Romancing the Dark Side

Red by Kate SeRine 
Series: Transplanted Tales #1 
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy, Urban Fantasy 
Published by Kensington Publishing on August 2, 2012 
Format: eBook 
Pages: 330 
Source: Purchased 

I could not ask for more in a book…Kate SeRine rocked my fairy tale world with RED!

Our story begins with Tess “Red” Little (Little Red Riding Hood) introducing us to her fascinating world. A wronged spelled has allowed all of the make believe characters in storybooks (known as Tales) cross over into the Ordinaries (human) population. Living in Chicago, Red works as an Enforcer for the Fairytale Management Authority who handle fairytale crimes and police any threats that can expose the their secret community to the Ordinaries. Red’s latest case teams her up with Nate Grimm, the sexy FMA detective who also moonlights as a Reaper. Someone is brutally murdering Tales and the suspects all have one thing in common…they’ve all been in Red’s little black book at one time or another. Red is far from the innocent girl on a trip to Grandma’s and while she prefers to work alone her new partner shows her letting someone have your back in this dangerous world is not always a bad thing.

I’ve had this book on my ereader for a while now and after reading it I wanted to slap myself for not getting to it sooner. Kate SeRine’s world building is dark, sexy and just plain fascinating! Red’s voice shines, the sexual tension is off the charts and the action keeps you turning the pages with anticipation.

Fierce heroines are my favorite and Red does not disappoint. She has a great sense of humor, a kind but guarded heart and she’s hands down kick ass! It can sometimes be hard to connect with a heroine that’s immortal but that’s not even a factor when it comes to Red. Red has some insecurities and doesn’t see herself as some gorgeous creature (I hate when a heroine is in love with herself) but at the same time totally embraces her sexuality..gotta love that. As she gets to know Nate Red loses some of her commitment issues and shows she can be tough and still be vulnerable. Her partner Nate Grimm is all kinds of swoon worthy man candy.

Being The Grimm Reaper I expected him to be a little dark and tortured but in walks in this smooth talking, Fedora wearing detective oozing sex appeal. Nate is just as dangerous as Red but he isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, I instantly fell in love with him. Their witty banter and flirtations showed a softer side to both and I couldn’t get enough of them. Nate and Red already have a past which makes their attraction believable. It takes a while for things to get hot and heavy between them so the two really get to know each other better before the fireworks. There are a few secrets that are revealed about their true past that cause a little tension between Nate and Red but I’ll let you find those out for yourself. Ms. SeRine was killing me with Nate’s gentlemanly ways towards Red but it just made the moment when these two finally get together worth the wait.

RED introduces us to a variety of famous supporting characters which include Snow White, The Pied Piper, Little Boy Blue and Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, to name a few…that added a special touch to the already engaging story. The ongoing murder mystery keeps the pace of the story flowing and a touch of romance lightens the mood. I had a sense of who the real villain was but I enjoyed taking the ride along with Red and Nate. Kate SeRine delivers a stellar debut, revamping our beloved fairy tales and classics characters in an adults only tale. I couldn’t get enough of this dark and stormy fairy tale world and definitely plan on revisiting!