As the owner of a hot nightclub, she's more unconventional than most of her fellow vampires, and if some think her a little out of control, then so be it. But after three former employees filed a complaint about her temper, Vanda is sentenced to an anger management class. Worse, Phil Jones agreed to be her sponsor. Phil, the mortal who is forbidden to her . . .
If Vanda knew who—or what—Phil really is, she'd reconsider her attraction to him, for his true nature is wilder than anything she'd ever imagined. He has tackled the beast within and now is the perfect person to help Vanda with her rage . . . if only he can keep his cool when she makes him so undeniably hot. But with rogue vamps on the loose, will they ever have their forbidden nights?
Kerrelyn Sparks apparently has issues with reality. After writing more than a dozen books about vampires, she has now completely gone off the deep end and wound up on another planet. But how thrilling that she can share this magical new world with her readers! Although she is best known (so far) for the Love at Stake series, which has hit as high as number 5 on the New York Times list and 22 on the USA Today list, she hopes her readers will love The Embraced as much as they did her merry band of vamps and shifters. To learn more about her paranormal, historical, and upcoming out-of-this-world fantasy romances, please visit Kerrelyn on Facebook, Twitter, or her website at www.kerrelynsparks.com.
Kerrelyn loves hearing from readers, even those who howl at the moon. Letters may be sent to P.O. Box 5512, Katy, TX 77491-5512. If you would like bookmarks and signed bookplates, please mail a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to her P.O. Box, and she will send those items to you.
This was the worst. Why, you ask? The main girl is so horrible that I want to strangle her with her whip - that she wears as a belt. Over a catsuit. Yes, she wears a catsuit every day. She has them in every color.
Let's face it, ladies. NOBODY can pull off a catsuit. NOBODY. Even if you have the model-figure to wear it, you shouldn't. It's just not an attractive look. There are only three exceptions to this rule:
Evil supervillains:
George Costanza:
Someone from the musical "Cats". And really, they should be a little ashamed:
Well, Vanda isn't funny like George Costanza. She sure ain't no Broadway star. And, if she's a super-villain, her super-power would have to be drowning others in her tears.
That's right, the vampire girl who wears a catsuit with a whip belt, and has short spiky purple hair is the biggest crybaby I have ever met in a book. This chick cries on every page that she is in. I hope her catsuits were made out of super-absorbent material, cuz she needs a hankie and there's no pockets to carry one in.
So, this book sucked. But, I have a stack of these suckers from the library, so I hope the next couple is better than this one. Truly, they would have to be. There is no "down" from here. We have hit rock-bottom.
I hope you are wrong, sad kitty. I really hope so.
Vanda and Phil, two unlikely people to join in a relationship. Biggest hurdles, she fears wolves, he's a wolf, she's forbidden fruit he's a fruit eater. LOL Not my favorite pairing, but it was short and added a pivotal move in the war. I missed the snark in a coupe of the other books. Good narrator
This one got more into the Vamp war and had less humor than the ones before it. There is more suspense, twists & turns in this one. The story flows fluidly, so it is fun and easy to read. I felt it got just a smidgen bogged in Vanda's past, but that is the only negative thing I can say about it. Both Vanda & Phil where a lot of fun to get to know. The romance parts were adult & steamy, but not overdone. A great series I intend to continue to follow and read.
Not like the previous books, that got many humor aspect, this book is more emotional.
Vanda Barkowsky got a hard past.Betrayal, lost her family, lost her lover, chased by Malcontents again and again, make her personalities is hard too. And then she must go to anger management, because some worker in her club, Horny Devils is complaint that she can't control her anger. She, of course, disagree to go to anger management, and relieved there no one want to become her sponsor, but she got surprised when one of MacKay S&I guard, Phil Jones, want to be her sponsor
Vanda knows Phil, from the beginning, when Phil first become guard in his nineteen. But the rules that guard can't be involved with their client, make she back off. She then enjoy to flirt him,because she feel bored with her condition in harem. When Roman's harem is dismissed, she never see Phil again. Guess her feeling when finally she meet Phil again, because he is not a desperate and lost young boy, when he first work in Roman's house, but become a grow man.
Vanda still disagree to go to anger management, but Phil insist her too, and we will get know more of Vanda's past and Phil to. Vanda is afraid to shape-shifter, especially werewolves, so how Phil can explain to her, that he is a werewolf and an Alpha? Vanda feel guilty, when Phil accused her to play with his feeling, but what Vanda supposed to? She afraid to lost people that she love, so she playing hard to get..
