4 1/2 Stars!!First we had Cat and Bones, now we have Denise and Spade!!! Yay! I love this world Jeaniene Frost has created. FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON is set in the same world as the NIGHT HUNTRESS series but the main characters are Spade, Bones' best friend and Denise, Cat's best friend. I've been intrigued by Spade from the beginning of the NIGHT HUNTRESS series and he did not disappoint in his own story. He's powerful, sexy, commanding, and he is a perfect gentleman (except when he isn't ;)). Denise is somewhat insecure and guilt ridden. She got on my nerves just a little bit, but not to extremes, but enough to hold back on that last 1/2 Star to make this a 5 star read for me. But really she was very sweet, compassionate and loyal. Both Spade and Denise have valid reasons for resisting their attraction to the other and it was an action packed, sometimes a little emotional joy ride reading their journey to their HEA. Love it! Can't wait for more in this world. Happy reading!!

Fantastic fun! It was intense, a bit gruesome, suspenseful and soooo sexy! Spade, I underestimated you!! Please forgive me Bones, but step aside! There's a new man in my life....:)This is Denise McGregor's story (you remember her--"human" best friend to half-vampire Cat Crawfield, who is half of the Bones/Cat super-couple)? Well, ever since Denise's husband Randy met his demise (in the most horrible way) in At Grave's End, Denise has been trying to stay away from her friends in the immortal world, wanting to make a clean break from her past and all the horrors she witnessed and the guilt she feels over Randy's death. But when her young relatives start (suspiciously) dropping like flies, one after the other, and she witnesses one of the deaths which is actually a murder, and the murderer turns into a dog right before her eyes, she knows she needs help. But who? Who would believe her when the authorities think the deaths are just the result of heart attacks? Cat, that's who. But when Denise has trouble reaching her, she reluctantly turns to the one person who would know Cat's where-abouts--the powerful, mysterious, and sexy as hell vampire, Spade. Spade doesn't want Denise to involve Cat and Bones in her problem, since they've recently had their own rough time, and agrees to come to her in Fort Worth. But before Spade can get to her, she is visited by a demon named Raum who wants a very specific thing from her. Find one of her long ago relatives (Nathaniel) who welshed on a deal with Raum and is probably hiding out among vampires, and bring Nathanial to him or watch her parents be the next victims of an early demise. Oh yeah, and to make sure she cooperates, he leaves her with some demon "brands" that could turn her into a demon shape-shifter like him along with unique qualities to her blood that could threaten her very existence and make her a valuable commodity to the vampire underworld.So Spade arrives, finds Denise "branded" by a demon and listens to her plans of finding the elusive Nathanial, and since he's adamant that she doesn't involve Cat and Bones in her plan, he reluctantly agrees to help her in their place. It won't be easy tracking Nathanial, he could be the property of a number of vampires, and Denise and Spade's search takes them from NYC to Las Vegas, to England, and various cities in Europe, ending in a big party in Monaco where it's revealed just who has Nathanial and what has been done to him for the past 150 years.Now, while all this is going on, Spade and Denise try to fight the attraction that has been brewing between them since they first met years ago. Because of Spade's tragic last great romance over 150 years ago, he vowed never to get involved romantically with a female human again--humans were just for casual "shagging" and feeding. And since Denise is a friend of Cat and Bones, there could be nothing casual between them. But boy is he tempted.As is Denise. Even though Randy's been dead a year, and Denise wants to move on, she doesn't want to be attracted to Spade and be drawn back into the world that left her with nightmares. But after spending more and more time with him, and witnessing what a good man he is, and his old-world charm and his modern day sexiness, how can a girl resist?Okay, more than enough said. You'll just have to read it and get swept up in it like I did. Jeaniene Frost does not disappoint--there is not a slow spot in this book. If you've read the first 4 books in the previous series and enjoyed them, you'll find this one just as enjoyable. This book was a very easy read, and I was able to slip right back into the world JF created even though I've read many books since Destined for an Early Grave. I felt this book had more romance and less action in terms of the "fighting" that Cat and Bones had to do, even though there is some action (especially the exciting conclusion where Denise proves how much she's changed--both physically and emotionally). But the best part for me was the romance between Spade and Denise--it was filled with sexual tension (OMG, Spade's shower scene!) that just built and built, and then the payoff? Whew! Turn up the AC, or run outside in the snow! Verrry erotic and verry passionate!Fans of Bones and Cat, don't despair! You know JF had to include them in this book, and they do show up, just in the nick of time. You'll also see plenty of Ian (who is both annoying and charming--I'm dying to read his book), and even Mencheres gets in on the act, and is important in the final showdown with Raum. This story just hit all the right notes for me--there's romance, action, humor, some creepiness, and plenty of moments that left me sighing. And oh my, I fear I may have fallen for Spade as well. He is just so...hot! Spade and Denise made one terrific couple, and to those of you who may feel that Cat is a little 'tough', you may find Denise as a heroine more to your liking (although she can kick some serious a**!) There wasn't anything I didn't love about this story--it gets 5 big stars from me!

Well, I'm pretty disappointed. I enjoyed the book for the most part, but it just wasn't what I expected or wanted. I knew it was PNR. I just didn't know it was generic PNR. I liked reading more about Spade and enjoyed his character. It was nice to see Cat and Bones and Mencheres and Ian (who I have a new perspective on).And then there was Denise. Oh, Denise, how you vex me. Denise is a TSTL heroine. She is either being way too stubborn and unable to use her brain, or she is being a simpering insecure idiot. Her internal whining about how Spade could never love her because she's human just about drove me to drink. I mean, COME ON, the man is risking everything to help you, you f'ing moron. Ugh. I have to stop before I get all worked up about it again.But seriously, it's a quick read (because you can skip all of Denise's internalizing), and it's really almost worth reading just because of the ridiculousness that is Denise. Seriously, most.annoying.heroine.ever. But, Yay! Spade is hot!Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot to mention Ian. He is hot, but cannot be trusted.