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Love at Stake #8
The Vampire and the Virgin
Olivia's packing list:
Robby's packing list:
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?
1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops
Robby's packing list:
Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she'll never forget . . .
1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes
(even vamps have to stay in shape!)
11 pages, Audio
First published February 20, 2010
234 people are currently reading
4370 people want to read
About the author
Kerrelyn Sparks
37 books5,779 followersKerrelyn Sparks apparently has issues with reality. After writing more than a dozen books about vampires, she has now completely gone off the deep end and wound up on another planet. But how thrilling that she can share this magical new world with her readers! Although she is best known (so far) for the Love at Stake series, which has hit as high as number 5 on the New York Times list and 22 on the USA Today list, she hopes her readers will love The Embraced as much as they did her merry band of vamps and shifters. To learn more about her paranormal, historical, and upcoming out-of-this-world fantasy romances, please visit Kerrelyn on Facebook, Twitter, or her website at www.kerrelynsparks.com.
Kerrelyn loves hearing from readers, even those who howl at the moon. Letters may be sent to P.O. Box 5512, Katy, TX 77491-5512. If you would like bookmarks and signed bookplates, please mail a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to her P.O. Box, and she will send those items to you.
Kerrelyn loves hearing from readers, even those who howl at the moon. Letters may be sent to P.O. Box 5512, Katy, TX 77491-5512. If you would like bookmarks and signed bookplates, please mail a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to her P.O. Box, and she will send those items to you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
November 18, 2016
Day 1: See hot guy on beach. He looks at you.
Day 2: Talk to hot guy for 20 minutes.
Day 3: Proclaim your undying love for guy and offer up your virginity.
Yes, girls, it's that easy to find the man of your dreams, and it only takes that long for said man to fall madly in love with you for the rest of your life.
Sure, you don't know everything about each other. Like last names, where they live, who their friends and families are, how they spend their free time, or the fact that one of them is an undead creature of the night. Details. That's all those things are. Details.
The important thing is that you find each other hot. Because there is never an instance where you could actually get to know some hot person's personality and find it lacking. Never!! Attractive people are always attractive on the inside. You can take that to the bank! And, go ahead and pledge your eternal life to the hunky guy on the beach after a few days. It's going to work out great!!
Do I hate other things about this book? Sure. Lots.
One big pet peeve I have is the fact that every character in this series seems to be a racial stereotype. The French guy talks like Pepe LePew, the Italian guy talks like Mario, the black guy talks like the hood and "looks just like Denzel" (I'm guessing this is the only attractive black man the author could think of), the Russian guys have broken accents that make you think of evil movie villains, and the Scottish guys talk like Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons.
Ladies, I hear he's available...*wink wink*
But, don't worry, there are plenty of other things to hate as well. In this book, there was an opportunity for a pretty cool storyline with the sicko serial killer who was obsessed with the heroine, but it took a backseat. A backseat in a very long bus full of insta-love, sterotypes, TSTL characters, and angst. Oh well. Considering what I've seen so far, the author could never have pulled it off anyway.
So, here's a novel idea. I'm actually going to quit reading this series. I know, right? I have a stack of these suckers from the library. But, I think it would be best for my blood pressure and my eyeballs. If I keep rolling those suckers this much, they are bound to fall out.
I'm looking for a new series. Any ideas?
Day 2: Talk to hot guy for 20 minutes.
Day 3: Proclaim your undying love for guy and offer up your virginity.
Yes, girls, it's that easy to find the man of your dreams, and it only takes that long for said man to fall madly in love with you for the rest of your life.
Sure, you don't know everything about each other. Like last names, where they live, who their friends and families are, how they spend their free time, or the fact that one of them is an undead creature of the night. Details. That's all those things are. Details.
The important thing is that you find each other hot. Because there is never an instance where you could actually get to know some hot person's personality and find it lacking. Never!! Attractive people are always attractive on the inside. You can take that to the bank! And, go ahead and pledge your eternal life to the hunky guy on the beach after a few days. It's going to work out great!!
Do I hate other things about this book? Sure. Lots.
One big pet peeve I have is the fact that every character in this series seems to be a racial stereotype. The French guy talks like Pepe LePew, the Italian guy talks like Mario, the black guy talks like the hood and "looks just like Denzel" (I'm guessing this is the only attractive black man the author could think of), the Russian guys have broken accents that make you think of evil movie villains, and the Scottish guys talk like Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons.
Ladies, I hear he's available...*wink wink*
But, don't worry, there are plenty of other things to hate as well. In this book, there was an opportunity for a pretty cool storyline with the sicko serial killer who was obsessed with the heroine, but it took a backseat. A backseat in a very long bus full of insta-love, sterotypes, TSTL characters, and angst. Oh well. Considering what I've seen so far, the author could never have pulled it off anyway.
So, here's a novel idea. I'm actually going to quit reading this series. I know, right? I have a stack of these suckers from the library. But, I think it would be best for my blood pressure and my eyeballs. If I keep rolling those suckers this much, they are bound to fall out.
I'm looking for a new series. Any ideas?
May 25, 2022
The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks
Love at Stake series book 8. Paranormal vampire romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
FBI agent Olivia takes a vacation on the Greek island of Patmos and meets kilted Robby MacKay. He’s way more interesting to her than the local Greek boys her Grandmother’s friends are pushing her to date. When an old threat occurs, Robbie is protective and resourceful.
A bit of humor in this fast-paced, instant love vamp and the virgin storyline. There is background of an ongoing war between vampires and support from previous characters in the series. Mostly Robbie has to get past his revenge issues.
Fun, engaging and sexy.
Love at Stake series book 8. Paranormal vampire romance. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
FBI agent Olivia takes a vacation on the Greek island of Patmos and meets kilted Robby MacKay. He’s way more interesting to her than the local Greek boys her Grandmother’s friends are pushing her to date. When an old threat occurs, Robbie is protective and resourceful.
A bit of humor in this fast-paced, instant love vamp and the virgin storyline. There is background of an ongoing war between vampires and support from previous characters in the series. Mostly Robbie has to get past his revenge issues.
Fun, engaging and sexy.
April 28, 2015
Robby, the perfect kilted Scottish vampire to have running along your beach in Greece an d a warm night. Poor Robby falls for a suspicious woman, mortal, and an FBI Psychologist, talk about relationship issues. Robby is trying to recover after his terrible torture, mentally he is on the edge, angry and vengeful. His boss sent him to recover on this beautiful Greek island where he spots a woman who catches his eye and his heart. She gets close pulls away, and then breaks his heart. it's not all her fault she has some trauma issues of her own and they follow her where she goes no matter how far she runs.
Yes, it ends with a HEA, they are a safe bet with this series. I love seeing good things happen to good people
JL Wang has to be my favorite character at this point- Wait till you hear his full name and his joke about a brother. **snort** I hope he has his own book down the line
Yes, it ends with a HEA, they are a safe bet with this series. I love seeing good things happen to good people
JL Wang has to be my favorite character at this point- Wait till you hear his full name and his joke about a brother. **snort** I hope he has his own book down the line
July 6, 2025
4.75 Stars
Funny and exciting.
The writing flows smoothly and reads so effortlessly that you'll find yourself at the end craving another slice of the 'Love at Stake' series.
The suspense/action is upped even more in this one. The Malcontents and Vamp war escalating with some surprising twist.
The relationship between Olivia & Robby is often humorous, always romantic and filled with passion.
Funny and exciting.
The writing flows smoothly and reads so effortlessly that you'll find yourself at the end craving another slice of the 'Love at Stake' series.
The suspense/action is upped even more in this one. The Malcontents and Vamp war escalating with some surprising twist.
The relationship between Olivia & Robby is often humorous, always romantic and filled with passion.
