Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Shannon Drake was one of the original authors that I read when I began to explore the sub-genre of vampire fiction. I came to this genre with the belief that a storyline based on a vampire could ever be as good or as engrossing as something Ann Rice could create. As a result I was a "snob" when it came to picking authors I'd even bother with. The first three stories in Ms. Drake's vampire series were amazing. I loved the characters, the storyline, and even the way she worked the legend of the vampire. The past three efforts though have left a lot to be desired and sadly this newest effort is no different.
What is wrong with this read you ask? Although this story had a lot of potential and some old friends from past books make an appearance this was not enough to save the story in my opinion. Stephanie and Grant had the potential of being great romantic leads. This story opens with them already having had a past relationship that ended...somewhat poorly. They both still care about each other but things started to change and Grant was slowly becoming someone that Stephanie began to almost...fear. Now they both wind up in a remote Italian village under different circumstances but the end result is the same. They are together again and when people start to turn up ravaged and brutally murdered they find themselves working together to come to an understanding and hopefully stop whatever or whoever is set on murdering people.
Ms. Drake is without a doubt a very talented author and one that I normally enjoy reading. The problem with this read was she used the concept of "dreams" and "visions" to express too many important parts of the story. By doing this the reader could be left confused and frustrated. This reader was in any event. The storyline was not as strong as it could have been and although the characters were varied and many, few stayed with this reader after the final page was finished. If you are in the market for a strong vampire romance I highly suggest that you pick up one of her first efforts as they are worthy of five star ratings. This read was okay, not earth shaking, or one that I would recommend if you are either a) new to Ms. Drake, or b)looking for a new vampire legend. Truly I picked this book up out of loyalty to this author and because I have read all of the previous titles in her vampire series. Perhaps I'll be more discriminating next time around.
Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com
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For American Stephanie Cahill, Bella Vista is a new beginning - a chance to put her painful past behind her. Yet, from the moment the first body is discovered at the site of an archaeological dig, Stephanie feels as if she's being watched, followed, studied,.hunted. Archaeologist Grant Peterson senses something odd about this dig, something that has him locking his door at night. And now, the echoes of a burial site's ancient legend can be found in the chilling signature of a killer on the loose, as one by one, young women start disappearing, only to be found horribly mutilated. The powerful attraction between Stephanie and Grant is a complication neither can afford as they are pulled into a desperate race against time to keep Stephanie from joining the ranks of the missing. For nothing in Bella Vista is what it seems. No one can be trusted. And those closest to Stephanie may prove the most dangerous of all.
