Temper Sanguine

Sanguine #2

by Lou Harper

"One bite won't kill you. Unless it does. "

Gabe Vadas's slayer ancestors would be spinning in their graves if they knew that not only is his boss a vampire, so is his lover. But that lover, Harvey Feng, is cooking something up in his lab that he seems reluctant to disclose.

The secrets they keep from each other and the nightmares they share are driving a wedge between them.

Harvey fell off the vegetarian wagon with one taste of his lover s blood. Except recently it s been having some unusual and disturbing side effects. And he fears their connection has awakened something dark and dangerous.

Sent to New York City to help the new top vamp clean up the mess the old one left behind, Gabe finds more than a few stray feral vampires. A doctor with a dubious history is hell-bent on creating a new race of unkillable bloodsuckers.

The investigation takes Gabe and Harvey across an ocean, and deep into the past. Where they discover demons that have the power to reach across the centuries to destroy them both.

Warning: Contains a tasty Hungarian goulash of dirty boys doing dirty things, bilingual dirty talk, evil scientists, shifty-eyed lab assistants, fun with lab rats, and smexy times in romantic Old Europe. "Jo etvagyat! "

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires, M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Mystery

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2014

About the author

Under a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was never a time when stories weren't romping around in her head. She is currently embroiled in a ruinous romance with adjectives. In her free time Lou stalks deviant words and feral narratives.

Lou's favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.

Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk.

Blog: http://louharper.blogspot.com

Book cove designs: http://lharper.deviantart.com/gallery

Reviews

[Rosa, really · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabe & Harvey met in the fantastic Spirit Sanguine.

Gabe's a vampire slayer. Harvey's a Buddhist, vegetarian vampire.

Gabe tries to kill Harvey but is felled by Harvey's incredible peach-like ass.

Okay, there's slightly more to it than that, but Harvey's ass is all that really matters.

Well, that and Gabe's rather intense hunkliness.



Gabe probably looks slightly less concerned by life than Mr. Urban here, but nonetheless I want to go to there. Harvey does go to there, the lucky sunavabitch.

Lou Harper is one of my favorite MM authors and Gabe & Harvey are one of my top favorite couples. Actually, at this moment I have a hard time imagining a couple I love more. They're complete opposites but they're so good together I just want to hug my Kindle since I can't hug Gabe & Harvey. Which is less than fulfilling, but whatever.

*Deep breath, Rosa*

Ugh, I hate, HATE, saying this but I did not find Temper Sanguine quite as enjoyable as Spirit. I've been looking forward to this book since roughly forever and I think that's where my relationship with it stumbled. This is my absolute favorite series by Harper and my expectations were too high. Unfortunately, the poor book suffered for it. I'm sorry, book! I still love you, baby!

One of things I love about Lou Harper's books are her understated romances. They still qualify as romances, but it's subtle. Like the best authors, she has a way of expressing emotion without, you know, slobbering. There may be an "I love you" but it's never ohmagah you are my soul mate and I will never ever leave you and rocks may fall on my head but I will still whisper your name with my dying breath which will be slightly before you commit suicide because you love me so hard as well. Her characters may love intensely but they express themselves through subtle touches, glances and hesitant words rather than the glut of sugar described above. It's a relief to read a Harper book after reading something more dramatic. She's like a nice Perrier with a twist of lemon after chugging a 2 liter bottle of Coke. Not that I do that, of course.

However, since I enjoy being contrary, I wish there had been more Gabe & Harvey lovey dovey stuff in the first part of the story. They were almost constantly together, and I love that, but a great deal was taken up with info dumping & setting up for the last part of the book. However, I don't blame Lou Harper for all the extra info. It seems like publishers (at least I assume it's the publishers) want readers to be able to pick up a book anywhere in a series and be able to keep up. So readers like me, who view reading books out of order as verboten, have to reread info they've already read & remember.

The book also suffers from a slight lack of relationship tension found in the first book. In Spirit there was a will they or won't they, or will they stay together or won't they, tension. In Temper, although there is still tension between Gabe & Harvey, & some important relationship strain to resolve, it isn't quite as strong. This is a problem found in a lot of sequels, though.

