Hearts in Darkness is the second installment of the Nikki and Michael series penned by Keri Arthur.

The reprint is set to be released on August 27, 2013, although the book was initially published in December 2000.

This story commences six months after the conclusion of Dancing with the Devil. I firmly believe that this is a paranormal romance series that should be read in sequence.

Nikki James, a Private Investigator, has a plethora of challenges to deal with. Her lover, who incidentally is a vampire and an investigator in his own right, left without so much as a goodbye to gain control over his blood lust. Michael has spent those six months relearning self-control and is determined to stay away from Nikki to safeguard her from his life, world, job, and himself. However, their current cases bring them back together. Nikki is in search of a missing teenage boy and a police officer's niece, while Michael is striving to uncover the truth behind wealthy men disappearing at a nearby resort. They must collaborate, which leads them to encounter magical and personal surprises, and an entire species relying on them for survival.

Hearts in Darkness already showcases the rapid growth of Keri Arthur in her writing style and voice. There is immediate action and excitement in the book, similar to Dancing with the Devil. However, I found that the characters, their relationships, and the resulting tension were more adeptly written in the sequel compared to the first book. Nikki has her own skills and has begun to recognize her issues and what truly matters to her. Michael is perhaps a little too fixated on protecting Nikki from himself, but it is part of his nature and crucial to the story. I particularly liked that the story advanced beyond vampire lore and incorporated new and unique elements that I didn't anticipate. The addition of magic and a supernatural creature I had never seen before was very well executed and made me quite happy. It's still not a remarkable book, but the series appears to be improving with each installment.

I would recommend Hearts in Darkness to readers who have read and enjoyed Dancing with the Devil, as well as those interested in seeing some of Keri Arthur's earliest published works. It's still not my favorite writer or series in the urban fantasy genre, but based on these first couple of books, I can see how far she has come. I wouldn't recommend purchasing the books unless you're a die-hard Arthur fan, but a visit to the library for some light vacation reading might be worth checking these out. The next two books, Chasing the Shadows and Kiss The Night Goodbye, complete the series.

I seriously cannot stand some of the tropes in this series. It's quite frustrating at times. However, on the positive side, the world building is really good. The author has managed to create a vivid and immersive world that draws the readers in. The details are rich and the atmosphere is palpable. Despite my annoyance with certain tropes, I find myself constantly coming back to explore this world further. It's a bit of a love-hate relationship. I hope that in future installments, the author will manage to strike a better balance between the tropes and the world building. Maybe introduce some new and refreshing elements to keep things interesting. Overall, while there are some aspects that I don't like, the good world building makes this series worth reading.

Private Investigator Nikki James makes a comeback in the second installment of the Nikki & Michael series. She has returned to her regular occupation of solving crimes. Currently, her investigation involves locating a missing person, specifically a child, which leads her to a resort in Jackson Hole.

By an unlikely twist of fate, Michael is instructed to collaborate with Nikki as their paths will intersect while he is looking into the disappearances of wealthy men at the resort. After the events that took place in the first book, I was concerned that they would simply reconcile automatically and everything would return to normal. However, I should have known better. KArthur skillfully has them overcome their awkwardness towards each other and also find a way to handle their emotions while solving the case(s).

To be frank, I was worried that this book wouldn't meet the standards I'm accustomed to from a Keri Arthur novel. The first book in this series wasn't what I had anticipated, although I did enjoy it. Fortunately, Hearts in Darkness has a lot more of the KArthur essence that I recall from the Riley Jenson series. Even though it still lacks in the steamy goodness department, I must admit that this book held my interest. I wasn't certain who the culprit(s) would be, but one thing I'm glad remains the same is the paranormal element.

In case you missed my review of the first book, here's a reminder: this series is a re-release, so if you've read it before, don't be confused. While it's not strictly necessary to read this series in order so far, I would highly recommend it to understand their shared past. If you're a KArthur fan or simply someone who enjoys urban fantasy with a touch of romance, I suggest giving this series a try.

OMG, this story is so thought to be way cool.

Even though Michael is fighting monsters, he is forced to be with Nikki again. Even though he knows he loves her and will fight it. He also has to meet up with his ex Elizabeth, which makes Nikki a little jealous.

Nikki has now accepted that she loves Michael and will do anything to make him see it. It's a wonderful story and the bathroom scene would make any woman swoon. To have a real man take care of you in a tub, umm, only in my dreams.

The relationship between Michael and Nikki is full of twists and turns. Their love is tested by various challenges, but they still manage to hold on. The addition of Elizabeth adds more drama to the story, making it even more exciting.

The bathroom scene is a particularly touching moment, showing Michael's gentle side and his concern for Nikki. It's a moment that many women can only dream of experiencing. Overall, this is a great story that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end.