Laney Alexander has a surprise waiting for her as she
begins her sophomore year at college. Tall and gorgeous,
the new guy, Oliver Knight, captivates her as soon as she
lays eyes on him. They have all the same classes, and he
even lives in the same apartment complex. She doesn't find
out Oliver isn't just another guy until an attack on the
two of them by Oliver's vengeful twin forces his superior
strength, eyesight, and fangs out of hiding. Already
smitten, Laney takes it in stride. What she doesn't take
in stride is the mystery behind his sister, who seems to
hate Laney on sight. Oliver won't give her details, but
Laney who has a bit of a jealous side, needs to know.
There's a reason for the brothers need for vengeance as
well. And, Laney's aunt doesn't think much of Oliver but
won't tell Laney why.
Joann I. Martin Sowles sets up an interesting story,
especially with the mystery behind Oliver's family and her
aunt's dislike of her beau. Her vampires have some
differences from others currently populating contemporary
fiction such as an ability to eat raw foods and bear the
sun with just dark glasses. She explains daily life for
vampires well, leaving few questions from the reader.
The book starts off slowly, and mention of Oliver's beauty
on every page became tiresome. Some of the flirting and
kissing scenes between Laney and Oliver were too "sweet"
for my personal taste. Laney also seemed not to pick up on
things that would make me wonder, like why her boyfriend
never eats. Sowles also includes a parallel storyline
between Oliver's roommate and Laney's roommate, but it
doesn't seem to go anywhere.
The story picked up pace once some action started and the
intrigue in the storyline became more apparent. Hopefully,
we'll find out more about the family intrigue in the next
book, but unfortunately, this one didn't stand above the
pack for me.
In a small college town in Northern California, Laney
Alexander leads a regular, uneventful life–that is, until
the charming and alluring Oliver Knight enters her world.
Who is this gorgeous and mysterious stranger? Or, rather,
what is he?
As Laney’s sophomore year of college begins, so does an
unbelievable adventure–including a love she didn’t know she
longed for. She soon learns that Oliver is not ordinary,
nor is the rest of his family, including a sister who openly
hates her and a brother who will stop at nothing for
revenge. As she fights for her life, and Oliver’s love,
Laney discovers that the fictional world of vampires isn’t
so fictional after all. Nobody is safe, especially Laney,
Oliver’s most important priority, and he will stop at
nothing to protect her. With her mortality at risk, and a
commitment revealed that she, without a doubt, knows she
wants, Laney’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn…