REVIEW: Dark Carousel by Christine Feehan

In Dark Carousel (Dark #30) by Christine Feehan, Carpathian and well-known eligible bachelor Tariq Asenguard has spent his life keeping his brethren as well as humans safe from evil vampires. His dream has been to find his lifemate, the one woman who can bring color and emotions back into his life. And when he least expects it, he finds Charlotte Vintage in his club being stalked by angry vampires and it changes his world completely. Tariq now has an even bigger purpose in life, to take care of Charlotte, her family and the children and friends he has adopted along the way. With the Carpathians’ situation growing more volatile, he’ll have to find a way to beat their enemy without causing harm to those under his protection.

“I don’t need a submissive woman, Charlotte, I need a warrior. A woman walking beside me. Fighting beside me. Standing in front of those children with me… I know that woman is you.”

Recent events have sent Charlotte spinning emotionally. Losing a loved one, a mentor, and two friends to brutal attacks and now having to take care of her young niece Lourdes, she has her hands full. And with people following her and her friend Vi from Paris to California, Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust. That’s why when Tariq steps in to protect her and seems too good to be true, she’s not sure she can believe him. But the handsome warrior proves himself worthy of her loyalty and her love time and time again. Before long, Charlotte is immersed in a world filled with evil she couldn’t have imagined, but also more love than she ever hoped for.

“Do you feel that, Charlotte? Do you hear that? My heart beating? Do you feel the rhythm of your heart?” He put his other hand over her heart, fingers stroking caresses over the curve of her breast.
“It isn’t fair,” she whispered.
“What isn’t fair?”
“Owning me with a touch.”

Dark and sexy alpha heroes with a heart and intelligent, beautiful heroines abound in Dark Carousel. And just when fans thought the situation between Carpathians and vampires couldn’t get any more tense, we’re proven wrong with a whole new twist added to the story.

I am seriously loving the latest heroes Christine Feehan has created. Now I know some readers were unhappy with how incredibly dominant the alpha males were in previous stories, both in the Dark and the GhostWalkers series, but her books so far this year have shown a much more modern version of a hero. Tariq was every bit a warrior who would fight to the death to protect his family as well as humans, but I loved that he was also a truly caring guy. And that showed in how Tariq watched over everyone and in the sacrifices he was willing to make.

Charlotte was also a breath of fresh air when it came to a female lead character. She was fiercely protective and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind or stand up for those who were unable to do so themselves. Especially her friend Vi and her niece Lourdes. Charlotte was a great match for Tariq and I really enjoyed watching their romance play out. There was such awe that they had found each other and a tenderness between them that was simply wonderful to see. And that tenderness carried into how they handled the issues that came up for the children and their friends. I loved that sense of family and community that was so strong in this particular story, with everyone willing to lend a hand and look out for one another.

There was a lot that happened in regard to the war between the Carpathians and the vampires this time around, with a couple of battles being waged and secrets being uncovered. I won’t go into details and spoil it for fans, but suffice it to say that tension was still running high even at the end, and there’s definitely more that will happen before either side comes out the victor.

Exciting and filled with passion, Dark Carousel will take readers on a thrill ride and keep them breathless the whole time. Feehan’s world of Carpathians and vampires has never been quite so exhilarating.

Book Info:

Published August 2nd 2016 | by Berkley | Dark #30

In the new Carpathian novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, a woman falls prey to the seductive allure of the past—and a vampire warrior’s intoxicating embrace…

The moment Charlotte Vintage walks into his club, Tariq Asenguard’s blood is set on fire. The ancient Carpathian had given up hope of finding his lifemate, but now he will do anything to make Charlotte his own. What Tariq doesn’t know is that Charlotte is using herself and her best friend as bait—to try to draw out the bloodthirsty killers who have already murdered Charlotte’s brother and mentor.

Charlotte is familiar with Tariq. Not only is he one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in the city, but he’s also a renowned collector of old carousel horses, which Charlotte restores. Their shared passion opens Charlotte up to trusting him with her life and with the desire she can no longer control. But it also makes her vulnerable to a centuries-old curse that will unite her and Tariq in a war against the enemies of humans and Carpathians alike…