Love Bites

Thicker Than Water

By: Ann-Katrin Byrde

Narrated by: John Solo

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

Other parents give their children toys and party games for their birthday. My dad gave me and my siblings wooden stakes and flash grenades. To protect us from vampires.

From the moment he adopted us, he warned us about the dangers that lurk in the dark. Obviously, I thought he was crazy. Vampires aren’t real, and I was already enduring enough panic attacks without buying into dad’s insane ideas.

But then I met Talon.

Talon has fascinating scars and a mouth I want to kiss and a body I want to feel - and fangs.

Vampire fangs.

Suddenly, the weapons dad gave me start looking real useful.

Only I don't want to fight Talon. I want to feel his teeth on my neck. I can't explain it. He makes my knees goes weak. I know it's wrong, but it feels right.

It feels like destiny.

When Talon bites me, I forget everything, even that he is a monster. Even that I shouldn't be falling for him.

Even that his coven wants me dead.

©2019 Ann-Katrin Byrde (P)2019 Ann-Katrin Byrde

Mpreg and Vampires!

This story started out tragic but ended happy. Honestly I loved Talon from the very beginning, the way he watched Collin, needing to protect him. The end was a surprise, I wasn't expecting it. This is a wonderful start to a new series and I hope there are many more stories to come. Luke needs his happily ever after.
Narrator John Solo does a fabulous job.

New slant on vampire love

I read the book before I listened to it. The narrative voice increased my appreciation of this story. The rich voice filled with emotional nuance has given me a deeper understanding of the written words. This story has taken a fresh new approach to an often told trope. There are plenty of interesting characters introduced in this first book. The story flows smoothly and the love is smoking hot. Talon and Colin are a great couple and I look forward to seeing them in future books. Can't wait for more of this interesting new series.

A sweet mpreg vampire romance!

This was a sweet vampire mpreg, opposites attract paranormal romance.
The world building was unique and refreshing and the storyline was compelling.
Talon and Collin were sweet together and I liked the chemistry between them.
John Solo's narration was flawless and so apt for this one.
If you love a steamy steamy vampire romance between one sexy vampire and a hunter whose very heart he is after, you will love this.

New take on vampires!

Story: 4*
Love Bites has an interesting story line and new take on vampire lore. This is the first book in the series and had a lot of foundation to lay for the next books which made it a bit slower in some parts but was needed. I enjoyed Colin and Talon's relationship and each of their relationships with their brother's and partners. I especially liked Colin's strength and Talon's support of him as the story went on. And their sexy times were hot! I am excited to see where this author duo takes the story from here and really want to see what happens to each of the other brothers, especially Luke!

Narration: 5*
This is the first narration I've heard by John Solo but won't be the last. I liked the voice variation he brought in for each of the characters and it made the story come more to life for me.

Overall: 4.25*
Would recommend and am eagerly waiting for the next in the series!

Love and Fangs

Colin is a young man with a tragic past. His biological parents were murdered, and his adoptive father died suddenly after they had a heated argument. A year after his adoptive father’s death, Colin ends up at a bar where he meets Talon. Meeting Talon changes everything for Colin. First, Talon is the love of Colin’s life, and second, Talon is a vampire. A vampire who uncovers the secrets of Colin’s past, secrets which threaten to destroy Talon, Colin, and their loved ones.

The Ann-Katrin Byrde writing duo have created a fantastic start to an exciting new series. In this world there are vampires, witches, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures who keep their presence hidden from the average human. Colin’s adoptive father is not the average human, and it turns out, his adoptive children aren’t (no surprise there) average humans either. This isn’t a new storyline concept, but it’s definitely an exciting one when done right. Ann-Katrin Byrde did this story right. There is action, humor, love, cute moments, and hot sex scenes. There were some small portions of the plot that did feel a little slow for me, but those moments didn’t last long, and they was necessary build up for some of the more action packed and fun scenes.