Things got more complicated, when Malcontents attack again. Their leader, Cassimir is pissed off. He want some vampire that kill his friend to perish, and Vanda was on his list. First her club get bombing, and then they almost captured her in New Orleans. With Phil's help, she gone to Phil's cabin, and finally learn, that he is a werewolf. Can Vanda face her fear, and forget her past, to make a step forward with the man that she loved?
Vanda and Phil is the best couple in Love at Stake series after all! Vanda is a hard woman, but of course its because her past is hard too. She cant face a betrayal, so when she know, that her sister is betray her, her heart is torn in two, but she know, that some thing must be forgiven.
Phil, oh I adore him too. Dunno, I always get crush to shape-shifter than vampire, maybe because their attitude, and they're seem so manly, raw, and desirable. *LOL*.. Phil have a hard past too, his father is banished him, because he's disobey his father, and he believe that werewolf must leave an old way, and adapt a new culture..
This book, I swear, is the steamiest in this series. The lovemaking is raw, hot, but tender too. I'm glad there are no wasting sexual tension, or some "meh" love scene. Phil and Vanda is clear, they're want each other, even though Vanda is playing hard to get, but watch out, when she finally accept him!...
And the ending.. Well the ending is almost make me cry. Don't want to spoil in here, but is the best ending for this series ^^..
Next is Robby Mackay's story, he is a descendant of Angus MacKay, and he got some terrible condition in this book. Can't wait to know what happen to him next in ....
I'm not sure if I'm giving 5 stars to the book because I loved it or because I got fond of the series and the characters, maybe a bit of both things. This couple was great, the chemistry between them was amazing and how everything developed even better. I loved the change from vampire to were.
This series is a fun, quick read. I give this books 5 stars because I really enjoy reading them, but they can't compare to more serious or complex books. It's something to read when you're looking for a light read.
3 1/2 stars. Was glad to get Phil's story because he intrigued me from before. I figured he was something more. Vanda annoyed me though for most of the book but it was an entertaining read. Just not my favorite.
Reviewed for THC Reviews I don’t know why I keep letting so much time pass between my reading of these Love at Stake books, because they’re nearly always perfect reads for me. Forbidden Nights with a Vampire was no exception. This one pairs Vanda and Phil, two characters I’m pretty sure have been on the canvas since the series began. Vanda is a former member of the Coven Master’s harem, while Phil works for MacKay Security and Investigation as a daytime guard, looking out for the vampires while they’re in their death sleep. These two have been attracted to one another for as long they’ve known each other, but Phil never would have dared break trust either with Vanda or his employer by giving in to her flirtation during those years. Now things are different, and he’s more than ready to pursue her. However, when he agrees to be her anger management sponsor, it throws another potential “forbidden” aspect into their relationship. But that’s nothing compared to them finding out that the evil Casimir has a list of Vamps he intends to kill and that Vanda is on it. Not to mention, things really start heating up with an escalation in the conflict with Casimir and the Malcontents. There’s a lot going on in this book to keep the reader engaged, and I loved every minute I spent reading it.
Vanda was born in Poland during the early part of the 20th century, which meant that when WWII started, she was right in the thick of things. After losing her entire family, being turned into a vampire, and fighting in the war, she was exhausted and sought out the peace and quiet offered by the harem of the Coven Master for the East Coast of the US. She spent decades there, but when Roman released all of the women in his harem, she started a new life as the owner of a male vampire strip club. While she was still in the harem, though, she met Phil, one of her guards, who definitely caught her eye, so she spent many nights flirting with him even though nothing ever came of it at the time. Now she finds herself the object of several lawsuits by her former employees alleging that she can’t control her temper. As a result, Roman rules that she must attend anger management classes, but no one will step up to sponsor her except Phil. Vanda doesn’t want a sponsor or classes, but Phil can be surprisingly persuasive and not easily driven away. He also saves her life more than once when one of the vindictive ex-employees comes after her. But the biggest threat comes from Casimir, the leader of the Malcontents, who will stop at nothing to see Vanda dead for her role in the killing of another high-ranking Malcontent. Prickly heroines like Vanda often don’t resonate with me, but Kerrelyn Sparks does an excellent job of showing how Vanda’s anger is a shield that protects her vulnerable heart. She lost everyone she ever cared about in the war, including a former love who was mortal, and since she believes that Phil, too, is mortal, she fears losing him as well if she allows herself to truly care about him. She also fears that if he finds out what she really did during the war, he’ll think she’s a monster. But Phil patiently chips away at that wall, showing her that they’re perfect for each other and that nothing need stand in their way. I ended up really liking Vanda, because she’s the perfect mix of a spunky heroine who doesn’t take crap from anyone and one who has sympathetic flaws and weaknesses that are easy to relate to.
