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maferg01's review against another edition
4.0
To be quite honest, I don't feel as negative toward this book as some other readers obviously did. Yes it is shorter than the average Gena Showalter book and thus it is a bit lighter on plot than the Lords of the Underworld series. However as a 1st book in a series it leaves much open for the next book in the series. I enjoyed it as a quick read and as something a bit different from an author that I really enjoy reading.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Jane Parker has been living life the best she's could. Since regaining the use of her legs several months ago, she has religiously run 5 miles a day, read books, eaten when hungry and slept. The only time her life seems to have any meaning these days is when she's dreaming. The drunk driver a year ago took away her life, along with her family, when he smashed into the family car killing her father and sister instantly and leaving her to watch her mother take her last breath. But in dreams, she's with this mysterious man who's chained in a cell but who calls to her like nothing she's ever experienced before.
Nicolai, the Crown Prince of Elden is a man without memories. He doesn't know he's a crown prince or the fate of his parents and siblings. All he knows are the 4 walls of his cell, the chains the confine him, the princesses that torture him and the feeling of vengeance and rage that boils in his blood. That's until the human woman he magically summons comes his cell and he knows, without a doubt that he needs to possess this woman, that she is his.
I couldn't connect with either of the main characters and felt like I was racing to catch up with some part of the story that I missed. Jane studied vampires in the human world and had been cursed by one, but why was the government studying them. How did they know about vampires? How about the aftermath from the accident that killed her family and nearly her? Then we get to Nicolai, who doesn't have his memories when he initially meets Jane, but then when he gets them back...there's almost no aftermath. Wouldn't he be a tad bit upset? Wouldn't he show this to Jane if he needed her so?
The evil plot line with the Blood Sorcerer barely is a blip on the screen here. If Nicolai has been magically enchanted to seek vengeance against the Blood Sorcerer, wouldn't we have a tad bit more information about what happened and/or why it happened? I would think Nicolai would want to seek out that information. Then we have Nicolai sensing one brother, towards the end of the story, and trying to communicate with him. When he doesn't "answer", Nicolai brushes it off with "I'll try him later." What??? You just remembered you have siblings, once you can sense and possibly communicate with an you blow if off as if you'll just call him tomorrow?
This story had such potential, but it falls a little short.
3 Cocktails
Nicolai, the Crown Prince of Elden is a man without memories. He doesn't know he's a crown prince or the fate of his parents and siblings. All he knows are the 4 walls of his cell, the chains the confine him, the princesses that torture him and the feeling of vengeance and rage that boils in his blood. That's until the human woman he magically summons comes his cell and he knows, without a doubt that he needs to possess this woman, that she is his.
I couldn't connect with either of the main characters and felt like I was racing to catch up with some part of the story that I missed. Jane studied vampires in the human world and had been cursed by one, but why was the government studying them. How did they know about vampires? How about the aftermath from the accident that killed her family and nearly her? Then we get to Nicolai, who doesn't have his memories when he initially meets Jane, but then when he gets them back...there's almost no aftermath. Wouldn't he be a tad bit upset? Wouldn't he show this to Jane if he needed her so?
The evil plot line with the Blood Sorcerer barely is a blip on the screen here. If Nicolai has been magically enchanted to seek vengeance against the Blood Sorcerer, wouldn't we have a tad bit more information about what happened and/or why it happened? I would think Nicolai would want to seek out that information. Then we have Nicolai sensing one brother, towards the end of the story, and trying to communicate with him. When he doesn't "answer", Nicolai brushes it off with "I'll try him later." What??? You just remembered you have siblings, once you can sense and possibly communicate with an you blow if off as if you'll just call him tomorrow?
This story had such potential, but it falls a little short.
3 Cocktails
jscarpa14's review against another edition
4.0
RECEIVED FROM: NetGalley for Review
***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***
Nicolai is a vampire, a crown prince who during an attack on his castle, which killed his parents, has somehow become a sex slave in another kingdom with no real memory of who he is or where he came from. Jane is a modern day scientist, or she was until a car wreck killed her family, and temporarily took from her the ability to walk. When Jane wakes up in Nicolai’s world she doesn’t know how she got there or who she can trust. All she knows is she’s drawn to the pleasure slave and will do anything to help him. But will helping him get her killed?
