In the fourth book of the Dark/Carpathian series, Savannah Dubrinsky is a world-famous magician. She a Carpathian—a species of psychic people who survive off blood and walk in the night—but she rejects her heritage and the powerful man destiny has chosen for her. When her lifemate finally comes for her, Savannah’s life turns upside down.
Gregori is the healer of the Carpathian people and the most feared individual among them. He walks a fine line, always on the edge of madness. He needs the one woman who completes him and can shine light into his dark, dangerous life, but Savannah is terrified of him. Still, without her, he either has to walk into the sun and die, or lose his soul and become a vicious vampire. Gregori claims her for his own, but he has a terrible secret, a sin he committed in his past to tie Savannah to him, and he believes the truth will tear her away from him forever.
I’ve always liked the cold, stoic Gregori in the books that take place before and after this one (I’ve read most of the series), but I find Gregori hard to handle in his own story. I understand and sympathize with the horrible life he’s led and the eternal emptiness he’s felt, but his treatment of Savannah, especially the first time they slept together, is inexcusable. Most of the Carpathian men are alphas and all are determined to protect their women, but Gregori’s possessiveness and need to control everything Savannah does, even for her own good, is unsettling. Savannah is determined to live her life as she pleases, despite his mandates, but by midway through the book, she willingly falls under his thumb.
It’s weird Gregori’s last name of Daratranznoff wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the book.
The best part, however, is the introduction of Gary, the human scientist who befriends Gregori and Savannah. He’s one of my favorite characters in the series, and I love seeing him grow and adapt as the series progresses.
Though I like the compelling storytelling, I was sometimes confused since the author jumps from one POV to another in the same chapter and even in the same paragraph at times. The language is verbose with detailed description of scenery and emotions, but I’ve always preferred too much description rather than too little.
While this book isn’t one of my favorites in the series, I like Gregori and Savannah as a couple once he finally learns to loosen up. This book leads right up to the next book, Julian’s story, and I absolutely love that one.
3 Stars ( )

Gregori es el más poderoso de los enigmáticos Carpatianos, una leyenda incluso entre los de su propia raza. Durante demasiado tiempo ha vagado solitario y cada vez está más cerca de ceder al lado oscuro y convertirse en lo que los humanos llaman un vampiro. Su única posibilidad es encontrar a la mujer que sea su compañera eterna. Pero Savannah, la elegida, ha renunciado a su raza y prefiere vivir entre humanos, donde se ha hecho famosa usando sus poderes en espectáculos de magia. Cuando Gregori la reclama, ella lucha por mantener su independencia, aunque todo su ser clama por ceder a una pasión irresistible. Mientras tanto, los seres de la noche han descubierto que, por primera vez, el odiado Gregori tiene un punto débil... La novela sobre el personaje más enigmático y seductor de la saga de los Carpatianos, con la que Christine Feehan ha conseguido una legión de seguidores.

This is my least favorite of all the Carpathians. I just got impatient with the whole pretending to let her choose thing. Maybe I should try again. Read the first half, skimmed the last. ( )

Da un personaggio come Gregori non mi aspettavo assolutamente niente di meno.
Fantastico anche il personaggio di Gary, l'umano che riesce ad entrare nelle simpatie del Tenebroso cacciatore.
Savannah è un personaggio un po' particolare, il cambio di vedute - improvvise - da amante della libertà ed indipendenza che non vuole vedere Gregori neanche scritto e da lontano, a compagna docile - benchè irriverente e frizzante - è troppo repentino. Leggemente forzato.

Ad ogni modo è, a mio avviso, uno dei migliori romanzi, assieme al primo, di questa serie "Dark". Squisito. ( )

How to explain what I felt when i was reading this book? First, I was disgusted at how Gregori treated Savannah and then things started to get worse. savannah started creating all these reasons as to why Gregori's behavior was justifiable and how everything she did was wrong and in the way of Gregori's life. Towards the very end of the book, I was a teeny tiny bit more simpathetic to their current situation, but still.

If this were to be the first Carpathian novel, I absolutely would not continue with the series. Since I've read so pretty good reviews about the next installment, I'll give it a shot. ( )