The Passion

This book is an amazing read but also extremely distressing(at least for me). Part of the book made me cry for half an hour. It is not a romance at all. In fact, if you're expecting romance, don't read this. The book was well-written and caught hold of my emotions with a strangling grip. The characters were flawed, as all of us are, which somehow made the book better. It is an engrossing story and you will not be able to put it down until you're done. Wonderful thing to have when you want to ignore the outside world for a time(like perhaps in a noisy situation with nothing to do--schools, airports).I must say this, I tend to be sensitive to rape situations in books. For those like me, it might be a good idea to skip over this as the author does a fairly graphic and horrifying description of it at one point. If I'd known of this before I read the book, I'd have still read it(it's that great) but...I know better than to think others would do the same.

Compelling, absorbing, and lyrical... Ms. Boyd can sure tell a story. She spins a tale of a subculture of urbane werewolves that exist and live amidst humans, unbeknownst to most of them. They are wealthy, elegant, intelligent, well-educated, and powerful: the consummate "beautiful people" known as the Devoncroix clan. It is a story that is sinuous in its imagery and sensual in its use of language. The author expertly weaves the tale of Alexander, head of the Devoncroix clan, and his connection to the all too human Tessa. It is Tessa's fascination with Alexander and his fascination with her that is at the heart of this novel. The author's description of werewolves and their subculture is intriguing and spellbinding. She draws you in and before you know it, you are caught: hook, line, and sinker. You dread coming to the end of the book, and when you do, you cannot wait to go out and get the sequel. Anne Rice, beware! Here comes the heir apparent. Anyway, the book is a great read.

After reading the reviews here on this website, I immediately went out and bought both The Passion and The Promise. After devouring The Passion, I must say that the writing is first rate, which is the reason I gave five stars. I didn't want to stop until I was finished. Donna Boyd truly deserves the praise.But, I must say, that because I am one, I became really offended at the way Tessa, the human, was treated by the werewolves, and especially by Alexander. How could he say he loved Tessa at all and then treat her so harshly. He knew Tessa's love for him was as a human woman for a human man - especially since his werewolf wife, Elise all but gave him options at the sentencing other than to commit her to exile to Alaska where he knew she probably would not survive? His brother, Denis, became the more sympathetic figure for me. I was overjoyed that Alexander and Elise lost their firstborn. Maybe I'm being too critical, but maybe Ms. Boyd could have taken us into Alexander's mind during the time of Denis and Tessa's dangerous schlep across Alaska and for us to see how tormented he was by his decision. It would have given me satisfaction. The elitist attitude of the werewolves to the very end also became annoying to me.I am a fan of Happily Ever After. If you are, too, then this isn't the book for you, but if you are into a good read, then by all means, buy it. All that said, I finished the book in two days, I just couldn't stop reading - The Promise is just waiting to be read -- and isn't that what books are all about?

A compelling and romantic read about werewolfs that is difficult to put down. This novel begins a series that, perhaps, might surpass the allure of the "Vampire Chronicles" by Ann Rice. Donna Boyd has created an emotionally gripping tale of werewolfs who control a far reachng finacial empire controlled by the Devoncroix Corporation and their leader, Alexander, who enjoys the company of humans, but always remains loyal to the pack. The most deftly created scenes are those where the werewolf change from human form to their natural wolf form called the "passion". These scenes are so richly imagined and thought provoking that you wish you could become one of the pack and experience the freedom and power of being a wolf--but, through the beautifully written prose of the author, you actually do. If Ms. Boyds next book, The Promise, is anywhere near as good as this one, Ann Rice can step aside--their is a new leader of the pack. Experience "The Passion"