BRIDES Of the Kindred Book One: CLAIMED

Brides of the Kindred – Book 1

Claimed by Evangeline Anderson

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 All Father changes everything…

I have been Claimed by the on-going saga of the Kindred and their brides.  The irony is (except for one other fantasy series) I don’t even like these types of books.  But this series is centered on the romance; and the odd customs of the Kindred add humor and enough conflict to keep the storyline compelling.  I cannot stop reading – on book four now - which I so didn’t need right now while my own editing workload is piling up.

Evangeline Anderson is an incredibly imaginative author who has created this amazingly creative fantasy world.  Earth had been attacked by the Scrouge (they are bad), but the Kindred (they are good) save the Earth from their attack. In exchange, they ask only for a genetic trade.  Whenever a Kindred drafts a bride from the millions of women on Earth, Earth is obligated to send her to the Kindred’s ship for the Claiming period. 

The scary thing is that I could actually believe in the possibility of such a thing in the future… you never know what’s out there. And if this were to happen, PLEASE – PLEASE – PLEASE let me be drafted. The Kindred are equally alpha men and attentive lovers. In Claimed, Baird is a – frickin - mazing. He cooks, he cleans, he loves to give Liv massages, and (best of all) he enjoys focusing completely on Liv’s pleasure – think orgasms that make you pass out. Lucky, lucky girl… except Liv doesn’t see it that way at all. She knows bonding to him means she can’t go home to her twin sister so she holds out far longer than I would have been able. I understood her motivations but I kept wishing she’d give a little more (emotionally) to Baird who held his heart out for her to do with as she would.

Claimed is a fabulous beginning to a refreshingly unique series.  Baird and Olivia are the perfect couple to lead book one and the good news is that we’ll re-visit with them in the other books to come. Readers will fall in love with them while at the same time being captivated by the overall story. These books are long but full of action, quick pacing and deliciously erotic moments. There’s nothing else to say except this book so deserves our 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry rating. Yum!

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