Thank god, that's the end of any criticism I have. The relief is staggering.

The story, both the romance & the adventure, really picks up in the second part of the story when Gabe & Harvey chase an evil vampire to Hungary. There is an especially hawt role playing scene where they pretend to be "two spies from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain." Gabe plays the Hungarian spy who must fuck British Harvey into submission.

Harvey put up a struggle, but with the weight pressing down on him and Gabe holding his hands above his head, he had little freedom to move. "You have no right to treat me this way. I'm a cultural attache. Check my credentials." As he said the last word, he thrust his hips upward and ground his groin into Gabe's....

....Before Harvey could realize what was happening, Gabe flipped him over and slipped down between his legs, spreading them wide apart. "This is a breach of international law!" Harvey protested, even as he pushed his butt up in the air.

"Oh yes, a breach indeed," Gabe said, parting Harvey's cheeks and plunging his tongue inside.

Fuck yeah! More, please.

Also, I just loved when Harvey got pissed at Gabe for putting himself in danger. So. Sweet. Even more sweet is the humor Gabe & Harvey share. They may be opposites, but they really enjoy each others company and that makes me feel comfortable & happy.

In the end I did enjoy this book and think it's a good follow up to Spirit. Now that I've read it once I know what to expect, obviously, so on my second read (and there will be one, believe you me) I'll enjoy it more. I'm also happy to say that Lou Harper left several plot threads hanging so I'm willing to bet there will be a third book.

And I am perfectly willing to hurt anyone who thinks they can stand between me and a new Lou Harper book.


Other books in this series:

Spirit Sanguine
Late Night Snack (free on Amazon!)

Also related is the Dead Man series:

Dead Man and the Restless Spirits
Dead Man and the Lustful Spirit (also free on Amazon!)
Dead Man and the Army of Frogs

[ttg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temper Sanguine is the sequel to the Rainbow Award-winning paranormal romance Spirit Sanguine, about a vampire slayer new to Chicago who finds that his assumptions about vampires are turned on their head when he attempts to stalk a hot young vamp named Harvey (who’s a vegetarian, a bad driver, and has a penchant for sexy role-playing.) Instead of slaying him, they start seeing each other, all while solving some mysteries together.

I really enjoyed book 1, and overall really like Harper’s low-key writing, natural dialogue, and characters who live beyond stereotypes, which is a nice draw when picking up another vampire romance. This sequel continues from book 1, where Harvey and Gabe are still very together, although are now surfing some tensions, mostly due to Harvey’s fears that his “forced turning” by some vampires high on “bad blood” will eventually change him into a monster, the very same ones that Gabe used to kill in Europe.

Like book 1, book 2 is broken up into different stories, this time two different but linked mysteries, the first that sends our duo to New York and then later, to Hungary to track an old vampire menace.

For those who liked book 1, and Gabe and Harvey’s developing relationship, it’s easy to recommend the sequel. It’s nice to return to Harper’s world of “realistic vampires” who have to cope with day-to-day things, all while still having to solve some crimes and track some bad guys (or bad vamps.) I also love Harvey and Gabe’s relationship, and its mix of comfortable (and sexy) playfulness, even while they try to deal with their differences, including their habit of keeping things from each other.

For me, the first mystery in New York was the stronger and the more exciting of the two. The second, where our boys jet to Hungary, was scenic and interesting, but I definitely felt the pacing dip during that half, especially with sections that had felt heavy with exposition.

But overall, it was still a joy to return to Gabe and Harvey’s world, and I’m on board for any further adventures with them. If you enjoy paranormal romances, it’s a very good read, although I definitely recommend book 1 first. You’ll get way more out of the characters since there isn’t much explained about what happened earlier. And after that, don’t forget to check out the free short story that’s set between book 1 and 2, Late Night Snack.

Reviewed first for Boys in our Books.

[Bitchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just a really fun series. Yes, that will-they-or-won't-they sexual tension is absent here, but I still really enjoyed the book. Harvey has got to be one of my favorite vampires in ages, and Gabe is his perfect match. The tension in this one is more why Harvey won't drink from Gabe, and how that makes Gabe feel, along with the tracking down of a vampire trying to make a super-vamp master race. Good action, funny moments and more of Gabe and Harvey's trademark role playing sexytimes made this a jolly good read!

[UnusualChild{beppy} · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Gabe is a slayer and Harvey is a vampire. Normally, the two would be mortal enemies, but Gabe and Harvey love each other and live together, so there will be no killing of each other allowed. Gabe works for the head vampire in Chicago, and is asked to take a trip out to New York to help with a problem there. It seems as though a vampire has been making feral vampires, and the ramifications may take them on a trip to Europe.

Me after a week has passed: what was this about again? I know there was a slayer and a vampire, and then they went to Hungary, because I wrote down some Hungarian food that they ate and then looked up the recipes online later. And in Hungary they needed to try and foil the raising of a very old, very feared vampire, but other than that... (reads précis)

Oh, okay. So the slayer is named Gabe, and the vampire is named Harvey. And then they went to New York to help clean up the mess after the last head vampire there was dispatched. (I totally forgot that part: no New York food that I had to look up recipes for was mentioned.) Gabe is an expert in feral vampires, which is what is found in New York. Then they track the man who was responsible for the feral vampires to Hungary, very old vampires, Hungarian buns and croissants, and voila! That's the story.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it! Harvey and Gabe have some issues that they happily resolved, but I'm still curious about where they're going to from that point. We get a continuation of the Vegas mystery from the first book, and half of it happens in Hungary which is right next door to me so that was also fun :) Some parts of the mystery were solved and some weren't, so I really hope we'll get at least one more book in this series.

[Finnegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou Harper is a favourite writer of mine, ans I love Harvey and Gabe. I just liked the first book more. But this is stll very good, and a must-read if you like vampires.

[Zuzu]

I made it a bit over half way but am very apathetic so I’m calling it quits. It’s more of a mystery than romance which isn’t bad but I just didn't care about the vampire mystery they are dealing with. Bummer.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite the world-hopping adventure. Not quite as enjoyable as the first, although I can't quite put my finger on what was missing. I do still get a kick out of the Buddhist, vegetarian vampire, though.

[Sammy Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou Harper gives us a second amazing installment in her Sanquine series, Temper Sanguine. For those unfamiliar with the first novel, Spirit Sanguine, the story revolves around the unusual pairing of Gabe Vadas, vampire slayer and his lover, Harvey Feng, vampire. This delicious duo, whose tastes run from frisky and impossibly sexy role-playing to hunting down rogue or feral vamps, returns with yet more incredible chemistry that just lights up the page. For those unfamiliar with the first in this series, I would recommend reading these books in order to get the most out of your reading experience. Rather than rehash the blurb above, I would like to take a slightly different tone with this review and list for you the “three things I love about author Lou Harper.”

1. Impeccable comedic timing highlighting a witty yet dry sense of humor: There is no doubt that the tongue-in-cheek humor beginning with Harvey’s last name of Feng to the delightfully funny role play these two men get into just leaves you laughing and craving more. Gabe’s dry and almost deadpanned rejoinders to Harvey’s flighty and dramatic tendencies just leave a huge smile on our face as you read interaction after interaction between these tow. Throw in side characters like their friend, Dill who is the pet of two older vamps and Tibi, their human guide in Hungary and you have additional moments of pure fun. This is subtle humor at its best. It creeps up on you and before you know it, despite the serious nature of the overall plot, you are smiling like a fool and yearning for each and every moment author Lou Harper unleashes.

