yes! Because I want him for myself!
Lucia the Maiden...the Archer...Lucia of Cruach. God, this girl has so many facets to her personality, yet Lucia feels that her talent as an archer is what sets her apart from other Valkyrie. Lucia’s backstory is a dark and terrible one. Deceived by an evil too horrific to imagine, young Lucia fell in love with Crom Cruach believing him to be a handsome blonde. But on their wedding night, he revealed his true identity as a monster. Thousands of years later, Lucia must fight Cruach again every 500 years as he tries to escape his prison to deal death. As she tries to prevent an apocalypse, Lucia must remain chaste due to her deal with a goddess who saved her life as a young teen. Her chastity vow is related her to extraordinary skill in archery. If she gives in, she loses her talent.
But in the presence of a hot Lykae male like Garreth, keeping her legs shut is becoming far more difficult than she first anticipated. The sexual tension is sizzling from page one! That swamp scene was smoking! And MacRieve’s attempts at courting Lousha are always entertaining. The way he named the butterfly after Lucia was just too sweet! Makes me melt...
This book is probably my favourite with No Rest for the Wicked very close behind. There are lots of laughs with MacRieve and Lucia. Regin and Nix bring on the laughing pains as well.
With all the adventure in the Amazon and the good ole’ jaw-dropping ending, I’m sure many IAD fans would agree that Cole has really outdone herself with this one!
Favourite Quote:
MacReive carved arrows for her new quiver. With that sly look, he said, “If I canna fill your quiver in one way, I will in another.”
You know I’m a vampire girl at heart, but I’ve been pleasured by a Dark Prince and now I can’t look back! A Scot has won over my heart and I’d be damned if I let him run off!
Sorry, love.
Pleasure of a Dark Prince is the ninth book in the IAD series. I have to stress the importance of reading the series in order. I made that mistake earlier on when I read the third book first! I’m totally kicking myself for being so foolish. Again, Cole writes Pleasure of a Dark Prince in parallel with A Hunger Like No Other. So be sure to read AHLNO first!
That being said, I cannot rave enough about the hero of this book! Garreth MacRieve has surpassed Sabastian Wroth, my previous favourite hero of the IAD series. Sorry Bastian! But Garreth is still the king of all Lykae in my eyes. I loved his Scottish brogue , his charming personality and his intense need to protect his woman, “Lousha”. Can a woman ask for more? Yes! Because I want him for myself!
Lucia the Maiden...the Archer...Lucia of Cruach. God, this girl has so many facets to her personality, yet Lucia feels that her talent as an archer is what sets her apart from other Valkyrie. Lucia’s backstory is a dark and terrible one. Deceived by an evil too horrific to imagine, young Lucia fell in love with Crom Cruach believing him to be a handsome blonde. But on their wedding night, he revealed his true identity as a monster. Thousands of years later, Lucia must fight Cruach again every 500 years as he tries to escape his prison to deal death. As she tries to prevent an apocalypse, Lucia must remain chaste due to her deal with a goddess who saved her life as a young teen. Her chastity vow is related her to extraordinary skill in archery. If she gives in, she loses her talent.
But in the presence of a hot Lykae male like Garreth, keeping her legs shut is becoming far more difficult than she first anticipated. The sexual tension is sizzling from page one! That swamp scene was smoking! And MacRieve’s attempts at courting Lousha are always entertaining. The way he named the butterfly after Lucia was just too sweet! Makes me melt...
This book is probably my favourite with No Rest for the Wicked very close behind. There are lots of laughs with MacRieve and Lucia. Regin and Nix bring on the laughing pains as well.
With all the adventure in the Amazon and the good ole’ jaw-dropping ending, I’m sure many IAD fans would agree that Cole has really outdone herself with this one!
Favourite Quote:
MacReive carved arrows for her new quiver. With that sly look, he said, “If I canna fill your quiver in one way, I will in another.”
May 30, 2011
I deliberately took a long hiatus on this series. Not because I didn’t love it, or that I was bored. No! Quite the contrary. I did it because it was doggone heartbreaking to run out of books after Kiss of a Demon King. Now, I have accumulated a nicely sizable stock of IAD stories, and I am good to go, if having to avoid spoilers like the plague doesn’t put a bit of a crimp in my style.
The Story:
It was quite fun to see besotted Lykae, Garreth MacRieve chasing after his reluctant (for the most part) Valkyrie mate, Lucia. You see, Lucia totally has the hots for Garreth, but she has some really good reasons to give him the cold shoulder. For the most part, this didn’t bother me. I like to see the hero doing the chasing. And Lucia did show that she had feelings for Garreth. There were a couple of things she did to discourage Garreth that I wasn’t fond of. And I didn’t like the way she treated them the day after the night in the temple. .
As usual, Kresley Cole writes a blisteringly hot romance story. Here I am reading this book at the gym on the elliptical, with my eyes glued to the pages, which were singeing my fingers. Oh, my! Ms. Cole writes so many good foreplay scenes, you are eagerly awaiting the big moment, and of course, you are not disappointed.