After being banished from his pack for not falling into lock-step with his father’s demands, Phil went to work for MacKay S & I. While he was her guard, Vanda presented a delicious temptation, but one he was determined to resist. Now they’re both at different places in their lives. She’s no longer a harem girl, and he’s just returned to New York after a longterm assignment in Texas. When he witnesses Roman’s ruling and sees that nobody is stepping up to sponsor Vanda, he offers to support her, but it takes a lot of patience and persuasive skills to get her on board with it, two things that he possesses in abundance. As she slowly reveals bits and pieces of her past, Phil intuitively realizes why she is the way she is. But when she still tries to keep her heart locked up tight, he’s determined to break through, because he knows she’s his mate and he’s not going to let her get away this time. However, in addition to all the death threats against Vanda, she’s terrified of wolves. The Nazis sent them to chase her down during the war, so he isn’t quite sure how she’s going to react when she finds out that he’s no mere mortal. Phil is one of the most scrumptious romance heroes I’ve read in a while. He’s an alpha werewolf, who exerts his dominance when necessary, but at the same time, he’s kind, compassionate, and tender, the proverbial alpha with a heart of gold, which is my favorite kind. He’s also a delicious lover, always taking his time, even when he’s ostensibly giving the beast in him free-reign. I love how he’s so patient with Vanda, giving her time to come to terms with things, but not letting her hide from him. He also has an interesting backstory of his own and must come to terms with certain things related to his heritage. Phil was just an all-around dreamy hero who’s definitely earned a spot on my favorite heroes list.
When reading these books, I never cease to be amazed by how Kerrelyn Sparks manages to wrangle such a huge cast of characters and give them all a moment in the spotlight or at least a mention. Most of the past and future characters who have their own books are present in one way or another including: Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire), the fearless leaders of the East Coast coven, and their adorable little ones, Constantine and Sophia; Austin and Darcy (Vamps in the City); Maggie, one of Vanda’s former harem sisters, and her husband, Pierce (A Very Vampy Christmas); Angus, owner of MacKay S & I, and his wife, Emma (Be Still My Vampire Heart); Jean-Luc and Heather (The Undead Next Door); Ian and Toni (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire); Jack and Lara (Secret Life of a Vampire), who celebrate their engagement with a big party; were-panther Carlos (Eat, Prey, Love); Connor (Vampire Mine); Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive); were-bear Howard (Wild about You); Vanda’s friend, business partner, and former harem member, Pamela (V Is for VampWoman); Dougal (The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo), who loses something very important in this book; and Zoltan (How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)). As a friend of Phil’s and a fellow employee of MacKay S & I, Phineas (aka Dr. Phang) plays a significant role and as always makes me laugh. In Wanted: Undead or Alive, he’ll be paired with Phil’s sister, Brynley, who we meet for the first time. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Brynley. She helps in a lot of positive ways, but at the same time, she’s pretty prejudiced toward Vanda because she’s a vampire. I guess she’ll be getting some sort of awakening since she’ll be falling in love with one in the future. Last, but certainly not least is Robby, who goes through an ordeal in this book, so I’m very happy that he’ll be the hero of the next one, The Vampire and the Virgin. And that’s not even all of the supporting characters. We also get a visit with the colorful New Orleans coven, a group of misfit, teenage werewolves, the villainous Malcontents, and more. It would be easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of characters present in this story, and yet, the author somehow manages to weave them all seamlessly into the narrative and also writes their dialogue in such a way that I can hear all of their different accents in my head as I’m reading, which is some masterful writing skills.
Overall, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire was another awesome read in this series. Vanda and Phil were both great characters who fit together perfectly like two pieces of a puzzle. Their romance is by turns emotional, tender, sweet, and smokin’ hot. The supporting characters added all the herbs and spices to create a flavorful story. Then there are the death threats against Vanda, which give the reader plenty of suspense and excitement. We also get some development to the series story arc with the escalation of the conflict with the Malcontents slowly turning into all-out war that I’m sure will play out over the books yet to come. I’m totally energized to pick up the next book, so I’ll have to remind myself not to wait so long next time around. I’m really looking forward to Robby’s story and all the rest, as well as seeing how things play out with the Malcontents. It all promises to be very exciting.
