Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night: Immortals After Dark, Book 4

By: Kresley Cole

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

Her breathless kiss haunts him...

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed - until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible...

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction...

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul - or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

©2007 Kresley Cole (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

The title is self-explanatory i.e hot, hot, HOT!

Until this installment I didn’t realize that many of the plots in this series run parallel to each other, so when I found myself back in the midst of the Hie I was ecstatic. It was interesting finding out what happened to Bowen after Sebastian trapped him, and learning more about the witch who cursed him. The two protagonists played a wonderfully devious game of cat and mouse throughout WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER’S NIGHT which made their dialogue hysterically funny, and their lovemaking mercurial, especially when MacRieve accidentally screamed his ex’s name. I had a blast listening to this title; Kresley Cole & Robert Petkoff are a powerhouse of audiobook wizardry!

Thus far, we’ve become versed in the intricate Lore surrounding this author’s Valkyries, vampires, and werewolves, so you’d be right to infer that my expectations vis-à-vis her witches were through the roof. Mariketa’s also part fey which means that Cole had heaps of awesome new material to work with, and rest assured that none of it was wasted. I loved discovering the powers related to the five casts, exploring the specifics surrounding the Awaited’s prophecy, and the captromancer powers were just plain cool (and creepy!). Other than a bit of glamour, and a couple of secondary characters, the fey elements were negligible which I’m assuming was intentional, and will be explored in a future installment.

I liked how dissimilar the two protagonists were; Mari is only twenty-two years old, hasn’t been frozen into her immortality yet, and is the embodiment of a modern young woman. In comparison, Bowen is ancient, has already found & lost his mate, and is prejudiced towards witches. Also, their relationship really got off on the wrong foot what with Mariketa cursing the werewolf, and MacRieve entombing her with crazed incubi. Watching these two attempt to bridge the gap was an exercise in futility, but when they finally give in to their baser instincts their chemistry was as clear as day. The twist at the end was exquisite, and I adored how it all came together.

With only three IMMORTALS AFTER DARK installments under my belt, and still ten left to go (plus novellas), I risk repeating myself with regards to Robert Petkoff’s narration; however for the time being I’ve no shortage of positive adjectives to use when it comes to his delivery of this series. His sinfully dreamy Scottish accent was back for a second lap, and in addition to it he unleashed Bowen’s beast with a guttural werewolf voice that succeeded in doing naughty things to my insides. I’m sure that Petkoff captured Mari’s character beautifully as well, but for some strange reason all I can remember is MacRieve. RAWR!

WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER’S NIGHT’s title is self-explanatory or in other words… hot, hot, HOT!

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

This narrator ROCKS!!

Would you listen to Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night again? Why?

Yes, and exclusively because of Robert Petkoff!! He makes these Kresley Cole books feel like an extended romp in the park!! SO MUCH FUN!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night?

the discussion about the "lipstick" ... i laughed so hard i had to turn off my ipod so i could hear what happened next! BRILLIANT writing on that one! so funny!!

Have you listened to any of Robert Petkoff’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have gone in and found other books in genres i don't normally listen too just because of this narrator! He is brilliant!

Any additional comments?

I am not sure i would like any of Kresley Cole's books if i just read them. Alittle too "romancy" and alittle too "heaving boosom" stuff.... but listening to them narrated by Mr Petkoff makes me want to stay in that world always! He has made this series my hands down favorite and i will buy each one the second it is released.

The writing is suberb as well and i find the story different and refreshing. I like the authors descriptiveness and the outgoing, shame free personalities of each of the characters.

I now wish for a Lychay of mine own!!

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Quickly becoming a favorite series!

Love this world that Kresley Cole has invented....there are twists and turns and this book is no exception. I love these books because you are pretty sure everything is going to work out but you sit there baffled until the end on how the heck that is going to happen...and the ride is enjoyable!

This book was great, the charachters got really invested, and it is my favorite of the three so far. If the series ever goes on sale I'm going to have to buy every one of them...for now I have to peace meal my way through them, when I can afford to.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Made my toes curl

Would you consider the audio edition of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night to be better than the print version?

Definitely! I've been a fan of Coles for many years after picking up one book. I first purchased her books back in 2007 when I was headed to Iraq for a deployment. It can get pretty lonely out there away from family and I'm not married. Gave me a world to escape to in light of the mission I was there to do. I loved the hard copy book for sure but just purchased the audio and wow! The narrator does a broag that made my toes curl; couldn't stop listening. The only one to rival him is the guy who does Karen Monings highlander series. Wish all men spoke like that. LoL

Which scene was your favorite?

Definitely the jungle scenes. The flirtations built the anticipation up perfectly.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Honestly...the book made me cry at times; wish I had a guy like that. I felt what each character went through. Brilliant writing.

Any additional comments?

Cole is the absolute heat when it comes to paranormal romance!

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Hot & Addicting!

So, this is something you buy so that you have something to jog to... And then ten hours later you're walking around the house, jogged, your house cleaned, and the headphones are still in--this book will not release you.

