Rating: 
Summary: Lackluster
Review: So, going into this book I hadn't read a romance novel in several years. I've always found that romance novels are extremely hit or miss. I don't like the contemporary ones at all and the historical/fantasy ones range from tawdry fairy tales with little substance to masterful works that are only seperated from regular sci-fi/fantasy by an overabundance of sex and fewer fight scenes.My co-worker was an avid fan of Christine Feehan's work, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Dark Gold is apparently the third in the "Dark" series, but my co-worker recommended it as her favorite. Though the setting links the various novels, they can be read independently of each other without confusion. Her latest installment in the series, Dark Symphony, just came out this week. Each book tells the tale of a particular "Carpathian male" and his future "life-mate" as they find one another and overcome various obstacles on the way to spending the rest of eternity together. In essence, the Carpathians are a race of predatory, immortal humans. Over the centuries, the number of Carpathian women has dwindled and the males have been forced to wander for eons in search of a life-mate. A life-mate is the only thing that can assuage their savage nature and ensure they they do not succumb to the dark side and turn vampire. Very few human women have the mental fortitude to survive the transformation into a Carpathian, so most of these guys must wait for a long time. Imagine all that pent up sexual frustration! Fortunately for them, they cannot feel strong emotion (or even see in color) until they meet that special someone. In this particular novel, we bear witness to the romance of Alexandria Houton and Aidan Savage. I, personally, found much lacking in this book. There was a lot of sexual tension and very little plot. They spend most of the book in Aidan's house while Alexandra undergoes her transformation and then Aidan tries to convince her that she is not damned for all time. Very little actually happens in this book. I was bored to tears halfway through it and even the forthcoming steamy sex scenes couldn't completely overcome my apathy. The characters were one-dimensional. They did not undergo any real growth during the course of events. This is particularly true of Alexandria, who spends most of the book being defiant and then suddenly changes her tune in time for the books climax. Apparently the sex really was that good! Unfortunately, the most interesting character, Aidan's mentor, doesn't appear until the end and is only present for a few scenes. All in all, there was plenty of sex and much of it was suitably animalistic. Ms. Feehan has a firm grasp on the necessary romance novel terminology; the sexual tension and sexual encounters were well done. Unfortunately, I like a little more substance to my stories, even in the context of a romance novel.
Rating: 
Summary: More about relationships
Review: This one (#3 in the series) is more about getting to know and appreciate someone than about wild sex, which often seemed to be the only glue holding the couples together in some of the other books. In fact, nothing sexual happens for 2/3 of the book; instead Aidan and Alex get to know each other, making it realistic and romantic and sweet.
I also liked the fact that Aidan had humans who took care of him, who shared his life and his secret. It made him more vulnerable, more approachable. This is my favorite of the first 4 books in the series. Sometimes ratings are so hard. This one should be a 3 & 1/2 star rating.
Rating: 
Summary: Dark Gold
Review: Unlike other reviewers here, that's the first one I've read of the dark series. So my review probably won't be enough since I haven't compared with the other two books. When Alexandria Houton and her little brother are taken captive after they witness the murderous rampage of a crazed vampire, she holds little hope of ever living to see the next day. Little does she know that the tale she spins to reassure and calm her brother of a golden haired savior coming to their rescue is about to come true, or is it? Has he come to save them or are his golden good looks hiding the heart of a monster? Alex soon learns that although this dangerous being has saved her life, the price he requires in return may be too high to pay. Aiden Savage has taken on the task of hunting down and destroying the creatures of his race who have given up hope and given in to the lure of the thrill of killing. Until he rescues Alexandria, he fears that he too is on the edge of turning. When he meets Alexandria he realizes that she is the only one who can save him, the only one who can bring color and emotion back into his cold, gray world. But Alexandria is not like any woman he has met before. How can he find a way to balance his inbred need to control and protect her with her desire for independence? He knows he can never give her up. With Dark Gold, the third one of her Carpathian series, Christine Feehan establishes herself as the mistress of Torture and Suspense. The torture of waiting for her next book to come out and the suspense of turning each page to find out if this book will be even better than the last! I am happy to say that Dark Gold gives us everything we have come to expect from her books and more. Making it a worthy addition to the series.
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