A FABULOUS book!!!.. When I turned the first page. I didnt know this book was Phil's and Vanda's. And you can imagine how thrill i was. I did suspect Vanda had a thing for Phil in Ian's book. when she asked Ian How's Phil? But I shrugged it away. And now It surprised me. Vanda is true riot, love her wild ways. She is actually the beast and Phil is the beauty :DD. And as for Phil, We havent know anything about Phil in the previous books. We didnt know if he was handsome or not. This book did described her well. Every turn was a surprise for me. The Fight. Wow. It was pretty intense. Haha. Loved Carlos when he dragged the Malcontents in to the woods. Eerie and scary as hell but at the same time cute. He is so naughty. And Howard Barr. The very first time we saw him shift in to bear.. *Low whistles*. That was cool. Felt bad for Robby, glad he is okay and all.
And It was great meeting the other were-wolves n Phil's twin sister Bryn, and the other banished were-wolves, poor them , was happy for them now that they have a place and important things to do. They are better off without their family who actually banned them. The wedding seemed beautiful and Oh boy! What Vanda did to Miss Implant! L.M.F.A.O!! Loved that scene.. and LaToya.. geez girl. She is another riot!..
Poor Dougal! I hope Roman will figure something out!
Jumping into a series already in progress is a tricky thing to do. Forbidden Nights with a Vampire is the seventh book in the Love at Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks. I figured that while there is an overarching storyline throughout the series all the books could be read as standalones if necessary. I lucked out because this is exactly the case here. I was able to follow along with the story and understand the world it was set in just fine. So the fact that I jumped into the series on book 7 didn’t hinder my enjoyment of it. I just felt that there were definitely some other missed opportunities here.
Forbidden Nights with a Vampire is the story of Vanda (a vampire who owns a male strip club and has a secret past) and Phil (a vampire guard and alpha werewolf) and their “forbidden” romance. First off, I want to formally state that I liked them as a couple. That being said, most of their relationship was a total cheese fest. I still enjoyed their love story and I wanted them to end up together but their dialogue was so sappy. I had a case of the eye rolls on more than one occasion. There were also lots of moments for humor and there were definitely jokes but they just weren’t really landing for me. It wasn’t the book to make me “LOL”. As for the smut, it was about the average I would expect in a paranormal romance. It was sufficiently steamy but nothing out of the ordinary.
Maybe it’s just me but I had this crazy idea. SLIGHT SPOILER: Vanda’s mysterious and painful past in embedded in World War II. From the little bit we find out about it, it seems like a really compelling story. So compelling in fact, that I kind of wish the story took place entirely in that time period. Now, if you’ve read my reviews before, you all should know that I’m RARELY a fan of something historical. However, in the case of Forbidden Nights with a Vampire I think it would have made the story so much more interesting! I realize that the present day setting goes along with it being part of a series that takes place in present times. But if I was looking at this as a standalone, then I have to say that the present day setting doesn’t really do much of anything to help the story be more captivating. JUST SAYING…
In the end, I just kind of got an average paranormal romance. It wasn’t bad and it wasn’t great. It was in that middle grey area where, while enjoyable in the present, the story isn't really something that I’ll remember all that well in the future. There were just too many issues holding it back from being really great. I don’t want to make it sound like I hated Forbidden Nights with a Vampire because I didn’t. It was just pretty average for me and ultimately will just blend into the background of all the other paranormal romances I’ve read.
Wohohoy... akhirnya setelah ada bau-bau shifter di buku sebelumnya, mereka dapat spotlight tersendiri di sini. Si bodyguard Phil sudah bikin kepo sejak perubahannya menjadi werewolf di buku-buku sebelumnya. Dan Vanda love interestnya juga tipe Vampire yang dominan dan penuh warna. Jadi aku menunggu dan membaca yang satu ini dengan antusias.
Dan instingku gak meleset. Buku ini intens, HOT, seksi, seru dan juga penuh momen emosional. Phil tampil menawan dan menggetarkan dengan sisi gentleman dan beastnya. Dia dominan tapi juga super perhatian dan cukup sensitif dengan perasaan dan kebutuhan Vanda. Vanda, aku cukup kaget dengan sisi rapuh dari gadis vampire ini. Latar belakang masa lalunya juga penuh warna banget. Walaupun sepanjang buku kita di suguhi dengan penolakan dan denialnya, aku menikmati sisi tarik ulur penuh tensi mereka berdua.