I loved the adventure aspects. The trek into the Amazon, and the natural, strange but natural creatures, and of course, the Loreans that Garreth and Lucia encountered made for an exciting read. She didn’t let the tension wane in any way, sexual or storyline-wise. And there are so crazy, over the top action scenes that I loved. I didn’t know what to expect, and I wasn’t bored for one second. Lucia holds her own against enormous caimans, crazed assassins, shapeshifters, vile, cannibalistic gods, and crazy humans. Garreth ain’t shabby either. My werewolf fixation was very much appeased with him! A girl could do no better than to have a devoted Lykae mate out to protect her and to meet her every need! Hot and sultry, this book was, in many ways. The treasure hunt was a nice addition, giving this book that Indiana Jones vibe that I love. I have a feeling that some of the happenings in this book will have repercussions in the next, and I am eagerly awaiting to see how those chips fall.
The Characters:
Ms. Cole was able to distinguish Lucia from her Valkyrie sisters by giving Lucia a more serious bent than her other sisters. She had a lot of emotions simmering underneath that she had to keep leashed. While most of her Valkyrie sisters are party animals, she has to stay in control and honor her vows. Her situation was a tough one, with her obligations that kept her from living a full life. She was punishing herself for childish choice she made when she was a very young girl. That’s one thousand years of guilt. Way too many! I liked her rationality, and I loved her archery skills. She was freaking awesome! I liked that she had a soft spot for Garreth, and it wasn’t just lust. She really liked the guy and cared for him. And she really, truly showed how much he meant to her, going after him in his time of need. If I didn’t like her before, she definitely won me over at this point.
Like pretty much all of KC’s heroes, I adored Garreth. Sexy, sweet, tough, funny, intelligent, and devoted, very devoted. It’s safe to say that when he makes a commitment, he keeps it. And when he loves, he loves, to the bottom of his soul. He just about broke my heart near the end of this story. But this story has a happy ending, so fear not.
The secondary characters are always entertaining and well-drawn. Ms. Cole has a great imagination, creating characters that populate her ever-expanding Lore, and making me even more of a devoted reader. I love the romance, but the world-building was an equally powerful factor in making me a fan of this series. It’s very distinct and fascinating, full of legend and myth that makes this paranormal romance into fantasy adventure, and keeps me coming back for more. When I meet new characters, I hope that Ms. Cole will bring them back so I can see what their story is, and where this series will lead them. I have to say that Lothaire is one character that I have my eye on. What is his deal??? Inquiring minds! And the epilogue….Evil. She’s evil! I am so glad that I have the next book waiting in the queue.
Some Questions to Finish This Review:
Did I love this story? Yes‼‼ Sexy romance, humor, adventure, fascinating storylines. They are all there for the intrepid reader.
Was I satisfied? Oh, yes‼!
Am I excited for the next book? Absolutely‼!
Would I recommend this series? You aren’t reading it? Do you like paranormal romance? If the answer is yes, hop to it!
The Story:
It was quite fun to see besotted Lykae, Garreth MacRieve chasing after his reluctant (for the most part) Valkyrie mate, Lucia. You see, Lucia totally has the hots for Garreth, but she has some really good reasons to give him the cold shoulder. For the most part, this didn’t bother me. I like to see the hero doing the chasing. And Lucia did show that she had feelings for Garreth. There were a couple of things she did to discourage Garreth that I wasn’t fond of. And I didn’t like the way she treated them the day after the night in the temple. .
As usual, Kresley Cole writes a blisteringly hot romance story. Here I am reading this book at the gym on the elliptical, with my eyes glued to the pages, which were singeing my fingers. Oh, my! Ms. Cole writes so many good foreplay scenes, you are eagerly awaiting the big moment, and of course, you are not disappointed.
I loved the adventure aspects. The trek into the Amazon, and the natural, strange but natural creatures, and of course, the Loreans that Garreth and Lucia encountered made for an exciting read. She didn’t let the tension wane in any way, sexual or storyline-wise. And there are so crazy, over the top action scenes that I loved. I didn’t know what to expect, and I wasn’t bored for one second. Lucia holds her own against enormous caimans, crazed assassins, shapeshifters, vile, cannibalistic gods, and crazy humans. Garreth ain’t shabby either. My werewolf fixation was very much appeased with him! A girl could do no better than to have a devoted Lykae mate out to protect her and to meet her every need! Hot and sultry, this book was, in many ways. The treasure hunt was a nice addition, giving this book that Indiana Jones vibe that I love. I have a feeling that some of the happenings in this book will have repercussions in the next, and I am eagerly awaiting to see how those chips fall.
The Characters:
Ms. Cole was able to distinguish Lucia from her Valkyrie sisters by giving Lucia a more serious bent than her other sisters. She had a lot of emotions simmering underneath that she had to keep leashed. While most of her Valkyrie sisters are party animals, she has to stay in control and honor her vows. Her situation was a tough one, with her obligations that kept her from living a full life. She was punishing herself for childish choice she made when she was a very young girl. That’s one thousand years of guilt. Way too many! I liked her rationality, and I loved her archery skills. She was freaking awesome! I liked that she had a soft spot for Garreth, and it wasn’t just lust. She really liked the guy and cared for him. And she really, truly showed how much he meant to her, going after him in his time of need. If I didn’t like her before, she definitely won me over at this point.
