Love at First Bite [Mass Market Paperback]

Sherrilyn Kenyon (Author), L.A. Banks (Author), Susan Squires (Author), Ronda Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2006

Until Death Do Us Part" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Over five hundred years ago, Esperetta's soul was bound to her husband's by dark magic, and when Velkan became a Dark-Hunter, to her horror, she became immortal as well. Now, they must come together to fight an old enemy…and the passion that threatens to consume them once more.
 
"Ride the Night Wind" by L.A. Banks
Dark dreams haunt Jose Ciponte, dreams of a woman so beautiful he aches for her-and a deadly enemy who stalks them in the night. And now those dreams have become a reality…
 
"The Gift" by Susan Squires
All Major Davis Ware wants to do is propose to the beautiful Emma Fairchild. Instead, he is called back into battle, and a desperate fate. And Emma will venture into hell itself to save him.
 
"The Forgotten One" by Ronda Thompson
Lady Anne Baldwin longs to break free from her proper bonds. When she meets the mysterious Merrick, whose eyes glow like a wolf's, she may have found more than she bargained for.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

PRIMAL KISSES. EROTIC SECRETS.
ETERNAL PASSION.
 
Sink your teeth into these sexy supernatural stories from some of today's hottest authors.
 
"Until Death Do Us Part" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Over five hundred years ago, Esperetta's soul was bound to her husband's by dark magic, and when Velkan became a Dark-Hunter, to her horror, she became immortal as well. Now, they must come together to fight an old enemy…and the passion that threatens to consume them once more.
 
"Ride the Night Wind" by L.A. Banks
Dark dreams haunt Jose Ciponte, dreams of a woman so beautiful he aches for her-and a deadly enemy who stalks them in the night. And now those dreams have become a reality…
 
"The Gift" by Susan Squires
All Major Davis Ware wants to do is propose to the beautiful Emma Fairchild. Instead, he is called back into battle, and a desperate fate. And Emma will venture into hell itself to save him.
 
"The Forgotten One" by Ronda Thompson
Lady Anne Baldwin longs to break free from her proper bonds. When she meets the mysterious Merrick, whose eyes glow like a wolf's, she may have found more than she bargained for.

About the Author

L. A. Banks is the author of the Vampire Huntress Legend series and the Crimson Moon Novels, including Left for Undead and Never Cry Werewolf. She had a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and a master’s in fine arts from Temple University. Banks considered herself a shape-shifter. She wrote romance, women’s fiction, crime and suspense, and of course, dark vampire huntress lore. She lived with her daughter in an undisclosed lair somewhere in Philadelphia.

 

In the past two years, New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon has claimed the #1 spot twelve times, and since 2004, she has placed more than 50 novels on the New York Times list. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre she writes. With more than 23 million copies of her books in print in over 30 countries, her current series include: The Dark-Hunters, The League, Lords of Avalon, BAD Agency, Chronicles of Nick and Nevermore. A preeminent voice in paranormal fiction, Kenyon helped pioneer and define the current paranormal trend that has captivated the world. She lives with her husband, three sons, a menagerie of animals and a collection of swords.

 

Ronda Thompson was the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Wild Wulfs of London series. She lived in Texas with her family until her death in 2007.

 

Susan Squires began writing professionally while still working as an executive at a Fortune 500 company. She still uses tales of romance, fantasy and adventure to escape budgets and projects. She is the author of The Mists of Time, A Twist in Time and The Companion series, among others. She lives in Southern California.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; 1st edition (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312349297
• ISBN-13: 978-0312349295
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Anthologies
  • #46 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Anthologies

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sherrilyn Kenyon review, October 7, 2006

By 

loonigrrl (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Love at First Bite (Mass Market Paperback)