March 12, 2010
I happened by this book in my local Krogers grocery store and paused. Everyone who knows me is willing to say that I'm getting a bit flustered with all the vamp series on the shelves today. But, this one...this little black and read paperback caught my eye. Truthfully, the cover I could give or take, but the title was an eye catcher. Then I flipped it over. "Robby's packing list" made me purchase this book. Besides that fact that a vamp named "Robby" had to have a comedic element as well as the romance. I loved this guy's Scottish accent and his sense of humor. He was raw yet sweet, lustful yet romantic. The Greek setting was lush and sensual. It created an ideal background for a blooming romance. The suspense was wonderful. I love crime dramas and this was fast-paced and emotional. The sex scenes were rare but packed a huge punch. The romantic tension was off the charts and made for some awesome foreplay! I highly recommend this read to anyone who is burnt-out on the vamp saturated media. It makes the vampirism secondary to the real romantic story. I will be ordering more of Ms. Sparks books.
January 20, 2011
Who do I recommend to? Do you like funny contemporaries?
Do you like paranormals?
What about the two combined?
Definitely a winner!
Why did I read it? I have been craving a vamp book.
My Rambles:
As I mentioned, I've been craving a vampire read and so when Jen gave me this, I knew I had to read it soon! I am so glad I read this!! As I was writing this post and doing that bit of research I do, I discovered that this is #8 in a series!! Wow! Ms. Sparks did an excellent job of making it very stand alone.
I loved this book, not only because I had no idea it was part of a series, but also because it just seemed so fun! I mean, come on, Robby is a Scottish vampire, complete with accent, living in America!
Olivia has her own powers, and it makes her great at the FBI (gotta read to find out!).
The words flowed so well, I devoured this book and I'm on the hunt for the previous books in the series! I found myself laughing and smilling all throughout reading this.
Definitely a recommended read, and Kerrelyn Sparks is now on my must watch list!
Do you like paranormals?
What about the two combined?
Definitely a winner!
Why did I read it? I have been craving a vamp book.
My Rambles:
As I mentioned, I've been craving a vampire read and so when Jen gave me this, I knew I had to read it soon! I am so glad I read this!! As I was writing this post and doing that bit of research I do, I discovered that this is #8 in a series!! Wow! Ms. Sparks did an excellent job of making it very stand alone.
I loved this book, not only because I had no idea it was part of a series, but also because it just seemed so fun! I mean, come on, Robby is a Scottish vampire, complete with accent, living in America!
Olivia has her own powers, and it makes her great at the FBI (gotta read to find out!).
The words flowed so well, I devoured this book and I'm on the hunt for the previous books in the series! I found myself laughing and smilling all throughout reading this.
Definitely a recommended read, and Kerrelyn Sparks is now on my must watch list!
January 26, 2016
Oh I loved this one. I have to say that I think this one is my favorite so far.
Robbie was not what I thought, that's for sure. In all the other books you get a little of him here and there but never a true feeling about him. I have to say that what a hot Highlander he is. Red hair , green eyes, yum!I also enjoyed that side of Robbie with all of his anger and wanting revenge. I think that Olivia was perfect for him. Olivia works with the FBI and is an empath. She is a human lie detector which is cool.Olivia has a problem with a stalker and I enjoyed that aspect of the book.There was just enough of the creep factor. Mrs Sparks did a great job describing the Greek settings from the beginning of the book.
There just enough fighting in this one to make me happy and some hot lovin. Couple of funny moments but not as many as the other books. Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading Carlos book next.
Robbie was not what I thought, that's for sure. In all the other books you get a little of him here and there but never a true feeling about him. I have to say that what a hot Highlander he is. Red hair , green eyes, yum!I also enjoyed that side of Robbie with all of his anger and wanting revenge. I think that Olivia was perfect for him. Olivia works with the FBI and is an empath. She is a human lie detector which is cool.Olivia has a problem with a stalker and I enjoyed that aspect of the book.There was just enough of the creep factor. Mrs Sparks did a great job describing the Greek settings from the beginning of the book.
There just enough fighting in this one to make me happy and some hot lovin. Couple of funny moments but not as many as the other books. Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading Carlos book next.
April 2, 2010
There WILL be Spoilers!!
I will start by saying I don't feel like I wasted valuable time reading this book; I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. In the grand scheme of Sparks "Love at Stake" series, this book was a filler. It did nothing to push along the war with the malcontents, nor did it show anything insightful about the vampires relationship with the CIA. Instead, Sparks showed us two one-dimensional characters: Robby, who I swear was the most unoriginal of Sparks characters (how many times is she really going to pull the "I don't trust human women because one betrayed me" angst?) and Olivia, an empath FBI psychologist who whines a lot about being lied to. That's really the whole basis for the book, there is some background noise about the malcontents and a psycho serial rapist, but neither of these aspects were fleshed out very well. Because of the lack (of excitment? character development?) I nitpicked this book a ton while reading it. Here are some of my gripes:
1. Olivia is an FBI psychologist, who apparently only relies on her abilities as an empath to do her job to such an extent that not being able to read Robby completely unhinges her. During and after their first evening together, Olivia kept saying "I'm sorry, but I can't get involved with someone I can't read" or "But I can't have a relationship with someone I can't trust." And yet, she can't have a relationship with someone she CAN read because she always inevitably catches them in a lie. Very, very irritating.
2. On their third "date," they were already in love and Olivia was nearly ready to hand over the viriginity she has held onto for 24 years. (Even though I think she was still on the fence about trusting Robby at all). I don't have a problem with people falling in love after 3 dates, especially if they were an intense 3 dates; but at this point, I find it all very unbelievable.
3. I really think both of these characters could have been interesting. Robby was tortured and Olivia had her very own Hannibal Lector, but neither of these incidents or people were ever really talked about. If they had bonded over their woes I would have believed in their relationship more. There was more angst over past hurts than current ones. How annoying.
4. Why would they send a psychologist out on assignment where they know at least 10 people were killed? It is not her job to analyze a crime scene or do anything with dead people. Wouldn't it be more up her alley to talk to her co-workers through the episode afterwards?? And then maybe the killer? I really don't understand why she was sent at all except that was the only way Sparks could have Robby "caught" being a vampire. I was irritated with how Olivia responded to this. She behaves as if this is something Robby should have told her from the beginning. What she is unwilling to recognize is that this is a secret that involves a whole lot more people than just Robby. Not easy to tell. I think a psychologist would be able to figure that out....
There were just so many things wrong with this book I really can't understand why I liked it at all. But I did. I liked seeing the other characters again, like Phineas, and I think Sparks has created an interesting world. I'd say anyone who is interested in continuing this series should read this book; it isn't as bad as I made it sound. I just felt bothered that Sparks didn't do more with this book when she had so many aspects to play around with...
I will start by saying I don't feel like I wasted valuable time reading this book; I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. In the grand scheme of Sparks "Love at Stake" series, this book was a filler. It did nothing to push along the war with the malcontents, nor did it show anything insightful about the vampires relationship with the CIA. Instead, Sparks showed us two one-dimensional characters: Robby, who I swear was the most unoriginal of Sparks characters (how many times is she really going to pull the "I don't trust human women because one betrayed me" angst?) and Olivia, an empath FBI psychologist who whines a lot about being lied to. That's really the whole basis for the book, there is some background noise about the malcontents and a psycho serial rapist, but neither of these aspects were fleshed out very well. Because of the lack (of excitment? character development?) I nitpicked this book a ton while reading it. Here are some of my gripes:
1. Olivia is an FBI psychologist, who apparently only relies on her abilities as an empath to do her job to such an extent that not being able to read Robby completely unhinges her. During and after their first evening together, Olivia kept saying "I'm sorry, but I can't get involved with someone I can't read" or "But I can't have a relationship with someone I can't trust." And yet, she can't have a relationship with someone she CAN read because she always inevitably catches them in a lie. Very, very irritating.
