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Love at Stake #4
Le vampire d'à côté
Three signs that something is very different with your new man:
1. He sleeps all day...which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night.
2. He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.
3. He never seems to age.
Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive...so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.
1. He sleeps all day...which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night.
2. He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.
3. He never seems to age.
Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive...so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.
472 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2008
161 people are currently reading
4417 people want to read
About the author
Kerrelyn Sparks
36 books5,778 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 491 reviews
November 14, 2016
He's a gorgeous, successful, famous clothing designer with a French accent. She's an overweight, poor, redneck single-mother from small town Texas. The perfect match!! Because, of course he isn't attracted to his skinny models that he designs for and sends down the runway (or men). He wants a "real woman" with curves.
You can tell this is fantasy.
His models have to be a size zero, but his woman needs to be a size 14 which just so happens to be the average size of American women. His top right-hand man keeps calling his new woman "fat", and yet he never corrects him or disapproves of this.
So, you decide. Is this guy a sadist who gets off on making the women who work for him practically die of starvation, or at least have a major eating disorder (which one of the model's has)? Or, is he just an asshole who is perpetuating unrealistic ideals for young girls and helping make womankind feel inadequate for being average sized?
Either way, I say "screw you, Pepe LePew!" Take your ridiculously overdone accent, your teeny tiny clothing, and hop back into your coffin. Come out when you are willing to buy your models some sandwiches and make clothes that an actual human being can wear.
You can tell this is fantasy.
His models have to be a size zero, but his woman needs to be a size 14 which just so happens to be the average size of American women. His top right-hand man keeps calling his new woman "fat", and yet he never corrects him or disapproves of this.
So, you decide. Is this guy a sadist who gets off on making the women who work for him practically die of starvation, or at least have a major eating disorder (which one of the model's has)? Or, is he just an asshole who is perpetuating unrealistic ideals for young girls and helping make womankind feel inadequate for being average sized?
Either way, I say "screw you, Pepe LePew!" Take your ridiculously overdone accent, your teeny tiny clothing, and hop back into your coffin. Come out when you are willing to buy your models some sandwiches and make clothes that an actual human being can wear.
January 2, 2022
I admit I came to this novel with less than enthusiastic expectations when I found out it was Jean-Luc's book. You see, the impression I'd got of him in the previous books had made me think he was only ever going to be a secondary character. He just didn't seem like leading man/hero material. I think it's because he's a French fashion designer and whenever I see that description, I get this in my head:
Franck Eggelhoffer - Father of the Bride
Of course, now that I've actually read the book, I get something more like this:
*sigh* Bonjour, Jean-Luc ♥
He made an adorable hero. I couldn't have been more wrong if I'd tried. And the heroine, a full-figured red-haired beauty, was also a breath of fresh air. I loved the fact that after working with wraith-thin models for 30 years, the sight of Heather (Or 'Hezzaire' as Jean-Luc would say) reminded him of the great Silver Screen beauties from back in the day like Marilyn Monroe or Diana Dors, and he was totally smitten at first sight. Their courtship was sweet and often humorous. Heather didn't seem to realise how many of the men in her small town drooled over her. She was totally oblivious. I think she just assumed that because she wasn't as obviously beautiful or outgoing as her model BFF, Sasha, that she was somehow beyond notice. She was wrong.
As well as new men wanting her attention, she also has a couple of old flames who can't seem to let her go. Such as her ex-husband, Cody, whose only redeeming feature seems to be that he gave her her cutie-pie daughter, Bethany. Bethany almost stole the show along with Heather's fortune-telling, gun-toting neighbour Fedelia. They both provided many cute and funny moments and were excellent secondary characters.
Again, the story followed the same pattern as the previous books, of the reader knowing right from the getgo that Jean-Luc is a vamp, but then having to watch Heather slowly but surely figure it out. I'm kinda waiting for this to start getting on my nerves because it is becoming quite formulaic, but somehow the author is managing not to irritate with it so far.
My only fault with it was that the Big Bad made very little impact and was hardly on page save for a very brief intro and a somewhat anticlimactic exit.
A great continuation of the series, highly recommended. Next up is Ian's book which I've been dying to get to!
4 Stars! ★★★★
Franck Eggelhoffer - Father of the Bride
Of course, now that I've actually read the book, I get something more like this:
*sigh* Bonjour, Jean-Luc ♥
He made an adorable hero. I couldn't have been more wrong if I'd tried. And the heroine, a full-figured red-haired beauty, was also a breath of fresh air. I loved the fact that after working with wraith-thin models for 30 years, the sight of Heather (Or 'Hezzaire' as Jean-Luc would say) reminded him of the great Silver Screen beauties from back in the day like Marilyn Monroe or Diana Dors, and he was totally smitten at first sight. Their courtship was sweet and often humorous. Heather didn't seem to realise how many of the men in her small town drooled over her. She was totally oblivious. I think she just assumed that because she wasn't as obviously beautiful or outgoing as her model BFF, Sasha, that she was somehow beyond notice. She was wrong.
As well as new men wanting her attention, she also has a couple of old flames who can't seem to let her go. Such as her ex-husband, Cody, whose only redeeming feature seems to be that he gave her her cutie-pie daughter, Bethany. Bethany almost stole the show along with Heather's fortune-telling, gun-toting neighbour Fedelia. They both provided many cute and funny moments and were excellent secondary characters.
Again, the story followed the same pattern as the previous books, of the reader knowing right from the getgo that Jean-Luc is a vamp, but then having to watch Heather slowly but surely figure it out. I'm kinda waiting for this to start getting on my nerves because it is becoming quite formulaic, but somehow the author is managing not to irritate with it so far.
My only fault with it was that the Big Bad made very little impact and was hardly on page save for a very brief intro and a somewhat anticlimactic exit.
A great continuation of the series, highly recommended. Next up is Ian's book which I've been dying to get to!
4 Stars! ★★★★
July 2, 2017
Boring, so very very boring. It's all about female mc being blah boring and male vampire mc making himself boring to hopefully woo the female. Does he succeed? Yes, at the end of the book the female finally says he's boring enough for her and they all live boring ever after. The female mc's child and nanny/friend were the few non boring parts.
April 4, 2015
It was the typical HEA read I expect from this series/author filled with humor and lusty bits. it should have been great I love her characters but the voices, ARGUH ! The French vampire had the cheesiest cartoon worthy accent (Pepe le Pew), the Texan woman was so dang terrible think Foghorn Leghorn and you are close.
(I hated hearing her voice) The Scotsmen who were done so well in the previous book by the previous narrator sounds like sickly women. How could I could I enjoy what should have been sexy, scary, smart, interesting, intriguing but was like listening to a 70's cartoon ?