Sisi action dan pertempuran juga cukup banyak dan seru. Asyiknya kita juga bisa mengintip kehidupan komunitas werewolf versi seri ini. Aku berharap akan lebih banyak buku tentang ras pnr yang satu ini. Bacaan yang tampil lebih dan memorable dari seri yang panjang banget ini.
Well I just want to start by saying... Holy Crap Phil is 10 out of 10 on the hotness scale lol. Jeez! It's not very often that a Werewolf tops a vampire for me but Phil did it. I love the whole Alpha male thing he has going on. I am such a sucker for the strong, sexy possessive males. Phil is perfect. I have always wondered what Vanda would be like. To be honest she reminds me of myself a little. I'm not quite so full of rage lol but I am certainly hot headed and an throw quite the tantrum when required. I loved her passion for everything she does in life. I really liked that her and Phil hasd a past together because I was starting to get a little bored and annoyed with the whole 'What you're a vampire? Oh my god how could you? I hate you!' But then they fall in love. I was happy to get past all that with this book it was refreshing. But what I loved the most was Phil's determination. He had made up his mind and was going to do everything in his power to make her see sense. I love a decisive man :) She had tortured that poor boy for 5 years with what she saw as 'harmless flirting'. Now that Phil has grown up he shows her just how much of a man he has become and unleashes 8 years worth of pent up sexual tension. It was amazing ;) The war against Casamir stepped up a notch in this book. I think we will finally be seeing some serious action between the Malcontents and the Vamps. The Vamps have done some major recruiting over the last 7 books and I can't wait to see their troops put to the test. If LaToya is Dr.Fang's HEA I think I will wet myself with laughter. That would deffinately be a interesting book lol. Can't wait to read Robby's book next.
Re-Read! Book 7 of Love at Stake is Ms. Vanda's book as well as day-guard/werewolf Phil's! I remember that the publishers had books 6 and 7 basically come out back to back (I think a month or so apart?) and being a little underwhelmed with this one at the time. However, having been re-reading these so spaced out, I have a new appreciation for this one. This is all about grief and Vanda healing from past traumas. She lived through Nazi Germany and did some unspeakable things. Phil was always a distraction at the townhouse but when he reciprocates her feelings it's all too real.
Plus this is where the war really kicks off. Friends of the Vamps get serious trauma and injuries here that last. Also, Shanna's school for the Supernatural starts to gain some headway; and I know how that develops along with the series. Another nice entry to this cute little romantic series.
For the last three years Vanda Barkowski has managed her own Vamp nightclub, where sexy Vamp men dance and strip for excited Vamp women. With her purple-dyed hair, purple catsuit and whip coiled around her waist, Vanda lives to shock. She also has something of an anger management problem, and now the Coven Master, Roman Dragenesti, has ordered her to undergo anger management sessions. Again.
Only one man steps forward to sponsor the fiery vampire: Phil Jones, a mortal and Vanda's day guard from when she was a part of the Covern Master's harem for five years. During that time, she flirted outrageously with the attractive young man, but she was forbidden to him. Now, as her sponsor, she's again forbidden to him but Phil's not about to let that get in his way.
What Vanda doesn't realise is that Phil is a werewolf - and an Alpha, meaning he can summon the power of his wolf and change at will. Trying to get to the root of her fears and anger, Phil slowly uncovers Vanda's harrowing past in Europe during the Second World War - and her terror of wolves.
Now faced with an imminent battle between the synthetic-blood-drinking Vamps and the mortal-drinking Malcontents, secrets will out and the truth will have to be faced.
The last couple of Sparks novels have been a lot of run to read - up there with Lynsay Sands and Katie MacAlister. Vanda is a delight: foul-mouthed, hot-tempered, yet beneath it all riddled with guilt and loneliness.
Phil was a breath of fresh air: unpretentious, calm, sexy, doesn't beat about the bush but goes for what he wants with single-minded determination. This story was also refreshing in that it didn't have the classic romance arc of him and her falling in love, she discovers his secret and runs away, he has to prove himself to her, he gets her back. That gets pretty tired pretty quickly - the previous book in the series, Secret Life of a Vampire, had that, as do many others. In contrast, Vanda and Phil were strong and more mature, fell for each other quite quickly and dealt with the obstacles in non-melodramatic fashion. My kind of heroes.
