"Exciting New Vampire Series"

A Dead Poet's Society in Jolly Olde England?

What was really interesting about this book was that Ms. Laurey cast a real historical figure in the role of the hero. Christopher Marlowe, a contemporary of William Shakespeare, was a well-known poet and playwright. His death in Deptford at the age of twenty-nine was shrouded in mystery. The author blended fact and fiction, passion and humor to fashion a wholly believable tale.

No doubt you've heard there are werewolves in London. Well apparently England hosts their share of vampires and witches as well. Indeed one of each provide the main male antagonists for the story. There are a number of interesting side characters associated with them as well.

The heroine is an American. Dixie LePage is most definitely mortal. In inheritance left to her by her great aunt brings her to England to view the property in order to sell. She'd hoped for a nice quiet vacation before returning home to her native South Carolina. It was not to be.

Two men are very interested in the contents of her library. Dixie's solicitor Sebastian Caughleigh has nefarious reasons. He's determined to send Dixie packing before she discovers her late aunt's secrets. You see Sebastian is also the head of the local coven of Wiccan's.

Wiccan's practice the ancient religion of nature worship. Many of the worshippers practice herbal healing, but this coven has been corrupt for sometime, first by Dixie's elderly great aunts who made a lucrative living both healing the townspeople then blackmailing them with their secrets. Sebastian wants the information for his own use. He will stop at nothing to get it, not even murder. He is unhappy with Dixie's arrival and plans to send her packing ASAP.

The other man is Christopher Marlowe, or Kit, who is interested in her obtaining her books. He is a bit happier to see Dixie. He is a vampire and must be invited into the home in order to enter. He had not expected to be so taken with the young American woman. A relationship between them is just not possible. At any rate Dixie would probably be appalled if she knew his true nature. He has reason to dislike Sebastian and it is not long before he's become Dixie's self-appointed protector. Unfortunately his is unable to protect himself.

Sebastian holds no appeal for Dixie; she's not even sure she trusts him. Kit is a different story entirely. The more time she spends with him the more she cares for him. Sebastian is not to be thwarted however. He knows what Kit is, and plans to destroy him thus gaining Kit's power for himself. If he can use Kit's disappearance to implicate him in a murder, so much the better. He is very nearly successful. The roles reverse, as Dixie becomes Kit's savior. Now that Dixie knows the truth about Kit, can the two find a way to thwart Sebastian and get him to own up to his crimes? Can two people from different times, places, and general makeup find a way to be together for all time?

I do so love a strong heroine, and Dixie LePage is certainly that. Kit is a wonderful hero, and I enjoyed the fact that even a being with supernatural strength, and rapid healing ability could still be vulnerable. Ms. Laurey introduced some new "vampire rules" as well. There are quite a few opportunities for humor as this modern day woman deals with the very proper historical vampires. All in all an enjoyable read.

Leslie Tramposch - Copyright © 2000 For PNR Reviews

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Courtesy PNR
Posted October 14, 2001

Author Interview

Rereleased as Kiss Me Forever in the Zebra duet: Kiss Me Forever/Love Me Forever.

Summary

Vampires . . . blackmail . . . and murder in a peaceful English village . . . Dixie LePage didn't expect life in an English village to be exactly like South Carolina, but nothing prepared her for what she found in the quiet Surrey village of Bringham. She loved the house she inherited, and finding herself a rich woman was an unexpected bonus. She enjoyed making friends and meeting new and eccentric people--after all, what else would she expect by moving to England? As Dixie learned more about her family history, she was startled to hear her deceased great-aunts referred to as witches. Discovering the blackmail and murders horrified Dixie. The attempts on her life angered and terrified her. But it was falling in love with a 400-year-old Vampire--a not-so-dead Christopher Marlowe--that finally taught her the real meaning of culture shock.