BAH ! I am stuck with this ridiculous French accent in my head. Pepe le Pew go away !
(I hated hearing her voice) The Scotsmen who were done so well in the previous book by the previous narrator sounds like sickly women. How could I could I enjoy what should have been sexy, scary, smart, interesting, intriguing but was like listening to a 70's cartoon ?
BAH ! I am stuck with this ridiculous French accent in my head. Pepe le Pew go away !
April 26, 2010
I would give 2.5 stars to this book because it was the one I enjoyed the least in the series.
I don't get it though, Heather and Jean-Luc were great, one of my favorites couples in the series. He was hot and Heather had this great personality, so different from the rest of the heroines; at the beginning I thought this would become my fave.But then I got a bit bored at the middle. But well, the ending was amazing.
The problem, IMHO, was that the relationship took forever to settle because she kept rejecting him 'till the end. It took too much time for her to accept him.
I don't get it though, Heather and Jean-Luc were great, one of my favorites couples in the series. He was hot and Heather had this great personality, so different from the rest of the heroines; at the beginning I thought this would become my fave.But then I got a bit bored at the middle. But well, the ending was amazing.
The problem, IMHO, was that the relationship took forever to settle because she kept rejecting him 'till the end. It took too much time for her to accept him.
May 5, 2018
I've read far worse. I've read far better. It started out as a promising easy, romantic read, and then it just got boring.
The writing is at times charming, at times odd, at times quite laughable - here are several examples:
- He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She tasted of mustard and relish, modern and American, but foreign and exotic to him. (say whaaat? Bleh!)
- He splayed his hands over her rump and pulled her harder against him. (Rump? Really? Heather who is is already mentioned as size 14 now has a rump? Like a rump steak?)
- “Mon Dieu, I want you.” He tilted his head back, trying to regain a modicum of control. He couldn't allow his fangs to shoot out. Or his dick to shoot off.
- He massaged circles down her back. “Even more, I like being the cause.”
“This feels so good.” She sighed. “I don’t know what to think of you.”
He rubbed the small of her back. “Do you have to think at all?”
- Phil and Pierre joined them for hot dogs. Pierre made them laugh by insisting they call his lunch le hot-dog. (Because Pierre is French. Get it? So he adds the "le". Because it's clever. *glares at Kerrelyn Sparks*)
- Jean-Luc didn’t want to bring in more professional models, since he didn’t want the media to hear about the show or about his presence in Texas. “Do you know some local women who could model your clothes?
Alberto snorted. “The town is full of fat women.”
Heather glared at him, then turned to Jean-Luc. “I have some friends who would love to model. And they’re not fat.” She shot another angry glance at Alberto.
(Now this is the part where Jean-Luc should kick Alberto's ass. If someone I loved got insulted that way I would do some serious damage!)
- “Remember our first kiss, chérie? The one in the park?”
The corner of her mouth quirked. “What kiss? Did we kiss?”
“You melted in my arms. You moaned into my mouth. You tasted me with your tongue.”
“Oh. That kiss.”
“And you did it again this morning.”
“Well, some things you just have to keep doing till you get it right.”
He smiled. (Ok, I was charmed, very charmed. This much charmed.)
Jean-Luc keeps turning Heather's ex and father of her child into thinking he is a cockroach. It's just so odd...
- “Enough!” Jean-Luc zeroed all his psychic power onto Cody’s forehead. The bastard stumbled back a few feet. Every time you curse Heather, you will become a cockroach.
Cody crumpled onto the brick pavement.
Heather stepped forward. “What—”
“Leave him be.” Jean-Luc touched her arm.
Cody wriggled on the driveway, then rose into a squat. “I am a cockroach,” he squeaked.
- She paced in front of him. “There are certain things you’re supposed to say before sex. Stuff like, ‘By the way, sweetheart, I have herpes.’ Or here’s a good one—‘Guess what? You’re about to screw a dead man!’”
He stood. “I am not dead!”
“Give it a few hours! You will be.”
“Does a dead man look like this?” He pushed his trousers down to reveal his bulging cotton briefs.
(Who says romance is dead?)
- Fidelia lowered the toilet lid, then sat on it. “Was the sex good?”
Heather’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“I’m psychic.” Fidelia pointed at her. “And your shirt’s on wrong side out.”
- She moaned and arched into him. Tingles spread all over her body, and a deep need flared inside her. Good Lord, Fidelia had been right. A man who had sucked blood for centuries knew how to use his mouth. (Oh really? You had to go there? :( Just, eww.)
So yeah, this was a mixed bag. Not quite a 2, not quite a 3 - so I'll give it a 2.5 I think I am done with this series.
*teleports out*
The writing is at times charming, at times odd, at times quite laughable - here are several examples:
- He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She tasted of mustard and relish, modern and American, but foreign and exotic to him. (say whaaat? Bleh!)
- He splayed his hands over her rump and pulled her harder against him. (Rump? Really? Heather who is is already mentioned as size 14 now has a rump? Like a rump steak?)
- “Mon Dieu, I want you.” He tilted his head back, trying to regain a modicum of control. He couldn't allow his fangs to shoot out. Or his dick to shoot off.
- He massaged circles down her back. “Even more, I like being the cause.”
“This feels so good.” She sighed. “I don’t know what to think of you.”
He rubbed the small of her back. “Do you have to think at all?”
- Phil and Pierre joined them for hot dogs. Pierre made them laugh by insisting they call his lunch le hot-dog. (Because Pierre is French. Get it? So he adds the "le". Because it's clever. *glares at Kerrelyn Sparks*)
- Jean-Luc didn’t want to bring in more professional models, since he didn’t want the media to hear about the show or about his presence in Texas. “Do you know some local women who could model your clothes?
Alberto snorted. “The town is full of fat women.”
Heather glared at him, then turned to Jean-Luc. “I have some friends who would love to model. And they’re not fat.” She shot another angry glance at Alberto.
(Now this is the part where Jean-Luc should kick Alberto's ass. If someone I loved got insulted that way I would do some serious damage!)
- “Remember our first kiss, chérie? The one in the park?”
The corner of her mouth quirked. “What kiss? Did we kiss?”
“You melted in my arms. You moaned into my mouth. You tasted me with your tongue.”
“Oh. That kiss.”
“And you did it again this morning.”
“Well, some things you just have to keep doing till you get it right.”
He smiled. (Ok, I was charmed, very charmed. This much charmed.)
Jean-Luc keeps turning Heather's ex and father of her child into thinking he is a cockroach. It's just so odd...
- “Enough!” Jean-Luc zeroed all his psychic power onto Cody’s forehead. The bastard stumbled back a few feet. Every time you curse Heather, you will become a cockroach.