This was an excellent beginning to a new series that I’m very excited to read more of. There were only a couple things I didn’t really like. One of which was there were a couple of sex scenes that didn’t really further the plot. Not all of them of course and that plot definitely wasn’t driven by sex, but I think it was used a little more than necessary. However in the defense of those scenes I will say they were well written and extremely pulse-pounding racy. Also while it became clear later in the novel that they’d really fallen in love before the book began, but through magic had lost those memories I would have like to have seen more of that, the time when they actually fell in love so that their extreme feelings for each other didn’t seem so abrupt. I understood why they felt what they did, but it was a bit of a stretch of the imagination for me to believe with so little of their past shown to me in the story.
I would also have liked a little more revenge shown but I don’t think that detracted from the story, more that it’s a personal preference. To be honest with my personal preferences I’d have like to have seen and to know more about a lot of things, Jane’s former career, her accident, how they came to meet in the first place. The book left me curious about a lot of things that I’ll probably never get answers to since the series it to be written by multiple authors. It’s one of those stories that if there were a companion novel produced just giving me all that back story I’m so curious about I’d gladly read it. However I still left the story with a sense of fulfillment at having read a full story arc with engaging characters and plot, so I guess it’s saying something about Showalter’s talent as a writer that I do want to know more about her characters and the lives they had before the story begins.
This is actually the first Showalter titles I’ve read. I’ve started one before, but had the poor luck of purchasing a misprint from Doubleday book club that I waited too long to read. So by the time I read it and realized the middle of a different book had been bound into the center of that book and it was missing the middle of the book, it was too late to get the book replaced. Even though it had nothing to do with the author, it left me a little frustrated so I just never went back to her work because imagine reading until the middle of a Showalter title and suddenly you’re in the middle of a regency romance with no idea what happened. Logically I knew the chance of picking up another book by her so fatally flawed in the publishing house was rare, but it didn’t stop the emotional response of not wanting to face that frustration again and therefore avoiding her titles. After having read this novel I’m cursing myself for what I was letting myself miss by avoiding her work.
Like in most romance novels Showalter didn’t spend a lot of time building up secondary characters; however I appreciated the allusions to Alice in Wonderland in the form of the Queen of Hearts. The story also had other similarities to well known fairy tales without fully pulling those story lines into her own story. What I mean is many of the secondary characters would remind you a fairy tale character but the story was in no way a rewritten fairy tale. Almost as if the characters existed as a salute to the fairy tales of old without giving up the originality of well a new and original story. I know that sounds a little redundant, but I’m having difficultly expressing exactly what I mean. It’s got all the benefit of a brand new story completely belonging to the author unrestrained by need to adhere to old myths, however it includes character that remind you of other, older, well known stories. The Queen of Hearts made me think of Alice in Wonderland but she also reminded me of Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother with Laila and her real sister Odette as the Wicked stepsisters and Jane who’s posing as Odette as Cinderella, destined to marry Prince Charming. There are the ideals of Beauty and the Beast with how Nicolai behaves when he’s lost his temper, so much like an untamable Beast that Jane falls in love with anyway. So many different scenarios and characters reminded me of the fairy tales of old, but at the same time the story managed to remain completely Showalter’s own.
Nicolai and Jane however were very well constructed characters; they had believable faults and positive points. Also both were easy to relate to, cheer for and feel for.
The story was fast paced, well written and a joy to read. I’d highly recommend to it romance lovers who enjoy touches of fantasy and the paranormal. Because it is the first in a series though you get a full story arc within this title there’s a secondary story that has yet to reach its conclusion. I only hope the other writers in this series are able to convey the same talent for writing and storytelling as Showalter has managed to convey in the series opener.
***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***
Nicolai is a vampire, a crown prince who during an attack on his castle, which killed his parents, has somehow become a sex slave in another kingdom with no real memory of who he is or where he came from. Jane is a modern day scientist, or she was until a car wreck killed her family, and temporarily took from her the ability to walk. When Jane wakes up in Nicolai’s world she doesn’t know how she got there or who she can trust. All she knows is she’s drawn to the pleasure slave and will do anything to help him. But will helping him get her killed?
This was an excellent beginning to a new series that I’m very excited to read more of. There were only a couple things I didn’t really like. One of which was there were a couple of sex scenes that didn’t really further the plot. Not all of them of course and that plot definitely wasn’t driven by sex, but I think it was used a little more than necessary. However in the defense of those scenes I will say they were well written and extremely pulse-pounding racy. Also while it became clear later in the novel that they’d really fallen in love before the book began, but through magic had lost those memories I would have like to have seen more of that, the time when they actually fell in love so that their extreme feelings for each other didn’t seem so abrupt. I understood why they felt what they did, but it was a bit of a stretch of the imagination for me to believe with so little of their past shown to me in the story.
