Review: Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter

Lord of the Vampires (Royal House of Shadows, Book 1) by Gena Showalter

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (August 23, 2011)

Goodreads Description:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.

Nicolai the Vampire is renowned for his virility, but in a cruel twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” has become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remains is a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who can help him.

When the wanton vampire summons Jane Parker, she is helpless to obey. She's drawn to his dark sexuality and into his magical realm. But for this human, all is not a fairy tale. For saving Nicolai could mean losing the only man she's ever craved...
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The Royal House of Shadows series is unique in that each book will be written by a different author. This first one is written by Gena Showalter who happens to be my favorite author. The rest of the books will be written by Jill Monroe, Jessica Andersen, and Nalini Singh. The release dates are only a month apart so this series will be an easy one to follow.

I have mixed feelings about Lord of the Vampires. I think the story would have benefited greatly from more pages than the 288 there are because the storyline felt rushed. I also had trouble connecting with Jane and I wasn't that crazy about Nicolai either. I think what really put me off was the instant connection between them. Nicolai doesn't exactly make the best first impression so I felt like the chemistry between him and Jane should have had a slower build. I expected Jane to resist more and for longer.

I really love the overall premise of the entire series with the royal heirs sent away for their safety but at the same time filled with the need for vengeance. Although I had some issues with this book I do plan on continuing with the series. I'm looking forward to getting to know each of the siblings and their situations.

2.5/5

I received this book for review from Netgalley. Any opinions expressed are my own.