2. On their third "date," they were already in love and Olivia was nearly ready to hand over the viriginity she has held onto for 24 years. (Even though I think she was still on the fence about trusting Robby at all). I don't have a problem with people falling in love after 3 dates, especially if they were an intense 3 dates; but at this point, I find it all very unbelievable.
3. I really think both of these characters could have been interesting. Robby was tortured and Olivia had her very own Hannibal Lector, but neither of these incidents or people were ever really talked about. If they had bonded over their woes I would have believed in their relationship more. There was more angst over past hurts than current ones. How annoying.
4. Why would they send a psychologist out on assignment where they know at least 10 people were killed? It is not her job to analyze a crime scene or do anything with dead people. Wouldn't it be more up her alley to talk to her co-workers through the episode afterwards?? And then maybe the killer? I really don't understand why she was sent at all except that was the only way Sparks could have Robby "caught" being a vampire. I was irritated with how Olivia responded to this. She behaves as if this is something Robby should have told her from the beginning. What she is unwilling to recognize is that this is a secret that involves a whole lot more people than just Robby. Not easy to tell. I think a psychologist would be able to figure that out....
There were just so many things wrong with this book I really can't understand why I liked it at all. But I did. I liked seeing the other characters again, like Phineas, and I think Sparks has created an interesting world. I'd say anyone who is interested in continuing this series should read this book; it isn't as bad as I made it sound. I just felt bothered that Sparks didn't do more with this book when she had so many aspects to play around with...
November 18, 2015
Another book in this series where I loved everything except the heroine, who totally ruined it for me.
Seriously, Olivia believed the worst of Robby and he gave her no reason at all to think that of him. I actually wanted him to end up with someone else. She was judgemental and acted like a child, which was surprising as she’s a psychologist. I expected her to be more mature.
Seriously, Olivia believed the worst of Robby and he gave her no reason at all to think that of him. I actually wanted him to end up with someone else. She was judgemental and acted like a child, which was surprising as she’s a psychologist. I expected her to be more mature.
March 23, 2017
Book summary:
Olivia's packing list:
1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?
Robby's packing list:
1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes
(even vamps have to stay in shape!)
Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she'll never forget . . .
My review: Cute and fun are the first two words that come to mind to describe book number eight in the Love at Stake series. This adult vampire series by Sparks falls closer to the comical vamp stories penned by Katie MacAlistair than the serious tomes of Sherrilyn Kenyon. Of course, there is always a time and place for each type of novel. Olivia is a psychologist working for the FBI and an empath, a talent she relies on to help her get a read on clients. She decides to vacation with her strict grandmother in Greece as a way to take a break from her stressful job. Scottish vampire Robby is also on a vacation of sorts close by to Olivia. He is recuperating after being tortured while held hostage by the warring vampiric clan, the evil Malcontents.
Olivia spots him one evening walking on the beach and is immediately smitten. When he feels her telescopic eyes on him, he also does his own checking out and definitely likes what he sees. I don't need to tell you these two fall for each other, he doesn't tell her the truth about himself, she doesn't reveal a nut-job from a case is terrorizing her so when said nut job sends her a package on vacation, she freaks, leaving a clueless Robby behind while she flees back home to America.
Does Robby remain behind to soak up the moonlight on the beach? Nope, he goes after Olivia. The story is formulaic but with Sparks' wit and creativeness, it is enjoyable. I did find the characters themselves a bit lifeless and kept waiting for something deeper to happen between them. The buildup between the tortured vampire who feels as though he'll never find true love and the empath who already knows a person's intentions, with the exception of the undead Scotsman, never came to fruition. Robby was annoying in parts and I wasn't convinced of Olivia as a high profile shrink for the FBI. She came across as too young, inexperienced, and complained of not trusting people. As a love story, I did have a problem believing Olivia, a virgin at 24, would fall so easily for Robby only after a day or two of meeting him. They were more of a 'in lust' couple than an 'in love' couple. I did like two secondary characters--the animal shifter Carlos and Olivia's humorous partner, J.L. interesting, so I wonder if these two will get their own stories in the future.
Olivia's packing list:
1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?
Robby's packing list:
1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes
(even vamps have to stay in shape!)
Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she'll never forget . . .
My review: Cute and fun are the first two words that come to mind to describe book number eight in the Love at Stake series. This adult vampire series by Sparks falls closer to the comical vamp stories penned by Katie MacAlistair than the serious tomes of Sherrilyn Kenyon. Of course, there is always a time and place for each type of novel. Olivia is a psychologist working for the FBI and an empath, a talent she relies on to help her get a read on clients. She decides to vacation with her strict grandmother in Greece as a way to take a break from her stressful job. Scottish vampire Robby is also on a vacation of sorts close by to Olivia. He is recuperating after being tortured while held hostage by the warring vampiric clan, the evil Malcontents.
Olivia spots him one evening walking on the beach and is immediately smitten. When he feels her telescopic eyes on him, he also does his own checking out and definitely likes what he sees. I don't need to tell you these two fall for each other, he doesn't tell her the truth about himself, she doesn't reveal a nut-job from a case is terrorizing her so when said nut job sends her a package on vacation, she freaks, leaving a clueless Robby behind while she flees back home to America.
Does Robby remain behind to soak up the moonlight on the beach? Nope, he goes after Olivia. The story is formulaic but with Sparks' wit and creativeness, it is enjoyable. I did find the characters themselves a bit lifeless and kept waiting for something deeper to happen between them. The buildup between the tortured vampire who feels as though he'll never find true love and the empath who already knows a person's intentions, with the exception of the undead Scotsman, never came to fruition. Robby was annoying in parts and I wasn't convinced of Olivia as a high profile shrink for the FBI. She came across as too young, inexperienced, and complained of not trusting people. As a love story, I did have a problem believing Olivia, a virgin at 24, would fall so easily for Robby only after a day or two of meeting him. They were more of a 'in lust' couple than an 'in love' couple. I did like two secondary characters--the animal shifter Carlos and Olivia's humorous partner, J.L. interesting, so I wonder if these two will get their own stories in the future.
August 29, 2025
Thought it couldn't get much worse than the last book... I was sooo wrong! Dnf'd near 30%.
February 4, 2017
Minus the insta love.... I really enjoyed it. These stories are always fun and entertaining.
March 21, 2021
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Vampire and the Virgin is the eight book in Kerrelyn Sparks’s Love at Stake series. It features Highland vampire Robby, who’s been a part of the series since the beginning paired with Olivia, a psychic FBI agent who is brand new to the series. Both Robby and Olivia have been through recent trials and are sent on forced vacations by their bosses. They end up on the Greek island of Patmos together, where they meet and share a whirlwind, love-at-first-sight romance. But when Olivia’s stalker tracks her down halfway around the world, she runs back to her FBI job in the US to investigate, leaving Robby wondering what happened and whether they’ll ever see each other again. Olivia begins to have doubts about Robby and the rapid progression of their relationship, but just as they reconnect and she begins to come to terms with it all, the case of her stalker intersects with the vampires’ search for the evil Casimir. Then she gets a major shock when she discovers what Robby really is and that supernatural creatures are actually real. This puts their future in question just as Casimir and her stalker join forces, placing her life in mortal danger. Overall, this was another good installment of this series, although not one that was perfect, which I’ll discuss as I go along.