2. Characters, character, characters! When an author is able to write compelling characters that draw you in and make you quietly root for them to succeed, then you know you have stumbled upon a writer that bears watching. So often, dialogue in this genre comes off stilted or simple unbelievable, but that is not the case here. While you are definitely aware you are dealing with supernatural creatures, the beauty of a Lou Harper character is that you so quickly forget this is not a real human being walking around allowing you to see their thoughts and emotions. In this novel, we are really privy to the fears that hold both Harvey and Gabe from giving their all, unconditional love to each other. Gabe’s heart is so fiercely exposed to us through the inner dialogue the author creates for him. At times, it was so very poignant and real, I just wanted to stop the action and reassure Gabe he could admit his love aloud. On the same token, Harvey’s real fear is revealed. He worries that he will become just like those he and Gabe hunt down, feral, without restraint, mindlessly bloodthirsty. The author allows her mythical characters to experiences relational roadblocks that ring so true to us because we can see just a bit of ourselves in these two amazing men. Consequently, we hold our breath as these two grapple with their demons and fears and hope against al hope that they will make it out intact and still in love, together.

3. Fast paced action and a really good story! Here is what really separates author Lou Harper from the pack when it comes to paranormal novels. The thrilling, heart-stopping plot that never relents but carries you on a wild ride of a journey right up to the end. Mystery combined with action gives us a story line that has just enough twists and turns to keep us on the edge of our seats. What’s amazing to me about this author is her ability to run several plot points simultaneously and never confuse us or leave us lost somewhere in the middle. Rather, she painstakingly ties up each loose end and even manages to give just inkling that there could be another novel in this series in the future. Skillful and interesting, dramatic and funny, tender and poignant, the story unfolds on the page and draws you in, thrilling you to the very end.

[Chris, the Dalek King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harvey and Gabe are back…and this time they’ve brought vampire rats!

(Ok, so the vampire rats don’t play a humongous part in this story, but I can’t help but feel that Harvey is one cage mishap away from a full-on Vampiric Infestation of Chicago: Rat Edition!)

Coming off of their trip to Vegas, Harvey and Gabe have been left with more questions than they have answers. They’ve got mysterious poker-chips, shadowy figures, and some rather uncomfortable truths about both Gabe and Harvey’s pasts. But there is not much that they can do about all that, other than wait for the next shoe to drop. Until then, Harvey has his various experiments to continue, and Gabe is still working as personal slayer to the head vampire of Chicago. It is not a dull life, that’s for sure.

But when Augustine sends the duo to New York as a favor to an old friend, they might just start to get some of those elusive answers. Too bad that those answers might just lead them back into danger, and across the seas to Gabe’s old slaying ground. With Harvey keeping secrets, and something old and dark hiding in the shadows, Gabe might just have to rely on luck and some questionable allies to pull this whole mess off.

This book was hot, dark, dangerous, and a lot of fun. Did I mention hot? Because it was. I don’t know what it is about Harvey, Gabe, and their role-playing games that turns my crank so heavily, but I found myself heating up in all the very nicest of ways, throughout this book.

I really liked how all those questions that had started to pop up at the end of Spirit Sanguine have deepened in this book. You get some answers, but mostly it is more twists, more questions, and more bad guys to slay. And the trip to Hungary was nice-–though a lot of the time I had no idea what they were saying when they lapsed out of English. Clearly a lot more has been going on than Gabe or Harvey ever suspected, and even though they are seeing some of the things that have led up to now, there is a lot more going on that they have no idea how to handle.

I loved the cast of characters that pop up in this book. Some old, some new, but all of them very well written. And the new locations, especially Hungary, were great. I have to agree with Harvey, though, that language is impossible. It was cool to see it, but sometimes it got a little frustrating not knowing what was being said on the page. But it made it feel all the more real, so I don’t feel too annoyed with it over all.

This book was just a lot of fun to read, and while I wanted to smack Harvey something awful, all the various aspects of this book combined very well. I am a huge fan of Lou Harper, and I really do recommend you pick up this book. You might want to read the first one before picking up it up, though–-even if Harper did a good job of reminding us of key points. I can’t wait to see what is up for these guys next.

4.5 stars


This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.

