Kimberly Raye

I was a bit reluctant to start on this endeavor, for the back cover description sounded a bit too cutesy for me. Also, I enjoy male vampires with female humans as the main characters, but I of course was curious about this one and am as addicted to series as vamps are to the red stuff. Pleasantly, this book was very different, focusing basically only on vamp-vamp relations, involving humans to a lesser degree, and injected so many unusual and new twists to vampirism that it was almost like show more reading about a new race entirely. Vampires are matched based on this orgasm rate for female, and fertility rating for the male. There are born vamps, and made vamps. Both groups are snobby toward each other and rarely interact.

I have seen comparisons in other reviews between this one and Mary Janice Davidsons' Undead series, but I digress. The protagonist does share the same fashion obsession, although not necessarily Betsie's die-hard shoe fetish, but she is no way over the top annoying. Her situation is completely different, goals endlessly varied, and all interacting characters from another world outside the 'undead' one. In other words, if you don't enjoy that series, you can still enjoy this one for they're not the same.

Liz is a bit irrational at times, but she's a fun gal to follow. She has a pleasant heart and an interesting outlook in the vamp world on love, romance, the whole nine yards. Her mother is constantly trying to set her up, which makes for truly funny moments. Her father is in constant battle with the neighbor werewolf, which also proves amusing.

She's surrounded by three brothers whom her parents have different standards for. It's almost like there is analogy for this in the book (as with how women are rated) that matches the human every-day life reality stuff. Ty does sound hot, although I'm not sure on the sugar endearment, and I was disappointed things didn't progress a bit more with this installment. Hopefully the second, please? He did irritate me with his comments on her softness, however, as he made fun of and looked down on her a bit too much sometimes.

If you're in the market for intense vampires, steer far away. There's no dark and ghastly here, even in terms of other vamps. It's all very light, fluffy, and a fast read that's humorous but not overly so, with plenty happening at all ends to keep things spicy. Raye's writing style is very different, not cloying and overdone but extremely spruced up and addictive. Add in a serial murder story that needs uncovering, and the pages fly by. The book does not stand out enough to rate a four star, but I'm very eager to read the next book :) show less

Kimberly Raye got it right this time around. Brandy is a spunky bakery owner and moonshine creator who enjoys the company of Tyler McCall, rodeo star & family nemesis....at least she did until he left her 2 years before without a word. Well, he's back looking for his wayward brother, and the sparks are flying yet again.

Good character development, both with the main and supporting characters which kept my interest. The plot is layered with enticements, and the romance between Brandy and Tyler show more develops naturally, even a bit slowly at times. I did want to shake Brandy and tell her to "work it out already!" with her internal monologues, but it was better than an unrealistic, too quick realization. Instead of losing herself by falling in love, Brandy sees that Tyler's love completes her and she can still have it all.
Well done, Raye, and after this one, I'd read your novels again!
(I received an arc for an honest review) show less

This was an interesting trilogy of NASCAR related holiday theme stories. All three were enjoyable in varying ways.

The first story, Ladies, Start Your Engines... was more technically inclined with lots of mechanic intensive lingo to go along with the reinstatement of a former relationship. In this story Savannah is the sole daughter of Calloway Family Racing and wannabe mechanic. Unfortunately she had spent her life acting as fill-in for her dead mother/hostess for her father and mother to show more her younger brothers along with filling the role of PR specialist and secretary for the team. When her father decides it is time for her to go out and marry so he can have grandchildren, her fires her from the team. This leads Savannah to seek her fortune elsewhere, namely with her family's former driver and her years ago one night stand, Mackenzie Briggs. Now with a new team Mac knows he can get into the top three for the Chase, and Savannah knows she can help with this with the right tweaking to his car. This short was well written although I found the technical parts a little overdone. Probably because I hear enough of it from my husband without reading about it in my romances LOL! How Savannah allows herself to be pushed around by her family is a little exasperating but how she winds up dealing with it all shows some great character development. Actually, for a short story all the character personalities come across strong, clear and primarily developed, which was very nice, making this my second favorite of the trilogy.

