Customer Reviews

All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire (Love at Stake, Book 5)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We've watched Ian McPhie physically grow up over the last several books of this series and now he's headed home to Dragonesti's New York townhouse to make it all pay off in his pursuit of love with his perfect vampire woman. But what he finds when he gets home is that none of his friends recognize him, he's outgrown his coffin, woman are sure he's a 500 year old virgin, and the new guard who's supposed to be watching over him during the day is not Tony but Toni- a female who sets his blood to boiling!

Toni didn't plan to help her best friend like this. she thought she'd pop down to Central Park, prove vampires didn't exist and then go help her sick friend. Instead she got snacked on in the park by Malcontents, or at least that's what Connell the vampire who saved her calls the bad vampires. Impressed by her fighting skills he gave her the options of either A. Having her memory erased or B. Work for them as a day time guard since they are currently short staffed during a vampire war. Toni chooses the later so that she can maybe prove her friend isn't crazy, that vamps do exist. But her proof seems laughable and her luck goes from bad to worse when her friend ends up institutionalized and her boss Ian starts watching her...not to mention the no fraternization clause she signed with the company and that if the two of them are caught lip-locked her memory is history anyway!

Everything is complicated by the Russian vamps taking a sudden interest in Ian, coupled by his internet love hunt for the perfect vampire making him the most talked about vampire in the nation. Women and assassins are knocking in his door and somehow he ends up on vampire television harassed by the biggest gossip of them all. But Ian and Toni help unwrap each other just in time for Christmas with no lumps of coal in sight! This was a great addition to the series and a good find for the genre for the holidays.

The Love at Stake series in order:
How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
Vamps and the City
Be Still My Vampire Heart
The Undead Next Door
All I want for Christmas is a Vampire

If your a fan of vampire romances then its safe to say you've thought about what it would be like to be immortal. Its not a big leap to then assume you've considered the perfect age to be for eternity. I have and one thing that I imagine would suck (no pun intended)would be to be too old, an age which is subjective but still... I've never ever thought about how the opposite - being too young forever - would be awful.

Kerrilyn Sparks brilliantly worked this into a story that made me sympathize with the hero from the start, even though he hadn't been tortured for years. I was ecstatic that he wasn't overidden with guilt over a really stupid hang-up (his hang-up is justified). Is there really anyway a vampire who looks like he's fifteen can get a decent meal without a little bit of pleasurable mind mojo? Keep reading but beware that some of the plot is revealed and I may have gotten carried away.

Towards the begining of ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS I thought this book was going to be that really rare book that just makes you giddy with happiness after you finish.

Yes, it was rife with cliches. Good vampires verses bad vampires with the ignorant humans as casualties in the middle. But for a while it was like Sparks was the first to have written such a plot. Ian, the hero, is a 400 + year old vampire who was stuck at the age of 15 for all that time (until very recently). This is something almost anyone would complain about but not Ian. Anyways, with some powerful help from genius Roman (the hero from the first Love at Stake book) he has managed to age 12 years in 12 days. And boy, did he become a handsome man. Of course, Ian doesn't know how delicious he is because in his world vampires cannot see their own reflections. Moving on, Ian isn't your average commitment-phobic hunk; he is looking for a long-lasting and fairytale love. Fortunately, he still has some faults and doesn't come off too unrealistic Prince Charmingly.

Toni is your average lonely hero with a mission. I don't think the idea that love exists has even registered in her head before. For the mortal day guard of three very high-profile vampires, Toni's job seems to be a little dull and her infamous fighting skills are only impied... until the end. But from the begining she plans to betray the good vamps. Calm down, I don't mean she's gonna hand them over like helpless babes to the evil vamps. Only that she is going to use her position to find proof that vampires do exist and her friend in the mental institution isn't crazy.

Overall it was a nice book. Not a reread-it-3-times kind of book but it will leave me with nice memories. The "I am so lucky to have found this book" faded but even cynical me strongly liked it.

Ian MacPhie is ready, willing, and able to find himself a woman. Just back from Texas where he spent twelve days taking the magical vampire stay awake drug, Ian finally looks twelve years older. Ian is very happy with the results because he was made a vampire when he was fifteen years old and so for the last four hundred years he has not aged one day. When he wanted to spend time with a woman, Ian had to place them under an enchantment spell so that they didn't realize he looked like a minor. He has been thinking about his life and has decided to start looking for his soul mate - the one woman that completes him. Enlisting the aid of a close female friend, Ian lets her sign him up for an online dating service. When he finally goes to the townhouse in which he spends his days sleeping, he expects to meet Tony, the new bodyguard. Only, Tony is ACTUALLY Toni, and she is not thrilled to be guarding an irreverent flirt such as Ian MacPhie.

Toni Davis has an agenda. When her friend was attacked by rogue vampires and subsequently reported the crime, everyone thought she was crazy. Everyone except Toni and Toni promised her friend she would find irrefutable proof that vampires exist. So, when Toni is attacked by the same rogues and is in turn rescued by a handsome kilt wearing avenger with long teeth, she jumps on the chance to guard them during the day so she can find the proof she needs. She doesn't expect to come into contact with one so annoyingly sexy or blatantly handsome. Ian MacPhie makes her heart jump start and beat just a bit faster - whether in desire or in anger. All Toni knows is that there is something about Ian that she can't live without.

Kerrelyn Sparks never fails to make me laugh. Never. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE truly kept me in stitches one minute and blushing the next. Ian's plans for one true love were cute; he had no idea what he was getting into when he allowed his friend to place that singles' ad. I laughed out loud more than once at the shenanigans between he and Toni. Ian loved to knock Toni for a loop and tried to get a rise out of her any way he could. More often than not, he could. His intentions were pure but the way Ms. Sparks has them go about fulfilling those intentions is what truly made ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE the amazing book that it is.

Toni is loyal to her friend first and foremost. The fact that she still has bite marks from a rogue vampire attack is never far from her mind - it takes Ian MacPhie, the luscious highlander that he is to forget them. Toni had an agenda just as much as Ian did and while hers did not involve marriage, she could not help but want forever with her vampire. Add in a nasty vampire villain and my life was complete.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE is a remarkable love story. Previous characters play key roles in this book so I suggest reading the series in order, starting with How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, Roman and Shanna's love story. Readers will not want to miss a single minute of this entertaining and ultimately satisfying series. Releasing just in time for Halloween, I suggest grabbing a box of chocolate, some hot cocoa, and your favorite chair to settle in for a witty and fresh look at vampires and the women who love them.

***Natalie S. for Wild on Books***

Kerrelyn Sparks does a great job putting suspense and laughter together!! I love this series and am glad that Ian finally gets the girl!! This is an author for anyone who loves to laugh and loves to read vampire books!! Try it and you won't regret it!

With Kerrelyn Sparks' vampire stories you know what you get - a group of nice and honourable vampires, many of whom are Scottish, working against the 'Malcontents', a rival group of vampires who are killers. You also tend to get a heroine (or in one case hero) who is human and who doesn't get turned into a vampire by the end of the book because they don't want to be one (rather awkward when each book sets out the advantages of vampirism). As this is book number 5 in the series the cast of characters has widened and we meet most of those from previous books, catching up a little with their lives, but this story is written in such a way that a reader could start with this book and still follow what's going on.

Ian MacPhie had rather a problem in the previous books - the fact that he was turned into a vampire aged 15 and so has permanently youthful looks. However, as briefly mentioned in a previous book, he has realised that Roman Draganesti's "Stay-Awake Potion" (which enables a vampire to stay awake during the daytime but has the side effect of aging them a year per day) might help him to look older and so he's been taking it. In this story we learn that Ian has had 12 days with the Stay-Awake potion and now looks like a 27-year-old. This causes some confusion as many people don't recognise him but it also has another unexpected benefit - that women start chasing him around.

Ian's not looking for a short-term relationship, however; he wants what some of his friends have got, a long-term permanent relationship. Only he knows a relationship with a mortal won't be satisfactory so he joins an online dating site to try to reach vampires. As most of the calls are from humans and come in during his daytime sleep one of the daytime guards, newly-appointed Toni Davis, ends up having to deal with telephone calls and women camping outside to get a glimpse of him.

Toni's motives for becoming a daytime guard are somewhat suspect and Ian begins to wonder if there's more to it than she explains. As Ian and Toni spend time together he realises she has secrets, ones she isn't willing to share with a vampire. Toni's friend Carlos is also rather unusual. Can Toni rescue her friend Sabrina with Ian's help? Can Ian find the perfect Vampire consort? Can Toni's lifelong dreams be accommodated to her new reality?

