Stripped with the Vampire

Austin Immortals #1

by Jax Garren

In a world of dark spells and blood ties where no one is safe, love is the most powerful magic of all.

Shy vampire Charlie never intended to see Vince again after the bad boy human broke his heart. But when Vince turns up beaten and marked for sacrifice to an Aztec God, Charlie will do anything keep him safe.

Vince has never forgiven himself for the lie that ended things with Charlie. The spark between them is as hot as ever, and Vince would risk body and soul to make it a fire again. But as they hide deeper in Austin’s supernatural society—a world of lies, dark magic, and warring immortals—he finds the path to reconciliation more twisted than he’s ever imagined.

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Magic

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 11, 2015

About the author

Jax Garren is the author of hot, urban paranormal romance like the Austin Immortals and the Tales of the Underlight. Though descended from Valkyries and Vikings (she’s part Swedish), Jax was raised a small town girl in the Texas Hill Country. She graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in English and a minor in Latin then found her own Happily Ever After with a handsome engineer who is saving the world through clean energy technology. Jax can be found at jaxgarren.com, at facebook.com/JaxGarren or on Twitter as @JCGarren. She loves meeting new people, so online or in person, make sure to give her a Viking “Hail!” adventure, and love.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 'Go gay vampire rights' stars

The reason I picked this up was because I read Jax Garren's Tales of the Underlight before and was surprised to see her PNR M/M in Netgalley. A paranormal M/M, how can I pass it up.

Vince, 24, a human, work as a stripper. Woot woot! During one of his gig, he stumble upon a Aztec cult and he was the intended human sacrifice. *gasp* After being attacked by vampires and crazy cult members, Vince decided to seek help from his ex-boyfriend, Charlie.

Charlie, the three century year old vamp prefer his privacy and minding his own business. He was never one to put himself under the vamp politics scrutiny. Charlie is very much a closet gay due to the fact that being a gay in the vampire world was frowned upon.

Actually I like the whole reason and conflict between Vince and Charlie. Vince is a wild young man and love strutting his package around on stage. While Charlie is very old school and reserve. Charlie felt that he can't give Vince the freedom and unable to accept that Vince so blatantly flirts with everyone. Vince was still hurt by the way Charlie broke up with him without giving him a chance to explain himself. But now that they are force to being together again, all the old feelings resurface again.

I've decided that this book is more of an urban fantasy than paranormal romance. There were simply too much attention paid to the conflict between the vampires and the Aztec cult. Charlie is not even the alpha vampire in the conflict. Instead, we have Cash, the other vampire who is the ass kicker. There are a bunch of other colorful secondary characters, but I ended up skimming most of their action.

For me, the reason I read M/M is for the sex and this book felt short. I only got one and a half sex scene. I need less talking and more sex for a M/M to work for me. I need more lust, more mentioned of cock to sate my pervy mind. The ending was pretty cute though. It left a smile on my face despite the lack of sex between these two cutie.

I only recommended this for those who prefer M/M with urban fantasy plot and only medium heat involve.

[Ami]

DNF at 25%

I have read Jax Garren's stories before with Tales of the Underlight series, which I quite enjoyed. That was basically the reason why when I saw this book being offered as Read Now at NetGalley, I wanted to give it a try, even if the novella of this universe that being self-published a year ago didn't blown my mind. Unfortunately, I think maybe her magic was lost on me once again.

The world-build about the vampires, witches, the CoVin, the tzitzi was sketchy and fuzzy. I felt like I was dropped into a middle of something that had been going on for a while, and I was left to wonder on my own.

This was the same 'feeling' that I experienced with the novella that was said as a 'prequel' somewhat. It was unclear to me as a reader. It is like the idea stays inside the mind of the author and doesn't delivered to me who doesn't know how the author's brain works. It is definitely NOT an experience I enjoy when it comes to reading urban fantasy series. And I have read enough to know what I like and dislike about the genre.

Other thing relates to Charlie and Vince's previous relationship. Second-chance theme is my most favorite trope in romance. I love the idea of two people who are actually right for one another but maybe the timing is not right the first time around. Then they meet again and realize the chemistry is still there and decide to give it another shot. I love that so much. It dilutes the idea of 'instant-love' because the two people have history. I've read quite a number of this theme where the story starts after the break-up. I don't have any issues on that.

In this book, however, I felt the 'history' of Charlie and Vince -- it was said that they were friends before lovers, that Vince knew Charlie since he was nine years old, and that Vince became Charlie's lovers at 19 years old, but have been apart for the past four years -- was kept away from me and only referred to in bits and pieces of their conversations. The characters might as well speaking in code....

Maybe I gave up too quickly, considering that I stopped at barely 1/4 part of the book (it is quite a long book, my Kindle clocks it at more than 400 pages). But again, I have read enough in my life that I prefer to go with a story that actually interests me rather that stick with the one that doesn't and suffer for it. It's not like I run out of books to read. As always, DNF book will not be rated.



The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.85 stars

What would tempt an over three hundred years in the closet vampire to come out and start living? That's the gist of the story mixed in with power hungry personage in supernatural world.

I can't really say I like this book. It is the first of a new series "Austin Immortals" but I personally felt like starting smack in the middle of something, then took off at a run. The pace was rather erratic throughout though fortunately the main characters were likeable enough; the supporting ones as well. There was some cliché like a bigoted character turned out to be an even bigger douche! Also huge letdown that something or someone who were described to be oh so powerful could be so easily subdued. Or a newly embraced witch managed to do something big from reading and... luck?? So it's kind of ups and downs experience for me, reading this.

Charlie was, not exactly an outcast, but the odd one out among the vampires society; he rarely mixed in or attended any functions with them, though he was good friend with the vampire queen's favoured fledging. He was born in the time being gay could get him being lynched and even had suffered through one, which made him VERY reluctant to be out.