[LiveYourLife BuyTheBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review

I love a good vampire book. This one I actually think I liked a little better than the first one which I really liked. I like how dangerous yet approachable some of the vamps are. The colorful characters that make up the casts of these are so much fun to read about. And I love the MCs! You’ve got to be curious about a wannabe vegetarian vampire who falls for a vampire slayer. That alone would make me want to pick this up. I also really enjoy this author’s subtle humor and witty dialogue.

Temper Sanguine once again follows Gabe and Harvey. In this book they’re moving in together and working out the kinks that come with that kind of commitment. Gabe has never had more than hook ups and Harvey hasn’t had anyone since he was turned. Harvey expresses his love for Gabe openly but Gabe has a harder time saying the words or admitting it to himself. His history with losing family members and betrayal by others leaves him uncomfortable with getting in touch with those types of feelings. He’s been hardened in a way but Harvey is his everything and that’s taking some getting used to.

Gabe is still working for the mob like vampire boss of the city. Whom I’ve decided I like. I love when authors give me a seemingly bad guy that I actually like. While at the same time keeps me guessing if I can trust him and if he’ll once again use the MCs as pawns in a greater scheme. In this book the situation from Vegas leads them to another situation brewing. So, Gabe and Harvey are dispatched or as Gabe sees it, he lends his pet slayer to the vamps of NYC.

Here they uncover more than they thought. Somebody has been purposely making Ferals but why? Things get dark and twisted. Like experimenting on humans in another hospital twisted. They uncover a lot but are sent home without any answers.

Eventually they’re sent over to Budapest to find a foe that is so evil they still tell stories about him. I think I loved this part of the book the most. The characters had me laughing while dreading the moment Gabe and Harvey have to confront the evil monster they’ve been sent to destroy.

I think I enjoyed this book more because there was more action. More chase scenes and fighting. More excitement. More romance. More humor. A bigger badder foe. Darker. I just loved every minute of it. Really good read that I highly recommend this one but only after you’ve read the first. These must be read in order.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temper Sanguine is a great addition to the Sanguine series.

Gabe and Harvey are back and Gabe’s vampire mob boss is sending them to New York to assist with an investigation that leads them to more ferals and the scientist creating them.

Harvey is still madly working on his tonic: the shared dreams and other strange superpowers happening between him and Gabe are starting to really freak him out and Harvey is more desperate than ever to find a solution…

This was a fun book, even though it was a lot more angsty than the first one.  Gabe and Harvey have been together for about a year and lately, the only time they can really connect is when they have sex.  Harvey is keeping secrets about his tonic and Gabe is keeping secrets about how he really feels for Harvey.  So there are a lot of changes going on in their relationship and barriers they must overcome if they want to be happy together.  I feel like there was a lot of growth in both characters, but there is still plenty of room for their relationship to improve.  I still think there is something blocking me from fully connecting with either character.  I mean, I like them both, but I don’t feel too strongly for them.  Its like I’m still waiting for that moment where I can’t get enough of them…that hasn’t happened yet.

I think my biggest difficulty with the story was following all the new characters introduced.  I’m horrible with names and these names were a bit complicated for me to keep straight.  So I found myself having to flip back to refresh my memory.  Plus, since this book pretty much continues the mystery arc started in the first book, many characters from Spirit Sanguine are mentioned here, and trust me…the plot thickens.  In a good way.  I think that’s my favorite thing about this series: how all the smaller story plots are connected to one big mystery and how each book gives us another little piece to the puzzle.

There are so many things I still want to know…about Gabe, about Harvey and about where they will end up next.

3.5 Stars

Reviewed for The Blogger Girls

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Similar to the format of the previous book Spirit Sanguine, this sequel consists of two parts. Both parts have cases that are connected. The first part, Gabe and Harvey leave to New York City where they discover a doctor has been playing around making ferals. In the second part, both travel to Hungary, because the doctor is seen in the country

Plot wise, I enjoy the second one better. I love feel of the 'old' country, and even if I have no idea about the foreign language used, but it gives something different to the whole story. I also like the additional myth that Ms. Harper provides, with the tale of the old vampire.

