Was just an average paranormal, Highlander romance. ( )

Much sexier than the others – I look forward to her filling out the stories of some more peripheral characters. ( )

Average vamp romance..., November 14, 2008 The third volume of the "Love At Stake" series by Kerrelyn Sparks is, unfortunately, the second in a row that ends up just being average. The first "How to Marry A Millionaire Vampire" is amazing. The next two just follow the same formula shared by millions of vampire romances... the vampire falls for the mortal, there is angst while the mortal comes to terms with the vampire lifestyle and alternates between being intrigued and turned off by it. Then the vamp and human become intimate. One or the other runs off due to a misunderstanding. They get back together at the end and kiss and make up. I'm tired of this dated formula and I am ready to read something more creative. Angus McKay, there hero of this novel is very interesting as a character. I loved his Scottish accent and kilt and all that. Emma could have been any of the heroines of any other romance book. There was some humor and I truly enjoy the cast of supporting characters here. Vampire mind-sex is getting stale. Is it too much to ask for things to be shook up a little? This is not a horrible book, nor will you remember it with any clarity in a week or two. ( )

I love romances, especially paranormals, but I've never been one for 'light' ones, chick lit types or contemporary. Yet I fell in love with Be Still My Vampire Heart , which could fit into all of those categories! I guess this proves that if you find the right story plot and author, you can fall in love with genres that you normally would not even think to pick up.

The story is FILLED with plenty of witty and hilarious remarks and scenes-- the vampires in this series are very funny, and for the most part they seem to be foreign (Scottish, French, etc....Hmm.. Scottish!), which only adds to their over all appeal. Angus (Not a huge fan of the name, by the way..) was very sexy and funny at the same time. I laughed more in this book than I have in a looong, long time! Romances usually do not make me laugh except for an occasional chuckle, but BSMVH made me laugh out loud often and when I wasn't laughing, I was at least smiling. The dialogue and characters are charming, funny, and interesting.

Besides having a great dose of humor, the book was also filled with some pretty steamy love scenes, tamer than what I am use to, but still steamy and satisfying. These scenes are based a lot more on real emotions and connection than just plain sex, which also added to the story. You could tell that they really cared for each other and they respected each other. They laughed, they talked, they teased and they flirted. Their relationship was very sweet and real, and I loved it. Angus is a total gentleman, sexy and protective but still caring and sweet. I love him! And Emma was intriguing too, for a heroine that is.

The story line was also pretty captivating. It was filled with a bit of suspense and action, which was nice. Not too much, but not so little that it seems like an after thought. I think that Sparks writes a nice story, not what I would normally go for *See my first paragraph* but she is now officially going on my top list. I can't wait to go back and read the previous books in this series, though I am not sure if any of them can top Angus on my favorite hero meter for the series, but who knows? It's possible! The other vamps that we are introduced to are also interesting, and I hope that a lot of them get their own story soon.

5/5 STARS! An amazingly charming, delightful, and delicious paranormal romance that leans more towards the light side but is just as enjoyable as a complex and tension-filled one. A definite must read for anyone, even non-paranormal fans.

~TBQ~ ( )

Book three in the series and great fun. This time the hero is Angus MacKay, the head of the vampire security and she's a member of the CIA's elite stake-out team. They're sworn enemies and they're very attracted but she's conflicted about who is the good guys and who are the bad guys. There's also issues about immortality and mortality.

It's quite a good book of it's type and a good fun read. ( )