Love at First Bite (Anthology 4-in-1)

Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Considering that the heroine of Until Death We Do Part is supposed to be the daughter of Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula, I thought this novella had some promise, but sadly, it didn't end up drawing me in as much as I believe it could have if there had been more depth in the plot and characters. I felt like the story was overburdened with mysticism and mythology. In addition to all the usual Dark-Hunter/Were-Hunter/Dream-Hunter mythology, the hero is also a sorcerer and shape-shifter (not a Were-Hunter). While it might seem that this would add a new and interesting dimension to the mythos, I found that it tended to muddy the waters more than anything by making it possible for the characters to show more do pretty much whatever they wanted. I think that if this had been a stand-alone novella without the Dark-Hunter elements or a Dark-Hunter novella without the other stuff, it would have been a tighter and clearer story. I also felt like the author waited a little too long to explain what precisely had separated Velkan and Esperetta all those years ago. Right up until the end, I was only able to speculate through inference as to why they even considered taking the sleeping potion. Unfortunately, this only added to my confusion. Additionally, the author just about drove me batty with her overuse of the word “it'd” which in my opinion is a clunky contraction, and the editing in general left something to be desired with lots of clumsily worded sentences and confusing passages that even after re-reading, still felt like something was missing.

As for the characters, I liked Velkan, but there weren't enough details about him to make him a true stand-out hero. He was kind of the typical Dark-Hunter who'd been wronged, tortured and killed in his human life and then sold his soul to Artemis for his act of vengeance. I felt sorry for everything he'd been through, especially since he'd done it all for Esperetta only to have her completely turn her back on him for 500 years. I could understand how she might have gotten the wrong idea about Velkan's actions, considering all that she had been through herself and with her having been raised in a very sheltered environment, she was probably rather naïve. However, by all accounts Velkan had been an amazing husband, treating her with the utmost kindness and respect in spite of being a hardened medieval warrior, and she supposedly had loved him as deeply as he had loved her. With that in mind, I found it hard to believe that she would run away without at least giving him a chance to explain. Also, since stories abounded about the cruelty of her father, it was even more difficult to fathom that in all those centuries, she hadn't even considered that she might have been wrong about Velkan. In my opinion, 500 years was taking the dreaded “big misunderstanding” a little too far. Not to mention, when Retta's current venomous sarcasm was added to the mix, it all made her seem very childish and shrewish to me. Even when she finally realized she had terribly misjudged Velkan, it was just too little too late. I could completely understand why he was so angry with Retta and felt that he forgave her far too easily. I think she needed to do a lot more groveling for what she put the poor man through, especially since he had done nothing but look out for her well-being all those years too. I just didn't end up sensing a deep emotional connection between Velkan and Retta as a couple. About the only good thing I can say about them is that it was a unique element to have a hero and heroine who were already married before he was turned into a Dark-Hunter, and that as a result of having their life-forces tied together, she came back to life too. The other troublesome thing is that much like the previous full-length novel of the series, Dark Side of the Moon, there was no resolution to Velkan's Dark-Hunter status at the end of the story.

Although Until Death We Do Part is part of the Dark-Hunter series, there is no specific connecting plot and no carry-over characters that I'm aware of. Readers do get a glimpse of the first Were-Hunter/Dream-Hunter hybrid which might be an important piece of information that I could see possibly popping up again later in the series. It could easily be read as a stand-alone, but for those people who prefer reading series in order like I do, it falls between Dark Side of the Moon and The Dream-Hunter in the Dark-Hunter chronology. Until Death We Do Part had a few unique elements, but it felt like it was rather hurriedly thrown together and didn't entirely live up to its promise, ultimately, becoming a rather ho-hum read for me. Although I'm a bit skeptical of the chances based on other fans reviews, I am hoping that the next few stories improve on the relationship development and overall storytelling, as my interest in the series is sadly beginning to wane. Star Rating: ***

Ride the Night Wind by L. A. Banks - Ride the Night Wind is another short side-story in the Vampire Huntress Legends. It gives the backstory of Guardians Jose and Juanita who are apparently main characters in the series. I don't really know anything more about this couple besides what was imparted in this story, because I haven't read any of the main books in the Vampire Huntress Legends. I almost never read series books out of order, but I can't say that this series stood out to me as one that I knew I would like for certain, and after reading Make It Last Forever, another backstory novella, I just didn't know if I could take such sad endings. As a result, I have yet to try the main part of the series.

