Release by Nicole Hadaway

Publisher: VampLit Publishing
Pages: 290

From the Cover:

“Forever.”

That’s the response Ben Gongliewski receives, when he asks Miranda Dandridge how long she’s been a vampire. He doesn’t expect the word “forever” in her reply, but then again, Ben never imagined meeting vampires, let alone demons and werewolves, during his time in the Polish Resistance during World War II. Far from being horrified, Ben discovers that Miranda and her friends have very useful … talents … especially when it comes to saving children from concentration camps. After all, in these desperate times, while the line between good and evil is clear, the one between heroes and monsters is very, very blurred.

The last thing Miranda wants at this point in her immortal life is a human lover, but as she and Ben perform rescue after daring rescue, she can’t help but be drawn to his passion to save his fellow Jews. As the War draws to a close Miranda must choose her love for Ben or her duty to her race. Ben is blindsided by a betrayal that no one sees coming, which leads to a danger where all hell is about to break loose … literally.

The year is 1944, the setting Poland in the mist of German occupation. Nazis are routing out the last of the Jewish sympathizers, resistance fighters, who have been doing their best to save the last few Jewish survivors that are left in hiding, mostly children. The war is coming to it's fateful conclusion that the resistance is struggling to prevent, the destruction of more people anyway it can. And some of Hitler's followers want even more devastation.

Miranda, Vanessa, and Rose have been working for the resistance, Miranda with the strength of a vampire, Nessa as a demon escaped from Hell and it's masters, and Rose, born with the cursed werewolf gene. Children are the only ones left that they can help, moving them through the darkness of night with a subtle calmness that only a true creature of the night can contain. The children never cry, are obedient, even calm. When Ben, a Jewish doctor pretending to be Polish meets the eclectic group of women, he is first struck by the strength, the beauty, and finally the unprotesting children who walk with the women through the dark forests to safety.

Gertrude, with her witch's blood and connections with the SS has also been working secretly with the resistance, together with her lover, Helen, combining forces with the trio of women and Ben to work as hard and quickly as possible. Father Ott helps places the children, Gertrude alerts the network, the ladies guides them to Ben, and Ben takes them to the families willing to take a chance. It all works perfectly until the unthinkable happens and Father Ott isn't who he appears to be. When Father Ott, a disciple of Himmler and the occult, starts looking for the Brides of Dracula, Cray (Miranda's brother) and Denny (a similar escaped Demon) come to their rescue. But will it be enough to save them? Or is it too late? Will the gates of Hell be flung open?

Release by Nicole Hadaway is a character drive novel, capturing the hopelessness of the Nazi occupation, combining it with the paranormal creatures that make the novel work. Miranda is a vampire unwilling to accept her destiny and heritage of a vampire needing to carry on the vampiric line of their family, strangely drawn to these humans and their struggle against the war.  She's helping Vanessa and Rose as well to adapt to their Earth bounds constraints and cursed existence. Ben is enthralled by the beauty and strength of Miranda without ever knowing what or who she is. And he's one of the rare humans able to accept what she is, and love her, which is all she was looking for unknowingly. She's drawn to Ben's humanity, something they share only distantly while Ben is drawn to her preternatural strength and abilities, both hoping for love, but a love that can never work.  Everyone around them knows, but neither Miranda or Ben will hear the truth.

Release is an involving read, taking the reader through some of the aspects of the war, touching upon the hardships that the people have to endure, and all the while telling a vampiric love story of a doomed love. It's told from the different characters viewpoints, so if you don't like character driven novels telling the point of view of the various characters contained within the story as well as the subplots that allows each character to tell their own story, then pick something else to read. It's a complicated tale with many twists and turns as are most character driven stories. If this is your cup of tea, give this book a try. It's different telling of the vampire love story, a world where if a vampire turns a human, that made vampire then becomes the monsters who are the senseless creatures killing whoever and whenever they desire. Vampires are born as sets of twins, one male and one female, psychically bound and with the ability to carry on their race. Though fairly a short book, be prepared to experience several stories going on at the same time as well as shifts in the point of view and setting. It's a story that captures your attention. I enjoyed it and recommend it to lovers of character driven paranormal.

I received this ebook from the author for review. All opinions expressed are my own.