Robby is a nearly three-hundred-year-old Scottish vampire who lay dying on the battlefield at Culloden when his great-great-grandfather, Angus, found him and turned him. Afterward, he tried to go back home, but his wife and daughter were unable to accept him as he now was, leaving him alone and feeling betrayed. Centuries later, he now works for Angus at MacKay Security & Investigations, hunting down evil vampires and protecting good ones. In the previous book, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire, Robby was captured and tortured by Casimir and his minions. He’s since mostly recovered physically, but he harbors a single-minded, burning need for revenge. This leaves Angus and his wife, Emma, worried that Robby could put the MacKay S & I team at risk, so he’s sent on a forced vacation to Roman’s Greek villa on the island of Patmos. There he goes jogging on the beach every night, and on one of these nights, he spots a beautiful goddess on the patio of a neighboring villa. As he gets to know Olivia and discovers that she’s a psychologist, he at first thinks that Angus and Emma planted her there to psychoanalyze him, but once he realizes it’s just a coincidence, he falls hard and fast for her. Next thing he knows, though, she’s run away back to the States. Once he’s finally able to get in touch with her again, he has his work cut out for him in more ways than one, convincing her that he’s really one of the good guys. Robby is a character that I’ve definitely been drawn to, especially after all that he suffered at Casimir’s hands. However, I was slightly disappointed that aside from his overinflated desire for vengeance, he seems to suffer few ill effects from the torture he endured, nor does his wife’s past betrayal play a big role in the story either, which kind of stretched credibility for me a bit. Otherwise, I did very much like Robby. He’s a brave warrior who has a kinder, gentler side when it comes to Olivia.
Olivia is a criminal psychologist who works for the FBI, and she also possesses a psychic gift which allows her to read other people’s emotions, as well as instantly detect when someone is lying. She spent a great deal of time working on a case involving a serial rapist and murderer named Otis Crump, and during that time, he became obsessed with her. Now she’s convinced that he’s somehow found a way to stalk her from prison, because she keeps receiving anonymous gifts of apples, a weird connection that only he would know about. However, her FBI supervisor thinks she’s reading too much into it, and tells her to take a vacation. She goes to Patmos to visit her grandmother, and while there, she spots a hot guy running on the beach every night. When she gets to know Robby, she feels an instant connection with him like nothing she’s ever felt before. She tries to just accept it, but because she can’t sense his emotions or know when he’s lying, she doesn’t entirely trust her own feelings. Then another box of apples shows up, leaving her terrified. Trying to protect herself and her grandmother, she leaves Robby behind and returns to the US, where an offhanded comment from her supervisor makes her wonder if Robby might be in league with Otis. Her heart still wants Robby, so when they finally reconnect months later, she eventually gives in to her feelings, but when she later finds out that he’s actually a vampire, she isn’t sure if she can get past this new revelation. I like that Olivia is a nice combination of sweet and feisty. I also tend to enjoy characters who have psychic powers, so this part of her persona was intriguing to me. The one thing that I think could have been better, though, is that when faced with not being able to read Robby, she lacked trust in him. While I understand how that might be a strange feeling to someone who’d never not been able to read another person, it simply put her on a level playing field with all other mere mortals. Therefore, I felt like in spite of her powers ruining past relationships, she was kind of relying on them as a crutch, and her lack of trust did put some distance between them.
Being part of a lengthy series, The Vampire and the Virgin boasts a large cast of supporting characters, many of whom headline their own books in the series, past or future. Some only have bit roles or mere mentions, while others play meatier parts. One of those more significant characters is Carlos, the were-panther, who will be the hero of the next book, Eat, Prey, Love. He’s at the Greek villa with Robby, keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t try something stupid and humorously gets involved in Robby’s love life. He’s also front and center when they battle with Casimir and his minions. Also fairly important are Angus and Emma (Be Still My Vampire Heart) who are not only Robby’s family and employers but are leading the charge against Casimir. We get to see Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) and the kids (Constantine is so adorable) a couple of times, although I think Roman was only mentioned. Phineas (Wanted: Undead or Alive) and Howard (Wild About You) show up in a few scenes as Robby’s co-workers and friends. We get to see Jack and Lara’s (Secret Life of a Vampire) wedding. Jean-Luc (The Undead Next Door) appears in a couple of scenes and we see Phil and Vanda (Forbidden Nights with a Vampire) at least once. Connor (Vampire Mine) is another of Robby’s co-workers who is there for the battle sequences. There are several other leading characters who are seen briefly, more in the background. Then there’s Olivia’s amusing, match-maker grandmother who keeps trying to set her up with every guy on the island, and her co-worker, J. L. and supervisor, Barker. Barker is keeping a surprising secret, while J. L. is a supportive friend to Olivia who experiences an equally surprising twist. Then there are the bad guys, Casimir, who we don’t see a lot of in this book but who’s trying to rebuild his army after suffering losses in the previous book, and Otis, the serial killer who’s creepy as hell.
Overall, The Vampire and the Virgin was a pretty good read and a nice addition to the series, but as I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t quite perfect. Love-at-first-sight romances can often be dicey for me. I have to really feel an intense connection in order to buy into it. I felt it on some level, but trust is imperative for me in a romance, so having Olivia be distrustful of Robby so many different times did put a bit of a damper on their relationship for me. The other thing that stunted their connection was the amount of time they spend apart. After returning from Greece, they’re separated for several months, during which Robby is patiently trying to get in touch with Olivia, while she’s in one of her distrustful phases. Then they reunite but only via phone or video chat. Finally they get one night together, before going back to long-distance. It was just a little too much time apart for my taste. Not to mention, there just wasn’t quite as much steam in this one as there was in many of the previous books, so I couldn’t help feeling that the romance itself could have been a bit stronger. I did enjoy the suspense part and how the author ties together Olivia's stalker case and the greater vampire story arc. As usual there are several humorous moments that made me smile and chuckle to keep things lighter. In spite of the perceived weaknesses in the romance portion of the plot, this was still a good story that has left me very much looking forward to Carlos’s book next.
The Vampire and the Virgin is the eight book in Kerrelyn Sparks’s Love at Stake series. It features Highland vampire Robby, who’s been a part of the series since the beginning paired with Olivia, a psychic FBI agent who is brand new to the series. Both Robby and Olivia have been through recent trials and are sent on forced vacations by their bosses. They end up on the Greek island of Patmos together, where they meet and share a whirlwind, love-at-first-sight romance. But when Olivia’s stalker tracks her down halfway around the world, she runs back to her FBI job in the US to investigate, leaving Robby wondering what happened and whether they’ll ever see each other again. Olivia begins to have doubts about Robby and the rapid progression of their relationship, but just as they reconnect and she begins to come to terms with it all, the case of her stalker intersects with the vampires’ search for the evil Casimir. Then she gets a major shock when she discovers what Robby really is and that supernatural creatures are actually real. This puts their future in question just as Casimir and her stalker join forces, placing her life in mortal danger. Overall, this was another good installment of this series, although not one that was perfect, which I’ll discuss as I go along.
Robby is a nearly three-hundred-year-old Scottish vampire who lay dying on the battlefield at Culloden when his great-great-grandfather, Angus, found him and turned him. Afterward, he tried to go back home, but his wife and daughter were unable to accept him as he now was, leaving him alone and feeling betrayed. Centuries later, he now works for Angus at MacKay Security & Investigations, hunting down evil vampires and protecting good ones. In the previous book, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire, Robby was captured and tortured by Casimir and his minions. He’s since mostly recovered physically, but he harbors a single-minded, burning need for revenge. This leaves Angus and his wife, Emma, worried that Robby could put the MacKay S & I team at risk, so he’s sent on a forced vacation to Roman’s Greek villa on the island of Patmos. There he goes jogging on the beach every night, and on one of these nights, he spots a beautiful goddess on the patio of a neighboring villa. As he gets to know Olivia and discovers that she’s a psychologist, he at first thinks that Angus and Emma planted her there to psychoanalyze him, but once he realizes it’s just a coincidence, he falls hard and fast for her. Next thing he knows, though, she’s run away back to the States. Once he’s finally able to get in touch with her again, he has his work cut out for him in more ways than one, convincing her that he’s really one of the good guys. Robby is a character that I’ve definitely been drawn to, especially after all that he suffered at Casimir’s hands. However, I was slightly disappointed that aside from his overinflated desire for vengeance, he seems to suffer few ill effects from the torture he endured, nor does his wife’s past betrayal play a big role in the story either, which kind of stretched credibility for me a bit. Otherwise, I did very much like Robby. He’s a brave warrior who has a kinder, gentler side when it comes to Olivia.
