Finished Wicked Deeds on A Winter’s Night by Kresley Cole. This is the third book in her popular Immortals After Dark paranormal romance series.

In this one, Bowen MacRieve, a Lykae (think werewolf), has been mourning the loss of his mate for more than a hundred years. So he’s surprised when he’s attracted to Mariketa the Awaited, a powerful witch. And Bowen is even more shocked when his Lykae Instinct starts to tell him that Mari is his mate (you only get one in a lifetime). Too bad Mari hates Bowen since he trapped her in a tomb with some nasty creatures who made her drink blood, among other things. But Bowen is determined to win Mari over, especially since some sort of mysterious danger is threatening his witch …

I enjoyed the other Immortals books that I’ve read, and this one was no exception. I really like the fairy-tale feel Cole has given her world of witches, Valkyries, vampires, and more. She puts a different spin on the usual creatures you find in paranormal romance.

I also really liked Mari’s character in this one. It was refreshing to see one of the immortals struggle with the great power they’ve been given. The fact that everyone is waiting for Mari to do something important also adds to Mari’s confusion and pressure about her destiny. And Mari’s issues with the people she loves always leaving her behind made for a nice conflict between her and Bowen (who’s determined to have her no matter what).

As for Bowen, I found him at turns charming and aggravating. I realize that he’s an alpha male who’s hundreds of years old. But Bowen’s plans to make Mari just give up her magic because he didn’t like it really annoyed me. I was happy when he realized that Mari’s magic is just as important to her as his Lykae heritage/instinct is to him.

The only quibble I have with the book is the mate/soulmate plot hook. Cole handles it well and makes it fairly unique, but overall, I’m just not a fan of it. I always think it’s more interesting when a couple chooses to be together — and aren’t necessarily bound together by some magical/mystical/hormonal/pheremonal bond. But that’s just me.

Overall, if you’re looking for some paranormal romance with some serious sizzle, try this one. Thumbs up.

Up next: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Books in my TBR pile: About 20.