Edge of Dawn
By Lara Adrian
Book #11 in the Midnight Breed series
Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.
Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.
Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.
First of all, this book more than lived up to my expectations, which were pretty high. At the end of Darker After Midnight, the world was in chaos after Dragos unleashed his madness and exposed vampires to the human world in the worst of ways. The Order positioned itself alongside humans to be advocates for peace and established a new organization to settle the unrest. It’s now 20 years later and there is still disharmony.
I knew I’d be seeing an older Mira and wondered if that transition would be okay, could I see her as a formidable woman instead of the adorable child we knew. Fortunately, this wasn’t an issue, as she still has the admirable traits that made her special but matured realistically. She is now a Warrior in the Order and captain of a team in Montreal. She’s pretty fearless and is highly respected. Having female warriors in the Order is a real plus for this series and distinguishes it from others.
Kellan was a sullen teenager last we saw him but developed into the fierce warrior we expected of him and his pairing with Mira was no surprise given how relentless she was with him as a child. What was a surprise was his absence at the beginning of the story and the reasons for it. Decisions he made eight years ago are at the center of the controversy and it was impossible to figure out how the situation could be resolved. It was the difference between life or death for him and it’s not a clear cut solution.
Kellan and Mira’s romance was pretty off the charts, passionate and steamy. Her commitment to him was heart wrenching and those scenes where she’s fighting for his life were vivid and highly emotional, some of the best in the story.
The changes in the Order were interesting and the progeny of the old members are introduced, most now either in warrior training or now members of the Order. There are new conflicts and enemies, some expected and others a huge surprise. The foundation for this new aspect of the series was done effectively without bogging down the story. It left me informed but still wanting more, just enough to whet my appetite for some of these new warriors and Breedmates.
There’s an exciting climax that will leave you with more questions than answers but definitely intrigued about what will happen next. Adrian has delivered an incredibly complex shift to the series, one that’s on par with the stories we’ve loved from the past era. There’s new energy without completely abandoning those characters and elements that are important to the series. I can hardly wait for the next book.
