My Lord Vampire (Zebra Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: Never Love a Stranger, Unless of Course, He's a Vampire
Review: An invitation to one of Lady Simone Gilbert's parties is a mark that you are among society's elite, the cream of the crop, so to speak, and nobody gets into one of Lady Gilbert's soirees without an invitation. So when Simone sees a man, good looking as the devil, at one of her parties, who she knows she didn't invite, she is disturbed and suspicious.

What she doesn't know, yet, is that this handsome stranger is Gideon Ravel, a vampire sent from beyond the Veil to the human world to protect her, as she is the guardian of the Medallion, which separates the vampire world from the desires and hungers of the mortal one. The Medallion has been given to the care of a mortal woman, Simone, only she doesn't know it, doesn't understand it's power, or it's danger, or why Gideon is interested in it.

And he's not the only stranger interested in the medallion she wears around her neck. There's another, Tristan Solter, who tries to buy it from her. Simone doesn't trust Gideon, she trusts Tristan less and that's probably a good thing, as he is the leader of a band of bad vamps who want to take over the human world.

So the question is, and I think you already know the answer, will Gideon and Simone get together and live happily every after? Simone has some secrets from her past. Gideon has secrets as well. Duh, like he's a vampire. That said, Simone can't help herself in his presence, can't control the pitter patter of her raging heart.

And I couldn't help myself as I stayed up all night reading this excellent story. Usually I go in for straight horror, like that delivered by Stephen King, Jack Priest and Dean Koontz or, from that excellent teller of vampire tales, Anne Rice. But I found that I really loved this story and I'll be seeking out the others in this trilogy in the very near future. I'm giving "My Lord Vampire" five stars and it deserves every one of them.

Rating:
Summary: For a light read, it's quite good
Review: Anyone expecting this to be Julia Quinn or Teresa Medeiros will be sadly disappointed. Ditto those who are expecting a dangerous vampire as the hero. Gideon is a "nice" vampire; in Debbie Raleigh's world, vampires have secluded themselves from the human world and are essentially paragons of virtue--and rather passionless (but that changes when Gideon meets Simone).

However, the attraction between Gideon and Simone is nearly as compelling for the reader as for the lovers. Gideon is something of a guardian angel, but that's a typical plot point in historical romances. It works here, thanks to Raleigh's development of her vampire civilization.

Not the best romance ever written, but well above what gets published by most of the "lesser" publishers. Diverting, different, and sensual without being graphic.

Rating:
Summary: For a light read, it's quite good
Review: Anyone expecting this to be Julia Quinn or Teresa Medeiros will be sadly disappointed. Ditto those who are expecting a dangerous vampire as the hero. Gideon is a "nice" vampire; in Debbie Raleigh's world, vampires have secluded themselves from the human world and are essentially paragons of virtue--and rather passionless (but that changes when Gideon meets Simone).

However, the attraction between Gideon and Simone is nearly as compelling for the reader as for the lovers. Gideon is something of a guardian angel, but that's a typical plot point in historical romances. It works here, thanks to Raleigh's development of her vampire civilization.

Not the best romance ever written, but well above what gets published by most of the "lesser" publishers. Diverting, different, and sensual without being graphic.

Rating:
Summary: Less of a vampire; more of a guardian angel
Review: Gideon Ravel is a vampire, several hundreds of years old. For the past two hundred, however, he has lived the life of an aesthete, behind the Veil created by the oldest of them all, Nefri. Now, he must go back into the real world, a place full of temptations - including the temptation of humans and human blood - in order to stop a renegade vampire who will do anything to gain possession of the Medallion.

Simone, the widowed Lady Gilbert, is a Society hostess par excellent. Invitations to her soirees and entertainments are richly prized, and no-one is allowed in without an invitation. She is disturbed, therefore, to see a handsome, self-assured gentlemen there one evening to whom she knows she did not issue an invitation. Gideon Ravel attempts to charm her, but she is suspicious.

Yet Gideon keeps visiting her, often appearing unannounced - how does he get past her servants? - and appears interested in the amulet she wears around her neck. He's not the only gentleman interested in it, however: Tristan Soltern, whom she likes even less than Gideon, attempts to buy it from her. Which of the two should she trust? Can she trust either? And what secrets is Simone hiding herself?