Vince, the young human Charlie fell in love with did not have an easy life either. He was kick out of his home by his father upon coming out and turned to Charlie for shelter. Until a lie revealed and when Charlie thought Vince cheating on him, he sent him packing without so much of by your leave. But the five years since taught Vince to be himself and grew up. Though he wouldn't dreamt of seeing Charlie again if he didn't get himself entangled in some vampires situations.

The romance between these two was okay I guess (though I didn't particularly like the last public scene, but... Eh. Okay). But the world building and all those things with vampires society, witches and other supernatural beings were not so clear. There were stuff remained unsettled here; I don't know whether it's for next books in the series or the author didn't feel it necessary to divulge. Just, for quite a long book, it frustrated me not to see all loose ends tied up.

Note: ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne Bollmann (Annelise Lestrange) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)

I received this copy through NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Let's go :D

The Story

Vince Pagano loves his job. Despite all bad things people usually say when you reveal that you are a stripper, Vince regrets nothing, as he wins a good deal at his club, has time for his hobby (blacksmithing, in the case) and hot dates. The only shadow in his mind is his ex, Charlie.

Five years ago, Charlie broke up with Vince after discovering Vince’s real job and, as much as he would like, Vince knows he’s not over Charlie yet. And being forced to seek shelter with the man after running from were-rats in the middle of the night is not helping matters in the slightest. How can Vince get over his ex if the man is just the same as he was back then, for good and bad?

Charlie, in the other hand, regrets how things turned up for them despite being the one that broke things up. Being a vampire, Charlie felt how empty his life used to be before Vince entered it and missed the young man. But could he give them a second change knowing that it would never be forever, even if Vince wanted so?

More important: can Vince and Charlie solve out the differences in their relationship in the middle of the vampire apocalypse?


The Analysis

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

THIS BOOK OMG THIS BOOK OMG!

I was hooked since I’ve read the blurb available at NetGalley, but unfortunately took me some months to get to actually reading it and OH MY GOD, this was one of the best vampire books that I read! Jax Garren is brilliant in her writing, characters building, scenarios description, connecting loose ends… BEST. BOOK. EVER. I read it in two days and a half because life insisted in getting into the way, but it’s a book that you can finish in a sitting, just because YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO DROP IT! Vince and Charlie are definitely one of my favorite couples in the world and I can’t wait to read more books by Jax! FIVE STARS, PEOPLE!

Okay, let’s get serious and professional now.

The narrative was in third person with alternating points of view between Vince and Charlie. This is my favorite type and Garren did a wonderful job building Austin Immortals’ world in both perspectives. The reader knows the difference between Vince and Charlie’s thoughts: where Vince has a goofy sense of humor and is very optimistic and easy-going, Charlie has a sophisticated sense of humor, is very pessimist and shy. All those characteristics are subtly present on the way Garren writes their points of view.

The plot was good. It’s not complicated or have any big twists, but the reader can’t be sure of any pairings, including the main one and takes a while for us to be sure of who is the real villain. That’s pretty amusing and I liked who it was – I won’t say due to spoilers, but they are a great team, haha!

I was impressed with the personal growth that Garren makes her characters go though. I honestly didn’t have a bit of faith in Charlie and he is the person that grows the most through the book. What is really nice to see is that he becomes someone better for the sake of Vince, because Vince gives him strength to defy his fears. Besides being overly cute, this is awesome. Cash also grows up through his friends, for their sake, but he is badass since the beginning, so I think he, like Christina Aguilera, just keeps getting’ better, haha!

Rhi, Vince’s best friend, also evolves so much from the beginning. She faces indescribable horrors in the book and she manages to keep it light as much as she cans, Rhi is just wow. But I have to admit that my favorite female character was Winnie. She doesn’t show around much, but she is badass in a quiet style, like “I’m just going to take your head off now, excuse me” kind of way. And she has the best reactions in a strip club, along with Modron and Emma, haha! BEST. SCENE. EVER. I have to share a small piece this with you guys:

The pants came off, ripped from the Velcro at the sides, and the crowd went nuts. Now it was bad. The red crap of underwear barely contained him [Vince]. No, it wasn’t bad – it was obscene. And everyone loved it. Charlie licked his lips as the need to cover his ex up made him clutch the table in fear he’d go do something about it.

Emma leaned over, laughing as she cheered. “Please tell me that ain’t a sock.”

“No comment.”

“Shi-i-it.” She leaned over to Winnie. “Charlie says his ex, unlike yours, is not faking that rocket.”

“Good…lord.”

“I said, ‘No comment.’” Charlie gritted out.

“Your tone is telling.”

(Stripped with the Vampire, p. 159)


The vampires of this book were also highly interesting, as they led a completely regular life without being able to walk in the sun and Charlie hid many things from Vince while they were in a relationship, so we get to discover everything along Vince. Other thing that I liked is how Garren illustrates her vampires’ dealings with eternity, how they see their own immortality. It was different without too many revolutions. I liked it, haha!

Bonus point: the sex scenes. I liked all the sex scenes in this book because none gone to waist. All the times they appeared, they were meaningful, both characters wanted badly to be together and it was anything but vulgar. Just the way I like them to be <3

Bonus point pt. 2: this cover. Just this cover. SO HOT.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this book if you, like me, is into vampires, gay romances, light books and really hot guys. Definitely one of the best books that I’ve read this year!

That’s it! Thanks for reading and thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this my way! <3

[Caroline Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE

3.75 Stars

Stripped with the Vampire very much felt like the book it was in that it was the first in a new series. There was a lot of world building and explanation about the characters and how they had evolved over the centuries. Even with all the explanations I felt a little lost in the first couple of chapters, as though I was thrown in without all the detail I needed.

