Of the first three novels in this series, this is undoubtedly my favorite. I absolutely adore Sascha and Lucas' story in Slave to Sensation, but there's something so incredibly heart-wrenching about seeing Judd find his way to an HEA with Brenna - the wolf they worked so hard to save in that first book. 
 This has absolutely NONE of the issues that I noted in my review for Visions of Heat, and none of the future books do either, but it's so incredibly refreshing to come into this book and just be met with equal strength and character from both the hero and heroine - right from the beginning. It doesn't matter that Brenna thinks that she's going insane (something that would actually be understandable considering what she's been through), she's still more than a match for Judd, for melting the Silence that he holds close to him...for a very good reason. 
 After 14 full-length novels in this series, the romance in this one remains one of my all-time favorites. I don't think I can give it much more praise than that. 
 The other favorite thing in this book is the ramping up of the world-building and over-arcing plot. I cannot say enough how amazed I am at the world that Nalini has created. And not just the world, because while it's intricate and detailed and I know that it continues beyond what I see on the page, we see this world through the catalyst of change. 
 Silence has been in effect for over 100 years by the time we first enter the Psy-Changeling world. And it's been working...so they say. But there are too many examples of it failing, and the Council isn't able to keep all of them contained anymore. The protocol is fraying around the edges, and when the strongest begin to leave...change is imminent. Even now, so many re-reads later, I'm still caught in the stress and worry over how they're going to make it better. Because the world they live in right now may be the best they were able to come up with, but it's sure not great, not even really good with all the losses each race is enduring. 
 So we get to see not only the Changelings push for change, because they're powerful even if the Psy have forgotten they're more than just animals, AND we get to see the very beginnings of the Psy push for change.Revolution is inevitable. 
 In this oh-so-real world that I've come to love, with the characters that feel like friends, how could I not be invested in the outcome of this intricate and detailed story? 
 Whenever I re-read, I'm struck anew by how far in advance Nalini Singh has planned things out. There are hints and thoughts, comments and off-hand mentions of people, places, ideas, that only really come to bear fruit much, much, much later in the series - sometimes 10 or 12 books later. That, to me, is amazing and part of what makes this world, this series a favorite. 
 This review is also at The Book Eaters 
 Previous thoughts: 
 One of my consistent favorites (in a series where it's hard to pick favorites), Caressed by Ice is really where the series picks up - at least for me. 
 Brenna is fascinating, being the only survivor of the psychopath from book 1 (Slave to Sensation) that was murdering changeling women after torturing them for a week. Determined and strong, she's nonetheless still figuring out who she is and gaining back her sense of self after the relentless attack she survived. 
 Judd is ... *sigh* I love Judd. He's a great hero. Psy, cold as ice to all appearances, but he risked his life to save the children in his family. Taking a chance that most psy wouldn't even contemplate. Now, several months out of the PsyNet and Judd is still separate from others. And still he can't resist Brenna, drawn to her by something he doesn't even begin to understand. 
 The romance is incredibly heartfelt and moving, it gets me every time watching them figure out how to be together. And shows that if someone is determined enough, they'll find a way. Both Judd and Brenna have this determination and it really endeared me to both their characters. 
 Here's also where we meet an integral person in the world, the Ghost, who remains a mystery for nearly 10 books - Heart of Obsidian is due out June 4th 2013 and is finally his book. 
 The developments in the Psy Council, and indeed the way you can see the three races on the path to war, just begins to ratchet up the overall tension in this series. 
 I love this book, this series, and can't recommend it enough.