This could quite possibly be Sherrilyn Kenyon's worst story about the Dark Hunters. 500 years ago Velkan and Esperetta lived and died like Romeo and Juliet: Esperetta drank a potion that would mimic death so that she and her beloved Velkan could be together away from their warring families. When Esperetta's father sees her "dead body" he kills her and tortures and kills Velkan. At his moment of death, Velkan's suffering and heartbreak is enought to summon Artemis and he becomes an immoral Dark Hunter. And because he had used some sort of magic to bind his sould to Esperetta's, she also became immortal. When she wakes, she sees Velkan kill her father and rejects him in fear and anger. This Big Misunderstanding is dragged out for the next 500 hundred years. When the story starts, Esperetta is tricked into going back home and this Big Misunderstanding is cleared up in a few short pages.

So what's the problem? The entire premise of this book, basically. Why did the misunderstanding take 500 years to clear up? It really shouldn't have. It's just a thin plot device that didn't do anything to add depth to the characters or the romance. What else is wrong? Well, the characters are pretty weak and the chemistry is almost nonexistent. This story may have benefitted from a longer length, more fully developed characters and some major revisions. As it was, though, it was pretty painful. I'm just glad I borrowed it rather than spending my money.

26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Paranormal Romance Anthology, October 10, 2006

By 

Elaine C McTyer "avid reader" (Dawson, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Love at First Bite (Mass Market Paperback)

First let me say each story is set in a world that belongs to each author.

In Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter world we have a story that sounds much like Romeo and Juliet. Retta and Velkin used sorcery to join their souls when they married, so when Velkin was raised a Dark Hunter, Retta was also raised. She is raised in time to see Velkin kill her father. Unknown to her, her father had stabbed her in the heart and tortured velkin to death. I must say it is not one of her better stories.

L.A.Banks story was the one I had the most trouble understanding. I think she thought I would have already read some of her novels. Anyway the dreams of Jose and Juanita were the same and I liked it when they found each other and were saved by his Indian relatives. I didn't understand why they forgot each other for 20 yrs and then I got lost. Somehow she comes back as his brother's woman and now they are allowed to remember. Don't ask me what happened cause I don't know. But talk about loose ends. Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!

Susan Squires story was set in the 1800's with England fighting off an army of Vampires. Major Davis Ware agrees to go back to North Africa and help Rufford fight vampires. He leaves his lady behind. She decides to go after him and shortly after she arrives he becomes a vampire. When she forces him to make her one too, they are outnumbered and expect to die but then a bunch of Vamps from some sort of Ruling Council come to their aid. I think Susan Squires has a series based on this Council and one of her books is about Rufford and the Vampire Countess who made him.

Ronda Thompson has a series about the Wulf's of London and this is a short story about a son born on the wrong side of the blanket. He is stable master for some aristocrats who have a niece. If you have read any of her books you will understand the story. For those of you who haven't, try to read between the lines. Falling in love brings on the Curse, and somehow she saves him by getting him to agree to marry her. (I think).

All in all, if you have read any of these authors novels you will better understand what is going on.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars painful read from some promising authors, November 7, 2006

By 

D. Anne Fisher (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love at First Bite (Mass Market Paperback)

I am not the biggest fan of anthologies, but I usually enjoy the work of Kenyon and Thompson. I have to say that Thompson's entry was the one bright spot in an otherwise painful read. I hate to say it but Kenyon seems to be just marketing on her popularity. She didn't even seem to try on this one. The characters completely lacked any form of depth. I couldn't force myself to care what happened to either the protagonists or the bad guys. The only character that was even remotely entertaining was Esperetta's friend.
Even worse than Kenyon's half hearted attempt was Bank's ride the wind. Her attempts to use slang came out stilted and awkward. And I agree with the other reviewers that the ending left me completely confused and disappointed. I know anthologies tie in to other series generally, but at least try and give some kind of explanation of what happened. The author just jumps ahead 2 decades leaving the reader scratching their head. Instead of inspiring me to read more of Banks work, this story ensured that I won;t be reading any of the author's work any time soon.