There's humour here too, some fun banter and a few hilarious cross-dressers mouthing plenty of dirty innuendoes. Not original, but certainly fun. The over-arching plot regarding the ongoing war with the Malcontents ups the ante, but fighting between the factions doesn't take up so much space that it gets boring.
While a few of the minor characters are a bit superficial, the main two more than make up for it. Weaving vampires into World War II and the concentration camps added a more concrete sense of realism and a new angle that carried with it raw danger and sorrow. Overall, Forbidden Nights With a Vampire is a mix of light and dark, fun times and tense danger, making it highly enjoyable.
I jumped into this without reading all the previous books in the series. Therefore, all the past characters that appeared and so many of their past are being recapped in a brief way threw me off balance. I find it frustrating and annoying at times that the cast was HUGE and they are like one big happy family. Everyone seemed to be married. There are Roman/Shannan, Ian/Toni, Jack/Lara, Maggie/Pierce and etc... It felt too cliche. Maybe I only have myself to blame for skipping the previous books. I'm sure for those who follow through every single book, they will appreciate all the past characters appearance.
Initially, the book started with Vanda who needs an Anger Management sponsor as per ordered by Roman. Okay, this is totally funny in a weird way because I've never heard this before in any PNR books. So, Phil, volunteered himself to be her sponsor. They both knew each other 8 years ago when Vanda was in the harem and Phil was her guard. They had not seen each other for the past 3 years after Vanda left the harem to live on her own.
From the beginning, Phil is pining on Vanda because he want her since all those years ago. Vanda was pushing him away reluctantly because she thinks he is a mortal. She used to have a mortal lover, who died for saving her. Okay, since from the book excerpt, we know that Phil is definitely not mortal, he kept his identity a secret for his own reason. But most of his work buddies do know about his identity. So, is that a secret or not a secret? I'm not sure, it seems like only Vanda is in the dark about this. Phil, seems like the perfect guy. He did and say all the right thing all the time. A little too perfect for my taste. Okay, I'm a masochist.
The romance between them was not really build up, maybe due to them having know each other years ago. Phil reappearance simply means he want to finally claim her for himself. But anyway, the smut was HOT. And after Vanda find out Phil's true nature, she only freaked out and contemplate her decision for about 10 minutes before jumping on each other again. I would like this angle to be more panned out and develop.
What vampire books will be complete without some politic conflicts. We have Malcontents (bad vamp) wanted to start a war with Romatech (good vamp). A lot of plotting and strategies are going on there, but Vanda does not really involve in all this, although she did appeared to help in the fight half way through. I'm sure this war will continue through the next book, since Casimir, the Malcontent's boss, is still alive.
Barely 3 stars. So much of this book is hiding, secrets and sex. So far this is the weakest book in the series. Not enough romance or action.
This book was about Phil and Vanda. Vanda has anger issues and Phil has been interested in Vanda for years. Phil works for Connor as an MacKay S & I (Security & Investigation) day guard. Vanda is off-limits to Phil because he's her guard and her anger management sponsor, but he's not very good at following rules. I really like Phil, but this book was just too slow and predictable.
There are cameo appearances of other characters from previous books, but I am starting to lose track of all the different couples.
Dislikes: * Roman's ex-harem member, Vanda Barkowski's witchy personality * Constant allusions to Vanda's secret past (which was not that surprising) * "Dr. Phang" persona of Phineas McKinney, ugh
With-reservations: language, sexual situations, prejudice, war, war crimes, anger issues, strip club,
BEST BEST BEST novel so far in the series!!! Much better than my previous fave Be Still my Vampire Heart. I was so sure i would hate Vanda but hell, i can be so wrong sometimes. I lover her character.. and i love Phil!!! can i take him home? ^_^
Quotes: Anger sizzled in Vanda as she faced Roman. “You won’t find anyone here to sponsor me. They’re a bunch of cowards.” She adjusted the whip around her waist. “And they’re right! They should fear me. If any of them dares to reprimand me, I’ll rip their heads off.”
A collective gasp echoed across the room.
Roman regarded her sadly. “I don’t believe you’re entering into this exercise with the correct attitude.”
Connor handed him the keys. “Be careful, lad.”
Phil snorted. “I know how to drive.”
“I wasna referring to the car.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Connor frowned at him. “That’s what they all say.”
