Customer Reviews

Vampire Lover (Harlequin Presents)

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I read vampire romances...exclusively. I was very disappointed when I read this. It is not a vamire romance. It is just a romance...no vampires in it! So vampire fans: this is not what you are looking for!

A fascinating book that teases us with vampiric possibilities but is actually about an emotional or 'psychic' vampire. The only boom I know of to use this idea. In many ways a traditional Harlequin romance, but them throws in a rather unexpected bondage scene!

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Vampire Lover by Charlotte Lamb
Harlequin Presents # 1720 - February 1995
Harlequin Presents Plus edition - plus on the passion!

Since her father semi-retired, Clare Summer has been managing their real estate agency. It's been many years since Denzil Black had returned to England, and now he finds he would like to settle in the area he'd grown up. The rundown Victorian mansion, Dark Tarn, seemed to fit his bill and this lead him to Clare. One look at Denzil and Clare is wary; there's something hypnotic about his silver-grey eyes and she can see he has this odd effect on the local lawyer, Helen, who is handling his legal matters. Learning that he's a successful Hollywood director, and that his last leading lady ended up a broken woman in drug rehab, only makes Clare more wary. Seeking out his films, Clare finds them highly erotic and begins to fantasize that Denzil is like a vampire, sucking the life out of the women he becomes involved with. Running into Helen, and seeing how ill she has become and hearing her confess that she is obsessed with Denzil, only fuels Clare's fears. So when Clare finds out that Denzil has been showing an interest in Clare's younger and very beautiful sister, Lucy, Clare takes desperate measures to keep Denzil away from her.

Spoiler!!!
Through Isabel Swift's blog "Wouldn't you like to know" in the eHarlequin Community Forums, I was directed to the DearAuthor.com website and a discussion of category romances. Some of the comments mentioned the titles of the Presents line, and this book was mentioned. What stirred me to pull this book from my TBR was this comment ... "One of the most unusual category romance I've ever read is Charlotte Lamb's Vampire Lover, her 100th romance for M&B, published in 1994. -- Hey, wait a minute! A paranormal category romance published in 1994??? Actually, it's not a paranormal; the heroine just regards the hero as an "emotional vampire". But that was not what made my jaw drop. The jaw-dropping stuff happened during the sex scene: heroine handcuffs hero to bed -- against his will! -- and proceeds to have sex with him, even though he makes it clear he doesn't want it to happen this way. And after her orgasm, she wriggles away, even though the poor guy hasn't yet ... er ... finished. Off she goes and leaves him bound to the bed for the whole night."

For a book published originally in 1994, I have to class this as a definite Heat Wave! The scene mentioned in the spoiler was amazing to read and I applaud Ms. Lamb for her creativity and her daring. To the other parts of the book, I found Clare a bit of a surprise. She had formed an opinion of Denzil without any basis other than gossip and her perceived notions of the lifestyle of the Hollywood jetset. We see her intrigued by Denzil and afraid that she too will fall under his spell. Denzil on the other hand, is a mystery as we don't really get to know him except through his words and actions until near the end of the book. I found this to be a compelling read from beginning to end.