Olivia is a criminal psychologist who works for the FBI, and she also possesses a psychic gift which allows her to read other people’s emotions, as well as instantly detect when someone is lying. She spent a great deal of time working on a case involving a serial rapist and murderer named Otis Crump, and during that time, he became obsessed with her. Now she’s convinced that he’s somehow found a way to stalk her from prison, because she keeps receiving anonymous gifts of apples, a weird connection that only he would know about. However, her FBI supervisor thinks she’s reading too much into it, and tells her to take a vacation. She goes to Patmos to visit her grandmother, and while there, she spots a hot guy running on the beach every night. When she gets to know Robby, she feels an instant connection with him like nothing she’s ever felt before. She tries to just accept it, but because she can’t sense his emotions or know when he’s lying, she doesn’t entirely trust her own feelings. Then another box of apples shows up, leaving her terrified. Trying to protect herself and her grandmother, she leaves Robby behind and returns to the US, where an offhanded comment from her supervisor makes her wonder if Robby might be in league with Otis. Her heart still wants Robby, so when they finally reconnect months later, she eventually gives in to her feelings, but when she later finds out that he’s actually a vampire, she isn’t sure if she can get past this new revelation. I like that Olivia is a nice combination of sweet and feisty. I also tend to enjoy characters who have psychic powers, so this part of her persona was intriguing to me. The one thing that I think could have been better, though, is that when faced with not being able to read Robby, she lacked trust in him. While I understand how that might be a strange feeling to someone who’d never not been able to read another person, it simply put her on a level playing field with all other mere mortals. Therefore, I felt like in spite of her powers ruining past relationships, she was kind of relying on them as a crutch, and her lack of trust did put some distance between them.
Being part of a lengthy series, The Vampire and the Virgin boasts a large cast of supporting characters, many of whom headline their own books in the series, past or future. Some only have bit roles or mere mentions, while others play meatier parts. One of those more significant characters is Carlos, the were-panther, who will be the hero of the next book, Eat, Prey, Love. He’s at the Greek villa with Robby, keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn’t try something stupid and humorously gets involved in Robby’s love life. He’s also front and center when they battle with Casimir and his minions. Also fairly important are Angus and Emma (Be Still My Vampire Heart) who are not only Robby’s family and employers but are leading the charge against Casimir. We get to see Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) and the kids (Constantine is so adorable) a couple of times, although I think Roman was only mentioned. Phineas (Wanted: Undead or Alive) and Howard (Wild About You) show up in a few scenes as Robby’s co-workers and friends. We get to see Jack and Lara’s (Secret Life of a Vampire) wedding. Jean-Luc (The Undead Next Door) appears in a couple of scenes and we see Phil and Vanda (Forbidden Nights with a Vampire) at least once. Connor (Vampire Mine) is another of Robby’s co-workers who is there for the battle sequences. There are several other leading characters who are seen briefly, more in the background. Then there’s Olivia’s amusing, match-maker grandmother who keeps trying to set her up with every guy on the island, and her co-worker, J. L. and supervisor, Barker. Barker is keeping a surprising secret, while J. L. is a supportive friend to Olivia who experiences an equally surprising twist. Then there are the bad guys, Casimir, who we don’t see a lot of in this book but who’s trying to rebuild his army after suffering losses in the previous book, and Otis, the serial killer who’s creepy as hell.
Overall, The Vampire and the Virgin was a pretty good read and a nice addition to the series, but as I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t quite perfect. Love-at-first-sight romances can often be dicey for me. I have to really feel an intense connection in order to buy into it. I felt it on some level, but trust is imperative for me in a romance, so having Olivia be distrustful of Robby so many different times did put a bit of a damper on their relationship for me. The other thing that stunted their connection was the amount of time they spend apart. After returning from Greece, they’re separated for several months, during which Robby is patiently trying to get in touch with Olivia, while she’s in one of her distrustful phases. Then they reunite but only via phone or video chat. Finally they get one night together, before going back to long-distance. It was just a little too much time apart for my taste. Not to mention, there just wasn’t quite as much steam in this one as there was in many of the previous books, so I couldn’t help feeling that the romance itself could have been a bit stronger. I did enjoy the suspense part and how the author ties together Olivia's stalker case and the greater vampire story arc. As usual there are several humorous moments that made me smile and chuckle to keep things lighter. In spite of the perceived weaknesses in the romance portion of the plot, this was still a good story that has left me very much looking forward to Carlos’s book next.
March 10, 2010
I've read all the books in the Love at Stake series, and this one wasn't one of the stronger ones. Disappointing because I liked Robby's character from the earlier books, and had hoped his story would be a great one.
High level synopsis...
Robby MacKay, a vampire, is recovering after being captured and tortured by Casimir, a Malcontent (ie, bad vampire). Although his body has mostly healed, he is still dealing with the psychological scars. An employee of MacKay Security & Investigation, Robby is ordered to take some time off work. He heads for his friend's villa in Patmos, a Greek isle. Meanwhile MacKay's team is still on the hunt for Casimir.
Olivia Sotiris, a pyschologist FBI consultant and an empath, arrives in Patmos to visit her grandmother. She's also taking some time off work and getting away from a frightening situation with a criminal Otis Crump. Her grandmother is a matchmaker, hoping to find her a husband. Olivia explains she's not interested in dating--it never works out well since she can tell when men are lying. Olivia sees Robby jogging on the beach, and gets a close, admiring look at his physique through her grandmother's patio telescope. She's embarrassed when he catches her in the act, but he's gone by the time her grandmother returns. He's the most beautiful man she's ever seen. When she finally meets Robby in person, she's shocked that she can't sense his feelings. Their courtship is sweet and funny, as he competes against all the young men her grandmother keeps inviting over. Things heat up as Otis continues to stalk Olivia and the war against the Malcontents continues.
What I thought about this book....
For the most part, this was a fun, light paranormal romance. Most of the characters were appealing. I especially enjoyed Olivia's grandmother--she was a hoot! **potential spoilers** Where the story went off track was with only one brief suggestion from Harrison, Olivia became convinced that Robby is working with Otis. She didn't even discuss with him and there was no proof, but she immediately believed something so horrible about someone she is supposed to be in love with? It didn't make sense. And she's a psychologist, which personality-wise should mean she'd be inclined to talk things out. Then when he regularly writes her, she opens NONE of his letters over a 3-4 week period, while investigating him? That's just not realistic. I like conflict in stories, as long as its believable and the heroine isn't being an idiot. It seemed totally contrived. I ended up scanning the about 50% of the book (the middle part). When she finds out who actually did betray her it was a letdown, because that was one of the two people I had suspected. I prefer a mystery that isn't so obvious. But then the last part of the book picked up and I liked the ending.
Not the author's fault, but the cover art also wasn't consistent with the story. The guy on the cover doesn't look anything like Robby is described. He also looks weird--not appealing at all.
If you are on the hunt for more humorous paranormal romances, check out my list of favorites...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/sylt...
(copy and paste into your browser window)
High level synopsis...
Robby MacKay, a vampire, is recovering after being captured and tortured by Casimir, a Malcontent (ie, bad vampire). Although his body has mostly healed, he is still dealing with the psychological scars. An employee of MacKay Security & Investigation, Robby is ordered to take some time off work. He heads for his friend's villa in Patmos, a Greek isle. Meanwhile MacKay's team is still on the hunt for Casimir.