Much like with Make It Last Forever, I did enjoy Ride the Night Wind right up until the end. L. A. Banks created two likable characters in Jose and Juanita. I could very much relate to their dreams of becoming an artist and business woman respectively, but having no one who understood or supported those dreams until they met each other. They both were also from single-parent households in poor neighborhoods and had controlling mothers who thought the worst of them, even though they were trying their best. Jose was kind of into the gang-banging scene but had managed to use his art to avoid getting into any real trouble. He had the heart and body of a warrior with a more sensitive side underneath. He had been dreaming of a beautiful woman whose face was hidden in shadows except for her eyes, so when he saved Juanita from an demon attack, he immediately knew she was the one. Juanita was a responsible young woman who took care of her little brother and the household while her mother worked, and all she wanted was to have a “normal” life like other girls her age. Unfortunately, that was not to be. She too had dreams for years of a man who saves her from horrific creatures, but whose face is obscured by a motorcycle helmet, so when Jose rescues her, she knows he's the one.

Normally, I'm not a fan of quick hook-ups like what occurred in this story, but this time I was completely convinced that Jose and Juanita were meant for one another and that they were indeed falling in love even though the story takes place in only about a day. I think having them both dreaming of one another before meeting helped that along, but Ms. Banks also managed to imbue their relationship with tenderness and a deep sense of urgency and longing. They just can't seem to get enough of each other, and the love scenes were really intense and beautiful. That's why just like with Make It Last Forever, the ending of this story was so hard to take. I will admit that it was a little happier than the other novella, because unlike Jake Rider, the hero of that story, and the love of his life, Jose and Juanita are together at the end of Ride the Night Wind with the implication that it is for good this time. However, between the final chapter and the epilogue, Jose and Juanita have been separated for nearly two decades as they each played their roles as Guardians and both have taken other lovers during that time. So, it still broke my heart to have them apart for such an extended period before finally finding each other again.

Ride the Night Wind stood fairly well on its own without me having prior knowledge of the Vampire Huntress Legends, although I have to admit that the epilogue probably would have made more sense if I had known more about the world building and what had taken place thus far in the series. Jake Rider is mentioned throughout the story and shows up as a secondary character in the epilogue. If memory serves, this novella also takes place in the same small Native American community, with one or two of the same characters, from Make It Last Forever. In spite of another unsatisfying ending, I can't deny that the late L. A. Banks' writing is pretty solid and her stories have a certain dark appeal. I'm slowly becoming more interested in the series as a whole and might be persuaded to give it a try. I'm still a little uncertain though, because in spite of knowing that the series is urban fantasy rather than paranormal romance, Ms. Banks definitely has a knack for the romantic side of the story. With that in mind, I'm not sure if I can take more unhappiness if she dishes it up as liberally as she has in these two short stories. Star Rating: ****

The Gift by Susan Squires - The Gift turned out to be a very pleasant surprise for me. I hadn't heard much in paranormal romance circles about Susan Squires' Companion series, so I can't say that it ever really caught my eye as something I'd like to read. That's why I decided to go ahead with this novella without having read the previous books in the series. Now that I've given it a try, I'm very interested in backtracking and learning more about this interesting new vampire world. This is the first time I've read a historical vampire romance and to make it even more unique, the story is primarily set in Morocco, Casablanca to be exact. I don't think I've ever read any story, much less a romance, set in Africa before.

I really liked both the hero and heroine of this novella. Davie is an honorable man who is an officer in the British army. He's been looking forward to finally proposing to the woman he loves, but when duty calls and he doesn't know if he'll come back alive, he does the noble thing and releases Emma even though it breaks his heart to do so. He was also previously held captive, raped and tortured by the queen of the vampires which made him incredibly sympathetic. It just made me want to wrap him up in my arms and love him tenderly like Emma does. Because of his experiences with vampires, Davie would rather die than become one, but fate may have other plans in store for him. Emma is a vivacious and adventurous young lady who would rather risk her life in a dangerous place than to live without the man she loves. I had to admire her spunk in following Davie to Casablanca and her willingness to love him no matter what. She was a very brave woman who fought valiantly by his side in more ways than one. In my opinion, the author did a great job of conveying the deep sense of longing between these two when they couldn't be together, as well as the incredible love and tenderness they shared when they finally did reunite.

From what I can tell, The Gift falls between The Burning and One with the Night, books #3 and #4 of the Companion series. When I first started reading it, I was slightly confused. It took me a chapter or so to sort everything out. In this respect, I think it would have been better to have read the series in order. Also, some characters from previous books appeared, including Ian Rufford, the hero of The Companion, who had a strong secondary role and Beatrix, the heroine of The Hunger, who showed up briefly near the end. I also got the feeling that Davie and Emma were probably introduced in a previous book, because it was mentioned that they stood up for Ian and his wife at their wedding. Once I figured out who everyone was, the story was pretty easy to follow. I feel like I only got a taste of the vampire mythology here, and would love to know more. That, the exotic historical setting, and wanting to read more about Ian, who seems like he would make a great romantic hero, makes me very interested in continuing with this series, only this time I'll start at the beginning.:-) Star Rating: *****

*The Forgotten One by Ronda Thompson - After a mediocre showing on the previous book in the Wild Wulfs of London, The Forgotten One really got the series back on track for me. This historical paranormal novella mirrored the deep emotional connection I felt in the first two stories, as well as the exquisite sensuality. It also had the unusual distinction of the hero being a commoner, a mere stable master, who was also a bastard with no last name, while the heroine was a titled lady about to inherit her family's estate upon her twenty-first birthday. I ended up absolutely loving it.

Anne reminds me a lot of myself. She is the perfect blend of a sweet girl trying to be just a little naughty. She doesn't entirely succeed in her plan though, because she's a little too cautious to fully follow through with it. She adores horses and knows as much about them as many men do, but of course, being a lady, is not really allowed to have anything to do with them other than to ride, which she loves. She longs to be free of the strictures of society, and what she feels while riding gives her a taste of that freedom. The sensations Merrick arouses in her and the way he understands her and is willing to accept her eccentricities also makes her feel liberated. Anne is a young woman who has a positive attitude and tries to look on the bright side of things. She is also a very trusting soul who always sees the best in people. When she turns that implicit trust on Merrick, it nearly overwhelms him. The way she loves him with her whole being in spite of him being lowborn, and even after witnessing him turning into a beast, is really beautiful.

Merrick is an incredibly sexy hero. He knows exactly what to say and do to get a lady's motor humming. He has this lazy, devil-may-care attitude that's extremely appealing, yet underneath it all, he harbors some darkness and resentment toward the upper classes because of his father abandoning his mother. It doesn't take him long though to realize that Anne isn't like most aristocrats. I love how Merrick understands Anne in a way that no one else does. He encourages her to pursue her dreams and desires even if they aren't considered “proper.” When Merrick discovers that his “gifts” go far beyond his wildest imaginings, he is understandably concerned for Anne's safety, but I was glad that in the end, he listened to her and trusted her instincts about his beastly side. His willingness to do anything for her was sweetly romantic.

The Forgotten One was another wonderfully sweet, yet deeply sensual romance. With three out of the four Wild Wulfs of London stories I've read so far being winners, the late Ronda Thompson has earned a spot on my favorite authors list. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the series, The Cursed One. Star Rating: ***** show less

Overall I wasn't very impressed with the stories although I certainly did like some more than others. All of these stories take place as middle stories in each authors’ ongoing series which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. I'll comment on each individually from the one I liked best, to the one I liked least.

My favorite was the short, The Gift by Susan Squires. This one only actually beat out Ronda Thompson's story on the basis that it did introduce me to a new to me vampire series that sounds rather interesting. In this story a young soldier, Davie Ware, still suffering PTSD like flashbacks from enslavement by a vampire priestess, leaves the woman he loves behind to fulfill an obligation he feels to his commanding show more officer, Ian Rufford (apparently the hero from the first book of her series). I liked this one for the way it worked the series storyline in smoothly and didn't just leave you saying, "huh?" after reading it. For the length, it was well written with an interesting plot and fully idealized characters.

