Review: Claiming Marcus by Jocelynn Drake (Lords of Discord #1)


Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design.

Ethan wanted to take care of Marcus. It was clear that he was the family protector. He was the one who made the hard decisions and directed the others in order to get things done and keep them safe. But who was there to take care of Marcus?

When I first saw the cover and read the blurb for Jocelynn Drake's new novel, I tried to temper my expectations. After all, there's a reason why the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" is as well-known as it is. Also, being the voracious reader that I am, I've fallen victim to intriguing and enticing blurbs only to have the actual story between the proverbial covers fall short. Claiming Marcus was going to be my first read from Drake as a solo author, having only read her co-authored Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove series with Rinda Elliott. Well, consider me absolutely taken by this Lords of Discord series starter, and by the end of it, I have absolutely no qualms at all when I say that I have expectations going forward, and they're lofty ones, all thanks to the first book.

Marcus Varik may look like he's only thirty, but he's walked the earth for more than two centuries, one hundred and seventy-six of those years spent as a vampire alongside his three younger brothers. But twenty-six-year-old Ethan Cline needs to have solid proof that Marcus and his family truly are the murderous bloodsuckers they're suspected to be. Ethan's quest for vengeance is what drove him to agree to this mission. Even after sixteen years, he's never forgotten what it was like to see what was left of his family after a group of vampires slaughtered them. However, the more time Ethan spends with Marcus, the more he wonders if he's gotten it all wrong because the shy and stoic but sweet and sensitive man he sees doesn't seem to be the kind to take human lives without a care in the world. Is it too late for Ethan to change course or will this be a dead end for more than just him and Marcus?

Ah, but how I love this new world that Jocelynn Drake has brought her readers to! Yes, it's dark because of the paranormal aspect of the story, but Drake manages this delicate balance of heavier elements of the story, such as murders and conspiracies, alongside lighter touches in the form of witty banter between the main characters, Marcus and Ethan, and among the Varik siblings and their closest allies. I love how we get this rich story with depth to it and fabulous character development while we're introduced to the peripheral characters who will become the featured "headliners" as the Lords of Discord series goes forward. Aside from that, there's this story arc regarding the societal aspect of the vampire world and how its become overly politicized and has been affected by corruption and greed, leading to a power-grab situation. Readers get more than "mere" romance, and with Drake's writing, I'm already eager for more. Here's to me continuing to be impressed! Five-plus stars for Claiming Marcus. ♥

Release Date: 31 October 2019

Date Read: 31 October 2019

Learn more about Jocelynn Drake.

Purchase Claiming Marcus on Amazon.

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