Gideon is a rather tame vampire, I have to admit. Sure, he has some abilities, but he doesn't behave like a vampire in the traditional sense. He lusts after Simone, but he never seems even remotely tempted to bite her. Has his two hundred years behind the veil emasculated him entirely? I wouldn't want him to be the kind of vampire Soltern is, of course, but a little bit of danger about him wouldn't have gone amiss. As it was, he was far more of a guardian angel than a real vampire, of whom Simone should have been wary as much as she was attracted to him.

As other reviewers have pointed out, there is a massive plot spoiler on the back cover of the book; whoever wrote that description should be fired! The information on the cover is not revealed until 3/4 through the book, and it did spoil my enjoyment. Don't read it! And, publishers, don't do something as crass as that again!

Nevertheless, somewhat tame vampire regardless, I intend to read the other two books in this series; this one was an enjoyable read.

wmr-uk

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Summary: My Lord, what a painful read
Review: The best description that comes to mind for this story (and it's sequel, "My Lord Eternity") is "bad melodramatic soap opera." There is no mysique whatsoever in the characterizations of the vampires--in fact, the word "vampire" is tossed about with more regularity than "lush curves" (which was a descriptor used twice on one page for the heroine.) or "heaving bosoms." I was unable to relate at all to the vampire, who was so arrogant and sure of his magnetism that, immortal undead or no, I would have quickly put a wooden stake through his heart. Ugh. I didn't care much for the herione, either, bland and beautiful and stupidly stubborn as she was. At least her situation was halfway interesting (although I agree with the first reviewer that revealing the plot twist on the back of the book was just plain dumb.). As for the villianous vampire--eh. He followed the same tepid, overly-dramatic pattern as the rest, although he sounded more physically interesting-looking, what with the silver hair.

All in all, I do not recommend this book for the discerning adult reader. If you want a brooding vampire guardian angel, I'd suggest reading the young adult books spawned from the Angel television series. The writing and characterizations are better.

Rating:
Summary: My Lord, what a painful read
Review: The best description that comes to mind for this story (and it's sequel, "My Lord Eternity") is "bad melodramatic soap opera." There is no mysique whatsoever in the characterizations of the vampires--in fact, the word "vampire" is tossed about with more regularity than "lush curves" (which was a descriptor used twice on one page for the heroine.) or "heaving bosoms." I was unable to relate at all to the vampire, who was so arrogant and sure of his magnetism that, immortal undead or no, I would have quickly put a wooden stake through his heart. Ugh. I didn't care much for the herione, either, bland and beautiful and stupidly stubborn as she was. At least her situation was halfway interesting (although I agree with the first reviewer that revealing the plot twist on the back of the book was just plain dumb.). As for the villianous vampire--eh. He followed the same tepid, overly-dramatic pattern as the rest, although he sounded more physically interesting-looking, what with the silver hair.

All in all, I do not recommend this book for the discerning adult reader. If you want a brooding vampire guardian angel, I'd suggest reading the young adult books spawned from the Angel television series. The writing and characterizations are better.

Rating:
Summary: a good read
Review: This is a new Regency-era trilogy from Debbie Raleigh that focuses on three vampires and the ladies who hold the their futures as well as that of their kind in their hands.

For almost two hundred years, most vampires have forsaken the mortal world, to live in peace and serenity behind the Veil. The greatest of all vampires, Nefri, had used a powerful Medallion to create the Veil. But when Nefri had sensed some impending threat, she took the Medallion, divided it into three, and gave it to three maidens to keep and protect. Now three vampires hungry for power have slipped through the Veil and have ventured into the human world in order to find these three Medallions. And it is up to Gideon Ravel and his cousins Lucien and Sebastian to find these maidens first and to protect them and the Medallions form these renegades. And in "My Lord Vampire" we're offered Gideon's and Simone's (the lady he's been selected to protect) story.

Simone Gilbert has spent a lot of time and effort establishing herself as one of London's premier drawing room hostesses. And she's used her startling beauty, intelligence and wits to maintain her position and to keep her court of admirers dancing to her tune. The entry of two men into her life however, soon turns her world upside down -- one of the gentlemen in Tristan Soltern, a smooth mannered and cold man who makes her feel threatened and uncomfortable; the other gentleman is Gideon Ravel, an arrogant and incredibly handsome man who refuses to bend his will to her's but who makes her pulses race wildly. He says that he's there to protect her, but she suspects that he only wants to claim her as a conquest. That is until Simone is threatened, and a past that she has long kept secret might be revealed. Can she trust Gideon to help her? And will he help her or turn from her in disgust?

