I enjoyed the world built by Anderson very much, so much so that the minute I finished Claimed I bought book 2, Hunted. If I had enjoyed the way that the character of Olivia had been written more this definitely would have gotten 4 stars from me because the world in this book has so much potential for expansion. However I found Olivia,the heroine of Claimed, annoying to the point of distraction. I like having tension between the hero and heroine, but Olivia takes stubbornness and her need to fight Baird's seduction to a level that I found highly irritating. Olivia is drafted or "called" by Baird to be his bride after having shared dreams with him for 6 months during Baird's captivity by the Scourge. Those shared dreams are what kept Baird sane while being brutally tortured by allowing him to focus on something better while being put through hell. Three days after being returned to his people Baird is on Earth ready to claim Olivia as his bride. Granted, Olivia had no idea that the dreams she shared with Baird were significant and that he was real but she did know that there was a possibility that she could be called as a bride to a Kindred warrior.
The whole reason that Olivia doesn't want to be a bride is because she doesn't want to leave her sister, her possible career as a nurse, her best friend, and Earth behind forever. She never stops to ask if she will be able to communicate with her loved ones and visit Earth, she just assumes that she is being forced to leave everything behind forever. If Olivia had any maturity at all she could have saved herself and everyone else a lot of trouble by simply asking questions instead of going all Brunhilde and being a big ole "biatch". Olivia is hurtful, bratty, and obnoxious so often that I didn't enjoy the love scenes between she and Baird because I didn't like that Baird had to work so hard for her reactions. Baird did not deserve the treatment he received from Olivia, or at least not to the extent that she dished it out. I loved Baird by the way. He had the patience of a saint when it came to this incredibly self centered woman. Baird bent over backwards to be accommodating to her fears, insecurities and needs, and it didn't hurt that he is described as having some awesome physical attributes! I just hate that I disliked Olivia so much. And another thing. Haven't these women heard of "leave and cleave"? When you find the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with we all have to leave the security of the known to cleave to the person that we love and make a new and hopefully happy life.
So why am I continuing on with this series you ask? Because the world that Anderson has created is unique and interesting and I can see that she has room to create and build many more pairings that will hopefully be much more enjoyable for me. Namely Olivia's sister Sylvia with awesome Baird's brother Sylvan. I also want to see where the story line with the Scourge will lead because that is definitely not over. That was left wide open at the end of Claimed and someone has to take down the AllFather; he's one nasty piece of work. So despite my dislike for Olivia I am happily starting book 2.
P.S. Please dear book fairies do not let Jillian appear with any regularity in any more of the books because if she "giggles" much more my eyes may get permanently stuck at the top of my head!
Happy Reading!
Monica
Description:
Brides of the Kindred Book One—Claimed
Olivia Waterhouse has just graduated from nursing school and has her whole life ahead of her—until she gets drafted. Problem is, she isn’t being forced into the Army, she’s been chosen as a Kindred bride.
The Kindred are huge alien warriors—a race of genetic traders whose population is ninety-five percent male. After saving Earth from the threat of invasion they demand a reward—the right to find brides among the population. The chances of being chosen are about the same as those of winning the lottery—guess it’s just Liv’s lucky day.
Baird is a Beast Kindred who recently escaped imprisonment and torture at the hands of the malevolent Scourge. Through the torment and pain only one thing kept him sane—the thought of finding and claiming his bride—Olivia. His need to possess her is a burning intensity that threatens to consume them both.
Angry at having her future and her family taken away from her, Liv vows to fight back the only way she can—by resisting. She has one month on the Kindred Mothership with Baird—their claiming period. If she can keep from having bonding sex with him during that time, she can go home and get on with her life on Earth.
But Baird isn’t going to make it easy for her. Every week he is allowed to touch Liv more and more intimately and according to the contract she signed, she has to let him. She’s determined to resist him but his touch sets her on fire. And just as she thinks she knows what she wants, a twist of fate and an attack by the faceless Scourge AllFather changes everything…
More about the Brides of the Kindred series
A race of Genetic Traders from beyond the stars
Three very different types of men
All looking for one thing…their brides
Beast Kindred—Savage in battle these dark, brooding warriors from Rageron bring their passion and intensity to the bedroom. They possess a very special endowment that ensures every sexual experience is a tantric one.
Blood Kindred—Cold as ice to their enemies, these tall, blond warriors from Tranq Prime warm up when they find the right woman. But be careful…they bite.
Twin Kindred—Muscular and rugged, these warriors from Twin Moons always come in pairs and cannot be separated. They experience physical pain when parted from each other…or the one woman they both choose to love.
And then there is the enemy…
The Scourge—A genetic trade gone wrong, these menacing outsiders have twisted desires and sexual needs fierce enough to frighten away even the most adventurous. Their need to dominate and possess their women completely has led to a strange prophesy that they must fulfill…or die trying.
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