'Tis the Silly Season relied more on the development of the characters' relationships than the racing itself when driver, Clay Slater, hires out of work waitress, Lisa Mahoney, to pose as his wife to help woo a prospective sponsor. This was certainly the short with the most Christmasy theme as Lisa takes on the challenge of acting as a wife to give her children their first ever real Christmas, complete with tree and gifts she wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. I really liked this one, although it did seem over the top for a sponsor to require a driver to be married to be considered as a driver. But, for all I know those kind of situations exist, I know the quest for sponsors in NASCAR is a competitive and necessary one. I liked both Clay and Lisa along with Lisa's two sons, particularly the somber Keith. It was nice that both leads were imperfect and made mistakes while trying to accomplish their personal goals. This was my favorite of the three.

Unbreakable was the third story and as it started off it rather grated on my nerves as it was all about image. The author seemed overly obsessive about the ideas of health and fitness in the NASCAR sport and her lead character of Dr. Maxine Gray reflected the obsession. I just don't see the basis of proving that drivers and their teams are athletes in the traditional sense of the word, its not really something I care about one way or the other. Really, the entire premise of the short seemed to be based on how the media and public can be lead around by propaganda imagined up about the drivers. However, I did like the other aspects of the story as Dr. Gray and Rush, the driver, got to know each other, although they both were rather goody-goody types. Despite the fact that this story wasn't my favorite I still did enjoy it for the most part, even if it may not seem so from what I've said here.

Overall I think this is a well balanced Christmas/NASCAR themed anthology with the main themes being diverse enough within the context of the genre. In each story the characters were relatable and all were pretty well developed, especially considering the brevity of page space each were given. As always with any NASCAR romance (at least any that I've read so far) the bedroom scenes are of the "fade to black" type and there really isn't anything to offend even the most sensitive sensibilities. I also found it interesting enough to read the entire book in one day. Really, very cute and I would certainly recommend the anthology for lovers of sweet, contemporary romances who also enjoy NASCAR. show less

If you enjoy your paranormal romance/chicklit with a hefty dose of sarcasm and satire, you should pick up a copy of "Just One Bite" by Kimberly Raye. This is the 4th book in her 'Dead End Dating' series and I think the best one yet. Each novel has a mystery to solve and tells us a bit more about the heroine Lil, who is pretty much a caricature of the hip New Yorker who drops more fashion names than Joan Rivers.

Lil is a Born vamp from a wealthy vamp family who has broken away from the family show more business to open her Dead End Dating service. She is flaky, ditzy, and not at all your 'typical' vampire. She has an on-again/off-again relationship with drool-worthy bad boy Ty (a Made vamp and therefore MUCH lower class); and let's not forget sexy Remy, the Born vamp BOTH their families would love to see her settle down with. Each book reveals a bit more about Lil's inability to make a firm decision regarding these two and her mother's incessant nagging for her to settle down (with Remy). In this book, Lil has been blackmailed into finding a potential wife for Vinnie. Vinnie is a card carry member of the Snipers of Otherworldly Beings (yes, that's SOBs) and has made Lil and offer she can't refuse. She has 72 hours to find him a Catholic, Italian girl his mother will approve of (and he also has a long list of requirements like big boobs, real ones, hot looks, vagina, etc). If Lil does this Vinnie will generously refrain from making her his 500th vamp stake. So Lil is working on a short deadline, her American Express is maxed out (and there's a SHOE SALE), her mother won't stop calling about Remy, and her friend and assistant has been possessed by a serial killer Demon so she needs to find an exorcist! The vamp just can't catch a break.

I don't think I went a whole page without a snicker or an outright laugh. The book and characters are just so over the top, it's impossible NOT to laugh. So if you need a bit of paranormal comic relief, pick up a copy of "Just One Bite" by Kimberly Raye. Just be careful when you drink and read or you might blow your drink out your nose! show less