Customer Reviews

Keep Me Forever (The Vampire Series, Book 4)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was really looking forward to reading this book when I purchased it. I loved Ms. Laurey's previous books in the Forever series and I've read them several times. This book though was a bit of a let down. First of all the book definitely does not stand alone, if you haven't read the previous books you will be really lost. Having read the other books I was ok with that and I usually enjoy when authors revisit past characters that were enjoyable, but this book became a confusing mess. It felt like there were 4 or 5 story lines going on at one time and they were all overlapping and not really progressing and there wasn't enough meat to any of them since the plot was spread so thin.

There were no main characters. The supposed main heroine, Antonia is gone for about 50 pages or more and other things are going on with the supporting players. Her romance story line had no development and just fell in our laps and Antonia's love interest is fairly one dimensional and not really explained. We know he's a potter and he's good looking and that he's a shape shifter, his history or powers are not really explored. I read a lot of books, several a week and I can usually finish one a day, but finishing this book took over a week because I couldn't get excited about it, it didn't hold my attention, and it drug on "forever". I recommend reading the first books in the series and keeping this one on the shelf!

First of all, I don't think it is fair for reviewers to give a book a bad rating because they read the books out order in the series and because of that didn't understand the characters or backgrounds. Even writers such as J.R. Ward and Kenyon build backgrounds in their books for characters and story lines.

I also don't think books in series are meant to be stand alones. Not if there are characters in the book from past books in the series. I also don't think it is fair to give a book a bad rating because it is not a stand alone when it is in a series. I don't believe any book in this particular series is meant to be a stand alone. The characters and story line is ongoing.

All that said, I liked this book and the previous books in the series. I like seeing past characters and how they are doing and keeping up with the story line. I think Laurey builds the series nicely.

Antonia Stonewright moves from York to Bringham after purchasing "Orchard House" from Dixie Marlowe (KISS ME FOREVER) with the intention to open a gallery and craft center. Centuries old, and jaded when it came to men, Antonia thinks she's seen everything. What she hadn't known when she paid a call to interview the talented but reclusive town potter, Michael Langton, was that she'd be meeting the local legend, or that she'd be losing her heart to a shapeshifter. What on earth would Gwyltha think of the infamous Surrey Puma as an addition to her colony? Not that Antonia cared.......much.

Elizabeth (a.k.a. the ghoul Angela -- BE MINE FOREVER) has accompanied Antonia to Bringham in order to assist her with the renovations. With her memory now intact, Elizabeth is no vamp's slave, something she's determined to prove to her erstwhile lover, Tom Kyd, who had forbidden her to go. Tom is out of sight for the moment, however he is not remotely out of mind....or heart. Elizabeth is also a practicing witch, and although the aura of the place holds lingering evil from the previous inhabitants, she is drawn to the "magic" garden and determines to make its restoration her special project. She also stirs up the townsfolk when she contacts members of the local coven to feel them out.

All seems well until Stella Corvus (LOVE ME FOREVER) brings her son Sam up to visit his old babysister (Elizabeth). While paying for gas, Stella's rental is car-jacked with her beloved son inside. With her newly acquired vampire speed and strength, the thief is no match for the irate mother. Stella and Sam arrive at Orchard House with a mashed car and a bag of jewelry which was no doubt also stolen. Justin and Tom come down to handle the both the problem with the car and the stolen gems, leaving the latter to be found by the vicar's wife. With nothing to tie Stella and Sam to the crime all should be well once more. But nothing in Bringham is ever without complications, and when a woman's body is found during the demolition of Orchard House's old air raid shelter, Antonia and gang begin to wonder if it had been wise to set foot in a town that had held nothing but evil for their friends Dixie and Kit.

Where you find Gwyltha's colony, murder, mystery, and mayhem are sure to follow and this time is no exception. KEEP ME FOREVER is a fine addition to Ms. Laurey's vampire series. It is always a pleasure to visit with "old friends", but now that Antonia has found the love of her lengthy life in the legendary and heroic Michael, have all the ends been tied up at long last? Who knows? Perhaps the adventures will go on FOREVER, this reviewer certainly hopes so!

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews

Rosemary Laurey has written another scrumptious vampire tale in Keep Me Forever.

Vampire Antonia Stonewright has traveled to England with her business partner and ghoul Elizabeth Connor to set up a craft and artist gallery. She travels to find reclusive potter Michael Langton. After some sassy banter they agree to terms for his work but Michael the man intrigues Antonia. Imagine her shock and delight that Michael is more then just a mere mortal.

Michael Langton has been the towns best kept secret. He keeps to himself and perfects his craft, few know that he roams the countryside at night as the local legend a golden puma. Antonia is different then any women he has ever met, she meets him as an equal on all sides.

Michael and Antonia start a passionate affair but soon troubles outside their newfound relationship start to rear their ugly heads. Antonia friend Stella and Sam come to visit and are immediate car jacked and the thief leaves jewels behind. Next a body turns up at the new craft center. This draws more friends and fellow vamps to the scene.