Cody crumpled onto the brick pavement.
Heather stepped forward. “What—”
“Leave him be.” Jean-Luc touched her arm.
Cody wriggled on the driveway, then rose into a squat. “I am a cockroach,” he squeaked.
- She paced in front of him. “There are certain things you’re supposed to say before sex. Stuff like, ‘By the way, sweetheart, I have herpes.’ Or here’s a good one—‘Guess what? You’re about to screw a dead man!’”
He stood. “I am not dead!”
“Give it a few hours! You will be.”
“Does a dead man look like this?” He pushed his trousers down to reveal his bulging cotton briefs.
(Who says romance is dead?)
- Fidelia lowered the toilet lid, then sat on it. “Was the sex good?”
Heather’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”
“I’m psychic.” Fidelia pointed at her. “And your shirt’s on wrong side out.”
- She moaned and arched into him. Tingles spread all over her body, and a deep need flared inside her. Good Lord, Fidelia had been right. A man who had sucked blood for centuries knew how to use his mouth. (Oh really? You had to go there? :( Just, eww.)
So yeah, this was a mixed bag. Not quite a 2, not quite a 3 - so I'll give it a 2.5 I think I am done with this series.
*teleports out*
May 20, 2019
This is just so perfect
June 13, 2017
My favourite one so far
September 12, 2013
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Undead Next Door was another solid read in the Love at Stake series. The entire series thus far contains just the right mix of emotional romance, depth of characters, LOL humor, and exciting adventure to keep me turning the pages and eager for more each time I finish a book. This particular novel also had an inspiring theme of conquering your fears right when I needed it the most. The romance is both sweet and sexy, and there is just enough action to keep the reader on their toes. I loved the characters, and the mind control Jean-Luc used on Heather's no-good ex-husband had me cracking up throughout. Overall, The Undead Next Door was quite simply a lot of fun to read.
Mmmmm, Jean-Luc is soooo sexy! He may be a French fashion designer, but he's definitely no sissy, even though the red-neck men in Heather's small town seem to think so and challenge him at every turn. He's a centuries-old vampire who lost two women he loved to his arch-enemy, Lui, who is out to get him yet again. After losing his second love, Jean-Luc has generally avoided women except for sustenance, and ever since Roman invented synthetic blood, he's stayed far away from them. After meeting Heather, he can no longer resist. She is everything he's ever wanted in a woman and more. He would literally give his own life to protect her and and her daughter, Bethany, from harm when it becomes clear that Lui has put them on his hit list. Jean-Luc is an old-fashioned, honorable man who longs for a family of his own and can't help fantasizing about having that life with Heather and Bethany. Jean-Luc treats Heather like a precious jewel, and the things he does for Bethany are utterly sweet. He's very much the embodiment of the perfect balance between strong alpha protectiveness and gentle tenderness, and I couldn't help but fall for him.
Heather is an excellent, loving mother who is kind, caring and compassionate toward others. She is recently divorced from an extremely controlling ex, who told her everything she could and couldn't do, right down to what clothes she could wear. She loves designing and sewing her own clothes, but can't help feeling like they pale in comparison to Jean-Luc's. She's also fuller-figured. It was very sweet how Jean-Luc always tried to reassure Heather that she was beautiful in his eyes and how he respected her talents enough to offer her a job designing clothes for women like herself, rather than the stick-thin models who worked for him. Since divorcing her ex, Heather is trying to be an independent woman and doesn't want to rely on a man for anything, not even one as sexy and charming as Jean-Luc. She has to find a balance between her newfound independence and listening to Jean-Luc in order to stay alive, and I think she did an admirable job of it. She was also pretty smart to figure out part of Jean-Luc's secret before he revealed it to her, so by then, she was already halfway to accepting him as he was. I also very much admired Heather for her “war against fear” and how she was trying not to allow it to get the best of her no matter what.
I absolutely love the multinational cast of characters in the Love at Stake series. Oddly enough, I don't have any trouble imagining all their different accents in my head. In my mind, this is a testament to Kerrlyn Sparks writing skill that she is able to imbue each one with their own distinct personality and dialect. Of course, readers get a visit from Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) and get to see their growing family, as well as Angus and Emma (Be Still My Vampire Heart). Other common characters who played roles in this book and will get books of their own later in the series: Jean-Luc's guard and Angus' descendant, Robby (The Vampire and the Virgin); Roman's happy-go-lucky right hand man, Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive); the boyish kilted Highland guard, Ian (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire), who gets a bit of a “make-over” in this book; Phineas (Wanted: Undead or Alive), the new African-American guard who is always good for a laugh; Phil (Forbidden Nights with a Vampire), the mortal day-time guard who has an interesting secret revealed in this story; and last but not least, a cameo from, Giacomo (Secret Life of a Vampire), the suave Italian Casanova. The main villain in this story is the evil Lui, an assassin who's had it in for Jean-Luc for centuries and is now in league with the equally evil Casimir who wants to take over the world. Lui also manages to use his vampire mind control to take over a couple of other characters and make them do bad things as well. Probably the best secondary character in the story, though, was Heather's Latina, psychic, gun-toting nanny, Fidelia, who was an absolute hoot.
Overall, The Undead Next Door was another great read from the imaginative mind of the talented Kerrelyn Sparks. She never fails to keep me engaged when reading her books, and I'm very much looking forward to continuing with the series soon. I adore Ian and have been waiting for his book for a while now, so I'm very excited that it's next up.
The Undead Next Door was another solid read in the Love at Stake series. The entire series thus far contains just the right mix of emotional romance, depth of characters, LOL humor, and exciting adventure to keep me turning the pages and eager for more each time I finish a book. This particular novel also had an inspiring theme of conquering your fears right when I needed it the most. The romance is both sweet and sexy, and there is just enough action to keep the reader on their toes. I loved the characters, and the mind control Jean-Luc used on Heather's no-good ex-husband had me cracking up throughout. Overall, The Undead Next Door was quite simply a lot of fun to read.
Mmmmm, Jean-Luc is soooo sexy! He may be a French fashion designer, but he's definitely no sissy, even though the red-neck men in Heather's small town seem to think so and challenge him at every turn. He's a centuries-old vampire who lost two women he loved to his arch-enemy, Lui, who is out to get him yet again. After losing his second love, Jean-Luc has generally avoided women except for sustenance, and ever since Roman invented synthetic blood, he's stayed far away from them. After meeting Heather, he can no longer resist. She is everything he's ever wanted in a woman and more. He would literally give his own life to protect her and and her daughter, Bethany, from harm when it becomes clear that Lui has put them on his hit list. Jean-Luc is an old-fashioned, honorable man who longs for a family of his own and can't help fantasizing about having that life with Heather and Bethany. Jean-Luc treats Heather like a precious jewel, and the things he does for Bethany are utterly sweet. He's very much the embodiment of the perfect balance between strong alpha protectiveness and gentle tenderness, and I couldn't help but fall for him.