What I loved the most about this book was the characterization of Colin. He was such a fun and delightful guy, and he immediately endeared himself to me. Talon was also wonderful crafted. He had depths and complexities, and wasn’t just another hot vampiric hunk-of-man. The supporting characters were also strongly written, and I’m so curious to know their backstories and secrets.

The audiobook version of Love Bites was narrated by John Solo who does an absolutely fantastic job. John is a master at voicing characters and making them feel alive. I didn’t just listen to this audiobook, I was swept away by an exquisite performance.

I rate base on my enjoyment and gut feelings and thus for both the book and audiobook, I have to give Love Bites an overall rating of 5/5 stars. I was engaged with the story the entire time, and loved it. Once the book was over, I was left wanting more. I’m excited for the sequel.

loved it.

vampires, what's not to love 😉
another amazing performance by John Solo. he's one of my favourite narrators. I got completely sucked into the story. can't wait for the next book in the series.

great start to the series

I'm a huge fan of insta attraction and insta love, so this was a no brainer for me. I loved it all. I enjoyed the intrigue and mystery the authors created around Collin's true nature and what was happening. I had a big laugh when Talon had to tell Collin they'd had "relations" because he couldn't remember due to the mind sweep. lol. Real ego booster! I loved the selflessness of both men. Looking forward to the next book. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator brought it to life with voices and expressions.

Pretty good

I'm not a big fan of the narration but I like the story and characters enough to keep me enthralled. I'm planning to listen to the rest of the series.

In the beginning

I enjoyed this story overall. The idea of mpreg and dhampyres being created was unique. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

How heteronormative!

Male Pregnancy? Really?

This is a disturbing trend in both paranormal and extraterrestrial MM romances.

Just a little bit tasty...

Collin and his adopted siblings were raised by a man who focused on educating his children in all things vampire, specifically how to protect themselves from creatures of the night intent on hunting them. They grew up hearing their father carry on about vampires as if they really existed, and, despite being told they were real, the kids thought their adoptive dad was a little crazy pants. That is until Collin is confronted by a werewolf while leaving a nightclub and has to be saved by a vampire named Talon, making him realize that maybe dear old dad hadn’t been so crazy after all.

The characters were pretty good and I did like them, but some of them fell flat for me. Collin came across as the most developed. He was a plucky individual that harbored some serious emotional trauma. He truly suffered from the devastating events of his childhood that left him orphaned. Talon, on the other hand, seemed a little less fleshed out. Memories of his past were lost once he was transformed into a vampire, so the little flashes of his past were all we really know about who he was before death. We learn that he’s pretty much a puppet for his sire, unable to defy direct orders that are given to him. That alone really made me feel for Talon because he literally lost his human life and became a glorified slave for his sire, Zenon. Aside from Lucas, Aldrich, and maybe Remy, I wasn’t overly interested in any of the secondary characters which was a real shame.

For the plot, I did love that the main characters were so drawn to each other. Despite having to go their separate ways to protect Collin, they wound up coming together again as if they were destined to be together. Some of the other reviewers made comments about this book having an ‘instalove’ aspect, but I didn’t get that feeling at all. Yes, the characters came together and seemed to be drawn to one another, but there were no shmoopy declarations of love right away. Saying that I do think the development of their relationship could have used some more on-page time because I love seeing the growth of a couple.

The bits of humor laced throughout this book was fantastic! It was especially funny seeing Collin lose his everloving mind about the fact that he was pregnant. I found myself giggling at some of the things he popped off with. It was refreshing seeing a book about vampires that wasn’t all dark doom and gloom. It made this book a nice balance between being all sunshine or rainy days.

The overall plot was just alright for me. Being a huge fan of AKB, I am used to her producing fantastic storylines for her other series, but this book wasn’t as good as her other work. There was intrigue, attraction, love, conflict, resolution, a brand new baby, and a HEA. That’s a perfect recipe for a happy listener when it comes to me, so I’m not sure why I wasn’t in love with this book more.

