Reviewed by: Rabid Reads 
 Hard Bitten has all of the same elements that I've come to love about the Chicagoland Vampires series. Meaning, an intriguing story, snaky characters and a dash of romance but where this one differs from the rest is in the area of most ballsy moves made by an author. I couldn't get over the size of Chloe Neill's kahunas in this book! I'll be the first one to admit that I'm a sucker for happy endings and that I get upset when a writer decides to swim against the current and instead opts for a non-traditional finale. Luckily for us, this is in fact a series, so amends may still be made before all is said and done. I admire Neill's bold move but I can't help but hope for the impossible to happen in Drink Deep. 
 Merit is still her good ol' rebellious self in this fourth installment but her obstinate nature is taken to a whole new level. Instead of just defying her family, Cardogan house and her master as is usually the case; she's giving the finger to the absolute vamp authority too! This girl just doesn't know when to back down from a fight! She wouldn't be Merit if she did but at times I genuinely feared for her immortal life. Ethan isn't much better with his encouragement of her although, I was glad to see them at long last presenting a united front and that finally, FINALLY, Cardogan's belligerent master vamp has her back. I really warmed up to Ethan in Hard Bitten. Instead of demanding Merit's trust and allegiance he's working hard to earn it and ultimately deserve it. I guess you can teach a 400 year old vampire new tricks! 
 The story this time around was kind of a reverse take on True Blood's V drug. Not a completely original idea in itself but reworked enough so that it becomes Chloe Neill's own. Merit's investigation of the problem takes readers on so many twists and turns that I really could feel the urgency and importance of things ending well. Morgan played a small role in the plot and boy did his actions ever make me happy that our girl decided to dump his ass! What a piece of work he is! 
 In the final chapters everything seemed to be going as planned and setting us up for a happy ending that is of course, up until Chloe yanks the rug out from under us! WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!? In the span of mere seconds I went from being happy, to wanting to chuck the book across the room, to questioning whether I'd just wasted four books worth of precious reading time to finally being curious as to what surprises Drink Deep might hold. That's not to say that I've forgiven Neill for this but I'm willing to give her a chance to try and make things better. Do I admire her neve? Absolutely! Am I going to stop sulking about the way that Hard Bitten ended? Not bloody likely! Ask me again after November 1st. 
 As upset as I am about how Hard Bitten ended I still have to give credit where credit is due. I think Chloe Neill definitely earned a five star review from me. Although, I reserve the right to take it back if she doesn't do something to fix this mess in the next book! Thank goodness that I've already received word from the publisher that my review copy of Drink Deep is in the mail!