I would also have liked a little more revenge shown but I don’t think that detracted from the story, more that it’s a personal preference. To be honest with my personal preferences I’d have like to have seen and to know more about a lot of things, Jane’s former career, her accident, how they came to meet in the first place. The book left me curious about a lot of things that I’ll probably never get answers to since the series it to be written by multiple authors. It’s one of those stories that if there were a companion novel produced just giving me all that back story I’m so curious about I’d gladly read it. However I still left the story with a sense of fulfillment at having read a full story arc with engaging characters and plot, so I guess it’s saying something about Showalter’s talent as a writer that I do want to know more about her characters and the lives they had before the story begins.
This is actually the first Showalter titles I’ve read. I’ve started one before, but had the poor luck of purchasing a misprint from Doubleday book club that I waited too long to read. So by the time I read it and realized the middle of a different book had been bound into the center of that book and it was missing the middle of the book, it was too late to get the book replaced. Even though it had nothing to do with the author, it left me a little frustrated so I just never went back to her work because imagine reading until the middle of a Showalter title and suddenly you’re in the middle of a regency romance with no idea what happened. Logically I knew the chance of picking up another book by her so fatally flawed in the publishing house was rare, but it didn’t stop the emotional response of not wanting to face that frustration again and therefore avoiding her titles. After having read this novel I’m cursing myself for what I was letting myself miss by avoiding her work.
Like in most romance novels Showalter didn’t spend a lot of time building up secondary characters; however I appreciated the allusions to Alice in Wonderland in the form of the Queen of Hearts. The story also had other similarities to well known fairy tales without fully pulling those story lines into her own story. What I mean is many of the secondary characters would remind you a fairy tale character but the story was in no way a rewritten fairy tale. Almost as if the characters existed as a salute to the fairy tales of old without giving up the originality of well a new and original story. I know that sounds a little redundant, but I’m having difficultly expressing exactly what I mean. It’s got all the benefit of a brand new story completely belonging to the author unrestrained by need to adhere to old myths, however it includes character that remind you of other, older, well known stories. The Queen of Hearts made me think of Alice in Wonderland but she also reminded me of Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother with Laila and her real sister Odette as the Wicked stepsisters and Jane who’s posing as Odette as Cinderella, destined to marry Prince Charming. There are the ideals of Beauty and the Beast with how Nicolai behaves when he’s lost his temper, so much like an untamable Beast that Jane falls in love with anyway. So many different scenarios and characters reminded me of the fairy tales of old, but at the same time the story managed to remain completely Showalter’s own.
Nicolai and Jane however were very well constructed characters; they had believable faults and positive points. Also both were easy to relate to, cheer for and feel for.
The story was fast paced, well written and a joy to read. I’d highly recommend to it romance lovers who enjoy touches of fantasy and the paranormal. Because it is the first in a series though you get a full story arc within this title there’s a secondary story that has yet to reach its conclusion. I only hope the other writers in this series are able to convey the same talent for writing and storytelling as Showalter has managed to convey in the series opener.
lobo1tomia's review against another edition
3.0
The Royal House of Shadows caught my interest with it’s unique premise: one main storyline, four books by different authors. Plus I was only familiar with Nalini Singh so I thought it would be a good way to get to know the other writers especially Gena Showalter whom everyone I know is raving about. The King and Queen of Elden were brutally murdered by a blood sorcerer but before they died they’ve cast a spell to their four children to keep them safe and make sure that they will avenge their death. Nicolai the crown prince who is also a vampire has lost his memory of who is he and becomes a sex slave and his mistresses would not let to use his powers. Still he manages to call for help which comes from somewhere he was not expected. Jane Parker is alone and trying to peace her life and body together after a horrible tragedy that left her soul and body broken. But by night she has very vivid dreams about a slave. She recieves a book that is a key to enter to another dimension to the man she saw in her dreams. So Jane finds herself beside Nicolai and helps him to escape. While running away the vampire remembers more and more about his past and the whys of the strange connection between him and Jane.
