Not a lot to say about these books at this point. Very little happens, outside of extended and unrealistic conversations. Little to no action or mystery.

This series is legit my comfort food. It just keeps getting better and better which is so impressive at book 29! I can’t wait to continue !

Thank you #berkley and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I have read many of the books in this series and was nervous about jumping in when I haven't read them in years.
While I did find some of it a little hard to follow, for the most part it was easy enough to follow.

With that said, I didn't thoroughly enjoy this one. The plot was really lacking and I wonder if that is really why I stopped reading this series (I thought it was because of my giant TBR pile). The writing isn't bad but it just felt flat for me. I was hoping for some of the tension that I remember between Anita and Jean-Claude and it felt forced when it was there at all.

If Anita Blake fans have been missing some crew members, Smolder is the book for you! We're FINALLY making wedding plans (dress fitting takes up a major chunk of this novel), and of course the sh*t hits the fan--because, well, it's Anita's life. A new Big Bad is in town, sucking the juice out of Jean-Claude. Since Jean-Claude is now king of the vampires of North America, this shouldn't be possible--so setting aside old hurts and putting noses to the grindstone (and other body parts in various places--this is a LKH book, after all), cuts to the front of the priority list.

Of course, there is drama with a few of the Harlequin, but the headline news items are that Richard is key, both metaphysically and relationship-wise. Jason puts in a peripheral appearance, and Asher has shown up with Kane for the festivities ... it was very much a cliff-hanger, and readers will be thrilled that there is a follow-up slated for the autumn.

As the wedding fast approaches, the fittings are interrupted with a call from the police and news that a group that targets vampires, have started hunting in St Louis. Before Anita can investigate fully, date night with her fiancée Jean-Claude is thrown into chaos when a great evil tries to take over their powerbase. When Richard reappears to help shore up the defenses, Anita's happy polycule will be hit with a blow they never saw coming.

This feels like a transition novel to me. It was heavy on the relationship therapy and fashion, but light on plot. I enjoyed seeing Jean-Claude in the page - since he's been pretty absent from the last few books. In my opinion, the cast of characters is getting a little to large to follow. If you are a long time reader of this series, there are some easter eggs here, but new readers will find it difficult to follow.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of smolder. this was fantasy about a vampire hunter and some romance mixed in. it wasn't labeled as romance but this would be considered adult.

Smolder is an excellent addition to the Anita Blake world and really sets things up for the next book. This is definitely one of my favorite worlds to visit because Laurell K Hamilton does such a good job of making you feel like you are there,

Love it! An easy 5 stars from me!

Laurell K. Hamilton starts what might be the ending of her long running Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. In Smolder (hard from ‎ Berkley) she is preparing for her wedding to Jean-Claude, her family who has never accepted her, is coming, and a vampire dragon attacks her and Jean-Claude in spirit. Richard is back. This is a must for followers of the series, even though it is only a start of the story.

This is a story about wedding planning… and also polyamory, vampires and evil forces.

I’ve been reading Anita Blake books for my entire adult life (and some of my non adult life, when I probably shouldn’t have been). So needless to say I love LKH, and I adore Anita- but I struggled with this one. It felt like there was so much conversation/relationship stuff and not a lot of serial killer & monster hunting- which is what I was really wanting. There are just too many components to the poly dynamic at this point- and I only care about around 5 of them, which is definitely a personal preference thing. That being said, I’ll definitely still pick up the next one!

Still 3.5 bc LKH can write the goodness out of a book! & thank you so much Berkley & Netgalley for the eArc!

Do you know how some people want to talk things to death? Nothing ever seems to get done because they spend all of their time just talking about what they might do without really doing anything.

That is this book. So much talk. So little anything else.

I have been reading this series for a very long time. This is the 29th book in the series and I might have missed 2 or 3 books over the years but I have read close to all of them. I have loved some of the books and have been less enthusiastic about others. I can’t seem to completely give up on Anita and the gang so I keep coming back. I have to say that this is a book that could probably be skipped. It felt like this book was setting up the next book in the series more than anything else.

I was pretty hopeful when the book opened with a scene involving Edward. I tend to enjoy the books when he plays a part but he didn’t have much of a role in the story. I was also excited when a character that I have loved for a long time showed up after a long absence. But there was so much talking. And I needed at least a bit of something else.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Kimberly Alexis did a great job with the narration. I have enjoyed her narration in the past so I knew that the audiobook would be a good choice. I am not sure that I would have finished the book without her narration to get me through.