As with the other books, this is a light but pleasant read. The Christmas theme in the book is fairly understated and in fact could have been dispensed with altogether without anyone noticing. The actual plot in this story at times dragged a little and the bad guys were forever teleporting away when things got interesting, but overall it was a good enough read for a relaxing afternoon.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE
KERRELYN SPARKS
Paranormal Romance
Avon Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Level: Sexy

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Ian MacPhie is tired of looking like the fifteen year old boy he was when he turned vamp. Now thanks to special concoction, he's aged twelve years in twelve days. Now that he finally looks how he wants, Ian wants the one thing he's never found--true love. And he's convinced the only one who'd understand him and his past is a fellow vamp--an idea that might get thrown out the window when he meets the beautiful Toni, there's a definite attraction to the mortal he just doesn't understand. Ian's determined to find love with a fellow vamp, but there's something about Toni that draws him to her, despite her mortalness.

Toni is on a mission. With her best friend locked up in the hospital, she's determined to prove Sabrina's claims that vamps are real so she can be released, and what better way than to play bodyguard to the nice guys? That is until she meets Ian, the Scottish, kilt wearing vampire who has a way of distracting her from the task at hand. Despite her growing attraction for the vamp, she's determined to stick to her goals. Besides, once her goal's accomplished, she's quitting her job as dayguard of the Vamps and when that happens, Roman's going to wipe her memory, erasing every moment she spent with the kilt wearing Vamp.

I've loved this series from the first book and ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE doesn't disappoint. I loved how Ian and Toni met and the chemistry between the two was almost immediate. I loved how Toni was jealous when Ian was set up for the impromptu speed-dating session at the Horny Devils bar. It was great seeing guest appearances of characters from past books, including Shanna. If you're a fan of fun paranormal romance, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE is the perfect read for you.

Kerrelyn Sparks' first paranormal romance, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, zoomed out of the bat cave so fast it became Borders bestselling debut romance of 2005.
You can visit her online at: [...]

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
November 2008

After 500 years spent trapped in a body that looked fifteen, Ian MacPhie is ecstatic to finally look older. Due to the side effects of a drug that keeps vampires awake during the day, he is finally ready to find his true love. He soon discovers the dating scene is perilous. Things get even more complicated when he meets the new day bodyguard...

Toni Davis doesn't really want to work as a bodyguard for the Vamps. She doesn't trust vampires after she and her friend were attacked by vicious Malcontents. Toni needs the job, however, if she wants to prove vampires exist and spring her best friend from a mental hospital (where she was placed after claiming she was attacked by vampires). Toni plans to work for the Vamps only long enough to get the evidence she needs, but then she meets Ian. He's not what she expects, or thinks she wants, yet she finds herself attracted to him.

All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire is another entertaining installment of Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series. I was really glad to see Ian get a story. Having read about his struggles as a man trapped in a child's body in previous books, I already liked and sympathized with him. In All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire, he shows himself to be a worthy hero: brave, strong, kind, secretly vulnerable, and attractive. His experiences trying to find his true love were really funny. Toni makes a good heroine for Ian. She's courageous, tough, incredibly loyal to her friends, and also vulnerable due to childhood experiences. Watching her go from mistrusting vampires to caring for Ian was sweet. The Vamp gang's all here as well, with characters from previous books turning up quite often. The parallel storylines of Ian's transformation, Toni's attempt to save her friend, and the ongoing war with the Malcontents kept the action coming and me turning pages. Fans of Kerrelyn Sparks will be sure to enjoy All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire, just as I did. Newbies to the series might want to pick up the previous books before tackling this one. While it could probably stand alone, the other books are a lot of fun and provide some much-needed backstory.

Cassie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

I have to preface this review with the simple fact I've never been a fan of funny vampire romance novels. I'm a "the darker the better" vampire fan. However, it is with great pleasure I can honestly say I truly enjoyed All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire. What a delight!

Toni Davis's Christmas is not looking like it will be an enjoyable one. Her best friend has been institutionalized after claiming she was attacked by vampires. Toni knows her friend isn't crazy but the only way to prove that is to show everyone that vampires really do exist. Jump ahead a bit and Toni is working as a security guard to some local vampires where she hopes to get what she needs to have her friend released. The last thing Toni wants or needs is to be driven wild by one of the sexiest Undead men you can imagine!

