"3rd tale in the delightful vamp series"

Bastien Argeneau is a vamp in the grumpy mold of his brother Lucern (Single White Vampire), and his lovely curmudgeon ways was going to be put to the test, with the upcoming wedding of Lucern and Kate. Too lovey-dovey wrapped up with themselves, small details of the upcoming ceremony are slipping by them. Like the arrival of Kate's cousin from England, Terri.

Bastien has been living in the penthouse over the Argeneau offices, quite happily alone since Lucern had moved in with Kate. But that solitude is about to come crashing down around him as the wedding approaches. First Kate pressed Bastien into picking up Terri at the airport, since the loving couple had other business. Bastien has no problem with that request. It's the second favor Kate asks of her brother-in-law to be that puts the crimp into his quiet lifestyle ¯ she needs him to put Terri up while she is in town for the wedding. Seeing no real problem putting her up for a day or two, Bastien agrees. Only after he commits to the arrangement, Kate informs him that Terri is coming earlier than the rest of her family -- two weeks earlier! But it's too late to make other arrangements, because Terri is due at the airport within minutes!

Bastien has viewed the pending nuptials with mixed emotions: happiness for Lucern, disgust at their frequent public displays of being besotted and a wee dram of envy. Bastien is not about to voice this aloud fearing mommy dearest Marguerite will sharpen her matchmaking efforts. She has always insisted her children need to be mated with someone who brings the zest for living back and the Lissianne and Etienne married and Lucern well onto his way, her crosshairs has come upon Bastien and he is feeling her breath down his neck.

Bastien fears logistical problems in having Terri around for two weeks. How do you hide that you are a vampire from a woman living under the same roof for that long? It gets worse when his nephew Thomas shows up. A wannabe actor, he is preparing for a roll on Broadway playing ¯ what else ¯ a vampire! Terri is instantly charmed by Thomas who tries to lure her in helping him "rehearse". Bastien is distracted by the physical attraction to Terri, but his befuddlement is compounded by having to keep an eye on Thomas -- a vamp of the old style who likes to keep his fangs sharp!

Matters grows worse as Kate's boss, Chris, has one accident after another and Kate ends up installing the editor in Bastien's apartment while his is being repaired. (Note for those loving an inside jest Chris is loosely based on Chris Keeslar, editor at Dorchester Publishing ¯ Lynsay's editor for the vamp series!). All in all, it's another delightful Argeneau romp that will delight readers of the series! In a bidding frenzy, Avon books bought the rights to the Argeneaus. Lissianna's tales in being finished with at least four more planned. So, long live the Argeneaus!

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted July 14, 2004