Character wise -- I am glad to be back with the two. However, I miss the flirty happy Harvey. Subdued Harvey (with death wish, because he is afraid that he is going to be like one of the ferals) is not as fun. All throughout the book, it creates a tension between Gabe and Harvey (and Gabe is not one who aggressively pursue the issue) that I don't enjoy much.

Overall, it's still a series that I'd like to read more about. Have both Gabe and Harvey on their best (or naughty behavior) and kick more bad guys (vampires) ass.

[Jessica Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait! I absolutely love this couple!!

[Love Bytes Reviews]

This book was reviewed by Love Bytes Reviews!

[The Novel Approach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou Harper gives us a second amazing installment in her Sanquine series, Temper Sanguine. For those unfamiliar with the first novel, Spirit Sanguine, the story revolves around the unusual pairing of Gabe Vadas, vampire slayer, and his lover, Harvey Feng, vampire. This delicious duo, whose tastes run from frisky and impossibly sexy role-playing to hunting down rogue or feral vamps, returns with yet more incredible chemistry that just lights up the page. For those unfamiliar with the first in this series, I would recommend reading these books in order to get the most out of your reading experience. Rather than rehash the blurb above, I would like to take a slightly different tone with this review and list for you the “three things I love about author Lou Harper.”

1. Impeccable comedic timing, highlighting a witty yet dry sense of humor! There is no doubt that the tongue-in-cheek humor beginning with Harvey’s last name of Feng to the delightfully funny role playing these two men get into just leaves you laughing and craving more. Gabe’s dry and almost deadpanned rejoinders to Harvey’s flighty and dramatic tendencies just leave a huge smile on our face as you read interaction after interaction between these two. Throw in side characters like their friend Dill, who is the pet of two older vamps, and Tibi, their human guide in Hungary, and you have additional moments of pure fun. This is subtle humor at its best. It creeps up on you and before you know it, despite the serious nature of the overall plot, you are smiling like a fool and yearning for each and every moment author Lou Harper unleashes.

2. Characters, character, characters! When an author is able to write compelling characters that draw you in and make you quietly root for them to succeed, then you know you have stumbled upon a writer that bears watching. So often, dialogue in this genre comes off stilted or simply unbelievable, but that is not the case here. While you are definitely aware you are dealing with supernatural creatures, the beauty of a Lou Harper character is that you so quickly forget this is not a real human being walking around allowing you to see their thoughts and emotions. In this novel, we are really privy to the fears that hold both Harvey and Gabe back from giving their all, unconditional love to each other. Gabe’s heart is so fiercely exposed to us through the inner dialogue the author creates for him. At times, it was so very poignant and real I just wanted to stop the action and reassure Gabe he could admit his love aloud. By the same token, Harvey’s real fear is revealed. He worries that he will become just like those he and Gabe hunt down: feral, without restraint, mindlessly bloodthirsty. The author allows her mythical characters to experiences relational roadblocks that ring so true to us because we can see just a bit of ourselves in these two amazing men. Consequently, we hold our breath as these two grapple with their demons and fears, and hope against all hope that they will make it out intact and still in love, together.

3. Fast paced action and a really good story! Here is what really separates Lou Harper from the pack when it comes to paranormal novels. The thrilling, heart-stopping plot that never relents but carries you on a wild ride of a journey right up to the end. Mystery combined with action gives us a story line that has just enough twists and turns to keep us on the edge of our seats. What’s amazing to me about this author is her ability to run several plot points simultaneously and never confuse us or leave us lost somewhere in the middle. Rather, she painstakingly ties up each loose end and even manages to give just an inkling that there could be another novel in this series in the future. Skillful and interesting, dramatic and funny, tender and poignant, the story unfolds on the page and draws you in, thrilling you to the very end.

In a literary genre where sequels are often rougher fare and sometimes disappointing, Lou Harper gives us Temper Sanguine, a gorgeous follow up in her Sanguine series. I highly recommend it to you!