Ronda Thompson's, The Forgotten One takes place between the second and third books of her Wild Wulfs of London series which, coincidentally, is exactly where I am in the series. Merrick is a stable master hired to work at the Blackthorn Manor wanting nothing more than to work with horses and every opportunity to stick it to the man (of course this being of a historical setting it was not said in precisely those words). Lady Anne Baldwin is an orphan raised by her aunt and uncle at her ancestral home. Sick of her own, boring, biddable ways Anne has decided to rebel and finds the handsome stable hand a willing accomplice. I've enjoyed all of Thompson's other Wulf stories and this one was no exception. As a whole this is definitely one of the better werewolf romance/historical series I've read.

Until Death Do Us Part is a short Dark-Hunter tale of human sorcerer and soldier, Velkan, who becomes a DH to avenge the murder of his bride, Esperetta, at the hand of her father (a very famous vampire). Although interesting enough this story lacked the spark some of Kenyon's other stories have. I can't say it is totally due to the diminutive length, although that could be part of it, because I've read other short stories by her that I felt more involved in. Still it is gratifying to add another DH notch to my read repertoire which may give me some otherwise unknown background for stories in the future.

The L.A. Banks story, Ride the Night Wind managed to annoy the heck out of me within the first couple paragraphs and all went downhill from there. Whenever you have a story that tries to convince you how sorry you should be for a young man living with his mother and henpecked because he doesn't do housework...well it's just wrong. Of course, it was illuminated from there how much of a horrible harpy not only his mother but his heroine to be's mother is which only served to antagonize me further. Oh pity the whiddle children who must help out in the house!! Ugh. Add in the fact I was less than impressed with the writing style itself along with the way it was assumed you knew what the heck the author was talking about within the context of her series and it was just a total crash and burn for me. I had the first two Vampire Huntress books in my tbr pile and have already offered them up on BookMooch. I'm not going through that again.

Despite a couple highlights, this anthology was a far cry from the best I've ever read and with the exception of the Squires story I am not so sure they could be considered a very good introduction to any of these series. show less

This was the first book/short stories that I have ever read by Kenyon or Banks. I never thought I would be interested in the paranormal romances, but this one definately was a great read. I was a little iffy on the third story as I'm not much one for reading about different eras other than our presnt one, but it was still well written.

★★★★ Love at First Bite(Until Death We Do) Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon book 10.6 in Dark Hunter Series

So this DH novella is about Esperetta and Velkan. They were married, hundreds of years ago. They were madly in love, when one night Esperetta's father, Vlad the Impaler, killed her. This enraged Velkan, so much he traded his soul, for vengeance against his father-in-law. But when Esperetta rises from the grave, all she sees us her beloved husband with her father's severed head in his hand. She takes off, how could she ever be with a man like that. 400 years later, she ends up back in Transylvania, with her friend Francesca. She is just bound to run into Velkan. But can she ever trust him again?

A very mixed bag of stories, two contemporary and two modern, all of which are paranormal romances.

Sherrilyn Kenyon brings Dracula into her reality, in this story his daughter has to deal with her husband that she believes ill of from a long time ago. He bound her soul to his and when he took Artemis' offer she became immortal too. Pretty typical of her stuff.

The second is LA Banks'. Two teenagers find themselves dealing with abilities and evil, they find themselves attracted to each other.

Susan Squires' the Gift is an interesting tale of vampires and choices.

My favourite was Ronda Thompson's The Forgotten One. Lady Anne Baldwin has found herself beginning to be tired with the restraint of her life and a new stable manager helps knock show more her life out of it's usual bounds.

Altogether a fun set of stories, nothing too amazing but good for it's type. show less

Until Death We Do Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon (9/10)
Paranormal Romance. Short story in Love at First Bite Anothology. It was actually a good little story; deliberately Romeo and Juliet based on Dracula's daughter and her star crossed lover. Both "survived" their untimely deaths and are still fighting about it today, but need to make up.

Not a particularly interesting anthology, I actually skipped the final story as I had no interest in finishing the book.