Romancing the Dead (Garnet Lacey, Book 3) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Could I really see myself married to a . . . vampire?..." (more)
Key Phrases: soul patch, horticultural society, magical attack, Romancing the Dead, Tate Holloway, Tate Hallaway (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hallaway has a wonderful gift.”
—MaryJanice Davidson

“Tate Hallaway kept me on the edge of my seat...a thoroughly enjoyable read!”
—Julie Kenner

“Curl up on the couch and settle in—Tall, Dark & Dead is a great way to pass an evening.”
—Lynsay Sands

Product Description

A book with bite and “a gem of a heroine”— third in the series from the author of Dead Sexy.

It’s been one heck of a week for Garnet Lacey. The Vatican witch hunters finally think she’s dead, the FBI has closed their file on her, she’s co-founding a new coven—and the gorgeous vampire she loves has just asked her to marry him. How lucky can one girl get?

Then, her fiancé goes missing and Garnet’s worried sick. Has he been kidnapped? Or could he have run off with that blonde from the coven? Now Garnet will have to seek the help of her future stepson—the same brat who turned her over to the witch hunters for a brand-new Jaguar. But there’s more bad news: the Goddess Lilith, who camps out in her body, has been making embarrassing appearances. And on top of that, some killer’s on her tail...

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425221334
• ISBN-13: 978-0425221334
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,531 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 3 in The Garnet Lacey Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Your Hands on the Next Garnet Lacey Book, May 14, 2008

By	Rosanne Bane "Creativity Coach" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Romancing the Dead has great character development! I am quickly bored with a series where the main character never grows and is forever solving the same problem. (That's why I stopped reading the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich, although I admit that Evanovich's humor engaged me for many books).

Lyda Morehouse, writing as Tate Hallaway for the Garnet Lacey series, has the skill to show her characters changing and their relationships developing. Morehouse also sees the humor inherent in human relationships and has created a marvelous funny first person narrator in Garnet Lacey.
Morehouse handles Garnet's internal monologue deftly and readers are amused, informed and moved by Garnet's occassionally self-depricating and always perceptive humor.

Each book in the three book series (and counting!) has it's own satisfying resolution so you won't feel cheated, and yet when you start reading the next book in the series, there's a comfortable sense of `Of course, this is exactly the kind of problem Garnet would get into next," followed by the anticipation of "I wonder what crazy, inspired thing she and Sebastian will do with this situation."

If you've enjoyed the first two books in the series (Tall, Dark and Dead and Dead Sexy), you're going to love Romancing the Dead! If you haven't read these books yet, get busy, because the fourth book is going to be a hoot! I was lucky enough to be at a reading where Lyda Morehouse read the first chapter of the upcoming book, Dead if I Do. The entire audience laughed almost non-stop. The only thing better than reading the Garnet Lacey books is having them read aloud to you by the author.

I can't wait to get my hands on the next Garnet book!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Witchcraft, each of us must reveal our own truth. -Starhawk, May 14, 2008

By	Cherise Everhard (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Garnet Lacey, a witch, is thinking her life might be returning to relative normalcy now that the Vatican witch hunters and FBI think she is dead. Sure, normal for Garnet isn't your everyday normal... Garnet normal simply means she's starting a new coven and she'll continue practicing magic with the Goddess Lilith camped out in her belly. She's getting engaged to her Vampire boyfriend and possibly moving into his haunted farm house. Garnet is contemplating all this and much more when her Vampire boyfriend, Sebastian, goes missing.

Suddenly Garnet's life changes and contemplations get put on hold as she sets out to find out what happened to her man. Adding to the complications is the mysterious stranger, Micah. Coming to her aid is Matyas, Sebastian's son and former co-conspirator with the Vatican. This character has a lot of depth and I like what Ms. Hallaway did with his person, she made him intriguing and he added a lot of humor to this story.

Like the previous books in this series, there is no shortage of the magical and supernatural realm. When Garnet forms a circle and practices her magic you can almost feel her power on the pages. Garnet is a smart and sexy heroine, she is strong in her magic and in her convictions, yet she has no trouble showing her very real and sweet softer side. That makes her extremely tangible and these books incredibly lifelike.

Mixed in with plenty of sex, magic, humor and bloodsucking is an ample amount of mystery as more than one force seems out to get Garnet and Sebastian. This was an extremely fun and fast paced novel. The usual suspects reappear as the ultra unique and ever entertaining supporting cast. This is a series that I am happily addicted to and I am eagerly waiting for Ms. Hallaway to supply my next fix.

Tall, Dark & Dead (Garnet Lacey, Book 1)
Dead Sexy (Garnet Lacey, Book 2)

Cherise Everhard, May 2008

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More like 4 1/2 stars...., July 12, 2008

By	Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Surely Garnet Lacey's life has settled down now that the Vatican Killers think she is dead, right? Garnet is starting to get cold feet about her upcoming marriage to her vampire boyfriend, Sebastian. Can she really share him with the ghouls? Unfortunately, Sebastian disappears after an argument and Garnet is stuck with Sebastian's son, Mátyás, as neither of them knows if he is just angry or if something has happened to him. Meanwhile, there seems to be an influx of unusual wolves in the area. Surely werewolves aren't real as well... Garnet is going to have to make some weighty decisions while ROMANCING THE DEAD!

ROMANCING THE DEAD is the third book in the series. While the immediate story is a stand alone, readers probably should read the two prior books before starting this one. The relationship between Garnet and Sebastian is established in the prior books and since he goes missing early on, it would be hard for new readers to truly get a sense of their relationship. In addition, Garnet's struggles with her inner Goddess Lilith may not seem as important if the two previous books haven't been read.

Garnet Lacey is just a fun character all around. Trouble seems to follow her no matter what and Tate Hallaway does an excellent job at keeping Garnet real without coming across as TSTL (Too Stupid To Live). The secondary characters are almost as fun as Garnet and Sebastian as they add a nice touch of quirkiness to the overall storyline. After all, who isn't a little bit in love with the beta male, William, for being such a dedicated friend to Garnet despite everything?

ROMANCING THE DEAD shows Garnet beginning to mature a little bit. Tate Hallaway has crafted a world in which readers can expect the unexpected while enjoying the friendships that are growing and developing. Excellent book in an enjoyable series!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES