Review: In the Heat of the Bite

In the Heat of the Bite (Gentleman Vampyres - Book 2) by Lydia Dare

Publication Date: July 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc.
Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Historical Romance
Pages: Paperback, 384pp
ISBN-13: 9781402245107
ISBN: 1402245106

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

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Synopsis (Book Blurb):

CHIVALRY IS FAR FROM UNDEAD...

Matthew Halkett, Earl of Blodswell, is one of the few men in the ton who can claim to be a knight in shining armor - because that's precisely what he was before being turned into a vampyre. When he spies a damsel in distress in the midst of a storm in Hyde Park, his natural instinct is to rush to her aid...

BUT NOT EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO BE RESCUED...

Weather-controlling witch Rhiannon Sinclair isn't caught in a storm - she's the cause of it. She's modified to have been caught making trouble by the imposing earl, but she doesn't need any man - never has, and is sure she never will...

But when Rhiannon encounters Matthew again, her powers go away and his supernatural abilities run amok. Between the two of them, the ton is thrown into an uproar. There's nver been a more tempestuous scandal...

Thoughts:

Lydia Dare delivers again with her latest historical paranormal, In the Heat of the Bite. Readers will be thrilled with the second book in the Gentleman Vampyre's series and the complex and inviting characters that Dare has created. Dare continues to surprise readers with 19th century Regency romances that appeal to not only the historical romance fan, but also the growing number of paranormal fans. This cross between the two sub-genres will have readers from different sides of the track delving into new and exciting reading possibilities.

Matthew Halkett is a night in shining armor in every sense of the word. Over 600 years ago he fought in the crusades and has never forgotten his sense of honor and loyalty. Though there have been changes over the years, most notably Matthew becoming a vampyre, he has never found love. Given a magic ring which allows him to live in the light by a coven of witches who owed him a debt for saving one of their own, Matthew is able to lead a relatively normal life. But when he sees a young woman in the midst of terrible storm chivalry takes over and he tries to save her. Rhiannon Sinclair is no damsel in distress though, she is actually creating the storm. Rhiannon is a Scottish witch with the ability to control the weather, but not her own heart. As she and Matthew are drawn closer together their abilities start to go haywire. What's causing it, and can they endure it in order to be together?

As many of you know by now Lydia Dare is definitely one of my favorites. I love the way that Dare is able to take two sub-genre's and create cross-over novels that are sexy and entertaining. Being a former history major I have always been drawn to books from the Regency period and I have recently become a great fan of paranormal romance and when you get both from the same book, that's a real bargain! Lydia Dare is a writing duo and I am always skeptical that having more than one writer might take away from the continuity of the book, but that's certainly not the case. These two writers are very in tune with each other and they play off each others strengths and abilities, almost like the two main characters in Dare's latest book, In the Heat of the Bite.

Matthew is the English gentleman vampyre and Rhiannon is a Scottish witch. Quite a combination! Rhiannon has always seemed to me to be one of Dare's most mysterious characters. Readers know from previous books that Rhiannon's ability to control the weather is very formidable. It was going to take a really strong character to stand up to the force of her personality and I think Dare accomplishes this with style. Matthew is a former crusader, a knight and one who isn't about to back down from a challenge and Rhiannon is certainly that. Once the two of them meet the sparks begin to fly, along with a little bit of lightening and a tornado or two. Matthew and Rhiannon really seem to compliment each other. But when they realize that they seem to loose their abilities when they are around each other, that creates a problem. What would you be willing to give up for someone you loved?

I thought the author did a fantastic job of letting the reader draw their own conclusions about why Rhiannon is the way she is. She is portrayed as a strong woman and I liked the fact that, that was one of the things that Matthew liked about her. She was her own person and he was able to let her be that person without jealousy or trying to smoother her. It appears that she was mostly looked over by her father and in this one we learn that she isn't liked by her aunt, so readers start to see why she is so strong and that she is very deserving of finding someone great like Matthew. I really loved them a couple. They were passionate and sensual and yet tender with each other.

One of the parts that I really enjoyed about this one was the fact that Matthew has all the sudden lost his ability to feed from anyone else but Rhiannon. I think he knows that they are connected in a way that transcends who they are, but he still thinks he is undeserving because he is a vampyre. He seems to embrace who and what he is, but when it comes to Rhiannon he seems to think she needs something more, when in reality they are perfect for each other.

I also enjoyed learning more about what happened to Alec and readers will enjoy learning more about Dash's brothers who will get their own series later on. Sorcha and the other witches of the coven reappear in this one as well as the Westfield brothers. I thought it was a great addition to the world that Lydia Dare has created. Each book can be read as a stand alone but I think the reader will really enjoy reading them all. I recommend this one to readers of historical romance and paranormal romance. The cross between the two is interesting and full of potential. I think the Gentleman vampyre's really fit into the Regency period nicely and fans of both romance sub-genre's will love the characters that Dare has created.

In the Heat of the Bite is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5, there really isn't a bad book in the bunch!




Lydia Dare is the writing team of Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson. Both Tammy and Jodie are active members of the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers and live near Raleigh, North Carolina. They are working together on their next paranormal historical trilogy as Lydia Dare, which will be released by Sourcebooks Casablanca in Spring 2011!