Christina lies near death in the hospital, the victim of a brutal beating at
the hands of her own pitiful excuse for a husband. The extent of damage he
caused leaves no hope for recovery – at least none known to mortal man.
As she lies unconscious in ICU, Christy’s closest friends make a life-saving
decision for her. Having received the gift of vampirism from their own
husbands as they themselves hovered near death, they know the only way to
save her is to turn her.
Sebastian has wanted the little mortal for himself since he first laid eyes
on her, but his sense of morality kept him from acting on it while she was
married. With this attack, her husband has forfeited all rights to the
lovely creature lying broken in a hospital bed. Sebastian is determined that
he will be the one to turn her, and hopes with all his being that she will
accept the greatest gift he can offer when she awakens – his love.
But more is at stake than Christy’s life. The evil Venifucus have blazed a
murderous path to their doorstep, leaving a trail of dead supernatural
beings in their wake. It will take a supernatural alliance the likes of
which has never been seen before to defeat this threat.
With
her latest release, Sweeter Than Wine, Bianca D’Arc joins her
shifter series with her vampire series, creating one, big, wonderful
paranormal world for her fans! Of course, she doesn’t stop at shape
shifters and vampires, this delicious universe includes fey and mages as
well, and I imagine that we might see still other supernatural creatures as
the series progresses and the stories call for it. We also enjoy a bevy of
crossover characters from both Lords of the Were and all of
her previous vampire tales.
Sweeter Than Wine is the tale of Sebastian and Christina,
whose story was first mentioned in Caught by Cupid: Forever Valentine.
Bianca D’Arc tantalized us in that book with tidbits concerning this
intriguing couple, definitely whetting this reviewer’s appetite for more!
In the timeline for her paranormal world, Sweeter Than Wine
actually would come before Forever Valentine, but was written
afterwards and is intended to be read in this order. The author writes both
stories in such a way, however, that you will have no trouble following
along, no matter which order you read them in.
Sebastian’s love and respect for Christina is evident throughout the entire
book. Refusing to leave her side as she recovers, he not only helps her
regain her strength, but is determined that she build it even more than
ever, so she will be strong enough to protect herself from anyone in the
future. In true chivalrous manner, he puts his own needs and desires aside
until he is satisfied that Christina has what she needs to be strong, and to
make decisions concerning him and her future without doubt.
There is a scene in chapter two that I have to admit struck me oddly as I
read it. I couldn’t help but wonder at why the hero was handling things the
way he was. Having long been a fan of Bianca D’Arc, though, I trusted her
and continued. My faith in this author was not misplaced. However strange
some of the hero’s early decisions may seem at first glance, his motivations
soon become clear and prove most admirable. Truly, these actions show more
than anything how dearly he loves Christy and wants to do right by her.
Through it all, D’Arc interweaves relationships between the various
supernatural groups and individuals, laying the groundwork for what promises
to be a fascinating ongoing tale in these characters’ battle against the
evil that threatens the mortal realm. I can say with no hesitation that she
left me more than hungry for several of the supporting characters’ future
stories.
There were so many places where this story surprised me, made me tear up,
made me laugh out loud. I couldn’t believe it when Sebastian – wait, I
can’t tell you that! That’s such a spoiler… But I laughed out loud when
Christy – nope can’t tell you that one either… lol Hmm… I suppose you are
going to just have to pick up a copy of Sweeter Than Wine from
Samhain Publishing and read it for yourself!
J
You will not regret it. Anyone who loves a good paranormal romance with a
riveting suspense storyline, a chivalrous hero and a heroine who can stand
up for herself when the need arises will adore Sweeter Than Wine!
Reviewed by Jennifer
