The set-up is great. The idea for BLOOD VOW is great. I only wish Maria had held onto her ambitions to kill rogues. Her need for revenge kind of peters out when she realizes how much she likes Marak, who lies about who he is by giving her a different name. His friend's name. Why his friend's name?
Also, Maria is fighting against the patriarchy of the vampire kind. The males always protect the females, who are supposed to stay locked away, safe and bored. She doesn't want this in the least, to be someone's "little woman".
(SPOILER ALERT) So..she loses sight of her mission to avenge her sister. It's more important to be Marak's soulmate. Marak's nickname for her is "Little One", which I find degrading and a little creepy. Is she a child or a fully grown equal? And the difference between their heights is constantly referenced, which constantly gave me images of a tiny person with a giant. As a short woman who has dated taller men in the past, believe me, it never turned me into the size of a yard gnome. In the end, she gets married, so she really becomes Marak's little woman. (END SPOILER ALERT)
The writing is wonderful. The storyline has such potential! I'm just not sure I can overlook Maria's lackluster attitude for being a modern woman avenging her sister. Would I give the second book in the series a try? Maybe. I'm always up for redemption.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I think any paranormal vampire romance reader would enjoy BLOOD VOW. These are just my personal hangups that I have expressed in my review.