I won’t be recommending this one to others. I think that long-time fans of the series may be interested in giving this one a try but I hate to say that I found it lacking.

I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio.

Book #29! How is that even possible? I guess that makes sense considering how long I've known these characters. And yes, I said what I meant - I feel like I know these characters, and there are a lot of them. But it sure feels like time has flown by. This series is also kind of sentimental for me. I read the first book, Guilty Pleasures, around the time my son was born (maybe while I was on maternity leave?), so it's aged right along with him.
Smolder is basically the first part of a bigger story, so don't expect a lot of answers because there aren't many of those. We get plenty of questions but not much in the way of resolution. We do get to spend time with so many favorite characters. An old flame even pops back in, so I'm wondering how that's gonna go and to be honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I'm hoping we don't have to wait too terribly long for everything to play out, so I'll just reserve judgment on that part until then. I was happy to get a bit of Edward. He's been one of my favorites in the Anita Blake world, almost from his first introduction. I'm always glad to experience his ruthless planning, even if I have to wait for those plans to come to fruition.
According to Google, the definition of smolder is to burn slowly with smoke but no flame. Based on that, I have to say it's a pretty good title for a couple of different reasons. One is about the characters and storyline. There's a serious lot of dialogue as various things are discussed and settled on the personal front. I feel like those things that were settled here will be important later, and like that old flame's return, I'll stay neutral until I see where things go. Anyway, there's a new big bad in town, and this book leaves us guessing what's next, so the story is kind of smoldering as we wait - some of us maybe not so patiently (raises hand).
I was surprised at the pacing in Smolder, but it also gave me time to really enjoy the characters. Of course, not everyone is here, but I got to visit with several, and I certainly enjoyed that. So, 29 books and counting, and I've been friends with these characters long enough that I'm thoroughly invested. As for what's to come - I'll just be over here, tapping my foot, anxiously waiting.

It's supposed to be Anita's fittings, and such and yet she is called in to help with the Sunshine Murders.

It's going to take a ton more than just Jean-Claude and Anita in this one to combat the evil.

Shocker... We get Richard in a whole new light, Anita doesn't trust him, and well neither would I but we shall see.

Anita's family is coming into town for her wedding and they don't approve... hmm this could get very interesting.

We have Edward and Peter onboard to help fight whatever needs fighting.

Asher needs therapy, many need therapy and they will get it. But first... fight the evil...I am biting at the bit to read the next story where many things should get all tied up in a shiny bow... I absolutely love this author's writing, she hasn't written a book yet I haven't enjoyed.

Smolder, the 29th installment in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton, left readers on the edge of their seats with a cliffhanger ending. With the 30th book set to release this year, it's no wonder I am eagerly anticipating the continuation of the story. It's refreshing to see the series return to its roots, with the focus shifting back to the mysteries at hand rather than solely on the relationships between characters. While the balance may not be perfect just yet, it's a step in the right direction and left me feeling satisfied. I can't wait to see what Hamilton has in store for the next installment.

Smolder by Laurell K. Hamilton is the twenty-ninth book in the series with our Preternatural U.S. Marshal and vampire hunter Anita Blake.
It’s not necessary to read them all (it’s a pretty long series) but it does help a little. But saying that I’ve not read them all, I’ve only read her recent ones, and I managed to keep abreast of who is who and what is what 😉

Anita Blake is preparing for her wedding to the vampire king of America Jean-Claude. (They’ve been an item/couple for many years, and you’ll see their relationship in most of the books)

So the story starts with Anita’s best friend U.S. Marshall Ted Forrester. Whilst he is admiring himself in his best man clothing, Anita gets a phone call from the local police.
They think the Sunshine Murderer has hit again.
But, that’s not the only thing going on in St. Louis. An ancient being has arrived to challenge Jean-Claude for his vampire crown. And it’s not looking good for Jean-Claude! He might be the most powerful vampire around, but he’s still no match for the newcomer! Will he lose his crown?

Then you have both humans and vampires thinking neither one should be with the other! Humans think Anita will take the vampire’s side over theirs, and the vampires think Anita will eventually turn their king against them!