Charlie is a 300 year old vampire and doesn’t easily fit into the society he belongs to. He is old fashioned, shy and easily intimated and has a huge chip on his shoulder about being gay, something that is not readily accepted with other vampires. He is also seen as too human by his peers and is not someone they rely on for anything of importance.

Vince is a really fun character and makes no apology for who he is or how he lives his life. He has known Charlie for many years, first as a friend then later as a lover but for the past 5 years or so they have had no contact. When Charlie found out how Vince made his money, a fact that Vince hadn’t been honest about, he walked away from their relationship and never looked back.

Neither man has really moved on but Charlie is still very stuck in his ways.
When a job goes wrong and Vince ends up marked for sacrifice to an Aztec god he turns to Charlie for help. The implications are far reaching and could end up meaning the vampire society going to war. There are good vamps, ones with their souls intact, and then there are bad vamps who don’t care who they kill or what damage they inflict on society.

The story is consuming and sometimes quite complicated and I don’t think I would class it as a romance. There is in fact very little romance and even less sex, it is more a story of Charlie and Vince reaching a compromise whilst fighting for their lives. They are surrounded by some very colourful and interesting secondary characters who I imagine we will see more of as the series grows.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing story and if you like vampire stories at all, I highly recommend you read it. The only thing (and it's a tiny thing) I don't love is that the next book, #1.5 is heterosexual romance, which completely bums me out. HOWEVER, this book is standalone and just one of the most beautiful and perfect love stories I have read in a long time. Plus, it's also a fabulous and exciting story all by itself, with great world building and wonderful characters.

My notes:

Very cool that all the vampires were short for nowadays. That's something that always bugs me in other books.

This is so good. Different, exciting, lots of questions revealed bit by bit.

I thought bites at the neck were for killing but that's where Cash bit Rhy.

After the altercation with Alaric, Charlie went down in my opinion quite a bit. I'm not sure why--he was being rational--but still.

I like that the old vampires stick to the opinions of their early years. It's natural.

Wonderful that they have adults who were foster children living with their birth mother. Very real.

A spiral handle would hurt if used to stab and thus the grip wouldn't be as tight.

"You think sex will interfere with a pagan ritual? You clearly know nothing about paganism."

Regular strippers don't make that kind of money.

The vampires were begging to come in. They could have just sprinkles the bespelled blood out the window.

There wouldn't be any bodies. They'd be dust. (Only vampires were there.) If they hadn't been completely dead, the sun would have dried them.

I like that not everyone was "saved," that some chose evil.

I am so upset that future installments are going to have girly bits.

The peril was wonderful lots and lots of danger and oh my god he's going to die moments. Truly wonderful.

[marky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie Travert used to be together with Vince Pagano not until He finds out Vince's odd job as a club stripper. Him being a 300-year-old-something closeted vampire didn't take it very well. He's been hiding his sexuality for centuries lest the CoVIn, the good vampires' clan, would reject and cast him out. While the 24-year-old out and proud Vince has something differrent in his mind. He wants Charlie to publicly acknowledge their relationship and be comfortable with his sexuality. But Charlie thought that their differences make them not compatible. Hence, the break up.

But when a crazy aztec witch comes in to Vince's life, Charlie swears to protect his ex even if it hurts to see him again.

The story starts with not so proper introduction. Informations keep firing off everwhere, explaning the aztec culture and a little vamipire stuff. Which is way too early for that, but more pages in and I managed to get into the rythm. For an author who took risk starting off a new series with gay MCs which she's not familiar with. And actually pulled it off despite the "love conquers all" thing going on in here, is overwhelming.

Still, I think the story focuses too much with the couple leaving no room for some important parts. Though I did like the tension between the two ex-lovers, Vince's endeavors to make things right again, and Charlie's bravery to coming out. But I wanted to see pass more than that, there's this good world-building that I wanted to explore more and to get closer to this other interesting people that I'm curious of. Hope it would be disclosed in the second book.

The fighting scenes are dull, that they last only a couple of paragraphs. It isn't handled well and brings no intensity to the plot at all. While the execution of merging the Aztec and Vampire lore together is impressive. Because it's rare to read something related to other mythology or culture that is unknown to us. And plus the fact that Jax shared a bit of informations of aztec tradition she gathered from researching, at the end of the book.

Thanks to Valkyrie Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to rate, because objectively I don't think it was very good. It was campy, sappy, full of 'love will conquer all' tropes and repressed gay men stereotypes. But I still found myself enjoying it. This is especially true when I consider my enjoyment level next to my initial expectations given the book's title. I'm sorry Jax Garren, but I think that title is a horridly unfortunate choice. It leads reader to believe this is going to be a cheap, plotless, possibly PWP book and even I, with my faint praise, have to admit it's more than that.

To illustrate my inconsistent feelings on this book, let me drop a few contradictions. I thought it was funny, but I also thought the characters ability to joke and not freak the flip out unrealistic. I liked the characters in general, but I thought Vince's inability stop baiting people in the presence of very real attempts on his life over played. I thought they were a cute couple, but thought Charlie's reluctance after 300 years as a gay man were illogical and Vince's unwillingness to make allowances for Charlie's fears selfish. I thought the bad guys and battle were fairly epic, but who really catches the villain and then lets them go...twice? Honestly, for almost everything I liked, there was an opposite that annoyed me.

So, I'm putting this on my imaginary 'smack in the middle of good/bad' shelf. If you can get over the porn star title and read it for fluffy fun you might enjoy it.

On a side note: One of those characters on the cover is presumably Charlie...who should have red hair and freckles. I'm firmly of the belief that if you're going to put a character on a book's jacket, it needs to match that character. People notice these things.

[Jen Gabiola · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love vampires, if you love m/m romance, if you love a well crafted story, if you love all of these things & more then you MUST buy, & read, this book! I am head over heels for these men & not just because they're sexy vampires (it doesn't hurt though). The women are pretty awesome too! From Charlie & Vince right through to Rhiannon & Javier each of the people in this book will capture your heart & imagination.

