Review: Intriguing Premise! Lots of Emotional Conflict.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 2, 2014
Everything you thought you knew about vampires gets twisted and turned in For the Bite of It as a hierarchy of vampires living separate from humanity sends those who've done wrong to live amongst humans after stripping them of their powers.  This sets up a rebellion just hinted at here that doesn't bode well for humanity once the battle starts.  Into a war just bubbling beneath the surface comes Vincent, cupcake baker extraordinaire, and future king of his line if he can reclaim his place once his penance is over.  He misses the life he once knew and the family that accepted him wholeheartedly and feels nothing but loneliness and bleakness now.  He throws himself completely into his bakery and it's here that his life takes an even bigger turn once he meets human detective John.  Vincent will do anything to claim him, even help him catch a murderer, but he knows he can't tell him the truth about what he is which causes numerous roadblocks between them and leads to an ending that leaves room for more to come.  Vincent is sexy with old world mannerisms.  He's cultured with an air of the aristocracy surrounding him which is very different from John's blue collar way of life but these differences aren't much of an issue thankfully. Though John brings light to Vincent's lonely life he knows that being with a human could lead to John's death and this fear hangs over him as their relationship grows and has me fearing for their future.What is yet another issue is John's hiding of his sexuality.  His parents are very religious and his older brother is a paragon that leaves him frustrated with not wanting to be a disappointment.  He's never with the same man twice, doesn't kiss his partners, and finds those partners far away from home.  He throws himself into work but meeting Vincent is electric and he can't ignore the connection between them, even when he suspects Vincent of murder.  It's a struggle to accept the truth about himself but he's tired of being alone and soon realizes that his future lies only with Vincent and that his life's only complete in his presence.  Things don't go smoothly though as John's constant jealousy causes issues between them and unnecessary doubts that weigh on him.  There's even bigger issues lurking between them though that they've not even dealt with yet and their HFN ending will soon implode once John learns the truth about Vincent's world.This was a clever read in its interpretation of vampirism.  They're very human-like with their ability to be in the sun and eat food, but their bloodlust can overwhelm them in the throes of passion and they can teleport and use various other mind tricks.  Their powers can be removed as a form of punishment with living amongst humans added punishment.  Their hierarchy is just hinted at and I look forward to learning about the different abilities associated with the different clans.  Along with the burgeoning romance between these two that gives us insight into their characters comes unrelenting sexual tension that leads to some super HOT sexual interludes that are surprisingly romantic too.  The secondary characters are also worth mentioning as they're a supportive group who gently nudge these men together.  Of this group Angelo is the most memorable, colorful in his clothes and mannerisms, but Vincent's staunchest supporter and the one to help him cope with his exile.  He's flamboyant and appears carefree but is slyly intelligent with an unrequited love of his own that I hope to see addressed.  The murder itself is a bit of an obtrusion and went on way too long and I wish less time had been spent on it as it kept our couple separated far too much and had no bearing on the characters beyond being the catalyst for their meeting.  Overall though it's an entertaining story with an ending that feels somewhat incomplete.  It leaves readers tantalized and wanting to come back for more, so here's to the next book!