Olivia Sotiris, a pyschologist FBI consultant and an empath, arrives in Patmos to visit her grandmother. She's also taking some time off work and getting away from a frightening situation with a criminal Otis Crump. Her grandmother is a matchmaker, hoping to find her a husband. Olivia explains she's not interested in dating--it never works out well since she can tell when men are lying. Olivia sees Robby jogging on the beach, and gets a close, admiring look at his physique through her grandmother's patio telescope. She's embarrassed when he catches her in the act, but he's gone by the time her grandmother returns. He's the most beautiful man she's ever seen. When she finally meets Robby in person, she's shocked that she can't sense his feelings. Their courtship is sweet and funny, as he competes against all the young men her grandmother keeps inviting over. Things heat up as Otis continues to stalk Olivia and the war against the Malcontents continues.
What I thought about this book....
For the most part, this was a fun, light paranormal romance. Most of the characters were appealing. I especially enjoyed Olivia's grandmother--she was a hoot! **potential spoilers** Where the story went off track was with only one brief suggestion from Harrison, Olivia became convinced that Robby is working with Otis. She didn't even discuss with him and there was no proof, but she immediately believed something so horrible about someone she is supposed to be in love with? It didn't make sense. And she's a psychologist, which personality-wise should mean she'd be inclined to talk things out. Then when he regularly writes her, she opens NONE of his letters over a 3-4 week period, while investigating him? That's just not realistic. I like conflict in stories, as long as its believable and the heroine isn't being an idiot. It seemed totally contrived. I ended up scanning the about 50% of the book (the middle part). When she finds out who actually did betray her it was a letdown, because that was one of the two people I had suspected. I prefer a mystery that isn't so obvious. But then the last part of the book picked up and I liked the ending.
Not the author's fault, but the cover art also wasn't consistent with the story. The guy on the cover doesn't look anything like Robby is described. He also looks weird--not appealing at all.
If you are on the hunt for more humorous paranormal romances, check out my list of favorites...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/sylt...
(copy and paste into your browser window)
March 18, 2010
Romance done right. Lots of genuine-feeling emotion, humor (mostly thanks to Yia Yia, Olivia's Greek granny, although Robby has his moments), bravery, passion, and enough of a story to carry it all. Sparks creates characters that are easy to picture and like. She adds enough depth to keep the story from being complete fluff, both through the main characters' back stories and using the continuing arc of the series about fighting a group of evil vampires. And she keeps the story telling simple; each section has a purpose, with no wandering rants, pointless fights, stupid behavior, or endless internal monologues. Oops, sorry, been reading too much bad Urban Fantasy lately. No, what we got from Sparks here was a logical story given the premise, a strong woman who slays her demon, and a sweet man who conquers his.
My only complaint isn't really a fair one. I know when I pick up a book in this series that it's a Romance novel, so I really shouldn't complain that the characters fall on love so easily and have such a perfectly smooth relationship outside of the issue of the big vampire reveal. All romance novels are the same that way. Love at first site that will last forever (literally with vamps) without a hitch except the marital kind. I prefer a more realistic love story in general, which is why I read very little PNR these days, but Sparks and Lynsay Sands are my exceptions. they deliver funny, sweet, sexy stories every time.
Looking forward to the next book - I see it will feature Carlos! Should be fun, the sexy leopard hides a serious side. I'm looking forward to see it play out.
My only complaint isn't really a fair one. I know when I pick up a book in this series that it's a Romance novel, so I really shouldn't complain that the characters fall on love so easily and have such a perfectly smooth relationship outside of the issue of the big vampire reveal. All romance novels are the same that way. Love at first site that will last forever (literally with vamps) without a hitch except the marital kind. I prefer a more realistic love story in general, which is why I read very little PNR these days, but Sparks and Lynsay Sands are my exceptions. they deliver funny, sweet, sexy stories every time.
Looking forward to the next book - I see it will feature Carlos! Should be fun, the sexy leopard hides a serious side. I'm looking forward to see it play out.
March 4, 2010
Move over Bella and Edward as there is a new couple in town and here names are Olivia Sotiris and Robby MacKay.
Olivia is a FBI psychologist. She had traveled to the Greek island of Patmos for some R&R and to visit her grand mother. Olivia’s grand mother is hoping to fix Olivia up with one of the nice men on the island. Olivia isn’t interested in any of the men.
Robby has been instructed to take some time off after his last mission. From the first moment Robby lays eyes on Olivia, he feels something that he hasn’t felt in a long time. Robby wants Olivia for himself. Will there be a happy ending in Robby and Olivia’s future when she learns that Robby is a vampire?
The Vampire and the Virgin is book eight in the Love Stake series. This is only been the second book that I have read in this series but I have enjoyed both books. Having said this, you can read these books as stand alone novels. Olivia and Robby were the perfect couple. Robby maybe cold blooded but he is one hot vampire.
If you enjoy vampires, romance and humor then you will really enjoy this series. There are books where you hear all this hype and wonder if they really can live up it the hype, well I can tell you that The Vampire and the Virgin does. It is a blood sucking good time. Kerrelyn Sparks is on fire.
Olivia is a FBI psychologist. She had traveled to the Greek island of Patmos for some R&R and to visit her grand mother. Olivia’s grand mother is hoping to fix Olivia up with one of the nice men on the island. Olivia isn’t interested in any of the men.
Robby has been instructed to take some time off after his last mission. From the first moment Robby lays eyes on Olivia, he feels something that he hasn’t felt in a long time. Robby wants Olivia for himself. Will there be a happy ending in Robby and Olivia’s future when she learns that Robby is a vampire?
The Vampire and the Virgin is book eight in the Love Stake series. This is only been the second book that I have read in this series but I have enjoyed both books. Having said this, you can read these books as stand alone novels. Olivia and Robby were the perfect couple. Robby maybe cold blooded but he is one hot vampire.
If you enjoy vampires, romance and humor then you will really enjoy this series. There are books where you hear all this hype and wonder if they really can live up it the hype, well I can tell you that The Vampire and the Virgin does. It is a blood sucking good time. Kerrelyn Sparks is on fire.
April 13, 2012
Quotes:
Angus shrugged. “They’re bloody fiends. They deserve to die.”
“Then I can kill him now?” Robby muttered.
Angus ignored him. “Ye have two minutes, Stan. Talk.”
“And then I can kill him?” Robby asked a bit louder.
Angus shot him an annoyed look.
Robby shrugged one shoulder. “I’m trying to convince you I’m no’ crazy. If I kept doing the same thing when it wasna working, would that no’ be crazy?”
“Good point.” Carlos rinsed the bowl and placed it in the dishwasher. “So you’re trying a new strategy tonight.”
Robby removed the bottled blood from the microwave and filled a glass. “Tonight I saw an angel.”
Carlos’s eyes widened. “And you’re still trying to convince me you’re not crazy?”
Robby snorted. “No’ a real angel. No’ unless they’ve taken to watching the mortal plane with telescopes.”
“Ah.” Carlos grinned. “You caught a babe, scoping you out. Was she hot?”
“I could beat you easily if I shifted,” the Brazilian boasted as he danced around the garden’s perimeter.
“I could beat you easily in my sleep. If I slept.”
“Do you like working for MacKay S and I?” she asked.
“Yes.” Carlos smiled. “Are you thinking about applying for a job?”
“Maybe.”
“Angus is a good boss. He’s been very helpful and supportive with my… particular problem.”
“Fur balls?”
Angus shrugged. “They’re bloody fiends. They deserve to die.”
“Then I can kill him now?” Robby muttered.
Angus ignored him. “Ye have two minutes, Stan. Talk.”
“And then I can kill him?” Robby asked a bit louder.
Angus shot him an annoyed look.
Robby shrugged one shoulder. “I’m trying to convince you I’m no’ crazy. If I kept doing the same thing when it wasna working, would that no’ be crazy?”
“Good point.” Carlos rinsed the bowl and placed it in the dishwasher. “So you’re trying a new strategy tonight.”
Robby removed the bottled blood from the microwave and filled a glass. “Tonight I saw an angel.”
