BOOK REVIEW: Lord of the Vampires

TITLE: Lord of the Vampires
SERIES: Royal House of Shadows, Book 1 AUTHOR: Gena Showalter

PUBLISHER: Harlequin Nocturne
DATE OF PUBLICATION: August 30, 2011 FORMAT: E-ARC, 281 pages GENRE: Paranormal Romance ISBN: 978-0373618668

SYNOPSIS FROM NETGALLEY:

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 vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four
royal heirs…and time is running out…
Nicolai the Vampire was renowned for his virility, but in a twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” had become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remained was a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who could help him.

In her dreams, a wanton vampire called to Jane Parker, drawing her to his dark sexuality and his magical realm.

But for a human, all was not a fairy tale in Delfina. Jane was the key to Nicolai’s memory…but exploiting her meant dooming the only mortal he craved.

MY REVIEW:

I received this e-ARC from Netgalley.

Jane Parker, a 27 year-old woman, returns home from her jog to find a mysterious box on her porch. Inside is a leather-bound book with a note attached that reads, "I need you, Jane." Jane falls asleep after reading the book, and she awakens in Delfina - a magical realm with no time or age which has differing kingdoms and is outside the notice of humans.

In this alternate universe, everyone thinks that Jane is Princess Odette "returned from the grave." Odette had been stabbed and drained by her new vampire slave, Nicolai, and then thrown over the cliffs and was presumed dead. When Nicolai summoned Jane, he projected Odette's image onto her so that everyone would think that she was Odette.
Jane was a scientist who studied the manipulation of macroscopic energy, like the molecular transfer of an object from one place to another. Is this the reason why Nicolai had summoned her?
Jane, as Odette, must help Nikolai return to Elden so that he can kill the Blood Sorcerer who slayed his parents, King Aelfric and Queen Alvina, and find his siblings: Dayn, Breena, and Micah.

This is my first Harlequin Nocturne book, and also my first reading of Showalter's work. I am now a fan of both! I thought the story was unique, and I loved the idea of travelling to another realm.

I love that Jane is a strong, smart heroine and that she had overcome so much, not just in her ordinary life before Nicolai but also all that she had to endure while in Delfina. Nicolai is a hot and sexy vampire. I thought their pairing was magical, and Showalter certainly has a way with words -- the intimate scenes between Jane and Nicolai are positively sizzling!
Each book in the series is written by a different author, and I hope that I will enjoy the next book in the series -- Lords of Rage by Jill Monroe (Princess Breena's story) -- as much as I did this one. I am hooked on the series, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

MY RATING: 4.5 stars!

This book qualifies as:

#46 for my 2011 100+ Reading Challenge

#19 for my What an Animal Reading Challenge IV 

#11 for my Vampire Challenge 2011

#10 for my 1st In A Series Challenge 2011
#6 for my Paranormal Romance Challenge 2011
#2 for my 2011 E-book Reading Challenge