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If you love vampires and Christmas, than this third installment in Harlequin’s Holiday with a Vampire miniseries is sure to appeal. In Sundown by Linda Winstead Jones, we meet Abby Brown, a vampire who manages the local bar, that just happens to cater to a very special kind of clientele after dark. When someone with ties to the bar is found murdered, police detective Leo Stryker is on the case. However, his determination to uncover the killer brings him dangerously close to revealing secrets Abby prefer stay hidden. I loved Sundown with its mystery revolving around the murder victim, and the love brewing between Abby and Leo. Their affair is made bittersweet by Abby’s fears of what will happen to them when Leo learns her secret. Linda Winstead Jones wraps the story up nicely, solving the mystery and the conflict between Leo and Abby in a very believable way. However, I was disappointed that the holiday plays such a small role in this story it might as well have been nonexistent. When Sienna Briggs has to bury her beloved grandmother during the holidays, she finds a revelation about a community never imagined, the Secret Vampire Society. One of its members, Julian Vossimer, is ordered to kill her. However, ever since he became involved in her life when she was a child, he has been unable to resist the allure of this lovely lady, and wants nothing more than to show her Nothing Says Christmas Like a Vampire (by Lisa Childs). I thoroughly enjoyed this sometimes sad, other times heartwarming novella, Nothing Says Christmas Like a Vampire. Sienna never knew about her mystery protector and how much he has impacted her world, but Julian can’t forget. His inner turmoil as he struggles to balance his emotions with his duty to his people makes for a compelling tale. Lisa Childs does a great job of fleshing out the world of her vampire society with the tantalizing tidbits revealed here. Vampire Adrian Thorne may have secreted himself away in Maine to escape the memories of the lovely Sarah Roberts, a Draicon and enemy of his kind, but his gremlin friends have other plans. When a Christmas present appears on his doorstep, he is about to find his fate Unwrapped (by Bonnie Vanak), especially when a dangerous enemy arrives at the same time. Unwrapped was my favorite story in this anthology but then, I love Bonnie’s writing so that comes as no surprise to me. This was also more humorous in tone than the preceding Draicon books, while still holding on to a bit of that darkness that is found in this universe. Who can resist six gremlins dressed up like elves running around casting spells and giving Christmas presents? They came dangerously close to stealing the show every time they put in an appearance. Adrian and Sarah are a perfect example of star crossed lovers. They understand the tension between their kinds, interfering with their happiness. Yet, Adrian and Sarah manage to overcome the odds and prove that vampires and the Draicon don’t necessarily have to be enemies after all. Holiday with a Vampire III features three powerhouse authors in the paranormal romance and is sure to have at least one story to satisfy most everyone. I loved all three stories and look forward to even more works by these players in the near future. © Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2010. All rights reserved. |
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Posted February 2010 |
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