I really liked the premise of this series. Especially that there is a dimension parallel to our world where vampires, werewolves, witches, sorcerers etc. exist.I was not expecting this much sex but this shows how I am not familiar with Showalter’s work. For me there were times when the sex get in the way of the adventures because I really loved the storyline. And also I was not happy with the protagonists. Nicolai was too much for me and I didn’t like how he used Jane and as for Jane I thought she will be a bit tougher and not accept readily that she belongs to the vampire.
But all in all it was a fast paced book and wet my appetite for the rest of the series.
loverofromance's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
4.0
Quickie Review-May Contain Spoilers-Read at Your Own Risk
Lord of the Vampires is the first book of the series. When I read Nalini Singh's installment of the series I was really intrigued and wanted to read the siblings books and I picked this one up and it was utterly delightful. I had so much fun with Nicolai and Jane's book and it was completely different from what I expected it to be. Seeing how this story actually ends for the siblings (very happily) I was definitely eager to read this one. It does end with a bit of a teaser, probably so the reader will read the series to see the finale that is in Micah's book.
I really enjoyed how this book progressed and it was so unique and fun. I loved how these two work together and find their way as a team. It had a very much feel of couple against the world type of vibe and the level of trust that these two have for each other was so brilliant. I also enjoyed the heroine being brought into the fantastical reality of sorts. I found the premise of the story intrigued and it does have a mind of Wonderland vibes in this one. Not a strict retellings, just some loose connections that I think readers will enjoy.
If you are a fan of this author, or just want a great paranormal fantasy like story to read that is a good palette cleanser, I highly recommend this one here. Its packed with adventure, romance, kick ass fighting and delicious spice that balances out the story so well.
Lord of the Vampires is the first book of the series. When I read Nalini Singh's installment of the series I was really intrigued and wanted to read the siblings books and I picked this one up and it was utterly delightful. I had so much fun with Nicolai and Jane's book and it was completely different from what I expected it to be. Seeing how this story actually ends for the siblings (very happily) I was definitely eager to read this one. It does end with a bit of a teaser, probably so the reader will read the series to see the finale that is in Micah's book.
I really enjoyed how this book progressed and it was so unique and fun. I loved how these two work together and find their way as a team. It had a very much feel of couple against the world type of vibe and the level of trust that these two have for each other was so brilliant. I also enjoyed the heroine being brought into the fantastical reality of sorts. I found the premise of the story intrigued and it does have a mind of Wonderland vibes in this one. Not a strict retellings, just some loose connections that I think readers will enjoy.
If you are a fan of this author, or just want a great paranormal fantasy like story to read that is a good palette cleanser, I highly recommend this one here. Its packed with adventure, romance, kick ass fighting and delicious spice that balances out the story so well.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
This was an exceptional book! The story drew me right in - from the very first word, I was mesmerized with this strange world, and the paralell worlds excisting beside it.
Jane was a very strong and smart heroine, having been through hell and back, after a car accident killed her family, and left her shattered.
Nikolai was a vampire crown prince, and he'd been bespelled by an evil princess, to forget who he was, and then enslaved for her sexual pleasures.
Jane and Nikolai ended up saving each other, and it was very satisfying! The sensual scenes were written in true Gena Showalter style - hot, demanding and believable!
Jane was a very strong and smart heroine, having been through hell and back, after a car accident killed her family, and left her shattered.
Nikolai was a vampire crown prince, and he'd been bespelled by an evil princess, to forget who he was, and then enslaved for her sexual pleasures.
Jane and Nikolai ended up saving each other, and it was very satisfying! The sensual scenes were written in true Gena Showalter style - hot, demanding and believable!
laurenjodi's review against another edition
2.0
Lord of the Vampires
2 Stars
Synopsis:
Once a vampire renowned for his virility, Nicolai is currently a sex slave to a revolting family of witches. When he summons help, the most unlikely of women is unable to disobey his call. Jane Parker is a human scientist who finds herself in a magical realm and must save the life of the only man she has ever craved.
Review:
An intriguing reverse fairytale plot, however, the execution is exceedingly disappointing.
While I’m usually a fan of dominant alpha males, Nicolai is just too much for me – the man is a complete Neanderthal. Jane is supposed to be an intelligent scientist but comes across as a naïve and idiotic simpleton. While their sexual connection is intense and steamy, their dialogue is repetitive and ridiculous. Moreover, the villains are utterly grotesque, which is not that bad but they also come across as cartoonish.
