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Review: Diamond Dust by Vivian Arend (Takhini Wolves #3)

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Diamond Dust by Vivian Arend // VBC ReviewDiamond Dust (Takhini Wolves #3)
Vivian Arend
Published: Aug. 20, 2013 (Samhain)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: Purchased

Reviewed by Amanda

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Caroline Bradley’s having a sucky week. Called on by the alpha of the Takhini pack for her diplomatic skills, she’s stuck in the middle of the bear conclave and finds herself refereeing squabbles between clans as they work out who’s going to be their next leader. Dealing with the immense sexual pull one of those bears has over her isn’t on the agenda.

All Tyler Harrison wants is to be elected the new leader of the bears. But in order to do that, he’ll need female companionship, and for that, there’s no better candidate than Caroline. Now if only he can keep it in his pants…

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump of late, with nothing really sticking out in my brain, and Diamond Dust turned out to be exactly the book I needed. Fun, witty, and with truckloads of sexual chemistry, I enjoyed every single word.

If you look up “strong heroine” in the dictionary, there ought to be a picture of Caroline there. As a human among shifters, she’s had to work her butt off not only to prove she’s not weak, but also to earn a spot at the top of the food chain. She’s respected by the high-ranking members of the Takhini pack, and the lower ranks do what she says—without having to be told twice. Observant and able to take care of herself, she owns her sexuality, and isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. And that, my friends, was refreshing, to see a woman in a healthy relationship that ends amicably and without fuss. I want more of these in my romances!

I haven’t read a lot of bear shifter stories, and I liked seeing the differences between how the bears approach relationships versus the wolves. Tyler’s very in touch with his bear (and I really wanted to pet him) and he likes that Caroline not only accepts that, but also embraces it. Their relationship gets off to a rocky start, but he quickly learns what she’s capable of and what she can’t handle—and then he gives her a gentle nudge past her limits. He’s adaptable, too, and his willingness to change his mind made me love him.

The dynamics between the bear clans was interesting. Lots of infighting contrasting with excruciating politeness, and both are designed to draw blood. Caroline does her best to keep things under control, and when she realizes she’s out of her depth, she lets Tyler step in and handle it. Despite how fast everything progresses (the story takes place over the course of a week), the connection between Caro and Tyler was strong, and while they may not know each other very well in the grand scheme of things, there’s no doubt they’ll take the time to rectify that situation.

Diamond Dust is a quick read, perfect for a winter afternoon with a cup of hot cocoa. From the hints offered in this installment, I can’t wait to pick up Moon Shine, the fourth book. In fact, I think I’m gonna go read that right now.

Sexual content: graphic sex

2 Responses to “Review: Diamond Dust by Vivian Arend (Takhini Wolves #3)”

  1. I love this series and this book in particular. Caroline is a great character. As you said, she is a very strong human who holds her own among the shifters. I’ve been wanting to pick up books four in this series, but haven’t yet.

    I highly recommend you look into Kodiak Point series by Eve Langlais if you haven’t yet. It is very similar to series, with bear shifters (hero of book two is a moose, which is great), heroine of book one is a human who goes after a grizzly with a cast iron skillet. Lots of humor, sexiness, some suspense and the shifters are former military guys in remote Alaska. I think you would like it.

    • Amanda says:

      I just finished book 4 a few days ago, and it was every bit as good as Diamond Dust. I’ve read a couple of Eve’s books, too, and they’re a lot of fun 🙂

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