Review: Amazingly Creative!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 4, 2014
This is the first historical vampire romance I've ever read, and it is amazing!  Ms. Grey is obviously a creative story teller.  Not only is this my first vampire historical romance, but it's also the first book I've ever read that starts in the first person from the POV of one character, then switches to another character's point of view halfway through.  I don't usually read books written in the first person as, for the most part, I don't enjoy them.Consequently, when I started this book and discovered it was written in the first person from the heroine's POV, I almost stopped reading it.  But, since I'd already downloaded the book I figured, "what the heck, why not give it a try?" I'm so glad I decided to give it a chance!  Despite being written in the first person, the story pulled me and kept me enthralled from beginning to end; when  realized that halfway through the POV switched to the hero's I was in ecstasy!  Wow!  As for the story itself...AMAZING!  I know I've used that word a few times, but really it's the perfect description for this story.Elizabeth travels to Blakewood to work as a governess to Leander's nephew.  Soon after her arrival she discovers that Leander and his family are all vampires.  While wandering the hallways --which by the way she has been forbidden to do-- one night she meets the mysterious, mischievous, Marcus.  Marcus is purportedly Leander's business manager.  Although there is a real connection between Leander and Elizabeth, she finds herself drawn to the irrepressible Marcus.  There are a lot of really hot love scenes between Elizabeth and Leander...his ability to hover in the air really comes in handy during lovemaking.  LOLLeander is a wonderful character.  He's selfless, kind, responsible and honorable.  He is immediately drawn to Elizabeth.  The relationship between Leander and Elizabeth is sweet, gentle, tender, but fraught with secrets.  The role Marcus plays in Leander's life is the biggest secret and, when eventually uncovered, is quite surprising...at least it was to me.  Although written in the first person, because the POV switches from Elizabeth to Leander halfway through the book you get to know both characters really well...their inner thoughts and feelings are fully disclosed.  My only complaint about this book relates to the ending, which was a somewhat of a letdown.***SPOILER SPOILER***The reader is led to believe that Elizabeth's becoming Leander's mate, in the true sense, would be a horrible experience for her.  To become Leander's lifetime mate, he must bite and feed from Elizabeth.  According to Beatrice, the housekeeper, who is really Leander's mother, once Leander feeds from Elizabeth, she will become his, in the complete sense of the word.  Leander will feed as he likes from her, no matter how weak she becomes, and that he will keep her "full of his offspring and feed and feed and feed."  The two will crave each other, and while Leander becomes stronger, Elizabeth will weaken and that Elizabeth's entire life will consist of producing sons and letting Leander drain her of her life, until she wishes for death.  Leander will resent Elizabeth when she can no longer produce children and will turn to other women.  All of this was, apparently, Beatrice's experience with Leander's father.Everything Beatrice said sounded so ominous and dismal, it certainly put a pall over any future Elizabeth and Leander hoped to have together.  Yet, when Leander does ultimately bite and feed from Elizabeth, nothing is said to counter Beatrice's claims.  The reader is left to try to create reasons as to why the couple's relationship couldn't possibly be as bad as Leander's parents had been.  Because, although Leander disagrees with Beatrice that a mating between himself and Elizabeth was destined to be like hers and his father's, he was still reluctant to feed from Elizabeth, even when it became a life and death situation for him.  This led me to believe that there was some truth to Beatrice's claims.Furthermore, when Leander does finally feed from Elizabeth, he had to feed or die, yet it was only at the insistence of his parents and Elizabeth herself, that he finally capitulated.  In my mind his actions added credence to Beatrice's claims.  I tried to convince myself that Leander and Elizabeth's relationship would not be like his parents because Leander was nothing like his father.  Leander's father is portrayed as a selfish creature, who takes and takes, while Leander is selfless to the point of self-denial.Then there is the fact that Beatrice claimed Elizabeth's life would consist of producing sons, but as far as I could tell Beatrice only had the two sons, Leander and his brother, Richard, so I figured she might have done some exaggerating.  But, you understand I was desperate at that point to convince myself the protagonists will have a happy future.  However, despite these reassurances, the ending still felt less than satisfying, which is a major crime considering how fantastic the rest of the story was.  IMO, this issue could be very easily remedied with an epilogue depicting Elizabeth and Leander happy together maybe a few years in the future.***END OF SPOILER***So bottom line, this is a great story; I would definitely recommend it.  It's well written, with a creative, unique plot, and three dimensional characters.  Despite all these positive aspects; however, the less than satisfying conclusion prevents me from giving the book a 5 star rating.  IMO, this book rates 4 stars.  With the simple addition of an epilogue it could easily be a 5 star read.  If you're looking for an entertaining read, set in historical times with a paranormal aspect, you might want to give this book a try.  Just be aware you'll have to create your own happy ending!  Happy reading!