Heather is an excellent, loving mother who is kind, caring and compassionate toward others. She is recently divorced from an extremely controlling ex, who told her everything she could and couldn't do, right down to what clothes she could wear. She loves designing and sewing her own clothes, but can't help feeling like they pale in comparison to Jean-Luc's. She's also fuller-figured. It was very sweet how Jean-Luc always tried to reassure Heather that she was beautiful in his eyes and how he respected her talents enough to offer her a job designing clothes for women like herself, rather than the stick-thin models who worked for him. Since divorcing her ex, Heather is trying to be an independent woman and doesn't want to rely on a man for anything, not even one as sexy and charming as Jean-Luc. She has to find a balance between her newfound independence and listening to Jean-Luc in order to stay alive, and I think she did an admirable job of it. She was also pretty smart to figure out part of Jean-Luc's secret before he revealed it to her, so by then, she was already halfway to accepting him as he was. I also very much admired Heather for her “war against fear” and how she was trying not to allow it to get the best of her no matter what.
I absolutely love the multinational cast of characters in the Love at Stake series. Oddly enough, I don't have any trouble imagining all their different accents in my head. In my mind, this is a testament to Kerrlyn Sparks writing skill that she is able to imbue each one with their own distinct personality and dialect. Of course, readers get a visit from Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) and get to see their growing family, as well as Angus and Emma (Be Still My Vampire Heart). Other common characters who played roles in this book and will get books of their own later in the series: Jean-Luc's guard and Angus' descendant, Robby (The Vampire and the Virgin); Roman's happy-go-lucky right hand man, Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive); the boyish kilted Highland guard, Ian (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire), who gets a bit of a “make-over” in this book; Phineas (Wanted: Undead or Alive), the new African-American guard who is always good for a laugh; Phil (Forbidden Nights with a Vampire), the mortal day-time guard who has an interesting secret revealed in this story; and last but not least, a cameo from, Giacomo (Secret Life of a Vampire), the suave Italian Casanova. The main villain in this story is the evil Lui, an assassin who's had it in for Jean-Luc for centuries and is now in league with the equally evil Casimir who wants to take over the world. Lui also manages to use his vampire mind control to take over a couple of other characters and make them do bad things as well. Probably the best secondary character in the story, though, was Heather's Latina, psychic, gun-toting nanny, Fidelia, who was an absolute hoot.
Overall, The Undead Next Door was another great read from the imaginative mind of the talented Kerrelyn Sparks. She never fails to keep me engaged when reading her books, and I'm very much looking forward to continuing with the series soon. I adore Ian and have been waiting for his book for a while now, so I'm very excited that it's next up.
March 14, 2018
3.5 Rtc
September 14, 2010
The Undead Next Door is the fourth installment the Love At Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks. I recently picked up a copy of The Undead Next Door and The Secret Life of a Vampire, and loved both. If your a fan of Lynsay Sands, than this is the next series for you. It's mostly based on vampires finding their true love, and always having a difficult time wooing their girl/guy.
The Love At Stake series always guarantees a good laugh and a hot, light read.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, "All I want for Christmas is a Vampire". Which is Ian's story for love. I cannot wait, he deserves it!
The Undead Next Door's heroine is Heather Westfield, a teacher/inspired fashion designer. She's a smart, beautiful red head with green eyes and curves, if only she would think of them as curves and not fat. Jean-Luc, Mr. tall dark and handsome and the best fashion designer of all Paris opens up a shop in a small town in Texas, where he's decided to stay hidden for 25 years from the press. It's hard to make a living in the public eye when everyone notices that you never age. So Jean-Luc is destine to hide away until he can again present himself as his son, and start all over. But he doesn't want to be alone. And after seeing Heather Westfield, he hopes he won't be.
I really enjoyed this book. The banter between Heather and Jean-Luc was exciting, and fun to read. The secondary characters are always well written and a big part of the story. (which I like). Although you don't have to read the series in order, being as each book is a different love story, it's better that you do. Through each story, the previous characters are still a good part in the series, although not the focus point. I didn't read this series is order at first, and got along fine, so it's up to you. After you read a book from this series, you will be hooked to see who's story is next out of the group. Although it's nothing like J.R Ward's BDBH series, it does have the same aspect of finding a mate for each of the brothers, and finding a mate for each one of the friends/family in this series. So if you want a very light version of J.R Wards BDBH series, this is it!
IF you want a teaser of this book, check out my Teaser Tuesday:
http://bookmarkyourthoughts.blogspot....
The Love At Stake series always guarantees a good laugh and a hot, light read.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, "All I want for Christmas is a Vampire". Which is Ian's story for love. I cannot wait, he deserves it!
The Undead Next Door's heroine is Heather Westfield, a teacher/inspired fashion designer. She's a smart, beautiful red head with green eyes and curves, if only she would think of them as curves and not fat. Jean-Luc, Mr. tall dark and handsome and the best fashion designer of all Paris opens up a shop in a small town in Texas, where he's decided to stay hidden for 25 years from the press. It's hard to make a living in the public eye when everyone notices that you never age. So Jean-Luc is destine to hide away until he can again present himself as his son, and start all over. But he doesn't want to be alone. And after seeing Heather Westfield, he hopes he won't be.
I really enjoyed this book. The banter between Heather and Jean-Luc was exciting, and fun to read. The secondary characters are always well written and a big part of the story. (which I like). Although you don't have to read the series in order, being as each book is a different love story, it's better that you do. Through each story, the previous characters are still a good part in the series, although not the focus point. I didn't read this series is order at first, and got along fine, so it's up to you. After you read a book from this series, you will be hooked to see who's story is next out of the group. Although it's nothing like J.R Ward's BDBH series, it does have the same aspect of finding a mate for each of the brothers, and finding a mate for each one of the friends/family in this series. So if you want a very light version of J.R Wards BDBH series, this is it!
IF you want a teaser of this book, check out my Teaser Tuesday:
http://bookmarkyourthoughts.blogspot....
February 15, 2008
If I could give 3 1/2 stars I would. The book itself was pretty good. I remember Jean-Luc as a minor character in an earlier novel in this series, and it was interesting to give the fashion designer his own story. That said, I felt that Sparks didn't quite rise to the challenge in this one.