Like pretty much all of KC’s heroes, I adored Garreth. Sexy, sweet, tough, funny, intelligent, and devoted, very devoted. It’s safe to say that when he makes a commitment, he keeps it. And when he loves, he loves, to the bottom of his soul. He just about broke my heart near the end of this story. But this story has a happy ending, so fear not.
The secondary characters are always entertaining and well-drawn. Ms. Cole has a great imagination, creating characters that populate her ever-expanding Lore, and making me even more of a devoted reader. I love the romance, but the world-building was an equally powerful factor in making me a fan of this series. It’s very distinct and fascinating, full of legend and myth that makes this paranormal romance into fantasy adventure, and keeps me coming back for more. When I meet new characters, I hope that Ms. Cole will bring them back so I can see what their story is, and where this series will lead them. I have to say that Lothaire is one character that I have my eye on. What is his deal??? Inquiring minds! And the epilogue….Evil. She’s evil! I am so glad that I have the next book waiting in the queue.
Some Questions to Finish This Review:
Did I love this story? Yes‼‼ Sexy romance, humor, adventure, fascinating storylines. They are all there for the intrepid reader.
Was I satisfied? Oh, yes‼!
Am I excited for the next book? Absolutely‼!
Would I recommend this series? You aren’t reading it? Do you like paranormal romance? If the answer is yes, hop to it!
June 8, 2012
4 to 41/2 stars
My goodness! This book took me on an emotional roller-coaster ride like none of the other books in the series have. Right from the start, Pleasures of a Dark Prince had me experiencing an array of emotions–from sorrow, to exasperation, to trepidation, to elation. I was exhausted by the end.
Once again, I found myself captivated and in awe of the amazingly complex story arc, but flustered and annoyed with the book's romance. In all honesty, I continue reading this series not for the hero and heroine's provocative yet volatile romance (to which I've almost become ambivalent), but for the fantastic characters, the humor, the action/adventure, and the very clever and brilliant storytelling.
I struggled with the choices the hero and heroine, Garreth and Lucia, made during this book. Mostly, I struggled with Lucia's decision not to tell Garreth her secrets. I understood her reasoning, since she had some valid points. Ultimately, however, I couldn't help but feel she was being selfish and causing unnecessary heartache and devastating consequences.
As I've taken a few days to ponder this book, I've come to realize and accept things could not have happened in any other way. I didn't like Lucia withholding information from Garreth but he wouldn't have listened to reason, or her, anyway. After all, what she feared the most happened to him because of his stubbornness. Regarding Lucia's secrets, I realize there really was no win/win situation.
What Lucia did to help Garreth toward the end of this book brought tears to my eyes and helped to redeemed her character. I'm still reeling from the feel-good ending and the very unexpected cliffhanger epilogue. Overall, I enjoyed this book and can't wait to find out what happens next in the series.
My goodness! This book took me on an emotional roller-coaster ride like none of the other books in the series have. Right from the start, Pleasures of a Dark Prince had me experiencing an array of emotions–from sorrow, to exasperation, to trepidation, to elation. I was exhausted by the end.
Once again, I found myself captivated and in awe of the amazingly complex story arc, but flustered and annoyed with the book's romance. In all honesty, I continue reading this series not for the hero and heroine's provocative yet volatile romance (to which I've almost become ambivalent), but for the fantastic characters, the humor, the action/adventure, and the very clever and brilliant storytelling.
I struggled with the choices the hero and heroine, Garreth and Lucia, made during this book. Mostly, I struggled with Lucia's decision not to tell Garreth her secrets. I understood her reasoning, since she had some valid points. Ultimately, however, I couldn't help but feel she was being selfish and causing unnecessary heartache and devastating consequences.
As I've taken a few days to ponder this book, I've come to realize and accept things could not have happened in any other way. I didn't like Lucia withholding information from Garreth but he wouldn't have listened to reason, or her, anyway. After all, what she feared the most happened to him because of his stubbornness. Regarding Lucia's secrets, I realize there really was no win/win situation.
What Lucia did to help Garreth toward the end of this book brought tears to my eyes and helped to redeemed her character. I'm still reeling from the feel-good ending and the very unexpected cliffhanger epilogue. Overall, I enjoyed this book and can't wait to find out what happens next in the series.
February 12, 2024
Okay I reread this and I liked it way more the second time bc I wasn’t tired of the constant fighting each other, the attraction, etc. like I was last time bc I was reading a lot of IAD in a row.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
_________
Why was this Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters??? My least favorite of the series so far it basically just made me disgusted (the voice Petkoff used for the monster dude was literally terrible) and sad. I liked the main couple but the secrets and lack of communication got to me. Two books where the heroines can’t have sex for reasons out of their control thus being super slow burn were very tiring. Especially this one bc it was basically all for nothing lmao.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
_________
Why was this Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters??? My least favorite of the series so far it basically just made me disgusted (the voice Petkoff used for the monster dude was literally terrible) and sad. I liked the main couple but the secrets and lack of communication got to me. Two books where the heroines can’t have sex for reasons out of their control thus being super slow burn were very tiring. Especially this one bc it was basically all for nothing lmao.
