Natasha is in Vegas for a wedding when she first meets magnificent, arrogant Orlando Spenser, vampire, gambler, and womanizer extraordinaire.   Orlando is on a mission to find his life mate, courtesy of the Elders.  There are stipulations and criteria to choosing the right woman, and Natasha meets them all.   Time is short.   He needs to convince her that they’re meant to be but with a woman like Natasha, it won’t be that easy.

Anticipation is the best part of finding a new series to read.  This story lived up to a few of my expectations.  But first, I want to point out what didn’t work.  The biggest problem I had with it was awkward narrative and stilted, dated dialogue.  Words should flow and conversations should ring true to the ear.  Sometimes the phrasing was off and too wordy.   

The character development was weak.  Another factor was the lack of plot twists and surprises as the plot progressed. The vampires appeared more human than preternatural.   Orlando and his brother are rakes, and aside from being rich pretty boys from a close knit family, there’s little else.  Natasha came off as obnoxious and annoying when I’m certain that the author meant for her to be spirited, independent, and assertive.  I thought she was a foul mouthed spoiled brat, and there wasn’t enough substance to help me empathize.   

Winning Virgin Blood wasn’t all negative, there were some positives.  The kick off begins with a really good upheaval for Orlando and the consequences of his actions place him at the mercy of the vampire Elders.  The idea of how the vampires choose their mates is intriguing and the Spenser family history is fascinating.  Orlando’s quest is an effective plot motivator.  There was so much potential, and room to flesh out the characters.  This story had all the hallmarks of transition and personal growth for Orlando and Natasha.  It does happen but again, it’s not smooth and there are too many holes and gaps to make it all work.  Finally, there’s a nice build up for the next installment featuring Almonzo, Orlando’s brother.  

After underlying the pros and cons of Winning Virgin Blood, I feel it’s only fair that I read Winning Virgin Love, Book 2.   The next round may produce a KO, and because this author put her heart into her work, I feel like giving it another go.