Keep Me Forever is a wonderful sexy and sassy book. Michael and Antonia dive straight into their attraction and they scorch up the pages. Michael is a perfect match for the strong willed vampire, ghouls and vampires baffle this shapeshifter and his reaction is priceless. It was a treat to revisit with past characters from previous books. Looking forward to more delightful vampires.

Vampire Antonia Stonewright, who was turned in the fifth century, and ghoul Elizabeth Connor plan to open up a top quality crafts store and art gallery in a small Surrey town in England. On business, Antonia visits the hermit-like Potter Michael Langton at his home, but quickly realizes he is not mortal. They fall into each other's arms confiding their true natures and accepting the other for what they are.

Vampire Stella Corvus and her mortal son Sam are coming to visit Antonia and Elizabeth when their vehicle is carjacked with the lad inside. Using her vampiric powers, Stella shoves the man out of her car and drives away. When they reach their hotel, Stella finds a bag of probably stolen jewels in their auto. Stella stealthily gives it to the police with no link back to her or Sam. Still someone tries to break into Stella's car, but Elizabeth chases him off. As Stella helps her friends with preparing for their grand opening, a corpse is found at the construction site. While Stella's spouse and Elizabeth's fianc? believe their venture is jinxed and wants them home before someone they love is hurt, the three females continue to work even though danger lurks nearby.

KEEP ME FOREVER is another great romantic supernatural suspense in the "Forever" series. There is plenty of action with enough romance to satisfy readers of both genres. Characters from previous novels play pivotal roles, which leads to a strong sense of continuity as the key cast remain true to their inner essences. Rosemary Laurey affirms that she is one of the best at writing modern day vampiric romantic thrillers.

Harriet Klausner

I don't ever write reviews on the books i read, if i like it i do if i don't i toss it or never read it again. But this book i just had to first i am a big fan of christine Feehan and sherrilyn Kenyon, so i been reading paranormal romances for awhile i picked up this book the other night figured i would give
it a try,this book is about a vampire named Antonia Stonewright
who falls for puma shifter named Michael Langton, i must say the book is mostly about Characters from previous novels and very little about the true characters in the book they meet the next day have sex then the next page they are in love and thats about it no romance, antonia is very boring for being a vampire the whole book is about other characters no true story about Antonia and michael evey few chapters they met up have sex then it goes back to the problem going on with Stella, Sam , Justin, Tom and Elizabeth,I skimmed alot of it then just put it down and didn't finish it i couldn't it never got better, if your looking to read a good vampire romance try nina bangs, christina feehan.

This is, without question, the worst vampire/paranormal romance book I've ever read (and I've had the misfortune to encounter quite a few). Like some of the previous reviewers, I stepped into this series on the fourth book without previously reading any of the other books, but the book really seemed to be an excuse for a number of previous characters to get together to chat.

First, there was no world-building. At all. Yes, I understand many of the main characters are vampires or their kin. And to round out the cast, there are wraiths, shape-shifting male vampires (the women get other gifts- apparently, they can a) run fast and b) are very good in bed), and just plain shape shifters.

Some of the vampires, improbably, are described as being in their third millennium. Maybe this makes sense, because while for some vampires (not any of our main characters, of course) sunlight can give them a rash, nothing can actually kill them. Not sunlight, not stakes, not even bullets. And everyone is, well, as friendly as your local PTA meeting.

My second problem was the character-building. Sometimes critics describe characters as being paper-doll cut-outs. These characters were facsimiles of cut-outs. The child was at once too mature and completely unlike a kid, leading me to wonder if the author in all her years of education had never encountered a real child. The adults were all the best of friends, and all the couples had perfect relationships. Even the protagonist, whose relationship the book was supposed to chronicle, was in bed with our hero (another shapeshifter) within 12 hours of meeting him, and both had uttered the "L" word within 24 hours. From there, their relationship didn't move anywhere.

I won't even get into the plot, which was transparent (could it be that the man whose mother "ran away" 20 years ago might be related to the dead woman's remains uncovered in the stables?).

Really, a lousy book. I'd recommend any vampire book over it.

Unfortunately, I did not read the previous books in this series. That being said, I had a hard time following the story line(s) that were in the book. I read 287 of the 346 pages, and am undecided if I want to finish. I thought the main characters were Antonia Stonewright and Michael Langton (as suggested on the back cover), but I have learned more about characters apparently introduced in the previous books than I have Antonia and Michael.

I highly recommend reading the previous books in this series before starting on this one. Fortunately I got this book at the library, and did not pay for it.

This book is probably the worse romance I've ever read. The back of the book no way reflects what the contents of the book. The book itself has so many different characters and stories, and jumps around so much, that it's hard to remember what's going on. I don't what these other stories have to do with the main characters.

About the main characters from the back cover...all they ever do is have sex. I like sex in the story, however there's nothing else there at all, yet they're "in love." It's so ridiculous!

Don't buy this book