Damn Goodreads and their rating system. On my blog a 3 star rating means the book was okay. On GR, 3 star means you liked it. I gave it a 3 on my blog whereas on GR I'm giving it a 2. It all means that I thought the book was just ok. First Drop of Crimson is the first book in the Night Huntress spin-off series, Night Huntress World. Those who have read the Night Huntress series will be familiar with Spade, Bones friend from his penal colony days, and Denise, the only person that Cat has ever considered a friend. Denise's husband Randy died during an attack on Cat and Bones. Denise slowly withdrew from Cat's world and friendship because she had lost so much. And her friend's world was too dangerous, too violent.Spade and Denise is no Cat and Bones. What made the Night Huntress books so great (chemistry, humor, witty banter, a strong heroine) was sorely missing in First Drop of Crimson. I found the relationship between Spade and Denise to be lacking in chemistry and heat. Denise was constantly whining about how much money Spade was spending to help her locate her relative and Spade had to constantly reassure her that he would help her at any cost. The entire book was Spade putting Denise at ease. She would whine and he would have to talk her down. How these two end up having sex was beyond me because I did not find the attraction between them to be believable or natural. I also question Denise's decision making skills. She would do things in the name of keeping those who are helping her out of danger not realizing that it's gone way beyond that. They are already helping you so they are already in danger. By doing something stupid, she is making the situation worse. Why ask Spade, Cat, Bones and their crew to help if she wasn't going to listen and follow their rules? Denise has seen them at work and knows that they can and will get the job done.Thank goodness for Ian to provide much needed humor and wit to ruffle Denise's feathers. If it weren't for Ian's character breaking up the monotony of Denise's whining, I don't know if I would have been able to finish the book. I hope that Ian gets his own book soon! Flutter Factor:The sexual chemistry between Spade and Denise was tepid. What he saw in her, I have no idea. I didn't find any redeeming qualities in Denise and by the end of the book, I still didn't like her. I found myself constantly comparing FDOC to the Night Huntress series. It's hard not to. I've heard that the second book, Eternal Kiss of Darkness, is much better. I hope so. I love Jeaniene Frost's writing but something in this book was missing.