The overall story premise has potential but events become repetitious as the book progresses. There is very little foundation or build up and explanations appear to be tacked on as an afterthought. For example, the idea of Nicolai’s amnesia and returning memory has promise but ultimately misses the mark because the process is difficult to follow with abrupt transitions between reality and memory, and Jane’s role in the return of his memories is under-developed and vague.
Overall, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief and was unable to become immersed in the fantasy world. Nevertheless, I will most likely continue reading the series as I am interested in seeing how a different author handles the same themes and world.
Lord of the Vampires is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
2 Stars
Synopsis:
Once a vampire renowned for his virility, Nicolai is currently a sex slave to a revolting family of witches. When he summons help, the most unlikely of women is unable to disobey his call. Jane Parker is a human scientist who finds herself in a magical realm and must save the life of the only man she has ever craved.
Review:
An intriguing reverse fairytale plot, however, the execution is exceedingly disappointing.
While I’m usually a fan of dominant alpha males, Nicolai is just too much for me – the man is a complete Neanderthal. Jane is supposed to be an intelligent scientist but comes across as a naïve and idiotic simpleton. While their sexual connection is intense and steamy, their dialogue is repetitive and ridiculous. Moreover, the villains are utterly grotesque, which is not that bad but they also come across as cartoonish.
The overall story premise has potential but events become repetitious as the book progresses. There is very little foundation or build up and explanations appear to be tacked on as an afterthought. For example, the idea of Nicolai’s amnesia and returning memory has promise but ultimately misses the mark because the process is difficult to follow with abrupt transitions between reality and memory, and Jane’s role in the return of his memories is under-developed and vague.
Overall, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief and was unable to become immersed in the fantasy world. Nevertheless, I will most likely continue reading the series as I am interested in seeing how a different author handles the same themes and world.
Lord of the Vampires is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.
lynseyisreading's review against another edition
1.0
I don't seem to be having a good week for reading Gena Showalter this week. I read The Darkest Prison Novella and was...unimpressed, shall we say? Now this effort...
Okay, so let's just get the things that annoyed me off my chest first, then we can move on to the positives.
1. It was incredibly cheesy.
2. The speed at which they fell in love. So, without spoiling it too much (and it does tell you this in the blurb too) the hero of the book has been sold as a sex slave. Now, maybe being sold as a slave and sexually violated on a regular basis whilst chained, starved and tortured affects different people in different ways. Who am I to judge? But I'm just thinking that maybe, were that person to escape such a...predicament, they probably wouldn't seduce their rescuer and declare undying love for her after about 20 minutes and then bind themselves to her for the rest of eternity...I'm just sayin'.
The delightful chap also likes to reminisce about the threesomes and foursomes he used to enjoy (prior to being a sex slave, naturally). Not that he has any interest in such things now that he's met the love of his life (about 5 minutes ago) of course.
3. The female character. She was just an empty vacuum of space from what I could ascertain. She served absolutely no purpose other than to provide the eyes through which we could ogle Nicolai's physique.
So onto what I did like... Um, the title font's quite pretty don't you think?
Okay, so let's just get the things that annoyed me off my chest first, then we can move on to the positives.
1. It was incredibly cheesy.
2. The speed at which they fell in love. So, without spoiling it too much (and it does tell you this in the blurb too) the hero of the book has been sold as a sex slave. Now, maybe being sold as a slave and sexually violated on a regular basis whilst chained, starved and tortured affects different people in different ways. Who am I to judge? But I'm just thinking that maybe, were that person to escape such a...predicament, they probably wouldn't seduce their rescuer and declare undying love for her after about 20 minutes and then bind themselves to her for the rest of eternity...I'm just sayin'.
The delightful chap also likes to reminisce about the threesomes and foursomes he used to enjoy (prior to being a sex slave, naturally). Not that he has any interest in such things now that he's met the love of his life (about 5 minutes ago) of course.
3. The female character. She was just an empty vacuum of space from what I could ascertain. She served absolutely no purpose other than to provide the eyes through which we could ogle Nicolai's physique.
So onto what I did like... Um, the title font's quite pretty don't you think?
dukefn99's review against another edition
3.0
Read my review at http://romancing-the-book.com/2011/07/review-lord-of-the-vampires-by-gena-showalter.html
chelseavbc's review against another edition
3.0
This review was originally posted at Vampire Book Club.