Like Ms Garren's Tales of the Underlight series this book has a great blend of action, romance, magic & mythology. I could not put it down. It's well paced with good character development; a refreshing change from the last series I read.

Waiting for the next book is going to test my patience...Good thing I have all her other books to re-read....

[Mae Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow - great world to dive into. It's simple in it's complexity, the Aztec mythology, the vampire lore, the Viking lore, Jax blends the cultures smoothly without leaving the reader confused in anyway. I am looking forward to book 2.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

My affinity for this story is reflected by Garren's quote, "Love can only be as perfect as the person who feels it. Imperfect people send out love imperfectly. Doesn't stop it from being real."

This wonderfully flawed novel takes many ambitious, creative risks that pay off and just a few that fall a little short. Garren balances humor ("Sex and biting was the chocolate and peanut butter of vampiredom.") with trenchant observations about mortality ("Death motivates me, I think about it sometimes, and then I get brave. I try things.")

I appreciate when an author adds original spins to building a world inhabited by vampires. This title shares that distinction with those by Claire Cray, Tyler May, Amy Fecteau, Emma Jaye, & Finn Marlowe. "Garren originals" include were-rats that scavenge corpses after a feeding; limitations to turning humans with a terminal diseases; and, the effect of drinking bottled blood on body temperature. From black kisses, red love, blood magic, deuces, and baby bats, her characters introduce their world through both language and behavior patterns.

The initial premise, of a human unwillingly thrust back into his vampiric ex-boyfriend's life, drew me in. The strongest parts of the narrative revolve around Charlie and Vince. Filled with old hurts and unresolved emotions, their dialogue sparks, and Garren layers memorable flashbacks into the developing actions, seamlessly building their shared history. We saw these scenes, of "friendship with a side of ignorable lust," Vince's heart-breaking discovery of Charlie's nature, and the one-sided decision to end it all through alternating perspectives, and we easily wondered whether love would conquer all between two very stubborn and different personalities.

Garren dangles multiple issues, any of which might have proven a breaking point in their possible reunion: Charlie's desire to live a quietly closeted life, his inability to turn Vince, Vince's rejection of immortality, or his continued insistence that his job as a stripper was fulfilling and more than just a way to pay the bills. These drew me to care about the fate of their relationship, but at times also seemed almost too much to overcome, overwhelmed by the pressure to return to the action-adventure unfolding.

A few times the story got away from the writer. Where this was most apparent was the final fight scenes, which included a large cast of characters undertaking multiple simultaneous actions in battle ranging from spellcasting to hand-to-hand combat, while communicating changes in strategy and lies to deceive and distract opponents. Sometimes an awkward phrase or tortured metaphor jarred, such as "a whole new tree of trouble when he wasn't sure how to handle the forest already growing around them," or a slight inconsistency with character voices, such as a California human who says "We do look a wee bit alike."

Charlie's underwater action in the bathtub was creative and memorable, and to stand out in the M/M Romance field, Garren may need more scenes like this in future stories. All in all, a satisfying read.

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stripped with the Vampire, Jax Garren
 Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre:  Romance, LBQTIA
I thought this sounded a fun read, and is was. It’s first in a new series, something that's tough for a book. It needs to introduce characters and places, while delivering an interesting storyline and SwtV does all that. Why isn’t it five star from me then?
Well, though its got great potential I felt some of the actions bordered on overkill, and there were lots of characters and types to get used to. The Teen Queen reminded me of Jane from the Twilight series and the evil vamp with magic in one of the early Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake books. In the same way the sheer numbers of cultures and types of characters were also reminiscent of the LKH books, though thankfully Jax hasn’t gone the sex with everything and anyone of those stories that so spoiled the later ones! There are those with Viking heritage here, Aztec Gods, and were-rats and jaguars as well as two different types of vampires, some with and some without magic, and of course a couple of witches....it makes for an interesting mix but did mean that at times I felt the plot became overly convoluted, and yet at others the solutions to what had been created were too simplistic. I had visions of Rhiannon holding a teacup full of some potion and flicking the hundreds of vampires with something like a pastry brush....after all the dangers and drama that seemed just plain wrong....
The characters were a mix. Vince is exuberant, flamboyant and exhibitionist, and the sort of character I don’t usually like but his enthusiasm, loyalty, the way he’d put himself in danger when he thought it was needed, and of course his love for Charlie made him a person I really enjoyed and wanted to be happy.  Charlie – well he irritated me a lot of the time. I could see why he’d drawn back – didn’t agree and thought he was OTT but that’s the way it went, but then even when he learns more he’s still judgemental and couldn’t seem to see Vince POV. His timidity too annoyed me, the way he let others be outright rude to him, but I guess being Gay back when it was risking your life leaves one with that outlook and fear.He did get stronger towards the end though, and I began to see more qualities in him that attracted Vince.  Emma – the constant baby bat reference and her endless inanities were irritating – maybe she’s got some saving grace somewhere but I didn’t see it  Cash was a real star, enthusiastic, loyal, ready to give his life for his Queen and his friends, and yet as Rhiannon says  he’s not got a lot up top... He really is a point and shoot missile and that made me smile.
Its a fun read, I wasn’t sure at first but slowly I got hooked into the story and pulled into the drama. I felt some of the battles were drawn out and complex compared to the solutions – its that pastry brush image again – but overall its a fun read and opens up a world that I feel could be a five star series.
Stars: Four, a fun read and a great start to the series.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers 

[C.E. Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is old-fashioned, violent vampire lore, where fangs are sexiest when they're part of sex, where an Underworld-esque world exists in artsy paradise Austin (Sunnydale, anyone?). This book is action-packed. Its plot and ferocity never stop. It's a breathless, dangerous journey. I was riveted. The mythology of Old and New World clash together nicely.