Ann-Katrin Byrd and John Solo are usually a match made in heaven when it comes to producing fantastic books. Until now, I’ve loved every single book that John has narrated for Ann because they make such a good team. Ann is a wonderfully engaging author who draws me into her fictional creations, and John brings those fictional creations to life with his captivating narrations. Between the two of them, I find myself utterly fascinated by so many characters and places that stick with me long after I’ve finished the story. Unfortunately, Love Bites just didn’t live up to my expectations for the dynamic duo that is AKB and John Solo. The book was good and John was great, as always, but I wasn’t in love.

I would recommend this book to my friends that are into gay vampire romance with a heads up that it’s an enjoyable read with a conventional plot. Those familiar with AKB might not be as impressed if they go into this book expecting an earth-shattering story like that of her Mercy Hills series. I would advise anyone reading this book to go into it with an open mind. It’s not a bad read at all, and it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon.

weird but enjoyable

the storyline became stranger as it got further into the book. I can't say I didn't enjoy it but just be prepared for it to get weird. the narrator was also very good

a thrilling love story

I enjoyed the story a lot I couldn't stop listening I really enjoyed it :). the only issue I have is that while the narrator wasn't bad by any means, he's actually very good iv listen to others read by him, but I found that his more softer tone was a little odd to what he was speaking about; just a little disjointed but once I got use to it it was fine just something to note.

There comes a time for every vampire

When the idea of eternity becomes unbearable. Living in the Shadows, feeding in the darkness with only your own company to keep rotts into a solitary hollow existence. Immortality seems like a good idea until you realize that you are going to spend it... Alone. ~Unknown~

This quote resonated for me because I felt like this was how Talon lived most of his Vampire life while serving Zenon. It's like he was just drifting without a real purpose and I felt the loneliness. Then Collin crashes into his life and lots of it flips for him. I really loved the relationship between Talon & Collin. I don't want to give any spoilers away but there was a lot of interesting things going on while we are learning more and more about Collin and his families past. I really loved this book. There was only a couple of times that I felt like Collin was whiny and melodramatic, John Solo nailed his voice when he was acting childish, which made the situations better. I don't know if I could have dealt with Collin in my head alone if I was reading this book. So thank you John Solo for the moral support when crafting all of the voices. You killed it!! 💝

Just what I come to expect from Ms AKB!

Excellent!!

Thoroughly enjoyed - Just what I come to expect from Ms AKB.

Always enjoy her books 😊

Can’t wait to start the next instalment and hope that like the ‘Mercy Hills series, there will be plenty more audiobooks to come 😊

Love Bites

A very well written book . Narration fits the characters and made good listening, very enjoyable.

A vampire and a human!

Love comes in many shapes, for Collin is an alluring vampire. His memories haunt him so he makes a deal with said vamp. I like the world building, the group of adoptees Collin is a part of. They live in a world of magic they are unaware of also. There is a slow burn for the MCs, a bit of angst, a skeleton on a sofa, and lots of love. Great paranormal story!

as good as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B

Instalove, fated mates

Great start to a new series.
Plenty of snarky banter, humor and action.
New twist on the vampire world, great characters and world building.
John Solo did an amazing job narrating, he kept me engaged throughout.

A good story and narration that suck you in!

A new vampire series that sucks you in (in a good way) :)
Collin is a snarky, slightly bratty young man that happens to meet a vampire (Talon) at a bar. Both men were fun to read/listen to. ... especially when Collin would push Talon's buttons. Their story is very interesting and I'm looking forward to reading more about these 2 (their story ends as a HFN, but is complete on its own), and the newly created vampire who may already be known to Collin and his family.
John Solo is excellent as Collin, Talon and Aldritch. Actually, he does a great job with all the characters, but he really captured the tone of these 3 - snark (Collin); stoicism (Talon) and puckish-like tendencies (Aldritch).
Great way to enjoy this book!