Dead Perfect [Mass Market Paperback]

Amanda Ashley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2008

Be Careful What You Wish For...

Only a woman with nothing left to lose knocks on a vampire's door and asks for help. Shannah Davis is convinced that the mysterious dark-haired man she's followed for months can save her life if he doesn't kill her first. But though Ronan insists he can't give her what she needs, his kiss unleashes a primal hunger that makes her feel truly alive for the first time.

After centuries of existence, Ronan has done the unthinkable. He has fallen in love with a mortal and one with only weeks to live. Sensing the fear and reluctance beneath Shannah's request, he offers her a different bargain that will keep her near him during the time she has left. Every hour spent together leaves him craving her touch, her scent, her life's essence. Soon, only Shannah can satisfy his thirst. But if he saves her from death, will she love him for it or spend eternity regretting what she has become?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Shannah, dying of an obscure, incurable disease, passes out on the stoop of Ronan, who is a vampire, two birds are killed with one stone: Ronan moonlights as a romance author and needs a woman to pretend to be him on tours (especially during the daylight hours); Shannah needs Ronan's blood to stay alive. As he coaches her to impersonate him and feeds her, Ronan falls more and more in love. And with each passing day, Shannah's body grows weaker, but she resists being turned into a vampire because she doesn't want to lose her humanity entirely. It's the age-old vampire-human dilemma, given a clever and funny turn by Night's Touch author Ashley. (Feb.)
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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Zebra Books (Mass Market) (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821780611
• ISBN-13: 978-0821780619
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Ok, but not recommended. Great beginning. Less interesting last half., September 13, 2008

By 

Jane (Chicago, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead Perfect (Mass Market Paperback)

The story started out well. It was interesting, a little different, and my initial thoughts were of settling in for a nice long good read. The characters intrigued me. However, by the middle of the book, my feelings changed. It felt too long and drawn out. I was tired of waiting for Ronan to tell Shannah he was a vampire. I was also tired of waiting for them to get together. I lost interest and wanted it to be over.

Story brief: Shannah is dying of a blood disease. She is intrigued with Ronan's habits at night and follows him for several months. She believes he might be a vampire. She works up the nerve to go to his home to ask him to change her to a vampire since she is dying. In her heart, she really doesn't want to be changed, which he knows through his mind reading ability. He takes her in and has her drink a little of his blood, which temporarily halts her disease. He has to continue doing this periodically to keep her healthy. After each time, he removes her memory of drinking his blood. Ronan writes romance novels under the name Eva Black. His agent wants him to do book signings and interviews. He hires Shannah to pretend to be Eva Black and do the signings and interviews for him. She agrees. They fall in love with each other, but have no sex because he fears he might accidentally kill her. A subplot involves a vampire hunter and a reporter who believe Ronan is a vampire and follow him. One wants to kill him, the other wants an interview.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
Some readers might be attracted to the story because the couple does not have sex until after they marry. They want her white wedding gown to have special meaning. The end-of-the-book sex scenes are tame and vague, possibly appropriate for young adults.

Story length: 340 pages. Sexual language: almost none. Number of sex scenes: 3. Length of sex scenes: ½, 1 and 2 pages. Setting: current day various cities U.S. Copyright: 2008. Genre: paranormal romance.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Amanda Ashley at her worst, January 30, 2008

By 

Nicole Powers (Washington, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead Perfect (Mass Market Paperback)

To start with I love Amanda Ashley her books are usually excellent and entertaining but this one leaves alot to be desired, the story was so minatnous that you would keep thinking you already read the page but when you look it is a different page, it goes on like this for 3/4 of the book then it finally moves foreward to a very boreing ending. I was really disappointed in this and wonder why she even bothered with it. If your looking to continue with this series you can safely pass this one and not waste your money and hopefully the next one will be back to her oldself and give us our moneys worth.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No continuity, February 17, 2008

By 

JMcJ - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dead Perfect (Mass Market Paperback)

The book was a below average effort with the same formulaic plot we have become bombarded with in this genre. Hunk vampire meets damsel in distress, realizes his life has become a barren existence, saves girl by turning her, girl eventually forgives and they live happily ever after. Ho hum...been there, read that...again and again and again.

All in all, this needed a better editor and continuity checker. One big problem with this book is that the first few chapters are all about her following him and learning all of his routines...right down to having what amounts to a homeless camp (chair, coolers, blanket) set up in the woods across the street from his house...and yet once they meet the book moves forward completely ignoring that she knows anything about his routine. Additionally, he knows she is following him and never "reads" her...just lets her keep following him night after night. His routine was to go the movies each week...when he takes her it is written like a new thing for him with all the crowds that bother him. There is more that is ignored too. Also, the whole plane crash thing is silly and written with no regard to the lasting effects being the sole survivors would have on a person...and the media attention it would generate.

I don't think Amanda Ashley is going to be on my "Must Read" list anymore.