October 14, 2016
Another winner! Not to sound like a broken record but Kresley Cole is one of my ultimate favorite authors and this series is my new addiction. Onto the next book ... Cheers!
August 24, 2016
Waitress : Weren't you just here last night?
Me : (indignant) No. It's been a few nights!
Waitress : Hmmm...I could've sworn...never mind. You must have a doppleganger.
Me : Let's cut the niceties. I already know what I want.
Waitress : (amused) Let me guess. Worship fantasy? Ten men with fans and grapes?
Me : No. When have I ever? *pause* Oh wait. I forgot about that night last year after quitting...never mind. That's neither here nor there. I'm leaving tomorrow for the Amazon. I'd like to order a chase scene.
Waitress : We don't get many of those. Preference in male?
Me : Lykae. Scottish. He'll chase me to the death if he has to.
Waitress : Got it. Here, rub your face on this napkin.
Me : The hell? Why?
Waitress : Your scent. You know - mutts and tracking and all of that.
Me : *grumbles* This is embarrassing. I have to make nice with a napkin.
**********************************************************
I'm sad to have to do this, but I can only give Dark Prince 2.5 stars (rounding up to 3 because I liked more than I disliked). I expected and wanted so much more from Garrett and Lucia's story, after having to wait for it from the beginning of the series.
This felt like a rehash of Bowen and Mariketa, which already wasn't my favorite of the series, but I liked the execution of the story even less the second time around.
I wanted to see Garreth chase Lucia longer than he did. There had been such a buildup in previous books of how he was looking for her (to be fair, he did look for a while over the span of previous books), that it surprised me when he found her right away and then they just stayed put. Granted, it was on a moving boat, but most of their time was spend on a damn boat doing much of nothing.
There was so much potential for cat-and-mouse here, that I felt entirely let down by how dull their story was.
But on the pro side : Garreth's persistence was my favorite part of the story. He was doing what a lykae did best - protect and follow his mate. Good doggie.
"I'll do this to you till there's something to take the place of your vows - until you see the two of us together as your religion."
Bonus : the "through the cage" scene was verrah nice.
October 21, 2015
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
After listening to this installment, I now realize why the last few titles have made me cranky. It’s because I’ve been waiting for Garreth’s story since book 1, and the delay finally caught up with me. This series came highly recommended on account of its “sexy Scottish werewolves”, but they’ve been mostly MIA since WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER’S NIGHT, so the younger MacRieve’s romance was long overdue. All is right with the world again.
In PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE readers get answers to many long running questions which was perfect timing as far as I was concerned because it revived my interest in the IMMORTALS AFTER DARK series. This book covers from pre-A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER, to Garreth’s year long pursuit of Lucia, so it was an excellent overview of where Kresley Cole has been, and her intended direction going forward, although I’m quite positive that Nix will have the last word.
Valkyries and I haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye in the past; however I’m slowly coming around to this author’s version. Lucia stood out because of her born-again-virginity—the celibate immortal queen should be discarded from IAD’s deck, just saying—and her reputation as The Archer. Garreth was awesome, and I loved the advice that his brother and Bowen kept giving him. They’ve both claimed their mates which gave them unique (amusing) perspectives.
Just when I thought that I had gotten my legs back under me (Robert Petkoff’s narration will do that to you), he goes and whips out a… Texan accent! Oh, and don’t forget that his brogue was also widespread with MacRieve as the male protagonist. This installment reminded me of the earlier IAD audiobooks, the ones that I chain listened to in under a month, so I’m taking it as a sign that a second likewise spree might be around the corner.
PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE was the werewolf that I was looking for.
After listening to this installment, I now realize why the last few titles have made me cranky. It’s because I’ve been waiting for Garreth’s story since book 1, and the delay finally caught up with me. This series came highly recommended on account of its “sexy Scottish werewolves”, but they’ve been mostly MIA since WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER’S NIGHT, so the younger MacRieve’s romance was long overdue. All is right with the world again.
In PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE readers get answers to many long running questions which was perfect timing as far as I was concerned because it revived my interest in the IMMORTALS AFTER DARK series. This book covers from pre-A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER, to Garreth’s year long pursuit of Lucia, so it was an excellent overview of where Kresley Cole has been, and her intended direction going forward, although I’m quite positive that Nix will have the last word.
Valkyries and I haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye in the past; however I’m slowly coming around to this author’s version. Lucia stood out because of her born-again-virginity—the celibate immortal queen should be discarded from IAD’s deck, just saying—and her reputation as The Archer. Garreth was awesome, and I loved the advice that his brother and Bowen kept giving him. They’ve both claimed their mates which gave them unique (amusing) perspectives.