Carlos’s eyes widened. “And you’re still trying to convince me you’re not crazy?”
Robby snorted. “No’ a real angel. No’ unless they’ve taken to watching the mortal plane with telescopes.”
“Ah.” Carlos grinned. “You caught a babe, scoping you out. Was she hot?”
“I could beat you easily if I shifted,” the Brazilian boasted as he danced around the garden’s perimeter.
“I could beat you easily in my sleep. If I slept.”
“Do you like working for MacKay S and I?” she asked.
“Yes.” Carlos smiled. “Are you thinking about applying for a job?”
“Maybe.”
“Angus is a good boss. He’s been very helpful and supportive with my… particular problem.”
“Fur balls?”
March 21, 2017
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris is vacationing at her Grandmothers home in Greece after a case left her unnerved. Olivia's Grandmother is focused on finding Olivia a husband, a nice Greek husband. Olivia entertains her but when she meets Robby MacKay, she feels she has found the man for her. However Robby is only available in the evenings and sometimes has a redish eye problem, plus Olivia who is an empath can't read his aura, could there be more to Olivia than what is in front of her?
Robby has been sent to Greece to recoup after he was tortured by a malcontent, an enemy to vampires. When he meets Olivia he knows he wants her but how does he tell her he is a man who goes bump in the night? With a stalker whose target is Olivia and their enemies ramping up, Robby needs to gain Olivia's trust and tell her who he really is.
Fun read, had a few funny moments particularly with Robby's friend trying to help him woo Olivia. I liked the chemistry and the characters in this story were entertaining. Will check out more in this series.
Robby has been sent to Greece to recoup after he was tortured by a malcontent, an enemy to vampires. When he meets Olivia he knows he wants her but how does he tell her he is a man who goes bump in the night? With a stalker whose target is Olivia and their enemies ramping up, Robby needs to gain Olivia's trust and tell her who he really is.
Fun read, had a few funny moments particularly with Robby's friend trying to help him woo Olivia. I liked the chemistry and the characters in this story were entertaining. Will check out more in this series.
August 21, 2015
The Vampire And The Virgin es el octavo libro de la serie Love At Stake escrito por Kerrelyn Sparks y narra la historia de Robby y Olivia.
Robby era uno de los personajes que menos conocemos de la saga, por eso no sabia muy bien que esperar de su historia, pero The Vampire And The Virgin fue una lectura entretenida y amena.
Quizas eche un poco en falta las escenas comicas, los libros anteriores me parecieron ligeramente mas divertidos.
3 Estrellas!
March 15, 2010
I loved this book. It had it all, wit, humor, laughter, lust, love and some great lovemaking to boot. Robby and Olivia's bantering was funny and timely. They were definitely made for each other. I had forgotten how much I loved this series and Ms. Sparks did not disappoint with this story. I loved Robby...what a terrific vamp. I highly recommend this read, it will not disappoint.
September 9, 2016
The plot was awful and annoying,it was exactly the same storyline as the previous books in the series plus holes.
All the 3 stars are for the narration . It was one of the best I'd ever listened to.
All the 3 stars are for the narration . It was one of the best I'd ever listened to.
August 29, 2021
It was very nice and fun to come back to "Love at stake series". It's been a good couple of years when I read book 7.
Robby and Olivia were a cute couple. The romance between them happened fast. There was only a little bit trouble for them in about 75% within the book. The amount of the suspense was okay and i was happy that the book was focused on Olivia and Robby.
Next book - Carlos and Caitlyn. I am diving right in 🥰.
Robby and Olivia were a cute couple. The romance between them happened fast. There was only a little bit trouble for them in about 75% within the book. The amount of the suspense was okay and i was happy that the book was focused on Olivia and Robby.
Next book - Carlos and Caitlyn. I am diving right in 🥰.
Want to read
May 4, 2020How do I start reading it please
November 14, 2022
for a book with this title i expected 10x more smut but that aside nothing about how it flows makes sense 😭
September 28, 2012
This book started out great, really great and I thought, 'finally she is writing humorous story lines with out all the stupidity'. I thought too soon. About 1/4 to a 1/3 into the book, the heroine turns into a distrustful, paranoid, idiot, who doesn't allow herself to think for herself.
I did, kind of, like the book, because of the humor at the beginning and the very ending, but the middle 1/2 was bad. Every poor reaction, poor decision, bad conclusion from poor evidence, going against instinct, not letting the guy defend himself by one, not confronting him, two not opening and actually throwing away letters, every wrong conclusions she makes due to misconceptions of vampires, and every over reaction, all while she was supposedly in love, made me dislike Olivia and have very poor opinion of her and her intelligence.
I keep thinking that Sparks will fix the blaring inconsistency with telephone travel and traveling to "answering machines". Ten years before this book, that would have been OK as many still used answering machines though even then, 10 years back, people frequently used voice mail. Today, even most businesses use voice mail, not answering machines. Most use cell phones, like she has everyone use in the book, and they have only voice mail. I cannot even fathom a FBI phone having a answering machine. No they would have locked/password protected voice mail. She has them move to several locations with answering machines. Maybe if I wasn't furious with Olivia, I would have overlooked this again but it just made my eyes roll. If it is voice mail, where would they appear? At the room where the server is located that saves the messages? Across the country, maybe in a totally different country?
Still the beginning was very fun and funny and they really had a chemistry going. The story other than the romance was pretty good if not obvious, and the ending was fine. So I guess I'll give it a 3 star, though I struggled thinking that 2 might be more correct. I thought it was going to be great from the beginning and was sorely disappointed.
I did, kind of, like the book, because of the humor at the beginning and the very ending, but the middle 1/2 was bad. Every poor reaction, poor decision, bad conclusion from poor evidence, going against instinct, not letting the guy defend himself by one, not confronting him, two not opening and actually throwing away letters, every wrong conclusions she makes due to misconceptions of vampires, and every over reaction, all while she was supposedly in love, made me dislike Olivia and have very poor opinion of her and her intelligence.
I keep thinking that Sparks will fix the blaring inconsistency with telephone travel and traveling to "answering machines". Ten years before this book, that would have been OK as many still used answering machines though even then, 10 years back, people frequently used voice mail. Today, even most businesses use voice mail, not answering machines. Most use cell phones, like she has everyone use in the book, and they have only voice mail. I cannot even fathom a FBI phone having a answering machine. No they would have locked/password protected voice mail. She has them move to several locations with answering machines. Maybe if I wasn't furious with Olivia, I would have overlooked this again but it just made my eyes roll. If it is voice mail, where would they appear? At the room where the server is located that saves the messages? Across the country, maybe in a totally different country?
Still the beginning was very fun and funny and they really had a chemistry going. The story other than the romance was pretty good if not obvious, and the ending was fine. So I guess I'll give it a 3 star, though I struggled thinking that 2 might be more correct. I thought it was going to be great from the beginning and was sorely disappointed.
March 11, 2012
This is the story of the vampire Robert Alexander McKay aka Robby the handsome Scottish vampire with brilliant green eyes. After suffering torture at the hands of evil vampires, he is ordered to take a break from his work. While out running in what I can only describe as one of the sexiest midnight moonlight runs by any male character, Robby is spotted by the female character, while he spots her, Olivia Sotris, an FBI psychologist with an Empathic ability.
During the book I felt like I wanted to cry for both characters when there was a giant misunderstanding about their newly found connection to one another. Seeing a vampire like Robby getting drunk was a rather interesting experience and his interaction with the character Constantine, son of Roman and Shanna Draganesti is just adorable, especially when Robby threatens to buy Constantine a kilt for Christmas.
Otis Crump and his red apples had to be the most scariest part of the story. Throughout the entire book you could not figure out how he was able to send these apples to Olivia and especially how he was able to leave them in her apartment while he was in solitary confinement. I won’t give away any spoilers about how he managed to do this stalking to Olivia, all I will say is, I did not see that coming, I didn’t expect the story to pan out the way it did. The conclusion to the story is a shocker, again no spoilers.
