19th Century London, England

Maison Rouge is not a typical whorehouse. For one thing, it is too refined, and in the wrong part of town. Secondly, it is a sanctuary for vampires -- for the Brotherhood of the Blood, to be exact. The brotherhood is a group of knights turned to vampires by drinking from the cup of Lilith during the crusades. Saint is one of those knights, and he is seeking refuge at Maison Rouge before sunrise.

Saint expected a warm welcome, a warmer woman and an offer of blood to sustain him, what he finds is a house in mourning after the vicious murder of two of the girls of the house. He also finds that Ivy Dearing, the daughter of the madame, Madeline, has grown from a shy young girl into a vibrant and tempting woman.

Ivy is angry that the police don’t seem to be making any headway into the murder of her friends, Clementine and Goldie, and when Saint shows up, she demands that he help her find out who killed them. Saint agrees to help in any way he can. But the more time Saint spends in Ivy’s presence, the harder he finds it to keep from taking her in his arms, and to his bed. However, Ivy is the daughter of his good friend Madeline, and he is determined to resist Ivy’s charms. Saint once let his heart rule his head, and the woman he loved died; he has vowed never to let a woman touch his heart again – but, somehow, Ivy is working her way through the ice surrounding his heart.

Ivy once had a young girl’s crush on the handsome vampire Saint, but that was years ago and Ivy is no longer the naïve you girl she once was. While Ivy doesn’t work at Maison Rouge, having grown up in a house of ill repute, she is much more knowledgeable about sex and seduction than the average young lady of the Victorian era, and while she thinks Saint is arrogant beyond belief, she still yearns for his touch, his kiss...his passion.

As Saint and Ivy try to find out who killed Goldie and Clementine, someone is watching, waiting for the just the right moment to strike at the person he is really after. Will Saint discover the plot surrounding Maison Rouge and learn the identity of the killer before he strikes again? And will he be able to resist Ivy’s considerable charms? As the clues mount, it gradually becomes apparent that the murders are not random and that a secret organization is involved some way. Who is the real target? Is it Ivy and Maison Rouge, or is it Saint and his brotherhood of vampires?

TAKEN BY THE NIGHT is the third book in Kathryn Smith’s Brotherhood of the Blood series and has everything readers have come to expect from this talented author. Fully fleshed characters fill the pages of the novel, with even the minor characters painted in meticulous detail. The narrative is lush and the story captivating, with passion, danger and secrets throughout. Saint is a man who has seen and done it all, and after the tragic ending of his last love affair has guarded his heart with bands of steel. Ivy is an independent, highly intelligent and sensuous woman. The instant attraction between Ivy and Saint is obvious from the first, but whether due to fear or maturity, neither acts on the attraction without thought.

A passionate romance and a sinister mystery are brilliantly combined to create a story that is entertaining, emotionally satisfying, and highly sensual. Do not miss this very well written paranormal romance. While part of a series, TAKEN BY THE NIGHT can be read and enjoyed alone. However, I recommend all three books, BE MINE TONIGHT, TAKEN BY THE HUNTRESS, and TAKEN BY THE NIGHT.

Terrie Figueroa