Although I’ve not read all the books in this series, the ones I’ve read have given me the impression Anita has become a pretty powerful entity, she has many powers at her fingertips, and this book sees her utilising most of them…..
So, what with keeping her vampire partner alive and on his thrown, she’s keeping humans happy, the vampires are needing constant reassurance she’s not out for his powers, she’s also trying to work out who the Sunshine murder is and can she catch them this time? Anita did seem to be juggling quite a few emotional balls in the air as well! Did she need to be? I didn’t think so! But that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️

There are a few spicy moments 😉 but they don’t slow us down too much (nothing as distracting when the MC’s getting carried away with page after page 😉)

I keep meaning to go to the beginning of this series, I’d love to read how far she’s come, and I’d like to know when Anita and Jean-Claude first met.

I’m also getting the feeling this was a set up for the next book! A few of the threads that could have been sorted weren’t! And I did feel the ending a little vague!
But I did enjoy the book immensely, the author can definitely weave a tale, twenty nine books in and the character still had plenty to give.

Will Anita and Jean-Claude get married or will the the Sunshine murderer take precedence? Will the vampires and humans get their wishes?

I’m definitely recommending this book if your a fan of the author, and I’m suggesting if you have the time, go to the start of the series and work your way through.


🦋

SMOLDER brings us back into author Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series with the world gone crazy.

Reviewed for Fresh Fiction by Annetta Sweetko

https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=81639

Warning! Smoulder, Laurell K. Hamilton’s latest book is only half a book – the other half should be coming out in November 2023. I was disappointed as the book end grew closer and closer and we were nowhere near the conclusion of either mystery or the wedding. There are two mysteries in Smoulder, one in the human world where vampires are being killed by leaving them where the sun can find them, and one in Anita’s paranormal world, where a new vampire with unusually strong powers is trying to take over Jean-Claude’s kingdom. All of these are taking place in the final planning stages of Anita’s and Jean-Claude’s wedding.
There are some good parts in this novel. For the first time, we are meeting Anita’s family – the father who does not want his daughter to marry a vampire, the stepmother who took over the family, the competitive sister, and the evil grandmother. We learn more about Anita’s childhood in this novel than we have in all 28 before.
Edward and Peter start off the book, and Peter has grown into quite the young man. Richard makes an appearance in this book, and he has changed! Whatever therapy he’s done offbook seems to be working, although I kept waiting for his petty petulance to resurface. Anita herself has been working her therapy, and it shows in her patience and efforts to change her automatic reactions to the chaos that is her personal life.
We get to see characters that we have not seen for several novels, as well as some new ones. I am, however, almost exhausted keeping up with the various guards, not to mention who is in the polyamory group and who is simply food for Anita’s hunger. There is a lot of discussion about therapy as well as a lot of the negotiation that goes on in a large polyamory group such as Anita’s.
Overall there was much to like in Smoulder, but I still felt I had to wade through a lot of emotional muck to get to the mysteries and the other “good stuff” like Anita’s family.

Anita and Jean-Claude are finally getting married...or are they?

Anita is making preparations to marry the new vampire King of America when a new, very old vampire comes to claim Jean-Claude's place as King. They find that this new nemesis is very powerful and have trouble fighting him when he first makes an appearance. It's only Richard's appearance back in their lives that seems to help strengthen their hold so they can best him.

So not only does Anita need to worry about wedding plans, her family who hates vampires wanting to come to the ceremony, but now a new vampire threat, Richard coming back and Asher coming back with a new problem named Kane, as well. It was nice to see Richard and Asher back though.

When Anita is called to a murder scene things start to go wrong because the government is working on a way to control vampires but it totally works the opposite way from what they wanted. Anita is mad, and rightly so.

I was waiting for a storyline that I'm used to with lots of action and ended up with lots of therapy talk and talking about problems. I can kind of understand that since Asher and Richard are back and they needed to show Anita, Jean-Claude and the rest of the poly group that they have or are trying to work through their problems in order to come back to the group for good. But this felt more like a book that is setting up the next book so there aren't these emotional messes to deal with. I just hope the next book is high on action and has less talking about the emotional problems they have.

Although they figured out who the big bad was in this book, they didn't take him down. They did figure out a way to fight him and are planning to do just that but it didn't happen in this book. This was more a setup for that to happen in the next book. This book dealt more with the jealousy, emotional baggage, and problems they have being a poly group with so many people in Anita's life. Some of the issues are being resolved but not all and Asher's big problem, Kane is still a big problem that he can't control. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with that.

I will say that there are a lot of characters in this series and a lot of them are in this book so I would say not to start with this book if you want it to make sense. I would definitely start this series with the first book and work your way through since there seem to be new characters popping up each new book and old characters coming back from previous books.

