The Ravening

After thirty years away from Cumberland, Milosh, Brotherhood vampire hunter and slayer, returned to find his closest friends' manor nothing but a burnt out ruin. According to the vicar of the village, Milosh was six months too late and had no way of knowing whether his friends, the Hyde-White family had escaped. Stabling down his vampire stallion Somnus, Milosh entered the ruins sensing he was not alone. Still, he was not prepared for the young Gypsy woman (Paloma) who escaped the ruins by stealing his stallion. Milosh was stunned to be caught so off guard and after catching Paloma he was further shocked by his physical reaction to her. Paloma had been bitten by Sebastian, the vampire Milosh had been tracking and trying to kill for over 400 years. When questioned Paloma denied having been attacked thinking that if Milosh knew she had been bitten and suffered the bloodlust, he would kill her. Lust overcame common sense and Milosh, surrendering to his passion, made love to Paloma, who having not fed for days lost control bit and drank of Milosh's blood. The outcome of the bite was Paloma was cured of her bloodlust, and Milosh, who for 400 years had been free of the vampire bloodlust after completing the Blood Moon ceremony, now reverted back to the state of those he hunted. *** Milosh is one of the original characters that Ms. Thompson introduced and actively employed in the previous books of this trilogy. He was the first to have overcome his ravening for blood (or bloodlust) by discovering the cure of the Blood Moon and acted as mentor, teacher and friend to the Hyde-White family who were infected by his age-old nemesis Sebastian and featured as the main characters in BLOOD MOON and THE BROTHERHOOD. Finally, in THE RAVENING Milosh has his own story - an absorbing, tense, edge-of-the-seat rollercoaster ride of passion and thrills galore! Everyone must have a soul-mate and after 400 years of wandering Milosh found his in Paloma and their sensual passionate encounter where he let down his guard after all those years almost killed him. Thompson described this terrifying nightmare beautifully as the bloodlust he had avoided in all those years, came back with a vengeance. Thompson expertly described Milosh's agony as he fought the urge to kill the woman he loved as he quickly began a descent into madness. Calling upon the Brotherhood of vampire hunters he had created, he asked them to protect and guide Paloma. When his friends the Hyde-White's finally reappeared, it was a bittersweet reunion - they'd come to do what Milosh had tutored them to do - to destroy the ravening vampire he'd become. Milosh only had one chance to try another Blood Moon ritual to save himself, but before he did that the author brings you on a suspense filled ride as Milosh tries one more time to destroy Sebastian, or die trying. Ms. Thompson did a wonderful job in giving a vivid image of the evil that was Sebastian; the innocence of Paloma; and the descent into

After years away, Brotherhood warrior Milosh returns to the Hyde-White family manor in Cumberland, England to complete his long term quest of killing the lord of the evil vampires Sebastian. He is stunned with what he sees as the house is a ruin obviously destroyed by fire and his friends like Joss are gone. However, most shocking is the Gypsy living amidst the wreckage. He demands Paloma explain why she hides in this cold dump. She tells him she took refuge in this forbidden place that no one visits anymore here praying and waiting in hope that someone would come to teach her the Blood Moon technique so she can control her blood lust thirst. Paloma further explains a shapeshifting vampire bit her. Milosh is further stunned as he realizes he wants Paloma, but must not allow her to become a pawn in his war with Sebastian who he assumes bit her. She makes it even more difficult to resist her when she offers her love, body and soul to him. Decades since the events of early Victorian THE BROTHERHOOD and even more years since Regency THE BLOOD MOON, the final tale in the Chronicles of the Blood Moon Victorian vampire saga is a superb final confrontation between good and evil. The key to this excellent vampire romantic suspense is how Dawn Thompson keeps the feeling that the bad guy is going to win as the hero is distracted by love. THE RAVENING is vampire historical romantic suspense at its best. Harriet Klausner

Set in Cumberland, England, 1871. Milosh has lived over four centuries. He is a vampire-hunter. During this long space of time his name has become legend. Milosh is a vampire, but has no blood lust due to a blood moon ritual. He is alive, not undead. Milosh tracks an age-old nemesis, Sebastian Valentine. Sebastian is a monster able to take the form of a wolf or multiple bats at will. Once again the hunt has brought Milosh to Whitebriar Abbey, home to his close friends, the Hyde-Whites. However, Whitebriar Abbey is in ruins. The place had been destroyed by fire only six months prior. As Milosh takes shelter in the crumbling mound he comes across a young gypsy, Palmona; and for the first time in centuries, finds love. But Milosh lets down his guard for a moment, and Palmona, needing blood, bites Milosh. The result is that Palmona becomes immune to the blood lust and Milosh loses his immunity. Palmona had been dancing under the moonlight when Sebastian mesmerized her. He would have succeeded in changing her had the members of her caravan not heard her scream and come searching. In fear, the caravan leaves Palmona to die. Palmona flees the call of the wolves and takes temporary shelter in some ruins. There, she meets Milosh. Legend says that Milosh knows a cure for vampirism; so Palmona stays in hopes of getting the cure. At first, Palmona fears the Romanian (with good reason). But it does not take long for the young gypsy to fall in love with Milosh. During a moment of weakness, Palmona gives into the blood lust. It is a moment she long regrets. Other vampires quickly learn that Palmona took the White Wolf's blood and is immune to the blood lust. Palmona is now the target of all the night creatures. Milosh, the vampire-hunter, has become that which he has hunted for four centuries. Milosh calls upon the Brotherhood to keep her safe, even from him. The Brotherhood obeys Milosh, but call upon the Hyde-Whites to strike the death blow, should it be needed. Milosh and Palmona race to get the ingredients for the Blood Moon ritual. The time of the eclipse draws near. Another will not come for over two years; far too late for Milosh. As the duo race against time, Sebastian and his minions are on their trail, and friends watch in hopes of a miracle. ***** This is the third book in the Blood Moon series. Readers have been waiting for Milosh to get his own story, myself included, and this tale was definitely worth the wait. The author did a wonderful job. There were times in the story that I saw no way for Milosh and Palmona to win. Characters from the two previous books (the Hyde-Whites) eventually enter the story, giving the entire series a more realistic touch. If you have not read the first two books, do not worry; this is a stand-alone story. However, I highly recommend that you pick up the first two titles (Blood Moon & The Brotherhood) and read all three in order. Should you do so, you will get a much deeper emotional impact. And as you begin re

