Review: When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

Title: When Blood Calls (ARC)
Author: J.K. Beck
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 08/31/10
Summary:

Attorney Sara Constantine is thrilled with her promotion -- until she finds out that she must now prosecute vampires and werewolves. The first defendant she’ll be trying to put away? Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius kisses a beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s hoping only to avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss ignites into an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows that Sara is determined to see him locked away -- unless he can convince her that he’s not a monster. And that might mean making the ultimate sacrifice.

Plot: 5 Stars
This novel really showed off the author's knowledge of the court system. In a way it was reminiscent of Diana Rowland's Mark of the Demon, and her knowledge of police procedure. I really enjoyed the detail the author brought to the novel, both within the paranormal court system, and in the characters' lives. I also enjoyed the paranormal lore in this story, particularly the vampires and how they must stay in control of their demon in order to keep from becoming homicidal maniacs.

Pace: 5 Stars
I really liked that this novel was from multiple points of view, including a few that were not the main heroine and hero. It was a pleasant change from so many paranormal romances I've read lately. It gave a fuller picture to the story being told. And I think it also helped move the novel along because you got to witness more scenes, as compared to just being told about them. The twists and turns in this novel were intense, and the ending blew my mind.

Characters: 5 Stars
I felt a real connection to Sara, and not just because we share the same name (and it was spelled right). She was very passionate for her career and her beliefs, and just came across as very personable. Lucius wasn't your typical hero in some ways. Although he was completely badass, he wasn't cocky about it. He showed compassion, both towards Sara and towards his ward, an girl who was a bit addled when he changed her and never quite in control as a vampire. The detectives involved in the case had interesting powers, and I loved to hate them.

Cover: 5 Stars
I'm not normally a fan of the bare-chested male on a cover, but for some reason this cover really attracted my eye. I enjoyed not seeing the cover model's face so that I could imagine my own image of Lucius from only the descriptions given within the novel. I like the color combination of black, gray, and red. The choice of using two fonts for the title is very interesting and unique, and definitely makes this title stand out next to other titles in the genre. My favorite part of the cover is the attention brought to the ring, because it does play a part in the story.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author.