Until Death Do We Part by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Esperetta, daughter of Vlad Tepes, was on her way home when her escort was attacked by the Turks.  Her savior, Velkan Danesti, took her to his home to care for her and while she was there, they fell in love and married.  Esperetta’s father had vowed to see Velkan dead.  Velkan’s family has disowned him because of his marriage to their enemy’s daughter.  Esperetta and Velkan devised a plan to fake their deaths so that they could leave the country and live in happiness.  Their plans go awry and both end up dead.  Artemis revived Velkan after he agreed to become one of her Dark Hunters and because the souls of both Velkan and Esperetta were joined in magic, Esperetta lived (after a fashion) with him.   Because of seriously misunderstanding a few events, Esperetta and Velkan separated, hating each other.  Five hundred years later, they meet again, both still hating the other.  Can they get past their anger to once again find a love meant to last forever?

Although Until Death Do We Part is a good story, the five hundred year separation of Velkan and Retta really didn’t seem all that believable, especially when Retta’s companion, Francesca, was added.  I simply couldn’t see Francesca completely giving up seeing her family and all hope of finding a mate for that amount of time. 

Ride The Night Wind by L.A.Banks

Jose has found a way of staying out of the gangs in East L.A. without being killed for not wanting to join.  Jose is a very talented artist that does any artwork that the gangs want and they pay for it.  Jose’s mother hates the fact that he’s both an artist and that he does jobs for the gangs.  Juanita has finished high school, but has given up her dream of going to business school to help out her family by working in a pharmacy and taking care of her home, as well as raising her little brother.  She resents that her mother loves her drug dealing big brother without reservation, but treats her like a servant that she doesn’t even like.  Jose and Juanita meet after being attacked by something evil.  Can two people, although very much attracted to one another, stay together with so many things against them?

Ride The Night Wind is the first story that I’ve read of the Neturu Guardians, and I can tell you that it certainly won’t be the last!  Jose and Juanita have so many things fighting to keep them apart, although because of their separate destinies, it does take a while to get together.  I absolutely loved Ride The Night Wind with its action, danger, love and passion all woven into a wonderful paranormal story.  All of the characters feel so real that I felt like I could reach out and touch them.

The Gift by Susan Squires

London, March, 1820

When Major Vernon Davis Were was in El Golea, his embassy was attacked by a horde of vampires.  Everyone was killed, all but him.  When Asharti decided that she wanted Rufford, Davie was finally released from his slavery to go back to England to summon Rufford back to North Africa.  Rufford went back to Asharti and killed her, now he’s asked Davie to come back to help in the fight to destroy the vampire army that Asharti has left.  He doesn’t want to go back for several reasons, among them, he wants to stay well away from the place that, for him, was a living hell, plus he’s about to ask Lady Emma Fairfield to be his wife.  Feeling guilty that he was the one to send Rufford back to the hell that is North Africa, Davie leaves England and Emma to join the battle against the vampires.  Little does he know that Emma refuses to give up the man she loves and follows him.  Now both Emma and Davie are in danger of losing their lives. 

I love how Ms. Squires has created her vampires.  The Companion is a unique way to explain their vampirism.  I adore Emma, Rufford, Fedeyah and Davie.  The Gift is a fascinating story that I enjoyed greatly and I will be searching for more of Ms. Squires’ vampire tales.

The Forgotten One by Ronda Thompson

Having lost her parents through an accident, Lady Anne Baldwin was taken in and raised by her aunt and uncle.  Craving the love that she had lost through their parent’s deaths, Anne does her best to be no trouble to the couple that never wanted children so that she can earn their love.  When Anne meets Merrick, the new stable master, she is completely attracted to him and ends up not acting at all like herself.  Anne’s one rebellion is her love of horses.  Merrick helps to build her self-confidence and in turn Ann falls deeply in love with him.  There is no way that a noble heiress can be with a servant…or is there?

The Forgotten One is a tale that stole my heart.  Anne is a shy, but strong woman and Merrick is deep down, a caring and sexy hero that is perfect for her.  When Merrick changes after the first time they make love, Anne showed both him and me just how strong, stubborn and loving she could be.  The Forgotten One is the perfect feel good end for this anthology.

Love At First Bite is a completely wonderful anthology that brings together love, passion and danger with very different, yet complimentary authors and their unique stories.  For lovers of paranormal romances, Love At First Bite is one you should not miss!!