My one advice to anyone to who hasn't read this book yet and who enjoys novels featuring vampires is not to read the blurb at the back of the book. Far too much of the plot is given away there so that it becomes almost pointless to consider buying and reading "My Lord Vampire" -- this is not a mystery novel after all, and we already know that the hero and heroine will vanquish the villain and live happily-ever-after. The authour has taken time and effort to establish a small plot twist in order to keep things interesting, so one can only wonder why the people and Zebra saw fit to reveal much of the plot twist at the back of the book!

Aside from this plot twist, the other factor that makes this novel worth reading is the character of the heroine. Simone is not always likable. In fact there is an element of coldness and arrogance in her that is almost off-putting. However, somewhere in the middle of the book, her courage and resilience is revealed. Simone is a fighter and one cannot help but admire this character, esp after all the secrets of her past are revealed and you come to understand her past actions. The story flowed smoothly and evenly. Ms Raleigh spends an equal amount of time establishing the attraction that flows between Gideon and Simone, as well developing the subplot that focuses on the threat to the vampires that live behind the Veil. So, all in all, I'd rate "My Lord Vampire" as a good read.

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Summary: From the publisher
Review: While the ton dances and gossips, another kind of society altogether claims the London night as its own. By the light of the moon, three noble vampires entrusted with the protection of their kind will discover that human desire is far from lost to them-and that love may be the only thing they long for more than life everlasting...

Midnight Kiss

Behind the Veil

Gideon glided through the vaulted marble corridors of the Great Hall. A thick hush filled the ancient air, stirred only by the occasional rush of a scurrying servant. It was an unnatural silence. As a rule the spiderweb of corridors were filled with vampires seeking entrance to the vast library or attending the endless debates in one of the antechambers. There was no greater duty for a vampire than searching for knowledge. It was an insatiable thirst, and the only true desire that had remained since they had left the mortal plane to exist behind the Veil.

It had been nearly two hundred years since the great vampire Nefri had used the Medallion to create the Veil. Two hundred years of serenity and utter peace.

They had left behind the chaos and compulsive passions of the mortal world. They had also left behind the bloodlust that had made vampires as savage and brutal as the humans they preyed upon.

Since then it had been a time of immeasurable greatness for the Immortal Ones. Without the passions and hangers of the flesh they had reached a superior society that transcended any loss of powers they had suffered. Shape-shifting and mist walking that came only from the drinking of human blood were talents needed only for those who hunted.

And vampires no longer hunted.

Or they had not until this morning, Gideon sternly corrected.

A frown marred the fiercely elegant features as he considered the shocking revelations the Great Council had bestowed upon him.

It was near sacrilege to consider the notion that there would be traitors among the vampires. It was simply assumed that they had evolved far beyond petty jealousy and the lust for power. Surely such superior beings would be above the flaws of mere mortals?

Unfortunately there was no means of denying the startling truth that three powerful vampires had recently slipped through the Veil to the world of men. Or that they intended to battle for control of the Medallion.

A chill threatened to pierce the magnificent calm that had shrouded about Gideon for two centuries.

The traitors could not be allowed to gain command of the ancient artifact. With such raw power they could do untold damage.

Including ripping the Veil to shreds and challenging the authority of the Great Council itself.

The chaos that would ensue did not bear imagining, Gideon acknowledged with cold determination.

Thank blessed Nefri that she had possessed the sense to realize the impending danger and had managed to separate the Medallion. She had then given the pieces to three maidens who had no notion of the power they held.

The desperate measure had momentarily protected the Medallion from the clutches of the renegades, but it would only be a matter of time before they went in search of the maidens.

Which was precisely why he had been summoned to the Great Hall.

Almost reluctantly he glanced down at the dagger he held in his long, pale fingers. In the soft light it appeared nondescript with a smooth ivory handle. Only the wained eye of a vampire could detect the unmistakable shimmer of magic that rippled over the steel blade.

His frown deepened.

The mere thought of killing another vampire was utterly repellant. It was perhaps the greatest of sins. He would as soon sacrifice himself. But he had his commands.

He, Lucien and Sebastian were commanded to travel through the Veil and protect the maidens who unwittingly held the Medallion.

By any means necessary.

His fingers clenched about the dagger.

Any means.