A tough female character, a handsome honourable vampire, a shocking secret creature coming out into the open, an unexpected turning and a hole host of wonderful, funny and fascinating characters from previous books, and don’t get me started on the extremely beautiful ending.
Definitely worth the read, Kerrelyn Sparks seems to get better and better with every book that she writes, it only took me a few days to read this book because I just could not put it down. Absolutely brilliant.
During the book I felt like I wanted to cry for both characters when there was a giant misunderstanding about their newly found connection to one another. Seeing a vampire like Robby getting drunk was a rather interesting experience and his interaction with the character Constantine, son of Roman and Shanna Draganesti is just adorable, especially when Robby threatens to buy Constantine a kilt for Christmas.
Otis Crump and his red apples had to be the most scariest part of the story. Throughout the entire book you could not figure out how he was able to send these apples to Olivia and especially how he was able to leave them in her apartment while he was in solitary confinement. I won’t give away any spoilers about how he managed to do this stalking to Olivia, all I will say is, I did not see that coming, I didn’t expect the story to pan out the way it did. The conclusion to the story is a shocker, again no spoilers.
A tough female character, a handsome honourable vampire, a shocking secret creature coming out into the open, an unexpected turning and a hole host of wonderful, funny and fascinating characters from previous books, and don’t get me started on the extremely beautiful ending.
Definitely worth the read, Kerrelyn Sparks seems to get better and better with every book that she writes, it only took me a few days to read this book because I just could not put it down. Absolutely brilliant.
August 16, 2015
Wanting only revenge but forced to endure some R&R, Kilted sword-wielding Vampire Robby is sent to a remote Greek Isle to heal the physical and psychic wounds which resulted from his capture and torture by the Malcontents. Robby's healing is helped along when he meets and falls in love with an 'angel', FBI Psychologist Olivia Sotiris, who is trying to get over her own psychological trauma by vacationing with her Greek grandma.
The Vampire and the Virgin is a pleasant enough addition to the Love at Stake series, but not one that is going to stay with me for very long. It pretty much follows Sparks' winning formula: Hunky vamp? check. Finds the woman he wants to love forever? check. He can't figure out how to tell her that he's dead for half the day? check. All wrapped up in some steamy stuff and a bit of humor. check, check. But, despite the kilt and the claymore, there just isn't much added to the formula to set it apart from the pack.
Even so, I did enjoy the story while I was immersed in it and I am still hoping for a couple of the more unusual side characters to get their stories : sexy irreverent shapeshifter Carlos Panterra, borderline annoying Doctor Phang are on my list and newbie vamp J.L., since he's so excited about his brand new 'super powers', may have some potential as well.
The Vampire and the Virgin is a pleasant enough addition to the Love at Stake series, but not one that is going to stay with me for very long. It pretty much follows Sparks' winning formula: Hunky vamp? check. Finds the woman he wants to love forever? check. He can't figure out how to tell her that he's dead for half the day? check. All wrapped up in some steamy stuff and a bit of humor. check, check. But, despite the kilt and the claymore, there just isn't much added to the formula to set it apart from the pack.
Even so, I did enjoy the story while I was immersed in it and I am still hoping for a couple of the more unusual side characters to get their stories : sexy irreverent shapeshifter Carlos Panterra, borderline annoying Doctor Phang are on my list and newbie vamp J.L., since he's so excited about his brand new 'super powers', may have some potential as well.
February 3, 2013
Our poor tortured Robbie finally gets his story and what a story. Robbie one of our Scottish Vampires finally comes face to face with his mate. Robbie sent away to recuperate from his ordeal goes to a greek island and meets Olivia and falls in lust...that rapidly changes to love, now he just needs to convince her that she needs a vampire in her life. We have serial killers and malcontents trying to kill them..we also see guest appearances from our other favorites.
Kerrelyn Sparks hits another one out of the ball park. Absolutely love Robbie the hero of this piece and I have to admit to having a crush on him since his first appearance in the series, I mean..gorgeous, kind, scottish brogue, carries a claymore...and a vampire. What more can a girl ask for? Again the plot is a smooth contrast between the love story and the adventure story making this into a must read.
4 very bright stars for this one. Ya gotta read it...this a strong series and only getting stronger.
Reread January 24-26 2013 via Audiobook. I really liked this book especially on audio I picked up several things I missed in this book when I originally read. I think this is one of the most romantic of the Love at Stake series. I found Olivia much more likable in the audio and Robbie much more endearing. Good narrator I would recomment ...still 4 bright stars.
Kerrelyn Sparks hits another one out of the ball park. Absolutely love Robbie the hero of this piece and I have to admit to having a crush on him since his first appearance in the series, I mean..gorgeous, kind, scottish brogue, carries a claymore...and a vampire. What more can a girl ask for? Again the plot is a smooth contrast between the love story and the adventure story making this into a must read.
4 very bright stars for this one. Ya gotta read it...this a strong series and only getting stronger.
Reread January 24-26 2013 via Audiobook. I really liked this book especially on audio I picked up several things I missed in this book when I originally read. I think this is one of the most romantic of the Love at Stake series. I found Olivia much more likable in the audio and Robbie much more endearing. Good narrator I would recomment ...still 4 bright stars.
July 12, 2010
To be honest....i first read it for the title. As i said in my Its Monday post, sometimes us women are just as bad as men. I see the word virgin and was ready to see the vamp get with the virgin! Then after reading what it was about, i knew i was hooked into reading this book.
I liked it. I had read another book by Kerrelyn Sparks probably two years ago when i went through my huge paranormal reading stage. Every now and then i pick another one up now.
In some ways, Olivia seems just a little to easy, seeing as she is a 24 year old virgin, but maybe she was just ready to give it up. She is not someone who easily trust anyone, and even in the time she finally was intimate with Robby, she didn't fully trust him.
Robby is a vampire who was sent on vacation due to being kidnapped are terrorized by the bad vampire, the Meloncomets. He is filled with anger but through loving Olivia, he heals.
The book was good. It was a fairly quick read. There was mystery in it and the suspense held well. I read the e-book version to this.
I liked it. I had read another book by Kerrelyn Sparks probably two years ago when i went through my huge paranormal reading stage. Every now and then i pick another one up now.
In some ways, Olivia seems just a little to easy, seeing as she is a 24 year old virgin, but maybe she was just ready to give it up. She is not someone who easily trust anyone, and even in the time she finally was intimate with Robby, she didn't fully trust him.
Robby is a vampire who was sent on vacation due to being kidnapped are terrorized by the bad vampire, the Meloncomets. He is filled with anger but through loving Olivia, he heals.
The book was good. It was a fairly quick read. There was mystery in it and the suspense held well. I read the e-book version to this.
May 8, 2023
I'm conflicted on how to rate this. I'm giving it one star more than I had previously. The story behind this book is fairly interesting, like how the publisher picked the title and even Kerrelyn cringed at it; how they accidentally used the character description of Carlos and the models on the book for Carlos and Robbie got mixed up so they're opposite. Hilarious.
But the story itself is fine; the romance wasn't stellar but the plot was so much more fascinating in this one! Casimir is gonna recruit serial killers! Robbie and Olivia have trauma to heal from, we see some more supers and meet them and hear about their communities.
So cute story overall; people critique how quick Olivia and Robbie fall in love but that's kind of how these all seem to go to in my opinion. It didn't bother me.
But the story itself is fine; the romance wasn't stellar but the plot was so much more fascinating in this one! Casimir is gonna recruit serial killers! Robbie and Olivia have trauma to heal from, we see some more supers and meet them and hear about their communities.
So cute story overall; people critique how quick Olivia and Robbie fall in love but that's kind of how these all seem to go to in my opinion. It didn't bother me.
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