Breaking Midnight by Emma Holly

Edmund FitzClare is an elder upyr, a race of immortals which share characteristics of both vampires and werewolves. So when he is kidnapped by his enemies and held in a prison of torture and pain, it's up to his fianceé, Estelle, and his adopted mortal family: Graham, Ben and Sally, to find him from where he's been taken and mount a daring rescue to free him.

Each goes about this in a different way. Graham goes to Robin, Edmund's son from his mortal life, now also an Upyr, and asks to be turned into one as well. Estelle, meanwhile, has been dreaming of Edmund and seems to somehow be able to contact him in his dreams. There, they are able to share closeness and fantastic lovemaking, but neither thinks it is anything more than that- at first, anyway.

It is getting near to Christmas, and the family is visited by Nim Wei, Edmund's master and mentor. She is suprised by how much she enjoys being with his family, and afterwards, she offers Graham a favor- to turn him herself. But he turns her down in favor of Robin. Meanwhile, Ben and Sally have turned from brother and sister to lovers. But even though they are not related by blood, merely affection, they are afraid of what Graham and Estelle- and especially Edmund, once he returns, might say.

Graham is turned by Robin, and now must adjust to his new Upyr needs and abilities. Especially taken with his new form is Penelope, called Pen, Anderson, the daughter of his former boss. She was attracted to Graham before, but treated him badly because she didn't want to admit how strongly she was attracted to him. Now that he is an Upyr and become his most perfect self, she's feeling weak in the knees for him. But is he willing to give her the time of day?

Meanwhile, Estelle has discovered that she can use the dreams she and Edward share to probe into the minds of his captors and discover where they are holding him. When she finds out that he is in Germany, the rest of the family insist on coming with her to free him, and when Pen finds out, she barges in and tags along for the ride. But while Sally dislikes the brash American girl, Pen has experience with guns- and with the Pinkertons. But when she finds out what Graham has become, nothing will stop her from discovering their other truths- or falling in love with a man who seems to have nothing but contempt for her, even dismissive of her for her former attitude and actions towards him.

But when Edmund's enemies turn deadly, his children and Estelle will have to rely on Graham's new abilities to get them out of trouble. But could Edward's enemies, who want him to reveal to them how to sire children, but Edmund scarcely wants to give that knowledge to two vampires who are over the line into completely crazy- as their intention is to raise an army of vampires and rule over the world!

Even though this was the second book in a three-book trilogy (which I didn't realize when I picked it up), I enjoyed the story, as you don't really need to know the details of how Estelle met Edmund FitzClare. As long as you read the book, it fills in what you need to know.

Emma Holly writes romances that are just this side of erotica, and maybe even cross the line. This book is no exception, with three sexual relationships going on at the same time. Four if you count the villains. And every page describing those relationships are... rather hot. But the juxtaposition of those hot scenes with the actual stuff that advances the plot aren't jarring in any way nor do they seem out of place- mainly because her descriptions are very sensual anyhow. I consider that one of the strengths of her writing.

I found the story mostly enjoyable, but some of the mental flagellation that went on from some of the characters annoyed me, and I found the whole Pen-Graham relationship sexy but irritating. I wanted to slap the both of them silly for being so whiny and focussing on the past. I also felt that they distracted from the other plots, in a way, simply by taking up so much of the book that was supposed to be about Edmund and Estelle.

In the end, I did enjoy the story, but I'd only give it a weak recommendation because of the scattered focus of the plot. YMMV, of course.