Mortal stripper Vince and vampire Charlie are decent heroes. They deal with romance and loyalty with maturity, but they don't delve deep into the existential. The world is as it is, which is vibrant and alive.

My one complaint is that the story revolves around a seedy goth club and a stripper. It's fine for characterization, of course, but for plot, it seems like just torching the place would be satisfactory. But the from Dusk Till Dawn/Anne Rice vibe is persistent, and vampire fans will be pleased.

Four stars.

~ C. E. Case

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated, coerced, or flattered into an opinion.

[Traceys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read Jax Garren before and absolutely loved it, and I still really like her writing, it's just this book wasn't what I expected....

The cover gives the impression it's a gay paranormal romance, and don't get me wrong there is a love element running all the way through but it has more of an urban fantasy feel to it.

Charlie is a 300'year old vampire with a strong set morals, he broke up with Vince when he discovered he was stripper, neither of them have ever forget each other, or got over the break up. Vince gets a job, one that goes very wrong and throws Vince deep into the vampire world and back in with Charlie. There's lots of action and characther development.

I should mention this is a first in a series, so some serious world building is done, and done very well. There are some entertaining characthers that will make very interesting main characthers in further books.

3.5 stars

* I grabbed a copy of this book from net galley *

[loves 2 read romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy of this book for review.
I am such a huge fan of Jax Garden. I have yet to read one of her books that I have not fallen in love with. This book is a little different. Usually with vampire romance novels the vampire is confident, sexy, and not afraid of anything they fight for what they want. Charlie is definitely sexy but he is so shy and because he has been around he is embarrassed to admit to his sexuality. Vince is the humAn that broke his heart. Charlie has old fashioned ideals that he judged Vince by and he is.it sure that he can forgive. Vince does not back down he is vocal even when he should back down.when these two are back in the same vicinity however the chemistry between them can not be denied. It's hot and I was drawn into this story. I love these characters and the storyline was fabulous.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! This book is amazing, awesome, fantastic, and every other word that I can't think of at the moment! I loved it.
Now I'll be honest. The first chapter or two, I was a little disappointed. We're reading about a strip club and suddenly Rhi starts talking about Aztec gods out of the clear blue sky. Wait! What? My heart sunk. I love Jax Garren's books and I was afraid I had found one I wouldn't like.
Wow! Was I wrong!!
Get through the first few chapters and you will find yourself traveling down an amazing road with Vince and Charlie filled with vampires, love, laughter, fear, and lots of blood. And Cash? Wait till you meet him!
I can't wait for the next book in this series!

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and different take on a story. I really enjoyed the different aspect to this story. Parts were slower then normal for my liking but overall I enjoyed the characters and their tale. The writing made me feel like I was part of the story in most parts. The heat wasn't as much as I was expecting between the characters but it was a very good start and I will enjoy seeing where this series goes. I'm glad I was given this for an honest review.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of M/M romance but I loved Jax Garren's Tales from the Underlight series and thought I would give this a try. I am really glad I did. There is a lot of action in this book the fights are intense and her take on the paranormal is really interesting. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Vince and Charlie. I can't wait for more in this series.

[Simera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book By Jax Garren and first M/M romance. Loved this story.
I enjoyed the pull of Vince and Charlie's relastionship. The emotions of dealing with past feelings and trying to figure out the future all while trying to save Vince from an evil witch that wanted his heart to give to an Aztec God.
The secondary characters were funny and lovable. I can't wait for more in this series.

[Hot Stuff for Cool People · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This review originally appeared on Hot for Cool.

I really hesitated to read this book. I saw that it was available for review, and it intrigued me, but I stayed away from it for a long time. The plot sounded a little too convoluted, and I’m not much of a vampire fan. I really try to read books for review that I think I’ll have a good chance of liking, and those things told me maybe this wasn’t the book for me. And the title is kind of a turn off. But a few weeks ago, I came across someone praising this book, and it just sounded so interesting that I decided I had to go for it.

I’m really glad I did. This is much different from what I expected, and it’s great. We start with our main character, Vince, a human who ends up in a sticky situation with some rogue vampires and the Aztec priestess/witch they’re working for. Not knowing where to turn, Vince runs to his ex-boyfriend, Charlie, a vampire, for help. Charlie welcomes him back and offers his help, but in the midst of the vampire conflict and the danger that Vince is still in, things are also tense between Charlie and Vince. The two are obviously still in love with each other, but misunderstandings and an unwillingness to compromise has made their relationship seem impossible.

The plot is pretty complex, but it’s not as… out of control? …as I originally assumed, reading the blurb, that it would be. It’s really pretty straightforward, actually, while still remaining interesting and exciting. And the slow rekindling of romance between Charlie and Vince is refreshing and intense and lovely.

There’s just a lot to like here. The plot is well put together and I was very rarely bored (there are a lot of action scenes and those are just never going to be for me, but this is something that’s my fault and not the book’s fault, at all.) The characters are excellent. Vince and Charlie were both believable and real and I liked them. I also loved how well thought out the other characters were. You can really get a feel for their personalities, even with characters that are only mentioned in passing. It made the book feel really well-rounded.

I also absolutely loved the unique take on vampires here. Vampires aren’t really my thing, but this author manages to make them both new and interesting, while still retaining a lot of the traditional ideas. These vampires have a complex but totally believable society, they drink blood out of cartons like you would milk, they have thoughts on death, their politics were interesting… It creates a world where things are familiar but fascinating at the same time, and there’s a lot of room for both convenience and believable conflict.

I also loved, without giving too much away, Vince’s thoughts on immortality. This was extremely refreshing to read and it made me like both him and Charlie even more. It was nicely explained without feeling preachy.

