Love, Vampire Style by Toni V. Sweeney
The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose
Contemporary, Paranormal
Short Story, Spicy
Review by Xeranthemum

For over 290 years, Val had played fast and loose where women were concerned, so when he was ordered to think "marriage," rebellion set in...until he met Aneke, who was everything he wanted in a wife--except that she's human....

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Love, Vampire Style is a story filled with fun, surprises and reading it was time well spent.

Valerius tickled my funny bone. For all his advanced age, all three hundred plus, he’s still fresh and full of life.  Most vampire stories have them suffering ennui after being ‘alive’ for so long.  This story was a pleasant change; there was no cynicism or dark brooding nor were there enemies salivating to take over the world.  This is a story about any royal family and its duties and Valerius has been tapped to produce.  Poor guy—I just hate being told to do something when all along I intended to do that very thing but when ordered to do what I was going to do, I don’t want to do it now because now its satisfaction and worth of doing seems deflated and demeaned.  So too, Valerius.   I understood his stance and I could relate.  I liked Valerius so I was interested in seeing how he would handle the decree.  He sneaked out.  

Where he goes surprises me and further, how he interacts with Aneke when he meets her is charming. Watching Valerius’s attitude and demeanor change during what ends up as a courtship was endearing because he was adorably bemused.   I enjoyed how and when his strength of character manifested.  It’s not like Valerius is weak, not by a long shot.  His history does have tragedy but he is a specie who lives and matures differently I think, than humans.  And you know what they say, boys mature slower than girls.

I don’t believe I got to know Aneke very well, but her entrance alone could clarify her character.  This girl has spunk and it not a pushover.  

Both Valerius and I were surprised with the revelation about Aneke, although thinking back, perhaps I shouldn’t have been. I was enjoying the story too much to think too deeply.   What really got me was the ending.  If you’ve read a good share of vampire romances, you might recall that one of their claims to fame is their plans within plans; and plots and machinations that move people about like chess pieces.   The final revelation shows cheek and clever maneuvering by the mind of Ms. Sweeney.  The HEA between Valerius and Aneke is very satisfactory but no one is more satisfied than the organizers of the master plan.  It would not have worked as well if Ms. Sweeney wasn’t such a clever writer. 

Love, Vampire Style may be short but if you want to sit back and enjoy a paranormal delight, sink your teeth into this story.