Must Love Vampires by Heidi Betts

Title:  Must Love Vampires*

LOVE AT FIRST BITE

Nightclub dancer Chloe Lamoureaux just met the man of her dreams:  Aidan Raines is charming, considerate, rich, and hot.  Of course, he’s a little mysterious about his age.  And his favorite drink.  And he’s not much for sunlight.  But he’s asked her to marry him, and she’s ready to do it. Sure, she has a few secrets too—but they’ll have plenty of time to work things out while they’re living happily ever after.  Right?

Her identical twin sister, Chuck, isn’t so sure.  Maybe reporting for the local Bigfoot-sighting tabloid doesn’t make her an expert, but to Chuck, Aidan and his brother Sebastian look like honest-to-Dracula vampires.  Especially Sebastian:  beguiling, seductive, and just a hint of dangerous.  Maybe she wouldn’t mind him taking a little taste.  But with Chloe’s life in the balance, she has to know—do they want hot love or hot blood?  Or maybe…a little of both?

This book is actually two novels in one with interacting characters.  The first, Vampnapped, focuses on Charlotte “Chuck” Lamoreaux and Sebastian Raines.  The second, Married . . . with Fangs” centers around Chuck’s identical twin sister Chloe and Sebastian’s brother Aidan.  I told you they were interwoven.

Chuck is the down to earth sister, an investigative reporter for the Sin City Tattler, while her sister is a show girl in a Las Vegas casino.  Chuck is determined to write an important expose which will get her a job with a reputable newspaper.  Unfortunately, she decides that Sebastian is the perfect subject of her expose because, after all, she believes he is a vampire.

Sebastian also happens to be the owner of the casino where Chloe works.  Chuck convinces her sister to let her impersonate Chloe so she can follow Sebastian.  Sebastian thinks Chloe is a gold digger who is out to trick his brother Aidan into marriage. So he kidnaps Chuck thinking she is Chloe.

Confused yet?

Meanwhile, Chloe really is a gold digger, but only for the best reasons.  She has a three-years-old son and she wants to make sure he has financial security.  Chloe and Aidan have been dating for several weeks and the sex is magnificent.  They haven’t talked a lot because, hey, the SEX is magnificent!

Aidan does want to marry Chloe and while Chuck is being kidnapped, they run off to a Las Vegas wedding chapel and get married.  Unfortunately, Aidan neglects to tell Chloe he is a vampire until after the wedding.  There is that little matter of him biting her on their wedding night.  Of course, she hasn’t told him she’s a mother either.

I absolutely loved this book.  I knew I was going to before I had read ten pages.  The characters are likable and the dialogue is funny.  The author can make the most insane situations seem reasonable.

Although the books tell separate stories, the last chapter brings them all together again.  The ending is satisfying with no loose ends making you wonder if there is going to be a sequel.

I have not read any of Heidi Betts’ books before, but I certainly will in the future.  I was delighted to find that she has an extensive backlist.  I imagine she will be added to my autobuy list and I am very particular about who goes on that list.

Again, a wonderful, enjoyable book which I highly recommend to anyone wanting a fun read.

FOLLOWUP:  After stating that the book does not need a sequel, I found out that the author has written an epilogue titled One Last Bite and is free at places like Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.  Although it does not really add anything to the story, I enjoyed visiting Chuck and Sebastian and Chloe and Aidan one more time.

Actually, if the author was going to write an epilogue, I would have preferred it to address the women’s decision on whether or not to stay human.  That is the only area where I felt the reader was left hanging.

Either way, it does not matter.  Read the sequel.  It is just as enjoyable as the book.

(originally posted at Seductive Musings)