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by Susan S., guest reviewer

This is a captivatingly dark read, for vampire lovers craving a new vampire novel sans the sparklies; with more of the darkies.

My Eternal Confession:

I’ll admit it; I judged this novel by its cover, and what a beautiful cover it is! While I admired the cover art, a preconceived notion slithered its way into my thoughts. My expectations ran along the beautiful, romantic, nicey-nice vampire story. Did the story parallel my assumptions? Not even close. Yes, love plays an integral role in My Love Eternal, but the real core of the plot is embracing vampirism’s true nature, not the romanticized version. This novel is not a run-of-the-mill young adult vampire novel. It will painfully rip off the vampire label you’ve complacently adapted to, and reveal the vampire’s baser desires, their true selves.

Liz Strange will toy with your human curiosity, as a cat would with a mouse. You’ll meet characters without knowing their names, so when it is revealed, you’ll appreciate the timing. This author will also throw events that will come out of left field; one perfect example was its ending. I truly never envisioned an ending such as hers.

My Love Eternal is book one from The Dark Kiss Trilogy. It stands alone being the first of a vampire trilogy.

Rachel (heroine) is a blue eyed, bottle red, 26 year old working the graveyard shift at a hospital. She works in the patient records department. While working one night, she meets a mysterious and beautiful stranger. She’s overcome by feelings fighting for supremacy; fear and passion. The same night of their meeting, four patients die. Not unheard of considering where she works, but the details of their deaths are suspicious. Rachel begins encountering her dark stranger in different locations, coincidence, or is he stalking her? These meetings give rise to retrocognitive visions of his past. His sensual kiss will spiral her down into a violent world full of passion, and fear. Where every step they take is calculated, always vigilant of the Desmarais family and their promise. The Desmarais have a death grip on an old Vendetta. They are relentless in their search, and will let nothing, or no one stand in their way until Giovanni Alejandro Ruiz y Castillo (hero) is no more!

Will Rachel and Giovanni explore their undeniable connection to each other? Or, will his dark kiss be their last?

Favorite character: Giovanni, the vampire hero. He possesses a strong sense of honesty and loyalty. The fact that he happens to be a really hot 300 year old vampire with blue eyes, and shoulder length ebony hair might’ve helped sway my vote. He’s strong, but still has vulnerabilities.

Recommendations: You’ll like this novel if you enjoyed: Annie Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, the character Lestat played by Tom Cruise in the movie Interview with the Vampire, dark paranormal romances, thrillers, vampire lore, or novels for a dark Halloween read.

Warnings: This novel contains strong violence, two rape scenes, and an incestuous scene which I’m still trying to shake off from my memory bank.

No happily ever after in the end, but that’s not deterring me from reading book two. I still have high hopes for that happily “eternally” after! Look for book two, A Second Chance at Forever which releases in May 2010. Book three is named Born of Blood and Retribution, release date to be announced.

Buy: My Love Eternal

4 Stars, Paranormal Romance, Lyrical Press, Inc., eBook, March 15^th, 2010, Novel, Pages 166.

Digital ISBN# 978-1-61650-132-7.

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Categories:

4 Stars, ARC, Artist, Canada, Erotica, Foster/Orphan/Adopted, Friends, Guest Reviews, Medical, Paranormal, Rape/Abuse, Revenge, S-U, Vampire

Tags:

Artist, beautiful stranger, dark kiss, Dark Kiss Trilogy, dark stranger, human curiosity, incest, integral role, Liz Strange, loyalty, murder, new vampire, paranormal romance, patient records, preconceived notion, rape, retrocognition, soul mates, sparklies, true selves, vampire hero, vampire lovers, vampire novel, vampire story, vendetta, working the graveyard, working the graveyard shift