Just when I thought that I had gotten my legs back under me (Robert Petkoff’s narration will do that to you), he goes and whips out a… Texan accent! Oh, and don’t forget that his brogue was also widespread with MacRieve as the male protagonist. This installment reminded me of the earlier IAD audiobooks, the ones that I chain listened to in under a month, so I’m taking it as a sign that a second likewise spree might be around the corner.
PLEASURE OF A DARK PRINCE was the werewolf that I was looking for.
February 2, 2020
I do love me a Valkyrie heroine & a Lykae hero... I'm just a sucker for a hero in pursuit, and those crazy Scottish werewolves are just relentless. I also really enjoyed the action adventure type plot that unfolds over the second half of the book on the Contessa in the Amazon. The series is often at its best when it includes a big external conflict on top of the angst
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January 20, 2022
⤅ Rereading IAD Project
The sheer range of heroines we get from Cole throughout this series is actually breath-taking. They're all incredibly unique, and there's so much authorial versatility involved; we have seductive man-eaters like Myst, spineless naïfs like Emmaline, crazy party-girls like Regin... and now ice-cold Lucia, who at times I actually just wanted to shake.
Like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, WOMAN? YOU HAVE A SUPER-HOT ROYAL SCOTTISH WEREWOLF COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH YOU, TO THE POINT WHERE HE'S BEEN CHASING YOU FOR OVER A YEAR, OH AND HE'S YOUR MATE SO HE'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU, AND YOU'RE RIDICULOUSLY ATTRACTED TO HIM... but you'll never actually EXPLAIN to him why you don't want to be with him just yet, and instead you basically torture him for months on end. I swear, Garreth deserves sooooo much better than Lucia.
Fortunately for me, I can still love this book, because I have much lower standards for my heroines than my heroes. (Sorry, not sorry). And Lucia does redeem herself at the end, though I don't think she'll ever be really worthy of Garreth. The lengths he went through not to do anything she wasn't comfortable with are UNREAL. Considering all the other Lykae heroes in the series (Uilleam, Lachlan, Bowen) had arsehole moments which diminished the appeal of 'besotted, possessive werewolf', it's great there's at least one Lykae hero who lives up to his species. Hopefully Munro will be the next...
The sheer range of heroines we get from Cole throughout this series is actually breath-taking. They're all incredibly unique, and there's so much authorial versatility involved; we have seductive man-eaters like Myst, spineless naïfs like Emmaline, crazy party-girls like Regin... and now ice-cold Lucia, who at times I actually just wanted to shake.
Like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, WOMAN? YOU HAVE A SUPER-HOT ROYAL SCOTTISH WEREWOLF COMPLETELY OBSESSED WITH YOU, TO THE POINT WHERE HE'S BEEN CHASING YOU FOR OVER A YEAR, OH AND HE'S YOUR MATE SO HE'LL NEVER LEAVE YOU, AND YOU'RE RIDICULOUSLY ATTRACTED TO HIM... but you'll never actually EXPLAIN to him why you don't want to be with him just yet, and instead you basically torture him for months on end. I swear, Garreth deserves sooooo much better than Lucia.
Fortunately for me, I can still love this book, because I have much lower standards for my heroines than my heroes. (Sorry, not sorry). And Lucia does redeem herself at the end, though I don't think she'll ever be really worthy of Garreth. The lengths he went through not to do anything she wasn't comfortable with are UNREAL. Considering all the other Lykae heroes in the series (Uilleam, Lachlan, Bowen) had arsehole moments which diminished the appeal of 'besotted, possessive werewolf', it's great there's at least one Lykae hero who lives up to his species. Hopefully Munro will be the next...
February 13, 2019
I LOVED IT. What an awesome audiobook! Robert Petkoff was on it again!
Sometimes the timeline with this series throw me off, but the events of this book coincided with A Hunger Like No Other. This one was a lykae lead, not demon nor vampire.
My two favorite books featured Lykae, Bowen & Garreth.
In this book Garreth was playing rugby with other supernatural creatures when he scented Lucia, his female. The one had been searching all over for. He quickly followed her scent until he was able to really behold her. She was an archer, the best archer in the lore, but she had taken a vow of chasity. There was a true dilemma because Lykae had to claim their mates and during the coupling, they had to bite and mark their mates. Lucia's excellence in archery came with a price from a god--if she had sex, she would lose her ability. So Garreth set off to prove to Lucia being with him, was worth more than her skill as the #1 Archer.
What Garreth didn't know was that Lucia had other secrets that she was hiding and they were just as big as her gift with the bow & arrow.
These two were hot, they were sweet, they just worked. Garreth was everything someone like Lucia needed or could want. He was unbelieveably patient with her, he was protective and he was sweet. He put her desires and needs above his own in all things. Wow. I loved how he labored to gain her trust and the fact that never took advantage of it. He was good to her and they made a great team.
I am surprised that I am 10 books into this series and I am enjoying each book more and more. Really great series.
Sometimes the timeline with this series throw me off, but the events of this book coincided with A Hunger Like No Other. This one was a lykae lead, not demon nor vampire.
My two favorite books featured Lykae, Bowen & Garreth.