“Enough.” Phil put out a hand to stop her. “Vanda, this is my sister. So cut the crap.”
Vanda’s mouth fell open. His sister? She looked past the gorgeous hair and perfect skin and noticed the pale blue eyes, just like Phil’s. “I didn’t know you have a sister.”
“What?” Brynley stared at Phil. “You never told your friends about me? I’m your twin, dammit!”
“Twin?” Vanda gazed at her, then at Phil. “You hypocrite! Always hounding me to tell you about my past, and you don’t even tell me you have a twin?”
Phil shifted his weight and glanced back and forth between the two women. “I—I’m bleeding, you know. I thought you might want to patch me up?”
Brynley crossed her arms. “Patch yourself up.”
“Fine.” Phil stalked into the kitchen area.
Vanda suppressed a laugh. “Good for you.”
Brynley’s mouth twitched. “Thanks.”
Vanda’s smile quickly faded when Phil removed his shirt. Cuts and slashes marked his chest and torso. “Oh no.” She ran toward him.
Vanda has been apart of the Love At Stake series from the being. She was apart of Romans harem and now owes her own night club the Horny Devil. Phil is head of Security during the day guarding the Vamps during their death sleep. It was revealed in one of the other books that Phil was a Shape Shifter, a Werewolf. I do not like books about Shape Shifters and Werewolves. Humans making love to part animals was way out of my league, vampires are humans; dead but human, so I love reading about them because they are very sensual and romantic beings!! I could not see that in shape shifters UNTIL PHIL, HE IS SENSUAL, HOT, SEXY, ROMANTIC, AND DANGEROUSLY PROTECTIVE OF HIS MATE VANDA, WHO IS A BEAUTIFUL, RESOURCEFUL, INDEPENDENT, VIOLENT, HOT TEMPERED VAMPIRE, BUT PHIL MAKES HER PURR LIKE A CAT!!! WHEN YOU FINALLY GET TO THE LOVE SCENES THAT ARE OFF THE CHART WHOA! HOT! HOT!HOT! Phil is my exception to humans making love to part animals and part human, but this for me is were it ends!! Well done Ms. Sparks, you cracked a hole in my opinions of shape shifters mating with humans!!!
Forbidden Nights With A Vampire narra la historia de Phil y Vanda, a quienes ya conocemos de los libros anteriores. Es increible lo sorprendentes que pueden llegar a ser algunas lecturas, la historia de Phil y Vanda no me llamaba demasiado la atencion e incluso llegue a pensar que no me gustaria, y resulto ser el libro que mas me ha gustado de la saga. Divertido, sencillo y tan comico, que no podia parar de reir, ademas la historia de amor de los protagonistas me parecio aun mas hermosa que las anteriores. Muy recomendable!
What a great book. This might be one of my favorites of the series so far. I love Vanda and her inner struggles. I've always loved Phil, even before I knew he was a shifter. As we go through the book and see Vanda cope with her anger and move forward I couldn't help but be proud of her as if she were a dear friend or relative. And I was SO happy for Phil when she gave in to him at last. The end brought tears to my eyes, what a great way to end her story.
I love this series!! I didn't think I would like Vanda that much until the first few pages. A hot-tempered, whip toting vampire being chased around by a sexy as hell Alpha werewolf?? Whats not to love. Vanda had such a touching story and Phil gave her the perfect present What an awesome ending!
I just loved this story!!!! Cant wait to hear Robbie's story.... and Dougal.... and... Wait, let me get back to my reading. So much to look forward to.
This is the story of Vanda and Phil. I had always wanted to know more of what made Vanda the way she is and for the Author Kerrelyn Sparks to pair her with a guard that is a shifter was great. I loved the way there attraction was like a slow burn. Vanda fought it while Phil pushed her to her limits all the while hiding his shifter status from her. Vanda had a tragic past that formed her future in a way that had Phil trying to break down walls constantly. I just felt this book let me down a little. I just felt like Vanda's character in this story was just too strong. In other books prior to this I felt her character was right on point. I still rate this story with a strong four stars because of Phil's side of the story. I loved him and I wish I had seen more of him in previous books. Kerrelyn Sparks series is still one of my favorites and I can't wait for the next book. The audio on this book is great and was very smooth.