Ian MacPhie was turned as a teenager and looked like it. Upon discovery of a secret vampire drug, Ian has aged himself physically so he looks like an adult. Now he is on a mission to find the perfect woman to share the rest of his Undead life with, but he just doesn't quite understand these modern women and dating rituals. It also doesn't help that he's found himself attracted to the new security guard. Then there is the added fact Toni hates vampires and wants nothing beyond a professional relationship.

However, Toni and Ian must reluctantly pair up to get to the bottom of a new problem. The Malcontents want this new drug and will do anything to get it, even if it means killing everyone who gets in their way. Soon Toni finds herself thinking "All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire."

I had my doubts about reading this latest book in Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series since I normally do not like vampires in a romantic comedy. What I discovered was that while there is plenty of humor in All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire, it is really just enough to keep the book from taking itself too seriously. We have enough of the dark undertones I demand from a vampire romance novel through the ongoing war against the Malcontents to make me happy.

Toni is conflicted over her duty to her friend and her responsibilities as security to the vampires. While her job started out as just a means to an end, the more time she spends with Ian, the more she realizes her work is not such a chore after all. This makes for even more internal struggles for Toni as she worries her attraction to him will prevent her from keeping her promise to her best friend.

Ian is delightful in his new and improved form as he discovers all the little problems resulting in aging so quickly. His old coffin doesn't fit anymore and the women are clamoring for his attention. I loved all of his exploits as he tries to choose a mate from the swarms of women after him. Speed dating and internet profiles take on a whole new dimension in All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire, especially when he realizes only one woman can make his passion flare.

I enjoyed All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks and now I have to make time to go back and read the preceding books in the Love at Stake series.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2009. All rights reserved.

Fans of Kerrelyn Sparks' enormously popular Love at Stake series have been anxiously waiting for the story of Ian MacPhie, a Scottish warrior turned vampire, doomed forever to look only fifteen years old. Well, this year Christmas has come early for Ms. Sparks' fans and for Ian because he's aged a dozen years with the help of a special potion.

Ian is truly unique hero. A grown man and battle-scarred warrior on the inside, he's been treated for centuries like the fifteen year old his outward appearance reflected. Now that he has "matured," he must find his way through the modern dating scene--a complex situation that is at turns laugh-out-loud funny and tenderly poignant.

Armed with his grown-up physique, sweetly old-fashioned Ian is looking for a special lady to share his life. He only has a few requirements: honesty, loyalty, intelligence and beauty--but not necessarily in that order. Above all, she must be a vampire like him.

Enter an honest, loyal, intelligent and beautiful *mortal* stage right. Though she'd rather not have anything to do with them, Toni Davis has her reasons for getting mixed up in the immortal world. Ian's enemies, the Malcontents, have kidnapped her best friend, and Toni will risk anything to save her friend--even getting close to the beings whom she hates.

Kerrelyn Sparks' novels all have broad, cross-genre appeal. Romance readers who have never read a paranormal before will love this witty, sexy series. Fans of dark paranormal will delight in Sparks' wry humor. All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire, the fifth book in the Love at Stake series, is the perfect companion to snuggle up to this holiday season!

Toni's best friend was sent to a psychiatric institution because she said she was attacked by vampires. Toni promises to find evidence that vampires exist and therefore she accepts a daytime job at Romatech security to work in the household of an assumed vampire. There she meets Ian McPhie who turns her whole life upside down. He teaches her the difference between good and bad vampires, but although she feels attracted to him, can she trust him to tell the truth? And is he really going to help her to free her friend?

For me Ms. Sparks is the Queen of the funny Vampire Romance, because all of her books are special and each of them is unique. Ian McPhie's long awaited story is no exception to this rule. From the first page to the end, the book is absolutely spell binding and it is a wonderful combination of comedy, romance and suspense as well as some darker elements that will sometimes keep you on the edge of your chair.

Ian was from the beginning one of my favorite characters and I could hardly wait till he got his story, at one point I was worried because the expectation was pretty high, but I wasn't disappointed.

Fasten your seatbelt for an emotional roller coaster ride, because Ian and Toni have to overcome quite a few obstacles till they find their happy end. In addition to the wonderful story of Ian and Toni, we meet a lot of old friends and new friends are introduced, who we will hopefully see more of in the future.

I can highly recommend ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A VAMPIRE to everyon, who is looking for a funny, sexy book to warm up their cold winter evening.

Courtesy of Loveromances and more