Disclosure: I was given an e-ARC via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A lot to unpack here for me. With the last book in the series, I eagerly looked forward to seeing Anita getting married. If that is what you believe will happen in the book, wait for the next one. This one is the pre-wedding set up and there is a new big bad that is here to destroy Anita and her harem of lovers. This book left me a bit shell shocked would be the best word. There were characters who completely changed and I feel like I missed a book in between the last one and this one. I had to double check the books and sure enough, I did read the last two.

This book returns to the explicit descriptions of Anita's clothing and shoes. Make up is also covered in great details, layers upon layers (pun intended). The insecurities of Anita rear's its ugly head. Some of the backstory of Anita's childhood finally come to light. Yes, the little gems I was looking for after reading Obsidian Butterfly and then going to the beginning to read every book to figure out Anita's childhood... it is now displayed in brutal fashion that makes me cringe. Anita needs therapy and thank goodness she has a good therapist. I am brokenhearted for Anita's childhood after her mother died. It is horrific.

What I never thought would happen as far as relationships in this series, happened. To say that I'm stunned and not sure what happened, would be an understatement. I am going to be extremely vague because I do not want to give spoilers and I would like everyone who loves this series to feel the same jaw dropping, falling out of the seat experience. The expression on my face when I read through some of the passages here was beyond incredulous. I felt run over by a train and then said train backed up right over me. One tidbit I can reveal is that I'm not thrilled with Asher's behaviour in this book again.

There is so much percolating in my head as to why LKH has changed the relationship dynamics again in this series. And in such drastic ways after I thought it was beyond repair. Then some I thought were getting better just crashed and burned. This book was a very lengthy poly couples therapy session and at the end of it, I was completely drained. Then the ending gives us a glimpse of Anita's loving family reunion and I just about popped a blood vessel. Now I'm desperate to read the next book because the family drama is INCREDIBLE and I want to pop some popcorn to watch it. And I'll be yelling, "oh no she didn't! Lordy, lordy, lordy, nuh uh... mm, mm, mm. Shameful!"

That aside, yes there is some sex in this book. It is the LONGEST drawn out sex scene. At one point even a character in the book jokes how Anita is a boner killer. This is a book long edging scene with Anita's brain going overdrive in analysis paralysis and left me dry... so dry. I am so mixed with this book. I looked forward to it and I couldn't wait to read it. After reading this book, all I can say is that it is a recommended book for fans of this series. It is a bit of a bridge or filler for perhaps the next book. Your mileage may vary.

With the Anita Blake series, one of the elements that drives the novels is the relationships and in this novel, there are explosive relationship dynamics. Laurell K. Hamilton quickly pulls readers into the storyline, with Anita Blake preparing for her wedding to Jean-Claude. Surrounding those circumstances are the relationships Anita has formed with the other partners in her life, including her friends and the investigations that require her expertise. All of those plot threads are compelling including a new evil making itself known. 

If you’re familiar with the characters, it will help impact your enjoyment of the novel, however. There are many relationships and characters and if you aren’t up to date on the series, you might not enjoy it as much. That said, one of the aspects I enjoyed the most is the growth of the characters in the series. Anita discusses abuse and therapy. She delves into her issues. And for many readers, that gives them someone to connect with. I loved how the relationships were discussed and that nothing is done without involving the partners that Anita and Jean-Claude have in their lives. This is one of the most positive representations of a polyamorous relationship that I’ve seen. 

One of my issues is that the pacing does tend to drag, mostly because there are so many plot threads. Out of about five threads, only two were resolved. Since the wedding is an ongoing plot thread, that is understandable. And the biggest plot points were resolved  to a certain degree of satisfaction, including one that has carried over for several books. And it is resolved in a fantastic fashion so I don’t mind other points being left open-ended for the next chapter in the series. But be warned, if you want a solid ending, this is not the series for you.

All in all, I love the way Laurell K. Hamilton presents the relationships, I love the twists and turns in how Anita negotiates her love life and the positive aspects to her relationship with Jean-Claude. The major plot thread with the new bad guy is handled well and makes me want to come back for more. And there are explosive relationship dynamics that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.

Well, teach me to jump into a well established series without reading the pervious books first.

Anita and Jean-Claude are getting married. Anita is a vampire slayer, and you guessed it, Jean-Claude is a Vampire. Typical paranormal smut action. At times, I really couldn't find the plot. It was weird to follow and fell apart easily before the author got back on track.