Brought to you by - Night Owl Romance Reviews Paloma is a young gypsy woman who loves dancing in the moonlight. One night she escapes her sleazy stepfather's grasp and flees off into the night. As she finds peace dancing under the twinkling stars and moon, she finds herself in an evil creature's clutches, and with one bite, Paloma's life is changed forever. Milosh has come back to England to destroy the evil vampire, Sebastian and to seek out his friends the Hyde-Whites, but he finds the Whitebriar Abbey destroyed. While at the ruins of the abbey he finds Paloma there. This intriguing little thief gets under his skin and makes his blood boil. Can Milosh resist temptation? Or will he end up a blood-crazed beast? Dawn Thompson once again gives us a masterpiece! As you travel with Paloma and Milosh on their adventure, you will feel each one of their gut-wrenching emotions as through they were your very own. When Paloma is face to face with the evil creature that bites her, you can smell his foul stench and feel her spine-tingling fear! "The Ravening" is captivating and exhilarating and you will find yourself holding your breath as you take the ride of your life with these amazing people! There are plenty sparks between Milosh and Paloma that will definitely cause a lot of sizzling between the sheets of this blazing book! Although, "The Ravening" is a stand-alone book, it is part of the "Blood Moon" series and I am sure Ms. Thompson will have everyone flocking to their neighborhood bookstores for all these amazing books! Excerpt at: http://dawnthompson.com/Ravening.htm Reviewer: Janean Sparks of Night Owl Romance © Night Owl Romance 2007-2008 Tammie King - Owner http://www.nightowlromance.com

Romantic Times gave this book a 4 1/2 stars (they don't give out 5s) selected it as a TOP PICK, and gave the hero a K.I.S.S. Award, all well-earned. I have truly enjoyed BLOOD MOON and The BROTHERHOOD, the first two in the Blood Moon series, but have so waited for THE RAVENING, the third book, because of Milosh. His character appeared in the first two books and he just had to have his own story. I have heard there will be more Blood Moon vamp books down the road, but for now this completes the arc of this trilogy. And WOW! Dawn Thompson conjured up a new vampire hybrid in a market, when everyone said nothing could be done that hasn't already been done with vamps. Thompson does what she is best at - goes back to the original roots of mythology, in this case, back to where vampire lore started. She created a hybrid of Stoker's Dracula and Regency Romance, a period where Thompson seems most at home. She made the series new, without all the modern day trappings, and got it back to its dark origins, in a sexy, savvy series of both that please horror readers as well as romance readers. In creating Milosh, the Gypsy vampire hunter, she gave us a hero that was itching to break out into his own book. Finally, we get to see Milosh in his full glory. Milosh has lived over four centuries now. Milosh is a vampire, but because of the Blood Moon Ceremony, he is able to live his life in control of the hunger that affects vampires. He has tirelessly worked to see others like him protected the world from the undead monsters that stalk unsuspecting humans. He's formed the Brotherhood, those like him that are dedicated to stopping the evil menace. Only, even he is not above the rule of the Brotherhood, and it may cost him his life. The book takes up in Cumberland, England in the late 1800s, moving from Regency period to Victorian era in the series. Milosh is a legend among the vampire hunters, but he still must face his ancient enemy, Sebastian Valentine. Sebastian's trail has brought Milosh near Whitebriar Abbey, where the Hyde-Whites now live (first two books). Only the place is now in ruins. He pauses to rest in the burnt out ruins, and there meets Paloma, a beautiful Gypsy. Paloma has been bitten and needs blood, and she makes the mistake of biting Milosh. In a bizarre change, she is now immune from the vampire blood lust, but Milosh has been turned back into what he hates most - a ravening vampire. Only, in taking the blood that has saved her, she becomes the target of those wanting the power her blood now contains. Milosh calls upon the Brotherhood to save her, no longer believing he can control his blood ravening. The Brotherhood that he built may have to kill him to keep her safe. The only thing that can save him is The Blood Moon Ceremony. But will he be able to perform the ceremony in time? The next cycle would be two years away too late to save him. It's now or never. The Ravening is very much a stand-alone story, but for pure enjoyment read