Review: Blind Date Delivers More Than I Ever Anticipated
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2012
This was an impulse buy after seeing the catchy title, reading the blurbs and a few reviews.  I love vampire stories so was willing to give it a try.  This was not a typical vampire story and it was refreshing because of that.The hero, Nate, is a vampire who was forcibly made in the 1950's, but was a Korean Conflict vet with PTSD issues that transferred into his second life.  He chose to hibernate rather than face his new life.  Nate wakes in the 21st century with 50's values still in tact.  He chooses a unique and honorable way to feed that leads him to find a chance at beating back his shadows and grasping at happiness.Samantha or Sam as she likes to be called is a good southern girl raised by her Nanna to embrace her older value system.  She is recovering from a long term relationship that was loaded with emotional and some physical abuse.  She is a pediatric nurse working long hours, but allows her BFF, Pinky to talk her in to trying an on-line dating service not to find her HEA dream guy, but just to get herself back in the dating game.  Sam is impressed with a contact, Nate55, who appears almost staid and boring next to the other guys' profiles on the site.  His black and white picture even makes him look old fashioned, but it feels right so she accepts a date.Nate and Sam meet and after some understandable nerves hit it off.  Nate came just to get a bite to eat and then clean Sam's memories, but finds that he really is interested not to mention that she resists his mind control.  Sam finds a kindred lonely spirit and is willing to give Nate a chance, but their nice 'getting to know you' date is broken up when her ex-fiance Brad shows up drunk and possessive.Though Brad spoiled the first date and led to Nate revealing his secret to Sam who surprises him by warily accepting the truth.  They go out again and this date does not end well either.  The relationship is now challenged from inside and from outside forces.  It was an exciting read to the end.As I said before, I found this one a refreshing read.  It had to do with the world building which made vampires to be along the original frightening and terrifying sort, but also with the ability to be warm and endearing.  I liked how there is a realism about Sam's journey toward accepting Nate which can come across as blowing hot and cold, but it was just reaction to new revelations and Nate working through the truth of his life and what is important.  The story flips back and forth between their points of view.The plot did not lag and the intriguing reveals, particularly in the second half, were attention grabbing.  The first half of the book was mostly about the relationship building and the second half of the book deals with the supernatural world that Nate has eschewed for so long.  The only thing that gave me a little disconnect which may not affect someone else at all was that I felt there was a teetering in Sam that could not decide whether she was a sweet southern girl with Christian values or a wanton who loved the dark and dangerous.  I suspect the conflict in her might have been on purpose, but it still left me confused at times.  It was not a huge distraction; it just gave me something to ponder.The characters particularly Nate and Sam were done well.  Nate's friend and fellow vamp Thad was the secondary character that really caught my attention and later I found that my surmises were pretty accurate.  There is a villain in the story that I wanted taken down so hard that I could almost taste it.This book was so enjoyable and I laughingly leave this pun intended statement, Evangeline Anderson has re-vamped on-line dating for me.  I know you are groaning now.  LOL!