In this book Garreth was playing rugby with other supernatural creatures when he scented Lucia, his female. The one had been searching all over for. He quickly followed her scent until he was able to really behold her. She was an archer, the best archer in the lore, but she had taken a vow of chasity. There was a true dilemma because Lykae had to claim their mates and during the coupling, they had to bite and mark their mates. Lucia's excellence in archery came with a price from a god--if she had sex, she would lose her ability. So Garreth set off to prove to Lucia being with him, was worth more than her skill as the #1 Archer.
What Garreth didn't know was that Lucia had other secrets that she was hiding and they were just as big as her gift with the bow & arrow.
These two were hot, they were sweet, they just worked. Garreth was everything someone like Lucia needed or could want. He was unbelieveably patient with her, he was protective and he was sweet. He put her desires and needs above his own in all things. Wow. I loved how he labored to gain her trust and the fact that never took advantage of it. He was good to her and they made a great team.
I am surprised that I am 10 books into this series and I am enjoying each book more and more. Really great series.
November 20, 2019
3.5 Solid Stars
In this book we get the tale of we get the story of Lucia the Huntress, a Valkyrie whose aim with a bow and arrow would make Robin Hood weep in envy, and Garreth MacRieve, the Lykae Prince – who has spent hundreds of years yearning for his fated mate. The pairing of these two was spot on, and they are an enjoyable coupe. I loved how Garreth was never deterred from protecting but also caring for Lucia - the barriers she's put in place to protect herself after loosing her innocence at such a young age and in a brutal way, take a while to come down, but her hot Scottish mate ensure they come down.
Another entertaining and engaging re-read, this may not be in my top 6 list of Cole’s PNR books, but it's remaining in my re-read pile.
In this book we get the tale of we get the story of Lucia the Huntress, a Valkyrie whose aim with a bow and arrow would make Robin Hood weep in envy, and Garreth MacRieve, the Lykae Prince – who has spent hundreds of years yearning for his fated mate. The pairing of these two was spot on, and they are an enjoyable coupe. I loved how Garreth was never deterred from protecting but also caring for Lucia - the barriers she's put in place to protect herself after loosing her innocence at such a young age and in a brutal way, take a while to come down, but her hot Scottish mate ensure they come down.
Another entertaining and engaging re-read, this may not be in my top 6 list of Cole’s PNR books, but it's remaining in my re-read pile.
October 18, 2024
HAS REGIN ALWAYS BEEN THIS ANNOYING also Garreth deserves better sorry, Lucia but try using your words
May 28, 2020
I know i say this a lot of time,but this paranormal series have rocked my world apart."Pleasure of a Dark Prince" is the 8:th book in the "Immortals After Dark"-series and follows the valkyrie archer Lucia who don`t ever miss a shot without suffering for it,and the insistent Lykae Prince Garreth MacRieve who can`t live without her.We follow them through the deepest dangers of the Amazon Jungle to the City of Gold El Dorado to find a god-killing weapon.All the while falling in love,It was facinating watching them fight anacondas,caimans and evil vampires-It was a unforgettable and mindblowing adventure,one i will never forget!
Lucia the Huntress is mysterious,prideful,clever and so badass i was cheering for her all along.I have been curious about her since she first appeared in the series,and reading her passionate journey of love for the one man who can`t stay away from her was sensational and thrilling.The way she run away from him and made him follow her around the world-No wonder she fell for him!Gosh i love this woman.What she went through as a teenager made my heart break,and i found it no wonder she was cynical when it came to men.I love her relationship with her crazy sister Regin,the way they bicker but love each other.Like many others i was frustrated by the way she pushed away the madly besotted Garreth,i mean the way he treated her made my heart sing and i couldn`t imagine any woman willing to resist this gorgeous hero.
***
“You've maddened me for you...have changed everything. So, I'm going to f*ck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well."
-Garreth
***
Indeed,Garreth MacRieve was a amazing hero that made my heart beat faster.He is a lykae prince,and smelled the scent of his mate before he even saw her and from that on she stole his heart.Before his older brother got kidnapped he had been called the Dark Prince for his rebellious behaviour,but after the death of their family and his brothers disappearance he is a changed man that have learnt to be responsible and protective of his kingdom.I love when Garreth went after Lucia the minute she run away from him,and it was fun knowing he had been the victim of her "booby traps" LOL.But still he never gave up,ahhhh my heart!He was so consumed by her,so in love and besotted and obsessed that he was willing to do everything for her.Everytime he called her "Lousha" with his scottish accent made my heart bleed,he was such a romantic hero!Their time on the ship Contessa throughout the Amazon was so touching,funny,romantic and sexy!Garreth even named a butterfly after Lucias name just because its color reminded him of Lucias eyes.He was so generous, protective, thoughtful and crazily in love with Lucia.Oh be still my beating heart,I AM SO IN LOVE WITH GARRETH!!!I want a Garreth of my own!
***
“If I have to scour the entire earth, I'll hunt her down. I will no' falter. One day I will bring my female back to my home - back to my bed...She was born to be found by me."
