Review: Darkness Bound


Darkness Bound
Darkness Bound by J.T. Geissinger

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Romance Review
Do you love shifters? DARKNESS BOUND is a fabulous paranormal romance with a new-to-me author, Ms. Geissinger. For those who love Christine Feehan's Leopard series, the Night Prowler series is for you. Full disclosure, I did not read the first four books in this series. I jumped into the fifth book and easily caught up to speed with the world building and storyline.

Jacqueline Dolan aka Jack is an investigative reporter who possesses a death wish. She travels to hostile locations during dangerous situations. The fact that she hasn't been killed or maimed is quite amazing. She also seems to be a person who is running from her past. She makes the mistake of writing an article pushing for the destruction of all shape-shifters known as the Ikati. Instead of killing her in retaliation, the Ikati uses her as a way to change public opinion. Although, to enlighten Jack, the Ikati need to cross some questionable lines. Hawk is the poor Ikati male forced to bring Jack to the colony and watch over her. It's not an easy task.

Hawk is the abused bastard son of the previous alpha. He's literally a whipping boy and it's despicable. The way Hawk is treated makes me rage with a thirst for vengeance. He's antisocial and just wants to be left alone. Unfortunately, the current alpha is an asshole and his legitimate younger half-brother. When Hawk is paired up with Jack, their life will never be the same.

The world building in this book is familiar and easy to follow. Since I've read similar themes like this one, it is easy to pick up the story from any of the books. What makes this book good for me is the character building. Hawk and Jack are both damaged from their childhood. It's hard pressed for some readers to pick which one is worse. Personally, I feel that Jack's childhood is the worst. The trauma she experienced impacted her entire family and the repercussions were severe. When Hawk and Jack open up to each other through their trials, it is a beautiful thing to watch. They both change for the better. It's not ideal, yet it's still a step closer to acceptance and understanding. This is the message I applaud Ms. Geissinger for slipping into her story. It's pretty obvious she's hoping for a better world where there are no bigots and people work together for a better tomorrow. She does it in a slightly heavy-handed manner, yet it's balanced well with the romance in this story.

While I never experienced the trauma Hawk and Jack went through as a kid and they aren't people I can identify with, I still bonded with them. This is what makes a book good for me. When characters are different from me and yet I still empathize with them and admire them, it's a great read. The emotions this story pulls from me make the book memorable and enjoyable. A reader will run the gamut of feelings when reading this tale--anger, sadness, frustration, hope and happiness. Ms. Geissinger creates just the right blend of emotions for a satisfying journey. She ends it on a lovely note.

     Instead [redacted] said in a steady, soft voice, those blue eyes burning, "[redacted], you underhanded son of a dung beetle...I love you. With all my heart and soul, I love you. I'm not a religious person, but because of you, I believe in miracles. You taught me how to be loved. I never knew what that meant before, I was too busy feeling terrible and hating myself" (Kindle loc. on 5960-5963)

This is a story beautiful story of two lost people finding their way together. Recommended for romantics who never give up hope.


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