Sins of the Flesh

The mall across town has put Rachel Marks’ small bookstore out of business and her back to the wall in debts. Desperately needing to earn a good steady income, she eventually turns to Mystique the hottest nightclub in town. Getting her foot in the door as a waitress isn’t easy and the job is a substantial change from what she has been doing. More disturbing is her reactions to the incredibly seductive owner. Too bad she doesn’t believe in mixing business and pleasure.

Nearly a century has gone by since Devon Carnavorn’s lover and sire Ariel was killed. It has been a lonely time of merely subsisting. He may have luxury and indulge in hedonism but the feeling of emptiness has not abated. Remarkably, into his life walks a woman with a striking resemblance to his past love and a mark which is much like one that he bears. As he becomes more familiar with Rachel, immortality begins again to have its charms…if only she would consent to be his forever.

This is book one in the Kith and Kynn series and we receive a well developed view of these wickedly debauched Kynn. They are a form of vampire who use knives instead of biting, are called the Collective when referred to as a group, and need only a small amount of blood from their victims, feeding mainly through sex.

When we meet Rachel, she is a decent, hardworking if unlucky sort. She has an intelligent and underdog type of appeal and one genuinely likes and empathizes with the heroine. Disappointments in life and the daily struggle have worn her down. After she takes on employment at the very wild goth nightclub she still holds with her moral values.

Temptation comes in the striking form of Devon. His ache to have her in his life, so to speak, is made particularly believable having been shown his embrace of his existence earlier on before tragedy struck.

The lures of lust and an easier life soon have Rachel rethinking her boundaries. She is seemingly seduced by money and falls into bed with the boss. She takes her path step by step into debauchery and then acts outraged claiming she was not accountable for her decisions. This is where the reviewer began to feel a personal loss of sympathy. The eventual changes and the end itself just didn’t seem very heroine-like.

Nonetheless, the writing is engrossing and one falls headlong into this searing story. Readers should bear in mind that the Kynn are incredibly sexual beings and very accepting of all forms of the activity. Same sex and group situations are vividly portrayed as well as more blood play than many may have read before.

Fans of wickedly intense erotic reads will want to be sure to indulge in SINS OF THE FLESH.

March 2008