-Garreth
***
Garreth and Lucia are a powerful couple perfect for each other,and they have become one of my favourite couples of all time.They literally stole my heart,and i will never forget their awesome adventurous love-story!Nix and Regin are fun as always,and it was fun seeing Garreth`s brother Lachlain again and his mate Emma.I loved their book "A Hunger Like No Other"!Now it seems that Regin have been kidnapped and i have a perfect idea of whom it could be.Lothaire is selfish and evil as always,but so entertaining to read about.Kresley Cole has another staggering keeper in this book,it has everything i crave in a romance and Garreth and Lucia is two Amazing characters that have found their places in my heart!
Lucia the Huntress is mysterious,prideful,clever and so badass i was cheering for her all along.I have been curious about her since she first appeared in the series,and reading her passionate journey of love for the one man who can`t stay away from her was sensational and thrilling.The way she run away from him and made him follow her around the world-No wonder she fell for him!Gosh i love this woman.What she went through as a teenager made my heart break,and i found it no wonder she was cynical when it came to men.I love her relationship with her crazy sister Regin,the way they bicker but love each other.Like many others i was frustrated by the way she pushed away the madly besotted Garreth,i mean the way he treated her made my heart sing and i couldn`t imagine any woman willing to resist this gorgeous hero.
***
“You've maddened me for you...have changed everything. So, I'm going to f*ck you long and hard, beauty, because if I'm to be enslaved by you-I want to be your master as well."
-Garreth
***
Indeed,Garreth MacRieve was a amazing hero that made my heart beat faster.He is a lykae prince,and smelled the scent of his mate before he even saw her and from that on she stole his heart.Before his older brother got kidnapped he had been called the Dark Prince for his rebellious behaviour,but after the death of their family and his brothers disappearance he is a changed man that have learnt to be responsible and protective of his kingdom.I love when Garreth went after Lucia the minute she run away from him,and it was fun knowing he had been the victim of her "booby traps" LOL.But still he never gave up,ahhhh my heart!He was so consumed by her,so in love and besotted and obsessed that he was willing to do everything for her.Everytime he called her "Lousha" with his scottish accent made my heart bleed,he was such a romantic hero!Their time on the ship Contessa throughout the Amazon was so touching,funny,romantic and sexy!Garreth even named a butterfly after Lucias name just because its color reminded him of Lucias eyes.He was so generous, protective, thoughtful and crazily in love with Lucia.Oh be still my beating heart,I AM SO IN LOVE WITH GARRETH!!!I want a Garreth of my own!
***
“If I have to scour the entire earth, I'll hunt her down. I will no' falter. One day I will bring my female back to my home - back to my bed...She was born to be found by me."
-Garreth
***
Garreth and Lucia are a powerful couple perfect for each other,and they have become one of my favourite couples of all time.They literally stole my heart,and i will never forget their awesome adventurous love-story!Nix and Regin are fun as always,and it was fun seeing Garreth`s brother Lachlain again and his mate Emma.I loved their book "A Hunger Like No Other"!Now it seems that Regin have been kidnapped and i have a perfect idea of whom it could be.Lothaire is selfish and evil as always,but so entertaining to read about.Kresley Cole has another staggering keeper in this book,it has everything i crave in a romance and Garreth and Lucia is two Amazing characters that have found their places in my heart!
August 8, 2020
Aslında şahane başlamıştı ,serinin en iyisi hatta türünün en iyisi olacak gibiydi ama sonra saçmaladı bazı yerlerde... yine de kötü değildi, gayet iyiydi sadece favorim olamadı 😔
March 17, 2026
Мої улюблені лікан і валькірія 🖤
July 1, 2020
Pues medio medio...
3.5 porque siento que fui yo y no la historia.
Lo qué pasa es que después de haber leído tantos libros seguidos comienzo a saturarme. Y no ayudó mucho que parara la serie y comenzara con el último de los Psi cambiantes.
Bueno pero pudo ser mejor
3.5 porque siento que fui yo y no la historia.
Lo qué pasa es que después de haber leído tantos libros seguidos comienzo a saturarme. Y no ayudó mucho que parara la serie y comenzara con el último de los Psi cambiantes.
Bueno pero pudo ser mejor
October 14, 2025
Oooooh, that epilogue was so cryptic. I loved it! I am so looking forward to the next book after that cliffhanger.
Alright, talking about the book. It was an adventure in the jungle. Quite crazy. And the hero was sweet and strong and didn't give up on his heroine even when she was running away from him. For more than a year!
The heroine was nice but I hated that she didn't own up to her own actions. She was always blaming the hero for things that she allowed, sending mixed messages for him.
I love the werewolves of this series. This author really knows how to demonstrate the difference between species and the basic instincts to each of them are often well explored.
Alright, talking about the book. It was an adventure in the jungle. Quite crazy. And the hero was sweet and strong and didn't give up on his heroine even when she was running away from him. For more than a year!
The heroine was nice but I hated that she didn't own up to her own actions. She was always blaming the hero for things that she allowed, sending mixed messages for him.
I love the werewolves of this series. This author really knows how to demonstrate the difference between species and the basic instincts to each of them are often well explored.
