A review by booksabrewin
Ascension by Caris Roane

5.0

Caris Roane is a new author for me. This book was selected by my book club last month and I never got around to reading it. How silly that decision was for me, because in light of my book club reading the sequel in this series, I had to read the first one and haven't regretted finally picking the book up for a second.

Alison is a therapist who has trouble engaging in relationships with men. She longs to fall in love and start a family but after her one experience with a man ended in him in the hospital she has given up on that dream. She is content to focus on her career, but even that is hard to do when her mind keeps straying to what she could have. She thinks maybe going back to graduate school will help her find more appeal in her life, but it is on the last day at her practice that her life changes forever. She is confronted with a black-winged beautiful man who is determined to drink her blood and harness powers Alison has been trying to ignore. A white-winged gorgeous man comes to her rescue and she can't help but feel an irresistible pull towards him. She feels like she's known him for centuries and yet this is the first time she has laid eyes on him. She wants to dive into his arms and stay there for as long as he will have her, but with her powers, how can she be sure she won't hurt him like the last man she was with?

Kerrick has experienced heartbreak. He has lost two wives and three children due to his occupation as a Warrior of Blood. He has made a vow that he will not take another wife or even form any sort of relationship with another woman outside of a causal bite and sexual encounter. That all changes when he meets Alison. All of a sudden his vow is growing harder and harder to keep. He wants her in a way he has never wanted any other woman, even his previous wives. He is determined to help her and then leave her. He can't risk her getting killed simply for being close to him. Not again.

Alison and Kerrick are destined for each other. They have a draw to each other that can't be ignored. If only they would embrace their connection instead of fighting it tooth and nail, they could possibly have the happily ever after they both have dreamed about all their lives.

Wow, just... wow. I read this 500-page monster in the matter of a few hours. I was completely engulfed in the world and I just couldn't stop the turning of pages to eat, sleep, or do any of the other mundane human necessities. The in depth world created by the author was much the same as The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward (one of my absolute FAVORITE paranormal romance series, by the way). I never pictured vampires with wings and to be honest, when seeing the cover, I thought it was another angel book (hence my hesitation to read it). The authors new race of vampires is great, even the death vamps is a nice ultra baddie.

To summarize, the writing was excellent, the characters were stellar, and the plot was absolutely remarkable.

Ascension is a vampire world in another dimension that is out of this world. The romance, the action, and the sheer volume of awesomeness makes this book a must read for any paranormal romance buff.