The book isn’t perfect. I had a hard time getting into it at first- it starts with a very long, very action-y scene, and, aside from my general dislike of action (which I wouldn’t hold against the book at all) I think maybe this scene just wasn’t as well written? It had a choppier feel to it than later action scenes and it was a little hard to follow. But once I did get into the book, I was hooked.

There were also some places where I had to ponder the meanings of sentences- jut areas where word order could have been switched around slightly to make things flow a bit better. This was mild, though. (As a side note, I also found the dialogue to be very neat and believable and natural, which was great.)

There were also quite a few moments when it’s clear to the reader that Vince and Charlie are simply having a misunderstanding, and that’s sometimes the only basis for the conflict in their relationship. I didn’t love this, especially when it could have been fixed by one of them explaining something simple to the other. But it wasn’t enough to deter me from enjoying their romance.

Overall, though, I just really enjoyed this. It was well-written and fun and sweet and just everything a person could want out of an action packed, paranormal romance. There’s lots of room for later stories to be written within this world, and lots of characters for the author to play with, and I’ll definitely looking forward to any more books in this series.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stripped with the Vampire

By Jax Garren

Four stars


Having been very disappointed with my last attempt at reading a contemporary vampire m/m novel (for reasons that were my own issues, not really reflections on the quality of the book), Jax Garren’s “Stripped with the Vampire” was a welcome diversion.

Garren has created a well-conceived vampire subculture that operates mostly without notice by the mortal world; and it is just part of a much larger immortal realm that exists under the radar of human awareness.

For some reason, Austin, Texas is a center for this immortal world, which frankly makes no sense (but hey, it’s her book, her world). Garren has also established the idea that there are good vampires and bad vampires. Good vampires have kept their souls, while the bad ones have no soul (and thus no moral compass), and act pretty much the way Dracula and his ilk have always acted.

One of the good guys is Charles Travert, a 300-year-old French-born vampire who makes his living as a highly skilled woodworker in Austin. Vince Pagano is his twenty-four year old ex-boyfriend, who Charlie took into his home as a teenager after he was kicked out of his home for being gay. The backstory is important, because it defines the flow of the emotional plotline. Charlie and Vince were only lovers for a year, five years earlier. At first Charlie was Vince’s protector and surrogate parent. Then, when Vince got a job as a stripper at nineteen, to earn his keep and be independent, he didn’t tell Charlie; Charlie dumped him.

The book kicks off with Vince getting a stripping gig at a private party, which turns out to be a party for a gang of soulless (bad) vampires, who intend to sacrifice him to an Aztec god. After a harrowing escape, Vince staggers back into Charlie’s life, because, well, Charlie’s the only vampire he knows.

Yeah, I know, it’s a little baroque, but it’s sort of a creative way to establish a gay romantic history without imitating Anne Rice. In many ways, as is true with every modern vampire novel (including my own), Anne Rice’s presence is there. How an author moves away from, while not abandoning the core premises of, Anne Rice’s seminal work in this genre is a key ingredient of any successful vamp romance (gay or straight).

At the heart of Charlie Travert’s existence is the fact that he has always kept his head down, remained on the fringes of the vampire world, in order to survive. Partly this is shyness, but the larger part is fear. It is his identity as a gay man, not as a vampire, that fuels this fear. It seems (quite logically) that the vampire world was just as homophobic 300 years ago as the straight world was—as one might have expected. So, unlike Louis or Lestat, Charlie suffers not just the existential angst of being a blood-sucking immortal, but the very practical fear of being burned at the stake as an abomination.

Vince, as an out-and-proud gay millennial, in spite of family rejection, has no concept of Charlie’s deep fear. This is the dynamic that drives the romantic story line, and it is very nicely handled, threading its way through all of the action that fills this substantial novel.

The action is crazy and not always entirely coherent, what with Aztec gods and witches and a veritable salad of Viking, Gothic and other ancient vampire histories swirling around in the chaos. But, in its own crazy way, it sort of makes sense. Garren gives us lots of quirky characters, vampire and mortal, each of them with a distinct worldview that colors the narrative. Ultimately the book is about vampires living in the modern world, trying to make a place in which they can live in harmony with the mortal majority (see what I did there?). Easier said than done, apparently. And that’s exactly why the book is so much fun.

Garren has more books in the Austin series planned. They will focus on the M/F relationships present in “Stripped with the Vampire,” and so are not of particular interest to me; but there’s no doubt they’ll be fun reads under Garren’s excellent management.

[Charlotte Villette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie is an adorable 300 odd year old vampire, who you can't help but love, and Vince is a macho lovable 24 year old human. Even though it should never work, they can't get rid of their love for each other - no matter how much they try and stay out of the way of each other, they are always drawn to each other when times are tough.
I love anything vampire/paranormal related. I was expecting this book to be quite erotic, going by the cover of the book, however it is far from it, it is mostly about their fight to get the vampire world back under control after a with has run riot and is destroying everything.
- Don't open the picture if you don't like m/m & over 18s only - just a warning ;)
Charlie is a very much closeted gay man, where as Vince is so far out and this causes a lot of tension between the two, with Vince wanting to show everyone the real them, but he can't because Charlie always holds back. His reasons to hold back are very good, he comes from a time when they wasn't very accepting, and he is worried about the reaction of the other vampires, however with Vince's help, he slowly gets used to the idea of being out.
This is a very slow moving book (it's quite a long book with around 325 pages). Which I don't mind since it does make the story better to read, however at a point (at the very beginning) I did contemplate stopping reading, but I stuck with it and I am really happy I did, I loved everything about this book. The only thing that I wish it had more of was.. sex, I was gutted there was only 1 & a half sex scenes in it! However, it was still a very enjoyable read.
I needed more penis! LOL.
However, I did absolutely love this book, and I am really happy that I stuck with it.
For full review: http://steamy-bookreviews.blogspot.co...
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[QUEERcentric Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jennifer Marcum for QUEERcentric Books
4.7 Stars

As a lover of the paranormal from Twilight to the Mortal Instruments or the Sookie Stackhouse series, I thoroughly enjoyed Jax Garren's first novel, Stripped with the Vampire, in the Austin Immortals series. Add in that it’s an M/M romance as well and I'm hooked!

