Author Robin Covington’s stepped outside her usual genre here–and it totally works!
Sex and the Single Vamp
by: Robin Covington
Release Date: 3/24/14
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
Love. Sex. Eternity. Dating never gets easier.
Cici Trent, vampire and media darling, spends her days finding true love for humans and supernaturals (the “Others”) at her dating agency. But someone is trying to sabotage her business and she needs help. Unfortunately, the best man for the job is the one who broke her still-beating heart two hundred fifty-four years ago.
Deacon is a patient vampire. He’s only loved one woman in over three hundred years— CiCi— and she chose another. So when she shows up in his office asking for help, he finally has the chance to lay that demon to rest. He’ll help her, but for a price—a night in his bed.
Adrenaline, mischief, and a little late-night B&E light the passion that even a couple of lifetimes couldn’t put out. But Deacon has a secret and when Cici is suddenly mortal, his deception might be the only way restore her immortality. Can love bridge the gap between a heartbeat and forever?
Review:
I’ve read–and loved–several of Robin’s contemporary romances. I met her at the Baltimore Book Festival last fall, and really enjoyed listening to her speak on several panels there. She’s a lot of fun to follow on FB (two words: Man Wars. 😉 ) too. In short, I’m a fan, and was totally psyched to find out that her next book was going to be a paranormal romance. I jumped at the chance to read it.
It absolutely did not disappoint!
Robin’s trademark humor and flair for writing flawed yet lovable characters really shine here.
“So, Cici. We haven’t spoken since 1943 and while I’d love to think you’re here because you’re finally going to pay the fifty dollars you owe me, I’m not holding my breath.” He paused and shrugged at his own comment. “If I actually breathed, that is.”
It wouldn’t have surprised her to hear a bell ring, signaling the beginning of round one.
“You cheated. I don’t owe you the money,” she said, surprised at the decades-old indignation burning in her belly.
“The deal was that you would pay me if I had to save your ass.”
“I didn’t need your help. I was fine, but you had to sweep in and be the hero.” She crossed her arms and her legs, knowing how childish she looked. Deacon had the ability to make her lose her well-honed cool. And she didn’t know if it was the loss of control or the fact that she enjoyed it that bothered her more.
“You were surrounded by Nazis. You were not fine.”
“It wasn’t the first time, and I had a plan that you screwed up with your theatrics. I’m not paying you.”
“Wait? Nazis?” Andy asked, looking back and forth between them as though he was watching a tennis match. “How long have you two been friends?”
“We aren’t friends.” They answered him in unison, the moment almost comical with the way their gazes crashed into each other across the room.
“Okay…so, how long have you two not been friends?”
“Two hundred and thirty-nine years,” Cici said.
“Two hundred and forty.” Deacon interrupted her.
Yes! A lovers-with-a-history story, and since they’re vampires, it’s a loooong history…one that begins in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, one of my favorite places/time periods ever. Bonus!
Robin’s come up with an interesting world here–vamps, weres, fey, and other supernaturals (known as “Others”) have been outed, and some parts of the rest of the world have taken the news better than others. One group in particular, the Fellowship of Adam’s Race, has been stalking Others and those that aid and protect them for centuries. Certain other groups, on the other hand–law enforcement, the military, and intelligence organizations in particular–have been utilizing the Others’ supernatural abilities for just as long.
Cici and Deacon’s shared history contains a long list of somewhat reluctant collaborations as they work together to save mankind through the most trying times that history has to offer. We only get a hint of much of it here, but one gets the feeling that those earlier exploits would make quite the story.
Now, though, Cici needs Deacon’s help, as unwilling as she is to ask for it. He’s determined to honor his promise to her long-dead father and keep her safe, even though he really doesn’t approve of her business, a matchmaking service for humans and Others. In exchange for his services, he demands a rather unusual payment, one she isn’t exactly willing to pay. Or is she? Her traitorous libido appears to have quite the opposite opinion in the matter.
What follows are some pretty steamy scenes, paired with some edge-of-your-seat suspense, written as only Robin Covington can. Toward the end she even ratcheted up the drama, darn her–she nearly had me in tears! I believe I was literally incapable of putting my ereader down at one point; thank goodness it was the weekend and I didn’t have to. Just when all seemed almost lost, she pulled out the ace she’d been hiding up her sleeve and…well, you’ll just have to read it yourself.
Trust me. Totally worth it.
Fingers crossed that Ms. Covington’s going to be writing more from this universe, either with these characters or new ones. Either way it’ll be a win-win.
4 stars/ A- rating.
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Author Bio:
Robin Covington, who NYT Best Selling authors, Robyn Carr and Carly Phillips, said was their new “auto-buy author”, writes sizzling hot contemporary and paranormal romance.
A Night of Southern Comfort, her best-selling debut novel, was named a 2012 finalist in the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Awards, earned 4.5 stars and was touted by RT Book Reviews as bringing a “fresh, modern feel to the genre while still sticking to the things that get our adrenaline pumping — sex and danger”. When she’s not exploring the theme of fooling around and falling in love, she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Joe Mangianello.
Robin is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Washington Romance Writers, a faculty member at Romance University, a member of the Waterworld Mermaids, and a contributor to the Happy Ever After blog at USA Today. You can find Robin on her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter (@RobinCovington).
Email: robincovingtonromance@yahoo.com
Twitter: @RobinCovington
Giveaway:
Thank you for the giveaway!! I can not wait to read Sex and the Single Vamp!!
I loved it! Enjoy the book, and good luck on the giveaway! 🙂
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one to love it & almost cried there at the same scene. I just WOW, I’d never read her writing before but I’m now a convert!! Good Luck and thanks for the review
I love her writing! Even when I was cursing her cruelty towards her characters… 😉