Kiss of the Rose (Tudor Vampire Chronicles, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Sep 19, 2014 Charlotte (Buried in Books) rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, vampires

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So, imagine that Druids were Vampire Slayers and that there was an Ancient order of Druid Slayers (human) that protected the Vampires. Then imagine that Henry Tudor made a deal with the Druids that if they made him King, he would help them rid the world of Vampires. Crazy, huh? Fast forward a generation to the court of Henry VIII and an ancient vampire that wants to take the king out. Who do you send to protect him? Rosalind Llewellyn - Druid, Vampire Slayer and favourite of Catherine of Aragon So, imagine that Druids were Vampire Slayers and that there was an Ancient order of Druid Slayers (human) that protected the Vampires. Then imagine that Henry Tudor made a deal with the Druids that if they made him King, he would help them rid the world of Vampires. Crazy, huh? Fast forward a generation to the court of Henry VIII and an ancient vampire that wants to take the king out. Who do you send to protect him? Rosalind Llewellyn - Druid, Vampire Slayer and favourite of Catherine of Aragon ("She's like a daughter to me"). With faithful manservant Rhys in tow (who hopes to make her his wife at some point in the future).

Then you have Sir Christopher Ellis - protector of Vampires, sworn to kill Druids. Unless they're young - hot and don't mind his overpowering desire to rip off her bodice and mess with her ladygarden - although that didn't happen until quite a long way in and resulted in said druid being deflowered atop a stone alar during the Beltaine celebrations by the aforemention Sir Christopher. Sworn enemies, who by the end of the book are betrothed by order of King, after saving his life.

My main problem with this book was the lack of vampires, no slaying actually happens until well over halfway into the book. Also, considering they are trying to save the King they spend very little time with him, which I thought was a shame. Very early on the in book Rosalind and Christopher realise they have to work together to track down the big bad of the book (fulfilling and ancient prophecy in the process). There's also a huge attraction, which they spend a lot of time fighting. Sir Christopher was very interesting, his fears that he may become a vampire (after his mother was turned during his birth) was very real, his feelings of being an outcast, of not belonging or being wanted or loved was nicely done.

These are 2 people bound by their duty and unable to follow their hearts. The attention to historical detail was also very well done. The unhappiness of the Queen was palpable, as Henry had already started to pull away from his older wife, due to her inability to provide him with a son. But there was no mention of his many conquests which filled his time instead.

The next book may address that further, as Anne Boleyn makes an appearance. ...more

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