For the most part the story was good, though it seems to be part of a trend I've noticed lately. Lots of sexual tension with little payoff. This may sound odd, but when I'm reading a romance novel, I'd usually like a good sex scene or two in there. And when the characters have been dancing around each other for most of the book, I expect that when they finally get together the pages should set on fire. The sexual tension in this book is great - lots of longing, lots of hot kisses and almost-getting-into-bed. But when they actually made it there, the resulting sex scene took about a page and a half and felt kind of phoned in.
And man do these people like to wince. Almost every page, "He winced." or "She winced." When I notice it so much that it distracts me from the story, it's time to dial it back.
For the most part the story was good, though it seems to be part of a trend I've noticed lately. Lots of sexual tension with little payoff. This may sound odd, but when I'm reading a romance novel, I'd usually like a good sex scene or two in there. And when the characters have been dancing around each other for most of the book, I expect that when they finally get together the pages should set on fire. The sexual tension in this book is great - lots of longing, lots of hot kisses and almost-getting-into-bed. But when they actually made it there, the resulting sex scene took about a page and a half and felt kind of phoned in.
And man do these people like to wince. Almost every page, "He winced." or "She winced." When I notice it so much that it distracts me from the story, it's time to dial it back.
July 6, 2025
4.75 Stars
I had a blast reading this book. The best one yet in this series.
I laughed so hard it made my cheeks hurt.
Kerrelyn Sparks brought some new supernatural powers into this one! There are some great surprises and the danger is heating up!
I had a blast reading this book. The best one yet in this series.
I laughed so hard it made my cheeks hurt.
Kerrelyn Sparks brought some new supernatural powers into this one! There are some great surprises and the danger is heating up!
January 29, 2019
Erfüllt die Erwartungen eines Buchs das man für 2.99€ bei Netto kauft voll und ganz. Easy to read, einen touch trashig, aber eigentlich echt cool. :D Besser als Twilight (was ich soweit von Twilight kenne jedenfalls). :D
November 24, 2015
I loved this so much!!! "The Undead Next Door" was a mixture of paranormal-vampire awesomeness, action, adventure, humor and love. Zut, forget the Twilight series! If you're looking for a vamp read with substance and characters that you don't want to slap the hell out of (*ahem Bella Swan) then this is the book for you! [And also if you like hot guys in kilts.....;)]
After reading the first book in the series, I jumped straight to this one because this was all the library had (I never read books in order haha) This book was a spin-off so you could pick this up without reading the others in the series.
Sparks' creates such amazing characters, not only Heather and Jean-Luc but all the supporting characters (Ian, Robby, Phil, Fidelia, Coach Gunter etc). You can't help but fall in love with all of them. Jean-Luc, along with Roman Dragonesti, are two of my favorite obsessions at the moment. They are very muy macho ;) If you're looking for sexy guys, mon ami, look no further.
Starting this book, I had no idea what any of the French words meant. There were expressions here and there which I had to look up (of course using the trusty google translate). By the end of the book, I felt like I learnt a new language and felt more cultured. So basically I can swear in French now :D
So would I recommend this book?
.....Oui.
After reading the first book in the series, I jumped straight to this one because this was all the library had (I never read books in order haha) This book was a spin-off so you could pick this up without reading the others in the series.
Sparks' creates such amazing characters, not only Heather and Jean-Luc but all the supporting characters (Ian, Robby, Phil, Fidelia, Coach Gunter etc). You can't help but fall in love with all of them. Jean-Luc, along with Roman Dragonesti, are two of my favorite obsessions at the moment. They are very muy macho ;) If you're looking for sexy guys, mon ami, look no further.
Starting this book, I had no idea what any of the French words meant. There were expressions here and there which I had to look up (of course using the trusty google translate). By the end of the book, I felt like I learnt a new language and felt more cultured. So basically I can swear in French now :D
So would I recommend this book?
.....Oui.
November 4, 2015
The Undead Next Door is the fourth novel in Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series, and Jean-Luc is the hero of this novel. We met him briefly in the previous books, and with the little page time that he had, you wouldn't really expect him to be this hunky, romantic, swoon-worthy hero. His lady love is Heather, a full-figured mortal woman with whom Jean-Luc is *immediately* attracted to at first sight. Heather is also a divorced mother with a young daughter and an ex-husband who is the definition of a rat (or cockroach, as it seems). Besides being a French 16th century vampire, Jean-Luc is also a world famous fashion designer, but every so many decades, he needs to go into hiding for roughly 25 years, and then reemerge as his "son", thus to explain to the mortal/non-vampire world, why he doesn't seem to age. He's decided, of all places, to spend his 25 year cover, in a town in Texas, and opens a boutique there, which is really a front for where he'll be hiding out. This is where he meets Heather, and both her life and the life of her daughter are under threat by an evil vampire named Lui, who has a personal grudge against Jean-Luc, and the two have been battling each other for centuries. Jean-Luc takes Heather and her daughter under his protection, and needless to say, sparks fly.
**MINOR SPOILERS**
First of all, if you're a "serious" vampire fan, the Love at Stake series is not for you. Sparks uses lots of humor in her novels, and more or less tries to paint a somewhat "less than bleak" world for her vampires, right down to the fact that they have their own TV network complete with shows mainlined to the undead. Some could even call it a light-hearted True Blood (in the sense that the "good vampires" drink synthetic blood, while the evil ones drink it the old-fashioned way). I actually do enjoy this universe Sparks creates; yeah, it can be a bit cheesy sometimes, but all in all, it's just good fun, and sometimes I feel paranormal romance can take itself a bit too seriously, so it's nice to have a bit of light-hearted humor mixed in.
This is actually the third book I've read in the series, and I have more or less tried to follow the series "in order" (the exception being, I did not read Vamps in the City) And Sparks does something which I wish all romance authors who write series do, which is bring back some of the previous characters from the older books into the story so we can see how they're doing, as well as feature the side-characters who you know will one day get books of their own (and which builds, I feel, the excitement for those stories). With that in mind, this book did not disappoint, we got to see Shana and Roman from the first one, and Emma and Angus from the second, as well as Ian, Robby, and Phineas, plus mortal Phil who has a little secret of his own .
I really liked Jean-Luc, he wasn't the typical "tragic broody hero" though he did have a few angsty moments where he sat in a corner and felt sorry for himself (or Heather looked at him with forlorn eyes, pitying him), but thankfully, I didn't feel Sparks had gone over the top with this (though she did come perilously close). But Jean-Luc was quite the charmer, but not a playboy. And I do like it when in romances, the hero confesses his love for the heroine first, as so often it seems he's the last to make that realization that what he feels is more than just sexual attraction. Maybe being a 500-year-old vampire helps? But the flirting between him and Heather was sweet, and the love scenes were HOT (though not as frequent as you might wish).
