Blood Will Tell by December Quinn

TITLE: Blood Will Tell
AUTHOR: December Quinn
PUBLISHER: Ellora’s Cave
LENGTH: Novel (roughly 67k)
GENRE: Paranormal erotic romance
COST: $5.95

Brilliant scientist Cecelia Barnes is working on the brink of danger. Her blood research threatens vampire existence, and they attempt to put an end to it by kidnapping and killing her. She gets saved by the enigmatic Julian Mansfield, who insists that the only way to keep her safe is to say with him and his family. What she doesn’t realize is that the man who is driving her crazy is really a vampire, and he’s at the heart of the war her research is instigating. Love and desire complicate issues further as Julian races to keep her safe, as well as his true identity.

Just when I start thinking I’m insane for even bothering with Ellora’s Cave any more, I buy a book that makes me decide to stick it out a little bit longer. What’s so ironic is what makes this book more worthy isn’t the sex scenes. While those are certainly competent enough – and deluged throughout the book, just as EC books tend to be – what elevates this is the author’s ability to write tight, suspenseful scenes in the context of her plot. There is one particular chase scene a little over halfway through the book that is thrilling and nervewracking, as expertly executed as the scene in “Speed” where they have to jump the gap in the unfinished overpass. That’s just good writing.

It’s a shame, then, where the book doesn’t follow through on its promise elsewhere. There is minor headhopping – a pet peeve of mine – and descriptions in the sex scenes that border on the ew. Honestly, women who drench their partners when they orgasm isn’t sexy for me, and the word “weeping” should never be used in conjunction with female arousal. Cecilia is supposed to be this brilliant scientist, but she sure never acts like it. She falls for Julian’s attraction with barely a bat of an eye and spends a good part of the book whining about not being treated like she can contribute. Frankly, I think they were better off working on their own anyway. I certainly never believed she had the brainpower to be a useful part of the team.

That makes it harder to invest in the romance between Cecelia and Julian. They are best when they are bantering, which doesn’t happen nearly enough after the first time they have sex. Julian is sexy and engaging, but in the end, I didn’t understand why he’d choose this woman to be his partner for eternity after having been single for so many centuries. In my eyes, he could have done a lot better.

I looked at the author’s website, and this is only her second title to be released. With as much potential as she shows in this story, I’m definitely going to be watching her. I almost wonder if she might be better off steering away from the more erotic stories. Her plotting and action scenes are far superior to the romance in this particular tale. It’ll be something to watch with her.

Readability	8/10 – Non-sex scenes fare better than sex scenes in this, minor headhopping pulls me out of the story
Hero	8/10 – Charming and engaging, though I liked him much better when he’s bantering than when he pulls out the emo
Heroine	6/10 – A little whiny, and any attempt to convince me she was a brilliant professional failed
Entertainment value	7/10 – Oddly enough, I like this much more for the story than the sex
World building	6/10 – The author takes too long to explain her version of vampires (the end, practically), and I spend the whole book getting pulled out of it with niggling questions like, “Why are they breathing?”
TOTAL:	35/50