If there is one reason to read Lord of the Vampires, it is Nicolai. Luckily, there is more than one good reason to dig into this one, but really, I need to emphasize: You. Will. Want. This. Vampire.
Lord of the Vampires is the first in a new Royal House of Shadows series Harlequin Nocturne has assembled — with four different authors each tackling a book set in the same world and a different sibling from a lost royal family. Gena Showalter brings us the first title focusing on the crown prince Nicolai. Long ago, his family’s castle was attacked. His parents, before being murder, sent out conflicting magical spells to protect their children; one called for vengance and the other to get the children safely away. This made for much confusion as Nicolai was in his bed with a naked maiden one minute and chained to wall in a dungeon another. His memory was gone and he was being held as a sex slave for nasty, nasty witch princesses in the ageless kingdom of Delfina.
Then there’s Jane, a human from the mortal world. She used to perform paranormal research, but after a horrid car accident, she stays home. Her days have become monotonous, but at night she dreams of a gorgeous man. A vampire, bound in chains. And she wants to save him. This is when a handwritten book arrives on her doorstep, and reading it transports her to Delfina. Everyone sees her as a princess thought killed. Everyone except Nicolai, who sent for her. She can save him.
Sound a bit like a fairy tale? That’s exactly how this one goes — and is the reason it’s a 3-star review. The plot isn’t all that original, but it’s immensely fun to read. Seeing Nicolai realize he can’t live without Jane, refusing to accept any obstacle, makes a girl giddy. He was the player and had intended to use her just to gain freedom before beginning his siege on the usurper of his lands. But he just can’t. Jane does some things I would consider a bit reckless, but overall she’s a strong woman. And, really, Nicolai needs someone to challenge him.
Despite the predictable plot, Showalter’s toe-curling sex scenes and even those sensual vampire bites would be enough to make this one a fun weekend read for any vampire paranormal romance fan.
It may not be breaking the mold, but it’s nicely done vampire romance. If you like the boys that bite and beating down the oppressors, you’ll enjoy Lord of the Vampires. I most certainly had fun reading it, and am looking forward to seeing what the other Harlequin Nocturne authors can cook up to continue the tale.
Sexual content: Graphic sex scenes, attempted rape
If there is one reason to read Lord of the Vampires, it is Nicolai. Luckily, there is more than one good reason to dig into this one, but really, I need to emphasize: You. Will. Want. This. Vampire.
Lord of the Vampires is the first in a new Royal House of Shadows series Harlequin Nocturne has assembled — with four different authors each tackling a book set in the same world and a different sibling from a lost royal family. Gena Showalter brings us the first title focusing on the crown prince Nicolai. Long ago, his family’s castle was attacked. His parents, before being murder, sent out conflicting magical spells to protect their children; one called for vengance and the other to get the children safely away. This made for much confusion as Nicolai was in his bed with a naked maiden one minute and chained to wall in a dungeon another. His memory was gone and he was being held as a sex slave for nasty, nasty witch princesses in the ageless kingdom of Delfina.
Then there’s Jane, a human from the mortal world. She used to perform paranormal research, but after a horrid car accident, she stays home. Her days have become monotonous, but at night she dreams of a gorgeous man. A vampire, bound in chains. And she wants to save him. This is when a handwritten book arrives on her doorstep, and reading it transports her to Delfina. Everyone sees her as a princess thought killed. Everyone except Nicolai, who sent for her. She can save him.
Sound a bit like a fairy tale? That’s exactly how this one goes — and is the reason it’s a 3-star review. The plot isn’t all that original, but it’s immensely fun to read. Seeing Nicolai realize he can’t live without Jane, refusing to accept any obstacle, makes a girl giddy. He was the player and had intended to use her just to gain freedom before beginning his siege on the usurper of his lands. But he just can’t. Jane does some things I would consider a bit reckless, but overall she’s a strong woman. And, really, Nicolai needs someone to challenge him.
Despite the predictable plot, Showalter’s toe-curling sex scenes and even those sensual vampire bites would be enough to make this one a fun weekend read for any vampire paranormal romance fan.
It may not be breaking the mold, but it’s nicely done vampire romance. If you like the boys that bite and beating down the oppressors, you’ll enjoy Lord of the Vampires. I most certainly had fun reading it, and am looking forward to seeing what the other Harlequin Nocturne authors can cook up to continue the tale.
Sexual content: Graphic sex scenes, attempted rape