Review: vampire romance you can sink your teeth into!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2011
Dr. Isabella Beckett isn't concerned with the well-being of her current subject.  In fact, she has good reason to despise the gorgeous male safely encased in a room behind four sheets of shatter-proof, bullet resistant glass - he's a vampire.  Her entire family was murdered by vampires and the only way she can enact revenge is to study one very carefully and learn everything she needs to know to defeat them.  Of course, maintaining a professional indifference is rather difficult when her memories, emotions and yes, even unwitting desire cloud her mind.Julien de Valsan is more than a little irritated that he's been captured.  He hasn't been in this sort of position since he was turned almost 400 years ago.  As if this enforced captivity isn't annoying enough he's unbearably attracted to the brainy beauty who studies him from the other side of the glass.  He's determined that she view him as more than some sort of animal.  However, there are certain actions that require retribution and being dissected like some sort of lab rat is definitely one of them.Isabella is well aware of the sort of violence Julien is capable of and she's taken every precaution to ensure that she doesn't suffer the same fate as her beloved parents and sister.  Unfortunately she didn't count on Julien's ability to `mind-seduce' her assistant, Mary-Ellen into releasing him.  Free of his `cage' Julien captures Isabella and carries her off to his safe house where he intends to slake his hunger for many nights rather than a quick unsatisfying gorging.  Only his plans become somewhat convoluted once he begins to seduce her and discovers there's far more to Isabella than the cold, calculating doctor he believed her to be.  To make matters worse, after tasting her blood Julien realizes that their futures will be intertwined regardless of what either of them desires.THE RECKONING is exactly the sort of vampire tale you can sink your teeth into.  Kimberly Van Meter presents Julien as a dangerous creature who doesn't seem to have many human emotions left besides lust and anger, but as you read this story and get to know him you realize there's much more to him than needle sharp fangs.  Isabella is very easy to empathize with and while I completely understand why she lumps all vampires into a `crazed killer' category I loved watching her come to the realization that Julien might just have some redeeming qualities after all.  THE RECKONING is intensely exciting and passionate with characters who demand your attention until the very end - and have you holding your breath hoping there will be more of Ms. Van Meter's DARK & DANGEROUS stories in the near future.(courtesy of Romance Junkies)