DARK PROMISES is Book 29 in Christine Feehan's Dark series. DARK PROMISES has more resonance for longtime fans of the series, especially ones who have read DARK MAGIC, the book that introduced Gary Jansen. Christine Feehan has done a spectacular job of chronicling Gary's evolution over the course of the series. Reading about his journey, and being so invested in the character, makes the events in DARK PROMISES so powerful and poignant.

DARK PROMISES opens with all the potential of a Greek tragedy in the making. As I read DARK PROMISES, an emo soundtrack was playing in my mind. Gabrielle Sanders is an incredibly sympathetic character. At the opening of the story, her hopes for the future and dreams are shattered and reformed. Gabrielle goes from an anticipated wedding with the man she believes she loves, almost immediately to an unexpected and torrid mating with a half-crazed ancient Carpathian with a serious case of righteous indignation. I love that in DARK PROMISES, Christine Feehan tackles head-on the themes of fate as it applies to romantic love, and whether magic and biology trump strong feelings of love that develop organically over years. This is a question that has been flirted with in almost every book in this Dark series.

Over the span of Christine Feehan's Dark series, she has had a wide range of alpha male characters. Two of her more strong yet gentle male characters, who also appear in DARK PROMISES, have been Andre and Fane. Aleksei is an extremely dominant man with few soft edges. However, in spite of his hard edge, he rocks Gabrielle's world and provides everything she discovers she needs and wants both sexually and emotionally. Aleksei ventures more out of his comfort zone as the story progresses in order to please Gabrielle, and because he becomes more secure in her feelings for him. Aleksei and Gabrielle's path to love is highly erotic and a blazing one involving domination and submission.

DARK PROMISES is a fiery and unrelenting romance as well as a compelling story that ends with hope. The secondary sweet and sexy romance involving Fane and his fated mate makes a fascinating and enjoyable counterpoint to the intensity of Aleksei and Gabrielle's relationship. Christine Feehan balances the darkly erotic elements in DARK PROMISES with a well-crafted mix of longing, despair and hope. These strong emotions are captured so exquisitely that the reader can't help but feel the ferocity of them. The new characters Christine Feehan introduces in DARK PROMISES are intriguing and make me excited to read the next book in this Dark series.