Vince is a proud and vivacious 24-year-old gay man who aspires to be a blacksmith but pays the bills by stripping. Charlie is an almost 300-year-old Vampire who lives a quiet life as a craftsman woodworker. He is afraid to display his sexual orientation to the world, especially his fellow vampire brothers and sisters.

It’s been five years since Charlie broke up with Vince after finding out he was secretly a stripper during their relationship. Near the beginning of the story, Vince finds himself in a life or death battle after accepting a stripping job for an Aztec fanatic who plans on sacrificing his heart to her god. He only has one person to turn to, the man who threw him out five years ago--the man he has yet to get over, Charlie.

Vince and Charlie are forced to face their past in order to save their futures

Vince and Charlie are forced to face their past in order to save their futures. They have old pain and unresolved emotions as well as a deep-rooted friendship and an all-consuming lust for one another.

Garren creates multiple obstacles that leave you guessing how love will conquer all. Charlie desires to live a quiet unassuming life while Vince needs to live life to the fullest and seize the day. Also, Vince has an inability to become an immortal because of his terminal disease and Charlie remains inflexible when it comes to Vince’s stripping. It kept me hoping they could figure it out, but also wondering if it will ever be possible.

an action-packed fight of good vs. evil

The supernatural elements of the story are so much fun with the witches and were-rats to Aztec Gods and vampires—some that have souls and others that don’t.  It’s an action-packed fight of good vs. evil and an overarching theme, “love is magic, stronger than any witchcraft,” flows throughout. There is an abundance of humor and the supporting characters will have you cracking up. I’d be remiss not to mention Cash and Emma who have a flirty and humorous dynamic that endear them to your heart.

Read the full review on QUEERcentric Books

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ended up being much more of an urban fantasy with trace elements of M/M romance and I liked that a lot. It didn't need to focus on the romance for me.

The story is realy like a 3.7.The plotline was a bit heavy at times.You get dropped right into the action. I spent a large part of the beginning of this book extremely confused. So does Vince, though. He does not have enough info on the supernatural world to handle what is going on at all.I felt like it may have been done that way on purpose then.Skip the character intros and jump right into the world. It was rough,but once you get through that opening things get a bit clearer. I did like that the mythology centered around was Aztec. I don't see that a lot. I found it kind of interesting.

Charlie is in the closet for hundreds of years. That's so crazy to me, but it makes sense that vampires who'd been around for a along time might be a bit homophobic. It was a frustrating thing to read at times. I wish Charlie could feel like he belonged somewhere. He's not human, and he's not comfortable around his own kind. It sucks. I also liked that even though Charlie is a vampire he is not a fighter at all.

Vince is a nice foil to Charlie. He's unapologetic about who he is and what he does (Stripper). That doesn't mean I think he's always in the right. He definitely takes some blame to why the relationship ends the first time around. Honesty is so important. Vince also isn't the best at trying to understand Charlie's point of view at times.

I liked seeing Charlie and Vince dance around each other. they need to work out their past feelings. Figuring out if they are still having feelings for each other. Then figure out where they can possibly go from there. All while going up against some supernatural big bads.

Cash, Emma, are some of the best characters I've read in a while. There are a lot of great side characters in this book, but these three needed to be mentioned. The dialogue when they are in the scenes is my favorite. Emma and Cash kicked the most butt in here. I didn't know if I'd like Cash at first, but he grew on me really fast.

[Sharrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was AWESOME!!! Jax Garren is now on my ‘Authors I must read’ list.

Stripped by a Vampire was nothing like I expected and I loved it. There was an actual story with characters in it and I was expecting more of a story with just sexy times. I love me some M/M sexy times so I wasn’t opposed, but seriously this was better than I could have imagined.

Vince used to date and be in love with a vampire, then his vampire boyfriend Charlie found out he was a stripper and their relationship ended. Now five years later Vince was scheduled to dance for a party and was attacked by vampires and almost died. When he finds Charlie he knows he’s the only one who can help him. I loved Vince. I felt like his character really grew and he was just amazing. He had a great inner strength and didn’t let peoples’ poor opinions about homosexuals bring him down. His relationship with Charlie is phenomenal and I loved how the two of them interacted and brought out the best in each other.

Charlie grew up a long time ago and with that comes his fears about how people will treat him because he’s gay. So he hides who and what he is from the human and vampire world. Loving Vince he definitely isn’t allowed to hide who he is anymore since Vince isn’t ashamed of who and what they are, nor does he care what people think. This was a big problem between Vince and Charlie since Charlie wanted to hide their relationship and Vince didn’t. I enjoyed the real life problems they had and how throughout the book they grew together and because of each other. Plus the sexy times were beyond awesome.

