I WANT YOU TO WANT ME - Kathy Love
The Impalers
Brava (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7582-1857-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-1857-5
September 2008
Paranormal Romance

New Orleans, Louisiana - Present Day

Erika Todd is a sculptor. As an artist, you’d expect her to be open-minded, but moving to New Orleans on the advice of a psychic? Well, that’s a bit more free-thinking than your average woman. Except that the psychic, Philippe, has been right about so much: the direction her work is moving in, the black cat she’d find, pretty much everything except the prince he insists is on his way. These days it seems even the frogs are in hiding. That is, until Vittorio shows up. Suddenly Erika wonders if she hasn’t found her prince. Just a few problems with that theory. Vittorio is so secretive, he runs hot and cold, and, well, she’s just not certain he wants her at all. Hmm…

Vittorio Ridgewood is in New Orleans to discover if his recent suspicions are true. It seems all of the women Vittorio has been involved with recently are turning up dead. Granted, as a two hundred plus year old lampir (vampire who feeds on human energy), the deaths of humans he knows aren’t unusual, but still, twenty women in as many years? Meeting Erika is, in some ways, wonderful (she’s just so sweet and sexy) but in others horrible (what if she’s targeted?). So what’s a vampire to do? Well, he’ll just have to stay close to Erika to protect her, not to get involved...really.

So, are the deaths in Vittorio’s past related? If so, can he protect Erika? And then the big question, just how open-minded is Erika really, enough to accept that the man she has the hots for isn’t exactly a man? I’d tell you, but that’d take all the fun out of learning the answers for yourself.

I WANT YOU TO WANT ME (love that title, and the ‘80s song it came from) brings together two characters readers will definitely connect with. Erika isn’t a kook; she’s just not as tied to the rational (some would say uptight) thinking as many others are. Caring, generous, and a truly nice person, she seems like someone who’d make a great friend. Vittorio isn’t a dark, brooding vampire hero. Okay, he does brood a bit, but can you blame him when he was raised by a mother who’s just the tiniest bit crazy? And of course, the deaths of his friends aren’t helping anything. But underneath all of his hard won control, responsible ways, and determination to help those unfortunates he comes into contact with, beats the heart of a true romantic. Loving and fun, or at least it seems he could be if his life weren’t such a mess, he makes the perfect counterpoint to Erika. Their chemistry is undeniable, but their communication skills lack at times (making them that much more realistic; what couple couldn’t stand to improve on their communication?). Readers will be eager to see this couple find their happily ever after.

There aren’t a ton of secondary characters in this book, but then again, if they’re interesting, who needs a bunch? Erika’s friend Maggie and her husband Ren (Vittorio’s brother) starred in the first novel in this series (ANY WAY YOU WANT IT, November 2007), and their presence would be sorely missed in this one. Jo is another friend of Erika’s, not a believer in anything “woo woo”, I have a feeling her belief system will be challenged in the near future. Then there’s Orabella, Vittorio and Ren’s mother. I may have misstated when I called her a tiny bit crazy earlier, she’s more like a complete nutcase. But she does love Vittorio. Beautiful, calculating, and definitely dangerous, this is one mother who makes you wonder if you wouldn’t be better off without one. Maksim is a very interesting man (or rather, demon). Handsome, sexy and currently involved with Orabella, he’s also on the hunt for his missing sister, Ellina (a Halfling demon). Though there’s no doubt he’s dangerous, he has a surprising core of almost goodness. Okay, core may be a bit much, only time (and hopefully the next book in this series) will tell.

Funny, creepy at times, and definitely never boring, I WANT YOU TO WANT ME is more proof of why Kathy Love’s books are must reads. Get your copy today.

Lori Ann