As for Heather, I liked her for the most part, but there were some moments where sadly, she annoyed me. Part of what annoyed me about her, actually was that she knew early on that there was *something* about Jean-Luc, meaning she figured he wasn't just any mortal man. But the fact that she can suspend her disbelief to thinking he's "immortal" but not a vampire? I would think the vampire theory is way more obvious, especially since she never sees him during the day, but that's just me *shrugs shoulders* Heather was also very stubborn, but I did like how Fidelia (her friend and Bethany's nanny who was cooped up with them) stuck up for Jean-Luc, and shook her finger at Heather when she moaned that she missed being close to him, but then in the same breath, objected to having anything to do with him after learning he was a vampire. Pick one, honey, you can't have your cake and eat it too! But despite all this, Heather wasn't as annoying as she could have been, so I'm grateful Sparks didn't go overboard with her either.
I'm on the cusp of giving this book a 4 star rating, it's definitely a strong 3.5. I think another reason why I struggle with rating it higher is that there's only so much of the whole "Yee-haw! TEXAS!" stereotypes I can take. Thankfully, we're not as reminded of those while inside Jean-Luc's compound. But again, all in all, it is an enjoyable read, and I would still rate this higher than How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (though it does fall short, just slightly, from Be Still My Vampire Heart...just slightly). But if you like your paranormal romance to have some humor and not take itself too seriously, as well as a romance between a passionate man and a curvy heroine (where the sex will leave you reaching for a cold glass of water) then yes, I would recommend The Undead Nextdoor
January 18, 2019
3.5 ⭐
February 21, 2021
Не беше толкова зле, но можеше и по-добре! През цялото време е само криене от Луи, а в последните страници се случи най-интересното.
May 9, 2016
The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks
Fourth in the Love at Stake series
4.25 stars
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4.75
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 4
Swoon Worthy Scale: 4
Villain Scale: 3.75
Character Scale: 4
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: I actually hate the cover. The guy is kind of creepy looking and it just looks weird. I don’t like it at all.
Fourth in the Love at Stake series
4.25 stars
Heather Westfield is a recently divorced single mom living in Texas. When she met Jean-Luc Echarpe she couldn’t deny her attraction to him. Something’s off about Jean-Luc. He sleeps all day, has sword wielding bodyguards, and never seems to age. Heather has always lived a quiet life, but her world is changing and they might have a chance at happily-ever-after. That’s if a murderous vampire villain doesn’t kill them first. Kerrelyn Sparks is one of my favorite writers ever. I absolutely adore her books and this series holds a special place in my heart. The Love at Stake series is the first adult series I ever started. I read the series out of order so I knew kind of what happened in Jean-Luc and Heather’s story. I enjoyed this book though. It’s probably one of my favorites in the series. It isn’t my favorite (that title goes to The Vampire and the Virgin, which is the first book I read by Ms. Sparks), but it’s a really good book. I was never bored and if I remember correctly I sped through this book in a day.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4.75
The main female character is Heather. Heather is probably one of the more real heroines in the Love at Stake series. What do I mean by real? I mean she doesn’t have any special powers like telepathy. She’s incredibly normal. That’s probably my favorite thing about Heather. I like when authors bring heroines in that are completely human and have absolutely no clue of another world or power. It makes it more enjoyable and interesting. Heather is also a mom. You don’t see that very often in romance novels. She’s a great mom and she also so has a job, a real job. Not some corporate CIA or FBI job. She’s just a normal school teacher. Aside from being a normal heroine, she’s strong and she’s very determined. I liked that about her and it made for an interesting part when Jean-Luc revealed his big secret.
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 4
The main male character is Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc is a fashion designer and he isn’t gay at all. I appreciate that he has a job that could be consider as gay, but he is obviously a very straight man. I like Jean-Luc a lot. He isn’t my favorite of the men in the series, but he’s not my least favorite. He’s funny and I really liked his interaction with Heather’s daughter. He’s definitely swoon worthy and he can handle his own with killer vamps and arguing Highlanders.
Swoon Worthy Scale: 4
The Villain-Some things are better left to be unknown for the book. Not the fiercest villain, but still an interesting battle scene as always.
Villain Scale: 3.75
There’s Cody, Heather’s ex. He’s a jerk and I didn’t like him at all. I’m curious though about where he ends up in the future. Bethany, Heather and jerk face Cody’s daughter, she’s absolutely adorable. She’s also funny and cute which is perfectly uplifting. Then there’s the neighbor and Heather’s friend, Fedelia. She’s absolutely hilarious. Constantly threatening people with a gun is a way to win my heart in a book and make me laugh.
Character Scale: 4
I really enjoy this series and urge people to pick because it’s not very well known. The Undead Next Door was definitely a great installment! It’s also a really funny book, which is one of my favorite things about this series. You’ll never fail to laugh out loud with these characters.
Plotastic Scale: 5
Cover Thoughts: I actually hate the cover. The guy is kind of creepy looking and it just looks weird. I don’t like it at all.
February 25, 2012
Not as good as the previous book, but I'm still enjoy it.
Because GR acting strangely, I'll write the entire review, when it get well..
.
.
.
OKAY. Because my GR is well again. Like I promise, I'll write my full review now
If I can compare this book with the previous book, I enjoyed
more.
Jean-Luc Echarpe ( when I'm reading this book, I pronounce his name "Jaan Luk", but there are some explanation, that his name is pronounce Jeaa Luu . I know,I can't speak French *LOL*), is a famous designer, and of course he is also vampire. Things got complicated, when public see he never aging since 35 years ago, when he start his business. So Jean-Luc decided to close his business in France and move to Texas. At Texas, he supposed to hiding for 25 years, and then he can appear in public again. Then starts his business, and pretending he is Jean-Luc's son. Until he found this woman..
Heather Westfield, almost at entire her life life with fear. Until she decided to againts her fear. She divorce her husband, and become single mother. One day, she with her friend, Sasha, go to the soft opening on boutique at her city. She notice that the designer's idea of clothes is worse, and she begin to change the design, so she can use it. And guess who, the designer? Yep, he is Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc see Heather try to change his design, and he accused her as a spy, but he got hooked instead. Heather is not confident with her body (her size is 12). But Jean-Luc find that it is so appealing, so he is proposed to Heather, to work with him as a designer too.
But,there are danger that Jean-Luc must face. His old enemy, Lui (meaning "him" in France) attack him when he is talking with Heather in his studio. Worse, now Lui was threatened Heather too. So, Jean-Luc, insist to protect her. Their feeling of each other is growing, but can Jean-Luc confess that he is a vampire to Heather? And, then, the danger from Lui is grow stronger, Jean-Luc must make Heather trust hi. Because even though he is a vampire, he still a good man in the heart...
