Hannah Howell, Lynsay Sands, Sara Blayne, Kate Huntington: His Immortal Embrace

Howell and Sands have teamed up again to deliver two new dark tales of vampires and the women who can save them. This book also includes two short stories from Sara Blayne and Kate Huntington. Blayne and Huntington are best known for their Regency historical romances.

The Yearling by Hannah Howell - Lady Sophie Hay is the direct descendant of a witch who in an act of revenge placed a powerful curse on her MacCordy lover. He was cursed for abandoning his pregnant lover to marry a woman with land and wealth. The curse ensured that all firstborn males of the Clan MacCordy would become a beast who stalks the night and drinks the blood of the innocent to survive. Sophie has stumbled across the text of the 400 year old curse and believes that she knows how to break it. If she does not succeed, she will have condemned herself and Alpin MacCordy to a dark, bleak future. The scorned lover’s curse is a unique twist but the Scottish dialogue may have you mentally tripping over the words.

Bitten by Lynsay Sands - Keeran MacKay rescues Emily Wentworth from a shipwreck and gives her shelter in his secluded castle. Emily was on her way to marry a lecherous old earl, but now that her guardian is dead in the wreck she has the freedom to change her destiny. Keeran is a broody vampire, shunned by his village and no longer the Laird. He is set in his ways and doesn’t appreciate bright and bubbly Emily changing his castle and his life. Keeran cannot control his savage nature around Emily and accidentally reveals to her that he is a vampire. His untamed desire for her may changes Emily’s life irrevocably. This story is better than Sands last partnership with Howell in Highland Vampire although I enjoy her contemporary novels more.

Stranger in the Night by Sara Blayne - Georgiana Thornberry is an unusual woman for her time. She loves archeology and studying the past. Her uncle invites her to explore her ancestral home, a moldering castle that is believed to be cursed and she jumps at the chance. She discovers the reclusive Julius Lathrop lurking in the castle and learns that he may be to key to a family legend. There is something more sinister though about Julius that draws Georgiana like a moth to flame. Is Julius himself the evil curse that haunts the castle? This story is quite similar to The Yearling, vampirism caused by a curse seems to be the theme for this book.

The Awakening by Kate Huntington - Thalia Layton travels to a remote country estate to care for her dying Aunt Cordelia. Unconventional Cordelia has scandalously been living unmarried with Adrian Lucerne. When Thalia arrives, she is expecting to meet an older gentleman and is shocked when she discovers Adrian is a young man with some very odd habits. She can never seem to find him during the day and his servants are frightened of him and flee the house every evening just before sunset. The villagers led by a local clergyman think he is the devil and would kill him if given half a chance. Thalia is not sure what to make of him but his is attracted to his dark artistic spirit. Aunt Cordelia’s devotion to Adrian has cost her her life, will Thalia succumb to the same sensual lure? The weakest of the four stories, The Awakening will appeal more to Regency romance fans than those who are looking for vampire romance.

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