Rereading (listening) to this series in 2022 is enlightening in how much I and society have changed since this was first written. Some dubious consent areas (both ways) that I never noticed when I first read this 10 plus yrs ago. And there is a lot of sexist "The little woman stays behind and says eek while the big man goes out to vanquish the foe". It won't stop me from continuing to go back through these and it will be interesting to see how/if the writing changes through the years.
Vanda Barkowski is the owner of a well known Vampire Nightclub, who has a anger control problem, where she is called into a council of meeting by Roman where she has to go see the priest (friend to Roman) since she has had recent incidents that are a cause for concern. Where at this meeting, she has to have a sponsor, and no one speaks up for her, until Phil Jones walks in the room and agree's to sponsor her into counseling. Vanda has always had a soft spot for Phil, and is baffled as to why he would want to sponsor her. However, Phil is forbidden to her and always has been yet there is a startling connection between them. Phil Jones is a werewolf and a Alpha one at that. Phil can control his shifts and has some unique powers. He doesn't reveal to many of the fact of his talents or who he really is, especially not to Vanda who he has always had a crush on, but she is unreachable to him. But when he volunteers to sponsor her, she seems a whole lot more reachable to him than ever before. There is a chemistry and desire that flares up from the very beginning and both of them know its powerless to resist. But admist all this powerful attraction, and trying to get to the bottom line of Vanda's anger, there is a swirling danger from the Malcontents which will threaten all that the good vampires have built.
I definitely enjoyed reading Forbidden Nights with a Vampire, it was a pleasure to read. I really enjoyed Vanda, she is a heroine that we don't see too often. Vanda is a fighter, and lashes out way too easily when someone around her acts or says something wrong. There are secrets in her past, that she just wants to forget because they are too horrific to handle emotionally. She doesn't trust many people, and has a hard time with forgiveness. Vanda is a strong willed, beautiful and courageous woman, who struggles nightly until she meets Phil who stirs up something inside her that she can't control. Phil is a werewolf and was born that way, he fled from his father when he was young and rebellious, wanting to find his own way in the world. He is also Alpha Wolf which means he has some powerful gifts, that are envied among his kind. He has always been attracted to Vanda since he first saw her, and he desperately wants them to have a chance together. Throughout this book, we see the struggle that both Vanda and Phil go through developing an intimate relationship and trying to resolve the issues that surround them. There is also a danger that will creep up on them, that could destroy them all. It was a enticing read, which passion amixt with danger and mystery and a love that grows and will defeat all challenges that they may face.
In Forbidden Nights with a Vampire we finally see the romance that was foreshadowed in a previous book come to fruition. Phil the daytime guard and Vanda the former harem member finally have their romance.
Another great story by Kerrelyn Sparks. She again gives us well rounded easy to love characters, in this book particularly I really enjoyed the backgrounds she gave both Phil and Vanda. Once again the suspense surrounding the war with the Malcontents is a great background and allows us to once again see our favorite characters from previous books but the main focus is the relationship that builds between Vanda and Phil. Vanda's character really grows throughout the novel and becomes the woman she was meant to be. KS's introduction of Phil's sister and the juveniles leads me to suspect we will be seeing them again. I also like how SK is not afraid to have harm done to one of the "good" guys. As we see with Dougal and Robby. I'm sure we will find out more about what happens with them in coming books.
I totally enjoyed this read ...this is fast becoming a favorite series. A sold 4 stars and a rush out to get the next book.
January 24, 2013 Listened to this book on Audio as a reread and I loved it just as much as I did the first time around. The narrator was excellent I wish that they had used her for all the books. Vonda and Phil are a wonderful couple and I loved that more shifters were introduced. I would give this book 4.5 stars on audio and a high recommendation to read it.
Edit: I just finished this last night. It was so awesome just like books 1,3,5 & 6 my favs in the series. I reached book 8 in it. Okay Vanda reminds me in myself. Im sometimes mad and nervous and screaming at anything that annoys me. I even use violence lol Ya so, Phil has a great character and charisma. He is hot sweet,loving, brave and beautiful. He is a perfect man. MAN! who ever thought Phil would marry a vamp? When he showed up in books before [ 3,5,6 and a bit of 1] I was like Here goes another supernatural being ready to fall in love with a mortal.Vanda is a good person, behind all the scars and pain she suffered she really has a sweet heart. I loved the characters so damn much, The first 10 chapters were sort of boring but then the actions started and I couldn't put this down. I loved the ending, I was near tears when but then it was a great CUTE ending. Another winner from Kerrlyn. Just Coool ["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>