Why I say I enjoyed the previous book than this one?
I dunno, Jean-Luc is more like minor character before, so I don't expect what is his story would tell when he is become main character.
Jean-Luc is charming, adorable, and I adore his relationship with Heather. Heather is strong-willed woman. And I love her babysitter, Fidelia. She is so funny (call Jean Luc as John, Robby MacKay as Roberto. And when Robby levitate to decorate the stage when Heather doing her show, she peeping him. To make sure, he don't wear anything, under his kilt *lol*). While Heather found Jean-Luc is vampire, of course she get upset. But she know, she love Jean-Luc, so she want to accept him, as who he is.
I can't tell more, because I read this book someday ago (forget some part in this book) , but I think this series is got better.
Next is Ian MacPhie's story in
Because GR acting strangely, I'll write the entire review, when it get well..
.
.
.
OKAY. Because my GR is well again. Like I promise, I'll write my full review now
If I can compare this book with the previous book, I enjoyed
more.Jean-Luc Echarpe ( when I'm reading this book, I pronounce his name "Jaan Luk", but there are some explanation, that his name is pronounce Jeaa Luu . I know,I can't speak French *LOL*), is a famous designer, and of course he is also vampire. Things got complicated, when public see he never aging since 35 years ago, when he start his business. So Jean-Luc decided to close his business in France and move to Texas. At Texas, he supposed to hiding for 25 years, and then he can appear in public again. Then starts his business, and pretending he is Jean-Luc's son. Until he found this woman..
Heather Westfield, almost at entire her life life with fear. Until she decided to againts her fear. She divorce her husband, and become single mother. One day, she with her friend, Sasha, go to the soft opening on boutique at her city. She notice that the designer's idea of clothes is worse, and she begin to change the design, so she can use it. And guess who, the designer? Yep, he is Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc see Heather try to change his design, and he accused her as a spy, but he got hooked instead. Heather is not confident with her body (her size is 12). But Jean-Luc find that it is so appealing, so he is proposed to Heather, to work with him as a designer too.
But,there are danger that Jean-Luc must face. His old enemy, Lui (meaning "him" in France) attack him when he is talking with Heather in his studio. Worse, now Lui was threatened Heather too. So, Jean-Luc, insist to protect her. Their feeling of each other is growing, but can Jean-Luc confess that he is a vampire to Heather? And, then, the danger from Lui is grow stronger, Jean-Luc must make Heather trust hi. Because even though he is a vampire, he still a good man in the heart...
Why I say I enjoyed the previous book than this one?
I dunno, Jean-Luc is more like minor character before, so I don't expect what is his story would tell when he is become main character.
Jean-Luc is charming, adorable, and I adore his relationship with Heather. Heather is strong-willed woman. And I love her babysitter, Fidelia. She is so funny (call Jean Luc as John, Robby MacKay as Roberto. And when Robby levitate to decorate the stage when Heather doing her show, she peeping him. To make sure, he don't wear anything, under his kilt *lol*). While Heather found Jean-Luc is vampire, of course she get upset. But she know, she love Jean-Luc, so she want to accept him, as who he is.
I can't tell more, because I read this book someday ago (forget some part in this book) , but I think this series is got better.
Next is Ian MacPhie's story in
April 23, 2017
I loved Jean-Luc and Heather! You have a handsome French clothing designer and a single mother/school teacher who secretly designs her own clothes mix them together and ohh-la-la! Jean-Luc is in hiding and is probably the last vampire to even consider falling in love (especially with a mortal). Then enters Heather a luscious size 12 that eagerly tears apart his dress designs before learning he was the designer! What do I love about Jean-Luc? What's not to love???? Handsome....check.....sexy.....check.....chivalrous.....check.....likes real women not sticks.....check. Problem....he is a vampire and must protect Heather and her daughter from the evil vampire Lui who has been sent by the even bigger bad guy Casimir.
Witty and funny you have to love the banter and personal demons the characters have to fight to get what they want. What I really love about these characters is that they are so real. They are real people with real problems and together they help each other out. Also, seeing old characters Roman & Shanna, Angus & Emma, Robby, Phil, Ian, and Phinneas while meeting new characters such as the quirky Fedelia and Billy (soon to be Werewolf) was awesome.
Side note: I have seen many reviews complaining about Jean-Luc's French accent and it makes me laugh because the people complaining don't speak any French. His accent was fine especially considering he would have known old French from 1485 (the year he was born) on top of the fact that some French people have heavier accents than others. It is just amazing how so many people will complain about something they know nothing about. (I wouldn't complain if I didn't speak French myself). So if you are looking for a fun paranormal read pick this up! I love this series so far and can't wait to start the next book!!!!
Witty and funny you have to love the banter and personal demons the characters have to fight to get what they want. What I really love about these characters is that they are so real. They are real people with real problems and together they help each other out. Also, seeing old characters Roman & Shanna, Angus & Emma, Robby, Phil, Ian, and Phinneas while meeting new characters such as the quirky Fedelia and Billy (soon to be Werewolf) was awesome.
Side note: I have seen many reviews complaining about Jean-Luc's French accent and it makes me laugh because the people complaining don't speak any French. His accent was fine especially considering he would have known old French from 1485 (the year he was born) on top of the fact that some French people have heavier accents than others. It is just amazing how so many people will complain about something they know nothing about. (I wouldn't complain if I didn't speak French myself). So if you are looking for a fun paranormal read pick this up! I love this series so far and can't wait to start the next book!!!!
August 30, 2016
Jean Luc si designer ternama dari Paris akhirnya mendapat bukunya sendiri setelah dia sliweran di buku sebelumnya dan cuma dapat sedikit spotlight. Jujur aku tidak menyangka latar belakang kehidupan Jean Luc begitu beragam sebelum menjadi designer. Yea, buku ini membuatku lebih menghargainya daripada sebelumnya, karena dia jauh dari kriteria seorang diva dan pria pesolek.
Pasangannya Heather adalah single mother dengan tubuh size plus yang curigaan, tidak matre dan kreatif. Wanita ini dibilang menolak setiap sen bantuan yang di berikan oleh Jean Luc walaupun dia sendiri berjuang memerangi kemiskinan.
Storyline, konflik dan ending kisah ini sederhana dan gampang ditebak. Tarik ulur h/h juga agak flat dan datar-datar saja. Tapi ini adalah bacaan yang akan kurekomendasikan untuk pembaca pemula PNR yang menyukai hero tipe gentleman. Aku menyukai bagaimana hubungan mereka bisa membuat Jean Luc dan Heather menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik dan saling melengkapi.
