Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada - Present Day

Sure, Janie Parker is an assassin, but don’t let that fool you, she’s just as sweet as any other gal. Really, she is. Of course, she does hide all that sweetness remarkably well, what with the gun, stake, and assorted other paraphernalia of her business close at hand. In all seriousness, though, Janie was tricked into taking her current position, and if she doesn’t complete the latest assignment the Boss gave her, well, let’s just say Janie won’t have to make any further contributions to the Company. Oh, and the Boss is going to take out her sister as well, added incentive to get the job done. All she has to do is kill a vampire and bring back an ancient magical artifact called the Eye that both the Boss and the vampire want for their own. One tiny complication, Janie knows, and once loved, the vampire, Michael Quinn.

Life sucks. Okay, so that sounds like a typical vampire saying, but Quinn really means it. Ever since being turned into a vampire, he’s wanted only one thing, to be human again. Quinn is convinced that a letter written by one of his father’s former friends is the key to finding the only thing that can grant his wish, the Eye. But then Janie shows up to throw a wrench in the works. Quinn can only think of two ways to deal with the woman who’s grown up to be a ruthless Merc; kill her (not his first choice as she once was such a sweet little thing) or hope like heck the crush she had on him as a girl is still alive and use it to charm her to his way of thinking. Vampires, vampire hunters, and even a demon or two are waiting in the wings to ensure that neither Janie nor Quinn gets what they want. Can this unlikely pair join forces long enough to defeat them all, and maybe even find love in the process?

Fans of the Immortality Bites series already know, but if you’re new to the world LADY & THE VAMP is set in, let me explain a bit more about Quinn. He was raised by a father who only cared about one thing, killing vampires. Quinn was a very successful hunter himself, but he never relished the kills, he just did it to rid the world of evil. Unfortunately, it’s only recently that Quinn has come to believe that not all vampires are evil. Even so, he’s convinced that he’s a monster, and he’s determined that if he can’t become human again, he’ll end his existence. But then along comes Janie, and suddenly Quinn’s not sure that death, real death, is a good backup plan. Janie is the first to admit that she’s become hard, cold and definitely dangerous to know. Though she didn’t sign up to work for the Boss willingly, she has learned to be a killer. Seeing Quinn again and remembering the jokes they used to share, the innocence of childhood, the tug of first love, reminds her that there is more to life than survival. However, her sister’s life is on the line, and even if she is attracted to Quinn, she can’t possibly choose him over her sister. Can she? Michelle Rowen does a fantastic job of building a relationship between these characters that feels incredibly real (and that’s despite the fact that the book takes place in a mere couple of days!). You won’t know until the very end of the book if Janie and Quinn find love, or if they even survive their pursuit of the Eye.

There aren’t a ton of secondary characters in this book, but hey, when the main players are this interesting, who need a bunch? Janie’s partner is Lenny. He’s a huge guy with a tendency to write dreadful poetry centering for the most part on his love for Janie. Poor guy, she’s just not into him. Then there’s Barkley, a werewolf who is supposed to be the Alpha of his pack; well, he’s scheduled to fight to take his place as the Alpha anyways. He travels across the country with Quinn and the two become friends. Ooh, I can’t forget Janie’s Boss. He’s the kind of man who thinks nothing about decapitating, eviscerating or otherwise punishing those who disappoint him. Not an empty threats kind of guy. And then there’s the other vampire who wants the Eye for his own. A vamp with a plan is definitely not a good thing (at least in his case).

If you like your romances filled with humor, unique and entertaining characters. and above all else, a little bite, you’re gonna love LADY & THE VAMP. Get your copy today!

Lori Ann