March 2, 2017
Loved this story, was throughly engaged the whole time. I loved the banter and growth you see in Lucia and Garreth. The story itself is 4 stars but the narrator made it 5 stars total. He was excellent and nailed all the different voices for the characters. Especially when he spoke in his Garreth voice... that brogue did stuff to me for sure! Loved it.
April 19, 2019
OMG
Wolfy is my Favorite!!!
Wolfy is my Favorite!!!
June 21, 2014
4 All for Garreth stars
"Nothing good ever came easy..."
Well Garreth hon, be prepared because Lucia is determined to make it as hard as it can get.
I like this book, just as I like most of KC's books but there was something about Lucia that rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't hate her but she did irritate me a lot at times. She protested too much, resisted too much. I like heroines who go after what they want(like most of the other Valkyries do) and Lucia saw what she wanted and ran the other way.
“If I have to scour the entire earth, I'll hunt her down. I will no' falter. One day I will bring my female back to my home - back to my bed...She was born to be found by me.”
I do love Garreth. I liked how he never gave up, I loved how he remained hopeful and determined despite all the shit Lucia put him through. He is also a Lykae which doesn't hurt. They're definitely my favourite male race in IAD's. My female is Valkyries.
“Have you ever fought an opponent you had no defense against? Like a fire breather or an acid spitter?"
"Once I faced a female with diamond skin," Nix said breathlessly. "I was transfixed - even as she was choking the life out of me."
"Really?"
"No, I saw that character on X-Men. I just wanted to commiserate. Alas, I have no weaknesses.”
“This is what it's all been about with you," he said in an even tone. "All the fear, all
the running. The nightmares." When she nodded, he said, "You called him the devil."
"He is." What are you thinking, Scot?
"But you... married him?"
MacRieve's disgusted with me. "Basically? Yes."
"Ceremony and everything?"
She swallowed. "He tricked me into it. I-I was only sixteen."
A muscle ticked in his cheek and his irises grew pale. "Then know this..."
She stopped breathing.
"Lass, I'm about to make you a widow--”
“She took me to a mall yesterday"' Lachlain sounded as if he'd just stifled a shudder. "And she pointed to a boy and said, 'I think I want one.' So naturally, I start thinking, Where can I get a wee mortal? But she meant a bairn—our bairn.”
Re-read it as part of the IAD series Read-A-Long with the League of Lusty Ladies.
"Nothing good ever came easy..."
Well Garreth hon, be prepared because Lucia is determined to make it as hard as it can get.
I like this book, just as I like most of KC's books but there was something about Lucia that rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't hate her but she did irritate me a lot at times. She protested too much, resisted too much. I like heroines who go after what they want(like most of the other Valkyries do) and Lucia saw what she wanted and ran the other way.
“If I have to scour the entire earth, I'll hunt her down. I will no' falter. One day I will bring my female back to my home - back to my bed...She was born to be found by me.”
I do love Garreth. I liked how he never gave up, I loved how he remained hopeful and determined despite all the shit Lucia put him through. He is also a Lykae which doesn't hurt. They're definitely my favourite male race in IAD's. My female is Valkyries.
“Have you ever fought an opponent you had no defense against? Like a fire breather or an acid spitter?"
"Once I faced a female with diamond skin," Nix said breathlessly. "I was transfixed - even as she was choking the life out of me."
"Really?"
"No, I saw that character on X-Men. I just wanted to commiserate. Alas, I have no weaknesses.”
“This is what it's all been about with you," he said in an even tone. "All the fear, all
the running. The nightmares." When she nodded, he said, "You called him the devil."
"He is." What are you thinking, Scot?
"But you... married him?"
MacRieve's disgusted with me. "Basically? Yes."
"Ceremony and everything?"
She swallowed. "He tricked me into it. I-I was only sixteen."
A muscle ticked in his cheek and his irises grew pale. "Then know this..."
She stopped breathing.
"Lass, I'm about to make you a widow--”
“She took me to a mall yesterday"' Lachlain sounded as if he'd just stifled a shudder. "And she pointed to a boy and said, 'I think I want one.' So naturally, I start thinking, Where can I get a wee mortal? But she meant a bairn—our bairn.”
Re-read it as part of the IAD series Read-A-Long with the League of Lusty Ladies.
March 22, 2018
5 Electric Stars.... This is absolutely one of my favorite books in the series... focusing on the Dark Lykae Prince, Garreth MacRieve, and his Valkyrie mate "The Archer", Lucia, as they traverse the dangerous and mystical Amazon seeking a diemort (god killer) in order to avoid a pending apocalypse... a powerful storyline, off the charts chemistry, action packed sequences, and a stunning backdrop culminate to bring forth an enticing and captivating story that I could not put down... the MacRieve family is by far my favorite clan in the series with their Scottish brogue, protective natures, and unending charm they are the epitome of sexy, alpha male... add into the equation the Valkyrie with their ancient powers, warrior personalities, and insane humor and you have a lethal combination that causes explosive chemistry... Garreth and Lucia certainly fit these molds and brought forth a sultry, witty, and entertaining pairing that held me spellbound... a fantastic read from start to finish creating an enticing storyline to continue through the series...highly anticipating the next read:)
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