Reviewed by Sammy at The Novel Approach

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabe Vadas and Harvey Feng are back. In Lou Harper’s particularly interesting take on the world-with-vampires premise, we have an old-country vampire slayer (Gabe) and a very modern American half-Chinese vampire (Harvey). What makes it so totally engaging is that these young men are simply another gay couple trying to feel their way forward.

With some really weird baggage.

Given the limited call for vampire slayers in modern America (something Gabe didn’t quite understand in the first book in this series), he’s been pretty lucky to land a semi-permanent gig working with Victor Augustine, the boss of the vampire demimonde in greater Chicago. Augustine himself is one of those marvelous background characters who make Harper’s Sanguine novels so richly interesting. He seems to be something of a Don Corleone character, for whom Gabe is something of an enforcer—eliminating rogue vampires. But Augustine, for all his carefully sheathed power, is no crime boss. He is in charge of civic order—an order that would be destroyed if bad vamps start to do bad things to the dominant human population.

The more we learn about Augustine, the more interesting and complex he becomes. At one point he gives voice to the old Benjamin Franklin bromide: “Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today.” Then he follows that up with the comment, “A rather tedious fellow, mind you, but a great mind.” Underscoring his great age and long existence in America, and suggesting moreover that he actually knew (and liked) Benjamin Franklin, Augustine makes both the reader and Gabe sit back and ponder exactly who he is.

This kind of eerie banter accompanies all of the various vampires Gabe and Harvey meet in the course of this action-adventure story, moving from Chicago to New York to Budapest as they track down a truly evil vampire who seems to have started out as a Nazi scientist.

Throughout the action narrative is the ongoing dance between Gabe and Harvey. Much of this is typical guy stuff—anxiety about their future, male inability to voice emotions, and so on. Gabe is not a normal human—having been born with his slayer’s ability to sense and locate vampires with increasing precision. Harvey, on his side, is no normal vampire, having been forcibly and accidentally turned as a young nurse in a Chicago hospice facility. His emotional connection to Gabe is echoed by a deeper, psychic connection, which itself engenders all sorts of fears. As all couples do, Harvey and Gabe continue to learn about each other in the course of the narrative, and the reader begins to more fully understand who they are to each other as they themselves do.

I find the Sanguine series to be fascinating and find myself liking all of the characters as our insight into their personalities and motivations expands.

Gabe Vadas began this series feeling betrayed and disoriented, unsure of who he was and what vampires really were. As clarity emerges from confusion, both Gabe and the reader are offered a glimpse of future possibility, and in this way the author hooks us. The book ends tidily enough, but it leaves us anticipating what is yet to come for our unlikely duo.

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it slightly more than I remember liking the first one

*NOTE: I received a complimentary review copy of this story.*
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- The characters are intelligent, but they’re also realistically weak and flawed. They seem plausible to me, not like caricatures.
- The plot here is a logical continuation of the book before, but this felt nothing like a rehash to me.
- Harvey makes me chuckle. Not only is he cute and flamboyant, but he also has a way with words. This is one of my favorite comments: “If a colony of wild artists went on a rampage at Goodwill, it would look just like this.”
- Part of the story takes place in Hungary, which I know almost nothing about. Those parts seemed well-researched, and I found them fascinating.

CONS:
- There are some passages that are intentionally chock full of corny lines, one after another, and I found them mostly groan-worthy.
- Every now and then, the writing has bits that could have been tightened. Here’s an example (paraphrased/edited because of foul language): “the furrows on his forehead grew deeper and deeper. ‘Son of a [ditch]. Let’s get him, Angel. I’m ready to go Mossad on this mother[ducker’s] [rear].’ Harvey was now righteously [p’d] off.” It’s obvious from the furrows on the forehead and the angry words that Harvey is angry; we don’t need to be told that he is.

Overall comments: I read Spirit Sanguine a while ago--I’d guess it’s been at least a year--so my recall of it is hazy at best. But I purposely avoided refreshing my memory. Harper gives enough little clues here and there to remind readers what the overall situation is and how the characters all relate to one another, and I had a slightly better impression after this volume than I had after the last one, which I liked pretty well to begin with. I think this is a fun series.