Stripped by a Vampire isn’t just about Charlie and Vince’s love story. It has magic, and sacrifice, and ancient Gods, super hilarious characters, and so much more. Honestly this book has everything you need for an awesome book. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

[ѦѺ™ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Love will find a way against time itself.” - Sylvia Day, Catching Caroline

the night Vincent Ceasar Pagano is hired to dance by Tzitzi at Tooth and Nail, a goth club, all hell breaks loose. led by a mysterious masked man, members of the Liberi Pestorum Cruenta (Children of the Blood Plague) almost drain him of precious blood. Tzitzi's plan to sacrifice him to the Aztec god Xipe Totec is also thwarted when Vince manages to escape. bleeding and broken in body and spirit, Vince runs to the only one he knows who could help him - Charles Travert, his ex-boyfriend and an 18th-century vampire.

from the get go, i knew this was a different kind of m/m romance with its supernatural elements, interesting characters and strange myths thrown in. the writing was well-executed and grounded on research and the worldbuilding was unique.

for a first male/male paranormal romance novel, author Jax Garren impressed me with the attention to detail and creativity she lavished on this book. her take on her immortals is fresh and original.

my only "sore" spot (as with any kind of romance novel i get to read lately) is the endless rationalizing lovers throw at themselves whether they are good for each other or not. it is all right to know about the whys and why nots at the beginning or at some point but when it gets repeated a lot throughout the book, i find it too cumbersome. in this case, it made me want to scream at Vince and Charles to "either just stop already or get on with it! time's a wasting!"

nevertheless, i like this first book of the Austin Immortals. the vampires and the humans with their strong points and imperfections are unforgettable. it is great to know and note that some of them will have their own stories coming out this 2015 and 2016. it would be interesting to read those books as well.


*received a copy for review via NetGalley

[Kate Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Myths and fairy tales are some of my absolute most favorite things and there are few things that get me more excited than when authors bring in mythology/old religions into a modern story especially when everything can be - and probably is - real. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Nordic are popular stomping grounds right now so it was a surprise to see a reinvention of Aztec mythology. What's also interesting and appreciated is that the author doesn't make an religion seem inherently good or evil - only the creatures welding the powers of those religions have such inclinations.

While I'm not sure as many of the ancient people thought of homosexuality as bad or unnatural as the author makes out, but it was central to the story that one of the characters felt like the people around him thought that way and it's nice to see the characters, at least most of them, progress.

One of the great things about this book is the pace and the story. Some books feel like they have way too much for the story they're writing and some feel like there's too much story for the book. I didn't find that here. I also struggle with series because the first one has too much set up and not enough plot or the ending is frustrating. I didn't feel that way here. There is world building and plot set up but the story and the storytelling make that happen organically.

I loved the cast of characters and I'm definitely looking forward to more from this world.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is sensitive to gore/violence - there's mention of hearts being cut out, skin being flayed, impaling, blood letting... basically lots and lots of blood. There's also the whole soul-removing (mostly in a temporary way) spell thing.

[Arch Bala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of vampire stories because I’m always fascinated with how each author creates their version of these creatures. This one though isn’t straying too far from the mainstream vampire that we’ve come to know – their fear of sunlight, the vampire royalties, their creation, beauty, wealth, fangs and all. So there’s really nothing new in that regard.

While I appreciate the interchanging POV between Charlie and Vince here, I honestly didn’t feel that much connection from Charlie – like he’s not there at all. When I read the blurb about Charlie being a shy vampire – I thought that would be cute for the story but on the onset of his introduction, the shy vampire was actually a spineless one. So needless to say, it’s a good thing that he’s almost invisible in the story. He’s adorable but annoying at the same time.

I also didn’t get Vince’s logic about his job. It’s almost too immature, IMHO. The interesting part is that he’s actually diabetic and that gave the story a unique take on becoming a vampire or not. I loved that he was very adamant with his decision. And that one is rather refreshing if I may say so myself.

Overall, the story was kind of messy if not predictable. It was also too long for such a premise. I still think that this couple needs a second book because their HFN story isn’t very appetizing for the series.

Given that this is the author’s first foray into the MM genre, I really do commend her effort. It needs some work on the man-on-man action but otherwise, the romance was still there.

I’d read the next book in the series only if I’d get to read more of Charlie and Vincent.

Published March 11th 2015 by Valkyrie Books

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

[Amy King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vince Pagano is a very sexy male stripper with a passion for blacksmithing. He unintentionally stumbles into the world his ex boyfriend had tried to shield him from. Old hurts and feelings come back coupled with new fears. Charlie Travert is an incredibly successful wood crafter. The wood he makes into beautiful works of art is all he wants in life. Well, it was now, but an old flame literally stumbles into his workshop. Vince and Charlie have a lot of hurt and anger between them. They have to work together, along with others, in order to save the world. Even if the world is a cold and unaccepting place. First, I'd like to say that I read a lot of M/M romances, paranormal and contemporary. Apparently I've been reading the wrong ones. I have never, at this point in time, read one where the characters were so well developed past sex or the story wasn't revolving around sex. It was so refreshing. I'm happy I got to read this book! Jax Garren creates a paranormal world that everyone can fall into and relate with in some way. Not everything is flowers and good times for the vampires, but they are unbelievable people. There are several characters I'd love to know more about. Vince and Charlie's story was amaxing. There wasn't anything simply short and sweet about the two of them. I absolutely loved Stripped With A Vampire. My heart ached for Vince so much. When I read I like to be emmersed in the stories and I very much was in theirs. I recommend this book to everyone!

[ReviewerLarissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Review written for BookWinked**


I do so love me some vampires. Combined with a theme of lost lovers finding each other again and a paranormal adventure, yeah sign me up. For this story though, it didn’t quite work out. An over the top theme with Aztec Gods, I can work with. Holes in the plot, wooden writing and too-stupid-too-live characters, didn’t make a good story for me.

The story is straight up as the blurb tells it, but it gets a lot deeper. Secret vampire societies, romance, action & adventure and various characters that carry the story. It’s a bit like Veronica Mars meets True Blood. The plot in itself is not so bad. The slow, rekindling, romance between Vince and Charlie works.

What didn’t work for me were the multiple plot holes. Events that were first 6 months that were later a year. Evil baddies that were supposed to be caught, but just vanished off page – multiple times – only to reappear later. There were more bits like that. However, especially the part with villain conveniently getting away again and again got old real fast.

Despite that I liked the romance between Vince and Charlie and how we got to know Charlie and his background. Vince is an okay character too. A free spirit with a strong personality. Together both characters are very sweet.

This is just one of those books that I wanted to like, but didn’t work for me.