I've already read the whole series, but it's addicting enough that I could read it several times. Kresley Cole's amazing.

That being said, Robert Petkoff does a REALLY great performance here. Great accents the whole way, and his voice is fantastic and his delivery is awesome EXCEPT for the voice of Carrow, who sounds in this version like a smoker half a step from emphysema... Hopefully he ditches that voice before he ever does "Demon from the Dark". :) Other than that, fantastic!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A SYNERGY BETWEEN GREAT WRITING & GREAT NARRATION

I could go on about the characters and the plot but it's all been said before so I will just say this is a brilliant - fantastic - most enjoyable - awesome listen.

Robert Petkoff - you are a shining example of how a narrator should bring a book to life - WELL DONE.

Kresley - We're all waiting for the next PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE !!!

Worth a credit? Yes definitely.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

In a class of its own! Amazing Audiobook.

This is poor Bowen's story, a Lychae who has lost his mate and suffered for ages. Fans of the series might remember him from his big role in Hunger Like No Other; he also appears and fights dirty in No Rest for the Wicked, fighting for the chance to bring his mate back.

This story takes place after the game ends, and Bowen must deal with the aftermath of some bad decisions during the race... He must help rescue the young Witch to whom he has a strange attraction. He too needs her help in removing the curse he is under.

This story is brilliant, very unexpected, and of course, it's full of tension, attraction, and passion. Robert Petkoff's performance is OUTSTANDING! He is undeniably in the top 3 Male Narrators I've come across!

Very highly recommended. Doesn't get better than this.

13 of 16 people found this review helpful

MORE MORE MORE!!

This series is phenomenal!!! Kresley Cole is a fantastic writer and Robert Petkoff is an incredible narrator. These books are filled with suspense, action, flaming lust, unpredictable twists, tender love, and best of all FUNNY!!
I am addicted to Audible and no longer read actual books, but I am still trying to decide if I actually want to go buy the fourth installment in paperback form, but I know I wont have time to read it and will miss Robert Petkoff's deep, dark, and sexy voice bringing Cole's characters to life. I'd rather hound Audible and Simon&Schuster Audio until they give me what I want!!! Who's with me? I presume a lot of what is released to Audible is due to customer demand...maybe we can start a petition.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great Series

Any additional comments?

I like this series more than any other -- the books are great. The characters are witty and compassionate. The writing is smart, snappy and fun. The women are strong and powerful -- no whiners. But they're also soft and happy to love the right man. It's a good balance. And the conflict the author has created in her world between the characters is very credible -- and very clever.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Wickedly Good!

After buying so many audiobooks, I have come to realize that selecting the right narrator is a fundamental step in bringing the author's vision to life. It is an art form, and when the selection doesn't work, even a great book can be rendered unlistenable. But when it works, particularly with strong source material, it is an audiobook you want to listen to over and over again and then buy every book in the series. This book is just that -- I can't image anyone could improve on Robert Petkoff's performance with Kresley Cole's books. Of course it helps that the book is simply fantastic.

A character from earlier Cole novels in the series, Bowen McReive is a tortured soul, driven to turn back time in order to bring his long deceased mate back to life. While spending all this time and effort to reunite with his former mate, it finally dawns on him, after about 34 chapters that it, that he may have had it wrong all this time. Both the male and female lead characters are strong willed, opinionated and intelligent - if a little clueless in the relationship department. Its a romance, so of course there is a happily ever after but, how they get there is all the fun, and in this case, a great ride because of the skill of the author. There is character development, humor, entertaining insults, a paranormal plot and the best secondary characters that we get to meet in later books. This is a stand alone book, but you won't really appreciate the interconnection between the characters in the series if you don't start with book one. So listen to this one but go backwards and buy the earlier audiobooks. You will enjoy the ride.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

love the books. the narration is funny at times

love the books, however I struggle bot to laugh at times when the male narrator impersonates the various females.

A Keeper!

I really enjoyed this book and feel it's one of the best in the IAD series.
Regarding the story, it's plot driven, with interesting characters - both main and secondary. The fact that the main 'bedroom' scene doesn't appear until Chapter 41 (though there's plenty of teasing before then) shows that there's some substance to the story.

The narration is WONDERFUL, amongst the best I've heard. Robert Petkoff really captures the voice and the intonation of the author and brings the characters, both male and female, to life. It's worth buying the audiobook for his performance alone.

Wicked Deeds on a Winters Night

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

What did you like best about this story?

The development of the relationship between Bowen and Meriketa. The growth from dislike to love and then abandonment is very well written.

What about Robert Petkoff’s performance did you like?

The narrator does an excellent job. The difference between male and female voices works very well. He maintains the accents and has enough emotional range to enhance the story.

Any additional comments?

I did read book 2 in this series and this is book 3, sadly the first hour of this book is a rehash of the end of the story in book 2, I very nearly gave it up as a bad job but after the first part the rest of the book is very good and a good listen.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful