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A Dark, Forced Proximity, Vampire Romance
Black Sunshine: A Dark Vampire Romance
Paranormal Romance, Dark Romance, Dark Urban Fantasy
Independently Published
March 23, 2021
ebook, paperback
450
“Deliciously dark, sinfully sexy, absolute must read!” - Claire Contreras, NYT Bestselling author
A contemporary dark romance with a vampire twist, from the New York Times bestselling author of A Nordic King and Sins & Needles
All Lenore Warwick wants for her 21st birthday is to hang out with her friends, finish her second year at Berkeley with flying colors, and maybe catch the eye of a hot musician playing a show at a club that she can now (legally) get into.
Unfortunately, fate has other plans for her.
A week before her birthday, she’s kidnapped by the brooding and dangerous stranger with cold eyes and a lethal touch, who has been stalking her on San Francisco’s fog-shrouded streets. Absolon "Solon" Stavig isn’t your average criminal though. He’s a centuries-old vampire who’s caught between wanting to kill Lenore and wanting to save her.
You see Lenore, too, is a vampire.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
Taken by a pair of vampire slayers when she was just an infant, Lenore was raised never knowing her true nature. All Lenore knows is that she has (normal) parents who love her, that she’s exceptionally smart, and she’s squeamish around blood. But once she turns twenty-one, she’ll fully turn into a vampire, and Solon hopes he’ll be there to guide her, opening her eyes to her deepest hunger...both sexual and otherwise.
But this turning can’t be kept a secret. Soon both slayers and vampires are hunting Lenore, with only Solon and his unpredictable motley crew of vampires to save her.
If they don’t kill her first.
Black Sunshine is a dark adult standalone romance with a paranormal twist, about sex, love, secrets, and revenge, set in contemporary San Francisco. CONTENT WARNING: as a vampire romance with a sexy bite, it features blood, blood play, cutting, bondage, borderline M/F/M, and scenes of dubious consent
“I prefer the term mercenary. Misleading word though, isn’t it? It almost implies that I have mercy.” He gets to his feet. “And I don’t.”
Black Sunshine by Karina Halle is a standalone paranormal, dark romance that will have vampire fans filled with ghoulish delight. This is the kind of standalone story that because the premise is so unique and the setting is so dramatic that you will immediately want more.
Lenore is not your typical college student in San Francisco. She’s about to turn 21 and with that comes a whole new change for her…and she has no idea she’s a vampire. Meeting pre-vampire Lenore was interesting, but I liked her much better as a vampire. What makes Lenore’s character that much more fascinating is her interaction with Absolon—the vampire who helps her through her transition, and how he becomes so much more to her the more time she spends with him. The way Absolon helps Lenore navigate the various needs associated with a newly turned vampire is in itself an aspect that makes Black Sunshine a dark romance. Karina Halle doesn’t shy away from the extreme here. Lenore’s appetite for blood and for sex gets pushed to the deep end of the pool, and the way those needs are satisfied are not for the faint of heart.
“Play my game, Lenore,” he says into my ear, his voice is so low and quiet it feels like it’s originating inside my skull. “I”ll let you win.”
While most of Black Sunshine is about Lenore’s transition, there is also a deeper plot. Lenore and Absolon begin to piece together Lenore’s past and what her transition means for not just her future but the future of other vampires just like her. Just like with any paranormal romance, Lenore is unique. She’s the vampire that is born with so few others like her. This isn’t your Twilight-esque vampire romance, so be prepared for that before going into it. Also keep in mind that Black Sunshine is indeed a romance, and while the journey to Lenore’s Happily Ever After takes a hot minute, when she finally brings her man to his knees, it’s so fangtastic! And don’t come after me for that pun, please.
Karina Halle has created something truly special with Black Sunshine. I love the overall resurgence of vampire paranormal romance books, and the idea behind Black sunshine makes it a stand-out among a crowded genre. I highly recommend that any fan of paranormal romance, dark romance, and stories that skirt the edge of a thriller should give Black Sunshine a read. I also really enjoyed how Karina Halle seamlessly worked in some really great romance tropes into the story. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and almost like a stalker turned fated mates situation made this story really memorable. I also need to mention how much I adore the cover! Black Sunshine is available now, so if you need a book with some bite then definitely check this one out!
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