Ssttt.. Ada kejutan mengenai Ian si bodyguard vampir Highland yang diciptakan saat berusia 15 tahun hohoho.. Dengan perubahannya yang sekarang, apakah dia bisa menemukan matenya?
My rating :
Star : 3/5
Bikini : 2.5/5
Pasangannya Heather adalah single mother dengan tubuh size plus yang curigaan, tidak matre dan kreatif. Wanita ini dibilang menolak setiap sen bantuan yang di berikan oleh Jean Luc walaupun dia sendiri berjuang memerangi kemiskinan.
Storyline, konflik dan ending kisah ini sederhana dan gampang ditebak. Tarik ulur h/h juga agak flat dan datar-datar saja. Tapi ini adalah bacaan yang akan kurekomendasikan untuk pembaca pemula PNR yang menyukai hero tipe gentleman. Aku menyukai bagaimana hubungan mereka bisa membuat Jean Luc dan Heather menjadi pribadi yang lebih baik dan saling melengkapi.
Ssttt.. Ada kejutan mengenai Ian si bodyguard vampir Highland yang diciptakan saat berusia 15 tahun hohoho.. Dengan perubahannya yang sekarang, apakah dia bisa menemukan matenya?
My rating :
Star : 3/5
Bikini : 2.5/5
November 18, 2021
The first time I read this I was 16 and my 11th grade English teacher took it away from me because he didn't allow "vampire trash" in his class. Rude.
But what he didn't realize is...this isn't trash! It's a wonderful romantic comedy of a French vampire fashion designer who relocates to Texas to be anonymous for 25 years; a vampire who falls in love with a curvy mortal woman and dreams of having a family with her and her daughter. A vampire who never thought he'd be a father nor that he'd find love and a woman who has sworn off men to protect her heart, a woman who has decided not to let fear rule her. It's a beautiful love story with sword-fighting, psychics, fluffy declarations of feelings, hot kisses, and some very spicy love-making.
So, even after all these years this is a comfort series for me and I still love all these characters and yes, even four books in they're living up to my own hype. :)
But what he didn't realize is...this isn't trash! It's a wonderful romantic comedy of a French vampire fashion designer who relocates to Texas to be anonymous for 25 years; a vampire who falls in love with a curvy mortal woman and dreams of having a family with her and her daughter. A vampire who never thought he'd be a father nor that he'd find love and a woman who has sworn off men to protect her heart, a woman who has decided not to let fear rule her. It's a beautiful love story with sword-fighting, psychics, fluffy declarations of feelings, hot kisses, and some very spicy love-making.
So, even after all these years this is a comfort series for me and I still love all these characters and yes, even four books in they're living up to my own hype. :)
February 8, 2017
Alright, so when I first started reading this series, I was more than a little iffy on it. However, the more I read it the more I'm loving it. This book "The Undead Next Door" is so far my favorite in the series. I love the different take on vampires, and I love the use of science in it as well. Kerrelyn Sparks, is an imaginative, creative, spectacular writer. If the rest of this series keeps getting better, she will become another one of my favorite authors.
November 18, 2015
I wanted to like this book, however Heather made it impossible. The whole drama with regard to vampires being monsters, and that they are undead so they have absolutely no feelings, upset me.
The humour was great as always, the romance just fell flat for me.
The humour was great as always, the romance just fell flat for me.
July 25, 2018
Least favorite so far. Heather wasn't just difficult about accepting Jean-Luc she was down right mean. I can easily understand a human having trouble understanding a vampire can be a safe/good but she not only rejected his affection for like 90% of the book but she was insulting, even using name calling.
She also fit the bill for the typical single mother heroine where she used her child as an excuse to get herself into trouble (to "protect them" by putting themselves in TSTL danger) and to push the hero away.
This book finally gave me the resolution to the couple from book 1 that I'd been dying for (heroine will become a vampire on their 10th anniversary) but this couple (of course because Heather has to be completely frustrating RE: EVERYTHING) is now in limbo (Will she? Won't she?) and there was lots of loose ends. What about Bethany's jerk bio-dad? Will he be a pain? What happened to Billy? How's he going to take being a werewolf? Shit like that.
Some storylines stopped in this book while others progressed (what's up with Sean and Steak-Out? and oh yay! Ian's like 27 -in appearance- now). Hopefully not too much (example: Billy) gets dropped entirely indefinitely.
She also fit the bill for the typical single mother heroine where she used her child as an excuse to get herself into trouble (to "protect them" by putting themselves in TSTL danger) and to push the hero away.
This book finally gave me the resolution to the couple from book 1 that I'd been dying for (heroine will become a vampire on their 10th anniversary) but this couple (of course because Heather has to be completely frustrating RE: EVERYTHING) is now in limbo (Will she? Won't she?) and there was lots of loose ends. What about Bethany's jerk bio-dad? Will he be a pain? What happened to Billy? How's he going to take being a werewolf? Shit like that.
Some storylines stopped in this book while others progressed (what's up with Sean and Steak-Out? and oh yay! Ian's like 27 -in appearance- now). Hopefully not too much (example: Billy) gets dropped entirely indefinitely.
November 3, 2018
I haven read several books from this series and this is the one I keep coming back too.
It may be due to the Hero's French background.
Our Hero is a vampire, a good one, and while speaking to our Heroine at his fashion show he's arch nemesis attacks him in an attempt to end the ages old feud they've been having; thus drawing our heroine into the battle. Draw by both his attraction and his honor to protect her our hero and heroine are thrown together.
I could complain that our hero doesn't come right out and tell our heroine that he's a vampire, but there's really no way to segue that into a normal conversation.
I appreciate that our hero and heroine talk to each other about their lives and their feelings.
This is the 4th in the series and although it can be read alone some of the other characters roles in the story make more sense if you've read the other books.
Re-read pile
It may be due to the Hero's French background.
Our Hero is a vampire, a good one, and while speaking to our Heroine at his fashion show he's arch nemesis attacks him in an attempt to end the ages old feud they've been having; thus drawing our heroine into the battle. Draw by both his attraction and his honor to protect her our hero and heroine are thrown together.
I could complain that our hero doesn't come right out and tell our heroine that he's a vampire, but there's really no way to segue that into a normal conversation.
I appreciate that our hero and heroine talk to each other about their lives and their feelings.
This is the 4th in the series and although it can be read alone some of the other characters roles in the story make more sense if you've read the other books.
Re-read pile
August 14, 2018
Loved the story of Heather & Jean Luc.
December 15, 2024
Amazing underrated series! A must read
January 15, 2025
Rated 3.5
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