To Love and Serve

  

To Love and Serve by Caridad Pineiro was an action packed suspense that will make you a bit scared to go outside when it's dark!!  Diana is a strong heroine, and as an FBI agent she just wants to do the right thing and protect others.  She has had a rough time since her father died in the line of duty when she was a teenager.  She's never felt the same about life...and she feels a darkness inside of her.  When a raid goes bad and Diana is contaminated with vampire blood from Ryder, the vampire trying to save her, her life can never be the same.  She's now on forced leave from the FBI, in a relationship with Ryder, and inside she's slowly dying.  For now she is surviving thanks to the treatments from Ryder's keeper.  But if Diana doesn't turn soon, she will die a very human death.

Ryder loves Diana more than he thought it was possible to.  Since he's been with Diana he's been more and more involved in the vampire community.  When a killer starts targeting vampires, Ryder is drawn into the investigation as part of the vampire council.  Wanting to protect Diana he does not tell her about it.  But soon she will be drawn in anyway.  As the humans, vampires, and slayers try to track down a killer, Diana is getting sicker and sicker...the treatments don't work for as long.  She doesn't want to be without Ryder, but she's scared of the darkness in her and what turning will bring out in her.  She's terrified of losing Ryder.

Ryder wants to spend forever with Diana, but it has to be her decision.

Caridad gives us another great paranormal romance with To Love and Serve.  She manages to blend well the paranormal aspect and vampires with everyday issues everyone faces...uncertainty, love, and family relationships.  Caridad draws the plot out well along with a few surprises so you're never bored!  Ryder and Diana are both very strong characters who work so well together.  The romance and mystery probably take up equal parts of the story because they are interwoven so well together, and Ryder and Diana are key players in both.

I was a little confused at times and would have liked a bit more background on certain events or people in To Love and Serve, but overall found it to be an intense, thrilling paranormal romance.  To Love and Serve has loose connections to the first book in this series, For Love or Vengeance (which I highly recommend!), but the characters are very different and To Love and Serve can definitely be read as a stand alone book.

4/5 stars