[Arch Bala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Gabe and Harvey and I just loved their partnership since the very first book (Spirit Sanguine) and its subsequent free short novella (Late Night Snack). I loved how protective they are with each other. There’s actually nothing new about this story – it’s like the gay version of Buffy but more quirky. What’s so good about the series so far is the chemistry between Gave and Harvey and how charming they could get whenever they banter. The story was smooth and continuous. A wee bit predictable but it was tastefully done.


I also adore the way they just go on with their relationship. No hang ups, they’re just taking it a day at a time. The talks about Gabe being turned was in not yet in the table because Gabe isn’t that sure yet but I was thinking that maybe Gabe’s has some kind of power as well. Now I was thinking if maybe they could grow old together when Gabe could reverse Harvey’s vampirism or perhaps just be with each other as immortal vampires.


The good thing about their story so far was that there are still so many things to expect from them. Harvey’s still working on his ala-true blood¬ concoction and Gabe’s still processing his history (with the death of his parents and his uncle’s betrayal).


I’ve no doubt that this story would really flourish if people get to appreciate the development of Gabe and Harvey’s slayer-vampire romance. There’s really something so good about it and although Lou Harper mentioned that at the moment, she’s got no plans of writing a follow up - I sure hope that she’d think about it and perhaps gift us the next book in the series in the near future. People – you gotta read this amazing series!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

5 stars

Temper Sanguine is the second book in Lou Harper’s Sanguine series, following on the great Spirit Sanguine. I totally fell in love with Gabe and Harvey in that book and continue to adore them here. They appear somewhat of a mismatched pair. Gabe is a vampire slayer, like others in his family. He has been trained to do nothing but kill vampires, specifically the mindless, violent, feral ones. He didn’t even know regular vampires existed before he met Harvey. Gabe is big and strong, showcasing his Hungarian ancestry. He doesn’t have an easy time showing his feelings, but it is clear he is totally wild for Harvey.

Read Jay's review in its entirety here.

[Heather♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harvey and Gabe make such a great team together (in and out of bed) and I hope there will be many more adventures for us in the near future. Even though Harvey was a bit more subdued in this book, it's always fun to see him get so riled up and possessive over Gabe. And we absolutely must have more role playing. Lots more role playing because these guys always make it sexy and fun :) Yes, this was another enjoyable read and I'm definitely looking forward to more of Van Helsing and slutty Harvey Valerious ;)

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot. I had fun with Gab and I adored Harvey. This round we went on a hunt for more of the loose ends from book #1. These are angst-free vampires which just makes them more interesting. I could babble on but nope, not gonna do it. This was a winner and I know there will be more.

[Tori Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Harvey and Gabe! What a fantastic action packed adventure! So much fun.... if you liked the others, you'll like this one!

[Lady*M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Cute and readable, just like the first one.

[Sagajo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Would definitely read a third book.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was concerned for Harvey for a good chunk of this book.
Much like the first this book is made up of two shorter but connected stories.

[Whit · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An end to the story of Gabe and Harvey and it was another great read!

With everything going on with the fact that Harvey is now drinking blood, and finding out so much more about his unusual origins, and Gabe finding out more about his family history, the two of them are having more relationship stress. Add in the weird shared nightmares and Harvey starts distancing from Gabe, while Gabe finds himself at a loss how to have a conversation about the changes. Working together helps them cut through to the core of their issues, as well as decide some things about their future together. Interesting read in a fun vampire world.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, although I would have loved a little more romance between Gabe and Harvey. (I love them together SO much!) I'm bumping Dead Man and the Restless Spirits on my reading list because I really enjoy this world, and I can't wait to see what else the author does with it.

[Nightcolors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun book! In Temper Sanguine, Gabe and Harvey travel outside Chicago, solving mysteries and problems, first in New York and later in Budapest. The way the new mysteries connected to earlier cases and to Gabe and Harvey's lives, was definitely interesting. I don't much like rats. So I was surprised to be so sad when Stinky died.

Still having no luck in finding ebook editions of Lou Harper's other books.