ARC Review: Munro (Immortals After Dark #18)

Munro (Immortals After Dark #18)

By Kresley Cole

Blurb:

A human monster huntress. An immortal werewolf. Could any passion be more forbidden?

TORMENTED IN UNIMAGINABLE WAYS

Coming off torture at the hands of his warlock captors, Munro MacRieve never expected to find his mate, or to lose her just as abruptly. Driven to desperation, the ruthless warrior uses his enemies’ own powers to reunite with her—in the distant past.

STOLEN FROM HER TIME

When a crazed werewolf crashes her wedding, Kereny “Ren” Codrina does what any cunning huntress would do: she captures him. Yet she finds herself softening toward the wounded beast—until he turns the tables and forces her into an incomprehensible future.

CAN A HUMAN AND AN IMMORTAL UNITE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE?

As danger mounts, Munro will do anything to make her undying, even sell his soul to an evil sorceress. But first he must convince his fiery mate that she belongs with him. If seduction means her survival, Munro will use every weapon in his arsenal to possess her—forever.

Themes:  Paranormal, Witches, Lykae...

Rating: 5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Before I get into the nitty gritty of my review I just have to say that I am so glad to have had this chance to read an early copy of Kresley Cole’s big comeback story Munro.  We have missed her during her brief sabbatical and are so glad she is back to releasing her magic and I can only say of her newest release hitting the target of perfection—“this bitch doesn’t miss.” So without further ado here are my thoughts on this great new book...

The newest story in the long running Immortals After Dark series has finally arrived and it was worth every second of the wait, I seriously could not put it down and am so thrilled to have gotten to venture back into this amazing world.  The story picks up right after the events of MacRieve with the second twin captured and enslaved by his enemies and then faced with the ultimate quest—saving his mate from ultimate death at all costs.  Kresley Cole’s dark imagination takes us through the adventure of two tortured souls as they work through their traumas, hang-ups, and fears in order to find a way through to one another and a future that will ultimately last for eternity and give them the happiness they both deserve more than any others we have seen. Longtime fans of the series will experience and recognize Kresley’s ability to twist the facts and understanding we all have of our world just enough to make us wonder “what if” and wish we ourselves could go along on these fantastical journeys.  But anyone that is just joining the series will be just as intrigued, finding themselves caught up in a passionate and fascinating story, but certainly not lost as we are given enough detail that you can jump right in (though as a fan I highly recommend, even if you do start here, you go back to the beginning and enjoy the whole series still).  I am seriously looking forward to whatever comes next and cannot imagine how she will top this one, but don’t doubt she will find a way to amaze me again.

Munro MacRieve has been captured by his most dangerous enemies and they have tried everything to enslave him, but they haven’t found his weakness, until they pull a human woman through a portal and his beast immediately recognizes his mate, only to lose her too soon.  But when he finds a way to escape his captors and return to his mate, protecting her from his enemies becomes his only goal in life.  Kereny “Ren” Codrina is attending her wedding and preparing for a huge battle against her enemies when a Lykae male crashes the party, takes her captive and declares her his Mate.  Soon on the run for their lives, Ren begins to understand that her life is no longer her own and that she can never return to the future she planned for herself, but she’s not sure she can come to terms with losing her humanity in order to mate the male she is fast losing herself to.  The more time Ren and Munro spend together the more their hearts are entwined, but with powerful enemies at every corner, fears leading their choices, and a completely uncertain future, their choices will either give them eternity together or separate these fated mates irrevocably.

These two characters both have terribly tragic pasts, but though it takes them so long to open up to one another their parallel experiences are one of the most important things that allows them to bridge the gap between their hearts.  Munro has spent centuries keeping his twin from self-destructing after the tragic loss of their parents, but he has also lost others he’s loved that have left fears and open wounds.  Finding his Mate certainly offers him some respite, but the concerns about her mortality and inability to open her heart and mind to him lead him to make many rash and hurtful decisions, showing us that even men that have lived for almost a millennia can still be boneheads when it comes to their women. His strength, stubbornness, protectiveness, and dedication to his family and mate were certainly expected traits, but his reasonableness, sweetness, and loving nature when he finally allowed himself to open up to Ren were a little bit more surprising.  I can honestly say I was surprised by just how often I went from wanting to punch him to wanting to jump him, much like Ren did I suspect.  All-in-all I think he will be one of my favorite characters of this series going forward, right up there with his king and one or two others. Ren was a hoot to be sure with her sass, smartass comments, and unwillingness to back down from any challenge, especially orders from Munro she didn’t like or agree with.  I loved watching her find her footing not as a foe but as a member of the Lore, making friends with those she once thought of as evil and learning that one shouldn’t make assumptions and generalization about an entire culture based on a few members of it.  She was shrewd in her dealings with her foes and mate alike, allowing her mind to remain her greatest weapon no matter what others she might have had at her disposable.  She was fierce, fearless against the changes in her life and the enemies she faced, and I admired the bravery she exhibited in all she did.  Once she opened herself to the possibilities of a different future and finding a new way of living her life she blossomed into not only a truly skilled fighter and leader, but a true warrior to be feared by her enemies and a protector of innocents.  I really enjoyed getting to see her open her eyes to those that could offer her a new perspective and making new friends.

Munro is certainly just the continuation we have all been looking for in this remarkable series that many of us have been anticipating and looking forward to for a very long time.  This story takes us on a mind-bending journey through time and space, teaching us that love knows no boundaries and that planning for a future doesn’t always mean it is the right one for us. Munro has his entire world rocked when Ren enters his sphere and does everything in his power to ensure that he never loses her again to anything, even her own fears and stubbornness.  Munro is the perfect alpha male, but like most males makes his share of mistakes and almost loses his love to stupid mistakes until he finally opens his mind and heart to truly offer what she needs—understanding. Ren is a hardcore warrior, one that would never be willing to give her heart or body to a monster, but she quickly learns that not all Monsters are evil and not all humans are good.  That change in perspective leads to an expansion that changes her entire life and Ren is more than willing to jump into the deep end for the man who has offered her so much including the love she never knew she needed.  The passion these two share is off the Richter scale from the beginning, making it even more fun for us to watch them resisting one another as they fight their needs, until they finally give into one another and their Instincts.  I loved every second of this story, tears, laughs, fears, and happiness, as these two found their way to love and a future together.  It was great getting to see many of the couples from previous stories, sharing in their lives and even seeing Ellie managing Lothaire still so skillfully. I am dying to find out what comes next (look out for that epilogue folks, it’s a killer!) and cannot wait to learn what happens in the ultimate battles as well as see who gets their mate next and the trials they will have to overcome.  All I can say for sure is that whatever comes next, the Queen is back with a vengeance!

*eARC provided by Author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.